Not new
I went to bed that night and my head was about to explode so I obviously could not sleep at all. I was super excited about the Vulturi accepting to turn me into a vampire, but that joy was somehow shadowed by the idea of having Jane taking care of me, as Aro had said. However, after taking a time to think about it, I realised the real reason behind that was not to take care of me, but to watch me and control me.
I felt stupid when I understood why they were doing that. It would have been pretty obvious to anyone that they did not trust me at all. After all, I was a simple human who used to be friends with the only clan of vampires who signified a threat to them.
The rest of the night went on super slowly as I tried to come up with ideas to show the Vulturi my real intentions. But I had to make sure that even though I wanted them to trust me, I would never go against the Cullens. I had a limit and it was clear.
Without a doubt the hardest part of gaining their confidence would be dealing with Jane. I was sure that she would use anything I said or did to ruin my chance to become one of them. So maybe my first and main decision, not to mention the most convenient one, was to get along with her.
Or at least to survive her. No need to say that I had a creepy nightmare that night and Jane was the star of it.
-
I woke up the following day feeling kind of lost. I was supposed to live in that kind of castle along with the bloodiest vampires of all times and pretended it was all normal.
After getting dressed and having all my human moments, I left the room which I would be calling my bedroom for the next days, and began walking through the dark corridors.
I felt even more lost since not only I was the only human there, but living in an underground castle there was not a sign of the sun. Night or day were basically the same thing.
"Good morning, Miss Swan," Melissa greeted me coming out of nowhere and making me jump in my spot.
"Oh! I – hi, Melissa." I said nervously intertwining my hands.
"I'll lead you to the main salon for breakfast. Please follow me."
I did as I was told and after like five minutes of walking, and trying to remember the path, we got to the salon where I had had dinner the previous night. A night I would never forget.
Unlike for dinner, the salon and the long table were almost empty now, except for a tiny figure seated in front of my chair.
Melissa gestured me to come inside and left immediately after. I walked towards my spot and as soon as I sat down, the figure in front of me pulled the big hood back and I sighed in fright.
Jane.
"Eat." She ordered me sternly.
"Good morning," I said in a whisper.
I knew waiting for an answer was in vain because she evidently hated me and the idea of spending time with me, but we had no other option than following Aro's commands.
I ate my Italian breakfast in silence, with a pair of red eyes fixed on every move I made. She did not blink, not even once.
"I want to go out," I told her getting up but avoiding her eyes.
"No."
"Why not? Aro said-"
"Aro thinks I'll babysit you, but he's wrong."
"Jane, please." I begged her wishing she could change her mind before killing me herself.
"Why do you want to be outside anyway?"
"To see the sun?" I asked her and mentally face palmed myself the second I realized. "Sorry, I didn't mean-"
"No, do you know what?" she asked me interrupting me. "You actually should see the sun."
"Really?"
I raised one eyebrow and stepped closer her, wondering what had made her change her mind. Very slowly, that evil smile of her showed up on her face and I immediately regretted asking.
"Yes, to say goodbye to it." Her teeth shone and her eyes were brighter than ever.
I did not answer, just frowned at the thought of it. It was definitely cruel, but she was right after all. When I had considered the sacrifices I would have to make to become a vampire I had only thought about my family and friends, but never paid attention to the banal pleasures of life. Of human life.
"Ok," I barely whispered.
"Ok?" she asked me standing up and hitting the table with a fist. "I tease you and all you say is okay?"
"What do you want me to do or say, Jane?"
She narrowed her eyes and walked towards my side really slowly. That was new. She stood there with her arms crossed and her chin lifted, like if she was testing me or something.
"So, it's true." She said.
"What?"
"You do want to be turned into one of us."
"I thought it was clear." I told her losing my patience. She still did not believe me?
"Huh." Was the only response I got.
Jane began to walk away from me so I assumed I had to follow her, and I did so. She led me through some dark and cold corridors and little by little I began to recognize the way. We were going outside.
"Here," she told me, suddenly turning to face me and pointing at a tall wooden door. "This leads to a secret garden."
"Secret what?"
"Ugh, it's just an indoor garden. If you want to see the sun, go there." She told me sharply.
"Why can't I go outside the castle? I want to walk around Volterra," I insisted.
"Are you stupid or what?" her voice was getting deeper. "I cannot step outside under the sun."
Maybe it was because of my nerves but I had to press my lips to suppress a smile. Jane seemed vulnerable to my eyes for the first time and that was new too.
I opened the door and went out, yet still inside the castle. It was a beautiful place but it was obvious nobody took care of it. Wild plants covered almost every wall and corner and when I looked up I realize one of the windows belonged to my room.
"Why is this place so neglected?" I innocently asked Jane but when I turned to see her, the view answered my question.
She had pulled her hood back again and her blond hair was in sight, along with her shining skin. My first reaction was to smile, but it was not because of Jane, it was because I remembered the first time Edward had shown me his vampire skin under the sun.
"I see. But why don't you come here if nobody can see you?"
"We just don't like this." she said raising her pale hand which now seemed to be covered by tiny diamonds. "I don't like it." She corrected herself, staring at her own hand.
"Why not?"
"Because is a weakness."
"How could that be a weakness?"
"You really have to start to think as a vampire, Bella."
She pronounced my name for the first time. Another new thing. It felt weird but for some reason it made her less intimidating.
"Imagine if any vampire goes out shining like this," she explained to me. "What do you think would happen?"
"He or she would be exposed to humans," I replied, finally getting her point and what she had meant by weakness.
"And?"
I stopped to think for a second until I understood. Those humans would not survive.
"And you would have to kill the humans... and that vampire."
"Exactly. And that would be quite easy for us, but you see, it's ironic how such a silly thing as the sun is many times the end of our existence."
I sat on the grass, which had concrete under it, trying to assimilate her words. And to my surprise, she sat down too, much more gracefully than me of course.
I began cutting the grass with my hand as I got lost in my thoughts imagining hypothetical scenarios in which I was a vampire. Would I be brave enough to kill innocent humans and even other vampires if our nature got exposed?
"You will." Jane answered me as if she had read my mind. "It takes time, but you eventually stop struggling and just assume you are more powerful."
"And that gives you the right to take people's lives?"
"It is theirs or ours."
I gulped and looked away. I knew I would be different in my new life, but I did not want to become a murdered. I would not.
"Maybe there are other opti-"
"Bella, I'm supposed to instruct you on our nature. You take it or leave it, it is not optional."
I quickly nodded not wanting to upset her. We were finally having some sort of conversation, I was finally gaining her confidence and I was not ruining it by getting sentimental.
"I get it," I said faking a smile. "I'm sorry."
"If you want to be like us, then I'll show you how, but in my way."
"Why is your way different?"
"Because I will have no mercy."
"I'm not surprised to be honest," I said giggling timidly and my eyes opened widely when she slightly smirked at my comment.
"I haven't turned many humans. You better not disappoint me in your vampire life."
"I already ruined my human life. There's no way I'm screwing up this one."
"Great. Or I'll push you out of here under the sun."
"Is that a threat?"
"Take it as a motivation. But yes, it is also a threat."
"That is not new, Jane." I mocked her.
And we both laughed.
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So, what do you think about Jane? Please vote and tell me your opinion in the comments!
Love, Agus