You belong to me. [Alec Volturi love story]

6. Benvenuto

Cold whiffs of air. Grey sky. Snow covered ground.  Silent steps. Coats rustling in the wind. A warm hand in mine and a heartbeat of an innocent girl. They are close. Too close.

I glance behind me shortly. We are all standing rooted in our place waiting for the inevitable to come. Stern, cold and emotionless feelings cover our countenance as our eyes stay rammed into the thicket of the forest far in front of us. We can hear them. We can see them. They are too close.

A large gust of air fills my lungs as I lean slightly forward indicating a protective stance. My muscles tense as they do before the kill. My heart encrusts in cold ice, but still burns like a hatred filled inferno. I grit my pearl white teeth and clench my marble fist as I feel them approaching us. Closer and closer.

Carlisle turns around and looks at us. He casts a warming smile as if trying to remind us not to appear threatening. Or scared. As soon as he turns back around they reach the edge of the woods. Everything stops. Everything is silent. Only a sound of an uneven heartbeat douses the vast meadow. The thick branches of the edge of the woods part and they step into the clearing.

The Volturi have arrived.

Slowly, silently and elegantly they emerge from the dense bushes. One by one. Black cloaks cover their tall, menacing frames as they float closer to us. They are not in a hurry. As if they want to savor the feeling of their iniquitous justice. Grace and elegance emanates off of their coven. This only makes them appear more deadly and sinister. A glare spreads across my heavenly beautiful and delicate face.

Finally, all of the members abandon the woods. They create an odd formation of a long row and approach us. One by one I observe them and their movements, but, unfortunately, the hoods cover their paper white faces. I put my gift in use and try to locate the most powerful opponent. Instantly my eyes glide to two rather small frames. Their small stature gives the impression that they are slightly weaker and less capable of fighting. But their place in formation betrays them – they walk protectively in front three vampires that I suppose are the leaders. I turn my eyes away and start to think of a strategy if a fight does break out. I’ll be ready.

A few moments later they stop. The three vampires, who I assumed are the leaders, step in front of the coven. There are many of them. So many. We are fatally outnumbered. Slowly all of them take off their hoods. For the first time after centuries of hiding and running away I finally face the most powerful and hated coven. And I am not pleased with this encounter.

Suddenly.. Everything changes. I feel all of their eyes on me. On a vampire they have never seen before. But I feel a strange, unknown, but slightly warm feeling flow through my empty veins as I feel a certain stare observing my face. Slowly I glide my gaze towards it.

Our crystal red ruby eyes meet and the world stops. Something happens inside of me as my surroundings slowly start to melt away. They seem meaningless. Everything seems useless and void… without his gaze. I feel unknown warmth flowing through my body and feel my stone heart flip. I keep my stern and harsh glare on my face and my stance menacing. I can’t move. I feel like I’m being absorbed by him and his eyes. His presence consumes me and finally everything fades away into blackness. All there is left is me and him. Nothing else matters…

The second the boy lays his eyes on me he loses his posture. His eyes widen. His strong arms fall to his sides and he slightly leans backwards taken aback by my presence. A small angelic girl puts a hand on his shoulder, but he ignores her. As if she’s not there. As if she doesn’t even exist. As if I am the only person that matters to him. Like his world revolves around me. His mouth is slightly agape and his gaze burns with infatuation, fondness, desire and lust.

Slowly the world returns as the dull colors of the vast meadow flow back and rejoin each other. A disgusting stench fills my nose. I am forced to tear my eyes away from the boy, but he keeps his eyes on me. So does most of the Volturi. Just as I anticipated – they are intrigued and drawn in by my beauty. A usual occurrence.

I glide my eyes behind me and see both of the packs intertwine with the covens of the vampires. I have no idea how long I have been standing there mesmerized by the celestial eyes of the handsome boy, but only now I notice Edward standing in front of me and Bella. He casts me a horrified and concerned look. He read my mind. He understood something I can’t yet comprehend. I try to dismiss it. ‘It’s alright, Edward.’ My mind whispers and I let him hear it. I glide my eyes down and smile warmly at the little angel clinging to her mother. ‘Everything will be alright.’ I whisper in my head, but of course, only Edward can hear me.

The stench of a wet animal becomes stronger as I feel an extremely warm body approach me on my left. The wolf stops next to me and takes a slightly protective stance. A warm smile spreads across my lips. Seth. One of my best comrades with whom I share a tight bond. My family.

The reality hits me like a thunderbolt as I regain my cold composure and my mind finally returns to the vast meadow. I turn to look at Carlisle, who steps forward and leaves a worried Esme behind. His soft, calm and hospitable voice flows through the field and breaks the stale and virulent silence.

“Welcome, Aro.”