Demetri took me to the front desk of the Volturi manor and gave instructions for his house to be made ready for habitation. It was as simple as that. The human woman behind the desk eyed me curiously, but obeyed without question. She was gorgeous and didn't seem to be afraid of her vampire masters, would she know?

"So, what would you like me to show you next?"

I pondered for a while, tamping down annoying flashes of ideas about what Demetri would expect of me, living with him, and then simply pointed in a random direction. "That way."

While we walked and a part of my brain listened to what Demetri told me about the doors that led to places as boring as laundry rooms, stockrooms and human things like bathrooms, another part of me wondered what his house would be like. Would it be as great as this one? Or more like the little houses I had seen when I had first walked into town? Above all I hoped it would be light. Preferably something with a garden. Somewhere I could enjoy the sun without having to be careful not to be noticed by the humans.

"And this is where I spend most of my time. At least, up until now."

I blinked, focusing. We had stopped in front of large double doors and when Demetri pushed one open, we were greeted by half a dozen or so men engaged in various forms of fighting. The speed and ability made my chin drop and for a whole minute I merely stared.

The room was gigantic, not much smaller than the large dome in the center of the manor. The ceiling here, however, was lower and the floor was decorated with lines. Mostly circles. It somehow resembled my old school gym.

When I was finally able to tare my gaze away from Felix almost breaking an other vampire in half, I turned to Demetri. My expression made him laugh.

"You ... you can do that?" I motioned a bit randomly towards the men, who stoically ignored us.

"With the exception of Felix, I can take on everyone in the guard."

It wasn't bragging. He was simply making a statement and I believed him. Hadn't I touched the muscles myself, seen them roll beneath his skin as he'd held me. Vampires were strong, I knew that, but even in the world of superhumans there were differences. Even though muscles could no longer be strengthened, there were still moves that could be learned, speed that could be mastered. And I knew, as I looked at his face, as he calmly observed his fellow guards, that he had not spent a thousand years loitering.

A sudden enthusiasm engulfed me and I almost jumped him, asking: "Can you teach me?"

His charming grin came on full force, as he checked me out, assessing whether it would be worth his time or not. I narrowed my eyes and dared him to brush my question aside.

"Yes", he finally said. His grin turning into a more fond smile. "I will teach you myself."

I jumped up and down a few times, not caring about the huff that sounded from somewhere in the training area. It was probably Felix and I glowered at him.

He threw a wicked smile my way and I stuck out my tongue. Which I immediately regretted. A less immature sign could hardly be found. Oh well, they all knew that, compared to them, I was nothing but a child. However, I had all the time in the world to learn at least as much as they had.

---

"Do you want me to show you the house now?"

I looked through a window in the library, where we had been for the last few hours. Softly chatting about spending days with nothing to do, reading a little and making out, when we were alone.

"Is it ready yet?" I jumped up, returned the boring book about the Spanish Inquisition I had been reading, to it's place on a shelf and waited expectantly for Demetri, who seemed to like doing things at human speed.

"I would be very disgruntled if it wasn't."

Unfortunately, before we could leave, a message from Aro came and Demetri's face fell.

"Another search?" I softly asked. I had almost forgotten that his life was not completely his own. He had masters to serve and they would not relish the idea of him leaving.

"Come," he said, taking my hand, "let's find out."

In silence we followed the messenger to the great hall and as expected, Aro waited for us, sitting on his throne, like a king, lording over his subjects.

"Aaah, my young friends, how good of you to come. Ariadne, you look stunning."

Weary of his compliment and smile, after what Demetri had told me about the old vampire, I nodded and murmured a small thank you. Aro smiled, as if nothing was wrong, but when he held out his hand and Demetri made to move his own forward, I suddenly heard myself saying loudly: "No, stop!"

A few hisses penetrated the sudden silence. The hands of both men froze in midair and Demetri eyed me with something akin to terror.

Perhaps it was my twenty-first century lack of acknowledging power, the believe that this was a free country and that no one could force me to do anything, but I did not understand why he was suddenly so afraid. Aro might be the most powerful vampire I knew, but it was my solemn believe that being powerful didn't automatically mean you could do everything you wanted, no matter the cost.

Realizing however that every other person in the manor, did Aro's every bidding without question and that I could be in serious trouble because of my impertinence, I hastened to explain.

"There is no need to read our every thought. I understand it goes a lot faster than talking, but it is demeaning and embarrassing. You don't need to know every little detail about our lives, just ask what you want to know, we will tell you the truth."

Aro didn't answer immediately, instead he cocked his head and stared at me, deliberating, probably, what to do with me. As his strange, dark red eyes bore into mine, unease finally began to settle. Had I just committed suicide? The image of the newborn losing his head flashed before my eyes and I swallowed.

From the corner of my eyes I saw how Demetri flexed his fingers and then balled them into fists. Would he fight for me, or against me?

"Very well", Aro slowly spoke, causing Demetri's eyes to bulge.

I quickly looked his way, scanning the room at the same time. Every other vampire in the room seemed ready to pounce, but as Aro took a step back and seated himself once again on the throne-like chair, they all relaxed. A little bit of fear finally crept up my back. Yet also wonder, about what it was that Aro really wanted from me that gave me this much apparent latitude.

Aro's frown disappeared as he said: "I wanted merely to spare you the embarrassment of having to share your answers with everyone in this room, but, have it your way."

His excuse felt made up and I knew he was lying. With all the power he had, Aro was afraid to not know everything everyone was thinking. It taught me that he ruled by creating fear and not because he cared. It put me very much on my guard and gave me a little more appreciation for the warning the Cullens had tried to give me.

His soft, raspy voice called me back to the present. "I came to the understanding that you have made preparations to leave us."

I focused my attention on Aro's words and even though he intended to question Demetri, I was the one who answered. "Only a short distance. This manor is very nice, but I don't like the darkness. I am used to the outdoors and Demetri told me he has a house nearby we could use. That is all."

Was that all he had wanted to hear? He narrowed his eyes infinitesimally, a human wouldn't have noticed. Perhaps he was afraid he would loose his tracker? I didn't think he needed to fear that.

Movement behind his chair made me look and I smiled briefly as I recognized Chelsea. She did not smile back, however, but seemed deep in thought as she stared at the space between Demetri and me. What was her gift? It hadn't taken me long to believe that everyone who lived in the manor, had to have some sort of gift. Aro would not keep them here if they hadn't.

For a tiny moment, I deliberated asking Aro why he wanted to keep me here, but then I decided against it. Now was not the time. I would wait until I found Aro alone and somehow that didn't seem like such an impossibility. Perhaps he would even seek me out.

We waited, for two nerve-wracking minutes, that, with the speed a vampire mind needed to process, seemed like a very long time. In the end, Aro's features relaxed and he waved, almost as if he was bored. The action reminded me of the wave Marcus had given me a while back.

We were excused and so I nodded, grabbed Demetri's hand and left the room in a flash.