Gianna seemed to have finally gone to sleep after the events of that dawn, the sun hadn't even risen yet, but the human had been awake for a day and a night, she must have been exhausted. Demetri heard her call some of the servants not to come to the house, so he would be free to walk with Elia around the house in the daylight.
That is if she ever got out of that bathroom.
Demetri's first thought was to knock on the door, but he knew she wouldn't answer. He thought about how anxious and worried he'd been since Elia woke up, and how that had only served to push her away even more. Demetri tried to remember when he'd been turned, but the memories kept slipping away. One thing he did remember was that nothing mattered that first year, nothing but blood.
Suddenly, the bathroom door opened a few inches, enough for Elia to stick her head out, her gaze wandering around the room until it settled on Demetri.
- Are we alone? - Elia asked. She didn't raise her voice, on the contrary, it was more like a whisper.
- Yes - Demetri nodded. His first impulse was to run towards her, but he knew that would scare her, so he grabbed his own feet, forcing himself to stay on the ground.
Elia didn't scream or hide, and Demetri knew that was progress. If his heart was still beating he knew it would be beating out of his chest when Elia headed for her nest of blankets in the far corner of the room.
- She told me about you - Elia said.
Demetri was sitting in front of the door, but even so, he almost couldn't believe that the girl was talking to him. Finally.
- Renata - Elia continued, she rummaged through the blankets looking for something - she told me that you are friends.
- Something like that - Demetri replied. He knew he should stay seated, but seeing Elia getting nervous as she fumbled with the blankets made him anxious. What if she kicked him out again? Wasn't this a good opportunity for them to talk?
Demetri walked slowly to her side, kneeling beside the nest. He saw the headphones on the last layer of blankets and handed them to Elia.
- Yes, I was looking for them! - She smiled, and for a moment Elia seemed human, until their hands touched, and Demetri felt the same stiffness and coldness in her fingers.
And that wasn't all, Elia was much paler, even though the freckles on her cheeks still resisted like soldiers on the winter front. Her black hair was much shinier, and her eyes now had a vibrant red tone typical of a newborn. Her lips were the only blush on her face now, and Demetri didn't know why, but it made her look less dead, maybe time would change that. And now they had plenty of time.
- You look sad - Elia said.
- I'm not... - Demetri replied, but then he gave up on lying - Just a little.
- You always look sad when you look at me, that's why I didn't understand you, but then Renata said details, and I think I got confused.
– Renata confused you? What did she say?
The quick questions made Elia look away again and Demetri then realized, it wasn't the questions, but his eyes, maybe his hair?
- You mistake me for someone else - Demetri concluded, trying to put his hair back - that's why you said I would kill you when you woke up, you're remembering the vampire who attacked you...
The girl nodded quickly and Demetri felt like ripping his face off.
- But Renata said that you watched me, that it was your way of looking after me because you liked me.
- Liking is a very diminutive word for what I feel.
Elia didn't say anything, and Demetri thought she ignored him on purpose.
- My memories don't match what she said, but all I remember from that night is that it was dark, I could barely see the road and then...
Elia's hands were raised, almost as if she could touch the memories she was trying to visualize. Demetri noticed that she wore a silver ring on her left hand.
- And then... - Demetri tried to make her continue.
Elia sighed.
- Red eyes - she said - and then the void.
Demetri nodded, he wouldn't force her to continue, or to remember, it would be too painful, and he could barely contain his anger, consequently scaring her again.
- I should have followed you when you left the city - was all Demetri could say - if I had been around I would have protected you, forgive me.
Elia's hands were in front of her body, holding the mp3. Demetri held them carefully, as if she were made of dust and could disappear at the strongest touch.
- I promise I will protect you now and for all eternity - he said, lowering his head - and that I will give you whatever you want, anything.
- Anything? - Elia asked.
Demetri looked up, she hadn't looked away, nor rejected him. Maybe he had a chance.
- I'm so thirsty... - Elia squeezed his hands, and every human-like feature she had disappeared from her face - I need blood.
XXXXX
- Alec always brings me blood, twice a week, but he didn't bring me any today, and the mind reader took him away, I know he won't come back, he was so angry...
Elia spoke as Demetri took her out of the room. She still didn't know how to adjust her speed, so Demetri took her by the hand, guiding her through the house. They were at the top of the stairs when Elia stopped.
- The human sleeps there - Elia said, looking at the hallway on the opposite side of the mansion - but I can't touch her.
- No one can - Demetri said, he pressed Elia's hand against his chest. Part of him was happy to have this chance, but part of him wasn't.
- Why not? And why do you call those two masters?
Demetri led her towards the back of the house, where they would leave through the servants' entrance that would lead to a more deserted street. It was still very early, the city was asleep, but Demetri didn't want to take any chances.
- The blood that Alec brings you - Demetri said, he still remembered the heartbeat he heard that day, but he didn't have time to keep checking and the sound didn't come back anymore - do you know where it comes from?
Elia shook her head. They were leaving the mansion now.
- I don't know - the girl smiled - but it's so delicious! It's like it tastes like all my favorite things in liquid form! And I don't know what my favorite things are...
The girl stopped again. She was barefoot, Demetri tried to make her put on shoes, but Elia refused. This time, what made her stop was the ray of sunlight that was beginning to illuminate the street.
Elia was stronger, so if she didn't move, Demetri wouldn't move either.
- The sun won't hurt you - Demetri said, he stood in front of her to block the light - see?
The sun hit Demetri's face lightly, and Elia jumped back when she saw the diamond-like glow cross his face. She almost took Demetri's hand with her.
- If you're still scared - Demetri left the light, heading towards the shadow where Elia was sneaking - let me carry you, and you can close your eyes, I promise I'll be faster and we'll be out of here soon.
- You'll be faster - Elia nodded, she had no reservations about that proposal - I have a feeling I've done this before.
XXXXX
As much as the Volturi Guard members had to wait for Heidi to return with her fishing, sometimes the younger members couldn't stand the wait and had to search far enough away to avoid suspicion. Demetri preferred France to hunt, isolated villages and forests with camps were his favorites. Over time, he had become a master at faking accidents and human disappearances, and now he could use that to help the girl he loved.
Perhaps Elia was already used to Alec's orders, for she never tried to escape or deceive him. Even though her throat burned and her thirst was intense, she waited in the shade of the largest trees Demetri could find near Saint-Pé-d'Ardet. He couldn't avoid the sun for most of the ride, but he was fast enough that no one saw him. Demetri knew that traveling like this in daylight was risky, but what could he do? Elia was thirsty.
He chose a young man for her, it wasn't on purpose, it was the closest he could find, and the only one who was alone, and alone people were easier to disappear without a trace.
Alec brought blood to Elia, but Demetri knew she needed to get used to taking it herself, otherwise she would end up feeling disgusted by the bodies. He left the young man unconscious, and when he dragged him to Elia he had to show her where to suck more blood without making a mess.
Demetri didn't talk about the hunting habits of each of the Volturi, but inside the castle, from the dome of the hall, it was too easy to forget to be careful since all there were other vampires around. He knew Alec would raise Elia that way, but he wanted to make sure she could manage on her own if something happened.
- What are you going to do with him? – Elia asked after the young man died in her arms. There was blood on her face and lips, and Demetri had taken her to the lake to clean her up, making her stop caressing the dead young man's face.
- Bury him - Demetri said - deep enough, and make sure we don't leave footprints or any other traces.
The vampire wet his hands and began to clean Elia's face. Before, she couldn't bear to look at him, but now she stared at him nonstop. As Demetri cleaned her fingers, he lingered on the ring she was wearing.
- Did you give me this? - Elia asked.
- What? I was about to ask if Alec gave it to you...
- Oh... - Elia pulled her hands back - I don't remember, but I like wearing it.
- Maybe it was someone in your family, you had a brother and...
- I don't... - Elia interrupted him, she closed her eyes for a second as the sun hit her face lightly - I don't want to know, not now I...
Elia left the shore, hiding again in the plants that surrounded the lake, near the mountains. There were ducks on the other side, but it was as if they knew they couldn't get near those two.
Demetri ran after her right away, afraid she would run, but Elia just sat in the shade of a tree.
- What good will it do if I know? - Elia said - I don't even remember the faces and when I get close all I'll want to do is drink blood...
The girl shook her head. Demetri knew that feeling, he had felt it before, a long time ago, he couldn't blame her.
- This young man's blood is different from the one Alec brings me, did you know that? I don't know how, but I know... The blood Alec brings is magical!
Elia smiled, then covered her face as if she were about to cry.
- Not that one, that one barely satisfied me.
- It's okay, it's okay - Demetri held her face with his hands, and removed the last stains of blood that were on her cheeks. How different it was to look at her like that.
- "Liking is a very diminutive word for what I feel" - Elia repeated his words - You loved me... Love me now? Why? Even when I was human? Why?
- It was complicated... - Demetri started to speak, but Elia touched his hair, tucking it behind his ears. It was as if Demetri felt an electric shock.
He had to move away a little, but Elia didn't understand why.
- I won't talk about your family - Demetri said, feeling stupid for retreating - so for now, just know that my curiosity led me to you, it wasn't love at first sight as I suspect Renata thinks and may have told you...
The vampire smiled, he couldn't look at Elia while he said that.
- The moment I realized you were sad, or tired, I found myself having impulses to get closer, to want to comfort you, and I started to ask myself why? Why do I want to be with her?
Elia listened attentively; she had already gotten closer.
- Without realizing it, you had already taken over my heart, and my curiosity was to blame. After admiring you so much, you had become embedded in every fiber of my body and suddenly I couldn't let go... But I didn't want to interfere in your life, I didn't want you to become like me and I told you that... And you hated me anyway!
Demetri laughed, he missed that, because even in the rejection Elia was alive, very different from now.
- And Alec and me? I know we're friends, but...
- Alec said he met you by chance, and I didn't believe it before, but now I think he was the way the gods found to mock my cowardice in loving you. He was so direct with his feelings and you adored him instantly, you became friends and I could barely get you to look at me!
Demetri paused for a moment. They couldn't cry, so a little emotion could soon turn into screams or an expression of confusion and anger.
- Just know that it was my fault, because I treated you like poison, but you were the cure for my empty existence - Demetri reached out, lightly touching the back of Elia's head - and now you don't remember anything, and I feel like it's my fault, another punishment.
The girl didn't say anything, but Demetri felt lighter anyway. He still needed to bury the young man's body, but Elia took the mp3 player out of her pocket and put one of the headphones in the vampire's ear.
- I don't know much about this... - Demetri pointed to the device in Elia's hands, she pressed the buttons quickly as she chose a song - Alec likes music, that's why you liked him.
- How can someone not like music? - Elia replied - Listen.
Demetri did as she said, and he restrained all other impulses he had to continue martyring himself in front of her. The song grew louder, and Elia shook her head and hummed some parts, which forced Demetri to stand still, admiring it, and finally listening.
The melody washed over him, and the vampire looked up.
- It's good, isn't it? - Elia asked.
- Is that a human? - Demetri looked at the small mp3, trying to see the singer's name on the small screen - What he's saying is exactly...
- How do you feel? - Elia guessed - That's why I like music.
The girl hummed again, not caring if Demetri was watching her. The vampire just stood there, still shocked by the lyrics of that song, but also captivated by the appearance of the girl beside him. Elia was different, yes, but she was still her, and Demetri still loved her, and he had to trust that one day, when she felt better, Elia would love him back.
- Let's find a place to hide until nightfall - Demetri said after the song ended - then we'll go back home.
Elia nodded. She had her head leaning against the trunk of the large tree that offered them shelter from the sun.
- I'll go wherever you go - she said, digging her feet into the ground – but also because I don't know the way back, and I think Alec would be sad if he didn't find me at the house.
Demetri rolled his eyes. Here he was pouring his heart out to her, and all Elia could think about was not making Alec sad.
- I have a feeling he will take him away soon.
- Who? - Demetri asked.
- The mind reader - Elia whispered.
- You can go too, I think, maybe you both will end up leaving.
Elia touched the tree trunk, and with her strength dug until a small "E" was drawn.
- I can't speak for Alec - Demetri said - but I will always come back to you.
Elia reached out her hand, but not to Demetri, she just let the sun touch her, admiring the small diamonds on her skin.
And so they moved on.