Things were quiet when the masters went on missions, and those were the moments Gianna cherished the most. At first, when she first started working with the Volturi, she had imagined that she would soon be turned. "A year or two is all it would take for them to trust me," she had thought confidently, but soon her expectations were shattered just like her father before her, and therefore the idea of creating a family like that of Luca, Renata's uncle, in Malta.
If before Gianna felt like going on a mission with Aro and Caius and learning more about the supernatural world, now she was content to be left behind, because at least she would be at peace for a while, since the remaining members of the castle were not so scary and Jane had a reserved personality.
Well, that was before.
Before they threw a newborn into her house.
Elia didn't talk much for the first few days, she had locked herself in her room, perhaps even more strictly than when Alec had installed the metal bars on her window. Gianna barely heard her walk and for a few days it was as if everything was normal again, she even called some staff to help with the garden and cleaning the house, even though she had her cell phone in her hand, nervous, ready to call Jane if Elia tried anything, but the door didn't open, and so the humans entered and left the house safely.
But things started to change after Alec's phone calls started. He expected Jane to be there of course, but she wasn't, so it was Gianna he called and expected her to pass the phone to Elia, at least when she was home. Gianna started coming home later because of these calls, if she didn't answer, Alec knew she wasn't home and therefore he had no way to talk to Elia since phone calls to Gianna's house were forbidden thanks to Aro.
After the calls Elia finally started to left her room, but her schedule was strange and she walked around the house taking everything out of place. It wasn't long before she discovered the library and Gianna kept catching her leafing through her father's old books, and even the diaries he left on the shelves.
- He talks about the mind reader here - Elia said once while reading, Gianna was just checking on her, a little worried about her worn-out clothes - Why do you let it be seen?
- Because no one would believe it's true - Gianna replied - it could be seen as an idea for a book he never finished.
The human sighed.
- And also because I don't get many visitors.
Elia didn't respond to most of Gianna's comments, but that one made the vampire smile.
- Why doesn't Jane come visit me? - the vampire suddenly asked.
Luckily, Gianna already had a lie ready for that moment.
- She's busy - Gianna sighed, she had already lost count of how many times she had asked Jane to come - half the clan is away, you know.
When the vampire didn't respond, Gianna knew she had sounded confident and that would satisfy her for a while.
The human noticed that the vampire seemed to be learning to do several things at the same time and, on top of that, to control her thirst. Gianna never got too close to her, and she was always on the lookout for possible escape routes, not to mention leaving the windows open so that the wind could circulate through the house to preventing her smell from becoming so permeated in the environment.
One day a stray cat ended up wandering into the mansion's garden, with black fur and white paws. It was the first time the newborn had stepped into the garden in broad daylight, and Gianna had to cancel the staff visit so they don't get scared by a walking diamond in human form.
- He's going to live with us now - Elia told Gianna, looking stunningly dead.
The human thought about it sometimes, about how Alec and Demetri seemed trapped in her gravity, in her lost humanity, looking for glimpses of something more, but Gianna only saw her as a dead girl, with frozen movements, capable of spending hours and hours reading without stopping and playing with a cat that, like the animals of Volterra, knew that those things moved and pretended to be alive.
And Gianna began to wonder if she really wanted to become like her one day, and that was when Elia finally snapped.
Gianna thought it was thirst, and maybe loneliness. Before leaving, Alec had told Jane that she would be responsible for Elia, but it had been two weeks and the vampire hadn't shown up and his calls decreased, which indicated that the mission was fully underway. Gianna could be responsible for many things, but not for feeding a creature like that. And the loneliness, well, they weren't friends. Gianna could be a physical presence in the mansion when she wasn't working, but she couldn't fill the emotional void. This was the main reason why Gianna allowed the cat to be there, even though the animal made her sneeze sometimes.
If things got much worse, Gianna hoped that at least Elia would attack the cat first.
At night, the human would lock the bedroom door and drag an armchair up against it. This wouldn't stop the vampire from entering, but at least it would make noise when she tried. Gianna tried very hard not to leave her room during those two weeks, but the St. Marcus Day Festival was approaching and that meant an increase in her workload. There were already humans working on the ground floor of the castle, in full view of the public of course, after the final renovations that had been carried out after Aro's departure, and Gianna was also responsible for coordinating them. They didn't know anything about the underground, and they couldn't. In any case, Gianna felt exhausted, and the longer she spent underground, the less she ate, so that night she was starving.
Gianna tried hard to resist her hunger, but she just couldn't fall asleep, and she knew there was ready-made food in the fridge. Her cravings got the better of her. She pulled the chair away from the door and put her ear to the wall. There was no sound coming from the hallway. Elia couldn't sleep, but the cat could, maybe she watched him sleep.
Gianna left the room and walked down the dark hallway barefoot. She turned on just one light in the kitchen, just enough to not feel shrouded in darkness, and poured a glass of water when she saw a hooded figure in the corner, near the refrigerator, staring at her like a silent predator. Gianna screamed of course, and the glass fell to the floor, breaking as a result of the impact. She only had time to take a few steps back and turn on the other lights, that's when she realized that the black hood was actually hair, and the two scary red dots were actually Elia's eyes.
Elia laughed as Gianna trembled and put her hands to her chest. She could hear it her racing heart, of course, from the scare she had given her, even if unintentionally.
- You work with vampires and you're afraid of me? - the girl who had once intercepted Gianna so cleverly kept laughing, clutching her stomach.
- Why did you follow me? - Gianna replied, adjusting her posture and standing back up - You shouldn't follow me like that!
The human was still scared and shaking, and suddenly the cat appeared in the kitchen, jumping onto the counter.
- But there's no one watching... - Elia kept laughing, but her stretched lips didn't match the scary look in her eyes. She ran towards Gianna, not as a vampire, but as a human, which only made her back away until she reached the counter.
Elia's head moved from side to side, analyzing Gianna from head to toe, and the human realized that she was smelling her. It was a terrifying moment for the secretary, but suddenly Elia picked up the cat.
- I'm sorry for scaring you - Elia said, she was too close to Gianna to the point of touching her if she wanted to, but she didn't - We'll be in the library and then I'll go back to the silent room you all want to keep me locked in!
The newborn walked away, her face had returned to normal, but Gianna's hunger was completely gone.
These encounters began to repeat themselves during that week. Gianna didn't see the vampire when she got home, but suddenly she would find her in her room, or in her bathroom, rummaging through her closet, sometimes even climbing on the ceiling. It was as if Elia was finding ways to scare the human, or to bother her, Gianna couldn't decide.
- Why do you keep doing this? - Gianna asked. The St. Marcus Day Festival was the next day and her nose was red because of the cat.
They were together in the library, at a rare moment. Gianna had placed a large television there for her, since it was Elia's favorite room, and she had looked for all the DVDs she still had at home so she could keep herself entertained. She thought it best to have lunch with her eyes fixed on the vampire since Jane refused to take her away.
- Hiding in the corners, hanging from the rafters of the house... - she mixed her second plate of salad - Why do you keep following me?
Elia didn't pay attention to the human, she repeated the lines from an old movie, Romeo and Juliet.
- I don't know – she finally answered - I guess I'm bored and I only have you for now.
She went back to repeating the lines from the movie and Gianna went back to being unimportant. The cat was sleeping on a big red pillow near the vampire. The human envied him.
- You did that once when you were human - Gianna sighed, then took a sip of orange juice - it wasn't fun back then either, but it wasn't my fault, it was Demetri who needed to deliver his own letters…!
The comment came out suddenly, a mistake, an oversight amid a moment of peace. When she looked up, Gianna found Elia's face too close to hers again.
- Did you know me before?
- Not exactly! - the human answered quickly putting the plate back on the little table in the middle of the room - We met twice because...
She fell silent as she remembered Alec's words. If she displeased the young master, Gianna knew she would be lost, but if she was not useful to the newborn... Gianna gasped as she found herself between the blades of two swords.
- Demetri sent you letters and asked for my help - the human sighed. Alec couldn't blame her, after all she was already refusing Demetri's insistent calls trying to talk to the newborn. She soon saw that it was the right decision, as Elia's expression softened and she smiled broadly, a genuine smile this time, almost human.
- Letters? Demetri sent me letters? But I don't remember, I... Alec didn't tell me anything…
Elia stood up, then sat back down as if she didn't know why she had gotten up in the first place.
- I can't keep forgetting things…
Gianna took a deep breath. She felt sorry for the girl, very sorry, because she was young, and facing this new life without memories was not easy, especially not in a clan like that.
The human stood up and walked over to the desk her father used to write at in the library. It was a beautiful piece of white mahogany with hand-carved details, one of the most valuable things in the mansion, a gift from Aro to the family many years ago. Gianna always kept a diary there, in one of the drawers. She sometimes imagined that she would like to write her memoirs like her father, but she could never put anything into those pages.
- Here - the human said - with a diary it will be easier, signorina, you can write whatever you want and always keep it with you, to remember. Even if you forget again, the words will be there.
Elia nodded and ran over, taking the diary from Gianna's hands, picking up one of the pens that was on the desk and returning to her place next to the cat. From the expression on her face, Gianna couldn't tell if she was relieved or sad, only that the red color in her eyes was getting weaker every day.
XXXXX
Every St. Marcus Day the humans celebrated upstairs, while the vampires feasted underground. Not that the Volturi only fed on festival days, far from it, but it was on major events that Heidi could double her batch. Jane chose what she wanted, who she wanted, and the screams soon stopped. She hated getting dirty and over time she became very skilled at sucking blood, she just had to ignore the mess her clanmates were making.
It took Corin and Heidi's help to get Marcus to choose someone and finally drink. Jane didn't even come near him. She wasn't in the mood to babysit someone else, since she was already ignoring her main obligation. She left the hall in the hope of hiding in her room, alone again, and waiting for Alec to return.
- Miss Jane.
She heard perfectly well when Gianna called her, probably in a desperate attempt to ask her to bring Elia to the castle, again. Jane could have run, or simply killed the human as revenge for Aro having left her behind, but no, she walked slowly and heard her call again:
- Miss Jane - Gianna said, this time a little louder.
Jane turned around and Gianna automatically flinched. The girl hated this, it wasn't because she was looking at someone that she wanted to hurt them.
- The newborn... - Gianna's voice failed, she coughed a little. Her nose was red - Elia isn't going to eat today?
Gianna flinched again, waiting for an answer, but Jane just sighed.
- Her eyes are almost completely black - the secretary said. She was looking particularly elegant today as they were receiving visitors, the main dishes of the banquet.
- Interesting - Jane said. Gianna didn't answer, but she continued to speak anyway: - to save your life you worry about what the vampire sheltered in your mansion will eat.
- Not what, Miss Jane - Gianna bravely said - but who.
Jane laughed at the human's courage and because it actually sounded funny to her. It would be fun to see Gianna meet her final fate in such a silly way after so many years of loyal service.
The girl took a small jar from the hem of her black dress, and the glow of the red liquid made Gianna turn her head.
- I got some blood for her - Jane said - but I was hoping you could deliver it. It's not her favorite, but...
- I can't walk around town with that, not today. - Gianna sounded firm, and Jane almost applauded her courage.
The vampire put the jar back in her pocket, then approached the human's table. Gianna was older than her, and was a pretty woman; Jane sometimes wondered if she would have looked as good as that if she were older.
- How... does she look like? - Jane asked hesitantly, because it was a concern she didn't want to admit to having.
She debated whether to visit Elia or not. After all, she would have to fulfill the task Alec had left for her someday, and she was already taking food to the captive human.
Since Gianna remained silent, Jane assumed she didn't understand the question.
- Her personality, is she kind or presumptuous? Is she easily angered or calm? She's like Heidi, Corin, Chelsea...
- Oh, I see.
Gianna's words made Jane shut up. She didn't want the human to assume something wrong.
- You never had to deal with a sister-in-law before.
- No - Jane sighed, relieved that she understood - and I would rather continue without having to deal with one, but Alec thought he needed a woman.
Gianna smiled, and at first Jane thought she was making fun of her, only later realizing that the human was showing compassion.
- You'd better see for yourself - Gianna said and the noise of the festival became so loud that even underground they were able to hear it.
XXXXX
Elia was sure she saw fireworks. They weren't as impressive during the day, but they were fireworks, and she knew that they were a sign of celebration and joy. She watched through the back window of the mansion as people walked down the cobblestone streets dressed in red hoods, with smiles on their faces, always in groups or pairs, never alone. How Elia envied them.
Sometimes she followed them through the windows of the mansion, even if she had to sneak into rooms and halls, until they disappeared into the distance around a corner. Elia did this fifteen times that day, with the cat in her arms since he couldn't keep up with her all the time.
- I'm tired - the vampire said to the cat. Gianna told her not to hold the cat while wearing velvet, but Elia didn't care - I wish I was there, but I know that if I go, I'll end up losing control.
The human had lent her a green velvet dress that reached mid-calf, with silver buttons, mid-length sleeves, and a square neckline. Elia had been wearing it that morning ever since Gianna had put her clothes in the washing machine. As for the shoes, Elia had taken a pair from Gianna without the human knowing as soon as she left the mansion.
Elia went back to the library, where the television that Gianna had installed was showing an old movie about vampires. The newborn placed the cat on his favorite red pillow and picked up the diary that was on the floor again. She had written several notes on some of the pages, some of them unrelated to each other, just things that she thought would be interesting to have at hand, but lately most of her notes and thoughts had been about Demetri.
Elia was trying to understand how much his statements, Renata's and Gianna's, not to mention Alec's words, matched. And the fact that she remembered Alec and felt good around him confused her even more.
- I think I give up - Elia lay down on the floor next to the cat, near the pile of foreign books she was trying to learn to read. She really wanted to talk to Alec, but she knew he was busy, and to Demetri, but she didn't know exactly what to say to him.
The movie started showing the vampire walking among the crowd, with clothes that made him blend in. His skin didn't shine, he could walk in gray cities as much as he wanted.
Elia raised her hand and looked at the silver ring on her finger that looked simple next to the ruby bracelet Alec had given her. She still wanted to know how it had ended up there.
Suddenly the girl jumped up, she had smelled something different, very different from Gianna, a new presence walking through the garden.
- There's someone here.
Elia paused the movie and ran to the front door, coming face to face with a small figure in dark clothes near the rose bushes. Her eyes were red, just like the liquid she was holding in a glass jar, matching the flowers that were blooming. Elia had never seen her before, but he recognized the features on her face and the determined look in her eyes.
- You must be Jane! - the newborn smiled as she spoke, automatically going towards her with her hand outstretched - finally!
There was hesitation in the pale girl, Elia could tell, but she decided to keep her hand outstretched until Jane took it. Finally, they shook hands.
- How do you know who I am? - the girl asked, she was shorter than Alec, therefore shorter than Elia. Her dark dress was made of lace and velvet, with a large bow below the neck, length below the knees, and she wore shoes that resembled those of a doll.
Elia stared at the jar of blood and felt her mouth water.
- You look like Alec, he told me you would come, I just didn't think it would take so long.
Jane followed Elia into the mansion and stood quietly watching the newborn drink the blood in one gulp. One moment Jane had a jar of human blood, the next, it was just an empty object. Elia was quiet for a moment after drinking, but Jane noticed that she seemed relieved, somehow, and her face soon didn't look so pale anymore.
She recognized the ruby bracelet on the girl's wrist as a gift from her brother, but she wasn't satisfied with the cat on the pillow.
- Of course you like cats too - Jane said, and Elia couldn't tell if she was disappointed or coming to a conclusion.
- Of course I do! - Elia placed the jar on the floor along with other trinkets she collected around the house, her mouth was a little dirty so Jane offered her a tissue - But he doesn't have a name.
- Why not?
- I haven't found the perfect name yet, maybe I'll wait for Alec to come back and he can help me, I haven't even mentioned that a cat snuck into the garden and decided to stay with me - Elia smiled as she finished cleaning her face - it will be a surprise.
New fireworks echoed from the square, and Elia's attention was soon drawn away. Jane noticed her excited expression turn sad for a minute.
- You can't go there yet, I'm sorry - Jane said suddenly, not really understanding why - but next year you can be part of the city watch, it's not so bad.
- And I won't be so thirsty anymore? - Elia asked.
- No - Jane answered - not all the time.
The vampire then became curious.
- How are you holding up having Gianna around?
- It's not that I don't want to kill her - Elia sighed, she knew her words sounded insensitive, but that's what she felt - but in a way, having her around made me get used to her smell.
Jane nodded, pressing her lips together to hide her smile, and Elia didn't quite understand why, since her face seemed to be one that suited smiles.
Elia touched her blond hair, which formed a beautiful frame for her delicate face. She had the same full lips as Alec, but somehow she looked younger even though Gianna said they were twins.
- Do you want to watch a movie with me? - Elia asked, pointing to the television.
She was glad to have someone like her around, someone who knew Alec and who could maybe answer some of her questions.
- Yes - Jane replied, looking at the absurd amount of books and trinkets on the floor - but how about we clean this up first? And fix your hair? I think I can bring you some new clothes or...
Jane hesitated again. Elia noticed that she always looked away from her and didn't understand why. Was she staring at her too much?
- I can take you to the castle with me - Jane finally seemed to have made up her mind - would you like to go?