SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW ➻ DEMETRI VOLTURI

V E N T U N O

With her head resting on her hand she stared out the window of Demetri's room lazily. The moon was only a crescent this night, barely visible, but she still thought it looked breathtaking. She still had one week to go before Demetri would turn her. The thought both scared her and excited her. Excited, because she would finally lose her human imperfections and be equal to her family. Scared, she told herself because Demetri had only turned someone once, but mostly because she was unsure of how her feelings towards him would change once she was turned.

"What are you thinking about?" Demetri's voice broke the silence.

She turned her eyes away from the moon and to the vampire sitting near the fireplace. He was holding a book in a hand, one she didn't immediately recognize. Letting out a soft sigh, she shrugged. "I'm thinking about what it will be like once you've turned me."

She had mostly been thinking about her physical change and her feelings for her apparent soulmate, but from the strained look on Demetri's face, she realised he must be thinking she was talking about where she would be living. Cecilia hadn't spent much thought on the matter, mostly because it resulted in nasty headaches that would torture her for the rest of the day.

She wanted to spend more time with Demetri, obviously, her feelings for him increasing every day, but she didn't want to say goodbye to her family. She also knew, however, that the Volturi would never let their best tracker move to the other side of the world. Besides, she didn't think Demetri would fit in very well with her family, or her family with him. And the chance that her family would move to Europe she considered very small.

"Would you ever consider joining the Volturi?" Demetri asked. He looked at her hopefully, as if that would change her opinion on the matter.

She wouldn't, not in a million years, but she also knew that the walls here had ears and that she couldn't say so out loud. "I don't even know if they'd want me," she answered. She bit her lip absentmindedly, her eyes wandering to the many shelves with books. "I don't even know whether I'm gifted and even if I am, if it would be useful."

"I can hardly track you right now, and you're still human," he said. He closed the book he'd been reading, looking at her with awe. "I'm absolutely positive your gift will be useful."

"Maybe," she simply replied. She didn't want to admit to anything, not before she'd spoken with her family. She pushed the chair back, got up from it and took a seat next to Demetri on the settée instead. As soon as he curled an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close, her lips turned into a smile almost on automatic pilot. His hands were cold, but his touch left her skin scorching hot. "What are you reading anyway?"

"Epicurus," he answered, the tips of his fingers drawing absentminded circles on Cecilia's shoulder.

"I don't know him," she said, her eyebrows furrowed. She grabbed the book from his hand, opening it curiously. It was written in ancient Greek and she turned the pages carefully.

"Keep it that way," he answered, chuckling softly. "His writings give me a headache."

She hummed, closing the book again. "Would you ever consider leaving the Volturi?" she asked, out of the blue.

For just a moment, Demetri's fingers halted on her bare shoulder, before they continued their monotone pattern. She didn't dare to look at him, but still, she forced herself to turn her head to his. He looked distraught, staring far away in the distance and Cecilia softly bit her lip, wondering what his reply was going to be.

Her family had told her of Chelsea and her gift. She was basically the glue that kept the Volturi together, breaking and mending bonds as she liked. It was no wonder Aro put her on a pedestal, but Cecilia couldn't help but wonder if the soulmate bond was strong enough to get her claws out of Demetri's head.