Tenebrous ↠ Volturi Kings {1} ✓

020

The trip to Volterra was long but uneventful. It was dark when we arrived, but I took in all that I could. I knew that jet lag was going to be awful, especially since Italy was a full nine hours ahead, but my excitement ensured that I wouldn't sleep for a long time yet.

"There will be time to see it all, you know," Caius said, looking amused.

"I know! But it's like seeing it for the first time. My original visit was not under such great circumstances," I reminded him, my eyes still glued to the buildings that loomed outside my window. "Plus, you forget that I have pretty good night vision."

"For a human," he said.

I didn't bother sending him a glare. "Fight me."

"Never," he responded, sounding amused.

"Oh, let her enjoy this, Caius. I think it's endearing," Marcus said.

This time, I did turn, giving Caius a triumphant look. "See? Thank you, Marcus."

"You're quite welcome," he said smugly.

"The weather is much sunnier here than it is in Forks," Aro said, taking advantage of the pause in conversation to speak, "so we won't be able to take you out all that much. Overcast weather is when we'll be doing most of our sightseeing."

"Because you're not leaving the castle without some sort of guard," Caius cut in. "Even if Volterra is safe, I don't want to tempt fate."

I rolled my eyes. "You guys are too protective. I promise I won't get killed if you let me walk around outside the castle."

"You could get hit by a car," Marcus said.

"Caught in a burning building," Caius said.

"Crushed by a vending machine," Aro finished with perhaps the most unlikely scenario.

"Crushed by- are you for real? Seriously, of the three things you just listed, only Marcus' is remotely plausible. You need to lighten up."

"We're just trying to keep you safe, mia cara. It's a dangerous world for a umana," Aro said.

I stared at him. "Did you just insult me?"

"Umana is Italian for human, love," Marcus said helpfully. "Just be thankful you haven't witness Caius ranting in Ancient Greek yet. Then you'd truly be lost."

"For now, our conversations are to take place in English exclusively, though Spanish will also suffice, I guess," I said with a grin.

"With your knowledge of Spanish, Italian will not be difficult for you to pick up. They are both Romance languages, and therefore quite similar," Aro said with a smile. "In fact, the two languages-"

"Okay, I'm going to go ahead and stop you right there. Once you start teaching me Italian, then I'll take that lecture gladly. But not right now, because my memory of your legit castle doesn't do it justice and I'm trying to see it all," I said, interrupting him.

Marcus sounded amused. "You do tend to ramble, Aro."

"Of course he does, that's his job," Caius grumbled, and from his tone I gathered that he had to endure many of Aro's seemingly endless tangents.

I laughed, and upon seeing Aro's petulant expression, nudged him with my shoulder and laced my fingers through his. "We're just teasing you."

"I know," Aro said, expression changing from sulky to delighted so fast I nearly missed it.

The car slowed to a stop outside a back entrance, and Felix was out and opening the doors so quickly I started. "Welcome to castello Volturi," Felix said with a dramatic sweeping bow.