Imagine impressing Benjamin of the Egyptian coven with your ability to control plants, imagine to Vladimir's confusion you understand Romanian pretty well, imagine Seth Clearwater as your boyfriend, or imagine the Cullens adopting a human....
There...
Haley's eyes were saucers. She'd told her friends something was shady about the tall brunette ,with violet eyes, offering a free tour in Rome....
Her and her friends were strolling down the piazza drinking macchiatos and hot chocolate as the wind whipped their faces.
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The square was expansive and had people of different walks of life and nationalities mingling and sharing the love of Italia.
Her friend's amber eyes glittered as she talked about the gorgeous architecture of Saint Marcus's Cathedral. Which had octagons, triangles and pillared shapes forming the ancient, spiritual worship house.
Then Hayley, her female friend and her goofy male compatriots bumped into a five foot ten woman.
“Buon pomeriggio. I am Heidi and I was wondering if you wanted to be part of a tour group going to Rome?”
Hayley's friends excitedly answered in agreement. Her face was turned downwards.
“But Rome is five hours from here! And we don't have the money,” Hayley insisted.
Her friends realised she was right. They spent their extra money in the café.
Caffeine and chocolate were always addictive... “No, problem. It can be free.”
She walked them to a taxi with a benevolent smile. The guys were instantly hooked. Hayley scratched her mocha ringlets. As her friend,Isabel, ran towards the taxi she grabbed her.
“Relax, Hayley. You are being too paranoid. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.” --------......~~---------------......~~---------------... Heidi led the four of them down the quiet, eery halls of Volterra.
Throughout the high speed train ride she tried to tell her peers that they didn't seem to be going to Rome, but they were taken in by Heidi's sensual looks and musical voice.
Even as the tour began she felt something in her stir. She shook. She lied and said she needed air. As she turned she walked into what felt like a wall. She winced.
The guys gasped and tried to help her up but they were pulled back. Isabel watched as a white man with long, black hair gaped at her best friend.
Aro was frustrated from his last check in with Demetri regarding the Cullens. He needed a heavy meal...four mortals would do. His brothers had fed ahead of time. He would dine in peace....well as peacefully as one could whilst his prey ran around and yelled as he slurped one of their own down.
He felt a warm, soft lump walk into him. He felt a bubbling in his chest. Hunger? He looked at the mortal before smelling her.
He was taken back. She had small, monolid eyes, freckled cheeks and skin the colour of black tea. She had a tooth gap and short ringlets tied back by a headscarf.
Was this his singer? He inhaled and he felt his bone dry heart bleed with infatuation.
This was his mate ... He looked at the other children equally frightened by his pink, hungry eyes and pallid features.
“Heidi,” he choked out. He spoke quickly for her to escort out Hayley's friends and to lock her in his room and have it guarded.
Hayley had saucer eyes as Aro entered his chambers in his dark garbs. “Hello, my dear.”
Tears fled her. She wanted to punch him. Who was this guy and why had she, alone, been taken?
She saw the Heidi person take her friends out the castle.
“What are you going to do to me ?” She'd heard of young women of colour being trafficked to be sold to white men for their pleasure. It may be he wanted to harvest her organs.
She cried like a baby.
Aro frowned. This was not going well. He only left her to threaten the guards not to touch her and to tell them if she escaped to bring her back unharmed.
Marcus was surprised; Cauis was disgruntled by the news of a human being Aro's true mate.
Aro knelt by her legs and kissed her hands. “I hope I spend the rest of my eternity serving you.”
Hayley opened her mouth. Aro told her why he had done what he'd done. “Are you mad?” he asked.
She couldn't answer him. And she didn't answer him for many days. The shock was too great. She was the actual mate of a vampire, not only that but a king! Her! A middle class, average African-American.
Aro was patient. At least she wasn't afraid. He had gotten her trust by protecting her friends. He allowed her, her time to adjust.
He would serve her breakfast each morning then he'd read her a story about his kind then he would allow her time alone before returning with lunch.
He made her dinner as she watched , in the kitchen and he would hum and stick out his tongue so she did as well to mock him. Aro enjoyed dinner most often...
That went on for a month then one day she burst into tears. He laid his forehead on hers and kissed her supple lips softly. He shushed her and cradled her in his loving embrace until she calmed down enough.
She admitted she missed her family. Aro sympathized with her. But she couldn't go home. When Aro told her she wouldn't eat and she cried herself to sleep.
The next day she had an ear splitting migraine. Aro stayed by her bedside all day. He gave her painkillers and lots of water.
“You have to stay hydrated. It will prevent another headache and don't you want skin like mine?”
“White?” Aro played with her hand. “Youthful and smooth.” he said.
“Aro, even if I drink lots of water my skin will never be so perfect as yours.” He pressed his bold, pink lips onto her hands.
“You are lovely the way you are . I was just joking...I thought some banter would make you better.”
Another month in those walls passed and she became a sort of princess. Aro served her three meals a day. She would go gym in the city, Siena and then shop ,on weekends, in any city within Italy.
By her third month she had rounder cheeks and thicker thighs. She had been introduced to Aro's previous wife and she was rather quiet and uninterested in anything. She left after a week of their introduction. Caius scolded Aro.
How could he be with a human?
The very law they made he was disrespecting. Aro didn't care ... He now had someone who waited for his stories each day, someone to shop with, laugh with...
Hayley, at first glance, thought Aro was a sexual predator with the way he took her. His unsettling supernatural ability to read minds at first drove her away but as the months grew colder. ..
She found his company warm and his heart abundant despite his icy feel and deadly, skin crawling appearance.
Aro, one day, came back in lower spirits then she'd ever seen him. “Am I....do you want to leave me? Am I so unlovable?”
“Who told you that?” she said. “An animal drinker, some Rosalie, said this. She said the only reason you stay with me is out of fear. No one could love something like me....”
Hayley leaned forward and kissed his nose. Aro froze and kept his hand right on his nose.
“It didn't hurt did it?” she quoted him from the time she stubbed her toe on his dresser.
“It smarted just a little,” he quoted her. They both quietly laughed.
