Troubled Blood

Chapter 1

Another time, Heidi Volturi was leading tourists who did not realise they were walking down a straight road to death. The next point on the tour of the ancient Etruscan city was the throne room, which, according to the woman ahead of them, would have a special programme. But they could not have suspected that they were living the last moments of their lives. And could a human being ever think of his or her own demise?

- Please don't split up, - Heidi said. - The fun is about to begin! - There was a suspicious, gleam of excitement in her eyes. - We are standing in front of one of the ancient works of Italian architecture in our beautiful city! The Palazzo dei Priori was built in the year one thousand B.C.," she went on to say.

Tourists paid attention not so much to Heidi's narration as to her spectacular appearance. Her snow-white skin, slim figure, long legs... Men stared at her eagerly, while women stared enviously at her. The dress of scarlet blood seemed to burn on her, revealing her cleavage. Black gloves above her elbows completed the look.

- Come this way, - the tourists climbed the stairs and the door swung open in front of them. They followed the guide carelessly, taking pictures, talking to each other. Heidi walked ahead of them all, swaying her hips seductively and smiling slyly to herself. The thought of what would happen in the next minute made one feel anticipation. The taste of such sweet and tantalizing blood evoked an incomparable, delightful feeling.

Finally, everyone reached their destination. The wide, massive doors were as if they were a symbol that represented the boundary between life and that fateful moment for people. At least for the insignificantly small minority that had arrived. The vampiress, holding the handle of the door, turned to the tourists and looked them over carefully.

- Come in, - she said, lowering her tone.

Barely had everyone entered the throne room when Heidi, who had been friendly before, suddenly changed her face. She was instantly at the door and locked it.

Everyone tensed up. At that moment they realised that something amiss was going on. An abrupt change in Heidi's behaviour. Strange people who were already here waiting for them. Clad in expensive black robes against which the medallions stood out brightly. Volturi. The vampires gazed pompously at their victims. The three rulers were seated on thrones. They were about to open the meal.

- From now on you shall be considered missing. Say goodbye to your precious lives, - Aro said with pathos, rising from his throne. There was a grin on his face. Beside him, Marcus Volturi sighed softly. However, in the deafening silence of the hall he was well heard by all. Apparently, the chief representative of the Italian clan did this with every group of arriving tourists.

And with these words the meal always began. After the trio of rulers, the holders of the incredible gifts would eat: the young twins Jane and Alec, Demetrius and Felix. Only the leftovers went to the guards. Today, however, the food didn't reach her immediately, and today it didn't go as well as usual...

Alec Volturi never thought about death, believing that the end would never come. There were few immortals who ever thought about it, especially if they had a gift for it. It amused him, by the way, when people died under his pressure and sadism. He saw the girl standing in a daze of fear as she saw them for the first time... Vampires... However, such a reaction elicited no emotion from Alec, how many times in his eternity had he witnessed the same thing. A sharp grip gripped her hand in a vise.

He noted that the girl was very pale and too thin. She was not well. It didn't frighten him, on the contrary, it made him happy; after all, it was at least some variety that tasted good. Alec opened his mouth and bit down hard on her wrist. She let out a cry, one of the dozens of cries that came with any meal. He adjusted himself - the searing blood burned his throat, filled his veins with power.