heartbeat ⇢ demetri volturi

𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒆

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𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐑 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐘 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐒. Growing up and experiencing the formative moments of her hybrid existence confined within a basement had instilled in her a sense of urgency to seize every opportunity, to embrace freedom as if there were no tomorrow. 

Edward would often caution her, reminding her that she had an entire eternity to explore the world.

But Eleanor simply couldn't stay still. She loved strolling through bustling streets, teeming with people rushing to their jobs. She found joy in watching sunsets from rooftops and screaming at music concerts. She loved taking pictures of every simple thing she saw, whether it was a stranger's face, a perfect starry night, or the sweet treats she stopped to buy wherever she saw a coffee shop open.

To Edward's disagreement, Thomas hadn't been much help with it. Her protector had encouraged her to travel every corner of the world, to create new memories as the first ones hadn't been too pleasant. Thus, wherever Eleanor journeyed – thanks to J. Jenks' legal assistance – Thomas followed her through the shadows, too stubborn to completely abandon his vampire habits and get on a plane.

Nonetheless, she was grateful to him for being there.

Italy, however, hadn't been a place she had visited before. Perhaps because, deep down, she knew what that country held. It hadn't even been an option when she and Nessie toured Europe together as a gift from Esme and Carlisle for their graduation. It had been disregarded without a word, as though an unspoken fear lingered between the two, preventing them from contemplating setting foot in the same territory as their past enemies.

Yet, as Eleanor stood there, she couldn't help but be captivated by the haunting beauty that surrounded her.

It was a shame that fate had brought her there under less than ideal circumstances.

"Hello. Are you lost?"

She didn't take her eyes off the building rising in front of her, a church perfectly lit by moonlight. "No, just touring," she said softly.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Finally, Eleanor turned her head to face the source of the voice. Her breath caught in her throat, staring at perhaps the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Perhaps even more than Rosalie. And Rosalie was simply something out of this world.

But her glowing red eyes made her instinctively flinch back.

"I'm Heidi," she introduced herself, a smile gracing her flawless crimson lips, which almost mirrored the shade of her eyes. Her long cloak swept the ground, adding an air of mystery. "I was told you were here."

Eleanor raised an eyebrow warily. "How did you know?"

It seemed like a foolish question, considering they were the ones who had sought her out in the first place. But when Eleanor planned her entire trip to Volterra she didn't really think about what she would encounter when she arrived. Or how she would contact them.

Asking the Cullens hadn't been an option. She needed to keep everything under cover. It was lucky enough that Alice couldn't see her decisions because of her hybrid status. She couldn't afford to raise any suspicions.