Heartbeat [Alec Volturi]

Baggage

I knew I wasn't supposed to like her because she was 'dangerous' and all that, but I owed Oakley big time. 

What was originally a regular trip to Dr. Moore's office outside the castle somehow turned into a small outing in the streets of Volterra.

The others were unable to come up with an excuse as to why I couldn't explore the town center without giving away why I could be so valuable to Razin. So, Percy and Prosper compensated for the outing by bringing Heidi, as she was most familiar with not attracting attention from the city's human population. He chose wisely, as she offered herself as a wall between Oakley and me. Talib stayed behind, as the four vampires would likely attract enough attention. Plus, I think his distaste for Oakley was almost enough to outweigh his duty to protect me. Not actually, but it could be a close tie.

Even I was slightly concerned by the number, but those doubts vanished when we joined the crowd. Our group received a few glances, and only some people were distracted and drawn to their presence, so the lack of sun and dozens of distractions had Prosper wishing he'd brought Talib as well. He made sure to mumble it under his breath every five minutes.

Whether Oakley had known it or not, the timing of our adventure was ideal. The citizens in Volterra were enjoying their weekly farmer's market – much to my excitement and my guards' dismay. I ignored their negativity, and oddly enough, Oakley matched, if not heightened, the grandness of the day with an unexpected positivity.

I accepted a free strawberry from one of the vendors, who gave me a kind smile and an Italian greeting.

There were aisles of booths set up along the town square. Each booth had its own theme or item for purchase and a vendor with a silvery tongue to entice the people idling along. The majority held various food items, from fruits to bread and wine. Several shops had set up tents on their storefronts to attract customers inside, boasting the city's acclaimed alabaster workshops, handmade jewelry, and bronze work.

We passed an art gallery early on, and I had to force myself not to enter. This wasn't exactly the group that had the patience for an activity like that. Maybe individually, but Oakley set off the whole dynamic, and Heidi would likely feign interest before talking herself out.

We ventured down one of the uneven cobblestone streets, where family-run restaurants and more trinket and artisan shops operated out of the buildings. Many held items and services similar to those in the town center, but the amount of wine-related activities and creations increased significantly. I hadn't forgotten Felix and Demetri's promise to let me drink enough of an alcoholic beverage to make my brain a little fuzzy. But I'd had the wine at church services, and I don't think any aged grape would ever be appealing enough to drink an entire glass. I started spitting out the wine from communion in one of the few potted plants someone decided belonged in the church. Surprisingly, I was never caught.

"Oh! This is adorable!" My arm was suddenly gripped in a steel embrace as Oakley slipped some kind of colorful bracelet around my wrist. The beads jangled as I brought the chain to my eyeline to examine the hideous thing.

I smiled politely as she turned away to avoid being rude, but I needed it off as soon as possible. It shook and dangled off my wrist like a bell. Pickpocketing was hardly my usual game anymore, but such ornamentation felt like it hindered my ability to breathe, let alone steal from a vendor. Not that I wanted to. I just liked to know that I could.

Actually, I hadn't even seen Oakley pay for it.

I glanced over my shoulder to see Percy hanging back, counting a few coins and waiting to offer them to the woman running the booth. The woman was chatting excitedly with another customer, and I was surprised Percy had the patience or care to even pay in the first place.