Lost Souls [Volturi]

CHAPTER ONE

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The air was cool as it blew across the New York skyline, creating a slight chill for most of the people inhabiting the city but for two particular women the cold was non-existent against their marble-like skin. The windows were open throughout the large apartment that resided on the edge of Manhattan facing out towards the water. Upbeat Latin music sounded throughout the house on a low volume as the two women moved through their home.

One woman was seated near one of the windows a pencil in her hand as she sat before an easel. A large piece of paper resided on the wooden easel as she slowly sketched out the baselines of the drawing. Her amber eyes flickered between the paper and out the window towards the water. The lines began to form an image of the Manhattan skyline, a picture the woman had drawn many times before but each image was different from the smallest of details. Pictures similar to the one she drew now were strewn around the house and across all of the United States after all the woman made a decent living with her many talents.

"Another skyline?" The second woman called out a smile on her lips as she watched her friend. The woman in question laughed softly but nodded her head, "Yes, another skyline. An elderly woman in Texas requested it from the website."

The woman nodded her head hearing the response before resuming her work. Her soft brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail on the top of her head as she moved through the kitchen. She had spent the past twenty minutes working on a new entree dish. Despite the woman not finding the tase of food appealing, she did enjoy the art of creating the food and spending all the time working just to see how happy the dish made someone. The dish consisted of pasta with shredded chicken, spinach, tomatoes, and garlic all cooked to perfection in their individual ways.

"Whatever you are cooking smells delicious," The woman drawing spoke her eyes not moving away from her artwork. The second woman hummed in response as she began to plate the meal. Once pictures were taken of the final meal and the woman had packed it up to bring to the local food shelter where the poor could enjoy the food she would not eat. The woman who had been cooking walked over taking a seat near her friend as she sketched out the buildings that would create the skyline.

"Should it be sunset or sunrise?" The artist questioned her friend glancing back at the woman who sat in a chair behind her. The second woman smiled softly as she thought through the question, "I think sunset. You haven't done a sunset in a while at least a city sunset."

"Thank you, Dalila," The first woman responded flashing her signature smile which only caused her friend to return the expression. Before the woman could continue to sketch the architecture that resided outside her window a phone began to ring. Both women rose from their seats rushing to where their smartphones rested on the marble countertop. Dalila grinned as a warmth of affection filled her seeing the familiar name of an old friend. Seeing her friend's grin Luciana rose her eyebrow in question causing the other woman to speak, "Carlisle."