Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries

Accidentally

Accidentally - ac·ci·den·tal·ly - /ˌaksəˈden(t)əlē,ˌaksəˈden(t)lē/

1. by chance; inadvertently.

She walked through the market with a fond smile on her face. The atmosphere was filled with happiness, melodious music, and a sense of familiarity. She'd never been to Italy, but the hustle and bustle of the town square reminded her of so many places she'd been. She walked to a vendor selling baked goods and selected two cookies. She greeted the merchant warmly and paid for the two, round goods before she took a bite out of one. The taste of chocolate invaded her mouth. As the chocolate took over her taste buds, a heavenly smell overrode her sense of smell. It was cinnamon-y, with a hint of clove and a dash of nutmeg. Allspice. She wondered if the baker who made the cookies was making something else.

She turned around and walked off to another stall. It was a cloudy day and the weather called for no sunshine. The wind tangled in her hair and brushed across her face, causing discomfort to everyone in the area except her. She glanced down at her watch, and it read that it was just past seven. The sky was darkening, and most merchants were packing up for the day. She sighed as she realized she would have to go home; the ending of the thirtieth day signaled her vacation was over. She looked up from her watch just in time to bump into someone clothed in a black cloak.

"Sorry," she apologized. She looked them in the eyes while she did so, and her arm had shot out to keep her from tumbling to the ground. Her hand brushed against a soft and smooth arm, and an electrical current ran through her hand and all over her body. The spicy scent enveloped her and put her in a trance. She stared into deep crimson eyes and balked in alarm. She took a step back and continued to stare at him as her feet wouldn't let her move. Finally, she snapped out of it and let her legs carry her away from the stranger. She needed to get out of there and quickly. She knew she had to do what was right, but now that she was in the position of confessing, she couldn't. She couldn't give away herself in the name of the law, and she couldn't give herself away in fear the Volturi would experiment just like him. She bit her lip in worry and hoped the vampire wasn't following her. She couldn't be found out. If any vampire found out about her existence, she would be in a lot of danger. She took one look back and immediately turned her head when she made eye contact with the stranger again. She turned down a narrow and empty side street and ran. She was out of Italy in record time. She was stupid to have even come.

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Alec walked through the busy streets of Volterra with his sister, Jane, and two other members of the guard, Demetri and Felix. He maneuvered throughout the crowd skillfully in a way that allowed no contact between him and the humans. They'd just gotten back from exterminating a rule-breaking clan. Not only had they exposed the secret to a family of humans, but they also tried creating an immortal child. It was just Alec's luck that they had arrived during a time in which the human family and the clan were all together.

They were almost to one of the entrances to the Volterra castle when a tempting smell invaded his nose. His nostrils flared and he inhaled deeply. It was intoxicating. He looked around discreetly to find the source of the smell, but all he could see were humans. Perhaps they were nearby? Maybe right outside the city limits? There was no way his mate was a human. He was too powerful for such a mate and refused to be bonded to one.

He bumped into someone while he was focused on his thoughts. The person apologized and gripped his arm for support. Her hand brushed against his skin and an electric current ran throughout his body. Warmth was all he felt. A flame sizzled his skin and imprinted itself into his hand. He shivered for the first time in centuries and made eye contact with the stranger, meeting beautiful teak eyes created by a swirling mixture of browns and golden hues. There was a heartbeat fainter than a human's but still there, fluttering like a hummingbird's wings. She was covered in ethereal beauty and the skin he contacted was firm yet soft. She was beauty incarnate, and Alec could not keep his eyes off her. She was the most beautiful human he had ever laid eyes on, and in that moment, he knew he had to have her. She had to be his, and he had to be hers.

He watched her stare at him in stunned silence before she walked off in a hurry. He made to go after her - vampire or not, he would not lose his mate so soon - but was stopped by his sister. She placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a warning look. Right. Aro would be quite displeased if he ran off. He watched her turn around to look at him once more before she darted around a corner. He stared at the spot she disappeared to for some time before he was whisked away by his sister. He may have let her go, but he would not make the same mistake twice. He just hoped she lived long enough to meet her again.