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Carlisle stepped into the room, pulling the door shut after him. It did not help to muffle the screams as much as he had hoped. He had seen the victims on his way into the building. Every time he blinked, he saw again their eager, clueless faces. He was sure his run-in with them had not been a mistake.
“Hello, Aro,” he said pleasantly, reminding himself that Aro was only trying to do what he thought best. The chamber before Carlisle was vast with a high domed ceiling. His voice reverberated off the walls, a pronounced echo.
“Carlisle!” Aro rose from an overly elaborate, ebony throne. He took only a few steps off the platform that elevated the thrones.
Carlisle was expected to cross the rest of the distance himself. The Volturi were welcoming enough, but they took every opportunity to flaunt their power. When Carlisle reached the edge of the platform, he bowed his head slightly in a show of respect.
Aro grinned widely. His teeth were faintly bloodstained. As were his lips. “I’m so glad you could come. Punctual, Carlisle, as always. I knew I could count on you to be on time.”
“I saw more of your guests on the way in.” Carlisle looked Aro directly in the eye. “I hope I didn’t interrupt your evening.”
Aro’s ruby irises shrank slightly. His pupils dilated, upsetting the formerly even balance of black and red. “Guests,” he mimicked, laughing. “You came just in time for dinner, my friend. Didn’t see any you liked?”
“I liked them all very much. You would probably say that’s my problem.”
Aro laughed again, harder than before, the sound rebounding high and sharp in the nearly empty room.
The joyous sound dwindled to a menacing ringing in Carlisle’s ears.
“Yes, I would say that!” Aro exclaimed when it was silent. “You know me so well. I’m very sorry to hear you’re leaving us soon. I will so miss our conversations.”
Carlisle nodded. He looked around him, at the opulent surroundings which he had found nowhere else among their kind. Vampires did not tend to stay in places long enough to furnish them, much less collect beautiful paintings and seek out rare books. The callousness with which the Volturi regarded the human creators of these celebrated works of art bothered Carlisle, but the fact remained that they were hospitable and interesting.
While with them, Carlisle had felt at least somewhat less alone.
“I will miss you too, Aro. Please don’t hesitate to write.”
“Where will you be going?” There was a touch of coldness in the question.
Carlisle guessed, despite his friendliness, that Aro was a bit offended he couldn’t be persuaded to stay. He kept his answer vague. “The New World, I think. Probably someplace up north to be more inconspicuous.”
“It is… always wise to be inconspicuous,” Aro said in a slow whisper. “Goodbye, Carlisle. My only regret is that we couldn’t cure you of your strange habits.”
By the time Carlisle left, the screaming had stopped. The sound was replaced by the smell of fresh blood.