Nora's POV

"I'm sorry, what?" To say I was astounded was an understatement, this was actually insane! To believe you were a vampire was ridiculous. I mean sure, they had red eyes and skin so pale I wondered if they had ever seen the sun. Every person in this god forsaken place was beautiful but they could just be a bunch of genetically gifted goths with a shit ton of money and a commitment to wearing contacts every day. I stared incredulously before bursting into loud laughter, one of those uncontrollable ones where you couldn't stop.

They stared at me speechless and wide eyed. It was quite the funny sight to see such regal and elegant people so shaken. I'll take a wild guess and say they didn't expect me to react this way but it's not like they were being serious, it must be some kind of prank. They were dangerous, sure but they couldn't be vampires, it's not possible.

"You guys are funny," I giggled manically and wiped a tear from my eye. "But you don't seriously expect me to believe this crap, right? I don't know what's going on here but I know it can't be that. I guess you thought you'd trick the naive American girl for a laugh but, I came here for answers not pranks so please...tell me the truth."

They seemed at a loss for what to do next. Aro was comically opening and closing his mouth like a fish and Marcus was frozen, much like he had been the first time I had seen him.

Caius was by far the most at ease about all of this, rolling his eyes at his lost brothers and leaning closer toward me, capturing all of my attention with his fierce stare.

Okay, well I wasn't laughing now.

"It is the truth, mia stella. Trust me when I say we would never lie to you, especially about something as serious as this." He was being honest and blunt like I'd asked, I could see the truth shining in his eyes and when I looked at Marcus and Aro the same sincerity could be found in their scarlet gazes as well.

My disbelieving smile dropped quickly, nausea clenching my stomach at the prospect that what they said was real. Denial still lay in the forefront of mind, it was only natural after all, what self respecting person would believe something like this straight away?

Swallowing my nerves for now I stared them down defiantly. "You're gonna have to prove it then."

Caius smirked cockily at me accepting my challenge, ignoring Marcus when he frowned and opened his mouth to protest; before anyone could utter a syllable Caius was gone, my hair moving in a strange sudden breeze.

I sat stiffly, dazed for a moment and then snapped out of it, looking around the room for him. A shock of snowy white caught my eye and I turned my head to see him at the farthest end of the huge library, leaning smugly against a shelf with his arms crossed.

"I'm believing it a little more now." I mumbled in shock, my heart beating harshly against my ribcage.

"You want more proof? Then I'm at your service." He winked, causing blood to rush to my cheeks. He disappeared again; in front of me in a split second he ushered both Aro and Marcus off the couch before he bent down and picked it up, holding it above his head in a single hand with no effort whatsoever.

"What...how?" I stammered, completely mystified by what I was witnessing. A harsh bang resounded through the library when he dropped it back in its rightful place, falling gracefully to sit next to Marcus again like nothing had happened as they retook their seats.

I had been so naive-a fool, to think this was all just some ridiculous misunderstanding. Why would Bella bring me here if she knew this?

"Please, don't be afraid. We will not harm you Elenora. I'm sorry you had to find out this way but we will do all in our power to help you understand." Marcus spoke in a cautious whisper afraid to frighten me more, side eyeing Caius haughtily for scaring me.

"I wish I could believe you." I whispered. I did, I really did, but the logical side of me knew that would be foolish.

They could just be tricking me into a false sense of security for their sick pleasure.

This could all be some sort of macabre game they played with their victims.

This was...it then, the end of the line. I suppose there are worse ways to go than getting murdered by three gorgeous men; still, I didn't want to be killed at all!

Panic built inside of me at the thought of actually dying, at not seeing my dad or Bella ever again, I...I couldn't do that to them. I'd seen the effect death had on families; the devastation and guilt it caused, how quickly it took you and how easily our small existence ended and we were forgotten.

At the thought, wild fear consumed me completely, uncontrollable like the fire that sweeps through a silent forest. I couldn't be reasoned with, at Caius's simple act my rationality had been thrown out the window.

Lip involuntarily trembling , my voice wavered with tears. "Please," I choked back a sob as I looked at the three men, not noticing their growing frowns or distress through the merciful tears that blocked my vision, "If you're going to kill me then do it, I've had enough of the false pleasantries-It's cruel. I only ask that you somehow tell my dad and Bella that I'm gone so they don't wonder what happened for the rest of their lives."

The fact that these were my final moments really sank in and before I knew it harsh fearful sobs wracked my body, shaking it violently with the force of my tears. I didn't care if I looked pathetic or weak at that moment, I'd only just begun to live again and now it was going to be taken from me by creatures that I thought were a myth. I curled into the couch, hugging my knees to my chest as the weight of my words fell over me.

"No! Elenora my darling, you're not going to die. It's not possible; we would never allow it, please I beg you to believe us. Il mio cuore ti appartiene." Aro rushed to me and dropped to his knees, his hands hovered over mine but he refrained from touching me with a pained expression. His pleading and sweet whispers calmed me slightly but they also brought me concern.

"What do you mean you'd never allow it?" I sniffled unattractively but he didn't seem to care, his lost eyes watching the tears roll slowly down my cheeks with a sad frown.

This was not good. Clearly I'm missing something but what? There has to be an ulterior motive.

He seemed completely at a loss and we were both grateful when the accumulating silence was broken by Marcus and Caius dropping down next to him in front of me. "Please, I don't understand why you won't just kill me." I felt the fear grip at my heart as they tortured me; it was halted however when Caius gripped my hands that sat atop my drawn knees. He rubbed his fingers comfortingly along the back of my hand causing my heart to race and my cheeks to tinge red. It was those damn cheekbones and smoldering eyes.

His cold touch grounded me, bringing me back to the present."Oh carissima, forgive us for causing you such distress. It was never our intent to make you fear us. Allow me to explain some things for you." He hooked his hand under my chin, softly guiding my head up to meet his earnest eyes. "My brothers and I are the rulers of the vampire race. We make laws so that our kind can stay hidden from the knowledge of humans to keep both parties safe; if these laws are broken and a human is exposed then anyone involved is brought for trial so we can judge the consequence." I gaped in shock, the gravity of where I really was sinking in with this new information. So they were essentially... kings?

A disturbing thought struck me suddenly. "So, does Bella know that Edward and Alice are vampires? What does that mean for her?" Caius scowled at the mention of the brother and sister. Damn, he really didn't like them at all. Edward I understood but Alice was pretty cool.

"Isabella has known for well over a year about our existence. We only became aware of her knowledge when Edward came to us seeking his end when he thought her dead." Well, Aro's explanation makes a lot of sense as to why she was so shady and secretive. It made me sickly happy to know Edward couldn't live without my sister when she'd been so strong without him. One thing that confused me was how he was he able to leave her in the first place if he was in so much 'pain' over her death.

Caius grumbled to himself before making his displeasure known. "It was idiotic of him to abandon her in the first place. Had she been foolish enough our secret could have been exposed!" His eyes blazed with fury; instead of being scared I felt the urge to calm him, placing my hand on top of his without thinking. His enraged red eyes flashed to meet my own and I saw the anger leave them as I rubbed my thumb subconsciously across his freezing smooth skin like he had done for me moments before. He sighed and relaxed, dropping his eyes to the floor in shame.

"Forgive me, Elenora." He muttered.

"It's fine but, what's going to happen to her? you're not going to...kill her are you?" Even speaking the words made me feel sick and dizzy. I prayed to whatever god existed that they weren't going to do something so drastic even if it was the law, I couldn't live without my sister. Despite the fact she had essentially abandoned me in a den full of blood thirsty vampires.

"I must admit had it been any other trial we may have taken that course of action. However, we came to the decision that she be turned. As much as it pains me to do this to you diletto, we can not have a mortal walking freely when they know our secret." It troubled Marcus to admit this to me, I could tell but I appreciated the ruthless way they were telling me things, I wanted no fantasy that vampires were anything other than the dark creatures I had been told they were. Though I wanted to be mad I knew it was the only plausible solution that would allow my sister to live. It didn't make it hurt any less to know that she would be stuck at 18 forever.

They watched me apprehensively as I digested the information, Marcus even fidgeted nervously with his curly hair-it was annoyingly endearing. I huffed, wiping any remaining tears from my face in frustration. I felt-no I knew there was something else they weren't telling me. "I understand." A weight seemed to be lifted from their shoulders, clearly they'd been stressed about this. Aro smiled with relief but I cut him off before he got too comfortable. "But there's something else you're hiding. I want to know why you have been so kind and considerate, why you would go out of your way to expose the vampire world to me if you weren't actually planning on killing me-since that's the rule that you made."

He recoiled like he'd been burned when I mentioned them killing me again, his distaste for the subject clear on his striking face. They looked unsurely between themselves; communicating silently until Marcus extended his hand to Aro, said man accepting it greedily. His eyes glazed over for a moment before he released Marcus's hand with a firm nod. Well that was fucking weird.

Marcus sighed heavily; dragging his hand down his face like he was about to give a tiring speech. "Where to begin. There is something you must understand about vampires, Elenora. We are not made to be solitary creatures, though some do choose to enjoy that route of life. History has shown that we thrive when we group together, wether that be as lovers or as family. It is bound into our very souls to seek companionship, though there is a special bond that very few vampires get to experience as it is extremely rare, called a true mate." For some reason this made me lean forward in my seat, curious to know more.

"This is someone who was created for us-to be with us for eternity. It's not the same as choosing a partner; this person fits with you in every way, essentially your other half molded to be with you. I believe mortals refer to it as a 'soulmate'. The feelings for a true mate are much stronger the any love you may have held for another partner, the bond is instant and no vampire is complete without their true mate, often feeling extreme emptiness without them." That was actually quite beautiful, that two people were created to unconditionally love eachother for the rest of their lives. I'd never experienced anything like it and probably never would.

"That sounds lovely but why are you telling me this? I fail to see how I hold any significance." I had a sneaking suspicion but I didn't want to come across as a fool for what I was thinking, it couldn't be possible anyway. They were just being nice to me before they slaughtered me, I was sure of it. I didn't want to believe it, I'd never known that level of love before and it scared me.

Aro took an uneeded breath in before speaking the words I'd been dreading.

"You're our mate, Elenora."

A/n Hey guys! Sorry it's taking me ages with the updates. I have two stories that I'm trying to update frequently so it's a bit difficult. I'd also just like to note that I'm using google translate for the italian since I'm unfortunately not fluent, so don't come for me please lol. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm thinking of doing the kings Pov next chapter so look forward to that. Please vote and comment, it's all appreciated!!

Ciao babies!

(Edited 03/12/22)