He pulled away agonizingly slowly, and I stared at him with wide eyes. What was that!

"Well, after you," he said, gesturing to the tall mahogany door. I gulped.

"Shouldn't you hold the door for me or something?" I asked him pointedly, trying to keep the quaver out of my voice. I barely had my breath under check. I was sure that the moment that I was alone again, I would be gasping for air. Oh right. There would be no moment alone. When I went through the doors, I would be a goner. I quickly dropped my gaze as I felt that burning gaze fall on me once more.

He chuckled. "That blush of yours is really something." I blushed an even deeper red, and I wished not for the first time that there were some sort of button to turn it off. It was hardly fair that I had a face that absolutely everyone could easily read as easily as a book. I could tell that he felt really proud of himself, being able to read my face, and tell what I was feeling, probably as well as someone who knew me really well.

Course it didn't help that he could hear my accelerated heartbeat and my diluted from excitement pupils. Damn the vampire senses- thank god he couldn't read minds.

I froze as I felt a cold finger trailing down my spine. Edward. Had he figured out I was missing yet? Had he figured out where I had gone? HE wouldn't have cared enough to come after me. Maybe it was for the best. I could get this over with ease. Or should I say MORE ease, than with him here complicated things. Nothing about this situation was easy though.

"What is it?" Alec asked, probably feeling me tensing beside him. I shuddered, and shook my head. "Nothing," I said. Struggling to compose myself, I took a deep breath, and slowly let it out in a loud whoosh.

"Are you going to be a gentleman and open the door for me or not?"

He smirked. "Not." I glared at him, and spun towards the door, taking another deep breath to keep myself from hyperventilating. If I were a vampire, I wouldn't have to worry about breathing. Obviously, I was born into the wrong species. I reached for the brass handle.

"Wait," Alec said quietly from behind me. I turned my head to look back at him, and I saw a torn expression on his face. He seemed to be struggling with something internally.

"What now?" I asked, letting a bit of irritation leak into my voice. It was hard enough to be facing the door of life or death literally, and know that it had been by my choice to pick death. It made it even more difficult when I had more time to rethink my decision, rethink what living meant to me.

"How do you know the Cullen's?" he asked, frowning slightly, all of the earlier arrogance gone from his stance. I wrinkled my eyebrows, really stumped this time. He was full of surprises, this one. "Is this really the time?" I asked. "I think that Aro's going to get pissed if I keep him waiting to long."

"He can wait for a couple of minutes more," Alec said firmly. "Tell me."

"Like it's your business." With a huff of annoyance, I turned back to the door, my shoulders set. I was a bit nervous though. I wasn't sure what kind of power Alec had. Was his gift mind control? Probably not, or I would be doing a bunch of things that did not include talking civilly to him like an equal.

"I don't know what they did to you, but don't think that you have to kill yourself over it," Alec murmured. I stopped in my tracks, frozen. Keeping my back to him, I strained my ears to hear what he was going to say next.

"What do you know?" I asked quietly, when he said nothing.

"I've never met a human like you." He said, and I could hear surprise in his voice. Obviously, he didn't think much of us humans.

"I fall down more than the average one," I said, rolling my eyes in sarcasm. "It's your lucky day! You met the world's biggest klutz!"

I was getting tired of this conversation. No matter how hot Alec was, it wasn't like he really cared about me. I was just a toy to him, if not a meal, just like I was to Edward. Just a toy. I guess I had sort of created the problem myself though. What else would vampires think of a weak human as if not a plaything?

I heard a rustle and a sigh.

It happened so quickly. I felt his cold hand grab my arm and suddenly, I was back in square one. His arms were wrapped around me, and I was frozen with shock, and something else. Desire, maybe?

"I told you you were beautiful," Alec whispered huskily. I shuddered, my body feeling like it was melting, my arms and legs turning into jelly. If he were to let go right now, I was sure to collapse.

"You go through those doors, and you give the Volturi no choice but to kill you. And of course you condemn the entire Cullen clan for informing a human of our little secret. What they could have possibly done to you that you long to die so badly I wonder?

There are so many questions I already have about you. Most humans are so easy to read, to predict. But you are...interesting. Most humans don't want to end their life, when they are not sure that they will get another one. And yet, here you are, of your own free will it seems. And why come all the way to Italy to die, when I am sure there are more simpler techniques to kill yourself." He gently traced his thumb around my face, stopping at my chins.

"What is your name again?" he asked in his smooth silky voice. As I listened intently to the sound of his voice, I could swear that he had a slight accent. Hot.

I struggled to say something, anything, but the words just wouldn't come out. When they did, it was barely a whisper, but I knew that Alec could hear me as clearly as though I had yelled it in his ear.

"Isabella Swan," I said. "Bella." I could see that the focus of his gaze at the moment was my lips, his eyes seeming to darken from a bright crimson, to a deep burgundy.

"Well Bella, I need a new toy," he murmured in my ear. "I think you will do just fine." He drew away, and grabbed my hand in his own, and marched me to the door.

We went right through it with no pause or hesitation. There was no announcement, and when I saw their faces, there was no surprise on their faces, which made me wonder how soundproof those doors were. Had they heard everything? I felt a blush slowly creep onto my face once more.

And what had Alec meant, 'toy'? I didn't want to be a toy anymore!

I tried to pull my hand out of his, but nothing changed. He didn't even seem to notice my struggle.

"My lords," Alec said in a clear ringing voice. "May I introduce Isabella Swan?"