This is my first twilight fic... so, go easy on me please, okay?

This is written because, well... I feel like the Volturi wouldn't let the incident in Breaking Dawn slide so easily. Plus, the are really good villains. :)

Feedback is welcome! :)

Chapter 1

Aro's POV

The night was cold. The wind bit with every gust or even the gentlest breeze. The stars were veiled, thanks to the presence of wispy clouds, from which trifling snowflakes fell. As the snowflakes made their descent upon the earth, I ambled along the streets of Tuscany below.

Normally, Marcus, Caius, and I would have our meals brought to us. But lately, it seems, I've wanted to do the task myself. I need a new environment other than my beloved home, occasionally. I need time to think. Thinking is something I've been doing a lot lately, ever since that humiliating encounter with the Cullens.

Humiliating on the Volturi's part, at least. And all because of that little girl- Renesmee. She was truly such a unique marvel. I never thought the possibility of hybrids possible, until I saw her.

Now, I've become obsessed with the once forbidden idea.

To think, that these half-human, half-immortal children could so easily blend in with the humans was incredible. The power they could add- both by gifts, like little Renesmee possessed, and the capability to intermingle with humans was both alluring and inviting. The possibilities for expansion of my coven could be endless, if I so much as possessed one myself.

Sadly, these hybrids were much harder to come by than I'd hoped.

The Volturi would have to make a comeback, and soon. If not, our already wounded integrity would be diminished. Our stronghold of power would soon be challenged.

But this would not happen under my watch. I will find a way to get my revenge, I told myself sternly.

"Humans and their holidays," I muttered apathetically under my breath, noting the silly stringed lights along roofs of buildings, the decorated trees, and the smell of burning fire in the air. Festivities were much more prestigious in my own time of mortality.

Alas, the humans took great joy in celebrating Christmas. I honestly found the whole fiasco quite pathetic. Salvation was but a dream. The fate of a mortal's soul was to be damned or to become damned. I, like my brothers, found my purpose long ago, and to it, to this day, I still hold.

Feeding during this time of year proves to be more challenging as the years pass. Humans usually take time away from their menial tasks to spend time with each other... in their homes. Not that this physically would stop any of my kin from obtaining what we so desire, but the threat of exposure always looms on the horizon.

Not many humans roamed the streets on this day of December 24th. Most of them were already asleep. But I was seeking the select few who were still active despite the lateness of the hour.

As I was contemplating moving to a region further north, where alcohol would be abundant and in turn foolish humans would run amok with their guards down, something of interest floated through the air and to my alert ears. A choir singing. Hm.

I cannot deny that throughout my thousands of years of existence, I have taken joy in appreciating the arts and sciences. By the sound of it, the choir could use some pointers, but, for the most part, were in tune and capable of hitting notes respectively. I smiled, half-genuinely.

As if on cue, I suddenly noticed where my tracking had taken me. I was in Piazza della Vittoria, a square near the town centre of Livorno, a city in the region of Tuscany, Italy. Across the square stood the Church of Santa Maria del Soccorso. The vocal music was coming from the inside.

"Figures," I muttered. "A lot of humans are too eager to sing during this time of year." I turned to leave-

-But was stopped. Amidst the multiple singing voices, a lone voice caught my attention. I soon found myself wanting- no, needing- to hear more, as if by some spell. My head naturally tilted slightly, in an attempt to hear more.

My feet seemed to move so swiftly towards the Church that I was hardly aware of it. As if on command, I approached the front steps quietly. I glanced upwards towards the steeple, and noted that the time was about a quarter to midnight. I quietly ascended the stairs and opened one of the large stone doors that I'm sure were symbolically responsible for keeping my kind from entering.

Putting aside the jokes, I hummed in satisfaction as I stepped inside, as the soothing voice once again filled my ears, stronger than ever. The stone door closed behind me with a light thud as I walked through the formal narthex, which was decorated with various elaborate paintings and sculptures.

Once I had entered the actual 'preaching room' if you will, I saw a choir standing at the back of the church, quite some distance from me, near the alter, It was dark, save for a single light shining upon the choir, and faint starlight illuminating the stain-glass windows. Once I was sure that my entrance was unnoticed, I keened in on the voice again, and smiled as I concluded that I was in the right place. The voice, along with the choir's as well, echoed off the decorated walls and empty wooden pews. However, the voice did not belong to a member of the choir, of that I was sure. It seemed to be coming… from above?

I craned my neck upwards, and saw a balcony. I turned my head directly to the right, and saw a staircase, presumably leading up to the upper level. I walked over to the stairs calmly, not wishing to make a scene, and ascended them as quietly as I could, which, truthfully, was not a very difficult task.

More smaller wooden pews awaited me once I reached the balcony's level. Surprisingly, I couldn't see anyone. In a quick moment of dismay, I realized that I could no longer hear the sweet voice that had called to me. Pity. A voice that lovely would have a wonderful neck posture to accommodate it…

Out of curiosity, I walked over to the railing, and observed the choir from the newly discovered height. Quite an intriguing sight, I should say.

"Did you come to hear them sing, too?"

Shocking myself, I jumped slightly at the soft, feminine, and English-speaking voice coming from behind me. "I suppose so," I answered carefully in English as well, not turning to face the source just yet.

I heard a slight sigh that seemed to be intentionally muffled. Light footsteps treaded over to my side, and I dared to look at the girl from the corner of my eye.

Despite the low light, I could see that her hair was dark, almost ebony, but parts were naturally lighter from the effects of the sun in streaks. She seemed pale, but, most humans were this time of year. I could not clearly see her face, for she looked not at me, but towards the singing choir below. Her blood smelled rather sweet, enticing me to converse with her further.

"I heard singing, but it was not from down there," I explained, "Was it you?"

The girl eyed me from the corner of her eyes, but did not speak.

"Not that it matters," I added, "I was just wondering who would possess such a voice."

The girl looked back towards the choir. "Yes, it was me," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry you had to hear such a thing."

I raised an eyebrow and turned my head towards her. "Why would you be sorry? It sounded… quite captivating," I replied, double meanings etched into my words.

She did not seem to notice my suspicions. "When I was younger, I used to pretend I was in a choir like that, but that was many years ago. I used to love singing."

"And why should you not?" I pried. "You have a wonderful gift," I added, emphasizing my point of interest about her/

She blushed, that I could tell. "I'm humbled," she murmured in reply. "But… bad things seem to happen when I sing."

I raised my eyebrow again. "What sort of bad things?"

She shook her head. "Forget what I said. It was silly of me to mention."

My brows furrowed. Perhaps she knew what she was capable of… and perhaps she was afraid of it. Yet again, maybe she had no special 'power'; perhaps I was just seeing what I wanted to see.

Silence fell over us both, making the conversation awkward.

"They do sound lovely though, don't they?" the girl said a moment later.

"Yes," I agreed with a smile. "Quite. They are singing Sacerdotes Domini, correct?"

"Yes," she answered. "I'd like to think the William Byrd would love to hear his works performed, well, if he was still around, that is," she commented, with a soft sigh.

The fact that she knew the song and the composer, even though I knew myself, surprised me. "I'm sure he would." I turned to look at her, contemplating my next move. "Though I'm sure he would find today's music to be a little too frightening for his tastes."

She laughed, and I found myself smiling, even if it wasn't entirely innocent happiness. "Maybe it is bad for me to think so, but that is most likely," she agreed, finally turning to face me.

Though I'm positive that her human eyes could not accurately portray my real appearance in the poor light, I could see her perfectly clear. She wasn't entirely unfortunate looking, which is a lot to say for a human. She had blue eyes that observed me curiously. That shade of blue was hard to describe, for I was indecisive to pinpoint if they were piercing or inviting. Overall, she was suit perfectly for a quick meal.

"So, do you have a name? Or should I call you 'the mysterious man who has an impressive knowledge of Renaissance music'?" she questioned.

Her boldness caught me slightly off guard. Start by charming her, I reminded myself. "I do not know- which one sounds more romantic?" I asked, with a suggestive tone.

She laughed again, and shook her head at my abruptness.

"You can call me Aro," I told her. No harm- she will not survive until the first light of dawn, I thought wickedly to myself.

"Well Aro," she said, trying out my name on her tongue, "You can call me Lilith."

"You have a pretty name, Lilith," I complemented sincerely, causing her to blush and smile once more.

Dong… Dong… Dong… The clock in the steeple started to chime, alerting the time.

Lilith cursed under her breath. "I was supposed to be home by now," she explained quickly, turning to leave. "It was nice meeting you."

"Wait," I called to her, and she stopped. "Perhaps you would like an escort? It is not very safe for you to be wondering the streets alone at this hour."

Lilith thought to herself, before finally relenting. "Alright," she replied, "But you have to be quick… and quiet." With a mischievous smile, she turned and ran down the stairs on swift and light feet, and was surprisingly quiet.

Smiling slyly to myself, I was quick to follow.

She led the way to her destination.

I walked by her side, and we made small talk about music and taste preferences. Actually, I found myself enjoying her company. She seemed to be wise beyond her years, which appeared to be few.

"How old are you, Aro?" she asked suddenly.

I was taken aback for a moment before I shook it off. "Twenty six," I replied. Technically, it was not a lie- that was my age when I was turned.

"Hm," she mused aloud.

"What is it?" I asked, confused.

"Nothing," she was quick to assure me. "You just seem… more… intelligent than any other twenty six year old I've met."

I laughed half-heartedly. "I'm afraid then, Lilith, that you have not had the best of company."

She silently agreed, judging by the smirk on her face. "You just know so much about music… I don't meet people like you every day."

Oh, how cruelly true that statement was.

"This is it," she announced, and took a final left turn.

I stopped as well, and looked at the apartment complex before the both of us. We stood in a sort of alleyway, which was created by empty space between two buildings. Several doors stood along each side, and above the doors were systems of fire escapes, consisting of steel balconies and stairs, and windows. Luckily, there was again little light.

I smiled. Finally. Her heartbeat pounded in my ears. I could almost feel my eyes grow dark with hunger.

"Well Aro, I really enjoyed your company tonight," Lilith told me, smiling.

"As did I," I replied. "But I was wondering…" I trailed off as I took a step closer towards her. "… Why you will not sing."

"Sing?" she questioned, and judging by her voice she was nervous. "I couldn't."

I took a final glance at the windows, to make sure there were no witnesses. "Not even a few notes, for me?" I pleaded, as I continued getting closer to her. My voice sounded innocent enough, and that seemed to calm her a bit. Her blood called out to me, enticing me to come closer.

"I really shouldn't," Lilith replied, trying to sound firm, but failing.

I merely gave her a pitiful look. "I will say nothing of it," I promised. I was very close to her now, and my face hovered slightly above her own. I stared at her neck greedily.

She looked me in the eyes, and I froze. She opened her mouth slightly, and sung a few wordless notes, staring me intensely in the eyes the entire time.

I once again slipped into that state of trance I'd experienced only a little more than an hour ago. Her voice echoed in my ears, and soon… I realized I no longer wanted to drink her blood.

No! I thought harshly. Snap out of it! Get what you came here for! Still… the longing… it was gone. I no longer wanted her blood. I did not want to harm her.

What is this?

She stopped singing, and looked at me fearfully. I regained control of my thoughts a moment later, and stared at her for a quiet moment.

The thirst for her blood returned. But why had it even disappeared in the first place?

It was almost as if she knew… Lilith had been so reluctant to sing before… why would she sing so willingly now?

Perhaps she knew that she was in danger, as most of my victims realize before their demise… but why would singing help?

It stopped me from wanting her blood and causing her harm.

Maybe… just maybe… she had a gift after all. Maybe it wasn't solely her voice that intrigued me. Maybe her voice had commanded me to do so. Maybe her voice had convinced me to not to her any harm. Maybe her voice manipulated me in some strange way...

Almost like a Siren from Greek Mythology.

I immediately backed away from her, and looked at her curiously.

I was so lost in thought, I barely noticed her retreat quickly away from me. She looked at me for a moment longer. "Bye… Aro. Maybe I'll see you again…" she whispered, even though her tone suggested otherwise. She quickly turned around and entered a door to an apartment, before shutting the door hastily.

"Goodbye… Lilith," I whispered to no one, still staring at the recently vacated space in wonder.

I turned and left the alley. Yes, I decided, I will see you again, sweet Lilith.

Very soon.

Reviews are welcome and appreciated. :)