I was stirred. I blinked and saw a blur of blue, black and white before me. I groaned. I shut my eyes before opening them again. I could see Marcus chatting to a blonde man who looked about our age with a white lab coat and a stethoscope hanging around his throat. I saw Renata smiling down at me.

“Makayla, good you're awake. Master. ”

Marcus turned away from what I thought would be a doctor, but he looked way too young to be one! He sauntered to me, in his suit.

“My love,” he kissed my forehead and I was surprised. I opened my mouth.

He had never said that to me. Renata whispered to Benjamin and Demetri. They nodded and she left.

“What happened?”
You fell asleep. Then I contacted a good friend of mine, Dr Cullen.
I squinted.

“Non suona Italiano. (That doesn't sound Italian).”
“He isn't; he is American like you.”

“You called a doctor why again?” I said.
He flattened his brows over his nose.

“Are you joking? You had a seizure and you are asking me that?”
My eyes ballooned.

“Seriously? I didn't just faint?”
“No, you had a fit right by my door.”
“Oh.”

That explained why Renata and Benjamin also looked worried.

“Now tell me, when was the last time you ate? The doctor conducted some tests and discovered that you were dehydrated and your glucose levels were substandard.”

“I think,” I hesitated.
I thought about when I did eat last.

“Demetri made me food yesterday but I just didn't have any appetite. I woke up at two but I didn't get to eat, you ruined my appetite.”

“Two...two a.m. when I called?”
I nodded.

“You have not eaten for a day!”
“No, just for a few hours.”

“Makayla, you are talking about the past two days, Friday the 22nd and Saturday the 23rd. It is now Sunday, the 24th, and you have slept for more than ten hours! The doctor did these diagnoses whilst you weren't even conscious.”

I opened my eyes wider.

“Really?”

He sighed; he had bags under his eyes and his black eyes were sad.

“I feel really bad. I caused you not to eat. I can't believe this happened to you. Demetri mentioned you tried reporting Aro and the truth is I knew your case would not go far.

I should have told you. My family is well known and affluent, so matters like this which are usually pushed forward are swept under the rug. I failed you. And I'm really sorry.”

I felt the embers of my sequestered anger fade. He really wasn't to blame.

“It's ok. But how can we be in a relationship when your family and employees hate me? Or if your brother continues flirting with me? I'm tired of this, Marcus.”

I whined, tears and snot dribbling down my face. I tried to dry my own tears but I felt a horrible pain and I saw a needle bandaged to my hand and water dripping from a drip. I felt my head spin.

I had tugged my cannula too hard it pulled at the dark skin it was in.

Marcus took my face in his hands and cooed a soft, ancient song. And I felt my heart still and he whipped his blue handkerchief from his pocket and dried my tears and wiped my nose. He folded it and placed it on the side of the bed.

“We'll work through this. I'm not giving up. Please don't as well,” he said with his eyes on me.

“I don't know.” I said brushing back my blue highlighted braids.
Was he ok with that? He had left me with some doubts this time around.

“It's ok but I'll do my utmost not to make you doubt my love.”
He tied my hair back.

“You want anything specific to eat? I can have it made for you. There are also some finger foods I had brought up.”

My stomach growled.
“I'm really craving a burger...a beef burger and some fries.”

He nodded. He relayed the message to Benjamin, who I was surprised to see. The doctor Cullen walked to my bed.

“Hello, Ms Benjamin. I am Dr Cullen, a family medicine specialist.”
“Hi,” I said watching him. He was handsome and young.

My boyfriend and his family had a flare for the gorgeous. They clearly never associated with anyone mediocre.

“I stabilised your blood sugar and...”
“How'd you do that?”

“I administered a glucagon injection as well as building up your electrolyte levels, which were severely low, with a saline drip.

Your magnesium was at 0.8, the potassium level was 2.5, sodium was 128 milliequivalents and calcium was approximately 7. You had acute hyponatremia, hypokalaemia, hypomagnesemia and hypocalcaemia.”

He was explaining something but I didn't get what.
“What the heck are you on about?”

“Oh, pardon. I meant your electrolyte levels. I could print them out for you to see with the normal ranges, if that would help.”

“Please, I didn't understand what you are saying.”

“I stabilised your mineral levels that were low from you not eating for a prolonged period and I believe it was exacerbated by stress. How do you feel now?”

“I'm starved but I'm no longer tired. I guess I wasn't eating so well these past two weeks either.”

I had reduced my meals to once a day and usually just bread or noodles and, on the day, Marcus called and Aro kidnapped me for the afternoon I ate nothing for dinner I lost the will to. I was reminded of the incidents all over because Marcus always fed me.

“You are a student?” Dr Cullen asked.
“Yes, I'm a Law student.”

“How is Italy; you don't miss home back in America?” Dr Cullen asked with concern colouring his eyes.

“Yes, a little but the country is beautiful and I have good friends.”
“Has school been too much pressure for you?” asked the doctor.

Marcus sat by the headboard and stroked my arm. Tingles ran through them.
“No, just the exams and my relationship have been straining.”

I looked at Marcus as I talked of our relationship. He didn't flinch. He soothingly kissed my face. Dr Cullen's eyes bulged. I frowned.

Great, another racist that thinks a white man should not be caught dead kissing a black woman.

Marcus caught him staring and gave him a what is it look. Doctor Cullen, abashed, stood awkwardly and excused himself.

“Excuse me, Marcus. I will leave you two alone. Call me if there's any pressing matter.”

He bowed and hurried out the door. Demetri opened for him.
“You called a doctor from home, for me?” I said in shock.

Marcus smiled.
“Guilty, he owed me a favour and he has been here before and I like to keep my business private.”

His humour was back. I looked at him critically. Stark black suit, blue shirt and white boats.
“You look good formal.”

“I had an emergency right after you fell ill, so I had to take care of it. I haven't bathed actually.”
I playfully scrunched my nose and he pushed me smally.

“Well, stinky why don't you take a shower.”

“You won't miss me?” he teased.
I kissed his nose.
“I will.”

Demetri had the nastiest grin. Marcus glared.
“Demetri.” he scolded.

“Makayla, he missed you so much he used to ask me each day when your exams would end. Then the day he called you at two a.m.?”

“Demetri,” he warned.
“He couldn't contain himself. He said he had to hear your voice even if it was angry.”

I giggled and Demetri laughed.
“Hahaha!” a booming voice said.
We both paused.

“Who's that?” I asked.
“It's Felix.” Marcus glowered at the door.

He knocked on his door.
“Joke's over. Get back to work.”

“Yes, Master.” Felix said frightfully.
Marcus grabbed a towel. He went into the bathroom.

“When is the doc coming back with my test results?”

Demetri told Felix: “You heard the lady.”

I heard his hulking steps move into the distance.

“I think Kayla your food will be ready in five minutes. There anything you need?”

“Yes, tell me if Caius is planning my murder right now. I'm in his house again.”

Demetri winked.

“Don't worry two weeks ago Marcus confronted him and the other guards. No one will bother you and if they try Felix and I are charged with protecting you.”

I sighed. I was safe. Finally. I heard the shower turn on. I looked at Demetri.

“So, tell me what does this family do; why are they so rich and powerful?”
Demetri blinked.

“The Volturi family deals in business. The procuring and sales of ancient artefacts as well as tourism. Both highly lucrative. They also own many properties.”

“Oh, why didn't Marcus tell me that? That's kinda cool. Does the family have heirlooms?”

He nodded.

“Several vases from China, Korea, ancient texts from Heian Japan, rare native prints from South America and ivory from Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

They even have crystals from Great Britain. It looks wonderful. I'm sure Marcus would show you if you asked. He has been interested in real estate lately and has three condos he has made in Venice, Paris and Pisa.”

I wanted to see these items out of curiosity, maybe it would piece together who the Volturi were; why they could afford such extravagance and if I had any hope fitting in despite being from a world apart. But from what I'd seen so far. It didn't look like it so far.

I tried to stand but Demetri would not have it.

“No moving around, you are still unwell.”
I gave him an unimpressed look.
“I'm okay now. And I can't be lying here all day.”

“You can actually you need rest and proper nourishment. You can do whatever you want after eating and getting an examination from Dr Cullen.”

“I'm not an  invalid. I can walk!”
“Just relax.” Demetri chimed in.

He sat on Marcus' bed.

“I wanted to know how university is and home. Please tell me you don't only chill with us, from Volterra.”

“No, I have my friend Ruelle and Alejandro and I are actually on speaking terms.”

“You need to see other people too.”

“It's very hard you know; I'm a foreigner and most of my classmates have known each other from infancy. So how am I supposed to meet new people?”

“You like church, right?”

I felt my head drop. I hadn't been going to church as much because when Marcus called, I would skip that day to talk to him. When I returned late from our excursions on a Saturday, I would sleep in.

When I was about to go out to church one time:

I wore a lavender square neck-lined dress with loose sleeves. I placed my bowl in the sink and I stared at my wrist-watch. I was on track. I had missed the service last week but this week I would make it.

My phone chimed and I took it out of my clutch-bag. I answered.

“Hello.”

“Makayla, Buorgiorno.”

A silly grin appeared on my face.

“Marcus, how are you?”

“I am alright. How are you?”

“I'm fine. What are you doing?”

“Nothing, I'm staring at my guards. It's rather dull. Would you mind if we meet; I can send Renata to pick you. Is that ok?”

I had a nagging feeling; you have church but we had just become girlfriend and boyfriend! What would he think if I didn't spend time with him?

“Sure, I wasn't doing anything.”

And I never went to church that day and it had become a horrible habit of me leaving everything to go to Marcus. How had I not seen it?

When was the last time I called my brother or contacted my mom?

Had I even the faintest clue where my Good News Bible was?

My face felt moist. It was hot. Demetri frowned.

“Makayla?”

I twisted to face him and he touched my face and I saw him wipe my tears.

“Why are you crying?”

“What have I become?” I whispered.

Demetri was spooked. He stood from the bed and in that moment, Marcus walked out from the bathroom. The door to his room swung open.

I saw black spots in my vision.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A statuesque woman with straight corn hair grimaced as she entered this room with red sofas, a white foot-table and glass towering flower vases. She approached Dr Cullen.

“Carlisle, why are we even here?”
Carlisle, in question, returned the grimace.

“Rosalie, Marcus requested for our presence. He said he was in urgent need of a doctor.”
“What would one of our kind need a doctor for?”

Carlisle pocketed his hands.

“His girlfriend is very ill. I examined her and I assumed it was as simple as dehydration, poor dietary habits and a combination of stress, but my child, she was experiencing seizures with normal range values for her bodily constituents.”

She held out her palm and Carlisle gave her a sheet with results with my results from the 24th and the 30th of October. Her golden eyes scanned through them.

“These are normal.”
“Precisely, I am not sure what to do and failure isn't an option. This is Marcus' mate.”

Rosalie raised a perfectly preened brow.

“Isn't his mate dead and buried?”

“Didyme is but the patient I attended to...he wouldn't have bothered if she meant nothing to him. Marcus and the Volturi do not value human life but you will see if you come see what I saw.”

She flipped back her hair.

“What was special about her, some human?”

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Then more spots came into my eyes. I heard bellows and felt my body being shaken. Marcus was staring at me, a towel draped over his waist.

“Makayla, heavens. You had a fainting spell! Demetri bring her food now!”

Demetri was shaking with big, moist eyes as he watched Marcus cradle me. What had happened?