Chapter 7 Haunted by the Past

Demetri had taken me to a room just off the main receiving room and handed me a garment bag. Apparently, Aro wanted to play Barbie. Must be a vampire thing. Alice had certainly enjoyed it. I pushed that thought away as I always did when I was foolish enough to let my brain wonder to them.

Once I donned the black high neck, lace shirt and black pencil skirt along with a suicidal pair of heels, I was out the door.

Demetri’s eyes surveyed me and his expression told me a very different tale than what the full length mirror had just told me. I would never understand men’s reactions to me.

“You look simply divine, Isabella.”

“Thanks, and it’s just Bella.”

He nodded seemingly pleased by that request. With my first attempt at walking in those death traps, my ankle twisted and if it hadn’t been for Demetri’s quick reaction, I’d have landed on my face. “Smooth, Bella, really smooth,” he chuckled while I blushed a bright red.

“Yeah, you should probably keep a hold of my arm or it won’t be the last time. Clumsy doesn’t even begin to describe me.” We shared a smile and for a moment I almost forgot the reason why I was here and that Demetri wasn’t a friend.

Aro stood outside the door waiting for me in a tailored suit that showed off his lithe form beautifully. Even with the nearly transparent skin, he was handsome. “Isabella, my darling, you look radiant,” he beamed as he took my hand and twirled me around taking in every inch of me. “I cannot wait to see what magnificence you will become once you are transformed. Already you are a work of art.”

“You look pretty spiffy too,” I countered a small grin on my face. I knew that he was scary and possibly evil, but it was hard to feel anything but comfortable in his presence when he was pulling out all the stops to impress.

His smile widened at my compliment. “Come, let me show off my newest addition to our court.”

Not sure I agreed with that assessment of me, but better to be a part of this craziness than on my own, right?