The anticipated carnage of artery - piercing did not occur. After Catherine felt the monster that had been blocking the light in front of her suddenly disappear, a far more terrifying crashing sound ensued. The walls and floor she was pressed against trembled violently. For a moment, Catherine thought the operating room was going to collapse.
She struggled to open her eyes and caught a blurry glimpse of Langdon, looking anxious and tense, devoid of his usual gentility. Unfortunately, due to excessive blood loss, her vision was going black and her consciousness was growing heavier. Langdon's urgent shouts were becoming increasingly faint and distant in her ears.
With just one glance, Langdon knew how dire Catherine's situation was. Unless she was rushed to the hospital immediately, she would surely die. After realizing that Catherine had fainted, his first instinct was to take her to the hospital. However, the predator he had just knocked down had risen to its feet again.
A newborn vampire.
Langdon frowned as he looked at the blond, red - eyed vampire. His usually gentle aura vanished completely, and a palpable murderous intent emanated from him. His golden eyes were filled with warning as he growled at the newborn vampire, "Stay away from her!"
For vampires, blood is the most potent weapon to shatter one's willpower. The newborn vampire was driven into a frenzy by the intense smell of Catherine's blood, pressing his fingers into the floor and leaving deep and shallow cracks and indentations.
He roared ferociously, "You're a vampire too! You should know how alluring her scent is!"
Langdon curled his lips into a cold smile and quickly removed his suit jacket, "I'm not like you. You, stay away from her!"
The newborn vampire leaped up from the ground in a rage and lunged straight at Langdon. Langdon laid Catherine on the ground and, relying on the terrifying explosive power of a vampire, seized the other's waist in one swift move and then slammed him down onto the ground, creating a web of cracks on the surface.
The strength of a newborn vampire is far greater than that of an ordinary vampire. Unfortunately, they neither know their own talents nor possess any offensive skills. After several rounds of combat, although Langdon had a few minor injuries, his overall condition was still decent. The newborn vampire, on the other hand, had been at a disadvantage, constantly being restrained by his instincts.
However, just as Langdon was gripping his neck, an incredible scene unfolded. In the blink of an eye, another identical vampire materialized out of thin air in front of Catherine. He let out a howl and snatched her up from the ground, baring his fangs and preparing to sink them into Catherine's blood - smeared neck.
Langdon was stunned for a moment, and immediately, the vampire in front of him broke free and pinned him to the ground instead.
So, this vampire's ability was to create duplicates!
At that moment, a thick black mist drifted in through the broken window and quickly ensnared the newborn vampire. Langdon seized the opportunity to break free and darted to Catherine's side, gathering her into his arms. At the same time, he could feel that the girl in his arms was growing colder, a sign that her life was slipping away.
Soon, she would be as cold as he was. The difference was that he could and would live eternally, while Catherine would gradually decay and return to the dust.
He would never allow such a thing to happen!
Ignoring the warning brought by the telltale black mist, Langdon teleported to the door, intending to take Catherine and leave, only to be intercepted as expected.
There stood a youth with an unusually captivating appearance. His jet - black attire made him look even paler. His scarlet pupils were identical to those of the newborn vampire yet entirely different. There was no trace of ferocity, only unabashed smugness and disdain.
He spoke, sounding like an old friend of Langdon's, "Leonardo, it's been a long time. Don't you even plan to say hello when you see us? How sad."
"Sorry, I must leave now, but I will never forget your kindness in saving our lives. I will repay you." Langdon gritted his teeth secretly, swallowed a mouthful of venom, and tried his best to conceal his emotions, "My friend is injured. I must take her to the hospital."
"Such a sweet scent." Alec slid into the room through the window without a sound, retracting the black mist. His cold and refined face was devoid of any expression, "This girl's scent is rather different from others."
Langdon's heart sank.
The clicking of high heels was like raindrops skipping through the forest. The last arrival, Jane, removed her wide hood, revealing a face of such breathtaking beauty that it would make the most beautiful angel feel ashamed. Her voice was enchanting yet bone - chilling, "She's almost dead. It's useless even if you take her to the hospital now. Moreover..."
Jane's icy gaze swept over Catherine's arm, her tone flat, "You should know that even if she's saved, she'll be like a vegetable due to prolonged lack of oxygen, and she'll lose her hand too."
Langdon was almost gnashing his teeth, "I still have to try. I can't just let her die!"
"A person who can make you care so much must be someone special, right?" Demetri, the black - haired youth from the beginning, nodded thoughtfully, "Perhaps, you have another way to save her."
For example, turn her into a vampire.
"Absolutely not!" Langdon's eyes widened, almost in anger, "I will never allow it!"
The newborn vampire had lost all consciousness under Alec's anesthetic gas, closing his eyes in despair and reluctance, and was picked up by Alec like a dog without dignity.
Demetri said with a smile, "She'll eventually discover that you're half - human and half - vampire. Or maybe not, because by then she'll be a vegetable, right, Leonardo?"
"Get out of my way!" Langdon roared out the words, the gold in his eyes seeming to burn with flames.
Alec responded coldly, "We won't leave until this place is cleaned up so that humans can no't find any traces related to us."
"As for you, you must follow the regulations and return to Volterra with us to prove to the masters that you haven't exposed our existence. You can bring her along and transform her. But if you're willing to risk her becoming a vegetable by waiting for the slow ambulance outside to take her to the hospital, we won't interfere." Jane said, tilting her fair chin, signaling Demetri to make way for Langdon.
Langdon was stunned. A vegetable... Catherine would become a vegetable. He couldn't help but think of the first time he and Catherine met, how young and beautiful she was. Her scent was so alluring that it stirred the vampire nature within him that he had been suppressing by eating human food due to his half - human bloodline.
That's why he was so obsessed with taking her away, asking her if she'd like to go to Italy with him.
The image of the girl in black, with clear eyes, was still vivid in his mind.
Langdon stood frozen in place. As time ticked by, the left arm of Catherine that had been pierced by the metal had already begun to show obvious signs of necrosis. Her body temperature was dropping, and her breathing was growing weaker.
Finally, he turned with great difficulty, "I'll take her to Volterra."
"Welcome."
Brushing aside Catherine's dark brown curls, Langdon closed his eyes in pain and sank his fangs into her pale neck. The venom was injected, and her blood was gradually drained.
Alec's anesthetic gas conveniently enveloped Catherine, who had begun to convulse due to the venom, rendering her motionless.
"Come with us."
It was three - thirty in the early morning.
The Palazzo dei Priori, perched on tiered steps, was imposing and austere, like a crouching beast, motionless and with its murderous intent concealed.
All newborn vampires discovered by the Volturi had only two fates. Either they had special talents and joined them, becoming their loyal guards. Or, they would be disposed of as "future troubles" because they were useless yet unable to control their instincts.
Langdon knew that Catherine would be the former from the moment he first laid eyes on her.
His ability was to perceive others' talents. When Catherine was still a sixteen - year - old girl, she had demonstrated an extraordinary ability - communicating with spirits.
If she were transformed into a vampire, what kind of abilities she would possess was yet to be known, but it would surely be something the Volturi had never had before.
The gates of the Palazzo dei Priori slowly opened, and Langdon had no choice but to follow these envoys of the Volturi inside.
Walking through the dim and eerie hallways and corridors, Heidi and Gianna were chatting merrily about something. Suddenly, the sweet smell of blood wafting in the air caught Heidi's attention. The relaxed and carefree expression on her beautiful face vanished instantly, and her scarlet eyes flashed with a sharp glint.
Gianna wasn't surprised as she looked in the direction of Jane and Alec. Unsurprisingly, she saw a dying human girl - perhaps due to the effect of Alec's anesthetic gas. Anyway, she was quiet.
Heidi licked her smooth and plump lips, her smile alluring yet dangerous, "Hi, Alec. Looks like you've brought back a wonderful dessert this time."
Langdon shot her a fierce glare, but she just laughed, "Don't mind, dear Leonardo."
After watching them enter the innermost door, Gianna asked curiously, "That girl looks like she's already dead."
Heidi sneered, "If she doesn't have a unique special talent, then, yes, she's dead."
"Aren't ordinary newborns usually thrown directly into the dark room?"
"This one seems different. She smells much better, and the masters specifically requested that she be brought back."
"I see."
The final door swung open in front of Langdon, and the light inside poured out like a tidal wave. The three supreme elders of the Volturi were seated in their respective positions, waiting for their arrival.
"Master, I've brought them." The moment Jane saw Aro, her face, which had been as cold as ice, finally broke into a smile. Aro let out a melodious and pleasant sigh and quickly approached Jane, every movement perfect and flawless.
Beside Aro's original position, Caius, with his long, beautiful silver hair like moonlight, suddenly straightened up from his previously languid posture, tilted his head gracefully, and sniffed the air gently. His rose - red eyes flickered with a hint of wonder, and then he looked at Catherine, wrapped in the black mist, with great interest. A haughty and alluring smile curved his glamorous lips, and his every feature was maddeningly beautiful.
It seemed that he thought this otherwise boring meeting had finally become interesting.
Aro kissed Jane's cheek and held her hand, "You always satisfy me completely, Jane. Thank you for your hard work."
Then, Aro raised his hand, signaling Alec to put Catherine down. Without the control of the anesthetic gas, Catherine, driven by the venom, began to writhe and struggle. She was in extreme pain. When her left arm was pierced by the metal fragments, she had thought that nothing could be more unbearable than that pain. But now, it seemed that was far from the case.
The venom was boiling in her veins, searing her throat, as if forcing her to swallow a red - hot coal, a tearing and searing pain. This pain surpassed everything, easily obliterating all her consciousness and senses. The dutiful performance of her nerve endings was truly astonishing, making her feel as if she had rolled over a bed of nails.
Langdon called her name, wanting to gather her into his arms, but was blocked by a black figure.
Aro smiled and extended his hand to him, his voice gentle and his manner polite, making it impossible to refuse, "Let me see your memories, so that it can also prove that you haven't betrayed our kind, okay, Leonardo?"
Behind him, Caius silently approached Catherine, reached out and grabbed her by the neck, lifting her up effortlessly. His extremely handsome face showed a rare curiosity and inquisitiveness, "A rather special sweet treat."
Marcus, who had been silent all along, suddenly stood up and gently touched Aro. Aro looked at him in surprise, then at Caius, who was toying with Catherine like a cheetah studying its prey. The smile on his face suddenly became rather amused, "Caius, my dear brother, would you please help take this lady brought by Leonardo to the dark room?"
Caius slowly turned his head to look at Aro. Frowning slightly in the face of Aro's almost teasing smile, he then dropped Catherine to the ground like a piece of trash. Demetri, who was standing nearby, quickly picked her up and bowed his head respectfully and asked, "Master, what should be done with her?"
"Take her to the dark room." Caius's tone was as cold as ice.
Aro turned back with satisfaction, looking at Langdon. Langdon's cheek twitched slightly, an action of clenching his teeth secretly. But he had no choice. Just as he couldn't stop them from taking Catherine, he had no way to avoid extending his hand to Aro. This was Volterra, the vampire royalty. He had no chance of winning.
Aro grasped his hand, and in an instant, he read through all of Langdon's memories.
Then, he laughed, as if he had seen something extremely pleasing.
He clapped his hands, his voice light and cheerful, "It's truly incredible, my friend. Our Catherine has such a special ability."
"What ability?" Caius asked, his tone devoid of emotion.
Aro turned back and answered with a smile, "When she was still human, she could see spirits. When she becomes one of our kind, I believe there will be even more surprising talents."
Author's Note: Well, there are some plot holes here. The reasons why the Volturi happened to save Langdon and Catherine and why they chose Catherine will be revealed later. Otherwise, Jane and Alec wouldn't have used provocation to make Langdon transform Catherine.
By the way, this story is different from the original work. In the original, Bella had the protection of the entire Cullen family and was born to be a vampire, so she adapted quickly and had no concerns.
However, Catherine is different. She doesn't know Langdon's identity or much about vampires, so she has to rely on herself.