The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide (36 page)

Laurent was irresistibly drawn to the Russian ambassador, who seemed to Laurent to exude true power.

Laurent was irresistibly drawn to the Russian ambassador, who seemed to Laurent to exude true power. More even than the king himself, the Russian ambassador had no fear of any man.

The ambassador—a fun-loving Russian vampire named Boris who enjoyed human revelry—was flattered by the eager and admiring Laurent. He struck up a friendship with the French boy. When it was time for the Russian ambassador to leave (the number of vanished serving men and women was beginning to alarm many), he invited Laurent to go with him. Laurent’s love of the powerful made this an easy decision; his instincts told him that Boris was more powerful than anyone he’d ever met.

Boris and Laurent became so close that eventually Boris told Laurent the truth about himself. Laurent begged to have the gift of power and immortality for himself. Boris was happy to comply.

For a while Boris and Laurent were companions, but Laurent quickly grew tired of Boris’s jovial habits. Once Laurent was introduced to the vampire world, it was clear to him that there were others much more powerful than Boris.

The next relationship that changed Laurent’s life was
with Vladimir, one of the surviving Romanians. Vladimir still radiated some of the power he had once held, and Laurent’s reaction to that power was predictable. He did not follow Vladimir for long—Stefan was opposed to adding any new vampires to their number, favoring mobility and secrecy over everything else—but it was long enough. When he at last came in contact with the Volturi, he was already tainted. The Volturi were the epitome of vampire power, exactly the kind of vampires Laurent wanted to be with. But when he was brought to Aro as a prospective lesser-guard applicant, Aro saw the brief encounter with the Romanians and sent him away as untrustworthy. Laurent was unaware that members of the Volturi followed him for a few decades, hoping he would lead them to Vladimir.

Laurent always hoped that someday he would get another chance to join the Volturi.

Laurent always hoped that someday he would get another chance to join the Volturi. He wandered the world, allying himself with anyone who seemed to have power until he found someone more powerful. In this way he joined James and Victoria: James’s aura of invincibility was very attractive to Laurent.

Another change occurred in Laurent’s life when he, James, and Victoria clashed with the Cullens. His instincts told him he was on the wrong side of that conflict, and he quickly jumped ship to ingratiate himself with the Cullens by warning them about James. Laurent was confused by Carlisle, who had a very different kind of authority than he was used to. He was happy to stay out of the way
until James was no longer an issue, hoping to study Carlisle’s strength later.

The Denali sisters proved an interesting distraction. Tanya had a similar kind of influence as Carlisle. Laurent let their peaceful life envelop him for a short while, and enjoyed a passing flirtation with Irina, though he did not take it as seriously as she did. When Victoria sought him out—and after he was sure she was not there to kill him—he was seduced anew by the old kind of command. He decided to keep the lines of communication open with her, and do her the one favor she asked of him.

With her shockingly bright hair, it was more difficult for Victoria to avoid notice than most, and she received extra beatings simply for being visible.

Victoria was born in London in the mid-sixteenth century. Her mother was a scullery maid and her father was the master of the house. Victoria was the second illegitimate child, after her sister, Anne. They were raised as servants and worked hard from early childhood. Neither of them had much in the way of education. Anne had the misfortune of being quite pretty, with mahogany hair and a cream and rose complexion. Like her mother, Anne was subjected to the attentions of the men of the house beginning early in her adolescence. Victoria, on the other hand, had bright red hair, freckles, and eyes a shade of green that people called “witchy.” Though her features were actually quite fine, she was still thought of as ill-favored. Eventually the sisters were able to get jobs together in a very fine establishment, Anne as a lady’s maid, Victoria
as a kitchen drudge. The master of the house was not a kind man, quick to beat a servant for any perceived fault—and lecherous as well. Both sisters, along with the other help, grew adept at disappearing whenever possible. With her shockingly bright hair, it was more difficult for Victoria to avoid notice than most, and she received extra beatings simply for being visible. She grew better at hiding, but when the master did catch her, he seemed irritated that she’d evaded him for so long and was more vicious in his punishments.

Though the jobs kept them fed, the sisters decided to flee when Victoria was twelve. Anne was very fond of her sister and feared for her life. It proved to be a bad decision. Without references, the girls were unable to find employment. They had no food and no shelter, and the cold season was coming. Anne finally agreed to work for a local pimp, on the condition that her sister could have free lodging with the other working girls. This situation was worse for Anne and nearly as bad for Victoria as the house they’d run from; however, it was better than the streets of London. Thanks to the heavy-handed pimp, Victoria perfected her ability to disappear despite her hair.

One night Anne went out to find a client and never came home. Victoria was heartbroken. The pimp, angry at losing one girl, was determined that the remaining sister would earn her way. The pimp kept her virtually a prisoner while she “learned her place.” With her ability to escape, however, it wasn’t long before she broke free. This put her back in the
cold. To keep from freezing or starving, she became a kind of cat burglar: sneaking into houses at night, curling up in small, hidden places to sleep, and stealing as little food as possible to keep her theft from being noticed. She moved from house to house, leaving no trace of her existence. Even dogs did not react to her presence.

When she was fifteen, she was able to get a real job again. Having overheard the firing of a scullery maid, she presented herself at the opportune time and her lack of references was overlooked. It was hard work, but stable, and she was not hit often. She was content with her position for the most part. Trouble didn’t start again until the pimp spotted her one day, buying groceries, and tried to follow her home. She evaded him easily, but she realized that now that he knew she was alive, he would keep looking. She thought of leaving the city, but she wasn’t sure she could make a living in the country.

Victoria was ecstatic to see her sister alive and wanted to embrace her, but Anne kept her distance, moving at a speed that shocked and silenced Victoria.

It was at that time that Anne found her. Victoria woke in the night to see Anne in her tiny attic room, standing over her. Anne was more beautiful than ever, though she’d lost all the pink in her cheeks. Victoria was ecstatic to see her sister alive and wanted to embrace her, but Anne kept her distance, moving at a speed that shocked and silenced Victoria. Anne wanted to know if Victoria was happy and safe. Slowly at first, Victoria began to answer all of Anne’s questions. Anne was not satisfied with Victoria’s predicament. She pondered aloud killing the pimp, but decided that he was only a small
part of the problem. Victoria would never be safe until she was stronger than those who would hurt or control her. Anne asked Victoria if she would trust Anne’s judgment. Victoria agreed. Anne picked Victoria up as if she were a doll and carried her out the attic window.

For a short while, Victoria was perfectly happy.

Apologizing first, Anne bit her sister. When Victoria revived from the transformation, she found herself in a beautiful country house, surrounded by four of the most beautiful women she had ever seen, including her sister. The other three were named Hilda, Mary, and Heidi, Heidi being by far the most beautiful of them all. Anne explained that Hilda, a nomadic German vampire, had saved her from her hard life out of pity, and then allowed her to go back for Victoria when she was able. The women, all with pasts similar to Anne’s, were strong enough now to live as they wished, free from fear and abuse. For a short while, Victoria was perfectly happy. The coven of women coexisted easily because none of them craved power or authority. Two years after Victoria joined them, Hilda “rescued” another woman, Noela, who caught her fancy in the streets of Lisbon.

When Noela was still a newborn, the coven received a visit from the Volturi, led by Aro himself. With him were Caius, Jane, Chelsea, and a few of the more physical guards. Caius accused them of attracting too much human notice with their big coven of young, unruly newborns. Hilda defended her coven, maintaining that they had never introduced more than one newborn at a time, to be sure they could control
them. Aro asked for evidence. Hilda agreed to prove her case with a handshake. After reading all her thoughts, Aro sadly claimed that the coven was guilty. Hilda angrily accused him of lying and was immediately slaughtered by the guards. Jane inflicted pain on each of the others in quick succession, halting their instinctive attack. Aro wanted to know if anyone was willing to live by the law—or would they all have to be destroyed? Almost as if in a dream, Heidi got to her feet and moved forward. Aro smiled and welcomed her while her former covenmates watched in shock.

Victoria did not understand any of what she was watching, but she sensed that she and her sister were about to die whether they surrendered or not.

Victoria did not understand any of what she was watching, but she sensed that she and her sister were about to die whether they surrendered or not. She screamed for the others to run. Anne, Mary, and Noela all scattered in different directions than the one she took. Victoria was surprised when Jane did not attack again, not knowing that the Volturi guard enjoyed a good chase. Anne, Mary, and Noela were all quickly caught and dispatched. None of the Volturi worried much when the redheaded girl proved impossible to find. She was unimportant; they could deal with her some other time. For now, Aro was happy to go home with his prize.

That was the end of Victoria’s peaceful vampire life. Now suspicious of other vampires, she avoided them all. With her gift, it was not difficult, until James. In James she found someone who was honest in his intentions and confident in his abilities. She was attracted to his gift, which was like a mirror
of her own. Eventually she fell in love with his self-assurance. It felt safe to her, stable in an odd way. She was never aware that his feelings did not entirely reflect her own. While she was happier with James, her life definitely was not peaceful or easy. The way he liked to live constantly put her into situations that, on her own, she would have avoided.