Elena honestly believed in that moment her heart stopped beating.

 Would he actually kill her? Right there in the library with members of the Volturi right below them? To her intense surprise though, James started to laugh.

 "You know I can't kill you; you're under Volturi protection. Didn't you know that?" he asked.

 "Well," began Elena, "I knew I was possibly safe from humans, but from vampires..."

 "So, you've been here thinking that if you did something wrong or got out of line you would....became the meal, right?" James finished for her.

 "Yes, I suppose so."

 "I probably wouldn't kill you if I had a chance anyway," said James, "You're too much of a mystery to me."

 "Me?" Elena said, "I guess you're lonelier than I thought."

 "Well, the life of a nomad isn't all that bad."

 "Nomad?" questioned Elena. That was a strange and foreign word to her.

 "Yes, a nomad is normally a solitary person with no permanent home and wanders from place to place to make a living," he explained.

 "Oh, I see," Elena said as she bent to pick up the book crate, "Thank you," she said looking up at him briefly.

 James smiled slightly at her and then watched as she tried to lift the heavy crate again. Elena had been cleaning the walls all day and her arms were so stressed that it seemed almost impossible for her to move it once again.

 "Here," said James as he bent down and picked up the book crate with so much ease he would have thought it was made out of glass.

 "Thank you again," said Elena as he set the crate in front of another book shelf.

 "You can't always be expected to do the work around her," James said.

 "Well, I'm getting paid with food and an education to work her, so I don't complain to loudly," she said as she divided the books.

 "What will you do with yourself when you get out of her?" asked James.

 Elena stopped for a moment. It was something that she had never considered until now. She had spent the better part of one year trying to make it not from day to day, but from minute to minute. The Volturi was prividing her with a high education and most girls of her social status in Volterra normally stopped getting an education when they were about twelve or never received them at all. At sixteen, Elena had been fortunate enough to know how to read and write before the Volturi found her. Something she would always thank her parents for that and for the sacrifices they made so she could learn.

 "I don't know," Elena said, "I was thinking maybe a teacher or a scientist."

 "A scientist?" asked James curiously.

 "Oh yes, I love science, especially genetics. I don't think that Italy would have much use for a female scientist though. So, to answer you question, I guess I'm just happy to stay here."

 "You're happy here?" James asked eyeing her closely.

 "Well, for now. Today at least; who knows what could happen tomorrow."

 At that moment sunlight filtered down into the room and the light rays landed gently onto James' face sending white gold streaks through his light brown hair and making the pale skin of his face sparkle like thousands of tiny crystal diamonds. James closed his eyes and tilted his head up as if he was enjoying something that he had been deprived of for many years.

 Elena watched in wonderment as his skin continued to sparkle; amazed by the beauty and mystery it beheld. She was suppose to close the blinds in case anything like that happened, but as quickly as the sun came it left.

 "Do you," she began, "Do you ever get tired of always having to hide away from the sun?"

 James looked at her in a way that was almost thoughtful. "Sometimes," he answered. "When you're a vampire the sun isn't always the massive ball of light that gives us warmth and light. The sun could be anything that makes you feel warm and gives you light. Like a person, someone who's like you and that's not like everybody else."

 "So another vampire?" Elena asked.

 "Yes, in the vampire community we call our significant others soul mates," said James.

 Elena thought for a second and then asked, "Have you found yours yet? Or does a nomad even need one?"

 James smiled and took a step toward her. His body barely inches from her own. She looked him over once more. Tall and muscular with light brown hair that was pulled back into a small ponytail. The ever piercing scarlet eyes seemed to dim slightly and turn a deep brown color.

 "I don't think it's the fact that I've found her. Rather the fact that if I found her would she need me instead." He reached out his hand and touched her dark head, running his fingers down her dark brown hair. When he reached the end, Elena put her small hand over his large one. His hand was as cold and smooth as marble. Elena's body didn't fill with cold. Instead, a rushing terrifying admonition to do everything in her power to stop this desired moment before it consumed her completely.