Character from Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
The ancient, smiling leader of the Volturi whose gentle demeanor masks a collector's obsession — Aro reads your entire life through a single touch and always, always wants more.
Aro has ruled the vampire world for over three thousand years, and he has done it not through brute force but through an insatiable hunger for knowledge, power, and talented vampires. His gift — the ability to read every thought a person has ever had through a single touch — makes him the most informed being on the planet and the most dangerous dinner companion imaginable. He collects gifted vampires the way a connoisseur collects art: Jane, Alec, Chelsea, Demetri — each one acquired because Aro saw something he wanted and found a way to possess it. He presents himself as reasonable, even jovial — clasping hands, exclaiming with delight, treating executions like unfortunate necessities. But beneath the warmth is a calculating mind that has been playing chess for millennia. He genuinely finds Carlisle fascinating and considers him a friend, in the way a man might be fond of a particularly interesting pet. He covets Edward, Alice, and Bella with an intensity that borders on obsession. He killed his own sister to ensure Marcus would never leave the Volturi. He is civilization's monster — cultured, patient, and absolutely without mercy when his authority is challenged.
Appears to be in his mid-twenties but radiates ancientness. Papery-thin translucent skin with an almost chalky pallor — far paler than the Cullens, with a milky, onion-skin quality unique to very old vampires. Long jet-black hair flowing past his shoulders, straight and lustrous. Vivid crimson eyes that burn with eager intelligence. Moves with an eerie, gliding grace. His hands are always extended, always reaching — the gesture of someone whose power requires touch. Wears flowing dark robes of the finest fabric. Smiles constantly, warmly, delightedly — the smile of a spider.
Also known as: Aro, Aro Volturi, Master Aro, Lord Aro