This was my winning entry for The Volturi Challenge on MVF. I decided to post it here too, for the people who haven't found MVF yet. Warning: Dark themes and disturbing scenes. No fluff at all! Partially inspired by scenes from Buffy and Angel. Enjoy!

She scrunched up her nose at the smell of rotting food and human excrement that littered the streets in this part of town. It wasn't often that she made her way here; she would rather not mingle with the lowest classes of society, but tonight, she found herself without a choice. The man that had been her mark for the last few days frequented a drinking hole here, and she was waiting for him to come out. She had no doubt he would be drunk, like he had been the last few nights, but that would only be for the best. That way he wouldn't be likely to notice anything odd about her appearance straight away, and it would certainly keep him from being fast enough to scream. She threw her long, blonde hair over her shoulder and drew her cloak closer around her. Not that she was cold, she just didn't want to expose the rich fabrics of her dress; it would certainly attract attention. Obviously, she would be able to kill anyone who attacked her with a flick of her wrist, but she didn't want to deal with any distractions tonight.

The door opened, and a body fell to the street.

"Go home and don't come back! I'm sick of you scaring away all the women."

The barman closed the door with a loud bang, leaving him face down in the muddy streets. He hated this place, and the man that owned it. The only reason he came was that the women here were plentiful and had low moral standards. All he was looking for was a little pleasure, but they'd all denied him. He had every right to be angry at them. They usually gave it up easily enough for anyone that carried enough gold, and he had plenty. Yet they still shunned him like a disease, and he couldn't understand why. Granted, he wasn't rich or high class, but he wasn't poor like most of the men in this place either. He struggled to get up, slipping in the mud a couple of times, and decided to walk back to his house. The streets were narrow and dark, and he had to be careful not to slip on the various substances that defiled the roads. The rain lashed heavy against him, matting his blonde hair to his face. He had the distinct feeling he was being followed, but when he turned, he saw no one. He figured the drink must be messing with his mind.

She kicked a dead rat with her foot to clear her path. The filthy little creatures were in abundance here. They ran riot, causing diseases to spread like the plague. Of course she was immune to such things, but diseased corpses always reeked worse than healthy ones. Times of plague were, therefore, never pleasurable. Besides, it left very little nourishment for her kind. Whenever a plague broke out, they always relocated to a better area. Rome had been a thriving city for the longest time; rich and splendid. She'd seen its rise and remembered that time with fondness. The decline of the city truly caused her heartbreak. The Roman Empire was rapidly deteriorating, leaving only a stinking carcass behind. She had always been involved with each Caesar to rule, always careful to avoid discovery. Each and every one of them had loved her; the mysterious woman that gave them such good advice and pleasure at the same time. That era seemed to be coming to an end, and the current Caesar, Romulus Augustus, had not seemed so taken with her. She actually thought he might prefer the company of his own sex. It was not unheard of, but it still struck her as strange that this man didn't desire her the same way the others had; she was not used to rejection.

He stumbled across the streets, getting more and more infuriated at the way these women had rejected him. It had been so long since he'd felt a female's touch, and even then, she hadn't exactly been cooperative. He didn't like forcing the women; it took away from the pleasure to have to hold them down. The screaming usually made him unable to climax which, in turn, angered him even more. However, he longed to be inside a woman right now, so it would have to do. He would make sure he finished this time. Maybe he could gag her. He looked around, but this part of town was empty. He decided to try his luck in a slightly better neighbourhood. At least the women there were clean.

She followed him from a short distance, making sure he never saw her. He turned a couple of times, as if he knew he was being followed, but she hid in the shadows every time before he could spot her. She first saw him five days ago, when he passed her on the street. His hair was so blonde, it was almost white, and his features held something regal. His ice blue eyes held a certain hunger, whether for money, power or sex, she couldn't tell, but she liked it. He intrigued her, and she thought him perfect for her plan. She'd been following him around town ever since. He proved to be quite aggressive in trying to get what he wanted, which, at the moment, appeared to be physical gratification. She smiled when she thought of everything she could do for him in that aspect, should he prove himself worthy of course.

He appeared to have taken a wrong turn and found himself in a dark, dead-end alley. Cursing under his breath, he turned, ready to walk back out. He let out a loud yelp when he found himself face to face with the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. She looked straight at him, a small smile on her lips, as she walked towards him. He held his breath until she was right in front of him. She was stunning with long, golden hair that hung all the way down to her waist. She wore a grey cloak that covered her completely, but judging by the fact that the cloak was pure silk, he knew she must be rich. He didn't understand why she was in this part of town or why she seemed to be interested in him, but he didn't care. He decided that he would have her tonight, whether she wanted to or not.

"Signora, what brings a lady as lovely as you into this dismal part of town?" He bowed slightly, and she chuckled.

"Don't worry; I'm more than capable of handling myself."

Her voice was unlike anything he'd ever heard; soft and almost musical. It reminded him of wind chimes. He found himself mesmerized by her movements as she made her way closer until she was right before him. He decided to at least be polite and introduce himself.

"My name is Caius, signora. It's a pleasure to meet you."

He reached out his mud-stained hand and enveloped hers. Her skin was pristine and white, and he noticed it was very cold. He would have her warm quickly enough, though. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted this woman.

"Athenodora. And the pleasure is all mine."

She smiled, revealing perfect, white teeth. This shocked him; women just did not look like this. Caius congratulated himself on finding such a perfect specimen. She would truly be a delight to bed. In fact, he might actually woo her further if she let him. He could already see the jealous glances of the other men in his mind's eye. Social stature was very important to Caius. He'd never been deemed good enough to mingle with the highest of classes, but he thought that this woman might change that. He licked his lips involuntarily at the thought of her on his arm. She was truly a prize.

She couldn't decide whether to bite him on the spot or to drag it out a little longer. He did smell ever so good. She wondered if she would have enough control to not drain him completely, but she quickly dismissed that thought. She was lonely, and her influence in the higher circles was dwindling. She needed someone power-hungry like him to realize her goals of once again becoming a major player in the political world. She decided to give him what he wanted most; a small reward for his life that she was about to take.

He gasped when she fell to her knees before him, her head level with his groin. For a moment he wondered what she was doing, but when she made quick work of opening his robes and exposing his erection, he found he didn't really care. He sucked in a sharp breath when her mouth turned out to be as cold as her hand, but when she started her movements, he quickly lost any apprehension he might have felt about her temperature. She moved skilfully and fast, making him moan and grunt. He reached down and entwined his fingers in her hair, pushing himself in even deeper. His orgasm built quickly; it had been so long since someone pleasured him like this, and he couldn't contain his delight. This creature here before him on her knees was a godsend, and though he had no idea who she was or where she came from, he found himself appreciating her more and more. As he was about to climax, he pushed himself so far into her mouth that she should have gagged, but she didn't. His whole body seized as he released himself inside of her. She never stopped moving; milking every single last drop from him. When he finally came down from his orgasm, he looked down at the beautiful angel that had given him this pleasure. She looked up at him, her eyes lighting up in the moonlight. For a second he thought they were red, but he quickly dismissed that thought; there was no such thing. Right then, he felt a sharp pain shoot through his groin.

Athenodora drank greedily; the blood was always warmer and richer when taken like this. Most vampires went for the main arteries, but for her there was nothing more erotic than draining a man this way. Of course, she wouldn't drain Caius, but she still couldn't resist a couple of mouthfuls. He swayed on his feet, the loss of blood making him lightheaded. Before he passed out, he was vaguely aware of a burning sensation in his member. He wondered what she did to him, but he couldn't think about it for too long. Black spots appeared in his vision before he eventually passed out.

She picked him up and carried him swiftly to her house. She lived alone, just outside the city walls to avoid detection. The transformation would be starting soon, and she knew she had to be quick, before the screaming started. She laid him down and tied his hands and feet to the bed to make sure he wouldn't be moving too much. She thought about gagging him for a moment but decided against it for now; there would always be time for that if the screaming got too loud. She settled in and waited. It would only be a matter of time.

The first thing that registered in his mind was the burning that slowly spread outward from the centre of his body. He was on fire; he knew it. This was his punishment for the sins he'd committed throughout his life. He regretted them now, not the acts, but the fact he had to suffer for them. He begged and pleaded for it to stop; first quietly, inside his mind, then muttering softly, until the heat consumed him, and he couldn't help but scream. Cold hands touched his face, and he opened his eyes ever so slightly to find the woman he'd once thought an angel staring down at him, a look of annoyance on her face. She pinched his cheeks with one hand, forcing his mouth to stay open. Suddenly his mouth was filled with what appeared to be rags, gagging him so his screams were now muffled. This woman was no angel; she was a demon, sent straight from the inner pits of hell for the sole purpose of his torment.

Two days had passed, and he had been screaming the entire time. The gag helped but not much. She was honestly disappointed with how little he seemed to be able to bear; she had expected him to show more restraint. Sighing deeply, she looked out the window over the empty fields. On this side of the house, there was no view of the city, only the green hills that were illuminated in orange by the rising sun. They seemed to be burning, just like the man behind her. Only one more day and the transformation would be complete. She was anxious to see what he would be like. Already he was starting to look like her kind; his skin had a slight glow and his temperature was rapidly dropping. She remembered from her own transformation that the pain would soon be at its worst. She just hoped the gag was enough to stop the worst of the screams. If worse came to worst, she would have to silence him herself. She couldn't risk exposure, not even for him. Her carefully built reputation depended on it. It would truly be a waste, but there were always other men.

He wondered why he wasn't dead yet, surely it should have been over by now. There couldn't be anything left of him, not after he'd been burning for so long. Smoke and ashes, that was all that would remain. His heart was beating so fast, he was sure it would tear through his chest any second now. Just when he thought he couldn't take any more, the burning suddenly receded from his limbs, to settle in his chest. His fear spiked to unprecedented levels as he realized he was dying. His heart was beating in a stretched out hum so powerful it made him arch his back off the bed. Then it stopped, and there was nothing but silence.

She stood rigid for hours, staring anxiously at the man on the bed. It was so close now, only a matter of seconds. She could hear his heartbeat speed up, faster and faster, until she couldn't tell one beat from the next. His back arched off the bed, before flopping back loudly. The transformation was complete, and she let out a breath that she didn't even realize she was holding. She moved in closer to take a good look. He was handsome, even more so than he had been as a human. His features were refined, his skin perfect and pale; his hair was white in the light of the moon. She startled when he opened his eyes and gasped for air as if he'd been drowning. His bright red eyes immediately found hers; fear and anger apparent in his gaze. It took him all but a second to free himself from the ropes, jump off the bed, grab her throat and forcefully shove her into the wall on the other side of the room. Rubble fell around her as she felt her back digging deep into the stone. His blatant display of the sheer power she'd hoped to bestow upon him excited her.

"What have you done to me?"

The anger in his eyes was quickly replaced by wonder, as he loosened his grip before smashing her back into the wall even harder.

"Release me," she hissed, her voice no more than a whisper because of the pressure he was putting on her vocal chords. He tilted his head while he contemplated her plea. It was obvious that she had done something to him, but whatever it was, it seemed that it might not be such a bad thing. He was never a strong man; he always shied away from fights, but now, undiluted strength and power ran riot through his veins. He could feel it; he would've been able to push this woman right through the wall if he wanted to. Yet, when he looked at her, he found himself mesmerized by the way her golden hair shimmered in the light of the moon, by the blood-red colour of her eyes, the plumpness of her lips and the softness of her skin. He released her and stepped back.

"What have you done to me?" he repeated, softer this time.

She rubbed her throat where his hand had been a second ago. She internally chastised herself for forgetting about newborn strength; she would have to be careful with him for now, at least until his strength diminished.

"Does it matter what I did? You are strong now; virtually indestructible. Most importantly, you are immortal, like me."

His mind reeled at her words, and he wondered if it was possible that she was telling the truth. The prospect of living forever was appealing, especially in this new and powerful body. He thought of all the things he would be able to do. Men would fear him and women would want him; he would make the world bow down at his feet. No longer would he be looked down upon; he would simply kill anyone that dared. A smile formed on his lips as he imagined what his existence would be like.

She approached him with caution; she didn't want to startle him again and risk another attack. He hardly seemed to notice her though; he was too consumed in his own mind.

"Caius."

The sound of her voice was enough to stir him from his thoughts. Once again, he found himself entranced by her; the way her body flowed as she moved, her hips swaying from left to right. The most delicious scent filled the air, and it took him only a moment to realize it was coming from her; she wanted him. Lust stirred deep within him, more powerful than ever before. In a fraction of a second, he closed the distance between them and crushed her against him. He buried his nose in her hair; it smelled like flowers of the most enticing kind. Her nipples hardened when he pressed her against his chest, and she released the tiniest whimper. His erection grew impossibly harder at the physical evidence of her desire for him.

"Not now," she said, trying to push him away without really putting too much effort into it. He wouldn't let her; instead, he started gathering up her dress at the back until her legs were exposed. Wasting no time, he lifted one up and pulled it around his hips.

"Caius, I said not now." She couldn't help but pant at his ministrations, but now was not the time, and she had to keep her wits about her.

"Now is as good a time as any," he growled in her hair, making her shiver.

"No, you need to feed before sunrise."

His head snapped up at her words.

"Feed?"

She used his momentary distraction to get out of his grip. Quickly, she straightened her dress and smoothed her hair.

"Yes, feed. Are you not thirsty?"

His hands went to his throat at her words, and he realized he was parched. Oddly though, the thought of water or wine only disgusted him. He craved something though, but he couldn't figure out what it was. Nothing that he used to like even remotely appealed to him now.

She smiled when she saw his brow furrow, knowing he must obviously be wondering about what exactly it was he was craving. She also knew that the mere mention of blood might send him on a rampage, however, so she decided to just guide him to the source.

"Come with me."

She turned and ran out the door so fast that she would have been nothing but a blur to human eyes. Taking him inside the city walls right now would lead to devastation, so instead, she ran into the country, where the farms were spaced far enough apart to get him through his first feed unnoticed. This was necessary, if only for now. The first time would be messy; it always was. She didn't look back to see if he was following her, but she knew he was; his scent hung thick around her. Feelings stirred inside as she inhaled greedily and thought back to that little moment they'd shared in her house. The way he'd grabbed her had been so forceful and commanding, she couldn't wait until he was fed enough to try again.

He could have easily overtaken her; he felt it, but instead, he chose to run behind her. This way he was able to watch her as she ran. She looked like a vision with her golden hair and white, silk robes spread out behind her. He'd never seen anyone as beautiful as her before, and his new eyes made him appreciate it even more. The scenery flew past him so fast, he shouldn't have been able to make out a single thing, but yet he saw every detail. He smiled again; not only was he very strong now, he was also incredibly fast. He wondered how many more surprises would come with this new body. At that moment a scent hit him hard, making his throat burn with such ferocity that it reminded him of the torture he'd been going through the last three days. Fear overtook him momentarily; he didn't want to feel that pain again. He still wasn't sure how he'd survived the first time, but soon the insane thirst overruled everything else. He understood that this scent, whatever it was, was what he craved. If he could only get to the source, the burning would stop.

A small farmhouse appeared on the horizon, growing rapidly closer. She knew he must be able to smell the blood now, and it was likely driving him crazy. She inhaled deeply to try and make out the different flavours in the air. There was the cattle; filthy creatures whose blood smelled so unappealing. She scrunched up her nose and quickly ignored the rank smell, moving on to the more enticing ones. Her experienced nose told her there were at least six humans in the house. Two of them were elderly, judging by their rich, mature scent. Sniffing again, she was able to make out the tantalizing aroma of the younger ones in the house. Two of them had barely reached maturity, and her guess was that three generations occupied this house. Suddenly, she saw Caius streak past her in a blur, and she had to drastically increase her speed to catch up with him. He reached their destination only a second before she did, but she couldn't stop him from violently bursting through the front door.

He was going on pure instinct, every one of his senses that much more acute. His thoughts were disabled and any rationality was completely gone. He was an animal now; a hunter, and his prey was right in front of him. He didn't even hear the frightened screams and pleas for mercy. He didn't see how many of them there were. All he knew was that they held what he wanted, and he'd never wanted anything more than this. He grabbed one of them, male or female, he didn't know, nor did he care. He wasn't aware of the bones that were snapping between his fingers, all he could see was the pulsating artery in the human's neck. He lunged for it, crushing the human in the process. Blood spilled all over him, but he didn't notice; all he could feel was the sheer life force flowing through him. He drained the body quickly and moved on to the next, unaware of the fact that Athenodora was watching him.

It had only been four days since she last fed, yet the sight of Caius devouring these humans made her crave the blood in a way she'd only felt when she'd gone without for too long. He was covered in it, his hair, his skin, his robes. She felt something brush her leg and looked down to find one of the humans trying to crawl past her, towards the still open door. Distractedly, she pulled what appeared to be a young man up by the hair and sunk her teeth into his neck. The blood hit the back of her throat in spurts until his heart stilled, and he was empty. She never took her eyes off Caius; she was entranced by the way he hungrily moved from one to the next. He was still so strong in his newborn state that he crushed each and every one of them, killing them before he had even sunk his teeth into them. When he'd nearly drained the last of the humans, his eyes finally found hers. They were feral and wild, stirring a feeling of lust inside her very core. She wanted him, and she would have him now. She tossed aside the male that she was still holding, and his body fell to the floor with a loud thud. Caius did the same with the woman he was holding, pushing her from him so hard that her skull cracked on impact with the floor.

Keeping their eyes locked, they quickly closed the distance between them. Caius wasted no time in ripping Athenodora's robes from her body, leaving her completely naked in his arms. She pressed herself against him, feeling the dampness of his blood-soaked clothes against her naked skin. She tugged at the fabric and ripped it off, revealing his smooth chest, slightly pink from the blood that clung to it. Eagerly, she ran her tongue over his skin, making him shiver in delight. The taste of the blood, mingled with his own distinct flavour, was enough to drive her completely wild with desire, and she used all her strength to push him back into one of the walls. It crumbled on impact, half of it tumbling to the ground. The roof groaned under the sudden loss of support, but neither of them noticed. The rest of his clothes were lost quickly, their naked bodies fighting for dominance in the debris of the farm.

He pushed her down to the floor and roughly spread her legs. She writhed beneath him, delighted with the way he handled her. She loved a powerful man, and power was exactly what he was exuding in waves right now. Her perfect, full breasts heaved with her panting. Her pink nipples were so inviting; he couldn't resist closing his mouth around one. She gasped when he bit down hard on the tiny bud. He sucked it in, flicking his tongue against it before pulling back and releasing it with a loud pop. She moaned and wrapped her legs around him, pulling her hips up to meet his. She wanted him with every fibre of her being, and she wanted him to take her hard.

He wanted to taste every part of her; his need was frantic. He lifted her leg and ran his tongue from her ankle to the inside of her knee. Her hips kept jerking up, and he smiled; he wasn't going to give her what she wanted just yet.

"Caius, please," she pleaded, making him impossibly harder.

"I love it when they beg," he murmured, more to himself then to her. He pushed her thighs to the floor, opening her sex for him. Her swollen and wet folds parted, revealing the place where he most wanted to be. Without thinking, he buried his face between her legs and licked up her juices. She tasted like heaven, just like he knew she would. She screamed and writhed, his name falling from her lips repeatedly as he flicked her clit again and again. Her core quivered, and her hips jerked as the most violent of orgasms ripped through her, rendering her helpless beneath him. Without giving her a chance to gather herself, he lifted her up by the hips and pushed her into the wall opposite to the one they'd previously destroyed. Rubble fell around them as the wall gave way and the ceiling collapsed. They were buried under stone and wood, but they didn't care. They fell to the ground, where Caius finally entered her roughly. He pounded into her again and again, so hard that they moved across the floor. She clung to him, moaning loudly as he fucked her like she'd never been fucked before.

He was amazed at his own stamina, he'd never been able to last this long, but they'd been going for hours; the sun had long since been up. When the rays hit him from overhead, he gasped at the light that reflected off his skin. He lifted up his hand from its position next to Athenodora's body and moved it around in the light, catching it just perfect, making it throw rays of colour in every direction.

"I'm beautiful," he whispered, entranced by the sight of himself. Beneath him, Athenodora looked at him, bemused by his discovery. Even in his distraction, he never missed a beat and kept pounding her relentlessly. She wanted his attention, however, so she pushed him back and moved so she was now straddling him. He looked up at her as she grinded on him, setting a slower pace then he had been using before. She looked like a goddess with her long, golden locks flowing down her body in waves. He pushed it back over her shoulder, so he could see all of her. The sunlight made her already-beautiful skin shine like diamonds. She looked into his eyes as she moved her hand down to her clit and brought herself to climax. The sight finally pushed him over the edge, and he came, harder then he'd ever come before. He grabbed her hips and pushed her down on him as he shot wave after wave inside her quivering core. She belonged to him; there was no doubt in his mind.

She felt him quiver between her thighs, his hips jerking up again and again as he moaned her name. He was meant for greatness; she'd known that since she first laid eyes on him. He would help her achieve all her goals. He belonged to her; there was no doubt in her mind.

Over the next four months, they ran wild, going on killing sprees throughout Italy. They murdered entire families together, and word quickly spread about the two fair-haired demons that brought violent death. The killing seemed random, and to Caius, it was. He relished the fear he felt emanating from his victims before he drained them. He had long since learned to control his strength a bit better, no longer crushing the humans, but instead, toying with them for hours before finally putting them out of their misery.

The cunning Athenodora, however, knew exactly what she was doing; she had a careful plan. She patiently waited for the time that it would finally take effect. In the meantime, she enjoyed her new mate every chance she got. He was insatiable in his newborn state, and she'd never been this satisfied in her entire existence. They talked very little, but when they did, she liked what she heard. He had dreams of power and wealth, just like her, and with each day that passed she was more confident that her suspicions about him had been accurate. They were made for each other, and she was sure their combined dreams would soon come to fruition.

It was after a particular brutal slaughtering, while they were still standing amongst the ruins of what had once been a lovely house occupied by a small family, that four vampires, three men and a woman, showed up. Caius crouched, ready to fight, but Athenodora stopped him by forcefully putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Stand up straight, Caius," she commanded him.

He looked at her in disbelief; clearly these vampires were a threat.

"Listen to your mate, young one."

The shorter of the two men stepped forward, a disapproving look on his face. Athenodora bowed reverently. Caius' eyes widened in shock before narrowing in anger.

"You two have been causing us quite a few problems."

The man addressed Athenodora, who had her eyes fixed to the ground. Caius shifted his eyes between the strange man and his mate and opened his mouth to retort, but Athenodora quickly spoke, beating him to it.

"My Lord, my apologies. We meant no offence."

Caius' temper flared at his mate's grovelling attitude. He didn't understand why he would have to answer to this man. He followed no master; he made his own laws.

"Is this newborn your creation?" the man asked Athenodora.

Fear and excitement alternated each other rapidly inside Athenodora's mind at finally being faced with the men she'd heard so much about. Aro and Marcus might not have been the official kings of their race, but they ruled without question. The secrecy of their kind was something they upheld above all else, and any rule breakers were punished with either torture or death. Nevertheless, Athenodora had heard of vampires who were pardoned. These were always powerful vampires that were taken into the Guard and trained to protect the two men and their wives. Though she had no strength or power to speak of, she hoped her cunning mind and knowledge of politics would be enough to persuade them to let her join. As for Caius, she hoped they would let him live; she would truly mourn his absence if she lost him.

She knew these men, that much was clear to him. He also understood she'd been keeping things from him. Rage burned hot inside him, clouding his vision with red. He clenched his fists and quickly marched forward.

"How dare you speak to us like that?"

The man looked at him, a smirk appearing on his face.

"Do you have any idea who we are, young one?"

Caius wanted to retort, but Athenodora silenced him with a deadly glare.

"Again, my apologies, my Lord. He does not know about the Volturi and the good work they do."

Caius swiftly turned to face Athenodora, an incredulous look on his face.

"The Volturi? What have you been keeping from me?"

She cast him a nervous glance. She was all too familiar with his rage, but apart from that night he first woke as a vampire, it had never been directed at her. She needed to find a way to calm him down; he was not making a good case for himself. Carefully, she walked over to him and extended her hand towards his face.

"Love, look at me. The Volturi are good people; they are royalty among us. We need to show them some respect." She glared at him intently, trying to convey her message, but he didn't even acknowledge her. Instead, he stared around her, at Aro, who seemed amused by their exchange.

"You would do well to listen to your mate. We do not tolerate vampires who risk exposing our kind."

Caius tensed again under Athenodora's fingers, and she feared he might soon go too far. She stepped away quickly, not wanting to get caught in the middle.

"Who cares about exposure? What are the humans to us anyway? We can crush them with one blow. They should fear us, not the other way around."

At this, the taller of the two men stepped forward and spoke.

"Your wish is to create chaos? Because that is what will happen. We can coexist with the humans; they do not need to know."

Caius opened his mouth again, but before he could so much as say a word, Aro raised his hand and stopped him.

"Silence." His voice was ringing with authority, and Caius quickly shut his mouth. "I will give you one chance to redeem yourself since your mate neglected to tell you about our existence."

He glared at Athenodora, who cowered with fear.

"However, should you disrespect us again, you will be punished; make no mistake."

The menace in his words was obvious, and Caius felt it. For the first time, he feared for his new life. He wasn't the type of man to apologize though; instead, he chose to remain silent. He relaxed his stance, trying to appear less threatening. Aro's expression softened, though only slightly, before turning to Athenodora.

"Your young mate might not have been aware of the rules, but you were. I will give you one chance to plead your case."

She stiffened, suddenly frightened that she might have gone about this the wrong way. She searched her mind frantically for the right words but found nothing. Eventually, she looked up into Aro's eyes, silently pleading for forgiveness. He smiled smugly and extended his hand.

"Let us start with a formal introduction. What is your name, child?"

She trembled as she put her hand in his.

"Athenodora, my Lord."

She gasped when he clasped her hand in both of his and pulled her closer. His head was bowed, and his eyes were closed as he stood before her, unmoving. She held her breath, afraid to disturb him, when the strangest sensation invaded her mind. It was as if she was forced to relive all her memories, her entire life flashing before her eyes. Oddly, she felt like someone was sifting through them, and with a shock, she realized it was Aro. He was witness to her inner most secrets and her darkest desires. Everything was out in the open now; there was no stopping it. She could only hope he liked what he saw. When he finally opened his eyes and released her, she was relieved to see a smirk on his face.

"I have to admit, your smart mind is quite impressive. I have never met a more cunning woman."

Athenodora felt herself relax at his words. Aro entwined his hands behind his back and started pacing before her and Caius.

"It does disappoint me that, with all your intelligence, you chose this…" he gestured to the bodies on the ground, "…crude way to find us. Surely you knew what the consequences would be."

"Forgive me, my Lord, but I tried for many years. This was my last resort."

Aro nodded contemplatively.

"You think you'll be valuable to us?"

Athenodora realized it was now or never. She righted herself and looked straight into Aro's eyes.

"Yes, my Lord. I have gained much experience in politics over the years. The Caesars have taught me well."

"Yes, so I see. They seem to value your…opinion…highly." Aro chuckled lightly.

Behind Athenodora, Caius watched the exchange with apprehension. It seemed he was tricked by Athenodora, though he had no idea how he fit into her plan. He wondered if she cared about him at all, or if she would turn her back on him if these men accepted her amongst them. The thought alone was enough to once again ignite the anger, but he tried his best to keep it under control. He realized that it would not help him right now.

"You," Aro gestured to Caius. "Come forward."

Everything inside him screamed to stay where he was, to not listen to this man, but he knew it would mean the end of his life if he didn't obey. Inwardly seething, he did as Aro asked and approached him.

"Give me your hand." Caius glanced nervously at Athenodora, who nodded in encouragement. He knew that Aro must have some kind of strange power; he seemed to have taken information straight from Athenodora's mind. Knowing he had no other choice, he raised his hand to meet Aro's. As soon as they touched, he felt the invasion. He didn't like the feeling of having his entire life laid out before this man. Aro held on to Caius for only a short amount of time, before releasing him and quickly stepping back. He looked at Caius, his eyes wide with wonder.

"Such greed and hunger…such lust for power. Extraordinary."

Aro walked to Marcus and took his hand for the briefest of moments. His eyebrows lifted at the information taken from his brother, before he turned his eyes back onto Caius and Athenodora. He was silent for a few moments, before taking a deep breath and speaking.

"I have decided. For now, we will allow you to come. You will both have to prove yourself in order to be a part of the Volturi. However, I see great potential in you two. It would be a waste to ignore that."

Athenodora couldn't hide her happiness as she smiled widely. Beside her, Caius was still not sure whether or not this was a good thing. He didn't like working for anyone or having to follow rules, but he knew he had no choice. He had no idea who these men were, but he understood now they were powerful. If he was forced to join them, he would make sure it benefited him in the end. He would do his best to become as powerful as both these men.

Aro gestured for the pair to follow as he and Marcus turned and left the remnants of the farmhouse, closely followed by the two other vampires. Caius and Athenodora looked at each other, both of them anxious at what the future would hold. They were both convinced they were meant for greatness and this was the first, scary step towards it.

Over a century later, Caius was seated on his throne; one of the three that stood in this room. Aro and Marcus occupied the other two. He looked around at the many guards that worked for them. It was an army, and he was in control. It wasn't long after he joined the Volturi that Aro made him their General and only decades later that he reached the highest position he could reach; he now ruled beside Aro and Marcus. This is where he was meant to be; he was royalty now; a king. He was feared by men and loved by women, though he had always stayed loyal to Athenodora, who was now his wife. He would live forever; nothing and no one could stop him.

Behind him, Athenodora smiled and put her hand on his shoulder. Together, they were quite the pair; beautiful, revered and unstoppable. He'd come a long way since that night she first introduced herself to him. She'd guided him every step of the way, helping him focus his anger and use it to his advantage. She was content to be the woman behind the man because, in reality, she was the one that held all the strings. Aro, just like the Caesars before him, took great advantage of her knowledge, asking for her advice on many subjects. Her plan had worked; she was more powerful than she had ever dared to dream. This is what she was born to do, and she would do it for eternity.

Thanks to my wonderful beta jkane180 for making this look good. Love!

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