It's been so long! Here is the next chapter to All of You, and I hope you enjoy it! If you have any interest to read my newest piece of work, it is called No Prayer for the Lost. It will be generally Aro based with a touch of Demetri and the others. Carlisle even makes an appearance! The chapters are short as I am using it as a challenge fic for myself to write every day, but I'd still like your thoughts.

My eyes moved back to his, and I stared at him for an intense moment before nodding my head. I had already played their game once. Why not continue to play along for now? If I had some say, then I would oblige to Aro's demands, and they were demands.

I turned away from him again, and I noticed Aro swiftly seat himself where Marcus had once sat across from me. "Shall we continue where my brother left off?"

I shrugged. "Why not?" My reply was slightly monotone, but it did have a certain sound of frustration laced in making it seem more like sarcasm.

Aro lifted a brow but chose to ignore the remark. "Then the next law that would make sense to discuss pertains to the safety of our coven. When you become a newborn, you will be like that of an immortal child although capable of learning self-restraint. During those first few months, you will be watched very carefully."

Without meaning to, I interrupted, unable to stop myself. "I already know all of this." In my defense, they had talked plenty about the newborn phase. I was tired of hearing about the monster I would become should I choose to join them. Hearing it once was enough. The only thing that made it easier was knowing that if I decided to, they would be there to help me through it, if only for their laws.

"Calli, there is a reason we reiterate ourselves so often when it comes this. It is important that you understand." Aro was disappointed with what I was sure he presumed to be rudeness. I had no intention of being rude. I had no intention of speaking at all, but since when did that shut me up?

"I do understand."

With a soft sigh, Aro gently shook his head. "But you do not comprehend, my dear."

He was right, but comprehension only comes with experience, and I had no experience as of yet as a newborn or had seen a newborn myself. It would be impossible to fully comprehend until that time came. I would know then fully what they had meant about the thirst. I had felt thirst as a human. The dry, cotton mouth feeling was not pleasant but it was bearable until I could drink again, the repercussions of surgery. No, I could not comprehend this thirst he talked about that would incline me to take another person's life. "You can't expect me to. I'm not one of you."

"I suppose you are right."

Aro paused for a moment in the lecture, and I took advantage of it while he was thinking. It was a question I had been curious about since I found out what the tour group had really been. "How often do you…" I stopped for a second trying to think of how to phrase it before continuing, "need blood?"

He looked up at me, a slight glimmer in his eye on the mentioning of the crimson word. "We typically feed every other week, sometimes more and often in-between."

His reply was so nonchalant that it took me back for a moment before I realized that for him, it was probably just like me eating a normal human meal. He had done it for so long that he no longer had remorse for the lives he took, if he ever felt guilt at all. Something inside told me that he did not. It was who he was as a power hungry leader.

"Then you normally bring in these tours and in-between them, you go out into the city and hunt?"

"Ah, that is where our conversation was to begin. We do not hunt in the walls of the city, nor do any other vampires in the area. It is strictly prohibited. Volterra has a long history with vampires, and we would prefer the people living here believe them to truly be a thing of the past."

I had never heard the history of Volterra, but Aro now had my mind coursing for information. I decided to file it back for another time, perhaps ask Demetri later on when I saw him again. "Then besides the tours, where do you hunt?"

"The guard will go outside of the city walls, quite a distance out, to feed when they feel the need arise."

"What about you?"

"But we are not talking about me, are we?" Aro brushed off my question easily as something he did not want to talk about. It only made me want to know more, but I did not push. There was no chance to anyway as he continued on a second later. "We also must be very careful with who we bring to our city or choose to feed on. The human cannot be of importance and would not be easily missed. Runaways, addicts, and the homeless make for good targets."

He named them off effortlessly like the type of person who thought these people to be the scum of the earth would have. It made me sick to my stomach, but I held my tongue and did not voice my opinion on the matter. Instead, I went to the next question on my mind. "Then what about the tours? The people who come here as tourists certainly have money and are respected. How do you explain that away?"

"The tours are chosen carefully through competitions or a lottery. Humans who wish for more in life, who want an escape, enter their name, and from these, Heidi decides who to bring to Volterra along with Jacqueline."

I stopped him immediately. "Wait, Jacqueline helps with this?" There was no way another human would help lead to the demise of another. I could not possibly fathom it. Sure there were murderers out there, but this was different. Jacqueline was not like that. It could not be true.

"You must not hold it against her. You see, she was given the same ultimatum as you, although her fate has yet to be decided."

He had a point. She was protecting her own life, but would I help take away the lives of others in order to save my own? I would like to think I would not, but I had never been in that situation. No one knows what they would do if given that choice. "But she's been around for three years, the longest you've kept a secretary. Demetri told me."

"Yes, she is competent, but such a decision cannot be made lightly."

"You threw me right into it."

Aro smiled at this. "But you are different, special."

"Because I have a gift." I sighed. He really was only interested in those he could add to his decorative set of ornaments. That is what the guard was. They were there not only to protect but also for show. Those with money controlled the world. The vampire with the most talents in their coven ruled theirs.

I looked down at the book in front of me, the book that Marcus had described as a collection of their histories. It was very old. The binding was the kind that was used during the medieval time period, parchment pages sewn together onto leather thongs that then laced through the carved channels of the wooden boards that formed the covers of the book. Stamped leather was then used to cover the boards and metal ornaments on all four corners were placed to protect the binding when laid on a surface.

Reaching up, I carefully turned a page. The words, beautifully handwritten, I did not understand. I could feel Aro watching me closely, and it slightly unnerved me to the point that I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. When would Demetri be back? How much longer did I have to spend alone in Aro's presence? I had to get my mind on something else other than what I was sensing from him. It was overwhelming to a fault.

I turned another page of the book, and when I did, Aro placed his hand on top of mine. He did not grasp it like he would have if he had only wanted my thoughts. Instead, he gently laid it to rest as if he was intentionally trying to comfort the turbulence in my mind instead. I looked up at him, and although his lips did not smile, his eyes did in a meaningful way. "Would you like to read it sometime? After all, the more you get to know us, the easier it may be for you to see why we do what we do."

I tried to ignore his hand and looked back down at the writing on the opposite page. "What language is this in anyway? Greek?"

When I replied, he removed his hand but did not turn from my face. "The earlier parts are all written in Greek while the latter is mostly in Latin. I could translate it for you, however, it would be beneficial to learn both languages at some point and especially if you expect to read many of the documents we keep. Caius is a wonderful teacher when it comes to languages. He even taught my darling Renata Ancient Greek when she came to live with us."

I cringed slightly when he spoke Caius's name. I would prefer being alone with Aro for an entire month straight over being alone with Caius for a couple of hours. I shook my head gingerly. "That's okay."

A soft chuckle escaped Aro's lips. "My brother keeps up his appearances well, my dear, but he is not always so harsh. He is a great lover of theater and culture. It is a passion he holds dear, one that you ultimately share. You could learn a great deal from him if you gave him the chance."

My thoughts staggered. "Maybe if he stopped looking at me like he wants to tear me apart."

"Yet that is the premise he keeps."

My mind wandered back to Aro's previous statement about Caius teaching someone else Ancient Greek. I had not heard the name before, and I wondered if she was another member of the guard. "Who's Renata?"

"Renata is very close to me. I have made her my personal guard. You have seen her before, but I should properly introduce you some time. I think the two of you would get along nicely. She was about your age when she was changed," Aro replied, speaking lovingly about the girl.

"She's your personal guard? Is she the one that was with you when Eleazar was here?"

"Yes. The poor girl never wishes to leave my side, but at times, I send her away to be with my brothers. It worries her greatly, and due to this, she never strays too far."

"She sounds very loyal to you." She sounded too loyal or perhaps even infatuated with Aro's protection if what he said was true. Why would he need protecting to begin with? Certainly he was as strong as the other vampires in his coven and could defend himself if necessary. Was it possible that the millennia had weakened him?

The ancients all had skin that stood translucent to the light and seemed could tear at any moment. Their eyes were a dark crimson, same as the others, but added to this was a milky glaze as if they had been staring at the same object for hours without blinking. Did this perhaps cause his vision to blur as it would a human's? If he was unable to see properly, then a protection detail would make sense. There was so much I did not know about these three ancient kings of the vampire world. It was as if they were looked to as gods.

"She is. My little Renata." Aro's tone of voice went somewhere else with his reply. I could not place it, but it was as if he knew something that I did not. His eyes were thoughtful for a moment before he focused back on me. "But you have yet to feed, my dear. We must find you something."

The way Aro said 'feed' made my stomach twist in knots. It was not normal to use that word in the place of 'eat,' and I was not fond of it at all. It put horrible images into my head. I may never have seen them 'feed' before, but I could imagine what it was like. "I'm not really hungry."

"Nonsense," he replied shrugging off my answer. "You do remember what happened last time you were here?"

I shook my head in slight disbelief at his reminder. "Okay, last time, I hadn't had any food in nearly three days. That was expected. I skipped breakfast. It's not the end of the world." My tone rose a little with him, but he did not seem to care as my statement was clearly unimportant.

"You must feed, cara." He was insistent, and I gave in, sighing quietly in defeat. "Good. Then we shall see what we can find." Aro stood then, his movement so fluid that I was lost in it for a brief second. "Demetri."

When he spoke his name, Demetri appeared in the library almost out of nowhere, but the door stood open, he, only a step inside. "Master?"

As Aro walked over to him, he stopped in front. I thought for sure he would take his hand as he always did to those around him, but he did not. Their eyes connected and silent words were shared between them in the smallest moment possible before Aro spoke again. "Calli has yet to have any nourishment. Make sure she gets something. Tomorrow, Jacqueline may take her to the market."

Demetri gave a nod of his head, and Aro walked from the room, swiftly but at human speed. However, when I followed Demetri out, he had completely disappeared from sight. I waited to make sure Aro was definitely not close by before speaking. "I'm honestly not hungry. I really don't think I could eat right now anyway."

"Humans need food at least three times a day, so you will eat three times a day. Conversation closed."

"It's not as specific as that. We eat when we're hungry. It doesn't have to be like clockwork. You feed when you need blood, and we eat when we have hunger."

Growling slightly under his breath, he stopped in his step and turned to face me. "I said the conversation was closed. The master's word is law. You will abide by it."

To say I was upset was an understatement. I was put off by his behavior, but the fact that they continued to think I was going to roll over for them like they were the height of society and I was the scum of the earth with no mind of my own irritated me. This was a small matter about food. It was not a refusal of returning to Volterra or Aro taking my thoughts as before.

I stared defiant. "First, stop ordering me around. Secondly, if I'm not hungry, you can't make me eat."

After this statement, a small smirk appeared on his face as if he was tempted. "Do you really want to test that?"

"So what? You're Caius now, trying to scare me into doing what you want?"

The next thing I knew, I felt myself flying back and hitting the paneled the wall. I hit it hard, and I hissed from the impact. Demetri stood over me, his hands digging into my arms and his body pressing mine against the surface. Our eyes met, and his bright red irises quickly turned as dark as pitch. "Don't."

He held me there a while longer, and his gripped loosened as he tried to calm himself down, the same as I. The intense eye contact we shared was deafening. The world around me was shut out, and I knew he was fighting with himself in that moment to not do what he desperately thirst for. It was not until a foreign presence appeared in the room that the connection was broken, and Demetri stepped back putting me a small distance out of harm's way.

"Did I interrupt something?" I turned to the man who had spoken. He was also a vampire, very tall, well over six and a half feet and had an ominous, muscular build. I could not imagine the strength he possibly contained in his arms alone. His features were much like Demetri's outside of their differences in physique, and his voice lighter than what would be expected from such a giant.

"Not really, Felix, only a disagreement," Demetri answered. His voice was etched with disdain, and it made me wonder if the other's appearance was actually misleading.

I saw Felix frown as he stepped closer to us. "Go feed, Demetri. You're no fun when you're like this. You don't want any accidents to happen while she's in your care, do you? I can take her back to the room."

The comment flicked something on in Demetri, and I saw him turn to Felix baring his teeth with a snarl. It was an animalistic move that took him out of his normally, stately element. I half expected him to attack the other vampire, but Felix threw his hands up, reconciling the situation. Demetri backed down and swiftly moved to my side, gently taking my arm in his hand. At this point, I was afraid and did not fight.

Demetri's eyes were even darker if such a thing was possible, and he started to lead me out of the room into the reception area. Felix followed behind. After the display of aggression a moment ago, I was shocked Demetri did not stop him from being so close. Perhaps Demetri knew that he had his point across and therefore Felix following was no longer a concern. What I did not understand is why he acted the way he did when Felix offered a simple suggestion. It felt almost territorial.

As we reached the desk Jacqueline sat at, she stood up awaiting a direction from Demetri. I worried for her life in the brief seconds of silence that followed, but Demetri did not attack. Felix never took his eyes off of him either. When he spoke, his voice was softer than earlier and my tension eased. "Aro wishes for you to take her to the market tomorrow, but until then, you will need to find her something to eat."

I knew Jacqueline could tell there was a problem. If she knew everything, then she knew what it meant when their eyes were black. She looked at me and then back at Demetri. "I did bring extra with me today just in case. If you would not mind, I could take her to the kitchen." She had chosen her words carefully, wording them in a way that would not set Demetri off again. She apparently felt the same as I.

Demetri was quiet for a moment before he spoke. "Make sure she eats." He turned back to face Felix who was leaning against the table behind me and taking in the scene. "Let's go."

After Demetri let go of my arm, I did not move. I watched as Felix went up to him and punched him lightly on the arm and then watched Demetri do the same back before they disappeared from sight. When they were gone, I turned to Jacqueline, and she smiled. "They're always like that," she said noticing my interest.

"It didn't seem that way earlier. I could have sworn Demetri was going to attack him."

She tilted her head at my response. "What happened?"

Shaking my head, I thought back to that moment. I did not know. I had compared him to Caius, but any other time, he would have only scoffed at me. Did Aro say something to him while I was with Marcus? Is that what upset him? If Aro had said something, was it about my earlier behavior? Demetri had said that I would abide by the master's rules. Marcus had told me much of the same thing just as Caius and Aro had previously implied. It was all about me accepting that my will was no longer my own, and since Demetri was intended to be my caregiver until the time came for me to decide, it was his duty to make sure I followed theirs.

"We had a slight argument about something, and then Felix showed up. He offered to take me back, but Demetri freaked out. I've never seen anything like that before. He changed." I was nearly breathless, a slight stutter, trying to recall the scene.

"He cares for you."

I paused. That could not be right. "That's where you're wrong. He doesn't give shit about me." The words came out of my mouth without a filter. I never spoke that way unless I was on edge, and there was no denying that I was at the time.

Jacqueline dropped it as soon as she brought it up. Stepping around the desk, she began to make her way to the other end of the room. "Are you coming?"

Hesitating, I weighed my options. I understood why Demetri left. It was a winning situation for him. He was given the freedom to feed with Felix because he knew I would willingly do as I was told if another person's life was on the line. If I refused, it would not only be me that would pay for it, Jacqueline would as well since I was now in her care. He was certainly clever, but so was I. I walked over to her, and we descended on the elevator to the ground floor.

When the doors opened, I stepped out first and then followed Jacqueline down the long hall. We took a couple of turns and ended up in an old fashioned kitchen, a crooked, wooden door letting us in. The room was not well lit and minimal fitting no more than a maximum of four people at a time. The dark, wooden table was shoved in a corner behind the door. The stove looked to be updated to gas, and the refrigerator next to it was short and round, white with gold fixings.

Jacqueline opened it up and took out a paper bag handing it to me. We went over to the hidden table and sat. The seats were hard being that they were crafted from iron, and once more, I felt like I was in the middle of the dark ages, the oil lamps and appliances being the only parts of the room pulling me forward into a later era. These private areas of the palazzo were deeply depressing, and I wanted to go back out into the warm sun.

I reached into the paper bag and took out a sandwich, unwrapping the foil around it. I took a small bite before looking back up at Jacqueline who had sat with me opposite. The food was tasteless. That was not to say that it was not good, but I had no desire to eat. I swallowed. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Jacqueline replied.

"How did you start working here? I mean, where did you hear about the job?"

"There was an ad for it on a job board, and I applied," she began as if it were nothing. "I was in between work at the time, and the pay was good. I put in my application, and I was contacted by Heidi not long after asking me to come in for an interview."

"Is that when you found out?" I took another small bite of the sandwich, chewing without enthusiasm.

"Not right then," Jacqueline continued. "Heidi asked me numerous questions, but she did not mention the arrangement until I came in the second time. It was then that I also met with Felix and Demetri and soon after, Aro. He informed me of what they were."

"What did you think?"

She half-heartedly smiled, a memory perhaps coming into her mind. "I didn't believe him at first. I never believed the old myths of vampires once living in the city. It seemed too far-fetched. Of course their complexion took me aback, but Aro was the only one who had shown me his true eyes." She paused for a moment, thinking of what to say next. "His appearance was of concern, so I didn't voice my opinion to him, but somehow he knew. It wasn't until later that I realized with touch he could read my every thought, and he proved to me what they were."

Her eyes had gone dark, and she looked down at her hands that were clasped on the table. "How did he do that," I asked slowly.

"By showing me the bodies." She was quiet, a sort of distant stare crossing over her vision. "He gave me the decision."

I sighed. "Join or die?"

Coming back to the present, a sad smile came over her face. "Of course, my fate is still undecided."

I thought once again about what Demetri had told me, that she had been there longer than the rest. It would appear to be clear what they had decided if that was the case, but then why did they hold off? "If you had the choice to stay human or to be changed, what would you choose?"

"Immortality is an appealing option, but we were not born to live forever. If I had that choice, I would continue with life for as long as I had left, and I would be satisfied. Life is more meaningful when you don't have forever to experience it."

"And now?"

"I don't expect to have the choice and have accepted the fact."

Frowning at the thought, I had more of an idea of why they had kept her around for so long. Vampires thought themselves high and mighty over the musings of mere humans. Jacqueline had no vanity in the sense of priding herself on becoming one of them. She understood her position in their eyes as only a means of sustenance when they grew tired of her presence. It was admirable yet horrifying.

"But what if they do? What if they give you the choice? What would you decide?" I would be in that very situation soon enough, and even now, it did not feel real to me. It was impossible to imagine having to choose life as a servant to eternity or death without ever living.

"My sins are too great. If the blood of others is what it takes to live, then I would rather die. Call me selfish for allowing it this long, but the reason is purely the opposite. Do you think me wrong for it?"

"Do I think you wrong for what? Knowing that you help send people to them to die?" I shook my head. "I don't know. I don't know if I wouldn't do the same thing being given the alternative. It's cruel, isn't it?"

Jacqueline braved a smile at me in her expression, a sad smile but knowing. "The alternative would be a daughter growing up without a mother."

My eyes widened upon hearing this fact. "What? Do they know this?"

"Of course. She's part of the reason I applied. The pay was enough to send her to a good school, and when I found out, I sent her to one abroad to protect her. She does love it there."

"How old is she?"

"She'll be fifteen in a couple of months."

I wondered if maybe another reason they had kept her around was because of her daughter, but I quickly dismissed the idea. Aro would care nothing about such a trivial matter. She may have sent her daughter away to keep her from being near the Volturi, but with Demetri, she was never truly safe. Jacqueline must have known that. It would be too easy to dispose of them both with some tragic story, but of course, they had not. Was it another game to them? It was certainly one I could see Caius playing. He would be laughing at his own sick sense of humor.

I had only eaten half of the sandwich, and it would be impossible to try to stomach more. I wrapped the foil back around it and placed it back in the paper bag. "Do you think Demetri will be satisfied enough with that? I can eat the rest later."

She nodded. "I think so. You did eat something."

Standing up, I put the bag back in the refrigerator. Jacqueline stood and went to the door opening it for me. I stepped out and she followed. "When do you think he'll be back?"

"They shouldn't be long, an hour at the most," she said turning to me. "Are you ready to head back upstairs?"

"I think so. This place is a little daunting. At least there's color in the receiving area."

Jacqueline laughed. "Color is good to brighten up one's spirit. It's psychological."

"Which is why it's there, another trick they play," I thought out loud. "It makes you feel cheerful, relaxed, safe..." We were at the elevator once again, and the doors opened with a small chime. We stepped inside. "At least until you're consumed by eternal darkness."

When we reached the reception area, I went to sit on the sofa and was joined by Jacqueline while we waited for Demetri and Felix to return. We were silent for some time having nothing of note to continue talking in the opening. There was one thing that bothered me, and I contemplated on asking. Jacqueline noticed. "What is it?"

"I guess I was wondering why you said what you did."

She raised an eyebrow. "Hm?"

"When we were talking about Demetri, you said that he did what he did because he cared about me. What made you think that?"

"If there is one thing that I've noticed about vampires while working here, it's that they are highly territorial. They defend what they want to protect."

Shaking my head, I replied. "That makes no sense. Felix wasn't trying to hurt me. Demetri didn't need to protect me from anyone but himself."

"But because of what you told me Felix said, Demetri probably felt intruded upon and reacted."

"That doesn't mean he cares. It means that he's acting like I'm his property," I said my frustration mounting.

Jacqueline smiled at me. "Felix and Demetri are very close. I can't imagine he would act that way toward him for anything less. You'll understand as you're around them more."

Maybe she was right, but I still did not believe her. I was a prisoner here, and that was all, only wanted for my blood or my gift. I could not sense the desire in Demetri for anything but the former, and I was rarely wrong about such things. It radiated off of him.

Jacqueline and I turned as we heard heels sounding across the floor. As we did, Heidi appeared holding a large manila envelope. "Where's Demetri?"

"He went out with Felix to go hunting," I answered.

"It seems your scent has quite an effect on him after all," Heidi said confirming my suspicion. She then turned to Jacqueline and handed her the envelope. "A list of all possible choices for next month. Go through them and pick out the ones that will fit best."

"Of course," Jaqueline replied standing and moving to drop the envelope off at the desk.

Heidi then looked back at me. "When Demetri returns, tell him I need to speak with him."

I nodded slightly confused, and she left the room. Once she was gone, I raised an eyebrow at Jacqueline. "Is something going on between Heidi and Demetri?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure. I think there must have been at one point, but I can only speculate which isn't smart to do around here."

I stood and walked over to the desk where Jacqueline now was scanning the documents onto the computer. Understanding immediately what the list was, I began looking through the names as they popped up on the screen. "Tell me something." She glanced up at me, and I continued. "Do families ever come on these tours? Children?"

Jacqueline slowed at what she was doing. "Sometimes. From what I've been told, they're preferable."

Because she was a mother, I knew this was none of her doing. Her mood changed as I mentioned it, and I could only imagine what went through her mind as she saw the groups come in and never come back out, pretending the whole time to be welcoming while it killed her inside. "I'll never want that," I whispered more to myself than her.

She then looked me painfully in the eye. "You may not get the choice," and I feared she was right.

A/N: Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long as this one did to get up. I apologize. I was working out of state with very long hours and didn't have time to write on anything but what we filmed that day. I will start on chapter 7 very soon.