A/N: Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

I took that disclaimer from TWCS and will let it stand for the remainder of this fanfiction work. However long it ends up being.

DEAR READERS: I know I said that Bella would meet the Volturi in this chapter, but I did not anticipate their reactions to Laurent and Seth taking 3600 words. To me that is a good length for a chapter. So, rather than lengthen it, I stopped as they are leaving for Washington. Bella's pretty banged up at the moment anyway - she wouldn't have had much to say. Personally, I liked this chapter. Please tell me what you think.


Chapter 7

Caius rose from his throne and regarded the newcomer with a scowl. "What is the meaning of this? Why do you bring a human, alive, into our presence?" He crossed his arms in front of his chest and glared at the boy in disgust.

"He stinks. Like wet dog and. . ." he cut himself off abruptly, as his eyes shot up to the unfamiliar male in disbelief. "You brought a werewolf into our midst!? To me? I'm not sure whether to kill you or thank you for the gift." He reached for the boy.

"Brother," Aro interrupted. "Perhaps we should give our visitor a chance to introduce himself and explain. The werewolf will keep. He's in no state to fight us, and the moon is not full this night."

Marcus tilted his head and sniffed the air curiously. "He does not have quite the right scent. The hint of feral madness I remember from werewolves is absent. Interesting. Continue, please, Aro. This boy intrigues me."

Aro nodded once to Marcus, silently thanking him for his observation. "Now, sir. Who are you and what is your business with the Volturi?" he asked the stranger.

Laurent drew himself up self-importantly. "Majesties," he began. "My name is Laurent. I have come to report a human left with knowledge of our world. The girl played a role in the destruction of my coven leader, who was mated to Victoria - the other in my coven. We have also discovered a den of werewolves, who have taken the human under their protection. Victoria and I managed to capture this one," he shook Seth, "to provide the Volturi with information about their pack and this human. We also ask for aid in disposing of the girl, as we could not finish her before the dogs interfered."

Somberly, Aro spoke, "This is grave news, indeed. This human must certainly be dealt with. How was she able to cause the death of your coven leader?" He held up his hand, stopping Laurent before he could respond. "With your indulgence, I will see for myself. Please take my hand."

Laurent eyed Aro's outstretched hand warily. He knew what the King was capable of, and he had thought about it, while hiding with Seth in the cargo plane he used to get to Italy. He had decided that he and Victoria were blameless. After all, neither of them had hunted the girl, as James did. They were avenging a mate, and ridding their world of a threat to its secrecy. He put his hand in Aro's with a smug smile.

Marcus watched as Aro made small noises, his forehead creasing and a moue of distaste painting his features. Aro's expression got darker and what Marcus saw made him leap up in disbelief. For the first time since their mate-bond began, Marcus saw Aro's lines react while his and Caius's remained unchanged. Aro's bond-lines started to glow, lightly at first, and then with increasing brightness, and the petals of the bud opened tiniest bit.

Before he could reach his brother to relay this new wonder, Aro roared with rage and agony. His eyes melted to pitch-black and he tore into the other vampire with undiluted wrath. Marcus saw fear overcome Laurent, before his head was separated from his body, and tossed to crash against the far wall. Aro ripped off an arm, broke it, and then shredded it to pieces, hurling bits of vampire flesh about the room randomly. Venom sprayed everywhere. Aro repeated the process over and over again, until there was nothing recognizable left of Laurent, but his cracked head in the far side of the room.

Growling with animalistic ferocity, Aro stalked over, picked up the head, and viciously ripped the hair from its scalp. His fury knew no bounds, and the two words he could form coherently only served to further Marcus's and Caius's growing anxiety.

"Mate. Hurt!"

An inhuman growl from Caius's throat, followed by a sound that spoke of pain and despair. He seized his throne and violently heaved it across the room. The guard, already on edge from Aro's unprecedented display of anger, tensed.

"Out! Everyone out! You will not touch a single piece of this vampire filth! He will suffer agony for weeks while he reassembles and then he is mine!" Then he launched himself at Aro, hoping to relieve them both of their aggression. It sounded as though their mate needed them now, and she would need them in command of their senses.

Before his own wrath could consume him, Marcus spoke to Jane. "Take that boy, " he gestured to Seth, "to guest quarters. See that he has what he requires to regain his strength, but do not leave him unguarded. Guard him yourself, and use your gift as needed. Send word the moment he regains consciousness. Go now!" he finished with a snarl. He then joined Caius and Aro as they battled themselves and each other for control.

Several hours later, the throne room was in shambles. Columns of stone were missing large chunks, the walls were cracked, and the Kings' thrones were completely obliterated. The brothers sported gashes and fissures, but were largely unharmed. They had learned throughout the years that it was simply not possible to bite or inflict a great deal of damage on each other. It was like purposefully injuring oneself and the bond did not allow it.

"Now Aro, would you please tell us what you saw? Your bond to our mate has increased on its own, without mine or Caius's. You saw her in that vampire's mind," Marcus stated. "She is hurt. How badly? Where is she? What of the boy?"

"She is aware of our world, Marcus, as we suspected. That savage's coven encountered her earlier this year - not long before the scar appeared on the bond. I did not see anything in his mind that would explain that, though. She was in the company of the Cullens," he spat the name. "Laurent's coven thought her a pet, and the leader set a game to catch her. This waste of venom left rather than join the chase, but agreed to help his coven-mate, Victoria, torture and kill our mate when the hunt failed and her mate, James, wound up dead instead."

Aro growls had increased in intensity and duration while he described what he saw in Laurent's mind. By the end, his words were barely decipherable.

Marcus spoke quickly, before Aro became further incensed. "And the boy? Is he indeed a werewolf? Why was he protecting our mate?"

"I would very much like to know her name, Aro," Caius interjected, "if you have learned it."

"Bella," Aro breathed, reverently. "Her full name I do not know, but she is called Bella. And it suits her, for she is a beauty.

"The boy is not a Child of the Moon. He is a shapeshifter, changing at will, and he and his pack did indeed protect our Bella. She is a great friend to their rightful leader. The wolf-form was chosen out of necessity by their ancestors. They are fully cognizant while shifted." Before he could go on, there was a brisk knock, and Felix entered the room.

"Masters," he bowed, "the boy is awake, and healing quickly. He chuckled and continued. "He will not stop staring at Jane. She is most disconcerted, I think."

"She has not used her gift on him, has she, Felix?" Aro asked. Now that they knew the boy had helped their mate, they were loathe to see further harm come to him.

"She has not, Master. He has not tried to escape, nor has he been hostile in any way. He gazes at Jane as though she hung the moon."

"We will see this for ourselves, Aro," Caius broke in impatiently. "We do not have time to gossip about foolish children while our mate lies injured. Tell us the rest of your tale on the way to see this boy."

With that terse reprimand, Caius exited the room, Aro and Marcus on his heels. As they made their way to the guest quarters, Aro relayed the last moments Laurent had spent near their mate.


Seth had awakened in pain, not knowing where he was, surrounded by the sickly-sweet smell of too many leeches. He was just able to roll to the edge of the bed he found himself on, before he brought up the contents of his stomach. Great, wracking dry-heaves continued to take over his body. His head was pounding and his body ached with such severity that he could not phase. He whimpered and tried to sit up, only to be stopped by a cold voice.

"I would not try that, boy," the owner of the voice was female, and obviously a bloodsucker. He had not scented one in the room. Seth was petrified, and tried desperately to reach for his wolf, who would not come. His panic was evident, as his heart rate increased and his breath came in short, quick pants. He would not see his friends and family again, and right now could not even say goodbye to his pack through the mind-link. He was about to die, and was not prepared for it. Even though he was currently still alive, the implications of his animate state further terrified him.

He heard the female call for someone to come, but the rest of what she said was lost in a haze of fear. Suddenly he felt a cool hand on his back, and the same voice said sharply, "Boy! Come back. You are safe for the moment. Master Marcus was most insistent that you were cared for. Cease this behaviour and lay back down so your body may rest! You were badly used by the vampire who brought you here, but he has been dealt with, and you have been treated well. Think on that and do not work yourself up to such a state. Breathe."

Taking her advice with a shuddering inhalation, Seth looked up, and gasped in surprise as he felt the pure link of imprinting form between himself and the red eyes that met him. He gaped, unbelieving, and unable to look away. After what seemed like an age, but was only an instant, the eyes turned wary and confused, and the young vampire retreated to the wall near the door. She glared, and appeared to be debating something, before scowling and looking expectantly at the doorway. Seth saw that she looked quite young, but somehow gave the impression of age beyond his comprehension. Her hair was light brown, almost blond, and fell to her shoulders. She was extremely petite, but carried herself with great presence. He could not stop staring.

A hulking vampire filled the entrance, followed by two more males and a human man with a mop and bucket of soapy water. The man immediately began to clean the mess Seth had left, working quickly without speaking. When he was finished, he inclined his head to the vampires in the room, and left.

"Sister," the youngest looking one said, "I see the boy is awake."

"Why does he watch you so, Jane?" the large one asked.

"Jane," murmured Seth, "I am Seth." He maintained his gaze.

Jane made a sound between a hiss and an exasperated huff. "Felix, go inform the Masters that he has regained consciousness. Demetri, see if you can get him to lie down. I can see his injuries healing; the bruising around his ribs and throat has lessened, and the lump on his head as well. But he would do better resting."

Although she was more than a foot shorter than the two, they wasted no time heeding her command. Seth found himself gently but firmly pressed back to the mattress by the one called Demetri. His head swam, though not as badly as before. He adjusted his position until he could see Jane again, and then was content to lay back and observe her. Very soon he heard voices in the hallway, and was startled to hear a voice relaying exactly what had happened the night Bella was attacked. When he described the accident, beginning even before Seth had arrived at the scene, his voice was laced with anguish and distress. He also heard two others growl with anger and alarm. Shortly after, three vampires entered the room.

Worry etched into every line of his face, Caius began issuing orders as they entered the room to find their most trusted guards there. "Demetri, ready the jet for takeoff. File a flight plan for. . ." he paused and glanced at Aro.

"Forks, Washington," Aro murmured. "But I'm not sure where the nearest airport is."

"Port Angeles," a weak voice contributed.

Caius nodded to the boy on the bed. "Port Angeles, Demetri. Arrange suitable transportation to Forks from there. Gather the senior guard in our study in thirty minutes. Alec, summon Sulpicia, Athenodora and Didyme. They will govern in our absence. We leave in three hours. Go!"

Demetri and Alec disappeared from the room without a word. As one, the three Kings turned fully to face the young shifter. Seth was quite curious about why they were so interested in, and seemingly concerned for, Bella. Studying them closely, he saw beyond the anxiety that was plainly evident in the lines of their faces and bodies.

The one issuing orders was white-haired, and looked to be over thirty, if Seth had to guess. The other two both had dark hair and were younger. The white-haired one looked as though he was teetering on the edge of panic. Though his commands were clearly and crisply given, Seth could see the tightness around his black eyes, and the choppiness of his movements. Clearly, he did not want to waste any time. Seth was certain that if he could this one would already be mid-flight to Washington. Seth took a moment to respect the responsibility he showed to his obvious position of power.

The one with the darkest hair was excited beneath his worry. Every so often he would rock up to the balls of his feet, as he seemed to lose himself in thought, smiling slightly. Then he would come back to himself and his expression would darken with concern.

The last one appeared to be the youngest, slightly taller than the others, with dark brown hair. He had stopped, and looked between Seth and Jane with utter astonishment. Seth sensed that he was normally placid, for a vampire, and his manner suggested great wisdom. These vampires were not what he expected.

The dark-haired one glided up to Seth's side, brushing Jane's hand on the way by. "Seth, my dear boy!" he exclaimed. "Dear, dear boy! We cannot thank you enough! You and your two pack-mates. You were willing to sacrifice everything, your very lives, to protect our mate. We will be forever in your debt."

"Your mate?" Seth asked, "I'm confused. I don't know your mate. I don't know who you are. I don't even know where I am. The last thing I remember is a red-headed female choking me until I passed out. I don't know how I got so banged up. And how did you know my name?"

"Aro," the wise one said, "you are getting ahead of yourself. Pray, allow me to clarify for him."

"Of course, Marcus. Of course," the one called Aro replied.

Marcus walked to stand next to Aro. He looked at Seth steadily and then began, "Seth, my name is Marcus, and these are my brothers Aro, and Caius," he gestured to the white-haired one. "We are the leaders of the Volturi, the ruling coven of vampires. We are responsible for order within our world, and also work diligently to protect the secret of our existence. You are in Volterra, Italy, where we make our home.

Aro took over the explanation, "Laurent, the vampire who brought you here thought it would be amusing to mistreat you while you were unable to fight back. He showed no care for you while he ran with you through the forest. Your body was battered against rocks, trees, and the ground. He tossed you about roughly, and entertained himself by breaking several of your ribs during the flight over. Thankfully, he did not crush them. The lump on your head is the result of a particularly harsh blow he gave you to ensure your continued subdual. As for your name, I can read every thought a person has ever had with a mere touch of my hand. I saw all this from Laurent's mind before I tore him apart. And I just took your name from Jane as I passed her."

"You killed him? Why? I thought he was just being a vampire." Seth muttered the last quietly.

"Do not equate his behaviour to being a vampire! That creature is beneath contempt. And he is not dead. That would be too kind. He will wish for death before I am done with him. His screams will echo through the ages and he will have deserved every minute of agony I give him before I turn him to ash!" Caius spat, practically frothing at the mouth.

"Peace, Caius. You will have your revenge. On Laurent and on Victoria. And we have yet to answer Seth's most pertinent question." Marcus turned back to Seth. "You, young wolf, did indeed protect our mate. Although you were unable to stop her from being injured, you prevented her immediate death when you and the other two wolves intercepted Laurent and Victoria. We pray that her injuries are not too severe, or that we arrive to change her in time, if need be."

"Bella?" Seth whispered incredulously, "Bella is your mate? How do you know? When did you know? If you knew, why has she never spoken of you? Does she know?"

"Be still, Seth. Calm yourself. Bella is indeed of whom we speak. I have a gift of my own. I see bonds between people. There are many types of bonds, but the mating bond for vampires is unmistakable. We and Bella, however, have a unique bond. She is mated to Aro, Caius and me. To all three of us. The bond has existed for fifteen hundred years." Marcus smiled as Seth's eyes bulged and his mouth fell open. "Yes, it is not a time span that one so young can fathom. We saw her birth in the bond, and have witnessed several significant changes within the last year that we cannot explain. We strongly suspect that she knows of us, that we are her soul-mates, but we do not know for sure.

"However, until Aro saw her in Laurent's mind, we had no idea who our mate was. We had been searching for her for 18 years, so that we could protect her, even from afar, but our efforts were fruitless. We are deeply distressed at the circumstances, but elated that we finally know who and where our mate is."

"I would dearly love to look at your thoughts, young Seth, if you would allow me," Aro said, holding out his hand with a smile.

Seth lowered his eyes, "Umm," he hesitated, "I'm pretty sure my Alpha would be completely pissed off if I let you do that. Sorry. Vampires are sort of our number one enemy. Although I don't feel the urge to kill any of you, which is weird," he added, as his eyes cut to Jane and back quickly.

Aro waved away the apology as Caius reminded his brothers that they were to meet the guards in their study soon.

"Felix will help you wash up, if you'd like," Caius offered, "and find you some clean clothes. You will, of course, be accompanying us back to Washington. I suspect your pack is frantic over your abduction, and we will have to handle them with great care."

"Especially now," Marcus put in, once again looking between Jane and Seth and smiling. Aro noticed this, and touched Marcus's hand, his eyebrows climbing to the ceiling at what he saw there.

The three brothers entered their study to find all the senior guard, except Felix and Demetri, waiting for them. They dispatched Alec and Jane to see to all the packing for the upcoming trip. Then they addressed the remaining guards: Heidi, Afton, Chelsea, Santiago, and Renata.

Without preamble, Aro began, "My brothers and I have news which will greatly impact our coven forever. Fifteen centuries ago, Marcus became aware of a mating bond the three of us would share with one person. A person who was not born until eighteen years ago."

"September 13th," Heidi interrupted with a grin. "We heard you that day, Master Aro. You had never been more excited and you were not exactly quiet. I remember when Jane came to me and demanded to know the date."

"Yes, Heidi, thank-you," Aro replied dryly. "Be glad I never heard a whisper of a rumour among the guards. I would have been most displeased if our news were known before we had chosen to make it so."

"That is no longer an issue, Aro," Caius stated. He then glared warningly at the senior guard, "This news does not travel further than this room. The three of us have been personally searching for our mate since that day eighteen years ago. Mere hours ago, we finally discovered her whereabouts. Unfortunately, we also discovered she has been most grievously injured and is even now in danger from another of our kind. We are leaving to tend to our mate. We are uncertain how long we will be, but we have sent for Sulpicia, Athenodora and Didyme to oversee the Volturi in our stead. You will obey their orders. Ensure that they are not disrespected by outsiders. And watch my new toy. If we are not back before he is mobile, throw him in the dungeon. There is no need to be gentle about it. That is all."


Little more than half a day later, the Volturi jet touched down in Port Angeles. After much debate, Seth had called Jake. Billy had answered, and was ready to call Sam before Seth managed to convince the Elder that it would be better if he made contact with Jake first. He asked about Bella, and learned that she had been transferred to the acute-care center in Port Angeles. Jake was with her, but the rest of the pack was still in La Push. He also asked after his sister, and was told that Leah was nearly completely healed. He thanked Billy for his discretion, and told him he would contact his family soon.


Review, please! Tell me what you think of Aro ripping Laurent apart. I bet you thought it would be Caius. What do you think of Seth & Jane? That one kind of snuck up on me. My Jane is 14, and so is Seth. If we were counting shifter years the same as vampire years, then, even though Seth will look like he's in his 20s until he stops phasing, technically his body 'froze' at 14. Physically Jane may be quite young, but mentally she is light-years ahead. I would consider her the cougar in this scenario. Although, considering Seth's age, I really don't think they will have a mating imprint right away. Perhaps never. Share your thoughts. Respectfully please.