I am so very sorry for having kept all of you waiting. I really couldn't have uploaded earlier which is why I shall once again, upload two chapters in a row.

The response to the story has been phenomenal and I would like to thank every single one of you who has taken the time to read and review, although I would have loved a few more reviews, but I do understand that unless Alec makes his presence felt, I shouldn't expect it :D

Yes, yes. We are afterall reading it for Alec now, aren't we? Well then, why not have a little sneak-peak into his mind and see what he plans!

Happy Reading everyone!


CHAPTER 6:

ALEC [POV]

Every morning began with a new sleepless air that perpetuated itself in our vampire lives. Rest was not something vampires were even supposed to think of. Yet in the Volturi palace we had enough of it. Excepting the occasional violence we were expected to engage in we truly had a blessed life.

The most delicious blooded food in the world, none of which were from Volterra were served to us in unusual platters and dressings. These humans just walked into our traps; beautiful as we were.

Yes, we were powerful. Sheer naked power was what gave us the life we had. We, vampires never need to spend money on food clothing and all those basic trivial things that humans spend their lives trying to acquire. We never have to buy food. They walked to us and flirted their way into our systems.

The Volturi palace itself was a beauty untouched by human hands. It was a vampire territory full of the horrors of human mythology and Aro's enthusiasm.

Aro is my lord and master; my creator. My sister and I are the most precious gift that heaven had decided to present to him. We are his missiles; his weapons of mass destruction.

My chest rose in pride as I admired the thought. I met my sister at the foot of the stairs and kissed her white paper cheek. She smiled at me; a smile which was brimming with innocence at the surface,

She is almost four hundred years old as am I. She has retained the looks of a fourteen year old whereas I look twenty years of age. I smiled back at her pleasantly.

"Aro is unhappy about something brother. The whole palace feels restless", she said.

"Yes, I thought so too. What do you think is the matter?"

"I'm not sure but I'll wager my next human blood that it is something about the Cullens." Her voice filled with poison that I could feel in my mouth.

The Cullens. The newborn wife of that rogue Edward Cullen! Our powers had been challenged only by that female vampire. We were nullified and our powers were void. I wish I had sucked the life out of her when she had been human.

Of course, however, Aro had thought there was chance she would be a major benefit to our ranks. I had known even then that she would follow around her love Edward in that matter, because no matter how strong she maybe her talent she was of very little worth otherwise.

My sister, Jane and I shared a moment of silence remembering that fateful day when I could crack the ground but not harm any of the vampires ranged before us; some of them very old enemies of Aro's. Jane did not like being defeated by anyone and in reality we both knew that without her talent Jane could do nothing. I always cringed at that thought; my only consolation being that I would protect her without a doubt.

We climbed silently down. Silence was a pervading influence in the palace. No one but Aro spoke much.

On entering the Throne Room our suspicions grounded themselves. Aro was pacing furtively to and fro before his one-armed intricately carved throne. I sketched it in my mind with charcoal on marble; then shook the image deliberately out of my mind.

"Aro." I greeted curtly.

He looked up from his troubles to greet us with the enthusiasm that he reserved only for us. I was pleased to know that neither of us were regarded as useless due to our failure to be the weapons that he considered us to be.

"Ah, Dear ones. I have been waiting for you for quite a while now!" He exclaimed. "We have some news for you to consider and opine on"

The room was filled with an audible hush. Apparently, Aro had not let them know anything before we were present.

"What is it, Aro?" Jane said.

"As you might have guessed it is about the Cullens, yes." he noticed that we had guessed and proceeded. "They seem to have made an addition to their family. A female of the same age in human years as Edward. She, we hear, is extremely powerful. Her power being that of mimicry. She can evidently replicate any power that she experiences or witnesses. She, I feel will be a precious little addition to our congregation."

Wide-eyed Jane and I shared a look that bordered along the fear that we would never admit to anyone but each other. I stepped forward and address Aro as if we were alone.

"Aro, with all due respect I must comment that this girl cannot be depended upon. We cannot trust that she will want to leave the Cullens and enter life as your guard. I think, Aro she should not be allowed to survive. They, the Cullens are certainly too powerful even without her." I heard Jane snarl in approval.

Aro, however was shaking his head.

"They will not let us. The Cullens are too strong and they really have not given us any reason to kill the girl." He hesitated, before continuing, "You see they actually have protected our secrecy by taking this girl under their wing. We have no reason to complain." He contemplated, annoyed, sceptical.

He did not look pleased about that unavoidable fact.

Though I hated to admit it, Aro was as usual accurate in his assessment.

"We can't let them have the power to demolish us, Aro." Jane's young voice was shrill. "We can find a way around this."

"Yes, my dear. I have actually given the matter much thought and I have come to the conclusion that we have to gather a mass. We need strength and number on our side young ones. When we have that we can summon her to Volterra and offer her a prestigious position weaker only to my brothers and me. If she is pertinent enough to refuse that, we kill."

There was a unanimous snarl in the room. I looked around to find Felix and Demetri crouching and Chelsea looking particularly venomous. Aro however, was not having any protests. He raised his hands to silence them dismissively, his eyes on the faces of his most trusted weapons.

"How can you think that, Aro?" Jane growled, the guttural sound from the others gaining prominence in Jane's support. I was enraged, yes, but I also knew Aro was one who worked with cold logic and would never have put himself in a precarious situation without a failsafe and without a strong agenda.

My silence was what caught Aro's immediate attention, much to Jane's dismay. She had always been his favourite child.

"Your silence takes me by surprise, dear one." His graceful movement found him standing in front of me in an instant. "Do you not have an opinion to share, Alec?" Aro seldom referred to us by our names.

"I do not doubt that you do have an agenda, master." As much as I would have liked to believe that my freedom had not been sacrificed, Aro's towering presence shattered my false notions in one instant.

"Always the one for strategy, isn't that why you have always been my secret weapon, yes?" Aro mused, a look of admiration in his eyes. He returned back to his majestic throne, seating himself comfortably.

After a pregnant contemplative silence, he delivered his judgement. "An army of vampires." A loud union of hiss clouded the otherwise mute room. Aro continued, unfazed. "And all with abilities shall be created."

"Not only shall we be stronger by number but also by brute force." Caius made his presence felt as Aro relaxed in his chair.

"But how does that help if she mimics abilities master?" Jane questioned, bewildered. From her tenor I could tell that my sister wasn't in her comfortable place and her disposition made me worry. Jane was never one to leave a thought midway.

"She is powerful, yes. But we must remember, even the most powerful fall to brute force." Caius stated.

"The proposition of power and authority my dears, must only be one of sorts. In truth, it shall prove to be bait for when has there been a fish ever caught with a bait too trivial?" Aro reasoned, the conviction in his voice reflecting the complexity of his obscure mind.

"Jane my dear," He addressed to my sister, holding his hand for her to take. "Will you be a dear and step forward." Aro dismissed the others and even if they detested to be left out from the conversation, none had the fortitude to revolt. The Volturi were a coven, not a family of equals.

"Alec, my dear, you too." He called, the deceptive smile always on his ashen face. Once the door closed, Aro disclosed to us his agendas.

"I shall expect of you dear ones to create for me this army we speak of." He paced, unsure of his words. In addition however, he made a request which had been unexpected for it had been condemned an abomination. "But there a request I shall make." He looked at me, directly and in an instant he stood before my eyes.

"Alec," he began, "you have always been my most trusted and my precious." The directions of his words were beginning to feel like a razor knife, threatening to strike. "There isn't another I would trust to take decisions on the intricacies of the agenda we plan."

"Jane and I shall do the needful." I supplied, knowing the reason for his request. His decisions were being watched. He nodded, smiling clearly too happy about his achievement.


We walked in silence to the training ground. There were decisions to be made.

"Vampires, sinewy and trained." I began, addressing to those who were gathered to hear the outcome. "Our army shall be one that shall involve one from every part of the mortal world."

Jane explained to them the niti-grities, assigning each one a territory. Six territories with five from each would put us on a footing one would never challenge.

She stood beside me, my sister. "Brother, you don't look at ease?" her small brow creased, questioning.

"There is one more thing we need to do Jane." My mind was racing. If the developments in the palace were to be concealed, there was only one way I could orchester it and it was what we condemned an abomination.

"What is it brother?" she urged.

"We shall need vampire-human hybrids to mask us." I looked at her triumphant and a wicked grin spread on her angelic face.

The ball had been set in motion and it was only time that would tell how far it had dribbled. Jane and I would patiently wait for the fruits our expedition would bring to us and the arrival of the certain Cullen who was so desperately sought by Aro.

The thought of her presence made me anxious, she had to be only too perilous if Aro had gone to the lengths of offering her such a bait. We would know soon.

I smiled. It wouldn't be long.