Chapter Ten: Bella

Caius killed me.

Okay well he didn't really, but the look on his face almost did.

Jane had pinned me down until I had told her the whole story and then afterward she high-fived me and tickled me to death, making me squeal with laughter, for playing such an amazing prank on Caius. Aro didn't tell me off at all- in fact he congratulated me on having such an effect on Caius. The guy never ceased to amaze me.

~~~(O.o)~~~

Dear Bella:

There's no sign of Victoria in Forks anymore, the pack are running circles on La Push but her trail's gone cold. The attacks in Seattle are still continuing and we may need to ask the Volturi for help eventually. I hope you're safe and that the Volturi are treating you alright. Alice sends her annoyance that you weren't there for the post-graduation party she threw.

Don't worry, Charlie doesn't suspect a thing, except maybe that I'm not going to the same college as you. He knows how tight we are even if he hates to admit it. However he is concerned that you haven't been replying to your emails, and your mother Renee is going to be frantic with worry by tomorrow- courtesy of Alice. You might want to try find an internet café or something.

These six months will be hell without you Bella, but I am happy in the knowledge that you are safe- even if I can't see you.

Please write back- and hurry. I love you, and I have left my undead heart with you. Take care of it.

With all the love that exists in this world and the next,

Edward.

I folded the letter back up carefully and placed it in my pocket. I had been a week here in Volterra.

Caius, after the fireball throwing incident had gone around with a hand wrapped up in a strip of cloth for a while. I wondered whether Aro had attacked Caius in return.

Aro's throne was a melted puddle of metal and ash, which happened from when the fireball hit it, and had been replaced by another, even more extravagant throne.

Felix and Demetri had carried out the running laps around the throne room naked where a huge crowd, mainly consisting of the guard stood watching them. Jane had invited them all. Man was she evil! We had an awesome time watching them while several of the guard with phones snapped pictures. I almost felt sorry for the duo. However on their eighty-seventh lap of the throne room, Aro, Caius and Marcus had walked in. Instantly everyone vanished except for me and Jane, and Felix and Demetri, who had frozen in fear.

Caius had then attacked them both ripping off Felix's arm and part of Demetri's leg when Aro told him off saying it was impolite to attack naked men. Caius then yelled at Felix and Demetri- something about defiling the 'sacredness' of the throne room, immaturity for six hundred plus year old vampires, and stuff about duty. He then yelled at Aro for being lenient. Then yelled at me for being the instigator of the event, then yelled at Jane…

It had taken several minutes for Aro and Marcus to calm Caius down.

~~~(O.o)~~~

I'd finished Romeo and Juliet- the Italian version, and reached the end of the mysterious Athena's notebook. I was in no way fluent in Italian yet, but I could understand the gist of a short conversation. When I got back to Forks at least I would have learnt something from my time at my supposed 'college'.

I had been spending more and more time with the Volturi guard when they weren't on missions and even though I hadn't been expecting it, it actually had begun to feel a bit like family. Jane was my adorable sister, Felix and Demetri were my goofy stupid older brothers, Alec kind of like a Jasper type guy, Marcus was like an uncle. Heidi a rather snobbish- but still nice, older sister, Aro…. Creepy next-door neighbor, and Caius….. Was Caius.

He still hated me for the shampoo incident, and the incident in the throne room, and now I only ever went to town with Jane or Felix or Demetri. Ever since I had become friends with the majority of the guard, most of whom were awesome people, I was allowed to be by myself with them (In other words without Caius breathing down my neck), but he obviously still was meant to guard me- Aro wasn't letting him out of it that easy, but he merely followed me around like a very bad tempered shadow and replied to my remarks with single word answers. Even when I teased him which was so insanely easy to do, he merely seemed to take it like a fly buzzing around his skull- like I was beneath his notice or something.

Eventually I had enough.

"What is wrong with you? I've apologized already okay? I even dry-cleaned that awful cloak thing of yours! I mean, seriously, what is your problem with me?" I snapped. He was such a… , ,go;qxsrbdfmnd,.~~!

He replied with a blank stare.

ARGH! "I mean, come on! I'm not asking for a lot here you know! I just want to make the time I have to spend with you tolerable! You can't seriously be having fun being a moron 24/7 every time you see me!"

Caius, madding enough didn't say anything for several minutes while I waited, silently fuming.

"Moron is a favorite word of yours isn't it?"

I grabbed at my hair in utter frustration. What kind of a- What sort of a- What the- He was- I could not stand- The way that he always- I slammed my fist into the nearest stone wall and stomped off, trying not to show how much my hand was throbbing.

Thankfully enough our hate/hate relationship improved a tiny bit afterwards. He was still a skulking annoying, cruel, vindictive bastard, but he did go with me to town sometimes and at least talked a little bit, even if every word he said made me want to rip out my hair from the roots.

Jane understanding as she was, wasn't very understanding then when she told me it was amazing he had forgiven me at all.

"Bella?"

My head jerked up, out of my thoughts. I quickly put down my iPod, whose battery was running really low, and went to open the door.

Jane was standing in the doorway wearing her signature angelic face which I had realized a few days after getting to know her, that the more innocent she looked, the more devious her thoughts were.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Demetri bailed, he can't take you to the town, and neither can Felix- Aro's sent them to Ireland, there's apparently a rouge newborn around there."

"Oh." I sighed. I liked going to town with Demetri, he was funny- not in Felix's rude- always at my expense jokes, but a self-depicting humor which made any conversation fun. I perked up at the thought of Jane coming, she always wore one of those weird floppy sun-hat things so that the sun couldn't touch her skin, not one of the horrible 'vampire' cloaks that she only wore for appearances in the castle, and she knew tons of fun places to go.

Jane pouted, adorable on her cherubic face. "I can't! Aro needs me in the throne room in five minutes, so I'm sorry!"

"Are you sure?" I was grasping at straws here. "I really need to find an internet café, my mom and Charlie will be worrying! "

Jane looked even more devastated. "Bella! I'm really, really sorry! There's a Café like that near the entrance to Volterra, but I can't take you! Maybe we could buy you a computer? We've got more than enough money!"

I groaned inwardly. I hated people spending money on me. "No! I mean I appreciate it, but I couldn't. In any case, even if you did buy one, it'd take a few days for the order to come through, and I need to email them now!"

"Couldn't you go with Caius?"

Really Jane, really? "Um….."

Jane winced with me. She knew how much he detested me. But I was desperate. "Okay fine!" I huffed. "I'll- go get changed."

Jane laughed. "Good luck." And with a light breeze, she was gone.

I knew Caius could probably hear our conversation from wherever he was in the castle- damn vampire hearing, and he would be here shortly. I'd better hurry.

I quickly hopped into the walk-in wardrobe that Jane had insisted we install as part of my room's renovations, which were still in progress, and quickly grabbed a pair of shorts and a purple top. I couldn't go walking around in my oversized, unwashed t-shirt and also unwashed comfy old sweats.

I picked up my long suffering old duffel bag, making sure I still had what remained of Edward's money safely tucked inside. I didn't want to take money from the Volturi, but Edward's stash was running out quick. Now I wished that I hadn't complained when Edward had wanted to give me ten thousand dollars. Overprotective neurotic vampire boyfriend.

I pulled on a pair of socks and some flora yellow chucks with bright green laces, and ran out back into my room.

Sure enough Caius was standing by my bed, impatient as usual. Glad that I could go to town, but not so glad that it was with him, I couldn't help blurting: "Geez, ever hear of something called knocking?" I knew I'd asked the question a thousand times before, but he'd never knocked once, so I think it was only fair that I continued to ask.

"What took you so long?" Was his retort.

"Getting changed." I snapped back.

"You looked fine before."

That stopped me. Was that…. A compliment? I felt a smile beginning to curl on my lips.

"I merely meant that previously you were passable, and that you did not need to spend unnecessary time preparing yourself."

My smile didn't fade, until I had to consciously wipe it off my face. Why should I care whether Caius complimented me?

"Whatever." I rejoined. "So… Can we go?"

Caius gave a weird bowing and gesturing movement towards the door. He was really getting into the whole 'sarcasm' gig. I didn't know whether I was pleased that I had had such an effect, or annoyed that Caius had found more ways to bother me.

Without Jane, I didn't find the Internet Café. Heck, I didn't even find my way to Volterra's front gates. If Caius knew, he didn't let on. He was sticking to the shadows trailing me like some stalker. I was trying to ask a local for directions, and he replied in Italian, so I only caught- turn left….. Something about a fountain, then right, then left, then a narrow alleyway…. I couldn't remember a single word of what he said- and it looked like he was in a hurry, so I thanked him quickly and kept looking.

I sighed. If I couldn't find the café, then I would have to write to Charlie and Mom the old fashioned way. However I was pretty sure that the Volturi didn't own pens or pencils. During my stay I hadn't seen a single one. And when I had tried to borrow a quill from Caius he had bitten my head off and spat out the pieces. I wasn't going to be trying that again.

I stopped at a Italian version of warehouse stationary. I bought a refill pad and a few pencils and erasers, when I spotted a drawing kit beside a stack of notebooks. On a whim I added it to the pile.

Caius was waiting outside. The harsh lights of the store would have done weird things with his skin.

"Here you go!" I said brightly as I handed Caius a pencil. This would be funny.

"And what would this flimsy piece of wood be for?"

I held in my smirk, forcing my face into a serious expression. "That flimsy piece of wood, is what the modern world call writing utensils. Try it!"

"On what?" He asked blankly.

I blinked at him for several seconds. I hadn't expected him to cave so easily. "Here." I said shoving my refill at him. I think vaguely that I had been going to do something to make fun of him….. What was it?

Caius, holding the pencil all wrong, lifted it to the paper before I stopped him. "You're holding it wrong!" I told him. He was holding it as though it was a snake. Geez- it was just a pencil!

I grabbed his hand, and forced his fingers to hold the pencil properly. I almost jerked back as I realized it was the first time I had ever actually touched him. His skin was hard and cold- yet soft at the same time. It felt more like marble, rather than Edward's granite skin. I forced myself to act normally and continued wrapping his fingers around the pencil.

"There you go!" I said, a little too cheerfully.

Caius threw me an odd look before trying to write the way he usually would. The pencil snapped in his hand, wood splinters going everywhere.

I snorted, very unfeminine, I told myself, then composed my face. "Yeah, you'll need a bit of practice."

I grabbed the refill back and shoved it into my bag. Turning to walk back down the street.

"Don't worry hon, it happens to everyone!"

I whirled around.

A red-headed beauty was standing next to Caius smiling charmingly at him, flirting unashamedly. I stood stock still, unable to believe she was flirting with Caius. He was so much better than her….. Wait- what? Had I just praised Caius? No, no I hadn't.

I unfroze, and grabbed Caius's ice-cold hand, and began towing him away, interrupting the girl who had just introduced herself as Lisa from England. "Sorry. He's with me." I told her smoothly.

She ran her blue eyes over me, her expression twisting into disgust. "I doubt it honey. How could a person like him, be with a person like you?"

I didn't let her get to me. I wasn't really with Caius, and I didn't really want to be with Caius, so why did I care? I didn't. No, I didn't. But because I sucked at lying, I didn't believe myself. Lisa, was really pretty anyway, a thousand times better looking than me. Her red hair hung to her waist and was braided intricately. Her high cheekbones were something that I had always wanted, and she had curves all in the right places. I answered anyway. "Well I doubt he'd want to be with anyone like you anyway."

WHAT DID I JUST SAY? I wasn't really one who showed that much courage – my self-esteem had never been very high. Also, this was Caius we were talking about. When did I get so protective?

"You don't seem very sure honey- " If she said 'honey', one more time… ", and I notice you haven't let him talk." She directed her attention to Caius. "Surely you don't want to stay with her? Do you?"

I didn't look at the vampire lord. I was suddenly afraid. WHY DID I CARE? I had Edward for goodness sakes. Edward would never be with someone else, Edward would never let me down, Edward was the best boyfriend anyone could ever have, and I loved him, so why was I worried about Caius being with Lisa?

Suddenly I felt myself being yanked to the side, and the next thing I knew I was pressed up against Caius and he was kissing me.

What the hell? I screamed mentally. Why was Caius kissing me? Why am I not trying to make him get the hell off me? Why am I enjoying this just a little bit?

Then suddenly I was standing exactly where I was before, facing a Lisa that looked like she had been sucker punched.

"In case it is not clear Lisa, I am not interested, I would thank you to leave now." Caius spoke for the first time, his voice smooth, but also dangerous. Lisa turned tail and walked off. I thought I could see her crying. For some reason I felt guilty.

I rounded on Caius. "Why the hell were you kissing me?" I yelled at him.

He looked quietly stunned before his blank face came on. "I imagined that you disliked Lisa's presence."

Oh so she was on first name terms with Caius? And after a week Caius still called me 'girl', 'human', 'mortal' or 'repulsive mortal girl'?

"Well yes, but what's wrong with telling her to shove off?"

"I did not think that that would get the message across."

"So you just grab me and kiss me? What is up with that? Haven't you got any decency?" I snarled at him. "I've got a boyfriend for goodness sakes; you don't just grab someone randomly and start swallowing their lips!" I knew I was exaggerating; the kiss had been lips only, but still! How was Edward going to react?

Caius looked like the thought had only just occurred to him.

"The least you could do is apologize!" I yelled at him. Stupid insensitive JERK!

He didn't apologize.

I turned tail and stalked off.

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