Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

Author's note: yay a new chapter! Thank you readers/ reviewers/follows/favourites. I am so so sorry for the wait guys. I've just been so busy with exams and school in general lately Hope you like this new chapter ;)

Happy Reading!

"As you wish then. You may keep, Sebastian." Caius said, waving his hand slightly. He returned to his book momentarily. I walked around the desk slowly, cautiously. I could see his eyes flicker to my moving figure but otherwise ignored me. I bent down and kissed him softly on the corner of his mouth. I could see his pupils faintly dilate. He kept his eyes on his book but no words from the page registered. He knew that I hadn't forgiven him for his late indiscretions. My small sign of affection was out of gratification but even this small contact I had with him induced a small amount of pleasure to the both of us. He turned his head, his bright eyes appraising me.

"I will have to inform Aro and Marcus of this new elopement. Wait here..." He rose gracefully and to Sebastian's eyes he would have disappeared into thin air.

'Alicia, what's happening?' he asked fearfully, I realised that he spoke with his mind again. I walked back to him, in what I hoped was a non-predatory way.

"You're going to stay with me, here… is that ok?" I asked gently. Not that he really had a choice. Caius would kill him. Anyone here would have killed him. He slowly nodded in response. Subconsciously, I think he knew that he was going to stay here and I could detect that he had accepted this. I found his passiveness extremely strange.

…

Third person's view

"The child has a gift. It clings to Alicia like a parasite." Caius said from where he stood beside Marcus. Marcus' lips twitched in amusement.

"What?" Caius growled at him. He let out a dry chuckle. Aro looked up from his book, his hand brushed his lips to hide the smile that threatened to break free.

"You are jealous of the little boy." He muttered amusedly. Aro sat and watched the whole exchange. 'A gift? Fascinating'. He held Caius's hand for a moment. He decided he wanted to meet this little boy. Aro tuned back into Marcus' light teasing and Caius' retaliation. 'Sebastian had a rather peculiar gift, but no less intriguing.'

"I should like to meet him." Aro said clasping his hands together. Marcus and Caius stared at him.

"Now?" Caius asked. He straightened and followed suit.

"Yes, brother." Aro reply cheerfully. He stood and made his way to Caius' study. Caius looked at Marcus and trailed after Him. Marcus chose not to follow.

...

I involuntarily shuddered in dread as Aro entered the room. An uncharacteristic feeling of nausea entered my stomach. Sebastian hadn't noticed their presence yet, but he would. I was showing him different artworks around the study. One particularly caught his eye. A figure in the painting, man or woman you couldn't tell as they were hooded, held up the head of a vampire. The rest of his body was alight with fire. The painting was very well detailed almost like a printed photo. The door shut rather loudly. Successfully gaining Sebastian's attention. He turned towards the source of noise, still hugging my hand. He looked at Aro and Caius warily. He seemed to sense some sort of vibe coming from them. I patted his shoulder.

"This is Aro and Caius." I said to Sebastian, indicating to the two vampires.

"H-hello." He stuttered nervously. I could feel his warm hand tighten on my fingers. Aro, at human pace stepped forward slowly. I think he was trying not to scare him. I smiled amusedly at his efforts. He somewhat succeeded. He stooped close to the human child and offered his hand. His intentions seemingly innocent. To those ignorant of his gift of course. Sebastian stiffened at his touch but slowly relaxed his grip on my coat. Aro stroked a finger soothingly down his cheek.

"And what might your name be, little one?" Aro asked sickly sweetly. Sebastian curiously touched his wrist and hand.

"Sebastian!" he voice squeaked throughout our minds as Aro enclosed his hand around Seb's smaller one. He held his hand for a moment or two, then let go.

"Little Sebastian!" Aro exclaimed happily. Sebastian smiled nervously, his hand came back to my coat and held onto it tightly. While Seb was distracted Caius had moved to my side, slightly behind me. He didn't touched me but I could almost feel his breath on my shoulder. I idle touched Seb's soft hair. I noticed Aro uncomfortably swallowed slightly. His eyes had darkened to by the littlest bit. I tugged Sebastian closer to me and Aro quickly straightened. Sebastian wondered off around the study observing everything (and sometimes examining objects more closely) but never touching anything. Caius stood with him keeping an overly cautious eye on him, and occasionally explaining the purpose or reason of the entities that caught the small boy's attention. Aro edged closer to me and held out his hand. I narrowed my eyes at his gesture and signed. I obliged and put my hand in his. I knew he couldn't see much but he read what he could out of curiosity. Most of it being my resentment.

He signed in melancholy. Fake. I pulled my hand away from his. Sebastian yawned in fatigue. Hm where would he sleep? I hadn't really put much thought into it. Definitely not my own room with Caius. I shivered at the thought. Perhaps the room next to ours?

"Time for bed." I said affectionately. Caius looked at me in excited anticipation that was until he realised I was talking to Seb. A bitter and jealous growl rumbled deep in his chest. Seb pulled on my coat and put his arms in the air. I picked him up gently and made my way out leaving Aro and Caius alone.

We were a fair way from the study.

"How old are you Seb?" I asked curiously. He looked up in surprise.

"You called me Seb?" he said out loud in wonder. His deep Sapphire eyes stared at me, unnerving me slightly.

"Yes, don't you like that name?" I asked hesitantly. He shook his head. His blond curls dancing with his movements.

"My mum used to call me that…"he said through my mind. He smiled at me then. The first genuine smile I had yet seen him displayed

"Are you seven?" I started guessing.

"Seven and a half." He replied indignantly.

"And how did you know?" he asked a loud again. I shrugged my shoulders.

"Lucky guess." I smirked happily. He experimentally nestled his head against my neck and shoulder. His hair kind of tickled me on the neck. I opened the door and walked inside. The room was fairy clean and tidy. It was disturbed recently, as dust particles floated about the air. I felt guilty leaving him to sleep in a lonely room by himself. But there was no way out of it.

Sebastian climbed on the bed and began bouncing on it excitedly. He laughed happily then collapsed face first into the pillows comfortably. I chuckled at the sight and pulled the thick comforter back. I put it over him. His heartbeat had slowed and his breathing deepened. Little Seb had fallen asleep. He was so cute when he slept. His face relaxed and looked very peaceful.

I didn't know how long I could spend here before Caius came looking for me. I signed expectantly and turned at the sound of the door opening.

A vampire with dark brown, wavy hair had entered. She jumped in shock when she saw me. Her eyes were milky, a little like the Romanians. I internally cringed.

"Who are you? I whispered cautiously as not to wake Sebastian.

"Oh how rude of me! I am Sulpicia..." She smiled invitingly. Sulpicia? That name rang a bell. She saw the look of confusion on my face.

"Aro's wife." She explained. Bingo.

"His wife!? What are you doing in here?" I asked curiously. I couldn't believe it! Aro had a wife. I had to choke down a laugh. She shushed me childishly, then stopped breathing all together. I heard the soft frantic footfalls of two vampires. They were gone in mere seconds. Off searching elsewhere.

"Why are you here?" I asked quietly.

"I'm hiding from my 'body guards'. I did not think anyone was using this room... Caius and his mate have this wing of the estate..." she said amusedly. She said body guards with heavy sarcasm. The thought of body guards seemed outright ridiculous to me. She blinked as realisation dawn on her face.

"Oh." She said softly.

"Your Caius' mate! His scent is all over you... he does not usually touch anyone besides Aro, of course." I grimaced as she leaned in and sniffed my neck.

"I'm Alicia… Why are you hiding from you bodyguards? Why do you have body guards?" I asked sceptically, I was somewhat suspicious of her.

"Because, it is fun when they frantically search for me, even more so when they cannot find me." She let out a peal of laughter. She was very different from Aro that much was clear.

"Won't you get in trouble?" I inquired curiously.

"Yes! But that is the fun part! But I rarely get in trouble. I can never seem to enrage that damn man!" she said pouting. I guessed the man she was referring to was Aro. I giggled at the thought of anyone trying to get Aro angry. True he was manipulative and could be cruel. But making him angry would be a hard feat to achieve. I smiled in anticipation but that was quickly wiped away when the door yet again opened

She told me about being in the tower. How Corin was mostly her only company now that Athenodora had left.

"Then why didn't he put me there?" I questioned further.

"Oh he most likely will... Well it is certain he will..." she said this as if it were normal.

"But I don't want that! I will not be a prisoner in my own home..." I said with conviction. No I refused to be. She shrugged her dainty shoulders.

"It is not so bad." She smiled sadly. Patting my arm.

"Who is Athenodora?" I asked, suddenly intrigued. She gave me a look that clearly said 'oh dear.' But she never explained.

"Ask Caius." Was her reply.

My attention snapped to the sound of light footsteps then the door opening once again. Caius stepped into the room and when noticing Sulpicia, he playfully glared at her. This surprised me. Strangely enough Caius left the door open. Moments later Aro walked in too. Seems we were having a little get together. As if he knew she was here, Aro glided to her. He brushed her cheek with the back of his fingers. I saw a flicker of disappointment in her eyes. He was smiling at her warmly and clicked his tongue disapprovingly. He didn't say anything and neither did she. I found it slightly creepy and averted my eyes to the sleeping form of Sebastian.

Thin hands circled around my wrists and pulled me from the room to our own. Aro and Sulpicia were long gone.

Little did Caius know Sebastian was going to stir a lot of trouble for him.

…

A dark figure slinked in the shadows of the ancient buildings of Volterra. Their identity protected by the hood of their cloak. A cloak that was darker than the advancing night itself. A strand of silky blond hair escaped from the cover of the fabric. Clouded eyes gleamed in the soft light of the stars.

I am so sorry for how late this chapter is but it's here now! Please excuse any spelling mistake/grammar. Point them out if you like, be helpful ;) Review!