Chapter Two

"I am so excited about today! We get to go see a real castle. How AMAZING is that!" Ashleigh was saying as we were finishing up our breakfast on our first full day here in Italy.

"Pretty great especially since you finally get to be claimed as a QUEEN once we get there." I joked and rolled my eyes as she just nodded in serious agreement.

It wasn't long before our tour bus was pulling up to our final stop of the day. Now, this was a castle! The architecture was to die for and the landscaping was like its own art form all in its own right. So much land surrounded the castle it looked like it could stretch out and fill the whole world if it wanted to.

Our group made its way out of the bus and walked right outside the grand entrance and waiting to be guided in by our tour guide who was currently speaking to our professor to go over some guidelines that apparently, he needed to be aware of before we all walked in.

"Alright everyone please listen up!" Our professor Leonardo announced to the group. "We will be taking a tour through the castle. I do want you all to be aware that this is a fully functioning castle so you will see a lot of staff and they do have their rules that we need to follow. So please no touching anything or wandering off from the group and please listen to your tour guide at all times." He finished off the list of rules which most of the students at this point have stopped listening to and afterward a few of us started to randomly clap after his mini-speech.

Everyone was getting really excited and I would be lying if I wasn't excited myself. I did have this odd feeling and I wasn't sure why but I pushed it to the side and followed the group in as we entered into the main entrance. As soon as we entered, I gasped. You could instantly feel the culture, wealth and power that radiated throughout the castle and we barely just made it less than 20 feet in.

It looked like there were other groups on tour today and it seemed like a popular time to be here. I instantly could tell the difference between the staff and guests because all the staff was wearing what looked like a uniform that was topped off by a black and red cape which looked very traditional.

As we all got together inside the main area, we were all given name tags. I was staring down at mine that read 'Isabella' in big bold letters while thinking how I wished it said 'Bella' instead of my full name. I was brought out of my gaze when our guide decided to address the group.

"Welcome to The Volturi Castle!" said Giovanna with a great smile and her hands stretched out.

'The Volturi Castle' I thought. How original.

"We will be taking a tour of the grounds and will end the tour in the throne room." she continued.

Ashleigh apparently had other ideas on how the tour should go. "Why can't we just start with the throne room?" she asked the tour guide and then leaned over to me and said, "... so we can be crowned already." I laughed.

I swear this girl really thinks she is about to become a princess or queen right now.

"Unfortunately, the tour always ends in the throne room. Trust me we are saving the best for last." As she started to lead us down a hallway starting with the famous library.

The library was more up my alley in the sense that I soon learned that it had every copy of every book ever published since the beginning of time. And when they say every book, they meant EVERY book! I could have literally spent the rest of my trip in this library which was pretty much a whole wing of the castle and with so much detail and history. Sooner rather than later we were moving on to another part of the castle to view.

I enjoyed every second of the tour and was surprised at how fast it was going since we were now heading to our last destination.

"Last but not least we are going to the throne room." Our tour guide said as we followed her up to the biggest doors I have ever seen in my life.

She went on to say "I do have a special treat that I was holding up until now. The leaders of the castle have decided to meet with you with their official guard! Which I must say is a huge honor."

Ashleigh and I just looked at each other.

"Now do keep in mind that the leaders are traditional in the sense that when we walk in, we will go to the center of the room in front of the thrones and right away you will bow down until you are told to rise. Do not make eye contact until you have risen." She went on to say.

The doors opened a few seconds later like it was magic and we all walked in and stopped in the middle of this huge room and immediately everyone bowed down and I followed but I couldn't help myself and I looked up and made eye contact with the most handsome man I have ever seen in my life. I felt this pull and could not look away even if I wanted to and he stared right back at me with so much intensity that it took my breath away.

The only thought I had was I messed up and did the one thing we were told not to do.

Before I knew it the rest of the group was rising which brought me out of my daze. I am not sure if the group was given permission to stand or not since everything went out of focus when I was looking at this man in front of me.

I finally tore my gaze away from him and looked around me and saw how everyone was in awe. I didn't even notice the other two men that were with the god-like creature nor the guards that surrounded the perimeter of the room. When I finally made eye contact with him again, he was still looking at me but had this smirk on his face. God, he was gorgeous!

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(Caius POV)

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I am exhausted. I look over at my brothers in this life and we have been together ruling over the vampire world since almost the beginning of time. I am the oldest and first of our kind which is not a common knowledge unless you are in the highest guard or one of my soul brothers. My soul brothers are Aro and Marcus which have gifts in their own right. Aro's gift is the touch of sight, he can see every thought you have ever had as well as everything that has ever happened to you in your lifetime. Marcus, on the other hand, can see bonds and bonds that can mean anything from friendships bond to an enemy bond. He also can see relationship bonds like those who are soulmates to each other. Both Aro and Marcus have found their soulmates a long time ago and as for me I actually never thought much of it. I am the most ruthless and heartless out of my brothers with the beast that lives deep inside of me.

It's another day of feeding which means we have our home full of humans and I hate humans! Even feeding is not what it used to be now they just come in like a herd and we just devour them before they even know what is happening. Where is the chase? Where is the hunt? Things are not like they used to be that is for sure.

I was instantly brought out of my thought because the next group was about to enter our throne room and I was hungry. I watched as the group came in and I could see they were young and healthy. Oh, this was going to at least be a great meal I thought to myself. However, I noticed one out of the group that was looking up at my brothers and me and I felt eyes going in my direction knowing she would be first just for the lack of following simple directions.

Our eyes met.

"Brothers…" I silently whispered in warning to my brothers knowing they would be the only ones to hear. I looked over at Marcus quickly and saw his face slightly change and I knew what just happened was real.

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Until the next chapter...