I waited by the door as Aro went to the sofa and sat, patting the seat next to him, beckoning me to join him. "I am sure Caterina will return soon."

Taking a deep breath, I decided to join him. When I did, he took my wrist into his hands, very gently, and held it, the iciness of his skin, along with the bag Chelsea had given him, penetrating my own and easing the pain immensely. As uncomfortable as it was, mentally speaking, I was grateful in the moment.

"So Renata, what does she do exactly," I asked, my eyes on his hands.

"She is my personal guard if you will, a shield. As long as she is close, she is able to deflect any attack that may come my way, of course her power is stronger if there is physical contact of some sort."

"You need a bodyguard? Really?"

I meant it sarcastically, but Aro replied in all seriousness. "Being who I am, there are covens out there, one in particular, the ones who ruled before us, who wish for my demise. They prefer the old ways and despise my way of rule. Of course, there are other reasons of which they would seek to destroy me."

"What are those?"

"Unfortunately, or perhaps not, their coven had to be expunged. Only two survivors remain, and they wish for revenge."

"You murdered all of them? Why would you do that?"

Aro frowned. "Do you not remember how I told you the world used to be when vampires were well known to human-kind? It was a bloodbath quite literally for them and we were hunted down continuously only causing more loss to human life. A human could not kill a vampire, no matter what method they tried. It is easier this way, on both sides."

I nodded. I knew he was right, but I also knew there was something more sinister behind it, the power he craved and gained from his position in the vampire world. Again, I knew I should be terrified, but it never crossed my mind, none except for the fact of what I realized only some time earlier.

"Liliana, perhaps you are hungry? Should I send for someone to acquire you food?"

Biting my lip at the phrasing, I shook my head. "I'm alright. Actually, I have a lack of appetite right now. I would probably just throw it back up."

"You will need to eat at some point, my dear."

"I will, when the nausea goes down some."

Aro hummed before taking a finger from his other hand and brushing a stray strand of hair out of my eyes, but his finger did not stop there. He traced my jawline, quite lovingly, and I looked up at him, noticing his eyes which were darker than they were before but still held quite a red tint.

"Stop." I shrugged away from him and looked down at the floor.

"My apologies," he replied, but his voice was saddened.

The silence hung in the air for a long pause, and as uncomfortable as it was, there was also a sense of relief until we heard a knock at the door. I looked up at him, and he sighed, releasing my wrist and standing. In the blink of an eye, he was by the door, it opened with Chelsea standing on the other side. She handed the splint Caterina had found to Aro.

"Thank you," he said taking the package from her. "If you would, could you see to it that Lia has food prepared for later when she decides she is able to eat?"

Chelsea's eyes met mine for a split second before she replied, "Of course."

Before she could depart, I quickly said, "Chelsea, is there perhaps a way to get a few of my things?"

Her brow raised before asking, "Your things?"

Aro turned to look back at me, and I answered, "I mean, if you're going to keep me locked up here," and he moved to protest, but I continued, "then you can at least allow me to have some of my stuff."

"Lia, it is not that you are being kept locked up here. I do not wish for you to think of it as such," he said.

"Can I leave," I asked, but he of course frowned. "Then you're keeping me locked up here."

"If you really think to be locked up, I can make for those accommodations," he said with warning. He then turned to Chelsea, "But Demetri can help with this. Have him bring her a few of her things, clothes and whatever other necessities humans use. After all, the residence will need to be sorted eventually."

"And you're making that decision for me. I never said I wanted to give up my grandparents' home."

"What use will you have for it when you become one of us?"

"I never said I would do that either."

"I will give Demetri your orders," Chelsea said interrupting the quickly becoming angered disagreement. She then turned and disappeared.

Aro closed the door and walked back over to the sofa. He knelt down in front of me, and our eyes met. "Why must you dispute? We have only been together again less than a day, and you already question my authority."

"You forget that I was four years old when we met last. I have no memories of you at all except blurry ones that don't even make sense. And you're right, it's been less than a day. Actually it's been only about four hours. You can't expect me to adjust and accept everything in that period of time. That's delusional."

"Perhaps you are right. As a vampire, it would come much easier for you, but you are not one of us, not yet. When you are, you will feel it just as I feel it now."

Taking a deep breath, I sighed. "I feel it, trust me."

"Not as strongly as I do," he answered.

"No, but it is there."

"Then why fight it?"

"It's easier than believing it."

"Even when you know it to be true?"

"Sometimes being this way really sucks," I said leaning my head back against the sofa.

"Sucks, my dear?" Aro asked with confusion evident.

"Figure of speech meaning that it can be really agonizing."

"I see it as a blessing."

"I see it as a curse. I have to watch what I say so I don't frighten people. I'm the freak that no one wants to be seen with. So you'll have to excuse me when I try to deny these feelings that are mine but still not yet mine. They haven't come to pass yet. I know they will, and that's complex enough, but when you add the whole, by the way, vampires are real into the mix, and oh yeah, the person you'll have these feelings for ordered the death of your grandparents, the only thing I know to do is shut down or fight. I don't want to feel this way towards you, and the fact that I know I will, only makes me fight it more. But the worst part about it is, no matter what I do, it will happen. The things I know always happen."

Aro watched me a moment longer before removing the splint from the package and holding his hand out for my wrist. I sat the ice next to me on the sofa before holding out my wrist to him. He carefully slid on the splint and wrapped the sides securely.

"Is that too tight?"

I shook my head.

The room was very quiet when he stood and walked over to the desk and sat in the chair behind it, going back to reading the book he had opened.

"Let me know when you have need to eat. Perhaps it will do you some good to rest for now."

Wanting to remove myself from his presence anyway, I stood and watched him as I walked toward the bedroom door and stepped inside the room. I sighed before closing it behind me and making my way to the bed where I lied down, curling up tightly on my side. All of this was insane. All of it.

Aro had been right before about me having a special ability, however, he was also right about the mental block. I never accepted what I could do. I never wanted to. I wanted to be normal, and I tried. I tried so hard, but some things were too difficult to block. What he called a gift, a talent, was hell to me. He had said that being human made it weaker than it would be as a vampire. If that was the case, there was no way I would want him to change me. Then again, my entire body screamed against that idea. I would be like him, eventually.

A/N: As always, please review!