TWILIGHT : THE BLOOD INSIDE YOU IS THE BLOOD INSIDE ME

Chapter Nineteen

This is a fictional story based on the Twilight Series, of which I own neither part nor parcel. Just borrowing the Volturi temporarily. No references to the Cullen family, sorry. (I'm late to this fandom. I do research online since I haven't committed the films to memory, and hardly recall the books. So I'm sorry if canon is upended a little.)

Aro agrees to talk with Carlisle, and then to go to Washington state to visit with his family in person. Charlotte and Aro take a vacation to the Volturi villa on the island of Santorini afterwards. Charlotte finds out a surprising tie between the Volturi and the city of Volterra.

Aro/OC, Caius, Carlisle Cullen and the Cullen family

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Yes, my dear, you asked it of me. A hand across the water, so to speak," Aro said. "Out of curiosity, I will agree to this meeting. You've met with the Cullens in person, and Alice trusted us enough to accept your invitation to come to Volterra, so can I do any less?"

"I'm very happy to hear that, Aro. The Cullens are an important coven in their own right." She saw her mate give her a look, his eyes narrowed. Charlotte held up a finger. "Don't do that, Aro. You know it's true. Stop trying to frighten me into submission."

"I still frighten you, il mio cuore?" He pulled Charlotte back, her head lying in his lap, his arms slipping around her while he kissed her lips, until he saw her reach for him. "You will submit in any case." He pulled down on the strap of the nightgown that already left nothing to the imagination, his mouth taking in her full breast, laving the taut nipple with his tongue. "Cara," he whispered, his free hand moving to her feminine juncture. Nimble fingers slipped into her heated core, massaging, and thrusting into her until she was squirming. "Sei mio e solo mio."

Charlotte's cries of pleasure were stifled by Aro's mouth, her legs spreading to give him greater access. One hand grabbed at the bed cover, the other tangled itself in his dark hair, tugging hard.

When Aro felt her inner muscles pulsating around his fingers, he released her mouth. The sounds she made enveloped him like warm air, his name on her lips giving him utter satisfaction. Withdrawing his fingers from her as her climax calmed, Aro licked the wetness from them, savoring the taste of his mate that was second only to the taste of the blood he needed to survive.

Charlotte curled up on the bed, her head lying on Aro's thigh. She had released his hair, letting her fingers glide down his cheek and over his lips. "Il mio talentuoso amante. The quickies are so satisfying," Charlotte whispered, smiling. After a few minutes, she stretched and sat up, and giving Aro one more kiss, left the bed. She found her brush and began to smooth out her tousled hair. "I'll take care of the time, Aro, if that's alright with you."

"Of course, my dear," he replied agreeably. Let his thoughts be about his discussion with Carlisle. The details he would leave up to Charlotte and Alice.

Happy that Aro had so readily agreed to speak with Carlisle, Charlotte later sent an email to Alice that had her Skype ID, with the time, both deciding the sooner, the better. Since neither slept, time was of no concern. Only the difference between Leavenworth, Washington and Volterra, Italy had to be taken into account.

"Charlotte, once the time has been set, would you mind leaving me alone for the duration of our meeting? I don't mean to keep anything from you, but..."

"I understand completely, Aro. Of course I will leave you to your privacy. I'll ask Caius to take me into the village. He had said he would, and that will be as good a time as any." She dressed in black jeans and a pink sweater. "I'll ask him soon, so that he'll be ready when it's time."

"I have not spoken to Carlisle for ten years." He held out his hand to her, waiting until she placed hers in his, then he kissed the top. "You seem to know what is best, my dear, and perhaps one day, we will know why. I appreciate your trust in me."

Sitting beside Aro, Charlotte said, "Thank you, love. I appreciate yours as well. I feel the need for the two covens to come together has never been greater." She praised her mate for doing what she knew to be right for the Volturi. How she knew it was right still eluded her, causing Charlotte much frustration.

"The world is changing, and humans are becoming more of a threat to us every day. It's time for this," Aro admitted. He had said the same thing a decade ago when the two covens and their allies had met on the snowy field in America. But there were no concessions made that day except to let the Cullens go home unpunished.

"Yes, it is time. This is not an issue of pride, Aro, but of acceptance." She thought a moment on her mate's words. "Do you think we may, some day, have to openly defend ourselves against them? The humans?'"

"Not 'we', cara. I will never risk your existence," he said, brushing his fingers across her cheek.

"Aro, if there is ever a threat to the Volturi, I will stand at your side and fight. I'm no coward!" Charlotte said defensively.

"I know you are not, my spirited warrior, but I wouldn't see you harmed."

"You can't protect me all the time," Charlotte pronounced.

Charlotte was feeling the typical anxiety that came when she felt the urge to do something, such as meeting the Cullen clan. She placed her hand on Aro's face, forcing him to look at her. "I'm feeling that compulsion again. It's not that strong yet, but if it's like the last time, it will get worse. You and Carlisle must mend the fence. It's...necessary."

"Cara, this feeling you get, it must be due to some gift that we were not aware of. I felt your empathy from the beginning, but this..."

"I don't know what it is. It comes and goes. Marcus and Alice seem to know something about it, but neither has an answer for me on the whys. Maybe it manifested into something greater when I was changed into a vampire, but I'm tired of dealing with it, Aro."

"Then we will go away for awhile. We have a villa on the island of Santorini, away from the populated areas. A peaceful getaway for us both, away from Volterra, away from the Volturi...except me, of course."

"Una vacanza in Grecia! Oh my god, Aro, you know exactly what I need and when I need it." She was so happy, that she wanted to show Aro how much. She lay back on the bed, pulling him down with her. She kissed him deeply, her hand sliding down his bare chest, then she planted kisses on his neck, over his shoulder blade, and lower still until she had reached his belly.

Aro arched his back when her hand grasped him, stroking him into hardness. Buried deep inside his mate, her legs wrapped tightly around his body, all thoughts of Carlisle and the coming talk he dreaded left his mind.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Charlotte and Alice had agreed to a time the next afternoon for the two coven leaders to meet using human technology, ironically. "Here's the stylus, Aro, in case you need to use the touch screen option. I'll be back later. I love you."

Once Charlotte had shown Aro what to do, she kissed him and left their chambers. She ran to Caius' rooms, banging on the door. In seconds, the Volturi leader answered, giving Charlotte the raised brow expression she'd come to know and love from him.

"Sister? Why all the ruddy noise? Are humans storming the castle?"

Charlotte laughed. "You wish. It'd give you the chance to kill a few." Pushing past Caius, she went into his bedroom, and came back, holding his shoes out, giving him the order, "Put these on. We're going out. No jacket. Keep it casual."

"Wait! I'm not doing anything until you tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong. Aro is talking with Carlisle using my laptop. Your rooms are too close to ours. Remember? The broken lamp? You are going for a walk into the village with me, now!" She pulled on his arm. "You promised you would escort me, Caius, and it's a lovely afternoon. Cloudy, with a chance of night showers."

"Very well, sister. I did make that promise to you." Caius let Charlotte leave his chambers first, then shut the door behind him.

Going out the back gate, Charlotte slipped her hand in Caius', leading him from the compound until she felt they were out of earshot.

"So Aro agreed to talk with Cullen, and you don't want to hear what they have to say to each other?" Caius was very curious as to what Aro would say to Carlisle.

"Not until Aro tells me himself." Feeling a bit less frantic, Charlotte walked slowly toward the center of the village, enjoying the outside air. "Do you ever come to the village, Caius?"

"Rarely, actually. It was an offer specific to you, my dear sister." Caius gave her a smirk.

"Well, I've been here with Marcus and Aro. It's about time you got around to it. It's a visually charming place, if you took the time to look around," Charlotte said, trying to get Caius interested.

"If you recall, Charlotte, you dragged me here." He felt it important that she thought he saw her as a nuisance. Caius really didn't mind, but he didn't want her to know that. He enjoyed any time he spent with Charlotte. The pin she had gifted him made him visualize her on horseback, riding astride, her thick auburn hair streaming out behind her as she galloped across a field. He committed himself to inviting her to go riding sometime. "You have only to lead, and I will follow," he huffed.

"Walk with me then, and tell me something about your past."

"It will take awhile for me to find a memory that will be entertaining enough to please you," he teased, remembering her interest in the Romanian vampire war.

"Caius, are you trying to tell me that I'm hard to please?" She laughed as she grabbed his arm, linking hers with his. "I don't think so. Aro bought me one perfect carnation our last walk here, and I thought it a very sweet gesture."

"I never knew my brother was such a romantic," Caius observed.

Charlotte just smiled at the vampire leader, but said nothing more.

They reached the piazza that was lit up, filled with people enjoying the afternoon's activities. It would still be full well into the evening. 'O sole mio' was blaring over the loudspeakers, and couples were dancing and laughing together.

"Caius, in one week, you will have fulfilled all your promises..." She held out her hand to him. "...if you dance with me."

Torn between his own dislikes and his wanting to please Charlotte, Caius took her hand in his, his free arm moving around her waist.

Charlotte put her hand on Caius' shoulder, following along with him when he led her among the throng of humans as they danced to the music. "You're quite graceful, but then so is Aro. Must be a vampire thing."

"Everything good is a vampire thing for you?" He laughed, his voice low that only she could hear him above the music. "Better, I suppose, then everything bad being a vampire thing."

"I'm a dancer, Caius. I studied, worked, and practiced for years to learn all I know. It just comes naturally to you, I think." Charlotte gasped suddenly when he abruptly spun her around him. She had to cling to him until she balanced herself, chastising him, "You surprised me there. Be careful."

"Ah, so a trained dancer, who happens to be a vampire, loses her balance with one spin. I see how it is now," he laughed, finding he was actually enjoying himself.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Aro sat at his desk, looking at the computer screen. Carlisle had not yet logged on for their meeting, the first time the two men will have spoken in a decade. What would they say to one another? Would there accusations, talk of unification, or idle family chit chat? It was only a few minutes before Carlisle's face appeared.

"Hello, Aro. It's good to see you, my friend." His voice was calm, belying his own nervousness. The last time he had seen Aro was on a snowy field of battle, which, due to Alice's vision, ended up nothing more than a field of contention. There was only one death that day, Irina of the Denali coven, vampires Carlisle considered cousins.

"Hello, Carlisle. It pleases me to see you again, after so long." Aro eyed Carlisle, wishing he could touch him and read his memories. For now, he would have to follow his instincts. It wasn't as if Carlisle was known for trickery. All the time he had been acquainted with his old friend, Aro had found him to be a decent man of peace. To forswear human blood was indicative of that.

"I'm afraid your Charlotte and my Alice are coercing us to make friendly, neither knows why. But it seems important to both of them."

"Charlotte told me that as well, Carlisle." Aro tilted his head as his mind raced for an idea, anything to end the suspense. "Perhaps we could meet and continue our conversation in person. I find this use of technology to be inefficient. Would you care to visit Volterra?"

Carlisle wanted to agree, but the Volturi didn't trust his kind. And he wanted this meeting to work. "That might not be wise, Aro. But I would counter with an offer for you and Charlotte to visit us in Leavenworth. We have a place away from town, and there would be less likelihood that anything could go wrong."

Aro considered the offer, knowing the things that could go wrong. Here was his chance to do what Marcus had done, siediti faccia a faccia, sit face to face, to talk about old times, and new plans, if all went well. Charlotte going with him would show Carlisle that he had only the best intentions. "Agreed, Carlisle. I'm sure my mate will be happy to see Alice again. They seem to get along very well. And I look forward to meeting the rest of your...family, if we are welcome."

Carlisle laughed. "I may be able to convince them. Alice can help, since she is more the trusting sort. The hospitality you showed her gave us hope, Aro."

Aro thought that an odd thing to say. Hope for what?

"Then it is agreed. It would be best for you to come here."

"You might be right, old friend," Aro agreed. "My people may not be quite ready for this."

"What is 'this'?" Carlisle asked.

Aro replied, "Peace between our two covens."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Charlotte was shocked that Aro had agreed to visit the Cullen family, but she was pleased as well. He'd asked her to go with him, since she was friendly with them already. He informed her that they would go with Jane and Alec as their guard, since Felix and Demetri were both being punished for their indiscretion in Rome. Charlotte put her foot down, and refused to have Jane come along. "Bring Alec if you wish, but I will not have Jane accompanying us."

Aro considered his mate's objection. "Very well, then, we will travel alone. No guards."

Relieved, Charlotte hugged Aro. "That's wonderful! We'll dress as ordinary humans. Wear your black suit if you wish, and I'll wear my black jeans and a sweater. We won't take our cloaks, just coats, to fit in with the humans. No need to appear imperious, my love." She ran a hand over his chest, then kissed him.

Charlotte was so excited to be getting out of Italy with Aro. First, they'd be flying to America on the private jet, then they'd be driving together from Seattle airport to Leavenworth in a car already secured for them. Charlotte was just happy she was going to America again. And she found out the scenery on the drive would be beautiful.

"It's too bad Felix and Demetri aren't going with us. Emmett and Felix got along very well."

"Remember, they are being punished, my dear. No outside missions for two weeks. It will just be the two of us."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Carlisle was waiting outside on the balcony for Charlotte and Aro to come upstairs. He greeted Charlotte with a hug. "Welcome back, Charlie. It's good to see you again. Please, come in."

Aro frowned when he heard Cullen calling his mate by her familiar name rather than her formal one. After she stepped through the doorway, Aro stood next to Carlisle.

"Hello, Aro," he said, holding out his hand.

Aro looked down at the extended hand. Obviously he was not going to attempt to read his old friend, but did Carlisle trust him not to? It seemed he had nothing to hide, and was merely being polite. He took the other man's hand and shook it. "Thank you for your invitation, Carlisle. You have a very nice home here, and we appreciate your hospitality."

Both men went into the house, and walked up to the top level. In the large living room, Aro came face to face with the rest of the Cullen family members.

"Aro, this is my wife, Esme. And those goofballs over there are my sons, Emmett and his mate Rosalie, and Jasper, who is Alice's mate."

"Hello, again, Aro," Alice said, before she went over to hug Charlotte. "I'm so glad you came, Charlie."

"I wouldn't miss this meeting for the world," Charlotte replied. A part of her felt that she needed to be here to run interference if it came to that. She saw how all eyes were on Aro, suspicion clearly there.

Carlisle continued the introductions. "You know Edward and Bella, of course."

"Yes, I do. A pleasure to see you both again." All these gifts in one room, Aro thought. He noticed Edward giving him an unpleasant stare

Esme hugged Charlotte as the hostess of this strange get together. "Hi, Charlotte. We're happy to have you here again and so soon."

Emmett came over and gave Charlotte a big bear hug. "So where is your bodyguard? I thought we might arm wrestle again, give me a chance to recoup my dignity."

"I'm sorry, Emmett, Felix had to stay in Volterra. Maybe next time." She turned to Aro, saying, "Felix defeated Emmett twice at arm wrestling, so can you blame him for wanting a rematch."

Aro grinned and let Charlotte sit on a long couch, then he sat next to her, crossing one leg over the other and laying one arm on the back behind Charlotte, at least appearing to look comfortable. "Where are your pets, Carlisle?" he asked.

Carlisle smiled as he looked down. The Volturi master was trying to push his buttons, but he knew Aro well enough not to fall for it. "Aro, the Quileute pack don't belong to us. When we left the Forks area, they didn't come with us. They have their own land there."

"Of course. I should have known better," Aro said. He noticed Charlotte giving him the evil eye. He could tell his mate was not pleased with him right now.

"Charlotte and Alice seem to feel it's important we discuss matters, Aro. The Volturi have always been strong, but a bit heavy-handed, if I may say so. Our ties go way back, and I'll always cooperate with you. I just want what's best for my family."

"As do I, Carlisle. It's a great responsibility to maintain order. Without it, humans could easily become aware of our existence, and that would threaten all of us."

Carlisle stood, his hand out. "Then let this be a first step to preventing that from happening."

Aro stood and took his friend's hand. "Yes, our first step."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Hours later, while sitting in the jet at Sea-Tac, Aro reached a hand over to Charlotte, grasping hers tightly. "How are you feeling now, my dear? Are you still upset with me?" Aro held her hand in his while he spoke with her. "We can travel to Santorini now, if you wish to get away."

"I feel better, Aro, the compulsion is gone. It wasn't as strong as before. Obeying the need right away makes it less intense. But Marcus seems to think this is only the beginning. Between him, Alice and me, we can't figure out what the hell is going on. But yes, let's still plan to go to Santorini. I need to get away for some sun and fun, and you." She kissed his cheek while squeezing his hand back. "Wait, we're going now? Like right this moment now?"

"Why not now, my heart." Aro knew she was still stressed about the feelings that had been controlling her peace of mind lately, so his plan to whisk her away to Greece seemed for the best.

"Oh, Aro, that's wonderful. You set this up, and didn't tell me." Charlotte hugged her mate, happy that they could get away, not only from Volterra but from the compound as well. Away from this crazy existence she found herself in.

"Malia packed your bags. Everything is in the cargo hold. No need to return to Volterra just yet."

The jet left, and with one stop midway, landed at the Santorini airport, where Aro picked up a waiting car, and he and Charlotte headed for the Volturi-owned villa overlooking the bright blue Aegean Sea.

Walking into the well-lit villa, Charlotte ran to the back door, and throwing it open, stepped out onto the large patio, admiring the expansive ocean view. Arms slipped around her waist as Aro stepped behind her, his lips brushing the back of her neck.

"Isn't it beautiful, Charlotte?" Aro was a man who appreciated beauty, and was pleased to see the villa had been kept up so well in the absence of visitors. Flowers bloomed everywhere, and the grounds were manicured perfectly.

"Mmmm...gorgeous. Do you think we might go swimming later?" Her hands rested on Aro's arms as they encircled her.

"Ah, cara, I forgot to have our suits packed," Aro teased, knowing Charlotte wouldn't care.

Charlotte smiled. "Who needs suits, love? We can go to the beach tomorrow. It will feel wonderful. It's been a long time since I've been swimming."

"Shall we walk the temple ruins now then? You expressed an interest, and I know just the place. The sun is behind heavy cloud cover, so it will be safe for us. Then we can walk to the center of town." Aro waited for Charlotte to finish up in the bathroom. When she entered the bedroom, his eyes gazed at his mate. Dressed in a pure white dress that draped to just below her knees, her upper body was held in a corset. One sleeve sat upon her right shoulder while the other draped off her left shoulder. If he hadn't known she was a vampire, he would have thought her a goddess. He went over to Charlotte, placing his hands on her waist. "You are too beautiful for mortal eyes, my dear. They will look upon you and be blinded for the offence."

Aro was dressed in his typical black slacks with a long-sleeved dark blue shirt, no jacket today.

Smiling at her mate, Charlotte, who found him quite sexy in this casual look, leaned in to kiss Aro. He never failed making her feel beautiful by his looks or his words. Grabbing a small wristlet, she and Aro left the villa, and began their walk along the land bordering the ocean. There was no need to speed run, so they sauntered the trail hand in hand, admiring the view.

Their walk along the trail eventually led to the ruins of an old temple. Aro explained to Charlotte the history, to which god the temple had been dedicated, and the cause of the eventual destruction of the edifice. They were standing in the center of fallen pillars and stone blocks, when a local man coming down the trail noticed them just as a cloud moved, exposing the sun, its brightness shining down on Aro and Charlotte. When the man looked over at the couple, he saw the image of two beings sparkling like diamonds in the light. He fell to his knees, closing his eyes, and speaking in Greek.

"Aro, the sun." Charlotte saw the clouds moving across the sky, leaving the uncovered sun overhead, exposing the vampire pair to its rays. She heard the man babbling in Greek. "What is he saying, Aro?"

Aro looked over at the man, listening to his words. "He thinks we're gods returned from Olympus." He took a step towards the intruder, when Charlotte pulled him back.

"Don't kill him, love," she asked, knowing what was coming next. "He thinks we're gods, not vampires. Let's be off before he raises his head and sees us again." Charlotte laughed and sped off, Aro close behind her. They stopped and listened from a distance. "What is he saying now?"

"He's begging for us to return and give him our blessing. 'Please return from Olympus, sacred ones.' " Aro laughed and hugged Charlotte, who was also laughing.

"Well, if he says anything, his friends won't be buying him ouzo or wine for a long time," Charlotte said, still laughing.

Aro took a hold of Charlotte's hand and led her up a steep hill which they climbed easily. At the top, grasping her shoulders, he turned Charlotte around to face the sea. "The view here is spectacular, my heart. You can see all the way to the end of the world," he whispered in her ear. Her eyes took in the view which was as wonderful as Aro had promised. With their enhanced vision, it was better still. They could see fishing boats miles out to sea and small islands dotting the area.

The sun was finally setting, casting long shadows from the trees on the rocky ground. The pair headed toward town, where music filled the air. They had worn brown contacts so sun glasses would not be necessary. No longer sparkling like gods, they went up to a taverna, and sat at a small table to listen to the music. Aro ordered two glasses of Assyrtiko wine.

"Aro, why buy wine we won't be drinking." Charlotte picked up the glass and sniffed it. She dipped her forefinger into the glass and tasted the liquid. It might have been delicious to her at one time, but the vampire in her no longer had any desire for it.

"it's good for the local economy, my dear," Aro explained. "We invest in the businesses of several countries. What harm in spending a few euros here and there. Pretend to sip it, unless you wish to go ahead and drink it, Charlotte. You will have to purge it from your system later."

Charlotte never liked the idea of that, so only pretended to sip from the glass.

Soon, a woman came by their table and spoke to Aro in Greek. "Kyrios," she said, giving Aro a small bow of her head.

Aro smiled and nodded, saying, "Efcharistó" which Charlotte knew to mean 'thank you'. When younger, she had learned basic phrases in Greek, Japanese and Russian, much of what she had learned now long forgotten.

"Who was that, Aro? What did she say?"

"She, my dear, is one of our kind. She knew us not drinking the wine could be awkward, so she offered to take it away."

"I see. And she recognized you by the necklace."

"Just so. She called me 'master'. Vampires around the world know of the Volturi. We command respect."

"Respect or fear?" she asked him pointedly, knowing some actions of the Volturi did not leave behind warm fuzzies.

"What does it matter, Charlotte, as long as they obey the laws."

"just remember, Aro, you enforce the laws, you are not the law." Charlotte hoped Aro would agree that the Volturi had to represent justice in the vampire world. She faced him when he turned to give her a warning, then she gave him a warm smile when she saw him swallowing his protestation.

Music filled the air, and Aro, feeling as if he were home, stood and held out his hand to Charlotte.

She stood and smiled, taking Aro's hand. He led her into the crowd, and showed her the steps. She winked at him, knowing some already. Aro stood and clapped while Charlotte spun around, her arms up in the air, fingers snapping. He grabbed her by the waist, and hugging her tightly, spun them both around. They danced among the humans, laughing together, thoughts of Volterra far away.

Back at the villa, Aro and Charlotte sat out on the balcony sharing a lounge, their eyes watching the waves as they rolled in, despite the darkness.

"Aro, you mentioned supporting businesses you invest in. Do you do things for Volterra as well?"

"Of course," Aro answered. "We donate to the local church and schools. We patronize some of the local businesses, as you have seen. It's good for the city. And the law protects us in ways you are familiar with. There are a handful of humans who know our secret, and who know the city benefits from our presence. They feel safer working with us."

"Like the understood law that no one can collect humans for our meal times from within the city walls," Charlotte ventured.

"Exactly, my dear. And local law enforcement generally ignore our activities. It is very much an equitable relationship for us all. We benefit, they benefit. It's been that way for centuries."

Charlotte never thought vampires would care about humans in any way, yet here they were, contributing to local organizations. And the church as well? "I think the world would be shocked to know vampires are the benefactors of schools...and the church. Imagine how our kind would be viewed..." On seeing Aro giving her a look of disbelief, she cut herself off. "...never mind. It's the advertiser in me. My career when I was human. I know it's ridiculous. There's no PR in the world that would prove to anyone that vampires are not a threat to humanity."

"It's enough that we make a great deal of money, my dear, and we support our city. The local authorities are well paid to look the other way."

"Well, bribery aside, I mentioned to Marcus once that I would support vampires working with humans to benefit both."

"But this is a secret arrangement, cara. We do not speak of it aloud. Please remember that." Aro touched her lips with his finger. "Not a word to anyone."

In the days that followed, Aro and Charlotte enjoyed their time together. Swimming on the beach, shopping in the village, and riding donkeys around the island. Charlotte had wondered if animals could sense they were not human, but she found her donkey affable beyond expectation. Perhaps the fact they were vampires made the beasts friendlier. Aro was not used to riding donkeys, but managed to hold onto his dignity. Charlotte laughed with joy while her animal walked over the terrain carefully, as if he thought it was his responsibility to protect her. When their ride was done, she scratched the grey fur of his neck, wishing they could take him back home with them.

Their last evening on the island, Charlotte lay next to Aro on the bed, asking him if they could stay longer.

"I would love to stay longer, but we need to be getting back, piccolo mio. Do you want to continue to leave Caius in charge?" He took her in his arms and kissed her neck, licking beneath her ear, the goosebumps apparent on her arms. She shivered beneath him, not from the coolness of the night, but in need for her mate to take her utterly and completely.

"No, I guess not...oh god, Aro. Right there. More please." Charlotte knew this was just a respite from Volturi life, and she was grateful to Aro for the gift of time. She didn't know when the compulsion would take her over and what it might entail next. Aro touched her where she loved being touched, and the worry left her instantly.

A/N : So Aro and Carlisle have met, coming to an amicable agreement. Good for them! They will need unity for the vampire world to survive. Meanwhile...Charlotte still has that thorn in her side to deal with.