A/N: A quick thank you to everyone who added this story in their alerts and/or added it to their favorite list. It truly means a lot to me.

Chapter 8-

Bella's POV-

"Wow," I spoke, awe evident in my tone. "This is something."

And it really was.

Marcus had not been kidding when he said that he was an artist- he was an amazing one- his portraits unlike any I had ever seen before.

Marcus smiled a small smile, shrugging lightly, not willing to believe how good he was at this.

"Seriously," I grinned, turning once again to look at the portrait in my hand- it was of Didyme- as were all of them, and I would be lying if I stated that I wasn't a tad bit jealous of this fact. It was obvious of how much he loved her, but I was reassured by the look in his eyes as he met mine. I was not his second option. I could see the adoration, love and respect clear in his eyes. Sure, it was slightly frightening, but it was also warming my heart.

Yeah…I was definitely confused at the moment.

I just couldn't clear tell of what exactly was on my mind. I liked Marcus- it was almost impossible not to like him, but I had hardly known him since a day- which had instant alarm bells ringing in my head for it is not normal to be attached to someone this quick. But, he did not seem harmful or the creepy kind who would end up stalking me if rejected.

Anyhow, this turmoil in me was pretty much instant and too quick to even give a rational thought and so, as any sane person in the situation would do, I put it in the back of my mind and completely forgot about it.

If it could be dealt with at a later time, I would gladly select that option.

Yeah, that just seemed the most convenient option at the moment.

What's next; calling up Renee and sobbing my heart out?

Though that didn't seem that bad an option at the moment….

If nothing else, she could always talk about her recent short term obsession…um….hobby and give me a much needed distraction.

Yeah…that seemed much too good an option at the moment.

I needed that useless break, trust me on this.

Anyhow, I turned back to look at Didyme's portrait. She was beautiful, had to admit that, in a regal kind of way. She looked royal, her stance that of a dignified, elegant monarch. Her clothes and even her smile- it was almost intimidating. She looked the kind of woman that any man would be proud to have by his side, especially the king of his kind. Her black hair was long and shiny and her face unmarred of any line or flaw. She looked perfect, especially that perfectly formed grin that adorned her face.

I was almost jealous of her beauty…and that was saying something as I was not one to be jealous that easily.

I just didn't care enough- or was not insecure enough to not know my own self worth. Still, I was currently green with envy.

Marcus had once had this mirror of perfection by his side- I simply paled in comparison to that….as honest as could be.

I sighed, turning the portrait away from me.

Why did I even care?

It was not like this was a competition.

She was dead- being absolutely frank about it.

Okay, so sure I would never be able to look like that and carry that kind of grace and elegance, but it was not like anyone was sitting, judging me for it.

Wait.

What if they were?

They had obviously seen Didyme- Marcus, his brothers and their wives- what if they gossiped about me behind my back, pointing out the very fact that Marcus was simply unlucky and was now stuck with me….

Why the fuck did I even care?

I did not ask for this.

I would gladly leave this world and go back to my sane one.

Yes, definitely would do so if given the option to.

Marcus was attractive and sort of lovable, indeed, but neither had I asked for this and nor did I really want it.

I did not want Mr. Right.

I was not even searching for him.

I had been glad in my useless- nameless- fling life.

I was not even twenty five yet, I had all the time in the world.

Though, now it seemed that I would literally have all the time in the world.

Lesson learnt- Be careful what you wish for….for sometimes someone up there decides to grant your ridiculously, laughable request.

It was sad, indeed.

"What do you think?" Marcus questioned, bringing me back to the present, pointing towards the portrait in my hand, a curious expression on his face.

"This…this is really good," I stated, mildly stumbling over my own words. "You should…uh…get if framed."

I don't know why I was being such a nervous mess. It was completely unnecessary. Or maybe, it was because I now knew what I was competing against.

It was silly- I agree.

Marcus smiled, shaking his head. "I did have it framed at one point of time."

"Oh," I gulped. "Why did you remove it then?" I enquired, curiously.

He sighed, turning to look away from me. "After Didyme, I did not have it in me to see her smiling face in front of me, each day as I stared out of this very window."

"I am sorry," I mumbled, shyly.

I should have known this. I really needed to think my questions through before I muttered them.

Didyme was a difficult topic for him…as was expected to be.

He shrugged, waving me off.

I sighed, distracting myself by looking around me.

"Was this your room…earlier?" I asked, taking in the sight of the room. It wasn't barren like his previous room had been, thankfully, but it was nothing like the modern design, as well. The furniture was old and rusty- half broken in parts. It had a rich feel to it, indeed, but it also smelt and looked centuries old. Also, it had the feel of a man who had attempted to destroy this room in a fit of anger…which did not seem too much off the mark after knowing Marcus and Didyme's story.

He nodded his head, looking around. "Yes, I moved out of it afterwards. Heidi was told to redecorate this room a few decades back- and she did work on it, but certain things have passed the test of time."

I nodded my head, hesitantly. "Heidi is…."

He sighed. "The woman who brought you inside the Castle; She is our fisher. Her job is to go out…."

"And fish," I completed his sentence for him, scoffing lightly. "Right; because that is what humans are- fish, better than being called cattle, at least."

He sighed, shaking his head. "Bella, you know how it is….I don't agree with it, believe me, but there is not much I can do about it. I have tried but….."

I shook my head, interrupting him. "I am sorry. That was uncalled for, especially for you to be at the receiving end of my rant. I am aware that this is hardly your fault. I can't pin it down on you. I just….I want to go home." I sighed, turning to look away from me. "I am exhausted- exhaustion that sleeping will not cure. I want to meet my friends again. I want to just lie down on my couch in my living room and read a book that I have read a hundred times already. I don't want this eternity. I just want to go back to what is familiar to me."

It had been long time coming, a part of me was aware about this.

It had been a long day- and I was finally exhausted.

I just wanted to go home.

I would even accept going to Renee's at the moment.

I just wanted to go back to what was familiar to me.

Was that too difficult a wish to ask for?

Marcus sighed, refusing to meet my eyes. "I am sorry, Bella. I was being selfish. I was thinking only about my own self… but not anymore. I will…I will ask Demetri to escort you out. No one will bother you henceforth; you need not worry of that. But, I would request you to keep the secret of my kind. It is imperative that it remain a tight lipped secret. Also, take care of yourself and be safe….of course, all I can do is request you to take care of yourself….and be safe… but…."

"Marcus, stop," I spoke, interrupting his ramblings, my face expressionless. "You want me to leave?"

He had seemed so determined to never let me go….and now he suddenly wanted me to leave?

I was simply confused and kind of shocked by these turn of events.

He sighed, still refusing to meet my eyes- it was almost borderline annoying. "Of course not, my Bella; can a human survive without water- for a few days maybe, but not forever. You are my water. I will not be able to survive without you, not for more than a few days…a long few days I will spend craving for your sight and voice every few seconds. Maybe, finally I will get my wish to die. Of course, it is a futile wish now." He chuckled harshly.

"Then why do you even want me to go?" I shouted at him, angry at I don't even know what.

Did he want me to leave?

Why did he want me to leave?

I thought I was his mate.

I thought I was his forever.

I thought that we were never supposed to be separated.

A part of me was well aware that I was being ridiculous…that I was making a mountain out of a molehill…but I was just so tired and confused at the moment.

I wanted to cry.

I felt like crying.

And so, I did.

"I am just so confused right now…"I said through the few tears leaking down my eyes. "I want to go home, but I don't want to leave you. It is crazy, I hardly know you. I don't like change. I am scared of change. The last time I saw some sort of change, my dad abandoned me- and before that when I saw change, my mom no longer wanted to play 'mom'. She wanted to be free. She wanted to live the life of a young woman with no baggage or anything to pull her down. I was a burden to her, and she did not want me. Of course she never said it outright, but I could see it in her eyes when Phil was around, flirting with her like they were both in their twenties. I was pulling her down. I was unwanted- and then even Charlie did not want me. He was relieved to get rid of me. I just want to go back home. Soon even you will realize that I am just a waste of time and will gladly throw me aside….I can't wait for that day to come…"

"Shh," Marcus took me in his arms, letting me sob as I leaned into his chest. I was exhausted. I wanted to go home. "That day will never come." He took my head in his hands, making me meet his eyes, a decision taken evident in them. "I will never, ever, wish to get rid of you. You are my mate. You are the love of my eternity. I cannot survive without you. I don't want to survive without you. My life, without you in it, would be a half life, indeed. I don't want you to leave. I would never want you to leave. Please don't leave me."

He looked so vulnerable in the moment…so young…..so inexperienced….

"I am sorry," I stated. "I am simply overburdening you….."

He shook his head, cutting me off. "Never apologize to me for telling me what is on your mind. I am not like your parents, Bella. I will not abandon you. I cannot abandon you. I don't want to abandon you- not today and not millennia from today. Your parents did wrong to you, and it is their loss. They lost a daughter like you. Please don't make me pay for their mistakes. I am not like them."

I nodded my head, hesitantly. "I want to sleep."

I was just so drained out- emotionally and physically.

He nodded his head, taking my hand in his as he rubbed circles on my palm.

"I will take you back to your room. The rest of the tour can wait."

"My room," I questioned, surprised.

He shrugged. "You are my mate. You can have whatever you wish for- and it will be fulfilled."

I gave him a slight nod, too defeated to even begin an argument at the moment.

He led me by the hand, walking towards a corridor I had never been to before. I shut my eyes, leaning into him, a sigh leaving my mouth.

I did not even have it in me to open my eyes and look at what was around me.

I just didn't care at the moment.

I trusted Marcus enough to know that I was safe, no matter the fact that I was surrounded by the very creatures I dreaded- in their very home, at that.

Yea, I just wanted to sleep, hopefully waking up and realizing that this was all a massive sized nightmare I had had before I left for Volterra, Italy. And then, I would cancel my flight and throw a party for my friends. Not that I really liked partying or anything, I just wanted some resemblance to normal back in my life.

It was very much needed.

Anyhow, a person can always hope, can't they?

I faintly heard Marcus push open the door to a room, slowly lying me down on a soft mattress, my eyes refusing to open and see any of this happen.

"Sleep now, my Bella,"

That was the last thing I heard before sleep overcame me and I was dead to the world…thankfully, only metaphorically at the moment.

X-X-X

I felt my eyes open- my sleep dwindling away.

I was about to wake up- as was obvious- a sad reality that almost made me sigh.

Don't get me wrong, I liked Marcus. He was a good man and was attractive to look at, but there was just too much of baggage there to not give it a thought.

And when I say baggage, I don't mean Didyme.

I could see it in Marcus's eyes that I mattered to him….that I was important to him….that he respected me….and that was okay, for now at least.

His baggage, though, was the dreaded 'V' word.

His creepy brothers and their even creepier band of followers….

They freaked me out, period.

I so did not want to live with them….or even anywhere close to them….an entire continent away from them would be much rather preferable.

Alas, I don't think I was going to get my wish fulfilled any time soon.

I sighed audibly, shaking my head, getting rid of those thoughts of mine, softly opening my eyes and sitting up on the bed that I had been lying on. The Queen sized bed- that I had been lying on- was ornately decorated with pillows, much too lively for someone who had nothing but basic furniture in their room for centuries at stretch. There was a huge television mounted to the wall and a bookshelf- filled with books- in one corner. The wallpaper of the room was a light blue and gave quite an airy look to the room.

Apparently, this was to be my room- from what I remembered Marcus telling me.

It was indeed surprising that he had deemed it necessary to give me my own room, attaching my name to this room.

Not that I wanted to share with him- that thought made me blush- but I had so not expected getting my own room to stay in.

It just made it permanent, of sorts, and that terrified me.

"Didi," the room suddenly opened and a woman with long reddish hair and freakishly pale skin ran inside, jumping into my arms uninvited, giving me a massive sized hug, nearly choking me with the impact.

Huh. I had so not expected to die by choking from all the thousands of possibilities to die in this Castle.

Life is unexpected at times- that being understatement of the year.

By the way, who the fuck was this, and why on earth was she trying to kill me, using her freakishly strong arms as a weapon?

"I missed you so much." She stated, letting me go slightly. I took great advantage of that fact and settled myself on the far end of the bed, leaning into a pillow. One look into her dark red eyes and I knew that she was directly out of my nightmares.

Where the fuck is Marcus when you need him?

How could he even think of leaving me alone with her?

She was a vampire.

Duh, my mind pointed out in immensely late realization, but I ignored that part.

I had much more important things to worry about at the moment.

"Don't you remember me?" she whispered in a pleading voice.

I simply stared at her. Wasn't that obvious from by body language?

I knew that she was old; being a vampire and all, but come on, this much was obvious.

I was about to shake my head in definite denial when a memory suddenly started to make itself evident in my mind.

This was not my memory.

No…it was Didyme's.

She knew who this was.

"Didi, you have to do something." This same woman pleaded, her eyes worried and face drooped in tension. "I fear him going crazy with power. You are the only one he will listen to."

"Sulpi," Didyme sighed, looking around the unfamiliar room- only the two of them in sight, a definite private conversation from the looks of it. "Aro may be my brother, but everyone knows that he does not listen to anyone but himself. He has always been stubborn. But I am aware where your worry is stemming from. I have been worried myself. Caius is…greedy and anger filled. He prefers violence to peace. Athenadora is different. She is like you and I, but I would not trust Caius with even my dead body."

"Do something, Didi, you are the only one who I can rely on now. Aro is my mate. I don't want to lose him."

So, this was Sulpicia- Aro's mate.

Huh. She looked… almost normal.

"I will try, Sulpi," Didyme assured her, turning to look away from her, her eyes landing on a painting in the room- a painting of the four of them, by the looks of it. "Marcus will be on our side. We need not worry of that. I don't agree with Caius joining our coven, their evil intentions not sitting well with me, and if Aro still insists, Marcus and I will leave this coven."

Her voice held surety in it.

She was determined about this thought, her voice indicating that she would see it through.

"No," Sulpicia gasped. "You cannot leave us and go. You are family; family does not get upset and leave like this. I will not let you leave."

"Sulpi," Didyme smiled at her. "I am not going anywhere. Where will I go, anyhow? Surely, I wish to travel the world some day, but I am in no hurry for that day to come. And secondly, don't you worry, I know my brother. He would never let Marcus or I leave. I will talk to him at the earliest. I assure you Caius is not in this Castle to stay."

"Sulpi," I whispered the word, coming back to the present, the words spoken in that conversation still ringing in my ears.

She gasped, her eyes going wide. She would have been crying if she could.

"You remember?" she questioned.

I shrugged. "I just recollected a memory of you and Didyme, an important conversation, by the looks of it. The two of you were talking in a room….about…."

"About my husband," she finished the sentence with a nod.

"Yes," I hesitantly answered.

She sighed. "Oh, Didyme, I had been so correct to worry. It is much, much worse than what we were dreading. But, I am so glad that you are here. I needed my sister back in my life. This evil rule has lasted for much far too long. It is time to do something about it."

I simply stared at her, too shocked to even open my mouth and mutter one damn word.

What the hell?