AN: Even with major tech issues my lovely beta has managed to get my rabbling's sorted for us! doccooper is amazing :)

Thanks for all those reading and reviewing. I am working on some really complicated chapters at the moment and knowing people are actually reading this story makes it that bit easier!

EASILY OFFENDED

"Good evening, my lady. May I speak with Caius."

Aro greeted Athenodora as she opened the door to Caius' ground floor suite. Without speaking, she stood back to allow Aro to enter. He caught the limp in her step as she did so, and the blackening around her jaw.

Jesus Christ,Caius, what have you done to her? Aro's thoughts wandered back to the blow he had witnessed Caius deliver two days ago. Does Sully really believe I am on par with that? He pushed the thoughts from his mind, he had other things to focus on right now.

"He's in our bed chamber, Aro." Athenodora told him, though her speech slurred and she appeared to find it difficult to open her mouth properly.

Aro winced in empathy as he bowed lightly and headed for his brother-in-arms.

"Caius, I need to talk to you, brother." Aro said as he entered the room.

Caius' bed chamber was huge. Aro's wasn't small exactly, but it had been chopped in half to make a room for the twins. Aro looked around. Big enough to throw a bloody orgy, he thought, and we have, he added to himself grinning at the memories.

"Brother, will you talk with me." Aro tried again.

Caius remained as still as the dead as he lay on his bed looking on to the woodland just visible through the far window.

Aro closed the door and crossed the room, taking a seat on the plush four poster next to his co-master.

"I am sorry for your loss, my friend." Aro offered genuinely.

Caius scoffed.

Well, it's a start, thought Aro.

"Are you really, Aro?" Caius asked in disbelief. "It's no secret you hated Antonio!"

Aro shook his head. "I didn't hate him. He's caused me some trouble over the years, but I didn't hate him, brother." Aro spoke quietly and calmly, he didn't want to antagonise Caius right now. The man looked broken.

"I wish you had let me make the final decision, brother ... I could have eased your suffering a little." Aro offered. He meant it, too. He truly cared about Caius, though he knew that care was not returned.

Caius shook his head. "No. It was my duty, Aro. I did only what I had to do." he replied sadly.

Fantastic! Aro thought. You don't blame me, then. Nor suspect. Fantastic!

Aro realised how inappropriately pleased his thoughts were, yet he just couldn't help them. He knew Antonio had wanted his children dead and he would do anything to protect them. Having the guy killed was simply a matter of survival as Aro saw it.

"I have been dealing with Magnus, Caius." Aro started tentatively. "He has talked of leaving the coven."

Caius sat up and started paying attention now. "Why?" he asked in genuine confusion.

Aro looked solemn. "Well, brother, he has revealed to me that the guards have become a fractious bunch. He says living in the guard hall has begun to feel like a never ending Saturday evening in a rowdy tavern. Magnus and Freyr are in their forties - they don't want such a lifestyle. Our focus is on running the coven and since Marcus has all but departed from leadership, we are spread too thinly. Magnus fears guard life will only become more untenable without proper supervision as time goes on."

Aro stopped there. He could see Caius digesting the information.

"We can't lose Magnus and Freyr!" Caius exclaimed.

Hearing Caius falling into place, Aro felt his lips tugging into a smile. He supressed them, but it was hard.

"I agree, brother. I have an idea to keep them." he interjected.

Caius leaned forward to hear his brother's plan.

"I propose we offer Magnus and Freyr a position above the guards ... 'Masters of the Guard', if you will. Everyone likes them, everyone respects them, they can run guard relations and take the duty out of our hands - we don't have time to deal with the pettiness of guard life, but we do need someone to deal with it."

Aro stopped to see how Caius was taking his plan. He looked eager to hear more, much to Aro's pleasing.

"Do you think they would take the position, brother? It would certainly be a relief to be able to send guard squabbles to someone else to deal with!"

Aro smiled. There is nothing you enjoy less than being bothered with the lives of underlings, is there, brother! Aro thought, pleased that he knew his brother-in-arms as well as he thought.

"I have put out some feelers already. They seem receptive to me, but we may have to sweeten the deal."

"How? What can we offer?" Caius looked quizzically to Aro, sensing his brother already had something in mind.

Aro pointed up.

"What?" Caius asked.

Again, Aro pointed up. "Private chambers" he said simply.

Caius sat back and folded his arms across his chest, one hand went to rubbing his chin.

Aro worried for a moment that Caius was going to object.

"I could think of worse neighbours!" Caius faintly replied with a broad grin.

"Indeed!" Aro added, "You should try living in my tower with Basileus breathing down you neck!"

Caius puffed out his cheeks, "Not a chance!" he said with a look of horror on his face.

"I will give Magnus the news ... unless you would like to be present for any reason? Frankly, I want to find something to calm him down before he smashes my quarters to pieces!" Aro exclaimed.

"He's in your quarters?" Caius asked, surprised.

"Oh, yes!" Aro said, sounding annoyed.

"That is where my bloody brother and his sodding mate took him when they dragged him from the great hall!"

Caius laughed at Aro's plight.

"I could happily wring Eleazar's neck right now!"

Caius laughed harder. "I'd love to be there when Basileus returns to find out, brother! When is he returning, by the way?"

Shit, I don't want to tell you that yet, Caius. Aro thought to himself.

"Who knows, brother. His letters are very vague." Aro shrugged as he spoke and stood from the bed. "If you want some time off, Caius, I can manage things for a while." Aro offered genuinely.

Caius shook his head. He never wanted time off.

"Lighter duties then, perhaps?" Aro offered again, and to his surprise, Caius agreed.

Before he opened the door to leave his brother's bed chamber, Aro had a final thought, "Caius, you may want to take a look at Athenodora. Her jaw ... it's not healing properly."

He purposefully avoided eye contact as he spoke, not wishing to embarrass Caius in any way.

"I know," Caius called back. "I'll fix it when it's finished healing." he added with an evil smirk.

"Why would you do that?" Aro asked, not really understanding.

"Because it hurts more!" Caius replied, as though it were obvious.

You unimaginable evil cunt! Aro's thoughts raged at him, though to his credit, he managed to keep them from his face.

"As you wish." Aro said, plainly, before heading back to his own tower.

"It's all settled, you are free to move into the private chambers in the north tower and take the position of 'Masters of the Guard'." Aro announced as he entered his own living space.

"Masters ... plural?" Freyr asked.

"Yes, my dear ... it's a two-man job." Aro replied gleefully, feeling rather proud of himself for all that he had orchestrated in one day.

"Well done, brother." Eleazar commented. He knew Aro was giving himself a mental pat on the back already, but to be fair, he deserved it.

"Thank you, Aro. I, I don't know what to say." Magnus looked emotional and so appreciative. "We never expected payment, I hope you know that?"

Aro took a seat next to Sulpicia. "Indeed I do." he responded as he tapped his temple. "It won't be an easy task, my friend. Managing the guards will be a full-time job. You pretty much own the guard hall now ... " Aro trailed off, not wanting to put the pair off their new duties.

"Is that so?" Magnus asked.

Aro nodded happily.

Magnus turned to Aro's four children, all reading ... or, rather pretending to be reading ... at the meeting table to the far side if the room. "Then you are all welcome to join the guards in my hall whenever you wish." He extended his invitation to the young vampires who were all grinning like loons!

Aro threw up his hands in exasperation, though he was playful with it. "Why! Why would you do that?" he asked.

"I will keep my eye on them, Aro, don't worry." Freyr told him kindly.

Aro narrowed his eyes to his eldest boys. He had no worries about the twins, they were generally well behaved.

"If you go to the guard hall you go there as guards and you can expect to be treated as such. Don't come crying to me when Magnus wallops you!"

Felix and Demetri looked the gargantuan vampire up and down. Even in his seated position, he looked as tall as Felix. The adults heard them gulp from across the room, much to their amusement.

"You will behave for me, won't you lads?" Magnus asked as he stood to his full height, seemingly growing taller as he approached them.

All four sank into their chairs, books long forgotten, as they watched the new 'Master of the Guard' come closer. The twins shared a delighted smile as they realised they weren't in the firing line. Felix and Demetri were ready to piss their pants - if such a thing were possible for a vampire. Magnus closed in on the eldest two of Aro's children, easily pulling their chairs together and placing one hand on Felix's left shoulder and the other on Demetri's right one.

"You won't cause me any trouble, will you?" he asked with a kindness unbefitting to his imposing stance.

The duo shook their heads rapidly.

"You know I will be watching, yes?"

They nodded vigorously.

Magnus eyeballed the pair for a moment before removing his encompassing hold and standing back to full height. He started to stretch out his hands, first into a fist the size of Alec's head, bloodied knuckles still healing from his fight with Antonio.

The boys were transfixed as the splits opened to gapping wounds as Magnus tensed his fist - he didn't even blink at the pain it must have caused. Next he opened his hands flat ... they looked like shovels.

BANG! He clapped them together with an almighty boom. That had their attention and they both jumped in their seats.

"You wouldn't want me to have to punish you, would you?" he asked darkly.

"No, no ... no definitely not!" Felix answered. Demetri was still watching Magus in case he decided to give a demonstration.

Aro sighed contentedly to himself.

"What's wrong with you, brother?" Eleazar asked him with a light jab to his ribs.

"I just wish I'd thought of this years ago!" he replied, enjoying seeing his reckless sons finally taking proper notice of authority.

"How long have you been living as, well, as a family I suppose, my queen?" Freyr asked Sulpicia.

"Sully," Sulpicia corrected gently with a smile. "Officially, though privately, a few years. But really it has always been so." She chanced a look to Aro, who thankfully only smiled in return. She found it so deeply upsetting when he tried to deny their family status.

"And why must it remain a secret?" Freyr pushed.

"Caius mainly, my dear." Aro replied. "Relations with Caius are precarious at best. He struggles with our unequal leadership as it is - he has a very odd idea about what is 'fair'. Plus, it would make the four of them targets if anyone outside of this coven learned of my allegiance to them. I can't risk that, not yet anyway." Aro looked over to his young vampires with love filled eyes.

Now that Magnus had returned to his seat they all looked much more relaxed.

"I may have to send them to you when they start acting up next." Aro told Magnus with a wink.

"However I can be of service." he replied and turned to smile at the young ones over his shoulder.

Felix and Demetri laughed nervously as the other adults found such humour in their mild distress.

"Stop winding them up, Magnus. You are scaring them." Freyr told her husband quietly.

"That's just what they need!" Carmen said to Sully.

She had to agree. Carmen and Sulpicia had spoken at length about her wild boys and both believed they needed something, anything, that would bring them in line before they caused irreparable damage to the coven, though they disagreed on what that 'something' was.

"You make it sound like we are criminal! We know how to behave!" Felix injected indignantly, a little louder and certainly stroppier than he'd intended.

"Oh you know alright, not that you behave any better for it!" Eleazar said in good humour. He could see Felix was starting to brood again and he didn't want Aro to have to deal with the boy in company.

"Whatever." Felix responded, with as much teenage attitude as he could muster.

Aro flinched at his son's tone. It's been a busy day, don't react, don't react.We are all a little stressed, he told himself. Instead he got up to pour everyone another drink.

Once all the adults were replenished, Aro collected another four goblets for his children and filled them, too. As he delivered them he told the kids, "Just one, and try to relax a little." He was mainly speaking to Felix and they all knew it.

The boy scoffed lightly but tried to bring his emotions under control as he sipped at his cup.

Demetri eyed his brother dangerously. "What's your problem!" he asked in an angry whisper.

"They are treating me like a child and I am sick of it!" he replied in the quietest of angry whispers.

Demetri shook his head. He wasn't going down with Felix if he was on another self-destruct mission. Taking his goblet, he gestured to the twins to follow him and they joined Sulpicia by the fireside, sitting on the rug at her feet.

Everyone had fallen into easy conversation as Aro went to fill his cup. Barrel's empty. Fuck, have we really drained a whole barrel in a couple of days? Damn.

"Felix, will you take this barrel downstairs and bring up a new one?" he asked his eldest, though it sounded far too demanding to Felix.

Felix knew he was lucky to be let off with fronting so much attitude, especially in front of guests, but he didn't feel lucky right now.

"You've drank a whole barrel in two days!" Eleazar accused.

"No, brother," Aro replied whilst flicking his brothers cup, "WE'VE drank a whole barrel in two days! Besides, these are only table barrels."

Eleazar laughed and turned to Felix, "Fetch the one from my chambers, Felix. We'll use that up, first."

Felix looked murderous. "Prince of Volterra, huh? More like the royal fucking skivvy!" he said under his breath as he scraped his chair back loudly across the floor. Of course, in a room full of vampires, even in a relatively large living space like Aro's, 'under his breath' was subjective.

Shaking his head, Aro flashed to his son and dragged him back to the barrel by the scruff of his neck. "Pick it up."

Felix obeyed whilst giving Aro a filthy look.

"Now, take it down to the castle floor and bring the barrel from Eleazar's suite, got it?"

Feeling his face burning with shame, Felix dared a look to the others in the room; they all looked at him sadly, except his siblings, they looked on in disbelief, and slightly pleased. Bastards, Felix thought.

He should have backed down and taken the time Aro was offering out of their chambers to calm down. But no, that wasn't how Felix worked. When he was backed into a corner he came out fighting.

"Can't, not allowed outside the tower, MASTER!" Felix spat with venomous emphasis on the 'master'.

Aro roared fiercely.

Rather than backing down, Felix threw the barrel into the wall and growled. It sounded pitiful really, next to Aro's rage, but Felix wasn't trying to be threatening ... he just wanted to prove he wouldn't back down!

Snatching him up by the front of his tunic, Aro easily lifted Felix clear from the floor with one hand and carried him half strangled to the door before exiting and slamming it closed behind them both. Aro didn't stop at Eleazar's door, he went straight down to Basileus'.

"What are you doing? Where are you taking me?" Felix asked through the venom gurgling in his throat. God, I sound pathetic, he thought angrily, tugging at Aro's hand for all he was worth.

Once inside Basileus' chambers, Aro dumped his boy on the floor. As Felix scrambled to get to his feet, Aro pushed on his head, knocking him back down to his ass.

"STAY HERE UNTIL I FETCH YOU!" Aro raged into his son's face before turning on his heel.

"Where are you going?" Felix asked in a small, frightened voice.

"TO CALM DOWN!" Aro roared as he exited the ground floor suite, leaving Felix sitting like a lost soul on the rug.

Aro returned to his quarters with the barrel from Eleazar's apartment. The three couples fell into relaxed conversation, with Magnus and Aro going over ideas for managing the guards and drawing up plans for implementing the changes. They went on drinking late into the evening and it was close to midnight before Aro or Sulpicia noticed the time. Truthfully, they perhaps wouldn't have noticed if it were not for the twins' falling to sleep in front of the fire.

It took Magnus and Freyr by surprise to see them sleeping so peacefully.

"I always assumed the young ones would need more downtime than adult vampires, but to see them sleep ... they look like children!" Freyr exclaimed.

"They are children, my dear." Carmen said plainly.

Magnus thought back to the many battles he had fought in for the Volturi. "I've been on missions with your guard before, Aro. I have seen them rest after the exertions of battle ... but never sleep!"

Aro smiled. "They did sleep, for a short time. I generally had them huddle together so they could catch a few hours at a time. They aren't human so they can stay awake for a few days if they absolutely have to."

"I assume this is something else no one can know?" Magnus directed to Aro.

"I would prefer that, yes." he answered genuinely.

He had been worried about letting new people into his secret life, but now Aro was sure he'd made the right decision. He trusted Magnus and Freyr completely.

Sulpicia returned from settling her baby vampires into bed and placed a loving arm around her husband.

"My love, you should fetch Felix ... he needs to go to bed." Sully told him quietly.

Aro nodded, though he didn't offer the same smile she did in return. I hope you have calmed yourself down, boy ... I will punish you in front of our guests if you force my hand.

Aro had only been gone a moment before he was back in the stairwell doorway.

"He's not there, I'll wring his bloody neck when I find him!" he exclaimed in annoyance.

Eleazar turned to Demetri, their highly skilled tracker. "Do you know where he is?"

Demetri looked offended, and he didn't like having every other vampire in the room watching him so intently.

"How would I know? I've been here with you!" he returned forcefully.

Aro flashed to his boy and knelt down to him on the floor, "Demetri if you know ... "

"I don't!" the youngster interrupted, not wanting his father to finish his threat in front of their house guests.

"Well you can find him, can't you?" Eleazar pushed, knowing the boy was holding out on them.

Demetri concentrated for a moment, though it wasn't easy to do with Aro breathing down his neck.

"He hasn't left the castle, but I don't know where he is."

Aro scoffed and placed his hand around the back of Demetri's neck to read his thoughts, not that it would do any good. Demetri hadn't pushed his gift enough to actually find Felix, just enough to show willing.

"Yes you do, where is he?" Aro ground out through gritted teeth.

"I don't know. I've had a couple of glasses of this, my gift is woozy." Demetri whined as Aro tightened his grip.

Aro stood up and shook his head. Looming over Demetri, he created an imposing sight.

"Woozy?! Don't give me that rubbish! And you only had one!" Aro accused.

Eleazar caught his brother's attention and nervously admitted, "I might have given him another ... "

"I did too." Carmen interrupted sheepishly.

"You told me you'd only had one." she accused Demetri, who laughed nervously from the floor.

A rumbling growl was rattling in Aro's chest as he snatched his boy from the floor with one hand and planted a series of sharp smacks to his rear end with the other.

Demetri hissed and jumped about, but he was quite impressed with himself for staying relatively quiet. The bloodwine had certainly dulled his senses; though not his shame, sadly.

"Go to bed. Go on." Aro ordered as he set him back on the ground.

Demetri didn't need telling twice, but as it was his first time on his feet since downing three goblets of bloodwine, he stumbled as he tried to flash from the living room and crashed into the wall with enough force to knock the gilded mirror from its fixings causing it to smash into a hundred pieces as it hit the stone floor.

"I'll kill them all at this rate!" Aro called out, hoping Demetri heard him.

Sulpicia was far more concerned about Felix than she was a broken mirror. "You don't think he would have ... not again?" she asked her husband, worry dripping through her words.

Aro knew what Sully was referring to - last time Felix did a midnight flit it was to commit a crime against coven rules and kill humans in Volterra.

"No, no my queen. Certainly not." he told her gently. He truly didn't believe Felix would be so stupid again. "I'll find him." he said as he kissed her forehead.

"I'll come with you, brother." Eleazar offered as he collected his cloak.

Magnus got to his feet. Most of his wounds were only scrapes and bruises and he had healed well already. "I will help!"

Aro smiled kindly to his friend. I do trust you Magnus, but if my son has done something, well, something Felix-like, I would rather not implicate you in his crimes.

"No, you should go and tell the guards of your new appointment and get settled into you new chambers - you have done more than enough for my son today, Magnus." Aro clapped the vampire's shoulder before flashing from his suite with Eleazar.

After expressing their gratitude for their new fortune again to Sulpicia, Magnus and Freyr left for the guard hall as instructed.

"I will help you clean up, Sully. Don't worry, they will find him." Carmen told her, kindly, as the pair set to work clearing goblets and mirror shards from the main quarters.

…

"I think that went rather well, my dear." Magnus told his wife as they headed to the north tower. "The guards seemed pleased to hear of our new duties, I must say I was expecting some objections!" Magnus exclaimed.

Freyr tucked into his side and pulled his arm around her as they walked at a human pace together.

"Really my love, they witnessed you ripping Antonio to shreds this morning. I think those guards will be putty in your hands for a good while yet."

When they reached the stairwell leading to their new private quarters, Magnus scooped his wife up in his arms and carried her up the stairs. Kicking the door to the middle floor suite open, they both peered inside.

"Fit for a queen, my dear." he whispered, softly, before kissing her deeply.

The sound of something dropping on the floor startled them both. Magnus set Freyr on her feet and they both focused their eyes towards the source of the noise.

Felix.

"So, this is where you're hiding." Freyr said, kindly, as the boy got to his feet.

"I'm not hiding!" Felix spat, giving a filthy look to them both.

"Sitting in the dark in a place no one would think to look for you ... sure looks like you are hiding to me, young one." Magnus said whilst looking him up and down.

He's drunk, oh damn it, he thought. Turning to Freyr he whispered, "Go tell Aro to call off the search party, I'll bring him along shortly."

Naturally, Felix heard. "Yeah, grass me up quick ... that's your new job, after all."

Freyr squeezed her husband's hand in support before leaving her new home.

Magnus closed the door behind her and approached the young vampire, collecting his discarded goblet from the floor.

"Don't mouth off to me, boy. I have never stood for your cheek." he told the youth, plainly.

"Fuck you!" Felix slurred in reply. He took a swing at Magnus but missed by at least a full arm's length.

Pissed up little brat! Magnus thought, annoyed that the usually jovial youngster would have the audacity to try and punch him in the first place!

"Would you like to try that again?" he ground out dangerously.

"FUCK YOU!" Felix roared as he swung a second time – closer, but still miles off the mark.

Magnus grabbed the boy's fist, enveloping it with his own huge hand, as he pulled him close and landed a booming slap to the boy's ass.

Felix started to cry and mentally berated himself. It was only one smack, for fuck sake. Get it together, stop being a dick!

Magnus used the boy's minor melt down to pull him in close and tried to use his gift to force Felix to relax.

"Calm yourself." he said gently.

Felix felt Magnus' emotions licking at the edge of his psyche. No, no I don't want to be calm!

He forced his way out of Magnus' grip and stood back, panting at the exertion.

"Do you have something you would like to say to me?" Magnus asked him, unsure what was really going on with the young guard.

"What do you mean?" Felix asked whilst looking at Magnus as though he were something he'd trodden in.

"I assume you chose to hide in my chambers because you wished to talk me," Magnus offered, though seeing the boy's stance, he changed his thought process, "or was it a fight you were after?"

Felix scoffed. "I could fight you!" Magnus smiled.

Patronising prick, Felix thought.

"You could give it a try." Magnus crooned, knowing the boy didn't stand a chance. But he would show him up if that's where Felix wanted to go to. He opened his arms wide, "Come on, then." he said with a cocky smile.

Felix lunged forwards, hoping being quick off the mark would take Magnus by surprise. It didn't.

Like a Spanish bullfighter luring in his beast, Magnus deftly guided Felix towards him and then side stepped to avoid any contact. As the young vampire barrelled passed him, Magnus landed another sharp swot to his backside.

"Ahhhh!" Felix roared with the sting.

"You will have to put a bit more effort in than that, son." Magnus said, leaning coolly against the far wall as though nothing had happened.

"I'm not your fucking son!" Felix roared to the elder as he ran at him again. This time Magnus allowed the boy to get close but caught his first swing and held him just a little too far away to make contact.

Felix was swinging around, legs and free arm flailing in his attempt to attack Magnus whilst the elder simply looked on without pause for concern. Every now and then he would give him another smack to his ass.

"No, you're not my son. You're Aro's . And what do you think your father is going to have to say about this, huh?"

Felix stopped his thrashing about immediately as Magnus' words sunk in.

"Hmm, starting to see sense now, are we?" Magnus appraised as he set Felix on his feet.

Magnus turned Felix by his shoulders to face him, though Felix refused to look at him. He felt a bit of a tool now, truth be known.

"I don't understand why you have suddenly developed a problem with me, Felix, but I am choosing to forgive you anyway. Call an end to your quarry with me now before you do something you will regret." Collecting the boy's goblet, Magnus headed to the door. "Come along, let's get you home."

"I have something that belongs to you, Sully." Magnus called out as he pushed Felix through the door. "Although, I'm not sure who's this is." he said as he handed over the empty cup.

Sulpicia took Magnus' offering and set it on the table as she felt her annoyance bubble over into anger.

"Thank you, Magnus. I hope he didn't give you any trouble?" Sulpicia said politely, knowing full well Felix would have given their friend as much trouble as he possibly could.

"I am sure Aro will see, my lady. But think nothing of it." Magnus said as he took his wife's hand and left for their own quarters.

Sulpicia closed the door behind them and then rounded on Felix.

"What were you thinking?" she asked, punctuating each word with a slap across her bullish boy's head.

"Ow!" Felix called out as he tried to deflect his mother's slaps.

"Your father and Eleazar have gone to search for you. Demetri and Carmen have had to go and search for them to tell them you have been found. And it sounds like you gave Magnus some trouble, too. You bring shame to yourself and your father and me. Magnus has done you a great deed this day and this is how you repay him?" Sulpicia's voice became louder and higher with every word until she was shrilly screaming at her wayward son.

Felix couldn't listen to anymore. He turned towards the bed chambers and started stomping off in a drunken sway. "Saint fucking Magnus!" he called over his shoulder. Not that he got very far,

Sulpicia was soon in front of him, pushing him back to the living room. "Where do you think you are going?" she asked.

"To bed!" Felix spat back.

"I don't think so. You can sit down here and start coming up with some way to excuse your abhorrent behaviour." She pushed him down onto the sofa and turned her back on him.

Felix was starting to feel tired now. He'd cracked open a barrel and started to drink the delicious bloodwine as soon as Aro had left him in his grandfather's suite. He'd told himself he was only going to have one to help him calm down ... one turned to two, then five, then ten. He was fucked. And rather than calming down, Felix now felt more pissed off than ever and he wasn't even sure why.

The room's spinning, oh fuck! Felix clasped both hands to his mouth but didn't dare move in case that movement made him sick. Too late. Felix spewed his guts up with his fingers splaying across his mouth acting as a grate forcing the regurgitated bloodwine to spurt in all directions.

Sulpicia's heart sank seeing the ruby liquid hit every nook and cranny of her perfect living room. I will bloody murder you, Felix Volturi, she thought furiously, whilst fetching a bowl for her delinquent.

Felix heard movement in the stairwell as he finished his first round of up-chuck.

Demetri walked in first to be confronted with Felix sitting with his head between his legs and vomit dripping from his finger.

"You are so dead, brother!" he said mockingly to Felix as he burst out laughing.

Aro came in next and cuffed Demetri across the top of his shaggy brown bed head hair-do. "Thank you, Demetri. Take yourself back to bed, please."

Aro shook his head looking at the state Felix was in. You won't be sleeping that off until I've finished with you, boy, he thought. I need to get rid of Demetri first.

"Demetri, would you like to discuss how you were able to track me down at a mere moment's notice but Felix's whereabouts have been evading your gift for a good few hours?"

Demetri's head ducked low and his shoulders slumped forwards.

"Thought not." Aro added as he pushed his son towards the arched inner hallway. "BED!" he ordered.

Demetri made a dash for it. Felix made to stand but crashed back into his seat.

"Not you. We need to talk first." Aro told him as he took the cleaning equipment from his wife. "He will be doing that, my queen." Aro said sternly.

Sulpicia agreed and went to sit at the meeting table to read, leaving the rest of the room free for Aro and Felix.

"Go and clean yourself up, now!" Aro ordered as he dragged the drunken lout to his feet.

Felix swayed as soon as Aro released him and his eyes were already half closed.

Ugh, there's no point talking to him when he's like this. Before he could direct his son back into his seat, Felix had crashed to the floor. Aro looked to his feet. Felix lay in his own sick, fast asleep.

"There really is no hope for your son, my queen." Aro sad mockingly as he nudged the lad with the toe of his boot.

"Ah, ah, ah. That one's yours." Sulpicia replied whilst dealing two places with the deck of cards she held. "Come and play with me, my love. He will keep until morning." Aro stepped over his son and joined his wife at the table.

"Eww, what's that smell?" Jane asked as she came through to the living room. Aro and Sully had been sat at the table playing cards and chatting for a good five hours and it was already dawn.

"Aww, Jane, be nice. That smell is your brother, dear." Sulpicia replied with a smirk to her husband.

Jane peered over the sofa to see Felix on the floor, snoring in a pool of bloodwine.

"Is he bleeding?" she asked with little emotion.

"Not yet, but your concern is duly noted." Aro said sarcastically as he made his way over to Felix. "Get up and start cleaning!" Aro ordered with a rough shake.

"It's too early." Felix whined without opening his eyes.

"Jane, fetch your brothers. I think we will go for a walk." Sulpicia asked her princess of darkness before flashing to her own bedchamber to change. Less than a minute had passed before the four of them were assembled by the front door. "We won't be too long, my love." she told her husband before directing her young vampires out of their home.

Aro dragged Felix to his feet.

"Please, just a bit longer. My head is killing me!" Felix whined again.

"After last night it will be me killing you, you stupid brat. Now go and clean yourself up!" Aro's voice was dark and angry; it cut straight through Felix's hangover as the memories of the night before flashed through his mind.

"Oh god." he exclaimed glumly.

"He won't help you!" Aro retorted as he shoved his son in the general direction of the bathroom.

Following him in, Aro went to the sink and pumped up water, filling the bowl. Next he dramatically offered Felix the soap with a mock bow. "I assume you can take care of the rest, yes? Or have we gone so far in my cleaning up of your messes that I am now to clean you, too?" Aro asked sarcastically.

Felix took the soap aggressively before pushing past Aro to get to the sink.

"I will fetch your clothes, your highness." Aro said as he walked backwards out of the room.

Prick, Felix thought, knowing he had hell to pay today for yesterday's crimes. Pulling his tunic off in one swift movement, he dumped the bloodied article on the floor. Next he lathered up his face and hair, scrubbing at the congealed bloodwine which had made a sticky, matted mess of his black locks, before dunking his whole head in the water bowl. The cool water felt amazing on his raging hangover induced headache.

"That will do, your highness. You have a busy day ahead of you." Aro said as he pulled his son free of the water.

"Can I go to bed for a few hours first? Please Dad, I feel ill."

Aro scoffed at his son's pleading. "You are not ill, you ingrate, you are hungover! And you will find no sympathy from me for that. Particularly when you are hungover from drinking stolen alcohol!" Aro shoved a fresh set of clothes into Felix's chest. "Get dressed." he ordered as he turned and left the room.

Felix dressed as quickly as he could, but his head ached afresh with every single movement he made. All he wanted to do was curl up in his bed, but it didn't seem that Aro was going to allow that anytime soon. Feeling very sorry for himself, he sought out his father in the main room.

"What is your problem?" Aro questioned as soon as his boy came into view.

Why are you talking so loud, Felix thought to himself, the pain just increasing his self-pity. He walked over to the sofa to flop down into the comfy coverings, but Aro clicked his fingers and pointed at the hard wooden chairs at the marble meeting table instead. Shooting daggers to his father, he eventually settled into the chair he was offered. "I don't have a problem - you lot have the problem!" he mumbled in reply.

Aro looked at his boy, wondering where the hell all this was coming from. I'm not playing sock puppets with you son, you need to talk properly!

"Felix you had better start making sense soon, and DROP THE ATTITUDE!" Aro boomed as he leaned in close to the lad's ear.

Felix threw his head into his hands, resting his forehead on the table. Why is he shouting, Felix thought sadly. It's making me feel sick again and the smell in here isn't helping, he thought moodily before it dawned on him that the smell was the bloodwine he'd thrown up the night before. Eugh! My ass is burning! Magnus doesn't mess around - note to self, stay out of that fucker's way!

Aro had placed a finger lightly on his son's arm and had heard his thoughts. He was annoyed at the boy's level of self-pity but he didn't hear anything surprising. He'd read through the entirety of Felix's evening last night whilst he was passed out.

"Sit up and look at me!" Aro ordered and waited for Felix to comply. "I already know what happened yesterday - quite an eventful evening, wouldn't you say?"

Felix groaned. Any hope he had of lying his way out of this had just been ripped away from him.

Aro continued, "What I want to know is why you acted like such a prat? Why you drank yourself into a stupor on MY bloodwine? Why you ran off in the middle of the night? Why you sought out Magnus and why, for the love of the gods, you would try and fight with the biggest vampire this coven has ever seen? And whilst we are at it, you can add to all that, why you think you can run your mouth off with pathetic 'woe-is-you' remarks and shouting and swearing at your elders?"

Felix's head started to hang again. He mumbled a very quiet 'for fuck sake' to himself that Aro caught and slapped him across the back of the head for.

"You had better keep your mouth under control whilst you are talking to me, got it?" Aro said threateningly.

Felix sniffed and wiped at his tears but didn't reply.

CRACK! Aro slapped his head again, far harder than the first time.

"I said, GOT IT?" he thundered.

"Yes!" Felix exclaimed through his sobs. In his hungover state that slap felt like the worst pain he'd ever experienced.

He looks pitiful, Aro thought. You brought all this on yourself though, boy. AGAIN!

Aro waited for Felix to get himself under control before he continued with a much kinder tone. "Let's start again. Why are you so angry?" he asked as he drew Felix'a hand away from his face. His mottled honey coloured eyes, evidence of a strict animal blood diet over the last three months, glistened through his subsiding tears.

"Why are you all fawning over Magnus?" he finally spat.

Aro sighed. Why can't you just have a conversation? Why must everything turn into a battle of wills? Aro thought exasperatedly.

"Felix, the guy just took out your biggest adversary, do you not think you owe him even a modicum of respect?" he asked gently.

"No!" Felix spat again, looking dead into his father's eyes.

"No?" Aro questioned in disbelief.

"I could have taken out Antonio at any point if you had just let me fight my own battles!" Felix argued as he tried to stand.

Aro pulled him back down before leaning back into his own seat.

"So this is it then, you feel cheated? Felix I am telling you now, after seeing him fight Magnus I couldn't honestly say I would have backed you in a bet. He was highly skilled, far more than I had given him credit for."

Felix scoffed, "Thank you very much!" he shot back as he puffed out his chest.

Aro shook his head, raven locks falling into his face before he scooped them away with his hand.

"Felix, stop being a brat. Whether you like it or not, some people will be better than you at some things. You were certainly stronger than Antonio but he may have been more skilled at fighting, that's all I am saying."

Felix scowled. He didn't want to hear how Antonio was better than him in any way. "Still don't see why I should be grateful to Magnus. He only did what he did to get set up in his own private quarters and leap up the hierarchy."

Aro slammed his hands into the table and jumped from his seat. It was one thing Felix being an ungrateful brat, quite another to be bad mouthing one of Aro's oldest friends to his face.

"You ungrateful wretch, he knew nothing of my plans. He killed that damn guard, and even beat his own mate because Antonio had started making plans to kill you!"

Felix looked away to hide his surprise. He didn't actually know Antonio had gone that far. "I'd like to have seen him try." he bustled, not sure what else to say ... but still refusing to lose face.

Aro put an arm around Felix's shoulders and leaned down close to his ear, "You still don't get it, do you?" he ground out through gritted teeth.

Felix tried to push him away, "I don't get why you were having a go yesterday because I wasn't showing enough compassion for Antonio and now you are breathing down my neck because I'm not grateful enough to the guy that killed him!" Felix laughed to himself, thinking he finally had the upper hand in this round of fucks.

"Antonio was a cunt who was out to see you dead, but he was still a member of this coven and someone you had fought with side by side in many battles. I would think you should feel something knowing he's just been torn to shreds!"

Aro stood up to full height and loomed over his boy. "Magnus risked his own life to prevent that animal having the chance to kill you. And you really feel you owe him nothing?!" Aro knew Felix felt more than nothing, he knew his son was conflicted, but until last night he had liked Magnus very much and this turn around was most unprecedented.

Felix sat brooding trying to think a way out of his argument with Aro - he always lost in a war of words with his father.

"Yeah, well, he tried to fight me back in his quarters!" That was the best he could come up with and he knew it was a lie.

"YOU ATTACKED MAGNUS! He just held you back." Aro bellowed, pissed off at more outright lies from his son.

"But he hit me, Dad!" Felix whined with his best puppy dog eyes. These things always work for Demetri.

"He smacked your backside, he did not hit you." Aro replied sternly. I'm not having you lying about my friend, you little shit! Aro thought angrily.

Felix crossed his arms across his chest "Same thing." he mumbled petulantly.

Aro threw his hands up in the air, "You're acting like a damn child."

"I am a child." Felix retorted, mimicking Aro's tone.

"That's it, there's no point talking to you, I'm not wasting anymore of my time." Aro started unfastening his belt. "Three months, you made it three months. Well done." he told him as he pulled the youth to his feet.

"No, no, I won't let you!"

There's no way I am taking a hiding today, no way, he thought. Felix put all his efforts into pulling himself free, but he had nowhere to run though - trapped between Aro and his chair.

Aro laughed, "You won't let me? What the hell makes you think you have a choice?" Aro bent low and slung Felix in a fireman's lift over his shoulder. "Like you said, you are a child." He mocked as the boy's struggles proved fruitless.

In his panic, Felix did something neither of them expected and bit hard into Aro's back!

"Ahhhh!" Aro called out as he flipped Felix off, sending the younger vampire crashing to the floor.

Felix came to his senses as he hit the deck and spat out a chunk of Aro's fresh and a ragged strip of his shirt. Oh fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Why did I do that? FUCK! He started backing away, scooting himself across the floor.

Aro walked towards him, keeping in time with Felix's retreat.

"You will regret that, you little bastard!" he told him menacingly as he whipped his belt viciously across his boy's errant, bloody mouth.