AN: I don't own the Twi-world.

I've had a fair few requests come through and I am trying to sort through them all to see where they can be fitted in. Everything I have read so far is definitely 'doable', but it may take a while to see yours - some can be integrated relatively easily... others require a little more work. I have sent another batch over to my lovely beta today and thank fully she is happy to keep working on my wittering's to make them readable :)

WELCOME HOME CAIUS

Aro strolled into the great hall just in time to hear the end of Basileus' address to the guards about lifting the human ban. He had told most of the guards the night before but an official announcement was still required, much to everyone's delight.

Sulpicia took her husband's throne whilst Aro headed straight for his little brother.

"Carlisle, about last night ... " Aro started as he laid a hand on his brother's shoulder.

Carlisle shook him off. "I don't want to talk about it, Aro."

Aro sighed. "Well, I do," he said as he placed a hand on the back of his brother's neck. "I'm sorry about the library," Aro told him, and listened to Carlisle's thoughts over the humiliation of being punished so harshly in front of his brother and nephew. "I didn't have a choice," Aro tried, "but it wasn't what I wanted."

Carlisle nodded. He had thought Aro wanted to have a go at him about involving Felix in his recklessness. Aro heard that.

"Felix has his own mind, brother. Though I would rather not repeat last night for a good while yet." Aro sounded significantly less pissed off than Carlisle had expected, which was a relief. "I think my son will need someone to commiserate with. How about today you act like his uncle and be there for him?" Aro suggested, seeing the sorry state of his son walking in with the rest of his young ones.

Carlisle eyed Aro with confusion. "You want me to talk to him?" he questioned.

Aro nodded. "Eleazar left this morning, he would usually serve as a listening ear to my sons when they believe I am a bastard for disciplining them ... you are their uncle, Carlisle, and Felix needs someone right now. Sully is still too pissed off with him to offer any counsel. So yes, I am asking you to talk to him."

Carlisle smiled to himself. He was genuinely surprised that Aro seemed so forgiving and that he would be allowed anywhere near Felix again. If Aro was offering an olive branch, Carlisle was going to take it with both hands.

Basileus, having finished with the guards, was listening to the conversation between his sons. He wasn't sure if he was proud of Aro's gesture or annoyed. He had not long finished telling Carlisle that he would need to be wary of Aro for a time after getting his son into so much strife.

When Carlisle moved to talk with Felix, Basileus beckoned Aro to his side. "What was that about?" Basileus whispered to his son.

Aro shrugged. "I was pretty hard on Felix, he will want someone to talk to ... someone who will agree how unfair I am," he said with a smirk. "Carlisle will agree with him much more readily than anyone else."

Basileus chortled to himself. "I believe a good many of the guard would have served the same purpose."

Aro looked askance. "Very droll, father!" he replied with a faux hurt expression.

Basileus turned a knowing eye on his son as he fished through his memories to check on his son's actions. When he came across the whipping Aro had delivered to Felix, he could see why the boy may need a shoulder to cry on. "I am glad to see you didn't go too far, son."

Aro laughed nervously to himself. So am I.

"It sounds like Sulpicia is still a little annoyed with the two of them." Basileus commented, tapping his temple.

I bet it does! She's still pissed off with me, too, no doubt! Aro thought.

They had spent half the night arguing and Aro still wasn't sure what he had done that was so wrong – to begin with, at least. As Sully was now refusing to speak to him, he garnered it may be a while before he found out.

Crack! Basileus slapped his son across his head.

"We will be talking later!" he told his boy venomously.

"Why?" Aro questioned, attempting to back away. Basileus pulled him in closer with a vice like grip around his bicep. He ground out a single word of explanation in his boy's ear, "Sully!"

Aro rolled his eyes, although he made sure Basileus didn't see. "You don't understand! I was defending myself ... " Aro's words turned into a hiss feeling the pressure building in his arm as Basileus tensed his grip.

"I understand perfectly well, you vicious little cunt!" Basileus ground out his words barely above a whisper. Aro heard them well enough and he felt sick. It wasn't often Basileus talked to his sons in such hateful terms.

A great cheer erupted as Caius came through the open great hall doorway. Basileus was distracted enough for Aro to slip from his grasp and prepare to receive his brother in arms.

Caius made his way through the crowd of welcoming guards towards the royal family. "Brother!" Caius called out, happily, as he approached Aro's throne with Athenodora hooked on his arm.

She appeared far warier than her mate as the two of them came face to face with the rest of their coven leaders. To her absolute relief, Sulpicia came forward to greet her warmly.

"You certainly are a sight for sore eyes, Caius." Aro replied as he embraced his long-gone coven mate.

"I have much to tell you about my travels, Aro."

Aro smiled happily. "You can start by explaining your face!" he commented, flicking the end of the long, unkempt beard just brushing Caius' chest.

Caius laughed and shrugged. "I just couldn't be bothered. Enjoying the sun too much. Are you free now?" he enthused, seemingly totally revitalised after his time away.

Aro chanced a look to his father. Your timing is impeccable, brother! he thought, happy to have an excuse to prolong his coming conversation with Basileus. "Indeed I am. Shall we go to the library?" Aro suggested, knowing his own quarters would be over occupied, as usual.

Basileus narrowed his eyes to Aro. I know what you are doing. "Felix, Carlisle, with me," he ordered before storming from the throne room. Felix looked fearfully to Carlisle, but the pair jumped into action when they heard Basileus growling from the hallway.

…

"I've decided to take some guards for my own." Caius told his co-leader.

"You have?" Aro's eyes widened at the news. Well, I wasn't expecting that.

"I know you have been arguing my case with Basileus so I didn't have to take my own high guard, I can't put that on you any longer." Caius admitted genuinely.

"Have you convinced Athenodora on the matter, then?" Aro asked, knowing full well the main reason Caius had objected for so long was down to his mate's insistence.

"We have come to an agreement." Caius told him shyly. "After visiting some human nobility, she quite likes the idea of ladies in waiting."

Aro guffawed and Caius soon joined in.

"So, who?" Aro eventually spluttered as he regained his composure. "Ashanti, I assume?"

Caius shook his head. "No, Athenodora couldn't cope with that one! Lucy, for now. I will pick another one from the next batch of newborns." Caius had always liked Lucy, but more importantly, Athenodora did.

Aro's face paled.

"What? You haven't dispatched Lucy whilst I've been away, have you?" Caius asked with concern.

"No, no, it's not that. Demetri ... he is sort of with Lucy." Aro told his coven mate.

Sort of with? Caius repeated to himself. "Are they mated?!" he asked, thinking such a thing to be absurd. That boy has been happy enough fucking his way through our guard for centuries, surely he hasn't now taken a mate?!

Aro shook his head. "No, they aren't mated, 'sort of with' is the best way I can describe it."

Caius sat back in his chair. "So, they are just fucking?"

Aro turned his eyes to the heavens - he knew full well that's what Demetri was doing but talking about his son fucking anyone was ... uncomfortable.

"Well, they can carry on doing so, however, I better not catch him in my chambers - he can keep that for your quarters!"

Aro nearly choked on his bloodwine. "He can keep 'that' to the dungeons, the little reprobate!"

Caius fell about laughing at his brother's clear disgust.

Aro joined in as he made a mental note to warn Demetri about the imminent changes to his love life.

"Speaking of Demetri," Caius knew he had to broach this subject carefully, "and the others ... " he prompted Aro, hoping his brother would know where this conversation was going.

"My children." Aro stated plainly.

"Aha, so that's still going on, is it?" Caius asked, as though Aro had bestowed a temporary status on his high guard.

"Yes, it won't be changing, Caius." Aro said rather forcefully.

Caius held up his hands defensively. "It's your call, Aro. So long as you don't expect me to do the same." Caius was genuinely worried that was something Aro wanted.

Nothing could be further from Aro's mind. "You can do as you wish, Caius. No one will be pushing you to do anything."

Caius nodded. He was happy with that.

Aro was relieved. Preserving his children's status as his children, not just his high guard, was of paramount importance to Aro and even more so to Sulpicia. She didn't want to go back to hiding away her relationship with her baby vampires.

"I just don't see the point in children." Caius commented. "Humans seem to need them to continue their line, or to swap with other humans," he mused. "Are we going to marry them off to cement loyalties with other covens?" He asked.

Aro flashed to his feet and was ready to rip Caius' throat out before he noticed his brother-in-arms smirking into his cup.

"Oh, how I have missed winding you up, Aro!" he said before falling into laughter.

"Bastard!" Aro retorted before adding his own chuckles. "Who knew you'd find a sense of humour in the desert?!"

Caius got himself under control. "There is one thing I want to be sure of, Aro," he said seriously. "I need to know this coven is still ours. If Felix and Demetri are above me in any way I would rather leave now, and part as friends."

That was a shock revelation!

"Caius, no. They are not above you. WE run this coven, together. With a little help from Marcus, Freyr, and Magnus ... and Basileus sticking his oar in every now and then. It's our coven, brother."

Caius was reassured. He didn't want to leave the coven but he meant what he said though and Aro knew it.

May the gods help you lads if you push Caius to leave!

"I don't suppose they are any better behaved now, are they?" Caius asked.

Aro laughed. "No! There will be plenty of opportunities for you to test out your swing arm!"

Caius rolled his eyes but he wasn't exactly disappointed.

"Caius!" Basileus boomed as he strode into the library with a miserable looking Felix and Carlisle limping along close behind.

"This is a library, my lord. Noise should be at a minimum!" Aro told his father, bravely. He was still pissed off about being reprimanded for fighting with Sulpicia ... and he knew he had a far more physical encounter to come.

Basileus narrowed his eyes menacingly but chose not to reply to his son.

"How's married life treating you, my lord?" Caius asked Basileus warmly.

"Very well, my friend," he replied, taking a seat near to Aro, "though family life is leaving much to be desired," he added dryly, looking to his son and grandson.

Caius followed Basileus' eye to his youngest son. "Carlisle!" he all but shouted out in shock. He's so damn placid, he's almost a woman!

Basileus smiled a little hearing Caius' thoughts. "Well, the tides have changed," he replied to the coven leader's thoughts and turning to Carlisle he added, "though they had better change back, soon!"

"So what have they done?" Caius asked, utterly intrigued as to how the saintly Carlisle could fall so heavily from grace. Watching Carlisle and Felix for a moment, the pair of them appeared to be in considerable discomfort, whatever they had done.

"Nothing to worry about, as it will not be happening again." Aro sang out. Not wishing to discuss such private matters with his coven mate. Aro prompted Caius to tell them of his travels and sure enough his co-leader quickly forgot his interest in Felix and Carlisle's recent tribulations.

"We will need to arrange a mission, Aro. The outpost in the Levant has gone, completely gone. I could find no trace of their whereabouts."

Caius' trip had been instigated by his distress over losing Antonio - everyone had been caught off guard by Caius' emotional attachment to the failed guard but he had promised to look in on any Volturi outposts he crossed on his travels.

Aro was staggered by the loyalty Caius had shown not only the coven, but vampire law when Caius himself finally executed Antonio's mangled body. The resolve Caius had shown reaffirmed to Aro that Caius wasn't all bad and he wanted his own relationship with Caius to be more positive going forward. Not as it once had been ... that could never happen again. The orgies, the torturing, the wanton malice they had jointly inflicted on human and vampire alike – no, they wouldn't be returning to that state. But Aro was set on forging an honest and friendly relationship with Caius going forward.

"If an outpost has been destroyed and the destroyers haven't taken the territory then I think we all know WHO we will be leading a mission against." Aro stated plainly. "This has Stefan and Vladimir written all over it."

Basileus sighed. "We must send out envoys to all Volturi outposts immediately - I want to know the 'lay of the land' so to speak."

Aro looked askance to his father. "That will take nearly all of our guards going in pairs, my lord. We will be left in a vulnerable state in Volterra ... exposed. This could be what the Romanians are waiting for."

Basileus knew his son was right about the numbers needed to complete an emergency contact mission, but he didn't believe they had a choice.

"We could round up a group of humans for turning, more than our usual ten. We will need a good many more anyway to replace those on the outposts." Caius suggested.

"You never want more than ten at a time!" Aro replied, knowing Caius would never suggest such a thing if he were still managing the newborn flock.

"I know, but Magnus has control of the wider guard pool now and you and I could manage, say, fifteen newborns each?" Caius replied encouragingly.

Aro nodded, though he couldn't raise a smile to the idea. He ran through every outpost in his mind, ticking off last contact with each.

"We need to send word to Marcus and Eleazar, they only left at dawn. Who are our fastest runners?" Basileus asked. He wanted to push things along and had arrangements of his own to make.

"Lev, but he won't go anywhere willingly without Katarina. We would be better off sending Demetri and Odi – they are both fairly fast and Demetri can track." Aro offered, his mind was only half on his father's question as the other half was still ticking off outposts.

"Demetri? Seriously?!" Basileus retorted, assuming his son had lost his mind.

"You asked who would be fastest." Aro replied with a shrug.

"I don't want that boy outside our walls, Aro." Basileus said sternly.

"Why don't you send Atia." Carlisle mumbled sullenly from behind his brother.

Aro looked back over his shoulder. "Brother?" he said pointedly, questioning Carlisle's attitude.

Basileus, too, fixed Carlisle with a glare.

Caius was enjoying the scene immensely and his estimations of Carlisle had just skyrocketed.

Basileus shook his head at Caius' thoughts. "I will ask Lev and Odi to go, Lev will go for me ... if he knows what's good for him."

Aro and Caius shared a look – they both knew how obnoxious Lev could be, even with Basileus.

Aro was quite concerned about having Marcus and Eleazar out in the open if the Romanians were moving in for the kill and he wondered how adept his brothers would be in fending off an attack if it came their way. "We should send the guards as soon as possible," he said, already working out who to send where. "We should have a drink to celebrate your safe return anyway Caius. Let us roll it into one and throw a proper party in the throne room – the guards leaving and your homecoming. We saved a barrel of bloodwine for the occasion."

Caius was certainly happy with that.

Felix nudged Carlisle with a look of horror on his face. They still stood together behind Aro and Basileus. Caius spotted their brief exchange.

"I wonder if there is any bloodwine left after all, Aro?" he commented, gesturing to the fretful younger vampires.

Basileus rested his head against the back of his chair and exhaled loudly. "If there isn't any left, I know where we can get a barrel of vampire blood to replace it!"

Carlisle and Felix flinched, assuming they would be the source of said blood!

Caius' eyes lit up. He knew Basileus would never do such a thing, but it had been a long time since Caius had the pleasure of torturing a vampire, and god he missed it!

"WELL?" Aro bellowed at his son, ignoring Carlisle's look of disdain.

Felix flinched but refused to look up and make eye contact with his father.

"If I have to whip you again, I will Felix." Aro threatened.

Felix felt his face burn with shame. Why did you have to say that in front of everyone? You fucking cunt, Aro! "The barrel from the dungeon may be missing," he finally replied, quietly.

"You've been playing in MY dungeons?!" Caius asked, already making plans to take a full inventory of the lower rooms of the castle.

Hearing the splintering of wood, everyone turned to Basileus. He had a hand gripped tightly on each of the arm rests and hearing Felix confess to yet more of their defiance saw Basileus squeeze too hard and fracture the chair.

"Carlisle, with me." Basileus ordered as he rose from his chair, shaking off the splintered wood as he stood.

"Where are we going?" Carlisle asked in apprehension, though he was brave enough to follow his father immediately, at least.

"To find more bloody wine!" his father replied as he stormed from the room.

Aro, looking over his shoulder from his seat, fixed his eye on Felix. "You just keep begging for more, don't you!"

Felix threw his hands up and backed away, slamming into a low book shelf, shaking his head with his eyes flicking comically between Aro and Caius.

Caius found it quite funny. Aro seems to have a much better handle on the boy than before I left, thank the gods! "As much as I would enjoy the floor show, Aro, I have things to be getting on with," Caius announced as he stood. "I have to find Lucy, for one," he added, noting the questioning look on Felix's face. Oh I do hope I won't regret taking a guard into my quarters, he thought, and if I ever catch Demetri in there I will skin the little bastard!

"Until tonight, brother. Perhaps have a shave for the occasion?" Aro threw out in jest as he called Felix to his side with a single click of his fingers.

"We need to see if your mother will allow either of us back in our chambers." Aro told his boy once Caius had flashed from the library. "And I need to speak with your brother!" he added, wondering how the meek and mild Lucy was going to cope living with Caius and Athenodora.

When they reached the door to their home, Aro sighed deeply. He truly didn't want another fight with his mate.

"My queen?" he called out softly as he opened the door, ushering Felix inside ahead of him.

"My love." Sulpicia replied plainly, whilst scowling to both her husband and son.

"Go to your room, send Demetri to me." Aro ordered Felix, who was only too happy to be out of the firing line.

"Am I forgiven yet?" Aro asked as he took a seat beside Sulpicia.

She only huffed indignantly in reply, pulling her dress away from him as if for him to even touch the fabric would offend her.

"You were as bad as I was." Aro tried to defend himself.

When she didn't answer, they both started to think about their fight the night before ...

Sulpicia paced around her living room as she played over in her mind Felix crushing his paid for conquest. She had barely heard her son make more than a murmur since Aro had started and she wondered what the hell her husband was playing at! Naturally you think nothing of Felix' s crimes, why would you? He only obliterated that young woman on a drunken whim! she thought sarcastically to her husband. Women don't count for anything; we are just to be the playthings of men! You cannot possibly understand why his behaviour vexes me so!

Sulpicia's pacing at vampire speed had her flashing circles around the sofas. She was going so fast that she had stopped trying to listen to the goings-on in the bedroom and was startled seeing Felix suddenly appear in the doorway.

"Mom ... " Felix called out softly, praying to whatever god there was that she would at least look at him this time.

Instead, she barged past her boy and went straight to Aro who was still sitting on their bed, whip in hand. "Is that it?" she asked in a shrill tone that damn near pierced Aro's eardrums.

He scrubbed a hand across his face. "For the love of the gods' women, will you let me be!" he growled out viciously in reply.

"Let you be? Let you be!" she returned, her voice getting louder and higher with every syllable.

"You sound like a damn harridan!" Aro roared, concerned with what he would do if she didn't back off soon.

"Do you think that's enough? Seriously? For ALL that he has done!" Sulpicia continued, her fragile frame shaking with the anger she felt.

Felix, the 'he' she was talking about, watched from the doorway, unsure of what he should do.

"I have belted him, Magnus has smacked him, I have just fucking whipped him. WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?" Aro growled, matching his irate wife's volume.

Sulpicia couldn't verbalise how angry she was, how disappointed, how ashamed she felt over her son's actions, and her husband's apparent (to her) lack of conscience. Her gruelling emotions displayed themselves in a ROAR of rage, right into Aro's face.

CRACK!

Aro knocked Sulpicia clean across the room. Her body smashing into the wall fractured the stonework and made the floor shake.

Felix couldn't catch his breath. He staggered into the doorframe in utter shock. The resulting boom caught Aro's attention. Whilst he was distracted trying to come up with an explanation for his son, Sulpicia dived from the floor in full on attack mode.

"You bastard!" she screamed as she tried to gouge at Aro's face.

Aro held her back by her throat with relative ease, increasing the pressure until her raging became strangled. Just as he was about to let go, Sulpicia brought her knee up hard into Aro's groin with as much force as she could possibly muster.

Aro released his hold immediately and fell back onto the bed. "You fucking bitch!" he called out, followed by a guttural noise of pain. Taking a few breaths to get himself under control, he stood up again and felt the whip still in his hand.

Felix heard the whistle ... he knew that sound only too well ... followed by an almighty CRACK as Aro brought the whip down hard across Sulpicia's back.

Sully howled in pain as the whip lashed her, biting a single stripe of fire into her flesh.

Aro fell to his knees and she thought he was coming to offer comfort, remorse even, but no. He grabbed hold of her face in one hand and pulled her awkwardly so she could look into his jet black eyes.

"What more do you want me to do?" he ground out again through gritted teeth.

"Nothing, nothing." Sulpicia repeated over and over again, desperately pulling backwards in an attempt to remove her face from her mate's strong grip.

Aro let go and watched as her head flew back into the wall. Then she was still.

Gathering up his wife into his arms, Aro laid her on their bed.

As Felix watched, he wondered how many times Aro had done that before - it seemed so rehearsed.

Aro took a pillow from the bed and a blanket from the dresser and walked out the door, pulling Felix with him as he went. He thrust the pillow and blanket into his son's hands and gestured to the sofa. "You can sleep there. I don't want you disturbing your brother." Aro told him, his voice sounded gravelly from all the shouting and growling.

"Yeah, like Demetri slept through that!" Felix retorted under his breath.

Aro turned on him and shoved him down on to the sofa.

Felix tried to jump back up as soon as his ass made contact with the seat - the burn in his backside reigniting afresh.

Aro pushed him down again and held him there with a strong hand on his each of his thighs. Looking straight into his boy's tearful eyes, Aro knew he was scaring his son. It wasn't intentional but he was pleased with the effect nonetheless.

"If you think that was bad, then you should think on this - Sulpicia will forgive me long before she forgives you, that's how disturbing your behaviour has been."

Felix's emotions overtook his pride as his face paled and he looked queasy whilst his tears flowed.

Aro nodded to himself. Now you get it. "Go to sleep," he told his boy, so I can have some peace to think about what a cunt I am.

As the memory faded, Aro looked to his mate. She had been replaying the same event over in her mind – he didn't need his gift to know that.

"I'm sorry." Aro whispered, his voice croaking as he spoke those two little words loaded with emotion.

Sully didn't look at him, but she laid her hand on his and replied, "as am I."

Felix came back through the archway just in time to see the exchange. "Demetri isn't here," he told his father.

"Get out of my sight." Sulpicia addressed her son tersely without even looking at him.

Felix felt floored. Aro was right, she did forgive him before me! What have I done? he thought, full of self-loathing as he slunk back to his room.

Aro pulled his wife's hand to his lips and brushed her fingers against his mouth. "You know, my queen, you are killing that boy from the inside out."

Sulpicia sighed softly. "I cannot forgive his barbaric actions as readily as you, my love."

Aro bit into his lip. So you still believe I am too lenient with our wayward son. "If I believed his actions were intentional, my queen, he would not be able to walk."

Aro felt Sulpicia tense beside him to his words. So ... all is not lost, you don't actually want me to punish him further. Aro tapped his knuckles lightly on his temple, "I know he had no intention of bringing any harm to that woman, Sully. I also know he would never in his right mind attend a brothel. He was drunk beyond reason." It felt odd to Aro to be the one defending their child's actions - Sulpicia always rallied to their cause.

She didn't respond, but through Aro's contact with her hand in his, he knew she was thinking on his words.

"I need to speak with Demetri, can I leave Felix with you?" he asked, hoping that if he were out of the way, Sully may talk with their son.

She only nodded in reply, but Aro was happy to take that for now.

As it happened, Aro didn't have time to even leave his quarters before Demetri came barrelling through the door.

"You have to do something! Caius, he, he, you have to do something!" Demetri tripped back and forth over his words, unable to spit out the reason for his distress.

Sulpicia was alarmed and rushed to her son's side, Aro, however, stood still and waited for Demetri to regain his composure, as he had a feeling he already knew the reason for his son's upset.

"Is this about Lucy?" he asked plainly.

"YES!" Demetri yelled as he pushed Sulpicia away. "So you know?! You know and you've just let it happen?!" he continued in his rage, shoving Aro hard when he came close.

Aro moved a step back with Demetri's forceful push. He would have let it go if his son hadn't decided to try it again. This time, Aro grabbed his boy's wrists and pulled him in close. Spinning him around, he enclosed his boy in his own arms to restrain him.

Demetri pulled and tugged to get away but his efforts were futile.

"Calm yourself down, and we can talk."

Demetri continued to fight off his father.

"Or you can keep up with your usual theatrics and I will spank you instead." Aro spoke calmly, not that Demetri felt any better about his options.

Demetri felt Aro increase his grip, he knew he was getting nowhere fast. He stopped struggling, only to be overtaken by the flood of his emotions.

"Why did you let him take her?!" he sobbed.

"Aro, what is going on?" Sulpicia asked as she stroked her boy's face, genuinely worried about his apparent fragile state.

"Caius has decided to take a high guard. But you know what Athenodora is like, she wants a little mouse to boss around, a 'lady in waiting' Caius called it." Aro explained to his wife.

"Aha, and they have chosen Lucy?"

Aro nodded to her as Demetri's sobs increased.

Sulpicia and Aro shared a look between them. Neither had believed Demetri was that serious about the young woman, they thought she was just another in a long line of infatuations that their boy had perused. His reaction to the news that Lucy would now be under Caius was a surprise to them both.

"Are you calm enough to talk to me?" Aro asked.

Demetri hung in his father's arms without bothering to support his own weight at all. He didn't answer Aro, but he didn't resist when his father moved him to the sofa - he didn't attack when he was released either.

Sulpicia took the seat next to Demetri whilst Aro sat opposite him.

"What have you heard?" Aro asked gently.

Demetri looked up with hate filled eyes. "That Lucy has to live with Caius!" he spat venomously.

"Okay, okay," Aro placated. "And, why does that upset you so much?"

Demetri looked ready to blow. Are you fucking stupid? "You know what Caius is like! Lucy will be his live-in sex slave whether she's willing or not!" he growled out, disgusted with the words coming out of his own mouth.

Sulpicia stiffened. She would like to be able to disagree with Demetri's concerns, but she believed he was right.

Aro did too, for that matter.

"Are you mated with her?" he asked. "I thought you two were just ... you know."

Demetri looked away, embarrassed. "We're not mated. But that doesn't mean I want to see her used as Caius' wanking bag!"

Aro's eyes bulged. "Hey! Watch your mouth!" he threatened with a hand raised ready to knock some decency into his son if he continued.

"What pleasant imagery, Demetri!" Sulpicia commented, shaking her head in woe.

Aro inhaled deeply. Demetri was so agitated and it had surprised Aro a little. He hadn't expected his boy would actually care about Lucy - exclusivity wasn't something Demetri was known for.

"Listen, I don't mean to be crass, son, but Caius has access to every vampire in this place. Well, almost." Aro tried to explain to his son, gently, though it just fuelled Demetri's anger.

"So, what? If I do ever want to mate with someone I have to share nicely and accept Caius will be fucking her when he likes?!"

Sulpicia's mouth dropped open at hearing her son speak so offensively.

Aro caught on to her clear upset and decided he had to act quickly - he didn't want a repeat of last night's argument and he knew that's where things were heading if he didn't show some solidarity with his wife.

Without speaking to Demetri, Aro snatched his boy up out of his seat and threw him to the archway where he landed in a heap, confused over Aro's sudden, silent reaction.

"Excuse us, my queen," he shot over his shoulder on his way to grab Demetri from the floor.

Demetri scooted backward on the floor as Aro approached. He didn't dare take his eyes off his formidable father. "What are you doing?" he asked in trepidation.

Aro didn't reply, he kept up his approach until Demetri had made it all the way down the marble hallway and was outside his bedchamber door.

"IN!" Aro ordered.

Demetri flashed to his feet and inside his room, not stopping until he was safely on the opposite side of his bed and as far from Aro as possible.

Felix tried to hide his slight, sly grin. He'd listened to the whole exchange and although he sympathized with his brother, it was just too damn good to have someone else on the receiving end of Aro's wrath for a while.

"Do you want me to leave so you can deal with him?" he asked his father.

Demetri scowled at the inference he was to be 'dealt' with.

Aro turned his glare on Felix for a moment. "And just where do you think you are able to go, Felix? You cannot leave these chambers without me and your own mother doesn't want to share her space with you right now ... sit your ass back down!"

Felix gulped and without further comment retook his seat in the window.

"This is not fair! I have a right to be pissed off knowing Caius is going to have his perverted hands on my, my, well, my friend." Demetri was incensed. Aro can beat my ass but it won't stop me being fucked off to the far side of fuckery about this!

Aro saw Demetri retreating to his thoughts and took the chance to get close to him.

Crack!

Aro slapped Demetri hard enough to knock him down to his bed before Demetri realised he had even moved.

"Think before you speak - do you even listen to the things that come out of your mouth, you stupid boy? Have you not noticed that your mother is literally teetering on the edge of explosion over HIS treatment of women, and now you sit in front of her bemoaning your diminished conjugal rights with your 'friend'? Idiot!"

Aro started pacing around his son's room, which made them both nervous as hell, and Felix hadn't even done anything ... new.

"Lucy will be living in Caius' suite. She will still visit the guard hall and she will still be involved with guard activities. You may see a little less of her - and you will NEVER see her in Caius' chambers, but you will still see her."

Felix chortled to himself quietly. "It's not seeing her that he's worried about!" he whispered.

Bad move, of course his father heard him. "Don't, just don't!" Aro warned him with black, angry eyes.

"I hate to tell you this, son," Aro started as he took a seat near Demetri, still on his bed cradling his face, "but you have been sharing guards with Caius for centuries now. And with me, for that matter! I thought you knew that." Surely you did, surely the guards talk about submission, for fuck sake? They must! Aro reasoned.

"Yes." Demetri spat in disgust. "But YOU haven't done that for years and HE hasn't been here for the last year and that last year is when I have been with Lucy!"

Aro laughed. "I remember catching you and Lucy in bed with Adrianna last year ... you weren't so bothered about sharing then, were you." Aro pointed out. He wasn't trying to be cruel, he wanted to understand why this would be a problem for Demetri now, all of a sudden.

Demetri sat and seethed, feeling a dangerous mixture of pure hatred towards Caius and embarrassment having to talk about his sex life with his dad!

"What if I said we were mated, would it change anything?" Demetri asked, much to Aro's surprise.

What?! You are not mating with anyone! You are fourteen, for god's sake! Don't say that, it will just piss him off. I can't lie to him either though ... "No, it wouldn't. Caius has said he is taking Lucy and that is the end of it."

Aro hadn't intended to sound as blunt as he had, but he didn't want to leave anything, even the slightest bit, ambiguous for his son.

Demetri scowled. "Why though? You could do something about Caius if you wanted to. We don't exactly live in a democracy here!"

Aro exhaled his frustrations. "There is nothing for me to do something about. I am not causing ructions with Caius for your current fancy piece! He only returned today and you are intent on creating a fuss already!"

Demetri growled. He would never usually be so bold as to growl at Aro, of all people, but it was primal, instinctive, and he couldn't help it.

Aro stood up and towered over his boy. My god, he is actually falling for her, he's trying to protect her. This isn't happening.

"Just choose someone else," he told his son, simply.

Demetri continued to growl, and he hadn't taken his eyes off Aro yet.

Is he challenging me, seriously? Aro questioned. Like hell am I standing for that!

"You must be confused son," he sang out in his trademark tone. "You seem to think you can offer a challenge to me." Aro undid his belt, slowly, not taking his eyes off Demetri as he watched intently for his boy's reaction. "Are you really going to go there?" he asked as he played with the open buckle in his hands.

Demetri's eyes flickered between Aro's eyes and his hands.

Good boy, you are coming to your senses, Aro thought.

"We can if you wish." he said as he slid the thick leather from around his waist.

Demetri's breathing became laboured and his eyes were concentrating on his father's belt now, he hadn't looked back to Aro's eyes for a good few seconds.

"Well?" Aro asked as he folded the implement in two.

Demetri stopped growling, eyes now concentrating on the floor.

"WELL?!" Aro shouted, glaring at his boy's shaggy mop of hair atop his bowed head.

"No sir," came Demetri's very quiet reply.

Aro knew he had to bring an end to this sort of display immediately. He wasn't being fatherly now, that ship had sailed, this called for a coven leader's decree. Aro sounded soulless as he addressed his son, totally void of all emotions.

"You are allowed to fuck who you like, so long as they aren't already mated I couldn't care less. Caius doesn't care either, for that matter. You can have Lucy. But he will too. You will not mate with her."

Demetri's head shot up, anger beginning to rise up from within and with a daring look of defiance twisting his boyish features.

"You WILL NOT mate with her, or anyone else." Aro stared Demetri down until he had the sense to return his eyes to the floor. "You are too young," he said dismissively, "and you always will be!"

Demetri's heart sank and the tears he'd held back so stoically were now released, completely beyond his control.

"I suggest the two of you stay in here for a while and think about your actions going forward. At some point Sully will want to talk to you and if I hear a word was spoken out of turn by either of you ... " Aro allowed his words to float in the air. He knew both Felix and Demetri knew what would happen if they gave Sulpicia any trouble. As he reached for the door handle, a final thought crossed Aro's mind.

"Demetri," he called out sternly, "you will not visit Lucy in Caius' chambers. Am I understood?"

Demetri looked over his shoulder with tears streaming down his face but he didn't answer.

"If Caius catches you in his chambers, whatever he decides to do about it will be up to him. So, don't be surprised if Lucy ends up sharing YOU with Caius."

Demetri choked on his own venom hearing Aro essentially allow Caius to do as he wished with him. "I won't go to his chambers, I won't," he mumbled miserably.

Oh, how I wish I could believe you, son. Aro thought as he left his boys to their brooding.