It's a long, dead life!

by BDE

We join the Volturi in 1663 when Carlisle was turned for his long, dead life and family drama. Aro, Caius, and Marcus are trying to rule the world. Felix, Demetri, Jane and Alec are creating havoc as child vampires and the Denali sisters soon join them. Mature scenes - Corporal Punishment (spanking/discipline) and offensive things, but its the Volturi, so what do you expect?

156. Misery Loves Company - Part 3

AN: Okay, hands up: who's reading Midnight Sun? I had it on Pre-order after ChrissySmiles told me it was due to be released and I bloody love it! I'm a slow reader so I'm only halfway through, but I love, love, love it! Anyone else? It's given me lots of ideas for future chapters when we get to that point in time :)

I totally missed this when I updated, but we've been added to another community for 'Waiting Stories'. Thank you to Sakura216 for thinking highly enough of this story to include it in your community. It's a fab list of great stories who have made 'Long Waits' into a frustrating type of art form - I'm happy to be in another community, and hope that may pick up some more readers to join us, but also… Long Wait… I'm so sorry I made people wait so bloody long. Totally shite of me. I've set myself a little schedule for writing as part of my 'me time' and I'm really hoping that helps get chapters up more regularly. No more Long Waits over here!

Also… and don't laugh at me… if you've had an add from me, and you're wondering why it's taken so bloody long, it's because I've only just worked out what I'm doing on here. I've realised I can 'add' people to favourites on here. What a genius feature! Yes, I'm majorly crap at tech (which is worrying as I'm about to start a STEM degree - eek!) but until now I have been saving peoples pages to my bookmarks. I'm going to go through the stories I have saved and like those too! This is brilliant!

You want to think yourselves lucky that I'm not sending out ravens when I want to contact someone - Dark Ages rule :D

Right, we're on the next morning, January 7th (it's been a long-ass week in the coven!) and we're back in the south tower with our miserable vampires.

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Misery loves company - Part 3

JANUARY 7TH

Somewhere close to nine in the morning, Demetri and Alec crept down the stairs, still dressed only in their nightwear. The older boy had been listening carefully from the safety of his room for an hour at least, or what felt like three, for sounds of his father being home. After disgracing himself the day before, he felt facing the rest of his family would be embarrassing enough without having Aro around to pick on him, too. It wasn't until Alec convinced him their father had left for the day that he finally braved leaving his bedchamber.

"Jackpot!" Demetri whispered to Alec. "Just Mom and Felix."

Felix sat on the floor by the fire, similarly dressed (or undressed) as his brother in just the shorts he had slept in. He's been up for hours, Demetri guessed, going by the size and complexity of the structure Felix had built from what must have been three decks of cards.

Alec couldn't look at his mother, not after what he'd done, so he went to join his brother who immediately told him to 'back off' and to 'keep away from the cards'.

Sulpicia tutted from her desk but said no more.

If she was still pissed with them all for their bad behaviour, Demetri wanted to get her on side, quickly. "Morning," he called to his mother with doleful eyes.

"Mhmm."

Demetri recoiled a little. Jeez, Mom. That was cold.

Felix offered his brother a tight smile and a knowing nod to say, 'yup, she's still pissed with us'.

With a stiff step, Demetri crossed the large room. Passed his brother by the fire, passed his mother's desk, passed the various items of bulky furniture perfectly placed to prevent the boys from wrestling in the main chamber, passed the door to the castle halls. Right to the far side of the room where he would find his cup of salvation.

No bloodwine?

Most mornings, Sulpicia ensured her children were greeted with a goblet of bloodwine to start their day, served in their favourite cups, of course (which only really mattered to Alec). No matter what time they woke, it would be ready and waiting for them on the table beside the bloodwine barrels.

That morning, there was nothing.

Demetri wasn't sure what to do. Has she just forgotten? He might have been tempted to fix himself a drink if not for the niggling in his mind that Sulpicia was making her own point about the trouble they had recently caused.

Aro had made it abundantly clear to his children that they were not to touch those barrels without permission. He knew they did, naturally, but he also knew making bloodwine to easily obtainable would lead to gluttonous, and likely drunk, young vampires. Issuing a few death threats eased Aro's concerns and kept his children wary of pushing their luck. Demetri didn't want to attract any more of his father's attention, so with a last longing look to the barrels of salvation, he joined his brothers by the fire.

Felix, somehow, was managing to sit crossed legged on his backside. Demetri just couldn't understand that. Surely Dad whipped you, too? Alec lay on his belly on the sofa - that looked a better idea to Demetri, and he mimicked his younger brother's actions on the free couch.

He was close enough to Felix to tap his shoulder, so he did, and whispered, "Has she said anything?"

Felix shook his head. "Only to tell me to shut up." Which was really harsh, Mom, he thought to the woman. I only asked if she was feeling better. She should want to make amends with us for dropping us in the shit with Aro.

"Has she let you have any bloodwine?" Demetri asked. The poor boy really needed a cup, or a gallon, if he were to rid his backside of the effects from his father's punishing hand.

"Haven't asked." For a change, Felix didn't need any blood that morning thanks to Caius' interventions. He was still annoyed with his mother, though. "She's a two faced miserable…"

Sulpicia cleared her throat loudly. "She can hear you."

The younger boys had the good grace to duck down behind their sofas. Felix never had been one for good graces.

"And will she fetch us some bloodwine?" he asked. Felix wasn't using his usual cheery tone. He was feeling too bitter for that and his tone, instead, took an a sneering edge that Sulpicia recognised as Aro's.

"She will be fetching you over her knee in a moment, Felix."

Sully had expected Demetri and Alec to laugh - laugh at their brother, that is. She even wanted them to so Felix would feel a little shame. She hadn't quite expected Felix to laugh so heartily. Maybe Aro is right about those three? Sulpicia thought she had 'stepped up' the day before by backing their father with punishing them his way. Clearly that won't be enough if they think I'm a joke.

"We shall see how funny you find it when it's happening, boys."

More laughter from the boys.

Oh, she could cheerfully spank all three of them! Now is not the time. Sulpicia wanted the mission crew fully armed with reports for their visit to Henri, so she had a lot more work to get through - which was hard enough with the throbbing from her ankle. She had taken enough of the creator's blood to aid the beginning of healing her broken bones, but she detested the dizziness that came and refused any more than that.

"So, bloodwine, Mom?"

Sulpicia gave her eldest a terse growl. "None of you will drink a drop until you are wearing more that your underwear!" She continued to chatter about their blatant disrespect and how they all needed taking down a peg or two as she worked.

"We didn't even say anything," Alec pointed out to Demetri, who nodded back, equally annoyed.

Felix had picked a few things up from his mother's chuntering as she worked, and he decided to call her out on it. "Why are you blaming us for your workload? What has it got to do with us? If you have so much work to do that it means you can't even take care of your children, then perhaps you shouldn't have been partying all night with Caius and Eleazar."

"Mom was partying with Caius and Eleazar?" Demetri asked, conjuring up all sorts of awful images in his mind.

"And Dad, obviously," Felix tutted. Seeing his brother's repulsed expression, he quickly added, "And Dora and Aunt Carmen! Bloody hell, Dem."

"I was not partying all night long, you foolish boy."

"Your conversations kept me awake half the night."

They really had, or for a good hour at least. The hours he spent in fitful dreaming afterward were likely due to contemplating the conversations he'd heard:

Felix couldn't quite believe his luck when Caius had decided not to take a belt to his hide. He was happy, naturally, but having to stay in his room all evening had been twice on him as a result. It was usual for Aro to have his spawn stay in their rooms out of the way when they were in trouble. Nothing out of the ordinary there. Felix found it easy enough to fall asleep early when he'd expended his energy having his ass handed to him. Without the showdown, it had been dull as fuck sitting in his room wide awake with nothing to do. He had some books lying about, but Felix would rather die of boredom than read on purpose.

He'd kept an ear on the goings on in the south tower as the evening progressed. He planned on nipping downstairs to fetch his brothers a goblet of bloodwine. Sure, Aro would be pissed about it, but he knew his kids did that for each other. Felix wouldn't get the opportunity that evening, though. He heard his father talking to Caius for ages, and Caius growing more agitated in his replies. How he wished he could hear what they were saying. The only thing Felix heard clearly had been Caius telling Aro to 'fuck off' and 'leave it now, or I'm going'.

The main chamber was just two floors below, and the young princes would often sit on the stairs listening in on forbidden conversations. Only when they were sure they wouldn't be caught, of course - they weren't stupid. With Sulpicia in her bedchamber on the middle floor Felix simply couldn't risk creeping down the stairs. Instead, he had spent a while camped out in the stair well on the top floor and was just about to give up and go to bed when he heard a flurry of activity downstairs.

Who is that? Is that uncle El? Felix strained to hear the various greetings being offered. Definitely uncle El, he said to himself. And maybe aunt Carmen, too? And… Dora? Oh shit!

The boy scrambled to his feet, grabbing his wolf pelt as he went. He had heard the group ascending the stairs and it would do him no good at all to be caught out of bed after being let off the hook only hours before. Sadly, in his haste, he left his door to swing behind him and the damn thing slammed with a heavy thud.

"If I have to come up there…"

Felix cringed to his father's words, doubly so when they laughed at his squeaked-out apology. All of them. His father, who he expected no better from, and Carmen, who could be equally patronising when the mood suited her. But his mother, too, (why am I surprised after the bitch threw us to the lions today?) and Eleazar and Caius - uncles, huh? Hardly. Dora! Not you, too?! Felix told himself she only laughed to join in with the others. It still hurt, though, and he still felt embarrassed.

"And you thought he was mature enough to hang out with you and your friends?" Aro laughed, obviously talking to Caius.

Caius laughed, too, the bastard. "I don't know what I was thinking, brother."

Utter bastard.

It didn't take long for Felix to work out they were throwing an impromptu party in his parent's bedchamber. From the odd comment, he worked out they were playing cards. He decided to listen-in for as long as his eyes would stay open.

It wouldn't take long before he would regret his choice.

In fact, after not very long at all he wished he could go back in time and fall asleep before they arrived. Kids, or rather, how awful their kids were, was the hot topic of conversation. Aro started the ranting, naturally, sharing with them all how awful his young brood could be.

"You should have seen Felix this evening, Sul," he said to his mate. "That boy was sobbing before we even went into his room."

I was NOT sobbing!

"He would have been sobbing for a long time after if I'd dealt with him myself."

Aro's words must have been a pot-shot at Caius being uncharacteristically kind to the boy, as he replied, "I just wanted the matter put to rest, Aro. I cannot tolerate arguing with children - and it would have been an argument with that kid. He doesn't have the sense to know when to back down."

No one could disagree.

"Like his father," Sulpicia added.

No one could disagree with that, either.

"Yesterday mine argued over who started an argument," Carmen said. "And then, when I shouted at them just to stop them shouting at each other, they proceeded to argue over who ended it."

Why are they all laughing? I bet that didn't happen and it's not even funny if it did. Adults are losers.

"They can't be that bad, surely?" Dora asked. "Most of them seem like good kids to me."

Thank you, Dora, Felix thought, smiling. The only decent adult in the coven.

"It's not that they are bad," Sulpicia explained. "But they are shockingly self-absorbed and seriously lacking in maturity."

Blow me down! That's from my own mother? I'm glad you fell out of a window and Demetri was right - you are stupid cow. Such a petulant train of thought, and the boy cringed to himself realising what he was leaving in his mind for his father to discover one day. I'm sorry, Dad, I'm just pis… annoyed.

During the card game, they discussed the general immaturity of a good few members of the coven. Caius seemed to have it in for Odi from what Felix could hear, but Aro expressed similar complaints about Corin and Turk in the guard. Felix couldn't work out what Turk had done to offend anyone. The coven barkeep, though fairly young at only twenty years old, same as Corin and Odi, was as placid as they came. And Corin?! Corin is well mature!

Eleazar and Carmen had more examples to offer of the girls during the short time they had been under their care, but both Aro and Sulpicia kept on returning to their son as the epitome of immaturity. Felix was certain he had heard Demetri's name a few times, but mostly, they talked about him.

How can they think I'm immature? How can they talk about me like I'm not even here… Oh, they don't know I'm listening. Still, not the point! I am not immature! So much for Caius wanting to be my uncle, of sorts. He's the one laughing the loudest! Kids are trying to sleep up here, dick head. Is that my uncle Eleazar, my favourite uncle Eleazar telling my Dad I've been getting too big for my boots? No. Surely not? He wouldn't! He's been different ever since he got shacked up with Carmen. Totally pussy whipped. The Denali girls have finished him off. Git.

Felix must have begun his fitful dreaming at that point as he could remember no more.

"Could you please just stop?!"

"Huh?" Felix looked over to his mother, startled by her sudden shouting.

"You're huffing and puffing is driving me crazy, Felix," Sulpicia explained without even looking at the boy.

Felix glared at the top of his mother's head. I wasn't huffing and puffing.

"And wipe that look off your face-" Sully paused to dib her nib "-I've half a mind to fetch your father here to give you the spanking you avoided last night."

Felix blushed, or would have if such a thing were possible for a vampire. He felt the blood rush to his cheeks regardless - even if there would be no colour change to his face, he felt the burning embarrassment.

His darling little brothers wore expressions of amusement mixed with surprise. They were dying to ask him how he escaped unscathed. He didn't want to tell them he had been crying in bed with Aro and Caius standing over him without them even needing to whip him.

"Half a mind is giving you too much credit," he grumbled, swiftly checking whether his mother had heard him. Thank the Gods she didn't with the mood she's in.

The boy still flinched, though, but not for his mother's wrath - the door opened with a start and he feared his father had returned to the tower. Relief washed over his young shoulders seeing his grandmother instead. Felix hoped for her sympathy. Though sympathy for what, he couldn't have explained.

Okay, so Caius had given him a quick round of his belt in Odi's dorm, but both he and Aro had let Felix walk free later that evening. I'm not lying on my belly like those two sad sacks, Felix thought, looking at his younger brothers. Yet, he still felt aggrieved. His father had been riding him hard over his juvenile play with Jane. Even she seems to have forgiven me, Felix mused, making his father's continued threats all the more unnecessary.

"Oh my, boys!" Atia called out as she flitted across the room to them. She tugged at the back of Alec's nightshirt. "Are we going to bed early or getting up late?"

Sulpicia carefully hid her scowl behind a length of parchment. Judgment from her mother in law was about the last thing she needed. Be fair, she told herself. She's judging the boys, not me…

"You shouldn't allow them to lounge around in their nightwear, Sulpicia," Atia said, turning to her daughter-in-law. "It is terribly uncouth."

Sulpicia's scowl returned, and this time she made no effort to hide it. "I have asked them repeatedly to get dressed for the day," she explained. "They don't listen to me."

Why do adults always exaggerate? Felix wondered. You haven't asked repeatedly - you've suggested once.

"Then it is your job to make them listen, my dear."

Felix tutted to himself. There will be no support coming from my dear old Grandmother then. Same as all the rest, only concerned about yourself, how we make you look… he continued in his mutterings, barely paying any attention to his mother's rising annoyance.

"Actually, right now, it's my job to get through these reports."

Atia looked down her nose at Sulpicia's terse tone. "I'm sure you have time for both."

I'm sure you're wrong. As you so often are. Damn it! Sully had incorrectly carried a 3 as she silently answered Atia's judgments. "Get dressed and go out or stay as you are and go to your rooms," she called over to her boys.

That caught Felix's attention and dragged the youth from his own inner monologue. "We can go out? Seriously?"

"I made it perfectly clear last night that you were not to be grounded, Felix." She threw Atia a purposely fake smile, "Satisfied?"

Atia waited for the boys to fly from the room. She didn't have to wait long. "I wanted to speak to you about your unruly children - I came to offer my assistance. Your attitude is unwarranted, Sulpicia."

Sully's attitude was born of frustration, of course, as it seemed every being in the castle would disturb her before she would have chance to finish her work.

"My apologies," she replied in a most Aro-like fashion, "But I really must get on." She skipped over Atia's 'kind' offer of assistance - which I have not, and never will, ask for.

Atia knew when she wasn't wanted, but as far as she was concerned, the Volturi children were careering out of control. I'm hearing one bad report after another about Aro's children and the reports on Eleazar's girls are no better. And yet, not one of their parents - or wardens as she had heard Irina refer to Eleazar and Carmen - were doing a thing about it.

Still, she could see Sulpicia was not open to discussion. It is a discussion we will have soon, though, my dear. "I'll call back later."

Sulpicia held up a hand in a half wave. "Looking forward to it."

Atia left feeling tense and annoyed. Sulpicia was lucky the woman appreciated just how much work there was to do with the French coven's accounts, or she might very well have stayed and had it out with the vampiric queen.

Felix and Demetri weren't far behind their grandmother. They must have changed so quickly, Sulpicia thought, seeing them dash out the door without a backwards glance. I would bet every florrin in the vaults that they haven't changed their shorts. Boys are filthy.

"Have they gone?"

Alec's little voice in that moment would otherwise have annoyed Sulpicia, but his broken tone - and when she looked up at him, his crestfallen face - had her dumping her work to one side. She flashed over to her baby as quickly as her damaged ankle would allow, having to brace herself on well-placed furniture as she went.

"They're older than you, sweetheart," Sully began to explain, wrapping the child in her arms. "But I'm sorry if you feel like you're being left behind."

Alec pushed out of his mother's hold with tears brimming in his eyes. "I am being left behind," he whispered back, holding back the sob that dared to crack in his throat. "It's not just a feeling. There's the same difference between me and Felix as there is between Felix and Odi."

Sensing the youngest Volturi was fed up with the babying for the moment, Sully resisted the urge to scoop Alec up again. She settled for stroking his arm. "Age gaps matter less the older you get, that's all."

Alec shook his little blond head. "Jane and Tanya, me and Demetri - the age gaps are the same! They just hate me."

"They do not hate you, Alec," Sulpicia returned very firmly. For one, she didn't believe her boys hated their younger brother, for another, she didn't want Alec to even think such a thing knowing how it would wound his young heart. "Your brothers just aren't very mature. Mature boys would make space for you and include you, but your bothers are very immature…"

"If they loved me it wouldn't matter."

"Alec!" Felix called from the doorway. "Are you coming, or what?!"

It sounded like he said I could go with him? Did he say that? The boy looked back at his big brother in shock. Is he just mocking me?

Sully wondered the same. If you are teasing him, I will skin you Felix Volturi! "You want to take him?" she asked in a half whisper.

Truthfully, Felix had only returned for his cloak in case they were sent outside for more of the miracle that is 'fresh air'. But he'd heard his mother's words about maturity and after the night he'd spent listing in, hearing how the whole coven thought him so painfully immature, taking Alec seemed like an easy way to show all the loser-adults how wrong they were.

"I'm stood here waiting for him, aren't I?" Felix smiled back to his mother's dumbfounded expression and grabbed Alec's cloak, throwing it over his arm with Demetri's and his own. There, he thought, triumphantly. Now who's immature?

His spiteful thoughts at getting one over on his mother soon dissipated when she smiled at him so warmly. Felix felt like he may blush (and, as always, was grateful that it wouldn't show on his face). She mouthed something, 'I love you', perhaps. Or 'thank you'. Felix wasn't sure but it made him feel a little better about himself.

"So," Alec asked, still sniffing back his earlier upset. He wiped his shirt sleeve across his eyes a couple of time to dry all the tears that had been so very ready to fall. "What are we doing today?"

Demetri scowled seeing his younger brother coming around the corner with his older one. Before he could ask why they were dragging the baby along for the ride, Felix shook his head and rolled his eyes. It was enough to say, 'we're stuck with him'.

"We are going to call on the girls," Felix explained to Alec. "Then, who knows?" Though I doubt it will be much in this boring place. Especially now I'm stuck with you.

Felix nearly strolled into his uncle's apartment, as he once used to do, but thought better of it. Eleazar had been encouraging Aro to take a firmer hand with Felix all night long and the boy wouldn't forget that in a hurry. He'll probably whip me the next time he sees me because of you, Felix thought, hammering on Eleazar's door. He really wanted his uncle to answer it, just so he could tell him when he thought of him. Or scowl at him a little, at least.

Sadly, or maybe fortunately for Felix as he would only land himself in more trouble, Irina answered.

She looked passed Felix and saw Demetri. That was okay, he wasn't totally tedious company. She looked a little further and saw Alec. Oh, hell no!

Felix flashed her an embarrassed smile.

After the show down in the south tower the day before she could well understand that Felix may be treading a tighter line for a while. "Are you baby sitting or something?" That's the only thing that would make sense to Irina.

"Don't use the B word," Felix whispered in reply. "Just, don't."

He didn't say no. He must be babysitting. Some kind of cruel and unusual punishment from the king of the overlords. What a jackass. Irina couldn't see any point in arguing for Alec to leave them alone. For one, she was sure Carmen and Eleazar would have something to say about it if she did, and for another, if they had the option of not having the baby of the coven tag along, Felix would have seen to it already.

"What are we doing today?" she asked the boys, calling for Kate to join them.

Kate flitted over with one arm wrapped around her stomach. She missed Carmen watching her, worried, and the woman's nod to her mate. When Eleazar came up behind her, she jumped, startled. Eleazar had planned to speak to the girl, but became distracted by Felix's face, or rather, his narrowed eyes and clear grimace.

"Are those eyes for me?" he asked his nephew. "Not talking to me today?" he prompted when Felix remained unchanged without answer. "I suggest you wipe that look off your face before I do."

"Whatever." Felix left his face exactly as it was, but he did turn away. He wanted Eleazar to know he was pissed with him, but he didn't have a death wish.

Eleazar tutted at his immature display and refocused on his daughter… or whatever she was. "Are you sure you want to go out today?" he asked Kate, stroking her hair.

"Of course, she does," Irina answered, pulling her sister in closer.

Eleazar looked down his nose to Irina, unimpressed. "Kate," he tried again.

"It's fine, El. I'm fine." Kate turned to the boys before Eleazar could get a read of her face and know she was lying. "Will we need our cloaks?" she asked, half an eye on the window and the pouring rain.

From the weather, if they went outside, they certainly would need cloaks - Kate would prefer if they stayed inside. Irina would prefer not to lug a heavy cloak about if she wouldn't need to use it.

"Just a precaution," Felix explained. "I'm aiming for the guard hall."

The Denali sisters looked at each thinking the same thing - Magnus won't let us in - and simultaneously grabbed their cloaks.

"I don't want to hear about any trouble today," Eleazar told them before they could leave. "Not from any of you."

A sly smile grew on Felix's face. "You don't want to hear about any trouble from us?"

Eleazar shook his head. "Don't get cocky, you know what I meant."

"Yeah, yeah," Felix said to himself, rolling his eyes as he turned away.

"Hey!" Eleazar spun his nephew back around and had a finger jabbing towards his face. "You've had a bad start to the year already. Time to turn it around, Felix. You aren't impressing anyone behaving so immaturely."

There's that 'immature' thing again. What are the miserable overlords around here thinking?! Those thoughts didn't help Felix's expression one little bit - his ire was plastered across his face!

"That goes for all of you," Eleazar continued, making sure to catch Irina and Demetri with his eye (Alec stayed out of sight in the hallway).

Irina and Demetri had the sense to make the right noises, simply so they could get away. An 'mhmm' from one and a 'sure' from the other. Felix still glared at his uncle.

Eleazar saw him just as the boy began chuntering unintelligibly. "Do you have the balls to say it out loud?"

"Say what?"

"Whatever you are amusing your little mind with."

Felix smiled to himself. How he would love to tell his two-faced uncle exactly what he was thinking.

"You tell me what your thinking now and I'll put you over my knee for that hiding you escaped last night."

Felix forced his eyes to the floor. If he looked at his uncle he was sure his retinas would burn the bastard. Embarrassing me like that? Why? In front of everyone! Bastard!

"You really are begging for it today, aren't you?" El shook his head again. "Still no apology, huh? Come, let's get it over with."

"Sorry."

Eleazar bobbed his head. "Yeah, I thought so."

He wasn't a cruel man and even on a good day he wasn't particularly inclined to do more than he had to do. But Eleazar had promised his brother to pull up the boys on their attitudes when he saw them acting up. He felt he'd done his good deed for the day.

"Go on, get out of here," he said, trying to show some kindness. "Before I make you stay."

His nephews and Irina were wildly underwhelmed with his sudden change in tack. If he thought that would keep them onside, he was sadly mistaken. When Jane and Tanya also skipped passed him to join the others, Eleazar turned to his mate for explanation.

"Was it something I said?"

"Oh, love." Carmen didn't have the heart to tell him where he'd gone wrong.

As they walked away from the tower, they were all chuntering as Felix had been about how miserable the overlords were. Felix stoked the fires by slipping in a few well-timed nuggets from what he'd heard their parents discussing the night before. Irina was too incensed to point out that she didn't have parents!

"They said I'm too immature to lead a coven?!"

Out of all the things Felix had overheard, that had been the only thing he could have agreed with. But sure, he'd be raging right alongside Irina for the moment.

Kate was more upset than angry. "They think I'm a pushover?"

Okay, make that two things Felix had agreed with the night before.

"Dad said I'm worse than a girl when he…" Demetri, the poor boy, was dumbfounded and could repeat no more of what his brother had told him.

Right, Felix thought. Three things I did agree with.

"How can they think I'm a brat?" Alec asked. Tanya asked the same. Jane merely fumed over being called manipulative. Or, as Felix had recounted, a manipulative little madam.

Four things. Four, five, six. Felix dragged a hand down his face. It wouldn't do him any good to think that his dear old family had been right about their observations of the young ones in the coven.

"Come on," he said, jutting his head down the long hallway leading to the guard hall. "Magnus will let us in today. We're all going together. It's going to be fine."

He sounded sure enough to Kate. Demetri, too. Irina thought the boy foolishly full of self-confidence, but then that's what she always thought of Felix. She was interested to see how he planned to pull off gaining access to the guard hall again.

"Follow my lead," the young prince told them as he sidled up to the guard master.

Magnus heard the young ones approaching… well, Felix approaching whilst the others hung back. Sensible, he thought. He didn't move, though. He stayed hunched over his work, scribbling away. (It really was scribble, Magnus' penmanship leaved much to be desired.)

"Mhmm," he replied when Felix said hello to him. "Mhmm," again when Felix asked him how he was. He gave the boy a "nu uh" when he asked to enter the hall. He gave him more of the same when he started to promise to behave and beg for another chance. He tutted when the boy scraped a chair across the flagstones to join him at his desk.

"I usually have to drag your ass to this desk kicking and screaming," Magnus pointed out.

Why say that?! Felix looked around to see who may have heard. His brothers and the girls were all hiding their giggles so they definitely had. It's not even true. Even if it is I'm no worse than anyone else who's in trouble with you, he thought indignantly. Why are all the adults exaggerating so much?

Still, the boy was on a mission. He kept himself cool and gingerly lowered himself into the chair, wincing and gasping as loudly as he could get away with.

Magnus put down his quill and eyed the boy curiously, playful smile tugging at his lips. "I know your old man didn't whip you, Felix." Nice try, young one.

Damn it. "No, but he did them." Felix gestured with his eyes to his younger brothers standing out of the way. "I've brought Alec with me to get him out of my mother's way. She's still aching from her fall and stuff. I'm trying to be mature, Magnus."

Magnus tested out the boy's emotions, and to his surprise, he was telling the truth. Well, that's nice, I guess, he thought, slightly impressed.

"Come on, Magnus," he whined. "My Dad's on the warpath, constantly. I need a break from him. We all do."

Though Caius had spent the better part of the night with Aro playing cards, the rest of his time had been spent in Magnus' chambers complaining about the king: what will Aro think? What could Aro think? Aro has been asking questions. Aro has been coming up with answers. Aro this, Aro that. In fact, if Magnus never heard his king's name again it would be too soon!

"Where can I take Alec and Jane if not in here? It's pouring down outside and I'm trying to be a good big brother and…"

"Fine!" Magnus checked his ears for blood, sure they would be bleeding. "By the Gods, young one, you can whine! Get in there, don't cause any trouble."

Felix skipped away far too merrily.

"Oi!" the guard master called after the terrifying little gang. "I mean it - no trouble."

Seven little voices, they would have been angelic if they weren't coming from miniature demons, said, "Yes, sir," in unison.

Felix soon darted back around the door. "Is erm… Is Odi allowed down here?"

"Aye, he's allowed. Tell him it would be nice if he had a drink with his old man before he joins you, though."

"And Corin?"

"Don't push it, young one."

The outcasts decided as one that Alec should fetch Odi. The child didn't grumble - he was happy to be out with them at all. Felix also told him to fetch Corin. Magnus hadn't said no, he had only said 'don't push it'. That could mean anything! Felix thought to himself, happily. They planned to sit out of the way on their little outcast table. What Corin didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

"Hey," Magnus called, rising to his feet instinctively as Odi shuffled over.

The boy came to a stop a few feet away, just out of reach. "You wanted to see me, Master?"

Magnus flinched back. "Why are you calling me master?"

"I assumed you would prefer it."

Okay, so you're still hurting. Magnus clenched a fist to his stomach - he was hurting, too. "How are you feeling, son?"

The kid bristled to his last word, Magnus felt it, he could feel the atmosphere between them, too. No empathic gifts required to feel that - it hung between them, thick and heavy like a smog. There were other things Magnus could feel from the kid. Odi had so many emotions that it was difficult to label them all. Annoyed, displaced, bitter, sorry for himself - they came through unmistakably.

Keep trying, Magnus told himself. "Are you ready to come home?"

"I never left," Odi pointed out. "I was evicted."

"Your mother…"

Odi sucked the air in between his teeth and rolled his eyes.

"Your mother," Magnus said again with more force - he wasn't having his son disrespecting his wife. "Sent you away for everyone to calm down," he explained. "We want you home, son."

The kid averted his gaze and laughed once. It sounded hollow.

Magnus narrowed his eyes, trying to work his boy out. "Whats so funny?"

"All of it, master."

"Stop calling me that."

Magnus put his finger under Odi's chin and forced the kid's face to meet what little light came though from the window. Odi still looked away, but his father had already seen his eyes.

"You're a mess, son. You need to come home. Come back and let us take care of you."

"I don't need you to take care of me," Odi replied. He took a step and a half backwards, completely out of reach. "It's time I made a life of my own."

Just as Magnus was trying to process what Odi had said to him, he locked eyes with Caius as he came around the corner.

Odi turned to see who his father, or master, was looking at. "And my replacement arrives on cue," he said, flashing back into the guard hall to join his friends - he needed their company right then more than he'd ever needed anything in his whole life.

I hope you haven't sought me out for another row, Magnus thought, smiling to Caius as he came closer. "How's your face this morning?"

"It's healed."

"I'm so sorry…"

"I don't want to talk about it. It's not important."

Magnus retook his seat, slumping lower than he had before Caius arrived. Since he'd join the coven in the year 800, he could have given a hundred reasons, a thousand, for why he'd have liked to punch Caius in the face: the way he spoke to people, his rather choice training methods, the way he used to treat the guards before big changes were made, the way he treated Dora (though Magnus wasn't such a fool to believe it no longer occurred), the way he was… was just Caius!

All those times were a long time ago, however, and now all Magnus felt about Caius was a deep desire to protect him. You need protecting from me, he thought, with a lump in his throat. You and Odi, both. As he closed his eyes, his mind taunted him. The memory of his rage, his fist flying forward, launching his dear wife into his Dora, and going forward for a second time. His son's spike of fear and Caius getting in the way. The feelings floored him again as they had every time he'd thought about it since.

It might have been easier to bear if Caius would talk about it. If Caius would let him apologise, make it up to him, somehow. But Caius didn't work that way. Freyr had told her husband that Caius was good, that he harboured no ill will. But Magnus still reeled in misery and regret.

With a shudder in his throat, he opened his eyes again.

It wasn't until he looked back up that he realised Caius was still stood there, waiting. So, you do want to talk to me? Magnus tested the younger man's emotional state. Agitated. Magnus could have worked that out from Caius' stance. The man literally vibrated on the spot. Resolved. He wasn't too sure where that emotion would lead.

"What do you want to talk about, Caius?"

"Aro."

Of all the things?! "Stop stressing about what he thinks," the juggernaut replied. The only topic of conversation Caius had been willing to discuss that morning had been Aro, and frankly, with the state of his family life - or whatever it was - Magnus couldn't think of anything less important. "You told Aro he was barking up the wrong tree, so it's done with."

Caius scoffed in his face. "Are you being purposely fucking dense?!"

Magnus knew he had a mountain to climb to make things right with Caius, but he wasn't about to become a martyr to the man's bad moods or disrespect. For one, he knew Caius would never respect him again if he rolled over anyway.

"Do you want to try that again?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and looking thoroughly unimpressed.

When Caius didn't reply he felt a bead of sweat run down his temple. For a moment Magnus wondered if he'd judged the situation badly. I have no right to expect civility from him …

Caius looked to the floor submissively.

Phew! Magnus hid a smile behind his hand and simultaneously pushed a chair out towards Caius to cover his relieved sigh.

Caius took the seat and tried again. "You know what Aro's like, Magnus," he said in a calmer tone. "He will be thinking about us now. He'll put two and two together and come up with ten!"

Aye, that sounds like Aro alright. Magnus wasn't as phased by the idea as Caius was. "What if he does?"

"What do you mean, 'what if he does'?!"

Magnus clamped a heavy hand on Caius' shoulder to keep him seated. "Calm down, hear me out," he said. "What if he does put two and two together?" Magnus turned both hands up to the air. "What would he actually come up with? I can't name whats going on, and neither can you, so I'd love to see what Aro could come up with."

"Ah," Caius sighed sarcastically. "You are being purposely dense."

"I'm being deadly serious. If I were you…"

That was the wrong thing to say.

"You're not," Caius snapped back, cutting the juggernaut off mid-advice. "You're not me, and you need to remember that. We are different. Theres a difference between us. Some things aren't appropriate for people to think of me and you. Theres an order to things…"

"Are you pulling rank on me?!"

Caius slowly stood and stared the man down, his eyes never moving, never blinking.

I've screwed it all up. I'm going to lose him. Magnus couldn't quite believe what was happening. "Caius…"

With a sharp wave of his hand, Caius silenced the juggernaut before he could say anything that would make him back down. "I respect your opinion on private matters, but you've let it go to your head."

Shut up, shut up! Caius' own mind screamed at him as he spoke. Shut up shut up, it said, willing him to back down again. But he couldn't. He couldn't let anyone find out that he had, at times, fallen under Magnus - both numerously and willingly. It was too… shameful.

"Out here, in the coven, there is an order to things, and you need to remember that." With those awful things said, Caius made to leave.

"I'm sorry!"

Magnus sprang from his seat and grabbed Caius by the arm to pull him back. All of this because of Aro? No. It can't be. Because I punched you? Maybe? Truly Magnus didn't really care what the reason was, he couldn't stand to see another son walk out on him. Is this why you felt resolved? He wasn't sure what to do? Should I show some deference?

"I'm sorry," he said again, releasing the man's arm and smoothing down his coat. He made sure to keep his eyes low, his old Volturi guard training coming to the fore. "My head has been… I've been… I have a lot on my mind and yesterday I got it wrong. I was overwhelmed and made a few slips…"

"Yes, you did get it wrong," Caius snarled.

Magnus recoiled, but, with his eyes still low, he quietly said, "Keep in mind all the things I've got right up until now, Caius."

"Er… well…"

Caius huffed and twitched trying to come up with a reply. He didn't have to say anything, though. Magnus had already caught his true feelings through his emotional shift without any words being spoken. Regret.

One look at the juggernaut and Caius knew Magnus could feel what he felt. Fuck! Fully annoyed at being unable to control Magnus in the way he had intended, Caius growled to himself. I can't even control myself, let alone you.

"Anyway," he blustered. "Are we announcing this mission, or what?" And then he stalked into the guard hall before Magnus could answer.

The juggernaut followed feeling temporary relief… until he set eyes on Odi. Damn kids are giving me whip lash!

"We have a mission coming up," Magnus announced - it wasn't much of an announcement, it's all the guards had been talking about the whole night through. "Werewolves are rising in France and Henri claims he doesn't have the forces to take them down. Who's up for earning some money?"

Oh crap! Felix smiled to his dear girlfriend. "Don't get mad," he said, throwing on his very best puppy dog eyes and cutest coy smile.

Corin swallowed hard. The eyes, that smile, those words - nothing good can come from this.

"Magnus didn't technically say you were welcome in the guard hall."

Hell, no! Corin cringed into her seat making herself as small as possible whilst she cursed her stupid boyfriend.

"Just stay quiet and I bet he won't even notice." Felix turned his back on the girl and twisted into the table to block her out of view of the room. "Where are you going?" he asked Odi, but it was too late, the kid stalked on ahead.

"We need our strongest fighters on this one," Caius added. "Afton, Alex, Phil…" Caius drifted off when he saw Odi approaching. "You've got no chance."

"Dad…"

"Dad?" Magnus asked, cocking his head to one side. He couldn't hold his annoyance for very long - poor kid looks done in, he thought. "He's right, son. No chance." He added, quietly, "you aren't fit for a fight, Odi."

Freyr had seen the exchange and saw a chance to right some wrongs. Or make more wrongs, she realised, but it was a chance she would take. Collecting a tankard of bloodwine from Turk, she went to boy and placed the cup in his hand.

"You just need a quick feed," Freyr said to him. "You'll be fighting fit, then, won't you, my darling."

Odi looked from the tankard to his mother and back again. His mouth salivated just holding the cup and it took all his inner strength to stop himself from downing the drink in one.

"Drink it all," his mother said. "And I will make them take you on the mission."

Magnus heard his mate and wanted to help, too. "I'll happily take him if he drinks it," he said, smiling brightly to his boy.

Odi looked down again. God it smells good. It smells good and it's not even warm. It wasn't just his father who would have to agree to take him on the mission, though. Odi glanced in Caius' direction.

Freyr caught on first. "You'll take him if he drinks it, won't you, Caius?"

"He'll need to drink more than one," Caius said. There was no intended malice in his tone, though he was as curt and abrupt as ever. "He's too weak to come on a mission."

Freyr slapped a hand to her forehead. Magnus ran one through his hair.

"A word with you both, if you please" Freyr said, (it wasn't a question). He fellow masters followed her out of the guard hall for a whispered row in the masters office.

Somewhere behind him - he thought it was Afton though it could easily have been Alex - Odi heard someone repeat 'too weak' with a snort. Someone else agreed. Another asked what was new about that. One of the women, Renata, maybe, told them to shut up and be nice. No one said it wasn't true.

"He's made himself weak," Afton hissed to his mate who was trying to defend the kid.

"Yeah," Alex agreed. "Who has to be convinced to feed?"

Even the kinder voices fell away at that point.

"Don't make a scene."

Odi blinked and looked around. Irina. She had whispered in his ear.

"Don't give them the satisfaction of knowing they've upset you," she said. "Don't make a scene."

Nodding once, Odi walked to the bar with all eyes on him. He set the tankard down and walked back to Irina. All eyes still on him.

"Poor kid," Renata said, sounding genuinely sorry for him.

He didn't want anyone feeling sorry for him. He didn't want anyone's pity. He didn't want to be in the coven at all.

The three masters re-entered the guard hall. Caius walked ahead and straight to Odi.

"Drink it and you can come," he said, against his better judgment.

"Nah," Odi replied. His voice was hoarse as he tried to keep control of himself - which wasn't easy in his current half-starved state. "I don't want to come."

Caius turned to Magnus and Freyr with eyes raised to the heavens. Freyr felt similarly frustrated and left the hall. She could be heard mumbling about 'marriage' and 'men' and 'sons' and the ridiculousness of it all as she went.

Magnus watched his forlorn boy return to the table of children. One was missing. Irina? That's when he noticed the girl standing beside him.

"Can I help you?"

"I want to go on your little mission," she said.

Caius couldn't prevent the laugh that burst from his lips. Neither could Magnus. As they were laughing, the guard thought no harm in joining in, too.

Magnus apologised to the girl, as laughing at her request wasn't his finest moment. "You haven't bothered to attend any training sessions, my dear," he pointed out.

"I have actually." Irina turned a sly smile on Caius. "I went to the one where he beat the shit out of Odi and Carlisle."

Caius quit laughing, as did everyone else. "You only watched."

Irina smiled wider, knowing she had embarrassed the young, angry master. "I had more sense than to join in, you mean." Her laughter tinkled around the room. "I only watched when Basileus kicked the shit out of you, too."

"Bitch…" Caius made a step toward her, but Magnus had anticipated his movements and blocked his path.

"How do you think you will stand against a werewolf?" he asked the girl, deflecting attention.

"She'll probably try and fuck it, the whore."

Magnus spun on his heel and looked aghast at Caius. "For the love of the Gods, Caius! She's a child!"

Irina made sure to hide her emotions from the hall. Magnus would pick up on them, she couldn't help that, but no one else would know she had been offended, or rather, hurt, by Caius' words.

"I've killed wolves before," she said, ignoring Caius completely.

"Werewolves?" Magnus asked. "Or regular wolves?" He could see from her face she hadn't ever faced a werewolf in the battlefield. "I'm sorry, Irina. If you want to go on missions, you have to attend training."

"Lev," Caius called out. "The three of you?"

Lev looked to Mikhail and Katerina in turn, and then back to Caius. "Yes, master."

"That will be enough," Magnus said, thanking those who had stepped forward.

"What about me?" Felix asked from his seat.

"Not this time, buddy," Magnus told the young prince, ruffling the boy's black, shaggy hair. "Your old man has requested that you stay behind."

"Besides," Caius added before Felix could start whining. "You need to lie low after yesterday."

"What about you yesterday?" Felix shot back.

Caius stopped dead and glared down at the boy. "What about me?!"

"You were the one coming out with all that uncle stuff," Felix reminded him. "That's not just a title, you know? Being the uncle of a prince is a big deal. You're supposed to do things to earn it."

Magnus rolled around to smirk at Caius. "What a very sweet little relationship you have plucked out of thin air."

Caius saw him, obviously, but chose not to reply. Mostly because he didn't know how to. What could he say? I'm fine with the world knowing I'm close to the king but not to the juggernaut. I'm fine with the world believing I fall under the creator but not the guard master. I'm fine with you helping me out with every thought or feeling I have, taking my shit, keeping my wife sweet, keeping Basileus off my back… Not now, Magnus. Not now.

"So what?" he snapped back at Felix. "You want me to 'earn my title' by taking you on a mission? As opposed to being your father's oldest friend for twice as long as you have been breathing?"

"Well, yeah."

"No."

"But…"

Caius cut the boy off with a menacing glare. "But if you don't back down now, I will have to reconsider how I left things with you yesterday."

It was enough. Felix backed down.

"Do you need me to find the wolves?" Demetri asked. He loved his brother, but if he could go on the mission when Felix couldn't, he would thoroughly enjoy rubbing his nose in it.

"You're another one who should be lying low," Caius pointed out. "We aren't taking any kids."

Magnus tutted at the man's abrasiveness. "You can't track things you haven't seen, Demetri," he explained more kindly. "We already know where their caves are. Come on," he added to Caius. "You do know you're not coming either, right?"

Caius looked back blankly as though the words made no sense to him. They were words he knew, he even understood the order, but being said to him regarding his participation on a mission made no sense at all.

"You're not coming," Magnus said again. "I told you after the last mission that I wouldn't go werewolf hunting with you again."

Caius laughed thinking the guy was winding him up… or trying to. When Magnus remained impassive, Caius started to worry.

"You are overreaching again, my friend," he warned, although the words lacked force.

Magnus rolled his eyes. Two steps forward, a step back, and repeat, he said to himself. Do you want me to stand up to you? he wondered. Or do you want me to back down? What do you want from me? No, Magnus caught himself. Those aren't the right questions at all. What do you need from me - that's what I should be asking.

As he couldn't actually ask Caius, Magnus had to take a punt. Stand up to you, he decided, based on absolutely nothing more than a hunch.

"I disagree," he replied, squaring his shoulders.

Caius matched the man's stance. "I'll lead the mission, you can stay here."

You haven't pushed it, Magnus said, hearing Caius' response. Maybe you do want me to stand firm with you? "No chance, pal. I've cleared it with the creator already."

"Aro…"

Magnus chuckled to himself before Caius could say anymore. "Aro's in agreement after the shit show you put on the last time we hunted wolves - I've covered all bases." A funny thought entered the juggernaut's head. He slapped a hand down on Caius' shoulder, seeming friendly. "Besides," he said, still chuckling. "You're probably going to be convalescing."

"Whats that supposed to mean?" Magnus, if you make one threat against me now with all ears on us, I swear to the Gods, yours and mine, I will…

Magnus left him stewing for just long enough before explaining his comment: "Eleazar's going to want a word with you for what you said to his girl, you moron."

Caius tutted and made to leave the hall. He could handle Eleazar Volturi. He could, sure. But Caius knew well and good that he wasn't permitted to 'handle' Eleazar. Not unless he wanted Basileus to 'handle' him. Shit.

"We leave at dawn!" Magnus called out, following Caius from the hall.

He wanted to go to Odi, talk to the kid, help him, somehow. But the boy was settled with his friends, and Magnus knew Odi wouldn't thank his father for interrupting. Later, he told himself. I'll catch him alone later.

Felix waited for the guard master to be clear of the hall before he turned to face the rest of his group. "See," he told Corin. "I told you he wouldn't notice you there."

"He did notice me," Corin hissed. "He locked eyes with me at least twice."

"You're paranoid, babe," Felix crooned, taking his girl's hand and pulling her in for a kiss.

Irina gagged at the table, forcing the pair to pull apart. She had plans to execute and hearing Felix and Corin swapping venom would put her off. She called her little gathering in close and they all dutifully huddled in around the table.

"Do any of you know where the caves are?" she asked them, voice barely above a whisper.

"I do," Odi said. He'd been on the last mission to the French werewolf dens.

"You've all been on loads of missions before, right?" Obviously, Irina wasn't asking her sisters, just the others.

"Sure," Felix replied for his siblings and Odi.

They used to go on every mission. Now they were lucky to be allowed to go on one every few years. It wasn't nearly enough to quench their thirst for front line action, at least not for Felix.

Irina leaned back for a moment, pensive, before leaning forwards again. She was about to something but looked as though she changed her mind.

"Forget it," she said. "Just a silly thought."

"What was your thought?" Felix asked.

Odi, too, seemed very keen to know. "Were you going to suggest what I think you… come on."

"What do you think I was going to say?" Irina asked, smiling at him in encouragement.

"That we should do it?" he replied. Odi laughed a little and looked around their group. Certain death, surely?

"We could do it!" Felix agreed. "We could totally do it!"

"Do you really think so?" Irina asked, so glad that the two of them had been so easy to lead.

"They won't let us," Kate pointed out, ever the voice of reason.

"No, they won't take us," Irina replied, pointing out the difference.

"Exactly," Felix agreed. "I'm saying we go anyway and beat them to it. Leave before they do."

"We could do that!" Odi was nearly bouncing in his seat beside Felix. "I know where the dens are. I can lead us."

"We won't get away with it," Corin shook her head. "Like Kate said, they won't let us…"

Irina jabbed the young guard with her elbow. She didn't need the voices of doom doubling up against her – Kate was depressing enough without hearing her in duplicate.

"The question, my dear fellow outcasts, isn't who's going to let us," Irina said, slick grin ever growing. "It's who's going to stop us?"

"No one can stop me," Felix said, crowing. "I was born to be wild."

Jane snorted at her brother's bull. "Yes, but only until midnight, because that's his bedtime."

Felix growled at the girl and said, "That's two hours later than you." The siblings seemed in good spirits and their banter went no further.

"Do you really think we should do this?" Corin looked askance at her boyfriend. "It's crazy. Literally crazy."

"She's right, Felix," Demetri agreed with Corin. "Our normally sane mother is in full lunatic mode."

"She threw them to the wolves yesterday," Irina explained to Corin and Odi, both looking confused.

"Yeah, that." Demetri couldn't face their wondering eyes - knowing half the family had witnessed his father spanking him was bad enough without discussing it in public. "We have no back up if we get caught."

"You don't need back up from Dad," Felix said, trying to get his old shadow onside. "You know he will take it out on me anyway. You're safe."

I wasn't safe yesterday, Demetri thought to himself, bitterly. He shifted his weight in his seat. I'm still sore. Sore and embarrassed, he corrected.

"You don't have to come if you're worried, Dem," Irina told him, sounding nice, which was weird. "No one's forcing you to."

"I didn't say I wouldn't come."

Felix nudged his kid brother. "You used to be up for this stuff," he reminded him.

Jane scoffed. "When have you ever been on a secret mission?"

Bobbing his tongue out in jest, Felix replied, "I can't tell you, Jane - it was a secret."

Demetri started to sweat. "If you tell her, she'll tell Dad."

"I won't tell," Jane replied looking down to her hands in her lap. When she looked up again, she could tell they were all assuming that she would. Wow. I really am a shitty sister. "I won't," she said again rather forcefully. "I'm not coming, though."

"Me neither," Tanya chipped in. "I think you're all mad to jeopardize living here."

Irina rolled her eyes but had expected nothing else from the traitorous girl. So long as she could convince one sister to come, she would be happy. She preferred doing things with Kate anyway, as she was easier to push around.

"Just us then, Kate," she said, flashing excited eyes at the middle Denali girl.

"Yeah, I guess," Kate replied. Her stomach ached all over again.

Tanya looked between her sisters wishing one had more of a backbone, and one had a little less of one. "You don't have to go, Kate."

"She knows that she doesn't have to, but she wants to," Irina replied on their sister's behalf. "Don't you, Kate." It wasn't a question.

Kate wasn't sure how to reply. "Well, erm…"

"It will be fun," Irina said, no nonsense. "You're always moaning that we don't do anything together. You can't ditch me now I've planned something epic for us to do."

"You'll come, won't you?" Felix asked his girl.

"Me?!"

Corin began to ramble incoherently, but her general vibe was negative. She was only a guard, after all. Not one of the anointed Volturi children. Whilst the rest of them would get their hands smacked, she would face the whip, or worse.

Irina reached across the table and took Felix's hand in her own. "I'll look after your boy if you'd rather not join us, Corin."

Corin turned a scowl on the Denali sister making a play for her man. "I didn't say I wouldn't come."

The table fell silent. Most were thinking on the situation they had been presented with. Only Alec seemed unconcerned. The boy was grinning wildly from his seat, waiting for his biggest brother to ask him to tag along.

Felix spotted the look and hung his head. "You are a baby, and you're not coming."

Alec flopped back into his chair and crossed his arms tightly over his tiny chest. "You didn't say that to Jane!"

"Jane's not a baby," Felix pointed out. She wouldn't sit there pouting, either.

To cut off an argument before it could begin, Irina stood sharply and beamed at them all. It was most disconcerting. "I'm going to get us some drinks whilst you all decide what you want to do."

She was already certain about going on the mission, their own mission, so long as one or two of them would accompany her. It will be the prefect chance to show the overlords around here what I'm capable of. With something good, too, she foresaw. Taking out a Volturi threat - the wolves - and leading, or part leading the mission to do it. That will really show them I am responsible, mature, capable.

She bristled thinking of Caius' earlier slur. Sasha taught us more than to open our legs for business. As she waited in line for Turk to serve her, Irina kept one eye on her would-be comrades. They all looked deep in thought, and she willed them to think the right thing.

She already knew what Tanya would be thinking - she won't do anything to go against Eleazar and Carmen. Fucking princess. Irina shook her head a little thinking of how far her sister had fallen for the trappings of their gilded cage. Kate, though… Kate could go either way. Mostly Kate wanted an easy life. The only thing above that for Kate, was her family. She wanted her sisters to be together. Irina had questioned both girls' loyalty numerous times since they had arrived in the coven, and she hoped that it would be enough to make Kate see she had to go with her this time.

Irina wasn't far wrong in her estimations.

Tanya had already decided to refuse, though she wouldn't breathe a word of their plans, naturally. Kate knew she was on borrowed time with Irina. The poor girl was making herself sick in her efforts to tread the growing void between her two sisters. She agreed with Tanya and wanted to stay in Volterra, but she agreed with Irina and wanted to keep her family together. Kate decided that by siding with Irina on the big things, she would be free to side with Tanya day-to-day. Deciding didn't make the nausea go away, but at least it gave her an action plan to follow.

Odi, for his part, was thinking similarly to Irina. He needed to prove himself as something other than the guard masters' snivelling son. I'm barely their son anymore anyway, and I've never been snivelling. Odi even toyed with the idea of going off with the Denali girls when they were granted their leave. We could set up a coven. I could lead their coven if they'd let me. We could man an outpost, perhaps? Actually… that gave Odi a brilliant idea and firmed up his reasons for going.

Suddenly, Odi found himself in a win-win situation. On the one hand, he could go on the mission, it would be a roaring success, and he returns to Volterra a new man, basking in the afterglow of vanquishing a den of wolves. He would be respected, revered, wanted. He'd have a position again and a place in the coven.

On the other hand, if the mission went badly, if they screwed it up or their parents were particularly pissed with their conduct, Odi guessed that they would be sent away from the coven. To an outpost, Odi said to himself, where all disgraced guards are sent, and we could set up our own coven. Win-win!

Felix hadn't gone so far as Odi in his imaginings. He wanted to gain some respect and he wanted a proper place in coven life. No more or less than that. A bit of fun wouldn't go amiss, either, he thought to himself. His old high guard life would do in a pinch, though he would prefer the credence a Volturi prince could expect. He needed to get his old man of his back and he needed to be seen for who he was.

But who, exactly, did Felix think he was? I'm a grown ass man, a mature grown ass man, a mature grown ass man with skills who is too damn old for a span… shush! The boy huffed and looked to his girlfriend, soaking up the contentment she offered with her gift.

He thanked her quietly. He loved how she always knew when he needed a shot of contentment.

Speaking of Corin, what would she decide? She didn't like the idea of sending Felix off with Irina. That girl says thank you the naughty way, she thought, shuddering. If I send him alone with you I might as well end things with him now. She really didn't want to do that. Corin bit down hard on her nail and pulled a ragged edge away.

Truthfully, she felt she had no choice. The only allegiances she had in the coven were sat at the table with her. None of the other guards really bothered with her. They liked her well enough, she believed, but they thought her painfully puerile. Since Lucy had died, Corin had been companionless in the guard. Turk and Odi were her age, but they were boys and it wasn't the same relationship.

Only Ren cares about me now. Maybe Chelsea. That's not enough and they both think I'm some snot nosed kid half the time. Magnus and Freyr, along with the king himself, had all made it very clear that she was no longer to mix with the inbetweener group anyway, so even if they did care about her, they couldn't be her friends. Not properly. The outcasts were all she had now. I can't say no, Corin realised. If I say no, I'll have no one at all.

Demetri watched as Felix sat back in his chair, feeling chilled as the contentment washed over him in waves. He had the best girlfriend in the world! The older boy's head lolled to one side and he caught his brother's eye. Demetri smiled back, laughing a little at his goofy expression. It used to be fun hanging out with you, he thought to Felix. Demetri had missed his big brother so much when the Felix started hanging out with Carlisle and Odi, leaving him behind. Why am I even doubting this if he's offering me a place?

The sting in his tail told him why he was doubting it. Aro had really walloped him the night before and Demetri wasn't sure how he'd fair taking the same stripes again so soon. I guess we could gorge on human blood whilst we're out, though. That would help the sting I've got and help the one I've got coming. Demetri, unlike his brother, saw no way where they wouldn't be caught and punished severely for doing something so stupendously dangerous. But… if the rewards are worth it… and Felix seems to know what we're doing? That was enough for Demetri.

Jane was perhaps the simplest of all of them. Sure, she wasn't going to join their death mission, but she was ready to make a stand for her siblings, and her cousins, too. A kid code, and she was going to stick to it. After years of being a bad sister, of finding every chance she could to drop her brothers - particularly Felix - into hot water, she was ready to help keep them out of it. She wasn't going to lie directly to her parents, Jane wasn't daft enough to try that, but she was ready to deny all knowledge of misdeed. A big, deceitful step for Aro's princess of darkness.

Alec, unlike the others, knew he wasn't wanted on the secret mission. That didn't mean he wouldn't be going. He believed that he, more than any of them, had much to prove. I need to remind everyone I'm not just the baby of the coven. Whether they wanted him there or not, Alec was going.

Irina returned with a bundle of goblets in her arms. Nine, to be exact. She set one in front of each member of the outcasts and waited for Turk to deliver two tankards of bloodwine to their table - her daily allowance. Once she'd shoed him away, she divided the blood between the goblets, equally.

"If you're in, drink," she said.

One by one, following Irina's lead, they picked up their goblets and drank. Odi struggled to maintain his composure as the silky liquid spilled down his throat. It was barely more than a gulp, but it felt so good! Just hold out a little longer, he told himself when thoughts of rampaging through the guard hall popped into his head. He could drink every drop in sight and it still wouldn't be enough. Wait until we leave the coven and I can have my fill and I won't owe a soul for it.

Corin was a little more reticent, but Felix encouraged her along and they drank their goblets together.

Only Tanya and Jane remained unmoved.

Irina tapped the tip of her goblet on Jane's and then her sister's. "Drink if you are at least going to keep your mouths shut."

What a drama queen. Tanya drank hers down with a huff.

"Are you going to go running to our parents to tell them our plans?" Felix asked his sister.

Jane collected her goblet and knocked the bloodwine to the back of her throat, swallowing in one.

"Really?" Felix asked again. He had to be sure. She had been much nicer to him in the last day or so, but he knew his sister - you could be reeling me in to land me for something big, this is something big.

"Felix, I won't tell Dad, but when he finds you missing, he will read this entire conversation in my mind."

"Then, in that case-" Felix grabbed his sister's face with one hand on each side, then he stared into her eyes as he spoke "-Dad, I'm sorry, but I have to do this."

"And, Dad-" Jane took hold of Felix in much the way he had her "-for the record, I think you've pushed him into it."

Brilliant! Felix roared in laughter. "I fucking love you sometimes."

"I know," Jane replied. "I love you too, you big oaf".

Tanya tittered beside Jane before catching Irina's eye, and then Kate's. "You pair may be willing to get yourselves chucked out of this coven, but I'm happy here and I'm doing nothing to rock the boat. Good luck, though," she said, and she meant it. Though Irina drove her crazy at times, and Kate frustrated the heck out of her, Tanya couldn't stand the idea of losing either one of them. "Ooo," she added as a bright idea popped into her mind. "You will bring me back a present, right?"

They stayed together all afternoon as they talked in whispers, formulating their plans. Corin had a shift on the back gate that night. It was a shit shift, pointless, too, as the Volturi had no need to guard the back wall. It was already protected by the guards who walked the rear perimeter.

Corin only had the shift because she'd mouthed off to Freyr. When the guard master had told her she would be on block for breaking the king's trust, repeatedly, Corin had made some muffled comments about how Aro wouldn't understand the concept of trust if it bit him on the arse. Freyr hadn't taken kindly to such disrespect and had given her the shitty guard duties no one else wanted to cover as punishment.

"And I'm doing it for no wages," Corin pointed out.

"Stop moaning," Irina said with a tut. "Your shit shift is perfect to get us all out of here."

"Are we going tonight?" Demetri would need a few hours' sleep if that was the plan. And he would have to fit in seeing Adrianna, too. Stress relief, he told himself.

"The rest of the mission crew leave at dawn," Odi reminded them all. "We have to go tonight, or it will be too late.

"And you definitely know the way to the dens," Irina pushed.

"Yeah, yeah," Odi replied. "I could lead us there blind folded."

Kate had a problem they would need to overcome. Or should that be another problem as that had seemingly been her only contribution to their mission plans. "What are we going to wear, Irina?"

"I'll pick up a couple of sets of guard uniform from the stores," Odi promised. "I'll bring it with me when we meet."

Perfect, Irina thought, smiling. "You usually take a shot of dungeon blood before battle, right?"

"Yeah." Felix couldn't see where she was going with that one. "It's not like we can ask Caius for a bottle of dungeon blood to take with us."

"We don't need it anyway." Odi subconsciously licked his lips as he spoke. "We'll feed when we're out there. We'll be fine."

Felix agreed. Like his brother, he knew a couple of hours sleep would help see him through what they had to come, so they all decided to retire to their beds very early that evening, and they would meet at the back gate at midnight. "Do we all know what we're doing?"

They did, and one by one they bobbed their heads once before they all stood to leave. If anyone had been paying attention to the outcast table, it would have been clear as day that the young vampires were up to something devious. As it was, no one in the coven gave them more than a disinterested glance, and so no one suspected a thing.

The young barkeep waited for the outcasts to begin leaving their table before he plodded over to collect the empties. Odi saw him coming so hung back and waited, dying to tell someone his confidential plans already - that kid could not keep a secret to save his life. Even if he hadn't said a word, Turk could tell his pal had something on his chest.

"So," Turk asked. "Whats going on with you lot?"

"I'll only tell you if you swear on your life that you won't say a word."

Turk wasn't sure whether he wanted to know, so he made no such promise, hoping Odi wouldn't tell him. He settled for saying, "Sounds ominous."

"We're going on the mission."

Turk wasn't annoyed Odi had told him after all because what he'd told him made no sense. "Magnus and Caius literally just said you couldn't go." He had been on the bar at the time, but Turk was certain that's what he'd heard.

"We're not going on their mission; we're going on our own mission. We're going to the werewolf dens and we're going to hit some taverns on the way, and maybe a few humans, too. It's going to be epic!"

That's why you don't want a drink from the bar. Turk unhooked his cloth from his belt and swiped it across the table between them. "You're mental, and your old man will murder you."

"Don't you see? This will change everything."

"Yeah," Turk agreed. "It will change your bedroom for a cell in the dungeons. Your current ability to walk without a limp will change, too, I reckon."

"No, you prat," Odi tutted and laughed. "It will change how I'm seen in this coven." From Turk's confused expression, Odi knew he would have to explain more. "I'm sick of everyone thinking I'm useless. I'm capable of more than I'm allowed to do around here and leading a mission will prove that."

Now Turk understood - he didn't agree, but he understood.

"Do you want to come?"

"Me?!" Turk nearly choked on his tongue.

"Yeah, why not?" Odi was full of smiles, so encouraging, so excited. "You're always bitching that we don't do anything together anymore."

"A secret mission to face a load of wolves isn't really me, Odi."

That was an understatement! Turk hadn't been on a regular mission for centuries. He wasn't even taken out to round up humans for turning, which suited him just fine. A secret mission for my first one in half a millennium? Nuts!

"Besides, you might get away with your life for this, but I'm just a guard. I'm not even a very useful guard. I'd be sent to an outpost… or worse."

Odi shrugged and went to start secret mission prep. Oh… "You won't say anything, though, will you?"

"What do you take me for?"

Turk had only ever dropped his friend in it once before, and he still felt guilty for it. If he had been able to carry on funding the drinks Odi gave away he would have taken that secret to the grave. Promising to keep his mouth shut over a secret mission was an easy pledge and one he would keep.

Odi bounced away to grab some uniform for the girls and put their hurried plans into action.

It was a bitterly cold night. Odi checked the time on his wristwatch again. A quarter past. They were supposed to be meeting at 1. Where the fuck are they?! He checked his watch again to make sure he had the time right. Yup. Even seeing his watch brought regrets to the surface. The fancy timepiece had been an expensive gift from his parents a year or so before. I'm dead meat if I break my watch in battle. I should have left it in my room. Odi cursed his lack of foresight. Really helpful thinking of that now, bright spark.

Odi huddled into his cloak for what little warmth it offered. At least it protected him from the worst of the biting wind as it rushed around his shoulders. He could see Corin from where he stood at the very back of the Castle Volterra. She occasionally tapped her wrist impatiently when they caught one another's eye, as though it would make the others hurry up. All Odi could do was shrug back.

He half hooped they wouldn't come. Odi would be in a world of trouble with his folks if the others had been caught and questioned trying to sneak out of the coven late at night for a secret mission – he knew that - but it would be a whole lot less trouble than he would be in after the mission… and then theres the note. The kid rubbed his forefinger and thumb together. He could feel the dried ink grinding between his marble hard skin, taunting him. What was I thinking leaving a fucking note?!

Across the courtyard, sitting with her back against the iron barred trade gate, Corin was wondering the same as Odi. If they don't come, I can finish my shift and go to my dorm and no one will be any the wiser. That said, their reasons for agreeing remained unchanged, and they would both go willingly if the others showed up. Corin squinted into the darkness, certain she could see movement by one of the very many entrances to the castle. She quickly gestured to Odi, directing his attention so he could look.

Odi moved around the wall of the castle slowly, keeping pressed against it to hide himself from view - Corin wasn't the only guard working that night - Richard would be walking around their end of the wall soon.

They had planned for that, however, and it was why they had chosen to meet at the woodshed by the old oak tree. The open shed offered great cover for young vampires wanting to hide from view for a while. Felix and Corin had made good use of the space many times before she had been given a dorm room of her own. Back in those pre-guard block days, horny guards could often find themselves in a queue for the coverage of the woodshed.

"Hurry up!" Odi hissed when he worked out who was coming.

Irina picked up the pace but tutted at his insistence. Kate hurried behind her sister, scuttling like a mouse.

"Why do you have a bag?!" Odi looked behind Irina to check Kate hadn't brought half a wardrobe, too. "We are going on a mission, Irina, not a holiday."

"I am aware of that," Irina replied, shaking her linen sack. The bag tinkled with the sound of glass bouncing against metal. Seeing Odi's intrigued eyes, she pulled a bottle from her bag of tricks.

It was dark, very dark, but Odi knew what the bottle contained. He'd seen the same ones taken on missions often enough. "How did you get a hold of dungeon blood?!"

As Odi's volume increased in excitement, Irina and Kate jointly shushed him.

Kate appeared just as intrigued as Odi, though her interest came from a sense of doom. "You didn't… You didn't steal that from the creator, did you?"

The girl knew the masters kept bottles of dungeon blood in their chambers, along with Basileus. They lived in the west tower with the creator, so it was a sensible, if horrifying, conclusion to draw.

"No," Irina replied, drawling her words for full effect, informing Kate she was an idiot for thinking as such. "From the dungeons, obviously," she explained, replacing the item in her bag.

"How did you get into Caius' playroom?" Odi asked. "No one has keys for that room. Except Caius."

"And Basileus," Kate correctly pointed out. Please don't say you stole the keys from the creator!

Irina smiled. "And me."

"You have keys to Caius' playroom?!"

"Shush!" Irina made more noise shushing Odi that Odi had made with his enthusiasm. "I know you are hungry, but you really need to get a grip."

Odi shook his head, smiling, laughing a little. Suddenly the outcast mission seemed more appealing. The doubts that had surfaced as he'd waited alone in the dark began to disappear as anticipation took over. Where the hell are the others? We need to get moving before we are caught. Or I lose my bottle. We have four already, he mused. We would go with four.

"Quick," he said to the girls. "Go behind the shed and get changed. You can leave your clothes at the back of the chopped wood. There should be room."

Irina took the guard uniform Odi offered and pulled Kate along behind the woodshed where, at vampiric speed, they began to change.

"Are you only wearing nightgowns under those cloaks?"

Irina glowered at the kid and pushed Kate behind her. "Eyes front, Odi."

Kate was a little slower to change than her sister. The waves of nausea interrupted her actions. "You need to be very careful, Irina. If Caius finds out you have keys…"

"He won't find out, will he?"

Irina's sharp question implied Kate would tell on her sister, which they both knew was untrue. Kate sighed and wiggled her britches up as she balanced on the one shoe which hadn't yet sunk into the mud.

Irina softened her tone - she knew Kate was on the edge about going on their mission and she didn't want to lose her backing before they even made it out the gate. "I only take a little here and there, he'll never guess," she explained. "Dungeon blood, tools, ink… nothing major."

Kate stopped mid-change. "What are you doing with tools and ink?" The dungeon blood she could understand - they needed it for the mission, apparently. But tools and ink?

"Selling it."

"Why? Who to?"

Irina had finished her rapid outfit change and whipped Kate's cloak from her shoulders to hurry her sister along. Kate barely flinched as the cold hit her, clearly still trying to work out what was going on.

"Good God you ask so many questions!" Irina huffed, ragging the guard tunic over Kate's head. "I sell ink and tools to Alex so he can start a side business."

Selling goods you have stolen from Caius - the sadistic weirdo, to Alex… the slightly less but still quite scary and mean weirdo. Kate shuddered and pulled her cloak back around her shoulders. "Don't tell me anymore. I'd rather not know."

"Finally, she's learning some sense!"

"Oh man!" Felix's voice, even in a whisper, seemed to boom across the courtyard. "Have I missed the show?"

Irina wouldn't have dignified him with an answer if it weren't for Corin watching across the way. Knowing the young prince was the key to keeping Corin on track, Irina made a grand show of stroking Felix's face, swiping her hand to his chest and down. "If we survive, I'll give you a private viewing."

"Ooo," Felix nudged Odi. "We had better survive, then."

"You might not make it out the coven, pal," Odi told him, jutting his chin in Corin's direction.

Luckily, his girlfriend stood far enough away that she couldn't possibly have heard the exchange anyway, so Felix gave Corin a wave and flashed his cheeky smile.

Corin wasn't as dumb as Felix thought.

Leaving her post - which was usually a big no, no - Corin flashed to join them all. With any luck they would be leaving soon so there would be no time for her to get caught by the wall walkers.

"So," she said, muscling in between Irina and Felix. "Is this it then? Are we ready?"

"Demetri's coming," Felix told her. "We left separately so we would be less likely to get caught."

"He's getting five more minutes and then we leave."

Felix nodded at the Denali wanna-be leader, but silently told her to get fucked. He wasn't leaving without his kid brother. His smile grew when he heard Demetri's footsteps. Soon enough, the middle prince arrived. But he wasn't alone.

All the outcasts baulked when they saw who it was. Felix most of all. Is this what I get for taking you to the guard hall today? he thought, angry at the injustice of being punished for doing his damn mother a good turn.

"What are you doing here, Alec?" he asked. Felix would almost have preferred his father to have arrived than Alec! Almost.

Demetri looked from one brother to another. "He said you invited him on this mission."

"I did no such thing," Felix assured the whole group. "You can't come, Alec. Dad will slaughter me if anything happens to you."

He took Alec by the arm, ready to march the boy back home. Alec stayed fixed on the spot.

"You're his baby, Alec," Demetri added, trying to soften the blow of being dumped.

"I'm not a fucking baby!"

"Alright, calm down," Felix whispered, half growling in warning.

"I'm not a baby and I'm coming with you or I'll tell everyone what you are up to."

Felix scoffed at that one. "You're not a grass, Alec."

"You need me, Felix!" Alec insisted. "My gift is better than any of yours and I can help. I can keep you safe." When his brother looked on the edge of wavering, Alec added a pitiful, "I need to do this, Felix, please take me."

With a long sigh, Felix relented. "I'm going to regret this," he said, agreeing to take his baby brother on a secret mission to the werewolf dens in another country. "Dad's going to leather me for bringing you along, let alone the rest of the shit we're doing tonight."

Maybe surviving the mission shouldn't be too high a priority, he thought, chuckling mirthlessly to himself.

"Seriously?" Irina asked. "We're taking him?"

Felix squared his shoulders. "Do you have a better idea?"

This is my mission, if I say he can come, he can come. He didn't say those words aloud, of course, because Felix was acutely aware that Irina also thought the mission was her mission. He looked at Odi and realised he, too, thought the mission was his mission. Too many generals, not enough soldiers. He had heard Caius tell them that in training whenever one of the lower ranking guards asked to be moved up to the higher ranks. Felix finally understood what the miserable ass had been talking about.

"Are we going to do a shot now?" Kate asked her sister, referring to the dungeon blood.

She was unsure of mission protocol, as was Irina, but hoped a small sip of the coven drug would ease her anxiety about leaving the safety of the castle.

Only Odi knew the girls had brought dungeon blood with them. To the others, this was big news!

Irina huffed and puffed knowing she would have to explain herself again. She fetched the bottle from her bag and kept scant on the details. Rather than outing her possession of the magic keys to Caius' playroom, she changed the focus of conversation.

"I nearly didn't make it tonight," she said. "Carlisle stopped me in the halls and started questioning me. Cheeky bastard, questioning me." She paused to take her gulp of dungeon blood before passing the bottle to Felix. "He asked me what I was doing walking the halls at midnight. Like he could stop me. He couldn't stop a clock! Then he said he'd inform Eleazar…"

"Shit!" Kate burst in a panic, eying the darkness for her faux father.

"Don't worry," Irina said easily. "I told Carlisle that I'm seeing Alex…"

That was news to Odi. "Are you?" he asked. "Are you two a thing?"

He wasn't entirely sure why the idea bothered him so much. Perhaps because some of his half thought out plans involved Irina and Alex would be a obstacle? Maybe, he mused. Perhaps it was just because Alex wouldn't be good for her? Nah, he didn't care about her that much.

"Kind of," Irina replied, brushing Odi off.

"Do you want to be a thing with him?"

"Kind of," Irina replied again, sounding more annoyed with the kid. Why is everyone questioning me tonight?

"Anyway, I told Carlisle that he shouldn't mention anything to El or the poor bastard would never be free of me." Irina laughed to herself. "We've got a… thing going on, I told him."

She chuckled again and repeated what she had told Carlisle: "It's only been since New Year. I don't want El and Carmen to know until I'm sure about him. Alex and me… if it works out, Kate and Tanya will be able to stay with your brother and I can move into the guard dorms with Alex, out of everyone's way."

"Did he believe you?" Kate asked. She was so panicked about Eleazar finding out they were off on a secret mission that she completely missed Irina had told Carlisle she planned to ditch her and Tanya in favour of Alex.

"Of course, he believed me."

"Did you believe you?" Odi asked the girl. "Do you really think El and Carmen want rid of you?"

"Of course, they do!" Odi's questions were starting to really piss her off, but there was absolutely no question in Irina's mind. "No one wants me here."

"You aren't the only one," Odi replied.

He started rubbing his forefinger and thumb again. The ink had gone, rubbed away, but the memory of the note he had left for his parents… old adoptive parents, he corrected himself, they aren't mine anymore.

"We have options, Odi," Irina said, pulling the kid out of his wandering mind.

She didn't have to say anything more to set Odi off on a new train of thought - could the two of them leave together? Not if she would rather shack up with Alex - I can't compete with him. Odi had one up on Irina's apparent suitor, though… I'd be willing to leave the coven with her, Alex won't.

"Come on." Irina popped the cork stopper back into her jar of tar, as Kate had called it when taking her sip, and shoved it in her bag. "It's time to go."

The group of outcasts sprang to life, shifting like rats in the darkness of night. They moved first to the oak tree, and then, when they were sure the path was clear, to the trade gate.

They didn't have the keys to the gate – which for Corin brought home just how pointless the shift was. Not that they needed keys. The plan was for Felix to quietly bend the bars of the gate so they could pass through without the risk of being spotted going over the wall. Felix liked showing off, and it was a decent enough plan.

"Are we really doing this?" Kate asked, rubbing her forehead as she spoke. The dungeon blood hadn't helped her anxiety, it had simply made her feel lightheaded instead. Hardly an improvement.

"It's too late to go back now," Irina snapped.

"It's not," Corin pointed out, willing her boyfriend to see sense.

"I'm not going back," Felix said, turning to the bars and beginning to bend a gap into them.

His speech became stilted as he spoke through the exertion of stretching solid iron. "I'm going to… prove… to every fucker in this place that I'm… still worth something around here."

He paused to catch his breath and move position. Pushing his shoulder into one bar, he focused on pushing the opposite bar away from his chest. Much easier.

"I've been demoted, and they've offered me nothing in place of working in the guard, and then they bollock me for making my own entertainment. I'm done. Done. I'm going."

"I think it could be fun," Demetri chipped in, wanting to show his big brother that he was on-side. "I've got nothing better to do."

"That's the spirit, Dem," Felix said, knocking a fist into his brother's shoulder. "None of us have got anything better to do – that's the point!"

Kate pulled on her sister's guard tunic to gain her attention. "Do you think El and Carmen will be upset with us?"

"What if they are?" Irina scoffed, shortly followed by a typically dramatic eye roll when she saw Kate's face. Just be nice to her until we are out of the castle, she told herself. Then I can tell her to put her face straight and enjoy the fun we are about to have. Mardy cow.

"I think they will be upset when they find you missing, Kate," she said more gently. "But they will be proud of you for going on your first Volturi mission."

Irina had no doubts at all that neither Eleazar, Carmen, or anyone else in the coven would care enough to be upset when they found her missing. Kate, sure. But not her. Irina highly doubted they would be proud of her, either. They don't have to care, or worry, or be proud of me, or anything else. I'm nothing to them and that suits me. She almost had herself convinced.

"You don't think they'll be mad? This breaks so many rules, Irina, and…"

Irina held her hand up, cutting off Kate's worried words. "Focus on the 'making them proud' part," she suggested. "Odi, are you in or not?" she asked quickly before Kate could nag her more.

Odi rested his back against the curtain wall and crossed his arms over his chest. He hoped he looked cool, laid back. Manly would be great. He didn't, though. Odi looked as he so often looked – lost and lonely, like a kid much younger than his twenty years, hugging himself with his crossed arms.

"My Dad will flip his shit when he finds me gone," he muttered, mainly to himself. "My brothers left in the night like this, they never came back… When they find my note…"

"You left a fucking note?!"

Odi wasn't sure who had asked as he received the same question from at least three of them.

"I haven't said what we are doing," he replied. "I'm not stupid." Just spiteful and cruel. "Magnus is going to murder me when he finds out that I went on a secret mission."

He never called his father by his name. Even when speaking about him to others. He always used dad, my father, the miserable old git… something along those lines. Never 'Magnus'. It felt so disrespectful, but strangely liberating at the same time.

"It's alright for you - you're his son," Corin pointed out.

"He's still going to kill me."

Corin tutted at the melodramatic kid. "I'll be in the grave next to you when he finds out I left my post so we could all bloody leave without insignias. What am I doing?!"

"We are proving ourselves to the whole coven," Felix reminded them. "That's what we're doing." He presented his handy work to the group - a gaping hole in the iron bars for them to fit through.

Irina nodded her approval. "This is all very nice, but it's freezing and I either want to start running or get under a blanket."

The longer they spent deliberating, the more likely they would be caught. Irina wanted them to get going but she also wanted them all to agree to the mission before they left so that she wouldn't go down alone when the overlords got hold of them.

"Come on, then," she prompted a final time. "What are we doing?"

Alec didn't respond verbally, but he hopped through the hole with a grin on his face, buzzing with energy for a secret mission that would prove his worth.

The others were all more cautious.

"Shit, shit, shit," Odi cursed under his breath as he saw a torch coming around the corner of the castle. "Get through, quick!"

They all scrambled for the gap in the gate and then splayed out on the grass as low as possible. Odi kept watch on the torch he had seen.

"Is it Richard?" Felix asked.

Odi shushed him and told him to get down out the way. He couldn't make out which guard carried the torch – not that it made a difference - but he saw the flame licking the darkness as it went right around the castle, passed the woodshed, and back into the dark.

"We clear?" Felix asked, his nerves betraying his voice.

Odi looked back over his shoulder and nodded.

"I guess that's decided then," Irina said, triumphant. "We're all on the wrong side of the wall now."

With the realisation of what they were doing, Odi felt the dungeon blood traveling back up his gullet. With a heavy gulp, he forced the sticky tar back down. He looked at Irina and shook his head to her comment.

"We're on the wrong side of everything."