Author's Note: Hello fair readers! You'll be happy to know a little bird told me that longer chapters were wanted... so I've indulged you, by 1,000 words or so. Let's see if the next chapter is even longer, hm? Much love, and enjoy!

Last Time…

"Isabella, your sustenance appears to be burning."

"Shit!" She exclaimed, turning off the burner quickly and scooping the charred pancakes into the trash.

"A dirty mouth and a bad cook…" Aro murmured, smirking to himself in amusement. Isabella only grumbled in response, scooping a fresh batch of batter into the pan. Focus.

This time, she succeeded without further embarrassment. Soon enough, she sat next to Aro with a stack of fresh pancakes and a steaming cup of coffee. Earlier blood drinking impulses and the end of the world aside, Isabella could get used to this.

Chapter 7

As all things go, a little over a week into her stay in Volterra, this idealistic bubble burst. Isabella woke with a scream that soon melted into unrelenting sobs. She wrapped her arms around herself, willing the things she had seen to leave her mind, but they were burned into her memory.

"Isabella!" Came the frantic voice of Aro as the door burst open. Seeing that she was alone, he composed himself somewhat, though his heart ached. He registered this, but brushed it aside. "Isabella…". Came his softer voice as the bed dipped beneath his weight, his fingers stroking her wrist. Her heart rate was exceptionally fast. "What did you see, piccola?"

While witnessing the crumbling of civilizations had once scared her, this was worse. Much worse. "They… t-they were gone… everyone… it was my fault." She said hollowly, her sobs quieted to resigned sniffles and strangled breaths. "It will be my fault." Isabella said with more conviction.

Cold arms encompassed her own then, pulling her up to rest against Aro's cold chest. He did not know what made him do it, though his dead heart unclenched in his chest. Aro was rocking her gently, keeping her bundled in the sheets and blankets to offset the chill of himself. "Never."

Every movement and sweet nothing whispered in countless languages soothed her… and for once, Isabella was able to sleep until sunrise.

A few days had passed after that in a familiar routine— thankfully without any further incidents. Now Isabella would usually wake of her common nightmares to be find Aro in his study, a cup of coffee or tea steaming to his left, waiting for her. While he did not outwardly show how much thoughtfulness this required of him, the action itself spoke enough of a friendship… or whatever it might be now… that had bloomed between them.

Other than that, there was not much progress between them. He let on very little about his personal life… likes… dislikes… opinions on the freaking weather… In some ways, dramatic as it may seem, Aro was just as emotionally guarded as was his castle.

Nevertheless, Isabella enjoyed her time with Aro. His occasional smiles, seemingly hidden from her unless she spied, affirmed that he enjoyed her presence as well. Or that he was going mad. The latter wouldn't surprise her.

After closing another volume of works Aro had kindly transcribed, she looked curiously at his seated form.

"Aro?"

Ruby eyes met hers, a perfectly sculpted eyebrow raised in question. "What's your favorite color?"

"Red."

"Any particular shade of red?"

His eyes took on a dangerous glint as he smirked. "Crimson."

"Okay. Do you have any hobbies?"

"No."

"Phobias?"

A scoff.

"Are you married?"

An emotion she couldn't quite place flitted across his otherwise neutral, but somewhat exasperated expression. "No."

"Why?"

"Because I am not."

Sure he was no longer looking at her, but rather the pile of scrolls that seemed to never end in her time with him, she rolled her eyes. Stubborn, infuriating vampire.

"Okay. I need to talk to Caius." She said, hopping off the farther section of the large desk and making her way to the door.

"Now why on earth would you do that?"

Turning back, she grinned. "Dunno. Just a feeling. I'll come back with the information I'm given, in one piece."

Aro laughed. "Good luck with that."

Only a few steps down the hall, a gust of air made Isabella pause. "Felix." She warned, crossing her arms.

One moment later, he appeared inches from her, mirroring her stance. "Aww.. didn't scare you, did I?" He patronized.

"Pff… it's a bit hard to sneak up on someone as the steel version of the Hulk."

"I take that as a compliment."

"Knew you would." She shouldered past him playfully, which he allowed, otherwise she would be stuck. "Think you can help me find a dark and dreary vampire?"

"That depends." They now walked casually down the hall, side by side.

Isabella sighed. "Get on with it."

"Tell me, what made Aro finally lose it?"

"What?"

"Well, he must have finally gone insane. To laugh and actually find you funny."

"Oh you little-" She shoved the brute with all her might, but ended up in a stalemate with a rock and a hard place, Felix being both things. Huffing, she gave up and kept walking without him.

"So you don't deny it then."

"A walk by myself seems rather nice right now, actually. Bye, Felix."

"Bellaaaaaa…" He nudged her. "You're hurting my feelings. Don't give me the cold shoulder."

"Your shoulders are already cold."

"Consider it a form of expression."

Banter aside, Felix accompanied Isabella to the older part of the castle. Lacking natural light below the surface, the gloomy atmosphere fit the very blonde vampire Bella was searching for. His personal study was entombed by large black and red ornate doors. Very typical with the coffins, dungeons, and moats imagery in popular vampire fiction. She knocked twice and waited.

"What?!" A sour voice snarled from the other side.

"Good luck." Felix whispered before darting away. Isabella rolled her eyes and shouldered one of the massive doors open. Caius's expression puckered with distaste even more when his eyes fell upon the insipid mortal.

"How dare you disturb my-"

Isabella's giggles echoed throughout the stone room. The scene before her, with a vampire who took himself so seriously was the funniest thing she had encountered in a long time. No light was present in the room other than a roaring fireplace and a candelabra at the black desk Caius sat at. He held a dramatic black feather quill in his hand, with at least a hundred parchments rolled and unfurled on the table. The book shelves that occupied the wall behind him were filled brim to brim, with some trinkets here and there; trinkets meanings swords, medieval weaponry, a crown or two, and skulls— human and inhuman.

"I'm sorry…" She gasped, hunching over as she clutched her stomach as she continued laughing loudly. "So… stereotypical…". She wiped a tear from her eye as she continued to giggle as she straightened slightly.

It was now unbearably silent. If looks could kill, Isabella would have died a hundred times over. "Sorry… again…". She wheezed slightly, recovering finally. "I uh, didn't expect this sense of grandeur. In my lifetime, depictions such as these have only existed in storybooks."

"It only shows how little you know about vampires, human."

"I will not argue with you on that…compared to the knowledge you must possess, especially in the woes and foes within the supernatural world." He looked less irritated. Now she was getting somewhere.

Caius's Study, Afternoon

As it turned out, despite Cauis not possessing any vampiric gifts, he was very enthusiastic about sharing his opinions on others to the listening subject. From art, to music, to the people within the castle's walls. A woman by the name of Sulpicia was one whom he had liked the least— something made very clear to her.

"Sulpicia was tolerable at best, in the company of Aro and others."

"Why Aro?"

"She was his wife, obviously. Unbeknownst to you, mortal, the wives-"

"The wives?" Bella interjected in disbelief at the archaic term. "Do you really refer to them as these... these... pawns, no different from the other? Even as you think ill of Sulpicia, she and the other 'wives' were individuals, distinct from one another."

Caius bit back at her, unamused. "In our time-"

"Yes, in your time. Your time has since passed, Caius. Get with the times. It will make you seem much less garish."

Tinkling laughter sounded from behind her, causing Isabella to turn. The woman she beheld possessed that same supernatural beauty as the other vampires she had encountered, but still, she was much softer. Her blood red eyes were capable of expressing a gentle kindness, which morphed to endearing patience as her gaze moved to Caius.

Looking again at Isabella, she smiled. "I must say that I agree, dearest. Must we always be so sour in polite company? Your smiles must not all be for me." She glided over to Caius, who visibly softened just slightly- indulgently even as she sat delicately on the armrest of the ornate chair he occupied.

Athendora's gaze turned back to Isabella, who watched the small display with fascination. Seeing this, Caius again looked irritated, though his general expression remained dim somewhat.

"You must be Isabella. The good things I've heard of you do not compare, I assure you." Turning back to Caius, she placed a delicate hand on his shoulder. "I quite like her."

Caius would no longer look at Isabella, positively schooled by his mate, though he would never admit it.

"So, on with this talk of Sulpicia, Didyme, and myself, hm? I never quite liked Sulpicia. As Caius mentioned, she was kind in the presence of few people. A friendship blossomed between Didyme and Sulpicia, which I never understood. To the careful eye, one could see that Sulpicia was becoming jealous of Aro's affections towards his sister. Even more so as she and Marcus were planning to leave the Volturi... to live happily without the implications of a life as judge, jury, and executioner. It wears on you, Isabella." Athendora's warm expression sombered at this. "Sulpicia was fickle, but to murder one of our own? It was the greatest loss our coven has experienced. Its effect still lingers over us."

A sharp hiss filled the air. There was no doubt who it had come from- she was most certainly in trouble now. Given what she had been told, Isabella didn't really blame him. "It was wonderful meeting you Athendora. Caius." Isabella said quickly before turning to the looming and growling shadow in the doorway. Once she reached him, Aro took her by the arm firmly and flitted off in a blur of movement.

"Oh dear." Athendora sighed, leaning against Caius as she played with a strand of his hair. "Always using your baser instincts, you two."

"I'll show you baser instincts, my love." Caius growled playfully, leaning in and nipping her lower lip.

Resounding giggles melted into languid growls and sighs—a clear sign that no one should enter that part of the castle to remain out of earshot.

Isabella's stomach lurched slightly, signaling that they had stopped moving. While she had expected to be taken back to his section of the castle for an earful, she was unfamiliar with their surroundings. By the looks of it, they were within sight of the castle, surrounded by dense trees and foliage.

Aro's anger still radiated from him, though he didn't speak a word to her; it was uncharacteristic of him, and felt like a worse punishment than a tirade he might go on.

"Aro..." He growled in warning as she drew closer to him, his eyes pitch black. "I'm sorry."

A sardonic chuckle bubbled from his lips as he sneered. "Your regard for me will not fool me."

Isabella stiffened. "What?"

His gaze held firm— both accusatory and certain. "I will not be fooled by your pathetic affections when you so easily conspire against me. What do you seek to gain, hm? I may not be able to read your mind, but you are a hollow replica of her sent to destroy us!"

"You would compare me to her? How dare you." Isabella said strongly, though her small ounce of survival instincts were screaming at her to run.

Aro laughed manically, his eyes crazed with a mixture of anger, despair, and regret. Still she stepped closer, cupping his face in her hands, the warmth of her skin causing Aro to pause; his crazed expression was a contrived battle of anger, despair and regret.

"You may try to scare me away, but I will not waver. I see you, Aro. I see the pain over centuries of longing, a trust that remains ungranted by the power at your very fingertips. I am not her... I will not give in more to this unanswered yearning and pain that she caused you. What I said is true. I grieve for the things that have been done to you. The things that have forced your hand. The things that have made you into such a guarded man, so that no one can see beneath this exterior you've built. But ever so slowly you have granted me small pieces- cracks in this exterior to see a man who yearns for someone who understands, just as much as I do." Her fingers ghosted down his arms before she picked up his hand gingerly, placing it upon her cheek and leaning into his palm. "I wish I could show you the things I have said. To put your mind at ease. But… had you thought I was like her… truly like her… you would have killed me too. That's what you did, yes? A punishment justly served. So now if you truly think the worst of me, if I am wrong, then let me be damned."

His hand now cupped the soft skin of her throat by her own doing… and with a quick motion, she dragged his nails against the hollow of it so that the deep puncture frothed over with dark crimson.