Author's Note: Hello lovelies. Given that I am writing this just a day after posting chapter 19, I am REALLY going to try to post this within a week. Let's see how I do with my author's note at the end of the chapter. Either I'll be applauding myself or highly sassing... or both. As always, I do not own the characters. I just play with them... consensually. On with the chapter!

Last Time...

Isabella's shoulders were hunched, the body caved in on itself as she shook microscopically. Her hands had flown to cover her eyes- which she lifted with gentle coaxing. Blinking, the room before her came back to her vision. A shaky exhale and dry swallow followed before she focused on him. Though he hid his distress well behind the cool, authoritative persona, it lingered in his eyes. Offering a small, strained smile, she focused on regaining her bearings with her remaining energy. Now was not the time to crumble. Beyond the current dire circumstances, any aspiration to lead as Aro had done for millenia would not be accomplished with such public vulnerability.

Steeling herself, she silently accepted the goblet that Aro offered. She thanked the stars that she had been pulled back to reality, knowing full well that Jasper was in no place to induce mental recharge in his mililtary-esque state. Then, as she regained a semblance of her bearings, they waited.

Twenty minutes had passed when Demitri's phone began to ring from his pocket. The room was quiet for a beat before he silently answered, placing the phone to his ear.

"The enemy has been defeated." Sighs of relief sounded at Santiago's statement from the device, audible to each vampire in the room.

"How many have been lost to us?" Demitri questioned.

"Seventeen. It was a difficult battle with these... creatures. There were sixty five enemies."

"Very good. Salvage what you may, and return to Volterra." The phone snapped closed.

Chapter 20

Volterra, Italy

The atmosphere of the room had considerably lightened since the news of Volturi victory. Though breath was highly unnessecary, Isabella felt that she could breathe again without the stirrings of panic thrumming through her mind and body. It was one of the more jarring aspects of her defensive gift.

Most jarring, however, was the feeling of being burned alive as she felt the pain of the fallen Volturi just hours ago. It would leave her internally shaken for some time, though she did not show it.

Basking in the merriment of others quelled her deep feeling of disturbance some. Emmett, Felix, and Afton had brought out the playing cards for poker with others soon joining their game. Edward and Carlisle began setting up a game of chess, with Esme and Jasper as spectators, and ultimately players against the eventual winner. Jane and Alec remained, monitoring the room with speculative gazes at their masters' sides.

Isabella's unease remained- gnawing at her subconscious. She conveyed this to Aro with a gentle brush of her fingertips across his palm before her fingers molded naturally to his. Though the touch brought her comfort, she was conflicted at how much to show him, given the destruction and insurmountable pain.

"Do not hold back from me, cara." Came his melodic voice, cuing her gaze to meet his- earnest in his wish for her truthfulness.

Nodding tensely, she pushed the thoughts and memories of the battle forward through their touch, holding nothing back. The accounts of the fallen guard's personal horrors were crystal clear and wrought with pain. Aro tensed and flinched at the worst of it, his expression turning to grief at the fall of each Volturi.

It felt so real... It was... controlled somehow... I couldn't see their faces. Why?

Aro paused, mulling it over thoughtfully with no clear or concise answer to be found. Once a few minutes had passed, his ruby expression glinted with understanding.

"Marcus." Aro began in a hushed tone after some silence. "Has anyone's loyalty waned?"

Marcus looked at Aro curiously as he extended his palm. "Each bond remains strong in their allegiance to the Volturi."

Aro sighed, his expression becoming pinched as he withdrew his hand, sitting back in the chair with a look of exasperation.

"What do you fear, brother?" Marcus inquired, visibly startled by Aro's reaction to the evidence of the consistent bonds within the castle.

"I am not certain... but our enemy appears to have had knowledge of Isabella's gift."

Should they have been mortals, once could have heard a pin drop after these words were uttered. The room, indeed, was absolutely still- each keen set of eyes trained on the triumvirate.

"How could that be possible?" Carlisle asked, his tone laced with alarm. Always a man of reason and thought, he sought reason and evidence where there was none.

Isabella looked to her adoptive father figure, eyes crinkling slightly as she offered some semblance of a comforting gaze. "These... insights... are not consistent. Compared to the many interactions the Volturi have had with our enemy, what I have seen is a small fraction of information important to our cause. Why would I have only seen Krystoph's demise, rather than each scout's demise at their hands? There was no indication of Anne's death until we received her head... planted here by one of them, undetected. And now... I could not see their faces in this battle. It was obscured... and in one case as I felt the death of one Volturi, they ripped the eyes from the sockets."

"So you couldn't see." Alice surmised, her expression disturbed.

Isabella nodded. "They must be controlled. These insights... and with Alice not able to see anything." She hesitated, looking to Aro who gently encouraged her next words. "Now, I am uncertain if they have been truly defeated... or if they are merely waiting for the next opportune moment." An involuntary shudder passed through her at the thought.

Hours Later...

Isabella stilled in her pacing near the table. It was a habit that she had picked up quite naturally from Aro as it seemed. While silent, she was reminded occasionally not to walk too heavily to refrain from wearing through the floor.

"They're back." She spoke softly, as if to herself. "One of them is with our own... though they are not a threat."

"Jane, Alec.. meet Santiago and bring him to the throne room. Subdue the creature if necessary." Cause instructed. The twins left with curt nods. Isabella nearly quaked with nervous energy- Aro's hand her only anchor to a semblance of calm appearance. He whispered encouraging, sweet words to her, so low that it was imperceptible to the others. His cool breath against the hypersensitive flesh of her neck made her shudder with an entirely innappropriate emotion for the situation. She knew it too, with the tiny cough that Jasper gave when her attention was drawn solely to the innocent but sensuous sensation. Damn newborn focus.

Movement of the others averted her focus. As each immortal began taking their leave to the throne room- something necessary as they could not invite the enemy into the most secure area of the castle- Isabella let her inhibitions drop for just a moment. She was left alone with Aro now. She realized this was purposeful and mentally thanked the others for it.

Drawing her into his arms, Isabella melted into his embrace. She clutched his lapels, not feeling at all close enough as her torso was flush against his- out of comfort rather than sexual need. Aro stroked and ran his fingers through Isabella's hair as he gently kissed her forehead, nose, and then her lips. "This will soon pass, Mia cara."

"I know." She hummed, inclining her head to capture his lips again, sweetly. "When it does, I will never let you go."

Throne Room

Aro and Isabella arrived to the chamber just minutes after the others, hand in hand. Isabella's touch nor mental connection was severed, even as Aro sat at his throne, arranging her palm to rest on his shoulder.

Wincing, Isabella clutched her nose as many of the other mortals had done. The sickly sweet smell emanating from the sack was rancid, overwhelming, and entirely unpleasant. Looking to the three leaders, Santiago bowed his head in deferent greeting before placing the sack on the marble in front of the dais.

"Masters, I have returned from the battle with one of the beasts. It is Krystoph himself." Santiago spoke, head bowed.

"Very good, Santiago." The musical quality of Aro's voice depicted his delight as he rose to stand, ensuring that Isabella walked with him before he descended the marble steps, her hand resting against his back now, rather than his shoulder due to his height.

Santiago stepped forward to meet Aro, his hand enclosed by Aro's with haste.

"Do you believe he..." Aro trailed off meaningfully, his gaze between Santiago and the sack. A moment later, Aro seemed to have his answer as he withdrew his palm, folding his hands in his lap and looking to Santiago expectantly. "Proceed."

Nodding his head once more, Santiago made quick work of the tie at the mouth of the bag before removing a disembodied arm. Surely it was something Isabella should have been prepared for- yet it did take her aback for a moment. The rest of the body followed in small, transportable pieces, as Emmett muttered to himself from across the room. A dark substance oozed from the torn flesh- much more mortal in appearance with distinguishable muscles, tendons, and veins compared to the granite flesh of a vampire.

Each piece twitched, seeming to seek complimentary fissures to fuse the body back together. Even in his transformation, it seemed that Krystoph's immortality had not lost that vampiric feature. Santiago expedited the process, moving the limbs and placing them together. Once his humanoid body was together once more, Aro signaled the elite guard with a small gesture of his hand. Each member held down one area of the body- the arms, legs, torso, and two vampires securing his head so that he could no bite anyone, even within his weak state.

Peering at the tattered body of Krystoph- he was similar in size to Felix, though with long, dark hair to his shoulders. His form was entirely humanoid from his head to his toes- perplexing everyone in the room. As Aro moved closer to Krystoph, his eyes snapped open- crimson, feral, and dangerous. An snarl ripped from his throat- weak, but effective in communicating his feelings towards the man he once obeyed.

Aro was expressionless- devoid of any emotion or reaction as he ghosted his fingers across the immortal's hand. It was clear he was attempting to fight back- though it was futile and easily contained by the elite guard that held him. Growls were continuous as he stared at Aro with vehemence.

"Aro?" Caius interjected impatiently from his right. Lifting his hand, Aro turned to Caius. "The children of the moon were not wiped out after all."

"How?" Caius spat angrily, his eyes darkening to black.

"It is unclear in his mind. One might only know by accessing the mind of their creator... these abominable hybrids."

"His creator is dead." Marcus sighed, revealing relief.

"Yes." Aro confirmed. "He is very little use to us now." Aro swiveled to face the struggling hybrid once more. "Your race has been eliminated, Krystoph. How unfortunate for you to be one with the defeated. Do you have any last words?"

Krystoph began to laugh. It was a pathetic sound- nearly a wheeze with his lacking strength. "We are not the first... nor the last to rise against the tyrannic might of the Volturi. We have failed... but you will fall, mark my words."

The hybrid's wild eyes to flickered to Isabella's. "You've seen it. Maybe then you will realize you were on the wrong side, Isabella."

Isabella growled at this, gritting her teeth. She exchanged a look with Aro. With a nod, he moved to stand behind the hybrid, while Isabella stood before him.

"I've seen many things, mongrel." She snarled, causing Aro to smirk with pride. "Bloodshed. Suffering. Pain. At your hands. That is over now. Your life is forfeit. And, as you die, two things remain constant."

"And what is that?" Krystoph snarled defiantly.

Holding a delicate hand up, Isabella caught a small object, rolling in between her fingers. "First... none will defeat the might of the Volturi." Isabella spoke, a smile gracing her features as she locked eyes with Aro. "Second, enemies to our world will meet painful ends by fire." She flicked her fingers, opening the top and revealing the yellow flame from the silver lighter. "Goodbye Krystoph."

Once the words were spoken, Aro wrenched the head from the hybrid's body as two of the guard ripped the arms from their sockets simultaneously. The lighter fell from her hand, setting the twitching body aflame.

Many questions still remained for the vampires in Volterra. All would be answered in time with what they now knew, but for now they sought to live with a ferocity, derived from the reality of losing all they held dear just hours ago.

Looking down to her engagement ring, Isabella smiled softly at the way it glinted in the light. Happiness was a foriegn but welcome emotion to feel after what felt like an eternity. She knew that come tomorrow, Alice would swamp her in mountains of bridal catalogues, swatches, and inspiration boards in her initial planning stages for the big day. Once they had taken care of the last hybrid in the throne room, Alice's first vision centered around the wedding. A Volturi wedding, as Alice emphasized in her glee. The planning craze would begin tomorrow. But for now... they would steal away to make up for time nearly lost to them.

Their coupling wasn't something to be replicated on the pages of frilly romance novels. It was rough, passionate, and primal with a desperate frenzy spurred on by both's insatiable desire for the other. Their hands had roamed over the other since they left the throne room in a flurry- touching, stroking, teasing.

A minute later they had reached Aro's private wing of the castle. Aro's hands became more insistent, pulling and bunching up the fabric of Isabella's dress. He could not wait any longer in his need to have her. Gripping her hips, they blurred into the closest room to their bodies. The door shut sharply as Aro pinned Isabella against the surface, his body flush with hers as his lips ravaged hers.

His tongue probed her mouth- possessive and greedy as he moved to her neck- sucking and biting as she moaned in pleasure. "Please." She hissed. Her fingers fisted his lapels, tearing through the fabric.

With a deep growl, Aro lifted his head to gaze at her as his fingers grasped the top of her dress before tearing it away from her torso. Isabella gasped in delight, paying Aro the same favor. Buttons scattered across the floor as she tore his shirt away from his marble, sculpted chest. Her fingers dipped into the waistband of his pants before they followed suit. Her panties soon joined the discarded pile of torn clothing.

Aro's hands moved over her curves possessively before gripping her hips once again. He lifted her and groaned as her legs wrapped around his waist on instinct. Isabella screamed as an impatient shift of her hips impaled her on his length to the hilt.

Aro growled as his hips surged forward- the nearly painful grip on her hips constant as he set the pace. His hips slammed against hers as she begged him to go harder and harder... she could never get enough.

It was animalistic- their cries as they called out and answered the other in the throes of their pleasurable passion.

Her nails dug into his granite flesh, eliciting a spine tingling hiss from him as he arched with the painful pleasure. "Please..." She moaned, nipping and sucking at his earlobe. "Deeper, please..."

Aro complied instantly, moving to the floor with Isabella straddling him. He palmed Isabella's ass, gripping it occasionally to thrust her down harder against his pelvis.

Had they paused to look around, they would see that they now occupied Aro's study. The stained glass windows inbetween each bookshelf on the first floor cast colorful light against the milky hues of their skin, bathing them with an ethereal glow.

Rocking her hips against him, Isabella wound her fingers in Aro's raven locks and brought his mouth to her breasts. The nipping, sucking, and scraping of his teeth against her rosy nipples brought her closer to release- something she indicated by the rising pitch of her moans, sighs, and mewls. Aro's groans and rumbling growls signaled his imminent euphoria as well as they moved even more frantically, causing his cock to meet that spot inside her even moreso.

Incoherent gasps spilled from her lips, her walls tightening and clenching around his as a powerful orgasm rocked through her body. Aro growled deeply, biting into the marble flesh of her breast, imparting a mating mark once again, his release following right after with powerful spasms.

"Oh fuck..." Isabella sighed, relaxing against Aro's chest as her trembling filtered away.

"I believe we just did, cara." Aro hummed, his fingers stroking delicious patterns across her spine.

"Very funny." She rolled her eyes, placing a kiss to his jaw as she sat up slightly. "Oh... I didn't know we ended up in here. Looks like your vampiric charms finally worked, hm?"

Aro looked inquisitively at her, mirthful. "Oh you know... that time you tried to sway me after you fed? If I recall you tried to eat me... or fuck me. Or was it both?"

"Mm... eat you, you say?" Aro's eyes glinted with mischief. In one move he flipped them, peppering kisses down to her navel. "With pleasure."

Author's Note: Yep, I'm trash. I tried to post within the week and ended up posting a month later. I know, I hate me too. But you got a lemon out of it... so, am I forgiven? Either way, what did you think? Is it truly clear skies? What is Aro and Isabella's wedding going to look like? What else will they get up to in the library? Let me know what you thought- reviews are love! Also sorry for any typos and errors- I tried to get this chapter out quickly once I found inspiration. :)