Chapter 10

Carlisle would thrash in his sleep, if he could sleep, so completely uneasy was he in his own skin. Edward, hearing the riotous thoughts beneath the smooth façade of his lovely, sculpted face, reached up to kiss him, running his hand soothingly across his chest. Carlisle inhaled deeply and a not insignificant portion of his mind focused on Edward's hand and lips.

Edward began to undo the buttons of his shirt, running his nose along Carlisle's cheek to rest just behind his ear, his soft breathing sending shivers through Carlisle's brain, pushing the unpleasantness further to the far corners. And so a much larger portion of Carlisle's focus was taken up by the physical sensations Edward was arousing in him.

Edward's mouth traveled down his neck, lingering at his collarbone; down to his nipple, where his tongue caressed it to hardness; further to his stomach, where his chin burrowed tenderly into the soft nest of hair that tapered down to his erection straining against his trousers. He mouthed Carlisle through the material, eliciting a very satisfying moan from the man, and moved to undo his pants.

Carlisle's brain was growing heavy, effectively halting the rapid-firing thoughts and with them, the malaise that had plagued him for so very long. The gentleness of Edward's tongue and fingers brought an unparalleled sense of harmony and he found himself floating in the tranquility of a world untouched by imperfection.

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Carlisle would sleep deeply, if he could sleep, unperturbed by any discordant or ill thought in the safe haven of Edward's scrupulous care.

Carlisle was not surprised the next morning to receive a note from Aro entreating him to join him at the Museo Guarnacci – closed for renovations – and to "Please bring Edward!"

Edward watched Carlisle carefully as he read and reread the note, biting his lower lip.

I won't say I am happy that he wants to see you, but I guess it is only to be expected. He probably wants to question you himself. You'll need to be very careful, Edward. Answer his questions when he asks you something directly, but do not offer any additional information. He may be trying to trap you. And whatever you do, do NOT allow him anywhere near your person. Remember he only has to touch you to read all of your thoughts – that is, every thought you have ever had. This could have potentially catastrophic consequences for us.

Edward sat quietly, unsurprised by the return of Carlisle's ill humor and hoping he wouldn't make some egregious mistake that would compound his mate's stress (the words "catastrophic consequences" kept shuffling ominously around his head). Suddenly the idea of meeting the most formidable force in Carlisle's existence had lost all of its appeal. He almost wished he had stayed home as Carlisle originally requested.

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They arrived punctually at the museum back entrance at 10 am. The building was, as promised, empty and they slipped undetected through the window Aro had thoughtfully left open.

"Aro?" Carlisle said quietly, looking around him cautiously as Edward landed lightly on his feet from the long drop to the floor.

"First floor, center room," a drawling voice replied, as if it were in the middle of something somewhat interesting but not too terribly important, as if it had all the time in the world and was unaccustomed to being rushed.

They climbed the narrow staircase and made their way past the various exhibits until Edward could see the backs of two robed figures. He looked at Carlisle and opened his mouth to speak but was cut off.

Renata, his shield. He won't take any chances away from the palace. Steer clear of her as well. I don't know what all she is capable of.

Edward wanted to ask what a shield was, but held his tongue. His skin prickled with excitement from being so close to the vampire he had only ever seen in Carlisle's memories. His senses were reaching out, circling and wrapping around the ancient being, trying to form a comprehensive picture from his thoughts.

His brow creased and he frowned. He was staring at the man's back, but heard nothing there, almost as if he were staring through him to some unspecified point beyond, or at the man's ghost. He strained, trying much harder than he ever had, confused by the resounding silence. He had never had to make any effort to perceive others' thoughts; to the contrary, they bombarded him with such ferocity that he devoted a great deal of effort to blocking them out.

He touched Carlisle's hand to convey his sense of urgency, but the latter shook him off and thought sternly Not now, Edward!, refusing to even look at him.

Edward felt completely defenseless without his sixth sense, which only aggravated the disquiet he felt in the wake of Carlisle's early morning warnings ("catastrophic consequences"). He wished Carlisle would pay attention so that he could alert him to the problem, but the other man was planning his responses to various questions he imagined Aro might pose.

"I never tire of this particular piece, though it was crafted so very long ago," the faceless voice intoned, and Edward had the uncanny feeling that he was watching them, even with his back turned. "Ombra della Sera. The boy's long shadow cast at twilight. He always reminds me of Peter Pan!" And he turned, laughing softly, to greet them. The woman beside him turned simultaneously, though no expression or acknowledgment of their presence touched her features.

Nothing could have prepared Edward for the shock of meeting Aro face to face. He stared openly at the ancient vampire so unlike Carlisle and himself. His skin had a strangely translucent quality, almost milky in color, as if he had smeared a white paste all over himself centuries ago and forgotten to wash it off; he suspected the skin felt like a lampshade, stretched and dry as it was. His eyes were red like his brethren, but clouded from age and Edward wondered how he was able to see at all. Edward felt he might have been looking at a grotesque variation of Vrubel's Demon. His thick black hair was swept back from his round face, forming a curtain, and Edward could not tell where it ended and where his cloak began. His smile spread from one side of his face all the way to the other, reminding Edward of a very large toad. His face was a bit squashed, too, now that he thought about it.

The strange being closed his eyes and bowed his head slightly in Carlisle's direction, who returned the salutation, and then opened his eyes again to stare with undisguised curiosity at Edward. "And here is the source of so much upheaval!" He laughed again, disarmingly, and folded his hands in front of him. "Edward!" He sighed happily. "Welcome! We have so looked forward to meeting you."

He sounded sincere, but Edward wished he could hear what he was really thinking behind those strange, hooded eyes.

"I cannot tell you how delighted I was to learn of my dear friend Carlisle's nuptials! We rather feared he might never find a mate," he gave Carlisle a sly wink. "And yet – here you are!" He beamed at Edward again, and then turned to Carlisle, nodding in answer to his own question even as he sought confirmation, "And Edward is two now, correct?" Nodding the whole time. His large eyes went back to Edward.

"Nineteen." Growled Edward through gritted teeth; it was a knee jerk reaction, what with the hospital staff forever teasing him.

Edward! Carlisle made no attempt to conceal his abject horror. You must not address Aro in that manner! Remember yourself! He meant no disrespect – they do not count human years here!

Edward glanced quickly at Carlisle, extremely worried about the potential fallout from his faux pas ("catastrophic consequences"), and then back to Aro, who had taken note of the swift interaction between the two before immediately relaxing his face into another broad smile.

"Ah!" Aro's chin disappeared into the folds of his robe. "He has the newborn temper, I see! We wondered if your… lifestyle… would have, in some way, lessened the effect of the change. But I see that it has not... as I suspected." He chuckled, stepping forward to take a seat beside the bronze votive he had been admiring. The woman glided alongside him, as if attached to him though she did not touch him, almost like Peter Pan's shadow that Wendy had sewn to his shoes.

"I must say I do not envy you, Carlisle." He seated himself comfortably with a contented sigh. "I am far too old for that sort of thing!"

Carlisle averted his eyes and gave a pleasant sort of half smile. He said nothing, though every expletive in his vocabulary – in all five languages – ricocheted around his head. Edward would have been amused if he hadn't been so nervous about the situation and fascinated by the vampire before him.

"Edward." It was a quiet command. Edward obediently looked at him. "Tell me about yourself."

Edward was confused and looked to Carlisle for help. What was there to tell?

He wants to know what you have done and seen. You may tell him we traveled – he knows that already – and that we have settled in America and you are considering attending school. He approves of education.

Edward nodded and turned back at Aro, whose eyes glinted with interest as he surveyed the two. Carlisle had a sinking suspicion he had already figured everything out. It was hard to slip anything past three thousand years of experience.

"Um," Edward began uncertainly. "We traveled a lot the first year. Well, more than a year. And now we live in Vermont."

"I have never seen the New World, as Carlisle will tell you, but how I have longed to after all the reports that have been brought back to me! Tell me, is it as beautiful and pristine as they say?"

"Yes?" Edward guessed it was, but he wasn't quite certain what the question really was or what he was expected to say.

"Ah! He's cautious, your little one, Carlisle." He leaned back to cross his legs more comfortably. The woman shifted, almost mirroring his actions. "And whom have you met in the course of your travels?"

Edward frowned, perplexed.

He means other vampires, Edward. And to the stately figure, "Aro, I must respectfully protest the question. After all that Edward has been through, I really do not believe he possesses the mindset to recall."

Aro lowered his gaze to Carlisle's leg, ignoring the interruption as if granting him the greatest of favors in forgiving the discourtesy. "I was, of course, referring to European acquaintances."

"Then I can answer for Edward. We did not make social calls during our travels. We used the opportunity to further Edward's education."

Aro arched his eyebrows and it was very clear he did not approve. Edward suspected he questioned the education Carlisle had chosen to give his charge and blamed him for the lapse of good judgment entirely.

"And in your neck of the woods?" he persisted, and then hastily added, "I mean, other than…."

"I am employed at the local hospital. Edward works for me while he determines a course of education for himself."

"Edward… works… with… humans?" Aro drew the question out, articulating every word as if he wanted to be absolutely certain that he had not misunderstood any part of Carlisle's statement.

"Yes."

"Ah!" He mused quietly to himself for a second and then asked, "And how do you get on, Edward?"

Edward shivered a little, looked to Carlisle again, and then opened his mouth but couldn't think what to say. "I research medical problems," he answered truthfully.

Very good. That's all you need to say. Carlisle dipped his head imperceptibly in approval. Again, Aro's eyes seemed to register the silent exchange between the two.

"So," Aro pursed his lips, as if thinking out loud, "You have never met any of your own kind? Until quite recently, of course," he added quickly.

Carlisle's lips formed the thinnest of lines. Edward shook his head.

"So you do not know what constitutes 'normal', for want of a better word, behavior on the part of others of your kind?" He stared shrewdly at him, no pretense now at civility.

"Aro!" Carlisle snarled; he had just officially arrived at his breaking point.

Aro, eyes still focused on Edward, held up a finger to silence the other vampire. "Answer the question, please, Edward."

Edward was baffled and looked to Carlisle for assistance.

"No, no!" Aro chastised him. "Look at me and answer me. Do you know how your own kind acts?"

Don't answer yet, Edward! He's trying to trap you! Carlisle's mind was humming furiously trying to think of a way out.

"I know what Carlisle has told me of his time with you," Edward said, more than a little belligerent at the change in the conversation's tone.

Carlisle was fairly certain he now knew firsthand the visceral sensations his patients experienced seconds before fainting.

To their utter astonishment, Aro burst out laughing, clapping his hands delightedly. "Clever boy!" He gave Edward a huge smile of implicit approval.

He stood, the woman behind him rising in synchronization. "Oh, Carlisle! I should have expected nothing less from you and yours. My dear friend!" He looked positively gleeful; Carlisle was still in a state of shock.

"Come!" He pulled his long gloves on, stepping away from his chair. "I want to show Edward something of our history while we talk."

Carlisle could barely hold himself upright, so tremendous was his relief, and Edward, confused by everything that had transpired, reached to steady him with his hand as they followed Aro into the museum.