I cocked my head observing Caius from behind. He was painting at a speed my eyes couldn't follow but he still held a definitive grace in his strokes. He was shirtless and fully absorbed in his work, I doubted he even sensed my presence.

I originally had come to collect his for a trial as Aro had requested his presence and I was leaving anyway. I let myself gaze at my mate, he was beautiful, with both a masculine and feminine air about him, he was the embodiment of balance, his rage renowned but seeing his delicate swipes upon canvas and the way he chewed his lip before making a move in chess he was someone that many could easily pass off as one or the other, but I knew he was all of those things and more.

Fierce, intelligent, Creative, he had a strong connection with his emotions, more so than my other mates, I felt his intuition and feelings ruled his actions but never before applying logic.

"I can feel you staring love." He swivelled on the stool to give me a show of his naked chest and threw a cocky smirk, "If you want to look all you need to do is ask darling."

I moved forward until I was standing above him with my hand millimetres from his sculpted body, "And what if I want to touch?"

He breathed out "Ask."

I sunk to my knees between his own, my hand hovering by his hip "Please."

He groaned and dropped the paintbrush seemingly uncaring where it fell and dug his fingers into my hair. "Touch me." He demanded and I happily obliged.

I splayed my hands over the dip in his hips and slid them under the offending cloth, rearing closer to press a kiss above the waistband I flicked my eyes up and held his molten gaze, using my teeth to drag the zipper down.

His breath hitched and I moved my hand around to the back still tucked beneath his waistband, I pulled in a downward motion signing I wanted it off. He flashed a grin and lifted his hips just enough for me to yank the fabric out of the way I shoved them down to his ankles and moved back into my position.

He hissed as I ran my tongue along his clothed erection, I continued to pay attention to him, with licks and kisses until he gave a growl and ripped the fabric off his body removing the final layer between him and my mouth.

I allowed myself to snigger at his impatience before flicking my eyes up and sinking down onto him. His hands clenched tight in my hair before he seemed to remember himself and he released me, which just wouldn't do.

Pulling back with a string of silver connecting us, I allowed my teeth to bare showing my displeasure, he chuckled again cutting off into a groan as his fingers returned and I shot forward in response.

Having the god-like being before me whimpering under my touch brought back the power rush from before, I needed to please him, it seemed like the only important thing at that moment.

I bobbed my head swirling my tongue around the tip every now and again, the sweetness was much more appealing than a humans. I dragged my teeth every so lightly on pulling back, receiving an explicative from Caius and his hips being thrusting into me, I relaxed into the movement which seemed to encourage him and he slowly took over. My eyes fell shut and I hummed, focussing on pleasing my mate while he controlled the pace.

I could feel him becoming more urgent in his movements and knew he was close, distantly I heard a deep chuckle that came from behind and peeling my eyes open I witnessed Marcus flash behind Caius pulling him into a filthy kiss.

Aro's voice rang out in amusement "An interesting method of making Caius come to us dearest."

I moaned sinking further into Caius as his broken sound was swallowed by Marcus and he came. I relaxed letting his release down my throat and gently sucking on him until Marcus pulled back and I did the same.

Caius looked delighted and wretched, they all did, although I had yet to see Marcus come properly undone. I swiped my tongue over my lip to catch all his fluid and sat back on my knees peering up at him.

Caius whined apparently being held up by Marcus who seemed to find great delight in the situation, "Seemed you wore him out, dearest."

As though to prove him wrong Caius flashed away returning fully clothed once more. Leaning forward I snagged his torn underwear and throwing him a smirk I stood shoving them in my back pocket the majority hanging out like a fashion statement.

Aro laughed and appeared in front of me to steal Caius's taste from my mouth. "Did you forget your task darling?"

I gave him a sheepish look and looked over to Caius "Ah... you're supposed to go to the throne room for a trial..."

He gave a bark of laughter "Well, I will thank you for helping me avoid that then Carissima."

I winced at Marcus fond look "Sorry?"

"I'm sure we'll find a way to forgive you darling."

They definitely did, and as it was the last night before my transformation I made sure to make up for the days I would be unavailable.

I fell asleep on Caius's chaise and woke the next morning to a different image on the canvas he had been constructing. I gazed at the image of myself in wonder. I'd never seen myself asleep and I was certain before my mates I wouldn't have looked so peaceful unconscious, but the image was touching in another way, although I'd never liked the very human process of sleeping, it would be something that I would be unable to do after today. I was quite elated with that fact, yet I knew this was Caius's way of apologizing for taking that from me. He needn't have worried I would have given up so much more with a smile upon my face if I had needed to do so.

I held no real regard for the day of my birth beside it making off another year of my life, aside from my mother and now my mates I had never told anyone the day, as such I had never received any gifts but finding my mates in my room looking equally nervous and excited made me suspect that was about to change.

Marcus took the lead as I raised an amused eyebrow in question. "Blue after what you shared with us about your past none of us were able to simply set it aside-" Alright that went a different direction than I had thought it would, "-Particularly Caius."

Cais shot him an annoyed look at being singled out but I only smirked, of course, he couldn't, I had expected as much. "Find anything interesting?" I prompted.

Aro hummed "We'll it was fascinating to learn on you're very first case as a detective you found a sex trafficking organisation, which lead to 89 arrests and several more under observation."

"Odd right?" I smirked.

Caius chuckled, gesturing to me to sit on the bed while they stood in front. "Although I would have prefered a different punishment for those scum, I assumed you would disapprove of me redoing your hard work." It wasn't a question, he had clearly considered it long and hard, I appreciated his restraint for many reasons.

"That's correct, I would not have approved you exposing yourself to murder my enemies." He shot me a look that clearly said it wasn't the reason he had resisted, but I had already guessed that.

Caius continued the conversation "You began your first case looking for your mother, but you never found her, that is what the agent from the police station meant when he had said you didn't close your first case."

I nodded in confirmation. While I had led the police to the traffickers, my mother had never been found nor any sign of her death, at the time that had been hoped to me, now I had accepted she was gone.

"We found her." My head snapped up to Marcus, but a single second to register the pain in his eyes and I felt the single leap of hope evaporate. Instead of saying what I now knew to be true he pulled a box from within his coat and placed it in my palm.

I took a second to examine it, blood-red velvet, a jewellery box no doubt. I opened it and gasped, tears sprang to my eyes as I recognised the ring inside, it had been my mothers. Not a wedding ring but a promise ring from my father. I had never known him beside a single sentence that was carved into the band of rock that was the ring, "Если бы мне пришлось прожить эту жизнь снова, я бы нашел тебя раньше." I whispered the words my mother had muttered to herself every night.

Caius sat down beside me as a tear fell from my eye, "What does it mean?"

"If I were to live my life again, I'd find you sooner. Despite my mother's young age, my father had had no time at all with her, living in poverty they had tried to make a life for themselves but the Soviet-Afgan war stole him away from her, she had to raise me on her own... but she said he would have loved me..."

I trailed off my mind caught in the memory of words feverishly repeated as she held me in her arms. "This ring was the only thing she was ever allowed to keep." The rock my father had fashioned the ring into was smooth on the inside and retained the authentic exterior, the inside bearing his inscription. My mother had never taken it off.

I looked up to see the sorrow on my mates face and a few more tears fell, I gave a bitter smile, "Thank you for finding her."

Aro gently pulled one of my palms into his own, "She did not suffer and Demetri has gone to search for your father's remains so you may put them to rest together if you wish."

I pulled him into a tight hug, "Thank you."

I felt more arms envelop me. I didn't cry anymore, I would save my tears for a rainy day, my mates had done what I couldn't they had put to rest a mystery of my past, a turning point for us all, I could finally let go of the self-hatred I believe I deserved for never finding my mother, and my mates could feel at ease knowing they had saved me from that tournament.

I pulled back and pushed the ring onto my ring finger, the same one my mother always wore it on. Caius pulled my hand up to examine it with a look of gentle observation, "It is a promise Amore, to keep you forever in this life."

Aro nodded "And we would have waited Eternity if only to have you for a moment."

I extended my wrist to him "You have me for forever."

He took my arm gently and brought my flesh to his mouth, grazing his teeth. I felt a presence behind me and my mates pierced my flesh, their venom flowing from different parts of me all heading for my heart. It stung like one would imagine biting into someone might, but the true pain came a moment later.

I cried out and slowly felt my perception of everything fade in and out, the pain only grew until I could no longer hear, but the presence of my mates remained, I clung to that knowledge, keeping me as grounded as I could be in that moment. It was alright, they'd never let me fall.

-IMMORTAL-

My transformation took 3 days as was normal, I recognised as the hours passed the pain wasn't consistent if it had been then maybe I could have adjusted but instead it came in waves, I would start to regain my senses and would think it nearly over but then another wave would come. The physical process of my cells perfecting, the venom infecting every single part of my being was excruciating, but when the pain lulled and faded away I was left with darkness.

"Open your eyes love." I heard Marcus request the same thing he often had of me and found myself unable to resist. I blinked open and nearly closed them again when all the changes to my scenery had registered.

I was unaware I had made any sound until Caius soothed me with his purring. Aro, knowing what had bothered me, gently reassured: "We have not moved, it's your room dearest, take a moment to adjust."

I did as he said and began to notice the changes I had seen weren't so much differences, but additions, I could almost zoom in to the very fabric of my silk sheets, the stone walls and the grout, it was strange to see so much from so far away.

I eagerly turned to look at my mate beside me but severely overestimated how much force I needed to turn and ended up spinning, trapping myself in the sheet with a startled sound.

Caius sniggered and Aro happily joined, thankfully Marcus took pity on me and untangled my stiff form from the fabric. I was now hesitating to move at all, I knew newborns were stronger than the average Vampire, I didn't want to hurt them.

Caius seemed to notice these and narrowed his eyes, quickly pulling me to sit on his lap with his back against the headboard, he purred familiar words to me, "Darling you don't have to hold back with us."

I shot him a doubtful look at this time it was Marcus who was amused, "Dearest you may have raw strength at this time-" He buried his face near the place he had bitten into my neck "-We have had thousands of years to learn and enhance ours."

I whined rolling into Caius, shooting Aro a pleading look. I didn't know what I wanted right now but Aro would know, he always knew.

Aro seized my lips and I melted against him, "Blood darling, you are thirsty." That made sense.

At the declaration Marcus disappeared, I found my eyes now able to track their fast movements, although Marcus was still very quick. He returned with a bag of blood and I tensed my eyes locking onto it.

"Shhh," He purred bringing it closer and with my body still atop of Caius he settled behind me. He ripped the top of the bag with his own teeth before holding it to my lips. I moved my hands to grab at his arm as he let the liquid pour down my throat, as though afraid he would pull it away.

I wouldn't have known it was blood if I hadn't have seen it's obvious colour, the taste was intoxicating and addicting, I need it, the blood was warm, Marcus had probably warmed it, making it run down my throat like I remembered hot chocolate feeling.

I whined as Marcus tried to pull the now empty bad away, desperately trying to get the remaining drops. Another bag was presented by Aro and I lunged forward desperately guzzling it down.

Aro cooed at me seemingly finding my insistence on holding their arms, an adorable act of possession. I didn't bother to let go of his hand as he lowered the empty plastic. Marcus took the rubbish while Caius turned me to face him, pulling me down to lick the blood that had dribbled from the corner of my mouth.

My mates remained with me for another week, showing me how to control myself both physically and against the pull of blood, Aro especially enjoyed the test of my will and I definitely didn't hate the games.

On the third day they had brought a live human for me to drink from, Aro had shown me through the mind link the horrors the man had committed and I felt no remorse at the thought of draining him.

Aro had placed the man tied to a chair far away from the bed, while I sat cross-legged in the middle. Marcus and Caius watched stretched out, enjoying the test of restraint. I had successfully kept myself from pouncing on the man, all the while I scented his blood through his skin.

After a few minutes of me remaining apparently unbothered, Aro had given a delighted grin and slid a knife along his shoulder, allowing a thin line of red to appear. I reared up as the smell intensified and found myself on my hands and knees leaning forward to try and get closer, but the minute I felt my hand reach off the bed I pulled back and resumed my original position.

"Good girl." Aro purred dangerously, a glint in his eyes the only warning before he drew the knife effortlessly across the man's throat. I found myself buried in the man's neck before I could register, the scent too overpowering to resist. Once I felt my senses regain I pulled back with an ashamed look, which Aro quickly wiped away. "None of that darling, you did well. Most newborns wouldn't have been able to rest for so long." He pulled my bloodied face against his own perfect lips, "We're very proud of you darling."

The rest of the days passed much the same, Caius focusing on showing me control of my strength and Marcus showing me poise and how to act human, necessary for if I wished to continue doing things like visiting the Orphics, and Alli. I was surrounded by love and affection, I was touched, they had taken so much time to teach me and I knew they would have spent far longer if I hadn't put my foot down insisting they still had a job to do.

So the first time my mates all left since I had transformed had my stumped. What to do? I decided to pull on some clothes and was going to head to the gardens to call Bella when my hand sunk into my satchel, hitting something hard.

Pulling it out I recognised the red leather, it was the other book Olly had found for me. Heading out to the gardens I sat in front of Diydime's gave, I saw all the plants with a newfound appreciation for it in my Vampire vision, my eye landed on a familiar-looking Lizard… "Harold?"

The tiny demon only gazed unblinkingly right back at me apparently not getting I was a Vampire now and the stupid moving leaf should be terrified. I bared my teeth expecting him to scuttle away but he just stayed there. Unblinking.

Slightly put out, I resolved to ignore it and pulled out the little book, beginning to read. Around the end of the first chapter I began to get fully engaged in the book, it wasn't a recount or even a piece of history, rather it was a book describing the first law, the one woven into a Vampires very being, it spoke of mates. I absorbed the words with interest.

A mating bond between Vampire and Vampire or Vampire and Human can only be broken in two ways.

I gazed out in thought. Two ways? Death obvious was one… but the other? I continued to read.

With the destruction of one's mate the bond rots and decays slowly killing the other mate or driving them to madness.

Should the equation be of a Human and a Vampire, if the Vampire were to die the Human could live on, albeit in grief. However, if the Human were to die the Vampire's future would result purely on how strong the bond had been before the Human's death.

If the mates had never met and the Human passes before their Vampire counterpart glimpses them, then the Vampire would remain living with a piece of them missing forever. If the mates have met before the death of the Human the bond is stronger and will cause the Vampire either pain and loss, or eventual death depending once again on its strength. The bond is most solidified between humans and vampires if they have made love…

I remembered Athenodora and Sulpicia saying something similar to me, they had mentioned I could harm my mates more once we had intercourse… I had thought they meant if I had chosen to leave after that, not if I'd died.

...However, the bond is never stronger than when both parties are Immortal and have joined in passion.

I wondered what our bond looked like to Marcus, I would have to ask Marcus to show me, It looked beautiful in my imagination. I flipped through the rest about how death destroys the bond and searched for the second reason mentioned.

The only other way to sever the mating bond also serves to sever all other bonds. This results in any mates losing their mats scent, no other Vampire would smell the broken bonded mate upon them, cursing both parties.

Only by reaching through a vampire's marble skin, pulling out their un-beating heart and crushing the organ, can the bonds be severed without death. It is the most horrific form of punishment, a desolate isolation of an individual, destroying all hope.

The crushing of the heart severs the matting bond as though it has been cut, the pieces shoot back to the owner, severing the connection between mates. The one whose heart is destroyed has no hope of forming bonds without their mate bond being restored, which is an impossible feat. The partner of the bond is also cursed without their mate, if they have never met, they will never know that they were destined to be mates, their mating scent lost. If they have joined before, then the hollow feeling of not having a mate will stay as long as they continue to try fixing the bond.

My head fell back against the tree I was leading on and my eyes widened. Bella. Marcus said her bond was like that as if her mate had died, or at least as close as he had seen, what if instead, her mate had, had their bonds severed.

That sounded painful. Having your heart crushed in front of you. The book went on to talk about the physical hole in the Vampires chest that the action left. I couldn't imagine the sadism required to do that to another being. Truly disturbed at the thought of Bella going without the love I had been showered in, I made my way back to the library to search for more books on the mating bond. There had to be a way to fix it. I didn't believe it was impossible.

I didn't find anything by the end of the day but I didn't give up yet, I would continue looking, for now, I resolved to call Bella and check in on her progress as well as tell her what I suspected.

"Hello Blue."

"Hiya Bells, find anything?"

"Actually yes." I perked up with interest "I've been slowly making my way across the farms volunteering, and I've followed the mountain range, I get to go explore after the day of work is finished so I usually spend a few hours around the mountains and yesterday I asked my host if there were any places that might be old castles or ruins, something like that. Guess what?"

"What?" I inquired excitedly.

"No ruins, but there's an underground cave system about 3 miles south of the farm I'm on right now. I've asked to stay on volunteering while I check it out. Could be something."

I grinned "Definitely, also you might see some glow worms!"

"I don't think they live in Europe."

I brushed her off "Nah glow worms are actually stars, just really really small, promise."

She snorted "You've been spending too much time with Olly."

"Guilty. Although I should probably mention I've had my transformation, I'm a Vampire now."

"Really? Did it hurt?"

I snorted "You could say that, but I'm good now and Bells, it's indescribable, you would do it just to see the gardens, honestly, beautiful is an understatement."

"I'm glad it's working for you. Are your mates being supportive?"

"Aww that's sweet, I'm sure they appreciate that you care, but yes, definitely... Speaking of mates I'd actually like to mention a theory I have to you."

"Shoot."

I paused unsure how to suggest what I'd found out "...I believe I might have found a reason for your 'lack of bond'."

She was quite before her voice sounded again, even though the tingy phone I could hear the pained hope in her voice and I instantly hated myself for bringing it up at all, "Really?"

"Hey no, I said might, I could very well be wrong and if I'm right then this could be worse than your mate being dead." I needed her to know the truth, not wanting to get her hopes up then drop my bomb on her.

She seemed to collect herself, "Worse? Okay, alright, what did you find."

I settled down on one of the chairs in the library and proceeded to tell her about the second way a bond could be severed, I would check with Marcus what Bella's bond looked like, but for now it was something to think on. "Well thank you Blue, I have to go now, give Olly my love."

"Will do Bells, stay safe in your exploring, I'll keep looking for answers on this end."

I hung up and got to work once again, I would continue searching until my mates came looking for me, thankfully sleep was no longer a hassle I had to partake in.

-IMMORTAL-

"Wait a minute!" I turned to Marcus who I was leaning against as he read me poetry. "You're really old!"

He chuckled "Thank you for that darling."

I scoffed twisting to look at him "I mean, there are loads of mysteries and you're also Italian…? Roman?… Greek?"

He smirked in repose which was infuriating.

"Okay so, you're a really old Roman," I decided, "Did the battle of Troy actually happen? Like Trojan horse and everything?"

He flashed over to his desk and picked up a quill holding it out to me "Would you like to learn calligraphy?"

"Yes!" I jumped up "-Hey! No. No. No. Don't change the subject!"

He smirked pulling me in front of him and placing the quill in my hand using his own to guide my movements, "I would never darling."

I whined, "Marcus. Were you in a city that may or may not have existed and were you attacked by greeks from inside a horse?"

He chuckled in my ear "Maybe I was in the horse darling?"

My eyes widened "You were Greek?"

I spent the rest of the day trying to pull the truth out of him, he seemed to find it incredibly amusing to throw in small hints they may have been jokes but he said them completely seriously. By the end of the day, I had adamantly refused to speak to him until he gave me a proper answer, which is what Caius walked into.

"Come on dearest, don't make me call Caius my favourite."

Caius raised an eyebrow as he entered the room, but I didn't elaborate, still pouting out of the window. It wasn't fair they were all really old together and had seen so much of the world without me, I wanted to know more about them.

Aro flashed into the room in time to see me jump onto the desk to avoid being pulled into a hug by Marcus. I was fast as a newborn but Marcus was faster, I hadn't truly appreciated just how quick the eldest of my mates were when I had been Human.

Marcus caught me effortlessly and trapped me against the desk, I glared at him in response. "No."

Aro gave Caius a questioning look which the blond replied to with a shrug.

Marcus nuzzled under my chin and I burst out laughing trying to swat him away "Stop it! It tickles!"

"Whatever is the matter dearest?" Aro inquired.

I spun within Marcus's arms to look across the desk at my raven-haired mate. "Marcus will not give me an answer!"

Caius snorted "He rarely does. Ask us your question, we will answer."

It was Marcus's turn to pout, pulling me against him as though trying to make me forget the question. I ignored him, "Are you guys Greek or Roman?"

Aro spoke up "Marcus and Caius are Greek, I am Roman."

I turned my head to trick out my tongue to Marcus, before asking my next question, "Were you guys in the battle for Troy? Was it an actual thing?"

Caius chuckled "I am afraid we are not quite that old Amore."

I gave a gasp, "You're not?"

I turned back to Marcus "So you just didn't know-" I fake tutted "-Trying to hide your ignorance from me."

He scoffed, lifting me onto the desk and pulling me into a kiss, "Ignorance." He muttered the word clearly offended.

We were interrupted by two familiar Vampires entering the room. Athenodora surveyed the scene and settled on ignoring all of us in favour of giving Caius a winning smile.

I felt my mates tense, which made sense they probably assumed it was my first time seeing their ex-wives. Sulpicia opened her mouth to speak but I beat her to it, flashing in front of her and extending my hand in fake pleasantry that everyone could hear in my voice "Wonderful to meet you again Sulpicia-" I nodded towards the blond "Athenodora, truly a pleasure."

I wasn't an idiot I remembered very well that they had been the ones to tell me Aro would feel my pain if I allowed him to view my memories, it made me furious as that had been part of the reason I had made my mate suffer. I did not plan on forgiving them any time soon.

Caius's voice was guarded "You three have met before?"

Athenodora gave a sultry expression to him, "Yes at the ball, we managed to steal some of your mates attention that night." She was unable to mask the contempt as she hissed mate and I sensed Caius bare his teeth. Sulpicia and I defused the situation, Sulpicia placing a hand in warning of her sister and I moved to Caius letting him pull me against his chest with his chin resting on my head, no doubt a glare affixed to his face.

Sulpicia eased the air, "We were simply coming to welcome our latest Vampire to the coven, she addressed me directly. We are honoured to have another sister join our family." She bowed her head slightly and Athenodora followed the movement. I assessed them curiously, they definitely did not see me as a sister, not after all the trouble they'd gone to trying to make me leave, it was most likely because they had seen me as though I'd essentially stolen something from them.

Still, they were a part of my coven now, and as the Queens, it would be nice to learn from them, we could grow to become sisters. I nodded "Thank you, I look forward to learning from you, after all, you have years of knowledge under your belts." Acknowledging that they were currently better suited to their roles at this time seemed to be the right thing to say.

They nodded before leaving and I turned to my mates in question, "You'll teach me too right?"

Aro looked confused "What do you wish to learn?"

I frowned "How to, you know, help out? Rule with you guys... or do I not do that?"

Marcus made a noise of understanding, "Of course you will join us as our Queen Amore, and we will help you learn our laws, I think you will find yourself catching on very fast."

Aro nodded agreeing, and apparently understanding now. Caius raised his own question "Why would you need to learn anything from those women?"

I scoffed "Caius, they were your wives-" He grumbled into my hair "-And the Queens, obviously they would be a smart-"

Marcus interrupted me with firmness "They were not."

"They weren't the Queens?" Now I was confused.

Aro gave an amused chuckle "Did you truly believe so? Sure they had a lot of say due to being our wives, but they were never our mate, not like Caius and Marcus were my mates."

"Oh."

Caius nipped at the top of my ear "Oh indeed, We are the Kings, and you are the Queen. There never has nor ever will be any others."

Oh.

"Olly's a prince though right?" I got a rumble of agreement in response.

-IMMORTAL-

Once the ex-wives had removed themselves from their presence, Aro gave Caius and Marcus a significant look, his voice ringing through their minds.

I never saw Blue interact with Sulpicia or Athenodora.

Marcus frowned visibly. That is concerning, we will have to keep a close eye on them, lest they attempt to bridge a gap between us.

Caius simply nodded in agreement pulling their newest companion further into his embrace. It would take far more than two jealous females to destroy the bond he had with his loved ones.

-IMMORTAL-

The problems began when I turned my phone back on, having had it off during my transformation and explaining to Alli and the Orphics that I had business to deal with for a few days, I had expected a few voicemails from Alli talking about any leads she's found or had not yet the 57 missed calls cause panic to seize me.

Upon listening to the first one the fear only grew.

"Hey Blue I know you said you were busy, but we have a problem. The hospital was being less than hospitable last time you were here, but I just found out they want to take the kids off their medication and remove all staff help. It's going to kill them, they can't move let alone get to the toilet by themselves! Slyvia's disobeyed them and is still helping but if they push it she could get fired and then no one would be helping them. I'm going to the station tomorrow hopefully the police can stop it."

I drew in a deep breath to calm myself, that had been the first voice mail, if there were 56 others then I doubted the police had been able to fix the problem. Deciding just to ring her and get the facts as they were now, I anxiously waited for her to pick up.

"Blue thank god."

"Are they okay?"

"For now, I obtained a blanket temporary guardianship over them, which stopped the hospital from terminating their treatment, however as they are still using Hospital facilities and show no signs of recovery the Hospital has organised to move them to a hospice."

"Hospices are where people go to die! They aren't dying!"

"I know Blue, but I don't think I can do anything to stop it, my Senior Agent has me running ragged, I don't have any time at all to look into alternatives, and Sylvia doesn't know the law like us..."

She trailed off and I felt guilt hit me, "Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can. For now, tell me everything."

"Technically speaking before I got guardianship, they were all lame patients without recovery, but being in charge of their own medical choices, their own guardians, they couldn't force the hospital to provide for them-"

"-So the guardianship means you can get the court to order the hospital to keep helping those under your care." I finished in understanding.

"Exactly, the problem now is, it's only temporary, the moment it runs out, which being as it was for 6 weeks, gives as a month tops, then we're back to the same problem but presumably they will be in a hospice by then. Despite what the hospital seems to think hospices don't have an infinity room, they are a place where people go to die, not stay permanently."

I tried organising the main problems in my head "Space is the main thing then? They need somewhere to go that won't kick them out?"

"And caregivers," She agreed, "Sylvia's said she is appalled by the Hospital's behaviour and if our search leads to employment to continue looking after the Orphics then she wants in."

I doubted she'd used those words exactly, but was thankful the elder woman was willing to stick by the people she'd saved. "I have an idea, but I need to talk to my partners about it first."

Alli let out a laugh over the phone "You aren't going to ask them to take everyone in are you?"

I paused momentarily, that was exactly what I'd planned to do. There was no doubt an abundance of room at the castle, we could keep them there until they were well enough to choose if they wanted to become immortal. "Why would you think that?" I asked curious how she'd guessed.

"Come on Blue, Marcus drove me to the Purple Medallion in a pristine suit and a car clearly as expensive as a house, not to mention the other two look as rick as the hot-damn looks they give you."

I felt a heat fill my cheeks reminiscence of a blush "Uh-no they do not give me 'hot-damn' looks." I spluttered. A responding snort was all the answer she gave to that. "Anyway! We have a lot of room in the... inherited house they own, I will be asking if we can take in the Orphics, yes you are correct." A cheer went up and I imagined her pumping the air, "Haha, very good, I'm hanging up now."

"Catch you 'round Blue, I'll call you tomorrow, I think I might have a lead on the Orphic's case, I'm keeping it from the boss though, 'till I can be sure."

I paused, all mirth forgotten, Alli was chasing a Vampire, if she'd gotten a lead then she might be in danger. Unable to say anything to convince her not to follow the lead without raising suspicion, my voice tightened "Yeah Call me as soon as you can, I don't care what time it is, this guy's a sicko Alli, be careful."

"Roger, Roger, loud and clear." She hung up and I took a moment to collect my thoughts before running to my mates.

I crashed into the doors like a proper idiot, not quite used to my own speed yet. I grabbed my noise hissing as a crack formed. "Motherfucker!"

Laughter came from inside, and a closer chuckle had me spinning to see Demetri's amused expression. "You're easier to catch as a human." He commented.

The doors were pulled open revealing Aro who gave a slight bow indicating I could enter, "Bye Demi!"

I sauntered into the room ignoring Demetri's scowl at the nickname and Caius's snide comment. "You're supposed to open the doors before walking through." I only stuck out my tongue in response choosing to grab Aro's hand as he escorted me to sit on his throne.

"Ah, you wish to make our home open to more humans?"

My other mates paid closer attention. I nodded "Until they are ready to be turned, the hospital's kicking them out." I spoke for Caius and Marcus benefit, Aro already knowing the details.

Caius scowled "Is it not the Hospital's job to care for humans, why would they abandon those who have suffered?"

I glared at the ground "Apparently a hospital is a place for people to heal, as they are not healing the Hospital doesn't want them."

Marcus looked troubled by that but gave a nod "I see no problem with them coming here, but perhaps contain them to the East wing, our guard already knows to stay away as Olly and yourself when you were human resided there."

That was a smart idea actually. Olly would probably like the company, I could see him getting on with the new friends I'd made and no doubt the Orphics would enjoy his exuberant energy. I jumped up my once annoyance and fear replaced with excitement. "Thank's Marcus, that's a great idea! I turned to Aro and Caius, "Unless you object?"

Aro shook his head gently taking me hands, and apparently finding what he was looking for responded, " I have no opposition to this decision, you brother?"

Caius, apparently unable to keep his hands off me, nuzzled into my neck, "None. It's our Queen's first project."

"I like that. So this is me doing something Vampire Queen-y?"

Aro grinned, "Indeed."

-IMMORTAL-

I pushed open the door to the familiar room, getting several heads swivelled in my direction in response. "Hello, my darling Orphics."

Blossom gave me an angry look "Where have you been?"

"Busy making accommodations for my favourite people to travel to Italy." This seemed to give her and everyone else pause.

Ewan gave a deep chuckle breaking the tense air, "Italy my dear?"

I stepped to the side in response revealing my mates behind me, they stood in the doorway looking as impeccable as ever, Caius had his guarded expression of contempt, Marcus was back to looking uninterested and Aro was grinning in his ever creepy expression.

I wasn't too worried about my mates' guardedness with my friends, they'd come around I was sure of it. For now, I introduced them. "Everyone this is Marcus, Caius and Aro, my partners and they had graciously agreed to let you guys come stay with me in Italy. That is if you would prefer that to a Hospice?"

I allowed the question to be heard in my voice because no matter how much I knew staying with us would be better for them, these people had, had enough of decisions made for them, they would have to make this choice on their own.

Janis broke it, as the unofficial leader slash diplomat of the group. "I'd love to go, thank you for the offer Blue-" She nodded at my mates "Marcus, Aro and Caius."

The youngsters, Dusk, Dawn and Misham dissolved all remaining tension. Dawn summoned Marcus with an excited wave of her hand, apparently eager to show off her handwriting that she had been practising. Marcus went without complaint, sitting beside her to examine the lettering.

Misham tugged me down to his level and began to recount what I had missed, with Daniella beside him piping in every now and again. I saw Caius being scolded by Dusk for being grumpy, apparently, that was forbidden in their room, it resulted in a raised eyebrow from the blond and a look I could only call a cross between amused and baffled by the audacity of the boy. Aro drifted over to Soraya and Esmeralda indulging their, not-so-subtle looks they kept giving his long hair.

I was sorry I'd been away from the Orphics for so long, I had missed them terribly and did feel guilty for the abandonment I'd heard in Blossom's accusation, I understood, being unable to move or defend yourself and being put in a position where it was likely you'd end up on the streets... I chose not to continue with that train of thought and pulling away from my conversation with the siblings I announced it was time to start moving. "Alright kiddos, who's ready to jump this joint?"

Ewan gave an amused sound "I can't say I know what that means but I trust your decision, my dear." Aro cocked his head observing the eldest of the Orphics.

I gestured to the door "Away?"

Ferdinand rocked in his bed, as close as he could come to bouncing "Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!"

I chuckled and bent down beside Daniella's bed, peeling back the sheet and sliding my arm under her spindly legs and the other supporting her back I gently pulled her bridal style into my arms, "Are you in any pain?" She shook her head, all the confirmation I needed I gave a nod to my mates and turned to take my passenger to the car waiting outside.

We had to move them all individually and Marcus and Caius had to carry Ewan and Alder, otherwise, it would definitely look suspicious. We got it done fairly quickly, and we sent the cars off to the plane, while my mates packed all of their stuff into another car, I headed to go see Sylvia.

"Oh hello dear, are you taking them now?"

I pulled her into an embrace, bags under her eyes showed how long and hard she had been working to care for them. "Yes, and Alli mentioned you're looking for a job to care for them?"

"If that is possible, I would very much like too."

I nodded, hesitating a little "Even if it's in Italy?"

She gave a sound of surprise "Italy, goodness that's a little fancy."

I let out a genuine laugh, "It's a country Sylvia, I don't think you could class all of it as fancy."

"I would very much like to take you up on that offer, I'll just need to hand in my resignation and in another two weeks I'll make my way over there."

I gave her a pat on the shoulder "Call me when you want to come over, the job pays for your flight." Truthfully I'd actually managed to get some funds from the Italian government as we were technically acting as a temporary care ward, so it was a proper job for Sylvia, but I'd lied about the trip bit, she did enough without having to worry about flight costs.

She gave me an indulgent look, "Alright dear, I'll see you soon." Her eyes flicked behind me and I knew my mates were there waiting.

I turned to them and pushed open the door, letting them walkthrough. "Thank you, darling," Marcus muttered. I chuckled before taking his hand in mine to swing as we made it to Aro's car he apparently kept in America.

Due to border security, I'd had to obtain passports for all the Orphics, but given they didn't actually 'exist' I had to first get them birth certificates and citizenships, which I had verified through their medical files.

It had been a tiring process and had taken me far longer than I had thought it would but paperwork was my forte, so I pushed through. Sylvia had been a good help updating me on the Orphics, but I'd not had a lot of time to video chat with them over the past few weeks. I should have told them what I was doing, but it had slipped my mind that they didn't actually know, which resulted in me making them feel unwanted, I hated that and resolved to fix it as soon as I could.

Reaching the private plane, I hopped out the car and bounded over to the others that were waiting. Once again moving them from the cars into seats on the plane. Thanks to it being Aro's plane the seats were actually open-plan bolted down couches with armrest able to be pulled out as dividers, this way we could all see and talk to one another.

Everyone was relatively quiet boarding the plane but I put it down to most likely the quick changes they were all having to adjust to so abruptly. Aldar broke it first "I've never been flying." A few sounds of agreement echoed through the room and I chuckled finishing strapping in Ewan who gave a slow pat to my hand in thanks.

"You might like it, you might hate it. Scares most people." I really didn't have much of a filter, probably should not have said that, but I took after my mother in my blunt honesty.

Marcus slid an arm around my waist, "What Blue means to say, is that you are all perfectly safe and we will arrive in 5 hours, so try to relax."

I nodded "Yep that." placing their passports in their laps.

Ferdinand flicked it, "What's this?"

"Oh, right it's your passports, security should be here soon to check them all, but don't worry I have it all sorted your new birth certificates are in my bag too."

Dusk gave me a puzzled look "What's those things?"

I glanced at a few of the confused looks being thrown my way and turned to Ewan for help. How do you explain a birth certificate?

"Passports tell other people who you are so they can make sure you are allowed to travel to another country," He provided "Everyone has a birth certificate when they are born, it has your name, where you were born and who your parents are, you need it to get a passport to prove it's you."

Daniella shot me a confused look "How did you find ours?"

"I didn't. Well not for all of you, those I had, Ewan and Soraya I managed to track yours down, but that's because you had been into the hospital before so they had you on record, then I just officially changed your names. Everyone else I used your medical records and made you new, legal, might I add, Identities."

Blossom shot me a grateful look, "Thank you." I nodded back at her. Hearing the sound of another distant heartbeat and knew that security would be here soon.

Her brother piped up "So you made us birth certificates and passports. What did you put as our last names?"

I glanced over to my mates a little nervous, I hadn't told them but I had also done some legal editing to my own name. "Same as mine," I announced "...Volturi."

I saw their heads shot up and I gave nervous smile, receiving a blinding one from Aro in return and heated looks from the others.

"Volturi?" Daniella seemed to mull it over before giving me a definitive nod, "I like it. Daniella Volturi."

Just then the guard arrived, she was very good, taking the passports looking them over and making sure everything was in order before checking ours and departing as quickly as she'd come.

Caius pulled me down beside him nuzzling my neck, which I mentally flushed at, we had an audience. Although the distant chatter I heard from them proved they were feeling more at ease. "Blue Volturi." Aro purred, "Does this make you our wife now?"

"Well, you did give me a ring."

Marcus chuckled, "We are touched you would give up a part of your identity for us."

"No." I corrected him "Adapted, I've given up nothing, I think you'll find I prefer my family's name to a movie I enjoy."

He gave my hand an apologetic kiss, "My mistake love."

I leant across to give him a proper kiss "Since I'm your wife now, does that mean I get a fancy throne?"

Caius ran a hand through my hair as Aro responded with a devilish smirk "As Queen, your coordination will come and with it your throne." I sunk back into my blond mate pondering what Aro had said, I didn't actually think I was getting a Throne, I couldn't really imagine how that would work, after all, at the moment it was structured in a tier formation, it would look odd in the throne room with another one making it uneven.

"What would it even look like" I questioned out loud, I remember having a similar thought on my first week with them, that felt like so long ago now. Marcus had strings like the bond lines he saw, Caius had the skin of wolves he had slain and Aro had eyes showing his appreciation of knowledge...

"Whatever you wish it to look like my dear." Marcus played with my fingers as he spoke. Something to think on.