A low rumble came from him, from somewhere deep within his chest as he stepped closer to me, his eyes burning with want. "Be careful what you wish for, little bird."

I could feel the air between us bursting with tension and whilst I wanted it to explode a large part of me was afraid for it to. I remained silent and instead watched his large, pale hand extend toward me. He reached for my hair, gently tucking the fallen strands behind my ear and leaving a trail of ice and fire in his wake. The backs of his knuckles trailed down my cheekbone and to my jaw before continuing down my neck to where my collarbone met my shoulder. It was a touch that held promise and I felt my breath stutter within my chest as I struggled to keep my composure.

His hand paused for a moment and his eyes lifted from observing its movement to meet my own gaze and then, whilst deliberately holding eye contact he resumed and stroked along the line of my neck to my bare shoulder. It still amazed me how even though his touch felt as though he'd had his hands plunged into snow, it ignited me instead of chilling me.

His hand opened and he encased my small shoulder in his palm, running his thumb over the skin repeatedly.

"Hmm…" He intoned "your skin remains as untainted and perfect as ever." I too looked down to where his hand rested on my shoulder, his skin so pale and ethereal it made me look as though i'd caught the sun.

"Perhaps then, you are not as dark as you believe yourself to be." I spoke my thoughts aloud, forgetting for a moment that I wasn't the only one in the room. I cringed internally and raised my eyes to his again to see his head tilted only slightly as he regarded me with interest.

"You believe there could still be light within me?" There was disbelief in his tone and it made my heart ache with sadness for him.

I raised a hand from my book and laid it atop his, which still sat upon my shoulder. I had meant it to be a touch of comfort but the way Aro's eyes changed color and the rapid closing of his eyelids told me it had meant more than that to him. I was too afraid to remove my hand though, now that I had been so bold as to touch him, instead I continued onward; pretending I hadn't noticed his reaction to what I realized what the first time I had touched him of my own volition. "We all have darkness and light within us, the choices we make define which of the two outshines or suffocates the other."

His eyes opened again and he turned his palm upward to hold my hand in his, he bent at the waist and pressed his cool lips to my knuckles, I felt no breath upon my skin as he withdrew. "It is still a marvel to me how you treat my kind with such a lack of fear."

My mouth turned upward at the corner as I observed our hands. "Most would call it stupidity." I was waiting for him to release me from his grasp, but he didn't. "You're mistaken though, I am very much afraid of your kind."

His perfect brow creased with concern and he looked as though he were trying his hardest to read my thoughts. "You are?"

I nodded, chewing on my lower lip. "I used to be stupidly naive about Vampires, I suppose I romanticized it. Then, when a real threat presented itself and I saw the true nature behind the facade I had been presented with I realized just how childish I had been. I had put Charlie's life at risk, my own life, for what? A boy who left me behind so easily, because he couldn't handle the thought of having to protect me."

It was the first time I had really vocalized my feelings about what happened between Edward and I, even though I had been thinking it over a lot I had kept my thoughts to myself. After all, my closest friend was Edwards sister and she certainly didn't want to hear my low opinion of her sibling.

I didn't realize a tear had tracked its way down my cheek without me noticing until I felt his cool lips upon my fevered skin, it felt soothing and I couldn't help but lean into him, letting him kiss my pain away.

I was glad Aro didn't feel the need to talk, to fill the empty silence with derogatory words about Edward. This was how this man was so different from the boys I was used to, he didn't need to say anything, my bad opinion of Edward had been created entirely without his influence. I felt a swell of affection for the man in front of me and then was stunned into silence as before I could blink he swept me into his arms and laid me atop the bed.

"Whilst I appreciate your waiting up for me, you need to rest little bird. I am sorry to have been kept away from you all day." He stroked my hair away from my face and pulled the blanket over my hip.

Only once my head hit the pillow did I realize how tired I was, even after a day of doing very little. I smiled at the handsome man before me somewhat sleepily. "Okay, are you going to stay again tonight?" I forced the words out before I lost my bravado.

He seemed surprised for a moment before clearly settling to the correct conclusion. "Ah, I presume Alice informed you?" At my nod he continued. "I sincerely hope you are not offended Isabella, the opportunity was far too tempting to let it pass me by."

"I don't mind, I feel safe when I'm with you." My eyes were partially closed when I said this so I missed his immediate reaction, however at his extended silence I opened them again to be greeted with an intense look.

"You have no idea how indescribable a feeling I get hearing that from you, thank you Isabella. I will stay, if you wish it." He lifted his pant legs at the knee before sitting, a gesture very much reminiscent of a different time-at least in my eyes.

"I do feel safe." I mumbled before snorting into the pillow softly. "After all I have the Vampire king watching over me, who would possible be able to hurt me?" I had meant it as a sarcastic rhetorical question, but he responded anyway apparently more to himself than I.

"None would dare." The threatening tone of his voice was harshly contradicted by the softness in his gaze but I knew he meant it and I felt safe, truly safe for the first time since I had discovered about his kinds existence. I had always felt at risk around Edward, in some way or another, and he had believed that to be for the best. After all he had gone out of his way to make sure I knew how dangerous he was, how dangerous they all were, but in the end that had been to his detriment. Whilst danger was always exciting in the beginning what I really wanted was to feel safe, cared for and protected.

Things I had never felt all at once whilst with Edward.

He had maintained that to be safe I would need to be away from the Cullen's, which led to not feeling at all like they cared about me. Feeling protected meant I was constantly on edge and ironically not feeling at all safe and feeling cared for… Well that had only really happened since I had met Aro. I couldn't really remember a single occasion I had felt cared for and not a burden around Edward or any of the Cullen's. Usually with them care entailed heartache, life threatening situations or pain and suffering.

It was strange really how calm and peaceful life with Aro could be in comparison.

I opened my eyes blearily to look at him once more and smiled as I met his intense gaze.

"Don't you want a book to read or something?" I asked, sure he would surely get bored of just sitting there, watching me.

"No dearest one, thank you. Listening to your heart beat slow and your breathing even out is far more interesting to me than any book could possibly be at this moment. Did you know you frown in your sleep? Even pout occasionally. Watching you provides a far better story than any literature could give me." I swallowed thickly as my stomach swooped at his words, I let my eyes drift closed again instead of replying and if my cheeks reddened under his praise I convinced myself my head was far too buried in the pillow for him to see.

"Apparently I talk to." My words were surely so muffled into the pillow that they were inaudible, even to him. For a moment the silence that followed my words made me believe he hadn't heard and my shoulders relaxed in relief.

"Mmm, you do. Though I've only heard you say my name which I admit, gives me great pleasure." How was it possible for his voice to go deeper? To affect me even more? I was sure my cheeks were aflame now and I closed my eyes tightly in embarrassment.

I decided not to respond, accepting my defeat and knowing full well that he had won this round. I merely mumbled a good night and pulled the covers up to my chin. It occurred to me momentarily I should probably change out of the expensive dress, but that would ruin the moment and he had put me to bed like this so presumably that was how he wanted me to sleep.

I sent a silent prayer out into the ether that Alice would be forgiving and let sleep pull me under. My last conscious thought was how surprisingly easy I found it to fall asleep with him watching over me.

-o-

I was pulled forcibly from my sleep by hushed voices which were seemingly raising in volume as the conversation continued at my bedside.

"You cannot do this to her, cannot take that decision away from her!" I identified Alice's voice and fought to maintain my facade.

"I can do whatever I please." Aro's voice was calm and quiet but the threat in his tone was clear and gooseflesh broke out over my skin in fear.

"I saw what your decision does to her, is that what you want? What you want her to become?!" Alice's voice whilst hushed was harsh and her whisper echoed loudly around the room. "She will never love you. Never forgive you if this is the path you take."

"You will do well to remember with whom you are speaking, dear Alice." I knew they were stood toe to toe without even opening my eyes, I could see it behind my eyelids, Alice in all her pixie ferocity defending me from something she clearly perceived to be unforgivable.

"You can't just erase everyone else she loves out of jealousy and spite." There was a ruffling of fabric as someone moved, a gasping noise and then a soft crack, like that fine china would make when being handled too harshly. I struggled to maintain my composure as I heard Alice's rasping voice and realized he had her by the throat, pinned to the wall. I knew I had to stay still, knew Alice must know I was awake and wanted me to hear what was coming. "She will think of you as nothing but a monster."

"Then so be it." His voice was low and threatening and a chill raced up my spine as pure fear filled me, urging me to flee. "But at least she will belong to me, and me alone."

"Bella belongs to no one." Was Alice's final venom filled sentence before a growl ripped loudly from Aro, echoing around the room. "Be careful Aro, you'll wake her and then she'll see you for what you truly are."

This seemed to bring Aro to his senses for he quietened quickly and I heard scuffing as he dragged her from the room. I risked opening my eyes only slightly, squinting into the darkness to see Alice looking back at me with terror filled eyes.

She mouthed one word to me as she was pulled from my side and I felt my heart sink as I read her red painted lips.

"RUN."