"I would like for you to stay in my rooms for now, it would put my mind at ease." I turned to look at him, his melodious voice so soothing to me now where before it had been terrifying.

"In your bed, with you?" I asked, chewing my lower lip. I had somewhat lost my bravado after our moment on the bed, I felt that Aro sensed this, for he smiled at me knowingly.

"I do not sleep Isabella. It would however reassure me to know that I can keep an eye on you directly." His large strong hands were still clasped together before him, he was completely unruffled, like we hadn't jut shared the most amazingly erotic moment of my life.

'Your life, but probably not his Bella. You're just one in a long line of women to have fallen at his feet.'

"Are you not leaving again, don't you have work to do?" I asked feeling confused, what had happened to the urgent business he had left me for to begin with?

"It has been dealt with, for the most part. I will of course be in the throne room by day, as I must. But Heidi shall be here with you again, to keep you company until I return." He offered his hand to me which I took without hesitation and he turned me back to face the window, to look out over the clouds as he stood behind me, his chin resting at my temple.

"To be my bodyguard, you mean." I huffed somewhat childishly. "I am tired of this Aro. I don't think we will find anything. I have been searching for days, even on the internet. There is nothing to help us because the situation hasn't been seen before."

He hummed in agreement behind me, his chest against my back sent the vibrations of the noise through me, making a warmth pool in my belly as his icy hands stroked up and down my bare arms. "Be patient, dearest one. Unless…"

I hadn't known him long and yet I knew that tone. That was the tone he used when he'd already decided on a plan and yet had to convince those around him it was the best action. This was where Aro Volturi tried to manipulate me to his way of thinking.

I hummed in question and waited, waited to see what he idea he could have possibly had to require that particular tone of voice.

"We could invite Archos here. Question him." I span sharply in his grasp, his hands hovered over my shoulders as I did so, only to resume their place once I faced him again.

"Are you crazy?" He only quirked an eyebrow at me, in his infuriatingly gorgeous way. "Invite him here. To Volterra?"

"I see no other way to help resolve our problem Isabella. He is after all the most well informed source on the subject."

I groaned and leant forward into him, resting my forehead against his chest. I knew he was right, but surely there had to be something else. Something we'd missed. Anything was better than that I thought, and I said as much into Aro's chest.

"Truly?" He asked, pulling me away from him and lifting my chin with his thumb and forefinger. "Even being parted from me? Because it will happen eventually Isabella, your lifetime in comparison to mine is the blink of an eye."

He lifted my hand and placed it against his chest, where his heart would beat were it able, and covered it with both his hands.

"I will NOT lose you. Do you understand? I have waited an age for my salvation to be brought before me, I refuse to allow something as simple as your mortality to take that from me."

"Then turn me." I said, meeting his passionate gaze with my own. "It has to work, if i'm already part Vampire it isn't like it could…"

"Kill you? But it could. We don't know what effect you being penetrated with venom will have, if you'd even survive." His face hardened and I could tell he was imagining it, being the one to have killed me, however mistakenly.

"Okay… okay." I breathed shaking my head and moving my hands up to his strong, broad shoulders. "Wait!"

I practically shot up on my tiptoes and my eyes darted back to his, he seemed somewhat startled but watched me, intrigued.

"We do know what effect it has on me, to a point!" I thrust my wrist under his nose and pointed at the scar there. "James bit me, I felt as though I was on fire…"

Aro took my wrist in his hand and frowned at the scar there, his thumb caressed the mark. His eyes raised back to mine. "Then how is it you are not either a Vampire, or dead? And how did I not hear of this?" He growled, furious to see my skin marred with the bite of another man.

"Because the venom got sucked out…" I said, now avoiding his gaze as it burned into mine. "Carlisle was there, I don't remember much after I blacked out but I remember him saying that it was nearly too late to bring me back, that the venom had begun taking hold."

"And who, may I ask, sucked it out?" He emphasised each word as dormant fury stirred in his eyes, his grip on my wrist was tightening.

"You know who." I said, standing toe to toe with him. I refused to be cowed. "That doesn't matter now, what matters is that I WAS beginning to turn Aro. I didn't die immediately, the venom was having the same effect on me as it does everyone else. You could turn me!"

He dropped my wrist suddenly and turned away from me, pacing to the other side of the room. His perfect black hair gleamed with each step.

"How do we know you would survive? How can I condemn you to becoming a soulless monster, as I am?" he turned to me, desperation in every line of his face and I felt my heart ache for him. He was waging an internal war and I could see it, conflicting every thought he had.

I went to him immediately, taking his face into my hands and meeting his clouded crimson eyes.

"You don't know a thing, about your soul." I repeated as I had so long ago to him in such different circumstances. I could see the recognition of the moment in his eyes and I continued. "I know your soul, I have read it in your letters, heard it in your words…"I leaned towards him and brushed my lips with his, delighting in his taste for a moment before forcing myself to pull away. "And I have felt it in your kiss."

"Isabella." He whispered, closing his eyes and cupping my hands with his as he intertwined our fingers and lowered them together so that they were held between us. I knew he wanted me to be at his side forever, but he also feared losing me.

I realised then that I was his weakness. The most powerful Vampire alive, yes I did consider him more powerful than Archos, in my eyes. All I had seen Archos do was threaten to use his power, he was still as vulnerable as a human, his heart could stop beating forever and there was no returning from that for him.

"We can invite Carlisle here." I said instead, the thought occurring to me only once i'd recalled the ballet studio incident. "Try to see if he has any information source he can provide us with. Before we go to Archos. Please. That can only be the final resort."

Aro assessed me with a calculated gaze. "You wish for the Cullen clan to be here? All of them?"

I shook my head immediately. "No. Just Carlisle, perhaps Esme?"

"Hmm." He appeared to be thinking, deciding whether or not my plan was one worth attempting. His sleek hair gleamed as he inclined his head once.

"I shall send for him immediately."

I smiled at him and for just a moment it was a completely unguarded smile, empty of fear or worry, instead full with the affection I felt for the man before me, who treated me as his equal but yet still protected me. Who valued my opinion and wants and considered these before making a decision but yet who still held so much strength and power. This was what it was like to be with a man, I realised and not a boy.

He returned my smile with the quirk of his own and raised his hand to trace my lips. "Keep smiling at me like that Isabella and I shall be able to refuse you nothing."

I leant into him, my head tilted back to look up at him as his hands came around my waist. "Don't worry." I whispered "I wont tell anyone."

His laugh warmed me, starting from my lower belly and spreading out across my body like flames licking the open air. He was so beautiful.

"Hm, that is probably for the best mio tesoro." His voice held promise of wickedness as his deep baritone caressed his native tongue. I found myself unconsciously wetting my lips and moving closer to him, enveloping myself in everything that was Aro, his scent, his strength…

"I'm afraid I must go down to the throne room, piccolo uccello. It is time to mete punishment to your attacker." Now he was steel and fire and stone, gone was my Aro, the one only I saw. Now I was enfolded in the arms of the most powerful and feared Vampire alive, he who would tear those apart that threatened to stand in his way. And rather than frighten me, it thrilled me.

"I would like to come with you." I said bravely, still held to his chest. I wrapped my arms around him and allowed my fingers to trace patterns across his strong back. "I want to know you, all of you."

He seemed surprised by this and tilted his head to observe me in an action which was now becoming so familiar to me as being so very Aro. "Very well. I would ask that you change attire if you wish to accompany me." His hand appeared between us as his fingers brushed against my jaw and down the line of my neck in a way which made me dizzy. "Do you believe you are ready to be presented at my side in a room full of hungry Vampires, all of whom wish to drink every last delicious drop of your blood Isabella?"

He bent his own head to my neck and breathed deeply, I angled my head to the side to allow him easier access and he hummed in appreciation. "You are a brave little thing… I didn't think it was possible to crave you even more than I already did, but tasting your blood only seems to have intensified my lust as opposed to abating it."

I went hot as my skin flushed all over at his words. I had thought reading his letters had made me hot under the collar. Hearing the words directly from him was a million times more affective and I almost swooned. With a mental shake of my head I urged myself back in the room and sighed aloud.

"To answer your questions Aro, I am not afraid, because you will be there. And I will always be ready to stand at your side." I looked up to him with trust reflecting in my gaze and he watched me with wonder in his. He had once told me I was unused to hearing compliments, but it would appear he was unused to being trusted. "So, what would you like me to change into?"

There was that wicked smirk again, only this time his eyes held the accompanying glint, which could only mean one thing… I was in trouble.

AN: Thank you all so much for such wonderful reviews, you truly are the best readers ever! Your lovely words have kept my muse fed and as such she has seen fit to allow this chapter to come seamlessly from my fingertips. Please do leave a review behind on your way out my dears.