A/N: Well, here's chapter four. It involves hints of the overprotective brothers that Emmett and Jasper were shown to be in my two-shot Brothers. I hope you enjoy it.

Four. Exploration

The guard had brought us deer. It took all my strength not to grimace at the sight of the creatures. I shared a look with Emmett- we always fought over who it was that got the Grizzly, our mutually favourite meal, on hunting trips.

"It is food I suppose," he muttered to me as he passed me to take one of the deer. I had to bite my lip to suppress the smile that fought to reach my lips.

"I hope this meets your needs," Aro told us. I noticed him wrinkle his nose at the animals- obviously he couldn't imagine choosing them over humans.

I wondered how some vampires could be so cold-hearted that they could take human lives without any guilt.

"When you are fed I hope you will join me and my brothers- they are anxious to meet young Bella."

The way Aro said that made me shiver, and I was glad when he finally exited the room. I didn't trust him- and I doubted I would trust his brothers.

Putting thoughts of the Volturi Lords out of my head, I concentrated on the hunger gnawing at my stomach and attacked the deer with a ravenous appetite. After I had drained two, I sat back, my thirst quenched, and waited for the others to finish.

"You are no longer hungry?" asked the silken voice of Felix. My body stiffened as I spun around to meet his gaze.

"I'm fine," I replied coldly. "I fed shortly before we left for Italy."

"And new vampires need to eat lots very often," he looked at the deer carcasses with a sneer. "Perhaps it is the food you don't find good enough. I wouldn't blame you- human blood is much better."

"Or perhaps I just don't have as large of an appetite as other new vampires," I suggested stiffly.

"Surely you have at least tried human blood."

I remembered my first hunting trip in Alaska, when I had come across the hikers and killed one, forcing Tanya and Edward to kill his companions. It sent the familiar pang of guilt through me.

"It was the biggest mistake of my life," I replied, turning around to watch my family finish feeding. Jasper, now fed himself, felt my guilt and nervousness and stood up, walking up to Felix and me.

"Done?" he asked me.

"Yeah- I wasn't real hungry," I replied, smiling gratefully at him. Jasper gave me a wink.

"I would try and talk more- but it looks like your lover boy there is done," he nodded at Edward, who was quickly coming to us, his eyes glaring at Felix. Jasper lowered his voice so only I could hear him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine- I just don't trust Felix."

"I'm glad to know you have some sense of self preservation. I don't trust him either- but you'll have to make sure Edward doesn't do anything stupid."

Edward turned his glare to Jasper momentarily at that, Jasper just shrugged back.

'Listen to him,' I thought, opening my block to Edward momentarily. 'He's right- you can't start anything with Felix.'

Edward glanced at me with a mixture of surprise and frustration. I rarely ever let down my block against him, and when I did it was usually to say something he didn't want to hear.

'Please Edward- for me?' I pleaded as he came up next to me. He gave an almost inaudible sigh and wrapped his arms securely around my waist, shooting Felix a territorial glare, but doing nothing else. Certain that Edward wasn't going to do anything he shouldn't, I put the block back up.

Felix took the hint- for the moment.

"I hope we have the chance to speak again, Isabella."

I didn't answer him, though I was thinking not likely. I stared after him silently as he exited the room, breathing a sigh of relief when I was sure he was gone and looked up at Edward's face.

"He is really, really creepy," I muttered to Edward, who clutched me to his chest like a lifeline.

"I don't ever want you alone with him, Bella," Edward hissed, his eyes glued to the door that Felix had just exited through. "Keep company with someone else if you must- but I don't ever want you alone with him."

"So you said," I muttered, but I couldn't get much irritation into the statement. I was too relieved to be in his arms.

"What's wrong?" asked Emmett as the others joined out trio. His eyes took in me, cowering in Edward's arms, and he looked between his brothers for an answer.

"Felix decided to have a conversation with me," I told him. I saw Emmett's eyes narrow and quickly continued. "He didn't try anything- he just creeps me out. I'm fine- really!"

I put as much earnestness in my voice and on my face as I could. Emmett scrutinized me closely before nodding slowly.

"Okay. But if he tries anything…" he let the threat go unsaid.

"I'm sure it will be fine," Carlisle said, smiling at me. His eyes were worried, though.

And that worried me.

A vampire named Demetri, who had the same coloring as Felix, but none of his inherent… creepiness, took us to meet with Aro and his brothers. Marcus and Caius, I remembered Carlisle calling them.

"This is where I leave you," Demetri bowed to us, and opened the door.

"Thank-you Demetri," replied Carlisle. Demetri nodded at him.

I stuck close to Edward as we entered the room. Aro, accompanied once more by Jane and the nameless vampire that could have been her brother, sat inside along with another black haired vampire, and one with white hair. The latter two both had three members of the guard behind them.

"Caius, Marcus," greeted Carlisle respectfully, addressing first the white-haired vampire, then the black-haired one.

"Carlisle, it has been many years," replied Marcus, his voice held little expression, and his eyes almost seemed to stare right through us.

"I take it that is the girl that Aro has been so excited about me," Caius surveyed me closely. "I suppose she is attractive enough, but I really don't see what all your fuss is about, Aro."

"Her power is most amazing, Caius. Can you get a reading on her, Marcus?" Aro asked.

Marcus looked at me, and it took all my will-strength not to cower from the cold gaze.

"Interesting," he mused, though his voice held no emotion that hinted at him thinking I was interesting. "I cannot see the connection between the girl and any of her companions."

"Marcus can see relationships," Edward murmured quickly in explanation to me. I shot him a tight smile of thanks.

"Does Jane's power work?" Caius asked. "Or Alec's?"

He motioned at the two young look-alike vampires, finally giving the nameless one a name.

Alec.

"I promised Carlisle we would not test Isabella's power. I must agree that doing so would be quite cruel- she is a vampire, not an animal."

The look he shared with his brothers belied his statement. I would have to make sure that I was never alone with any of the Lords, or the two vampire children.

I suddenly realized just how dangerous this visit would be.

The meeting passed rather peacefully after that, with Carlisle and the lords doing most of the talking. Every now and then Aro or Caius would address one of the rest of us, but except for that, we were ignored.

By the lords, at least.

Through the entire meeting I could feel the gaze of Felix, who stood dutifully behind Caius, fixed on Edward and me.

It was with great relief that I left that room, and the creepy Felix, behind half an hour later. Aro had given us permission to explore the compound, and the city, as we wished.

"What do you want to do?" Edward asked me.

"You'll be coming with me," Carlisle told him. "We have to have a talk."

Edward looked at Carlisle, ready to argue, but Carlisle held up his hand to stop him.

"Bella will survive an hour without you- let some of the others enjoy her company," he told him- stopping his argument and assuring him that I wouldn't be alone all in one statement.

Damn, he was good.

"We can take you shopping!" squealed Alice, who had been planning a trip to the nearest mall with Rosalie- and Emmett, who would carry their bags.

"I really don't want to shop," I replied. Alice looked ready to argue, but Jasper interrupted her.

"I'll keep her company," offered Jasper. "Edward's been monopolizing her since we got here. It's about time I got to chat with my sister."

Alice pouted, which Jasper immediately kissed away, but agreed.

"Okay- but next time, you're coming with us."

I didn't argue- I knew futility when I saw it.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Edward told me with a sigh, kissing me quickly.

"Okay," I agreed, smiling at him.

Once everyone had left, Jasper looked at me.

"So… what are we going to do?" he asked.

"We're in a huge castle, and you're asking me what we're going to do?" I asked incredulously. "Maybe you've been in a castle before, but I haven't- we're exploring!"

"Of course," Jasper dead panned. "How could I have been so stupid as to not realize that?"

"Exactly what I was wondering."

I dodged the swipe he took at me and led him down a nearby hall.

The Volturi castle was rather like an ancient labyrinth with modern additions every now and then. It was odd to see all the stone and old sets of armour, only to walk into a room so modern it deserved to be in a science center.

"Do you have any clue where we are?" I asked Jasper.

"Absolutely no cl-" I leapt at him and clamped my hand over his mouth, dragging him around a nearby corner. When he opened his mouth to argue, I shushed him and motioned at a door several feet down the hall. A head topped in black hair was peeking out of a crack she had made with the door, glancing up and down the hall to make sure there was no one else in the area.

It was Tiazza.

Once she was happy with the results, she slid out of the door, shutting it firmly behind her, and then swept off quickly in the opposite direction. Once she was out of hearing distance, I looked at Jasper.

"I'm really curious now," I told him, glancing at the door.

"Bella, I don't think we shoul- too late."

I had already taken off towards the door. I heard Jasper sigh from behind me, then the sound of his footsteps following me.

"Dammit… it's locked," I muttered, trying to pull it open. "Do you know how to pick them?"

"No," replied Jasper. "And even if I did, I wouldn't. This door is obviously locked for a reason- and I really don't want to piss the Volturi off by unlocking it."

"C'mon Jasper. Don't tell me you're not curious."

"Curiosity killed the cat."

"And satisfaction brought it back," I retorted. "Besides, I'm not a cat."

"I don't think the statement was actually made for cats," Jasper replied dryly. He suddenly stiffened. "I hear somebody."

He didn't have to tell me that, I heard it as well. The sound of footsteps shuffling down the hall.

I grabbed him quickly and pulled him into a door across the hall, shutting it quietly behind us. The room we had entered was, thankfully, empty.

"Bella what are you doing?" demanded Jasper in a whisper as I opened the door a crack and peeked out.

I shushed him again and watched the hall. After a few seconds, Jane and Alec came into my line of vision. They were speaking in quiet murmurs I couldn't make out. They paused in front of the locked door, and Jane pulled out a key. Within a moment, the door was closed once more and the two vampires were on the other side.

"Let's get out of here before anyone else comes," Jasper told me.

I nodded my agreement and wrenched the door open, ready to make a run for it. A sound halted both of us in our tracks.

A tortured howl echoed from behind the locked door.