Life in the castle was kind of normal, it seemed like nothing had changed and for some strange reason I expected it to have though I hadn't changed much in all the centuries I have been alive. There was still duties to be complete, still guard members wondering round the castle, still Heidi bringing in food for all the blood drinking vampires, Alec and I still barely saw each other though we did share a room, that was probably the only difference apart from people kept teasingly calling me "Mrs Talor" not that I minded.

I was sat in the library as my phone rang and with my vampire speed I only just saw that it was Alice before I placed it to my ear and placed my book down.

'Hey, Ali -' was all I got out before she cut me off.

'Isabella! Are you okay?' her panicked voice almost screeched down the phone.

'I'm fine,' I assured her quickly. 'What's going on?'

'The Romanians, Victoria, they're coming for Volterra…' she trailed off. 'Are you back from your honeymoon yet?'

'We got back last week,' I told her a vampire speed wanting to get back to her first statement. 'What do mean the Romanians and Victoria are coming?'

I got up and began making my way toward the throne room at vampire speed where I found only my uncle Caius. I signalled for him to get my father and uncle Marcus and, after taking in my panicked expression, he shot up from where he was lounging on his throne to get them.

'I can see them lined up by the city walls, hundreds of them,' Alice was telling me and I knew she was pacing around the Cullen house, 'but, of course, I can't see the outcome.' - I cringed knowing I was the reason for that - ' I'm trying to see around you but I can't see much, it's blurry and …'

'Isabella -' my father began as I he walked in a room but I raised a finger at him shooting him a look which had made many of the guards cower in fear over the years. He flinched but otherwise seemed unaffected by it.

'Alice, what can you see?' I asked her desperately, debating putting my phone on speaker but knowing my uncles and father could hear anyway.

'Not much,' Alice admitted. 'But I can see Vladimir and Stefan and Victoria surrounding Volterra with hundreds of bright crimson eyed vampires … there are so many… and I keep getting flickers of members of guard running around the castle seeming rushed and panicked … your father and uncles shouting orders … and snippets of fights which gives me no clue who's winning.'

'Crimson,' I muttered, knowing only one type of vampire had that colour eyes. 'Newborns.'

'They're creating an army,' Uncle Caius murmured angrily and I knew his teeth were clenched dangerously but Alice's was still talking.

'We're coming up,' I caught Alice saying, 'and nothing you can say to stop us, cousin.'

I sighed, knowing she used a family term to try a guilt trip me and I glanced at my father but his expression, for once, was blank.

'Fine,' I said, almost snapped. 'How soon will you be here?'

'As soon as possible,' Alice assured me. 'Keep safe, Izzy.'

'They're not here now,' I reminded her.

'I know,' Alice said and I could tell by her tone that she was going to hang up soon. 'I think it'll be autumn before they do, maybe even starting to get into winter, judging by the surroundings.'

'Ok, thanks Ali.'

'Love you, Iz,' with that said she hung up and I looked over at my family.

'What do we do?' I asked them and my Uncle Caius opened his mouth so I cut him off. 'Yes, fight, I gathered that much. Somehow I don't think we have a choice in that matter unless we all want to die.'

Uncle Caius nodded and I rolled my eyes.

'There's not much else we can do,' my father said sounding grave for once in his life. 'We'll start planning when the Cullen's get here though we will inform the guard now and have them keep a look out - would you and your husband gather them my dear.'

'Yes, Father,' I said before disappearing at vampire speed to find my husband and round up the guard from around the castle.