Summary: Carlisle Cullen's world had been drastically changed. He had hunted monsters as an Anglican preacher, and was now one of those monsters he had once hunted. He was slowly coming to terms with his lot in life when he had stumbled upon a group of mostly civilized vampires, the Volturi. Within a few weeks of his stay with them, he begins to learn that all things are not always what they seem. Cannon couples and creatures eventually.

Author's Note: I finally get to write the scary stuff! Yea! Immortal Children and even a werewolf in this little chapter so have fun!

Chapter 3

She laughed. It was the first thing I noticed as I do so attempt to comprehend the words she had just spoken. That there were others, I had known. I suspected that the vampire, poor pathetic creature that he was, was the leader of the coven I had stumbled upon. I do believe that he may have created the others that were with him. He accidentally created me. Akin to what Marcus had seen, or so I was to believe upon Caterina's word as well as based upon the actions of both Marcus and Aro, the miserable creature had created Caterina.

What had taken me by surprise was the word she used; brother. I had rarely heard the word in association with such as ourselves but it did make me feel, warm? I suppose that was an appropriate enough word as any. Our kind tended to feel apart from the human world and did not see our relationships as analogous to those of humans. They prefer words such as mate rather than spouse to define their relationships.

However, given that this was the same woman that I had seen prayer but a few hours prior, should I be so shocked by her terminology? I shook my head and smiled. "Hath thee many other siblings?" I asked very informally. Realizing my error, I did look down again. If I were still human, my face would be crimson. I should not be so informal with such a lady no matter the comfort I felt around her.

She laughed again. "Yes, occuli," she said, placing her fan beneath my chin to raise my eyes back up to her level. "I hath four elder brothers," she started, with emphasis on the "I". Slowly, she turned her head, her eyes looked far away. "Or I did many a year ago," she said sadly. I went to gently place my hand over hers, to comfort her. Again, she turned back to me, and smiled.

"But they were but my brothers when I be but human. Thee," she started, her humor returning to her face, "are the first I have met that doth share the same venom." Her face became as one full of thoughts. "I don't suppose vampire siblings are much good for swordfight or the such?" she stated more than questioned.

I laughed at that. "Nay, I believe that one must be weaker than the sword for it to be much fun," I informed her. Caterina nodded in agreement.

"Verily, tis not much fun if the sword doth break," she said with such seriousness, with only a trace of her Italian accent, I had to laugh. Her head did turn quickly at the sound of my laughter. She offered a small smile and then seemed to go back into her own thoughts.

"Did you play at cards, Carlise?" she asked after a few moments. Her hands neatly folded on her lap again, no longer were her left hand fingers tapping her chin.

"Indeed, I still do on occasion," I told her. I did have a fairly good hand at most card games. My father did not approve of such idle gambling but, as long as one saw it as sport and nothing more, I saw no evil in it. Evil was when your mind went from the sport of the game to being consumed with the greed of winning at it.

Rather than show much delight in my response, she went back to thinking. "Wouldst thou tell me of thine life prior to this existence?" she asked in almost a whispered tone. I were but shocked at such a question given that none other had asked it of me. Most of the questions that had been asked of me thus far dealt with the color of my eyes and my unconventional diet. All else did seem to pale beneath those questions.

"My father was a pastor and I, in turn, were to take the church over for him," I said simply. It was odd that my entire human existence could be but summed up in a matter of a few words. There was always more to tell but it did not seem to me that a lady of whom I had met but a few hours prior would want much more than thus.

"In England?" she more stated than did speak. "Thou art a follower of the King's bastard, be it not?" she asked with curiosity brimming in her garnet colored eyes.

I was thrown back at this question. My mind tried to wrap around what she could possibly mean by "King's bastard" since no King in my time within England had a child out of wedlock that would be worth following. And with that, my mind did click. In my time, no, there were none. However, a good 50 years prior to my time, Queen Elizabeth had lived and had served her people. The Spanish and the papists in England did call Queen Elizabeth the "King's bastard" often. It was due to the union of her mother and father than England did break from the Pope. No foreign entity would have say over the lives of the rulers in England.

I decided to try and humor her as best as possible. No man should show anger to a lady, even if she did insult me and my chosen profession of faith. "I am a follower of the Church of England and served as one of her pastors," I informed her. I decided to have a bit of fun with my newly found sister. "And thou are a papist, art thou not?" I asked her, as my eyebrow did raise at the questioning.

She threw down her fan, which, once again had made it into her hands and, forcefully, in her lap. "God's teeth!" she exclaimed. Quickly, she covered her mouth with both hands as I laughed again at her and her light curse. To hear the sounds of the curses of the last century upon another's lips in my own tongue was more than comforting. It did make me feel as if at home once again.

Throughout what was left of the afternoon, we did speak. I learnt of her past; she had been a goodly mother of five and had married twice. Caterina did explain that her first husband had died and she married the second time. I did not dare to ask her about her children, fearing the sadness I might see upon her visage. I learnt of Italy and the Mediterranean sea which was far from us. She missed the smell of sea salt.

Our conversation did take us well into dark. Our eyes needed little of light to see brightly, so of this it was not matter. Dark and light merely marked time for us and nothing more.

We conversed regarding many things. She wished to know how London had changed when I had last seen it. She had been in the 1590's and was saddened to hear that the Globe had been destroyed but rejoiced at the idea that most of London Bridge did still stand. I felt free to speak of the London of my youth.

I asked her about Volterra and our kind. She easily answered any questions I had without a second thought for the most part. But even in that, I noticed in some of her answers did lay hidden meanings. For instance, when I inquired as to why she came to Volterra, her answer was simply that she was learning. As to what she was learning, I do not know. When I carefully asked regarding why she did hold herself in the chapel during those excuriating hours rather than be with the hours, she did laugh. "Thou wouldst not take kind to my ways for my ways are not at all kinderly for our kind," Caterina answered as we now walked around the outer edges of the garden.

"Aro and many of the others claim my ways to be unnatural as well. But I do dare to say that they must be more accepting of the ways thou hast chosen," I stated and did look into those garnet eyes. I did not know what to expect but some part of me realized that the garnet of her eyes be different from the ruby eyes I had grown accustom too. It was almost as if her eyes did hold some purple to them; as if she had dined off the purple dyes of old. However, given that the tyrian purpura was but from mollusks, would her eyes not be like mine instead. There was something else there, something she was hiding.

Caterina shook her head. "Nay, they simply know better than to go against me," she did so inform. Beginning to walk again, her arm brushed by mine as she did pull out her fan from her hidden pocket. "Even Caius hath learned his lesson," she told me with a smile forming on her lips. I watched as she did stop to look at the roses on the far side of the garden.

After a moment, she turned to me again and smiled. "Thou shalt hunt tonight. Your eyes," she began as she moved closer. "They be black as a starless night with but a hint of an aureus ring." I was about to inquire if she did wish to come with me. If nothing else, I would have enjoyed the company for once. She did stop me. "Come back when thou hath eyes like the Aurora again. No doubt that I shall be around," she told me. We both turned as Caius this time exited the garden. "Unless they do require something of me," is what I believe I heard her grimace so quietly that had I not been within inches of her I would nay of heard it.

I put a hand on her shoulder and looked up at Caius as he came closer, his white hair blowing back in the wind. I felt protective over my sister I had known for less than a day. She smiled at me and shook her head only slightly. Gently, she did push me. "Go! I shall be here," she informed me as she turned around to face Caius.

Before I left the garden I heard Caius order her "Come! There has been another issue at present" almost as if she were a soldier and not the lady I did see earlier.

-- Aurora --

I hunted. I did so outside the confides of the ancient walls and into the forests that surround the city. Whilst scavenging through the forest, I came across a couple of small deer and a large wild boar. It did fill me plenty and sedate my thirst.

With patience and a simple love for the creation that did surround me, I walked slowly back into the direction of the castle. I gazed in wander at the jewel like sky above. So many were now curious as to the heavens due to the invention of the Telescope almost four score prior to this date. Of course, it was only recently that the reflective telescope had been invented and I did its possibilities in changing what we believe regarding the heavens. What wonders would we find that even Vampire eyes could not see?

My attention was drawn from the veil of stars overhead to a rustling in the forest around me. Around me, nothing smelt of human so I was not concerned with keeping my movements slow. To be sure, I did breathe in the night air and found only smells of the forest that did surround me and something sweet.

Curious, I moved closer towards the direction in which the sound had come. The sweetness was clearly part of the perfume that doth draw in our prey to one of my kind. It smelt of sugar, apples, and spice, whoever it were.

The rustling stopped as I did approach. I stood my ground and watched the coppice before me and could barely make out the outlines of someone with blond locks wearing a silk of green. "Salve," I greeted them to show both that I could see the creature and to try and alleviate any fear they may have of myself. Why one of my own kind would be fearful, I know not.

The brush barely moved as my fellow vampire became proper. I gasped at the very sight of her. Her hair was perfectly arranged in blond locks which did tumble down her shoulder on to the green silk of her dress. Her red eyes regarded me with curiosity but it were neither her beauty nor her manner of dress that did catch me; it was nothing more than the fact that the vampire that did stand before me could be taken for no more than seven years of age.

Of this, I did not understand. Why would anyone create such a creature? What would such a creature temperament be? How were they fed? So many other questions filled my mind as I gazed at the child-sized beauty before me. At such a creature, to have been turned so young, I would cry at the injustice if I were able.

Instead, I did lower myself to her height and held out my hand. "Salve, puella. Carlisle nomine est," I said in whispered tones. I had no wish to scare the child before me and only hoped she had been taught the common language of Latin.

She slowly approached me, her golden curls bouncy about her shoulders. "I am Lettice. Anna said I would find you here. She let me leave the castle," the child's voice sang. My unbeating heart was immediately overcome with a need to watch over such a child. The world of our kind be not for the weak and what were children but creatures that have not yet grown to a strength of mind to survive the perils of the world? Again my thoughts wrapped around why anyone would create such a creature…

I then thought upon what the sweet voice had said. I knew not of an Anna but it was not of fortune that any of our kind wouldst know me to be hither. All knew and most did find it unnatural that I took to the blood of animals rather than humans. We came from humans and thereby humans are our brethren still. We should not kill that of which we once were.

"Did she or another not escort you out, Lettice?" I asked the young girl as she took my hand. She shook her gold curls in response.

"Oh no, no one would think to escort me out!" she said with a sprinkling of laughter of the like I have never heard.

"Why is that?" I asked the girl as we began to walk back towards the castle. I could not imagine anyone letting a child, even an immortal child, out by herself at night.

She laughed again in response. "I am not supposed to leave. Aro will be quite displeased with Nurse."

So the child did spirit herself away with the help of this Anna of whom I did not know. She was to be watched by her nurse but that was clearly poorly executed if the child had made it thus far. Aro, as well, had his hand in this child's care and wellbeing which I found slightly odd.

As we walked, she skipped and played, much like another young child would. She was distracted by anything that didst capture her attention. From an insect to prettily colored leaf to the very night itself, all did distract her and caused our progress towards the castle to slow.

"Come now, Lettice," I told the child. "We must return shortly." I did feel a need to smile at her youth and childish ways. I had not been around children for any length of time since my change and I enjoyed the variety she did offer.

"Nay, I shall not go back," she informed me as she danced around on her toes. "I shall go and eat upon the animals and search for the children of the moon!" she giggled and then turned back from whence we had come.

"Lettice!" I shouted, something telling me that I did need to get this immortal child back to the castle and quickly. A dark time was ahead of us if this was not accomplished, to be sure.

As quick and as sure as breeze she did leave me. I stared after the small path that was now carved in the woods. Without much thought, I took after the child, knowing I had to bring her back. A child, no matter if she be immortal or nay, cannot live alone.

"Lettice!" I called again only to be answered with giggles. I saw bits of green silk upon the brambles that did lay in her wake. Following the silk speckled trail, I continued to run after her.

She stopped suddenly, in the middle of the forest. Dense vegetation surrounded us. Lettice growled at me and look prepared to strike. As I did so prepare myself for her impact, I heard another noise from behind. Lettice's entire manner did change. Rather than being angry with me - for following her, I have no doubt – she hid behind me, grasping my leg just as any other child would in fear. "Don't let them hurt me," she whispered to me, her red eyes terrified.

I whipped my head around at the sound but it was the smell that truly caught my attention. It was almost like a bit of raw silk mixed with earth but far more pungent. Unsure of what this was, my need to protect the child clinging to my leg forced a small growl out of me.

A wolf handsomely appeared through the brush. His coat was a fine dark gray. He stood a good bit taller than the wolves I was use to hunting but that could be attributed to a regional difference if it were not for his eyes, his smell, and the very simple truth that he wore a necklace.

Aro and Caius had both told me of the children of the moon. They had informed me of all the other supernatural creatures, or so I had thought prior to meeting young Lettice. Caius explained the smell, the look, all the attributes that do so make a werewolf with such vile in his voice, I did wish to know his meaning. But none that did speak of them could ever prepare me for what stood a few feet before me now. As it growled back I noticed a bit of light glint off the ruby in the center of a cross that did hang around the beast's neck.

I would not attack it first. I would only attack to protect the child. I could not bring myself to harm a creature that at least seemed to also still hold to the Christian belief by evidence of his medallion. He must still believe in some good.

As the creature moved back, I assumed to attack, a whisp of white and pink blew in front of me. I did not know what to think until I did hear her voice. "No!" Caterina shouted. Her multi-hued hair blowing freely in front of me as it cascaded down her back.

The wolf looked at her and then back at me. He carefully backed up, clearly outnumber now and sped off. A part of me had so wished to ask him a thousand questions given that I had never seen his kind before.

As soon as he was out of sight, Caterina swooped and restrained Lettice with a hard look upon her face. "You are never to leave," she told the child with a hint of venom in her voice. Lettice struggled, in vain it do look, against the armhold Caterina had upon her.

"Let me go!" Lettice screeched as if she were in pain. I doubted it highly knowing not only of my kind and our regard for pain but also that the hold Caterina had on her could cause her none.

"No. You should not have left the castle, Lettice," Caterina told her sternly. Her eyes began to brim with anger. "You could have gotten both yourself and Carlisle injured or far worse!" Caterina told the struggling child. "Do you not think of these things? Did you not hear that the children of the moon are about?" she nearly yelled at the girl in the tattered green dress. With that, Lettice began to dry sob as Caterina held her.

I wanted to comfort the small creature; after all neither of us had come to harm. As I reached out my hand, Caterina sighed and shook her head softly. "Come, we should head back."

And with that, the three of us turned back to Volterra.

Author's Note: Hope you liked it! Don't worry, there will be a lot more of the werewolves to come.