Aurora

Disclaimer: First of all, not mine. Not in the least. The only things I own are a nice little townhome, a dog, and maybe a nice new blue truck names Bella. Twilight, not so much. Although, if it has the Cullen Crest on it, I like to at least think it's mine.

Summary: I guess you can call this Carlisle's Twilight but there isn't any romantic interest since this is way before Esme. This is Carlisle's time with the Volturi; who he met, what he did while he was there, and how he learned of the immortal children, werewolves, and other creatures that weren't so human…

Author's Note: I *think* I have a plan for this one now. I knew how I wanted to start it and I knew how I wanted to end it but the middle was all jumbled. Tell me if you like it, don't like it, ect. Thanks to all the favs, alerts, and my one reviewer, The Dancing Cavalier. It helps to encourage me a lot.

Chapter 8

I sat in Dr. Gagliardo's office reading through a journal of medical research that he was kind enough to lend me. Upon the incident with the serving maid, little was said. He mentioned that the Signoretti residence was in much upheaval and that their thoughts were more focused on the master and his children than upon myself. In a way, I was glad of it. It sounded as if no trouble did follow Dr. Gagliardo for my actions, be they just or not. For if the lady of the house had caused him any grief, I wouldst not be able to forgive myself.

It was well past midnight and the moon hung but a sliver in the sky from what I could see through the small window, kept open even upon the chill of this night. Long ago had the Doctor and his family taken to bed. I was to wake him if any should come to call in the night. The Doctor believed that I had but a young man's stamina and that I would sleep in the early hours prior to the coming of the dawn. He did not know that I never slept.

My fingers turned the pages of the book I read as I sat at the good Doctor's desk. So absorbed was I in my mental musings over the medical literature, I didst not hear the door to the office open. My indication that someone else had joined my midnight mental deliberations was the soft sounds of a heartbeat that flooded my ears. Glancing up, I saw no one.

Curious, I closed my book, careful to mark my place within it, and stood so I might trace the sound. I did not need to do more than that. There, before me, in front of her father's desk, was young Bianca. Her hair wild and barely kept in it's plaits to the back of her head. She wore not more than her camica and stocking cap.

Tilting her head, she looked at me and I smiled to the young child. As I went to guide her back to her own bed, she took a step forward and opened her arms as if to hug the air about her. I knew this gesture well, since I had seen it many at time with other small children amongst the ones they loved and trusted. It warmed my heart to know she trusted me so, though I be not of her family and be a thing of which most likely would consume her nightmares if she knew. I moved slowly and as gently as I was able to pick up the small child.

"To what do I owe this pleasure, Bianca?" I asked the child, who was barely more than a toddler. She looked at me, many questions floating about in her head but none were spoken. Rather, she leaned against me and nuzzled my neck.

Such a small gesture did so make me to feel more human for whom would wish to be so close to a monster? Holding the child gently against me, I felt at ease. I looked at the mass of unruly hair and patted her back as lightly. "Do you wish to sit with me until you fall back to sleep?" I asked her quietly. She nodded into my neck.

I retook my seat and cradled her to my chest. She seemed not to mind the coldness that she could no doubt feel through the thin linen of my shirt. I pulled at the book I had been reading and resumed my page. I thought it best to pretend to read at a human pace in front of the child given that she did not yet sleep in my arms. It would show soon that I was right to do so for the child peeked up from my neck and leaned slightly to look at the book before her. I thought little of it and turned the page.

As I read, a small hand reached out and pointed to a diagram of the human brain, skillfully drawn. I looked down upon the child to see her inquiring expression. My eyes warmed to her as I answered her unspoken question. "Tis a picture of the human brain," I informed her, gently tapping her on her forehead to explain where such a thing be inside her. She looked up at me and smiled. Another question crossed her brain from what I could tell of her furrowed brows, before she tapped my forehead.

I laughed lightly, taking care to not wake the rest of the house. "Yes, although some do question it, I believe I have a brain as well," I told her. I thought on the Caius and his instance that I was not right in the head given my choice in diet. Holding this small girl in my arms, I knew of no other way to exist.

The rest of the night did carry on thus. Bianca would point to a diagram within my book – I took great pains to make sure that none of the diagrams were unfit for a child- and I would explain to her what it was. When we came to the stomach, I even tickled her. After mayhap an hour or more, she allowed her exhaustion to overtake her. I did not wish to disturb the child, and left her to sleep in my arms as she seemed content to do.

When the rooster announced the coming of the dawn, I began to gently lift her to take her to her bed. I heard much noise and commotion as the others did rise to begin their day. Gingerly, I carried the girl with but one arm so I might open the door to the office. I watched as Elizabetta rushed by, a worried look upon her face.

She stopped when she saw me and relief flooded her features. I smiled to her as she reached for her daughter. "Oh, she gave me such a fright when she was not in her place this morning!" the doctor's good wife did state as she pulled the girl into her arms.

Bianca began to awake at the movement. "Mother?" she said as she yawned and rested her head upon her mother's shoulder. Elizabetta gently patted the girl's back and kissed her temple.

"She bothered you none?" Elizabetta asked.

I shook my head and smiled. "No, she kept me good company as I read," I informed the woman. Bianca smiled in response.

"Thank heavens for that," Elizabetta breathed. I bowed to her to take my leave. Before I had time to reach for my hat, which was perched near, I felt a small tug at my waistcoat. I turned to see Bianca's hand holding me prisoner.

"You will be back soon, Signore?" I heard her child voice ask me. It were the first time she did speak to me directly.

I bent myself close to her, so that she may see the truth of my statement in my eyes. "I shall be back as soon as the sun doth set," I told her. Bianca nodded at that and resumed her rest upon her mother's shoulder. Elizabetta laughed softly.

"Take your leave, Carlisle. Get ye some rest," she said. I bowed again, dressed in my coat and hat, and left to go back to the castle.

I retired to my own chambers first, having been much neglected as of late, once I returned to the castle. Changing into a more suitable frock of green linsey woolsey and britches to match, I thought on what to do next. I could make my way to Aro's library and continue my studies there or I could attempt to seek out answers from many of the others here regarding the many questions I did have.

As if Fortune herself heard my dilemma, a knock came at my door. I smiled to myself and answered it immediately. One of the others I recognized as a guard for Aro stood before me. "Your presence is requested within the library," he said.

I nodded at the man before me. "Thank you. I shall come presently," I told him and I followed him out and closed my door behind him. I found the man glancing behind himself once every few strides as we went towards the library. No doubt, he was curious as all the others were regarding my eyes and my diet. I only smiled politely at him, taking no offense.

He lead me down the familiar halls to the large wooden doors that housed what had become more intimate with each passing day as I did study in their interior. Felix, I recognized, once again stood watch. "Coming back again, doctor?" he said with a slight hint of irony to his voice.

"Indeed, it appears so, Felix," I responded as the doors pushed open. Felix laughed to himself as if I were to walk in on some joke. I decided to be prepared for anything if this were not just a meeting between friends.

"Ah, Carlisle! How good of you to join us," Aro stated as he glided towards me in greeting. "Please, take a seat," he said, gesturing to one of the chairs. I noticed that Caius, but not Marcus, was also in the room. Walking to the nearest chair, I did take my rest.

Aro returned to his station behind his desk. "We were both hoping you might tell us more of the night regarding the immortal child?" Aro asked.

I looked betwixt them and nodded my head in affirmation. "I did hear another about me in the forest. I could tell it was one of our kind though I did not see her clearly. When she came from her hiding place, I was…engrossed by Lettice," I did attempt to explain. Mayhap engrossed was not the word that would explain my feelings at the time of seeing her. I was shocked to see such a creature.

Aro nodded accordingly to my story, seemingly following it. Caius watched me but did not move from his position. I thought it better to explain. "I was unaware that such a creature as her existed," I furthered.

Caius did answer me. "None are to exist. She and the boy are the last. We put a law against the practice years ago," he informed me informally.

"So I have read," I responded. Aro seemed to delight at this.

"Good! I was hoping that you would find the annuals useful. Those children were a very trying affair," he told me, seemingly genuinely happy. I did watch him as he moved towards me. "I hope you don't think me rude, but would you let me see for myself what took place?" he asked, holding up his hand.

I knew of Aro's powers. He could see every thought that had ever entered your head. I was chary of letting him touch me but I also knew there was little choice I had in such matters. To refuse would be contemptuous. I offered my own hand slowly so that he might read my thoughts of that night. I hoped that by focusing on them, he may not wander much past them needlessly. Within a few moments, Aro easily dropped my hand and laughed. "You are a strange one, Carlisle," he told me.

"So?" Caius asked, expectantly.

"As we did as much suspect," Aro answered his brother prior to resuming his position behind his desk. Caius seemed complacent with such an answer. The room stood still for a few minutes. "And I suppose you would like some answers to many of those questions you have had as of late?" Aro chuckled.

"I would like to know more on many matters," I answered as comfortably as I was able. I had many questions regarding many things I had thus far seen in my stay.

"Let us start with the child, Lettice," Aro proclaimed. I nodded, willing to start with her though many of my questions were answered within my readings.

"She was created in you homeland prior to the invasion," Aro stated. He stopped when he noted my confusion on the term invasion. There had been many. "William the conqueror?" he asked, amused. He must have seen the enlightenment in my eyes for he continued. Lettice was quite old then…

"Her mother had been changed and changed her to keep her forever as she was," Aro continued. "When we discovered them, her mother fought us. I'm afraid we had to dispose of her," he said with sadness in his voice. I was horrified though I tried not to let it show. They killed a mother trying to defend her child?

"Since then, I have tried to find some reason, even in it's smallest amount, to keep the child," he said to me, looking upon me as he did. "I am regretful that I have found none," he told me.

"Surely there must be something," I did, in vain, begin my argument. I knew it was for naught prior to it's start. I had read the books and seen what destruction these chhildren did cause.

"I have seen the children for many centuries now, Carlisle," Aro said, a small smile upon his lips. "They are too wild, unpredictable to ever be let out of the castle walls. Even within our grounds they have caused many a issue," he informed me.

"Is there nothing that can be done?" I asked, hoping that some measure might be taken.

"They should not have been created in the first place!" Caius roared suddenly from his seat. "I say we stop this foolishness and destroy them now," he did glare at Aro. Aro shook his head.

"Patience, dear Caius. Patience. We need them to bait Anna," Aro reminded him. Caius begrudgingly resumed his seat.

"The Anna that let Lettice out?" I asked for clarification.

Aro nodded solemnly. "Indeed. We have tried many times to capture her but with little progress. For the past three hundred years she has slipped through our fingers," he said prior to looking back at me. "We have gotten closer, now that Caterina has joined us."

I furrowed my brow. What did my sister have to do with this Anna? Aro laughed at me but did not answer my unspoken question. "Anna has been a thorn in our side for many centuries now. For you see," Aro smiled as he came closer to me. "Anna Darvulia creates true monsters."

Of this, I was curious. The way in which he spake suggested that us 'souless creatures', as he did refer to us in the past as, we not monstrous despite our natures. "Of what monsters does she create?" I asked.

"Gilles de Rais was her first creation," Aro said. "I shall not go into all he did other than to it was even sickening to my eyes," he said, remaining quiet for a while after. From the look of Caius, I should never wish to know what this de Rais did. "The latest, that we currently know of, is Elizabeth Bathory," he said. "I fear you may have heard of her."

Indeed I had. Such a story was one my father told me to instill the fear of vampires, witches, and other such creatures into my very soul. She was said to have bathed in the blood of her innocent victims to keep her cool white skin young. "Her, I have heard of," I told him.

Aro nodded in understanding. "Quite a nasty time for us all. The actions that Anna took to create a monster such as the Countess Bathory did nearly threaten to expose us all," he continued, shaking his head.

"We were lucky with that one," Caius muttered. Of what luck he might speak of when many girls died for the sick pleasure of a few individuals, I knew not.

"We managed to have her arrested and destroyed her soon afterwards," Aro informed me.

"There have not been anymore mass killers such as the Countess, created by this Anna since that time?" I asked. The Countess had died long before I was born into my human life.

"No, Anna has had to be careful with Caterina after her," Aro mused.

Caterina? By the way Caterina was spoken of and to, it seemed she was part of the guard and yet she did not act it. She did not follow in every step of any of the family and Aro himself seemed nervous of her. My sister was too gentle in my eyes to be chasing monsters. A smile crept to my lips as I realized how I must have looked all those years ago as a human chasing down monsters. My sister is stronger than I was then.

"She is currently looking for Claudio and not this Anna?" I more stated than asked. I remembered the conversation from last night well.

Aro and Caius exchanged a look that I knew not of. It was Caius that did speak. "We believe that Anna kidnapped Claudio," he informed me.

"You see, Carlisle, another reason we brought you here is that we now worry of your…relationship with her," Aro stated. I looked at him. Of what care could they have given it was Marcus himself that informed us of our connection. But yet, Marcus was not currently present.

"Caterina is many things, but above all," Aro started as he leaned closer towards me, "She is our assassin."

Author's Note: I hope this one reads okay. If not, please tell me. If it does, tell me that too. :-)