Chapter 22

Marcus had taken his time getting back to the underground world of Italy. He enjoyed his travels far more than he had expected, though giving Aro the news of the Cullen child was something he was eager to do.

The dark tunnels surrounded him as he approached his home, and seat in the world of vampire royalty. Aro greeted his friend with a smile, waiting for Marcus's report.

"How was your stay in Canada?" Aro asked, "And your visit to Forks?"

"A very interesting visit."

"Is that so?" Aro asked, then put his hands out, "May I?"

Marcus lifted a hand, and Aro worked the magic of his gifts, reviewing the entire trip and meeting that Marcus had with the Cullens. The rest of the coven waited eagerly for Aro's response. Momentarily, his head snapped up.

"I don't believe it," Aro stated, "A vampire child?"

"I knew it was true," Jane said, "I could tell by the way the Cullens were acting."

"The child was born with golden eyes," Marcus told her, "It does not crave the blood of humans."

"No one can know that for certain." Jane said.

"Edward has read the child's thoughts. He has no desire for it."

"It repulses the child." Aro said aloud, "Baby Masen Cullen."

"So, where do we go from here?" Caius chimed in for the first time, "Do we really want to take any chances?"

"I would like to see this for myself."

"As would I."

The entire family seemed to agree. They all wanted a peek at this miracle child.

"Are you sure it's a love child?" Caius went on.

Marcus nodded, "I could see the bonds. I could feel it. There is no mistaking it."

"But it has been attempted for centuries," Caius protested, "No two of our kind have been able to do such a thing. Maybe they found a child in the middle of a transformation and took it in, fed it animal blood."

Marcus shook his head in disagreement, "That is not the case. You should see it for yourself."

Aro spun around to face Caius, "It is true, Caius. Now, I need to find out how this happened. How this is possible."

"Considering this is true. Will the child grow?" Alec asked. Jane glanced at him angrily at his enthusiasm.

"I do not believe anyone knows for sure," Aro stated, "But from what I get from Marcus, is that Alice has seen the child at an older age."

"Then it must be a hybrid," Caius stated, "Our kind can't grow."

Aro and Marcus both shook their heads in disagreement, "This is a miracle child," Marcus explained, "It seems all of the rules have been thrown out the window in it's conception."

"Which is why we should take no chances."

The Volturi stood divided on the issue. As Marcus had suspected, Jane was severly opposing to his side, and refused to believe what he was telling them all. Caius, too, thought of the child as nothing more than a liability to their kind. Alec, surprisingly seemed to be eager to know more and wasn't solely looking for a challenge, as his twin was. Aro was far too curious to even think of destroying the child. There was a level of fear for the unknown, but the condition was so unusual, and seemingly impossible, that he had to find out more. The others hadn't found the right words to speak up, most likely unsure of their positions.

"We must go to Forks. Immediately." Aro said.

"And what will our intentions be?" Jane asked.

"To find out more about Masen Cullen."

"And if the child is, indeed, a threat?"

"Then, Jane, we will take matters into our own hands."