Chapter Five: Caius

"Werewolf."

I hated those filthy creatures with every fiber of my being. They were the ones… They were the ones that had killed her…. Tore her to pieces before my very eyes. Forced me to watch her burn.

I had killed them all. Made them suffer like they made her.

But she was still dead.

I was trembling with rage for the third time in the past two days, but this time it was different. A haze of smoke and fire blurred my vision, but I could still see the disgusting beast, kneeling in chains before the three thrones.

Aro was already standing in front of the wolf, reading each thought passing through his mind. I was still shaking. Why did he need proof? It was a werewolf. It had to die.

I reached my throne- to the right of Aro's throne, and sat, trying to restrain myself from leaping forwards and tearing the head of the beast.

I felt heat rising up in me, burning. I tried to force it down. I remembered what had happened last time.

I was vaguely aware of the girl hovering near to the side of me unsure of what to do. I barely glanced at her. My eyes were fixed on the werewolf. It was in human form, it's lank and greasy hair rough and unkempt.

They were vile abominations that should never have been created. They were men with inner wolves that burst forth in a horrible transformation at the full moon, stalking the land and preying without conscience on entire towns and villages. They matched us in strength and speed, even in human form, and as beasts they possessed a cunning and wit that made them all the more dangerous. Unlike us, they not only drank the blood from humans, but they ate the flesh too.

They had killed her.

Aro straightened next to the beast's side and drifted back a few paces. "It seems this beast here, is responsible for the ravaging of several towns in England. Complications that now need to be dealt with."

The brute was hurling himself against the chains. He would not be able to break free. Aro and I had been searching for centuries for an element that could withstand our strength and had finally found it seven decades ago. It was now being put to good use.

"Now…" Aro was speaking slightly louder now, "All that remains is to deliver the punishment."

I was leaning forward in my throne now, taunt with anticipation. The beast was mine dispose of. If Aro so much as mentioned Jane's name….

"Caius, if you would do the honours?"

A smile spread across my face.

Bella

"Werewolf."

My first thoughts were of Jacob and the pack. Why were they here? They should be in La Push, they had a temporary truce with the Cullens to take down Victoria and her army together. The Volturi wouldn't be very sympathetic to the pack.

Then we entered the hall and I realized the man in chains in the middle of the hall was most definitely not a member of the pack. This was an entirely different beast. For once the term werewolf actually fitted the image.

The man was half naked, wearing ratty torn trousers and not particularly muscular, with a sallow complexion and long stringy brown hair that hung lank around his face. His face. The eyes were sunken deep into his skull and the eyes were entirely black. There was no white in his eyes, no colour, just black holes where the eyes were meant to go. He looked utterly rabid.

I tore my eyes away from the werewolf and followed Caius up to the three thrones. Caius was still shaking. What was his utter hatred for werewolves?

Caius sat down in the throne to the right of Aro's, his eyes never leaving the werewolf.

Was it just me, or was he actually smoking? His robes seemed to be smoldering slightly.

I hovered uncertainly. It would probably be heresy to sit on Aro's throne, but I didn't want to stand there like a dork either. Eventually I just sank down and sat cross-legged next to Caius on the cool marble floor.

I was vaguely aware of Aro speaking. "…that now need to be dealt with."

The man was hurling himself against the chains, straining to get free. I wondered how the chains were holding. His frame looked like it held the same silent strength that all vampires possessed. I wanted to feel sorry for the werewolf, but for some reason- gazing into those horrible black pools, I couldn't. It was utterly savage.

"Caius… If you would do the honours?"

I blinked missing most of Aro's speech. My eyes flashed sideways just in time to see a streak of black and white fling itself at the wolf. I looked on in horror yet amazement as Caius grabbed the man's head and was about to snap his neck when somehow the chains tore free of the ground, sending hunks of marble flying across the hall.

For someone weighed down by chains the werewolf held his own, lunging at Caius. Caius wasn't there anymore. As far as I could tell the werewolf was just and fast as strong as any other vampire, but Caius was a blur whirling around the monster attacking like a hurricane, but judging by the sharp cracks and snaps, the werewolf was losing. Why wasn't Aro asking anyone else to help? All he had to do was tell Jane to use her power, then the fight would be fairly simple for Caius.

But then the fight ground to a halt as suddenly Caius reappeared, his arms wrapped around the wolf's neck. There were gashes across the werewolf's chest, black tar-like blood flowing from the wounds. I knew what was about to happen, and for as second, I saw something in the wolf's eyes. A flicker or humanity.

I knew what was about to happen. But I couldn't look away.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, someone telling me to close my eyes…. I couldn't.

Caius's face was contorted with hate, but then I saw his lips move, mouthing something. And he twisted.

The head of the werewolf fell to the ground, bounced twice, and rolled to my feet.

~~~(O.o)~~~

I tried not to scream.

I was somehow aware that my feet were moving, following someone, going somewhere, doing something…..

I had seen people die before. I had seen James torn to pieces before my eyes, I had seen some of my relatives die before, I had even had Jasper and Laurent try to kill me before, so why was I so stunned?

I didn't know. It wasn't some sort of deep meaning answer, it was just the fact that I didn't know why it had affected me so much. Technically it had nothing to do with me. It was a monster. I didn't care.

Then I realized. That was why it bothered me. Because I hadn't cared. I didn't care that a living breathing person, werewolf or not, had just been decapitated before my very eyes. I couldn't have cared less. And it scared me.

What kind of a heartless monster was I? I didn't even care that a person had just been killed right in front of me, by someone who was meant to protect me.

The 'protect me' part wasn't really the issue, I knew that Caius was a cruel, vindictive, masochistic, selfish sadist, but the idea that I didn't care left me reeling.

"Are you all right?"

The voice was low and slightly hoarse as though it hadn't been used in a while.

My eyes came into focus and found Aro and Marcus standing over me.

My voice cracked when it answered. "I'm fine."

I found myself in a low wooden bench in the middle of a garden. How had I gotten here? A low breeze sent the scent of roses and freesias up my nose as I breathed in deeply, trying to clear my head.

Marcus was eyeing me with what looked a tiny bit like concern on his dead features. It had been him before who had told me to close my eyes.

Aro was hovering next to him, his ruby eyes bright and his lips perpetually curved slightly upwards no matter what the situation. "So good to see you've recovered!" Beamed Aro, his smile becoming grotesque. "I was worried you were going to faint!"

If the werewolf head wasn't enough, the sight of Aro made me want to faint.

"No," I cleared my throat, then began again. "No, really I'm fine, I saw a vampire ripped to shreds and burned before my eyes… I'm good with this stuff." I tried to joke a bit at the end.

By Marcus's expression he wasn't fooled, but Aro bought it. "Oh yes, James! Edward was very annoyed with him wasn't he?"

I blinked at him, wondering how he knew, before I remembered his gift. I gave him a weak smile. I would have given anything for him to be here now… Edward.

I glanced around. "Where's Caius?" I asked. Not that I particularly wanted his company, but I was wondering how Aro had caved to let him go.

"Tiding up." Aro's smile had turned into more of a sneer. I knew exactly what Caius was tidying up.

We stayed that way, me sitting, and concentrating on breathing, and Aro and Marcus standing like statues. The only things that moved were their robes fluttering in the breeze.

Eventually, Aro stirred, his smile reappearing, "I'll leave you two alone now, I must get back to business! Marcus I think you are capable of protecting young Bella!" And he bounced away. Sometimes I wondered whether Aro resembled a two thousand year old vampire, or a two year old child. I'd think the latter.

As soon as Aro had vanished from sight, Marcus seemed to stir slightly. "Walk with me?"

I stood and followed him down the paths.

We walked in silence for a while, me struggling for something to talk about, and him looking casually blank. "What's your last name?" I blurted out.

Marcus faced me, a look of confusion flickering in his face. "That is an interesting conversation starter."

I relaxed slightly. Of the three brothers, I think I trusted Marcus the most. He just seemed…. Harmless. Humane.

"Yes I know, but you haven't answered."

Marcus blinked twice, slowly, before resuming his previous pace. "My last name was D'angelo."

"The angel…" I breathed.

Marcus once again shot me a questioning look. I hurried to explain. "I found a notebook. I'm teaching myself Italian."

He nodded. "So…. Marcus, Aro and Caius D'Angelo?"

"No. That was merely my last name. Aro and Caius are of different blood." I would never get used to their formality and their ancient speech.

"So technically you're all not really related."

"Not quite. Aro and Caius are in fact blood brothers, I merely married their sister."

I didn't remember any mention of Marcus's wife, I could only recall that Aro was the only one that had a wife.

Seeing my confusion, Marcus answered, "She died a thousand years back in the war with the Romanians."

"Oh."

I didn't say sorry. I knew it wouldn't help, and I knew he didn't want it. Now I understood how lifeless he was. He was a literal zombie. For some reason he reminded me of how I was, when Edward had left. No motivation, no urge to do anything. And when thinking about the past… Too painful.

"Tell me about werewolves." I said eventually.

Marcus gave me a slight smile, nothing more than a twitch of the lips, silently thanking me for the change of topic, before he began to speak. "Werewolves are in some ways quite like us vampires. They possess the same enhanced features and senses as we do when they are bitten by another one of their breed. From what we have learnt they are just as strong and as fast as us and also feed on blood, but for one very important difference. While we only drink the blood, they will feast on the flesh, and when the full moon rises and they transform into wolves, as soon as the blood touches their throats, they lose all semblance of humanity. While we vampires are somewhat the same, with our bloodlust during feeding, we still have some restraint. The children of the moon as we call them, do not.

They do in fact, become animals in every sense of the word. In human form, werewolves cannot speak, and usually prefer to skulk in the shadows, waiting for the full moon to change. There are also several physical differences, while our skin is impenetrable apart from our own teeth and the teeth of werewolves, theirs is not, although they do have an accelerated healing rate."

My mind flashed to Jacob.

"..their eyes are entirely black, as you have seen, and when the moon rises, their eyes become silvery orbs, testament to their madness. One werewolf alone could destroy over a hundred towns in a night to feed."

I swallowed back my bile. Thank God Jacob wasn't one of those werewolves. I wondered if he wasn't, what was he exactly?

"Why does Caius hate them so much?"

Marcus suddenly looked old. His physical appearance couldn't have been more than twenty six, but his filmy red eyes looked tired, as though he was weary of thousands of years alone. "That is his right, and his right only to tell you that."

I knew it was a serious topic, but against it all I laughed. "Caius, tell me anything?"

He smiled slightly, something that looked so sad, even though it was meant to be a happy gesture.

I suddenly realized something. "How come the man- the werewolf in the hall couldn't get free of his chains? You said they're just as strong as you are, so why couldn't he break them? Not that I'm complaining."

He ran a hand through his hair. "A few centuries ago my brothers and myself were curious to test the limits of our strength, and so we travelled to try and find something that could withstand it. Centuries later in some remote town of Africa we found what we were looking for. It was an incredibly dense metal which resisted our every effort to manipulate it. We have not as yet named it, but it has been very useful over the past few centuries in enslaving our enemies."

Truth to be told, I was fascinated. We rambled on about other subjects and I was actually enjoying the walk. So when we stopped an archway that led back inside the palace, I was actually in a good mood even in spite of the fact that Caius was standing in the doorway.

Marcus inclined his head to his brother, "I hope to talk to you again Isabella." He said, turning away to walk down the corridor. He looked so lonely on an impulse I grabbed his arm.

"Be happy."

A wish and a request.

Marcus turned. He studied me for several seconds then they flickered to Caius.

"We all try to be."

I recently thought of something. I may not be able to update very much (if at all) until summer for certain reasons which is why I figure I will update as much as possible now.

Egyptian fanfiction story: I have added in another part and am thinking of adding in two more parts, then doing more details. Then eventually posting.

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icrodriguez, AnnaBoleyna1536, for favoriting "Stuck together"

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