Chapter Sixteen: Bella.

I ran after Aro, Marcus and Demetri as they sped- vampire speed down the hall. I supposed I was meant to follow- because as fast as they were going- I could still keep up.

I still wasn't getting what was going on. HELLO? Ignorant human here!

I could distantly hear Aro calling for the rest of the guard- Jane, Alec, Santiago… To meet him in the throne room, so I cut across several rooms, and miraculously arrived in the throne room at the same time that the rest of the vampires did.

None of them even seemed to notice me- which was a first. Felix didn't even crack a single joke.

Aro and Marcus took charge, explaining what Demetri had seen- I thanked whoever was up there that while they were speaking really fast- I could still understand them.

Regardless, I was still confused. There was something about Caius falling for a trick that Aro didn't really explain properly- I supposed he didn't want to give the guard all the details- and leaving Volterra and walking straight into a trap. Apparently the vampire that had tried to kill me those night ago- the one that had escaped- had somehow managed to escape Demetri's gift, but now he just popped up a minute ago somewhere south of here.

Confused?

Yeah. That makes the two of us.

"…Alec, Demetri, Afton and Santiago- you will be accompanying Marcus and I." finished Aro, "Felix and Corin- stay behind."

And they were gone before I could blink.

Felix walked over to me, Corin following. His face was unusually serious without its trademark boyish grin. "Hey Bella, what are you doing?"

I scowled at him. "What's going on? Why would Caius be so stupid?" Okay, call me crazy, but I was worried. Much as I hated him, it didn't necessarily mean I wanted him dead.

Felix's lips didn't even twitch upwards into a smile like they usually would have when I insulted Caius. "Master Caius may be many things, certainly not stupid however, although sometimes some particular… things… May cause him to… Act rashly. Therefore Lord Aro may need to… assist him."

Felix picked out the words so carefully, it was like they were going to explode if handled wrong.

"Okay, then what was that about Stefan? Isn't he the guy who tried to kill me a few days ago?"

Felix's expression relaxed slightly- but only slightly- he still looked tense.

"Yes, apparently it was an organized ambush for Master Caius set up by the Romanians."

I bit back a smile, Felix sounded weird when he spoke like that, all formal with no hint of humor.

"Will they all be okay?"

"Yes of course. Master Caius is a great fighter, and he will have be able to fend them off until Aro arrives."

I blinked. From what I had heard, it was Caius against eight other vampires. He must be…. A very good fighter. "So why were you two left behind?"

Felix finally smiled, the boyish grin that reminded me so much of Emmett, and replied, poking me in the stomach the way Jake, *wince* used to. "Well someone has to stay behind to protect the human right?" he joked.

I gave him my cue scowl and elbow in the stomach, which gave me a bruise, then glanced at him. "So if you've got nothing better to do, then what do you say we go and retrieve that mattress off the roof?"

~~~(O.o)~~~

Aro

I had to admire my brother- though I would never admit it, he was a terrifying yet also awe inspiring sight.

He had been leading General in the Roman Army, a better leader than even Julius after him. When we were younger- even though it was millennia ago, I had always envied him while I watched him train with the other soldiers.

Julius was merely a shadow of Caius before Caius had vanished one night, leaving Julius free to shine.

Then twenty years later, the night after Julius's murder- not that my siblings nor I cared much, Caius appeared, looking just as young as he had been when he had disappeared, with crimson eyes and skin that was ice cold and as hard as rock -I discovered such when I took a sword to his neck- the action that caused Caius to turn me, apparently liking my spirit. He also turned Didyme; she had ever been his favorite sister.

Marcus he had turned as we fled Rome, Didyme- somehow even through the pain of her change seeming to recognize her future-to-be mate, forcing Caius to change him.

After a decade had passed, and we had managed to hone down our thirst, we set our sights on power. We could have been kings in Rome- look how far Julius had gone- now we could be even higher than that.

Caius could have been an ideal king before Athenadora's… death. Less bent on destruction and torture, more just and fair. Instead he turned inward, and focused back on war. The god of war- Jasper Whitlock in Carlisle's coven was nothing compared to Caius who has spent centuries honing his talent. Caius's skill, along with his gift, made him near undefeatable, except when pitted against Jane or Alec.

And hence the scene that greeted us as we followed Demetri across the plains- dimly illuminated by the slowly setting sun.

Already there were two burning corpses lying on the ground, the hazy smoke drifting upwards, and the harsh scent of burning vampire assailed me.

Caius was weaving around the remaining six, an expression of such barely controlled rage I flinched slightly.

But even in such a situation, he regained his head, and his attacks were calm and well thought out. He did not attack all at once, merely singling out a direct attack against one every now and then, snarls erupting from his chest.

However the graceful dance broke off almost immediately as the wind changed, and the six remaining stiffened, turning slightly.

Caius took advantage, and tore the head off one of the vampires before the other five could react.

In one smooth well practiced motion, the remaining turned, and fled.

We were on them in seconds.

One was promptly detached by Alec and Marcus, and we were about to turn on the other four, when they vanished.

My mind was at war with itself both sides battling. Such a gift. Then- they are not getting away.

It was clear, although they were obscured from sight, their scents were still there, and therefore they were still within our reach.

Instinctively I pounced, slamming into a vampire who I could not see, however that mattered not. Memories flooded through me, fast and potent. With one twist of my arms, the head snapped with a splintering sound, and the screech of tearing metal, and suddenly the body appeared beneath me.

I turned furiously towards where the other three- Stefan and Vladimir had escaped- had ran, and signaled Demetri and Alec to follow.

The chances of them overtaking would be slim, but I would not condone their act.

I turned to Caius as he set fire to the bodies, his face now it's customary blank mask, although his eyes could not conceal all of his emotions.

A hollowness.

Just like when Athenadora had first died.

I decided not to berate him on his rash behavior, and instead focused on other matters.

"Are you alright?" I asked quickly, knowing that he disliked displays of emotion- and that I was not one do give any.

He gave a curt nod, then scowled in the direction of the remaining Romanians. "Will Demetri find them?"

I frowned slightly, watching Santiago scatter the ashes. "I doubt it. I have seen his memories, and apparently they have one among them who can shield them from visible sight, and block Demetri's power."

"Like Isabella."

I glanced at him, as did Marcus. It was odd, him referring to Bella by her real name, rather than human, or girl. I resisted the urge to brush my hand against his to read his thoughts, I supposed I had to respect his privacy, such as it was.

"Yes. Much like her."

Caius kicked at one of the piles of ashes. A faint scent drifted towards me. Female.

"Another one of their gifts?" Marcus asked, gesturing towards the ashes. This was undoubtedly the female with the gift of imitation. I growled inwardly. In any other circumstances, both vampires- the female and the other- probably the other male, who escaped with Stefan and Vladimir, would have made excellent additions to the guard.

As it was, the female was now dead- undoubtedly a product of Caius's rage and betrayal, and the male- Declan, the name was-( judging by the vampire I had killed memories), would be too dangerous to leave alive.

Caius merely glared, utter hatred in his gaze, and he began yelling at Afton to clear up the mess, then ignoring Marcus and I he whirled around, and set off for Volterra.

I frowned after him. Hopefully he would get better over time.

As it was, I had more pressing matters to deal with. I wanted to see how Joey's father's unplanned visit would play out, and a trip to a particular coffee shop named Central Perk to visit in the city New York in America.

I wondered what kind of an immortal Phoebe would make.

Giving Santiago orders to help Afton, Marcus and I turned, and followed.

Ok, the story is staying the same. This way it's not like every other Caius/Bella fanfiction ever. Don't like what I am doing? DON'T READ IT!

Also, now I am almost done with another Caius/Bella fanfiction so once I finish the conclusion I can finish this one.