A/N: Wow a new update? I see I told ya'll I hadn't given up on this story.

Chapter 15:

"Shh, it's just me." A male voice said and I froze in shock and anger as he took his hand off his mouth.

I whirled around glaring at the man I considered a brother.

"What did you do that for! You scared me half to death!" I said and he looked chagrined.

"I know that it wasn't a good idea but you know how I can't be seen by Aro. I have something extremely important to tell you." Noctis said and my glare softened.

Noctis was an Ex-member of the guard, he left just a few months after I met Alex when the woman who he thought was his mate decided to go back to his home country of Ireland. Kathleen was not his mate she was sick, evil bitch who loved to seduce males and then leave them heartbroken. Noctis had lost everything because of her, his job, his position, Aro only allowed him in the castle because I was here other than me Noctis would have never been allowed in. I was still trying to convince Aro to let him back into The Guard.

"What is it? I have a gathering to get to." I asked knowing it was important but the Gathering was extremely important.

"I found out that Victoria is adding to her army, again and this time almost every newborn has a Gift. Victoria is using her newest toy to create Gifted Vampires." Nopctis said in a rushed whisper. I froze at his words I knew exactly who was Victoria's newest lover and it terrified me that He could create Gifted Newborns.

I saw Noctis frown and narrow his eyes at me.

"You know who Victoria's Lover is." He said and I nodded my head.

"His name is Edward Cullen, He and I were... Involved during my human life, he fucked me and left me after not knowing that he sired Lia. Now he wants us both." I said making Noctis freeze up and snarl.

Most of the Guard had heard of what Edward had done and had been engaged. We may have been beings that acted on our most base instincts at times but it was still considered... brazen to sleep with a human and then leave them without warning, especially if it had been their first time like it had been mine, even if my case had been a first for thousands of years. As far as I could find I was the only human to carry a half-vampire child and survive the Rebirth for 2000 years, the last recorded human female was a girl from an Amazonian tribe, who was seduced by the same Vampire who would become Carlisle's creator.

"That's him? And he still thinks you would take him back after knowing about Alex?" Noctis said and I sighed heavily.

"He is utterly Mad, even during his Human years." I said before kissing Noctis' cheek.

"Thank you for the information but I must get to the gathering. If you wait for me in my study I'll have more time to talk." I said and barely waited for his nod before I took off in a run to the throne room.

I slowed to a walk before I reached the corner before the Throne Room and nodded to the two guards that were standing point. They opened the doors and I walked in keeping my head up and my steps small so it looked like I was gliding, Aro had taught me social graces that were befitting a Vampire Queen soon after my Rebirth. Most times I acted like I actually had been Turned during the Medieval era.

I took my place beside the Three Kings I called family and as one we sat down on our Thrones, It was time for the Gathering to start.

We sat through dozens of Vampires begging and pleading for whatever they thought they needed, some we granted but most we denied and some were even executed for their requests, I did not understand how a vampire could live so long and know so little about our Laws. Our most absolute Law was that no child was to be Turned and we had almost a dozen Vampires requesting to turn whatever little girl or boy that had caught their attention, they were executed on sight.

I sat still in boredom as the Kings ran the court, as Queen I was expected to join The Kings during the Gatherings but I rarely handled peoples requests since I was still considered young and my Kings had thousands of years of experience. Aro said that when I reached my 300th year than I would take over more matters of the Court but until then I could just sit and be on guard.

I understood this reasoning and so I had one condition, that I be their Guard during the Gatherings so that nothing may slip by the guards circling the room and head straight for their throats. I was pretty and I was Queen but I wasn't just a pretty face hiding behind her title.

And so I sat and scanned the faces of the vampires waiting to speak to the Kings looking for anyone who had deception in their hearts.

My gaze stopped on a vampiress that looked to have been changed just barely old enough to not be considered an immortal child and my eyes narrowed when I saw in her mind flashes of Victoria and Edward.

She looked up and saw me staring at her and her eyes widened before she turned and tried to escape but one of my guards had noticed my interest and blocked her way.

I stepped down from my throne and slowly made my way over to her.

"Peace young one we shall not harm you if you cooperate." I said in a low tone looking her in the eyes.

"Please, I am not with them any longer. I barely escaped as it is." The young girl answered fearfully.

"Tell me what you know and you will be safe." I said softly.

"Victoria has made plans to capture your daughter and trade your life for hers, Edward is unhappy but he will take what he can get if he can't have you than his daughter will be the next best thing." The girl said and I didn't want to believe the implications but the disgusted look on her face made me know just what she meant.

I felt sick and if I was human I most definitely would've thrown up just then. Edward was so obsessed with me that he would see his daughter as a replacement? I vowed then and there that he would be destroyed he was to sick to let live.

"Thank you, young one. I will give you a choice, stay and train as a member of the guard or venture into the world under our protection." I said making the girl light up.

"My name is Maerad and I would be honored to join your guard." She said and I smiled at her.

"Suzanna will show you to the room you'll be staying in, we may not sleep but I am sure you will want to freshen up." I said and nodded the Guard that had blocked Maerad's way. Suzanna bowed and gently took Maerad by the elbow, leading her out the Throne Room.

I turned back to the gathering of vampires who watching in shock.

"I am sorry, Dear friends. but we must close this gathering, we have pressing matters to discuss." Aro said standing up.

The gathering of vampires bowed low and started to disperse while I and The Kings left the Throne Room to go to Aro's study.

I was still stunned by the Revelations that Maerad had told and knew that if I was human I would be shaking. I prayed we would survive this war.