Jasper, Marcus and me returned to the Cullen residence. My beloved father gave me a short, reassuring smile, signalling that things are fine between Jasper and I. My eyes wandered to Jasper's arm that has mostly healed up already. Intense shame washed over me, and Jaspers eyes immediately fell upon me. First a worried glance, but then a smug smirk graced his lovely features as he read the turmoil inside me.

"Serves you right", he just said and then laughed at my sour face.

Not a minute after that, three pairs of footsteps could be heard at the main entrance. Actually, technically just one pair of footsteps could be heard by human standards – Aro's and Caius' steps were far too elegant for that. But their company, on the other hand…

„I got peckish, you know I'm a nervous eater, she's for later", Aro said while breezing in, nonchalantly waving his hand towards the young woman in tow.

„That's some weird humour you got there, you know?", the woman retorted, „And if by 'eating me' you're referring to something sexual, let me just tell you that you're not funny. My cousin got groped once on public transportation, and sexual assault is not a joke."

Before Bella was even able to ask „Jessica? Jessica Stanley?!", a fight happened, so fast that it was hard for even vampires to keep up. Caius was about to kick Jessica in the head in order to make her faint – so that Aro could drink her dry later – which was a plan he had ever since they picked her up, jogging near the forest driveway that leads to the Cullen mansion, and they started talking and she kept on going and going and going. Not that Caius cared so much about Aro's meal, but if it would finally, mercifully make this woman shut up..

The last thing Caius expected, while he was about to put away Aro's meal for later, was an absolutely deadly Marcus ramming into him, effectively pushing him away from the woman. In less than a second, Caius was kissing the floor, and Marcus just hissed: Noone touches her.

It happened so quick that Jessica didn't even realize what was going on. Suddenly, there was a tall man next to her side, giving her the sweetest, creepiest smile ever.

„My beautiful flower", he took her hand and kissed it, like in an old Hollywood movie, „I am Marcus. Your servant. Suffer through agony for mere three days and then live by my side, in bliss, forever."

"Uhm, what..?", Jessica asked, but it was too late. Marcus already sank his fangs into her neck. Jessica collapsed into his embrace. While carrying her bridal-style, he quickly turned toward his brothers and Thalia and simply said:

"My bond sight showed me this is my new beloved. I am taking the plane to Volterra. I want her to awake in the castle, where she will be safe. As for all of this Carlisle-related business – brothers, do what is wise, and try not to bother me in the foreseeable future."

And then he just ran away, carrying away an already screaming Jessica Stanley, the new Volturi queen.

Nobody said anything for a full minute.

Then Caius swore under his breath, and Aro's internal system seemingly rebooted from shock state. He turned to his astonished audience, clasped his hands and said:

"We have much work to do."

Aro and Caius made quick work of gathering everyone but Carlisle (still asleep upstairs) and Esme (nowhere to be found) together.

That is: an annoyed Aro and a seething Caius, a confused Edward and erratic Bella (still shocked by Marcus' revelation about her and Edward not being mates), an intrigued Reneesme, a very focused Rosalie and then Jasper and me.

"Ah, what a disaster, how very common with you Cullens", Aro said, devoid of his usual diplomacy.

"How could it be a disaster, if we have witnessed the most magical miracle of all, which gives us all hope that…", Edward started.

"Hush your stupid mouth, idiot", Caius barked, murder written on his handsome face. Edward took a step back, finally understanding that this is not a social visit. This is something that could end up…badly. As is permanently done, game over.

"Caius and Rosalie will go and fetch Marek.", Aro said.

"And…Alice?", Rosalie hesitantly asked.

"I have no need of her.", Aro said, much to Rosalie's surprise, "And I will not send Jasper or Thalia, having in mind Alice's and Jasper's past. Caius I trust, and you, Rosalie, know the terrain."

"You can trust me, too", Rosalie said and offered Aro her hand,

"Rosalie!", Edward hissed.

"The Volturi are our kings, Edward. That means something."

Aro accepted the hand, and after a minute, released it with a pleasant look on his face.

"Finally, some hope of sense from the Cullen corner.", he said with a smile.

Caius and Rosalie run off not a minute after that encounter, and Aro separated Jasper and I for more intimate consultations, away especially from Edwards prying ears.

"Have you both lost your minds?!", he started, "Why on earth have you allowed for this to go on for so long?!"

"What were we supposed to do?", I asked incredulously. Looking at Jasper's grim face, I realized he already knew what actually was expected from him.

"I regarded him as a father, Aro, for quite a while..", Jasper said quietly.

"This could ruin us all, don't you see?", Aro said.

"Not necessarily..", Jasper started, but Aro quickly intervened:

"Can you be sure? Can you be sure that younger vampires will not start turning their entire families, because 'what the heck, this is reversible'?! How long before the secret's out, then?!"

„Ok, then how do we solve this?", Jasper asked, realizing that Aro was, naturally, right, „So I kill the man I considered closest to a father, and then I kill the rest of the family, because they know? Is that what you're asking me to do?"

„NO!", I yelled in panic – what a horrible task for Jasper! – I would never allow this to happen, and then, I still had the very distinct feeling that everything would turn out all right anyway.

„No", Aro sighed, as if dealing with particularly dense children, „How the hell would we explain that one of the world's biggest covens has disappeared over night? Even if I staged a trial, after the whole Rene-schmene-disaster, it would look..suspicious."

„If we would just talk to them..", I said, knowing that talking would not work.

„Thalia, come on", Aro almost laughed, „Talking to those hippies. You would never explain this to one such as Edward. And then Bella – she wouldn't trust me one word! No. This is where Marek comes in."

„Oh my God, I totally forgot", Jasper laughed, realizing the opportunity, "We'll just make them forget everything!"

"But how will you explain Carlisle being human?", I asked in confusion.

"He won't be human for long", Jasper smiled.

And how right my beautiful mate was!

Not even a few minutes later, Carlisle was screaming his head off in the unmistakable sound of the agony of turning.

The only problem was that Aro, Jasper and I didn't move from our spots. Who the hell has bitten Carlisle?

We all ran towards the house.

It was Esme.

She hid as far away as possible form Carlisle, huddled in the corner of the room.

"I'm sorry", her eyed widened in panic as she realized that in our company was none other than Aro Volturi, vampire judge and executioner, "I wanted my mate back. I couldn't bear it any longer, he was…human! And it was….it was so gross! I understand now! You were right all along", she sobbed, "They're food! Humans are food! We are supposed to EAT them, not…mate with them! It is WRONG!"

Aro didn't even have a chance to utter a word, before Edward barged into the room, followed by Bella. Edward let out a heart-broken sound, while Bella just stared at Carlisle in shock.

"I will never forgive you this", Edward jumped towards Esme and easily got her head in a deadly hold.

"Edward, don't!", both Jasper and Bella yelled.

"Edward, if you love me..", Bella started, but Edward, crazy in his agony, yelled:

"I never did! I only love him! He was perfection! Perfection! But you've ruined him – again!", - and he started ripping Esme's head off.

Jasper was quicker, and stronger. In less than a second, he was holding Edward's head.

"You're not killing her", he murmured, while I ran to Esme to see to her wound. It looked terrible, but again-we're vampires, and healing is quick for us, albeit painful.

"i'll take that.", Bella took Edward's head from Jasper's arms.

"We'll think about a fit punishment after we all calm down here", Aro said, still processing the utter mess the Cullens pulled off this time.

"Yup", Bella said, leaving the room with Edward's head.