Chapter 4

I could still feel his blood upon my lips as he screamed for mercy. Pathetic mortal, I thought as I closed the palace doors behind me and stormed down the hallways. They were all pathetic. And speaking of pathetic mortals...

Dread and black anger suddenly rose through me as I remembered the other day's discussion. How dare Aro defy me like that? I was not some revolting bodyguard to a figure below me- I was a master, a leader. Perhaps he had changed his mind over the night, and got some thought into his slow-minded head.

And speak of the devil, he shall appear.

As I turned towards the sound, I recognized the black haired and slender figure catching up with me, a great, irritating smile on his face. Not reading any good news for me on his expression, I turned back away, and increased my speed. I did not want to speak to him.

Still, Aro caught up and matched my pace perfectly. "Good morning, Brother!"

Very slowly, I scowled at him from the corner of my eye before turning my gaze back forward. "Morning," I replied with much venom and annoyance.

"I think our guest slept quite well, if I recall correctly," Aro did not seem the least bit affected by my tone. "I have already sent Demetri to help her get ready for the day."

"How unbelievably thoughtful of you, Aro."

"Oh, yes! I am quite the charmer sometimes, aren't I?" Aro spoke delightfully. I knew he didn't want me to answer that question. He continued. "So! How was your hunt? I trust you were successful."

"Successful enough," I muttered bitterly.

"Well then," Aro finally sighed, realizing I was not in the mood to talk to him or give him detailed answers. He halted his pace and watched me continue on, and called out in a rather disturbing tone. "I hope you have a delectable and rapturous rest of the day, Brother Caius."

With a small turn of the head, he had already vanished. Thank the lord.

Trying to settle down my vicious attitude, I opened the door to my own quarters, and planned to get back to studying for the rest of the day. It would be the only way to get my bloody mind off of all this unnecessary chaos. Suddenly, I realized there was a heartbeat in the room, and a scent I recognized.

When the bloody hell did she get in here, was the first thought that screamed in my mind. No one told her to enter- much less examine the place without my permission. So Aro had not changed his mind. My anger flared up again, and I hissed. "The proper way to enter a nobleman's quarters the last time I checked is to ask permission."

The girl quickly whirled around at my statement, her long brunette hair moving her scent around to the room. Her eyes were round with shock and a sense of fear. She quickly composed herself. "Um…sorry. I was told to just come in."

By who? I almost demanded. Quickly, I slammed the door behind me and moved towards my desk. "Indeed. Well, only I shall give you orders to 'just come in' from now on."

Once I sat down, I dipped my quill and began filling out the monthly letter I was to write to vampire covens, assuring them of the rules and the fact that we were still above them. Before I knew it, I was completely focused on the letter I had forgotten the mortal was still there, which pleased me until she spoke up.

"So…what am I supposed to do?"

Irritated, I looked up at her. How dare she address me so lowly. "Excuse me?"

"Well, aren't you going to give me something to do?" she clarified. "Or am I just supposed to stand here all day?"

I could feel the very shock flooding through me at her tone. She was not my equal yet she spoke to me as if I was one of her precious Cullen pets. Controlling my rage, I huffed loudly, and leaned forward. This damned mortal needed to know what I was and what she would get if she talked to me in such a way again. "Listen to me, human. I am not an entertainer. I am not-"

"No, no, I'm not asking you to entertain me," she dared to interrupt me. "I'm just wondering what I'm supposed to do all day. Like…can I read one of these books you have on the shelves?"

How the bloody hell could she- "I have arranged every single book of knowledge in this room in a proper and crucial order. Answer me this, human. Why would I ever, under the right mind let something as revolting as you disturb this room of pure elegance?"

"Room of pure elegance?" she repeated, almost a sneer. "More like 'Room of Boring Crap.'"

I was on my feet, snarling before I could believe it. I should have ripped her head off right then and there. Forget the bloody deal with the Cullens. "How dare you insult my quarters in my presence! I will personally inform Aro of your ignorance! We will snap your revolting neck and make sure you feel the pain. Even your precious Edward Cullen cannot-"

"Okay, okay," she interrupted me, again, with her hands up high. "I'm sorry for making fun of your room. It just slipped out. And you don't need to lecture me about how painfully you want to kill me. I already know you hate me with a passion, so I think we're on the same page now. Lets move on. Alright, so can I please read one of your books?"

I was not sure what her words had done to completely calm me, but I sat back down and composed myself properly. I suppose the ugly mortal could rip through those century old novels if she liked. "Very well. You may. But I want it returned in the exact location, and in the exact angle. Is that clear?"

"Uh huh," the girl said lazily before turning in some kind of disrespectful slouch way and heading towards the shelves. I forced myself back to my studies even though the suspicion and curiosity was beginning to overwhelm me.

I studied her closely as she flipped through the pages of an ancient history text book made years back, and the look on her face gave away she was having trouble understanding it. Despite the angry mood I seemed to currently have, I could not help but smirk. Foolish mortals and their foolish minds.

But what was with her attitude? She looked like she'd flee after the Cullens left her, and the quickened pace of her heart rate…it seemed all too easy. Yet she disrespected me numerous times in the five minutes we had faced each other, and didn't even smell frightened. This had to be a mortal behavior, I decided. That or she was more terrified of Aro than myself. Just the thought made my knuckles tighten.

Suddenly, she looked up at me. "Yes?"

Had she noticed my stare? Impossible. "I did not say anything."

She then slightly lifted her shoulders before putting the many textbooks back in the order she had taken them out. One book was switched with the other next to me, which did annoy me heavily. I should have known better to trust a mortal with my personal belongings.

She then pulled out a small novel with the musky scent of Aro. Immediately, I remembered the thirty years ago when I found Aro stuffing all his absurd little joy novels on my shelves. "Only for a while, until I order a new shelf," he had said. Of course, he never did order another and I got the feeling he did that on purpose.

"Those books do not belong to I," I informed her, making it clear that I never read such nonsense. "They belong to Aro. He asked me to keep them in my studies since he no longer had a place to keep them in his own quarters."

She looked up at me again, her eyes lightly narrowed in confusion. "You don't like Shakespeare?"

"Shakespeare," I scoffed. "What more than ignorant publications of life and nature. Forgive me for not taking part in such absurd studies."

"You haven't read Romeo and Juliet?"

The romance novel? Oh, please. "No, nor do I plan to," I said as I resumed back to the letter I was finishing up.

"But this is a must read!" The girl stated. "Everyone's read it!"

"Well then apparently your assumption is correct."

"It's a classic romance tale!"

I glared at her, annoyed for her not getting my point already. "Romance is a revolting excuse for writing. You humans have nothing to believe in each other, so you say it's 'love,' which by the way is only pathetic particles in the mind. I almost pity all you revolting creatures for not believing in something more significant."

The girl frowned as she took in my words. She responded quite thoughtfully, "'Revolting' is definitely a favorite word of yours, is it?"

How did she know, I thought to myself. I answered, "It basically summarizes everything in the world, so yes, the word does seem to boost my observations."

"Well, when I eat my food, like take pizza for example," she babbled rather irritatingly. "I don't call it revolting. I would call it juicy or something like that. Unlike you, of course."

Who did the mortal think she was? Filling my head with her foolish stories. "You do understand you are enormously distracting me from my studies with your sickening words."

"Sorry," she muttered. "Please, go on with your studies or whatever."

With a low growl, I continued on with the letter, and didn't look up at her again. I would never let myself be distracted by her foolishness. Quickly, the letter was completed was rolled up formally, and tied with a ribbon like Aro appreciated it. Wanting an excuse away from that absurd mortal, I decided to take the letter myself and headed towards the door. I looked back at her when I reached the door knob. "Do not leave the room. I will return. Do you understand, human?"

She nodded, in a strange way. "Of course. I wouldn't want to leave the room. That would be so revolting of me."

It took me a full second to realize that she- this mere mortal- was mocking me. She had no right to do so! Storming out, I slammed the door behind me and sped down the hall, unable to zone out her laughter.

Haha, oh Caius. You'll warm up to her XD Bound to a Blackened Soul chapter 9 coming out in the next few days. Review ^^