Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer (author of the Twilight Saga) and so therefore I do not own her works. What I ADD into the story is mine (example: different characters, the plot, etc.) but the original themes, ideas, plots, characters, script, etc. are solely the works of this awesome, famous person, and her associates.

Author's Note: I am co-writing this story with EgyptAdbydos, so cheers to her!

Also, I'm really sorry how long it's taken to get this chapter published for you guys, we've been unexpectedly busy...But thanks for hanging in there and being patient!

Chapter Seven

The Throne Room settled into a heavy silence after the doors leading inside slammed closed and the echoing bang died down. The stillness weighed forebodingly on the group as they waited, and only Aro's red eyes moved. He looked at the four vampires standing before him and released a quiet sigh of disappointment, further setting the group on edge with his unhappy tone.

"Felix, I expected this from the twins, they are so very new to this life – but not from you." He paused there and looked over at Felix from the seat on his throne beside his brothers. "You are far older and have gained much more experience than the twins. And yet a few choice words made you almost want to kill a new member? Where is your patience?" He then shook his head and looked at the twins, who were so silent and frightened and fragile-looking that Aro almost regretted saving them. What use would they be if they were too terrified to think straight?

"Calm down, dear ones," he soothed, his voice soft and gentle, easing their fears. Slowly, the pair looked up at him, a spark of hope in their eyes. "I will not hurt you, and neither will Felix." The black-haired vampire lord lifted his gaze to the male in question, his voice taking on a hard, threatening edge. "Is that not right, Felix?"

"Of course, Master," Felix replied quietly, jaw tense.

Felix's response eased Aro's irritation and he nodded before standing and looking to Demetri, smiling. "Thank you, Demetri, for trying to stop a fight from breaking out."

Then Aro turned his attention back to the twins. "Well, it looks like we found out your gift did we not, dear one?" He graced Jane with a small smile as his voice took on a pleased tone. "And from the looks of it, a very powerful gift. Wonderful!" he exclaimed in delight, clapping his hands together excitedly. "However, we will explore more later. For now, let me introduce you to my brothers." First, he gestured to the long, dark haired vampire beside him. "This one on my right is Marcus." The expression on the brother's face looked undeniably bored, maybe even depressed as his eyes gazed away from them all with a faded light, almost like a lost will.

I wonder what's wrong with him? Alec thought as he stared at Marcus curiously, who in turn looked at him. The twin adverted his eyes quickly, nervously, and Jane's hands tightened reassuringly around his after having sensed his unease.

Aro continued cheerfully, oblivious, "And to my left is my other brother, Caius."

Jane and Alec glanced at the white-haired vampire in question, Alec flinching when Caius glared at them sourly. Jane growled quietly, defensive of her brother, but the ancient vampire simply arched a brow, scorning her.

"Haha!" Aro cried in amusement, eyes shining with mirth, once again painfully merry and ignorant. "Do not worry, dear ones! Caius is always…well, Caius." His explanation was useless in calming down the twins, but Jane's warning growl did soften to a dark rumbling in her chest that oddly reminded Alec of a lioness.

Once again, a heavy silence enveloped the room before Aro turned to Demetri and asked quietly, "So the pain was from Jane's glare, you believe?"

The twins snapped their heads up at that and turned to look at Demetri in confusion. They hadn't heard the vampire saying such a thing – none of them had said anything before Aro's reprimanding of Felix. They had simply touched the royal's hand and waited.

At Demetri's quiet nod Aro turned an excited grin on the twins, his eyes trained calculatingly on Jane. "How very interesting," he whispered to himself, and for once Alec saw the cunning nature behind his eyes. It was a dark light he had become familiar with back in the village he grew up in: the town's local wench had despised the twins since they were born – an old rivalry their mother and father had never truly explained – and she would often turn the villagers against them, simply by a few crafty words from her mouth. She was manipulative, and so was Aro.

The fact made Alec uneasy, which in turn influenced Jane's feelings. They shared a silent look that spoke volumes before Aro's laughter startled them both, his pearly voice full of delight and hunger, "How very interesting indeed…"

Author's note: Thanks for reading, reviews welcome!