"How old are you guys anyways? " I asked with curiosity.

Benjamin asked for twos.
"Go fish, Benji."
He frowned.
"Quit calling me that; it's bizarre." retorted Benjamin.
He picked a card from the deck.

Demetri looked into my dark eyes with his wine eyes.
"I'm about one thousand give or take a hundred years."
My eyes bulged.
"Your turn," urged Demetri.

"When is it my turn," asked Renata.
She wore an panther black dress with brown leggings and a brown wool scarf.

"After me," I said.
"Can I get fives?"
All the players gave me their fives. I smiled.

"Are all of you as old as him?" I asked shyly, pulling the red coat tighter around my body.

Benjamin shook his head.
"A-s?" Renata queried.
No one took out their cards.
"Go fish." Benjamin said

"Again? I think you are all hiding them."
"Not our fault you have cards no one else has." Demetri retorted.

As she frowned and picked from the blue deck Benjamin said:
"No, I'm only a hundred and forty seven."

"I am seven hundred and seventy."
My eyes grew wider.

Demetri asked for queens.
"I have none," Renata gloated.
"Same." said Benjamin.
They waited.

"Makayla, and you?" Demetri prodded gently.
"Oh, sorry. I do." I said giving him a queen of spades.

"It is much to take in," admitted Renata.
"You guys are bascially old men."
"And an old lady!" reminded Renata.

"Yeah, sorry. I forgot about you. So, may I ask how old are the twelve year old twins and Aro and Caius?"

Benjamin laughed.

"I was waiting for you to ask that. Believe it or not but those children are not much younger than Demetri. They are also somewhere around one thousand. And your boyfriend is the oldest master despite looking young. Aro is the youngest despite his power and appearances."

"Oh? So how old are the masters? "
"Nearly four thousand years old."

My face paled. And I choked on air. Renata became air then she was beside me with a glass of water. I drank it.
"My boyfriend is four thousand? Uh...."

"You'll come around to the idea. But I understand your shock." said Renata.

I gave a, are you mad look.
"It was very normal in our times to wed someone half your age. These days that fashion is returning. Think of it as that."

I shuddered. Marcus was older than my father and even Great Uncle Sam, who was nighty-five! They all were yet they remained youthful.

"Can I get some air? You can continue go fish without me."

"Yes, let me come with." Renata said.
I shook my head.

"You cannot go alone. This castle as you know has bloodthirsty vampires."

"And Aro who is claiming I'm his everything... If he cares so much I might just walk around and live." I said sarcastically.

They were shocked. I went. They didn't follow. I thought of going into the garden, where Marcus took me while I was sick. I dawdled there.

It was lonely without him. I walked down the quiet halls then I turned out to the verandah and it opened it a green garden. The garden was white with snow and the colourful flowers were now yellow, after being struck by Death's blade.

"I don't know what I expected. Maybe I hoped you would stay with me at least and not leave me like him. " I spoke softly in a crushed voice to the flowers.

I grabbed for the gold, white lemon flora that had once inhabited the garden. A tear skid from my eye.

"Why are you alone? Have my guards tired of watching you?" a stiff voice asked.

I jolted up. A metre away was a man with white hair in a bun, in a black trenchcoat and a burgundy silk scarf.

"Caius. Hi."
We awkwardly regarded one another.

"I still have no answer." he spoke in a whisper.
"Oh, no I needed to have some air. I told them not to follow me."

He nodded. He turned to leave the garden but he gazed back.

"You should not worry about Marcus. My brother may not look it but he can care for himself sufficiently."

"He is older."
A smile morphed his face. I was frightened, for a minute. I hadn't actually ever seen him smile.

"Funny, right? Yet he looks like a child... but that seemed to attract you."
My face was hot.

"I....I like Marcus' gentile nature."
"Do not pretend. You find him appealing. Why else would you have love-bites on your neck then?"

I covered my face.
"Nothing to feel shame for; Marcus has said nothing but respectful things about you. He always finds an excuse to leave home to seek you out."

I sighed.

"What good is that now?"
Cauis furrowed his brows.
"You are sad."

"Yeah, I miss him and he just left me without saying a thing about where he's heading. And we had a fight."

I don't know why I told him these things...maybe to ease my guilt.

"He will be back; I'm sure he had something important enough to leave you. If it reassures you he threatened to kill me if I displaced a single curl in your head. All the guards have orders to stay in their chambers too, from both my brothers."

I blushed. The guards really were not allowed to be near me. Demetri, Renata and Benji raced out suddenly. They tensed when they saw Caius and tried to shield me. I shooed them off.

"Relax guys, Caius and I are just talking."
They were quiet. Caius sighed.
"I see your watchdogs have returned. Excuse me Makayla, I must go see my wife."

He turned.
"Caius? Thanks...could I meet her?"
Caius studied me and twisted back to his original path.

"Only bring Benjamin. I do not feel comfortable with the others near my wife. Demetri call Corin."

"Yes, Master." Demetri said.
Renata stared after me. Cauis walked slowly beside me. Benjamin's eyes tracked Caius' movements nervously.

Then we were in front of a door, a brass one. He opened it and inside were two of the most beautiful women I'd ever laid eyes on. They were both five feet and seven inches. They wore long black gowns, and had pale pink smackers. Only their hair differentiated them.

Caius swiftly curled beside a blond vampiress and the inky haired goddess looked at me in confusion.

"My love, how are you today?" Caius said.
Benjamin closed the door.
"I am faring well, dear. Who is that woman?"

"That is Marcus' young mate, Makayla."
My face was hot. He didn't know I was Aro's mate. I kept quiet.

"Nice to meet you ladies," I said.
Sulpicia smiled.
"That is wonderful. We will soon have a sister to join our ranks."

The hairs on my arms erected. I would not be a ghostly figure like them,which would consume the blood of innocents to live.

"Yes," Caius replied.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Caius was so kind as to walk me back to Marcus' room.

I opened the door, ready to sleep. My heart beat quickly. On the bed was a beautiful arrangement of purple, white and pink hydrangeas. Then beside it was a beautifully illustrated card and a box of chocolates that resembled the milky way...shades of rose, cream and blue.

I held the card up.

It was a blue card fading into purple with a simple two looped chain.

"I'm sorry. If you can give me another chance, I would take back the evil deeds I've committed in the past; I would apologize for the pain I've caused you. I regret taking you from your family and not being honest about the nature of what I am. I hope you can, perchance, give me the opportunity to show you I'm not truly evil.

Aro."

I closed the card. I sighed.
"Benjamin. Call Aro; tell him to come here and to bring my dinner."

He held all the cards until the present.
Let's see if he is seeking forgiveness.

I was lying on the black headboard chewing the chocolates. They had a caramel or orange centre. There was a knock.

"Aro."
My heart quaked but I composed myself. I could face him.

"If there's no food; don't come in."
He entered. He wore a silver sweater and had his hair loose, in waves.

He had a tray balanced in his palm. His eyes beamed and a perky smile lit his demeanor.

"I met your wife today."
His face fell.
"Oh?"

I gave him a fake smile.

"When Caius introduced me, as Marcus' mate, to the Volturi wives your wife was especially ecstatic that she would have a new sister. Care to explain what they all mean?"

He slammed the tray down.
"That bastard is against me as well?"
The silverware shook.

"I apologise my dear. I got...emotional. My brother Caius is a volatile spirit. He chooses the side most likely to win. So, he often sides with me; when Marcus suddenly changed and became more prominent in the coven, he...Caius was my only ally left.

I should have known he would side with Marcus. But I am still shocked."
"Give me my food and get on with the explaining."
Aro regarded me with appraising eyes.

"Ok, your wish is my command."

He dawdled to the bedside table, where the food was and he walked to me and sat on the white bedspread.

"We are the rulers of the supernatural world and our prime objective is to protect our existence by keeping it a secret from you, humans. So, as a rule when a vampire exposes us, his duty is to dispose of the receiver of the knowledge of our world as he sees fit.
And since you are my mate, or rather Marcus'..." he said bitterly.

As he spoke, he handed me a piping bowl of fried rice with dumplings and a pork gravy.
"You aren't gonna kill me," I said,interrupting him mid-rant.

I bit on a dumpling.
"You catch on quickly. No, and Caius' premature introductions must have shown you what options are available to you."

"You want to change me into a blood-sucking demon?"
I put aside my food.

"We are the heads of the Volturi; we cannot make exceptions. You must understand this...Besides immortality has its perks. You will surely enjoy it," he said.

"But this is all your fault anyway! I'm not doing anything I don't wanna do."
I covered myself with a quilt and glowered at Aro.
"I know this is inconvenient but I swear you will have no regrets."

"This is more than an inconvenience; you want to force me to give up my life! What would I gain in doing anything that helped you?"

Aro stretched his hands out and I saw he had gloves on.

"Don't touch me, Aro. Haven't you already seen enough of my life? I will not talk about any more of this until I see Marcus. And your pretty little apologies aren't going to get me to do squat. Now, get out."

I was trembling as I said this. He could just turn and show his colours. Aro looked at me with wide eyes. But he left anyway.