"YOU'RE HOPELESS, YOU KNOW THAT? COMPLETELY AND ENTIRELY HOPELESS AND I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU LIVED TO THREE LET ALONE TWENTY-THREE."

"Just a bit of magic on my part," I teased. "You didn't need to come, Chrissy. I promised you it was an accident! People make mistakes. I'm only human," I sang at the end.

"No, you're a literal alien." She made a fake noise of disgust before adding, "I was fucking an extraterrestrial being last year. Do you have blue skin? We'll never know because you won't update me on your location correctly. As we planned."

I laughed and drank a swig of her water cup. "Blue skin wouldn't stop you, Chrissy, you're freaky like that."

She rolled her eyes and took back her cup. "Whatever. Now I'm in Italy with you, probably going to be living her for a while if what you're saying about this little job of yours is true. Secretary for some rich Italian folk who get their money off of innocent tourists."

"It's not as bad as you make it out to be. Look, Chrissy, they're paying me a shit ton to do this job. Carlisle doesn't expect me back for a few months and I have to make bank whatever way I can."

It was a lie. A full on, really dumb lie. But when you get talking with your 'guard' and offer yourself to service the castle in whatever way possible because you feel guilty that they're spending money on you... Well, you lie to your ex girlfriend and pray she doesn't call you out on your bullshit.

I mean, I can't just sit my butt around and do nothing while in Italy... can I? Maybe, but that's no fun, and working for these men can't be the worst. Carlisle will forgive me.

Yeah, she wasn't impressed at all. No stories I could weave around made this sound any better. But instead of debating me, she dragged her luggage into the middle of the corridor. Guiding her through the mass of people who were now staring at the both of us, we made our way into the suite rooms that Marcus gave us.

"So like are these guys in business with Bill Gates or something?" I shrugged. Chrissy weakly beat my shoulder with a book. "Damn you for dragging me into this shit with you when you don't even know who these people are or what they do. For all we know, they could be ghouls looking to eat us or something."

The worst I thought they could be was cult leaders. Wouldn't put it past me to get involved with one of those.

Yet Aro is so kind to me. I mean, who gives a girl you just met a tiara probably worth millions? A rich guy, sure, but a nice rich guy, right?

Right. He even called me adorable. Hah! Take that - someone finds me adorable.

"Why are you looking at the floor like that?" Chrissy questioned. "God, you - River. Your cheeks are bright red. What were you thinking about, you freak?"

I sputtered for a second before shaking my head. "Nothing, nothing Chrissy. Start unpacking. I think my new bosses want to meet with me tonight."

Truth be told, nothing can be hidden from Chrissy for long. Secrets are stupid when you've done just about everything with someone. If only she knew about what Aro gave me today. She wouldn't be so worried if she saw how pretty that tiara is, I thought.

"Rivs. You and I know that face you make when you..." She turned away, running a few fingers through her locs. "Just promise me that the second shit hits the fan, you don't let whoever is making you blush like that trample all over you? Cause I won't be able to save you from everything, even if I want to."

What the hell was she talking about?

"Just try to not get kidnapped this time around, kay?"

---

UNLIKE MY EXPECTATIONS, AFTON INFORMED ME THAT MY MEETING WITH ARO, CAIUS, AND MARCUS WOULD OCCUR THE AFTERNOON AFTER CHRISSY CAME TO VOLTERRA.

Afton stared at me while I read a fairly large novel in the library. Waiting by spending my time getting lost in whatever story I could find - perfect.

An epic, awe-inspiring love story between two straight people is common, but lord sometimes you need it. Just knowing neither of them will die is good enough for me. Chrissy hates this sort of soppy mess. I think she's given up on true love.

Could never be me.

"Ah, do you enjoy the selection?" It was Marcus. "We try and keep it up to date with modern trends."

I was feeling bold. "Well, your trying has fantastic outcomes, boss. How do you keep them organized? I know, alphabetical, but there's just so many."

He paused for a second before letting out a long hum.

"Most of it comes down to paperwork," he confessed, "and the worst of it is done by the librarians. However, you may find yourself taking some of it to them now that you've taken up this job."

Careful to not disturb the peace in the room, I quietly placed down the half-finished book on the table. Marcus watched intently, eyes moving too slowly.

"So, are we going to dance around the meeting at hand for another few days, or are you bringing me?"

He laughed a little too loudly for us being in a library. "River, yes, we're going to the meeting right now. How lucky you are that Aro and I like good humor. Caius doesn't, so try to tone it down around him. He's quite the buzzkill."

The blonde. The one I ran into. The man with flowers. Caius.

"I can only try, I suppose," I said noncommittaly before perking back up as Aro strolled into the room with a particularly warm smile plastered on his pale face. "Can only find solace in the fact that you two have a sense of humor."

"He isn't the worst, River. He has his good points," Marcus implored. "Caius is... Caius. He'll open up when he's ready to."

What a weird thing to say to your subordinate.

Aro didn't acknowledge either of us as he walked into an office room adjacent to the librarian's little desk. Sitting up, I followed suit, allowing Marcus time to put away the book in the sorting area before we left.

The office we walked into consisted of a desk and quite a few comfortable chairs littered about, with a chandelier hanging from the ceiling and a painting unlike any other next to the door.

I sat down in the leather chair nearest to the painting, which was one of angels with black wings, pale skin, and slightly red eyes. It seemed to move as I looked deeper, like the beings depicted were truly alive and listening to the things happening around them.

Aro was already at the desk, working away at a stack of papers, only rarely stealing glances at me as I awkwardly stared at the painting.

When Caius came in, dressed in a fine and fitted suit, I felt the mood drop. He scowled at Aro, who sent him a look that said shut up. Marcus paid no mind to their little battle, however, and patiently waited for the meeting to commence.

"Now," Caius started as he sat down in a chair across from me. His arms were crossed, his piercing black eyes darker than ever. "We have many things to discuss this afternoon. Your work load, scheduling, rules. Of course, you have a job, you know all of this."

It took everything to take Marcus' advice and bite my tongue, keeping back whatever joke I wanted to make to lighten the mood. The room felt like it could crash down from the tension looming in every corner; cracking at my composure.

"If you could provide the rules in list form, that would be greatly appreciated," I said, trying to stay calm as he stared me down. His judgmental gaze wasn't making this any easier.

"Are you hard of hearing or something?" Caius asked quite rudely.

"Caius-" Aro almost seethed.

"It's fine, it's fine, Aro." This was going to be much harder than I originally imagined. He's a bit more than a buzzkill. "I'm not hard of hearing, but I do have difficulties remembering things when they're not on paper for me to reference. I don't want to break your rules."

He pursed his lips before getting out a cruel, "Are you going to be one of those stuck up workers-"

"This is not how we're going to attend to these matters, Caius!" Aro butted in. "Your foul attitude is abhorrent. I'm disgusted. Apologize instantly to our m- new secretary. You won't be throwing her out like you do the other ones. Absolutely nobody will listen to you if you act like a petulant child."

Caius gritted his teeth. "Well maybe, Aro, I don't need you to listen to me to survive!"

There's something I should have learned from my youth, and it's that rich people have the worst attitudes. How angels like Aro and Marcus handle him... They deserve awards.

"That's enough of your whining, Caius. Marcus and I will handle these matters and you will sort yourself out away from this side of the castle." Aro pointed at the door. "Out. Leave. I'll see you at dinner."

And there I was, awestruck in my chair as per usual. At least I still have a job and a place to stay...?

"I am so sorry about him. He isn't usually this bad," Aro began to apologize. "If there is anything we can do to make up for this experience, tell us. Caius will not hear the end of this, I assure you."

Despite my discomfort, I let out a slight laugh.

"You really care about your employees, don't you, Aro?"

"We're a family here in Volterra. For over a thousand years. Don't let him being sour dampen that image. He's the odd one out." He smiled again. That beaming smile that could light up a crowd.

"Welcome to Volterra, again, River. I'll make that schedule for you, and the rule list. Anything else you need will be prepared, and ask if I miss anything."

---

So I love the idea of a softer, very protective Aro. Plus here comes Marcus with a sense of humor! Caius is being a sourpuss again, but we're used to that already. He'll warm up to River soon, don't worry, he's just a meanie at first.

---