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Standing at the edge of the same pond that I had sobbed in front of the day prior, our small group had found ourselves outside. Seeing as the air would make being near a human much easier, I let myself feel the breeze run through my hair and across my face.

"So, we have a lot to discuss," Aro starts, watching as Marcus and Caius made their way over to where we were, holding hands as they did so. My raven-haired mate smiles and kisses Caius on the cheek before starting back up again. "Not only do we have the added difficulties of you two being newborns, but we also will have to figure out a plan for your education since you are barred from being near any large group of humans until you have finished your newborn stage of vampire life. This is just for the safety of all vampires. Newborns such as yourselves have little control when you come into contact with human blood and could slaughter the entire classroom if there were an accident."

My cousins looked at each other before looking over to me, awkwardly smiling at my mate's presumptions about their ability to control themselves around a human like me. Not speaking up, they stay quiet and stay away from me, never getting closer than ten feet away from myself.

Caius and Marcus now standing next to me, I watch as Jane tries to make her way over to me, causing both kings to let out a string of angry hisses. The young girl cowers in fear and stays just as far away from me as her mate, not willing to cause her kings any more upset. Their angry hissing was enough to send chills down my own spine.

"Now, now, I miei amori, let us not hiss at our elite guard and scare la nostra bella Astraea. Guard, stay where you are, I suspect that the new bond is what has made my mates so territorial in ways they would not normally be," Aro sent our mates a reprimanding stare before turning back to the guard members, "Your mates are, as we have already found out, the younger identical twin cousins of the one true queen of the Volturi. What this shall entail is up to them, but they are royal through this bond. The four of you have always been higher than the rest of the guard due to your gifted abilities, but now, through Astro and Ambrose, you have also become a royal."

"What are we, my king?" Felix asked politely, not meeting Aro's gaze as he spoke.

"Titles other than ours have been deemed unnecessary throughout the years, but with the growing vampire population we will need more and more Volturi members to bring justice and peace in our secret world. To announce you as something higher than a guard right now may shock the world, so I think it would be best to deem you a Royal Guard here first and wait a few years, perhaps a decade, before telling the rest of our world of your esteemed status," my cousins' mates looked at each other before finally meeting Aro's gaze.

"Our mate is still human and will need extra protection. While Aro has Renata to guard him more personally, the rest of us have no guards other than the lower ones outside of our doors. I am certain that if push came to shove we would be able to protect Astraea, but it would put us at ease to know that a select amount of trusted and powerful guards were protecting her while we are at trial during the day," Marcus explained, his arms wrapped firmly around my waist, pulling me closer to his chest as he spoke.

"What of our mates, my king?" Alec asked Marcus.

"Both Ambrose and Astro will not be Royal Guards until they are out of the newborn stage and gain the ability to control themselves around humans and blood. Have the two of them shown any signs of being gifted? I know that those from the Angelos family have a much higher rate of becoming gifted than any other line of human beings, only being bested by those from the magical world," Alec looked over to his mate, who looked at his hands. "Many signs of being gifted are simply spewing out your gift or using it without control. I have found that with my own gift, triggering abilities as a newborn is often accidental and could be very dangerous in combat and training."

"My brother woke up before anyone came to check in on us this morning and when Santiago came in he pushed him into the wall. He was still on the bed," Astro outed his brother's gift and Ambrose let out a low hiss. My mates all hummed, thinking of what they could say about this development.

"What did it look like he was doing?" Aro asked, looking my cousin up and down, "A physical gift is much rarer than a mental one. Physicality is based more on genetics than mental ability."

"I think it was the air," Ambrose muttered.

"Aerokinesis," my mate tutted, "I have not yet seen someone manipulate the air around them. Have you been able to move the air since Santiago walked into the newborn room?"

"Not really," he said, "It didn't seem like that big of a deal. I thought I was dreaming."

"You will find that vampires are unable to sleep and henceforth unable to dream. Gifted vampires are quite hard to come by and are on the decline with bloodlines getting duller and less controlled in their ability to keep their gifted children safe. With all of the dangers of a modern world, I have found that even with a better vitality rate, gifted bloodlines have all but died out in favor of normal people. What a shame," Aro informs, moving to take a better look at him. "A powerful vampire for two of the most powerful vampire guards in the world. Your brother, has he shown any promise?"

"Not yet, but we will see," Ambrose snarked, smiling evilly at his twin, who glared at him in response.

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We did get to see the gift that Astro had found out he had. The two of them had found out that they shared one more thing in common, physical gifts that could bend the world around them. Gyrokenisis was what Aro deemed my cousin's gift to be, the ability to change and manipulate gravity, which he accidentally used to make himself float up to the ceiling during one of his trainings with the rest of the guard.

The rest of the world had not been notified about my existence, with only those annoying American vampires knowing of my mate bond with their kings. Not only did they know, but they would likely notify the rest of their coven of vampires. Whether or not the coven I had learned was placed in Forks, Washington, would become an issue for us remained unknown, but my mates insisted that their leader would not run against my ruling.

When asked about their coven leader, Caius shut down the conversation, directing his focus to what I wanted to eat for dinner. I had not pressed my mates further on the subject, seeing how frazzled my blonde mate had become at the mere mention of the unnamed vampire leader. Upsetting him would do me no good.

"Mia cara regina, what are you doing?" I cocked my head around to see none other than Marcus, who had a charming smile plastered on his comforting face. "Ah, are you looking for something in here? I doubt you would be able to reach, being so small."

"I am not small," I deny, looking up at the cabinets I was unable to reach, "Just trying to find paper and a pen. My uncle hasn't heard from me in a long time and I wouldn't want him to worry about me too much. He's often quite anxious."

Not saying anything back, my much taller mate simply opened up one of the mahogany drawers and handed me a piece of white paper and a ballpoint pen. "This should work for now. If you need any more, just ask us or one of the guards to help you, tesoro."

"Grazie."

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Finding myself lying down on the bed, the same bed that I had been lying on for the past three hours, I allowed myself to feel the keen sting of procrastination. It wasn't that I didn't want to write the letter, it was finding the way to express what had happened in its entirety that had become an issue.

Wielding the pen in my hand, I cracked down on the anxiety that plagued my brain and started to write whatever I could down.

Dear Uncle,

While these past few days have been most hectic, I hope that my absence has not plagued your mind. I am safe and sound in the clocktower, which I now know is the home of the Volturi, a vampire coven. I understand now why you did not want us venturing out into this area, but I had no choice.

When I first came into contact with that rogue vampire, I had no clue that the experience would change my life the way it has. Astro and Ambrose have put off writing to you out of fear that you will either disown them or hate them for what they became. I implore you to still care about your sons as vampires just as you did when they were human. Nothing would make them happier in these trying times of their lives.

Both Ambrose and Astro have changed physically, but they are still the same boys you raised. The two of them have found their mates in their immortal lives.

Jane and Alec, a set of fraternal twins, are mated to Astro. No, the twins are not together as well, they share a soul sibling bond as well as a biological bond.

Demetri and Felix are mated to Ambrose. For them, it is a three way mate bond in which all parties are mated to each other, unlike Astro and his mates.

For myself, I have also found my mate bonds. I think you will recognize the names of your employer's employers. Aro, Caius, and Marcus Volturi are my mates. From the times that I have spent with them I can say that all three of them are just as devoted to me as I am devoted to them. I won't waste your time with the sappy romantic things that they do for me on a daily basis, but I will say that the three of them will do whatever it takes to win you over and win my heart, which is already theirs.

Terrible things have led to much better outcomes. With our departure from the house you will finally be able to gain an office area. Auntie will also be able to have a room for her precious carnations now that my room has become vacant. No longer will you have to worry about us being fed, as the castle has all of the food we could ever want or need. Although Ambrose and Astro will be having a new diet, I am still very much a human being who eats normal human food thrice daily.

I hope that even when we are gone that you will find time to think about us. I know that I will be thinking about you during my time spent here.

With all my care,

Astraea Angelos

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"What has my sister given you to wear today, amore?" I whipped my head around only to see Aro, who had placed his comforting hands on my shoulders, lightly pressing a kiss to my head. My light green dress was tight around my curves, a nice and snug fit. A pair of white flats had found their way onto my feet, courtesy of Didyme Volturi.

"You should know her style after being near her for so long," I reply, walking a little bit farther, only to find myself inside of a large greenhouse. "I didn't know that vampires liked to garden in their free time. This has a larger selection than the local nursery as well. How long has it been here?"

"Much longer than I would like to admit, although only our coven members are allowed inside to see its beauty. Quite a few vampires like to tend to the weeds as a way to pass the time, as immortality can get boring after a while," his voice was hushed, deep and scholarly, as he ushered me into the largest room.

Petite Willows and Laurel bushes lined the sides of the greenhouse, blocking out some of the light that would have, under any other circumstance, shine down and cause any vampire's skin to shimmer. On the sides I could identify three types of flowers: Amaryllis', Hydrangeas, and Dahlias. The ceiling of the gorgeous room held purple Wisteria, which sucked up most of the light in the area.

"I have found that this greenhouse is one of my favorite rooms, only topped by our music and art rooms," my mate admitted, looking out to the many different types of beautiful flowers that were thriving under the Italian summer sun. "What would you like to do today, αγάπη μου?"

Looking at my mate with a smile on my face, I step a bit closer to some of the many flowers inside of the greenhouse. "I'll do whatever you want to do. I'm not very picky and I don't have any clue about any of the things we even could do inside of this castle."

My much taller mate gave me a small smile and embraced me from behind. "How about I show you around the rooms of the castle? I don't think you've seen Caius' art rooms or my instruments. They will always be open for you to go inside."

"You have rooms for yourself?" He nods. "This place must be huge if it's supposed to fit multiple rooms filled with what you like to do. I don't think I've ever been to a place that has so many rooms in general. Our house only had a few rooms and we always shared our spaces."

"Never again will you have to share. Unless it has to do with our mates, you will have to get used to sharing them. Although it will be hard for us to share you between the three of us," I laughed and turned around, looking into his maroon eyes. "Your eyes, the perfect mix of light grey and electric blue. Caius will have a blast painting you. I believe that he will be pestering you about that soon, he wishes to paint every member of the Volturi once they join. You will find that our mate has an affinity for the colors of this world."

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The beaming sun shone down on the art room that Aro had led me to, allowing the many paintings inside to stand out. I had never seen such beauty. Not even the many museums in Sicily that we had visited during the summers could compare to what was standing right before me.

Paintings made with ancient oils were placed in grandiose gold frames, perfectly aligned with the theme of the room. All sketches that lined the walls were made with such precision that one would assume that they were actually photographs. Both black and gold could be seen throughout this room, with dashes of blues and reds contrasting the dark colors that were painted on old canvas.

Caius could be seen right by the windows, sitting down on a black cushion as he faced a canvas, palette in hand. Three major colors were already on this painting: silver, gold, and black. They seemed to be his favorites, or just the ones that he used most often by the looks of the paintings around the room.

"Mio caro," Aro croons as Caius finally put down his painting palette. Our blonde mate turned around, a small dash of gold staining his pale cheek, smiling as he saw us at the door frame. "Sembra già stupendo, amore mio."

"Grazie," Caius whispered, staying where he was in the room. Aro chuckled before taking my arm and walking me over to our mate, kissing Caius' non-painted cheek. "I didn't think I would be seeing you in here today. Do we not have any trials for the day or are you allowing Jane to handle them?"

"Justice has been served for the day, mio caro, Jane is spending more time with her mate just like la nostra bellezza and I," he glanced over at the other paintings in the room, "We must get more storage if you are to make such a masterpiece. They should be on display where others can enjoy their allure."

"You flatter me too much," Caius insists, looking over at his unfinished piece, "They are not as good as you presume."

"I disagree, Il mio amore, as you are the best painter in Italy. You don't give yourself enough credit for these works," our mate looks down at the ground, clearly not believing the raven king's praises of his artwork. "I was just showing Astraea around the castle and our favorite rooms. We shall leave you to your beautiful work. I wish to see it when it has been finished, or at any time, Il mio bellissimo re."

Giving my mate a kiss on the cheek, Aro and I left Caius to his painting, which he did with fervor as he picked back up his paints. Spraying the canvas with beautiful oils, I saw the eyes of the figure peek out, almost watching us as we made our way back into the hallway.

Walking together, we made our way into a new room, one of which I had also not seen before. This one was filled with assortments of musical instruments, all different and some even brightly colored.

Vintage guitars lined the edges of the room, with some violins intermixed between them. Right in the center of the large room was a black and gold marbleized grand piano, with a spotlight on the ceiling above it that held a royal feeling throughout the room. It was messier than the art room, or what could be considered an ancient and royal gallery, but it held its own sense of self as we moved further in.

"This is where I used to spend most of my time, but these days we have gotten so busy with the expansion of the vampire world that almost all of my free time is spent with my mates or in trial," Aro admits, looking at the slightly dusty guitar in the corner, "Although I can say that a vampire's skill sets do not fade with time like that of a human's. Our mates used to love for me to play for them when they got upset. Marcus especially, as music tends to calm him down the fastest, although reading to him will have a similar effect."

"The three of you all have things that you're good at," Aro chuckled and picked up one of his many violins, dusting it off. "Here I am, not skilled at much of anything."

"I don't believe that you aren't good at something," he claims, setting down the ancient violin on the ground. "There is nobody that has not gained a foothold in no skill, even children have things that they show great promise in. Even the most moronic of humans, and you are a clever woman. Plus, I know what you are good at already, so do not try to deflate your own accomplishments."

"I'm really not-" he cut me off.

"I figured you would deny it, but I think you forget that vampires have heightened senses. Our bathroom, while it is softened by our soundproofing, is a place where we can hear what is going on inside," I feel my face turn a bright red at his words, "We can all hear you sing in the shower, mia cara, and it is a heavenly noise indeed. I wish to hear it more often."

"You weren't supposed to listen!" was all I could exclaim as Aro laughed at my flustered expression. "It isn't funny! You aren't supposed to listen to what goes on while other people are in the shower! I could have been doing anything in there!"

"Don't fret, mia cara, we only listen on occasion. Did you not wonder why all of us were on the bed looking at the door as you walked out? That voice of yours, it's angelic," my face stayed a heated red as he placed a hand on my warm cheek, "Your talent is your voice, so rare and alluring just like that of a siren's call."

"I think Caius was right about your flattery," he huffed and embraced me in his slightly chilled arms. "I guess I will have to be more careful with my singing now that you've found me out."

"Please don't, it's the best music I've ever heard," I shook my head in denial. Best music he's ever heard... Blatant lies. "I wish to hear you sing to us more. It truly is beautiful."

"Only if you'll pay me in cuddles."

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ᴛʀᴀɴꜱʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴꜱ:

Sembra già stupendo, amore mio. It looks gorgeous already, my love.

la nostra bellezza. Our beauty. 

Il mio bellissimo re. My beautiful king.

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ɪ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀꜱᴛᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ꜱᴄᴇɴᴇꜱ ᴀʀᴇ ᴠᴇʀʏ ꜱᴍᴀʟʟ, ʙᴜᴛ ɴᴏᴛ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ɪꜱ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴɪɴɢ ɪɴꜱɪᴅᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴏʟᴛᴜʀɪ ᴄᴀꜱᴛʟᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʟɪᴋᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜɪꜱ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴꜱʜɪᴘ ᴛᴏ ɢᴏ ᴀᴛ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴄᴇɴᴛ ᴘᴀᴄᴇ. ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ꜱᴛᴏʀɪᴇꜱ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ʜᴀᴠɪɴɢ ꜱᴇx ᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴀʟʟɪɴɢ ꜰᴀꜱᴛ, ʙᴜᴛ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀᴛᴀʀᴀxɪᴀ ɪ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ᴛʜᴀᴛ'ꜱ ʜᴏᴡ ɪᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ɢᴏ. ᴀꜱᴛʀᴀᴇᴀ ɪꜱ ʙᴏᴛʜ ʏᴏᴜɴɢ ᴘʜʏꜱɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ, ᴏɴʟʏ 17, ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜɴɢ ᴀᴛ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ.

ᴍᴏꜱᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜɪꜱ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ꜱᴍᴀʟʟᴇʀ ꜱᴄᴇɴᴇꜱ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴀᴅ ᴜᴘ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ʟᴀʀɢᴇʀ ꜱᴄᴇɴᴇꜱ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴇxᴘʟᴀɪɴ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴏʟᴛᴜʀɪ'ꜱ ᴘᴀꜱᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʙᴏᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴘ ꜱɪᴅᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀꜱᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴏʀᴍᴀʟ ᴘᴀʀᴛꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀꜱᴇ. ᴛʜᴇ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅʟɪɴᴇꜱ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ ɪꜱ ᴀ ᴄʀᴏꜱꜱᴏᴠᴇʀ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴍᴀɴʏ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋꜱ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜɪꜱ ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀꜱᴇ. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀꜱᴛᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴀʀᴛꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜɪꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ʙᴇᴛᴛᴇʀ ɪ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʀᴇᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴅ ʟᴏᴏᴋɪɴɢ ᴀᴛ ᴍʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ʟɪꜱᴛꜱ.

ɪ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴇᴅ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ, ɪᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ʜᴀʀᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ɪᴛ ᴛᴜʀɴᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ.

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