A MIXED BOUQUET OF WHITE LILIES AND ROSES IN A FANCY GLASS VASE LAID IN AFTON'S HANDS WHEN I OPENED UP MY DOOR THE NEXT MORNING.

Already running late for work, I took the note attached with me, accepting that I'd have to read it while bringing more paperwork to various rooms throughout the clocktower. The flowers can stay on my dresser during the day.

My heels clicked on the floor as I made my way through the winding corridors. During the past few days I'd made it my goal to map out the area, find the quickest way to each place. I was largely successful, rarely getting turned around.

Whatever was being taken care of with these files, it was of the upmost importance that I bring it before noon. Or that's what Marcus said. He doesn't give me many details about exactly what I'm bringing around this massive structure.

I haven't gotten much better at fitting into this scene. The others wore uniforms that I didn't, although we shared the same necklace. Mine had jewels, which made me stand out further.

Maybe that's why a woman with shining blonde hair took notice to me.

"Are you new around here?" The woman asked as I plopped the stack down on the correct desk in the expansive library.

"First week," I answered as cheerily as I could. I think I may have gotten a few blisters on the way over here. "Just a secretary."

"A secretary..." She paused for a few seconds and frowned. Lord, had I made her upset already? Must be the outfit. I look too American, don't I? The blonde woman sighed.

"I'm Athenodora. Caius' wife," she introduced. "What's your name?"

To be honest, I was surprised that someone like Caius was married. Not only is he young, he's incorrigible. Demanding. Dare I say annoying?

This is your boss, you can't think about him like that, I reminded myself. Maybe if you're nice to his wife, he'll be better. Decent.

"River." She gave a small smile. I couldn't tell if it was genuine. "I'll probably be out of your hair in a few months, I'm technically a medical intern overseas."

"America. The accent." Athenodora smirked. "What sort of work do you do? I'm afraid to say I've never held a job of my own. I doubt Caius would approve of it."

I gave a soft laugh before grabbing my next stack of papers. I knew what those ones were. New orders for books, and a few things detailing the arrangements of said books. Nothing out of the ordinary for an establishment such as this, I suppose.

"Well, I'm currently a medical intern working under an experienced doctor," I explained. "To be honest, I don't know why my bosses wanted me here so badly. I'm not very good at this stuff. I got the rest of the employees in trouble yesterday because Aro and Marcus let me copy down my schedule - that didn't go very well. Caius was pissed at the rest of them. If he was acting weird, I'm sorry."

Athenodora laughed. A good, hearty laugh. At least I haven't scared her off, I thought.

"My husband could be maddened by the silliest of things, River, you mustn't be anxious over it." Caius' wife glanced over at the bookshelf behind us before her eyes trailed back to me. "I will warn you, though, his vile temper matches his manners. He never apologizes for a single thing he does, no matter how anguished and guilty he feels. It's not in his nature."

Her words spooked me. And not in the horror-house way. I mean, it sent shivers down my spine.

Caius apologized to me just yesterday. Quite honestly, in fact, and taking full responsibility.

"Oh, well, I know his attitude is shit, sorry for saying it." She just laughed, but I frowned. "He does apologize though. Rarely, maybe, but he does. At least, he did yesterday. To me."

Athenodora froze in place, a frightfully torn look in her black eyes. For a split second, I thought she was going to cry.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Athenodora. I gotta bring these papers to Afton so he can do what needs to be done with them. Goodbye!" I gave her a small wave before bringing myself back out into the hallway.

Why do I feel like I'm missing something?

---

THE FIRST THING ATHENODORA NOTICED WAS CAIUS' SEAL ON THE NOTE HIS NEW SECRETARY LEFT.

She debated for a few seconds whether or not it was rude to take a peek, as the mortals of today would say, and settled on being nosy. This was her husband, of course, and he would have nothing to hide from her. With confidence, the ancient vampire turned over the card and was horrified to find her husband's perfect cursive handwriting.

𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒕, 𝒔𝒐 𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆. 𝑺𝒆𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒔 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒈𝒐𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒖𝒊𝒕, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒘𝒏. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒃𝒚 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒔. 𝑰 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒔𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒓.

𝑺𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏,
𝑪𝒂𝒊𝒖𝒔 𝑽𝒐𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒊

Athenodora searched her mind for some reason why her husband would show such affection for a mere secretary, a mortal woman who could give him nothing. She turned to jealousy. She'd married Caius to solve a dispute, sure, but she'd stayed by his side for three thousand years.

Apologies are not something Caius gives. And flowers are supposed to be their thing.

Her head spun with possibilities. Some better, some worse. Athenodora knew she had to get to the bottom of this mystery. Her own husband would not leave her grasp. No mortal could mean something more to her Caius.

The blonde-haired ancient felt disgusted by this note. She wanted to tear it to shreds and sob. Such betrayal wasn't expected from today.

Then she remembered last night. Their whole conversation about Aro and his behavior with Sulpicia. Was this somehow connected? Were they both in on something? Something related to this girl?

A girl who didn't even know they were monsters.

It was obvious to Athenodora. The secretaries of the Volturi in years past flinched whenever they saw the guards, or her. River did not share this fear. Her eyes were remarkably warm and generous, disgustingly so.

The note was evidence. Now all she needed was Sulpicia. They could make a case, confront their husbands together. Perhaps they could ask Marcus what they should do. He's the levelheaded one, the one who's always been there for her. Free of judgement.

When she saw Aro and Caius entering the library, she had to fight back the urge to walk over there and slap her husband in the face. Anger poured out of her pores, from every part of her body, but she dared not show any of it.

No, this had to be strategic. If her husband was planning on replacing her with some human, she needed more than a note to prove it. Sulpicia would be involved in this, of course. She would share her fury with her sister in this.

Athenodora thought back to before she met Caius. Oh, she'd been an unstoppable force. On her own she'd killed multiple Children of the Moon. Nobody would dare mess with her. Ancients feared the name Athenodora, and she was sick and tired of playing queen if Caius forgot who he married.

So after dinner she told Sulpicia everything. In their tower, where nobody would disturb them.

"He's going to replace me, I just know it!" Athenodora almost shouted in agony. "Sulpicia, I don't deserve this. I'm a strong vampire. We don't even need these damn guards at our door to protect us! They were for Didyme's comfort, not ours!"

"This human has only been here for a few days, sister, she can't have him wrapped around her finger yet," Sulpicia tried to comfort. "This will be nothing more than a passing fancy, I promise. He's probably just having one of those mid-century crises he often has. Remember the last one?"

She did. He set the gardens on fire over Marcus giving him the cold shoulder.

"You said this human was planning to move back to America for her job soon, right?" Athenodora nodded into Sulpicia's chest. "Remind him of that. Being cruel to him only hardens him further."

"Be real mean to Aro for me, Sully." She laughed softly as she ran her fingers through her sister's blonde hair. "Be the meanest you can possibly be."

"I will, I will. The worst. Absolutely vile," she promised. "Just remember, the sex after this will all be worth it. Breathe. Sex."

Athenodora chortled and playfully slapped Sulpicia's hand away.

"But what do we do with the note?" The blonde woman asked. "I can't pretend I haven't read it."

"Yes you can, Thena. He can't know you're reading his letters to his secretary. He'll be furious!" She sighed and patted her shoulder. "Fake it till you make it, isn't that what the younger ones say these days? To fake it."

Right, she would fake it. Everything is normal, even if it isn't.

---

Woah, double update day. Can't believe I pulled this off.

Sulpicia and Athenodora, you hate them but they're the best vamp girl duo right now. They remind me of middle aged women who obsessively play candy crush while their marraige falls apart.

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