After a warm bath, Lily dressed in sleep pants and a tank. She left off the shoes as usual and padded over to her office. If she laid down right now, she'd only get stiff and the furniture in her sitting area was far too plush for her to get out of easily in her current condition. Her office chair would be about perfect for now.

She decided to check out her new computer and see what was hiding in the drawers of her desk. That kept her occupied until she got lost in emails. She hadn't checked them in several days and she needed to respond to several of them. It was early afternoon when a knock came at the door. Needing to move anyway, she went over to answer it instead of just calling them in.

As expected, it was her mates. She could feel them looking over her injuries, but all she cared about was the plate in Aro's hand. Seeing the food, she suddenly realized that she was starving. She snatched the plate from him, causing him to chuckle. She went back to her desk and reclaimed her seat. Caius and Aro sat in two of the chairs and she blinked when she realized Marcus was gone though he'd been there just a moment before.

"Where's Marcus?"

"He'll return shortly," Aro assured.

She felt their gazes as she ate her sandwich and glanced over at them. It only took her a second to realize they were taking in both her bruises from earlier and her much older scarring. Caius's gaze in particular seemed to be focused on her arm that bore the scars from the fire. She held it up and turned it so he could get a better view. "Pretty, huh?"

Marcus entered the room as she said it and his eyes ran over the burns before flicking back to hers. "Might I ask..."

She hummed in response and leaned back in her chair. "It's from the night John died. I burnt my hand a little retrieving the crest but most of this is from me grabbing my phone. It had been knocked from my hand during the fight and was across the room on the floor. Every way I had to contact anyone was in that phone. I couldn't leave without it. I already had a pain block up. I didn't feel it until much later."

"So, there is a downfall to your gift?" Aro asked.

"Oh, there's several, but that is one of the biggest, yes."

"Humans are so fragile," Caius mutters, his gaze locked on the scars.

Lily arched a brow and scowled at the blond king. Sometimes he was so bizarre. The look on his face unsettled her, but she shook it off when Marcus placed something on the desk before claiming the remaining chair. When he did so, she realized that she had three guest chairs in her office precisely for this reason. After all, they already told her that she'd meet others in the offices off the throne room. They really had thought of everything.

Her cheeks flushed and she cleared her throat as she picked up the vial. The liquid within was a brownish-purple and thick. She frowned at it before looking at her mates. "What is it?"

"Drink it," Marcus instructed. "It will help with your injuries."

"That didn't really answer the question," she muttered as she took the cap off to sniff the odd concoction. Her lip curled in disgust.

"It is a potion that our witches have created. We would not give you anything that would harm you, Liliana," Aro assured, a small smile on his lips.

She looked between the three of them one more time before taking a deep breath and downing the vial in one quick motion. Her gag reflex kicked in immediately and she had to swallow several times to make sure it stayed down. She downed her glass of water in an attempt to chase the flavor from her tongue. "That is foul," she finally managed to say and the kings chuckled.

"You will be tired," Aro informed as he stood. "We will leave you."

The other two followed him out and Lily headed toward her bathroom to scrub her mouth out with her toothbrush. By the time she finished, she noticed her muscles were already feeling less sore. Maybe it was worth it. Maybe.

***

(Aro's POV)

Once they had seen to their mate, the kings gathered in Aro's personal office. "We must discuss the issue with Bianca," he said as he sat behind his desk. The truth was he'd been putting off this discussion as he contemplated just how deep her betrayal ran. He was too much of a realist to assume John Montgomery's death was the only memory of her own that she had altered.

"What exactly is there to discuss?" Marcus asked, his voice clipped. He crossed his legs and rested his hands on his thigh. "Her crime is evident."

Aro made a sound of agreement and nodded. "Yes, it is. What I don't understand is why she allowed any of it to happen? She should have called the moment she became aware of Jakob's obsession with Liliana."

"It is not a question of her death. That is a given. The question is how many times has she lied? Who was punished that shouldn't have been or vice versa?" Caius said, his voice low, even, angry.

That was the question that had been haunting Aro since the moment he viewed Liliana's memories. And it was a question he very much suspected would not be answered.

***

Liliana woke the next morning feeling better than she had any right to considering the previous day. A glance at her arms showed unblemished skin where bruises had rested previously. Apparently the nasty potion was worth it. After giving a brief thought to her plans for the day, she rose and dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.

She'd just pulled the top down when a knock came at her door. "Enter," she called.

Demetri entered with a tray and a cheeky grin. "Morning, Mistress."

She rolled her eyes. "Morning, Demi." She sat on the couch before taking a long drink of the coffee he'd brought with her breakfast. "How are you?"

"Fabulous," he assured as he dropped into one of the chairs. "You?"

"Fantastic," she answered after swallowing a mouthful of eggs.

He frowned. "You took a couple of good hits yesterday. I thought you'd be hurting more."

"Magic potion."

He blinked at her before shrugging and she wasn't sure if he believed her or not. Not that it mattered.

"What are your plans today?" he asked.

"Painting."

He tilted his head. "Guess I don't need to entertain you then. The masters are seeing to some business. I'll be at the bottom of the stairs if you need anything."

She nodded. "Thank you." She kept the still half full mug of coffee while he took the tray and left.

Lily left her room and meandered over to Caius's rooms. She entered the larger set of doors and headed into the studio that he had shown her. It felt odd to be in here without him, but he had told her to use it whenever she pleased. She took the opportunity to look at the pieces scattered about the room in various stages of completion.

Her blond mate had such incredible talent. Granted he'd had 3000 years to perfect his skills, but still. Drawings scattered across a table caught her eye and she bit her lip when she realized most of them were of her. She looked stunning and wondered if that was how he really saw her or if he was trying to make her prettier.

Shaking her head against that line of thought, she went over to where her own supplies had been placed and pulled out a new canvas and the other paints she would need to bring life to the image in her head. Spotting a dock at the side of the room, she placed her phone in so she could have music while she worked.

She'd always found it a little odd that the images in her brain could be so abstract. That she could break things down to color and shape. An idea more than a physical object. She sang and hummed as she moved paint across the canvas, her hips often swaying in time to the music. She let herself just get lost in the action and forget about everything else for a moment.

***

Caius POV

When they returned to their floor, the kings were informed by Demetri that their mate was painting and hadn't been seen since this morning. Irritation spiked through Caius. There was only one place she would be painting and that was in his studio. He wasn't entirely certain where the annoyance came from as he had told her to use the room whenever she wished. Perhaps, he was irritated that he hadn't been present her first time using the room. Or perhaps he was just upset that he wasn't with her period.

He growled in annoyance and sped off to his rooms, ignoring his brothers' protests behind him. When he arrived in the room, he was prepared to snap at her for being in his studio without him present. Or to berate her for using his things. Anything really to make her feel as uneasy as he did.

All those thoughts fled the moment his gaze fell on her. She was dressed casually and was barefoot as usual. Her hair had been thrown up in a messy bun and several strands had come loose and were hanging free. Her attention was locked on the painting in front of her while she sang along with the song playing. Even as she moved the brush across the canvas, her hips moved in time with the music. She was enchanting.

As he continued to watch his mate, Caius came to one startling realization. It didn't matter if Liliana was human or not, she had complete possession of his heart.

***

"Stunning."

The rich voice came from behind her and Lily jumped slightly. She spun to find Caius with a small smile on his face. "Excuse me?" she asked with wide eyes.

He gestured toward her work. "The painting. It's lovely."

(painting by Yuri Pysar)

She turned back to look at it with a tilt of her head. "Do you think so?"

He came to stand beside her and warmth flooded her despite his coldness. "Absolutely. I knew you painted, but I had no idea you were this talented. I'd love to see more of your work."

Lily gazed at her blond mate unsure what to make of his sudden attitude change. He was attentive, friendly with no sign of irritation at her existence. When he just continued to watch her with those crimson eyes, she nodded. "Sure. I take pictures of everything." She gestured at the room around her. "I've got nothing on you. These are amazing."

The corner of his mouth kicked up. "Well, I have had a bit more time to practice." She couldn't help but smile at that. "Besides, don't sell yourself short. I'm not sure I could paint an abstract work if I tried. It takes its own kind of talent."

"Thank you," she said as she cleaned her brush. "I'm going to leave this for a couple of days. Make sure I'm happy with it. What are you up to?"

He pursed his lips. "At the moment, nothing."

"How about I grab my computer and I can show you my work while I eat a late lunch?" she offered. Her stomach was tight with tension as she waited for his response.

A genuine smile curved his lips. "That sounds perfect."

***

Lily was surprised at how easily her and Caius fell into conversation. He'd been the best version of himself the entire afternoon. Early evening Marcus collected him to take care of some more business. Marcus had kissed the top of her head while Caius kissed her cheek and then they were gone.

She'd gone back to her own rooms and curled up to read. She hadn't read very far when there was a knock on her door. "Yes?"

Jane stepped into the room. "The masters are requesting your presence in the throne room for a trial. Please prepare yourself accordingly." Then she was gone.

Lily blinked a couple of times before hopping up and hurrying to her closet. After selecting a dress, she slipped it on along with a pair of kitten heels. She let her hair down and brushed it out, leaving it to lay naturally with its normal wave. A light dusting of makeup and she was ready to go.

She opened the door and found Jane waiting for her. The girl looked her over from head to toe before giving her a smile. Then she was off for the throne room and Lily trailed behind. When they arrived at the heavy doors, two of the guard pulled them open. Aro greeted her as she entered the room.

He came to stand in front of her and took her hand in his. "Ah, there she is." He pressed a kiss on the back of her hand and led her to his throne. Once, he'd seen her settled, he gestured to one of the guard who hurried from the room. "We believed you may wish to be present for the next trial. It concerns the death of John Montgomery amongst other things."

Confusion swamped her. The vampire responsible for the death of her dad had been dead for a very long time so what was this about. As the door opened to admit two guards with a struggling woman between them, Demetri and Felix moved to take guard on either side of her. Lily eyed the woman they dragged before the thrones. She didn't look familiar in the least.

The woman was forced to her knees. "What is this? What have I been accused of Masters? I have served you faithfully for years."

"So you say," Caius said.

Confusion covered the prisoner's face but when her gaze shifted to Liliana, she froze.

"Have you met our mate, Bianca?" Marcus' voice was cold. Lily glanced over to see he was smirking although anger burned in his eyes.

"This is Liliana Montgomery. Perhaps you remember her," Aro added as he stared down at Bianca.

The woman said nothing. Aro glanced to his mate before turning back to the prisoner. "I was astounded when I looked into her memories and saw quite a different version of events than what had been reported. Even more disturbing was when I saw you in some of those memories. She might not have remembered seeing you, but you were there in her brain all the same. Imagine our surprise at discovering you could manipulate your own memories. How many other times have you done the same?"

She shook her head frantically. "Never. I swear it. I give you my word."

Caius leaned forward on his throne. "Your word is meaningless."

"Please. I just didn't want to die because of Jakob. You must believe me."

"We must do nothing," Marcus spat. "This is a waste of time and you are a waste of space."

Bianca sneered at Liliana. "This is your fault. I have been manipulating things to my benefit since I arrived in Volterra and have never been close to being caught until you arrived." Without warning, she leaped at Lily causing three things to happen almost simultaneously. First, Felix and Demetri grabbed Bianca mid-air and slammed her to the ground. Second, Lily jumped over the side of the chair and moved behind it. And third, Caius and Marcus flashed to stand between their mate and the woman that threatened her safety.

Lily peeked out from behind the throne. Seeing that there was no danger, she came out and stood between her mates. She took their hands in hers and held them tightly as she stared down at the snarling woman. "You dare?" Aro hissed as he approached the prisoner.

Felix and Demetri pulled her to her knees. This time they kept hold of her instead of leaving it to someone else. Bianca laughed. "You won't kill me. I'm too valuable."

"No one is more valuable than her," he said as he twisted the bitch's head off. "Dispose of that," he ordered the guard and they set about dismembering her before burning the pieces.

Immediately Lily's mates surrounded her, all of them touching her skin in some manner and inhaling her scent. "I'm fine," she assured them. "She didn't get near me."

Marcus reached up to cup her cheek and ran his thumb over her skin. "We have more trials to conduct. We will join you after."

"Of course," she said with a smile. After receiving a kiss on the head from each of her mates, they stepped back. Felix and Demetri stood nearby waiting to escort her. She gave a little wave to the kings then followed the guards to her room.

***

Liliana took a long, hot shower letting the water wash away her stress. She had no idea anyone else was involved in the death of her dad, or at concealing the truth at any rate. She still wouldn't had she not let Aro look at her memories. She dressed in lounging pants and one of Jasper's t-shirts. She'd been missing him all day.

When she left the bathroom, she padded over to the dresser to grab her phone, intending to call him. One bonus of vampires not sleeping was not worrying about time zones. Jasper might be in class, but he'd leave and call her back if that was the case.

Before she could dial the number, the door to her room flew open as Caius strode inside. His gaze darted around the room before landing on her. He closed the distance between them in two long strides. His hands settled on either side of her neck so he could hold her still while he looked her over. She hooked her hands on his wrists and waited for him to finish his inspection.

When he was still frantic after several minutes, she placed a hand along his cheek. He immediately leaned into the soft touch. "I'm okay, Caius. Everything is fine."

He shifted his hold to pull her into a hug and wrapped his arms around her. Holding her tightly against his chest, he buried his face in her neck and breathed deeply to inhale her scent. She could do nothing but hold him in return and attempt to calm him. "I'm perfectly fine. She didn't hurt me. She didn't touch me. It's all over and I'm fine."

He hooked one hand around the back of her neck as he pressed his forehead against her collarbone. "Humans are so fragile. You're so fragile. You could have been taken away from me in an instant." He nuzzled against the side of her neck. "I'm so sorry, my love."

Before she could assure him that he had nothing to apologize for, white hot pain seared through her as teeth buried themselves in the tender skin at the curve of her neck. She gasped as venom flowed from the injury into the rest of her body. And as her body began to burn from the inside out, she screamed.

The sound she made was like nothing that had ever come from her before. It was a sound full of pain, fear and betrayal. Tears leaked from her eyes in a steady stream. Caius swept her up in his arms as her knees buckled and gave way under the rush of agony. He laid her on the bed and brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. "I'm sorry, Liliana, but all will be better when you wake. I promise you."

In response, she simply screamed again. It felt like hours had passed already but it couldn't have been more than a few minutes as her other mates rushed into the room. Their expressions changed from concern to horror in an instant.

"What have you done?" Aro asked, his tone mirroring his expression as if he couldn't fathom Caius doing such a thing.

"Bring Alec immediately," Marcus ordered someone beyond the doors to the room. Her dark headed mates then stood on either side of her bed while Caius moved to the foot.

"This will be better," he said. "She will be safer. Stronger."

"She may never forgive you for this," Marcus said as Alec flashed into the room.

"I may never forgive you for this," Aro echoed, his tone bitter.