Title: Master Of Shadows
Pairings: Aro/Bella
Summary: AU. AH. It's the 1920's and Bella Swan is good when it comes to finding people. So when Aro Voltrui, one of the biggest gangsters in America hires her to track down an opposing enemy, she just didn't expect to find herself along the way. Bella/Aro.
A pair of red heels clicked loudly as they walked across the sparkly wooden floor. The woman moved quickly, and kept her head high with a smile plastered across her face and she moved her shawl to keep herself more warm as the speakeasy she was in was rather cold.
She clutched at her evening purse and looked over her sunglasses where she saw a man waving at her in her direction in the corner of the pub and she pushed her sunglasses further up her nose before she made her way over to him, her shoes clicking loudly as she went.
The man sent her a cocky smile and stood up to greet her and Bella noted that he was rather tall. Nearly six foot at the least and he had dirty blonde hair and dull brown eyes and had perfect white teeth.
"You must be James." She smiled and held out her hand so that he could he placed a kiss on it and she had to hide her disgust when his mouth touched her skin. "Terribly sorry I'm late. Had family business to take care of."
"That I am, and apology accepted since you look rather gorgeous tonight." He nodded and he lit a long cigar before exhaling it and Bella sat down opposite him, not letting go of her evening purse. "And you must be Irene Coubly. I must say...you're better than I was expecting." He eyed her hungrily and licked his lips.
Bella sent him a sickly smile. "Why, were you expecting something else?"
"What you mean?" He asked and Bella leaned in closer, trailing her fingers lightly against the table.
"Oh I don't know...Were you not expecting Victoria for example?"
James quickly threw the table up which caused the glass of beer to crash to the ground and shatter into millions of pieces and he made a run for the exit which caused several glares in her direction but she ignored them as she followed him out, heels in her hands and she ran out after him, getting her knife out of her purse. Right now she was hell in high-heels.
It was a long and sharp knife and had her name engraved onto the silver steel and she held it firmly in her hands as she stalked across the road as she saw James furiously trying to open the door of his car. Bella had been there a few minutes ago, glueing the doors together and flattening his wheels so he could not go anywhere and smirked at his struggles.
Bella stalked up behind him and grabbed him by the back of his head before smashing him face first into the car window and blood appeared and stained the sleek black car and she turned him over onto his back and placed her arm harshly across his neck.
His teeth weren't so perfect now and his nose was broken and she smirked in satisfactory.
"You one crazy bitch." James spat and Bella tightened her grip even more.
"Yeah people do love to call me that." She smashed her head into his causing him to knock him unconscious to floor. "And you're one crazy bastard."
She stormed into her house and locked the door behind her before closing her eyes and sighed before she took of her shawl and made her way to the kitchen where she had her own glass of moonshine waiting for her in the cellar.
Her latest mission had been far too easy and Bella found that she was growing restless. She wanted something new, something more dangerous.
She smiled when she noticed a pile of birthday cards that waited for her on the table. She hated birthdays but with the remaining friends and family she had, they always wanted to spoil her rotten. Even if they knew nothing of the life she led.
Just as she was about to get her moonshine she heard a knock on the door and she frowned before looking at the clock. Who could be calling at four in the morning?
She pushed her hair back and stalked her way to the door as she heard it ring again and she pulled it open harshly and was about to say something when she noticed three strangers dressed in evening suits at her door.
She blinked rapidly.
"Isabella Swan isn't it?" The man in the middle spoke and Bella quickly took in his appearance. His skin was translucently white and had long black hair that seemed to frame his face and his eyes were a deep turquoise colour and Bella felt like she was looking into an abyss.
Bella quickly nodded her head, her hand tightening on the door knob.
"May we come in? We have some rather...shall we say, private business to take care of." Something about that voice made her shiver slightly. It seemed so inviting yet so dangerous.
"Just the three of you?" She asked. She had to be sure.
"For now. The rest of my men are positioned around your house just in case you try anything all though, I sincerely hope not as it would be such a waste to get rid of such beauty." The man commented and Bella had no choice but to let these three men into her home.
"Thank you. Now, I think introductions are needed. My name is Aro Volturi and this," Aro said, pointing to the man on the right. "Is my brother-in-law Marcus." Bella took a quick glance at Marcus, noting his appearance. He looked slightly older than Aro and had a dark brown shoulder length hair which was very close to black. "And my friend... Caius" Aro hesitated slightly then.
Caius was different from the other two and had blonde shoulder length hair which was so blonde it was almost white and had a look of arrogance about him.
She looked at all three of them again and her eyes widened as she suddenly realized who they all were.
Next to Al Capone, these were amongst the biggest gangster's in history. They literally ruled nearly all the speakeasy's in America and owned most of the gangs and if not manipulated or blackmailed them into joining theirs. They even had some of the police force and judges on their side, no doubt having been bribed or blackmailed. In fact, Bella was pretty sure they were higher than Al Capone himself.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"I'm very sorry, I have been very rude." She placed her hands on top of her heart and gave a mocking look of shock. "Would any of you like a drink?"
"No thank you. We are here for business." Caius cut in before Aro could open his mouth. "Aren't we Aro?"
"Of course. Marcus, if you could hand me the case please."
Marcus silently handed him a shiny black case, something Bella didn't see a few minutes ago and placed it on the table in front of them and Bella hurriedly shoved the cards away, silently cursing herself for not recognizing their names in the first place before hurrying back.
"We've heard from a numerous of people that you are the one to come to when people needed to be found." Marcus spoke calmly, and Bella realized it was the first time he spoke since he has arrived. Bella could only nod, her heart bursting with joy at the fact that her name has reached the Volturi. "Someone who does not belong to the Police Force and we need someone to be found."
Aro pushed some documents in front of her and she eagerly took them. "A man named Edward Cullen. He has been betraying our locations of speakeasy's along with giving away our smaller gangs names and identity's away and members of private investigators and detectives that are on our side. We need him preferably alive but dead can be just as satisfying."
"I take it that's not all?" Bella raised an eyebrow at him as she peered over the documents, taking a quick look at the black and white photograph of Edward Cullen.
Aro lip curled up into a tight smirk. "You are correct Miss Swan." Caius shot him a withering glare. "Not only has your name has reached us, but it has also reached men very much like Al Capone and we want to hire you."
Bella almost choked. The Volturi want to hire her? She's never been hired by anyone and Bella preferred it that way. Mainly because it involved to many complications and procedures and she preferred not to get close to people with her chosen career.
"Why?" She cocked her head to the side, her eyes trailing to each men in front of her. "Why do you want to hire me?"
"Why we want to hire you? Because we want many people found in our business and you are very aware of the fact that our business is incredibly...shall we say, dangerous." His eyes had a tiny hint of glee at the mention of dangerous and Bella couldn't help but give a slight grin back.
"What do I get out of it?"
"You'll stay in our luxurious mansion and will be paid a huge generous amount of money. You will also have our protection whenever you need it also. Do you accept our offer?"
Bella sat there and thought. Could she accept their offer? Knowing that she could never run her own private missions again and not only will she be putting herself in danger, but her only remaining friends and family as well.
Caius began to tap lightly against the table, growing impatient. "We do not have all day Miss Swan."
She took a quick glance around her scruffy old flat. Bella had never stayed in a luxurious house before nor has she been paid a huge amount of money, not only that, she'll be living with three of the wealthiest men in America who liked to play dirty. What did life have to offer here? The same old boring missions that only paid her an minimum wage and even then, that wasn't enough for her.
Her eyes laid on the three men before her and she fidgeted in her seat uncomfortably. Caius tapping echoing in her ears and she ignored the stares that they were giving her.
Could she do it? Leave this horrible old flat and live the luxurious life with a glorious missions ahead of her? Finally living the life she has always dreamed of?
"Miss Swan?" Aro pressed and Bella turned her gaze on him, his eyes boring down to hers and she gave a slight smile.
"Yes. I'll gladly accept your offer."
Aro smiled widely back and Marcus gathered up the documents and put them in the case before snapping it shut. The four of them standing up. "You have chosen wisely Miss Swan." They began to head out of the door, Marcus and Caius leaving abruptly and Aro stood there at the entrance, his hands at his side. "Our men will collect you at noon today. Do not be late." He placed a kiss upon her hand and Bella gave a slight blush. "Good evening Miss Swan." He left and closed the door behind him and Bella let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
She in for a hell of a bumpy ride.