Howdy my name is Ash, I just wanted to briefly thank anyone who reads this, and to tell you the usual, to review and tell me what you think, or what you would like to see. Look forward to hearing from you.

Chapter 1: Give me a second

This existence is not an easy one, but it was the one I was cursed with.

Fuck, I gotta stop thinking all this depressing bullshit, but I can't help it. I don't know if it's ingrained in the fiber of my being to be a miserable creature, or if it's something that I've acquired like my unusual diet. I've always been a loner, I don't know if it's because I'm too afraid to give people a chance, or I just don't give a fuck. That's probably why I'm here and not back with Carlisle.

"Edward, your needed in the throne room," someone called. It wasn't words spoken, but thoughts pushed through someone's head. This annoyed me the most, when they didn't talk to me like a normal person. They simply liked to toy with my ability, the reason I knew I was here. I growled a bit and pushed up from my bed, the point in which I had been staring at the wall. That's all I seemed to do now a days. I walked to the closet and pulled a long robe from the hanger and spun it around my shoulders, fastening the Volturi crest around where my heart would have been. I looked around the abode where I have spent the past ten years of my useless existence. The first thought that came into my head was how plain it was. There were no pictures, or anything to link me to the room in anyway except the faint smell of my scent. With a flourish of the ostentatious cape I moved to the door. There would be a part of me that would miss the Cullen's, my family. Carlisle was my father, and my creator, but I found myself more miserable there than anywhere else. There were all those mated couples, all in love and content with each other, and there was me. I was so tired of the looks everyone gave me. I could read their minds, 'oh Edward, that poor boy, how does he continue day to day?' I growled at this as well, the place was maddening. Therefore the next time Aro made his frequent offers to take some of us off Carlisle's hands, I consented.

I shook my head at the lesser of my two evils. I had no one here, I came to realize, who actually liked me. I quickly learned that the Volturi hated the Cullen's, even if one was now part of their ranks. However, after a while I stopped concerning myself with being liked, instead I settled for being feared. Walking with my head up through the castle, I looked no one in the eyes. I was not required to answer to any of them, so none of them were important to me. I walked past a large crowd that gathered in the hallway, and though they gave me dirty looks, they quickly cleared out of my way. The way to the throne room had become a muscle memory of mine. I quickly arrived at the golden doors; reaching out I placed both hands on the doors and thrust them open. I had been here so many times, however the feeling it gave me remained; a feeling of foreboding.

I walked up closer to Aro, not bothering to address the rest of the kings, they were simply for decoration. One of the only benefits of being stationed in the Volturi castle was that I had time to better advance my power. I had always refrained from using my power's with my family because I had always been concerned with their privacy. However in my particular company, it helped to be aware of their plans. I found that I could read more clearly and to some extent, influence the thoughts of a person, this came in handy when dealing with someone like Jane. With that particular creature it seemed to be better to influence her thoughts before she could control your nervous system; I had learned to render her useless.

As I approached, I kneeled in front of the throne as was customary. In a sick way I had taken to servitude like a moth to flame. Aro seemed to take an equally as sick fascination with that.

"Ah Edward," He smiled. There was always a part of me that wanted to knock that sick grin off his face. "I have a surprise for you."

"Yes master?" I asked in question. I was partially benevolent, and partially intrigued.

"How familiar are you with the South?" He murmured; looking at his finger nails.

"Not very," I answered. Short and concise answers seemed to work best. It was also best to have Aro present the information to you before you assumed you knew anything, it kept me from hearing that hideous laughter.

"They are most known for their viscous ways of war… it has become a …hassle," Aro whispered. He rose from his seat and came to approach me; I resisted the urge to prepare for battle.

"I believe I have heard something about their wars, though I am unclear of what they have to do with us. If I am correct, I believe you yourself agreed not to venture there unless it became a hazard to our existence," I explained.

Aro nodded his head, his arms coming to clasp behind his back as he paced the floor. "Yes I did say that," he murmured, letting lose a small giggle that was eerily creepy.

I was confused, the South was a place that few ventured, or dared to even speak about. Not even the Volturi were brave enough to venture there and disperse the problem, not that they could. The South was not to be messed with. Maybe if the problem had been handled when it first began and the first rush of newborns were created, but now it had escalated to armies of them, each one practiced and mastered in the art of war. The Volturi would lose power if they faced off with even one of those armies.

"However I am forced to renege on my previous decision," Aro stated as though he were reciting the weather. "What do you know about the God of War?"

I paused. Was Aro serious? Of course he was; I could read his fucking mind like the back of my hand. He couldn't seriously be contemplating or entertaining the thought of sending me up against the fucking God of War because the armies bruised his ego. I would be slaughtered.

"Aro you can't seriously be-"

"Edward, I'm not asking you to do something I wouldn't ask any of my other guard members to do," Aro reasoned.

"Then ask one of your other fucking guard members to do it!"

"Edward, are you not aware of what happens to those of my guard who do not agree to my assignments?" Aro smiled sweetly.

I gritted his teeth. Yes I knew; instant death. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Being the masochist I am, I had to laugh at the fucked up predicament I had placed myself in. I had two choices. One, go to Texas, try to deceive the God of War, take down his army get laughed and killed. Or refuse and get killed. I do love choices.

I sighed; I wonder if it's considered an ability to be utterly miserable.

"When do I leave?"

Cool chapter? Let me know what you think, I do respond and am not easily offended. Hope you continue reading.

Until we meet again,

Ash