Prologue

Bella's POV

Blood, fights, violence, pain, I was used to it all. I didn't like how I lived, but I would never tell anybody. The phrase "You want something, you fight for it" rang through my head as if it was on loop. To tell the truth I missed my old life and the way things used to be, but it was what my entire life was about.

See in 1648 I was a fighter, in the army and I was damn proud of it. Females were never accepted into the army because that's who they were helping to protect, so I did what I had to, wanting to prove to everybody that I was capable. So when the time came and I was accepted into the army, I had made sure to pin my hair under my hat, change my stance, and use make-up to change my features slightly. Knowing I was helping towards a better future I made sure to not make many friends so they couldn't find out my secret. But of course my secret didn't stay a secret, but by the time it had been found out I had been in the army for the last 18 months and had become a major after the last died while I was a captain. Once my secret was out I had to fight tooth and nail to stay, thinking it would be worth it, not knowing that there were greater evils around. I had proved my worth by making it to major, it was why they let me stay, I was one of the best fighters around, trained by my twin brother, Danny, who was also in the army.

That was my other reason for going into the army; I couldn't bear to let him leave me behind, while he could die out here. They say twins are closer than any other types of siblings and it could well be true because whoever fucks with me, fucks with him. Nobody was allowed to hurt or upset me and it was the same with him, we watched each other's backs and were always on the same wavelength.

Like I said, that was my old life and I wish things was that simple again but here I am in an army again, but this time I wasn't doing it for a better future, I was doing it to survive and I hated every minute of it. Danny made it bearable and we stayed side by side with everyone knowing that we weren't to be fucked with.

This happened when I was out checking the perimeter and my partner was on the other side of our camp making sure that we was not being watched and that we were safe for another night. We always had people round the perimeter and tonight it was my turn. Finding the homeless looking man near the edge of our camp was a shock. Feeling confused I walked over to him. "Are you okay sir?" I questioned, checking him over visually for any injuries or weapons.

"You're a major" was his quick reply, and he understandably looked confused. Starting to reply to him it was my time to be confused when he said "You'll be perfect, you've got a fire within you." And then he moved so quickly he blurred. Looking around for him I drew my weapon up wandering what he could be, turning to look behind me.

Then I felt a burning sensation in my neck. Trying to cry out, I wanted it to stop. But to be truthful what I really wanted was my brother, he could help, he always did. A scream ripped its way out of my throat before it was concealed by a hand being slammed onto my mouth. Struggling to focus I looked around trying to spot anything seeing the homeless man right in front of me I tried to move away but the burning had become intense, and spread throughout my body. I writhed on the ground wishing for it to go away, wishing for the man to go away, when I saw him bring my wrist up to his mouth and mumble "You are going to be useful to me" as he bit down and the world became black.

After what felt like years of going through agonising pain for what felt like years, it was a nice surprise when it started withdrawing and eventually stopping only to open my eyes with a burning in the back of my throat to see the man stood at the corner of a room. "My names Joseph and welcome to my army. Do you remember what you're called?"

"Isabella" was my stuttered reply.

"Well Isabella," he leered, "you're going to be trained and you're going to fight for me. I created you, so you will do as I say when I tell you. Got it?"

"What am I, what's happened to me?" I asked desperately.

"You're a vampire, like me. We're superior in all ways and the ultimate hunter, but cross me and you're going to wish you never lived through the change, understood?" He questioned but made it like a statement.

Knowing there was nothing I could do I mumbled a quick affirmative, clawing at my throat to try and make it go away. As he saw this a grin stretched across his lips, though I thought it made him look creepy.

"I will teach you everything you need to know" was his mysterious reply.

That night was my first hunt. That night was also many years ago when he was still my master. This changed during my 57th year with him, the year 1707, when he traded me for a large piece of land from a vampire, Maria. He traded me because the land was important to him and vampires had been having wars over it for years since it had all battle advantages and has cities on it which meant easy feedings. Because the land was so important he could only get away with trading me for it. This was because I had gifts; my first was a shield, not only a mental shield which stopped any mental attacks but also a physical shield which nothing could penetrate it, I was also a sponge, this meant if a vampire had a gift, I would absorb it so I then had it to I could then choose when I wanted to use any of the gifts which I had absorbed, and was able to use than one at once. This made me very valuable, but what made me more valuable was that I could project all of my gifts, so I could use them on others.

After that I was her puppet, obeying to her every command and being punished for things I did wrong, or just because she felt like doing it. I didn't care though, I had been a puppet for so long I learned to tune everything else out, work with the 'monster' side of me and I learned not to care about anything or anyone else. All I was focused on was surviving, this then meant that I was the best fighter Joseph had ever met, I had never lost a battle. By being able to tune everything out, I was able to withstand pain and I didn't flinch or even blink when it was inflicted. I was introduced to Maria's army a couple of days after being traded, and much to my surprise, my brother was there, looking older than I did but with as many battle scars as I had along with a useful gift. He was able to reflect any gift thrown at him, so it would affect whoever he wanted it to and it wouldn't hurt him or the ones he didn't want it to, useful for an army of vampires.

After seeing Danny again I only looked out for him, just like when I was alive and he was the same, we looked out for each other but did as we were told, training, destroying and making new borns. Maria, working out that we were twins and would do anything for one another, used this to her advantage, it was the only thing she had over me, and if I disobeyed she could hurt my brother. That was her advantage, her blackmail and she used it well and often.

That was 305 years ago and both me and Danny are still here, working for Maria. We have been trained both in human and our vampire lives to become weapons and that's what we are to her. Because of our extensive training and our gifts we are just below her, she is the creator and leader and we are the 'majors' within her army. This is because we are skilled, gifted and deadly, people had to be amazing fighters to get past us, and luckily no one ever had, and they won't because I will do anything to make sure me and Danny both get out of this alive, so failure is not an option, and I will not let it become one. I value our safety here too much too change, or leave. I am now 362 years old, whereas Danny is 360 years old, being changed a couple of years after me by Maria, and blood, fights, violence, pain, I'm used to it all, it is all we've both known for so long, that we probably couldn't change now. Being a weapon is what me and Danny are good at, as much as we hate it, but it would take a hell of a lot to get us out of this, we're the best of the best and don't care about anything else but each other and blood, fights, violence, pain is what we know and what we're good at. We know of nothing else and this is how our lives have progressed and how they're probably going to stay but I don't care as long as my twin is with me through it all, if he is here I will live through this part of my life and will always be ready for whatever is thrown at me.

This is my life, our life, and there is no way out.

AN: In this story Jasper was in Maria's army during 1917 for 53 years. His story is the same as it is in the original book (apart from the dates, so he still gets rescued from Peter and Charlotte etc.) Bella didn't meet him because her and Danny were out finding new recruits and spying on another army while only communicating with Maria for updates. Just an FYI on why they haven't met during Maria's army :)