Thank you all so much for reviewing and adding this to your story alerts. This was a great surprise to get such a response only for a prologue. Okay this chapter is just going over what happened on her birthday, really boring, but it must be done. It's short, but the next ones will be longer, this is to just wet your tongues.

"who are they?" I ask, facing Edward with my right eyebrow raised.

His marble face frowns slightly, his gaze remaining on the huge portrait in front of us, "The Volutri."

"They are?" I question, getting a closer look at the portrait, my eyes running over the ancient architecture.

"I guess you can say, they're the rulers of our kind. They enforce the law."

I blink rapidly, "vampires have laws?"

Man, could they get anymore human. I always thought that vampires were free to do whatever, whenever. Never did I think that something as…normal, could be a massive part of their daily routine.

"Well, only one law is regularly enforced," he answers, shifting his gaze to me and back to the picture.

I breathe out, noticing out the corner of my eye that he tenses up a bit, "which is?"

"To keep ourselves a secret, to stop us revealing ourselves to humans. The law below that one, is not kill conspicuously," he replies, his voice tight.

I take an even closer look, focusing on the three figures sitting in huge, black wooden thrones. The biggest is in the middle, the blackened wood scarred with an intricate design in what looks like a golden color. The other two are positioned behind and either side of the middle one, with the same design on the arms, legs and back of it.

Above them on the highest tier, are four…men. All wearing such dated clothing, and keeping up straight postures. The one in the middle, with his hands pressed against the railing, has long black hair, pulled back into a tight pony tail. The one on the right had shorter black hair, but still long, he's taller than the one in the middle, but much larger in weight. On the left is a blonde one with equally long hair, with the features of a woman, but is clearly a man.

Further behind him, is short blonde haired man, with very familiar features, "is that Carlisle?"

He clears his throat loudly, bringing his left fist up to cover his mouth and putting in his pocket after, "yes. He spent a couple of decades with them. He said they have no respect for human life. However they love the arts and sciences."

"So they're dangerous?"

"Very. Ruthless when it comes to their laws," he replies.

"So that's what Rosalie meant last year, you know, when I was meeting your family and she had a fit?"

He smiles tightly, his plump lips pulling into a thin line, "exactly. Don't you dare worry, I'll protect you from everything." He presses his lips to my forehead after a very deep breath.

I flutter my eyes closed, my lips pulling up. He breaks the contact abruptly, and I hear the sound of ringing bells at the top of the stairs.

"Everything except my sister, because she always gets her way."

"Come on Bella! It's time," Alice squeals, dragging me along the very short hallway and down the grand staircase.

At the bottom the Cullen family are assembled. Carlisle with Esme at the foot of the stairs. Carlisle wearing a black shirt with black pants and his signature blue scarf around his neck. Esme in a purple, fluffy blouse and a black pencil skirt with purple open toed heels.

Emmett is near them, standing with a stiff Jasper at the piano. Emmett in a dark blue shirt which is fighting very hard to stay on his huge, muscled chest and black pants, with a huge cheeky grin on his face. Jasper in a white shirt and black pants.

Then Rosalie is standing furthest away, leaning up against a white pillar. Her golden eyes quickly searching out mine and looking away. Her blonde hair is done up beautifully, hanging round her shoulders in huge silky curls. Her model like body covered by a strapless black dress, and black open toed heels, with a large bow in each of them. With her expression, you'd think she was attending a funeral, not a birthday party.

Typical.

When we reach the bottom, Esme traps me in a cool embrace, "you're going to love this Bella."

I smile kindly at her, "thank you."

Carlisle chuckles, pulling me from Alice's grasp and directing me over to a table full of presents, "thank Alice, she's done everything you see here."

Emmett charges up to me, grasping me in his arms and burying my face into his huge chest, "we did have to reign her in a bit, though. You know how the pixie gets when she's excited."

I chuckle, ignoring the bitter and sarcastic laugh from pixie, "let's get this over with yes?"

Alice groans, handing me a small white envelope, "such enthusiasm, Bella."

I smile, tearing up the edge of the flap, and cuss when it digs into my skin, "ouch. Paper cut."

Then, slow motion. Edward gaps at me with wide eyes, staring completely on the long drip of blood, pouring out my index finger. Alice screams, a look of horror in her misty eyes, as she comes out of a vision.

Before I have time to comprehend what has happened, my neck gets a sharp jab and I drop to floor.

Through my hazy eyes, I see Edward, Carlisle and Emmett, holding back a hungry Jasper. They struggle greatly, trying to restrain him from lunging at me again. I look into his eyes, seeing hunger, pure rage and hurt. So much hurt, too much. I close my eyes, willing his expression to get out of my head.

It works, though I struggle to reopen them, so I give up.

I'd never given much thought to how I'd die. But, I didn't want to die like this. Dying at the hand –or rather mouth- of James, to protect my mother was a good way. This was bad, very bad.

I felt my mind closing down, and my last thought was.

I'm dying on the day I was born. Huh, of course that would happen to me.

September 13th, I was born. Soon after taken from my dad and moved to Phoenix. Seventeen years later, I moved to Forks to live with my dad. I met the Edward and the Cullens. Became a game to a tracker, and almost turned into a vampire. September 13th I died.

Now, the next chapter and onwards will be before Bella meets the Cullens again 50yrs later. The prologue was actaully a future event. I guess I should have made that more clear.

Do you want a slightly more forward Bella than normal? Or full on hard core, badass Bella?

A poll should be up on my profile. If not just leave it in a review or PM.

Reviews are like blood and chocolate, sweet.