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March 1919
Mississippi

"I cannot do this!" I winced as Bella shattered another teacup trying to pick it up, her frustrated outburst almost painful to my ears. I should have brought cheap china for this exercise, instead of using a vintage 17th French set that was now mismatched thanks to her.

"I am sorry, Gregorio, I promise to replace it." I shook my head at her reply. In the three months since I had changed her, it still caught me by surprise that she could hear my thoughts. After being alive for almost four centuries, I had not come across a vampire with such a talent. Her power easily rivaled Aro's, but unlike him, she did not need to touch a person to read their thoughts, thus making her the better telepath.

"Who is Aro?" Bella asked, her fingers holding on to the handle of another cup too gingerly to pass for a human. At least I could take comfort that she was not about to break it.

"I know we have discussed this before, but is there any way for you not to read my every thought?" I snapped angrily, more out of fear of what Aro would do in order to add her to his collection.

"Sorry," she replied, putting the cup down a bit too hard on the table. I feared it would shatter, but it did not. She was already out of the room before I thought to follow her. I heard the soft locking of her bedroom door, pleased that she did not slam it again.

Bella, I am sorry. I just wish that my thoughts were my still my own, and it is going to take time knowing that you hear them. In this matter, I am as much a newborn as you are. Forgive me for my outburst and come back downstairs. You still have the rest of my tea set to destroy.

I was pleased to hear her laugh, and a few seconds later, she appeared back in our kitchen.

"I wish I could turn it off, but nothing works. I cannot imagine going out into a crowd of people again and being assaulted by their every thought on top of wanting their blood. I did not mean to pry, but you were thinking of another telepath and I was curious. Do you think he could help me control it?"

I snorted at her innocent question; if I lived another three hundred years, I would do my damndest to keep Bella far away from Aro. She was giving me a curious look; I did not need her talent to know she was bursting with questions thanks to my train of thoughts.

Aro is the de facto leader of the Volturi—

"What is the Volturi?"

I was about to get to that before you interrupted me. I have been too concerned about integrating you into the human world and have somewhat neglected to teach you about the world I brought you into. The Volturi are the closest thing we have to royalty in our world—in your case, think of them as the President and Congress all wrapped up together. They are the makers and enforcers of our laws. They alone are judge, jury, and executioner

"And this Aro guy is a mind reader like me?"

"No, he is not exactly like you. While you can read everyone thoughts at the same time, Aro has to touch the person to read their thoughts. You read whatever the person is actively thinking about, he reads every thought a person has ever had."

"So if he is not actually touching anyone, he does not hear thoughts?" Bella asked, almost in awe.

"No. I do not need your talent to see where your thoughts are going. We will never seek Aro out."

"Why not?"

"Because he will do everything in his power to add you to his collection."

"I will never join this Volturi group you are talking about. You are my sire, and like a father to me!"

That matters little to him when he comes across a vampire he wants. The tie between a vampire and their sire is second only to the tie between mates. I have witnessed him break through both bonds over the centuries. What Aro wants, Aro simply gets.

"I will not let him manipulate me," she replied angrily. "I will kill him first."

"No, he will not be the one trying to manipulate you. That is what he has Chelsea for," I replied. "Her gift is the ability to manipulate the emotional ties of people. And you will not get to chance to attack him. A single word from him and his guards will tear you apart."

"The Volturi sound absolutely scary," Bella whispered. I pulled her into my arms, hugging her very much the same way someone would do a frightened child.

"They are. When a talented vampire comes across them, there are only two choices—join the Volturi or final death. In all my years, I have only heard of one sole vampire leaving the Volturi." Bella hugged me tighter, and I winced in pain.

"Sorry," she muttered, loosening her hold but not breaking the hug.

It is okay. Just like the teacup, I know you did not mean it. As for the Volturi, do not worry about them. I will keep you safe, Isabella. I will do everything in my power to ensure your safety, I swear it. Now let us forget about the Volturi and return to practice. You cannot hole yourself up in this house forever; you have to learn how to pass for a human. Human girls do not crack and shatter teacups when picking them up, young lady.

"I do not think I want to be around humans. Too many thoughts." She frowned unhappily.

"If you want me to go to Chicago to finish attending to the last bits of your human affairs, and to inquire about Edward, I have to be okay with the thought of leaving you alone." At the mere mention of the boy's name, I saw sadness seep into Bella. It was very likely that she was sending me on a fool's errand; the boy could very likely already be dead.

"Do not think like that," she cried out sadly. "Maybe he is not dead, maybe he is back in Chicago, alone and frightened."

"What if he is alive? Bella, you are dead. To humans and their records, you died last September of the flu. What are you going to, change him?"

"Yes, of course. I love him!"

"I know that you believe that you love him, but human love is nothing like the love between vampires. In a few years, okay maybe a few dozen decades, you will meet your mate. You will see that what you feel for him will not compare to what you feel for this silly human boy."

Bella heaved the whole tea set at my head. "I cannot believe you just said that! I cannot believe you think that after you have read my diaries and letters!" She stormed out of the room, and this time there was a resounding boom and a crack as she slammed her bedroom door. As I stared at the remains of the tea set, I realized I was wrong to think that what she felt was just residual petty human emotions.

I am sorry. I really was, mostly because I knew that hope she was clinging to was going to shatter once I returned from my trip to Chicago. The chances were not in her favor, and reality was the only thing that could penetrate our hard exteriors to inflict pain.

Author's Note

Just in case you missed it, please note that the outtakes will usually be in a POV other than Edward and Bella's, and sporadically updated. If you're on twitter, feel free to follow me! My twitter name is sanguinescript :)