AN: Thank you guys for all the support! Special appreciation to those that have commented on the story already. I hope everyone is ready for vampire Isabella to arrive. I always thought that SM made her into such a pushover, so I decided to make her into a bit of a badass for this story. As always, please read and review! I'll keep trying to post chapters within a few days or a week of one another so be on the lookout. Thank you all and let me know what you think.


Isabella turned, crouching down defensively, as she became aware of another presence in the room with her. Leaning against the bathroom entrance watching her with interest was Alec, his arms folded across his chest. When he caught sight of her eyes, Alec took in a sharp breath in surprise. The bright violet orbs bore into his red ones as a warning growl sounded from Isabella's throat.

"Isabella it's me Alec, the one who changed you a few days ago. Aro wishes for me to teach you about your new abilities as a vampire. I'm sure you must feel the burning of your thirst beginning already." Alec paused, taking in the new Isabella Volturi standing before him.

Isabella cocked her head to the side before blurring past him and to the throne room. Alec chased after her, confused by her sudden escape, only to see her kneeling before Aro's throne. Aro was looking at her in wonder, another childish smile on his lips.

"Isabella, how good to see you. How are you feeling? Vampirism suits you well my dear."

As Isabella looked up at them for the first time, the three Volturi kings gasped and shifted back ever so slightly. A smile spread across Isabella's face, her eyes sparkling at their reaction. Not recognizing her own voice, Isabella addressed the powerful men before her.

"Aro, I feel incredible. I notice and hear everything around me. I move faster than I ever thought possible. I smell everyone and everything." Bella tilted her head once again, her white teeth gleaming in the room's light. Noticing a stream of sunlight a few inches to her right, Isabella reached out a hand and watched as her skin reflected the light in millions of tiny patterns as if she were made of the finest diamonds on earth. Her laugh rang through the room like a complex melody, before she raised an eyebrow at the men before her. She could tell that Aro was unsure how to handle her, and that the other kings were feeling the same.

"Aro, what's the matter? You all look so very uncertain."

"My dear Isabella, you are quite the special newborn. You seem to be resisting your more vampiric instincts while having a civilized conversation only a few brief moments after awakening. This is unheard of in our world. Newborns are uncontrollable, led purely by instinct for the first few weeks and sometimes even months after being changed." Aro paused, regarding the beautiful creature before him. "And your eyes… I have never seen such a color in any vampire or for that matter any creature in my lifetime."

Isabella laughed again, stepping into the sunlight more fully and reveling in the way that her skin reflected the light. She watched Aro with curiosity as he in turn watched her, noticing how her movements were a much more mature version of a newborn's spontaneous behavior. Her actions were based on curiosity and instinct but they were done with precision and logic that no newborn would have been capable of.

It was at that moment that Aro caught wind of a new scent entering the room as the large wooden door swung open. Isabella paused in her movements, her nostrils flaring as she took in this new scent as well. From across the room Isabella could hear the firm heartbeat, the blood circulating through the human's veins. Before anyone had the chance to speak or move, Isabella crossed the room and stood inches away from the now terrified human. With the back of her hand, she caressed the woman's cheek, smiling as the woman's breathing picked up and her heart began slamming harder in her chest.

"You smell incredible," Isabella purred, placing her nose above the woman's pulse point and taking in a huge breath.

Aro stared on in amazement, along with every other vampire in the room, as Isabella resisted the urge to drink the woman's blood and instead observed her as her fear escalated dangerously.

"You are Sophia. We met on the plane a few days ago." Isabella backed up slightly, now standing about a foot away from the woman before her. Flashing a predatory smile, Isabella tilted her head in curiosity.

"Y-yes ma'am that's me," the woman stuttered.

"You wish to become a vampire someday?" Isabella asked her, the smile still firmly in place.

The woman nodded in response, not trusting herself to speak as she stared into the galactic eyes before her. Isabella leaned forward, placing a chaste kiss on the woman's forehead before turning around and walking at a human pace back toward Aro who remained standing at his throne. His face, along with every other face in the room, was filled with utter shock at what they had just watched transpire before them.

"Leave us, Sophia. That was my blessing, you will make a great vampire when the day comes," Isabella called out with her back still turned. She listened as the woman let out a terrified breath and practically ran from the room. As soon as Sophia was gone, murmurs broke out across the throne room.

"How did you do that?" Alec asked. "She is human and you are a newborn. Your thirst should have taken over the second you smelled her blood. Any newborn would have killed her before her heart had another chance to beat."

Isabella turned and smiled at him. "Well are you disappointed? I'm quite sure that I can find her again and have her as my first meal if you'd prefer that."

"No, no Isabella. I'm just wondering how the hell you managed that just now," Alec responded.

"I know how you care for her. I know of the Volturi's plans for her. It would be selfish to take her, and I don't feel this uncontrollable burn you describe as thirst." Isabella looked at the men and women in the throne room and shrugged. "Now that you mention it though, I would love to go hunt."

Alec looked at Aro who nodded his approval before gesturing for Isabella to follow him. As they left the throne room Isabella began to laugh, playfully shoving Alec on the shoulder. With her superior and newfound strength though, she actually ended up throwing him into the wall where he made a significant crater and came out snarling at her, his eyes dark. Isabella looked surprised and stared at her hands before taking notice of the angry vampire standing across from her.

"Stupid newborn strength," Alec growled as his eyes began to return to normal. "As a newborn you will have superior strength and speed to the average vampire. Be careful with it unless you're trying to use it against someone."

"I'm sorry Alec, I had no idea how strong I became." Isabella smiled at him, flashing her perfect teeth before continuing their walk down the corridor.

Soon they came to a large room that looked quite like a gladiator battle arena. In the center of the arena itself were a group of human men and women, all bound on the ground. Alec watched Isabella as she approached them, taking in her impeccable control as she circled the group like a predator stalking an immobilized prey. Before Alec could respond, Isabella had untied the group and stood back to watch as they began to escape.

As the first man made his way to the exit, Isabella dropped down in front of him with a smile, grabbing him by the throat and throwing him across the arena. The group scattered and screamed, trying in vain to escape this predator before them. Within seconds, Isabella had the group emptied and dead on the floor, a content smile on her face at the feeling of a full stomach and no thirst remaining. Alec continued to watch her as she walked around and shut the eyes of each and every one of her victims before looking to him for further instruction.

"The bodies will be removed shortly, don't worry about them. How are you feeling?" Alec asked.

"I feel amazing, I feel as if someone doubled my energy, my strength, and my speed." As if to prove her point, Isabella leapt into the air, falling just short of the stadium seating surrounding the arena. Alec watched her, impressed that she had almost made it over the wall even with her newborn strength and speed.

"This is the training arena. We host guard tryouts, advanced training, and other events in here." He pointed to a boxed watching area where three thrones were placed. "That is where the kings watch each match and where they decide whether or not someone is worthy of joining the guard. The walls between the ground and the seating areas are built that high and slick so that they are impossible for any vampire to climb or vault during a match. In fact, you got the closest I've ever seen just now."

"Interesting," Isabella mused, "when do I begin training?"

"We normally begin training newborns after the first week so that they have time to learn to control their instincts and strength, but Aro granted special permission to begin your training as soon as you feel ready. Since vampires have no need to sleep, there are constant chances to learn new things and improve upon whatever you would like."

"Let's begin my training today." Isabella waited for Alec's nod of approval before she settled into a defensive crouch, narrowing her eyes at him.

Upon seeing this, Alec began to laugh. "Come on, Isabella. Let's go to the training room if you're so ready to fight someone."


They entered the training room, Isabella watching each sparring match with rapt interest. Now that she could track each and every movement the fighters made, the dangerous dance of war became that much more enticing. She noticed Jane sitting alone in the corner of the room and made her way over to her.

"Why aren't you sparring with anyone?"

Jane looked up at her with disinterest and mild annoyance as she responded, "because no one wants to get their ass kicked that's why. They're all too scared of me to train with me."

"I'll train with you." Isabella smirked at her before continuing. "Your gift doesn't work on me so there's no reason for me to be scared of you."

Jane raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow before grinning back at her new opponent. The evil smirk that Isabella first encountered back in place. Jane cast her eyes over the room and every person except for Alec dropped to the floor in agony for a brief moment before they were released and glared up at Jane. Within a minute the room was clear save for the trio.

Jane stood and gestured for Isabella to follow her as they made their way to the center sparring mat. Once there, Jane quickly kicked out Isabella's feet and dropped her to the ground with a mocking smile. Growling deeply, Isabella crouched down in front of her opponent, her eyes narrowed into darkened slits. Though she wasn't sure how to harness her power and the untapped energy she felt within her, Isabella felt for her instincts, drawing them to the surface. As Jane lashed out again, wrapping her fingers around Isabella's neck and landing a hard punch to the gut with the other hand, Isabella snarled and grabbed Jane's fist in her own, twisting it until she heard a snap and a cry of pain from her opponent. Blow after blow was exchanged between the two women until Isabella was better able to control her own movements and defend herself from some of Jane's attacks. Because Jane was one of the most skilled fighters on the Volturi guard however, Isabella never did land an attack of her own, often swinging into air where Jane used to be and receiving a hard blow to the back or head.

Hours passed and Isabella could feel her control slipping, cracks lining her marble skin all over. Finally, Alec called for the end of the session and told Isabella that she needed to eat. Tomorrow they would continue training and hunting lessons, teaching Isabella how to control every instinct her new vampire possessed and how to use those instincts and powers to her advantage.


It was late in the night when Jane, Alec, and Isabella returned to the throne room to talk to Aro about the progress of their day. Jane gave a report on the status of the vampire world, relaying the messages of the Volturi scouts and some of the guards that had returned from missions that day. Alec spoke of Isabella's progress and her unnatural control over her newborn instincts. Finally, Isabella spoke of how she felt, what she wished to be trained in further, and her overall abilities.

Aro smiled wide at the three in front of him, clapping his hands together as he asked them to join the kings and the rest of the guard for a celebratory feast. He bade them to get ready for the feast, lightly grabbing Isabella's arm as the three turned to leave the throne room.

"I would like to speak to you my dear before you go."

Isabella nodded, waiting for Aro to continue and ask her what he wanted.

"Tell me about your past with the Cullens." Aro's dark red eyes bore curiously into Isabella's as she frowned in response.

"I was in a relationship with Edward Cullen, Carlisle's first turned son. After an accident on my birthday, Edward took me into the forest and told me that I was better off without him and his family, safer that way. He told me that they didn't care about me and the next day they were gone. I haven't seen or heard from them since." Isabella's frown was now more of a hatred filled glare at the wall as she recalled the memories.

"I see," replied Aro taking her hand in his with a gentle squeeze. "If you join my guard, I will allow you to do whatever you see fit with the Cullens. When you decide what you wish to do, I will send you and some of our best guards to exact your punishment. For now, you will train under my guard and learn to master that shield of yours. Go and get ready for the feast my dear, we look forward to seeing you there as the very first newborn to attend such an important event."