Bella's POV
Delirium. Everything was on fire. She was being burned alive and she could not bear to unclench her teeth in fear of screaming. Her breath was ragged, her heart beating frantically, stuttering ever so slightly trying to beat the fire that consumed her. She whimpered, clenching and unclenching her fists in rapid succession. She couldn't move her arms, something cool held them in place but even that coolness didn't seem to abate the inferno within her. She felt herself spasm violently and then she felt something or someone hold her down.
"It'll be over soon, Isabella." A smooth voice said somewhere close to her.
She didn't dare open her eyes to see who spoke. She couldn't even think straight and she moaned it pain. She had no idea how long she had been there. She had lost track of time. Had it been days? Weeks? Years? She didn't know. All she knew was the horrible burning pain that was devouring her, changing her. Somewhere in the back of her mind a small voice reminded her that she wanted this. That it was necessary. Then slowly, she began to feel relief as the heat retreated from her fingertips and her toes but it was short lived. The fire in her heart intensified tenfold and she could no longer hold back her piercing cry of agony as her back arched up from wherever she was placed.
She registered something against her cheek and she opened her eyes weakly, clamping her mouth shut again. Even through the haze of excruciating agony she could see a face look at her slightly pained. She recognized him, recalling a memory of the raven haired vampire and she felt herself stare at him in awe even as the heat in her heart didn't abate. It was like she looking at a completely different person yet he was the same. The only difference was that she was looking at him with vampire eyes instead of human eyes. His crimson irises shone like nothing she had ever seen before. They held different shades of red she hadn't been able to perceive when they first met. Her eyes roamed over his features, momentarily and blessedly distracted. She noticed how he wasn't as pale as she remembered, his skin seemed less like a chalky white and more like a very light cream color. Her eyes raked over his face, taking in his chiseled jaw, his strong black eyebrows and his hair which instead of being uniformly black, held a multitude of shades of grey.
"A-Aro?" She breathed, stunned at what she was seeing. Then, she suddenly shut her eyes and grunted as the flames slowly receded further away from her extremities, making her heart stutter. She felt that she couldn't handle much more but as soon as the thought came, the fire dwindled down sharply. Her heart thumped once, twice and then it stilled. It had ceased beating, her chest immobile as she didn't take a single breath. She didn't need to. She was afraid of opening her eyes again and instead focused on her heightened hearing. A door being shut softly in the distance, birds chirping outside, the sound of cars in a highway nearby. She could hear it all.
"Isabella?"
Her eyes snapped open and she looked at Aro again. He eyed her carefully, holding his hand in the air as if commanding someone nearby to stop whatever they were going to do. She became aware then that something was still holding her down and she lifted her head to see Felix and Demitri at either side of her, their hands firmly on her arms. They observed her cautiously. Their faces betrayed no emotion but she noticed that they were rigid, as if they were ready for a fight.
She was confused as she looked back at her maker. She locked eyes with him and he seemed to be extremely surprised at her calm demeanor.
"Felix, Demitri." He said and at once she felt that she could move again.
She sat up and noticed that the she was in a grand bed with red silk sheets, in a room she didn't recognize but the familiar faces kept her grounded. She looked around dazed at the paintings hanging from the walls and the candle chandelier up above their heads. She smiled, amazed that she could her the flicker of the flames as they met the wax of the candles. She then surveyed the individuals. Besides from the three she had already seen, Jane was present, glaring daggers at her. She felt a soft, warm hand over hers and she flinched in surprise making everyone tense momentarily before she looked and saw that Aro had touched her. She relaxed again. He seemed pleased by this and he dismissed with the wave of his hand the others that were present. They hesitated before disappeared quickly, leaving the room before she had a chance to speak.
"We're the same temperature." She said astonished, her voice ringing like a chimes in the wind. Her free hand shot up to her lips as if not recognizing who spoke before she realized it truly was her.
"Astonishing."He murmured in admiration. "Are you not thirsty, my dear?"
She hadn't thought about until he mentioned it and then suddenly the burning in her throat was unbearable. She swallowed thickly, venom pooling in her mouth from the thought of satiating her thirst. She imagined the relief she would feel as she sunk her teeth into a human and then she stopped herself. She hadn't thought of that. A sudden, flitting pang of dread filled her being at the thought that the Volturi did not share the Cullen's 'vegetarian' diet.
"I am." She said slowly, trying not to think about the heartbeat that she hadn't noticed in the background and the mouth watering smell that permeated the halls. She closed her eyes, calmed herself and opened them, looking at the the Volturi leader again.
"You are an enigma, Isabella." She noted that there was nothing but awe in his voice. "There is a human close by and yet you show such restraint. I am impressed."
He took her hand and lifted it to his lips, placing a kiss on her knuckles.
"And might I add that you look quite ravishing. I have never laid eyes on a woman as beautiful as yourself. Immorality suits you, tesoro mio."
Beautiful? Her? Aro noticed her face of confusion and he chuckled lightly.
He lead her off the bed and she noticed that she wasn't wearing the clothes she had one before meeting with the Volturi. She wore a black, lace dress with thin shoulder straps that reached to above her knee and she was wearing red stilettos. Nothing she would wear in her right mind. Though, the thought that someone changed her would've made her blush if she still could. He walked her over to a mirror and she gasped. Her first reaction was horror as red eyes that seemed to glow, stared at her menacingly. She was unnervingly beautiful, her features too perfect to be human. She didn't recognize herself. Her eyes searched frantically for something, anything that would remind her that the Bella she knew was still there. She relaxed a bit as she could see some of her old self if she looked hard enough. She took a sharp breath, though she didn't need it, as her attention shifted to the man behind her. His eyes roamed hungrily over her body before his gaze met hers in the mirror.
"Sei bellisima. Sono incantato da te." He whispered in her ear. She should've felt repulsed at they way he stared at her. This was the same ruthless man that earlier, had had the intention of killing her and the people who she considered her family. But she couldn't help the feeling of electricity on her skin as his breath fanned over her neck. She was sure he saw her reaction to it for he was still gazing into her eyes, watching her. She bit her lip nervously as he touched her shoulders, sliding his hands down her arms, before taking a step back. He was letting her process everything. The initial shock slowly begun to subside and she remembered why she was there. Why she was staring at this complete stranger in the mirror. She did it to spare Edward's and Alice's lives. She couldn't help but feel a sinking feeling in her stomach as she stared at her bright red eyes. She realized she had become something Edward hadn't wanted her to become.
A monster.
Author's note: I have to say, I am grateful for the faves, follows and reviews! I didn't think anyone would be reading my story before I put myself out there. A big thank you to my readers. Also the story will be mostly in Bella's POV but I have considered adding a few chapters in Aro's POV when the plot requires it.
Tesoro mio - My treasure
Sei bellisima - You are very beautiful
Sono incantato da te - I am entranced by you
