Disclaimer- All recognizable characters belong to Mrs. Stephenie Meyer, whereas all new characters belong to me.
Chapter 2- You decide
Iris' POV
The interesting thing about being immortal, is that you get to see just how civilization changes. When I was younger, men and women never showed affection in public. Now, it's something everyone does. On one hand, I liked it. One the other, I missed the secrecy my time had. Everything and everyone back then were shrouded in mysteriousness. Now, everything is open to everyone. Especially with teenagers. I watched them flock out of school, talking about what they were going to do that night. " Come on, come on." I whispered, waiting for them. Finally, they exited the building, their steps fluid and graceful. I grinned and said, " Found ya." A girl was with them; I assumed she was Isabella. I couldn't believe she was who everyone was talking about. That little, plain girl.
" We have to stop home before leaving though. I have to pick something up." A girl with short black hair said. From my research, I knew she was Alice. And the boy who's hand she was holding had to be Jasper. Which meant the boy with the golden hair was Edward, Isabella's lover.
" How very interesting." I murmured. I hated vampires, but these ones were. . . different. I shrugged my shoulders and stood, watching them get in their car. It made no difference. I still needed to see just how much of a threat Isabella was to me. If she was too much of one, I'd simply kill her. I made sure everything was tucked into place, then I ran, following them to their home. They would never see me coming, I'd made sure of that. . .
Bella's POV
" I don't want to leave you," I whispered, holding Edward's hand tightly in mine. He smiled, but kept his face to the road. He knew how much I hated it when he looked away. He would survive a car accident, I wouldn't. Not that he would ever put me in danger, because he wouldn't do that either.
" I know. But, it's only for a few hours. Besides, I want you to have fun."
" I know, I know. It's just. . . I hate shopping."
" Promise me you will try to have a good time."
" I promise." I said grudgingly, burrowing myself down into the seat.
He laughed, his eyes crinkling in the corners. " It's like you're going in to have teeth pulled or something."
" I would rather have that done. Trust me."
We pulled into the long driveway, trees brushed the top of the car. It didn't matter how many times I came to the house. It still blew my mind as to how beautiful it was. Before I even had my buckle unclipped, Edward was opening my door. He was so chivalrous. My knight in shining armor. I smiled and grabbed his hand, then we made our way into the house. Upon entering, I immediately knew something was different. The air felt tense, like someone was just waiting for something bad to happen.
" What's going on?" Edward asked, voicing my questions for me.
" I don't know. I can't see anything. It's like, someone's clouding it." Alice replied, her eyes worried. Everyone was gathered in the living room, trying to figure out what's wrong.
" You don't think the werewolves are planning something?" I questioned softly.
" No. . . it isn't like that. It's. . .hard to explain."
Then, something happened. Edward grabbed me and pulled me over to the couch, his body already crouching down defensively. I was about to ask what was going on when the door knocked down and a girl came barging in, pitch fork looking weapons in her hands. She smiled wickedly, her eyes wild. Edward shoved me behind him, a feral snarl coming from him. Emmett and Jasper rushed towards her, but amazingly she blocked them. I watched in horror as her knives slit across their throat, red venom began to pour from the wound and they dropped to the ground. She put the knives away and took out a barbed whip, two vials in her free hand. " Without this, your friends are dead. Now, you're going to tell me what I want to know, or you'll watch them suffer." She told us calmly. She was absolutely fine with killing them, and that scared me.
Rosalie was snarling, spittle was flying out of her mouth. Alice held her back and looked at Carlisle, who's eyes were black. " What do you want here?" He asked, a hint of danger in his voice that made me shiver.
" I want to know why the Volturi is so interested in her." She pointed at me, her eyes narrowed.
" Heal my sons and we'll tell you."
She stopped, her eyes flickering around. Then she grinned and turned toward the front window. All of a sudden, five people in black crashed through the window. Before I knew what happened, I was on the stairs with Edward. He was protecting me from the men, who had to work with the Volturi. I swallowed, fear flowing through my veins.
" Hmm, they came right to me. How nice." The girl smirked, then twirled the whip around. Emmett and Jasper were crumpled at her feet, gargling in their venom.
" Save them, we can hold the attackers off." Carlisle told her. I could see how worried he was for them.
" I don't think so old man. Catch-" She threw the vials toward him and jumped in front of the guards.
" What do I do?"
" Get them to drink the potion and their wounds will heal. Keep your vampires at bay, or they'll die. I won't shed a tear, but you may." She wrapped the whip around a guard's head and pulled. I looked away, but heard the head hit the ground and the body fall a couple seconds later.
Iris' POV
Before the first guard was even decapitated, I directed the whip and wound it around another's head. While I pulled, I took a sai out and slammed it into a third's chest. Simultaneously, I pulled one vampire's head off and the other's heart out. Both plummeted to the ground. The remaining two guards looked at me, their swords drawn. I could see uncertainty in their red eyes.
" Who's first?" I asked with a crack of my whip. They both came at me, their swords clashing. One of the blades sliced my cheek, the other hit my leg. I winced in pain, but sucked it down. I jumped up and kicked them both in the head, landing softly on my feet. They straightened from my blow and came at me again. But, they didn't expect me to blink on them. One moment I was in front of them, the next I was behind them. My whip curled around one man's hand, cutting it clean off. He screamed and fell to his knees. The last guard turned to me, only to find my sai, which I shoved through his throat and into his head. Venom sprinkled across my face as I yanked it out.
I walked over to the whimpering guard, who I recognized as Felix from my last visit to Volterra. He glared at me and growled. He was trying to re-attach his arm. We couldn't have that, now could we? I took it from him and threw it out the window. " Oops," I giggled.
" You bitch."
" That's one of the better things I've been called actually. Now, I will dismember you limb by limb if you don't answer every question I ask."
" Go to hell."
" Been there, done that. Come on Felix, I'm sure you don't want to lose any more body parts."
" How do you know my name?" He questioned, holding his handless arm to his chest.
I stood, putting my sai with its twin on my thigh. But I kept my whip in hand. " Look real hard and think." I replied.
" Oh my God. Iris."
" Bingo. You know what you win? Your life, if you inform me on some little things."
" What do you want to know?"
" Why do the Volturi want Isabella Swan?"
Bella's POV
My heart dropped. She was here because of me. I was hoping maybe she had the wrong girl, but of course she didn't. Edward tensed in front of me and his breathing stopped. His whole family was utterly still, their eyes on Iris and Felix. The carnage that littered their floor. . . I was going to be sick.
" She exhibits talent. No vampire power can touch her. The Volturi want to change her, make her one of them. Please, that's all I know." He responded.
I couldn't believe it. He was begging, pleading with her. Just who, or what, was she?
" Good Felix. That's real good. Go on, run." She arched an eyebrow and laughed while he attempted to get up. Finally, he was standing and ready to leave. She turned to us, but then before he was gone, she whipped around and swung her whip over her head. I watched in horror as she beheaded him, then turned to my side and threw up.
-&-
I tried my best to ignore the smell of burning vampire flesh, but it was hard. Emmett, Jasper, Alice and Rosalie were. . . disposing of the bodies. Meanwhile Edward, Carlisle, Esme, and myself were with Iris. She was nonchalantly cleaning her wounds; like murdering people didn't faze her at all. Her whip was beside her; venom sparkled off the barbed tips. I felt sick again. " Bella, are you okay? You can go lie down while we deal with this." Edward whispered.
" I don't think so lover boy. If she's queasy, get her a bucket. I want her here."
" Why?"
" Because she's the reason I'm here. The way I see it, you have two choices. Either you let me guard her from the Volturi, or I kill her. You decide."
Edward growled and leapt up, his eyes black. Carlisle put a hand on his arm to calm him. " What gives you the right-"
" Listen, I really don't want to sit here and listen to you whine. You saw what I did to your so called brothers. It'll be no problem to kill her. And no matter what you do, you won't be able to save her. I know all about your mind reading, Alice's visions, and Jasper's form of empathy. I know how to guard myself from them, which is why you had no idea I was coming."
I shifted in my seat, hating that she was talking about my death like it was as easy as killing a bug. Simple and painless; well painless for everyone but the bug. And in this situation, the bug was me. " Why are you doing this?" I asked quietly.
She looked at me, an eyebrow arched. It was like she couldn't believe I dared speak to her. " That's none of your business."
" Well you better tell us something. You had no right to barge in and hurt my family. Now, you're threatening my family. I don't take kindly to threats Miss Iris."
She chuckled and stood up, her whip in her hand. " It's just Iris. And let's just say I don't want them getting anymore powerful than they already are. You have three days to decide. If I don't hear from you, the first minute of the fourth day, she's dead. Don't run because I will find you, and I will be angry." She took a card out of her jacket pocket and put it on the piano. " Here's my number. I suggest you call. And get this window fixed, I'd hate for you to catch a cold." She laughed, then she was gone.
I put my hand on Edward's waist and he looked down at me. Tears bubbled down my cheeks. " Oh Bella," he whispered and sat back down. I let out a sob and put my head on his chest. " It'll be alright."
" No Edward, I don't think it will be."
" Don't say that." He pulled away from me and gave me a small shake. " I promise, you'll be okay."
I shook my head in agreement but I didn't think I would be. Not at all.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Review and let me know your thoughts. I'll have updates for Forgotten Love and An Everlasting Love up in a few days. Also, I have a link in my profile to my fictionpress, where I have an original story posted. I'd love it if you guys checked it out and told me what ya thought (shameless promoting at it's best) Thanks so much for reading!! Again, review review review. I love hearing from you.
Until next time,
Faith
