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-Chapter 3-

Bella's POV

I woke up the next morning, feeling groggy and cranky. I slept for a long time, but that didn't mean I actually wanted to get up. I didn't bother to ope my eyes for a few seconds. During those few seconds, the memories of Athenodora's appearance were the only thing I could think of.

Caius had a wife. She's beautiful but I could see she had a slight temper. I wonder why Jane, Edward or anyone else didn't tell me that Caius had a mate. I knew Aro had a mate; Sulpicia. I knew Marcus once had one; Didyme, but she passed away long ago. But how come no one told me that Caius had a mate? It isn't a big deal, is it? Why does it feel like a huge secret has been exposed? Or am I just overreacting?

Probably overreacting.

A couple minutes flown by until I switched positions and was met with a bright ray of sunlight against my lids. Cringing, I opened my eyes, groaning at the realization that I had to face another day I this dungeon.

I yawned, sitting upright and stretching my arms out. I looked around; no one's here. It made me feel a little empty inside. Usually, Edward would be there when I awoke, but not this time. I was left alone.

Deciding not to waste any time, I did my morning routine. Shower, brush my teeth and my hair, put on some clothes and make myself look suitable. And to my disappointment, I didn't manage to look half as good as any of the female vampires here. They are practically Goddesses and if I looked next to them, I'd compare to a piece of dust. Your eyes would most likely draw to them instead of me.

"Isabella?" I heard a voice whisper from the bedroom.

"Jane?" I called, peering around the corner.

"It's me." She confirmed, her ghostly figure making its way to where I am.

"What's up?" I asked, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

"Breakfast's ready when you are." She smiled.

"What time is it, anyway?" I asked, glancing at the window and noticing how the sun was high up in the sky.

"Eleven in the morning." She informed me, not even taking a moment to look at a clock.

"Oh." I said.

"Are you feeling better?" She inquired, her brows raising up slightly in concern.

"Yeah," I nodded. "it was nothing. It happens all the time." I shrugged nonchalantly.

"The irony." Jane chuckled to herself, shaking her head.

"What?" I frowned, in confusion.

"You're afraid of blood yet you're with those who crave it most." She giggled.

I laughed a little bit, realizing she had a very good point. I did hate blood but still I agreed and I wanted to become a vampire; the specie that feeds off of it and needs it in order to function properly. I still couldn't believe I had gotten myself into this.

"I know." I sighed, pursing my lips.

"Are you ready?" She asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Yep." I nodded.

We walked out of Caius's room - I still felt really weird about being I his room - and walked towards the dining room. Like last time, Gianna was ready to give me my plate of food. Jane sat down in her usual spot and watched me eat. The look of distaste wasn't showing today.

After I was done, she said that I could do whatever I want.

"Am I allowed to go out into the city?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

"No." She replied, sadly.

I sighed, one more thing I hate about being prisoner in this jail. I couldn't even get some sunlight! I'm as white as it is, might as well soak up as much sun as I can without getting stared at by people then wait until I changed and sparkle.

"But," She interrupted my thoughts. "you can go out into the garden."

"Where is it?" I asked.

"Let me show you the way." She said, and stalked off into a different hallway.

We walked for a very long time, not that I'm surprised. Windows covered this part of the castle, old ones with those weird crown moldings painted either white or like polished wood. The view from the castle is amazing, though. At my right, there was trees. A lot of them, too, reminding me of Forks. The sun beamed upon them, making them appear lighter in color than usual. To my left, you could see the city, or some of it anyway. It was beautiful. No words could describe what I was thinking.

Jane turned towards stairs that spiraled down for a while. Once we reached the bottom, there was a room that had one door - leading towards the garden, I assumed.

"Here we are!" She exclaimed, happily sighing. She opened the doors and waited for me to walk in.

I expected the Volturi garden to be somewhat neglected. If not, to look a little bit like a jungle with vines climbing up the side of the castle and pots of roses everywhere, just like the ones you would see in a Disney movie.

But this one was marvelous. Yes, there was vines along side the castle walls but there was much more than that. It was big, very big. I'd say an acre at the least. There was a narrow cobblestone path that led somewhere deep into the garden. Tall shrubs and trees were everywhere as well as flowers growing from the soil beneath.

Red, pink, yellow, white, all colors that you could think of were present. Jane took the lead, following the cobblestone pathway. I followed her, hypnotized by the beauty of this lush garden.

Finally, there was an opening. It was cleared in the shape of a circle with a bench in the middle. The sun hit the spot beautifully, making everything seem brighter. It looked like a place where you would plan a wedding or a romantic date spot. It doesn't matter, I knew I would be spending most of my time here reading a book by myself.

"Do you like it?" Jane asked, but by the way she said it, I knew she knew that I was basically in love with this place.

"I love it!" I squealed anyway. "It's so beautiful here."

Jane stepped into the sunlight, her skin sparkling like a million little diamonds. The sun's effect on her skin made tiny little rainbows appear everywhere. Her arms were out as she looked up at the sun, enjoying the feel of it. "I miss it out here." She confessed, her white teeth glimmering in the sunlight.

"You don't come out here often?" I asked, kind of surprised. Who wouldn't want to come out here?

"No," She shook her head. "usually Athenodora and Caius are out here. Sometimes Marcus when he prefers to be in a less distracting environment. Renata, Corin, Gianna...Felix. Don't worry, Isabella," Jane noticed my tense figure. "he's not going to be here for a couple of hours. He's out."

I nodded, not wanting to know why he's out. I winced slightly at the memory of him attacking me. Even if he hadn't caused me any harm, I still feared him. He's just so much bigger than the rest of them. And his voice makes him sound like a bear.

"I will leave you alone here. You can't get lost with the pathway here and if you need me, just shout." She giggled, returning to her normal posture.

"Thanks." I smiled.

Jane left leaving me to my thoughts. I finally had some privacy to think about everything I've been wanting to think about. Edward, Charlie, Jacob...everyone.

It hurt to be away from Edward. It's only been two days but still I missed his voice, his touch, his presence. I missed everything about him. I missed him hugging me at night singing the lullaby he wrote for me. I missed being with him at his secret meadow filled with wild flowers. I missed kissing him passionately and feeling I'm at the top of the world. I missed him holding me tight and telling me that I'll be okay; that everything will work out fine. The memories I had with him weren't many but I still held them close to me. It brought tears to my eyes feeling abandoned for the second time, even if this one isn't intentional. But I know that I will get to see him in a couple of weeks. That thought alone made me feel strong enough to endure being locked up in the Volturi's castle.

I also missed Jacob. He was my life preserver when I was drowning in the sea of sorrows. He tied me back together when I was broken from the Cullen's departure. He was the one who made me feel better about myself and made me forget about the pain that Edward caused me. He was there when I needed him most. Up until he mysteriously disappeared. Turns out he's a werewolf.

What else is new in this crazy world?

Charlie. I love my father more than anything. I miss him, just having him there looking out for me. I missed his over-protectiveness with me whenever I was around Edward, even though Edward could protect me better than Charlie could. But I was never ungrateful for having Charlie there. He took care of me during my...darkest hours.

Tears stung my eyes as I realized that I would never be able to see Charlie soon. I could only imagine how worried and sick he must be just wondering where I am. I hoped the Cullens convinced him that I was missing or ill or something. The next time I would see Charlie, I would be in vampire form. Even then, I'll have to wait a few years in order to have full control over my, supposed, blood lust.

Suck it up, Bella. You're strong enough to go on. You just said that you will see him again. You just have to wait. Be patient...be patient...

I sniffled and wiped my tears away. How many times have I cried since I've been here? Many times, probably. More than I can count.

"Isabella?" Oh no, there was that familiar voice. Please don't be who I think it is...

"Isabella, I know you're here."

In plain sight, Caius stepped into the circle, Athenodora by his side. At the sight of me, she looked irritated. She looked at me in disgust but tried her best to hide it. Caius held out a hand, signaling Athenodora to stay put.

"What are you doing here?" He asked me, suspicion evident in his voice.

"Jane told me this was a good place if I needed to be alone." I replied, my voice still shaky from crying.

"Why didn't you stay in my room?" He asked.

I looked at Athenodora, remembering her being discontent about me staying there. He noticed my glancing behind him. Realization flushed his features.

"Athenodora, leave." He demanded.

"But Caius-"

"Leave." He growled, annoyed at her.

"Fine." Athenodora retorted. She looked at me with an angry expression, her red eyes now black, and stalked off.

"Why did you do that?" I asked, kind of mad that he made his wife leave.

"It was necessary." He said.

"No, I could have left." I reasoned, feeling slightly bad for ruining their personal time.

"That wasn't why I told her to leave." He said, amusement in his tone.

"Then why?" I inquired, suddenly feeling a surge of confidence overwhelm me, as if I was talking to a life long friend.

"I know that she's unhappy with you staying in my room." He said, smiling coyly.

"I could move, if that is what she wants." I whispered, trying my best to be cooperative.

"It doesn't matter what she wants, it matters what you need." He explained, sincerity in his words.

"I don't want to feel like such a burden." I murmured, feeling ashamed.

Caius became defensive all of a sudden, and he looked me straight in the eyes. "You are not a burden."

"I know that Athenodora is not happy with me." I mumbled. "You all have to protect me every minute of every day, to top it off."

"Firstly," He said, smirking. "Athenodora will just have to get used to you living here. And secondly, we will protect what is worth protecting."

I looked up into his eyes, feeling good about myself. Caius made me feel better about this situation and definitely persuaded me into thinking that I was worth the effort. Looking into his blood red eyes, made me feel secure. It's an odd feeling.

"I ruined your alone time with her." I muttered, foolishly confessing.

He laughed. "No you didn't. She dragged me out here."

"If you didn't want to come, then why did you?" I asked, quirking an eyebrow.

He sighed. "Athenodora feels like it's obligatory to do these things if we're married."

"And you are." I stated, not really meaning for it to be a question.

"...Not exactly..." He murmured. "I do love her very much and I care for her as well. But, it doesn't make me feel whole. It feels like a part of me has been missing throughout our entire relationship. I've discussed this with Marcus and Aro and both came to the conclusion that we aren't really mates. But we stayed together, because it just looked good."

"She's not your mate?" I gasped.

He shook his head. "No, I'm afraid not. But she does not want to let me go."

"Why not?" I asked.

"I'm not entirely sure. She refuses to let Aro see her memories, as if she is hiding something important. I wouldn't doubt that she's engaging sexually with others." He shrugged. I could hear the hurt in his voice and the defeat in his eyes.

"Why don't you call it off?" I frowned.

"She doesn't want to." He muttered, his tone flat.

"Caius..." I murmured, thinking about something that could make sense in his situation."

"Yes, cara mia?" He asked, glancing up at me. With my little knowledge of the Italian language, I knew he said 'My dear'. Which made me blush in flattery.

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe she's only with you for the power and...the, um, sex?" I asked, feeling embarrassed at my confrontation. But it had to be said, he can't keep living in the shadows anymore.

"Several times." He confessed brokenly.

"Then maybe it's time you do something about this." I murmured.

He stared at me incredulously for the longest of time. Surprisingly, I didn't feel discomfort or anything like that. I felt...at ease. Oh my god, what the hell is happening to me?

"You're right." He smiled, beaming at me with admiration. "But I should consult the others..."

I looked at him sternly and laid a hand on his shoulder, not feeling the slightest bit awkward at my gesture.

"You need to consult the others to decide what to do about your relationship?" I asked, I gawked at him idiotically.

"...No." He muttered, hesitantly.

I got up from my seat. "Tell me if it goes well."

The cold, hard look was back into his eyes as he got up. I didn't know what got him so tense again, but I decided it's best if I don't say anything else. Maybe he's mad at me now...

"Caius!" A shrilling voice called. Athenodora. "Aro wants everyone in the throne hall, now! Including that pesky human!"

I didn't even flinched as she insulted me. I won't be human for much longer anyway.

"Let's go." Caius looked at me from his peripheral vision.

I followed.

"We have news." Aro announced. My heart beat accelerated, which caught the attention of a few vampires in the room. "Victoria knows where Isabella is." He shot me an apologetic look.

"She's coming here?" Chelsea asked, her voice raining with boredom.

"Yes. It is why we must take extra precautions. Newborns are to be expected." He said, not once did his voice ring me as alarmed. He seemed to be taking this casually. But not me, I felt like I was about to explode with anxiety. Jane was next to me in a flash, holding me up so that I had extra support.

"I knew she was trouble!" Athenodora snarled from one corner of the room.

"Everything is trouble, Athenodora." Aro told her calmly.

Athenodora rolled her eyes, displeased.

"The Cullens are to be coming in three days. In about a week is when we are to expect Victoria, according to dear Alice." Aro chimed. "We will assign Isabella to the West wing. She is to stay in Caius's chamber for the time being. I would like Corin and Renata to be guarding that wing when Victoria arrives. You all are well prepared for a battle. We have the upper hand." He smiled, devilishly.

"Seems like so much effort just to protect a stupid human." Athenodora retorted, snorting. Her arms were crossed and she had a arrogant air to her facial expression. It made me feel bad about myself again, for making them do this.

Caius snarled audibly.

"Calm down, brother." Aro said, holding up a hand. "Athenodora, if you are so discontent with her, please do us the favor and depart. We do not need such a sour attitude in our coven."

"No, Master. I'm not discontent." But her tone said otherwise.

"Very well." Aro dismissed her. "You may leave."

Everyone was gone in a flash, while Jane still helped me stay stable. My legs were shaking and my heart thumping a million beats a minute. I felt sweat coming on and the suddenly I felt too hot.

"Isabella, are you alright?" Jane frowned, her cool hand trailing up and down my neck.

"Yeah, yeah. It's just...Victoria." I whimpered, using the back of my hand to wipe off the layer of sweat on my forehead.

"Caius!" Jane screamed. "Caius, take Isabella to your room! I need to get her something!"

Silently, I felt thicker arms snake around my waist, drawing me close. Caius picked me up, bridal style, and ran to his chamber. For a few moments, everything was quiet as Caius looked at me worriedly. Jane came in holding a cellphone in one hand and a tiny piece of paper in the other.

"Here," She said, handing me the paper and the cell phone. "call the Cullens. It will make you feel better."

Gratefully, I dialed in the number. As I listened to the dial tone, I grew more and more anxious. I needed to talk to somebody I knew, I feel like I might go insane. Then the dial tone ceased for a minute, and my heart skipped a beat.

"Hello?"