Ok.. so we said we would update today and we did! Even though it is kindof late... sorry. :) I was in the middle of writing this chapter when something came up. I hope I made this chapter long enough. I really really really hate short chapters. I am officially done with midterms and finals so now I can devote my time to finishing this fanfic. We've decided that we are going to updat on Monday's, Wednesday's and Friday's. When I have to write by a certain time, I always write better. Anyways enjoy! P.S Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Your comments mean alot.
Facing Aro
Bella's POV
I woke up alone in the back of a car that seemed to be moving. My heart hammered in my ears as the events of the day before came rushing back to me. The Volturi had finally come to check up on me, and one of their new guards had decided to take me hostage. It was my worst nightmare, but in real life.
I tried to sit up but I felt numb. My body refused to respond to my screaming mind. After trying multiple times, I finally got myself to sit up. I had to steady myself as my blood went rushing out of my head and into the rest of my body. I looked around, and I was right, the car was moving. And if the car was moving, there had to be a driver. My heart started to pound even harder, my breath coming out in gasps.
"Good morning Bella," the silky smooth voice of a man spoke to me. I assumed it was Rylan since I couldn't see his face. "You're probably wondering where you are."
A shiver ran down my spine. I was afraid that if my heart started to beat any faster I would have a heart attack. I looked out of the car window, it was dark out. We were driving very fast down an empty highway.
"Where are we going?" I asked. My voice cracked. Why hadn't he killed me yet? I checked myself over. Except for a few bruises I was completely fine. I was very cold though.
Where were Edward and the rest of my family? I hoped that they were all safe.
"The Airport," his voice snickered. "We're going to take a little trip, Bella, to Volterra." So that was his plan, they were going to kill me in Volterra. Aro probably wanted to talk to me before he killed me. I wrapped my arms around my torso, trying to keep myself warm. What if I don't make it this time? What will I do without Edward…?
As if he could hear my thoughts Rylan turned around and flashed me a sly smile. I had never really looked at his face before. Rylan had dark brown hair that looked a bit unkempt. His face looked abnormally round for a vampire's. He must have died chubby.
"Oh don't worry your family is safe for now. But of course they are being held captive- to make sure you don't try anything. As long as you do as I say, they will be safe." His smile turned menacing then. I nodded at him. I wouldn't dare put my family in danger. Rylan turned back around and continued the drive to the airport.
I didn't care if I was killed in Volterra, as long as my family was safe. I had no guarantee that Rylan was going to keep them alive, but I hoped that he would. It occurred to me that Rylan had turned around and started talking to me while he was driving. Are all vampires good at driving?
What was wrong with me? Here I was, taken captive by an evil vampire and I was thinking about how he was a good driver. I needed special help.
"I've already bought our plane tickets, so all you have to do is pretend to be my newly wedded wife. We're going to Volterra on our honeymoon." Rylan said interrupting my thoughts.
The thought of being married to Rylan turned my stomach. I was never a good actor, no matter how hard I tried. This was going to be hard, but I could do it if it meant saving the ones I loved.
"When we get to Volterra, it will be night time. Do not try to run away, I might just let you. There are scarier things then me out there." He laughed loudly like he had said the funniest thing in the world. I tried not to imagine what could be waiting for me in some dark alley in Volterra.
The car pulled to a stop, and Rylan got out. I opened the door and tried to step outside. When I was sitting down I hadn't realised that my whole body was shaking. I was going to have to work very hard to make it to the plane. Rylan opened the trunk of the car and pulled out two suitcases.
"To keep up the illusion." He explained, as if I had asked.
We slowly walked through the airports revolving glass doors. The airport was filled with families meeting again, old friends returning for visits, and children coming home from seeing their grandmothers. Will I ever see Edward again?
We went through airport security. A child stared at Rylan's burgundy irises, and his mother sent us an apologetic look. Rylan glared at the child as if it were his fault that Rylan looked so weird. I handed a security guard my passport.
"And why are you travelling to Italy miss?" he asked. He seemed bored. His body slouched into his chair.
"I-I'm going on my honeymoon. With my husband." I stammered. The guard looked up at me through his glasses. Seconds passed as the guard watched my face. For a while I thought he wasn't going to believe me.
"Well congratulations!" he shouted finally. "And is this your new man?" he pointed to Rylan who was walking up to us. People around us turned to see what all of the fuss was about.
"Yes, sir." Rylan beamed at me. Vomit crawled up my throat as I looked at him. I did my best to look happy as the security guard droned on and on about how he never had enough money to take his wife on a fancy honeymoon to Italy.
The security guard continued to talk while Rylan pretended to look interested. At the end of it Rylan said goodbye to the security guard who wished us a fun time. I heard him mutter something about young people and coloured contacts. Some people could be so oblivious.
We boarded the plane, Rylan and I sat beside each other, so that he could watch me. I did my best to avoid his curious gaze by pretending to read a magazine.
"You know, you're the strangest human I've ever met." He commented, his red eyes blazing. "You don't respond to me the way you should."
I didn't know what to say to him, or if I should say anything at all. I was used to vampires telling me that I was an abnormal human. Edward suspected that my brain just worked differently than everyone else's. Edward... my heart hurt just thinking about him.
I began to feel something that I hadn't felt in months. The hole in my heart that was created when Edward left had begun to return. This was the first time that Edward and I had been away from each other for more than a day.
"I guess I'm just different." I said, growing angry. I wrapped my arms around my chest, trying to hold myself together. I didn't want to be here talking to this idiot. I wanted to be with Edward, or Alice planning the wedding.
The wedding.
I completely forgot about it. I was supposed to be getting married in 11 days. The thought that Rylan had taken me away from Edward just days before our wedding irritated me even more. The plane started to take off, the engine seemed to roar in my ears.
As the plane climbed into the air, I gazed out of the window and looked at everything I was leaving behind. I turned and glared at Rylan only to have him smirk at me. I couldn't do anything to him and he knew it. I turned my attention back to the scenery outside of my window. If I kept looking at him, I knew I would start crying and I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he caused my pain. My eyes began to droop, and I let them. At least in my dreams I could be free from him.
I woke up to find that the plane had already landed. People were hurriedly getting out of their seats, wanting to be the first ones off of the cramped plane. I stood up and once again my body felt sore. I felt Rylan's gaze on me again. I rolled my eyes at him.
"Can you stop staring at me?" I asked, my annoyance flaring up again. I grabbed our "luggage" and lined up with the rest of the people trying to get off of the plane. The line began to move and a few minutes later I was out. We went through airport security quickly and as I stepped out of the airport I was bombarded with memories of my last visit to Italy.
My eyes began to water as the painful memories all flooded back. The last time I came here was to save Edward who was trying to kill himself after finding out that I had "died". It was the first time I had seen him in months, and the first time I met the Volturi.
I quickly wiped away my tears with the back of my hand, there was no point in crying now. I was already here. It was too late. I followed Rylan into a nearby cab not bothering to carry the suitcases. It wasn't like I was going to need them.
The driver spoke to Rylan in another language and Rylan said something about the Palazzo dei Priori. The driver gave us a strange look. He was probably wondering why we wanted to go to the clock tower at this time of night but he drove us anyways.
We drove through the dark narrow streets in silence, but Rylan would occasionally glance at me. His sharp white teeth glistened in the moonlight. I looked away as a shiver ran up my spine. Don't let him know you're scarred Bella.
When the car came to a stop Rylan paid the driver and we both got out of the car. Two dark figures walked past us and sat in the back of the cab. They both had pale skin and burgundy eyes. Rylan nodded at them and smiled.
It took me a minute to realise what was in store for the cab driver, and when I figured it out I couldn't control myself any longer and I began to break down. The car sped off and as I watched it leave my legs started to quiver. I grabbed hold of the wall of a nearby building trying to keep myself up. Tears began to stream down my face.
"Now this is how you should have reacted." Rylan laughed. The thought that whatever the cab driver was going through now was about to happen to me later ran through my mind. I hoped that they would finish me off quickly but I knew from experience that it probably wouldn't be fast.
Rylan grabbed my arm and began to drag me through a narrow alley. I probably didn't have to walk-he could have just dragged me the whole way there- but I was afraid that he would snap my arm off. It had already begun throbbing. I forced my legs to walk even though I knew I would probably stumble and fall at any moment.
We reached a metal grate, similar to the one I went through the last time I was here, but this time no one was there to catch me when I fell. I tried to land on my feet but as soon as I did, my already weak knees gave way and my body was on the floor. I had dirt all over the front of my shirt and my left leg was bruised.
I thought I heard someone laugh when I fell and I looked up to find Demetri smiling at me. Demetri looked just like he did when I last saw him. His olive complexion mixed with his vampire paleness looked odd. He looked like he just came from the beach and was working on his tan. His long black hair flowed over his shoulders.
"Well hello again, Bella." His voice sounded nice, but his facial expression was everything but nice. He quickly nodded at Rylan and I was led down the cold narrow tunnels of Volterra. As we walked I realised that they couldn't stand each other. Rylan walked on one side of the tunnel while Demetri walked on the other.
They shot angry glances at each other and occasionally I could catch bits of their conversation. Rylan said something to Demetri about jealousy and Demetri responded angrily but I couldn't figure out what he was trying to say.
I gave up on trying to understand what they were talking about and began to think about Edward and the events that had happened only a few months ago.
Again I was flooded with memories of Edward, Alice and I walking down these same tunnels. I could remember feeling happy to be with Edward even though I was in so much danger. At the time I believed that Edward didn't love me and I wanted to savour every moment with him before he left again.
This time with Rylan half dragging me, we reached the reception office faster. I expected to see Gianna working there, but instead I was greeted by a new face. Either Gianna had been killed by them, or she was now a vampire too.
The new Receptionist stood and greeted us when we got close. She had short brown hair and light blue eyes. She smiled at me but I didn't return a smile to her. It confused me that she would choose to become part of the Volturi. She wanted to kill people for their blood.
Suddenly Alec stormed up to Rylan. His dark brown hair moved as he half ran half walked. But even though he was so small he still looked dangerous.
"Where is my sister Rylan?" he shouted. I didn't even notice that Jane wasn't with us. I looked at Rylan and for the first time he actually looked scared. He quickly masked his face with anger.
"I'm not your sister's keeper Alec." Rylan spat. It looked like Rylan wasn't very popular here. Demetri began to lead me away as the two kept fighting. We entered a large dimly lit room that seemed to be empty. As my eyes adjusted to the light I realised that we were not alone.
Aro sat in a large chair at the end of the room. I felt something move beside me and Rylan had rejoined us. Demetri nodded at Aro, turned and walked back out of the door.
"Bella! How are you my dear?" Aro's frail voice seemed to float through the air. How do you think I feel? I thought angrily. Aro rose his hand toward me and his eyebrows lifted slightly ask if he were asking for permission to read my mind.
I walked over to where Aro was sitting; I knew that I really had no choice in the matter so I raised my trembling hand towards his. Aro's smile seemed to grow as he realised that he still couldn't read any of my thoughts. He chuckled lightly.
"Well I see, that I still cant read your mind." Aro said. His papery skin seemed to crack as his mouth moved. His long black hair was tied back into a ponytail.
I nodded at him. What did he expect?
"I am very glad that I caught you before Edward changed you. I would like you to re-think your answer to the question I asked you not too long ago."
My mind went blank. What did Aro ask me? I tried to remember what had gone on that night we were here. We talked about powers...Carlisle…Then it hit me.
"You want me to join you?" I asked not believing him. Why would they want me to join them? I looked over and saw Rylan's mouth drop. Even he wasn't expecting this.
"Of course, we could use your help." Aro smiled. He waited while I gathered my thoughts.
"But why?" Was all I could think of to say. What good would I be to the Volturi? I knew that my senses would be enhanced as a vampire but I didn't think that I would be able to do anything. I would probably be the only clumsy vampire in the world.
"Bella, do not underestimate yourself. You have an amazing mind. I suspect that when you change you will have a special power. I've seen the signs and I have no doubt that you will be a blocker."
"A blocker? I have no idea what that is." I said. Aro had to be crazy. I suspected that he was.
"A blocker is someone who can block other powers Bella. And I believe that you will be a special Blocker. One who will be able to block and use other vampires powers against them." Aro's smile grew even wider as he said this and he clapped his hands together. Can vampires go crazy?
Rylan suddenly looked very angry. He clenched his jaw and abruptly turned around and walked away. Aro glanced up at him, but turned his attention back to me.
"So what do you say Bella?" he asked.
"Well, I want to be a vampire, but only so that I can be with Edward. I don't want to join you." I tried to sound confident, but knew that I was failing at it. I was scared that if I refused he would kill me.
"Well… I wasn't really asking you. In three days we are going to change you Bella. You're lucky that I'm giving you these three days to prepare for the change."
I stood there, too shocked to speak. I was going to be a vampire in three days. My anger overwhelmed me. Why would I want to be a vampire if I couldn't be with Edward? I had to get out of here.
"My family will stop you." I said angrily. They were going to come and save me. I would be back in Alice's room soon, planning my wedding. I would go home and make Charlie his supper. Jake would eventually come home and everything would be normal again- at least until I was changed.
"Bella, if your family tries to stop me they will be killed." Aro said quietly. His cloudy red eyes gazed into mine. We were both silent for a moment and then, a guard grabbed hold of my arms and carried me off to another room. I assumed it would be my room. Once I was inside the door was locked. I was trapped.
The room was big, and it had a large bed in the middle of it. There was a bathroom with a shower through a door at the far end of the room. On my bed lay a dark cloak, just like the ones that the Volturi wore.
I grabbed it and tried to rip it in half. My arms shook as I used all of my strength to rip the material. After trying to rip it without succeeding I decided to stuff it under the bed. My eyes started to blur as I thought about how no matter what happened I would lose my family. I curled up into a ball on the bed and tried to muffle my sobs, knowing that they could all probably hear me anyways.
Rylan's POV
I stood in the middle of my room trying to think of ways to get rid of Bella. I had expected Aro to kill Bella once I brought her to him. It never occurred to me that he was thinking of changing Bella.
I was Aro's new favourite. That was why everyone hated me- especially Jane who always wanted to be the center of attention. After Aro made his favouritism known, everyone treated me differently, but I didn't care. I had the power to do anything, all I had to do was ask. If Bella stepped into the picture I knew that she would take the spotlight away from me.
I paced around my now dark room knowing that the task at hand wouldn't be so easy. There would be guards watching Bella's every move- Aro would see to that. I would have to get her away from everyone, and bring her somewhere where we could be alone.
A shadow moved in the corner of my room. I stopped pacing and cursed to myself, angry at how stupidly I was acting. I had been so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I hadn't realised that someone else was in here.
"Come out Jane, I know that it's you hiding over there." I called. What was Jane doing back? I thought that the Cullen's had finished her off. Jane's small frame stepped out of the shadows. She looked the same as always, her short brown hair was pinned to one side. Her normally burgundy eyes were now pitch black. Her full lips were pulled into a frown.
"You left me behind." She stated angrily. She took a step towards me and as she got closer, she began to growl. Her dark eyes made her look even more menacing.
"Jane you know I had to retrieve Bella. She's in her room right now"
At the sound of Bella's name Jane stopped on the spot. Her already wide eyes seemed to grow larger.
"Bella is still alive?" she asked.
I began to tell her everything Aro had said to Bella. Her expressions changed from being surprised, to worried, to angry. She slowly walked past me, her face showing that she was contemplating something. I waited patiently for a few minutes. Whatever she had to say was going to be interesting, I could see it.
"You know what we have to do right?" Jane asked, a smile growing on her small face. She waited a few seconds for me to reply and when I didn't she answered for me.
"Get rid of Bella."
"That was exactly what I was thinking." I smiled at her. I knew Jane was evil but I never knew to what extent.
"Leave the planning up to me," Jane said as she walked out of my room. "I already have a fool proof plan." She was gone in a second, her voice ringing in my ears.
Leave the planning up to me.
Jane's POV
Ever since that idiot Rylan joined us my whole existence here in Volterra had been miserable. Before Rylan came, I was Aro's best guard. When using my power I was the strongest, and most unique. Aro marvelled at my skill and ability, praising me till no end.
Then Rylan stepped into the picture. Just like that I had been replaced. After years of serving Aro and doing all that he wished, I was gone just like that. But I put up with Rylan, to say the least. I knew my day for revenge would come soon and today was that day.
Bella was the only person I knew of who I couldn't use my powers on. The day I found this out I felt humiliated that I couldn't put her in her place in an instant. This mere human could stand against my powers? Before that day I believed my powers to be infallible. I felt small again, just like when I was a human and I never wanted to feel that way again.
At least with Rylan as his favourite, Aro would still remember me. With Bella as his new guard I was sure that Aro wouldn't even remember my name. Could I blame him? With powers like that, Bella could rule the world and she didn't even know it.
That was why even though I detested him, I was going to work with Rylan to get rid of Bella. He understood how I felt, and also that Bella becoming a vampire meant goodbye to him and Aro being "best friends".
What I didn't say was that when I was getting rid of Bella, I was also going to get rid of Rylan too. Why not kill two birds with one stone? With both Bella and Rylan gone, everything would go back to normal. With me in the front and center of course.
I smiled to myself as I walked towards Alec's room. He was going to enjoy my plan as well.
The End of Chapter 4... Please Review! Im going to start chapter 5 tomorrow and I'll have it up by Monday.
