A/N: Thank you to all those reviewed :) Please note I do not accept Guest Reviews at ALL!
Also as you can see I have updated a day early, I might not be on tomorrow (Friday) so I wanted to update early, but then the next CH will be next friday like normal.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything twilight SM does.
Previously,
This human that scared me, and infuriated me beyond all words.
The human that would be changed, and would be our equal.
The human, the human, the human Isabella Swan.
Bella POV
I could hear roars as I walked the hall and I knew it was Caius. Why was I so attracted to this angry, lethal vampire?
"Here we are" Jane gestures opening the office door. I look around and gasped, this, THIS was an office? The walls were deep red and each wall had floor to roof shelving full of books and scrolls.
"I know, it's amazing." Jane whispers as she looks around the room and then shaking her head at what she let slip.
"How old are you Jane?" I ask curious, causing a dark look to grace her angelic face as she growled low at me.
"I am thirteen human, is that a problem?" she growls low once again, causing me to roll my eyes.
"I care not for your physical age Jane, I asked how old you were, not how old you were when you were changed." I tell her sharply, causing a surprised look to appear.
"I'm 500 years old" she whispers softly.
"You would have been classed as an adult in your time; I will not view you as a child. Just because your features are, doesn't mean your thoughts and everything else is." I tell her honestly, she lets a soft sob out before embracing me. I stiffen quickly causing her to let go apologising and leaving the room swiftly.
"She feels accepted by us, usually they treat her like a child because of her features, and you and a handful of others are the only ones to understand" I turn and look at Isa sadly, she too had a soft sad look upon her face.
"That's so sad, walking the earth with that burden" I sigh out causing Izzy to nod.
"Who were you talking to?" I spin, startled by the voice. My feet tangling together causing me to trip, I threw my hands out to catch myself, only to be caught by the man who startled me. He chuckled softly, it sounded so bizarre, like he had not laughed in a very long time. Opening my eyes I come face to face with Marcus.
"Oh I'm so sorry" I blush furiously as I remove myself from one of the kings' arms. Thus causing him to chuckle again.
"Now who were you talking to?" he asks, sitting in the chair by the fireplace.
"Oh, myself." I answer honestly causing him to frown slightly.
"We have come to a decision" he tells me, gesturing me to sit in front of him, I do so instantly not wanting to bring the wrath of this immortal king in front of me.
"What has been decided for my fate?" I ask, my eyes closing, bracing myself for what is to come.
"We have decided to change you, my brother saw so much talent and I saw more. I am to change you when you are ready, do you understand what that means?" he asks with a smile as my mouth drops open in shock, I thought I would be changed by a guard not a king if I were to be changed. And being changed by Marcus I knew that I was special in a way, not because of my talent that I knew Aro was excited about, because he saw that I was worth it in some way, he saw something special.
Tears welled in my eyes as I nodded; I was to be part of the royal family, not just a guard but of the family itself. I felt accepted, wanted.
"And, of my father? My home town?" I ask fearfully, they may have decided to change me but not help me.
"Once I bite you, you become under my protection. This includes everything about you" he tells me with a soft smile. My shoulders sag in relief before I throw myself on him and hug him tightly, he chuckled, his strong arms wrapping around me awkwardly.
He smelled like sunshine and spice.
"Thank you" I whisper, squeezing him a little bit tighter before letting go and sitting back on the chair. He had a soft smile on his face, the warm orange glow from the fire giving him some youth, or was it because of me? No, it must be the lighting.
"Now, Aro is with Caius talking, would you like to see your room?" he asks standing, straightening his robe as he did so. Chuckling at him I nod, standing with my hand gripping my bag.
Swiftly he moves and opens the door, waiting for me to walk through before leading me to another wing of the castle. It was all lit by lanterns and torches, no light filtered in anywhere, alerting me to my thoughts of before. I knew I was deep in the heart of the castle, deep underground, I could never enjoy sunlight again.
We walk for a little while, almost 5 minutes till we reach another set of wooden doors, much like the ones to the throne room, but these ones had carvings on them. Beautiful carvings of flowers, symbols and an ancient script.
"Follow the hall, follow the sound
Follow the leading yellow light.
To your death you go,
To your fate you will see
The kings of three
Are waiting for thee"
I shiver at the words, as my mind whispers them. The images swirling till I saw the true image, it was an image of death, a man stood, a pike in his hand, a head of a great beast skewed on it.
"Who is that?" I ask, my eyes never leaving the door. Marcus stood watching me as I take in every detail, though when I blinked, the connection was broken and the beautiful design was back.
"That was me" was all he said, his voice a little heavy and gruff.
A few short steps we turned left, and the hallway before me made me gasp; the walls were lined with thick red drapes and paintings, murals of an unknown vampire and Marcus.
"She's beautiful isn't she?" I turn to look at Marcus; he was a few feet behind me, his eyes looking softly at the beautiful woman. Her hair was like spun gold, framing her narrow face, her eyes were kind, full of love and happiness and she had a smile, a smile that held so much youth and mischief.
"Yes, who is she?" I ask walking to his side.
With a sigh he looks down, "Didyme" he tells me.
"Here is your room" he whispers while opening the door next to it. It swung open wide and even though it was bare, it had the essentials. A bed, a dresser and a huge set of matching draws and a bathing room.
"It hasn't been used since my Didyme died, it was just another room. But she was a homemaker as you say, loved to clean and decorate. After her death I stripped it bare in my anger, leaving the bare essentials" he explained to me gesturing to the room.
"I still love it" I tell him truthfully. The stone wall was sanded back and had a nice cream and grey colour. Near my bed was a little alcove full of pillows and a small light above casting a soft light, it looked like a relaxing place to read.
"I'm glad" he whispers as I enter the room.
I thought of all the things that are happening, I have flown to Italy for help to protect my family, friends and home town, faced off with the kings, impressed one of them and now I'm on my way to be changed.
"You need to be changed now" jumping slightly, I faced myself. Izzy's voice was different more panicked, more forceful.
"Why?" I whisper to her.
"You NEED to be changed now! Right NOW!" she yells her voice gruff. Then like all the other times, she just left.
"You need to change me now" I tell Marcus, he was staring at me oddly from the door.
"What was that?" he asks me coming closer.
"What was what?" I ask nervous.
"I can see bonds child, when you spoke just now and before you glowed, it was if there was two of you" he tells me causing me to sigh.
"Ever since Edward left I lost myself, but thinking about it I now realise I lost myself well before he left. Then one day, she snapped me out of it, I call her Izzy. She is the old me, the brass, self-confident, sarcastic woman I used to be. Ever since then, I have this sensation, this knowing sensation. I knew I would be okay here, would I be a vampire or would I die? I don't know, I knew Jane's power wouldn't work." I tell him softly, turning my head away as I explained, as he gasped.
"Oh… OH!" my eyes snapped to his instantly as he looked at me with wide awe filled eyes. Before I knew what was happening, I was in his arms and his teeth piercing my neck. He whispered his apologies in my ear; he promised he would tell me all when he can, when I wake up.
Whoever the fuck said the change was like a burn, or being burned alive in the fiery pits of hell I curse them. I expected that burn, but not this burn, it was cold, so very cold that it felt like I was losing my skin.
"M-Mar-ar-cus" I stutter out, my tongue numb. I heard his gasp as I felt his hand on my head, I hiss, flinching away from it.
"What's wrong? Mio Stella what is wrong?" he asks worried.
"To-Too C-C-Cold" I shiver letting a scream out before holding it all in, I refuse to allow this to rule me.
"What?" he asks stunned so I repeated, my eyes looking frantically around for him, only to see darkness.
I heard some yelling as the noise morphed into running water. Like what you hear when you stick a shell against your ear. Then everything came back, I realised that Aro and an unknown female were in the room, touching my arms and face, hissing I push myself back.
"T-T-Too C-COLD!" I try to yell, or I did yell.
"Everyone stop touching her" instantly the hands were gone causing me to sigh in relief.
"She's not burning, this is weird… she's burning up yes, but she's freezing" the woman explained while picking me up. I hissed as she clutched me, before warmth surrounded me instantly.
I could hear sizzles and cracks, pops and whooshes. Oh she set me near a fire.
"Oh! OH!" this was Aro's voice.
"What?" Marcus asked his voice sharp.
"Remember that vampire long ago? He went through the change differently, claimed he burned, but not of fire but of cold" Aro murmured.
I wanted to know more, but the pain took over and once more I was shoved into the sound of water. It got on my nerves, but I could hear little things here and there.
"Remember who you are" one voice murmured.
Remember Bella remember… remember EVERYTHING!
Find me… find me Bella… I knew that voice, it was my inner self.
With the sound dulling to a low hum I found myself in the kitchen of my gran's.
She was sitting at the table looking at me with a soft smile, sugar cookies in front of her like old times, the book she read to me under her left hand.
"Isa my dear child" she cooed beckoning me forward. My feet moved automatically and I found myself in my grans arms crying.
"I've lost my way" I sob to her, she coos me more, her hand brushing my hair.
"No child, she's there, she's always there"
"What went wrong Gran? What will I do?" I ask, pulling back to look in her eyes.
"What I always told you to do, 'Keep your head held high, take no shit and keep on walking'" she giggles, causing me to snort.
"Great things are coming for you child, don't ever give up. You will be powerful too" she tells me softly, causing me to freeze and pull back.
"You know what I'm becoming?" I ask shocked, causing her to giggle and nod, her hand gesturing to the mirror.
I gasp, my hands flying to my face in shock. My eyes were a mixture of brown and red, swirling changing.
"I've always known about Vampires Bella." She laughs standing, causing me to gasp in shock.
"How?" I ask in bewilderment.
With a smirk, she pulls out a photo album and opens it to the first page. There on the first page was an old black and white, a man stood in a uniform looking down upon his wife, and she had beautiful features, smiling softly up at her husband as she holds the beautiful baby girl.
"Oh my, is that you?" I ask pointing too the woman, she shook her head and laughed.
"No sweet girl, that's me" she tells me pointing to the baby, with a frown I look at her.
"Keep reading child" she whispers before sitting back down. I do as she tells me and flips through the pages; each page was a photo of her and her family a year older. Then it was just her and her mother, and then her and her husband and mother, then so forth till a photo stops me.
Gran Helen stood her stomach round with a child as she smiled lovingly at the man next to her, not in an I love you my soul mate, but as in I love you Daddy. I know because there is an image of me and Charlie that is the first thing you see as you enter the house.
The man was so familiar as he looks down at his daughter with such joy and pride, his hand on her womb. But that's when I notice it as I flip back and forth between this and the last image of him. He was the exact same, the very same, more rugged but the same.
"Holy shit" I gasp out fucking confused.
"My Great Grandfather is a vampire?" I ask totally blown away. Gran laughs at me before nodding.
"What's his name?" I ask curious only to make her chuckle at me.
"Oh Bella, Bella, Bella, that is something you will find out soon. Now come, you need to watch this" she tells me, leading me to the lounge.
"A TV?" I asked confused, she just rolls her eyes and turns it on.
"I need to go now baby girl, just remember I love you very much, now watch and remember what I told you" she tells me, pulling me into a tight embrace then vanishing.
I didn't even get to say goodbye, tears sprung in my eyes as I whisper my sorrows. But I was soon distracted as I saw my face come up on the screen, my baby face. I watched for I don't know how long, my life, from when I was born until now. At one point they became fuzzy, but I somehow managed to fix all that.
There was so many things that I had missed in life. Mistakes that could have been avoided, things I should have done. I could have avoided all the heartbreak and still end up here, in my memories I saw my great grandfather, he watched over me, paying the bills, turning up to hand out food and toys around Christmas.
I grip my chest in pain, doubling over by it.
"It's the end of the change" I manage to get a fuck you out while it worsened. Even in here I could not escape myself, but then again, she is me and I am her. She like me has changed; her eyes still a deep brown, almost black. But her features have become more defined, hair longer, richer in colour, and she looked so fierce.
"See you soon Bella" she smirks just as the world around me vibrated, blurred, and went black.
I let out a scream just as all the agony came back full force and shot to my heart. Three more slow agonising pumps later, it stopped. My eyes shot open as movement reached my ears, I knew I was not alone. I could smell Marcus, the woman and Aro were here still as well. But there was a new scent, one so mouth-watering that I just wanted to have it.
It was a mixture of spice, freshly cut bread and the smell of rain. My eyes snapped open, my body moving before I choose to do so, crouching, snarling at everyone as I took in the room. I was right, Aro, Marcus and an unknown woman stood near the door looking excited, worried and ready to flee. But it was the new scent, the new person in the room who caught my interest.
"FUCK NO!" I growl as I see Caius sitting casually in a chair by the fireplace, not far from where I was. My chest tugged me towards this man, wanting to embrace him, curl up around him in the most intimate ways. This infuriated me.
"Leave!" I snarl, my hands curling into claws. He smirks, his eyes glinting with defiance.
"You will leave; if I have to make you I will do so! King or not!" I snarl once more, he stands casually and smirks, his hand gesturing me, taunting me to do so. I felt a pressure in my mind, expanding, constricting.
"It's your shield" I cock my head to the side with a smirk forming at my mouth. I knew I had somewhat of a power thanks to the Cullen's, and now that I am like them, I can use it.
The door flew open with a bang as I concentrated, startled yelps echoed as I stalk forward to the male that has been so rude. So defiant, I will not be treated lesser now, I refuse to be treated like the weak human I was.
"I said leave" I hiss, my voice sharp on edge. A shimmer of blue in my peripheral caused me to smirk as I saw it reach towards him, like a hand seeking an object of its desire. His eyes widened as it touched him, gripped him in its grasp, he struggled for a few seconds before flying out the room. The door slamming in his face.
"Oh my!" the woman gasps, before bursting out in chime like laugher, tinkling in the breeze.
"My dear, I have never seen someone be as… so demanding and brave as you" the woman giggled coming closer to embrace me. I froze, a growl forming in my chest as her arms wrapped around me, she had a mother's embrace, her lilac and coconut scent calming me.
"Pica my love, I think you are making her uncomfortable" Aro states calmly, his eyes soft but his posture ready to pull his mate to his side. Instantly the arms were gone and the woman was looking down slightly, a pose I knew all too well, she was blushing.
"It's okay, just unexpected. What, do you mean?" I ask with my head quirked to the side, my throat prickling
"Caius is known for being" a shared look between the three "Vicious and very defiant, along with a history of anger, destruction and cruelty. People fear him child" she whispers causing me to scowl, this man that I am attracted to? Well my body is attracted to, to be a cruel vicious man? No I can't believe it.
"He never has been forced to leave before, nor has anyone dared to do so" Marcus chuckles, pride and enjoyment in his milky red eyes.
"You need to feed now Bella, there are guests coming" my eyes shoot to Izzy, she was standing in the shadows, her eyes the only thing I could see, glowing bright and red.
"Visitors?" I ask my head cocking to the side again on the other side.
"Yes, visitors, someone who you know" she whispers, leaning forward so her face was in view, a smirk on her red stained lips.
"What was that dear?" Pica asks concerned while Marcus and Aro share a look.
"I have visitors coming, I don't know who but apparently I know them" I utter confused "I need to feed" I say again, sure.
"What are you going to choose? Animals or Humans?" Aro asks, curiousness in his voice.
"Humans, scum"
"Humans, but no innocence, I refuse to feed from them. Rapists, of the like" I utter determined, a huge smile breaks on the woman's face as she glances at her mate.
"Come with me child, I will feed you. Like me I choose to feed from those who do wrong on innocence" she utters, her hand reaching out to grab mine.
"My name is Sulpicia; I am Aro's mate and wife" she introduces herself as we walk out the door.
"Bella" I reply, my throat dry.
We walk down a few hallways in silence; it was a nice thing to have between us. Neither she nor I ever needed a chance to speak; we both enjoyed the comfortable silence. Soon the sound of the beating heart reached my ears and my throat became uncomfortable with the burn. But it was manageable. She opens the door, a large steel one, revealing dungeons.
"This is where they Police bring the ones who are on death row, they do not ask what we do or where they bodies go, but it is how I feed" she tells me, pleasing me to no end.
There were men and women in here, pleading, screaming for freedom, for their life.
"What makes you think you deserve to live?" I utter darkly to one man, his form large, tattoos and scars marring his skin. His pleas stop as I step into his cell, taunting him with my smile, my eyes.
"He had raped and killed several women in his town." Pica uttered darkly, her eyes black, hands in claws. That was enough for me, I lunged forward.
"Hurt him, break his arm. Scare him!" Isa purrs in my ear.
The fear that runs through him is sweet, his blood tasting like the finest wine or the sweetest honey. He struggled against me as I fed from him, half way through snapping his neck as with each time he struggled the more his neck ripped and blood was wasted. When done I let his corpse drop to the floor as I tilt my head back and sigh, the last of the blood soothing my scorching throat.
"Feel better dear?" Pica asks softly, her hands gripping the males' feet.
"Yes thank you." I sigh out, smiling. She smiles while dragging the body to a furnace and dropping him into the blue flames.
"We burn the bodies, saves the trouble of burying them" she tells me while brushing her hands, for a queen she sure is laid back and refuses to touch anything that in the eyes of other people would deem dirty and for the servants to do.
"We must go to the throne room" I tell her my ears hearing Marcus's call.
We rush back to the room, not bothering to walk the slow pace as we were to the dungeons; the door was already open waiting for our entry.
"Pica, Bella. We do have guests coming to see you il mio bambino caro" Marcus informs me, a raised brow on his face.
"What vampire does she know besides the Cullen's" Caius growls low, the usual scowl on his face.
"They claim to know her family" he hisses back, Aro sighing softly a shake of his head.
"Master, the two nomads are here" Jane exclaimed at the door.
"Ah, go get them." He smiles, excited, is he always excited?
"Bella would you be so kind as to stand by my side" Marcus asks, gesturing next to him. This is when I finally realise that Pica was slightly behind her mates' throne.
Moving swiftly I take my place, my eyes trained on the wooden doors. I could hear footsteps, two light ones and the other slightly heavier. Jane was easy to tell, as her size makes her steps lighter.
The door opens and my hand flies to my mouth in shock at the two people in front of me. Marcus's head whips around to me, his eyes wide as he stares at the space between me and the man.
"You're my great grandfather" I utter shocked, stumbling forward until I was within arm's reach. His eyes were a deep red; his hair was a shaggy brown with a blonde tint. His skin was marred by bites, like the one I have permanently on my wrist.
"Hello Isabella." He drawls a soft smile on his face. My arms were instantly around him. Hugging him tightly, I still had my family. He smelled of leather and the desert after the rain. He smelled like home, like Phoenix, like Gran Helene.
A/N: you all should know who he is :P if not well, wow.
Please Review
Ellie