No Longer The Prey
Chapter 7: Dammi Cio` che e` Mio (Italian Meaning: Give Me What Is Mine)
"I'm done with the chatter, Aro. Where is Edward?" he looks taken aback by the informal and demanding tone I am speaking to him in.
He backs away another step. Again, as if he is fearful of me. I like it. His eyes fall on the back of the room and he gestures behind me. I turn around to see Edward staring at me with wide darkened eyes. He is dressed in nothing but dark washed jeans and a thick grey cloak, the same as the others in the guard wear. His hair is in casual disarray and I want to run my fingers through it. He is so beautiful that I could have cried, just as I remembered him.
"Edward?" I ask cautiously. He doesn't respond and a slightly confused look appears on his face. Then he looks away, and my heart nearly breaks in two.
Hey now, there now,It's a game to be played out amongstThieves of the heart and the whores of the egoHey now, there nowKiss everyone's ailmentsSee them rise up, exalt and illuminateHumanity is a deer in the headlightsThe road is covered in bloodFree yourself with a dagger from aboveA crossbow of faithYou sold your heartFor the primal experienceGave up on love for aMedal malevolenceYou fill yourself withThe fire of innocenceA karmic stain will bring back through the gates againOh how I wonder what will become of usI'm just a girl out looking for loveYou want in me what you seeIs a testamentYou never know when you loveWhat you'll manifestI'm Joan of Arc on a missionAvenge loves deathI'm gonna winI'll never give in
~ Spinnerette - Ghetto Love
Why won't he look at me? Why hasn't he spoken to me? He almost looks like he is in pain. I walk towards him slowly and glare at Felix until he puts his hands up and backs away, grinning in amusement.
"Edward, look at me. Please, Edward!" He won't meet my eyes. I reach up to touch his cheek, he winces and backs away from me, covering his ears and refusing to open his eyes like a child.
"Edward…." I whisper, what can I say? What can I do? Nothing, grief begins to creep into my consciousness, threatening to overtake my determination.
His family is staring at him, clearly they are concerned and don't understand his reaction either. Alice walks up and places her small hand on my shoulder, trying to provide me with comfort. I don't want it. I want an explanation. I push her hand away and stalk towards Aro like a predatory cat.
"What have you done to him you bastards! He's acting as if he doesn't even recognize me!" I rage at the three ancient vampires adorned on their thrones.
"Insolent little human! You will not speak to any one of us in such a tone or you will be dealt with accordingly!" Caius shouts from his place beside Aro.
Jasper and Alice are trying to pull me away from them now. Emmett and Rose have taken an offensive stance around us after noting the murderous glares of the guard.
"My apologies, Caius. Bella, as well as the rest of us, are simply worried about Edward's wellbeing. He appears to have become even more introverted since his arrival here." Carlisle attempts to calm the situation. I hate that he is making excuses for me.
"Bella, please, this won't turn out well." Alice stage whispers.
I don't care how it turns out anymore, none of it matters if the love of my life apparently can't stand the sight of me. I'm not heart broken or sad grief stricken anymore…. I'm enraged.
"No, Alice" I yell as I tear my arms from their light grasps. "Fuck you, Caius! You are NOT my king! You are nothing but a sick old bastard that hasn't gotten off his own ass in god knows how many centuries! Tell me what you've done to him!" I hear gasps echo through the stone room.
"Bella! Alec!" Alice shouts from behind me. I turn towards her just in time to see the Cullens fall into a disoriented daze, their eyes can't seem to focus on any one thing. Edward is sitting on the cold stone ground, his back against the wall and his face in his hands. He is mumbling softly and I only catch a few words.
"Not real… dead… torturing myself… all my imagination… finally gone insane…"
Jane is glaring at me as if she was waiting for me to explode into a million tiny pieces. I wondered briefly if she was trying to make me burn.
"Do you have something to say, bitch!" Her eyes widen infinitesimally before she turns to Aro and I have my answer.
"Master, I don't understand."
"Her mind is protected, young one. Mental gifts seem to have no effect on her." They're talking about me like I'm not standing right in front of them.
"Aro, explain!"
"We have done nothing to him, Bella dear. He often has delusions of you. They are quite close to the real thing, perfect memory, you know. He used to take refuge in these delusions, however, over the years they have become painful to him. Yet his mind does not allow them to stop. I believe he is simply confused, he does not think you are real, but a figment of his imagination sent to torture him further." Aro spoke softly as he watched Edward, as if he felt bad for him.
Caius gently touches Aro's outstretched palm, Hatred directed at me practically radiating off of his powdery skin. Aro sighs and nods his head at Caius' thoughts.
You are right, my brother. What a pity." He shakes his head as if he is being forced to do something he really doesn't want to, I tense for an attack.
"Will our friends please leave the room? We need a moment alone with our surprise guests. Alec, Jane, Demetri and Felix. Please, stay." I'm positive they are planning on killing me. Hell, I would have killed me by now if I were them. Not a comforting thought.
"Bella, there are commonly known laws among our kind, humans can not know of our existence. Now that it is clear that you are indeed alive, the situation must be remedied. As for myself, I would love to see your beauty and…. unique abilities as an immortal. Your pervasiveness is intriguing, so I would like to offer you a place with us. Not as a member of the guard, but as an equal. A throne of your own, other immortals will worship at your feet, you will have a place among royalty.
However, it is your choice. Immortality and royalty, or death?" Aro asks calmly as he rests his chin on his steepled finger tips.
"Be one of you or death? I choose neither, but you can try." I take more of a defensive stance as he, Felix and Demetri laugh to themselves.
"You are a little spit fire, aren't you? Very well… Felix?"
All of a sudden I feel razor sharp teeth sink into my neck, I cry out as I feel the familiar burn surge through my veins. A thick line of blood rolls down my neck, chest and over the curve of my left breast. Then Demetri attaches himself to my right arm. The serum will hit them soon…. I hope.
"Bella?" I hear Edward's pained whisper from behind me, as if he had just now realized I was there.
His voice is like hearing the most beautiful symphony in the world. Has he finally realized that I am real?
"Bella, No!" he screams my name and suddenly Felix has been forcibly removed from my body as Demetri begins to stumble backwards, disoriented from the drugs. I take the opportunity to rip the duffel bag away and swing the flamethrower forward. I fire at Demetri and immediately he is screaming in agony. Moving unsteadily around the large room in search of someone or something to help him. There is nothing.
There is a high pitched screech behind me before Jane launches herself onto my back. There is no way to get her off me and I've already lost too much blood to risk allowing her to bite me.
"You bitch! Who do you think you are!" she shrieks in my ear.
I'm panicking, but my panic quickly changes to anger. This little monster is not going to be the one to take me out, she isn't worthy enough to do that. It feels like there is fire running through my body, a static heat moving through the tips of my fingers.
"Get off!" I scream as I place my open palm against her forehead. I don't know what I expected to happen, if I expected anything at all. But as soon as my skin touched hers she flew backwards crying out in pain. She lays on the ground holding her head in her hands and trembling as she whimpers to herself, attempting to not sob at the pain. I'm surprised, I really don't know what just happened but I don't have time to think about it.
I turn towards where Edward and Felix have fallen to find Edward cursing as he slowly dismembers Felix's body. When I approach Edward stops and simply stares into my eyes.
"You're really here, aren't you? I thought you were dead." He whispers, more to himself it seems than to me.
"I'm here, Edward. I can't explain that right now though. I need you to move over there." I point to the other side of the room and he complies without question.
I pull my knife from the holster on my thigh and a grenade from my belt, tugging away the pin as I do. I pry open Felix's mouth with the blade of my knife and shove the live grenade into his mouth. He is drowsy and confused, but can not stop what is happening to him.
I slowly stand up right and stalk towards the Volturi, I hear and feel the vibrations of the explosion behind me. Both Felix and Demetri's bodies are crackling in the flames and I can smell the sweetest scent of death in the air. Renata stands behind Aro, seemingly uncomfortable without her ability and leaving her master unprotected. Jane has finally dragged herself away from her spot on the floor and taken a place in front of the three vampires, as Alec stays off to the side, holding the Cullens captive with his gaze.
"Release my family, Aro. Or the children of the corn are next. Then you." I say in a menacing tone as he straightens in his seat. Shock and fear evident on his face.
Authors Note:
I certainly hope you have enjoyed my story thus far. There are a few more chapters to come before we end this little journey into the outlandish recesses of my mind.
I would like to suggest some bands for you to check out which influenced certain moods of this story.
Tegan & Sara- Hell & The Cure
The Pretty Reckless- Make Me Wanna Die
The Letter Black- Fire With Fire
Spinnerette- Ghetto Love, Baptized By Fire & Valium Knights