Escape

Escape

Bella POV

"Aro, I have made my decision," I replied slowly, inching my way towards the door, as I began to plot my escape. "Yes, I will join you."

He stood there, his expression the definition of surprise. After a moment he recovered and clapped gleefully once more.

"This is marvelous!" He cried in excitement. "I must go inform my brothers at once!" He then ran out of the room at vampire speed, yelling ecstatically, "Yay!" I shook my head and lowered deeper into my seat. This is my only option, it's the only plan that is almost sure fire. I sighed and squeezed my eyes shut. This plan just felt so wrong, but it was already set in motion, and there's nothing I can do about it now.

Slowly I stood and walked over to the door. Sure enough it was open, but there were guards standing outside of it just like I knew there would be. They snickered when they saw my zombie like state, so I cast them a demonic glare and they shut up immediately.

Aro came around the corner whistling a happy tune and I rolled my eyes. It should be illegal for him to be so merry all the time.

"Alright then, Bella, it's time I show you around!" His took my hand in his but I quickly pulled away. He brushed it off and continued down the hall. Internally, I smiled. I hadn't expected a tour so soon, yet here I was. This was a major plus to my escape. I followed him and memorized the layout of the castle. I looked into every corner, and became especially observant. I made thousands of mental notes, and prepared for my upcoming journey.

Much to my disappointment, the tour ended as fast as it had begun. I'd only seen what I guessed to be about a quarter of the castle.

"Okay, I see that it is time to put you to work, but you must feed. Your eyes are pitch black!" he exclaimed pointedly. I followed him down the hall and entered a dark room. Despite the darkness, I could make out every detail in the room perfectly, and I wished that I couldn't.

All around me there were innocent humans, standing there, looking frightened, and beside each of them stood a vampire in predator mode. It was truly the most terrifying thing that I'd ever seen, so without thinking I backed out of the room, gaining speed with each step. Aro turned to look at me and smiled.

"Won't you be dining with us?" He asked politely. I sneered at him and glared.

"I'm not a foul monster like you," I replied icily. He merely chuckled at my statement and turned to face a young girl. She looked to be about fifteen years old, with long blond hair and adorable freckles. Aro stalked towards the girl, and I turned around and ran. Though I am fast, I wasn't fast enough to avoid her scream.

I returned to my room and curled up into a ball. I stayed like that for hours, dry sobbing. I cried for Edward, and my family, both human and vampire. I cried for myself, and that poor girl who had just been so brutally murdered. Eventually the door swung open, and I sat up.

Caius walked in and looked me over as if I was a broken toy. "Come, Aro is waiting." With that he turned and exited the room. I stood up and followed him into the throne room.

"Bella! How wonderful of you to join us! We have your first assignment, and you are to get to work on it immediately." His uncanny cheerfulness was odd, it should be unhealthy how happy is all the time.

I sighed sadly and motioned for him to continue. He grinned and everyone else merely nodded.

"Well then, there is an abnormally large group of vampires staying in the city for the next week. They all have… interesting powers. I don't want any threats." His voice then turned hard and serious, "I want you to take away their powers, and if you even dare return them… let's just say you will be punished." He grinned wickedly and I glared at him.

"So, what are my rules then, am I allowed to feed now?" He laughed lightly, returning to his normal demeanor.

"Darling, of course you are allowed to feed! I offered earlier…" He trailed off suggestively and I scowled.

"I will never drink from a human!" I screeched angrily. Aro's expression turned dark.

"When you're thirsty enough you will."

"When I'm too weak to do my job you'll allow me, I'm sure," I countered.

"You could never last that long!" He said through his laughter.

"Wanna bet?" I replied icily. They all shut up and looked me over carefully.

"Back to the rules, you are free to wonder the castle. But, you must never leave, and there shall always be two guards following you. Do you understand?" I scoffed and turned to leave. Demetri and Felix were immediately behind me.

"Believe me, I understand," I replied when I was nearly out of earshot.

The boys led me to a tower overlooking the city, and pointed to where the other vampires were. I quickly took away their powers and left the room. I spent days wondering aimlessly throughout the place, dedicating everywhere I went to memory. If I was going to get out of here alive I needed to know my way around here by heart.

I continued to do as the Vulturi ordered, and with each passing day I felt myself become weaker. If I was going to escape I would either have to leave in the next few days, or wait several months. This was a do or die situation.

If I left in the next few days, I would get out sooner, but who's to say that I do get out? What if by then I'm too weak and I get myself killed? I have to get out alive, I have to see Edward again. He is my top priority.

But if I were to stay a few more months? Sure it would be hell, but what if I become so weak that they let me feed? And then I do attempt to escape? I would be stronger and have a better chance in that scenario, but can I wait that long?

The answer is no, I can't wait that long. It has nearly killed me being away from Edward already, and we've only been apart for two or so weeks! God how I miss him!

So it's settled, I will leave tomorrow. I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror. I was a wreck! My hair is muddy and stiff, sticking out at weird angles. There are extremely dark purple bruises beneath my eyes, and my eyes themselves are pitch black. The clothing I'm wearing is torn and ripped, covered in mud and filth. And yet, despite all of this, I still look beautiful. I laughed dryly, that's what I get for being a vampire.

I had nothing better to do, so I continued wondering the silent halls of the Vulturi castle. As I walked I went over my plan in my head countless times until finally it was time. In exactly fifteen minutes it would be dawn. Today was supposed to be insanely sunny, so it was the perfect time to escape. If I got out of here in about fifteen minutes, I would have time to get in a car before the sun caught me. But the others would be held up inside, so by the time they came out they would be glistening like a billion diamonds. I grinned. As Emmett had once said, I'm diabolical.

I quickly walked to Sarah's room and smiled. Just as I had assumed, her purse was sitting on the dresser. I walked over to it and grabbed a handful of cash. I didn't take a credit card, I'm not stupid. If I used it they could trace it and be hot on my trail in a matter of hours.

I stuffed the cash in my pocket and walked down the hall. The only way out was through the throne room full of vampires, down the hall, into the lobby where Gianna stays, and up through the sewer. I sighed, this could be difficult.

I walked at vampire speed over to the entrance to the throne room and ripped it open. Using my newfound power, the room burst into flames. The Vulturi and their guards and guests screamed in alarm and I ran towards the second hallway.

"Get her!" Aro screamed. I felt cold hands grip my waist. I roared in frustration and ripped the man off of me. He bit at my flesh but missed by an inch. That got me angry. I lifted him up and drop kicked him. After he began to soar I made him ignite in flames. Much to my pleasure he rammed into Caius with a deafening boom.

I then continued to fight off the other monstrosities that tried to prevent my escape. I ripped at them and drop kicked them as I screamed in pain. They constantly bit at me and tried to rip me apart.

I whirled around, sending my captors flying, and everyone in the room exploded into flames again. With that I charged down the hall. I burst into the lobby and for the first time ever, Gianna looked truly terrified. Ignoring her, I pushed my way past the many oblivious vampires that crowded the room and ran towards the exit.

"You can't leave," Gianna exclaimed in alarm. "Sunrise is in one minute exactly!" I smiled, slightly and took off even faster. I have to get to a car quickly, or I am toast.

I raced up the hall and found the sewer entrance. It was designed for coming in, but not leaving. I grabbed one of the steal statues that decorated the area and launched at the manhole cover. The force of the blow sent the cover flying and I smiled. I moved the table over and stood on it, with one last push I leapt out onto the street.

I quickly replaced the cover and ran at human speed over to a car in the parking lot of a grocery store. I slammed to a stop and took in a whiff of the brisk morning air. I instantly stiffened. Though it was only around seven in the morning, the streets were crowded with people. The monster within me threatened to break free. People near me looked at me curiously, fore my eyes were raging with thirst. Slowly I began to stalk over to a girl around my age.

She smelled absolutely ravishing, I imagined the feel of her blood flowing down my throat. The sweet taste, the feel of it as I was once again rejuvenated… The last time I had felt like that was when I was hunting with Edward… Edward.

I stopped into my tracks and quit breathing. I couldn't do that. I wasn't that kind of monster. I looked over the girl once more. A moment ago all I had noticed was the sweet blood pulsing throughout her body. But now I saw more. She was radiating with fear, her pulse had gone into over drive. She was utterly terrified. She was utterly terrified of me.

I slowly backed away in horror. How could I even have thought about doing that? Why? Yeah, sure it had been over two weeks since I last fed, and I was a new born, but how could I have come that close!

As I dwelled in my thoughts I noticed the sun begin to break from the clouds. Crap! Seeing this I ran over to the car and smiled at my luck.

The car was a 2008 Honda Accord Sedan LX, all in all an okay car. With one swift movement I pried open the door and hopped in. Quickly I leaned down and hot-wired the car. Thank god I had become friends with Rosalie! Once that was finished I slammed on the gas and sped out of Volterra, hopefully for good.

I swerved around the corner and looked in my rearview mirror. Most of the Vulturi were standing there looking at me in horror as I escaped. I grinned at them and laughed light heartedly. As I studied their faces I noticed something I never thought I would see. Aro looked furious. The expression was just so out of place on him!

I laughed again and whipped through the streets at a hundred and ten miles an hour, passing the terrified townsfolk.

The sun had risen and was bright in the sky. I don't think that I had ever seen such a sunny day, not even when I lived in Phoenix. I grinned and thanked the Gods. I had made it out, and they were stuck. Better yet the car I now sat in had tinted windows!

I drove at incredible speeds for about an hour until I reached Milan. I laughed quietly. A little over a year ago I had nearly passed out when Edward had gone over sixty miles-per-hour. And here I sit, in Milan, Italy, after driving 229.94 miles in a little over an hour! I shook my head and sighed.

Slowly I pulled into a dark ally and waited until nightfall. Finally after sitting for hours in endless boredom, I remembered the radio. I shook my head at my own stupidity and turned it on. Once I found a good station I leaned back in my seat and listened to the elegant music.

When I opened my eyes it was just after sunset. I got out of the car and walked out of the ally. I made sure not to breathe as I strode down the streets of Milan. It was a beautiful city, and when I had time I would be sure to return, with Edward of course. I ventured down the road until I found bus pick up. There were tons of cars in the lot and I looked around until I found a decent car. The Vulturi had seen me take off in the other car so it was time to abandon it.

I repeated the same steps as before and within minutes I was flying down the road. I kept a look out and soon found a forest. Slamming on the breaks, I hopped out of the car and raced into its depths. Letting my instincts take over, I rocketed through the forest, chasing after several bears. I fed from two and looked them over sadly. If I was human I would have been crying right now. I hate killing, and here I was, standing before two broken bodies. I let out a quiet sob. I miss Edward, I need him to be here with me, I can't do this alone. What if they have moved on? What if I can't find them? I pushed the thoughts out of my head and told my self that I would find them. In a matter of days I would be in Edward's arms again.

But what if I wasn't? The little, evil, demonic voice within my head asked sweetly. Oh, how I hate that voice! I shoved the thought aside and buried the bodies of the poor animals. I trudged back to the car, quiet sobs wracking my body. It would be just my luck if I never saw them again. I thought grimly.

Once I reached 'my' car, I drove to the nearest clothing store. People stared, and I could only imagine how I looked. I hurriedly bought a new outfit along with a hairbrush, socks, and shoes. I thanked the lady who rang me up and rushed to the nearest bathroom.

I gasped in horror when I saw my appearance. I had blood on my shirt, but luckily the shirt was dark enough that a human couldn't see the blood. My hair was coated in mud and filth, and it was sticking out in funky positions. My clothes, well they were ripped, torn, and covered in grime. I grimaced and went into the nearest stall. I hastily put on the new clothes and threw away the old ones.

I came out and washed my hair as best I could in the small sink, and than brushed it. In the end I looked decent, but not great. I sighed sadly and left the bathroom. After a few minutes of searching I found an ATM. I smiled and withdrew the contents of my account. I huffed angrily when I noticed the machine giving me thousands more than it should. When it was done I looked at my bank account records and noticed that a few weeks ago Edward had loaded my account. Normally I would have been furious, but I actually needed it now.

I stuffed the money into a purse I had purchased and drove to the airport. When I finally arrived I ran up to the counter. The man who was in charge of the counter was young and obviously single. I could work that to my advantage. It's my turn to dazzle!

I smiled at him sweetly and he instantly froze.

"H-hi, c-c-can I hel-l-p you?" He stuttered nervously. I laughed and he was totally entranced.

"Hi, my name's Bella and I need a ticket to Seattle," I answered sweetly. He nodded like an over excited teenager and began to type into the computer. He kept having to use the backspace key because he couldn't even type right. I giggled and it made him even more nervous. I rolled my eyes and settled in for a long wait.

Eventually he spoke up. This time I made sure to look at the floor so as not to dazzle him anymore.

"We have one seat left, the plane leaves in an hour and the seat is first class." I smiled at him and bought the ticket. By the time I reached the gate the plane was boarding first class.

I spotted my seat easily and was pleased to find that it was a window seat. After a few moments two girls came and sat next to me.

"Hi! I'm Jamie!" One girl said. She had light brown hair that went down to her shoulders and icy blue eyes. She was very pretty, and she seemed like the type of person who I could be great friends with. I soon learned that the other girl was named Ruby. She had rich brown hair that flowed halfway down her back, and in the light it had a red glow. Her eyes were a light grey and she seemed really nice, but who knows.

After we talked for a few hours the two fell asleep. I looked over at the clock and noticed that it was 15 minutes past midnight. I sighed and closed my eyes, readying myself for the journey that lay ahead.