Summary: Disoriented after her transformation into a vampire, Bella struggles with amnesia. As she learns to control her new powers and abilities, she must also come to terms with what she is ... and with the vampire she doesn't remember marrying. Bella/Edward.

Author's Note: I apologize for the hiatus. I've been writing an original novel, and I hope you can forgive my neglect on the Twilight front. Thank you for your patience and sweet words of encouragement.

Citizen Erased is now complete. The final chapter and epilogue will be posted today and tomorrow respectively. No waiting! :)

Let's get to it then.

***

Previously...

Behind us, Edward started to scream.

Blinded by fury, I crouched low to the ground and launched myself at Mikhail like a cat, ready to tear him apart with my bare hands – and then suddenly, I was on the ground, too. I choked on water, gripping my head as I felt the increasingly familiar crush of memories flooding back to me. Mikhail was doing it again, manipulating my shield. It wasn't any easier the third time around, and he seemed to know it. Debilitating was an understatement. He gave me a second to find my bearings under the weight of memories before he let the shield slam back in place, which was just as painful and disorienting as tearing it down.

And then he did it all over again.

I was in agony, unable to find my footing in my own mind, barely able to remember who I was for more than a second or two before he started the cycle all over again. I stayed on the ground, gasping, completely dazed, unable to move.

Mikhail leaned over me, and I stared up at him in horror, realizing how truly helpless I was. "Pitiful, really. The both of you, conquered by your own gifts. I did try to warn you, but I suppose that's in the past now. You've forced my hand. Now that I have you both exactly where I want you, whatever am I going to do with you?"

***

Citizen Erased
Written by Coquette

Chapter Ten

I was in agony.

What Mikhail did to me couldn't be put into words. No amount of description could ever fully explain the terror I felt at his hands.

The constant shift in my brain – on and off, back and forth, again and again – kept me off-balance and unable to defend myself. I lost strength fast. Though he never physically touched me, I could feel Mikhail inside my head, pressing in close enough for me to taste. It was more invasive than rape.

Slowly but surely, I felt as though I was going mad.

Edward writhed on the floor in pain, gritting his teeth against another scream. He was in no condition to help me. Both of his hands were pressed over his ears as he tried to block out the deafening onslaught of sound. His efforts were in vain; the sound was all in his head.

"You're handling it better than you did in Paris," Mikhail said, kicking dirty water in Edward's face. "Perhaps I'm going too easy on you."

Shock registered on Edward's features – and then he started to scream in earnest.

Mikhail's teeth glinted, a triumphant grin. I forgot my own pain and stared at Edward in alarm. His screams went on and on until my ears and teeth rang with it. Something broke inside me at the sound of it, and my eyes turned toward Mikhail like a missile locking onto its target.

Mikhail was going to die. I didn't know how, but I was going to kill him. Not for anything he'd done to me, but for the pain he'd caused Edward. I forgot about everything Aro had warned us about. I forgot about the Volturi, about their rules and threats. I saw only Mikhail ... and my husband writhing in pain at his feet.

I struggled to stand, fingers clenched in expectation – but at that moment, Mikhail stole my memories again. I wavered in place, unable to remember what I was doing until he slammed the memories back in my head. I reeled from the weight of the attack but somehow managed to stay standing. I was getting stronger, more resilient. Edward's pain gave me strength.

Mikhail continued to toy with my mental shield, flipping it on and off like a light-switch – but instead of exhausting myself further by resisting it, I let my mind relax and focused in on what he was doing. I could almost see it – the little switch in my mind. It was more of a gate, really, meant to protect me. But what if I could learn to control it the same way Mikhail did?

My memories tried to leak away again, but this time, I wouldn't let them. I took hold of the shield and forced it wide open. And miracle of miracles – it stayed that way.

My memories lingered, fresh in my mind like they'd always been there. That was good – it made the rage easier. I wasn't the Bella that had merely read in a journal about that terrifying night in Paris, when Mikhail had taken Edward away from me. I was the Bella that had lived through it.

Aware that I had slipped from his control, Mikhail's head slowly shifted in my direction. His focus fell away from Edward for a moment, and the screams lessened. Soon Edward fell silent, still as death. I'd seen him like that once before, and I was never going to let Mikhail hurt him that way again.

I had Mikhail's full attention now. I could almost feel his perverse hands slipping inside of my mind, trying to force me back into submission. Using every bit of my anger and strength, I shoved him out of my brain, and he stumbled backwards as if he'd been struck.

I took a step toward him and had the satisfaction of seeing pure fear twist his angelic face. His fear wasn't unfounded – I had lost every shred of inhibition when I opened up my shield. My newborn bloodlust overtook me, nothing left to put it in check. I felt wild, feral. I wanted to kill, to rip and tear, and my eyes were locked on him alone.

Vibrating with anger, I crouched to the ground. Water radiated out around me in little circles.

Mikhail swallowed. "Well, there's something you don't see every day. I don't suppose we could talk about-"

I struck, faster than a snake, and had my hands around his throat before he could finish his sentence. I squeezed until his eyes started to bulge – then lifted him off of his feet and threw him over my head, straight into the cement wall behind me.

He left a satisfying indentation in the wall, and the monster inside of me snarled its pleasure. Mentally, I stepped aside and let that monster to as it pleased. I don't remember much of the next thirty seconds or so, but I'm pretty sure it was spent ripping Mikhail to shreds. I tried not to look, but I knew deep down exactly what I was allowing the monster to do through me. And I approved.

Things grew quiet eventually – except for the rain outside and the voices of people on the streets above. The bloodlust inside of me lurched eagerly and hammered in my chest like an angry heartbeat. I panted and fought against it. Mikhail was dead, the battle over and done with ... yet I couldn't calm down. The sweet scent of the humans set my throat on fire.

"Bella..."

I opened my eyes to see Edward standing before me, his eyes dazed and frightened as he stared at me. He looked ill, weakened to the point of absolute exhaustion. There was no way he would be able to physically restrain me if I began to hunt. I wasn't sure I wanted him to try.

"Fight it, Bella," he said, taking a cautious step toward me. "Don't let the bloodlust rule you. You're stronger than that."

The monster inside urged me to run away from him, but I stood fast, frozen in place under his stare. "I don't know if I can," I whispered, the pieces of my first victim scattered all around me.

"Let it fall back into place," Edward urged. "Your shield. Put it back where it was."

"How did you know that I lifted the shield away?"

He was in front of me now, his hands raised like he was approaching a skittish animal. "I can read your mind, sweetheart. Just let it go. It's not worth it."

Moving slowly, he put his arms around me and drew me against him. He was shaking just as much as I was. I gave into him and let my eyes drift shut.

"You remember how to do it, don't you?" he whispered, his cheek pressed against my hair. "I know you do. Find the shield in your mind again and ease it down. Close it, Bella. You have to."

"But I'll lose my memories again."

"Then you lose them. Do it now, Bella. I'm not strong enough to hold you back if you run. The Volturi are here."

My limbs went numb with fear. I couldn't see who Edward was talking about, but I could feel them now. We weren't alone. I pressed my face into Edward's chest, feeling panic rise like bile in my throat. They were going to kill me. I had done exactly what Aro had ordered me not to do. Knowing Edward, he would follow me into death soon after I met with it myself.

Edward shook me gently. "Don't think about that – just put the shield down. Relax your mind the way it was before."

If he hadn't reminded me how to do it, I never would have managed it. Shutting out any thoughts of the Volturi, I clung to Edward until he gasped. I took me longer than the first time, but I finally eased the shield back into place. My memories disappeared, leaving me dazed, unaware of where I was for several moments. My arms fell away from Edward as my body went lax, the bloodlust silenced.

Edward held me tight against him, and he sighed into my hair. It was an unhappy sound. I knew he couldn't hear my thoughts anymore. The shield had locked him out again.

Aro stepped from the shadows, clapping out a slow, almost sardonic round of applause. "Outstanding control."

Marcus and Caius followed him into the light. As far as I could tell, only the three of them had come. I found no comfort in that realization. They were the three I was most afraid of.

"How long have they been there?" I whispered to Edward, not caring one bit if they heard me. "How much did they see?"

Aro's smile bordered on terrifying. "We witnessed the Großmeister's death at your hands – if that is what you are asking."

"The law claims her," said Caius. "Shall we do it here, Aro, or bring her somewhere more secluded?"

Edward went rigid, the whites of his eyes bright with fury. "We were attacked. Forced to defend ourselves. Surely you saw that?"

"Attacked?" Caius mused. "I never once saw him touch either of you. In fact, I believe it was you, Edward, that struck first. You are just as guilty as your wife."

"His was a mental assault," Edward growled. "He nearly set Bella loose on a crowd of humans. He tore down her defenses. It would have been a bloodbath up there."

Marcus cleared his throat and spoke in a dull tone. "If his words are true, perhaps it should be taken into account that the Großmeister broke the law first. He put humans in danger and risked exposing us all. Seen in that light, they were merely acting on our behalf."

"If," Caius interjected, "it can indeed be proved that the Großmeister attacked them first."

Aro's eyes flickered to me. "I could get the answer just by touching her hand, if the attack was truly in her mind."

I stretched my arm out to comply, anxious to prove our innocence, but Edward pushed it down gently. He held out his hand instead. "See for yourself. The proof is here."

Aro stepped forward eagerly. "But I thought the attack was on Bella – not you, Edward – and you cannot read her mind. What proof could you possibly have?"

Aro fell silent as he accepted Edward's hand, then he sighed happily. "Ah yes, I see it now. When her shield dropped, you were able to read her mind. I can see the Großmeister's attack on her very clearly. What a remarkable gift. I can see her struggle, and – oh, my. I can also see the moment the Großmeister allowed you to read his mind, Edward." Aro released Edward's hand and stepped back. "I understand now why you reacted the way you did. He really did plan to expose us all. It wouldn't have stopped, even after he killed the two of you. All part of his game. Yes, powerful minds such as his are best silenced. You did well, Edward. And you, Bella."

Caius exhaled, deflating almost imperceptibly. Edward didn't relax, however. I could feel his tension, and it fed my own. He could hear something in Aro's thoughts, I realized. Something he didn't like. The battle wasn't won yet.

Aro's smile tightened. "Still, the two of you created quite a disruption in our city. Screams, thundering blows, not to mention the display you made in front of the restaurant above. Unacceptable, regardless of your reasons. It will be quite a feat to wipe out all traces of the fight. But never let it be said that I am not kind, dear ones. We will spare your lives – conditionally."

I heard Edward's teeth start to grind.

"One favor you will owe the Volturi," Aro decreed. "One favor each."

My eyes darted to Edward's face, which was hard and impassive with anger, then back to Aro's unwavering smile. "What kind of favor?" I asked. "What do we have to do?"

Aro leaned forward. "Why – anything we ask of you, my dear."

"Do we have any other choice?" I gasped.

"Of course you do," Aro laughed. "But I wouldn't think you so eager to die, sweet Isabella. You are little more than a child, after all. Think of the long years you could live alongside your beloved if you comply."

"I'll agree to your terms," Edward said through his teeth. "On one condition. Put me in your debt, but not Bella. If we each owe you a favor, then I'll owe you two and Bella none."

Aro's eyes were on me when he replied. "I'm far too interested in your wife's talents to accept that offer. I want to know if-"

"Three favors, then," said Edward, cutting him off. "Three favors from me – not her."

"Edward, stop it," I hissed. "You're making it worse. There's no way I'm going to let you do that."

Edward's hand tightened on mine, willing me to be quiet. I glared at him but kept my mouth shut. There was something in his face that silenced my protests. Edward knew something I didn't – perhaps something he had heard in Aro's thoughts. Edward's chin rose to a defiant angle, but there was fear in his eyes.

Aro deliberated in silence for a long time – then he laughed merrily. "Let those here pay witness to young Edward's oath. Three favors, it is."

"And none for Bella," pressed Edward.

Aro exhaled sharply. "You are very tiresome tonight. I've never seen such a one-track mind in my life. Yes, you've won your wife's freedom and given up your own. I suppose that pleases you?"

Edward finally relaxed, like a physical weight had been removed from his shoulders. "It's enough."

"Edward," I said, gripping the sleeve of his jacket. "What are you doing? Don't I get a say in this?"

He didn't answer my questions. He looked resigned, weary, older. My mind shifted into overdrive, and I tried to think of what Aro could possibly want so badly from Edward. Then I gasped and stared at Aro, horror-struck.

We were in trouble.

***

To be concluded.

Author's Note: The epilogue is complete. I will post it tomorrow. Be advised, however, the rating of this story is about to change from PG-13 to NC-17. Those of you who have rating restrictions set on your ff-dot-net account or livejournal account might not see when this story is updated. If you're of age and you would like to read the conclusion, make sure you sign up for story updates (ff-dot-net) or watch my livejournal feed (username: coquette7). For you livejournal users, I always reply comments when the story is updated so that you're aware a new chapter has been posted.

See you tomorrow! :)