Izzie's POV

"No."

My answer to Aphrodite's yelling through the bathroom door only seemed to infuriate her more.

"Yes! Let me in, damnit!"

I was sitting on the bathroom floor, head in my hands. My emotions were in complete and utter turmoil. I needed Venus here- she had an affinity with much the same effect as Jasper's apart from that she could only manipulate, not feel other people's emotions herself unless she was physically touching them- to sort me out.

I didn't know what had happened.

One minute I was focused entirely on Stark and the fact that somebody hurt a Fledgling (which is a crime in itself; Fledglings are fragile enough, without losing the blood and strength they need to make the Change) and the next all I could feel was total hatred for the Cullens. I had never felt something as- as violent as that in my entire life. I could have gladly hurt them all in that instant.

But it was the look of surprise on Stark's face at what I had said that made me walk away.

I felt like a monster. I didn't even know I hated them quite that much- and the look on Esme and Carlisle's faces...

I let out a sob.

"Izzie! Fucking hell, let me the fuck in!"

"Piss off, Aphrodite!" My voice caught as I snapped the words out. I heard her let out a frustrated snarl and storm out of the dormitory, leaving me in silence.

Maybe if I knew where the hatred was I could do something about it. Not forgive the Cullens, no, but expel the ugly feelings about them that I had. But the thing was I didn't know where the emotion was. Even the day they abandoned me to help myself, I didn't feel quite that strongly about them. Sure, I hated Edward, but not to that extent.

Shit.

"I'm a horrible person," I whispered.

Aphrodite's POV

It didn't take me long to find V. She was with the other Red Fledglings in the stone basement, where they always held their little meetings.

I knew enough to wait for a gap in the conversation before I interrupted. Because- and only because- Venus was one, I respected them enough for that.

Stark was speaking. "I don't think so, no. I don't think there's anybody in the House to hurt a Fledgling in that state."

"What do you mean, state?" Stevie Rae asked.

Dallas spoke. He had his hand entwined with hers; I almost vommed at the Bumpkin love. "She was nearing her Change. Any injury to her at this point could kill her. She needs all the blood she has, if not more, and as healthy a body as she can muster."

There was a pause as the Red Fledglings digested this.

"Venus."

She looked over from her leaning point against the stone wall behind Stevie Rae. They all turned to look at me. They respected me, to- they had to. I saved their Priestesses life.

"Izzie's locked in again," I said to Venus. She understood immediately, her eyes widening.

Izzie had locked herself in that bathroom three times. The first when her split with Edward sunk in. The second when she tasted blood for the first time and enjoyed it. The third when her mother ended the relationship between them.

Without a word, Venus pushed herself off the wall and walked past me to the stairs. Stevie Rae looked at me for a minute, showing her concern for Izzie in her eyes. I nodded and took off after Venus, who was already way ahead of me.

I caught up to her.

"What happened?"

I explained in short sentences about Izzie's confusion at her own reaction to the Cullens, ending with "She thinks she's a monster,". Venus shook her hair out of her eyes and reached in the back pocket of her micro shorts for her lighter and a fag. By this point, our long strides had taken us to the door of our room.

Venus lit up as we went in. She didn't even bother with condolences, just kicked out at the bathroom door. Her Red Fledgling strength sent it slamming into the wall and back again; opening it more gently this time, Venus walked in. I leaned on the cracked door frame as she crouched next to Izzie, who hadn't budged.

Venus placed a hand on Izzie's back. She took a drag of her cigarette, paused, exhaled and removed her hand.

"Jesus, girl," She commented amiably, "That's some hatred you got going there."

Izzie let out a sob.

Venus collapsed back on her ass next to her, and I moved over to join them as Venus continued.

"I do have some good news. Well, not good as such. Just interesting. Well, not majorly interesting, either, just something odd."

Izzie raised puffy eyes to Venus, who exhaled a cloud of smoke in my face. I waved a hand, rolling my eyes. "Keep the cancer on your side of the room, please."

"Whatever. Anyway. That anger you were feeling wasn't normal. It was..." She flapped a hand around as she searched for the word. "Hazy."

"Hazy?" Izzie and I questioned at the same time. Venus nodded slowly.

"Yeah. Hazy. Strange. It was strong, extremely strong, but... muffled, almost. I don't know. I'll look in to it later. Later being after we've finished the sushi."

Izzie looked confused. I nodded and stood up, clapping my hands briskly.

"Isabella Davis, I don't believe you've accompanied us beautiful beings thus far to the Sushi Restaurant down the road. Therefore, slap some eyeliner and foundation on and brush your hair. We are going to enjoy the delights of raw fish and low fat rice while we bitch to our heart's content."

Izzie stared at us both for a minute, then shakily pushed her hair back and stood up as well. "Do it."

Venus' POV

"Something's not right."

Aphrodite and Izzie looked at me, waiting. We were taking a pause from the sushi while we waited for our wine to be refilled.

"The emotions you felt. I think I cracked it, but it doesn't make sense."

Aphrodite twisted her mouth, confused. "Cracked what?"

I paused, tapping my fingers on the table, trying to figure out how to word my suspicions without angering or hurting Izzie. "I think... I think Jasper made you feel that hatred."

Izzie instantly shook her head. "He wouldn't do that."

I held up a finger. "How do you know?"

Izzie bit her lip and began to talk, but I cut her off."Let's look at the past: Edward was your world, and you were his. You were perfect, a match made in heaven, blah blah blah. But then you got Marked and bam, he did a full 180 and turned into the dick of all dicks. How do you know they're not all double- sided?"

Aphrodite glanced between us as Izzie dropped her eyes to the table.

"I don't," Izzie murmured after a pause. "But... I don't think he would have a reason to do that."

"You said he nearly killed you. Maybe he was angry you pushed him that far. Maybe his ego was hurt. Or maybe he just didn't want a human in the family, and this was his excuse to turn them against you."

"Hold up." Aphrodite leaned over the table to speak, but the waiter arrived and began pouring the wine. We waited impatiently as he finished, and she opened her mouth again. "So you're saying Jasper manipulated them. Does that include Edward?"

I hadn't thought of that.

We gazed at each other wordlessly, then turned to Izzie. She had a hand over her mouth, and her eyes were huge.

"Izzie, this is just a hunch, okay? I'm not saying it's definite. I'm not saying he still, like... you know."

Izzie looked at me and gave a hard laugh. "It wouldn't matter. I don't love him either way. Still. I... I just don't see Jasper doing something like that. He was always angry in a way, like, sad anger. But not spiteful. He was never spiteful. The only times I spoke to him he was always so sweet."

I nodded slowly, slumping back in my chair. There was something I was missing, something crucial.

I just didn't know what it was.