NOTE: I changed one line and in this chapter I copied some from new moon knowing nothing is better.
"What were you thinking?" I could have smacked him but I didn't dare try. Everyone was letting me do the talking, "I can't believe you did this, this is completely ridiculous!"
"What would you do if the one you love is gone?" he replied. He gave me a glare.
"Don't you get it she's alive. For crying out loud, Edward!" I screamed, "I thought you were smart" I turned to the others, "I thought you would understand what I said. I thought you'll take it literally!" I was very mad. I turned back to Edward.
"When I said 'She's not out there' I meant, she's not outside the house!"
After a second Ben barged in with Tanya and everyone else behind him and pushed me on the wall.
"ISABELLA MARIE SWAN-DWYER!" he was beyond furious, "What's going on?"
"ADEQUATE"
BPOV:
"Ben—"
"Don't give me excuses, missy! What is really going on?" He said at my face, "Why do you have a bite mark on your hand? And on your neck?"
"Ben—"
"Give me a straight answer, Izzy!" I could see his eyes burning with fury.
"Ben—"
KATE POV:
Ben got Izzy's arms and she was slammed at the wall. Ben wouldn't stop to listen at Izzy whose arms are well…
"HAVE YOU BEEN HANGING OUT WITH VAMPIRES?" Ben asked Izzy. Oh, boy. I rolled my eyes.
"I SHOULD ASK YOU THE SAME THING, BEN!" Izzy strike back.
"DON'T TURN THIS ON ME, IZZY!" Ben shot back.
"BEN!" Izzy shouted.
"WHAT?"
"YOU'RE BLOCKING MY BLOODSTREAM!"
Realizing what she said. Ben let go of her, still furious though. Izzy tried to lift her lower arms but…
"Now, I can't feel my arms. Thanks, Ben" She said.
"No problem" You know if this situation isn't as extreme as right know, I think they would've laugh about this.
"Ben—"
Izzy collapsed and I caught her. I put her head on my shoulder and lifted her weight.
"When was the last time she ate?" I asked and Carlisle answered for me.
"She hasn't eaten anything since we woke her up back home and on the way she didn't get any sleep"
(A/N: Ignore the parts where Bella fell asleep in the last chapter during the plane ride and in the van)
"Well, at least, you all know where Bella is" I looked at Izzy's face. Now, that you mention it, I could see dark circles under her eyes. It must've been pretty tiring to get on a plane and run for almost a kilometer in a short notice.
I looked up and saw everyone taking in the incident. Well, at least, everything she said was true.
"Ben, does Izzy really know Bella more than you?" I asked.
"What?" I could see he was amused, "Bella hates that stupid nickname of hers. She really does prefer being called 'Bella'" He got a little calm. Quick.
"Then, why do you?"
"'Cause I'm Ben" I laughed at his answer. This is why Tanya likes Ben.
"We should get out of here"
Everyone nodded but we were stopped.
"Where do you think you're going?" A dark figure spoke.
I stiffened, recognizing the two scents. Felix and Demetri. This can't be good.
"Aro would simply like to speak with you again, if you have decided not to force our hand after all, Edward."
"Certainly," Edward agreed. '"But the boy and girl go free."
"I'm afraid that's not possible," the polite shadow said regretfully. "We do have rules to obey."
"Then I'm afraid that I'll be unable to accept Aro's invitation, Demetri."
"That's just fine," Felix purred.
"Aro will be disappointed," Demetri sighed.
"I'm sure he'll survive the letdown," Edward replied.
I could hear Ben's raging breath and wild heartbeat and Bella's still unconscious. I don't like this and everyone else was silent.
"We're not alone," Alice reminded them.
Demetri glanced over his shoulder. A few yards into the square, the little family, with the girls in their red dresses, was watching us. The mother was speaking urgently to her husband, her eyes on us. She looked away when Demetri met her gaze. The man walked a few steps farther into the plaza, and tapped one of the red-blazered men on the shoulder. Demetri shook his head.
"Please, Edward, let's be reasonable," he said.
"Let's," Edward agreed. "And we'll leave quietly now, with no one the wiser."
Demetri sighed in frustration. "At least let us discuss this more privately."
Six men in red now joined the family as they watched us with anxious expressions.
Edward's teeth came together audibly. "No."
Felix smiled.
"Enough."
The voice was high, reedy, and it came from behind us.
Felix and Demetri relaxed immediately, stepping back from their offensive positions to blend again with the shadows of the overhanging walls.
"Jane," he sighed in recognition and resignation.
"Follow me," Jane spoke again, her childish voice a monotone. She turned her back on us and drifted silently into the dark. Felix gestured for us to go first, smirking.
Everyone walked after the little Jane at once. Edward took Bella from me first then, followed. I glanced over at Ben who was confused at the action.
The alley angled slightly downward as it narrowed. There was a loose curve to the alley, still slanting downward; I could see the squared-off dead end coming and saw Jane slid down an open hole in the street. The hole was small, and black.
I wondered, how will we take Bella down?
Ben had no problem. He jumped after Tanya who'll probably catch him. I looked at Edward who was looking at me and I nodded knowing what to do. I jumped through the hole.
BELLA'S POV:
I could feel hands which felt like stones in winter on my wrist and my feet were dangling in the air. I didn't dare move one inch not even opening an eye. I'm afraid what I would see.
"Ready?" a voice asked.
"Drop her," someone answered below.
The hands let me fall.
It was silent and short. The air whipped past me for just half a second, and then, with a huff as I exhaled, Kate's waiting arms caught me.
"Oh" She said, "You're awake. Sorry"
I was going to have bruises; her arms were very hard. She stood me upright.
It was dim, but not black at the bottom. The light from the hole above provided a faint glow, reflecting wetly from the stones under my feet.
The light vanished for a second, and then Edward was a faint, white radiance beside me. I looked at him and his eyes were wide from shock, I think. I looked away.
Kate put her arm around me and began to tow me swiftly forward. I wrapped both arms around her cold waist when I almost tripped. I stumbled my way across the uneven stone surface. The sound of the heavy grate sliding over the drain hole behind us rang with metallic finality.
The dim light from the street was quickly lost in the gloom. The sound of my staggering footsteps echoed through the black space; it sounded very wide, but I couldn't be sure.
I wished I could ask Kate exactly what's happening. I wanted desperately to know 'cause I'm scared to death and as if on cue, calmness washed over me and there could only be one person or vampire who does that. If Jasper's here then, of course everyone else is. What did I miss?
The path beneath our feet continued to slant downward, taking us deeper into the ground, and it made me claustrophobic. I couldn't tell where the light was coming from, but it slowly turned dark gray instead of black. We were in a low, arched tunnel. Long trails of ebony moisture seeped down the gray stones, like they were bleeding ink.
I was shaking, and I thought it was from fear. It wasn't until my teeth started to chatter together that I realized I was cold. My clothes were still wet, and the temperature underneath the city was wintry.
Kate stopped to shake her jacket and gave it to me. I let my hands slide through the sleeves and wrapped my arms around me while Kate took hold of my shoulders and led the way again.
We hurried through the tunnel, or it felt like hurrying to me. My slow progress irritated someone because I heard a sigh now and then.
At the end of the tunnel was a grate—the iron bars were rusting, but thick as my arm. A small door made of thinner, interlaced bars was standing open. Kate ducked through and hurried on to a larger, brighter stone room. The grille slammed shut with a clang, followed by the snap of a lock. I was too afraid to look behind me. On the other side of the long room was a low, heavy wooden door. It was very thick—as I could tell because it, too, stood open. We stepped through the door, and I glanced around me in surprise, relaxing automatically.
We were in a brightly lit, unremarkable hallway. The walls were off-white, the floor carpeted in industrial gray. Common rectangular fluorescent lights were spaced evenly along the ceiling. It was warmer here, for which I was grateful. This hall seemed very benign after the gloom of the ghoulish stone sewers. We went down the long hallway, toward the slight, black shrouded figure at the end, standing by an elevator. The heavy door creaked shut behind us, and then there was the thud of a bolt sliding home.
At first I thought I was seeing young boy who was as tiny as Alice, with lank, pale brown hair trimmed short. The body under the cloak—which was darker, almost black—was slim and androgynous. But the face was too pretty for a boy. The wide-eyed, full-lipped face would make a Botticelli angel look like a gargoyle. Even allowing for the dull crimson irises. Her size was so insignificant that the reaction to her appearance confused me.
She waited by the elevator, one hand holding the doors open for us. Her expression was apathetic.
Once inside the elevator, the three vampires that probably belonged to the Volturi relaxed further. They threw back their cloaks, letting the hoods fall back on their shoulders. Two others who probably came when I was unconscious were both of a slightly olive complexion—it looked odd combined with their chalky pallor. One has black hair which was cropped short, but his companion's waved to his shoulders. Their irises were deep crimson around the edges, darkening until they were black around the pupil. Under the shrouds, their clothes were modern, pale, and nondescript.
The elevator ride was short; we stepped out into what looked like a posh office reception area. The walls were paneled in wood, the floors carpeted in thick, deep green. There were no windows, but large, brightly lit paintings of the Tuscan countryside hung everywhere as replacements. Pale leather couches were arranged in cozy groupings, and the glossy tables held crystal vases full of vibrantly colored bouquets. The flowers' smell reminded me of a funeral home.
In the middle of the room was a high, polished mahogany counter. I gawked in astonishment at the woman behind it. She was tall, with dark skin and green eyes. She would have been very pretty in any other company—but not here. Because she was every bit as human as I was. I couldn't comprehend what this human woman was doing here, totally at ease, surrounded by vampires.
She smiled politely in welcome. "Good afternoon, Jane," she said gesturing at the vampire who I thought was a boy earlier.
There was no surprise in her face as she glanced at Jane's company.
Jane nodded.
"Gianna." She continued toward a set of double doors in the back of the room, and we followed.
As the one with black hair passed the desk, he winked at Gianna, and she giggled.
On the other side of the wooden doors was a different kind of reception.
The pale boy in the pearl gray suit could have been Jane's twin. His hair was darker, and his lips were not as full, but he was just as lovely. He came forward to meet us.
He smiled, reaching for her. "Jane."
"Alec," she responded, embracing the boy. They kissed each other's cheeks on both sides. Then he looked at us.
"They send you out for one and you come back with a whole family. Nice work."
She laughed—the sound sparkled with delight like a baby's cooing.
"Welcome back, Edward," Alec greeted him. "You seem in a better mood."
"Marginally," Edward agreed in a flat voice. I glanced at Edward's hard face, and wondered how his mood could have been darker before.
Edward only smiled his expression contemptuous. Then he froze.
"Aro will be so pleased to see you again," Alec said.
"Let's not keep him waiting," Jane suggested.
Edward nodded once.
Alec and Jane, holding hands, led the way down yet another wide, ornate hall—would there ever be an end?
They ignored the doors at the end of the hall—doors entirely sheathed in gold—stopping halfway down the hall and sliding aside a piece of the paneling to expose a plain wooden door. It wasn't locked. Alec held it open for Jane.
I wanted to groan when I went through to the other side of the door. It was the same ancient stone as the square, the alley, and the sewers. And it was dark and cold again.
The stone antechamber was not large. It opened quickly into a brighter, cavernous room, perfectly round like a huge castle turret… which was probably exactly what it was.
Two stories up, long window slits threw thin rectangles of bright sunlight onto the stone floor below. There were no artificial lights. The only furniture in the room were several massive wooden chairs, like thrones, that were spaced unevenly, flush with the curving stone walls. In the very center of the circle, in a slight depression, was another drain. I wondered if they used it as an exit, like the hole in the street.
The room was not empty. A handful of people were convened in seemingly relaxed conversation. The murmur of low, smooth voices was a gentle hum in the air. As I watched, a pair of pale women in summer dresses paused in a patch of light, and, like prisms, their skin threw the light in rainbow sparkles against the sienna walls.
The exquisite faces all turned toward our party as we entered the room. Most of the immortals were dressed in inconspicuous pants and shirts—things that wouldn't stick out at all on the streets below. But the man who spoke first wore one of the long robes. It was pitch-black, and brushed against the floor.
For a moment, I thought his long, jet-black hair was the hood of his cloak.
"Jane, dear one, you've returned!" he cried in evident delight. His voice was just a soft sighing.
He drifted forward, and the movement flowed with such surreal grace that I gawked, my mouth hanging open. Even Alice, whose every motion looked like dancing, could not compare.
I was only more astonished as he floated closer and I could see his face. It was not like the unnaturally attractive faces that surrounded him (for he did not approach us alone; the entire group converged around him, some following, and some walking ahead of him with the alert manner of bodyguards). I couldn't decide if his face was beautiful or not. I suppose the features were perfect. But he was as different from the vampires beside him as they were from me. His skin was translucently white, like onionskin, and it looked just as delicate—it stood in shocking contrast to the long black hair that framed his face. I felt a strange, horrifying urge to touch his cheek, to see if it was softer than Edward's or Alice's, or if it was powdery, like chalk. His eyes were red, the same as the others around him, but the color was clouded, milky; I wondered if his vision was affected by the haze.
He glided to Jane, took her face in his papery hands, kissed her lightly on her full lips, and then floated back a step.
"Yes, Master." Jane smiled; the expression made her look like an angelic child. "I brought him back alive, just as you wished."
"Ah, Jane." He smiled, too. "You are such a comfort to me."
He turned his misty eyes toward us, and the smile brightened—became ecstatic.
"The Cullens and Denali Clan, too!" he rejoiced, clapping his thin hands together. "This is a happy surprise! Wonderful!"
Then a surprised, joyful expression crossed his face, "My, my, my. Is this the lovely, Izzy Dwyer?"
My eyes only widen at the question.
"Yes it is, isn't it?"
He laughed a gleeful laughed and everyone in the room turned their eyes on me all in shock, I suppose.
He turned to our hulking escort. "Felix, be a dear and tell my brothers about our company. I'm sure they wouldn't want to miss this."
"Yes, Master." Felix nodded and disappeared back the way we had come.
He came up to me and grab one of my hands which he enclosed both in his.
"You have no idea how much we adore you and your performances" He gushed, "You are a legend in our eyes. As far as you know"
Then Aro noticed Alice.
"Ah, my dear Alice I've seen some of your more amazing exploits, and I must admit I've never observed anything like your talent. Wonderful!" Aro chided.
Alice flickered a glance at Edward. Aro did not miss it.
"I'm sorry; we haven't been introduced properly at all, have we? It's just that I feel like I know you already, and I tend get ahead of myself. Your brother introduced us yesterday, in a peculiar way. You see, I share some of your brother's talent, only I am limited in a way that he is not." Aro shook his head; his tone was envious.
"And also exponentially more powerful," Edward added dryly.
He looked at Alice as he swiftly explained. "Aro needs physical contact to hear your thoughts, but he hears much more than I do. You know I can only hear what's passing through your head in the moment. Aro hears every thought your mind has ever had."
Alice raised her delicate eyebrows, and Edward inclined his head.
Aro didn't miss that either.
"But to be able to hear from a distance…" Aro sighed, gesturing toward the two of them, and the exchange that had just taken place. "That would be so convenient."
Then he noticed Jasper who was by Alice's side.
"I presume this is your mate, Alice?"
"Yes" She flashed a dazzling smile. Aro looked at Jasper.
"Your talent as well is very fascinating," He turned to everyone, "And I'm just absolutely trilled to have you all here"
Aro turn back to me.
"Oh. My brothers will be also trilled to see you, Miss Dwyer"
Aro looked over our shoulders. All the other heads turned in the same direction, including Jane, Alec, and Demetri, who stood silently beside us.
I was the slowest to turn. Felix was back, and behind him floated two more black-robed men. Both looked very much like Aro, one even had the same flowing black hair. The other had a shock of snow-white hair—the same shade as his face—that brushed against his shoulders. Their faces had identical, paper-thin skin.
The trio from Carlisle's painting was complete, unchanged by the last three hundred years since it was painted.
"Marcus, Caius, look!" Aro crooned. "It's the Cullens and Denalis, isn't that wonderful?"
Neither of the other two looked as if wonderful would be their first choice of words. The dark-haired man seemed utterly bored, like he'd seen too many millennia of Aro's enthusiasm. The other's face was sour under the snowy hair.
And that all change with,
"And it's Miss Izzy Dwyer!" Coming out of Aro's mouth with delight.
Both eyes were widen with shock as they registered my face. The one with snowy hair came forward and took my hand.
"It is an honor to be in your presence, exquisite young lady" He kissed my hand and I was stunned by the gesture. He looked at me, "My name's Caius, Miss Dwyer"
"Pleasure to meet you" I managed to say. He let go my hand and rejoined the dark-haired man still pleased.
Marcus, I presume, simply nodded in my direction who looked quite bored.
"Miss Dwyer" he said.
Caius drifted away, gliding toward one of the wooden thrones. The other paused beside Aro, and he reached his hand out, at first I thought to take Aro's hand. But he just touched Aro's palm briefly and then dropped his hand to his side. Aro raised one black brow. I wondered how his papery skin did not crumple in the effort.
"Thank you, Marcus," Aro said. "That's quite interesting."
I realized, a second late, that Marcus was letting Aro know his thoughts.
Marcus didn't look interested. He glided away from Aro to join the Caius, seated against the wall. Two of the attending vampires followed silently behind him—bodyguards, like I'd thought before. I could see that the two women in the sundresses had gone to stand beside Caius in the same manner. The idea of any vampire needing a guard was faintly ridiculous to me, but maybe the ancient ones were as frail as their skin suggested.
Aro was shaking his head. "Amazing,"' he said. "Absolutely amazing."
Aro smiled. "So convenient," he repeated to himself. Then he spoke to us. "It takes quite a bit to surprise Marcus, I can assure you."
I looked at Marcus's dead face, and I believed that.
"Edward, last time you were here," Aro began, "I heard very well from you that you loved Bella a lot"
I stiffened at the sound of my name.
"But however according to Marcus' talent, which is to see relationships by the way," he continued, "You and Izzy's relationship is quite intense. Not that I'm objecting it. It's just that— if you think about it, it's as intense as your relationship with Bella"
He kept glancing at Edward and me back and forth.
"Now, tell me. Why is that?" he lifted his hand to his chin and started rubbing it with his thumb.
Everyone went still. If you look around, everyone was shock, interested and curious. Who wouldn't be?
I took a deep breath and stepped forward.
"Aro" I said.
"Miss Dwyer, are you feeling faint? Do you need a glass of water?" He rushed.
"No, no. I'm fine" I answered, "May I speak?"
"Of course, Izzy. You don't mind being called Izzy, do you?"
Actually, I hate that name but I look like Izzy now so I'll over look, I said in my head.
"No, not at all. It's just that I'm afraid it's getting late and I have to wake up early tomorrow to practice for the national competition—"
"Oh, oh. I'm so sorry, my dear" Concern crossed his features; "We'll just have this talk another time, shall we?"
"That's exactly what I was going to ask" I responded.
"Well, then. Not a moment to waste—"
"Then we are free to go now?" Edward asked in a surprised tone.
"Yes, yes," Aro said pleasantly. "But please visit again. It's been absolutely enthralling!"
He looked at me and said,
"I'm sorry for keeping you—"
"It's fine. I mean, accidents do happen, right?" I smiled the smile I wear in front of the cameras.
"Yes, it does" he answered, "You may now be on your way"
"Oh, here," Aro added, motioning to Felix with one finger. Felix came forward at once, and Aro unfastened the gray cloak the huge vampire wore, pulling from his shoulders. He tossed it to Edward.
"Take this. You're a little conspicuous."
Edward put the long cloak on, leaving the hood down.
Aro sighed. "It suits you."
Edward chuckled, but broke off suddenly, glancing over his shoulder. "Thank you, Aro"
"Goodbye, young friends," Aro said, his eyes bright as he stared in the same direction.
We reached the lobby we entered earlier.
"Follow the right hallway around the corner to the first set of elevators," Gianna told us, "The lobby is two floors down, and exits to the street. Goodbye" she added pleasantly.
Once we were in the fresh air again. I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Practice for the National Competition?" Kate smirked.
"It was the only thing I could think of," I replied with a smile, "I didn't know they will be THAT concern about it"
I laughed.
"It pays to have someone famous to pull a few strings"
I looked over my shoulder and saw Emmett looking at me with his hands behind his head. I rolled my eyes, he laughed and so did I.
"How are you feeling, Izzy?" Ben asked. I'm thinking he's saving the questions for later and was enjoying this day like it was just any other time.
"Quite alright" I answered in a fake British accent and we both laughed.
"I think I would like a chocolate ice cream right now" I stated.
"What good will that do?" Ben smirked and I had a thought.
"Ben, do you have any idea what I'm thinking?" I asked.
"Maybe"
I did a cartwheel twice. Ben held my waist as I do another then he lifted me up in one hand at my stomach and let go. I spun forward with my toes like a ballerina. I stopped and Ben took one of my hands and turned me around and around and around while I stood with one foot. Then we both glided a few feet then we both jumped one leg stretched in front, one at our back. We were laughing all the way. We glided a few more and jumped. I stopped behind Ben and took his hands while he pulled me from under. I stood in front of him and I held his hands on my waist as he lift me to give me a boost while I jumped. In mid air, I stretch my legs and touch my toes. When I landed, I did a backward flip once. And stopped. Facing Ben who haven't moved from the spot since giving me a boost and who's now suddenly still expecting one of my stunts. I ran, place my hands on both of his shoulders then jumped over him, legs stretch on either side, and stood behind him. I took a side step then held Ben's hand. Both of our arms were stretched and were both grinning ear to ear.
I looked to where the others were and saw them frozen with shock. I rolled my eyes and released Ben's hand.
"Like you guys CAN'T do that" I told them while Ben and I laughed.