ok. so nobody went for the contest thing. haha, ok, so the only song that comes to my mind for the last chapter was Valiant by The Spill Canvas. :-/

this chapter... it's a little violent. i didn't make it too graphic though. even though a lot of descriptive words came to mind, haha. and it's not as long as i would have liked, but i just reached a perfect place to leave off.

so the song is Knights of Cydonia by Muse. it's pretty fitting, in my opinion.

SO! i want to take this time to thank my most loyal readers/reviewers at this point. THANK YOU - Diger, Elliptic Lullaby, and t3g0d355! you guys are AMAZING!

now - on with the chapter!

9. A P P R E N T I C E

"How long?" I asked, trying to plan our getaway before they could arrive.

Alice's face fell and she lowered her eyes when she answered, "Three hours."

"WHAT?" I roared. Three hours would not give us much of a head start! "Why didn't you see them sooner?"

Alice's eyes fired up a little, "Well I'm sorry, Bella, that we all can't control our powers the way you can. How was I supposed to know they were coming? I would have looked if I'd had any suspicion-"

"All right, no time," I cut her off. I turned to Edward. "Where could we go?"

Edward's face was uncharacteristically hesitant. "I… I don't know that there is any place we can go that they won't follow. And if we run from them… it will just make things worse for us, Bella."

I groaned. This could not be happening! Why couldn't my life be peaceful? Just once? Everything had been ideal and then the Volturi had to come mess everything up. I turned back to Alice, "How many of them are coming?"

Alice's face brightened slightly, "It looked like there were only two… Aro, and someone I didn't recognize…"

"What did he look like?" Jacob snapped. I jumped, startled. I had forgotten he'd come in with me.

Alice seemed perplexed by his question. "Um… well. He had black hair… he was pale… he had red eyes…"

"How old did he look?" Jacob sighed impatiently.

"Oh… OH! He was young for the Volturi… probably around nineteen… maybe twenty."

"Conner," Jacob growled, "of course he'd be with Aro."

Every head in the room turned to Jacob. It was a moment before I caught on. "Is he part of the new coven?" Jake nodded solemnly. "Jacob… what can we do?"

Jacob turned to look at me, square in the eye with a demanding flare in his eye. "Nothing. Stay put. Edward" – it seemed to cause him physical pain to actually say my fiancé's name – "is probably right. It would just make matters worse if you tried to run for it."

I hadn't noticed the small audience that had gathered at the bottom of the stairs. Emmett stepped forward. "You said two? Well," – he laughed – "bring it on!"

"Emmett!" Rosalie snapped at her husband, actual fear distorting her perfect face. "Don't even consider fighting them. That would make things one hundred times worse!"

"She's right, Em," Jasper put in, "If we tried to fight off their master… well the whole guard would come to do us in, then."

"Carlisle! Carlisle, what can we do?" I asked, frantic for help.

There was a moment of silence while Carlisle thought over the possibilities. Some of them caused Edward to let out a low, barely audible growl. "Well, Bella. I think the best thing is to stay put and act like we didn't know they were coming – act like they've overestimated our power by assuming we know they're coming. If that makes sense… but I think it would be smart for some of us to leave…" He gestured to the rest of his family.

"Leave? But why?" Emmett snarled, "If they think they're going to touch my family, they are sorely mistaken." His upper lip curled back around his unnaturally white incisors.

"Emmett, Carlisle's right. You should go. I don't want to cause any more trouble for you all than I already have," I informed him resignedly. It was true. If it hadn't been for me in the first place, the Volturi would never have even known of Edward and Alice's existence.

"Bella, don't think like that. We'll get ourselves out of this. We'll be fine. Won't we Alice?" Edward turned his attention to her.

Alice took a moment before answering, a blank, glazed look overtaking her golden eyes. "I… don't… know. It's fuzzy; I can only see shapes. Someone has to make a decision first before I can see much farther than when they arrive… but it looks like we'll be alive…" I shuddered.

"See?" I told Emmett, "Now you, Rosalie, Jasper, Esme, and Carlisle should just leave. Come to think of it, maybe you should leave too, Jake," I tried desperately to get them all out. Time was running out, and if they were going to get out safely they had to go now.

"I'm not going anywhere!" Jacob growled protectively.

"Jake, if they find you here they'll kill you!"

"They won't find me."

"Jacob, please," I begged. I couldn't lose him twice in two weeks.

"Bella," he said seriously, taking my hand in his and holding it with his blazing skin, "I'm your best protection. Don't worry about me, worry about yourself. I'm your best source of protection when they're here. Let me stay." I could feel my lower lip quivering.

"Jake…"

"Just let me stay, Bells." His voice was so soft.

"Oh, alright! But if you get yourself killed, you're the responsible one."

"I won't."

"The rest of you: get out!" Jasper and Rosalie seemed mildly surprised that I was kicking them out of their own house.

"Bella, I think that I, too, should stay." Carlisle stepped forward.

"But-"

"Now, think, Bella. Aro is an old friend of mine. Although he may be hypnotized or brainwashed or whatever it is that Jacob seems to think has happened, I may still have some influence on him."

I gritted my teeth. Two more lives – gone. And it was all my fault. It was bad enough I was killing Edward and Alice; did Carlisle and Jacob have to be such pig heads too?

"Fine." I snarled through my teeth. "Everyone else, out. Go into the woods or… something. I don't care, just leave here."

Somehow I had made it down to the bottom step so that I could glare into all of their faces and make sure they would leave. The group of them started to turn, but Emmett bounded forward and gave me a bone crushing bear hug. "Be careful, Bella."

I realized, then, that this could be the last time I ever saw any of them. I squeezed back and assured him, "I will. It'll be fine. You'll see," but I wasn't sure who I was trying to convince – Emmett, or myself.

Emmett released me and turned to walk with Rosalie out to the woods. Esme and Carlisle and Jasper and Alice shared an intimate goodbye. Jasper tried to convince Alice to let him stay, but she was set in stone.

"I'll make them more relaxed!"

"Jasper… I can't put you in this danger."

"Alice, please!"

"Jazz… go."

Alice looked as though she were going to be sick when Jasper slipped out the door.

Once the other Cullens had left, all heads turned to Carlisle.

"What do we do now, Carlisle?" Edward asked. He seemed angry.

"We wait. Try to make the atmosphere in here seem as natural as possible. And if anyone asks, the rest of the family is hunting. With any luck, Aro won't want to check us…" Carlisle let his voice trail off and he looked out the window, maybe hoping to glance Esme departing.

Three heads around me nodded and immediately went in separate directions. Alice went the rest of the way down the stairs, Jacob headed off to the guest bedroom, Carlisle went to sit in the living room, and Edward grabbed my hand and led me to his room. As soon as we had reached Edward's room, he spun around and captured me in his arms. He was upset.

"What's wrong?" I murmured, reaching up to run my cold hands through his soft, bronze hair.

Instead of answering, Edward kissed me. Forceful yet soft, the kiss scared me. He had no hope. I kissed him back, fire burning in my chest. This could be the last time… No. I would not think like that – because then it would be the last time. I didn't know how long we were kissing, and I didn't know how we had gone from the standing position to laying on Edward's couch, but suddenly his head snapped up – his lips broke away from mine – and he listened. I listened, too, and then I heard it – footsteps.

They were here, walking down the driveway.

"Just relax," I whispered soothingly. "It will be okay," but I'd never been a good liar. Edward nodded, but he didn't relax.

"But just in case… I just want to tell you that I love you." The words seemed final. Doomed.

I felt the teardrop leak out of my eye. Edward swiped it away and laid his head on my chest. After a moment he said, "The new one can control minds."

I sighed. "From what Jacob told me, I figured as much."

"But he can only control one at a time. So if he's busy with Aro the whole night, we should be safe from his power. He's not elite," Edward seemed very relieved to find this out, "Not even close. His coven is, but they're not here. They figured he could do this on his own. Perhaps if we kill him, Aro will be free of him and he'll be able to make his own decisions…"

"Edward Cullen!" I whispered sternly. "No killing! Any kind of killing at all will just make things worse."

Edward's eyes met mine. He smiled reassuringly and said, "Killing him won't be a problem, let me assure you, Bella. If we kill Conner" – he said the name with such disgust – "and free Aro, the Volturi are in debt to us and can offer us protection from the rest of Conner's coven."

"Not if Conner's coven can control all the minds of the Volturi! Then we're just screwed."

"Bella, trust me on this one."

Trust him. I did. With every part of me, I trusted Edward. But the idea of Conner was intimidating. Mind control was a frightening power, and it would be easy for him to mess with us. One moment Edward could be killing Conner, the next I could be killing Edward… the idea sent shivers up my spine and I snuggled closer to him, waiting for the subtle knock on the door.

I listened. The footsteps got closer and closer until finally they stepped across the porch. The hollow echo of the soles of their shoes on the wood was haunting. The thud of knuckles on the maple wood door came next, and then the silent whoosh as the door opened. I heard Carlisle acting pleasantly surprised.

"Aro! How in the world did you get here? And who is this?"

I heard Aro's voice come next, sounding not at all like him.

"Hello. I am well. This is my apprentice, Conner Reddings."

At this point, the sound of Conner stepping forward across the threshold came. It was a moment before Aro followed.

Alice's cheerful voice sounded, "Hello, Aro. How have you been?"

This family should seriously look into acting.

"Well. Thank you." Aro's voice was monotonous – robotic. And he didn't call anyone by their name, I noticed.

Edward was still on top of me – still as a statue, listening. His eyes met mine and after a moment of wordless communication, I realized that I was to stay stone still, too. Perhaps Aro would not ask about us. Or, Conner, rather…

"We were just in the neighborhood and decided to drop by and see if Jacob was around," Conner's voice came conversationally. In the neighborhood? I thought skeptically. This coming from a vampire that lives in Italy?

"I'm right here, Conner," Jacob's voice growled. There was a moment of silence before I heard Conner's footsteps lead him over to where, I imagined, Jacob stood. I heard Jacob's low growl and Conner's footsteps stopped.

"Is there anyone else here?" came Conner's conceited drawl.

"My son and daughter are upstairs," Carlisle informed him. Even under the circumstances, I still felt a rush of emotion when Carlisle called me his daughter. "I'm sorry, but you've just missed the rest of the family. They've gone hunting."

"Yes… hunting… You're the 'vegan' family, aren't you?" the sneer on his face could be heard through his voice.

Carlisle chuckled politely, "Yes, we respect the fragile lives of humans far too much to take it away as easily as we could," there was a tinge of warning in his voice that I couldn't understand.

"Hm. Well… why don't you call your children down and we can meet."

A moment of footsteps later and Carlisle was calling up the stairs, "Edward! Bella! We have company!"

Edward rose very slowly to his feet and offered his hand. I took it in mine, grasping it tightly. His lips met mine in one last kiss and then he led me out of the room and down the hallway.

Two flights of stairs later, and the scene came into view. Alice was standing across the dining room table from Aro, who seemed to be focused on something that was thousands of miles away. Carlisle stood next to Aro, who stood next to Conner, who ripped his gaze from Jacob to the stairs that Edward and I were descending. Jacob was next to Alice. He looked at me pleadingly. If only I knew what he was trying to ask me…

Conner looked first at Edward, giving him the once over. Then his eyes strayed to me. He, literally, looked me up and down – a twisted sneer becoming apparent on his porcelain cheeks – before letting his eyes fall on my hand, which was still clasping Edward's as if it were my life. Actually, come to think of it, it was my life. I glanced at Conner for the first time. His jet-black hair fell in spiraling curls down past his ear lobes, and his lips were full and red. The tip of his tongue appeared and he licked his lips. I decided immediately that I would stay as far away from him as possible at all times.

Edward stopped so suddenly that I nearly crashed into him. We were only halfway down the staircase, but Edward stopped and glared at Conner – menace haunting his eyes. Uh-oh.

"You must be the famous Edward Cullen," Conner mocked. "The one who would kill himself for a human? And you're the human, I assume? But you're not a human anymore. And I can see why he might kill himself for you…" Edward growled softly.

I smiled sweetly. "I am. My name is Bella. And who are you?" I said, playing dumb.

"Conner Reddings, apprentice and advisor of Aro Volturi," he stated smugly, sweeping into a bow and looking up at me with his crimson eyes from beneath his black curls.

"May I ask why you're here?" Carlisle directed his question at Aro, but Conner was the one who answered.

"We have come here to see that the deal has been followed through with – that the human is no longer – and once that was determined, we are to invite you chivalrously to join the ranks of the Volturi. It would be a great honor to have you among us. Alice?" he asked, pulling his mesmerizing, hypnotic eyes away from me for the first time. I blinked and shook my head, trying to shake out the stupor.

Alice was mannerly but firm when she stated, "No. I'm sorry, Aro, but I'm quite content here." She talked to Aro, though he seemed to be entranced in a piece of floating dust.

"That is a shame. And what about you Edward?" Conner continued, his tone suggesting that he was superior to him.

Edward responded to his question with a rumbling growl.

"Temper," Carlisle whispered.

Edward stopped growling, straightened his back and squared his shoulders. "No. I prefer this lifestyle."

"Pity," Conner smirked and cocked an eyebrow. He pointed his spellbinding gaze at me again, and I felt a pulling toward him coming from my brain. "And what about you, Bella? Would you be interested in joining the most powerful family on the face of the earth? Having your every wish fulfilled? You would, wouldn't you? Come, join the Volturi!"

Those eyes! "No. My life is here with Edward," I surprised myself. I had been sure I was about to agree what with the way my brain was telling me to go to him. But saying Edward's name seemed to snap me out of my daze and I took a step closer to him, allowing him to curl his pale arm around my waist.

Conner's eyes reflected a flicker of dismay for a fraction of a second before he regained his composure. "I see," he said. I waited, sure of what was coming next. "Well, I have no choice then." We waited for him to continue, but he said nothing.

"Pardon me, but, don't have a choice in what?" Carlisle asked in his most polite tone.

Conner smiled and raised his eyebrows. "Oh, it's just a matter of time until you find out. I am sworn to secrecy. Just know – I didn't want it to happen. I came here to have you join us and you would be safe. But, you didn't join. And I must pass the word to the rest of the Volturi of your disloyalty. They won't be happy. No, not at all."

"Disloyalty?" Edward spat, his temper fast rising, "The Volturi never force themselves upon those who do not wish to be members!"

Conner's crimson irises laughed, but his tone was serious when he said, "The times, they are a changin'. Aro, I think our business is done here."

As they turned to swoop out of the house, something happened that I would never forget. I had been too mesmerized by Conner's mystical eyes to notice that during his little monologue, Jacob had started to shake. He had started to tremble and vibrate so hard that his fists became nothing but pallid blurs. But once Conner turned his entrancing eyes away from me, I noticed. And I noticed when Jacob was no longer Jacob, but a huge, silky-furred, white wolf. He leapt straight past Edward, Alice, Carlisle, Aro, and me and headed for Conner's back as silently as a breath of air.

"Oh, and one more thi-" Conner had started to turn around before getting a face full of Jacob.

I watched in horror as Jacob's wolf form tore at Conner's face and ripped up his skin, revealing his bone and muscles. Conner's screams were muffled by Jacob's barks and snarls. Something black was leaking onto the floor, and Conner's throat was completely ripped out. I stood, watching in horror. Shock paralyzed my body and brain. I could hear Carlisle shouting, but his voice was stifled – like cotton was stuffed in my ears. Jacob's jaws snapped and tore at more of Conner's marble flesh. I felt something grab my upper arm and I was jerked around to face Edward's beautiful face – it was distorted with frantic demands and fear. Through the cotton in my ears, I heard Edward say, "We need to get out of here."

That made sense, I rationalized. Once Jacob was through with Conner, he might not be able to control himself. We should get out of the way. I allowed Edward to pull me into a room and slam the door shut behind him. Carlisle, Alice, and Aro were also in the room. Aro seemed disconcerted. His lips mouthed words that I couldn't hear. I was still only ears for Jacob's vicious snarls coming from the other side of the closed door.

After what seemed like hours, the snarling finally stopped and was replaced by a disgusted moan. I immediately opened the door – deaf to Edward's warnings – and saw Jacob – vampire Jacob – standing over the mangled body of Conner Reddings.

"What have I done?" His voice was raspy and his eyes were filled with anguish. "Bella, what have I done?" A dry sob escaped his chest.

"You saved us all, Jake. That's what you've done," but he shook his head, disagreeing.

"I put you all in danger by morphing. And now, I've put you all in danger by killing him." He looked up at me through his agony filled eyes. "I'm so sorry, Bella," he whispered.

Something about the look in his eyes made me feel vulnerable. I wasn't sure what it was, but suddenly, it felt as if I'd never be safe again. Not even when Edward was holding me.

But those thoughts were immediately contradicted when Edward came up behind me and wrapped his long, capable arms around me, squeezing me tightly into his chest and kissing the top of my head.

I heard murmurs coming from the closet that we had been closed in a moment before – it seemed as though Aro had come to and Carlisle was trying to fill him in on what was going on.

"No, no, that's preposterous! I can repel mind control with my own superior brain," came his unconvinced tone. "Now I want to know what's really going on."

He came stumbling out of the closet, brushing himself off. As soon as he caught sight of Edward, Jacob, and me his face broke into a smile. Then he inevitably noticed the unrecognizable corpse of Conner Reddings.

"Who is that?" he asked, the smile slightly fading from his face.

"Your apprentice, Conner Reddings," Edward told him as if it were obvious.

"But, I don't have an apprentice!"

"Aro, he was controlling your mind. Believe what you want, old friend, but we are telling you the truth," Carlisle put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Aro looked confusedly between the body and Carlisle. "But wouldn't someone have caught on? Wouldn't Marcus or Caius have noticed if I were a robot?"

Carlisle shook his head, "From what we understand – there are others. And they are controlling your brothers – calling themselves 'advisors'. And from what we have gathered – they are very powerful. Young Conner here could control only one mind at a time, but the rest of his coven can control armies. It would not be safe to return."

"If what you're saying to me is true…" Aro considered, "If this Reddings boy's coven is really so brilliant and powerful… why did they send only him? Why not one of the other elite forms of their family?"

"They did."

A tall stranger appeared as a shadow in the doorway, and everyone's face around me went inexplicably blank.