Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. Nor it's sequels, which is quite unfortunate, 'cause then I'd have a bit more money on hand. Of course, I do own this plotline.

I've made A Play on Predator and Prey update on every Monday due to the hassle (I shouldn't say hassle since I love learning lol) of being in college. Please forgive me.

Aro's POV

Chapter 10: Wake Up

I dismissed Alec from guarding Bella and sent him to keep his sister company. Heidi went back to preparing Bella's room.

Bella was clawing at my bed sheets and had her teeth clenched. I sat next to her and placed my hand on her face. Her eyes cracked open and I saw a glimmer of recognition.

I had to keep reminding myself that the pain was necessary. That it was the only way she could stay by my side for eternity. I was putting her through this for my own selfish desires. She went through Hell and I got all the benefit. Without my intervention her life would be over and she would never have to be in pain again.

She wriggled around some more and her small hand grabbed onto my wrist. Bella pulled herself closer to me and I couldn't help but lift her up and place her in my lap. Her lethal nails pierced my skin, but I didn't cringe. It was nothing compared to what she was going through.

Bella just continued screaming for hours. I didn't whisper any words of comfort or tried to dull the burn. Nothing could affect the power of the burn. Going through it would only make her stronger, both physically and mentally.

I chuckled darkly. I couldn't decide if that was a good or bad thing. I could hardly handle a human Bella, a volatile newborn vampire Bella who could fight back with more than just her cutting words might be too much for me. I let that thought sink in and it made me smile. She would be challenging. Perhaps I needed to be challenged…

The outer aspects of the change were nearly complete even though it was still the first day of her change. She was stunning, just as I expected her to be. Before today I hadn't consciously thought about how she would look as a vampire, but I realized that somewhere in my head I had wondered about it.

The venom took care of the superficial parts of a human being relatively quick. Throughout my existence I've found that on the first day skin and outer features started changing along with the brain. The skin would finish first to protect the one that was changing around the time the innards started solidifying. On the third day all that would be changing would be the brain. It needed the most time as every synapse and circuit was refined and endless space started a never ending process of forming.

Nearing the end of her second day Bella stopped squirming and she had her eyes open. The brain had no pain receptors yet the change was still felt there. From my memory and all those that I had gathered it felt like someone plucked out your eyes and poured magma into your skull.

Halfheartedly I wondered if Bella would have a gift. Normally I'd be excited for any new gift to add to my collection, but when it came to Bella as long as she was strong enough to stay alive I didn't care.

My own gift, though useful, had its pitfalls. When I was still young, centuries upon centuries ago, whenever I took in every thought from someone their views and ideals often warped my own. It took years of training to sort out my own thoughts from those of others. Now, I could compartmentalize.

Along with that, the sudden onslaught of thoughts would stun me. In battles any skin contact would short circuit my mind, paralyzing me. It was debilitating. The answer to that was to only fight on pure instinct, never thinking about my moves, just doing.

Bella's eyes were flicking around as if she was in REM sleep.

Another heartbeat and the sound of two people walking invaded my senses. I saw Heidi and Felix nearing. Felix had an unconscious human slung over his shoulder.

"You need to be well fed if you're to deal with a newborn." Felix said needlessly, as if I didn't already know that. I refrained from saying anything, only nodding. He handed me the fat woman and I drank deeply, remembering Bella's scent and trying to imagine what her blood would taste like. Heidi quickly took Bella's measurements. "We've prepared three humans for Ms. Bella when she wakes."

"Henceforth, refer to Bella as Lady Bella."

"We'll spread the word of your decree, Lord Aro." Heidi said bowing her head slightly.

Later on I heard three sedated humans being placed in Bella's room.

Caius joined me. He stared at Bella, but I didn't feel threatened. I knew he had a mate and was no threat to my own.

"I hear you are already giving out rank." Caius' voice was calm and his arms were crossed.

"That I have." I squinted slightly, trying to read his reaction. He gave nothing away.

"Alright." He turned around to leave. "I think I'll go tell Marcus myself. His reaction will surely be entertaining."

I chuckled to myself. I could never figure out whose side he was on. Sometimes he would help Marcus other times me. In general, I think he just likes screwing with us.

I was so caught up in my own thoughts that on the third day I almost missed hearing Bella's last heartbeat. It was the sudden moving of her arms as she clutched her chest that alerted me.

"That hurt like a mother!" Bella growled out as she sat up. She glanced at me and her position on my lap. "I didn't know we were this close." With no subtly what so ever she pushed herself off of my lap. "Why does it seem like I can't get rid of you?"

"Perhaps you're the one I can't get rid of." I said and Bella let out a little indignant huff. Her red eyes were flashing around the room, taking in every detail, yet somehow avoiding me.

"This is so fucking weird."

"Must you always curse?"

"Must you always talk like an old fart? Now stop criticizing me. I'm trying to process all of this." Bella gestured to herself. Her words didn't make me angry like they would have normally, merely because she wasn't really paying attention to what I was saying, just reacting without thought. Her mind was focused on the new world around her.

I remained silent as she tested out her new speed, waving her hand around then snapping a beat that would have sounded like a single pulse to human ears. I was surprised by how calm she was acting. Bella flashed to in front of the mirror and stared at her reflection. Attentively, she reached out to touch her reflection, but broke the mirror on accident.

"Well, that's an improvement." Bella said, then caressed all her curves. "A definite improvement." My eyes darkened with lust and I growled out. She glanced at me, apparently only now remembering my presence. I reined those feelings in and focused on getting her fed.

"How does your throat feel?" I asked.

"Parched, more thirsty than I've ever been." She was still entranced with her own reflection.

"You know we live off human blood."

"I gathered."

"Heidi," I called. She came in dragging two unconscious humans. Bella's eyes widened, but she didn't pounce as I had expected her to. Heidi looked at her confused.

"Are those for me?" Bella asked Heidi who looked towards me. I nodded.

"Yes, Lady Bella, and a third if you're still thirsty." Bella stared a moment longer before shrugging and picking one up. She drained him, tossed him to the ground before repeating the process with the other human. Bella licked her lips and had a lazy look in her eyes. "Another?' Bella nodded and Heidi whisked to the other room and back. This time she drank slowly, savoring the blood.

"God, that's delicious." Bella leaned against the wall and Heidi dragged away all the bodies. "It's like each human is a different restaurant and when I drink from them I'm ordering my favorite dish and it's cooked just right."

"Your palate will only become more refined, more able to relish each distinct flavor once you become older." Bella kept licking her lips. Her calm demeanor was a bit unnerving. Her red eyes suddenly focused on me.

"Why am I still here, Aro?" I was startled by her question, but once I thought about it, I shouldn't have been.

"Newborns, new vampires, don't have any control over their bloodlust. If we just let you go you'd go on a killing spree." The words didn't sound convincing to me, so I'm sure they weren't to her either.

"Did I look out of control to you?"

"No, but I've come to learn that you are an anomaly in many ways." I rubbed my chin in thought. "Most newborns would have attacked those human viciously, tearing into them and spilling blood everywhere, then ripping them apart, trying to find just one more drop of blood." She looked skeptical.

"Are you saying I'm a freak?"

"Yes, very much so."

I felt this chapter lagged a bit, but I really love describing stuff like the first half of this chapter. Do me a solid and send me a review.