Chapter 11

Edward. Where had he gone? I needed him.

"BELLA, get back", shouted Carlisle and I ran over to him. Esme had taken shelter behind Emmett's huge frame. Us Cullen's had created a border between the Volturi and the rest of the cottage. I didn't want my home to be ruined. We couldn't fight here.

So I sprinted out of the door, in-between where Aro and Caius were standing.

"Get her", Aro spat.

Caius ran towards me and I crouched down. I felt myself getting angry and summoned the energy in my chest. Nothing would come. Caius smashed into me, pushing me back into a tree. I heard the trunk snack under our strength. Now I was really mad. I snarled and launched myself onto Caius, clawing at his face. I saw Jane and Alec standing quietly behind Aro, stopping the rest of my family escaping from the cottage. I saw Alice's eyes glaze over. Another vision.

Where was Edward?

I stood up and felt the energy. My hands shook with the intensity of the force and as Caius rose to pounce again, I smiled at him.

SMACK. Caius was smashed into the concentrate path, a crack in his head.

"Ahhh" Aro said smiling. "A force. A shield. A blank mind. True talent, young one".

"Keep away from me and my family, we have nothing for you", I said.

"Oh, but sweetheart you do have something. You have your gifts, and do you know how brilliant you would be as a member of the Volturi?" Aro said, getting closer to me. I stepped back, but Jane and Alec were blocking my way.

A leaf well down from the tree above. I caught it. Whilst Aro conferred with Jane and Alec, I looked down at the leaf. Scratched into it was the word "UP". Screwing up the leaf and dropping it to the forest floor, I glanced over at Carlisle. I raised my eyes to look at the sky; or, more specifically, the trees above me. Carlisle nodded slightly. The rest of the Cullen's followed Carlisle's lead, one at a time, slowly. They were in on the secret. Now we just had to take the Volturi by surprise.

"Just take me", I said, much to Aro's surprise.

"I don't want to fight. I don't want to cause pain. Promise you'll never hurt my family and I will become a member of your clan. But you have to promise", I said in a serious tone. Esme shook her head.

"I'm sorry," I called into the cottage. "It's for the best".

"Sweet child," smirked Aro, "it would be our pleasure to leave the Cullen's alone. We only need you. Come, child", he flicked his black cloak in my face and Jane and Alec picked Caius off the floor. I was in the middle of the procession, unable to move and make an escape.

UP.

I put my hand up in the air, pretending to fiddle with my hair and felt a gust of wind.

"Wait", I called to Aro. He spun round to face me. "I have something to tell you" and I saw Aro's eyes lock onto someone else's standing behind me.

"Edward, how nice to see you", Aro said.

"Take her", Edward said to Aro. "Take her. I didn't want to marry her, I wanted to drink her blood. From day I met her, I wanted to drink her blood. I stopped too soon, allowing her to change. Take her, make use of her. She's not welcome here".

I looked at Edward, seriousness clouding his face. What? I felt tears well up; did vampires cry? I felt hurt, pain filling up my veins. I felt sick, butterflies were in my stomach. I stopped walking and stared at him. The Cullen's faces were serious. He meant it. This wasn't a plan to save me, this was a plan to get rid of me… I felt betrayed and angry. So, so angry.

Before I could stop myself, I felt a snarl rumble in my throat, my lips curled back and I pounced on Edward Cullen.