AN: So, here's the chapter you all have been waiting for! The confrontation/trial of the Cullen coven

Thank you to Marie (you know who you are LOL) for the suggestion of what to do to Alice and Edward

Now, I'm trying to decide if I should do an epilogue or just wrap it up at the end of this chapter.

Song list: Everybody Want to Rule the World- Lorde

Far from Home- Five Finger Death Punch

Everybody's Fool- Evanescence

Feeling Good- Wé McDonald

Chapter 9

*Bella POV*

Wearing a Volturi cloak was odd, and distasteful, but it was a necessary tactic to keep the Cullens from noticing us until the time was right. Alistair's distaste was more than noted as we followed Demetri to the throne room, but he kept it deep inside so as not to give any hint of who he was to the Cullens. Frankly, the fact that Jasper and Alistair hadn't just stormed in and ripped off their heads was a true testament of what remained of their patience towards our former coven.

When we arrived, the throne room was different. The thrones for the three kings were up on a platform that made it seem like they were above the rest of the room. Platforms were set up beside the main one where the three of us, as well as certain members of the guard would sit. As we walked to our seats, we could see Alec and Felix bringing in tall posts with chains wrapped around them. Jasper whisper as he sat next to me, 'Caius had those made special a long time ago. Vampire ash mixed with werewolf venom. Nothing can break free of them."

I nodded as we watched other enter and take their seats. Jasper and Alistair had taken the seats beside me, yet it was no surprise when Demetri took the seat to my right and the rest of the guard, barring the few still escorting the Cullens. Renata appeared a few minutes after, followed closely by Angela, who was garbed in the same cloak that we were garbed in. She sat on my other side, a Volturi guard I wasn't familiar with sitting on her other side. All in all, we both were very well protected and I had a feeling that she would be getting even more protection once the trial was over.

Not long after, a hooded figure stepped into the middle of the room and said, "All rise for the honorable Volturi kings. May justice be truly served!"

Caius entered first, followed by Marcus and finally Aro. Marcus had an odd look on his face and he seemed to smile in Angela's direction before taking his seat and saying, "Escort the Cullen coven inside." The guards at the door bowed and opened the doors. Two lines of Volturi guards began entering, the Cullen coven walking between them.

Carlisle was the first through the door, his hands bound in chains that matched those dangling from the posts in the middle of the room. His appearance was perfect, but even I could tell that something was amiss, but dismissed the thought as the rest of the family walked in. Esme was behind Carlisle, her attire somewhat messier, but she still oozed the perfection I had come to loath. Following her came Alice, who was screeching about the fact that her expensive shoes were now ruined. I could feel everyone's disgust at her behavior. She was looking all around, trying to figure out who was the biggest threat, completely dismissing the kings who held her life in their hands.

Emmett came after Alice, but he wasn't the same as the others. He looked as if he'd been fighting and he was looking around, just as Alice had done, but not for threats. He was looking for Angela. I could feel some deep frustration coming from him, but I didn't know what it was about. It soon became clear when Rosalie came in shouting about how pathetic he was and how he was lowering himself like Edward had by going after a human. I had thought that when I was pregnant, Rosalie's hatred of me had disappeared, but I guess that, like Edward, she had played me for a fool and if I had to guess why, it was for the child I bore. And I would have been right.

Renesmee was standing next to Rosalie, holding close to her as if Rosalie was her real mother and not me. I wasn't totally surprised at her behavior. Even before I had left, she and Rosalie were closer than she and I had ever been. It looked like Rosalie had gotten her truest desire. She had a child.

Aro apparently didn't have unlimited patience as I once thought. As soon as the entire coven was standing between the chained posts, he shouted, "Silence! Carlisle, keep your coven in line for these proceedings or I will do it myself." Something in his tone told Carlisle that he wasn't kidding because he turned to his 'family' and whispered something that immediately shut them all up. Well, all except Edward. He immediately screeched, "Why can't I hear any of you?!" Caius smirked as he said, "How rude you are boy, to try and read the minds of others without their permission. Seems your Maker forgot to teach you your manners. Alec, if you would please." Alec nodded and soon his dark vapor surrounded Edward and he was silent once more.

Aro turned his attention back to Carlisle and said, "Carlisle Cullen, you have been brought here on severe charges. Let's begin with the first. You have brought attention to yourself that could end up revealing our world to the humans. Your incessant need to be 'human' and be a physician has brought you and your family to the attention of several hospitals over the years. Quite a few have begun internal investigations to even see if you were qualified to treat patients. How do you answer to these charges?"

Carlisle was using his best ass-kissing abilities as he answered, "My friend, I had no idea that I was being so careless. I believed, as did my family, that our paperwork was in order and that any previous paper trails were erased completely." Caius sneered as he said, "Obviously not well enough Cullen. We have already received word that a warrant is out for your arrest pertaining possible charges of practicing medicine without a license and identity theft. After all, the last legal identity you had was over 50 years ago."

Aro chuckled darkly at his brother's words and said, "That is merely the human realm of charges. Let's get on with the ones in our world. First, the charge of Compelling a human for the purpose of retaining a human pet. You allowed one of your coven members to do this and did nothing to correct the issue or to end the problem to begin with. As coven leader, it is your responsibility to maintain order and control your coven. Next, you allowed said member of your coven to abandon the pet he had lured without taking care of her as the law commands. This inaction on your part allowed the pet once known as Isabella Swan to discover more of our world, with her arrival here to save Edward Cullen's life."

Marcus took over, saying, "Another law you have broken is the fact that as a human, Isabella should have been brought before us to verify who she was the Mate of. The fact that she was Edward Cullen's 'singer' should have told you at once that she was not his Mate, yet you allowed his pursuit of her, regardless of how said pursuit would end. We would have hoped that allowing the boy to leave alive would have given you the proper motivation to do things the right way. Yet, you stalled once more."

Carlisle was stuttering along, trying to find some excuse for his behavior, but was unable to come up with anything. Esme was crying, no doubt having realized where things were headed. Alice was screeching again, and Rosalie was swearing up and down about how I was the cause of all their problems and that I should've been dealt with when they first met me.

Aro shouted, "Silence! We are not finished yet. Carlisle Cullen, once you and your coven returned to the small town of Forks, instead of turning Isabella as your progeny promised to do, he once again Compelled her and not only used the Compulsion to isolate her further from her family and friends, but also to get her to agree to a marriage that she never wanted, dangling immortality in front of her without following through. Once the marriage was done, your progeny took her to an isolated island for their so called 'honeymoon'. "He turned to Edward, who had been released from Alec's vapor enough to talk, and asked, "What was the true purpose of the island Cullen? I wouldn't lie if I were you."

Edward sneered and said, "Fine! I was going to drain the little bitch after I used her body." There was a sound of shock in the seats next to me, but I wasn't shocked. Considering his reluctance to touch me before we wed, I wasn't surprised that he was planning on draining me dry once he had. Esme cried louder and I could faintly hear her murmuring about how she didn't know any of this and that she was innocent.

Caius turned towards Alice and asked, "Seer, what was your part in this charade? The Mind Reader is smart, but not smart enough for this. Speak!" Alice was not helping herself at this point. She was pulling at the chains holding her, snapping at the guard members keeping her in place and frankly, she was being a brat. She sneered at Caius and said, "I don't have to say anything. My Mate is the only one I have to answer to." I heard Jasper snort next to me and he whispered, "Yeah, except for the fact that her Mate is dead. Watch." Caius smirked and said, "Then you know that with your Mate not in attendance, you must obey your coven leader. Since he is also in trouble, you must obey me. Now answer my question!"

Alice shook her head, refusing once again to answer. Caius turned to a cloaked guard and nodded. The guard quickly bound Alice to a pole with the chains and lit the circular groove surrounding it. Flames went up, slowing inching their way towards Alice's feet. She screeched again, trying her best to inch away, but the chains around her feet kept her in place and on the ground. She began to scream as the flames attacked her feet and began to burn. After a few minutes of this, she finally said, "Alright, I'll tell you. Just stop." Caius nodded again and the flames were quickly doused.

Alice sagged and said, "I first saw Bella eighteen years ago in a vision. She wasn't human and she wasn't alone. All I saw was that with her, our world would be safer than it has ever been and she would bring about a new age of the Volturi. Things would change so much that we would be able to live in the open without fear. How, I never Saw. Unfortunately, I couldn't see who was at her side. So, I took a risk and made sure that our coven was there when she moved to Forks. I made sure that the van nearly hit her so that way Edward would save her and reveal our secret. But then it went downhill from there. I didn't count on Edward's obsession. Nor did I count on the blurry figures becoming clearer as we all got attached. I saw Jasper at her side. To be honest, I was furious. I had waited years for him and suddenly she was supposed to have him. So, I deliberately made sure he saw the vision shortly before her 18th birthday."

"I knew that his thirst would be the deciding factor, so I made sure that Bella would spill it that night. Edward has planned to make sure that Jasper would attack Bella so that way she would never be able to trust him, let alone believe that they were Mates. The papercut merely gave him the opportunity. Edward's bloodlust hit a near boiling point and he pushed it all towards Jasper." Marcus said, "The only thing you didn't count on was Emmett Cullen being able to pull him away. Or the fact that a fledgling Bond between Major Whitlock and Isabella had already formed, which tempered his rage and calmed the bloodlust he was feeling. Hence why he was able to be thwarted by Emmett Cullen."

Alice nodded, seemingly trying to ignore the fact that the rest of the coven was seething next to her. Emmett was smiling, knowing that his 'wife' was probably next.

Marcus turned to Emmett and said, "Emmett McCarty Cullen, you have already confessed to your abandonment of the one formally known as Isabella Swan. However, you also revealed something else to one of the guard. Please repeat to this court what you told them." Emmett nodded and said, "After we left Forks, I tried to go back. I had agreed with Jasper that Bella was still in danger from Victoria and her vendetta. I wanted to protect her and if after that, she wanted nothing to do with us, I would help her disappear so that she wouldn't have to pay the price for Edward's stupidity. Before I could leave, I was stopped by Rosalie and Carlisle, both of them telling me that I had no reason to return for the 'pet' as they called her and that I was forbidden from returning. When I tried to fight back…they, along with Alice and Edward, attacked me to where I was unable to even feed, much less go back for Bella. They kept me like that until Edward and Bella returned from his attempted suicide mission in Italy. They didn't want Bella to suspect anything wasn't perfect when she saw us all again." Caius asked, "What about Major Whitlock? Surely he could have assisted you." Emmett shook his head and said, "Despite the fact that he actually didn't hurt Bella, Jasper felt all sorts of guilt for what happened that night. It didn't help that Alice kept reminding him of what he had done. After the initial fight to return, he was in this bubble of guilt in despair that Alice and Edward kept him in."

Marcus nodded and after a brief look at Caius and Aro, turned to the guard surrounding Emmett and said, "Unchain him. While he did admit to planning on hiding Isabella from us, his intentions were noble and not out of fear of his own existence. He has committed no actual crimes and I would not wish to separate another of our kind from his True Mate. Join her now Emmett McCarty and do not make us regret giving you a second chance." Emmett nodded and joined us in our balcony. He took a seat next to Angela and held her close as the Kings returned their gaze to the Cullen coven.

It was now Rosalie's turn. She tried to cover Renesmee with her form, but their stakes were too far apart. Aro began by saying, "Rosalie Hale, your crimes are quite different from the rest of your coven. While you are included in the charges mentioned before, as a member of Carlisle's coven, you have charges against you that frankly, disgust me and considering how long I have been a vampire, is something to say. Before I start mentioning your charges, do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Rosalie, dropping all pretenses of civility and perfection, sneered as she said, "Fuck all of you. I did nothing wrong. Bella Swan ruined my family and because Edward wanted to drink her blood, as is his right as a vampire, we're all suffering because she refused to just be a good girl and let him drain her. So, no I don't." I think my mouth dropped in shock and so did a few others. I knew that Rosalie hated me, but I didn't think she wanted me dead like that.

What the hell did I miss in my time with that coven?

Jasper seemed to feel where my emotions were going because he grabbed my hand and squeezed it to remind me that he was there, as did Alistair. Deep growls were heard from around the room as the ramifications of Rosalie's words were heard. She may have conspired with Carlisle to keep me from Jasper and Alistair, but now, she had plotted my death at the hands of another and would have helped him had he asked.

Aro shook his head and said, "Very well then, let's get on with the charges against you alone. First, the attempted murder of Isabella Swan after the nomad coven led by the deceased knows as James made contact with your coven. Phone records provided by a source provide proof that you secretly contacted him after Isabella departed Forks in her attempt to evade him. You contacted him and informed him of their destination and where to find her records of previous residence. Do you deny this charge?"

Rosalie said nothing, merely glaring at each of the kings in turn.

Aro continued, "Second, your attempted murder charge was increased by two when, during the struggle your coven had with the nomad James, you attempted to prevent Dr. Carlisle Cullen, the only member of your coven with enough medical knowledge to help Isabella, who was slowly bleeding out, from helping her. Your attempt failed further when Edward Masen lost control and nearly drained Isabella Swan in his so-called attempt to remove the nomad's venom from her bloodstream. Do you deny this second charge of attempted murder?"

Several in the room began to growl, yet Rosalie remained silent.

At her continued silence, Aro continued, "Another charge against you is the attempted seduction and kidnapping of one Police Chief Charles Swan, Isabella Swan's father." This charge actually put a look of shock on Rosalie's face, as well as everyone else's. Ignoring the looks around him, Aro said, "You see, ever since we received word that Edward Masen was 'courting' Isabella Swan, we've had an eye on him and this coven. So, we know that you attempted to seduce Chief Swan, telling him certain things about your coven. When that failed, you attempted to stage a kidnapping with the nomad coven that later appeared in front of your coven and went after Isabella. What you didn't count on was Isabella's willingness to sacrifice the brief happiness she'd had in living with her father in order to keep him safe. So, Rosalie Hale, what was your ultimate plan?"

Rosalie actually looked scared now, yet her arrogance was still evident as she stuttered, "I…I don't have to answer to you." Caius growled as he said, "Enough! Demetri, light it." As he had done with Alice, Demetri went to Rosalie's stake and soon it was crackling with fire. It didn't take her long to start screaming in pain and finally she shouted, "Okay, I'll tell you! Just make it stop." The flames were allowed to linger for a few more moments before they were put out and her chains loosened enough so she could stand properly. She took a few more moments to calm herself before she stood as proud as she could at the moment and began to speak.

Rosalie said, "I knew that Edward wasn't truly in love with the human. He wanted her blood and if getting it would calm him down and get us back to our normal lives, I was willing to do anything to make sure he got it. She was close enough to her father that I figured that if I could make him fall for me, I could use him against her if she fought too hard. Unfortunately, the pathetic man was still hung up on his ex-wife, so it didn't work." She paused for a second, no doubt trying to make her story seem like she was trying to protect the coven rather than how it really was.

She looked back up and said, "Yes, I knew James and Victoria before they came upon us in Forks. During my newborn years, I had strayed from the Cullen coven shortly before finding Emmett and insisting on his change. I had only done that at the suggestion of James himself. He knew that if I didn't get a 'Mate' soon, Carlisle would become suspicious of my little trips away from the family. Yes, he was my lover. He was the only reason I could tolerate being touched after what caused my death. Emmett did nothing for me and I only got Carlisle to change him so I could use him as a cover. He'd come with me and then Victoria would use her other gift to make him think we'd spent time together while James and I made love."

She gave Renesmee a brief look before she continued, "There was only one thing I was still desiring in my life…a child. I knew that I would never be able to have one myself. That's when I came up with a new plan to rid myself and my family of that pathetic human and get the child I'd always wanted." Marcus leaned forward and said, "So you knew of the possibility of Isabella becoming pregnant when she married Edward Masen?" Rosalie snorted and said, "Of course I knew. I was in the house when Carlisle had the discussion about using protection with Edward. He knew from his studies of the ancient stories and wanted to make sure Edward knew the risks. I merely made sure that she would get pregnant no matter what precautions were taken." Aro asked, "How so?"

Rosalie said, "I used a fake identity and ordered fertility drugs over the internet. I slipped them into the human's food and drink shortly before the wedding, making sure that they would be in her system heavily before the honeymoon. I also made sure that she knew my story and what I had desired most in my own human life so that way, when Edward reacted badly to the news of her being pregnant, I'd be the first one she called to protect her child." Caius asked, "What was the end game with your little plan?" "I'd read that none of the women who had gotten pregnant by one of our kind had survived the birth. My plan was to have been alone with her when she went into labor and once she had given birth, I was either going to let her bleed out or drain her myself, keeping the child as my own since Edward would never want the child to begin with." Caius smirked and asked, "So, what went wrong with this one?"

Rosalie growled and said, "Well, what I didn't count on was Jacob Black getting involved. Because the human had to keep in contact with her father to keep him from getting suspicious about her and Edward's delayed return from their honeymoon, he found out and immediately thought that she had been changed or bitten at least by Edward. He came by and discovered her pregnancy. Failing to get any of us to act, and with my having to keep up the pretense that I actually cared about her, he then was on her side and protected her more than even I did. My window of opportunity shrank and I knew that if I was to get what I wanted, I needed to act fast. So, I told Black's former Alpha about Bella's pregnancy. I told him what the child was and that if he helped me get the child, no matter what happened to my family, I'd make sure that we left Forks for good. All I wanted was that child."

Disgust was on everyone's faces, even Carlisle's. Aro asked, "Isabella survived the birth and was turned by Edward. Why didn't you stop it?" Rosalie sighed and said, "Unfortunately, my own thirst kicked in after helping her give birth. Edward threw me out of the house and bit her because her heart stopped. Then Black's former pack showed up to deal with them and that's when Black imprinted on Renesmee. Once that occurred, all my plans went up in smoke." Marcus said, "I've seen how their imprinting works, but why would his imprint on the child stop their attack on the entire coven?" Rosalie sneered and said, "The imprint put our entire family under Jacob's protection. They consider the imprint their most person in regard to their Pack and anyone related to be protected by it. So, the human was left to turn and I was left holding a child that I couldn't claim as my own because my family survived."

Aro leaned back in his seat and said, "So, because of your selfish desire for a child, and because you just plain hated her, Isabella was dragged through what even I would classify as hell just for the hell of it?" Rosalie nodded and Aro sneered in disgust. He then asked, her, "When did you first begin plotting her death?" Rolling her eyes, Rosalie said, "After Edward saved her in the school parking lot. He brought attention to us simply because he couldn't read her mind. I would have just been happy with him draining her, but once I realized that I could get a child from her, I changed my plan and tricked Edward into not killing her." Aro waved her away and she was pulled closer to her stake and left there.

Marcus turned to Renesmee and asked, "Who is your mother and what is your true gift?" She looked shocked at his questions, but stood tall as she said, "My mother is Rosalie and you know my true gift." Marcus chuckled darkly and said, "Indeed I do and frankly, I can't allow you to exist with such a gift. Turning allies against each other and starting wars is not a gift I'd want wandering around." He nodded at Demetri, who pulled her tight against her stake and started the fire at her feet. Just as she began to scream, he said, "The hybrid known as Renesmee Cullen is no innocent. One of our own guards saw her true talent and intent. Had we allowed her to live, she would have turned us all against each other and our true diet. She can manipulate the mind and if she tried, she would even make you throw yourself into a pyre. She could also manipulate bonds, much like one of former number could. This is distasteful and can never be allowed to exist ever again."

All of us watched as Renesmee Cullen, the daughter I had brought into the world against all odds, burned to a pile of sparkling ashes. Rosalie was begging for it to stop, but no one listened. Once the ashes were smoldering, they were swept up and put into a fire pit to be consumed even more.

Finally, it was Edward's true turn to be questioned. However, none of the kings seemed to be in the mood to question him anymore. Aro said, "Edward Masen, your crimes are numerous and distasteful. While we would not like to hear your reasons behind them, there are others here who need the answers." He turned to Jasper, Alistair and myself and said, "Major Whitlock, you and your coven have the floor."

The look on Edward's face revealed everything as the three of us stood and lowered the hoods of the cloaks we wore.

He saw the Mating marks on our necks and immediately began to snarl. He said, "Bella! How could you betray me like this? You are my wife!" Sneering, I said, "No, I'm not Masen. I never was your wife, not really. You and your so-called 'family' kept me from my Mates and would've left me for dead if it hadn't been for Alice's gift shorting out around the Pack. Tell me Edward, would you have let Victoria have me if it meant keeping me away from Jasper and Alistair?" He snarled again but refused to answer my question. His silence was answer enough for me.

Jasper, who was in full Major persona at this point, didn't even look at him. He went straight for Carlisle and asked, "Tell me somethin' Doc…did you know or have any idea that Isabella was my Mate when you bowed down to this little boy's demands that we leave? Did you even acknowledge the danger you forced us to leave her in, or was your head so far up his ass that you couldn't see anything?" When Carlisle refused to answer, Jasper said, 'Answer me old man, or burn!"

Carlisle finally looked up and said, "Yes, I knew. I knew she was your Mate and I did nothing to stop any of them to keep her from you. I didn't think you deserved her and frankly, I still don't believe either of you do." Jasper smirked and said, "Well, since you kept me from my Mates, I think it's fair to keep you from your Mate for the rest of eternity." He turned to Esme and asked, "Tell me ma'am, did you go along with this farce too? Or were you just being lead along?" Esme looked him straight in the eyes and said, "Bella deserves better than a monster like you."

Jasper, who I could feel was barely in control, merely nodded and turned to Demetri as he said, "Light 'em up." Demetri came forward and lit the fires under Esme. Jasper's emotions calmed as he wrapped his arms around both Alistair and myself and we watched her burn. Carlisle collapsed against his stake, hanging on merely by his wrists. Alistair was up next and he went for both Rosalie and Alice.

Alice was up first.

He went up to her and said, "Tell me something you little pixie bitch. Knowing the pain of losing your Mate, why the fuck would you do that to another of your own? What, besides your own greed, would drive you to put Isabella through the agony of what you put her through and keep her from the Major and myself?" When Alice refused to answer, Alistair nodded and said "That's what I thought. Absolutely nothing." He then turned to Rosalie and said, "I know your story Hale. I know what was done to you and what you did in return. I know what this life cost you in the terms of children and perhaps heavily in your case, happiness. Yet, you still had a chance for it. You had a man that would have given you the world and because you couldn't get over the fact that you wouldn't be able to have children, you sacrificed that chance. So, any sympathy I may have had for you in the past, that's gone. Frankly, I just want you to burn like your mother and be tormented for whatever eternity exists for us after that."

Alistair looked up at Aro and said, "Burn her for all I care." He nodded and gestured to Demetri. Demetri lit her fire once again, this time adding something to the flames when he did so. Curious, I turned to Jasper, who answered my question before I could ask, "Demetri had a wife and child before he was turned. He watched over his family and made sure they were protected. He discovered his Mate shortly after his human wife's death. Before he could claim her, Jane destroyed her for the hell of it. Apparently before she became enamored with Aro, she was in love with Demetri and didn't like the fact that he found someone else, nor the fact that he watched over his wife and child while they were alive. So, he understands better than anyone what we've gone through." He smirked and said, "Adding foreign venom to the flames will make them burn quicker and depending on how much you add, hotter."

Once Rosalie was fully disposed of, her ashes were scattered all over the floor. Aro turned to Alice and Edward and said, "Once, your gifts might have spared you. We did desire you to be one of our guard. Now, even I can't bear the sight of you. Frankly, and I think my brothers would agree, your gifts and way of life and how you treat the world around you, would pollute and destroy us all. Major Whitlock and his Mates would no doubt like to take your heads themselves, but frankly, I'd prefer that they not have to taint themselves by touching either of you ever again."

I know that I was shocked, but it didn't compare to the looks on either of my Mate's faces. Jasper turned to Aro and asked, "May I make a suggestion then Aro?" At Aro's nod, Jasper turned to both Alice and Edward and asked, "Ever feel a werewolf fang slice through your flesh?" If it was even possible, both of their faces went paler than ice. I heard Caius chuckled darkly in the background before Aro said, "Is that what you'd prefer Major Whitlock?" Jasper snorted and said, "What I'd prefer is to have them tortured for all eternity and then slowly burned piece by piece. This will do merely because what will happen is more humiliating." He nodded and Caius said, "Felix, the box if you please." Felix swiftly left and returned with a large, slightly old box.

Caius came down from his perch and said, "Tie them down properly." Alice and Edward were released from their stakes, only to be tied with the same chains to a slab that rose from the middle of the room. Once they were secure, he turned to Demetri and said, "Place the good Doctor Cullen in a good spot to view. I wouldn't want him to miss anything. Alec, make sure he watches." Alec nodded and once Carlisle was tied to a stake that was up close to the slab, Alec used his gift to make his body go limp, but his head remained upright and gazing only at the slab in front of him.

Once everyone was in place, Caius began what would be his gruesome work…and that's saying something considering I'm a fucking vampire.

He started by ripping off Edward's shirt. Taking a rather large fang from inside the box, he trailed it down his chest before he asked, "Now, Dr. Cullen, did you ever teach your 'son' about werewolves? Or more importantly, what happens to our kind when we are injured by them?" When he didn't get an immediate reply, Caius said, "Oh well, I guess this will be his lesson." He turned back to Edward and said, "Listen up boy. Now, the first thing you should now about werewolves is that their venom lingers even past death. It stores in the teeth and even in the claws. Second, it hurts when we are scratched, but a bite will make you wish your mother had never given birth to you. Let's get started, shall we?"

Caius then took the fang, which still looked razor-sharp, and as he dragged it back up Edward's body, he dug it slowly into his flesh, going deeper as he went up. Edward began to scream and I could see a mixture of his venom and werewolf venom slowly dripping down his chest and onto the slab. This was bad for Edward because he did have some open wounds from struggling against the guard and the chains. The mixture slowly slid into those open wounds, making him arch his back and scream near bloody murder.

Caius left the fang inside of Edward, close to collarbone, and turned to Alice. He said, "Now, I know you'll probably say that you 'Saw' this happening, but frankly, I don't want to hear any of your caterwauling and lying." He didn't even rip her clothes before he dug into her chest, the mixture of both venoms seeping all over her and into her own wounds. At first, I didn't see what was so humiliating about it, but then it became clear. Once the venom from the werewolf fang hit Alice's stomach, it reacted as if she had eaten human food. She tried to turn when she retched, but the chains refused to budge. The vomit that came from her smelled horrible, almost like the decaying flesh of a dead body. It spilled all over the slab they were chained to and some hit the floor next to Caius' feet. Many in the room turned away, trying to escape the smell.

I looked at Edward and I could see the fear in his eyes. Memories of long ago surfaced and I remember his deep fear of being ill or being humiliated in public by being ill. It had happened after a classmate had cut up a frog in Biology. Never having had a strong stomach, and it being so close after lunch, the classmate has spewed all over the table. Edward had sneered in disgust, only telling me later how humiliating it had been when he was human to become ill in public and how he had sworn never to put himself in that position.

Stepping forward, I put a hand on Caius' shoulder and said, "Allow me to dispense some justice Caius. After all, he did put me and my Mates through hell just to satisfy his spoiled self." He smirked, bowed and stepped aside. Stepping up to Edward, I said, "You made me feel like a fool and that I was never good enough. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you and Rosalie, or probably even Alice, were lovers, but I really don't want that image in my head for all eternity. I gave up my life, my family and even my best friend for you. You kept me from the two people that would have done anything to have me sooner than now. You took away their chance to have a family, to see their bloodline continue. You played God with other people's lives and most of them your own family. If there was a way I could make you feel that agony for eternity, I would do it, but this, this is good enough because frankly, I don't want to lose my soul over your ass. Go to hell Edward and rot there." I took a much larger fang out of the box, its surface glistening with venom, and gutted him with it, hitting just the right spot for the reaction to be immediate.

Edward arched up as the pain hit first, screaming as the foreign venom hit his system instantly. He pulled at the chains, trying to escape not only the pain, but the embarrassing effect coming next. I backed away as I watched him struggle, turning his head side to side as he tried to keep whatever was coming from happening. It didn't work and within minutes of being stabbed, he was expelling everything that he had in him, including a few organs. How that happened, I wasn't even going to contemplate.

The look in his eyes as he spewed and screamed was what finally eased my anger some. He was in agony, maybe not the same degree he had put me, Jasper and Alistair through, but he was feeling pain. But what I knew he was feeling and what helped me feel better so to speak, was that the perfect Edward Masen Cullen wasn't perfect anymore. Everyone here would tell the rest of our world what they had seen and even if he managed to survive, he would never be able to show his face or try to be that perfect guy again. I knew from looking at Alistair's body that werewolf fangs left a particular kind of scar. Alistair was riddled with small ones that still appeared on his immortal skin no matter what he did. The wounds left from today would be self-explanatory to any of our kind that saw them. A true punishment to both Edward and Alice if they made it out of Volterra alive.

But something told me that leaving was never going to be an option for them…or for Carlisle.

Once the venom had done what damage it could, Edward and Alice finally fell silent. Aro stood and motioned to Demetri and Felix. Edward and Alice were ripped from the slab and made to stand as Aro said, "The punishment you have just received will never be enough to truly punish you for what you have done. I, along with the rest of the Volturi, hereby sentence you Edward Masen and Alice Brandon to death. As Isabella said, may you rot in hell for what you have done." He motioned again and suddenly, they were thrown into the large fire pit that was in the room. I could hear some minimal screaming coming from inside, but I no longer cared. They were gone.

Aro then turned to Carlisle. He motioned for Alec to release him just enough from his gift for Carlisle to be coherent. Aro said, "Most would probably say that you have been punished enough Carlisle. You've lost your Mate, your first creation. You've lost your entire coven barring one, all because you couldn't man up and be the coven leader you needed to be. When I first met you, I understood your need to mingle with the human race. You needed to know that you weren't the monster your father claimed you would be as one of us, yet you also needed to know that you were like him either. But what I never understood was your constant need to deny who you had become entirely. You fought against your nature, your entire being simply because you wanted to. You put our entire world at risk because of your need to be 'human'. You ceased to be the friend I came to cherish and for that, I cannot simply let you walk away."

He motioned to a dark cloaked figure hiding in the shadows saying, "I never thought I would have to do this to you Carlisle, but you've left me no choice. Yelena is one of my first progeny. I created her after seeing what she could do in her village. She was about to be burned at the stake merely because she could create and take life away. She was revered by the women in the village because she could make death painless, yet the men feared her because they believed pain was a necessary evil. It wasn't until she had awoken to this life that I knew the true potential for her gift. The vampire that killed Marcus' Didyme and their future Mate were executed by her hand. I do not call on her often, only when I feel that seeing how her gift works would send the correct message to our kind when needed." He turned to her and said, "Yelena, rid us of him."

The woman lowered the hood of her cloak and nodded. She walked up to Carlisle and said, "You've angered those who gave you life. Now I must take that gift back. It will not be painless." She removed a glove and pressed her hand to his cheek. Carlisle gasped and I could immediately see what she was doing to him.

Carlisle went pale, paler than any of us had ever been. Then his cheeks began to sink in, as if he were slowly wasting away. His eyes, once the golden amber I'd loved and trusted, slowly sunk into a deep black that almost held a blue tint, no doubt his human color. She was turning him human and since he'd been alive for nearly 400 years, it was decimating him. It didn't take long after that for Carlisle to be a mere husk of his former self. But he never uttered a sound. I thought about it and figured that he had been through worse pain as a human, with his father being who he was, and during his change to really utter a sound.

Yelena pulled her hand away, slipping the glove back on quickly as she turned to Aro and said, "It is done my King." She pulled the hood of her cloak back up and melted back into the shadows.

Aro turned to the room and said, "This trial is ended. Justice has been served."

We all nodded and my Mates quickly ushered me out of the room and back to our own.