I am so sorry it took so long to update. It's been a really busy week. I hope you enjoy this because I had so much fun writing it! Thank you for all the reviews! =)

JPOV

Jake, Jake….

An echo rang through the quiet.

Jake, hey man, are you alright?

It was black all around me, complete stillness. I opened my eyes to see who was calling, but there was nothing. The darkness didn't go away. There was no trace of light anywhere. I was blind. I tried to stand, but I couldn't feel my legs. All my limbs were completely numb. My head wouldn't turn. I couldn't wiggle my fingers, I was totally paralyzed. Fantastic. What had the filthy bloodsuckers done to me?

The last thing I could remember was the alley. I was ready to take 'em, the two big guys and that little boy, but they just stood there. Slowly I felt something creep into my consciousness, like some kind of voodoo, black magic crap. The little leech flashed me an evil triumphant smile before my legs collapsed beneath me. Then it was lights out.

That must be it; I was still under the little witches spell. Wow, the psychic parasite wasn't joking, this was powerful stuff.

Whoa dude, that's rough. But, I guess that's the price you pay for being stupid enough to leave. Honestly Jake what were you thinking!?

The voice was in my head, and I recognized it.

Quil?

Yeah man, it's me!

I must still be in wolf form, but Quil hadn't….

Well, it happened. You've been gone three days Jake…LOTS can change.

Oh...right….where is everyone else?

It's Jared's birthday so they're all celebrating at the beach.

And you were left on walkie-talkie duty?

Pretty much, bottom of the totem pole ya know.


That sucks.

Nah, beats being you.

What do you mean?

Well, outside of your current situation. Your life is going to be a nightmare if you get back. Sam is POed and ya know how hard it is to ruffle his feathers. He can't believe you could be so irresponsible, that you could turn your back on us like that.

What!? It's not like that, I'm not out to save the bloodsucker! I did this for Bella! Did he want me to just let her run off alone and die!? Now I was mad. My loyalty was to my pack, but this was different. This was love, and it had no bounds. Sam had to understand that. He would have done the same thing for Emily.

Yeah. But it's different you know that

NO. I love her, it's NO different.

He wouldn't have done it for Leah. His loyalty would have been to the pack.

Obviously I love Bella more than Sam loved Leah……..I love her……. as much as he loves Emily.

Ha, you wish. You can't.

Shut up, you don't know what you're talking about!

Testy, I was just saying.

NO, you have no freaking idea what you're saying. So just Shut up!

Fine.

Finally silence. Quil was really pushing my buttons. As if imprinting wasn't enough of a constant, nagging fear, he was antagonizing me. Ripping the wound open and pouring salt in it, not to help heal, but to watch it fester. Bella and I were perfect together. I knew I loved her just as much as Sam loved Emily. Sure, I didn't have the whole "forget about my family, Bella is the center of the universe" freaky gravity thing going on, but outside of all that creepy legend stuff my feelings were just as strong as his. We were somehow connected: kindred spirits, we were soul mates. It didn't make sense, why couldn't I just imprint. Why did this have to be so difficult! I choose her!

GRRRAHHH I have no idea what that was suppose to be, but I wanted to punch something, I wanted to verbally scream, but I couldn't.

Stupid, nasty smelling, life-ruining leeches! I was like their human dart board; my life seemed to be their primary target of destruction. They were the reason I was in this mess, and not just my current blind, deaf, mute, paralyzed state but everything. I was without Bella now because of them. I had to watch the woman I love suffer because of them. I was a wolf because of them. I had to fear imprinting because of them. They seemed to be at the heart of all my problems.

Wow man that really is rough. I mean we all hate the vamps, but you. You really seem to have a lot of reasons to hate them.

I thought I told you to be quiet.

Sorry, just trying to sympathize.

Well, I don't need your sympathy.

Okay, fine, but Jake?

WHAT!?

I knew I was overreacting, but please, why did he have to be so pesky.

I'm really sorry man.

Why?

For saying the things I said about Bella. You do love her like that, I can feel it now, and it doesn't make sense…..and well, that's hard.

Oh, um, thanks Quil.

So… how do you plan on…um…escaping?

Wow, he had an attention span of about five seconds.

Actually I was just done with all the sentimental garbage.

Sure, Sure.

What, it's true…I was afraid we were on the verge of a mental hug or something.

Ha, Ha! I couldn't help but laugh at the thought. Quil might have been a pest most of the time, but he was always good for a laugh. It felt good to laugh in the bleakness of my situation. I really had no idea how I was going to escape. I was completely cut off from the world. It was still all around me, but I felt as if I was dead, like I had no place in it.

No place in it? What was I thinking!

I had Bella……her silky, floral, chestnut hair…..her deep, brown, liquid chocolate eyes…… her smile……her laugh…….her touch…….the way she whispered my name……the way it felt to hold her……..the way our lips moved together in unrehearsed, perfect ways……..I definitely had a place in this world and it was hand in hand with her. Despite my hopeless situation, I would somehow get out of this mess. I couldn't leave her alone.

Dude, snap out of it, outside of my gag reflexes…well…flexing…..I think something is happening.

Quil was right.

Of course I am.

Not helping.

Oh, sorry. I just couldn't miss the opportunity. I didn't know when the next time would be that you would actually admit to my superiority.

QUIL! I'm trying to focus.

Shutting up.

I could hear something other that Quil's pride, now. My ears were picking up soft noises. I opened my eyes, everything was still dark, but I began to make out shadows. The numbness in my limbs was starting to go away. Then, the voices became clearer. They were perfect, strangely accented, but still crystal clear.

Bloodsuckers, the royal Dark Lord Fangs, the Volturi….I was sure of it.

"Casius, my dear brother, you must understand I cannot read his mind when he is under Alec's power. It is void." I heard one of them in a smooth, persuasive voice, "We must bring him out of the trance to know anything."

"I don't care to know about the creature!" another spat out harshly. He definitely had a temper, "I want him dead!"

"Peace Casius, aren't you at all curious as to why the wolf is in our city. If he proves to desire to cause us harm we will do away with him then. But, as of now he is restrained, and I see no damage in exploring his mind. I am quite excited to be truthful." The first one beamed.

Everything became crystal clear then. The ancient vamps were right in front of me, about seven feet, and way creepier than any of the others I'd seen, which floored me. These freaks looked like they'd walked straight out a horror film. Their skin was sickly pale and looked as thin as paper, but their eyes were what really had my skin crawling. They were deep red, and covered in a filmy, chalky glaze. As if that wasn't enough, they were dressed in dark black cloaks like the grim reaper. It was appropriate, but still disturbing.

I took in my surroundings then. I was in a large corridor which was elaborately decorated, with intricate rugs and draperies, beautifully crafted furniture, golden candle stands, a crystal chandelier, and a stain glass window. The Dark Lord Fangs lived it up. It wasn't until now that I noticed the others in the room. The two big guys and the little boy from the alley, a little girl who looked around the same age as the boy, a women who stood right behind the vamp closest to me, and another leech who looked like he was wearing the same cloak as the two who had been talking. He looked like he was about to die of boredom, too bad he was already dead.

"Ah, he is awake," the first vamp who had talked deliberated, "Greetings I am Aro and these are my brothers Casius and Marcus. Welcome to Volterra."

What did the bloodsucker think, this was some sort of home warming party! He wasn't only creepy he was crazy, and way too rehearsed, it was like he had said the line a million times before. I growled and began to inch forward, but was cut short by a strong pull around my neck. I fought against it, but the more I tugged the harder it was to breath.

A choke chain? You have got to be kidding me! I whirled my head around and saw the steel leash chaining me to a four foot wide, metal pole. A leash? Oh, this was rich. I heard Quil begin to laugh uncontrollably in my mind.

"No need to be volatile my friend, we don't intend to harm you. We are just curious as to why it is you are in our city." Aro stated in a smooth, controlled voice. He was obviously the spokesperson in the family. Casius's temper was way to hot. He was currently seething. It was clear he wanted me dead as much as I wanted to rip out his throat and give Marcus something to get excited about.

"I could take the bite out of his bark Aro," the little girl added in a menacing, clean, high pitched voice.

She was pure evil…..they were all evil, but the little girl was pure, one hundred percent, unaltered evil. The kind of wickedness that enjoyed watching children starve, puppies murdered, and forests burn.

"That won't be necessary Jane." Aro added with a slight nod. "He will cooperate."

Then, Aro began to close the gap between us, the one female close behind him. Was he really that stupid? He took another step, cautiously but determined. Yep, he was that stupid.

I immediately began to assess his weak points. I decided to rip his head off first, then I would……he took another step towards me, and I lost track of my thought. There was only about three feet between us now, and I couldn't remember for the life of me what my plan of action had been. These leeches were seriously messing with my head!

You were going to attack him Jake! You have to attack him!

Oh, right, attack.

But as soon as I remembered, I lost it again. He was only a foot away from me now. I knew I should be doing something violent but I was so distracted. I couldn't even remember how to fight.

Man, you are over thinking this…just attack!

But, I couldn't. Not because I didn't want to, or because I was physically unable. I just couldn't. It was their magic again. Stupid gifted corpses!

"It is okay my friend, I just want to understand you, that's all," Aro said to me as he placed his hand on my face. Why was I letting him do this! His arm should be on the floor right now!

His face went blank as he searched my mind, then it began to light up. He was delighted in whatever he was finding.

"Fascinating!" I heard him mutter enthusiastically through his lips, "Absolutely…"

He was cut of by another big leech who barged into the room.

"They are back." His voice boomed. "The girl and Edward, they have returned to the city."

"Delightful," Aro beamed. "Demitri, Felix, Jane bring them to me, the girl seems to be the key to all of this, and I must meet her."

They left in a whirl. Poof and they were gone. Aro had left my side and was back by his brother Casius, but I could have cared less where he was, where any of them were. My mind was consumed by one thought and one alone. Bella.