Summary: What if the Twilight Saga was re-written with Jacob as the Protagonist? What if instead of Bella being the new girl in Forks High it was Jacob? What would happen when the wolf warrior and the cold one parts crossed and their destiny was already written? Would the two of them be able to co-exist in peace? Or will they be torn apart.

Pairings: Jacob/Edward

Disclaimer: So I just got to thinking what if instead of the whole Twilight Saga being surrounded around Bella and Edward it was Jacob and Edward. To me it would be so much more drama. Vampire/Werewolf much more interesting that Vampire/Human. I take no credit for this work. It's all Stephenie Meyer ... I just decided to twist it. I own nothing.

Notes: This story is a sequel to From Dusk. The series was started because of a friend who requested the Twilight stories but with Jacob as the protagonist. I am respecting his wishes to keep the plot as close to the book as possible. If it was me I would change it but a friend's a friend. So, there will be a lot of differences but as requested it will stick as close to the original New Moon plot as possible.

If I had to wait on my Beta this story would never get published so all errors are mine.

I hope it doesn't suck.

Thank you to all those who read my last story. It inspired me to actually find time to write this new one. I will try my best not to take as long with this one as I did with the other one.

Chapter XI

We were in a brightly lit, unremarkable hallway. The walls were off-white, the floor carpeted in industrial gray. Common rectangular fluorescent lights were spaced evenly along the ceiling. It was warmer here. This hall seemed very benign after the gloom of the ghoulish stone sewers.

Edward didn't seem to agree with my assessment. He glowered darkly down the long hallway, toward the slight, black shrouded figure at the end, standing by an elevator.

He pulled me along, and Alice walked on my other side. The heavy door creaked shut behind us, and then there was the thud of a bolt sliding home.

Jane waited by the elevator, one hand holding the doors open for us. Her expression was apathetic.

Once inside the elevator, the three vampires that belonged to the Volturi relaxed further. They threw back their cloaks, letting the hoods fall back on their shoulders. Felix and Demetri were both of a slightly olive complexion it looked odd combined with their chalky pallor. Felix's black hair was cropped short, but Demetri's waved to his shoulders. Their irises were deep crimson around the edges, darkening until they were black around the pupil. Under the shrouds, their clothes were modern, pale, and nondescript. I had the urge to shift and rip them apart where they stood. These vampires fed on humans. These vampires were the enemy. Edward pulled me closer at my thoughts, his hand rubbed against my arm to calm me. He never took his eyes off Jane.

The elevator ride was short; we stepped out into what looked like a posh office reception area. The walls were paneled in wood, the floors carpeted in thick, deep green. There were no windows, but large, brightly lit paintings of the Tuscan countryside hung everywhere as replacements. Pale leather couches were arranged in cozy groupings, and the glossy tables held crystal vases full of vibrantly colored bouquets. The flowers' smell reminded me of a funeral home.

In the middle of the room was a high, polished mahogany counter. I gawked in astonishment at the woman behind it.

She was tall, with dark skin and green eyes. She would have been very pretty in any other company but not here. Because she was human. One hundred percent human. I couldn't comprehend what this human woman was doing here, totally at ease, surrounded by vampires.

She smiled politely in welcome. "Good afternoon, Jane," she said. There was no surprise in her face as she glanced at Jane's company. Not Edward, his bare chest glinting dimly in the white lights, or even me, with my ridiculous height or unrealistic -for my age -muscles .

Jane nodded. "Gianna." She continued toward a set of double doors in the back of the room, and we followed.

As Felix passed the desk, he winked at Gianna, and she giggled.

On the other side of the wooden doors was a different kind of reception. The pale boy in the pearl gray suit could have been Jane's twin. His hair was darker, and his lips were not as full, but he was just as lovely. He came forward to meet us. He smiled, reaching for her. "Jane."

"Alec," she responded, embracing the boy. They kissed each other's cheeks on both sides. Then he looked at us.

"They send you out for one and you come back with two and a half," he noted, looking at me. "Nice work."

She laughed the sound sparkled with delight like a baby's cooing.

"Welcome back, Edward," Alec greeted him. "You seem in a better mood."

"Marginally," Edward agreed in a flat voice. I glanced at Edward's hard face, and wondered how his mood could have been darker before.

Alec chuckled, and examined me as I clung to Edward's side. "And this is the cause of all the trouble?" he asked, skeptical. He looked at me closer "But you smell different. Wrong. Why is that?"

Edward only smiled, his expression contemptuous. Then he froze.

"Dibs," Felix called casually from behind.

Edward turned, a low snarl building deep in his chest. Felix smiled his hand was raised, palm up; he curled his fingers twice, inviting Edward forward.

Alice touched Edward's arm. "Patience," she cautioned him and when that didn't work I turned his face to mine "Calm and steady wins the race. If I have to stay calm so do you"

Edward took a deep breath and turned back to Alec.

"Aro will be so pleased to see you again," Alec said, as if nothing had passed.

"Let's not keep him waiting," Jane suggested.

Edward nodded once.

Alec and Jane, holding hands, led the way down yet another wide, ornate hall - would there ever be an end?

They ignored the doors at the end of the hall doors entirely sheathed in gold stopping halfway down the hall and sliding aside a piece of the paneling to expose a plain wooden door. It wasn't locked. Alec held it open for Jane.

I wanted to groan when Edward pulled me through to the other side of the door. It was the same ancient stone as the square, the alley, and the sewers. And it was dark and cold again.

The stone antechamber was not large. It opened quickly into a brighter, cavernous room, perfectly round like a huge castle turret which was probably exactly what it was.

Two stories up, long window slits threw thin rectangles of bright sunlight onto the stone floor below. There were no artificial lights. The only furniture in the room were several massive wooden chairs, like thrones, that were spaced unevenly, flush with the curving stone walls. In the very center of the circle, in a slight depression, was another drain. I wondered if they used it as an exit, like the hole in the street.

The room was not empty. A handful of people were convened in seemingly relaxed conversation. The murmur of low, smooth voices was a gentle hum in the air. As I watched, a pair of pale women in summer dresses paused in a patch of light, and, like prisms, their skin threw the light in rainbow sparkles against the sienna walls.

The exquisite faces all turned toward our party as we entered the room. Most of the immortals were dressed in inconspicuous pants and shirts things that wouldn't stick out at all on the streets below. But the man who spoke first wore one of the long robes. It was pitch-black, and brushed against the floor. For a moment, I thought his long, jet-black hair was the hood of his cloak.

"Jane, dear one, you've returned!" he cried in evident delight. His voice was just a soft sighing.

I was only more astonished as he floated closer and I could see his face. It was not like the unnaturally attractive faces that surrounded him (for he did not approach us alone; the entire group converged around him, some following, and some walking ahead of him with the alert manner of bodyguards). I couldn't decide if his face was beautiful or not. I suppose the features were perfect. But he was as different from the vampires beside him as they were from me. His skin was translucently white, like onionskin, and it looked just as delicate it stood in shocking contrast to the long black hair that framed his face. I felt a strange, horrifying urge to touch his cheek, to see if it was softer than Edward's or Alice's, or if it was powdery, like chalk. His eyes were red, the same as the others around him, but the color was clouded, milky; I wondered if his vision was affected by the haze.

He glided to Jane, took her face in his papery hands, kissed her lightly on her full lips, and then floated back a step.

"Yes, Master." Jane smiled; the expression made her look like an angelic child. "I brought him back alive, just as you wished."

"Ah, Jane." He smiled, too. "You are such a comfort to me."

He turned his misty eyes toward us, and the smile brightened became ecstatic.

"And Alice and Jacob, too!" he rejoiced, clapping his thin hands together. "This is a happy surprise! Wonderful!"

I stared in shock as he called our names informally, as if we were old friends dropping in for an unexpected visit. Was this bloodsucker for real

He turned to our hulking escort. "Felix, be a dear and tell my brothers about our company. I'm sure they wouldn't want to miss this."

"Yes, Master." Felix nodded and disappeared back the way we had come.

"You see, Edward?" The strange vampire turned and smiled at Edward like a fond but scolding grandfather. "What did I tell you? Aren't you glad that I didn't give you what you wanted yesterday?"

"Yes, Aro, I am," he agreed, tightening his arm around my waist.

"I love a happy ending." Aro sighed. "They are so rare. But I want the whole story. How did this happen? You seemed so sure. Alice?" He turned to gaze at Alice with curious, misty eyes. "Your brother seemed to think you infallible, I assumed you would have seen, but apparently there was some mistake."

"Oh, I'm far from infallible." She flashed a dazzling smile. She looked perfectly at ease, except that her hands were balled into tight little fists. "As you can see today, I cause problems as often as I cure them."

"You're too modest," Aro chided. "I've seen some of your more amazing exploits, and I must admit I've never observed anything like your talent. Wonderful!"

Alice flickered a glance at Edward. Aro did not miss it.

"I'm sorry, we haven't been introduced properly at all, have we? It's just that I feel like I know you already, and I tend get ahead of myself. Your brother introduced us yesterday, in a peculiar way. You see, I share some of your brother's talent, only I am limited in a way that he is not." Aro shook his head; his tone was envious.

"And also exponentially more powerful," Edward added dryly. He looked at Alice as he swiftly explained. "Aro needs physical contact to hear your thoughts, but he hears much more than I do. You know I can only hear what's passing through your head in the moment. Aro hears every thought your mind has ever had."

Alice raised her delicate eyebrows, and Edward inclined his head.

'So he knows that I'm a -' I said in my head to Edward and he subtly nodded.

Aro didn't miss that either.

"But to be able to hear from a distance" Aro sighed, gesturing toward the two of us, and the exchange that had just taken place. "That would be so convenient."

Aro looked over our shoulders. All the other heads turned in the same direction, including Jane, Alec, and Demetri, who stood silently beside us.

I was the slowest to turn. Felix was back, and behind him floated two more black-robed men. Both looked very much like Aro, one even had the same flowing black hair. The other had a shock of snow-white hair the same shade as his face that brushed against his shoulders. Their faces had identical, paper-thin skin.

The trio from Carlisle's painting was complete, unchanged by the last three hundred years since it was painted.

"Marcus, Caius, look!" Aro crooned. "Jacob is alive after all, and Alice is here with him! Isn't that wonderful?"

Neither of the other two looked as if wonderful would be their first choice of words. The dark-haired man seemed utterly bored, like he'd seen too many millennia of Aro's enthusiasm. The other's hice was sour under the snowy hair.

Their lack of interest did not curb Aro's enjoyment.

"Let us have the story," Aro almost sang in his feathery voice.

The white-haired ancient vampire drifted away, gliding toward one of the wooden thrones. The other paused beside Aro, and he reached his hand out, at first I thought to take Aro's hand. But he just touched Aro's palm briefly and then dropped his hand to his side. Aro raised one black brow. I wondered how his papery skin did not crumple in the effort.

Edward snorted very quietly, and Alice looked at him, curious.

"Thank you, Marcus," Aro said. "That's quite interesting."

I realized, that Marcus was letting Aro know his thoughts.

Marcus didn't look interested. He glided away from Aro to join the one who must be Caius, seated against the wall. Two of the attending vampires followed silently behind him bodyguards, like I'd thought before. I could see that the two women in the sundresses had gone to stand beside Caius in the same manner. The idea of any vampire needing a guard was faintly ridiculous to me, but maybe the ancient ones were as frail as their skin suggested.

Aro was shaking his head. "Amazing,"' he said. "Absolutely amazing."

Alice's expression was frustrated and mine was bored. Could they just kill us or let us leave already. Choose one and be over with it.

Edward turned to her and explained again in a swift, low voice. "Marcus sees relationships. He's surprised by the intensity of ours."

Aro smiled. "So convenient," he repeated to himself. Then he spoke to us. "It takes quite a bit to surprise Marcus, I can assure you."

I looked at Marcus's dead face, and I believed that.

"It's just so difficult to understand, even now," Aro mused, staring at Edward's arm wrapped around me. It was hard for me to follow Aro's chaotic train of thought. I struggled to keep up. "How can you stand so close to him like that? The smell is - unappeal"

"It's not without effort," Edward answered calmly the same time I said "It's not like you smell like roses and petunias now sweetheart. Let's not compare stenches."

Aro looked surprised to be spoken to that way and Edward look resigned as though he didn't expect anything less while Alice laughed, loud and musical.

"But still-la tua cantante! What a waste! I'm sure he taste better than he smells."

Edward chuckled once without humor. "Except he does not fall within the first category. Are you sure you read my mind Aro."

Aro was skeptical. " La tua il sangue mi chiama."

" La tua anima mi chiama."

Aro laughed. "Not possible. Not with him. You must be mistaken. You're young. These errors can happen."

"I'm not mistaken. Maybe you're losing your touch," Edward finished, his voice sarcastic now.

Aro laughed again. "Ah, how I miss my friend Carlisle! You remind me of him -only he was not so angry."

"Carlisle outshines me in many other ways as well."

"I certainly never thought to see Carlisle bested for self-control of all things, but you put him to shame with the company you keep."

"Hardly." Edward sounded impatient. As if he were tired of the preliminaries.

"I am gratified by his success," Aro mused. "Your memories of him are quite a gift for me, though they astonish me exceedingly. I am surprised by how it, pleases me, his success in this unorthodox path he's chosen. I expected that he would waste, weaken with time. I'd scoffed at his plan to find others who would share his peculiar vision. Yet, somehow, I'm happy to be wrong."

Edward didn't reply.

"But your restraint!" Aro sighed. "I did not know such strength was possible. To inure yourself against such a siren call, not just once but again and again -if I had not felt it myself, I would not have believed."

Edward gazed back at Aro's admiration with no expression. I knew his face well enough-time had not changed that-to guess at something seething beneath the surface. "As I said Aro," his voice was even "His blood does not call to me."

"And as I said. Impossible."

Edward tensed. He heard something we didn't.

"Don't be disturbed," Aro reassured him. "I mean him no harm. But I am so curious, about one thing in particular." He eyed me with bright interest. "May I?" he asked eagerly, lifting one hand.

"Ask him," Edward suggested in a flat voice.

"Of course, how rude of me!" Aro exclaimed. "Jacob," he addressed me directly now. "I'm fascinated by your - kind. I am curious to there being more of you. Edward didn't interact with the others much but I assume you do. I was wondering, if you would be so kind as to allow me to see your mind?"

"Do you think I am dumb enough to think you are really giving me a choice?" I asked already moving forward.

I turned to Edward with one single question in my mind 'Can you hear me now?' and then brought down my mental shield harder than I ever had before.

I had been practicing - to ensure that other than Paul and Embry no one else would find out about the imprint. Too many people had access to my mind and I had to find a way to ensure my thoughts would stay my own when necessary.

Edward's wide eyes and the subtle shake of his head told me that my practice had paid off. Now it just had to work on Aro.

"This is so exciting" Aro smiled as he glided closer, and I believe he meant his expression to be reassuring.

"Happy to get a first hand report of trade secrets are we?" I spat "I must warn you. I'm not a favourite back home. I don't know much."

Aro ignored my comment and reached out, as if to shake my hand, and pressed his insubstantial-looking skin against mine. It was hard, but felt brittle shale rather than granite and even colder than I expected. It took everything in me to not shift right there and then.

Aro's face altered as I watched. The confidence wavered and became first doubt, then incredulity before he calmed it into a friendly mask.

"Why can't I see anything," he said as he squeezed tighter.

I smirked "Trade secret"

My eyes flickered to Edward, and, though his face was composed, I thought he seemed a little smug.

Aro didn't like that. Faster than I expected Aro released my hand and threw me across the room. My head cracked against the wall causing a loud boom across the room before anyone could react. My shield dropped as a sharp pain went through my head but it didn't matter because Aro was no longer touching my hand.

'I'm fine' I thought before Edward could do anything stupid "Quite an arm you got there man" I said aloud to Aro pushing myself up from the floor "Ever thought about taking up any sports?"

"Shift!" Aro demanded.

"Excuse me?" I asked as though confused even though I knew what he meant.

"I said shift." Aro demanded again "The shift is brought on by extreme anger or pain. That much I got from Edward. Yet you hit your head and here you are on two feet."

"Well that was more like a love tap than extreme pain. If you want me to 'shift' or whatever that is you are talking about you going to have to come better than that."

"I know what you are." Aro's face was back to perfect calm the anger he portrayed a second ago gone.

"No. You think you know what I am." I said smirking "I'm merely human. Maybe you couldn't hear my thoughts due to your old age. Don't worry it happens to everyone"

"I have been kind to you so far beast," he said "I wonder if your little trick makes you immune to our other talents? Jane, dear?"

"No!" Edward snarled the word. Alice grabbed his arm with a restraining hand. He shook her off.

Little Jane smiled up happily at Aro. "Yes, Master?"

Edward was truly snarling now, the sound ripping and tearing from him, glaring at Aro with baleful eyes. The room had gone still, everyone watching him with amazed disbelief, as if he were committing some embarrassing social faux pas. I saw Felix grin hopefully and move a step forward. Aro glanced at him once, and he froze in place, his grin turning to a sulky expression.

Then he spoke to Jane. "I was wondering, my dear one, if Jacob here is immune to you."

Jane turned toward me with a beatific smile.

"Don't!" Alice cried as Edward launched himself at the little girl.

Before I could react, before anyone could jump between them, before Aro's bodyguards could tense, Edward was on the ground.

No one had touched him, but he was on the stone floor writhing in obvious agony. As soon as he hit the floor I was down too. Agony flowing through every one of my bones. Jane was smiling only at him now, and it all clicked together. What Alice had said about formidable gifts , why everyone treated Jane with such deference, and why Edward had thrown himself in her path before she could do that to me.

Something else clicked too. How Edward knew I was 'dead'. The Quiluetes believed that an imprinter could feel the pain of an imprintee if they were close to death no matter the distance. The imprinter would not last long after the imprintee was gone. The fact that our connection was both ways linked us. Not only was I Edward's soulmate he was mine. I felt his pain and he felt mine. He felt me die. No wonder we were here now.

Edward looked at me confused. He heard my thoughts. Must be wondering about the imprint thing. I shook my head. Now was not the time.

"Jane," Aro recalled her in a tranquil voice. She looked up quickly, still smiling with pleasure, her eyes questioning. As soon as Jane looked away, Edward was still.

"Interesting" Aro said. "Jane hurt Edward but you went down."

Aro turned to Jane again and inclined his head toward me.

Jane turned her smile in my direction.

I didn't even meet her gaze. I watched Edward from the prison of Alice's arms, still struggling pointlessly.

"He's fine," Alice whispered in a tight voice to him. As she spoke, he sat up, and then sprang lightly to his feet. His eyes met mine, and they were horror-struck.

But I was ready this time. The pain was ten times worse as it was aimed directly but it did not knock me to the ground as it did Edward. And as I had a control over the pain he did not feel it as badly as I did when it was him.

I was still on the ground but I gathered up as much strength as I could muster and pushed up.

I looked directly at Jane and she no longer smiled. She glared at me, her jaw clenched with the intensity of her focus. I shrank back, the pain intensifying but it was nothing I couldn't take. It seem being near death twice did something to your pain tolerance.

"Come on is that the best you got?" I said walking towards her.

Alec moved to come between me and Jane but Aro shook him off.

"Jane!" Aro said demandingly.

And I could tell she was trying really hard. Bitch was breaking bones with her mind now. But they were healing as fast as they broke. My body was adapting. It became easier every time until I could no longer feel the pain. There would be time to figure out the how later, but now I had Jane's neck in my hand and Aro's attention.

"Enough games." I said.

"You think I'm going to let the three of you walk out of here?" Aro asked

"You think I wouldn't fight back?" I said squeezing Jane's neck harder. It began to crack sounding and looking like marble. "You say you know what I am. I am assuming the others do not. But -if this is what I can do on two legs just imagine the possibilities." I lifted Jane higher. Her legs completely off the ground.

"So what do we do with you now?" Aro sighed as though it didn't matter I had one of his loyal subjects by the neck. "I obviously was misinformed about your – talents – because I doubt such a beast would have such self control"

I squeezed tighter "You flatter"

"But that would mean you're just exceptionally human" he didn't believe that for a second "and we can't have you knowing about us can we?"

"I believe we have come to an impass."

"I cannot let you out of here Jacob. I know what you are. You control just intrigues me more."

"I know you think you won't let me go but we'll deal with that in a moment. For now, let's make a deal. I'll let Jane here go if you let Edward and Alice walk out of here. Something tells me Jane is valuable to you. It would be such a waste"

"Deal" Aro said nodding to Demitri and Felix for them to lead Alice and Edward out.

"Not a fucking chance" Edward screamed stepping forward.

I kept my hold on Jane but turned my body to Edward.

"The minute we leave here he kills you."

"Edward would you trust me?" I said with a roll of my eyes

"I would," he scoffed "But you don't have a plan."

"How do you know?" I said rolling my eyes again.

"I can read your mind!" he huffed and even with the seriousness of the situation I couldn't help but smiled.

"Edward," I said calmly looking straight into his eyes "Trust me"

"I don't like this" he spat and then he an Alice was following Demitri and Felix out. As soon as I could no longer hear their footsteps I dropped Jane.

"Now Aro, let talk." He nodded "Privately."

The others didn't like that but I could care less. I didn't plan on killing Aro. Not yet at least.

He led me into a room ajoining the throne room. It looked exactly the same as the room we were in before but smaller.

"Can we be heard?" I asked as soon as he closed the door

"The room is soundproof." He answered and I believed him. He had no reason to lie.

"I'm a shifter." I said taking a seat on one of the comfortable couches. It had been a long day and my feet were tired.

"I know" Aro said. "I saw it in Edward's mind. I saw your triggers. You should've shifted when I threw you and when Jane attacked. You didn't. Why?"

"I don't know."

"Bullshit." And it sounded weird coming from Aro because his expression was a pure calm and innocence.

"No. I really don't know. There's a lot I don't know because I haven't cared to ask. Believe it or not but I'm not really into this whole shift into a wolf business." I sighed "But for you, I will."

"Will what?"

I laughed "Ask. Come on Aro keep up. Isn't the reason why you wanted to look into my mind is to find out the strengths and weaknesses of the shifters. I mean we are your only enemy. Get rid of us and vampires rule. It's what you want, right?"

"And what does this have to do with you?" he asked. He was intrigued now.

"Let me go. I'll be you inside man. I'll learn the legends. Join the tribe. Be one with the spirit Gods and all that stuff. I'll learn everything possible about shifters and no one will suspect a thing. Then I relate the information to you."

"I still don't see what you get out of this."

"Immunity to your murderous whims of course. You won't kill your source of information. And immunity for a few other people. I have a list."

"What's to say I won't just kill you after you've told me everything."

I smiled "Well Aro, I may look it but I'm not dumb. Every year I'll visit you and tell you a little fact about us shifters. If it's satisfactory you let me walk out of here and I'll see you the next year. When I run out of fun fact, by all means, kill away.

"And what makes you think I'll take this deal. That I won't just kill you right now."

"You've lived for a long time Aro. You've lasted this long because you're smart. You know when to attack and when not to. You know nothing about me. You know nothing about what I am. You don't know if all shifters can do what I do or if I'm the exception. You don't know why your mind trick didn't work or why I was affected by Jane when she attacked Edward but not when she attacked me. Have you even actually seen a shifter in real or is it just stories. Is all you know from Edward's mind? You know nothing. So you won't kill me. Because you don't know if you would lose and you never go into a fight not knowing the outcome."

"You're smarter than you look Jacob." Aro said resigned "I'll take your deal. But it starts right now. You don't walk out of here until you tell me something useful about shifters."

I shrugged "We can hear each other thoughts. When were shifted that is. Our minds are linked. And we learn how to block that connection because it gets annoying."

"You can hear each other? Like Edward."

I nodded. "Like I said there's a lot for you to know. Plenty of benefit to keeping me alive."

Aro looked as though he was considering it but I knew he would take the deal. A man like Aro always wants to be able to exploit his enemies weaknesses and you can't exploit what you don't know.

"I'll see you next year Jacob," he said and I smirked "Now please take Edward and Alice and leave. I look forward to all I can learn from you."

"Pleasure doing business Aro." I said getting up and walking towards the door.

I exited the mini throne room into its bigger version where everyone stood waiting. Jane looked especially unhappy to see me alive.

"How's your neck?" I asked smiled and she snarled and prepared to lunge but Aro stopped her.

"He is to be unharmed. But Jacob," I halted my steps and turned to him "Know this, we may have a truce for now but if your kind does anything - Anything at all - to endanger mine all bets are off. I will kill you."

"You mean you will try Aro. But know the same thing applys to you and your merry band of misfits. Hurt anyone I love I'll come for you."

"We have an understanding" Aro said joining Marcus and Caius where the stood.

"Goodbye."

Demitri stood there to lead the way out and I followed. It was eerily quiet in the tunnels. It was then that I first heard the babble of voices loud, rough voices coming from the antechamber.

"Well this is unusual," a man's coarse voice boomed.

"So medieval," an unpleasantly shrill, female voice gushed back.

A large crowd was coming through the little door, filling the smaller stone chamber. Demetri motioned for us to make room. We pressed back against the cold wall to let them pass.

The couple in front, Americans from the sound of them, glanced around themselves with appraising eyes.

"Welcome, guests! Welcome to Volterra!" I could hear Aro sing from the big turret room.

The rest of them, maybe forty or more, filed in after the couple. Some studied the setting like tourists. A few even snapped pictures. Others looked confused, as if the story that had led them to this room was not making sense anymore. I noticed one small, dark woman in particular. Around her neck was a rosary, and she gripped the cross tightly in one hand. She walked more slowly than the others, touching someone now and then and asking a question in an unfamiliar language. No one seemed to understand her, and her voice grew more panicked.

Quickly enough I understood what was happening. These people were lunch. It took everything in me not to trun back around and rip all those vampires to shreds but I was out numbered. From what Carlisle told me the guard stood bigger than the few that were in the throne room. And if I attacked now there was nothing stopping Aro from going after the Cullens. Going after the rez.

"Welcome home, Heidi," Demetri greeted her from behind us.

Heidi smiled absently. She reminded me of Rosalie, though they looked nothing alike it was just that her beauty, too, was exceptional, unforgettable. I couldn't seem to look away.

She was dressed to emphasize that beauty. Her amazingly long legs, darkened with tights, were exposed by the shortest of miniskirts. Her top was long-sleeved and high-necked, but extremely close-fitting, and constructed of red vinyl. Her long mahogany hair was lustrous, and her eyes were the strangest shade of violet a color that might result from blue-tinted contacts over red irises.

"Demetri," she responded in a silky voice, her eyes flickering between my face and Edward's gray cloak.

"Nice fishing," Demetri complimented her, and I suddenly understood the attention-grabbing outfit she wore she was not only the fisherman, but also the bait.

"Thanks." She flashed a stunning smile. "Aren't you coming?"

"In a minute. Save a few for me."

Heidi nodded and ducked through the door with one last curious look at me.

When she had disappeared I turned to Demitri "You guys are disgusting. You should know that. I'm just waiting for the day one of you mess up so I can rip you apart."

He didn't get a chance to answer before the screaming started.

Chapter 11. It's not great but it doesn't 100% suck so that is that.

I din't want to do a big fight scene and I needed someway that they would all get out of there alive so that happened.

I'll start working on chapter 12 right away my lovelies.

And once again thank you to everyone who takes the time to read and review.