AN: See? You will never know when or when won't update. I had time so I updated this story. If I have time I will move on to my others. This chapter will be longer than the ones before it because I wanted to do longer chapters but I didn't have the time. I wanted to take this time to say that I don't curse. Only cursing that I do in writing is because I feel that the character would do it. I only curse when I get really angry but I try not to. I think I will do less of it in writing because I just don't like it; I really don't.

Enjoy!

"Edward Volturi doesn't have enough heart or emotion to be jealous of anyone, especially a werewolf who he hates in the first place," I said looking Edward in the eyes. I couldn't deny that he was beautiful, on the outside, and he was mesmerizing to me. I couldn't look away. But appearances can be deceiving.

Edward Volturi should be ugly, that's all there is to it, but I can't wish for such things because I feel a draw. It's a draw that I don't have with Rein or Jacob. It's completely different with Edward because I don't want to feel this draw, but I do. With Rein and Jacob, I want to feel a draw, and I do, but it isn't electric.

Not like it is with Edward; not as dangerous. I couldn't look away…

And he smiled.

12. The Night We Connected

The day had been a blur to me. After the smile that Edward had given, I had melted. Arlene had come in and practically told Aro that she was going to show me around the castle today and that was the end of it. He gave her a look that clearly said "you may but don't assume you will get your way so easily all the time". Arlene had rolled her eyes and Rein had smiled and shook his head. Emmett, Jasper, and Rein all gave me a hug before I went with Arlene for the day. I wouldn't be seeing them again that day, I supposed. Was there really so much to see?

As it turned out, there was. Arlene took me to see the corridors on the other side of the castle, a few floors up, everywhere. I believe I saw every inch of the castle. Everything was full of intricacy and complexity that rivaled designs of great empires. Marble floors and precious artwork were everywhere. It was really spectacular. I couldn't believe such an evil place could be so, well, beautiful. But then again, Edward was evil and he was a piece of artwork.

Okay, why am I thinking about that scum-bag? And in a good way?

"Something is bothering you," Arlene said with a sideways glance at me. "I think I know what it is, too," she added. Her eyes were a light yellow. I put together that it meant "sympathetic".

"Maybe or maybe not," was my mysterious reply.

"Well, the look on your face means you are deep in thought-"

"Oh really, does it now?" I joked with a laugh. She was acting like a psychiatrist and it was hilarious. Her eyes narrowed at me but she started to laugh, too. We didn't start talking again for some time. We were on the top floor now, near a large window overlooking a large part of Volterra. It was beautiful outside as it was inside. There seemed to be a magic that held me on end. It was all so surreal but I was standing in it, at the heart. The events that led me here were so strange.

First, I just happen to overhear a conversation between two werewolves about an assassination attempt on an indestructible vampire. Then, I fly on a plane halfway across the world to Volterra, Italy. I get shot for a man that is evil. I see the vampire that murdered my father and now he wants me. I get taken hostage by Aro Volturi, the leader of the whole operation as far as vampires are concerned. And now, now I am just waiting. I am waiting for what comes next. I can't even believe that Esme, Carlisle, Rosalie, and Alice aren't here by now. Don't get me wrong, it's better that they don't know, but things were working too much into my favor. Alice couldn't see my future so she didn't know. But they would be back from their shopping spree by now. Why hadn't they gotten suspicious? Had they extended their trip? Had they talked to Esme and Carlisle?

"I can display emotions through my eyes, Bella. I can see emotions on an open book, trust me. What's up?" Arlene asked. She had been walking away, but then she saw that I was still staring out the large window over Volterra, thinking, staring. It couldn't hurt to tell her a part of it all.

"I'm trapped, aren't I, Arlene? You should know better than anyone besides Rein," I said desperately.

"Yes. I am not going to lie to you, Bella. You are trapped, for how long I've got no clue. Only Aro knows that, but you have me and you have Rein to talk to. Just know that. It's true that not all of us are evil," she said with a small sad smile. "Even if we do drink human people," she added. I laughed lightly at that.

"Thanks-"

"I don't understand it, really. I mean, anyone can see that you are special. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that. But Aro seems to actually like you. He shows you a kindness that he doesn't ever show anyone, not even Edward, his only son," she looked at me then and tilted her head. "Edward can't read your mind and that has never happened before. Aro can't get through, either. He sees you and he doesn't know what to make of you. At least that's what Rein and I say. Aro sees you as a mystery to be solved and he doesn't think about what you want and yet he treats you well."

"I want to leave, Arlene," I was already defeated in that and she already knew that, but she understood me.

"I know you do."

"Jacob should have left," I said forcefully. Arlene gave a large laugh and rolled her eyes. She was so strange, in a good way; it was refreshing. "What?"

"Nothing, Bella; it's just the fact that you are totally blind to everything," she said loudly.

"I don't follow, oh wise one," I said sarcastically.

"Jacob likes you. He likes you, likes you. You didn't see what all happened because you were passed out, but he would not leave without you going with him. I don't know what has happened between you two in these two days but he likes you. He might even love you," she said.

I laughed loudly, "You are delusional."

"Am I? What exactly did happen?"

"I brought him food," I said.

"What else?" she pushed.

"We talked."

"About what did you talk?" she asked, prying. She was getting frustrated with me.

"I told him that I, like him, am a prisoner here. I told him that I would do what I could to get him out but I didn't know if I would be allowed to leave," I said.

"Hmmmm," she said thinking. "It sounds like you became friends," she said.

"I suppose," I conceded.

"Maybe he wants more. Did you think of that?"

"He doesn't. After all, I am half of what his enemy is-"

"But you also smell extremely good so you don't stink like vampires do to him. You are beautiful. Don't interrupt me," she said, stopping me. "You are captivating; you really are which is why Aro is keeping you. Jacob Black was lost in you before you opened your mouth to speak," she added.

"You are helpless," I replied shortly.

"Maybe, but I don't have five vampires and a werewolf that want me," she said. I stopped staring into the distance and looked at her blankly. She rolled her eyes and threw her hands into the air. "You already know Jacob so let's start with Aro," she said. "He doesn't want you, want you like to love you, but he does want to keep you for his own," she said.

"Okay so that's Aro," I said. "That's only one and he doesn't really want me. He wants to collect me," I added.

"Let me finish. Number two, Phil-"

"Phil and I have a complicated past, Arlene. He doesn't want me; he wants my mother," I said.

"Maybe so, Bella, but you don't see the way he looks at you! Yes, I will admit that it is repulsive the way he looks at you but he does look and he does want you. Don't interrupt; I am not done. Next is Felix-"

"Felix can go shove his-"

"Bella, yes, I know! Felix is just as bad as Phil. I know that, but like I said, they still want you. Next is Rein," she said. I just looked at her, mouth open. "Don't even try to deny that you two would have kissed had Emmett not jumped you," she said. "And you were going to let him," she added with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

"I don't know what you mean," I said, folding my arms and looking up. She laughed loudly.

"Come on, Bella! Every one of us saw him leaning in; he was going to kiss you and you wanted him to."

"I feel close to Rein-"

"Yeah, I know," she said. Once again she was wiggling her eyebrows. I rolled my eyes, smiling.

"I won't deny that I feel a connection, there. It isn't electric-"

"Like it is with Edward," she said.

"What?! No, you have that all wrong-"

"Do I, Bella? Do I really?" I thought about that for a moment. Edward didn't like me. He liked skank-joint ho-bags that hung over him 24/7. He wouldn't think twice about me, would he? No. And I don't want to think about him.

She left me thinking and continued, "What you have with Rein is something; it is, but it is not what you have with Edward."

"Edward Volturi and I don't have anything, Arlene. Drop it," I said. Venom was practically leaking from my voice like a faucet that hadn't been turned all the way off. She seemed shaken for a second and her eyes turned to a light pink color. "What does pink mean?"

"It means that I am hurt. But, girl, I know it's just a matter of time. You can't see it because you are oblivious, but I can see it on you. You have an open book, I am telling you. You have seen Rein and Edward arguing. I will admit that they are never, have never, and will never be close, but you bring them to an edge that makes them taunt each other. I haven't smelt so much testosterone in this castle in a long time. Granted, I haven't been here a long time, but still. You get me. The way I see it, simply put, you have Rein and you have Edward. Then you have Jacob. Then you have Phil and lastly, Felix, because I know that you two would never work out," she said.

I couldn't disagree. Her logic seemed spot-on, but I didn't want to admit to myself that I did have feelings for Edward. The feelings were mixed, granted, but they were there. "Thank you," I said.

She laughed, "Yeah, I know that I am great, now come on. We have more to see," she said. It was great how she could be so out-there and then be all down-here and serious to help me. What she said was thought-provoking and something I would have to mull over for a while.

We saw the rest of the castle and went outside. It was immaculate with flowers in every color. It was as if there were no vampires, which was what the humans believed.

It was dark outside when we finally finished. Arlene had told me some of the history, but I wasn't really listening that much. My thoughts were consumed by other things. When she talked about herself, I would listen intently. She told me how she was changed by a vampire that she didn't know. She had been walking alone one night and the last she remembered was a shadow before the pain of her change came. She had started off scared and drank from humans whenever she wanted. Arlene hadn't had any control but she began feeding off the humans she believed deserved it. She had stumbled upon this place and she had been accepted in, but she hadn't known at the time that she wouldn't be allowed to leave freely. Turns out that the Volturi knew of her feeding methods and they believed that she would uncover them all. That was why she had been kept here, to keep the secret a secret; she was a danger to exposure. It seemed logical and she was okay with it, somewhat.

Lying in bed I was thinking about the day. As I said before, it had been a blur and I couldn't sleep. Thoughts of Rein, Edward, and Jacob and so on were in my head. Aro was in my thoughts as well. How could he not be? He had imprisoned me.

I got up and decided to take a walk, to clear my head.

Walking the corridors, I was silent and looking down. It was dark in some parts of the castle and others were lit. I tried to keep to the shadows. When I was rounding a corner, I bumped into something hard and slightly cold. "I'm sorry," I whispered.

"You might think about looking up when you walk," the voice offered. It was a cold voice, but it was velvety smooth and I held onto it for dear life. It was Edward's.

"I will try to remember that," I sneered as I moved to the left to go around him. I walked into another solid thing. It took a moment to register that he was blocking my path on purpose. "Let me by, Edward," I said.

"Why?"

"Because I want by," I said.

"No, I mean, why are up walking around? Don't you sleep?" he sneered, but he was also curious and a bit amused.

"Yes," I said, matching his cold voice. I couldn't understand why he was being so cold to me when I hadn't done anything to him. In fact, I had saved his un-life. I deserved to be cold to him.

"Then you should be in bed, shouldn't you?" he asked. It was so dark that I couldn't see anything but his outline. The only reason I could see that was because of my half-vamp sight.

"Can't sleep," I said shortly. I tried to step around him but again he blocked my path.

"Why is that?"

"None of your business," I said back. I couldn't tell him that he was the reason I couldn't sleep. "Why do you care anyways? It's not like you even appreciate me for anything," I sneered.

"Why should I?"

"Because that's what any other 'person' would do," I said.

"I am not the other 'person' that you speak of, Bella," a shiver ran down my spine and into my core as he said my name. It was gentle but fiery and dangerous, and I liked it. He brought a hand to my face. It was slightly cooler than my skin because he was a full vampire and I was only half. I felt a spark, an electrical attraction. It was a connection. In that moment, Edward Volturi and Bella 'no-last-name' connected. He cupped my face and whispered into my ear, "You should go sleep, now, Bella," I shivered again and he let out a husky laugh. Before I could answer, he was gone.

Surprisingly, I did as he had instructed, and before I knew it my head was on my pillow and I was dreaming of red eyes, a crooked smile, and a sneering voice.

They were Edward's.

AN: I hope you liked it. I have no clue when I can update again but I hope this was worth the wait. Edward is trying to fight his feelings for Bella but his curiosity about her is winning… slightly. Bella doesn't want to want Edward but she can't help it.

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