A/N: Twilight Forever! Yes, I shall try to update again, soon.

Thanks always to Lori!

***Disclaimer and Chapter References: Stephenie Meyer owns the wonderful world of Twilight. I'm just co-existing in it. According to Stephenie Meyer's Illustrated Guide, Chelsea is a member of the Volturi Guard who has the ability to bind one person to another. She cannot break/override romantic binds. If deemed necessary, Aro's allegiance from other members comes from them being bound to him by Chelsea. Her husband is Afton, who is a minor shield. Corin is a bodyguard who has the ability to make anyone feel content in his or her circumstances. Sulpicia = wife of Aro. Athenodora=wife of Caius.

Under the Dome

Bella's POV

I took another look at Gianna. Her eyes were a natural brown, and she wore only a light amount of makeup. She was as human as me. Once in the car, my view of the driver was blocked by his position. The windows were tinted dark, but I tried to focus on the country road as we sped toward our destination. We were suddenly within corridor streets, immersed in a city that was full of people in dark garb and hoods. It was the cleansing ceremony my flight companions had mentioned to me.

"Here you are, put this on," Gianna said as she handed me a black robe. "It's a short walk from where Felix will be able to drop us off." Sliding into it, the black robe wrapped around me was thick and velvety. Jet lag was setting in, and the last thing I felt like doing was walking, but I held onto hope that somehow this vampire would lead me to Edward.

I gasped. What if Edward had arranged this? My mind raced with the possibility that he needed to see me outside of Forks, the same way I needed to see him outside of Forks. Maybe the powerful vulcherry vampires had helped him figure out a way we could be together. Or maybe there was a different group here that Edward had come to visit.

Wishful thinking on my part, wasn't this? Oh God, I was so tired. My mind was ready to embrace any possibility that meant a happy ending for me. Why do girls do that? But why else would a vampire be involved in a foreign exchange program that I was awarded? Me, of all people! I looked over at Gianna, smiling at her faintly, which she returned brightly.

But what other explanation could there be? They hadn't hurt me or been unkind to me. Was it wrong to want to convince myself that Edward had arranged this? Somehow. . .

Before exiting the car, Gianna turned to me, speaking in her Italian accent, her voice grated on me like nails on a chalkboard. It wasn't the accent, it was the nasally quality to her voice before the accent. "Before entry, I must insist you give to me any electronic device such as phone or camera."

"What? My phone? N- No!"

"Yes, you see, you must. It will do you no good in there as we have, how you say, connection to land that can be used."

In a husky and stern voice, the driver looked back in the mirror warning, "Do as she says."

I fished around in my pocket and pulled out the 'extra' phone my dad made me carry, handing that over. I'd have to find a minute to put my other phone on silent mode in hopes it would go undetected.

"Fine. Here," I said dramatically. "It's a new phone, so I don't even have anything set up on it," I threw in, just in case they were looking for something and hoped I'd get away with retaining my real phone.

"Do you have any cameras?" Gianna asked.

"Yes, in my luggage. And...and a CD player." Not my Edward CD, I groaned internally.

Gianna glanced over to the driver. "Tis satisfactory?"

"I'll take care of that."

Despite stop-and-go traffic due to the mass of robed wanderers within the city, the car edged along and finally made its way around a large fountain and down a wide alley before it pulled up in front of a massive sand-colored structure, with an impressive turret. It was built into the stone, making it look just like a castle belonged within the city. The architecture screamed ancient and yet not decrepit, reminding me of a mix of churches and some of the pueblo villages erected in Arizona.

"Get out now," the driver deadpanned as he held my door open. He had absolutely no personality or manners. The woman nodded to get out. She made her way over toward me and led the way down a cobbled path to the door, while the driver remained behind. Another form appeared in a robe, got in the car and drove it down a small corridor and around the side, presumably to some underground parking.

We walked down a small path and through a wide gate made up of old-fashioned black scrolls and through a large heavy door. Gianna immediately removed her robe and hung it on a free-standing coat rack, gesturing to me to sit down on a long wooden bench that reminded me of a church pew. She scurried to her desk and quickly picked up a phone answering in Italian. I turned slightly and pulled my other phone out under my robe just enough to change the settings to silent and see that not only hadn't I received any calls, I had no service bars in this rank building.

To my left, the driver reappeared, having come from a dark hallway, which he ducked his head under. I quickly dropped my phone back into my pocket and watched him, thinking how the outer shape of the hall reminded me of an entrance to catacombs, underground tunnels, I had seen on television shows.

"The robe," he ordered, holding out his hand, and I removed it quickly. He snatched it up, placing it over his arm. "This way," he scowled and led me down the catacomb tunnel, joined by Gianna. We went deeper and deeper into the depths of this building until we came upon a large set of double doors. As he opened them, a lit but vacant room with a large dome overhead greeted me, not in a welcoming way, just in a complete change of scenery way after being in that dark hall. It was like your eyes first opening up in the morning and taking in your surroundings.

"Ahhh, so this is Isabella Swan. Come in...we've been expecting your arrival."

I heard his voice before I saw him.

Then he was there, right in front of me.

This creature that he was, was hideous. Paler than any of the Cullens, with dark hair and the most terrifying red eyes. More so than James. Edward always said I was a terrible actress, and I knew that my face was in no way masking my repulsion at the site of him. All thoughts of Edward engineering this trip were gone as fear set in deep within my bones.

He reached out and took my hands, tugging on my arms, dragging me to walk further into the room, before suddenly dropping both of them. Disgusting. His hands were flaky and brittle, almost like his skin could dissolve, fall right off into a million pieces.

"Hmmm, interesting. It appears you've been overrated, Ms. Swan."

What did he mean by that?

"Now then." His demeanor seemed to change. "I trust you had a pleasant trip, yes? Comfortable? Is there a refreshment we can offer you?"

"Water," I barely hissed out, my throat dry and my voice weak.

"Ahh, yes. Gianna, do be a dear and get our guest some water."

I hadn't even realized Gianna was still with us in the room. There was only one heart beat I could hear bouncing off the walls and that was my own, loudly, probably doubled or tripled in volume by the acoustics the room provided. I looked beyond this man and saw the look of another, sitting on his throne - he looked to lack empathy or interest in me. It was almost as if he were...depressed? As I tried to study him - his red eyes, long hair, the same white mottled skin - I felt the icy glare of another one on me. The one with blond hair, who looked at me as if full of disdain, almost as if I was interrupting his life.

"Any problems coming in, Felix?" the first asked.

Still awaiting Felix's answer, he reached out with a curious expression and touched my necklace. A smile spread across his face. "My, my! Now this is most unusual. Is it an heirloom?" he asked me like he already knew the answer to my question but desperately awaited my response anyway.

My escort reported, "No, Aro. Everything went according to plan."

"How splendid," he answered in his creepy way, his eyes flashing away.

So his name is Arrow? His eyes returned to mine, awaiting my answer. "No," I said quietly. "It was just a gift to me. . . from a friend."

"Oh! A friend, how nice!" He turned to look back at the two men sitting on thrones, clasping his fingers over the emblem in some stay of satisfaction. "She has...friends." He let it go just as Gianna returned with a bottle of water. I stepped back away from him, accepted the sealed bottle and opened it, hastily gulping the water down. At least I didn't have to worry about them spiking my drink. At some point, they'd have to let me use the bathroom and then I could try to escape. Somehow. . .

"Oh my, I do admire your ability to quench your thirst, Ms. Swan." His throat visually swallowed as he watched me. "Felix!" He raised his hand in the air. "Do bring her a chair."

I had barely noticed that Felix had left and returned with an intricate wood-carved chair with a deep red velvet lining.

"Now then. I take it you know what I am, as you have had some experience with my kind. Is that correct? And you've yet to scream at the red eyes."

"Yes," I spoke gravely, not wishing to elaborate.

He took my chin in his hand, and I flinched back. "Good, Izza-bella," he seethed. "I suspected you were a smart girl."

I raised up on my tiptoes just in reaction to his hand on my face and in an effort to back away. Grinning dubiously, he released me and walked a few steps away. I took the opportunity to sit on the chair.

"And now you know that I am your host of this little foreign exchange trip you signed up for. I must say, Ms. Swan, we were most delighted to receive your acceptance to our invitation. Had you declined, I'd hate to think of the measures we would have had to take to get you here." He sucked air in through his teeth, making a hissing sound.

"This was all set up by you? But...why? How?" What could they want from me? How do they even know about me?

"In good time, my dear. You'll find out in good time."

The blond vampire spoke, obviously very annoyed. "I'd say now is the perfect time. Let's be done with this game."

Aro put a single finger up to his mouth and turned to look at the blond. "Brother, we have plans of the utmost importance that this little girl needs to be a part of."

"We don't need her," the blond one challenged.

"Silence, Caius. I say, we do need her." Aro lifted his hand up. His face was rigid as he looked toward the blond who sat behind him but softened back as he looked at me.

Need me? How could they need me in any way? "Why? Why do you need me?" He turned his head sharply back to look at me, his eyes flashed a red glow, almost a physical reaction to his temper flaring before calming."

"Forgive me, where are my manners? After all, you are our guest today. My name is Aro. Grammatically, that's A-R-O, not to be mistaken with a bow and arrow. Certainly not to be confused with E-R-O-S, as in the God of love. Do you know your Greek mythology, Ms. Swan?"

He looked at me expectantly for an answer, to which I gave him a slight nod.

"And this is Marcus and Caius. And we have a situation on our hands that hasn't happened in about six hundred years that must be dealt with, swiftly. Prior to two months ago, we were unsure of the best way to go about dealing with the situation." He displayed his hands out as he spoke. "Then an unexpected solution just sort of presented itself to us." He laughed wickedly, letting me know he was happily swimming in a sick satisfaction of information he seemed to have already acquired. "You are just a bonus in that scenario."

"I know what you are. I know what you'll do to me. Please just let me have my phone back so I can call my Dad and say goodbye."

Aro swung his finger back and forth like a parent telling their child they'd been naughty, as he pursed his lips and made a repeated clicking sound. "Oh, no. We can't have you do that. He doesn't expect you back for another two weeks, so you'll have plenty of time to write him a letter. Of course, we'll have to approve all outgoing correspondence, Ms. Swan."

I looked at their dark red eyes. There was movement to them, like wine being swirled around in a glass, almost burgundy in color, fixated on me. Caius continued to look at me as if my presence bothered him. The one with longer hair, now looked at me expectantly, as if I was providing him some form of entertainment. Aro gawked at me with a slight smile, like he was waiting for my compliance. I looked to Felix. God, he was massive. There was going to be no escaping this dungeon they brought me to. It had been cold, dank, and dark, with little light, like being in a basement. Terror had instantly gripped me when I walked in; it was multiplied by three as I took in their figures. They were a trio of terror, and my life was in grave danger.

My only hope was that I had made the right choice while in the bathroom airport. Find me Edward, find me.

"I must say," Aro started, "the timing of all this couldn't be better. Wouldn't you agree, Felix?"

"Yes, Demetri is due to arrive back tonight, sir."

"Tonight, already? Well, now that's not very long at all. I'm sure he'll have plenty to report to us. Take her into my private study and have Chelsea meet us in there."

Felix grabbed my arm, as I protested with a cry. "Owww."

"Easy, Felix." Again, Aro's words were accompanied by a small disapproving waving back and forth of his index finger. "Ms. Swan, you'll have to forgive Felix. He's not used to needing to take extra care when shuffling humans."

"This way," Felix growled, and I followed him toward a door into a room that was set up a lot like a study. Massive dark, tall shelves lined with old books and large red velvet curtains that hung in between them. "Sit!" Felix commanded, and I took a seat in the same type of chair.

I sat admiring just how far up the bookshelves went. Suddenly Aro had made his way to the very top shelf, hovering in the air. "Something from up here, caught your eye, Bellar?" He laughed as if he was trying to startle me.

I shook my head, indicating a no. He had scared me, just as he intended. It felt like he was testing me, trying to see how comfortable I was or wasn't around vampires.

"You called, Master?"

I gasped at the sight. They had all used flash speed. Felix had exited the room, and Aro was back down, sitting behind the large dark mahogany desk, while a woman stood just inside the door. She was short with light brown hair that only came chin length with one grey streak on the right side. She stood in a long, pure black robe, with a decorative gold ribbon down each side.

"Yes, Chelsea. Meet Ms. Swan. Our guest. Our human guest." The red in Aro's eyes swirled around again.

"Oh, so this is she?"

I remained curled up in the chair, my arms wrapped around myself protectively.

"And she is la tua cantante?" the woman asked of him pointedly.

I'm la tua can-what-tay? I really should have brushed up on my Italian.

"Apparently so," Aro returned. "Now remember what we discussed about the ties that bind."

Chelsea ordered me to stand up as she approached, which I did, but then backed away. "What are you going to do to me?"

"Care-fully now, Chelsea. We don't want to lose our precious commodity here."

"Nothing, child. Merely evaluate you." The woman studied me up and down. She looked into my eyes and placed her hand over my heart. She spied my necklace and rubbed her thumb slowly over the symbolic crest.

With surprised eyes she looked at me. "Impossible!" she exclaimed, before turning back to look at Aro. "Master, what is the meaning of this? Do you wish to test my abilities? With a human?"

"No, my fair Chelsea. There was a breakup, a parting of ways. Humans move on much more easily. Is it not the case?"

The two broke out in a discussion in another language - one that sounded old and Gaelic, possibly. I understood none of it, which was probably the point.

"It is so! It's very much the same as what you asked of me last time! You know my limits! I cannot break romantic ties, but this one! I've never seen a human's capacity for such a bond to be so strong. Never! Even if I could, there is something that blocks me, much like Afton's gift." She waved her hand up and down in front of me.

Aro sighed. "Ah, like Afton? She confounds us all. My, my, I had no idea. And if the bonds cannot be broken, is she still of use to us?"

"My master, when you cannot break those bonds to assign new ones, you merely use those to your advantage."

Aro sat back in his chair, as if in contemplation, before smirking. "Yes. I see what you mean. Well Ms. Swan, it seems you may be even more valuable to us than we expected." He smiled sinfully at Bella.

"What is she talking about?" I asked with wide inquisitive eyes, not knowing what was going on. I knew deep down, it had to do with my affiliation with the Cullens, but there was no way in hell I was going to mention them first. It was a secret I needed to protect.

Aro laughed. "She speaks of matters you don't need to be concerned with...yet. Oh Ms. Swan, what are we going to do with you now?"

"Let me go," I begged. "Spare my life before the temptation becomes too much to resist."

Aro laughed at me. "Ah, my old friend Carlisle likes to believe that he is the only one who can control the thirst. And yet many of us exist among the humans. How else could we do that if we couldn't control it. We're just… oh how shall I say…more easily distracted by a particularly sweet scent of blood. The sound of a throbbing vein seduces us. The two combined? Well they create a delicious ache and the only way to soothe it is to seize our prey."

He looked distant, like he was thinking of his favorite conquests or worse, imagining me as his future acquisition. "But we don't always act upon it or else how could we even go out in the open? Sure we may lure our prey into a situation but only when the thirst needs to be quenched. How else could you have stood here in my presence for so long now?" He abandoned his chair and closed the space between us, holding his fingers below my chin and hissing out my name, "Isabella."

I flinched back, allowing my eyes to drop down. That skin of his was like several tiny pieces of waxed paper stacked together. My name slithered off his tongue, making a face pass through my mind, James, whose demeanor was dripping with revenge and fury. But, Aro was different. He and the other two had tried to intimidate me.

"Might I make a suggestion?" Chelsea asked.

"Say it," Aro commanded.

"I do believe the wives have been bored long enough and could stand the visit, until tonight's feast to celebrate Demetri's return, that is."

"Hmm, are they overly thirsty?"

"No, my Lord. They plan to join the feast merely as celebration today."

"Fine then. Oh, Felix?"

Felix appeared at the door in the blink of an eye. "Felix, please take our guest to Corin, and ask her if she can be of use in pacifying my dear Sulpicia and Athenodora today."

Felix motioned for me. As I followed him, I asked about my things. "You're things have been picked through, and have been deposited in your room."

"My room?"

Felix didn't respond.

"When can I get to my things?"

"When Aro says so." Felix was serious and curt. He didn't come across as less than a loyal follower.

He took me back out to the large room where I first encountered the trio of terror and through the large doors from which we had entered. I saw the dinghy hallway that led to the lobby, had we made a left. We made a right to another set of elevators, and my stomach growled slightly. The doors opened up, and a woman stood with a smile on her face.

"This is Corin. You'll go with her down to the living quarters," Felix instructed me.

"To where? When can I eat?"

Felix shot me a cold look of disgust, just as a wave of emotion gently made its way through me, and my hunger quelled. A strange sense of contentment filled me with leaving the trio of terror and being handed over to Corin. In the elevator, the woman introduced herself and told me I had a beautiful scent, that the wives would be charmed and so pleased to meet me.

I was taken into a large room that was like an antique lair. Antique furnishings and a very Victorian tone made up of tea-stained lace and shades of mauve. There were strands of pearls on statues and intricate decorative fans adorning the walls. There were several pink chaises in parts of the room.

"My dears, I've brought you a present, on behalf of Aro!"

"What a wonderful gift from my sweet, Aro! A dessert before the feast!"

I froze, hidden slightly behind Corin. The women looked me up and down and seemed... disappointed? I realized that, unlike when I went to first meet the Cullens, some self-preservation was present, and I was indeed more worried about being in a house full of vampires than I was about what I was wearing.

"She's not to be consumed. She was brought here under a pretense of a student exchange. So do be sure to culture her!"

"Oh, of course! Yes, now I understand. I'm Sulpicia and this is Athenodora! How wonderful it is to meet you!" They stood in robes and formal hair updos.

"She is a young woman with her life ahead of her. We would never steal that from her! Be gone from from us now, Corin. You've delivered the gift." Athenodora dismissed her.

"Tell us your name, child," Sulpicia said.

"Bella."

"Oh, how pretty! Now come in, come in. We aren't going to hurt you. We have other interests out of you, though."

My feet didn't move. What other interests? Both women giggled to each other. They were dressed in lavish gowns that looked as if they had stepped out of the movie The Age of Innocence. They took in my appearance then announced they needed to change their clothing.

"Let us change. Wait right here, please Bella."

With that the women elegantly pranced off to the back part of the room and disappeared behind a curtain. I took the time to check my phone. Still no coverage. When they returned, they were both in jeans and casual tops, almost as if they had changed to mirror me.

"Does this put you more at ease with us?" Athenodora asked. I nodded. "We wish for it to do so. Now. Sit and tell us everything and anything about your life out there." She made a grand sweeping gesture with her hand.

"Huh? Do you want to know about my life or just in general?"

"My dear, we are both women of modern culture, trapped in an old world of constants. Is this the style of today?"

"Sure, I guess."

"What do you call this you wear over your shirt?" Athenodora tugged at my sleeve.

"It's an anorak."

"Oh! Where are your bags? May we look through your things?" Sulpicia asked.

"They've been confiscated."

"Nonsense! We will retrieve them for you," Athenodora offered.

The women continued on to ask me about celebrities, fashion trends in my high school, current music, and new hair products. These women were as fascinated with American culture as my little airplane mate, Laney, seemed to be. They insisted they were going to be doing my hair and giving me a manicure. They pulled out various copies of People Magazine and Entertainment Weekly, showing me pictures of various celebrities and commenting on fashion.

"Do you think us strange?" Athenodora asked. "You've barely spoken to us."

"I'm a little overwhelmed at the thought of the change in direction of what I came here to do."

"Do you mean as a student?"

"Yes. And more."

"Oh yes, I'm sorry, I didn't realize it earlier. Your heart is heavy, child. Do you feel it Sulpicia?"

"Yes, like the scales have been tipped and your side is strong enough to have the larger load to bear."

"My heart?" I reached for my chest.

"Heartbreak?" Athenodora asked. "Ah, yes. May we?" She held up Bella's hands while Sulpicia held up two bottles of nail polish, one purple and one pink. I nodded yes, choosing the pink. Getting made up felt less intrusive than feeling vulnerable that they would finish me off. Why would they go through all this trouble if they intended to drain me? Maybe the blood of a girl who has been heartbroken was less appealing.

"Will you tell us about him? The boy who has caused the heaviness of your heart."

Other than the chat with Rosalie, I hadn't shared my story about Edward with anyone, and I wanted to, as an ordinary girl who was proud of having a story about meeting and falling in love with a boy who, at least for a while, liked her back. And so I did. Not the part that Edward was a vampire. I didn't even use his name.

"I was new at school, and this guy saved my life. He literally pushed me out of the way of a moving van. Then we sort of started running into each other, and I don't know, I guess dating. I haven't been able to get over him since he told me he was breaking up with me. Then he left." The wives speculated how handsome he was and how important he had been in my life.

"And...he was your first love, yes?" They somehow completely understood how devastated I was in saying that he left me.

The blonde woman insisted I remove my shoes and returned with a basin of water. She knelt before me, added in a sweet-smelling oil to the water from a pink glass bottle, and held up a beige natural sea sponge to me.

"Do you see this, Isabella? This sponge is a lot like your heart." She dipped it down in the water and then held it up again before wringing it out. "It's still the same basic shape. It's capacity to hold water is like your heart's capacity to hold love, not just the love you have for another, but also his love for you. You now have the responsibility of two. The heartbreak and agony of two. Do you understand? This is not something most people possess, because it takes someone of strong mind and body to handle that much. One's own heartbreak can be unbearable, but to carry that of another? That much pain and torment would break most people. Those who can survive it are rare. It only happens in cases of those who have found and lost true love."

She looked at me for something more, but I wasn't sure what to give.

"You know when young people break up, they cry or they get angry. Emotions expressed physically are driven by one's heart. What did you do, child?"

I was afraid to tell them. At this point, it seemed embarrassing to admit, especially to these strangers and yet, maybe they had the answers that my mom didn't. "I had...shaking fits, convulsions, nightmares. I woke up screaming a lot..."

"Pain. All pain. You'd call it, I believe, extreme?"

"Yes, but my Dad just called it not normal."

"And did you think this was all of your pain?"

"Yes, I'm just one person. I mean, how else..."

"No, my child. What he felt, you felt. His loss was your loss," Athenodora clarified. "When your blood sings to another, it's not just the blood—it's the thrumming of the heart. And in turn, it holds you captive, doesn't it? The sweet scent of your blood sings to him, but it is your heart that accompanies it, like an instrument being played. Though in your case, I'd venture it feels more like several instruments all at once."

Delighted by the conversation, Sulpicia added in, "Ah! This is the true meaning of la tua cantante. Your blood may sing, but only with the accompaniment of it's strongest instrument...your heart. And your heart holds that which he has given you. La tua cantante is made stronger by such in which he recognizes in your blood...himself."

That was a lot of information to take in all at once. I had already discussed with Rosalie, the possibility of Edward being in pain. According to these ladies, he was in pain but I was somehow shouldering the brunt of it? Is that why so easily he could walk away, because his heart was unburdened, meanwhile mine was doubly burdened?

"Enough of this for now. How do you like your nails? Shall we do your hair next?"

"Sure. There's not much that can be done with it."

"Nonsense, Bella! Do you understand that we enjoy this? We seldom get the chance to do such."

"Well, you'd like my friend, Alice. She treats me like guinea pig Barbie every chance she gets to, too." Bella acted as if she was speaking to herself as the girls sat her at a fancy dark wood vanity table with a tilted oval mirror and a tray that held silver-plated accessories.

"Ahh, this Alice that you speak of. She is one of us, yes?"

"Yes," Bella answered meekly, fearing she had said too much.

"We've heard the name," Sulpicia said reassuringly with a smile.

The women were interested in hearing more about my life - the life of a modern world teenager. It became clear that the words and perspective I had to offer were a true gift to them-a rare window to the outside world-as they don't get to travel much or leave the confines of their walls often. They admitted how curious they were about all things in the Western Civilization and as to how the world outside had changed. Not unlike Jessica and Angela, their interests were vast from entertainment to the latest makeup, hairstyles, and fashion trends.

But all I could think about was what they said about Edward, and what they said about my heart. Were they right? They seemed to think so.

"You look so tired, child. Rest now."

With my hair and nails done, I fell asleep on a soft pink velvety chaise.

What seemed like hours later, a massive knock came at the door waking me. It was Felix with my bags and checking up on us. The wives went through my things in front of me, not entirely impressed with my nighttime clothing, while I scarfed down a couple of granola bars I had packed. When I asked if I could use the bathroom, the women laughed at first.

"Oh, you'll have to use the one on the first floor by Gianna's desk. We shall take you there."

The women escorted me down the elevator and as I looked them up and down, I suddenly thought to see if they would reciprocate information. "Do you know where the Vulcherry live in Italy?"

The wives laughed at me again. They owed me nothing. I should have assumed they wouldn't help me.

"My dear, it's Volturi. And we are the Volturi."

Fear overpowered me as the elevator doors opened. These creatures are where Edward were coming to? To die? But he wasn't here now or he would have found her.

As the elevator doors opened, I could see a very pretty one-of-them speaking with Gianna in the lobby. Gianna had a clipboard in her hands, and the pretty one was perhaps marking off a list on it.

"Heidi" was said in as a unison greeting by Sulpicia and Athenodora before she waved and then exited out the double doors we had entered from. "So Demetri has returned?"

"Yes, he's due to arrive shortly. I cannot wait to see him. Oh, what do we have here? A little fishy lost from the fishing expedition," Heidi said as she glared at me.

The appearance of Aro out of nowhere chilled me to the bone. He scrunched his nose at Heidi and made it clear that her line of thinking should be aborted. He looked upon Sulpica, and took her hand, placing a kiss to it, then looking at me. "Enjoying picking our guest's brain, my dear?"

Sulpicia answered, "Of course. If it were as easy for us as it was for you."

"If it was..." he replied in a mocking tone that was drowned out by the familiar sounds of Edward's piano music suddenly filling my ears.

"Ahhh, dinner music. Shall we?" he held up Sulpicia's hand as if to dance.

I watched as the group filtered into the large empty room with the dome ceiling, and Felix first ordered Gianna to take me to the lobby before slowly closing the over-sized double doors, the glint in his eyes turning dark and frightening.

"This way, please," Gianna told her.

As I followed her back down the narrow hallway I had originally traveled, I picked up on many scents. Lingering smells of perfumes and body odor, filled the cold and dimly lit path. She led me to the bathroom, a one-occupant small bathroom, and when I returned to the open area of the lobby, before having a chance to say anything she was there.

"And sit." Gianna held out her hand. "This won't take so long. There are original artworks on the walls for your admiration."

I took a seat on the bench with a shiver, my hands reaching out to rub along my arms in an effort to warm myself. "How are you not cold?" I asked her as she sat down behind a large desk filled with folders and a phone. She was wearing a sleeveless slinky dress for God's sake.

She shrugged with a slight motion of her petite shoulders before pulling out a handheld mirror and re-applying her lipstick. "There's a robe there." She nodded toward a standing coat rack.

I jumped when I heard the outer door open, the same one I had entered through when I first got there. Now, only a small amount of street lamp light filtered in.

"Can I help you?" Gianna asked two figures in black robes as they entered slowly, flipping their hoods back to reveal two college-aged guys. They must have traveled too because they spoke with English accents.

"Yes, we're seeking donations for the church in celebration of All Hallow's Eve," the taller one with short blond hair said. The second guy looked over at me with too much of a smile. I wanted to somehow use that smile to get out of this place, signal him that I was being held captive and to take me with them but also get them out of here before any of them returned.

Gianna laughed, her mocking tone more irritating than her speaking voice. "We don't give..."

I stood up and cut her off. "In person. This establishment mails in their donation directly and has already done so."

"Well then, on behalf of the church, we'd like to thank you ladies! Have a good evening." The second guy tapped my chin up with a loose fist and flashed a bit of a crooked smile, before both said they were sorry to bother us and would be on their way. I watched how easily, and with such arrogance, they sauntered out of that thick, heavy door, silently begging them to take me with them. A startling chill overtook me, as a flash passed through my mind, and ran through my entire body. The college guys in Port Orleans. I had stood there defenseless until Edward showed.

Then, there was James in the ballet studio. I tried to run, but I was defenseless, until Edward showed.

Edward, who had once been following me to protect me, now had left me.

Wait. The front door. That door had to be unlocked.

As I sized up Gianna, I realized I wasn't completely defenseless against her, but I'd have to work quickly.

"I think I will put on that robe, if it's okay."

"But of course," Gianna barely looked up and over toward the coat rack.

"Is it always this cold? How do you take the chill of this place?"

"I'm committed to them, this lifestyle."

"But why?" I asked as I put the robe on me, lightly but securely tying it to me.

Gianna scowled at her. "You may have played 'BFFs' with the wives, but you shall not with me. There is a code...how you say...a mission I follow. I must complete. It will bring honor to my family."

Just then, screaming rung out. A cacophony of screaming that vibrated off the walls and through the dark halls.

"Ahh, the feast has begun," Gianna smiled coyly.

Fear and courage met inside me, intertwining and thrumming through me. I knew it was now or never. Now was my chance to escape.

"Speaking of feast, I'm famished. Do you mind if I have a piece of gum? I have some."

Gianna shook her head as she spied me looking at the phone, assuming it was the land line she had spoken of in the car. I took a breath and thought of my little friend on the airplane and how her constant line of questioning could be effective in overwhelming another person.

"It's mint flavored, would you like a piece, too? This atmosphere in here is so stale. It isn't exactly conducive to fresh breath. Do you know what time it is? I've lost track in this place. It's so dark." I reached down into the front zippered pocket of my anorak, using the robe to cloak what I was doing.

Gianna held her hand out as her head turned away from me and toward a clock on her desk. "After eight o'clock. It will be at least another twenty minutes before they are finished and ...Ahhhh!" she screamed as the stream of pepper spray I was squirting from the canister my father had made me carry hit her face and burned her eyes. "What did you do to me?"

"I'm sorry," I whispered with wide eyes as I saw the red blotches covering her face as she screamed, crying out in reaction to what was happening to her. I glanced back over my shoulder once to make sure the door to their hallway remained closed and moved to the outside door, using every kernel of my strength to pry it open before pulling my hood up and covering my face as best I could. Once outside, I walked in quick fearful steps, not sure if there were guards surrounding the place.

They'll be coming. They'll be coming. I kept repeating over and over as I slipped through the open gate and hurried out into the street desperately looking for a group of others in dark robes to blend in with. I could see them down the street, up ahead. I looked back once to see if anyone was coming after me. At first, there wasn't. On my second glance, there were two robed figures who had emerged from around the back of the castle-like building I had just exited. I pushed myself to run faster.

I just need to get to the group and blend in with the others. I'll hide among them and find my way back to the airport by morning.

I felt like I was being chased. With a quickened pulse and pace, I ran and ran. No! No! I told myself. I wasn't going to go back. Keep going! I wasn't going to be captured and go back willingly.

I hit the square, and weaved my way through the sea of people, some of them stopping to look into my eyes when I accidentally bumped into them. No red eyes. No glowing eyes. Just human eyes. I maneuvered quickly, looking back over my shoulder briefly here and there, no longer sure if I had been or still was being followed by any of Aro's goons. There were so many people, that I couldn't see clearly which way I was heading.

"Excuse me. Excuse me," I urgently repeated, again and again, as I angled my body from side to side, trying to make my way through without being burned by the lit flames of candles that were being held as they sang in unison around me. The crowd was so difficult to get through, and I wanted to make my way toward a section of the square where cars could get through in hope of calling a cab to take me to the airport.

The fountain!

I remembered seeing it while coming in. I knew I could run through it as a short cut. Just when I could see it up ahead of me, I felt pressure on my arm. "Ahh," I screamed and shook it off as I took off running, carelessly pushing and elbowing into the backs of various unsuspecting people, and in my attempt to get away I hopped into the shallow water of the fountain and ran, my feet kicking up and splashing water to the sides of me, until just as I was trying to take the last large step out, I tripped, my knee connecting hard with the outer raised cement rim of the fountain.

As I cowered from the blow, and surrendered to the ripple of pain that shot through my body, my pathetic reality set in. I was done. This was just what they needed to apprehend me. The uncoordinated don't ever win the survival of the fittest race. Though the light was gone from the day, there was just enough candlelight to illuminate the dark figure now towering over me. The figure wasn't looking down at me, probably laughing knowing I was prey so easily caught in a trap. I could only see the back of a hood as the figure's head was looking over the crowd toward the clock tower, probably signalling Volturi Control that I had been found. As the crippling rush of pain that originated at my knee subsided, I stood, intending to run again, but it was too late. A large hand had wrapped around my upper arm upwards, coiled around like a snake. My defective body went limp, like jello, as the fearsome feeling of being seized overtook me.

The robed figure whooshed me at out of the fountain and under the clock tower, depositing me in a small dark room where I could still hear the singing going on outside. And with that quick action, I knew. I knew what he was. He left me standing in the far corner and then locked the door but didn't return to my side. Instead, he moved over to a small stained glass window across the room and opened it slightly, facing out of it with his back to me, probably contemplating whether to return me to Aro or kill me himself.

I glanced around this small room, squinting until my eyes adjusted to the lack of light. A small lit torch hung on the wall. The room looked to be carved out of the earth. It had a clay floor, an old thick wooden door, and just the one tiny stained glass window. It looked like a room that belonged in a fairy tale cottage, but the room was far from quaint. The air was cold, damp, and stale, much like where I had just come from. The bottom of my jeans were soaked, and when my wet sneakers squeaked against wall behind me, I realized I was desperately trying to back as far into the wall as possible.

I stood there with my head down wondering what decision he would come to - if he would drain me in this room or take me back to them. I was stupid to think I could escape vampires when I had no clue where to even escape to in this city.

With his back still toward me, I decided I was going to practice my new-found confidence. I remembered how Edward had put it to me, saying he would go to Italy "to provoke" the Volturi. If he could do it, then so could I. I took a deep breath and was amazed with how cool and confident my voice sounded.

"I know what you are! Do you want me to say it?" I shot out.

No response.

"Hey, what are you waiting for? Just…just kill me and get it over with," I goaded him. "You'll be a real big shot to your leaders bringing my lifeless body back to them."

How was I not getting a reaction out of him?

"Be sure to tell them how good my blood tasted…how smooth my blood went down as you feasted on my inner lifeline. Tell them I was your singer too and you just couldn't resist."

I baited him further with a smoother voice, slowing down my words to taunt him.

"Tell them, … tell them how you drained me dry. Not even spilling a drop. Tell them how my blood was the sweetest nectar you've ever tasted in your long… miserable… existence."

If only I had half this courage before Edward walked away from me in the forest. The monster didn't seem to be biting, and it filled me with anger. I wanted a response for my efforts, damn it!

"And be sure to thank Gianna for her hospitality, if she even lives through another day because I can't imagine they will put up with her nails-on-a-chalkboard voice for an eternity!" I seethed.

I just wasn't holding back, but I realized I had to show some self-preservation. That is, after all, what Edward would want from me, even if it was only for Charlie's sake. Maybe I should plead, lie, beg –somehow convince him- that the Volturi wanted me alive.

I snuck a peek over at the door trying to calculate the distance. If I made it back out among the crowd maybe I could try to expose him, yell to others for help. Claudia had said the people stay outside all night. Okay, on the count of three I'm going to make a run for the door. My heart pounded in my chest, as I glanced back and forth between the window and the door. Run on three. Run on three. I would have to try.

One.

Two.

Before I could take off, he was there in an instant, blocking me, almost like he knew what I was about to do, like he had read my mind. I shivered and curved inward, as far away from the cloaked figure as I could. In a quick swipe, my hood was yanked down from over my wavy hairdo, but not wanting to see the ugly face of the vampire who would kill me, I turned my head to the side, forcing myself to face down toward the floor. With my neck exposed, I pressed my eyelids together tightly and braced myself for death's sensation.

"Make it quick so you don't have to share me with your friends! Be sure to drink it all. Just finish me off," I spat again, as my fingertips tried to dig their way into the clay wall behind me. I was going to die without ever having had the chance to tell Edward what I needed to say. I bit my lip and sucked in a breath, closing my eyes.

Prepared to perish, I whispered one final goodbye to my life, "I love you, Edward," just as he growled harshly, "Enough!"

~##~

I always felt like we didn't get enough explanation as to why Bella had terrible nightmares/convulsions/screaming in New Moon after Edward left. Charlie witnessed it and knew it wasn't normal.

I wanted to explore the reasons, even if it was a paranormal one. Bella had asked her Mom, "Why does it hurt this much?" And her Mom answered that first love heartache always hurt. According to the wives, it hurt so much because Bella was carrying the pain of both herself and Edward. Does that make sense?

Any ideas as to what the situation is that Aro is referring to that hasn't occurred in six hundred years?