Chapter 20: Punishment for Humiliation
A month after the wedding, the Cullen house had become extremely content. It was becoming as if they were not in any kind of danger at all anymore. Even though they knew that at any moment someone from the Volturi could find them and they would have to fight against the vampires they had seen to be royalty.
One night, Bella was sleeping peacefully in Edward's arms. Every night for the past month, she fell asleep with a smile on her face. Edward stroked her hair from her eyes with a smile as he watched her sleep. He wished he could take a peak into her mind and see what she was dreaming about; the one thing that bothered him with her shield was the fact now everything was a mystery. Letting out a sigh, he kissed the side of her head while he watched her sleep.
While she slept in her husband's arms, Bella's once happy dreams were soon becoming nightmares.
Bella held onto Charlie and Renee's hands as they were walking down a hall, following behind their tour guide. She was extremely beautiful with curly light brown hair, pale white skin, wearing black high heels, a red dress, and black gloves. What confused the young child was the fact the woman's eyes were black. "Scared yet kiddo?" Charlie asked. "No, there's no such things as monsters daddy," Bella answered. Chuckling, Charlie lifted his daughter up and had her sit on his hip. "Right this way," the woman informed as she led them inside. As Bella walked by another strange person, this one made her even more nervous. He had dark hair, black eyes, and wearing some old fashioned clothing. What frightened her was the way he leered at her. "Daddy he's staring," she whispered holding onto Charlie. Charlie glanced back at him. "Dont worry kiddo," he answered, kissing her forehead before they followed everyone else inside. The next thing Bella knew, she heard screaming and Renee was pushing Bella. "Go run baby! Run!" Renee called to her daughter. Bella looked up in horror when she saw one of the men in the chairs was standing over her mother. "MAMA! she shouted, DADDY!" She let out a scream when she felt a cold hand grab her arm. DON'T! she heard her parents shout. "RELEASE THE GIRL ALEC!" a third voice shouted.
Bella let out a shout as she sat up from bed. "Bella, Bella, what is it? What's wrong?" Edward asked sitting up with her. She sat back with a gasp. "What's wrong my love, talk to me, what is it?" he asked, concern written all over his face.
"I remember…I remember what happened," she whispered with tears in her eyes.
"What? What do you remember?" he asked.
She let out a shaky breath. "My parents…I remember…Aro and Demetri…" she whispered. Tears welled up in her eyes as their faces flashed before her eyes. "They killed them," she whispered. Edward hugged her gently. "They killed my parents Edward, they took them away," she sobbed.
"I'm sorry my love, I'm so sorry," he whispered, hugging her close.
She cried softly, burying her face into his chest. "They were going to kill me too…Alec was going to be the one to kill me," she whispered. Edward rubbed her back gently with a heavy sigh as he comforted his wife as she remembered the worse day of her life.
When morning came, Bella was still trying to get over the shock of her nightmares. She was sitting out in the garden when Marcus walked out. "Isabella," he called quietly sitting next to her. She glanced at him before playing with her wedding ring. "I see that your mother's locket triggered a lot of memories," he commented.
"Just a little," she replied.
"I'm so sorry young one," he said softly, "if I could turn back time to change what happened I would."
Bella bit her lower lip as she continued to play with her wedding ring. "We can't change what happened," she said softly.
"No unfortunately not," he answered.
She let out a deep breath before standing up. "I'm going to go for a walk," she told him.
"You shouldn't go alone," Marcus told her.
"Don't worry, I'm just going to take a walk around the property, I'll still be nearby," she answered.
Marcus watched her go and let out an unneeded breath as he thought of the horrible deed of that day when Bella's parents were killed and Bella became their captive.
As Bella walked around the property, she found herself going down a trail instead of sticking to her promise. She wished she could go to hers and Edward's waterfall, she missed the peace it gave her. Letting out a sigh, she continued to walk until she found a meadow. It was beautiful, the flowers were beautiful and the sun was shining. It was almost as peaceful as the waterfall.
Walking into the meadow, Bella kneeled down on the ground as she played with her mother's necklace around her neck. She removed her jacket, lying back on it she stared up at the sky. Her right arm was up by her head while her left arm was draped over her stomach. She had tucked her legs up a little as she just continued to stare at the clear sky. Looking down at the mark on her chest, she saw that it sparkled in the sunlight because of the now frozen skin from where the venom did spread.
Smiling, Bella tilted her head back, letting out a deep breath. "Well, it seems you have made yourself comfortable," a voice commented. Letting out a gasp, she sat up from her spot, looking around. Standing up from her place on the ground, she scanned around when she heard chuckling. She let out a gasp when she felt Demetri behind her, his arm around her waist.
"Ciao il mio compagna," Demetri hissed into her ear. (Hello my mate.)
Bella began struggling against him. "Let go of me!" she snapped as she tried getting away. Demetri hissed as he kept his grip on her.
"You're mine now Isabella," he hissed into her ear.
"You're too late!" she snapped.
She was able to get out of his grip and looked at him. "You are too late Demetri, I have been claimed," she told him bravely.
"You have been promised to me Isabella, you are foolish to think that a simple human ceremony will change that," he said with a sneer as he looked at the rings on her left hand.
Bella glared at him before she took two steps backwards before turning and running even though it was a weak escape. She let out a scream when Demetri was suddenly in front of her. "You are too late Demetri! I'm already a claimed woman!" she snapped.
"Not in the eyes of the Volturi! A mere human wedding ceremony won't keep me from you," he answered.
"Then what about this?" she answered as she pulled her shirt aside.
Demetri saw the bite scar on her chest and his eyes flipped to black in the blink of an eye. "You wouldn't break your own laws dealing with the "lover's mark"," she added. She backed up, her back hitting against a nearby tree.
"You are mine!" Demetri hissed as he stepped closer.
He made it so her body was trapped between him and the tree. "Get off me!" she snapped. She let out a gasp when he wrapped his hand around her throat. She gripped his wrist, her eyes widened in horror. She suddenly saw Demetri stall for a second, his black eyes looking into her brown eyes with disbelief written in them. He suddenly let out a growl as he tightened his grip around her throat.
"If I can't have you…no one will!" he hissed.
He forced her head to the side, exposing her neck to him. "NO!" she screamed just as he lowered his head to her neck. Before Demetri's teeth could pierce her skin, he was shoved away from Bella, making the young woman fall to the ground with a yelp. She let out a scream when she felt someone grab onto her arm.
"Bella, Bella it's me," Edward assured her as he squatted in front of her.
"Then who…" she started turning to the side.
She saw Emmett crouched down, hissing while Demetri was in the same position. "Get her out of here Edward!" Emmett hissed before Demetri charged at him. Edward lifted his wife up into his arms and started running.
When he got back to the Cullen house, he stopped to see the rest of the family surrounded by Volturi guard with Aro and Caius standing in front of them. "Ah, Edward, Bella, how lovely for you to join us," Aro said with a sneer. Just as Edward set Bella down on the ground, both Jane and Alec grabbed them, throwing them both to the ground. Marcus let out a hiss as he stood in front of Bella while Esme and Carlisle stood in front of Edward.
"You will not lay another hand on my son!" Carlisle snapped.
"Or my daughter," Marcus put in.
Aro was cackling evilly at the group of vampires before him. "Next time…" Demetri started before Emmett was thrown to his knees before them, "don't assume that I am alone in the forest."
"You sneaky son of a bitch," Emmett answered with a glare as the Volturi guards kept him pinned down.
Aro looked over at Demetri. "Get your prize Demetri, take her and then we shall return home," he informed.
"Impossible now master," Demetri, answered.
"And why is that?" Aro questioned.
Demetri let out a growl as he pointed his finger toward Edward. "He had stolen her away," he hissed.
"A wedding ceremony means nothing to us Demetri," Aro commented.
"No! The swine marked her!" Demetri hissed, "she is no good to me now marked!"
Edward walked over and helped Bella to her feet. "Marcus, you knew very well that Bella was promised to another," Aro commented.
"I did, but it did not mean that I approved of such an arrangement," Marcus answered.
"Someone must be punished!" Demetri snapped angrily.
Aro held his hand up. "Easy Demetri, easy, there will be punishment for such a betrayal," he informed.
"All this over a mate?" Bella asked Edward quietly.
"For vampires, the loss of a mate whether official or unofficial is a humilation to the vampire in question and would be known to the rest of the vampire kind," Edward answered.
She stared at him with wide eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.
"Because the information was irrelevant," he replied.
"That is a lie and you know it!" she hissed angrily.
Suddenly Jasper let out a hiss and went to take a few steps forward when two guards stood in his way. "You look at her again and you will be looking for your eyes in the bottom of the nearest lake!" Jasper snapped at Demetri.
"What's happening?" Bella asked, holding onto Edward's arm.
Edward swallowed as he watched Demetri's wandering eyes. "Has no one fully explained to you the punishment for humiliating someone of high authority, Isabella? The Cullen coven has caused me great humiliation that your Edward took you as his mate. I have the right to choose the punishment of the coven who humiliated me," Demetri explained.
"And you are choosing the most cowardly and worse punishment of all, a mate for a mate," Edward put in.
Demetri gave him a half-grin as his eyes scanned around. "Alec, block their abilities so no one can see my decisions," he ordered. Alec nodded his head slowly before doing so.
"No, no," Carlisle hissed.
Demetri nodded to the guards who let Emmett go and he immediately went over to Rosalie, pulling her behind him. "Rosalie, Alice, Esme, I'm so sorry," Bella told the girls softly.
"We all knew the consequences, Bella," Rosalie answered.
"We just weren't sure of what they would be," Alice put in.
"This is not your fault so don't ever think it," Esme whispered.
Demetri chuckled softly. "Her," he said suddenly, "she could be of use to me and the Volturi." Alice let out a shriek when guards grabbed a hold of her arms.
"NO!" Jasper shouted jumping towards Demetri.
"JASPER DON'T!" Alice screamed.
Bella watched in horror when Jasper fell to the ground screaming in pain as Jane stood off to the side, staring at him with her evil smile. "Stop! Please stop!" Alice begged as she kneeled by Jasper, her hands on his face and chest while looking at Jane.
"Enough Jane," Aro ordered.
Jane stopped her attack, standing in complete silence. Alice placed her hands on Jasper's face as he tried to recover from the attack. "Demetri, just grab your new mate and go. I want to go home," Jane muttered. Demetri walked over to grab Alice's arm.
"WAIT!" Edward shouted.
He pulled his arm away from Bella's grasp making his way toward Demetri. "Master?" Jane asked.
"No, no, not yet Jane," Aro answered.
Edward stood in front of Demetri. "This has nothing to do with Jasper or Alice, it deals with me humiliating you. If you are going to punish someone for that humiliation, why not punish the one who did the deed?" Edward asked.
"Edward no!" Bella gasped.
"Silence," Caius hissed at the girl.
Demetri raised an eyebrow at the vampire before him. "What do you have in mind young Cullen?" he asked.
"My life in trade for Alice and Bella's freedom," he replied.