Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, songs etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of each author. The author of this fan fiction is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended, only for entertaining purposes. This story is rated T.
AN: Alice's eyes are gold and Bella's and Edward's are red. Edward kills humans, but Bella doesn't. And I know that sounds completely crazy but you'll get to figure it out in a few chapters, I promise!!! Enjoy!
Chapter 20 – Volterra Part II
"Grandma, look at me!!!" the little girl screamed as the swing went higher and higher
"Bella, please be careful! You'll get hurt!" she said anxiously and she stopped the swing
"Grandma!!!" the girl whined "Why did you stop me? I wasn't going to fall!"
"You cannot know that!" she scolded
"Oh, yes I can!!!" she insisted
"No, Bella!!! No one knows the future!" she answered calmly
"But I know mine! Mommy and daddy will get together again and we'll all live happy!!!" the little one said seriously
"Bella, when people make plans on earth, God laughs at them in the skies…" she answered wisely
"I don't understand" the girl said
"I know, sweetheart!" her grandmother hugged her gently
"But one day you will…." She whispered in her hair
I wasn't exactly certain why the specific memory from my childhood came to me at this moment, but it sure made sense. Stubborn and persistent as a little child was, I believed that I could hold the world in my grasp.
When I grew up a little I believed I was the answer to my mother's luck of ability to take care of herself.
When she got married, I was certain I could make my father happy.
When I met Edward, I was convinced that he loved me back as much as I did.
When I met James and Lily, I thought I could love them without being afraid of loosing them.
The night Sirius died, I thought he would listen to me when I told him to stay put.
The night Albus died, I could not believe it because I thought he would always be there to guide me.
This very night I came here with two tasks. One was given to me by the Dark Lord; the other by Albus Dumbledore. Both were important to be achieved, because both would help me to save Harry.
This very night I came in Volterra in order to save my godson. I expected to find hostility, hatred and resentment among the others of my kind. What I never expected to find was Edward and Alice Cullen.
My grandmother was right. God was certainly laughing at me when I made all those plans.
The truth was that I really didn't care. I was here to keep my promise to Lily. And plan or no plan, Edward and Alice or no Edward and Alice, I would do it.
Time seemed to have frozen in the big chamber. The only sound that indicated life were the calm heartbeats of the three humans behind me.
Seriously, were they ever afraid of anything except their master?
The Volturi snapped out of it faster than the others.
"My precious Alice, it seems to me that you are very upset tonight." Aro said sweetly turning to Alice Cullen.
Alice Cullen…
Pain attacked me once more. Of all the Cullens she was the one I counted as a sister. She was the one that I would have sworn that would never leave me.
She did though… She got in a car and left without even looking in the mirror… Without even saying goodbye… the monster inside me whispered venomously
Everything was a lie. Her promises, her care, her friendship. Lies, lies, lies…
Still, it was impossible for me to process the sight before me. I was looking at her beautiful eyes after all this time, yet I could not believe I met her here of all the places in the world and under these circumstances. I was the deatheater and she was a member of the Volturi guard. What the hell was going on here?
Alice didn't reply to him at once. She looked at me intently as if searching for something that wasn't there. I remembered her doing that before. She was looking for the future.
Well, that certainly made things complicated. My gift worked only with mental powers, not physical. If I acted carelessly, Alice would see what I was up to and that would ruin everything. I slowly emptied my mind from all thoughts. I had seen Severus doing that very often and although occlumensy was useless to me, I could use a few tricks to keep Alice out.
I instantly decided to cancel the plan Macnair and I had carefully set up for tonight. I had to think fast and make snap decisions in order to surprise Alice. Hopefully, Macnair would figure out what her gift was and he would keep the other two goofs from saying or doing anything foolish. With that last thought, I took control over my ragging feelings and looked at her calmly.
Alice immediately frowned.
"Alice, my dearest, what do you see?" Aro said questioningly
She looked at me intensely for a moment and then sighed and gave her hand to Aro.
Ah, of course. The father of the Volturi's happy little family could read minds. I wondered…
Aro's face turned from calm and confident to worried and intrigued at the same time.
"What is it, brother?" Caius asked impatiently
Aro ignored him and turned to Edward extending his right hand
Edward moved past Cara and took it.
Of course! Aro could hear only if someone touched him. Obviously, Edward's gift had a bigger range of action. Hmm… Interesting… I checked my shield in order to make sure that it covered the deatheaters too. Just a moment later I felt a push from another mental power. I had to resist my urge to push back and send Edward flying across the room.
The push stopped as abruptly as it started. Edward and Aro looked at each other and they both turned to us frowning.
"Aro, what on earth is going on?" Caius asked angrily
Aro ignored him and kept looking at us very intrigued.
"Alice? Edward?" a magnificent voice asked and I saw Cara taking Edward's hand again
Every ounce of restraint I had was barely enough to prevent me from ripping her hand out of her body and launching at the lying bastard that was standing next to her.
Macnair sensed my discomfort and moved a step closer.
Caius looked at him and then turned to Alice.
"What did you see?" he asked her venom dripping in his voice
"Nothing" was her only answer and the room gasped in unison
"What do you mean?" Cara asked incredulity clear in her voice
"Apparently there is something missing when it comes to our visitors futures." Aro answered and I felt Macnair stiffen behind me.
Finally, he understood in what kind of danger we were.
"You mean that they haven't yet made a decision when it comes to their presence here tonight?" Cara asked again
"Or that they don't want to make one" answered a smooth velvet voice that I would recognize anywhere. Like in the appearance, my human memories had wronged monstrously Edward's voice. Now that I was like him, I could see that it was much stronger and beautiful than I remembered.
Once upon a time, his voice was the most wonderful sound in my world. After all this time, it was still velvet and warm but to me it sounded more like the rock that smashes the glass; a constant reminder of how my human heart was smashed…
"But certainly you could see that, right?" Cara asked him anxiously
"Apparently there's something blocking me too" Edward answered never taking his eyes of me
The deatheaters snickered again and everyone looked at us; this time with wonder.
I smiled.
"I see you are starting to understand that there are no limits in magic." I lied to Aro calmly
"Who are you?" Marcus asked not being fooled by my calm facade
"I am a deatheater" I answered truthfully
"Vampires do not become deatheaters. They consider us animals. They don't waste a second thought on anyone who is not a pureblood wizard!! That's why we don't want anything to do with them." he answered gesturing to the three men behind me and a murmur of agreement rose from the crowd around us
Macnair laughed and Alice growled.
"Alice?" Aro said questioningly
"Am I the only one in this chamber that knows who she is?" she asked astonished
A sudden rush of anxiety took over me.
What if she figured out who I was? How would I explain myself to the Dark Lord when he found out?
Well, if she had figured me out it was pointless to try and stop her from telling, I would just have to think of a good cover story… Damn! That was not part of the plan!!!
"Alice?" This time it was Edward's turn to ask
"Vampires don't make deatheaters!" she paused and looked at me
"All vampires, except one." She finished harshly
"What do you…?" Caius started and then stopped abruptly to look at me
This time the room fell silent by a very different emotion.
Fear.
Absolute fear.
Caius lifted a trembling hand and his crimson eyes shined with wonderment.
"You are the Ruby of the Darkness?" he asked with a breath
"That is how they call me, yes" I answered calmly
"Red for the colour, precious for the stone and beautiful as a ruby." Aro whispered
I chose not to answer.
That title was given to me by the wizarding community when I first became a deatheater. It represented a time in my life in which I was the essence of what every human's nightmares were made of. The problem was that I never committed murders because I wanted to make my master proud or become a famous deatheater. I was angry, scared and I had to survive in a place where everyone else were a step ahead of me. Not because they were smarter or stronger, but because they were wizards and I was not, because they were purebloods and I was a creature of the night.
A vampire.
When Albus first explained me my mission and I took the first search trip, I really understood what that meant. Even as a good vampire with my eyes shining golden from following the vegetarian diet and my whole attitude peaceful and tamed, wizards and witches of our world did not seem to be able to stand near me more than ten seconds without cringing with fear when hearing that title.
Since then, it had been really lonely for me…
"The ruby of the darkness…" Aro seemed lost in thought as he took a step forth in order to give me a closer look
A minute passed but he could not distinguish anything. I was never more thankful about wearing a mask that was sealing my face from his penetrating gaze.
"I was always curious to meet you." He stated giving up
"Curious to meet her?" Cara yelled outraged
"She massacred many mortals without any kind of control. She has exposed our kind countless times yet you were curious to meet her?" She continued moving forth too
"Cara, your disrespect is out of line!" Caius said harshly
A tall guard stepped closer to her as if trying to protect his princess from her father. Edward growled angrily at him. The guard glared right back. Everyone was left speechless to watch the two strong males ready to fight for the beautiful princess.
"Enough! Demetri remember your place!" Marcus said with authority
Demetri hesitated for a moment then bowed his head and went to stand next to Marcus.
Macnair laughed behind me.
"You find this funny?" Marcus asked calmly
"I find you funny. You call yourselves kings, yet your court is full of drama and no action at all!!" he replied and Mulciber snickered
"Your leader does not seem to be amused" Marcus commented still calm
"The drama never interested me, lord Volturi." I answered in the same tone reigning over my hatred
Cara growled
Aro laughed happily
"My dearest Cara, can't you see?" he asked delighted
"No, I certainly cannot!" she answered glaring at me
"Look at her. She stands there, as you correctly put it before, having broken all of our society's laws, yet she speaks as if we're the ones with the wrong behaviors and not her! It's astonishing!!!" he exclaimed happily
"That is not astonishing, it's arrogant!" Edward said taking Cara's hand in his
"That is a crime!!" Caius growled angrily and most of the guards growled with him
"How could a vampire who only gave in to his predatory instincts become a deatheater? What did he see in you that made you so special?" Aro asked me greedily
I saw my opportunity the moment he had finished uttering his question. Aro was intrigued by me. He wanted to know what I had that Voldemort needed so much. I remembered what Macnair had told me when we were planning this trip to Volterra.
"This is the leader of the Volturi, Aro" Macnair said handing me the picture he had drown
"The one that can read minds?" I asked
"Yes" he answered
"Obviously, reading our minds will not be a problem since you'll have your shield upon us but you must get him to listen to you, Isabella." Walden Macnair continued
"Because his decision weights the more?" I asked again
"Yes. If we win him then the other two will agree." He said looking at me
"Remember, Aro is most of all a collector. He cannot resist when it comes to new talents. If he figures out what you can do, he will definitely try and collect you."
"Perhaps my talent cannot be seen, lord Aro" I answered smiling cryptically
"So you have a talent?" he asked with a fanatical gleam in his red eyes
"Lord Aro, with all the respect" Macnair started and Aro nodded
"Since the first moment we set foot in your castle you are interrogating our group's leader for almost everything, yet you have not given her a chance to explain to you why we are here. It seems hardly fair to me that only you get to take all the answers." He finished. Macnair had read Aro's greedy expression as well as I had and he was playing along with me.
Aro looked taken aback while Caius growled looking ready to explode.
"You insolent human! How dare you?..." he started but Aro cut him of
"Peace brother! Our guest is right!" he said
"Guest?" Cara asked incredusly
Aro ignored her and turned to me
"Please do forgive us! We will all be very happy to hear the reason for your visit" he told me
"Aro have you gone mad?" Marcus asked outraged
"We come in peace." I said before they could start fighting again
"You know as well as I do, my lords, that each and every one of us is bound to the magical world. A world which is about to change. You must all know that the Dark Lord is back and more stronger than he has ever been before. What you don't know is that as we speak the Ministry of Magic is passing under the deatheaters control." I said simply and the whole room gasped in unison
"The Dark Lord calls you all to join his side. The giants did already, the werewolves too." several hisses and growls were heard across the room
"And if we decline the offer?" Marcus asked and the deatheaters behind me raised their wands
"Anyone who is not in the Dark Lord's side, he is against him." I stated monotonously. That was not an option. I needed them in England. I could not carry on with the mission Albus had given me if they were not there. Besides, even if I hated Edward and Alice, I didn't wan them to die. Not like this.
"Join us or die? That's you option?" Cara spat at me
"My lords, I have been told that diplomacy is a virtue you all posses greatly. It is not wrong to use it right now. The werewolves can become very greedy." I ignored her only looking at Aro
"Your request is worth thinking of." he answered surprising me; I didn't think he would make it so easy
"But may I ask for a favor?" he asked and Caius growled
"You want to ask a favor from those intruders?" he hissed venomously
"Brother, calm down! We must think of this. I doubt you would like a werewolf attack in Volterra!!!" he insisted
"They don't have big armies!" he answered
"Actually, when I last counted, they were enough to attack this castle and conquer it in very short time!" Macnair said politely
Marcus hissed
"Peace, brothers!" Aro said sternly
"Your favor, lord Aro" I said quietly
"Yes, of course, my lady. You are obviously being very honest with us but I cannot but notice that you still keep something from us." He said eyeing me very carefully
"And what is that?" I asked
"Your faces." He answered in the same tone and everyone looked at him curiously
"I would like to know who I am talking to." He insisted
"Lord Aro, you know who you are talking to." I told him
"I am not hiding my face behind a mask. Besides since none of our gifts is useful with you, I would like to be able to see your faces when I'm talking to you." He replied
Damn it!!! Damn Aro and his requests!!!! My mask was keeping me safe! If I took it out Edward or Alice could recognize me!!! That was not something I could face right now!!!! I had no excuse as to how I knew them and the Dark Lord would see everything trough the deatheaters minds when we returned to England! How would I excuse myself to him? What would I tell him? If he ever suspected that I had betrayed him, he would kill me that instant. That was not an option! I could not die just yet; Harry needed me to open the path for him before he could fight with the Dark Lord.
On the other hand, I had no obvious excuse for not doing as Aro had asked me. I had to take of my mask or else Macnair would get suspicious and if he got suspicious the Dark Lord would get suspicious too. I did not have that luxury. I did not have the luxury to loose the Dark Lord's trust or the Volturi's help. Damn it!!!!!
"Very well." I whispered
I raised my right hand and waved once in front of my face. I could hear the deatheaters behind me doing the same.
My mask vanished and I raised my eyes to look at the Volturi. The room had gone silent except of a tiny gasp that was almost inaudible.
I turned my head to that direction and watched horrified the Cullens standing with the guests looking at me carefully. The way you look at a monster that is ready to pounce.
One of them took a step forth towards me.
"Bella?" Rosalie whispered
AN: Thank you for your wonderful reviews!!!! I still can't believe you liked the last chapter so much!!
I also enjoyed your guesses very much! I must say that some of you got really close to what's gonna happen as you have seen!!!! Anyway, thank you very much for reading and reviewing! Please let me know what you think about this chapter too!!!
Anyone interested to guess what's gonna happen next?
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!
ElCullen