Hey everyone! I hope you enjoy this quickly updated chapter! Yay! I finally got organised!

Thankyou to everyone that has ever reviewed, subscribed to or just read my story.

Have fun reading! :)


Chapter 28

As soon as I was at the top of the tallest tree I could find I stopped, looking down. There were three wolves circling the bottom of the tree like sharks waiting for their prey to drop.

So many branches were broken because of the wolves trying to push through to attack me, but they couldn't break enough to reach me.

Then I saw Edward, Emmett and Jasper walk towards the wolves. Instantly Emmett started climbing the tree and within seconds he was on the branch next to mine.

''So how are you taking all of this?'' He asked, trying to make a space big enough for him in the branches.

''How does it look like I'm taking it?'' I was angry but I shouldn't have been taking it out on Emmett. It wasn't really his fault all of this was happening. He was only the bearer of bad news.

He tilted his head down, as if he was sorry about how everything had happened.

''Do you believe us?'' He asked

''That we are siblings, yes.'' I smiled and so did he, '' But about what Aro did to me? ... I'm just not sure I can accept that so easily... I mean lately I have been seeing a different side to Aro, a more sadistic and selfish side and that might hint that he could be capable of doing something so cruel. But Aro has always treated me so nicely! He gave me a home when I was as lost as anything. I'm sorry but I can't just accept that he would do that so easily.'' I looked at my hands, as if they would hold the answers to all of my questions...

''Ashleigh, the Volturi is made up of powerful people that are manipulated to serve Aro and Caius. You have to realise that those two are only putting up a front. They crave power.''

I looked up at Emmett. I knew that part was true. No-one could just leave the guard, everyone was manipulated in one way or another. I didn't need to be persuaded by a gift. I couldn't leave because I couldn't stand seeing Demetri get hurt and we would both be hunted down if we left.

''Caius is the evil one, I believe that without a doubt but Aro has good in him. I know that.'' I didn't know why I was defending him, I was still furious with Aro for planning this whole ordeal with Demetri.

I just really didn't want to believe that my human life was taken from me without a second thought from Aro.

Someone cleared their throat from below, I looked down to see just Edward and Jasper standing at the base of the tree. Emmett pulled at my arm, gesturing for me to start climbing down.

Are the wolves gone? I thought and I saw Edward nod slightly. I exhaled, I hadn't realised I had been holding my breath.

I started weaving through the branches and within seconds I was at Emmett's side at the base of the tree.

''Lets go back to the house, so we can discuss everything without anymore interruptions'' Jasper said, looking at me, he was obviously annoyed that I ran out like that.

I felt like running again. I desperately wanted Demetri to be here, he would know what to do and even if he didn't I would still feel safe with him by my side.

He absolutely needed to be here right now but he couldn't because of what he was ordered to do. If the situation was going as planned, the girl should be pregnant. Which means that they should have stopped having sex by now. That his child would be growing inside of her, a child that I could never give him because I was an unchanging disgusting monster. Ugh! Never have I hated being a vampire more than this moment.

I heard an intake of breath, it was from Edward. He had stopped walking and was looking straight at me. Shit. He had heard everything. I wasn't allowed to let anyone know about the business of the Volturi. Crap! Caius would have my head for this.

Please Edward. You cannot tell anyone! Even I shouldn't know what has been going on. It's only because Demetri was chosen to... well be the father that I had anything to do with it! No-one can know .I shouted in my thoughts. I desperately needed Edward to understand how important it was to keep the information secret.

He looked into my eyes and just shook his head and took off in the direction that I assumed to be their house. My legs contracted and I pushed off chasing after Edward. Jasper tried to catch my arm but I was away before his fingers could get a good hold on my arm.

I pushed my legs harder, most of my newborn strength had worn off but I was still just a bit faster than normal, but so was Edward. Was it really fare that he got to read minds and be faster than the average vampire as well?

I wouldn't beat him to the house but I could get there just in time to convince him to keep his mouth shut.

I could hear Emmett calling my name from behind me, running alongside Jasper, but I couldn't stop.

The trees parted and suddenly I was in the clearing only a few hundred metres from the house.

Within seconds I was through the doors but I was too late. Edward was standing by Carlisle near the kitchen bench. His face was covered with shock and Edward's was covered with worry.

I looked around, Esme, Alice, Roaslie, they had all heard the conversation. My heart sank. I hadn't stopped anything from happening. I sucked at being in the Volturi. If I was a proper member of the guard I would have Edward from telling anyone.

I looked at their faces, all of them looked mortified, Rosalie's especially. She stood up from her seat at the table which she hadn't moved from since we all found out the news and started walking towards me.

I stood my ground.

''All of those innocent children are being bread. For what?'' She asked, stopping a few feet from me. The fire burning behind her eyes was incredible, she cared deeply for children, that was obvious.

I didn't answer her. I wasn't allowed to. So I put on my Volturi mask, not letting any emotion slip past my carefully applied facade.

Edward spoke next.

''She wasn't told what the true purpose of the hybrids was but Aro told her it was for knowledge purposes only." I was mortified, Edward was scanning through my thoughts.

''Stop reading my thoughts. You know what is at risk by letting this information leak'' I said with a scowl. If Edward voiced my thoughts without my permission again he was going to be sorry.

I heard Emmett and Jasper walk through the doors then, I could practically sense Jasper's annoyance and Emmett's confusion. He immediately walked over to Rosalie, he was obviously confused with our proximity.

''Why do they need to breed hybrids. Aren't they powerful enough.'' Alice chipped in.

Jasper and Emmett looked at me then at Edward who quickly explained the situation to them. I could feel Emmett's eyes staring down at me, even he expected me to talk.

I tried thinking about Paris. I tried filling my head with thoughts of the night that Demetri had taken me to the see the Eiffel Tower. But sure enough Edward picked up any information that had slipped through.

''She thinks Aro is hoping that the hybrids will have similar powers to their parents, just like Nessie. That's why Demetri was chosen, because he is very powerful.'' Edward added.

Emmett growled as soon as Edward had said Demetri's name. I looked up to see him scowling. What was his problem with Demetri?

I looked back at Edward, I had warned him. A small smile tugged at the edges of my mouth, it was about time I got to use my powers.

I breathed in deeply and concentrated on the green aura that was shining around Edward, I tugged at it and after three tries it came loose. I smiled bigger this time.

Edward's eyes nearly popped out of his head. His power was gone. Well, I did warn him. Bella noticed his reaction first and squeezed his arm and frowned after a few seconds of getting no reaction from Edward. I decided to try out Edward's gift and see what was going on inside the heads of the Cullens.

...

The sound was crazy, it was like I was in a crowded room full of people shouting into their phones because they all had bad reception. I closed my eyes and concentrated using my powers slightly to allow me to focus in on one voice at a time. I didn't have years to master Edward's gift, so I had to cheat a little.

Edward's mind was the loudest so I focused on him first.

''That's amazing. Having that much power. No wonder Aro was so confident that day in the clearing, he was right, the side with Ashleigh was always going to be the side that won. Crap. This is huge! I do feel bad for invading her thoughts but Carlisle had to know what the guard were planning. This could be a way for them to make up false findings about hybrids, so they can come back and push false evidence into our faces. Then a fight would be unpreventable...

It's so quiet! Unnerving.''

He had no idea that I was reading his thoughts. It was a valuable gift to have. No wonder Aro wanted him to join the Guard.

I went on to Bella's thoughts next.

''Edward! Why aren't you listening to me! What's wrong? What has she done to you? He doesn't look hurt. But I swear if she hurt him...''

Woah, Bella. She didn't look like the violent type. She pulled on Edward's arm once again and this time he looked down to meet her eyes. He smiled and she instantly felt better, she no longer wanted to hurt me. Which was good.

''I can't hear your thoughts,'' He started to say'' Ashleigh took away my ability.''

''What? How? Are you sure?'' He probably knew it was a stupid question, of course Edward would be sure his ability was gone but Emmett said it anyways.

I didn't have to be in Emmett's head for long to know that he was an open book. Whatever he thought he wasn't afraid to say out loud. I smiled.

''Why are you not angry?'' Jasper asked Edward.

Yea, why was he not worried. Any other vampire would be trying to tear my head off if they knew I had taken their ability away... I was curious about his reaction.

''Because I am quite confident that she will give them back?'' Edward asked me, only a little bit unsure.

I nodded and he smiled. I sensed he was enjoying the rare silence in his head.

''I knew she was a bad idea! This is crazy, Edward is our only window into her head. Without his ability we have no way of knowing her intentions'' Jasper was freaking out but he looked very composed on the outside.

Alice was rubbing her hand up and down Jasper's lower back. ''I wish he would calm down. Ashleigh wouldn't hurt us. I haven't seen anything to suggest otherwise. Our family is safe, I just wish he would realise that.''

''This information is to be kept secret. If the guard found out that I told you...''I let the sentence hang in the air. They could all imagine what the consequences would be, for both me and their family.

''Do we have an agreement?'' I asked looking around at each member of the family.

Carlisle spoke first.

''This is sad news. For me to hear that my old comrades take human life so easily with little concern for the consequences, it worries me. But of course we will keep this information a secret.'' Carlisle looked into my eyes. I knew that he spoke the truth. He would tell no one. I nodded slightly.

''Thankyou'' I whispered.

''Is anyone forgetting the fact that as soon as Ashleigh goes back to Italy Aro will touch her and will be able to see everything?'' Jasper said doing little to hide his anger.

''You don't need to worry about that. I did a little tweaking to Aro's power, he can only see parts of my mind. If I concentrate hard enough when he is reading my memories I can hide this whole situation from him. He won't even know I was here.'' I smiled, already thinking about when I hid my thoughts from him in the clearing.

I could hear everyone's internal questions. The only people that believed me were Edward and Emmett. I sighed, this wasn't going to be easy convincing everyone that I'm not a complete lunatic.

I decided this was going to be easier if I had someone to help me explain things so I pulled Edward's ability away from me and gave it back to him.

His eyes instantly went to me.

''Sorry about that but I did warn you. I might need your help explaining this one'' I said in my head to Edward.

''Edward?'' Bella asked, obviously seeing the change in him.

''Yes I have my powers back now.'' All of his family members looked at him and breathed a sigh of relief. I could tell the whole family depended of Edward's ability a lot and they were more comfortable when it was working properly.

''Okay so I have the ability to manipulate other people's abilities, as you all know. I can take them away and give them back and I can also use them,'' Everyone was surprised to hear that I could use other's abilities. I continued, '' But lately I have been playing around with my power and I discovered that I can change a person's power as well. I have successfully emphasised a girl's ability, it didn't end well but it was successful.'' To Aro, I added in my head, '' And I have also changed Aro's ability and he doesn't suspect a thing.'' I finished.

''Holy shit'' Emmett said.

''No wonder Aro changed you.'' Jasper added and Alice slapped him in the back of the head for saying it.

I suppose it was a huge clue staring me straight in the face. It made complete sense for Aro to want to change me. I have watched him for years searching for vampires with amazing abilities so he could recruit them into the guard and I suppose that is exactly what he did with me...Shit...I was so sure I had it right. I wanted so badly for the Cullens to be telling a lie. I thought I was on the good side. Keeping our secret, protecting humans from out of control vampires, but no, I was part of a guard that was formed to protect and serve Aro and Caius, whose intentions were always far from good. Our facade was so good that even I believed it

''So what now?'' Rosalie asked, she was trying to be polite because I was her new sister-in-law but I knew she was forcing it.

''Well I have to go back to Italy in around three months, I was just going to travel until then. I'm staying in a hotel called Monaco at the moment.'' I added.

I stared down at the ground and noticed my clothing. My black jeans were torn and my grey jacket had grass and dirt stains all over it, plus a massive rip on my shoulder from the wolf bite. I groaned internally. Here I was trying to act professional and impress the Cullens in torn jeans and a stained jacket. Ugh. I should have worn nicer clothing.

''Well you are welcome to stay here if you like?'' Esme suggested.

I looked up at her face, she was sincere about her request, she actually wanted me to stay here.

''I...uh...I don't know. I'm not sure everyone would be comfortable with that arrangement.'' I said glancing at Jasper and then at Jacob who had been leaning against the back wall the entire time.

''Nonsense. You are very welcome to stay.'' She pressed, looking around at her family, urging them to look welcoming.

''Well I suppose it won't hurt if I stay for a couple of weeks.'' I gave in, I couldn't possibly look into Esme's eyes and say no.

I heard Edward laugh at my last thought.

''Okay well I'll go to the hotel and get my things.''

''I'll drive you there!'' Emmett said coming over to stand next to me. I couldn't help but smile at his eagerness. ''It will give us a chance to catch up.'' He added.

Emmett put his hands on my shoulders and spun me around to face the door that Carlisle had come through earlier today.

I turned around and smiled back at Esme who was now being held at the waist by Carlisle. She winked at me and I laughed a little.

At least Esme kind of liked me.

Emmett guided me towards a huge jeep where he opened the passenger side door for me.

''Up you go!''

I climbed in and shut the door behind me. A second later Emmett started the engine and we were pulling out of the garage.

I looked back at the huge white house, I could already hear the arguments starting. This was going to be a long two weeks.

''So what has my little sister been up to lately?'' Emmett started saying as he pulled out onto the highway.

''A lot.'' I answered with a smile.

''Well it's a good thing your hotel is so far away'' He smiled and pulled his foot off of the accelerator so he was only doing ten above the speed limit.

All I could do was laugh, this was going to be a long drive.


Hope you enjoyed it! Review if you like :)