CHAPTER THIRTY SIX
From that point, everything seemed to move in slow motion. I saw Edward struggle between the two immense vampires who held him, as the third moved forward, taking my love's head between his two enormous hands. I heard Aro laughing; his amusement peaked by this display and saw a strange look pass between Marcus and Caius which I could not read. And then I felt a surge of power sweep through me, like a blinding, burning stream of pure white energy and light. My body was flung back under the force of it and then I directed all of it at the men holding Edward. The sound of screaming filled the air and it wasn't until I saw Edward moving towards me, released from the hold of the three vampires that I realised the voice I could hear was my own.
As Edward approached someone went to take hold of him and I rose back to my feet, having been knocked to my knees by the strength of the power that left me to release him from those who would hurt him and I held my hand out before me, pushing the light from it.
"You will not touch him!" I cried, in a voice that echoed around the chamber. The three Volturi froze in their thrones, as I turned my white gaze on them.
"Her eyes!" cried Aro. "Look at her eyes! They are not black like a vampire's; they are white; brilliant white!"
"It is light in its purest form," murmured Marcus.
"She cannot be ours then," said Caius, softly. "We are witnessing the birth of a whole new breed of vampire."
The largest of the three vampires who had held Edward was rising to his feet, his intent to recapture my mate clear as he moved towards him with vampire swiftness. He was fast; I was faster.
I stood before Edward, my hand held out before me and the vampire froze, staring down at me nervously. I tilted my head to one side, allowing the bright light from my gaze to sweep over the man's features for a brief moment.
"You like to cause pain, Felix?" I said, softly and he froze as his name left my lips. "You chose the wrong vampire."
My quiet voice filled the chamber and I twisted my hand in front of me, as Felix was lifted from his feet and sent crashing towards the dais where the three Volturi sprang apart, leaving their guard to crash into the wall behind them and fall unconscious at their feet. He would remain unconscious until we were safely away; I had already decided that and it seemed that once I decided something would happen; it happened. I could bend reality to how I wanted it to be; bend their wills to mine.
"Isabella," said Aro, suddenly appearing before me, a smile on his face. "Just look at you! Look how powerful you are! And you say you will not join us..."
"I will not join you," I said, forcefully, interrupting him. Aro's eyes narrowed and for a moment his confident, amused expression faded into a look of puzzled bewilderment, but then he seemed to regain his composure. He took a step back, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"But there is still the matter of the crime you both committed..."
"Aro, do you really think you can bring us to account unless I will it?" I asked, my power giving me a confidence I had never had. Aro's eyes widened and he retreated to his companions, his expression black. To my surprise, Marcus started to laugh. Marcus!
"And what pray has amused you?" said Aro, sulkily.
"I have waited nearly a thousand years to see someone put you in your place, brother!" he said, throwing his head back and laughing again. Even Caius managed a small smile, but then all the humour went from everyone's face, as the door opened and a small figure entered the room.
"Might I speak?" The voice, which had always seemed so confident, was dimmer than it had been; the eyes darkened with grief.
"Elizabeth," breathed Caius, his eyes sweeping over to the vampire he had made so many years before. She glanced at him, before bowing her head again and crossing the room to stand before Edward and me. Edward had grabbed my hand and was holding it tightly and I could feel his love for me surge through his grip.
"Isabella, Edward," she murmured, but did not look up at us. To my surprise, I saw tears trickling down her cheeks and when she finally did look up at us, there was nothing but misery in her gaze. "Might I speak with you both?"
Edward growled and went to step forwards, but I held him back, looking curiously at the woman who had cursed us both.
"What can you have to say to us, Elizabeth?" I asked.
"You killed him, didn't you?" she said, her tone neutral.
"I killed him," said Edward. "And I am not sorry for it." He cast a defiant look across at the seated Volturi and Aro shrugged, as if he no longer cared.
"I am not sorry for it either," replied Elizabeth, softly, shocking me. She half-smiled. "We both know the power of those strange blue eyes of his, Isabella."
"Tell me," I said.
"Many years ago, the Volturi warned me that my son was a danger to our kind, because of the way he treated humans, the way he killed without regret. I was no fool; I loved my son, but I knew he was a monster. Caius warned me that I must send him away and in all truth, I wanted to send him away. Do you think he treated me better because I was his mother? James was as cruel to me as he was to anyone else. He would constantly berate me for losing our position with the Volturi after Caius and I parted ways; he did not understand that I was not Caius' true mate. For though we loved one another, it was not the binding love that you feel for Edward. Or that I feel for Jacob." Her gaze softened as she mentioned my friend and I saw the true depth of her love for him. "When James finally left, he did so in the cruellest fashion; without a word of where he went. He was still my son and I had a care for him, for his wellbeing. I started to hear rumours of him; that he was hiring himself out as a tracker. And then I heard of the women he had abused and hurt. I wished him dead! I wished I had never birthed him! When I heard he was dead, I was relieved. I grieved for the loss of my son, but not the loss of the man he had become.
"And then Jonathan came to me. He told me he was sorry to hear about the unlawful killing of my son and seemed surprised when I did not react to it. All I remember from then were his eyes, deep blue, looking into my own and his words; twisting everything that had happened until I was consumed with a fury that was not my own. I wanted only to reach out and punish those who had killed my son; hurt them as they had hurt him. Jonathan guided me to Twilight, where I cursed you both; convincing me that you both deserved it.
"I was so far under his spell by then that I could not fight it, though a part of me must have been aware because I did not take away all of Bella's strength or all of Edward's true heart. And then I met Jacob. The impact of his imprinting on me nearly broke the spell and I could see Jonathan becoming more and more frustrated. He would lash out at Bella, hurting her and as he did he unknowingly chipped away at the spell he had put on me. I had no desire to see you hurt or abused. It seemed he realised what was happening and that was when he took me and Jacob away, convincing us both that the Cullens would kill us if they found us at his house.
"Bella, I had no idea he had beaten you so savagely and locked you away, leaving you to die. He deserved his death; he earned it with every abuse he put you through; for every time he had glamoured and cursed a woman. We are not the first he had used and if you had not destroyed him, we would not have been the last.
"We may be monsters, but we are not evil by nature. Jonathan was the devil himself!"
She stopped, tears now streaming down her face, as sobs wracked her body. I crossed the room slowly, releasing Edward's hand and then drew her close to me, enfolding her in my arms, tenderly until her sobs eased and she stepped back, her eyes shining.
"I forgive you, Elizabeth," I said, quietly and she smiled, her whole face lighting up. The tears dried and she turned to face the Volturi.
"Will you allow them to go, please?" she said. Aro turned to his brothers, his expression carefully blank.
"But she is so powerful," he said, quietly.
"Aro, she will not use her power for us," said Marcus. "She will only use it for him, or for those she loves. That is the basis of her power."
"Love?" said Aro, thoughtfully.
"Yes, love," said Caius.
"Very well," said Aro, with a deep sigh. "Go then, Isabella Swann, Edward Cullen. Go back to your club and leave this behind you."
"Aro," I said, quietly. He looked across at me and I saw hope flare in his eyes. "I know there is much you could teach me, but I think I have learnt a lot of very hard lessons in the last few years. I cannot go back to the life I knew before, because there is much I could do. There are so many out there who abuse their power, because your eyes cannot be everywhere."
"That is true," he conceded. "Tell me, Isabella, what is it you have in mind?"
"Our own headquarters in America, where vampires like us can meet and have our own laws and customs."
"Vampires like you?" he said.
"Vampires who do not feed on humans and who have treaties with the wolves," I clarified. Aro's gaze narrowed and at first I thought he would refuse, but then he shrugged.
"We have no stronghold in America. Yes I can see the merits of that. But I have conditions."
"Fine," I said.
"You are ultimately answerable to us; your power will not in any way exceed that of the Volturi here in Volterra. And you will not be prejudiced against human blood drinkers."
I paused and glanced at Edward, who was watching proceedings through wide eyes. He gave a tight nod and I smiled across at Aro.
"I am agreeable to such terms," I said. "But in return, you yourselves will not be prejudiced against vampires who choose our way of life and you will make an effort to uphold any treaties we might make with other wolf packs."
"She goes too far..." began Marcus, but Aro held up a hand.
"I believe Caius was right," he said, quietly. "We have indeed welcomed in a new breed of vampire in Bella. We shall have a trial period of ten years. After this time, Isabella, Caius, Marcus and I will come to America and see what your work is achieving. And in the meantime, I will be keeping a close eye on you both."
"It is better, Aro, that we work together I think," I said, quietly.
"Indeed," he replied, holding out a hand. I took it and as we sealed the pact between us, he smiled, widely. "I believe I can trust you, Isabella. And it is about time that Edward used his gifts for a higher purpose than a nightclub!"