A/N: this is not the last chapter, but this story will be coming to an end soon. just a warning. and no, there will not be a sequel. im sorry, but i have some other ideas im messing around with right now

thx so much to all of my reviewers!!!!!!

disclaimer: idoi

i know that i havent done this before, but id like to dedicate this chapter to Sarah, who is a friend of justrememberhe prefersbrunets, therefore my friend, too. she's up against cancer, that stupid horrid disease. this is for you, Sarah! its a really important chappie!!!

RECAP:

The huge doors were in front of me now. Two doormen grabbed the handles, waiting for my agreement.

With an unneeded breath, I nodded, and the doormen swung the doors open before I was stuck in the spotlight with everyone watching.

Once I was through those big, heavy doors, all eyes were on me. I just stared out at the wall across the room while the gazes tried to penetrate my barrier of calm. After a moment, I heard some announcer announce my arrival, though I was pretty sure that everyone had noticed me already.

"Princess Isabella Swan, fiancee of Lord James Austin." I did my best to keep from gagging when he said that.

I finally brought my gaze down to the huge crowd and searched through it with my eyes for my father, who would let me know what I should do now. I noticed that Carlisle and Esme were standing together with Jadyn while smiling up at me. Alice and Rosalie were standing near the back in those stupid maid outfits. Edward was by the doors that led into the main kitchen, and Jasper and Emmett were both positioned randomly around the room in those stupid guard uniforms.

I finally layed eyes on my father and met his gaze. He was between James and my mother. He swiftly glanced over at James, silently telling me that I should dance with him now.

With an internal sigh, I turned to the curved staircase that led down to the dance floor. Grabbing the rail lightly (wouldn't want to dent it), I started down it, praying that I wouldn't overcome the gracefulness of a vampire and fall flat on my face anyway.

I let out a held breath of relief when my feet touched the solid floor. I walked over to where James, my mother, and my father were standing, next to the now cleared dance floor. All of the guests were surrounding the perimeter of it, leaving us room to dance.

I could smell all of the humans around me, and it was making my throat itch, but not in a thirsty way. It smelt like it had when I was a human. Too salty and rusty. It didn't make me light headed, obviously, but still. I held my breath as I walked gracefully across the marble floor.

Once I was at James's side, I glanced at my father. He was smiling, but I could see the little bit of anger in his eyes, which soon turned to shock at my appearance and eyes.

Before he could ask any questions, I unwillingly turned back to James, who hid his shock a bit better, though it was still there.

We walked into the middle of the floor with all eyes directed at us, including my friends. I knew that Edward would have that funny look of jealousy on his face right now, and Emmett and Jasper might even look like he wanted to eat James. Everyone else was smart enough to try and act normal.

"You look absolutely stunning tonight, Princess Isabella," James murmured, just loud enough for me to hear and not others. I could've probably heard him from across the point, and the others might've.

"Thanks," I said through the gritted teeth of a forced smile, breathing the rusty scent in slightly.

He held his hands in the dancing position, inviting me to take them so that we could begin. Reluctantly, I did so, and before the music started I felt a twinge of guilt, even though I couldn't help it.

I'm sorry, Edward. I really really don't want to. I hoped Edward knew that.

The music began, and James started to lead. I located Edward over his shoulder and saw that he had a surprised look on his face.

I didn't have much time to take this in, because we started spinning, and thank goodness I was a vampire, or else I might have fallen already or gotten too dizzy and fainted.

After what seemed like forever, the song must've gotten to being halfway over, because my father took my mother's hand and led her out onto the floor, where they began to dance, too. Other high-class couples followed them, and soon most each of the couples were dancing.

I tried to avoid looking James in the eye and pretend that I was focusing on not falling as we twirled in little, tight circles. I looked over his shoulder, catching glimpses of Edward or the others every now and then. Once I saw Carlisle and Esme go by, with a bubbly Jadyn safely in between, of course. She seemed to love the constant motion that the spinning brought. Carlisle and Esme were smiling lovingly at her and each other, and I wished that it was Edward I was dancing with right now, instead of James.

I noticed that the more I breathed, the more easy the scent of blood was to ignore. I could already almost breathe without unconsciously acknowledging the smell.

Finally the music stopped, and I broke away from James as fast as I could without seeming rude. He bowed to me and I felt like I should at least curtsy a bit to keep things less suspicious, if they weren't already.

I was about to walk back over to where the tables were set up, but another song began and I felt someone tap my shoulder. I spun around to see my father, holding his hand out for me to dance with him.

Inwardly groaning, I took it and began another long, dreary dance.

"Isabella."

My gaze snapped to my father's face as he spoke my name. What would he say now?

"You're going to have quite a bit of explaining to do when this is over, including why you haven't been in the palace for the past couple of days," he hissed through a fake grin.

Taking a small breath, I spoke.

"I was in the palace father, looking for you," I lied with a new confidence. I knew it would work, though, and it did. My father was completely caught off guard and stumbled a bit. I pulled him back straight up as he regained his composure.

"Me?"

"Yes. I couldn't find you anywhere," I stated quietly. I was sure that none of the humans around us would hear.

"Oh." He paused for about a minute and thirteen seconds.

"Isabella...?"

"Mm?" I grunted.

"Why are your eyes red?" Damn. That question. I knew that it would come up somehow. I blurted out the first thing that came to my mind.

"Contacts." Would he buy it? I didn't have any contact circles in my eyes. Hopefully he would take it. I decided to add info, just to make it more real. "I was messing around with them earlier, but then I looked at the time and noticed that I was going to be late."

He only nodded.

Lucky for me, he was quiet for the rest of the dance. Almost.

Right as the song was about to end, he spoke.

"Isabella, you're going to have to dance until the meals come out. It doesn't matter what age they are, now that you are engaged. Be social."

Then the song ended, and he went to search for another high-class, rich, stuck-up dance partner.

I sighed. Who would I be stuck with now?

"Bella."

My name was spoken so softly that humans wouldn't be able to hear. I turned to see Carlisle come up to me. I smiled softly. This would be like dancing with my father, but without the interrogations.

"Thank you. I'd rather not be stuck with some stupid, snotty teenage boy," I said, just as quietly.

The music began and we danced, talking at vampire speed casually.

"How has your thirst been?" Carlisle asked. "If it's too bad, we can find an excuse for you to get out of here." I shook my head no.

"Actually, it's like the opposite."

He looked shocked, and raised an eyebrow for me to continue.

"It smells like it did to me when I was a human. Rusty and salty. It's very unappetizing, really." I scrunched up my nose to show him that I didn't like the smell at all.

"Well that is extremely unusual. I'm not even sure that it's ever happened before. Rare. Jasper will be very surprised, and impressed. Perhaps rather depressed," Carlisle said.

"What? Does he actually want me to kill people?!" I asked, highly annoyed that Jasper would think that. Carlisle looked kind of unsure of whether to answer my question or not.

"Well, no... He and Emmett sort of made a bet over how many-"

"Over how many people I kill? Typical. I should've known that they would do something like this," I muttered, finishing Carlisle's sentence for him.

"Well, it's just how Jasper's grown to know newborns. Full of bloodlust and near uncontrollable thirst." Carlisle defended his adopted son, and I knew that he was right.

"But really? A bet!"

"I agree. That's a bit... exceeding the limit of rational things," he agreed, glancing over at Jasper and Emmett. Jasper was staring at me, watching my every move still. I glared at him.

Emmett was just standing there. He looked so bored. Poor Emmett.

The dance ended, and Carlisle bowed and I curtsied before he headed back into the crowd.

Tyler Crowley appeared in front of me the moment that he was out of sight.

"Would you care to dance with me, Princess Isabella?" he questioned. The way he said my name made me want to hurl, but I knew that I had no choice.

The music started, and we were soon spinning.

Tonight was going to be one hell of a long night.

a a a

I had finally made it past the dancing, and was now seated between my father and James at a long table. Servers were bringing out trays of food in a line, and Edward was in front with two platters in his hands.

To my great excitement, he was to give my father and I our food.

It was only then that I realized something important. Damn! I forgot to ask Carlisle about how I was supposed to 'eat'.

Edward appeared behind my father and I, and I whisper to him at vampire speed.

"How am I supposed to eat?!" He flicked his eyes to me very quickly before looking away again as he set the silver platters down in front of us.

"Just pretend. I gave you less on purpose." He is perfect!

"Thank you!" I squeaked.

He slowly began to walk away, and the other servers placed their own platters before our guests, but I could still hear him when he quietly asked me a confusing question.

"What was with earlier?" he murmured.

"What?"

"Earlier. Before you began dancing with James," he explained. Huh?

"I still have no clue what you're talking about."

"When you were taking his hands. You glanced at me and suddenly it was as though you were speaking directly into my head. Your voice said 'I'm sorry, Edward. I really really don't want to.'" I froze. I didn't say that out loud. I only thought it, though the thought was directed at him.

"I didn't say that out loud. I only directed my thought to you," I whispered. He turned slightly to meet my puzzled gaze. His own expression was one of slight surprise, and a bit of amusement.

"Looks like we know what your special ability is." He grinned before disappearing into the kitchen.

I sat messing carefully with my food as I took in his words. My ability? Like his own, Alice's, and Jasper's? What was it? It seemed like his. Reading minds. But then again, he said that my voice had come into his head. Could I speak to others in their minds?

We would find out soon. I located the nearest one of my vampire friends, which was Esme, who was sitting a couple dozen chairs down with Jadyn and Carlisle on her other side. I focused on her.

Can you hear me?

Her head snapped up and she met my gaze, looking slightly alarmed. I just smiled lightly and looked back down at my food as I tried again.

Edward said that this is my 'power'.

She gave the slightest jerk of a nod to acknowledge me as she returned her slightly confused gaze to her own full plate of food. I then saw her lips move at vampire speed out of the corner of my red eyes and saw Carlisle secretively look at me for a split second.

I take it Esme told you. It was a statement. He nodded quickly without paying any other attention to me.

The rest of the dinner went by with stupid small talk, and before I knew it, dinner and dessert were finished. Everyone was getting up and clumping around to say good-byes before James and I had to make the final speeches.

I had separated myself from my father and James, claiming that I had someone to say good-bye to. In truth, I just needed to get away from them.

After talking to a few others, I realized that it wasn't only them that I wanted to get away from. It was everyone. Everyone, excluding the seven vampires along with the human toddler.

But, seeing as I couldn't talk to any of them alone (Carlisle, Esme, and Jadyn were speaking with an elderly couple), I just made my way toward the restrooms, but instead decided to take a break in the small medal/trophy room that was a door beyond it. I hoped that somehow Edward would follow me so that I could ask him more about my 'power' and just spend some time in his company.

I glanced down the hallway quickly, making sure that no one was around, before slipping into the room silently, shutting the door just as quietly behind me.

Suddenly I heard something behind me, and I spun around.

I gaped as anger bubbled up in me at what I saw.

James had Victoria, the red-haired maid, backed up against a trophy case and was kissing her all over her face and neck, sliding his hands up and down her sides and thighs.

It took all of my will-power not to kill him right then and there. I mean, sure, I never really liked him like that, but still! He was my fiancee! He would be marrying me soon, and here he was with another girl!

"Idiot" was all that I could mutter before turning and speed walking out, slamming the door behind me loudly. This was going to be a ball that everyone would remember.

I heard the door reopen behind me and James say my name, sounding both mad and worried. He raced down the hall, coming at me, but I broke out running, trying to control my speed and keep it human.

"Get back here now, Isabella! I need to talk to you before you do anything!" he called in an angry voice that reminded me very much of Jacob. This scared me.

He sprinted after me as I burst through the door into the ballroom. People stopped everything and stared as I ran toward the center of the room with James on my tail.

"Princess Isabella!" he called in a desperate voice that I knew was fake. The reminder of Jacob still had me afraid, and I knew that the fear was evident of my face, along with some anger, probably.

I looked for either my father or my friends. I didn't care if anyone saw that I was around them now, I just wanted him away. It didn't even cross my mind that I was now much stronger than him.

Emmett and Jasper were too far away. They were on the opposite side of the room, with menacing looks on their faces as they glared at James. Alice and Rosalie were by the kitchen door, and Edward was trying to weave his way to me through the swarms of guests.

My eyes were then able to lock on Esme, who was staring at the scene with wide eyes. I sprinted as fast as I could without giving myself away toward her and threw myself behind her, panting for unneccessary breath. James came to a halt in front of her as she stared him down. She could be dangerous at times.

"Please let me past. She's my fiancee!" he fake pleaded.

NO! I yelled at her mind with pleading even in that voice.

She wouldn't let him past. He continued to try and side-step her, but she kept blocking him until my father's voice came into the scene.

"What is happening? Isabella, what's going on?!" he asked, coming out of the crowd.

When I didn't answer, James spoke up.

"I think that I frightened her, Your Majesty. I caught her by surprise."

LIES! I wanted to scream at him as my father turned to me with a very irritated look on his face.

"Is that true, Isabella?" he asked.

"No!" I said, now angry. I stepped out from behind Esme and faced him. "No, it most definently is not! I walked in on him- him- making out and such with the maid, Victoria!" I was yelling by this time, and everyone could hear me, but it was too late now. "Then he noticed me and ran after me!"

My father's expression switched from anger to confused to disbelief quickly as he looked between James and me.

"Lies!" James growled.

"Then why do you have lipstick on your face?" Esme surprised me by countering his words, which he seemed at loss for now.

My father looked at James and saw the mark of red on his face and turned red with anger.

Before anyone could react, however, James launched himself at me and I dodged him, running at human speed to where Edward was almost at the edge of the eager crowd. He pushed through them, and I ran into his arms, much to the surprise and dismay of the guests and my father.

Edward stepped slightly in front of me as James reached him, and James ran straight into him. He yelled out in pain from the impact, and fell backward onto the floor, where he didn't get up.

Edward looked down at my lovingly, and I didn't care if I was overreacting or what I would have to deal with after this. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck and kissed him lightly.

The guests gasped, and I met gazes with my father, who looked surprised and a bit mad as he recognized Edward.

"YOU!!!" he bellowed, and I tightened my hold on Edward, who wrapped his arms around my back. "I TOLD YOU THAT I WAS NEVER TO SEE YOU ON MY LAND AGAIN AFTER STEALING MY DAUGHTER FROM ME!!!"

Everyone whispered and gasped dramatically.

"I WARNED YOU BEFORE!!! YOU'VE MADE YOUR CHOICE!!! GUARDS!" My father turned and looked around the room for guards. His search stopped when he saw Jasper and Emmett coming toward us. Once they had joined us, my father was fuming.

"AND YOU TWO, ALSO! YOU WERE WITH HIM! YOU'RE ALL DAMN FOOLS TO SHOW YOUR FACE IN THIS COUNTRY AGAIN!"

At this, Esme marched forward and put her hands on her hips, glaring at my father.

"You WILL NOT insult my children like this. All six of them. Can't you see that Bella wants Edward? That they both truely love one another?! CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT THEY ARE ALL A FAMILY NOW?!" Wow. Edward and I were both frozen as she yelled boldly at him. I never in a million years would've even considered that Esme would do that. But at the same time, I felt extreme affection toward her. She thought of me as family, and considered me her daughter!

"You, ma'm, have no right to be speaking to me that way! I am your king! They are not related at all, not are they-"

Carlisle stepped to his wife's side with Jadyn in his arms.

"Do not talk to my wife that way," he growled.

By now, Alice and Rosalie had joined where Edward, Jasper, Emmett, and I stood. My father just stared at us all purple-faced.

"YOU'RE ALL HERE! ALONG WITH THE THREE OF YOU!" My father was really losing it. How were we supposed to get out of this?!

"Bella, come here, please."

I looked up at Edward.

Should I?

He nodded sadly, and I walked around the unconscious form of James and over to stand beside my steaming father.

"Guards," he said, too calmly. "I want them killed. All eight of them."

"NO!" I screamed into my father's face. The guards couldn't kill them, but it would blow our secret in front of hundreds of witnesses, and Jadyn could die.

"ISABELLA, I WARNED THEM AND I WARNED YOU! IT'S TOO LATE NOW; THEY HAVE MADE THEIR DECISIONS!" he yelled back, to the amazement of the terrified guests.

The guards were by them now, waiting for my father's agreement.

"NO! I LOVE THEM, FATHER! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT! JUST LIKE I LOVE YOU!"

My father opened his mouth to say something, but it never got out.

Just then all of the doors burst open, and screaming filled the air as hundreds of men with grey-blue uniforms rushed in.

The French had arrived.

A/N: ok ppl biiiiiigggg chappie. ppppppllllzzzz review!!! i need feedback on all this!!!

-bella's power

-vicky/james

-james/whole arguement

-edward/bella and her father finding out

-his reaction to all of them

-the french

-wat will happen next?

-any other opinions would be highly appreciated!!!

thx so much if u review!!! i really would like some feedback for this chappie cuz of all the things that happened!!! plz review!!!

~MaDdY rOsE