p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"It was pitch black in the prison cell. I couldn't see the door, I couldn't see the walls and I couldn't see Jacob. I wriggled my body around the cell for a little bit until I brushed up against Jacob's warm arm./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Oh, Jacob!" I sobbed, squirming closer to him. Teardrops fell from my eyes with amazing velocity as I asked, "Are you ok?" I had to say the words around furious sobs of terror. I pulled my chained wrists over his head and hugged him awkwardly, but tightly, to me, as if I let go he would disappear./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jacob grunted in pain, "Too tight Bells." I moaned./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""S-sorry." I sniffled, loosening my grip on him but not letting go. "So emare /emyou ok?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"He hesitated a moment before answering, "Do you want me to tell you the truth or one of those little white lies that makes you feel better?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I was astonished that he could still be joking around after what he had just gone through. "The truth," I grumbled, not wanting to play any more games./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jacob sighed in deeply, "Bells I feel just awful. That Jane girl…" he trailed off not wanting to finish his sentence but I knew what he meant./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I nodded for him to continue. "Every part of me hurts, I just want to go to sleep but I emcan't. /emI know it's…not like me but…I'm really scared." I could feel him shiver. "I don't want to die, Bella." His voice broke./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I don't want emyou /emto die," he whispered quietly as if he were almost embarrassed about it./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"There was a moment of silence before I spoke. "I'm scared to Jake, I'll do my best to save you from…from Edward." His name tasted like vinegar coming out./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""No," Jacob growled, his voice suddenly stronger. "You will not be associating with that b-" he paused and I could feel his eyes on me. "that jerk."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I sighed, tired, "Nice save."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"He chuckled a little bit, "Thanks, but anyway, I think I know what we emcould /emdo. I'll morph and break your chains and the bars on the door, then create a diversion while you escape as far away as you possibly can."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Now it was my turn to object, "No way, Jake!" There are too many of them! You'll get killed!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I just barely heard him whisper, "Better me than you."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""If you faze…couldn't you…call for the pack, or something? They could help us!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Bells, this isn't LaPush. They're in Washington right now and we're in Italy. They'd never be able to get here in time."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"My head was beginning to get overwhelmed. "You're right…" I admitted. I sighed again, there was another moment of dark silence before I spoke again./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"My voice was barely a whisper, "Jake?" I asked miserably/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Yeah?" his voice was gruff and depressed, hopeless…/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""They're gonna kill us. Both of us will die…won't we?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"His voice got more severe again as he said, "Bella, no matter what happens to me- you are going to live through this. Do you understand?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Despondent tears began to run down my cheeks once more, "No, Jake, no!" I can't live without you! I won't!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Bella!" his voice commanding, " you will promise me, empromise me/em, that no matter what happens to me you will not die!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I bawled harder, turning my head away from him, "I can't! I…just can't!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Oh yes, you can! Promise me!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I shook my head from side to side, flinging tears onto Jacob. When he felt them his voice became much softer, "Bells, if our positions were flipped, would you want the same for me?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I thought about it. He was right. If it were me in his place, I would want to make sure that he lived no matter what./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I choked on the words as they came out, "I…I will. I promise you."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Thank you." He murmured, kissing my forehead, I could feel some of the tension lifting from the mood./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"There was a long awkward silence, broken by the sound of footsteps. There was three- two smelled of vampire one smelled human. Slowly the wooden door to the prison opened, a flood of blinding light spilling into the cells. I squinted my eyes, unable to open them./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""The masters will see you now." I recognized the voice of the receptionist woman, Gianna. My eyes were still closed, but I could hear the sound of jingling keys and a creaking metal door./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Come," Gianna ordered, her tone still light./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jacob spoke before I could. "We can't. You freak chained together our arms and legs!" I could hear quick footsteps tapping into the chamber followed by the sound of flesh hitting flesh. I opened my eyes a small sliver to see Jake rubbing his jaw where Alec had punched him./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I would not disrespect us if I were you." Alec's voice stated plainly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jake grunted, falling to his side. "Good thing you're not me." he groaned. I watched, helplessly, as Alec's foot pummeled Jacob at an extremely high-velocity speed, it came in contact with him right in the gut. He gasped in pain, the wind knocked out of him. I hissed in fear./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Slowly, Jacob found his breath again. "I warned him," Alec said simply, replying to my hiss. People who do not listen to the Volturi are punished, that is a lesson that your friend will be learning the hard way."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jacob opened his mouth to make a sharp retort; quickly I shoved my arm to his mouth, stopping him./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Can we please hurry this up?" Jane asked impatiently. "Edward wants to see them emnow./em"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Fine, fine." Alec pouted. I'll take the girl and you get the…" he sniffed in Jacob's direction, "filth." I heard Jacob growl menacingly, everyone seemed to ignore him./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Alec swept me off my feet and into his arms; if I had not known that he was the bad guy it would have been extremely awkward. I could hear Jane dragging Jacob along behind us. Again, Alec covered up my eyes as we ran back to the circular room./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"When he removed his had I saw everything almost exactly how we had left it. Edward was sitting on his throne, his eyes even redder than before. Aro, Caius, and Marcus were also in their proper spots. A few moments after I arrived, Jane trailed into the room, Jacob being towed from behind. She dropped him in the middle of the room, the same place where he had been before./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Edward took one look and me and laughed. I was human enough to be self-conscious and asked, "W-what?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Your eyes." He chuckled. I raised a hand to my eyes- they were wet./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""What?" I asked again./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""They are red and swollen." He laughed again, but I couldn't find the humor in it. "You have been crying, Isabella." It wasn't a question./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""You are so pitiful. Your little scum bag is not even dead yet!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I couldn't suppress a shiver at the word emyet/em. Edward chortled./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Anyway, before I kill it, how about I tell you a little story?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I didn't move one inch./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Alright then," he smiled./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""So, as you know, I came to Volterra with the intent of death, but when I asked Aro to do the deed for me he refused, saying it was a waste. My power fascinated him; he didn't want to destroy it. You see, Aro also has a special power, if he touches you he can read every thought you've ever had. He knew the jealousy that I was attempting to restrain and offered me a spot on the Volturi saying that with the power of being one of them I could have my revenge. I planned to kill you once you came after me./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""You never did, which gave me time to think of a better plan. I decided to make you suffer what I had suffered before I killed you. So I waited three months for you to show yourself…emthree months!/em Eventually, I grew tired of waiting and sent the two best people on my offense out to separate you from your pack and seize you and your boyfriend./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Now that I have you both, I will humiliate him and give him a slow and painful death, making you watch the whole thing. By the time I'm be finished with your mate, you will practically be begging me to kill you and right when I think you have suffered enough, I will grant your death wish. Then my revenge will be complete!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Before he was finished with his plot, I was on my knees. My hands covered my eyes, my tears splashed to the stone-cold floor. I could hear Edward descending from his throne, his footsteps came over to me and he placed one freezing hand on my shoulder./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Shall we gag her, master?" Jane asked, excitedly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""No." Edward replied. I could hear the smile in his voice. "I want to hear her screams."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"That made me cry harder, I had to bite my bottom lip to hold back sobs of terror and grief. Edward's footsteps faded from me as he walked over to Jacob. I looked at him, his hands were tied behind his shirtless torso, his face was glazed with sweat and he was panting heavily. His knees propped him up. His legs and ankles, like mine, were tied. He breathed heavily, and through his mouth. I imagined myself to look quite similar to him./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Hate swirled visibly in his eyes as he fought the urge to morph. "What are you going to do." He growled through clenched teeth./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Edward stood stationary for a moment, pondering. "Did you like Jane? I thought Isabella's face was priceless when I had her use her gift on you./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I won't make a sound." Jake promised Edward, his biceps flexing. "I'll hold you to it, but trust me Jacob- I'm sure you will."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Conditions?" Jake asked, heated for a challenge./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Jane will go at you for…three minutes. From the second you make a noise, Bella will have to take the rest of the time." Jake flexed again./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""And if I win?" he asked, his teeth still clasped./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Then…I'll give you five free minutes with her." Edward nodded in my direction./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I stared, terrified, from one man to the other. Jacob was really putting himself out there and dragging me with him. It was idiotic. I wasn't sure if he had the self-control./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""You ready?" Edward asked, grinning./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""You bet." Jake growled./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Alright Jane, do your stuff." Jane smiled at Edward, and then shifted her gaze to Jake. Immediately I saw every muscle in his body go rigid. His face began to go red and shake. His shade went from tan to red, from red to scarlet, from scarlet back to tan, and form tan to white. I saw his teeth clench and re-clench. His tied arms began to flail. His body squirmed and writhed on the floor./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jane, upset, glared at him harder. Jacob began to shake even harder, he looked about to faze but I knew that that wasn't it. Suddenly Jane gnashed her teeth at him and Jacob let out a tortured scream of pain that bounced around the whole room, cutting off in a gurgled sob./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jake panted heavily as he rasped, "How…long?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Edward looked upon him begrudgingly, "Three minutes and twenty-seven seconds." Jake's eyes rolled back into his head for a moment, then resurfaced./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Five minutes." Edward snarled, unlocking the chains on Jake's legs and ankles./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Immediately he ran up to me and spun me in a hug. "We don't have much time to talk so let's not worry about anything in the past. What we need to focus on is the present and the future." He said the words quickly, trying to make the most out of his limited time./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""First of al I need you to know that I love you so much and I never ever want anything to happen to you. Will you do whatever I ask?" he questioned quickly and urgently./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Yes," was my automatic response./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""If I say do not faze you will faze."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Yes."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""If I say run you will run."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Yes."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""If I say go and leave me behind will you do it?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Jacob!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Promise me, Bells!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""But Jacob, I-"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Promise!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Ok."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Alright, Bella what I need you to do is when I say 'now' you need to make a break for the gold doors. Do you understand?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Yes, but-"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I am going to faze and distract them and I want you to run as fast as you possibly can, got it?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Uh-huh, but Jake-"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Once you are out of the border of the town I need you to faze and run to the airport. Take this money," he pressed a large wad of twenty-dollar bills into my hand, "Buy a plane ticket. Tell the pack what happened to me and emnever come back here./em emstrongDo you understand?/strong/em"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I nodded reluctantly, a loud sob of pain moaned from my chest./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Jake?" I blubbered./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Yes?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I love you so much!" I stood up on my toes, my lips searching for his. My mouth moved against his furiously, urgently. It didn't feel right, the way my lips were crushed up against him, but I knew what this kiss was. This kiss was a goodbye./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"emGoodbye forever./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Oh, Jacob!" I sobbed, squirming closer to him. Teardrops fell from my eyes with amazing velocity as I asked, "Are you ok?" I had to say the words around furious sobs of terror. I pulled my chained wrists over his head and hugged him awkwardly, but tightly, to me, as if I let go he would disappear./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jacob grunted in pain, "Too tight Bells." I moaned./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""S-sorry." I sniffled, loosening my grip on him but not letting go. "So emare /emyou ok?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"He hesitated a moment before answering, "Do you want me to tell you the truth or one of those little white lies that makes you feel better?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I was astonished that he could still be joking around after what he had just gone through. "The truth," I grumbled, not wanting to play any more games./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jacob sighed in deeply, "Bells I feel just awful. That Jane girl…" he trailed off not wanting to finish his sentence but I knew what he meant./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I nodded for him to continue. "Every part of me hurts, I just want to go to sleep but I emcan't. /emI know it's…not like me but…I'm really scared." I could feel him shiver. "I don't want to die, Bella." His voice broke./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I don't want emyou /emto die," he whispered quietly as if he were almost embarrassed about it./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"There was a moment of silence before I spoke. "I'm scared to Jake, I'll do my best to save you from…from Edward." His name tasted like vinegar coming out./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""No," Jacob growled, his voice suddenly stronger. "You will not be associating with that b-" he paused and I could feel his eyes on me. "that jerk."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I sighed, tired, "Nice save."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"He chuckled a little bit, "Thanks, but anyway, I think I know what we emcould /emdo. I'll morph and break your chains and the bars on the door, then create a diversion while you escape as far away as you possibly can."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Now it was my turn to object, "No way, Jake!" There are too many of them! You'll get killed!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I just barely heard him whisper, "Better me than you."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""If you faze…couldn't you…call for the pack, or something? They could help us!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Bells, this isn't LaPush. They're in Washington right now and we're in Italy. They'd never be able to get here in time."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"My head was beginning to get overwhelmed. "You're right…" I admitted. I sighed again, there was another moment of dark silence before I spoke again./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"My voice was barely a whisper, "Jake?" I asked miserably/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Yeah?" his voice was gruff and depressed, hopeless…/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""They're gonna kill us. Both of us will die…won't we?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"His voice got more severe again as he said, "Bella, no matter what happens to me- you are going to live through this. Do you understand?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Despondent tears began to run down my cheeks once more, "No, Jake, no!" I can't live without you! I won't!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Bella!" his voice commanding, " you will promise me, empromise me/em, that no matter what happens to me you will not die!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I bawled harder, turning my head away from him, "I can't! I…just can't!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Oh yes, you can! Promise me!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I shook my head from side to side, flinging tears onto Jacob. When he felt them his voice became much softer, "Bells, if our positions were flipped, would you want the same for me?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I thought about it. He was right. If it were me in his place, I would want to make sure that he lived no matter what./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I choked on the words as they came out, "I…I will. I promise you."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Thank you." He murmured, kissing my forehead, I could feel some of the tension lifting from the mood./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"There was a long awkward silence, broken by the sound of footsteps. There was three- two smelled of vampire one smelled human. Slowly the wooden door to the prison opened, a flood of blinding light spilling into the cells. I squinted my eyes, unable to open them./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""The masters will see you now." I recognized the voice of the receptionist woman, Gianna. My eyes were still closed, but I could hear the sound of jingling keys and a creaking metal door./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Come," Gianna ordered, her tone still light./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jacob spoke before I could. "We can't. You freak chained together our arms and legs!" I could hear quick footsteps tapping into the chamber followed by the sound of flesh hitting flesh. I opened my eyes a small sliver to see Jake rubbing his jaw where Alec had punched him./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I would not disrespect us if I were you." Alec's voice stated plainly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jake grunted, falling to his side. "Good thing you're not me." he groaned. I watched, helplessly, as Alec's foot pummeled Jacob at an extremely high-velocity speed, it came in contact with him right in the gut. He gasped in pain, the wind knocked out of him. I hissed in fear./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Slowly, Jacob found his breath again. "I warned him," Alec said simply, replying to my hiss. People who do not listen to the Volturi are punished, that is a lesson that your friend will be learning the hard way."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jacob opened his mouth to make a sharp retort; quickly I shoved my arm to his mouth, stopping him./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Can we please hurry this up?" Jane asked impatiently. "Edward wants to see them emnow./em"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Fine, fine." Alec pouted. I'll take the girl and you get the…" he sniffed in Jacob's direction, "filth." I heard Jacob growl menacingly, everyone seemed to ignore him./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Alec swept me off my feet and into his arms; if I had not known that he was the bad guy it would have been extremely awkward. I could hear Jane dragging Jacob along behind us. Again, Alec covered up my eyes as we ran back to the circular room./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"When he removed his had I saw everything almost exactly how we had left it. Edward was sitting on his throne, his eyes even redder than before. Aro, Caius, and Marcus were also in their proper spots. A few moments after I arrived, Jane trailed into the room, Jacob being towed from behind. She dropped him in the middle of the room, the same place where he had been before./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Edward took one look and me and laughed. I was human enough to be self-conscious and asked, "W-what?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Your eyes." He chuckled. I raised a hand to my eyes- they were wet./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""What?" I asked again./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""They are red and swollen." He laughed again, but I couldn't find the humor in it. "You have been crying, Isabella." It wasn't a question./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""You are so pitiful. Your little scum bag is not even dead yet!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I couldn't suppress a shiver at the word emyet/em. Edward chortled./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Anyway, before I kill it, how about I tell you a little story?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I didn't move one inch./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Alright then," he smiled./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""So, as you know, I came to Volterra with the intent of death, but when I asked Aro to do the deed for me he refused, saying it was a waste. My power fascinated him; he didn't want to destroy it. You see, Aro also has a special power, if he touches you he can read every thought you've ever had. He knew the jealousy that I was attempting to restrain and offered me a spot on the Volturi saying that with the power of being one of them I could have my revenge. I planned to kill you once you came after me./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""You never did, which gave me time to think of a better plan. I decided to make you suffer what I had suffered before I killed you. So I waited three months for you to show yourself…emthree months!/em Eventually, I grew tired of waiting and sent the two best people on my offense out to separate you from your pack and seize you and your boyfriend./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Now that I have you both, I will humiliate him and give him a slow and painful death, making you watch the whole thing. By the time I'm be finished with your mate, you will practically be begging me to kill you and right when I think you have suffered enough, I will grant your death wish. Then my revenge will be complete!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Before he was finished with his plot, I was on my knees. My hands covered my eyes, my tears splashed to the stone-cold floor. I could hear Edward descending from his throne, his footsteps came over to me and he placed one freezing hand on my shoulder./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Shall we gag her, master?" Jane asked, excitedly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""No." Edward replied. I could hear the smile in his voice. "I want to hear her screams."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"That made me cry harder, I had to bite my bottom lip to hold back sobs of terror and grief. Edward's footsteps faded from me as he walked over to Jacob. I looked at him, his hands were tied behind his shirtless torso, his face was glazed with sweat and he was panting heavily. His knees propped him up. His legs and ankles, like mine, were tied. He breathed heavily, and through his mouth. I imagined myself to look quite similar to him./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Hate swirled visibly in his eyes as he fought the urge to morph. "What are you going to do." He growled through clenched teeth./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Edward stood stationary for a moment, pondering. "Did you like Jane? I thought Isabella's face was priceless when I had her use her gift on you./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I won't make a sound." Jake promised Edward, his biceps flexing. "I'll hold you to it, but trust me Jacob- I'm sure you will."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Conditions?" Jake asked, heated for a challenge./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Jane will go at you for…three minutes. From the second you make a noise, Bella will have to take the rest of the time." Jake flexed again./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""And if I win?" he asked, his teeth still clasped./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Then…I'll give you five free minutes with her." Edward nodded in my direction./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I stared, terrified, from one man to the other. Jacob was really putting himself out there and dragging me with him. It was idiotic. I wasn't sure if he had the self-control./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""You ready?" Edward asked, grinning./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""You bet." Jake growled./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Alright Jane, do your stuff." Jane smiled at Edward, and then shifted her gaze to Jake. Immediately I saw every muscle in his body go rigid. His face began to go red and shake. His shade went from tan to red, from red to scarlet, from scarlet back to tan, and form tan to white. I saw his teeth clench and re-clench. His tied arms began to flail. His body squirmed and writhed on the floor./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jane, upset, glared at him harder. Jacob began to shake even harder, he looked about to faze but I knew that that wasn't it. Suddenly Jane gnashed her teeth at him and Jacob let out a tortured scream of pain that bounced around the whole room, cutting off in a gurgled sob./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jake panted heavily as he rasped, "How…long?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Edward looked upon him begrudgingly, "Three minutes and twenty-seven seconds." Jake's eyes rolled back into his head for a moment, then resurfaced./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Five minutes." Edward snarled, unlocking the chains on Jake's legs and ankles./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Immediately he ran up to me and spun me in a hug. "We don't have much time to talk so let's not worry about anything in the past. What we need to focus on is the present and the future." He said the words quickly, trying to make the most out of his limited time./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""First of al I need you to know that I love you so much and I never ever want anything to happen to you. Will you do whatever I ask?" he questioned quickly and urgently./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Yes," was my automatic response./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""If I say do not faze you will faze."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Yes."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""If I say run you will run."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Yes."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""If I say go and leave me behind will you do it?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Jacob!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Promise me, Bells!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""But Jacob, I-"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Promise!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Ok."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Alright, Bella what I need you to do is when I say 'now' you need to make a break for the gold doors. Do you understand?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Yes, but-"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I am going to faze and distract them and I want you to run as fast as you possibly can, got it?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Uh-huh, but Jake-"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Once you are out of the border of the town I need you to faze and run to the airport. Take this money," he pressed a large wad of twenty-dollar bills into my hand, "Buy a plane ticket. Tell the pack what happened to me and emnever come back here./em emstrongDo you understand?/strong/em"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"I nodded reluctantly, a loud sob of pain moaned from my chest./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Jake?" I blubbered./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Yes?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I love you so much!" I stood up on my toes, my lips searching for his. My mouth moved against his furiously, urgently. It didn't feel right, the way my lips were crushed up against him, but I knew what this kiss was. This kiss was a goodbye./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"emGoodbye forever./em/p