Chapter Ten
Bad vibes. Major bad vibes, is what Bella is picking up as she is lead down a tunnel. It's dark and dank and small, so that they must go in single file down into the Volturi's lair. Bella feels like she's going into a villain's secret lair so that she can be used as bait for a superhero.
Edward is in front of her and his back is so tense, she can see the corded muscles going up to his neck. Alice is behind her and Bella resists the urge to look at her. If she sees anxiety on the pixie's face, it will only sky rocket hers.
At last they get to a pair of double doors and Alec opens them up. Bella blinks in the harsh light of the huge chamber. The ceiling is made of a mosaic that depicts angels and demons fighting on it. Everything else is made of marble, save the thrones and the vampires sitting on them. The rest of the Cullen's stand in the middle of a raised dais, to be judged, looking distressed.
"So glad you could all join us," a lisping voice speaks as the man on the middle throne stands up. He has long black hair and red eyes that peer at Bella with too much interest. She shivers, cold in this place. It feels like a tomb. "And I see you've brought a...human."
Silently more vampires filter in, all wearing the cloaks of the Volturi. They stand to the sides, with the exception of one blonde vampire who walks up to the long haired vampire and drapes herself around him. Her eyes too linger on Bella. It makes her uncomfortable. Edward steps out in front of Bella, to hide her.
"We came, as you asked. What do you want from us, Aro?" Edward spoke up, bristling. Alice laid a hand on his tensed bicep, murmuring something to him out of the corner of her mouth. Probably telling him to calm down least he do something rash.
Aro smiled, an eerie thing. "Ah, we only wished to talk. We haven't seen you since last year. I was going to mention the debt you owed us for getting rid of Victoria and her coven which was hunting down humans in Seattle, but," he stopped here, holding everyone in suspense. "Now I see we have another issue at hand."
Everyone tensed at this. Why did Bella have the feeling this was about her?
"Aro," Carlisle spoke up as Edward began growling. Alice and Rosalie joined in, grouping around Bella, keeping her inside the circle of their cold hard flesh. "I am sure we can arrive at some satisfactory conclusion-"
Aro raised his hand. "Marcus, Cain," he addressed the two still seated vampire behind him. "What are the rules regarding humans knowing about our existence?"
"Death," the two intoned without question and Bella's stomach dropped to her knees. Fuck. Rosalie had been right in telling Bella to stay away, but for all the wrong reasons. Bella wasn't the only one who was going to be in danger. Her vampire friends would be too. And it was all Bella's fault. Panicked, she tried to slip out of the circle to beg Aro on her friends behalf. Punish her if need be, but do no harm to her friends. Rosalie's cold hand clamped tight on her upper arm and stopped her. Bella turned back to look at her but Rosalie tensely nodded her head no. Bella had never seen the vampire looked more pissed than now. The sheer amount of hatred on her face had Bella gasping. Was...was Rosalie resentful of Bella for causing this to happen to her family? If so, Bella didn't begrudged her.
"Aro!" Carlisle cried out as the whole Cullen family hissed, hackles rising. "You cannot kill Bella! She is innocent of this!" Bella felt sick at this declaration. Faint. The hold Rosalie had on her was the only thing keeping her up now.
The woman on Aro's arms leaned in and whispered something to him. His face became even more delighted. "Ah!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands. "Sulpicia has raised an interesting point for me. She mentions that someone has a soul mate bond with Bella here?" He waved a finger through the air. "I recall Victoria making note of this when I last...'talked' with her but it slipped my mind until now. So, who is the lucky vampire to be linked to Bella here." He peered at them, waiting for them to speak up.
"Yes, Bella has a mate linked to her," Esme filled in. "So if you hurt her, you also hurt one of your own."
Aro pouted. "Hm, this makes things more...delicate." He turned to Sulpicia. "What do you think we should do, darling?"
"I think we should...see things for our-self."
"What do they mean by that?" Alice whispered to herself. Bella was wondering the same thing.
"Aro, explain yourself." Carlisle demanded, all too aware of how close Edward was to bursting from anger. Bella longed to reach for him but Rosalie was still holding her in place, grip too tight. Bella didn't dare complain.
Aro clapped his hands together. "It's not often we hear of a human and vampire mated together. I must say, it's interesting. Perhaps we might not have to kill Bella if we were able to observe this bond with our own eyes. For research purposes of course, to see how it works."
All the Cullens fell silent. Bella's heart was racing frightfully fast. They wanted to...experiment on her? By doing what? She felt even more sick than before.
"Aro, you cannot be serious-"
"Very, serious," Aro cut off Carlisle's outraged cry. "This is a potential wealth of knowledge. It's never be recorded before in history and seeing this bond first hand, might change our decision on poor Bella's plight."
"And we're just supposed to leave Bella with you all?" Edward barked out.
"No," Aro shook his head. "I know you would not trust her alone with us, and clearly, we cannot study the mate bond without her mate being present as well."
"What says we'll let you do this to our Bella bear?" Emmett spoke up, hands curling into fists. He looked ready to pummel the Volturi into dust.
"You don't have any other option. If you don't agree to this, we'll be forced to kill her and punish all of you for this breach," Aro stated lightly, like he was talking about the weather and not lives.
This wasn't a light decision to make. But if it would save all them from being punished and save Bella's life, well then, there was only one option. "I'll do it!" Bella called out, her voice ringing in the vast chamber. "I agree."
"Bella what are you doing?" Edward turned on her, anger blazing in his eyes.
"I'm trying to save all of our asses," she responded with. "This is my fault-"
"It's not. It's my fault. I was selfish. I wanted you all to myself despite knowing that to do so would put everyone at risk. I need to be punished for this," he gripped her shoulder's tightly, words impassioned.
"Eddy, Eddy, Eddy," Aro tsked, beaming down at the boy. "Let us not be rash. You won't need to be punished if you merely do as we ask."
"This is all my fault," Edward turned from Bella and faced Aro. "If anyone should be punished, it should be me. Bella didn't ask to be involved in this and the coven warned me against it, but I did not listen."
"We only wanted our son to be happy," Esme added, voice hopeful. "Surely you would understand what it means to have a mate and how important it is."
Sulpicia's eyes trailed over Bella at this and she smirked. Bella did not like this look.
"Just look at you and Sulpicia. Didn't you suffer when you didn't have her?" Jasper spoke up to Aro. He looked strained as if the heightened emotions were draining him.
"I understand the importance of a mate bond, Cullens, which is why I am so interested in the one Bella has. In order to understand it better, I need to do some research on it. Leave her here, with her mate and another coven member and no harm will come until we are done with our research. No harm will come to Bella, we promise it. Or to the two vampires staying with her and protecting her."
"You honestly expect us to just stay here? What if you want to hurt us once the experiment is done? We have no way of escaping," Edward spat out. "Just keep me-"
"My, you have so little faith in us. Our decisions are guided by the archaic laws. We will not inflict punishment on you without proper trial. Either way, you don't have a choice," Aro hummed, looking delighted now like a little child that was going to get their favorite toy.
No one but the Volturi were happy at this predicament. Edward took two steps forward but Alice was right in front of him. Pushing against his chest, holding him back. "Edward don't try to fight them. You know we can't win. And Bella's here."
Edward's nostrils flared.
"Edward, the choice is yours," Carlisle said and he maintained an even eye contact with Edward. Something told Bella it was because he was sending Edward thoughts telepathically. Bella wondered what they were talking about.
"Fine," Edward grit out, taking a step back. "We relent."
"Excellent," Aro cheered. "Sulpicia, who shall we pick?"
"Edward, will come along," the blonde vampiress drawled. Her eyes scanned over the remaining Cullens before latching onto Rosalie. "And darling Rosalie too."
Rosalie stiffened up as they all turned to look at her. "Rosalie...?" Esme trailed off, hand over her mouth in horror at this situation. Rosalie's grip on Bella slackened and dropped off. She shifted away, looking almost guilty.
"I hate Bella. I'm afraid I won't be much company," Rosalie made out of a tight mouth.
Sulpicia did not seem convinced. "No, you'll do just fine," she purred.
And with that it was decided. Bella, Edward and Rosalie were staying with the Volturi while the rest of the Cullen's went back home.
"We have a lovely little room all set up for you," a small vampire by the name of Jane said as she escorted Bella to a room down the hall from the massive chamber the decision had taken place in. Bella clutched the bag of belongings the Volturi had given her. Change of clothes and toiletries for her however long stay here.
She looked inside. The room was fairly large and came with a kitchenette, a bathroom, and two beds. She gulped before stepping in. Everything looked normal, like this was an apartment building and not in the deep pits of the Volturi. Yellow furniture and flowers in vases. The only thing off was the one way mirrors set up all around the place and the weird inscriptions on the walls, gouged in with red.
She shuddered and hoped it wasn't blood.
"Food will be delivered regularly, three times a day," Jane intoned, voice flat. How had such a young girl even become a vampire? It was kind of sad, wasn't it?
"Um, but what kind of experiments will be held? Do you need my blood? Samples-"
"I will not disclose the information with you," Jane said sharply and then turned on her heel and shut the door. The sound of a padlock being put into place, cemented Bella's journey into the unknown. She sat down on her bed, taking comfort in how soft the comforter was. But other than that, her mind raced with bad thoughts. She could imagine herself on a cold slab of stone, getting picked and prodded apart by doctor scalpels.
Shit. She was so sorry for getting the Cullens in trouble.
If she could, she'd move back time. But she couldn't. She was stuck here. She might as well get used to it. To her indefinite stay. To keep her mind off of her anxiety, she got up and began to unpack the bag she had been given. She put her clothes in the mini closet, her toiletries in the bathroom, and she looked through the kitchenette and saw there were some pots and pans for her if she needed to cook.
Sighing, in exasperation, she put her hands on her hips. There was nothing in the way of entertainment here. What was she to do, stare at the wall? She walked up to the mirror and knocked on it. "Hey, um, I don't know if anyone's there yet, but um, could I get like maybe a book or something to read? Do ya have I dunno, like a wifi code I could use?"
No response, because of course not. Bella sighs and sits back down on her bed, wondering when Edward will get here. Right now she needs the comfort of someone who cares for her.
There is the sound of the padlock on the door being moved and Bella's head jerks up to eagerly await her boyfriend's arrival.
She's confused when Rosalie walks in instead.
A/N: Oh my god, they were roommates. (Captive version?)