An Unfortunate Demise

"I think I would like to visit the market today," I tell Jane, shutting my book closed with more aggression than intended. "I need to get out for a few hours."

Jane sets down her book and makes her way to the window at the far end of the library. "I think the weather is on our side." She turns back to me. "When would you like to go?"

I stand to my feet and collect my bag. "Now?" I ask hopefully.

Jane agrees and together we make out way out of the castle and head into the market. Much like the day I visited with Heidi, the skies are overcast and the clouds are full and I wouldn't be surprised if it starts to rain.

Once we are out in the square, I look around, hoping to see the old woman from the previous trip. Unfortunately, her cart is nowhere to be seen and I get a distinct feeling that I may never see her again. Maybe she was only here for my sake that day or maybe she had to leave Volterra. Whatever the case, she is gone now and I don't know if I will ever be able to ask her more questions about the journal and where she found it. But still, the question burns in my mind; how did she know to give it to me?

There are more people here today than the last time and I am happy to see so many families out and about. A little girl runs out of the bakery, a loaf of bread in hand, and the grin on her face spreads one to my own. Jane side-eyes me and I giggle in response, pulling her in the direction of the store. Inside I chat with the baker while he bags up my goods, the two of us laughing about the weather. He sends me on my way with an extra pastry, free of charge, and I thank him kindly before Jane and I head back into the square.

When we step outside, Jane straightens and I can see from the look on her face that something is wrong. She growls low, sniffing the air. Then she turns to me and orders me inside. "Go to Mary's, order a dress. Stay there until I come back to fetch you. Do not leave."

Something is going on, but I do not question Jane. I trust her with my life and if she wants me to hide out in the dress store until she investigates, I will do just that. With a quick turn on my heel, I walk hastily over to Mary's tailor shop. I'm not keen on seeing the woman again, but I can feel the danger in the air.

Once I reach Mary's door, I turn around to see if Jane is still in the square, but she isn't. She must have left to find whatever it was that made her so uneasy. With a sigh, I make to enter the shop when I hear a scuffle and a cry for help to my left. Even though Jane told me to go to Mary's and stay there, I cannot ignore the plea. What if someone is hurt or in trouble? I cannot in good conscience ignore them.

As I approach the alleyway to my left, the cries grow louder. No one else seems to hear the noise, so I continue alone. When I reach the ally, I see a young woman huddled against the cobblestone wall. Her head is in her hands and her dress is torn and dirty. She does not acknowledge me as I approach and her whimpers do not cease.

"Are you alright?" I ask her, my voice gentle. I don't wish to scare her.

The girl shakes her head no but does not look at me. Goosebumps spread across the flesh and I begin to feel uncomfortable, but I don't back down. Once I am in front of her, I squat down to check the woman for injuries. "Miss, are you hurt?" I do not see any sign of an accident, but not all pain is external.

"No," she whispers. But before I can question her further, she lifts her head from the cradle of her arms and looks at me. And I know now that I should've just listened to Jane. I should have gone into the shop and stayed there until she returned. I should have trusted the uncomfortable feeling and recognized it for what it was. Because the woman in front of me is not a human and she is not hurt. She is a vampire.

Her red eyes stare at me humorously and before I can even take a step, before I can even attempt to escape, she is behind me. Her arms wrap around my neck and I struggle against her, desperate to breathe, desperate to escape and run back to Aro. But it's futile.

"Please," I manage to choke against her force. I try to pull her arm away from my neck, but every second is another without air and I grow weak.

Seconds pass by like this and then my world fades to black, but not before I hear the woman say "I'm sorry."

~AB~

When I wake up sometime later, my head is throbbing, and every bone in my body aches. I can't seem to move; my body too tired to comply. I don't know where I am and every time I try to open my eyes, all I see are blurred lights and darkness.

Then I hear the voice of a woman light and airy. "They're almost here."

"We should finish the job then," a male replies, his accent thick and eastern.

"We don't have time," she hisses in response. "Not if you want your revenge. We need to leave her here for them to find. We can return for her later."

The male snarls. "She will not be weak when we return. If you think we will be able to capture her again you are mistaken."

There is a loud crashing noise and then the man continues. "We should have killed her. We can still finish her off. She's already on the precipice."

"You know better than I how the Volturi respond when a mate is murdered," she snarls back, her anger rising to the same level as the man. "We must leave now, Vladimir. Stefan will find us later, but we need to leave before the Volturi arrive."

"Then we take his mate with us," he argues. I hear him spit and feel a wet glob hit my cheek.

"No, we should leave her here for them to find. She will serve as a warning to them that we are always near."

"You think that will stop them? Stop them from hunting us down? They will look for us whether we kill her or not. Whether we take her with us or leave her here, it does not matter." This Vladimir is getting angrier now, his voice growing in volume. He spits rage and fury in every syllable. "We should kill her just like we did the other."

"There isn't time," the woman yells and the sound makes my head pound. "If we kill a Volturi mate while we are so low in numbers, they will destroy us. We will not stand a chance."

Then I hear the sound of a door slamming open. "We must go," a new voice urges, similar in accent to that of Vladimir. This must be Stefan. "They are not far behind and we are no match for the army Aro brings with him."

I feel weaker by the second and wonder what they did to me while I was asleep. Everything hurts, but it's now that I realize that the pain in my wrist and leg is fierce and throbbing. I want to scream and cry, but I am so weak and so afraid of what these vampires will do to me if I make a sound. So I find the strength to stay quiet. Aro is coming for me. I must survive for him.

And just when I think that they've gone, cold lips graze my ear. I want to scream and thrash against whoever it is, but I remain still, not wanting to alert them.

"We'll be back for you, Isabella." Vladimir. His voice gives me chills. The tone is slimy and the cadence unsettles me.

A door slams shut and silence falls. I don't know how much time passes as I lay there, wallowing in my pain, still unable to move. But it isn't long before the door slams open once more and a low growl fills the air.

"Isa," someone chokes. Their voice is gruff and desperate. A cold hand presses against my cheek and I struggle to open my eyes. Aro.

Moonlight reflects off his porcelain skin. His eyes are black as night and his expression ferocious. I can barely look at him. My eyelids are drooping. I am weary. And yet, his black orbs keep me with him. I want to reach up and touch his cheek but my arms are dead weight. Black spots dance across my vision and weightlessness begins to engulf me.

"Aro," I manage to whisper, forcing a smile onto my lips. He is so beautiful, even though he looks like he wants to tear the world apart.

I knew he would come for me. As quick as this whole ordeal seems, I knew he wouldn't be far behind. And I was right. He found me.

But now, I think I'm dying. My lifeforce is slipping through my fingers and there is not much I can do but stare at him. My mate. My everything. The man I've grown to love and care for, even in his jealousy and possessiveness. Because beyond those flaws, he is kind and genuine. He cares for those he loves with more passion than I ever imagined one could possess. And even more, he has grown with me.

Nothing between us is perfect, for we are not perfect. But he is trying to be the man I deserve and I am trying to be the woman he desires. And along the way, my imperfect soul took a dive for his. Somewhere along the way, our jagged edges connected into one.

"I love you." I try to say the words, try so hard to force them out, but I can't even hear them as I attempt to make the sounds. Everything is fading and I hold onto the sight of him as my world goes black.

~AB~

Pain. All I feel is pain.

There is movement around me, voices, but I can't place any of them.

And oh god, the burning. The burning is too much.

Am I turning into a vampire? Is this the pain of the change? It must be. It rages through me, spreading through every nerve, every inch of my skin. How did this happen? How did I end up here?

I can't focus on anything other than the pain. The voices are too quiet to latch onto. I want to scream but I can hardly move let alone make a sound. I'm paralyzed by the fire and even my vocal cords are useless.

Time has no meaning. There is only the warring of the fire raging through my body and the icy hand holding my own.

Memories flash before my eyes. I see my mama and papa dancing together in the field, their eyes only for each other. I see my first horse and watch myself ride around our pasture while the Tuscan sun sets on the horizon. I see the night my mother died and the haunted look in my father's eyes. I see my first night at the palace and my first encounter with Aro. And then I see him as I know him now; I watch him unfold and flower before me in a glowing golden aura. I hold onto these memories as if my life depends on it. And maybe it does because the fire is growing stronger and enclosing my heart. Whatever this is, it is coming to an end.

My heartbeat grows faster, thundering toward some sort of finish line. Each beat is stronger, pulling the fire into its center. And then, after a glorious crescendo, the fire explodes into sweet relief and my heart stops.