Alright, guys, here's another chapter for you. This was very hard to write. I am sorry if it feels a little back and forth. I hope it makes sense in the end nonetheless. And thanks for all the faves, followers and reviews. I never tire of them!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight.

Trigger warning: Violent scenes in this chapter. Mention of torture and pain. Not for the faint of heart.

Okay, on to the chapter.

A reminder of the peace and quiet from the previous chapter;

"Sometimes I worry that I may be too normal, but then I remember that I just had crazy, wild sex with a handsome vampire king in an alcove in a castle," I said softly, turning a page in my book. Aro's chest rumbled behind me, as his chuckle shook through him.

"Nothing to worry about, my dear." He said, his fingers ghosting my neck. "You are exceptionally not normal." He too turned a page in his book.

9 days later.

Bella's POV

After my angry encounter with Edward at the small café, I was fuming. I needed to let off some steam. He had walked in the other direction, and I marched in the opposite. As I walked, I kept coming up with even more things I should have told him. He was being ridiculous, and I wondered if I should tell Aro about our meeting. I hadn't told him where I was going, as he was busy with court stuff.

I had only gotten a text from Edward, asking for a friendly meeting, trying to solve our differences. I had been naïve. He wasn't interested in us being friends. He wanted me away from Aro, and in that case, hoped that we would get back together, he and I. Ridicoulous. The traffic was passing by my side, as I huffed angrily shaking my head.

I suddenly stopped, looking around. A prickling at the nape of my neck had me on high alert. I felt like someone was watching me. I turned and looked back down the road, squinting at the crowd of people bustling by. Nothing suspicious.

I turned back around and took a step, before nearly knocking into someone in a black long cloak, hood pulled up. My heart lurched violently, thinking Aro had tracked me here. I gazed into the dark interior of the hood, trying to see who it was. I couldn't tell. Suddenly a white, cold hand shot out, grabbing my wrist, I felt it break as I was pulled into the dark side street. No words, just violence. I stopped breathing as I suddenly realised who it was. Victoria. Barely coming to this realisation, she had slammed me against a wall, smashing my head hard, and I didn't register anything else, darkness came up from the floor and swallowed me whole.

15 days later.

Aro's POV

Days had passed in the glorious presence of Isabella. We had lived (well, she had), loved and laughed.

Now everything was dark, cold, and empty. She was gone. My body ached with the emptiness of her lost presence. I needed her. She had disappeared 15 days ago. I had not seen my mate for more than a fortnight and the strain was getting to me. I had a fairly good grasp on what had happened to her.

Edward had made the biggest mistake of his dead afterlife. He had somehow managed to usher my Isabella out from under my nose. Even Alice had not seen it coming. She was destroyed. Not only by her brother's foolishness, but even more so by the consequences of his rash actions. He had relied on the fact that Alice had not been monitoring Isabella, only focusing on Victoria. He had been right. Luring the girl out into the city, and then leaving her there in a rage. Alone.

The boy had scarpered as soon as he realised what he had done. Wisely so. Carlisle was doing his best to keep me from going after the boy myself. Lucky for him, I had more important matters at hand. I was scowling fiercely as I sat tense upon my throne, awaiting news.

I needed to find my mate.

More importantly, I needed to find Victoria.

Bella's POV - 27 days in captivity

Everything was dark. Victoria had blindfolded me and turned off the lights. I had no idea where I was, or how much time had passed. Weeks for certain. She had just placed me here, no words, no nothing. Clearly, she was smart enough to not interact too much with me. I was left alone for the most part.

I relied on my nonvisual, human senses to get my bearings.

The smell was dank. Earthly, kinda like mildew. The air felt moist and heavy. The heat was making me sweat. I could hear something dripping occasionally a few feet away to my left. My feet scraped the floor gently. I felt loose dirt shift beneath my soles.

I guessed I was in a cellar of some kind. She had tied me to a chair the first few days. Then as time progressed, she resorted to me standing up, my arms tied above my head., my broken wrist hurting like hell. Not able to sit, but too exhausted not able to stand either. I just hung limply most of the time. She came by occasionally, giving me water and feeding me in a non-too gentle way. She wanted to keep me alive for now it seemed.

She hadn't exactly tortured me, besides my initial injuries. Being so far from Aro, was plenty torture though. I had hoped that the brunt of the longing would subside as time passed, but it didn't. It only got worse. Like the hunger gripping me, this longing drove me mad. I saw him frequently in the darkness, thinking he had finally come for me, but no. As all the other visions, he vanished, slowly fading, until my throat was raw from screaming for him to stay with me, not to leave.

My joints were aching, like a thousand knives piercing me. I had almost completely stopped soiling myself by now. Nothing was left in my system. My jeans hung loose from my frame, as my body grew thin from lack of nutrition.

My stomach growled loudly in the cold, silent room.

Aro's POV - 41 days in captivity

The throne room was deadly silent. I sat completely still, like a statue, waiting. Waiting. Images of the days before her disappearance flashed through my mind. The subtle warning from Sulpicia.

Edward might act rather impulsively.

Isabella had not caught on, but I knew it was a hint to the fact that Alice might not know of his plans either. I just never thought it would have such catastrophic consequences. Clearly the boy had not known either. The only small consolation was that Isabella most likely was alive. Marcus had not seen our bond broken, which was a good thing.

Suddenly the doors to the throne room opened, and Sulpicia walked in. I did not move a muscle as I watched her coming closer.

"Any news, Aro?" She asked as she approached my chair. I shook my head.

"None. I have sent every guard out searching. Demetri has not been able to get a grasp on Victoria. He reckons she feels his intent to hunt her down." I placed a finger on each side of my nose, pinching the bridge. Sulpicia sat down in Caius' chair, looking at me.

"Have you been eating?" She asked. I felt her gaze on me, scrutinizing me. I did not answer. I had, in fact, not.

"Bella's natural shield is protecting her against Demetri's power. He cannot find her. Alice is monitoring Victoria's decisions closely, but she sees nothing. Clearly Victoria knows not to make any decisions before the last minute." I said, my voice almost a snarl.

I got up and began pacing the room, feeling trapped in a horrible nightmare. I wanted to scream, to rage.

"It is hopeless. I don't know if we will find her in time." I said, my voice defeated.

"It is not hopeless. Marcus told me; he still sees her bond to you. She is alive, Aro."

"For now, yes! But for how long? She is suffering too!" I had raised my hands to my temples, trying to stem the flow of emotions crashing through me. "We are both hurting! I don't know if she can survive this!" I was shouting now, my voice nearly cracking at the thought of the pain my mate must be enduring.

"Victoria will not kill her, Aro. She wants you to feel pain, like she feels too."

"Why does she want me to suffer? I haven't done anything to harm her." I was speaking fast, desperate for some answers.

"I cannot be sure, but I think Victoria feels you are responsible for her suffering. The Cullen's killed her mate, and you did nothing. No punishment, no consequences." She spoke softly, not blaming me, just stating what she thought.

I shook my head a little. "It cannot be that simple. She is probably unaware that Isabella is even my mate. She will think she has no use for the girl. Or she is just out to torture Isabella, seeing her as the cause of James' demise."

"Then Victoria might think that Edward will come for Bella. Either way, we can use it to our advantage."

I was silent, frozen, staring into space not entirely convinced. I could hear Sulpicia get up and walk quietly over to me. She stood in front of me, searching my face. I avoided her by closing my eyes, brows knotted. Almost superstitiously, I felt that if I did not betray my grief, everything would be alright. I also felt silly for even entertaining such human thoughts and feelings. How I had changed since Isabella had entered my life.

Sulpicia placed a hand on my cheek. I opened my eyes as her thoughts washed over me.

Her empathy was a warm balm, though it could not remove the pain I felt. She understood my suffering. She showed me the moments with Isabella, that they had shared before she was taken from me. Intending for me to see how strong the girl was. Even though she was human, she was resourceful. She was fearless, even against the vampire king.

My lioness.

Sulpicia spoke in her mind.

Perhaps our focus have been off. I feel like we need to focus on Bella, and not Victoria. Bella too can make decisions, that Alice might see a future in.

Perhaps Alice should focus all her attention there. Victoria may have worked out how to avoid Alice, but Bella also knows how the game works. We will get Victoria eventually, but for now, we should lay our animosity aside. It is only helping Victoria. If she is expecting Edward, then we might be able to ambush her. But you need to stay away for now.

She was looking into my eyes as she thought this. I recognized the truth in her words. This would be a hard challenge, as my rage against the redhead was overpowering me – I had lost control too many times already in these last few weeks. The north wing of the castle was pretty much trashed. Nothing I did had yielded any results. Victoria felt me coming miles away. I was helpless in this hunt. I closed my eyes again, as I steeled myself to sit this one out.

I know. Let me handle this. We will find her, Aro.

Sulpicia's thought was intense.

Sighing deeply, I nodded once. She wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tightly, helping support the weight of my feelings. Not many would see me in such a vulnerable state. Sulpicia and Carlisle were among the few I trusted. They knew me best.

"And you need to feed." She said softly into the silent throne room.

Bella's POV – 32 days in captivity.

I was hanging limply in my bonds, head bowed, trying not to feel. I didn't know how much longer I could do this. How long had it been? A month? A year? I had no clue. I was in pain, dizzy, and thirsty. And my back was itchy.

My rage against Edward rose in me. How could he do this to me? He should have known better. Deep down I knew he was trying to mend our relationship. He was just clueless as to how it could be done. He had invited me to a talk. I had taken a cab, not seeing the harm in meeting him at a public venue, where I safely could tell him to stay away from me. He had talked and talked, not letting me get in a word edgewise.

I had been sitting, trying to be patient, drumming my fingers on the white tablecloth. Finally grasping that he really wasn't interested in what I had to say, I had gotten up, telling him in no uncertain terms to leave me the hell alone.

I had stalked out of the café, and he had followed me. I pondered getting a cab back to the castle, but the walk wasn't that far, and I relished being outside in the warm air, feeling the fresh air on my face. Edward was suddenly at my side.

"Bella, I need you to listen to me. Aro is not what he seems. He is dangerous, only out to use others. He may very well be the oldest psychopath in this world. Is it really so hard to believe that he is using you against me?"

I took a deep breath, counting to ten before I answered.

"Why does everything have to be about you, Edward? You never even considered that I actually could have a life without you, did you? You are so busy trying to convince me that no-one will love me the way you do, but you are wrong. I wasn't happy with you. You are arrogant, condescending and you don't respect me. You will learn to listen to me, Edward, or I will have to get Aro to make you understand. Don't make me do anything we both will regret."

His face was thunderous. My words had stung him, I could tell. I started to turn away from him intending to stomp off, but he grabbed my wrist, yanking me back, glaring me in the face.

"Are you going to hurt me, Edward?" I asked scoffing, not showing that his grip was hurting me. He scowled at me, then let go of me, stalking off, shoulders hunched in anger.

There was a lot of tourists around, their talk humming around me. I felt fairly safe from him. In hindsight, I should have known better. He wasn't the only threat. Aro would be furious with me. He would be more furious with Edward of course. He would probably kill him. If I didn't get there first. Poor Alice. She would probably see his death by now reimagined again and again.

I straightened up sharply, heart pounding. A wince escaped me, as pain flared through my body, spiking in my head. I didn't care though. A thought had suddenly occurred to me. Alice must be watching my decisions. She might be able to see where I was. But what decisions could I make, that would have a future, that she could see? I needed her to see me wherever I was or would be in a near future.

Suddenly I heard the door slam shut. I jumped, heart nearly stuttering to a halt. I hadn't heard it open. Victoria must be in the room with me. I turned my head from side to side, trying to sense her movements.

"Victoria?" My voice was raspy, breaking, thick with thirst. My lips hurt as they moved, they were parched and cracked in several places. There was no answer. Suddenly I felt my head being yanked back by the hair, and icy cold water trickled down my face, throat and body. I gasped loudly at the pain as I felt a few hairs part way with my scalp. Water streamed into my mouth and I swallowed it greedily, gasping and sputtering as I did so. It tasted stale, like it had been sitting out for a long time, but it was the best drink I had ever had. She stopped pouring, long before my thirst was quenched.

She let go of my hair and I slumped forward, still gasping for air, wincing slightly as my broken wrist twisted a little. My clothes were soaked, and I shivered as goose bumps erupted all over my bare arms.

"Why don't you just kill me, and get this over with?" I asked softly, knowing she would hear me perfectly. "What are you even getting from this? Edward is no longer a part of my life." I heard a low hiss. I continued.

"Believe me, he hates me now. You are only doing him a favour by keeping me here." I couldn't be sure, but I thought I felt her right in front of my face. I coughed hard, just to bug her. It was worth the pain.

"Don't lie to me human. I saw you together, how do you think I found you? I followed his scent, knowing he would lead me straight to you."

"Oh, right. We did meet, yes, but not for the reasons you think. He left me. And then I saved him from the Volturi. Then I decided to stay with them – the Volturi." I decided against telling her of the bond between Aro and me unless it would become absolutely necessary to keep me alive.

In a flash she had removed the cover over my eyes, pulling out a few more hairs.

My eyes tightly shut against the assault of the low wattage lightbulb above me, I winced at the pain.

"Ouch, I think you burned a few of my childhood memories off there," I said my eyes stinging.

Snarling, she grabbed my jaw angrily, she pulled me towards her, my feet dragging uselessly across the floor. My shoulders were protesting sharply as pain flared all the way up into my skull and broken wrist. A cry almost escaped me, but I wouldn't give her that satisfaction.

"Look at me, human!" She hissed. I squinted at her, the light hurting my eyes, making them water.

"What is it, Victoria?" I tried to speak in a carefree manor, my voice sounded slightly peeved, due to my cheeks being crushed. My heart was hammering. It was so easy to anger her. I had to keep a delicate balance. But I also needed to be certain in my conviction. Show no fear.

"You lie!"

"Trust me, I am telling the complete truth. You can't make this stuff up." I said, almost shrugging, only it would hurt too much if I did.

She glared at me, her red eyes burning as she pondered my words.

"You live with the Volturi now? Are they going to turn you?" She asked, squeezing my jaw even more tightly, the pain was almost unbearable, willing me to tell the truth. I nodded as best I could, not being able to use my mouth.

She let me go, and I swung back and forth a little. She walked around me, silent, probably rethinking her use of me. I used this time to have a quick look around. I was indeed in a small room; the ground was not dirt as I had guessed though. It was just really filthy with dust and grime. The walls were old yellow bricks, covered in brown stains, running down the surface. A pipe was leaking in the corner, explaining the dripping I had heard. A small window to my right at eye level, so filthy it barely let in any daylight. I could just see a hint of a dirt street outside. If I could just get her to leave, without covering my face again, then I could try and take in my surroundings better. I couldn't still be in the city - My screams would have been heard by someone.

Victoria stood to my left, back turned to me, still as a rock.

"There really is no need for this weird dance between us, you have no use of me. Leave me for dead - you could still escape, you know."

She turned to me in a flash, punching me swiftly in the ribs. The air flew from me, as I felt at least a couple of them crack. A grunt escaped me, and I hunched over, trying to shield myself. She snarled in my ear.

"You do not scare me human. Aro cannot touch me. Do you not think that I know of him and his associates, trying to find me? They are nothing to me!"

She walked slowly around the room.

"I can still use you. The Volturi failed to protect James and me from your precious Cullen. If I keep you, he may be willing to leave me alone now."

I had come to a decision. Alice, I need you. I will try to make Victoria kill me. Willing my death to be visible to Alice in the future.

"You may as well kill me now, get it over with. No-one will care." I said directly into her snarling face.

Aro's POV – 42 days in captivity.

I had been having a meeting with Marcus, Caius, Sulpicia, Alice, Esme, and Carlisle. Alice and Esme were restless with worry. Carlisle had a continuous frown between his eyebrows. Marcus, Caius and Sulpicia were the only calm ones among us, though I did my best to keep a cool facade.

"We have been trying to find Victoria for weeks now, without any luck. She is clearly on to us. I have been thinking that we need to change our angle. We need to focus not on Victoria, but on Bella. I think that if we approach this with no malicious feelings toward Victoria, she will not be able to feel us coming. We need to focus our love on Bella instead."

Everyone was silent as Sulpicia explained her thoughts. Carlisle's eyebrows shot up, as it dawned on him.

"Of course," he said softly. "Victoria's ability is what is halting our progress. She is probably keeping Bella somewhere, and maintaining her distance as well. She has been keeping us from Bella by constantly leading us astray."

"Yes, that is what I am speculating." Sulpicia nodded slightly. "We need Alice to monitor Bella's decisions."

Alice nodded swiftly, concentrating.

"But we need to keep Victoria moving then, so someone will need to hunt for her." Caius interjected.

"It would be my pleasure," I snarled darkly.

"No," Marcus disagreed in his wheezy voice. "There will be no visions of Bella if Victoria does not feel safe around the girl. Alone, Bella will have nothing to do but wait. By interacting with Victoria, she will most likely make a few decisions, that Alice can pick up on. Hopefully, she will be able to pinpoint her location."

"How can you be so sure that Victoria is even checking on Bella? She could be dead for all we know." Esme said, her voice tremulous.

"I still see the bond stretching from Aro. Bella is not dead. She is weak, yes, but still very much alive. Victoria is keeping her alive, most likely feeding her from time to time."

"Victoria will grow suspicious if she suddenly finds herself completely safe from us," Carlisle said frowning.

"Maybe we need to find a balance. This will be tricky." I said.

"I think Edward is out there, also looking for Victoria, actually. He won't dare come near Volterra, but he is probably angry at himself for this, and will try to correct the situation. Perhaps that is all that is needed to fool Victoria." Carlisle interjected.

Bella's POV – 42 days in captivity.

Victoria hadn't been by in days.

I had been trying to make a few decisions, hoping that Alice would eventually see me, but I felt pretty certain at this point, that she wasn't monitoring me. All her attention must be on Victoria then.

My shoulders ached, but I had no strength left in my legs to ease the dead weight of my body. I had no idea how long it had been. Victoria had stopped covering my face long since, but I lost count of the days, nonetheless. The grimy window did little to help me keep track. Nothing in this little room gave me any hope of escaping by myself. She had me locked in chains hanging from the ceiling, and it was impossible for me to get free.

I had been screaming my head off, hoping for someone to hear me, but no-one ever came. I had begun to realise that I probably would die here. As the thought hit, I knew why Alice hadn't gotten visions of me. I had never really wanted to die. Not until now.

My breathing was shallow, and I knew I wouldn't last long if Victoria didn't come by soon to give me water and food. I sensed that she had given up on using me for her gain. Or she must be planning something else. I had been constantly balancing her crazy mind, trying to convince her to kill me, then hold her off, until I felt certain, Alice hadn't seen a vision of me. I was so exhausted. Darkness had been hovering at the edges of my vision.

Everything hurt, and I just wanted to die. It had been too long, and I felt like giving up. I felt warm tears welling up, and spill down my cheeks, hitting the floor as I pictured Aro in my mind. I wanted to be strong for him, I knew what losing me might mean for him, but I had done my best.

"I'm sorry. I love you," I whispered as I closed my eyes, feeling darkness drag me down into the abyss.

Aro's POV – 42 days in captivity.

As Carlisle spoke, I sensed Alice stiffen. Her eyes went blank, as she seemed to be lost to her thoughts. She was gasping as she covered her mouth in shock. I was at her side in a flash, nearly touching her, when Sulpicia shouted.

"Aro, no!" I stiffened, looking around, my fingers hovering at Alice's wrist.

"Don't! What you may see will hurt you and may send you into emotional turmoil. We need to make sure that your actions will not harm Bella first." I breathed deeply, steadying myself as her logic took hold. Nodding once, I stepped back, rigid, steeling myself, ready for the worst.

Carlisle was at my side, placing a hand on Alice's shoulder.

"Alice? What do you see?" He asked softly.

"It's Bella. She has decided to give up." Alice said in a cracked voice. "We are too late," Esme covered her face in horror. I clenched my fists. Sulpicia shot me a warning glare. I closed my eyes.

"Be specific Alice, what do you see, can you see anything?" She asked, voice tense. I opened my eyes again. Alice had closed hers, concentrating.

"She is in a small room, a basement or a shack, I think. Yellow brick, filthy surroundings. I see a small window, a winding dirt road outside. Fields in the distance," Her brows furrowed as she seemed to concentrate on something.

"I see a church," she said, breathless. Having heard enough, I stepped forward, grabbing her wrist. The vision that assaulted me was terrible. My Isabella, broken, hanging from the ceiling. Filthy, shattered. I could even smell her. Her last words vibrated through me, shattering my cold dead heart. Trying to focus I took in the surroundings, focusing on the window, honing in on the church a little off in the distance. A marble plaque, with an elegant text carved into it.

Chi sciacqua le lenzuola

alla Docciola, convien

che L'acqua attinga

alla Mandringa.

Gabriele D'Annunzio

I suddenly knew where she was.

"That is not a church I said. It is a cemetery for the old asylum in the city. Cimitero di san Finocchi. It is only a couple of miles away. It closed in the 70's so no-one will be there. Humans think it is haunted. It is north east of the city. Victoria must have found an old shack up there."

I looked to Sulpicia; she knew of it.

"Right, she said. We need to go," She pointed to Carlisle and Alice. "Will you come with us?"

"Of course," Carlisle said, while Alice was nodding vigorously.

"Let's go," I hissed. We were sprinting through Volterra in a matter of seconds, steering north-east, finally reaching fields and scattered forests. After a few minutes we skidded to a halt at the entrance to the small chapel. I looked around quickly, scanning the surrounding trees for any sign of buildings. Carlisle tried to pick up any scent, tracking from one place to another. I located the small plaque I had seen in the vision, turning my back on it to try to locate the tiny window I had spotted it from in Alice's vision. I ran in the direction I thought might be right, and suddenly came across a scent of vampire. Victoria.

I growled deep in my throat as I followed it, not bothering to call the others. I could feel Carlisle at my heels. We located a small footpath, leading through trees down to a dirt road winding its way south. Finally, I spotted a small shack, yellow bricks, filthy window.

I wasted no time, I crashed into the door, and it flew off its hinges, shattering to pieces at the far wall. I took everything in, my Isabella hanging limp from chains in the ceiling. She was barely breathing. Carlisle felt her pulse.

"She is very weak, Aro, we need to get her to a hospital, fast,"

"We have a hospital wing at the castle, it will have to make do. Too much to explain otherwise. Besides, you can work faster alone." I said hastily.

I lifted her up, not even concerned with her filthy state, only noting how thin she had become. As I cradled her against me, Carlisle broke the chain binding her wrists with almost no effort, and we were off, Carlisle calling Alice and Sulpicia as we went. I heard them follow me. I had never sprinted so fast in all my 3000 years. Everything was a blur around me.

"Hold on, tesoro, I am here." I mumbled into her matted hair covering her ear.

Suddenly I heard Alice shout, a second before something grabbed my cloak and threw me violently to the side, where I landed on my back. I held Isabella close, as I got to my feet, crouching low over her, looking around for my assailant, a sharp hiss escaping me. My companions were at my side in no time, teeth bared. Victoria was finally crouched in front of us, glaring at me, as I was holding her prize to my chest.

"I'm gonna need you to hand over the human," she said, almost sweetly.

"I am afraid I cannot do that," I said in a low snarl. She raised her eyebrows sharply, her eyes flicking between me and the girl in my arms.

She straightened, brushing off her sleeves, comprehension all over her face.

"You love her," It was not a question. I knew I needed to end things here, or else this delinquent would have immense power over me. I was torn between saving Isabella and killing the redhead. I turned around and handed Isabella over to Sulpicia without further comment. She almost immediately ran off with her, Carlisle in hot pursuit. Alice stayed with me, as I stood in front of the hated woman.

"No!" she roared, trying to get past me to chase after them. I barred her way, slamming her in the chest with my fist. She flew through the trees, cracking a few on her way, coming to a halt up against one.

I got lucky. The woman had to be too furious to realise the danger she was in. I had to fuel her hatred.

I raced to her, grabbing her by her throat and holding her up in the air. All her thoughts raced through me in a rush of hatred and never-ending fury. Instantly I knew her, I knew all her strategies, and her usual way of avoiding capture. Interestingly she wanted far more than just my Isabella. Oh, she was in deep trouble now.

"You are wrong" I hissed softly, as she struggled in my grasp. I crashed her to the ground still holding her throat tightly, making a crater three feet deep with her body.

"Not only do I love her, she is my mate," I snarled, slamming her into the ground again, before throwing her in Alice's direction. She landed in the clearing again, and almost immediately got to her feet. I could see astonishment in her eyes as she realised the implications.

"Aro of the Volturi has a human mate?" She asked shocked. Alice came up behind and tried to grab her, but Victoria felt it and ducked out from under her, beginning to run away.

"You will not get to her again," I said loudly. "This will be your last chance to have a go at the one reason you are without your mate. Also, if you truly wish to rule above me, you will have to take me out first. You will never get another chance. Ever."

She halted, her face thunderous as she charged me without even thinking. I stood still until she was upon me, then I grabbed her wrists, and jumped over her head, ripping them off as I landed on my feet, back to back with her. She screamed in agony. I did not allow her long to express the pain, I swiftly turned kicking her hard in the back and she flew face first into a massive oak tree, splinters flying everywhere. It looked rather impressive, should I say so myself. I threw her arms to the side and walked over to her, grabbing her by the neck and pulling her into a choke hold. She stood no chance, not being able to use her arms. She kicked out violently, but little did it help her. She screamed in fury, as I tightened my hold.

"Soooo dramatic," I said coldly, not letting my wrath take over completely. A flash flood of pure fury rushed through her, as she realised, she had lost everything. I grabbed her chin with my other hand, and with a swift pull, broke her head clean off. Her limp body fell to the ground with a loud thump. Alice stood a little to the side, barely concealing her surprise at how fast I had disposed of Victoria. I walked over to her.

"Do you have a match?" I asked. Dumbly she pulled out a lighter. That would have to do. Soon we were racing back to Volterra, Victoria's smouldering remains behind us.

As I skidded to a halt in the throne room, Caius nodded at me, pointing in the direction of the hospital wing. Not pausing, I ran up and pushed through the doors, walked over to the large window looking into the operations room, taking in the scene.

Carlisle was busy, flitting around, taking care of Isabella. Putting in a drop, cleaning her limbs, checking her eyes, linbs, listening to her heart. She just lay limp on the bed, not registering any of this. I would have liked to be at her side, and take her hand, but I knew that Carlisle needed space to work.

Sulpicia came up by my side, watching as Carlisle worked.

"Victoria?" She asked softly.

"Supremely dead," I answered coldly.

"Excellent. I knew you could handle her." She said, placing a hand on my shoulder. I only nodded, staring intently at Isabella. Willing her to wake up. She was so very still.

After a couple of hours Carlisle came out, running his fingers through his hair. Sulpicia and I had been sitting against the wall. I swiftly stood up.

"Well?" I asked.

He shook his head slightly, frowning.

"She is in bad shape, but not as bad as I had feared. I am keeping her under for now.

Broken wrist, almost half healed. I have re-broken the bones and set them straight. It may always hurt a little though.

She has two cracked ribs on her left side. Luckily, no puncture to the lung.

She is severely malnourished and dehydrated, her kidneys on the brink of shutting down. I have set a drip, with fluids and glucose, slowly feeding her system.

She will recover, but she will be traumatized, severely.

I believe if we turn her now, she will overcome her injuries, both physical and mental damage as well." He said all this gently, like a doctor used to handling destressed loved ones.

I nodded slowly, pondering my options.

"Can I visit her?" I asked, my voice gruff.

Carlisle nodded, placing a hand on my shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. He walked over to the door, and opened it, to let me in. I walked in, slowly, Sulpicia following me.

We stood by the bed, silent.

I looked at Isabella and placed my hand on her unbroken wrist, gently brushing her skin. Her face was gaunt, ghostly white, dark circles around her eyes. Carlisle had cleaned her up good. We stood in silence for a while. I finally spoke, not looking at Sulpicia, my eyes riveted on the broken girl beside me.

"We should get that divorce now, do you not think so?" I asked in a low voice.

"Yes, I suppose we should. I will see to it," she said softly.

"Thank you," I said.

Another long pause, and I gathered myself.

"I need your help in another matter," I said quietly.

"Anything," she said, placing her hand on mine. She knew.

"Please stay here, with me, as I do this." I whispered.

"Of course, Aro."

With that, I bent down, kissing Isabella's lips gently, before finding her throat, biting down, feeling her blood flow freely over my tongue.

Sulpicia squeezed my hand tightly, not saying a word, as I slowly drank the blood of my beloved human mate.

So! This chapter nearly had me on tears. I'm not sure if it was frustration or compassion for this poor couple. Anyway, thank you for reading, and I will see you next chapter! :)

I am not ashamed to beg for feedback on this chapter in particular. Pleeease let me know what you think! Thanks!

-Pancakes