AN (2019): Updated her into third person. Enjoy.
Chapter 1
"You- you don't want me…"
"I can't keep pretending to be someone I'm not. I just don't love you." The words fell from his mouth with little emotion, instead his eyes remained static and cold. "Just don't do anything reckless, for Charlie's sake. And I'll make this easier on you, me and my family will leave and we won't return. This will be the last time you'll ever see me again." Leaning forward he kissed her hairline, coolness brushing against her skin before vanishing; leaving behind only the ghostly breath against her skin as an acknowledgement that he was even there at all.
A hoarse scream tore from the girls throat staggering forwards, "Edward!" Running after him was pointless, he was sure to be long gone by now, but she couldn't bring herself to care; not when she was clouded with such desperation. He couldn't just…leave. Not like this. He had promised.
Night came in a haze she couldn't remember; soon darkness was clouding her vision only causing her to stagger further into the unknown. The numbing pain was a distraction that kept her moving along until something pierced at her neck, searing hot pain spreading down her chest taking hold of her heart. She collapsed onto the floor withering in pain, wincing at the sharp twig that pierced into her skin taking blood.
Hours passed. Bella watched the sky turn darker as midnight came and sunrise surpassed it, every moment spent in bloodcurdling pain.
She wished for death, anything that could put an end to the agony. The suffering lasted throughout the night and longer. Somehow she had managed to drag herself away deeper into the forest to hide where she couldn't be found though the action had been nothing but torture; her body felt like it was on fire from the inside out whilst someone slashed her skin open with a jagged knife. Time lost all meaning.
She woke to a world through crimson eyes and a throat burning for blood.
Strength now radiated at her fingertips, it was a feeling of ecstasy that took hold of her like a drug. Despite this new surge in power, so different and strong, for the first time in her life did she feel her thoughts were in complete clarity. A path had been drawn out for her clear in the trees quick to remind her just how foolish she had been.
Gone was the fragile girl, the weak human who always seemed to need protection now replaced with a body that that burned with maddening anger like hot flesh to a flame. For the first time she had purpose with this new power brimming at her icy fingertips.
Pain.
Pain like Edward Cullen had brought into her life. He was, as she had foolishly been too naïve to realise, a monster.
And those hypnotised by monsters were either to die at their hand or survive long enough to see themselves become the very monster they despised.
Isabella Swan was a name long lost on the girl who stood within the walls of the most powerful guard amongst their kind. Twenty years had passed since that night. She found solace in the one place she could think of. The Vultori, as Edward had called it on that night, the closest things Vampires had to law. They were decades old, extremely powerful and known for their immortality.
The memory from that night she had forced herself to relive until the pain became rage, something she could craft to her will, as a reminder. As a reminder of the hopeless desperation she had felt, how scared she had been as her body tore itself apart alone. The humiliation. As a reminder to never again trust men like Edward Cullen. That they only cared about themselves, that they would use you, take from you until you were nothing but a shell of your former self. She rebuilt herself from the ground up ensuring that she would never feel like that again. She refused.
"Isabella." Aro's eyes never strayed as he watched the woman step forward. Dark curls cascading down her back, white skin that looked even paler against her vibrant red eyes. She was made of marble and straight lines, a perfect picture, so little left remaining in her appearance that reminded her of her old self, "We're having guests arrive tomorrow, another Vampire coven. They'll be staying a few weeks, maybe longer. An early arrival for your celebration."
Ah yes, her celebration. She used the the term hers loosely. To officially announce her to the rest of their kind as a high ranking member of the guard, less so of the ghost in the shadows she had been acting as. She wasn't naïve enough into thinking it was all for her, Aro delighted in any opportunity to show off. Keeping Covens in their place by reminding them of what awaited them if they stepped too far out of line or even dared to go against their leaders.
Politics. She had never been much of a fan.
For as long as she had been here she had never seen any guests. She wondered who would want to willingly step into den of the devil?
"Who? If I may ask."
"The Cullens." The answer echoed off the walls almost hauntingly.
The Cullens.
…Edward Cullen.
Her breathe hitched in her throat but her face remained neutral as she pretended to not know of the family she had once considered her own.
Aro continued, "They consider themselves vegetarians, they pride themselves in only drinking animal blood. Though they see each other more as a family."
Family.
Yet they had little trouble abandoning me. The thought crossed her mind and before her façade could falter she plastered a fake smile to her lips.
"The Cullens...Carlisle? I've heard you speak of him before to Marcus and Caius." She faked confusion.
"Carlisle Cullen is an old friend of mine and I am eager for him to meet my newest guard member." Aro giggled. Bella had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. What he really meant was that he couldn't wait to show off his old companion another beautiful gem in his collection. It was all a power move and knowing Carlisle it was one he did out of the hospitality in his heart. Once she had found his humanity intriguing now, she thought, it was feeble. "Could you please get Gina to set up their rooms." Aro ordered, "Four in the east side of the castle."
"Yes Aro." Nostrils flaring she spun swiftly exiting from the room. Her cape flowed out behind her in a black web as she stalked down the corridors like a menace. In her few moments of being left alone she let her show splinter, emotions long pushed down fought their way to the surface. Hearing the Cullens name in any varying capacity fall from Aro's mouth was the last thing she had expected. The mere mention of their name had shook her to her core, her chest had tightened and for the shortest of seconds she felt like the vulnerable girl she had left to die in that forest. The feeling had thrown her into a panic she wasn't expecting given all those years she had spent loathing the very thought of her ex alongside scorching every feeling that had the two connected.
Closing her eyes the crimson eyed vampire took a moment to compose herself allowing for the hot anger to pulse back through her body, heat spreading up her forearms.
"Gina!" She called in a tone more aggressive than she had intended. She said nothing. "The four bedrooms in the east wing, Aro wants them cleaned and prepped. We're having guests. The Cullens."
The rosy cheeked human seemed surprised at the revelation. But even she was well aware of whom they were.
Their connection Bella already knew of. Faded somewhere in her human memories she could remember faintly the portrait of Carlisle and the Vultori guard she had yet to know from her disastrous birthday evening. Carlisle's place in the guard was hardly surprising, after all it was her only reason for first coming here, however what was a surprise was knowing that Aro still considered him a close friend. Given our difference in taste and Carlisle's humanity, I doubt the feeling is mutual she thought to herself.
With Gina's orders in place Bella headed back to her room following the threatening click of her heels against marble.
The Cullens.
Was this not she wanted? To share her pain with those she had deemed to have cursed her soul. As they say, an eye for an eye.
As she continued to walk a sly smile couldn't help but implement onto her face. She was presented with what so many in her position dreamed for. For a chance to shower her enemies in her revenge.
An revenge she shall. In a fiery flame of hell and malevolence.