Chapter 8
2 days later
Everyone knows about me and caius and it's normal no one asks questions he doesn't need to hide who he is and I don't need to lie to people me and Maria went shopping for clothes Jane came with us to make sure we weren't attacked and she's not as evil as I remembered but more fun I was moved into bigger room even though I spend most of my time in Caius's room reading his books watching the sky laying in his arms we never go to far it's like he knows I can't go to far at the moment everything is quiet no more attacks no warnings or threats or anything really everything is calm and aro is overprotective but gives me my space I miss Charlie and Renee I miss Alice my best friend. And how much I miss Jacob but I can't contact any of them the thought kills me even if I could I could contact I don't think I could take the pain of speaking to to them but not being near them
I'm walking through the halls with all these thoughts running through my head and Maria walking beside me staying quiet aro has called on us at the great Hall but we're walking slowly patiently I'm picking at my sleeves hair hanging loose my face has gone to its normal pale colour and I'm not so exhausted as I was when I first came the great Hall isn't far ahead but I stop feeling flustered in the short time I've been here this castle has turned into a home for me looking around I've never loved anywhere as much as here I compose myself head held high and walk into the great Hall standing a feet from aro and bow to him as I have come to do I see this brings a smile to his face as it always does and the memory of his shock the first time I done this always makes me smile I look at Marcus and nod then turn to caius who looks angry but not at me I can tell but he won't look at me
"dear child we have a guest" aro says to me standing and putting a gentle hand on my shoulder I turn with him walking towards the table but when I see who's sitting there I stop dead my shock I'm frozen cannot move I wasn't expecting to see Edward
I just stand there shocked not moving I realise aro is looking at my reaction I look at aro not knowing how to proceed
"how can we help you" I say through clenched teeth thoughts of Tanya running through my mind and anger building through me Edward stares at me and takes a step towards me and I step back "Bella please I came as soon as I heard about what happened Alice couldn't get hold of me" he said hand up like I'm a frightened animal "now you know I'm alive and in safe hands" I gesture to the volturi members in the room and see Jane smile "you can leave" I finish calmly trying not to scream at him he looks at me shocked I know that he knows about me and caius Alice would've saw it and told him or her would of read it in caius thoughts or aro's or anyone else's I turn to caius who is still on his throne in a black suit and red tie blonde hair resting on his shoulders and his bright red eyes he fed recently I can see it in his eyes he is watching us curiously not knowing the outcome I smile at him hoping he will understand my thought are only for him but he just looks at Edward as I turn back to Edward he opens his mouth but stops he's trying to find the right words "can we speak alone" he says to me and only me I turn to aro to see if he has any input and hear Edward sigh I ignore it I don't wish to be alone with him as I want to scream and shout at him I won't forgive him for what he's done aro is in thought "it it your choice child" he says I wait to see any reaction from caius but he stares at Edward his gaze not dropping "ok" I say to Edward "I'll be in the gardens" I say to aro and bow aro bends and kisses my cheek as I walk towards the doors of the great Hall I turn to Jane hoping she can see my reaction which thankfully she does she walks slowly behind me far enough for privacy but close enough if I need help Edward is in step beside me when I'm walking out the doors to the garden I can feel Jane's gaze on me which is reassuring I do trust Edward he saved my life more than I can count but I don't know this part of Edward I feel as though he has changed I walk to a bench and sit he sits beside me I can see change at the doors to the garden turning away for privacy but close enough if I need her
"what do you want" I say not caring for his feelings towards him he smiles at me his old smile that was just for me "I'm here for you Bella" he says to me honestly "no Edward go back to Tanya" I stand to walk away and he's in front of me "that was" he stops "that was a mistake I went there to clear my head I didn't know how to help you out of this one" he says waiting on me saying something so I nodded "it just happened a moment of madness I sent the letter and then" he stops looking away from me "by then it was too late I heard what happened to you I wasn't there to help you I hurt you" he says words nearly stumbling out "we think it's Victoria" I say factly he disagrees shaking his head "no Alice had been watching her it's not her" he says putting his hand up to touch my face and I step back "you should leave" I say to him meeting his gaze so he knows how I feel "no I'm staying until you ate mine then I'm staying and being with you here as a vampire I'll be by your side forever" he says to me and I laugh at him I can't believe I'm laughing Jane turns to look at me confused I don't know if she can hear what he's saying but I can't help it
"no you leave I don't want you here" I say to him "to late I joined the volturi I'm here to protect you from everything" I hear the double meaning caius "I will show you. You still love me and the volturi can't say no if a vampire wants to join them especially one who can read minds" he says almost smiling "fine" I say walking back towards Jane with a smile on my face and head held high if one thing I learned here is that I cannot show weakness or be childish I'll get on with my life here and ignore him I'm beside Jane and she squeezes my hand eyes full of questions I nod at her and we turn to go back inside Edward on our heels
The doors to the great Hall is open and we walk in caius and aro are talking it's obvious now no one heard our conversation and I'm not sure how to react I walk to them and smile at caius Edward is behind me and stands by my side "so Edward is joining us after all" aro says I nod at him but Edward is by my side and you could actually cut the air with a knife with all the tension in the room I look to caius who is still staring at Edward I look at the window and it's darker than I thought "Well It's getting late I'm going to my room" I say to no one in particular aro leans down and kisses my cheek and I kiss his I smile and bow to him a goodnight ritual we have developed over the days Maria is waiting at the doors when I get there I turn to caius who is still watching Edward when I look at Edward he is smiling "caius" I barely say and he turns to me and smiles "I'll be there in a moment Isabella" he says turning to aro again I walk with Maria out the room.
We walk slowly I'm not sure where we're going we just walk she looks at me then turns her head away "is everything ok" I ask her and stop near a window she nods but doesn't look at me "tell me" I put my hand on her arm and wait patiently it takes a few moments for her so I be patient
"caius isn't happy" she says looking at me waiting on a reply but I wait for her to go on "he thinks you will leave him for Edward he saw you laughing with Edward in the courtyard" she says I laugh again I look at her place my hands on her arms but she looks grim I wait for my laughter to stop "it's not like that I was laughing at Edward yes but only because" and I see Edward walking towards us and stop beside me "Bella may I walk you to your room" he says very politely "no thank you I'm waiting on caius" I reply calmly and sure of myself "it is no problem apparently my room is just down the hall from yours" he says and looks at me pleasingly I turn to Maria who is a few steps away from us "as I've said I'm waiting on caius" I say louder than necessary he smiles "you do not need to worry my intentions are honourable I can keep you safe" he says I have no reply other than repeating myself "how is Alice" I say instead Edward looks at me now strangely "immediately not sure I've not seen anyone since I left" he says guilty and I regret asking the question Alice must of called him and told him of the attack and he came straight here I nod not sure what to say so I sit at a bench and say nothing
"so can I walk you to your room" he says again "no thank you I can do that" hearing Caius's voice I stand and he walks to me and puts his arm around me "thank you anyway Maria you may go" he says to her rather abruptly and she leaves quickly as possible without running "goodnight" Edward says I nod and turn with caius we walk and I walk in a daze with only caius really holding me up I think the reality of it has now hit me Edward has come to get me he loves me but he went to Tanya he was with her his words echoes in my head "it just happened a moment of madness it was a mistake" it keeps replaying I don't realise where I'm walking until I'm standing in Caius's room which I'm grateful for I look at him now holding me he takes a few steps away and walks to the bathroom leaving the door open he's only gone a moment but is back with a pair of jeans on and a tight t-shirt he is standing right in front of me staring at me not sure how he's going to react I can't read his expression he passes me clothes I go to the bathroom and change brush my hair wash my face brush my teeth then wash my face again I leave my hair down I walk back into the room and he's not here I walk to the balcony and he's sitting on the couch staring out I go and sit beside him but not to close I want to see his face but it's just like a statue not moving "caius" I say putting my hand on his and his face changes he smiles he looks at me for the first time since being in that hall "what did I do please tell me why your mad at me' I say but he just smiles leans in and kisses me the kiss is long and tender I pull my hands up around his head his arms are around me electricity coursing through me I feel so content and happy but I pull away "caius" is all I say through hard breathing I feel myself choke up "Isabella you still love him" he says looking right in my eyes down to my soul "no I don't" I say and really mean it "I don't love Edward I really don't I can feel it lifted from me I still feel kindness but that is it and well hatred" I say to him he looks at me "Well why are you crying" he says wiping a tear from my cheek I never realised I had let show "because your so mad and I'm the cause of it I don't want to lose you" I say to him I cant lie to him "what where you laughing about with him please tell me it's killing me" he says holding my two hands in his I nod "he thinks he can win me back so I started laughing at him I couldn't help it and I wanted Jane there well" I said not sure how to put it "I understand the Jane part he wouldn't risk irritating you with Jane there he wants you back he loves you " and he stops looks at me for my reaction I don't even flinch "caius I'm tired it's been a long day can I lay down" he nods and follows me to the bed "I don't care if he loves me I don't love him" I say to caius hoping he will understand he nods and we lay down in bed and he kisses me as I fall asleep in his arms
I wake in the morning the sun hasn't been up long caius isn't here and I can hear something at his door "caius is that you" no answer "Maria" I call I walk to the door the floor cold below my feet I get to the door and put my hand on the handle I wait a few moments then pull the door open nothing I sigh there's nothing there
Then out of nowhere Edward appears "I'm sorry Bella I do love you but you can't stay here" he pulls me towards him I go to scream but he puts his hand on my mouth and when he turns me so my back is against his chest I see caius laying on the floor head apart from his body ripped apart and I feel it teeth into my neck the venom running down through my veins in my blood I scream and struggle but it's to late I'm turning.