Chapter 2

MPOV

Another boing day in the Volturi throne room. My mask of boredom in place as I barely listen to the pleas of a vampire who was caught feeding within the walls Volterra.

Suddenly Jane walks in, her twin Alec not far behind.

"Jane, what is the meaning of this?" Aro demands. Tossing the head of the normad away.

"My Lord, the towns people are preparing for a witch burning." Jane says quickly.

"Jane, this is the 21st century, people don't do which burnings anymore. Let me see!" Aro demands, grabbing Janes hand. "Oh my!"

"What is it brother?" Caius demands.

"Isabella Swan has returned."

My brothers and I ran quickly towards the burning site, I once again going over the brief encounter with Isabella Swan.

I go over the events in my head, and find that Isabella was a kind girl. Her bonds where strong for someone so young. But when I first looked at them, seven bonds had been broken; quite harshly as well. They were torn and still weeping, like the relationship had been broken harshly.

The way she stood up to us, asking to spare the vampire she came in with and to take her life instead. Truly remarkable. No one has ever even considered giving their life up for an unholy creature before, at least not to my knowledge.

I quickly look around and find myself nearly at the burning site. And there a lot of people. It appears that the whole town is here. I then spotted a raised platform that is piled high with dry wood and hay. In the middle of it, is a large wooden stake.

Suddenly the crowd starts to cheer, and I see a thin, pale girl in a simple white dress get pulled on stage and tied to the stake. I can't see her face, but I could recognize the mahogany hair anywhere. Isabella Swan.

Then the town's mayor climbs onto the platform and begins to speak.

"We gather here today, to witness the burning of the descendant of the witch, Adriana Clarissa Cigno." With this he pulls the girls hair back to reveal Miss Swan.

She has thick, never ending tears running down her face. Her eyes are red with tears, her nose also red from sniffing. Her eyes hold so much fear as she looks around her. Her mouth is then opened and the mayor ties a gag around her mouth, making it impossible for her to speak. She then starts to struggle at this point, tears flowing quicker. Fear building in her eyes as she sees a man with a lit torch gets on the platform. She looks around again, begging with her eyes for someone to help her. No one does, there is a silence that speaks death. They want her to die.

My brothers and I reach the very edge of the crowd, I look at the girl again and lock eyes with her. She then looks back at the man with the torch, and struggles harder with the bonds holding her to the stake.

Isabella looks back to me and my family. Locking eyes with me again, I good feel our bond form, it rushes from my chest in a golden wave to meet the most tentative tendril of pearl coming from her own chest. It wraps loosely around my gold strand, this only happens when you meet your mate. As I watch more closely that her side of the bond has to struggle to break through the ripped and harshly torn bonds she already holds. The intensity of despair from those ravaged bonds is something I have only seen in centuries old vampires or of humans in the thick of a war.

I look back at the human man who holds the torch, I see that he is bending down, to light the dry wood at Isabella's feet.

I open my mouth to speak, but Aro beats me to it.

"What is the meaning of this?" Aro exclaims loudly. Every human turns to us. Isabella looks at us like she can't believe what it happening.

The mayor speaks up, "This girl is a witch, she is being sent to her fate in Hell.". He calmly motions for the human to light the wood, but Caius's voice stops him again.

"That is not your choice to make. You do not have the power or authority to do such a thing. Release the girl!" Caius bellows, rage seeping through his calm.

"But-"

"No buts! The girl is coming with us, this instant!" Aro snaps, walking through the crowd, which parts quickly, Caius and I following. When Aro reaches the platform, jumps onto it and walks up to Isabella to untie her bonds. As he does so, her eyes go wide with fear, wonder and surprise. Aro then gets rid of her gag, and puts a hand around her waist and pulls her off the platform. All the while Isabella's heart thumps out an irregular beat. I then look back to Aro's hand on her waist, letting a low growl come from me. Caius hears and looks at me confused. I shake my head, telling him that I would explain later.

When Aro and Isabella are down from the platform, I pick her up as she looks dead on her feet, but who could blame her? She had almost been burned at the stake and is now being led away by vampires.

When we are out of sight of the towns people, we pick up our speed and head back to the castle.

When we arrive, I head to my chambers. I hear my brothers following me, silently wondering why I would bring Isabella to my chambers.

When I arrive at my door, I push it open and head to the bedroom. I pull the quilt off part of the bed and place Isabella in bed before tucking her in. While I do this, Isabella looks at me, the fear is not as bad as it was earlier, but it was still there.

"Sleep dearest, no one will harm you here." I say stoking her cheek soothingly.

I walk back to my door, and as I close it, I look back at Isabella. She looks tiny in the huge bed. I look as she curls in on herself, closing her eyes, making her look even more tiny. As I close the door, I faintly hear "Thank you." coming from the bed. I smile as I shut the door fully.

I turn to my brothers, both looking me strangely.

"What are you doing Marcus?" Aro asks quietly, as if not to wake the sleeping beauty in my bed.

I hold out my hand to him, which he holds tightly. After a second, he smiles brightly at what he sees.

"What brother?" Caius asks impatiently.

"It seems Marcus has found a mate again, Caius."