Chapter 12

I don't know what time it was- they apparently don't put clocks in solitary confinement cells- but it was after dark when the large man outside my door opened it and led me once more to the office of the headmaster.

Edward was already there waiting for me, as well as Boss and a couple select others, all of whom I hadn't seen in my brief visit out of my cell before.

"Are you ready?" Boss asked me, taking my hand and leading me over to the place- I guessed- where the bite would take place. That bite would change my life forever. Again I couldn't help but think this was the wrong place for this to happen.

A stone alter or something that resembled one had been placed in the room and the headmaster's desk had been removed. There was a white, satin pillow was at the top of the alter. That made me understand this was where I would lay for the next three days, or however long it took for my change to complete.

My fantasies of this moment had been a little different than this though. I had imagined we would be in a cemetery; not a creepy one, but one filled with beautiful, old tombstones. Tons of candles would be lit on top of some of them as well as on the ground. I would be a wearing a beautiful, flowing dress- maybe a rich red color, or perhaps gold- that Alice or Rosalie would have picked out for me. Strappy shoes and some sparkling jewelry would complete my outfit. All the Cullens would be present and maybe some of their friends from Alaska as well, there to welcome the new arrival.

I would walk down an aisle that was lined by headstones and rose petals as well as some of the candles. Edward would be waiting for me at the other end of the walkway, dressed in a sexy black tuxedo, sort of like a gothic wedding, but instead of making our final vows, they would only be the beginning ones.

Once at the end of the aisle, Edward would hold my hand and give me a kiss- a farewell kiss to my human self- then he would lean in and bite me, gently on the neck. I would collapse and they would take me somewhere, perhaps Alaska or some other baron land until I was able to control myself.

Instead, I was in a claustrophobic, stuffy teachers office, with a psychopathic vampire that wanted me to be like them because of what I might be able to do. The Cullens weren't there and I was wearing a dirty pair of jeans and a wrinkled t-shirt. There were florescent light bulbs instead of candles and metal folding chairs instead of tombstones.

Boss led me to Edward and he took my hand, perhaps the only part of my fantasy that would come true, except for the whole biting part. He leaned a little toward me.

This is it. I thought. Alice didn't make it. Well, no one's perfect, not even vampires, no matter how beautiful they look I wish this had ended differently.

"I need you to help me." Edward whispered into my ear. I had been expecting to feel his perfect teeth on my neck, not his hot breath. Then what he said registered.

"Why?" I asked. "Is this really the time?"

"He's been controlling me." He cringed in pain, but continued. "He just wants you to be a vampire for the gift he thinks you will acquire. After you're changed he won't let you go. He'll control you like he's controlling me." He cringed again and grabbed the side of his head as if he had a huge migraine. When he looked back up at me, his face was pain free and he looked cheery again.

Then something else registered in my head. Why is Edward standing here? I thought. He's a human, isn't he? I looked into his eyes and, sure enough, they were bright red instead of the greenish-blue color I had gotten used to the last couple months. They must have changed him when they took him from the beach. He's been a vampire this entire time. Why haven't I, or one of the Cullens noticed?

"Sorry about that. I haven't been feeling good the last couple days. If I said anything strange, it's because of that."

"That's fine." I said, trying not to tip off the various others around us about what he had just said and what I had figured out on my own. If Edward was being controlled, did that mean that everyone else was too. Even William? That would explain a lot of things about how Edward was acting as well as William and the zombie looks on everyone else's faces.

"Shall we continue?" Boss asked. "This is taking forever. The sooner you are bitten Bella, the sooner the change will be over."

"Of course." I said. Now I really need to stall so Alice has enough time to get here. I thought. There is no way I am going to be some sick person's puppet! "Um, but, could I have something to drink first? I'm a little nervous and that's making my mouth really dry." Boss looked annoyed by my request, but he sent someone to fetch me a glass of water anyway. They came back rather quickly, so I took my time drinking. A little sip, then a pause and a breath, a little sip, then a pause and a breath. But then the glass was empty and I was scrambling to think of some other way to waste time.

"Are we ready now?" Boss asked, a hint of urgency in his voice.

"Um, actually. . ." I still had no idea what I was going to say. Just something to give me a couple more minutes. To give Alice a couple more minutes.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the doorknob slowly turn and then it was hastily pushed open by a cow of a man. I wondered if he was a vampire. And if he was he was by far the worst looking one I had ever seen.

"Sorry to interrupt sir. But there's been a breach in the front gate security." He stammered. There was sweat above his brow line and his hands were shaking uncontrollably, as if he were afraid the headmaster was going to do something to physically harm him.

"What do you mean the front gate?" he asked.

"A-all the guards have been attacked and were found unconscious in front of the g-gate. The gate was wide-open sir, the lock r-ripped right off."

"Impossible." He whispered, so quietly, I had to read his lips to know what he had said. "Search the entire premises for anyone or anything out of the ordinary."

"Yes s-sir." the man replied, and went back out the door. Boss turned back toward us. His face was the palest face I had ever seen and his hands were shaking ever so slightly.

"I'm sorry Bella, but we are going to have to postpone the ceremony here until we find the intruders." he turned to the burly man that had taken me to and from my cell. "Please take her back to her room. We wouldn't want her to get hurt, would we?"

"No sir." He said and grabbed my arm in his usual fashion to lead me back. But Boss wasn't quite finished with me yet.

"Bella, you don't know who this intruder might be, do you?" he asked. "Or how they found us?"

I tried to hide the lie in my voice, but it still trembled a bit, as I replied, "No sir, I don't." Boss flicked his head toward the door and the bear of a man took me back into my cell, his grip a little tighter on my arm than it had been previously.