A/N - Hello! Sorry it's been awhile, I'm a bit caught up on another story I'm writing, hopefully I might get it turned into a book (laughs at the impossiblity of that idea). Thanks guys for all your reviews!

Tsubasa Suzane: Ha... No one shall stop me when concerning cliff hangers! Plus Jasper may pop up later in the story, but for now you can just 'glomp' Edward to your hearts content. Though save a bit for the rest of us, alright?

crazyladywithashovel: And she said let be Edwards in flip-side... and DARN! It was gooood. :D I do love my cliff hangers!

Unigirl150: Thanks soooooooooooo much! I love getting new readers and the lovely things you said made me even happier!

Boring lil' disclaimer: Guys, if the Twilight series was mine I would have sold vampire venom on EBAY by now. (I thought that was quite witty but what the hey!)

Chapter 17 – Cullen

I know Aro didn't let Edward be killed, though Felix and Jane relished the chance to cause pain to anyone and would have happily done the job. I had watched him walk out, deep in thought and knew that we would be seeing him again. He still wanted to die and somehow, he was going to.

I was right. Demetri, Jane and Felix had to go and reach him before he unveiled the secret vampire life to all the humans in Volterra, either that or they would have to kill him from breaking the only rule. Diana and me made our way to the turret room to wait for them.

"Why do you think Edward wanted to die? I mean, you don't get a lot of suicidal vampires, do you?" I asked, I was worried about him. Depressed humans were dangerous, I dreaded to think what depressed vampires were like. I was not only concerned for Edward but for Demetri, too. I missed him lately, Jane seemed to be running him overtime, another punishment for my resistance to drinking blood.

"I don't know, Natalie… but I wish we could help him. I get the feeling he's a nice vampire, you know?" I nodded enthusiastically; I felt exactly the same way. I hope someone came to kick some sense into him before he did something he'd really regret. Or something that Jane would really enjoy.

I made the door open just a few seconds before we got there and Diana pretended to look shocked, I smiled condescendingly at her as we walked into the room.

Aro smiled in welcome. I honestly felt sick, the stomach I would never use again twisted in disgust, and I felt nauseous.

"Hello young friends! Are you intending to feed today, Natalie? Your first time, is it not?" I nodded numbly. I really did not want to do this. I turned to Diana; she saw the impending hysteria and put her arm around me but I still did not feel comforted. In my head I was seeing a dark corridor, I was hearing screams and sobs, I was hearing Sammy and Charlie dying together – always together, since they first met.

I went to stand behind Caius's throne Diana followed me. I knew that she was thinking about the lives that would be cut short today, the families that would mourn and the horror the victims would be feeling every moment as they died. I wanted to run, I didn't know where to, but I just wanted to be anywhere but here – somewhere were the memories couldn't haunt me.

Before I could sprint out the door it opened and Demetri, Jane, Felix and Edward came in. I was glad he was alive and shocked too, but the two people who came in next shocked me more. One was a pixie-like vampire with spiky, short black hair; her fists were balled up in tension, she had the same colour eyes as Edward. Next was a girl, she had brown hair and a heart-shaped face. And she was human. Her deep brown eyes were fixed on Edward, full of love and worry, she glanced around the room, and her eyes became frantic.

"Jane, dear one, you've returned!" Aro cried in delight, I scowled and immediately lost interest in the conversation. I watched the human girl, I guessed she was about 18 maybe a little younger, her pale skin was cream coloured, an odd compliment to Edward and the little female's white, chalky skin. She was watching Edward's every move; I knew how she felt about him. I had been in the same position and look what had happened to me. I wondered if the girl was in for the same future. I didn't realise that as I had been thinking I had zoned out completely.

"Don't!" The small black-haired vampire was shouting at Edward as he shifted to attack Jane. I winced. Edward was lying on the floor, contorted into an odd position. I steeled myself to attack the evil, vindictive vampire, Diana put a restraining hand on my shoulder and shook her head at me.

"Stop!" I realised it had been the human. Her shrieked plea echoed in the silence, Jane smiled as she carried on torturing him.

"Jane," Aro cautioned her, she looked up at him. Her glare was broken and Edward lay still, recovering from the agony. He nodded in the direction of the human girl. I wanted to scream at him, how could he let her do that? I met Diana's eyes franticly, questions in my look. She looked appalled, just like me. The human was struggling against the small vampire's grasp, wanting to help Edward.

"He's fine," The little vampire told her, Edward had hopped up and was staring at the girl absolutely horrified, I looked at Jane. Her lips were pressed tightly together in concentration, I waited for the girl's scream of pain. I t never came. It was then I realised, she was immune to Jane's power. I blinked in shock; there was no way she would get out of here alive.

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