Title: Solstice
Author: marjorie16
Fandom: Twilight
Summary: This is a story mid New Moon. Edward leaves Bella. Bella befriends Jacob. The werewolves kill Laurent BUT Victoria gets passed the werewolves and bites Bella.

Laurent: "...but if you knew what she had planned for you, Bella..."

Well, what if you did?

* Third Person POV

CHAPTER 9

When you realize that the less you care about something, the less pain you would feel when something bad happens to it. And soon enough, you will stop feeling altogether.

That was pretty much what Bella, now Isabel, did. She stopped caring.

It was easier to feed on a human without thinking of who that person might be. He might have been a father and had a little girl waiting for him at home. He might have been the family's breadwinner. So many people might have been depending on him. But Bella had to dismiss those kind of thoughts now.

She must look at this person as a faceless animal. Not even a person, she had to think of her victims as food. And that was it.

After feeding on her fourth human, she felt nothing at all. Not sadness, not despair. And, strangely, not even joy. She simply felt hallow. Empty.

"You do not punch with your fists," Felix said sternly. "You let the man come straight to you then you turn slightly to the right. He will instinctively follow you and in doing so, put himself off balance. Balance is everything. Do you understand?"

Isabel nodded. She paid close attention to what Felix instructed her. She was, after all, new to this life. Surely if she wanted to kill Victoria, she must know how. She needed training and the Volturi obliged. Victoria will not be as weak as the humans she had recently eaten. Not as weak as her food, she amended.

"Go on, Chelsea." Felix ordered to the sweet immortal girl tensed for battle before them.

Chelsea closed in on Isabel in swift movements that would not have been discernible to human eyes. But Isabel was faster. She quickly stepped to the right just as Chelsea was about to attack her. Isabel circled the place where Chelsea was a moment before. The she elbowed Chelsea with a force enough to throw her to the nearest tree trunk.

"How's that?" Isabel asked.

"You didn't even follow what I said!"

"I figured that since Chelsea was just six feet from us, clearly within hearing range, she would have known what to expect. What you taught me would be useless."

Felix stared at her in disdain. She was right. Her practical mind was right. He had never seen a newborn think so logically. She was so focused. Even when they escorted her in town to feed and get new clothes, she showed a remarkable amount of indifference. As if killing were an everyday routine for her. As if stealing was her hobby. She moved with unnatural grace. Felix began to wonder whether she was born a vampire.

"She's a fast learner." Demetri said from behind. He was leaning casually against a tree opposite them. The russet-brown wolf was tied to the tree beside him. Isabel had of course noticed the wolf but there had been no time to talk to it. Not that she had anything to say. But then, she had something to be grateful for him. She would thank him later. Demetri moved towards the small group. Aro and the others were discussing their plans a few feet away from them.

"It's rather strange, don't you think?" Chelsea set herself upright and walked towards Felix. "She appears to be very creative in her fighting tactics and yet, we know for a fact that she doesn't have any training at all."

"What can I say? I watch a lot of Jet Li." Isabel's attempt at humor failed instantly. Either none of the vampires knew who the actor was or none of them knew how act with that jest.

"Let's see how good you are." Demetri said quietly. Without any warning, he disappeared in Isabel's sight then she felt someone lift her in the air and tossed her to a tree. Isabel hit the tree hard, splitting the trunk into two. The three vampires were in position.

"You're going to pay for that." She whispered silently, but she knew that they had heard her. A smile painted her lips. Then, she carefully stood up and straightened her new clothes. One by one she undid the buttons of her black trench coat and removed it, revealing a small dagger she had come to like in the course of their stay in town and the grey sleeveless shirt she stole from her food.

The three vampires walked towards her. Felix was the first to pursue her. He lunged for her throat in swift movements. She bent slightly to avoid his questing hands and when he was close enough she grabbed his shoulders and tossed him towards a tree.

Chelsea came at her from the back and wrapped her hands around her neck, straining her. Demetri moved in for a strike. Isabel grabbed Chelsea's tight hands that were wrapped around her and bit her hard. Chelsea screamed in protest as she let go of her grip. Demetri was startled but he did not hesitate in attacking her. He let out his right arm to strike her.

Isabel grabbed it with as much speed and force as she possibly could, twisted it until her screamed and threw him over Felix who was just recovering from his fall.

Just when she thought it was over, Chelsea hit her hard in the face throwing her off balance. The vampire hastily grabbed one of her legs and tossed her over to the other side as if she were a toy. Isabel used her other leg and shifted her weight on the other side, twisting her ankles. The movement relived the Chelsea's grip on her right leg. She grabbed the opportunity and retreated to a crouch.

The three vampires tensed in front of her.

"You're really good." Demetri said. Just as they were about to resume their training, Isabel noticed something.

"Where's the wolf?" Isabel voiced.

* * *

"First, we must find a way to separate the clan." Victoria said in her authoritative voice. She had no prior intention of killing the Cullens now that her army was about to be obliterated. She had planned to simply build another one and start all over again. But since these werewolves were so eager to find out how to kill 'talented' vampires, she grabbed the chance.

"That is easy enough." Sam said. He was still in his human form. He and the vampire who introduced himself as Victoria were sitting casually on the lush soil.

"The key is to surprise them. The others are probably good fighters but since they do not know of your existence, they cannot know the extent of your strength. Thereby, surprising them. Edward will be the toughest to kill. He has the talent to read minds. He is the one with the bronze colored hair."

"When we stroke the bargain, bloodsucker, we were not referring to the Cullens." He paused for a while. "We're referring to another group of immortals, one that we have recently encountered and who now have one of our brothers captive."

This news startled Victoria. Another group of vampires? Vampires with gifts?

Shit.

"I thought we agreed that those with the golden eyes were the target?" She stood abruptly realizing that this was not good. The man stood up just as she did.

"I thought we agreed that you would teach us how to kill vampires with talents?"

"The ones you encountered are not just talented vampires. They're royalty!" She screeched. "You cannot possibly consider fighting them! At any rate, your brother--" she spat at the word "--- is more likely to be dead already."

Sam pointedly looked at another wolf who deliberately shook his head.

"Jacob is still alive. We must do everything we can for him."

"Well, Jacob won't be alive any longer if that's the case. The Volturi have a rather sadistic sense of humor. If he's breathing, it's probably because he's being used as entertainment. Caius, one of the ancients, are not very fond of werewolves."

"Nevertheless, you will help us find him. Or I will not restrain Jared any longer." He mused. "And you wouldn't want that, would you?"

"I will not go against the Volturi!" She turned to run. At first, she thought she had succeeded in outrunning them but a short while later a great black wolf hovered in front of her and bit her left shoulder hard. She screamed in pain. Her left arm dangled from her body. He then clawed one of her legs, tearing the fabric of her cloth apart. She screamed harder. She fled to her right and uprooted one of the trees using her good arm. Using that, she batted the wolf aside.

The two wolves hurried after her. She used the tree as a weapon and threw it towards the ferocious beasts with all her remaining strength. They were effectively distracted and she ran for her life, her left leg limping."

After hours of running, she settled in a dark cave where she attached her left arm back to her shoulders and readjusted her left leg. It would take a couple of days before she would be back to normal. This was better than confronting the Volturi.

Her initial plan had been a waste! It was time for a more discreet approach.

She remembered James.

He had always told her that to catch fireflies, one must not chase them off; one must wait for them to come to you.

She remembered Bella.

Perfect.

* * *

"Ah. Perfect timing!" Aro said cheerfully as he approached the still group of vampires. "The werewolf had gone and you, my dear Isabel, are training to fight a vampire army. Just what you need!"

"I don't understand, Master." Isabel said in an even tone, betraying no emotions.

Felix, Demetri and Chelsea relaxed their stances and so did Isabel. It was just seconds before that they found out that their captive had fled.

"That wolf is just alive so you could practice on him." Caius said briskly. "I would have killed him myself but Aro wouldn't let me."

"Brother, I was rather curious why he had not turned into his human form. It is broad daylight! Werewolves only appear on the night of a full moon. And in the morning, they would revert to their human form."

"I do not care if he were a hybrid dog or a fairy princess. He is a wolf and I want him dead. Now."

"Calm yourself brother. We agreed that Isabel would do the honor."

"Excuse me?" Isabel said sharply. "What honor?"

"My dear," Aro went up to her. Let the manipulation begin. "This is a challenge for you. Hunt down the werewolf and bring me his head. Only then will you officially be part of the Volturi."

Isabel saw no harm in that. She did not know the wolf. She may, however miniscule, owe him. But then, it was only a small part. What mattered now is her revenge. Somehow she knew that only revenge could change what she was feeling. She was not sure what she was feeling exactly, but one thing is for sure: she was not feeling anything.

Maybe revenge could make her happy. No. Not maybe. Revenge could make her happy. It will make her happy. It must make her happy, or she didn't know what would. All her joy had vanished the day…she did not want to think of it. All that mattered now is her revenge and becoming part of the Volturi. Indeed, becoming part of it would give her a future. What would she do with the rest of eternity anyway? She would not let a helpless wolf ruin everything.

"With pleasure." And she ran off to the woods and followed the foul smell that forged a path towards her prey.

* * *

Isabel had caught up with the russet-brown wolf. He was weak. No doubt, he was tired. His right leg must also be bothering him. She noticed he was limping. He probably hurt himself before in the struggle that occurred just hours ago. Or maybe because Cauis had a little too much fun entertaining himself. He rested on a fallen tree that was covered in moss. He did not notice her looming on top of a tree behind him.

Time for the kill.

Then, at the most inopportune moment, the branch of the tree squeaked as she leaned farther. Its crack sounded like thunder in the silent forest. The wolf jerked and met her gaze. To Isabel's surprise, he did not lunge for her. He did not plan to fight her.

She jumped to where he was and landed gracefully on her heels, crouching.

"You should learn to behave yourself next time, wolf" She said icily. Then, she flashed a brilliant smile. "Unfortunately, there won't be a next time."

As she lunged for his throat, he swiftly avoided her clutches and fled which was such a herculean effort on his part for he had only three legs to use.

It angered Isabel that she could not defeat this werewolf just as easily as she had overcome her fellow vampires.

"You think you can outrun me?" She called after him, fuming. "You think you can fight me off?" At her words, she stilled. The words were familiar to her for these were exactly the words he had once told her. This sudden memory of her past love startled her. For some reason she felt vulnerable, wistful.

She felt pain in her dead chest.

I'm not that girl anymore. I'm not Bella anymore.

She went back to being angry. It was easier.

And right now, the target of her anger was centered on this limping wolf that was the key to her vengeance.

Hastily, she grabbed his tail and pulled him towards her. He could not fight. She threw him to a nearby tree and he slammed into it like a puppy being pitched in baseball. The beast could barely sit straight.

She stood in front of the beast. Fury glittered in her eyes.

She stepped towards the werewolf. Victory was near.

"There's nothing personal here. Just business." Looming over him, she deliberately stepped on one of his knees, effectively breaking his leg. The wolf howled in pain.

Bella never liked killing animals. She actually cared for them. But she was now Isabel and Isabel knew that when you realize that the less you care about something, the less pain you would feel when something bad happens to it. And so now, there is no sympathy in her vampire heart.

No pain. No joy. No nothing.

She drew a small dagger from her waist band. "This will be fast, don't worry." She crouched over him.

Just as she was about to strike him, the wolf convulsed violently in front of her. For a second, she did not know what happened. She stared, wide-eyed at the frail human in front of her.

"Jacob?"

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So sorry it took me a long time. It's the Holiday season and we've all been busy. Anyway, it might take a long time again before i write the next one. Please review.