Chapter 10

A Clear and Present Danger

My stomach was in knots as we were screamed at by Felix

"AS I'VE SAID FIVE BILLION TIMES YOU ARE IN THE VOLTURI'S HOUSE NOW! NO STUPID OTHERS ARE GOING TO SAVE YOU! IF YOU TRY TO ESCAPE YOU WILL GLADLY BE BURNED TO DEATH! THE WALLS ARE ANTI- VAMPIRE STRENGTH AND THE CELLS ARE ELECTRIC FIRE…SO IF YOU TRY TO ESCAPE YOUR WHOLE CELL WILL GO ON FIRE!" Felix screamed at us and Alice, Jasper, Emmett, & I stood silently while Bella was being held by Jane…she was still unconscious.

Jane made me feel pain and Alice was feeling the same way. So were Emmett and Jasper "ah my lovely friends" Aro said stepping down from his "royal chair" he motioned to Felix and I detected a lie of some sort.

They were in a white room with Bella…naked on a bed…with Felix. I knew what was happening and maybe somewhat half glad Edward wasn't there. Jane smirked and Emmett and Jasper both fell to the ground being burned with the illusion of pain. They were taken to their cell by Alec and Demetri. Alice and I remained.

"You girls get the best cell!" Jane cried with bitchiness and threw us into the cell that was located about 5 wings behind Emmett and Jasper's.

When the door was locked we both looked as if we were about to cry…if it were possible.

"This reminds me of the asylum" Alice said.

I leaned closer to her and she put me in her arms. Even though I was stronger than her I didn't resist I needed Alice right now. I wanted to get out of this hell. Alice and I lay on the hard floor or our dirty cell and wished we could cry.

He was sitting in his room his head pressed against his pillows. His eyes are dark black and he hasn't hunted in about 3 days but his stress is taking a toll on him. Rosalie comes up to comfort him but he buries his head in the pillows…thinking it is his fault. He is blaming himself for everything. Rosalie tells him that he should be doing research. But he says what good is it if I am too weak to do anything. It hurts me deep inside to see my brother in pain. I know it is my fault. I should have protected Bella and Edward. I should have told them I would change Bella right now.

I should've told them that they could kill me instead but they can't take Bella. I had so many regrets and wished I could go back in time to reverse everything. To end Edward's pain. But I knew I couldn't…there was absolutely nothing I could do. I had no power. I was defeated. There was nothing in my hands anymore…this was completely up the Volturi and Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, & Edward what would happen.

The air around us smelled of blood…human blood. It must have been the Volturi feeding because Bella wasn't bleeding. She was still in the room, but now she was awake instead of knocked out. Jasper and Emmett were pinned against the wall. It struck me that the Volturi was only lying about one thing and that was that we wouldn't get out…but we would. Alice's eyes were wide…like she was having a vision.

"Alice" I said and she stared down.

Immediately I handed her a pen and a piece of paper and she began drawing what she was seeing. It was the Volturi filming a video and then them sending it onto the computer via their e-mail to Rosalie. The video was rather gruesome and Edward was determined to go and kill them.

I cocked my head downward and looked at Alice who stared me in the eyes.

"We have to warn the others" I said.

"How?" Alice asked "Hazel it's not in the vision…we won't be able to."

"You do have a point I mean the shield is up at an extensive rate and…"but my voice trailed I was too choked to speak.

Alice took me in her arms and comforted me. She stroked the side of my face and my hair. It was soothing I wanted everything to be OK but I knew it wasn't. I was being pushed to the side by the Volturi and I was mad…just thrown into the garbage like Jasper, Emmett, Alice, Bella, & I were just nothing…how dare they! I was going to do something and I meant it!

I felt the anger rising in me and wished Jasper was here…I wanted my brothers and Bella…I wanted to all be together that way we could…plan. Vampire emotions are much stronger than humans and the emotion of anger…even in a human should never be toyed with so you can only imagine how strong it is in a vampire.

A loud cry was heard and someone lunged at Alice and my cage…his eyes were bright red and had someone's arm dangling out of his mouth. Alice screamed and covered my eyes. Aro laughed and turned around going to torture Jasper and Emmett.

"We have to tell Edward now!" I said.

"How?" Alice asked.

"Leave it to me" I said taking out my phone (which miraculously was still intact) and texted Jasper.

"Come on Jazz pick it up" I said and 5 seconds later I got it.

We had a plan…not to escape but give someone from the outside world a little taste of our pain. Alice said Edward can probably only hear me because he is biologically related and just mentally closest to me. We needed Jasper to manipulate Renata's shield and her feelings. He couldn't manipulate their feelings to let us go…that was too strong because Marcus and Chelsea could easily see around it with their manipulating relationships and seeing them.

I got a message from Jasper. "Summons to the center…it's not good" I looked up to see Jane. Her red eyes glistened. Why shouldn't they? She had just fed unlike some of us. Hint, hint, hint; anyways she made Alice and I feel pain so we would go with her and I saw Jasper, Emmett, & Bella waiting. Well Jasper and Emmett were and Bella was still knocked out.

I took a deep breath even though I had no desire what so ever to breathe. I felt like I was in my final destination or something…awaiting death to just wait for the right moment to take my immortality away from me and give it to someone else. Maybe someone needed life more than I? It probably was true…I had one motivation (well 3 actually) Jason, Edward, & the rest of my family I couldn't just throw myself away. I didn't want them to feel guilty over my death if they did and I didn't want Jason to be alone.

I stared into the stone cold eyes of Jane as she started talking about nonsense but sensed I wasn't paying attention to her dumb lecture so she made me feel pain. I wanted to just scream. We had to get out one way or another and I've said it once before and I'll say it again if we wanted to get out alive we had to make a good plan. I thought of Edward and our previous life as humans. I figured if I tried not to think about the Volturi it would possibly ease my pain but I knew it was the most of my problems.

Felix took the stand and started speaking, "we have some excellent news for you" he said in a smirky fake tone and I felt my vibration go off. Jane held me to prevent my protesting of the truth I elbowed Jane and tried to get out but she made me feel pain and I gritted my teeth and stopped. "As I was saying" Felix snarled.

"Just shut the hell up" Emmett said coming at Felix ready to pounce but Alec had him and cut off his senses.

"NO MORE INTERRUPTIONS YOU STUPID PRISONERS WE CAN KILL YOU!" Felix said and I trembled as I saw Alice do the same thing.

"We have sent your beloved Edward" he snarled his name "a lovely e-mail complete with photos of your journey here to the Volterra Castle."

"Stop you leave Edward out of this!" I screamed.

"Out with you!" Jane said but Jasper saw Renata come and manipulated the Volturi's feelings to tired and made them sit down…kind of like a puppeteer.

We were sent back to our cells after a while…a while meaning a form of torture. I couldn't imagine why they were doing this I mean what was the purpose? They had us now but to torture us? Somehow I just couldn't grasp that part.

I saw Edward who had opened the e-mail not 2 hours ago and was still desperately thinking. I knew Renata's shield was now down so I flashed all of the images/videos of us in the Volturi castle in my head I knew I shouldn't have because Edward would feel guilty but I needed him to know what was happening and desperately before her shield let up I sent my terrified thoughts out to my big brother.

"Eddie…Eddie" I began with my thoughts knowing he would probably get the message quicker if I used my special nickname for him. "Edward, can you hear me? I know you can't answer but I need you to know that the Volturi are murdering humans and are forcing us to watch. Bella is knocked out with chloroform and Jasper and Emmett are in chains on a wall…anti vampire chains I might add. Alice and I are sitting in the Volturi's vampire prison. She says that you probably can only hear my thoughts because we are biologically related. They told us about the e-mail I just summoned you because I saw you…Please come Edward…Please. If you do not get to me in time I just want you to know that I love…" but Renata's shield redeemed and I was sealed off again

"EDWARD NO!" I desperately cried out in my head but now that her shield was up he couldn't hear me I fell into Alice's arms while being released by Jane and so desperately wished I could cry…just for a second let out everything I wanted to do. I lay down on the stone marble floor and put my left hand on top of my right flattened almost as if making a pillow and put my head down. I needed Edward to know that I didn't think it was his fault…it was my fault. I realized I may have been too needy…too dependent on Edward I was going to have to become a tough girl. I needed to be able to stand on my own two feet. I think I already could but I think…I think I just want Jason to come.

I sit on the floor "waking up" from my daydreams and Alice is still next to me. I try to cry but I know it's highly impossible crying was for when your eyes had dust in them and since I was a vampire I didn't get dust in my eyes it was a complicated sequence. I tracked Edward and he was still in his room. Their flight was delayed due to storms and I was beginning to go crazy. Was it meant to be this way? Maybe I was on death's list, maybe I was on death's list maybe death had a…a plan for me. Maybe this was part of the survival maybe I was being tested but until I found the answer I never would truly know.

I refused to play the victim. Not this time no! I was going to do it for Edward, for Jason, & maybe just maybe a little for myself. That was if I could find it in me to do it. I remember Alice used to tell me whenever I would feel insecure about myself or just plain mad or pissed off. "It's not about what you do or how you do it. What matters most if you feel that you are worth it" I knew it was a wise quote but I didn't really think about it until now. I stared out and tracked the sky. Alice must've seen my expression.

"Don't worry Haze…he's out there and pretty soon he'll have come for us and you my friend" she said pointing to me "will soon have Jason" I slightly smirked.

She wasn't lying it was getting closer and Edward would come for us. He would! I would see him again! We were going to be alright! But were we going to make it after escaping? See, with the Volturi you didn't know. You never knew what day was going to just be the day that they came to judge you even if they aren't the true judge. But we were going to survive and our next plan was to either make amends if they were willing or do the all-time don't…that no other vampire had gone to. Expose the Volturi.

Alice has another premonition. This time it is of them taking a video of us (same as last time) but a little more zoomed in on the video and she told me everything. I was determined not to let the Volturi get the best of me and if they remained with their decision then I wouldn't put Edward through any more pain. I was going to end it for him. I hated being the cause of his suffering it would've been easier if I hadn't even been born he could've been happy if he didn't have a pathetic sister like me. I know this may make me sound like a pathetic girl but I wanted my brother with me. I wanted to have him with me to tell me everything was OK. I wanted to be in his arms where I felt safe and nothing would hurt me. But that wasn't going to happen for a while.

At least I had Alice (one of the best girls in the whole world). Alice was like my sister from another mother. My big sister, Alice was my role model (well sort of) I was a mixture of all of my siblings. I was a Rosalie, Alice, Emmett, Jasper, Edward mix basically Rosalie called me the little walking mash up of the Cullen sibs (as a joke). I ached inside I missed the rest of my family (Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, & of course Edward).

I looked up and saw Jane standing over me. "LET'S GO BITCH" she screamed at me and pulled me away from my cell. I looked up and for the first time in a long time. I could feel myself "dying."

Jane dragged us to the main Volturi hall where the Volturi fed on humans that thought they were touring the Volturi Castle but were really used as meals. Bella got scared because she thought the Volturi were going to make us eat her but I told her they had to kill me and deal with my ashes before they did that and she half smiled at me.

"Alice wasn't lying to me when she told us we were going to all get out of here alive" I assured Bella "it's OK."

"Really?" she asked me in a shaky voice and I nodded.

"ATTENTION!" Caius screamed through a megaphone which I thought was incredibly unnecessary.

We had to respond with "YES SIR!"

Caius took out a video camera and I knew what was coming. I swallowed and looked at Alice who looked at Jasper who looked at Emmett who sighed with both anger & frustration. Maybe even fear? Felix handed the video camera to Aro and I groaned. So they were going to show Edward how we died? I was going to fight. Fight with every ounce of fight I had in me and if it cost me my life well screw that!

"Hello! Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, & Edward! Welcome to the noble causes TV show! Brought to you by…" Aro said.

"Alec" said Alec.

"Jane" said Jane.

"Caius" said Caius

"And drumroll please…ARO!"

"Otherwise known as the Volturi" Alec sneered.

"Here we have our wonderful peace bringers…" Caius said. I looked at Alice like "what the hell are they doing?" they were lying #1 and #2 they were just being plain bitchy.

Off camera Alec slapped Bella and sneered, "Say your name…SAY IT!" Bella was crying from the force of the pain.

"Bella" she cried and I froze in place.

"Alice" Alice said after Bella. Her tone was shaky yet calm but she sounded scared (not that I blamed her). Yet I noticed how she looked directly into the camera as if to be sending the viewer a message of some sort.

"Jasper" said Jasper in a pretty normally calm tone but you could tell he was angry by the way he gritted his teeth.

"Emmett" Emmett said sticking his middle finger to the camera with his right finger and shoving the camera out of his face with his left hand. Jane pins Emmett to the floor with her ability and Alec cuts off his senses making his pain double to how bad it already was. Immediately though I know what is coming.

"Last but certainly not least we have our favorite friend …" says Jane pointing the camera directly in my face and I grimace but ever so slightly so no one really notices.

I think about Edward and look away I know he is already hurt from Bella so how can I put him through twice more pain? Jane grabs my face and slams in under the table to which she smashes. I shake my hair and Jane grabs my neck.

"Say it" she snarls in my face.

"Hazel" she is grabbing me by my neck. I pray Edward will not see this so I do my best to not look like I am in pain.

Emmett bares his teeth and says "you leave my sister alone!" and springs at her but she makes him feel more pain and he cries out in pain and agony.

Jasper uses his ability to numb Emmett (with his feeling of pain). But Jane gets mad and makes Jasper feel more pain so now Emmett is in even more pain. I want to do something but Alec has numbed my senses except hearing. Caius smirks and next thing I know he is on top of me, pinning my arms down to the ground. I kick him in the face and crack his nose a little.

"YOU LITTLE" but he is cut off because Aro has come to help him defeat me. I however use my willpower and look over at Emmett, Jasper, Alice, & Bella. Then I think of Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, Edward, & Jason and I fight back. I bite Aro's knee and rip in out. He screams and orders Caius, Alec, & Jane to "take care" of me. Caius jumps on top of me and I fight back, not giving up he hurls a giant statue of Aro, Marcus, & himself on top of me but I support it and then he knocks me under a bench and crumbles it on top of me but I am still holding the statue and I gently place it down. I hear a loud crackling sound and see Felix put his arm around Bella's neck and lift her off the ground.

"NO! EDWARD! NO!" she screams and I can only imagine what pain Edward is in. He can't bear to hear his world in pain.

Caius retorts "hear that Edward?" he snarls and I shut my eyes and he slams the camera up in my face I am beginning to get very mad right now and just let it all out.

"GET THAT DAMN THING OUT OF MY FACE BEFORE I DO IT FOR YOU!" I shout kicking the camera. Caius jumps on my and zooms the camera into my face.

"And here is your sister…Hazel" Caius says and I turn away.

"I'm not putting him through any pain" I said but Caius viciously attacks me "tell them to avenge you!" Caius snarls and I think "what is up with this whole need for Edward to avenge them?"

But my fear takes over, "NO EDWARD DON'T!" I shout before Caius presses the button on the camera.

"That was beautiful…just beautiful" Alec says.

"Wait till Edward sees this" Jane said.

"You have…EDWARD HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS LEAVE HIM THE FUCK ALONE!" I shout at Jane kicking the camera and merely breaking it. Jane screams and Felix holds me.

"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HER" Emmett yells coming at Felix but he has handed me to Alec and Jane makes Emmett feel pain.

"QUIET NOW! WE ARE SHOOTING AGAIN!" Aro shouts and grabs me by the neck. Alec is holding the camera. "Ready…and…action" Aro sneers.

The camera resumes with Alec saying "Welcome back! To the noble causes brought to you by the Volturi" and he points the camera at Emmett who is still being tortured by Jane and is groaning. I want to cry out but the Volturi will not hear it to their satisfaction.

"STOP PLEASE!" I hear the words coming out of my mouth before I can do anything about it Emmett looks at me and I stare into his eyes. Jane sneers at me and hands the camera to Felix. "Oh no…" I think "no…NO!" Felix points the dirty camera at Bella who screams "NO! NO! NO!"

The horrid smell of chloroform fills the air. At least for me it does I try to warn Bella but Jane clamps her hand over my mouth. Felix knocks the towel against Bella's mouth covering her nose. She immediately knocks out. He starts to take her clothes off

"Oh shit" I say and Emmett tries to shut his eyes, Jasper is trying to numb everyone, Alice is looking away and I am just shutting my eyes tight and praying I am back in my cell.

Felix shuts the camera off and I can only imagine how Edward will feel when he sees this. Felix hands the camera to Chelsea and Renata and says "take care of that will you?" I can't wait to see his face when he sees this" I was about to scream but Alice had probably had enough of their crap to so she got her mad look on her face and we didn't expect what was coming…not at all.

Demetri bared his teeth and launched at Alice. Who clawed him but Demetri was way stronger and Alice wasn't very good at fighting no offense to her. Jazz got mad and attacked Demetri having him by the back and pinning his face down that was slightly cracking and I went to help Alice get out but Felix grabbed Jasper and threw him back.

He then grabbed him and he had his arms around him (trying to crush him) but then he laughed at said, "What good are you to me dead?" and I knew what he meant…he wanted Jasper's ability. We heard a loud scream and turned to see Emmett on the floor being "burned" it was pretty painful to watch he was shouting in pain and Jane ripped his shirt off and pierced him even more. I couldn't watch

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" I shouted but Jane laughed at me. Emmett fought the pain and attacked Felix Jazz, Alice, & I went to help him but he was thrown back by Jane and I went for Aro who fought me back.

"You are too weak" he kept repeating "you know you can't do it" "you are worthless face it…you hear me worthless" "it's your fault you are here and you are never going to get out" "we will kill you" "Edward will never come" some were lies but some my vibration refused to go off.

Maybe Aro was right maybe I was a loser I was going to use my anger to fight him and bit his hand leaving his wrist and hand dethatched from his arm and he screamed at me. "YOU LITTLE DWARF!" and I lost it attacking him wildly and I couldn't stop I pictured Carlisle and Esme there telling me to stop and Jasper calming me down.

Even thinking about it I felt a surge of calmness and Jasper pulling me back. He stroked my hair and told me to calm down. Jane grabbed me and Aro ordered her to torture me to make me "pay for my sins" I didn't want them to see my pain and how they had torn everything from me (maybe not everything I'm exaggerating a little) I gritted my teeth and just stood there.

"That is a clear visionary of what will happen if you decide to fight back" Aro sneered grabbing Emmett's face and forcing him to watch me being tortured as well as the rest of my siblings who watched in terror.

"I'm Sorry" I mouthed and it was true I was weak and stupid and they had to pay for my stupidity by the Volturi's cruelness I wanted to disappear and make everything go away.

Jasper numbed my pain and I smiled gratefully at him. The Volturi herded some new "tourists" to their cove and forced us to watch. The human blood was splattered all over the place but we held in control despite how thirsty we were.

We were taken back to our cells and for the first time Alice was starting to look like she was going to cry and I held her in my arms. I felt proud of myself I had been there for someone. I stared at the wall in front of me and thought of another flashback. When she first joined us it made me almost smile and laugh because it was pretty funny.

I was practicing my soccer skills and Emmett and Edward were out hunting. I smelled vampire and ran to get my brothers who were still hunting. They came and returned to see Jasper "covered in battle scars and towing a little freak" as they put it later on.

They asked Jasper who he was and Edward said "they want to be part of our family. He has a mate too" I looked at him knowing he was telling the truth.

"My name is Jasper Whitlock" Jasper said.

"My name is Edward Cullen, well my birth name is Edward Masen this is Emmett and Hazel" he said gesturing towards Emmett and I.

Alice came running outside "Jazz the rooms are set" and I couldn't help but smirking.

"Oh hello" Alice said cheerfully and Edward scowled.

"Sorry it had the best view" she explained and Edward was walking towards the garage to find his stuff there.

"That's Edward" I said.

"I'm Alice" said Alice.

"I'm Emmett and this is the Hazester" Emmett said and I slugged him.

"Hazel, but sometimes people call me Haze" I said.

"Oh" Alice said and yes by that time it was getting awkward. We could hear a loud sound of glass breaking

"Edward's on a rampage" Emmett mumbled and I laughed a little but went to see if Edward was OK and he was he was just…adjusting.

Right there I decided that I was never going to give up…never in a million years. I had to do whatever it took to get out alive and I was…not ever going to give up life…because life is too valuable...to waste.