Bella's POV

"This is the Mistress's suite. She will teach you all you will need to know to survive here. Pay attention. You life depends upon it. And Bella…"

Demitri suddenly stopped speaking and stared down the hall from which we had come. His whole body tensed defensively and he positioned himself between me and whatever was coming down the hall. My heart began to race and I listened intensely to hear what Demitri had heard. Nothing. I heard nothing but the sound of my own heart thumping rapidly in my chest. Suddenly a man appeared as if from thin air in front us. I recognized him immediately and hid behind Demitri in fear. It was one of the masters. Marcus I believe his name is.

"Demitri, why has she not been taken to the mistress yet and where is Jane?"

"I was just about to take her in now sir. I told Jane to go ahead and that I would take the human to Mistress. You know how Jane fears her."

"Very true and Jane has good reason to fear the Mistress. I will take her. You and Jane need to get on your way. Aro is not a patient man and seeks answers to the gathering in Washington."

"Yes Master."

Demitri releases his hold on me and begins to walk away. He passed Marcus and headed down the hallway. Marcus returned his attention to me just as Demitri hesitated. He looked back over his shoulder at me and I swear I see regret in his eyes. Regret about what? Not being able to brutally rape me before he left? In a flash he is gone and I am left alone with Marcus.

"Shall we then, you have much to learn from the Mistress."

Marcus opened the wooden doors and stepped aside for me to enter. I peek into the open doors and see nothing but darkness. I look to him with fear in my eyes only to see that he is gone. Suddenly I feel his hands upon my waist guiding me forward.

"Now my pet you must not fear the black. It will soon be your greatest friend."

He pushed me forward walking me through the entryway and into the blackness. As we soon as we passed through the doors closed on their own accord cutting off the stream of light that that open door allowed. Marcus continued to push me forward until my feet connected with something solid in front of me. I nearly tripped over it had it not been for Marcus's hands.

"Careful my pet, you wouldn't want to injure yourself. Now step up."

I took a tentative step up and discovered that I was on a stairwell now. He continues to push me forward so I take another step then another. I continue to climb when I feel the sickening sensation of my foot falling though the air in search of the next step. I must be at the top. Marcus pushes me forward for a few steps then turns me right. We continue this way for a while until he turns me right again. Suddenly stopping he moves me to the side and releases one hand from me. I can feel him reach past my body and hear the click of a door opening. His hand returns to my waist as he pushes me forward once again. Once through the door, it closes behind us. I sense another person in the room as I stand in the darkness. Suddenly a voice sounded in front of me.

"Is this her?"

"Yes."

"I am surprised she survived Aro's "initiation" night."

"It wasn't without a great deal of effort on Demitri and Heidi's side. She would have perished if they had not intervened."

"A wise decision. She is special."

"Special indeed…"

"Very well then we shall start immediately. I take it you will be present during her training."

"Yes and let us begin now."

Marcus releases his grip on me and pushes me forward causing me to kneel on the ground.

"This is the position you will assume at all times unless otherwise instructed. Your head is to hang forward and you eyes will memorize the floor. You will not speak unless given permission and even then it will be short answers to direct questions. You will address Aro, Marcus, and Caius as Master and I am Mistress. Any other male vampire is sir and females are ma'am. You will be called Slave. You no longer exist for yourself so you have no name. You only have what you are; a slave. You will refuse no one what they wish from you. You are here to serve us. We own you and will do with you as we wish. Now that we have the basics out of the way I need to know a few things. I will ask you a question and you will answer. First off how old are you?"

I stay silent. They may force my body to do their bidding but my voice is mine.

"A rebel I see. This is your only warning. Do Not Disobey. You will answer my questions. They are for your own good. I need the information so I know where to begin."

Again I stay silent. I hear the Mistress let an unneeded sign before she grabbed my right arm and yanked me off the floor. Suddenly my body comes in contact with cold steel and my arms and legs are strapped down. I try to fight but I cannot move. Even my head is held down but not by straps but by ice cold hands. By their size I deduct that they belong to Marcus. I listen intently trying to figure out where the Mistress is. I have long given up trying to see. They have no intention of giving me sight and seeing as they can see in the dark just as well as day they must have deemed it unnecessary.

"Since you insist upon being punished I have no choice but to comply. Seeing as we don't want that pretty body of yours damaged we have acquired some new ideas on punishments. While the concepts are far from new they will serve just as well."

Marcus increased his hold on my head tilting it back as far as my neck would allow against the table. Another pair of hands pries my mouth open and inserts a wet rag. I hear the sound of water hitting the bottom of a bucket then filling it up. The bucket is removed but the water continues to run.

"Last change slave."

I refuse to give in and stand as still as a stone. I know what kind of torture they intend to use upon me. It has been in the news in the past few years more times than I can remember. I know the key is to remember that you are not in fact going to drown. I am worth too much for them to kill me. Yet fear still creeps around the edges of my mind as the first wave of water begins to wash over my face. It invades my nose and floods the open spaces in my mouth soaking the rag. I cannot breathe as the water continues its slow crawl over the face. I begin to panic wondering how much water is actually in the bucket. It filled for a long time. Maybe they will kill me. They don't have to breathe. They don't understand that I do. Have they forgotten that humans need air? I try to move my head but Marcus's hold is too great. I'm going to drown. I'm going to die. Will they really kill me? Can I be so lucky? Trying to stifle the panic I begin to embrace the water; willing it to end me quickly. Maybe this time I will be allowed die. My mind is swimming trying to will me to live. No. Not this time. I think of Edward as my mind fades out to darkness…