Ok, I am sorry that I have kept you waiting for so long but I didn't have the will power to go on. With exams and trips and had work I have needed to do I haven't had the strength to sit down and write, I have had no inspiration. But now the holidays are here and happy I can write to my heart's content!
Hopefully this chapter meets you standards because it is, in fact, the last chapter of book 1!
Enjoy!
Recap...
The air suddenly turned cold again, leaving a dark, empty feeling where the kiss had been seconds before. Edwards's arms stiffened around me and I looked up at him in confusion, completely forgetting where we were and what was happening. Edwards face was scared, something I had never seen before. I had seen strained and restrained and even pain, but not fear. I knew what had happened and why Edward was scared, our moment was gone and now it was back down to business. Before I even knew what was going on my feet were on the floor once again and facing the opening to the ally way. Edward had got into a protective crouch in front of me, a low growl rippled in his throat, and I prepared myself for the worst.
"Hello Bella, and my, my, what do we have here?" A shadow appeared at the exit of the ally and stood there, hands behind its back and waited.
Yes, definitely the worst.
Bella POV
"Stay away from her," Edward warned Felix in a deathly tone.
"Oh, I'm sorry, we haven't been properly introduced," Felix said amusement clear in his words. He began to take a step towards us, as if to introduce himself to Edwards, but a growl erupted from Edwards's throat and Felix thought better of it for the moment. "Now, Bella, I am annoyed you didn't tell your family about you new... err, boyfriend." He suddenly glared at Edward with strong contempt, changing his pleasant composure to that of what he really was, a good-for-nothing pig. He seemed to sneer down at Edward, disgust written on his face.
"You filthy rat, that is what you had planned?" Edwards's voice was outraged, he was shaking with sudden rage, a strong hatred on his face, yet Felix seemed unmoved by this. "Does she even know, you disgusting creature. She doesn't belong to anyone, and certainly not you."
"I can make her; after all, this is the Volturi we are talking about." And he began to laugh, a sick twisted laugh that made my stomach crawl and turn away. Again, Edward growled, and made Felix come up short with his laughing.
"That will never happen, and I can assure you that if it does... well, then I don't want to be in your shoes, because I swear I will hunt you down and rip you up," Edwards replied in such a calm and collect way it made the hairs on you back stand on end.
"Is that a threat?" Felix asked, scoffing at the thought of Edward and himself having a fight.
"No... It's a promise," Edward replied back, snapping out in a threatening manner.
"Come, come now, we are all gentlemen here... well, apart from Isabella who is, in fact, a woman." A low rumbling laugh echoed off of Felix's words and he shot me a glance, looking me up and down. It suddenly dawned on me what he was doing, and I gave a chocked cough, feeling as if I was naked under his intense stare.
"Edward, no! Don't!" but my words were too late. Edward was moving at such a speed I couldn't see him, nor Felix at that. But of what I did see was a smile on Felix face as he lead a fist through the air, connecting with Edwards jaw. Why are you losing? I kept asking Edward in my head; though aware I was a complete mental block with him. Why are you losing? I suddenly felt a cold hand on my shoulder, and looking up I saw a dark figure standing over me.
"Hello there Bella," a male voice whispered smugly. "You're going to come quietly now, are you not?"
"Go to hell," a spat through my teeth, shrugging Demetri's hand off of me and stepping away from his touch.
"This is so degrading, I would much rather just kill you now then using such a human method," he mumbled, half to himself as well as to me. Taking a step forward he grabbed for my arm, wrapping an iron grip around me. I tried to tug away yet it was in vain, his grip held. "Oh, you used to just accept it," and with those words he reached into his pocket and pulled out a cloth. I turned my head away and back to Edward, to see what was happening, and I almost cried out in despair as I saw that Edward was losing. I knew exactly what was going to happen next and I was dreading it. I felt a strong hand on the back of my head, and a cloth being shoved in my face, inhaling an acidy sent, and the wall around me began to fall down. I heard Edward cry out my name, but by then it was too late for anything, and I was completely defenceless. They would take me now, and Edward would follow like a puppy, and only god knows what will happen from there.
My mind slowly came into consciousness and I began to notice my surroundings, I knew in an instance where I was. The place where I lay was cold and smooth on my bear arms, the light in the room was bright behind my lids, I could hear the quiet mummer of voices, and most importantly it smelt to clear, to clean. I lifted my hand to me face slowly, rubbing my eyes, and then pushed myself off the floor, bringing my knees to a relaxed bent position and then flopping my arm lazily over the point, keeping my other arm behind me to support my back. As I did this the whole room went silent as if in anticipation of something. I looked up forward and saw the all too familiar large oak door with Felix and Demetri standing either side of it. Demetri, as always, had a blank look on his face taking a strong resemblance to any old painting of death, with his hands tucked neatly behind his back. Felix, on the other hand, had a smile on his face, and shot me a smug look of, both, triumph and something else, something that make by bones creep and a sickly feeling build up in my stomach. I didn't have to look to know what was behind me and to either side, and so I sat there, back to the Volturi leaders, and waited for someone to speak.
"Ah, Bella, so you join the land of the living," I heard a soft, well spoken voice from behind me.
"Technically no," I answered blankly. I didn't really know how I felt, just blankness really, I would have given anything at this point in time to feel something; pain, sorrow, hope, devastation... anything. Anything that was to confirm I was still alive and that this wasn't some sick hell.
I felt a cold hand on my shoulder and it seemed to lift me up off the floor. It spun me round so that I was face to face with its owner, Aro. "You do not address me in such a way," he said, his composure still strong, and his eyes were blank. At the moment all he was doing was asserting his power over me, but I wasn't having any of that. What could he threaten me with now apart from my life, which was worth nothing to me for I was surely dead one way or another? I shrugged off his lose hand and began to take a step back, but before I could do such a thing he grabbed my wrist and held it tight, creating a lock between us.
"How dare you!" he spat, pulling me closer to him and lifting my arm high in the air so that my feet almost left the floor. His grip tightened and almost made me cry out in pain. "You know not to disrespect us in such a way," his voice still hard and cold. "But, I guess we can forgive your actions, as you are after all just human, if you will tell me how much you love us here." His voice was soft again, very alluring if you had not been listening to it for the past 7 years. The whole room seemed to take a breath as Aro waited for me to start begging for forgiveness. For a second I thought I was going to do it, accept that this was my fate and grovel at his feet, yet I did not care, there was nothing to live for, they could make me go through hell and I would never break.
"I would rather eat dirt," I told him venomously, physically spitting in his face this time. Unfortunately, I did not get the unstoppable rage I was hoping for, where he would rip off my head and all would be done. No, he just turned around, wiping his face as he went, and walked back to his throne where he sat and lent back onto the head board, a look of disappointment clear on his face. Caius and Marcus just sat there, Caius quietly amused with what was going on and Marcus just looking utterly board. They never tended to get involved with spectacles like this; Caius would occasionally if there was mass killing involved, but Marcus never.
"That can always be arranged my sweet," Aro said. "But I have a better idea." I heard the clang of metal bolts sliding behind me and so turned to see what was happening. Felix and Demetri were opening the oak doors, and it seemed as if they were letting someone in. It took me less than a moment to realize what was going on, and who was about to enter through that door.
"Ok, I'll do what you want," I told Aro, spinning round to face them. My face had a mask of panic stuck on and Aro seemed to enjoy this, smiling widely at me.
"Bring him in," he shouted out to Felix and Demetri. The doors clicked and I heard light footsteps come into the room, yet I refused to turn and face them, I just stayed staring at Aro, eyes pleading with him. He had found my weakness, and he knew it.
"Bella," a soft voice spoke from behind. It took me a split second to make the decision to turn and run into Edwards open arms, I thought that I already knew what was going to happen and so might as well get a minute or so in the arms of my lover before I went into eternal darkness. I closed my eyes and leant my head into his chest, for a moment I just let myself believe that it was just Edward and I in the room together, all alone and away from this place. Edward just held me there, and the words that weren't said filled the silence, with quiet 'I love yous' that nobody but us would understand. I knew that I could have stayed like this for the rest of my life, just wrapped in his arms, safe and away from the world, yet the fantasy soon disappeared when Aro's voice ended the moment.
"Well isn't this lovely," it said. "A little reunion. I find it so fascinating that a Vampire and a human could be... May I?" he asked, gesturing towards Edwards. There was a quick, small nod from Edward in return and he stepped forward, slightly shielding me. Aro gave a small throaty laugh as he watched Edwards's actions and behaviour towards me. Rising from his throne once again he made his way forward, as he did Edward stiffened and prepared himself to protect me if need be. Aro smile become larger but he continued forward, making every step deliberate and judging. Soon he reached Edward and stood in front of him; Edward gracefully held out his hand and placed it in Aro's. Aro stood there for a moment; calculation and fascination clear on his face, just like every time he looked at someone's memories. Suddenly he let Edwards hand drop and took a step back, smiling widely, his eyes switching to look at both off us quickly before turning and heading back to his throne. When he was once again seated he began to talk.
"How... that is incredible. Even the thought of it makes me thirsty," he said glancing at me and frowning slightly.
"It's not without effort, I assure you," Edward replied stiffly, obviously irritated with Aro's comment.
"Yes, I can see that." Aro seemed completely unaware of Edwards's emotions.
"Anyway, back to business... Felix?" At Aro's command Felix took a step towards Edward and I.
"Please!" I begged Aro once again, though everyone seemed to ignore my plea. Edwards's arms wrapped around my waste and pulled me behind him once again.
"Don't touch her," Edward warned Felix in a deathly tone.
"Oh, don't worry, that's not my job," He replied smugly. Before either of us knew what was happening I was being swept off my feet by Demetri and taken to the other side of the room. Less than a second had passed when I found myself in between Caius and Aro's throne. Aro turned to me and smiled patronizingly, then turned back to watch the show.
"Bella?" Edward shouted out, panicked when he realized I wasn't behind him. He lost his concentration on Felix and turned away to look for me, which was exactly what they wanted from him. It was less than a second before he realized his vital mistake, but that was all the time Felix needed, and in the blink of an eye he was on top for Edward, wrapping his arms around his neck in such a way that even the tiniest twitch could rip Edward limb from limb. Edwards's facial expression turned blank and calculating but there was a hidden anger behind his eyes, as if he couldn't believe what had just happened.
"Being around humans so much has made you weak, my friend. You were so easily fooled, even with such a talent as yours," Aro spoke out across the room to Edward.
"I am not your friend-" was all Edward managed to get out before he was cut off by Felix's hand getting tighter and tighter. I gave an involuntary squeal, fear creeping into my bones as I saw my loved one slowly dying before my eyes. Laughter erupted from Aro, shortly follower by the guard. Caius remained silent, but I saw the restraint he had to gather to stop himself taking control. His turn would come some other time, and then all would tremble. There was no surprise that Marcus looked as if he were about to fall asleep, though of course vampires couldn't do that, he just looked completely uninterested in the whole thing. I had always liked Marcus best out of the three, simply because he ignored me. Yet I knew very well that I would never want his attention, for I had learnt from the other guards, that when in battle, Marcus was the most ruthless of them all.
Aro was smiling widely in triumph, knowing the ball was in his court. His eyes moved from Edwards quivering body, over to me. "And you! What were you thinking?" I turned away from his face in disgust, not having the strength to answer without violent verbal abuse. Unfortunately this was not the answer Aro hoped to get, and in (as he believed) being disrespected in such a way, he shot out of his seat and grabbed me by the neck. He lowered his head so that his breath brushed my ear, making me flinch.
"I said 'what were you thinking'?" he whispered in a deadly tone. I heard Edward growl, a chocked painful sort of noise, but when Aro lifted his fingers up it abruptly stopped.
"I don't know," I barely whispered back. I small tear glided down my cheek and fell to my lips. Aro lifted up his hand to my face and wiped it away with one finger, then lifting that finger he placed it on his own lips, signing in content.
"Exactly," he nodded agreeing. His eyes met mine for a split second and I had the flash of a child pulling the legs off a mayfly's legs just for the sake of it. "Now, let's have a bit of fun shall we?" he smiled gently, and still holding onto my neck, he pulled me to the front of his throne and threw me down onto it. He stood round the back of the thrown and moved both his hands so that they were pressing down on my shoulders, making it so that it was impossible to move. "Would you like to have some fun?" Cried Aro, as if he was entertaining a crowd.
"YES!" they shouted back. There were about 15 other people in the room altogether, excluding us by the thrones and Edward, and each one of them took a step back and positioned themselves to leave a large circular space in the middle. My heart sank as I watched what was happening, and I struggled against Aro's grip.
"No," I whispered in disbelief. "No!" I begin to cry louder. Tears were flooding out of my eyes, sobs coming from my chest as I realized what was to happen now.
"Oh yes my dear, oh yes!" Aro was enjoying himself very much in anticipation to the show. As I struggled more and more against Aro his hold just got tighter, pushing me down into the seat was a very easy task for any vampire, Aro was hardly paying attention to me at all.
Felix smiled wistfully let go of Edward so that he went crashing to the floor in one big pile. Within seconds he was once again on his feet, searching round the crowd for danger, for an attack. Felix took his place in the crowd and looked over to Aro for permission to start. The whole room had gone silent, awaiting Aro's Signal. Aro moved round the other side of the chair, knelling down so that he was once again facing me, and as if he was my best friend, gave me a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry my dear, it will all be over soon." His voice was soft and comforting, yet I took no solace in his empty words. This was the 'lion's den'. Like everything that had gone on here, I had witnessed it, and, again like most things, it was not a pleasant experience. I remember then thinking that I would never, under any circumstance, want to be in the position of the victim, but I have found an even greater fear in placing Edward in the middle. It's just a brutal game or cat and mouse, where the mouse has hardly a chance to take a step before the world around them starts to crack. I used to hear the screams for nights and nights afterwards.
"Please, don't do this. I will do anything. Anything!" I was begging for him to let Edward go, but I knew nothing would happen. "I won't fight it, I won't hate it, I'll except it all... just don't hurt him..." my words mumbled off into inaudible sobs. From the corner of my eye I saw Edward look at me with pain and sorrow, completely forgetting about the crowd that surrounded him. He stood tall and with pride, facing me in what both he and I believed would be his last moments. We said our goodbye's then and there, and I had such a want of death that I would do anything, just simply so I wouldn't have to be forced to feel all this grief for what was about to happen.
Mercy is a blessing like no other.
Suddenly there was a random cough, like one of those coughs that you do when trying to subtly interrupt conversations. All heads in the room turned to the source of the noise, and to everybody's utmost surprise, it was Marcus. He peered over at Aro with both eyebrows raised, a look so strong I would hate very much to be in its path.
"Yes," Aro retorted, in an annoyed, impatient way. Aro was still knelling in front of me and so I could see every expression that crossed his face, and he wasn't happy.
"I am hungry Aro, and Heidi will be here soon with our food. Could we please wrap this up?" His voice had strong power, it was casual, and yet there was a warning hidden there, and this seemed to enrage Aro. Aro stood up straight and looked down at me with strong contempt, as if to blame me for the significance of Marcus' words.
"Of course Marcus," Aro spoke, and to my relief removed his stare to Marcus, giving a curt nod and then turning his back to me to face the rest of the room. "Go," and he waved his hands for the room to empty. After a second or so Demetri and Felix positioned themselves at the door, like before, and Alec and Jane on either side of the room, just in case anything were to happen. Other than that it was just the three 'rulers' and Edward and I. "Right," mumbled Aro, turning to Marcus. "Better?" he asked mockery thick in his voice.
"Just keep it clean Aro," he replies indifferently, and went back to his stance of uninterested.
"Clean! You want it clean! We are vampires for god's sake! ...Honestly!" Caius was in an uproar of what he was witnessing, and slouched back in his chair in disbelief.
"No Caius, I meant it as fair," his voice bored, sounding as if he was explaining the rules of chess.
"Fine then! ...fair it is," Aro spoke, nodding that he would abide these rules. He glanced back at me, a playful smile testing its self on the edge of his lips. I have seen that smile a few times before, and it didn't bode well for the person to which it was aimed. Yet all I could think was 'thank god his attention is back on me'. "Bella. Bella, Bella, Bella." As he turned around to once again meet me in the eye, he repeated my name several times, saying it in different ways as if trying out a new idea. As he looked at me I saw a light switch on behind his eyes, and his expression turned to that of success. He had an idea, and I was sure that I wasn't going to like it.
"That's monstrous!" Edwards's voice erupted out, and it seemed like a millennia since I had heard it. Aro spun on his heels and walked straight towards Edward, keeping a smart distance of a few steps away.
"I have been inside your head Edward, I know what makes you tick, and this tiny little thing really makes you hate yourself. So here's the deal," he nodded to himself, and though from the back of his head I could not read his expression, I could tell that he was grinning. "You can live together side by side among the Volturi, as you Edward would be a valuable asset to us. You have the choice to come and go as you please, but, of course Bella has to stay," he was talking as if he was explain a game of 'tag' to a five year old. "Or, you can leave now and never see one another again." He ended in a happy voice, joyous to the fact that he had come up with such a brilliant plan. The thing was, no one but Edward seemed to get what he was talking about.
"And the conditions?" Edward said through closed teeth.
"Oh, well, I am glad you asked." Aro started circling Edward as if he was a lion in a cage and Edward was the piece of meat. "If you want to stay then you have to change Bella into a vampire yourself. If you want to leave then you have you watch me change her. Or you don't do either and just simply get killed where you are standing. Your choice." He nodded his head once again and then turned to walk back to his throne. He gave a casual hand gesture for me to move, and I very willingly obeyed, stepping to the side of the throne. Aro sat down and crossed over his legs, obviously very happy with what had just happened. I took two steps down the steps and onto the ground; shaky from the information I had been given. I knew exactly which one Edward would fall for in the end, even if it went against all his morals, he would do it so that we could be together. But I just couldn't have that; I couldn't have him condemned to the life of the Volturi, no matter what. Aro told him that he would be able to 'come and go' as he please, but I knew he only said that to sweeten the deal. Aro wanted Edward to go though as much pain as possible and changing me would be the top of the list. Aro also did this because he knew how much inner conflict it would bring me; either live with Edward in the hell of the Volturi and watch as my loved one suffered so dearly, or live without him, without his touch or kindness, for the rest of eternity. Either one would bring me great sorrow, but over in the end, I knew which one I could live with. If I lived forever in misery there is still a chance that Edward wouldn't, and that he would in fact find happiness once again in someone else. This is all I could get from the situation, and the third option wasn't even an option at all.
I walked towards Edward slowly, wild thoughts passing through my head, making my muscles clench with fear. I didn't know how Edward would react, whether he would just force it upon me so he could stay with me no matter what or if he would hate me forever and take it all the wrong way, but, all in all, I knew I would have to say something's that I wouldn't necessarily mean.
"Bella," Edward whispered, taking the last few steps to gather me up in his arms and hold me to his chest. I knew if I tried to get away he wouldn't let me, he had already made up his mind. "I promise I won't leave you. I promise everything will be alright. I won't let them touch you." His breather tickled my ear as he lowered his head to rest his lips on my shoulder. I felt Edward inhale a deep breath, and I thought he was about to do it and so automatically clenched every muscle in my body. But when the breath came out as a dry sob, I realized how hard this was for him, and thanked god for Edwards's kind heart. His knees began to shake and buckle from beneath him, and so before he fell to the ground, I lowered him gently to the floor, the kneeing down beside him, lifting his head to rest on my chest as he cried.
"I won't let you do it," I told him. "For one, to condemn you to such a life as the Volturi, would be more monstrous then anything imaginable."
"But I would be with you," he argued back, raising his head and facing with determination. "I couldn't live without you. I need to be with you to live"
"But I would be here, and this I not somewhere I want you to be." He opened his mouth to argue some more where on I put one finger on his lips, to silence his thoughts. "I love you so very much and a life without you seems unimaginable but..." tears began to stream slowly down my face and I took me a second to compose myself before I could speak again. "...no matter what you choose the outcome will be the same. Edward... I don't know how I will react knowing that you are the reason I will be no longer human." Edwards's eyes glanced up at mine in horror, as if to say the words out loud was to confirm his deepest fear. I leaned my forehead onto Edwards and closed my eyes, trying to find comfort in his touch, knowing that I wouldn't be feeling it ever again.
"But Bella... I can't..." His eyes filled with absolute terror because he knew what I was about to do, and he knew whatever he did he couldn't stop me. We embraced passionately one last time, but that was soon over and together we rose up. I was about to turn away from Edward and face my destiny when his arms tightened around me and wouldn't let me move.
"Edward..." I began warningly.
"I can't do it Bella. The idea of his... of him changing you..." he was extremely troubled by these words, and his grip became stiffer and stiffer. Edward glanced over at Aro with utter contempt. "I can't let him, and I won't. I have to do it Bella." Once again Edwards's lips lowered to me neck and rested there, as if waiting for some sign.
"No... Don't," I said as strong as I could, yet it seemed to come out in a chocked voice. "I don't want you to do this." Edward didn't let go, just held on taking deep breaths, I thought he was going to collapse again, but after a moment he let go and took a step back, and then another, and ran for the door. Felix wasn't expecting this and so Edward nearly got through, but not quite. Felix flung Edward back into the centre of the room and Jane followed in on it by making him scream out in agonizing pain and collapse on the floor shacking. I knelt down next Edward quickly, panicked as I watched him suffer.
"Stop it," I shouted at Jane, but all I got in answer was Edwards scream increase.
"Enough," arouse a voice from the throne. Jane stopped quickly at Aro's command, yet was still smiling with glee from his pain. Aro rose from his throne and stood in place. "Have you made up your mind?" Aro asked even though he already knew the answer, he just wanted us to suffer as long as we could.
"Yes," I whispered, looking down at Edward in defeat.
"Yes," Edward said, letting his head roll back as tearless cries rippled through his body. Before I could even stand up to take my fate Aro had his cold, dead hands wrapped around my throat and lips pressed against my neck. At Aro's touch I now had an initially different feeling run through my body then that of when Edward had his lips to my neck. I trusted Edward with my life, and if he were to bit me, I would trust him to do it. Aro was just being sick and malicious, and if I was ever going to sleep again I would have had nightmares about this for weeks.
"Say good bye to your Bella," Aro cried out, laughing such a laugh of a madman's. "She is mine, and is marked to prove it.
"No!" Edward was on his feet in an instant, about to reach out and grab me back, but he was prevented doing anything as Felix and Demetri grabbed both his arms and held him on his knees. Edward started screaming with such pleas of love it shattered my heart to hear them, and any hope that had been reserved was now pushed completely out of existence and into the bottomless pit that was now my life. I closed my eyes and let the tears pour out, but that's all they were, tears. That blankness was back, and this time I welcomed it.
"Do it quickly," I muttered to Aro, without opening my eye. I felt Aro's teeth cut my neck, yet I was beyond anything to feel pain at this moment. It wasn't until the fire started that I really began to scream, and when my endless pleas to stop the pain didn't work, I just shut up and let it happen. The only thing that kept me sane was Edward, and the memory of my loving soul mate.
Edward POV
Aro's bit her again, then again, then again. She was bleeding all over the floor, her delicate body withering in pain. I tried to get to her, to help her in some way, but they wouldn't let me. I didn't even notice her blood, I was to concerned about my loved one, and it wasn't until later on when I recalled my surroundings did I realize how intoxicating her aroma was. It wasn't until later I realized a lot of things; like the reason she kept pleading to them, wasn't for her sake but for mine. And it didn't properly hit home that this was a place where Bella had been raised for so many years, and where they intending to keep her for the rest of eternity.
"Get him out of my sight," Aro muttered, wiping Bella's blood away from his mouth. "And I warn you Cullen; if you ever try to see her again, you will be killed on sight." I started screaming some more for Bella, but I knew nothing would bring her back to me.
Bella and Edward POV
I wish I were dead.
End of book 1
So, what do you think was there bits in that chapter that made you think everyone was going to die, or that everything was going to be ok?
What do you think about the evilness of the Volturi?
What do you want to happen in the next book?
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