Everything was calming down, the wolves had left us alone and Jake had apparently given up the chase sooner than Edward, mind you I think he might have been under an Alpha command so that would have helped. Peter had turned up at school and frightened the crap out of Mike, making it quite plain who's affections I was receiving and to back off. Edward also had returned to school and soon was raving about his new girlfriend when the sharks started circling in the form of Lauren and Jessica, but it was obvious to a blind man he had changed because of her.

Charlie found Peter a much better choice for me than Edward and they were getting on like a house on fire. I had broached the subject of Italy, saying how lucky Alice and Rose were, how I'd love to get the chance to go, all that culture and not to get me started on the Renaissance era. It was a good ploy as Carlisle got a phone call from Marcus, basically warning him Aro was preparing to have a delegation come and bring us all in, no choice, no summons, but an extraction.

So the next morning Esme approached Charlie and asked if I could join the girls as they had a spare ticket because Carlisle wasn't able to join them, an out of state emergency had come up at a previous hospital he'd worked in and he'd been asked to consult. All I'd need was spending money, everything else was covered. Charlie hummed and hawed but eventually gave in, Peter said he'd take the opportunity to head back to Jasper's place in Montana, check over his cars.

He told Charlie that he rebuilt classic cars as a hobby, then he was going to head to look at a ranch in Chadron, Nebraska that was up for sale at a knockdown price, thought it was time for him to have a decent place of his own. This would explain his absence, Emmett, Jasper and Edward were going to go to Harvard, check it out for Edward as his first choice of college. This way all the Cullens were going to be gone at the same time.

Now the logistics began in earnest :-

Private jet check

Flight plan for Pisa check

9 vampires, 1 human check

Shield training complete check

Alice insanely packing check

Rose and Emmett bickering check

Edward and Bree having sex check

Damn we were ready to go, this would be the furthest I'd ever travelled before. So two days later we were off, this was much better than flying economy and as I was the only human we got the bed, not that we had sex, I was adventurous not an exhibitionist, plus there were enough voyeur's in the family as it was. Bree was nervous of just about everything and this put a dampener on Edward's sexing her up, everywhere they went. She'd never flown before, never left the State, so it was all new and worrying to her. The flight was about fourteen hours plus and there would be another one and a half hour drive to Volterra. We weren't staying anywhere not giving them a chance to sense us coming.

I had everyone under my shield from the minute we took off from Port Angeles and Jasper hoped as long as Demetri wasn't looking for us yet, he wouldn't notice they'd all disappeared. They doubted he could track me at all, that's nice to know. So it was a very flustered receptionist who received us all in her plush foyer, she asked us to wait till she summoned someone, Jasper shook his head and then put her to sleep using his empathy.

Carlisle lead us down to the main audience chamber and feeding room, yucky poo! So it was a very surprised guard, guest covens and three Kings who turned as the doors opened, Carlisle was magnificent, apologising for dropping by unannounced, but we were all in the vicinity vacationing and thought it would be rude not to stop by! How were all his old friends and comrades? sort of playing up the fact you don't treat good friends badly, the way Aro had intended to treat us, saying it without actually saying it.

I could feel three attacks on my shield, which obviously didn't work and Aro was looking uncomfortable. Jane was one, an unknown to me pair of females were the other two, I nodded towards them and Carlisle said "Ah, Bella and Bree let me introduce you both to everyone", he inclined his head to the kings "This is Aro, Marcus and Caius, then over there is the guard you met last month, Jane, Alec, Felix and Demetri, lastly may I introduce Chelsea and Corin"

I stepped forward a pace, "Is it normal to attack your guests during introductions? Seems damn rude to me! Is this how it's done in Italy Carlisle?" I ask loudly even though everyone can hear me fine, the guard all hiss and I raise an eyebrow, Marcus is smirking, Caius looks outraged and Aro splutters "I can assure you, my dear, no one is attacking you!"

I turn to Edward, "He's not quite telling the truth Bella, but he didn't tell the three bitches to attack us!" he states nonchalantly. "Ah, so you have no control over your coven! Doesn't really bode well for the rest of the vampire world when their leader has no real authority!" Caius jumps to his feet, "How dare you speak to us this way! You will show respect to your betters!" he thunders, "Oh I'm showing the same level of respect to you as you have to us, that's Nada! Zip! Zilch! None!" I answer coldly.

The leaders of the visiting covens are looking confused, annoyed and rather dissatisfied, "What's the meaning of this Aro? Why are your guard attacking and failing abysmally might I add, Carlisle's coven?" one speaks up and nods to Carlisle. Aro is livid and trying to hide it, Marcus now has his hand across his mouth to stop everyone seeing the smile that's there.

"Let's cut out the crap shall we, you were about to send your guard to acquire me! Yes?" I say and Aro immediately denies it, at the same time Edward confirms it from all three kings minds. "I am a mated human! But still, you thought you could just take me, why? I believe and correct me if I'm wrong, I believe that's against your own laws?" Gasps were heard from all the visitors, Aro was shaking with rage now, "You are human! You could change your mind! It is not a permanent mating until you're a vampire!"

"What a load of Bollocks and you know it! Master Marcus? I'm I or I'm I not, Captain Peter Whitlock's mate?" I said facing Marcus now, he nodded as more murmurs circled the room at the mention of my mate's name. Edward confirmed it was one of the strongest links Marcus had ever seen.

I caught Aro's glance at Alec and I spun back around, "Alec did your sister tell you what it felt like to have her gift turned on her? What would happen if it was you? Could you awaken yourself if you were in a trance H'mm?" He dropped his hands to his side saying nothing and not willing to take the chance. Aro just threw caution to the wind and ordered his guard to attack.

I flipped my shield over the visiting covens and started to push out my shield pinning the guard to the walls on three sides, leaving the three kings free for the moment. "Stop this now Aro or I will crush them all!" he slumped down in his throne and nodded, I could feel all attack but one had ceased, Chelsea was still trying to penetrate my shield, to break our bonds and tie us to Aro. Much as I abhorred the fact I needed to set an example or they would never leave us alone.

I lifted her from behind me and placed her on her knees in front of the kings, this caused a flurry of gasps and hisses alike. "Some people can't take no for an answer, so I'm truly sorry but I can't have her continually trying to break our bonds apart, just so you can add me to your collection, Aro, this is all your doing, your greed has lost Chelsea her life!" with that I compressed my shield and she disintegrated before his eyes and he looked terrified.

I held out my hand for Peter's lighter and dropped it once lit onto the dust, it flared purple and then died. All around the chamber vampires were shaking their heads and looking angrily at Aro, they were now free of Chelsea's control, as was Marcus who stood behind Aro looking like the devil incarnate. He just growled Aro's name before ripping his head off his shoulders. Caius to looked angrily at Aro's body and it was he that lit him up in flames.

The other coven leaders were shaking my hand and thanking me for protecting them and I was numb, I'd just killed someone, me Isabella Swan had killed a vampire, I felt sick and was starting to shake, in shock I think, Carlisle saw Peter grab me as I swayed on my feet and rushed over as I slipped into blackness.