I'm sorry guys. I hadn't really updated because I didn't see much interest but now that it's picking up even a little I feel compelled to let this story play out so here's your next update, kind of setting up some stuff mostly but I hope you enjoy, I'm using first person now ;3
My body felt great. It was a wonder to have a corporeal form once more. There was such strength in it I marveled, clenching my fist tightly. The airport had been easy to bypass when the Cullens had such money. And, with a weapon of bone, no alarms had been triggered by its presence. The plane was new to me, but I had adapted to the machinations of the modern day human world. It certainly made travelling to the Volturi stronghold that much easier.
Alice seemed on edge; casting me curious glances every so often when she thought a human might not notice. Her body was tight and rigid, and she seemed to be having problems to remember to breathe. I ignored it though and let her be. No doubt my words of choice had thrown her and I regretted letting myself show such emotion. I could not let my feelings for Bella's predicament ruin my plans.
I had not waited three thousand years for revenge just to let some feelings for a shattered human counterpart get in my way. I relaxed in the seat, stroking the inside of my arm with my other hand, feeling the blade there. You picked up a few things over the centuries and dagger skill had been one of my best. Hopefully the lethality of the blade and my own skill with it would make up for the lack of vampiric speed.
Training this body had been no easy thing. Bella was unaccustomed to much physical exertion beyond the laughable physical education program at her high school. Most days were spent merely conditioning my new body to higher endurance and stamina before I brushed up on my reflexes. I did not doubt my skills once the blade was in hand though. Even with a weaker and less regimented body, I could deal great damage once I drew them in close enough. My main goal was to eradicate the Volturi heads, and then their main guard. If I could take them out, the rest of them would most likely scatter.
Bella and I would most likely die in the process.
I pushed that thought aside and drew in a deep breath, glancing out the window as we landed. Alice was visibly humming with energy, her entire body trembling nervously. Customs officers gave her suspicious looks and it was no wonder. She looked like some deranged suicide bomber.
I ushered her out of the airport before we could be delayed and Alice disappeared to get us a car. When she pulled up in an ostentatious canary yellow 911 Porsche turbo I felt myself frown. The car had speed, but lacked in subtlety.
She swung open the passenger door and rushed me in before I could say anything though, her face panic stricken. I swung the door shut and strapped myself into the seat as she blasted off.
"I had a vision," she finally confessed, urging the car as fast as it could go, her hands seemed to be twisting the metal frame of the steering wheel out of place.
"And?" I prodded, luxuriating in the feel of going so fast. No doubt as close as I would ever come to moving like a vampire ever again.
She shot me a look, her mouth drawn down in a tight lipped frown. Too late a memory from Bella surfaced of her drives with the Cullens. She had hated when they drove too fast.
"The vision," I said to distract her, trying once more to get her to talk about the vision she'd had that was worrying her so much.
"Edward is desperate Bella," she said, shoving the pedal against the floor. "The Volturi refuses to grant his request for death and so he's going to try to force their hand," she mumbled, holding one hand to her temple as she tried to muddle through her cloudy vision.
"He won't decide on anything definite because he knows I'm watching him, but it's something big. The Volturi won't have any choice, he's going to break one of the Laws," she said, sucking in an unnecessary breath. The steering wheel groaned as her hands wrung out the poor metal into deformity and she relaxed her grip just barely. I could still see where her fisted hands had left imprints on the wheel and wondered if Alice herself was stable enough for this.
Italy was bright and sunny and the windshield deflected enough light that there was only the faintest glimmer of diamonds sparkling on Alice's hands. Immediately I realized what it was Edward could do to force the Volturi's hand.
"What day is it?"
"March 19," she answered confusedly, looking at me again.
I couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of my mouth when I realized it. There was just the faintest edge of hysteria as I rocked back in my seat, laughing uncontrollably and holding my sides as I felt tears well up in the corner of my eyes.
"Bella, what is it, what's wrong?" Alice queried worriedly. Could she still not see it? Did she not realize what day it was? Today was the day the city celebrated my husband for eradicating the very creatures he was apart of.
At the thought of Marcus though, I sobered immediately, stifling myself mid giggle as my tears dried. Today was his day. An entire town gathered to celebrate him. The pain came swiftly and with a ferocious intensity as I curled in on myself, trying to get a lid on my emotions.
God I felt as if I were being ripped into pieces. And I knew that feeling intimately; my own brother had literally done so to me before setting fire to my remains.
"Bella?" Alice asked worriedly, reaching a hand out to me.
I flinched at the sound of her name and inched away from her touch as her hand fell back to her side and her face was downcast with sadness.
"I know what Edward's going to do," I finally told her after a few minutes of strained silence. She shot me a surprised look and I continued easily. "Today is St. Marcus Day," I managed a forced grin. She arched a brow at me expectantly. "The entire city of Volterra will be out in the town square today celebrating. In this weather, all he would have to do is walk out among them and show them what happens when sunlight touches him," I elaborated, nodding at her own sparkling hand.
Surprise widened her eyes as my words finally penetrated through her confused haze. I could see it on her face as she slid all of the puzzle pieces together before she started nodding along.
"If he reveals himself to that big a crowd the Volturi will have no choice but to kill him," she spoke aloud. "Bella, you have to stop him. He's only doing this because he thinks you're dead," she confessed. "Once he sees that you're alive, he won't want to die anymore," she concluded.
I turned away to look out the window before she could see the snarl of my features. How dare she! How dare the both of them! Did they think this was some sort of game? That they could just play with a human's emotions like they were nothing! Bella had been trapped in despair since the day the selfish vampire scum had ripped her heart out and ground it into dust, and now his sister had the gall to say he was going to do this for her? Because he felt a little guilty!
She was seething as they drove into Voleterra, at a virtual standstill as festival goers clad in red danced all around them. "You have to go now Bella!" Alice said urgently as she cut the engine. "Edward had made up his mind and you were right. He's going to reveal himself in the center plaza just as the clock strikes noon, we only have two minutes left ot stop him.
I opened the door rigidly and broke through the crowd. I was in no rush to save him. As far as I was concerned he should be wiped from the face of the earth for what he had done to Bella. If I moved to slowly though, Alice would wonder what was wrong. Besides, his suicide was going to draw the Volturi like moths to a flame.
And she would be that destructive flame.
As the clock began to toll noon, she passed over the fountain, catching sight of the hateful boy in the corner as he stripped off his shirt to better bare the effects the sun would have on him. She raced towards him just as he was about to step out and collided with him with all the force of a train meeting a brick wall.
Cool hands wrapped around her waist and steadied her. She gazed up into topaz eyes and felt Bella stir in the recesses of her mind.
Edward?
No, I thought, shoving her firmly down. I would not expose this girl to more pain and heartache at the hands of this man.
"Bella? Is it really you?" he asked wondrously, drawing me deeper into the alley, his suicidal thoughts dismissed. "I guess this means we really do have souls. This is amazing, I didn't even feel it," he murmured, tracing my face with one hand, the other held fast around my waist. He thought he was dead? Oh that was a laugh. Such meager feelings of guilt would never keep his spirit tied to this plane as mine had been.
It's Edward! He's come back for me!
Bella tried sluggishly to pull herself back to the surface. I felt my lips part, a breathy sigh of his name perched on my lips before I snapped my mouth shut, swallowing my revulsion.
'No he didn't!' I forced, shoving her back into her lucid dream. 'You're seeing things again Bella.' I hurled her the memory of the forest and she retreated brokenly. She didn't want to meet this vile creature holding us. She would be much happier in the illusions I had created for her.
I shoved myself out of his hold, wiping where he'd touched my face, feeling defiled. "You're sister sent me," I snapped, blatantly leaving myself out of the equation. "She didn't want you to die," I added emphatically.
The disgusting boy doesn't get it and I feel his lips on mine. I clench my fist on the blade. I have no problem letting him be my first kill. But a sound beyond my feeble human hearing makes him stiffen and he pulls away, hiding me behind him. I take the time to thoroughly scrub my lips and spit out the taste of him. My lips are still buzzing from lingering feelings on Bella's part and I spit again, wiping at my mouth vigorously.
I hear someone speak and my blood goes cold. Looking past Edward I see two figures there. Felix and Demetri. They're going to have to die too, but not now, not yet. I need them to take me to my brother. I was willing to compromise on my revenge and kill Edward first when he'd kissed me, but now I had a link to my brother. I could get them to take me to him and I'd make him watch as his entire kingdom burned to the ground.
"The girl will come with us Edward, we no longer have any business with you," Demetri says slowly as if speaking to a child.
"No," the boy responds childishly, and I'm already tired of his antics. My life is none of his business. I needed to get into his chambers and Edward was in my way. My brother was so close, I could almost taste it. The culmination of all of my efforts was coming to fruition at last. Demetri and Felix, I remembered them, they could get me to Aro. He trusted them. The word was sour in my mouth.
I side stepped Edward.
"I'll go," I answered, turning all three heads my way.
"Bella-" Edward warned, reaching for me again.
"You don't speak for me anymore!" I screamed at him, moving out of his immediate reach. "You already gave up that right so stay out of this!"
He froze, looking as if I'd smacked him across the face, his whole face contorted in agony. He was a good actor. It would have been more believable if I didn't know what I did. It only took him a couple seconds to shake it off though before his mask of neutrality.
"Well, well, looks like the lovebirds are having a spat," Felix laughed.
"Shut up Felix!" I snapped glaring at him. His eyes widened in surprise and I caught my mistake. Being so close to my revenge was taking its toll on me, I was getting too riled up over things. Luckily he overlooked it, glancing at Edward.
"You told the human about us Edward?" he asked and I breathed a sigh of relief as Alice joined us, stepping in front of me defensively.
"No matter," Demetri brushed it off. "Aro wishes to speak to this human anyways. The more she knows the less we have to explain."
"Wrong Demetri," a voice spoke from the shadows. Instantly Alice and Edward closed ranks before me. Even Felix and Demetri took a startled step back. "Humans aren't supposed to know anything about us."
A slight figure stepped from the shadows in a familiar heavy black cloak. She was young looking and I didn't recognize her. She must have joined after Aro had killed me. Her powers would have to be amazing for Aro to turn such a child and for everyone to be so afraid of her. I canted my head curiously in the girl's direction and met her gaze head on.
Edward and Alice were growling as the girl smiled. All at once I felt a faint buzzing in my head. She was trying to use her gift on me. I smiled back at her congenially as her bright expression began to darken and her brow furrowed in frustration.
"Nice try," I smiled back. The look in her eyes was full of rage, but she was millennia too soon to try to outmatch me in terms of grudges.
"We'll take her to Aro, he'll decide what to do," she finally snapped, looking away churlishly. Everyone in the alleyway seemed startled and looked towards me as I beamed brightly, my hands shaking in anticipation. So close now, soon I would have him.
Edward and Alice didn't argue and followed her to a small underground hole opened in the back of the alley. I could feel my heart pounding harder and faster in my chest with every step we took taking me closer to the Volturi. I knew the vampires could hear it and I let them think it was out of fear as Edward and Alice each held on to one of my hands, squeezing them in what was supposed to be a comforting manner.
In the pitch dark all I could see was his face and what it would look like when I tore his whole world down on his head.
She's so close! I'll actually try to update again tonight because I left this hanging for so long so look forward to it, things are about to hit the fan!