"There you go." I felt a soft tickle against my cheek, hands tugging onto the fabric around me as I stood still in the middle of a white room. The woman in front of me set a pair of black ballet flats onto the marble floor, coaxing me to step into them. I followed her orders mindlessly. I was going through the motions but I wasn't fully there and I could feel myself wavering on the edge, trying to grip on some kind of sanity.

But I could only hear the cracking on concrete, the sound of a snarl and the sight of Edward withering on the floor in agony. He must have stopped resisting just as I left, because I could no longer feel the pain, something that came with our mating mark. Any ounce of feeling, any bit of love, hate, worry, pain, sadness - we both felt it.

I could feel his weakness. And I was sure he could feel mine. Physically we were both exhausted, both pushed to the breaking point. Mentally - it was even worse.

My hands began to shake and the woman with the red eyes in front of me noticed this. Heidi, I think her name was. She had golden brown hair that curled down her back, her skin smooth and pale, her legs long and slender to match the nude pumps she was adorning. If I wasn't out of my mind, I would have been slightly intimidated by her perfections, but I was too tired to care or to even notice.

"See what a little make-up can do?" She smiled with one last swoop of her make-up brush across my cheeks. After I was taken out of the room they held Edward in, I was immediately rushed to the opposite side of the mansion. I was then greeted by Heidi who whisked me to the bathroom and threw me into the large jacuzzi tub. I had to scrub, shave, cleanse - and I had no idea why. But the shock of what happened with Edward was still fresh and I couldn't find it in myself to care as to why I was being pampered.

Because the moment I was out of the bath, I was dried off and primped up. My hair was blow-dried and was left to its natural waves, something Heidi didn't want to touch. My nails were painted, my lips were glossed and I was squeezed into a short, peach sundress with a grey cardigan. I felt her hands on my waist, turning me around and towards the mirror.

"Not half bad, huh?" She asked behind me with her radiant smile.

I hadn't seen my reflection in so long.

I could only imagine what I must have looked liked before this. Tattered clothing, dirty face, grimy fingernails, knotted hair. It took her nearly two hours to just get me to look like this.

She had hid my imperfections so well, to the point, where I could have passed as normal. That I wasn't caught up in a life where I was in love with a vampire who was hoarding secrets, ones that had bottled up and led us here. I knew deep down inside, that I should be mad at him, that I should be furious for him keeping secrets, ones that were so big that ultimately altered our lives and was suffocating every ounce of air we had inside of us.

But I couldn't be mad. Because if these were my last days, I wouldn't want to spend those precious moments wondering what he was hiding and why us being together was so wrong. Standing in the mirror, staring into the brown eyes of the girl who looked back - the same girl, I came to terms with my future and only wished that I had a little more time. I reached my hand up and touched my mark on my neck, hidden from the makeup that Heidi had put on top of it. I wanted to wipe it off, I wanted to see it. But Heidi gripped my hand and pulled it to my side as she turned me around, fluffing my hair.

"I never get to doll you guys up. It's always straight from the cells." She said, brushing my hair to the side.

"You guys?" I repeated in question.

"The donors." She smiled, looking at me through the mirror. "You are different. They all know that. That's why tonight is going to be a special night."

"Why is tonight so special?" I wondered. I knew I was being sold - why would Aro make such a big deal out of it? Was it another one of his parties? But before she could answer there was a knock on the door and I turned to see Jasper in the doorway. Heidi grinned widely and strode to him, one hand on mine and leading me to him.

"I have come to collect her for Aro." Jasper said. Heidi nodded as we reached him and I watched as her hand touched his chest and slowly climbed to his shoulder.

"She is all ready for you." Her voice was low and soothing and Jasper didn't even blink. He smiled at her not-so-subtly pass at him and pulled out handcuffs from his back pocket. "Surely you will not be putting those on her! That will mess with her whole outfit."

"It's Aro's orders." He said. "Arms out." Heidi groaned and rolled her eyes as I hesitantly pulled my arms out. Jasper slapped the large black cuffs around them. He nodded to Heidi who patted my back soothingly.

"You are the special guest, my dear. Enjoy yourself." She kissed my cheek and walked back into the room, leaving Jasper and I in the doorway. He didn't say a word and instead his hand went to my back and urged me forward. My arms where at my front, my wrists squeezing the cuffs as if to test them. I had no chance, even if I were to slip out of them, I knew that. But my survival instincts were kicking in and I was desperate to find a way out.

"You won't get away fast enough." Jasper said, as if reading my mind. His words were familiar, reflecting Carlisle's when I first arrived with him in Washington. I stopped moving my hands and instead followed behind him, walking through the corridors. Jasper had opened a door, a spiral staircase descending down and into darkness. I hesitated, but Jasper was becoming impatient, giving me a warning growl to continue. My voice caught in my throat and we headed into the darkness, where he soon lit a torch.

It was a straight dirt hallway, all the the way down, the only light was in Jasper's hand. Rats ran along the sides of the walls, staying as far away from Jasper as possible. Even their instincts told them to stay away. I looked over my shoulder, the only thing behind me was darkness, as if it were following me. Closer and closer. I felt my heart begin to race, my eyes watering as faint sounds began to get closer.

It sounded as if we were at a sporting game, underneath the bleachers where fans kicked and screamed. I looked up at the ceiling, dust falling off with every vibration of noise. The flames on the torch made a swooshing sound as Jasper climbed a small staircase, opening a wooden door, it creaking with life.

"Come." He said, lifting his hand out. I grabbed it hesitantly as he helped me on the boarded stairs and through the door, the noise becoming increasingly loud. There was a crash and a snarl, one that caused my heart to jump in my throat, my hands shaking as the chains around my wrists began to rattle.

"What's going on... Where are we?" I asked, my voice betraying me as it shook with fear. Jasper moved down with a new pair of cuffs, cuffing my ankles together as one long chain connected from them, to the ones around my wrists, giving me limited room to move.

"It will all be over soon." He said, staring up at me with bright maroon eyes. He was willing me to relax - I could feel it. But it wasn't enough. Because within seconds a door on the side slammed open and Felix was in view. "She is ready."

"What? What's going on?" I tried to move back as Felix became closer, but the chains were resisting my movements. Felix grabbed the back of my neck and pushed me in front of him, my head turning just slightly to see Jasper one last time, unmoving and unaffected. There was a large curtain on the side of us, as if we were on a stage - the audience blocked from view but their voices carrying loudly.

"What's that noise?" I asked, watching as Felix looked down at me with bright red eyes.

"Don't make any sudden movements. You don't want to excite them." His voice was low and unnerving, my lips pressing together as the curtains began to open. And the moment they did, a loud and hard thwack echoed in the room, hundreds of voices hissing and calling out.

I was blinded at first by the bright lights that were casted above me, my eyes closing instantly as I tried to block it away with my hands, but my cuffs not allowing me that far.

My heart was racing, my throat was dry - and when I was becoming accustomed to the light, I could see specks of red all in front of me. Thousands of them. I felt myself let out a large gasp, trying to step back but Felix held me tightly. The vampires in the audience responded to my sudden outburst and some even attempted to climb the stage. Felix growled menacingly, forcing them to back off.

I was trying to move back, trying to get away - I could feel something creeping up my spine trying to inch it's way in my brain, but there was something blocking it. Tears began to fill my eyes, because this place was familiar - it was too familiar. It was causing goosebumps and violent tremors in my body, my mouth going dry as the vampires in front of me snarled and bared their teeth.

"Isabella Swan." Felix said above me - another tremor entering in. I could feel flashes of white in my mind, it breaking apart the barrier that was so resistant for me to remember exactly where I was. I looked around frantically, looking for a sign - something to tip me off. And when I caught Aro up in the balcony - I saw a pair of dark eyes next to him.

Edward was being held by the arms by two men, one held his chin and forcing it down and right at the stage - right on me. When our eyes connected he resisted, trying to move but the men were too strong for him. My eyes turned back to the audience who were screaming my name and just behind them - a large Grandfather clock ticking.

And it was as if all these clues had joined together, had broken down the wall that was trying so hard to keep everything out. And I soon remembered my dream - the dream that had kept me up for weeks before I was taken. The very same one over and over again, of me standing on this very stage, in front of an audience filled with blood-thirsty vampires.

And I soon realized it was not just a dream - but it was a memory.

I let out a loud sob and the vampires reacted, calling out numbers and signs. Felix held me tightly by the shoulder, his fingers pressing into my skin and digging into the bone. I cried out, hearing Edward above me snarl out, trying to attempt to get to me - trying to rescue me. But he was too weak and the men were too strong.

"Five million and four shipments!" A woman called out.

"Ten million and seven shipments!" Another voice rang out, this time a man's.

Aro watched in delight as everyone began bringing out numbers to him, desperately trying to win over his affection. And there was no other way around it.

I was being auctioned off.

And due to the familiar surroundings, I had broken a memory. And when I was little - I was in the same position. I don't know how, I don't know when. And the sudden revelation caused pounding headaches to drum inside of my skull. Numbers were still being thrown out, Felix had lessened his grip but had not moved. I watched through tears as the vampires were fighting, some even physically challenging each other, my body flinching back at the sight of limbs being thrown across the room.

"Forty million dollars." A voice rang out within the middle of the room. Everyone went slight except for slight chatters, a man with long dreadlocks and an evil smile with deadly red eyes stared up at me. Aro clasped his hands together and stood.

"And shipments?" He asked eagerly.

"Ten." The man said as Edward began to snarl, finally ripping from the grip of the men who held him down. I watched as Edward moved quickly from his spot and and jumped through the air, trying to reach the stage. Felix blocked me and within seconds a large crash pounded in the room and Edward was screaming on the floor.

"Stop! Stop it!" I cried out, trying to move from Felix's grasps. Jane stood on the opposite balcony, staring down at Edward who convulsed on the ground, the vampires around him making a circle as they watched. "STOP IT! Please!"

Aro lifted his hand and Jane released her sight on him. Edward let out a large breath, the man the with dreadlocks soon hanging over him as he whispered in his ear. Whatever he said, this caused a reaction in Edward who soon tried to move towards him but was stopped quickly by Jane once again. Men swooped in and pulled Edward by his arms, dragging him to the side.

"Laurent, you agree to forty million dollars and ten shipments of human donors in exchange for Isabella Swan?" Aro asked from the balcony. The man, Laurent, stared directly at me, a grin forming on his lips.

"I agree." His voice was low and rumbling, causing me to look away. Very suddenly I felt a cold hand on my cheek, my eyes quickly turning to meet the crimson ones that stared down in hunger.

A snarl erupted from behind us.

"Don't you touch her!" Edward growled, but Laurent's hands had whisked down my chest, touching the side of my breasts as he smirked widely.

"I have been waiting for this for a long time, Isabella." He whispered. "I will be seeing you soon."

As quickly as he came, he disappeared, leaving me gasping for air as I tried to come to realizations that I was just sold to a man who would soon be the reason of my death - the one who will kill me. I looked quickly to Edward who was being rushed out of the room, Aro staring down at him with satisfaction.

"Come." Felix said behind me, pulling me from the stage. Jasper was waiting in the wings, just as a group of people, humans, stood behind him. All chained together, all dirtied and tattered - just as I was before. Felix gripped the first one as Jasper took me and soon the auction was continuing, starting with a young boy.

TSIPWR

I didn't know how, but I had fallen asleep. Even in the midst of the danger, the deception, agony and the fact that my world - my life, was dangling so precariously on a string, I was able to sleep. Perhaps I knew that many nights to come until my death, I would not be able to sleep from the constant anxiety and the fear of the future.

I gave myself this last indulgence. I had no dreams, no nightmares. Tomorrow I would be given to Laurent and my fate would be determined on how long he can withstand to kill me for my blood. And instead of dreaming on how it would happen I was encompassed with darkness that gave me peace.

And in the midst of this peace, I heard something opening - a door. It jolted me awake and the creaking of my cell opened. Was it morning already? Was I truly already going to be taken to Laurent? It seemed too quick, I didn't have enough time to relish the sleep all in. I curled quickly on the corner of my cell, my dress staining with the grime underneath me but I could care less - I didn't want to go. I much prefer to die starved in this cell then at the hands of a stranger.

"Isabella..." The voice rang out and I quickly turned my head. A body was down beside me and I there wasn't a doubt in my mind as to who it was.

"Alec?" I said loudly, my voice cracking as his hand shot out and covered my mouth. The people in the cells next to me began to move, curious as to what was happening. He lifted his finger in front of his lips to silence me and I watched as he pulled out something from his pocket.

I didn't move - knowing that perhaps this was my dream. I tried to will myself awake but I was only thrusted back into this moment, watching as he pulled out a needle, tapping it slightly as liquid dripped from the tip of it. He grabbed my arm and quickly pressed the needle into the skin of my inner elbow, pulsing the liquid inside of me.

"Alec..." I whispered - suddenly feeling very tired again. My head lolled back, hitting the ground as my eyes began to roll in the back of my head. Darkness pulsed around me and Alec soothingly touched the injections, shushing me to fall asleep. I grabbed his hands, squeezing it tightly as the last thing I heard was a loud rumbling that vibrated beneath me.

Still so many questions. I can promise you that next chapter will reveal all. And the confusion will be put to rest.

Only a few more chapters left until the end. Thanks for sticking with me this far.

Until next time, little does.

ii