Chapter 30

Where the Wild Things Are

"Just like the day that I met you, you didn't say a word but I still knew, did you really think I wouldn't see? You were lying straight through your teeth. Such a waste of a wonderful day wrecked and ruined by your slanderous ways by the games you play, oh by the games you play. It will be the death of me before I let you get the best of me girl. It will be the death of me before I let you get the best of me. You're the monster underneath, lost of all faith, feeding off my dreams, where I thought I was safe. Just like the day that I met you, you didn't say a word but I still knew you were lying straight through your teeth. Oh you were lying straight through your teeth." –Where the Wild Things Are by Anarbor

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or House of Night.

BPOV

I was too stunned to move into action as Stark sped out of the camp. I reached out to the minds of Haley and told her to follow him and see what was going on. With that out of the way, I turned my attention to the three ancients standing before me with a mix of emotions playing on their faces.

Aro was frowning; Caius had a smug look warming up to his; and of course, Marcus looked unaffected. I knew something was off. Nothing had felt right since the moment we approached the camp. Now that feeling had spread until it touched every core of my body. Uneasiness tugged at my gut, telling me we needed to leave now.

"Aro," I said cautiously, "what is going on?" After my words left my lips, I noticed how silent the camp was. It held no other presence except the immediate guard outside the door and in the room with us. It had become a ghost town, like everyone had snuck out while we prattled on in here, unaware. Well, some of us unaware. How did I not notice this?

Edward glanced at me, the same thought circling his mind.

I shook my head, this just isn't right. My eyes found the ancients again. Pure hatred radiated from my body. I knew they were behind this, they just had to be.

Before I could begin my slew of questions, Jacob tipped his head back and howled just as another howl echoed throughout the woods. A sound of clashing boulders, the tearing of vampire flesh and snarls of battle rang out. Jacob's hair was standing on end; his legs crouched in the position to spring on the Elders; a growl rumbling deep in his chest.

Images flashed through his mind of canine teeth ripping white skin, fires blazing in the background, and a group huddling around a fallen vampire. What the hell was going on?

BELLA GET OUT OF THERE NOW! IT'S A TRAP! Haley practically screamed at me.

My eyes widened at this and Edward staggered back. Bella, we need to go, now.

I nodded and took a step back, giving one last look of disbelief at these three men who I'd once admired. I shook my head and spun on my heel, speeding out of the tent.

"NO!" I heard Edward shout as hands grabbed my arms and yanked me back with a hard tug.

I fell back, but quickly gained my ground and looked at Felix and Heidi in contempt. I shoved my shield out and blasted them back. Hurry! I called to Edward and Jacob. We quickly darted out of the camp and towards the battle.

We monitored the brawl through the images of our loved ones, feeling the loss when we couldn't find one's mind. Reaching the clearing, we soon realized we were behind our enemies. I smirked slightly and shot a mental shield out, throwing them several yards into the heat of the battle and the arms of their own foe, as Edward blasted into some of their minds, handicapping them for the time being.

Jacob led our attack as we worked our way through the middle, the quickest way to our side. The wolf tore at any limb that crossed his path. Edward threw mental blasts at any who were getting the advantage any of "us." I pushed out in front of Jacob and extended my physical shield to surround us, shoving everyone out of our way as we bulldozed through.

We reached our side and I saw many relieved faces as they caught sight of us. "BELLA!" I heard my name called from the small group surrounding something on the ground.

I sped over, Edward following me and Jacob diving back into the fight. It was the Dark Daughters and Sons. They parted for me so I could get to the middle. Stark was kneeling by Zoey who was sprawled across the grass.

"Zoey," I spoke on a breath. Her name rolled off my tongue like a prayer that was caught in the wind, lost in the sound of claws ripping apart bodies. Oh Goddess no, I sent a silent prayer to Nyx, begging for Zoey's health.

Kneeling myself, I saw the extent of the damage. Her body was scorched, to be put honestly. Smoke curled in wisps as it left her still sizzling skin. Zoey's eyes were closed and her chest wasn't moving, which wasn't a problem technically since we don't breathe. A finger twitched and Stark took a sharp, ragged breath in, bringing my attention to him and everyone else.

Each one held the same look of horror and sorrow. I'm sure if they could cry, they would. Aphrodite was clutching Darius' side as if she squeezed hard enough, it would all go away and be okay again. Stevie Rae was nowhere to be seen and I located her mind in the battle, fighting Erik, whose mind I recognized from earlier. The Twins were holding each other, their shoulders racked with dry heaves. Damien and Jack were holding each other's hand tightly. Jack's eyes were squeezed shut and Damien's were fixed on Zoey's face.

Finally my gaze went back to Stark's own face. He looked like an empty shell, no soul left inside of him. It was as if she was dead already and there was no hope in the world for her living. And if she couldn't live, neither could he.

My lifeless heart was bombarded by the emotions rolling off of everyone surrounding me. Then a thought registered to me. Spirit.

Stevie Rae had said Zoey had a special connection to spirit. It fed her strength, filled her soul with the Goddess' love and made her feel human again. That's it!

I stood, a smile spreading across my face. A few looked at my expression in disgust, most didn't even notice since they were so deep in their own depression; that very depression was holding Zoey down, weakening her.

"Spirit," I said to them. Some looked at me, confused, while the others stayed in their own little worlds. "Spirit," I said again, only a little louder. A few more moved their attention to me. "Zoey needs spirit."

I finally gained everyone's attention, even Stark who had snapped out of his daze and nodded, coming to grasp my words. "She's right, you guys. Think only how much you love Zoey, not how much you loved her. Be positive, not negative. Fill your souls with the love of our Goddess and Zoey. Let them know how much we care about them."

A few gasped, mentally chastising themselves for not realizing this sooner. I saw a few close their eyes in concentration; others stared at Zoey intently as if to push their love through their gaze and into Zoey's heart.

I tipped my head back and stared at the moon that had risen while we were under the flaps of a tent. Nyx, please help Zoey.

I felt love and assurance swell throughout me. It was Nyx. I smiled and stepped away from the group and right out of our bubble of serenity and solitude and into battle.

"Bella, get out of the way!" Emmett hissed as he wrestled a Son of Erebus to the ground who was about the same size as Emmett. I moved out of the way and they barreled right passed me. Well, it was a comforting thought to know Emmett was still alive.

My eyes scanned the clearing, searching for the rest of my family. Good, they're all there. I then decided it was time I joined in this fight.

I took a step, my shield already spreading out passed my fingertips, and then Edward swung around in front of me. I looked into his orbs, pleading to let me go. His solid demeanor cracked and he sighed, running a hand through his unruly bronze hair. A smirk tugged at my lips, even under the heat of a fight, he was still my Edward.

I chastely kissed his cheek and threw myself into the thrashing bodies. I came across Ethan pulling an arm off of a Volturi guard while holding them down with his foot, their face smashed in the ground. He grinned at me and I rolled my eyes. I left him there to continue ripping limbs from the other vampires' body.

Moving my shield into the shape of a baseball bat, I began hitting pop flies with my enemies. Jasper glared at me when I wacked one who he had been fighting. I shrugged with a small smile.

A thought occurred to me then. Immortals, some I knew very well and were very close to me, were dying all around me. Goddess, Zoey was recovering, hopefully, from a potentially fatal wound that I had yet to figure out what the hell had happened. And yet here I was, playing baseball with enemies and laughing about it. What's wrong with me?

I was so entrapped in my own thoughts I didn't detect the vampire who made a lunge for my back. It was Ambrosine. We both knew this was coming, might as well get this over with now. I grabbed her by the head and flipped her over me so we were facing each other now. Ambrosine and I danced in a circle, each calculating the others moves.

I knew she was getting impatient, wondering why I hadn't made my move yet. Well, I was waiting on her to make her move first. She lunged to my left side, which I figured she'd guess was my weak side. I dodged and rolled into a crouch, facing her again.

It was my turn to make a move. I stepped to the left then the right and leaped to grab her right shoulder and pulled her to the ground with me. We rolled around for a bit until I locked my knees around her hips and planted myself on top of her, gaining the upper advantage.

She hissed and clawed at me. I pinned her arms back with one hand and leaned in closer. I needed answers.

"Why are you doing this?"

Ambrosine growled, her face unchanged from a pissed off look. She wrapped her legs around my waist and flipped us over. "You deserve it."

I deserved it? What is that supposed to mean? The look of confusion that crossed my face made Ambrosine roll her eyes with a frustrated sigh. "You think you could build an army and just throw the Volturi over like that? I think not."

"Over throw the Volturi? Why would I want that?" I asked through clenched teeth. I flipped our position once more.

A sudden pain radiated inside my mind. I dropped to the ground, away from our fight. My fists knotted in my hair, trying to stop the pain. "What is that?!"

Ambrosine smiled wickedly. "Did you honestly think I had no abilities?" She smirked and stood, brushing herself off then came to stand over me. "Bye bye birdie."

I yelled out as my vision went black.

---

THROB!

Excruciating pain jabbed at all sides of me. It was like my body had become the catalyst of pain, where it could manifest, distributing itself to every pore of my skin.

My consciousness spread throughout my body, checking every muscle and bone for severe damage. When I didn't find anything too bad, I worked my way up to stretching the limbs that felt like nothing I'd ever felt before, a pain that seemed impractical to feel for my immortal self. Even without impenetrable skin (apart from vampire or wolf strength), I shouldn't have felt this pain because of my shield. I knew it was a mental ache, not actual physical wounds. My mental shield should've protected me from anything that was a trick of the mind.

Something wasn't right, and I had to find out what in the Goddess' name was going on.

I let my hearing open up to my surroundings. It was desolate. Completely void of life. But there was one life force a few rooms, or whatever we were in, away from me. It hurt too much to spread my shield out to reach their mind. Hell, it hurt just trying to find the slender film that covered my mind at all times. No matter how much effort I contributed to the search, it was a loss cause. My shield was gone. I couldn't find it in any nook or cranny in the ridges of my brain. I was powerless.

A half-hearted tug throbbed in my chest, where my heart used to beat. I never realized how attached I was to my shield. It was like another arm to me. How do I live without a limb? Well, people do it all the time… My mind chastised but then another, quieter voice, interjected – But you're not "people." You're a vampire; a powerful one at that.

Not powerful enough, the stronger mental voice said sourly.

The quieter voice went silent. I sighed; I was losing it. Now my mind is arguing with itself.

I realized then that I was mourning for myself. I was being completely selfish. Not one thought had crossed my mind of my family. But there was nothing there when I tried to think of them. I honestly could not remember their names. Not my mother or anyone I had met since being turned. A name did flit across my mind then, but it was faint, like a whisper: Chelsea.

But it was gone almost as fast as it had crossed my thoughts. I had no recollection of that name, whoever it had been, or their ability.

So, I was feeling selfish, but who could I care for? The empty hole that was gnawing at my stomach rumbled with vigor as that question entered my ramblings. But once again, with that thought, it was just a question that couldn't be answered as it left my range understanding. Now I couldn't tell you what I had just been thinking…

A new feeling spread through my body, replacing the pain. It was self-importance. A sense of determination and meaning followed behind it. My family was the Volturi. I served the three Ancients willingly and obeyed every command, never questioning their requests. I was their puppet – no, I was their new member, one who was going to bring a new era of vampirism. Everything was about to change. And I was the enforcer, the leader of the new age.

A/N: Okay, long wait, I know. But I was SO stoked about this chapter. I loved how it turned out… I can't wait to start writing the next one. And I'm sooooo sorry about the wait, busy schedule and just big time writer's block. I had no idea it was heading this direction in this chapter. I figured it'd be the next. And I know its SUPER short. But I think it held the right amount of shock in it. Especially the last of it.

So review? Please??

Congrats: TO ALL MY READERS, even those who didn't guess. No special shout outs… I check my mail on my phone now, never on the computer. I can't flag; well I haven't figured that out yet ha-ha.

This chapter's lyric excerpt:

I'm looking at you looking at me,

What can I do but say sorry?

It's a little late but you know I just want you to be happy.

What I got to say to make you let me get away with it this time.

I know you're upset and that you're happy just to sit and hate me,

But I'll make a bet that you'll be better to forget about me.

Even better yet, I'll let a little light melt the ice, ice baby!