Disclaimer: I do not own most of these characters, they are the creative genius of Steph Meyer.

A/N: Okies this is the last post pertaining to the assignment. I'm glad this scene is over and I've managed to make a mess of things. Hopefully I can fix it later. Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. Just so you know, without giving anything away, the suggestions helped restrain my bloodlust.

Chapter 32 The Assignment Part 3

We had time. I kept repeating as I talked myself into concentrating on Laura and her family. I'd tell Christian about my vision once we were back at our villa.
Laura was sitting on Brent's lap, his arms wrapped possessively around her, looking frightened and fragile. We'd already explained the situation to her and tears trailed down her pretty pale face. I was using Jasper's power again to feel what she was feeling, and though she was saddened by the fate of her family, a part of her was ecstatic about the prospect of finally becoming a vampire.

Brent was whispering to her soothingly while shooting angry glares at me. "Hey, don't blame me, I'm just the messenger. You're the one that broke vampire law. If you want to be pissed, be pissed at yourself," I admonished.

"Don't talk to him that way. The only mistake he made was falling in love with me," she argued, her bluish-green eyes sparkling with her tears and full of fury as she stood up for Brent.

"Not the only mistake," I said gently. "Feeding off of you and making you ill-"

She stood abruptly. "I am not ill!"

I wasn't about to argue with her. I could feel her lethargy and see how much that one little outburst took from her. I sighed. "We leave tomorrow," I announced. "Felix or Santiago will escort you back home and explain everything to your family." I stood and walked over to the window, staring intently at the little house across the road.

I heard her whimper and fall back against Brent. "My father will never accept your terms. He will choose death rather than become the undead," she murmured.

"That is his prerogative."

Brent helped her to her feet and Felix and Santiago went to the door. "I know that convincing Aro to stay my execution was a miraculous feat and I thank you for risking yourself to do that, but murdering her father is wrong. You are not like them, señora, how can you do such a vile thing to an innocent man?"

I rested my head against the cool window avoiding his gaze and ignoring his question. How could I kill her father? Even if I didn't do it personally I'd be just as guilty. But what choice did I have? I'd received all the leniency that I was going to get on this assignment.

"Come," Felix beckoned and ushered them out the door.

I felt Christian glide up behind me and massaged my shoulders lightly. "I know that you are beating yourself up for this man's fate, but Bella, he has a choice. If he chooses death, it is out of your hands. I will do it for you, love. I know that Tyler's death still tears through you and that you will carry the weight of it for all eternity. Destroying this man will not haunt me so. Let me do this dreadful task for you," he pleaded as he nuzzled his face against my hair, inhaling my fragrant scent.

I relaxed against him slowly as I considered his words. There was no way that I'd be able to kill that man, I knew that much for certain. I also realized that it would have to be either Christian or me as Aro was testing both of us. Why I cared about passing his little test was a mystery, but I did. Maybe, just maybe, I was planning on staying in Volterra. I was terrified what that meant. I knew without a doubt to stay in Volterra was to give up Edward, and yet I was still considering it. Maybe I could reform the Volturi. Aro and Marcus were consuming animal blood, perhaps I could accomplish what Carlisle could not when he had lived among them, maybe I could convince them to be vegetarian vampires. Of course, Renata couldn't stand animal blood. Would she change because Aro decreed it so?

I pushed all thoughts aside as I still had other more pressing matters to deal with. I had to tell Christian about my vision. I knew that Demetri had not located the Cullens yet, so we had some time. Didn't know how much, but I knew it hadn't happened in the afternoon, so we should be able to warn everyone in time. Perhaps Christian would be willing to call Edward, as I had no desire to argue with him again. Alice had probably had the same vision, but in the off chance that she hadn't I had to do whatever I could to keep Kattra safe.

"Bella?" He questioned.

"Take me back to the villa, Christian." I turned in his arms. "I have something to tell you." He nodded and took my hand and led me back to our villa.

I'd just finished explaining my vision to Christian. He'd stopped breathing when I mentioned Kattra. "We have to do something," he gasped.

"We'll call Edward. They are not too far way, perhaps we can even aid them," I suggested, though I had no idea how to pull that off with the Lucci family, and the two Volturi guards accompanying us.

He fell back against the couch, his head in his hands. I sat beside him and pulled him into my arms. "I transformed her. Did you know?" He asked raising his face to mine revealing the torment in his eyes. Overwhelmed by all the emotions roiling off of him, I shut down Jasper's powers, but I didn't need to feel them to know what he was going through. It was etched into his beautiful face for all to see.

I didn't know that he'd changed Kattra. What did that mean? Had they been in love like Edward and I? His pained whisper interrupted my thoughts. "I met her in Russia." He smiled a little and nestled his head against my chest. "I courted her for four months. I knew upon our first meeting that she was my other half and that I would have her." He sighed softly lost in his memories. I almost peeked into his thoughts to see it as it had truly happened, but restrained myself. Actually, I was afraid of what I might witness, afraid that if I saw how much he loved her I would be jealous and I so did not want to be jealous because that would mean that I cared about him too much.

"She was an orphan living on the streets and whoring herself out to fill her belly. Alyria and I took her in and cared for her, though it was difficult for both of us to be around her. We feasted on so many humans while we stayed there so that we wouldn't feed on Kattra. So many people." He shook his head miserably. "Our basement was practically overflowing with dead bodies." He sat up and took my hands in his and brought them to his hot lips, brushing the barest kiss across my knuckles before continuing. "I finally shared my dark secret with her and the day before I was to turn her she got her matching tattoo as a symbol of marriage. They are sort of our wedding bands, though we have never been formally married."

They were married? This was the first I'd heard of that.

"The three of us have been together ever since." He glanced at the pained expression in my eyes and his brows furrowed. "What distresses you so, love?"

I couldn't bring myself to admit that a piece of my heart was breaking with this confession. I liked Kattra and did not want to hurt her in any way. I pushed away from him, no longer able to stand the feel of his body against mine. I swallowed hard before saying, "Call Edward and warn him of my vision. I think that we shall escort Laura and Brent in our car and have Felix and Santiago drive the Lucci's to Volterra in Mr. Lucci's van." I stood and moved across the room as far from him as I could get. I needed space. Needed to not smell his addictive scent. I grasped the phone and tossed it to him. "We'll stop by and help them if they think they need it, before heading to Volterra. Besides," I added as I strode to our room, "They will want Brent with me as I can keep him docile with my powers." I closed the door softly and let the tremor take me. I slid down the door and wrapped my arms around my knees, my body shuddering violently.

I watched as dawn broke across the cloudy sky. Christian had given me the privacy I'd wanted and I'd had all night to pull myself together. I'd discovered that I could use my own powers over emotions on myself. I was pleasantly numb and had no qualms about seeing Christian this morning, nor any concerns about the completion of my assignment. This was most likely how Aro and Marcus existed for centuries upon centuries. It was so much easier to make decisions, especially life or death decisions, when one's stupid emotions did not get in the way.

I threw on a pair of black slacks and a matching corseted vest, the lace of my bra peeking over the edges and a black leather trench. Aro was having a very bleak impact on my wardrobe. Nearly every item he'd purchased for me was black or charcoal.

I twisted my hair in a knotted mess and secured it with an ornate clip that Marcus had given to me before leaving Volterra and joined Christian in the living room.

He glanced up from the book he was reading and used the remote to turn the stereo off. "You okay?" He asked uncertainly, his eyes roaming over me in an appreciatory manner.

"Lovely. Are you ready to do this?"

He nodded solemnly. "I've packed most of our stuff. Let me just grab the things out of our room," he said as he flung himself from the couch. He stopped in front of me and touched my chin apprehensively. "Something's different about you," he murmured softly. I gave him blank eyes and a slight shrug, freeing myself from his grip.

"I'm going over to Laura's now. Meet me there once you pack," I called over my shoulder.

Santiago was seated on the porch with a black cat curled in his lap and a magazine in one hand. He smiled as I floated up the steps. "You look radiant this morning, Bella," he noted.

"As do you, Santiago." I forced a smile for that was what he was expecting, but it never reached my eyes, or my soul. "Felix inside?" He nodded and stood gracefully. "We ready to do this then? I mean, you two explained everything to the family, correct?"

"Yes," he replied, but the laughter died in his eyes as his smile slid from his face. "Her father and older brother are being most difficult. We had to drug them and restrain them."

I nodded in approval and sighed. I didn't bother knocking, I simply flung the door open hard against the wall and allowed feelings of dread to radiate off of me and fill the doomed family. The mother and Laura cowered against the wall and the father and son fought uselessly against their bonds as I approached. I glanced at Felix, whom I had not affected with my power. "Take Laura and Brent and put them in the Lincoln. Stay with them until I'm finished here," I ordered softly. "They will be riding with me and Christian. You and Santiago can take Mr. Lucci's van, as he will no longer be needing it." An evil smile curled on my lips as I said this and turned my feral gaze on Mr. Lucci. He gasped as he took in my menacing form and tears began to stream down his face. Laura screamed at me, but Brent restrained her, fear evident in his eyes. He picked up her struggling form and followed Felix out the door.
Santiago was at my side, his breath hot against my neck. "Do you want me to take care of them for you?"

"No. Aro ordered me to do it." I glided toward the boy, though boy was not really an accurate description. He had to be about twenty. He looked nothing like the rest of the family, except for the reddish tint to his brown hair cropped short. His tan skin was taut over his muscular form as he strained against his bonds. I lowered myself in front of him and clutched his chin forcefully, my nails biting against his skin. The smell of his blood washed over me and I breathed it in deeply, savoring it the way one would savor a five star meal. In a few precious moments all that blood would rush down my throat and extinguish the constant fire burning in my throat. Nothing but Tyler's blood had ever made the discomfort wholly disappear. I wasn't burdened with whether it was right or wrong, I controlled my emotions and was completely indifferent. He grunted as the first drops of his blood landed on my boot. I peered into his odd eyes, pumping him full of terror. His eyes were green hazel, but had a black rim encircling his pupil and outer edge of his iris. They were the most intriguing eyes I'd ever seen. "Is this what you truly want?" I whispered so softly. I felt Christian's presence and heard Santiago's hand grasp at him, holding him back. "Do you want to die a horrible death? Do you want to be no more than food for me? Is. That. What. You. Want?"

He stilled, though his chest still heaved with his labored breaths. I reached around and removed the gag from his lovely mouth. "Answer me," I commanded.

His whole body began to shake, but no sound came from his mouth. "Your mother and sister will live forever." I inched even closer, our lips a breath apart. "Forever. Do you truly not want to live forever? Is vampirism a fate worse than death?"

He closed his eyes and a single tear escaped. "I don't want to die," he croaked weakly.

"Of course you don't. Who does?" I painted an amused smile on my face and removed my nails from his skin, blood trickling down his chin. Without thinking I lapped at the decadent liquid. The bloodlust did not consume me, so I traced my tongue along his jaw and neck. He moaned softly as I cleaned every last drop of blood off of him. I raised my face to his, my lips smeared red with his precious blood. "You will come back to Volterra with us, then?" I asked.

"y…yes," he stammered.

"Lovely." In one quick move I was by Santiago's side. Both men were looking at me like I'd sprouted a second head, their mouths gaping open. "Remove his restraints and load him into the van." He recovered and pushed past me. Handling him roughly he unfettered him and helped him get to his feet.

I placed a hand on his chest. "What is your name?"

"Justin," he whispered.

"Take him" I ordered. They moved cautiously past me. I could feel both Justin's fear and Santiago's. Personally, I wasn't sure why they were so disturbed. I had, after all, kept from murdering a young man. See what you get for doing the right thing.

"Bella?" Christian said. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

I placed my finger against his mouth and for once my body did not respond to the contact. "Shhh," I shushed gently. I sent waves of calm at him and all the tension leaked out of his body. A small smile pulled at my lips at how easy it was to control everyone. "Go wait in the Lincoln. I'll be there in a moment."

With that I turned my attention back to the man bound on the couch. My hips swayed back and forth as I sashayed toward him. Was fear the way to this man's soul? Or was it something else? I licked my lips and let my eyes burn over his body, let him see the hunger in my eyes. I reached around in a quick motion, removed his gag, and moved back a few paces so he could look at me without hurting his neck too much. I bit my lip and tasted Justin's blood. "I hear that you are a very religious man, Mr. Lucci. So religious, that you would rather die than spend eternity with your family. Is that right?"

He spat at me before replying. "You are damned!" He shrieked. "Death would be a blessing." He closed his eyes and began muttering softly. "God forgive my family...give them the strength to withstand your adversary…"

For a moment his words broke through my numbness and touched my dead heart. This man was terrified of me and considered me God's adversary. Certainly not my greatest hour. Nausea crept up on me as what I'd done to Justin was finally felt. But I'd saved him. It's what I'd wanted. Does it matter how I actually managed it? No. But fear grew in me as I gazed at the man praying before me, his face wet with tears. He was going to make me do what I'd sworn I'd never do. Why had I sent both Christian and Santiago out? Either of them would have taken care of this unpleasant task. But what would Aro think of me not completing it?

I let the numbness cover me and protect me, so that I could think about it rationally. Fear was not the ticket, but I had other powers. I had Marcus' power and a touch of Alyria's. Granted, I did not want to make this man fall in love with me, so Alyria's lust would have to do it. I unleashed the full impact of it and heard his breath hitch, felt his body respond, his praying subside. I knelt in front of him and trailed my nails front the top of his foot up to his neck where I curled my fingers in his short graying hair and forced his face closer to me. "There are all kinds of pleasant benefits to becoming one of us," I simpered letting my sweet breath caress his face coldly. "So many things that we can do together."

His eyes glazed over as I dazzled him just like Edward used to do to me. "You want to come with me, don't you?" I whispered against his lips. "You want to feel my lips on yours," and I kissed him softly. "Feel my hands running over your skin." I traced over every inch of bare skin I could get to causing more lust in that chaste movement than some men ever experienced. "You could have this with your wife every single day for all eternity. All you have to do is say yes." I licked across his lips. "Say yes for me Mr. Lucci. I do not want to kill you."

He groaned loudly shouted "Yes! I'll go with you."
"Ah, that was a very wise decision." I removed the bonds from his ankles but kept his hands restrained and lifted him effortlessly to his feet. "Shall we?"

I walked him towards the van and was helping to get him in when broke free from my powers and snarled at me. "Filthy fiend!"

I cocked my head to one side and pursed my lips. I moved back from him and asked, "You have changed your mind then?"

"You are Satan's spawn and I want no part of you or your benefits," he growled. His mutterings starting again. "I come to you willingly oh God. Give me the courage to face my…"

"Very well, Mr. Lucci," I injected over his ramblings.

Christian appeared beside me. "Allow me, Bella," he pleaded.

"By all means," I whispered. Yes, it was cowardly. I should have done it myself. Aro would be disappointed, but unless I was prepared to live out the rest of my existence in this cold numbness that enveloped me right now, then I was going to have to allow someone else to do the dirty work.

He lashed out quickly. I heard the sound of his neck cracking and the man slumped to the ground leaning heavily against my legs. He picked him up and loaded him into the back of the van.

Santiago glanced at us. "We will meet you back in Volterra then," he said as he climbed into the driver's seat. The sounds of Justin's outraged screams and his mother's broken hearted sobs did not even faze me as I turned my back on them and slid into the Lincoln.

Felix moved towards the van once we were in the car to watch over Brent.

A/N: Feel free to tell me what a monster I am for allowing him to die, but it couldn't be helped. I know Bella's a bit odd here, but she did what she had to do in order to protect her own mental health. It made her cold and distant and very un-Bella like, but it was necessary. Thanks for reading!

Sabrina