Chapter Seven

Victoria

Finding Bella Swan, Edward's mate drop quite literally into my lap was a gift from the gods and I wasn't about to argue with my good fortune. Why she'd fallen, or been pushed, from the cliff top I had no idea nor did it matter much. I swam her to the shore a few miles from the cliffs and managed to start her heart again. My first reaction was to let her drown but it wouldn't feel right for her to take her own life when she should be paying for James destruction. She was almost unconscious and hypothermic when I dragged her into my car and drove at speed towards the Res knowing the wolves who had been protecting her for so long were busy looking for her or her body. I soon found what I was looking for, some discarded clothing from the wolf boys. I'd been watching them long enough and listened long enough to know that the Cullen bitch Alice couldn't see the wolves, I'd heard her bitch about it when Bella did a runner for the Res with one of the wolves, before they abandoned her to her fate, meaning me! Edward Cullen really was a fool if he thought I'd forgotten what his family did to my mate. I watched, I listened, and I learned...everything I could. To stop the wolves tracking me I would confuse them with their own scent which would mask Bella's scent too.

I wanted her conscious and understanding her position before I killed her slowly and my joy when she finally opened her eyes and screamed was almost too delicious. I had made her life a living hell for a few days before deciding I was bored with my sport but before I could act I got a message from Aro of the Volturi telling me he would be most upset if my charge were killed. How he knew I had her I couldn't make out but it didn't do to upset him so I opened negotiations for her safe return while keeping on the move, hoping to stay one step ahead of him or which ever minion was following me. When he finally made his last demand I knew I wasn't going to get anything except possibly my life in exchange for Bella Swan so I bit her myself. It was the last thing I would ever do although I didn't know that until I saw two black cloaked figures walk through the door into the barn where I sheltered. Then I felt nothing.

Demetri

Victoria was hardly good at hiding from me although she had tried quite hard. She knew enough to make it sport and I remembered that her mate James had been a tracker himself. Alec was eager to see Bella again and be the one to change her but we saw as soon as we entered the barn that Victoria had beaten us to the deed. It wouldn't matter to Aro as long as she was bitten but Alec sulked all the way back, leaving Bella to go through the pain of transformation alone as per instructions. We knew she was safe in this remote location and Jane was already on her way.

Bella

I woke up alone and afraid, confused, and with a burning in my throat and rage boiling in my brain. Who was I and where was I? Most important of all what had happened to me? My memories were clouded and it hurt to think, I wanted to fight, to destroy, to stop the rage from bursting out of me like an alien leaving the old shell crumpled on the ground. The room had no light but I could see fine, a window boarded up and a door with the key in its lock, an old huge rusty key. I got up so fast I startled myself, what was going on? I took the key to turn it and felt it distort in my hand but it clicked, the door was already open. I pulled it back and it came free of its hinges, in frustration I threw it away and it sailed hundreds of feet before crashing to the ground. I stopped and listened but the night was silent except for animals and insects scurrying around. I tested the air and smelled rotting vegetation, stagnant water, and a wonderful scent I had to follow. Instinctively I crouched as I followed placing my feet so as to avoid making any noise and did all of this without thought. My brain was still busy dredging though smoke dimmed memories to find out what had happened to me. I saw a movement ahead, a small deer drinking from one of the stagnant pools but looking up warily as if it sensed death close by. My subconscious took over and I leaped on its back biting into the warm coat and drinking greedily as its blood, pumped by a dying heart, spurted into my mouth. When I finished the carcass was drained and the burn in my throat had eased making it easier to think. I captured my reflection in the water, the face didn't look familiar, or did it? I touched my cheek, it felt cool and firm not warm and soft. Was that a problem? Was I sick? Lost? I looked around but nothing seemed familiar to me. I was in waste ground going by the rubbish scattered around but not in a town, I couldn't smell any humans. Humans? If I were calling them humans then what was I? I tensed hearing footsteps, they moved very slowly and I heard a call,

"Bella?"

Was that my name, Bella? I didn't like the thought of being tracked and melted into the trees watching suspiciously. Soon a figure came into view, a young girl with long blonde hair and she looked straight at me.

"So they were right, you are here. A newborn, how interesting. Come with me Bella."

She held out a hand and smiled but I was cautious, something told me she was dangerous for all her child like body and voice.

"Who are you?"

"Jane, I've come to take you home Bella"

"Home?"

"Yes to Volterra, where you will be safe."

"Safe?"

"Yes, if you stay here the humans will find you and then they will kill you, or at least try to and that would be very bad. You have to keep the secret."

"I don't understand"

"I know Bella but you will very soon. Come"

I took her hand gingerly watching for any movement that might threaten me but she merely smiled wider and we walked to a road where a black car sat waiting, the engine running and I smelled more of our kind but no humans.