Chapter Ten

Bella

As I went with Jane miles from the town, she'd explained it was not allowed to hunt within the walls, I thought about Edwards appearance and wondered what I had seen in him before. He was shallow and arrogant and I felt nothing for him but contempt. I wanted someone brave, strong, resourceful, and I would know him when I saw him, his eyes, his voice, were burned into my memory from my days as a human which meant I had already met him but I couldn't clear my memories enough to remember where. I needed to get away from Volterra, retrace my human steps until the memory came back but even as a newborn I understood that getting free from Aro wasn't going to be easy. Aro was a collector and I had a gift, Edward hadn't been able to read my mind and Jane couldn't hurt me, so he would be reluctant. I might have to bide my time but I would leave Italy and find my mate eventually, I had patience, I could wait until Aro felt comfortable with my loyalty. When we reached a small village in the mountains Jane gave me the OK to hunt and I lost myself in the thrill of the hunt, the capture, and the blessed relief the blood gave me from this terrible thirst. Had Edward felt this thirst for my blood when I was human? If he had then he went up in my estimation which wasn't difficult as he was below ground level at the moment but there were others or another whose thirst was far worse, another human hunter, former human hunter, but I couldn't remember any more than that and for now it didn't matter. I would settle into the Volturi guard and do some research as and when I could.

Marcus

Aro was happy that Bella fit in very quickly, became friends with Jane and Alec and fulfilled every task he gave her. She had left Volterra only twice but she had acquitted herself admirably and she was controlled very quickly but it was wise of Edward Cullen to keep his distance because I could feel the contempt she held him in as if it were a tide flowing over me. Caius watched and seemed impressed by her but I could feel his reservations, he wasn't sure she was as loyal as Aro seemed to think. The years rolled by and she never put a foot wrong, always where she needed to be, blocking our enemies, helping to trace and track down renegades. Then Carlisle Cullen and his mate came to see Edward who still followed her around like a puppy waiting for its master to throw a ball. How he could really think she was for him I couldn't understand but then Edward Cullen had always been a strange one. He knew Aro used Chelsea to keep him here, he read it in unguarded thoughts and he was hoping Bella might shield him and allow him to leave at some point. I thought she was more likely to lead him straight into a furnace but then if he was stupid enough to believe she felt something for him then he deserved everything he got. I was tired of his adolescent stupidity and steered clear as much as I could. Bella on the other hand I liked and often spent time in her company much to the chagrin of the puppy dog.

Carlisle

It was so good to see Edward again although I was upset to see he still followed Bella around when it was patently obvious she wasn't interested in him. She agreed to meet Esme and I and seemed make an effort to be polite although we could tell she would rather not.

"Its been a long time Carlisle. How are the rest of the family?"

"There's only Esme and myself now. Rose and Emmett have set up a life on their own and Alice wanders, coming back every few years to see us."

She nodded,

"Life isn't easy for our kind Carlisle and wrongs are never forgotten."

"Yes, Rose and Emmett left because they felt we had been wrong to abandon you Bella and now we have to wait for them to forgive us. I rang to give them the good news about you and I had hoped it would make a difference but Emmett feels we are responsible for your becoming one of us. It came as a shock to find out Victoria had still been pursuing you after Edward left."

"Yes but she saved my life or gave me an alternative one. Without her I would have drowned and after all you didn't care enough to make sure of my safety."

"Yes, we should have realized Victoria would keep looking for an opportunity to take her revenge. I can only apologise for abandoning I ask if you were really trying to kill yourself Bella? Or was it a silly prank that went wrong?"

She didn't answer us just smiled enigmatically and it seemed significant to me that she never mentioned Jasper, she must be very bitter, regarding him as the author of her death and rebirth. We hadn't heard from him since he left shortly after we moved from Forks but I'd heard from others that he was a nomad most of the time, meeting up with his friends sometimes but mainly travelling alone. Surprisingly there were rumours that he was preparing to travel to Mexico with a group of friends to take Maria. Not a good move because everyone knew Maria was protected by the Volturi, she kept the vampires in Central and South America under control and if she died the Volturi would be forced to send the guard to do her job. If that happened I wondered how long it would be before Aro sent Demetri and the others to kill Jasper.

Bella

I had played Aro's game for long enough and I wanted my freedom to find my mate. He thought he knew me, thought he knew all about my shield, my gift, keeping him safe from all comers but he had no idea of its real power. I could have ripped the Volturi apart but I chose to keep the extent to myself, keeping myself safe was easy, keeping Aro safe even easier but he didn't need to know that. I despised Caius for his contempt of all humans but I liked Marcus, he was intelligent, sensitive, and knowledgeable, rather like a Carlisle but without the blinkers. My chance came eventually when Aro called me in and asked me to accompany Jane, Felix, and Alec, to take out a renegade nomad known as The Major who had upset the status quo in the South and Central America. I was required because he was very strong and used his gift to knock out anyone coming after him before they could act. I smiled, he wouldn't knock me or my companions out, instead he would be ashes and I asked Aro if in return I could have my freedom to travel and search for my mate in the human world, perhaps he was another nomad. Aro was reluctant but finally agreed as long as I undertook to return should he require my services again. When he told me he was sending Edward too I groaned,

"Why? He's only a mediocre fighter and has no special fighting gift."

"Never the less I would like him to go with you. Its time he became a fighter, Felix will look after him not you Bella"

"Very well but he's an idiot and a liability."

Aro laughed but didn't change his mind so the five of us left Italy using the Volturi jet and went in search of this Major who was so very dangerous!