*A/N: Thanks to my lovely beta and awbffe NessiesMomma for beta reading.*

*Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or its characters, SM does. I do however want Edward Cullen to spend eternity in my bedroom ;]*


They stepped forward with more elegance than I had seen in any of the Cullen's. Even Alice. Their formation was tight and even the slightest step didn't throw off the procession. Unlike my dreams, their hoods were not stopping me from seeing their faces. I saw everything clearly.

Three of the figures, I assumed to be the royalty, were at the front of the formation. Their skin appeared to be thin -onion like- but I didn't doubt that it was as strong as it was the day they were created. While their skin was similar, they were nothing at all alike about them. One had pure white hair that was slicked back and seemed absolutely lethal. Another had curly black hair and seemed utterly bored. But the last one, the one in the center, had pin straight jet black hair and smiled at us ruefully.

Standing at their flanks were two smaller figures, both with similar features. They looked like children, a few years younger than me. They seemed harmless, but if I learned anything about this life I was in now, appearances didn't mean shit. Behind them was a massive guy about Emmett's stature and a medium build and one looking pointedly in my direction, dressed to the nines.

They stopped several feet away from us, eyeing our numbers. We beat them in numbers but I'm sure they didn't count me as a vampire.

The royal vampire with the rueful smile stepped forward and clasped his hands together. "Carlisle, my dear friend, how are you?"

"I'm well, Aro. What brings you to Forks?"

"I've heard some terrible things, my friend. Terrible things." Aro shook his head. "Is it true you have taken an exceptional human into your ranks? And that one of your own has become taken with it?"

Aro obviously didn't know what I was. If I wasn't scared silent I'm positive I would've breathed in relief… almost. James and Victoria didn't know the extent of what I was. Just that something was off about me. They heard my heartbeat so they assumed I was human. Just human. Aro also called me "it," he obviously didn't think much of humans.

I clung to Edward's dress shirt as Aro continued. "I see you have more since we last talked. Is this human one of them?"

He scanned the crowd—inhaling is more like it—and his gaze stopped on my brown eyes. A sinister smile lit up his face. His red eyes left mine for a second to stare at Edward in confusion and what looked like fascination.

"Alice and Jasper joined us shortly after the last time we talked and we've known Bella for eighteen years but she just married Edward and is now officially part of the family."

The Volturi exchanged amused glances at Carlisle's use of the word "family."

Aro clapped his hands. "Well I assume congratulations are in order. Edward. Bella. Congrats on your nuptials."

"Thank you." Edward said curtly.

"I'm curious though," Aro began. "What type of gifts does this human have? Little one, step forward."

I looked up to Edward, but his face was cold as ice as he stared at Aro.

"It's perfectly safe, Bella. No harm will come to you."

I almost snorted.

Without releasing his gaze on Aro, Edward assured me. "Go ahead, Bella."

I nodded and cautiously stepped around Edward and the safety of the Cullen's ranks. My movements were slow and steady, not in any rush for death, and as I reached Aro he held out his hand for mine. I turned to look back at Edward—my hands clasped behind my back.

"Aro can read every thought with one touch." Edward explained. "His touch won't hurt you."

Edward was warning me that though his touch wouldn't harm me, this vampire certainly could. I hesitantly reached my hand out and Aro grasped it in his frail looking one. His touch was not the stone marble I was use to when I touched vampires, it felt like a thin metal that wound break if I squeezed too tight.

I watched on as Aro closed his eyes in concentration. His face became confused and he stared at me with hatred which quickly became a forced amused expression. I turned around and Edward was smirking.

"It appears she is immune to my gift." Aro breathed with fascination.

His guard wore matching shocked faces. Aro turned away from me and faced his guard. He strode toward them but stopped and faced one of the twin vampires. His expression was triumphant when he faced me again.

"I wonder, however," He stated. "If she immune to all our powers. Jane."

I heard the gasp right as I felt his body. Edward had jumped in front of me and flipped me over his arm so that I was safely behind him and facing the Cullen's horror struck faces again. They couldn't move. Moving would mean a fight. Carlisle didn't want a fight.

"Pain." I heard the tiny vampire say.

And then when I heard it- the most heart-wrenching sound to ever make contact with my ear. Edward screaming in pain. His body convulsed in an unnatural way. It seemed like there was a rope hanging his body up from the ground. His knees buckled and he fell to the ground.

"Stop! Stop!" I screamed. "You're hurting him!"

Behind me I heard Esme sobbing, but I couldn't turn to look back at her. I couldn't keep my eyes off of Edward.

Aro motioned for Jane to stop. And Edward released a breath. He was panting on the ground beneath me and I was staring lividly towards Jane.

"Jane." Aro breathed in a smile. "Go ahead."

She stared at me with a small smile on her lips. Her red eyes stared at me in concentration. I waited for the pain to come. But, it didn't. With each second that passed her smile lessened.

"Stop." Aro ordered and Jane relented in a harsh breath. "It appears she confounds us all."

I stared down at Edward feeling like my heart had been ripped from my chest. How could this be it? How could I not protect him? And then it hit me… my gift. Why didn't I think of it before?

"My, my." Aro sang. "What do we do with you now? We obviously do not know of the power you possess. This could be dangerous for our kind."

I felt the coil around my mind push out. I had to protect my family. It couldn't fail me now. Using what I had learned in the past few months, I pushed the coil out and around my family. If I could do anything for them it would be to rid them of Jane. Surely, a vampire with powers such of hers wouldn't be will skilled in fighting and I could defeat her. My family would be on equal fighting ground and we would have a chance at winning.

Edward smiled at me, probably feeling the warmth that came with my gift. At least he would know I was protecting him. That I loved him enough to protect him.

The bored looking vampire, still in formation, spoke. "You already know what you are going to do, Aro."

"We know not of her powers." The other one seethed. "She is a liability."

Aro breathed in annoyance and shooed us with his hands. "Go! Go! Rejoin your group. We have much to discuss."

I nodded and bent down to help up Edward. He must've been weakened from the use of Jane's power. When he stood he put his arm around me and we walked back to my family as the Volturi huddled.

"Is that you, Bella?" Alice whispered.

I nodded with a smug smile. "I'm all over this."

"Is that what that warm feeling is?" Esme asked in amazement.

"She'll be able to hold off Jane and Alec." Jasper agreed. "That's two we won't have to worry about if this comes to a fight."

"Alec?" I questioned. "What can he do?"

"Where Jane can make you feel the worst pain you can imagine," Edward shuddered. "Alec does the opposite. He cuts off all your senses. We would be at quite a disadvantage if this happened."

Carlisle's hand reached up to touch his temple. "I would've hoped it wouldn't have come to this."

"I'm sorry." I breathed.

"No, Bella." Carlisle touched my shoulder. "If this is what we have to do to protect you, my daughter, I'm all for it. I'm just against violence."

"We were lucky he didn't ask to touch one of us." Alice stepped forward.

Edward nodded. "Extremely. He still doesn't know what Bella is. He thinks she's completely human with a closed mind. It's good that he's in the dark."

"Charlie will be safe." I smiled.

"He never wasn't." Edward assured gripping my hand.

Emmett began rubbing his knuckles. "So what's the plan? I'm ready for a vampire cookout."

"Emmett!" Rose slapped his chest.

"Jasper," Carlisle spoke. "You're the expert at strategy. We'll follow you."

"Well, Bella is the main target. We have to protect her as long as possible since not only is she the target but she is stopping Alec and Jane. We must take them out first. Bella's gift is a mental defense she can't protect us if the enemy enters her shield. Esme and Rose will handle them."

"Wait," I interrupted. "Let me get them. They're probably the only ones I can handle."

Edward shook his head. "Absolutely not, Bella. You're staying out of this fight."

"So I can just watch you all get killed? No."

"Please, Bella. Don't fight me on this."

I crossed my arms and huffed in annoyance. "Continue, Jasper."

"Emmett you'll take Felix and Alice you take Demetri. Carlisle, Edward, and I will get the royalty. Edward I know you will want to protect Bella but I need you here."

"I know." Edward's grip on my hand tightened.

"Alice, do you know what they're deciding?"

I felt numbness on my tongue and a strange sensation against my shield where Alice was. I peeked past her and noticed a fog poking around the edges of my shield. It seemed to be looking for a hole.

"I think they're trying something." I whispered.

Edward turned towards me and then looked at Rose. "Rose, do you feel okay?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Alec is attacking you."

She smiled in my direction.

I looked over at Alice, noticing her grimace. "Jane's going to attack Carlisle."

"Thank you, Bella." Carlisle mused.

I smiled at him and Edward began speaking. "Alice, what are they going to do when they realize their tactics aren't working?"

Alice closed her eyes. "It looks like they're deciding to accuse us of something and then its going to be an attack."

"We'll be ready!" Emmett grinned.

I looked down at mine and Edwards joined hands. When was life going to get easier for us? When would we stop getting torn apart? I realized now that I wouldn't let go of Edward's hand until I had no other choice. Whatever found us wouldn't find us apart.

The Volturi were corrupt and I could see it. They were looking for any excuse to attack us and diminish Carlisle's family. It also seemed like they didn't want to harm those with gifts. I didn't understand why they saw us as a threat. We were living peaceably.

I heard the clearing of a throat and turned to see Aro and his guard back in formation. Our lines hadn't moved except now I was at Edward's side, clinging to his arm.

"We're sorry to break up your family, Carlisle, but Bella must come to Volterra with us. We must study her and if need be, change her." Aro looked in my direction. "Bella, come with us."

It didn't surpass me that it wasn't a request but an order. "I'm sorry. But, no."

"Then you leave me no other choice." He motioned his guard to step forward. "Kill any who get in your way."

"Is this what it comes down to Aro?" Carlisle stated.

"I'm afraid so."

Carlisle stepped forward and I made sure the shield covered his body. I molded it tight, making sure there were no holes in my defense. I felt a small ping against it and I heard Edward growl.

"Jane, will you please stop attacking my wife."

Jane looked murderous. I simply smirked. After so long of feeling like the weak link, it was I who protected this family now. All that they had done for me, and I was finally paying them back.

"Aro, I beg of you, do not do this. I mean you no harm, we simply wish to live. We have had our share of differences over the years about my choice of diet but I would never go against you."

Aro scoffed. "How do you explain the mind reader, the psychic, the empath, and whatever this human is? Your family," he spat the word, "is the largest coven besides my own. If this is not a take-over I don't know what is."

"We just want to live." Carlisle pleaded. "We wish to live the life that was taken from us. That I took from my children."

"Lies! You're compassion makes you weak, as does your diet. If you will not hand over the girl, you will die defending her."

"As you wish." Carlisle breathed.

I could tell he didn't want this. But he realized his talking wasn't getting passed Aro's prejudices. The Volturi guard stepped closer and all of us went into matching crouches'. My only hope was that Rose and Esme defeated Alec and Jane before they penetrated my shield. The second the fight began my shield couldn't protect them.

I would be useless.

Again.

Felix and Demetri charged towards me, but Alice and Emmett cut them off leaving room for Esme and Rose to sneak in toward Jane and Alec. They worked together to pull apart Alec's limbs but Jane slipped through their grasp and headed towards me. Unfortunately, Jasper and Carlisle, fearful for their mates went to help them. Leaving Jane against me and Edward.

I was starting to feel the weight of my shield on me. Now the only person I was protecting was my love. My life. I felt the heaviness it caused me to keep it out take its toll on me.

Jane charged towards Edward and that was it. My shield could not protect him. I pulled it back as they fought—internally debating my promise. Edward had Jane on her back, holding her wrists. Jane pushed at Edward's body sending him across the forest. She was then at his side, gripping his neck and pushing him to the ground. She turned away from him and stalked towards me when Edward suddenly crashed her back to the ground.

One look and it was Jane who had Edward on the ground screaming. Her eyes and sinister smile making me hate her all the more. I charged towards her without a second thought.

I toppled her tiny body on to the ground and with a pull of my arm, had her arm fully removed from it socket. She screamed and it was my turn to smile.

"That's for attacking my family!"

I brought my teeth to her neck and bit hard, removing a chunk. Disgusted, I spit it away from me.

"That's for attacking Edward!"

Taking both my hands, I placed them on either side of her face.

"And this… this is for trying to attack me!"

Just as I was about to pull, I felt a searing pain on my shoulder. My hands left Jane's head to grip it in agony. When I turned I was met with Felix's smile as Emmett dragged him off again. I felt the searing pain again on my wrists and I looked down to see Jane.

The pain caused a lack of control over my body as I fell off her and convulsed on the floor. I wanted it to stop. This was a pain I knew. I had felt it before not long ago in a basement while shackled to the ceiling. I felt it when James bit into my leg.

Jane was draining me.

I felt the pull of blood being removed from my system along with the darkness that accompanied it. I longed to cry because my death would kill Edward. I couldn't imagine a world where Edward didn't exist in it. It wouldn't be a world.

He had to exist, even if I didn't.

The darkness was taking over as the loss of blood combined with the loss of energy did me in. I heard the familiar sound of Edward's feral growl accompanied by the loud howling of a wolf.

Goodbye, Edward. Jake. I love you.

And then everything went black.