Bella awoke with a start. Oh god where was she? She was in a cell with a dirt floor that she shared with a sniffling woman. Around her were cells filled with other occupants. Some crying, some numb, some grasping their heads and rocking back and forth. She had forgotten where she was. Again. It happened every morning.

She had been taken.

Her life was no longer her own.

She had to escape.

Every morning the same thoughts raced through her mind and every night she felt her heart ache at the lack of improvement of the situation.

Bella closed her eyes and remembered the last moments of her freedom. Of the screaming and crying. Of the running. Of Jake's vows to find her, to rescue her, to marry her. She had to hold onto her hope. It was all she had left.

She knew she had been chosen because of her father's debt. He could not pay the high taxes, and with those who could not pay in money they paid in blood. No one came home after they had been chosen to be a sacrifice.

Bella closed her eyes and tried to slow her breathing. Jacob would come for her. On the night of the full moon he would come for her. She just had to wait. She just had to hope. A week at least must have passed since she was brought down here, meaning she only had to hold out for two more before Jake would come. And he would come. He had promised.

As the day progressed Bella sang in her head. Beautiful songs in many different langue's that she had learned from her mother, but never had the talent to sing out loud. It was important that she not forget because it was something she hoped to pass down to her children as they came of age. With any luck one of them would have talent enough to share with the world and her mother's legacy would be passed on.

A few hours before the sun would finish its final descent 6 guards came down into the dungeon. This was the most feared time because it was at that time that the sacrifices were chosen.

The ceremony happened once every three days, the amount of time it took for the thirst to build up. Bella shut her eyes and began to hum out loud. She could not bear the screams that she knew would follow the selection. Many people saw it as a necessary evil, but those were the people well of with their finances not trapped in these plain cells day after day.

The pressure in the room shifted as the door to her cell swung open. Bella stopped humming. Her cellmate started begging. A guard grabbed Bella's arm roughly and her eyes flew open. Across the room Bella could see the other guard restraining her flailing roommate. She couldn't think to fight back.

Oh god this couldn't be happening.

With that last thought Bella fainted.

…..

When she awoke Bella noticed that she had been washed and changed. Her hair was no longer knotted and filled with grime but silky and smooth. She lay in a large room, occupying one of the three beds. She noticed her cellmate and another girl were both sleeping blissfully in their own beds.

Her head felt cloudy and her body was filled with a strange sense of calm. Bella knew she should get up. She should try and find a way out. She needed to find a way out. And yet it was if she needed to cuddle into the soft blankets more. She was so tired. And so warm. She would try to find a way out later.

Bella's world went dark once again.

….

The next time she awoke there were servants flitting between the three beds. They carried warm clothes that smelled of lavender which they used to wipe the sacrifices. Noticing Bella's eyes were open one maid gave a little shriek.

Bella frowned, wondering why the girl was so upset when she herself was so calm. Something was not right. Which meant something was wrong. Bella furrowed her eyebrows, if only she could remember…

Fingers snapped in front of Bella's face. Bella blinked sleepily and glanced towards the overbearing woman looming over her.

"I told you." The smaller girl whimpered behind the woman, "what should we do?"

The older woman made a sound of disapproval but before she could speak Bella managed to slur out, "Is everything alright?"

The woman answered for the girl, "Yes of course."

Bella turned her eyes to the woman. "She seems upset. Maybe she should sit."

The girls face fell and an undeniable sniffle escaped her. The older woman turned back to glare at her, but beneath the surface Bella sensed pity. Oh dear something was wrong. Did it have something to do with her? If only she could wake up-

"I'm s-so s-s-sorry." The girl hiccupped looking at Bella in anguish.

The woman exploded slapping the girl in the face and reprimanding her harshly. The girl cried harder. Bella was not able to keep up with the fast speaking but she knew the girl was in trouble. She knew it was her fault. But for the life of her she couldn't remember what had happened.

"Stop." Bella said stumbling out of bed and grasping the woman's arm. The world spun around her but Bella was able to focus on the sobbing girl and offer a weak smile. "It's okay. I forgive you."

In truth Bella had no idea what she was forgiving the girl for but she had thought it would make her feel better, but if anything her acceptance of the apology just seemed to make the girl cry harder. Bella was so confused.

Another girl came and helped the crying one away. Bella frowned hoping she would feel better. She herself wanted nothing more but to climb back into bed and sleep but before she could voice her wish the woman had called a guard over to place her back in.

'How very kind,' Bella thought, as she fell asleep once again.

…..

(Emmet P.O.V.)

Emmet swept down the hallway, his footsteps echoing in the relative silence. It was time to get this feeding over with so that he could get back to his beloved. He had left her sleeping in the bed they shared. Sleeping or awake she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and he loathed the time they spent apart.

Technically as the youngest he was supposed to eat last but his brothers had no care for such traditions and were not picky eaters so more often than not he go first serve.

He entered the feeding room with little ceremony, slamming the door open and growling at the servants to get out. They complied immediately and as the door shut behind the last of them Emmet let out such a chuckle.

The first bed held a woman with red curly hair that must have taken hours to tame. Her skin was smooth and pale, marred by a spattering of freckles that covered her nose and cheeks. Emmet growled in appreciation and moved to the next.

The next woman had soft straight hair and delicate pink lips. She was boney and sickly pale but her blood smelled sweet. Unfortunately the corn silk color of her hair reminded him too much of his precious Rosalie and so he moved on to the next one.

She was a true beauty with luminescent white skin and dark silky hair. She was a slim girl but she was plump in all the right places. He reached out to feel her neck and sighed as his cool fingers touched her soft skin.

There was a time when he would have drunken only enough to state his thirst and kept her as part of his collection. If was his curse after all to be drawn to the beautiful, but after stumbling onto Rosalie he realized that anyone else would pale in comparison.

Though he did not keep them he still could not help but be drawn to the most beautiful of the bunch, and he was sure he would not find another sacrifice with her beauty for a long time to come.

He felt his fangs descend from his gums just as her eyes fluttered open, confusion and serenity clear on her face. What the hell?

She blinked sleepily, "Who are you?"

Emmet grinned at her melodic voice, he wondered if she sang. He sat on the edge of her bed and ran a hand through her silky hair. "My name is Emmet, and who are you my sweet little flower?"

The girl blinked and smiled at him apologetically, "I'm afraid I can't seem to remember. Do you know where we are?"

He chuckled realizing she wasn't as coherent as he first thought. "We are in the royal palace."

She frowned and a small furrow appeared between her eyebrows, "Oh dear, there was something I was supposed to remember…" she trailed off in confusion.

"Will you sing for me my flower?" He asked, something dark within him welling up, needing to hear more of her voice.

"I think I like singing." She murmured, Emmet smiled brightly, his childlike face bright with anticipation. He gestured for her to continue.

"Mmmm, I can't remember the words. Everything is too cloudy." She murmured drowsily. Emmet's face filled with fury at being denied something he was sure would have sounded beautiful. Before he could react however she began to hum.

Emmet closed his eyes in ecstasy, the darkness being held at bay for now. Oh god he wanted her. While her physical characteristics were nice enough her voice he could tell was exquisite. He wanted to keep her. He imagined her moaning naked on his bed as Rosalie played with her. Her soothing voice singing him to sleep each night and waking him each morning. He moaned in delight at the thought, barely noticing as she slipped back into sleep.

He decided he would keep her, his precious little music box. But first he needed to eat. After hearing her voice he didn't want the other two girls, but he knew he couldn't drink from her throat and risk causing damage. He decided on drinking from her wrist, careful not to hurt her, Emmet lifted her onto his lap and held her wrist to his mouth.

He heard footsteps in the hall and before he could extend his fangs the door was ripped off of its hinges and he was thrown against the wall. Emmet looked up to see his brother Edward standing over the unconscious girl, a dark fire burning in his topaz eyes.

"Mine." He growled.