Alright, we're moving on with the action!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, any of the characters in Twilight, or anything related to the books and/or movies. If I did, I would be way too busy- doing dirty things with the Cullen boys- to sit down at my laptop and write this story. The scenes and general plot ideas that I did borrow from Stephenie Meyer have been revamped to fit my story.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Learning to Live Again

Chapter Fifty: Hostage

I took a couple steps back, trying not to stumble over the branches and leaves scattered on the ground. Of course, that didn't happen. I fell on my backside, dropping my backpack near me at the same time. Three of the newborns started approaching me, their eyes darkening. I noticed that their movements were more fluid than the Cullens. It must be a side effect of being new. Super strength and great reflexes. Perfect. I was doomed.

Emmett was doing his best to fight off the other five vampires. He had managed to kick one back into a tree and was holding another one's arm. I saw two of them approaching him from behind and screamed. I closed my eyes and concentrated on them flying up into the trees, flying away from Emmett somewhere they couldn't hurt him. I pushed with my mind, clenching my fists on the ground.

I was trying so hard that my head started to hurt, and I started to feel dizzy. I clenched my fists tighter, digging them into the ground. I could feel the two newborns circling me, but I couldn't pay attention to that right now. Emmett was more valuable than me in this fight. If I could save him, he could save so many more.

"Back off my brother!" I felt it let loose then. I felt a rush of wind around me as two of the newborns flew back, crashing into numerous trees along the way, knocking some over. I looked at Emmett one last time before collapsing onto the ground, consumed by darkness.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I felt drunk. Granted, I had never been drunk before. But I imagined it would feel like this. I couldn't move my body, I couldn't move my head. It felt like my brain was expanding and pushing against my skull. My mouth was dry, so dry. It felt like I'd been screaming for hours.

"Bella…" I heard someone whispering to me, but I couldn't make out who it was. It wasn't male or female. It was just a voice in the distant. "Bella…" Who was it? Where was I? Why the hell couldn't I just move or open my eyes?! I felt my eyelids flutter, trying to open. It didn't work. "Wake up, Bella…"

My eyelids fluttered again. I heard a groan come from my throat. I was slowly coming to, but I was still dizzy. I waited before opening my eyes. I was queasy, and I didn't feel like throwing up on whoever was waiting for me to wake up. I still hadn't figured out who it was. Who was it?

I suddenly saw an image in my head. Dirty blond, curly hair. Sitting atop a pale, chiseled face with deep golden eyes. A devilish smirk, a raised eyebrow. Jasper.

"J—Jasper…" It barely even sounded like my voice. It was hoarse and strained. I could make out a small echo in the room. Where the hell were we that there was an echo?!

"He can't save you now." The voice was louder, more feminine. "None of your little family will save you now. You're mine."

My eyes snapped open, and I was blinded by light for a moment while they adjusted. I wish that they hadn't adjusted at all. I could make out pale skin, bright red hair, and eyes as black as the night. "Victoria." I didn't hear any fear in my voice, but it was there.

"There's the little bit of clarity I've been waiting for. You're lucky that I'm a patient person, Bella," she said in a scolding tone. She was standing over me, her hair falling around my face.

"You're not a person at all," I whispered. My throat was scratchy and sore. If she weren't a vampire, she probably wouldn't have been able to understand what I was saying.

She shrugged her shoulders with indifference. "I can't argue that. You seem to forget that neither is your little surrogate family. In fact, you don't really spend time with too many humans at all. Vampires, werewolves. What other dirty little secrets are you hiding?" She smirked at me and ran her long fingernails up my face to rest at my temple.

She knows about my power now. There was no chance in hell that I could escape, that I could get out of this alive. Might as well go down swinging.

"Wouldn't you like to know," I said, my voice stronger now. I swallowed, trying to find anyway to wet my throat to ease the ache in it.

"Oh, I know, Bella. I know." She stood from where she was crouched over me, giving me a better view of my surroundings.

It looked like we were in a cave somewhere. The ground and walls were covered in dirt and rock. We were in a circular room with two entrances. Neither had doors or were being blocked by anything, but I couldn't see past the entrances. It was complete darkness. I was lying on the floor, my hands tied behind my back and my legs tied together. That would explain not being able to move.

Victoria and I were the only ones in the room. I couldn't hear any speaking or moving beyond us. "Where are your little minions?"

"Don't worry your pretty little head about them, Bella. They won't touch you. They're all under strict orders to not taste a drop of your blood. You're mine." She started circling around me, staring down at me in contempt.

"Oh, I'm not worried at all, Victoria. My family is out there looking for me right now. They'll get the werewolves involved and track my scent. Even if you kill me, you won't last long." I was proud of myself for allowing my voice to sound more confident. I have no idea how I did it, but I was proud none the less.

"Like you said, they have to find you first. And as far as killing you… there are no ifs about it. You're walking dead, Isabella Swan. How does it feel?" she antagonized me. Whatever, I was going to throw it right back.

"Well, I'm kind of tired; my throat is a little dry. Other than that, I'm good. Besides having to put up with you stalking me like a psychopath," I whispered back, trying to give an edge to my voice.

"You really don't know when to shut up, do you?" she asked with a hiss. "You've lost. Stop fighting."

"Would you stop fighting?" I asked her.

"I wouldn't lose," she said with confidence.

"We'll see about that," I said. "You couldn't even control Cameron and you were sleeping with him." Her eyes narrowed at me when I said it. Oh shit. I felt the sting across my cheek without ever seeing her raise her hand to me. My head was thrown to the side, landing in the dirt on the ground. That was going to leave a mark.

"I want to keep you alive for awhile longer, Bella, but you're making it very difficult," she said through clenched teeth. "And people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Aren't you sleeping with you best friend's ex-boyfriend who also happens to be your ex-boyfriend's brother? Naughty, naughty girl."

It all clicked now. My being with Jasper was going to benefit her more than we knew. We had all been waiting for her to have some master plan, some strategy. She didn't. She wanted to keep me alive so that she could bargain with Jasper. He had military training. He had led an army of newborn vampires once upon a time. I had started out as her target but now was so much more. I was leverage.

"I'm seeing more clarity in your eyes there, Bella. What are you thinking?" she asked. She hovered over me closer, causing me to try and move back toward the wall. I wanted to sit up, to get a better view of my surroundings. I would have to figure out which way the exit was after I threw her.

"Are you thinking about sending me flying with your little power?" she teased.

My head snapped up to look in her eyes, and I'm sure that my expression was fearful. "What are you talking about?" I asked with a weak voice.

"My men told me that you were able to throw some of them across the forest while they were fighting one of your bodyguards. Pretty impressive," she whispered in my ear. She pulled me up to a sitting position and shoved me back into the wall. I could hear my back slam against the rock. Another mark.

"I could definitely use your power for what I have planned," she said with an insightful expression on her face. She could act smart all she wanted. I knew that she was a dumbass, though.

"What is your plan? To capture me here and talk me to death?" I looked up at her again, this time with disdain and boredom across my face.

"I thought you had figured it out, Bella. I'm going to lure Jasper here and bargain with him. Instead of watching you die by my hand, he's going to turn you," she said with a shrug.

"Why do you care if I'm a vampire?" I asked her. This didn't make sense.

"Because once he gets a taste of human blood again, he won't go back to deer and rabbits. And you won't want to leave him. So then I'll kill the rest of your family so that you're both free to join my army. Your power will be quite useful."

I said nothing, shock seeping into me. This is what she wanted. She wanted me and Jasper to join her. Was she crazy?! The answer to my question came to me in the form of deep laughter coming from the doorway.