BellaPOV
I opened my eyes to a world so like my own, but so much...clearer. Everything was heightened, sharpened, re-envisioned. It was like I had been looking through a water fall before and I had now reached the other side and could see the beautiful country side without the ripples of water blocking my view. It was both terrifying and beautiful. Much like the other vampires that surrounded me. My human eyes hadn't done them justice, I had been able to see was their not to the truest, it was like going from watching regular tv to HD. But now I could see the danger, almost smell it. It added a red tint to the room. Keeping me on alert. It was like one half of me knew them, knew they would never hurt me. That they had protected me in the past. But the other half of me wasn't so sure: they were a threat. Even if they didn't attack, they were still a threat. They could eliminate me in seconds. I knew it and so did they. I could tell by the way they stood, not in a defensive stance. Just on alert in case I tried anything. They knew that if I tried anything that they could react faster or at least smarter and more planned out then I could. Because of that more anything I sat as still as I could. Which was significantly more still then when I was human.
It was kind of weird to be talking in the past tense about being human, when only three days ago I was one.
"Isabella?" Asked Caius. He was the only vampire in the room I had not immediately been aware, at least not defensively. For some reason my 'vampire' side didn't see him at a threat. To bad my human side did.
I let out a low growl, warning him to stay away. I was angrier now then I was when he practically drove me out of Volterra. Perhaps this was the heightened emotions everyone had warned me about. Still I was pissed. And everyone in the room seemed to get that. Except -of course- Caius.
"Caius? Perhaps you should give her space to calm down?" Aro offered hesitantly.
"No, she need's to heart what I have to say."
Some invisible force must have entered the room then, because suddenly everyone was trying to get out of it. They all mumbled "Bye's" or "We'll be back in a bit." Trying to be sly about leaving me and Caius alone to 'talk'.
Who they thought they were fooling I didn't know because it sure as hell wasn't me.
I looked to Caius with my eyebrow raised and arms crossed as the last person exited the room.
"I'm an ass-"
"Yes, you are. Glad we agree." I interrupted.
"Isabella, let me talk. Please." He said with the most pathetic and beaten look on his face.
"If I must."
"You must."
"Fine, then." I said rolling my eyes. I knew I was being a brat, but I didn't really care. He deserved it, and we both knew he deserved it.
"Isabella, you have to forgive me. I wasn't thinking clearly, I was jealous. And I know that, that doesn't make up for everything I did to you and all the problems I caused. But please..." He had come to stand closer to me, he grabbed my hands then. Both of mine fit in just one of his, with his free hand he lifted my chin up to his face. I could feel the same electricity that had surrounded us the first time we kissed. "Forgive me," He finished bending his and putting his lips on mine.
I -almost- instinctively tangled my fingers in his hair as his arms wrapped around my waist. This kiss was different from our first it was more passionate and needing then the first. When we finally broke apart he kept his forehead on mine.
"I should hate you, but the truth is my life would suck without you." I whispered trying to focus on anything, but the fact that he was so close to me.
"As would mine Isabella, as would mine." He whispered, squeezing my waist.
"I missed you." I commented, hugging him back.
"Not as much as I missed you, I promise. And then you had to go and get yourself kidnapped which did not help the situation." He said, smiling.
I let out a laugh, I wasn't quite sure if I was laughing because I thought what he said was funny or if I was so relieved this was all over or if it was just the heightened emotions. Either way I laughed like it was the funny thing in the world. And Caius's smile brightened. I love it when he smiled not a sarcastic smirk, or haha-you-are-gonna-get-in-trouble-grin. Just a genuine smile, they were rare. But, when they did happen they were enough to brighten the room.
"Okay, enough of all this mushy-gushy stuff. I'm hungry..or I guess thirsty." I said pushing him lightly off of me. Or what I thought was lightly, but made him wince. "Oh, sorry. Forget I'm as strong as superman know."
"Super man?" He questioned, rubbing his chest where I had pushed him.
"Oh, good God. Have I taught you nothing?" I said, smirking.
"I wouldn't say nothing, just nothing of any importance." He said.
I hid my amusement by sticking my tongue out.
"Well, let's go." I said, motioning towards the door. "I'm not getting any younger."
"Your not really getting older either." He commented.
"Come on." I said grabbing his hand. It was only when we had reached the door that I realized something. I was in Volterra,in my old room in fact. So much for being observant.
"Hey, when did I get here?" I asked, turning to Caius.
"A day and a half ago." He answered, condescendingly
"I meant how,"
"Well you should have asked how,"
"Caius." I said, trying to get him back to the point.
"I'll explain later, you thirsty remember?"
"Of course, I remember. And I'll remember to ask you later." I said turning my back to him and opening the door to my ex-living room where once again everyone was gathered. It was almost like Deja vu
"Bells!" Cheered Demetri and Felix at the same time.
"Hey, guy's." I said, grinning. I had missed them in the short period of time that I hadn't been able to see them.
"Bella, how was the change? Did the morphine help? You didn't make a lot of movement." Carlisle asked, shooting questions at me. As he came to stand in front of me.
"Not that I don't want to stay and chat, but my throat is kinda on fire." I said.
"Oh, of course. We'll talk later then?" He amended. Stepping out of the way.
"Yeah, we'll talk later. Thank's Carlisle." I said, although his medical treatments didn't really help it was still nice of him to try. After assuring both Esme and Sulpicia that I was fine, Caius and I finally started making our way out of my old suit.
"Caius?" I questioned when we had let my old suit. Even I could hear the slyness of my voice.
"Yes?" He said looking down at me.
"Wanna race?" I asked, cocking my head.
"Where to?" He sighed.
"First one to get out of the castle wins." I said, already planning my route.
"What's the winner's prize?" Leave it to Caius to think of prizes.
"Uh, the winner get's to decide what the prize is when they win." That sounded like a good plan, unless of course Caius won. They who knew what I was getting myself into.
"Very well, on the count of three."
"One, two, th-your already cheated Isabella!" Caius complained as I shot forward.
"Oh, come on old man." I said, laughing.
"Old man?" He said in mock outrage.
I turned and flashed him a smile before going full speed. He didn't really stand a chance. I could hear his steps behind me, two of mine was four of his. Funny how I was the slowest before and know I was the fastest. Nice turn of events if you ask me.
My throat was really beginning to bother me and the closer we got to the outside of the Volturi castle, the closer we got to the humans. The more I thirsted for their blood. Soon I could barely see through the red haze that clouded my vision. I needed blood, so..so bad.
"Isabella! Wait!" Caius shouted from behind me.
It was only then when he had pulled me from my thoughts and blood rampage that I realized I had reached the back door to outside.
Caius caught up to me a few seconds later. His hair was no longer straight and orderly, and his cloths also were now wrinkled.
"Are you ready?" He asked, as we both stood looking at the doors.
For some reason this seemed important, I had already been bitten and gone through the change. But this -going outside, into the real world- seemed to make all that official. It also seemed to finally make Caius and I official. Like we had finally come to the conclusion we were meant for each other, no matter how much we fought or how much we went through. We were mates, for better or for worse as the saying went. I was hoping that we had already gone through the worse and that the better was on its way in. But with us who really knew?
"As ready as I'll ever be." I answered, then he pushed the doors open. And I began my life as a vampire.
It was all very similar, of course. The grass was still green, the clouds still white, and the air was..well still air. But it was different, it was beautiful in the most utterly unique and ordinary way. Now I could see the different shades of green's in the grass, I could see through the cloud's, and I smell the freshness of the trees and the fumes of cars mixing together into some sort of mutant in the air.
It was all very overwhelming, as you can imagine. I felt like I had suddenly been given this immense power and hadn't been given anytime to cope or fully understand it. And I loved it.
It was like having a continues adrenaline rush or a high that never ended. Everything happened so much faster and so much brighter. It made me want to scream, laugh, jump, run, hug, and rip my hair out all at once. It was amazing. It was how I felt whenever I use to jump of the cliff in La Push, only a hundred times better.
"Wow..just wow." I muttered.
Caius grabbed my hands, and this really made me want to jump and scream, but underneath all of the excitement and joy I was feeling their was a darker feeling. A feeling which I had, had often. It was like guilt and hatred had come together and gave birth to some sort of demon spawn emotion. It was an ugly emotion and I finally understood what Edward and Caius had been explaining to me all along. That no matter how much I distracted myself, or how good I was. That I had to keep the wall up from that emotion, that feeling. Because if I didn't it would quickly consume me and I would be no better then Victoria. This was the pitfall, the ugly secret that you didn't find out until you had already crossed the bridge. I knew I would always have this feeling, I was part monster now. But I knew that with Caius and the rest of my family and Charlie watching over me that I would be okay. I was certain of that much.
"I know the feeling." Said Caius, answering my earlier question. But somehow I got the feeling it had a double meaning.
"Are you ready for you first hunt?" Caius asked me as we made our way into the quickly darkening city.
"I don't know, I don't know if I can take an innocent life." I said, as I was quickly going over the pros and cons of becoming a 'veggie vamp' even though I had always made fun of the term it was becoming more and more enticing as time went on.
"Who said anything about innocent?" He said, nodding his head towards two people.
At first glance you would have thought them a couple or at least friends as close as they were to each other and the fact that their steps were synced. But then I saw that she was gripping something tight in her pocket, most likely pepper spray. Her heart beat was increasing, she was quickly getting an adrenaline rush. Her long brown hair was flapping dramatically in the wind as she sped up her heels clicking. The man who was chasing her looked as calm as could be. He sped up with her, not breaking a sweat hardly raising his heartbeat. He was in shape and he had done this before.
He called out then. "Hey, sugar. Where you going?" I immediately got a flashback from the night Edward had..saved me from those four guys in Port Angeles. The girl was obviously a tourist and had no idea where she was going and the man did so it was no surprise (to me at least) that he soon had her cornered.
"Are you ready?" Caius asked again, his warm breath tickling my neck.
"Yes."
"Take a deep breath, let your instincts guide you..your'll know what to do." He said as he took a few steps back.
I closed my eyes; took a deep breath, and listening to their heartbeats I shot off towards the man. It was seconds after the girls first plea of help that I was sinking my teeth into his neck the girl was screaming, but I ignored her. Knowing Caius would soon take care of her, and I was right she soon stopped screaming. But I cared little as I was feasting on my prey. His blood was thick and sweet. Comparing to when I was human it was like eating an amazing piece of steak. His blood was gone to quick and although my thirst was satisfied my 'hunger' for blood was not.
"More?" Guessed Caius coming to stand behind me.
"More." I said nodding, wiping the blood from my mouth onto my sleeve.
"Very well, you stay and I will get rid of these two." He said lifting both of them.
"If I must."
"You must."
"Fine, I wont move." I said "Promise."
He disappeared into the night. I had, had every intention of staying put. Really I did. But I wanted more blood and Caius was taking to long. Plus I was curious. I hadn't been out in Volterra at night before, no particular reason for that I just never had. Soon I found myself wandering towards where Caius and I had, had our first kiss. I wasn't exactly sure why, I just felt like I needed to go there. So as can be assumed I went. I was planning on stopping before I got their to see if I could find anymore 'bad guys' to eat. But the closer I got the more the feeling of needing to be there grew stronger. Until I felt like the idea of the place alone was going to explode. Once I got there though, I realized it wasn't the place calling it to me. It was the memories of the time we had spent there that were. Caius felt it too, I was sure. I somehow knew he was on his way. Marcus said this was because of the mate bound. I happened to think it was just the fact that I was so amazingly awesome I just knew these things, but perhaps Marcus's conclusion was a bit more logical. If talking about Vampire Mates was even logical.
I was right-of course- Caius soon arrived with that familiar scowl on his face.
"I thought I told you to stay put."
"You never said for how long." I said, smiling up innocently at him.
He had opened his mouth to make a response, but realizing I was right he quickly closed it.
"I remember when we came here." I said quietly, changing the subject. He nodded his head. I let out a small laugh at his awkwardness.
"You know something, Caius Volturi? Your not that scary." I said, pushing his frown into a some-what smile.
"I'm not?" He questioned, raising one of his eyebrows.
"Nope." I said, shaking my head.
"Truly? Because you know I've done scary things."
"Yes, I'm aware."
"Then you know what I'm capable of, you know that because of that people are constantly trying to kill me."
"Yes, I believe everyone on the earth has wanted to kill you at one point." I said laughing, trying the break the awkward air that hung between us. But it stayed firmly in place. This conversation was going somewhere and I didn't now where and that bugged me to tell you the truth.
"Isabella, I know that we've only been together for a short period of time. But I also know that no matter what we are going to be together forever," He said getting down on one knee, this is also about the time that if I was human I would be having a heart attack. "Even if I have to fight for you till my last breath. Isabella...Bella will you do me the immense honor of marrying me? We don't have to get married anytime soon-
"Caius?" My voice wavering. "I want my prize now."
"What?" He asked confused.
"For winning the race. I want my prize."
"Isabella, I just proposed and you want..your prize from being able to run faster then me?"
"I want you to kiss me, for my prize. I want you to kiss me."
"Isabella.." He said at a loss.
"Caius, of course I'll marry you! Now shut up and kiss me!" I practically shouted. I didn't have to wait long before for the second time tonight his lips were on mine. Then he did something I was not prepared for and made me dig my finger nails pretty deep into his shoulders, he spun me around in the air.
"I love you..Isabella Swan." He shouted for the whole world to hear, at least every vampire in the city.
"I love you too, Caius Volturi." I shouted back, laughing as he set me back on the ground.
"Oh, yeah." He said as he set me down. "Here." He said pulling a ring out of his back pocket.
"Caius, you didn't have to get me a ring." I said, although I couldn't hold back my excitement at getting one.
"I'm aware I didn't 'have' to, but I wanted to." He said putting the beautiful ring on my finger. It was a princess cut ring, with a rose gold band. To put it simply, it was perfect. I already loved it.
"Oh, Caius. Its perfect!" I cheered closely examining it. "I love it."
"I'm glad." He said, looking down at me. "We'd better get back."
"I suppose so." I agreed turning around, not taking my eyes off of my ring.
"Hey, Caius?"
"Yes, Isabella?"
"How did I get back in Volterra?" I asked, finally taking my eyes off my ring to look at him.
"It's a long story."
"I have forever, remember? I'm not getting any older." I said grinning.
"Really? I think I might have seen a gray hair.." He teased.
"Caius!" I said, pushing him lightly.
"What?" He asked innocently.
"You know, just for that you have to give me a piggy ride back."
"Whatever you say, your highness." He said, bending over.
"Now your starting to understand how we do things around here." I said, laughing as I climbed on.
I didn't even have to see his face to know he was rolling his eyes at me.
"Let's go home." I said as I wrapped my arms around his neck.
"Lets." He agreed.
That's when I really knew that no matter what happened that I was going to be okay. I was where I was meant to be, and I knew that Charlie was smiling down on me.
A/N: Hey, guys! Thank you all so much for the continued love and support and patience for my slow updates! I love you all so much and I am so grateful to everyone who takes time out of their busy lives to read my story. This will be the second to the last chapter before the epilogue and then my little story will be all over:( So review and tell me what you liked and what you didn't about this chapter. This is personally one of my favorite chapters and I hope you all love it as well. Love Ya! -Monet