Bella's POV

And so it went. Every few days between training with Felix and the others I would slip away a few hours to go see Mia. We told each other everything. When she told me how she got to this desolate tower though I was left breathless. I had wondered at first if she was lying, but deep down I wasn't surprised. I had seen the way Jane and Alec had greeted other strangers first hand and wondered what they would exactly have done to me if Felix hadn't intervened.

She told me a lot about the Volturi. How in most cases were uncaring and spared you no mercy if you broke the law. She also told me of how every once in a while they liked to play a game. Usually this meant toying with members of the Volturi in a way that involved someone that you loved and making them pay for it. The stories were long and detailed and I found myself feeling sick by most of them.

Knowing this, it was good to have a friend in what seemed like such a fragile environment. Just tilting in between the lies and secrets that were held here. It was in the air so thick and potent that in my most overwhelmed moments I gasped in it even though I didn't need air. The more I talked to Mia the more paranoid I felt, and the more I knew what a bad hastily made decision this was. I had thought I might get to start fresh and maybe get away from the people and choices I had there by coming with Felix, but I just ended up in an even stickier situation.

I was more wary of the vampires now and even thought about trying to leave, but I couldn't leave Mia behind. I had tried convincing her one night while we in the tower as always talking and watching TV.

"Mia I think I want to leave this place. From what you've told me about the Volturi, I have a bad feeling that if I stay here something bad is going to happen to me," I said shakily.

She looked at me and said, "And?"

"I want you to come with me, of course." I finished, hoping she would. One, I didn't want to leave her to the mercy of the Volturi. Two, I was too much of a chicken to try by myself.

"Bella, as much I desperately want to, we can't. If we do they will just chase us down and bring us back or kill us."

"How can you be so sure?" I questioned. Surely we weren't that important enough to chase down.

"Cause that's why I'm stuck in this stupid tower. At first I was allowed to be among them, but after I ran away they chased me down and brought me back. They fixed up this tower and now they never let me out of it. They check on me every day to make sure I haven't left." she said sadly.

"Why? And why haven't you tried again? You have a wide open window right there!"

She shrugged. "They think of it as losing, and they don't like to lose. Plus they'll want to know why you want to leave especially since you came to them." She had me there. Felix had told me I could leave whenever I wanted to, but I had a hard time thinking they would now.

She sighed and continued, "They told me if I run away again they'll kill me, and let's be honest it's not like we actually have somewhere to go."

I took an unnecessary breath. I did have somewhere to go even if it wasn't ideal. "Yes, we do. We can go back to Forks, back to the Cullens and try to start again there."

"Bella, but to do those things we need money and a passport, we just don't have the resources!" she said exasperated. Then more gently she added, "Look I want so badly to leave too, but we can't waste time on unrealistic dreams. It's no use, they'll catch us and bring us back. Killing me then probably locking you up here in this very same tower."

"Ok, ok." I said resigned. I was scared and felt helpless and trapped most of all. Stuck in this stupid castle, gasping for air.

…

I grew more depressed that month. I couldn't help it. I had made the stupidest decision of my life by coming here and now I couldn't leave. I simply couldn't bear the thought of staying here for the rest of existence. I no longer saw them as a generous family they at first had played off very well, but a cult of some sort. With its claws so deep into me I would never be free.

I saw more of what Mia said every day. Not just from Marcus, Caius, or Aro, but from their members as well. Nothing huge, but I could see arrogance in the way they talked to me, their smiles leaving me feel like they knew something that I didn't. Except Felix.

He seemed to be the only one I was able to trust other than Mia. Though I never told him about Mia, I told him most everything else and he was by my side at all times unless he went to go "eat" or I wanted to spend time at the library. That usually being the time when I would go see Mia. He went with me when I went to hunt, always with a look of disgust.

"I don't know how you do it," he said wrinkling his nose as I walked back to him full.

"It's not that bad. You should try it sometime with me." I said.

"Not in a million years!"

"Well maybe I'll get you to in a million and one years then." I said sarcastically.

"You can try!" He said laughing. I even smiled a bit. Even if I wasn't leaving this place at least Felix was here to cheer me up. I let him take my hand as we walked back to the castle.

"Bella," Felix said stopping.

"What is it Felix?" I asked confused.

"Happy one month anniversary!" he said pulling a red tulip out from behind him and giving it to me.

"Oh!" I said, "Thank you, Felix." I smiled trying to put one the best show I could to try to sound grateful.

"Yea I thought you might like. Since it has officially been a month you've joined the Volturi and well… since I've met you." he added shyly.

"It's beautiful Felix, thank you," I said hugging him. Though as I looked at that flower all I could think about was the infinitely more months I would spend here. Yep, happy one month anniversary.

Felix's POV

I had made my best effort to stay calm as I gave Bella the flower so she would think that things were still great even though that couldn't be farther from the truth. Every inch of my being wanted me to tell her to run. Run away as fast and far as she could. That there was a sinister plot revolving around her in the darkness that she could not see. That it was all apart of the Volturi's sick little game. But I didn't, couldn't not if I wanted her to live. They would never let her leave now especially in the middle of their game.

Bella's training was paying off. She grew more accustomed to her gift every day stretching the boundaries each time. In only six months time she would have to present her abilities in front of Aro, Marcus, and Cauis. I had no doubts that by that time she would be quite skilled with her gift. Not only being able to place her shield on others, but showing how she could take it off hers completely. If I have failed with Bella, then at the moment Simon will wipe her mind clean of all her memories. Then that would be the end of Bella.

One month, six to go. Would I end up failing the girl that I was already falling for? Only time would tell. Yep, happy one month anniversary.

I haven't wrote in a long time, but i'm going to change that starting now. You can expect another chapter either tomorrow or the next day because I realize that this one is really short. I hope you enjoy it though. Feel free to tell me what you think or suggest. Thanks!:)