Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Stephenie Meyer created it all.
Bella POV
The thirst was already making itself known, and it had only been the previous evening since I'd made the horrific agreement with Aro, and murdered again. Spending the morning alone in the room they'd assigned to me left too much time for contemplation and self loathing. I was fairly certain that if I was offered the opportunity to feed off animals at this point, that I wouldn't be able to follow what my heart said to do. My mind waged a war against my body, wanting to fight again, but I'd made the agreement. In part, I was glad I was obligated in such a way; it gave an easy answer to the demands of my body. Although that might provide a good cover to the world, it didn't help with the self examination. I was a monster now, surrounded by monsters, and little did the individuals who surrounded me care, one way or the other.
The flames in the fireplace captured my attention. Sulpicia had left me earlier in the morning, stating that she was going to give me time to settle into the room. I'd come to stand in front of the fireplace as soon as she left the room, and had been here since. My thoughts had gone from memories of my father and mother to contemplation as to what it would feel like to place my hand amidst the flames. Could I destroy myself? Would I? The vampire that came in earlier to check on the fire looked at me strangely, as if questioning my motives. Not a minute later, I heard someone open the door into the room…checking on the strange newbie, I was sure.
"Look, I'm still here," I wanted to shout. "No fire engulfed bodies to douse." I hadn't turned, and they had stood there silently, finally closing the door several minutes later and leaving me to my silence.
In fact, if I looked at this life with a truly neutral perspective, the only thing to grieve was the loss of Charlie and Renee. The only fear was that I would remember the Cullens and Jacob, and therefore ache forever … but I was working on that. Each time one of their faces ran through my mind, I quickly squelched the memory. And the only concession was that I would have to kill the scum of the world. Some would think this was a dream come true…visions of grandeur…a superhero fantasy. I could hope that the remorse would fade in time. I'd always cried whenever I saw a dead animal, or at people's deaths, so I could only hope that, in time, I'd lose that human compunction. Unfortunately, I suspected, it wasn't going to be anytime soon.
Bella…no. If I intended to leave my old life behind…Isabella, it is time to greet your new world. Turning, I finally looked at the room around me. It was stunning. A collection of tables, leather couches, and seats were before the fire place, forming a cozy sitting area. Across the room, a bookcase held what I suspected was a priceless collection of books. They were probably in Italian. Hopefully there was something in English in the library I'd run to. I already knew that the balcony overlooked the city, but beyond the limits I could see for miles…there was nothing but farmland, and a forest in the distance.
Across the room sat a king size bed…really, what was I going to do with that? It was covered in blood red silk, highlighting the dark wood of the ornately carved headboard. Maybe it was to be the space I used to kill; blood probably wouldn't show against the fabric. Although I'd not spilled one drop from the man they'd enticed me with, having licked even the last vestiges off his throat with a hungry tongue. The large vampire, Felix, he'd even smiled in approval as he took the body from my arms. I didn't want to look at him. I was mortified by my behavior after the first feeding.
It was hard not to smile back at him a little though; his broad face had been so open and understanding. My breakdown afterward had wrung me senseless. I'd felt a range of emotions, including shock at the feel of someone's arms around me. Aro, the leader, my sire…he'd awkwardly attempted to comfort me throughout the night. I wanted to sleep so badly in his arms, to just forget for a few minutes. I'd contemplated curling up in the bed when he left, but his wife had taken over, keeping me busy.
In curiosity, I walked over the polished ivory marble tiled floor and reached out to lay a hand on the mattress, testing the firmness. My fingers sank into the cool material. It felt amazing against my skin. In childlike fashion, I jumped onto my back, spread eagle on the bed. Sexual tension raced across my skin at the contact. This was something I hadn't known or expected…the increased awareness of those needs. Humiliation at my actions from the earlier episode threatened to overwhelm me again. It served to solidify in my brain that Edward certainly couldn't have felt anything for me. If my reactions were typical of vampires, there was no way he could've withheld his need, even if all he'd felt was physical desire for me. Stop! My brain said. My body obeyed hesitantly, letting his face diminish.
I turned over, breathing into the sheets. My throat flared, smelling the scent of the humans that had handled the fabric. I was going to fight this, this overwhelming nature. I wanted to have a day without remorse. A knock sounded at the door, but I ignored it. I should have known that my silence would set off alarms. The door swiftly opened and Felix stepped into the room with Demetri following. I quickly sat up having to sweep a thick curtain of my hair out of my face. It felt odd to be leaning across a bed with two strange men standing at my door, so I slid across the fabric to stand. The noise of my skin against the silk was inordinately loud.
Felix's face turned to the floor, and Demetri found something amusing in the action. I wondered about their responses, but waited motionlessly for them to state their business. I saw the quick nudge Demetri gave Felix, but the large vampire seemed unwilling to speak. This increased Demetri's enjoyment of the moment. Demetri reminded me of …
"Master Aro and Mistress Sulpicia sent us to escort you to the chamber," Demetri finally informed me.
I tensed in reaction. The chamber held nothing but negative memories for me; the first being the attack that had led to my change, and the second being the five days of torture I'd endured attempting to live like 'them'. My hand went to my throat in reaction to the burn, and I backed away from them in fear. NO…I couldn't. Not yet.
The sound of my retreat brought Felix's face upwards. His eyes were dark, but he seemed to realize my panic.
"Isabella …" he started, and I was momentarily distracted by the sound of my name off his lips. He noticed my response and seemed oddly pleased.
Demetri chuckled but attempted to cover his laughter in a cough. I narrowed my eyes at him. That might work on someone who hadn't spent time with others of his kind. He raised his eyebrows in acknowledgment that he'd been caught.
"…. they've requested your presence, as we have visitors. Master Aro thought that you'd enjoy witnessing the day's activities. He is worried that you've been in your room all morning by yourself," he said, softly.
My gaze flitted to Demetri to gauge the truth of Felix's words. I couldn't see insincerity in either face. They waited quietly as I struggled. I was terrified…what did I know about appropriate decorum in this situation? I felt like my control would break at any time.
"I'm afraid I'll embarrass them," I finally admitted, looking to the floor in shame.
A set of feet came into my line of view. Demetri stood in front of me. He held his hand out imploringly, "Felix and I will personally escort you and stay by your side."
I reached out hesitantly, joining our hands. Felix was instantly at our side. He almost seemed to glare at the other vampire. Demetri clucked his tongue good naturedly, while putting my hand at the crook of his arm and forcing me to begin moving forward. He patted the top of my hand with his, "You, my dear, are going to make my life infinitely more entertaining. I cannot tell you how glad I am that you landed in this pit of vipers."
I looked up in amazement at his seditious words. He noticed my shock and grinned, showing his razor sharp teeth, seemingly unconcerned. I felt as if Felix's eyes roamed over my back as we made our way through the hallways. I turned once to see, but found his eyes focused directly ahead. Demetri, of course, noticed my behavior.
"Don't worry about Felix, Isabella. He's been instructed to learn the principle of restraint. It's a difficult challenge for him."
I heard the soft growling noise coming from behind us and began to turn again. Demetri's words stopped me.
"Don't give him the benefit of your attention. His pain at the hands of this lesson is more than adequate compensation for several recent insults," he said, conspiratorially.
"Much better," he concluded, seeing the slight twitch of my lips.
He'd distracted me sufficiently enough to get me to the doors, and stepped forward to open one for me, leaving me standing alone. The need to bolt was overwhelming. It was then that I noticed the heat of Felix's body at my back. He stepped to my side, holding out his arm in a manner to indicate he was taking Demetri's place as my escort.
I was disconcerted by his size as I slid my hand along the breadth of his arm. The sizzle that ran across my skin didn't help. It was almost as if static electricity passed between us. I forced myself to stare directly forward as he took me into the room.
We entered behind Aro, Marcus, & Caius. Sulpicia stood directly behind her husband's throne, with another female I didn't recognize. Jane, and her brother, Alec (I'd learned their names, and powers, from Sulpicia just this morning), stood behind Caius. A lone female shadowed Marcus. Demetri joined her, leaving me alone with Felix. He led us to stop between Aro and Caius, placing me flanked by him and Sulpicia. I swayed under the need to run, and Felix responded by placing his hand over mine, capturing it against his forearm. Aro glanced at us out of the corner of his eye in response to the action.
A multitude of others stood in the room in front of the three rulers. The sun coming through the skylights bounced randomly off their bodies, creating rainbow-like prisms in the air. The group towards the back door mixed in a sea of jewel tones, but the male that stood before the trio was perfectly still as he spoke.
I couldn't focus on his words. The smell of blood was strong here, and venom filled my mouth. Felix must have felt my anxiety and stepped closer bringing his body into contact with mine. I didn't think it made my anxiety any less, but it did switch the focus. It was then that I realized that most of the eyes present were focused on me. Several males sniffed the air as if looking for prey.
The observation sparked a vague memory, of new places and new faces, and unwanted attention focused on me. Once again, I was the shiny new toy. I saw the human faces as through a haze, but couldn't remember their names. The memories were beginning to fade already. The realization was bittersweet. Please, I silently begged whatever was out there…do it quickly, make it flow like a stream in the woods, smoothing the sharp jagged ends. Perhaps if I ever saw 'them' again, it would be as a new acquaintance. But, I realized that I wanted to remember my parents. I wondered if Aro would be willing to obtain pictures for me, and possibly information over the years, so that I could follow the rest of Charlie, Renee, and Phil's lives. By now, they probably thought I was dead.
The thoughts took only a brief second, and I noticed that the gazes then slid from me to the huge vampire standing to my side. I was grateful then, for his presence, as it seemed to deflect their interest. Aro had continued with his meeting while my newborn mind flitted around these topics. The sound of my name capturing my attention, I turned to see Aro looking directly at me. He saw the panic in my face. I hadn't been paying attention, and he realized it. He softly motioned me to his side. It was with a strange mix of fear and relief that I released Felix's arm to take the few steps.
"Isabella, this is Amun. He and his mate, Kebi, have established a small coven in Egypt. He is here to give account regarding several encounters with renegade vampires in his area."
I didn't know how to respond, not knowing if I was suppose to shake his hand or acknowledge him in some way, so I smiled slightly. Aro seemed pleased with my cool, but polite response.
"Amun, may I present Isabella."
The man tilted his head slightly at Aro's inflection, but nodded in acknowledgment.
"Isabella is new to us," Aro murmured in a pleased tone.
Amun smiled neutrally, but asked politely, "And where did you come from before this, Isabella?"
Aro answered for me. "Isabella is my newborn, Amun. She joined us a week ago. She is my and Sulpicia's daughter."
It seemed that I was constantly bringing the room to a standstill, I thought, as everyone turned to stare at me, shock apparent in their features. I had frozen as well at the term Aro had used for my relationship with him. Certainly he meant to say that he was my sire. The term daughter implied something I wasn't entirely comfortable with. My hand twitched in reaction, and Aro linked his fingers through mine, never rising from his chair.
I felt sick. Could vampires throw up? I didn't know, but my dislike of being on show was a strong rooted instinct. I felt like a huge pressure was pushing against my chest, trying to crush me. I reeled from the feeling and slowly inhaled through my nose to provide a focus. The feeling of unease amplified and I turned to find Sulpicia, not understanding. Felix caught my eye first though. Never letting go of Aro's hand, I stepped into his arms.
"Something's wrong," I strangled out. "Feels like someone stabbing me."
The quiet was dispelled immediately as chaos ensued. Guards covered every available exit, and grabbed several vampires as they tried to escape.
It wasn't much later before I found out what happened. Felix had carried me out of the room, Sulpicia following. I still sat wrapped in his arms as the unnatural silence surrounded us. If I'd been human I would equate it to the stunned silence after tragedy. Aro came into his and Sulpicia's room, followed by Marcus and Caius. He was livid. The other woman was behind him, hanging onto the edge of his robe with her fingertips. She let go as he entered into the room, and stood by the door.
"You may go, Renata," he indicated as Sulpicia wrapped her arms around him. Renata disappeared in a blink of an eye.
A sickly sweet smell clung to the three. It tickled an elusive memory, but try as I may I couldn't grasp it.
Aro quickly took off his robe, throwing it down onto one of his couches. Then the three leaders turned to me. I attempted to sink into Felix, to hide from the rage I saw on Aro's face. He visibly calmed himself before speaking to me.
"I am not angry with you, Isabella. Will you please tell me what occurred?" He managed to soften the tone, but it was still a clear directive.
"I don't like being the center of attention. It's never gone well for me before," I admitted in a hoarse voice. My eyes burned; there were no tears to relieve the sting.
"What did you feel, my dear?" Marcus asked, softly, encouraging me.
The individuals in the group looked at him in astonishment. But his gentleness was calming.
"I think I started having a panic attack, because it felt like someone pushing at my chest, but then it changed and it felt like I was being stabbed with a knife."
Sulpicia looked up into Aro's face from within his arms. He answered her unspoken question.
"One of our visitors had an offensive talent. They hid within the crowd. He possessed a gift similar to Jane's, just not as powerful. They were attempting to incapacitate me, thinking to throw everything into chaos. Their plans were ill conceived, thinking that to get to me in such a simple manner would leave everything open for a coup."
She snuggled into him further in reaction to the failed attempt, and he chuckled. "I smell, luce mia. Let me at least properly clean myself before the filth causes you to need a bath as well. "
Her eyes widened, and in that moment everyone realized that she wasn't too upset with the idea of sharing his bath. I was strangely uncomfortable with the strong emotions that passed between them. Felix's arms suddenly felt wrong. I struggled for a moment before he released me and I stood up. Unfortunately, my actions brought the attention back to me.
"Isabella, the young vampire imagined stabbing me. He was attempting to harm me, but I never felt a thing. You did."
"A shield," Caius murmured. "She possesses the talent of a shield, but infinitely more powerful than Renata. She doesn't deflect a person; she blocks the gift from working, much like she blocks you from seeing into her mind, Aro. As she blocked Jane and Alec."
"It wasn't just me, Caius. He attempted to get to all of you, when he wasn't originally successful with me. She didn't have to be touching anyone to protect them."
"I don't know what a shield is, but if it is a vampiric gift, it doesn't always work. Jasper could manipulate my emotions, and Alice could see my future," I spontaneously said.
Suddenly I was the center point of attention again; so I turned to place my back to them.
I was immediately regretful.
Across the room was a beautiful painting. I hadn't noticed it before, too upset by my emotions to really pay attention to the room. I knew it was a Solimena before I even began to walk over to it. I remembered the one that had hung in the house at Forks. Carlisle's had been of the quartet on a balcony overlooking a party. This one was as large, taking up the entire space above the mantle. Carlisle's had been done in bright colors, this one was not. It was a play in shadows. It was set on a rooftop. It looked like a castle, and I wondered if it was in fact the top of this building. A bright full moon hung in the background casting a subtle glow over the scene. The forest had been closer, and less of the land cultivated … a simpler time. The four men seemed to be surveying their domain. The moon's beams highlighted Carlisle's golden hair surrounding him like the halo of a saint. The other three were cast into shadow, their features not as clear. A sob escaped my chest as I looked upon his face, and my arm automatically went around my ribs.
Aro's voice broke through my pain. "Even Solimena recognized his inherent goodness," he said, gazing up at the portrait from beside me.
There was pain in his face as well. So…I wasn't the only one that Carlisle had left behind. Aro reached to me and pried my arm from around my body. He looked down at our joined hands.
"Isabella, your life will go on. We are your family now, and as I indicated to you last night, there is so much to show you, so much to discover. Just today alone, we've determined that you are incredibly gifted, and I for one thank you for what you did to protect us. I'll have Jane work with you on learning how to control your gift. That will give you something to hold onto these first months, when everything seems so out of control. She will understand above the others. She struggled with her gift in the beginning and has suffered great loss as well."
I looked up at him in astonishment. The girl I had witnessed so far seemed intimidating. I couldn't imagine spending time with her, without being afraid. He read my expression.
"I know, she can be intimidating, but you'll do nicely with her." When my face did not change, he said, "Please just trust me." I nodded warily.
He brushed his thumb underneath my eyes. "I meant what I said to the assembly. You are my and Sulpicia's daughter now. We've never thought to take a child into our fold…" he said, his voice sounding odd, as if there was something more to his statement, "but we couldn't be any more pleased with what has been chosen for us."
"It would please me for you to refer to me as father in some manner. I do not expect to take your biological father's place in your heart, but we have many years together in our future and I do not want to start off as Aro in your mind. We will ponder an acceptable term together, but I wanted to establish my desires now. I've sent word to my associates in the United States. Your parents will want for nothing; I've seen to it. My associates will also be forwarding pictures of your parents here for you to have. It will help to have them in order to solidify their images in your head."
It was with those words that Aro of the Volturi gained my undying loyalty.
̴
"Isabella, would you like to take a tour around the castle?" Felix asked from the doorway.
I'd left Sulpicia and Aro's room, aware of the tension between them. I heard the bath water running as I walked away. I didn't have to be a vampire to know what had occurred in the room after I left. Sulpicia's soft sigh had been answer enough. In fact, the echos of lovemaking had been rampant for hours now, and it didn't come from just Aro and Sulpicia's room. I'd determined that I was going to beg for an iPod the next day. At least I could drown the sounds out that way.
The interruption Felix's voice gave me was welcome. My desperation must have shown on my face because he smiled slightly.
"Nights around here can prove tedious," he murmured, and softly stepped into my room.
"What did you enjoy, as a human?" he asked.
Confusion set in. "I'm sorry?"
He stepped just a few more feet into the room. "What did you like to do, before your change? Do you remember?"
It took a minute to focus, and I drew in puffs of breaths realizing that I couldn't. Suddenly I felt his hands gently cupping my face, and he pulled my face upwards to look at him.
"Don't try so hard; think of being happy. Can you remember feeling that way?"
I remembered the feeling of warmth. I flinched away from the memory that came though; it was one I didn't want to remember. My lips tingled remembering Edward's pressed to them. He'd only been a part of my life for six months. Six glorious months, but six months nonetheless. Was I not someone before the Cullens?
"I like to read," I told him, relying on the one thing I could remember.
His fingertips brushed along my jaw line as he released me. "Well, then you are in for a treat. Marcus insists on a fully stocked library. He insists on the recent best sellers as well as the classics."
"I won't be able to enjoy them," I admitted. "I can't read Italian."
"We can remedy that, but it isn't pertinent in this situation. Marcus insists on English. He requires that we're all fluent in multiple languages, but other than his recent leanings toward the Chinese, he still credits the Americans with being the powerhouses of the world. Now that I think about it, he probably won't allow you to learn Italian first, he'll probably insist on Chinese."
He squinted in a look that I could interpret as unease. When he saw my look, he gave an embarrassed grin. "I have difficulty with the inflection at times. Marcus personally instructs me. He makes Aro look delightful."
I couldn't imagine the quiet man I'd met harming a fly, much less scaring this giant.
"Just trust me on this one," he said softly, before looking backing into my eyes. "Will you allow me to escort you? I'll make our first stop the library."
I particularly loud moan from down the hallway gave wings to my feet.
"Felix," I said to him, "by any chance do you know how I might obtain an iPod?"
His short burst of laughter echoed through the corridor. True to his word, the first room we visited was a large library. The one I'd run to before was tiny in comparison. Walls of books climbed the two sides. The back wall was entirely made of glass. What was it with vampires and glass?
Moving over to look out into the night, I was surprised to see a large courtyard.
"We use that area for training," he informed me from where he stood by the door.
"Training?"
"For battle," he answered, and the tone was menacing.
I shuddered, wondering what he'd seen over the years.
"What happened, to those vampires?"
He didn't flinch before saying, "The guards blocked the exits so that no one can escape, and Aro looked into their minds. He determined which ones were part of the attempt, and they were destroyed."
It was then I remembered where the sweet smell had come from. Edward and I had spoken about my vague memoires of that day in the dance studio. He'd finally admitted to the smell I'd caught on the way out. "They burned the pieces."
"Yes."
I was strangely satisfied with that answer. James' death hadn't disturbed me either. It would seem that I was bloodthirsty in many ways. The thought made the burn in my throat sharper.
"May I ask another question?" I mumbled, through my decimated throat.
"Certainly, I am at your beck and call," he responded. I wasn't dumb enough to miss the inflection. He wasn't just offering information.
In an attempt to ignore the suggestive nature of his look, I went forward with what I needed to know. "Why did the vampires in the gathering stare at me?"
He snorted, and I wondered at that reaction. Finally he decided to enlighten me.
"Isabella, have you really looked in the mirror?"
He paused for a moment to see my reaction. "No, I see you haven't."
He strolled over to lightly run his fingertips across several leather clad volumes, avoiding my eyes. "Aside from your beauty, Aro has greatly increased your desirability by his announcement that he created you, and even further, that he and Sulpicia have taken you into their family. Anyone wanting to make a strategic connection with the Volturi now have an incredible opportunity to bind themselves to the leaders through you. They will go back to their rooms and consider the unattached females and males in their covens to determine who they may offer up in hopes of gaining Aro's favor."
Females and males? I …
He glanced up, and I realized I must have gasped, drawing his attention.
"I'm sorry; I know this must be overwhelming for you. Vampires, being naturally hedonistic creatures, aren't bound by many of the rigid standards of human morality. Pairings between individuals of the same sex are common in our world. Sex is sex, and procreation isn't obviously the motive, so it is enjoyed wherever it may be found. Affection and love grow where they find fertile soil."
His description helped me to realize that Aro's kingdom was no different than the ones I'd always read about. It was full of intrigue, deception, positioning for power, sex, corruption, and all the other prerequisite norms of a monarchy. I'd stepped into the chaos of my novels.
He paused only momentarily for me to wrap my head around his comment before he continued, "In addition, his announcement that you were before an assembly within a week of your awakening stunned them. Newborns are by necessity kept secured for at least their first year to provide opportunity for them to gain control. Yet you stood before them with the control of a much older vampire, within just days of your birth. It is unprecedented, and speaks to your unusual nature."
I needed time to deliberate what he'd just said, so I decided to direct the conversation along another path.
"Is there an order to the placement of the books?"
He nodded slightly, realizing I was subtly turning away from the conversation. "The classics are located along the right hand side of the wall. The latest novels to the left."
I quickly made my way to the left hand side, and selected several volumes out of the extensive collection. I wasn't going anywhere near the classics. He spent hours walking me slowly through the corridors, explaining the organization of the castle and pointing out several smaller reading areas. We wound our way slowly around, and began back toward the private chambers.
"Isabella, hold on one moment. I'll be right back with you."
He ghosted down the corridor that he'd indicated as belonging to the single males. Within just a few seconds, he returned. He held out his hand to reveal a shiny iPod.
"I can't take your iPod, Felix. I was going to ask Aro if he could acquire one for me."
"It's not mine, although you are more than welcome to it, if you would like. This one is Demetri's. He isn't using it for the evening."
I didn't know whether to laugh or not, and I wondered just what Demetri was doing, and, considering the conversation of before, just who he was doing it with. I probably didn't want to know.
"When he begins looking for it tomorrow, don't let him know you have it. If he asks, just lie. He wouldn't dare of thinking to look in the master's chambers."
"I'm not really good at lying, so he'll probably figure it out quickly."
We had arrived at the doorway to my room, and he turned to me, looking at my face.
"I believe you're right. Your face is too expressive, he'll know immediately. But you will be the last one he suspects, so it will at least make him live without it for several days."
I couldn't help but grin at the wistfulness in his voice. Something flashed across his face as he watched me.
"Demetri has a wide range of taste in music. I would suggest that you skip any playlist labeled experimental."
"Sage wisdom, I'm sure."
It was then that I heard the slight sounds emanating from my room. My throat flared, realizing that Aro would have ordered for a human to be brought to me. Fighting the hunger was futile. He'd at least blindfolded and bound the man.
Felix growled, seeing the captive.
"You shouldn't be feeding off such filth." Obviously he was aware of the man's identity.
I didn't want to drain the man in front of Felix. It was still too humiliating, but the smell of the human's blood was beyond excruciating. My body hummed, anticipating the slide of the warm liquid down my throat. No, no, no… I hadn't wanted to do this tonight. I stood in indecision, but knew I really didn't have a choice. I wasn't going to be offered anything else…and I'd made a deal.
I pounced.
I heard Felix remove the body just a minute later. I waited until the door closed before I put the pillow over my face, my shoulders shaking with the force of my sobs which would never produce tears again, to weep into it.
But thanks to that damn vampire hearing …
In the next moment, he was back, and pulled my body into his lap. I stiffened. He took an unsteady breath which confused me. Was he scared to?
"Isabella, I'm not ignorant of the fact that you loved Carlisle's son while you were human. I will also not deny my interest. For now though, this isn't about that. I don't understand your disquiet, but, it really doesn't matter what I think. For now, this is painful for you. Allow me to give you comfort."
I slumped down onto his massive chest and sobbed, clinging to him like he was my sole anchor to reality. And maybe he was.
He held me and stroked my hair, not saying a word … and the stray thought crossed my mind that Edward had left me to my tears … Jacob had elicited even more from me, and still turned away … but this man embraced them … and me. Edward and Jacob would think me a monster now, would be disgusted by what I'd become.
But Felix was not.
I would love to know what you think! Unlike my other story where I couldn't ask for reviews, I'm soliciting your thoughts here. Please!
Come join me in my other story, Harvest Moon. It is an all cannon Post-Breaking Dawn story. It has been nominated for two Shimmer Awards – voting is still occuring.
As always, I want to thank my Betas – please check out their stories here on FF – they are incredible:
hopeforastalemate – A better name for this woman would be Volturi Girl. I'd started this story months ago, during short breaks from Harvest Moon. So… in response to her love of the 'Italian scum' and her personal invitation for me to write something a little darker, my planned sweet, angsty story between Bella, Edward, and Jacob took a dramatic turn. Hence the ten other chapters now residing in my recycle bin. I hope I make you proud. See the link to her profile below:
http: / www. /u /2173996/
Crmcneill – For his patience with me (contrary to how he presents himself on his FF profile) and his incomparable editing skills. Male twilight fans are not a myth – they do exist, and I am so glad I was able to connect with him. I've called many men friends, but I've never called one master until now. "Strong is the power of the comma. Mind what you have learned. Save you it can." See the link to his profile below:
http: / www . /u /1933926/