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Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, that glory goes to SM. I do own Kara and Nick though… ;)
Volterra, Italy, 1984
Isabella Marie Whitlock Mason Cullen's POV:
The sun was finally setting over the high peaks of the great Appalachian Mountains, casting vast and glorious shadows over the small villages of sleeping humans. It would have been a peaceful sight had I not been organizing the fall of the most powerful vampire coven to exist. After swimming through the Atlantic Ocean, the wet fabric clung to my frozen body and began to harden and frost in the harsh winds. Of course we didn't mind the weathering seeing as we are walking status filled with deathly poison and frozen hearts.
Although I had seen many ice-hearts thawed and melted, all due to the recognition of their mate. I, on the other hand, no longer felt the sensational pull of energy that bound me to my mate. Only a dark empty pit of pain filled where that organ once floated with happiness and love. My love believes I am dead, therefore I am dead to the world around me.
The empty space in my chest constricted around my torso as I glanced upon a newborn couple holding hands and starting longingly into each other's blood red eyes. I quickly whipped my head to face forward and felt my hands curl into rock hard fists. Breathing in through my nose, I slammed my eyes shut and blocked out the world around me. I concentrated on concealing the demon that threatened to break free.
We had already lost many newborns due to their tendency to fight and their killer instincts. I didn't need to become one of the causes for our numbers dropping. Maria and Kara just brushed it off like it was nothing, then requested for the other generals and majors (like me) to go off and find more suitable humans to be in the army. I refused but the other co-leaders complied like the good little brain washed slaves they were. Now that we were only a few hours away from Volterra, Maria and Kara forbid the transformations to proceed, leaving us with a grand total of 570 newborns.
They were trained well for their age, but they were also being fought against by vampires a hundred times their original age. Maria and Kara knew this, so they heavily relied on my shield and our numbers. Maria had quoted before we left our base camp, "there is strength in numbers." I held back my snort and thought to myself, the bigger they are, the harder they fall. I swear, our 'leaders' were suicidal.
Both Kara and Maria were heartless monsters with an insane amount of hunger for power. I would have felt pity for them, but any sign of companionship or tolerance had left me when that evil bitch stole me and dragged me away from my life. I am now a cold heartless zombie who followed her orders and relied on the blood of chipmunks to keep myself healthy…pathetic.
I looked up towards the now pitch black sky, only the light of the moon shed some hope. Everything else was one big black abyss of death and torture. I knew it was yet to come. The ground pulsed with energy due to mass numbers of mythical beings. Our massive army inched closer to the town, each co-leader would be in charge of a group of newborns. This way any stray humans find us, they won't be too suspicious. Kara and Maria had faith in their assigned 'leaders' when they told them to keep the newborns under control. How stupid can these vampires get? They're revenues newborn vampires for god's sake! And Kara and Maria are confident the newborns won't attack any humans after they had been hell bent over battle skills for the last few years.
I sighed loudly and ran my fingers through my hair in frustration. Kara gave her signal to everyone which told me (an assigned leader) to take my group of one hundred or so newborns into the village. I silently nodded wearing a blank expression void of any emotions. "Come." Was all I said to the large group of unfortunate warriors. They obediently followed me through the towns square and leapt over a few building before we ran around to the back of the town where the woodland area stood tall and proud. This wet and foggy forest was the backyard of the Volturi's headquarters.
I blinked my eyes a few times in concentration as I went over my plan in my head. This plan was the one thing that would possibly get me out of this hell hole alive, and would also be the demise of Maria, Kara, and their newborns. I had been planning my escape thoroughly as we advance through the Alps, and now I was going to put it into action.
The soft padding of my feet sounded drastically out of place mixed in with the slamming of the sloppy energy-crazed newborns who were hurling their bodies forward trying to out run each other. I growled loudly and they immediately stopped. They knew better then to make a laughing matter out of this, after all… they probably wouldn't make it. Bottom line is, newborns aren't that graceful. Besides myself, for some strange reason. I think my gracefulness was a gift for all the years I had been cursed with clumsiness as a human.
Once we had successfully made it through the woods, I surveyed the area. No guards…yet. "Alright, everyone stay low and keep your guards up. I will shield y'all-", dammit- "So just use your powers if you have any. Good luck." I said in a hushed voice. I then slammed my foot into the hard metal door, effectively setting off blaring alarms. That was the sign for the battle to start.
I waited until the last newborn ran through the entrance before surveying the area for any oncoming guards. It seems the Volturi don't guard the outside of their castle, just the inside. In some way that made sense, after all, we did sparkle. I was broken from my thoughts when I heard one of my newborns, I believe her name was Jenny, scream in terror and run away from a very big man with black hair that was sleeked back. I ran behind him and pounced on his back.
He flipped us around and snarled fiercely in my face. I coughed once and replied in a mocking tone, "seriously, you ever heard of a breath mint? I didn't think it was possible for our kind to have such a vulgar smell. You might want to get that checked out." He growled loudly and swiped his hand down to punch my jaw, but I intercepted it and kicked him in his chest.
He flew a few feet into the air and smacked up against the cinder blocks that were the walls. The cinder blocks crumbled like dust and the room above came colliding down on top of the big goon. I laughed manically and lunged towards him as he rose from the cinder. He wasn't expecting it and I wrapped my legs around his torso while planting a big bite into his neck and tearing his head off.
I tossed the body pieces on top of the cinder blocks and took out my lighter from my back pocket. I lit him on fire while I ran around the other hallway and lit some of the dusty, heavy, and very old-fashion looking red floor lengths curtains on fire. Even if the Volturi didn't fall, their castle might as well.
I ran around another corner and kicked in a door. Once it swung open and flew off its hinges, I surveyed the area and what I saw shocked me. I knew the Volturi were powerful and would probably kill off the entire army…but to do it so quickly. I was speechless. Many body parts were scattered aimlessly around the big meeting room. Guards and other soldiers were either lighting the pieces on fire or taking care of stray newborns. They actually looked bored!
One vampire however noticed my entrance. Oh shit! I was about to turn around and run for my life when I was caught by my shoulders and dragged back into the large vampires chest. "Well well well, look at what we have here." His voice sent chills down my spine. He sounded like a snake, and I was the prey. Another vampire, slimmer than my captor but still built well, walked over to us with victory in his step. "Hhhhmmm…you don't seem like a newborn…so you must be one of the suicidal idiots who organized this mission. Interesting…." He trailed off making me flinch in fear. What the hell? Don't show your fear! Be arrogant and cocky! That might actually save your ass instead of being an insolent little newborn! My inner voice screamed at me.
I straightened my pose slightly and held my head high. I made direct eye contact with the slim vampire in front of me. Bright red eyes on golden honey. "I am not one of the fools who arranged this, nor am I one of the followers." I said with as much confident in my voice. The vampire raised his eyebrows and looked over my head with a smirk at my captor. I felt the vibration as he chuckled. I scowled and glared angrily at the vampire in front of me.
Just then, a petite looking little girl with blonde hair in a bun came over to us. She looked annoyed and she spoke I such and evilly childlike voice. "How dare you attempt to lie to us? Your nothing but a stupid little vampire slut! You must be a real idiot to think you could defeat us!" I felt my anger rise and I snarled at her. I am not slut! I bared my teeth but my captor just tightened his arms around me.
The little blonde girl smirked and glared at me. The room full of vampires got deathly quiet as they watched with anticipation. I glared right back at her and her glared hardened until her eyes were like slits. She tossed her head back and let out a furious scream. Everyone flinched, including me. When I looked back around the room, all the vampires were gawking at me in awe. I looked confused and raised an eyebrow at the slim vampire.
"H-how….b-but that's impossible…" He stuttered out while staring at me like he was seeing God. "We must take her to see the brothers." My captor announced in an aggravated tone. The slim one nodded and I was lifted off the ground and tossed over my captor's shoulders. "Hey!" I yelled in protest, but all I got from him in response was a chuckle.
We walked down a few hallways and as we got further into the castle, the hallway décor got much fancier. The small blonde girl followed behind me angrily and I could tell she was glaring at me again because I felt my shield sparking a little with the friction. Maybe that was her power? I was set back on my feet outside a giant wooden door which looked like it could have been from a few thousand years ago. The slim guy opened the door and the big guy grabbed my arms while dragging me into the room. It was just like a throne room, and I'm pretty sure that's exactly what it was.
The floors were white marble as were the walls. The roof had a huge dome made entirely of mosaics that seemed to tell a story. There were many 'gaurs' placed around the room standing near the walls and exits. Three thrones were placed in the center and there sat three elder looking vampires were papery white skin that looked like it could shed off with just the lightest of pressure applied. Standing next to each man was another guard placed directly behind their thrones. I guess those were their personal guards.
I was dragged forward and thrown to the ground in front of the center throne were a man with long black hair and scary red eyes hawked down at me. He cocked his head to the side studying me and spoke to the man behind me without taking his eyes off of me. "Felix, what is this?" Oh, so my captor's name was Felix. I was glad I didn't have to refer to them as 'slim', 'captor', and 'blonde girl.' I would have to find out the others names.
"She was part of the raid. We found her when she walked in one us disposing the newborns. She says she's not a leader nor is she a warrior." I heard the small blonde girl scoff and I rolled my eyes in aggravation. The man in front of me raised his eyebrows, still staring me down. "Is that so…" He trailed off like he was contemplating something. "Then why haven't you disposed of her as well?" He finally took his eyes off mine and glanced at Felix. I could tell Felix glanced towards the blonde girl, because she sighed loudly in aggravation and glared at me once more.
The slim man decided to cut in now. "It appears that Jane's powers don't work on her." At that, the rest of the guard who weren't in the battle and the brothers, stared at me in shock and some even disbelief. The man with the black hair rose from his chair and walked down a few steps until he was in front of my kneeling form. "Is what Demetri said true, dear one?" Okay, now I knew the little girl was Jane and the slim guy was Demetri. All I could do was nod my head. I wonder what Jane's power was, if it's affected everyone so much.
The man's eyes widened and he looked back towards the other men in the thrones. The one with the blonde hair looked annoyed and angered while the one white the brown hair looked bored with a slight fascination in his eyes…slightly. "Aro, she could be lying" The man with the blonde hair sneered at him. Okay so the man with the black hair in front of me was called Aro. "Ah, yes Caius. I guess there is only one way to find out." Blonde man was named Caius…strange name. These guys were definitely old. Aro looked down at me and extended his hand with a look of excitement and curiously in his eyes. I looked at him with confusion clear on my face.
"Would you do me the honors dear?" Aro asked while looking at me like a prized possession. I looked at him in shock…he wanted me to shake his hand? Felix roughly stood me up and let go of my arms while backing up a few inches. I slowly extended my hand and inched closer. Aro couldn't take any more of the suspense so he walked over to me and took my hand in both os his. I gasped from the feeling of his skin. He was colder than any vampire I had met before, and his skin felt like dough. I suppressed a shiver.
Aro closed his eyes in concentration while bowing his head slightly. I noticed how the rest of the room angled their bodies in closer. Weather they wanted to protect their leader or they were just curious. A few seconds later, Aro's head shot up and his bright red eyes flew open. He looked at me like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time. Uh-oh, what have I gotten myself in to? I thought to myself as I watched him drop my hands and back away a little bit. I did the same but stopped when I felt Felix's chest come in contact with my back and his arms wrapped around my shoulders once more.
"Well?" Caius asked in an aggravated tone. Aro looked back at his brothers with wide eyes and spoke in a quiet voice that seemed to echo through the room. "I see nothing." Everyone's eyes went wide and they flashed to me quickly. I knew if I had been mortal, my face would have been tomato red. "Is this you power dear one?" Aro asked me with excitement in his eyes. I knew I couldn't lie to them. I would just be digging a bigger grave for myself. So I nodded and replied a quiet, "Yes, I am a mental shield."
Aro looked like a little kid on Christmas morning with the way his sparkling red eyes lit up and the sadistic grin on his face made him look like a creeper. He walked back over to his center throne and sat down crossing his legs and leaning on the right side of the chair. He was still smiling at me in a creepy way. I felt shivers running up and down my spine.
Finally the one with the brown hair, who appeared bored, decided to speak up. "If you weren't a part of the raid, nor were you a warrior, why were you here?" That was the one question I didn't want to answer. It was one thing to get captured by the Volturi, but to have to tell them all my secrets and my entire past…I had no idea what I had gotten myself into. "Yes, that would be some useful information Marcus." Caius stated while looking slightly intrigued but still angered. Okay, now I knew the bored one with brown hair was Marcus.
I gulped and looked down at my feet. I was nervous, that much was obvious. "I had never had a situation like this before. Normally I would be able to tell a person entire life story with the touch of my hand. But since you're an exception to that, please, do tell…" Aro trailed off looking interested. Even Marcus, the bored one, looked somewhat interested in my story. I knew it wasn't normally an occurrence since everyone who had been or was in the newborns wars was either dead or in hiding.
I looked back up at all the curious and guarded faces in the room. I knew I had to say something. I was going against my rules, but I didn't want to die. If I was caught lying to the Kings of our world, I would be ashes in the next second. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I looked up and stared into the eyes of the brothers as I re-told my story.
"My name is Isabella, but I prefer Bella. I grew up in Houston Texas with three older brothers. My oldest brother, Jackson, went off to the war to fight for the Confederates and he didn't return. My other brother, Ben, didn't want to fight so he stayed home. My last brother, Jasper, and one of my closest friends, went off to fight at the same age our oldest brother did. My family was so distraught after that. My parents stopped bringing up the war and Ben seemed to have forgotten all about our brothers." I paused for a second, my eyes wondering around the room. Everyone seemed interested and I knew I had their complete attention. Sighing, I continued from where I had left off.
"It was Christmas Eve and my family was throwing a ball. I always disliked parties, and I was very emotionally drained. But my parents forced me to behave and to act normal. They were practically forcing me to forget about Jasper and Jackson. Even Ben wanted me to move on. I lost it, and I ran away. I ran into the woods, not knowing exactly where I was going. I was too distraught, and I didn't care about anything other than having Jasper back. I stopped running when I found a small lake, and I collapsed crying. I heard a noise behind me and turned around to be met with Kara, one of the leaders of the raid." I stopped in fear I was saying too much, but they all seemed to want to know more, so I continued.
"She...tortured me to say the least. Her powers for knowing when someone was lying, didn't work on me. I had my shield when I was mortal as well, and that intrigued Kara even more than her bloodlust did." At the last statement, I heard an intake of air. Aro looked at me wide-eyed and said slowly, "You had your power as a human?" I simply nodded my head and he murmured, "Fascinating." I glanced around once more and continued.
"When I was seconds away from death she told me 'Merry Christmas Bella' and then she bit me. I woke up in a base camp a little outside of the border to Houston. She explained to me what I was and told me that she would train me to be a warrior." I decided to leave out the stuff about human blood. After all, I was in a room full of human drinkers. "I quickly became her major and defeated everyone at the camp, including her. A few months passed and she told me our army was moving again. When I asked her whose army she was taking on, she told me Maria's. She was another leader in the raid." They looked confused at that but let me continue my story.
"One night when we were all hunting, I was left alone for a few minutes. I hadn't been lfet alone since I got to the camp so I knew this would be my only shot. I ran away and swam through the Gulf of Mexico, clearing any traces of my scent. I traveled the world and met many vampire nomads and covens. I made friends with them while learning about new things and training how to fully use my shield. I met one coven and became mated with one of the members. We got married and the coven became my family. A few years later we were hunting and I ran into a sobbing newborn. I wanted to comfort her but I quickly learned it was a trap. Kara had found me once more and dragged me back to Texas. She left behind some ashes from the newborns I was able to kill, so it looked like I had died. Then she explained to me that she allied with Maria and her army and wanted to take down the Volturi." I ended my story with a sigh and nervously looked around the room.
Most of the guard looked shocked or in awe. Even Felix loosened his grip on me. Jane still looked pissed, but she had some sympathy washed over her features. Aro looked excited as usual, Caius looked annoyed but I could see the pity in his eyes, and Marcus looked very pained. He was no longer bored as he leaned forward and frowned as if he felt the pain I was feeling. This small gesture made me realize maybe Marcus wasn't that bad as everyone said he was. After all, out of all the people I had to deal with in the past few years, he was the one who was showing the most sympathy.
Whatever Marcus was about to say was intercepted by Aro's gleeful voice saying, "Bella darling, you must join us!" And what scared me the most was the hint of demand in his voice. I wasn't being asked, I was being told. NO! This is not supposed to be happening! You were supposed to escape and be reunited with your husband and family! Not become part of the guard! My inner voice shrieked at me as I felt myself becoming stiff as a stone, no pun intended.
"Aro as grateful as I am for that offer, I really must decline it. I have to get back to my family." I stressed and I saw Marcus smile a little from the corner of my eyes. Caius's expression turned back into the sour one I had seen earlier and even Aro looked slightly angered. "Now, now Isabella-", I didn't miss the way he refused to call me Bella-, "this is a big offer. Surely you must reconsider. You could become part of our guard. With powers like yours, we would be even more undefeatable than we already are" He said manically chuckling.
I smiled nervously at him and backed up once more. I bumped into the arms of Felix and the iron grip around my shoulder blades returned once more. "Aro, I cannot join you." I said putting stress on the word cannot. He shook his head side to side and said slowly, "I can't let a power such as you leave me. You either join, or die. I can't have you wondering around with that much responsibility." The excitement washed off his face and was replaced with an evil grin and dangerous eyes.
I panicked. What could I do now? If I didn't join, they would kill me. No. I must return to my love, I owe him. He is probably devastated and not to mention my siblings and parents. With that last thought, I knew I had made up my mind. I was going to escape this hell hole, and I wasn't going down without a fight.
I spun around quickly in Felix's grip and shoved him with all my strength off me. I crouched low and bared my teeth as guards from all angles pounced at me. I jumped in the air at the same time they were going to take me down. They all collided with each other and made a sound like boulders falling off a cliff. I raced to the door but was thrown backwards as a boy that looked like Jane's twin shoved me. I fell in a heap at the feet of Aro.
I looked up and saw him shaking his head muttering, "such a waist." I leapt off the floor and flipped in the air, avoiding all the hands that were trying to catch me. Demetri launched himself at me while I was trying to escape Jane and he tackled me to the ground. I felt my face crack at the force and I was knocked out for a second. My face was healing itself but Demetri only needed a second. He swung another fist at me and grabbed my shoulder. I knew he was going to take my arm off so I reached out quickly and grasped his hand on my shoulder, trying to pry it off.
It wouldn't budge so I leaned up and bit into his arm. He screamed in pain and stumbled backwards. I took my chance and hopped up off the floor. I dodged multiple attacks and barely got out without a scratch. Someone, I think Jane, managed to bit my arm as I passed her attack. I hissed and clenched my teeth, but never stopped running towards the door.
I reached it in time and didn't bother to open it or kick it in. I just ran into it and knocked it off the hinges. I could hear Aro screaming at the guards to get me and Caius's just as angry voice saying something about an 'insolent fool'… I've been called worse.
I reached the outside of the castle and pumped my legs as fast as I could. This reminded me so much like the time when escaped Kara, and at that second I vowed I would do anything in my power to not get involved in things like this ever again. I could only hope I outran them. Running was my only chance of survival now, luckily I was fast.
The Atlantic Ocean was coming in contact with me as I charged towards the edge of the mountain I was on. I reached the edge and felt a cold and brush my neck as I jumped into the water and swam away. That was close. I was free again, and I was beginning to really love the Oceans. Now all I had to do was find my love, hopefully I could….I stopped thinking when I realized something.
The Volturi wouldn't give up. They would hunt me down until they found me and either forced me to join or killed me on the spot. I needed to make it look like I fell off the face of the earth. But to do that…I can't reunite with my family for at least another decade. My heart clenched painfully in my chest as I swam to the Shores of wherever I washed up on. I did something I hadn't done in a long time. I fell to the ground and grasped fistfuls of sand. I leaned my head back and let out a loud and piercing heart wrenching scream.
AWWW POOR BELLA! Don't worry, Jasper & Edward will be returning soon ;) Please REVIEW! Thank you for reading, you guys are awesome!