Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the creator of these intriguing characters. She and the filmmakers have made a fascinating and beautiful trilogy. I wish to borrow her background and add a plot twist of my own. I also made use of the site ' wiki/Volturi' a fantastic site if I may say and well worth a read for twilight fans.

I received the following questions from a reader and because maybe some of you have the same questions I wish to answer them via this chapter:

Questions:

Blind? What about Alec's scent? Bella would remember that and why didn't Alice see Aro's decisions?

Answers:

The blindness is caused by a drug given by Aro so I assume he knows how it works and why it works on vampires.

Scent: For one thing Bella has not had much contact with Alec after she was made a vampire.

Alice is not in contact with Aro and the decisions he made were after she left. Only Edward knew what Aro was doing. So she wasn't focused on that.

What else should I say I am a writer (I hope I can say that) and although my story may not be totally without flaw; that's it.

Chapter 37 – I have spread my dreams under your feet;

Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.*

(this is the title because it shows how difficult it was for Caius to show his feelings and he now feels so utterly betrayed by Bella)

Jacob's POV

I was cursing myself; I was two hours late! I thought I would have plenty of time to get here and I went soon after Bella's call but there had been trackers and hunters in the area and it took an unanticipated amount of extra time to go around them. Even with all the care I took to avoid them, they caught my scent and I was lucky when the blizzard came to cover my tracks and get them off my back. In avoiding the trackers I had gotten way off course and although the blizzard had helped me it also made it difficult to get my bearings.

Once it stopped I was swiftly able to find my way to the outskirts of Healy and went in the bushes to put on my clothes. When I left the protection of the woods I walked towards Healy and their Visitor center but my nose picked up a familiar smell; it was the sickening sweet scent of vampire. I was on alert and looked around to see anything out of the ordinary. As I stood in front of the center I saw tire tracks, and foot prints leading to a large area where the snow was flattened and which reeked of bloodsuckers. Could this have something to do with Bella? I mean how many vampires would be visiting this hick town?

I had to know and although I had promised Bella I wouldn't call the Denali coven I had to find out if something happened. Thankfully I had jotted down the phone number that she had called me from.

First there was silence and then I heard "Hello, Carlisle Cullen speaking"

I answered trying not to let the anxiety seep in my voice "Carlisle this is Jake"

"Jake I'm sorry I can't speak right now, I am very busy" he quickly said. I could hear that there was something going on at his end of the line.

I probed further asking "What's wrong?"

Although he tried to mask the agitation in his voice I could sense something was wrong as he replied "I have to leave this line open, I'll call you later".

I wouldn't allow him to blow me off as I asked "How's Bella, can I speak with her?"

He then told me "No that is not possible, at the moment we are looking for her"

"That's why I called; she was supposed to meet me and didn't show. I found a whole bunch of prints and the ground reeks of Bloodsuckers. I think she's in trouble!"

At first the line was silent as he allowed himself to digest my information then he asked "Where are you?"

"I'm in a small hick town called Healy it's about 12 miles north of the Denali Park entrance. She was supposed to meet me in front of the Visitors center and that's where I found the tracks"

"We've got Riley and Emmett following Bella's scent so they will be coming your way, I will tell them to look out for you. If we are lucky and it doesn't snow that much we might be able to follow the tracks".

"Carlisle I don't want to wait. I am going to follow their tracks before another storm comes in and wipes them out, I'll see them when they catch up!" I announced "It's my fault she was taken; if I hadn't convinced her to come meet me none of this would have happened"

"I can't stop you but take care we don't yet know who is involved" he replied

"Will do: I'll call if I get any more info" I answered.

"Well we can certainly use the help; all hell is breaking lose here". He said and I could hear the apprehension in his tone.

Caius POV

I was in my study when Athenodora came to me with Alexia at her heels. I was grumpy not having my mate close to me; it seemed to have that effect on me. "What do you want" I asked.

At first she was hesitant but then she spoke "We want nothing my love" Athenodora said "We came here to tell you that we have just received a call from Carlisle telling him that Isabella is missing"

"WHAT?" I shouted "When the hell did this happen?"

"They called as soon as they found out that Isabella wasn't in her room" she answered and I noticed her anxiety. "It seems she said she wanted to relax and when Alice went to look in on her she was gone."

"Did someone take her?" I enquired ready to kill anyone that dared touch her.

"No they could only find her tracks in the snow" she answered her hands fidgeting on her dress.

I was devastated; I had allowed myself to be betrayed! I always realized this could happen but I had believed Isabella on her word and look where it got me. I should have gone by my instincts and not allowed her to play me like the fool I am. "Damn that woman; how could I have trusted her?" I shouted.

"Please Caius don't jump to any conclusions before we know more." Athenodora pleaded.

"How can I not jump to conclusions? She has left me; she played me for a fool!" And like a love sick puppy I fell for her little game I thought to myself.

"Two sons of Carlisle have gone after her" Alexia explained.

"If I find out that the Denali or Olympic covens let her escape I don't care what Aro says I will kill them all" I roared.

"Caius. Control yourself this is not helping matters" Athenodora declared.

"I am going to Aro and request the use of one of our jets and damn; that girl will regret this. From now on I will never let her out of my sight" I stated as I pushed my hands against the bureau and stood up.

I stormed through the hallway and went straight to the throne room. I saw Aro sitting there with a scowl on his face but I was sure my face looked foulest "Aro I am going to Alaska and need the jet"

Aro looked up surprise on his face as he said "What is wrong?"

"Isabella has escaped" I shouted my anger getting the best of me.

"I told you the Denali coven and the Olympic covens would turn her against you!" he smirked.

"Not a word!" I roared while giving him a malevolent glare "I am going to get her and teach her a lesson that she will never forget."

"May I go with you?" asked Marcus

"Why?" I suspiciously countered as I looked at him.

"Because I wish to help, having been bonded I know how precarious the connection can be" Marcus replied.

"Why don't we all go?" Aro said in his authoritative voice.

I looked at Aro my anger growing as I shouted "I can take care of my own mate! Once she is back she will damn well know her place. I need no help from others"

"Then it would indeed be wise for Marcus to go with you before you kill her" Aro replied sarcastically.

Emmett's POV

Bella's footprints were impossible to track as a snow blizzard had erased them and although the wind and snow were tapering, it had already done its damage as her scent was nonexistent. We had been searching for an hour now and all of a sudden I heard my phone ring so I caught up to Riley and pointed to my phone. He understood and we both stopped for a minute so that I could pick it up. It was Carlisle and I was wondering if he had any news "Emmett here, what's up?"

"Hi Emmett met Carlisle. I just had Jacob on the line, it seems he and Bella had an appointment in a small town called Healy but she didn't show. He found all sorts of tracks in the snow and according to him it smells like there were various vampires in the area. He thinks there was a struggle and she might have been taken away in a van. He also wants to join in the search".

"Thank goodness! The weather has erased all traces of Bella; now we can at least start somewhere!" I said "Where is Jacob now?"

"I don't exactly know where he is now but he was in Healy, it's about 12 miles north of the Denali Park entrance. Now that the storm has decreased he is following the tracks left by the assailants.." Carlisle answered.

"Oh, I know Healy". I said and then looking around I recognized our location and added "It will take us about a half hour to get there. I'll tell Riley to look out for Jacob. As soon as we know something we will call. Keep in touch o.k.?"

"O.k., and Emmett…. take care!" Carlisle cautioned me "As long as we don't know which or how many vampires are involved it could be very dangerous"

"Don't worry we will!"

I told Riley the news and we ran full speed only slowing down when we arrived at the outskirts of Healy. It wasn't long before we saw the area that Jacob had spoken of and Riley picked up the scent of Bella and two other vamps. We looked at the tracks and the dents in the snow and knew that there had been a struggle. Jacob was right to be worried.

I called Carlisle telling him the news and he was going to call Caius. We then followed the tire tracks and the huge paw prints of a wolf.

Edwards POV

Since Athenodora had knowledge of the corridor maze under the Volturi castle she brought me to the sewage grill closest to the jet. I would wait here until they boarded the plane and in the meanwhile she helped Alexia get ready so that we would be able to rejoin our covens. Caius felt betrayed and was furious; his mind was set on vengeance so I just hoped that Carlisle was prepared. I had difficulty believing that Bella would put our families in danger like this.

Using my mind to scan the area for others I waited until I heard Athenodora then I lifted the grill and came out of the sewage system. Seeing they were alone and felling no other presence I quickly the followed as we boarded the plane together. Once on board Alexia and I took the seats in the back of the plane, hoping to keep as much distance as possible between us and Caius.

Fifteen minutes later Caius entered the plane with Marcus at his side and Caius shouted to the pilot to start the plane. Less than a minute later the motor came to life and the plane began to taxi.

The first thing that hit me was the thought 'Why is Marcus with us?'

I tried to rest because I knew we had a long flight ahead of us and that when we arrived we would probably have a lot of work to do.

The plane had just leveled out when I got a call. I picked it up "Edward here" I said in a hushed voice.

"With Carlisle I have some news, is Caius in the vicinity?"

"We are all on board one of their jets and heading towards Alaska"

"Can you put Caius on the line?"

"Sure, just a minute" As I walked up the aisle towards Caius I saw Marcus look up and then his face got a perplexed expression.

I then gave Caius the telephone saying "It's Carlisle; he wants to speak with you"

"What do you want?" Caius asked and then with a voice full of frustration said "Have you heard anything from my mate?"

I left the two of them to their discussion and took my seat in the back of the plane next to Alexia.

* W.B. Yeats – part of the beautiful poem "He Wishes For the Cloths of Heaven"