Chapter Nineteen

Bella

I woke up feeling stiff and sore, my eyes ached but not as badly as my head or my chest, that was getting steadily worse and I wondered if I were getting sick, that would be a real problem, how could I keep moving if I were ill? My idea of driving until the gas ran out wasn't very practical if I were getting sick, but where could I go? Where would I be relatively safe or at least where could I go and not put anyone else at risk? If the Volturi found me I didn't want it to be around other humans because I was sure they wouldn't value the lives of any possible witnesses. It occurred to me that I was driving back towards Denver, if in a roundabout way. Jaspers flat would be empty and the Volturi if looking for him would have already checked there, at least that was my theory and I decided to put it to the test. I had been happy there so it seemed fitting that it be the last place I went. if the Volturi were there I could hand myself over, if they weren't did I just wait passively for them or should I be proactive? I could ring them and say "Hey out looking for me! I'm here in Denver come get me," a good idea except that I had no idea how to contact the Volturi and I doubted they would be in any phone book! The other alternative teased at the edge of my consciousness but I wouldn't let it take grip, not yet. Now I knew where I was going I drove faster but the pain seemed to keep up with me, growing all the while until I could hardly breathe. I just hoped I hadn't made it too easy for Alice. She would know I didn't want to be found or why would I have run? If she told Jasper then so be it, as long as she didn't tell Edward. I refused to go back there, even if he offered to change me, he'd had his chance and blown it big time.

By the time I could see the lights of Denver through the windscreen I had been driving three days, only stopping when my eyes refused to stay open or nature refused to take a back seat any longer. I hoped I could remember where the apartment was, I'd never driven in Denver but as it was I didn't have that worry, the car ran out of gas on the outskirts and I'd already used my money putting gas in and buying coffee to keep me going. On foot I found it easier although I made a few wrong turns. When I finally recognised the building I heaved a sigh of relief and going in behind some other residents made my way wearily to his apartment locating the hidden key in a pot of dried flowers close by, not original but I was just relieved he hadn't removed it when I left. It had been left there for me the day I went exploring by myself. I went in cautiously, half afraid he would be standing waiting for me, or red-eyed black cloaked figures ready to pounce. The space was empty and I sank down on the couch in relief. I took a deep breath and could smell his aftershave faintly in the air making me smile. I missed him so much but I just couldn't put his life in danger by staying. I wanted him to be happy and alive. If he stayed with me his chances crashed to zero. I had a drink of water then remembered the jar of coffee still half full I'd put back in the cupboard before I left. It was still there and I thanked the fates for this small kindness. Boiling the kettle I made strong black coffee and ran a bath. At least I would be clean and probably high on caffeine when they found me!

Aro

I was suspicious, Demetri was taking far too long to locate Isabella Swan, either he was delaying for some reason known only to himself or he was working under someone else's orders and that someone could only be Marcus or Caius. My money was on Caius but I had no idea of his motive, normally he was the first one to shout if our orders had been ignored and I know he'd been watching the Cullens closely like me, wondering why Edward was taking so long to change his wife. What Caius didn't know because I hadn't told him was that Edward Cullen married Bella to further his own agenda, Edward would have made an excellent member of the Volturi, he was ambitious, ruthless, and single-minded. Edward Cullen liked being in control and my dear friend Carlisle had done nothing to rein his "son" in. At first I wondered if he was blind to Edwards ambition but no, he saw but he chose not to acknowledge. Edward wanted things his way, he wanted to control those he saw as inferior which was most of the vampire world and all the humans but it wasn't enough to feel superior, he wanted the thrill that came with power and for now he was powerless. He should have joined us years ago and probably would have done if not for Carlisle who held him close to the Cullens. It was now time for Carlisle to make a choice, follow Edward in his path to power or let him go and watch as he ran forward eagerly to meet the Volturi. A child of his own would never give him the power he craved, the feeling of total dominance, I should know, I'd tried it myself and so had Caius. We had half human off spring but they were a failure, a disappointment and in the end we had killed them as a liability. Bella's child would be no better, half human it would grow and leave him for another in time, not what he wanted at all. His thoughts had been so transparent it was almost laughable. We wanted Bella, as a vampire, to further our research on gifts, hers could prove to be one of the most intriguing and powerful we had ever experienced and she would be tied to the Volturi, and me, by Chelsea's gift as long as we acted before she woke to her powers. Once Bella were changed she would be my creature, not Edward Cullens, or Jasper Whitlocks but mine, and loyal to me alone.

Felix interrupted my reverie with a message,

"Bella Cullen has been located."

"Ah, at last, where is she?"

"The Whitlock apartment in Denver."

"So she's with The Major? Pity."

"No, she's alone at the moment"

"Good, have her brought here quickly. I prefer not to start a fight with The Major on his turf."

"I'll have them retrieve her now"

So, Isabella was alone. Strange, I had expected her to be well guarded after hearing she was in company with The Major so perhaps the rumours, for that's all they were, were wrong. I certainly hoped so because if she were The Majors mate then things could become a little more than interesting. Still we would see.