Chapter 29 – Let Me Sign

Can't fight the devil

So just let me sign


What a difference a day can make, Carlisle mulled over the adage from his aisle seat in row thirty-three. One minute his family is trying to reconcile Bella's tragic death, the next he's planning her rescue mission while aboard a jumbo jet heading for Italy.

It was more expedient to fly on a commercial flight to Italy than chartering a private jet; finding a pilot willing to travel so far on such short notice in addition to waiting for submitted flight plans to be approved - that all took patience no one possessed at the moment.

Once Eleazar had pronounced that Bella might in fact be alive, chaos ensued at the house. After a very heated and rapid-fire debate, it was finally agreed the leaders of the two covens - he and a reinstated Tanya – would decide who would be making the trip to Volterra.

Due to the possibility his coven had been targeted by the Volturi, Carlisle had to make a tough decision. Taking everyone into the lion's den was not an option. Besides, if Bella was alive, their options were limited: either a very masterfully executed negotiation or a skillfully planned extraction. Even if everyone did go, they stood no chance of taking the castle by force.

A bit of guilt rippled through him as he remembered his first and foremost priority: protect Esme. He blamed his deep rooted instincts for putting his mate over others, and quickly tried to reassess this snap decision with precise logic - the logic and contemplation he had perfected over centuries, not only as a coven leader but also as a physician.

Yet, nothing changed. Emmett and Rosalie were fierce fighters, but they didn't possess any talents that would be useful against the cache of talented vampires in Volterra. No. They would remain at home with Esme.

There was no stopping Tanya from coming, and though she insisted Eleazar and Carmen remain, she couldn't argue with Eleazar's logic that he knew the castle and its inhabitants better than any since he had been part of the inner circle. Carlisle also believed Eleazar had to know the truth about the Volturi. Though he disagreed with the increasing violence used by the Volturi which led to his resignation, Eleazar always believed in the Volturi mission. However, since he began to consider the evidence regarding Bella's "demise," his demeanor had gone from calm and collected to unsettled. Eleazar had begun to question every action from his past experience with the Volturi. Carlisle could see in the lines on Eleazar's face, the lives of many – human and vampire - weighed heavy on his conscience.

In the end, it was decided that he, Jasper, Alice, Tanya, Eleazar, and, of course, Edward would make up the team. Carlisle could only hope they had chosen well, and with the house in Forks on lockdown and Jacob's pack on alert for intruders, he prayed it would be enough to protect those he had left behind.

Two rows ahead, Edward turned in his seat and gave Carlisle a terse, reassuring nod. However, it was Alice Carlisle looked to for confirmation of the wisdom of his decision. Across the aisle from him, she held a blank stare and Carlisle knew she was searching. Alice had not stopped looking for Bella since Eleazar mentioned the possibility Bella was alive.

And that was the key word: possibility.

Carlisle noticed Edward shaking his head. He mimicked the motion as he exhaled a sigh. Edward, there are no promises, Carlisle cautioned Edward through his thoughts.

"You are concerned," Eleazar said from his seat next to Carlisle noticing his friend's increased tenseness.

"I know he has his hopes up that we will find Bella. I would hate for him to … find nothing.

"It worries me that we have brought so much talent with us," Eleazar spoke frankly. "Regardless of what we find, I believe Edward is right about Aro's fondness for him and Alice. I'm sure he would also welcome me back with open arms. In addition, I can't help but wonder what else we might encounter – what Aro has acquired to block Alice's sight. The unknown is what unnerves me."

"I agree," Carlisle acknowledged. "But I know Edward won't let this go until he's certain. Alice and Jasper's talents can help us reach that objective quicker, reducing the overall risk. And you, well, maybe between our combined past experiences, we can deal with Aro, Caius, and Marcus successfully."

Eleazar's lips pressed into a hard line. "What can we use as leverage? Aro always demands his pound of flesh – excuse the pun."

Edward turned to face the men, fully committed to the fact that without Bella he had nothing to lose. He wouldn't hesitate to offer himself for Bella's life if need be. "Me."

"I don't like the sound of that," Eleazar groaned.

A wave of calm smoothed the rising tension as Jasper leaned forward from next to Alice to address the two men. "Gentlemen, we have many more miles to cover. It will give us time to strategize. Besides, skipping time zones is bound to slow us down."

Jasper was right. They already had to wait for nightfall before boarding in Seattle, and being unable to hide on a plane traveling above the clouds did pose the tremendous risk of sunlight exposing them.

Carlisle noticed Edward stiffen with the knowledge of how long this trip would truly take. It was ironic how time, in most cases, meant nothing to a vampire, but now, Carlisle knew Edward would be running to Volterra at top speed if he could…

Eleazar, ever one step ahead, suggested landing in Milan opposed to Pisa. It was possible that airport might be under surveillance of Volturi operatives. Once in Milan, the small band of vampires collected their bags filled with useless items from the shiny metal carousel in baggage claim. Entering the darkened city, they quickly ditched the bags in a dumpster in an alley behind a restaurant.

"I think it would be best to go on foot under the cover of darkness. We'll hunt whatever we can on the way," Carlisle offered.

"When we get near Volterra, it would be best if we hunker down well outside the walls. I can direct us clear of any underground entrances. Alice and Jasper may detect something once we are closer to the source," Eleazar added.

"And if not," Alice revealed, "Carlisle and Eleazar will approach the castle to request a meeting with the Volturi."

"It is strange being told what you are going to do before you do it," Eleazar remarked as he turned to Carlisle. "But I suppose the plan she speaks of is yours, my friend?"

Carlisle nodded.

"Edward keeps changing his plans." Alice eyed Edward suspiciously.

"This is no time for heroics," Carlisle warned.

"Or foolishness fueled by desperation," Jasper added in a tone of voice that was a mixture between sarcasm and warning.

"We're wasting time," Edward huffed. "Keep up if you can."

They took off running in the direction of Volterra.

~0~

Bella stood expectantly in her pristine white gown in the main chamber counting the minutes as she stared at the three empty throne chairs in front of her. No doubt another day of "training" was on the schedule and she wished they would just get on with it.

Felix, Demitri, and Santiago had escorted her from her chamber; they met up with Jane in the hall before entering. It didn't escape Bella's notice that more guard members were now assigned to her since her shield had manifested itself outside of her own head.

A pungent stench assaulted her nose. It seemed to originate from the grate on the floor not far from where she stood. Bella briefly worried it would distract her from her assigned task of halting Jane's attack on Dominic or Gianna, neither of whom where present.

Besides the smell, she was also still preoccupied by the timing of the appearance of her extended shield. It had immediately followed her unavoidable consumption of blood … fresh blood. Was her shield ability linked to feeding on humans directly versus the harvested blood she had drunk from the containers in her room?

Bella frowned. She had gorged herself as evidenced by the sloshing of liquid persisting in her gut though many hours had gone by since she fed. She had never thought to ask any of the Cullens how long a vampire could go between feedings if human blood was consumed instead of animal blood. Something told her human blood most likely sustained a vampire for a longer period of time.

Five minutes. She had been waiting five minutes.

Bella could feel the eyes of her companions burning holes into her back as they stood by the chamber doors. She wondered if Jane was still trying to penetrate her mind. This question put all her divergent thoughts on pause as she relished the frustration and hatred that must be coursing through Jane at this moment. An unusual feeling washed through her that she could only describe as … satisfaction. Someone needed to snap the leash on Aro's favored pet, thought Bella.

She moved on to reviewing her conversation with Marcus after he had escorted her back to her room and the guards stationed themselves a distance away in the long corridor. She thought it unusual she would be left alone with the valuable leader. After all, she was a newborn and Bella remembered learning how unpredictable one could be. Had Marcus sensed something between them that put him at ease? Did their sire bond have a deeper meaning? Did Marcus actually trust her?

Either way, he was decidedly less chatty and the most relevant information she was able to drag out of him in the time he spent with her was the names and gifts of each guard member. She had started by inquiring about the woman in black…

"That would be Chelsea," Marcus had answered without a hint of expression.

"She wears the same color cloak as you?"

"Her role is … highly valued."

Bella had waited for Marcus to elaborate, but the silence lingered.

"If I am to join the guard, shouldn't I know more about them?" she had countered.

Marcus nodded and proceeded to give a didactic summary of the existing members of the guard and their talents. Though Felix and Santiago didn't possess any gifts, their membership was granted based on their passion for enforcement and abnormally large size and strength. Bella easily committed their talents to memory -all of them unique, formidable, and most of all, useful in the Volturi's mission. It made her think of someone else's special gift…

"Why can't I block Jasper's ability to affect my emotions?"

"His gift works differently. He can actually influence other's feelings rather than create an alteration or illusion in the mind."

"Can any of the guard … do any of their gifts work like Jasper's?"

"So many questions, little one. They tire me at times." And then he had left her; their conversation creating more questions than providing answers. It appeared there were still some cards the Volturi were keeping close to their chest.

Soon after, Renata had shown up with a basin of water and a clean dress. With a cloth and towel, she had wordlessly cleaned the dried blood from Bella's hands, face, and neck. Bella looked away from the basin as the water went from crystal clear to murky red. Finally, Renata assisted her in changing into the gown before departing as quietly as she had arrived.

In the remaining hours Bella had had alone, she had wondered why Dominic had not returned to his cell by now. At times she had thought she heard him crying out, and then the vivid memories of him collapsing before her would start. Dominic so reminded Bella of Jacob. Not just his physical resemblance – his large stature, dark skin and eyes – but also his indomitable inner strength that showed through the creased agony on his face. If Bella was to summarize it in a word, it would be determination. Something kept him focused. So focused, he was able to fight the incredible drive to phase. As Bella reflected on Marcus's words, she had little doubt that his imprint on Gianna was what gave him strength to deny his instinctual urge and stay alive. He was focused on keeping her alive. And she endured for him.

Bella's heart burned in her chest and she reached for it as if to tear it out. Foolishly she had thought she had a love like that…

Shaking her head, Bella pushed the thoughts of the preceding hours out of her head and refocused the here and now - on the empty chairs. Eight minutes.

The now familiar click-clack of Heidi's heels had Bella spinning to face the door with equal parts of dread and anticipation. Felix opened it to reveal only an impatient Heidi on the other side, her eyes bright crimson. Bella quickly retrieved from her memory Marcus's description of Heidi's talent: the irresistible Volturi lure.

With a confident saunter perfected over many centuries, Heidi glided past her fellow guards and approached Bella. Her eyes obviously sizing up the challenge Bella might pose. When she spoke, her words drizzled from her flawless ruby-red lips like honey.

"So, my dear, where were you hiding? I thought we could ... get to know each other better during the feast celebration." Heidi gave a lopsided grin and reached out to seductively caress Bella's cheek with the back of her silky hand.

From the back of the room, Felix let out a chuckle. "She's immune to your wiles."

Heidi held Bella's gaze, but let her hand drop. "Come with me, Isabella."

Undeterred by Felix's words of warning, Heidi turned and headed for the door. After several steps she glanced back over her shoulder. Her expression soured as it was obvious Bella had not moved an inch from where she stood.

Felix laughed louder. "I told you so."

This time when Heidi spoke, her words were heavy with irritation, "Come, Isabella. Lord Aro wishes to see you in private." Her eyes shot to the other guard members to emphasize her point - no one else was to accompany them.

Bella's eyebrows rose slightly before she held up her chin and followed Heidi out the door and down the hall. The aggravated look on Jane's face as she exited the chamber was beyond value.

Bella silently followed the graceful Siren through the labyrinth of corridors until Heidi stopped before a set of double doors constructed from the same reinforced metal as the main chamber doors of the turret section.

Heidi knocked twice and then opened the door before stepping back into the hallway.

"Ah, Isabella," Aro's voice emanated from within the room. "Enter."

Bella glanced at Heidi who simply stared back at her. Bella took it as an indication that Heidi was not on the VIP guest list. She entered and Heidi closed the door behind her.

Standing in the middle of the room in a tailored, black, three-piece silk suit, Aro opened his arms in a friendly gesture. "Welcome to my personal suite."

The grandeur of the space took Bella's needless breath away. It resembled something she would expect to see at the Louvre.

The gold inlayed ceiling panels above her head glowed, reflecting the firelight from the countless candelabras throughout the room – each one unique and undoubtedly a priceless antique. The furniture may have been straight from Queen Anne's court, and though the combination of wood and fabrics was eclectic, it somehow worked in the large space.

Then she honed in on artwork. Large paintings adorned the walls, all framed in polished wood or gold. With her new eagle eyesight, Bella easily read the name etched on the three paintings depicting biblical scenes mounted on the wall directly behind Aro: Rembrandt. Could they possibly be originals? Hell, Aro could have witnessed it being painted – even have it autographed by the artist!

Beneath her sensitive bare feet, the feel of the ancient rug was completely alien to her. She stared at the intricate woven design of multiple colors accented with gold and silver thread; a work of art itself.

"Silk," Aro answered her unspoken question. "It is an authentic Persian rug made during the golden age of the Safavid Dynasty." Aro closed the distance between them. "What distinguishes one rug from another is the design; one unique aspect of the Persian rugs is their curvilinear designs. Curved-design weavings are much more difficult to execute than geometric ones."

Bella raised her eyes to look at him, but said nothing.

"Please have a seat," he gestured to a pair of wingback chairs. "I certainly haven't asked you here to educate you on rugs."

"No guards?" Bella asked.

"My dear, you are not a prisoner in need of guarding. That is, if you are with us, not against us."

Bella's eyes roamed the room suspiciously, instinct winning out over genteel politeness. Her eyes caught on a painting over an elaborate antique wood desk. "Carlisle."

Aro turned his head to see what had captured Bella's attention.

"Ah, yes. I believe Carlisle owns a similar version of such painting. I'm curious, what has he told you about his time with us?"

"That at first he was glad to find others like himself who didn't live like barbarians. However, his interest with the refinement of life here soon gave way to the reality that, although you surrounded yourself with culture, education, and philosophy, you have no regard for human life."

"Yes, that was a rather sticky wicket for him. Feeding on our designated food source was all Carlisle could focus on. He never did see the big picture."

"Which was what?" Bella asked, preparing out of habit to defend Carlisle's ideals.

"Look over there." He pointed a long, pale finger. "Look at the big picture." This time Bella's eyes followed Aro's. He was staring at a large print. "It's Rembrandt's Three Crosses."

"Christ's crucifixion," Bella clarified. "I don't understand how that relates."

"Isabella, the most esteemed individuals in history are the ones who have made great sacrifices so that others may gain something in return. Before the Volturi came to be, vampires lived openly as predators. We saw ourselves as clever, superior, and therefore, destined to inherit the earth. But humans proliferated much quicker. And in time, their weapons became more sophisticated and dangerous. Too haughty to realize it, vampire kind was marked for extinction. Could you imagine an end to the human race, Isabella? Genocide on the grandest of scales?"

Bella shook her head uncertain where Aro was leading her.

"I couldn't imagine that for my—our-race either. I searched for other vampires who saw the logic of civility in action. Concealing ourselves in society with the goal of preserving our kind. Of course, this ideal was met with great adversity. Why, many questioned, should we hide what we are? Survival of the fittest after all ruled nature since the beginning of time. Yet to be fitter we needed to be smarter, not just stronger.

"I found many willing to change their ways for our long term survival. We battled those who would flaunt what they were, destroying them so that others may live. However, fighting for a cause, no matter how righteous, always comes with costs. Having led the charge, we were entrusted with the continued enforcement of the rules. This has inflicted many burdens on us. I have lost loved ones – my sister for instance. Our remaining mates, Sulpicia and Athenodora, are practically held captive due to fear of our enemies harming them or using them as leverage against us. And we can never rest. Always vigilant. Forever the protectors. Eternally sacrificing for the welfare of others.

"While Carlisle and his ... family ... are free to enjoy insignificant pursuits like collecting motor vehicles and attending high school - the Volturi are left to police the known world for those who threaten our very existence. Could you imagine having that responsibility on your slight shoulders, Isabella? I think not. So, I hope you will excuse me if I am somewhat jaded by Carlisle's hang up on our food choice when he lives freely and safely through the protection we provide."

Bella refrained from biting her lip in the silence that followed; instead she bowed her head to examine her perfect hands twisting in her lap. Things didn't seem as black and white as they did when she was Bella Swan, student at Forks High School, metaphorically soaking in stories at Carlisle's feet. No, everything was much more complicated than she could ever imagine.

Why had Edward let her believe in fairy tales and happily-ever-afters instead of preparing her for the reality of the world she was destined for when he accepted her love and she entered this world? His over protectiveness had actually done her a great disservice.

"In what way can a vampire be destroyed?" Aro asked abruptly.

"Fire," Bella replied without hesitation.

"Fire. Yes. What have you seen present in every room of this castle, Isabella?"

In a second, Bella reviewed and compared every room she had entered since her stay in Volterra had begun. The answer came quickly. Other than the natural light that filtered through the arrow slats in the turret section during the day, the only light source available was ... fire.

Aro saw the surprise in Bella's eyes. "Fire consumes, but it does so only to survive. Does that make it evil? No. But it does make it worthy of respect."

Aro rose from his chair to more closely admire the flames dancing on one of the taller candelabras. "You, Isabella, are worthy of respect. I believe you to be worthy of trust and capable of loyalty as well. You can serve our race in an important role. And I believe you are on the precipice of realizing the totality of your talent. All that is left is for you to take the last step. Of your own free will. Come, let's see if you are ready."

Aro extended his hand out to Bella. Curiosity piqued, she took it, allowing him to lead her out the door. Once in the corridor, Aro released her hand and offered his arm as an escort.

Assembled in the main chamber were Caius and Marcus upon their chairs, Jane, Santiago, Felix, Demitri, Chelsea, and another woman Bella had seen before, but was never introduced to. Renata was already in her position behind Aro's chair.

They stood divided into two lines making an aisle. All eyes watched them enter, and Bella felt as thought she was a queen being escorted to court by a king as they walked between the guard members. It was her moment to shine. She could feel it. It was time to show she had mastered her talent, and that she did have power of her own. It was also the moment she would shed the damsel in distress image she had worn since before Edward saved her from a van careening out of control. She would claim herself.

Aro paused in the middle of the room. He removed Bella's hand from the crook of his elbow and kissed it lightly before resuming his path to his chair on the dais. Marcus gave her the slightest hint of a smile. "Make me proud, young one."

Bella steeled herself. Determined to show her worthiness now that she was prepared, still her heart sank when Dominic was led into the room – Gianna closely behind him.

Gianna's eyes were swollen, and her clothes hung loosely on her frame. Bella doubted she had eaten much in the days since she had returned to Volterra and wondered if she still held her position at the desk. Certainly she couldn't while appearing so disheveled... Dominic also looked emaciated. Bella's mind began to churn.

"If I am successful in stopping Jane, what will be my reward?" Bella asked assertively.

"Full membership into the guard," Caius replied.

"And if I desire something else?"

"What more could a mortal or immortal possibly want?" Caius sincerely questioned.

"Gianna and Dominic's release."

"You know the rules. They know too much."

"Then why should I bother? Let Jane do her worst if they are condemned to death anyway," Bella countered.

Aro reached out and took his brothers' hands. He listened to their input regarding the unexpected bump in the road, and then said, "What would you suggest, Isabella? Would you change them to spare their lives?"

The question caught her by surprise and Bella had to consider the consequences before answering. From the first wretched day Bella laid eyes on Gianna, she knew becoming immortal was what Gianna had wanted. But Dominic? Did he want that? Was it even possible? Vampires and werewolves were mortal enemies; it only stood to reason that attempting to change a wolf into a vampire would have a disastrous outcome.

But Marcus sensed a decision had been made. He looked at Gianna and frowned. Her bond was now to Dominic not the Volturi. He knew what she would choose before the words spilled from her mouth.

"Bella," Gianna whispered hoarsely.

Bella's head jerked in Gianna's direction. She had not heard anyone speak call her "Bella" except for Dominic. It sounded so … out of place. But before Bella could speak she caught something swimming in the unshed tears of Gianna's green eyes: sacrifice and … determination.

"I would rather die. Here. Now. With Dominic by my side. As I am now. The person I've always wanted to be," Gianna spoke loudly with conviction.

"Why –?" Bella was in the process of inquiring why the woman, who had closed her eyes to the atrocities committed against humans in order to become immortal, would give up her life when her goal of immortality was so close at hand? Besides, her death would destroy Dominic! How selfish could she be? Didn't she love him? Or… maybe neither of them truly understood the true bonding of imprinting.

Unfortunately, before Bella could resolve the questions in her mind, Dominic tossed his life away as well.

"Without you, G, I have nothing to fight for." His voice was sad, but resolute. They stared at each other as if they were the only ones in the room.

Aro's nostrils flared and he glanced at Marcus, who nodded in confirmation. Enraged that he was being challenged, not only by a new recruit but also by two people who should be pleading for his grace, Aro flung himself out of his chair. "Than so be it!" he spat venom.

Aro nodded at the guards holding Dominic and Gianna and they thrust the two toward the middle of the room, only feet behind Bella. Just as Dominic and Gianna got close enough to embrace each other, Aro pointed to Jane. With his mouth twisted in anger, he gave the command, "Do it. The female first."

"Yes, Master," Jane purred with joy.

Physically caught between Jane and the condemned couple, Bella twisted and turned unsure who to face as Gianna fell to the hard floor in agony. As she writhed, Dominic got on his knees next to her. At first he tried to hold her, protect her, and provide comfort with his soft words and kisses. But she contracted so wildly in Jane's grip of terror, Dominic couldn't contain her violent movements without crushing her in the process. "No!" he screamed, slamming his fists into the floor. It was then that he began to spasm. Bella watched as his muscles jerked, his teeth ground together, and his hands flew to the collar, frantically pulling on it.

He's going to phase! "Stop! Stop this!" Bella demanded, turning away from Dominic and Gianna to face the three monarchs. "I thought you needed him to protect the Cullens - to keep them from seeing me!"

But her words fell on deaf ears as the brothers impassively watched as Jane unrelentingly penetrated Gianna's mind. Bella's ears were filled with the sound of erratic, pounding heartbeats and cries of pain that rivaled her own during her transition.

Instead of their beating hearts teasing her appetite, Bella's stomach lurched. Her moment of triumph was blurring into a nightmare as she came to realize she was about to witness Gianna and Dominic's horrific, protracted deaths.

Bella turned her eyes to Jane, her face smug with delight, willing her shield to stop the assault. Bella could feel her face contorting with anger, but nothing happened. Then Marcus's words echoed in her memory: Try focusing inward instead of outward. Your gift comes from within. What gives you inner strength?

Bella knew her inner strength never came from hatred.

She turned away from Jane to face a crumpled Dominic and Gianna – he on his knees, she curled into a tight ball. In Dominic's dark, pleading eyes she saw Jacob – her closest friend, the one who gave her strength when she had been at her lowest, most desperate time. He alone taught her how to heal. How to be strong. This was for him.

Bella pushed, picturing a force field extending from her to surround the dying couple as their hearts raced at unsustainable speeds. Her power was an extension of herself, not something she held at arms length or flung out ahead of her as one would a real shield. In that moment Bella knew her shield was not to be used to deflect, but to embrace.

Her eyes softened as she flexed her shield to envelope Dominic and Gianna. Bella envisioned her arms reaching out until she realized she could feel Dominic and Gianna's pulsating energy humming in time with the resonance of her own mind. It felt amazing.

Gianna's cries subsided slowly to only groans, and Bella feared she may have reached the breaking point before her shield took effect. But then her body relaxed, her muscles releasing her from the tight fetal position pain had forced her into.

Bella maintained her protective stance until she saw Dominic panting on his hands and knees, a slight smile trembled across his lips as Gianna tentatively opened her eyes one at a time. Their heart rates and respirations slowed, became more controlled.

In the silent awe that followed Bella's show of power, she spun to face Dominic and Gianna's assailant. Jane had moved to the side, probably attempting to get a clearer view on her object of torture. Her expression was no less murderous than it had been when she zeroed in on Gianna, but now it was fully directed at Bella. This time, it was Bella who donned the smug smile – this time she won. This time she was in control.

"I said stop, Jane." Bella added for good measure.

However, Bella hadn't calculated the true competitive and dominating nature within Jane's psyche. Jane straightened her back and her eyes widened in rage to the point they almost appeared comical.

But then Bella's grin slowly faded. She felt something. It was a fluttering pressure against her shield that came and went, but then returned a second later – with more force. The second time it was more like a poke – the third, more like a stab. Was Jane penetrating her shield? Was her power vulnerable to Jane's attack?

The recovering human let out a high-pitched scream that made Bella spin to again embrace Gianna within the safety of her shield. But as she did so the stabbing resumed as Jane was alternating between attacking her and Gianna.

Red fury burned up within Bella giving her vision a strange reddish tint. Jane's game had managed to penetrate through the newborn's fragile control allowing base instinct to take over.

With a menacing growl Bella spun and charged at Jane, teeth bared, hands curled to claws. But before Bella could fling herself at her sadistic tormentor, her shield exploded, fueled by her tumultuous emotions. It raced ahead of her directly at her attacker.

Power combined with anger transformed her shield into a physical force similar to a shock wave from a violent explosion. It slammed hard into Jane, sending her airborne for several feet until she crashed unconsciously to the floor.

Gianna's screams ceased. Bella turned to find her power had not only affected Jane. Dominic and Gianna, though slightly further away from the epicenter of Bella's shield wave, also lie unconscious on the floor.

Locked in disbelief at the manifestation of her power, Bella stared at the motionless figures. This was an unexpected turn. When used to protect those she cared about, her shield cocooned them in safety. But it had another side. A more disturbing aspect. It could be an offensive weapon as well as a defensive one. Had Aro expected this?

She looked to them to see flickering shades of surprise and confusion. Then, their reactions differed. Aro appeared pleased, while Caius sat stiffly upright in his chair smoothing back his hair which appeared to be standing on end.

"Simply electric!" Aro clapped his hands.

It made sense. Bella recognized her shield must possess some kind of electrical component to cause such effects. The brain possessed electrical activity. Somehow her shield functioned on that process. Electro-activity also confirmed the reason Jane, Dominic and Gianna were knocked out - she must have short-circuited their brains as they were the closest to her shock wave. Those outside of her shield's radius appeared to only experience it as a something akin to static electricity.

However, the individual who held Bella's astonished attention was Marcus. He was on his feet, a slightly daffy but thrilled expression etched across his face.

Aro turned to his brother, curious as to what could possibly create such an animated response in someone so typically blasé. Without hesitation, Aro clutched Marcus's hand. He struggled with the believability of the words he heard repeating in Marcus's mind. It was not part of Aro's plan for this to happen outside of his control. Still, the proof was there in Marcus's head: He's here.


A/N: So we are at the part readers have been waiting for! Yes, Edward has arrived in Volterra! Now both teams of readers, Team "I hope Edward gets his ass kicked" and Team "I hope he rescues her soon", will have some answers.

I also have to ask, what do you think of Bella's amplified talent? SM mentioned that often the formation of a gift will depend on the environment during transformation. It seemed to me that Bella's transition, forced on her against her will, would twist her gift - make it more defensive and protective.

As always, thank you for reading. My betas had varying feelings on this chapter, so I anxiously await your comments!