Chapter Fifty Six
Bella
After Aro left I sat down feeling sick and thought about my dad becoming a vampire. Well at least I wouldn't lose him this way but his whole life was over. Everything he knew had been snatched from him and he had been propelled into a new and terrifying world of vampires and shapeshifters. Why had Jasper felt it necessary to change Charlie? Had he done it for me? I didn't believe that, he had never pressured me into becoming a vampire so I couldn't see him taking Charlie's choices from him either. Which begged the question, if he hadn't done it then who had? Or ewas Aro lying about the whole thing? Was he trying to drive a wedge between Jasper and myself? Well if he was then he'd be right out of luck, nothing could break the hold Jasper had over me nor mine over him.
Aro and his brothers had visited frequently since Jasper left and I knew they were trying to get me to agree to join the guard but why then didn't they use someone like Corin who could make me content to stay? Or had they tried that already? Is that why she had been on the plane with me? To make me happy to come to Volterra, to join the guard? Was I special in some way? Did they really think by locking me up and not letting me speak to Jasper that they would frighten me into joining them? If they did then they were very much mistaken, this was a holiday camp compared to life with my mother, I could sail through this blindfolded and even if they tried starving me or ill treating me they would be out of luck. If they wanted someone for the guard, someone who could bring almost anyone to their knees then they should be looking for Renee, my mother would fit in here perfectly.
Caius was my next guest and he brought with him another of the female Volturi, someone he introduced as Chelsea. She sat in the background smiling at me in a manner I think she thought benevolently and I got the feeling that she was also gifted and was trying whatever it was she did on me. So far I'd been very quiet but I was getting fed up with all this skullduggery so I smiled back sweetly at her then turned to him,
"If this is some kind of trick it's not going to work you know."
"Trick? I have no idea what you mean Bella I merely thought you might like some company thats all. Especially as your mate isn't here."
"How sweet of you, why is it that I find that so difficult to believe?
Turning to the girl I smiled broadly again,
"Well I know Corin can make people content so whats your trick Chelsea? Can you make me beg to be changed into a vampire?"
I was beginning to feel all the frustrations of my life bubble to the surface, all the things I had wanted to say to my mother and had never dared to were powering my courage right now.
"So you know Corin well? She and I work together a lot of the time. Yes I am gifted as you guessed. I will make you loyal to the Volturi, so much so that you couldn't think of betraying them or leaving. Your life here will be full and interesting, it'll be fun and you'll have your mate beside you. What more could you ask for?"
"Oh I don't know, how about my freedom to choose what I do and where or is that too novel a concept for you?"
There was a deathly hush and I knew I had shocked them with my outspoken attitude. Was that because Chelsea's gift wasn't working or just because no one ever spoke to them in such a manner?
They didn't stay long after that and I heaved a sigh of relief, I really didn't feel as confident as I had sounded and I was missing Jasper. The ache in my chest had grown until breathing was painful and I felt so tired but I was scared to sleep properly in case they took advantage of the opportunity afforded. Instead I dozed on the window seat which woke me as soon as I started to slide off.
My decision had now been made for me although I didn't know who by. My mate was a vampire and so was my father or he would be soon so I would ask Jasper to change me when he got back but we had to find a way out of here, away from Volterra and the greed of the brothers. I had no idea how but I was hoping Jasper might. If Aro was right and I was a shield maybe once I became a vampire I would be able to shield us long enough to escape. I had no idea what this shield of mine was or how it worked but musing on it something was preventing gifts from working on me and that was while I was still human, it then occurred to me, perhaps I was more powerful than I imagined. I closed my eyes and tried to think of a way to test my theory out, stretch myself and try using my gift offensively. However first I had to understand how it worked, I needed to visualise it in my head.
A shield reminded me of those carried by knights in armour so I conjured up such an item in my mind and my thoughts as the thing I wanted to protect. The vision popped up clear as day and I thought I could work with this. A shield could be used to stop weapons touching the wielder but it could also push things away. Could I do that? If I could I may be able to keep everyone away from me until Jasper got back and then he could help me learn to use it properly. DEciding thinking about this might help me stay awake I decided to start small and put a cup on the window seat beside me then focused on it and tried to visualise my shield, I'd put a lion rampant on it just for fun, pushing it away from me. After half an hour I almost gave up but I had nothing better to do and then quite suddenly it happened, the cup moved. Not far admittedly but never the less it had moved. This spurred me on and within ten minutes I had it skidding across the polished wood to bounce off the stone recess. Well it was a start and pretty impressive for someone who only just started practising.
By the time my eyelids were closing on their own I could move the cup across the floor from one end of the room to the other. Now I was going to try protecting myself while I slept. I couldn't go any longer without sleeping properly so I tried making the shield bigger so it would cover me head to foot. That was more tricky as it tended to wobble and fade at the edges but I did it after another half hour then lay down with it laying over me and finally allowed myself to sink into a deep sleep hoping I'd done enough to protect myself should I need to.
I dreamed of Jasper as I slept, as if he were here with me watching over me and I focused on his smile wishing I could feel his arms around me. Of course he couldn't reach me because of my shield! I was about to make it disappear when I had a thought, was this a dream? Or was I under attack by yet another of the Volturi gifts? Was my shield working? Maybe they were trying to influence me to drop my shield so they could attack while I was vulnerable. So instead I whispered an apology to Jasper and watched as he melted away. The strange thing was that instead of increasing, the pain in my chest was beginning to ease a little. So it hadn't been him, just a dream or attack but was he coming back for me already? Of course he was Aro had told me that, I'd just forgotten in my weariness. Soon he would be here and then I could drop my shield and allow him to draw me into his embrace and know I was safe at last.