With One Look

Chapter 13

Meeting Maria and the Whitlocks

After leaving New Orleans I followed the coastline around, and I found myself in the most southern part of the states between Mexico and Texas. I also could smell that someone had marked this as their territory. Aware of the unspoken law of letting others know when you are crossing into their territory, I thought I'd better assure them I wasn't here to cause any trouble. I wasn't afraid of being hurt for I knew I had enough power to overcome another vampire, but it was only common courtesy to let them know of my presence.

As I followed the scent of vampire I noticed that there wasn't just one, or even three or four, but an enormous number of vampires in the area. I realized that I was in the area that Caius had told me about awhile back that had to do with the Southern Wars. Still I wanted to follow protocol and at least let them know I was passing through. Besides, I had heard of this God of War that was supposed to be living around here, and I wondered if this was the compound where he indeed presided.

I remembered Caius saying that Maria's camp bordered Mexico and Texas, and that is exactly where I was. I also remembered him telling me if I ever was that close to that compound to be careful, for she was one hell of an evil hellcat and would rather kill someone than deal with them, but then again that was before I picked up so many gifts.

I slowed down and approached with caution, noticing a guard posted at the entrance of the compound. When he saw me he crouched into a fighting stance and growled out a warning. I stopped and asked him whose camp this was, but before he could answer another male voice spoke. I turned to this vampire who seemed to be more subdued in his actions than the other one, and caused me to relaxed somewhat.

"You shouldn't be here, and if I were you I'd head off and run as fast as you can before Maria finds out you've been here." He said.

So this was Maria's compound and the home of the God of War I had heard so much about. This intrigued me thoroughly, and he was someone I would love to meet.

"I assure you I am not afraid of Maria," I told him as he smirked, followed by a chuckle.

"Either you're just plain stupid or you're Volturi; either way you'll be just as dead if she finds you here," he said.

I just stood there, looking unafraid at this handsome vampire with dark blonde hair. I could tell he was a fighter due to the many bite scars that were visible on his extremely attractive body. I'm sure any other vampire, male or female, would be running for their lives at the sight of him, but he didn't bother me in the least.

He shook his head while looking me over before speaking again.

"You're Volturi aren't you?" he asked. I smiled and shook my head.

"Not anymore. I was for many years, but I left and have been traveling, seeing the world. I was passing by and thought I'd let Maria know that I was passing through, less chaos that way," I told him.

He laughed at that and continued. "Like I said, you'd still be just as dead…wait a minute, you said you left the Volturi? I've never heard of anyone that just up and left the Volturi. If you did then…you're her, aren't you? The one who left, who has all the gifts," he said with a laugh. "You really don't want to be here if you're her. Maria would love to get her hands on you, so if I were you I'd run…run as fast as you can, lady, before she finds out you're here. It was then we heard another voice, a female voice this time.

"It's too late Captain, I've already heard," Maria said as she turned to me and continued. "Come in, Isabella, so we can have a little talk. Please follow me," she said whipping around and sauntering off in the direction of the cabins that sat on the other side of the camp.

I'd have to say she was as beautiful as I had heard. Her beautiful long dark thick hair lay in curls down her back to just above her slim waistline, and they bounced as she walked. She had pouty pink lips and a slim nose and even though her dark red eyes sparkled when she talked you could still see the evil seductress behind them. She wore a blouse that was pulled down to show her shoulders and rested on her upper arms and a long colorful skirt with a black belt that tied at the waist. The skirt fell down her shapely hips and hid most of the black boots she wore on her tiny feet.

As we walked I saw many newborns snapping and nipping at each other, but I think they still knew not to approach me, probably due to being so close to Maria. There was one male vampire, however, who stopped in mid stride and watched as I walked by him. He had blonde windblown hair and he stood as if he was someone of importance, his shoulders thrown back as if daring someone to approach him.

He wore the same bite marks on his shirtless body as I saw on the vampire that I first spoke with, the one Maria called Captain, who was now following behind us To be honest, he may have had even more marks and I wondered if he was the one the other vampires called the God of War. He was very handsome with muscles that rippled with every move of his body. Intrigued, I gave him a slight bow of my head and a half smile as I passed him. The one called Captain left us and joined him as I followed Maria into her cabin.

"Please have a seat," she said, sounding more like an order than an offer after entering, pointing to a chair facing her desk as she sat and rested her elbows on her desk and rested her chin on her knuckles. She gave me an evil smirk before she began to speak. "So what brings you to my territory, Isabella?"

"I was just passing through and thought it only courteous to let you know I was crossing your territory. Isn't it protocol to let land owners know when you're on their land?"

"Well, I find it unusual is all. Most vampires just run through without stopping to tell me anything, especially once they find out whose territory they are traveling across."

"Well, I'm not just any vampire, Maria. I'd want someone to tell me if it was my land."

"Yes, I think you would," she said, sitting there staring at me. "What brings you to my neck of the woods, so to speak?" she said when she finally spoke.

"I've been traveling a lot. I just left New Orleans and was following the coastline and found myself here. I thought I'd head north and see what I could see…you know, just sightseeing." She nodded her head and sighed before speaking again.

"Did Aro send you here to spy on me, Isabella?" She asked nonchalantly. I chuckled at her question, knowing it sounded like something Aro would do.

"No, I don't work for Aro any longer - not that I actually did. I worked mostly for Caius."

"Ah yes, Caius. I understand he's your mate, is he not?"

"We were companions for a time, that is until he met his true mate. I thought it was my time to set my sights elsewhere so I left and have been traveling ever since."

"Are you sure about that? Because if I thought for one minute that you were here spying for the Volturi I'd rip you limb from limb," she said evilly. I gave her a smirk.

"You could try," I said with a chuckle.

"Yes, I've heard of your gifts, Isabella, but I don't fear you. My Major could put you on your knees in a second with little effort at all," she said very confidently. "As a matter of fact, I'd like to see your gift in action."

"Follow me, Isabella," she commanded, getting to her feet and walking out of her cabin, expecting me to follow. I knew what she was going to do as I also knew it wouldn't work, and if she thought for one second she was going to keep me here she had another thing coming. I followed her out to the middle of the compound where she stopped and called for the Major to join us.

"Yes, Mistress," he said standing at attention by her side.

"I'd like for you to put Isabella on her knees, Major, in any way you see fit," she commanded. I looked over at the Major and stared at him as I put up my shield, not getting into a fighting stance, and waited. I also knew I picked up his gift as I felt his emotions. They hit my shield, anger at first and then lethargy, but they just bounced off. This seemed to anger him even more as he dove for me, and he too bounced off my shield and landed on his arse. Maria laughed and clapped her hands.

"That's enough, Major," she told him and stroked his arm trying to comfort him, but I felt the disgust he felt from her touch, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for him at that moment. I knew from just one look that this vampire shouldn't be here.

"Major this is Isabella Volturi, or I guess its Swan once again, is it not Isabella?" she asked. I nodded my answer. "So don't feel too bad that you couldn't get through her shield. She is, shall we say, very talented," she explained.

"Volturi?" the Major said questioningly with an arch on his brow and a look of hatred in his expression.

"Yes, but don't fear, Major, she is no longer with the Volturi and is traveling around seeing what she can of our world. Why don't you and the Captain take her to your cabin and get to know her a little better. We'll talk again later, Isabella," she said as she turned and yelled.

"Char!"

"Yes Mistress," said another beautiful girl, her long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. I also noticed that the good Captain kept an eye on this girl and I saw the bond they carried for one another. "See that the troops are settled in for the night and then join the Captain, the Major and Isabella. I'd like for you all to get to know her a little better."

"Yes, Mistress," she repeated with a bow of her head as she started rounding up the newborns for the night.

"Miss Swan, if you'd follow me," The Captain said walking away with the Major close behind. I followed and entered the Major's cabin and joined the two of them around his desk.

"I told you that you should have run, Miss Swan. Maria is trying to trap you here now," the Captain said.

"And I told you, Captain, that she hasn't a chance in hell of keeping me here against my will."

"I've heard of you," the Major said. I turned to him and smiled, nodding my head.

"I'm sure you have, Major. A lot of people tell me that, I'm afraid."

"You are one of Aro's elite guards," he continued.

"I used to be one of Caius's elite guards, but not any longer."

"And why is that?" he asked. I sighed, not wanting to get into this once again. Everywhere I go people ask me the same question.

"My companion found his true mate and…I…couldn't stay there any longer," I explained. He nodded his head in understanding.

"My apologies ma'am, but you know that Peter's right?"

"Who is Peter?" I asked confused.

"The Captain," he said pointing to the vampire next to him. I nodded, realizing that was his real name.

"And what is your real name, Major?"

"Jasper Whitlock at your service ma'am," he said in his southern drawl as he bowed his head slightly. It made me smile, loving his southern accent.

"It's an honor to meet you, Jasper," I told him with a smile.

"The honor is all mine ma'am," he proclaimed as he returned the smile.

"As I said, Jasper, she can't hold me here against my will. If I wish to leave I will do so."

"I like her, major, she's got real spunk," Peter replied.

"Well, don't like her too much Captain unless you wish to lose a piece of your anatomy," came a voice from behind me. I turned to see the girl Maria called Char. I was right to assume that she was the Captain's mate. I could see the bonded strands that linked them both together.

"Char, meet Isabella Swan, ex-Volturi," Peter introduced as he pulled her onto his lap. The girl's eyes became large when she heard I was an ex-elite guard.

"Please call me Bella, I hate being called Isabella," I told them.

"It's nice to meet you, Bella. You do know that Maria expects you to join us, right?" Char echoed the same sentiments that both vampires had uttered not long ago. I shook my head.

"Won't happen," I said again.

"Captain, take care. If Maria walks in here and sees Char sitting on your lap she will have her killed, you know the rules," Jasper told Peter.

"I know, Major, I'll be careful."

"What, you're not allowed to have mates here?"

"No, causes too many distractions, but who am I to say who should or shouldn't have mates. The Captain knows the rules and if they are caught she will kill them both," Jasper explained.

"But that's so cruel."

"This whole war is cruel, Bella," Char said sadly.

"There is another way of life if you wish to leave," I told her.

"What, you mean join the Volturi? I don't think so. I'd rather die here than with them," Peter said. I looked at them, confused.

"No, that's not what I meant. I meant you could live like the humans do, find a house somewhere away from the humans and just…live," I told them.

"And what, have some other overseer capture us just so we can fight with them?" Peter said. I couldn't believe that they didn't know this.

"No, Peter. The only overseers are here in the most southern south. It's not like this up in the Northern States, hell, even in the Northern part of Texas," I explained.

"There's not?" he asked.

"No! I'm not saying it would be easy, but it's a hell of a lot better than here," I told them. They looked at one another in disbelief, so I continued explaining.

"I met this other vampire while with the Volturi, we became friends and he lives on animal blood. He's never even tasted human blood…ever," I told them. I saw Jasper's eyes light up and I'm sure it had to do with all the pain he felt from the humans as he fed from them, being an empath.

"There's really someone out there who lives off animals, and he survives off them?" Peter asked. I nodded.

"Yes, even I drink animal blood from time to time, and I'm finally getting used to its taste, it's not that bad. Carlisle seems comfortable with it, and he's also a human physician now," I said. They looked at me in shock.

"He's a doctor, a human doctor?" Char asked as they stared at me in disbelief.

"Yes. I haven't seen him in a while, but one of his friends recently told me he is one now, and before he left the Volturi he told me he wanted to be one, so I see no reason to doubt his word," I told them. They all nodded as I looked over at Jasper, and I could see the wheels turning in his head as he stared into space.

The rest of the night went slowly as we talked and got to know one another, but come morning I decided it was time for me to leave. I got up and said my good-byes to my new friends, wishing them all well and left the cabin and headed for the entrance of the compound. I was stopped when I heard Maria's voice.

"Where do you think you're going, Isabella?" she asked.

"It's time I was going, Maria. It's been an…experience," I told her as I started to turn and leave.

"You aren't going anywhere mi amiga. Major, grab Isabella and put her in the hold with the newborns," she commanded. Jasper looked at her with a furrowed brow. "Now Major, unless you wish to be punished," she said hatefully. He turned back to me, not really knowing what to do. He knew of my gifts and knew there wasn't much he could do. So he walked up to me and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Bella, but we did warn you."

"And I warned you, Major." I said as I turned back to Maria. "I don't wish to stay here. There is nothing you or anyone else can do to keep me here…unless you wish to die," I told her. She laughed.

"There's not a force on this earth that can stop me from getting what I want, Isabella, and that includes you," she said with confidence.

"It's your funeral, Maria." She laughed again and ordered the Major to take me once again.

I put up my shield and Jasper couldn't even get close to me. I put my hand out palms up and called upon the fire, as two balls of flames rolled in my hands.

"Major, stop her!" she cried out, knowing she had made a grave mistake.

As she said this I threw both balls of fire at her and as they made contact they set her aflame and she was ash ten seconds later. Jasper, Peter and Char stood with their mouths hanging open as they watched their mistress turn to ash.

"I guess you are free to find that new life I told you about," I told them and spun around and, with great speed, ran for the entrance heading north to a new adventure.

Time passed as I spent time here and there meeting new people along the way, seeing new sights. I didn't know what happened to Peter and Char or even Jasper. I did think of them from time to time and hoped that someday I'd meet them again.

A/N: Next up, Bella meets the Denali's. Let me know what you think. Thanks for reading...huggs.