Bella Swan

Being shocked was an understatement. I am just going to blame vampire hormones. I mean, what other explanation is there for me jumping into a bed with the first vampire to say I love you? I haven't been a vampire long, my human emotions remain, but I don't know if my vampire emotions match. How was I going to explain all this to Edward? It was amazing, the first time since... well it has been a long time and it felt good to be wanted. Did I still want Edward though?

"Bella?" Aro called. "Did you hear a word that I said?"

Looking up at Aro, I smiled sheepishly, "Sorry Master, I was lost in thought."

He gave me a knowing smirk and then continued addressing the guard members. "Only a select few will be heading this operation. I need it to be quiet. I am not sure how many children have been turned, my scout was unclear on that, but we need this dealt with. We all know the dangers of vampire children." I let out an involuntary squeak that luckily Aro ignored. "Jane, Alec, Felix, Bella, and Edward. You five will be tasked with solving this problem."

"Yes Sir!" We all exclaimed.

Aro turned to Jane, "Would you be a dear Jane, and take Bella under your wing? We are still waiting for the arrival of an old friend to determine her abilities if she has any."

Jane nodded, "Of course Aro. If I may, is it so wise to put a newborn on this?"

Aro chuckled, "That is why you are going my dear. If she causes problems, you know what to do." She nodded again. "Very well, you leave in an hour."

As we were walking out of the room, I nudged Edward. "Can I talk to you for a second?

"Sure." He tried to grab my hand and I moved out of his reach. He looked at me confused, but let it go. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Before I say anything, I just want you to know: I don't regret what we did." I started.

"Okay?" He was confused.

"I know I liked you as a human – hell I am pretty sure I even loved you." I sighed, this was harder than I thought it would be. "I am a newly turned vampire, my old human emotions are still present."

"Would you just get to what you are trying to say?"

"I don't know if I feel that way for you now. I mean the feelings I had before were almost obsessive."

"So everything that just happened, 20 minutes ago, was just residual human emotions?"

I shrugged helplessly, "I don't know. I am still trying to adjust. I am mostly reacting on instinct right now. I just think we need to take a step back and just start as friends and then see what happens."

Edward let out a breathy laugh, "If that is what you want."

"It is," I answered relieved. "All I think about right now is blood, so it's hard to figure out other emotions."

"I get it." He snapped. "We will just be friends." With that growling reply, he walked away.

"Well, this is going to be fun." I sighed again. "I wonder if Aro would let him go home."

"I could kick him out of the guard if that is what you truly wish. Although, his gift is mighty useful." Aro answered behind me, making me spin and crouch instinctively.

"Don't do that." I hissed, standing upright again. "Why would you do that for me? You have been trying to get his gift for years."

"Perhaps. He is not loyal to me, he is loyal to Carlisle. He will not do what I ask easily. It might be better if we just got rid of him."

"He already feels rejected, I don't think kicking him out of your club would help his ego any."

Aro laughed, "I imagine it wouldn't, but his ego could use a little beating."

I chuckled, feeling at ease. I wasn't sure why I would feel so at ease here. Maybe it was because Aro was the one who changed me. I didn't know, but it felt easy. It felt right. "Perhaps you're right. From what I remember, he was quite arrogant when I was a human."

"Elezar and his mate should be here by the time you guys arrive back from your mission."

I nodded, bowed, and then took my leave. I was excited to meet them, not only was he going to tell me if I had an extra ability, but he was also like the Cullens. I tried the vegetarian diet, but it wasn't for me. I was never truly satisfied, no matter how much I drank. So, I reverted to taking lives. I wasn't comfortable with that, not really. I hated the thought of taking someone's life, but I needed their blood to survive. Just how the world worked.

Three hours later we found ourselves outside a small town in Northern Ireland. The entire community was vampires. I am surprised the Volturi let it thrive as much as it did. I learned from Jane, that they grew their humans, as if the humans were some kind of plant. I shuddered at the thought. How did the humans feel, knowing when they were going to die and that's the only life they knew?

"We need to look for the leader of this town," Jane suggested, standing beside me.

"I am pretty sure they call them mayors," I answered and then pointed to the largest house in the town. "He would be in that house there."

"How would you know that?"

"People with the most power, usually like to flaunt it. Look at Aro, he lives in a castle. Kings live in castles because it is the biggest show of power one can show."

Jane stared at me like I said something crazy and then shrugged, "Guess you're right. I never really noticed before. Let's move out."

We moved as one towards the house, Jane leading the front while I was behind her and the rest were behind me. I could feel the vampires staring at us, I could smell the fear in the air from the humans, and I smelled so much blood. I tried not to breathe, my throat burning in the hope of fresh blood. I moved a little quicker, hoping to get away from the smell.

"Immortal children," I said to Jane, maybe I needed to distract myself. "Why are they so dangerous?"

"Say you changed a 4 year old into a vampire. They would forever be a 4-year-old, stuck at an age where their brain hasn't fully developed and their thirst stays like a newborn vamp. A four-year-old who is stronger and faster than any fully grown human and so beautiful that prey gets lured to them easily. It usually ends in a bloodbath."

"And the punishment for this crime?"

"Death," Jane answered simply. "The creators love them so deeply, they will fight hard for them. If we don't kill them, they go crazy with grief and go on a rampage, threatening our secret."

"So it's possible we are going to have to destroy the entire town?"

"It is very likely. There is no way they didn't know about the children."

"Are we going to be able to take out an entire town with just us?" I asked.

Jane gave me a very creepy smile. "Of course. We are professionals, of course."

"Of course," I muttered, not entirely sure.

A vampire greeted us as we arrived at the house. He looked to be in his thirties, with long brown hair and a pinched face, he almost looked like he was constipated. "I am Aiden. This is my town. What do you want?"

Jane gave him a cruel smile, "The Volturi sent us-" Aiden flinched at the word, "-We were sent here to investigate the possibility of an immortal child."

"Ridiculous. There are no vampire children here. Your information is wrong." He snarled, nervously.

"Our information is rarely wrong, Aiden. If you don't bring us the immortal child or children and their makers, we will be forced to take action."

A woman came flying out of the door behind Aiden. Her long blonde hair flowed behind her, and her heart-shaped face was contorted into a rage. She jumped into the air, targeting me, I moved back an inch before she crumpled to the ground screaming in pain. No one had touched her.

"Jane can cause the illusion of pain," Edward explained.

I turned to him shocked, "Can you feel her pain?"

He nodded, "I can't feel the physical pain, of course, but I get a sense of what she's feeling. Or at least what she thinks she's feeling."

"What else is going on in her head?" Jane asked.

"She has two immortal children in this house. Aiden and I created them a few years ago. They are very attached. There are at least five other people who have at least one immortal child in their home. Everyone here knows about them. One of them even reported this town to the Volturi"

"Your mind reading is mighty useful. It has saved us days." Alec replied.

"Brother, immobilize this town," Jane ordered. "Edward, find the informant. Bella, release the humans."

We all stared at her like she was mad, "You want me to release the humans?"

Jane turned and stared at me, the woman on the ground stopped moving. "Is that a problem? Aro said you had your blood lust under control."

"It's been like a day! No, I do not have my blood lust under control."

Jane rolled her eyes. "Edward can help you when he is done his task. Better get started."

I turned and followed the scent of fear. I found a large barn behind the mayor's house. It looked like a regular farm barn, except I smelled no barn animals inside. I made my way to the door, noticing a padlock on the door. I grabbed the padlock and gave a hard tug, it came off easily in my hand. I opened the door and then closed it quickly.

The smell. If I was still a human, I think I would have died from the smell. It was worse than a barn full of animals. The smell of flesh decaying, and human waste was unfathomable. It was a muscle memory to breathe when I didn't need to. Opening the door again, I walked in and my dead heart almost broke at the sight of the of it.

There were about 100 people that I could see, all in different states. I saw a little girl, maybe 10 years old, skin and bones, and on the verge of death. How did the town of vampires get any sustenance from these humans?

"Does anyone here speak English?" I asked loudly.

An old man in the back stood up and slowly made his way up to me. He was as sick and frail and was covered in dirt, sweat, and human waste. "I speak English."

"Good. I know how scared you are. I promise I will not hurt you." I said as the old man translated. "I am here to rescue you, to set you free."

They started whispering among themselves. "Where are we to go?" The old man asked. "We are what's left of the generations passed who built this town."

"You mean they took over the town? How long ago?"

The old man shrugged, "200 years ago?"

"I am so sorry this happened to you," I whispered, heartbroken.

"Why do you care? You are the same kind of monster." He accused.

"It doesn't matter. You guys can have your town back. First, you need to leave here until we clear this town."

"Are you sure we are free to go? I know what happens to humans who discover your secret." I turned to the voice, it was a young man maybe in his twenties. He didn't look like the others, maybe he was captured from somewhere else.

"I am just following orders," I answered honestly. "I don't know if she speaks the truth or not. All I know is that I am supposed to free you."

"But-"

"Just get out of here already!" I growled. They all stood up and made their way slowly through the door. I didn't watch which way they went.

"Bella!" Edward called from outside. "Jane needs our help."

"Coming!" I called back, running towards him. I followed him, and he led me to the center of the town where Jane and the others were fighting some vampires that didn't succumb to Alec's ability. I gave Edward a pointed look and then jumped into the fray.

"We need to start a fire!" Jane called after she ripped an arm off a vamp.

I tore my vampire apart and pulled a lighter out of my pocket, I threw it at the vampire and it burst into blue flame. The others started throwing body parts into the fire. I didn't stick around to watch. I turned around and came face to face – figuratively speaking – with my first vampire child. This was looked to be around 3 years old. I stared at her and then picked her up. She didn't fight me or scream and I turned towards the fire again.

Something hit me from behind, making me drop the child into the fire. As I turned around once again I stared into the eyes of a very angry vampire. She howled as she noticed the child in the fire, she ignored me and jumped into the fire trying to save the child. She failed. I couldn't watch anymore.

"Bella! A vamp is getting away." Alec pointed towards the right of me and I took off in that direction, hoping to catch up. I finally caught up to the vampire at the edge of a cliff. He was a new vampire and didn't know we could survive that jump and not drown in the ocean.

"Hey there," I said. The vampire flinched and turned to stare at me. "What's your name?"

"Allie." She answered, her brown hair blowing in the wind.

"How old are you?"

"16." She looked at me then, her eyes wide and frightened. "I just finished the change yesterday. I didn't know what was happening until it was over. I didn't ask for this."

I sighed. "I am not very old either, vampire-wise. Listen to me, Allie. You are new, it is possible the Volturi won't kill you. I can't guarantee it. I want you to go to Forks, Washington. There is a clan of vampires there, they will help you."

"How am I supposed to get there? Why are you helping me?"

"We are vampires Allie, we have no reason to breathe. You can swim. You need to do it now before the others get here. Please, go now."

She nodded and turned back towards the cliff, before she jumped she turned her head, whispered thank you and then she jumped. Five minutes later the others showed up. I told them I dispatched the vampire and I was just about to head back. I don't think Jane believed me, but she let it go.

"Did you find all the children?" I asked.

"Yes. Our mission is over, it is time to go home."

Aro congratulated us on a job well done and then we all went our separate ways. A few hours later, Edward came to find me to let me know that Allie arrived at the Cullens home. I thanked him and told him I would explain later. After he left, I lay on my bed and just stared at the ceiling. This was going to be a long 20 years...

A/N: I wasn't sure if I wanted to post this chapter or not. To me, this is like a filler episode. Anyway, read and review like always. Until next time...

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