Bella age 12:
A flash of lightning awoke Isabella out of her sleep. She had a nightmare.
" momma? Papa?" she called.
No answer.
Whenever she had a nightmare, one of her parents was by her side in a flash but this time no one answered.
Isabella rubbed her face and checked her clock. It was three in the morning. She tried rolling over to go back to sleep but it was useless.
With another sigh, she stood up and walked out of her room.
Her regular rotation of guards wasn't there either.
Where was everybody?
Isabella made her rounds, checking in her parents' offices, their bedrooms, and even some of the guards but still no luck.
Eventually, she found herself in the throne room but it was empty.
She shivered as her feet touched the cold marble.
She was just about to make her way to bed when she heard talking.
It was coming from a door connected to the throne room.
Isabella put her ear to the door and recognized the voice of her parents and some of the guards.
With hesitation, Isabella pulled the huge oak doors open. It was really heavy but that was soon lost to her as she saw the sight in front of her.
Her family. Her parents. They were hunched over their lips suctioned to the necks of people.
Men and women, wearing orange jumpsuits were screaming. Some of them trying to crawl away.
Her family was pulling them back. the sound of breaking bones echoing around them.
Isabella was quick to shut the door. Tears streamed down her face, as flashbacks of her mother and father played in her mind.
Without conscience thought, she ran out of the castle and into the storming night.
…..
She didn't know how far she ran but one thing she knew was that she was freezing and wet.
Her nightgown was drenched and she didn't know where to go or what to do.
She knew her family were vampires. They had told her that years ago. But she hadn't realized, they ate people too. They always promised they would never eat her but they said anything about anyone else. She hadn't considered how they ate in the first place.
Tears streamed down Isabella's face as she made her way down the empty street.
The street lights were lit, and Volterra was still old-fashioned in some of their customs, which included lighting the street lamps instead of using electricity.
Isabella stopped not knowing where to go next.
There was no one she could turn to
Bianca was out of town for the moment and the very people she loved and trusted were draining people.
Before she could figure out what to do a female's voice hit her ears
She was singing.
"Great is Thy faithfulness!" "Great is Thy faithfulness!"
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
"Great is Thy faithfulness," Lord, unto me"
Isabella followed the voice.
A strange memory swirled in her mind.
Flashback :
Isabella was sitting in the front row. Her father was next to her, his smiling face winking at her and then back to someone in front of them.
Isabella followed his eyes to see her mother. She standing with her back facing a choir...
Her mouth opened and then she began to sing.
"Great is Thy faithfulness," Lord, unto me"
End flashback.
Isabella gasped.
Her mother used to sing that song at church! No wonder it was so familiar. She followed the voice to a small churchhouse.
Peeking into the doorway, she saw a man with dark skin and short hair on an organ. Next to him was a small choir.
They were singing the song her mother used to sing.
Isabella wiped her tears and crept into the small church, and sat in a pew in the far back.
She wondered why the choir was practicing so early in the morning.
Warmth and a tinge of sadness crept through her as she thought of her human parents. She wondered what they would be doing right now if they were alive. Would her father get angry at her sneaking out? would her mother sing her to sleep with the gospel music she grew up with?
Suddenly a warm blanket was thrown around her shoulders and a man wearing a white collar had sat down next to her.
"Hallo Junge, was führt dich so spät ins Haus der Lords?" (Hello young one, what brings you to the lord's house so late?) he asked her in german.
To the man's surprise, Isabella responded to him in clear German.
"Was machst du, wenn jemand, den du liebst, etwas tut, das du schrecklich findest?" (What do you do, when someone you love does something you think is horrible?)
He hummed for a second, his head turning to glance at the choir, as they sang.
"I believe the lord wants us to forgive those who do us wrong or who do wrong things. not that, it is an excuse for what they have done. but the forgiveness is for you, child, not for them. Please, tell me your name. I am pastor Johann."
" I am Isabella Volturi. pleased to meet you, pastor."
As soon as she said her name, the pastor's face paled.
"did you say Volturi? My goodness child, how are you still alive? Do you live in the castle? Are you their slave?"
Isabella gasped. And ducked her head, peeking at the pastor from her bags. A tinge of anger pulsed through her.
" I am no one's slave. They saved my life, they are my family." She defended.
The pastor patted her shoulder gently and said " I am sorry young one, I mean no harm. It's just I have encountered the Volturi once or twice. They often donate to our orphanage. Are they the ones you were asking about?"
At this moment, Isabella felt a sense of guilt and yet yearning. She yearned to tell someone her secrets. Someone who would understand.
She missed Sam. He would understand. He might growl but at least he would listen.
"When I would become sad, my mother would often tell me a scripture. She would say the lord would never leave nor forget you. it would remind me that I am not alone. Life can often feel lonely at times. But Jesus is always with you. Would you like or talk about it? It can be hard Living with a bunch of vampires."
Isabella's jaw fell to the floor
"How did you know?"
" As I have said earlier, I have experienced the Volturi once or twice."
Isabella bit her lip as she thought about what to say.
Her mother and father always talked to God when they had troubles. And sometimes they would go to their pastor. But why were these memories hitting her now?
" they… drink blood. Human blood. I …didn't know they did that and I don't know what to think or what to say. They are my family. They take care of me. They love me and yet they drink blood! How do I deal with that? Does that make them the bad guys? Is it bad that I love them?"
Pastor Johann sighed as he pinched his nose and looked up to the sky.
He was silent for about 5 minutes before he spoke.
" you are pure . be the light for them Isabella. In their world of darkness, you are a bright light. Be the light child. Be loving, be kind, and look beyond the darkness. Maybe one day you can change their ways for the better."
Isabella looked at him with wide eyes.
"Can I listen to the choir a little longer ?"
" take all the time you need sweetheart."
…..
When Isabella finally left the church house, it was 6 in the morning.
And who was waiting for her by a tree?
Someone She hadn't seen in a month due to a long mission.
" papa Alistair!"
Alistair gave her a pointed look as they met halfway.
" you snuck out again….I'm beginning to think you have a gift. Some kind of shield that makes you undetectable or something. What are you doing out here angel? You are soaking wet and in your pajamas. Anything could have happened to you." He scolded her calmly.
Isabella sighed, as he offered her his hand.
She took it, as she thought over her words. Even now at 13 years old, she understood the dangers of sneaking out.
She understood that not everyone could be trusted and that there were people who had bad intentions for her.
But what else was she supposed to do?
She had nowhere else to go and sometimes no one to talk to.
"… I knew that the family had to eat something… I just never thought about what… I had a nightmare and I went to look for someone because it was quiet. Too quiet but then.. when I did find everyone they were … well they were eating…" she emphasized. She couldn't even say it because the thought of it made her sick.
Alistair froze as he crouched down before her. His cold hands shook her shoulders just a little.
" Isabella please tell me you didn't go into the throne room after dark."
She shook her head yes as tears formed in her eyes.
Alistair cussed in his native tongue.
"We never wanted you to find out like this. We wanted to wait until you were older. So that we could explain. Oh, angel, I am sorry you had to see that darker side of us. Please at least hear us out, angel. There is an explanation behind all this. Would you like me to explain or talk to the others?"
" Can you do it?" she asked
"Of course. But let's get home and get you in warm clothes."
…
Alistair jumped onto the balcony of Isabella's room. His nostrils flared as her scent overtook him.
That was something he had become accustomed to over the years. Her scent. It was strong and if she ever encountered a newborn they would surely lose their mind. He was grateful the Volturi had more control than most vampires.
As he put her down and turned his back so that she could change he felt a pang in his undead heart.
What would this revelation about their source of sustenance do to her? Would she no longer trust them? Would she want to run away?
He tilted his head as he listened to the sounds of the castle.
They were still feeding.
Most of the time the Volturi fed once a month. But ever since Isabella came into the picture they fed every three months. It gave them more time to spend with her and strangely, it helped their self-control. Not that they hadn't been well controlled anyway. There was something about his adoptive daughter that drew people to her. it was almost like that same day when he first found her. there was a pull that brought him closer. It brought all of them closer. Never in his thousand years of life could he imagine, that the Volturi would be united because of one little human girl. Sometimes, he wondered if having multiple parental figures confused or overwhelmed her.
He would have to ask.
"I'm ready." She told him.
He turned to see her in a moose onesie. Alistair couldn't help but laugh.
"where did you get that? It's cute." He admitted.
She chuckled, as she pulled back the blankets.
"Heidi bought it for a few weeks ago. She said just because the weather was changing, didn't mean one couldn't be warm and cute. A few of the guards wear them from time to time."
Alistair sat down in a chair and laughed.
He would pay to see some of the guards running around in animal onesies. That was sometimes the drawback of being one of their oldest members. It came with a lot of responsibility and he was often gone for months and sometimes years at a time. ever since they took in Isabella. He had only received monthly missions, but the older she got, the more time he would be away.
Not being one to beat around the bush, he got to the point.
"angel. As you know we are supernatural creatures. We are vampires. There are two ways one can get sustenance. That is from animals and from humans. Humans are the preferred method. The animal diet is not one many choose, there are only two covens that drink from animals. They claim it's better for them and they can be around humans more but, that's quite the opposite. They have to drink more animals to sustain themselves and they are always hungry. The itch or ache in the back of their throat is always present. However, we don't judge them. Just as long as they don't try to force their way on others. The preferred way is to drink from humans. Nomads go about this by stalking humans, drinking from them, and then disposing of their bodies. however, if a nomad or a coven is morally conscience, they will often hunt bad people such as murderers and abusers. The volturi however have a different method. We have a deal with some people from around the world. They send us their criminals who are on death row or simply need to disappear and we take care of it. no questions asked. Every last person you saw tonight was a criminal who had done something horrible and this was their punishment. If it helps we are working on a synthetic version, so we don't have to take as much. Do you have any questions?"
"why not just eat animals? Doesn't it seem easier? Couldn't you guys have an animal farm, so you can drink as much as you want and then sell the meat? Or what about in the sea? you guys could drink from a whale or a shark but not kill it. you just take what you need and let it go."
Alistair looked at her adoptive daughter in wonder. What if must be like to be a child and see the world through black and white? To create solutions that seemed so easy.
"oh, my angel. I'm afraid it doesn't work like that. There are impacts on the environment we would have to think about. Not to mention, no matter how much animal blood you drink, it will never satisfy us the way human blood does. I am sorry that you have to face this reality of the monsters we hold within us."
To his surprise, his angel crawled towards him. Sorrow and yet empathy in her eyes.
" none of you were given a choice in what you are now. All of you were human once. You are still human to me. Still a person. Just a little different."
Alistair smiled at her.
"you are truly, our angel my sweet girl. Now can you try to sleep?"
"yes. I'll try." She said she crawled back into bed. Tucking the covers under her chin.
"and Isabella. You know you're going to be grounded, when the others find out right? You cannot keep running away and sneaking out. I understand why but you have to find another solution to your problems when you are upset."
"I understand."
"alright then. Get some rest."