Author Note : Hope everyone enjoys this chapter!
Disclaimer : I don't own Twilight or its characters.
Chapter 14.
Bella whimpered in the dark and squirmed as the pain became almost unbearable. She bit her lip so hard that blood should have come, but it didn't. She sobbed out and gave a small scream before clenching her teeth.
The door slammed open, and the light flicked on. Vladimir stood there with Maysun and another vampire, one with dark hair and an olive tone to his skin. He was only slightly taller than Vladimir.
"See Stephen! I've taken his true mate, the next queen. He'll be a mess without her." Vladimir told the dark-haired man, Stephen.
Stephen stepped towards her, and Bella flinched away. She didn't want anyone touching her anymore. She had been beat and abused more than once in her lifetime by vampires, and she didn't want them touching her. She groaned and closed her eyes tight as the fire in her veins flared up.
Vladimir walked quickly to Stephen's side with a smile. That smile quickly disappeared, though, when Stephen turned and wrapped his hand around Vladimir's throat. Maysun hissed at the new male, and he quickly backhanded the hybrid with his free hand. The girl slammed backward into the metal table from the force, kicking Didyme's head across the room as she went.
"You imbecile!" Stephen hissed. "This was not the plan!"
Vladimir wrapped his hand around Stephen's wrist. "This plan is better, though, brother! She's the new queen."
Stephen tightened his fingers. "No! It's not better. We had a plan, a good plan. And now you've led the Volturi right to our hideout. Demetri will track her straight here."
"But we have enough newborns to take them out this time!" Vladimir defended his plan.
Stephen growled loudly in the white-haired vampires face. "I have given you everything you wanted, and you turn around and do this behind my back!" He yelled. "You were intrigued by the hybrids, so I let them team up with us. You wanted a hybrid for yourself that you could drink from while you had sex with them. Because their blood replenishes fast. I talked Joham into letting you mate with his daughter. You wanted to let the hybrids go to Italy so they could watch Volturi's guards and learn their schedule. I let you do that! All so we would have a leg up when we went to Italy to attack! But now we have no surprise attack! Because you beheaded a king and stole his mate." Stephen shook Vladimir and flung him to the floor. "Your mate isn't the only one that died in that battle. Mine did too. But you don't see me going off and doing some thoughtless plan because I'm angry, do you!? No, I planned for years for the Volturi's demise. And you've ruined it." Stephen hissed and glanced at Maysun. "Your mate wasn't even a true one, Vladimir. You'd never be able to touch that hybrid if she had been."
Vladimir growled at Stephen and jumped up. "She was my mate!"
"And yet you've moved on so quickly." Stephen told Vladimir.
"She means nothing to me!" The white-haired vampire waved his arm towards Maysun. "She just fills a void." He hissed.
Maysun gasped, and her face scrunched up with betrayal at Vladimir's words. "You told me you'd make me your queen. That we'd have a child together." She murmured.
At Vladimir's silence, Maysun's eyes filled with tears, and she raced out of the dungeon quickly. Vladimir looked back to Stephen.
"I did this for us." He tried convincing the dark-haired vampire.
"No, you did this in anger, as some sort of spur of the moment petty revenge against Marcus Volturi. You lost sight of the whole picture of executing them all, and you went after only one king." Stephen's eyes hardened. "You betrayed my trust. You betrayed me." His hand whipped out to backhand Vladimir.
Vladimir lost his balance and fell into Bella, who whimpered at the contact and cried out as her pain increased.
"We don't stand a chance against them now." Stephen murmured. "Surprising them and invading their castle was our best plan for us to survive. They have too many gifted vampires."
"But we have Serena! And that one newborn, Ruby. She can cause extreme depression. They won't even be able to stop sobbing long enough to fight." Vladimir exclaimed as he stood from the ground.
Stephen glared at Vladimir. "Leave me to my thoughts." He ordered.
Vladimir went to speak, but Stephen hissed at him. "This was revenge for my mate too, and you've ruined it. Leave!" He roared as he lunged at the white-haired vampire who stumbled back and fled the dungeon.
Stephen paced back and forth as he pulled his hair and growled. Bella's whimpers made him pause, and he glanced at her. Bella screamed out in pain as her heart began to race faster.
The dungeon door slammed open, and Steohen hissed. "I told you to leave!"
"Stephen! They're here! They've arrived. What do we do?" Vladimir questioned the dark-haired vampire.
"What do we do?" Stephen laughed. "You didn't plan this far ahead?" He asked, and at Vladimir's frazzled look, he sighed. "Put Serena on the front lines with Ruby. Give them newborn guards. They need access to anyone coming into our turf. Save the second wave of newborns as a surprise." He ordered, and Vladimir left in a hurry.
Stephen glared at the spot where Vladimir had departed from before turning back to Bella. "I didn't factor you into my plans when I let Vlad play around in Italy." He murmured.
Bella's response was to scream louder. She couldn't keep quiet any longer as the fire race to her heart.
"You didn't factor in on us either." A new voice said, and as Stephen whipped his head around, a fist slammed into his face hard enough that his skin fractured, and half of his head split off to land on the ground.
A large vampire lowered his fist, and a dainty black boot came forward, stepping on the other half of Stephen's head and crushing it under the rubber sole.
"Oh, Bella." The woman said with venom filled eyes as she reached up and snapped the chains, holding the soon to be newborn up.
Bella's naked body fell into the woman's arms, and the large vampire quickly stole Stephen's large overcoat to drape it over her.
"Rosalie?" Bella managed to whimper out before her back arched as the loudest scream yet escaped her throat.
Bella's heart beat loudly in her chest. She could hear each thump in her ears.
THUMP-THUMP, THUMP-THUMP, THUMP-
And then her body relaxed, and all noises in the dungeon ceased. Nobody moved.
Outside the Romanian's castle was absolute pandemonium. Marcus didn't wait for all their allies to arrive once their jet had landed. He'd gotten a head start in the direction the rope in his chest pulled him, too. He could vaguely hear others following him but didn't slow down.
Marcus broke through the foliage that hid the castle and immediately saw some guards around the grounds, along with a few hybrids. He sped up and flung his hand out, ramming his fist through the chest of one of the hybrids. Blood spurted everywhere as the hybrid's torso nearly exploded at the contact. Marcus's actions started the war, and he became locked in a battle with two of the enemies guards. Aro appeared beside him and beheaded one of the men, Marcus got the other. Aro gave Marcus a nod, and together, they jumped into the carnage unfolding.
Meanwhile, Jane was using her gift to cause extreme pain to the newborns filtering out of the castle like roaches. As they'd drop screaming, Felix would behead them. Jane had to concentrate to use her gift, and it made it harder for her to battle.
Alec was in the fray and had multiple vampires under his gift. They stood as he and Demetri beheaded them. Demetri's head snapped up at a high-pitched scream, and his heart dropped as he saw Heidi in a chokehold of a large male, the skin on her delicate neck cracking.
"NO!" He roared and began tearing through newborns trying to get to her.
Heidi felt her skin breaking apart and clawed at the males hands, all her training leaving her as she reverted back to instincts at the face of her possible demise. Her panicked eyes met Demetri's as she felt her body begin to numb. Her spinal cord was on the verge of being severed. And then the arms around her were gone. Heidi fell to the ground and couldn't believe her eyes when she looked up. Amun, Demetri's sire, stood above her with the head of the male who hurt her dangling from his grasp.
Denetri dropped to her side and began healing her would. He glanced up at his sire, the man who had been like a father for so many years.
"I didn't know you were coming." Demetri said, shocked.
"Well, I didn't want you to get yourself killed on this foolish mission!" Amun barked. "The Romanian's? Really?" He glared at Demetri.
Heidi whimpered, and Demetri kissed her head as her neck sealed together and healed. "Thank you." Demetri said as he glanced up at his sire, his arms still wrapped around Heidi.
Amun gave a sharp nod and, along with his mate Kebi, stood guard over Demetri and Heid until the latter could stand again.
Benjamin, meanwhile, had created a fire pit and was throwing pieces of vampire into the flames. Some newborns he grabbed with his flaming hands and let them burn in his grasp before disposing of them. His mate Tia stood with him, helping him pick off any vampires that tried to hit his weak spots while his back was turned.
Fred kept his gift up around Gianna and Sulpicia as they walked through the crowd. The curly-haired queen easily picked off newborns with the fighting skills she had learned over the centuries she'd lived. Gianna would throw the parts into the flames Benjamin had made. Fred kept a watchful eye over the two and beheaded any vampires that managed to ignore his revulsion gift.
Caius and Dora were a perfect team at battle. It looked as if they were dancing as they sped through the crowds together, severed vampire limbs being left in their wake.
Renata used her shield to confuse vampires, and Luca, her great uncle, helped her behead them. Another relative, Makeena, fought with them. Her mate Charles and his friend Garrett made a good team as they rammed through vampires, leaving pieces everywhere as they ruthlessly pulled on limbs.
Everything was going well. Besides the incident with Heidi, they were winning. It was all going in their favor. Until it wasn't.
It was as Felix and Jane were moving forward into a group of newborns that a flash of blonde caught Jane's eye.
"Now, Ruby." One of the newborns said, and then Jane was on her knees.
She glanced up into the red eyes of a blonde woman. This vampire hadn't been fighting. Her clothes weren't ripped, and she didn't smell of smoke like the rest of them. She simply stood there in a prim and proper manner and stared at Jane.
Waves of anguish rolled over Jane, and then she was sobbing. She didn't know why, but she couldn't stop. Felix began fighting the newborns with a vengeance, trying to get to the woman named Ruby, who obviously had a gift. But then he saw Fred kneel over Jane growling. Fred, who was supposed to be with Gianna. Felix darted through the fray, looking for his mate.
Meanwhile, Serena stood in a different group of newborns. She began getting close enough to the enemy to unleash her gift, leaving them confused as to what they were fighting for or even doing there.
The battle started tipping in the Romanian's favor. Fred was bitten over and over as he curled over Jane to protect her. And without Jane's gift, the Volturi were at a disadvantage. When Serena's gift managed to affect Alec, the battle got worse.
Chelsea let out a battle cry as she witnessed Afton's head roll to the ground, and a new vampire entered the carnage, grabbing it just before it hit the flames. Chelsea darted over to grab her mates head and looked into the red eyes of Jasper Cullen.
"Help me!" She cried as she began trying to put Afton's head back on.
The scarred blonde vampire knelt down to assist her. Meanwhile, Alice Cullen was darting through the crowd, using her visions to dodge attacks and dismember vampires as she went. She paused slightly as a vision hit her, and she came back to the present and rammed her hand into a hybrids neck as they tried wrapping their hands around hers. Blood sprayed on her face, but she paid it no mind. Because it was time. She was in the right spot, behind a sobbing Jane who was trying to throw her body into the fire as Fred held her down. Alice could see the newborns gift, affecting more vampires. Tia was crying and holding her chest while Amun was walking around in confusion, batting away newborns sloppily as he tried to gain his bearings. She saw the door to the castle slam open as a pale figure in a large overcoat dart out with two others behind her. The stars began to shine lightly on the sky as nightfall came, the fires around them lighting up the battlefield.
"BELLA!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.
A few moments before
Rosalie was frozen and afraid to move as she held the brand new vampire in her arms. Emmett hovered nearby and watched the situation closely, ready to get his mate out of harms way if needed.
Bella's eyes snapped open, and with a snarl, she was across the room crouched down and growling at them, the coat held to her chest. Emmett was at Rosalie's side in an instant.
"Bella," Rosalie spoke in a soft tone, and the newborn paused at her gentle voice. "we aren't going to hurt you." The blonde tried to reassure her. "Do you remember us? You said my name a moment ago."
Bella's head cocked to the side as she rose from her crouch, her eyes clearing and her instincts calming. "Of course I know who you are, Rosalie. And Emmett. Why are you here?" She hissed as memories came through her mind.
"We came to help you, Bella." Emmett murmured.
"You left me." She growled.
"And we're incredibly sorry, Bella. But we're here now. We killed Stephen for you to keep you safe." Rosalie said gently.
Bella's eyes glanced down at the short, dark haired male who'd she'd only been introduced to a few moments earlier. He laid on the floor, his head crushed to pieces. Nearby, Didyme's head laid. Bella's hand slapped against her chest as pain engulfed her heart.
"Marcus!" She wailed as she remembered his head being ripped from his body.
Rosalie was at Bella's side immediately. "Bella, what's wrong?" She asked as she took the sobbing brunette in her arms.
Bella continued to sob and murmur the name Marcus. Emmett's head lifted to the ceiling as stomping could be heard coming their way.
"I think we need to go, ladies." He informed them as the sound got closer.
"Bella, you have to get up! Let's get this coat on you." Rosalie hefted Bella off the floor and Emmett turned his back as Rosalie helped Bella into the jacket the right way, buttoning it up to her collarbone.
Bella's sobbing stopped as her head cocked and her ears picked up on a fluttering noise. It had a slushy sound that followed each thump.
"It's a hybrid." Rosalie realized.
"There's more than one person." Emmett said as he darted towards the door.
It slammed open before he could reach it, and Emmett found himself in a battle with a large, dark-skinned male. Rosalie stood and kept Bella behind her as the hybrid came towards them, but Bella hissed and shoved the blonde away.
The newborn crouched down and sprang just as the hybrid, Maysun, darted forward. They met with a crash, and Bella grabbed Maysun by the arm, slinging her into the wall. Stone flew around the hybrid, and Bella paused as her throat flared up, she watched blood pool from the shallow scratches on Maysun's skin. Maysun stood up a bit dazed, and Bella was on her in a second, her teeth sinking into the hybrids neck.
She greedily gulped down the blood that came from the hybrid, her eyes rolling back in her head. It was ambrosia. She growled when no more blood would flow into her mouth, unlatching her teeth and then sinking them into a new unmaked place. But no blood came from there either. Her name being yelled brought her back.
"Bella!" Rosalie yelled from a few feet away but didn't dare touch the newborn. "She's dead. There's no more blood."
Bella pulled back and whimpered as fire flared in her throat. She glanced up at Rosalie, bright red meeting golden.
"Let's get you out of here, Bells." Emmett suggested as he stood over the dismembered male. "We can find you more blood." He promised.
Bella stood up at the incentive. When she felt something warm on her chest, she glanced down and realized some of the hybrid's blood had spurted out on her. Bella couldn't resist dragging her finger through it and sucking the blood off as her throat burned.
"Come on, Bella." Rosalie said gently as she ushered the newborn to the door.
Bella froze at the sight of Didyme's head again. Her chest flared up in pain, and she whimpered. Then memories came to her mind. Memories of Aro's sadness as they looked upon Didyme's painting. How Jane and Heidi didn't wish to speak about the late queen. How they tiptoed around the topic. But Didyme's head had been here the whole time. Vladimir said she used to even be conscious. Bella's stomach suddenly turned at the thought of Didyme being subjected to centuries of living life as a dismembered head until she petrified. She made a decision. She was taking Didyme home.
She darted to the metal table and went to grab the bag that Didyme's head came from. Her fingers left a large indent in the metal as her hand flew forward to fast and hit it. Bella jerked her hand back at her new strength, and Emmett came to her side.
"What are you doing?" He asked her.
Bella held the bag up. "Didyme." She said as she glanced at the head and back to him.
Her hand went to her throat to massage it as the burn increased. Emmett glanced at Rosalie, and the blonde looked at the head.
"It's queen, Didyme." She said, horrified.
"We're taking her." Bella murmured and started to march towards the head.
"You're strength, Bella!" Rosalie exclaimed as the newborn bent to grab the head.
Large hands beat her to it and gently gathered the head to place in the bag. Emmett then took the bag and held it by his side as he ushered Bella to the door.
The three quickly maneuvered the now empty castle as they made it to the exit. Emmett shoved the doors open to let Bella and Rosalie exit first. As soon as Bella's feet met the grass and she glanced up to see the stars with her new eyes, her name was screamed.
Bella's body stiffened as she looked sa the carnage before her. Flames flew into the air high, ashes floating everywhere and landing on her pale skin. Vampires were screaming and being ripped to pieces. She saw Chelsea kneeling with a blonde male whose back was turned towards her. They were holding Afton's head. Demetri and Heidi were guarding an olive toned vampire who appeared dazed.
And then Bella saw her, with her dark pixie haircut and dainty features, dressed all in black. Bella's stared into the red eyes of Alice Cullen. And then her eyes dropped down to a small blonde vampire sobbing on the ground with a blonde male shielding her. The small blonde's hair was gathered in a severe bun on her head, and her eyes were venom filled onyx as they locked on Bella's as she cried out as if sad.
Jane. One of Bella's best friends. Sobbing on the ground. Bella growled angrily as she darted forward.
"BELLA NO!" Rosalie screamed from behind her as she ran into the chaos.
Marcus's head snapped up at her name, and then he saw her. Her long hair fell even longer in messy tangles all the way to her hips. Her porcelain skin dotted with blood. Her full lips that he'd watched sinfully eat fruits before. And her eyes, a bright red that steadily grew darker in anger. He tried to sprint towards her but was grabbed by a white-haired vampire.
"Vladimir!" He hissed as they circled each other.
"Marcus, I'll get my revenge at last." Vladimir sneered and lunged.
Bella had almost made it to Jane when a man grabbed her. She whipped around and hissed at him.
"Don't touch me." She snapped her teeth, and the male laughed.
Bella growled and tried shoving him, but he wrapped his arm around her chest and held her tightly to him. His other hand found her neck. As he began to pull, Bella thrashed around desperately.
She was tired of being manhandled! She was tired of people touching her whenever they wanted! She was tired of being hurt! Bella gasped as a rubber band snapped in her head, making her flinch. And then the man was gone. She turned to see him flying through the air, slamming into the castle. A vampire with flames flowing from his hands grabbed him, and then the male was screaming as his skin sizzled.
"Bella!" Her name was called again, and she glanced at Alice, who inclined her head towards a blonde vampire surrounded by newborns.
The blonde stood there, not a hair out of place, no marks on her skin, and a sneer on her face as she stared at Jane. The blonde's eyes glanced up at Alice as she heard her speak, and then she was staring at Bella. And Bella felt something poking her brain. She flinched as it dug deeper, and her head ached. The blonde's face dropped as an angry look took its place.
And then Bella was back in Marcus's office as a memory took over.
"Are you feeling better, Miss Bella?" Corin asked with a gentle smile.
"I am, thank you, Corin." Bella smiled back. "I'm glad your gift could help. I can actually feel something, almost like a small pressure, to my head when you use it. That's never happened before."
"That's your shield, Isabella!" Aro clapped his hands. "Corin did say she had to fight it to make her gift effective." He was excited.
Bella snapped back to the present. That's what that was. The blonde had a gift. She's the one hurting Jane. And now she was trying to use it on her. Bella growled as she glared back at the blonde, and she felt that same rubber band in her head, snapping into place. Only it felt stretchy, and Bella tested it. She furrowed her brows as she glanced at Jane. The small blonde's sad eyes looked back at her. Bella hissed as her head ached, and then the band snapped out, releasing a pressure, and Bella's body relaxed.
Jane's body froze up on the ground, and then the small blonde growled as she stood up and glared at the prim and proper women who'd dare to hurt her. The woman dropped to the ground, screaming in pain. The blonde male with Jane darted forward and beheaded her, throwing her body into the flames.
Jane turned just in time as a body hit hers, and arms squeezed her tightly. She growled before she heard the whimpers, Bella's whimpers.
"Bella!" She exclaimed and wrapped her arms around the newborn. "You're ok! Thank god." Jane murmured, and then she heard the whimpers turn into a name, Marcus. "What did you just say?" She pulled back.
"They killed Marcus." Bella's voice was a heartbroken whine as her red eyes bored into Jane's. "They killed him!"
"Jane!" Fred's voice called, and Jane looked over to realize that Fred couldn't get to them.
His hands were up in the air about two feet away from them. He was pressing them against something and looking at Jane with panic.
"Your shield is a physical one too." Jane whispered, amazed.
"Jane!" Bella gasped as she grabbed her chest. "It hurts."
"Bella, Marcus isnt-" Jane cut off with a scream as a large vampire tackled Fred to the ground. "Fred!"
Jane tried running to him but realized the shield went both ways. He couldn't get in, and she couldn't get out.
"Bella! Lower your shield!" She screamed at the newborn.
Bella shook her head. "I don't know how!" She grabbed her tangled hair and tugged at it.
Jane beat her hands against the invisible wall holding her in. "Fred! Someone help him!" She screamed as more newborns descended on him.
And then Alice was there with Caius, the two making an odd pair as they worked together to rip the newborns off Fred. Fred yelled out as his leg had been ripped off during the fight.
"CAIUS, MOVE!" Alice yelled, but it was too late.
A newborn lunged into the blonde-haired king and shoved him into the arms of an approaching Serena. Caius became confused and didn't even try to fight. Bella gasped as she watched Caius, the one who called her little sister, kneel as the woman wrapped his hands around his head.
Bella vaguely heard Dora scream, and she watched Alice get held back from helping by a large male. Jane beat on the invisible walls, and Caius's eyes met Bella's. Her lips parted, and she gasped out as the woman, the hybrid, began to pull.
Bella ran forward, intending to help Caius. She kept his gaze as she darted towards him, but then she stumbled as pain shot through her head. She yelled out, and suddenly, everyone was moving. Vampires flew through the air away from her in all different directions, toppling against each other like dominoes. Some of the trees surrounding the castle moved and crashed into the dirt, stone on the castle smashed to bits as if a strong sledgehammer had hit it. And then everything was quiet. A hand touched her chin, and she glanced up.
"Bella." Caius breathed before she darted up and slammed into him.
Caius glanced around and saw everyone getting up. The area looked like a tornado had run through it. He saw Dora, his Dora, slamming her hands against the invisible wall, trying to get to him. He was tucked inside Bella's shield with Jane, an injured Fred, and Alice. He pulled back and glanced into the panicked eyes of their newborn queen. Her hand clutched her chest, and his eyebrows furrowed. But suddenly, she was ripped from his arms by Alice.
"Bella!" Alice yelled as she spun her around. "Marcus is not dead!" She pointed outside of Bella's shield.
The battle had begun again, the Romanian's had many more newborns than Alice had seen, but strangely only a few hybrids. But through the carnage, Bella saw him, her world stopped for a moment, and all sounds ceased.
He was dressed in black, his button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up contrasting with his pale skin that was covered in blood. His wavy hair flew around his face, and a snarl flew from his lips as he slammed his hand against Vladimir's neck, making the skin crack slightly. The Romanian flew right into Aro, who quickly slammed him to the ground.
Bella gasped as her brain caught up with what she was seeing, the silence in her head becoming a roar as she heard the sounds of battle again. A newborn shoved into Alice, and Caius realized Bella's shield was down.
"Marcus." She breathed out, and then Bella was running.
"Bella!" Caius yelled behind her as he gave chase, swatting newborns away.
Marcus's head snapped up, and he saw her. Her hair flew behind her as she sprinted towards him. The blood on her skin matched her eyes, and the long black overcoat rode up in the middle, showing her milkly white thighs as she ran. Marcus growled as he realized she was naked underneath, the thought crossing his mind that she may have experienced something horrible done to her by the scum that stole her. She didn't have any clothes when she was taken.
Marcus watched as newborns tried to grab her, only to he met with a wall. He watched as his guard, his family, quickly grabbed and killed those newborns as they rebounded off her. Bella's bright eyes met his as he stepped towards her. And then she was in his arms, his feet sliding back a few feet from the speed she used. She whimpered against his neck as she buried her face there. Marcus squeezed her against him, and suddenly he could breathe again, the weight in his chest loosening up. He inhaled her scent of strawberries, freesia, and many other scents attached to her skin that made him growl, he didn't want anyone else's scent on her.
And then he was groaning as Bella's teeth sunk into his neck, right over the scar where he was beheaded. He felt her venom pump onto him, but instead of burning, he felt pure pleasure as his mate marked him.
Bella didn't know what she was doing, but she couldn't ignore her instincts. And with her teeth in his neck, all she could smell and taste was his scent of cinnamon. Only now she could smell apple, too. She could taste him on her tongue, and she pulled back to lick over her teeth marks. She glanced up at him with a whimper as fire raced across her body from his touch.
Marcus tangled his hand in her hair and slammed his lips to hers, tasting her lips again and pressing her body against his with his hand on her lower back. Bella wrapped her hands around his neck, tugging his hair as she nipped his lip with her teeth.
"Marcus! Marcus! MARCUS!" His name being screamed finally broke Marcus apart from his mate.
He glanced up and saw Aro standing there, his hands pressed up into the air. Sulpicia stood next to him, running her hand across whatever Aro was touching too. Marcus looked all around and realized that everyone was held at least two feet away from them. He glanced at Bella with amazement.
"She's a physical shield, too!" Aro was giddy, and Sulpicia wrapped her arm around his waist to calm him.
Marcus finally took stock of everyone else. Jane was torturing a few newborns who Benjamin then burned. Fred stood next to her but favored his leg, Alec let him lean on his shoulder. Jasper stood above Vladimir, who cowered and glanced at the scarred vampire fearfully. Rosalie stood behind Serena, making the hybrid stay on her knees as her mate, Emmett, held Joham on his knees too.
They had won. And from what Marcus could tell, with no casualties on their end, though they all hadn't made it unscathed completely. He could see Demetri hovering over Heidi, who bore a new scar on her neck.
Surprisingly, Amun and his mate also stood with Demetri, glancing around for more threats. Gianna had some new bites littering her body, and Felix was pressed to her side, glaring at anyone who got to close.
Bella's whimpers brought his attention back to her, and he looked down to see her glancing around at all the vampires surrounding them. She pressed against him tightly, and he saw Aro and Sulpicia get pushed back a few steps. Aro's eyes widened in amazement.
"Isabella," Marcus breathed. "it's alright. These are our allies. They all came here to fight for you, for their new queen. They won't hurt you." He promised in a soothing tone.
Bella opened her mouth to speak and then grabbed her throat as it flared up in pain from her thirst.
"She needs to feed." Marcus heard Sulpicia murmur.
"She drained one of the hybrids when she woke up." Rosalie spoke up.
Serena gasped and then snarled as she pressed against Rosalie, trying to get room as she lunged towards Bella. The blonde quickly jerked the hybrid back with a hiss, her grip causing a crack to be heard as Serena's collarbone broke. The hybrid cried out.
"Father! Help me." She looked towards Joham, but the vampire only glared back at her and refused to answer her cries.
"All the newborns are taken care of, Master Aro." Jane was suddenly there with them, an arm around Fred's waist as she kept him close to her.
Bella glanced at the pair curiously and caught Jane's eye. Jane smiled and pressed her hand to her own chest as she darted her eyes to Fred. The puzzle pieces fit together in Bella's mind because she knew. She knew what Jane meant. Her own chest, her heart, was absolutely full of love for the man who was wrapped around her. He was pressed against her just like the blonde man to Jane. Her friend had found her mate.
Bella beamed and stepped forward as suddenly her shield was down, and Aro stumbled forward as he'd been pressing on it again. Marcus's chest rumbled, and he pulled her back. She glanced up at him and then back to Jane.
"This is Fred." Jane announced as she came closer to Bella and Marcus. "Fred, this is Bella, our queen." Jane introduced them, and Bella held her hand out.
"Hello!" Her voice sounded like bells, and Fred paused in bewilderment at her strange gesture.
He certainly wasn't shaking hands with anyone as a newborn. She was definitely strange, he thought. But he took her dainty hand and gave it a light shake before stepping back to press his side to Jane's.
"I'm glad you're ok." He stated with a nod to the brunette newborn.
Jane beamed at them both as she took Fred's hand in hers.
A commotion took their attention away from the introduction. Aro had stepped up and was holding Joham's hand, reading his thoughts. He stepped back.
"It seems that Joham here had hoped he could be the leader of his new hybrid race and knew teaming up with the Romanians would give him power and protection. Though, you've only managed to create just under ten of them. Some were killed today in battle." Aro stated.
Fred stepped forward. "Where is Bree?" He growled at Joham and earned himself a hiss from Serena, who defended her father even with his ill treatment of her.
Joham stayed silent, and Aro answered. "It seems when Joham showed up with your friend, Bree, to introduce her to Jennifer, his son and his son's aunt attacked him. They made him leave. Bree is in South America with them. We will have guards retrieve her for you before we return to Italy." Aro promised him as he glanced between him and Jane.
Aro couldn't believe Jane had finally found her soulmate.
"But she's ok?" Fred asked.
"In Joham's memories, Jennifer did take a liking to Bree. She was ok when Joham left." Aro stated, and Jane squeezed Fred's hands to calm his worries.
Aro stepped up to Vladimir now, and then Bella remembered. She remembered her time in the dungeon and the black bag Emmett had around his shoulder. Didyme. Aro would see Didyme in Vladimir's memories.
"Wait!" She called and stepped forward. Vladimir was pushed backward a few feet, and Jasper steadied him.
Aro reached out but couldn't touch him. The black-haired king turned to Bella questiongly. Bella bit her lip, such a human gesture, and paused. She glanced at Emmett, who stiffened as her eyes glanced at the bag. Marcus caught the look and stepped up behind her.
"What's wrong, Isabella?" He asked as he pressed his hand to her shoulder.
"I need to read his thoughts. Can you let your shield down?" Aro inquired.
Bella squirmed and bit her lip harder as she realized everyone was staring at her. Vampires she didn't even know. She didn't know what to tell Aro, how to word it. And suddenly wished she could just show him.
Aro began to get impatient and walked towards her. "Isabella! The sooner I get his memories and get to the bottom of everything, the sooner we can all go home." Aro reached out to touch her elbow.
She glanced into his red eyes and didn't know how to tell him about Didyme. How was she supposed to tell him that his sister's head was in a bag, not even ten feet away. She reached out to grasp his hand and sobbed. Marcus wrapped himself around her from behind, and Aro softened.
"Isabella,-" Aro began but cut off as his eyes widened.
And Bella knew why. Because her head ached and that rubber band expanded and suddenly she could feel the poking and prodding in her brain. Panic went through her as she knew that he was seeing everything and he was going to see Didyme. She whined out loud and pressed back into Marcus as Aro's grip tightened. And then he released her, stepping back as his face screwed up in horror. Sulpicia stepped forward and grabbed him as his hand went to his mouth.
"Aro?" The curly-haired queen questioned as she held his arm.
But then Aro's face clouded over with anger, and he barreled towards Vladimir, wrapping his hand around his throat. Marcus began to step forward, but Bella latched onto him and glanced into his eyes. Her eyes were tortured.
"Didyme!" She gasped out as her eyes filled with venom tears, and Marcus stiffened as he stared at her.
Bella pointed at the bag on Emmett's shoulder, and the large vampire stiffened as he slowly took the bag off his shoulder and held it out. Caius was the one to dart forward and take the bag, stepping away from everyone as he unzipped it. Gasps were heard as long black pin straight hair fell and dangled from the bag.
Tearing metal sounded, and Bella looked to see Aro tearing into Vladimir, chunks of him going in all directions as the black-haired king clawed into him. Marcus gasped at her back and stepped towards Caius, and Bella whimpered, but suddenly Alice was there. She was looking at Bella and touched her arm gently.
"Your eyes." Bella murmured as she glanced into the red orbs.
"A lot has changed, Bella." Alice stated gently as Jasper appeared at her back, making Bella flinch and hiss as her instincts flared up.
She quickly stopped, though. Because they had helped her, obviously they weren't there to hurt her. Jasper cocked his head as his red eyes looked at her.
"You're an odd newborn, Bella." His southern drawl came out as he spoke.
And then a new vampire was beside Jasper, and Bella stepped back. Alice rolled her eyes.
"I'm Garrett, my lady." The vampire did a slight bow as he smiled at her, his long brown hair falling in his face.
He was the first vampire Bella had met that had facial hair. It made him oddly seem more human.
"I'm Bella." She murmured and held out her hand.
Garrett took it, but instead of shaking it, he placed a light kiss on the back. "It's great to meet you, queen Bella." He stated as he released her hand.
"Are you not gonna introduce us, Major?" A new voice asked, and Bella saw a man and woman behind Jasper.
Jasper rolled his eyes now and sighed but smiled. "This is Peter and Charlotte, I knew them before my time with the Cullen's."
"Knew us!" The man scoffed and stepped forward. "We're brothers in every way but blood! And now the coven is back together." Peter rocked back on his heals as he finished speaking and then turned to Bella. "It's a pleasure to meet the new queen, though!" He smiled at her as his short brown hair blew in the wind, and Bella tried not to flinch at the sight of his scars.
She fought her instincts and smiled back. "It's nice to meet you too. I'm Bella, but you probably heard that." She placed a hand over her forearm and suddenly felt awkward, like it was the first day of school all over again.
Jasper stared at her again and cocked his head. Peter smirked as he watched his brother study the newborn.
"Jasper's right, though. You are different than most newborns." Peter told her with a grin, and Bella glanced down, shuffling her feet.
Charlotte stepped forward and held out her hand, her short blonde hair bouncing as she walked. She was short, maybe five feet, and she had many bbattle scars
"Don't listen to them, sugar. You're just more controlled than normal newborns, which is a good thing. I had more control too when I was changed." Charlotte's southern drawl was more pronounced than Jasper's.
The term of endearment slipped easily past her lips, she reminded Bella of a true southern bell. "You can just call me Char."
Bella grasped her hand and lightly shook it, and Jasper rubbed his forehead as he stared at her in shock.
"It's nice to meet you both." Bella stated as she took her hand back.
"I've just never seen a newborn so controlled!" Jasper exclaimed. "You shouldn't want anyone to be so close to you right now."
"I told you she was special, Jazz." Alice murmured and placed her hand over his chest.
A commotion got their attention. They turned to see Aro barge over to his brothers and yank the bag away from them, growling at them as he zipped it up.
"Somebody take care of that!" He waved his hand towards Joham and Serena. "I'm ready to return home." He held the bag to his chest.
Fred stepped forward, and Aro's eyes flashed to his. "Jane, Demetri, and Heidi! You need to accompany Fred to South America so he may be reunited with his covenmate. They live in the forrest around Chile." He ordered the guard. "To everyone who has helped us today! Thank you for being our allies and helping us retrieve, dear Isabella. Your contribution will never be forgotten." He promised them as he glanced into each of their eyes.
Aro then glanced at Alice. "Call the Denali's. I'd like to have a meeting with Eleazar regarding Isabella's gift."
Alice nodded at Aro and pulled out her phone, sending a quick text.
Amun murmured something quietly to Demetri, who nodded and hugged him. Heidi beamed at his side. "We can't wait to visit you!" She exclaimed.
Renata was saying her goodbyes to her family, Luca making her promise to visit him soon for a change. Garrett was at their side suddenly, explaining he was going with the Whitlock coven for a spell. Bella didn't know who the Whitlock coven was and her face scrunched up on confusion.
Jasper laughed lightly. "Whitlock is my last night from my human time. Peter and Charlotte took it after their change. Hale is Rosalie's name, I just used it when I was part of the Cullen's." He explained.
"Oh." Bella said quietly and then suddenly someone was behind her again and she was pulled into a strong chest, away from Alice.
She glanced up at Marcus. "Are you ok?" She asked him, knowing that seeing his late wife's head had to he dramatic.
Marcus's eyes widened at her question. "You were kidnapped three days ago and finished your transition today, but you're asking if I'm ok?" He asked incredulously.
Bella bit her lip as she met his eyes with a nod. Marcus's eyes grew soft and he drew her lips up to his, kissing her gently.
"I'm tremendously better now that you're back in my arms." He murmured as he pulled away.
Bella snuggled into his chest but stiffened as the scent of blood met her nose. Her head jerked up, and she realized that Serena had tried to escape Rosalie. Emmett had his hands around Joham's head, and with a snap, it cracked off. Serena cried out and fell down on her already skinned up knees. Bella growled lowly as she inhaled and her eyes darkened.
Marcus pressed his hand to her cheek, watching the red leak away from her eyes. She glanced at him as she whimpered and squirmed, trying to leave his arms. She huffed when he wouldn't release her and Marcus stole another kiss, nipping her lips. And suddenly Bella was whimpering for a different reason, as a new need made heat curl in her belly amd she pressed into him.
Caius cleared his throat and Marcus sighed. "She already marked you in front of us, brother. Surely you can wait till you're back in Italy for any claiming." He teased.
Bella ignored the blonde king and pressed her lips to Marcus's neck. He sighed and clenched his hands on her hips but pushed her lightly away. She whimpered and met his eyes.
"You're thirsty." He stated and then her throat flared in pain again and she grabbed it. "Go feed, so we can go home." He ordered gently as he turned her towards the hybrid, letting her see the blood staining the half human-half vampire's skin.
Bella growled as she strolled forward, eyes locked on Serena's brown ones as Rosalie held the hybrid in place. Bella's mouth watered as she lunged forward, her sharp white teeth and onyx eyes the last thing Serena ever saw.
Author Note : So Bella is finally a vampire! I hope everyone liked this chapter!
I wanted to add the Romanian's to this story because I didn't understand how they had resisted attacking the Volturi after their mates were killed. In the Illustrations Guide, I believe it mentioned at least one of their mates died during a battle with the Volturi. And after Victoria had been so hellbent on killing Bella over James, I figured the Romanian's had to have some sort of revenge plans up their sleeve.
I also made Bella's gift a physical shield since she had been hurt so many times by supernatural creatures but couldn't fight back because they were stronger. I feel like her shield would manifest as a physical one too.