Over the next few hours, I entertained the idea of just running. Just taking off and running as fast as my vampiric body could take me until a mountain range or an ocean stopped me.

But I couldn't leave Carlisle and Esme to deal with my mess. Aro wasn't fooling me, he might not be angry with me, but I didn't want him to hurt my family. Whatever he wanted, the Cullens were just trying to protect me.

Carlisle had all but barricaded himself in his office. I didn't know if he was on the phone and lost my nerve to knock.

I went back to my room and laid all of the presents out on my bed, apart from the painting and put the corresponding letter next to them.

What was going on?

This couldn't be as simple as recruiting me. Or was this normal for gifted vampires? I could imagine him being this persistent with Alice, she was invaluable, the ability to see the future. If Jasper wasn't her mate, I was sure Alice would be in one of those dark gray cloaks.

I shivered thinking of my petite sister with dark red eyes, her face twisted in Jane's malevolent sneer.

But it didn't make sense to chase me this hard. My gift appeared to be stuck, not able to manifest beyond the same latency from when I was human. Edward still couldn't read my mind and I went fuzzy in Alice's visions, but it wasn't like I could shield other people or turn invisible or do anything impressive.

Maybe telling him that would help?

I texted Alice, but she hadn't texted me back. If she had a plan, we were running out of time. For lack of any outlet for the manic energy filling my limbs, I took another shower, not washing my hair, but just enjoying the hot water running over my skin. I scrubbed at my limbs until the sponge disintegrated, but my skin remained pale, smooth and unblemished. Were I still human, the skin would be rubbed raw and bleeding.

Esme helped me with my hair, I was never any good at fixing it myself, just pulling it back into a messy braid or ponytail at most. Esme put it into a twist with a handful of pins that made me look elegant.

"Thank you."

"Of course. It's always difficult to fix your own hair."

Her hands rested on my shoulders while her eyes met mine in the mirror. She looked pained, but not judgemental. My eyes burned and I dropped forward, pushing the heels of my hands against my eyes. "This is all my fault. I didn't mean-I'm so sorry."

"Hush, hush. It's our fault. We should've told you." Esme turned me and pulled me into a hug. "You didn't do anything wrong. You were trying to do the right thing, weren't you?"

I nodded, miserable. That's all I was trying to do, I just wanted the presents to stop. I wanted Aro to forget me. I wished I'd never called and started throwing the presents off a cliff.

"I-"

"Shh. Hush now. It'll be alright. Aro and Carlisle have been friends for a long time. I'm sure Carlisle can explain what happened."

Her words were soothing, at odds with her terse form, but I was desperate to believe them. I nodded against her shoulder until Carlisle appeared in the doorway, looking haggard, his hair stuck up at odd angles as though he had run his hands through it.

"Carlisle, I-"

"I've spoken to Alice-" his gaze dropped to the diamond necklace, the only jewelry I wore and I fought the urge to fidget. "-Bella, are you sure? Aro is-"

"Yes. Please, let me try. This is my fault and I can't stand it if something happens to you because of me."

He looked like he wanted to say more, but sighed. "Aro is nothing if not mercurial. He's excited to meet you, perhaps everything else can be delayed. It is in our favor that Edward is still abroad."

"Everything else?"

"They should be here within the hour. I will tell you after he leaves. I'm sorry, Bella, again. This is my fault."

"No, it's - If' I'd just listened-"

"You had no reason to hide the truth. Honesty is not a flaw, Bella. We will navigate this, as we have challenges in the past."

James.

Victoria.

"Carlisle, what you said earlier, about jus primae noctis?" I swallowed. "He's not going to-he's not trying to?" I lost my nerve. "This is still about my gift, right?"

"Aro wants you for his coven, that much is very clear. I was using the closest equivalent to tell you about his claim, but I'm afraid I frightened you. His designs are not so base, I assure you, but he is intent on you returning to Italy."

"I don't want to." I crossed my arms over my middle, a habit from when I was human. I would be nauseous if I could. My stomach was in knots.

"I know, Bella."

We all tensed when gravel crunched beneath wheels in the driveway.

We were out of time. I hoped Alice was right.

Carlisle descended the stairs first to greet them, while Esme and I waited in the living room. We both stood, too nervous to sit.

Aro swept into the room, every inch a king, his natural grace making even Alice look clumsy. I could see Felix and Jane trailing behind him, both looking bored while Carlisle bringing up the rear, just looked stressed.

"Esme! How wonderful to finally meet you in person." She couldn't exactly avoid his outstretched hand without being rude, Aro took it without so much as a blink, holding only a moment too long before releasing it.

"And, Isabella."

I never thought my name suited me, I grew more uncomfortable with it every year, like a hand me down that never quite fit. I shortened it, but even that didn't feel right. 'Bella'. Italian for beautiful, it felt like a joke, but my only other options were going by the first half of my name (I tried that in the third grade 'Izzy' but everyone started calling me 'Dizzy' because I was so clumsy so I gave up) or my middle name. I never thought I looked like an Isabella, but I looked less like a Marie.

I didn't tremble as a vampire, but still swallowed hard. Being outside of his literal throne room, without his fancy robe, should have made him look less intimidating, but it didn't.

He still wore a black suit, hair pulled back from his face, his smile a manic approximation of friendly, but his eyes were different.

Dark maroon, but last time they were curious, if a little greedy. Now they were more crimson, but greed didn't seem to be the right word to describe the look. Covetous was the only other word that sprang to mind. He watched me move like he needed to memorize every step or twitch.

"A-Aro."

"Immortality suits you, ciao."

He extended his hand to me and I reached out, my hand trembled slightly as Aro clasped it close, pulling me slightly to him, the way he had in Volterra over a decade ago. He bent over our joined hands for a long moment before looking at me with bright eyes. "What a mystery you remain, piccola."

I fidgeted, fighting the urge to pull at his hold since he seemed to have no intention of releasing my hand. "It-it doesn't work. I'm still just, me."

"What doesn't work?"

"My gift. I'm not-I can't. I wouldn't be an, asset." I petered out quietly under the intensity of his stare.

"My dear, you are still so young, your gift is only beginning to manifest. I have no doubt you will be magnificent in time. But, I digress. If Carlisle will excuse you, we have much to discuss, do we not?"

He looked over his shoulder at my coven leader, but it wasn't a question and we all knew it.

I led him to the balcony off the edge of the living room. I didn't want to bring him to my room and Carlisle's soundproofed study didn't seem like the best option. I wanted Carlisle and Esme close.

"You look beautiful in the color and I must admit I am pleased to see you enjoyed my gift." His eyes lingered on my exposed throat for just a moment before trailing down to my necklace before meeting my eyes. My skin burned where his eyes touched as though he'd traced the path with his hand.

If I pressed any harder against the balcony railing, I ran the risk of breaking it, so I stayed still. This was all my fault, if I just hadn't tried to stop the presents, if I hadn't called him, none of this would be happening.

What was I thinking?

"T-thank you. And thank you for the presents. I'm sorry I called you-" could a vampire's mouth get dry? "-I mean, I'm sure you're busy. This isn't Carlisle's fault-"

"Isn't it?" Aro raised an eyebrow. "He was supposed to inform me when your and Edward's charade had run its course."

"Charade? You mean Edward 'coming to his senses'?"

"You sound cross mea vita. Perhaps I should have said he finally listened to his better judgment?"

"His 'better judgment?'"

I heard a strangled noise from the living room, like someone choking back words, but I ignored it.

"Of course, confusing your singer for your mate…" Aro sighed as though he had pity for my former husband. "He's not the first to make that mistake, nor will he be the last. Young ones are so volatile, but tell me, Isabella, did his attitude not change towards you after you woke as a vampire?"

"I-" I paused. Edward did change after I turned, he seemed to struggle to remain in the same room with me. "Why does it matter?" What did Aro care?

"It matters because the Cullens have deceived you."

"No they haven't." They wouldn't, they were trying to protect me. I still felt a twinge at the back of my mind, part of me was still angry that they were hiding something from me. But they wouldn't do that without a good reason. And keeping me away from Aro was definitely a good reason.

All of my instincts were screaming. I wanted to run, first into the forest, or to hide behind my coven leader. Even to my bedroom, where I could lock the door and pretend that mattered to a determined vampire. Another wave of instinct ran below the surface, too deep for me to understand it, but it kept me in place. "They were protecting me."

"Is that what they told you? From their perspective, I suppose they would see it that way, but where is your temper, tesoro? I abhor liars myself, are you so tolerant of them?"

"Just, stop. Please. Tell me why you're here. I'll give the presents back, I-"

I was out of ideas. I didn't know what he wanted, I was frightened. I just wanted him to leave.

I was going to throw my phone into the ocean.

Aro ignored my offer, instead, taking a step closer until the metal railing of the balcony creaked where I was pressed so hard against it. "I'm here, Isabella. Because you called for me."

"I didn't! I-"

"Specifically reached out to inform me that the last barrier to my claim was removed. I'm flattered by your initiative, cara."

That's not what I was expecting him to say. I'd always thought that he was interested in me becoming a vampire out of curiosity, but killing me was never off the table. I wasn't like Alice or Jasper or Edward, my gift was next to useless.

"I don't-you can't just-"

His thumb raised from my chin to press against my lips, halting my words. "You'll find, young one, that there is precious little I cannot do and that decision is not in your hands."

His free hand slid down from my elbow until he was able to lace his fingers between mine. I wanted to jerk my hand away, but everywhere he touched felt numb in the same way that hot water felt cold for a split second before giving way to pain.

"You will be returning to Volterra. I have indulged this to the limits of my patience."

I tugged at his grip. "No, I'm not-I can't-what patience? Why?" I couldn't decide what to ask first and the words dissolved in my mouth as he continued to speak.

"If you will not return of your own volition, then I will remove all tethers keeping you here.".

He whispered it like he was telling me a secret instead of whispering something horrible. Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, Alice,?

He would kill them all?

He continued to watch me over our joined hands.

"You're going to kill everyone?" It came out as a strangled hiss. Involuntarily, my body seized, and I stopped breathing, eyes wide, not believing that I heard. As if I wasn't having the vampire version of a panic attack, Aro studied our laced fingers before lifting my hand to his lips; he wasn't kissing it, but I felt his lips brush the skin. His eyes never wavered. "Must I?"