A/N: It's not my playground just my slide.
I don't own it.
I have no beta.
EPOV
I cannot believe Bella had the audacity to speak to me in such a disrespectful manner. I will discuss with her what is proper decorum for a young woman her age once she comes to her senses and gets back together with me.
I have never been so disrespected in my entire life. Back in my day, a woman knew her place. Women were meant to be seen and not heard, and they most certainly were never to talk back to a man.
As the man in the relationship, I have the final word. On occasion, I will ask for a female's opinion, but I usually only do that to make them think they have some say in the relationship. It helps to keep the peace.
When I first met Bella, she was shy and reserved. She was respectful and kind. She never dressed like a harlot nor acted like one. Bella always deferred to me which is exactly the proper order of things.
I realize now what a disservice my leaving did to her. She has lost all morals and carries herself like a strumpet. What she was wearing when she walked out of that locker room was appalling. The shorts she donned was so short, that we could all see a part of her buttocks peaking out. It was ghastly. I have never been so disappointed. My demure, shy Bella was replaced by a woman of ill repute. It was repugnant.
I don't even want to get into her participating in a man's sport. Watching her during the competition was appalling. It was truly unfeminine for her to compete. A female should never participate in anything that would cause her female parts to jiggle. She and I will be having a discussion about that. I forbid her to ever behave in such an offensive manner ever again.
I was happy that Carlisle agreed with me when I ordered him to have the family move back to Forks. Time was of the essence. Bella needed an attitude adjustment as soon as possible.
I've ordered Alice to keep an eye on Bella, but she hasn't had much luck. She claims that it's almost like Bella no longer exists. We both think she's been associating with that mutt of hers, and that is the cause for the blank spots in Alice's visions.
That's another thing I will be dealing with her about. She will be forbidden to have any association with that filthy dog. If she so much as disobeys my direct order, I will be forced to punish her. I think a good spanking will help get my point across.
BPOV
Everything has been going well this past week. I religiously wore my bracelet even in the shower because I was desperate to ensure that Alice wouldn't be able to see me. Keeping her in the dark was essential to my continued good health not to mention my sanity. In order to maintain control over my life, I would do whatever it takes.
I know full well that it was only a matter of time before the entire Cullen coven moves back here to Forks. Their arrogance knows no boundaries. While I enjoyed telling them off in Florida, I knew that they were going to ignore everything I said because they only care about themselves.
Jake comes over as often as he can just to hang out and provide some extra protection. The rest of the pack has shown up several times as well to watch the game on my 65-inch flat-screen TV. Paul had even gifted me with a mandala that he handmade and hung it up on the wall in my living room. My house was quickly becoming wolf central.
I have only one semester left of college, and then I'm free. I decided to finish during the summer. I didn't really have any reason why I couldn't just plow ahead and get the work done. The sooner it was finished the sooner I can move on.
There was one point of interest that happened a week after my return from my competition. When Master Joon finished up class on Saturday after we got home, he approached me with a letter clutched in his hand. The look on his face had me concerned. He hesitantly handed the letter over which I slowly took.
"This came for you," he told me. Giving me one more glance, he turned and walked back to his office.
I have been a student of his for five years, and he has never been verbose. It's still a bit shocking that he really doesn't have much to say unless it's during lessons. Master Joon does not believe in wasting words.
I looked down at the letter that was addressed to me here at the dojang. I couldn't think of anyone who would send me a letter here and not to my house. Unless, of course, the person who sent it doesn't know my home address.
I tore it open and pulled out the letter. I was beyond shocked to see who it was from. It was signed by both Emmett and Jasper. Now that had me intrigued.
Hey, Bella,
We're sorry to have to send this directly to your karate school. We're going behind the wonder twins' backs and really don't want either of them to know we are trying to reach out to you.
Plus Rosalie will kill me. (sigh)
Bella, we both want you to know that we never wanted to leave you and we're both pissed at the rest of the coven for dragging you on the way they did. We're sure that you noticed by now that Carlisle is really Eddie's bitch. He spends so much time kissing Eddie boy's ass that Esme should be feeling concerned for her position as Carlisle's mate. Just saying.
Alice and Edward are up to something. Jazz man says that they have been oozing deceitful vibes since before your birthday They have also been acting oddly as well. Neither of us trusts those two.
We wanted to contact you much sooner but we are trying to work undercover, and it's been really difficult. You know what Alice is like when she's trying to manipulate people by using her visions. And you know what Eddie is like when he's backing her up.
We want you to know that they are up to something. Don't believe a damn thing those two pull out of their asses. They're liars. Something is not right with them both of them.
Bella,
It's Jasper. Darlin', whatever you have done to block yourself from Alice's visions keep doing it. She cannot see you at all. Her emotions have me concerned.
Be careful. Em and I were proud that you told the family off, but they ignored everything you said. They always find a way to justify their actions regardless of how wrong they are. Heads up. Edward ordered Carlisle to move the family back to Forks.
Emmett and I think you are in real danger. We're staying with the family for now, but once we get to Forks, we're going to have to work out a protection detail. You are in danger. Be careful!
I drove straight from Port Angeles to the rez so that I could show the letter to Jake. It's an understatement to say he was pissed. I explained to him that Emmett and Jasper are the good guys, but the wolves hate vampires and really do not have any classifications such as good or bad for them. To them, all vampires are evil.
I explained to them that both Jasper and Emmett have been trying to protect me. Neither of them has ever done anything to cause me concern. Jake pointed out that they left with the rest of the coven. Now that I have been informed of what's going on, I'm alright with how Jasper and Emmett had to leave. They had to stay under the radar which is hard to do with a telepath and seer.
So now I am on my way home from La Push. As much as I love hanging out with the pack, a girl needs a break from all that testosterone. I can't even imagine what Leah goes through on a daily basis. As the only female shifter, she's drowning in male hormones.
I pulled into my driveway and noticed that something was off. Nothing seemed to be out of place, and there was no one else around. The air seemed so still. It was almost eerie.
I cautiously got out of my car and reached over to the passenger side to grab my duffle bag. I stood up and looked around me. The street was deserted and even the neighbor's dog was quiet. That's when it hit me. There were no animals around, no birds, no squirrels, nothing. This only ever happened when one or more of the Cullens were around. When a predator is out and about, all wildlife goes into hiding.
I immediately put my guard up. There was a vampire around and probably one I did not know. Since the Cullens left and have yet to return, it stands to reason that the vampire or vampires that were somewhere nearby were unknown to me.
I slowly surveyed my front door and all around my front yard. I couldn't detect if anything was out of place. If my guess was correct, there's really no way I would be able to detect anything being moved or misplaced. Vampires were stealthy by nature.
I thought about getting back into my car, but if I was right, that wouldn't get me far. Vampires are fast. Since the street was deserted, there's really nothing to stop a vampire from doing what it wants.
I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. My only choice was to continue on. I walked up the steps and inserted my key into the lock. With one more sigh, I unlocked the door and swung it open wide.
Of course, I was right. The sight that greeted me would have made me scream several years ago. Since I have enough experience with vampires, nothing surprises me anymore.
There in my living room stood several unfamiliar vampires. Each one of them was wearing a long black cloak with dark red detailing. Another vampire was seated in my captain's chair. He was different than the others. He wore a cloak of superiority and was clearly their leader.
I took a step closer and noticed each of the standing figures wore a brooch clasped to their cloaks. My eyes were drawn to the brooch, which was in the shape of a large gold V. It reminded me of a conversation I had nearly six years ago with Edward. Edward spoke of the vampire leaders, the Volturi. And that's when it all clicked into place.
I shouldn't be at all surprised that they arrived. After all, it has been just about six years since I first learned of vampires. At that time, I wouldn't have been surprised if word of a human knowing about the existence of vampires and being left alive had reached the vampire rulers.
"You are a very odd human," the tiny girl to my right noted.
I looked over at her and quickly assessed that while she was tiny, she was also deadly. Something about her screamed danger.
"I get that a lot," I replied quickly trying not to let them know how nervous I was.
The huge one that was the size of Emmett laughed. "I like this human," he said with a deep voice.
"Thanks, I think," I replied which only made the big guy laugh again.
"You are probably wondering who we are," the platinum blond in my chair said.
"If I am not mistaken you are the Volturi," I responded. "You are one of the kings," I finished almost wishing I had kept my mouth shut. Oh, well, it's too late now.
He quirked an eyebrow at me and exchanged looks with the other four that were standing around. "That answers my first question," he said returning his attention to me. "I am Caius Volturi, one of the three kings. Tell me, Ms. Swan, did the vampire that bit your wrist also tell you of the Volturi?"
Damn! I thought to myself. They knew about my bite before coming here. My wrist is fully covered, so there is no way they just saw it when I came home. There was nothing I could do. I had to tell them.
"No, it wasn't him," I said honestly. I was about to put the Cullens under the bus for this, but I wasn't feeling very remorseful for it except for how it will affect Jasper and Emmett.
"Pray tell, who told you about us, and who bit you?" the king asked.
"It's a long story," I warned them as I put down my bag and walked over to the couch to sit down. I might as well be comfortable.
"Time is no issue with us," the dark-haired vampire spoke up. I glanced over at him and let my eyes roam over his perfect physique. He was well over six feet with black hair and ruby eyes. It was obvious he had an olive complexion when he was human. Yes, he was hot, almost as hot as Jasper.
"I guess I'll start at the beginning," I said as I began my tale with my move to Forks. Once I mentioned meeting the Cullens at school, they all groaned loudly.
"It figures. I always knew Carlisle was never going to be able to handle the responsibility of leading a coven," Caius admitted while the others nodded in agreement.
I continued on and when I got the part about James hunting me, Caius's eye turned black as pitch. "Jasper and Alice took me to Phoenix to try to hide, but James was a tracker. He figured it out. He called my cell and told me he had my mother. I didn't want her to die, so I managed to sneak out without Jasper and Alice knowing. In the end, he had tricked me with a recording of my mom, and I was dumb enough to fall for it. He beat the shit out of me before he even bit me," I said shivering as I remembered the pain from when he snapped my femur like it was a twig.
"How is it that you were bitten but aren't changed?" Caius asked as his eyes narrowed.
"Edward was crying about how he didn't want me to lose my soul, blah, blah, blah. Carlisle suggested he suck it out which he did," I finished rubbing my thumb over the ice-cold scar. I looked up and noticed that all five of them had black eyes now.
"Master, what would you like us to do?" the tiny girl asked with a snarl.
Caius raised a finger signaling them to wait a minute. "Where are the Cullens now?" he asked with barely concealed rage.
"I have no idea. They moved five years ago. I did have the unfortunate luck to have run into them down in Florida at my competition," I told him.
"They left you?" he growled.
"There was an accident at my eighteenth birthday party that Edward used as an excuse to break up with me. However, I have recently gotten news that there was more going on than what I was aware of at the time."
"What news?" he asked.
"Hold on. I'll go get it for you." I ran upstairs and walked into my room. I pulled open my nightstand and grabbed my letter from Emmett and Jasper. I ran right back downstairs and handed it over to Caius.
He read it over quickly and handed it over to the dark-haired god.
"Hmm… It would seem that both the Major and Emmett Cullen are suspicious of Edward and Alice and believe Ms. Swan is in danger. They will not be punished. The other Cullens will not be so lucky," King Caius sneered.
"Good," I said apologetically. I wanted them to pay for what they did.
They all laughed at that. "You seem to be a bit bloodthirsty if you will," Caius pointed out with a slight smirk.
"After what those bunny munchers pulled, of course, I'm out for blood, or venom in this case," I growled lowly.
"Bunny munchers," Demetri laughed.
"Tell me, dear Bella, how is it that you have managed to keep the seer in the dark?" Caius asked while leaning slightly forward eager to hear my explanation.
"It was easy, since I know her weakness," I shrugged. "She cannot see the shifters. My best friend is in the pack. We shaved off some of his fur, and he braided it into this bracelet," I said as I showed him the bracelet on my wrist. "Are you going to hurt him for knowing? He has his own secrets. He would never tell."
Caius smiled gently at me. "No, Bella, the shifter pack is safe from us. They are a part of the supernatural world just as we are. I would like to thank your friend for helping to protect you though," he said earnestly.
"Good, because they are all looking out for me. You can probably smell their scent all over the house," I told him.
"That's what that heinous aroma is?" the smaller boy said next to the tiny girl as he reached up to plug his nose.
"Sorry about that. Apparently, the wolves smell really bad to vampires just as vampires smell really bad to the wolves," I informed him.
"Wolves?" the tiny girl asked in alarm.
"They shift into wolves at will. They aren't really werewolves," I quickly explained. I really didn't want anything to happen to the pack.
"It's alright, Jane, I am fully aware of the pack and that they aren't genuine werewolves," Caius said trying to soothe Jane's concerns.
"May I ask why you have all come? You knew about me before you got here. That much is obvious. Are you here because I know the big secret?" I asked Caius.
"You are very insightful for one so young," Caius said sounding pleased. "Very well, we have come to protect my last remaining descendants, you and your father," Caius said. My eye bugged out as I realized what he just told me. King Caius was my ancestor.
"Wow! I didn't see that coming. So how exactly are we related?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.
"I am your grandfather many times over," he said nonchalantly.
"You know, I don't remember either of my grandparents, maternal or paternal. They both died when I was a toddler. This is cool!" I cheered happily.
They all laughed at my enthusiasm. "You really are a strange human," Jane repeated.
"Why do you say that?" I asked her.
"From the moment you first entered the house, you have been calm. After seeing us, your heartbeat never picked up. In fact, I would guess and say you are comfortable around us. Where is your sense of self-preservation?" Jane asked while giving me an odd look.
"Try to see it from my point of view. I spent nearly a year under the belief that I was a vampire's mate. Hell, I was bitten, and let me tell you, that's a level of agony you simply cannot forget," they all nodded their heads in agreement. "I have seen up close what a vampire is capable of. James snapped my right femur like it was nothing more than a twig," I shuddered at the memory. "I know the speed, the gifts, the intellect. I was surrounded by it for nearly a year. It encompassed every area of my life. I also know that Edward was deliberately dazzling me to get me to comply with his wishes," I admitted.
Caius bolted upright, and with a snarl, he asked, "What do you mean when you say he dazzled you?"
"Whenever we would have any kind of disagreement, in the beginning, he would blow his breath in my face and try to rub up on me. It was creepy. After a while, I stopped fighting with him and gave in to whatever he wanted," I said sadly wishing I hadn't lost so much time to that controlling freak.
"It seems that Edward is quite the little lawbreaker," Caius said angrily. "What he was doing was using his pheromones to control you. It's an ability vampires use for their prey. Some sadistic vampires love to draw out the agony, so they will use their pheromones to control their victims."
"So he was planning on making me his dinner. That rat bastard! Did you know I was his singer?" I asked Caius whose red eyes quickly turned jet black while his nostrils flared in barely contained rage.
"How do you know this?" Caius asked though tightly clenched teethe.
"The Cullens explained it to me," I admitted to him.
"It looks like we have an even bigger mess to deal with. I want the Cullens in custody as soon as possible. Jasper Whitlock and Emmett Cullen are to remain free," Caius ordered the guard. "I cannot wait to see dearest Carlisle. He has much explaining to do."
A/N: I based Edward's attitude almost entirely on the attitudes of many men who are members of a church I attended years ago. They believe women are subservient to men and get no say in anything. Thank God I left that church when I did.
