Chapter 11

Bella smiled politely at the tall vampire as he righted himself in front of her, those familiar golden eyes reassuring despite his observant gaze. She dipped her head slightly, keeping her eyes trained on the man. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Eleazar. You can just call me Bella."

Similar to the Cullens, his golden eyes crinkled slightly in amusement before he gestured an extended arm towards the ballroom floor, the other hand still holding her own. "May I have this next dance then, Bella?"

Pursing her lips, she turned her gaze upward to catch Marcus's eye, who nodded in affirmation at her wordless inquiry, "It is alright. You are safe with Eleazar. I have some quick business to attend to, but will return shortly." Marcus turned to share a long look with Eleazar, who bowed his head deeply. Marcus dipped his chin once, squeezed Bella's shoulder carefully, then turned to meld into the crowd.

Watching his dark green-clad figure disappear, Bella turned her attention back toward Eleazar while he guided her back onto the dance floor. "I do not know if Marcus warned you, but I am an absolute disaster of a dancer." Eleazar's chuckle rumbled as he placed his hand on her waist and led her through the first several steps.

"I think I can withstand you stepping on my toes."

Eleazar's movements were graceful, and he proved to be a mindful partner during her stumbling footwork, steadying her before flowing into the next step. Busy counting those steps, Bella didn't realize Eleazar was speaking until he cleared his throat loud enough to grasp her wandering attention. Dark brown eyes flicked from her feet to his expectant face, though Bella couldn't recall hearing his conversation. Embarrassed at being caught not paying attention, Bella flushed deeply, though Eleazar simply brushed her inattentiveness aside and repeated himself.

"How are you faring here in Volterra, Bella? My friend, Carlisle, has been quite concerned about your well-being."

Carlisle?

Blinking dumbfoundedly up at him, her thoughts scattered at the unexpected question, though she was unsure why. Her time in Volterra was … enlightening … despite her traumatic escape attempt. Her mind conjured the image of mischievous, mirthful red eyes and Aro's excitable laughter. Letting her eyes fall to the side as they turned, she frowned softly while recollecting Alec's concerned face while urging her to eat, Felix's preening under her compliments, Heidi's gentleness while she cared for her, and Marcus's soft smile while sipping from that delicate teacup during their meal.

"I have been alright. The guards have been taking care of me as best they can. Understandably, some are not so happy to have me here."

Eleazar hummed low in his throat as he lifted her briefly in time with the music and cast a discerning look around the room. Several covens were in attendance, and not all were as…tolerate… of those humans they considered 'human pets.' The taboo of 'playing with your food' was abhorrent to many vampires. However, most of the covens present had working relationships with large human conglomerates, charities, or, in the case of the Volturi, museums and universities globally that met their individual desires. Despite the various colored lenses hiding away their otherworldly red gaze, even Eleazar was acutely aware of the looks Bella garnered from his brethren. Some were curious, others calculating, more than a few subtly appraising her petite body with a different type of hunger altogether. The more rounds they made across the dance floor, the more raised brows that led to covert glances toward the conversing Volturi lords, namely Aro, who was not being overly discreet with his own prolonged stares in their direction.

Turning back to his petite dance partner, Eleazar scrutinized her closer. Aro's growing scent was unmistakable to his delicate nose, and it clung to her nearly as heavily as her own sweeter aroma. Each movement of hers would send her scent drifting in her wake, and he could easily understand both Carlisle and Marcus' concern as, with each passing step, more eyes were lifting toward her in recognition of her unspoken bond. Still human, it painted an excellent target on the girl's pale back for those who held a grudge against the de facto leader of the Volturi kings. Aro, despite being the most charismatic of the trio, was unpredictable, and that unpredictability made him dangerous as an ally or rival. His propensity to collect talented vampires for his guard was enough reason to be wary of the Volturi. If Eleazar was correct, which he usually was given his innate gifts, the tiny human in his arms would turn into quite the formidable addition to the collection. Her mind was a tightly fortified wall that he subtly pressed against with his own powers to assess the magnitude of such a powerful mental shield.

A delicate frown marred the lady's face as he probed a little more firmly than before, and he was shocked when he was shoved out of her mind completely, the previous cracks now hidden from him. Eleazar subtly stumbled through the next step, the strength behind the mental shove as potent as a physical shove, and he studied her with renewed wonder. Bella shook her head lightly as if to clear her mind while uneasily casting her dark eyes around them. Eleazar realized in shock that she had subconsciously performed such a feat. He could not recall a single instance where he was shoved out of someone's mind so forcefully that he felt it physically, much less by a mere human! As the song slowly dwindled to an end, he could only shake his head in astonishment at the sheer probability of the enigmatic tactile telepathic Aro being bound to possibly the strongest mental and likely physical shield ever.

Bella's apprehensive eyes pulled him from his ironic musings, and he realized belatedly that they had come to a complete stop with him still holding firmly onto the girl's waist and hand. Pulling back to a respectable distance, he bowed his head deeply before brushing a soft kiss to the back of her hand.

"Thank you, Bella, for gracing me with a dance. It was truly an honor."

Bella's face flushed lightly, still unfamiliar with the overly chivalrous behavior, "It was no big deal. Thank you as well for the dance, and please tell Carlisle I am fine. I look forward to seeing them all again soon".

He nodded with another glance towards Aro, who was waving off a hovering Sulpicia as he spoke to one of the museum curators from Paris; he silently hoped that the upcoming 'meeting' would prove uneventful. It wasn't his place to say, but he was nearly sure that the young Isabella would have enough influence over Aro to sway him towards a less violent judgment if she would submit further to their mating bond. Vampiric mating bonds were an interesting phenomenon, and their impact on the males, in particular, was vast. He was curious to know if her being human hindered the potency of the bond or if it was more one-sided until she was changed; he would have to question Marcus regarding it, as the other Volturi lord was well-versed in any and all bonds. The quiet Marcus disclosed to him earlier, after their greeting, that the girl still did not fully understand the nature of her bond with Aro, and Eleazar was personally surprised that Aro had not been more forceful in claiming a naïve but beautiful human mate.

Though he always enjoyed the thrill of playing with people, perhaps not so surprising.

"Would you like me to find one of the Volturi coven for you, or should I escort you back to Marcus?"

Bella was silent for a moment before she shrugged lightly, "I think I'm going to grab something to drink. I'm sure it won't take one of them long to come to find me, but I haven't eaten or drank anything for a while and I am parched".

Eleazar tilted his head toward her once more before he escorted her to the refreshment table. Once ensuring that she was alright, he turned to disappear back into the crowd.

Bella watched him leave briefly then turned her attention back to the refreshments, having not lied about her thirst. The attendants were serving several glasses of various colored liquids, and she silently debated what the drinks were.

"May I get a raki for myself and the lady?"

The deep, exotic voice from her right caused her to startle. She couldn't refrain from jumping slightly as a dark-skinned man, clothed in long tunic robes and pants of blue and white, trimmed in gold with a matching blue and gold head scarf, appeared at her side. His smile was bright against his dark complexion, and Bella had to admit he was a good-looking man. Eyeing the man carefully, she watched the staff prepare and pour a cloudy white drink into two tall glasses. They were passed over to the still-smiling foreigner, who extended one to Bella with a widening smile on his bearded face. Not wanting to appear rude to one of the Volturi guests, she gingerly accepted the glass and scrunched her nose at the strong smell of liquor. The man's laugh was boisterous as he clinked his glass lightly against hers before sipping at the white liquid.

"I promise that it tastes better than it looks! You looked like you could use something to help you relax. Look as nervous as a fallow deer standing over here all by yourself, and I couldn't help myself. My name is Mehmet; I am with the Turkish and Islamic Art Museum Council. I have never seen you here or at any other European organizations. Are you one of the representatives from the Archaeological Institutes of America?"

Shaking her head slightly in response, she took a small sip from her glass before answering and promptly started coughing at the strong licorice flavor. Her eyes watered as she tried to swallow the spiced drink, and Mehmet's large hand patted her back in empathy, "Drink it slow."

Clearing her throat while swiping carefully at her eyes with her empty hand, she studied the seemingly innocent drink with more wariness before taking another smaller sip. More palatable than the first taste, the burn in her throat eased and was replaced with a soothing warmth, "Nice to meet you. I am Bella, but no, I am not with any institute. I'm just a guest here. How did you know I was American?"

The man gave a half-hearted shrug before gesturing in her direction with his drink, "You just have a look about you. It was too fair of a complexion for the Mediterranean countries and had a softer bone structure than several of the northern areas. However, to be completely honest, I just had a feeling since you looked so out of place. So, you are a guest of the Volturi brothers? I couldn't help noticing you entering with Marcus Volturi. We do not usually have as much business with him as his other brothers."

As the liquor eased her nerves, Bella found herself motioning lightly toward the staircase Aro and Caius seemed to favor, "I suppose you could put it that way. Marcus was generous enough to escort me this evening, though I must admit that this type of … party … is quite outside my comfort zone."

Mehmet nodded in understanding as he stared off toward the circle of businessmen vying for Aro and Caius' attention, "If you don't mind me being rude by asking, are you perhaps in a relationship with Marcus?"

Choking once more on her drink, Bella shook her head adamantly at his inquiry before croaking, "No! Absolutely not. We are merely … friends."

Reaching to grab one of the napkins from the tabletop, Mehmet offered the cloth to her, "I apologize for my speculation, Ms. Bella. I assumed you were since you accompanied him in the opening ceremonies with the other Volturi brothers and their wives. I didn't mean to be presumptuous".

The sensation of ice settled quickly in her bones as she stared silently at Mehmet. Her mind jumbled all at once, yet ironically, she couldn't produce a single coherent thought to explain the feeling of lead in her belly.

Wives…

"Their wives?"

Mehmet looked over her with concern before dipping his chin slightly in affirmation, "Yes, their wives. Lady Athenodora often accompanies Lord Caius on some of the trips out to our museums. However, I have never spoken to Lord Aro's wife, Sulpicia. She is the lady in red standing with the ambassadors from Greece. Mrs. Athenodora is the lady beside her in blue. She is quite invested in Greek, Italian, and French artwork, so we do not have any direct business with her. However, her husband has accompanied Lord Caius a time or two". He discreetly motioned toward the two ladies who had approached Bella earlier in the Gala who were in an intent discussion with four other darker-skinned gentlemen while motioning towards an abstract painting on the wall.

As quickly as the icy tentacles of numbed shock settled, they just as promptly blazed into an inferno of rage, followed soon by shame for being angry in the first place. Bella did not have any personal claim on the damn man, and obviously, whatever 'bond' they supposedly shared was a meaningless occurrence if Mr. Smooth Talker had no qualms with not even mentioning the small fact that he was MARRIED!

Is he married?! To that blonde-haired, big-busted bimbo?!

She could hear her teeth grinding as she worked her tense jaw while her blazing eyes flew across the room. Unable to shove down the flaring temper that burned in her throat, her gaze quickly settled on Aro's stupid silver-tongued face while he conversed with a small crowd of spectators. As if sensing Bella's eyes, Aro's own immediately left his companions to find hers through the crowd. Dark browns drew downward as a brief frown tugged at the corners of his lips as he returned her stare wordlessly. A soft pulse of perplexed confusion and disquiet echoed in her mind that she knew instinctively was his own. Further agitated by his deceitful concern, she snapped her eyes back down to her drink.

Let him act all concerned. It's no issue of mine. His precious little wife can deal with him.

Tightening her grip on her glass, she knocked back most of the milky raki before smacking the glass back onto the banquet table with a cough. Her throat was aflame for a different reason, so she turned toward the quietly observing Mehmet with watering eyes.

"Care to dance?"

If he noticed her change in behavior following his previous statement, he did not mention it. Instead, he bestowed her with another impossibly white smile while he dipped forward at the waist into a slight bow.

"It would be my absolute pleasure, Ms. Bella."

She grasped his large hand as soon as it was lifted before her and tugged him toward the dance floor. Sliding through the crowd, Bella caught the wary gazes of Alec and Heidi from their guard position near one of the more oversized side doors. Alec's masked eyes matched his tailored suit of smoke-gray, and he lifted his brows in quiet questioning, his lips pressed firmly in a thin line when his gaze darted to her newest partner and back again. Heidi displayed similar apprehension as she stared at them in passing. Their probing looks were nearly enough cause for her to drop Mehmet's warm palm, though Jane's amused grin from Alec's other side hardened her childish retaliation, and she sent the more petite girl a fleeting glare before continuing towards the center of the room.

Once more on the dance floor, Bella swung toward Mehmet and, with more confidence than she felt, and – later that she would blame on the alcohol – swung her arm up and over his broad shoulder, her clammy hand pressed against his heated neck. The current melody was a more upbeat number than that she had shared with her previous partners, and Bella's hazy mind drew a blank on how to actually dance to it; however, the concern fluttered from her mind as a hot hand pressed against the curve of her back, calloused fingers brushing the bare skin there lightly to pull her closer. Bella felt a twinge of unease from the proximity. The heat from his chest felt scalding compared to the vampiric coolness she was accustomed to.

Her limbs tingled with a pleasant heaviness, though the slight perceived tilting of the room caused her to blink her eyes repeatedly in an attempt to fix them. She allowed her forehead to press lightly against the blue fabric of his shoulder when her vision twisted once again.

A sound of glass shattering, followed by surprised murmurs and exclamations, drew Bella's hazy attention to her right, and her eyes widened marginally at the scene. Broken glassware littered the floor at Aro's feet, his hand clenched in front of him with the remnants of the expensive red wine dripping from between his fingers. Attendants rushed to clear away the shattered glass from the floor while others mopped up the residual stickiness. However, Aro paid them no mind as his narrowed dark eyes stared into Bella's with a ferocious intensity, his lips pulled back into a strained and bizarre mockery of his customary smile. Without breaking eye contact, he pulled a handkerchief from an inner pocket with his clean hand and wiped at his hands in agitation. Aro slung the soiled square of fabric at one of the nearby servants before twisting on his heel to retreat through one of the side doors. Caius made quick work to settle down their business associates, though Bella caught the glare he shot in her direction after staring at the door where Aro had exited for a long moment.

Regret twisted, though her aggrievement concerning Sulpicia still stirred in her chest, and she huffed under her breath. Aro's behavior really shouldn't bother her.

A pale hand appeared out of thin air to tap firmly on Mehmet's broad shoulder. Bella swayed slightly when he pulled back and twisted to peer down at Alec's stony face. Alec studied the man before dragging his gray eyes over to Bella, his expression softening while he took in her flushed and upset complexion.

"If you would pardon me, Lord Marcus requests your presence, Lady Isabella."

The agitation seemed to drain out of her entirely at his softly murmured words, and all of a sudden, the only thing Bella wanted was to go crawl into the soft sheets of her bed to bury herself in their plush cocoon and treat this whole evening as an embarrassing memory. She didn't register what Mehmet said in response to Alec, but she caught the sharpened glare the boy bestowed in his direction before extending his hand to hover in front of her in a silent request.

She dipped her chin slightly in acceptance before tilting her head back to look at Mehmet's perplexed visage, staring at the shorter man.

"Sorry Mehmet, I must go now. Thank you for the drink."

His dark eyes shifted to meet hers, and he allowed his arms to pull back, though not before he squeezed her hand firmly, lifted the limp appendage to his lips, and pressed a quick kiss to the back: "The pleasure was all mine. Will you be alright? Do you perhaps need to retire to your room instead of continuing with the party? I could escort you if you need."

Goosebumps arose at the sudden coolness that wrapped around her shoulders, a hand firmly but carefully curling around her upper arm and tugging her away from Mehmet's friendly face. It took a brief moment to realize that Alec had pulled her into his side, though she made no move to pull away. Alec rubbed her thin shoulder gently in contrast to the dark look he threw over the top of Bella's head toward Mehmet's troubled form, "That … WILL NOT be necessary. If you will pardon us."

Alec slowly steered Bella away from the dance floor, allowing her to find her footing before he maneuvered her to the side of the room. Bella let her head loll slightly onto his shoulder and relaxed further as she breathed his smoky scent. She pressed her nose into the curve of his shoulder and thoughtlessly mumbled, "You smell like fire and smoke. Like the bonfires in La Push."

His body froze momentarily, their slow tract around the room now still, and Bella lifted her head groggily from his shoulder to look at him. His jaw flexed underneath his flawless skin, though his gaze stared absently at the polished floor, and Bella chewed on her lip absentmindedly.

"I didn't mean anything negative. It's comforting to me. I like it," Bella knew she was babbling at that point, but she couldn't help the sneaking suspicion that she had spouted off something inappropriate. Alec's quirked grin was tense when he finally brought his eyes back up to hers. Though full of the usual warmth she had come to see in them, they now also appeared perturbed.

His chuckle had a breathless quality that furthered her hunch that she had inadvertently said something she shouldn't have. She opened her mouth to apologize for her unintentional slight just as Jane manifested in front of them, her scowl furious as she glanced between them before settling on Bella. However, when she spoke, Bella realized she was addressing her twin, "You are needed at parameter C, Alec. There are some unusual traces picked up by Dimitri". Alec's smile flattened, and he nodded toward his sibling before turning to glance at the observing Bella with a gentle grin, "If you will excuse me, I must take my leave." Alec lifted his eyes to glance above her head just as large hands came to rest atop of shoulders lightly. Flinching slightly, she turned her face upwards to look at Marcus's downturned face, which stared at her quietly for a moment before he waved off the twins.

"Isabella, I apologize for being scarce. Unfortunately, I am proving to be an ungracious host."

Bella shook her head as her eyes dropped to the floor in contemplation. Though briefly distracted by Alec, her mind flared with vehemence when her thoughts shifted once more to Aro and her newest discovery. She found it impossible to keep her voice from cracking as her eyes trailed over Marcus's polished shoes. "Why didn't you tell me about her?"

Frigid fingertips pressed gently to her chin, lifting her watery gaze to stare back into thoughtful green eyes. Marcus' eyes trailed down over her face and body, assessing her condition wordlessly before letting his hand fall away from her. "About whom, Isabella?"

"Sulpicia! Aro's wife! Why didn't you tell me he was mated already? All these talks about bonds, and you never even brought her up." Bella's softly spoken accusations tasted like acid on her tongue. She hated herself more as a rogue tear trailed down her face.

Marcus guided her to an empty alcove, away from the eyes of the nosey spectators. Placing himself between herself and the room, he stood guard mutely as more tears came. Swiping at the tears in agitation, angry with herself for allowing herself to be worked up in the first place for a man that she had no claim to when she should be focusing on returning home, returning to her father, her friends, and the Cullens. The minutes stretched as she attempted to compose herself before cool fingers joined her own to wipe away the wayward wetness. A strong thumb swiped away the salty remnants, quickly followed by the soft press of cool fabric against her flustered cheeks. Marcus quickly blotted away her tears and then relinquished his handkerchief to her trembling hands.

She whispered thanks, her hands dropping before her to twist at the borrowed fabric.

Marcus' voice rumbled in the confines of the bricked recess. Bella could vaguely make out his eyes in the shadows cast from the room behind him, "It was not my place to disclose, la mia dolce sorella. I mistakenly thought my brother would have informed you of this matter, and I am deeply saddened that you feel hurt. To be clear, Aro wedded Sulpicia as a matter of convenience; they are not a mated pair."

Bella frowned in the darkness, giving a half-hearted shrug as she stared back at him. "What is the difference? He is a married man!"

His answering hum resonated in her chest, his sculpted face glancing over his shoulder momentarily before he twisted his wrist, flicking it carelessly behind him. Bella blinked her eyes rapidly as the air behind him appeared to shift and shimmer, but his face shifted quizzically when he turned back forward, where he watched her face with rapt attention, "Interesting. Does this marriage of convenience bother you? Your bond would have manifested regardless of Sulpicia's presence. Does the young Edward no longer hold appeal to you?".

Frustration bubbled up within her gut, and she threw her hands up in exasperation, the residual alcohol loosening her tongue, "Of course it bothers me! Do you think I like seeing her draped all over him?! He is supposedly bound to me, and every time I have seen her with him tonight, I've felt like I could have spit fire. Yet, he is waltzing around, completely unfazed by the entire situation! That damn smile has yet to leave his face all evening, and my bond has nothing to do with fucking Edward Cullen at this point! But yet, NO ONE will just spit out what our bond implies. Every vampire in this whole fortress tiptoes around the whole topic!". Bella froze in the wake of her spewed words, her chest heaving while her mind scrambled to catch up.

Marcus, unfazed by her tantrum, merely crossed his arms across his broad chest with the barest hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth. Bella's mouth opened and closed several times as she attempted to formulate a rebuttal, but Marcus held up a single hand to silence any attempts she had to salvage her shredded dignity.

"You are correct. Edward no longer has influence over your bonds. The bond is now absolute. However, I now implore you to ponder why his potential romantic interests bother you to such a degree. Regarding the implications of your bond, I behest you speak to my brother personally after you have thought about my question. You will find such considerations and actions informative. However, our reprieve from our social obligations has come to a close. Our attendance is required at the current moment, sorellina. We can continue our conversation after we toast our guests with my brothers, and we may retire from the evening if you wish. I can assure you that my brother is not impervious to your presence."

Once more, diverted from being given the answers she kept asking for, she released a long, exaggerated breath through her nose before nodding, "I'm sorry for venting. I'm just tired of all of this. At every turn, there are more questions and fewer answers. I just want to go home."

Marcus patted her upper back sympathetically before offering his arm, "It is understandable to be frustrated in your situation, though you are welcome to think of our home as your home during your stay with us."

Smiling softly, Bella linked her arm through the crook of Marcus's arm, and he exited the alcove with her quietly. However, Bella noticed the nondescript glances thrown their way by several near-standing guests. Rolling her eyes in exhaustion, she was positive that additional rumors would soon be circulating that she was seen canoodling with one of the Volturi brothers in a dark corner during the Gala. She distractedly pondered if the rest of the humans in the room were under the same impression as Mehmet and that she was the current paramour of the reclusive Marcus. If so, her previous actions of drinking and pulling a random dignitary out onto the dance floor had further embarrassed them both. The quiet vampire did not deserve to have his decorum put into question because of her drunken, childish antics. Watching his profile out of the corner of her eye, she felt a flash of shame at her recent behavior.

When did things get so complicated?

Caius cast her a subtle sneer once they reached the top of the stairwell. However, his wife, now known as Athenodora, pressed a wine glass of thick red liquid into his chest, forcing him to break his gaze to grasp the stemware to prevent spilling the liquid down his coat. His aggrieved eyes turned his frown in her direction, though she smiled serenely while pretending to slip from her own glass, unable to ingest the man-made beverage. Catching her striking blue eyes, Bella's eyebrows rose in surprise as the lithe woman shot her a playful wink before fawning over her disgruntled husband and brushing invisible wrinkles from his tunic with her spare hand.

One of the many unknown servants of the evening approached with two glasses of red wine, silently offering the beverages to her. Staring at the proffered flutes momentarily, she took both from the tray top, passing the second to Marcus. Holding the glass aloft, she glanced up at him when he didn't accept the offering immediately. Instead, she watched as he stared after the retreating servant with a barely perceivable frown. Under her inquiring gaze, he snapped his eyes to give her a gentle smile as he accepted the offered glass, lifting it to eye level, swirling the liquid within, and watching it with critical eyes.

Swirling her own wine in her glass, she stared at the reddened liquid at a loss to whatever had caught Marcus's attention, though Esme had once mentioned to her that people could tell the quality of the wine based on its viscosity and released aroma. Being in Italy, checking wine quality was standard, and she carefully lifted the glass to take a small sip of the aged liquid. Expecting the same harsh burn that the raki caused, she was pleasantly surprised to find a pleasant taste with undercurrents of berries. Still slightly tipsy from her earlier drink, she swayed further into Marcus' side as she took a longer draw from her glass, enjoying the contrasting flavors.

"Seems like the little human has already had too much drink."

The haughty, husky, feminine voice traveling from behind her immediately set her nerves on edge. She cast narrowed eyes towards Sulpicia, who had arrived with her arm twisted through Aro's, her long fingers curving over his bicep. Aro barely let his eyes pass over his brother and Bella before he collected their waiting glasses from another attendant.

"The little human is just fine! Thanks for your concern." The words were thrown out before Bella could stop them, and she silently reveled in the outrage that overcame the woman's perfectly contoured face. Immediately after Aro passed the second glass in his hands to Sulpicia roughly, the dark liquid sloshed over the edge, dripping onto her likely priceless couture gown, and she let out a hushed hiss toward Aro.

Satisfied with the woman's outrage, she tuned out the rest of the proclaimed pleasantries for the guests, welcoming and thanking them for their contributions to the institutions of historic antiquities. When Marcus raised his glass to toast, Bella followed suit, lifting the flute before downing the rest of the glass. Marcus stepped closer to Caius and spoke to him about some book or project. Honestly, Bella wasn't sure anymore as the words started to muffle together. Staring morosely at her empty glass, she was beyond ready to retreat to her room as sharp pains shot through her head and chest.

When the headache intensified, she rubbed her temples lightly and took several deep breaths in an attempt to ease the growing ache. However, with each pull of air, it felt as if her lungs were being set ablaze, with the sensation of needles piercing her throat.

"Isabella?"

When she lifted her eyes toward Marcus, who had called out her name, the room tilted at a sickening angle. Confused, her eyes finally focused on Marcus, who had entirely turned toward her and was now staring intently, though surprisingly enough, Caius shared a similar expression. Bella felt she would have laughed if she could breathe properly. Aro, who now stood just past his two brothers, was looking at her with the oddest expression, his hand gripping the marbled banister with growing dark cracks branching from underneath his palm, running along the length of the rail.

That seems like a safety hazard. They should really get that fixed.

Turning her contemplative eyes from the railing, she turned them back towards Marcus, who had inched forward when she didn't respond, her heartbeat thundering in her ears. Seeing his apparent discomfort, Bella attempted to send him a reassuring smile. However, to her utter humiliation, she felt liquid start to drain from both nostrils, and she saw his face shift into something akin to horror. Lifting her free hand to press to her nose, it took her a second to acknowledge the warmth felt there. Pulling her hand back, she stared at the crimson blood coating it in bewilderment. She could feel the hot paths of the blood slide over her lips, down her chin to drip incessantly on the swell of her chest and bodice of the embroidered gown.

The room seemed to darken in her periphery, the strength in her legs wavering, and she sank to her knees when she raised her eyes again. Numbly, she watched Marcus yelling, his long arms securely wrapped around a frantic Aro, pinning him to his larger frame, her brain barely comprehending his demands for his brother to remember his surroundings and to calm down. Aro's eyes, once disguised behind the contacts, now blazing bright, focused only on her face as his blunt nails dug long trenches in the marbled floor in his haste. Athenodora was now at the railing in Aro's stead, hands raised in a placating manner addressing the room below, which was thankfully not at a vantage point to see what had caused the ruckus above them.

Cool hands pressed to her cheeks, and she rolled her head to hazily blink up at the youthful face of Caius, whose brow was drawn. His bloody hand trailed from her face to lay heavily above her heart, his mouth twisting in concentration briefly before he shifted to say something to the struggling Aro and Marcus. Whatever was said renewed Aro's grappling, the frenzied man turning in his brother's embrace to land a heavy blow across Marcus's cheekbone in his pursuit to free himself. Her vision was swallowed in shadows when Caius pulled her against his chest, quickly lifting her from the ground and striding toward the exit. Just as darkness claimed her ultimately, she focused on the figure leaning a hip against the cracked banister, bright red lips curving into a wide smile partially obscured by a lace fan.

Bitch.

Then everything went black.

La Mia Dolce Sorella – My Sweet Sister

Sorellina – Little Sister