[ VIII ] Chapter 8

As if Alice had a plan. I mentally scoffed as I stared at the marble floor. Her ingenious plan of me saving Edward ended up backfiring. Now I will belong to the Volturi and Edward will still carry out his stupid suicidal mission in approximately an hour and a half.

These past hours have been torture. I always flinched in fear whenever Caius snarled quietly to Aro. Reason? I don't want him to tear my head off. Currently, the kings were talking to each other by telepathic means behind their thrones. Let me tell you, it freaked the crap out of me, for many reasons. I glanced at my watch. 11:59. Alice, please save me.

I took a step backward and everyone's eyes were on me. Whoa, talk about instant reaction. I slowly raised my hands, trying to placate them. "Shall I remind you, Miss Genevieve, that if you decide to flee, Demetri will never stop tracking you until he drags you back to my feet, mangled or not." Aro purred, his eyes shining, almost goading me to run.

Creep. I narrowed my eyes and resumed my studying of the marble floor. The clocktower boomed in the distance, 12:00. "Okay, no need to be so. . ." I trail off and shut my mouth at Jane's withering look. The kings resumed their conference. Suddenly, I felt a very strong sensation of homesickness for my home in Brazil. I wished that I had never became a vampire, never even helped Alice with Edward.

Edward. The name makes me want to spit venom on his disgusting face. I came here to help him and he turns me away because he supposedly has a very strong sense of wanting to die. God. I almost screamed in frustration. Instead I very secretly curled my hand into a fist and brought my hand up to my mouth, biting down in anger, leaving dark gray fissures in the skin.

Eventually, the kings sat back down and Aro smiles knowingly, his index finger rubbing along his lower lip. "Felix, Demetri, please go retrieve Edward." I turned my head just as the doors closed and I look longingly at them. "In the mean time, Miss Genevieve."

Looking up with a small frown, Aro grinned. "I've just been reminded of you beheading one of our younger recruits; Alejandro."

"Shit." I involuntarily cursed quietly. That vampire was part of the Volturi. "I didn't set him on fire though." I raised my hands in a show of self-defense.

"Yes. . . no matter." He hummed like a small child. In fact, I think he didn't hear me at all. I suspect that he doesn't care too much because Alejandro didn't possess any eye-boggling gifts like the demon child—err Jane."Jane, dear, would you please go check on Felix and Demetri? They are late."

The pain-inflicting vampire smirked darkly. "Of course, master." She blurred out of the room, startling me. I shifted my weight to the other leg when Caius' burning stare started to bother me. I bit my lip, wondering what has him twisted up so tight. Through my lashes, I saw his lips turn up slightly, but when I glanced over, he was glaring at me. What the hell did I do?

Suddenly the doors opened and I turned around to see Jane enter with Alice, Isabella and. . . oh. Edward. "Sister, you were sent to get one, yet you get two. . . and a half." Alec purred as he walked down the dais from Caius' side to Jane, kissing her cheek chastely.

"What a happy sight!" Aro exclaimed, his voice echoing throughout the dome-shaped room. "Bella is alive and well after all." He breathed, coming forward to take Edward's hand. Alice stepped forward next to me and I almost sagged with relief with her presence. Isabella shuffled closer to Alice when Edward was conversing with Aro and I started to twitch. Like, finger twitch.

"Aro can read every thought you've had, just with one touch." Edward explained to Isabella as she looked at him in confusion. She nodded slightly, understanding before Edward turned back to the Volturi king. "Now you know everything. So get on with it."

"You are quite the soul reader yourself, young Edward." Aro grinned. "But. . . you cannot read Isabella's thoughts. . ." He hummed softly as he stepped back a few steps, contemplating something. "I would like to see if you are an exception to my gifts as well. . ." He held out a pale hand. "Would you do me the honors?"

I almost snorted. It wasn't a request, it was a demand. So, after touching this and touching that, Aro let go with a slight huff. "Interesting. . . I see nothing. . ." He turned his back to us and started walking towards the dais. "Let us see if she is immune to all our powers, Jane" He hummed, excited like a little boy.

"No." Edward grunted and started forward at the same time I screamed mentally. YOU IDIOT.

"Stop! Please, stop!" Isabella cried, starting forward, but Alec held her back. I kneeled down and patted Edward's stone face. Despite the distress that Isabella was in, I enjoyed him suffering for what he did. Alice was on the opposite side, pressing her gloved hands into his chest. "Just do it, just please, stop." She was almost sobbing and I looked up at her to see the fear etched on her beautiful face.

One word from Aro, and Jane released the hold she had on Edward. Slowly, I stood up and shuffled closer to Isabella as the Cullens were momentarily unable to function. "This may hurt just a little. . ." Jane murmured as she started at the human.

Moments pass and nothing happens. Aro laughs so loud and so suddenly, making me jump. Isabella seemed to relax, seeing that she wouldn't feel any pain. "Remarkable. . . she confounds us all." He breathed. "So. . . what are we going to do now. . .?"

"You already know what you're going to do, Aro." Marcus rasped. He hasn't spoken for the entire time I was here so hearing him speak was a total mind-blowing experience.

"She knows to much. She's a liability." Caius adds in his silky-smooth voice. Holy crud that voice was sexy. Liability my ass. I'd expose the vampire world myself if it were possible. I thought as I regained my composure.

"That's true. . ." Aro sighed, apparently disappointed. "Felix?" Alec brushed past Isabella to get out of the way, making her turn to the burly vampire. Hating death on people more than ever, I in turn shield Bella with myself as Edward gets up.

As Edward blurs past me and slams into Felix, I grab Isabella's arm, pulling her out of the way just as the brawling vampires barrel their way across where we were. I glanced over at Alice and saw her being restrained by Demetri. "No, no, no. . ." Isabella's voice rises to almost a shrill screech as Edward's head was tugged up for Aro to tear. "No, No, please, PLEASE. Kill me," She breathed. "Not him!"

Aro, in shock, raised his hands to stop Felix. He walked slowly down the dais, closer to Isabella and I tensed, not particularly fancying a fight with one of the Volturi leaders. "How extraordinary, you would give up your life, for someone like us." He breathed. "A soulless monster."

"You don't know a thing, about a soul." Isabella muttered in retaliation. I pinched the bridge of my nose. I really need a drink right now.

The psychopath said something in Italian before switching back to English. "If only your intent was to give her immortality. . ."

For a moment, I couldn't comprehend his statement and I furrow my brows. But as he walks forward like a predator I realized what he was going to do. "Whoa. Whoa, wait a minute." I raise my hand and walk over to Bella. Alice, make up a vision. Right now. Please. I don't want my head to be on a silver platter for my impulsive decisions.

Aro stares at me in irritation, as does everyone else. They're eager to see a mangled corpse. "What?" He snaps as I tug Isabella so she stands behind me.

Shit, what the fuck do I say? Come on gift, give me something that I can use. I cross my arms and tip my chin upward in a last stand of defiance. "I just found something out, credit to my gift."

"And what would that something be, Miss Genevieve?" Aro hums, interested.

I'm sorry Edward.

"Bella is going to be immortal, I'll change her."