Adela Volturi

The air was musty, thick with the stagnant stench of blood, but not the fresh kind, sweet and rich having flown freshly from the neck of some unsuspecting human. This blood was old and caking against the tarmac in thick, wasted coagulated clumps, savagely torn from its victims and spilt carelessly in an act of pure and untactful instinct. It was repulsing to see such a large group of newborns be left to act so simply amongst themselves, however, I cannot imagine that their creators care for them any more than a factory farm care for its livestock.

It was easy to see the disgust on Jane's face as she looked down at the hoard as they fought and squabbled like children, clearly what even instincts they had fallen to creating an almost animalistic structure of dominance. "How many more days do we keep watch on them mother?" She asked, clearly bored.

"If what information we have is correct darling, they move against the Cullens tomorrow afternoon, after that, we can go home" Her mood seemed to brighten at the information. Jane had never been the biggest fan of Aro's old friend. She deemed him too soft for this life. His first son on the other hand posed a bigger problem. Carlisle's only saving grace was that Aro still after all these years, values his life. Edward, even from what small interactions I have had with him, is disrespectful and deems himself untouchable.

Unfortunately, he will not be continuing to think this way after tomorrow.

Bella Swan

Although the battle had not gone as she had intended, her dilutions always taking hold of her rational thought, Bella must admit that she had to at least be thankful that she was still alive after being found by Victoria herself. Less fortunately, however, was the fate of Jacob whose ribs had been crushed by a rogue newborn. No matter how much of her life she claimed belonged to Edward, there would always be that small part of her that longed for Jacob too, if not as a lover but as one of her closest friends. Her naive mind not being able to detach herself from the boys she so desperately clung to. The atmosphere of the clearing seemed to fall stagnant as the impending arrival of the Volturi slowly edged closer and closer, the wolves had left for their own safety.

The presence of the five vampires was suffocating, almost as if their power was physically radiating from them in a way that left them untouchable. Bella recognised the crimson eyes that belonged to Alec, Jane, Felix and Demetri, however, she was most surprised to see the fiery red hair of Adela herself. Fear shot hot down Bella's spine as she could almost picture the haunting face of Victoria in place of the monarch. But Bella did not seem to be the only one in shock as the Cullen clan seemed to grow ridged under her piercing gaze. She stood statue-like directly behind the twins with the other two guards just behind them at a slightly wider distance. Bella could feel her heartbeat speed up as Adela's eyes flicked to her own, sizing her up with an utter look of disdain. From what Edward had told her previously, Adela and Caius rarely left the court, but when they did there were always disastrous consequences for the coven they were dealing with. For every second that Bella saw her standing there, she could feel her hopes draining away.

"Impressive. I've never seen a coven escape an assault of this magnitude intact" Jane began with the same amount of contempt for them as her mother, looking down at them like she would rather be anywhere else. Bella could almost feel the lingering pain from her first encounter with the vampire as she cowered into Edward in an attempt to make herself less visible.

"We were lucky" Carlisle tensely smiled, trying to ease the palpable tension.

"I doubt that" She smirked back, knowing that there was nothing they could do in retaliation.

"It appears we missed an entertaining fight" Her twin continued, also raking his eyes over the Cullens in a clear display of power, standing with a perfect posture and confident demeanour.

"Yes, It's not often we're rendered unnecessary" Jane finished like she knew something they didn't. But no matter who was talking or what was happening around them Bella couldn't shake off the intense glare of the red-headed woman, and she almost feared her own weak shield being torn down again in a display of dominance. The phantom pain faintly flaring in her distant memories.

"If you'd arrived a half-hour ago, you would have fulfilled your purpose" Edward snarked much to everyone's fear. His eyes almost challenged the blonde vampire, who now turned to meet his. Alarmingly Bella felt the suffocating weight of Adela's gaze shift to Edward and for the first time in her life, Bella feared that Edward had gotten himself into a situation he couldn't get out of, his own body tensing beneath her touch.

"Pity" Jane smiled and to Bella's complete horror Edward crumpled to the floor in ceaseless agony, much like she had already witnessed once before in Italy. She desperately turned to the rest of the Cullen clan, only to find them looking away, from both Edward and the Volturi as Bella finally realised that Carlisle could no longer use his patriarchal authority against Adela and the twins. 'If it were Aro though' she thought bitterly.

Edward's suffering seemed to end as Jane turned her attention to the brunette vampire stood behind Esme and Carlisle. "You missed one" she continued in barely concealed glee as her eyes focused solely on Bree. "We offered her asylum in exchange for her surrender" Carlisle explained, but even Bella could tell by the tone of his voice that he didn't fully believe that she could survive this encounter. "That wasn't yours to offer" She countered "Why did you come? Who created you?" But before Bree could utter a single syllable in response she was overcome with agony as she screamed on the floor, clawing at the dirt as if it could offer salvation.

"You don't need to do that, She'll tell you anything you want to know" Esme all but begged, however, as Bella noted, she didn't make her plea towards Adela. She turned to Jane and Jane alone as if pleading to her higher sense of mercy that Bella wasn't sure even existed within the immortal.

"I know" Bella felt every muscle in her body freeze at the words. She knew deep down that there was nothing that could physically protect the Cullens from the vampires in front of them. This wasn't like fighting the newborns or Victoria who ran by their own rules. They were directly in opposition to some of the strongest vampires that the Volturi had to offer.

"I don't know, Riley wouldn't tell us. He said our thoughts weren't safe." Bree chocked out from the floor as she began gasping for much-unneeded breath. "Her name was Victoria, perhaps you knew her?" Edward questioned as if Jane had not rendered him paralysed but moments before. However, Carlisle Swifty held his hand out in front of his son as if to stop him from saying anything else.

"Edward, if the Volturi had knowledge of Victoria, they would have stopped her, isn't that right Jane?" Carlisle asked gently, if the patriarch felt the piercing gaze of Adela he didn't outwardly show it.

"Of course, Felix" The giant of a vampire took only one step forward before Esme started to object. "She didn't know what she was doing, we'll take responsibility for her"

"Give her a chance" Carlisle continued, but the seconds the words left his mouth the already tense atmosphere turned stone cold.

"The Volturi don't give second chances, keep that in mind Carlisle while you continue to beg for chances after you let your son continue to break the law. Caius will be interested to know that she's still human" Spat Adela with a fire that shook Bella straight to her core. Maybe it was due to the fact that she had never heard anyone, not even Edward, speak out against Carlisle. Not in the same way the bronze immortal seemed to rebel against Aro. But before the words could catch up with her brain Bella might have made the single biggest mistake of her natural-born life.

"The date is set" Pain. wave upon pulsing wave of agony set deep into her bones as the eyes of both Jane and Adela snapped towards her. This felt almost worse than what it had in Italy and in what few thoughts she was able to make within the sea of unimaginable ache, she believed that this time it was personal.

"Please take care of that Felix, I'd like to be done here," Adela asked with a much more pleasant and even tone. Bella could only watch on in horror as he ceased Bree off the floor like a ragdoll before tearing off her head like it was made of paper. The silence that followed felt suffocating as the Cullens could do nothing but watch. "Now, what date is set?" The monarch asked as if she had not just sanctioned the death of the newborn. But no one was able to give her an answer.

"I don't like playing stupid games Carlisle, I have been told the date is set so what is it?" Her tone fell dangerously with each syllable spoken.

"After graduation" Bella stuttered out from her place tucked into Edward's side.

"After graduation?" the red-headed woman mocked "Give me numbers, months, you should consider it to be a great generosity you were able to leave Volterra alive and trusted with the promise of your change Isabella. I will be checking her change personally Carlisle" Adela finished, now glaring down at the whole coven. She left no room for argument with her gaze alone as she finalised the meeting. It was clear to see that Bella's time as a human was now limited, something that filled her with a misplaced sense of joy. She stupidly believed that she just might get her way. But not for long.

Adela signalled for herself and the guard to leave, but just as they began to move a strong wind kicked up across the field. Directed as if by fate itself straight towards Adela.

"Why can I smell mutt Carlisle?"

Thank you for reading and thank you for being patient with me while I organise my updates~