Fanfiction News & Previews! *IMPORTANT*

So has anybody started reading the fanfics I've suggested, yet? Well you should. And if you do, I'll hand out virtual cupcakes with sprinkles and sunshine. Yay.

To refresh your memory, these are the fics I suggested (really want you to) read:

In Order of Amazingness, 1 being AMAZING 3 being REALLY GOOD:

1.] Clipped Wings & Inked Armor by Hunter Hunting
2.] Emancipation Proclamtion by ? I forgot, sorry:)
3.] Master of the Universe by Snowqueen Icedragon

On other news, my second fanfiction The Subject is coming along swimmingly! (I'm kind of thinking about scraping Breaking Away. Thoughts? Please tell.) I've created a blog just for The Subject so check it out! The first chapter is already up, called When You Wake and the second chapter Into The Unknown Paranormal is under construction. I really hope you read this, because I like it a lot better than Breaking Away, to be honest with y'all!

Happy reading,
Emily aka Forbidden Apples

xoxo

P.S. -I REALLY LIKE TO BOLD AND ITALIZE!

Tehe! The New Fanfic! Preview?!

The new fanfic is coming along really great, I think! I'm so excited for this! Should I give you sorry saps a preview? I will, because I love you all! :D

PREVIEW OF NEW UN-NAMED FANFIC! --->

The air is dry and medical burning my throat to crisps. My nose smarts as I suck in a deep breath, coming up with nothing. There’s something cold and hard and plastic running through my nostril. It hurts. I reach up with shaking fingers and rip it out; gagging at it passes my uvula. I let the tube of plastic fall to the ground, which is right under me. I open my eyes but blackness is all I see. Gasping harder and harder for precious air like it’s my lifeline, I clutch the sheet situated carefully under my body, crumpling it up in my small hands. My breaths come in pants, and I start to panic.

Where the hell am I? Why is it so dark?

My throat constricts as I try to scream, can’t somebody help me? Does anyone know I’m here? I’m suffocating. Don’t they know I’m here? I’m suffocating. Help me. I force my hands to release the sheet and I grab my esophagus, clawing at it. I barely notice the pain I’m causing myself, because all I need is oxygen. Why can’t I breathe?

Desperate, I stretch my arms up high into the sky, where it connects with something stiff, and cold. More plastic? I bang on the hard surface, trying to replace the noise my tongue cannot configure. My chest heaves but my lungs are empty, and burning. Fire.

I can hear murmurs outside my grave, and shouting. The voices are muffled, but I can tell one is beautiful. Velvet. Mozart’s symphony. It composes me, and I take a shuddering breath, trying to calm myself. But there’s no air, and it’s dark, and I’m confused. There’s such a loud crashing sound and it take me a while to notice that it’s me, still banging on the plastic-feeling material above my head.

There’s one final shout, and then my ears pick up a beeping noise, soft but intelligible. The grave fills with air. Who dug me out? I’m blinded by an abrupt light that saturates my eyes. I blink, and notice it’s a hanging light fixture. Modern, and cold, like my grave.

“Dr. Carlisle, her throat!” A perky lady with spiky midnight hair bobs up into my line of vision. The first word I can think of is pixie. Her voice is high-pitched, and not very soothing, not like the other velvet voice I heard earlier.

My eyes focus and another face appears. Light and pale and pretty. All I think of is compassion, which are etching into his features as a hand strokes my now-burning throat and walks quickly away. Wait, no- I don’t want you to leave me. Stay. Don’t send me back into the grave. Please, God, no.

I feel thick gauze contacting with my neck like they are best friends. I note my hands are wet and hot, so I glance down at them, perplexed. They’re covered in blood. My blood. I unexpectedly feel extremely dizzy, and my head falls bad onto something soft, but firm. A doctor-type pillow you would usually find in a medical examination chair at your local hospital. My dark hair slips off the edge, this bed must be very thin. Am I in a hospital? What happened to me? Does Charlie know? Mom… no. I won’t think about her. She wouldn’t want me to.

“Bella, honey?” the pixie voice attacks me from the right, I move my head lazily in her direction. “You’re awake now, Bella, do you feel noxious? Can you try to sit up, dear?”

Small hands shift under me, and pulls me into a sitting position. Where the hell am I? I’m surrounded in a light-up tunnel, that’s very cold, and has a medical feel it. Maybe it’s because of the men and woman in long white coats, carrying small hand-helds? Or it could be the rows upon endless rows of plastic boxes, encasing the walls, looking like a morgue. Mom. No. Don’t think. Doctor’s are all around these boxes, looking at their hand-helds, typing something into a computer on the foot of each box, chatting mindlessly with other doctors and nurses, and glancing every few seconds at a huge digital clock that dominates the west side of the tunnel. The clock is counting down, it reads three days, twenty-three hours, forty-seven minutes, two seconds. It doesn’t take me long to realize that I myself are in one of these strange plastic boxes, and this pixie must be a nurse, or doctor.

“Carlisle!” the Pixie calls out into the tunnel, which is gray with sharp neon-blue lights elongating the walls. It strangely reminds me of a bee’s nest, with the entire bee’s army smarming around protecting their babies and bringing food to the Queen. It even has the same kind of shape. Round. But as I study closer it’s more octagonal than circular. "I need you to see if her pupils dilate, I'm not sure if she's conscious."

A medium-height, average build blonde man ghosts over to my box with unbelievable grace. Glasses are situated high on his head, holding back some thick locks, but he pulls them down to stare straight into my face. He pulls out a small, silver pen that magically transforms into a light and blinds me again in my left eye. The Pixie twills on, “Doctor, she’s seems a bit dazed, but I’m sure she’ll come out of her state any second now,”

Blondie nods.

*NEWS FLASH*

Hey! I'm blogging just to let you know, that I'm starting another fan-fiction! Don't hyperventilate, I'll still be working on Breaking Away, but don't expect Chapters to come to you every day at your beck and call. Expect one every few days.

Anyway!

The reason I'm doing this is because I had an idea this morning, and it doesn't really have a plot yet, but it seem promising and I don't think anybody else has done a fic quite like it. OH, AND I ALSO CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD. (it's 1:21 a.m. but I need to write this!)

In case you haven't noticed, I like uniqueness. Creativity.

Quick summary of the un-named fic. (I'm just going to write what's going through my mind. I might scrap this project, but I AM really excited about it. It all matters where it leads.)

Bella is a subject for some organization and she's been in a deep sleep for ten years aboard a spacecraft. (It takes ten years to get to the planet they are going to, so they just put you to sleep.) But the thing is, through that ENTIRE ten years worth of dreaming, it's all been a horrible nightmare she can't wake up from, that she now thinks is her reality. But, once the ten years are up and she is suddenly twenty-four, she wakes up to the spaceship she remembers going into as a child. Hence, she now remembers it was all a nightmare, but she's still freaked out, I mean, who wouldn't be?

So, -as you may guess- the dreamy Edward Cullen is her doctor. Or I'm thinking another subject, like her? Maybe doctor. I'm thinking doctor. Jake could be another subject, along with James, Victora, Alice, Rose, Em, Jazz, and Esme? They whole gang? Who knows?

Maybe the whole organization in the Cullen Project?

Does Bella fall for Edward, or Jacob?

Will Bella mix up her nightmares with reality?

SPOILER: I'm Team Edward:)

Chapter Seven updates & Fanfiction Reviews

Just letting all you guys know that Chapter Seven should be up soon. (probably in the next couple of days.) and there will most likely be a preview before I post the full Seventh Chapter.

I'd also love to share all the fanfics I like/love/obsess over!

Master of the Universe- I like/love this, it's very well written & witty. It keeps you up at night reading, and is very popular. Just look it up, I'm sure you'll find it. (Lotsa lemons!)

Clipped Wings & Inked Armor- I OBSESS over this fanfiction. It is my all-time favorite. (GO TATTWARD AND INKELLA!) Good dose of lemons, angst, a little action and lotsa grief/loss. It's amazing, I highly suggest anyone to read this. (By Hunter Hunting. It is in a blog, so look it up :D) Team TK2 and Cupcakes! LOL.

Emancipation Proclamation- I've only read about six chapters, and I'm hooked. You won't be disappointed and DON'T let the title or first chapter fool you, it's set in present day. Mafiaward and Slavella!

Happy reading!

Yours,
Emily aka Forbidden Apples xoxo

Breaking Away Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Suggested soundtrack for this chapter: Ashes by City of the Fallen (I highly suggest you listen to this EPICNESS while reading this chapter!!)

Renesmee’s POV



“Hello.” A daunting voice comes at me from above. It falls to the ground right in front of me and all I can focus on is the sharp, gleaming white teeth of its mouth as it says its greetings. The vampire smiles, revealing his teeth’s razor-sharp points. His dirty, pale hand ghosts over to feel a curl of my scarlet hair.

“You smell lovely.”

My eyes open wide as I take in the situation. This man is a vampire, cold and strong. He obviously takes no note of my glowing skin, overcome with his thirst for the human blood rushing through my veins with adrenaline. I take a step back and he automatically steps forward, our feet moving in a frenzied dance as his black clothes swish around him.

“Get away from me!”

He smiles and lifts the hood off of his cloak, revealing his handsome face. The cold structure is menacing, to match his personality. His cheeks are sharp, and defined. The hard curve of his chin gave him masculinity as well as his broad shoulders. The vampire’s eyes were slits as he focused on my face. Then, slowly, he ran a dark red tongue over his thin bottom lip, lusting for the kill and taste of my blood. I’m about to scream for Jacob when he sprints behind me suddenly, and secures a bitter hand to my mouth, muffling my cry. I try to bite him with my sharp teeth, but he holds me firm. He must be even stronger then Emmett. I could guess his power.

“Don’t move,” he purrs in my ear, his teeth grazing my lobe. “I want this to last…” The vampire in black takes his hand off my mouth but presses it on my lip, ordering me to be silent. One of his arms wraps around my waist like an iron girder. Then, he pulls a veil of hair back from my neck and my skin prickles from the chill.

I kick his shin with enough force to knock down a fifty-foot-tall iron pillar, but he barely flinches. My arms hastily whip up to his face and claw at the cheeks as I feel his teeth graze my exposed neck… My ears took in irritating scraping sounds like that of nails on a chalk board as I have my way at his face, gouging cracks into his diamond skin.

“YOU BRAINLESS HUMAN!” He roars and pushes me back so he can protect himself, his hands caressing his own face as it heals slowly. Inheriting my mother’s lack of equilibrium, I fall into the trunk of a tree, and scrape my hands. They draw blood.

The dark vampire’s black eyes immediately pin-point to my hands. He hisses and lunges toward me, but I’m too fast. I leap out of the way just before he lands on me, and the vampire crashes into the tree, leaves falling everywhere. The black vampire hisses at me and a chill runs up my spine. A scream finally escapes my throat as I run, hair thrashing around my face angrily, like fire, and my arms are propelling hard.

“Jacob! JACOB!” I shriek in the direction of where he should be sleeping. I hear the vampire’s harsh breaths from behind me, and my speed quickens. Suddenly a mass lunges forward from behind, and perches on my back. The vampire. He slashes his hand through the air, connecting with my right shoulder blade and I cry out in pain. I lose footing and crash to the ground, my hands out to break my fall as I roll down a steep hill, catching leaves, mud, and bugs in my hair and on my clothes.

I hear an ominous chuckle from on top of the hill as I finally come to a halt. Grabbing a tree for fear of slipping again, I hide at the rear the tree, and hold my breath. I know he’ll hear it if I breathe. The roots of this tree are very large, so I seize hold of them for support as I sit down, making myself as small as possible. Shuffling sounds come from above, and they’re getting closer. The vampire laughs again; he’s about fifteen feet away from my hiding place.

Where is Jacob?

I know the vampire will find me. I have to run. Before my mind even decides, my legs are pumping. I blur up the hill through the underbrush, thrashing out with my hands to block branches and pointy needles.

“I see you.” The whisper is far now, but still there. His feet recede, and I let out my breath. My mind is racing. I can’t run from him forever, and he leaving is probably just a distraction. Or he’s going after Jacob. I need to get to Jacob before my enemy... I need to do that.

Doubling back, I keep a watchful eye out for the vampire, but he’s vanished. Panicking, I run as fast as I ever have before toward Jacob and my campsite. I barely make out the small encirclement where it lays, when a loud crash echoes throughout the mountains.

“Jacob?”

I break through the line of trees to our campsite, and watch the spectacle in horror. The sinister vampire is standing not three meters away from my wolverine, holding a large rock. What would he need that for? Then I find out. The vampire compresses the bulky rock into a solid, jagged arrow. The point is so razor-sharp I can’t even see the tip of it with my vampire eyesight. He’s going to throw it with amazing velocity; that I can tell.

Straight into Jacob’s heart.

I gasp. Growls rumble from Jacob’s chest as his eyes pin down the enemy. He glances toward me and the urgency in his eyes suffocates my heart. I step a few feet toward him, wanting to help. He barks at me, ferocious teeth bearing, and I step back. The vampire in black smirks at me as he bounces his weapon of choice in his hand; this rival is clever. He knows that shape-shifters are faster then vampires, so he chose a weapon that would be faster than his boney claws alone. The venom in his eyes are so bloodcurdling I knew the only choice if I wanted to save my love.

With a scream, I run, jump ten feet into the air, and pounce on the vampire, my feet resting on his shoulder blades. My palms instinctually wrap around his neck in a chokehold. He screams and his arms grab hold of my wrists and he throws me over his head. I land on my back, air rushing out of my lungs. I haven’t any time to recover before he seizes hold of my hair, and drags me to him.

Jacob roars and leaps toward the vampire, teeth bared and sharp enough to penetrate vampires’ diamond skin. The vampire chuckles enigmatically and releases my hair, then takes hold of the rock.

“No, Please!” I shout, and scramble up from the ground. “Don’t hurt him! Take me!” But I know he won’t listen to me. Vampires don’t make deals.

“Bye-bye, puppy.” He seethes, and launches the arrow at Jacob with blinding speed, too swift for me to see. I hear Jacob yelp as the shard connects to his chest, and he falls, blood splurging out of his wound.

“No!”

I rush over to my fallen Jacob, as he convulses and shifts back into human form. He lays there, naked, and my hands grasp his face. “Jacob?! Please, talk to me. Say something.” Tears spill over my lids relentlessly and pour down my cheeks like waterfalls. They land over Jacob’s bloody, mangled chest.

“Take. It. out.” Jacob orders me through his teeth, and points to the rock engraved in him. His eyes are squeezed tightly in agony.

“I can’t!” I beg him, trying to make him see logic. “You’ll bleed out, it’s too dangerous!”

“Renesmee,” he pronounced each syllable softly, his tongue moving lazily against his teeth. “You need to… take it out. So I can…heal.”

It’s too risky. Jacob won’t be able to heal fast enough before he bleeds out on the cold, hard ground of these god-forsaken Rocky Mountains. I glare up at the vampire who damaged my existence. He slowly walks toward me, with deranged eyes. His thirst must be unimaginable with Jacob here, bleeding profusely. The only reason he is be able to contain himself is because Jacob’s blood is repulsive, even to my nose. I look at the sharp rock in Jacob’s body and take a deep breath. I have to do this.

With a cry, I rip it out of Jacob’s chest and he screams, the sound echoing of the mountains, causing birds to scatter throughout the land. I take the shard and throw it at the vampire, causing a distraction. He catches it easily in his hand for he breaks it into pieces leisurely with his long fingers.

“Enough of this.” He hisses, and grabs my arm. “I’m done playing games.” The vampire forces me away from Jacob, who’s panting, arms sprayed out across the ground, his stomach rising and falling fast as he heals. Blood pours out of him and my throat burns.

“You,” the vampire continues. “…I want you.”

He pushes my hair back again, and bites my neck.

I squeal as fire scorches my skin. I bring my hand back and it connects with his face, driving him back a few inches. I strike him again, and he falls back a foot, dazed, and confused. He rubs his mouth, and I see a crack forming on his chin.

“Well the hell are you?!” he demands as the crack seals. “I clearly smell the blood in your body, it rushes through your veins in the most lovely sound.” He sniffs the air. “I see your glowing skin. Yet you run with wolves?” The vampire shakes his head, and steps toward me. My hand is at my neck, trying to stifle the fire. Silent screams are scattering through my mind, but I hold them back, glued to this man’s words.

“You’re a human, and a vampire, who’s in actions with a werewolf.” He steps to me again, and I collapse into his arms as my body convulses with torture of this fire. “You don’t belong to anyone, lovely.” He says seductively, and I squirm in his grip as fire insists to gouge its way out of my neck.

“But you can belong to me.” The vampire presses his lips to my throat, and I feel a sensation I’ve never felt before. Blood draining from my body. This is the end.

My eyes settle on Jacob, as I watch him twist and quiver under his own anguish. A scream brakes from his lips. I can visibly see his heart beating, fighting, to stay alive through the hole in his chest. My Jacob will not survive.

Tears fall silently down my cheeks and my eyes droop in fatigue. I lamely push my hands at the vampire’s face, causing him to lift his head slightly, and look at me. Surprised he’s able to stop sucking my blood, I ask him a question.

“What’s… your name?” I ask of him. A name. He can give me that much.

“Zach.” He says plainly, and licks his lips of extra blood. Zach is the name of my love’s murderer. It is a name I will wipe off the earth.

With a burst of spare strength and adrenaline, I spin around and thrust my foot up into contact of Zach’s straight nose. He shrieks in surprise as his nose falls off, down into the soft dirt. He’s lost his sense of smell; it must be incredibly confusing for him. Taking advantage of the distraction, I kick him again in the throat, chipping it greatly. Zach falls back onto the ground and chokes out unrecognizable curses through the hole in his esophagus.

Zach pushes himself from the soil and lunges at me. But- I have Alice’s skills on my side. She taught me evasive battle strategy as soon as Mom and Dad had been whisked away to Volterra, knowing I would need it. I let Zach capture my wrists, but to his revelation, I twist, and throw him over my head, straight into a large boulder. He coughs as some debris gets caught in his throat.

I flash to Zach with blinding speed, flying over my fading Jacob, who’s still bleeding into the dirt. His tissues aren’t able to develop enough to block his vital organs, and he’s suffering infection and loss of blood. With a cry I leap onto Zach, my body connecting with his, and seize his head. His hands quickly grab my arms to try to push me off, but I am strong now, the fire is leaving my body slowly. I rip his head of hastily, and dismantle his body, limb from limb, like Alice trained me.

As Zach’s appendages start to twitch and reassemble themselves, I scurry over to my pack and find the lighter. I gouge a hole in it, and pour the oil all over Zach’s body before I light it and throw it onto him. It blazes rapidly, and quickly covers all of his skin, throwing off rainbows into the morning light and sending a choking purple smoke into the sky. I stand there until every single black thread of his cloak has vanished before I slowly turn to face Jacob.

His breathing is shallow. His whole body is drenched in sweat as he shivers. I run over to my pack, and bring out a blanket. I quickly cover him, and lay next to my Jacob, savoring the last moments.

Jacob opens his eyes and stares at my face. No words can describe this moment, so none are said. We lay there, staring at each other for the better part of an hour. Suddenly, his body convulses as he coughs up blood. I wipe his mouth with the sleeve of my shirt and caress his cheek.

“I’m sorry,” I sob, and wrap my arm around his stomach, careful not to disturb his mangled chest. My tears stain his shirt with salt water as I lean into Jacob.

“D-don’t be.” He smiles a little, and painfully drapes a steaming arm around my shoulders, his hand in my hair, and his lips to my forehead. “Its not-t, y-y-you’re fault.” His teeth chatter. I hold him closer.

“I’m going to die.” Jacob continues, and kisses my hair. I weep, and smother his face with kisses as tears connect and sizzle on his hot skin.

“No,” is my reply. “Jake, you’ll be okay. I can take care of you.” I blubber.

He laughs softly, and then flinches as it hurts him. “I-I know you c-can. I s-saw what you did with that g-guy.”

I press my index and middle finger to his lips, silencing them. “Please, don’t say anything. It will drain you, and I don’t want you to lose your strength.”

Timidly, I lift the blanket, which now has a large red stain on it, to check Jacob’s wound. It looks exactly the same as it did when Zach dragged me away. I knew he wasn’t going to recover, but I kicked myself for giving into hope.

We lay there for another hour as Jacob’s breaths come more shallow, his grip less tight on mine. The end is coming. I gaze up at the sun, now in the middle of the sky. It breaks through the barrier of trees and shines on my face. I gaze up at Jacob, who seems oddly peaceful as he takes in a mouthful of air. His heartbeat is slow, and pumping lazily, about to give up. I squeeze him tight.

“I dreamt of our life together, did you know that?” I tell him, settling down for a story. “This morning, I was thinking about how our life should be together. We were both so happy.” I wait for him to comment, but he says nothing, probably not wanting to spoil the moment. “We had two midnight-haired children, and they were so beautiful, Jacob. So beautiful.” I huffed and snuggled closer to him, if humanely possible.

“They had successful lives, so unique they were, and our grandchildren always came to see us. We were so happy, Jacob. You built us a stunning house with a really big porch, and we would sit on the swing there, drinking iced tea. Holding hands.”

I took this opportunity to grasp his hand tightly in mine. He gave it a weak squeeze, and plastered a smile on his face. He turned to me to look me straight in the eye as he exhaled three momentous words.

“I love you.”

And then breathes no more.

His skin grows cold as we lay there together. Jacob’s arm is limp against my back. I take the dirty blanket off his chest, and throw it away from us. My palm reaches his cheek and I stay there for hours, gazing at his calm face. My Jacob is dead. I have no future left besides my family, and they’re gone. I press my lips against his for the last time.

“I love you, too.”

End of Chapter Six.

Breaking Away Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Suggested soundtrack for this chapter: Black Black Heart by David Usher

Link to song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8U4C-zYrFUg

Alice’s POV

I glare at Jane with hooded eyes of uninteresting depths. She would have been menacing if I knew she could attack me with her mind-blowing power. Now that I’m second in command, and Jane being third, I was untouchable. I watched Jane’s torment as she comprehended this. Her eyes suddenly became wary, and she turned her face to hide her emotions from me. This is odd. Usually Jane in no way showed emotion, except of pleasure for other people’s pain.

A vision suddenly hit me, fast and hard. I gasped a little, unintentionally. I saw Marcus and Jane turn to me before my sight was clouded with a scene of time.

“Aro…”

A black figure approaches him. I could only see the silhouette of the figure stalking toward the former leader of the Volturi. Why can’t I see? Aro’s wrists are shackled with some sort of unrecognizable material. Metal? The room is bare, except for a few survival kits, a back pack, a bed roll, and a pitcher of water set by Aro’s feet. The walls are made of stone; the floor is rocky, and uneven.

The menacing figure crouched down to Aro, who is kneeling on the floor. His shackle’s chains are connected to a big slab of the same material behind him. Why can’t he break free? Vampires can break anything. What’s happening?

“Aro, look at me.” The figure’s male voice spoke and he forcefully lifts up Aro’s chin to meet his penetrating gaze. Aro’s eyes are closed, almost as if he’s tired. Mentally or physically drained? Vampires can’t be physically immobile. What has this figure done to him?

“I’m not going to give you information.” Aro’s voice is raspy, cold. He flips open his eyes and stares at the figure straight in the eye. “He’s my brother.”

Marcus?

The figure suddenly sighs and unfolds himself from the ground. He took the pitcher and lifted it to his mouth. Or what I thought was a mouth. It was hard to tell. Why can’t I see? I heard the gulping noises as the figure drank heavily, his Adam’s apple bobbing. Then he threw the pitcher down and its contents sprayed out in all directions.

“You will tell me!” He screamed, and hit Aro across his ancient, wise face. I mentally flinched, expecting the worse. But of course, nothing happened. Aro hadn’t even recoiled. The figure’s hand and smacked solidly against his cheek, but the figure did not cry out in pain, as it should have. It was a simple gesture of disrespect. Aro is fuming, and I don’t blame him. No one should be able to hit him like that.

“You will tell me,” the figure repeated, “or I’m not letting you leave this place. You will rot here for millennia, unable to move, or speak to anyone. It will drive you mad.” He crosses his arms and stared down at Aro, whose head was slumped with the realization of the man’s words. Aro’s fate is worse then any vampire could imagine.

“And you will not die.” The figure spit at him, “There will be no release for you, like everyone else in this world.” The figure raises his foot as if to strike Aro, then he paused when he heard a woman’s scream.

“Stop!”

I blinked and shook my head. My eyes slowly unclouded and came back into the now. Marcus’s face is twisted with curiosity. Curiosity killed the cat, I think to myself and smile inwardly, but then it quickly fades as I try to make sense of what just occurred in my horrifying vision. Aro is alive! And trapped. For some reason, Aro is fragile and vulnerable. He is powerless to even crack the mysterious metal-like shackles to free himself from his fate. Where is the mysterious man holding him prisoner? From the intense light and type of stone, it had to be some kind of desert, or dry place. Sahara Desert…? That’s where Aro’s brainwave had abruptly cut off…

“What did you see, Alice?” Marcus’s amused rasp broke me from my revere. His right hand was placed on his chin, with a finger placed on his bottom lip. Marcus’s eyes were slit slightly, making him look curious as ever.

“Nothing of consequence, sir,” I cleared my throat. Why was lying to this man so difficult? “Just a tidbit, of what is to come.” Or what is happening right now. Who knew? I had no initiative as to when this would happen. From the light, it’s sunset, or maybe daybreak? For all I knew, the vision takes place a hundred years from now, or a thousand. I just couldn’t lay a finger on it.

“And what would that be?” His eyes alight with amusement. He loved abusing my talent. Marcus wanted to know every single vision of everything that is yet to come. Or happening right now –I corrected myself. What he didn’t know though, is that I can summon visions intentionally. Marcus believes that my visions come at random, and unwillingly. I’m surprised he’s so naïve, or that no one from the Volturi Guard knows.

“Oh, it’s just us, sitting in this very room together. Chattering mindlessly.” I answered him. There. I’ll let him make whatever he wants of that. Just because I’m in the Volturi now, does not mean that I have to tell the truth. Luckily Marcus doesn’t have Maggie in his grasp, or else he’d force her into telling if I was lying to him.

“What do you mean by mindless chatter?” Marcus is suddenly hostile, his hands grip the arm rests and I see the bones forcing his knuckles ever whiter... I swivel my head to meet his, unaffected by his rude act.

“We were talking about the weather. How ashy and gray it is. All the time.” I beam at him. Jane snarls at me and changes into a crouch. Alec eyes his sister warningly, and then observes me and Marcus, amusement in his features. Renata glowers at me, and I can feel her gift start to whirl around us, stunning my senses into confusion. What was I saying? Oh yah, the weather.

“The weather is so lovely don’t you think?” I spat at him. I don’t care if he knows how I feel. My gift is too much of a treasure for him to lose. “With all the ash blowing in the once-was pure air, and the splendid smell of fire in the atmosphere? It’s wonderful."

He stands up and rages at me, pointing a finger towards my direction. “Yes it is! And that is how it shall stay, Alice Cullen.” Marcus’s eyes are alight with a burning desire for evil. His features are warped and foul now that his mask has dissipated. “I can feed on anything, and torture anyone. I have ultimate power of the entire universe. I am the most powerful thing you will ever come to encounter!”

His rants raged on, without tiring. It frightened me and I glanced nervously at the small slits in the walls, too thin for me to slip through and escape. “Edward and Bella will depart from this life for their crimes, and Renesmee will be brought to me. The alliance you ever had with the dogs will be their downfall, and I will destroy them all. There will be no threat to vampire existence! We will thrive like never before!”

Edward’s POV

“Lynn, will you come with us? Bella and I can keep you safe, I promise you.” I held the child in a soft hug, not wanting to hurt her susceptible human skin. I gazed up at Bella, who stood beautifully three feet across from me. I understood her desire to keep a distance from the girl, in case she couldn’t control herself. Swallowing back my instinctual venom that pooled into my mouth at the smell of Lynn’s blood, I thought of my Renesmee. Is she safe? Is Jacob keeping her protected? Demetri… I shook my thoughts, fighting my own demons to ignore Lynn’s blood call. I can get over this, like I did for Bella. Lynn’s blood should be no different, but its smell is intoxicating. Not near as potent as Bella’s was… but still.

I cleared my throat noisily when Lynn didn’t answer. Then I remembered that Lynn may as well have no ears. I kneeled down next to her again, and asked the question with my hands. Lynn curtly nodded and grasped my hand, an act of trust. Should we do this? Can we do this? I throw a fleeting look at Bella and her eyes are closed, struggling for control. After a few moments, Bella’s darkened, grim eyes open and she takes hold of my hand.

“I can do this, as long as you help me.” Bella says and takes a breath, embracing Lynn’s lovely scent. “You know what this reminds me of?”

Curiosity takes hold over me. “What?” what could this situation possibly remind her of? Carlisle and Esme’s adoptions? Maybe.

“It reminds me of when we were in Volterra the first time, and Aro had called me your singer? I think Lynn’s blood sings to me in the same way.” Her throat constricts as Bella says this, and I cry out inwardly for her pain. She must barely be keeping her inner demons under control. I squeeze her hand and run soothing circles across her palm, trying to calm my reason for existing.

“That bad, love?” I tell Bella and chuckle, trying to lighten the mood in this dark situation. She grimaces. I stop immediately and my heart goes out for her turmoil. I keep repeating my circles over her hand and her face smoothes, piece by piece.

“Yes.” Bella clears her throat and the wind picks up, causing her beautiful long hair to push back from her neck, the tresses coming apart and together seamlessly. She is so dazzling.

“It makes me wonder how you could ever stand to be near me, when I was human.” Bella continues, and looks up toward the ashy gray sky, longing for the sun. I sighed. The world hasn’t seen the sun in three tormented years. I longed to touch her bright diamond skin again as it shines in the light. I want to marvel at her beauty in the sun, when the rays tickle her hair and make it shine, provoking the hidden red shade. I want to listen to Bella’s wind-chime laugh for the rest of my life.

Damn Marcus to the farthest pits of hell for what he’s done to my wife. She is supposed to be the happiest being in the universe, as a vampire now. Is it worse that I changed Bella into a blood-sucking angel? Would it have been best if Renesmee never existed?

No, I tell myself. It wouldn’t. I love my daughter, and now I’m wasting precious time with Lynn when we should be saving her. I clench Bella’s hand tighter for a moment, then let her go. I make my way to Lynn. Pressing my hand to hers, I say that I’m going to lift her onto my back, so that we can run together. I stare into her disturbing neon eyes, and hope that they prove my honesty to not harm her.

“Er-kay.” Lynn grumbles, and holds out her arms, like a baby preparing to be picked up and cuddled by its mother. I grab her underarms and hoist her to my back. Lynn wraps her arms around my neck in a death grip, and I situate her legs comfortably around my waist.

“Bella, are you ready?” I gazed into her black eyes.

“Yes, Edward. We need to move. Fast.” She started running, knowing she’d need the head start. I pat my hands on Lynn’s calves to warn her we’re going to run now. Lynn’s grip tightens on my neck as my legs fly hard against the earth. I see Bella in the distance, her arms pumping, but her breaths come easy and slow, like they should. I pass her almost instantaneously, and hear her eyes roll. I smile.

Lynn is suddenly screaming. Her arms are around my neck so tightly, I’m afraid she’ll hurt herself. I throw a frantic glance at Bella, and her eyes are wide. I feel Bella’s gift push outside of her, wrapping around me, so I can read her mind.

“She’s scared!” Bella yells mentally and her gaze travels to Lynn’s horrified face. I look at Lynn through Bella’s eyes and feel pity for this human girl. “You need to put her down, she’ll fall off.”

“Oh, hell!” I yell as Lynn starts to slip. This blurring speed must be too much for her sensitive senses, and she’s frightened for her life. Lynn’s gargled screams terrify me, but we have to keep moving, we can’t stop for her. I need to get to Rome as fast as I can, to salvage a plane, fly to Forks, and then save my daughter from Demetri.

“Edward!” Bella squeals my name from behind me as Lynn slides off my back. Bella runs as fast as she can but to no avail, Bella can’t keep up. Now everything is slow-motion as I feel danger.

Lynn’s hair is billowing in front of her face, covering her mouth, creating silent screams of terror. Her clouded eyes are wide and the neon blue color pierces my soul with a force I’ve never known. Lynn’s arms flail around her as she senses her downfall.

I catch Lynn before her head collides with the ground, and throw her in my arms. Lynn’s screams rage on, so I stoke her cheek, trying to calm her down before she throws herself off again. As she makes her second attempt, I wrap my arms around her small body like steel girders. The only thing to do is slow down, that’s the best I’ll manage. I slow, and Bella’s stride matches mine as we race towards Rome.


Renesmee’s POV

The bright, savory morning brings along the sun that fills my eyelids with a lovely pink light. I dare not open them, savoring in the moment of warmth. Mmmm. I haven’t felt this in good in so long. Is it because I declared my love for Jacob Black? That reminds me…

I flutter my eyes open to see his face, inches away from mine. Jacob’s russet skin is striking in first light. I marvel at the color and fight the urge to stoke his cheek. His eyelids are closed and for once I can’t see any hint of disturbance in his features. Jacob seems irrevocably calm, and serene, as he dreams. It makes me wonder what Jake’s dreaming about…

I stifle a yawn, and stretch, my arms out to my sides and I twist my neck around. I would never get used to sleeping on the ground. I would much rather prefer my crib back at Mom and Dad’s cottage, even though I know I’m much too big for it now.

Thoughts of the cottage bring thoughts of what life would be like living with Jacob, down at the La Push reservation. I plainly see little black heads bobbing around our backyard, playing in the mud as I hold Jacob’s hand on our porch. They shout “Mommy, mommy!” and squeal with delight as they play with Sam and Emily’s children, making mud pies and miniature castles out of dirt and sand.

My children are older now, and graduating high school to live long and prosperous live. No one can hurt them; they are a fourth vampire, half werewolf. My children will fit in against any human, but they are so beautifully unique and other-worldly. A slight glow to their skin will set them apart, a slight appetite for blood, maybe, and a sort of animalistic nature about them…

I see grandchildren sitting around my dining room table, eagerly awaiting some family recipe of my mothers while I babysit them for the weekend. Their souls are so bright and alive I fight the urge to cry out in joy.

And most of all, I see Jacob. By my side through every obstacle everyone encounters in life. We hold hands as we walk down the beach and kiss as the sun retreats down the endless horizon. I clearly see Jacob, as my own wolverine to protect me and our family from malevolence.

But can we live like this, the way the world is now? With death and blood and insanity at every turn? Tears brim my lids and I try to push them back but fail. They spill over relentlessly and I wipe them away quickly.

My love, life, and meaning. Over. Without a world for all to live in, it’s nothing. Jacob and I couldn’t possibly have kids; it would be cruel and selfish to bring something so innocent into this world of fire.

I cannot believe I’ve never thought of this before. My future. Maybe it’s because I’ve never loved anyone as much as I love my Jacob, and I need to spend the rest of my existence with this man. I stare at his face, mused.

That’s when I notice how much I smell.

Twisting my nose, I unfold myself from the ground carefully, so I don’t wake Jacob. He needs his sleep ever since his strange energy hold-up. Taking one last look at his sleeping face, I turn on my heels and head into the direction of the river. I follow my ears to the fresh gurgling sound of spring water. Even with my coat on, I feel the chill coming off of the river. It’s shallow, and I strip off my clothes as my feet hit the bitter water. I almost cry out in shock at the frostiness of it. It’s so strange, if my skin is naturally colder than humans, it must be blindingly wintry to their warm skin. Insanely so to Jacob’s.

I wash quickly, feeling uneasy about being naked out in the open, for some outlandish reason, I sensed eyes on my back. I rub under my arms and around my legs while I wash my hair with shampoo I brought from my pack. The water is so cold I’m instantly shivering all over. I wrap my arms around my torso and dunk my whole body in, ridding myself of the access soap. Then, I scramble out of the foreboding river and put my clothes on as quickly as I can manage with trembling fingers.

The invisible eyes never leave. I twist my head around, scanning my surroundings. Nothing. I slowly make my way back to Jacob, taking my time while listening out for strange sounds.

Snap.

I whirl around to empty space, a ghost of movement at the back of me. My vampire senses heightened, rising to their fullest as I instinctually felt menace in the air. What was that noise? My eyes pinpoint a fallen branch lying in the muck, among a thousand others, but this one seemed special. It was broken in half, not by the tip of the branch like it should have been if it fell from the tree. This was broken by some external force, other than nature. I walk toward it, curious to find its breaker.

My instincts scream at me to keep back, away from the danger. I ignore them as their pleas elongate. There’s a shuffling sound from above as I reach the branch, and I gaze up to the treetops, seeing every detail. The pine needles encircled the branches of the tree wondrously, and they were very green, like how my daddy’s eyes used to be. But- there! A dark patch covering a part of the tree. It moved. I shifted into a crouch, and sniff the air. It smells like dust, fire, and smoke, with a twinge of…blood.

“Hello.” A daunting voice comes at me from above. It falls to the ground right in front of me and all I can focus on is the sharp, gleaming white teeth of its mouth as it says its greetings. The vampire smiles, revealing his teeth’s razor-sharp points. His dirty, pale hand ghosts over to feel a curl of my scarlet hair.

“You smell lovely.”


End of Chapter Five

Breaking Away Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Suggested soundtrack for this chapter: Preliator –Immediate Music

Bella’s POV

Once we reached Italy’s tip, we attempted to choose which way to Forks. My eyes, black and frantic, scanned the ocean’s wide berth. Its menacing waves were angry; gray with ash and bones.

“We can cross the Mediterranean Sea into Libya, or we could go west and slip in between Spain and Morocco.” Edward sighed. “But then we’d have the entire North Atlantic Ocean to cover.” He placed a palm on his head and huffed. Crossing the entire ocean could take weeks, and then we’d never reach Renesmee in time to save her life.

“Our only option is to cross the Atlantic.” I mumbled, and faced the depressing ocean. Could I stand the irritation of holding my breath that extended sum of time? If only airplanes still had pilots.

“Wait, Edward?” I asked, and grabbed his arm just before his foot hit the cold water. “Can’t we fly a plane that works? I remember you telling me once; you can fly a plane, right?” I memorized a time, so long ago, when Edward and I had been passing notes in class. I had posed what would Edward do if our plane was falling into the sky, and he simply stated, “I’d fly the plane.” Edward can fly us straight back to Washington.

“Yes, I supposed we could do that.” He smiled and bestowed me a quick kiss. “I’m glad I fell in love with such an intelligent beauty.” Edward took a map he stole from one of the stores along the way and unfolded it from his pocket. His finger pointed to a spot in Italy where there should be an airport with at least one functioning or fixable aircraft.

“Here,” He pointed to Italy’s capital, Rome, on the map. “This is our best shot. Rome has the most planes or helicopters, since it was such a huge tourist attraction.” Was. The simple word burned into my mind. Renesmee would never be able to see such beauty that used to be in our world. She had so much ahead of her, and Marcus snatched it away like it was his. Brushing away the thought, I nodded to Edward in agreement. We ran together towards Rome, which used to be one of the most beautiful places on earth.


Edward’s eyes were black with thirst, as were mine. We hadn’t consumed any blood in over two weeks now and it was taking its toll on our minds, driving as mad with thirst. Rome was as deserted as Antarctica, which would actually be better since there were still penguins. When we reached Rome, there wasn’t even a simple bird to bless us with its call. Whatever humans that were still in the area were either bunkered down, or dead. No blood anywhere. Edward and I even checked the zoo, to see if animals had wandered around, looking for food. Each cage was desolate and broken, signs of the animals clawing their way out, or clawing their way in.

“Edward, what can we do?” I was frantic, the need for blood chewing its way into my attitude. My eyes darted around the vicinity, searching for anything that moved, anything at all. I knew that if I saw a human cross my path, I would resist. But I didn’t know how long. I smelled blood wandering in the air. I breathed it in deeply, reveling in the lovely scent of it.

“I don’t know, Bella.” Edward wound a hand through his bronze hair and grimaced at me in pain that mocked mine. His midnight eyes penetrated into my soul. We were starving, that was definite. When we had escaped from the Volturi castle, we had planned to go hunting that day. We should have planned it through, but I had to ruin it all with a paroxysm. It’s been fifty-two hours since then, and we were dangling from the edge.

“Is anyone here?” I asked him. Edward closed his eyes and concentrated hard, spreading his mind to its full strength to detect a single form of life. “There are a few stragglers in the area… Why did you want to know?”

I shook my head, defiantly. “No reason.” My throat was on fire. I knew if an innocent, bleeding human crossed my path, I wouldn’t stop myself. Imagining the blood pooling into my throat like a sweet ecstasy made my mouth water with venom. I hissed out loud and fought myself. I would not break my own rules. When I was a human myself, I had promised not to take a life.

Edward noticed my indecisions stalked over to me. “Bella, what are you thinking?” He shook my shoulders a little. So he had heard the deception in my words. “You can’t drink a human, Bella! It’s merciless. You are better than that, I know you are.”

Edward was right. I’m superior to this, this maddening dryness burning my insides. I shook my head and used my finer vampire self-control to push terrible thoughts back to their place.

Then I heard a slight inhalation, a quick intake of breath of a very, very small mass. It stood impeccably silent, almost knowing there was danger by it. My senses took over as the monster inside me fought for control over my mind. I squeezed my eyes shut and battled for power over myself.

Edward’s grip tightened on my shoulders, and he wrapped his arms around me like steel girders. He twisted his neck to face something. What he was seeing was opposite my back, so I couldn’t imagine what it was. But I heard the heartbeat. Shoving myself out of Edward’s grasp, I dashed for the creature. Whether animal or human, I had to drink it now. Edward’s hand slipped past my arm as I out-ran him, my legs hitting hard against the rocky underbrush with supernatural strength. I bound forward and I heard Edward’s desperate pleas behind me to stop this madness.

The heartbeat was closer now, and hysterical with anxiety. It hammered fast and strong and pure, so overwhelming I didn’t reflect, I acted instinctively. Blood was almost upon me, I could almost feel the warm liquid soothing my neckline, running down it in the most satisfying sensation. Without seeing, I pounced onto the creature and breathed in its divine scent before Edward could seize me. I sighed in pleasure. This blood was like no other smell in the entire world. It sang to me seductively, all my senses were focused on that one smell. It was panting heavily, clearly frightened. The frame of it was small, and thin. Starved of food and water. I was astounded it didn’t buckle under my weight.

Venom pooled into my mouth as I stared at the angelic face that was my prey. Its icy blue eyes provoked. Opening my mouth, I barely touched my teeth to the hot skin when a body crashed into mine, screaming my name.

“No, Bella!” Edward held me still against the ground, hands behind my back. His movements were gentle, but firm. I couldn’t move. I wriggled a fraction of an inch out of his grasp, which made him hold me tighter. “Do you realize what you’re doing?” He asked of me, and picked me up lightly in his arms. Shaking, I realized I had come in proximity to taking a simple, human girl’s life. The monster inside me relinquished, and drew back to the corner of my psyche. I waited twenty minutes in Edward’s arms to gain complete control, and then I spread my shield out of me so Edward could read my thoughts. Once he knew I wouldn’t attack again, he set me down, but kept a watchful eye as I approached the quivering child.

“Little one, are you lost?” I posed, and positioned a hand on her petite head. She cringed instantly at my cold touch, and I took my hand away and placed it at my side, not wanting to frighten her. Edward came up behind me and touched the girl’s back.

“Are you alright?” He asked her, but she gave no response. The girl seemed to concentrate on something, her eyebrows furrowed, eyes a blank stare into the distance. “Can you hear me, child?” Edward glanced over in my direction, his black eyes wide with worry. I immediately felt guilty. Edward touched her flaming cheek, and she stepped back, her elfin hands outstretched to protect her face.

The human girl was artlessly striking. Sun-bleached blonde hair sheathed her face, cutting off at her chin bluntly. Her button nose stood straight, her eyes were large and abnormally blue, like neon. Her small, but full lips quivered and tears were rolling down her face. She instantaneously reminded me of Renesmee. Young, innocent, and helpless.

“Get away from me!” Her mouth formed the words awkwardly, and they sounded odd, like she was gargling them. I examined her mouth to see if it was occupied of any liquid but there was none. She must not be hearing what she spoke.

“Edward, I think this poor girl is deaf.” Turning, I took his hand in mine before he could approach and frighten her again.

“Blind as well, it seems.” He stated and focused his attention to her eyes. “Can’t you see that they’re unnaturally blue? There is also a slight cloud to them.”

Thank God Edward had attended medical school. Twice. I would have never of guessed her crippling blindness as anything but a rare color.

“I can’t read her mind.” Edward suddenly said, appalled.

“What do you mean you can’t?” I raised, utterly astounded. How can she shield herself from Edward’s gift? I mere mortal? I thought I was they only one with the ability to do that.

“What can we do?” This was insane. Two people in this world that was unvoiced to Edward. “I can put my shield around us, so you can read her thoughts.”

“No need, love. I know sign language, and she’ll need to identify me as a friend.” I let him go. Edward kneeled and tenderly lifted one of her arms, locating a hand into hers. His hand moved swiftly and knowingly, shaping words into her palm. Her face smoothed and she listened to Edward in her own way.

“What are you telling her?”

“That we’re trustable, and we want to help her.” Edward’s hands made a few more words, and I was intoxicated by the grace of his movements. “Now I’m asking where her parents are.”

I already knew the answer. Her parents were dead. They had to be, or else they’d be here to protect this fragile girl now. To ensure, her head bobbed and tears filled her eyes to the brim. She did not let them spill over. I had new respect for this girl, she reminded me of the strength I needed to rescue my daughter, and my friend.

“Now I’m asking for her name.” Edward continued.

“My name is Lynn.” Lynn’s words were harshly pronounced, but intelligible. I cocked my head to the side. Lynn was beyond mysterious; even how she held herself up, as if she were invincible, untouchable. Now that her moment of uncertainty about us was over with, she trusted Edward and me completely. But couldn’t she feel the coldness of Edward’s skin as his hand brushed against hers, forming words I would never hear? Surely, she could sense the danger in the air, especially after I had ambushed her?

I know what I had to do; this verdict was made before I brought it into deliberation. Lynn couldn’t survive in this world, anymore. Not alone, with no one to guide and help her stay alive. Lynn needed our help. She knew it. I knew it.

Edward stood up and ghosted over to where I was stationed. “Her parents are dead, as of this morning.” He looked at her with admiration, like he did for our Renesmee. Edward had a soft spot for children, like I did. He knew Lynn needed our aid and he would surely provide it.

I nodded. “Lynn needs to come with us.”


Jacob’s POV

She loves me. Renesmee loves me and thinks I’m beautiful. I chuckled out loud as I remember those words from so long ago, when Bella lost control of her motorcycle and hit her head. She had said those exact words. Hah. Like mother like daughter, I guess.

Renesmee was running with me, today. To give me a break from exertion, she had said. Knowing Renesmee couldn’t run for long, I would stop every few hours to give her a break. And she needed it. When ever we took a few knees, she would plop on the ground and breathe hard with her hands over her head. I always felt bad about this, but she was right. I was tired, and her weight when running could get slightly annoying. Plus, when she was on my back all day from traveling, it had to get cramped up there. This opportunity gave Renesmee a chance to exercise her half-vampire muscles.

“What’s so funny?” Renesmee asked me through ragged breaths. Her arms were pumping hard; her long legs were noticeably slower than an hour before. I saw some sweat begin to pool around her neck and collarbone. My steps wavered as I contemplated if we should take a knee for a few minutes or not… It’s only been an hour.

I barked back at Renesmee in a tone that really gave no answer. She sighed and picked up her pace, now determined to beat me. Over my dead body. I pushed myself to a sudden burst of speed, and passed her almost instantaneously. I sensed a huge frown begin to mold onto her features. I’d made her unhappy. I huffed, and made my way back to her, still in wolf phase.

“I’m tired.” Renesmee stated, and plopped onto the grass. We were close to the Canada border now. At least it was spring, and she only needed a jacket. Her coat was worn, I’d have to run to a store or something on the way before with hit northern Canada.

I trotted behind her and phased. Then came around and placed a hand on her slender shoulder. She was looking a bit too thin, lately. “Tired already?” I teased, an patted her shoulder apologetically. I unzipped her back pack and brought out a dried apple for her. Renesmee took the apple and ate it, without question. She must’ve been hungry. I checked our pack for an update on our food supply. Almost empty.

“Hey, we’re gonna have to stop in Vancouver for more food.” I claimed, and zipped the backpack back up, and positioned it down on the grass next to her. I sat, involuntarily played with her hair, out of mind. Renesmee nodded. She didn’t like to kill innocent animals for food; a very strict vegetarian, you could say. For some reason, I was glad. Watching Renesmee hunt was as bloodcurdling as it was glorious. Her teeth bared, her pounce through the air with her hair billowing across her face, and finally watching her suck blood reminded me too much of the greedy vampires who took over our world.

I decided Renesmee was too tired to run anymore, and took out a bedroll for her. I set it up, and tucked her in. Renesmee was unconscious before her head hit the dirty pillow. We needed to get our clothes washed, too. We were filthy, both.

Wrinkling my nose at my own stench, I quickly changed to wolf form and followed my muzzle to clean water, about a mile away. I still heard Renesmee’s shallow breathing, so it was a safe distance. I washed in the river quickly, shivering by the cold running off it. Shaking my self out, I reached out of my mind and connected with Seth’s. He was out for a midnight run around the La Push perimeter.

“Damn vampires are everywhere!” He cussed, and leaned his snout down close to the ground, following a fresh trail. “This one’s hot. I gotta follow, it’s headed for Forks.”

I sighed. This was normal. Parasites ran in and out of Forks and La Push everyday. It was insane, it was everywhere, and it was really bothering our noses.

“Go ahead, Seth. One shouldn’t be too hard for you,” I thought to him. “If it’s a newborn, I want you to have Leah help, ok?” He couldn’t handle a newborn by himself. I shuddered as I re-lived my bones being crushed like toothpicks when a newbie vampire had got his hands around me, back during the newborn attack from Seattle. How wrong we were! All the newborns had been a diversion, and Victoria had made a snap decision to follow Edward’s trail, where she new Bella’d be. I still had to thank Edward for destroying her. If Victoria had killed Bella, Renesmee wouldn’t be here now.

“Alright, if it’s bad, I’ll call Leah.” Seth pouted, but trotted loyally after the scent.

Thinking of Renesmee, I swiftly started my way back to her. It was completely dark now, and it was even hard for me to see, with no help from the moon. My senses were on edge, and I had no idea why. Scanning the trees for anything suspicious, I picked up my pace. I reached Renesmee in minutes, and breathed out, not even knowing I had been holding it back.

Renesmee mumbled something unintelligible in her sleep. I pulled the blankets around her tighter, and lay down to sleep.

Never did I know there was a vampire watching as I dreamily closed my eyes.

Breaking Away Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Suggested soundtrack for this chapter: Alibi -by 30 Seconds to Mars

Renesmee’s POV

“Jake, stop!” I laughed and threw a snowball aimed for his head. He growled playfully and tackled me into the snow, careful not to jostle me. Then Jacob grabbed a handful of snow and dangled it above my face, teasing me into the attack. I pushed him off me, and bent over to powerfully crush some snow into my hand, turning it into a deadly block of ice.

“Whoa, there!” Jake told me in mock horror, “Please, not ice! Anything but that!” He waved his hands up in defeat and smiled, showing me a full set of gleaming teeth. I sighed and dropped the ice-ball, sensing our snow fight was over with. Unbelievably, Jake rushed up behind me and pressed a handful down my coat, then ran away snickering like a teenaged boy. I squealed and jumped around the valley, shaking the chilly matter out of my cotton plaid shirt. “You dog!” I yelled, a hundred yards away.

“Gotcha.” Jake said and lay down in the blanketed grass. I could hear his retort from that distance, and was by his side instantly. I watched him stare at me as I sat beside him, pretending to be mad. My cheeks flushed from the cold and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders instantly. It wasn’t romantic at all, just response to the cold. Jacob was my primary source of heat when we were in bitter climates. I couldn’t wait until we reached the eastern seashore again.

“You hungry?” I asked, and unfolded from the ground anyway, already knowing what his response would be. Jake was always hungry. I unzipped my backpack and pulled out some dried meat for him to eat. It was quicker than having him shift to a werewolf to hunt. Having some meat on-hand was easy, but we always ran low. Fast. At least I knew we could always hunt together when need be, even though I didn’t grow fond of murdering animals. As I matured out of my younger age, I started to prefer human food to blood. The thirst inside my throat was extremely dull compared to my father and mother’s. I could easily resist killing an innocent animal.

“Thanks.” Jake took the meat and ate the 5-pounder in about thirty seconds. He burped noisily, the sound echoed across the mountain side, and I giggled. Jacob was gross in a very cute way. Wait, cute? Did I just think that? I glanced at Jacob’s boyish face out of the corner of my eye, constructing an examination. His eyes were closed in contentment, his full lips slightly open. I watched his muscled arm, draped over his wide chest; lift up and down from the breaths he took deeply. His russet skin was entirely fascinating to look at. Jacob released an eyelid and gazed up at me. Yah, I never thought of him that way before, but I was attracted to him. “What are you looking at?” He asked of me, and leaned on his elbows, his eyebrows furrowed.

“You know you’re sort of beautiful.” I told him, blushing and forcing my head down to cover it. After a few minutes of silence, I dared to look up to see his reaction. Jacob was gaping at me, utter confusion plain on every slope of his face. Never realizing my feelings for him had been unacceptable. I just hope he thought of me the same way. Not just Bella Cullen’s daughter he needed to shield from the Volturi. My bravery took hold as I thought of my mother, and I touched his forearm, reveling in the warmth of it. He still had no answer for me and I didn’t mind. I laid closely next to him, more for the urge to be near him instead for heat.

“You don’t know how long I’ve waited for you to say that.” Jacob turned his head to face mine, and I saw the happiness in his eyes. I leapt with pleasure in my mind. So he had been waiting all this time. Jake wasn’t my best friend anymore. He was so much more than that. His hand tangled into my hair and he pulled my face gently close to him. My heart beat sped up, and I knew he could hear it. It was plain to see all over his handsome features. I heard his heartbeat also, and I smiled as it picked up pace, racing over as if it would burst out of his chest. It was the loveliest sound. Jacob’s warm hands touched my back as our lips connected; mine hot and his even hotter. They scorched together as I put my hands on his chest.

The kiss didn’t last long, which suited me just fine. It was a very sweet kiss, one that told me the truth about Jacob’s feelings but it wasn’t a kiss that pressured me in any way. I knew that he was much older than I was, especially in physical time. Technically, I was four years old. Mentally as well as physically, I was pushing sixteen.

“We need to go, Nessie.” Jake interrupted my thoughts as he thrust himself from the snow-swathed ground and held a hand out to me. I took it and he lifted me up fully, my feet dangling in the air.

“Hey!” He was swinging me around, and I laughed. “Put me down! We really should go.” Jake set me down immediately at my request. I brushed some snow and dirt from my backside and turned to face the trees to give him privacy. I heard the pull and tug of cloth as he took his clothes off and blushed deeply. Then I distinctly heard the strange vibrating hum as he rapidly changed into a shape-shifter.

He barked the “all clear” signal. I rotated and put his clothes in my pack. Jacob bowed down to make it simple for me to climb onto his back. I held on to his fur for dear life as he dashed through the forest. Running with Jacob was the most breathtaking feeling. His speed was incredible, his bliss when in wolf form made me glad. I didn’t care if we would have to travel evermore. Being with Jacob was my happy place. I hugged Jake tighter and we flew across the valley.

After a few short hours his paws pounded against the terrain unsteadily and his ragged breathing frightened me. I patted his fur and bent down from my place on his back so he could see my worried face. My question he had to answer and I knew it. He rolled an eye and stuck out a tongue in an almost comical facial expression. My eyebrows furrowed together to into a V and I didn’t believe his passive response. Patting his head as a signal to stop, he slowed and then came to a complete halt. I slipped to ground and turned. Jacob instantly shifted back to human form and approached me.

“What’s wrong?” I asked him and he rubbed his hand through his short black hair. He shrugged his shoulders and stared at the soil.

“I’ve just been sorta tired, lately.” He glanced up at me, a glimmer of failure in his eyes. I sighed and enfolded my arms around his waist. “It’s because of me, isn’t it? My weight is too much for you to carry.” I pouted a little. Running got strenuous after a few hours and I wasn’t as fast as Jacob, even when I was on his back. I would slow our never-ending travel, and it would take longer to reach the coast.

“No, no. It’s not that.” Jacob replied, and pushed away from me, pacing. “I don’t know what it is, but I’m thinking it’s everything. The messed up world, the pack and their mental burdens, constantly running… I miss Bella.” He said this reluctantly, and I recoiled. Jacob missed my mother?

“Why.” All I could manage to state to him. My lip jutted out and I knew I looked pouty. I bit back on my lip.

“It’s not that I like her like that anymore, Nessie!” he told me, and I instantly felt relieved. “It’s just… you miss her so much. Edward too. It pains me, because you want them so badly.” I felt my eyes tear up in my lids as I imagined my mother and father draped in black cloaks, their eyes red and brooding with blood lust. The tears spilled over, and Jake wrapped me in a hug. “I’m so sorry, Nessie. They’ll come back, I swear they will.” He rubbed my back soothingly and I believed his words.

“I know.”


Edward’s POV

We can do it. I know we can save Renesmee and Jake from Marcus’s clutches. I feel it in my entire being. I had to. If I didn’t believe this, it would be an impossible feat. The love I had for my daughter was overpowering. I knew that if I could resist Bella’s lovely blood the first day I met her, then I surely could rescue my daughter now, with my wife by my side. I gawked down at my beloved, and thought selfishly. At least she was here with me, now. If Marcus had only claimed me, or Bella, and we had been apart, I would have lost control.

“What are you thinking?” Bella stated in her mind as the wind whipped her beautiful hair around her face as I cradled her in my arms. I wasn’t going to set her down until we were out of Europe, and she wouldn’t detract her shield either. It was too risky to let go of her if we came across a member of the Volturi, out to hunt.

“I was thinking about our daughter, and how stunning you both are,” Bella nestled closer to my chest, and I hugged her tighter. “We’ll find her, I know it.”

I felt her head nod against me and she thought about our life after we saved Renesmee and Jake. “It will be perfect, like we imagined.” I assured her, “We’ll go back to the cottage and live our lives with Nessie, Jake, and the rest of our family.”

“What if we can’t f-“ Bella started, but I silenced her with a glare.

“If you don’t believe it, it won’t happen. And it has to happen.” I closed my eyes, feeling the wind slide through my hair and the sweet caress of leaves against my skin. I used my sense of touch, smell, and sound to navigate through the underbrush, in the general direction of Forks, Washington. We had to talk to Seth first, to pinpoint Jake’s location. The only difficult part was if we could reach them before Demetri. Or decide if they should keep moving to avoid Demetri, or if they should stop and wait for us.

“You’re right, Edward,” Bella grinned, “Always right.”

I chuckled and gave her a crooked smile I knew she found irresistible.


Alice’s POV

Marcus’s fury was entertaining. His usually reserved manner had disintegrated and he was glaring at me with his ruby red eyes, mouth in a tight line as it had been for over an hour. The fire burned inside him as he fought with himself over a decision. His future went from him watching Felix ripping me limb from limb, to forgiving me and keeping his coveted gift of mine. It was just too funny!

He crossed his arms over his antique chest and huffed. Palm to face, he sighed and murmured something unintelligible to Jane. I smiled up at him as Jane nodded her head in approval of his decision. I would live, as I had foreseen. Silly men and their wants. And Jane couldn’t resist her future. Although, I never had to be accurate for them…

“I’m going to forgive you and let you live.” Marcus told me this as if he was acting on a great kindness. Uh huh. Now that I know Edward and Bella have escaped, nothing could spoil my chipper mood. Still, I had to keep up with my pretense. I bowed to Marcus – a little mockingly, and gave him a dazzling smile. “Thank you, Marcus, I much appreciate it.”

He glared down at me, taken aback by my insult. Marcus was inwardly fuming, and I felt it. I swiveled around and made my way toward the ridiculously massive wooden door. My cloaked swirled delicately and I hated it. Cloaks were so seventeenth century. At least they let me wear my stilettos… I smirked.

“Alice.” Marcus’s demanded startled me, and I came to an abrupt halt. What? What more could he say? He probably just wanted me to seek his future for him… it was always the same, burning, ash, and death. But perhaps he was just trying to amuse himself. I turned to face him again, a question clearly in my eyes.

“Are you with us, Alice? Fully, unquestionably?” he cocked his head to the side, and raised an eyebrow. I gasped inwardly. Fully with the Volturi? What did that mean?

Marcus could see my uneasiness and cackled. “Are you surprised I would want your full gratitude, your full commitment?” He stepped down from his throne to stand a few feet away from me. Marcus was even more menacing up close, and I automatically took a half-step back towards the door. “Surely, this question should not be surprising after that stunt you pulled with Edward and Bella today. I’m not quite happy about that.”

Marcus pulled a hand out of his cloak to stroke it across my cheek. “I’m not happy, Alice. You did the wrong thing.”

I instantly sought out his future, begging for an answer to this outcome. I gasped as I saw it. Me, with blood red eyes, standing behind Marcus every so loyal. My eyes were no longer gold, the sign of my endeavor for life, and peace. They were cold rubies, showing my weakness for draining a human of its blood. Or worse, by Marcus’s force.

“Alice, you can no longer leave the Volturi castle under any circumstances. You are to live here, speak here, and hunt here.” The weight of his words crushed my hope to ever leave this god-forsaken place. I knew that no vampire would bring back an animal for me, the Guard only brought back humans for the high-ranking Volturi who were too lazy or proud to hunt themselves. I would be forced to drink human blood, and then Marcus would take my every single will, molding me to his purpose.

The only thing I could do was nod. And Jane screamed.

“What?” she shouted, obviously outraged with Marcus’s decision. “Does that mean Alice is second in command? Not me!?” Her body flew up from the throne. She faced Marcus, defiant.

“Yes, Jane. Is that not obvious enough for you? Before, Alice refused to drink the blood of humans. Now that she complied, and I know she will respect me, she is allowed to be my second.” He waved Jane off, and she ambled back wards towards her seat, fuming. Just before she sat down, Marcus called to her.

“Jane. You don’t sit there anymore. Alice?” He gestured to me to sit at the right-side throne, and I obeyed. What else could I do but to obey? Jane gave me the most deathly look before I seated myself. Her future held the most hateful feelings for me now.

“Of course, Marcus.” Jane complied, and stood behind his throne, glaring daggers at me as he sat in front of her. Then, too low for Marcus, Alec, or Renata to hear, she spoke.

“I’ll kill you Alice Cullen. I vow, I’ll rip you apart myself and start the fire.”

Breaking Away Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Suggested soundtrack for this chapter: Give Me A Sign by Breaking Benjamin

Alice’s POV

The chill of the Volturi castle never left. The visions in my mind never altered. My head would not stop burning with the futures of the millions of people in this world. Every future held nothing. Nothing but blackness, death, disease, and the end. The end of everything. Love, life, and even lust. Who still loved each other in this greedy, power-hungry world of mine? Why did Jacob have to be a werewolf? Why could I not see Jacob’s future? His was tied with Renesmee’s, therefore tying with my whole family.

Slumping to the floor at the foot of a wide curving staircase, I rubbed my temples. I could go insane from this pain.

“Argh!” I cried, and beat the stone ground, leaving an indent of my fist. Sighing, I twirled my fingers around the hole, curving the stone around to make a perfect circle. If the world hadn’t been burning to crisps outside, I would have gone mad from absolute boredom inside the Volturi walls.

I dreamed of Jasper’s arms wrapped in mine. Remembering the way we used to hunt together, seeing him in all his grace and glory, I swooned uncontrollably. I placed my palms on my face and sought out his future, penetrating into my mind to find him. Jasper was at our house back in Forks, sitting on our loveseat. He had the most pained look on his face that made me want to weep. His future had many conclusions, all that I had looked at many times before since arriving in Volterra: Jasper sitting endlessly on the loveseat, lingering only for the hope of me coming home, Jasper in a steaming rage, killing any poor soul to cross his path, Jasper turning against my family, and becoming a nomad, wondering aimlessly. All of them sad endings without me by his side. I had thought we would be each other’s forever. We should never be apart, not for one moment. But here I was, thousands of miles away from my beloved, searching for a happy ending.

“Alice?” Edward’s velvet voice came from behind me. Why had I not heard his and Bella’s approach? I was slipping through the cracks, I could feel it. Standing up, I came to them and hugged Bella tightly. I sensed the depression she was feeling for her daughter.

“Alice,” Edward pulled me away from Bella and placed both his hands on my tiny shoulders, shaking me a little. “Why can’t you see what Marcus is planning?!” the agony in his eyes was forceful, confusing me in every way. He waited for me to respond, his hands tightened on my shoulders and he raised his voice. “Alice! Why. Tell me.”

“What?” I grabbed his arms and pushed him away. Bella took his hand and I wondered why she didn’t protest of him assaulting me. “Marcus hasn’t had anything special planned lately.” What was he going on about? I stared at Bella, searching for her future out of habit, and found a blank slate. I didn’t expect anything less, all of her future mended with Renesmee. Renesmee’s entire future was Jacob. There was nothing I could do.

“Demetri discovered Renesmee’s trail today!” Bella spoke in a forged chipper voice. She put on an animated smile, but widened her eyes as Jane passed us in the hallway, ignoring us physically but most likely listening to our conversation intently.

“That’s wonderful!” I replied and hugged Bella tightly. How could I not see this? Demetri wasn’t involved with a werewolf in any way. I should be able to see every single decision, even the smallest of sorts. I racked my brain for his future, nothing but a blank slate of white. Oh God. If there was any time to pray, it was now. Watching Jane turn the corner with pleased eyes, I seized Bella and Edward’s hands and flew up the staircase that elongated the length of the whole building.

We rushed down a few deserted passageways, and then I opened the latch to a small door etched into the ceiling. A block of bitter, ashy air hit me with full force. I jumped the fifty foot height and nimbly slid through the small opening to the flat roof of the Volturi castle. This was the perfect place to talk in private with Edward and Bella. I had sought out a place like this a few days before, knowing sometime we would need it.

“What’s this all about, Alice?” Bella inquired as she jumped and landed on the roof beside me. Her eyes took in the view of Volterra and I heard her muted sigh. Volterra was grimy, isolated, and unattractive like the rest of the world. I squeezed my eyes shut and the released them to the same picture. Ugh. I knew what she was thinking and I didn’t want Renesmee to grow up in such a cruel world, either. She was too pure and perfect for such a humanity that used to have so much to offer.

Edward glided through the opening next and landed next to Bella, immediately taking her hand. They were always connected. I was envious of them. Why were they allowed to have their everything when I couldn’t have mine? Then I remembered they weren’t blessed with the presence of their only child. Truly their entire world. I hit myself mentally for being so selfish.

“Edward, make sure no one is listening, please.” I told him. No vampire could hear this conversation, or it all would finish in certain death for treason. He nodded and closed his eyes, hunting for nearby minds.

“Nothing. You’re safe to speak.” His eyes burned into mine, making me uncomfortable. I knew it was wrong to keep him waiting any longer, but I didn’t have the heart to tell him his daughter would surely be found. Sighing inwardly, I choked out the words.

“Demetri’s future is blank.”

Bella’s POV

I screamed. No masquerade could hide this pain. Edward grabbed my arms before I fell, and held me as his body shook with mine. Demetri’s future was empty and that could only mean one thing. He would find Jacob and Renesmee. Soon. Surely, he would kill Jacob and haul Renesmee to Volterra. Her pain would be unimaginable as he snuffed out her other half’s life. My eyes pricked with the non-existence of tears. Not being able to cry frustrated me. There was no release on this earth.

“What can we do?” Edward moaned, turning to Alice and silently demanding an answer. “I don’t know.” Was Alice’s response. He held me tighter. So there was no hope then. I pushed away from Edward and slowly made my way to the roof’s rough edge, a foot dangling. I laughed inwardly at the dark sarcasm of it all. This reminded me of when I had thought I would never see Edward again, and had jumped foolishly into the dark water. I wish I’d have died in the river. Then Renesmee would have stayed safe inside me, never to have the burden to live. But then I would have never had the heavenly moments with Edward. I screeched again, my head toward the sky in denial.

Edward ran impossibly fast to me, preventing my fall. “Don’t.” He begged.
“Why not?” I shrieked at him, “Not that I could kill myself, otherwise!” I smashed the ground with my foot and part of it gave way.
“Stop!” He pulled my up into his arms and cradled me like he used to when I was too tired to cling to his back when we ran together while I was human. “You’ll cave the roof.” He started humming Renesmee’s lullaby and that helped me calm down, be less livid. Renesmee would not have been proud to see me like this. I took a deep breath to ease my nerves and his arms unfolded, letting me slide out of his embrace.

Alice watched the whole spectacle with horror. Here eyes bulged and her mouth formed a tiny O. What have I done? Every single member of the Volturi must have heard my cries. Now they would know my true feelings to their existence. I wanted to burn them all in the smoldering hell of all cities, every single one. I needed them to feel the torture I did for Renesmee, Jacob, Edward, Alice, Jasper, Esme, Rose, Emmett, Carlisle, my father, my friends, for all of humanity. How could they live knowing they destroyed love, life, and meaning? It was all over. This was sealed knowing that my daughter was to be snatched from her serene world with her other half.

“Go.” Alice demanded. She shoved me and Edward, back toward the edge of the roof. “Leave, now! They’ll kill you, I’ve seen it! They’ll kill you for your thoughts alone!”

“Alice!” I protested, pushing against her, causing her feet to make screeching sounds against the stone. “What about you? You must come with us!” I took her face between my hands and made her stare at me. “They’ll murder you too.” She had to listen to my reason. I could not lose my dearest sister.

She simply shook her head, her soft black curls bouncing around her small face. Alice gently put my hands down at my sides, and stepped back a few feet. “No, the Volturi won’t kill me. I’m too important to them.”

My mouth gaped at her, but I recognized the truth in her voice. The Volturi would never cut off the future from their knowledge. They had to keep Alice alive. I borrowed some peace from this and nodded my head in defeat. If Demetri succeeded and brought Renesmee here, I wanted Alice to comfort her. I stepped to the edge and clutched Edward’s hand. “Let’s go.”

He understood and brushed his lips across forehead lightly before stepping of the edge. We fell through the air, our cloaks billowing behind us as they slipped off our shoulders, just as I heard Jane scream at the Volturi Guards to capture us immediately and bring us to Marcus. I saw Alice put her hands up and a few vampires I didn’t know grab her wrists and drag her across the roof. She smiled back at me and gave me a wink for good luck. The Guards were still some hundred yards away as we landed to the soft earth, unharmed. They moved with lethal speed but was no match for Edward as he pulled me in his arms and ran as fast as I had ever seen him do. Even my vampire eyes could not sustain without blurring as his blinding feet flew with impeccable speed. I pushed my shield around us instantaneously like an elastic band to block Jane and Alec’s mental attacks against us. Jane screamed in aggravation at her uselessness. Alec joined in the run with the other guards but they were gradually falling behind us. I pumped my fist in the air rather childishly and wrapped my arms around Edward’s neck, letting my thoughts speak for themselves.

If we escaped, maybe Edward and I could reach Renesmee and Jacob in time to save them from destruction. I’d slash Demetri apart myself for placing my daughter in jeopardy. I was astonished at myself as I found my strength. I knew I could resist Jacob’s death and rescue my daughter. All I had to do was beat time in it’s never-ending game.

I smirked as Edward held me tight and we crossed the Italy border

Breaking Away Chapter One

Suggested soundtrack for this chapter: Heavy in Your Arms by Florence + The Machine

Chapter One

Bella’s POV

As I stared vacantly at the swiveling orbs of dust, dancing rainbows off into the window, I thought of how this had come to be. I tugged at the silky midnight cloak that cascaded down my slim body, and covered my dark veil of hair. It obscured my face if you glanced at me from the right perspective. But I wanted to bury my face. No one could see the weakness lying within it, threatening to protrude and prove of the pain inside me. I needed to be a woman in an iron mask. No hint to what I was thinking.

Aro, leader, creator, master of the Volturi, had vanished. A strange disappearance had transpired months ago, only a year after Aro spared Nessie, Edward, and my entire loved one’s lives from eternal extinction. He had abandoned his place here, sometime during the night. Nobody questioned him as he ghosted outside, outwardly forlorn, glaring at the cold stone of his realm with disgust for life. Who could have blamed him? After Sulpicia had been murdered by a shape-shifter, Aro went into a tremendous depression, never talking to anyone, except himself. Aro didn’t drink, even when his thirst had become unbearable, trying to starve his body because the Guard didn’t have the heart to kill him themselves.

So why did the Volturi Guard let him leave? “He’s thirsty.” They had inquired. “Let him hunt on his own, for once.” They had thought. But Aro on no account had intentions of coming back. It took the Volturi Guard all of two days to realize Aro would never return. Jane, master of the Guard, concocted the largest man hunt in history. Demetri tracked him for thousands of miles, following Aro’s brainwave as his gift allowed. Soon enough though, Aro’s trail had cut off randomly, in the Sahara Desert…

The sound of steady feet connecting with the solid, wintry ground broke me from my reverie. I continued in the same position, gazing up at the stunning dust orbs, as Edward’s strong hand touched my shoulder gently. It was then that I turned to face him, allowing Edward to see the agony in my eyes.

“Bella…”

Edward gathered me up in his arms and buried himself in my hair, murmuring apologies over and over in a whisper. I wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned against him, searching for composure, or some sense of peace. I found little.

“I’m so s-“ Edward began. “Don’t.” I pushed my index finger to his lips, hushing his words that would inevitably escape from his mouth again. I didn’t need to hear him say sorry, it was not his fault. It was no one’s fault but Marcus’s for what had transpired against our will, our freedom. I looked into his eyes and told him this was not his doing. That he wasn’t responsible for the black cloaks we wore now, or tearing me away from my baby, Renesmee, to join the Volturi. Marcus had taken over, made the Volturi his slaves. Marcus had changed the concrete rules of vampires, forcing anyone he coveted to join him, unlike Aro, who gave you a choice. Marcus had unleashed all vampires, destroying precious human life as they pleased, with no punishment. Even when they revealed themselves to humans, or drank a vast amount of blood in front of entire cities, there was no consequence.

Human lives began to diminish rapidly, and they ran as far as they could away from Volterra, once they knew of the existence of vampires. The Government couldn’t stop us, we were indestructible. Nothing they could do to penetrate our skin, harder than anything they would ever encounter, glimmering like crystal. What was left of Volterra –and all of Italy for that matter- was empty life, except for the Volturi members and the occasional nomad vampire residing here. The Volturi had to hunt long and hard for blood if they wanted to stay close to home, searching for stragglers. Or animals, in Edward and my case.

“Don’t say it is not my fault.” Edward closed his eyes and touched his forehead to mine, breathing out slowly, keeping the boiling anger sealed tight for the moment.

“How can it be?” I ran my fingers through his bronze hair, trying to soothe the thoughts I knew were springing inside his head persistently. Edward left that as a rhetorical question and let me free of his embrace, keeping my hand wrapped completely in his as he lead me down the hall at a human speed. We sauntered the passageway in stillness. Neither of us choking out a word as Edward opened the huge wooden door of the main Volturi hall. Together we slipped inside. We faced Marcus, now in Aro’s place of center throne.

“Edward,” He nodded, “Bella.”

An acidic shiver went up my spine as my attuned vampire senses picked up the menace in his raspy voice, however hard he struggled to mask it.

“Marcus.” Edward and I stated at once, in a monotone. Looking straight ahead, hand’s behind out backs in a respectful gesture. It was scarcely crowded in here; Marcus only kept Jane, Alec, and Renata at his side. Jane was at his right, seated in a throne and reveling in her new power as second in command. Alec dwelled in the left side throne, his chin high but arrogance not on the same level with his twin’s. Renata stood loyally behind Marcus, watching Edward and I through hooded eyes. Caius was no where to be seen.

“You both are wondering why I brought you here, now.” Marcus confirmed this matter-of-factly, his lips moving leisurely, his ancient chest swelling with deep breaths. How can he be so relaxed, so peaceful? The world outside of his haven was in peril, cities smoldering, people dying, murdering each other in panic and confusion for food and protection. Why was there an amused smirk on his egotistical face now?

I fumed inwardly, but kept my iron mask secured. Edward did the same, and we both waited for Marcus to say something. He sat there in his throne for ten minutes, studying our faces with limited interest. After another twenty two minutes, I risked a glance in Edward’s direction. I begged him with my eyes for him say something, anything at all. Edward ignored me, seeming to concentrate on something I couldn’t put a finger on. I produced my shield out of me easily and into his mind, letting him read my thoughts. Edward graced me with a glimpse of his black eyes, and I could read everything. Marcus was playing with us. We were merely toys on puppet strings he could dangle and exploit in any way he desired. Then suddenly, as if on cue, Marcus spoke a syllable just as Edward gasped quickly, reading his thoughts before I had time to listen.

“Demetri found Renesmee’s trail today.” Marcus spoke cockily.

I screamed within in terror. Our baby. Renesmee. No, no, no, no, no… she should be safe, with Jacob, her best friend. Renesmee was supposed to be protected with him. Why hadn’t Alice warned Edward and me? Surely she was watching Demetri and Marcus’s decisions both? What if my iron mask melted? I couldn’t let him see one of my only weaknesses: The need shelter my daughter from Volturi exploitation.

Grasping Edward’s hand with a strength only a forth year vampire could do, I awaited Marcus’s response, my mask intact as always. His smile grew ever wider, as if he were bearing magnificent news. He stood up from his throne, using his hands for support, but was graceful as any vampire ought to be.

“Aren’t you overflowing with joy?” He clapped his hands together in a way Aro used to do. His fake smile plastered on his face only made his words that much more menacing. “Renesmee will be with us all shortly. You can see your daughter again!” He beamed. Marcus was delighted with himself, Not for the reunion Edward and I would have with our child, but because he coveted Renesmee. Naturally, she being the only vampire-human hybrid in existence besides Nahuel, she would be on the top of his list for recruits.

Edward played along with Marcus, giving him a dazzling smile, all teeth. He squeezed my hand again urgently, mimicking my distress secretly. “Yes, we are so looking forward to it.” Marcus nodded and then glared at me, “And you, Isabella? Are you not happy to reunite your spawn?”

Venom pooled into my mouth as I thought of all the different ways I could slaughter him, piece by piece. I swallowed it back down my throat, convulsively. “Yes. I cannot wait.” I lied easily; there was no falter in my voice. I had learned how to lie incredibly well since I was dragged back to Volterra, when everything the Volturi said here were lies, or could be twisted in some way to become an insult. You had to speak clearly, if misunderstood; it would be the end of you. The only thing I could be relieved for is that blood no longer rushed to my cheeks at the first hint of deception to give me away.

“Wonderful.” Marcus said in a clipped tenor, clearly bored with this conversation now that the subject of his desire was past. He waved his hand, and Edward and I cleared the room. Edward swiftly closed the massive wooden door behind me before Marcus could see my demise. I slumped to the floor; hand on my head, eyes closed tightly. I heard Edward’s black cloak wisp around him as he crouched and took my hands in his.

“It will be alright. Renesmee is going to be fine.” He whispered to me, too low for Marcus to hear in the other room. He freed a hand to stroke my hair reassuringly. “Jacob flew her far, far away. If they keep moving in an irregular pattern, it will be difficult for even Demetri to track them down.”

I nodded my head. Edward was right. Jacob was as fast as he was pig-headed; even out-running a determined vampire like Demetri. Then again, Renesmee would be clinging to his russet fur for dear life. Would that make him slower, with her weight on him? Renesmee’s body’s age was getting closer to sixteen everyday. She wasn’t a small, fragile girl anymore. Renesmee was an elegant and independent young woman. And even though Jacob said he wouldn’t propose to Renesmee until she was physically eighteen, I had a feeling they weren’t being responsible. I shook my head, disintegrating meaningless thoughts. I shouldn’t be concerned about that; I should be devastating over my daughter’s life.

My thoughts were heavy. I lifted myself up from the ground, miserable and stressed. My eyes pricked to what would have been human tears as I choked violent but hushed sobs into Edward’s chest. Edward rubbed my shoulders reassuringly as we made our way to our room to distress over our daughter. Renesmee.

Jacob’s POV

My muscles, bone and sinew worked together smoothly in a never-ending pattern of running. We traveled nonstop now, Renesmee and I. Together shattering thousands of miles behind us, seeing the most incredible sites of the world in all its wonder. I felt the warmth of Renesmee’s length against mine as I traveled –always slower, so I wouldn’t jostle her frame as she slept on my back, hands digging into my fur. My breaths came in rapid and uneasy; I had been running for three days. Falling to my haunches, I carefully slipped Renesmee onto a soft patch of grass, then phased to human form. Inaudibly, I came to her and retrieved a set of clothes she kept in her backpack for me. I slipped on the cut-off jeans and t-shirt, and then lay in the grass beside her, marveling at the beauty of Renesmee’s face.

Renesmee is the holder to my world, bouncing it around in her lovely hands. She had the keys to all the locks in my mind. She asks she gets. No question. My gravitational pull I had towards her was almost crushing. Whenever I left her to scout out a suspicious area, or go to take a piss, I was anxious enough to rip a nearby tree out of the ground. When I returned to her and I saw the beaming smile at my approach, it always replaced the last happiest moment of my life.

Natural as breathing, my hand reached out to stroke her red-brown curls. I twirled them absent-minded through her hair as a hint of a smile grew on her lips. Renesmee resembled Edward and Bella’s features in a way I could hardly imagine. She had Edward’s beautifully crafted nose, a defined but extremely feminine slope of her chin, and the pale skin that glowed lumoniously in the moonlight. Her grace was other-worldly. Renesmee had Bella’s heart shaped face, chocolate eyes, and stunning thick hair. Even though I couldn’t see the soft brown orbs from behind her lids, I distracted myself by the length of her eyelashes, and the elegant curvature of her eyebrows. Her humor brought out the intriguing character within. Renesmee made me laugh in my darkest days. She was the most precious thing in any world.

Renesmee delicately shivered from the cold, and I smacked myself for not noticing the temperature. A reached over silently to unzip her backpack and took out a bedroll and blanket. I set it down on the driest patched of earth I could find and then slid Renesmee carefully into it. Pulling the blanket on top of her, she mumbled my name in her sleep and I kissed her forehead in response. I made sure Renesmee was fast asleep before I finally laid down to rest.

The sound of Renesmee’s voice singing wordlessly awoke me from a dreamless sleep. I jolted awake and rubbed my eyes. They blurred slightly then receded into normal to a landscape that stole my breath. The mountains were rigid, with snow capping the tops. Trees were scattered everywhere in seemingly random places, but were joined together in their beauty. The pine needles where a luscious dark green that contrasted with the dark brown tree bark. I dully remember the scent of pure mountain air from last night, but how had I not seen this? Why hadn’t I noticed this before?

Then I considered my eyes had been glued to Renesmee. Even the stunning loveliness of the Rocky Mountains could not compare.

“Why are you staring at me?” Renesmee asked, cocking her head to the side. A veil of hair fell off her shoulders and hit the sunlight as she did so, causing it to glimmer more than it already did. I fought inappropriate thoughts. Renesmee was fifteen. I am a nineteen year old man. It isn’t legal for one, and she didn’t think of me that way… yet. One of the hard parts of imprinting was to wait. I wanted to love her in every way possible, but for now I was her best friend. I was insanely happy being her friend, don’t get me wrong, but I was still a man.

“Nothing.” I told her, stretching my sore muscles and utterly starving. I twisted my neck around and she handed my some dry beef jerky that I swallowed ravenously. We always had to carry our food and shelter around. It was dangerous to stay in one place, ever since Marcus took over the Volturi and took Renesmee’s parents and her favorite aunt down with him. Renesmee was still messed up about it. She missed her family dearly and was terrified for their well-being. Every night she muttered their names, spoke her desires to be held by her mother again, to listen to her father’s wonderful music he wrote just for her. Edward’s last words to me before he and Bella were forced into the Volturi were to keep his daughter safe, get her out of civilization before it got bad. Move in irregular patterns, keep running at all costs. I had no idea why, and it seemed outrageous. Irregular patterns? Why? I was sick of doubling back over and over, in a zig-zag line that stretched throughout the continent. But was Renesmee’s father. If she trusted him with her life, then so did I.

I knew through Seth and Leah’s mind whenever in wolf form how things were going back down in Forks and La Push. People were fighting each other for food and water like cavemen; they hunkered down in their houses to keep from the rising violence outside. Large cities were worse; safety was not an option there. The only people who chose to stay in places like New York, Paris, or Tokyo were either desperate for shelter or completely insane. The world’s currency was worthless, everybody resorted to trading for things they needed. According to Seth, Bella’s father, Charlie, was safe for the moment. He was smart and bought all the food and water he could before the government went down, and bunkered in his small, secluded townhouse. Bella’s mother was no where to be found, and her friends and run off to the forests with their families.

How had things gotten this bad?

End of Chapter One