𝕄𝕪 𝔸𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕝// 𝔹𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕒 𝕊𝕨𝕒𝕟 𝕩 ℂ𝕒𝕦𝕚𝕤 𝕍𝕠𝕝𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕚

My Angel: Chapter 16

I turned from the headless body of Edward Cullen to run trembling hands down the waxen cheeks of my love. The sight of her life oozing from the puncture in her body made me feel physically ill. "I'm going to change you." I breathed shakily - both demanding and questioning. The sound of running bodies reached my ears. Relief washed over me. We wouldn't be alone for her change. I was more than willing to accept whatever help my brothers had to offer. Isabella nodded her acceptance and her silent lips formed the words 'I love you.' Pressing my lips lightly to her bloodstained mouth I tried with utmost tenderness to convey just how much love this small woman inspired within my being.

When we separated, the footsteps were almost upon us. I leaned in to press my teeth to the curve of her neck and was ripped forcefully away from her for the second time that evening. Baring my teeth I drew a breath to berate my interfering family only to find the vampires restraining me were not my brothers at all. Two hulking forms pulled me away and slammed me into the ground. "Take her." One of them shouted and the shuffling sound of more feet moved to obey. I struggled against their unrelenting grip as goon number two leaned to whisper in my ear. "Two down. One to go." Before I could register his words, searing pain overtook my senses as they systematically removed my limbs from my torso. They left me lying in the dirt, otherwise unharmed but unable to move, forced for hours to stare helplessly at a puddle of her blood drying in the dirt.

"Please speak to us brother," Marcus tried once more. He sighed at the far off glazed look filling the dull eyes of his forlorn kin. With a squeeze to Caius' forearm, Marcus rose from his crouched position beside Caius and walked slowly to his own throne. Four days had come and gone. Caius' wounds had long healed, but he would not stop reliving that evening and the heartbreak it caused. He had not even stirred to witness the final destruction of Edward Cullen.

The entire castle knew of the circumstances thanks to Aro, and had located the source of their betrayal. One of their own had been seduced by an unknown power. He had arranged to be on dungeon duty the night Caius had planned the outing with Isabella and had reported the King's vulnerable position to his new master. A series of well timed movements had the vampire and Edward Cullen running free into the night. The traitor, swiftly hunted by Demetri and Jane, had only spoken with representatives of his new master and had never been told a name. He turned on the Volturi for nothing more than empty promises and was abandoned in the end to the brother's tender mercies.

"Two down." Caius whispered into the sparsely populated throne room.

All heads snapped to him. Caius still didn't appear fully present, but seemed to be murmuring to himself more than anything else. Aro reached a hand out to his despondent brother, but did not need to use his power to communicate this time, for when his hand made contact, Caius locked clear and searching red eyes onto Aro's. "Two down," he repeated, "one to go. Tell me you know what they meant Aro."

"I'm afraid we have no idea what was meant. We got far less information about the reason behind the attack than we had hoped from the traitor."

"So we have nothing!" Caius shouted, his hoarse voice reverberating painfully off of the cold stone walls. "No idea why these bastards killed..." Here he stopped abruptly when his throat clenched painfully closed. His hands ground angrily into the arms of his throne.

"We don't know that for sure Caius," Aro soothed. "Carlisle says she may..."

"I know what saw Aro! Caius roared as he erupted from his seat so forcefully that he knocked it off its feet. He growled into his brothers face, a tinge of madness marring his features. "You saw it as well Aro." He declared dangerously, don't you dare try to placate me." Nose almost touching that of his brother "She is dead Aro and nothing you say will make me believe otherwise."

Hesitant, due to the rage and pain possessing the vampire before him, Aro slowly placed his hand on the side of his brother's head, weaving his fingers into the unkempt blonde hair and spoke from his heart. "I am so sorry." He told his brother so soft that only Marcus could overhear. "I don't know what I would do in your position, but I know I would not bear it half so well. You are so strong Caius, and I know you can hold yourself together long enough for us to find who did this and erase them and all their accomplices from the face of the earth. I swear to you now brother, I will see it done." Instead of the biting retort he expected, Aro instead felt his own heart fracture at the sight of his warrior brother's face as it crumbled completely.

"Leave us!" Aro barked to the few guard members hovering within the chamber. Immediately following their hasty departure, he pulled his brother to his shoulder and held the shaking form as Caius let go of all the grief he had been repressing for days. Marcus joined them, a hand on each of their shoulders offering silent support for the type of soul shattering pain he could identify with all too well.

(Four days prior)

"How much longer until your move on the castle?"

Peter listened to the reply.

"So your mystery plan was a success?"

The voice boasted in pleasure.

"Yes, I received your offer. I'm on board. When should I report?"

A date and location were disclosed rapidly as well as a demand.

"Right, no contact with Aro Volturi now that I've been exposed to first-hand information regarding the movement. See you soon."

Peter ended the call and ran a hand through his long hair. No turning back now.

Peter walked through the fortress, certain bile would be climbing his throat had he been human. He'd had his suspicions, but to experience depravity of this level in person was too horrible for words. The screams of the living mingled with the stench of the dying was overwhelming and sickening beyond measure. He knocked on an ornate door at the end of the hall he had traveled and was granted entrance. Before him stood the mastermind behind the plot to overthrow the Volturi, along with his latest acquisition. Peter struggled to keep any hint of recognition from showing as his eyes roamed over the girl before him. "Are you planning on changing her?" Peter asked. It was obvious she wouldn't live long in the state she was in. The vampire merely shrugged. "She's no use for my purposes half-dead as she is. I need them reasonably healthy."

"So can I have her if you're just going to let her lie there and bleed out on the floor?"

He arched a brow.

I smirked back and winked. "It's a terrible waste you know."

I got a chuckle and a greasy smile for my comment. He waved toward the door.

"Go on, what do I care? Consider her a welcome-to-the-cause gift."

I nodded my thanks and grabbed the girl. Carrying her in my arms, I thankfully located a less populated and far less disgusting wing of the fortress and bolted the door to an empty bedroom as I closed it firmly behind me.

"Well hello, Isabella."