Fanfiction Based On Characters From Stephenie Meyers Twilight Series Rated M for Mature Content. Dark Themes.

Abyss

By IWantAWerewolfForMyself

Summary: Governor Swan has forwarded the persecution of Vampires ever since their existence was revealed. Their leader Aro wants revenge. He sends his best fighter and hater of humans, Edward, to abduct the

Governor's daughter Bella. Edward & Bella. DARK. AU. ~*~

Author Blog - http://iwantawerewolf.blogspot.com/2010/02/bella-swan-voyeur-extraordinaire.html?zx=f4a8b6be02121193

~*~

Chapter One

"Comfort in Tears" by Goethe If I have wept in solitude,

None other shares my grief, And tears to me sweet balsam are,

And give my heart relief."

The air smelled of death.

It was getting dark, only the silvery moon illuminated the lawn in front of my home.

The day had started normal. At least as normal as a day in my life could get. My bodyguards had driven me to school and fetched me from it after classes were over. I should have realized that something was different though. Usually, my father let two bodyguards accompany me everywhere I went but today four had followed my every step. I could have never imagined that the day would end so horrible. If I'd known, I would have ended my life this morning after getting up. It would have saved the lives of so many people.

I shivered and drew in a shaky breath.

The warm air spread the smell of death, the smell of several dead bodies. I'd have never thought that death had a smell. It was a sharp acid sweet scent. It smelled of blood, of smoke, of despair. The air was filled with death and blood.

I wasn't able to get that smell out of my nose. The smell seemed to be burnt into my memory, into my mind, and I knew that this smell would haunt me forever. I knew that even in several years from now I'd awake from a fitful sleep and this scent would still be lingering in my nose.

Death was all around. The rattling breathing of the dying filled my ears and I knew that those noises would haunt my dreams, would make every night a living hell.

I felt the dried blood sticking to my skin, the fresh warm blood dripping from my wounds, soaking my clothes and hair. I felt the blood drenched earth beneath my trembling fingers and I knew that even in several years from now I'd still feel the sticky blood on my skin.

I knew that I would awake in the middle of the night, feeling as though I were still smudged with blood and no matter how often I would scrub my skin until it was raw and red under the hot shower, there would still be this feeling of being covered with blood on my skin and I knew that this feeling would haunt me forever.

I shuddered. The lifeless eyes of my bodyguards were staring back at me, mocking me, blaming me, laughing at me. It was my fault that they'd died. They'd been killed because of me, had died in their attempt to protect me. Their machine pistols and Tasers hadn't helped them against an enemy who was impossible to injure.

The ground was tinged red from all the blood that had been shed. So many people had died today. All because of me. My bodyguards, and the two house-maids who'd tried to come to our aid when they'd seen that we were attacked. All dead. Because of me. They'd tried to protect me and had given their life in the attempt. I wasn't even worth it.

I looked down at my hands. There was blood on them and I didn't even know if it was my own blood or from the many people I'd watched dying tonight.

And I knew that even in several years from now, I'd still see the blood on my hands and it would remind me of this day, of my guilt. The picture of my crimson hands was burnt into my mind.

I knew that this image of death would haunt me forever.

Death was all around and I knew that in this moment of death there was only one consolation left, one thing I was clinging to, one thing that would prevent me from reliving this day, those images of death, over and over again.

My sole consolation was death itself, because I knew that soon I'd be one of those dead bodies. Soon I'd be dead like the people who'd died trying to protect me, soon those images wouldn't have the chance to haunt me.

I closed my eyes and hoped that all would be over soon, but at the same time I didn't want to die, I didn't want to let go of my life.

I felt the dried tears on my cheeks, tears I'd cried over all the people I'd seen dying, tears I'd cried because I was afraid of what those men had planned for me. I'd been their target and they'd killed everyone in their way. What was so special about me that they'd killed to get me? I felt guilty for still being alive while the others had died. I felt guilty because a part of me still wanted to live.

I stared down at the blood-red ground. I stretched my fingers slightly, gliding with them through the blood-soaked earth.

There was silence around me, no shouting, no fighting reached my ears and I knew what that meant.

This was the end. Everything was lost. They'd all given their life to protect me and it had been in vain. I wanted to cry but there were no tears left for me to shed.

I wanted to scream but it seemed that my voice had left me forever.

I wanted to die but there was still this small part of me that wanted to live.

I averted my eyes from the blood-red earth and looked up. The two attackers were conversing quietly, chancing glances at me now and then. They were clad in black and their faces were covered with masks. They were men, that was obvious from

their tall frames. I didn't need to see their faces to know that they were vampires. For too long Charlie had furthered the persecution and killing of their kind. They hated him for it and had threatened his and my life if he wouldn't stop. Of course, Charlie had remained resolute and had hired the best bodyguards to protect himself and me from the threat. In vain.

I'd never understood his utter hate for vampires. There were those like Carlisle Cullen and his supporters who were fighting for a peaceful co-existence between humans and vampires. They were in the underground because they, like the rest of their kind, were hunted by my father and other haters. I'd always thought that Mr. Cullen had the right ideas. The majority of the human population however supported my father's hunt, particularly because of the Volturi that represented the majority of the vampires. They were adamant about their right to hunt humans. Their misanthropy led to more hate for vampires. It was a vicious circle.

People feared them and thus agreed with my father on his beliefs. Of course, my father didn't care for hunting habits. For him all vampires, human hunters or not, should be killed. He hated them with a fervor that was terrifying to me.

My bodyguards and the housemaids had paid the price for his utter hatred and I would soon follow.

I was certain that this was the end. Fear and relief flooded my body at the same time. I'd always wondered how I'd die. Being ripped apart or sucked dry by vampires hadn't crossed my mind. Naively I'd thought that maybe I'd die for my beliefs one day, but now I would be dying for my father's beliefs, not mine.

Though, I didn't agree on his unwarranted hatred for vampires, I could say that I hated those men in front of me. They'd killed without mercy. They were the reason why so many wanted vampires to be exterminated. And right now a part of me wanted that, too. Creatures that could kill so easily, without hesitation or regret, didn't deserve the right to exist.

Those monsters were nothing but the bearer of death, the embodiment of pure evil. They would be my death. I was hoping for a quick and painless death but I knew that it wouldn't be that way. For too long Charlie had angered the community of vampires.

I was certain that I'd be tortured and raped before they granted me death. I'd heard rumors about their horrendous crimes and though I knew that some of them were nothing but the lies that my father had spread, I couldn't shake off the fear that part of them were based upon real events. It was a terrifying thought.

I watched how they were probably discussing my fate, how they were laughing, how they were celebrating their victory. I wondered briefly how death would be like. I felt too young to die but I knew it wasn't my decision to make.

"I think it's time for us to take the human with us," said a voice, soft like honey.

I gazed at the owner of this voice. He was impossibly tall and I saw red eyes through the slits in his mask. I'd never been face to face with a vampire before and being so close to one who'd tasted human blood only moments before was horrifying. I wanted to die because I knew death was preferable to the fate that was awaiting me.

His eyes were cold and merciless as they stared down at me. I cringed when he lifted his hand and began to pull his mask off. If he didn't care that I saw his face, my death warrant was as good as rendered.

I held my breath as I waited for the man to reveal the face of a monster, hideous and abhorrent, and was shocked when I gazed at the face of an angel instead. Such beauty couldn't possibly belong to a monster like him. It was unearthly. Pale skin as smooth and unblemished as white Carrara marble, and features that were too symmetric and elegant to belong to a mere mortal, and bronze-colored hair that glowed in the moonlight. The sight took my breath away until his mouth pulled into a sneer of pure disgust.

I felt horrible for allowing myself to be blinded by his beauty. It was a clever disguise of what he truly was. A pitiless monster.

"Disgustingly weak, these humans," he growled, the noise barely human.

The other vampire moved towards us and he was just as beautiful as the first but with blond hair.

"And they dare to hunt us!" roared the bronze-haired man, his red eyes turning a terrifying black.

My body shook in fear and I could barely breath as I directed my gaze back to the blood-soaked ground. I didn't want to see the faces and eyes of those monsters. I wished they would kill me already but it was horrible to think that the faces of those monsters would be the last I'd ever see in my life.

I knew that nothing good would ever happen again, I knew that nothing I'd ever hoped for would ever come true.

I felt tears, that I hadn't believed to be left, stream down my cheeks but I knew that they were useless because those men weren't capable of pity. They were enjoying the misery of humans like me.

I chanced a hesitant look up and caught the bronze-haired demon stare at me with black, hateful eyes.

I recoiled in fear and my breathing came in short gasps as the trembling in my body turned into a violent tremor. I startled when I heard sobs and whimpers, only to realize that those noises were coming from my mouth.

I wanted to die. I wanted to scream for death to take me now.

And then the bronze-haired man smiled at me- or rather grimaced because it was too cold and threatening to be anything else- and revealed his teeth. The moonlight illuminated them in such a horribly fascinating way that my breath caught in my throat. The breath left my mouth in a terrified gasp when the sharp-edged fangs extended slowly until they touched his lower lip.

I closed my eyes then and prayed for death. I wasn't a religious person and it was ridiculous for me to begin now but it was all I could think about doing in that horrible moment.

A chuckle broke the silence and it was so bare of any joy whatsoever that it sent shills down my spine.

My eyes flew open and I caught the blond vampire grinning at me in a horribly unsettling way. "So much fear. You're outdoing yourself in scaring the human, Edward," he said with another chuckle but it sounded strained, or maybe I was just beginning to imagine things. I wouldn't put it past my mind to slip into insanity in a moment like this.

Edward looked at me then, his aristocratic, pale face contorted with disgust and hatred, and I averted my eyes and stared to the ground because the sight of him was too much for me. How could someone so unearthly beautiful be so horribly cruel and pitiless?

Why couldn't they just kill me? That would be the kind thing to do. Kindness, however, was unknown to those monsters.

He moved closer until I was able to see his black shoes and his black trouser legs. There wasn't the slightest trace of blood on them, not the tiniest stain, even though he had killed six people tonight and drank their blood. He was probably so very adept at killing and drinking from humans that he knew of ways to keep the blood from flecking his clothes.

I wondered if they could ever clean their minds from all the blood they'd shed. The blood I'd seen tonight would certainly be burnt into my head forever and I'd never be able to clean my mind from it.

"Get up, human." I heard his evil, cold voice and I just wanted to die. I tried to keep my eyes on the ground but my head moved up on its own accord and now I was looking into those cold, black eyes and a tiny cruel smile played across the lips of the man they belonged to.

I wanted to die, just die. In my mind I spread my arms, welcoming death, pleading death to grant me release but apparently death didn't want me yet and so all I could do was stare into the face of the beautiful monster in front of me, in this emotionless, cold mask that was his face.

"Get up, I said!" He roared, the rage on his face marring his handsome features, and all I wanted to do was scream, run, die.

"Disobedient, are we?" his cold voice seemed to freeze my soul, my heart, simply everything.

My eyes were fixed on him, frozen in fear and shock. In a movement too fast for my eyes to register he grabbed my arm in an iron grip and pulled me up to my feet. I cried out in pain but his grip didn't loosen. It felt as if bones were breaking and my stomach began to turn from the agony that ripped through my arm.

I kept my eyes on the ground because I didn't want to see him, didn't want to see his horribly hateful eyes but of course he wouldn't grant me that little favor. His cold, strong fingers took hold of my chin and forced my face up until I was looking into his dark-red eyes.

"If you ever disobey me or Jasper again," he nodded at the other vampire. "I'll break your arm with a tap of my finger." He tightened his grip on my arm some more and I cried out again. I couldn't believe that my arm wasn't already broken from his cruel grip. I didn't want to imagine how much more it would hurt if it were broken.

"Will you obey?" he snarled, his extended fangs flashing in the moonlight.

"Yes!" I cried desperately. "Please, you're hurting me!"

He loosened his hold on my arm and a joyless smile curled his lips as he turned away from me and towards Jasper. "We'll leave the bodies here. Swan should see what he's caused," he said.

My eyes fell on the six bodies that littered the lawn in front of my home and a wave of sickness overcame me. I wasn't able to suppress it and bent forward as I threw up right in front of Edward's feet. He pushed me away from him and I fell down on my knees, still heaving. My eyes stung with tears but I tried to hold them in.

"You're such a repulsive creature!" he snarled angrily.

I wanted to be brave and strong but his cruel words and the memories of what has transpired only minutes before tore at me. Uncontrolled sobs erupted from my mouth and I wasn't able to hold them back. I clapped my hand over my lips, trying to stifle the sounds of my cries and whimpers.

"Do they ever stop crying?" growled Edward.

I bit down on my lip and forced my sobs down. My body kept shaking and tears still ran down my cheeks but no sound left my lips.

I was pulled to my feet and dragged towards a black Mercedes limousine. Edward opened a door and pushed me forward so I landed on the backseat. He closed the door with a bang and sat down on the front passenger seat. A moment later, Jasper started the engine and drove off. After a few seconds the house vanished from my view, as did any hope of being saved.

"My father will hunt you down," I promised in a hoarse whisper.

Edward turned around to me, his face hard and menacing. "Your father will regret the day he decided to mess with us," he hissed. "And you will learn first hand what we're capable of."

I didn't doubt his words. I lowered my head back to the soft seat and pulled my knees up until they were pressed against my chest. I tried to make myself as small as possible. This wouldn't save me, nothing could, but it gave me the tiniest bit of comfort.

Edward pulled a mobile from his pocket and raised it to his ear.

"Ahh..Governor Swan, what a pleasure to talk to you. I hope I didn't wake you. It's late after all," he murmured in a pleasant tone.

My breath got stuck in my throat and I sat up with wide eyes.

"I don't think we should discuss how I got your number. I think what we should discuss right now is the life of your daughter," Edward said calmly.

I could hear angry screaming through the phone but I couldn't make out the words. Edward was smirking, apparently pleased with Charlie's reaction.

"I didn't call you to discuss religious beliefs with you and I can assure you that we both will burn in hell together, Governor. I'm more interested in discussing the fate of your daughter with you."

This time Charlie's shout was so loud that I heard every single word. "Don't you dare touching her! Don't you dare, you bastard!"

I swallowed hard, a new wave of sickness taking hold of me but I fought it down. I didn't want to think about what they would do to me if I were to vomit on the beige leather of the backseat.

"I'll do much more than touching her and I will enjoy every second of it," Edward said in a soft growl, and I shivered at the implication. I closed my eyes and prayed for death one last time but death wasn't granted to me, not yet. I caught Jasper chancing a look at me through the rear mirror but I averted my gaze hurriedly.

"You monster! You disgusting monster, she is just a girl!" My father shouted furiously.

I tried to block out the rest of their conversation but it was impossible.

"You should be grateful that I don't force you to watch what I'll do to your daughter but maybe I'll send you a video." Edward let out a dark chuckle.

Bile rose in my throat. A swoosh in my ears drowned out the conversation and all I heard was my own erratic breathing and my fast heartbeat.

Thud. Thud.

And all I wished for was that my heart would stop beating; that it would slow down step by step until it stopped in the end. But instead of doing me that favor, instead of fulfilling my most fervent wish, instead of giving me what I longed for, what I prayed for, what I pleaded for, my heart seemed to beat even faster as though it wanted to mock me, wanted to punish me, wanted to defeat me.

Thud. Thud.

"No, we're not interested in money, not at all. All your money won't save your daughter's life, Governor."

Edward's word filled my ears and absolute terror flooded my veins and breathing became an almost impossible task. Slowly, so slowly I opened my eyes and stared at the back of his head. They would kill me and there was nothing my father could do to make them stop.

I hugged myself tightly and looked down at the beautiful beige leather, only to notice small red blood stains- my blood. Blood that was still dripping from the wounds on my body. Maybe it would affect them and they would become thirsty and kill me. It was all I could hope for.

I felt a cold grip on my chin and my face was forced up until I looked into dark-red eyes. I felt new tears run down my cheeks. It was just too much.

Today I'd seen things I was never going to forget, things that were so terrible that even grown men would break and I was only a girl. A stupid girl who'd thought that a few bodyguards could keep her safe from vampires. But I hadn't known the extent of their strength until today. My father, though, must have known and still he thought it was enough to protect me.

And even though all that seemed already too much to bear, I knew it was just the beginning because when I looked into those cold, red eyes in front of me, I realized that there wouldn't be one happy, one carefree, one free day, hour or second in all my life ever again. I knew that he and the Volturi would do anything to make my life a living hell.

"Stop crying! I'm growing tired of it," Edward muttered and released my chin from his cold grip.

I wanted to shout at him, tell him that I hated him, that he should be dead, that he was a monster and that I'd kill him as soon as I got the chance but I didn't do any of those things. Instead I did something that would certainly prolong my torture. I spit into his face.

Only Jasper's restraining grip kept Edward from attacking me. I pressed myself against the backseat as far from him as possible, regretting my outburst already.

"You will pay for that, human," he hissed while he wiped my saliva from his face with a tissue. When I'd thought his eyes had been terrifying before, it was nothing compared to how they looked now. They were pitch black and burned with fierce hatred.

"I'm not afraid," I murmured defiantly, even though my whole body was trembling from sheer terror and panic.

Edward chanced a questioning look at Jasper and then he laughed a dark, dangerous, joyless laugh.

"I guess then I'll have to give you a reason to fear me, girl. Believe me, you'll fear me more than the devil when I'm through with you."

"You're the devil, no human could do what you did tonight." I whispered with all the strength that was left in my body.

"I'm not human," he snarled in disgust. "And I'm worse than the devil."

I didn't doubt him.

More and more tears were streaming down my face. The fear of what he would do to me was almost choking me. He was going to hurt me, hurt me in the worst way possible and there was nothing I could do against it.

I was at the mercy of a merciless man, I was lost.

We pulled up in front of a house that was surrounded by a thick forest. It didn't look in any way extraordinary. Edward pulled me out of the car and dragged me towards the entrance door. I stumbled a few times but his painful grip kept me upright.

I didn't get the time to look around as he pulled me through the entrance hall and up the stairs. Jasper was nowhere to be seen and I was terrified of being alone with Edward. In the car Jasper had stopped him but now there would be nobody keeping him from hurting me.

My heart seemed to burst out of my ribcage from the panic that filled me.

I was led into a vast room and my eyes fell on the huge four-poster-bed with its black satin blanket. I could hardly breathe. My body started to shake violently while my eyes seemed to be glued on the bed.

I began to struggle against his grasp but he was too strong. He ignored my futile struggling while he dragged me into the adjourning bathroom.

He let go of my arm and walked towards the bathtub and opened the tap. The tub began to fill with steaming water and he turned around to me, sneering.

"You smell of vomit and dirt. Get yourself cleaned up," he said. "Undress!" he roared when I didn't react.

He wanted me to undress in front of him? No.

I glided down to the ground and pulled my knees close to my body as though that could protect me from him, from what he wanted to do. I took a deep breath, smelling the dried blood, smelling the mud, the vomit.

I smelt like death, my hair, my skin, my clothes, simply everything seemed to smell like death. I closed my eyes and all the terrible images flashed in my mind. I could almost feel his cold, pitiless stare on me.

"Get up, girl," he demanded coldly.

He sighed in annoyance. "Apparently, you want to do it the hard way," He said emotionless. Suddenly he grabbed my arms and pulled me to my feet. My eyes snapped open, wide and fearful, and I screamed, "No!"

I tried to struggle but he was much stronger than me. He pushed me towards the bathtub, watching me expectantly.

"Undress," he demanded, leaning casually against the wash-basin.

"Please don't," I pleaded, not caring about dignity anymore.

Something flashed in his eyes and they seemed to soften for a short moment.

"I'm not such a man," he said in a softer tone. "You need not fear me in that way."

To my surprise he lowered his gaze and turned so his back was facing me.

"Undress," he repeated his demand, all softness gone from his tone again.

My eyes on him, I began to remove my blood-soaked clothes. I was trembling when I got into the hot water. It stung in my wounds.

"Clean yourself," he said, his face still averted.

Hesitantly, I took the sponge into my shaking hands and started to rub my skin with it to get rid of all the blood and mud that covered me. I washed my hair and watched how the water tinged more and more red from all the blood that had been on my skin and hair.

When I was finished, I sat impassively in the warm water. I startled when Edward spoke up.

"There's a towel on the stool next to the tub."

I turned my head and grabbed the soft towel. I rose to my feet and dried my body off. With shaky legs I got out of the tub and wrapped the towel around my body. I stared at my dirty clothes on the floor, deliberating if I should put them on. It was better than being in nothing but the towel.

"Are you decent?"

I jumped slightly. "Yes," I breathed out.

He turned around, his gaze cautious and firmly focused on my face. His eyes were pitch black like they'd been in the car, and I shivered in fright.

His expression was unreadable but I noticed how tightly he clenched his jaw.

"There are clothes in the wardrobe," he told me while he walked into the bedroom. I followed him at a safe distance and my gaze fell on the window. Could I flee through it?

"Don't try anything stupid. The window won't open and Jasper and I will hear if you try anything," he said, his eyes dark and threatening. "Sleep now." With that he left the room. He didn't even lock it. Because there isn't a chance for you to get out here alive, a small voice in my head whispered. If I were to die, I would decide how and when.

I walked back into the bathroom and grabbed a small towel that I wound around my hand. I took a deep breath and hit the mirror with my fist but there wasn't even a crack in the surface.

I looked around desperately and my eyes fell on the small stool next to the bathtub. I grabbed it and smashed it with all my strength against the mirror that shattered into dozens of pieces. I took a very sharp fragment that cut into my palm as soon as I touched it.

I nodded to myself. Perfect.

Before I was able to cut my wrist, Edward was already next to me, his eyes burning with unrestrained fury.

My breathing quickened and my heartbeat accelerated unbearably. It was beating so fast that it was almost hurtful.

I tried to stab him with the shard but he grabbed my wrist. I struggled desperately, trying to free myself, but he was much stronger than me. He turned with me in his grip and pressed my back forcefully against the wall. My half-naked body was trapped between him and the cold wall. My grip on the shard loosened.

He held my left wrist above my head while the hand with the shard was between me and his body. His eyes were horrible pools of rage. Black and intense.

I didn't fight anymore, all strength had left me. More useless tears were streaming down my face.

"Did you think you could injure me with this tiny piece of glass, or maybe even kill me?" He snarled, the grip on my wrist tightening while he watched the shard in dark amusement.

Suddenly he turned my hand and pointed the sharp edge of the shard at his chest.

I watched in horror how he forced my hand with the shard closer to his chest, pressing the blade-like edge of it against his skin. Instead of injuring him, the shard broke apart. It was the first time that I realized how invincible vampires were.

He let go of my hand and the shard dropped to the ground. In impossibly fast movements he disposed of the remains of the mirror. Then he looked at me, his face contorted with anger. "Do something like that again, and you'll regret it," he hissed.

His gaze flickered down to my hand and he grabbed it and brought it closer to his face. There was a cut in my palm that was oozing fresh blood. He tilted his head slightly, gazing at my palm without breathing.

I tried to pull away from his grasp but he didn't let go. His black eyes burnt into me and I watched in horror how he brought my hand to his mouth. A gasp flew from my lips when he licked over the gash, letting out a low purr as he tasted my blood.

My vision became blurry as shock set in and I felt my knees buckle under me moments before everything went black.

~*~

Chapter Two

Paying The Price

Everything was dark. And peaceful. Absolutely silent.

A sharp pain in my side tore through me and a scream rippled from my throat.

Pain. Sharp and burning.

My eyes flew open and I blinked, trying to clear my vision from the fuzziness. Another sharp pain, this time a bit higher, close to my ribs. I cried out and my hand gripped my side protectively. My gaze fell on a dark figure, towering above me.

Edward. He was glaring down at me, his lips pulled over his lips in barely hidden disgust. Why did he hate me so much?

"Get up!" he roared, pulling back his leg as if to kick me. I recoiled, using my elbows to crawl backwards on the ground. Now I realized what had caused the pain. He'd kicked me.

With a large step, he was at my side, his eyes burning with fierce rage. They were black and menacing and filled with more hatred than should have been possible. He bared his teeth in a snarl, some of his bronze strands falling over his forehead, casting shadows on his hateful eyes. There was a drop of blood clinging to the left corner of his mouth, the red contrasting strongly with his almost white skin.

My blood. That was why I'd fainted. He'd licked my wound. My eyes flew to my hand where my skin was blemished by a gash. He'd licked the blood from my skin. My stomach turned and it took all my willpower to keep myself from throwing up. The consequences would have been harsh. Edward looked like the smallest mistake on my part could make him snap. I didn't want to see that, didn't want to experience the full force of his hatred and cruelty.

"Why won't you obey?" Edward's furious snarl broke through the silence. Angry. Impatient. But with a hint of despair.

I looked up at him. Tears clung to my lashes and were slowly falling down on my cheeks. I flinched, scared, when he reached out for me. His eyes hardened even more, his jaw clenched so tightly, his skin looked like it would shatter into thousands of pieces any moment. Could his skin even break? Was there a power on earth that could destroy this creature?

I screamed out in pain as his cold fingers curled around my arm in a crushing grip. Like a vise, unyielding and cruel, was his grip, and more tears stung in my eyes from the pain. He wrenched me up until I stood on my legs. My right hand still clutched at the towel, trying to keep it around my body. My legs shook so much, I was certain they'd give away any moment but I tried to be strong. The cold of the tiled bathroom floor seeped into my bare feet and made me shiver.

"Go!" Edward hissed and pushed against my back to make me move.

His shove was forceful, too forceful. I stumbled forwards into the bedroom and tripped over my own feet. I tried to regain my balance but I felt myself falling backwards. I braced myself for the impact, my arms extended to cushion the fall and I winced when my palms hit the floor. I lay on my back, trying to stop my vision from spinning.

Edward looked at me, his expression unreadable for once. He could have caught me but instead he let me fall. He enjoyed torturing me, the bastard. Anger bubbled up in me strong and unstoppable as I stared him square in the eyes. Ever so slowly the corners of his lips pulled back in a sneer, his expression repulsed. He looked almost sick as if the mere sight of my face was disgusting for him.

But he wasn't looking at my face. My eyes followed his gaze and I felt the last bit of my strength crumble under the weight of my mortification. During my fall, I'd let go of the towel and it had slipped from my body. I was completely exposed to his cruel eyes. I felt so small. Naked. Vulnerable. Defenseless.

I was frozen in my embarrassment and shame, while his eyes roamed over my body. After a moment, his eyes snapped up to my face, black and furious.

"For god's sake, cover yourself!" he hissed, his face full of disgust. He turned his head away from me as if I was too disgusting to look at.

I stared at his profile, perfect and beautiful despite the hatred that seemed to be etched into it constantly. His beauty was unearthly. I stared at my own exposed body and felt a wave of worthlessness wash over me. No wonder, he felt disgusted by my body. I was insignificant, ordinary in comparison to the beauty of this creature before me. How could I have ever thought that he'd try to take advantage of me? The mere sight of me was repulsing to him. He'd never lay hand on me in such a way. Not because of kindheartedness, but because of his disgust for me.

Tears of humiliation stung in my eyes and left wet trails across my cheeks as they spilled over.

I grabbed the towel with shaking hands, feeling more humiliated than ever before. My hands were shaking strongly but somehow I managed to wrap the towel around my body and cover myself. My dignity was gone, like any hope that I'd ever had.

My body froze and my head whirled around when a movement caught my attention. Jasper stood in the door frame, his eyes shifting between me and Edward. I gripped the towel even tighter, wishing I could hide somewhere. My bare legs and arms were visible, and so were my shoulders, and I felt embarrassed that they could see. Not only Edward but Jasper, too, could see my imperfection and despise me for it. I cast my eyes to the ground, not able to stand the scrutiny of the two vampires.

Why had Jasper come here anyway? Were they planning on taking turns humiliating me?

"What are you doing here?" Edward's voice was impatient, but much more composed than when he'd spoken to me.

Again I saw movement from the corner of my eyes. Jasper stepped fully into the room, closer to Edward. "I heard shouting and wondered what was going on here."

I chanced a look at them. They were looking at each other and it seemed to me as if they were communicating without actually speaking a word. Jasper's expression was curious and reprimanding, which seemed to infuriate Edward. He let out a harsh laugh and then he glared at me. "Get up!" he snarled when he caught me staring.

I stumbled to my feet, careful to keep the towel around my body. I took a few steps backwards, away from Jasper and Edward. They were both staring at me. But while Jasper's face was emotionless with a hint of curiosity, Edward looked so hateful and disgusted that just looking at him hurt me. He shook his head, sneering. "Just look at them," he gestured at my barely covered body and I felt my skin flush from humiliation. "So plain, so weak, so ordinary, unremarkable. It's disgusting."

Jasper's expression remained the careful, unmoving mask as he took in my appearance. It changed into a frown when he looked at Edward, and then they were just staring at each other for a few moments.

Edward looked sick. "Why some of us enjoy bedding them before sucking them dry, I will never understand. The mere thought of having to touch one of them like that..." He trailed off, his dark eyes boring into me, humiliating me further. When would this nightmare end?

Finally, Edward tore his gaze from me and looked at Jasper who'd remained silent and unmoving throughout Edward's rant.

"How can you stand touching them, Jasper? The mere sight of them disgusts me."

Jasper shrugged. "Their warmth is enticing. They are inferior, I agree with you on that, but I'm not disgusted by them like you want to be."

Edward growled, anger flashing in his eyes. Something must have infuriated him but I was still too shaken to follow their conversation properly. He was at my side before I'd time to blink and grabbed my arm. I gasped in surprise when he pushed me hard and I landed in Jasper's arms. "Take her then. I don't care if you sully yourself with one of them."

I felt cold arms on my shoulders, softer than Edward's grip, and I recoiled. My head shot up and I stared at Jasper but he wasn't looking at me. He glared at Edward. I struggled against his grip and after a moment he looked down at me and released my shoulders from his hold. I felt dirty and worthless and I was scared, so scared. I wrapped my arms around my chest, hugging myself tightly. The sobs erupted from my lips and I wasn't able to stop them. Through blurry eyes I saw Jasper stalk towards Edward, baring his teeth.

"What's wrong with you?"

Edward bared his own teeth in return. "Nothing," he replied in a hiss.

Jasper shook his head with a joyless smile. "You're lying and we both know it."

"Keep your opinion to yourself. This is none of your business, Jasper," Edward snarled, his fangs extending. Jasper brought his face closer to Edward's, his own teeth bared in warning the entire time. They looked like they were going to lunge at each other any moment, and I hoped they would. If they'd end up killing each other, I could flee.

"We'll both pay the price if we were to fail. So it's my business."

Edward took a step back and let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair. "It doesn't work," he said after a moment, his eyes hard.

Jasper raised his eyebrows. "What doesn't work?"

Edward shifted his gaze to me, his eyes narrowing. "My gift. It doesn't work on her."

I watched them in confusion, wrapping my arms even tighter around myself, trying to shield myself from their piercing stares. Jasper's eyes widened as he looked at me. "But how is it possible?" he asked aghast.

"I don't know!" Edward's voice was harsh and he glared at me. His gaze was accusing and angry as if I was to blame for his problem.

I didn't even know what they were talking about but I had a feeling that it wouldn't be good for me, whatever it was. If he thought I was the reason why his gift didn't work- whatever that might be- I'd certainly pay the price. I shuddered at the thought.

"That makes our mission more complicated," Jasper said. "We'll have to make some changes then." He turned around slowly, seemingly lost in thoughts, and walked out of the room.

Edward glowered at me and I shivered in fright. "Get yourself dressed and go to sleep. If I've to come up here again, I'll break one of your fingers," he warned before he left the room and closed the door behind himself.

I stared at the dark wood of the door for several minutes, trying to make out their steps or voices but it was silent in the house. Eerily silent. I knew that they were probably downstairs but their movements were lithe and soundless. My body was still trembling and I tried to calm myself with slow breaths. After a moment, I felt like my legs could carry me and I took the first hesitant steps towards the huge wooden wardrobe that stood opposite from the bed. I reached out for the handle and winced from the pain in my arm.

Edward's grip had bruised my arm and I could already see that my entire arm would be bluish tomorrow. Careful not to make too much noise, I opened the wardrobe, ignoring the dull pain in my arm. The wardrobe was almost empty, except for two pairs of jeans, two t-shirts and something that looked like a black shirt. With trembling fingers I took hold of the soft fabric and lifted it. It was a shirt for man.

I supposed it was meant for me to use as sleepwear. Hesitantly, I put it on. It was soft and reached my knees. I rolled up the sleeves and buttoned it up. At least it wasn't too revealing, though I didn't like the thought that it probably had belonged to Jasper or Edward. I grabbed the simple black cotton knickers from the wardrobe and put them on. Feeling exhausted, I walked over to the bed and sat down on it.

I felt like everything was falling apart in my life. This was a nightmare come true. Slowly, I lay down on my side, ignoring the tears pouring down my cheeks. I was too scared to close my eyes and make myself even more vulnerable.

Was Charlie already searching for me? Would he find me before it was too late? I buried my face in the soft pillow, trying to stifle the sobs. I knew that Edward and Jasper could probably hear them anyway and did enjoy the sound of them. Likely, it was like music to them. I hated them and I wished nothing more than for Charlie to find them and rip them into pieces. He'd destroyed vampires before, maybe he'd do the same with them. This was all I could hope for.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Sun rays were warming my face and I felt my lips curl upwards in a smile. It didn't happen often that it was sunny in Forks, especially in October. Why hadn't Fiona woken me yet? She never let me be late for school. She was the best house-maid I could wish for and she'd become a friend to me over the years.

I yawned and sat up in bed, stretching my arms over my head. I gasped when pain shot through my arms and I was wide awake instantly. I looked around in the room and my smile fell. The events from the day before came back and my stomach turned. I dropped my arms, ignoring the pain. Fiona was dead. Killed. All because of me. Six people murdered pitilessly.

I stifled a sob and closed my eyes for a moment. There wasn't a sound in the house but I knew they were still there. I pushed myself to the edge of the bed and stood, my legs shaking slightly. My stomach was growling but I ignored it. I didn't think that my kidnappers would feed me. I'd die anyway. Why should they bother providing me with food? Maybe starving was a kind death in comparison to what they'd planned for me.

I pushed those thoughts aside before they could drive me insane. Slowly, I walked into the bathroom and washed my face, wincing from the pain in my arms. I'd destroyed the mirror last night, so I couldn't see my reflection. Wanting to see the extent of my bruises, I unbuttoned the upper buttons of the shirt and pushed it from my shoulders, revealing my arms. I looked down at my skin and saw finger-shaped bruises on my uppers arms. Bruises that Edward's cruel grip had caused. They contrasted strongly with my pale skin.

A knock made me jump and I let out a startled shriek. With wide eyes I whirled around, clutching the shirt to my body, so my chest was covered. I saw Jasper standing in the door frame of the bathroom, staring at me. I took a step back, never taking my eyes from him, but he didn't move. His expression was emotionless, almost serene as he gazed at me. "You will have lunch now," he said in a detached voice. I chanced a look at the clock and saw that it was indeed time for lunch. I'd slept for several hours though I'd sworn to myself that I wouldn't make myself so vulnerable.

"Follow me," Jasper ordered and turned around. I followed him into the bedroom and watched how he stepped in the corridor, looking at me expectantly.

I looked down at myself. "I need to get dressed," I said. My voice was raspy and my throat hurt from crying.

Jasper gave a curt nod. "Just put some pants on. You can stay in that shirt."

I grabbed the jeans from the wardrobe and slipped into them, then I buttoned up the shirt. Careful to keep enough space between me and Jasper, I followed him down the stairs. He never tried to grab me or shout at me like Edward did, but I had a feeling that he could be very menacing if he wanted to be. I'd seen him kill just as ruthlessly as Edward had.

We stepped into the kitchen where Edward was sitting on the counter, reading the newspaper. He didn't look up or acknowledged my presence in any way. But I was glad. His attention had always led to pain or humiliation so far. Jasper gestured at the table where cereals and muffins were waiting for me. I hesitated, eying the food suspiciously. They could have poisoned it.

A dark laugh tore me from my thoughts and I looked up to find Edward staring at me with a smirk. "Do you think we've poisoned it?" He shook his head, clearly amused, though his eyes didn't show any mirth. Did he even know what happiness was? "If we want to kill you, we just rip your head off or suck you dry. We wouldn't bother buying poison."

I shivered at the thought of being drained by one of them and sat down at the table hastily, trying to ignore their presence.

I couldn't stop my hands from shaking as I reached out for a muffin and I hated myself for showing them my fear so clearly. I wanted to be strong, but the last few hours had shaken me thoroughly. I took a bite of the chocolate muffin and had to admit that it tasted delicious. Maybe this was my last meal.

"That smells horrendous!" Edward said, his nose scrunched up as he gazed at the muffins in disgust. I frowned at him, but I kept my mouth shut lest I said something that would infuriate him further.

A mobile rang, startling us all. Edward pulled a small black mobile from his pocket and lifted it to his ear. "Yes, Master?"

Master? He was talking to one of the Volturi. My stomach turned over and over again. Jasper's face darkened as he seemed to listen to the conversation.

"That was a very stupid thing to do," Edward said with a grim smile, his dark-red eyes focusing on me.

I froze.

"Of course, Master. We'll teach him a lesson. He'll regret his actions very soon. Jasper and I will make sure of that," he murmured, his voice the softest whisper but so very scary. Goose-bumps spread on my skin. Jasper looked at me then and I could have sworn that I saw pity in his dark-red eyes for a fleeting moment. But that was nothing but the imagination of a desperate soul.

Edward hung up and jumped from the counter. "Do you think your father loves you?" he asked, his eyes boring into me.

I swallowed the lump that rose in my throat. "Of course," I replied.

"So you don't think that your father doesn't care about you?" A dangerous smile lifted the corners of his lips. "Why- if he cares about your health and life- does he defy us? He should know that we won't let anyone mess with us and yet he doesn't follow our rules."

I stared at him, my words getting stuck in my throat. What had Charlie done? God, what had he done to make them angry?

Jasper was leaning against the wall, his legs crossed at the ankles and his face emotionless.

"Aro thinks your father doesn't take us seriously and he doesn't like that, not at all. He thinks that we need to teach your father some respect," Edward explained in a calm voice, too calm.

I shivered. His words sent shills down my spine. They were threatening and menacing.

"Aro suggested that we should rip some of your fingers off and send them to your father as a warning." He seemed to like that idea quite much.

I swallowed, bile rising in my throat. Slowly I pulled my hands from the table top and rested them on my lap. I chanced a look at Jasper since he seemed to be the more humane of the both, but his face was void of emotion.

"I think we should resort to different measures," Edward said, his hateful eyes frightening me. I was frozen from fear. He turned his gaze to Jasper after a moment and began talking very fast and low. I wasn't able to hear what he said and I started feeling sick, because I knew they were discussing my torture.

I closed my eyes and prayed once more. God, please help me.

But why would a God that had created such evil creatures like vampires come to my rescue? He wouldn't. I was on my own. All alone. Lost.

I opened my eyes and found Edward and Jasper staring at me.

"We've decided to send Governor Swan a video with you in the leading role. I think it will be very enlightening for your father. If he cares about you, he won't disobey us ever again," Edward said with a frightening smile. "Unfortunately, you will have to pay for his mistakes."

I shook my head as he came closer. My survival instinct kicked in and I jumped up, causing the chair to topple over. I whirled around and tried to run- where I didn't know. Cold arms wrapped around my waist but I struggled against the grip. I kicked and lashed out, trying to get away.

"Calm down," Jasper's words in my ear made me shiver and I struggled even more but a wave of calm took hold of my body and my muscles relaxed. Jasper's arms around my waist tightened and I looked up at his face, realizing that he was making me so weak. There was nothing I could do against them. I was completely at their mercy.

Jasper carried me out of the kitchen and down a flight of stairs into a barely lit basement. I hung unresisting in his arms. My mind was furious and scared but my body didn't obey my commands. My eyes widened when I saw Edward preparing a video camera. He put it on a table and adjusted it so it recorded everything that was going on. It was directed at a mattress that was lying on the ground and I felt my throat cord up in panic. I tried to fight the foreign calm that had a hold of my body but it was in vain.

Jasper put me down on the mattress and I lay there unmoving, still too lethargic to move. "So, shall I do it?" he asked.

"No," Edward replied instantly. "I will do it. You can keep an eye on the camera." He gazed at me and in the flickering light of the bulb his face looked almost diabolic.

"No," I breathed out, trying to scramble back but my muscles wouldn't budge.

Edward turned around to Jasper for a moment. "Stop calming her. Swan should see her fear." Then he looked at me and his eyes seemed to burn with fierce resolve and frightening hatred.

The moment the calm was lifted from my body, I stumbled to my feet and took a few steps back until I bumped against the cold wall. Edward kept advancing on me, his steps slow and measured. He knew that I was trapped, so there wasn't any need for him to hurry. The predator was stalking his prey.

~*~

Chapter Three

Not Such A Man

He stopped right in front of me, our bodies mere inches apart, and I had to crane my neck to see his face since he was a head taller than me. His face was cast in shadows, so I couldn't make out his expression but I imagined it to be smug. I pressed my back still closer to the wall, wanting to get away from him.

His hand shot out and grabbed my arm, dragging me with him towards the center of the basement. I tried to free my arm but he didn't seem to notice. He pulled me against him sharply, my back pressing almost painfully against his marble-like chest. The cold of his skin seeped into my body and made me shiver. He was cold. So cold. Cold inside and out.

His hand snaked around my ribcage and his arm brushed against my breasts, making me gasp. I struggled against his grip but he was too strong. I was the marionette and he was the puppet master. I felt his chin resting lightly on top of my head as he was certainly smirking into the camera.

Be strong, Bella. Be strong for Charlie. He's probably already worried sick.

But it's his fault that you're here, a little voice in my head whispered, and resentment for my father flared up for a fleeting second, but I quenched it instantly. This was their fault. Those monsters had captured me.

My body froze when I felt his fingertips graze my throat. I tilted my head and found him gazing at me with unreadable eyes. They were so dark and impenetrable. After a moment, he averted his gaze and stared at the camera. "So vulnerable, so breakable. One move of my hand," He wrapped his fingers around my throat, stopping my supply of oxygen. "And her throat would be crushed. It would be so easy, Governor Swan. And you'd be the reason for her death. Could you live with that knowledge?"

His voice was a whisper and yet it seemed to fill the basement, and yet it seemed to fill my body entirely with its horrible iciness. I tried to breathe but air didn't reach my lungs. I was starting to feel dizzy and my eyes began to burn with tears as my legs got weaker and weaker. It wouldn't take long until I lost consciousness.

Edward released his grip on my throat and I gasped for breath, trying to get as much oxygen as possible into my lungs. I thought that maybe this was all he would do, maybe this was enough to scare Charlie, but I was mistaken.

I felt Edward's cool fingers on the shirt and after a moment I realized that he was unbuttoning it. I struggled against his grip, my eyes wide and my body shaking from fear. What was he doing? I looked at Jasper but he didn't seem disturbed by what

was going on. He was watching the small screen of the video camera calmly.

"No," I ground out when Edward had unbuttoned half of the buttons. "Please, stop."

"Yes, beg me, Isabella." Edward crooned with a cruel smile and I froze. He returned his eyes to the camera, the smile not leaving his face. "Your daughter is begging for me to stop, Governor, but because of your disobedience, my hands are tied. I wonder if the sound of her begging will haunt you in your dreams, hm?"

I bit down on my lip to stifle sobs and directed my eyes to the ground, trying to pull myself together. I needed to be strong. I wouldn't let Charlie hear me beg or cry. I would be strong for him.

I shivered when Edward's knuckles grazed the skin of my stomach as they worked on the next button. His fingers were long and elegant, and they could have opened the buttons much faster but he was prolonging my torture on purpose.

Finally, the shirt was unbuttoned and the cool air in the basement hit my skin. Tears spilled over when Edward began to push the shirt from my shoulders, exposing more of my skin. With a soft rustling the shirt landed on the ground and I tried to cover my breasts with my arms but they were trapped behind my back, pressed against his chest. Edward's arm snaked around my chest, the fabric of his black shirt brushing against my breasts. His arm was shielding my breasts and I was grateful for that, though I hated the feeling of his arm against my skin. I didn't make a noise despite my mortification and fear. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"Completely at our mercy, Governor Swan," he said softly and ran his fingertips over the bruises on my upper arm. "I might have handled her too roughly," he continued. "I guess, I should apologize for that." He looked down at me then and I frowned. What was he up to? "I apologize for the pain I've caused, and in advance for the agony that will follow." He smiled cruelly and shifted his gaze back to the camera.

I could hardly breathe from fear. His sick game was terrifying me.

"Do you want to tell your father anything?" Edward asked in a whisper, his eyebrows raised inquiringly.

I shook my head and pressed my lips tightly together. If I spoke I would certainly start sobbing. I couldn't allow that to happen.

"Hm...She wants to play brave," Edward mused aloud and I felt a shill shoot down my spine.

I trembled when his fingers brushed my hair away from my throat. My eyes closed tightly as his index finger ran up and down over my jugular. He let out a purr and I pressed my eyes even tighter together, not wanting to see his cruel face. His cool breath against my throat made me tense and my eyes flew open when I felt sharp teeth graze my skin. Was he going to bite me? Drain me? My stomach turned and I shifted in his arms to get away from his teeth. But his grip was like a vise and kept me firmly in place.

He chuckled against my skin, the feeling of his cold lips against my throat making me shudder. "So sweet," he murmured and I heard him inhale deeply before a sharp pain shot through my throat. His teeth sunk into my skin and it hurt like hell.

After a moment he pulled back from my throat. I felt a warm liquid run over my throat and down my chest, and I looked down at myself and saw blood gathering in the valley between my breasts. It seeped into Edward's sleeve and turned the fabric of his shirt even darker. Bile rose in my throat and my legs got weak at the sight and smell of my blood. I tried to stay conscious and blinked back the fuzziness.

"I could let her bleed to death," Edward said, his lips and extended teeth tinged red from my blood. "But that would be a waste of perfectly delicious blood."

Killing me would be nothing but a waste of blood. It didn't matter to him that I was a person with feelings and wishes, that I had dreams and hopes, that I didn't want to die. He didn't care. I felt so sick, I was sure I would throw up any moment.

More and more blood was streaming down my chest and my jeans soaked up the liquid greedily. Edward's lips returned to my throat where he'd bitten me and I felt him lick my skin. A pleasant warmth spread in my throat and my skin began to tingle slightly. Almost instantly the flow of blood stopped and I wondered if his saliva had healing powers.

Only his grip around my chest kept me upright. My legs felt like jelly and if my stomach hadn't been so empty, I would have probably thrown up all over Edward and myself. My eyes fell on Jasper and for the first time I noticed how tense he looked.

His eyes were black and he was staring at me in rapt attention. Apparently, my blood was having quite an appeal to him.

Maybe it would be best if he just attacked me and killed me. Maybe dying now would be the kindest thing. But I didn't want to die.

I shuddered when Edward lapped the blood from my throat and shoulder, purring all the while. My body awoke from its stupor when he licked over my collarbone, far too close to my breasts. I kicked against his shin and he let out an angry hiss in reaction, his furious eyes snapping up to my face. A smile curled his lips and I knew this wasn't good. "You're awfully silent. I'm missing your begging, Isabella."

The way he said my name sent shivers down my back. But in a twisted, frightening way I almost liked the sound of it. He'd never called me by my name so far. It made things too personal.

"I think we need to do something about your silence," he murmured, his eyes flitting over to the video camera. "I hope you won't mind if your daughter gets pregnant with a half-vampire, Governor."

I froze, my eyes wide in horror.

"But don't worry, I wouldn't let such an abomination live," he continued with an unsettling smile. I was petrified from fear, my mind barely able to proceed his words. Edward looked down at me then. "I wonder how many human men have already conquered your body?"

I just stared at him blankly, not able to understand what he was talking about, or maybe I just didn't want to understand. Sometimes ignorance can be a blessing.

"Answer me!" he roared when I remained silent.

My lips quivered so much that it was hard to speak. "None."

Something changed in his expression but I was far too scared to analyze the change. "Hm...Very well," he murmured.

In a flash I was on my back, lying on the mattress, Edward towering above me, and then it hit me what he was planning on doing. But he'd said he wasn't such a man! He'd said he'd never touch me.

I kicked and struggled against his grip but he held me down, his knees spreading my legs as he knelt between them. He pushed my arms over my head, keeping me in place. I was crying so much I could barely make out anything. For less than a second he let go of my wrists and ripped my jeans off my body with both of his hands. Before I could react, his hand had returned to my wrists and was holding them in a painful grip. I was naked except for the little black cotton knickers, and I was terrified.

He wasn't even looking at me but at the camera. "I wonder what you would feel if you had to watch me raping your precious daughter, Governor."

"Please, don't," I pleaded between sobs and I hated myself for begging him, for being so weak, but I knew I wouldn't survive if he raped me.

Ever so slowly, Edward tilted his head and looked at me. "You're begging me to stop?"

I nodded my head, tasting tears on my lips and tongue.

A crooked smile curled his lips. "Beg me, Isabella, and I won't hurt you."

My lips trembling, I whispered the words that he wanted to hear. "Please, don't hurt me. Please." I hated him for doing this to me, for breaking me so easily and I hated myself for being so weak.

Edward averted his eyes from me and looked at the camera. "Today, I'll be merciful, but the next time you defy us, Governor, your daughter won't be that lucky." He gave a small nod and Jasper turned the camera off.

Before I could blink, Edward had straightened up and stood next to Jasper, speaking to him in low voices. They both looked very satisfied, ignoring me completely. I lay on the mattress, tremors shaking my body. Shakily I wrapped my arms around my chest and hugged me tightly. I pulled my legs against my body and buried my face in my knees. I felt the fabric of my shirt being put on my shoulders but I didn't look up.

"Get dressed and stop crying," Edward said, his voice bare of emotion. When I didn't react, he grabbed my arm and I recoiled. "Don't touch me!" I cried, my wide eyes directed at him.

His lips were pulled in a tight line and he looked like he was going to snap any moment. "Be careful," he warned.

"You said you weren't such a man!" I whispered desperately. "And then...then...you almost..." I swallowed. "...rape me."

His face was unreadable, the only change I could make out was the clenching of his jaw. "I wouldn't have raped you."

"But..."

"Your father doesn't know that I wouldn't sink as low as to touch you like that. It's the greatest fear of every parent to watch their child being raped. He won't disobey us ever again," he said calmly before turning his back to me. "Now put the shirt on."

I noticed that we were alone in the basement and I didn't like it one bit. Jasper must have left without my notice and though I didn't trust him either, I felt safer around him.

I slipped my arms into the sleeves of the shirt and buttoned it up hastily. I was glad that it reached my knees since my jeans were torn, so I wouldn't be able to wear them.

"Are you done?" he asked impatiently. I wondered why he didn't just watch me getting dressed. He'd seen me naked anyway, but it was probably too disgusting for him.

"Yes," I replied in a murmur. Edward grabbed my arm and led me out of the basement. His grip was tight but not painful. I wondered why he always took my arm when he led me anywhere, though he was so repulsed by touching me. Jasper wasn't grabbing me all the time.

He dragged me upstairs and locked me in my bedroom without another word. I stood right in front of the door for a moment, still shaken by what had happened in the basement. My chest was sticky with blood and it had smudged the shirt. With hesitant steps I walked into the bathroom.

The feel of the blood on my skin was disgusting and I just wanted to take a hot shower. I unbuttoned the shirt and it took me longer than normal because my hands were shaking so much. The shirt slipped from my shoulders and landed on the ground. Even my knickers were covered with blood. There was a trail of blood from my breasts leading down to my stomach and below. I gagged when I saw it and I held my breath, so the smell wouldn't bother me.

I stepped into the small shower cubicle and turned the water on. It was icy at first and I sucked in a breath at the sensation, but at least it seemed to waken me entirely. Since the events in the basement, everything had seemed so fuzzy and surreal to me, but slowly I was coming to my senses. I didn't know if that was a good or a bad thing.

The water got warmer and I began to scrub my skin. The water tinged red while I cleaned every inch of my body from the blood. It seemed to take forever until my skin was clean. It felt good to have the warm water pouring down on me and ever so slowly my tense muscles relaxed. I still couldn't shake off the fear and anxiety but I felt better, or as good as one could feel as a hostage.

I turned the water off and grabbed a towel from the stool next to the bath tub. I rubbed my skin dry and winced when I came into contact with the bruises on my arm. Carefully, I ran my fingers over my throat, feeling the skin gently. It was tender but it didn't exactly hurt. Wrapping the towel around my body, I walked into the bedroom where I spotted the small mirror over the head of the bed.

I scrambled on the mattress and straightened slightly to get a view in the mirror. I tilted my head to the side and removed my wet hair from my throat as I checked my reflection. Two white spots were the only sign that Edward had bitten me. The skin was already healed but it was whiter than the skin around it. He'd marked me. I was sure that those marks would never vanish.

Slowly, I sank to my knees on the mattress. Even if I survived, the marks would be a constant reminder of what had happened.

I closed my eyes briefly, trying to gather my strength. It wouldn't do me any good if I were to break down now. I needed to be strong. I drew in a deep breath and opened my eyes. My stomach growled loudly but I tried to ignore it. I hadn't eaten

more than two bites from the muffin for lunch, but I knew better than to hope for more food today. I opened the wardrobe and put the other jeans and the white t-shirt on.

There wasn't much I could do after that, except for hoping and maybe praying- though that likely wouldn't help me. There wasn't a TV or books in the room. I walked towards the only window of the room and peered out of it. The house was surrounded by a thick forest and it was the only thing I could see. I sat down on the small windowsill and gazed at the trees absentmindedly.

I pulled my legs against my body and rested my cheek on my knees. Within a day my life had changed drastically and I was sure that it would never return to how it was before I'd been kidnapped. How could it? I'd never forget what I'd seen, what I'd experienced. It would haunt me forever. The look in Fiona's eyes when the life was drained from her. I shuddered and wrapped my arms tighter around my knees, trying to find some comfort.

Would Charlie abandon all his beliefs and morals to save me? Or would he sacrifice me for his ideals? I knew he loved me but he'd never had much time for me. He lived for only one purpose- the extinction of vampires. Ever since Mom had been killed he'd spent every minute of every day hunting vampires. Would he stop just to save me? I wasn't sure.

The sound of the lock startled me and I turned my head around to the door, my body tense. The door opened and Edward stepped in, carrying a tray. He looked irritated and angry but that was a current occurrence around me. He was just like Charlie. They were both trapped in their hatred. I've never hated someone before, but Edward had changed that.

He stepped into the room and my muscles tensed even more in reaction. I released my legs ever so slowly and jumped from the windowsill. I felt safer standing around him.

He put the tray on my bed. "Food," he said.

I eyed the tray cautiously as I approached the bed slowly. There was a plate with sandwiches, and a glass with something that looked like orange juice on it. "Eat," Edward ordered impatiently.

I sat down on the bed and pulled the tray towards me, waiting for Edward to leave the room but he seemed very content, leaning against the wall next to the bathroom door. He was watching me intently and it was making me nervous. After what he'd done in the basement I was even more scared of him than I'd been anyway.

I grabbed a sandwich and bit into it. I was so hungry and it tasted delicious. Edward didn't take his eyes from me for a second, as if I was some freak accident. I didn't understand it. He'd said I was disgusting and he'd complained that food smelled horrendous, and yet here he stood, staring at me. I felt like he was trying to bore holes into my head with his eyes. Maybe that was his special gift.

I took a gulp from the orange juice, ignoring the frightening black eyes as well as I could.

"How does it taste?"

I jerked, not having expected that he would talk to me. He wasn't even shouting. He just sounded curious. I looked up at him and our eyes met. His face was hostile, though not quite as hateful as usual.

"It tastes delicious," I said carefully, not sure what he wanted to hear.

He seemed frustrated with my reply and shook his head. "Can't you say more?" he inquired.

I frowned in confusion and looked down at the remaining sandwich on the plate. I grabbed it and took another bite, thinking of a way to describe it. Why did he care anyway? Maybe he was insane. Or had a split personality. That would make him even more dangerous.

He let out an irritated sigh and I took that as my clue to swallow the bite and speak. "The bread is soft and the bacon is crunchy and salty, and the lettuce is fresh..." I trailed off, not sure if this would satisfy him.

He straightened up, clearly frustrated, and walked over to the window, glaring out of it. I finished the sandwich and the orange juice, all the while keeping an eye on Edward. He was ignoring me but I was wary of him. I wondered where they'd gotten the food. It was really good and I doubted that vampires could prepare sandwiches.

Now that I was done eating, I sat on the bed, not daring to move. I waited for Edward to say or do something but he seemed lost in thoughts. What was going on in someone like him? His hands were clasped behind his back and he stood

very straight. He looked like a gentleman, but of course I knew better.

"We're leaving in an hour," he said all of a sudden, still looking out of the window.

I bit my lip uncertainly. "Where are we going?"

He turned around and smiled at me mirthlessly. He looked really tired, though I wasn't sure if vampires were capable of such a thing. "That's none of your business."

"Will there be more vampires where we're heading?" I couldn't stop myself from asking.

"I told you that it's none of your business!" He stalked towards me and reached out. I flinched and closed my eyes, preparing for a blow. When nothing happened, I opened my eyes and saw that he'd just grabbed the tray from the bed. He ignored my reaction and walked towards the door. He opened it and stepped into the corridor, turning around to me once more.

"Get ready. Go to the bathroom and do what humans do. We won't stop just because you need to have a human moment." With that he closed the door.

I wondered where they were taking me. Maybe to the headquarters of the Volturi? Would there be more vampires and what if they were even worse than Edward and Jasper? It was hard to imagine, but very possible. I tried not to worry about it. It would only worsen my anxiety and fear.

Like Edward had suggested, I went to the toilet. I didn't doubt that they wouldn't stop if I needed to pee and I wasn't keen on facing the consequences if I'd pee on the leather seats of the Mercedes. Edward would probably break my fingers and enjoy it thoroughly. I shuddered at the thought and sank down on the bed, waiting for them to fetch me.

~*~

Chapter Four

Secret Touch

We'd been driving for hours and it was already dark outside. Jasper and Edward were ignoring me and I tried to do the same. They were talking quickly and quietly. Their voices blended together like a constant whooshing and I closed my eyes and it almost sounded like the rushing of a stream. For a fleeting moment I managed to imagine I was back in Forks, in the woods, but the noise of a honk tore me from my pleasant fantasies.

My eyes fluttered open in time to see how our Mercedes cut in front of a car, almost pushing it from the street. Edward was driving like a maniac, but since he didn't care for human lives he probably didn't see any sense in driving carefully. He and Jasper wouldn't die in a car crash.

I shook my head and averted my gaze from the street that was flying past the window. The speed was making me sick and so I decided to just stare at the expensive leather of the backseat. I couldn't help but wonder where all money was coming from. The car and all the houses that the Volturi possessed. Charlie had mentioned once that they even owned planes. I probably didn't want to know where they got their money.

It was blood money, I was sure. Acquired through murder, thieved from their victims.

I shuddered at the thought and wrapped my arms a bit tighter around my chest. I noticed Jasper watching me curiously and averted my gaze hastily. The way he looked at me sometimes gave me the creeps. He looked as if he knew more about me, as if he could read my mind, as if I was like an open book to him, and I didn't like it one bit. I knew that some vampires had special abilities but Charlie had never elaborated on that matter, probably because he didn't know much about it either.

Most of the vampires that his men had hunted were killed before they could reveal anything about their kind. Charlie didn't want to know more about them, he just wanted to see them dead. I'd always been interested in their secrets and their way of life, had wanted to learn more about them. Now I was experiencing some of it, I thought wryly.

I closed my eyes briefly, feeling worn-out and exhausted. I tried to stay awake but the low humming of the engine and the rushed words of the vampires were starting to lull me into sleep.

xXx

I opened my eyes and stared out of the window. I sat up immediately, angry at myself for falling asleep in a car with those monsters. They weren't paying me any attention though.

I shifted a bit because my bladder was so full that it was getting uncomfortable. I raised my gaze and stared at my two abductors. I didn't want to ask them for anything but I knew that I wouldn't be able to hold out for much longer and I didn't want to pee on the backseat, so I didn't have much of a choice.

I cleared my throat nervously and instantly their gazes snapped to me. Jasper turned around to me while Edward was watching me through the rear mirror, not paying attention to the street. It was making me nervous.

I lowered my gaze. "Umm..I...uh." I blushed.

"Can't you even speak properly?" Edward inquired sharply. My head shot up and I glared at him, wishing I could kill him with looks. Jasper was smirking, apparently rather amused.

"I need to use a bathroom," I said quietly, trying not to let my anger show. Perhaps he was provoking me on purpose to have a reason to punish me.

"Didn't I tell you to do that before we left?" Edward sneered at me through the mirror and I wanted to reach out and wipe that stupid sneer from his face.

I balled my hands to fists, feeling anger swell in my chest and threatening to burst out. "That was..." I chanced a look at the clock. It was almost morning, so we'd been driving for more than twelve hours. I must have slept for several hours. How could I've let my guard down for so long? "...twelve hours ago," I retorted indignantly.

"Be careful how you talk to me," warned Edward, his eyes flashing dangerously. "I don't condone disrespect, Isabella."

His own hands were balled to fists as if he was trying not to hit me. I felt almost compelled to irk him further and get him to hit me because I was certain that a blow from him would kill me and put me out of this misery.

I remained silent though and returned my gaze to the window, trying not to think of how full my bladder was. Every road hole and bump on the street made my plan a bit more difficult. I bit my lip in an attempt to distract myself. My eyes began to water and it was getting more and more difficult for me to hold back. If we didn't stop soon I'd pee on the backseat, but maybe that had been Edward's plan all along. Maybe he wanted to humiliate me that way. I clenched my teeth tightly, concentrating very hard on a spot on the dashboard, just to distract myself.

I almost sighed in relief when Edward pulled the car off the highway and toward a roadhouse. The thought of escaping crossed my mind as we came to a halt in front of the shabby building.

Edward cut the engine off and turned around to me. "If you try to run away, we'll kill every single human in the roadhouse and then we'll come after you and you don't want to know what I'll do with you then. Understood?"

I swallowed, the intensity of his stare too much, and I lowered my gaze. His fingers took hold of my chin and I flinched back but he didn't let go. He raised my head until I was looking into his frightening, black eyes. "Understood?" He was clenching his jaw so tightly, it looked like his skin was going to burst.

"Yes," I replied quietly and he let go of my chin immediately. Jasper and he slipped out of the car and I took a moment to catch my breath before I followed suit. Jasper leaned against the car, looking utterly bored.

I let my gaze wander over the building until I noticed the sign saying that the toilette was at the back of the building. I walked in the direction and jumped slightly when I felt a hand gripping my upper arm tightly. I didn't need to look up to know that it was Edward. Jasper never touched me. Edward on the other end didn't stop touching me despite his disgust for humans.

I wondered why he did it. Was he trying to intimidate me with his closeness and touch? He was definitely succeeding if that was his intention.

We arrived in front of the door to the bathroom and Edward scrunched up his nose in disgust. Even I could smell the stench coming from the bathrooms and I could only guess how much worse it must have smelt for someone with such extraordinary senses like a vampire.

I grabbed the handle and felt bile rise in my throat because it was slightly sticky. I fought against my sickness and pushed the door open, revealing the barely lit restroom. Only a single bulb hanging from the ceiling was providing the room with some light. I tried to breathe through my mouth since the stench was too much to handle. I stepped into the room and froze when Edward followed me. I looked up at him. "What are you doing?"

He didn't say anything, just stepped further into the room, looking disgusted. I stared at him incredulously. Did he expect me to pee with him in the same room? There were two cabins in the room but the doors were missing. "I won't go to the toilette with you in the same room!" I said in frustration.

He crossed his arms in front of his chest, a look of disdain on his handsome face. "I fear you don't have a choice in the matter, Isabella."

I hated how he called me by my name, I hated how good it sounded coming from his lips, I hated that someone so cruel could be so beautiful. I just hated him.

I whirled around and stormed out of the restroom. "I won't let you watch me!" I shouted, trying to ignore my bladder that seemed to burst any second. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of watching me pee. I cried out when his cold fingers wrapped around my upper arm in a tight grip. He shook me slightly, glowering at me with menacing eyes. They were as dark as the nightly sky, as black as his soul. If a creature like him even possessed a soul. Somehow I doubted it.

"You. Will. Go. Back. In. There. And. Stop. Being. So. Difficult," he hissed, emphasizing every word with a hard shake. It was making me dizzy.

"Hey, stop harassing the girl," a deep voice said firmly.

Relief washed over me because I thought someone was finally saving me, but then it turned into horror. Oh no. Nobody could save me, not from a monster like Edward.

I stared at the middle-aged man who stood a few feet away from us, resting his hand lightly on a gun at his waistband. "Let go of the girl," he demanded.

Edward smiled darkly and let go of me. I swallowed. "Please don't hurt him. He just wanted to help me," I whispered pleadingly. Edward didn't even look at me and took a step towards the man. I reached out and grabbed his arm, looking up at him with pleading eyes as he glared at me. "Please."

He shook me off and turned back to the man, advancing on him. The man pulled his gun and shot at Edward. A scream tore itself from my lips. The bullet collided with Edward's chest and plopped to the ground with a quiet thump. He followed it with its eyes before he returned his gaze to the man who was staring at him with horror-widened eyes.

"That was very stupid of you, human," he said quietly, the threat woven into every word.

The man took a step back but it was too late. Edward was behind him before he could blink and wrapped his arms around the torso of the man, squeezing tightly. I heard his ribs break and even saw a few of them stick out of his body as they broke through the skin. A gurgling noise came from the man's mouth and his eyes rolled back in his head. I let out a small sob.

Edward looked at me and a mirthless smile curled his lips before he sunk his teeth into the throat of the dying man. I turned around, not able to watch him sucking this man dry. I'd caused the death of another person. It was all my fault. If I hadn't refused to pee in front of Edward, he wouldn't have grabbed me and the man wouldn't have seen it, and then he'd still be alive.

Eventually the gurgling died down and I knew the man was dead. I shivered and wrapped my arms around me tightly. I didn't even bother wiping away the tears that were streaming down my cheeks. I felt so horribly guilty. To me it felt like I'd killed the man with my own hands. Now there was blood on my hands, there would always be.

A low thump caught my attention and I turned my head cautiously to see that Edward had dropped the body on the ground like it was nothing but dirt. I lifted my gaze and searched his now burgundy eyes for a sign of guilt, remorse, sadness, but there was none of those feelings present.

"Are you willing to use the toilet now?" he inquired quietly, a triumphant smirk curling his lips.

God, how much I hated him! I stared at him long and hard, hoping he could tell how much I hated him. His smirk disappeared and ever so slowly the triumph morphed into confusion and then to anger. "Go into the bathroom!" he snarled.

I jumped, scared by the fury in his eyes. I rushed past him and into the bathroom. He entered the room behind me but he turned his back to me after a moment. I fumbled with the buttons on my jeans for a few seconds, angry tears blurring my vision. The anger was consuming me but I let it, because anger was better than the horrible guilt. And right now my anger and hate towards that monster was filling me up entirely.

I grabbed the waistband of my jeans and pulled it down together with my knickers. I peed as fast as I could, trying to forget that Edward could hear me. My stomach churned and it took all my willpower not to throw up.

The tears had stopped by the time I pulled up my jeans and walked over to the washbasin to wash my hands. The anger was gone, now all that was left was this frightening numbness. My body welcomed it, but deep down I knew feeling numb wasn't good. My body was shutting down and giving up. I couldn't let that happen.

I followed Edward out of the restroom, not looking at him once. He picked up the body from the ground and held it away from his own body, probably to keep it from dirtying his precious clothes. Without much of a glance at me, he walked towards the car. He knew I'd follow. He knew I didn't have another choice. I hated him for taking all my choices from me.

Jasper shook his head with an amused smile. "Can't you go without killing for one day, Edward?"

He chuckled and Edward joined in. I balled my hands to fists and rammed my nails into the soft skin to keep myself from attacking those creatures. No remorse. They didn't even know the meaning of it. The hatred burned fiercely in me.

Jasper turned his head and looked at me, raising his eyebrows curiously. I averted my gaze and glared at the ground. From the corner of my eyes I saw Edward putting the dead man into the trunk. I swallowed down the bile and climbed into the car. I felt uncomfortable on the backseat, so close to a corpse. I tried not to think about it. Instead I let the numbness take over and cleared my mind. I didn't feel, didn't see, didn't hear. It was as close as I could get to happiness in a situation like this.

Minutes or hours later, I couldn't tell, we pulled up in front of a wooden cabin. Jasper and Edward excited the car and I followed hesitantly.

It was quite cold despite it being only September and I could tell that we were far north. Canada or Alaska, I'd say. The cabin was situated beautifully at a small lake. The patio was supported by long poles that reached into the water. What a beautiful place for such a horrible occasion. Edward lifted the body from the trunk and vanished with it in the surrounding forest. I followed him with my gaze until Jasper spoke up.

"Come."

I turned around and walked into the cabin after him. It was much smaller than the house where we'd lived before. We were in a spacious living room with a small kitchen to the side. Two sofas were positioned in front of a fireplace. A narrow staircase led up to another floor but it wasn't more than a platform with a piano on it. The platform was supported by wooden pillars. I frowned at the piano, wondering what it was doing there.

Slowly I lowered my gaze. Jasper opened one of the two doors that led to other rooms. "This is your room. You've got your own bathroom." I wondered what was behind the other door, probably another bedroom though it wasn't needed. Jasper gestured for me to go into my room and I obeyed since I wasn't keen on being punished. "There are clothes in the wardrobe."

I gave him a questioning look.

He smiled. "Someone brought a few of your clothes here before we arrived."

My eyes widened at this new piece of information but before I could ask a question, Jasper closed the door.

The only furniture in the room were a bed and a wardrobe. There weren't even pictures at the walls. I went into the small bathroom and washed my hands. They felt dirty after what had happened at the roadhouse. I returned into the bedroom and opened the wardrobe, curious about the clothes. My eyes widened when I saw that it were the clothes that I kept in our vacation home in Phoenix. Most of them were intended for summer and they would be too cold for this region.

I searched for sleepwear and let out a frustrated sigh when I saw the pajamas that they'd chosen from my wardrobe in Phoenix. Two flimsy, silk nightgowns which revealed far too much skin for my liking. I'd never worn them. They'd been a gift from my friend Jessica.

After I'd taken a look at my clothes, there wasn't much to do for me and the guilt returned. My mind kept replaying the events of the last few hours and I felt sick. I sat down on the bed and stared out of the window that was overlooking part of the lake.

Jasper brought me some onion soup and a sandwich later that day but apart from that I was on my own. A few bottles of water stood beside the bed and I drank from them now and then. I almost wished for Jasper and Edward to come into my room, because I couldn't bear my thoughts. It was torture.

The sun had only just set when I decided to give my mind some rest and get some sleep.

I put th