all-american bitch | volturi kings

0 | TRUE MATE

"She's human, Aro," Edward spoke up quickly. "She doesn't belong here, and you know it."

"Well, I do believe she looked quite at home here," he shot back, his red eyes unwavering. "It seems the two of you have known for quite some time that young Isabella's sister belongs to us."

Bella regained her courage in an instant, just as protective of her sister as always. The Swan sisters were as thick as thieves and would always stand up for each other. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about, but my sister doesn't belong to anyone!"

Alice quickly grabbed Bella and pulled her back, not trusting she wouldn't start a fight for her family. Bella got her horrible impulse control from her twin, and it was only heightened when she was involved or near.

"Hold your tongue," Caius commanded, rising from his throne. "To come between a vampire and their true mate is punishable by death."

"Brother," Marcus said, waving his hand at him to settle down. He was studying the relationship strings coming from Bella, feeling the similarities between one and the golden one he and his brothers had been burdened with for eighteen years upon their mate being born. "Calm yourself. They are quite close — twins. I fear harming the girl would not bode well for you."

"No, it wouldn't," Edward said stiffly. "She'd never forgive you."

Suddenly Alice looked at Caius sharply, a vision shooting through her mind. "If you take her from her home with no warning, she'll reject the mate bond on all of you and the tie will be severed. The same if you force the bite on her."

In an instant, Marcus and Aro looked at their brother, who'd already been quietly plotting the fastest way to secure their little human mate and turn her. Neither was really surprised by his way of thinking, though it was hard to trust Alice's say.

Aro again reached for her hand, demanding to see the outcome for himself. It was the same remarkable woman from before, being dragged kicking and screaming to the tower where their ex-wives used to reside before their marriages were ended, kept there by Corin and her ability to make anyone feel content. And Marcus watched, more of a shell of himself than he already was, losing his last chance at a happy existence.

"You see you can't uproot her from her life," Edward said.

"You can't be in her life at all!" Bella said angrily. "Look, Alice's vision is wrong. She's not your mate, and you need to leave her alone."

Aro sighed and shook his head as a low growl rumbled through Caius' throat. "I'm afraid we cannot do that, Isabella. Now that we know of her existence — her whereabouts — the bond will only grow stronger between us all. I fear you have much more to still learn about our kind. A true mate bond is sacred, and you will not stand in our way."

Bella shook her head, looking between the three terrifying men before landing on Aro. "Please," she whispered, her eyes watering. Marcus was the only one who even looked slightly sympathetic, knowing how close the two sisters were. "Please, leave her out of this. Just - just don't take my sister from me."

"Oh, Isabella, we're doing you a favor," Aro said in an almost condescending tone. "You'd have lost her eventually, what with your plans to follow Edward into immortality. Now it is guaranteed that your sister will be joining us all as well."

"But she doesn't want this," she said, a tear falling. Her sister valued her human life above all things. They'd already discussed it at length after learning about vampires. She never wanted to be like the Cullens. "Please, I'll give you anything."

"But see, the only thing you have to give is your sister," he said, not very sympathetic to her pleas. "Be grateful to have been spared. Your gifts will make for an intriguing immortal, Isabella. Go now. Make your preparations. And let dear Carlisle know that should anything happen to our beloved before we collect her — well, I'm sure he could imagine the repercussions—"