Heartless Reaper

Aro stared at me in shock, suddenly the room was frozen and all eyes on Aro and me. For the first time in a long time, I felt very uncomfortable.
“What are you doing here?” asked Aro, his face paler than before if that’s possible.
“Helping Bells and Alice save Edward… Apparently you’re the only thing in the way,” I said, smirking.
“Oh… No worries! It’s just a quick stop!” Aro said, smiling nervously.
“So Aro, how long has it been…? A few millenniums, huh, old friend?” I murmured softly.
“Old friend?” whispered others around us.
“Is… Anyone else with you?” Aro asked cautiously.
I knew he wasn’t talking about Bella and the Cullens.
“No… But I can make others with me, if you like,” I responded calmly.
“No! It’s fine…” Aro mumbled.
We stared at each other for several minutes.
“Um… Must you fine people be going now? We wouldn’t want you to stay here any longer than you would like,” the ancient vampire said slowly, his eyes on me the whole time.
I looked at the two men behind Aro. “Hello Marcus and Caius. Good to see you boys getting along after all these centuries,” I greeted.
They both stared at me in slight fear, but hid it well.
Aro spoke again, “Peri, may I ask one favor?” he asked hesitantly.
“Yes?”
“I’ve been curious to… See if Bella’s shield can block my powers? I’ve heard so many things from Edward and I’m too curious to pass it up…” he asked.
I looked at Bella, waiting for her opinion.
Bella looked back and nodded. Edward took her hand, “You don’t have to.”
“I want to,” Bella whispered.
The human came to my side and hesitantly brought her hand in front of Aro.
Aro took her hand in his and for a while stood their looking at Bella softly, then he pulled away as he looked shocked, but hid it with a friendly face.
“So very interesting,” he mumbled.
I looked at Bella in surprise. I didn’t know she could block vampire powers.
“A first. I wonder if she is immune to our other talents… Jane, dear?”
“No!” Edward snarled.
“Aro!” I shouted, “What’s so special about Jane?”
Aro cowered back, “She is a special girl who can inflict great pain. You’ll wish you were dead if you could experience such a thing.”
“Don’t cross the line, Aro,” I said, then turned around to look at Jane.
She looked frustrated, her red eyes dark and glaring. She then looked to me and shrank back as well, knowing that since Aro feared me, so must she.
“She was already trying to hurt Bella and even you, Peri,” Edward muttered angrily, his dark eyes looking at me curiously.
“Hm…” I mumbled, turning back to Aro.
He held up his hands, “She meant no harm. I just wanted to see…”
“Curiosity killed the cat,” I sneered, then turned to the Cullens and Bella. “Shall we leave?”
“Wait a minute,” said Caius, “Aro… The law claims them.”
Edward glared at the vampire, “How so?”
Caius pointed at Bella, “She knows too much. You have exposed our secrets.”
“There are a few humans in on your charade here, as well,” Edward responded calmly.
“Yes… But when they are no longer useful to us, they will serve to sustain us. That is not your plan for this one. If she betrays our secrets, are you prepared to destroy her? I think not,” the old vampire mumbled.
“I wouldn’t…” Bella started quietly, but quieted with a look from Caius.
I then glared at Caius, “Bella, would you want to become a cold one?”
Bella’s eyes shined, “Yes.”
I smiled, “See there, Caius. Problem solved.”
Edward didn’t dare object, but I knew he wanted to by the way his jaw clenched and his anger fell upon his face.
“Now Aro, we must not ponder over such silly things. We do have appointments, you know,” I reminded Aro, turning to him.
Aro only looked at me shakily.
“Here,” Aro finally said, giving Edward a gray cloak from another vampire, “Take this. You’re a little conspicuous.”
Edward placed it on, but left the hood down.
Aro sighed dreamily, “It suits you.
“Thank you, Aro. We’ll wait below,” Edward chuckled.
“Goodbye, young friends… And Peri,” Aro said, his eyes on me the whole time.
I probably looked smug the whole time.
“Let’s go,” Edward said urgently.
Demetri led the way for us to follow, his fear over me obvious and his calm mask gone.
Edward was of course holding Bella whereas Alice was once again by my side looking up at me with awe.
Demetri left us in the reception room where Gianna was still waiting behind the counter smiling.
“Do not leave until dar,” Demetri mumbled, then left as soon as possible.
Edward immediately turned to Bella, “Are you all right?”
Alice turned to me. “Peri?”
“Hm?”
“What went on back there?” Alice asked.
“What do you mean?” I replied, confused.
Alice smiled slightly, “I’ve never seen Aro so afraid of one person. What has happened between you two? We might have never escaped from there alive without you… Who knows,” Alice mumbled.
“It was such a long time ago… I’ve forgotten most of it,” I sighed, “We’re not in good company to discuss these things anyway.”
Alice nodded, but her eyes told me she would attack me once safe.
“It’s all right, you’re safe, it’s all right,” Edward sang again and again to Bella as she was sobbing in his lap.
“Poor Bella,” Alice muttered to me quietly.
“What?” I asked.
“She still believes Edward hates her,” she said.
I nodded, “But truly he loves her more than his own life.”
Suddenly Gianna approached us, “Is there anything I can get you?”
“No,” Edward answered coldly.
Gianna just smiled back and disappeared.
Bella sniffed, “Does she know what’s going on here?”
“Yes. She knows everything,” Edward replied.
“Does she know they’re going to kill her someday?”
“She knows it’s a possibility.”
Bella looked shocked.
“She’s hoping they’ll decide to keep her,” Edward answered the unasked question.
Bella’s face turned pale, “she wants to be one of them?”
Them being the Volturi.
Edward nodded.
“Peri?” whispered Alice, distracting me from Edward and Bella’s conversation.
“Yes?” I answered.
“Thank you,” she said, her voice full of emotions.
“A pleasure, Alice,” I mumbled, looking away.
Alice hugged me suddenly, her small frame tiny next to mine.
“Thank you so much,” she whispered.
I looked over at Bella and Edward, their love was obvious. My chest was throbbing suddenly.
“I’m just glad Bella has her Edward back,” I murmured.
It was a while until Alec slowly approached us. “You’re free to leave now. We ask that you don’t linger in the city,” he said, looking at me only.
“That won’t be a problem,” Edward answered icily.
I smiled at Alec, “Thanks.”
Alec nodded and left.
“Follow the right hallway around the corner to the first set of elevators. The lobby is two floors down, and exits to the street. Goodbye, now,” Gianna instructed us pleasantly.
I wouldn’t be surprised if she said, “And please come again.”
Alice looped her arm through mine and glared at the human.
We went through a nice, luxurious lobby and soon exited the castle that belonged to the Volturi.
Maybe I should have remembered I’ve once been here in Italy before… I just couldn’t remember the memories until I saw Aro face to face.
Strange how I forget so many things.
Alice pulled me back to get Bella’s bags. She ran forward, not caring if anyone saw her speeding body going at impossible speeds. I followed her to the stash of bagging and soon we were inside a stolen car that wasn’t as glamorous as the Porsche.
Edward and Bella slid in the back seats.
“I’m sorry,” Alice said, “There wasn’t much to choose from.”
“It’s fine, Alice,” Edward grinned, “They can’t all be 911 Turbos.”
“I may have to acquire one of those legally. It was fabulous,” Alice sighed, a dreamy look on her face.
“I’ll get you one for Christmas,” Edward promised her.
Alice grinned widely, “Yellow,” she said.
I laughed softly at Alice’s enthusiasm, she is by far my favorite Cullen.
“You can sleep now, Bella,” I heard Edward whisper to Bella from behind, “It’s over.”
“I don’t want to sleep. I’m not tired,” Bella lied.
That stubborn girl. I chuckled out loud.
“Try,” Edward murmured, then sighed, “You’re still just as stubborn.”
Soon enough we were all on the plane to Rome; then on the flight from Rome to Atlanta.
Once we arrived in the Atlanta airport, Bella was practically a walking zombie. Her eyes tired and barely open, Edward had to support her.
Alice ran towards a boy with messy blonde hair and a strong build. But there were others like a man who had lovely blonde hair and a calm, patient look about him next to a motherly woman who smiled kindly at us.
The motherly woman ran to me and hugged me even though we’ve never met. “Thank you so much,” she cried in my ear.
Alice must have talked to her family while we were on the plane without me looking.
The woman then glared at Edward, “You will never put me through that again.”
Edward grinned; nothing could ruin his mood. “Sorry, mom.”
“Thank you, Peri,” said the patient man, “We owe you everything.”
I shrugged, “No worries.”
The woman then scolded Edward about Bella, “She’s dead on her feet. Let’s get her home.”
Alice then skipped to my side with the blonde boy next to her, “This is Jasper. Jasper, this is Peri. Peri, that’s Esme and Carlisle, they’re our parents,” Alice introduced us kindly.
I smiled, “It’s good to meet the Cullens, finally.”
Once outside, I saw other members of the Cullen family; a boy who was very bulky and huge like a bear, but his grin gave his intimidating size away. Another looked like a model; she was the prettiest vampire I’ve ever seen with silky blonde hair and topaz eyes.
The model looked sadly at Edward, her eyes filled with emotions.
“Don’t,” Esme whispered to Edward, “She feels awful.”
“She should,” Edward hissed, his tone hard.
“It’s not her fault,” Bella whispered, her voice full of exhaustion.
Alice turned to me, “Rosalie and Emmett,” she said.
I nodded.
“Let her make amends. We’ll ride with Alice and Jasper,” begged Esme.
Edward glared at the beautiful blonde vampire.
“Please, Edward,” Bella pleaded.
The vampire sighed and led Bella into the black sedan.
I didn’t know who to follow, but Alice grasped my hand, “This way,” she said.
Esme hovered over me, “You don’t know how grateful I am of you saving our Edward. That boy scared us all half to death.”
I smiled, “It’s no problem at all, Mrs. Cullen.”
“Call me Esme,” she insisted.
“Esme,” I chuckled.
I hopped in the car next to Alice and Jasper with Carlisle in the front with Esme.
“Do you have a place to stay?” asked Esme, turning to look at me with her bright golden eyes.
“Currently I’m staying with a shifter,” I laughed.
They all stared at me in shock, “La Push?”
I nodded, “I’ve crashed into them first because I saved Bella from drowning.”
“You’ve been saving Bella too?” Carlisle said, shocked.
I nodded again, “It seems I’ve been saving a lot of people.”
We laughed.
“Peri, I insist you stay here. You can get your belongings and stay with us for as long as you like,” insisted Esme.
I smiled, “I have all my belongings with me at the moment.”
“We’ll fix that,” Alice said grinning.
Carlisle looked at me curiously as he drove, his thoughts probably about the Volturi incident.
As we drove towards the Cullens’ home, I knew I would be raided by questions later, but first I must sleep and regain all my energy I’ve lost.
I don’t think I could handle being interrogated by vampires after all this running around and drama.
The last thing I remembered was Alice leading me to a bed and placing me on top wearing something I didn’t even own.
I fell asleep without a second thought.