I was scared. I had to say that. Not for me, but for Edward and my family. I was screamed for about hour before I decided to stay silent – until they took me out of the trunk that is. Then I become some poor, Volturi guard’s worst nightmare, literally.

I couldn’t stand the silence though and I had to know if Edward was still alive or not. Even though I was terrified of what I might learn, I stepped out of my mind and tried to find his. I sighed in relief when I found his mind, meaning he was alive. He wasn’t in that good of a position but he was alive.

Edward was chained the same way I was, locked in his basement. I could see the whole Cullen family out of his eyes tied up and sitting around him. They all looked pretty beat up. No bruises and blood or anything like that, just muddled and confused. This was all my fault I felt so guilty.

I had to talk to Edward. I had to let him know I was there. Maybe I could project my thoughts into his mind. I had never tried to do that but maybe it would work. It was my only hope.

Edward, I thought hard, my face screwing up from the effort. Edward can you hear me?

Bella! Edward thought. Love, is that you?

Yes, Edward, it’s me, I thought. Are you okay?

For now, Edward’s thought rang through my head. But I’m afraid not for long. You should hear the guard’s thoughts. They’re truly homicidal and bloodthirsty.

I stifled a gasp. They were going to kill my Edward. I couldn’t let them. I would just die.

Edward, we’re going to get out of this, I told him through my thoughts. We have to be positive. We can get out of this.

Bella, I’m scared we might not, Edward thought. You will be okay. Aro won’t let them kill you, but they’re planning on killing us within an hour. Love, it’s my turn to ask you to promise me something.

Anything, I thought.

Don’t go and seek death no matter what they do to me, he thought. You must promise me that you will keep on living.

Of course, Edward, I promise, I thought. I’ll always love you no matter what happens.

I love you, too, Edward told me. I’m glad that I got to be with you again one last time even though we’re going to die. I wouldn’t trade anything – even living – for that. Goodbye, Bella.

Goodbye, Edward, I’ll never ever stop loving you, I thought. And with that, Edward blocked me from his thoughts. I felt my shoulders shaking and had never wished I could cry more than I did now. I was sobbing loud, tearless sobs. My love, my other half was going to be killed. I was to blame, I knew it. And I also knew that I was going to take down the Volturi if it was the last thing I did. I was going to start with the guards and end with Jane and Aro.

The car stopped and someone opened the trunk. The light steaming in hurt my eyes and rough hands pulled me out of the trunk. I was thrown over someone’s shoulder like a sack of potatoes and they carried me onto a private jet.

Fifteen hours later, we were landing in Volterra. I was sure they had already…killed my family. I couldn’t find any of them. I was clinging to the thought that maybe Edward had told them all to block me out, but I was pretty sure that wasn’t so. But it was the only hope I had.

Aro greeted us as we got off the plane. It was dark, probably around midnight. I was sore and exhausted and wanted sleep, even though I knew it wouldn’t come. It never did no matter how much you wanted it to.

Aro looked appalled to see me in chains. He quickly started sending off orders. The chains were unlocked and fell into a pile at my feet. Aro came forward to sweep me into a hug but I just snarled.

“Get away from me,” I snapped.

“Bella, please, this is all just a big misunderstanding,” Aro insisted.

“How?” I yelled. “You had my family killed.”

Aro looked bewildered. “I did no such thing. I told Jane not to harm them. JANE!”

Jane came prancing forward, a smile on her young face. I had never been able to tell when she had been changed. She could’ve been anywhere from ten to fifteen for all I knew. I was always leaning towards fifteen, for – even though she looked it – she was much too evil for a ten year old girl.

“What is this nonsense about having the Cullens killed?” Aro asked.

“Oh, master, it’s nothing,” she reached her hand out to him and he touched her palm lightly. A smile wavered on his lips for half a second before he pulled his hand away.

“Ah, I see,” he said. I quickly tuned into Jane’s thoughts but she had already blocked them by concentrating very hard on a shrilly song she had heard on the radio earlier. I snarled and her smile widened.

“Oh, Bella, don’t you see,” Jane cooed. “We could’ve been like sisters if you hadn’t always been mourning over the Cullens. Now that they’re gone, we can be. You see, we will be the best of friends.”

“The only thing I see is the female dog standing in front of me,” I snapped. She slapped me hard and turned to Aro.

“She will never join us again willingly,” she said. “Perhaps you will consider my suggestion.”

“I have been,” Aro said, looking very sullen. “And I decided you are right. It will be for the best.”

With a wave of his hand, the golden chains were wrapped around me again and I was thrown into an even smaller trunk than before. That was the last thing I remembered before I fell into nothingness.