SA/N: so here we are again with a new story xx Thanks everyone, 'Can I Freeze Really Time? No, But You Yes' passed 70,000 hits xx Remember if you want to see what Demetri looks like to me or anything from my stories the pics are on my Facebook page, as always Theadosia57 xx Alexis

Bella

This day was turning into the nightmare from hell. It's chaotic; all around me is absolute bloody chaos! I thought from all of the Cullens explanations that they, the Volturi were calm, rational beings. But no they are manic, cold-hearted and unstable. It all apparently hinges on just one vampire as far as I can see. The other two are superfluous to requirements and here only for show. Unless they ever put their foot down and I could imagine that would be a very rare event. He's frenzied and full of self-importance; basically, their leader is Alice Cullen in male form just with lots more power.

He reads the memories of wrongdoings, or of the seemingly guilty party. Makes his solitary judgement, edits the accrued information for the other two and then orders their death based on what he thinks only. Can't they see that's nor right, it's certainly not democratic; he has all the power and abuses it on a whim? As for his so-called elite guard, they are rude, arrogant, and nasty. As well as being barely controlled petulant teenagers. This whole place is like a set from a bad B-rated gothic movie. There are candles everywhere, granted they fit the theme but shit, electricity has been around a long time, folks!

The calmest person in the room appears to be me at this moment in time, and then the one called Marcus. Even Alice and Edward are acting like the spoilt children I always knew they were. I'm expecting Edward to stamp his foot any minute now or Alice to tell everyone they must do everything her way because she saw it in a vision, so it must be the truth! What a crock of shit, she says that so often it means nothing any more! I don't hear everything that's happening, just a word or sentence here and there. But basically, I'm intelligent enough to follow the events; I'm human, not stupid.

I was just a test for Edward it appears, being his singer and all. It was a way to prove his immense mastery of his self-control. He apparently underestimated the call of my blood and when he thought me dead and he still felt it keenly. Mr Drama Queen, he, of course, panicked. He'd left me yes but could return anytime to get his fix. So basically he had the DT's and thinking me dead pushed his junkie self into doing something stupid. Well, he was temporarily so devastated and strung out, that in a fit of pique, he came to Volterra. Never once thinking they would really kill him.

But they had seriously broken the laws of all vampires by leaving me alive with the knowledge of their kind. They were now being held accountable for that and several other cases in the past. None the family knew about them though, I was the main event so to speak. I was totally unsurprised by this and my calmness, it was my way when things were out of my control; I just accepted it and dealt with the fallout. It's not as if shouting and screaming, all woe is me would help in this situation. It rarely does in any, to be perfectly honest, so why bother.

I just try to absorb everything going on around me, hoping for a solution to present itself to me. But if this is how vampires act and are ruled, I'm not impressed. Maybe nobody noticed before because humans are usually terrified of vampires, but not me for some strange reason. They all lived at the desire of one male, Aro Volturi. Grovelling to do his bidding as if he was God himself, eh, make that the devil or Dracula himself. Ooh, apparently Edward thought he could block Aro from reading his every thought. Dear God, he just never learns, what a stupid fool.

I'm still trying to work out why I came here and best I can guess is Alice, of course, she glamoured me again. They did that before I'm certain and with them gone for seven months, it must have worked like a charm, damn her. Yes, I'm right, Aro has just said as much. He is so mad at those two and talking to them like they were toddlers that even I can hear him. The whole thing is just a spectacle for him to show off and let everyone see how special he thinks he is. It's all getting very repetitive and dare I say boring! Looking around me I'm not the only one who thinks so, half of them have tuned out already.

Wow, he's going off on one now, werewolves, why is he talking about damned werewolves? What has that got to do with us or the situation in America? Oh, the Quileutes, why isn't Edward or Alice correcting him? Those fuckers would let the Volturi wipe them out just for spite because they befriended and helped me or is it just plain jealousy because of Jake. Not that the wolves are any better they let the Cullens swing, just because they're vampires. I'm surrounded on all sides by children and wasn't aware until now. Well, two can play that game,

"They aren't werewolves, they are shapeshifters! The wolf just happens to be their chosen form; it's historical and could have been anything. I believe you know them as Protectors! They are the Quileute's; the Olympic Peninsula Pack to be precise and Fuckwit there knew all that. So, therefore, you do too!" I said loudly, making sure everyone heard me,

"Yes, yes, I see that in his memories now," the smarmy Aro said nonchalantly, what a liar,

"Did you also see that Edward abandoned me to my fate of being killed by a merciless vampire called Victoria and her lackey after Alice ripped her mate's head off and the Cullens burnt him? Edward read their minds and lied to his coven about them being mated. Isn't that one of your most sacred laws? That's two he's broken that I know of and probably there are lots more I'm guessing" I asked like ice dripping from my tongue,

Growls and hisses were heard around the room including the two morons, but for different reasons. If Aro had thought to keep them, I just sealed their fate and did it with a smile at them both. I can see one vampire who's not happy with that little exchange; Marcus has leant forward in his seat and is now paying rapt attention. Caius, on the other hand, growled at me for informing them of the truth, arrogant asshole. By the look of him, he's Aro's attack dog. Aro is now eying me up, so I guess he saw Edward couldn't read my mind and is wondering if he will be able to. Edward thought not, but I wouldn't trust his opinion now.

"Isabella, your hand if you please," he asks now, but it's an order,

He's as slick as an oil spill and as deadly as a rattler. I'm just about to step forward when Felix, the giant oaf grabs my arm and throws me at Aro's feet. Sorry, if the human wasn't moving fast enough, buddy. That giant of a man is just an oversized bully. Jesus, are they all this bad, bored and looking for a fight, even with a puny human? He's by far the biggest vampire in the room and as tall as Jake and the pack. His sidekick Demetri is suave and dressed to kill; he's obviously a serious ladies man. He's stunning if you can see past the arrogant sneer and dramatic flair for clothes, black on black, really? How cliché!

"Watch it asshole, I'm not one of you, I break easily!" I say shaking off his arm as he attempts to put me back on my feet, proving it was a totally pointless move in the first place,

Aro's eyes are gleaming as he grabs my hand. God, they have no manners what so ever. But it's Marcus I'm watching, he looks at me and then the other goon, Demetri. Who has been holding Alice and Edward and nods his head knowingly. He sees something, but what I neither know nor care. Meanwhile, Aro huffs, so he can't read my mind either, well good. Next, he asks the smaller of the twins to try her power on me. I know this is going to hurt going by Edward's reaction earlier when she did it to him. But nothing happens as I stand there back straight and head held high.

She's not in the least amused and it's her who stamps her foot, well I knew one of them would. Strangely I'm getting rather beyond bored with this whole fiasco and would love to sit down or grab a coffee, but that won't be happening anytime soon I'm guessing.

"Nothing Master" she hisses and I smile condescendingly at her,

I may be about to die, but it will be on my terms. I'm beyond that terror stage, it fled long ago and I refuse to be cowed by these Dracula wannabes.

"Well, my dear you are a puzzle and no mistake" he murmurs almost to himself,

I sense things have changed, he is going to have me turned, he wants whatever this thing in my head is for his collection. But I see Marcus stand and hold out his hand to Aro,

"Damn it!" is all he says and flops back into his seat looking slightly worried, as Marcus reveals what he told Aro,

"The human, my apologies young lady. Isabella is Demetri's mate"

"I don't want or need a mate, I have Eloise!" he roared at hearing this news,

Pushing his two detainee's at Felix, if looks could kill I'd be a goner that's for sure. He was glaring at me and seemed to be fighting himself at the same time, which seemed strange. It's as if his mind said one thing but his instinct was telling him another. The more I knew about vampires the less I understood they are so complex and alien to me. I hear Edward growling and Alice gasp and fall into a vision, but I'm not interested in anything they say or do. I'm so over the Cullens, they are just destroyers of other people's lives. Why? Because they are bored and humans are too easy to play with!

MDWBMR

Marcus

Edward's growling reaction to my proclamation is typical and so childishly him. Although I sense young Isabella sees us all in that way. I think she's probably right, Aro has tended to have young vampires around him and allowed them to act like the teenagers they once were. Many should have grown by now and matured with the passing of time, but alas very few have. I'll be having words with Felix about his manhandling of Isabella. It was pointless and only showed him up to be a bully, hardly intimidating. Oh God the pompous fool just can't shut up, can he?

"You can't have her, her blood is mine! It was meant for me and me alone" he screeches and everyone, including her, flinched from the high pitched sound,

Isabella I could see couldn't help it and she starts to laugh. It was a giggle at first as a thought occurred to her and then a full out belly laugh. She was pointing at him and had bent over clutching her ribs, as she tried to regain her breath. Never had a human reacted like this before, in the presence of us and the guard. In the face of all these vampires, she's laughing her head off and not hysterically. The stupid fool could have killed her a million times, but didn't and now he never would have her blood or anyone else's for that matter. As she sobers she looks down her nose at him,

"You snooze, you lose Eddie," Isabella said knowing he hates being called that and he actually lunged at her, imbecile,

"Felix!" Aro demands and Edward is now in pieces on the floor,

"Marcus is Alice the Major's mate?" he asks me now and I shake my head negatively, as Alice paws over Edward's pieces trying to reassemble him,

"So his brother was right all along, Alice? Well, we don't need a second rate seer or a fashion guru!"Aro states as he signals Demetri to rip her apart as well,

"I'll call the Cullens later and let them know what happened here" he commented nodding.

Alice and Edward are almost dead and I could see Isabella looked almost physically sick at the sight of their dismembered, still twitching bodies. They were oozing venom all over the floor. Her whole time with them had been a massive lie. Did the others, the rest of the Cullens know about this and the other girls? Did Isabella even care any more? Glancing around the room at the vampires there, I realised they were all watching her. She was an enigma to them; she'd been calm all this time, except for the laughing. As she waited for her end, she was proud and strong. Then suddenly I spoke,

"What do you intend to do about your mate Demetri?" I asked quietly, praying I was wrong in my thoughts,

"Nothing good! You can run little human, I'll give you a head start. When the sun goes down I will hunt you and when I find you, I will kill you!" he hissed between his clenched teeth, as he swaggered towards her, the fool would be his own undoing, but this was not his fault,

"No!" she hissed back at him, but louder, "I will not play you sick depraved games. If you wish me dead then kill me here, kill me now!" Isabella sneered at him,

He pushed her away from the twins who'd been holding her as Felix dismembered Edward, and then he shoved Isabella towards the door angrily. She fell onto her hands and knees with the force. Rolling over so she sat facing him, glaring into his eyes. She physically could do nothing to us, but mentally and emotionally she was getting in a lot of digs at our way of life, our attitudes and general behaviour to her this day. I liked this woman-child, she would make an excellent vampire and if I could, I would change her myself, she has spirit.

"Wow, such a big man. Is that how you all make yourselves feel good, threatening helpless humans and you call yourself the superior race! How pathetic and you're supposed to be my mate. I'm insulted at the mere thought!" she laughed loudly with no humour,

Then she spat at the floor in front of his shiny shoe-clad feet, my respect for her grew as well as Caius' with every minute that passed. Her insults were well-aimed and never missed their mark.

MDWBMR

Bella

How could I be this atrocious vampire, Demetri's mate? I already knew I was not Edward's, because he could never have left me if I was. I was beyond caring and had nothing to lose now. Fear was the last thing on my mind and even Caius raised an eyebrow in appreciation of my courage. Aro was in two minds whether to stop this; I could see that his eyes held a touch of panic for some reason. But I was apparently Demetri's mate and if he wished to kill me it was his right. I'm sure that's what Carlisle had said once when I'd asked him about mates.

Of course, Edward had told me nothing! I don't feel anything for him, but I assume that's due to being human and how badly I've been treated by him and the others. Just then the doors opened nosily and a female vampire rushed in bowing to the brothers before racing to Demetri's side. Actually, I don't like that at all, she needs to keep her hands to herself I think randomly. She was overdressed for the time of day or was that underdressed, can we all say tart! It was obvious that she was his lover, bit on the side or whatever you want to call it. But a whore's a whore no matter the species!

"Is it true Demi darling? You have found your mate?" her voice sounded fearful as if she could see her life of luxury slipping away from her,

"Oh don't worry sweetheart, he's all yours! I'm sure he pays you well for your services and facilities!" I say, basically calling her a prostitute to her face,

"If I must be mated, I would rather it was a civilised being, not an abuser of women!" I said still sitting on the floor and as I moved I felt it, my salvation in my back pocket,

"Be quiet human!" Demetri roared at me and I didn't even flinch as his venom splattered across my trouser legs,

"It's Bella, B-E-L-L-A!" I retorted spelling it out for him and a few sniggers were heard around the room,

Demetri was getting more and more incensed, I was making an utter fool of him in front of everyone. But he couldn't kill me in cold blood, he knew it and so now did I, the distressed look in his eyes gave him away. If I'd run he could have chased me to my death, made me fall or even encouraged me to jump. But to take my life face to face he could not and it made him even angrier.

Demetri

Why? Why did she have to be a human? Why did she have come here and ruin my life? I was purposely forgetting that it was vampires that brought her here and they had ruined her life! This whole thing had blind-sided me and I have not reacted well at all. At first, I felt nothing for her, but with every passing second, I feel it, the pull. Furthermore, I could see how some of the guard was looking less than impressed with me. I was being too emotional and the longer this went on the more foolish I looked. I needed someone else to deal with her, but no one would as it broke all our rules.

My mind was bouncing from one plan to the next but nothing was making any sense. My mind was telling me I didn't need or want a mate, but my body was yearning for her, what was happening to me. The worst thing was although I said I don't want her, she already despises me and that rankles, my inner beast is livid with my behaviour. A human was looking down her nose at me and finding me badly wanting. Never in all my long life had someone disregarded me so easily, they normally beg me for my attention and here was my mate, my own mate God damn it and she is disgusted by the sight of me.

Of course, it's my fault; I have degraded and bullied her, insulted her and now rubbed my lover in her face. Why would I do that? What is this that is driving me to reject her? I've seen matings before and it's never been like this, is it because she's human? I yearn for her even as my mouth denies her to her face.

"I'll do it for you lover. Don't lower yourself to her standards" Eloise said stupidly signing her own death warrant,

Doesn't she know it will be me who kills her if she touches Isabella? I felt sick at the thought of my mate being hurt. I was stunned by her whole attitude, my mate was strong and proud, a fitting woman to have at my side, why was I trying to reject her?

"So you are too much of a coward to kill me yourself, well, that figures!" Isabella said standing up from the ground where I'd callously thrown her,

"Shut up bitch. Nobody wants to hear your opinions" Eloise said as she moved slowly towards her,

"Once she kills me your heart will try to rip itself out of your chest so I've been told. But it will be too late for you to stop her" Isabella continued ignoring the hissing Eloise.

Now brushing the dirt from her trousers and looking me straight in the eye. I need to stop this, she's everything I need and more, what was I thinking, I wasn't thinking at all that's what? I need to take her away and talk to her, not here in this cluster fuck I've created.

"But remember Demetri, when your whore finds her mate and she will. After all, I found you here, hidden away in obscurity. Then you will be all alone. It will be a long and painful existence, look at Marcus! You will have nothing because you deserve nothing!" she continued to flay me,

I was too mesmerised by her actions to fully hear the words and I was sure I would regret that soon. Finally pulling her clothes straight and calming herself, the room was totally silent except for her steady heartbeat and shallow breathing.

"In those long dark years remember this, I hate and despise you, my mate! You are weak, you are a coward and you don't deserve me! Death is more acceptable to me than you!" Bella finished saying,

I growled angrily at her for speaking to me like this. Insinuating that her death was preferable to me in front of everyone, yes it was my fault but enough was enough. Could it be only me who felt the bond-forming, have I severed it before it began for her?

MDWBMR

Bella

As Demetri's lover steps forward to kill what she sees as a threat to her position in his life and his bed. I thank my father for always insisting I carried a folding knife, he was all about hunting and fishing, he thought everyone should carry one in our part of the world. The fools didn't even check me for weapons assuming I couldn't hurt them, but I will now and profoundly in Demetri's case. Pulling it out of my pocket and keeping it behind my back, I open it slowly and carefully. I don't see this as taking the coward's way out, it's my only option. To die by my own hand is infinitely more preferable, than having his bitch kill me!

Then I whip my arm around quickly, slitting my own throat deeply, right there in the tower room of Volterra, home to the ruling body of the world's vampires. I feel a surge of pain in my own heart and sense that maybe this wasn't my brightest idea. But I refuse to be rejected ever again and I'm nobody's meal. Anyway it's too late to turn back the clock. As my knees give out I hear Demetri roaring and I smile, even through my own pain.

DT's - Delirium Tremors