Author's Note: This is a warning, I might not continue with this if people don't like, and even if I do, it's not going to be as often as I used to with all of my stories, mostly because I'm still trying to get back into the zone. My main reason for posting is a test of sorts, but if enough people like it, then I'll continue this too; although I might not be able to read those comments at the moment, since something is screwy with the reviews. Still, thanks for the interest!

Chapter 1

Bella had just finished draining a man who had tried to rape her when she sensed some familiar presences heading toward her fast. Ugh, not again. They're a bunch of killjoys, she thought with disgust as, with an absent flick of her wrist, she set the drained man on fire. The fire was so hot and so contained that in seconds, only ashes remained.

"Pardon the interruption, Isabella. We've come to bring you back to the castle," Demetri said with a deep bow as he, Santiago, Jane, and Alec appeared in front of her.

"No," Bella replied bluntly, crossing her arms over her chest. "When will those old bastards get it through their heads that I'm tired of just lounging around the castle, not doing anything? I get bored!"

"But you're older than they are," Santiago mumbled under his breath, and Bella sent him a glare that lit his pants on fire. The vampire yelped and started to run around, frantically patting at the flames, only to find that the fire didn't hurt. After the panic had subsided, Bella let the fire fizzle out, leaving his pants unharmed.

"Sorry, but we're just following orders. We're to bring you home, effective immediately. You aren't mad, are you?" Alec asked, giving Bella his big doe eyes––her only weakness.

"Ugh...no, I just...stop looking at me like that!" Bella snapped, turning away so that she no longer had to look into the boy's eyes. She heard Jane snicker, and would have turned around to remind her what a bad idea it was to laugh at her, of all people, but she knew that if she did, she might catch Alec's eyes again, and that just wouldn't do. "Look, tell those grumpy old bastards that I'll come back when I feel like it. Why are they so afraid of me running solo for awhile, anyways?"

"Remember the last time you got bored?" Demetri asked dryly. Bella tried to feign innocence and confusion, but no one believed it for a second as Demetri continued. "Tolima? November 13th, 1985? The volcano? Does the term La Mesa de Herveo mean anything to you?"

"I just wanted to see what would happen!" Bella protested, knowing that she couldn't pretend not to remember any longer. "It wasn't that big of a deal, right?"

"It killed over twenty thousand people and was recorded as one of the biggest natural disasters in history," Demetri reminded her dryly. "The three kings just don't want something like that happening again, and can you really blame them?"

Bella shook her head and tightened her crossed arms over her chest, lower lip sticking out in a pout. "But I didn't know that was going to happen. And I was so bored! When you get to be over five thousand, there just really isn't much to do anymore. What else am I supposed to do, repeat high school over and over again like those Cullens?"

"You'd have to do college, I'm afraid. You wouldn't be able to pass for a high school student," Santiago piped up, earning another glare from Bella that ended up with his hair on fire this time. He started to scream and run around in circles, and it seemed that Jane had had enough, since she sent him a glare that had him rolling on the floor in agony.

"He only meant that you would stand out too much, love," Alec said with a sweet grin, putting a hand on Bella's arm. "You're beyond gorgeous, and you would never be able to fit in in something as mundane and boring as a high school."

"Aw, Alec," Bella cooed, wrapping the boy in a huge hug. "You're so cute and charming and just...ugh! Why couldn't you and Jane have been my kids instead of stupid old Aro? If only I had found you first…"

Alec let out a low laugh and hugged the eccentric vampire back. Even Jane stopped torturing Santiago and looked up at Bella with surprise as she realized she had been included. Next thing she knew, a forceful wind pushed Jane into Bella's waiting arm, and she found herself grumbling, even a little embarrassed, as she was forced to endure Bella's near skin cracking embrace. Santiago laid on the ground thankfully, free of both Jane's and Bella's gifts and almost afraid to get up and reclaim their attention.

"You know, you can always come with me," Bella said with a conspiring grin. "Just you two and me."

"I don't think Aro would appreciate that," Alec replied, his voice muffled against Bella's generous breasts.

"We're the Witch Twins, Isabella; we have duties," Jane added stiffly, her voice just as muffled as Alec's.

"Damn it, Aro, ruining my fun again!" Bella grumbled as she finally released the two vampires. "If only I had been in England a few hundred years ago…" Bella continued to grumble to herself, petulant once more.

"So, Isabella, about returning to Volterra with us…" Demetri interjected softly, not wanting to rile up the vampire who could level an entire town with a simple thought.

"Oh. That's still a no," Bella said, turning back to the man. "Sorry." She didn't sound sorry at all, but nobody called her on it. "So, are we done with this talk, or do you have more to say?"

"Isabella please, we really need you to come with us," Demetri begged, taking a step towards the older vampire, only to quickly backpedal when he caught her eyeing his pants. "the three kings won't be happy if we fail."

"Then just say I'm doing something important, like...checking in on the covens from around the world. Yeah, that'll be perfect!" Bella said, lighting up with excitement at her own idea. "I'm gonna go do that now, actually. There's so many covens, who knows how long it'll take." And it would be a perfect way to relieve her boredom, too!

"Wait, think about this for a second. Are you really going to travel around the world and check in on every coven? Not to be rude, but those vampires are not your toys," Demetri stressed before Alec could so much as open his mouth to warn him. Bella set his entire body on fire, and he yelped with fear. Before he could try to pat it away, the flames vanished.

"You seem to forget something, child," Bella said with an almost cruel smirk. "No vampire would be alive today if it weren't for me. The least they can do is put up with me for a day or two before I continue on my way." She flashed over to Demetri, getting on her tiptoes to add in a whisper, "And you can tell Aro, Caius, and Marcus that if they want to continue ruling the Volturi, they better let their sire have some fun."

Demetri swallowed unnecessarily as he found himself no longer addressing Bella, but the Queen of vampires. He nodded swiftly, jerkily, and took a step back so he could give the woman a proper bow. "Of course, my Queen. I'll deliver your message."

"Just remember," Alec piped up as he elbowed Jane, who was staring at Bella with an impressed look on her face. "Your existence is kind of a secret, so none of these vampires will actually know who they're addressing if you were to visit, save that you're very old. Maybe you should tell people you're a nomad."

Bella narrowed her eyes playfully at the boy vampire. "Are you comparing me to those three lazy men who sat on their thrones for so long their skin became papery?"

"Of course not," Alec said, grinning at Bella's tone. "But you do have an aura of power that very few posses. Not even a newborn would mistake you for weak or young."

"Nice save, my good boy. Now, unless you and Jane would like to join me on my voyage without Aro's permission, I suggest you and those two annoying bastards get a move on. The sooner you deliver the news of my adventure, the sooner they'll stop being so damn grumpy," Bella said with a kiss to Alec and Jane's cheek as she started to almost dance down the alley, graceful even for a vampire.

"Just try not to break anyone!" Alec called after her cheerfully.

"Or just break them in a way that they can recover from," Jane added with an evil smile. "That way, Aro can't get too mad."

"Noted!" Bella laughed, and then she was gone.

Once the ancient had left not just the area, but had gone far beyond their ability to sense the woman, Demetri turned to the twins with a scowl.

"I don't know how you got on her good side, but I want you to teach me," he grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oh no, me first!" Santiago protested, running through his amazingly unscathed hair. "I need to learn what to do to stop being Bella's punching bag." The last was said in a grumble. For some reason, since the moment he had joined the Volturi, he was always the one most likely to receive Bella's power, fist, palm, kick, or even headbutt.

"But then who will be there to help calm Isabella down?" Jane asked with a smirk of evil amusement.

"I don't know, and I don't care; as long as it's not me," Santiago muttered, then collapsed to the ground, thrashing in pain as Jane unleashed her gift on him. It seemed the man had forgotten exactly who he was addressing, and what was the proper tone he should be using.

"Will you stop fooling around, Santiago?" Demetri demanded in annoyance. "We need to get back and give the kings our report."

Jane released her power at Alec's nudge, absently taking her brother's hand, as Santiago laid on the ground, trying to get his strength back.

"Why is it always me?" he moaned pitifully, then jumped to his feet.

The kings were, needless to say, not pleased with the report they were given. Yet just by glancing at Alec and Jane, Aro could see the dark look in their eyes, and realized that it wasn't Bella who was telling them to stay away; it was an order from their queen, and the three kings' sire. And to try and go against such an order meant dangerous retributions that even he might not be able to withstand.

"Damn whimsical woman," Caius muttered angrily, seeing the same truth that Aro had. Marcus only laid his hand on Aro's shoulder, and Aro was not at all surprised to find that the twins' bond had strengthened with Bella's once again. He only wondered if that bond would ever stop getting stronger, as this had been going on since Bella had first met the twins when they were only newborn vampires and had promptly nearly cuddled them to an early demise.

Still, even if it was the Queen speaking, they couldn't just let Bella run wild; he really didn't want to have to deal with another crazy problem like the volcano eruption only twenty years prior. And since the twins had their bond to Bella…

"Alec, Jane, I'm giving you a new assignment," Aro stated, and immediately the two vampires stood at attention. "You are to find and stay with Isabella unless I otherwise call you back. And please," he added, his eyes searching theirs for them to understand how much this meant to him, "Try to keep the woman out of trouble."

"We'll do our best, Aro, but we can offer no guarantees," Alec replied honestly as Jane scowled at their new dilemma.

"That is fine," Aro sighed, knowing not to force them to make a promise they couldn't keep. After all, he knew that no one, vampire or otherwise, could stop Bella when she decided she wanted something.