Disclaimer: Not mine. Go figure.

Chapter 1
Bella Goes Buffy

It was strange, that I could hear them speaking so clearly when I wasn't in the room. Demetri had told me to wait outside while he went in to talk with the Volturi. . I found that a bit odd; if it's concerning me, shouldn't I be allowed in as well? Apparently not.

The doors opened and Demetri beckoned me in. I walked with careful steps to his side and faced a pale-faced man, I assumed him to be Aro. He was smiling down at me.

"You truly are remarkable, Isabella Swan," he said. "I am Aro. Please, tell me of you… symptoms…" he requested.

I obliged. "I'm… fast. Much faster than I used to be, much like your kind. All my senses have become exponentially stronger. But yet, I do not crave blood as much as I should. I can feed on a deer once every two months, and it suffices. I can eat human food, and actually taste it.

"I… I'm strong. Not nearly as strong as I should be if I were a newborn, but I'm stronger than I used to be. But I can go into the sunlight and I don't… well, for lack of better term, I don't glow, or-or shimmer, I guess you could say. And sleep! I need to sleep only as often as I feed on blood. What AM I?"

Aro observed me carefully. "Isabella, my dear, are you, perchance, of Italian decent?"

What that had to do with anything, I had no idea, but I answered nonetheless. "Yes, on my father's side."

"Felix," Aro ordered. The man by the door looked up. "Fetch Caius and Marcus. They'll want to hear what I have discovered."

I didn't feel like waiting, and I didn't for very long. Less than a minute, two more ancient looking vampires followed the man, Felix, into the room.

"You called, Aro?" one of them questioned.

"Yes Marcus," he replied. "I'd like you both to meet Isabella Swan," he introduced.

"And I care about the worthless human, why?" the other asked.

I rolled my eyes as Aro answered. "That's the thing; she's not human. She was bitten, yet here she stands before us, looking and smelling very much like a human. Extraordinary, is it not?"

Caius gasped. It was odd; I'd never seen a vampire particularly surprised before. Maybe it was just the Cullen's that always seemed to know everything though.

"You mean… stregoni benefici. It's… her?" he asked, disgust lacing his tone.

"Indeed it is," Aro replied.

Stregoni benefici, why did that sound so familiar to me? I suddenly had a flashback to when I was doing Internet research about vampires, trying to figure out what Edward was. And then I remembered; the text flashed through my mind as though I was staring at the computer screen.

Stregoni Benefici: An Italian vampire, said to be on the side of goodness, and a mortal enemy of all evil vampires.

"You think I'm stregoni benefici?" I asked incredulously. "You're crazy. There's no way!"

Aro simply nodded. "You are. It's truly amazing. And we intend to use this as an advantage, right Isabella?"

I nodded, unsure. "Good," he exclaimed. "Now see, it is true, we feed on human blood. This does not necessarily make us 'evil' vampires. The ones involved in massacres, those are the ones the legend refers to. Those are the ones you'll be taking care of."

"Taking care of?" I asked cautiously.

"Well yes, of course. Don't you see Isabella; you're like our human liaison. You will, of course, be allowed to return home. I only ask that you allow one of our kind to go with you. You're much to precious to be lost, or uninformed. You will, naturally, need training. One of our own will be in charge of such training."

He reached forward and touched his hand on my shoulder. For a long moment, harsh concentration appeared on his face. He withdrew his hand, his face filled with wonder. "Why is it that I cannot hear your thoughts?"

I shrugged, truly no knowing. "I'm honestly not sure, but Edward couldn't either," I replied, wincing as his name burned in my throat.

"Edward?" a girl asked. I turned around and noticed several more people, hidden by shadows, that I hadn't seen before. "Who is this, Edward?"

"Edward" – my voice broke – "Cullen," I replied.

"Cullen?" Aro asked incredulously. "You're familiar with the Cullens?"

I nodded. "Of course. I went to school with the younger ones. I saw Carlisle on a regular basis; I'm rather clumsy and I was often in the hospital under his care."

"Yes, I'm good friends with Carlisle. He is a most remarkable man." I nodded in agreement. "But… Edward…" He gasped. "You're Edward's Bella!"

"I was Edward's Bella," I corrected. "I haven't seen him in over a year."

"You mean he is unaware of your current status."

"Yes," I replied in clipped tones. "He left me two September's ago, shortly after my eighteenth birthday." My last birthday.

"Most curious," Aro commented.

"If you don't mind my asking, how is it exactly you knew of us?"

"Oh, my dear, sweet, naïve, Isabella, I keep in touch with Carlisle Cullen. I was amazed that Edward had been so drawn to a human… but now after meeting you, I think I can understand it."

I refused to respond to that certain statement. "I mean not to be rude, but are we done here. I very much wish to return to Washington."

Aro started. "Yes, yes, of course. How rude of me! Demetri, would you be interested in watching over dear Bella in America?"

He bowed; I stifled a laugh. "Of course, Aro. It would be my pleasure."

… And this is how Demetri became my handler, and best friend.

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