Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, songs, quotes etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of each author. The remainder is my original work. The author of this fan fiction is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended, only for entertaining purposes. Copyright 2015 by ElCullen. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my expressed written authorization. This story is rated T.

Chapter 24 – Actress

"When someone betrays you, they kill a part of you, the part that knows, that feels the betrayal. Or perhaps you kill off that part because it knows too much. The worse the betrayal, the larger the part of you that knows it, that must die. The first pain, profound though it may be, you overcome almost automatically. And you're grateful; you think it wasn't so bad after all. But sooner or later you understand the price you paid to overcome it — you understand that part of you has died, that you are no longer a full human being. The most difficult thing to live with is not the betrayal but the awful bitterness you feel at not being a whole person. It's like learning to live with being crippled."

Alexandra Sellers

The forest was peaceful. There was no sign of abnormally, just the regular sounds and smells that you could hear in a forest; or perhaps, those that only someone with enhanced senses could detect. The humming of the trees on the slight breeze, the chanting of birds, the smell of the forest and the stench of herbivores close by.

I was perched quietly in a branch watching the river. The water's monotonous sound peppered with splashes that I used to find calming was only irritating me now. Below me the deer kept drinking water without realizing how close its life was to end.

Any minute now, Bella, I thought

I was supposed to pounce and get it over with but for some reason I was hesitating. The bushes on the other side of the stream moved alerting me to the intruder. The deer raised its head from the water as a strange sense of destiny washed over me. And then everything happened within a moment.

A wolf run out of the bushes and went right for its neck. I could prevent the kill easily. If I wanted, I could be there in an instant. However, something kept me pinned in my branch as a viewer. The whole scene lasted less than a moment. I could almost feel the deer drawing its last breath before it lay still in the ground.

And somehow I felt angry. The wolves usually, hunt in packs. But here he was, a lone wolf killing an innocent deer. It was like some greater force was trying to give me a reminder of exactly what happened to me with Edward. A reminder of exactly what I had become after Edward. The prey and the hunter. The lion and the lamb. Only, I was not a lamb anymore. I was not an innocent anymore.

Really, Bella? So poetic! The little voice in my head whispered harshly

I growled angrily and kicked myself of the tree. The wolf didn't have the chance to glance up from its prey as I charged across the river.

It was over.

Now the wolf was lying next to the deer. Both dead. Both lives wasted away. I looked at my hands· a killer's hands. How could I ever become anything else but a murderer? A coldblooded monster?

"It doesn't have to be this way, Izzie." I remembered James saying to me quietly and pain rushed trough me

"Won't you feed?" the question came from behind me but I didn't bother turning around

"Has noone told you that when one is hunting you should leave them alone, Cullen?" I replied harshly, trying to channel my pain and grief to anger

"My name is not Cullen." At that I turned and my red eyes found Jasper's amber ones

"What's the difference?" I asked realizing that I needed to get a grip on my emotions. Fast.

"You're part of their lot, aren't you?" I asked more calm this time while I felt him trying to assess the mood around me.

"It's more like a family; or at least it used to be" he answered quietly

He smiled sadly at my raised eyebrows.

"My wife was a Cullen. She knew them before I did, even before they did. She abstained from human blood without ever having met them because she had already seen that they would become her family; our family." Surprise was clear in my pale face.

"So I am a part of the Cullen family but not a Cullen. At least not until Alice comes back home with us." he finished

I was at a loss of words. Jasper rarely spoke to me back in the old days. For him saying all these things to me was an oratory. And all this time, of course, he had not stopped looking at me dead in the eye while keeping a tight watch over my emotions. Oh yes, my momentary lapse in Volterra had him suspecting me almost from the beginning. He was not certain of my true identity as Rosalie was but he definitely had some strong reservations about not believing her either.

The noise from the other side of the river saved me from having to give an answer.

Emmet and Carlisle emerged from the trees. They looked at me carefully and it was only then that I realized that I was soaking wet.

Carlisle took in my appearance, the destroyed tree and the animal corpses lying behind me.

"Won't you feed?" was his only question

"I'm full" I lied not even bearing to think of the wolf

"Then why…?" he asked trying to understand

I raised my shoulders indifferently

"You killed two animals just for fun?" Emmet asked looking at me like a backpack filled with dangerous explosives; always having to tread carefully.

"She only killed the wolf" Jasper put in

"But you weren't thirsty?" Carlisle asked

"Are you always?" I asked mockingly

He didn't answer that. He only said "Let's go" and we started running back to the manor.

It had been like that for a few weeks. They kept pushing me to hunt animals and I did my best to convince them of my unwillingness. Obviously, switching back to feeding from animals would be far more simple than my current feeding methods but as Remus put it often, beggars can't be choosers.

Other than that my contact with the Cullens had been limited. They hadn't shrugged of exactly Rosalie's claims but even their superior minds could not grasp the possibility of Bella Swan becoming a vampire without their knowledge or assent. So I kept to myself and they kept to theirs. Only Rosalie had tried to approach me but I shut the door in her face after I had all but shoved her out of my room. She didn't try again after that, although I had noticed that the others had sort of set her aside. She seemed to spend the majority of her time alone. Still, I could not feel sorry.

The Volturi were an entirely different matter. They were at the least insulted by my superiority of rank. Clearly they had learned to always be in charge and now they could not relinquish control easily. The majority of the guard along with Caius hated me with passion. Aro, on the other hand, was intrigued by me. Certainly, he did not like it when people addressed me with respect instead of him but he seemed to believe that eventually, when all this was over, he would still be alive and he would figure out a way to "collect" me. If not for anything else, definitely for my devious brains.

Alice and Edward were just as bad. Alice really disliked my being so close to her family. Which family was that, I was not sure yet. She hated the fact that the lives of her old family were hanging by a thread because of me and she, like the rest of the Volturi, was worried that none of their mental talents seemed to be able to work against me. She kept looking into the future trying to figure out how things would evolve, but she was not having much luck with that. Too many things were undecided. Too many people were involved. I knew this because I had overheard her talking to Demetri about it. Obviously they had no idea that I was listening.

Edward… Edward, well, he was an entirely different matter. He just hated me. He hated me with such a passion, it was impossible for the two of us to coexist in the same room. Every time he met me in the hallway he growled deep within his chest. Was he so insulted by the mere idea that someone dared to mention Bella Swan to him? I did not know. I did not really care to learn either. I hated him too. Once again he had come and turned my life upside down. So the hell with him. The hell with all of them.

Emmet came into a halt in front of me and I realized with surprise that we had returned to the Malfoy manor.

I grimaced.

My thoughts were easily diverted lately. And that really wasn't good. My focus should be one hundred percent on how to move on with the plan. Which was a huge problem all on its own. I had gathered the pieces; now all I had to do was to set them on the chess board. How the hell would I…

Jasper's breath hitched.

I really had to learn how to control my feelings better. Ever since we started these little hunting trips, I would catch a lot of frowns coming my way.

I gave him a curious look knowing that he could not get more tired from running than I could. His golden gaze was locked in a place in front of him and although I had a good idea of exactly what or better whom he was looking at, I followed his line of vision to see Alice standing in the entrance returning his gaze just as persistently.

Why were those two separated was beyond me. How they could stand to live without each other was also beyond me.

A movement from Alice's left side caught my eye and I saw Cara touching her hand and murmuring something to her very softly. Apparently the princess had seen their silent interaction as well. Alice did not acknowledge her; she just kept looking straight ahead. Cara tugged at her hand looking around nervously. A slow growl came from Jasper's chest.

Alice turned her back on him breaking the contact severely. I smiled cynically. Love was never good enough. I knew that now. Cara scowled openly at me then turned and marched right in after Alice.

Carlisle and Emmet were standing next to me having noticed the whole scene. Both of them were looking worriedly at Jasper. He just sighed.

"She was always causing me trouble" he said quietly and started walking towards the gardens

"Jasper…" Carlisle said worriedly

"No, give him a minute, Carlisle. He needs it" Emmet stepped in front of him

I stood there watching his retreating form, lost in my musings. What had he said? She was always causing me trouble. Currently, she was causing me trouble. Huge trouble.

Albus had a good plan. Damn it, I had a good plan! I had been working on this for sixteen long years! Why did Alice Cullen or Volturi or whatever the hell her name was nowadays, had to choose this specific moment to show up again in my life?

Because it's just your damned luck! Once a magnet for trouble, always a magnet for trouble! a voice mocked in my head

The problem is that this is not about me! If I don't figure out a way to move around her sidekick's habits the whole thing will go to hell! I replied in my head angrily

Ever since Alice had come into the picture, I could not make a single decision without knowing fully well that she was watching my every move. They all were. Alice with her stupid fortunetelling, Jasper with his emotional antenna, Carlisle with his long experience in the vampire nature, even Emmet kept an eye on me all the time.

That left me spending a lot of time doing absolutely nothing. Especially now that Severus had been moved away to Hogwarts and I had noone to watch my back. I had to put a stop to this. I just couldn't figure out how.

Kill her, was the first thought that crossed my mind

I could of course kill her. But that just didn't sit well with me. Even after all the things she had done to me, I could not take away her life. Not so brutally.

I smiled to myself.

Who would have thought all these years ago that one day I would believe that murder was a brutality. James and Lily had been right. I was no longer a murderer. I would have to find another way to face Alice and her powers.

I left Carlisle and Emmet behind me as I walked in through the door and came face to face with Esme Cullen.

She looked behind me warily. Hmm… I guess she was afraid of me.

Get real, Bella! Everyone is afraid of you!, my conscience answered

Perhaps, they were. That didn't solve my problem. Harry was vanished from view since the Ministry of Magic fell in Voldemort's hands. I had to figure out what the hell was going on. I had to point him in the right direction. I had to get out of here even for a couple of hours.

But how? I wondered looking around me. I was standing in the grand foyer of the Malfoy manor.

Alice and Cara were standing a few feet to my right, heads bent close in deep discussion. Cara was playing with the strange jewel that was hanging from her neck; a golden locket with a deep ruby in the middle engraved with complex lines and shapes. Perhaps a gift from her doting fathers? It suited her light brown hair and pale complexion. Her red eyes were even more prominent combined with the gem's shine. She looked exotic and alluring at the same time. A princess who walked among commoners with the same ease that she sat at her throne.

Unlike other deatheaters, I was not naïve enough to believe that the Volturi considered any mortal better than them. Even, if that was Voldemort himself, the greatest representative of evil wizards. It was clear that they were afraid a coalition with the werewolves. And they took them into account for sure. I was not sure yet what Aro's plan was, but I was certain that he was not being so cooperative without his own secret agenda. Killing us all? Wait for Voldemort to win the war, then kill us all? On the other hand, he would have to face major loses, if he followed that path, and it still wouldn't be certain that he could win the fight. Of course, at the moment that was the last of my worries.

Esme sighed with relief. Carlisle had entered behind me. Cara and Alice stopped talking.

"Alice…" Esme started to say

"I can't. I'm sorry" she answered looking pained

"Alice, please…" said Carlisle this time

"I need to talk to the guard in private" Cara announced with a definite tone in her voice. It was as Carlisle didn't even register her words.

"As a matter of fact, your royal highness, I will talk to your little guard in private" I said calmly

"You have no right, you…" she started forward with a deep anger coloring her every word, but Alice caught her before she said anything worse. The few weeks she was here, Cara Volturi had been antagonizing me with all her efforts. I had no idea why, but I found it so incredibly amusing, in a sadistic kind of way, that it was almost impossible for me to stop playing with her. She had everything I had ever wanted. The man I died for and all the time in the universe to be with him. Even, the best friend who backstabbed me loved her. My messing with her nerves seemed like a small price to pay for what she had.

"I have nothing to discuss with you" Alice answered trying to pull Cara away

"I have nothing to discuss with you either. The kind of talk I have in mind is the one I make the questions and you give the answers" I answered calmly

"Please don't hurt her" Esme said anxiously

"You have no reason to ask anything of her…" Alice said truly pissed but I raised my hand before she could continue

"She has good reason to ask everything of me. You all do. You are not in Volterra anymore, Miss Cullen. Or is it Mrs Hale? I'm a little confused" I told her sarcastically

Cara hissed angrily.

"What do you want?" Alice asked me coldly her eyes pitch black

"Me? Just a little walk in the garden" I smiled angelically

"Alice…" Cara said but she was already walking out the door

I smiled ironically and followed her, leaving the other three behind me.

Alice was waiting for me by the fountain.

"Strange taste, they have, don't you think? Mortals?" I said looking at the two giant snakes in the middle whose twin mouths were spitting water

"You ordered me out here to talk about decoration?" she asked venomously

"Certainly! Pass the good taste test and we will be BFF's!" I answered innocently

She growled angrily. I smiled sadistically.

"It hurts, doesn't it? Not being in control over your own choices?" I mocked her

"What do you want from me?" she asked again

"Isn't that obvious? I want to know where Harry Potter is!" this time my tone was pure ice

"I've told you all before. I don't know!" she said exasperated

"But even if you did, you wouldn't tell me, now would you?"

"Yes, I would" she lied through her teeth

"Alice, Alice , Alice… Has anyone informed you, that the Dark Lord is very accomplished at Legilimency? Do you have any idea how easy it will be for him to read the lie behind your answer? You must remember what happened the first time you met him…" I told her calmly

She cringed.

"You don't understand! My gift doesn't work like that! I have never met that boy! I don't know who I'm looking for!" her answer was strained

"Which is a serious disadvantage on its own, but you can't tell me that you never caught a glimpse, can you?" I pushed her

"I don't know. I don't know him which means that even if I caught a glimpse, I wouldn't know it's about the boy!" her answer was an exasperated sigh

"And have you been catching glimpses?"

"A long wooden table. Nothing that makes sense. Nothing you can use" she said looking at her feet

I knew exactly where that table was. Well, at least that was something. The Fidelio charm was still keeping the house safe. But still, I had to warn Harry about Alice. And thanks, to her help, I knew where I could find him.

"You'll have to try harder than that" I told her calmly

"I am doing the best I can!" she hissed angrily

"What's going on? Why are you harassing her?" asked Jasper appearing out of nowhere. Emmet was a few feet behind.

"I am not harassing her, great teacher. Just asking for information. It's in the job description" I answered with my eyebrow raised

"She cannot help you!" he said angrily

"Jasper, please stop" Alice told him in a small voice

"I won't have it" he told her

"I can handle this"

"The same way you handled things with Edward all these years ago?" the moment the words left his lips he regretted them, that much was obvious. Alice looked hurt and Emmet sighed helplessly.

"I believe I'll leave you two to figure things out" I said calmly and turned to leave.

"You will stay away from her" he told me in a low tone

"No, I won't. Like I said, gathering Intel is in my job description" a low growl came from behind me

"Edward, don't" Alice said worriedly

I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, the little princess brought her bodyguard to handle things for her" I said mockingly turning to face them

Cara growled angrily at me. Alice was in her side in an instant trying to prevent her from going for my jugular, metaphorically speaking.

"You will stay away from both of them or your master will be one servant less" Edward said slowly and clearly, as if wanting to make sure the message got through before he tore me to pieces

"Too much drama! Your lives can never be boring!" I laughed with irony

Edward was in front of me in a flash. His face was so close to mine that I wasn't able to see anyone else. Surprisingly, I held my cool.

"You will stay away from them!" he repeated in the same tone

"Edward…" Emmet said with worry filing his tone

"I don't care if she's strong, Emmet" Edward said never taking his eyes of mine

"Somehow, I doubt that! The wizards protect her, that's all!" Cara hissed

"You thing I am afraid of you, guard of her royal arrogancy?" I asked him still keeping my cool

Edward growled deep within his chest while Cara hissed at the insult.

"You're jealous" Emmet said narrowing his eyes at me. Edward growled at him next, obviously hearing something in his thoughts that angered him more than my presence.

"No" Jasper answered to Emmet as if Edward wasn't there at all

"She's amused" surprise was coloring his tone. The others gaped at him except Edward. He was still looking at Emmet almost outraged.

"It takes more than a royalty and her pushovers to make me angry" I answered calmly.

Cara growled. Alice and Jasper looked at me with matching expressions of disbelief. Edward and Emmet kept their staring contest going.

I turned my back on them all and walked away. Alice told me what I needed to know. Now I would take a little walk on civilization. And maybe when I came back, I would seek for Cara Volturi's company again. This insulting thing was fun after all.