Mia: I felt like my stories were missing something! And then it hit me!
Seth: It was us, being in your disclaimers! Right?
Mia: No, I mean it literally hit me! I was just chilling, and then out of nowhere, I got hit by a flying pizza! I haven't had Zanie feed poor Bella!
Seth: You're going to kill the love of my life out of sheer incompetence!
Mia: Woah there. Chill out, Mr. Wolfy. I hold your life in my hands! Or at the very least, your potential for happiness!
Seth: I hate it when the crazy girl is right…. At least you don't actually own Twilight or anything else Stephanie Meyer wrote…

SethPov

"Excuse me?" I half shouted, leaping off the couch to stare at him incredulously. "How can Bella be in Italy already?!" Edward rolled his eyes at me, and I had to try and remember why it was I'd once thought him a cool dude. The look upon his face was so superior, so arrogant, that I couldn't believe I'd never hated his face before.

"She's not in Italy. That is merely where Alice says we need to go to be on our way to find her." Edward looked as though he was explaining this all to a child, and I curled my hand into a fist. The wolf inside me howled at him, snapping its' teeth hungrily.

"So when do we leave?" I finally asked, grinding my own teeth together in aggravation. He rolled his eyes again, and I could see the glint in his eye that showed his dark amusement.

"Well I've only just gotten off of the phone. I know you think I'm amazing and all, but I'm simply not that good." He smirked, and I didn't need the emotional bloodsucker to tell me that the Edward we'd known, who was quiet and musical and generally kind, was truly gone. I didn't know what had taken his place.

The only thing I knew for sure was that it was I who had caused this, and that in itself had been caused because he and his coven were here. It was a never-ending circle of guilt, and though I realized how hopeless it was to place the blame upon anyone, I couldn't help but feel like it was all my fault that this had happened.

ZanePov

After I snapped at her, Bella's face had drained of all emotion. It was a curious reaction to my anger; even my coven members were afraid of me then. But perhaps that was because of all she had faced.

There was no secret Bella could hide from me. In fact, no one could hide secrets from me. It wasn't like Delilah's power. I couldn't just read minds, though every part of me ached to be able to. My ability was much simpler, and almost easier to control people. At least with my ability, people knew they were bending to my will. When Delilah did it, she damaged people, changing who they were in a way that eventually destroyed them.

Simply put, I could read secrets. In that hazy, indefinable moment when something became a secret, it was suddenly accessible to me. Looking at a person was like reading a file on all the things they didn't want you to know.

I knew that Bella wanted to not love Edward anymore. And I knew that she didn't want to lose Seth either, though she hardly knew him at all. I could see how Delilah had played with her mind too, to make her think she hated Edward, and how she was starting to mess with how Bella saw Seth.

I didn't much care how everyone went about it, so long as they did what I'd told them.

Bella needed to feel alone, like everyone she loved and trusted had betrayed her. And then I would swoop in and rescue her again, as I had with the cabin, and just like I had with Riley.

BellaPov

Zane wasn't what I expected. I mean, not that I expected much from a blood drinker. But still, he'd rescued me. He seemed like a nice enough guy. He certainly looked like a nice guy. Better than nice, if you know what I mean.

I don't. Enlighten me? Ever present in my head, of course Delilah would chose to pop back into the mental conversation right now.

Leave me alone. I snapped at her, turning away from her, even if it meant I had to face the coven of impassive vampires again. Loren caught my eye, and I swear that the smile on his face was going to break his cheeks. He waved, a large, wild wave that reminded me of a little kid on a playground, waving at a friend.

Beside me, Zane growled softly in the back of his throat, and a pout replaced Loren's happy smile.

"This is my family," Zane finally spoke again, gesturing to the group of vampires in front of us. "They will do anything for me, but still, don't provoke them."

"You mean pushing vampire buttons is a bad idea?" I asked innocently, fighting the grin that threatened to appear on my face. Zane growled again, his grip tightening on my wrist. I would definitely have bruises there, I noted with a mental sigh.

"Shut up." Zane muttered, dropping my arm and with a slight rustle of my hair and a blur, he was gone.

"Nice talking to you too!" I called, knowing he could hear me wherever he was. I looked around at the vampires staring at me, noticing how some were disdainful, and others saw me merely as food. "Well…" I started to speak, but stopped when I realized that that sentence had been going nowhere. Slowly, I backed away from them. Not a single expression changed.

I suppose Delilah probably would offer some variety, and Loren was grinning again, but I refused to look at her, and I would not single him out. So with an actual sigh this time, I turned around and began to climb the stairs.
"Wait!" Delilah called, and I stopped.

DelilahPov

Bella didn't turn around, and that annoyed me to no end. I could feel my family slipping away, only Samantha and Avery remaining to watch the show, and I knew I could make Bella turn around since Loren wasn't here to stop me. But I wanted her to know she was giving in to me when she turned around. I wanted her to know that I would win, even if she didn't truly realize that she would lose.

"I've got something you'll want to see!" I said smiling brightly in the hope that she would turn around. She didn't, and I fought the urge to growl.

Why the hell does she think she and I are friends right now….? Bella asked herself, and I rolled my eyes behind her back. It was so funny when people tried to hate on me in their thoughts.

"I know how you love to read." I continued, and Bella's trail of thoughts perked up in exactly the way I wanted. "But you have to turn around first!" I sang, rocking on the balls of my feet. In her mind, I could hear her fighting with herself. It was sad, really, how long it had taken Bella to realize the voice in her head had changed so drastically because it truly was another voice.

"Fine. Point one for the child demon." Bella muttered, turning around to face me with an expectant look. "Show me this magical reading place."

I smiled brightly and reached forward to take her hand. She pulled back, and even after I took it, tried to pull away. But she could not match my strength and I had to resist a chuckle as she practically fell down the stairs when she gave in to the pull.

Mia: I just realized something…

Seth: What is it?

Bella: So…. Hungry…. *wastes away*

Seth: NOOOO! BELLA!

Mia: We should all run. Like immediately. Away from the angry wolf!

R&R!