The alleyway was narrow and dark; I walked along carefully trying not to make too much noise. Stumbling over something my breathing escalated, I paused to see if anyone had heard me. Hearing nothing I continued on, the bright sanctuary of the busy street tantalisingly close.

A hand suddenly grabbed my arm and dragged me back into the darkness of the dank, dirty narrow space I had so nearly escaped from. I struggled futilely against the grip but whoever it was was too strong. I was being hauled back the way I came from, my feet trailing uselessly behind me, I'm only aware of the pain in my arm from the viscous fingers digging into my flesh.

Finally we stop and I look up.

Shit! Why did it have to him?

I swallow the inevitable fear that grips my throat and look away; he was the worst of the lot.

'Bella were you trying to avoid me?' he smirked and brought his face closer to mine.

'No,' I whispered. My legs felt weak as his eyes ran over my body.

'Where is she?' There was no point playing games I knew who he meant.

'I don't know, she just left and I haven't seen her in days.' I was proud that the immense terror I was feeling didn't show in my voice.

'You're her roommate and you're trying to tell me you don't know where she is?' His hard eyes watched me carefully, he looked like he was trying to get into my head, and the fact he was having no luck frustrated him immensely.

'I came home the day before yesterday and she was gone, no note, no nothing. Please Edward I don't know where Rose is!' I knew pleading was useless but I needed to get away from him.

Lifting my head to look at him fully was a big mistake. Everything about him was bright and colourful, the fiery, coppery hair, pale skin and those jade green eyes. He caught me staring and his face hardened, for a moment I thought he would strike me his gaze was so cold.

'Listen Bella,' I could feel his hot breath on my cheek as he leaned in. 'Aro wants Rose and he's going to be very disappointed if I don't deliver her. So make this easy on yourself and tell me where is she is?'

Frustration boiled in my body, why wouldn't he listen to me! Taking a deep breath I mustered all the courage I could.

'I know you're just a hired goon Edward and that maybe you're not too quick in the brain department, but how many times do I have to say that I don't know where she is!' Tensing my body I waited for the blow but only heard Edward chuckle softly.

'Well look, seems the kitten does have claws.' His grip on my arm tightened for a second and I wondered if my bones could take much more, then it slackened off and the blood flowed painfully through my arm once more.

'Maybe I should take you instead,' his dark, menacing voice was still close to my ear and I shuddered involuntarily as he chuckled once more.

'I don't think Aro would like that,' I choked out.

'No little waifs aren't exactly his type,' he agreed. My body stiffened at the insult, I was small and probably dull looking to someone as beautiful as him but I didn't like the waif comment. Of course compared to Rosalie I was nothing, she was like Edward all sparkle and colour with her gorgeous blonde hair and blue eyes. Still her looks hadn't done her any good, attracting the attentions of a man such as Aro hadn't put her in any better position than I was.

When had my life become such a living hell?

For a fleeting moment I thought of my father - what would he think of me now if he could see me?

Charlie Swan, small town police chief, man of few words but when he did speak it meant something, big hearted, a man who loved his daughter above everything.

But he was gone and I was on my own, standing in a dark alleyway with a man who scared the living daylights out of me. My life was no longer my own, and now I belonged to the Volturi. My poor choices in life had led me to somewhere worse than I could have ever imagined.

'Are you crying?' Edward's voice brought me back from my melancholy thoughts

'No,' I sniffed and turned my face away. Rough fingers pulled my face back to his, his eyes blazed in the darkness; he had the eyes of a predator as he examined my face.

Finally he stepped back. 'Go,' he said and I took a shaky step back, my eyes never leaving his face.

I stumbled my way out of the alley way and onto the street. My mind screamed it was some kind of trick, but I didn't glance back, my breath shuddered from my body as I walked unsteadily along.

Entering the small apartment I shared with Rose, I glanced around - for someone who was the mistress of the most powerful man in this town he sure didn't keep her in the lap of luxury. The place was basic and clean but certainly nothing out of the ordinary.

When I had first come to this town and fallen on hard times the offer from Aro Volturi seemed too good to be true, and of course it was. I was moved into this apartment with Rose, a woman I didn't even know and to be honest that hadn't changed much even though we have lived together for nearly a year now.

Rose and I had nothing in common. I was only grateful that what I had to do didn't involve sexual relations with Aro, although sometimes I felt sick to my stomach at the things I had done.

My phone buzzed and I looked at the display.

Aro wants to see you

Fucking Jane would have loved sending that message knowing I would be practically peeing my pants.

My clothes were sweat drenched and I was a trembling mess but when you were summoned that meant straight away so i took a cab over to the tall imposing building that was the headquarters of what on the surface was supposedly an employment agency, but underneath was involved in everything from drugs, prostitution, human trafficking to supplying rich people with much wanted children, no questions asked.

Demetri was at the door and he watched me with amusement as I walked by visibly shaking. They all seemed to get off on the terror I felt having to come here.

I was taken through down in the elevator to the subterranean level, the bowels of hell as I liked to call it. Closing my eyes I prayed for some type of help even though praying hadn't done me much good in the past.

They were gathered in the circular room at the centre of the building, not just Aro but Caius was also there.

Maybe this was it, maybe this was the end.

My mind briefly flitted to Jacob, oh lord what would happen to him? If I had only had myself to worry about I would have ended this long ago - alcohol and sleeping tablets. But I couldn't because I had to take care of Jake, what happened to him was all my fault, my first and my biggest mistake.

'Come on Bella this is stupid, let's go,' Jake pleaded with me; I could barely hear him over the whipping wind that swirled around us. I stared down into the black water beneath, my father was gone - I was eighteen and on my own. I felt so numb, I just wanted to feel something.

I turned toward my very best friend and smiled. 'It will be ok', and then I jumped off the cliff. I was falling, for a moment it almost felt like the wind would pick me up and carry me off but then I met the water. Icy coldness invaded my body and closed over my head. Looking up through the blurry depths I could Jacob coming down after me.

My head broke the surface and I watched in horror as he struck a rock as he entered the water. Red spread out on the foamy surface and I desperately fought the current to get to him, pulling him from the water. His eyes were closed and blood gushed from his head. Had I just killed my only friend?

'Bella.' Aro's greeting pulled me back and I stood looking at the man before me, his long black hair flowed around his shoulders. It was hard to gauge just how old he was, his skin was pale, smooth and unlined but it was his eyes that left a lasting impression, they were the eyes of someone who has seen everything, ancient eyes. If the eyes were the windows to the soul then what I saw in Aro's made me shudder violently, they were black and empty.

'Aro.' My voice was low and trembled slightly as it came out. I saw out of the corner of my eye Jane smiling at my obvious fear. Jane was Aro's right hand, small and almost childlike she was a vicious killer. I had seen her do the most unspeakable things and do it with a smile on her face.

'Edward has told me that you don't know where Rosalie is.' It wasn't a question but I nodded anyway. 'I need you to find her, go through her things. I want her back.' A small smile quirked his full, red lips, I knew why he wanted her back and it wasn't because he desired her company anymore, she would be made an example of.

'Alec will oversee your other work. You have a week.' I didn't even know where to start; the only thing I had ever been good at was numbers, which was why I was useful to Aro and also why I would never be allowed to leave. I knew everything about the organisation, I took care of all the money, depositing it in various bank accounts, filtering it through different companies until it was clean, why was he asking me to do this?

'Don't you think maybe someone else might be better doing this?' Aro looked over at me and speared me with a cold look.

'No I think you are perfect, no one will suspect why you're looking for her.' Edward emerged from behind Aro; he must have been lurking in the shadows somewhere. 'Edward will help you, now I suggest you get started.'

My lips formed a silent no as Edward strode toward me. No him. Please not him!

'Come Bella we have work to do.' He took my arm and led me from the room; chuckling darkly at the dismay on my face.

Before I could even get my head around what was happening we were back at the apartment. Edward was busy looking through drawers as I stood there dumbly watching.

'What do you know about her?' he demanded not looking up from his task.

'Nothing, only that I think she once mentioned that she lived in New York for a time. I know nothing about her family and she never had friends over.' I sighed knowing how useless I sounded, 'we didn't exactly get on.'

When I first came to live here I tried desperately to talk to Rose but she would either walk out of the room or look at me like I was something she had found on the bottom of her shoe. I always wondered why they chose to house me here when I joined the organisation; I wondered if she was supposed to keep an eye on me or maybe it was the other way around. Whatever the reason there was certainly no rapport or trust between us.

Edward looked up at me a sly smile playing on his lips. 'I can imagine. Have you got a passport?' I nodded as he threw some documents at me and I glanced at them quickly. They were letters from an address in New York, I flipped to the end but none of them were ever signed.

'Looks like we are heading to New York, pack quickly and I will sort the flights. Oh and Bella? Keep real close I would hate to lose you.' Ha as if I could run from him, he must not know what they held over me.

I packed a few clothes; I didn't have many anyway, and snatched up my toiletries. Snapping my case shut I found Edward watching me from the doorway.

'Our flight is in a couple of hours,' he informed me.

'There's somewhere I need to go first,' I told him. Edward's perfect brow wrinkled as he mulled over my words.

'I'll drive you,' he said getting up and heading for the door. There was no point in arguing so following him out the door I climbed in his car and gave him directions to the care facility. When he stopped outside he agreed to wait in the car. 'Half an hour, no more,' he told me as I climbed out.

The building I entered was cheery and welcoming, not the grey institutional type Jake had been in before. Now money was no object I could afford the best for my friend.

One of the nurses waved to me as I made my way to Jake's room. I could see him through the glass panel, he was sat on his bed his vacant gaze staring at something I couldn't see. Taking a deep breath I entered the room.

Jacob didn't look much different from the boy I grew up with, his skin was still the same burnished brown and his hair hung straight around his face, still shiny and inky black. He was tall and handsome; if you didn't look into his eyes you wouldn't know anything was wrong with him.

I sat on the bed next to him but he didn't turn to look at me, just continued to gaze out the window. Jake had suffered serious brain damage from the jump off the cliff, his attention span was very limited and he was prone to violent outbursts. Sometimes when I came he didn't even recognise me and other times he would stare at me for a moment and I could almost see the old Jacob.

I had ruined his life with my selfishness.

Finally he turned to look at me, his gaze changing from vacant to almost childlike enthusiasm. He lent forward to whisper something to me, his body vibrating with excitement.

'I can turn into a wolf,' he told me seriously. 'Would you like to see it?'

'Sure.' I watched as he made his body tremble and shake and then he crouched low and made a menacing growling sound in the back of his throat.

Suddenly he stood back up and grinned at me, 'did you see me change?'

'I sure did, it was amazing.' I reached out my hand and he held it for a second before dropping it and turning his attention to something on the floor.

A nurse entered and gave me a cheery greeting. 'How's he been?' I asked quietly.

'Really good, not had one temper tantrum for over a week, has he showed you his wolf thing?' I nodded and she smiled. 'Well I'll see you tomorrow.'

'Actually I'm going away for a few days, if he asks tell him I'll be back soon okay?'

'Okay, and don't worry he'll be fine.'

Tears welled in my eyes as I stood up to leave 'Bye Jake.' He waved at me absently before picking up some paper and a pen and starting to draw.

Scrubbing my face I headed back to the black Volvo that Edward drove, he glanced at me briefly but didn't say anything.

Pulling out onto the rain slicked street we headed towards the airport.

How did I end up here? I had asked myself that question so many times over the last year but as I glanced at the beautiful man at my side, who beneath the appealing façade was a ruthless killer, the question again haunted my mind.

After the accident Jake's medical bills mounted, I was working as a waitress during the day and at a bar at night. I was so exhausted all the time and on the point of collapse when I visited Volturi Employment. I only had a high school education and I knew my chances of getting anything better paying were remote.

I was sat in the waiting area when Aro Volturi strode through the door, he had stopped and looked at me, I don't know what he had seen - maybe my desperation, but he told me to follow him.

'What can you do?' he asked when we entered his office.

'I'm err good with figures,' I said quietly, his whole demeanour scared me to death.

'Really? Look at these and tell me what you see.' He shoved some papers into my hand. There were columns and figures on each page and I studied them carefully.

'They don't add up,' I said after a few moments. 'There's a constant seven percent that seems to be going missing.' I looked up to see Aro smirk evilly. 'Well it looks like I have an opening for a new accountant. Be here tomorrow at nine sharp, we'll discuss things then.'

Before I left the room I heard him speak into the intercom 'Jane send Paul to see me.' The way he said those words made my skin crawl and let's just say Paul has never been seen since.

Of Course Aro checked out my situation and offered to pay all Jake's bills and provide him with the best care possible.

And the price? One soul.

I was monitored consistently, I was never getting out of this situation unless they decided I had served my purpose and then that would be the end.

Shivering in my seat I turned to look out the window, Edward never said a word to me on the drive, but when I turned to look at him I saw him watching me, that same look of frustration as earlier graced his face and I quickly glanced away.

At the airport we checked in. Edward had a small suitcase similar to mine and we headed to the gate where the plane for New York was departing from. There was over half an hour till boarding so Edward led me over to a coffee shop and asked me what I wanted.

'I'm fine,' I choked out and he shrugged and ordered himself a drink. I could see the waitress's eyes run over him, lingering on his tall, lean body, she licked her lips suggestively and he smirked. Rolling my eyes a little at the blatant display I felt Edward grab my arm and he lead me over to a table.

Sitting there quietly I found that whenever I looked up he was watching me, it made me shift nervously in my seat and twist my fingers together.

'I can't get a read on you,' he said suddenly. 'Usually I find people easy to read but with you I never know what you're thinking.' He cocked his face to the side waiting for me to answer.

'What exactly do you want to know?'

'You seem like a nice girl, how the hell did you end up working for Aro?'

'Bad choices,' I mumbled avoiding his gaze.

'Ah I see.' I gave in and looked up then into those green eyes that seemed to mesmerise me with their depth of colour.

'Do you?'

He barked out a laugh then and the sound startled me for a second. 'Not really.'

'Let's go.' Edward picked up my case and grabbed my arm once more, his hold wasn't tight but it seemed to sear my skin all the same.

Once we were settled on the plane he handed me a blanket. 'You should sleep,' he told me quietly.

'Are you going to sleep?'

'I don't sleep Bella,' he smiled a little then turned away.

To be honest sleep was the furthest thing from my mind; I didn't want to do this. I didn't want to be the one who was responsible for whatever awful things would happen to Rose.

Edward sat beside me humming softly, and despite everything I found myself slipping into unconsciousness.