AN

Hi there,

for anyone also reading my other fanfic "A New Life", thanks :) but also don't worry i'm still working on that one too.
This story is just something that came to mind recently and I started writing it.

Just a little warning; I'll try not to spoil too much but beware Edward is going to be a dick for a quite a while in this story.
Please just bear with me and know that everything may not be as it seems and it will all be explained further on in the story!

So enjoy en let me know what you think!

Chapter 1 - The deed is done

I sat numbly as the papers were drawn up. As Aro signed his name with a flourish he sent me a particularly nasty smile.

'Well Isabella' he muttered as he passed the paper over to the other man sitting at the table. 'It seems you will be someone else's problem from now on.'

The other man signed his name and then both of them shook hands.

'you will deliver her to the port of Calais in two day's time, at midnight a ship will come to escort her to her new home.' The man grunted.

I shrank down further into my seat.

'Make sure she is presentable and have her dowry with her.'

Aro only nodded before leading the man away.

'Sit up.' Marcus barked at me as the men left. I did so immediately, but kept my eyes downcast.

My mind was still reeling. In two days I would leave this place. It was my greatest desire to leave this place. I had wished for it over and over again these past 50 years. But it seemed now I was going from one prison into another. Aro had signed me over to Edward Cullen. The most feared and notorious vampire in America.

I knew Aro hated him, but he also feared him. and if Aro was afraid of him, I knew I should be absolutely terrified. The Cullen influence had been slowly growing for the past thirty years or so. Edward Cullen himself was older than that. How old exactly I didn't know. I just know that his empire was growing and the vampires following him, were starting to become a threat to Volterra, and the Volturi. Aro was adamant that we couldn't lose this war.

So he had called for a truce. Edward could keep control of the America's, Aro would keep control of the rest of the world.

The price?

Me.

Aro wanted to placate Edward with a plaything. He'd heard he went through them like Aro went through humans. A new one every night. I shuddered to think what would happen to me.

Aro was only to glad to be rid of me. I had been a burden to him ever since I had been turned 50 years ago. Aro had chosen me himself because of my potential. I had the ability to shield myself from mental attacks. But throughout these years I never got any further with it than being able to shield one other person for one full minute. Aro had reached his limit with me after the first decade. At first he had been kind and supportive. I'd been his project. His new daughter. I hadn't minded anything back then. The court was ouddated and rusty, but it was fine enough for a home.

But after that first decade, it became unbearable. As I fell down through the ranks, my place becoming more and more unsure I became a servant, less than the rest. I was treated like the rest treated humans.

A plaything.

Something to hurt and play with at their own pleasure. Aro and Caius mostly ignored me these days. Marcus however took great pleasure in torturing me.

He would be there when I was doing my chores and insist I was doing things wrong, simply to punish me. I lost count how many years I'd spent in the dungeons, being denied sustenance. The rest of the court shared Marcus's derision for me.

Especially Jane. She was a vindictive little power didn't work on me and she loved taking that frsustration out on me in other ways. Even during those first years when I had still been in favor she manged to stalk me and hurt me whenever possible. Aro would do nothing to stop it. And whenever I told on her Jane would pay me back double for it. So I had learned to suffer in silence.

I heaved a small sigh. I guess going to Edward Cullen couldn't be worse than what I already had endured. There was no innocence left in me. No fight either. 50 years of brutality would do that to you.

So I sat on that stool as my fate was decided for me, without me having any say in it.

'Aro was only too glad when Mr Cullen proposed the deal.' Marcus' gravelly voice pulled me from my reverie. 'but don't think just because you are going to belong to him, your allegiance to us becomes void.'

'What do you mean?' I asked in a small voice. I was confused. I thought they wanted to get rid of me. not sent me on a mission.

'You will keep your eyes and ears open over there, girl. You will do whatever it takes to get into his bed and find out what his plans are.' Marcus snarled at me.

My bewilderd look must have annoyed him because he reached over and pulled a large chuck of my head roughly, yanking me forward.

'Aro might be only too happy to be rid of you, but I know that you might be of some use still. You will report to me, once every month.'

'If I refuse?' I asked, my voice barely a whisper. That question earned me a quick slap across the face.

'If you refuse, I will come over there and hunt you down myself, and I'll make sure you endure a fate worse than the pitiful existence you have now.'

I swallowed hard. I wanted to ask him what could possibly be worse than the existence I had now, combined with what was sure was in store for me at the court of a notorious rogue vampire. Instead I nodded.

'I will sent you the first message, you will simply respond to that one every time. That should be simple enough for even you.' he sneered.

'Marcus!' someone yelled from the hallway. With a last warning glance at me he stood up and left the room.

I stood up slowly and started to clean up the hall. Although I was officially sold, I knew they would not stand for me slacking off my final days here. Two more days. That was all. Part of me couldn't wait, part of me was absolutely terrified. I cleaned up the glasses of blood and straightened the room up again. When everything was clean again I slowly made my way out of the hall and started heading towards my chambers to pack my few possessions.

Of course Jane was standing outside of the hall waiting for me with a particularly nasty smile on her face.

'Finally sold you off, did they?' she asked in her sickly sweet voice.

I didn't respond. I turned to the left and started walking to my chambers. Of course Jane wouldn't leave it at that. She kept pace with me, continuing in her sickly sweet voice as if she was my friend. But every other word out of her mouth was an insult.

'I mean, I knew they wanted to get rid of you for a long time. I even suggested a few places to Aro, you know. But none of them would have you.' she smiled at me nastily. 'I guess it was lucky that Edward Cullen was in need of another playmate.'

A shuddered rippled through me at the mention of his name. Jane of course noticed and pounced on it.

'You do know his reputation right? He's ruthless. I mean Aro is though, but that man... They say he murdered a vampire just for looking at him wrong. And then another one he just ripped apart slowly, day by day one piece at a time until the man was begging for mercy, and even then he only killed him after another full week! Can you imagine? I mean Aro is always firm and strict, but at least he keeps body parts intact.' She smirked at me. 'and the women? The women he uses are usually too shellshocked to be worth anything. Of course the ones he likes stay a bit longer, but his taste are very particular.'

I tried to block her out, but I was starting to twitch, her words getting to me.

'I mean, I knew this one woman. She was absolutely gorgeous of course, but she didn't even come close to meeting his standards. He took one look at her in front of his entire court and told her she could suck his cock if she was desperate, but that was all he would require form her.' She shot me another particularly nasty look.

When I still didn't respond she growled softly and before I could brace myself, she had grabbed hold of my hair and thrown me against the wall.

'What you do you think you can offer him huh? You're lucky if you'll last the week.' she slapped her hand around my neck and tightened it harshly. My skin was protesting the harsh treatment and I clawed at her hand, trying to pry it off of me.

'Then why aren't you happy?' I gasped out. 'You'll be rid of me soon.'

'Oh believe me, I know. And I can't wait.' She spat at me her eyes hateful... But also afraid? I frowned at that.

She quickly released me and I dropped to the floor in a heap. Pathetic. God, she was right. I was heading to my doom. I was lucky if I even lasted the first day. I was pathetic really, a sad excuse for a vampire. Jane huffed once more than stomped her heeled boot unto my toes for good measure before storming off.

I sighed. Of course she just had to go and do that. I groaned as I got to my feet again. Trying to wiggle my toes back to life.

I quietly slipped into my chambers – a small room at one of the bottom floors of the castle. I think it used to be a broom closet, but I wasn't entirely sure. It held a desk with a rickety old chair, a chest of drawers and one bookcase. That was it. I sat down at my desk and pulled open the drawer. I didn't have much in this life to call my own. But this was my most prized possession. It was a book: wuthering heights. Although it wasn't anything fancy – no first edition or anything – it was my only treasure. It was the book my mother had given met just before she died. The inscription on the first page was what made it special.

Believe in yourself and you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

I believe in you my dearest daughter.

Renée

Although my mother had been eccentric and could hardly be called conventional, she had been the one to always encourage me and to dream of something bigger than just being someone's wife. Although in the 50's that was the norm. My father had not been happy with her teachings.

They had separated early on in my childhood. It wasn't long after the separation that my mother had fallen ill and I'd had to say goodbye to her. My memories from that time were muddy and hard to remember, but my mother's smile and laugh were still clearest in my thoughts. I held the book close to my chest for a moment, before putting it in my one and only bag I was bringing to my new home… or rather prison. I placed it between some clothes making sure it was secure and wouldn't get damaged. I packed a few more belongings, and then placed the bag by the door.

I took my seat on the chair, placing my hands in my lap and settling in to wait until I was called to start my journey to my doom.