deep into darkness

[edward]

'She's dead, Edward.' Edward didn't want to believe those words. Bella couldn't really be gone . . . forever. No Bella had to be alive. Her life was so short she couldn't actually be gone. He needed to seek forgiveness. He had been so tempted to. His life was meaningless. But a live without Bella? There was no point. That was the immediate reason for calling her house. To know for certain if what Rosalie said was true. Edward couldn't believe those words. He did not want to. But Charlie was at the funeral. Bella's funeral. Edward still did not want to believe. He wanted their to be some sort of mistake. Some miscalculated error. His imagination even. But he knew it was real. Bella was really dead. She was gone. The pain overwhelmed Edward. He could not exist in a world she could not. He knew he would never have true peace until he was destroyed. He could not be without Bella. Bella was his life. Bella was his everything. Without Bella he had barely been able to live and now, now she was gone forever. How could he go on? He couldn't.

Edward had thought long ago what he would do if Bella was not alive. Last spring, and certainly recently. Without Bella he had to be destroyed. The pain was overwhelming he could not go on. He could barely think logically. The only thought she is gone was constant. Edward didn't want to believe she was gone. She had to exist somewhere as long as Bella was alive Edward could survive. But with her dead the thought so painful to think about he couldn't go on. There was no point anymore. Edward could not go on and the quickest way to be destroyed was to irritate the Volturi. To go to Italy. Edward was moving without even thinking about it. He had to get to Volterra he had to be destroyed. But how? Irritating the Volturi was the quickest way to break their one rule: keeping the secret. Their was several ways to expose what they were. So many different ways and so many were ways that would get him destroyed immediately. Thoughts of how to reveal his existence ran though Edward's mind the entire time he made his way to Volterra.

Volterra. Edward didn't pay attention to the many humans within the city nor did he bother to see which was thoughts and which were spoken. Volterra was an ancient city but Edward didn't bother to look at the landscape or the city itself. Edward had to be destroyed and while revealing himself would be the easiest way there was others. Edward could simply ask the Volturi to destroy him but with their relationship with his father would they? Edward did not know. He knew enough about the Volturi to know who exactly he would have to ask. Aro. Marcus and Caius were important as well this Edward knew but Aro seemed to be the leader of them. From what Edward had seen within Carlisle's thoughts and what he had told him. Edward looked at the castle as he approached. He was careful to remain in the shadows he would do this the right way. For Carlisle. He did not want to disappoint him. Going through the city revealing himself was not something his father would approve of. Edward only hoped their fondness for Carlisle would not make them hesitate in granting him death.

- Edward, Demetri, Corin, Aro, Marcus (temp), Caius -

[Demetri]

Demetri took his role of Volturi guard extremely seriously. And so, when a stranger -- mainly a vampire -- approached, it was his job to find out what business they had here. The Volturi were not a force to be reckoned with and Demetri was rather proud, having no problem boasting about this very fact to others. Now that he was a part of it, he was going to be proud about it and let others know about how much control they had in the world of vampires. He was standing near the entrance of the castle. He was glad in his robe, with the hood up, covering his head, so that all that could be seen in the darkness was the crimson, burning red of his eyes. He had just fed and so felt strong, and ready to do whatever needed to be done.

Felix was off somewhere, perhaps still enjoying his meal, or carrying out another task the leaders had given him. Demetri would find out the details later. Right now, he was catching the scent of a vampire . . . one that he had not met before, for his scent was unfamiliar and this put Demetri on guard. He slowly walked ahead, meeting the stranger before he was able to get to close to the entrance. "How may I assist you today?" He asked, in a very polite manner. Just because this particular Volturi guard was polite -- a great contrast to his partner who was always ready for a fight -- , did not mean he was lenient in any way.

[edward]

Edward knew the Volturi were something to fear but he really did not. He wanted to irritate them if they did not grant him death. Would they have any reason to really object to this? Edward would find a way for them to destroy him rather they did it or if he had to provoke them. He was aware just how protective of their city they were they would not doubt react quickly. Edward ignored the thoughts and people around him. It was all meaningless. It was pointless. There was no reason for him to even exist. He could never live in a place where Bella did not. He could not. Bella was his life, Bella was his everything. There was no point in even trying to survive without Bella. His love, his life, his everything. All gone. Forever. There was no way Edward could go on. He saw no point. There was no point.

Edward looked at guard as he spoke directly to him. Edward was aware just how powerful the Volturi. And one simply did not irritate them without any consequences. Edward had barely noticed the guard to be honest. His thoughts surrounded in his pain, in his loss. He could not go on without her. He would not! He had to be destroyed there was no other option. There was no other way for Edward to go on. He could not go on. The pain was absolutely horrible no words could really describe what he was feeling. He already felt dead. Felt as if he could not go on. For he knew he could not. He would never have the chance to see her. Never have the chance to see if there was any chance she could forgive him. He knew it would have taken so much for her to forgive him. But he would have spent years begging for it if he could only see her. But such a chance was gone forever. He would never have the chance to beg for forgiveness. Never have the chance to tell her how he could not live with out her.

The vampire was polite but Edward could tell by his thoughts he was still very strict. As all the Volturi were expected to be Edward assumed. Not that it mattered. He had to be destroyed that was his only option. And the way to do that was to speak to the leaders. "I want to speak to Aro." Edward had to be destroyed. They had to grant him this one request. This one favor. They shouldn't oppose and if they did he would make them. He would force them to destroy him. He would attempt to reveal himself within their very city. They would act quickly to destroy him. He hoped they would only accept this request it would make everything so much easier. If he was forced to he would make them destroy him. He would leave them no other option. But how do that? So many ways to break that one rule. So many ways to make the humans suspicious. Edward would choose the best way but would he act rash if they were to deny him? Possibly but Edward would try to give it some thought. Hopefully none of this was for nothing. Hopefully this pain, this misery would end soon.

[corin]

Corin was on high alert. The Volturi Vampires were forbidden to go out into the crowded streets and bright sun, but they needed to stand in little alcoves along the walls. He let his senses range out, searching for trouble. Nothing could go wrong on St. Marcus's Day. Everyone was bunched together, the stenches of humans, the ones that needed to wash and the ones that needed to clean their breath were the worst. However, no matter how bad the hygeine was, the smell was so good, especially since they were all packed in together.

He could not hunt within the walls of the city. Centuries and centuries of practise had weaned his thirst down to obedience, Corin could easily control himself now. His most important sense, his hearing, travelled out.

Then, all at once, his senses caught hold of something that never should have been there, vampire. He knew the scents of his coven mates, and this was not one of them. But Demetri was standing right beside them, whoever it was. He was dealing with it, Corin was sure. He had to make a split-second decision. There was no trouble in his area and Demetri might need back-up.

The vampire slithered out of his convenient cubby hole in the wall and pulled the red St. Marcus Day cloak low over his eyes. Crimson, they would bring fatal attention to him. He set off towards Demetri and the other vampire, it was irritating that he couldn't use his full speed. Finally, Demetri and the other vampire were in view. He walked up to them graciously.

"Demetri," He said nodding his head at the high ranking vampire before turning his red stare on the other. The vampire had gold eyes. Corin knew this signified that this vampire dieted on animal blood.

"Aro is otherwise engaged. It is St. Marcus's Day," He said, answering the strange vampires words. He wondered if the strange vampire had known before.