When I realized that people were actually still reading this little fic of mine, I decided I needed to spruce it up a bit. The original was written with no beta and very little editing. I couldn't believe the commas! But, I've taken the time to fix this up a bit as my way of saying thanks to everyone who continues to read Changing Sides.

As always, no characters belong to me.

Chapter 1 Torturer

I stared down at the dark haired girl writhing at my feet. Her short hair was plastered against her face as if she could perspire. A sly smile crept across my lips, as the girl stopped the shaking and moaning.

"Are you ready to answer?" I asked again, my voice sweet venom. "I'm sure my colleague has a few more persuasive techniques she could try."

Jane laughed maniacally. She really only had one method of persuasion and the girl had been on the receiving end of that already. Jane found way too much pleasure in the torture of others, but I couldn't deny she had style. Ever since they were discovered, Jane and her brother Alec had been instrumental in the strengthening of the Guard. While Alec has proved more useful in the field, Jane is simply a natural in the interrogation room. She left little doubt as to whether she enjoyed what she did, which made my job infinitely easier. We were lucky to have her.

The pixie at my feet whimpered in a low, pained tone. I raised an eyebrow as the girl, slightly smaller than Jane but a few years older when changed, turned her face toward mine. Her eyes burned with intensity in their unnatural golden tone. She was getting hungry, though. The rings of her eyes were rimmed with a thick black edge. She was ready to speak at last. Even I had grown weary during the three days of intense questioning.

"I can't join you," she whispered in a hoarse voice. "What about my husband?"

The rest of the Cullens had eluded Felix and Demetri's attack and the whole situation left a sour taste in my mouth. We were well aware the power this little pixie held, yet she, above all others, was captured. It seemed wrong to me, too convenient like a trap. I wasn't sure what she might be planning, but there was honestly no way any of her clan could penetrate into Volterra without raising an alarm. Still, the thought that we might be playing into their hands was enough to stir the venom in my veins.

"Where are they, pixie?" I hissed, dropping all pretenses. If she continued the charade, I would have Felix come in and rip that pretty little head from her narrow shoulders. Not that I couldn't do it myself, but dismembering people tended to get messy. It would be rude not to offer her to him. He did so love to destroy.

The weary voice from the girl cut off my daydream. "My name is Alice and I don't know where they are."

I sighed. This was more of the same. "Jane," I beckoned the pacing vampire at the opposite side of the dark cell.

"No!" the girl shrieked hoarsely. "They'll come for me!"

I smiled and waved Jane back. That's what I needed to hear. They planned to come for her and then we'd have them. Whatever premonition led to little Alice Cullen's capture, I was going to see to it that it went in our favor. I would see that she never got out of Volterra's dungeons.

I turned and headed out of the cell. Jane slipped out immediately, but I hesitated at the opening, looking one last time at the porcelain skinned vampire trembling quietly on the cold floor.

She turned those eyes back to me and opened her mouth. "This is not who you are, Bella."

In slight shock, I let my mouth fall open. Only one person ever called me Bella and I hadn't even mentioned my name in her presence. It was something I had avoided in all interrogations. It gave the prisoner an edge.

I snapped my lips back together and pulled my face into a malicious grin. No Cullen would best me.

"This is exactly who I am," I hissed. "You see, I could have let Aro have you right away, but then we wouldn't have had all this fun. I feel like I really got to know you."

I laughed viciously and turned toward the door, ready to be done with the thing. I had the capture of the rest of the Cullens to plan. She might have spoken once more, but it was muffled by the huge boulder as it slid in front of her cell.

I moved effortlessly through the caves under ancient Volterra. The cool darkness was the perfect way to settle my mind after the whole ordeal. I ran freely, bending, jumping and winding my way through the familiar mazes beneath the city. It would be dark outside in a matter of minutes and I'd be free to exit the sewers and head home.

As I ran, I found the pixie creeping back into my thoughts. My name is Alice. What was that about? Why would I care? Was she trying to connect with me? Does she think me weak?

I couldn't help but laugh aloud. I'd offered her only choices. Join or die. She had said she wouldn't join Volturi, so why would something as insignificant as knowing her name make any difference?

It didn't matter at all.

Why, then, was I dwelling on her like this? Normally, I never gave a second thought to those I'd interrogated. I'd been doing it too long for it to even cross my mind. Usually. I shook my head, pausing beneath the exit grate. I hoped that once I breathed in the rich scents of my nocturnal city above, I'd be able to leave the girl behind.

The very instant the sun sank below the high walls of Volterra, I sprinted up the ladder and pushed my way into a dark alleyway. Without glancing back, I walked leisurely from the mouth of the alley onto one of the main boulevards of the city. Like a vein, it pulsed with life even in the fading light. It had been my favorite place to be since the moment I saw it nearly 300 years ago.

Keeping my pace humanly slow so as not to attract any unneeded attention, I made my way through the milling people to my apartment. As the humans passed by with barely a glance, I smiled. Volterra smelled delicious at twilight.

It was not entirely surprising to see a dark, robed figure looming by the doorway. My smile faltered. "How did you get here so fast?" I asked her.

Jane peeled the hood of the dark Volturi robe from her head and flashed me a perfect smile. "Magic," she said with a wink.

I laughed and brought a golden key to the doorknob, unlocking it quickly. Jane disappeared to living room as I paused to drop my key on the kitchen counter and kick off the uncomfortable black heels I'd been struggling around in for the last three days. My feet screamed in delight as I stretched my toes, cooling them against the cool, white marble floors.

I released a satisfied groan just as two powerful arms wrapped tightly around my waist. The groan turned to a gasp before I calmed down and realized who it was.

"Felix!" I shouted, twirling my body inside his stone grip and lunging myself into him at the same time.

His lips crushed into mine with wanton passion as I pressed my body closer to his. I felt each distinct angle and dip of his body against mine, but nothing more than the thick bulge pressing hard at my hip. A low growl rumbled through his chest and vibrated all the way through me. I released his mouth, leaving a trail of eager kisses down his neck to his shirt.

Buttons were too cumbersome today, so I bit into the soft cotton of Felix's t-shirt and pulled my head back. My eyes settled on his as the shirt ripped down the center. I brushed my fingers lightly over his shoulders, easily disposing of his travel worn cloak and the rags of his former shirt and allowed myself an instant to stand back and admire the power and strength beneath my fingertips.

Felix's dark hair hung lank and unwashed in his face and his eyes were glowing with such a bright crimson, it was impossible not to feel the strength from a recent kill pushing through his massive body. I shivered in arousal, tracing over his broad, olive-toned chest, slowing my progress only to flick his already erect nipple. My fingers silently grazed their way to the waist of his jeans. I slipped my hand inside and ascertained he was commando, as promised. With excitement building by the second, I pulled him with my loose grip until he crashed into me. I felt every part of his body respond to the closeness of mine. He pressed eagerly against my stomach as his hands slid over mine at the top of his pants.

"I'd say we've destroyed enough clothing for one day, Bella." He smiled slightly, eyes still intent on me. "I want to salvage what I can."

"Five months and you want to talk about salvage?" I teased, before sneaking my hands from his and bending low to crouch at his waist. I looked up at him with my best look of innocence plastered on my face. "You sure about that?"

Felix was too eager to respond as I moved my head slowly toward him and bit down on the zipper with my razor sharp teeth. This time, instead of shredding them, I carefully pulled the zipper open, dragging it out and hearing each link release. Felix groaned heavily.

"Well, look who finally made it back home," Jane announced her presence with little couth.

It was my time to groan, but my irritation was evident. Felix just chuckled and pulled me back to a less compromising position. He zipped his pants back up as discreetly as possible, which was not all that discreet, given the amused smirk on Jane's cherubic face.

"Cock-blocker," I coughed under my breath.

The slander did nothing to diminish that stupid smile. She ignored me and bombarded Felix with a question about his mission over the past months.

"Any idea where they could be hiding?" she wondered.

Of course, we knew about as much as he did about the whole affair. We usually did. We dealt with the prisoners he sent back. Jane was just a freak for the gory details. I stepped in front of Jane and cut her off from Felix. He would have graciously answered her questions all night if I let him.

"That's enough." I snarled. She knew me too well to take real offense at the gesture, but she also knew not to test me. "Attack him tomorrow with your questions."

Felix laughed lightly over my shoulder. "Yes, Bella was in the middle of attacking me tonight."

I smiled and Jane shrugged half-heartedly. "Fine," she turned for the door. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

As the door swung shut behind the exiting figure, Felix shouted over my shoulder, "Maybe you better give us a few more than that!"

I turned around, eyes fixed on the handsome face before me. An amused smile hung imperfectly on his wide lips. I cocked a brow. "Is that a promise?" I challenged.

My legs wrapped around his waist, locking us together. Felix let out another quick burst of laughter, swung me into his arms, and pressed his lips against mine. His tongue darted in and out of my mouth and traced my bottom lip as he carried me up the stairs. We fell, an entanglement of limbs and kisses, onto the bed. We rolled until I gained the dominating position.

As I hovered over him, kissing his delicious lips, the familiar longing burned between my legs and I pushed my hips against the thick rod reaching to me from beneath its blue jean prison. Releasing our kiss, I seductively traced down his body with mine, stopping when my head was poised above his waist once again.

"So," I whispered, eyes locked with his. I lowered my head minutely. "Where were we?"