Still faith can't save you tonight
Yet evil stands the test of time
I cannot be crucified

Edward

Call them to attention would you, my dear?

I glanced down at Isa from my perch in the beams of the throne room, when she opened her thoughts to me.

"Sit down and shut up." I called out smoothly, instantly silencing the room and ceasing all movements.

Thank you.

We were once again gathered in the throne room and awaiting either a story or a lesson from the princess before training started for the night.

The Major and Marcus were stationed in their usual spots at the back of the room, Caius and Aro subdued between the two under Isa's shield. Angela was in the library, researching for the next lesson she and Isa had planned.

Alistair, Garrett, Benjamin and Tia were out on a recon mission and were due back at any minute. They spent the last week helping Isa plan the next level of attack and their current trip would be the deciding factor of the timing.

The center of the room was filled with the vampires of Volterra, all eagerly awaiting the beginning of Isa's story.

"Tell me about The Exorcist." Isa said smoothly, writing in her perfect script on the chalkboard. "The novel."

What the fuck is she doing?

I sent my amusement of his though to the Major and pulled out my phone to respond.

She's going to terrify the fuck out of 95% of the vampires standing in front of her and tell the true history of one Mary Alice Brandon.

His shock echoed throughout the room before Isa shielded him and glanced in his direction before turning back to Miranda who was going to answer her question.

"Written in 1971 by William Peter Blatty." Miranda started. "Regales a tale of the demonic possession of the daughter of a famous actress and the two priests who attempt to exorcise the demon."

"Good." Isa said with a flip of her hair. "Inspired by a 1949 case of demonic possession and exorcism that he heard about as a student, Blatty decided to write his own rendition."

As she finished her introduction, she turned to face the room and show what she had been working on. On the chalkboard, there were three names and a list of things written under each.

As she spoke, she pointed to each name as relevant.

"An elderly Jesuit priest named Father Lankester Merrin is leading an archaeological dig in northern Iraq and is studying ancient relics. After discovering a small statue of the demon Pazuzu, a series of omens alerts him to a pending confrontation with a powerful evil, which he has battled before in an exorcism in Africa.

"Concurrently, in Georgetown, Regan MacNeil is living with her famous mother, who is currently filming a movie in Georgetown. As her mother finishes her work, Regan begins to become inexplicably ill. After a gradual series of poltergeist-like disturbances, for which her mother attempts to find rational explanations, Regan begins to rapidly undergo disturbing physical and psychological changes; refusing to eat or sleep, becoming withdrawn and frenetic, increasingly aggressive and violent. Her mother initially mistakes her behavior as a result of repressed anger over her parents' divorce and absent father.

"After several unsuccessful psychiatric and medical treatments, Regan's mother, an atheist, turns to a local Jesuit priest for help as Regan's personality becomes more disturbed. Father Damien Karras, who is currently going through a crisis of faith couple with the loss of his mother, agrees to see Regan as a psychiatrist, but initially resists the notion that it is an actual demonic possession. After a few meetings with the child, now completely inhabited by a diabolical personality, he turns to the local bishop for permission to perform an exorcism on the child."

She paused as Alistair and Garret strolled through the doors.

"Ben and Tia went to help Ang." Garrett said in greeting to the Major as they walked by to sit under my perch.

Isa rolled her eyes at the interruption but continued on.

"The bishop with whom he consults does not believe Karras is qualified to perform the rites, and appoints the experienced Merrin, who recently returned to the United States, to perform the exorcism, although he does allow the doubt-ridden Karras to assist him. The lengthy exorcism tests the priests both physically and spiritually. When Merrin, who had previously suffered cardiac arrhythmia, dies during the process, completion of the exorcism ultimately falls upon Father Karras. When he demands that the demonic spirit inhabit him instead of the innocent Regan, the demon seizes the opportunity to possess the priest. Karras heroically surrenders his own life in exchange for Regan's by jumping out of her bedroom window and falling to his death, regaining his faith in God as his last rites are read."

The Major

Isabella was distinctly calm as she told the plot of the novel. However, as she came to an end, a streak of mischievousness ran through her and she smiled brightly at the gathering of vampires in front of her.

"Now that you know all about one of my favorite books," she began lightly, "someone tell me all you know about Mary Alice Brandon Cullen."

Silence reigned as the standing vampires blinked at my tiny mate.

"Don't answer all at once now, she's only human." Alistair chimed dryly.

It's been all of five minutes. I thought to Edward so sent me his own amusement.

"Changed in 1924 by an unknown nomad at age 19. Taken from an asylum where she was held under suspicion of witchcraft or insanity because of accurate predictions of the future." Nicola answered slowly.

"Alice wishes she was a witch and insanity is far too pleasant a term for her." Angela said, as she strolled into the room and over to me.

Isa giggled prettily. "Always a pleasure Ang." She replied with a nod to her best friend.

"As it stands, she's correct." She continued. "Mary Alice Brandon Cullen was initially admitted into the asylum for hallucinations. Technically, that's all her visions are; hence why they are decision based and not set in stone like other gifts. Prior to being admitted however, Alice was the daughter of a priest and a housewife. She assisted her father in multiple facets of priesthood and was admitted at the age of 7 because she couldn't hide her visions anymore. The longer she stayed in the asylum, and the more the asylum fell under new management, the more her diagnosis was changed to fit the reason of her longstanding presence.

"When she turned 18 in the asylum she was allowed the ability to be discharged, however, her family had long since moved on and she was left all by her lonesome. She was changed by a nomad yes; however, that nomad is no more unknown that my name is Isabella."

"What does that mean princess?" Marcus asked from next to me, his curiosity showing in his face.

"It means that her sire, while it may be unknown to her, is not as unknown as one might think but it doesn't matter because his ashes along with his mates have long since blown away." She answered easily, rubbing the bite marks on her wrist.

"Fucking James and Victoria." I hissed.

"Absolutely." Isabella answered. "James was passing through the area and Alice had a vision of him doing so and when she decided to dance over to him, his bloodlust took over and she was unfortunately left for dead with a minute trace of venom still in her system, hence causing the change to occur.

"When she awoke, all she remembered was tall, blonde hair, red eyes, and an array of scars. Anyone wanna guess who she found in his place?"

I ignored the vampires that turned to stare at me and kept my eyes glued to Isabella's. "Finish."

"Rather than admit to being wrong, Alice chose to use the fact that she couldn't remember much else as a way to infiltrate the Cullen coven. Of course after she helped Stefan in Germany."

Isa shrugged lightly as she finished and waved her hand to dismiss the vampires. Felix and Demetri came to return Aro and Caius to the dungeon.

As the room emptied, Edward fell from his perch in the beams and Isa came to join me and Angela in the back of the room. Alistair and Garrett slid closer as Ben and Tia entered the room. As we got settled, Tia smirked and I shook my head at the amusement and mischievousness in her emotions as she spoke.

"Who's up for story time round two?"

Edward sent me his agreement to my thought as I huffed loudly.

Too many people have been spending time with Isabella.

A/N: Another chapter is done! Hopefully this version is better and easier to keep up with.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Review please!