Bella's POV

"Isabella, dear, how is our prisoner?" Aro asked as I passed him by.

"Good, resting," I said, stopping to face him.

"Garrett Garrison was high on the list, I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, sir."

"With this new accomplishment I think it's time again," Aro said.

Again? Of course.

"Aro, you need to learn that you can't catch a ghost."

"I know I can't," Aro said, smiling at me, "but I know you can. The Bringer of Darkness, I want him dead, or here, but mostly dead. He's been giving us hell for two centuries, Isabella. Everybody we've sent has been killed."

"So this is a death mission, thanks."

"Isabella, you know I don't care for your sarcasm," Aro said sternly.

"Yeah, well you're not the boss of me. I'm here on my own free will, Aro, test me and I will be gone and with it goes the use of my shield and my… vampire relations."

"We still need to come up with a title for you."

"It's been half a century and I quite like Head of Vampire Relations."

"Well as long as you're happy, Isabella. Go and see, Marcus, he will give you the file on the Bringer of Darkness."

"Has the file even changed since the last time I saw it?" I asked.

"Of course, it is filled with all of his current suspected crimes."

"His? Do you even know if it's a male?"

"Yes, we know that much, Isabella. We have his physical description, well it's a description, not sure how accurate it is."

"And you don't even have his name, what his gift is, who his associates are, if he has a coven or not. You basically have nothing."

"Isabella, are you going to take this case on or not?" I could tell that Aro's patience was almost gone.

"Isn't there anyone else on the list?" I asked. Surely there was. "How about James and Victoria?"

"They were killed when you went on vacation with the Cullen's."

"A decade ago? How did I not know this?"

"Isabella, you pay attention to nothing."

"Okay, what about Stefan and Vladimir."

"They are not your concern. Isabella, there is only the Bringer of Darkness. Garrett was the only other vampire of note and you captured him yesterday. Congratulate yourself and move on. …Are you scared of him?"

"You know I don't get scared. Fine, I will do it, but only until another case comes up. I am not spending my years chasing a ghost."

"Your servitude is appreciated, Isabella. I must leave Athena is calling me."

"I'm not your servant, Aro."

"It's just a word, Isabella."

I watched Aro leave. He was an odd vampire, but that happens when you're as old as he is.

I willingly joined the guard around fifty years ago. I had been changed into a vampire by the Cullen's because I figured out their secret. I didn't mind, I always felt as though I was meant to be more than human. Life was fine, I fit in with them well, but it just wasn't right. It took a decade for me to bring it up and Carlisle suggested that I join the Volturi because that's what he did and he said it was an invaluable experience. I jumped at the chance because I also wanted to change my diet and I thought it would be more accepted if they thought I did it as I was a part of the Volturi.

I shook my head, now was not the time to reminisce. I needed to find Marcus and get the Bringer of Darkness' file. I still couldn't believe they had so little information on their most wanted. Bringer of Darkness was a title, not a name. I wondered if he even went by his name anymore or did everyone call him Bringer of Darkness? Surely not. Maybe he had no companions. I had never had so little information on a vampire as prolific as this. It would be a challenge and truthfully I didn't like to work that hard.

I knocked on Marcus' office door before entering.

"Bella, are you here for the file?" he asked.

"Why do you make it sound so mysterious?" I questioned as I grabbed the file off him and took a seat. I opened it and it was mostly blank just like I expected. "This has got to be a joke," I muttered.

"Ah, so you're only here because of Aro," Marcus said.

"Apparently there is no one else on the list except this guy."

"That's true. You're too productive, Bella, you should take a break."

"Why? I took a vacation not that long ago."

"A decade is a long time." Marcus let out a laugh. "You're married to your job and it's not even your job. You need to get out and find your mate."

"My mate?" I questioned.

"There's someone for everyone, Bella, even you."

"I don't know who would want me, I am so fucked up."

"Then I bet your mate will be fucked up too. Leave me be, I've got worked to do," he said, waving me off.

"A pleasure as always, Marcus." I closed the file and stood.

"Go and make this world a better place, Bella."

"Yeah, yeah," I said dismissing him.

I left his office and headed for the courtyard, I needed some fresh air. I jumped over the back wall and headed for a meadow. Fucking Edward, I couldn't see a meadow without thinking of him. I pulled out my phone and dialed his number.

"Bella, is that you?" Edward asked dramatically. "You're not dead yet?"

"Funny, Ed, but no I'm still alive."

"Damn. So when are you coming home?"

"I don't know, but I will be heading back to the States on assignment."

"Carlisle and Esme will want to see you," he said.

"And you're going to tell them that I'll be in the same country, aren't you?"

"Of course."

"I hate you, Edward."

"No, you don't. I gave you this wonderful life."

"Technically Carlisle did. Look I've got to get started on my new assignment, but how is your mate?"

"Tanya is fine. I still don't see why you don't like her, Bella. Tanya is the best."

"I don't not not like her."

"Wow, what was that? A triple negative or was that positive? I have no idea. Will you be seeing Tanya when you visit?"

"No, because I won't be seeing you."

"Bella, don't be so mean. Visit or our friendship is over," he said dramatically and I rolled my eyes. "Now get back to work."

"Love you too, Ed, bye."

Edward was my best friend, my only friend, but I only saw him every now and then and it wasn't because of my 'dislike' for his mate like he thought. I just hated seeing them together. It was always Edward and I, sure we were only friends, but we were both single. We were on the same level, but then he went and mated with Tanya and I was left all alone. Yet another reason I left to join the Volturi. He was happy and I didn't like seeing him so happy when I felt the complete opposite.

I found my tree and sat down at the base of it, opening up the file. Come on Bringer of Darkness, spill your secrets.

"I see you're here again," someone spoke and I looked up at the vampire lounging in the tree above me.

"As are you," I responded before looking back at the file.

"You're a duck," he said.

What? That didn't even make sense.

"Look, I'm trying to work," I told them.

"A new case?" he asked.

"What do you even know about my job? And, no, it's an old case. …Why do I always answer your questions? Is your gift to make people tell the truth?"

"No, that is not my gift." They let out a laugh.

"Then why do I feel like I know you?"

"Because I'm charismatic."

"What's your name? If you're going to talk to me I need to know your name."

"My name is Peter. And you are?"

"I'm Isabella, and I'm busy."

Peter jumped out of the tree and grabbed the file from me.

"What is this? A scrapbook?"

"It may as well be," I answered. Seriously, why did this unknown vampire make me feel so comfortable? I was spilling everything to him.

"What is your job? …I overheard you talking on the phone," he explained.

"I work for the Volturi."

"Ooh, fancy. I tried to get a job once, but apparently they don't want straight, good looking male burlesque dancers, go figure right. …Hey, do you need an understudy or an intern? I can be that person. We already get along so great."

"I've meet you three times and I think you're stalking me," I said truthfully.

"You're the one who keeps sitting underneath my tree. So about the job, because I'm a hard worker and I'm charismatic."

"You've said that twice now. Why would you want to work with me?"

"Because you seem alright, Bella. Can I call you Bella?"

"You may. Can I have my file back yet?"

"Oh, yeah, of course. So what's the deal with this?"

"It's a file on the Bringer of Darkness, do you know him?"

"No, I've heard of him of course, he is a legend, but I've never crossed his path. I wonder though, if the stories are true, surely someone can't be that bad."

"Oh, you better believe it. Half a year ago the Bringer of Darkness systematically killed all of the employees from the Sesco Corporation. All of them. There came a stage where they couldn't hire new people fast enough, and then there was just no one left. Why he would do it is still a mystery, my bet is that he was simply bored, but we cannot have things like this happening when the humans can so easily see that something isn't right."

"Oh, I heard about that. Didn't they put it down to mass poisoning in the company's water coolers? How can that be from a vampire?"

"That is not confirmed and none of the victims had a normal amount of blood in their system. It screams vampire."

"If you say so. …So it's your job to bring him to justice?"

"Or kill him… Why do I tell you everything? You have the gift of persuasion?"

"No, if I had the gift of persuasion you would have already said that I have the job."

"You intrigue me, Peter, not many people can do that," I told him honestly.

"So I have the job?" he asked.

"It's not a job, but sure. I can take you on for a trial period. How do you feel about America?"

"North or South?" he asked.

"The United States," I clarified.

"Born and bred."

"Good, we will be heading out in the morning. Meet me here. Now shut up so I can look at this file."

"Bella?" he asked.

"Yes, Peter?" I said, starting to get annoyed.

"You won't regret this."

"You saying that already has me starting to regret it."

"Sorry," he apologized before leaving me alone.

As he left I still couldn't believe what had just happened. I was sure he had a gift, but as all of the traits he exhibited were from physical gifts I knew that I was wrong as my shield didn't allow them to affect me. He was an enigma though, very odd. What he wanted with me I had no idea, but he seemed harmless and that had me worried. He had a hidden agenda, he must, but what? I would keep him as close to me as I could so that I could watch him and figure out exactly what he was up to.