Anna's POV:
Hesitantly and very slowly my mind was starting to function again and I could make out the feel of cool lips that were brushing over my forehead. A content sigh left my mouth when I noticed the cool fingers that were deeply buried in my hair and were slowly and gently pulling my locks.
Groaning softly I snuggled up closer against ….. something that was cool and hard and smelled really good. An arm was curled tightly around my waist holding me closely against …..
EDWARD! My subconscious mumbled loudly not even bothering to look up from her fashion magazine as she sat in her comfy lounge chair.
My eyes snapped open with a start and I looked up into the golden pools of a certain mind reading Vampire.
"Good morning, sleepyhead." He greeted me with a soft smile on his lips and a twinkle in his eyes.
Confused and blinking I pulled away from him and looked around the cabin of the private plane of the Volturi.
"I fell asleep?" I questioned dumbly with true surprise in my voice while Felix gazed at me and chuckled whereas Alec raised an eyebrow at Edward who in response circled his arm around my waist and drew me back to him.
"Yes, you did about three hours after the take off." Edward murmured gently while I tried to remember.
The last thing I knew was how I was gazing out of the window at the huge, milky clouds that were rolling around underneath the plane. I had to admit that I had felt really tired because I couldn't get any sleep the night before not matter how much I was turning and tossing on my bed to find a comfortable position.
"How long did I sleep?"
"We'll be landing in Florence in about an hour." Carlisle answered from behind me.
Turning around I nodded my head and smiled sheepishly at him.
"Morning," I mumbled and returned my attention back to Edward, "I'll go and use the restroom."
Quickly scrambling to my feet I grabbed my purse and I let out a relieved sigh once I had closed the bathroom door behind me. At least I could have my approaching melt down in semi private.
Looking into the huge mirror my slightly sleep dishevelled reflection was staring back at me as worried and terrified thoughts assaulted my mind. My stomach lurched with freight and the scare of the unknown.
Bracing my hands against the edges of the sink I bowed my head down and took a few deep breaths.
There was no use in getting all worked up. What will be will be. My subconscious shrugged in defeat with a wary smile on her lips.
A myriad of emotions was coursing through my veins freight, worry, horror, anxiousness, the urge to flee, to run screaming for the hills ….
How very human. My subconscious giggled tortured smile on her face and without humour.
….. but in the end I settled for numbness.
Pulling myself together I worked hard on banning all the thoughts of what was to come from my mind though they were still there looming at the edges of my consciousness.
Having freshened up I returned to Edward's side on the sofa that was located in the back of the cabin. He immediately slung his arm around me and pulled me into his side, placing a small kiss against my temple.
I could feel the tension, worry and nervousness radiating out of him. Apprehension was clearly written in very one of the Cullen's faces no matter how much they tried to downplay it.
The careful optimism that had held our hopes up in Forks seemed to be quickly wearing thin with each mile that we left behind us.
Soon we all found ourselves diversified onto the two luxurious black limousines that were waiting for us at the airport in Florence.
The breathtaking Tuscan landscape flashed past behind the tinted car window while Edward held my hand in his, stroking his thumb in circular movements over my skin.
Keeping my mind as empty as possible I watched the hills and the walled towns that looked like castles in the distance rush past us as we rolled down the winding road to a destination we all dreaded to reach.
"We are not going to Volterra?" Edward asked all of the sudden.
My head whipped around to look up first at the Vampire next to me before I followed his line of sight and I saw Demitri bob his head.
"Master Aro has ordered us to bring you to his vineyard. It's about an hour outside of the city."
Focusing my attention on Carlisle who was seated opposite of Edward and me I could see him having a silent conversation with his son who seemed to clam and relax slightly because of what Carlisle was saying to him in his thoughts.
Guess that's a good sign, right? My subconscious furrowed her eyebrows in question.
The rest of the drive was spent in silence until we arrived at a huge black, 7'high, metal gate with an elegantly arched bow top that was reinforced by double horizontal bracing and adorned with flowing rows of circlets and distinctive fleur-de-lys points.
The gate opened automatically and we headed up a two-lane road with rows of vine stocks growing at both sides and behind them lush green hills with fruit or olive trees painted a perfect picture of this breathtaking landscape.
"Do they know?" I asked cranking my neck to look at Demitri after I had seen some men work on the vine stocks.
Glancing briefly out of the back window he nodded, "yes."
The look in his ruby red eyes when he said that made it pretty clear that all the humans who worked here were to become lunch at some point. I couldn't help but wonder why they would work for creatures that would kill them at some point.
Gina did it because of her desire to become a Vampire.
"Are they all hoping to become Vampire's at some point after proving themselves worthy enough or … why?" The words bubbled out of me before I could stop them.
After a shocked second it was Alec who answered my question, to my immense surprise.
"Some of them are stupid enough to believe that but most of them sold their life to us in time of need. And they do know better than to go back on their contracts." He smiled at me but it was a calculating, icy smile.
A warning! My subconscious muttered with narrowed eyes.
Ignoring the cold chill that went down my spine regarding the threat that was laced in his words my mind concentrated on those poor people who obviously were desperate and hopeless enough to deliberately forfeit their own life.
After about twenty minutes of driving up a hill an antique looking, but very well kept, Castle came into view. The cars drove through a huge gate inside the complex of buildings.
"Wow!" I breathed staring fascinated at the old and beautiful pieces of architecture around me after I had exited the limousine while Edward wrapped his arm, protectively and possessively, around my waist.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw how an elder, human man who was dressed in a dark blue suit greeted first the Volturi guard before he briefly spoke to Carlisle and signalled to a few younger men to take care of our luggage.
It was late in the morning. The sun was shining brightly high up in the cloudless, blue sky and even though all the assembled Vampire's were sparkling in the most brilliant colours, like a myriad of diamonds, not even one of the humans battered an eye at the inhuman spectacle right under their noses.
"Originally this all had been built in Scotland around 1730. Master Aro discovered it a few years ago and let the castle be moved here." Felix explained and chuckled at my awed expression.
The grip around my waist tightened.
"Do you think they left the puck behind in Scotland?" Emmett asked his wife wearing a serious expression. Rosalie rolled her eyes while Esme threw a stern glance at her son but his silly comment managed to take some of the tension out of their porcelain faces.
The wide stone staircase, in front which the limousines had parked, led us to the open front terrace with several sitting oportunities that were seperated from each other by strategically located excotic plants.
While I was admiring the main building opposite the entrance to the castle that was pushed out a little what allowed an amzing view over parts of the vineyard from the terrace a sudden sharp pain attacked the left side of my skull.
On top of feeling totally whacked from the long flight and having to endure what the jetlack did to my body another mind-numbing headache had just announced itself.
Welll, when it rains it pours, doesn't it. My subconscious murmured sympathetically.
Moving further ahead we stepped through the huge double doors that led inside directly into an opulently decorated entering hall. The structure of the building permitted light and air to penetrate the Castle from all sides.
The interiors were sumptuous and each work of art and each painting seemed to have been carefully selected for its appropriateness to the style and period of such a significant mansion.
My eyes were just taking the grand central staircase in that was embellished with fabulous statues when Jane's voice caught my attetion.
"Master Aro will arrive here later today. Until then you will be shown to your rooms." She said in a bored manner before she headed down the hall and disappeared behind a golden double door. With a shake of his head and a sigh Alec folowed his sister.
"Or you can take a look around the vineyard just don't leave the property." Demotri said without paying Jane's behaviour any attetion.
"Thank you. We will keep that in mind." Carlisle nodded his head and the vegetarian Vampires and I followed the same elder man from outside up the staircase.
"This is definitely better than a prison cell or a wet dungeon." I commented once Edward and I were shown our room.
It was characterised by the luxury and spaciousness reminiscent of the elegant boudoirs of the aristocracy, featuring sumptuous Baroque style decors and nuances. And the boiseries, fine draperies and antique furniture were creating an exclusive yet warmly welcoming atmosphere.
But what my eyes focused on was the massive four poster bed in the middle of the room which was calling out to me even though I had been sleeping for hours on the way to Europe.
"I'll take a shower." I mumbled, untangling my fingers from Edward's gentle yet firm grip, before I headed over to my suitcase which was standing at the end of the bed and fished my pj's and my shower-bag out.
"You haven't eaten anything since yesterday, shall I organise something for you?" Edward asked coming up behind me.
"I'm not hungry yet, maybe later, but if you could make a soda magically appear from out of nowhere….." I turned around with my stuff in my hands and winked at him while I was faced with his serious yet guarded expression but his butterscotch pools led on how worried and troubled he was.
Mentally sighing I offered him a brief smile before I disappeared into the bathroom which was the definition of luxurious like everything else in Aro's Castle. It was large, made out of marble and equipped with anything one could wish for a relaxing bath or a quick shower.
The warm water had felt heavenly on my skin as it washed the grim away from the journey and it relaxed my tense muscles but it also drained me considerably. And my head was really starting to pound.
"Those are really strong ones." Edward mumbled when I sat on the bed and was just about to take two tablets.
I just shrugged and took the glass with the coke from his hands.
"You need a prescription for those."
Swallowing the painkillers down I sighed.
"I went to the hospital about three weeks ago and whined to the gyneacologist there how much my head hurt during the time of the month. He's young, he's a guy ….. he gave me the good stuff." I mumbled while crowling under the covers and snuggling my head into the pillow.
A while later when the pain had diminished a little and I was almost asleep I felt the bed dip behind me before Edward pressed his forhead between my shoulderblades and placed his hand on my hip.
(*.*)
I was slowly waking up while gentle fingers were running through my long hair. Taking a deep breath my body stretched and I noticed something hard lying alongside of me. My head no longer rested on the pillow I had snuggled into but now on Edward's board chest while my right leg was thrown over his hips.
I was very literally clinging to him in my sleep.
My eyes immediately shot open and cranking my neck slowly I looked up at him, sheepishly, through my lashes while smiling apologetically but Edward didn't seem to mind our position at all.
"Hello, sleepyhead," he murmured gently while his amber pools smiled warmly at me.
Slowly I began to lift my right leg up to move it from it's current position but Edward's hand on my thigh stopped me right in my tracks.
"If you don't mind could we stay like this for a little bit longer?" He asked me carefully but the longing in his voice was unmistakeable.
His golden depths were pleading with me. Sighing I snuggled back into him and smiled to myself when his arm tightened around me while I exhaled rather contently.
"How is your head?"
"It's good for now. What time is it?"
"Around two o'clock. Your lunch will be ready in about half an hour … and I don't want to hear any complains your belly had been growling rather dangerously for quite some time now while you were asleep." Agreeing fully with Edward's assessment my tummy grumbled loudly.
"I wasn't even going to be difficult." I mumbled defensively while I shrank back in his one armed embrace and pouted at him.
"One never knows with you. You are always keeping me on my toes." He chuckled and brushed his lips against my forehead.
"Wouldn't it be boring if I didn't?" I shrugged cockily.
"You…" he laughed and his other arm also wrapped around my body as he rolled us both onto our sides.
We laughed together, feeling carefree, until his expression suddenly was overtaken by a serious mask and his left hand slowly moved up from my waist, brushing softly over my arm until he cupped my face.
His thumb was gently stroking over my cheek while his butterscotch pools shone intensely into my eyes.
"I love you, Anna." The words were a soft whisper that left his lips and made my heart skip a beat. He smiled warmly at me before he buried his face in my hair and pulled me further into his hard chest.
My body relaxed and melted against his torso while a small, content smile graced my lips. Rather quickly I grew very fond of being nestled against his strong, ripped chest.
(*.*)
The room we were summoned into around eight o'clock was located in the south-east of the Castle and it's interior was full of luxurious, antique furnishings. Seating accommodations were arranged around an impressive renaissance fireplace. Gorgeous parquet floors, intricate plastering and original wood panelling contributed to the royal atmosphere of the room.
The magnificent reception room had floor to ceiling double aspect 5 metre high windows filling the room with the light of the sinking red, orange sun.
Through huge, glass double doors one had access to the marble patio and staircases on both sides led to a master piece of a garden, containing all sorts of exotic and unique plants.
Edward pulled me a little further into his chest while I watched how the sinking sun fell on him and like prisms, his marble skin threw the light in rainbow sparkles all over the place.
"This place is unbelievable," I murmured awed, gazing at the artful fountain in the garden in front of me that played a complicated symphony with the water.
"They are here." Edward suddenly whispered what made my grip on the marble handrail of the patio tightened before he cranked his neck and looked back into the reception room.
Seemingly calm and collected, Carlisle, who was standing on my other side, also admiring the beautiful green in front of us together with his wife, murmured with a warm smile on his lips.
"The fountain is fed by an underground spring. When I was still with the Volturi this used to be Sulpicia's favourite place."
"It still is, Carlisle, my old friend." A voice I remembered only too well echoed from the inside.
Heading back into the reception room all four of us walked over to where the other two Cullen couples were. Their stance was respectful, quiet and watchful but their faces were guarded as they observed each move of the lean, dark haired and almost translucent skinned man.
Marcus, Caius and Aro were surrounded by Jane, Alec and Felix. None of them said a word. Even Felix's easygoing expression, which had occupied his face during his stay at the Cullen's, had turned back into the businesslike mask I had seen in the other timeline.
Somehow they only appear more lethal in their silence. My subconscious mused.
Closest to their Masters stood a tall, black haired Vampire who distantly reminded me of Adriana Lima. From my previous visit to Volterra I knew that that was Renata; Aro's shield.
But there was also another female Vampire standing a little on the side that I did not recognise. She had long honey coloured locks cascading down her back and shoulders and average high.
It wasn't important in any way but I couldn't help but to notice that no one of them, except Jane, wore the typical black cloaks…
Come to think of it she was also the only one to be walking around in that thing the whole time back in Forks while the others opted to normal street wear. My subconscious mumbled to herself.
Though I had to admit that seeing the both females clad in cute summer dresses, Caius wearing a business suit while Marcus and Aro as well as the other males had dressed in inconspicuous pants and shirts let the whole situation seem a little bit less threatening.
As if we were their guests that dropped by for a friendly visit.
Carlisle squared his shoulders and smiled in greeting. "Aro, my old friend. It's been centuries."
"Indeed it has old friend," Aro agreed exited, " "I am gratified by your success in this unorthodox path you have chosen. I expected that you would waste, weaken with time. I have to admit that I did not believe that you would find others who would share your peculiar vision. Yet, somehow, I'm happy to be wrong." He murmured while his milky red eyes swayed over the each Cullen.
"Ah, and this must be your lovely mate, Esme? Am I right?" Aro murmured offering Esme a polite nod.
"It's a pleasure meeting you." Esme greeted back and no one would have been able to tell the lie in her words.
Aro cranked his neck and his milky, ruby red eyes were sweeping with interest over Alice and Jasper before he acknowledged Emmett's and Rosalie's presence what compelled Carlisle to introduce each one of us to his old friend.
Markus who had been standing behind Aro glided to his side. The black haired Vampire lifted his hand up and the white-haired ancient vampire just briefly touched Aro's palm before dropping his hand to his side.
Aro raised one black brow.
Looking up at Edward his perfect mask was in place and no sound escaped him unlike the quiet snort in the other timeline.
"Thank you, Marcus," Aro said. "That's quite interesting."
Having done his duty Markus joined Caius on one of the antique sofa's watching the happenings in front of him with little to no interest.
Aro was shaking his head. "Amazing,"' he said. "Absolutely amazing. The intensity of the bonds in your coven is quite remarkable, dear friend," Aro spoke directly to Carlisle. "It even surprised Markus and it takes quite a bit to surprise Marcus, as you know yourself."
"This is because we are a family not a coven." Carlisle stated firmly.
Aro blinked surprised at him before an amused smile overtook his face.
"I see. Well now," Aro said and held his hand out to Carlisle who gazed at it for a moment and sighed before he hesitantly reached out his own.
With an untroubled smile, Aro grabbed Carlisle's hand. His eyes snapped shut at once, and then his shoulders hunched under the onslaught of information.
All the rest of us could do was to wait and watch anxiously how Aro would react to the occurrences of the last few months.
My muscles tensed and my heart was wildly racing in my chest while I was holding Edward's hand in a death grip as a victorious smile appeared on the elder Vampire's face before it was blown away by a myriad of emotions which changed so fast it was impossible for me to keep up.
The exchange continued long enough that the guard grew uneasy. Low murmurs ran through the room until Caius barked a sharp order for silence. Jane was edging forward like she couldn't help herself, and Renata's face was rigid with distress.
Without any warning Aro's eyes flashed open and his face froze with morbid fascination and utter disbelieve.
It took Aro a few seconds to gather himself while the other red eyed Vampire's watched their Master curiously and slightly confused as their stances shifted; ready to attack and protect.
"You have given me much to ponder, old friend," Aro continued. "Much more than I expected."
As Aro's gazed found me and his milky eyes narrowed sharply, Edward pulled me closer to him, shielding me with his body, before he suddenly gasped and his head jerked up. His amber pools were widened in wonder and disbelieve as he stared at Aro.
It was then that I noticed the bewildered look in Aro's milky crimson eyes as he gazed at me.
"You have met someone like her before?" All head's turned in Edward's direction and questioning and confused looks bore hols through him.
Aro closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he opened them again and bobbed his head.
"Yes, I have. …. Ah, this scent so different yet so similar." He murmured the last part while he took a step forward what caused Edward's body to tense.
Seeing Edward's reaction Aro chuckled.
"Don't worry young one, I won't hurt her …. There is so much to learn …so much to know still." He said before his gaze suddenly found a new focus; Carlisle.
"That was a quite thorough examination." He briefly pointed at me with his hand while looking at Carlisle.
"As far as that was possible, yes." The blond Vampire agreed.
"What's this about?" Caius snapped inpatiently from behind Aro.
"Her scent can't you smell it?" Aro turned around to look at an annoyed Caius who was sniffing the air and raised an eyebrow at me.
"She is just like this Enrique."
"Another traveller?" Markus piped up and for a brief moment surprise settled on his face before it turned back into a dead mask.
"A little diamond in the rough." Aro cooed, smiling pleasantly at me but hungry possessiveness flashed up in his milky, red eyes.
"Who is Enrique?" Carlisle asked curiously.
"A man from another world I have met about three hundred years ago. I have always hopped to meet another one. One who would be able to answer the questions that Enrique left behind. You see he had no idea how he suddenly landed in our world. One drunken night changed his life forever."
"What happened to him?" I couldn't help but to ask.
Aro's milky old eyes swept over me and he sighed regrettably.
"Unfortunately when I discovered him he was already an old man ….. and his heart was too weak with age. I have always suspected that there must be more like him but in all my years on this planet he had been the only one I had met, of course until now that is."
Edward swallowed hard while his eyes were hard as he read Aro's thoughts and his arm around my waist tightened, drawing me impossibly closer to his strong body.
Aro cocked his head and looked curiously at me.
"So this Stephenie Meyer?"
"She said that she caught a glimpse of this world, more specifically Edward and Bella, through a dream. That is all that I know I have never met her personally."
I had briefly thought about if there were others like me around somewhere but even if, the chance of ever meeting someone like me was almost non existent and most likely they would also have no idea how to return where they came from.
But if you had the chance could you simply grasp it and leave Edward behind? My subconscious whispered and I froze.
To actually present me with such an opportunity now would be just cruel and inhuman. How could one choose between their heart and their soul? However I would choose I would lose in the end.
It was bad enough to be forcefully and without my consent separated from my family but to have to make such a decision, to have to actually choose between your family and your future, to fracture your heart in one way or the other, to know what pain the ones left behind must feel, to live with the guilt …..
If I would have found a portal that would lead me home tomorrow it would have been the most horrible day of my life. I used to tell Edward that he was caught between a rock and a hard place but now I was.
Shaking my head to chase those depressing thoughts out of my mind I rather concentrated on the fact that Aro had met someone else from another world before and that Stephenie Meyer seemed to have had a glimpse into this world, rather than having created it with her writing, which made me wonder about the meaning and possibilities.
Maybe the laws of nature and physics were not as set in stone as man kind thought.
You should know. You are the exception to the rule after all! My subconscious snorted.
"Aro!" Caius growled annoyed.
The one in question lifted his hand up as he twisted his body around to face a glaring white haired Vampire and another rather bored one.
"Patience, my brothers. We will talk about this at length, shortly."
Caius huffed and turned his head away while wearing an angry pout.
"The books?" Aro raised an eyebrow at me.
Why is he asking when he just saw all the answers in Carlisle's head? My subconscious grumped.
"Were all written out of Bella's perspective and Edward was not exactly forthcoming with information." I quickly glanced up at Edward's hard face.
"Interesting choice of words." Aro noted.
"I was simply stating a fact." I shrugged innocently and inwardly I let out a breath in relieve being glad that I had never let the information about Aro's sister death slip.
Nodding his head his eyes narrowed suddenly.
"Bella," out of the corner of my eye I saw how Jane's ruby red pools narrowed suspiciously and the other guard members that were sent to the US looked slightly confused, "tried to open another portal. If she could have done it she would have." Alice hurried to say.
Gazing briefly at Carlisle Aro bobbed his head. "Somehow I don't doubt that."
A low growl came from Caius direction and I could feel the tension rolling off Edward as he listened to Aro's assessment of Carlisle thoughts and memories.
It was dead silent for a moment while the strain of the Cullen's and myself mounted as Aro discerning eye was directed at me before he suddenly moved away from Carlisle, who stood together with Esme a few feet in front of the rest of us, in Edward's and mine direction.
Smiling in anticipation Aro reach out his hand and held it palms up in front of Edward, compelling him to take it.
Gritting his teeth the Vampire next to me followed the silent order. When Edward touched Aro's insubstantial-looking skin I observed the older Vampire's features change. Just like in the other timeline with me his previous confidence wavered and became first doubt, then incredulity before he calmed it into a friendly mask.
"Outstanding! I had seen it in Carlisle's and Jane's thoughts but to experience it…." suddenly he trailed off, glided closer and reached his hand out to me.
"May I?" He asked excitedly.
Pressing my lips into a tight line I placed my hand in his cold one while the smile on his face widened.
"Mhm," Aro murmured thoughtfully before his eyes flickered between Edward, Carlisle and me. "I wonder how far her ability can reach. If it is a shield she builds around herself or if she is somehow connected with you, young one, shielding you permanently?"
Once again Aro lifted his hand up reaching it out to Edward who took it wearing a composed mask. Reluctantly Edward let his arm fall from my waist as Aro led him away from me.
After they had moved away about three feet from me Aro's face suddenly lightened up before his head lowered as he closed his eyes at the new onslaught of information.
Strained like a string I watched as Edward's head bowed, too, the muscles in his neck locked tight as he read back again everything that Aro took from him, and Aro's response to it all.
Again the exchange continued on, long enough for the guard get concerned and uneasily shift from one foot to the other while glancing briefly to their left and right but this time they remained silent.
Then Aro's eyes snapped open and he pulled his hand quickly away from Edward. His milky eyes glinted with disbelieve and fascination.
"Such possibilities," Aro shook his head murmuring to himself while gazing between Edward, who was heading back to my side, and me.
Edward's butterscotch pools looked apologetically into my own while his tortured gaze swept over my face as he gently wrapped his hand around my finger, smoothing his thumb back and forth against my skin.
I offered him a small smile to silently reassure him before, with a tight feeling in my chest, my gaze returned to the ancient Vampire that stood unmoving in the middle of the room wearing a faraway gaze. When I felt a tremor wreck through his body my eyes briefly cast up to my right and I saw Edward clench his yaw while he read Aro's mind.
"Aro…" Carlisle carefully spoke up but Aro held up his hand to silence him.
"So much to discuss," Aro said, in tone of an inundated businessman. "So much to decide. I must confer with my brothers. We will continue this tomorrow, my old friend."
I had kind of expected that Aro would have wanted to read the minds of the others as well but than again once he had read Edward's that kind of became unnecessary.
Caius rolled his eyes in annoyance before he stood up in one quick motion and glided out of the reception room followed closely by Markus and half of the guard.
"I hope you will enjoy your stay," Aro murmured while his gaze met mine, his milky eyes were bright and excited, though the look in them appeared odd, as if not real before something chilly flashed up behind them just for a spilt of a second.
With one polite smile and a nod Aro excused himself and headed outside followed closely by the rest of the guard.
All the Cullen's stood rooted in place. Not moving nor saying a word, waiting. Only fearful and highly concerned glances were being exchanged.
Minutes ticked by as Edward held me rigidly in his arms. His amber pools were dark and hard, staring, but not seeing, at a spot on the north wall of the room, while he was gritting his teeth. All of the sudden his eyes snapped shut and he drove his free hand forcefully through his dark hair while is cool breath tickled the skin of my collarbone as he exhaled harshly.
"What did he think? What's he gonna do?" Emmett immediately bombarded Edward with questions.
"Did we break any laws?" Rosalie barked harshly at Edward while her perfect body trembled. I couldn't quite tell if it was in rage, terror and mortal fear.
"Alice?" Esme's voice cracked as she looked fearfully at her pixie-like daughter but the little Vampire in question just shook her head. "It's too early to tell."
And then her amber pools fixed on her mind reading brother who's body got tenser with each passing second next to mine. Edward's eyes hardened and his face was pinched with stress and pain as he was driving his hand forcefully through his hair while holding me firmly to him with the other.
All of them were bombarding him with questions out loud and surely also mentally. Although a part of me wanted, almost demanded, to voice the same concerns and claim answers to smooth my fears, not a single word left my lips.
Though I should have been panicked and deadly afraid I somehow felt strangely detached. As if I was not really inside this situation that was happening around me but as if I watched it happening to someone else from the outside.
For a few second I didn't really see anything and the voices around only arrived as hushed whispers in my mind. That was until Edward's grip around my waist tightened almost painfully.
Instantly I was brought out of my strangely numb stupor and I gave myself a mental shake. That was not the time to space out.
"Stop!" My voice left my dry lips as a shrill squeak and I winced.
All the Cullen's minus the one who held me looked startled at me.
"What?" Rosalie snapped after a second as fury shook her body in her helplessness.
Clearing my throat I responded. "I just thought I should point out that you are all giving Edward a monster migraine."
Esme and Carlisle looked slightly guilty and concerned for their son while the others stared at me as if I was crazy but the death grip around my waist had loosened and Edward squeezed me once lightly to him as if to signal that he was OK now.
"I can't really …..." Edward sighed frustrated. "Aro was too overwhelmed with the amount and complexity of the information he ripped from Carlisle's and my mind. Quite frankly he was in a daze about the information about the travelling between worlds and especially about the time-jump …." Edward trailed off while worry craved itself into every feature of his marble face.
Oh great. My subconscious moaned.
A disconnecting silence settled between us until Jasper spoke up and looked thoughtfully at me.
"Was there anything mentioned about Bella's gift in the books? Does she have the ability to jump through time?"
"No," I shook my head. "The only ability Eleazar could detect within her was the shield, nothing else."
If the journey into and the stay in another world had not changed that. My subconscious voiced my fears.
Edward drew in a sharp breath before his troubled amber pools snapped to mine while he held me a little closer to him. I could practically feel the naked panic rise inside him.
That made two of us.
"I seriously doubt that I have the power to time-travel." Hopefully! I added in my mind. "I think that that occurrence was connected to the portal. A one time thing."
"Yes, I think so, too." Carlisle agreed with me while his gaze was solidly focused on Edward who clamed down a little but his jaw remained tight and his body language strained.
"I'll keep a close eye on them. All we can do for now is to try to find good enough justifications to the accusations they might raise against us if they do that …..." Alice droned in a for her atypical monotone voice which had no inflection, was hard and without any emotion as her eyes seemed to see something that was faraway while behind me the last warm rays of the sinking red sun were disappearing behind the horizon.