Anna's POV:
Breathing in through my nose I let my mind be clouded with a wonderful fresh and clean scent as I snuggled closer to the cool body next to mine while tiny colourful and brilliant beams of light bounced off my closed eyelids. My back arched a little as I woke up while I felt the ends of my hair being pulled and a delicious shiver went through my still sleepy frame.
"Welcome back sleepy head," an amused velvet voice chuckled and I felt the vibrations under my head and my right palm as they were resting upon Edward's muscular chest.
"Did I fall asleep?" I mumbled tiredly, rubbing the palm of my right hand over my eyes.
"Yes, I believe you did," Edward chuckled again.
"That's your fault you know." I mumbled before my hand shot from my eyes to my mouth as a yawn overpowered me and I tried to stifle it, in vain.
"My fault? How so?" He asked amused und slightly perplexed.
"How am I supposed not to fall asleep when you play with my hair?" I mumbled and sighed heavily when I felt a sweat pearl roll down my lower back. "It's too damn hot in here."
Thankfully Edward was functioning as my personal air conditioner or I would have already been cooked too well through. This humid, muggy and hot climate in the Tuscan reminded me of a summer some years back in my world. That one summer had been particularly bad, too humid and ardent. During the days everyone was seeking refuge in the cooler corners of the house or we went to swim in the river.
I smiled sadly and wistfully at that bitter sweet memory feeling the tight pain pulse from my chest through my body like rings of water spreading further after a stone broke the calm of the surface.
There was not a single refreshing breeze far and wide instead the air seemed to stand still and stock up the merciless heat of the glaring sun that blazed down on the dray Tuscan grounds but at least the grasshoppers didn't seem to mind as they happily played their tunes contributing to the background of the torrid summer day.
"Well, thank you." Edward murmured while his arms were holding me tightly to his T-shirt clad chest as he pressed his lips against my forehead.
Despite the fact that his cool lips felt heavenly on my overheated skin my head snapped up and I gave him a disbelieving looked while he plastered an innocent grin on his face.
"I really have no words." I rolled my eyes.
"Why? Am I making you speechless?" He teased playfully with a twinkle in his golden pools.
"Oh yeah …. sure…. totally." I replied in a toneless voice, bobbing my head lightly in a mocking way.
"Why am I not convinced?" His lips formed into a tiny pout as he raised an eyebrow at me.
"Who knows some things are destined to remain a mystery." I shrugged flippantly while glancing from under my lashes teasingly up at him then sighed and let my head roll into the crock of his neck, seeking the coolness he offered.
"What are you watching?" I asked as I caught the flickering on the TV screen which was located across from the bed we were resting on.
"BBC's adaptation of Jane Eyre."
"The book is not from Jane Austen but …." I screwed my eyes shut and tried to remember the name. It was there, on the tip of my tongue but yet ….
"Help me out already." I shoved him playfully.
He barked a short laugh, "Charlotte Bronte."
"Aaand is it any good?" I nodded at the TV.
"Let's put it this way ….. it was the only thing kind of watchable." He sighed displeased.
I smiled amused at that and glued my eyes on the screen reaching for the remote control to tune the volume up before I snuggled back into Edward's cool chest while he pressed a kiss onto the top of my head and resumed to play with my hair.
"When are Eleazar and Carmen going to arrive?" I questioned after a while, longing to be able to leave this castle and the country.
Especially if you're not allowed to leave the property …. Kinda makes you feel like a caged animal. My subconscious whined fanning herself also suffering from the heat.
"They should be here in the afternoon." Edward sighed and all playfulness was gone from his face and voice.
"I don't think that they will condemn us to death." I mused mostly to myself. "Aro is way too interested in Alice's and your ability to let that happen." His amber eyes snapped to mine and hardened for a brief moment.
"In yours too and that what's worries me." He whispered and a myriad of emotions rushed over his marble face before his jaw clenched and his brows furrowed with anger and pain.
Exhaling through my nose I pushed myself up on the massive bed onto my knees. Edward followed my movements titling his head to the side as he gazed at me while his expression changed from serious into amused confusion. Carefully I sat back on my heels when I was right in front of him. Amber eyes blinked in curiosity.
Biting the inside of my lower lip I leaned forward and wrapped my arms round his neck as I pressed my body against his, settling onto his lap. Strong, cool arms encircled my back without any hesitation while he buried his face against my neck.
"A hug always makes everything better." I mumbled while my left hand drove into his silken hair and my nails scratched his scalp.
"You needed a hug too?" He whispered softly almost purring.
"Yes," I nodded….. more than I could put into words….
"I love you, Anna." He murmured before his lips brushed over my skin leaving a kiss in their wake on the curve of my neck.
Exhaling I squeezed him a little tighter and my chest tightened in a strangely familiar and good way.
Third Person POV:
The brunet parked her orange beast of a truck in front of the Black's cosy house. Taking a deep breath she killed the ignition and sent a little prayer to heaven hoping that Jake would have calmed down.
He didn't receive the news that two Vampires had checked her out well and that Sam and the others went along with it topped it all off. The clumsy girl really didn't want to fight with him today as well.
Warily she made her way over to the Black's front door and as she was about to knock the door was being ripped open and a huge grin on Jake's face greeted her.
"Hey, Bells, glad you made it!" He grabbed her and pulled her into a big hug, nearly giving the tiny girl in his arms a whiplash because of his mood swing.
"What are you doing up? Shouldn't you be still in bed?" The clumsy girl asked him while struggling to break out of his embrace to be able to look at him.
"I'm as good as new Bells, don't worry," he chuckled and finally let go of her.
She scowled at him just as a warning and gruff voice echoed from inside the house.
"Jake, you know what Sue said, don't overdo it or you'll be faster back on bed rest than you can blink." Billy glared at his son who rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, dad I got it."
Billy raised an eyebrow at the young pup.
"I'll be good I promise." Jake defended himself.
"Good because I will ask Bella if you were." Billy warned with an evil smile on his thin lips, "and we both know she can't lie to safe her life." He glanced at the brunet whose cheeks were stained with a blazing blush.
Jacob's face fell and he glared after his father who was chucking highly amused as he pushed his wheelchair inside the living room.
Grumbling under his breath the young Quiluete turned his attention back to the girl standing in his doorway.
"Anyway, are you ready for some fun at the beach?" He flashed his white teeth at the still blushing brunet. "Too bad the water is still too cold for a swim, well at least for you." He laughed.
"You want to go out?" Forks klutz number one questioned stunned and slightly concerned for her best friend.
"Werewolf, Bells, we heal fast," he waved her off not giving her a chance to argue as he grabbed the backpack which was leaning against the wall close to the front door.
"What's inside the backpack?" Bella asked as Jake was pushing her out on the porch and closed the door behind him.
"Just some snacks and drinks." He answered flippantly while the human girl gave him an unconvinced look.
The young Quiluete didn't like it to argue with the girl he loved and he desperately wanted to have some alone time with her. He thought that a romantic pick nick on the beach was exactly what the both of them needed after the happenings of the past couple of days.
"Oh, come on Bells," the young pup whined, "I had been chained to my bed for two days straight. I really need to move my legs and some fresh air."
The clumsy girl narrowed her eyes at him and crossed her arms over her chest while he was grinning innocently and pleadingly at her. With a sigh of defeat she bobbed her head.
"Yes," Jake hissed happily and grabbed her hand dragging her down the three steps which were in front of his house and then led her down the path to First Beach.
As they ambled across the beach the brunet admired the water that was dark grey, even in the sunlight, white-capped and heaving to the grey, rocky shore. She glanced at the Islands that rose out of the steel harbour waters with sheer cliff sides, reaching to uneven summits, and crowned with austere, soaring firs.
She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes while Jake held firmly onto her hand. Fork's klutz number one was thankful for the comfortable silence between them. It had always been like this with Jacob. The brunet suddenly mused. They didn't need words to fill the space between them. With each other they just could be.
While those thoughts echoed in the back of her mind she concentrated on the salty scent of the ocean water and the charlatanistic fragrance of the pine forest near by. She was enjoying the smells, the sounds of the waves that were crashing against the sandy shore and the sun that was kissing her skin.
The noise of children's laughter which suddenly assaulted her ears let her snap her eyes open and she saw a family having a nice day on the beach. The father was tending to the meat on small grill while the mother played with her children. The sight made the brunet's heart grow heavy and squeeze painfully.
Now she would most likely not have that with Edward.
"Bells, are you alright?" Jake asked concerned when he noticed the change in her expression.
But before the brunet had a chance to respond a light breeze blew the scent of fried meat into her direction and assaulted her nose. Almost instantly her stomach revolted.
The clumsy girl ripped her hand out of Jake's and pressed it to her mouth when she felt the bile rise up in her throat but it was no use a second later the granola bar she had for breakfast was laying at her feet.
"Bells, what's wrong?" The young pup asked almost panicked.
The brunet just shook her head, held her grumbling and twisting stomach and stumbled out of the way of the offending stench as fast as she could.
Quickly Jacob kicked some sand up to cover the mess his girlfriend made before he ran after her. Too focused on not throwing up again the clumsy girl did not pay attention to where she was going and soon stumbled on some loose rocks pitching forward.
Luckily the young Quileute was there to catch her elbow before she bashed her face into the grey, rocky sand.
"Easy, Bells." He mumbled while she flushed a bright crimson before he lifted her up bridal style.
"Jake," she protested weakly whilst her belly rolled and she tried to wiggle out of his arms, "you are still hurt."
"I told you I am alright and now stop struggling or I might drop you," he warned her with a serious look in his eyes.
The brunet's cheeks burned hotter and she bit her bottom lip as she left his ripped muscles move where her body touched his and his burning warmth seep into her skin.
Her eyes snapped to his and her breathe stuck in her throat because of the close proximity. She noticed with painful awareness just how deep his beautiful, warm and kind eyes shadowed under his shaggy black brows. Her gaze swept over his high cheekbones down to his full lips and define chin.
Her heart started to beat faster as her deep blush reached the tips of her ears. She couldn't help but to admit to herself just how very handsome he was.
Suddenly the clumsy girl was assaulted by images of the night they had spent together. She remembered how gorgeous and ripped his body was. How his broad shoulders led into lean, rippling muscles down his arms and back – into which she had dug her nails -and that amazing rock hard six pack ….. how hot his bare skin felt under her palms …..
The brunet froze as those arousing memories flashed up in her mind and shook her head vehemently, asking herself what the hell she was thinking. She loved only Edward she shouldn't lust after another man's body, the clumsy girl told herself, while she felt another hot blush creep up her entire face and also down her neck.
"Bells?" Jake asked confused.
"I …. I'm fine," she squeaked embarrassed. She was so mortified with herself that she was unable to look into his eyes.
The tall, bulky boy rather liked having the girl of his dreams in his arms and the glowing blush on her face, which she unsuccessfully tried to cover with her dark brown hair, made him smile even wider despite his worry for her.
Soon he spotted a big, white driftwood log and set his girlfriend down on it, kneeling in front of her. Carefully he touched her face with his fingertips and looked into her watery, chocolate pools.
"Hey, what happened?" He asked gently and with so much care that it made the brunet's chest tight.
The clumsy girl bit her lip and shook her head before she answered.
"I don't know maybe I ate something bad," she shrugged.
Jake eyes were tight around the edges, careful, as he stared at her for a moment, making sure that she was alright before he stood up. The brunet noticed how his shirt clung to his well build body and fire started to burn in her already troubled belly.
She didn't understand herself or her feelings anymore and all she wanted was to get away, away from the beach and away from Jake.
"Jake, I think we should go back." Fork's klutz number one whispered before she swallowed hard.
"What? Why we just came." The pup gasped.
For a brief moment the brunet panicked as she searched for a reason.
"You carried me all the way here, what if you got hurt?" She argued.
"Don't be ridiculous." Jake waved her off before his eyes flashed up. "And besides I need to get back on my feet as fast as I can."
"What's that supposed to mean?" She flushed girl wondered slightly perplexed.
"Don't you get it?" He exclaimed and his eyes bulged wide with confused disbelieve. "Two of those leeches came to check you out. Do you really not know what that means?"
Of course the brunet knew what that meant. It was her hope. Her ray of light in the darkness she was imprisoned in.
"I won't let them hurt you …."
"Jake you can't," she jumped off the log, ignoring the light-headed feeling and the turbulences in her stomach as she did so.
"What do you mean I can't? Don't you understand?" He growled at her as his body started to shake.
"Of course I understand Jake but they will kill you all if you dare to stand in their way. I won't let you." The brunet declared fiercely, glaring firmly at the angered Quileute, hating and annoyed with the fact that her best friend was determinate to stand in the way of her dream but also worried about what would happen to him if he did.
He was startled at her outburst and as he looked at her he could detect something in her blazing chocolate pools. The young pup couldn't quite put his finger on it but seeing this strange kind of light flash up behind her deep eyes and remembering all the times his pack brothers – first of all Sam- tried to tell him that the girl he loved was still running with leeches made something inside him snap.
Suddenly his enormous hands shot out and gripped the tops of her arms, wrapping all the way around, fingers overlapping.
"Ow, Jake! Let go! You are hurting me." She railed but instead of letting her go the young wolf shook her once and made her look him directly into his coal black and dead serious eyes.
"I won't let them kill you. I won't allow them to turn you into a fucking bloodsucking monster." He barked harshly at her before he let her go, taking a few steps back as he breathed hard.
When the trembling Quileute finally let go of the shocked girl the sudden gush of blood through her waiting veins was almost painful and she whimpered quietly as she rubbed her upper arms, glaring at the boy who was desperately trying to get his temper under control but it was no use.
She watched as the backpack he carried on one shoulder slid down his arm and landed in the grey sand before he turned on his heel and broke out into a run.
The brunet witnessed helplessly and slightly disgruntled as the pissed off boy disappeared behind the tree line of the forest that was a few feet away from where she was before sounds of ripping clothes were being carried by the wind.
(*:*)
The clumsy girl sighed heavily as she was leaning against the front door of her house after she finally made it home. She felt tired, exhausted and worn out after the morning she had with Jake.
This certainly had not been what she had planed for today. Pushing her body off the front door she noticed how achy her limbs felt. A slight headache was also announcing itself and on top of that her stomach had still not settled down.
The brunet sighed again the day had barely begun and already it had all gone to hell, she mused as she made her way into the kitchen to fetch a glass of water before she would go upstairs and crawl under her covers.
Forks klutz number one had just reached the bottom of the stairs with the glass of cool water in her hand when the doorbell rang out. Annoyed and frustrated she rolled her eyes before she sighed harshly and her lips thinned into a grim line.
First she set the glass down on the dresser next to the staircase before she dragged her tired body to the front door hoping to get rid of whoever was hassling her fast but she was in for quite a surprise. The second the ill tempered teen opened the front door her mouth popped open in shock while her slightly red eyes widened with disbelieve.
"Hey, honey soo good to see you," her mother greeted her brightly as she threw her arms around her stunned daughter's neck.
Bella stood stock still unable to get any sound to pass her lips while her mother embraced her fiercely.
"Oh, sweetheart what happened to you?" Renee asked concerned after she pulled back from her daughter and took a good look at her.
Her bleu eyes were narrowed in concern and anger grew inside her as the older woman inspected the deadly pale, horribly thin and extremely exhausted looking young girl, with the huge, dark circles under her glassy eyes.
Seeing the expression of her mother turn darker with each passing second the brunet regained her ability to speak.
"M-Mom … w-what are you doing here?" She shuttered.
"What does it look like?" Renee asked sarcastically. "I am visiting my daughters since I did miss out on your graduation."
"Does Charlie know you were coming?" The clumsy girl asked suspiciously as her mother pushed past her, with her luggage in hand, inside the house.
"Of course he does but I told him not to tell you. I wanted to surprise you." Her mother grinned happily at her daughter.
…. and she knows how much I hate surprises….. the brunet thought bitterly.
"But what about Phil? I mean his leg is broken?" Bella asked as she followed her mother into the living room.
"Oh he is fine, so fine even that he was able to accompany his team to a training camp and I though I use the time to come by." She announced and let herself fall onto couch which she had bought so many years ago with her ex-husband.
The brunet sighed and her shoulders sagged in defeat as her head started to pulse and pound with annoyance.
"Why don't we talk," her mother smiled at her while she patted the spot on the couch beside her and the brunet could barely hold her sullenness back.
Anna's POV:
Rosalie was nervously and angrily pacing up and down the reception room where we were all assembled and waiting for the Volturi and Eleazar and Carmen to arrive.
Carlisle and Esme sat huddled together opposite Edward and me on the seating accommodations near the impressive renaissance fireplace while Alice sat on Jasper's lap with her eyes closed and a pinched look on her pixie face as she searched the future.
The tension was rolling off of Edward in waves while a serious and darkened expression covered his marble face. His cool hand was gently wrapped around mine and his thumb was running smoothening circles over my skin.
I sighed feeling nervous butterflies in my stomach flutter wildly around as a deadly and unnerving silence seemed to have engulfed us.
Lost in my own thoughts while peering out the French doors onto the blue, orange and red coloured late afternoon sky I was suddenly startled back to reality by the cool hand on my forehead before Edward pressed the back of his fingers against first my right then my left cheek and concerned amber pools swept over my face.
"You have a fever," he murmured in a low and gruff voice while his lips formed a grim line.
"What? But I feel alright." I mumbled as I placed my own hand against my forehead whilst Edward looked at his father.
"Her body is most likely reacting to the stress she is experiencing." The Doctor said before he stood up and disappeared out of the room only to return a few seconds later.
"Here take these, just to be on the safe side," Carlisle handed me two white pills and a bottle of water.
I blinked at the pills in my palm, "you've packed medicine?" I looked up at Carlisle in confusion and wonder.
"Just some basics," he shrugged somewhat embarrassed.
"Thanks," I smiled at him and he nodded before his gaze moved to my right.
"It's just a fever, Edward," Carlisle tried to reassure his anxious looking son, "her pulse and heart rate are normal."
"I'm OK," I told Edward after I swallowed the pills, "I promise I tell you if I will not feel well."
His inquisitive, golden depths gazed at me for a long moment before they pinched and narrowed.
"Why do you always seem so collected? Why do you always pretend to be so strong?" His tone had almost an accusing and annoyed quality to it …. or maybe it was just the fever …..
I cocked my head to the side and gazed blankly at him.
Why? He asked me …. Taking a moment to think about his question I came up only with one reason ….. I didn't know how else to react in a situation like this.
Being positive, being calm, forcing myself to be strong this was how I had always operated. When shit hit the fan I had always been the one with a cool head.
"What else can I do?" I answered his question with my own.
Edward screwed his amber pools shut as if in pain before he opened them again and his arms shot out wrapping around my shoulders before he pulled me into a tight hug, pressing me firmly into his cool body while he buried his face in my neck.
I melted against his body as his cool frame felt heavenly against my heated skin.
Strong, protective arms held onto me for dear life while his right thumb brushed back and forth over my right shoulder blade before he pulled slightly away from me and pressed a lingering kiss against my temple.
"They are here," both Edward and Alice said in union a second later.
Immediately all eyes snapped first to Alice and then to Edward who's expression hardened.
"So is she able to travel through time and space or what?" Emmett blurted out and was immediately admonished by a harsh look from Esme and a deep growl that vibrated though Edward's torso.
"What?" Emmett shrugged.
Stretching my finger I interlocked them with Edward's whose hard golden orbs snapped to mine and softened.
"It'll be fine." I murmured.
Maybe if you tell yourself that often enough it would come true. My subconscious scoffed bitterly pacing around, being a nervous wreck.
Edward stared for a long moment at me before he seemed to make a decision and then put his arm tight around me for one long moment. His lips pressed a kiss against my temple while he breathed me in before he easily swept me to my feet as he stood up from the couch we had been sitting on.
Carlisle and Esme positioned themselves in front of Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, Jasper, Edward and I as we all gazed at the massive hard wood door with the golden door handles.
My upper body turned around when I noticed that the hot, glaring afternoon sun wasn't burning into my back. A thick white cloud rolled high up in the sky and covered the sun.
Twisting my body around again I saw how Edward's eyes tightened as he scrutinized the door and braced himself while his arm that was wrapped around my waist tightened a little.
It was just a moment later that Edward stiffened and hissed low between his clenched teeth. At that sound Carlisle cranked his neck and briefly glanced at his son before in the next second the golden sparkling door handles were twisted around and the massive dark, reddish brown doors to the reception room opened.
My eyes swept over the gray- and black-cloaked Vampire's that moved in a rigid, formal formation inside the reception room. Their clothing, the dark and serious expressions on their chalky complexions and the body language of each one of them told me that their visit today had non of the precedence of a friendly gathering like two days ago.
Jane, Demitri, Felix, Alec, Renata and Chelsea which were all clad in either gray or black cloaks conquered the same spots they did two days ago. Aro stopped in the middle of the room with Renata closely behind him and Casius to his right while Marcus went to sit down on the couch that stood against the wall opposite the windows.
Distracted by the Volturi I nearly missed the two well dressed figures that stood slightly to Aro's right and about five feet behind him. Both were black-haired and had the same slightly darker skin tone as Renata.
Amber eyes stared curiously at me before they narrowed and a thoughtful expression overtook Eleazar's face as Edward's body tensed beside me before he suddenly let out a revealed breath and his face as well as his body relaxed considerably but then his head cocked to the side and he looked questionably at Eleazar.
Aro was eagerly observing Edward's reaction.
"Eleazar, my old friend, please, humour me," Aro lifted his hand and held it out to the Vampire in question.
Eleazar nodded and did as he was told. When his skin touched Aro's the elder Vampire's face first sunk in disappointment before it lightened in surprise.
"Thank you, my old friend," Aro murmured and Eleazar went back to his wife's side while I looked questioningly up at Edward but I wasn't the only one who waited to be informed about what Eleazar saw.
"Anna doesn't not have the ability to travel through time and space nor can she open any portals." Edward said while the corners of his mouth tugged upwards.
"She is just a shield then," Emmett classified revealed and Edward's expression hardened.
"That she is not, young one." Aro piped up and all eyes snapped to him. "She is a force field."
Quiet murmurs were drifting through the room after that revelation as curious and criticizing eyes stole glances at me.
"I'm … I'm what? … Isn't that similar to a shield?" I questioned confused while Aro gazed at me with awe and want before he briefly cranked his neck and nodded at the black-haired vegetarian behind him.
"No, child," Eleazar answered," a shield is mostly a defence weapon against either mental or physical attacks. In Renata's case her shield also posses a force that is able to repel. You simply find yourself going a different direction than you planned, with a confused memory as to why you wanted to go that other way in the first place. A force field on the other hand can also be used as an offensive weapon …."
Like Jessica Alba in the fantastic four. My subconscious murmured thoughtfully.
"So many possibilities. Such a fascinating gift." Aro gushed excitedly while I couldn't share his enthusiasm nor could any of the Cullen's.
"I must admit Carlisle this is an extraordinary collection you have assembled around yourself." Aro smiled enviously at his old friend.
"These are my children, my family, not a collection of any sort." Carlisle retorted and I saw the muscles in his neck tense.
"Of course, my old friend, of course. I was merely praising their outstanding qualities." Aro murmured and he turned to gaze at Alice with curious, misty eyes. "Such an infallible gift."
"Oh, I'm far from infallible." She flashed a dazzling smile while her hands were balled into tight little fists as Jasper straitened to his full high next to her.
"As you can see yourself," the pixie said and glanced briefly at me and Edward, "I can be wrong too."
"You're too modest," Aro chided. "I've seen some of your more amazing exploits, and I must admit I've never observed anything like your talent. Wonderful!"
Aro sighed then and his gaze flickered to Edward. "To be able to hear from a distance …that would be so convenient … such an unique value."
"Their value lays within who they are not what abilities they posses." Carlisle protested.
Jane leaned forward into a slight crouch as her lips curled back from her teeth while she was hissing at Carlisle not liking his tone but her aggressive demonstration was interrupted by Aro's full blown belly laugh, "you haven't changed at all, old friend."
"Aro." Casius growled from beside him.
"Patience, my brother." Aro waved him off before returning his attention to Carlisle. "I will tent to your matters shortly but first…" he said and twisted his body around to look at Carmen and Eleazar.
"I take it our dear friend, Carlisle, inform you about the matters regarding Irina?"
Both their faces fell into grave, sad and pained masks and brief apologetic glances were aimed at the Cullen's before Eleazar curtly bobbed his head once.
"Good, because I truly hope that we won't have to live through such an unfortunate encounter," Aro murmured.
Carmen glared and hissed while Eleazar clenched his jaw. From behind them a muttered grumble emerged as Jane and Felix narrowed their crimson eyes in warning and curled their lips back from their teeth to underline their point.
"Of course not." Eleazar whispered strained.
"Very well," Aro nodded his head and turned his attention back to us.
"Now my dear," he was looking directly at me, "Carlisle did already question you thoroughly about the books but there are some details that I would like to examine a little closer."
"If I can help you." I answered not really sure what more he could want to know since I had told Carlisle and the others everything I knew, well almost.
"In the last book, my dear friends here, gathered witnesses for our arrival," he began and I nodded, "from Africa, Ireland and Egypt."
"Yes," I bobbed my head again.
"Did any of them posses any abilities?"
"Oh, umm …. Well there was this one African woman who was able to make others see things that weren't really there, like changing the entire scenery around someone…" I trailed off as I desperately tried to remember something more about the witnesses which was easier said then done since I had paid absolutely no attention to that part of the book.
"Her name?" Casius growled.
"Something with Z …. Za …. Zaf-something I am sorry but like I already told Carlisle and the others before, "Breaking Dawn" was my least favourite book of all … I didn't really pay much attention to the things I read, mostly."
Casius hissed at me what made Edward push me behind him and hiss back at the white-haired Vampire to what the Volturi guard reacted but Aro raised one hand up toward them. "Peace."
"Does that mean that you want to make us believe that of all of those witnesses," Casius sneered that word contemptuously, "there was only one with a gift?" He barked at me.
"No, that was not what I was implying. There were others with abilities as far as I remember. I think they were from Ireland if I am not totally mistaken but I can't recall who or what gift they possessed anymore. Non of that had been real or had any importance to me back in my world … it was just a books, a work of fiction …. so I just ….." I shrugged helplessly.
Casius hissed at me and glared icy while Aro shook his head sadly, "the human memory is such a fragile and flawed thing."
"They didn't come to fight you, some of them didn't want to be there and left before you arrived." I added as an after thought and this piece of information seemed to appease both brothers.
"Does the sun uncover the origins of the hybrids?" Aro wondered and Casius narrowed his red orbs at me dangerously.
"Oh," I sighed as I tried to recall what I had read about that two years ago, "if I remember correctly ….. they glow slightly in the sun ….. but it was said that human sight is too bad to be able to catch that phenomenon."
"Hmm," Aro mused while he stroked his chin and I felt Edward stiffen beside me as Caius pointed a skeletal finger at him.
"You have exposed our secrets to a human."
"She belongs with those reeking mutts not with us anymore." Rosalie spoke up for the first time.
Casius and a few of the guard hissed and growled at her which caused Emmett to skin down into a crouch. Aro ignored the happenings completely and went on.
"That may be so now but when your bother and all of you left her last summer. She wasn't an imprint nor was she in any way part of their pack. But still you left a human with the knowledge of our existence alive and behind without any control over what she might do."
My subconscious shook her head in denial and was about to pass out.
"But," Carlisle interrupted and was immediately cut off by Aro.
"You broke the law by moving away and leaving her alive ….."
My heart was starting to beat faster and my stomach rolled as cold sweat broke out on my skin in fear. The expressions of the Cullen's faces were a mix of horror and disbelieve. Jasper looked like he wanted to grab his wife and run for the hills. Emmett was getting ready to fight while Carlisle vehemently shook his head as Aro spoke.
"We, the Volturi, have implemented and are enforcing a number of rules of conduct…"
My palms were aqueezed against each other and both of my forefingers were pressed over my mouth and nose as I couldn't believe what was happening. How had it all gone south so fast? I was just partly aware of how Edward's arms pulled me further into his body and he stepped slightly around and in front of me.
"Their mainly concern is the secrecy surrounding the existence of our kind for our all protection. Those laws are expected to be obey under the pain of death."