BREE TANNER: AFTER ECLIPSE
"Don't look," the read headed mind reader whispered.
I closed my eyes.
I listened as Felix's footsteps grew louder. But suddenly, they stopped, and even with my eyes closed, I could tell that everybody had stopped moving. Froze themselves in place. Except for that human dessert, Bella, of course.
I peeked through one eye.
Could it be? My eyes were fully open now, and I stared. A fifth dark-cloak had appeared.
Carlisle stepped forwards. "Greetings, Aro."
Oh. So this was Aro. I wondered if he was talented like Jane and the mind reader.
"Aro," Jane acknowledged. She stepped towards him with her right hand outstretched, but Aro waved her back. I could tell that Aro was highest rank of all the vampires here.
"Edward," Aro said, and the mind reader stepped forwards. So he was Edward. Aro placed his hands on Edward's in a sandwich formation. Aro closed his eyes.
I could now see that Edward's head was tilted forwards, like he was concentrating. In that instant, I realized that Aro was reading Edward's mind, and Edward was reading Aro's in return.
The little vampire flitted over to where I was standing. Jasper stiffened. Alice whispered in my ear,"If Aro touches someone, he can read all the thoughts they ever thought in their life."
My eyes widened. Wow. What a talent! I wondered if I had a talent.
When Aro finally opened his eyes, they wandered to me. "Bree Tanner," he said. His voice was so calm, almost soothing in a way. I wondered how he knew my last name. I assumed he knew because the red-Edward knew.
Aro continued. "What a nice name." I almost believed him. "Why did you surrender?"
"I didn't want anyone to get hurt, and I didn't want to get hurt either, and Riley said that it would be easy to kill the yellow-eyes but he was wrong because we were losing and it was so scary and those howlers which I didn't know they even existed…" I babbled quickly.
"Hmmm," It was Jane's dead voice again. "While we discuss the young one… Alec?"
One of the dark-cloaks that were with Jane earlier looked at me. "My pleasure, sister," he said. The last thing I saw was a bluish haze, and then I was in utter nothingness.
This was different from anything I'd ever experienced before. I couldn't see, hear, smell, feel, or taste anything. It was just…nothing. Nothing at all.
Were they killing me? I wondered to myself. I didn't dare move either. And then I was myself again.
Aro was saying, "You shall teach her the rules, then she will move on. Bree Tanner will not be allowed to stay in your coven. Is that understood?"
Edward looked at Carlisle, then gave Aro a curt nod.
Aro turned his attention to me. "And have you, young one, understood?"
I nodded, then whispered, "Thank you."
Aro addressed me harshly. "Do not thank us. The Volturi never give second chances, and you are the first. We are not proud of that."
Slowly, all five dark-cloaks, or the Volturi, as it seemed, glided away. I watched them fade through the smoke, and then the Volturi disappeared over the horizon.