Chapter 4 Volterra

"Are you nervous about going?" Bella asked placing her hand on my mine, getting my attention from staring out of the window. I eyed her curiously, her heart shaped face and gold eyes set with concern. "Because if you are Edward and I would be more than happy go with you instead of continuing on."

"Absolutely not Bella." I smiled. I was no where near nervous. "Enjoy your anniversary. "

Bella looked to Edward almost as if to protest, but he took her other hand in his and kissed the knuckles softly. "Love, if she wanted us to come with her she would have asked."

"And no, I'm not nervous. I just am not looking forward to a pouting husband to come back to." I sighed telling her the track of my thoughts.

What do you mean you're going by yourself? He silently fumed in my head after checking the rooms to make sure the kids were asleep.

We aren't leaving Phillip and Ciyan by themselves until I come back. I reasoned the logical train of thought as I looked at him. The soft green haze that traced his body, something I brought with me from my leopard side apparently, practically pulsing with distress.

Ness and Jacob, Esme and Carlisle, Leah and Jabril, hell any of them really would be more than happy to- I shook my head.

Ness is already dealing with her birthday plans and everything else. Ciyan and Phillip need to be with at least one of us.

We will bring them with us. He suggested without even thinking about it.

I looked at him for a moment and ignored his temporary moment of insanity. Phillip and Ciyan weren't going near any vampires unless they were the Cullen's they weren't like us. Besides the growth they were normal in every way. Human. Soft, breakable, delicious smelling humans.

Okay, so no we can't take them with us, but I don't want you going alone either. This is the Volturi we're talking about. The same people that were trying to kill us ten years ago.

Restructured Volturi. I corrected, walking into the kitchen to put away the dry dishes. Besides according to Ben's thoughts Marcus was really urgent to have me come. Something has him shaken up pretty badly.

And that's our problem how? The Volturi rules have no standing here. The Cullens walk around like disco balls, and no one gives them a second glance. There's no reason for them to involve us in anything.

I am going for several reasons. One, because Ben and Maggie seemed sure that if I didn't go Marcus would try to find another way to locate me. And they can't find Jennah, ever. Two because I need to live to my word and check up on things in Volterra and I haven't done that. Third, information. If something is wrong, and can effect our families even the slightest bit we need to know about it early. There is a lot more at stake here.

He got mentally silent and I had to peep my head out of the kitchen to make sure he was ok. His face was blank as he processed my reasoning and then I smiled when I realized that I would win this. I made perfect sense. Then his face grew grave again and I sighed.

"But to go alone?" He questioned voicing it aloud.

"I'll be fine. What are you afraid of?" I sighed.

"You not coming back." He admitted. "I don't trust them."

"Do you trust me?" I asked walking over to the sofa.

"Of course I do baby." His brown eyes were still worried.

"Do you feel I'm not strong enough to protect myself?" I pouted straddling his lap.

"Of course I do, that isn't it." He answered pulling me securely against him, stopping me from nibbling at his ear. He knew me well. "And I also know your pouting face isn't going to distract me."

I scowled. It made him laugh. "Look, you're going to go whether I want you to or not. And I don't want you to leave with us mad at each other. So I won't fight about it, I know when you're firm on something."

I smiled glad that I wouldn't have to argue it anymore. And then I saw the way his irresistible eyes bore and to mine and a wicked grin flashed across his face. "I know when you're firm on something too Mr. Clearwater." I replied returning his sinful expression

He picked me up in a quick motion, me still straddling him. He carried me to our bedroom and I knew the conversation was over.

And he didn't bring it up after that night. Though he did spark several of our friends into offering to accompany me, a kind Carlisle, a calculating Jasper, and an over eager Emmett. All of which I declined. I did agree to wait an extra day and travel with Bella and Edward, as far as their connection to London, then they would fly southwest to Brazil, and I would continue to Italy.

"He really doesn't want you to go alone." Bella sighed turning back to face me, snapping me out of my flashback.

"I know, but, I will be fine." I smiled with absolute certainty.

"You will tell us right, what they want I mean?" Bella requested.

I nodded, "Do you think I could have gone by myself if I didn't swear that to everyone that offered to come."

She nodded and the conversation was over though she still bit her bottom lip, her silent thoughts panicked no doubt. Edward rubbed the back of her hand trying to stroke away her anxiety.

"This is our connection to Brazil darling, we have to go now." Edward said bringing her back to the airport we were in. She looked like she was debating mutiny.

"Enjoy your anniversary Bella. I will see you at Ness's party." I promised winking at her.

"Asima, take care." Edward sighed gently pulling her.

I sent a wave of calm and she followed without force.

Thank you. Edward thought as they walked hand and hand to the next terminal.

No problem, have a nice time.

Be careful. He sighed mentally as he handed the lady that was gaping at their perfection, their tickets to board.

The early morning streets of Volterra were quiet as I entered. I walked the streets with a familiarity yet I had only seen it through the eyes of others. I directed my attention to the castle that looked the most familiar and stalked forward.

Luckily, I didn't have to worry about entrance because I could hear a familiar voice in the shadows as I walked towards the stone abode.

"Asima." Ben whispered excited that I was actually there. His black cloak protecting him in the places that the shadows did not. I walked over to him quickly. "Come on, we can get in faster this way." He smiled.

I followed him quickly without hesitation.

"So hellcat, you've been in Jennah this entire time?" He asked as we walked.

I laughed at the nickname before I spoke, "Yep. All thirteen years."

"Hm." He said surprised. "It's just you always seemed like a nomad more than anything."

"In the beginning I was." I admitted. "But then I found friendship, and then I found love, and then I found family, and then I found married life, and then I found home." I sighed running in my mind over all of the things that befriending one girl could change that I myself didn't change in an entire thirteen hundred.

Not that I was particularly lonely, I was completely content with my life of solitude, convincing myself that it was easier and less complicated. For the most part I was right. My friendship with Ness was anything but simple. A smart person would have left her at a distance the minute I realized her parentage. She would have passed me off as another fickle teen and remained none the wiser. Fortunately for me I wasn't very smart.

I said this to Ness in a conversation one day and her response to me was. "You're right. You weren't very smart at all. You were brilliant." But the main point was if I didn't choose the path I chose, then I wouldn't have gotten to meet the Cullens, or discovered my place with Seth and my family. She would often thank me for helping her family, but in a way I owed her and her family more than I could ever give them. One person has never changed me so completely, opening me to the world I have now.

"Thanks again for coming." He said as we entered a side door that led to a bright room.

"I would say no problem, but Seth is furious I didn't bring him." I admitted.

"You should have." Ben said opening a larger more ornate door.

"No I shouldn't," I said quickly before walking through the last door he lead me through.

This room hit me as the most familiar and I instantly knew why. It was Margaux's vision in complete replay. The one that convinced her to let me go in the first place. Me coming to the Volturi willingly. The intricate marble designs that lead my way to the waiting leaders of the vampire world. This made me laugh slightly. Ben questioned my sanity for a fraction of a second and then blamed it on the animal blood. I rolled my eyes at that thought.

Instead of the three chairs that once held Aro, Marcus, and Caius, there were four. Two dead center side by side, and the two more a foot behind them flanking the other two. I ignored the glances of the new guard and completely blocked out thoughts as well.

I did notice a few familiar faces that did know who I was . One guy, a tall lean vampire with black and grey hair suppressed a shiver as I passed. I kept my eyes straight, watching them file in. Stefan and Marcus were first, they sat in the two front chairs leaning slightly away from each other. I didn't expect that relationship to change either. But the yin and yang were needed to keep a balance.

Maggie followed out behind them, her red curls bouncing against her cloak covered shoulders. She smiled at me sheepishly when I raised an eyebrow. I didn't expect her staying to replace the two missing people of the Volturi. The guard maybe, but the inner circle, no. I stopped at the single chair facing them and sat without thinking about it. Ben stood beside me momentarily his eyes I could feel shifting, even though I didn't look at them.

"Let me guess, the fourth chair up there is yours." I said, in no way asking.

"Yeah." He admitted with this weird type of wincing smile as if he were expecting a lashing but hoping I wouldn't all the same. "I kind of have to go up there. Sorry."

"Go on," I rolled my eyes. I knew he and Maggie viewed me as an acquaintance at the very least if not completely as a friend and hated the formal requirements even though they had an example to set.

The image of the Volturi was completely shaken and broken when we fought back, and it was mainly the fear of them that kept the rules upheld all over the world. They had to work ten times as hard for the past ten years to maintain order and restore balance. I didn't really care about this, because there was no other choice at the time. When Ben reached his spot it all began. I decided to break the silence. "Maggie, Marcus." I greeted. "Stefan, I see the return to power suits you."

Stefan let out a laugh, his brittle translucent skin holding a light flush of pink underneath, he must have just finished feeding. "More of a mess." The odd Romanian vampire hissed not at me particularly.

"And what exactly does that mess have to do with me?" I asked getting to the root of the matter.

It was Marcus that spoke, his whispered voice no longer seeming nonchalant as I remembered, but tired and drained from whatever was going on. "We have been sending out groups of the guard, to maintain order and make sure the rules were being maintained. The group we sent to eastern Russia was destroyed. Annihilated. Four of them."

I stared at him wondering what that still had to do with me, not wanting to shrug and be rude.

"Then again, a two weeks later in the Ukraine. This group was slightly larger. Then less than a week later in Greece. Four of our best." He continued. "Not many things are capable of killing our kind, except our kind, and well your kind. But not many of your kind can survive a group."

My eyes narrowed, "Spit it out Marcus."

"What do you know about this?" He asked bluntly.

I stood up quickly and seventeen guard members leaned in towards me. "ARE YOU SAYING I DID THIS?" I heard three or four planning to advance on me, but I was ready if they did. I turned my body so that I could see the guard behind me, but didn't turn far enough that I couldn't see the Volturi themselves out of my peripheral. I hissed into a crouch.

Marcus and Stefan didn't stand. But Maggie and Ben were out of there seats almost as quickly as I was. "Whoa Whoa Whoa." Ben said at the vampires behind me.

"Stand down at once, I assure you everything is fine." Maggie seconded cautioning the group.

My eyes darted picking out the ones that I seemed just aggressive enough to ignore the order, but even though they didn't trust it, they fell back in line.

"Apologies Asima. But they're a bit on edge," Marcus said excusing them.

"A bit." I sighed sarcastically.

"We're all a bit more careful, whatever is out there killing our kind is getting closer." Maggie explained.

"A bunch of pansies if you ask me, jumping at every leaf blowing in the wind." Stefan grumbled rolling his hazy red eyes. "But to answer your question, yes, it being you did come to our mind."

"Well no Stefan, it wasn't me. As a matter of fact I have been trying to forget about all of this." I replied very aware that the guard behind me was still very tight.

"They won't be comfortable until you sit." Maggie sighed. "Would you please?" She asked motioning for the chair, she had already returned to sitting.

"Fine." I sighed sitting down and crossing my legs.

"Back up, back up, there's nothing to worry about." Ben groaned completely embarrassed by their actions.

"Back to the matter at hand." Marcus suggested when they went back to their pin straight lines in the back of the hall. "If it wasn't you, is it possible that it was your shape shifters?"

"They aren't mine-" I started to argue but gave up. "No it wasn't them, we've been quite the pacifists since the day. As we were before it was necessary." I sighed.

"Is it possible that there is anyone else like you out there?" Benjamin asked.

"Oh course there is, there's Jabril. Exactly like me. But his priorities don't involve the Volturi." I answered feeling like there was more.

They didn't seem happy with this news. "Well maybe you can help us Asima." Maggie started. "We know that you absorbed most of the old Volturi members talents, including Margaux and Eskarne. Maybe you can use those to help figure out what is actually killing our guard."

"Well I would never take away someone's will even if I did still have that talent. They fade when I don't use them. Margaux's visions as well," I informed, "sorry."

"But you still have Alice's right?" Ben asked hopefully.

"Of course, but I need to know what to look for." They were silent for a moment and then I thought. "Maybe if I try to look into you and Maggie's futures, maybe some of your guard too. Hopefully I can find something that could be of some assistance."

"Of course," Stefan agreed.

The four of them looked at me, waiting, as if they were expecting some instant answer.

"It's going to take some time." I hinted rolling my eyes at the fact they thought I was some type of oracle.

"Do you have the time?" Maggie asked kindly.

"I can spare a few days." A few days was all I would allow for this. "And then I have some things to get back to."

"Understandable." Ben agreed. "Terrence will set you up in a room and supply you with anything you need." He offered motioning to a vampire with bleach blonde hair.

I stood slowly this time so that I didn't scare the guard.

"Wait, Asima, we have one more question before you get set up." Marcus stopped me kindly.

"If you find anything, whatever is killing us, would you be willing to help us get rid of it?"

Apparently people thought I just saved vampires on a daily basis now. "I can only help you as much as I can, I don't want to fight anyone."

"Alright." He nodded knowing he couldn't force me, and the set in my mouth telling him I couldn't be swayed in talking.

"I would like to see you four first." I said following behind Terrence trying to do a slight glance into Ben's future. Drawing up blanks. Great now what? I thought to myself as I walked into the room.

"You requested me first?" Marcus asked confused walking into the room. He eyed me with confusion as he took in me waiting, sitting on a cushion on the floor. I had taken the cushions off of the large chairs and moved them against the wall.

"Yes, come sit." I said motioning the cushion in front of me.

"Wouldn't the chairs be-"

"Marcus, I have seen a many of visions this way. Relax. I figure if am going to sort through your guard I might was well be as comfortable as possible. Now sit." I ordered.

He didn't question it forward. The moment he sat I shut my eyes and went completely still. I took a few breaths trying to get a feel for his thoughts.

"What are we doing?" He asked after about ten minutes.

I'm trying to get familiar with you, but I suppose I am close as I am going to get. "Make a decision involving this." I said

"What decision should I make?" He asked

"That is for you to decide." I smiled waiting.

He thought for a moment and became really focused. His rice paper skin appearing to crease.

"So why did you choose me first?" He asked quietly.

"Because you have the most enemies. " I answered logically keeping my eyes close searching. "After you, Stefan. Any enemies that Maggie and Ben have most certainly are inherited by they affiliations with the Volturi so I might as well start from the beginning."

"Oh." he stated flatly as if he hadn't thought about it before. Then he was silent for another ten minutes.

"Choose another path" I instructed as I followed his first decision as far as it would go before blanking out.

He silently decided on what I could only guess was the opposite. That course lasted a little longer before blanking out. He was patient, and kind and tried to follow my instruction as much as possible, but the reality of it was he wasn't going to make a real decision until he saw something from me to influence it so we only got so far.

Stefan was absolutely no help at all. All of his thoughts and decision regarding his old foes were moot. His ultimate for centuries was the Volturi and now that that was bested he couldn't think of anyone else that would dare challenge him. I was done with him in less than half of the time it took me with Marcus. "Send in Ben." I request rubbing my temples. This was going to be a long three days.

A note from Me :)

How are you guys liking the sequel so far? I hope its flowing as well as I mentally wanted it to. There wont be many author's note from be mainly because I hate reading them myself but I forgot a few things. One... if youre confused... then you probably didn't read Facing Dusk. So you won't understand this. Second... my disclaimer. A you know, I don't own any of the characters from the twilight series. But I do own the plot, and the added characters that were my own creation so theres that. Third... This story is going to be a little different from Facing Dusk, it is going to get a little darker maybe more than you would like but if I don't write it like I see it in my head then it wont turn into the work that hopefully you all can appreciate. But on to the chapters. I am doing serious editing as I go so there arent as many mistakes in grammar and spelling like Facing Dusk. I will try to post one up at least once a week. You lucked out this week and got two since I have so much time off. But I hope that I may continue to entertain you for the next few chapters.

Thanks ;)

Di'NishaRob