This entire conversation had begun to make me increasingly uneasy. To these people, these ancient vampires, it didn't matter if I lived or died. I was a pawn in their game. If I had any other choices I would have left right then and there. I didn't, they were my only chance. If I wanted a chance to avenge my family, I had to take what they gave me.
"That still doesn't exactly tell me what you think I should do.." The silence had extended now for several minutes. Stefan's face was dark with thought. I couldn't even begin to comprehend the mind of a being who had lived for so long. He blinked as if coming back from a far away thought. He probably was.
"Doesn't it?" I groaned inwardly. His condescending attitude made my reply more snappish than I intended.
"Forgive me if my mind doesn't exactly follow half concocted plans with the bare minimum of information you've given me!" I had tried to rise but Vladamir's grip on my shoulder prevented that. I was their guest, prisoner, until they said I could go.
"Goodness my friend, our little Renesmee has spirit. Does she not?" Stefan's eyes sparkled as he beheld me anew.
"She does indeed" Vladamir agreed flatly. There was no smile in his voice. Stefan on the other hand had graced me with the smallest of grins. It wasn't a grin that reassured anyone. It was one I had only ever seen on one other person Aro. The grin of the powerful that toy with us.
"You speak truthfully my young friend." Friend, I doubted that. "Let us speak plainly now." Stefan's hand finally released mine and Vladamir stepped away, responding to a silent signal. Instantly I felt more at ease. It was nice to have the hulking, dark haired vampire's hands off me.
"Yes, lets." I agreed, Vladamir had taken up position behind Stefan. Not a bodyguard, but there to stop me if I tried to leave. I was sure of that.
"As I'm sure you are aware, no one is willing to take on the Volturi. Not anymore. Everyone is too frightened." Stefan laced his fingers together, resting his chin a top them. "We no longer have the numbers to take them on. But, everyone has a weakness of some sort. Any information that could help us take them down. Well... I'm sure you can figure out where we are going with this." He grinned again. I didn't trust that smile, it didn't take much deducing to know what they wanted.
"So you want me to waltz on in there and find some sort of weakness you can use to take them on. Oh! And let's not forget about Aro's abilities. If my power doesn't do what you think it'll do I'll be walking into my own death." I replied bitterly, fingers twisted together on my lap.
"If your ability can though. You would be the only being capable of infiltrating them." Stefan held up his hands in a peace gesture, Vladamir's face beyond his shoulder was an emotionless mask.
I had to admit to myself, I was faintly intrigued. As much as I was unsure about this whole discussion, there was some merit in it. At least to my young mind. If I could in fact do what they thought I might be able to find something that would help us. It was that or sit around with my parents deaths on my conscious, driving me mad. Even thinking of my family Uncle Jasper, Aunt Alice, and Jacob. Jacob most of all. The choice was easy. It was one I had made when I first decided to call them.
"Okay. I'll do it." Stefan smiled for real this time, a terrible, cruel smile I quailed at the sight of. The game had begun again.
By the time I left the motel room, school had let out. Mr Matthews car was gone and his dirty secret along with it. I had more important things on my mind than who my Biology teacher fucked. Crossing the cracked blacktop of the motel parking lot I paused, deep in thought. How was I going to convince my family I wanted to join the Volturi. They would never agree to it. My only option was to go to Jacob. I couldn't tell him anything, but perhaps he could help me think of a way to go to Italy. Now that the plan had been laid out before me, I just wanted to get the ball rolling. He wouldn't agree with what I wanted to do, I hoped he would trust me enough to help anyway. It was all I had. It was that or just disappear and I couldn't bear to be so cruel to my family. Not after everything we had been through and Jacob. I couldn't just leave Jacob.
He was sitting on the couch, an open box of pizza on the table, and a slice in his hand. He didn't even look away from the television as I settled myself on the plush armchair, taking a slice for myself.
"You know, when you skip school you should be a tad sneakier about it. Try not to go into areas where people know you." He gave me a wolfish grin, white teeth flashing against his brown skin. I smiled in return.
"This town is so small everyone knows everyone anyway." I pointed out before taking a bite of pizza.
"Fair enough." He had finished his slice already and reached for another one.
"Besides, I recall you skipped school all the time. Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?" My grin had widened, spirit already lifting just being around him.
"Touche" I laughed, echoing his. The world always seemed brighter around him. Like nothing was impossible.
"Listen-" I started. The laughter gone from my voice.
"Listening..." he repeated warily. My tone had changed and he knew something serious was about to happen.
"I need you to trust me. I know what I want and I don't want any flack for it." He was frowning now. He didn't like this turn of conversation. I sucked in a deep breath and continued.
"I want to join the Volturi. I have my reasons, and I need your help. Aunt Alice and Uncle Jasper would never allow it." I expected yelling, growling, anger. His reaction scared me. He said nothing, just stared at me, examining my face. Reaching out he brushed it lightly and I flushed, heart skipping a beat. His response was so much different than I had been prepared for.
"Okay. This is something you have to do. I see that. I don't agree with it. Being so much like your mother I know better than to argue. It won't change your decision and gets me nowhere. I'm not happy with this." I nodded, taking his hand in a silent thank you. He squeezed my fingers. "Nor will I leave you alone. If you're going to Italy so am I." Wasn't surprised by that either. He would follow me to the ends of the earth if he had too. As would I for him.
"I ain't going to join but I want to be there for you. Besides we can just tell Alice and Jasper we need a vacation. I don't think they would disagree, you're wound up so tight its going to explode one day. They will probably agree it'll be good for you." I nodded, worrying my bottom lip with my teeth. Having this conversation made everything feel so much more real than what happened in the hotel room.
It was really happening.
