Chapter 10

I stepped into Tanya's room cautiously, followed by Bella, and looked around. My friend was sitting on her couch, looking through a magazine. She looked up at our approach.

"Hey Cassy!" she said, glancing at Bella. "Who's this? Another picky eater I see." Yes, I was sorry to say my sisters had gone to the dark side; her bright red eyes nearly glowed after every feeding.

"Sort of," I laughed, sitting next to my friend. "This is Bella." I paused. "You know her as well as I do." Tanya raised an eyebrow.

"That's hard to believe," she replied. "I think I would remember such strange eyes."

"Yeah, you would, wouldn't you," I muttered. "Tanya, this is really hard to explain, but your eyes used to be that color too, remember?" She glanced curiously at Bella.

"Yes, I do remember that, but it was so strange. Aro wanted us to be normal; you were the only one who refused."

"And I'm very glad I did," I replied. "Tanya, you never wanted to work here! You hate the Volturi!"

"How can you say that?" She demanded, standing up. "This is my home, my life! I haven't known anything else. Aro saved me!"

"No, he didn't. You only think that because of Chelsea. She messes up relationships, Tanya! You had a life, much better than this one, and you can have it again. Just come with us." I looked at Bella meaningfully. A look of concentration took over her face as her shield expanded. "She made you forget your friends, made you forget your life! Tanya, did you know that you used to have another sister? Irina? The Volturi killed her! You might have fallen in love a week ago, before we came here, and the Volturi tried to steal him away! You can't possibly want to work for that?" She blinked a few times and shook her head in frustration. It was like she was trying to fight off the shield, and my words, but she was losing. Every time she looked at me, I could see the familiarity and unguarded rage there, along with the denile that Aro wasn't bad, and never would be. That emotion disappeared quickly.

"We need to leave, Cassy," she growled, clenching her fists.

"We have to wait until nightfall."

"I don't think I can wait that long." Her voice seemed like a mixture between a roar and a groan. Her face was twisted in anger. "If we stay here any longer than what is absolutely necessary, I may end up hunting down our precious master and-"

"Okay, pack your things," I ordered, not wanting her to finish that thought. I knew all too well that she wasn't joking. She rushed around the room for a few seconds, shoving clothes into her suitcase, and stopped just outside the door. Everyone else was ready and waiting.

"Let's go," she said.

I led everyone around the side corridors, flinching into another hallway every time I heard a sound. Edward found this quite irritating; he said he would tell me if someone was coming, but I didn't want to take chances, and I wasn't exactly in a trusting mood.

We were very nearly to the drainage entrance I had used a week ago when we heard the voices. There were only two, but they were the ones we least wanted to hear: Jane and Demetri. No doubt Demetri had caught my scent as soon as I fazed back into the real world, but he was so discombobulated by my disappearance that it had taken him this long to find us. Jane was probably just there to act like the snitch she was.

I grasped Jack's hand, trying not to panic, and stepped back against the wall. I felt my instinct take over as I blended into the background, and everyone watched in fascination.

"Interesting," Edward whispered. "Direct contact must cause your talent to expand. We can't see Jack, either, Cassandra." A slow smile spread across my face and I grabbed Bella's shoulder. She jumped as I came into her line of vision. Obviously the invisibles could still see each other.

We all grabbed hold of each other and snuck along the wall, my talent and Bella's now protecting us from harm. Our two followers were walking blingly in the other direction.

We finally made it out into the alley of the city and ran for the exit. Of course, the quickest way out was through the bright, sun-filled town square. Luckily, not many humans were around, but we would have to trust that my talent worked in the sun.

We rushed silently across the expanse, not attracting a single eye.

Even when we were outside the city, we didn't stop. We ran straight to the airport, with only one stop along the way (Edward said we had to send a note back to Aro, for safety reasons). I finally let my guard down just outside the building, but nobody relaxed until we were on the place, on our way back home.

What a crazy day.