Carlisle POV
I slammed the door of my study behind me. It shook, and I prayed that it wouldn't fall out of the frame and add to my many woes. Mercifully, it didn't. I collapsed on my leather sofa and made a loud, squeaky farting noise as I went. I sighed. The house was empty, thank God.
But Esme, what was she doing here? How long had she been here without me knowing? Did the rest all know? Is that what they had been keeping from me? Was there anything else? I had never known emotional pain like this. Her words..! Is that what she really thought? I remembered Samantha arriving at the hospital, her being the only other vampire in the hospital, no heartbeat, and a beautiful one at that. She had been nice, friendly, funny, had been able to control her thirst almost as well as me. She felt like an equal. She seemed as devoted to her work as I was. We had both worked late, and, well, I had never felt such guilt as I did afterwards. I had kept to my study, praying that Edward wouldn't give the game away, mulling it over, knowing I should tell her but not quite being able to face doing so. Then it had been too late, and she had run.
I had not known that seeing her again would affect me in such a big way. She was even more beautiful than even my amazing memory remembered.
And the Volturi? Why had they taken her? The relief at learning they had not harmed her! I would have ripped them all limb from limb if they had invented a mad crime that she had committed and executed her for it. Then I would leave one alive so he could burn me. I would rather have one Volturi on this Earth than live alone with no Volturi but also with no Esme. At least she was alive, that's all I could say.
I had to see her, speak to her. But she didn't want to see me. I didn't care very much. But she didn't want to see me. I had to, needed to see her.