Chapter 10 - Italy

Bella's Point of View

The first three months of my immortal life were filled with ecstasy, my first kisses and first nights with Edward were blissful and idyllic, but there were a few shadows on the horizon that eclipsed my perfect life.

Firstly, Renesmee was still growing rapidly. She spoke her first words at only one week old, and started to walk soon after. Edward and Carlisle poured their hearts into research but not much came out of it. According to Carlisle, Renesmee's rate of growth would continue, and she'd be an adult in no more than four years.

Four years. And an old woman by fifteen.

Just fifteen years of life.

Carlisle and Edward had exhausted the research they could do from a distance, and now we were preparing to follow old legends at their source. We were going back to Brazil, starting there. The Ticunas had legends about children like Renesmee... If other children like her had ever existed, perhaps some tale of the life span of half-mortal children sill lingered...

The only real question left was exactly when we would go.

This question was complicated by another thorn in my perfect life, the Volturi.

Alice had mailed a wedding announcement to Italy while Edward and I were on our honeymoon. She had seen that this would stall them in coming to Forks to make sure I was no longer human.

In reply, Aro sent a gold-inlaid wooden box filled with a beautiful diamond necklace. With it, a note.

"We look forward to seeing the new Mrs. Cullen in person" was all it said.

I knew that Aro was a collector – and his most prized treasures were his living pieces. There was no chance that I was going to risk my daughter's life by waiting around for the Volturi to come to Forks.

I was going to Italy.

Alice did not see any trouble with my trip, but she was worried by the indistinct quality of her visions. She said they were sometimes similarly hazy when there were outside decisions that might conflict but that had not been solidly resolved. This uncertainty made Edward, already hesitant, extremely opposed to what I had to do. He wanted to come with me as far as my connection in London, but I wouldn't leave Renesmee without both her parents. Carlisle was coming instead. It made both Edward and me a little more relaxed, knowing that Carlisle would be only a few hours away from me.

We bought the tickets for Italy the day after Renesmee turned three months. I planned for it to be a very short trip, so that I wouldn't be leaving my daughter and Edward too long.

It was the following weekend that Edward drove Carlisle and I to the airport. The short flight from Ocean Falls to Vancouver went by without incident, as did our long trip from Vancouver to London. My solo flight to Volterra was equally uneventful. I had left Carlisle in London so that Aro wouldn't be able to read his thoughts through his hands.

Walking into Volterra brought back nightmares of the last time I was there. Back when I was human. I remembered having to run through the crowds of people, my muscles burning. If I had been a second too late, Edward might have been killed, and me with him. Alice too probably. Even if they left me alive, my life wouldn't nearly be the same as it was now.

I would never have married Edward.

There would be no Renesmee.

If I had been a vampire then, I would have reached Edward no problem. Except that my inhuman speed in a public square would have made me the new target for the Volturi.

I concentrated on keeping up my human façade through the clock tower square. The last time I was here it was filled with tourists, all wearing long red cloaks. This time the square was virtually empty. There were only a few excited tourists snapping pictures. I walked a little faster. I didn't want an unlucky breeze to blow their scent towards me. This was not the place to lose my control.

I entered the Volturi's headquarters by the new, more conventional entrance Carlisle had explained for me.

It was the entrance for the visitors, not the criminals.

When I entered the reception area, I noticed that Gianna wasn't sitting at the desk. For a second I wondered what had happened to Gianna, but I quickly stopped the thought, already knowing the answer. The new receptionist was another human, with eyes just as eager. The eyes looked up at me.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm here to see Aro." I tried to remain calm, like it was just a friendly meeting.

"Bella Cullen?"

"Yes."

"You can go right in. They're expecting you."

I shivered slightly. "Thank you."

I turned and walked gracefully through the large, heavy doors.

I was ready to face my fate.