October

Carlisle

"Bloody wanker. And bloody stubborn American women."

The man sprawled in the leather chair in front of the fireplace tipped his head back, the laugh bubbling like water spilling from lips set against a pale face. Spinning to prop leather booted feet on the side of the chair he lifted his glass, the dark liquid dancing in the flickering light of the fire. Flaming red eyes sparkled with mirth.

"Careful Carlisle, your British is showing again."

Turning my head from the darkened window and the horrors dancing in its reflection, I arched an eyebrow.

"In this case I think it's perfectly appropriate, don't you?"

Smiling, he tipped the glass in silent salute.

"I'll drink to that." He sipped from the crystal, letting the blood inside wash across his lips, staining them a deep rouge as he savored the flavor. "You're taking the threat to your human pets very personally for someone who has watched their kind come and go for centuries. Let the fault lie where it deserves to fall, old friend. And that's not with you."

"From the moment Edward brought Bella home, she was mine," I snarled, turning away from the man who had played Father Confessor almost as long as I had been alive to pace restlessly in front of the window. "Just as Maxine is mine through her association with her. I protect what is mine, Roberto, and in this I have failed over and over again. I cannot, will not, fail again."

A soft rustle of air and Roberto was standing beside me.

"You could not have saved them, mon ami." His hand gently squeezed my shoulder and I closed my eyes, cursing him for hearing the words I couldn't bring myself to say. I had failed Natalya. I had failed Esme. I had failed to protect Billy Black, a good man with a family who needed him, and six years later I had failed to save his grandchildren. I hadn't been able to protect any of the children and I had come close, so close, to losing Jazmine and Billy as well. If I failed to protect Bella and Maxine now…

"The only possible interest the Volturi could have in Maxine is through her association with us. The wolves have run extra patrols through Forks and the reservation. My connections in Jacksonville are watching Bella's mother. The Mojave tribe has been warned, and they're keeping a watchful eye. But it never occurred to me, to any of us, that they would go after Maxine. Alone in Seattle she's nothing more than a sitting duck."

Cold fury and sick fear burned like bile in the back of my throat. If she hadn't decided on that particular day to grab a sweatshirt on the way out the door, would Max have been alive to call and tell us what had happened? Or would she have died bleeding in a stairwell in the middle of Seattle, just another young woman who got caught at the wrong place at the wrong time?

The mental images of her torn and mangled body filled my mind until I thought I was going to be sick from them. Demitri enjoyed his work. Her death would have been gruesome, and extremely painful.

"None of this makes sense." I shrugged off the hand on my shoulder to prowl around the room. "What's their game, Roberto? What do they want?"

Roberto smiled, walking to the bar to pour himself another glass of blood. I couldn't help but wonder if the donor had been willing. As much as it pained me to admit it, at that moment if it kept him here talking to me I wasn't entirely certain I cared. If the Volturi had any idea of the power the man in front of me wielded they would have killed him years ago. His spy network spanned the globe. Dictators didn't sneeze without his approval. If anyone could tell me what the Volturi were looking for, it would be him.

"Aro doesn't want Bella alive. She's an obvious testament to his failure, one that has the underground rumbling. The rats are whispering in the streets that the Volturi are not as powerful as they once were. Aro needs to dispose of her, but now isn't the time. He's laying the trap now for much bigger prey than the delectable Mrs. Black."

"And Marcus?"

"This isn't Marcus's game, mon ami. Aro has been pulling these particular strings for a very long time now, and you know Marcus." Roberto chuckled, his voice thick with irony. "If it doesn't interfere with the workings of the court he's happy to permit Aro his…entertainments.

"No, Aro's purpose with Maxine has nothing to do with your Bella. If he even knew about her ties to you and your family, it's unlikely he would have mentioned him to the hunter before sending him out. Aro's need for secrecy probably saved her life. You should be grateful, Carlisle."

"I'll send the bastard a Christmas card. Right before I rip his bloody head off."

Roberto tipped his head back and laughed again. Looking over, I couldn't help the quick pull at the corner of my lips. That particular zest for living had been there, even when we were children. It was good to know the years hadn't taken that from him.

"So nice to know you haven't lost your touch." His face sobered. "I can't tell you what Aro wants with Maxine, although you might consider asking her what she obviously hasn't told you yet."

Fire. So innocuous when caged, but so incredibly destructive when allowed to reach its full potential. I looked away from the hypnotizing glow of the flames I'd been poking to frown at my oldest friend.

"What are you talking about?"

He shook his head, laughing at my frustration. "Not my secret to tell, Carlisle. I don't interfere in the personal lives of humans any more than I have to. I will say you would be wise to get her out of Seattle for a while."

His words brought the memory of that afternoon's argument back into my mind. A grating sound filled the room, the screech of metal realigning as my hands dug into the steel core of the poker.

"I tried," I said through gritted teeth. "The woman has the self-preservation instincts of a lemming."

"Wouldn't leave?"

The amusement was back in his eyes now. I couldn't say I blamed him. Esme had been so sweet, so giving, that it was easy to forget how frustrating dealing with stubborn women could be. Wasn't I blessed that I had so many around to remind me?

"That's one way to put it." And was said with much more diplomacy than Maxine had given me when I'd asked her to pack up and come to Forks until we knew what was going on. "And she threatened to do any number of insane things if I asked the children to stay in Seattle with her. I was hoping…"

"That one of mine would be willing to keep an inconspicuous eye on her for you? Consider it done." Walking over to the wall Roberto pushed a small red button. Immediately a woman's voice echoed through the discretely placed intercom.

"Yes Mr. de Luca?"

"Call Mr. Smith for me please, Suzanne. Tell him I have a job for him."

While he and Suzanne discussed the details she was to give the mysterious Mr. Smith I allowed my eyes to wander the room. Roberto had always been a patron of the finer things in life, clearly reflected in the luxury of the study of his Seattle townhome. The walls, papered in red and gold, were covered with the art of the masters. They were almost certainly originals. The carpet crunched under my feet as I crossed to look at a small portrait sitting on the small mantle. The sigh that slipped past my lips was unstoppable as I stared at my own face, many centuries younger, laughing mischievously with Roberto by my side and a blonde, buxom tavern wench tucked under each of our arms.

"It's been a long time, mon ami." Peering over my shoulder, his call completed, Roberto smiled at the image. "Those were the days, weren't they? Nothing but wine and women."

"And studies," I added dryly, laughing at the memory of our days together at Eaton. "You always did forget about that part."

"Details." Roberto waved his hand dismissively. "It's been taken care of. Your human friend will be watched 24 hours a day until the threat to her life has been eliminated."

"Thank you Roberto. I owe you."

"Think nothing of it."

Wrapping his arm around my shoulder he led me back to the desk, nudging me into one of the deep leather chairs.

"Now that our business is complete, let us talk of happier matters. How have you been?"

I started to give a simple answer to the simple question. My family was well, the practice was thriving. My honorary grandchildren were bright-eyed and healthy. Looking into the sympathy now shining out of his eyes, however, it was easy to see that he already knew far too much to be able to accept a flippant response.

I wondered if Jacob knew there was at least one spy, possibly more, running around La Push.

"I don't hear the music anymore," I finally said. "It's still playing, but all I hear is the noise."

"And only trained monkeys continue to dance to cacophony and chaos," he finished, reaching over to squeeze my hand. "I'm sorry for your loss. Esme was a wonderful woman. But I can't help thinking you're being a bit hasty."

"The decision has been made. Unless you'd care to…?" I arched an eyebrow in silent supplication. As the day grew closer, so did my guilt over what I was asking of Jacob and the pack. It wasn't fair, I knew, but it was the only way.

"Not a chance, Dr. Cullen. And you knew that, or you wouldn't have gone to the pack in the first place."

"Yes, I did."

Whatever he would have said next was lost in the ringing of a bell somewhere downstairs.

"Ah, dinner time. Will you dine with me, Carlisle?"

"You know full well I never favored your particular flavor of cuisine." Forcing a smile past the questions and doubts in my mind, I reached for his hand. I'd get no more out of him tonight, and I was eager to get off the topic at hand. And away before the first course. "Thank you for your assistance."

"You know you have but to ask." The bell sounded again, making him turn with a snarl of irritation. "Yes, yes, I'm coming. Take care of yourself, Carlisle, and let me know if you find yourself in need of further…assistance. My resources are, as always, at your disposal."

With that he turned and walked away.

Meanwhile, in Volterra

"The balls have been set in motion, my lord."

"Excellent." Aro daintily picked the dried blood off of his fingernails. Tonight's dinner had been messy. He detested when they fought back. All that arterial blood gone to waste. "They've received my message?"

"They're expecting you right after the holiday, my lord."

"And the daughter?"

"Taken care of, my lord."

Aro nodded with satisfaction. Things were falling into place.

"What about that other matter we discussed?"

The guard, dressed in the trim black of the Volterran military, shifted uncomfortably. "It's being seen to. My lord, are you certain…?"

"Absolutely." He stopped, frowned. "Piotr, you're not developing a conscience on me now, are you? Such a waste."

The other man swallowed audibly.

"No, my lord."

"Excellent. You're dismissed."

The guard bowed nervously one more time, his mustache twitching in the comical way that had earned him the nickname of "Rat" among his compatriots, then slipped silently out of the room. Aro leaned back in his chair and chuckled, a low, rolling laugh that slipped through the room, balancing on the cutting edge of madness. Things were progressing perfectly. It was just a matter of time before he would be able to close the trap once and for all.