Dark Moon
Once the shock of Alice's sudden vision subsided, I quickly got to work. If the Volturi were coming after us, then they would be coming after me alone. I could lead them away, allow Demetri to track me by exposing my mind, keep Nessie and my family safe.
"Bella, don't even think about it!" Alice growled beside me. I rolled my eyes and sighed as Carlisle's arms came around me, as if he thought by having his arms around me, I could never leave him. I had to admit the very thought of leaving my lover, my daughter and the rest of my family tore me into pieces, but it had to be done. Alice sent me a narrow-eyed glance.
We were sitting on the white sofas in the cavernous living room, discussing our plans now we knew for sure that the Volturi were coming, and the atmosphere felt so close I could have cut it with a knife. A sudden wave of calm and peace washed over everyone, and I glanced at Jasper.
"Thanks, Jazz," I murmured. He inclined his leonine head. I turned to Alice and sighed. "Fine, Alice I won't run,"
"Good. We're stronger together than apart. Now we need to decide how we are going to proceed," Alice said decisively. Carlisle nodded and leaned forward, his arms still around my waist.
"We're going to need the support of the other covens. This is a deliberate move against us, with no provocation as such, and they won't let it slide this time-"
"But I killed Caius and Marcus, and the pack killed God knows how many of their guard! Of course there is provocation!" I interrupted him. Aro wanted revenge for his brothers' deaths, much the same as I had wanted revenge for my family's murders.
"No. The Volturi kidnapped Nessie and murdered half of an innocent coven who had committed no crime. All you have done will be seen as justice for their crimes," Carlisle explained gently.
"Fine. But who can we trust enough to stand by us, to fight to the death by our side? Most covens will not stand against the Volturi," I sighed, defeated for the time being. We looked to Alice, whose eyes were blank once more. A moment later, she came out of it and answered us.
"The Denalis, Peter and Charlotte, Senna, Zafrina and Kachiri, Nahuel and Huilen, the Irish coven, the Romanians Vladimir and Stefan, Makenna and Charles, Randall, and finally Mary. That gives us twenty six altogether,"
"Twenty seven. I will not stand by whilst Nessie is threatened," Jacob growled. "Neither will my pack," he added as an afterthought.
"How big is the pack now?" Jasper asked interestedly.
"Fifteen of us since you guys returned, and I guess more will come when the covens arrive," Jacob told him.
"So that's forty-two-" I was interrupted by Renesmee.
"Forty three. Mom if you think I'm going to let you fight without me, you need your head tested," she exploded heatedly. I frowned at her.
"Nessie its far too dangerous. You don't have our strength, you would be torn apart in seconds," I argued back, the very thought of my daughter fighting filled me with panic.
"You can't turn the Volturi's gifts back on themselves. It'll be pipsqueak after that," Nessie replied, crossing her arms stubbornly. I pinched the bridge of my nose frustratedly. She was as bad as her father.
"You're as stubborn as your father, you know that?" I growled. "We'll discuss this later,"
"Fine," Nessie huffed and plopped back down on the sofa beside Jacob. I suddenly realised that Benjamin and Tia were missing.
"Benjamin? Tia?" I called, looking around concernedly. They reappeared swiftly. Tia threw me an apologetic smile as they sat back down.
"Sorry; we just called Tanya and her coven. They'll be down in a few hours, as will the Irish coven," Benjamin explained. Carlisle nodded, satisfied.
"What about the others? The nomads? How will we contact them in time?" Jacob asked, his arm slung around Nessie's shoulders protectively.
"Alice and I will find them. It will only take a week, and we can find Zafrina easily. The others will be slightly more difficult, but I think you will find that other covens will be drawn here when they learn what is happening," Jasper replied.
"I don't like splitting the family up. What if the Volturi make a pre-emptive strike against us, targeting Alice. Aro knows she is our main advantage as well as the only effective means of predicting their movements," Carlisle frowned, leaning back against the back of the sofa, his arm clutching me closer unconsciously.
"Ahh, but unlike me they have no way of knowing where I will be," Alice nodded, one dainty eyebrow raised. A confident smile was on her elfin face.
"But Demetri-" I started, but Alice cut me off.
"Just wait a second, Bella. You too Nessie, before you open your mouth," Alice held up her hand. We waited in silence.
Slowly I became aware of a familiar scent, then the sound of someone moving almost silently towards the house. I hissed involuntarily as I recognised the smell. Vampire. Tanya's coven could not have reached us so quickly, and neither could Siobhan's coven. It was an unknown. Alice was still smiling confidently.
Surprisingly, the doorbell rang and Alice went to answer it. And the last person I ever thought I would see walked in through the door.
Demetri, the Volturi's tracker.
In a whirl of action I had him pinned against the wall in one hand, with Carlisle at my flank and Jasper, Benjamin and Tia crouched defensively just behind. Alice and Nessie rolled their eyes derisively. I took no notice.
"I should've known Aro would send someone. I just didn't expect him to be so stupid as to send one. Or do you have backup waiting nearby?" I snarled at him, tightening my grip on his throat. Demetri, unable to speak, shook his dark head, his crimson eyes wide with surprise.
"Bella, before you tear Demetri's head off, you might be interested to know he doesn't have any back up, he wasn't sent by Aro and, FYI he's defected," Alice chirped behind me.
"What?" I growled, flicking a glance over my shoulder.
"I said, he's defected. Demetri left the Volturi and came to warn us," Alice said, a smug smile on her face. "But why don't you let him explain?"
"But….how? Why?" Carlisle wondered aloud, his golden eyes fixed on Demetri's face.
"Bella, if you would." Alice gestured to my stranglehold on his neck. I slowly, reluctantly let go, stepping back. As Demetri smoothed the front of his clothes, I took in his appearance.
He was dressed in a smart black suit, but not the usual grey cloak worn by the Volturi guard. His black hair was still wavy to his shoulders. His eyes were slightly black, indicating growing thirst. I realised that he was staring at me as much as I was staring at him.
"You murdered Emmett," I growled.
"Yes I did. But before you tear me apart, will you hear my story? I promise that what Alice has said is true and that I bear you no ill will," he eventually said.
Carlisle nodded, and we all sat. I kept Nessie beside me, Jacob phased beside her, and Carlisle with his hands on my shoulders. Benjamin and Tia hovered in the background, uncertain. Jasper was close to Demetri, crouched, ready to attack if he did. Alice however was completely relaxed, curled up in an armchair, watching Demetri's face. Demetri cleared his throat and began.
"I know you don't trust me, and I don't blame you after what I did, but I ask you to hear me out. Five years ago, Aro came to us and told us to prepare for an attack. He claimed that evidence had been shown to him, indicating that you were preparing to assassinate and overthrow the Volturi. False evidence as I now know, but I didn't then. Chelsea's gift filled us with fervor and desire to protect our masters. I can't explain what she does, except you feel as though if you do not do your duty, protect the coven, you lose all purpose and wither away. Protecting the Volturi elders is all most of us know or can remember. So none of us questioned it; indeed, some like Alec and Jane relished the thought of destroying your coven. And so did I, at first. But the night we attacked, Aro revealed that he was only attacking to acquire Alice, Edward, Renesmee and Bella. He wanted your gifts for himself."
"The others were not shaken by the revelation but I was. It loosened Chelsea's hold on my loyalty and slowly I saw the Volturi for what they were. And then, you, Bella came back to Volterra and destroyed Caius and Marcus. At first I believed as the others did, that you were trying to assassinate the Volturi elders all along, until I remembered what you had said to Aro. That your one goal was to recover your daughter and avenge your family's murder. I saw the way you were with Carlisle, and with Renesmee. And I felt the blindfold lift fully from my eyes; then Aro decided to come after you. I knew I could not let you go unwarned, although I did forget Alice. I cannot tell you how much I regret the deaths of your family, and the deaths of so many others that I have caused. I know I cannot, that I have no right to ask your forgiveness, but I will seek to repay, even with my life, my centuries of mistakes. I will die to defend you from Aro and the rest of the Volturi," he finished solemnly.
Carlisle's hands were tight on my shoulders, and I still struggled with my desire to kill him for his part in the death of my family. Alice suddenly sent me a sharp glance, and I slumped against Carlisle. I was suddenly so tired, too tired to fight, too tired to kill. I had had enough of killing.
"Fine. But I don't know if I can forgive you. But I understand the danger you placed yourself in to warn us," I sighed reluctantly.
"You will have sanctuary here. I understand what you've told us about Chelsea. I remember her gift all too well. But if you truly wish to help us-" Carlisle started.
"I do," Demetri interjected firmly.
"-then you can give us some information. How many of the Volturi did the pack take out, what Aro's plan is and so on," Carlisle finished. Demetri nodded, relaxing slightly. Jacob growled.
"It's ok, Jake. He's not going to attack us anytime soon," I said wearily. Jacob snorted but phased back, disappearing behind the sofa to shrug into his shorts. Nessie watched Demetri intently, perhaps reading his thoughts. Since she didn't seem to find anything amiss, I nodded at Demetri to continue.
"With your little stunt in Volterra, you took out Corin, Felix and Heidi. Of the original guard, only Chelsea, Alec, Jane, Santiago and Afton remain. I think you killed Renata when you killed Caius and Marcus," he inclined his head at me. "Aro's plan is simple. He thinks he can outnumber you, spread enough lies so that the covens will stand at his side. But he is too blinded by hate and revenge now. He doesn't think of the anger that spread when the rumours of your deaths circulated throughout our world. The covens will stand by you, and you alone. And he doesn't take into account some of your gifts. Nor does he expect you to have the support you already do. For example he does not know about Jasper's gift, which could help us."
Thank you, Demetri. That is some good news at least," Carlisle breathed out in relief.
"How many do you anticipate standing by you?" Demetri asked.
"Forty two-" a growl from Renesmee. I sighed heavily. "Forty three, including the werewolf pack."
Demetri's eyebrows rose incredulously. "How many gifted?"
I thought for a moment. "Eleven. Twelve including you,"
"How many significantly gifted, for example, with fighting gifts or defensive gifts like yours?"
"Five," I replied, my tone slightly grudging.
"And all of the Volturi's gifts will be nullified by your shield. Or turned on their users by Renesmee," he mused. "I truly do not see how Aro believes he can win. Apart from some of the European covens, he will be heavily outnumbered,"
At his words, some hope rose in me once more. But if I knew Aro he would have some trick up his sleeve.
It was strange having Demetri in the house. I could not forgive him for the part he played in my family's' deaths, yet I was perversely grateful for the potential sacrifice he was willing to make to atone for it. He had been an enemy for so long, I did not know what to think or feel. But slowly he was becoming a reluctant part of our existence, of our family. He was forever planning with Alice and Carlisle, advising us on the Volturi's strengths and weaknesses, and their aptitude in battle. There was tension when the Denalis; Tanya, Garrett, Kate, Eleazar and Carmen arrived. It wasn't dispelled until Siobhan's coven arrived and little Maggie confirmed that he was telling the truth. Everyone relaxed around him, no-one treated him as a suspected traitor or a spy, yet I still mistrusted him.
When all those who could be summoned arrived, Alice and Jasper prepared to leave to hunt out the nomads. Demetri was going with them, as was Tanya, Kate and Garrett. At first I had wanted to keep Demetri in my sight, still expecting some sort of betrayal, maybe an attempt to kill Alice whilst she was separated from us, but Alice was quick to reassure me. As was Maggie and Nessie who shrugged my fears off. But having Demetri go with them would make the process a lot faster, since he could track all of the nomads we needed.
The sooner they returned the better. I still felt an ominous feeling in my gut, warning me of impending danger. I still couldn't see why it wouldn't be simpler for me to just run and lead the Volturi away from Forks. Or go to meet Aro myself. I made sure I didn't make any concrete plans, so Alice wouldn't see my decision, but I grew surer by the day.
I forgot that that hadn't worked before. I should've known Alice would see me.
I was in the locker room of the hospital, four days after Alice and the others had left to go nomad hunting. I had just finished a minor operation, and Carlisle and I were both stripping off our bloody scrubs.
He had insisted we go about our daily lives like normal, Nessie going to school and us coming to work. It was a welcome reprieve.
Suddenly the phone buzzed in Carlisle's jacket pocket, where it hung in his locker, and he snapped it open. I watched him concernedly, as his expression changed from puzzled, to exasperated and angry.
"Carlisle?" I murmured, worried.
He snapped the phone shut and turned to me, his brow arched disapprovingly. A second later, I was pinned against the metal of the locker, his hands holding my wrists prisoner.
"I've just had a very interesting conversation with Alice. She had another vision."
"What of?" I mumbled, trying to shrug his grip off. It was as unbreakable as steel, even for another vampire. He just looked at me and I understood.
"Is there anything you would like to tell me, Bella?" he asked courteously, despite the almost desperate, feral look in his eyes.
"She saw me running, didn't she?" I asked.
"Alice saw rather more than that," Carlisle replied, wincing slightly. My eyes widened; had Alice seen me die? My attention snapped back to him as I felt his sweet breath on my lips. "Bella you're not going anywhere, understand?"
"Carlisle….." he cut me off, taking my mouth urgently. God, I hated it when he did this! He didn't release my lips, insistently pressing his body into mine. I finally wrenched my lips from his. "Carlisle! We're in the fricking hospital for chrissake!"
He didn't reply, just pressed his lips against my neck. My eyes rolled back in my head. He finally stopped his torturous inspection of my neck to raise burning eyes to mine.
"Bella, you can't leave us. We need you, now more than ever. Goddamit, Bella! I need you. How do you think I could go on living without you now? I can't lose you too. Bella please?" he pleaded, his beautiful eyes filled with heartbreaking emotion. My resolve wavered; although my head told me it was the safest way, to run and lead the Volturi to me and me alone, my heart rebelled at the look in his eyes. How could I do this to him, to Nessie? To the remainder of my family?
Carlisle's mouth returned to mine, his tongue pulling mine into a heated duel of hazy passion.
"Carlisle…." I murmured, trying one last time before I gave in. He cut me off again with a kiss. "Carlisle, it's the only way to protect you,"
"No," was the growled reply, before he had me flat on my back on one of the sofas in the large room. At the feel of his body atop mine, my spine melted and my resolution with it. I couldn't resist him, didn't want to resist him. I didn't want to leave. My tongue tangled with his, my hands gliding into his hair, framing his face. His hands went to my shirt, as his lips left mine to trail a heated line of burning kisses down my torso. I moaned softly and arched, biting my lip. His face appeared above mine and I glared up at him.
"I hate it when you do that. It makes me feel like agreeing to anything," I groaned.
"Good," he growled as I tore open his shirt and ran my hands over his rock-hard skin. Our lips rejoined and we were lost. It was probably a good thing that we locked the staff room door.
A few days later, Alice, Jasper and the others returned with the promised nomads. To my not so unpleasant surprise, I sensed that Tanya and Demetri had grown close, despite her suspicion of him. And that also Demetri's eyes were no longer a dull crimson, but slowly fading to a reddish-gold. I truly hadn't expected him to take to our lifestyle so willingly or so easily. I could imagine Alice's smug look if she could hear my thoughts. Carlisle and I greeted the nomads warmly, welcoming them back to our home, although none were allowed to hunt near us. It was only two weeks until the Volturi were due to arrive and we started to prepare.
In the baseball clearing, Benjamin used his gift to stack piles of gigantic boulders to use as missiles, as well as piles of wood that he could set alight in front of our group. Nessie and I would be in the centre of the vampires, where we could utilize our gifts most effectively; I would protect our vampires whilst Nessie would disable theirs. Carlisle and Jasper were busy planning the strategy side of the fight, selecting key targets from Demetri's information. This surprised me at first; Carlisle hated violence.
He had said to me, "I don't relish killing another creature, nor do I look forward to the fight like Jasper does. But I will not stand by and let the Volturi destroy all that I love, Bella,"
His words rang through my mind as I watched the fighting group train; Kate, Garrett, Tanya, Demetri, Charles, Peter, Charlotte, Mary, Makenna, Randall, Eleazar, Carmen, Tia, Vladimir, Stefan, Senna, Kachiri, Maggie, Siobhan, Liam, Alice, Jasper and Carlisle. Zafrina would be with us and Benjamin, to defend us and to use her gift to blind any ungifted Volturi left standing. Jacob and his pack were with us constantly, training side by side. They had grown again; twenty wolves in all. Hope reigned that we would be able to survive. But that changed when Alice received another vision.
We were training, sparring against one another in the baseball clearing, when she suddenly stiffened as Demetri pinned her to the floor. Jasper roared in outrage, flinging him off of her, but a second later Alice emerged from her trance, and held Jasper back.
"It's ok, Jasper. It wasn't his fault, I had a vision," she said. Demetri got up, and Jasper stiltedly apologised.
"What was it Alice?" Carlisle asked concernedly, as everyone flitted to us. Concern and trepidation hung in the air.
"The Volturi have grown again. Aro's recruited ten from some of the European covens, and he's been making newborns in the dozens. They now number fifty-five. We're outnumbered," she whispered, anger and fear evident on her face. Fifty-five, fifty-five vampires to our forty-eight. Fear ran through the assembled vampires.
But Demetri spoke up. "How many are gifted, that you can see, Alice?"
"None of the newborns. A few of the others are. They've got a new tracker," she replied.
"Go figure," I muttered.
"But how can he do that? Surely the newborns will be too uncontrollable," Tanya mused from beside me. Demetri and Carlisle both shook their heads.
"No. With Chelsea's gift Aro could bind them to the Volturi and ensure their obedience." Demetri told her.
"It makes no difference; we will still fight," Siobhan spoke up determinedly. "The Volturi will still come after us, regardless of whether we run or not,"
The Amazons and the Denalis nodded in agreement, but some of the nomads looked unsure. Seeing their uncertainty, Garrett suddenly stepped forward.
"Friends, I can see your fear and I can emphasise. But if you do not fight, if you leave this family to annihilation by tyranny, do you think the Volturi will stop until every single trace of their freedom and their sympathisers are eliminated. And how will you feel, knowing that you abandoned this family because they have a few more vampires than us? They may outnumber us, but that does not mean they will win. We have some of the most talented vampires in the world with us," he gestured to me, Nessie and some of the others, "they only have a few, and their gifts are useless against Bella and Renesmee. My friends, we can win. If only by opposing tyranny, and showing the world that we will not be dominated by those who would demand our allegiance, we would lay the foundations for their destruction. It is better to die on our feet, than to live on our knees! The Volturi have finally revealed their true nature and now is the time to rid ourselves of them, so we may live in peace and not in terror!
The uncertainty vanished from the nomads' faces, replaced by determination. If they did not fight for us, then they would fight for their freedom. Watching Garrett, and the fervour in his face; watching the determined faces of Alice, Jasper, and the rest of my family I felt a warm glow of pride. Of hope. Even for Demetri.
Maybe this latest news would tip the balance, encourage other covens to join us. I didn't feel comfortable with asking anyone to die for us, but it wasn't just us they were fighting for. It would be for their freedom too.
Carlisle's hands twined with mine, as we watched the assembled vampires flaming in the light of the setting sun.
