Trials of a Secret

The Hoh Rainforest

Edie and Riley were only halfway to their destination when they acknowledged their tracker. "If you're not brave enough to ask me by now, then you might as well go home, Bree."

The newborn girl looked up at the hybrid. Bree was on the short side compared to most girls her age and Edie was taller than most, so when she met Edie's eyes she had to look almost a foot higher than her level. By now, there are three things that Bree Tanner knew with absolute certainty. The woman in front of her had saved her life today by hiding her from the Volturi. Secondly, there was a family that wanted her and would take care of her. Finally, if she was going to pay them back in any way, she would need to be tough and the person who could teach her how was right in front of her.

"Can you teach me?"

"You're gonna have to be more specific."

"I want to be like you. I want to be strong. Can you teach me how to be strong?"

"Why should I? Even for a vampire, you are small and not that fast. You didn't fight with the other newborns." Edie circled Bree like a buyer inspecting an art piece, sizing it up to determine its value. "Were you too afraid? Scared shitless? You couldn't even move."

"I didn't want to fight. I just wanted to..."

"Okay, I'll teach you." Bree stood there with her mouth gaping wide. "You'll catch flies like that. I have my own reasons for wanting you by my side." Bree down cast her vision and if she could, she would've blushed at the comment, but mostly at the wolfy smile that Edie was exhibiting.

"Where are we going anyway," Riley impatiently asked.

"We're meeting a contact of mine from the enemy. We should speed up; he can't stay away too long."

Riley and Bree followed their new leader and arrived with her not even a mile away from their previous stop. Riley was still trying to figure out the native's motives. He thought that since he was one of the ones who commanded the newborns, then he would be the best person to teach, but Bree was also chosen. Still, Riley counted his blessings that he was still alive. If what the hybrid exhibited was any indication of how powerful she was, then he was lucky he was still alive, let alone, her apprentice. When they got to the meeting place, they saw that one of the vampires in the black cloaks was there. It was the smaller vampire; the one that always stood next to the girl.

Alec had only a moment to spare. He had told the others he found someone he wanted to try. When he saw Edie again, he was floored at what he witnessed. Her power was something to be feared, but instead, he felt at ease. It was as if he knew that he was in no danger from her. Edie asked to meet him using telepathic messaging and he pondered at her power once more.

"Don't try to figure me out. It'll give you a headache."

"That's pretentious of you, isn't it?" His snide comeback had almost no power to it.

"What can I say? I was trying to channel my father." They hugged like they hadn't seen each other in years. "It's times like this that I wish you were by my side, my friend."

"Did you fail?"

"No. Everything is going per plan with few variables."

"Then why are you so glum? And why are you letting those two listen to our conversation?"

Edie motioned to her followers. "They are Riley and Bree. I decided to take on some pupils."

"Are you sure you have time for that?"

"I definitely have time. Why didn't you deal with Victoria?"

"How did you- never mind. We planned to get rid of the problem ourselves, but Jane had other ideas. She wanted to win favor with Aro as if she needed to," he added bitterly, "so she let the redhead continue with her vendetta."

"Let me guess, Jane would swoop in and capture Alice and Edward for the Volturi. Riley, did you know about this?"

"No. Victoria only gave me information and I came up with the strategies. I mostly copied Halo."

"What's Halo? Forget it. Bree, what about you?"

"I saw the girl vampire with Victoria and they were talking, but their voices were too low for me to hear them."

"So, in the original timeline," Edie surmised. "The newborns were wiped out by the Volturi."

"What changed this time," Alec inquired.

"Victoria told us to get intel on the chief's daughter," Riley answered. "Bella, I think her name was…Wait! Did you say 'original timeline'?"

"Yes, yes. I'm a time-traveler. Let's move on. Alec, how are things on your side?"

"Mostly mundane, but Aro definitely has something planned for your coven. Witnesses have already been contacted."

Edie understood what her friend was implying. "So, when will we commit our 'heinous crime'?"

"I don't know. I should go."

"Before you do," Edie pulled out a blood bag and tossed it to him. "It's not like what you're used to, but it'll hold you over until next time."

He looked down at the bag. It was his favorite flavor, AB-NEGATIVE. He sighed, "Are you sure you don't want me to tell him? Not even a hint?"

"I miss him, but no, don't tell him anything. Just make sure he drinks enough blood and…and don't let him stay in his room for longer than a day; he'll get irritated and become insufferable. Please, just keep an eye on him."

Alec grinned in amusement, "Definitely." At the last second, he added, "Aro will know about you now. How much do you want revealed to him?"

"About as much as the others know."

"What if he recognizes the scent?"

"Tell him the truth. You came across me in Arizona."

Alec did not want to argue anymore. It was getting to hazardous to their plan for him to stay any longer, "Until next time, Clyde."

"Later, Bonnie." She led Riley and Bree away walking, instead of flitting to the Cullen mansion. The vampires walking slightly behind her were anxious. "You might as well ask now."

Bree was first, "What year are you from?"

"Either 2078 or 2082 or somewhere around there."

"Why aren't you sure," Riley questioned.

"Because I lived a long time underground. By the time I was 20, I was alone. When you live forever, time is almost irrelevant and that, by itself, handicaps us."

"Why?"

"When you were a little girl, what did you want to be when you grew up? Probably a princess, right? And you, Riley, when was the last time you had a nightmare? Vampires don't do that, they don't dream and they don't fear."

"Isn't that the point? We're supposed to be the ultimate killing machines, unstoppable."

"That's a bunch of crap. Today, a pack of wolves brought down an entire army of newborns. They're not even real werewolves."

"They're not?"

"No. The Children of the Moon, as they were called, are nearly extinct. Too much fear and too much trust will lead to an unfavorable end. The only beings that can survive past those points are humans. They are amazing creatures; they are full of fear and hope and somehow, they persevere. Immortals don't fear time and less hope for something better."

Cullen Residence

They arrived not long afterward. The whole place was covered in decorations and smelled amazing. Alice came up to Edie as soon as she entered the property. "When did you get the blood?"

"I had it handy with me for a while. How much did you see?"

"Nothing really, just parts of your meeting and most of your conversation on the way over here. Thanks Edie, it means a lot. I'm sorry for being such a bitch. Of course, you can't tell us much about the future; I should've understood more than anyone." The tiny vampire wrapped her arms around the hybrid.

Edie returned the hug with the same sincerity. "I'm sorry too. I have a tough time letting people in. Speaking of, I have news for the family. When will the pack get here?"

"In a few minutes. Paul is going to forget about your drinking problem and he's going to bring alcohol for the pack and the girls. Before you ask, everything's going to be fine if you do one of your shields on Bree and Riley. Should I call Paul now, or let Jacob do it later?"

"It's okay, Alice. Let Paul do what he wants."

Meanwhile, in Edward's room, he and Jacob were going over the events of the previous night. "Do you remember what happened last night, after we exchanged gifts?"

"No. I remember everything getting bright and then nothing." The wolf felt a sting on his shoulder and instinctively touched it. 'What the hell?' Jacob stretched his shirt as far as he could to investigate the bumps he felt on his left shoulder, but he ended up taking it off instead. He went to the mirror and to Edward's horror, there was a bite mark on the shoulder in question. "You bit me?!"

Edward, on his knees, bowed profoundly, "I'm sorry, Jake. I'm so, so sorry. I don't remember doing it. I'm so–"

"Babe, Babe, Ed! It was probably in the heat of the moment or something." 'Let's talk this way until we figure it out, I don't want anyone eavesdropping. We need to think about this calmly and rationally.'

'That's funny coming from you.'

'Yeah, yeah. Don't pretend like you aren't the same way.'

'Fine,' Edward replied with the tension having been eased somewhat.

'Neither one of us remembers what happened last night after we, you know.'

'Came, orgasmed…is the puppy suddenly embarrassed?'

'No,' Jacob denied with the blushed setting on his face. 'I just prefer, the Big O, y'know'

'The Big O?'

'Yeah.'

'We're deviating from the problem at hand.'

'You started it,' he replied petulantly.

'You're obviously not a vampire because you wouldn't be able to blush. Do you feel any different?'

'Not really. I mean, I felt tingly when I woke up, but that was because I woke up in your arms.' Jacob's face heated up and Edward looked at him with a loving smile.

'So, I had no effect on you.'

'I wouldn't say that,' Jacob slip his arms around his fiancé and placed a loving kiss on his lips. 'You definitely "had an effect on me," but your bite, not so much,' he teased.

Edward returned the kiss with the same force but started to feel a sting on his shoulder too. He walked up to the mirror as well and unbuttoned his dress shirt. He had a mark on his shoulder too, just like Jacob. 'Looks like I'm not the only one who did some biting last night.'

Jacob observed their marks, 'They're embedded into our skin; kind of like tattoos or birthmarks. How long do you think we'll have them?'

'They should've healed by now. If that is any indication, then they may never go away.'

'Should we tell your dad?'

'Maybe later, it doesn't seem very urgent right now.'

'Yeah, I mean it's not like we're any different than yesterday.'

"Edie's back," Edward spoke suddenly. "She has something she wants to share with us."

"The guys should be here any minute. We better get down there."

When they got downstairs, Alice and Edie were conspiring while the newest members of the family were in the corner trying not to be seen. "I see you two made up."

"What's a few arguments between sisters," answered Alice. "It's gonna rain today," she hinted.

"Is it a thunderstorm?" He didn't wait for her to respond verbally, "Perfect day for baseball then!"

"Why does it need to be raining to play baseball," Jacob inquired.

"You'll see when the pack gets here. How much time do we have, Alice?"

"Storm hits in an hour. We have time for a few innings."

When the pack arrived, the tension in the air was thick and it was pretty much awkward for Bree and Riley. A lot of the tension stemmed from Paul bringing vodka, whiskey, and tequila. Jacob was about to go off on him being either too stupid or inconsiderate for bringing liquor around an alcoholic, but Edie reassured her Alpha that Paul did nothing wrong. The way she explained it was that drinking that stuff to her, is the equivalent of drinking

Finally, Alice announced that it was time to head to the field. At first, there was confusion about what thunderstorms had to do with what they were doing in a field. To which she replied, "We're playing baseball, silly. The thunder disguises our hits." The pack pumped up quickly.

"So, how are we dividing up teams? Pack versus Coven?" Embry wondered.

"How else," Emmett replied rhetorically. "The numbers are too uneven for boys versus girls."

"And with the new guys in your group, you'll finally be decent competition," Leah snidely commented with a playful smirk. "Not that you'll come close to winning," she added.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rosalie confronted the she-wolf.

"Oh nothing," Leah feigned innocence. "Just that my Em is more gifted than your Em."

"I hope you're not implying that your puny, scrawny excuse-for-a-wolf boyfriend is better than my muscular and magnificent Adonis-for-a-husband."

"I'm not implying anything. I'm telling you my Em is better than your Em."

"Oh bitch, it's on!"

"What are the terms?" Both Emmett and Embry subtly retreated themselves from the conversation; they knew how passionate their mates could be.

"What do you have in mind?"

"If I win," Leah spoke pensively. "You need to let Embry give you a bear hug and you can't wash the smell off for a whole 24 hours."

At the horror, Rosalie responded, "Fine. When I win, you need to go shopping with Alice; for shoes, blouses, skirts, and dresses."

Alice, who obviously heard them, retorted, "I resent that you think that shopping with me is torture."

Ignoring Alice, Rosalie continued, "and just to be fair, you have to do it for 24 hours too."

"Deal," Leah agreed with more determination to win.

Edie really didn't think that having them play against each other was the best thing to do to promote unity. "Actually, this might be good for us. There's nothing like a friendly competition," said Edward. "We're naturally competitive creatures; plus, we're teenagers for the most part."

"I mean, I guess, but…"

"Don't worry so much. Relax." Edward saw Edie's mind wander to the newest additions of the coven. "Riley, Bree! Do you know how to play?"

"I was an All-Star catcher," Riley replied smugly.

"I didn't really play sports," said Bree.

"That's okay. We can just play catch if you want."

"Are you sure, Edie? Don't you want to play?"

"It wouldn't be fair. I would cream them," she teased. In a way, Bree liked the extra attention Edie gave her. It made her feel special. The two girls tossed a baseball around for about an hour until Bree got the courage to play the game. The game was 0-1 in favor of the vampires when the thunderstorm began to dissolve. Leah was inconsolable.

It was getting late and all the meat had been eaten (mostly by Edie). There was a minor awkward pause when the liquor was brought out, but fears were put to rest once everyone got a little bit tipsy. The vampires watched the humans with amusement and a bit of jealousy. It had been a long time since any of them could enjoy the simplest things like food or a nice bottle of whiskey.

That was when Edie came out and said, "I learned a trick from a friend of mine that helps vampires drink liquor to their heart's content."

"No way," Emmett exclaimed.

"You're yanking our chain," said Jasper.

"I swear, Soldier. Venom is a perfecting agent. It only needs a pure substance to activate it; such as blood or a sterilized liquid, like booze."

"Show us."

"Okay. Alice, which way should I do it?"

"Your first idea is better and if you get us accustomed to it, we should be able to get a hold of ourselves in time for the wedding."

Edie took out seven small glass cups and poured a shot's worth of vodka into each one. She handed them out to each of the Cullen vampires.

"How come we don't get any," Riley complained.

"Because," Edie explained. "You're too young."

"We're the same age."

"Once you start your new diet, then we can talk."

Riley wanted to retort but found himself unable to. Instead, he scowled to the ground.

"Someone should be phased just in case," Jacob added. "Not that we think you're gonna be out of control or anything. We should just be safe."

"We'll do it!" Brady and Collin shouted simultaneously. "Please, Jake. Please!"

"Fine, pups. You earned this. Jared, can you phase too?"

"Sure."

"So, how do we do this?" Carlisle spoke.

"Are we supposed to spit in the cup," Edward asked for the rest of them.

"All you have to do is put a bit of your own venom in the cup. You could spit, but Garrett preferred biting his thumb. Only a couple of drops are needed."

All the Cullen vampires were skeptical, but Carlisle being the oldest and the patriarch of the family, drank first. The last time meal he ever had as a human was over 400 years ago, and it was communal wine and a piece of old bread he had shared with an old woman outside the church walls. As the liquor made its way across his tongue and down his throat, he tasted it. For the first time in so long, he could taste something other than blood. He covered his face with his hand that wasn't holding the cup and dry-sobbed into it.

"Carlisle!" Esme spoke out of concern.

"He's fine Esme," Edward reassured his mother. "He's just overwhelmed." The telepath downed his vodka and, just like his sire, he tasted every part of it. The rest them followed suit.

Their shocked expressions prompted Embry to ask, "So…how was it?"

"It tastes like," Emmett began. "Like…"

"Like when my Daddy gave me my last sip of spirits before leaving for the army the next day," Jasper finished, all choked up.

"It tasted like," Alice couldn't finish.

"Like something I've tasted before," Esme breathed.

"Like the last church social I went to before the influenza hit," said Edward.

"It tastes like," Rosalie sobbed with no tears. "It tastes like vodka!" She embraced her new sister. "Thank you, so much."

"It's no problem. I love you guys." Edie's face became more serious. "There's something I need to tell you guys."

The mood became solemn and everyone turned their attention to the hybrid. "What did your contact tell you," asked Edward.

"Who is your contact," Sam questioned Edie.

"He's of the Volturi."

"Are you sure you can trust what he says?"

"Alec is sincere."

"Alec? He's dangerous, Sweetheart," exclaimed Carlisle.

"He's one of Aro's most formidable weapons and a loyal lackey," Alice explained. "Why do you trust someone like him?"

"We have an understanding," answered Edie. "You're getting off subject."

"She's right," said Jacob. "If this is important, then I want to hear this."

"But Jake," Edward began.

"Do you want to sit around and argue credibility or do you actually want to hear what she has to say," Jacob voiced with finality.

Taking her cue from Jacob, Edie continued, "Alec told me that Aro has started collecting witnesses."

"Why is collecting witnesses important?"

"It happens all the time; whenever Aro wants something or someone from a particular coven, it's not very long afterward that that coven has committed a crime. They make a big show about spreading justice and in every case, there is always one or two members of the coven in question that are 'completely innocent' of the heinous crime."

"This is about Alice. He has no one like her," Edward concluded.

"And you. He wants Alice for her power, but if he has you, it's almost as good."

"Why?"

"Because, you're Edward Cullen." She spoke as if that was the only explanation needed. It escaped everyone except Jasper that when she made her statement, it sounded almost bitter.

"And this happened before," asked Emmett. "In your timeline, I mean."

"Yeah. Jacob had just become Alpha and Bella had been with the Volturi for a few months. The Volturi came with only a few hours-warning. It happened within a blink of an eye. Alice and Edward refused, the wolves fought, Bella killed Seth, then Rosalie killed Bella, and everyone was gone."

Everyone took a pause to reflect on what they had just been told. It was Sam that asked, "What were you trying to accomplish by coming here; it seems to me that even with the full power of the pack and the Cullens, the Volturi were impossible to beat and you want us to defeat them now?"

"Things are different."

"From what you told us, I don't see the difference. It's the same pack, the same vampires plus two, the only real difference is that Bella Swan is dead. Even with the advantage of time, how can we hope to gain enough strength to take them down?"

"Edie?" Jacob noticed that Edie had become eerily quiet. "What's different now than before?"

"You and Edward have known each other longer and the pack and the coven are working well together."

"There's something else. You can tell us, Sunshine."

She stared into his dark-brown eyes and searched for the hope that what she was about to reveal wouldn't do more harm than good.

Not very far off, they heard a toddler's voice begging, "Please. I wan' a stowy."

"How about I tell you one when we get home," Emily compromised.

"Come on, Claire-Bear. I know you like it when Emily tells you a story," Quil persuaded.

"But I wan' Edie to tell me a stowy."

Of course, Quil couldn't deny his little imprint anything, "Edie, do you mind?"

"Not at all." Claire was on Quil's lap and Edie sat across from them. The rest gathered around them. Somehow, they felt that whatever was about to be said would be important for them to know in the future.

"Can you tell a pwincess stowy?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"Are you really, really sure?"

"Yeah!"

After enough teasing, Edie relented. "Okay, Claire. This is the story of the girl who never wanted to find her prince."

"Was she cwazy in the head?" Claire exclaimed.

"No, she was just heartbroken," she responded kindly.

"Why was her heart bwoken?"

"Why don't we let Edie tell the story, okay, Claire-bear?" Quil placated the small child.

"Okay!"

"Alright, then." Edie began, "A long time ago, our tribe was secluded, mostly to keep safe from enemies. However, one Quileute was a bit braver than the rest. The girl, Kah, was a descendant of great warriors of the tribe and with her siblings traveling to far off lands, she was next in-line to lead the people.

"Kah found small ways to rebel against the normalcy of the tribe. One day, she had gone further inside the forest than ever she had. It was like destiny was calling her. That day, she met a boy with the whitest skin she had ever seen. His name was Hayda and he was a Pale Face. The Pale Faces had similar rules in their tribe about outsiders such as the people from Kah's tribe. Still, it didn't stop Kah and Hayda from meeting in secret almost every day.

"Eventually, the tribe found out about the lovers and Kah was soon ordered to stay away from Hayda. She refused and pleaded, 'I love him. He's my prince!' Upon hearing Kah's declaration, it was decided that she would be banished and she never saw her family or friends of the tribe again.

"Having heard the news, Hayda insisted that Kah stay with him and his family. They were happy and Kah managed to win over the hearts of Hayda's family and vice versa, despite prejudices. Their peaceful lives were short-lived because a group of blood-thirsty warriors, called the Coven, had traveled onto the land of the Pale Faces. Kah had sent word to her people pleading for their help to defeat these tyrants. Four of Kah's friends came to her aid, getting themselves banished in the process.

"Kah's friends along with Hayda's family were killed within the hour. The only ones left alive at that point were Kah, Hayda, and Hayda's mother, Anne. In his last effort to save Kah, Hayda sacrificed himself to their attackers while Anne forced Kah to run away.

"Months later, Kah gave birth to a girl named Sarah. Sarah only knew her mother for three short months before another member of the Coven killed Kah too. When she heard the story of her parents, Sarah decided that if she ever found her prince, she would only suffer. For years, Anne and Sarah traveled all over the world. Eventually, Anne died and Sarah was alone." There was an eerie silence in the middle of Edie's story.

After a minuscule pause, she continued, "One day, the same warriors who killed her family had found her. They took Sarah prisoner and it was there that she met the one person who she never wanted to meet. It was like Anne had said it would be like. One look was all it took. Sarah was devastated. She had found the prince she never wanted to meet and he was part of the people who murdered her family. When the guards of the Coven took her to the dungeons, it only reinforced the idea that now that she had found her prince, she would continue to suffer until she died.

"It wasn't like Sarah was against love, no. In fact, she thought she had found it years before with a woman she had come across in her travels. Sarah thought that maybe she needed a princess to be happy and not a prince. Sarah and the woman eventually became lovers until the day the woman betrayed Sarah by screaming out another's name as they made love. After the incident with that woman, Sarah grew stronger in her resolve to never find a prince OR a princess. Sarah decided that day to never find love.

"Sarah's prince, whose name was Christopher, felt the same connection as Sarah did and he visited her every day in the dungeons. It was months later that he finally spoke to her. Sarah answered him with disinterest. She tried to keep him at a distance, but Christopher found ways to keep Sarah talking. Eventually, a warmth sparked in Sarah's chest and when she recognized the danger, she stopped speaking to Christopher altogether to drive him away.

"Christopher saw this and withstood her cold demeanor for a month and then he confessed to her. 'I once had a wife,' he said. 'She made me happy every day of our marriage. She made me so happy that after she died, I wanted to join her. When I met you, I was angry; it was like I had thrown away all the years I had spent with her because, from the moment I saw you, I knew that I had found my princess. You are quite possibly the most stubborn woman I have ever met and what bothers me is that you use that stubbornness to drive me away. I know you feel the same way I do. I see it. I can feel it. This warm feeling in my chest has had its hold on me for nearly five years since you became our prisoner. I will wait until you admit the truth.'

"It was a week later that the leader of the Coven came into the dungeons to visit Sarah. He intended to make Sarah his bride in exchange for her freedom. Sarah refused, but the leader wanted to make her his wife even if was by force. Upon witnessing this, Christopher attacked the Coven's leader and killed him for daring to touch his princess. Once he freed Sarah, she pounced on him and gripped him tightly. With her face buried in his neck, she admitted, 'I don't want you to go away. My mother found her prince and when he was killed, she was heartbroken. I was just an infant when she died and I swore to myself that I would never be like that. I lost my grandmother and everyone I had ever cared about had to leave me eventually. I love you, my other half, my prince. Please don't go away.'

"It was there that Christopher vowed to her, 'I'll follow you wherever you go. From this day on, you won't be my princess. You'll be Sarah, my Queen.' Sarah responded, 'I'd rather just be yours.' They shared true love's kiss, got married, and lived happily ever after. The End."

There was a small, yet thundering clap coming from Claire. "Yay!"

"Come on little lady," Emily encouraged as she took Claire from Quil. "It's bedtime."

"One more, please," the tiny Quileute begged.

"We have to go, sweetie. If you're a good girl, then Quil can tuck you in. Does that sound fair?"

"Yeah," she mumbled but complacent that Quil would at least be there.

The wolves, excluding Jacob, went home as well. Edie poked the fire in front of her, pensively. Jasper came to sit next to her and asked, "Did Sarah really live happily ever after?"

Edie was mildly surprised at Jasper intuition. "She wants to."

Volterra, Italy

The quartet arrived at Volterra quickly. Their presence in the throne room had created a more urgent atmosphere than the usual superior one. Three lords sat on their thrones; one had a bored and uninterested expression, another's eyes were plastered with curiosity and ambition, and the last one was complacent and withdrawn.

The arrival of Demetri, Felix, Jane, and Alec struck a minuscule chord with the royal trio. Until, they got a whiff of them. The scent was intoxicating, to say the least. It ignited the deepest feelings of possessiveness for the lords.

"Alec," Aro spoke softly. "Where did you acquire this new scent?"

"And why didn't you save some for us," Caius spoke with his voice hoarse.

Alec quietly marched to Aro and offered his hand. Aro was then able to see where this psychedelic aroma originated. That woman! She draws him in like a Singer to a newborn. "I see. Our dear friend Carlisle has gained a new daughter. She is quite…breathtaking," Aro hesitated over choosing the right word to describe the quite original creature.

"Who is she Aro, what does she look like," Caius demanded. Meanwhile, Marcus was his usual withdrawn self, though curiosity did get the better of him. After a quick sketch of the woman in question was made, Caius, like Aro, wanted to covet her for himself.

"She is peculiar," said Demetri.

"How so," Marcus finally spoke.

"She is quite simply, a paradox, my lord. Her scent, the way she speaks, they are telltale signs of someone new to this world, but," he hesitated. Aro encouraged him to continue.

Felix spoke instead, "But her body language and her skills in battle are like a veteran of war spanning decades. Perhaps in her human life, she was a spy or an agent of some sort?"

Aro pondered this, "Jane, you've been awfully quiet. What troubles you?" He held out his hand and Jane gave him hers with her eyes cast down in shame and anger. Aro saw what Jane did not want the others to see. It was the moment where her own powers were turned against her and she could experience the type of pain she had inflicted on others. "Oh, my!" Aro breathed. "We must invite Carlisle's new daughter to court."

"What did you see, Brother," Caius requested.

"The woman, Edie (goodness we must find a proper name for her), it seems that she defeated our Jane by using her own power against her."

"No one has ever done that before."

"I wouldn't say no one. Right, Alec? I seem to recall a similar scent lingering on you sometime back when you were sent to retreat the tracker."

"It is possible that I may have come across her in Arizona. Only to meet her again in Washington."

"How did you keep such information from us?"

"I didn't, my lord. You've seen it yourself though my thoughts." Alec tried to sound convincing.

"He is right, Aro," Marcus interceded. "There is nothing that can escape your gift."

"Of course, Brother. Perhaps it is time for you four to retire."

Demetri, Alec, Felix, and Jane thanked Aro. The three lords decided to retire as well. Being the only lord without a lady, Marcus went to his room alone. As he traveled to his room, he was stopped by Heidi. This had become a regular occurrence since her acceptance in the coven.

Expectedly, her hands were all over him. To Heidi, Marcus was a goal. The male vampire had lived without his wife for millennia and yet, she hasn't been able to persuade him to bed her. He always gave her the same response.

"I am loyal to my wife and it would do you well to keep your hands off me."

"I mean no offense, my lord, but your wife has been dead for three thousand years. Surely, the time for mourning has passed."

Marcus detached himself from Heidi's hold. "I grew tired of your advances six hundred years ago, and I do so now." He firmly added, "The love I have for my wife is immeasurable. It will survive all distances, even those that seem impossible to overcome."

Heidi had been thoroughly put out and flitted to another part of the castle where she planned the next way for the coven to get their meal. Marcus didn't care or wonder why she constantly berated him with her advances. He knew, of course, it was because he seemed to be the only detached vampire her advances didn't work on.

Marcus comes into his room expecting his companion to be there. This companion, an old friend, so to speak, had visited him on and off over the last century. When he first came, he thought it was a dream. Except, the notion was utterly ridiculous. A vision, maybe. But a dream? Creatures like him don't dream.

His companion made himself known after word came that Stregone benefico had sired his first son. It was a surprise if anything at all. The warning his companion brought was about that same vampire. It was about Aro's obsession with him.

The second time the companion appeared was when was when Carlisle had acquired the rest of his family. He spoke of a vampire who could see complete moments of the future. Afterwards, Aro's hunger for Carlisle's progenies became more prominent. Aro's ambition was no secret to anyone, especially Marcus who had known him for most of his vampiric life (3000+ years).

Over the century, and during most visits, Marcus' companion mentioned a legend and the woman that was at the center of it whose eyes shined like the brightest emeralds. Or as his companion would say, they were like the green that accents the earth, making it infinitely more beautiful. Marcus noticed that when she was mentioned, his companion became more animated, almost alive. Marcus asked his companion if he loved her, his answer was, "Completely."

This angered Marcus. How had he come to love that woman? Was she- No! He denied... he refused to believe that something like that was possible.

The last time he came, he never went back. He arrived weakened and distraught. He whispered over and over. "I will find you. I swear."

Since then, three years had passed and his companion had spent each day and night researching a legend of the daughter of Lilith and other nonsense. It has also been three years since Marcus has had a shield around his thoughts. His companion claims that it was for protection for those who are important. However, one advantage that Marcus has had because of this mental shield is that Aro's hold of him through Chelsea's power was gone and he could see what ALL that Aro had done to secure power and maintain it. Everything, including what he had done to Didyme.

As Marcus scanned his room, he observed that it was the same as it had been for many millennia since he founded the Volturi with Aro, many years ago. It had an antique elegance that spoke his true age. In his human youth, he was considered a man, though, in these times, he was a mere child at nineteen years old. Marcus observed the image of the young man in the mirror in front of him. There were times he wondered if he should take his own life. He had lived long enough, surely.

"Are you contemplating suicide again?" A deep voice called out to him from out of the mirror's sight. He didn't spare a thought as to who it was.

"Would it matter? Neither you or Aro would ever let me."

"Aro wants to keep you alive for your power. I'm keeping your alive for her."

"You mean my wife?"

"Exactly."

"She's dead. Why can't I join her?"

"How many times do I have to tell you that she is not dead?"

"And how many times must I tell you that I won't accept anyone other than Didyme? She was my mate."

"No, she wasn't," the other insisted. "The proof is in what you felt today when you saw that picture. That pull, that connection. You never felt it before. If you say you did, then you are deluding yourself."

Marcus knew his companion was right. He asked the question he didn't dare ask in all the time he had known his companion. "Is being with her, better than being with Didyme?"

"You will always love Didyme. She brought happiness into your life, but with your wife, your true mate, you can truly live."

"As opposed to what?"

"As opposed to waiting for the end. She's not going to come to you this time. You have to go to her."

"Aro would never allow this."

"I know. And I can't protect you from a distance any longer."

"I thought we weren't going to do that," said Marcus after coming to the same conclusion as his companion.

"I never said the sort. If Aro sees that you are no longer in his control, then it will complicate things."

"How is merging going to help with that?"

"Because I still have my protection against him. We should warn Alec as well."

"What role does that toddler have in this?"

"I am sure she has confided in him as I knew she would."

"Why don't you merge with him instead?"

More calmly, he says, "I know you are frightened about the loss of control. I promise that my presence inside you is to act as a shield mostly."

"Very well," Marcus conceded to merging with his companion. "Before we continue, I must ask, why did you start coming to me all those years ago?"

"Because she needed me. More importantly, she needed him in her life. And trust me when I say that in the long run, it will be better for us"

"She needs Edward Cullen?"

"No. Jacob Black."

"Who is Jacob Black?"

"During the time I was visiting you, Edward's creation wasn't the only occurrence. That time also marked the beginning of the current line of shifters from a tribe called the Quileute. Jacob Black is the latest descendant of this line. He was born in the early 1990s."

"That explains your first and last visit, but what about your visit during the 1930s?"

"That was when Olympic Coven had first contact with the Quileute shifters."

"I fail to see Jacob Black's relevance."

Finally, his companion told him, "Jacob Black is the Supplanter."