Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. I own Lacey though. Mine. My Lacey. :P
Oooohhh this is the chapter we find out why Sam is such a doucheface to Lacey! MINI SPOILER! :)
Chapter Thirteen: You Have My Approval
Embry was behind me, scratching his neck awkwardly. Bella stood there, her cheeks tinged red with embarrassment again. Jacob crossed the room quickly and stood in front of me, his face knotted in confusion, anger, relief and something else... maybe it was...lust? I shook those thoughts out of my head.
"Lacey." His voice cracked and he tried to reach up to touch my face, stopping short when I looked away.
I wanted to hit him but last time it didn't work out so well. So I scoffed and slapped his hand away.
"Don't do this." He said almost in pain.
"Take a long walk off a short pier. I thought I made it clear." I hissed.
Jacob looked stunned, as if I slapped him across the face. But he retreated to the other side of the room, I wanted to be surprised that he gave up so easily but I couldn't find it in me. Bella was the one that surprised me though, by greeting me with a tight hug.
"Lacey I'm so glad you're alright. I just wanna thank you. You saved my life. Laurent could have killed you. But he didn't and I'm soo grateful to you, to tell you the truth I never thought I'd have a chance to say that. Every time I tried to visit Embry would tell me off." She turned and gave him a playful shove.
"I had to." Embry whined.
"You're welcome. But now I need your help." I said grimly.
"Lace..." Jacob began, grabbing my hands and turning me towards him.
"Don't touch me." I said loudly, pulling back from him.
Embry immediately got up and stood between us. The hostility in the room rose until Jake took a slow step back.
"He has a point Lacey I'm not sure if this is the best thing." Bella said awkwardly holding Jacob's large forearm and pulling him back even more.
"No. I need to know. This is about my dad. This is about me, why I am the way I am. It's not a tribe secret, it's not something that involves many people, hell it's not even your place to try to keep it from me." I said irately.
The tension in the room was thick and I kept a tight grip on my anger. She would tell me. She had to. And if she didn't…well I'd spend a few nights in jail. Maybe more than a few since Chief Swan was downstairs. But she sighed and I felt instant relief.
"I'll tell you. The Volturi are like Vampire Royalty. They formed 3,000 years ago and are the oldest and most powerful coven. Any vampire that doesn't follow their laws...is eliminated." Bella finished her sentence softly.
"Whoa whoa whoa. Death? What are they supposed to be like...absolute rulers? Vampire tyranny?" Embry's brow furrowed.
"That's what I thought too...but Edward told me they are the foundation of peace and civilization in their society. They maintain order and make sure that the secret of the vampires is kept as it is, a secret. They were also the ones that ended the Immortal Children." Bella said.
"Immortal Children?" It was my turn to be perplexed.
"It's against Vampire Laws to turn children into vampires. They are far too dangerous. Edward told me because they have no control over their thirst they would wreak havoc and they were impossibly strong. They were forever stuck in the age they were turned, but their innocence was corrupted and their nature became sadistic. On top of that because they were turned as children...it's like they were so beautiful you couldn't even move looking at them, forget trying to kill them." Bella replied.
I shuddered but nodded for her to continue.
"The Volturi were founded by Aro, who was joined by Marcus and Caius. They are like...the three gods of the vampire world. Edward told me a lot of paintings of gods were inspired by them in the Renaissance Age. There is also the Volturi Guard. I'm not sure exactly whose on it but they all have amazing abilities and their job is to basically protect Aro, Marcus and Caius. Aro has invited Edward and Alice many times to join the Guard but they've declined. He's especially particular about Alice's power. In fact he wants it more than anything." Bella almost laughed at this.
"So what's the issue? They need a guard cause vampires aren't already powerful enough on their own? And if Aro loves special abilities so much does he have one of his own?" I asked.
"Well I know Marcus has some kind of ability with...relationships? I'm not sure. But Caius doesn't have one." Bella tapped her thin in thought.
"And Aro?" I questioned.
"Tactile Telepathy." She finally said.
"Being?" I laughed.
"He can read every thought and memory you've ever had with a single touch." Bella said grimly.
"You're kidding? That's so...perfect." I laughed gleefully.
If he could read all my thoughts, all my memories then Dad was right. This guy had all my answers.
"You can't be thinking of going to him. How do you even know that he can tell you whatever it is your dad wants you to know?" Jacob's eyes were wide.
"I have to know. This is my only option, my only chance. Bella where can I find him?" I turned to her, biting my lip.
"Volterra, Italy. But you can't just...go there. They could kill you. The Volturi are not to be trifled with. You should consider yourself lucky they haven't found out about you yet. Just lay low Lacey. It's your safest bet." Bella sighed.
"I'd rather die knowing then live ignorant." I said grimly.
"You can't mean that." Bella shook her head in disbelief.
My eyes flickered over to the clock on Bella's nightstand. It was already 9:30 pm, if the pack went for patrol they would wonder where Jake and Embry were.
"We have to go. I'll see you later Bells." I gave her a hug goodbye and waited at the doorway for Embry to finish his goodbyes.
"Lacey, just give me five minutes of your time." Jacob said, grabbing my arm to try one last time.
"You can try and explain all you want but at the end of the day I'm the one getting hurt. And I don't deserve that Jake, I've gone through enough bull in my life and adding you to the pile? That's just cruel. Do me a favor. Do yourself a favor. Do us all a favor and leave it alone. I'll go my way and you'll go yours." I said calmly and turned toward the stairs, using every ounce and shred of my will to take the first step down the stairs.
The last eleven steps were easier and the car ride back to Embry's was quiet. I tried to sound so sure of myself to Bella and it's not that I didn't want to see Aro and the Volturi, it's not that I didn't want to find out about my past. It's just that I was...scared. What if they tried to feed off me? I wouldn't have Jacob around to bring me back to normal. I wouldn't have his blood. And as much as I hated him and as much as it disgusted me I needed it. And what the letter said, about me being attracted to La Push? It was kind of true. When Mom first told me we'd be moving, I'd wanted to be against the idea. But I'd managed to find the good things about moving in a heartbeat and then there was the wolf in the thrift store and finding out everything about the tribe. If I went I would be risking this entirely new amazing life Mom had worked so hard to make for me. But if I didn't...I'd be risking my dad in a way. If it wasn't important he wouldn't have written a letter, however mysterious that letter was.
I ended up spending an hour staring blankly at the wall in Embry's dining room, weighing out my options. Mrs. Call came in a while after Embry and I got home. She looked tired but happy.
"Hey Hon. How was your day?" She said to Embry who was watching T.V. and mumbled a reply.
I spaced out then but my thoughts were interrupted when Mrs. Call invited me to the kitchen to bake with her.
"Baking?" I said in disbelief.
"It helps when I've got a lot on my mind. And it seemed like you were mulling things over so maybe it'll help you too." She shrugged.
I smiled and grabbed an apron. After a half hour of flour, eggs, milk and baking at 350 I was surprised to find it did help take my mind off the situation. I was licking one of the chocolate covered spoons clean when there was a knock at the door. Embry opened it and to his surprise found Sam.
"Sam." I almost laughed when I saw him slick with rain, it had been drizzling out.
"Never mind that. I've got something to say to you Lacey. Or somethings. Just...sit down." He pointed to the chair.
"Okay shoot." I slipped the apron off and waited patiently.
"I am so sorry. For everything I've ever said that hurt. I know it seemed like I was just being an asshole but...you gotta understand when the council first showed me the letter I assumed that the alpha that attracted you was me. And I had to say those things about your dad, mom and just about the whole situation with James to keep you away from me. I've already caused enough strain in the tribe with the Leah and Emily situation. I couldn't have another girl in the equation. That's why I tried to force you to...dislike me? I don't know it seemed like a good idea at the time but the more I think about it now the dumber it sounds." He sighed, running a hand through his short hair.
"It's alright. I understand. It must have really sucked imprinting on Emily while you were going out with Leah. Well..not the imprinting part but the...you get my point." I laughed.
"Thank you so much. You have no idea how ecstatic I was when you and Jacob...well yeah. And I want you to know that the only reason why we're keeping you guys apart is incase the effects-" Sam began but I interrupted, holding a hand up.
"I understand. But now it's my turn. Sam, after the meeting was over I forced Embry to take me to see Bella so I could find out more about the Volturi." I began, nervously tapping my toes.
"Oookay. I don't like where this is going...but continue." Sam said.
"I need to see Aro. The Volturi operate in Volterra, Italy. I know it's far and everything…but if I don't see them, I may never know what my dad wanted me to know. And if my dad wanted me to see them then I have to." I sighed, flinching when he sighed.
"If you have to, you have to. I understand. When do you want to leave?" He said with a strained expression.
"Excuse me?" I spluttered.
"When do you want to leave?" He smiled at my disbelief.
"Sam. Sam thank you so much. As soon as possible. Today. Now! Hahahaha." I laughed and proceeded to hug him and everyone else in the room.
"Tomorrow we can go to the airport, pack tonight." He nodded.
"Wow. No way, no flipping way. You're actually letting me go through with this! But wait. What about the tribe?" I sagged with disappointment. No way would they be so understanding.
"It's not their place. I'm okay-ing this…whatever repercussions happen it's on my head. You have my approval and frankly that's all the approval you should need." Sam said slowly.
My eyes lit up. I had never in my life wanted to hug the crap out of another human being, till now that is. This was happening.
A/N: Sowwy for the wait. Hope you liked this update! - ooohh snap mad rhyming yall...fail. :) xoxo COLLEGE GIRL! Lace