I don't own Twilight or the characters.

Chapter 14

We were silent on the return trip. Felix seemed to know that I needed to be alone with my thoughts. Before we touched down, he had called Justin to pick us up at the airport so that he could comfort me on the way home, instead of driving. We sat in the backseat, Felix stroking my hair while I lay across the seat with my head in his lap. I had yet to let a sob escape my lips.

He had been right there. Not ten feet away from me he had been, and I couldn't bring myself to turn and face him. I could still smell his perfect scent. I remembered it clearly: It had seemed as though it were happening in slow motion. I'd smelled vampires, and looked up to see familiar faces with identical strained expressions: First Rosalie, then Emmett, beside him Esme, then Carlisle, then Alice and Jasper, and behind the two of them, Edward. I'd seen his face last. Then, realization had set in on exactly who they were. It was almost dreamlike, and then I realized we had to book it out of there. When I realized how close I had come to being discovered, I shuddered. So badly I had wanted to reach out and touch him, but if he had recoiled today, of all days, I didn't think my poor dead heart could have ever made it. But now, I was reeling from not only the loss of my father, but from the loss of Edward and his family—for the second time. Even so, I was thankful that I had had the presence of mind to shield Felix's thoughts from Edward; I would have easily been found out otherwise.

"Isabella?" Felix said, quietly. "We're home, babe."

I pulled myself out of my recline, and looked around dazedly. One would think I would be used to vampire driving speed by now, but I was still shocked that we'd gotten home so quickly. "Thank you, Felix. For everything. You're such a good friend to me." I hugged him, determined to hold it together. He squeezed me tightly, then opened the door and helped me out.

I flew to my room quickly, knowing my resolve was quickly fading. Upon reaching my room, I launched myself to the center of my bed and jerked the covers down, curling up into a ball underneath them. It had been years since I had indulged the pain like this. Not since those first few months as a newborn had I hidden in my room and let the dry sobs rack my body, but the all too familiar pricking of my eyes began now and I gasped for air as my body shook with the force of my grief.

Ten minutes passed this way. Once my sobs subsided, I lay curled, completely silent, allowing my mind to think of nothing. I willed my body into the numbness that had always been the only relief for the pain. I heard the air whoosh as someone came into my room, and then heard his sweet voice break through my fog.

"Isabella," Alec almost whispered. I didn't realize how much I needed to see him until that moment. I threw the covers back and sat up. "Felix told me what happened."

He sat down on the bed next to me and pulled me into his arms. That brought on a new wave of hysteria, but it quickly died down. I tucked my head under his chin as he held me close. "They were all there, Alec. Why were they there?"

"I don't know, sweetheart. I'm so sorry I wasn't there to help you through this."

I sat there with him, comforted by his touch and care. I raised my head and looked into his eyes to tell him how glad I was that he was there, but stopped short. He was looking back at me with such concern. We didn't break our gaze, however, and concern slowly turned to something else. I shivered as his dark eyes almost glowed with whatever emotion he was feeling. I needed this man, and I needed him now.

"Alec," I said, and touched my forehead to his. My breathing was unsteady. He closed his eyes and leaned into me, raising his hand to brush through my hair. Shakily, I pressed my lips to his. He cautiously moved his lips against mine, slowly parting my lips with his tongue. It wasn't like this was our first kiss, but something felt very different this time.

"Isabella," Alec moaned as I snaked my arms around him and wound my fingers in his wild blond hair. He pulled me closer in to him and I released my hold on his hair. Pushing him back and into the headboard, I straddled him and resumed our kiss, which was growing more heated by the second. There was a nagging feeling in the back of my mind, but I stubbornly pushed it away. I would be in control of my own emotions, dammit...

Alec and I were gasping for breath as we finally pulled away from each other. "That was intense," I breathed.

"I thought so, too," he laughed. He wrapped his arms around me and held me as I came down from my high. It shocked me a little when he spoke again, because his voice had taken a serious tone. "Isabella?"

"Yeah, Alec?"

"We both know why we didn't actually make love today."

I ducked my head. Sure, I knew. It was the nagging feeling from earlier that I had tried to force my mind around. Still, I wasn't going to say it. Alec had been good to me, and good for me, and if he wanted me, well, screw it-he was going to get me.

"We both know it, Isabella. Neither of us wants to say it out loud, but it's true. We are not each other's mates. No matter how much I may want us to be, we aren't. I mean, God knows I love you, Isabella, but—"

"It's not enough," I interrupted him. I was surprised, but glad. If he felt the same way I did, I wouldn't hurt him. He looked at me with remorse.

"It's not enough," he repeated. "It doesn't make sense. I love you so much. I want it to be you. But in the end, we've been fighting a losing battle. Your first time doesn't belong to me, any more than mine belongs to you."

"It's Edward, Alec. When I saw him, the feelings I had for him as a human were only stronger. It's him." I was heartbroken, but not just for that reason. "I love you, too, Alec. I do. But you're right. It's not enough. I can't give my heart completely to you." He held me as we lay in silence. I broke it after a few minutes. "What do we do now?"

He smiled. "We go on with life like we always did. We're not mates, Isabella, but you're my best friend. When we eventually find our true mates, we'll be happy for one another. It won't be painful like human relationships can be, when one person moves on. We hope for that, for moving on, for each other."

I sighed in relief. "You're my best friend, too, Alec. I do hope you find your true mate, and soon. If Edward is my true mate, does that mean that I'm his, too?" I allowed hope to surge in me.

"I think so." He squeezed me reassuringly.

"Thank you, Alec." I turned in to him, placing a kiss lightly on his lips. Instead of pulling away, I nibbled on his lower lip before tracing it with my tongue. Kissing Alec was pure bliss. We lay there kissing softly and holding each other for a few moments. Finally, I broke the silence. "Mates or not, we have to do this again sometime." He chuckled conspiratorially.

"Not a problem at all."

It was then that we heard her footsteps. Jane walked in and stared at us smugly, entwined on the big bed, and raised an eyebrow. She seemed to dismiss it, however, and spoke.

"Isabella, let's go for a run." She looked pointedly at Alec.

Something wasn't right. I could tell by the tone in her voice and that look she gave Alec. "What's going on?"

Alec shook his head at me and put his hand over mine. "Are Felix and Demetri waiting for us?" He directed the question to Jane. She nodded in the affirmative, and turned and walked out.

"Alec?" I said, and again, he shook his head at me.

"Let's go, Isabella. Not here." He took my hand and pulled me out of the room and all the way out of the house, where the other three were waiting.

Felix and Demetri somberly nodded a greeting. Something was very wrong. Jane simply said, "Let's go," and we took off at incredible speed.

We were nearly to France when Demetri slowed and came to a stop. In a completely out of character gesture, he took a seat on the forest floor. The others followed suit, leaving me looking at them, bewildered. "What the hell is going on? Why did we run almost to France?"

"Sit down, Isabella." Alec patted the space beside him. "You need to sit down for this."

Slowly, apprehensively, I sat beside him. I looked at each of their faces, all the same mask of apprehension. I didn't have to be an empath to feel the tension radiating from each of them.

"Isabella," Demetri began. "Do you know how each of us joined the Volturi?"

"No."

Jane spoke next. "We didn't either, until two days ago, while you and Felix were gone," she said, sadly. "Let me tell you our story. Aro and the others thought that Alec and Demetri and I were out hunting. Alec and Demetri were, but I didn't go. I overheard them talking about how they 'acquired' some of us—Aro mentioned Alec and me, Demetri and Felix by name. Eleazer had come across each one of us in travels, and had found that we had latent talents as humans. Aro, Caius, and Marcus then came to our homes and stole us from our families, and turned us. Sebastian has clouded our memories all these years. However, the mention of such a tragedy was stronger than his power, and we now remember it. Isabella, Alec and I were from the same village. The Volturi killed both of our parents when they took us."

"We have never been a threat to the leaders," Felix said quietly. "But, we easily could be. Our powers easily outweigh theirs. We can pose no threat to them, though, as long as Chelsea is there. She can strengthen bonds or break them; if she sees that we mean harm, she will bind us to the ancients."

I didn't see where this was going. We had to come all the way out here for them to tell me this? They saw my confusion.

"We aren't done yet, sweetheart." Alec took my hand. "The worst part is still unsaid. We wanted to be far enough away that there would be no chance that the ancients would hear us."

Jane spoke again. "Aro gave you the crest to wear; told you that you were an equal. He is doing everything that he can to make sure that your allegiance is one hundred percent with him, because he knows that Chelsea can't affect you. He may try to turn you against us, your friends, as well, to keep you aligned totally with him."

"He collected us, Isabella, just like a child collects model airplanes, or dolls," Alec said. "He collects vampires of talent. And there is one he has wanted for many years, and the day is coming that he is going to send you and all of us to get her. He will have to destroy her entire family to bring her here, and that is his intention. It could never be possible without you, because her family is so strong and talented." They were silent, waiting for realization to hit me.

I didn't understand for at least a full minute. However, when realization finally did hit me, I gasped and choked on my words. "Alice," I breathed. "the Cullens."

Demetri nodded. "Alice Cullen will never leave her family. With her ability to see the future, and Edward's ability to read our minds, even the guard could not hurt them. But, with your shield, Aro knows he can annihilate the family and force Alice back to Volterra, and then Chelsea would bind her to him."

"But I don't understand! Why kill them? Why not just send Chelsea to bind them all and bring them back?"

"Jealousy." Jane's voice was full of hatred now. "They are the largest coven we know of, besides our own. Aro doesn't like the power they have as a whole."

I was mad now. Venom pulsed behind my eyes, filled my mouth, and tingled in my fingertips. "I'll kill that son of a bitch myself. Right now. I'm going to kill him." I got up, set to run back and vaporize the entire guard, but Alec grabbed my arm.

"No, Isabella. You can't do it by yourself, and you're too emotional right now to shield all of us. Just wait, and listen."

"We do have a plan, Isabella," Demetri said. "We want the five of us to stick together. You are our leader, Isabella, and we will follow you wherever you go. That will lead you back to the Cullens; we have no doubt. We have agreed to begin hunting exclusively, every single day, so that when the time comes, we will no longer thirst for human blood, as it is repulsive to you, and to them. You will have to shield us when we are near Aro, so that he can't read us. You'll have to make an excuse of some sort."

"Easy." I was so furious. "I've been around you guys so long that it's next to impossible to turn my shield off of you."

"Good enough." Demetri said. "Aro and Caius and Marcus will go with us on the mission to kill the Cullens. We will go along with the plan, and will turn on them as the battle begins. Between the five of us and the five of the Cullens and your shield, we should be able to easily take out the entire guard, as well as the ancients."

"When do we go?"

"We have another mission first, but we will leave for Forks within a month."