Heyaa! I got a great response for the last chapter and I'm so sorry for leaving you hanging like that and I hope that this starts to explain things. I did say that this fic would be shorter than Unexpected and so things will all start happening soon. I have the entire thing planned out now. :)
I'm really sorry that I haven't had the chance to reply to all of your reviews but I've just started a new job and thing's have been very hectic. Just now that I love them all and every review makes me a smile. I appreciate them all!
As always, ENJOY & REVIEW!
If anyone has any ideas about people to play different characters then I would love your input. I'm mainly looking for the 'new' wolf pack and Louisa as well as Renesmee's friends in High School. Let me know. :)
Disclaimer: Once again, I should tell you, I don't own it. That's right, make me say it again even though it hurts! :'(
Chapter 14
Renesmee POV
"What?" I hissed. I wasn't unfamiliar with the Volturi, I was perfectly aware of their power and their false sincerity – there weren't many vampires who believe in their tactics and methods anymore. The ones who do are already in their precious guard. My mother knew not to alert them about my existence; she hadn't heard of anything like my kind and was pretty sure that the Volturi were just the same - she had always ensured we were careful in that sense.
"She's thinking about them – memories really of encounters with them." He lifted his head to look at me with that frown still etched into his brow. "It doesn't make sense." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I'm confused." I whispered and he laughed once without humour.
"You're not alone Renesmee." We stayed in silence longer whilst he listened intently to her thoughts. "She's been in contact with them... She's supposed to be keeping an eye on us as they haven't heard anything from us in a long time." He collapsed onto the floor in desperation and leant his back against an old oak tree. "It's my fault." He whispered and I frowned, joining him on the floor, the trunk big enough for the two of us to sit almost side by side.
"Why would you think that?" I asked, intrigued. He looked at me and the despair hidden in his eyes instantly made me realise that there was more to this situation than I first thought. He sighed deeply, taking a deep, unnecessary breath.
"Believe me, it is." He stopped and rubbed his brow with his thumb and fore-finger.
"How?" I pushed, hopefully not too forcefully.
"Back then, once I'd left your mother, I visited the Volturi." He paused to assess my reaction and I winced. "Sorry."
"It's okay, carry on."
"It was about a year after I left her, and I couldn't handle things, I had planned on joining them for something to do and to take my mind off of your mother and the situation. I couldn't handle it, I was a mess and they could see that and took advantage of it."
"You actually wanted to join them?" I gasped and he shook his head vehemently.
"Please, understand. I will never agree with the way they behave and the things they do, but I was broken. There was nothing going for me and I knew I couldn't ask them to kill me – for one, they would say no, and two, I couldn't do it to your mother. I had to at least live for her, even if I wasn't by her side when I should have been." I nodded, I may never understand his actions, but I'm sure in his situation and circumstances, I may have done the same. "Your mother was my entire reason for being, and I messed things up. It was too late to go back to her – I was sure she had found someone else and was blissfully happy, I never knew she'd had you." He smiled and I returned the gesture.
"So what happened?" I asked and his face turned sombre once more.
"I got there and asked – of course, Aro was confused at my sudden want to be there. I've vehemently refused in the past and he knew of my disgust towards them."
"You told them?" He shook his head.
"Never, it's Aro's power. In one touch he can hear every thought anyone has ever had."
"And he got to you?"
"Yes. He found out all about Bella and the way I left things. He understood my reasons for joining as he had witnessed them all firsthand. He expressed an interest in Bella what with me not being able to read her mind. He was initially pretty livid about the fact that a human knew about us, but that was overshadowed by the fact that I wanted to join them." I'd heard of the Volturi only in name briefly, but hearing the details and experiences from my father, really made them seem so much more real. My disgust for them increased – if that's even possible – and I know now how much they can actually do. The power they have over the vampire community is astounding.
I mused to myself for a while, thinking over the complications of the Volturi being involved with Louisa. She seemed so innocent at first, perhaps her disappearances could have been trips to Italy? Or thing's she has had to do for them as their mule? I turned back to Edward, intrigued to hear more and to really understand why Louisa is here.
"So what happened next?" I asked and he sighed.
"I joined them. They fed everyday and I couldn't handle it. I refused to join in with their lifestyle and so I hunted on my own in the outskirts of Italy. They never have understood our lifestyle choice, but it makes us feel more human and part of society rather than monsters."
"How long were you there for?"
"Only a matter of weeks. I couldn't handle it, but he let me go freely. Though I could hear it in his mind, he wanted me, Alice and Jasper – he even thought Emmett would make a great fighter for his guard. Besides, he was extraordinarily interested in your mother." He rested his head against the tree trunk and closed his eyes.
"What could Louisa have to do with this then?" He opened his eyes and shrugged.
"All I know is that she is here for them. By the sounds of things, she reports back what she see's and witnesses once a week. They either contact via letters or she has to go and visit them." He laughed once, "They're clever. They know that by coming here we would recognise their scent so they send her to them."
"It may have something to do with us hybrids, I mean, to know that there are more out there, perhaps Aro has an interest." Edward tilted his head to the side.
"Maybe. But I'm sure he now knows of yours and Bella's existence, despite our temporary absence to Austria which I am sure he does know of too as well. He is no doubt using that to his advantage."
"So Louisa has no idea what is going on? She's just doing as she's told?" He nodded slowly.
"It seems that way, yes." I sighed and rested my head in my hands.
"So what do we do now?" I asked, frustrated by the whole thing.
"Nothing for now. We go home and inform them of what we know, I think now is the time to tell your mother about me and the Volturi, I was hoping I wouldn't have to." He grimaced at the thought and I rested my hand on his shoulder.
"I'm pretty sure she would rather know Dad, than be kept in the dark, right?" He smiled and nodded.
"Yeah, you're right." He looked at my hand on his shoulder and smiled before taking it and reaching over to hug me. I hugged him back.
"I did miss you Renesmee, you're my daughter after all." I laughed and pulled back.
"I missed you too." I told him. He stood up and reached his hand out to help me up. He hauled me up from the forest floor. "Race you home?" He smiled and laughed.
"Go ahead, I'll give you a head-start just so you have a chance." I feigned offence and laughed before shrugging and taking off.
"Fine by me..." I called over my shoulder and I could hear him laugh. I leapt forward, pushing my legs even further so that they barely touched the floor. I grinned in exhilaration as I brushed past trees and shrubs, my feet landing softly on the ground – the only sound was my ragged breathing as I glided through the trees. I laughed as I reached the patio door at the mansion, Edward grinning as he came up behind me barely half a second later. My Mom smiled and tilted her head to the side as she saw us.
"What's up Mom?" I asked her and she shrugged.
"So, everything must have gone alright with Louisa then?" She inquired and I looked down to hide my grimace.
"I think this is something we should tell everyone at the same time, love." He sat beside her and kissed her cheek. "Is everybody here?" He asked her and before she could answer, every Cullen convened in the living room, all eyes on Edward and I.
"What happened?" Emmett asked the two of us, everyone's eyes dancing between the two of us with intense intrigue.
"You had right to be suspicious." Edward started, sighing. Esme lifted her head and raised her eyebrows in surprise. "It seems she has been spying on us by the sound of her frantic thoughts."
"Why the hell would she spy on us?" Emmett threw his hands in the air as they collapsed to his side. Rosalie pulled him to her side and he relaxed into her touch.
"Because the Volturi asked her too." Carlisle raised one eyebrow and the others sighed in defeat. "I'm sorry." I frowned.
"What for?" Bella asked him from his side. Edward glanced at me, the other's all understood.
"I think this is something we need to talk about together, love. Come with me." She put her hand in his and I watched as they walked out of the room and into the garden where they continued to walk until they were hidden by the trees.
"It's not his fault." Esme whispered, mainly to herself.
"We know. We just need to figure out exactly what has happened and why the Volturi seem to want to keep an eye on us." Carlisle turned to face me singularly after addressing the entire family. "Did you find out anything else?" I shook my head vigorously.
"No. The only thing we were able to get was that she didn't know what the Volturi want with us and why she is doing this, they're just orders she is following for some reason. There has to be something in it for her to do it, it would make more sense." They each nodded.
"We need to find out as much as we can. I think we need to invite Louisa over for a chat and get as much information out of her as possible – you never know, she might be the good person out of all of this." I scoffed once Carlisle had finished speaking.
"I doubt it." He smiled and then the others left the room one by one. All except for Alice.
"What is it?" I asked her and she glanced at the clock.
"The shops are still open. The Volturi aren't here, fancy a shopping spree?" She asked and Rosalie came bounding down the stairs.
"Did I hear shopping?" She asked and we laughed, nodding as we took our jackets and headed outside.
"I should tell my Mom I'm going out – just in case." I told them but Alice put her hand on my shoulder and stopped me before I could.
"I wouldn't if I were you, I'm pretty sure you don't want to 'interrupt' their little conversation." My eyes widened and I shuddered at the thought.
"Good idea, I'm sure she won't even notice." She smiled and we hopped into Rosalie's latest convertible. I allowed myself to be encased and smothered in black leather, sinking into the upholstered back seat with a surprising amount of leg room. I pulled out my phone to tell Jake where I was going and that I'd see him later. We had a lot of planning to do for college and it would be a good distraction from the whole 'Louisa' situation. Although he would never say it, I could see how it worried him just as much as it did me.
"So, I'm thinking, we're all in need of some retail therapy. We'll head to Seattle and go to their Mall, hitting the shops. Renesmee, I saw an amazing little dress that would suit you amazingly. We should look for some college stuff too – you know, the important essentials for college life; lingerie, stationary, lingerie, folders, lingerie." I raised one eyebrow.
"Urm.. Sorry?" I asked her and she flashed me an innocent grin before continuing on to sing the praises of some new online store she'd found.
Swirling my coffee around in the food court, my aunts stared at me with interest, their heads tilted to the side and eyebrows slightly raised questioningly. I sighed.
"Spit it out. What?" I asked them and Rosalie smiled.
"Are you okay?" Alice asked me as she rested her hand on top of mine in a comforting gesture, ignoring the gawking stare of the sweaty teenager who had just walked past our table. She rolled her eyes when he'd gone and then turned her attention back to me. "Seriously, Renesmee... We just want to make sure you're okay." I smiled and nodded thankfully.
"I appreciate it, really I do, but I'm fine. It's all just a bit much I guess." I leaned back in my chair, resting my hands on my stomach, coffee cup in hand. "I mean, first there was Victoria and now there's Louisa? It's never ending. And the Volturi. Ugh, they don't understand the meaning of privacy do they?" I squealed, flailing my hands in the air, catching the attention of a few other customers nearby. The small coffee shop we had chosen was comfortable and cosy. The perfect atmosphere when trying to cheer up. "To be honest, I just can't wait until once I've finished High School. Finals are almost over and then I can just chill and look forward to living with Jake in Alaska." I clasped my hand over my mouth as soon as the words spilled out.
Living with Jake was supposed to be our little secret for now until we had found something a little more concrete and had a definite idea on cash and location. We knew that a lot of fuss would be made over it and I kind of wanted my Mom to be the first one to know about it – I was leaving her home after all, especially after so many years.
"You're going to be living with Jacob?" Rosalie asked, wide-eyed. I winced and nodded carefully as my face flushed red. Her and Jake had never really seen eye-to-eye and so I could only imagine the thoughts going through her head about me living with a 'mutt' as she liked to call him. "That's great honey." My head snapped up as she leaned across the table to give me a tight hug. "I mean, we'll all miss you around the house and that, but it's about time you had a space of your own – and with Jacob nonetheless. You are 47 after all." She smiled the entire way through the sentence and didn't even grimace or snarl as she said Jacob's name.
"I totally agree. And we'll keep this our little secret don't worry, it looks like that lingerie will come in handy after all." Alice winked and I rolled my eyes.
"We're not all like Emmett and Rose here." I said, nodding my head in my blonde aunt's direction, she didn't look ashamed about the way her sex life was simply mentioned in such a carefree manner.
"It shows good stamina." She whispered and I laughed, enjoying this time with my aunts.
"So, are we off home?" I asked as I pulled my many bags into my hands, standing and heading down the stairs and out of the Mall, my aunts just behind me.
To be fair, thing's were a lot simpler than I made them out to be. After sorting out the Louisa situation and keeping the Volturi at bay, I'll be living with the love of my existence in Alaska right by my family and studying to be just as good as my grandfather. All I had to do now is be strong enough to get through this first bit as well as my finals – not like they mattered too much though, I'd done them so many times before this.
The drive home was short, sweet and simple and I arrived to see my mother and father both tangled in each other reading on the sofa. Both smiled at me as I walked in and my mother beckoned me over.
"We bought you something whilst we were away and thought that you might enjoy it." I smiled and set my bags down, moving over to them as Edward pulled out a black velvet box and handed it to me with a silver ribbon tying it in a bow. The rectangular box seemed feather light and inoffensive so I lifted the hinged lid.
"They're Austrian Crystals." My mother explained as I took the piece of jewellery out of the box and examine it in my hands, twisting it around mesmerized by the clean cut crystals that shone and glistened every single time they hit the light – just like the skin of my family. Bella took my hand and the bracelet and wrapped it around, clipping it in place. I turned my wrist over and over to examine it in every direction, still entirely speechless. The crystals covered the entire thing, held together in what I assumed to be white gold.
"It's stunning." I whispered and I saw the two of them grin out of the corner of my eye whilst Edward wrapped his arm around my mother. I looked up to the two of them and smiled softly. "Thank you." I told them both before hugging them tight to emphasise my gratitude.
"Keep it safe Renesmee." I grinned and nodded to my mother.
"I will do, you can count on it." I picked up my bags, still staring at the bracelet as I walked up the stairway and into my room, placing the bags down and sitting on my bed. It's odd how one piece of jewellery can make you feel like a five year old child again. I was transfixed with the way it seemed to glow and it's aura was mesmerizing. I smiled, it's like my entire family put into one – the beauty, but the warmth and sentiment. They were different, and so was this – but both different in extraordinary ways.
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