Rated M for Mature Content. 18 and older only please!
Dark gray cloaks gently brushed against leaves and bark as 4 silent predators glided through the Olympic Forest toward their destination. The blonde, Jane, had her white blonde hair pulled tightly into a sock bun at the back of her head. Her ruby red lips were thinned and her matching eyes were narrowed to slits as she tried to ignore the irritating banter of her companions. Demetri and Felix were picking on Alec for his lack of a love life and while her bloodborne twin was taking it all in good stride, she felt a protectiveness over him that made her want to drop her two friends to the ground in pain.
The forest was completely silent as they walked on, their black booted feet making no sound on the dried leaf-litter. Demetri palmed Alec's shoulder, giving him a good shove sideways as they continued to laugh and joke. Felix's large shoulders shook with his humor as he watched the young blonde vampire stumble before righting himself with a scowl. He very badly wanted to use his mind numb on the Russian but he could tell his sister was being stretched thin emotionally already. If he were to pursue a fight with Demetri then Jane would take it upon herself to up the ante and all hell would break loose. Alec figured it was better to simply endure the joshing.
As the vibrating rhythm deepened in the souls of the wolves, Old Quil called Charlie to rally the troops. His packs were at the ready on their side of the boundary line, thickly beating hearts and steaming mist rising into the air as they awaited orders from their Alphas. When Old Quil phased into the large white wolf, the reverberation of the vibration almost stunned him.
Danger was close.
Jane Volturi was the first to notice the large metal bars that glowed in the early morning as they approached the Forks boundary.
"Damn him." She spat as she glared at the prison cell.
Halting their words and their feet, at attention at once, the three vampire men stared in awe at Charlie Swan's gift.
"No wonder Aro is pissed off." Felix muttered while Alec nodded his head in agreement before swiping a swath of dirty blonde hair from his forehead. He had been here the last time Aro checked on the police chief. Nomads going missing in the Olympic Peninsula for no real reason had confounded the eldest king and they had come to investigate, only to find that the territory had been claimed by someone other than Carlisle Cullen.
The gift that Charlie had was coveted by Aro but Charlie wouldn't budge and when he tried to force the young vampire's hand, Charlie had trapped himself inside his prison cell. No vampire magic could attack him from within it. Aro was exponentially interested in the workings of his gift and wants Charlie to work for him but unless and until he could reason with the police chief, there was little Aro could do.
Felix ran thick fingers through his dark brown locks and sighed. "So what do we do now? Just stand here and twiddle our thumbs until they let us in or what?" He found it quite easy to fool his friends that he knew nothing about Charlie Swan or the inner workings of the Olympic coven.
Jane spun around, glaring angrily at the big oaf. "No, dumbass." Whipping out a cell phone from her dark jeans pocket under her cloak, she dialed Charlie Swan's number. Aro had given it to her after Charlie had given it to him in a show of good faith. Charlie didn't want any trouble from the Volturi, only to live his existence how he saw fit. He was a lawmaker himself. He saw no reason to have the Volturi on his back for something as meager as a prison cell gift.
When Chief Swan answered the phone, Jane curtly told him that she had arrived. His response pissed her off. "I'll be there when I get out of work." The line went dead and Alec had to pry her small fingers from the Blackberry before she destroyed it. Aro wouldn't be pleased if she turned another device to dust because of her anger.
Huffing a laugh, Felix sat down on a tree he felled for himself, stretching his long legs out in front of him. He couldn't wait to see his friends again, though no one knew of his connection with the Swans. Not even Aro himself. "Guess we do twiddle our thumbs."
Demetri chuckled and sat close to Felix, entwining their hands as he got comfortable. He had a feeling they'd be sitting here for a while. No one liked a confrontation with the Volturi but no one could push Charlie to move faster than he wanted and Demetri really was in no hurry to get back to Italy. Felix's thumb padded over the Russian's knuckles absentmindedly as he tried to determine the pull he felt in his chest. He had a feeling things were about to change for him and the kings.
It was three long hours before Charlie ambled slowly up to the metal bars of his self made prison cell and smirked at the group assembled. Jane was pacing back and forth quickly as she glared at her feet. Demetri and Felix were cuddled on a log and Alec toyed with the hem of his cloak, lost in thought. When Jane caught sight of Charlie's smirk, she hissed and extended a finger toward him.
"Took you long enough. How about you let us in so we can get this over with. I want to go home." Even with the ugly glare on her pretty face, she sounded bored and Charlie held in a chuckle. He may be safe from her wrath while she was on the other side of his cell but once he allowed them entry, she could drop him like a sack of rocks in the Pacific.
"Sorry about that. My mate is turning and I had a shit load of paperwork to do about the damn bear that attacked her." He laughed as he opened a small gate that suddenly appeared in front of the group. Once they were through and within the boundary of Forks, Charlie closed the gate and it materialized into the same glowing metal bars that surrounded the rest of the town.
Looking around, fascinated, Felix's thick italian accent warmed Charlie as he spoke. "I don't know how you do it, good sir, but this is fantastic."
He wanted to pull Charlie in for a big man hug and tell him it was good to see him but instead settled on a firm handshake with a glint in his eye. Charlie met his gaze and smiled.
"Welcome to Forks. What's the pleasure?" Charlie asked as they sped toward town. He played dumb on purpose, of course. Everyone knew why they were there, though the Volturi didn't know it.
Rolling her red eyes, Jane turned toward the direction she knew would lead her to the Cullen house. Charlie changed course to follow without missing a beat, leaving Alec and Demetri to fall behind.
"We have it on good authority that there's a human living with the coven you've let in your town…" Pausing her feet and her statement, she turned to the redneck she despised. "Do you know anything about that, Chief Swan?" Staring hard into his dark golden eyes, she willed him to give the affirmative so she could drop him where he stood, sending torrents of pain throughout his body while she watched laughing as he spasmed over the bracken.
Unfortunately for her, Charlie didn't seem intimidated and he shook his head in the negative, causing Jane to growl in irritation. "Dammit."
She sped off quicker toward the Calawah River and hopped gracefully over it, leaving the rest of her group to lag behind. She noticed the strange garbage stench in the area but didn't think much of it. She had better things to focus on.
Demetri paused where Jane didn't and lifted his face to the air, taking in the hideous stench of wet dog and rotting trash. His straight nose wrinkled and he wracked his brain for what kind of thing could potentially cause that type of smell. Noticing his perusal, Charlie stopped by him and laid a heavy hand on his shoulder, causing Demetri to let out a small hiss. He hated being touched without warning.
Not fazed in the slightest, Charlie chuckled. "Just buried an old garbage sight a few months ago. The cold hasn't completely rid the smell yet. Don't worry. It'll pass." He said lightly, praying the Russian blonde didn't see right through his lie.
Felix held in his humor. He knew about the pack and so did Aro but Demetri, Alec and Jane wouldn't be so lenient and no one wanted a war with the dogs. They were vicious creatures and knew how to fight well, even against the newest and strongest of newborns. They all gathered behind Jane just as she entered the Cullen's backyard where they were all gathered.
Carlisle and Esme, as head of the coven, stood front and center with Jasper and Alice directly behind them. Edward stood behind and to Carlisle's right while Emmett took up behind Alice and Esme to the left. Bella hovered at the furthest point, so the entire coven was protected. In complete agreeance beforehand, Emmett kept his shield inside himself. He was thankful that Aro had decided not to come along on this trip. It would be hard to hide everyone's mind simultaneously without suspicion. He would only protect whom he had to, should the Witch Twins decide to operate on their own.
Felix let his eyes meet Bella's, winking discreetly and thankful for her indifferent mask before staring longingly up at the large house. The last time he'd been in Forks, the Cullens hadn't been in town and he'd used it as his own abode for the trip he'd been here. Loving the layout of the floors and the scent that had wafted from one room in particular, Felix had made it his mission to come back and possibly buy the house from the Cullens, should they ever decide to sell.
"I see no human here. Who is the most recently turned?" Jane demanded without preamble. She saw no need to waste time with pleasantries as Carlisle was wont to do. She wanted to get this trip over with and head back home as soon as possible. Perhaps she could find her brother some pert little ass to spank so the boys would leave him alone.
"This one was not apart of the coven the last time we were here." Demetri pointed to Bella as he spoke with his thick Russian accent. His light blonde spikes and gray cloak fluttered in the breeze. "When were you turned, young one?" He asked politely while his appraising eyes wandered her body. He may have fun with Felix but he was not opposed to enjoying the female form more often than not.
Without moving from her spot or allowing her mask to falter, she met Demetri's eyes. "I've been a vampire for 15 months, sir. I came to my father practically a vegetable and he turned me immediately." She said, her eyes darting to Charlie Swan in an extended silent explanation.
Demetri looked from Bella to Charlie and immediately saw the familial connection. He nodded then turned to Jane, raising an eyebrow.
Growling, she sniffed a huff through her nose with a roll of her eyes. "The human was a male." Looking at Emmett, she pointed at the tall, bulky vampire. Even seeing his eyes were a bright gold, she had a feeling about him. "Who are you?"
Emmett stood seemingly relaxed but his back was straight and his muscles were tight and at the ready. "Emmett Cullen. I've been with the coven since 1935." He offered. Once again, he was thankful that Aro was not present. The Cullens had gone to great lengths to hide him any time there were other vampires present to simply keep him from the Volturi radar.
Jane didn't believe that explanation for an instant. The words she spoke next hung thickly in the dense morning air.
"Then how come Aro knows nothing of you?"