A/N: WHO LOVED THE NEW MOON MOVIE??? I DID!!!!!
THANK YOU CHRIS WIETZ FOR SHOWING US HOW IT'S DONE!
Cassie's POV
"Well look who we have here," a vampire on my left growls as he looks at Jill behind me. "Felix?"
Felix lumbers out of the ring of surrounding vampires. He stands protectively in front of his daughter, facing his companions.
"Let's take them to Aro," he demands. The other vampires seem to be a bit intimidated by Felix. They close in on us and we are shepherded further down deep into the alley. Felix grips Jill around the shoulder and she hugs fiercely around his waste. I block out the wonderings and the speculations circulating through the minds of the vampires around me and practice expanding Bella's shield to protect Jill and her father. He strokes her hair as we walk.
I tap into his thoughts for just a second. He is glad to have his little girl back, but he is afraid for us. He is afraid that Aro will have us killed because of who I am and who my family is.
I knew that that was a possibility when I came in. was I not planning on not making it home? I can't lie, even to myself, I am scared to death. Surely Aro will consider taking me, but I never considered the possibility that he would kill me before I got the chance to strike a deal with him.
I will make myself heard. I will intrigue him with my power. He will accept me into his guard. And I will take down the all-powerful Volturi. Now, only now, I am realizing how far-fetched this plan sounds. Not a great time to second guess myself as they lead me to the sewer entrance of the Volturi headquarters.
I keep my face smooth and calm. My mask fools the vampires who glance at me curiously; wondering if my death will be their entertainment today or if I will be their new comrade. Their thoughts are divided as far as which of those outcomes they would each prefer.
Now that we are a bit more spread out, I estimate that there are roughly 15 guard members in our procession, including Felix. Did they leave anyone behind? I know that the Guard has grown, but these numbers are crazy.
I know one thing for certain. I trust Jill completely and as long as she trusts me, Felix will be on my side. That's a step in the right direction.
This has to work, I think desperately. My family depends on it. The Volturi can do what they want with me, but they're going to have to leave my family alone.
Our procession takes us through the long underground tunnels and into the castle that is home to the Volturi. We enter the hall that I once saw in Edward's memory. They were here once, Edward, Bella and Alice. They were judged here as I am about to be. Their lives were almost ended here, too. I sure hope I get lucky like they did.
"Good evening, Jane," Felix mumbles as we spy Jane alone in the hall.
I double check to make sure that I have a good hold on Edward's gift. For just a moment, I am bombarded with the thoughts of those around me. Little Jane's thoughts are the most sadistic of all. She has noticed my golden eyes. She hopes Aro gives me what she feels all "vegetarian" vampires deserve. I have to work to hide my shudder of fear at the images in her head. I instinctively check to make sure that Bella's power is shielding me from her.
I pull myself together as we stop in the center of the room and the crowd around us begins to migrate to the outer edges of the circular room. Only Felix remains in the center of the room with Jill and me. I take a step between him and the thrones that obviously belong to the brothers. I will not let Felix be punished for my coming here. I will do the talking, not him. My eyes lock with him as I turn to face the door I expect the brothers to come in from. He nods solemnly. His eyes communicate his gratitude for my bravely and I don't have to read his mind to know that he is grateful to me for bringing his daughter back to him.
I hear them from outside the door; the three sets of virtually silent footsteps approaching the hall. Jane obediently goes and pulls open the doors for the brothers who come in all high and mighty and take their seats. I have to control my rage at them. All that they have put me and my family through and they come in here like they rule the world and sit comfortably on their thrones. What nerve!
I calm myself and open up my mind to their thoughts. Aro knows of me. He has heard talk of me from other vampires that I have come in contact with. He knows that I have some sort of powerful gift but he does not know what it is, just like no one outside of my family knows of my talent. Still, he is intrigued that I am here. With that, the worst part is over. He won't be killing me on the spot. I relax a little. Now, I'm in control.
"Aro," I say boldly. He is surprised by my confidence. I'm sure that everyone else whom he meets in this room is usually dry sobbing at his feet. This must be quite a change of pace. I see my assumption reflected in his mind. The faces of dozens of begging vampires flash through my head before he starts thinking about the last contact he had with my family. He was bested by them then, and he has not forgotten the embarrassment. He is remembering his resentment for my family, now. I'll give him credit for one thing: it didn't take as long for him to rebuild his kingdom as my family expected.
"Hello, Cassandra," he smirks, his internal battle of curiosity for me vs. hatred for my family rages in his mind. To kill me, or not to kill me? He is undecided. My guard is up again, I'll have to tread lightly.
"Carlisle sends his regards," I mention politely, reinforcing my connection to my family in a gentle way.
"It's been too long. We've been meaning to pay our dear friend Carlisle a visit for some months now."
"That's why I'm here. I have come as a representative of my family. I've come to make you a deal."
"Cutting right to the chase, are we?" He asks suspiciously. Out of the corner of my eye I see a boy about my age enter the room and stand next to Jane. He is staring at me intently. Maybe more intently than the rest are staring.
"I am," I start pacing the room with an air of confidence. Aro hangs on my every word. "You've taken on the Cullens before, Aro. They know perfectly well why you have not paid them a visit." I peek into the watching boy's mind. Alec is intrigued by my boldness. I remember what I was told about his talent. Thank Carlisle he is here; I could use his power if anything goes horribly wrong.
"You say 'they'; do you not include yourself?" Aro picks up on my wording.
"They are the reason that I am here. I have come on their behalf. I am the most powerful member of my family, which you know quite well. I am here to protect them." I listen to his thoughts as he processes my words. He is trying to figure out what I am getting at and what he should do.
"Continue," is all he says.
"I have come to make you am offer," I bask in my own cocky attitude. My own arrogance and over-confidence is my only way out of here alive. It is key to my plan. That is a quality that Aro admires, he doesn't want weaklings in his Guard. My attitude communicates that he should want what I have to offer.
"I'm listening," I know, Aro. He is eating this up.
"I have come to offer you my services in exchange for you sparing my family." I announce. Every eye of every watching vampire shoots to Aro. All except for Alec who continues to watch me. I don't waver in my confidence. I listen to Aro pondering my offer. He is liking the idea of having me, though he doesn't know what my power is. He is unsure about the sparing of my family. He is undecided.
"I come and serve on your Guard, and you leave my family alone. That is my proposal. Though I do have specifications. Would you like to hear them before you make a decision?" I ask cheerfully, as if I am offering him the world on a silver platter, but he can't have Antarctica.
"Of course," he says. I keep my voice light and cheerful.
"You will me courteous of my hunting needs. I have no problem with hunting away from the city, but I will need to be allowed that opportunity. Secondly, you will not ask about my powers. I promise to do what I can for you with what I can do. Lastly, this agreement will be broken if you so much as think about harming my family."
Aro thinks over my plans. He is particularly interested in what I am hiding as far as my powers. The idea intrigues him. He is repelled from my agreement by the terms considering my family. He is unsure about my hunting habits. He thinks that he could break me of my resolve against human blood in time. His curiosity outweighs his doubts. After all, he can always kill me and solve that problem easily enough.
Aro rises from his throne and turns to touch the hand of each of his brothers. They are both thinking along the same lines as he is. Marcus is surprisingly enthusiastic about the arrangement. Finally, Aro turns to me. I see the thought form in his mind before he deliberately stretches out his hand to me.
"Welcome to the Guard," he says, offering me a handshake. I knew that he would try this. Thank you, Bella. I take his hand and listen to his speculating thoughts about his inability to read my thoughts. The last time he saw this ability was Bella and that was the reason that they could not take down my family. Suddenly he is unsure that he made the right decision.
I hear the approaching voices coming at the same time that Aro does. I also hear the thoughts of all the hungry vampires around me who are about to be served. Felix drags Jill to the side of the room. He keeps a tight hold on her as the heavy doors open and the humans file in. Some take pictures, others gaze at the architecture or the ancient beings around them. Some shudder at the unpleasant feeling in the room. The doors slam shut behind them and a few of the vampires stand guard. Aro turns to me with a knowing grin on his face and I know that I won't be allowed to leave now.
"Come now, Cassie. Won't you stay for dinner?"
A/N: I'm not sure that this chapter is quite as intense as I pictured it all happening. Oh well. Dinner time, wonder what's going to happen. Will she crack when fresh blood is presented to her in the frenzy of feeding? To be perfectly honest, I haven't decided that myself.