Chapter 20
Bella
The need for stealth was lost on me. I was sure that Aro and his coven would know of our presence even before we entered the walls of Volterra. It wouldn't surprise me if they already knew of our arrival from the moment we'd landed at the airport in Rome a few hours ago. Yet Edward and Jasper had insisted that a sneak attack would be better than an all out blitz on the Volturi, what with our group being slightly diminished from what it had been when we'd faced off with them six and a half years ago. Carlisle had been unable to contact everyone he'd wanted to, only managing to get in touch with the Denalis, the Irish coven, Benjamin and Tia from the Egyptian coven, the Amazons, and a few nomads. I was beyond caring about the method we used to enter the city. I just wanted my daughter back. My beautiful, precious baby girl. Her face was all I could see, she was all I could think about. As we flew through the darkness toward our destination, I grew more and more frantic to have her in my arms again. If I were capable of tears, I knew I would be dehydrated and spent from weeping my heart out by now. We stopped a few miles outside the main gates of the ancient city, on the windswept slopes of the hillside which Volterra sat atop. The night was inky black, with thick, charcoal clouds scuttling across the sky, obliterating any light the weak moon was able to produce. Aside from the shrieking wind, all was silent. We communicated with body language as much as possible, but it soon became necessary to speak in hushed tones.
"Jacob, I think you should stay here with your pack, while the rest of us go into the city," Edward murmured, his eyes alight with an emotion I could not name. I had already known that he was going to spring this strategy on Jacob before we'd left the airport, but I still dreaded his reaction. I knew he would protest vehemently, and I couldn't say I blamed him. Nothing in the world was going to stop me from confronting Aro, from doing everything in my power to get my daughter back. I was more than ready to kill for her, and to lay down my life if necessary. My fear and grief had slowly turned into a violent rage that I was finding harder and harder to control. As if in response to my own emotional state, as well as Edward's suggestion, I could feel the heat of Jacob's fury emanating in waves from his trembling frame.
"No! No way, Edward! I have just as much right to go in there as you and Bella. I know you're Nessie's parents, but I have just as much at stake as the two of you," he hissed furiously, his black eyes blazing in defiance.
"Jacob, listen to me, please. Jasper believes we should split into two groups. It would be foolish to send our whole group inside, like sending sheep to the slaughter. We could very well be heading straight for imminent death. Suppose Renesmee isn't even here in the city? Suppose they have imprisoned her in another place? If we all die tonight, there won't be anyone left to search for her. Think about it. Someone has to remain at a safe distance, to be prepared to flee at a moment's notice. Someone has to survive this night in order to rescue Renesmee," Edward argued in his most persuasive tone. I could see the internal battle Jacob fought with himself, almost as if his eyes were windows into his soul. His rage and anguish were most dominant in his expression, and then, finally, reluctant resignation took over as his shoulders slumped and he bowed his head. He knew Edward was right. And Jasper was a military expert, so who of us could doubt any strategy he proposed? Jacob nodded curtly, his mouth set in a grim line. After a short deliberation, he raised his head to address Edward. "How are the two groups supposed to communicate with each other?" he inquired, his voice husky with barely controlled anger.
"You can choose one of the wolves to accompany us. Whoever you choose to go with us can phase in an instant and relay to you what we find out, and….whatever else might happen," Edward responded quietly. He lifted a hand as if to lay it on Jacob's shoulder in comfort, then lowered it again as he thought better of it. It would be a monumental thing for Jacob to have to choose someone from his or Sam's pack to face the Volturi, to possibly send one of his brothers to their death. How could one go about making such a decision? All of the Quileute wolves had journeyed to Italy, save Quil, who had remained in La Push to watch over Leah and the babies. I was infuriated that the wolves were once again putting themselves in this predicament, facing possible annihilation and near extinction.
"I'll go, Jake," Seth volunteered, stepping forward to stand next to Jacob. Seth was so brave, and had such a pure and loving heart that I was not surprised in the least at his offer.
"No," Jacob growled under his breath. "You're too young. You're not ready for something like this."
Before Seth could protest, Sam came to stand at Jacob's other side. "Jacob's right, Seth. I'll go in. I'm more of an experienced fighter, and…" he hesitated, bowing his head, "..and I don't have much left to live for anymore," he finished in a whisper.
"What are you talking about man?" Jacob demanded, his voice rising in anger. "You have three children at home that are depending on you. You can't let anything happen to yourself. Your kids need you. Leah needs you."
Sam's head snapped up, a look of bewilderment on his face. "I know that Jake, I didn't…didn't mean…."
It was Embry that made the final decision, his tone brooking no argument. "I'll go. All the rest of you have way more to lose than I do. And Jacob, you're my brother, my biological brother as well as my pack brother. It's only right that I should go." He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at everyone, as if daring someone to dispute his choice.
Jacob merely nodded his head in defeat. I knew that he didn't want to send any of the wolves in there without him. I could only imagine the turmoil he must be feeling as an Alpha; an Alpha whose many responsibilities included doing what was best for his pack, and putting himself between them and whatever danger might come their way. I also knew that my daughter was his number one priority in life, and he would do whatever he had to do in order to secure her protection and safety. It had to be indescribably painful to be pulled in two different directions. I reached out and grasped Jacob's hand. He didn't flinch away from my icy skin. Instead, he gripped my hand tightly in response. We looked into each others' eyes, sharing our pain with one another.
"We're going to get her back, Jake," I promised, fierce determination in my voice. I only hoped my tone conveyed more confidence than I felt. I was ready to take on the entire Volturi guard by myself if need be, but there would be no guarantees as to my daughter's safe return. Carlisle was not as hesitant as Edward in comforting Jacob. He lay a hand on Jacob's forearm reassuringly. "I do not believe that Aro will harm Nessie in any way," he said, a profound calm and deep assurance on his face. "I'm sure we will be able to resolve this situation much as we did before. Aro is not an unreasonable man. We will find a way through this, Jacob."
I never understood how Carlisle could be so optimistic in even the most dire circumstances. I had no faith that Aro could be talked out of his most recent plan to destroy our family. There were talents my family had that he wanted too badly. I was sure this confrontation would end in violence, but that in no way meant that I was willing to give in. I would fight to the death for my daughter.
Carlisle conferred with Siobhan briefly before we headed into the city. He was encouraging her to concentrate on a positive conclusion to this battle, to use her strange gift of manipulating situations in to whatever outcome she wished. She nodded her head grimly. Zafrina moved to stand in front of the wolves. She had agreed to stay with them and protect them with her ability to blind or confuse anyone whom Aro might send out to attack them. The rest of us began to move into a formation that Jasper had pre-arranged with Edward, Emmett, Eleazar, and Garrett at the forefront. I gave Jake a quick hug before I fell in beside Rosalie, Tanya, Kate, and Carmen. Esme and Carlisle would stay on the outer edges of our loose circle, and the members of the other covens, along with the nomads, would bring up the rear.
Jasper and Alice had decided to remain outside with the packs as well. Alice felt extremely guilty about not standing by her family, but I had assured her that I understood, taking her into my arms and hugging her tightly. Aro desperately wanted to make her a part of his coven, and we couldn't risk allowing her to go inside with us. Jasper steadfastly remained at her side, refusing to be apart from her. As much as we might need Jasper's expert fighting skills, I felt no ill will toward the two of them. I knew how much they loved Nessie, but had our positions been reversed, I knew I would have made the same choice. Edward would never allow me to go before the Volturi without him, and I couldn't bear the thought of him standing before them without me at his side. I threw my shield out over our entire group as we moved as one through the blackness toward the rear of the city. Edward knew a way in through the walls that was carefully concealed, even in the daytime. We crept silently through the secret entrance, our sharp vampire senses alert to any odd sounds or movements in the darkness. There were none, which I found to be extremely odd. Surely Aro had members of his guard patrolling the city at regular intervals, at all hours of the day and night. There were no humans around at this late hour, and the city seemed to be deserted, lifeless. The utter silence was unnerving. I could smell faint traces of the Volturi guard, but none of the scents were fresh. It seemed to me that we should have run into one of them by now. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe they didn't know we were coming, and were treating this as just another ordinary night. But that didn't make sense. If they had Nessie, and I was absolutely positive that they did, they would surely know that we would come here looking for her sooner or later. We arrived at the main entrance of the medieval castle in which the Volturi resided. The humans that lived in Volterra believed this to be a normal office building. The Volturi kept up that façade for appearances. Edward reached for the handle of the glass doors, only to find them locked. This certainly wasn't surprising, but the whole situation felt wrong to me. Why hadn't we seen even one member of the guard yet? A feeling of dread began in the pit of my stomach. "We could be walking into a trap, Edward," I whispered furtively. He glanced toward me, nodding his head briefly, but quickly looked away. I knew what he was thinking. What choice did we have but to go inside? There were no other alternatives available to us. Our daughter's life was at stake.
Rose stepped forward then, and with a few quick movements of her sharp nails, had the lock sprung. Edward eased the doors open and we all glided silently into the luxuriantly decorated lobby. The massive fountain in the center of the room was turned off at this hour, and only a few dim yellow lights above various doorways cast shadows on the walls and the reception desk, which spanned almost the entire length of the room. A human security guard was snoring away in one corner, slumped over in his metal chair, head resting on one shoulder, mouth hanging open. A magazine lay open in his lap, barely held there by his splayed hands. We moved past him toward the bank of elevators, our feet sliding noiselessly over the smooth, marble floors. I hoped for the human's sake that he didn't wake up any time soon. What a rude awakening it would be to see a throng of angry, determined vampires intent on entering this opulent building, come hell or high water. I chuckled humorlessly to myself. Edward looked at me questioningly, but I just shook my head and indicated that we should hurry. We turned left at the elevators, opting to take the stairs. It would be much faster for us. We raced up the three flights, arriving at the double doors that led into the waiting area outside the Volturi's lair in under a second. Our group paused briefly to collect itself, then Edward threw the doors open. The heavy oak doors crashed against the walls, causing plaster dust to fly. We were inside the room in a flash before the doors could rebound and slam closed again. The human woman behind the polished mahogany reception desk looked up in surprise at our noisy entrance, her hands automatically flying to her throat. A vague sense of déjà vu filled my mind at seeing this place again. The room was exactly the same as it had been the last time I'd been here as a human. The same deep green carpet covered the floors, the same pale leather couches were situated around the room, and the same paintings of the Tuscan countryside decorated the walls. A brief shudder passed through my body as I remembered the terror I'd felt, being led here by Demetri, Felix, and Jane. I'd been sure I wouldn't make it out of here alive, just as I was sure I wouldn't tonight.
"Oh!" the receptionist exclaimed. She was barely taller than Alice, with long, straight brown hair, brown eyes, and nondescript features. She struggled to collect herself, but fear was evident in her voice. "Hello…may I help you?" she inquired in a shaky tone. For a split second, I wondered what had happened to Gianna, the coldly efficient secretary that had been here before. I didn't spare much deliberation on the subject; it wasn't very hard to guess what had become of her. We barely spared the harried receptionist a glance as we immediately made for the doors that led to the hallway behind her desk.
"Wait!" she shouted. "You can't just-"
My furious glare cut off her words, and she shrank back against her desk as far as she could manage. We burst through the doors and abruptly came face to face with Demetri and Felix. There was a look of mild surprise on Demetri's face as he took in the sight of us, but Felix wore a gleeful, menacing expression. He rubbed his hands together in anticipation. Like Emmett, he was always ready to battle. Emmett grinned back at him, equally eager to get on with the fight.
"Why Edward, Carlisle, this is certainly-" Demetri began, but was interrupted by Edward, as he growled, "Step aside, Demetri. We've come to speak to Aro."
"I'm sorry Edward, but Aro is not available to speak with you at the moment. Perhaps you could be so kind as to come back tomorrow, and give my master some time to prepare for your…unexpected visit," Demetri intoned in a steely voice.
Edward glared at him, the fury on his face intimidating even me. "We're not going anywhere Demetri. We came to see Aro, and we're not leaving until we do. If you want us to leave, you're going to have to make us leave." He crossed his arms over his chest and planted himself firmly, legs slightly spread apart. Demetri deliberated for a moment, then nodded as he finally gave in. Felix looked extremely disappointed. He reluctantly fell in behind Demetri as they led us down the hall toward the hidden door in the paneling. Demetri slid the secret door aside, and waved us ahead of him into the cavernous stone room. I didn't feel comfortable having Felix and Demetri at our backs, so I paused as Edward and the other men that had been in the front of our group entered the antechamber. I indicated to Felix and Demetri that they should go ahead of the rest of us. Felix smirked at me, and turned his back confidently to enter the room. When we were all inside, I noted that the entire guard was there, gathered in small groups around the room, talking quietly among themselves. Upon seeing our group, they immediately moved to the center of the room, forming a line in front of the three ancient vampires seated in their thrones against the far wall. Aro rose and drifted through the center of the line, surrounded by his usual entourage of bodyguards, pure delight in his expression. Seeing his face ignited the fury within me, and a low growl escaped me before I could stop it. Rose put a restraining hand on my arm, keeping her eyes trained forward.
Aro acted as if he hadn't heard me. He continued to float gracefully toward us, smiling at the rest of his coven reassuringly. "Carlisle, my dear friend!" he exclaimed. "What a pleasant surprise! It is wonderful to see you again, as well as your family and friends. To what do I owe this honor?" He inquired politely. I snorted in disgust. He knew damn well why we were here. I was so sick of his charades.
"You can stop with all the pretenses, Aro," Edward said through his clenched teeth. "You know exactly why we're here."
Carlisle placed a hand on Edward's shoulder.
"Stay calm, son," he murmured.
Aro paused in the middle of the room and clasped his hands together. "My dear Edward, I am truly at a loss. I have no idea what you are talking about. From your harsh words and tone, I take it this is not simply a social call?" Aro's face was filled with bewilderment, and what appeared to be innocent confusion. In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to tear him to shreds, to hear his screams of agony.
"No, it's not," Edward replied in an icy voice, his body trembling in a visible struggle to keep his composure.
"Ah, what a pity. I do so enjoy visiting with my friends. It has been a while since we last saw one another. Tell me, how is your lovely daughter?" Aro looked over our group, searching for Nessie, puzzlement crossing his features when he didn't see her. "Did she not accompany you on your journey?"
A violent shriek of rage exploded from my chest, and it took Rose, Kate, and Tanya to hold me back from launching myself directly at Aro's throat. Edward took a couple of steps back without turning around, and stood in front of me in a protective stance. Several members of the guard bridled at my reaction, but Aro waved them off dismissively.
"Bella, I do not understand your anger toward me. Has some tragedy befallen your family that I do not know about? Perhaps something concerning your daughter?" Aro said, his tone dripping with false concern. "Yes, I'd imagine something of that nature would garner such a reaction, would invoke such rage."
Before I could speak, Carlisle stepped forward, his hands held out in supplication. "Aro, we have not come here to challenge you. We simply want to know what happened to Renesmee. She disappeared from Spain two days ago. We think you know where she is."
"Why, my dear Carlisle, you cannot possibly think that I took her…? Why would I want to do such a heinous thing?" Aro's voice was now filled with shock at Carlisle's accusation.
"You tell us, Aro," Garrett demanded, moving from Kate's side to stand beside Carlisle.
"Ah, friend Garrett, how good to see you again. It has been a while since I've enjoyed the pleasure of your company. I can assure you all, I do not know the whereabouts of the precious child. I have not seen her since our…er, unfortunate last meeting. It pains me deeply that you would think so harshly of me." Aro bowed his head briefly as if he were truly saddened.
"Renesmee was taken by two half vampire women," Edward informed him. "Alice saw two blind spots here in Volterra with you and your coven. We know you were the ones behind her disappearance!"
Understanding washed over Aro's features as he looked up at Edward. "Yes, I can see why you would come to that conclusion. I actually do have two new members in my family, two half vampire females that we…acquired some years ago. Demetri, would you be so kind as to fetch your lovely daughters, so that I might introduce them to our friends?"
Daughters? I thought wildly to myself. Demetri had fathered two children with a human? I supposed it wasn't such a crazy idea when I stopped to think about it. Aro had been intrigued with Renesmee's origins, and had surely wanted to have some half vampires created in order to study them. Carlisle had once told me that Aro had done something similar before, had created two immortal children for the express purpose of experimenting with them, to see if he could somehow tame them. He had failed in his attempt, and had ultimately destroyed the young ones. I shuddered to think that Demetri's daughters would someday share the same fate. Edward nodded briefly in response to my thoughts. I had cast my shield out from my mind in order to share my thoughts with him. He whispered over his shoulder to me that Aro was planning on destroying the half vampires if they didn't soon show signs of having any special talents. A small flame of fury sparked in the center of my mind. He was such a monster. I didn't understand how the members of his guard could be so blind, that they couldn't see that they were just being used. If any of them ever failed Aro in any way, he would surely have them obliterated in a heartbeat.
Demetri returned in less than a minute, with two beautiful young girls in tow. One of them was about my height, with straight, shiny blonde hair that fell to the middle of her back. She had jade green eyes and skin the color of cream. The other one was slightly taller, with thick, wavy chestnut hair that reached down to her waist, and skin that was a shade or two darker than her sister's. She glanced nervously at our group with her blue-gray eyes as they passed us, placing a protective hand on her sister's shoulder. I felt a surge of pity for them. They couldn't help what they'd been born into, and probably had no idea of the depth of the Volturi's maliciousness.
"Hello, my lovelies!" Aro exclaimed vibrantly as they came to a stop in front of him. They bowed their heads to him in a respectful manner. "Hello, master," they mumbled in unison.
Their utter deference made me ill, knowing it was most likely being forced upon them without their knowledge.
"Please, allow me to introduce the two newest members of my family. This is Amelia," he said, indicating the taller of the two young girls, "and this is her sister, Dulcea," he continued proudly, stroking the cheek of the smaller blonde girl. As they turned to face us, I studied them carefully. These were certainly not the same women who had taken Nessie. Jacob had described both of those women as having black hair and darker complexions. These girls looked to be no older than Nessie, in fact appearing a little younger than her, a little less mature. I gauged them both at approximately six years old, or about 16 or 17 in human years. They obviously don't share the same mother, I thought randomly. They didn't look enough alike. My heart sank. Aro was obviously playing games with us. I was convinced that these two were not the only half vampires he had added to his coven. He was keeping the two that had taken Nessie hidden from us, and using these two as a ploy to purport his innocence. I was sure of it. Only a fraction of a second had passed as these thoughts raced through my mind. I was distracted out of my reverie by Edward's sharp intake of breath. He was looking to his left, past Carlisle and over to where Embry stood on the fringes of our group. Embry was staring directly at Dulcea, the petite blonde girl. I instantly recognized the look on his face. He gazed at her as if she were the only person in the room, his face filled with wonderment, with pure awe. His body trembled slightly, not in the normal way the Quileutes did when they were about to phase, but with some indescribable emotion. He was staring at her as if she were the most beautiful creation he had ever seen, like a lost man who had finally found his way home. Dulcea caught his look, slight confusion on her face. Then she blushed deeply, and looked down at her feet. I returned my attention to the matter at hand. Embry's love life was going to have to take a back seat right now. Edward addressed Aro once more.
"These are not the women who took Renesmee. Are these the only new members of your coven, Aro?" he queried, voicing my thoughts.
"Yes, Edward, I can assure you of this. Demetri fathered these lovely young ladies some years ago, shortly after we departed from your homeland. We journeyed to South America, to speak with Joham, the vampire that was so fond of creating children with human women. I must admit, I was intrigued by our conversation. I simply had to satisfy my curiosity by availing myself of the opportunity to learn more about these fascinating creatures. Demetri, fortunately, was more than willing to assist me in this matter. Hence, the acquisition of these dear ones into my family," Aro explained, confirming my suspicions.
"May I ask what became of their mothers?" I blurted out.
During this conversation, I had noticed the exchange that was going on between Embry and Dulcea from the corner of my eye. Embry continued to stare at her unabashedly, while she gave him quick, shy glances, her cheeks blooming roses. Aro had apparently noticed as well, keeping tabs on their reciprocity while he talked. Dulcea's head snapped up at my question. Her attention was now on the two of us as Aro spoke of her and her sister's mothers.
"Alas, their mothers did not survive the birthing process. Gianna, one of my most capable human employees, was Amelia's mother. It was a devastating loss," he said somberly. Amelia looked as if she were about to cry. I shot him a look of disgust. He had the power to save Gianna, if that had been his wish. She had obviously meant little to him; she was only a pawn in his game, merely a variable in his sadistic experiment. I hadn't cared much for Gianna when I'd met her, but the thought of a human life, any human life, being carelessly tossed away like garbage in exchange for personal gain infuriated me.
"Brother, I'd like to confer with you for a moment, please," Aro requested, gesturing for Marcus to come to him, never taking his eyes from Embry. Marcus followed the line of Aro's gaze and linked hands with him briefly. "Hmm," Aro muttered. "Interesting. Very interesting indeed."
I could only assume that Aro was inquiring about Embry's apparent fascination with Dulcea, and Marcus had conveyed to him the intrinsic points of the imprinting that had just taken place. Edward again confirmed my thoughts with a slight nod.
"Well!" Aro boomed, clapping his hands together and clasping them under his chin. "Now that you Cullens know that it was not I nor any of my dear ones that took your precious Renesmee, we must decide where to go from here."
Edward growled low under his breath, and Emmett and Garrett moved to stand on either side of him. Carlisle kept his restraining hand on Edward's shoulder. There was a stirring of movement among the Volturi as well, as if by some silent signal they were readying themselves for a battle. Caius strode to the front of the line to address Aro, though he never took his eyes from our group.
"I grow tired of this nonsense, brother," he rasped. He glared directly at me, and I hissed in response. "I suggest you tell your friends to take their leave before our hand is forced," he sneered.
A chorus of growls and hissing broke out from both groups instantaneously, echoing off the ancient stone walls, filling the room with a deafening roar. I noted Embry trying to inch forward toward Dulcea, but Demetri had quickly pushed his daughters behind the intimidating line of the guard and out of sight. Emmett restrained Embry with an arm across his chest, his massive biceps bulging. I looked up to see Jane eyeing me contemptuously, and I snapped my teeth at her. She hissed furiously and bent into a fighting crouch. I knew she was incensed by the fact that her power was useless as long as I was here, protecting myself as well as my family and friends with my shield. I grinned and beckoned her forward, slinking into my own crouch. She shrieked and made as if to lunge for me, but her twin Alec held her back. I wished fervently that I could have just two seconds alone with her…
Aro seemed to be the only one in the room that kept his composure aside from Marcus, who wore his ever-present mask of boredom. A peal of laughter escaped Aro's lips. "Now now, everyone, let us compose ourselves. There will be no fighting here today. The Cullens have merely come before us to ask some questions, and we have answered them to the best of our ability. We must be as hospitable as possible to our friends in their time of need." The entire guard instantly stood at attention at his words, but I could tell that some of them definitely were not happy about it, Jane and Felix in particular. Our group relaxed little by little, still on guard, but slowly coming out of our fighting stances, and quieting our growls and snarls.
Aro paced the length of the room, chin in hand, seemingly deep in thought. "Who in the world could possibly want to take that precious child from her family and cause them such distress?" he said, almost to himself.
As much as I hated to agree with anything that Caius said, I was growing tired of this nonsense too. Aro's innocent charade was starting to wear on me, and I grew more frustrated by the minute. While Aro paced, Edward turned slightly to the right, beckoning Maggie and Charles forward to join him at the front line. Siobhan reluctantly stepped aside so Maggie could get by. I knew she wasn't happy about letting her coven member get so close to the Volturi. Edward didn't need to say anything to either of them as they stopped at his side. They knew what he wanted from them, and what he wanted was the truth. Both of them had an uncanny ability to discern truth from lies. They had remained silent throughout the proceedings, measuring the words and actions of the Volturi carefully. Maggie met Edward's eyes and nodded slowly, her bright red curls bouncing on her head. "Aro is telling the truth, Edward," she said in her soft Irish accent.
Edward looked to Charles. "I agree with her. Nothing Aro has said today has struck me as a lie," the nomad from England said. Edward nodded curtly, then turned to face me.
"Bella, love, I don't know what to do. You heard what they said. They don't think that Aro is lying."
"Then where is Nessie, Edward? Who has our daughter?" I whispered fretfully. Maggie's and Charles's testimony to Aro's sincerity floored me. I couldn't imagine anyone else in the world wanting to cause my family this much pain, couldn't imagine any other motives behind the kidnapping than to ultimately destroy our family, as the Volturi had tried to do in the past.
I was so confused. This couldn't be happening! Someone somewhere had to know what had happened to my daughter. Would we have to search the entire planet to find her? The task seemed daunting, even for creatures such as we, who never grew tired, never needed to rest or sleep.
Aro halted in his pacing and spoke to Carlisle. "I sympathize with your plight my friend, and am truly sorry that I could not be of more assistance. But perhaps…perhaps you would accept an offer from me, my dear friend, an offer of assistance from my beloved Demetri? As you know, he is quite a capable tracker, very skilled and most efficient. I beg of you to accept his help in finding your daughter, not only as a way to resolve the situation, but also as a sign of my goodwill."
Carlisle looked to Edward questioningly, who in turn looked to me. It wasn't a half bad idea. If anyone in the world could find Nessie, it would be Demetri. I was wary about him traveling with us and helping us search for our daughter, but at this point, I was beyond the very limits of desperation. I had been so sure that the Volturi had taken her, and that we would do whatever was necessary to get her back. I wouldn't have thought in a million years that she was not really here, that Aro hadn't had anything to do with her disappearance. Most of all, I never would have believed that he would graciously offer his help in finding her after we'd stormed into his home and accused him of taking her. Everything seemed so backward right now, so out of place. I felt myself being pushed toward the edge of sanity as the torment of not knowing my daughter's whereabouts threatened to take over my entire being. I didn't know if vampires could lose their sanity, but there was a first time for everything, I supposed. I felt extremely close to the breaking point. I nodded at Edward in defeat. Any help we could get at this point was well worth it. I had a feeling we were going to need it.
"Demetri?" Aro looked at him questioningly.
"Yes, master, I would be more than happy to provide this service…for you." Demetri looked anything but happy, but I knew he would never deny a request from Aro.
"Excellent!" Aro exclaimed. "I wish you a most fruitful journey, dear Cullens, and give you my most sincere wish for a safe recovery of your sweet Nessie."
I cringed slightly at Aro's use of my daughter's nickname, but recovered myself quickly. We had a job to do. I didn't know how or when we would find her, but I was determined to have my daughter back safe with us. I tried desperately to hold on to that determination, to hold myself together, to not let the crushing fear and agony that was building in my heart overwhelm me. Where was Renesmee? How long would I have to wait before she was in my arms again?
Aro, I have one more matter to discuss with you before we leave," Edward said, as he drew me to his side. I was very uneasy about everything that had just happened, my thoughts swirling crazily through my head. Nothing was making sense to me. How had we come to the point where we were putting our trust in Aro, in Demetri, to help us find our daughter when we'd been completely convinced that the Volturi had taken her? I still didn't entirely trust Aro. Maybe this was some sort of complex trap that he was setting up for us. However, we didn't have any options left at this point but to place our trust in him. That didn't mean that I had to like it.
"Yes, Edward?" Aro asked, folding his hands together in front of him, a solemn expression on his face. He was the very picture of a saint willing to sacrifice anything to help his friends.
"I was curious about the birthday gift that you sent to Renesmee," Edward said.
"Ah, yes. What about it?" Aro questioned with wide-eyed innocence. If I wasn't aware of his true nature, he would have me completely fooled.
"Well, to be honest, your gift to our daughter was one of the first things that led us to believe that you were having her followed, and that you were the one who was ultimately behind her disappearance." Edward looked slightly uncomfortable at this admission, though he was grimly determined to flesh out every facet of the truth.
"Ha ha ha!" Aro laughed joyously. "Why, Edward, the gift I bestowed upon your daughter was merely that, a gift in celebration of her most important milestone. Just a small token of my esteem," he proclaimed, smiling broadly at the two of us.
Edward nodded, but I could tell from the look in his eyes that he wasn't buying it. Then he said, "We'll be leaving now, Aro.. I'm…sorry to have barged in here and made these accusations against you and your coven, but surely you can understand my state of mind. I'm frantic to find my daughter, and must explore every possibility. And…thank you for allowing us to take Demetri along with us. I'm sure his talents will help us find Renesmee very quickly." I knew how hard it was for Edward to have to say this to Aro. I grasped his hand and squeezed it gently. Having to apologize to the Volturi, as well as having to thank them for helping us was just a small testimony to how indescribably anxious we all were to have our Nessie back with us, safe again.
Aro waved his hand at Edward dismissively. "Of course I understand, my young friend. No apologies are necessary, and I am more than happy to accommodate any need you might have in the search for your precious child. Again, I wish you well on your journey. Until we meet again, my friends," he said, gesturing to us all magnanimously. I could have gagged on the sugary sweetness of his false sincerity. I couldn't wait a moment longer to leave this macabre place, to be on our way and get on with our search. I turned to go, but stopped short as Embry approached Edward and me. There was a look of utter supplication on his face, and I knew what he was going to say before he opened his mouth. I felt a stab of pity for him. He was going to request that we be allowed to take Dulcea with us. He could no more leave her behind than Jacob would have been able to leave Nessie here. Embry whispered to Edward for a few minutes, Edward nodding his head before turning to Carlisle to confer with him briefly. Carlisle seemed a little taken aback, then smiled reassuringly at Embry.
"Aro, one more thing before we go," Carlisle said, as he turned to address the black haired, ancient vampire. "We have a…well, rather unusual request for you."
Aro raised his eyebrows, but said nothing as he gestured for Carlisle to continue.
"As you may recall from our last…meeting, you learned quite a bit about our shape-shifting Quileute friends. You may remember "hearing" about the imprinting process through Edward's thoughts. It seems as if Embry here," Carlisle gestured to Embry, who stood next to him, nervously twisting his hands, "has imprinted on one of your coven members, Demetri's daughter, Dulcea. He has requested of me to ask you if it would be possible for her to come with us."
Aro rubbed his chin with one hand thoughtfully. "Hmm, interesting. Marcus has already conveyed to me the depth of his feeling for young Dulcea. The imprinting phenomenon is quite fascinating. To feel such an utter devotion for someone you have just laid eyes on…yes, fascinating indeed. Well, my dear ones are certainly free to leave my coven as they wish. I will leave the final decision up to her." He indicated that Dulcea should come forward. She walked tentatively to Aro's side, confusion and fear evident in her expression. Poor thing. She didn't know anything about imprinting, and we were all complete strangers to her. The Volturi was the only family she had ever known, but I didn't believe that she felt truly comfortable here, judging by the way she had reacted to the mention of the loss of her mother. She had to know that Aro had it within his power to save her mother, as well as her sister's. Aro gently cupped her face in his hands, tilting it up to look into her eyes. "My darling, the Cullen family is requesting that you leave us to journey with them. The young lad here as become quite taken with you," he said, nodding in Embry's direction. Dulcea glanced at Embry, blushing deeply, then looked back to Aro.
"Master?" she questioned uncertainly. She glanced anxiously over her shoulder in the direction of her sister, Amelia.
"It is your decision, my sweetling. Of course, should you decide to go, please know that you can come home whenever you wish. You would be welcomed back with open arms," Aro replied, a wistful sadness in his eyes.
"Dulcea, you and your sister are more than welcome to come with us, and I will gladly open my home to the both of you for as long as you are willing to stay," Carlisle offered. His kindness and generosity never ceased to amaze me. I guessed that Edward had told him of what he'd seen in Aro's mind, that these two half vampire girls meant nothing to him, that he would think nothing of destroying them.
"Amelia?" Dulcea turned to her sister.
"I will go wherever you go, sister," Amelia replied, a tad hopefully, it seemed.
Dulcea nodded, and looked over our group. Carlisle's compassion and Embry's obvious devotion must have weighed heavily in her decision.
"Master, if it's alright with you, I would like to go with the Cullens," she whispered nervously.
"Of course, dear one. I would not begrudge you the opportunity to get to know these wonderful people better. I wish you well, my love," he said, kissing her on the forehead.
I bit my lip in an effort to hold back a snarl of contempt. If either of these girls had possessed any sort of profitable talent for him, this conversation would not even be taking place. I mentally shook myself, then smiled encouragingly at the two girls, extending a hand out to them. Amelia walked toward me, smiling shyly, taking my hand in hers. I would do everything in my power to make them feel like a part of my family. Dulcea went to stand by Embry's side, bowing her head, but willingly taking his hand as he reached out to her. Embry was grinning from ear to ear. I had to chuckle softly to myself at his blatant happiness. I glanced at Demetri to note his reaction to all of this. He looked unconcerned. Surely the girls noticed his apathy as well, for they barely looked his way as they joined us.
"Are we ready, then?" Carlisle asked us, and we all nodded or murmured our assent.
"Goodbye, my friends! Come back and visit us again soon," Aro said, an amused gleam in his eyes.
As I was turning to go, I caught a glimpse of Marcus's face that stopped me cold. I had never seen any expression on his face other than dead boredom; yet as he stared at Embry and Dulcea, walking hand in hand, there was a mournful look on his face, one that roused a surprising wave of sympathy from me. Edward halted as he felt my resistance, our linked hands causing him to come to an abrupt stop as I froze. He looked at me with a puzzled expression, then followed the line of my sight and gasped as he took in Marcus's expression. We both saw the look of disgusted contempt that crossed Caius's face. Edward went paler than normal as he read the thoughts behind that malice.
"Brother, has it not yet been long enough for you to get over the death of your beloved Didyme?" Caius sneered.
"What is it Edward?" I whispered.
"Bella, we need to go, NOW," he said, furtively tugging on my hand.
Aro caught our exchange, at first looking puzzled, then as comprehension settled over his features, I noted a small spark of fear in his eyes. He quickly turned to Caius and Marcus, seemingly to defuse a bomb that was set to go off. I didn't question Edward further until we were safely out of the throne room, I just complied with him and hurried after him as we raced down the hall toward the stairs. Demetri had led the rest our group down to the lobby, and we left the building together, hurrying toward the main gates of the city. Edward and I fell behind a little, letting the others get a discreet distance ahead so we could speak privately.
"What was that all about Edward?" I asked in a low tone.
He was visibly shaken, but gave me a weak smile as he answered my question.
"I'm sorry, love, I was shocked for a moment at hearing Caius's thoughts. Though I suppose I shouldn't be all that surprised," he mused, staring off ahead of us into the distance.
"What was he thinking about?" I queried.
"Marcus was saddened at seeing Dulcea and Embry together. It reminded him of his wife, Didyme, who passed away many years ago," he explained. I thought back to the confrontation, to the two, black cloaked, frail wives that had accompanied the Volturi that day. I had wondered briefly why there were only two of them, thinking that perhaps one of the three leaders of the Italian coven had perhaps never found a mate. Edward had told me later that Marcus had had a wife, but that she had died under mysterious circumstances centuries ago.
I listened attentively now as he went on.
"Caius, the fiend, views Marcus as the weakest link, as he has never been able to get over the loss of his mate. He hasn't cared about anything since her passing. He's developed an attitude of apathy about everything, and Caius looks down on him for it, thinking he isn't half the man he used to be. In a way, he's right, but…" Edward trailed off, lost in thought. "I don't know if he meant for me to know his thoughts, or if it simply bubbled up from his subconscious, but Caius was just now thinking about the details surrounding Didyme's death. He was thinking…" he paused, looking at my face, wondering if he should go on. "He was remembering how Aro was the one who killed her."
I gasped in shock. I always knew that Aro was a monster, but to kill his brother's wife? That was beyond atrocious.
"There's more," Edward continued in a quiet voice. "Didyme was Aro's biological sister."
I froze. Killing a brother's wife was horrendous enough, but killing one's own sister? Would there never be an end to Aro's depravity?
"Why? Why would he so something like that?" I shivered in revulsion.
"I don't know," Edward breathed, pausing to wrap his arms around my waist. "I didn't want to stay long enough to find out. But Aro is a very calculating man, and never does anything without some sort of malicious intent behind the action."
I snapped my head up to look into his eyes. "So, Aro allowing Demetri to help us find Nessie…is there some hidden agenda there as well?" My voice quivered in fear.
Edward stroked my hair, trailing his hand down along my face to cup my chin. "I don't know, love. Let's not think about it right now, ok? Let's just concentrate on finding Nessie." He kissed me softly on the lips, holding me against him tightly.
I nodded, and held his hand once more. We flew together through the darkness, out of the gates of the city, toward Jacob and the others. My earlier feeling of dread blossomed in my chest, spreading through my entire body, threatening to paralyze me. I fervently prayed for this nightmare to end.