Merry Christmas to all my readers from Jules and family. xx

Chapter Twenty Five

Jasper

Once out the back of the café we studied the map and decided the way the newborns had escaped was our best way in.

"There's nothing here to say the door's been blocked off or locked so lets go. Darius watch our back."

He nodded and dropped back slightly as we made our way carefully to the old entrance and sure enough it was still open, signs of the lock having been forced still apparent.

"Right, be careful, this could be a trap"

"No Major I know Jacetta, she's worked for me and for others and always been reliable"

"Fair enough but there's something going on so be vigilant"

We went inside and waited to listen but there was nothing, just the wind at the entrance and the sound of rats and bats in the dark tunnel ahead. I nodded and Peter and I started forward Darius bringing up the rear. We had already decided to try the dungeons first, if Alice or Edward were still alive and prisoners its where they were probably being held, out of sight of anyone who might recognise them. Before we checked however it was apparent they were devoid of life, we couldn't smell any life or hear any movement and sure enough every cell was empty and looked as if it had been for a very long time.

"You think this points to them being dead Major?"

I shook my head at Peters question, much as I hated to believe Alice had betrayed me I couldn't shake off the feeling that her hand was behind this.

"We'll try upstairs. There's a small viewing platform over looking the audience chamber, it should give us a view of what's going on."

It only took us a couple of minutes to make our way to the platform, the place seemed deserted which even I knew wasn't right, something very important was going on here today. Before we entered the platform room we could hear the sounds of vampires feeding and humans dying, the air thick with the scent of their warm blood spilling to the floor as their bodies were discarded before they were fully drained. It might account for some of the quiet but I didn't believe for one moment that everyone in the citadel fed together at the same time here in this chamber, it would put them in danger should an enemy find their way in as we had. We split up and found vantage points in the gloom close to the roof of this chamber. I could see Marcus and Jane, Heidi and Demetri but no Aro and no Caius so Darius had been correct they were out of town. They wouldn't miss out on this banquet otherwise.

A movement to my left caught my attention Jane appeared to be struggling but she stood alone, a dead human at her feet then suddenly she went up in flames screaming and writhing in agony while everyone else stopped to watch in horror. As she sank to the floor I saw a ripple in the air and Afton appeared. So his gift of invisibility had been used to get to Jane but why would anyone want her dead in Volterra? She was Aro's pet, or at least one of them, and scanning the room quickly I confirmed what I'd thought, Alec wasn't here either, again as Darius had said. Did he know his sister was dead? Had he felt it being so close to her?

"What the fuck is going on?"

I shook my head putting a finger to my lips and Peter nodded sinking back into the shadows.

Alice

I froze, my lips at the throat of an elderly man who I had almost drained, I could feel eyes on me but then Afton acted and I looked on as Jane burned to ash, another of our enemies destroyed. I wasn't the only one to freeze, everyone in the room was looking at Jane's burned remains and then Marcus stood up on the dais and I turned my full attention to him, this was his time now and I knew he would enjoy it.

"Peace everyone and I will explain what is happening"

A quiet descended except for a few shuffling nervous feet,

"I have to inform you all of some tragic news, my brothers Caius and Aro are dead, killed by the treachery of the Romanians and the Fraternidad who joined forces to eliminate the Volturi but they have failed. I still live and I will take over the running of our world for now. Jane was a traitor, she and her brother were working against me, against the Volturi, and as such had to die also. I am going to ask for each of you to pledge their allegiance to myself as interim leader until a new council can be formed. Anyone who chooses not to is of course free to leave, Felix is waiting at the door to allow you out"

What about me? Marcus hadn't mentioned me yet? Was this a clever tactic? Getting their allegiance before introducing his new mate? I edged closer to see what would happen and saw the first few Volturi move forward to kneel before Marcus. He looked somehow different, more alive, as if this coup had been the wake up call he had been waiting for and as each took his hand and pledged their allegiance to him I saw him grow in both stature and confidence, my beautiful powerful Marcus Volturi. One or two of the die hards walked away to the door and Felix opened it to allow them to leave but I would put money on their not living to see daylight in the square!

I saw Marcus looking over the heads of the kneeling Volturi and find me standing and waiting and I smiled at him. My smile however was not returned, he looked sombre if anything and I felt a strong hand at my arm, turning to find Santiago standing at my side.

"Marcus wants you to wait for him in his chamber"

"What? No, why? I should be here, he's going to introduce me soon."

"Not just yet it would seem. So come on"

The vision when it hit me made me stagger and I gasped unable to believe what I was seeing. No, this couldn't be true, Marcus loved me, I was his mate, why would he want me dead? I looked up sensing again that I was being watched and saw a movement up on the balcony, someone was watching the proceedings from the cover of the darkness. Could it be that Jasper and his friends had made their way inside the citadel? I hadn't seen that but my visions had been very sketchy and fogged since Bella decided to come with them. Well no one knew I had been responsible for this so if I kept my head down maybe I could get out of this with his help. I allowed myself to be dragged protesting out of the chamber and hoped Jazz had seen my treatment at Santiago's hands if it were him but before the door closed Marcus called us back, a smile on his face which confused me,

"Please Santiago, bring my guest up here so I can thank her personally"

I was confused, had I read things wrong? Was Marcus about to introduce me as his mate after all? I shrugged free and strode to step up and stand beside Marcus, my head held high like the queen I was about to become.

Jasper

I recognised Alice even though she looked so different, what had she done to herself? Was she a prisoner here? I was about to stand up and call to her when Darius shook his head,

"Lets see what Marcus has to say first."

I nodded holding myself back with difficulty but the more I looked at her the less she resembled my Alice and even the feelings I had expected, relief and love, were stilted as if something had changed, something very important.

"Friends I should like to introduce the woman who made all of this possible. The one who saw the corruption in our leadership and came to me with the way to bring the Volturi back to its roots. Allow it to become the organisation it should always have been. If not for her I could not have taken over the leadership. May I introduce Anwen, formerly Alice Cullen"

Alice looked stunned and I understood he wasn't supposed to reveal her true identity to the rest and I knew why he'd done it. Marcus was sending me a message, he knew I was close by and he wanted me to know what a traitor Alice really was. l I felt my knees give and I knelt on the floor my head bowed as wave after wave of pain, disappointment, and anger, washed over me. Alice was not only still alive but the plan had been hers all along.