AN: Apologies if you thought this was a new chapter, it's the beta'd copy of the previous upload

I have to apologise for being MIA, but I have a project at work coming to it's fruition and have worked 15 days straight, evenings and weekends and my writing time and juices have come to a dead halt

I am now almost done with chapter 37 and hope to have it up on Wednesday but please forgive me in advance if I miss the deadline

Usual disclaimer applies

Chapter 36

Now, Bella

Our wedding was six weeks away, planned for the end of September. We had managed to contain Alice when it came to Charlie's birthday as he chose a themed party at McDonald's. Not my absolute favorite thing, but he wanted to invite all his friends from his old school. He'd not been particularly happy when we told him that we would be moving from Esme and Carlisle's house into our own sometime in the next few months, and it would be too far to travel to his old school. So we allowed him to choose what he wanted for his birthday; the good side of that being that Alice couldn't control it.

However, Lily's party was another thing. Alice insisted on throwing a lavish affair, inviting all her friends, my old office colleagues and the children of some of the Cullen men. I didn't quite know what to expect and was surprised when the wives of these men made a point of singling me out to talk to, to butter up; though I couldn't fathom why they treated me like royalty. Eventually, I asked Esme, who explained that they were trying to make sure that when Edward and I were married, they would be able to come to me to get his agreement and assistance on anything they chose. They would be entirely wrong; I was just as likely to be me making decisions, too, and Edward was okay with that.

Since he'd begun to share every part of his life with me, things had gotten better and better, and I trusted him to tell me everything. He didn't let me down, invited me to all his meetings, though that did get him some raised eyebrows. I didn't always attend and he let me choose what parts of the business I was involved with, and it was always my choice.

~ oOo ~

We were seated in the first class section of the flight to Italy, behaving like tourists. Edward had explained that it would be too noticeable if we used the Cullen Associates private. Although it was now the end of July and it had been a few months since Alec and Jane, and possibly Kate, too, had disappeared to their estates in Volterra, we didn't want anything to alert them that we were coming for them; that I was coming for them.

Garret, Edward and I, plus Seth, who insisted on coming along, left Chicago at four o'clock yesterday afternoon, and after an hour stop-over in Dublin and a drama-free flight, we deplaned mid-morning. We sailed through customs and security, emerging into hot, bright sunlight. If it hadn't been for the serious nature of our visit, I would have been excited to see the historical buildings of Rome. Although we could have taken the train, Edward had called ahead and booked a rental car for the journey to Volterra as it gave us more freedom before we headed that way.

"We need weapons, Garrett. Can you get in touch with our contacts here? If it needs to be me to meet with them, set it up for later today, please," Edward said.

Garrett, ever the quiet one, merely nodded and walked away, putting his phone to his ear. Edward opened the passenger door to the rental, and as I climbed in, he leaned down to whisper in my ear. "One day, we'll come back as tourists, Bella." As he always did, he'd noticed how I felt about being here. I smiled up at him and squeezed his hand in appreciation.

Within only a few minutes, Garrett was on his way back over to us. "All sorted, boss. These guys trust me, but they won't meet until late tonight. We gonna head to Volterra overnight?"

"It's only a few hours' drive, so it's probably best if we find something to do or somewhere we can stay until we're ready to leave. I want to be in Volterra by early morning, before the sun rises if possible." Edward turned to me. "You might just get your wish, sweetheart. Let's get an early lunch and make some plans."

"Sounds good." I was glad we were dressed as tourists, though I was already getting warm. Seth and Garrett took their jackets off and slid into the rear seats while I unzipped my hoodie and fastened my seatbelt. Edward walked around the car and shed his hoodie before climbing into the driver seat.

Lunch was a light-hearted affair, despite the seriousness of our visit. We chose an open-air café and settled under an umbrella out of the brutal midday sun. Even Garrett seemed to unwind enough to share his memories of times he had spent in Rome a few years ago. Garrett and Seth, never very adventurous with food, settled for pizza. Edward chose spaghetti alla gricia, a delicious pasta dish with cheese and bacon. For me, I chose the traditional carbonara. This was all washed down with cold soda and followed by ice-cold Italian gelato.

I was almost sorry that we weren't on vacation, as I would have loved to retire to a cool room with Edward and take an afternoon siesta. Instead, Edward drove toward the Colosseum, finding a parking lot a mile or so away. Finding a local park, we stretched out on the grass in the shade of a large leafy tree to kill a little time since it was only two in the afternoon. Garrett and Seth sat on either side of us, ever vigilant, while I rested my head in Edward's lap with his hand smoothing back my hair. I dozed, sleeping off lunch.

We spent the rest of the afternoon taking a guided tour of the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and then the Fori Imperiali, Piazza Venezia, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon and ending up at Piazza Navona, where we rested our feet and drank Italian coffee and people watched. It was a long tour and my feet ached, and once again I wished we were staying long enough to get a room.

Before long, Garrett said it was time for him to meet with his connection and we headed back to the car. We parked a short distance away from the rendezvous point and waited in the car while he set off on foot. I had no idea how long this sort of thing should take, but when he hadn't returned two hours later, I was beginning to worry about him. Edward didn't seem to be concerned, so I returned to playing games on my phone, although only half my mind was on it.

The opening of the back door startled me. Garrett slipped inside and nodded to Edward's unasked question, which I took to mean that the meeting had concluded satisfactorily. Since we had already eaten, the decision to head toward Volterra was a unanimous one, although the waiting was beginning to wear on me.

"Is it always this long-winded, Edward?" I whispered once we were on our way. He smiled at me and nodded. The drive continued through the evening and with the low sound of music filling the car, I managed a little sleep. The movement of the car stilling pulled me awake, as Edward parked on the outskirts of what looked like a small hamlet. "Where are we? What time is it?"

Garrett's quiet voice came from the back seat. "It's just after one thirty, and we're about five minutes' drive away from Volterra. We waiting here, Edward?"

"It's too early to be driving around Volterra. These places are so small that any unknown car would be likely to attract attention from the wrong people. We should park and wait for a few hours and then set out on foot. It's market day so it'll be busy early and we can lose ourselves in the crowd." Edward yawned wide as he finished; everyone was a little tired as we'd all only napped in fits and starts.

The car fell silent as each of us either slept or, in my case, mulled over the day to come. Seth was sleeping like a baby, Garrett was keeping a lookout just in case someone noticed us, and Edward dozed, starting awake every now and then to make sure everything was quiet. His hand engulfed mine, and every time he woke he squeezed it lightly, letting me know I was in his thoughts.

I must have fallen asleep because I woke with a jerk as the rear door slammed shut. Seth disappeared into the bushes, followed by Garrett; the noise bringing Edward awake, too.

"What time is it?" Edward yawned and stretched as best as he could, opening his door and letting in the fresh morning air.

"It's almost five and the sun is just coming up." Edward's yawn triggered mine and we stepped out of the car just as Seth and Garrett returned. Garrett leaned against the trunk and lit a cigarette and Seth nodded to us, turning his back as Edward and I stepped out of sight and separated to take care of business.

Back at the car, I rummaged in my bag to find a toothbrush and toothpaste and hastily brushed my teeth using bottled water to rinse. When we'd finished, the sun had risen above the horizon, warming the day. Edward and I swapped seats with Garrett and Seth, and he pulled me to his side while we headed toward Volterra.

I checked Google Maps, which showed that there was only one decent road in and out of Volterra. The rest of them either circled the small town or led to other small towns and villages deep in the countryside. Garrett drove past the signed entrance and turned off the main road, taking a narrow deserted-looking side road and parking the car under a large tree. Opposite the impromptu parking place was an archway, showing a set of old steps leading between tiny houses and up into the coolness of the town. Leaving the bags in the trunk, each of us did our best to hide the guns Garrett had scored from his contacts before starting up the stairs.

The steps were long and shallow and by the time we reached the top my legs felt like jelly and my calves burned. Edward smirked at me and slung his arm over my shoulder, whispering in my ear. "I love how soft you are when you're under me, but if you want to keep up with us, you'll need to spend a little time in the gym."

My hand swept backward and slapped across his abs. "Ass," I whispered back, but grinned at him, anyway.

The honeyed walls of the castle gradually warmed and bathed in the sun as it peeked over the mountains, although it was still very early. We wandered through the market, buying fruit and checking over the various stalls, all the time working our way around the home of the Italian Volturi. We were dressed as tourists but blended in with the locals since the younger ones were all wearing much the same as we were.

I kept my eyes open as we passed its high walls, trying to see if there were guards other than those Caius had declared. It did cross my mind that it I hadn't enough experience to be able to notice that level of security, but I trusted Edward and Garrett.

As the sun continued on its way in the sky, the noise level rose as the streets filled with more tourists. Garrett and Seth roved further afield, no doubt cataloguing anything out of the ordinary while Edward and I wandered arm in arm, heading south in the direction Caius had told us we would find the hidden entrance.

Before long, Garrett returned and Seth settled himself behind me, ever watchful. Since the day that Edward had collapsed on the driveway outside his house, Seth had, with Edward's approval, appointed himself my bodyguard, driving me around when I needed to be somewhere. I wasn't keen on the arrangement at first, but it settled Edward's nerves when we were apart and I found Seth was a good companion, full of jokes and laughter but diligent and totally loyal to me, Edward, and the kids.

"So far, the information we have from Caius has been accurate. There are two guards on each side of the main and south gates. The west gate is set high up at the top of a set of stone steps and there's no way of approaching any of those without being seen. Since that holds true, I'd say that the north gate is the same." Garrett's voice was quiet as he leaned in to Edward, giving him the results of his and Seth's investigation.

"What about the building with the hidden entrance?" I was pretending to take photos of the picturesque castle. The guards looked bored and were leaning against the wall on either side, smoking and talking, taking no notice of any of the tourists doing the same as me.

"That's a couple of hundred yards that way, on the right side of the road." Garrett pointed toward the left where the old cobbled pathway led under a shadowed archway. "There's one person sitting on a bench on the far side of the door, although I'm not sure if he's a guard or just one of the villagers."

"If we're not sure," I said, "We need to just neutralize him, not kill him."

Edward nodded in agreement and tucked my hand in the crook of his elbow. With Garrett leading the way and Seth bringing up the rear, we headed in the direction he'd pointed. The coolness of the long archway was welcome as the day heated, and we were quiet other than the echoing of our footsteps. I could feel the weight of the parts of the castle buildings above, reminding me that we weren't here as tourists, but to make sure that those who had traded the life of my son for their unscrupulous family were never in the position to hurt any of us again.

I shivered, partly at the cool air and partly for my thoughts that this may not go as well as we hoped. Edward, feeling me shiver, pulled me closer, his actions telling me that he understood what I was feeling.

It seemed to take longer than it actually did until we stepped out into the bright warm sunlight again. Unfortunately, the tense feeling in my shoulders didn't dissipate and my hand reached for the one on my shoulder, taking strength from the feel of Edward's skin under mine and his warmth next to me.

We approached the small brick building and, as Garrett had said, the bench situated on the further side of the door was occupied by an old man. At first sight he appeared harmless, but as we drew closer to him, even I could see that he held himself tautly. Despite the heat, he was wearing a jacket and a flat cap that hid his eyes. I couldn't help feeling that he was scrutinizing us as we approached, and I was aware that his clothing could easily hide a weapon.

Edward turned to me and without warning pushed my back against the wall of the building beside the one holding secrets. He captured my lips in a heated kiss while my hands automatically wound around his neck, my fingers digging into his hair. Vaguely, I heard Seth scoff and mutter about 'fucking newlyweds' while both his and Garrett's footsteps receded.

My throat emitted an involuntary moan as Edward deepened the kiss, his hands cradling my jaw. Thoughts about where we were and what we were doing here in Volterra scattered. A sudden scuffle and Edward pulling away from me brought me back to reality, slightly embarrassed that at such a time, Edward could get me to forget everything.

Looking to my right, I saw that the old man had disappeared from view and within a few minutes Seth and Garrett reappeared from the small alley on the other side of the small building. I looked at Edward who grinned and shrugged unapologetically. I narrowed my eyes at him, but was helpless to stop the quirk of my own lips trying to form a smile in return. Instead, I bit my lip, which had his eyes darkening.

"I'm glad I could provide a distraction," I said slightly sarcastically. The sheepish look Seth gave me told me I'd hit the nail on the head, though I did wonder when they'd cooked up that little scenario. "Did you kill him?"

Seth shook his head as Garrett answered my question. "I'm pretty sure he was one of the guard; he was armed, but we just tied and gagged him and dumped him further into the alley. I'm hoping he won't be discovered for a while, and he's not getting out of the cable ties."

I nodded and followed Edward toward the door set deeply into the wall of the front of the building. It didn't look like much; just a wooden door with an ordinary keyhole. It crossed my mind that Caius might have lied as I couldn't believe that an entrance to the castle and the home of the Volturi mafia would be almost open to the public.

Garrett handed Edward a large key, which fitted the lock exactly and turned easily, belying the condition of the door. Behind that we were presented with a metal door, now confirming that we were on to something.

"How are we supposed to get through that?" The door sported a top-of-the-range digital keypad and my heart sank to think that we had come this far and were thwarted by technology.

Seth slipped his backpack from his shoulder, digging in the front pocket. He produced a length of cord and proceeded to tie a knot in one end, and then wound another small piece of cord around it before tying a knot in the other end. He hooked this over the keypad. Attaching a small length of cord to the lower end, he lit the whole thing on fire. He and Garrett hustled us outside, closing the door and heading around the side of the building. We heard a muffled thump from the other side of the wall and a small amount of dust slid down onto us from the wall above where we stood.

Seth grinned excitedly. "He loves blowing things up," Edward murmured. "That's what he did to the house where Aro took me, too."

Returning to the front of the building, we saw that there was a small amount of damage to the wooden outer door, and the keypad to the inner door was hanging by a thread. The door itself was warped enough that Garrett and Edward managed to push against it, creating enough space for each of us to slip through one at a time while Seth pushed the wooden door back into place as best he could. It wouldn't pass close scrutiny, but with any luck we would be far enough into the castle before anyone was any the wiser.

Seth was the last in through the damaged metal door, pushing it closed behind him. In front of us, inlaid into the floor, was a simple wooden trap door cover, the kind you might find in an old country house. Considering where it led you would have been forgiven for thinking that the Volturi were arrogant and blasé, trusting that their exterior security was enough to deter those looking for an unobtrusive way inside.

Garrett and Edward lifted the door, which moved far more easily than I expected and opened to reveal a set of steep steps leading into darkness. An involuntary shiver ran over my skin, but as my eyes met Edward's, my determination to remove Alec, Jane, and Kate, if she was here, hardened.

** Dangerous Secrets **