YAYSSSS!!! OMG!!! 1000 reviews!!!!!! YOU GUY ARE TOTALLY AWESOME!!!!!!!!! So, in light of that fact, I tried to write a longer chapter than I normally do. Okay, before I start this chapter, I have some things to say… I guess you find out some interesting things when you ask people who they want to kill… sooo, anyway, I am now afraid… there are some people who want to kill me… (im April, and the character April is loosely based off of myself) and there are A LOT of people who want to kill Jake… Whats wrong with Jake? I mean, I know Bella belongs with Edward and all, but Jake doesn't even think about Bella and him in my fanfic… Can't we all just get along? There's nothing wrong with him! (you notice I married him in my fanfic) okay, and another thing, whats wrong with Rosalie? A couple of people wanted to kill her… hmmm… and someone wanted Jasper to die… I noticed that no one wanted Alice or Emmett or Carlise or Esme to die… whats wrong with Rose and Jazzy? Okay, and I know Ashes and Summer are new characters, but that doesn't mean they need to go up on some sort of hit list… Quite a few people don't like Summer… I guess she can be a little over the top, but I like her… and what on earth is wrong with ashes? What did she do? Okay, and some people like the baddies… someone wanted Heidi to join the female coven because they liked her… someone said that Jane shouldn't die because she was cool, and another liked Aro… wow… that went on longer than I expected… meep… sorry, I was just very surprised… you should be happy to hear that I have decided upon who I am going to kill… (snickers evilly) yes, someone important will die, and I hope you enjoy that little twist when I come to it… okay, well, enough foreshadowing, on with the chapter!
"I was not aware that we were holding a party for vegetarian vampires." His voice was clipped, annoyed, but I detected a hint of something I didn't expect from the Volturi. His voice contained fear.
"I was not aware that the Volturi banned all those who do not drink from humans," Edward replied smoothly. I thought I saw a vein pulse in Aro's temple, but it was too subtle for me to tell.
"I would thank you to not treat the Volturi with scorn. You never know what it may cost you." Caius spoke instead of Aro for once, and he didn't sound any happier. "You should remember that you are guests here, not the other way around."
"Of course," Carlisle apologized, taking control of the situation. "We are sorry for intruding on your business. We are just extremely happy to see Bella again. We were under the impression that she was dead. We got carried away with the return of our family member." His voice was gentle, and Aro's expression calmed a little. I knew that Carlisle and Aro had once been great friends.
"That's quite understandable Carlisle," he responded graciously. "Even the best of us loose ourselves sometimes. It is nice to see Bella smile. She is usually so tortured looking, poor thing," he said without an almost convincing tone of concern. The placid smile took over his oniony face again. I almost wanted to punch it.
"Thank you," Carlisle said again, "Now, seeing as you were so rudely interrupted, would you care to continue your conversation with these ladies? I am sure you won't object if my family stay to add our imput."
"Not at all, dear Carlisle," Aro responded. I was surprised, I had half expected Aro to kick us out. But it seems Carlisle opened up Aro's generosity. Aro turned back to the female coven once again.
"Now, we may finally finish this negotiation," Aro smiled. "You wish for me to release these two wonderfully useful creatures and not let them aid us." He paused. "Would you like to explain why that is the case?"
The female coven began to talk in turn,
"Yes, we would. First of all, they have done nothing wrong," Brooke began,
"And you have no right to be keeping these vampires here against their will," Kate put in.
"You are simply keeping them here for your own benefit," Chelsea spat out.
"You do realize, don't you, that you are doing the same thing that you murder other vampires for doing," Ashes said, her voice reasonable. I noticed Summer fidget. Apparently she had been warned against speaking. Her forward attitude may not have helped the situation much.
"Yes, normally we do protect vampires from being overrun by armies or subtle disagreements and such," Aro began, "But we have kept the peace for so many years, without getting one thing in return from all of the vampires we keep safe. I judge it fair for us to break some of our own laws in order to repay all of the debt that the vampire race owes the Volturi." His smile was smug.
"That's not right!" Chelsea was fuming.
"Calm down Chels," Ashes warned. "Aro, that isn't logic, or justification. If you wanted to do a service to the rest of the vampires, don't become a hypocrite and do exactly what you strive to prevent."
"Without us, this kind of thing would happen all the time." Aro's voice was still calm and smug. "It is only thanks to us that this is the exception. Think of it like any normal government. The king doesn't have to follow his own rules."
"You are not a king." Kate's quiet voice cut through the room clearly. She didn't need to shout to be heard.
"I am as close as the vampire kingdom has got to a king," Aro noted.
"Is that what you want?" Brooke cut in, "To take over and rule? I'm not sure your cohorts will agree to that." The other members of the Volturi didn't seem phased. A few of them folded their arms and turned toward Aro, waiting for his response. They were like robots, carefully programmed to do his every bidding.
"Oh, I'm fairly sure they would agree with me," Aro smirked. "They have already accepted me as their leader. Now, why don't you leave before I decide to keep you as well?"
"You can't do this," I blurted out. Edward wrapped his arm around me, restraining, but I continued, unable to stop myself. "Let them go! You have no reason to hold them! They should be free to do as they wish!"
"Bella," Aro's voice was fatherly, but there was an undertone to it that terrified me. He was going to do something bad, I could tell.
"No!" Edward growled out the word. I wasn't sure I wanted to know what Aro was thinking.
"Yes, yes." Aro purred. "Bella, did you forget that you are also a part of the Volturi? Did you forget that your allegiance is owed to me and only me?" His white teeth gleamed in the darkness. "You have to do what I tell you to. And I'm telling to you to be quiet." He chuckled softly at my expression.
I hadn't thought of that. Being a member of the Volturi was only temporary for me, I had only wanted to be there to be distracted from the fact that Edward was gone. But now, looking up into my love's deep gold eyes, I had assumed I would simply be leaving with the Cullens once this whole thing was over.
"I'm not a member of the Volturi," I spat out. "I never was." Aro's smile only grew. It made me extremely nervous, almost as nervous as the growl emanating from Edward's chest.
"Are you sure Bella? Is that what you really want? Do you want to leave us?" Two guards casually moved so that they were flanking Jake, who was holding April. I gasped.
"No! No, you can't do that!" My voice sounded weak, much too weak for the situation. Aro smiled, knowing he had won.
"No," Edward's voice was firm. I was sure he understood the situation perfectly, seeing as he already knew of Aro's method of keeping me here.
"Edward," I whimpered. "I can't just let him kill Jake,"
"I know," Edward's voice was soothing, "But I can't leave you again, I wont let either of us go through that again." His breath on my face calmed me a little, until another voice rang out.
"WHAT?" Jake's face showed all. His mask, the careful mask that he wore around Aro had fallen away. "Wait, who's going to kill me?"
A/N: Ooooh, its really boiling up now isn't it? I doubt even Jasper could diffuse this tension! Not that he isn't going to try. Heehee, okay, so the other day, I saw this riddle, and I wanted to try it on you guys. Ready? Here it is:
What is the next 3 letters in this riddle?
o t t f f s s
Oh, and I'll send you the answer in a pm if you try to answer… I didn't get it, but maybe you guys will have more luck…. Okay, well I'll try to update soon, and as always, REVIEW!!!