Chapter Thirty Eight

Charlie

My first inclination was to call Renee crazy, but there was something very strange about these people. As the plane started to descend the girl came to speak to us again.

"The same rules apply when we leave the plane, do nothing to draw attention to yourselves and no one will get hurt. We have a long drive so if you need to use the facilities I suggest you do so now because once we start we will not be stopping until we reach our destination."

"What do you want with us? We don't have any money, we aren't related to anyone rich or powerful. Maybe you got the wrong people or the wrong information."

"Actually you are wrong Chief Swan, you and your wife are extremely valuable right now and you are most certainly related to someone of great power, but Aro will explain everything when we reach our destination."

Although I didn't really want to know I found myself asking the question,

"Renee says you are vampires, is she right?"

"Would you believe me if I said yes?"

I shook my head reluctantly,

"Then why ask the question?"

She turned on her heel and rejoined the others.

It was dark when we landed and as the plane door opened we felt an oppressive heat and a mixture of smells that was totally alien to us. At the bottom if the steps stood another official in a short sleeved white shirt with a clipboard who avoided looking at us, checked some papers handed him by the "ex-crusader" and nodded moving away swiftly. The dark sedan that waited for us was already ticking over and Jane opened one of the rear doors and motioned for us to climb in. We did so reluctantly, followed on each side by one of her companions and she took the seat beside the driver, Demetri sliding in beside her. It didn't take long to drive out of the built up area and into the darkness of the countryside. I had recognized Athens skyline so I knew she'd spoken the truth, we were really in Greece, but once outside the capital I was lost.

We drove for about three hours in silence and then climbed into hills and stopped outside what looked like an old monastery complex, part ruined, but in the headlights I saw there were a lot of people moving around carrying huge rocks unaided in the dark and suddenly Renee's theory of vampires didn't seem quite so far-fetched after all. The car parked as close to the walls as possible and we were ushered out of the car and into the center courtyard of the complex where some of the rooms were intact, with lights flickering inside. The place wasn't connected to any of the utilities I guessed as I couldn't even hear a generator and all the rooms were lit by candles. Jane stood talking to the driver for a few minutes before joining us and ushering us along a corridor with two or three places open to the sky where the ceiling had fallen in, but here and there the stones had been piled neatly to one side as if about to be reused.

Inside a huge room which may have been the refectory of the monastery we came to a halt watching as a man in a black suit with long dark hair spoke quietly to another who wouldn't have looked out of place against Andre the Giant except that he was tall and muscular with not an ounce of fat on him. Both heads swiveled to look at us momentarily and then the giant moved away faster than I expected for a man his size. The other came over to us, a strange look on his pale face, his eyes glowing an unearthly ruby.

"Jane, I see you brought our guests. Thank you, my dear, that will be all."

She nodded her head deferentially and left with a swirl of her cloak leaving us alone with the stranger.

"Excuse me, welcome to Lamia. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Aro Volturi. And you are Chief and Mrs. Swan."

He held out a hand with long slender fingers which I grasped reluctantly and found he had an iron grip. His hand was icy cold and my heart beat fast at its touch but then he let go and I breathed a sigh of relief watching as Renee has the same response to his touch.

"Let us find somewhere to sit and I can explain why you are here."

We walked into a side room which was intact with a wooden table and chairs and he gestured for us to be seated.

"I would normally have been able to offer you more comfort but, unfortunately, our old home was recently destroyed and we are still moving in here."

"I'm sorry to hear that but why are we here?"

"Patience Chief Swan. May I offer you some refreshments?"

"No... thanks, we're good."

"Very well. I don't actually want very much of you personally, it's more what others will do in order to keep you safe. You are, as they say, hostages of fortune. Your daughter has something I want, but she is proving reluctant to work with me, with us."

My heart stuttered with shock at that, our daughter? Bella was dead, surely he knew that? The creepy smile reappeared,

"Now I know you are confused but allow me to assure you that Bella is alive. In fact, she was in my care until recently. It was she who destroyed Volterra along with many of its inhabitants."

Renee stood up her eyes flashing dangerously,

"I don't know what you are trying to pull you sick bastard, but my daughter is dead. She died in an explosion months ago, so if you think you are going to force us to do something by threatening her then you can go to hell."

"Hell? A rather overrated threat I'm afraid. Still I understand your shock so I will forgive the rudeness. Your daughter caused that explosion, but she did not perish in it herself. My people were able to rescue her and take her to Volterra where I was hoping to persuade her to work for me, but she is surprisingly stubborn considering all she knows about the Volturi."

"Well, why don't you tell us about yourself and this Volturi because they don't mean shit to me, my friend."

He looked at me seriously for a second and then nodded,

"Of course Chief Swan, perhaps you will feel more inclined to help me if you know the truth."

When he finished speaking my mind was whirling and Renee was clutching my hand as if trying to crush the bones to dust. I refused to believe his words although it was obvious he believed his delusions just like the crazies on the plane.

"You really are as crazy as a loon."

He sighed heavily,

"If you refuse to believe me then I suppose the only thing would be to give you a demonstration of my story."

He clicked his fingers and the giant reappeared holding a man by the arm, a man who looked petrified. Without any warning the one called Aro pounced on the man biting into his neck and we saw the man begin to jerk and scream but it was cut off short and in a minute he slumped in the giant's grip, his eyes glazed with death, a trickle of blood running from a terrible wound in his throat. As Aro wiped his lips delicately Renee screamed, a hand to her mouth, and the giant picked up the dead man in one hand and carried him out.

"Now we've established the truth, that I am indeed a vampire, maybe you'll believe the rest. Allow me to introduce the brothers I spoke of, Caius and Marcus."

He was joined by two other men with the same ruby eyes and pale skin, who stood to his left and right.

"We are the Volturi Chief Swan, rulers of the vampire world, and you are going to bring your daughter back to us, with your lives if necessary. I want her gift and what I want I invariably acquire, sooner or later.