Karma's A Witch

'Seth fell to his knees and I tried again to escape Edward's arms to help my brother to no avail. Edward wasn't letting me go.'

Chapter Forty- Two

7:22 pm, Friday

December 5th

Today is the big day! I tug the brush through my hair in a hurry, I'm dressed and ready. All I need is my winter coat and everyone else to get their asses out of bed. The game starts in less than forty minutes. Let's go people! I barge into Alice's room, not caring what I step on as I rush to her bed and pounce. She doesn't react.

I shake her, bouncing with my knees. Her head rolls from one side to the other.

"Are you kidding me?" I tell her unconscious body as I pull on her blankets to pick up her arms and drag her off her pillow. She literally sleeps like the dead. I even stop to make sure she's breathing. 'Edward...' I call out to him, scared something is wrong with Alice. Is she sick? She can't always sleep like this... right?

'Witchling...' He responds, heading back in my direction after I called to him. When I shower he covers the parameter to see who's been coming around our home. I guess Jake is still checking on us and Edward thinks Charlie's scent is only out there because he comes to get Jacob when he's out in our woods for too long. I shake Alice again, she stirs, finally.

'Sorry, Alice wasn't waking up, but she is now.' I apologize to my vampire as she mumbles. Edward slows down his run to a jog, knowing nothing was wrong. Alice twists over and reaches for nothing, mumbling again. I lean forward, wanting to hear what she is saying. It sounded like "Mary Alice" why would she be saying her own name? I pulled away and shook her again as she said "missing". She is having a bad dream about something. I shake her harder. "Charlie... wolf blood".

"Yes, Charlie is a wolf. Wake up!" Her eyes pop open and she scans the room before she finds me. Her chin quivering. I find her hand and hold it. Shit, was that not a dream but a vision? She shakes her head and her tears pass quickly.

"What are you doing in here? I had the worst dream." Alice shivers and shakes her head. "I kissed Jasper on my birthday and I couldn't go out in the sunlight." She pauses. "Oh, are we late for your brother's game? I knew something bad was going to happen today!" She groans. "This is Jasper and I's first real date, like in front of people and I have less than a half an hour to get ready!" Her face puckers up and she wiggles free from her covers. "I need to look stunning! Get out of here, I have to change and make up my face. I'll skip the shower and just use spray."

"Vampires noses are sensitive, no spray," I tell her as she shakes her head while pointing to the door. Yup, she wasn't talking to me and she wanted me out. She's undressing before I even twist the knob. Rose and Emmett were easier. I just pounded on the door until Emmett swung it open in boxer shorts looking down both ends of the hallway.

"My brothers game is in forty minutes! Get a move on!" I tell him. He grins calling back to Rose "Get your ass up, it's Seth's game today." He thanks me before closing the door on me. I head toward Esme and Carlisle's room. I'm only a few steps away when Esme comes out of her room. She smiles broadly when she sees me.

"Good morning, dear." My Aunt says, her hand touching the side of my head as she reaches me. "Is everyone ready to head toward the reservation? It's going to be a good day." She winks and I smile, some fear from Alice's strange mumbles fading away.

"No, I had to wake them all up. We're going to be late. I'll help you with breakfast if you want." Her arm is over my shoulders as we head down the hall together. She's too warm, but I'm used to a vampires' temperature. Warm people unsettle me, now.

"A lazy bunch, don't you agree?" We reach the main floor and separate. She wants to make scrambled Mexican eggs. I get the salsa, the eggs, and the cheese out as Esme starts heating and buttering the pan. "It's a quick breakfast, we'll be on our way over in twenty."

"I'm not sure about that. Apparently, Jasper and Alice are using this as a date and she wants to look perfect." I shrug and Esme smiles.

"They are adorable together. All 'lets do it right' and 'I can't touch you when your parents are around'." Oh. I guess Esme didn't know that Jasper just plain couldn't touch Alice without wanted to drink her dry. I was not about to be the bearer of that particular bad news. No thank you. I just nodded, smiling. Edward was close, he knocked twice on the outside door before sliding it open and coming in. Esme made a fuss about his hair and Edward accommodated her as she magically cracked the eggs and I added all the good stuff in the same large pan across the room.

'Your aunt is worried about all her witchlings leaving her behind.' Edward informs me and my heart expands just a fraction. I had the same fears. That I would lose what I had here with the Cullens, just like I lost the Webers.

'Thanks.' I mutter in my head as Emmett stomps down the steps with quick movements. He was across the room and over the pan of cooking cheese, salsa, onions, chives, and eggs while they were magically stirring. "I'll get the sour cream." He says, pushing past me to the fridge as Esme made her way back from fusing over Edward. She wanted us all to look presentable at the reservation, but especially the vampires... as they would be watched closely by the shifters to give them any reason to attack.

Of course, messy hair isn't an attackable offense and Edward's hair is naturally unmanageable... it still showed she cared and worried about him.

As predicted Alice took the longest. Jasper showed up about twenty minutes before the game started dressed as always, jeans and a t-shirt. If Alice came down in something too fancy, he might be upset. She'll have to change again and we will for sure be late. How nice can you look for a game? 'Alice wants us to go without her. She is going to give Jasper the Jacket she made him when it's just the two of them, here.' Oh, the one Alice saw him crouch down beside Edward in... like they were going to battle...

Chills ran down my spine. I shook my head to get the sensation to pass.

"Alice! We're going now, Jasper and you can meet us there!" I yell upwards. Alice calls out an 'Okay! Thanks!' before Rose huffs and starts out the door. We divide up into two cars. Rose and Emmett driving Edward and myself over in the Jeep. Emmett keeps the music low and trails Carlisle and Esme in their Mercedes up ahead. We were silent until Rose turns around with red-tinged cheeks, facing Edward. She bites her lip, looks over at me and then drops her gaze.

"I am sorry for how I was behaving before. I knew it was wrong but I couldn't control all my anger and I'm not saying this from Carlisle and Esme's ultimatum... You know that..." What ultimatum? I turn from Rose's face, all thin lines and worry, to Edward's blank one. He says nothing, facing toward the woods out the passenger side window. Rose sighs and turns back in her own seat as if nothing had happened.

What ultimatum had Rose been given? Before we had the curse thing sorted out she had been a royal bitch to basically everyone but I understand why, now. Had Edward said something to her? Is he still angry with her and what about Esme and Carlisle? I wanted to ask Edward but he beat me to it, answering in my head.

'She assaulted you, pushed you into risking your life for her when you were uncomfortable with it and then she blamed me for your sickly state afterward. You almost died and she blamed me biting you because she couldn't handle it was her fault. When you were recovering from removing the curse she only let Alice near you. I had to watch from afar and ask 'the all mighty Rose' for permission to care for you. Permission!' He sounded like a vampire in my head. Snarly, livid and ready to attack. I reached out and put my hand over his, he flipped his palm to rest against mine and weaved our fingers together. 'You are incapable of holding anyone accountable for their actions. You are a martyr, willing to take the raw end of any deal so no one else had to.' He eyed me with a glint in his eye and a crooked smile on his mouth. 'Well not me, and I will make Rose suffers any way I can for what she did to you. Vampires remember, forever.'

... Oh, my moon goddess. Why did I find this so hot? Of course, I reacted and all three of the people in the car with me made a different noise. Emmett snorted in a humorous way, Rose groaned in frustration and Edward growled, leaning toward me just enough for me to catch the promise of 'later' on his face. I may not agree with him punishing Rose repeatedly over her lifetime but I wasn't about to change one thing about my vampire. Besides, a part of me was glad that multiple people, which included my Aunt, Uncle and Vampire were addressing to Rose how inappropriate she had acted.

I wanted to tell my vampire that I loved him, but we were pulling into the reservation and I had a feeling something hot and sticky would result after those three words. In the back of Emmett's Jeep surrounded by shifters didn't seem like a good place to go at it with my vampire. Instead, I just sent him a 'Okay... Later.' Before getting out of the jeep after Emmett pulled the handbrake up.

The first thing I noticed was Seth and Bree holding hands. I even did a double take but it was still there. I grinned at them both and they waved, walking over to us. My dad was right there and I was up off the ground in a second. He squeezes me and kissing the side of my head. In my awkward position, my hands folded to his chest with his arms holding me still, I try to show him some affection too. "It's been too long!" He mock-scolds and I roll my eyes.

"Right, because yesterday's game night didn't happen." He laughs, putting me down just long enough for Sue to hug me from the side.

"I still think you cheated. The banker always skims a little off the top." Charlie exclaimed before he winks, turning to Emmett and doing the guy-shoulder-slap.

"Don't listen to that old man, he's losing it in his old age," Sue tells me, fussing with my hair. She does the same to Edward, even pushing away nonexistent wrinkles on his shoulders and I smile softly. They accepted him. While I was distracted, Seth and Bree trapped me from both sides, sandwiching me between them.

"Congrats, you two!" I tell them as they both start talking at once. Seth about how Bree was the one that forced him to ask her and Bree about how Seth is making it up, that he liked making fun of her. "He begged me to date him!" She says, grinning from ear to ear as Seth laughs. "You begged me!" But they are happy, so I don't care about the specifics. Leah comes up, looking around for someone but settling for me. I haven't met Sam but I can guess that's who she was searching for.

"I'm glad they have you to bother, now. They drive me bonkers." She tries to hold back her smile as they both glare at her. I laugh as they both start complaining about Leah, that she's always on the phone and always moody. That last night she wouldn't trade any properties with him just because he ate three of the cookies she had made the day before. Of course Leah had made those cookies special for 'a friend', I had heard the story already, the night before. I escape Bree and Seth's hold to stand by my vampire. I see Carlisle and Esme talking to Charlie and a few other older shifters. Rose is leaning against the Jeep with a nail file and Emmett is surrounded by young shifters. They are all trying to take him down, hanging on to his arms and legs as he roars and walks around with so many kids slowing him down.

'You seem lost, witchling.' He tells me, finding my hand and squeezing it gently. I nod, yeah, something big is missing. I thought about it all the time. It's been a while, since September but it seemed this wound wasn't healing.

'Angela, Joshua, and Isaac. Even silent Mr. Weber... We need to free them, they are stuck under the Volturi's thumb.' I can feel my chest tighten and my throat bob. I cannot go the rest of my life without them. The Cullens may be family now but they can never be what I had before. Charlie and the Swan's even, I loved them but I knew in my heart of hearts that if I had to choose between them, I would pick my true siblings every time... Angela, Joshua, and Isaac. It was nothing against them, but I grew up with the Webers. I loved the Swans, they were literally my blood family, well Seth and Charlie but I hadn't known those three Webers my whole life. If only there was a way to be with the Webers without Mrs. Weber or the Volturi. I'd never have to choose between them, I just wish I wasn't cut off completely from them.

Hell, I can't even call her because Mrs. Weber might answer. Is that an excuse? Of course, it is, one word from Angela and I'd be inconsolable for hours. I felt like sobbing now, imagine if I heard from her. Goddess damned, I can't handle that, knowing I will have to hang up and go back to being without them again... A phone call can't fix this, it might just rip the band-aid off and restart the healing process.

Edward tucked me under his arm and buried his nose against my ear. He breathed me in, his chest shuttering and my free hand made a fist with his t-shirt at his side. 'Your separation will not be forever. Trust me.' I nodded against him, taking in his rich, sugared man smell and relaxing. I didn't question him, I trusted him. We straightened up, pulling apart and I looked around. Edward tugged me forward and I realized everyone was walking in the same direction. 'The players are gathering.'

If it was a choice between Edward and anyone else though... time didn't play a factor. I'd pick Edward.

When we reach the field, a very pregnant Samantha with her husband and Alice's intended familiar waddle in front of us. She is huge! Not fat, but her obvious pregnant stomach was far out there. No wonder she needed to hold on to Lee, she probably had balancing problems. Her breathing is shallow, her other hand on the side of her large baby bump. 'Shouldn't she be done by now?'

'Almost.' Oh man, Alice will be upset if she doesn't get to see this. Or at least know about it before everyone else does. I thought about texting her but she was finally alone with Jasper and I didn't want to take any of her time with him away.

Bree waves us over, she had a blanket spread out and we head toward her. Jake is beside her, he gives me a little flick of his hand and I smile at him, sadly. Yeah, I wish we could be friends again, too. Alice said there was a shifter coming soon enough and after she arrives, we can be how we were before. Alice wasn't sure the specifics but she said in the future there will be a migration as if the Volturi just let the shifter free or something. Occasionally, I think Alice makes an educated guess by what she see's... Still, there is going to be newly freed shifters migrating up here and she'll be one of them.

We made our way to sit with Bree. Charlie was with Seth, warming up with a baseball bat. Were they both going to play? Others were around them, throwing balls, tackling each other and they all looked so happy. I watched, then turned toward Jake again.

"You aren't playing?" I ask. I've never known him to sit out on anything. He grins, looking me over.

"I am, I just wanted to give you a proper hello." Jake steps forward, all mischievous and looking so much like the Jake I've known all my life. It was hard to take a step back from him. It was a respect thing, for Edward. I respected my vampire. Jake's brow furrowed.

"Sorry... It's just that, sometimes certain... scents..." I blushed, looking away as Edward squeezes my hand again. Perhaps in thanks, perhaps to show his support. Jake noticed our interwoven hands right then, of course. He growled deeply before bowing and running off to join the group of guys opposite my brother and father. Great, now I'd be rooting against him on top of having just insulted how he smells.

"Don't worry about him. His skull is thiiiiiick." Bree emphasized more than she needed to, to get her point across. Edward seemed to appreciate it though and the two shared a look that clearly said 'we agree with each other'. Yeah, Jake did have a thick skull but I still keep hurting his feelings.

Unintentionally but... repeatedly.

The game starts up quickly. They have bandanas of different colors to differentiate the teams. Seth and Charlie are blue, Charlie tied the fabric on his head while Seth had it tucked into his shorts dangling from the side. Jake is red, it was tied around his bicep. I knew some others. Quill, Sam, and Embry were all playing. Of course, playing baseball with super strength and speed is a bit different.

Balls went deep into the woods. Of course, there is no shifting allowed but they ran fast. By the time the ball was thrown back, some players were halfway around the bases already. It was basically a race between getting the ball back in the diamond and getting around the bases. The outfielders were most important in this dynamic. They were the quickest runners, the players that counted in the defense.

Seth ran a home run. Bree and I were jumping up and down like we were crazy when he made it. Everyone looked at us, smiles for some, others scowled. Perhaps because Bree is a Were-thing, my Vamp-thing or also perhaps because we were both talking a bit of trash against the red team. Either way, it was fun.

Esme and Carlisle even hollered a few times when they felt a call was unfair. Emmett was anxious to get in the game but it was apparently wolves only. Rose painted her toenails and sipped her tea the whole time. She didn't feel welcome on the reservation, but I felt like she created most of the uncomfortable environments she complained about. Plus, she's probably bummed about Edward not forgiving her as easily as I have.

Alice and Jasper showed up halfway through. I told her about Samantha and Lee being close to popping. Jasper's coat did look good, too. We had a few extra eyes on us when they showed up. Two vampires instead of one... plus a suppressed Werewolf girl. Yeah, we might be the freaks among the freaks. Bree was hilarious. She tugged at Jaspers coat and eyed the stitching. Alice held her breath before Bree nodded seriously with her chin wrinkled clearly giving my crazy cousin some respect on her needlework.

Bree did that to people though. She had a way of worming herself into peoples hearts, in a good way. Alice and Jasper hang back after that. I think with all the people Jasper couldn't handle it, with all the emotions, not the blood. Plus, Alice would soak up all the alone time she was getting today. They kissed, as far as Alice was concerned, her life is complete. Not my words, those would be Alice's. She had gone on and on about how she could die happy and would live happily ever after because they kissed... and expressed their love.

Edward and I... we haven't.

'What are you thinking about so hard? Feeling... mildly jealous, a bit frustrated and despondent?' Edward asked while I cursed Jasper up and down for pinpointing me out of the crowd. With everything he is feeling right now, from all these people...

'I'm always thinking this hard.' Not exactly a lie. I am my worst enemy when it comes to thinking. I can't seem to do 'simple', it's not in my wiring. Complex moral dilemmas are my specialty. Edward is slightly behind me so I have to turn to catch his expression. Its blank but we're surrounded by people, I didn't expect him to show any actual emotion. Just a sign maybe, a hint at if he believes me or not. Bree hoots from beside me, giving me a reason to turn away and check out what had her so excited.

The blue team won. I missed the end. My disappointment fades as Bree basically attacked me, pulling us both to our feet so she could jump up and down against me. She is way too excited, but it rubbed off on me and I am grinning like a fool when Seth finally comes up to us. He's sweaty and smelling just as bad as he looks but Bree doesn't care, she attacks him with just as much gusto as she had me, possibly more.

I tell him congratulations before mouthing the same thing to my dad across the field. He nods at me over one of his opponents' shoulders with a grin that looks too much like Seths for me not to notice. It's all chaos. People rushing around, either cleaning their blankets and items up or finding the player they came to see. Either to congratulate or cheer them up.

Since Bree and Seth are busy... doing something I didn't expect my little brother to know how to do so young. Tongues were involved... Ew. I cleaned up Bree's blanket and moved her shoes to the earth. No one came too close to us, Edward simply being what he is kept all the craziness a few feet away from us as no one came near. Charlie had escaped his obligations and stood in front of me.

"I'm glad you came Bells. I may see you, every day... but it just never seems like enough. It might never be enough." The ghosts in his eyes have returned. He's thinking about my mother, about our lost years that were neither of our doings. I didn't care that he was sweating either, I hugged him. "I love you, kiddo." He gruffs out against my head and I mumble it back against his chest. I didn't need anything else, just knowing that I loved my daddy and he loved me is enough for me. I told him as much but we were nodders, not talkers. I inherited that from him and with both our cheeks burning red, we parted ways awkwardly. He was overtaken by his pack of escaped wolves anyways.

Edward escorted me through the crowds. Esme and Carlisle waved, they made it out of the crowd too but were farther down the hill with Jasper and Alice. They would leave together, so we searched for Rosalie and Emmett. 'Emmett is playing with some young shifters and Rose doesn't want to walk until her toenails are dry.' Edward thinks to me and I rolled my eyes.

'Of course.' I replied, laughing at Rose. 'We can wait for them at the Jeep. They will know where we are.' We made our way back the way we came. It was dark but I didn't notice it too much anymore since my eyesight had improved so much since kissing Edward on my birthday.

'Did you have fun?' He asked, making conversation. I look away from my feet to respond but I don't have time as I jerk forward, having caught a rock with the tip of my shoe. Edward catches me easily. I nod against him, using him to stand upright again. 'Do you want to talk about what is bothering you?'

I should, it would be nice to just... get it out. Instead, I look at my vampires wrinkled brow that he actually showed now that we were alone and shook my head no. I didn't want to talk about it right now. I wanted Edward to bring it up again on his own... I wanted him to tell me without him feeling obligated to say it back. So we stayed silent as we walked to the jeep and continued to stay silent when we arrived, waiting for our other two coven siblings.

I didn't hear anyone come up from behind me so I screamed when I was assaulted from behind by a massive humanoid Bear-shifter. "How well do you catch, Vampire?" Emmett yells a split second before I am soaring through the air. It was cold, the sprinkles slapping me in the face and all the wind made it impossible for me to move or even scream. Emmett just threw me, straight up, like he does Alice. No wonder she hates it, this is miserable! Oh goddess please let Edward catch me. When I slowed and started my accent down I found my breath just long enough to release it in a long, shallow, terrified scream. 'Please catch me, please, please catch me. Please!' I told Edward in frantic thoughts that might have also had some curse words and thoughts of revenge toward Emmett slipping through to my vampire.

Then it was over. I gripped Edward like a cat resisting a bath. Emmett was laughing his ass off and if my limbs weren't frozen in terror around Edward's neck I would be strangling that not-at-all-funny man. 'You alright?' My vampire asked, the hand not gripping me closer roaming to check me over for injury. I couldn't find enough willpower to respond. I understood why Alice seemed so traumatized after it happened to her.

We flit away, home before Carlisle, Esme, Jasper, and Alice. Edward had me sitting on the kitchen counter, prying my cold fingers from around his neck and asking me again, out loud this time if I was okay. When he was free, he started making my chocolate milk, he even put it in the microwave for seventy seconds, just how I liked it.

'I don't want that to happen again.' I tell Edward. It's worse than flitting around unexpectedly because it's never truly unexpected. I can feel where Edward is and if he comes at me all speedy, I know I'm about to be going just as fast.

'Do you want me to hurt him?' Edward asks, and how serious he is, scares me.

'It was a prank, he does it to Alice too.' I reply and my vampire tilts his head to the side. "No, Edward. Don't do that." I say. I have to remember vampires needed clear answers. Emmett should not be hurt when he was just trying to be funny. The microwave goes off and when Edward removes my hot chocolate the clock catches my eye. It's later than I expected.

I'm calm and feeling much better when the warm liquid is swirling around in my tummy. I put the cup aside and pull Edward forward with a little bit of a smile on my face. My lips are on his and he is much better than the drink. My cold fingers in his hair feel the same temperature as Edward and I marvel at the feeling of sameness for a moment. 'Thank you, for always taking care of me, Edward.' I tell him softly as I nibble at his lip.

'Thank you for letting me...' He says back just as softly, letting me enter his mouth and flick my tongue against his fangs. We make out like... well Seth and Bree, before the front door opens. The cup is in my hand and Edward's leaning beside me before it even registers the first car is home. I sip my drink but Alice eyes up knowingly. Yeah, I'm not an actress.

We talk about the game. Carlisle tells us stories about his glory days. Back when Elves were aplenty and cricket was the sport. Emmett and Rose came in halfway through Carlisle's story and we all groaned when he started over for them. Like we wanted to hear it again. Emmett made fun of me for screaming so loud Jake and my father came running.

"We had to stop them from going after Edward since he does run like he's guilty." That damn bear had another thing coming. My vampire arches his brow at me and I understand him completely. He's silently asking if I still didn't want him to hurt Emmett. I shake my head no, happy that we could banter like this. Not only between Edward and I, but the whole family seemed playful today. Even Rose was good-natured.

Rose and good-natured in the same sentence. Strange how things change...

Somehow we start a game of poker. It was Emmett who challenged Jasper who then refused to let Edward play unless it was in Vegas... Either way, I just played for him and he'd let me know if my bet was good through our mind-speak. Jasper had speculations about it, from that phone call. Still, Jasper didn't bet against me, so he is a smart man. I have about twice as many fake chips than when I started when the phone rings. Carlisle answers it with a jovial hello. He's close behind me, calling my bluff often. I think he figured out my tell, which was simply 'look at Edward'.

"Alice!" Carlisle calls out, excitement and joyful alarm in his voice. He waves her over, she flips her hand down not caring that they landed face up and went to the phone. She squealed, her little feet stomping excitedly as soon as she put her ear to the receiver. Alice mimed having a big belly before swooping her hand down like she was having a baby. I laughed, okay, Mary Alice must have been born. Esme clapped her hands in quick succession. Emmett and Rose kissed chastely, her hand over her stomach obviously thinking about having her own baby soon enough.

I looked over at Edward, he was looking at Jasper. They could never have children, my understanding is vampires produced venom, not semen. I could have peeked into the shared thoughts but I didn't want to violate their trust or their relationship. I would hate it if Jasper or Edward got between Alice and myself like that. Best friend code, or whatever.

When Alice put the phone down she squealed. "She's here! Mary Alice is here!" She said, running over to hug Jasper around the center. "She's long, a full twenty-four inches long and seven pounds." She's bouncing up against Jasper who doesn't seem affected by it, just puts his hand on the top of her head.

Jasper had liked his jacket, he hasn't taken it off since Alice gave it to him. He didn't get hot or cold, so it didn't bother him to leave it on inside. Of course, he's supposed to fight in it, but that could be so far in the future since he's never going to take it off. I grinned at them.

Edward surprises me, nuzzles my neck from behind. It was a happy moment, a whole happy day. Emmett and Rose were good, Carlisle and Esme were whispering to one another, soft smiles on their face and Alice... was being Alice with a blank looking Jasper with his arms around her. Since the kiss, it seems Jasper had been convinced he can handle being close to her. I have faith in him.

He would run like Edward had so many times if it got too much for him. Alice understands.

The moment is broken, the vampires and the shifter tense up, arching forward. Emmett even growls. I step away from Edward, or try to, but he grips me to his chest like I needed protection from something. Like he couldn't let me go, not here. The only thing I could do was turn toward the window and hope to see what was happening, and something did happen. All of us saw it.

My little brother, bleeding and limping but still managing to run, in our yard. Seth fell to his knees and I tried again to escape Edward's arms to help my brother to no avail. Edward wasn't letting me go. What happened? He needed help. Why was he hurt? Who hurt him? His head lifted to the sky, he was struggling to get to his feet and ended up yelling, howling in a twisted, struggling not to shift, way. It was eerie, haunting and sounded so much like one word, the word that we all had been dreading, the one we had hoped would be forgotten.

"Volturi."