Part 30
"It is interesting that my best tracker found no trace of Bella or Alice in the great woods." Aro said, steepling his fingers in thought as he sat on his thrown beside Marcus and Caius. "Has her powers grown so quickly?"
Carlisle winced. "I assure you Aro, they left to feed, we know it's forbidden to hunt any closer than we were."
Aro waved Carlisle off, uninterested in his words, only the two missing members of his old friend's coven. Alice and the newborn Bella Swan. "And you could not find any trace of them?" He asked his lead tracker.
Demetri straightened his shoulders. "Not a scent, and I tracked those woods for miles around."
"Interesting." Aro muttered to himself. "So very, very, interesting."
Esme looked at Carlisle. She was worried that this meeting was not going to end well for their family.
Carlisle took Esme's hand and squeezed it, though he knew it was little comfort to his mate.
Marcus sighed heavily. "This talk bores me." He said. "Were they not summoned to explain increased human deaths near their home."
Caius rolled his eyes. "That matter has already been dealt with by our guard." Jane had given them a full report on what had gone on in Seattle although it had forced the guard into killing most if not all of the newborns there. Vampires that had cause public attention with their spate of human feedings.
Leaving drained corpses for humans to find.
It was all rather undignified. Jane had taken the correct course of action by killing those she found but it left unanswered questions as to who they originated from.
Although cause for concern, no one in Volterra believed Carlisle and his coven had any part in creating the newborns. Jane believed they true culprit had slipped away from her grasp and after Aro had explored her memories on her return he too believed her account meant the Cullen's were not responsible for the mass turnings.
But once he had seen a turned Bella Swan he no longer cared about human deaths exposing them.
The humans would blame a serial killer and then lock up the first insane human to profess to the killings themselves and soon the public would again forget their fear of what might be out there hunting them.
"Then why are we here?" Marcus asked. "If the matter is settled then let's welcome our friend in a room with more comforts."
Esme closed her eyes briefly; she could only imagine what Marcus considered a comfort. She tightened her hold on her mate's hand. If there were humans in the next room to be fed from, she was not having any part of it.
"Marcus, while I thank you for the hospitality, we took great care to arrive ready for this discussion, and now I'm not sure what exactly is to be discuss." Carlisle informed Marcus but his gaze came to rest on Aro in question.
"Why, Bella Swan of course." Caius answered for Aro. "That is why you are here Carlilse, to explain the increase to your coven."
"But surely…" Esme spoke, her eyes darting between Carlisle and their three rulers. "You already knew she was to be turned."
Aro stood up from his thrown. "That is true." He agreed. "But this is much sooner than expected, and we were not informed. You must understand that leads to questions."
"Bella isn't ready to be around humans, this journey was not…easy." Carlisle informed Aro.
"If the newborn is so unstable why is the little one the only one with her?" Marcus asked, his gaze curious.
"Excellent question brother." Aro said, a grin forming on his lips. He looked to Jane, patiently waiting to the side of the Cullen's along with a few of the other guards. "Tell me Jane, did you find her so," He waved the fingers of one hand near his head. "Unstable?"
Jane tilted her head to consider the question. She'd only spent a few moments in the former humans presence so she didn't have much to go on. "No, she smiled at me. And kept Alice close, that was deliberate, she was offering protection."
"Alice?"
"Bella." Jane explained to Aro. "I got the impression they are mates."
Aro's eyes lit up and he clapped his hands together. "Oh, how lovely." He turned to Carlisle and Esme. "What a delight for you both."
Carlisle nodded his head. "It does seem that they are matched, not Edward and Bella."
"It was unexpected." Esme added.
In truth they all should have seen it from how close Alice and Bella had been even from the first introduction to the human at their home. But Edward had been so sure of his connection to Bella that they had all but assumed that they were mates, and of course Edward would eventually turn Bella and spend the rest of their unnatural lives together.
Marcus found a ghost of a smile. "Yes, a true mating can be unexpected indeed." He said as his thoughts drifted to his dear wife Didyme.
Silence fell in the great hall for a long moment. Everyone aware that the pain of losing a mate was not one many survived for long. Marcus was a shell of the vampire he once was, but he still held on to the belief that one day he would find the truth in his love's death and get his revenge.
And until that came to pass he remained duty bound as a founding member of the Volturi.
Suddenly the doors to the hall opened inwards and Bella along with Alice made their way inside.
"I told you it was this floor." Bella said to Alice with a shake of her head.
Alice rolled her eyes and took Bella's hand. "Whatever, it's been a while."
"I remembered." Bella replied with a smirk.
A throat cleared causing the pair to notice the other occupants of the room.
Bella sighed as Alice gave all their watchers a cute little wave. "They can see you."
"I'm just saying hello."
"Then say 'hello'."
"Are you both done?" Caius asked having tired of being ignored by the newcomers even if they were the two vampires under discussion.
"Are you done?" Bella asked Alice who nodded her head and smiled. With another sighed Bella moved them to stand with Carlisle and Esme. "Hi mom, hi dad." She said with a smirk of her own at the pair stood nervously on the other side of Alice. Then and only then did she look to the three elders before her. "Now we're done."
"You are also late." Caius added with a look of growing anger.
"I think my timing is pretty spot on thanks." Bella rebuked back at Carlisle. "If the others are dust then at least these idiots kept you both till last." Then she caught Jane's eyes. "Tell me Edward screamed like a girl."
Jane turned her gaze to the floor to keep anyone from seeing her smile. That wouldn't be good for her image.
"Bella!" Carlisle cut in before any of the Volturi could take more offence. "Show your respect!"
Aro shuffled back to his throne and sat himself down, keeping his attention on this new version of the human he had been so fascinated with. It wasn't every day he came across a vampire more powerful than himself and those he surrounds himself with.
But the newborn Bella in front of him wasn't at all what he had been expecting.
"This is all very interesting." He muttered to himself. Wondering how this would change his plans. He had been hoping the newborn would be too much for the Cullen's to deal with. If only Bella had been responsible for all those human deaths, but Jane and Alec had dealt swiftly with the newborn army they had stumbled upon.
No, the newly changed vampire in front of them today was in control of herself.
Bella snorted at the idea of showing these elder vampires who try to rule by threat of death, her respect. "Your kings, not mine." Bella snapped at Carlisle.
Esme gasped. Edward hadn't even shown Jane such disrespect and he had been punished immediately for his words.
Everyone tensed wondering what the Volturi leaders would do about such vagrant disrespect of their authority.
"No offense." Bella added reluctantly as the silence drew out.
Marcus shocked them all by laughing wholeheartedly.
It caused even Aro to wonder what his brother found so amusing.
"I like you." Marcus declared as his laughter petered out and his face took its usual stoic form. "But I tire of this, what crime has to be answered here today? The day grows long and I wish to return to my study."
Bella felt Aro's gaze and she held it true, the corner of her mouth lifting to show the hint of a fang.
Even through all the years she had spent in this castle, Aro was never and will never be worthy of her respect.
Afterall, she knew his secrets.
"Aro?" Caius questioned. If only Marcus hadn't expressed his amusement then Caius could have backed whatever Aro planned for this newborn of the Cullen's, but now that had been made more difficult.
Aro kept his eyes on Bella.
"Did you know I had to be voted into this coven, this family?" Bella said to them, her red eyes sparkling as they remained on Aro. "They all got to decide if I was to be turned or not. I'm sure it'll shock no one that Edward voted no."
Jane glanced at her brother. They'd both witnessed Edward's promise to turn the human girl. The Cullen's had no choice in the matter. Even Bella herself did not.
Humans that found out about the existence of vampires had to paths laid out for them, one to an undead life in the care of their sire, or to death before they could expose them to a wider audience.
"Edward vowed to turn you, I saw it." Aro replied to Bella. He'd seen it in Edwards mind. But then, he'd also seen enough to indicate that he was the girl's mate. And yet, a different truth lay in front of his very eyes at this moment. "He deceived me."
That was troubling.
Marcus frowned. He looked to one of their guards. "Bring them, the Cullen's, bring them all here."
Demetri nodded and took off out of the open doors.
"Go." Jane muttered to her brother, not completely trusting that Demetri was enough to keep the others in line. Her cape fluttered as Alec took off after Demetri.
"He showed you the truth he wanted to believe at the time." Bella spoke into the quiet. "Even Alice knows that her gift isn't absolute."
"Okay, that's just mean." Alice mumbled quietly beside Bella.
Bella finally pulled her gaze away from Aro to lay a kiss on Alice's head. It had been a little mean, but also true.
"Aro's gift does not lie." Jane informed Bella.
"Wow, Aro sees the future now?" Bella replied to Jane before looking to Aro. "When did that happen? Last I knew you just saw memories."
Caius narrowed his eyes. "That is true." He said, before looking to Aro himself. His fellow ruler did not have the power to see into the future.
"Alas, I do not see what will come to pass, I'm afraid that power lies with your mate Alice I believe." Aro replied. "But still, what Edward had shown me when I spared your life was that you would be turned."
"Oh, I was turned alright." Bella replied before looking to Alice. "I thought the lack of a heartbeat, blood red eyes, and fangs gave that away?"
Jane coughed just before Alec and Demetri returned to the room with the rest of the Cullen's in tow.
Aro took the new arrivals in with a studied gaze. They were nervous, even Rosalie who would often rival Marcus with her boredom during their past meetings.
"Took you both long enough." Emmett couldn't help but complain to Bella as he joined the others.
Bella rolled her eyes even as Rosalie slapped her mate's gut with the back of her hand.
"Edward Cullen, step forward." Caius ordered.
Apprehensively, Edward did what he was told, glancing back at Carlisle in fear as Demetri and Felix moved to stand guard on either side of him.
Bella couldn't help herself from muttering as the tension grew in the room. "Off with his head."
Bella may have been quiet but every vampire in the room heard her words.
It made Aro pause his steps down towards Edward. "Truly?" He asked of Bella. "He begged for your life not that long ago, in this very chamber." He reminded the newborn.
"Forgive her, Bella has…issues being new to this life." Carlisle tried to interject. "We are trying to teach her."
"Not that new." Bella snorted. "But I can admit to having some issues." She added quietly, as if sharing a secret with the head of the Volturi.
Aro forgot Edward for the moment and moved to stand closer to Bella. She still held a great deal of fascination for him. A power such as hers, to shield any gift, was remarkable.
And very, very dangerous.
"Really?" He asked now that he was close enough to see the dark red specks within her eyes. She was beautiful. A true rival to Jane indeed.
Edward winced at the thoughts coming from Aro.
"Sure, my main one right now is everyone interrupting my time alone with my mate." Bella explained. It was top of her list. "Next one that does that is probably going to get their head tore off." She stated, then glared over at Emmett. "Only warning."
Emmett quickly put his hands up and stepped closer to Rosalie. He'd be leaving Bella alone for a long time if they all made it out of this meeting alive.
Jasper, who was keeping his own council in the back of their group, smiled but didn't dare look over at Bella or Alice knowing he'd been responsible for getting them here in the first place. No, now that the family was all together again, it was Jasper's job to pay attention to everyone else in the room. Waiting for any sign of a threat.
Aro glanced around at the Cullen's then stared at Bella. The girl that he remembered was not the one looking back at him now. "You show Edward such disdain, and yet here you stand before me, a vampire." Aro said as confusion coloured his own words. He wanted to be angry that Bella had been turned without their knowledge but also it seemed that Edward had never been destined to be the girls mate in the first place.
So why was she turned?
Bella had said that the boy had voted against turning her. So he had to have known she didn't belong to him.
But did that mean he knew that she belonged to Alice, his coven sister.
Ah, jealousy. That Aro understood well.
Maybe Edward saw the power in Bella, even in her human form and desired it for himself. As a human the girl was more easily controlled.
Aro stared at Bella who easily met his gaze unflinchingly. Yes, Edward had wanted Bella, but as a vampire the girl would know instantly that Edward was not her true match.
"He never turned you, did he?" Aro asked, already sure of the answer.
Bella snorted. "If Eddie had his way the human would die of old age."
Now Aro smirked. He had an explanation for Bella's attitude. "He manipulated you at every turn."
"Wow." Emmett muttered, thinking that Aro didn't have to spell it out for everyone. And he'd thought Bella was finally getting along with Edward.
Angered, Bella narrowed her eyes at Aro. "Humans are stupid."
"Aren't they just." Jane added from her spot in the room. "Can we punish him now? For something, anything."
"Yes, we should pass judgement." Marcus agreed, after all it was why this meeting had been called in the first place. Though the crime was still unclear.
"Bella." Alice warned under her breath. She knew her mate still had mixed feelings for Edward, but that was still no reason to see him punished by the Volturi.
"What?" Bella asked, trying to look innocent. "Edward got himself into this mess he can get himself out."
Edward swallowed, all the thoughts going on around him leaving him nothing but confused. "What mess?"
"Your lies." Jane offered. But she could have just as easily gave his existence as reason enough.
"I never lied." Edward assured.
"Then show me the truth." Aro said, finally moving away from Bella to stand in front of Edward once more. "Place your hand in mine."
"Is this really necessary my friend?" Carlisle asked, unconsciously taking a step to move in behind Edward.
Aro looked over Edward's shoulder to his friend's eyes. Holding them for a moment then looking down at the boy. "Hand."
"Don't make him ask again." Jane warned. Her powers twitching at the skin of her fingers.
Slowly, as his family stood behind him, Edward reached out a shaking hand and placed it into Aro's grasp.
Whatever Bella's fate before she had returned to them from her own time in the future, it was sealed now with Aro's gift. He would witness the truth for himself.
And the only thing Edward could feel as his hand was encased in both of Aro's was just profound relief.
xxxxx
A/N
Thanks for sticking with this. Posting updates when I can.
Thanks for reading!