Heaven and Hell
I was dead. I must have died. That was the only explanation I could think of - the only explanation that made sense - because suddenly, amazingly, inconceivably, I found myself in heaven. My very own personal angel had thrown herself into my arms and I caught her in my embrace. I felt her silken hair cascade over my hands as she pressed her warm, soft body against mine. After seven months away, her scent, which I had imagined countless times, crashed over me. My memory was not nearly as good as I gave myself credit for. She smelled sweeter than any flower on Earth and I felt my entire body burst into flames from the thirst I had been denying for so long.
Slowly, I opened my eyes and looked at the angel I held in my arms. Bella's beloved face was more beautiful than I could believe, putting my memory to shame. Her skin was translucent, pale but with a flush of blood in her cheeks, cream and roses. Her lips were full, the bottom slightly larger than the top, and were trembling with gasping breaths. Her eyes were a rich, melted chocolate that met mine and I felt my cold, dead heart fill to bursting with joy. She was here! In my arms where I had needed her for so long. I could feel every inch of her burning into my skin, her hands on my bare chest were a scorching flame, her breath in my face was warm and rich, and swirling all around me was the flavor of her skin, her hair, her blood.
"Amazing," I said in wonder. Heaven? How did I end up here? "Carlisle was right." I wanted to laugh.
Needing to touch her face, I lifted a trembling hand and brushed my fingers against her cheek. She was soft, silky, and warm. I filled my eyes with the sight of her. I could hear her heart racing, see the blood swirling under her flushed cheeks, see the sun shining on her hair, turning it into a river of honey, dark gold with hints of red. As I breathed her in, I could feel her presence filling every hollow place inside of me. I had been empty for so long. The agony of the past seven months was a faded memory, the tormenting pain of the past twenty-four hours unimportant. I would have suffered it all a thousand times more for the privilege of holding her in my arms like this.
"I can't believe how quick it was," I said in surprise. "I didn't feel a thing – they're very good." I hadn't felt Felix ripping me apart, nor the fire that turned me into ash. I had rather expected him to draw it out. Instead, one second I was stepping forward to meet my death and the next I was in heaven.
Gratefully, I lowered my head to bury my face in her hair. Breathing deeply, I kissed her silky tresses. Remembering that the last time I had held her like this was when we had watched Romeo and Juliet, I quoted, "Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath, hath had no power yet upon thy beauty." I ran my hands along her back, pressing her into me. I could feel the laughter bubbling up inside of me, pushing the misery away, exchanging my empty despair with a bright, shining happiness. I even enjoyed the burn in my throat from the scent of her blood. The burn that meant she was here, that we were reunited.
Can angels have blood in heaven?
"You smell just exactly the same as always," I commented, confused. Then I decided it didn't matter. "So maybe this is hell. I don't care. I'll take it," I said happily.
Then she spoke, and her voice was music to my ears. She was my singer still, though I couldn't seem to focus on the meaning. Her words made no sense to me. The only word I truly caught was my name, spoken in anguish. That couldn't be right. She should not be upset; we were together.
"What was that?" I asked, wanting only to hear her speak again.
"We're not dead, not yet! But we have to get out of here before the Volturi – "
Not dead? Not dead! Alive! Bella is alive!
At this, the meaningless noise that surrounded us broke through and I heard the hum of the crowd. Over and above their noise, was one thought that I recognized with terror. Felix. He could smell my Bella and was excited at the prospect of killing us both. Carefully, aware of her fragile body, I spun us away from the sunlight and into the shadows, placing myself between the eager monster and the angel who had just saved my life.
I spread my arms, not even wanting him to catch a glimpse of her, and turned to face the vampires who were advancing on us. Felix had been joined by Demetri, and I knew that even as I attempted to fight off one of them, the other would use my distraction to go after Bella.
Feigning nonchalance, I spoke pleasantly to them, "Greetings, gentlemen. I don't think I'll be requiring your services today. I would appreciate it very much, however, if you would send my thanks to your masters." I spoke with true sincerity. I was exceedingly grateful to Aro for refusing to kill me.
"Shall we take this conversation to a more appropriate venue?" Felix said in a soft hiss.
"I don't believe that will be necessary." I didn't want Bella any nearer to these monsters. I knew that Felix was still anticipating ripping me apart and he was savoring Bella's unique flavor. Her scent, so much more potent than the hundreds of humans that surrounded us, was swirling through the narrow alley. "I know your instructions, Felix. I haven't broken any rules."
Demetri spoke next, and his soft voice was a contrast to his thoughts, which were a harsh menace. It wasn't a request, boy. You will come with us. "Felix merely meant to point out the proximity of the sun. Let us seek better cover." Their bodies were fully cloaked so that no glimmer of light reached their skin. Mine, on the other hand, was gleaming slightly with the reflected light from the square. The bright sunshine that had almost been my end was only a few feet away from us.
"I'll be right behind you," I said, willing to accompany them myself if only Bella could go free. "Bella," I spoke her name with a feeling of joy, still unable to believe that she was here, alive and well, "why don't you go back to the square and enjoy the festival?" I could feel her body trembling against mine, and a part of me that was not focused on the monsters in front of us was counting each one of her racing heartbeats.
"No, bring the girl," sneered Felix. … so delicious...
"I don't think so," I growled, tensing in anticipation of a fight.
Bella's lovely voice whispered, "No."
"Shh," I said to her, trying to sound calm.
"Felix," Demetri chided, "Not here." ...too many humans... make a scene... Turning to face me, he said, "Aro would simply like to speak with you again, if you have decided not to force our hand after all." I saw him remember Aro giving him these instructions, but I doubted the meaning behind the words. I had seen far too much of Aro's mind to believe it would be so simple.
Trying to keep up the polite appearance, I said, "Certainly, but the girl goes free."
"I'm afraid that's not possible. We do have rules to obey." The girl knows too much.
"Then I'm afraid that I'll be unable to accept Aro's invitation, Demetri."
My refusal was exactly what Felix wanted to hear. "That's just fine," he grinned in anticipation.
"Aro will be disappointed," Demetri said with a sigh. Aro had instructed him to bring me back alive. He was still anticipating me entering his services. ...drag your body back in pieces if I have to...
"I'm sure he'll survive the letdown." They were determined to deliver me to their master no matter what my response and moved to attack me, spreading out as much as they could in the narrow alley.
Calm down, Edward. Don't bother fighting them, Alice's thought suddenly sounded in my head. An image of myself, headless, and Bella in Felix's crushing grip flashed through my mind and I whipped my head in Alice's direction, the fear I felt growing worse as the clear image of Bella's death filled my mind.
"Let's behave ourselves, shall we?" her trilling voice echoed in the alley. "There are ladies present." Alice skipped to my side, her thoughts overwhelming relief at finding me alive. No longer outnumbering me, Felix and Demetri relaxed their postures, unwilling to have Bella escape while Alice and I both fought to protect her. "We're not alone," Alice reminded them, indicating the humans gathered just outside of the alley.
Demetri glanced behind himself and saw a small family watching us. I recognized the girl from that morning with a start. How close I had been to taking her life, I thought with disgust. The parents were watching our confrontation, saw my protective stance in front of Bella and recognized the menace emanating from Felix and Demetri's cloaked figures. As Demetri watched, the father walked up to an official, bringing us to their attention.
"Please, Edward," Demetri turned back to me with a shake of his head, "let's be reasonable."
Their idea of reason and mine were far different. Still attempting cordiality, I agreed with the words, if not his meaning, "Let's, and we'll leave quietly now, with no one the wiser."
Frustrated at my stubbornness, he sighed. "At least let us discuss this more privately."
Clenching my teeth together, I growled, "No," my eyes locked on Felix's delighted smile.
"Enough." From behind us, came another of Aro's guard and I lowered my arms in defeat, recognizing her at once. How long does it take to catch one worthless vampire?
"Jane," I sighed. She was annoyed at having to come and fetch me.
Hmm, he has been joined by another vampire. And a human. A human who smells… delicious. "Follow me," she said in a bored voice and turned back to reenter the palace, knowing we would be right behind her.
Felix was delighted, smirking at me and anticipating what he knew was coming. Jane was picturing herself tormenting my Bella solely for the pleasure of it. He gestured for us to follow her, the politeness of the motion belied by the tenor of his thoughts.
Alice followed Jane without hesitating. Terrified, I wrapped my arm around Bella's waist, thrilling even now at the feel of her body pressed against mine. She looked up at me and I could see the questions and the fear in her eyes. Trying not to let her see the same fear in mine, I shook my head at her. Now was not the time for me to answer her questions. Her heart was frantic, her breathing shallow and fast as we followed the vampires into their dark corridors.
"Well, Alice," I said, needing a few answers of my own, "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to see you here."
"It was my mistake. It was my job to set it right." Her tone was light, unconcerned, unlike her mind which was racing with the shifting possibilities. Uninterested – for the moment – in what might happen, I needed to know what had happened.
"What happened?" I asked, forcing myself to sound calm.
"It's a long story," she said, with a glance at Bella. "In summary, she did jump off a cliff, but she wasn't trying to kill herself. Bella's all about the extreme sports these days."
I felt the heat radiating off of Bella as she blushed at these words. But, though Alice's tone was light, I saw the truth in her mind. She ran through her memories of three days ago for me. I saw her watch Bella walking toward the lip of an enormous cliff, saw the dark waters below which were heaving with the force of an approaching storm.
I could clearly see Bella's despairing expression as she stepped up to the edge and stretched herself up to the sky in preparation. Her eyes were shadowed with dark rings around them. Her usually pink skin a dull grey, her full cheeks shallow. Her face looked as hollow as I had felt. Her lips were tight, pulling down at the corners.
Then, in horror, I saw her smile. It was a wild, exhilarated expression, the very smile that had haunted my thoughts for months. The very smile I had longed for, wanting her to be happy again.
No! I thought as she flung herself into the air.
I heard the triumph in her shout as she plummeted toward the deadly waters below. Then, as in Alice's previous visions of Bella, a strange blankness came over the scene, blocking my view of her surfacing, of her surviving the fall as I knew she must have.
She says she wasn't trying to kill herself, Alice thought to me, but I don't believe her.
No, I thought to myself, neither do I.
I watched as Alice ran to the airport, her feet flying over the snowy ground, knowing it was already too late. She watched for Bella, looking for her over and over, but there was only blankness. Her sight was still blocked by whatever strange barrier had been affecting her for months, now.
When she finally reached Charlie's house, there was no one home. She let herself in to wait. I felt her remembered surprise as a familiar truck pulled up to the house, but she still couldn't see anything. Listening hard, she heard voices, raised and angry. She waited in the dark, her small body tense as an unknown person opened the door and turned on the light. Shocked beyond words to see Bella standing there, she gaped at her for a second before Bella flung herself at Alice.
"Alice, oh, Alice!" Bella's voice cried in Alice's memory and she was suddenly wrapped around her, gasping and crying on Alice's shoulders.
"Bella?" Alice had exclaimed, not believing the evidence of her eyes, her ears, her skin, her nose. Dragging the incoherent girl over to the couch, fighting the flame that Bella's scent ignited in her throat, Alice pulled Bella onto her lap, rubbing her back and attempting to calm her down enough to get some much needed answers. I caught the memory of her usually perfect scent, marred by a strange muskiness, a dirty, almost rotten odor.
"I'm… sorry," Bella had gasped, "I'm just… so happy… to see you!"
"It's okay, Bella. Everything's okay."
"Yes," Bella had agreed, tears still streaming down her face, her body trembling and her breath gasping.
"I'd forgotten how exuberant you are," Alice had commented, still fighting her thirst.
"Oh. Sorry," Bella had said, pulling away as she realized Alice was straining away from her.
"It's my own fault. It's been too long since I hunted. I shouldn't let myself get so thirsty, but I was in a hurry today." Like me, my family had not had much desire to hunt lately. I felt guilty at causing everyone so much pain, but fought it down for the moment, needing to finish getting my questions answered now, before I had to concentrate on what was coming. And before I had to try to figure out a way out of the mess I had made. "Speaking of which, would you like to explain to me how you're alive?"
Bella's tears stopped suddenly and she looked at Alice with a guilty expression. "You saw me fall."
"No. I saw you jump." Alice had glared at Bella.
Bella didn't answer Alice. Seeing Bella through Alice's eyes, I noticed how thin she looked, her eyes shadowed with grief and sleeplessness. Her mouth turned down at the corners, the faint crease between her eyes evidence of her sorrows. I felt my heart twist, knowing what I had done to her.
"I told him this would happen, but he didn't believe me. 'Bella promised'," she imitated my voice. "'Don't go looking for her future, either. We've done enough damage'. But just because I'm not looking, doesn't mean I don't see," she explained to Bella, just as she had to me.
"I wasn't keeping tabs on you, I swear, Bella. It's just that I'm already attuned to you… when I saw you jumping, I didn't think, I just got on a plane. I knew I would be too late, but I couldn't do nothing. And then I get here, thinking maybe I could help Charlie somehow, and you drive up." She was shaking her head, confused as to why she couldn't see.
"I saw you go into the water and I waited and waited for you to come up, but you didn't. What happened? And how could you do that to Charlie? Did you stop to think what this would do to him? And my brother? Do you have any idea what Edward – " whatever she had been about to say to Bella about me, I didn't know, as Bella interrupted her.
"Alice, I wasn't committing suicide."
"Are you saying you didn't jump off a cliff?"
"No, but… it was for recreational purposes only." She saw Alice's disbelieving expression and continued, "I'd seen some of Jacob's friends cliff diving. It looked like… fun, and I was bored…"Alice was still eyeing her, disbelieving. "I didn't think about how the storm would affect the currents. Actually, I didn't think about the water much at all." She paused, seeing Alice's doubt. "So if you saw me go in, why didn't you see Jacob?"
This was the second time she had mentioned that name and I felt an irrational jealousy flare inside of me. As if I had any right to be jealous. I had left her, after all, with the intention that she move on. I knew that she had been friendly with a member of the Quileute tribe with that name and guessed she had maintained her friendship with him. It had been Jacob Black who had told Bella what I was, though he didn't believe it himself. He'd thought his father was a silly, superstitious old man. As if there were really such things as vampires. He was just entertaining her with scary stories, but Bella had known them for what they were: the truth. Monsters did exist and I was one.
"It's true that I probably would have drowned if Jacob hadn't jumped in after me. Well, okay, there's no probably about it. But he did, and he pulled me out, and I guess he towed me back to shore, though I was kind of out for that part. It couldn't have been more than a minute that I was under before he grabbed me. How come you didn't see that?" She voiced the question that was in both mine and Alice's minds.
"Someone pulled you out?"
"Yes. Jacob saved me." Jacob, again.
The strange odor surrounding Bella seeming to suddenly stand out to Alice, she leaned in to take a deep breath, frowning in confusion. "Don't be ridiculous," she muttered to herself, smelling Bella's odd scent over and over, trying to place it. It was unfamiliar, wrong, bad.
"What are you doing?" she asked Alice.
"Who was with you out there just now? It sounded like you were arguing."
"Jacob Black. He's… sort of my best friend, I guess. At least he was…" her face fell, saddened for some reason, but I didn't have time to guess why as Alice didn't pause in her rapid run through of their conversation. Disregarding him as unimportant for the moment, I concentrated on what Alice was showing me.
"What?" she asked, seeing Alice's confusion.
"I don't know. I'm not sure what it means."
"Well, I'm not dead, at least."
"He was a fool to think you could survive alone. I've never seen anyone so prone to life-threatening idiocy," she said, rolling her eyes.
She was right about one thing at least. I was a fool. I was a fool for ever leaving her, for underestimating her feelings for me, for thinking I could ever live without my Bella.
"I survived." I heard the annoyance in her voice and wanted to laugh. Bella was a care-taker. She thought it her job to care for others and didn't like when others tried to do for her what she so gracefully did for them.
Alice, though was thinking about Bella's jump into the strong waters.
"So, if the currents were too much for you, how did this Jacob manage?"
"Jacob is… strong." Bella was hiding something, Alice could tell just as well as I could. Bella chewed on her lip, seeming reluctant to tell Alice more. Then, in a rush, she spoke again, and if my heart was not already dead, it would have stopped at her words. "See, well, he's… sort of a werewolf. The Quileutes turn into wolves when there are vampires around. They know Carlisle from a long time ago. Were you with Carlisle back then?"
Werewolves?! But the pack that had protected the small tribe had died out years ago! Before moving back to Forks, Carlisle and I had been careful to observe them and we had ascertained that they were all very much human. I remembered Jacob butting in at the prom last year, too, and there had been no trace of wolf stink on him then.
As shocked as I was, but for another reason, Alice muttered, "Well, I guess that explains the smell, but does it explain what I didn't see?"
"The smell?"
"You smell awful." Awful didn't come close to describing it. Her usual perfection was sullied by the wolves' stench. She smelled… like an animal. A dead animal. It was horrible. "A werewolf? Are you sure about that?"
"Very sure." I heard the conviction in her voice, and felt fear shoot through me. I could tell that Bella had seen them in their huge, terrifying wolf form herself. Even knowing she was here beside me, I felt terror at the thought of her anywhere near such a monster. "I guess you weren't with Carlisle the last time there were werewolves here in Forks?"
"No. I hadn't found him yet." Alice was going over the Bella's disappearance in conjunction with her revelation of her savior's nature when she asked suddenly, "Your best friend is a werewolf?"
Bella nodded, her expression guilty.
"How long as this been going on?"
"Not long. He's only been a werewolf for just a few weeks."
Angry at how Bella's life seemed to be one near disaster after another, Alice growled, "A young werewolf? Even worse! Edward was right – you're a magnet for danger. Weren't you supposed to be staying out of trouble?"
Bella's expression was angry now, defensive, "There's nothing wrong with werewolves."
"Until they lose their tempers." Alice was shaking her head. Unlike Alice, I had known the pack from the last time we were in Forks. We had told her and Jasper all that we knew of them and I could recall all too well their volatile natures, how easy to anger they were, and how violent their transformations were. Just to be near a werewolf was to risk her life. "Leave it to you, Bella. Anyone else would be better off when the vampires left town. But you have to start hanging out with the first monsters you can find."
Aware of Alice's tension, I looked at her sharply. She was hesitating sharing her next memory with me. What could be worse than hanging out with werewolves? What was she hiding from me? She saw my frown and decided I needed to know the truth.
"No, Alice," Bella had said, "the vampires didn't really leave – not all of them, anyway. That's the whole trouble. If it weren't for the werewolves, Victoria would have gotten me by now. Well, if it weren't for Jake and his friends, Laurent would have gotten me before she could, I guess, so – "
My thoughts echoed Alice's next words, "Victoria? Laurent?"
"Danger magnet, remember?" Bella had said, pointing at herself.
Victoria! Laurent! Victoria was hunting Bella?! Victoria was in Forks?! I was sickened. While I wandered in Rio, wallowing in misery, the very vampire I had been hunting was trying to kill my only reason for living. She hadn't been after me after all, not directly. As I had killed James, she wanted to kill Bella.
"Hm," I said, furious now. Well, Bella was with me now, and if we somehow made it safely out of this, I would do a much better job of finding Victoria this time. And when I found her, I would annihilate her!
The long corridors of Volterra are made to keep humans out. The ground level entrances into the castle lead to dead end offices, staffed by humans who ran the business of tourism with fake tours going nowhere near the living areas of the castle inhabited by vampires. The entrances that lead to the vampires are nearly impossible to reach for a human, unless of course, escorted by a vampire. Usually these escorted "tours" end in a meal, with the tourists as the main course. This time, I had to escort Bella. Bringing her into their lair was the last thing I wanted to do, but to refuse outright would lead to our immediate deaths, as I was well aware.
The corridor we were following dead ended where a drain sank into the ground. The grate that covered it was lifted off easily by Felix. It would have taken more humans than could fit into the small space to lift the heavy cover. Alice dropped down into the dark hole without hesitating.
Go ahead and drop Bella, Edward. I'll catch her, Alice told me.
Catching sight of the deep, black hole we were heading toward, Bella stopped moving forward and I heard her heart stutter and begin pounding hard in fear. Felix heard this as well and chuckled softly.
I wanted to comfort her, but we were being closely watched by Felix and Demetri. I looked into her fearful face and said in a low voice, "It's alright, Bella. Alice will catch you."
My brave Bella swallowed hard and crouched at the edge of the hole, lowering her legs into the black space. "Alice?" she whispered in a trembling voice.
"I'm right here, Bella," she called back.
I took her wrists in my hands, holding her carefully in my iron grip. Her wrists were so tiny and fragile, her bones like a small bird's, so easily broken.
"Ready?" I asked her.
Bella didn't answer, so Alice said, "Drop her." Watching through Alice's eyes, I could see Bella dangling directly above her as I released my grip and let her fall into the blackness. I smiled in pride as she didn't even whimper, falling silently until Alice caught her. They moved over to make room for me and I jumped down. As soon as I landed, I pulled Bella's body against mine and pulled her deeper into hell.
Bella wrapped her arms around my waist, the uneven stones catching her feet as we walked. She would have fallen many times if not for my tight hold on her. As we walked, I was unable to resist touching her face, reaching over to trace her soft lips with my thumb, trailing my fingers down her cheeks, along her jaw, smoothing the crease in her forehead. I pressed my lips into her hair over and over, glorying in its soft texture against my hard skin. She was silent, clutching me tightly, her heartbeat and breathing the only sounds I could hear.
The tunnels were made for vampires, not humans, and were not lit except for the drains from far above. I doubted Bella could see much, but I never took my eyes off of her. I had missed seeing her face for far too long. Her face was drawn, her lips pressed together tightly, her eyes wide. Even as scared as she was, her face was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.
The walk was a long one, made longer by her slow pace, her stumbling steps. Felix sighed in frustration behind us; he wished that I would just pick her up and carry her. The thought of her in my arms was tempting, but the longer it took us to reach Aro and the death which surely awaited us, the longer I would have to spend with her. I could have happily walked beside her in this dark, dank tunnel for days.
Her slight body began to tremble against mine and at first I thought it was fear until I realized her clothes were wet and her teeth were chattering. Understanding that she was cold and knowing my skin would chill her further, I tried to pull away from her but she clutched me tighter, stuttering, "N-n-no." Overjoyed that she seemed as unwilling as I was for any kind of a separation, I rubbed my hand up and down her arm, trying to bring her warmth to her skin.
We passed through several doorways, into a long brightly lit lobby where Jane was waiting by an elevator. The small vampire was a contradiction. She looked sweet, her face was young – she had been about twelve years old at the time of her transformation. She was child-like, resembling a porcelain doll, her figure still boyish, her lips full with round cheeks, her young face framed by light brown hair that hung unevenly around her chin. For all of that, her presence was commanding, terrifying. She was thinking with pleasure of the tour that was to happen later that day. Jane enjoyed playing with her food and a large group was being flown in.
Aro had shared with the coven my ability to read minds. Her abilities made mine look like a parlor trick and I knew that she was planning on demonstrating them for me. She replayed her last meal for me and how she had made the humans scream before allowing them to die. I was glaring at Jane, livid at the thought of Bella hurting because of me any more than she already had.
Jane, Demetri, Felix, Alice, Bella, and I got on the elevator and I almost laughed at the absurdity of it. It seemed so every day, so human, even down to the music playing through hidden speakers as we descended further into hell. Bella stood as far from the others as she could, plainly terrified of them. I kept my arms wrapped tight around her, still rubbing her arm.
The room the elevator opened into would have been more at home in a high end office building. The carpeted floors and wood paneled walls which were hung with pleasant paintings enclosed a reception area complete with comfortable looking couches, end tables with vases full of fresh flowers, and a huge desk, where a human woman sat.
"Good afternoon, Jane," the woman said, pleasantly. She was intrigued by the way Bella and I clung to each other, her thoughts turning to Felix with pleasure. He winked at her as he passed and she giggled, the sound strangely girlish in comparison with her very womanly figure. I hid my revulsion as he eyed her, his mind anticipating the way she would feel against him as he took her life.
"Gianna," Jane returned, nodding in her direction.
We passed through a set of double doors into a large office where yet another of Aro's guard waited. It was the altar boy who had escorted me from the church into the castle. The boy was Jane's twin brother Alec, looking very much like his sister except that her hair was longer and his lips not quite as full. His power, too, was formidable. More frightening in its own way than Jane's, his power an opposite reflection of hers. Where she caused pain, he caused a complete absence of sensation. Sight, sound, smell, touch – the subject of Alec's power would sense nothing.
"Jane," he greeted her, holding his arms out to her.
"Alec," she purred, entering his embrace. They kissed each other on the cheeks, first one side, then the other, and then he turned to us.
"They send you out for one and you come back with two… and a half. Nice work." Jane laughed and I saw him eyeing Bella doubtfully. "Welcome back, Edward. You seem in a better mood."
Although this was true – my joy at holding Bella was without equal – my terror of what was coming made the statement false. I hated their games, their studied politeness that made what they were seem so dreadful in comparison. If they acted like the monsters that they were, how much simpler things would be. Instead, we had to play this ridiculous charade of honored guests at what was likely to be our own funeral.
"Marginally," I allowed.
"And this is the cause of all the trouble?" he asked, indicating the angel at my side. I was grateful that he was blind to her perfection. I did not want her to appeal to them in any way. Unfortunately, my Bella was far too appealing and my contemptuous smile froze on my face as I caught Felix's desire for her.
"Dibs," he said from behind us. I turned slowly to face him, feeling a harsh growl building in my chest. He saw my desire to spring at him and he raised his hand curling his fingers toward himself twice. Bring it, he thought.
Alice placed her hand on my arm. "Patience," she warned me, showing me what would happen if I were to attack him now. Trying to remain calm with the image of Bella's death in my mind, I breathed slowly, attempting to force the future to change by altering the direction of my thoughts. The possibilities flickered by me, changing so fast it was hard to focus on any one course of action. I saw my own and Bella's death far too often. That I never saw Alice's was equally disturbing. Aro intended to keep her no matter what. The only thing keeping me sane was the occasional flicker of the three of us driving away from Volterra into the night. I would do everything in my power to make that future happen.
When I turned back to Alec, he spoke as though nothing had happened. "Aro will be so pleased to see you again."
"Let's not keep him waiting," said Jane, seemingly bored. Her calm surface made me tighten my hold on Bella as I nodded.
The palace was huge and we went through hidden doorways, up winding stairs, and more long corridors – some brightly lit, decorated with gold and marble, others more of the same dark, dank tunnels as we had first entered. Finally, we entered the very room I had spoken with Aro in that morning. Knowing where the drain in the center of the floor led, I ground my teeth together. This was their dining room. The nauseating smell I hoped Bella could not detect coming from the drain was the remains of their previous meals.
