─── ･ ｡ﾟ : *. .* : ﾟ. ───

May 15, 2006 - 9:08 p.m.
The Olympian Coven's house

The Cullens were lounging around after Bella and Edward left. Jasper was sitting with his wife on the couch, simply basking in the content and happy atmosphere that the family had. Esme was the most ecstatic. She loved cooking with Bella, giving use to the otherwise obsolete kitchen, and bonding with Edward's mate. She's been smiling the whole night which effectively lifted everyone else's mood with no help from Jasper. With the wafting aura of happiness in the Cullen household, Alice's sudden fear and panic was like a drop of black ink in a cup of clear water.

"Guys, outside now!" All of them looked alarmed as the pixie vampire didn't wait for them to go outside of the house. Warned by her emotions, Jasper followed next with the family behind.

"What is it, Alice? Is someone coming?" Carlisle stood beside the panicking Alice. Her eyes were steadied on the tree line.

"I wasn't focused on them since it's been months. There are six but I can't see the other two." Alice said frantically. "The Volturi must've sent them for Bella."

There's been no word from the Volturi since the incident a month ago. They knew that the Volturi was upon their heads, yet they hadn't expected a visit from them so soon. Jasper took in a deep breath to smell if they were near, and they were. There were four of them, and one of them smelt so familiar. The way it instantly caressed his defense reflexes, making it hard not to crouch in a stance and growl out in a challenge. He had met one of them before on the battlefield, and the fight wasn't pretty if he reacted this way. The disturbing scent of burnt skin and gunpowder. A good century has passed since he got the odor of that vile woman. Before he could warn his family, they appeared in the tree line.

Carlisle took the front with Esme beside him; Edward, Rosalie, and Emmett stood behind them in a line, with Jasper and Alice at the back. They were a united coven to the eyes of the visitors.

All four of them wore pristine, white cloaks with blood-red fur linings. Volturi wearing white? The small glisten of a pendant showed thin golden chains holding up the Volturi Crest. You would often know how long a member has been in the coven using the appearance of the crests they wore. Vampires like the Witch Twins and the Kings were a clean yet worn-down bronze or their new gold with rubies version. (They wore this in Bella's trial) The newer the vampire, the smoother their crests were. These four, however, were completely new to their eyes. The crest's letter V had a foggy almost translucent crystal while the details and shape were made of Rose Gold.

Alice moved closer to Carlisle and placed herself that it wasn't sure if she was whispering to him or not. Jasper saw her fingers dance on the left shoulder of their coven leader, giving him a morse code that took no more than two seconds.

T-H-E Q-U-E-E-N-S G-U-A-R-D

Who was the Queens' guard? And why were they here? Where were the Queens? The Queens' Guard continued forward until they stood right in the middle of the road. From the stature and figure, Jasper took note that there were two men and two women. They were mysterious and secretive. Volturi members often knew how to hide their feelings but they still left something for Jasper to use with.

These people were different. Their feelings were circling them like a dense fog, and covering who felt what yet showing Jasper small sneak peeks of their emotions. It was as if the very emotions that he was supposed to interpret became a complex language he couldn't translate. The fog was made of multiple ranges of emotions that couldn't possibly exist at the same time, but it did in the fog. The densest fog was around the man in the middle. As he stepped away from the other three, the fog lessened allowing for Jasper to sense their playful and amused nature. The man stopped a few feet away from the Cullens, just by the edge of their driveway, effectively stabilizing his power and covering his comrades in the emotional fog.

"Hi, Carlisle!" Jasper's eyes widened as the fog dispersed from the man to divide itself between the three behind him. His flirtatious smile and off guard posture was a deep contrast to the tense stance he had seconds ago. "Quite a while since I've seen your handsome face." He said toyingly. The man had glittery eyeshadow and rose-patterned nails. It wasn't what one would expect from a daunting group of monsters. He also looked young, probably as young as Edward, which unnerved Jasper more.

"A time too long, Edgar. How have you been all these years?" Carlisle responded politely. His calm and civil nature was God-send. Jasper took note of Carlisle relaxing before going on guard again. This meant that he was on good terms with Edgar but the mystery of the rest of them still left him on edge.

"Quite well, actually! I met someone and they met someone and now I'm part of the Volturi because apparently, the person I met was the Queen of vampires. Funny, right?" His tone was nonchalant and casual, though maybe a tad condescending. "How about you? You aren't as lonesome as you were those years before. Nice family, Carlisle. Although, you are missing the suicidal one. Off to his human?" Edgar asked.

"Edward is driving Bella back to her house. I assume he won't be back until late, however." Carlisle replied. Everyone watched the two seemingly friends interact with each other. Were they friendly or not? "I see you've also accumulated some companions, Edgar. Why don't we come inside and introduce ourselves in a casual manner?" Jasper enhanced Carlisle's inviting mood in hopes of letting the visitors lower their guard.

"Oh, no need. We need to be leaving soon, anyway. The Queens' guard is here to protect our queen. She'll be living at 184 South 6th Street, so it would really be helpful if you stayed away from that area." 184 South 6th Street? That's where Bella lived. The Cullen family went on high alert, and Edgar noticed the exchange of glances. "Don't worry, the queen is living with her family so rules state that they are under our protection as well. That also means suicidal Edward can't come into the Swan's house until the queen leaves."

The Queen. The Queen's Guard. Jasper remembered the multiple stories that Carlisle told them about the Volturi. He knew that Aro and Caius married two women named Sulpicia and Athenadora, although they weren't mates. And Marcus had a mate that he lost centuries ago. Did Aro or Caius find their mate? And how were they family with the Swans? Many questions ran through Jasper's head and surely the rest of the family. It was only so unfortunate that Edward wasn't here to read their minds.

"Is there a way for us to compromise, old friend? Bella is Edward's mate, he can't possibly stay away from her." Carlisle reasoned.

"Oh, don't be so dramatic. He can be with his human as long as she isn't around the Queen." Edgar waved off his concerns. "Anyway, I'll keep the introductions of our little band of mischiefs short." He clicked his manicured nails prompting the other three to come forward. The fog once again divided equally between the four of them as they stood side-by-side. In unison, they removed their cloaks in a sweep and hung them on their right arm. Jasper's eyes were frozen on the woman at the far left.

They all wore red in different styles and trends. While Edgar wore an embroidered suit, the other man wore a slim fit that stretched over his muscular body. The women each had a different type of outfit. At the far left, a wavy-haired female woman stood proudly in her cocktail dress and a unique one-sleeved blazer. The last one wore a sensual high-thigh slip dress, a big contrast to her raven curls. Her lips held a smile of innocence, but Jasper knew her. Looking at her gave him flashes of limb-filled battles and the smell of burning bodies. She noticed his eyes on her and smirked at his way, only to get a snarl in return. The fact that the world dared to keep her alive while everyone else in her previous coven was killed, disgusted him.

"It is truly an honor for us, the Ohsian Coven, to meet the Cullens."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ : *. .* : ﾟ. ───