Chapter 12
Come on, come on
Put your hands into the fire
Explain, explain
As I turn and meet the power
This time, This time
Turning white and senses dire
Pull up, pull up
From one extreme to another
Thirteen Senses, Into the Fire
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"Would you still love me if I weren't like you?" Edward whispered worriedly to the empty room. He had been fretting for several hours and finally had to ask or go mad.
Carlisle, standing in front of the reception desk composing a note to Aro, paused. Why ever would you even think such a thing, Edward? I will always love you, regardless. Nothing you could ever say or do or not say or not do could make me love you any less completely than I do right now. We belong to one another.
He added another sentence to his acceptance, begging off arrival until the following evening as he had promised to show Edward something of Italy. He almost added a parenthetical "In other words, we need to hunt", but was certain Aro could read between the lines.
He added his signature with a flourish, handsomely tipped the concierge, asking that it be delivered within the hour, and returned to their room, where Edward sat anxiously gnawing on his lower lip.
Like all sensate creatures, Edward's moods were likely to fluctuate in response to different environmental stresses, although his own body was devoid of the adrenalin possessed by humans. As a vampire, he was even more keenly responsive to external stimuli. This translated roughly into all but total dependency on Carlisle for overcoming his fits of depression, anger, and fear in the first few years of his life.
On two notable occasions, excluding the event that had started them down this path (it wasn't Carlisle's fault that he had been at work that day, Edward told himself), he had been left to cope without the older vampire's help; Carlisle had succumbed to his own weaknesses and abandoned him.
That memory was indelibly with the boy; Edward had been devastated, convinced he could not endure the onslaught of so many mental sensations. But each time he had emerged stronger, better able to understand his innate abilities to cope. Watching Carlisle now, he could not but be awed by the man's inner strength.
For Carlisle Cullen was never more formidable than when cornered in the most hopeless of situations.
He had once told Edward a parable of the great sages determining at what point a fish is considered dead.
"When he is trapped in the net, for death surely awaits him," said one of the judges.
"When he is physically dead," rejoined another, "because death is not a legal matter."
A more radical thinker opted for an altogether different approach, "Throw him back in the water! For fish thought to be dead are often resuscitated by contact with water." *
"The homiletic interpretation," Carlisle had carefully explained to Edward, "is that man is like a fish. So long as we are able, we must continue to fight for our right to live."
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Carlisle planned their departure for dusk and began to gather the various things Edward had strewn about the room, instructing him the entire time.
"Whatever happens, we must not be separated. It is their method to divide and conquer. They are exponentially more powerful than you can imagine – some can control your emotions or even completely cut off your senses leaving you –"
"Carlisle," Edward interrupted, "Why can't I hear Aro's thoughts? Is it the woman?"
Yes. He suppressed a surge of anger at the thought. "Renata is his shield. It gives him an unfair… advantage." And in response to Edward's unspoken query, He didn't always have her. He was less daunting then. Now he is all but invincible. She can confuse his attackers and turn them on one another. I noted that first day I went to see him that she does not ever leave his side now. That must mean he is concerned about something. He was briefly pensive before resuming his tutorial.
"The castle contains numerous passageways. Unfortunately, this means they have access to you at all times. It is very important NEVER to wander into a corridor if you are not certain where it leads, for it might –"
Edward, are you listening to me? This is important!
Edward looked up immediately and mumbled an apology. He had been thinking about powers exponentially greater than his or Carlisle's. He remembered Jane. One of the underlings. He already felt indestructible and was frequently more than a little frightened of his ability to so easily destroy anything in his path.
And she had made him look like a kitten. If there was someone more powerful still…
"As I was saying, you must not wander off."
"But I will be with you."
"In the event that we are separated," Carlisle said carefully.
Edward didn't want to contemplate that possibility.
"In the very unlikely event that we are," Carlisle reassured him. "We have several advantages. First, I know the grounds intimately. Second, I am familiar with many of them and their unique talents. That isn't to say I can best them, but at least I know what to expect and have had some practice deflecting them.
"Third, they are not a cohesive group and it is possible to play one against the other.
"Fourth, for whatever reason, Aro and I still have an open line of communication. He didn't have to agree to meet with me, but he did.
"Fifth, they have powerful external enemies – the Romanians, for one, who would only love an opportunity to protest the ruling party's conduct."
"Who are the Romanians?" Edward had no idea his other world was so complex. He really hadn't thought there was much more than Carlisle and him. And the Volturi. Carlisle had devoted so much of his education to training him to act and think like a human, he really knew next to nothing about other vampires. He remembered suddenly what Aro had said and shivered ("Do you know how your own kind acts?"). If that was how vampires acted, he certainly didn't want to know anything about them! Carlisle had been right to place his allegiance with the human population.
Edward, we do not have time to digress at present. I will fill you in on all of that once we are there. For now, please listen to me!
"And, finally, I do still have friends in the Guard to whom we can appeal."
"Friends – " Edward burst out loud, very surprised.
"Acquaintances. Edward! You need to stay focused on what I am telling you. We don't have much time left and this is extremely important. Pay attention, please.
"There are three leaders, each with his own minions. They work collaboratively in some matters, but for the most part, each marches to his own drummer, so to speak. The most dangerous is Aro, because he is not only cunning but inexorable.
"Marcus is often too apathetic to bother with what goes on around him, but do not underestimate his guard! They are particularly savage, in no small part because of his laissez-faire approach to governing. I shouldn't be at all surprised to discover that our visitors hatched their plan in his ranks.
"Cauis is the youngest and actually the least powerful as he possesses no special skills, but he is every bit as deadly as Aro. I actually think him crueler than Aro, if that is possible. The main difference is that he had yet not mastered Aro's art of disguise when I knew him."
Edward. He began.
Edward could feel the fear in his mind and froze.
Aro… suspects that there is something… different about you. We need to hide your talent… for as long as possible.
Everything was now organized for packing in their cases and Carlisle looked up at Edward, who was standing, frowning, with his hands shoved in his pockets. His fists were clenched and Carlisle could see them straining against the material.
Am I upsetting you? He offered him a tired but loving smile.
Edward gave him a sort of "oh no not at all" look and they both laughed, lightening the moment.
"What's the other good news?" Edward sat down on the bed.
"Ah! I have decided we shall venture north to hunt. So you need not despair at the prospect of your elegant physique chasing squat little boars through the bucolic Italian countryside."
Edward snorted. "So I should wait until after we feed to bathe?"
"No." Carlisle hesitated again. Don't bathe at all.
"But you told me cleanliness is next to Godliness!" The boy was smiling seductively. He already knew where Carlisle's train of thought was heading.
Edward, strive to be serious about the situation!
"I think it's very –" he cut himself off purposefully, hungrily watching Carlisle through half-lidded eyes.
Carlisle swallowed hard. The fact of the matter is that vampires mate for life and when they smell the mate on another, they instinctively back off. It's as simple as that. It just gives us a little extra protection. Carlisle's proper upbringing was showing again.
Edward was thoroughly enjoying himself, watching the older man mentally stutter and squirm.
"But you have such a delicate scent," Edward purred, stretching luxuriously across the bed like a sleek panther basking in the sun. "Are you certain they will know I'm yours?"
Carlisle turned and pounced on him.
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They returned to Volterra the following evening and stood in the town square. Carlisle knew the way, but also knew better than to simply walk in.
Protocol.
Their escort arrived seconds later and led them on, not saying a word.
"Carlisle!" Edward hissed urgently, grabbing his hand.
Yes, Edward, she is human.
"Does she know then?"
Yes. She is doubtless one of the misguided individuals who works for them hoping that one day she will join them.
"Join them as – ? "
Yes, she wants to become one of them.
"Why?!"
There are humans who imagine this is what they seek to fill the void in their lives. They won't know until it is too late.
Edward watched the human female in front of them with wonder. He certainly had no regrets about his own changing; he had Carlisle, after all, and he wouldn't give that up for anything. But life without Carlisle, with Them? He didn't even want to imagine that.
She led them to a dead end in the alley, where she opened a narrow, dilapidated wooden door. They passed through and found themselves in a small room. Carlisle walked to the center and stood by a grate over a drain in the floor. She remained outside, closing the door soundlessly behind them. Carlisle pulled the grate aside, dropped their bags, and gestured for Edward to jump. He did so, and Carlisle followed, replacing the grate before dropping silently to the damp floor.
The passageway was even darker, if that was possible, and they walked a short distance before being greeted by another figure, also female, but a vampire this time.
"Heidi." Carlisle tipped his head slightly in greeting.
"Carlisle!" She embraced him. Edward stiffened and she looked at him with undisguised curiosity. "And this is Edward."
Edward offered no reply, glaring at her.
Carlisle mentally sighed. Please try not to alienate everyone in the castle within the first five minutes of our arrival.
She motioned for them to leave their bags ("I'll see them to your rooms.") and led them to another door, down a wider passageway, to a brightly lit, carpeted room. Edward was astonished to see the same woman who had initially met them outside in the square sitting behind what appeared to be a reception desk. How had she gotten there and why had they taken a different route? He turned to Carlisle before he could check himself.
Carlisle shook his head sternly. I'll explain later. Concentrate on where you are. You must know the rooms and passages inside these walls as well as you know your own home. You may need them at some point.
They stepped into an ante chamber, and from there through a final door into a very large, circular room. The room was brightly lit and very ornate, in sharp contrast to the rest of the castle. The only furniture he could see was several large wooden chairs that looked very much like thrones. Edward quickly realized that that was exactly what they were. He felt as though he might have been in any of the dozen French or English castles he and Carlisle had visited. What struck him as odd about this one was how utterly out of place it seemed with the rest of the city. Almost as if it didn't belong there at all.
There were clusters of people in various parts of the cavernous room, all engaged in polite conversations as if it were just a pleasant evening gathering. The immortals' manners were relaxed, easy, as if nothing out of the ordinary were taking place. Edward felt as if he had walked into a theater in the middle of a play, and no one had noticed his entrance.
Aro floated forward from one group, Renata attached to him by her invisible threads, and stood beside one of the large chairs. No sooner had he moved than the entire hall grew perceptibly still and every pair of eyes trained on the newcomers.
"Welcome, friends!" came his cheerful, drawling voice from the far end of the room. "Welcome to our home." He bowed his head in exaggerated politeness to Carlisle and Edward.
Carlisle took Edward by the elbow and approached the man.
They had arrived.
* This is a loose interpretation of the Talmudic discussion between rabbis Shammai, Hillel and Akiva, as cited in Amos Bunin, A Fire in His Soul, p. 339.