~ Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - January 1999 ~
My fourth year anniversary in South America was heralded with a trip to Rio. I arrived a few days ago. In the older part of the city, I had found a small apartment above a family owned store that could be rented without any questions, so long as long as I paid cash in advance. My stay in Rio would be my last in South America before I turned north and back to the United States. The length of my stay here would depend on how long I could endure the influx of thoughts from the locals. For some reason, Brazilians thought loudly. Condensing six million of them within the geographic region of a city made it difficult for me. Add to this the fact that Rio was a twenty-four, seven city, I never had any downtime from their mental chatter.
Despite how cerebrally loud Rio was, I had a job to perform. My previous stay had been in Lima, Peru. While there I ran into several members of the Volturi Guard, including the Volturi leader, Aro. They were in Lima to receive testimony and gather evidence against a small coven of two vampires that were violating the supreme vampire law regarding maintaining our secret. Ultimately, the two vampires were eliminated for their crimes. However, Aro was concerned how much a certain family in Lima and another man in Rio knew about our kind because of their exposure to the two, now destroyed, vampires. Demetri, one of the Volturi's Guard, is an excellent tracker. He directed Aro to my apartment in Lima, just outside the National University of San Marcos. At first I was sought out because I was a vampire who lived in the same city as the offenders. Once Aro realized I was one of Carlisle's family members, specifically the one with a gift similar to his own, he spent several days trying to convince me to join the ranks of the Guard. He was unaccustomed to being around my gift so he often mentally orated his strategy, which gave me the opportunity to refuse him without offending him. I knew enough from my conversations with Carlisle to never cross the Volturi. Aro wanted me. If he couldn't have me it could mean my destruction if I handled my dissent poorly.
Ultimately, I offered my services to him on an as needed basis. I actually came up with the idea indirectly from Eleazar. Unbeknownst to everyone close to him, except Carmen, Eleazar had occasionally helped out the Volturi by diagnosing the gifts of targeted vampires. It had only happened twice since he left Volterra, but it was enough to keep Aro and his brothers from interfering with his family. Carlisle, Tanya, Irina, Kate, and most if the Volturi Guard were not aware of Eleazar's consulting arrangement with the Volturi. Even I wouldn't have known about it if Aro hadn't thought about Eleazar during one of his negotiating sessions with me. Aro was not pleased with my proposal, as he liked to have control over his minions, however I gently used his own thoughts against him to counter all of his reservations. In the end, I guided Aro to think it was better to have me as an available asset, than any undesirable alternative.
Under this new arrangement, in Lima I quickly determined that the family in question did know too much about our existence. The two rogue vampires often displayed their strength and speed, as well as allowing the humans to witness a gruesome feeding session. Without hesitation the family was eliminated. I felt guilt over sentencing the three family members to death by my evidence, but it was part of the deal I brokered and I had to see it through. After watching the three humans drained by the Volturi Guard, I was glad I never let Aro touch me. Carlisle had educated the family well in Aro's and Guard's gifts. Thoughts of my singer haunted me. I couldn't help but wonder if Aro would see her as a threat because of how dangerous her blood was to me. Knowing that the privacy of my memories was paramount to not only my survival, but to others close to me, I made it a provision of the agreement that Aro would never attempt to hijack my memories, just as I would never divulge his thoughts to any of his brother's or the Guard.
Aro and his Guard waited for me in an abandoned church while I scoured Rio for the man who may have witnessed something similar as the Lima family had. Aro noted in Lima that my amber eyes allowed me move amongst the humans without the typical worry of detection. I already saw in his thoughts the speculation that having a Guard member or two following our diet may have strategic benefits, not only for food gathering, but also for enforcement purposes.
It did not take me long to locate the man in question. I paid a street vagrant to ask the man a couple carefully worded questions. His answers and subsequent thoughts allowed me to see that, not only had he seen what the Lima family saw, but he was also promised to be changed for his assistance in gathering humans for the deceased vampires to feed from. Shortly after I directed the Guard to his location, the man was eliminated as well. I felt no guilt over this loss of life, as this man was evil in many ways. Both Volturi and human justice were served by his death.
After disposing of the body, Aro asked to speak to me before they traveled back to Italy.
"Jane, Alec, Demetri, why don't you all go off and find a snack before we leave. I would like to have a word with young Edward here."
"But, Master…" Jane, a tiny but powerful Guard member countered before Aro silenced her.
"Silence!" Aro commanded. "I have made a simple request. We will rendezvous at the airfield." I could see in Aro's thoughts that Jane and Alec were changed at a young age, perhaps only thirteen or fourteen years of age. Aro wasn't really angry with Jane, but he often had to treat both of them as the young teenagers they were.
"As you wish, Master." Jane glared at me while toying with the idea of unleashing her gift upon me, but she did not want to be on the receiving end of Aro's wrath. Two Guard members, remained with Aro...Renata, his personal bodyguard, and Felix, a hulking vampire rivaling Emmett in stature. Aro considered both of them to be beyond trustworthy and knew that our conversation would remain confidential.
Aro placed a compassionate mask over his true emotions and thoughts before turning towards me. I would have thought he would have adjusted to my gift by know, but he slipped quite often and telegraphed his motives.
"Ah, Edward. It seems my work here in this part of the world has been concluded most satisfactorily, partly because of your help. On behalf of my brothers, I thank you, and I wish to ask one more time if you would reconsider and decide to join us in Volterra. Your gift would be a marvelous addition to the Guard. I would even consider allowing you to continue with your unnatural diet, as I can see the side effects can be beneficial in championing our cause."
Aro's thoughts mostly echoed his words, except for a brief consideration of using coercion to compel me to join the Volturi. However, he understood I would likely choose my own destruction over forced servitude. Deep down Aro knew that the pressure and strong-armed tactics he had used in the past enlist gifted vampires into the Volturi ranks could undermine their rule with the masses. He was slowly starting to consider that strategic alliances like he begrudgingly forged with Eleazar and myself could allow him access to talented vampires. The allure of the inherent power that came along with that was powerful, plus this strategy did not alienate or encourage sedition amongst the vampire population. His mind quickly worked on how such and arrangement could allow him to leverage the gift of an Egyptian vampire, who was rumored to have control over the elements. He understood that it would be politically difficult to forcibly remove him and his mate from his existing coven, as his sire was even older than Aro and his brothers.
"I am honored by your invitation, Aro, but I humbly decline." I paused slightly as I framed my next words carefully. During our original negotiations, I purposely kept my family out of any discussion or condition. Aro was not openly agreeable to my terms as they were, adding my family at that time would have likely sabotaged the deal. I felt it was best if he assumed I was operating in a nomadic fashion. However, I now had some leverage built upon our mutual success, so I decided to capitalize on it. "I will, of course, abide by our agreement and I offer my services to you and your brothers, so long as our partnership does not place my family or myself at any detrimental risk."
Aro clapped his hands and chuckled. "I see, my friend, that you have subtly changed the scope of our agreement to include Carlisle and your other coven members as a means of exclusion, and I suspect, as a means of protection for them. You are truly cut from the same fabric as Carlisle." Aro paused and considered this new stipulation. Not to be out bid, he quickly formed his own new condition. Aro's thoughts betrayed that he resented Carlisle for leaving Volterra, yet he still respected Carlisle's keen mind. He was even jealous of Carlisle's ability to make lasting friendships with those he met, rather than use coercion as the Volturi were often forced to do. Additionally, despite Carlisle's peaceful nature, Aro was fearful of our family's size, as well as the number of vampires that our family could claim friendship with. Creating an alliance that bound the entire family, and not just me, would allow the Volturi to neutralize our combined strength, as well as show the vampire world an air of benevolence without admitting any weakness.
"I would be happy to include your family into our arrangement." Aro countered. "But only if you could assure me they would volunteer their services as well, should the need arise."
There was no way I could speak for my family and commit them to this agreement, especially since I have been out on my own for over eleven years. I quickly went through my conversations with Aro, I could not tell if he was aware of Alice's or Jasper's talent. How could I bind any of them into this devil's agreement?
Aro sensed my dilemma. He was about to press me for an answer, when I picked up a mental voice calling out to me. It was Carlisle. He was positioned several blocks away. He waited until Demetri was far enough away away before approaching us, as Aro's lead tracker would have surely sensed his presence. All of this was communicated quickly and covertly.
"Edward," Carlisle spoke in his thoughts. "I will explain everything shortly. Agree to Aro's terms. The family is aware of everything and is in agreement that an alliance with the Volturi is in our, and his, best long-term interests."
I pushed away the myriad of questions forming in my mind and schooled my expression to hide my shock of hearing my sire's voice. I paused while I formed my response to Aro. It was crucial for me to give Aro what he wanted, but also include the appropriate safeguards to protect my family.
"Aro, on behalf of my family I accept your terms. My family will make available to the Volturi their services on a conditional basis."
"Excellent! But do tell me Edward, what are the conditions?"
"Northing too limiting I assure you. First, we reserve the right to respectfully pass should we feel our involvement would place our family at any adverse risk."
"That seems reasonable, as long as you allow us the opportunity to provide satisfactory mitigation of any perceived risks."
"Agreed." I respond.
"Any other conditions?" Aro asked.
"Yes, the Volturi, or anyone, human or vampire, associated with the Volturi, will not interfere or try to disrupt my family and our chosen lifestyle. This includes actively recruiting members of our family or their mates into the Volturi ranks."
Aro was getting frustrated. He felt he was giving up too much, but he relented.
"I will agree to this. Your family and their mates will be left alone to lead your unnatural lifestyle. However, should one of your coven decide to voluntarily leave, your family will not stand in the way of them seeking their freedom."
"Agreed." I answered. "Those are our conditions."
"I have one condition of my own, Edward. Your family will not hinder our efforts or refuse services based on ideological differences. Your family's sensibilities and our tasks, including any repercussions, may be at odds. Your family will not question our methods or our decisions. Do you agree to this?
I had been expecting such a condition. For Aro it was important for their law not to be questioned.
"I will agree, as long as rendering our services will not require my family to violate our lifestyle, or require my family to dispense your justice."
"That seems reasonable as well." Aro replied but his thoughts belied that he felt the exact opposite. "Then we have an accord, my friend."
There was just one more thing I needed to get from Aro. I had no witnesses of my own to corroborate this devil's agreement.
"We do. Given that our alliance includes a number of principals that are not present from both sides, I believe it would be best if we record the details we have agreed upon here. I would imagine you would also desire to have Carlisle's explicit agreement. So I don't misrepresent the terms we have agreed upon, it would be best for you to draft our agreement and I will ensure that Carlisle and the rest of the family provides you confirmation of their acceptance."
Aro felt it was extremely disrespectful for me to ask for the agreement to be documented. The Volturi word was supposed to be law, however Aro could not stop thinking about several verbal agreements that the Volturi had disregarded because it served their purpose. As the anger started to grow within him, images of him ordering Felix to relieve me of my head came to his mind. Before he could act, a subtle wave of calm past over all of the Volturi's. At the same time I felt my confidence rising. Only one thing could account for this change and my suspicions were confirmed by his mental voice.
"Things were getting intense, Edward," Jasper called out to me. "I thought I should calm things down a bit."
With a more rational track to his emotions, Aro's mind thought through what it would mean having a document with the agreed upon terms. He quickly worked through how this could be a benefit for the Volturi. Having evidence that Carlisle was allied with the Volturi could be beneficial when dealing with vampires that claimed a friendly relationship with our coven. Even without enlisting our family's help, the document could prove an effective device to force a desired outcome. Jasper ever so slowly removed his influence so its effect would not be noticed. As the last of Jasper's gift was removed, Aro announced his decision.
"Normally our word is law, however I can see the benefits of having our understanding archived so any future misunderstandings can be eliminated." Aro also didn't like how I put the burden on him to produce this document, but that irritation was replaced when he realized that a carefully worded summary would better serve the Volturi's interest. "After I return to Volterra I will forward to Carlisle a written summary of our agreement. I trust you will be able to get ahold of him so you two can go over our terms. My young friend, please understand that I consider the agreement between my coven and yours already valid, as we have each given our word. The recording of it is just a formality. Please advise your family as such."
Aro turned to leave as his patience with this negotiation was at an end. Before exiting the church, he turned and addressed me one final time.
"It has been a pleasure working with you, Edward. I hope one day you will visit my brothers and I in Italy. Please give my regards to your sire and his mate."