~ Forks, Washington - June 10, 2005 ~
"I can't believe the school year is finally over!" Bella sighed as we pulled out of the school parking lot. "So much has changed this year. It seems like, on one hand, time flew by, but also dragged."
So much had changed this year. I lost two good friends in Chicago. I got to say goodbye to my beloved parents. I moved back with the family to this little town of Forks. I met Charlie Swan, I man I greatly admire and enjoy spending time with. I exposed my family's secret to the same Charlie Swan. I found out his daughter, Bella, was not only my singer, but my mate and the love of my existence. After nearly a century I lost my virginity. Irina Denali and Charlie found out they were mates. Irina moved in with Charlie and Bella. Charlie proposed to Irina and they were married in a small, but beautiful wedding behind my family's house. Now finally school had ended and I was one year away from Bella joining me in immortality.
In addition to these big changes, There were a lot of other changes too. Tanya left her Denali family for a while to explore the world on her own. Kate and Garrett moved in with Carlisle and Esme to be close to Irina. A couple of the Quileutes started to phase into wolves, while Charlie lost his life-long friends on the Quileute reservation because of his choice of wife.
All I knew about the future was that I was looking forward to spending the summer with Bella.
"You seem awfully pensive over there, Mr. Cullen. Anything you would like to share?" Bella asked when I didn't comment about school ending.
"I was just thinking about how much my life has changed. How you and your father have brought so much happiness into my life." I lifted Bella's hand to my lips and kissed it. "I was also imagining how nice it will be to have a whole summer to spend with you."
"I'm looking forward to having the summer with you as well," Bella replied as we pulled up to her house.
When we reached the front door, Bella opened it and called out in mirth, "Mom, I'm home!"
"Yuck!" Irina yelled back as she darted into the room. "For the last time, you fragile little human spawn of my mate, I am not your mother!"
Bella and Irina had grown into good friends over the past few months. Even though Irina's change in marital and mating status, as well as adopting the Swan surname, made her legally Bella's stepmother, the two women were more like sisters. The only thing they seemed to enjoy more than teasing each other would be teasing, and torturing, both Charlie and I.
The chief and I are lucky men!
Later that evening Charlie was going to take Bella out for dinner, while Irina and I hunted. However an urgent call from Carlisle requesting all of us to come to the main house, interrupted those plans.
As we pulled up to my family's house, I was shocked by what I read in Carlisle's thoughts. I quickly sought out Alice's mind. She was processing the array of visions today's events had spawned.
Soon we were all gathered together in the family room. Each couple standing next to their respective mates finding some way to connect physically with one another while we waited for Carlisle to explain the unexpected phone call he received earlier in the day.
"Thank you all for coming." Carlisle started. "I am sorry to interrupt your dinner plans, Charlie and Bella, but something has come up that impacts the entire family."
"No problem, Carlisle," Charlie replied with a now concerned look on his face. "What's up?"
Carlisle glanced at me briefly. Thanks to his mental retelling of events, I knew everything already, but listened intently as the rest of the family was told. I needed to work through how I wanted to handle the situation, so the extra time to consider my options was welcomed.
"Today at the hospital, I received a call from Aro Volturi." Carlisle paused to allow everyone to understand the the gravity of the situation.
Charlie and Bella both knew about the Volturi. They also knew our family was risking their wrath should the Volturi find out that we were involving ourselves with humans. By our kind's laws, Bella and Charlie should have been changed as soon as we mated with them. Everyone in the room, including the Denali family members, also knew we had struck a deal with the Volturi to help out as needed.
"Aro has requested the use of Edward's services to interrogate a vampire." I could feel Bella's hand start to tremble in mine. I gave it a light squeeze before I pulled her in front of me and wrapped my arms around her. "His name is Santiago Perez. The Volturi have him sequestered in Volterra."
"Santiago Perez?" Jasper asked. "Just before I left Maria's army, I helped train a newborn vampire by that name. He was from Mexico and quite a deadly warrior. I wonder if it is the same one?"
"I don't know," Carlisle answered. "Aro did not give me many details. Only that, per the agreement we have with the Volturi, they require Edward to come immediately to help with the questioning."
"Carlisle?" Charlie asked are he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "How does someone sequester a vampire? Wouldn't the person be able to escape?"
"My best guess is that Alec or Jane is using their talents to keep the vampire from leaving." Charlie raised an eyebrow and motioned for Carlisle to continue. "Alec and Jane are a natural brother and sister pair that each have a unique set of skills. Alec can cause his victim to be enveloped in a mental fog that takes away all sensory input and leaves the person unable to move or react. Jane can cause a person to experience excruciating and debilitating pain."
Charlie glanced over to Kate, as he was aware of her gift.
"Her gift is similar to mine, Charlie" Kate replied. "Except the pain she creates is only in her victim's mind and she can do so without touch, where as you know my gift creates pain physically by shocking a person and only when I am touching them."
Charlie involuntarily flexed his hand. The same hand he personally experienced Kate's gift through by his own request to understand her abilities. She barely shocked Charlie, but it was like he was hit with a taser.
"So, the Volturi have this dude either being numbed by Alec, or shocked the shit out of by Jane, and they want Edward to go in and read his mind to see if he is telling Aro the truth? Why can't Aro just hijack his thoughts by himself?" Emmett asked.
"Exactly," Jasper added. "Something is not right with this. Aro would not need Edward's help unless..." Jasper's voice died away as he worked through his burgeoning theory.
"Unless, what?" Charlie asked.
"Unless it is not this vampire's thoughts that Aro wants Edward to read," replied Garrett. "Aro must be looking for someone close that knows something they shouldn't or is conspiring against the Volturi. If Aro asked those close to him to view their thoughts, that would raise suspicions amongst the Guard and cause the true target of Edward's gift to slip away before his identify is found out."
"I agree with Garrett," Jasper said. "If this is the same vampire I knew from Maria's service, this request could be much more complicated than Edward simply reading Perez's thoughts. At one time, the Volturi turned a blind eye to Maria's activities as she actually helped to control or eliminate rogue vampires in the American Southwest and Central America. However, after a while, she had gained enough territory and influence that the Volturi would periodically send the Guard in to, at the very least, trim her ranks or ultimately eliminate her all together. When I was recruited, Maria was constantly maneuvering to stay one step ahead of the Volturi. She would love nothing more than to end the Volturi's interference within her territorial conquests. She might have herself a mole in the Volturi."
Bella turned to face me. "So you could be stepping into a long simmering vampire turf war?" She asked.
"Possibly," I replied honestly. I cared for Bella too much to hide the potential gravity of the situation, especially since in some of Alice's visions not everything went smoothly.
"No!" Bella cried out as she hugged me. "There has to be another solution!"
"Bella," I said softly. "I do not see that I have much of a choice. There is a much greater risk to the family, to you, and to Charlie, if I do not go. The last thing we want right now is the Volturi coming here to Forks. If the true objective is as Jasper and Garrett surmise, I will gather the information for Aro and get back home as quickly as possible."
"Well, I am going with you," Emmett boomed out. "I've been wanting to size up this Felix dude for a while now."
"If Edward is going to go, and I think he should, as his refusal would be an act of outright defiance, he should take with him an offensive weapon just in case," Kate added.
"You mean yourself," Garrett replied to his mate as he caressed her cheek.
"I do," she answered. "I've known Jane and Alec for centuries. Jane and I kind of bonded over our ability to bring men to their knees. We are not besties, but she will not see me as an immediate threat." Kate paused and looked cautiously at Garrett and then Charlie. "Also, my sisters and I have a history with a few members of the Volturi Guard."
"A history?" Garrett nearly growled.
Charlie also looked in hopeful disbelief at Irina, but she just nodded her head to confirm Kate's implied statement. Luckily for me, both women tried very hard not to directly think of their trysts, however not for my benefit, but because of the hurt this information was causing in their mates.
"Yes," Kate replied before giving Garrett a quick kiss in an attempt to defuse his jealous anger. "This was centuries ago, but you are now my mate and I love only you. However, I believe those involved will look back on those times with fondness, which we can use to our advantage."
"Then I'm going too!" Garrett barked.
"I knew that you would," Kate answered before kissing Garrett again.
Jasper was about to volunteer as well, but Carlisle spoke. "There is a part I have yet to tell everyone." I knew this was coming. "Edward is to go alone. Aro wants it to seem as if Edward is passing through Italy and decided to pay his respects. Given the fortuitous timing of his arrival, Edward will be invited to lend his services with Perez."
"Great, more cloak and dagger!" Emmett added. "This keeps getting more fucked up by the moment!"
"Language, Emmett," Esme chastised. "But I agree with the sentiment. I do not like any of my family walking into the unknown."
"What do you see Alice?" Bella asked. The quiver in her voice belied her attempt at seeming calm.
During our family meeting, Alice had been quiet while she worked through her visions and scenarios impacting those visions.
"I don't have much because I've never met any of the Volturi and there are just too many unknown decisions to be made." Alice answered. "However, almost universally I see Edward coming back safe in three days time."
"Almost universally?" Bella asked as tears started to gather in her eyes. "So there are scenarios where he comes back later? Sooner? Or not all?"
I hugged Bella close to me before kissing the top of her head. "I've seen Alice's visions, love. I am not going to lie to you and say that every scenario ends the same or ends well. But, if I make a few right choices, which include going alone and following Aro's plan, I should be home in three days."
Bella looked up at me with more tears on her cheeks. I carefully wiped them away before adding, "I was worried before, but I trust Alice and her visions. I'll be back. I'll be back as quickly as I can."
"I hate this!" Bella sobbed in frustration and anger. "Because I'm the weak little human I have to stay here and wait and worry. I hate this and I hate this plan! This sucks!"
"I don't like it either," Charlie added. "To many unknowns involving people we either don't know or are trying to avoid."
He thought back to the Mitchell case and the shooting at the barn. That was supposed to be an easy arrest, but it went south quickly. He considered all of us family now, and he hated that his family could be in harms way and he could do not nothing to help.
"It's not that I don't trust your visions, Alice. I do." Charlie continued. "I just want us all to make sure we thought this through forwards, backwards, and sideways. We don't want any surprises for Edward."
I wasn't going to argue with the Chief, as he made too much sense.
Carlisle, Esme, and Bella drove me to William R. Fairchild International Airport in Port Angeles. This was a time when the deep Cullen financial reserves came in handy as I was able to secure a private flight to and from Florence, Italy. Once in Italy, I would rent a car and drive to Volterra to do my duty.
Saying goodbye to Bella was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but I did trust Alice's visions. While the travel arrangements were being made, the family heeded Charlie's advice and we worked scenarios and contingencies through Alice's visions.
As the plane lifted off the ground, my thoughts were of my brave and loving Bella. She knew contact with me while in Volterra would be not be possible. I needed to play the part of a vampire wandering through Europe. Esme, Rose, and Irina were determined to take Bella and Charlie's mind off of the trip. Esme and Rose were hoping to take Bella to see a photography exhibit at a Portland art college, assuming Bella would leave Alice's side. Irina'a plan for Charlie included lots of sexy lingerie and the fact that Bella would be staying at my parent's house until I got back.
After arriving at the Peretola airport in Florence, I settled into my rented Ferrari and headed south towards Volterra. I pulled out my phone and dialed the number Carlisle gave me. After two rings the line picked up.
"Pronto," I heard through the receiver.
"Buongiorno Aro, sono Edward Cullen." I replied.
"Edward! What a surprise!" Aro answered. I could hear voices in the background all become quiet. "To what do I owe the honor of this phone call?"
"I am traveling in Italy and I wanted to stop by Volterra and pay my respects to you and your brothers."
"Certo! You must visit us! You will be my personal guest in Volterra."
Aro and I arranged a time and place to meet. All too soon I found myself climbing the final Tuscan hill leading me to Volterra. As I entered the town, I had never felt more like a lamb being led into the lion's den. After I parked, I texted Bella one more time before shutting off my phone.
"I'm in Volterra. I am scared and anxious...and missing you terribly, but I need to get this started so I can come home to you. I love you!"
Less than a minute later, I got her response.
"I am scared and anxious too. Have I mentioned I hate this plan! Alice has nothing new to add...damn little pixie. Be safe! Come home! I love you, too!"
Author's Note:
Hello! This story now has over 400 reviews! Thank you, everyone!
Charlie's mating and wedding offered a bit of a respite, but happiness always has a price. I'll see you on Monday!