Thank you, folks, for your kind reviews...*__*...They really make me feel more certain about this story.

And so I got a little faster with the new chapter.

Enjoy...;)

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Chapter 3 (Determination)

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Guiltily I averted his gaze and compressed my lips.

"What happened?" he asked and sounded worriedly.

One short moment I hesitated, then I closed the door to prevent some possible eavesdroppers to listen to our conversation.

While I was talking my voice was that low and fast, a human wasn't able to understand one single word.

"Did Alice say something to you? Any reason to fly to this place?"

Carlisle shook his head. "No, she didn't."

Actually she should have known that I was close to be torn to pieces by the Volturi. So why was she insisting to know us here? Just now when this girl was here, too. Another point of time would have been better.

What's wrong with you? I haven't seen you that churned up in a long time.

Carlisle's thoughts roused me from musing.

"Do you remember back then, when Emmett… when he couldn't control himself?" I started. I thought about it as the best possibility to tell him what happened.

"Yes. It's rare, but it occurs."

Then he was suddenly overcome by the realization what I was trying to explain.

"Does that mean that you also have…?"

In Volterra of all places. It would be a different thing at any other place. No wonder Caius was that furious. It's a miracle that you're still alive. Usually they would already have…

"Wait", I interrupted his train of thoughts. He looked up surprised.

"I didn't… bite her."

One instant he just starred at me.

So you controlled yourself?… Remarkably… When I think of the time when Emmett told me about his faux pas… If it was that bad as his, I'm really impressed by your resistance. Although I can't see then why the others wants to see you…

"I guess I know why", I mumbled.

"What do you mean?"

I bit my lips. "I… Well, let's say I was lucky somebody intermitted my actions."

For a minute silence was between us, then Carlisle spoke again.

"How close?" he asked lingeringly.

Instead of answering I laid my hand on my neck.

The whole time he stayed calm, but now his eyes widened when he realized the meaning.

"Did she have a clue of what you were doing?"

When I shrugged he was confused and I knew the reason. Actually I had to read those information in the thoughts of my counterpart but after all she was different at that point.

"I don't understand", he said soundlessly.

"I don't know what she's thinking. I can't hear anything. No single word. Not even a tone." Resigned I slouched my shoulders. Carlisle felt my complete frustration about this aspect.

"She really seems to be an interesting person. I'd love to meet her some time", he noted and was more conversed with himself. Now he sounded calm and professional as usual again.

"Better not", I replied but it wasn't really convincing and I had to stumble myself. Why did everything revolving around her again and again? A mere human?

Why had I saved her anyways? I got only trouble with that and if she just rudimentarily paid attention, her life was also in danger, because the Volturi didn't let any human live, who knew our secret.

Could I read her mind, I knew whether she recognized my speed or just thought of it as an imagination caused by the shock.

Theoretically there was only one possibility left to find out, but of course that wouldn't take place. Because after my meeting with the Volturi - and the chained hope to be still alive after that (so as yet Alice didn't call us for warning) - we would depart immediately and didn't get any chance to meet that girl again.

I must admit I have never seen you that… flustered. She really cast a spell on you.

I noticed a subtextual, amused undertone and frowned. He instantly became serious again.

"We should start on our way. Otherwise they send somebody to pick us up."

When we entered the lobby, the bustle hasn't subsided yet. Some guests were starring after us and had doubts whether they knew us from television or just mistook us for somebody else.

I was glad to escape the female receptionist undetected when we finally were outside. I was sure she would have hold us up.

The sun, covered by the roomily blanket of clouds, sagged west. Many of the people didn't seem to enjoy the weather, so the ones on the street grumbled to theirselves. For us it was an advantage, because we could go to the Volturi without taking a diversion.

Carlisle led us further to the inner city. Soon I could spot a huge tower in the distance.

"Hey!" I heard somebody shout behind us, just before we reached the big business frontage, where the ancient vampires were living.

I assumed that we weren't addressed, so I went on but Carlisle stopped and looked back.

I guess she means you.

Abruptly I stood still and faced him with a puzzled expression, then I turned my head to the same direction as his.

In an instant I sensed her smell and my muscles stretched. Carlisle picked up on it.

Is she the one…

I just nodded.

She was running towards me, her friend behind her, and when I looked at her, she stayed shyly, only some meters in front of me.

Like every time her cheeks blushed visibly - a really appealing effect - and her heart was beating faster.

Her scent was above than seductive, but with the space between us I had no problems to oppose my inner urge, my hunting instinct.

Her friend, who also had some breathing trouble at the beginning, regained her composure. She took advantage of Bella's rigid attitude to push herself to the fore and put out her hand.

"Hi. I'm Jen", she smiled variantly at Carlisle and me.

The trip to Italy paid off… When I tell this at home…

I ignored her and only took notice of the brown haired girl behind her.

"And that's… Bella", she added annoyed after realizing that I had no interest in her.

I thought she doesn't know him and now they behave THIS way…

"Nice to meet you." Carlisle smiled at her, between the wary looks at me.

How are you? Everything's alright?

I nodded scarcely noticeable, so the both girls couldn't see it. That's what I thought, but Bella's expression just changed for a second as if she picked up on it. However she didn't know the reason.

"I'm sorry to say that we are in a hurry. Another time would be more opportune", Carlisle tried to explain, so we could go on. But this comment seemed to remind Bella of whatever she had wanted to do before she froze.

She dissolved her gaze on me to look at Carlisle.

"Oh, please. I just want to talk with your friend. It doesn't take long", she begged and there was some kind of pleading in her eyes. We forwent to clear her up about our family backgrounds and when Carlisle launched into saying something, she cut in.

"It's really important."

For a second he looked at me and when I nodded, he turned round to face her again.

"All right, but only briefly."

She smiled and turned to me again. "Can you please come with me? It would be better to talk in private."

My brows contracted a bit. So she indeed had noticed something when I had been running to her. But way worse was, she wanted to have a word with me alone.

Can you do it? Carlisle wanted to know.

I considered. If we didn't get too close like last time, it was possible to get on without Carlisle's handy grip beside me.

"No problem." I answered both of them. I passed the girl called Jen and followed Bella in a small distance. She already stood on a small sidewalk some meters away.

And what about me now? Jen obviously was no one, who was often left standing, and so her thoughts were all the more indignant about my behavior. Even so there was still Carlisle and with that she was satisfied. I felt sorry for him when she gave her best attention to him.

"So?" I asked and hoped for a fast ending of this conversation. Did I really hoped that? Actually it was a good opportunity to learn more about her; what she was thinking… what her made tick.

At the inside I could cuff myself about musing that much about her again. I shouldn't do that. It neither benefited me nor her. Most of all it was safer when I kept clear of her, and got involved with a human not only endangered me, but also my family.

"To tell the truth…", she started whispering, so nobody could hear us. For Carlisle it was still no problem.

Not quite one meter parted us from each other and her pulse was still too fast.

I couldn't forbear to feel flattered and the corner of my mouth switched upwards. Though I had no idea what effect it had on her. For a short moment I was really afraid she would forget to breathe, and the heat rising inside her body gave me an impulse to want to touch her pale, soft skin.

And it had nothing to do with my thirst.

But I restrained myself. I couldn't run a risk like that.

"Yes…?" I said to remind her that she wanted to say something.

It was unbearable not to know what was going on inside her.

"Oh, yeah. Right. Concerning midday today… when… when you saved me…", she stumbled.

I looked into her eyes - the first time I distinguished their brown color which held a mirror up to all her feelings - and she broke in the middle of the sentence, as if she was daydreaming.

"Bella?"

"I'm sorry. I'm still disarranged cause of that. I mean… how did you do that?"

So she indeed perceived it. She became aware of a lot more than most humans.

A further attribute I was fascinated about although I was more disturbed by it right now because it led her closer to our secret.

"What do you mean?"

"You know that. How did you make it… to be that fast?"

"I don't see what you're up to." My gander darkened more and more. I could read in her face that she wouldn't gave up that easily.

"I saw you on the other side of the ruins. Right before I fell."

"You must have imagined it. I was nearby. Don't you rather think of thanking me?" I pressed forth between my teeth to not get too loud.

"You weren't!" she whispered peevishly.

"And how did I get there in your opinion?"

She opened her mouth to respond but closed it without saying anything.

"See?" I replied triumphantly.

So she hasn't any explanation. Still I was sure she wouldn't let go until there was one.

Sulkily because I cornered her, she crossed her arms.

"And what was with that?" she finally asked and pointed at her neck.

"And again I don't know what you mean", I said coldly.

"Oh, come on. You… kissed my neck." She whispered even lower and the memory of the past situation let her cheeks blush in a deep rose. "We don't even know each other…"

I had to come up with something immediately, a logical explanation. What could I say besides I'm a vampire and I wanted to drink your blood?

Jen's sudden outcry didn't let me get on to it. We turned to her direction and saw her heading our way.

"Bella, we have to go. Otherwise they call the police if we aren't back in time."

I hope you got his number at least. I had no luck with mine. So pigheaded. Just because he's married. As if that would be a problem… I bet his wife is nowhere near my beauty…

I compressed my lips to not to be tempted to answer her. If she could see Esme, she would get more than just inferiority complexes.

Her thoughts also disclosed that Bella told her about the situation in the ruins but nothing about her observations. That calmed me down a little.

Bella sighed. "I'm still waiting for an answer."

Before I could say something, Jen seized her by the arm and trailed her under her protest.

"We've got to jet. I don't want to get into trouble just because you always have to march to a different drummer. Today's our last sightseeing tour and tomorrow we're already flying home. You got his number, don't you? Then we can go out with them this evening at least, after this boring castle viewing…", Jen was talking insistently to Bella without pausing.

I would love to go after her to free her of that grasp her friend was holding her with.

With every further step she really threatened to fall over.

Then again I was glad to not been compelled to give her an explanation. We would never see us again and the memories of this day would fade as time goes by until nothing would be left over in the end.

It was like that among humans. Their brain couldn't save every information of a whole life like ours were able to. Unimportant and sometimes also some important things would be deleted to make room for new ones.

I feel sorry for them. I wish we could do something.

Quizzically I turned to Carlisle who was now standing next to me. "Why?"

"Didn't you listen when I talked to that girl?"

"She wanted to get your number…"

He shook his head. His facial expression was serious.

"That was some minutes later. At the beginning she told me about their activities in Volterra… That their female leader is really… provocative and… well, today they will visit some ancient masonries. That's what they were told…"

My look led out that I had no idea what he was trying to tell me.

"I'm almost sure that the lady is Heidi. A vampire and Aro's lure… for their prey", he continued. "We'll probably arrive to an inconvenient time. Because their group is just heading to this building."

He pointed at the façade behind us. "Though they take another entrance. After all it's called 'castle view'."

I was slow at the up-take of what that all meant. A vampire led the party of tourists Bella was in, and right now they were on their way to certain death. As a meal of a bunch of starved bloodsuckers.

I had intensely tried to not bite her, to not drink her blood and to not take her life, and now that destiny should befall her anyway?

That couldn't happen for real. That wasn't allowed to happen.

I wasn't able to explain why I acted like that all of a sudden since it didn't concern me, but I knew one thing for sure: I wouldn't accept this ending.

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