Chapter 3
Esme woke me up the next morning. She brought me breakfast, and the lovely smell of fresh-baken pancakes filled the room.
"How was your night?" she asked.
"A little short. Dad gave me a lot to think about last night." I didn't tell her about the talk I'd had with my mother. She obviously had heard everything.
"It's eleven o'clock a.m. now. We will leave at two." Our hours sleeping and awake were a little diffrent from the human's. The vampires always had to be out of the sunlight, so most of the time that I was awake was after noon. But today I had to wake up early.
After Esme had left my room I searched for some clothes. I was as fashionable as my father; jeans ans t-shirts were my favorites. But before I could get my old black t-shirt from my shelf, Alice knocked on my door.
"Did you seriously think you could wear that today? You're a guest in the fashion paradise! If you want to make friends with the Italians, you have to look decent." She handed me a purple silk dress and a black jacket. Then she ran in vampire speed to her room and gave me a pair of black, high-heeled pumps.
"It's good we have the same size. These are perfect." I wanted to give everything back and pull on my sneakers, but I knew, with Alice you just can't. I sighed and put the clothes on. Whatever, clothes are clothes. Only the shoes would be a problem.
I ate my breakfast and stuffed my toothbrush and some books in my backpack. Alice would buy me some clothes if I needed more. Then I walked down the stairs. It was almost two and we were leaving. Emmett took my backpack and I stepped in Carlisles car. Jasper came to sit next to me.
"Don't worry so much, Dawn. Everything will be alright." A wave of calm covered me.
"No Jazz, you don't know. Maybe they will kill us all!" Despite the calmness Jasper was flooding my way, tear ran down my cheek.
"I talked about it with Eleazar. They won't kill us; too many other vampires will know the Volturi did it. They don't want to take risks."
"What do you think they are going to do?" Carlisle asked. He started the car, and we were driving. We were almost at the end of the Cullen's driveway.
"I don't know. They could try to break our bonds so we must join their clan, but that is almost impossible with Bella. Or we have to be forced to do so. We will see, I don't think it will be very bad, we have very good protection."
We arrived at the airport in Seattle on time. We flew to New York, and from New York to Rome. If we'd had the time, I would have loved to see Rome. But unfortunately we didn't. We hired some cars, and drove over to Volterra. The Italian landscape was beautiful. I wanted to see more of it, but we were already there, the massive stone building using up most of my vision.
"Someone will be waiting for us on the Palazzo dei Priore. I got a vision from Aro, and he asks us to be there as soon as we arrive in Volterra," Alice said.
Carlisle parked the car while Esmee was telling the others about Alice's vision. We hurried through the old streets of Volterra, until we arrived at the Palazzo dei Priore. A big vampire was standing in the middle of it. Unther the big cape I could see his face. His name was Felix; my mother had showed me all the Volturi guards she could remember last night.
"Welcome in Volterra, please follow me," Felix said in a cold voice. It felt as though a shiver ran down my spine from his icy words. Obviously he was not happy to do the dirty job of guiding us to the Volturi clan leaders. When he spotted me, he couldn't get his eyes of me.
We went through some narrow streets, through a pothole and into the ground. Bella was holding Edward's hand, and she looked very concentrated. She was hefting her shield, so Edward could read her mind. Maybe she remembered this.
We went through several doors, until we finally arrived in some kind of reception room. Felix told us to wait here.
"Jacob, are you sure you want to come with us? You can still go back while you can. We don't know how Aro will react on a werewolf in his place," Carlisle said.
"I'm here to protect my daughter, my wife, and the vampires. I will not leave them in danger, I'm no coward," Dad said in a sure voice, though his face looked worried.
'Are you sure about that?' Emmett said. "'Cause there are no trees to pee on when you get too nervous, dog!" I heard a growl spring up from the back of Dad's throat. Emmett and Rosalie were still laughing when a big wooden door opened. A vampire, Renata as I recognised her, asked us to come in.
We stepped into a beautiful place, enlightened by daylight. In the corners were standing a few vampires, who walked away when we came in. In the middle were three thrones, and in the middle one was Aro sitting. On the others Caius and Marcus were sitting. Aro standed up and walked to Carlisle.
"Welcome, dear friend Carlisle. However I hope you are still my friend!" Aro said in a voice that was all too cheerful for me.
"Hello, Aro. Yes, I really hope that too. As you know we would never break the rules," Carlisle said.
"Then may I ask who the newcomer is? She's no vampire, and no human. But I can smell a little of them both," Aro asked. He must have been very curious of what I was, because he still was polite to Carlisle.
"This is Dawn. She is Jacob's and Renesmee's daughter. She is half werewolf, quarter vampire, and quarter human."
"Hmmm, interesting. Could I meet her?" This was what we wanted. Soon, Aro would hear all my thoughts I had ever had; he would know me better then anyone in the world. I was terrified, but I knew I had to do it. Then there might be a chance they would let us go.
"Yes. Dawn, please meet my friend Aro," Carlisle said. I slowly took the steps to the two vampires in front of me.
"Good evening, Aro. My name is Dawn Hupaki Glake Black," I said in a strong voice. I was proud of myself that my voice didn't break.
Aro laughed. "Bat! Hilarious as always, those Cullens!" I wondered where he had learned the Quileute language. "Give me your hand, and tell me something about yourself."
I gave him my hand and Aro closed his eyes. He was amused. "Interesting. I have never seen any creature like you in my whole life. But that was the same with your mother. Always something new when you meet the Cullens." Aro said. I felt relieve, when he didn't sound angry.
"Is it true, Aro?" Caius said.
"Oh, brother, you have no idea! Dawn is a wonderful, very gifted creature. It is true, my brother. Dawn, may Caius ask you some questions?"
"Of course, Aro." Caius standed up and came to stand in front of me. I was more afraid of him then from Aro, who I actually kind of liked. I heard Edward growl a little when I thought about that.
"Our spy said that he saw you changing into a mountainlion. Is that true?" Caius asked. He knew it was true, Aro had obviously read it out of the spy's memory. Maybe he wanted to check if I was telling the truth.
"Yes, that is true. I like to change into panthers or mountainlions when I go hunting," I answered.
"So you can change into more than one animal? Can you shift into anything you want?" Caius questioned.
"I can shift into any animal I want. I can change into a bird though flying is hard. If I change into a wolf, I can hear the wolf pack's thoughts." I didn't tell him I was actually going to join the pack.
"Can you change into a human, or a vampire?" Caius asked.
"No. Just animals." I had once tried to do so, but it just didn't work. Humans and vampires were too complicated.
Aro looked Caius in the eye. "You see, brother, I don't think she will harm us. She is very well raised, and she will not betray us. I'm defenitely sure about that. But I don't like it that the Cullens keep experimenting with their race. Marcus, my brother, come here. We need to talk."
Marcus was standing next to Caius before I could blink. Vampire speed, I was jealous on it. Both Caius and Marcus took Aro's hand. I walked back to my family, and standed next to Edward.
Edward, are they going to kill us? Edward shook his head. But then he growled a little, and Bella squeezed his hand. Something not very nice, probably.
Aro turned to us. "We made a decision. We want to observe Dawn, to see how she does things. She must join the Volturi. We will arrange a house for the rest of the family, and Dawn will have a bodyguard," Aro said in a casual voice, as if he was asking for something simple. I didn't like the decision, but I could live with it. I wouldn't have to join the pack, and I would have a bodyguard.
"How long will she stay?" Edward asked.
"As long as we need to observe her." Well, I hoped it would not be for too long. "I will arrange a sleeping place for her, and any other things she need."
"Can we see her from time to time?" Mom asked. I hadn't thought about that yet. Maybe I wouldn't see my family in weeks!
"Of course, from time to time. You may join us too, if you like. Anyone interested?" Aro asked. Nobody wanted to join the Volturi. If they would say yes, they would be here for the rest of their lives. I understanded it, but I didn't like it. I would miss them.
"Then we're done. You can leave, but wait in the reception room until we have a house for you. Dawn, you can stay." That was the last time I would see my family for days, weeks, maybe even years.