Chapter 10: Visions
"Alice!" I shrieked when the sinister vampire named Felix brought her into the room. Jasper was already by her side, and I looked away, not wanting to interrupt their reunion. Edward was smiling at me, and he whispered in my ear that I did a good job.
"I was hoping that someone would get their ass kicked though. I was a little disappointed," he teased.
"Oh, I'm sorry I'm a more reasonable person," I retorted, and his crooked smile shone on that perfect angel face of his.
"I have to talk to Bella! Now!" Alice squealed, and her tone let me know that what she needed to share with me was important.
Edward must have read her mind, because he nodded at Aro, and turned around to Carlisle. He was already saying goodbye, and I could feel my excitement bubbling over as the realization of our success hit me. We saved Alice!
I noticed how both Edward and Alice avoided shaking Aro's hand, or coming in contact with him in any way. They both knew something that they didn't particularly want any of the Volturi learning.
When we were out of finally out of the eerie place the Volturi called "home", Edward spun around to face me. He helped me into the car and then jumped right into an explanation.
"Alice saw a vision," he told me. I could tell that he was hesitant, even after he spoke the words.
"Don't freak out Bella, okay?" Alice pleaded. She was sitting in the back with Jasper, and I was in the front, next to Edward, who was driving. Carlisle graciously accepted the back seat.
"What are you talking about? Spit it out!"
"Okay…well…I sort of saw Victoria." The name of the redheaded vampire sent chills down my spine. She was James' mate. She probably wasn't too happy with any of us right now.
"And?"
"We saw her making the decision to kill your family. She thinks it will make you go looking for her so she can finish you off."
I felt Edward squeeze my hand, and I realized he was tensing. He just sat there, as motionless as a statue.
I squeezed his hand back, but it wasn't from tensing. It was from anger.
"Where is she now?" I inquired, trying to control the shakes that violently shook me.
"I think she's in Canada now, but she's planning on going to Port Angeles in a couple of days."
"What are we going to do? We have to do something!" I wanted to be louder, but my throat closed up and protested stubbornly.
"Wait a minute Bella. Let's think this through. She knows you're with us, and she knows she needs more help if she wants to defeat us. We can't just waltz over there and let her kill us! We need to plan it out!"
I don't care! I'm leaving to go find her. Don't follow me and tell the others to leave me alone as well. If I die, at least I will die trying. I ignored the stares that I felt boring into me. They can't hurt me anyways, I can just tell them to leave me alone! Stop the car.
At that moment the car screeched to a halt, and I jumped out without another word. I knew Edward would explain to them what was going on. It was too dark now for anyone to see me, but I hid along a wall before I made my escape.
Running at full speed, I felt a wave of guilt wash over me. This was a terrible thing I was doing. I didn't even tell him that I love him! He must think I'm a horrible person!
Oh well! It's too late to turn back now! I told myself. I knew I was right though. I had to do this and we would be too late if we waited to sort everything back now. Victoria was in Canada, so if she's taking her time, I might get there at around the same time that she arrives. I hoped she wasn't too close to the border already.
It wasn't long before I was at the airport, even without the help of a speedy sports car. If I was going to save my friends and family, I had to act now.
I wouldn't allow myself to think about what this might mean for Edward and me in the future. I knew he would be mad, but I hoped that he would forgive me eventually. When I boarded the plane, I sat in a seat that had no other passengers near it, and closed my eyes. It seemed like eons before the plane actually took off.
Then something happened. A young man decided that he would sit down right next to me. It didn't bother me at first, but then a couple of kids rushed down the aisle, making his scent hit me like a wrecking ball.
The impact was so forceful; I nearly jumped up and killed everyone on the plane! But I would not allow myself to do such a dreadful thing, so I spoke in his head, careful to try to make it sound like he was saying it to himself.
I don't want to sit next to her. She looks like she might bite my head off! I nearly laughed as if it were a joke. I should leave and go sit next to that pretty lady over there.
The man looked at me, and I was careful not to meet his gaze, and then he peeked over at the girl I was talking about. He quickly stood up and nearly ran over to greet her. I couldn't help but to chuckle quietly under my breath.
I closed my eyes again and pretended to be sleeping, and even decided to put my coat on the seat next to me, so no one would want to sit there.
It was a peaceful plane ride all the way back to New York…
However, the plane ride to Port Angeles was mind-boggling as I let myself worry about every possible scenario that might actually take place.
When I got off the plane, the worries mysteriously went away. I was prepared for the worst, and so I wasn't afraid anymore.
I shouldn't be afraid of someone as weak as Victoria. I told myself. Even if she has a whole army, I am stronger. I inwardly scolded myself for acting so smug, but I then realized that attitude if I was going to defeat her. I needed to believe in myself.
I didn't know where she was, and I had no idea how to find her. I decided I would roam around Port Angeles first, because it wasn't that big of a town. If she were here, I would find her. If not, I would go check on Charlie and make sure Victoria wasn't setting foot anywhere near him.
It was only a couple of minutes; it seemed like, when something strange happened. It wasn't like on the plane, when the man sat next to me and I got a whiff of his scent. It was more powerful than any force I had ever even imagined!
It brought me back to the story Edward told me when he was explaining to me that I "smelled" better than other people to him; that I was the wine in a room full of stale beer, and he was the alcoholic.
I had not ever been able to imagine what it would be like to be that compelled to someone's "scent". I had realized that I hadn't actually quenched my thirst for several days now. And I was thirsty, which made this predicament even worse than it had to be. I couldn't think about self-control, I couldn't think about anything.
It all happened so fast. I raced towards the inconceivable scent and didn't even pause to see my victim as I drained the blood from his or her body.
When I was done, I looked up and saw the face of my prey. It definitely was not what I expected.
I collapsed on the ground next to the cold, limp body, and allowed those awkward sobs that I hated escape me…