Chapter 11

Defiance

Renesmee's words seemed so assuring but her thoughts and memories were appearing more evidential – as it was in my family to consume all the evidence before making the verdict – and I could see that Jacob had been very pressing to express his feelings for Renesmee; and I understood why.

In some ways you could say that she and Jake were kind of engaged but it was only through imprinting. Renesmee had the power to refuse him, but he just couldn't have the power to refuse her... and neither could I... I loved her.

During our talk I nearly slipped up once or twice, nearly admitting my feelings for her but I was always quick in making the recovery; I told Renesmee that from the latest intelligence of the Volturi – unexplained killings and disappearances had been happening near Rio. As we walked back to the house, she invited me to stay the night but Edward's thoughts were becoming very bothersome, so in fact I started fearing for my safety; I couldn't even try to imagine what was going through Bella's head but maybe it was better that I didn't know.

"Please be careful, Nesmee." I reminded her as she walked back inside.

"I will." She promised.

I bid my farewell with a kiss on her hand before I got back on the boat with the cleaning crew and watched the island disappear into the distance.

Later after the sun had set, as I was walking back to Rio airport I came across a strange thought in a distant mind – it was completely possessed about blood. I wandered around a little bit until I came across an alley way; inside I saw about five vampires feeding, so exposed and so violently – they were newborns!

After they fed they ran off, I followed them, and they led me far from the city to Pirenópolis in Goiás; I pursued them into a national park, and there is where I saw many more newborns feeding, returning from distant hunts, and then hiding among the waterfalls in the national park. I counted seven... nine... eleven... fourteen... there were about nineteen newborns.

In the centre of the riot, I saw two mature vampires – I recognised them from my father's memories and from the encounter of Renesmee's trial – it was Stefan and Vladimir. The Romanian coven... but why would they be around such… I searched through their minds; they were building an army to annihilate the Cullens.

I quickly fled from the scene and rushed back to Volterra as quickly as I could, Father had to know of this. Storming into the palace, I came across Demetri,

"Demetri, where is my father? I must speak with him immediately."

"Lord Aro is in the throne room." He replied.

"Very good; come with me." I ordered.

The doors echoed as I opened them, on their thrones my father and his brothers, with their daughters on either side of them, were discussing talk that was not at this point in time important.

"Father!" I interrupted.

All three turned to me.

"How dare you interfere?" Snarled Caius. "Aro, you really need to discipline your son, he is much too disobedient."

My father rolled his head at Caius's accusation. "Oh really, Caius, I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation," he smiled and looked at me. "Now, Gino, what seems to be the complication?"

"Father, I bring news of a possible rebellion caused by the Romanian coven," the lords seemed very annoyed at the very mention of their name. "With my own eyes I saw they are building an army of newborns – and I fear they might be going to destroy the Cullens, which leads me to believe that they might defy against us."

His face was calm but his eyes spoke out in firm concern. "Are you sure of that?" rushing out of his chair, he took my hand and I projected everything I saw.

"We have to assemble our forces immediately." I urged.

"Now, Son, let's think this through rationally."

I saw into my father's mind – if what I predicted was true – he wanted to wait until the opportune moment; only which of when it was of most profit to him. For even though I had replaced his desire to have Edward in the coven, he still desired Carlisle, Bella, Renesmee, and especially Alice – but he knew he couldn't have them unless their family members were dead.

I ripped my hand away of his, "Father, a newborn army is out there! And yet you wish to have us sit here, cowering in the shadows as this coven always has!"

He stepped towards me. "Son, I merely suggest that we just wait. I could not live with myself if anything were to happen to you; not to mention you're siblings, my nieces, or my brothers."

"No... You just want to let the Cullens die." I knew he never wanted them to die, he just wanted their gifts, but I knew he truly cared about them. "Father, this coven is supposed to mean something. This coven is about respect, honour, tradition, duty, obligation… and family. Or does that not matter to you at all?"

His eyes darted to the floor, ashamed that he had been blind to the true purpose of this coven.

"Or would you have the Romanian's take that back on your watch?" I asked.

I saw the proud fire flicker in Marcus's eyes; he held his shoulders high as he slowly rose from his chair.

"You're right." Marcus took his steps down the stair, turning to the others. "My brothers, we have a duty to fore fill. It is true that I have ignored the rules and responsibilities that have come with great power… we have been cowering to protected ourselves but we will cower no more!"

More members of the coven heard their master's call; so as the pride grew, Orithyia placed a hand on her father's shoulder.

"Are you with me?" Marcus roared to the listening guards, "We can be lambs! Or we can be LIONS!" My father's words echoed through the marble halls.

Marcus looked at my father, his face smoothed and nodded as his shoulders straightened, "Assemble every being in the coven; tonight we feed but tomorrow – we're at war!"

The coven cheered and Caius grinned with a smile most unpleasant as he placed his hand on Orithyia's; holding his daughter's hand as he smiled to her and Thyia returning her father's wicked smile.

That night the entire coven spent a majority of the night feeding but in the throne room, the family was spending as much time as we could spare together before tomorrow – in case of the fact that some of us might not be returning home. I saw Demetri and Heidi were holding hands as they talked, Caius was even hugging and kissing his wife and his daughter's forehead; Marcus wrapped Didyme in his robes as he spoke to her in a binding hug. I saw Father watching over everyone from his throne with anxious eyes; his fingers knitted together and his mind was going over every detail in his entire life.

Jane, Alec and I approached slowly.

"Father?" Jane interrupted his trail of thought.

"Yes, my darlings." He was so nervous, but he still didn't shake as he rose from his chair.

"You needn't be so worried, Father." Spoke Alec.

Father out stretched his arms to us. "Come here." We embraced him, and he held us firmly; Aro had rarely been pushed to the point where he showed just how much he cared.

"I love you all, my precious jewels." He whispered in our ears, kissing Jane's hair. "If anything happens to any of you, I swear… I will never forgive myself."

"We can win this," I assured. "There is thirty-five of us, nine of the Cullens – when including the shape-shifters – there's five in Jacob's pack, and another five in Sam's… together we are an army of fifty-four. And from what I remember there was only nineteen newborns."

My father was put a little at ease to know we outnumbered them greatly, but still in twenty-four hours their numbers could always change. We took Didyme and Orithyia to bed, as we laid down with our families coming to say goodnight to us; even Caius was there to tuck his daughter into bed. Each of us was kissed on the forehead – and they were just about to leave when Didyme spoke out.

"Father?" she asked.

Marcus smiled kindly, with a replying rasp. "Yes, my sweet."

"For old time's sake can Uncle Aro sing us our lullaby?" she asked.

Marcus looked at Father, and he nodded.

But this time all three fathers came in and sat on the ends of our beds; Marcus opened the music box on the shelf, and as the music began, Father started humming with Marcus and Caius joining in – harmonising, their voices complimented each other's so perfectly. Father began singing the first few lines and then all three took turns singing beautifully in Italian – Caius surprised everyone – as his voice was high but the pitch was perfect. One by one, we fell asleep to the harmonised lullaby, it was the best version I had ever heard; and it was the best way of spending, quite possibly, the last night with all of us together – but I was more than confident we were going to win.

At the clouded dawn the coven mobilised, and beforehand I had a chance to give my family a head start by giving them the memories I had learned from Jasper about how to efficiently fight and kill newborns; and then we marched together to Washington to aid the Cullens. We arrived swiftly, through the misty emerald growth, Demetri could smell the newborn army – they were close – just beyond the Olympic national park; but we wanted to keep the element of surprise, so we did not reveal ourselves, and took refuge in the fog that surrounded the town.