All things Twilight belong to the Awesome Stephenie Meyer.
songs For thought:
Micro Cuts - Muse (A repeat I know, but it was playing in my head as I wrote the first bit of the chapter ), Vampires - Godsmack, Group Four - Massive Attack, Dissolved Girl - Massive Attack
Chapter Twenty-Three - For Whom the Bell Tolls
I pushed the Porsche up the steep incline towards Volterra, there was more traffic around due to the festival and it was slowing us down. I could feel Bella's impatience as she watched the cold walls of Volterra become larger in our hasty approach. Finally our speed was stolen as a Tan Peugeot crawled up the hill ahead of us.
"Alice," Bella moaned from beside me her frustration brimming to the surface.
"It's the only way in," I tried to reason with her, I was feeling the same frustration but voicing it would only make things worse, we both needed to stay calm. I checked the clock again, it seemed the numbers were laughing at us as they sped up.
The sun beamed down on the dark tint of the Porsche as it rose higher into the clear blue sky. I could see Bella's watchful eyes on the sun in my peripheral vision, we were both to anxious, we had to collect ourselves so we could act quickly.
As we crept closer, the cars lining the sides of the roads began to thicken and there was a long line of pedestrians snaking up the hill towards the gothic looking city. Bella looked at me and then out at the crowd once again, it was easy to tell that she had the same concerns as I did, but I wasn't giving up just yet. I had two plans that would work if we needed them, my first was a direct approach and it was something I was going to put all my effort into, it would get us as close as we could without running over half of the populace that seemed to be filtering in towards the city.
As we rounded the switchback, the parking lot came into view, it didn't take a second look to realize that it was full to capacity. The traffic through the city gates themselves were all foot traffic, it seemed that we were out of luck, but it wasn't going to stop me from trying. I heard the leather groan and looked over to see Bella's fingernails imbedded into the dark leather of the seat she occupied.
"Alice," she whispered urgently.
"I know." I said as I turned to face the crowing crowd ahead of us. The mass of bodies were growing denser as we approached the protective stone walls of the city. There were guards ahead directing traffic. I watched the scene ahead of me as they turned away all traffic.
It suddenly occurred to me that I still had the roll of money on me, and it could be our saving grace. I concentrated on the guard that stood blocking the gate to the city. There were no cars in that space because the guard that was directing traffic turned them around in the opposite direction. It wouldn't be a problem getting around the directional guard, but as I pressed to see the reaction of the gate guard I realized I was frozen. That's when it hit me, I had made the decision to give him the money, but he hadn't been presented with the decision to take it. Of course I didn't see it. I was sure that a roll of money with a substantial amount of thousand dollar bills could change his mind. In fact, it was probably enough for him to retire on . I would have to be patient and wait for his reaction, but I was sure even the most honest of men couldn't turn down that much money to let a car slide through the gates. I did have a back up plan and I needed to make sure Bella understood in case we had to execute it.
"Bella," I spoke quickly, we were closing in on the guards now and she had to get this right or we would fail miserably. "I can't see what the guard here will decide now—if this doesn't work, you're going to have to go in alone. You're going to have to run. Just jeep asking for the Palazzo dei Priori, and running in the direction they tell you. Don't get lost."
"Palazzo dei Priori, Palazzo dei Priori," she repeated as she committed it to her memory, the chanting continued under her breath.
"Or 'the clock tower,' if they speak English. I'll go around and find a secluded spot somewhere behind the city where I can go over the wall."
Bella nodded, "Palazzo dei Priori."
"Edward will be under the clock tower, to the north of the square. There's a narrow alleyway on the right, and he'll be in the shadow there. You have to get his attention before he can move into the sun."
Bella nodded with all of the effort she could muster, I was sure she was still chanting the name in her head, she didn't want to get this wrong, her heart was on the line and she wanted to save him before he made the biggest mistake of his impossibly long life.
We sat in silence as the cars moved forward, then it was us, the guard lazily waved us forward and directed us to where the previous car was U-turning, but I swiftly maneuvered around him and headed towards the gate, I looked in the mirror as he shouted and waved his arms, still trying to keep the flow of traffic behind moving correctly. I smiled at my first victory and headed towards the gate.
I wove the car cautiously through the thick crowd of people and pulled to a stop as the guard stepped directly in our path. I angled the car so that I was out of the direct sunlight and waited for him to approach the window. I reached behind me into my bag and pulled out the two lifelines I had.
The guard tapped on the window angrily, I rolled the window halfway down and smiled the most breathtaking smile I could muster. It worked he did a quick double take at me before his face relaxed from the frown he had been wearing into a charming smile.
"I'm sorry, only tour buses allowed in the city today, miss" he apologized in a heavily Italian accent, his face full of apology at disappointing me.
"It's a private tour," I smiled a little more seductively so he would melt like butter against a hot knife. I reached for his hand that had still been raised from tapping on the window, with my own gloved hand. Gloves I always carried around, they were a tan color, as close to flesh color as I could get them. I placed the rolled up money into his hand and closed his fingers around them, ever keeping a watchful eye on the eyes of the tourists surrounding the car. I was discreet enough to avoid doing this to where anyone noticed.
"Is this a joke?" he asked, accent even stronger in his confusion.
I smiled again, "Only if you think it's funny."
I could feel the nervous tremble of Bella in the passenger seat and tried to ignore it. It would be too faint for human eyes or senses, but to me it felt like we were in a boat rocking with the tide.
The guards eyes were wide as the bore into me and my smile, he was taking too long.
"I'm in a wee bit of a hurry," I said smiling, as I tried to push his decision.
The guards eyes scanned the area around him and quickly pocketed the money as he blinked twice. He stepped away from the window and that was my cue to drive. I pulled into the city and sighed, this was echoed almost simultaneously by Bella.
The narrow cobbled streets slowed us in our journey through the city, the heavy throng of pedestrians were unwilling to share the road with a car but I pressed on, we had less than five minutes and I wasn't going to let these arrogant people stop us from getting to our destination. I would drive quickly through the empty spots but slam my foot on the brakes as I reached the other side, it was infuriating. People didn't seem to appreciate my efforts either and we were screamed and shouted at in several different languages, I took a small path that seemed to cut through to one of the main streets that lead to the main square. The square that held the clock tower.
I pulled in and we found ourselves close to the walls on both sides, the people in the street weren't happy as the car pushed them into doorways as we squeezed past. There was a larger street at the end and the crowd was impossibly thick. This is where we would have to stop.
I pulled the car to a stop and Bella's door flew open, she looked at me expectantly and I knew she was ready, she would do everything in her power to get her where she needed to go. I had no doubt about this now, I could see in flashes of my mind that she would push herself to get there, and I was pretty sure that she would be successful. My heart soared, this could really work.
I pointed in the direction of where Bella needed to go, the bright sunlight, making the opening look like it had been spotlighted.
"There—we're at the southern end of the square. Run straight across, to the right of the clock tower. I'll find a way around—"
I took a deep breath at the end of the sentence and my senses were filled with their scents, they were all around us, staying in the confines of the shadows and blending in with ridiculously thick human crowd. It almost took my breath away. "They're everywhere!"
Bella sat rigidly in fear, I had frightened her with my exclamation, but we didn't have time for this, we were rapidly running out of time, we had mere minutes and I had to find the quickest route around the city to get to my destination, without stepping one foot in the sunlight. I pushed her out of the car quickly.
"Forget about them. You have two minutes. Go, Bella, go!" I shouted as I climbed out of the car quickly.
I watched her as she took off towards the light as quickly as her legs would carry her. I grabbed our bags from inside the car and melted into the shadows.
I stowed our bags in a quiet alley that most people seemed to afraid to come down. It was darker than most of the areas in the city, even those cast in dark shadows, it was almost as if the light itself was too afraid to penetrate the dark space. I stopped to get my bearings and find the direction I needed to travel in. I stuck to the shadows as I moved around the mazed alleys and streets, for a human this would be overly complex but my senses guided me closer to my destination, I rounded corner after corner, only doubling back if my path was blocked by the bright Tuscan sunlight.
The bell tolled it first deep echoing boomed and I froze briefly listening to the sound as it reverberated around the narrow wall lined streets, I tried to follow the direction and found myself blocked by the sun, I panicked and cursed the sun as I spun and headed back the way I'd come. I knew enough to know that each path I had taken would lead me to that small alleyway beside the clock tower, but the sun made appearances in the most inopportune moments. I finally found a break, there was a narrow alleyway leading toward the square, I knew it would fork off to give me an almost direct path to the clock tower. There was a slither of sunlight between where I stood and the alley. I looked down the street to see whether I had an audience. Everyone was heading towards the square, no one would notice me.
I smelled the air, the Volturi wouldn't take kindly to me make unnecessary risks such as this but I knew if I had a window, where I could get through unnoticed it would be alright. I could smell them still but they were at a safe distance, I was sure I wouldn't be noticed so I sprinted through the light and into the safe darkness of the alley on the other side.
The loud clanging of the bell tolled once again, the noise was louder in this confined alleyway and I sprinted through it with no fear of coming across a mortal, the alley was too dark and it looked sinister to the naked eye. I traveled along it quickly and came to a stop at a crossroads, the clanging continued as if reminding me of the impending doom.
I stopped and made a decision to travel down each, the first two lead nowhere and I prayed that the third would grant me closer access to my final destination.
As I stood still making my decision, I heard her, I heard Bella, she was moving through the crowd of the square, the faint murmuring of the crowd around her, but her shrill, desperate call could be heard above them all. I knew I wouldn't be the only one to hear this and it made the sense of urgency grow inside of me. I didn't have time to dwell on what was on the other end of the alley, I just took it and ran with every ounce of hope in me, towards the bell, Bella, and Edward.
I was blessed by good luck as I approached the end of the alleyway, ahead of me a heavily shadowed street lay, waiting for me to use it. The crowd were being herded like cattle towards the square, the celebrations were under way. Children and adults alike wore capes, crimson and the plastic fans so lovingly enhanced by the legends.
I dodged through them, the only one moving in the opposite direction, I was so close and I knew that my salvation was ahead of me, I could see it in my mind. I could also smell the ever growing scent of more vampires. I kept that in the back of my mind, I had no time to be concerned with them.
I came upon the alley and took it as quickly as I could. I was almost to the alley when I stopped. I saw it. Bella had him, she was in his arms, she'd made it. I knew I had to give them some privacy so I slowed my running to a walk and took my time. He was still trying to get to the light, he believed Bella was a vision, I found myself chuckling at his idiocy.
Bella begged and pleaded with him and I would have sped up to help if I hadn't have seen the outcome.
Edward was happy to see her and kept muttering about how quickly they had finished him and he even threw in a quote from Romeo and Juliet. I rolled my eyes. But what I saw next scared me. They had been keeping a close eye on him and were headed towards him and . . . Bella!
I picked up my pace again and headed towards the small space where Bella and Edward were lost in their short lived reunion.
I finally arrived at my destination but stopped in the shadows and listened, some of the Volturi henchmen had already caught up with them.
"Greetings, gentlemen," Edwards voice traveled down the narrow alley, his tone polite but cautious. I listened intently. "I don't think I'll be requiring your services today. I would appreciate it very much, however, if you would extend my thanks to your masters."
"Shall we take this conversation to a more appropriate venue?" a dark and menacing voice challenged.
"I don't believe that will be necessary." Edward said, an edge now very apparent in his voice. "I know your instructions, Felix. I haven't broken any rules."
"Felix merely meant to point out the proximity of the sun." a second voice added in a smooth soothing tone. "Let us seek better cover."
Apparently I had been so focused on Edward's decision's I had missed the order from one of the Volturi to follow him closely. I knew that they wouldn't be far away but I hadn't been expecting this. They were ready to pounce before he'd even executed his plan. I should have known better, but I had been more concerned about my brothers actions.
I reprimanded myself silently as I listened, it was too late to regret anything now, Edward had his life, for now. I wasn't sure what was going to happen, but I saw someone being dispatched to collect us and I was hoping we could avoid that, I was hoping we could get away from these two stooges before they arrived.
"I'll be right behind you," Edward said dryly. "Bella, why don't you go back to the square and enjoy the festival?"
"No bring the girl," Felix said pure malice lacing his voice.
"I don't think so." Edward had lost all civility toward the two vampires he faced.
"Felix," The second voice reasoned. "Not here." His voice was moved as he spoke to Edward. "Aro, would simply like to speak with you again, if you have decided not to force our hand after all."
"Certainly," Edward agreed, "but the girl goes free."
"I'm afraid that's not possible," The second voice spoke with regret. "We do have rules to obey."
"Then I'm afraid I'll be unable to accept Aro's invitation, Demetri."
"That's just fine." Felix was enjoying the game.
"Aro will be disappointed," Demetri sighed.
"I'm sure he'll survive the letdown," Edward replied
I could hear the light footsteps of the two vampires as they approached Bella and Edward. Edward made no attempt to move, I was sure that he was protecting Bella. I knew I had to make a move and I rounded the corner quietly. Edward was the first to hear me because I called to him.
'Edward, it's me, we have to get out of here, Aro has dispatched someone to bring us back.'
Edward's head whipped in my direction, Followed almost directly by Felix and Demetri.
"Lets behave ourselves shall we?" I sang as I approached them. "There are ladies present."
I stepped to Edward's side keeping as relaxed as I possibly could.
'I didn't see them, I'm sorry.' I said to Edward in my head as I stopped.
Demetri and Felix straightened and Felix scowled at me in disgust, I was sure that the even numbers bothered him.
"We're not alone," I reminded them giving a subtle nod in the direction of the people that were now glancing nervously down the alley. The woman was talking hurriedly to her husband.
Demetri shook his head. "Please, Edward, lets be reasonable." he asked.
"Let's," Edward agreed. "And we'll leave quietly now, with no one the wiser."
Demetri's frustration was growing and my urgency was becoming greater as the threat approached with alarming speed. I left my vision open for Edward to see. The look in his eyes told me he recognized the person Aro had sent.
Demetri sighed. "At least let us discuss this more privately,"
The crowd in the square was growing now, and the members of our group were losing their patience.
"No." Edwards teeth snapped together.
Felix smiled, I'm sure he would have appreciated the brute strength he would have to use to 'convince' Edward to comply.
My heart sunk as the new guard joined us. 'They're here Edward.' I said quickly.
"Enough." A high reedy voice called out and I could tell by Edward's stance he'd given up. The tiny black haired girl appeared from the shadows, her crimson eyes boring holes into each of us as our heads turned in her direction.
Felix and Demetri backed off immediately, slinking back into the cover of the shadows. The small girl advanced towards us gracefully. She was a child, small and quaint, her short dark hair framed her face and her eyes glowed and she eyed each of us suspiciously, lingering on Bella and Edward.
"Jane." Edward said shattering the silence.
I folded my arms across my chest, 'Who is this Edward? Why is everyone so complacent . . . oh never mind.' I stopped the conversation mid thought, as little Jane made a decision. She wanted to play with Edward, but her master wouldn't let her. She had one of the formidable gifts I had mentioned to Bella. She had the gift of pain. I just wasn't sure how it worked.
"Follow Me," Jane demanded of us and I knew as soon as she drifted into the dark and Edward made a move to follow, we had no choice. Felix gestured for us to move first, a smug look claiming features.
I followed immediately there was obviously no getting out of this. I looked and tried to attune myself to Aro once again, there was obviously a plan. I saw nothing but Edward in the room, he hadn't been expecting Bella and I, this wasn't a good thing, it left the future blank until we were in front of him. I wasn't sure of our chances. Bella appeared next to me, Edward, arm around her waist was positioned on her other side.
The alley narrowed as we ventured further down it, Bella watched Edward helplessly as he guided her towards Jane who was a little way ahead of us.
"Well, Alice," Edward said conversationally. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to see you here."
"It was my mistake," I kept the conversational pretense. "It was my job to set it right."
'What the hell were you thinking coming here? I specifically told Rosalie I was going to make sure I was right, she had no right to call you, but you were stupid to jump to conclusions.' I continued in my head. I knew that I had been wrong about Bella, which is why I had apologized out loud to him, but he needed to see the error in his judgement at the same time. I had no need to say that aloud.
"What happened?" He asked, his voice polite, he was being cautious of the two behind us who were listening intently to our conversation.
"It's a long story," I looked at Bella, she didn't need to feel embarrassed in a situation like this so I summarized before continuing in my head. "In summary, she did jump off a cliff, but she wasn't trying to kill herself. Bella's all about the extreme sports these days."
'Edward, I know you're upset I brought her here but you wouldn't have believed me. You would have believed that I would tell you anything to stop you. This was my only option, and I really couldn't have stopped her if I wanted to she was prepared to use her college fund to get here on her own. You wouldn't believe the state I found her in, Charlie was devastated, the doctors were talking about hospitalizing her because she was in such bad shape.
Oh, and her best friend is a werewolf, a young werewolf at that and from what I can tell I can't see their futures. They snuck up on me a couple of times while I was in Forks, not to mention that this was why I didn't see her get out of the water, she was saved by a wolf.
A couple of times actually, they also saved her from Laurent and Victoria, but I'm not getting into that right now, we need to make it out of here alive. I promised Jasper I would come home!'
"Hm," Edward said all casual tones disappeared. I knew he was holding onto everything i had told him and I was sure I had pushed the guilt that he was obviously feeling at our danger, especially Bella's. She was more vulnerable in this situation that any other we had been in. We had no power over this situation and the outcome depended solely on these three ancient vampires.
We followed the curve of the alley as it continued downward. Bella was nervous and kept a tight hold around Edward's waist trembling occasionally. I looked forward and realized where we would be going, there was an open drain ahead of us and I knew that's where the little cherub faced devil had disappeared to.
Without hesitation I jumped into the hole and let myself fall, steadying myself as I landed squarely on my feet, I saw Edward and Bella above me.
"It's all right, Bella," I heard Edward's voice soothing her. "Alice will catch you."
Bella's legs appeared slowly in the narrow gap. "Alice?" her voice came as a trembling whisper above me.
"I'm right here, Bella," I tried to reassure her.
Edward took her wrists and lowered her into the hole slowly, I positioned myself directly beneath her, arms poised to catch her as she fell.
"Ready?" Edward called from above.
"Drop her," I called planting my legs wide apart awaiting the impact.
Her limp form dropped straight into my arms and I stood her upright and gently moved her to the side to give Edward room to land. Bella looked around the cold damp space, but became distracted as the light was stolen as Edward jumped through the gap. I looked ahead of us, and could see nothing. Jasper's face filled my thoughts as I imagined how he would react if this were to turn out badly, my entire body felt odd from the pain and pure despair I was feeling.
I caught Edward glancing at me briefly. 'I'm sorry, I should be more optimistic. I'll stop I promise.' I thought as I shook off the dread that had cocooned me.
Edward nodded once and continued through the stony damp room, footsteps echoing making even thought difficult. I watched as Bella and Edward interacted. It was obvious that the connection between them was more than mere love and they had tried to ignore it but I knew that nothing could keep them apart now. Their futures were bound together.
The three of us followed the faint footfalls of Jane ahead of us, we didn't know what lay ahead of us. We walked deeper and deeper into the stone room, the slant downward was a little disorientating. Bella seemed to stumble a little in the darkness, I knew how hard it must be not having the vision that we do and being stuck in an area like this, claustrophobic came to mind.
Bella's trembling had become shaking, I hadn't realized how wet her clothes were and I was sure that this underground dwelling wasn't the warmest place to be. Edward let go of her, concerned about the loss of body heat, but she immediately wrapped her arms around his waist.
"N-n-no," she said through chattering teeth, Edward rubbed her arm gently as I kept my eyes on the path ahead of us.
The vampires behind us were growing restless with the human speed at which we traveled and they voiced their distaste with sighs and grunts, I wanted nothing more than to turn around and tell them to move ahead if it bothered them so much. I held my tongue. Antagonizing the Volturi and their guard wouldn't have been the brightest idea at this juncture, I had to keep my cool, we would be out numbered beyond comprehension and I was sure some of the talents possessed by the favorites could annihilate us without pause. it was best to keep a cool head.
As we walked further into the darkness I could see a grate, the thick iron bars were rusting and in the middle lay a door, which now stood open. Edward ducked through pulling Bella through with him, I followed closely and waited for the clang as they pulled the door shut behind us.
A/N: Hello, Hope you enjoyed the chapter. . . so much longer than i had planned but I noticed that doesn't really bother you all that much :)
Thank you for all of the Reviews and the Alerts and stuff, you are an inspiration. YOU ROCK GUYS SERIOUSLY.
Ok don't forget MTV has a scene from the Twilight movie - It's international so check local listings :)
big hugz
-L