A war? A war?
"We have to save them," I whispered.
"Who? Save who?" Jacob asked.
"Everyone we've ever spoken to... and others that we've never met," Alice answered for me.
"I don't think I follow you, shortie."
"Aro is going to kill every vampire who doesn't have a gift... and keep the others," Dad growled though his teeth. I stared at him with a horrified expression.
"Keep?" Jacob said mirroring Dad's infuriated tone. Dad nodded sharply once.
"For his coven," Alice snarled.
Jacob's eyes narrowed. "Will you be in any danger?" he whispered to me. Behind the anger in his expression was pain. Extreme pain. No one answered his question.
The silence that followed was extremely uncomfortable. Jake pressed his cheek to my shoulder. No one spoke until we were at Tanya's.
Rosalie and Alice got out of the car slowly for them. Jacob helped me out. We walked toward Tanya's gorgeous house with caution. Did they know we were coming?
I could hear Grandpa's Mercedes crunching over the snow behind us. It stopped with a screech. Grandma ran out with blinding speed. She hugged me tightly. Grandpa came up behind her, followed by Em and Jazz. Grandpa touched his cool hand to my cheek and stared into my eyes.
"Welcome back, darling," he murmured.
"We missed you so much," Grandma said softly.
Emmett hugged me tightly, to a point where I couldn't' breathe.
"Emmm-ett!" I growled happily through his vise. He dropped me and I landed on my feet on the snow covered ground.
Jasper ruffled my hair and I felt a wave of ease despite this newly found hostile situation. Apparently, Jasper had caught on to the mood.
"What's wrong, Alice?"
She explained to him- and everyone else — our revelations from the car ride. She spoke to quickly for human ears. To quickly for my ears.
Jacob put his arm around my shoulders and we walked human speed to the door way. My parents were already at the on the front steps. Mom knocked-three short quick raps on the wood of the door.
Kate answered the door a half a second later. The shock on her face was obvious. Garrett stood a few feet away from her. He closed the distance with one graceful movement. He smiled warmly at our family as he always did when we came over. But today we weren't just visiting. I noticed that his eyes were now the same shade of gold as my family's. It suited him.
"Hi! Oh Nessie, thank God!" Kate said when she composed herself. She reached for me and hugged me tightly. My mom's eyes tightened. Kate wasn't exactly her favorite person. She thought Kate used her electric-like power too sadistically. I never thought that, though.
"So are we celebrating Renesmee's safety?" Garrett asked with an easy smile. He stepped back from the doorway and gestured for us to come in.
Dad put a hand on his shoulder before entering the Denalis' home. I followed him in. Jake, Rose, Mom, Emmett, Alice, Grandpa, Grandma, and Jasper filed in after us.
It's a good thing they have such a big house, I thought.
We walked into the familiar living room. It was big, with the couch facing a huge glass French door that over looked the Alaskan forest. The walls were made of a warm colored wood paneling. Cherry wood maybe? Or Cedar was it? A stone fireplace burned red and orange on the wall to the left of the French doors. Behind the cozy living room was a kitchen- one that was never used, of course, except for when I was over. The kitchen had a long butcher block counter top with a pretty red bricked backsplash. The stairs were just near the entry way.
Jake made himself comfortable on the sofa. He'd been here many times before and he had long got past of his aversion to vampires. I sat down on the carpet in front of the fire and warmed my hands. Everyone else had been talking quietly in low dark voices in the kitchen.
A few seconds later Eleazar, Tanya, and Carmen came down the stairs. Like Kate and Garrett had been, they were all ecstatic at my getting away from the Volturi.
I payed little attention to the vampires' quiet conversation. They only discussed what I already knew.
A minute or so later Alice's tone changed slightly. I tried to listen discreetly.
"We're looking for fighters," she whispered. "Talented fighters. I know there's a large clan in Japan that would be eager to help us. The Volturi are planning on picking our covens off one by one. We just have to get to the covens first. The Volturi will use false accusations to kill the vampires that they don't need. The ones that don't have gifts. Of course, we understand if you would rather run, as others may, but this time, when absolutely every vampire is in danger regardless, this will be more than a fair fight." I turned my head to see Alice's face. Of course, she was smiling hugely.
"We will not run!" scoffed Tanya. "Do you really think that little of us, cousin?" I continued to stare, trying to make it not-so-obvious that I was eavesdropping. Dad turned his head slightly to wink at me.
Damn mind reading!
"Of course, not," Grandpa said. "But we do have one more favor to ask."
"Which is ...?" Kate asked when he didn't continue.
"Will you help us find... fighters?" Grandpa winced a little at that last word. I sighed. I could tell this wasn't going to be easy for him.
"We'd be happy to help, Carlisle," Eleazar said.
"Que no te fallará," Carmen nodded and smiled daintily.
"Thank you," Mom whispered like a huge weight had been taken off her shoulders.
Jacob was already passed out on the couch. I stood up and stretched out my arms over my head. I skipped over to the kitchen where my family discussed travel plans.
I went to stand next to Carmen. I've always had some connection with her that i didn't understand. She's just one of those people that you're happy to be around and they're happy to be around you in return.
She stroked my hair and reached for my hand. She held it gently.
"We should probably take Renesmee to South America to get the Amazons," Dad said to my mother. He looked at me in his peripheral vision. "I'm sure Zafrina has misses her."
I grinned. Zafrina had the most beautiful gift in my eyes. She always showed me the most interesting things... Although I haven't seen her since I looked like seven years old.
"Eleazar and I will go to Japan to find the unknown coven," Carmen said enthusiastically.
"Kate, Garrett, and I will bring all the nomads from the U.S. and Europe," Tanya said.
"Jasper, Carlisle, Esme, Rose, Emmett, and I will find any others in Asia and all of Carlisle's old friends that came last time."
"Not Allistar!" I said quickly and they all laughed.
"But she's right," Mom said with a smile. "Allistar is too chicken to fight."