24. Envy
Alice touched my arm. "Patience," she reminded me. Her thoughts were not as calm. The image in her mind was not . . . pleasant. We have to get through this together. Think about Bella! She knew words weren't enough, so she showed me what the future possibly held if I continued to stalk toward Felix. The image of Bella in his grasp . . . the blood draining from her body . . . the image nearly sent me over the edge, but it was what I needed to keep my head on straight. That was probably the only thing that would have stopped me from completely ripping his throat out.
Good boy, Alice thought in relief when her vision cleared.
It's so dull when they restrain themselves, Felix thought with a mental eye-roll. I'm sure we can break him from his control.
If he thought for a second that he could pull my thoughts away from Bella long enough for me to make a mistake that would leave her dead then he was the dumbest fool I'd ever met.
I took a deep breath to try and gain some of my composure and turned toward to Alec.
"Aro will be so pleased to see you again." Alec's voice held an undercurrent of sarcasm. This turn of events should leave us with a warm meal. Perhaps an appetizer until Heidi returns?
Jane stared at him like she knew what he was thinking. Eat the girl and kill the vampires! was obviously Jane's vote.
I suppressed a growl.
"Let's not keep him waiting." You know how he doesn't like to wait . . .
I gave a curt nod because it was the only thing I could muster that would keep Bella safe. I don't even think polite conversation would have been an option so I was glad that it was sort of an unspoken rule to try and ignore each other as much as possible. Of course, it didn't work that way for me. Her sadistic thoughts still crept into my mind, infecting it with her poison.
Alec and Jane turned from us and held hands. They marched fluidly—yet slowly enough for Bella to keep up—down a large, open corridor. The architecture was absolutely stunning, but my mind was too busy worrying about our current situation than the ancient art of the building.
Bella's warm body was still tucked under my arm. How she was managing with everything amazed me. Her eyes darted from one side of the hall to the next, like she was memorizing it for a test. It was good to know she was on her toes. But it bothered me some that she seemed to be looking everywhere but me. I deserved that. My thoughts grew fierce as I looked for all escape routes, possible scenarios, and how a very human Bella would mix into all of it.
Edward, it is really hard to see what our outcome will be when you keep thinking of escape routes. Alice's face didn't flinch or change, but her mental voice was scalding me.
I deserved it. She was right, I was thinking about how it was good that Bella was taking in the scene before us because she might need to know it if we choose to escape.
God, Edward. Stop!
I looked down at my tiny sister and gave her one of my curt little nods too, hoping she would understand that I wasn't trying to mess with her visions, I just wanted to keep the beautiful girl in my arms safe, and that meant knowing every route and possible plan of escape if things went . . . badly. And I didn't want to think about that.
At the very end of the hall there were large, arched doors made of gold. Alec and Jane stopped before we arrived to them and I nearly ran into Jane. They had turned toward another door on the left.
Oh no, no, no Edward. Jane looked over her shoulder at me, an evil smile playing on her lips. We aren't going to the throne room . . .
Not going to the throne room? I frowned and looked toward Alice whose eyes had grown large. So much for looking neutral.
This is where they eat their meals? . . . Why would they bring us here? Alice's eyes landed on Bella before she eyed me. I barely moved my shoulders to show that I had no idea why this was where we were to meet. It was the best I could do to say "I don't know."
Alec slid away some paneling where a door was hidden behind it. He opened the door and held it for Jane, though his eyes were on me and his thoughts directed toward my mind. You can just call this "The Death Chamber."
I didn't like his soundless words at all, but it wasn't like I had options. I pulled Bella through the doors reluctantly, her rich scent swirling around me again. My mind went somewhere with Bella for a bit before reality came crashing back down on me. Her body tensed as we stepped over the threshold, like her instincts were telling her this was no good—that she should run, run and never look back. Well, it was good to know she still had some instincts.
The small hall expanded into a circular room with windows above that cascaded liquid golden light below. It was cave-like, yet huge. The same designs that I had seen outside were displayed there.
My eyes immediately shot to all of the exits, even the drain in the middle.
Please, Edward. Stop it. Every time you do that I see Bella . . . dead. Alice was graceful in movement as her eyes darted in my direction as if she wanted to slap me. I was sure in any other situation that would be exactly what she would do. But deep in her frightened heart, part of her unconscious mind spilled and radiated love—she was just so happy that we were all together again, even under the dire circumstances. Get your act together! she snapped at me again. I almost smiled because even those snippety words were full of love. Almost.
There was a gathering of vampires on the far side of the room. Several of them heard our approach and turned toward us, the sun catching their skin and reflecting the same diamond sparkle I had grown to hate until Bella had called it "beautiful."
Only one human? This is our dinner? One of them thought, almost in anger. She was very thirsty.
I was about to pull Bella behind me until Aro turned and greeted Jane like a long-lost friend. "Jane, dear one, you've returned!"
Yippety-do-da-day, Alice barked mentally.
Aro practically floated toward us, mainly because he had aroused such a response from Bella with his movements. He enjoyed the attention and was soaking it up. Her mouth was literally hanging agape, and it took everything in me not to put my finger under her chin and push it up; though I knew I wanted to touch the soft, creamy skin more than anything. Of course, I didn't have the right, nor did I deserve to ever touch her again. But before I could delve too deeply into my thoughts, I first had to keep her alive so I could have the opportunity to beg and plead to touch her again. The thought was too much, so instead, I paid closer attention to the vampires who were all staring in our direction. Aro must have informed them of my talents, because many of them were controlling their thoughts rather well which would usually be soothing, but today it rather annoyed me to no end.
Of course, Aro did not move alone. The others moved with him, as if they were a flowing shadow that would forever follow their subject. Aro seemed to be enjoying Bella's scrutiny more than he should. I wished that I could have heard her thoughts then, more than ever. What was she thinking, feeling, wishing, praying . . . every last detail—still, there was nothing; a complete mystery. He approached Jane first and took her head in his hands and gave her a chaste kiss and glided a step back.
"Yes, Master." Jane broke out into a grin. "I brought him back alive, just as you wished."
Suck up, Alice thought angrily. Oh, her commentary was going to be epic.
"Ah, Jane." He returned her smile. "You are such a comfort to me." Then, he turned toward us, his grin widening. Edward, I hope you changed your mind? His eyes roamed over Alice and Bella.
"And Alice and Bella, too!" he exulted as he clapped his palms together as if he hadn't seen them when they first stepped foot into the room. He was no fool. "This is a happy surprise! Wonderful!" I would doubt that Alice or Bella would agree. Maybe they have all come to join us. Alice's gift would be a real prize . . . and Bella would make for an interesting immortal. I hated the way his thoughts slithered through my mind like a slippery snake. Aro's eyes snapped to mine like he heard my thoughts and his mind went blank. He was better at that than anyone I had ever met. The situation was starting to look down.
He pivoted to stare at our "guard."
"Felix, be a dear and tell my brothers about our company. I'm sure they wouldn't want to miss this."
I knew what he meant . . . back-up. He would need help to break our bonds, to keep us his puppets. How do you fight something that is not physically there? You don't. I really hoped we weren't screwed—that our bonds were unbreakable.
"Yes, Master." Felix nodded. He shot me a nasty smirk as he passed, and then vanished into the hallway.
"You see, Edward? What did I tell you? Aren't you glad that I didn't give you what you wanted yesterday?" I know I am. Your worth, plus the foresight Alice possesses, and possibly Bella's gifts . . . oh, I am very pleased that you have decided to visit Volterra.
"Yes, Aro, I am," I conceded through tight lips as I moved Bella closer to my body. She fit there perfectly—she belonged.
"I love a happy ending." Aro sighed like he actually cared if we had that happy ending. He didn't—I was no fool and neither was Alice who snorted mentally. "They are so rare," Aro continued delightedly. "But I want the whole story. How did this happen? Alice?" His cool eyes found Alice without hesitation.
What does he think; we're going to chat like old girlfriends? Alice pushed a few of her visions away that consisted of several violent means. Well, I can play this game.
"Your brother seemed to think you infallible, but apparently there was some mistake," Aro prodded.
Several mistakes. Alice glowered at me. "Oh, I'm far from infallible." She dove into her magical box of happy and pulled out a winning smile. Her posture, her relaxed shoulders, both gave her the appearance of calm, until your eyes roamed down to her tiny clenched fists that held enough power to punch a hole through the side of the building. "As you can see today, I cause problems as often as I cure them."
"You're too modest. I've seen some of your more amazing exploits, and I must admit I've never observed anything like your talent. Wonderful!" I thought Aro was going to literally jump with joy.
Alice's eyes snapped to mine for a second. What does he mean he observed my talents, Edward?
I hated it when she asked questions silently when she knew I couldn't speak freely.
What a talent . . . able to read her mind with such distance between them. Aro mused longingly.
"Way to go, sneaky" I wanted to say to Alice as sarcastically as I could.
"I'm sorry," Aro apologized. We weren't convinced in the least; Alice and her mental snorts of disapproval backed me up. Bella had actually relaxed some into my arms. I didn't deny her this, even though I didn't deserve it. "We haven't been introduced properly at all, have we? It's just that I feel like I know you already, and I tend to get ahead of myself. Your brother introduced us yesterday, in a peculiar way. You see, I share some of your brother's talent, only I am limited in a way that he is not." If he stayed, I could possess his powers, rule over him. Aro's eyes flashed to mine briefly before he mentally shook himself. He knew I was honing onto his thoughts like a missile ready to destroy on impact.
"And also exponentially more powerful," I replied impassively with a "I don't care" shrug that would have fooled the best.
Alice barely quirked an eyebrow at me. Explain.
I sighed. "Aro needs physical contact to hear your thoughts, but he hears much more than I do. You know I can only hear what's passing through your head in the moment. Aro hears every thought your mind has ever had."
Alice's eyes widened as both her eyebrows flew up. She hadn't predicted that. I hid a smug smile easily because her failing visions were starting to worry me. Or perhaps I was still blocking her from seeing anything of relevance?
Everything? So we hold no secrets—for you have heard us all . . . in our heads? Is it true?
I gave a slight tilt of my head, even though I knew our exchange was being watched, scrutinized . . . and envied.
"But to be able to hear from a distance . . ." Aro sighed, not even trying to disguise his thoughts anymore, and waved his hand dramatically in our direction. Honestly, I was just happy that he seemed to be ignoring the very large elephant in the room. And her name was Bella—the human.
"That would be so convenient." Aro sighed again. Indeed.
Not more of Aro's theatrics, I heard Marcus think dryly. Of the three Volturi, Marcus was the one who posed the least threat. It was obvious he was tied mystical to the pair more than emotionally. That wasn't how Caius and Aro saw it though, but they wouldn't know what emotional bonding was if it came up and took a chunk out of their asses.
As if it had been choreographed, we all gazed over our shoulders. Though Bella was a little slow to join us, she also caught sight of the two men being led in, their long black robes rippling through the air like crashing waves upon a rocky shore. And that was exactly what they were—crashing waves; strong, fierce, powerful, and here to decide our fate. Those ideas were easily picked out of the cascading images, ideas, and thoughts that seemed to sprinkle upon me out of nowhere.
It was judgment time and they were our judge, jury, and executioners.
A/N: Here is the dealo . . . you don't get mad at me for taking forever, and I'll post smaller chapters more frequently?! Okay? Okay! Right on.
ALSO! I have been out because I PUBLISHED A BOOK! Check me out at Twitter laurakreitzer or laurakreitzer(dot)com or look up Laura Kreitzer on B&N, Books-a-Million, Amazon, or iUniverse! It's called Shadow of the Sun! :)
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