Chapter 13

"Bella wait. STOP!" I could barely register that Edward wanted me to not attack Demetri. What? Was he serious? I stumbled as I tried to halt myself from hurling myself on top of the intruder. I knew instantly that I had made a mistake and that I was never going to hear the end of it.

A booming laugh sounded from Emmett. "Oh I thought I'd never see Bella be clumsy again! That was great!" I shot him a look that would've killed him if it was possible. But not before Rosalie slapped him upside the head. "Dude, it was totally worth it," he said, then very wisely shut up.

Edward came up behind me and spun me behind him. He was now in between me and Demetri. I peered around Edwards arms and saw Demetri in a defensive manner, wearing regular clothes. I had never seen him without the traditional black robe of the Volturi. His eyes were bright red which meant he was very thirsty. I couldn't help but growl when I thought of him hunting in Forks.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded. I couldn't understand why no one but me wanted to attack him. I looked around and noticed that everyone was waiting for Edward to explain the same thing.

"Demetri isn't here under the orders of the Volturi," Edward started. "He came to warn us. But why?" Demetri looked shocked for a moment that Edward spoke for him, as if he seemed to forget what he was capable of.

"Young Edward is right, I told Aro that I wanted to take an extended hunting trip. I will need to be back soon. As you may be in knowledge of by now," he looked over to Alice to confirm, "Aro and Caius are planning on coming here to kill all of you. Excepting Edward, Renesmee, Alice, Jasper, and of course, Bella." Demetri looked at us as he said our names, lingering on mine. He also stopped for dramatic effect which I found to be quite annoying. It was so not necessary. "The new vampire, Charlene can detect the gifts of vampires and also the gifts of humans that would bring powers over. With that knowledge, along Bella's new gift, Aro has devised an awful plan."

Again, Demetri took a moment to let this new piece of information sit with us. I looked up to Edward as I came out from behind him. His jaw was locked and I knew he was reading Demetri's mind. "What's the plan, Demetri?" I asked for the benefit of my family.

"Aro wants to eradicate the vampires in the world. Kill them, so that he can start over with a new race. He saw how quickly and cunning you all were to gather witnesses the last time we visited with you." Renesmee shuddered beside me. She was a baby still when the Volturi came to kill us, but she remembered the day just as well as any one of us. "He wants to implement some new regime and is in the thinking that with such a huge coven, you will reorganize once again, to over throw him before this can happen."

I could see out the corner of my eye that Carlisle was pondering the words that were being spoken by someone that was once our enemy. "I noticed, Demetri, that you said Aro and Caius, where is Marcus on this?"

"Marcus has always been detached from the plans of Caius and especially Aro. He has never betrayed them until as of a decade ago, when he found out that Aro was the one who killed his wife. A little known fact is that Marcus is my father. Of course not biologically, but he is my vampire father, he made me. Like him, I am appalled at the very notion that Aro and Caius now believe they are above the law that they swear they protect. You are an odd lot, but an innocent one. Marcus has confided in me and we are now the only ones that you may consider friends within the enemy."

"Demetri, if you are here for Marcus you must leave then. I had a vision prior to your arrival that Aro is sending someone in advance. I don't know who or when they will arrive." I had forgotten about Alice's vision. I looked to my sister and saw that she was only slightly relieved that her visions weren't screwed up after all.

"Yes I must return, before I am found out. Of course we cannot be in contact after this." Demetri turned to walk out the open door that we never even bothered closing when he came to the house.

"Um, Demetri, I saw that you're eyes were red, please," Carlisle started.

Demetri said that he would hunt outside of our area and turned to return to Volterra. There was a silence in the air as everyone processed what we just heard. "Aro and Caius have gone too far past their limitations." I could see what everyone was resolving, this meant war.

After a few moments of standing in the foyer, we started filtering back into the dining room. "Well it seems our friend Marcus and Demetri have given us something to consider. Bella as I understand it we already need to revise your plan." I knew he meant about how Sarah was now remaining human. She wasn't entirely critical to the original plan, just her added strength as a newborn vampire. Everyone in the room was aware of the plan and their roles. Except Edward, he only knew that he was to "play dumb" so to speak when Aro wanted information.

"Yes, I believe so. Alice?"

"Her future is still the same." I was relieved, even if none of us survived this, at least Sarah would be happy and alive. "But as far as what's going to take place with the Volturi, I can't see with the wolves in place."

"What if they sat this one out?" Renesmee asked with concern over Taylor. She just found love again, she didn't want to lose it so soon. I knew how she felt. I remembered thinking that it wasn't fair if the Volturi killed me and Edward, only a few months after I became a vampire.

"Nope won't work. Me and Bella already went through this. Without the wolves, we're all dead. At least with the wolves, there's still hope that we may win this." The words fell heavy on everyone.

"Then it's settled," Esme began. I had all but forgotten that she was here. She was silent the entire time. "Bella, Jasper, Alice and Carlisle, you will amend the plan. Taylor, you will let the pack know of the information that we've received tonight?" Taylor nodded in approval. "I also think, in light of what's taken place, if it comes to a battle we should spare Marcus and Demetri. They did us a great service of warning us." Everyone agreed with Esme's words. It was true, they helped us out a bit. At least now we knew what Aro's sinister plan was.

"I'll get on the phone with everyone we know," Carlisle said. "Even if they don't want any part of this, they deserve to be forewarned about the impending plan that Aro thinks he can get away with. Maybe the knowledge will be the deciding factor for them to be on our side." He was still troubled that violence would be the end resolution to the problem. "In the meantime, I see no need to interrupt our routines. Just be cautious, as we don't know who Aro is now sending to Forks."

We each retreated away from the table. Renesmee followed Taylor outside to his car. He was going back to La Push to alert the pack no doubt. Emmett and Jasper went into the den to watch a game and while Rose followed Alice upstairs, Alice wanted to show Rose our dresses for prom. Ughh, prom. I didn't realize anyone could see the stress over my face until Edward told me that I would look beautiful.

Prom was only in a few weeks, and it seemed that there wasn't anything that would be able to take my mind off prom. Except, that. Edward was nibbling on my ear. He scooped me up and ran towards the cottage. I always enjoyed are special time together.

We spent the next few hours with each other until it was daylight. The sun was actually shining today so we were planning on laying low around the house. It was only Sunday, so we weren't missing anything in particular. Hand in hand, me and Edward made our way back to the house. Renesmee was sitting on top of Taylor's car. I could see her skin shimmering, only her skin didn't shimmer in the sun as brightly as our skin. Being half vampire and half human had its advantages, I guess. I considered it a blessing to see Renesmee happy again. She was smiling and looking at Taylor and he was matching her gaze. We said hello to the both of them and walked into the house.

As if they never moved, Emmett and Jasper were on the couch watching a different game. Knowing them they probably didn't move. We only need to fidget for the benefit of humans and looking as normal as we possibly could. This morning they were watching football, I couldn't care enough who was playing, but Edward went over to watch the game with them. I went upstairs to look for Alice and found her in her room making alterations to Renesmee's dress.

We passed the day talking about school, prom and of course the Volturi. Eventually I went downstairs to help Esme with dinner for Renesmee and the pack. Taylor thought it was a good idea for the pack to get used to us. Especially since Taylor imprinted on Renesmee, she would soon be a member of La Push, again. I knew the day would soon be approaching that Taylor would ask to marry Renesmee, and I was instantly sad. At least with Jacob, we had to wait for Renesmee to stop growing and finish high school before we had that bridge to cross. But now, she's been to school countless times and her feelings for Taylor were instantly developed. I was losing my baby all over again. But she'd be happier, I was sure of it. I'd forgotten how much food a pack of wolves could go through. After shoveling the meal down their throats. Renesmee and the pack left for First Beach.

Carlisle came home soon afterwards, and Edward and I, along with Jasper and Alice went out to hunt in preparation for school in the morning. Alice saw that the sun wouldn't come out again until Thursday, so we were ready to start telling everyone that we were going camping for the weekend. Jasper and Alice were happy with a family of deer while me and Edward went searching for some mountain lion. By the time Alice was done with her third buck, we found a lair with three mountain lions. We each handled one while the third lion uncharacteristically tried attacking me from behind as I fed. With one hand I knocked it aside and its head bashed against a tree. It was unconscious but still alive, so me and Edward shared our meal together.

We met up with Alice and Jasper at the edge of the clearing to head back to the house. I suddenly heard a piercing scream just to the left of me. Alice was on the ground screaming in pain. I sent my shield over to her, Jasper and Edward. She stopped screaming but laid down on the ground waiting for the pain to pass. I crouched down into a pounce as soon as I saw the little blond. Jane.