Author's Note: At first I didn't want to give this away, but I just can't hold it in. This is my first shot at a Rosalie POV! I'm so nervous. :) Tell me what you think, and you can be as constructive as you want. This was a long shot for me.

It may surprise you guys, but-- I AM NOT A ROSALIE FAN. Maybe I'm killing off my readers when I say this, but I. Am. Not. A. Rose. Fan. I was really floored when people said they loved the way I portrayed Rose. I was thinking, "Man, and I don't even LIKE the girl!" Seriously, she annoys me to tears. I could go on about that for a page, but I'll spare you. Perhap I'll have readers left if I stop there. ;)

I would like to add, however, I DON'T like the way some fanfics put her as the antagonstic or the really jerky, preppy cheerleader of the Cullens. The way I see it, Rose is selfish, but not in a caracture-like manner. She means well a lot, I think, she just has all the wrong ideas. She's still annoying, but once you put motives behind her actions, she's tolerable. That's the way I want to portray her in my story.

Thank you! Feed back is sincerely appreciated!

29. In A Warehouse

I was resurfacing, slowly but surely. Sounds were returning to my ears, and I could see the insides of my eyelids. Groaning as the pressure recded, I rolled onto my knees, feeling cool, hard floor under my hands. Bewildered, I jerked my head up, and regretted the sudden movement; my head was spinning from the alien feeling of waking from unconsciousness. Had I fainted? How long had I been out? Was it even possible for a vampire to lose cognizance?

Where was I?

"Careful now," a voice advised from above me, "it's always disorienting coming up again."

Flinching, I turned to face the voice. Blaise was sitting on the concrete floor a few feet from me, his fingers in his tangled black hair. The nomad's black eyes were trained on me with a weary expression, like he was expecting me to attack him. I snorted at the thought. As if I would try anything feeling this woozy.

Patting my hair to make it lie straighter, I glared at the vampire across from me. "Where are we?"

"A warehouse in Rouen. I trust you know where Rouen is located?"

"You're hilarious," I snarled. "When did we cross into France?"

Blaise shrugged, and I had to grudgingly admire his composure. I wasn't being nice to him, since he hadn't lent Carlisle any help when he had been trying to--

I shot up straight, even my hair forgotton in my panic. "Where is he?"

"Who?" sighed Blaise, watching me swing around in frantic circles.

Did he think I was pretending to be so worried? "Carlisle!" Blaise just stared at me, his head cocked at an angle in his palm. "Where did they take him?"

I stood and peered around. It was an old warehouse, built in the late nineteenth century, most likely. Crates the size of cars were scattered and stacked on top of one another; I ran to these, pushing them aside and tearing some of them open. The warehouse was substantial, and I figured it would take me too long to search the whole thing.

I rounded on Blaise. "You must know where he is."

"I don't. They put me under the same time as they knocked you out. All three of us have been in stasis for a while, since we're no longer in Ireland."

"Don't lie to me!" I cut in impatiently. "Adelaide wouldn't put her own mate under, you must know something."

"I am not her mate," Blaise growled back at me, his stance rather agressive. So he did have limits, I surmised. I was beginning to think he had Carlisle's irritatingly calm personality. "I told you already I'll have nothing more to do with that woman."

"Oh, you're doing a fantastic job," I sneered. "You've written her out of your book for sure. That's why you're here with us, stuck in this absurd suicide plot she's concocted."

"If you'll recall, Rosalie Cullen, the only reason I am here is because I consented to your brilliant diplomacy policies." It became evident to me that Blaise, unlike Carlisle, was more than happy to come toe to toe with someone getting on his nerves. Still, he was yet sitting on the floor, while I paced in agitated lengths around the warehouse. "Don't you forget that I am here due to your carelessness."

"No," I retorted angrily, "that's where you're wrong. We're all here because of your ex-girlfriend's insane, half-baked plans!"

Seething for a minute, Blaise turned away, to gather himself, I supposed. I took the time to chew on my fingernails and pull out the wrinkles in my blouse. If I didn't know where Carlisle was, I might as well brush up my appearance as I was trying to find out. "You are right," the nomad finally conceded, looking me in the eye. "It's Adelaide's fault we're all here. Not yours."

For a nomad, he was incredibly rational. I flipped a tendril of hair out of my face. "Thank you for the almost apology," I said, sarcasm blatant in my tone. "I'll consider us even if you tell me where Carlisle is."

"I don't know."

Hissing, I smacked a crate with my hand, splintering the wood. I stalked toward him. "Where is he?"

"I don't know! How many times do I have to tell you, lady?"

"Well, someone has to know, and that someone had better get their--"

"What are we going to do about it?" interrupted Blaise in a hard voice. "There's more of them than us, they have all the power, and we don't know where your creator is. Wouldn't you say we had the short end of the stick?"

"I'm not going to sit here and twiddle my thumbs while that madwoman does whatever she pleases to Carlisle!"

I located the door wide carriage doors at the end of the building and sprinted toward them. Half-expecting Blaise to stop me, I set my mind on throwing him into a crate if he crossed me. To my surprise, I didn't hear anyone running behind me; a quick glance told me Blaise was still on the floor, wearing that care-worn expression of his. It was good for him that he knew attempting to get in my way was a lost cause.

And, as I was feet from the doors, I ran into him. I literally ran into him, because he was in front of me, blocking my exit. Our collision was like a jungle cat smashing into a native statue, and, needless to say, the jungle cat lost. I did bowl him over, though, putting us both in a brief tangle on the floor. "You idiot!" I spat out, yanking myself up. "What were you thinking?" And how had he gotten over to the doors that fast?

"Just consider this, Rosalie," said Blaise, seizing my wrist before I could make another go at the door. "Do you know how many vampires Adelaide has in her 'army'?"

"I don't care!"

"You will, very much so, if they run at you and tear you apart. And you don't know how many of these vampires have powers, do you?" he added, his fingers locked around my arm.

"You had better let go of me," I said through my teeth, "or I will take that arm holding me off your body."

Blaise snorted, momentarily stalling me. "I've lived the life of a vampire for over five centuries, and you think you're going to successfully attack me? Just listen to what I'm saying."

"Fat chance. I'm going to go find Carlisle."

"Rosalie, please listen to me," urged Blaise.

His phrasing gave me pause-- those had been almost the same words I'd spoken to Emmett when I'd told him about my involvement in Carlisle's plans. If Emmett had only listened to me, how much easier would things have been?

But Carlisle! A little voice in my head protested. Carlisle needs you!

Carlisle needed me to free him, not get myself killed. "Fine," I said, shaking my hair back scornfully. There was no point in consenting to Blaise's wishes with a smile on my face. "I'll listen."

Relieved, the nomad released me and motioned for me to have a seat. I remained standing, my arms folded. "I believe Adelaide has amassed quite a collection of thugs to overthrow the Volturi," he sighed, "although I only saw eight of them in the cave."

"Eight? There were six, not counting her." Didn't he even know how to count? Some frenchman.

"That's because she slaughtered the two that had captured me, along with the monster she'd created. I just didn't tell you and Carlisle about them. Apparently they didn't suit her purposes." There was a clear edge of derision in Blaise's voice.

"How is that possible?" I asked, honestly curious. "We would have heard that."

"Reynard's power works both ways, from what I can guess. He has the ability to inundate your mind with light, sound, and pressure-- why shouldn't he be able to take away light, sound, and pressure? And give and take however much of these three things he wants?"

"Hm." I wasn't entirely sold on that theory, but it was the only one on the table for now. "So you think there are more vampires with Adelaide that have powers?"

Looking at me as if I was simple, Blaise said, "Of course. Adelaide isn't so naive to think she could take out an entire empire with one man."

"But she could," I argued. "That ability is a weapon. It could immobilize every Volturi soldier in the castle. And if you're correct about controlling the levels of inundation, she might even be able to kill them with it."

"Yes, but for all we know, the Volturi have a weapon that could cancel out Reynard's. Adelaide has assuredly made preparations for that sort of thing. That brings me to another question about our situation," he said, looking around at the lofty rafters of the building. "With all the vampires she's acquired, do you actually think Adelaide would leave us alone and unguarded here?"

All right, he had good points. But I wasn't about to admit that to him, self-righteous little twit that he was. "Why does she want me at all? I have no special power."

Very quietly, Blaise said, "She doesn't know that. And I suggest you don't inform her of this, or you will come across as useless."

I caught his drift immediately; the thought made my skin crawl. "Where do you think Carlisle is?"

"I have no idea, and before you request it, I can't ask her."

I shut my mouth testily, and dug into inner the pocket of my jacket where I keep a mirror. Looking at a mirror had a calming effect on me, because it reminded me that no matter what, I still had my looks to rely upon. But though I didn't feel the mirror's familiar round shape, my fingers brushed a row of smooth plastic cylinders. My mouth popped open with a smack.

"Are you all right?" asked Blaise, without much enthusiasm.

"Yes," I answered grouchily, shoving my hand out of my jacket. "Thank you for your concern." Inside, I was glowing.

I had an advantage.

Carlisle had handed me four glass bottles full of the expensive fuel accelerant he'd taken with us to Ireland. "Just in case we aren't allowed to carry the others on the plane," he'd said, tiredly. I had felt for him, aged as he had looked in that moment.

Now I silently thanked him for the foresight of his magnificent brain. I could definitely use these to help us escape, if I could start some kind of fire without being noticed. Poured on the right people, these little phials could be our keys to taking care of this cult that was trying to tear our family apart. Feeling my knees nearly give out, I sat with Blaise, acting as casual as possible.

"Why is she doing this?" I finally asked. It made no sense to me, unless the woman was power-hungry or a fanatic. "Why would anyone want to destroy themselves to get rid of the Volturi?"

"If this vendatta works, it will be the Volturi that are destroyed," Blaise said grimly. "I can't say I'll mourn them."

As if. "Neither will I, but it just doesn't add up. Why does she hate them so much?"

Blaise looked bemused, his lips turning up in a wry smile. "My dear young lady, have you never heard of revenge?"