Cuddling on the couch in a change of clothing, Edward and I prepared to wait out the night, listening to soft music Edward hooked up to the room sound system while I read off my Kindle. It was the birthday gift I hadn't wanted but enjoyed nonetheless. The family insisted, however, on celebrating what would have been my 20th birthday by giving me a Kindle, an electronic book reader that allowed me to carry thousands of books at my fingertips. Though I definitely preferred the feel of a book with pages in my hand, it was convenient for the long hours of car travel and the speed at which I read.
A quiet but shrill ring interrupted my reading. Edward's hand shot out to silence the phone, pulling it open.
"Edward? Are you, Bella and Renesmee alright?" Her voice would have been unintelligible for a human ear, but mine picked it up just fine.
"Yes, we're fine Alice. What's going on?" He replied, speaking softly. Worried, I rushed over and peeked in to find that Renesmee was still sleeping peacefully.
"I guess nothing. There was a pair of nomads in your area who changed their original direction and are coming toward you. It always makes things more difficult to see with Renesmee there but I think you are going to meet them" She explained hurriedly.
"We're going to meet them?" I hissed back.
"No, Bella." Alice replied to my question "Edward is going to meet them alone. It looks like it will be by some big teepee or something? Do you guys know where this place is?"
"Yes, Alice, it isn't too far from our hotel." Edward replied. We had passed it on our way into town. "Are they hostile?"
"No, I don't think so" she said after a pause. "But I think one of them has a pretty significant power. Don't worry Bella" she answered my unspoken question. "I'm pretty sure they are just curious. Though be careful, Edward, they aren't… like us and might be hungry." I knew what she meant and it only made me more afriad. They didn't follow the 'vegetarian' lifestyle. I cringed to think it meant that death would occur in the same place as my daughter.
"One more thing, Edward," Alice inserted before he could hang up the phone. "Use the window. Otherwise the front desk woman will be…a barrier and you won't be able to leave on time."
"Thanks Alice" He smiled wryly and hung up the phone.
Knowing my voice would come out panicked, I pushed my shield aside to speak to Edward through my thoughts. After practicing for almost a year and a half I could keep it off with little effort or thought.
Edward you have no idea of what they are like! I mentally shouted at him as he pulled on a jacket and kissed me in preparation of leaving. You don't know what their abilities will be, or if they are allied with the Volturi, and you won't even have my protective ability in case they mentally attack you! For his benefit I thought of ambushes, of crazed, red-eyed vampires pulling him apart, a thought which made my eyes prick.
He pulled me in close, speaking quietly to respond to my thoughts "Bella, love, I need to go meet with them. If they are looking for us, I'd rather have them as far from Renesmee as possible. Plus there must be a reason they are seeking us out instead of just going to Carlisle and Esme."
You'll be outnumbered! They could hurt you and I'd have no idea whether you need my help. I think I should come. I shot back, pulling away from embrace.
He held me fast. "I'll know what their intentions are and if they are planning an attack. Plus, you know as well as I that we cannot leave Renesmee alone." He kissed me gently and then smiled his crooked smile. "I'll call your cell phone as soon as I speak with them." He kissed me again deeper as I pulled the shield back over me.
"I love you so much." I said softly. "I couldn't live if anything happened to you."
"As I love you. Don't worry, I will be back very soon, before you even have time to worry." Another quick kiss and a smile and he disappeared out the window.
For the next hour I sat in dreaded anticipation. I went to watch Renesmee's sleeping form, gently stroking her hair to calm my own nerves. After an hour that seemed longer than a whole day, my phone finally vibrated in my pocket. I practically sprinted into the next room and flipped open the phone.
"Edward? Are you alright?" I said anxiously.
"I'm fine, love" He replied soothingly. "I'm coming back now" The line went dead.
Less than a minute later he crept through the window and into my waiting arms as I hugged him close to me.
"I'm ok, my Bella, no need to worry" he crooned into my hair. I squeezed him tight to me before suddenly pushing back.
"What took so long? I was about to have a heart attack waiting here!" Figuratively, of course, I thought.
"Well, they are certainly interesting travelers. Travelers you are going to meet tomorrow, if you are ok with that…" he trailed off, looking deep into my eyes as I grew nervous again.
"Calm yourself, my love. They were just… curious" he frowned slightly "though they did give me plenty to think about."
"Tell me" I urged, wanting and yet dreading to know about these strangers and what they were doing in our life. He pulled me onto his lap on the couch before beginning.
"Well, Davide and Asita are unique to the vampires that I have met during my time. They first heard of us through Charles, Makenna's mate. Evidently Davide and Charles have the same creator, a vampire afraid of the Volturi due to a vendetta they exacted long ago. Though Charles respects the Volturi rule, it seems that Davide was a 'better student', avoiding the Volturi's attention by traveling through Africa after his creator was tracked down and killed by the Volturi. His 'gift' is his ability to sense power. He almost works like a tracker, but he can feel the power that both humans have the potential to give and that vampires can use. That was how he found Asita, who was human at the time. He fell in love with and then changed Asita, and the two have been together since. Asita's power is incredibly unique and also incredibly powerful. They have been attempting to avoid the Volturi, fearing that he would be 'collected'. Asita also despises authority figures, and so they have traveled everywhere but Europe, trying to stay away from the Volturi's eye."
"What is Asita's power?" I asked, afraid for the answer.
"During his life, Asita was a teacher in his tribe and could subtly develop the natural traits of his followers. When he became a vampire, he found he was able to help develop the powers of other vampires with whom he interacted. Davide's gift was developed by Asita who helped his mate sense the powers in vampires from far away, knowing when they were a threat and when they were not."
"You said 'his mate'" I remarked, my ears sensitive to every detail. "They are both men?
"Yes, that is the other interesting aspect" Edward remarked pensively. "I have never before seen two males as mates. I would think that the aggression would clash, causing one to destroy the other, as normally occurs when too many male vampires are in contact."
"Interesting" I replied, thinking over this last development. "But why us? And why are we meeting them?"
"Asita can choose whose gifts he develops, making him a very powerful ally and at the same time a very dangerous enemy. Their intentions are truly curious, not aggressive. Though they do drink human blood, they are also fascinated by the possibilities that Renesmee presents to the vampire world and the power that we hold as a family, standing up to the Volturi. After hearing Charles and Makenna's account of what happened two years ago, they decided to come seek us out and learn more about us. Davide knew what to sense and since we were closer, they sought us out before going to Forks."
"But are they going to be safe, Edward? For meeting Renesmee? Even if they don't want to hurt her, they might still be drawn by her blood." I responded, increasingly feeling that this meeting was a bad idea.
"I told them they needed hunt before meeting her, but asked that they go to Calgary so that questions would not be raised about us. I don't want them to hunt, obviously" he attempted to placate me as I frowned at him in disapproval "But I'd rather it be safe for Renesmee if they meet her today. And, frankly, I would be frightened of the repercussions for not meeting with them and the potential of them becoming enemies if we do not listen to what they have to say. Both of us had a great deal of thinking to do."
I shrank into him, tension present permeating every pore.
"I don't know Edward" I sighed. "What if something goes wrong? We need to talk to Carlisle and feel out the situation. And see if Alice has any feel for the situation. And…"
My voice had reached a fevered pitch. He kissed me to silence my talk.
"We'll do all of that and more to prepare. I am almost sure that they are just curious. If we do not want to be allies with them, we do not have to. Trust me, my love, I saw their thoughts and there was no plan for deception." He kissed me again deeply and hugged me tight to him. We sat that way for only a minute before I jumped up.
"Alright then" I said, my mind made up to be strong for my daughter's sake "Let's get started."