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***Mild Language
In the Grip of Twilight
By: Olivia Tannis Moore
Chapter Sixteen:
The Summons of Bella
"They want me there?" I whispered. "Why?" I told myself this was what I wanted, to be there with Edward and his family. But I was stunned. It was one thing to be present and observe the exchanges between the Cullens and the Volturi—but I didn't want to be the focus of their interest. And I didn't want Edward and the Cullens to be constantly on guard in fear for me.
Edward ran a hand through his bronze hair. "They want to see for themselves what you saw last night. That, and I'm sure Aro is curious about our relationship. Of course, Elena probably told him everything. It's not exactly common for my kind to choose a human to love…"
"I could say the same thing."
He almost smiled.
"They want to see my memories of last night?" I asked skeptically.
"Yeah. According to Carlisle, Aro needs only a touch to glean what you saw last night."
That was a creepy thought. I wouldn't know how not to feel invaded. "What do you think I should do?" I asked, remembering the last time I was caught in the middle of a coven of vampires.
"Stick close to me," he said. "And try not to draw attention to yourself. If they address you, be polite. Try not to be frightened…"
I nodded. "So you're taking me back there…" For some reason I thought Edward might rebel against the order. I was glad he wasn't, since his disobedience would almost certainly enrage them. I had to gather my courage and face them, for the Cullens' sake, for Edward's sake.
"I don't have a choice, Bella. If I don't bring you back with me, they'll come and retrieve you themselves. I'm trying to keep everything peaceful between us and the Volturi. With all the other issues we have to face, we may need their help. But help be damned, if they try to hurt you…"
"I'm sure that's not their intent," I said, trying to reassure him.
"Who knows their intent?" Edward said bitterly. Then, he looked down into my face. "This isn't fair to you. If you don't want to go, say so, and I'll do my very best to keep them away from you."
But I shook my head. If there was conflict between the Volturi and the Cullens, and it was because of me, I wouldn't be able to live with myself.
"I want what's best for you and your family," I said bravely. "They want to know what happened last night, what I saw, so I'll show them. No problem." I was trying to sound casual, blasé. I almost believed it myself. But what mattered was that Edward believed it. Because if he knew how terrified I really was, he'd never allow it.
"Come on, how horrible can they be?" I said, and instantly regretted my words when Edward's eyes widened and he suddenly looked ferocious.
"They can be hell on earth—that's how horrible they can be. I don't want you to stumble into this blindly." He gripped my shoulders. "Cruelty is in their nature. It's almost a competition amongst them. They want you to be terrified because it makes them feel more powerful. Don't make the mistake of going into this thinking that they are civilized creatures—they're not."
I was suddenly nauseous. Surely Edward was exaggerating. "But Carlisle lived among them for a while," I said weakly.
"Don't forget that Carlisle left them because he couldn't stomach their brutality."
I stood there for a long moment unable to speak.
My face must have given me away. Edward abruptly released my shoulders and sighed. "Do you still want to go?"
I nodded, but I didn't look up at him.
He lifted my chin gently and looked into my eyes. "It's no good if you don't think you can do this. I won't allow it."
He was dead serious. And that terrified me more than the Volturi ever could. Because I couldn't have him go up against the Volturi over something I could've prevented. A world without Edward…now that was terrifying,
"I can do it," I said. But my voice quivered and my words belied my sinking heart.
"I can," I said, and this time I was proud of the strength in my words. "We'd better get going."
"No matter what, Bella—I swear to you, I'll keep you safe."
And I fearfully believed him.
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(Note: Again, I have no time to edit. Forgive me for any typos, grammatical snafus, or plain lameness. And thank you for reading anyway. I'll try and get another chapter out tomorrow, but let's just call Sundays my off day from now on. Happy Friday to you!—OTM)