19.

We had slowed our pace and now we walked out into the clearing. Jasper moved away from me and towards the front to join Alice. Carlisle, Edward, Bella, Jasper, and Alice lead us in, walking nearly shoulder to shoulder. I couldn't see past them. Esme had joined me in the back and Emmett still had his hand locked on my arm. I strained my neck, walking on my tiptoes, but still I saw nothing except for the mass gathering of people ahead of us. I looked over their angelic faces carefully, all of them expressing surprise at seeing us there. I was shocked for a second by the burning red color of their eyes, but reminded myself that my eyes had been that color once. The rising sun shone off their skin, making it reflect like a million tiny diamonds. I recognized two of them from the painting in Carlisle's study, and I could pick out Jane and Alec from the descriptions I had been given by Jasper, Alice, and Bella. But the rest I didn't recognize and therefore could not pin any of them as more dangerous than others.

Aro was watching our little group move forward with an amused smile on his face. Jane's face was scrunched up as if she were mad, but Alec seemed to take Aro's look on things, extremely happy that things were about to get a lot more complicated for us. My head snapped to the ground in front of us as I heard a slow cry of pain. I recognized John's voice as he begged, "Please."

I realized then that Jane's scrunched up face was not a look of anger, but one of concentration. She was doing something to John and he was begging her to stop. "Bella!" I gasped quietly. But she was already pushing her shield out towards him. It floated out like a bubble away from her body, shimmering in the rising sun, until it came to a halt, enveloping John's body inside.

Aro was watching Carlisle, smiling at him like a friend would when seeing someone he hadn't seen in a long time, which I felt that it was odd considering the time and place.

"Carlisle, my friend!" he called out. Slowly the front wall moved away from one another as he strode towards us. I finally saw John and nearly gasped when I saw the gashes on his arms and legs, blood seeping out everywhere. His clothes were torn and dirty, and sweat and dirt covered his face. He lay in the fetal position, gasping for air. I couldn't take my eyes off of him. I heard Aro chatting gayly with Carlisle, who replied back quietly in a polite tone. Finally I forced myself to look up. Aro had stopped a few feet away from John's still body, wrapped inside Bella's bubble. I saw Aro's glance toward me as he noticed my head movement out of the corner of his eye. A look of delight spread over his face as he spotted me.

"Well, then!" he called out in a deep voice. "I see you have a new addition!"

Nobody moved.

"Well, aren't you going to introduce me, Carlisle?"

I wondered if I should shake his hand, which I was sure Aro was hoping for. My hand came up and the tips of my fingers lightly touched Edward's back. I heard Aro's silky voice voice ringing inside my head.

Well, what a beautiful girl. What secrets would she have hidden inside that pretty little head of hers?

I shuddered.

No, Edward's voice came through my skull loud and clear in answer to my question.

Of course; it was probably better if he didn't know everything that I had hidden in my mind. But I wondered what it would feel like to be able to read his every thought; would I also be able to read the thoughts of all the people he had touched before. I shook my head slightly, clearing it as Carlisle motioned for me to step forward. I did so timidly, letting my hand fall away from Edward and to my side. Emmett followed with his hand still on my arm, though his grip had loosened. Edward glanced at him and shook his head. He must have judged me to be in control, enough for Emmett to let go, because I felt his arm fall away from me.

"This is Allisa," Carlisle said to Aro, though he was watching me out of the corner of my eye in concern. Aro stepped over John, towards me. I clasped my hands together as Aro stuck his hand out towards me for me to shake. Carlisle smiled slightly as he turned his attention back to Aro.

"Well, I see you've taught her well," Aro muttered, disappointed. I was watching his face intently, until John moaned softly. My eyes flew down to his prone body and a shudder ran down my spine as I looked closer at his injuries. I noticed one of his legs lay on the grass in an odd way, and realized that his leg was broken. What had they done to him? I thought they only played mental games.

I swiftly looked back up to Aro, anger burning in my eyes. Aro read my expression with a slight amusement.

"It's amazing how strong a bond love can be," he said to me, grinning. "I would think after all those things he said to you, you wouldn't be so concerned about his well-being. Don't worry though, I'm sure he'll survive."

Everything about this man told me not to trust a word he said. I opened my mouth to accuse him, but his gaze moved to Carlisle. "I'm really truly surprised that you all are here. I wasn't expecting this at all, but I am always happy to see old friends again." He winked at Carlisle, glancing around at all of us with a smile on his face. I wanted to slap the man.

"I see Rosalie is not here. And that child, what was her name again?" He glanced between Bella and Edward with a look of true delight in his eyes. I recalled what Bella had said about the shock when the Volturi had discovered little Renesme.

"Her name is Renesme," Bella whispered coldly.

Aro didn't seem to be put out by her stiff reply. His eyes moved back towards me and he looked me up and down. "She's a beauty, Carlisle, I must confess. Tell me, does she obey your rules?"

"She'll never join you," said Edward harshly, as he read Aro's train of thought.

Carlisle shot a warning glance towards his son and then looked back at Aro. "Yes, she does."

"How interesting! How long has she been with you? Really, Carlisle, you must inform me sooner when you get a new addition to the family!"

Carlisle smiled slightly, humoring Aro. "A little more than three years now."

I became bored with the conversation about me, and my eyes roamed over the clan in front of us. I saw one of them intently watching me. I heard Aro ask why I had been saved.

Edward leaned toward me and placed two fingers lightly against my skin.

Marcus, came his reply through my head, answering my silent question. He is curious about your bond with John. Aro has apparently shared a little bit of what he said to you last night, he added. I nodded a thanks to him.

I met Marcus' gaze and refused to break it. Finally he looked away from me, and my eyes moved back to Aro. I saw he had moved back towards his clan, apparently done with the small talk. All of a sudden the Cullens tensed around me as I felt Jane's eyes fall on me. She had become frustrated with John, seeing that she could not break through Bella's shield. An odd look of amusement came into her eyes just as Edward breathed out Bella's name in a fearful voice. I felt the pain hit me before Bella could respond and push her field out to cover me. I screamed in horror as the worst pain imaginable ripped through my body. My legs went numb and I crashed to the ground, writhing in pain. Then, as suddenly as it had started, the pain was gone, and I looked up to see a shimmering bubble covering me. I slowly collected myself off the ground, dusting off my jeans. I shot an angry look at Jane. How she could do that to people with a smile on her face was beyond me. And to think that John had felt that same pain! I shuddered at the thought, quickly pushing it out of my mind. When I looked around, I saw Bella's shield was now covering all of us. Across from us, the Volturi had formed a line. And in between these two deadly walls of force lay John, weak and probably incoherent from the blood loss. If there was going to be a battle, it was going to start now.

But Carlisle came to John's rescue, suggesting calmly to Aro that maybe it was best if we moved his still body. "We wouldn't want any of you to trip," Emmett said sarcastically. Aro agreed and Emmett went to pick John up off the field. There was a sharp protest and cry of pain from John as his leg snapped down, his broken bone piercing through his skin. Emmett put him down carefully behind us, where Esme now stood. She sat down next to him and John let out a slow moan. I heard Esme mutter to him softly as her hands flitted over his body, checking for any internal injuries or other broken bones beside his leg, which was obviously shattered. And then there was a soft gasp from her lips as she turned his arms over. "Carlisle!" she whispered urgently. He glanced back at her, while Edward whispered to him what she had found. I was confused as I glanced at John, examining his body carefully, because I was too far away from Edward now to reach out to him and hear his thoughts. I saw nothing but cuts and bruises. Carlisle walked back to Esme and spoke to her. I couldn't hear him, and he was back in line after a few seconds. I saw Esme's resigned look as she bent down over John's body. I didn't want to know what was happening, so I looked forward again, seeing the red spot of blood John had left on the pushed down grass out of the corner of my eye. I noticed the mad look on Jane's face and the one of disappointment on Alec's. They had both been hoping to use their gifts on us. I silently thanked God for Bella.

"Well, it seems like you are all determined to fight dirty," Aro muttered. I could sense his disappointment and smiled inwardly.

"We just want to take the man home," Carlisle said to him.

Aro shook his head, clicking his tongue disapprovingly, though he smiled slightly as if he found this whole situation amusing. "You know he knows too much, my dear Carlisle. We can't just let him go. And I don't think he wants to go back home with you," he shot a glance towards me. I shrank back reflexively from his gaze.

"What do you suggest we do?" Carlisle asked quietly.

"Well, of course we need to kill him," Aro said matter-of-factly. I took a step forward, intending to leap on the man, but Edward held on to me firmly, commanding me to stay through clenched teeth. I heard his thoughts echo his spoken command, sending a shiver down my spine. I growled at Aro, exposing my fangs as I bit the air.

I heard Aro's bubbling laughter through Edward's mind, which only made me angrier. How could the man laugh about this situation?

Aro looked at me with that same amused grin that seemed permanently stuck to his face. "I'm sorry, but he knows too much. I'm sure you'll understand one day. He'd be too much of a pain if you took him back, so I'll make your life a little easier." He winked at me.

I snarled at him again. I noticed Edward's grip on my arm loosen slightly and realized he was wishing he could let me attack Aro. But his grip was still tight enough so that I couldn't break free and silently he was still telling me to stay put, so I simply glared at Aro from where I stood, hoping to transfer my hate loud and clear. He simply laughed, fully amused by my response, telling himself a joke inside his head; wondering why in the world I would hate him when he was just trying to help me. I blocked his voice from my concentration, focusing on those of the family around me. Alice was running through several visions she had had since we had arrived in the clearing, sharing them with Edward, and I could tell her usual enthusiasm was running a little low. Jasper was calm outwardly, but his thoughts were dripping with concern. Emmett was acting like he always did, telling himself he could take everyone alone and thinking of what he'd like to do to each one of the people standing in front of us, staring us down with eyes like rubies. I ignored Esme's thoughts, not wanting to know anything about John that might make me emotionally unstable, and focused on Carlisle as he ran through several options of how to proceed with the situation. I let his voice inside my head soothe me.

And then Aro stopped laughing and looked back at Carlisle. The smile I had thought would never leave his face was gone, a cold firmness shinning through in his eyes. "Come on, just give him to us. He's already dying anyways."

Carlisle shook his head. "There has to be a way around this," he said patiently. I was growing restless, standing still like I was. I begged Edward mentally to let me go to John, and he let go of my arm silently. I ran towards Esme and squatted down, leaning over John's prone body. The scent of his blood sent every cell in my body racing and the familiar burn returned to my throat, but I skillfully ignored them. I took his hand in mine and began rubbing his palm, noticing that his skin was slightly colder than usual. He made no sign that he noticed my grip on his hand. I could see the pain he was in etched into the lines in his face and wished I could make him feel better.

"John?" I whispered his name hopefully, but he didn't seem to hear me. I looked down at his arm. Red spots had formed around ten wounds, all identical. I gasped in horror as I realized what the two puncture marks, side by side, were. Esme glanced at me. He had been in more pain that I'd realized. "He's going to be fine," she whispered. "I got all the venom out."

Relief and gratitude flooded me. "Thank you," I whispered quietly, barely loud enough for her to hear, my voice revealing that I was on the edge of tears.

"What do you suggest we do?" Aro said behind me. His voice was silky smooth again and he reminded me of a hunter luring in his prey with treats before killing it. "Should we let you turn him into a human-loving vampire? I think he would be quite against that." I felt his eyes on the back of my head and a chill ran down my spine as I realized he was talking to me.

I was starting to loose faith that this would turn out the way we had hoped it would. Alice's voice reverberated in my mind as I recalled her worried expressions while showing Edward the images.

There was silence, until a soft, clear voice spoke up. "And what if we let him decide?" I turned around just as Aro moved his gaze to look at Alice, who had spoken.

"Oh?"

Just then John's eyes popped open. He took in a gulp of air as they darted frantically around him. Was he waiting for another attack? But then he saw my eyes on him and his face crumpled into a sea of pain, tears welling in his eyes. "Lisa," he gasped out softly. I told him not to move. He closed his eyes as if to try and shut out the pain. He licked his cracked lips slowly. A thin trail of blood had dried across his lower lip. "Lisa," he said again, his voice no louder than a faint whisper, grating out of his parched throat. "I'm so sorry." The tears escaped his eyes and slipped down his cheek as he took a shaky breath. "I'm so sorry, Lisa."

"Shh," I whispered, wiping away his tears and then softly stroking his forehead, his one hand still in mine. Seeing him lying so vulnerable in that field had broken something inside of me. I loved this man, despite all the things he had said to me. I was just so glad to see him alive. "I forgive you," I replied. "It's alright." I knew the words weren't entirely true, but I had to say them to ease his pain for now.

Alice's voice was soft now as she said, "I think you might find that perhaps he's changed his mind."

I didn't really notice that anyone had walked over to us, but I saw Esme get up to stand with her husband and felt people leaning over me to look at John. His face showed recognition when he saw the Cullen's faces, but fear lit in his eyes when he spotted Aro. I squeezed his hand, willing him to look at my face, which he finally did, and smiled softly at me, though I could still sense the reluctance he felt. Could he tell that I hadn't forgiven him completely, or was he just scared of me in some way?

Alice's mouth opened as if she were about to say something, a look of dread passing through her golden eyes just as I felt Aro leaning over me. And before I my instincts could kick in and I could consider the fact that I was in direct contact with him and that I should move, his hand seemed to causally fall on my shoulder as if he were using me for support. Everyone saw it happen, but there was nothing that could be done to stop it. Edward muttered to himself that he was stupid for not having seen it coming.

A rush of memories flooded into my head from people I'd never met before as Aro casually looked over all my memories. Somewhere, I heard him mumble, "Fantastic!" Somewhere in the back of my mind I realized Aro now knew about my gift. Was he going to bride me into joining his clan like he had with others? I pushed the though aside as I sifted through the dozens of memories, a face with no name attached to each set, flashing before my eyes in a neat and organized manner as if they had all been neatly filed away in a filing cabinet known as Aro's mind. I finally found what I was looking for: John's face flashed up in front of me and I snatched mentally at his 'file'.

It was almost like a movie's scene selection menu. I looked quickly over the memories: John in the hotel room, escaping through the window, meeting me again, finding the book. Then I saw the small clearing where we had stood screaming at each other. I selected the memory and watched the scene unfold in my mind like a film, running exactly like I remembered it. I studied my face and saw the sadness and hurt clearly written in my eyes. I shuddered silently and pushed through the memory quickly until I got to the part where I had left him, standing alone in the green area. Anger consumed him and he clenched his fist, punching the nearest tree as hard as he could. I heard the sickening crack of bones breaking as his hand connected with the hard surface of the huge tree. He cried out in anger and cradled his broken hand with his other one. Tears spilled down his face from the pain in his fist and the anger in his heart as he turned around to leave, heading away from the house, thoughts of determination running through his mind as thick as the blood in his veins. I skipped to the part where John stumbled into the clearing we sat in now. His hand now hung limply by his side and he reached out his other hand to protect him from the fall as he stumbled over his own feet. Exhaustion made him unaware of the group of hooded figures watching him from the other side of the field. John made it about halfway to where Aro stood and fell down on the grassy earth, cradling his hurting hand against his chest, where his heart beat fiercely. He closed his eyes as a wave of exhaustion slid over him like a heavy blanket.

When he opened his eyes again, he wondered if he had fallen asleep; there was a shadow over him and he couldn't see the sun. He turned his head to look at the sky and saw a face peering down at him, smiling at if someone had just told a funny joke.

"Hello," the face said in a voice dripping with amusement. John could just make out the dark features of the man kneeling over him, and then he caught sight of his eyes and gasped: the man's eyes were as red as two maraschino cherries with pupils, peering down at him.

"Hello Jonathon, I'm Aro."

John opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. Fear gripped him as Aro smiled widely, showing off two rows of perfectly white teeth. Are you the one Lisa warned me about, John though numbly, feeling as if his mind was disconnected from his body.

Aro nodded, though John wasn't sure whether it was in answer to his mental question or something else. "Don't you wish you'd listened to your precious wife?" Aro cooed out.

Another pang of fear caught him in the heart as he wondered if Aro could read minds like Edward.

"Please," John croaked out, tears burning in his eyes. "Please, don't hurt me."

"Oh," chuckled Aro, "I think it's a little too late for that."

John's heart began pounding and he grabbed at the grass in front of him with his good hand, trying to drag himself away from Aro. But the man caught hold of his arm and pulled him to his feet as John cried out in pain, his broken hand snapping down limply.

"Jane!" Aro said in a firm voice, though he was still smiling at John, as if something about this was absolutely funny. If he had had the strength, John might have punched the man with his other hand, even if it meant breaking that one too. But he simply stood on weak legs, Aro's icy hand still gripped tightly around his arm. A girl stepped up behind him, wearing a dark hooded cloak which covered her face. She pushed the hood aside and blonde hair spilled out around her face, which looked childlike, though all the innocence was gone. Her eyes burned red like fire as she stared at John with an expression of anger and mild amusement. She said nothing as she examined him, and then, out of nowhere, a blinding force of fear hit him like a punch to the stomach, wrenching his gut. He fell to the ground and writhed in pain. His insides felt like they were being ripped apart piece by piece, atom by atom, and ground into a pulp. He felt himself vomit and a warm liquid ran down his cheek as he screamed silently. His head felt like his brain was too big for it and wanted to explode.

And then it was gone and fear took the place of the pain, just as intense, until John was balling like a baby, begging them to stop.

Aro whispered something to Jane and the fear went away. Jane stood over him, wearing the same exact expression as before. She opened her mouth and said in a deceptively sweet voice, tinged with anger, "For what you know, you will be punished."

A shiver ran down the length of his spine as he stared up at her. He could taste the acidic flavor from the vomit as he swallowed painfully. "Please," is all he could manage.

Aro turned around and faced John again, pulling him up once more. This time, John didn't even feel the pain in his hand, the memory of the pain before still too fresh in his mind.

"Jonathon," Aro spoke his name through clenched teeth, smiling at him. He reminded John of a snake with the way he said it. "Jonathon, what you know about our kind is too much. That book you found, it should have been destroyed along with the others and it's writer."

Jane spoke up and in sharp voice, "Do you know what we do to humans who know too much?"

John began to say 'No' when an iron fist grabbed his midsection, crushing it with an intense feeling of dread and pain.

"Jane!" Aro called out rebukingly, as if he had just seen her with a hand in the cookie jar. The fist let go of his insides and he noticed that Jane looked like a girl with her hand in the cookie jar, smiling slightly like she had a secret.

"No," John gasped out. "Please, don't." He knew what they planned to do with him now. "Please, just kill me fast." He didn't want any of this added torture, he just wanted to die if that was to be his fate.

Aro chuckled. "My dear boy. Just like a chicken is no good unless you prepare it before hand, neither is a human any good without a little bit of fear and pain inside him first."

John swallowed compulsively as he stared at Aro's smiling face. Psychopathic, crazy, they're all… what did I ever do to get myself in this situation?

Aro spoke a word in a language John did not recognize and a group other hooded figures were surrounding him in an instant. Before John could even think to react, a dozen cold bodies pushed on top of him and hard sharp teeth sank into his skin. Darkness pulled him under and he lost consciousness.

I was snapped out of my thoughts as Aro's hand left my skin. I rocked back on my heels and sucked in an unnecessary breath of air in astonishment at what had just happened. Everything I had seen had occurred all in the span of about a minute. Everyone was silent as we waited for something to happen, someone to say something. John's eyes never left my face, nor mine his. I could see unspoken questions in his eyes as he tried to process what had just occurred.

Finally Carlisle spoke up.

"John," he said in a soft, almost pleading voice.

John reluctantly broke eye contact with me to glance at Carlisle as he spoke. "John, we need to know if you still feel opposed to living with us. We can protect you, but if you don't feel comfortable with it…" he trailed off and I watched John's face, reading his emotions carefully.

John opened his mouth slowly to speak, but all that came out was a hoarse croak.

"He needs some water," I said to no one in particular. But, being surrounded by vampires had its' downfalls when a human needed water. I looked up to Edward. "Will you speak for him?"

John's face was filled with confusion as he glanced between Edward and I.

"He can read your thoughts," I whispered gently to John, hoping not to scare him. But he seemed beyond the point of being astounded by anything when it came to the Cullens and I, and he accepted it with a slight shrug of his shoulders.

Edward walked towards me and knelt down besides John and I, taking my free hand in his. He repeated the question again for John's sake.

You'll take me away from here? John asked Edward mentally, to which Edward nodded his head in reply. I though about how convenient Edward's gift was.

I want to be with my wife. John's thoughts were barely audible, revealing how truly exhausted he was. Edward spoke as if he were John, repeating what I had heard him say in my head. John looked at me.

Lisa, I was wrong about you; and you were right, of course. I should have realized you were still the same person inside. But I was angry and confused.

Edward kept silent, knowing I was the only person who should hear that confession.

"Sorry," John whispered roughly as I put my hand against his cheek, stroking it lovingly. I wish I could speak so I could tell her everything I feel, he thought, unaware I knew everything.

"I forgive you, John," I whispered in his ear, and this time I meant it. "I love you." He smiled at me, relief flooding his face, his love for me echoing inside my mind.

I love you, too, so much, Lisa. My baby, I wish I could tell you. Everything I said to you to hurt you, I wish I could take it all back.

I stroked John's cheek, slightly rough under my fingers where the stubble grew. "Shh," is all I said. "It's alright."

Then John's eyes moved to look above me at Aro's face. "I want to be with my wife," he croaked out. My eyes began to burn with an unshed tear as I heard the sorrow and pain in his voice and in his thoughts.

But Aro didn't seem to hear it, because he chuckled. I nearly flew off the ground to slap the man, but I stayed put, cursing him inside my mind. Edward glanced at me as he heard my thoughts and smiled slightly.

"It may seem easy now to say that," Aro said in a purring voice, "but what will it be like in a week or even a month, when your wife is afraid to touch you because she may hurt you, and everyone in that house wants to kill you." Aro was practically begging us to let him have his way and kill my husband.

"We do not want to kill him," I said fiercely through clenched teeth. I flashed my angry eyes towards him.

Carlisle spoke up softly, "He's right, though, Lisa," and the pain that had subsided slightly reawakened, because I knew Carlisle was right. "We don't want to kill you, but it will be hard." And I knew exactly how hard it would be as I saw what would happen through Alice's eyes. But I couldn't give up that easily, I couldn't just let my husband die because it would be hard for me.

John shook his head, his face showing his stubbornness; he was sure of what he wanted and no one would change his mind. "Whatever it takes," he grumbled out hoarsely, "I will get over it." He took a deep breath of air as the pain flared up for a second. "I want to be with my wife," he said again, ending the conversation with those 7 words.

Aro began to speak again, but Carlisle cut him off. "He's made up his mind, Aro. Now let us go so we can get him into a bed and treat his wounds," I heard a hint of anger in his last sentence.

Aro clamped his mouth shut and took a step back, seeming unsure of how to proceed. In a vain effort to see if he could still get his way, he asked, "What about the book?"

"Lisa took care of it. It's burned to ashes."

"But there were still laws broken, Carlisle!" Aro said in a angry voice, his real personality finally shinning through.

"I understand, and you may deal with the shop owner however you wish," Carlisle replied, though I noted a hint of sadness, as if he was hoping the Volturi would leave the man alone. I understood how it broke Carlisle's heart that there were books like these out there, written by someone of our kind, but in all his compassion he still could not justify a killing. "But please, let us go. There is nothing more to be done here."

Aro saw the truth in what Carlisle said and that he had no other choice, so he backed up and let us go. I watched them all retreat slowly, their longs robes smoothing down the grass behind them, throwing glances over their shoulders. Jane's bright red eyes burned into my skull. "I'll get you next time, human-lover," she hissed at me. And then they were gone.