Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight
…
The Volturi were here.
Victoria had told James how Jake and Edward's Imprinting had enhanced Edward's ability, and had even admitted that she thought it was brought on by an emotional connection more than a physical one - and that was the only explanation he had for what had happened to his ability to track. James had been good before, hell, he'd been great, but what was happening with his ability now surprised even him.
The Volturi were definitely masking their presence via someone with an ability, and because of that James shouldn't have been able to know they were drawing nearer, but he could. There were hundreds of scents, all undead, all on the outskirts of Forks and drawing closer. He could almost make out vague images, as well as track approximately where they were. There were vampires he'd smelt before, who he knew, and those he could picture as if their image was projected holographically above the treetops.
Jake had sent word to Sam, but the wolf hadn't answered his phone, so they might be on their own wolf-wise. The Cullens had been called, warned.
As the Volturi were headed towards a large meadow on the mountainside of Forks, a place Jake and Edward apparently knew very well, the Black Pack were going to meet them there and stop them before they could get any closer to the people of Forks.
"You're not going to fight to go with us?" Jake asked his sister in surprise.
Rachel shook her head from where she sat next to Rebecca, who was still asleep but looking much better than she had the night before. "Go do what you have to do."
Jake shot her a relieved smile as he hugged her.
James noticed the look Edward shot Rachel, obviously reading something in her mind that made him pause.
Jane was arguing with Colin about his plan to join the other wolves, while Alec just looked on in amusement, clearly enjoying the fact that she made someone else's life miserable as well.
Seth was silent, yet remained close to James. The wolves were all wearing large shirts with leggings underneath, which looked amusing yet were to give them the ability to shift rapidly without having to take their clothes off, the ones they were wearing would give easily while they were turning.
As they left and began making their way towards the meadow where they planned on cutting the Volturi off, James couldn't help but wonder whether they were idiots for allowing the Volturi amongst them to join. Sure, Chelsea seemed utterly enamored with the terrifying Leah for some reason, but Jane and Alec were the Volturi's two biggest weapons, and they were allowing them to be amongst them seemingly without a second's thought. Who was to say that Jane Imprinting on Colin was enough to keep her from killing them all outright via headache? Or her brother numbing them enough to make their deaths easy peasy?
He could see the same questions in Victoria's gaze as their eyes met, and when Victoria nodded and moved to stand a little closer to Jake, James relaxed. His sister had a way of not only feeling danger before it hit her - but escaping it - so should the Volturi in their midst turn on them she'd be the best chance his Alpha had. Riley noticed the looks and then caught James' gaze, motioning discreetly with his head towards Jane and Alec before nodding towards Garrett.
Proud that his fledgling was not only understanding the tension, yet figuring out a way to best handle it, James nodded discreetly, watching as Riley and Garrett fell behind the rest before finally making their way behind Jane and Alec, ready to intervene rapidly.
With as many of his basis covered as possible, James found his arm encircling Seth's shoulders, hanging there languidly, yet the muscles in his arms were taut. While he knew that Seth could handle himself in a fight, he felt a surprisingly intense desire to protect, to make sure he had Seth in his gaze or in touching distance as long as he could. They weren't going up against Laurent's coven, they were going to meet with the Volturi, who no doubt weren't coming here for anything good.
Seth leaned into James, arm around his waist, yet while he clearly enjoyed the attention the wolf was still very alert, especially as they finally made it to the meadow.
"I don't smell anything," Embry admitted from where he stood a little behind everyone else, taking in deep whiffs.
"Me neither," Jake admitted from the front.
"They're here," James assured them, able to 'see' the scents all around them, hidden in the trees, cloaked by whatever was keeping them hidden from the others.
"They are," Edward agreed as he looked around discreetly. "I can hear very faint thoughts, they don't understand what we're doing here or how we knew they'd be here since they only decided their route last night. They know Chlesea, Jane and Alec couldn't have told us since they didn't know." Edward cleared his throat after a moment's silence. "James is right, I think there's someone with some sort of cloaking ability helping them."
James could 'see' (which he guessed was almost similar to heat signatures in how it appeared) three of the strongest scents drawing to the forefront, making their way towards the edge of the trees. "Three are coming out, I think it's the Unholy Trinity themselves."
Everyone tensed, readied, and then the outline of three vampires could be seen emerging from the woods, slowly followed by a large gathering only James had been prepared for given he could see the scent markings, as well as some of the vampires themselves.
Aro was, not surprisingly, at the forefront, with Caius and Marcus on either side, after which the Guard appeared, and then the others following after. Aro smelt confused and a little uneasy, yet his expression did not reveal that at all as he smiled and came closer, fingertips touching in front of his body. "Edward, your ability to read minds shocks even me. To think you heard us coming from so far away."
Edward tilted his head and merely smiled at Aro.
A part of James was annoyed Edward was taking the credit for his discovery, yet the other got what the vampire was doing. It was best to keep James' ability in secret just in case it could come in handy later. That was the only reason why he remained silent and eyed the vampire he'd heard so much about.
He's pasty even by vampire standards.
Edward snorted in amusement, clearly having heard and agreed with that.
"Welcome to Forks, Aro," Edward finally spoke. "Although I do not believe your trip is all that friendly given your entourage."
"One can never be too careful whilst traveling," Aro declared smoothly while his scarlet eyes went from Chelsea (who was holding onto Leah's hand) to Jane (who looked bored) and Alec (who was visibly amused and intrigued with everything). "I grew worried when my Guard did not return, especially Alec." His scarlet gaze shifted onto the vampire in question. "You just disappeared."
James blinked. Had Alec gone rogue?
"Yeah, sorry about that," Alec replied almost sheepishly. "I had to make sure my sister was actually okay, and that Dimitri wasn't lying to save his ass for having left her behind." He motioned towards Jane and Colin, as well as Leah and Chelsea. "The stories are true, Aro. Vampires and werewolves are mating." He reached over and clapped Colin on the shoulder. "This is my brother-in-matehood, Colin Littlesea."
Caius' eyes widened in horror as he moved closer. "Impossible!" He looked both scandalized and disgusted. "Werewolves and vampires are mortal enemies! They cannot be—-!"
Alec yanked down Colin's shirt's neck to reveal Jane's teethmarks. "It can be."
Caius took two steps back, as if the sight utterly terrified him.
Marcus tilted his head, an odd expression on his face as he looked around, as if trying to find someone in particular.
"Fascinating." One could see the wheels turning in Aro's head as he tapped his fingertips together, stalling for a second, before continuing. "We've also been told that our rules have been broken, and a human has been told of our kind."
"Bella has been turned," Edward answered immediately. "She is coming upon her third day since being injected with venom. She is not a threat to our kind, and as she has been turned, no laws have been broken."
"How… fortuitous." A muscle ticked in Aro's cheek despite the smile on his face. "I have been told that my messengers were taken prisoner by the wolf packs in this town. That could be taken as an act of war."
"We also saved their lives," Jake finally spoke from where he'd been standing by Edward's side, allowing his mate to take the reigns of communication given the fact that he actually knew the threat personally. "They were also given food, and were not treated inhumanely, which is really more than could be asked given the fact that Chelsea's task was to destabilize the bonds within both packs so that you could come in and destroy us easier."
Aro's gaze shifted to Chelsea, and the vampire instinctively leaned harder into Leah, who growled warningly at Aro, drawing his intrigued attention to her immediate defense of Chelsea.
The leader of the Volturi kept his gaze on the two females before asking curiously: "Marcus?"
Marcus eyed the group silently before letting out an intrigued: "Her loyalty is completely towards the female wolf, it is almost as if her ability has bonded the two together. And as the female wolf is loyal to the one besides Edward Cullen - as is that of most of the group - Chelsea's secondary loyalties have shifted to him as well."
"Most?" Aro asked immediately, clearly trying to zero in on what appeared to be a chink in the armor.
"Those two." Marcus pointed towards Riley and Garrett. "Their loyalties are to him," he pointed towards James. "But just like with Chelsea's mate, that vampire's loyalty is to the Alpha, so the Alpha has their loyalty too." He then tilted his head and eyed Seth. "I am assuming the wolf next to him is his mate, as their bilateral bond is so strong it's shining gold, like Edward Cullen and the Alpha's. I've never seen something that looks like that before. Chelsea and the female wolf, and Jane and the young wolf, have a bilateral bond as well, but it isn't gold and burning like the other two - but that doesn't mean it is something to underestimate."
That muscle was practically jumping off of Aro's cheek by now.
James and Seth shared a quick surprised look, remembering the golden light that'd appeared earlier. Had that been a physical manifestation of the Imprint? Of, maybe, it being finalized and binding them together?
"This is a pack, Aro," Marcus decided after another moment's silence. "The reports were true." A small, intrigued smile tilted the corner of his lips. "Somehow, nature and nurture have been bent, shifted, evolved, and once mortal enemies are not only strange bedfellows, but joined by bonds of family, much like covens would for vampires."
Aro's smile was genuine, his face otherwise didn't reveal anything other than bemusement at this news, but his scent was furious. Thing was, James doubted that their meeting all the requirements would change anything. From what he'd heard, Aro was known to find excuses to decimate entire covens because he coveted one or two of their members for his Guard. If Alice was right, and Aro wanted her and Edward for his Guard, he would do his best to find a way to justify the actions he so desperately wanted to do.
"Evolution?" Aro finally asked genially. "Or deformation? Not all the time are nature's works flawless. Sometimes there is a gruesome amalgamation that should never have existed."
A growl escaped Brady's lips that went ignored.
"As it is, you did not truly believe we could allow something so dangerous like this to remain unchecked, did you?" Aro continued in that genial tone, as if he wasn't threatening their very existence. "We have to protect the future, and wellbeing, of vampires - and this unholy alliance with werewolves can only end badly."
"As long as vampires don't kill the humans of Forks or the surrounding areas, your kind shouldn't have much to worry about," Jake informed Aro with a snort. "Given the small area around Fork and the Rez I don't see exactly how big of a dent you seem to think our pack could actually make in the numerous covens of vampires worldwide."
"And what if other vampires see your example and try to enter into such abominable, unholy unions with wolves? Not all your kind are as — reasonable. Most of your kind are monsters." Aro raised an eyebrow. "We have spent centuries fighting the Werewolf Wars, battling the monsters who have always been our sworn enemies. Our kind will be slaughtered because they were led astray by your foul example, mixing with werewolves and becoming—-."
"Shapeshifters," Jane droned out in visible boredom.
Aro's scarlet gaze shifted to her. "What was that?"
"Colin isn't a werewolf, not exactly, werewolves can only shift during the three nights of the full moon, and when they do they do not retain their human minds, merely a ravenous hunger and desire to kill," Jane recited with a sigh, looking so very unbothered by the danger but annoyed with the situation itself. "That isn't Colin. He can shift whenever he wants, and he not only retains his human brain, but can control his urges. I think of them as shapeshifters because they seem to be an evolved form of the werewolf." She raised an eyebrow. "I agree, vampires should go no where near werewolves. The shapeshifters, on the other hand, I see no reason not to associate with."
Aro's gaze went to Alec expectantly.
Alec shrugged. "I've killed tons of werewolves for you, and all that experience with them has led me to believe, a hundred per cent, that Colin's a freaking puppydog. If I'm being totally honest with you, the one I'm worried for is him."
"You should be," Jane drawled.
Colin looked between them, looking increasingly more and more embarrassed.
"She already treats him like a chewtoy," Alec reminded with a motion toward's Colin's neck.
"He tastes amazing," Jane mumbled, as if that made it better.
"Can this conversation shift onto someone else, please?" Colin whined.
Alec motioned to Colin again, looking at Aro as if saying 'See? She's going to eat him alive!'
Aro's mouth opened and closed, multiple times, clearly trying to figure out where to go from here, and obviously not having expected Alec to take the others' side in this argument.
"Shapeshifters or not, they are wolves, and wolves have always been our enemies." This was Caius, who swept back in, apparently having gotten his second wind after his utter scandal at the realization that vampires and werewolves were definitely getting it on on the regular. "This is wrong. It is unnatural. How could a vampire and a werewolf truly form a cohesive pack or coven with functioning equality for all?"
James wasn't too surprised at Caius' anger, it was well known that Caius had a great hatred towards werewolves. There was a persistent rumor that said hatred was actually a manifestation of his fear as he'd apparently nearly been killed by a werewolf once. Whether this had been during his time as a mortal, or after turning to a vampire, had never been specified, but it explained much.
"Ask the vampire over there," Marcus surprised them all by announcing as he pointed to James once more. "Cullen might be the Alpha's mate, but that one is the Beta, is the most important member of the pack other than the Alpha - and there are other wolves in this pack."
Caius' mouth opened and closed several times, similarly to Aro, yet he let out a little squeak for a second before he cleared his throat and leaned closer, eyeing James. "Marcus' ability is to sense bonds and such, and while I do not have reason to doubt him, I want you to confirm what he has just said."
Not having expected to be talked to directly, James stood straighter yet smirked. "Yeah, I'm Jake's beta."
Clear confusion scrunched Caius' features. "And you trust a wolf as your leader? You'd… submit… to the will of an animal?"
Quil, Embry, Brady and Colin all snarled. Leah and Seth didn't seem all that insulted for some reason.
"My Alpha is a wolf, and my Imp—-my mate—-is a wolf." James hated himself for stumbling over 'Imprinter' but figured Caius would understand the vampire term better. "In many ways, I've become a better and stronger vampire since having met them." He couldn't help the smirk that tilted the corners of his lips. "So, other than the occasional bout of fleas, I have no issue with them."
Seth elbowed him in the stomach while Jake sent him a 'that was only one time' look.
Caius was clearly incredibly disturbed by this yet he didn't say anything else as he eyed the pack.
Aro, on the other hand, eyed them with open intrigue. He opened his mouth and said something to Edward and Jake, but James ignored it as he noticed one of the scents getting stronger very quickly. He took in a subtle whiff and followed the scent, turning slightly to the side to see a scent racing out of the woods to their left at them, but for some reason he couldn't actually see the vampire the scent belonged to, just the scent signature. Not only that, but no one else was reacting to this charging vampire either.
It was only when he realized that Edward was looking around, very nervous yet confused, that he was sure his new ability wasn't playing tricks on him. There was a vampire, most probably the one cloaking the Volturi's scent this whole time, charging Jake and Edward - obviously with bad intent if Edward's reactions were anything to go by.
Seconds before the cloaked vampire reached Edward, James let go of Seth and moved, racing towards the scent signature and—-grabbing the surprised (and still invisible) vampire by the neck, lifting him up into the air. The vampire clawed at his hands and fought with the strength of a fledgling, yet James somehow managed to keep a good hold on him.
"What are you doing?" Garrett asked in confusion.
Remembering the others couldn't see this guy, James began ramming his fist into the vampire's stomach over and over again, until he finally let up on his ability and revealed himself. Whoever this guy was, he looked oddly familiar.
"Phoenix?" Jake asked in shock.
"He's the one who was cloaking them," Edward realized softly.
"How did you know he was there?" Aro whispered to James, scarlet eyes open wide, intrigue and fascination written all over his face. "Anyone and anything he cloaks is invisible and undetectable, even by our greatest tracker, so how did you—-?" And those eyes widened even further, if possible. He laughed as he turned to Edward, who was scowling at him. "You did not hear us, did you, Edward? He is the one who sensed us drawing near." He turned to James with feverish intent. "What is your ability? Precognition?"
"No." James threw Phoenix away so hard the fledgling left a slide mark in the meadow. "I'm just an ordinary tracker."
"You are far from ordinary," Aro whispered as he held a hand out towards him.
Oh no. Nope. He knew Aro's power and he wasn't going to let the guy touch him. There were a lot of things he needed to keep hidden, and one he needed to keep safe: Murdoch. No way in hell would he allow Aro to touch him and thus have the ability to go through each and every one of his thoughts, gleaning the knowledge of so many things he kept secret for a reason.
"Sorry, but I'm not allowed to touch other guys unless I'm beating them up," James raised his hands up as he returned to Seth's side. "This one is really jealous."
"I thought a vampire who could cloak anything and anyone from detection fascinating, but think of all the things one who can track even that which is cloaked could accomplish," Aro said in an odd tone as he zeroed in on James with a growing smile. "It would seem that this dreary little town has a way of attracting vampires with such marvelous talents."
Seth growled warningly at him.
James nearly growled at Aro himself.
Oh for crying out loud! Aro had just decided James was a collectable, just like he had with Edward and Alice, hadn't he? That would not do. The more Aro wanted James, the more Seth was in danger, and James wasn't having that one bit. "My ability wasn't ever anything to scoff at, but it sure as hell wasn't 'marvelous' until Seth and I became mates," he informed the vampire king in a drawl. "Edward's ability is stronger as well because of Jake."
Aro's smile dropped. "What do you mean?"
"You want powerful vampires as allies? Then you want vampires who have wolf mates," James responded easily, having dealt with many other power-hungry vampires in his long lifetime and knowing how to handle them to a degree. "Something about having a wolf as our mate makes our ability stronger, it doesn't happen immediately, but it does happen. If anything should occur to our mates our abilities would lessen, maybe even be completely destroyed, because our abilities are now tied in with our matehood."
He had no idea if he'd lose his ability if Seth was killed, but he needed Aro - and the rest of the Volturi - to believe this. Two of the three vampires Aro had shown interest in were mated to wolves, and two of the Guard had been Imprinted on wolves, so the best way to keep those wolves alive was to make sure the vampire royalty believe it was in their best interest.
"This is what you meant when you said he made you a stronger vampire," Caius realized from a couple of steps behind Aro.
James nodded yes, although Seth had changed him in other ways as well, but that wasn't relevant to the Volturi leaders. All James knew was that Aro was power hungry, and James had to show him that it was in his best interest to keep the wolves alive - especially the mates - most especially Seth.
"He's right," Edward agreed, visibly surprising Jacob, but not James. It was obvious that the vampire had heard his thoughts and agreed with his plan. "My ability has grown since Jacob and I mated as well, but we're not just mates, we're Imprints - and due to that we're subject to new rules. Their animal power fuels our abilities and eventually strengthens them in ways we never would've otherwise - but losing that new power source will shatter our abilities."
Aro was visibly troubled by this as he stared between James and Edward, clearly looking for some deceit. "Jane. Is your ability stronger due to that wolf?"
If James' heart beat it would've been racing at this moment.
Jane, for her part, continued to look bored as she eyed Colin. "I haven't used my ability since I was informed of our matehood," she admitted. "But just drinking his blood alone has made me physically stronger and faster than I was before." She brushed an imaginary lint off of Colin's shoulder. "So their assertion that eventually their abilities strengthen as well seems reasonable to me."
"I see." Aro tapped his fingertips together. "That changes things." He let out a deep breath. "Kill everyone but the mated vampires and wolves. We'll need them alive." His Guard and his armies moved.
"Don't do this, Aro!" Edward yelled as the werewolves began to shift instantly, readying for the fight.
"Aro," Marcus hissed.
Aro smiled, ignoring Marcus as he instead addressed Edward. "I am doing this for your own good. Vampires need to be with their own kind. But don't worry, we won't kill your wolf, we never planned to."
"We won't ever join the Guard!" Edward snapped as Jacob's muscles began to visibly ripple under his skin.
"Chelsea will change your minds," Aro assured them.
"No, I won't," Chelsea promised him with a firm shake of her head.
"You will once Corin's power has its grip in you once more." Aro motioned for his troops to move, not noticing the disturbed expression on Jane and Alec's faces at that omission. "Attack."
The numerous vampires under Aro's command raced towards the clearly overwhelmed pack and were about to close in and attack when suddenly, out of the woods, behind them, howls could be heard. The Volturi froze, looking around them as their people were forced out of the woods, fleeing from the multitude of wolves who appeared behind them, growling and blaring their teeth.
The sound of a truck VROOMED, getting closer and closer, as suddenly Jake's truck sailed through the bushes, hitting the ground heavily while racing through the vampires who were forced to jump out of the way to keep from being run over.
"Mom?" Seth squeaked.
James followed his gaze to see Sue Clearwater in the driver's seat, with Billy Black sitting in the backseat, a shotgun in his hand, and Rachel Black holding onto the back. The truck sped and turned, slamming on the brakes as it slid in between the Black Pack and the Volturi, sending dirt flying on the royal three and those closest to them.
As soon as the truck came to a stop Rachel pumped her shotgun and aimed it at Aro. "I've been told this won't kill you, but it sure as hell will hurt."
Caius held his hands out and looked at his dirt covered self in returned scandal.
Marcus stared up at Rachel with wide eyes, not even attempting to remove the dirt from himself.
Aro sputtered out dirt, his face utterly infuriated as he wiped the dirt off of him.
Jake snarled, clearly unhappy his sister was there.
Aro's scarlet eyes shifted over the truck before landing on Rachel, and then he moved, rapidly.
"Rachel—-!" Edward yelled and tried to move, but Aro had dodged Rachel's shot and grabbed her, yanking her back down and throwing her gun to the ground.
In seconds Aro had Rachel using as a human shield, her neck painfully bent, and his grinning mouth against her neck.
Jake snarled and jumped up onto the truck, about to jump at Aro, but the vampire stopped him by shaking his finger and pressing his teeth against Rachel's neck.
"Go ahead, you asshole!" Rachel snapped, impressing James with her valor given the fact that while her scent was terrified it was much more pissed than scared. "Go ahead! I'm not scared of you!"
James and Victoria shared worried looks, neither coming up with an idea that ended up with Jake's sister getting out of this alive.
"Enough!" Marcus yelled, shocking none more visibly than Aro, who jolted around to look at his second in command in time for Marcus to slam his palm into Aro's forehead, sending the shocked king sliding a couple of steps backwards and freeing Rachel from his clutches. "I apologize for Aro's actions, he gets carried away sometimes," Marcus said softly as he loomed over Rachel, brushing her hair out of her face with one hand and passing her her fallen shotgun with the other.
Rachel, for her part, clutched her shotgun tightly to her chest, and blushed up at Marcus.
"My name is Marcus," he introduced himself, looking so very gentlemanly and regal despite being covered in dirt.
"R-Rachel Black," she responded immediately, shifting her grip rapidly on her gun so she could wipe her palm against her jeans before offering it to him.
Marcus brought her hand to his lips.
Rachel turned scarlet.
Jake jumped down from the truck to his sister's side while growling warningly at Marcus.
"Hush, Jake," Rachel whispered while not looking away from Marcus.
Edward brought his hand to his mouth, his expression half shocked and half amused.
James turned to Jake's mate. Don't tell me she just—-.
Edward nodded.
James blinked. But she hasn't even turned once yet!
Edward shrugged, clearly confused by this as well.
"You don't seem like a total dickbag like he does," Rachel declared with a little flutter to her voice, not seeming to realize her hand was still in Marcus' hand. "So, um, you know, we could totally talk things out instead of, you know, me having to shoot that dude in his greasy hair."
"I think a conversation would be more agreeable to a fight as well," Marcus informed her with a small smile.
"See? I knew you would, you have a really handsome face – nice face – nice person face." Rachel's blush was getting scary as she stumbled over her words. "You look like a nice person."
"And you are very brave," Marcus informed her. "I smell a hint of wolf on you, but it's not strong enough – you have not shifted yet, have you? And yet you came to the forefront with a weapon you knew would not kill your enemy." There was shocking respect in his eyes. "That bravery is sorely lacking in today's society, I find it an incredibly admirable quality."
"Rachel, come inside the truck," Billy Black called out for his daughter.
"Not now, dad," Rachel hissed to him before smiling up at Marcus. "Where are you from, Marcus? You have a really lovely accent."
Aro's lips were parted as he stared between the two.
"Are we still fighting them?" Riley whispered to James, who shrugged in utter confusion as to this point as well.
"Where I come from no longer exists as I knew it once," Marcus responded with a soft, sad sigh.
Aro cleared his throat. "Marcus." He waited for Marcus to finally look up from Rachel to continue. "We are in the middle of something."
"We are in the middle of a course of action only one of the three has agreed upon," Marcus responded calmly before turning his gaze on Caius, who was still just looking at how dirty he was. "I am sure Caius would appreciate a bath."
"I would," Caius agreed almost immediately, seeming to have come alive at that one word.
"Then our home would be open to you as a neutral place for peace talks," a new voice declared as Carlisle Cullen emerged from the woods with Esme, Emmett and Rosalie behind him.
"Carlisle," Aro purred. "Old friend."
Carlisle smiled yet remained where he was. "We want peace for all involved, and as we have had years of truce with the wolves we will be able to answer any questions you may have about vampires and wolves living in peace."
Aro was silent, that smile still on his face, but his scent was dangerous, deadly.
Caius tried flicking a bit of dirt off of himself, only to almost whine when he noticed how much dust was floating in the air from that small action. "Aro, we should accept this offer of neutral ground." He looked up and smiled at Carlisle. "A small entourage for ourselves, as well as the wolves – and a bath for myself. I cannot be expected to continue any sort of talks while in such a barbaric state."
"Of course," Carlisle agreed. "As long as Jake and Sam both agree to the terms."
Jake turned and jumped onto the top of the truck once more, staring at Edward before returning his narrowed gaze at Aro.
"Jake agrees to the terms," Edward answered for his mate.
"And I agree as well," Sam's voice boomed as the wolves parted to reveal the shirtless Alpha standing there in jeans shorts with a stern glare for everyone involved.
Garrett eyed his shirtless chest appreciatively.
Riley rolled his eyes.
"Then it has been, apparently, settled," Aro declared, his smile bright, his scent more deadly than ever. "Peace talks it will be."
James clenched his fists at his sides, tensing up further even as those around him relaxed somewhat.
Despite the call for peace talks having been answered, the glowing, vibrating scent surrounding Aro promised that peace was far from what he desired, and this fight for survival was far from over.
Aro glanced over the group, seeming to take in their reactions to the news, and then his scarlet eyes landed on James, and James knew that the other vampire knew he knew. It was obvious in the way that that smile grew innocently, yet that scent shifted slightly, amused, intrigued, desirous. Aro knew that not even his own co-leaders knew his plans, but that James could somehow sense them the same way he could sense those that were cloaked to all others.
Edward flinched and looked behind him at James in worry, but James didn't notice because he was holding Aro's gaze with his own, glaring at the tactile telepath and true king of the Volturi.
Victoria, the danger sensor, tensed and took a step towards James, her movement enough to draw James' attention from Aro to her – unknowingly tipping Aro to Victoria's own tension. His scent shifted, further intrigued. The smile grew.
A shiver raced down James' back.
This was going to be a very long and treacherous night.
Keep an eye on Aro's mind, Jake's words echoed in his mind, but Edward had no way of letting him know that Aro must've ordered Phoenix to use his full power on his mind should this situation happen, because Edward couldn't hear anything other than very very soft half words that he couldn't make out no matter how hard he tried. Maybe if he got closer he'd be able to pierce through the cloak better, but he figured Aro would see that coming and try to stay as far away from Edward without making it obvious.
He was also sure Phoenix would be a part of the Volturi's entourage to make sure that Aro's mind was completely cloaked all the time from Edward's telepathy ability. It was surprising that he hadn't seen Phoenix coming. Even as a human it had been obvious that Phoenix liked Jake, and even now Edward could hear his lovelorn thoughts about Jake, but like before when Edward hadn't ever been able to put a face to the thoughts he'd keep hearing, Phoenix's ability to cloak himself made him a formidable enemy now more than ever.
He's so handsome, but not in a pretty boy way, but in a manly man sort of way. And he's so tall! And he's the only vampire who doesn't look ridiculous with a bit of sparkle, why does the world glitter so beautifully around him? I thought vampires sparkled, not their surroundings? Rachel's mind was a treasure trove of questions as she stared up at Marcus.
For the first time since Didyme's death, I care what happens, Marcus was realizing in surprised confusion. Why do I care? Why has this girl made me care?
This was definitely something they could use to their advantage. The Volturi were a three-in-one kingship, with their decisions made as a whole, so Marcus not wanting to destroy the packs would definitely help them in the long run.
To think if James hadn't saved Rachel last night we wouldn't have had this opportunity. Also, if James hadn't brought Garrett they mightn't have survived Sam's attack either. Edward hated to admit it, but James was, however indirectly, instrumental in them having survived two attacks so far.
Things could've gone very different if he hadn't arrived before the Volturi did.
Not that he'd ever admit that to the asshole.
I don't like how that Aro dude is looking at James, Seth thought with another low growl.
Edward eyed Aro and agreed.
He didn't like it.
Not one bit.
…
TBC