Just to let you know I'm off on my travels for a week from tomorrow but I will post as often as I can, in the meantime festive greetings to all my readers. Jules x

Chapter Forty

Carlisle

Inside the Volturi stronghold in Volterra there was an air of tension and expectancy, the reception desk was manned by a girl that Aro quite obviously didn't know and asked him to wait as she rang through but as she did so the doors swung open and Alec stood there smiling.

"Aro so good to see you back, please."

He stood aside as Aro swept through a glare for the young human girl who looked extremely frightened when she heard his name, it didn't do to fail to recognise one of the Volturi brothers and I wondered just how long she would survive. As Edward and I went to follow Alec and Aro our way was barred by Demetri,

"Marcus would like to see you before you join Aro and Caius"

Did that mean that Marcus was working alone now? If so surely he would have left Volterra once Chelsea was dead, not wait for Aro to return...unless he had a plan and Caius was working with him. We followed Demetri and I recognised the route, we were going to the massive library where I had spent many hours, days even, when I lived here before. Edward stayed close by my side, intimidated by the silence and gloom. I touched his shoulder reassuringly as Demetri threw open the library doors and stood aside for us then shut them again and I sensed he was still there standing guard. Marcus looked up from the huge ancient parchment he had been studying and stood up, a smile looking alien on his usually solemn face.

"Carlisle, Edward, good to see you both and so well. I hope you escaped unscathed from your meeting with Major Whitlock and his mate?"

Suddenly it dawned on me, he knew what had happened, someone had kept him informed of what was occurring and the most likely candidate was Jasper.

"Yes we did, although it was more dangerous when we left them, we ran into the Romanians"

"Yes, so I heard."

So it wasn't Jasper or at least not him alone!

"Still you made it and came back to us with brother Aro, unfortunately you two were about all the useful guard he did bring back. I understand Felix and Heidi weren't so fortunate?"

"No Bella killed them"

I shook my head at Edward, that wasn't the way this game was played and he hadn't even been present when they died, Marcus scowled at him.

"Edward, I hope you can back up that accusation"

Edward looked at him confused,

"Aren't you interested in acquiring Bella? She's still my wife and I demand the Volturi get her back for me. Mates shouldn't be parted."

"How true"

Marcus face darkened and I knew he was aware of his own mates fate at the hands of his brother in law, her own brother.

"Edward I'm sure you didn't mean to be discourteous but no one demands things of the Volturi and I have to point out that Bella Swan was never your mate, you already have yours standing beside you. Bella was just a greedy reflex, a desire to own and control, which did not work out the way you wanted it to. Bella belongs to The Major, they are true mates so you see, you insulted me for nothing. It will take time for you to understand the way of the Volturi but you will I'm sure, in time that is. In the meantime I would watch Carlisle very closely so you don't make any more life threatening mistakes."

"You make it sound like you have taken Aro's place as leader of the Volturi."

"Wrong Edward, Aro was never leader of the Volturi, just the public face. You see I know Aro, he and I have been together for centuries. He was like you, ambitious, greedy for power, manipulative, but he had one major flaw, he was blind to those who worked behind the scenes, the two people he thought he could always rely on to back him in his decisions."

"You mean yourself?"

"Yes and brother Caius. We are all so different but our strength lay in our weaknesses. Everyone of us has one but the other two cancelled them out. I saw the way Aro was headed many, many, years ago and warned Caius, that's why my wife and I were planning to leave Volterra for a more peaceful life together. Aro killed her in order to keep me here and used Chelsea to keep my loyalty to him. What he didn't know was that all those years I spent alone in this place and unable to act against him did not stop me from planning his downfall over and over in different ways, using different scenario's, hoping that one day, one day, I would be freed from my imprisonment, free to discover who killed Didyme and overthrow Aro."

"And The Major and Bella gave you the information and killed Chelsea allowing you to act?"

"Yes Carlisle. They did, so you see Edward, one doesn't bite the hand that feeds you. The Major and Bella are to be left alone. Do you understand?"

"But she's my wife"

I grabbed Edward's arm to stop him and Marcus smiled,

"Good move Carlisle. I would hate to be responsible for killing your mate. I can tell you from bitter experience how terrible such a thing is."

"Why are you telling us all this?"

"Because you now have to make a choice. Aro or me."

"And what about Caius? Or isn't he aware there is a palace coup going on?"

"Just answer my question Carlisle."

"Caius is working with Marcus Carlisle, I can read it in his thoughts."

"Yes Edward but only because I allowed you to do so. I have had centuries to perfect the art of keeping my thoughts hidden from Aro. Do you think I would still be here if I hadn't?"

Marcus

I waited in silence for Carlisle's reply but then realized that he was waiting in turn for Edward, had he become subordinate to his "son"? If he had it would be a shame, I had always admired Carlisle for his analytical mind and thoughtful ways whereas Edward was an arrogant hot head, very much as Aro had been when I first met him. The silence stretched on then Edward nodded,

"We'll follow you but in return we want something."

"A seat on the new governing body?"

"Yes Marcus. I think as a gifted vampire I warrant one."

"And your mate? What about Carlisle?"

"He will make his own pitch I'm sure."

I shook my head, was Edward really Carlisle's mate? How could the clever, thoughtful, and compassionate, Carlisle get tied up with this arrogant upstart? In much the same way as I had found Aro enigmatic I supposed.

"Carlisle?"

"I'm not looking for a seat on the Volturi, just a quiet place to work and live with my mate."

I nodded,

"But if asked to join us?"

"Then I would accept and do my best to make a difference."

Please review if you have time thanks Jules x