"So," said Bella. "We haven't decided whether it's safe for you in Forks yet or not. So for now, you're staying here."
"What? Why isn't it safe?" I asked, bewildered.
"The Volturi," said Bella. "They don't know that we've moved to the island yet, so you should be safe here. But if Aro sends Jane or Demetri to Forks just to check, and they find out that you know, then they'll kill you."
"Wait, wait, wait," I said, holding my hand up. "What are the Volturi?"
"Who, not what," corrected Jasper.
"They're like the vampire kings," said Bella.
"Aro, Caius, and Marcus are the three leaders, but the guard is just as powerful as them," said Edward.
"The guard is a group of gifted vampires whose powers are useful to the Volturi," added Jasper.
"Okay," I sighed, trying to take in all the new information. I hadn't exactly thought about who controlled the vampire world, but it did make sense that there would be a leader of some sort. "So how long before I can go back to Forks?"
Edward and Bella exchanged a look. "We're not sure," said Bella.
"What?" I said to her. "But I told my dad I'd be here for a few days at most! Not to mention school will start again in August!"
"We'll have to think of an excuse," murmured Edward.
"What about the same thing we used last time?" said Bella. "That she got some rare South American disease and can't go anywhere until it's cured?"
"That should work," I said. I was still expecting to be home soon, though. Even though I liked it here, I couldn't just drop everything.
"But won't your father want to visit you?" said Edward.
"No," I said, looking down. It was true. He wouldn't disrupt his organized schedule to visit me.
"Okay, then," said Bella, breaking the sudden silence. "So Alice is sick. Carlisle can call her father and explain."
"Great," I muttered. Though I was happy to see Bella again, I felt out of place here- one human amongst all the vampires. I guessed Nessie and Jacob felt the same way, but at least they were just as powerful as a vampire. I was soft and delicate compared to them.
Of course, I was also a food source. Bella had told me that she had some kind of super-resistance to human blood, so I was safe from her. Rosalie and Carlisle had never tasted human blood, so I had no fear of them attacking me either. Esme, Edward, and Emmett had developed a strong resistance to blood over the centuries, so the only person I was in immediate danger of losing control around me was Jasper.
I looked at the vampire. Despite knowing that he could kill me easily, I trusted him. Maybe because Bella trusted him.
The assorted vampires left the room, until only Edward, Jasper, and I were left. I was about to leave too, until I had a vision.
In my vision, there was a male vampire with dirty blond hair and blood-red eyes. It went away in less than a second, so fast I wasn't sure if it was really a vision or just some random image my brain had come up with.
Edward hissed and I realized he could see my visions, too. That was interesting...and unsettling.
"James," he said in a low voice. "How do you know how he looks?"
"Uh," I started. "I didn't...think that. At least, not in the way you thought I did."
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"I...have visions sometimes. Of the future."
I could feel Jasper's surprise spread through the room.
Edward's expression was incredulous, as though I had really just thought of someone I'd never met.
"So James is in your future?" asked Edward finally.
"It doesn't have to be my future," I said. "It could be anyone's, really."
"The bastard escaped," he growled. "He hurt Bella and escaped alive. He should be dead."
I didn't say anything.
"Is he after you, too?" asked Edward.
"No," I said.
"Are you sure?" asked Jasper. "It could be like with Bella...he wants challenging prey, and if he knows you're with us, he could want to fight us again."
"It could've been that he's after us, too," said Edward.
"Listen," I said to them. "I am a million percent sure I've never seen this James guy or even heard of him before I read the diary. I don't know how he could've tracked me anywhere. He doesn't even know who I am!"
"You don't know that," argued Jasper.
"Alice is right," said Edward. "But we'll keep an eye out for him."
"Be careful," said Jasper to me. I was surprised to see a hint of genuine concern in his eyes.
"Tell me more about your visions," said Edward, intrigued.
I hesitated, not used to such rapt attention. "Well...I've had them since I was little. They're really just flashes, not even really useful most of the time. The only person who's ever known is my mom, and she's not here anymore, so I guess it's just you guys now."
"Wow," murmured Edward. "Jazz, imagine if she was a vampire! Her talent would get so much stronger..."
"Absolutely not!" said Jasper. "Don't even think about changing her!"
"I wasn't," said Edward calmly. "Not really. Just a 'what if.'"
"Actually, I think it'd be kinda cool to be a vampire," I said, thinking about it. Besides the bloodlust, it did seem pretty awesome.
Jasper rolled his eyes and muttered something about having another Bella situation. Edward laughed.
I stuck my tongue out at both of them- I didn't care if it seemed immature- and flitted out of the room to find Bella.
I found her cooing softly to Nessie in the living room. I say down next to her on the white couch.
Nessie stretched her arm forward and touched my face. I saw glimpses of her playing outside with Jacob, trying to catch one of the brilliant black and orange butterflies that fluttered through the bushes.
I smiled at her as she pulled her hand back. "That's great, Nessie!"
Bella groaned. "Not you, too!"
"What?" I asked, confused.
"Her name is Renesmee. Not Nessie," she said.
Nessie rolled her eyes and touched Bella's face, probably telling her that she preferred Nessie.
"Okay, well, I'm still calling you Renesmee," Bella told her daughter.
Nessie rolled her eyes again. She looked a lot like Edward when she did that.
"I'm thirsty," she announced.
Bella glanced at me. "You can hunt later."
"But I'm thirsty!" she whined, her hands clutching her throat.
"Go with Jacob," said Bella in a strict tone.
"Fine," she huffed and ran off to find him.
"Sorry about that," said Bella as Nessie's figure retreated down the hall.
"No problem," I said.
"No, really," she said. "I know how it must feel to have people say that kind of stuff around you, with you being human and all."
"Really, it's nothing," I assured her. Okay, I had to admit it was kinda weird, but hey, I was in a house of vampires. What else should I expect?
"Okay, but just tell me if you feel...you know," she said.
"Sure, sure," I said.
"So," she said brightly. "How are you liking it here?"
"It's nice," I said. "Though I'm still a little homesick, you know?"
"Yeah," she nodded. "I miss Charlie, too. The last time we visited him was when I taped that letter in the diary, just so it wouldn't feel like an unfinished story. Anyway, I'll show you around the island. It's beautiful."
"Right now?" I asked, and she nodded.
She took me around the sunny island. I stated in amazement as her ivory skin reflected the sun rays, making it shine brilliantly. It was almost blinding in this sun, but I didn't mind.
The island was beautiful, too. The water was a clear turquoise, and the white sand contrasted well with it. There were tropical plants and animals that I didn't get to see back in Forks.
As night fell upon the island, we walked together back to the house, where I quickly fell into a dreamless sleep, exhausted by the day's events.