"Jasper," I rasped. "Thirsty." I hated to interrupt our moment, but I wasn't sure how much longer I could take it.

"Right," he said, and pulled away. "Okay, go."

I stared at him. "Jasper, I don't know how to hunt."

He laughed. "It's easy." He walked around me so he was behind me. "Just follow your instincts."

Glancing skeptically at him, I looked around. I didn't see any obvious prey. "Try smelling," he prompted.

I breathed deeply through my nose. I kept focusing on the scent of the fresh rain, but I ignored it and sniffed again for anything appetizing.

My eyes flew open as a tangy scent hit my nose. I looked to Jasper. "Just go," he said.

And so I did.

I flew through the trees towards whatever I smelled. The sounds of two deer reached me. Then I saw them and lunged.

Everything happened so fast. When I regained myself, I wasn't thirsty anymore. The deer's corpse lay across my lap. I shoved it off in disgust.

Jasper was simply watching me from a distance, a smile playing across his lips. "Don't watch me," I said. "It's unsettling."

"Sorry," he apologized lightheartedly. "I can't believe you're one of us now. It's just as strange for me as it is for you."

"I doubt that," I say. "Do you remember what it was like for you? When you first...woke?"

He thought about it for a second. "Yes. Very clearly. It wasn't very exciting. Maria was there."

"Maria?"

"Do you remember my story?" he asked. "She was the one that changed me."

"Oh, yeah," I said, flashing back to the muddled human memory.

"Are you still thirsty?" he asked suddenly. I shook my head. "Then let's go home."

His words filled me with pleasure. It wasn't just any home now, it was my home. Our home.

It didn't take long to reach there. "How was it?" asked Bella when we entered, hand in hand.

That was when I had my first vision as a vampire.

Dark cloaked figures made their way across the sandy beach of the island. They were very obviously vampires. The one in front threw his hood off and grinned. His pale skin glimmered in the harsh sun. He stared directly at me and gestured for me to come forward.

I gasped as the image faded away. "The Volturi," said Edward. "Alice, what was that? Why were they here?"

I shook my head. Edward seemed to be extremely panicked at my vision. "I don't know."

"Do you know when they're coming?" he asked.

I feel useless. "No."

"They're coming for Alice," he says to the family. I stiffen.

"But how do they know?" asks Jasper, protectively wrapping an arm around me.

"It doesn't matter," snarls Rosalie. "They want her, and won't leave without her."

"Wait!" I yell. "What's going on? Who are these guys? And why do they want me?"

Bella looked at me. "Remember when you first came to the island? We told you."

I struggled to remember. "Um...yeah. The vampire king dudes, right?"

"They're not just 'vampire king dudes,'" growled Edward. "They're extremely powerful, and won't stop for anything."

"But why me?" I asked.

"Your power," explains Carlisle. "I've never met a vampire who could predict the future, and I doubt they have, either. Any coven would kill for someone like you, Alice."

"Okay, there's an easy solution. I go and tell them no, and they leave us alone."

"It's not that easy," hissed Jasper. "They will come here and do whatever they can to have you- kidnap you, threaten you, even fight us."

"Fight you?" I gasped. "No, no, no. No one's fighting anyone. How about...how about I agree to go with them, then escape somehow? I won't come back here, of course. Somewhere else…"

"They have Chelsea, that won't be possible," muttered Edward, pacing back and forth.

"Who?" I asked.

"Chelsea can make or break emotional ties," said Jasper. "She'll make you feel attached to the Volturi. You won't want to leave...ever."

"My shield can prevent that," said Bella. "Remember when they came for Renesmee? It worked then."

"But you won't be with Alice if she pretends to join them," pointed out Emmett.

"Unless," said Jasper, "Bella pretends to join them as well." He looked at her pointedly.

"If Bella's going, so am I," growled Edward.

Emmett rolled his eyes. "Why don't we all just fake joining the Volturi?"

"Jasper has a good idea," said Bella. "I think we should do it. Alice and I go to Volterra, while you all move to a different location. We escape, then join you."

"What about Aro?" asked Rosalie. "If he reads your mind and sees your plan…"

"I'm immune to that too," said Bella. "But we need an excuse as to why I'm keeping a shield around us all the time…"

"Privacy?" suggested Jasper. "Alice is your friend, and Aro knows you're not exactly fond of him. It would make sense to keep him out of your minds. As for Chelsea, no one would want her to use her powers on them. Tell him it would make you feel uncomfortable to be manipulated like that."

"What if he guesses their plan?" asked Rosalie.

"We'll just have to be as convincing as possible," muttered Bella.

"Wait!" I exclaimed over the excited chattering. The room fell silent. "I'm not putting Bella in danger for this. If she gets hurt, it's my fault."

"I agree," said Edward. "Bella is safe with me."

"She's not a child, Edward," said Esme quietly.

Edward looked at her incredulously. "You too, Esme?"

"It's not that I don't care for Bella," she said. "I know she's strong, Edward. She can handle it."

"Alright, then it's settled," said Bella over the complaints and protests of Edward and I. "Alice and I will go with the Volturi to Italy as soon as they come."

"How long will you be there?" asked Edward.

"We'll escape as soon as we can," promised Bella.

I sighed. I guess there was no stopping this plan now.