Chapter Thirty-Three
We all sit around a campfire the night before the Volturi arrive to share stories and get to know each other. Jasper has me sitting on his lap and his chin is resting on my shoulder somehow. I smile as he rubs my tummy to keep the baby calm and to make me feel better. A few eyes of the visiting vampires wander every now and then to look over at me with my belly and to measure me up to see how jasper was able to leave Alice for someone like me. I was asked by Eleazar how is it I was able to make Jasper leave his first mate, since many vampires never leave their first mate. I was about to answer him when Jasper called me away. Jasper brings me back to the present when he nibbles on my shoulder a little and he purrs a little. I pull the blanket around me closer and I smile when I turn to look back at him. Matthew and Alice are sitting away from everyone, going over what may happen and the plan to stay away for a little bit before bringing Matthew and I into the area. No one knows that is the plan for us, tonight we will go and hide for a little bit and remain hidden form everyone. My mind goes back to Manny at Billy's and his little boy mind is not aware of the trouble I am putting myself in.
"Marinna, what are you thinking about?" Jasper whispers into my ear.
"About how Manny is doing," I says softly. Jasper stops rubbing my tummy and he stiffens a little, he knows I am not telling the truth.
"You are worried about the outcome of this all," Jasper growls a little. I shake my head and bury my face into his neck. Jasper lifts my left hand with the little bracelet of the Cullen family crest and my wedding rings. I look down to see his left hand is holding my hand a little tightly and I look at his ring.
"We will get through this, all of us, and we will all be together as a family. I promise that if anything gets too bad, I will run to get Manny and then leave," I whisper. Jasper kisses my forehead a few times and holds me closer to him.
"I wish that you were truly carrying my baby right now to let you have a piece of me forever," Jasper whispers.
"Jasper, stop that," I stop him from going on and he buries his face into my hair and he takes a deep breathe of my scent once more. He has done this many times since we got to the Cullens'. Rosalie and Emmett come over to sit next to us and they smile at us.
"Look at this happy couple cuddling together to keep their baby girl warm," Rosalie says.
"No, Marinna is carrying a little boy just like Manny," Emmett teases. I roll my eyes at our usual banter on the gender of our newest addition.
"No, it is a girl. I should know since she is in my body," I giggle. I am glad to have the change in conversation. Jasper chuckles and he puts his hands back on my tummy. Carlisle walks over and he smiles at us, knowing what we are talking about.
"To end this all together, I know the gender of the baby," Carlisle says. Esme smiles widely at his side while the rest of us wait to hear what we are having.
"Well?" Rosalie and I ask impatiently.
"A baby girl," Carlisle says. I give a small hoot of excitement and high five Rosalie. "But, there is also a little boy."
"What?!" The four of us gasp. Esme laughs at our reaction and she looks up at Carlisle. I look at my father-in-law to see his eyes are sparkling, as if knowing that one of these babies is Jasper's.
"Twins, a boy and a girl to make everyone feel good," Carlisle says. Rosalie and Emmett congratulate us, but Jasper and I are not paying attention to them. Our eyes are transfixed on Carlisle. I stand up and begin to walk away from everyone.
"Marinna," Jasper says, as he runs after me. I shake my head and try to walk into the darkness of the forest, but Jasper grabs my hand and pulls me towards him. "Sweetheart, what is the matter?"
"It is not possible, that cannot be possible to have two children to two different men at the same time," I say with tears falling down my face. I hear Carlisle and Esme walk over to us and we look at them.
"Marinna, I understand that you believe that one is Embry's and one is Jasper's, but there is something you not understand. You and Jasper spent a night together before the wedding right?" Carlisle says. I blush at the infidelity I had before my wedding night, but told no one about it. Jasper stiffens a bit at our little secret being known by his parents.
"Yes, but how did you know?" I finally say.
"Because you miscarried Embry's child and you did not notice because of your night or nights with Jasper," Carlisle says with a smile. I feel my face become even hotter and I feel dizzy. "Marinna, it is nothing to be ashamed of. But the truth is that neither of those babies are Embry's, but your husband's children."
"So, I am going to be a father to two children that are my own flesh and blood?" Jasper asks, suddenly happy. Carlisle nods and I am suddenly entrapped into Jasper's arms. We smile and laugh in the happiness knowing that the children our really ours. Carlisle and Esme leaves us to enjoy this happy moment together, but my mind is too busy trying to figure out how this is all possible and how it feels like something out of a book.
Matthew and I hide behind a few of the trees not too far from the Cullens and their witnesses. Alice and Jasper are keeping an eye on where the Volturi might be coming from and I suddenly become scared and grab Matthew's hand like when we were kids. He squeezes my hand and we remain quiet, the only sound is our breathing. I see a group of black cloaked people coming out of the trees to out left and I gasp a little.
"Be strong, Marinna," Matthew whispers. Alice and Jasper join us and the four of us watch for a moment. "Apparently Aro is looking for Alice, whoever that may be."
"Matthew, you know that is. This is no time for jokes," I snap at my brother. Jasper puts his arm around me to keep my calm. "Sorry, just a little edgy."
"Apology accepted, sweet sister," Matthew says with a smile. I watch the Cullens make their case, but I refuse to listen closely to what is being said. jasper is rubbing my arm with his hand and he is holding his breathe in anticipation to when we are to make our appearance. Everyone is a little on edge about our sudden disappearance, but they are not letting them let it get to them. Alice turns to us and she nods her head to let us know it is almost time. Jasper looks at me with a sad face and we share a sweet kiss.
"You know what to do it something happens," Jasper says softly. I nod and give him a small smile before he walks away from me. His backside makes me feel like I may never see his handsome face ever again as he walks with Alice to the Volturi while Bella walks with Reneesme, Jacob, and Emmett to the Volturi. Edward is frozen when he sees Alice and Jasper walking alone. Matthew keeps my hand in his to give me support like he did at my wedding and when we were still in the orphanages as kids.
"Relax and take deep breathes, we will get through this," Matthew says in Italian. My body relaxes when the babies move a little bit to remind me of their presence. It is a few minutes later when we get the signal from Alice for us to make our appearance. The two of us walk hand in hand towards everyone and I sense everyone's edginess over our odd plan to disappear and then appear at this time. Jasper takes my hand when Matthew goes to stand at Alice's side.
"And who might you two be?" the man, I am told is Aro, asks.
"I am Matthew Uley-Black and that is my twin sister, Marinna Cullen," Matthew says.
"She is a Cullen and expecting?" Aro asks, his eyes looking me over. "Well, according to our dear Alice, the two of you are hybrids like Reneesme. Is this true?"
"Yes, we are half Quilliete shifter, a native tribe around here, and we are half vampire. We were born and raised a part of our childhood in Italy, never knowing our father and after loosing our mother at a young age," I say calmly. Aro looks at me sternly and he smiles a bit.
"May I see?" Aro asks with his hands out. Jasper growls and he pulls me closer to him. "Ah, so you are her husband?"
"Yes, she is my wife," Jasper growls. I put my hand on Jasper's chest when he puts a hand over my tummy protectively.
"And I presume she is carrying your child?" Aro asks. Jasper nods and I look at Aro with a challenging look. It takes a moment before I finally step forward with my hand extended out to him. "A wise decision child."
"But, you must let the others go back before I let you into my mind, Aro," I say sternly.
"My, my, you know to make a bargain. Fine, they can go back to with their little battalion," Aro says. I turn to Jacob and mouth for him to turn back around with Bella, Edward, and Emmett. They walk back and I turn back to Aro with my hand to him. Aro takes my hand happily and he kisses my hand before digging into my memories from over the years. My head begins to hurt the more Aro looks and further back he goes into my past. I begin to get dizzy and my knees become weak slowly.
"Enough!"