Chapter 8 – Interlude
A/N: a very short but necessary chapter. It will explain Edward's behavior in the next one and his decision to reveal himself. A much longer chapter will follow.
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Disgrace… disgrace, I was disgraced. Everything reminded me of it. I was no longer allowed to attend confidential meetings with the Masters. Everyone knew my shame. It was like I had leprosy, if it were possible for vampires.
Jane was looking at me smugly all the time. I'm sure she hoped to be allowed to punish me, the bitch. And, if I fail again, she will.
Maledetto Antony, maledetto. Why did you run?
I can't sense him anymore. I followed him to Canada, but there he disappeared. Never got his mind-map again. Not a hint. He must have died. Hell, he might have killed himself, for all I know. He had been despondent for a long time. Stupid. But how did he die? The shape-shifters maybe. Disgusting dogs. But we'll come for them when the time is right. We surely will.
Maybe this trip will make me redeem myself. Even if I have lost Antony, even if I can't find Alice Cullen. But Aro wants her; he thinks she'll be the brightest gem in his crown. I'm sure that for Caius she would be better dead. For me too. Puttana. She disappeared under my nose.
I believe the Quileutes are protecting the Seer; they are keeping her concealed for me. One of the last things Antony told us, when he was reading the Cullens, was that the wolves can interfere with some of our talents. Apparently Alice couldn't function near them. So I must presume that my tracking talent suffers also. And, hell, what if Jane and Alec too are disabled when we attack?
We must learn more about them, for sure. But how could a vampire spy on the reservation? They can recognize vampires easily, and they can kill us.
It took time, but eventually I was allowed to come to the US and try to repair my mistakes. So I have decided to plant a human spy in their midst. It wasn't easy to organize, but now it is practically done. The guy is very determined to discover things for us. He knows the price of failure – a price he will pay even if he is successful, but that is neither here nor there. I'll be waiting in New York for news, so that nobody will suspect anything.
Oh, a passed out drunkard. Central Park is truly dangerous at night. You never know whom you might meet. He stinks to high heaven, but he will do…
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What Demetri didn't know was that another vampire was reading his mind. Me. He couldn't sense my presence, nor could he recognize my mental map – Death's promise held true. And he hadn't seen or smelled me, since I had been careful to keep a great distance between us. As I knew the tracker very well, unfortunately, I could read his mind even when a mile or more separated us. When I'd had heard his thoughts in Central Park – he was hunting, like I had half a mind to do myself – I had been appalled, but I followed him cautiously until he made his kill, disposed of the corpse and went back to the hotel he was staying in.
So, a Volturi's minion was going to La Push under a disguise to spy on the Quileutes. This could be extremely dangerous for Alice and Bella. I had to find a way to let them know. And Demetri shouldn't be allowed to live much longer.
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Notes:
You'll remember that the name Edward went by as a Volturi was Antony.
Demetri is a fascinating character and I have read fics where he has a positive role. In one he becomes Edward's lover and in another he is paired with Leah. In my story, however, he is a real bastard.