Chapter 18

Esme

The poor child looked so vulnerable laying there with her head and face bandaged sleeping fitfully. Whenever she woke we gave her sips of water and the medication Carlisle had left out for her and soon she was looking a little brighter but still very weak. I had read Eleazar's note and passed it on to Carmen after which we didn't speak about Alice except to remark how weak she was. If they didn't want us to speak about her possible gift then we wouldn't. Instead she told me more about Tanya's mate Simon,

"She met him on a hunt with Irina, he was passing through the area although he'd never been to Alaska before, it was the mating pull drawing him there I'm sure. Anyway he met Tanya and Irina and they brought him back to our place. Things just went from there, before we knew it she and Simon were planning to move to Anchorage and buy a home. Tanya wasn't going to wander around, she likes her creature comforts too much for that."

"I wish Edward could meet someone, he gets so depressed and moody sometimes."

"Well he is rather an odd character and others of our kind tend to be put off by his gift. It isn't exactly nice to think he's trampling through your thoughts all the time, we all have thoughts we'd rather keep to ourselves I'm sure you'll agree."

"True but its hardly his fault, he can't turn it off and on at will."

Heidi came in from time to time to check on the patient but she never stayed long, I think the idea of sickness still spooked her, she'd almost died of the plague back in ancient times and though she knew vampires couldn't catch diseases the idea of sickness still bothered her too much to allow her to be comfortable in here.

"Did you hear what happened in El Paso a few months ago Esme?"

"El Paso? No, what?"

"Well it seemed a group of nomads, escapees from one of the southern covens crossed the border, went all the way to Dallas, and were hunting in the city. The Volturi heard and sent The Major, apparently it was a massacre but the humans never knew a thing about it. He's just so good at his job, just the sound of his name gives me the shivers."

"I don't think I've ever heard of him."

"Really? Maybe Carlisle didn't want to worry you. He's been around for quite a while but no one ever sees him, or at least lives to tell the tale. They say he is utterly ruthless, he takes no prisoners, if he is given your name you're dead. The Volturi have stopped almost all problems with nomads and rebels since he started hunting them."

"Oh, do you know what he looks like? He might be here now. I'm just glad Carlisle and Aro are friends, it doesn't take much to upset the Volturi these days."

When the men got back Carmen and Eleazar went back to their suite to ring the girls and check everything was OK while Carlisle came to sit with me by Alice's bed.

"She's quieter now, I think your injection did her good."

"Has she said anything since we left?"

"No, not a thing. She's had some sips of water and her medication but that's all."

"I think some soup might be a good idea next time she wakes, why don't you go out into the square, the store there sells cans I think."

I nodded, it would be good to get out of the citadel, especially since hearing of The Major. I wanted to ask Carlisle if he knew anything about the man but it would wait.

I walked quickly along the almost deserted corridors speaking to no one until I almost knocked a young man, dressed all in black, over as I opened a door without looking first.

"I'm sorry, I should have looked first."

He turned cold eyes on me,

"It doesn't matter Mrs Cullen."

"I'm sorry, do I know you?"

"No, you'll be pleased to hear."

Then he turned on his heel and walked away as if he hadn't a care in the world but he left me feeling unnerved and I was grateful to step out of the clock tower and into the evening air of the square.

Taking my time I window shopped until I felt less tense then went into the little grocery store and bought three cans of assorted flavored soup then walked back but the closer I got the slower my feet went as if they were trying to keep me away. The young man had unnerved me so badly I found I didn't want to go back inside. As I went in through the doors I was terrified I might run into him again but it was deserted as were the corridors except for meeting Heidi as she went on some errand. She smiled at me as she passed and that made me feel a little better, I was a guest here, I had nothing to worry about, but I was still relieved when I entered Alice's room and saw Carlisle sitting there.

He looked up,

"Are you OK Esme? You look as if you've seen a ghost."

I nodded and managed a faint smile,

"Yes fine, its just that the corridors were all so quiet."

He nodded gravely,

"Yes, I think its dinner time for the Volturi."

I nodded feeling sick to my stomach at the thought of all the humans being slaughtered in this very building right now. I put the cans down and went to sit beside him grabbing his hand and finding my own was trembling.

"Really Esme, what happened? Did someone upset you?"

I shook my head,

"I think it was Carmen telling me about The Major."

"Ah, I see. Well you don't need to worry about him, he's only interested in those who offend the Volturi or break their laws and we do neither."

"Why didn't you tell me about him?"

"From the look of you perhaps you can guess. He's not someone I would willing tell anyone about."

Alice woke up then cutting our conversation short and as she wanted to sit up Carlisle helped her while I heated the soup on the usually redundant hotplate in the suite, I sometimes wondered at the things to be found here in a building full of vampires, what on earth did they need with cooking facilities? Still at least it was proving useful now. I heard the girl try to speak,

"Slowly Alice."

"Edward."

I looked round recognizing our son's name and threw a questioning glance at Carlisle who shook his head at me then returned his gaze to his patient,

"You wonder who Edward is? Did you hear the girls talking about him?"

I looked over in time to see Alice exchange a knowing look with my husband,

"I'll see he visits, he will be interested in a young mystery girl like you."

Alice looked relieved and settled back on the pillows I had arranged so she could sit propped up. Carlisle went out as I spoon fed her the soup but I could see she was desperate to speak, holding herself back with an effort.

"Do you know where you are Alice?"

She nodded as she replied weakly,

"No."

"This is Volterra in Italy, a long way from home for you. Do you remember what happened to you?"

This time when she replied in the negative she shook her head too.

"Do you know where you were found?"

This time there was a nod to accompany the no, Alice didn't want anyone outside this room to know what she knew.

"Do you remember your other name or where you live?"

She sighed and closed her eyes just as Heidi came in bearing some fresh linen,

"Aro asked me to help you change the bedding, Carlisle says with a fever she needs fresh sheets often."

I smiled at Heidi wondering if she had come here straight from feeding then pushed that thought away as too unsettling.