Chapter Sixty Five
Caius
It had been a pleasure to take charge of Alice Cullen, the gifted vampire Carlisle had striven to keep a secret from us and no matter what Aro or Carlisle said I was sure she was more powerful than they made her out to be. The two of The Major's men who had brought her to the airport also brought a letter from him and when I read it I understood they had no idea what was written in it.
When I informed them that were flying back with me they were startled but one look at my face and that of Jane who I had brought with me soon changed their minds and they found themselves seated in the Volturi jet on their way to Italy. While Jane watched Alice I went to talk to them,
"It seems The Major no longer requires your services and he is putting you in my hands. I take it you are both happy to join the guard?"
They looked at each other but neither was brave enough to say no,
"Let's be fair, you'll find it a wall in the park after working for your master."
Again they kept silence and I smiled,
"Hurts when you find yourself betrayed by someone you trusted doesn't it?"
Alice
Caius seemed to think I was a powerful seer but if I'd been that powerful I would have seen this coming and avoided it now wouldn't I? He obviously wasn't as clever as he thought he was and I wondered if his brothers were equally as stupid. I had seen Bella fall and knew she was dead, killed by her own father but at The Majors connivance, he really was a bastard wasn't he? I felt sorry for Charlotte who had been singled out by one of the animals.
I knew there was nothing any of us could do about it but that didn't stop the feeling of guilt at abandoning her. What would the future hold for me? Yes I was seeing more reliably now but there was no way I would work for the Volturi, I wouldn't even admit I still had visions of the future, I hardly believed them myself and I certainly wouldn't rely on one for my life. I just wished I could see the downfall of the Volturi, now that really would be something!
Caius came back to my side and Jane moved off to watch over The Major's men, he was enjoying their discomfort far too much.
"So Alice, you finally get to Volterra. The Volturi are very keen to hear all about your gift, what you've seen up to now and what you know of the future. For instance did you know that Edward begged us for sanctuary, quite ironic really when he threw our offers of a home in our faces in the past. Of course it wouldn't be safe for him in Volterra, not with my dear brother around. Aro would find a way of getting to Edward, I think he might even be willing to kill the boy for his betrayal of his sire."
"Edward Cullen is a lying, manipulative bastard who deserves to die."
He just laughed,
"You have him down pat don't you? But sometimes they are the people who give us what we want when there is no other way. I suppose Carlisle thinks he and the rest of his precious family are now safe with the human girl dead. Well it will come as a shock when he finds The Major knocking on his door again. I just wish I could be there to see his face."
I wasn't going to reply, that's what he wanted but then I couldn't as a vision hit me so strongly it was all I could do not to cry out. Luckily he was called to the radio, a message from Marcus I think and I was able to fix my face so no one would know I had seen anything. If I was right this changed everything, but could it be? I had seen The Major take Bella's lifeless body away, no heartbeat, no breathing so how could she be with him now? She looked deathly pale but she wasn't dead, nor was she a vampire so somehow she had survived. I wished I had a way of telling Carlisle or Charlie but then was that right? I might be holding out false hope to them.
If I'd seen the truth, the real future then not only was Bella still alive but she was with Charlotte and two men I couldn't see properly, surely not The Major and his deranged side kick? Maybe Charlotte had found her, revived her and they had escaped. Maybe she was with the Quileutes and that was why I couldn't see the men, I almost wanted to hope I was right but I dreaded it might be just wishful thinking.
I would hold my tongue and hope to see more later and I would most certainly not tell the brothers anything. My problem would come if I were allowed to see Aro, he could read my thoughts and understand I was lying about my visions so I had to hope that with the enmity between the brothers I would be kept well away from him.
Caius
I watched Alice Cullen but she sat impassive, almost as if not concerned she was now in Volturi hands, perhaps it was true that she had nothing to tell us but we would find out one way or the other and without involving Aro. He had shown where his loyalties lay and it was not with Marcus and myself so we would treat him the same way, with contempt. That was why we weren't going to take Alice to Volterra but instead to a small fortified villa Marcus had purchased some years ago as a retreat but never visited.
Aro would never allow it and he was of the impression that Marcus had sold it which he had in a way, he had given it to me with the proviso if he ever freed himself from Aro's grip he would have it back. Mind the only way he would get free of our dear brother was if Aro were to die and he was far too careful to allow that, not to mention Renata was never more than inches from him, ready to protect him from any threat. The villa would be perfect to hold Alice Cullen, half of it was sunk into the bedrock giving both privacy and security, even a vampire would find bursting through the mountainside to escape something of a problem.
Santiago and four of his loyal friends had moved out of the citadel ostensibly on a mission in the Greek Islands when in fact they waited for us at the airport and transported us straight to the villa where I showed Alice to her quarters, in the lower area of course. She looked around biting her lip,
"No windows?"
"No I thought it might help your visions become more clear with no distractions."
"So I'm not being taken to Volterra? What will you tell Aro? He'll be expecting me."
"Then he's going to be disappointed but don't worry, I'm sure you will find something to amuse you, perhaps a vision of the future, your future. I must tell you that if your gift doesn't improve radically that will be extremely short and painful."
she looked up at me,
"I can't help it if my gift is weak, if it were better I wouldn't be here looking into your ugly face would I Caius?"
I lifted my hand and slapped her around the face causing her to fall backwards against the far wall,
"Don't think for one minute Aro or your precious Carlisle will come to save you. From now on my face is the only one you will be seeing if your visions don't improve. Think on that."