Chapter Sixty Nine

Edward

When Marcus sent me to a villa close to Pisa I understood it wasn't safe even in Volterra for me. I don't think I really thought through my actions before I spoke to Marcus. Sure I wanted to punish Carlisle and Bella and that seemed the most appropriate way of getting revenge. Aro was always going to save them, well not Bella but the family and she was a small price to pay for revenge but things had turned out differently. Carlisle should never have been told it was me who betrayed them but I still thought he would forgive me, right until I read that quotation. Carlisle wasn't one to make dramatic gestures so he meant what he left for me. I had underestimated how much the others meant to him or grossly overestimated what I meant to him and both were crushing to my ego. Having to beg the Volturi for help to escape retribution was humiliating but it was better than death!

What I hadn't expected was to find Marcus waiting for me when I arrived and one look at his face was enough to tell me he had more bad news.

"Marcus, I didn't expect you to greet me personally although I know you are grateful I gave you a golden opportunity to get one over on Aro. I suppose laying low here for a few months will be enough. Aro has much more pressing matters to deal with. After all I suppose rescuing Carlisle and the family will put them in his debt and I guess maybe he might insist they return to Volterra to live."

He didn't answer me and a cold dread spread through me,

"He did save them didn't he? Of course he did, he has command of The Major after all."

"I'm not sure anyone has control over The Major Edward, at least not any more although that is still to be seen. Yes Carlisle and your family were freed, for now."

"Oh good, right, so that's why I can't go to Volterra? Carlisle's there? He doesn't know where I am does he? You owe me my safety."

"No Edward that's where you are wrong. I don't owe you anything at all. I never asked you for anything and you are here only because you asked for my help. Therefore I think it's more apt to say that you owe me Edward Cullen."

This wasn't going according to plan at all!

"I owe you? What is it you want Marcus? I thought the opportunity to get a little of your own back on Aro would be all you ever wanted."

"Did you now? And you think that by arranging for the Cullens to be killed I would feel I had got my own back on Aro? You do know why Aro and I can never be anything but enemies don't you?"

"Yes, he had your wife murdered to keep you in the Volturi. Carlisle told me about it

"Did he, and you still think I would be happy to get my revenge by killing his best friend? True it amused me to toy with my brother but that's all it was, never revenge Edward. I'm not sure you even understand the true meaning if the word, you merely play with it."

"What about me though? I'm the one in trouble as a result of helping out the Volturi."

"You are? Forgive me I thought Chief Swan was the one in trouble."

"Chief Swan? Bella's father? What's he got to do with it?"

"So you don't know? Then let me enlighten you. The Major kidnapped Bella's father to force her hand and like a good daughter she came to save him. You may not be aware just how cruel The major can be but as usual he found a way to torture everyone. Chief Swan murdered his own daughter while trying to overpower The Major. He's still alive, Bella's father that is and its my understanding that he will become a vampire so he can attempt to hunt down The Major. Now that Edward is revenge. I'll leave you to think about that for a while, if I were you I'd stay in the villa, it wouldn't be wise to be seen and recognized."

When he'd left me I sat thinking about all the things I had learned, Bella was dead. Well I had half expected to hear that but Charlie being the one who killed her? That I found incredible to believe, I couldn't imagine how he must be feeling but I could understand he would want revenge. I doubted he'd get it even with Carlisle's help but I guess it was a good reason to die. And if Carlisle were busy helping Charlie, which he would as he'd feel responsible for dragging the Swans into this in the first place then he would be too busy to be looking for me.

Still I had to be careful, make plans and listen to everyone who came close, if any of the Volturi visited I would soon know where Carlisle and Charlie were. I relaxed as I remembered how superior I was, no one could plot anything that I wouldn't hear about from them or anyone who heard the planning. Having such a gift made planning against me almost impossible, especially as I could read minds at a distance. It was my very own security system.

Having decided I was safe enough I investigated my new temporary home. It was on the small side and a little basic but it would suffice. The courtyard garden was pleasant enough and private and I was pleased to see I had internet access and a good selection of CD's stacked up beside a high quality surround sound system. The only downside was there was no piano but beggars couldn't be choosers. It was something I might ask Marcus about...no perhaps not, I didn't want to draw any attention to myself, I could manage without for a time.

Marcus

I had never liked Edward Cullen and I liked him even less now. His self righteous attitude was sickening and I only helped him because it meant I knew exactly where he was for the time being. Eventually he would find he wasn't welcome in Italy but that time would come only once I was sure Carlisle was ready to look for his "son".

It would be interesting to see if when it came down to it he could really take that final step and kill a being he had created and not only that but one he had been so proud of and loved like a flesh and blood son. Caius might be willing to take a bet on it, he had little regard for Aro's old friend. It was something I would discuss with him once he reappeared in Volterra.

Having Alice Cullen on board was quite a coup in itself if she was more gifted than we had been led to believe although if so she might just be stubborn enough to hide it from us. Stubbornness was a trait I was only too familiar with. It was sheer stubbornness that kept me trying to break free of Chelsea and when I did, not if but when, Aro would be the first person to know as I ripped his throat out. Now that Edward Cullen was what real revenge tasted like.

In the event Caius turned up the following day beaming as he escorted Alice into the audience chamber and parading her like a racehorse around the room. I rolled my eyes and Aro sighed.

"I suppose you would like round of applause brother?"

"No, just a little appreciation since Marcus and I managed something you could not, to find out the truth about this young woman and bring her here to work for us."

Alice smiled up at him,

"Doing what Caius?"

"Seeing the future and helping us to keep our world safe."

Her eyes went hard and black but the smile remained,

"Oh the first part is easy enough. I see your future, it will end violently and in the near future."

Caius scowled wrenching her arm,

"Don't lie to me girl."

"Either I see the future wonderfully as you think in which case I spoke the truth or I don't see the future as we told you and you're a fool."