(A/N: As usual, for those patiently waiting for the next chapters of this story, I full heartedly apologize. For what it's worth, I'll be working on the following chapter of this story next instead of immediately going to my other ongoing stories. And I might end up doing another chapter after that, but the basic deal is that I haven't forgotten about this story, I promise and there's still plenty of story to go.)
Bella closed her eyes and held her breath. Edward was able to handle this for years. She could do this. She was not going to murder the Volturi's receptionist in front of her daughter while trying to rescue her daughter's father. This was not going to happen. She was going to control her hunger if it killed her. When Bella opened her eyes, she saw Amanda giving her a slightly strained smile.
Unlike most humans she met, this one knew full well the danger she was in. All Volturi receptionists want to be turned but you can't be turned if you're dead. She had to tread carefully. "How may I help you, Miss Swan?"
Miss Swan. That helped her focus. It reminded her that she wasn't technically married anymore, at least in the vampire sense. She was here for Edward, but she also had to know what was going on first. "You look somewhat familiar to me, Amanda." Bella flashed Amanda a dazzling smile, and the effect was instantaneous. "Do you have a twin by any chance?"
Amanda broke out of her Bella induced stare and processed the question. Once she had, Amanda flashed a smile back to Bella. "Yes! Well, kinda. I'm a triplet." She stated in an excited voice.
Bella's eyes bulged for a second before she caught herself. There are two more of them? Two? It was everything for Bella not to pinch the bridge of her nose in frustration. Sure, she had bad luck in the past, but this was too much. And one is literally working for the Volturi? It took her a second to realize that Amanda had asked her a question and was patiently waiting for an answer.
"Where did I see her?" Bella repeated. "New York." She felt bad for lying but Emmett had gone out of his way to orchestrate that 'accident', and she didn't want to mess that up by giving unnecessary information.
Amanda looked up thoughtfully. "New York…that was probably Ashley. She travels all over the place. We tend to have a sense of adventure. Ironically, my youngest sister Christina was traveling up the west coast to Canada last I heard."
Bella tried not to let her face betray her as she realized Christina got close, but obviously never made it to Canada…unless that's where Emmett put her…
Bella looked up from the conversation when she heard the undoubtedly vampire footsteps headed to the door Heidi had gone through. Every vampire seemed to have a very distinct way of walking and she'd been around Heidi enough to pin it down and turned to the door expectedly. Renesmee followed suit, a curious look on her face as to what her mother's 'small talk' had actually meant.
"My deepest apologies for the wait." Heidi stated with what appeared to be the utmost sincerity. "The Volturi will see you now. Unless you wanted to wait for the rest of your family."
That caught Bella's attention. But she didn't want to give anything away, so she looked at Heidi expectantly for more information.
"They'll be here shortly?" There was a slight smirk that Heidi was trying to hide. Vampires weren't idiots. The Volturi had probably already put together what Bella was here for and that her family was here to stop her. Something similar had already happened with Edward a couple years ago after all. 'Those who don't learn from history…' and all that.
"Of course," Bella flashed her teeth in a wide smile. She didn't even look at Nessie but was hoping that her daughter was playing along as well. "If they're ready to see me now, I wouldn't want them to wait."
Heidi nodded, still smirking, motioning for Bella to enter. "Of course the wolves won't be allowed to enter. This is a place for vampires…and the occasional human."
The wolves?! Why would the wolves be here? But when Bella really thought about it, the answer was obvious. Nessie. Of course. She might as well be a member of the pack. Heidi was probing for information. It wasn't like Aro or even Edward would be able to get anything out of her without her letting them. They had to get her to say it or trick her into it, and she refused to let either happen. She wasn't sure if the wolves were really there, but she had to keep up the charade that she knew her family was arriving to Volterra so close to her own arrival.
"Of course, that's completely understandable." Bella spared a glance at Renesmee. She was trying to hide it but her face was full of questions. So was Bella's. How did they get here so fast? Was the tour a convoluted way to help the Cullens catch up? How would that benefit the Volturi if it was by design? Was this whole plan a gigantic mistake? Is it too late to back out? Is Edward even in that room? Would Nessie be able to handle this? Bella took a deep breath…big mistake with Amanda so close…but she regained herself, shielded both her and Renesmee's mind and entered the room.
As Bella and Nessie walked in, they saw the now familiar royal family of vampires, namely Felix, Demitri, Jane, Alec, Chelsea, Renata, and of course, Caius, Marcus, and Aro, all looking at them with a variety of expressions from complete indifference to caution to curiosity. And then she saw him. Right next to Aro, with Renata. Edward.
If Bella's heart could beat, it would have skipped one. He looked so different. It wasn't just the blood red eyes. Everything about him, from his neutral facial expression to his body language was just…off. It was him…but…it wasn't…
"Dad…?" Renesmee silently gasped. Edward faced her only as if someone had called his name, nothing more.
"Volturi." Bella addressed them politely as a whole.
"Miss Swan! It's so good to see you!" Aro beamed. "It appears you and your daughter are in good health."
Bella forced a smile. "It's good to see you too, Aro. Our last meeting wasn't quite a pleasant one was it?"
"Unfortunately." Aro agreed. "But that was in the past. It seems to have worked out marvelously." He looked over appraisingly at Renesmee.
"Master?" Edward spoke up. "If I may be so bold. We know why they're here. It seems almost cruel to let this futile attempt go on with pleasantries." There were a few scattered snickers at the comment, which immediately ceased as soon as they happened.
There was something about Edward referring to Aro as Master. Both Bella and Renesmee had an immediate reaction to it. It just…wasn't right. This whole situation wasn't right.
"Now now, Edward. We are civilized are we not? There's always time for pleasantries." Aro responded.
"Are you doing well, Edward?" Bella asked. This got another round of snickers. Bella didn't care. Edward hadn't looked directly at her since she arrived. That just…wasn't Edward.
"Couldn't Alice have told you that?" Edward asked with a smirk. The snickers became a little louder.
"I wanted to hear it from you."
There was a long pause between the two of them before Edward answered. "I'm doing just great, Miss Swan. Your concern for my well-being is truly touching."
He was so cold. It was pissing Bella off. Be it anger, love, or frustration, Edward was never so…apathetic with her. He legitimately acted as if he couldn't care less if she were there or not. "Edward…could we please talk in private?"
"I have nothing to say to you in private. I have no secrets, regardless." Edward responded, looking at Bella with almost the same expression as Marcus. Complete indifference.
"Yes, Miss Swan. We're all friends here. Family even. Anything you wish to say to Edward, you can say around us. No need to be shy." Aro smiled widely.
Bella knew a dare when she heard one. Only it wasn't her who accepted it. "Daddy, come home! I know things were weird, but we're a family. We're supposed to work things out."
Edward nodded. "This would be true. However, I hold no animosity towards you. I also have no desire to go back to Forks. I no longer acknowledge your clan as my family. I've found my true place here and I'm doing important work."
What struck the mother/daughter duo more than his words was the fact that he didn't respond to Renesmee directly. He was blatantly talking to Bella, despite Nessie being the one who talked to him. A fact that didn't escape the young hybrid. "Dad!"
Edward finally turned to acknowledge her, but that was mostly because she began walking towards him. Every vampire in the room was immediately on edge to protect their Masters. Bella quickly put her hand on Nessie's shoulder, which was shrugged off. "No!" The youth protested. "You don't get to ignore me! If you're mad, fine. Frustrated, fine. But you do not ignore me!"
The only reason the other Volturi didn't attack as she approached closer was because Aro made a motion for them to stand down. Renata moved closer to Aro, practically clinging to his cloak, but that was the only change. Meanwhile, Aro was watching like the only thing missing from this situation was the popcorn. Caius looked furious. And of course, Marcus looked bored.
"Look at me!" Renesmee insisted.
Edward sighed, making an act out of giving her his undivided attention. He raised his eyebrows expectantly.
"Dad, it's me! It's us! I know they messed with your head, but you can't have forgotten what we mean to each other." Nessie pleaded, desperately trying to break through Chelsea's influence.
Caius spoke out. "We didn't do anything he didn't ask f-"
"I wasn't talking to you!" This got another immediate reaction as the vampires all looked to Caius for orders.
"Renesmee!" Bella dashed forward. "I'm so, so sorry! She's just emotional! I promise you we will have a very long talk about her rudeness. She's still young."
Nessie spun around, a look of fury and betrayal clear on her face.
"Remember to whom you speak!" Bella growled lowly under her breath. It was only then that Nessie seemed to grasp the danger she was truly in.
Renesmee sighed and bowed her head. "I'm very sorry, Lord Caius. Please forgive my rude outburst."
Caius blew out a puff of air but took no other action. Everyone's attention was drawn to the door as Heidi walked back. "Please forgive my intrusion, Master, but the other Cullens have arrived. Amanda is having a…human moment…should I entertain them until you're ready?"
"Oh you can invite them now." Aro replied with a smile. "I feel they will have an opinion on this as well after all."
Everyone was paying attention to Heidi and Aro. No one was paying any mind to Renesmee. She took advantage of that fact to get closer to her father. If Edward had truly forgotten what he meant to her, to the whole family, then she'd show him. It was what she did. Nessie was pretty sure that here power could override Chelsea's. She was now close enough to touch him and use her own unique blend of her parents' special abilities.
Unfortunately, Edward knew exactly what she had planned. As soon as she reached out for him, Edward immediately dodged the motion and countered, wrapping his fingers around her throat and squeezing. "Don't you dare touch me, you filthy abomination!"
As the Cullens were let inside, they saw Edward choking Renesmee. Nessie's eyes were bulging as she tried in vain to pry the vampire's grip off of her. She was trying to speak but there was no air to give the words any purchase. In front of this horrible scene was a furious Bella, who was knelt into a snarling crouch ready to attack him.
"Oh God…we're too late…" Alice gasped, covering her mouth.
There were a few other shouts from the Cullens, but Bella couldn't hear them. All she saw was her daughter in mortal danger and the fact that she was close enough to Edward that no vampire could stop her from ripping off his head. She couldn't see her former lover anymore. All she could see was a threat. The only thing that kept her from attacking was that through the Cullens' words, Alice's echoed in her mind. She was too late. Alice being deathly afraid of something was never a good thing.
The logical part of Bella's brain ran the scenario that must have gone through Alice's head. Whether Bella succeeded or not in attempting to kill Edward, she'd be killed. Edward was Volturi now and killing him in front of them was suicide. Rose would avenge her. Emmett would avenge Rose. And the Volturi would have every reason they need to execute the lot of them, and by extension, the wolves if they were truly here too. Bella's action would literally kill just about everyone she cares about.
Fear can be very powerful, and the fear of that fate shook Bella out of her bloodlust as she looked to Aro instead. "Please…" She pleaded.
Aro smiled back at her and then turned to Edward. "Come now, Edward. Let the girl go. No need for this to become ugly." The other Volturi did not share this view. They were all chomping at the bit for an excuse. Any excuse.
"Yes, Master." Edward released Nessie, letting her fall clumsily to the floor, looking at him in a blend of confusion and horror as she held her bruised neck.
Bella helped her up in a flash, embracing her daughter, Rosalie immediately by her side to help. Emmett took a protective stance in front of them.
"My…deepest apologies." Edward responded, a slight smirk on his lips. "I felt threatened, and responded too harshly. Please forgive me."
Bella glared daggers at Edward as she responded, purposefully ignoring his apology, "Thank you for your mercy…Aro."
"Think nothing of it, young one." Aro replied with a smile. The die had been cast, after all. Edward was his. No further proof was necessary.
Carlisle then spoke up, doing what he could to smooth over the situation. They kept everything friendly, and of course, Aro extended an offer for any of them to join him, including Renesmee. Bella tuned it all out as she held her daughter. All she could think was that her stubbornness had almost killed her family. Alice was right, and she should have listened.
They were able to continue the friendly charade for a while longer until Carlisle suggested they head to the hotel. Of course everyone agreed. Even Bella and Nessie had regained themselves to an extent by that point. Though this was mostly in part to their distress causing much amusement around the room, especially from Felix and Jane.
"Allow me to show you out." Edward offered. "I apologize again for my rash action. It really was uncalled for."
This time Bella actually acknowledged him. She flashed a smile. If it was meant to be anything but predatory then she failed miserably. "Of course, Edward. These things happen." Nessie's expression was one of stone as she merely nodded silently, even that slight motion causing her neck pain she refused to show.
"Have a nice day." Amanda said, cheerfully as she sat down, apparently recently returning.
It all happened very quickly in succession. First, Rosalie's eyes shot wide with recognition. Then so did Alice's as she turned to Edward and then to Bella.
"Bella!" was all she was able to get out before realizing it was all moot.
It happened too fast. Edward had always been remarkably quick, even for a vampire. Feasting on a steady diet of human blood had not made him any slower. By the time Bella realized she'd only been shielding Renesmee's mind this entire time and not the rest of her family, it had already happened.
Edward had read the thought in Rosalie's head and immediately acted upon it. He dashed to Amanda, and swiped his hand quickly across her neck. To a human it would have appeared like he made a chop across Amanda's neck and missed. But the vampires saw exactly what he did. By the time Amanda knew what was going on, a stream of blood spewed out of her neck, which she quickly tried to cover with her hands, along with trying to do that pesky little thing called breathing. Neither attempt was bearing much fruit.
It was easy to forget that in vampire terms, Bella was still a very young vampire. Her reactions still had a tendency to be very human. As Bella's eyes bulged at the scene, she reacted as a human would have in that situation. And had she still been a human, it wouldn't have been a problem. But as a vampire, her action sealed Amanda's fate. Bella had gasped.