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Chapter 23

Edward?

I hastily got dressed when I realized that I was still naked.

Alice had given Edward a bag of clothes for me.

The comfy sweatpants and top looked really pretty!

"Edward?", I called out, hoping he heard me and would come to me!

"Bella," came from the other end of the clearing.

But this was not Edward!

I quickly turned around and saw Jasper stepping out of the woods.

"Where's Edward?"

I started to panic slightly.

Why was he no longer there?

Jasper, who immediately noticed what was going on, came to me and sent me calming waves, for which I was grateful.

"Sorry. He had to leave. I'll explain, only right now I have to take you back to your house."

I nodded to him, and he turned and indicated for me to climb on his back, which I did.

Jasper ran through the woods and stopped in front of the back entrance of Charlie's house. It was open and so we entered, and Jasper immediately pulled me into my room.

He sat down on my desk chair, and I sank down on my bed.

"Bella, we had an unexpected visitor, which is why Edward had to leave. You know, because he can read minds - and Alice, unfortunately, couldn't come to you because they need her too. And since I couldn't imagine you would have liked Emmett waiting for you, I came. I only waited in the woods because I wanted to give you time to get dressed!" he explained, and I blushed slightly.

"What happened?"

"I don't really know that either. Alice had a vision this morning that the Volturi, our royal family, would come. We then agreed that I would go and get Edward, look after you, take you home and look after you here. I am also to tell you from Edward that he is very very sorry that he had to go!"

"Okay! But why did you have to bring me here?"

I was curious. I mean, I knew about vampires. Then why couldn't I be with Edward?

"The Volturi are our royal family. However, their only job is to make sure that our existence remains secret, and that includes both not showing ourselves in public and making sure that no human knows about our existence, Bella. You and your father know about us, and if the Volturi find out, they will kill you or turn you," he said to me very seriously.

A shiver ran down my spine.

"I don't want to get you in trouble," I whispered.

Jasper got up, sat with me on the bed, and took me in his arms reassuringly.

"We all know that, Bella. We don't want to get you into trouble either. That's why we're looking out for you."

Then suddenly Jasper's cell phone rang. Faster than I could look, it was on his ear.

I didn't understand what they were talking about. It all happened too fast. I only saw that Jasper suddenly became even paler than usual.

Oh God, please don't let anything happen to Edward, was all I could think.

Jasper ended the call and looked deep into my eyes!

"You need to stay calm now, Bella!"

I swallowed.

Oh please, let Edward be well.

Jasper sent me soothing waves again, and my muscles, which had been straining to the breaking point, calmed a little.

"It's nothing with Edward, don't worry, Bella. But ... well, it's probably just as bad for you!"

He looked at me scrutinizingly and then the penny dropped!

Something had not happened to Edward ... but to Jo!

"Bella, I have to explain to you first that the Volturi have many vampires among them who have gifts, do you understand?"

I nodded and he continued.

"One of them, Aro, can read minds just like Edward, but he has to touch someone to do it, and then he reads not only what they are thinking at the moment, but everything they have ever thought. Aro somehow managed to touch Jonath and now he knows that you and Charlie know about us. And he wants you both to be there when they kill him for what he did - for telling you what we are!"

I still noticed how I nodded to Jasper, then everything went black around me!