*29 DAYS BEFORE THE BIG EVENT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN ALASKA AND FORKS
"How many people do you think are going to try and kill Edward before the kings come?"Kate asked from the passenger seat of van the Denali Coven were riding in. They were on their way to Forks to help the Cullens with the Volturi. Kate wasn't that keen on dealing with the kings but was hoping to get the chance to fight someone. If it didn't lead to a death sentence she would have challenged some of the guard members. Tanya had promised that she would get some good fights in the future and Kate wanted those fights to happen soon. She wasn't above antagonizing people so the likely hood of someone getting pissed off enough to challenge her was high.
"I think Carlisle's main hobby until the kings come is going to be calming down people from reacting to Edward's insults and begging them not to leave."Anne said.
"Did anyone else notice the tension between Edward and his wife?"Carmen asked.
"She seemed very annoyed with him."Victoria had heard the amount of acid the girl had in her voice when speaking to Edward.
"I was surprised by that. She is not only a newborn but a newly mated vampire. She should be in the middle of the mating haze. The fact that she was even able to be away from Edward to sit in the backseat of the car was unusual."Eleazar said.
"Not all newborns are effected by the mating haze. Some are in perfect control of themselves."Tanya smiled thinking about Isabella. The blind vampire had been able to stop herself from acting on her desires in public but once Tanya got her alone the pair got so caught up that they destroyed the room at the inn they stayed at. Tanya had been almost proud when handing over the money to the owner for the damage.
"What's with the smile Tanya?"Kate didn't understand the smug grin Tanya was sporting.
"I was just thinking about seeing Edward and Jessica fighting."Tanya lied.
Rosalie squeezed Tanya's hand. She knew exactly what her mate was thinking. Tanya and Isabella's day spent in that inn was something that Rosalie loved hearing about."It didn't look like she was going to put up with his usual antics."
"I think she is worried about the child."Anne said.
"The child being something that Edward didn't even acknowledge."Carmen didn't even see Edward once glance in the direction of his child.
"He didn't want the child."Rosalie told them.
"What do you mean he didn't want the child?"Irina asked.
Rosalie cursed herself for saying that. She would need to be better about what she said in the future. That way she didn't let anything that was supposed be kept secret slip."I guess you will find out anyway so it doesn't matter if I tell you."
"Tell us what?"Victoria wasn't surprised that Rosalie knew more about this situation than they did. It was almost expected for her and Tanya to be more informed than everyone else.
"When Jessica found out she was pregnant Edward was pissed. He didn't want her to keep the baby. His excuse was that he was worried about Jessica dying but I doubt that was it."Rosalie didn't think Edward cared about anything but himself.
"Edward probably didn't want his mate to have anything but him to focus on."Carmen didn't believe for a second that Edward was worried about Jessica's health.
"Well whatever his reasons he convinced Carlisle and some of the others to force Jessica to have an abortion."Rosalie was unsurprised with the shock and outrage coming from her family.
"That bastard!"Irina hated Edward with a passion and this just added more fuel to that hate.
"She obviously had the child so how did she get around Edward and Carlisle?"Anne asked.
"She called Harriet and Emmett for help. They became her personal bodyguards until the baby was born."Rosalie explained.
"I always said that those two were the only respectable Cullens."Eleazar had always liked the mated couple. They were loyal and always stood up for what was right. Even when it meant going against their family.
"They are definitely better than Alice and Jasper."Victoria said.
"Poor Jasper. For such a formable man to be browbeaten by Alice is just sad."Kate had seen the way the small vampire had controlled Jasper's every move. It mad her feel bad for the man.
"I think it's cruel for her to make him go to high school over and over again. Dealing with the emotions of teenagers and his family's bloodlust has got to be torture."Irina wouldn't be able to do it and she didn't have Jasper's gift.
"I don't know why he does it. He could easily say that he is older than the others. It wouldn't blow their cover."Carmen didn't understand why Jasper would force himself to be in such an uncomfortable position.
"It's because of Alice. She doesn't want Jasper away from her. If he was she couldn't keep track of him."Anne just like Kate and the others had seen the way the man was completely controlled by Alice.
"I think that Jasper does everything Alice says because he is afraid if he doesn't she will leave him."It was obvious to Tanya that Jasper was horribly insecure and feared abandonment.
Rosalie thought with Jasper's history that made perfect sense."After everything he went though it's no surprise that he clings to Alice. Even though she tells him what to do his life is a lot better than it was when he was with sire fighting in her army."
"He doesn't really know any better."Victoria said.
"None of them do. Carlisle has them so brainwashed into thinking that the only way for them to survive is going to high school they don't realize that there are better ways to live."Irina was just happy that Tanya didn't try and force them to do the same.
"He does it so that he can fulfill his fantasy of being a the doting husband and father while selfishly living out his dream of being a doctor."Eleazar would never force anyone to do something just so he could get his own way.
"I had tried to bring it up to Harriet once. She didn't think there was anything wrong with how they lived. She even tried to justify it saying they could go off on their own anytime they wanted but chose not to. She was actually rather defensive when I tried to give her examples of different ways they could live. "Anne hadn't expected Harriet to be so hostile to her for trying to help.
"Like I said Carlisle has them brainwashed. I bet if he ever died none of them would survive on their own. They don't have the skills or knowledge."Irina had always appreciated the fact that Tanya went out of her way to set each member of their family up with all the resources they would need if the ever wanted to break off from the coven. Not that any of them had ever wanted to it was just nice knowing that they weren't completely dependent on anyone and that they were in control of how they lived their lives.
"I don't know why we even associate with any of them. None of them are good people. Harriet and Emmett could be but they would have to get away from the others first."Kate had seen the potential in the mated pair but they were too loyal to the rest of their coven to be anyone Kate would willingly associate with.
"We won't have to put up with them that much longer."Rosalie was looking forward to not having to deal with any of the Cullens ever again. She hated every single one of them. Esme talking to her like she was a child, Alice trying to dress her, Jasper's need to be around her because his gift didn't work on her, Carlisle questioning her about the block Isabella gave her, Harriet's jealously of Emmett's want to be Rosalie's friend that she tried to hide, Emmett who didn't take the hint and tried to engage her in a conversation every chance he got and Edward's constant need to make harsh and derogatory comments to Rosalie and about her. Rosalie and her mates had plans for Edward after the big event that included missing limbs and a fire.
"How much longer are we talking about?"Carmen asked.
Rosalie once again cursed herself for letting more information slip. She was really going to have be careful when they got to Forks. She may not talk to anyone but her family but others could overhear them or Edward might pull it from their mind if they let their guards down."Let's worry about the Volturi first then we will deal with the Cullens."
"That means soon."Victoria had been around Tanya long enough to read between the lines when she was telling them something. Rosalie spoke the same way the coven leader did when sharing information so it was easy to tell what she was really saying even if she wasn't saying it.
"Will I finally get to kill Edward?"Kate had been begging Tanya ever since the first time they met Edward to let her kill him. Tanya had always told her no. If they were officially cutting ties with the coven Kate might get her chance.
"We'll see."Tanya wasn't going to promise anything until she spoke to Isabella about it. Her mate had been working overtime arranging everything for the big event and Tanya hadn't wanted to distract her with questions about thing that weren't directly related to it. Tanya hadn't even asked Isabella exactly what was going to happen after it was over. She just knew the overview that Isabella had mentioned in past letters and what they spoke about during the two times they met in person.
"That doesn't mean no."Kate was now very excited. If Tanya said we'll see that meant that the coven leader already had a plan. A plan Kate hoped involved her striking the killing blow.
"That doesn't mean yes either."Tanya said.
"But it doesn't mean no."Kate wasn't going to let the fact that it wasn't a yes bring down her excitement. She would just have to convince Tanya to let her. Kate would have to get Edward riled up and have him insult her family. That always pissed Tanya off. Hopefully it would piss her off enough to let Kate kill him.
"Like Rosalie said let's focus on the kings for now. How do you all feel about helping the other vampires that show up train?"Tanya asked.
"For me it will depend on who the other vampires are."Anne wasn't willing to train anyone she didn't think was worth her time.
"Yeah I don't want to get involved with just anyone."Irina was of the same thought as Anne. She didn't want to waste her time on someone she didn't like.
"I just want to get a good fight with someone."Kate didn't care about teaching she wanted to brawl and have her opponent actually be able to give her a challenge. She wasn't even going to use her gift. She just wanted to finally have a real fight.
"Are we going to actually be fighting the Volturi?"Victoria asked Tanya and Rosalie. If anyone would know it would be those two.
Tanya shared with a look with Rosalie. Getting a head shake from her mate Tanya took that as Rosalie agreeing they shouldn't say anything about what was going to happen at the big event."It's always good be prepared."
"So basically you two know exactly what is going to happen and can't tell us because it would ruin the outcome you are hoping for."Carmen concluded. She had lived with Tanya for centuries and had come to understand if the coven leader didn't tell them everything it was for their own safety.
"Life would be so much easier if you would just tell us what is going on. Then we would be able to help you better."It frustrated Anne to no end that Tanya and Rosalie were so tight lipped when it came to details on their many plans. If they had shared everything then the coven would be better prepared for all the situations the pair dragged them into.
"I told you you will find out everything very soon. Just trust me until then."Tanya hated that she couldn't say anything but it wasn't safe.
"How much longer do we have to wait for that to happen?"It was a question that Victoria and the rest of the family asked the coven leader and Rosalie often.
"In exactly one month I will reveal everything."Tanya promised.
"A month isn't that long compared to the centuries that we have already waited."Irina didn't want to have to wait but at least they had a set time. That being something they had never had before.
"Until then will you please be patient with me?"Tanya asked. All she got was grumbles of agreement in reply but she didn't expect much more. Her family had been putting up with half truths and obvious manipulations for centuries of course they would be frustrated. Tanya was frustrated with the situation as well and she knew the truth. She hated lying to her family. They deserved better and once the big event was over they would get it. Isabella told Tanya that they would forgive her once every was explained but Tanya was still worried they would be mad at her. If was Tanya's greatest fear that once they found out about Isabella that her family would get pissed and leave. Even with Isabella's reassurances the fear wouldn't go away. She loved her family almost as much as her mates and Tanya didn't want to lose any of them. Feeling Rosalie lay her head on her shoulder Tanya looked at her mate who was giving her a sad smile. Rosalie knew of her fears and tried to sooth them but it didn't help. Nothing would help until Tanya told them the truth. That day she was looking forward to and dreading almost as much as the big event.