"Her name is Victoria and she has a gift. Or, near enough anyway from what Heidi says."

Dimitri stared at his phone, sending a text message at human pace, texting at vampire speed, tending to break more phones than it did save time. "Are we killing her or catching her and bringing the pieces home?"

Felix looked up from the report in front of him. "Aro wants to make an example." He couldn't stand the threat to Isabella, he was less than pleased Carlisle allowed things to escalate to this degree. They would bring her home in pieces and let Aro deliver her sentence. Then Felix would execute her.

The plane landed shortly after midnight, the bleary eyed attendant working the rental counter handing Dimitri the keys to a large SUV. Under a fake name of course.

The downtown area was crowded, and the two vampires pulled in front of a popular looking club. The base vibrating inside was enough to make Felix clench his teeth inside the car. Three women stumbled out, one of them wearing a crown and sash proclaiming her birthday.

Felix was no Heidi, but this should be easy enough. He unbuckled his seatbelt, only to turn around as one of the girls pulled on the back door. The two vampires exchanged a look, before Dimitri unlocked the door.

"Are you our Uber?"

The girl was slurring, but not incoherent.

Not sure what an 'Uber' was, but gathering it was a form of taxi, Felix nodded. The first two girls piled inside, while the third hung back looking at her phone. Her suspicious brown eyes reminded him of Isabella.

"You're not supposed to have another person in the car."

"I had a flat earlier, my cousin was kind enough to pick me up. Sorry about that, did you want to change rides?"

Dimitri had the better American accent, rolling down his window to smile at the girl sheepishly. In the dark of night, the red in his eyes could be explained by the flashing lights of the neon signs.

"N-no. I guess not." Dazzled, the brunette climbed into the backseat, closing the door.

The birthday girl gripped the headrest behind Felix and used it to pull herself closer. "You're really hot, what's your name?"

"Grazie, piccola. Buon compleanno."

"Oh my god! Your voice is amazing!" She'd apparently lost all sense of volume control, Felix winced as she adjusted her grip on the headrest and snagged his hair. "You're Italian too! That's so hot!"

"D'you wanna party with us?"

The middle one seemed to be the most drunk, slurring and starting to fall asleep in the back, leaning against the brunette who was watching the route. "Hey, you're supposed to turn left there."

"Mi dispiace. I'm taking a shortcut."

"Yeah that's not how this works. Let us out. Now."

She pulled at the door for emphasis, but Felix locked the doors. "You can't just-what are you doing?!"

Already turning into the shipping district, Felix reached behind him for the birthday girl, who was starting to pick up on her friend's panic and pull his hair and scratch at his face, shrieking when she broke a nail, and slammed her head into the side of the car, hard enough to knock her unconscious; Dimitri climbed into the backseat and quickly dispatched the other two, making sure to crush their phones. "Well, that was easy."

Felix snorted and steered the car towards the less populated warehouses near the port. The killings were confined to the Seattle area, not obvious enough to raise suspicions of vampires, but clumsy enough that human police suspected a serial killer. How she managed to corral them all and keep them on the outskirts of the city was impressive, to say the least, but it made his task easier in the long run. The abandoned warehouse was cliche as it was appropriate. A flash of red hair disappeared around a corner. "Go."

Felix didn't bother to brake, leaving Dimitri to bolt after her. It was unsurprising she refused to come to the aid of her progeny, but repugnant at the same time. To create new vampires only to abandon them was an infraction less severely punished than creating an unsanctioned army, but a greater violation of ethics.

A brave, or foolish young one near the entrance to a darkened building hissed as the wheels of his stolen car ground to a halt. Newborns were fallible for the same reason they were dangerous, they operated almost entirely on instinct, which made them extremely susceptible to bait.

He cut the girls' throats quickly, throwing two in quick succession at the charging horde, leaving the other at his feet. He moved methodically, ripping off heads the fastest way to incapacitate them, and with only three bodies, they quickly turned on each other; doing most of the work for him.

Only two newborns hung back, refusing to charge the bodies with the others.

The older of the two was barely a man with a baby face. He trembled, fighting bloodlust before bolting into the city. Coward.

The remaining newborn was barely more than a child with large eyes who quivered when he approached.

She looked about Jane's age when the twins were turned, too young in his opinion. Her small form vibrated, her limited control fraying at the edges.

"Vieni qui, bambina."

She didn't understand his words but shook her head when he crooked his fingers at her. "You're gonna kill me."

He nodded. "This world is not kind to parva exspiravit, but I promise you it will be quick."

She tried to run and Felix caught her, quickly removing her head, dismembering the body with practiced ease.

He stuffed the body parts into the car before setting the vehicle ablaze. Her head blinked at him, frightened snarls still snapping at the air before he tossed it onto the burning pile and watched the purple smoke reduce the newborns to ashes. "In pace requiescat."

The screeching of a body being pulled apart made him turn. Maria's former Major pulled the head off of the newborn that fled before dismembering the flailing corpse with a savage efficiency born of decades of practice.

Felix watched as he stuffed the remains of the newborn into the burning car, careful not to catch fire himself before stepping back and watching the Volturi Captain with wary eyes.

"Maggiore." Felix dipped his head before grinning. "It's been a while."

The last time the two vampires saw one another, Felix was dismantling Maria's newborn army, part of the Volturi intervention in the Southern Wars. "Felix. Did you see Victoria?"

Felix shook his head. "Dimitri is tracking her."

Jasper nodded, his eyes were glowing orange in the darkness, not just the reflection of the flames. "We are grateful for your assistance."

Felix dipped his head. "Prego. I see your adherence to the aberrant diet wavers in the face of a threat."

Jasper winced. "Carlisle is a good man, but…his morals will kill us all."

"You're not wrong. Where is Isabella?"

Jasper heard the threat and turned to face the Captain. "You didn't come here just for the newborns."

Felix shook his head. "I need to speak to Carlisle."

"I'll go with you. We've been kept in the dark long enough."

"Your occelle keeping secrets, Maggiore?"

The look Jasper sent him was unimpressed. "I'll take you to the house."

Felix smirked before following the younger vampire into the darkness. The run to Forks was quiet, the Pacific Northwest mist clinging to his skin and clothes as they passed the town limits, the outlines of house visible from the treeline. He wondered which one was hers. It was nearing dawn now, was she still sleeping?

The letters in his jacket pocket burned.

For all their talk of blending in, the Cullens were certainly ostentatious in their choice of home, not to mention the Porsche 911 turbo parked out front in eye searing yellow.

The Cullen house was too modern for his tastes, all sharp angles and wide windows, the exterior painted a sterile white. Too stark as it appeared between the trailing scarves of fog winding between large trees in the dim dawn light.

"Felix, good to see you." Carlisle's smile was genuine as he opened the door, though his grip was tight enough to bend the handle. The smile faded when he took in Jasper's appearance, the younger vampire meeting his coven leader's eyes without remorse.

"Salve, Carlisle. It's been some time." Felix carefully wiped his boots to avoid staining the pale carpet and removed his jacket. The living room was empty. Pity, he expected an introduction. "Did I scare everyone off?"

Carlisle rolled his eyes. "They are hunting. We've been hunting more frequently to build strength, but-" his eyes darted to Jasper. "I suppose our efforts were insufficient."

Unsurprising, their diet left them unprepared for nomads let alone newborns, Jasper seemed to be the only pragmatic one of the bunch. "Insufficient and unnecessary. The army is no more and Dimitri is tracking the nomad as we speak."

Carlisle tensed for a moment. "You destroyed the army?"

"Of course. You allowed the threat to build for much too long."

"That is undeniably true." he sighed. "At any rate, we are grateful for your intervention."

Felix followed Carlisle upstairs to his study, rolling his eyes at the enormous austere cross above the stairway; he still couldn't believe Carlisle kept it all these years. His father was an unrepentant zealot that enjoyed the fear he instilled in his flock. Hardly a symbol of the harmless nature Carlisle sought to embody. Then again, to be a vampiric surgeon was a display of masochism to rival any saint. The doctor sighed and sat in one of the chairs, Felix took the other; Jasper elected to stand by the windows. "I gather that the newborn army is not the only reason you are here."

Matching Carlisle's leveled look, Felix reached into his jacket pocket, withdrawing the envelopes and passing them to his old friend. "These are extenuating circumstances."

Carlisle's eyes widened as he saw each seal and he exchanged a look with Jasper who's entire frame tensed, before looking back at Felix. When the older vampire gave nothing away, the physician opened Aro's letter first. A chagrined look crossed his face, but it was more than fair and the immortal doctor knew that. "Many thanks to Aro for his generosity." For Jasper's benefit, he added. "It's a pardon for Edward. For his prior infractions."

The Major's expression darkened. Felix grinned; receiving an official pardon for a coven member's behavior was twofold. Aside from the obvious, it also served as a warning to the coven's head that the transgressions were formally recorded, so any further disciplinary action would be proportionate. From observing the telepath's erratic behavior, it was the equivalent of a death sentence, if the boy couldn't be cowed and Carlisle knew that.

He opened Caius' next, the tension in his frame becoming palpable and not without reason. Giving Felix carte blanche to investigate the Cullens and the authority to carry out any appropriate punishment was not lightly bestowed. In short, it meant if they attempted to keep Isabella from him, he would be within his rights to punish the Cullens for the crime of revealing the existence of vampires. Instead of reading it aloud, Carlisle extended the letter and passed it to Jasper who scanned it quickly before dropping the letter as though it were covered in acid. "What have you done, Carlisle?"

"Jasper, it was for Edward's sake-"

"That you're going to kill us all? Bella was supposed to be turned at the end of May? She was to return to Italy? You defied a direct order and put us all in jeopardy and for what? That masochistic spoiled brat you call a progeny."

"Jasper."

"You might be willing to die for him, Carlisle, but you don't get to decide that for the rest of us." He turned to face Felix. "I can show you to Isabella's house."

"I appreciate your cooperation, Maggiore. If only your occelle was as accommodating. She was aware of the order as well."

"Alice-" Jasper broke off. "Alice loves Bella and doesn't entirely understand the Volturi. She thinks she's protecting Bella from being in the Guard-" both vegetarian vampires paused as they took in the last letter; Marcus used his seal the least. Vampire hands didn't shake, but Carlisle did hesitate before he picked it up and opened it; his face tightened as he absorbed the contents before sitting back in his chair, leaving the parchment on the desk and looking at Felix.

"I cannot condone this."

"It is done, old friend."

When Carlisle remained quiet, Felix sighed, sitting back in his chair. "Isabella will return to Volterra with me."

Carlisle huffed a humorless laugh, running a hand over his smooth blonde hair. The two vampires locked eyes, Carlisle less than amused with the smug grin on Felix's face, but he couldn't begrudge the ancient vampire his excitement. Few vampires were lucky enough to find their mate and Felix waited more than two thousand years for his. Jasper glanced at the certificate in Carlisle's hand, his eyes widening as everything fell into place.

Carlisle was stalling, attempting to keep Bella from returning to Italy to be with her own mate, hoping that Aro would be lenient enough to return Edward in order to deal with Victoria. It was more devious than he'd previously given the doctor credit for, and also dangerous. He'd put the entire coven at risk for Edward's sake, again, and now the Captain of the Guard was sitting in his study, with the full backing of the Kings to retrieve his mate through any means necessary.

For a split second, Jasper regretted not killing Bella when Edward first met her. She was too much trouble.

The immortal doctor imagined Isabella with dark red eyes watching him from beneath the hood of a Volturi cloak and wanted to shiver. "Will you require her to kill humans?"

Felix rolled his eyes. "If she chooses to follow your aberrant diet, I won't prevent it, but I won't encourage her either."

"Your word you won't…tempt her?" Carlisle remembered humans beating at the door to his chambers, begging him for help while their blood leaked under the door and filled the hallways. Caius even painted the jamb above his door with blood, mocking his faith.

"I won't need to." She would feed naturally, he wouldn't intercede to force feed her wildlife in the name of misplaced morality.

"Felix-"

"Enough, Carlisle. I informed you of my intentions as a courtesy, but I am not seeking permission nor will I tolerate your interference with my mate."

The blonde dipped his head, not quite hanging it, but still defeated. "She is so young."

Felix snorted. "Only by this century's standards. Even in your time, she would already have a household to manage, let alone mine. Your prodigal son had already promised to turn her before her next birthday. What difference does it make if I do it?"

The older vampire wasn't wrong, but it still left Carlisle conflicted. Felix leaned forward, earnesty filling his face. "She will be treated well. I give you my word."

"That I know, Felix, but she's already been through so much. Truthfully, I don't know how much more her mind can take. The threat of Victoria aside, the only knowledge she has of the Volturi is from Edward-

Carlisle winced, looking first at the painting, then back at Felix "-which admittedly, is my fault."

Jasper rolled his eyes to the ceiling in what could be mistaken as a prayer for patience, but the vampire had long given up on any idea of a benevolent god. For Carlisle, death, it appeared, was preferable to red eyes. The major couldn't bring himself to share the sentiment. While he could understand and even entertain abstaining from humans to a degree, his gift meant he felt their pain and terror as they died after all, all qualms disappeared in the face of a threat. Despite evidence of his borderline treason stacking against him, Carlisle was arguing with the Captain of the Guard about how Bella should feed instead of pleading for leniency. He was starting to wonder if there was legitimacy to the theory that prolonged feeding on animals led to reduced mental capacity. Or whether Carlisle was determined to doom the entire coven for Edward's sake.

Felix speared the immortal doctor with his own unimpressed look. "Dimitri is tracking the nomad. We will return to Italy once she is dead. That is all the time I can spare and I trust that you will take the opportunity to correct her misunderstanding?"

"I will do my best."

Felix switched his gaze to Jasper. "May I count on your cooperation as well? Perhaps you can catturare due piccioni con una fava and correct your mate as well? Perhaps it will allay her fears for her friend's future."

Jasper dipped his head. "I will explain what I know, to them both."

"Grazie-"

The sound of tires laboring over the gravel driveway before overtaxed brakes squealed to a halt. A cab opened and the familiar scent of olive flowers brought Felix to the window. She was wearing a dark tan rain jacket with the hood up. He saw a flash of her milk white hands as she fumbled with the slick handle, before she gripped it tightly to avoid slipping in the mud. "Sonova-"

He chuckled.

"Let me speak with her." Carlisle's grip on his shoulder was tight with anxiety.

"Of course."

"Alone."

Felix shook his head. "I will remain, at the very least to ensure no further confusion on her part."

"Felix."

"This is your fault, amico mio."

"I know, but right now she's afraid of you."

"And whose fault is that? Besides," he watched as she took a curious step towards his car, looking at her own reflection before her hand landed with a wet smack on the hood as one of her ankles buckled. Was she clumsy? "I can't exactly leave now."

My brakes creaked and squealed as my truck ground to a halt outside the Cullen house. My stomach was tight with familiar nerves whenever Carlisle was my babysitter. It was like a guardian angel was taking time from people who needed him to watch over me. I tried to carefully step down from the truck, my hood up as useless protection from the ever present drizzle, but my ankle rolled underneath me and I gripped the slick door handle, trying not to fall. I could not afford a sprained ankle on top of everything else.

"Sonova-"

I managed to stop myself. Swearing within earshot of Carlisle felt like flipping off the Pope and Edward always told me it was 'unladylike'.

Another car was parked in the driveway. It wasn't Carlisle's Mercedes, but that didn't mean much. I'd lost track of how many fancy cars the vampire coven possessed. This one was sleek, I could see the reflection of the house and my eyes in the hood. I stepped towards the house, only for my foot to slip on a wet leaf. I caught myself on the hood of the new car with a wet smack, hoping that the alarm didn't go off.

I couldn't help, but feel like I was being watched and looked over my shoulder towards the woods. My skin prickled with awareness, but I saw nothing.

"Bella." Carlisle was always polite, but his smile seemed more strained than warm and I felt my cheeks heat as I stepped over the threshold. I'm sure he had things he would rather do, he should honestly hate me for everything I'd done so far to his family, I was-

"Bella, would you join me in my study for a moment?"

I stopped, halfway through toeing off my muddy right boot. "Uh, sure. I mean, of course."

He caught me when I tripped over my sock feet and steered me towards the stairs. "The Volturi have sent assistance for the newborn army."

I blinked twice. That wasn't what I expected him to say. "The Volturi? Who's coming? Why? I thought-"

I frowned. I knew there was some debate when Carlisle proposed to call the Volturi, to inform them of Victoria's newborn army, but he said it was courtesy, not asking for help. "Weren't you going to ask Sam-?"

Carlisle sighed. "It seems as though that will no longer be necessary. Felix disposed of the army the night he arrived. Only Victoria herself remains."

My brain was still reeling from 'Felix disposed of the army'. By himself?

"I don't understand, how did he-?"

Carlisle opened the door to this study and crossed the room to the painting along the far wall. I followed his gaze. The kings dominated the picture, with Aro in the foreground, Carlisle himself was in the back looking conflicted, but even further back, half concealed in the shadow of the balcony exit was Felix. The artist had managed to capture the red gleam of his eyes in the candlelight. He wasn't wearing the guard uniform I saw in Italy, but I could see part of the white column of his throat, so he wasn't wearing a cravat like the others in the painting. "Who is Felix?"

I hadn't realized I'd stood to approach the painting for a closer look until Carlisle spoke. "Capo della Guardia."

At my nonplussed look Capo? Like the mob?, Carlisle smiled. "It means 'Captain of the Guard', he's second in command after the Brothers themselves. He's been in that position for over a thousand years."

A thousand? Before I could ask, Carlisle continued. "Felix was a gladiator until Aro turned him around 20BC."

"So, what's he doing here? If he's that important, why didn't they send someone else?" I folded my arms over my stomach, the idea of a thousand plus year old vampire here to oversee my demise, transformation, whatever you wanted to call it, was enough to make me ill.

Like Jane was on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed it back. I wasn't eager to meet Jane again. Or ever. That begged the question though. "I thought Jane was in charge?"

She certainly seemed to be, since Aro favored her so much, let alone her blood chilling power.

"Yes, many people believe that, but Jane is a special case. She and her brother are Aro's, members of his personal coven as opposed to the Guard."

"I wait, I thought the Volturi was a coven?"

"They are, sort of. Vampires serve the Volturi, but belong to specific…lines as it were. Aro's being chief among them."

My head was starting to hurt. "I'm still not following you, but Felix is here?"

Carlisle nodded. "Yes. Felix is here to ensure that the army is not a threat and to…make sure you are turned."

My stomach sank. I'd forgotten between the wolves and the army. I was supposed to return to Italy back in May, it was mid June now. "I-is he here to bite me?"

Carlisle rubbed at his forehead. "Bella, I-"

"No, I promised. This is my fault. I just-"

My eyes burned. Everything was wrong. Edward was gone and I was going to leave and what about Charlie?

Carlisle wrapped his arms around me in a hug, tucking my head under his chin. "Shh…it's alright. It's alright. Felix is not cruel."

That didn't make me feel better. I wanted Carlisle or Alice to turn me. I wanted to turn back time to my previous birthday and use a damned letter opener!

I wasn't sure how long I stood there, but eventually my tears dried up. My eyes felt gritty and I'd no doubt ruined Carlisle's shirt. Carlisle looked at me, but it wasn't with pity. "Bella. You are safe and nothing is going to happen right now. You have until at least Victoria is captured, which will be harder than they think considering even Alice struggles to track her movements."

My giggle was hysterical. This was ridiculous, Victoria being able to out maneuver Alice was terrifying yesterday, now I wanted her to escape, to buy more time.

Why could nothing in my life ever make sense?

"Is Felix tracking her?"

"He brought Dimitri with him. Dimitri is tracking her. Felix disposed of the newborns and came here."

"Felix is here?"

Was that why Carlisle was looking at the woods? Was that who I felt staring at me?

"Bella, Felix is not going to harm you. He is here to help. Truly. I've known Felix as long as I've known Aro and Felix is not malicious."

I wrapped my arms around myself, rubbing at my arm, remembering where the large vampire's hand grabbed it. He hadn't left a bruise, despite how firm the grip felt. And I remembered him promising me that Edward would not be abused. But, watching him fight Edward was terrifying, he threw Edward like he was nothing. "He doesn't seem safe either."

"Vampires are never safe, Bella, but I promise you, you are in no danger with Felix here."

It was raining again when I stepped outside, mist hanging thick in the air. I left my hood up as I put the truck in drive and slowly made my way up the gravel driveway back to the road.

I kept glancing at the woods. Was he following me? Was he out there? Would Victoria make a last ditch effort and attack me directly? My hands tensed around the wheel. I'd turned Carlisle down when he'd offered to accompany me to the grocery store, but I was wishing I wasn't so stubborn.

The grocery store was crowded enough to make me wonder what everyone knew that I didn't, but I was able to snag everything and of course, it was pouring when I loaded it into the car. I didn't bother to turn on the radio that Edward reinstalled at some point, still processing what Carlisle told me.

Felix was here.

Felix had destroyed Victoria's army in a single night.

The Volturi had the Cullens under surveillance.

I jumped when gravel crunched beneath my wheels. I didn't remember driving home.

The rain was less drizzling and more pelting and I pulled the first load out of the trunk, using my elbow and hip to open the side door. The kitchen already felt warmer than outside and I turned on the light with an elbow before setting one handful of bags down with a thud.

I hoisted the others up to the counter, my mind still whirring. It was unbelievable to think that the newborn army petrifying everyone was gone. Just like that. All thanks to Felix. "A gladiator?"

"Undefeated even when I was alive."

I jumped, then hissed as the bag split, dropping the contents over the kitchen floor. I looked up to see Felix framed in the doorway. There was nothing I could do. I couldn't outrun him, everyone was hunting, I wouldn't even have time to scream-

The rustle of plastic interrupted my panic. I watched as the dark-haired vampire held up the other bags of groceries. "May I come in?"

I blinked and then nodded, what else could I do?

He was every bit of Emmett's height, but he looked less bulky without the robes. His hair was wet, he set the bags down with the others I brought in on my first trip, and he slicked it back from his face with one large hand, and I saw that it was already starting to curl. He was older than Edward, a man rather than a boy. Bizarrely, the thought crossed my mind that his profile belonged on a Roman coin.

He wore a long sleeved black shirt and a black leather vest zipped halfway up his chest. It wouldn't look out of place on a mannequin in the Newton's store, except even from here the leather was real. "W-wha-" I cleared my throat. "Are you here to kill me?"

Carlisle was wrong, Felix was going to bite and turn me here in the cramped kitchen.

"No." He picked up a jar of peanut butter on the counter and raised an eyebrow before setting it back down.

My back pressed against the refrigerator, I couldn't back away. I felt my knees tremble with the need to run. Felix frowned, his eyes were a dark garnet as he watched me carefully.

"Are you frightened?"

"Last time I saw you, you were going to tear my boyfriend's head off." One corner of his mouth rose, like the memory of him attacking Edward was funny.

"Boyfriend? I was under the impression you'd broken up. When did you get back together?"

"I- it's-" I stopped. It was true, I just assumed. Edward seemed so relieved to see me in Volterra, but we never talked about it. "D-does anyone know you're here? Carlisle-"

"Is not an authority figure to threaten me with, piccola, but he knows I'm here, just the same."

"Did Edward send me a message? Are you letting him go?"

The unfriendly look that crossed his face told me that this was the wrong question to ask.

"Edward will be released when you complete your end of the bargain, ragazza. And I'm not a messenger. I was sent to destroy the army."

"So, what are you actually here for, other than trying to scare me?"

I crossed my arms over my stomach defensively, which took the bite out of my words. My phone buzzed in my back pocket, but I ignored it.

Felix gave me a reproachful look before he set down the bag of groceries on the counter and continued to look around the small kitchen with interest before zeroing in on me. I flinched, my back hitting the fridge door as he was close enough to tug at a damp lock of hair that escaped the messy braid draped over my shoulder. "Why is it every time I see you, you're soaking wet? Did you swim home instead of drive?"

I wanted to bat at his hand when he tugged the lock again, like he was ringing a bell. "It's the Pacific Northwest, it's always raining. And I ran across a fountain last time."

"That you did. You were shivering so hard that day, I was worried you would take ill. I'm glad to see that wasn't that case."

I snorted before I could think better of it. "What, do sick people taste bad or something?"

Felix nodded. "Infection can make blood sour. Though I hardly think a cold would be enough to mar your sweetness."

I couldn't help that he piqued my curiosity, I'd wanted to ask Carlisle, but always lost my nerve. "What about things like cancer?"

His lips twitched. "I'm not exactly a connoisseur of disease, you'll have to ask St. Carlisle for specifics, but we can normally smell tainted blood. He's lucky he missed the plague, we all nearly starved, it was almost undrinkable."

His face twisted in disgust, as though he were still haunted by curdled blood from hundreds of years ago. Letting go of my hair, he stepped back to lean against the kitchen island, folding his arms over his chest. I could see a large signet ring on one of his hands, the stone catching even the fluorescent light of the kitchen.

I wasn't sure if it was the chill from my wet clothes or adrenaline leaving my body, but I struggled to suppress the sudden trembling in my limbs.

"Sei Freddo? O sei consapevole di me come io lo sono di te?"

Freddo? The only comparison I had was semifreddo which was almost like ice cream? I tried it once at an Italian restaurant for my twelfth birthday. "I'm just cold from the rain. I'll warm up in a minute."

"Parli italiano?"

He looked delighted.

"No. I just…guessed? Does 'freddo' mean cold? Like semifreddo?"

He blinked at me in disbelief, then huffed in laughter. "You're not wrong."

He chuckled, a deep rolling chuckle I felt as much as heard. I stubbornly believed that my prickling skin was due to my wet clothes. His garnet eyes continued to watch me with amusement. "Clever girl, you figured out what they were on your own, didn't you?

"Y-yeah, I did."

Sorta. I didn't want to tell him about the wolves. What if it got Jake in trouble? It wasn't his fault I took the legend and ran with it. I wondered if he would want the book from upstairs. Did the Volturi monitor publications on vampires? Anything that mentioned them?

"Che peccato," he sighed and drummed the fingers of one hand against his bicep. "I was looking forward to punishing Edward for breaking secrecy."

He winked at me. "I'll have to find something else."

"Are you going to kill him?"

Felix sighed. "Unfortunately, no. Unless he continues to prove unstable."

"Unstable?" The word sent a chill running down my spine that had nothing to do with the weather. I couldn't deny that Edward's behavior was out of character, but he wasn't unstable. Just upset.

"Mm. That is something for me to worry about, not you. I will allow no harm to come to you, Isabella."

I hadn't heard my name pronounced with an Italian accent since Aro's breathy tones in the throne room. Felix's voice was deep, a rumble I felt more than heard. The idea that the Volturi's Captain, their, from what Edward told me, enforcer being concerned for my well being, was too much. Everything was too much, the absurdity of the vampire gladiator standing in my kitchen next to a jar of peanut butter, coupled with the relief swimming just below the surface that Victoria's army was gone, sent me over the edge. A hysterical giggle bubbled to my lips and I couldn't catch it.

I sounded unhinged, but I couldn't stop.

I put one hand back against the refrigerator to stop myself from sliding down it, bent double laughing until my belly hurt with every exhale and tears burned the back of my eyes.

A small part of my brain shrieked that he was going to kill me for making fun of him, but I was too focused on regulating my breathing.

Any bit of humor still lingering in my veins vanished as Felix was suddenly standing in front of me, so close if I inhaled too deeply my chest would graze his diaphragm. He placed one hand above me and leaned in until we were eye to eye. His smile wasn't cruel, but instead a mix of indulgent and eager. "You have a beautiful laugh, mellilla. I look forward to hearing it more often."

His breath grazed my face and I shivered again only to flinch when he wrapped a finger around that same stray lock of hair, tugging it twice in a way that didn't hurt, but made me want to swat at it anyway. "Take a bath before you catch a chill. I'll see you soon."

He left so suddenly, the air didn't even ruffle my hair. A split second later, I heard Charlie's keys jingle in the door. "Bells?"

"I-in the kitchen." I cleared my throat and pushed away from the refrigerator, trying to calm my racing heart. I started to put away the rest of the groceries, my hands fumbled with the bag of tomatoes and they landed on the linoleum floor with a muffled thump.

Translations:

Grazie piccola. Buon Compleanno. - Thank you, little one. Happy birthday.

Mi dispiace - I'm sorry.

Vieni qui, bambina. - Come here, child.

Parva exspiravit - small ghost. - term for a newborn.

In pace requiescat - Rest in peace.

Maggiore - Major

Prego - You're welcome.

Occelle - little eye

Salve (sal-way) - latin greeting

Catturare due piccioni con una fava - catch two pigeons with one fava bean. - Kill two birds with one stone.

Amico mio - my friend

Piccola-little one, baby.

Sei Freddo? O sei consapevole di me come io lo sono di te? - Are you cold? Or are you as aware of me as I am of you?

Parli Italiano- You speak Italian?

Che peccato - What a pity

Mellilla - sweetness, little honey.