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waiting。 I threw my
backpack over the headrest and slid in； slamming the door behind me。
〃Take care of Charlie！〃 I turned to shout out the window； but Jacob was
nowhere in sight。 As Alice
stomped on the gas and—with the tires screeching like human screams—spun us
around to face the
road； I caught sight of a shred of white near the edge of the trees。 A piece
of a shoe。
19。 HATE
WE MADE OUR FLIGHT WITH SECONDS TO SPARE； AND THEN the true torture began。 The
plane sat idle on the tarmac while the flight attendants strolled—so casually
—up and down the aisle；
patting the bags in the overhead partments to make sure everything fit。 The
pilots leaned out of the
cockpit； chatting with them as they passed。 Alice's hand was hard on my
shoulder； holding me in my seat
while I bounced anxiously up and down。
〃It's faster than running；〃 she reminded me in a low voice。
I just nodded in time with my bouncing。
At last the plane rolled lazily from the gate； building speed with a gradual
steadiness that tortured me
further。 I expected some kind of relief when we achieved liftoff； but my
frenzied impatience didn't lessen。
Alice lifted the phone on the back of the seat in front of her before we'd
stopped climbing； turning her
back on the stewardess who eyed her with disapproval。 Something about my
expression stopped the
stewardess from ing over to protest。
I tried to tune out what Alice was murmuring to Jasper； I didn't want to hear
the words again； but some
slipped through。
〃I can't be sure； I keep seeing him do different things； he keeps changing his
mind A killing spree
through the city； attacking the guard； lifting a car over his head in the main
square mostly things that
would expose them—he knows that's the fastest way to force a reaction〃
〃No； you can't。〃 Alice's voice dropped till it was nearly inaudible； though I
was sitting inches from her。
Contrarily； I listened harder。 〃Tell Emmett no Well； go after Emmett and
Rosalie and bring them
back Think about it； Jasper。 If he sees any of us； what do you think he will
do？〃
She nodded。 〃Exactly。 I think Bella is the only chance—if there is a chance
I'll do everything that can
be done； but prepare Carlisle； the odds aren't good。〃
She laughed then； and there was a catch in her voice。 〃I've thought of that
Yes； I promise。〃 Her voice
became pleading。 〃Don't follow me。 I promise； Jasper。 One way or another； I'll
get out And I love
you。〃
She hung up； and leaned back in her seat with her eyes closed。 〃I hate lying
to him。〃
〃Tell me everything； Alice；〃 I begged。 〃I don't understand。 Why did you tell
Jasper to stop Emmett； why
can't they e help us？〃
〃Two reasons；〃 she whispered； her eyes still closed。 〃The first I told him。 We
could try to stop Edward
ourselves—if Emmett could get his hands on him； we might be able to stop him
long enough to convince
him you're alive。 But we can't sneak up on Edward。 And if he sees us ing
for him； he'll just act that
much faster。 He'll throw a Buiclc through a wall or something； and the Volturi
will take him down。
〃That's the second reason of course； the reason I couldn't say to Jasper。
Because if they're there and the
Volturi kill Edward； they'll fight them。 Bella。〃 She opened her eyes and
stared at me； beseeching。 〃If there
were any chance we could win if there were a way that the four of us could
save my brother by
fighting for him； maybe it would be different。 But we can't； and； Bella； I
can't lose Jasper like that。〃
I realized why her eyes begged for my understanding。 She was protecting
Jasper； at our expense； and
maybe at Edward's； too。 I understood； and I did not think badly of her。 I
nodded。
〃Couldn't Edward hear you； though。'〃 I asked。 〃Wouldn't he know； as soon as he
heard your thoughts；
that I was alive； that there was no point to this？〃
Not that there was any justification； either way。 I still couldn't believe
that he was capable of reacting like
this。 It made no sense！ I remembered with painful clarity his words that day
on the sofa； while we
watched Romeo and Juliet kill themselves； one after the other。 I wasn't going
to live without you； he'd
said； as if it should be such an obvious conclusion。 But the words he had
spoken in the forest as he'd left
me had canceled all that out—forcefully。
〃If he were listening；〃 she explained。 〃But believe it or not； it's possible
to lie with your thoughts。 If you
had died； I would still try to stop him。 And I would be thinking 'she's alive；
she's alive' as hard as I could。
He knows that。〃
I ground my teeth in mute frustration。
〃If there were any way to do this without you； Bella； I wouldn't be
endangering you like this。 It's very
wrong of me。〃
〃Don't be stupid。 I'm the last thing you should be worrying about。〃 I shook my
head impatiently。 〃Tell me
what you meant； about hating to lie to Jasper。〃
She smiled a grim smile。 〃I promised him I would get out before they killed
me； too。 It's not something I
can guarantee—not by a long shot。〃 She raised her eyebrows； as if willing me
to take the danger more
seriously。
〃Who are these Volturi？〃 I demanded in a whisper。 〃What makes them so much
more dangerous than
Emmett； Jasper； Rosalie； and you？〃 It was hard to imagine something scarier
than that。
She took a deep breath； and then abruptly leveled a dark glance over my
shoulder。 I turned in time to see
the man in the aisle seat looking away as if he wasn't listening to us。 He
appeared to be a businessman； in
a dark suit with a power tie and a laptop on his knees。 While I stared at him
with irritation； he opened the
puter and very conspicuously put headphones on。
I leaned closer to Alice。 Her lips were at my ears as she breathed the story。
〃I was surprised that you recognized the name；〃 she said。 〃That you understood
so immediately what it
meant—when I said he was going to Italy。 I thought I would have to explain。
How much did Edward tell
you？〃
〃He just said they were an old； powerful family—like royalty。 That you didn't
antagonize them unless you
wanted to die；〃 I whispered。 The last word was hard to choke out。
〃You have to understand；〃 she said； her voice slower； more measured now。 〃We
Cullens are unique in
more ways than you know。 It's abnormal for so many of us to live together in
peace。 It's the same for
Tanya's family in the north； and Carlisle speculates that abstaining makes it
easier for us to be civilized； to
form bonds based on love rather than survival or convenience。 Even James's
little coven of three was
unusually large—and you saw how easily Laurent left them。 Our kind travel
alone； or in pairs； as a
general rule。 Carlisle's family is the biggest in existence； as far as I know；
with the one exception。 The
Volturi。
〃There were three of them originally； Aro； Caius； and Marcus。〃
〃I've seen them；〃 I mumbled。 〃In the picture in Carlisle's study。〃
Alice nodded。 〃Two females joined them over time； and the five of them make up
the family。 I'm not sure；
but I suspect that their age is what gives them the ability to live peacefully
together。 They are well over
three thousand years old。 Or maybe it's their gifts that give them extra
tolerance。 Like Edward and I； Aro
and Marcus are talented。〃
She continued before I could ask。 〃Or maybe it's just their love of power that
binds them together。
Royalty is an apt description。〃
〃But if there are only five—〃
〃Five that make up the family；〃 she corrected。 〃That doesn't include their
guard。〃
I took a deep breath。 〃That sounds serious。〃
〃Oh； it is；〃 she assured me。 〃There were nine members of the guard that were
permanent； the last time we
heard。 Others are more transitory。 It changes。 And many of them are gifted
as well—with formidable
gifts； gifts that make what I can do look like a parlor trick。 The Volturi
chose them for their abilities；
physical or otherwise。〃
I opened my mouth； and then closed it。 I didn't think I wanted to know how bad
the odds were。
She nodded again； as if she understood exactly what I was thinking。 〃They
don't get into too many
confrontations。