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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　coming　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　
computer　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。　No　one　is　stupid　enough　to　mess　with　them。　They　stay　in　their　city；　leaving　only　as　duty　
calls。〃　

〃Duty？〃　I　wondered。　

〃Didn't　Edward　tell　you　what　they　do？〃　

〃No；〃　I　said；　feeling　the　blank　expression　on　my　face。　

Alice　looked　over　my　head　again；　toward　the　businessman；　and　put　her　wintry　lips　back　to　my　ear。　

〃There's　a　reason　he　called　them　royalty…　the　ruling　class。　Over　the　millennia；　they　have　assumed　the　
position　of　enforcing　our　rules—which　actually　translates　to　punishing　transgressors。　They　fulfill　that　duty　
decisively。〃　

My　eyes　popped　wide　with　shock。　〃There　are　rules？〃　I　asked　in　a　voice　that　was　too　loud。　

〃Shh！〃　

〃Shouldn't　somebody　have　mentioned　this　to　me　earlier？〃　I　whispered　angrily。　〃I　mean；　I　wanted　to　be　
a…　to　be　one　of　you！　Shouldn't　somebody　have　explained　the　rules　to　me？〃　

Alice　chuckled　once　at　my　reaction。　〃It's　not　that　complicated；　Bella。　There's　only　one　core　
restriction—and　if　you　think　about　it；　you　can　probably　figure　it　out　for　yourself。〃　

I　thought　about　it。　〃Nope；　I　have　no　idea。〃　

She　shook　her　head；　disappointed。　〃Maybe　it's　too　obvious。　We　just　have　to　keep　our　existence　a　
secret。〃　

〃Oh；〃　I　mumbled。　It　was　obvious。　

〃It　makes　sense；　and　most　of　us　don't　need　policing；〃　she　continued。　〃But；　after　a　few　centuries；　
sometimes　one　of　us　gets　bored。　Or　crazy。　I　dor't　know。　And　then　the　Volturi　step　in　before　it　can　

compromise　them；　or　the　rest　of　us。〃　

〃So　Edward…〃　

〃Is　planning　to　flout　that　in　their　own　city—the　city　they've　secretly　held　for　three　thousand　years；　since　
the　time　of　the　Etruscans。　They　are　so　protective　of　their　city　that　they　don't　allow　hunting　within　its　walls。　
Volterra　is　probably　the　safest　city　in　the　world—from　vampire　attack　at　the　very　least。〃　

〃But　you　said　they　didn't　leave。　How　do　they　eat？〃　

〃They　don't　leave。　They　bring　in　their　food　from　the　outside；　from　quite　far　away　sometimes。　It　gives　their　
guard　something　to　do　when　they're　not　out　annihilating　mavericks。　Or　protecting　Volterra　from　
exposure…〃　

〃From　situations　like　this　one；　like　Edward；〃　I　finished　her　sentence。　It　was　amazingly　easy　to　say　his　
name　now。　I　wasn't　sure　what　the　difference　was。　Maybe　because　I　wasn't　really　planning　on　living　much　
longer　without　seeing　him。　Or　at　all；　if　we　were　too　late。　It　was　comforting　to　know　that　I　would　have　an　
easy　out。　

〃I　doubt　they've　ever　had　a　situation　quite　like　this；〃　she　muttered；　disgusted。　〃You　don't　get　a　lot　of　
suicidal　vampires。〃　

The　sound　that　escaped　out　of　my　mouth　was　very　quiet；　but　Alice　seemed　to　understand　that　it　was　a　
cry　of　pain。　She　wrapped　her　thin；　strong　arm　around　my　shoulders。　

〃We'll　do　what　we　can；　Bella。　It's　not　over　yet。〃　

〃Not　yet。〃　I　let　her　comfort　me；　though　I　knew　she　thought　our　chances　were　poor。　〃And　the　Volturi　will　
get　us　if　we　mess　up。〃　

Alice　stiffened。　〃You　say　that　like　it's　a　good　thing。〃　

I　shrugged。　

〃Knock　it　off；　Bella；　or　we're　turning　around　in　New　York　and　going　back　to　Forks。〃　

〃What？〃　

〃You　know　what。　If　we're　too　late　for　Edward；　I'm　going　to　do　my　damnedest　to　get　you　back　to　
Charlie；　and　I　don't　want　any　trouble　from　you。　Do　you　understand　that？〃　

〃Sure；　Alice。〃　

She　pulled　back　slightly　so　that　she　could　glare　at　me。　〃No　trouble。〃　

〃Scout's　honor；〃　I　muttered。　

She　rolled　her　eyes。　

〃Let　me　concentrate；　now。　I'm　trying　to　see　what　he's　planning。〃　

She　left　her　arm　around　me；　but　let　her　head　fall　back　against　the　seat　and　closed　her　eyes。　She　pressed　
her　free　hand　to　the　side　of　her　face；　rubbing　her　fingertips　against　her　temple。　

I　watched　her　in　fascination　for　a　long　time。　Eventually；　she　became　utterly　motionless；　hei　face　like　a　

stone　sculpture。　The　minutes　passed；　and　if　I　didn't　know　better；　I　would　have　thought　s