Chapter 24:

Two days after Senna and Zafrina's arrival Carlisle and Esme returned with a few friends from Switzerland. New friends, according to Alice.

"Carlisle took a trip one year after Renesmee's birth," She declared as the taller of the two men shed his fur coat- purely a garment used for the aesthetic. Even in the frigid winters of the North, no vampire would be affected by the weather. "He met Sven and Christian on a hunt in the alps,"

"Interesting," I mused, but I clung to Alec's hand as Renesmee bolted off the couch and hurried to the door to make introductions. We were strangers- better than enemies, but it didn't make us friends. "I've never considered hunting there."

"It's fun!" Renesmee declared, her arms wrapped firmly around Christian's neck as he spun her in a circle. At the end of the couch, Jane's lip pulled back into a tense snarl. "Well- it's only fun if you hunt animals."

I narrowed my eyes and locked gaze with Sven. His eyes weren't gold- nor red, to my surprise.

"Omnivores," He said, catching my confusion. Instead of the classic triad of colors I'd come to know, their eyes were a dark amber, a person combination of gold and red. "Humans if necessary. Animals if we have a choice."

"A fair balance between instinct and humanity," Carlisle smiled. I doubted he would ever fully approve of a diet that involved any killing, but this method was better than nothing.

And he couldn't deny- some humans deserved to die. It was just a question of whether or not we had the authority to be judge, jury and executioner.

"Perhaps worthy of looking into," I said, slipping onto the couch between my mate and the armrest.

Renesmee planted a kiss on Christian's cheek and flitted back to Jane's side before her mate could implode.

"If we survive, we'll have time to consider dietary alterations," Alec quipped, brushing his thumb across the inside of my palm. "So- do we have to recount what happened, yet again?"

"Not necessary," Esme, wrapped in a conversation with Senna and Zafrina, turned to face us. "Carlisle took it upon himself to let everyone know the situation. I hope that's alright- we don't want to overstep any boundaries but-"

"No," Alec shook his head, and something of a smile crossed his face. "Thank you. We appreciate it,"

"It had gotten exhausting." Jane added, "to have to tell the same story. Over and over and over again,"

"I did tell them that they could come to you if they had any questions that Carlisle and I couldn't answer."

"I think we can manage that,"

The rest of the day was quiet, almost absurdedly so- given the amount of vampires we'd managed to cram into one house.

Carlisle, the Irish coven, Christian and Sven, Emmett and Jasper and the nomads left in the evening to hunt.

We were left to sit in the living room, unsure eyes darting around as we watched one another.

I wanted to trust them. Just as they, I was sure, wanted to trust me.

Bella's shield was constantly wrapped around her and Rosalie, and Alice and Renesmee. Edward had gone into the city early in the morning for supplies- he didn't need protection right now.

The dangers of the outside world were nothing compared to what the twins or I could do.

At the fifth hour of haughty glaring, I snapped.

"Shit- can you all stop?" I hissed, sliding off of the couch. "We've been here for almost a month. I thought we were past this. What? The second Carlisle leaves we're all back to hating each other?"

"I don't hate any of you," Bella said.

"Your shield is up. I can feel it. That's why my power can't go through," I perched on the armrest, "If you trusted us, you would protect all of us,"

Her lips twitched, but in the end they turned up into a half-smile. "I'm sorry. I suppose I have my priorities slightly askew."

Something soft, warm wrapped itself around me; the feeling reminded me of a mother's embrace- or what I remembered that to be like.

"We're on the same side. We have to remember that. If we're driven apart, that will only give Aro the upperhand,"

Alec snorted, his gaze fixed on the open window. Outside, Esme and Alice stood on the porch, talking low enough that I had to listen closely to catch their conversation.

"-don't know. Soon. Few hours-"

"-to let… Alice! You can't keep this-"

I narrowed my eyes and leaned closer, but before I could figure anything out, Alice threw open the door, her lovely face crumpled.

"Someone's going to die in a few hours," She said, and despite her expression, her tone was largely nonchalant.

The announcement caused an uproar.

"How?"

"Who?"

"When?"

"Aro?"

"Who, Aunt Alice?"

She sunk into an armchair across from the couch, and cradled her forehead. "I… I didn't… I never- I don't-"

Esme knelt next to the chair, her fingers curled around Alice's. "Take your time,"

"I've had visions," She began, her eyes closed tight. "Started a few days ago. I didn't want to scare anyone so- I kept them to myself,"

"You kept visions of one of us dying-" Jane rose, her hands balled into tight fists. "-secret...because you didn't want to scare us?"

"I am fully aware of how stupid that was,"

"I'm thrilled. So- who was it?"

"That's the problem. I'm not certain. It's not me- or Jasper… it's someone smaller. I've assumed it would be either- Either you- or Alec… or maybe Saoirse, but-" She cut herself off and in the span of a half-minute her eyes glazed over, cleared up and fogged over once again.

Blinking rapidly, she scanned our expressions.

"It's not any of us. Whoever it is is small- close to Saoirse's size, but they have dark hair. Nearly black."

"-Shit…"

"Do you know someone like that?"

Alec's body tensed, his finger's coiling around mine tight enough to snap the bone in thumb. "Aro's daughter. Do you see the circumstances of her death?"

"Why are we worrying about Aro's child?" Garrett sauntered out of a back room, his hands looped easily in his belt loops. "If she dies, won't that give us an advantage?"

"She's just a kid, Garrett," Alice said, her eyes focused on the other vampire as she leaned back. "If she were a major catalyst, then I would consider taking her out. I don't believe her death will change things in our favor. Not enough to justify killing her."

"Alice. Did. You. See. How. She. Dies?"

"Not what or who kills her. I saw her grabbing onto tree branches and stumbling through some woods. She collapses- and that's where the vision ends."

"And you think it's near here? These woods?" He demanded, and my heart jerked.

I promised I'd be fine, and I have been. Still, I can't help but question who of us he loves best in the end. Me- or Jane, or Euphrasie.

"In the general vicinity, yes. Within five miles of the house,"

"Is it dark? Is it light?"

"It's dusk," She answered, "If I had to guess a time- may be between seven and eight?"

'Thank you," His grip on me settled some. I sank into the couch with him and waited for my thumb to sort itself back out.

"What do you plan to do?" I asked. He wrapped an arm around me, and all at once that jealous feeling vanished entirely. Maybe- maybe there was a chance that he could love me as much.

"I'll search the woods. When I find her- I'll make sure the vision doesn't come true,"

"If I could see more, I might be able to tell what path leads her here in the first place," Alice confessed, her nose scrunched up. "If she wasn't- if she were a vampire I might be able to see her better. I can barely make out her form in my visions. It's… it's like the surroundings, the woods, they're clear as day. She's not. She's just….a ghost, almost. Barely there. Scarcely detectable,"

"But you saw her. You saw enough to know that it was a small child with dark hair. And unless you're having visions about random human children, I'm going to assume it's Euphrasie,"

"I thought you didn't love her?" Alice cocked her head.

"I don't. I don't love her like that," His gaze fixed to the floor. "But I do love her in a way. She's very sweet. Very kind. I love her like I might love a younger sister. I feel protective of her. I don't want to kiss her,"

I purred with internal satisfaction.

"Do you think she'd join us?" Bella asked, settling on the armrest next to Ren.

"In spirit? I don't want her to fight. She's barely seven."

"Renesmee's only ten,"

"Then have her sit out the battle, too."

"NO!"

"Maybe you have a point,"

"No, Jane, he doesn't. I'm not sitting on the sidelines while my family and you risk your lives. No way."

"Then Euphrasie can fight, too,"

"Euphrasie can do as she chooses," I snapped, "If Renesmee gets the choice to fight or not fight, then we should all be granted the same. If she wants to fight- so be it. If not… we can't force her."

"Fine," Jane grinned, "Let her choose. Maybe you saw her dying in battle. Who knows? Maybe Audrey'll get to her,"

"It didn't feel like a battle," Eyes narrowed, Alice pushed herself off the chair and turned to Jane direction, "If she survives what I saw in the vision, I doubt she'd have the strength to make it to a battle. Audrey won't get to anyone,"

"Audrey'll get to whoever she wants," Alec laughed, but it was a cold and dry sound and not at all lovely. "I'm honestly surprised she hasn't found us,"

"Demetri, rather," Jane's mouth curved into a bitter smirk. "Maybe he has and he's just waiting for us to slip up. For someone to break away from everyone else,"

Bella's brow furrowed. "Demetri never came across to me as especially sadistic."

"No- but he's a tracker. They all get that mentality about them. They can't stop until they've gotten their quary.

Very briefly, her eyes darkened and she traced a crescent scar on her hand- undoubtedly a vampire bite.

"My shield- it should block him out,"

"Yes, but he'd still be able to find the rest of us," Jane slipped an arm around Ness's waist. Bella's back muscles tensed. "You can shield us most of the time, sure, but to do so constantly would drain you. Even vampire's have limits. They might be extreme, but they exist,"

"Then I'll shield Edward and Renesmee. Edward'll be able to hear Demetri's thoughts from a mile out. We'll have a small window of time to prepare."

"And I'll watch for him," Alice added, tucking a lock of her ink-black hair behind her ears. "If I get a vision of him, it'll give us even more time,"

"Right- but if Demetri finds us, it's only a matter of time before he reports back to Aro." Alec said, his eyes darting around the room. Sven and Christian exchanged wary glances. "He'll bring an army. A hundred times stronger than what he brought when Renesmee was born. He will not care about the law, or adding anyone to his collection. There will be no talk. No point of "witnesses". He will kill us. Systematically. One by one until no one is left to oppose him."

Carlisle laughed shortly. A pretty sound, but with a deadness to it. "Alec, you're starting to sound like Alistair."

"Good. He has some sense."

"If his army is strong, ours has to be stronger," Edward said, "If- I can't believe I'm saying this, but if Alec and Jane could use their gifts, it'd give us some leverage."

Jane cocked her head to the side and looked up at him, her expression enough to melt. "And who do you propose we try and practice on? You?"

"No,"

"No, no one here. There has to be a way for us to test it without anyone needing to feel the pain,"

A beam of sunlight streamed through the cracked window, casting all near it into prisms. Tanya's hand through a rainbow onto the floor.

"Her power works in the mind," Alec began, "It's illusionary, but- I'm sure you knew that already. Mine works on the body. I could numb someone just enough for the pain to be mild. Noticeable, but only just."

"Which is wonderful," I said, straightening my back. "But what about Audrey? She'll just push your gifts back onto you."

"There's a chance I'll be able to block her, too. If I can-" She turned to the twins, her lips pulled into an elated expression. "You'll be able to use your gifts. We can incapacitate her and Aro and take everyone out."

"If it works- your shield, I mean, then I'd be able to use my gifts. I could make Audrey turn on Aro. I could make them annihilate one another."

"You could?"

"It'd be exhausting. I'd have to be precise on which memories or emotions I induce, but It'd be possible."

"So, it's a kind of mind control?"

I shrugged, "Something like that. I don't directly manipulate the body to do anything. I merely implant certain emotions or...memories. Sensations into someone's mind that could lead them to a certain action."

"And you could figure out which ones to give Audrey?"

"Provided your gift works. Bella, I hope you realize how much we have riding on y-"

Three steady knocks rapped on the wooden door. And unfamiliar scent mingled with those present.

Before I could speak, or anyone reacted, Alec bolted to his feet and jerked it open.

I twisted around. A tiny figure stood on the doorstep, dark hair plastered to their face from the rain. They were miniscule, smaller than Jane.

"I-I-I'm…"

It was a girl's voice, but raspy, as if her vocal cords had been ruined with sickness.

"Euphrasie," Alec said, reaching for her hand as she swayed, eyes focused somewhere else. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry,"

Her other hand flew to her jacket. She pulled a folded paper out and handed it to him.

"Fath-father wanted...he sent...he told me to gi-give you that," She paused and her gaze fell to the ground. "I don't know what it says."

Unfolding the letter, Alec read it's contents.

"He knows where we are," He met my gaze, jaw set, his brow knitted. "He's given us- Jane and I three days to return to him."

"Or what?" I demanded, my fingers curling around the edge of the couch. I always knew Aro to be insane. Who knew he was an idiot, too? "He'll kill us?"

"Something like that, yeah," He passed the letter to me.

My dearest loves,

Demetri has recently brought your present location to my attention, and with this knowledge I would like to propose a compromise.

I will give both of you three days to return to me. Three days to swear allegiance.

When three days are up, I will destroy everyone who stands to defy me.

I swallowed, and read the letter for a second time, then a third. Something about it seemed off, but I couldn't place what.

"Alright," Bella said, turning abruptly towards the backdoor. "That means we have three days to get ready,"