Chapter II: Volterra

A bright yellow Porsche screeched to a stop a few feet in front of Bella and Altheia twenty minutes later, the word TURBO scrawled in silver cursive across its back. Everyone on the crowded sidewalk gawked.

"Hurry! Get in!" Alice shouted impatiently through the open passenger window. Bella ran to the passenger seat and threw herself in, while Altheia chucked her bags to the back seat and scrambled in.

"Sheesh, Alice," Bella complained. "Could you pick a more conspicuous car to steal?"

Altheia would have laughed, but just a second later, her heart was already lodged in her throat. Alice was already weaving, too fast, through the thick airport traffic — sliding through tiny spaces between cars — leaving her two passengers fumbling for their seat belts. Outside the window, the cities of Florence and then the Tuscan landscape flashed past with blurring speed. The sun continued to climb in the sky while Alice raced against it.

"The sun is too bright." Bella noted nervously an hour later. "Won't Edward feel the need to wait for noon, after all?"

"'You just have to believe in Edward'," Alice reminded Bella in a tone that resembled Altheia's back in the plane. Altheia snorted in the back seat. "You doing okay back there, Altheia?"

"Yes, Alice, thanks for asking," Altheia said sarcastically. "Just spent an hour trying not to look at the speedometer, that's all." Bella hummed in agreement.

Alice rolled her eyes. Humans.

Altheia's eyes widened as she recognized the ancient sienna walls and towers crowning the peak of the steep hill. "We're here," she breathed against the window.

"Volterra." Alice announced in a flat, icy tone. "The safest city in the world."

Bella scoffed under her breath. "For humans."

In the backseat, Altheia narrowed her eyes at her new companions' wicked sense of humor, but decided to ignore it as the two bantered more at the front. She noticed that as they entered the city, the road grew more congested. The cars became too close together for Alice to maneuver between vehicles like an adrenaline junkie. The car slowed to a crawl behind a little tan Peugeot.

"Alice, this is taking forever," Bella complained. Alice soothed her, then pointed to the general direction of the city towers.

"Altheia, Bella, listen to me well," Alice ordered in a rush as the car skidded to a halt, pointing to the clock tower again, which they could see now more vividly. "You have to run to the direction of the clock tower. Palazzo dei Priori. Edward will be under the clock tower, to the north of the square. There's a narrow alleyway on the right, and he'll be in the shadow there. You have to get his attention before he can move into the sun. Right now, we're at the southern end of the square. Run straight across - don't even think twice about pushing people, just run!" Bella nodded furiously. "You have two minutes left! Go! Go!"

Bella and Altheia threw the doors open and launched themselves out of the car. They were momentarily blinded by the intensity of the sun at noontime, and the blazing colors of red in shirts, hats, posters, and flags. Not to mention the overwhelming singsong of the celebrants at the plaza. Altheia jolted Bella alert as she took her hand, and started pushing and pulling against people as they ran to the direction of the clock tower. Obscenities were flung in their direction as they forcibly pushed past against crowds of people displaying Saint Marcus relics and religious statues.

Beads of sweat dripping from the side of her face, Altheia suddenly hurled Bella to her front with all her strength, pushing her into the open space just meters from the narrow alleyway beneath the clock tower. Bella ran at full force to the direction of the passageway as Altheia squared her shoulders and braced the full impact of holding a crowd of four kids back from pushing into Bella's way.

"Edward! Edward!" Bella was screaming as she caught sight of a young man, motionless as a statue, just a few feet from the arched mouth of the alley. His eyes were closed, the rings underneath them deep purple, his arms relaxed at his sides, palms turned forward. His expression was very peaceful, as if he was dreaming pleasant things. The light reflecting from the pavement of the square gleamed dimly from his skin as he took a large stride forward.

Altheia watched as Bella slammed into the young man, Edward, and thought, she had never seen anything more idyllic than how Bella would repeatedly push against Edward with all her might and how he would smile to himself as he took the force of her pummeling at his chest. Edward took two steps back into the alleyway as she could see him murmur against Bella's frantic form. Her run had slowed to a walk towards them as she watched Edward's hands travel from Bella's sides to her waist and the back of her head, pulling her against him in an embrace.

"If that isn't the sweetest thing, but damn, Bella, you could warn a girl next time." Altheia muttered under her breath as she approached the couple, hidden behind the wall of the alley. "You didn't tell me Edward was just waiting for you here. All that running for nothing."

Bella shook her head as she detached herself from Edward's confused form. "I would explain if I could, but the important thing is — we made it."

Edward shot Bella a look, saying — explain. now.

Bella sighed. "Before that, we have to make sure the Volturi—"

Edward cut Bella off, suddenly pulling both women behind him. Altheia found herself beside Bella and the alley wall at dizzying speed.

"Greetings, gentlemen." Edward's voice was calm and pleasant on the surface. "I don't think I'll be requiring your services today. I would appreciate it very much, however, if you would send my thanks to your masters..."

"Shall we take this conversation to a more appropriate venue?" Bella and Altheia flinched as they heard a menacing voice whisper.

"I don't believe that will be necessary," Edward's voice was harder now. "I know your instructions, Felix. I haven't broken any rules."

Altheia shot Bella an annoyed look, mouthing, "Mafia?", while Bella shook her head and mouthed "Sorry!".

What the hell were Bella and Edward into?

"Felix merely meant to point out the proximity of the sun," A new voice said in a soothing tone. Altheia could now see two shadows concealed within smoky gray cloaks that reached to the ground and billowed in the wind. "Let us seek better cover."

"I'll be right behind you." Edward said dryly. "Bella, why don't you take your friend back to the square and enjoy the festival?"

"No. Bring the girls," The first shadow said, somehow injecting a leer into his whisper.

"I don't think so." The pretense of civility disappeared. Edward's voice was glacial and menacing. His weight shifted infinitesimally, ready to spring at any time.

"Aro would simply like to speak with you again, if you have decided not to force our hand after all." The second shadow said apathetically.

"Certainly," Edward agreed. "But they go free."

"I'm afraid that's not possible." The voice offered regretfully. Altheia tensed as she watched Bella's hands shake at her sides. "We do have rules to obey." They head footsteps inching closer and closer to their position. Edward wouldn't move an inch.

Abruptly, Edward's head whipped around, towards the darkness of the winding alley, as did the figures surrounding Edward.

"Let's behave ourselves, shall we?" Alice's lilting voice suggested. "There are ladies present. Right, Felix, Demetri?"

Alice fell into the spot beside Altheia, her stance casual. There was no hint of underlying tension. She looked tiny and fragile, her arms swung beside her like a child. The tall men suddenly straightened, realizing their numbers were even now.

"We're not alone," Alice reminded them further, glancing a few yards into the square, where a little family of girls in red dresses were watching them. Their mother was speaking urgently to her husband, eyes set on the cloaked men. The man shot one look and headed straight to a red-coated officer, who now joined in observing their crowd of six.

Edward's teeth clenched. "No."

"Enough."

The commanding voice was high. Altheia peeked from Edward's back and blinked repeatedly as she saw a tiny girl in a gray cloak, almost tinier than Alice, but with light brown hair barely reaching the shoulders. The wide-eyed, full-lipped face could pass for a Botticelli angel, but the face was too pretty for a boy. Despite her size, her arrival had instantly reduced the brute men back into the shadows of the overhanging walls.

"Jane," Edward sighed in defeat, arms dropping at his sides.

Alice folded her arms across her chest, her face impassive.

"Follow me," Jane spoke again, her childish voice in monotone. She turned away and drifted silently into the dark.

Alice walked after the little Jane at once, pulling Altheia's hand slightly to follow her stride. Edward wrapped his arm around Bella's waist and pulled her along as well. The two men in cloaks followed right after, closing all routes for escape.

The alley angled slightly downward as it narrowed. Altheia was too scared to ask questions. Instead, she shot Bella a nervous look.

"Well, Alice," Edward said conversationally. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to see you here."

"It was my mistake," Alice answered in the same tone. "It was my job to set it right."

"What happened?"

"It's a long story," Alice's eyes flickered from Bella to Altheia. "In summary, Bella did jump off a cliff, not to kill herself, but for extreme sports." Bella flushed. "We met Altheia along the way. Let's just say her presence with us is... predestined."

"Hm." Edward said curtly, eyeing both human women in front of him. Thinking. Observing.

There was a loose curve to the alley, as they turned and reached a squared-off dead end, faced with a flat, windowless, brick surface. The little one called Jane was nowhere to be seen.

Alice didn't hesitate as she strode toward the wall. She dropped Altheia's hand, which she had been holding through the walk. With easy grace, she slid down an open hole beneath their feet. It looked like a drain, sunk into the lowest point of the paving. The hole was small and black.

Altheia took several steps back. Bella balked.

"It's all right, Bella," Edward said in a low voice. "Alice will catch you."

Bella crouched down to the floor and swung her feet into the hole. "Alice?" Her voice called out into the darkness, trembling.

"I'm right here, Bella." Alice's voice reassured in a distant echo. Edward took Bella's wrists as he lowered her into the blackness.

"Ready?" Edward asked.

"Drop her!" Alice called.

When Bella disappeared into the hole, her scream dwindling down after almost a minute, Altheia gulped. All three men now faced her, expecting her to follow suit.

Altheia shook her head nervously. "You can go first, Edward." Her voice broke. She heard the two men behind her snicker.

"Ladies first," Edward offered in an amused voice. "Afraid of heights?"

"Isn't there any other entrance? How deep is that fall?" Altheia had backed up several more steps until she hit the bracing arms of the two brutes from earlier.

"Fifty feet." The voice behind her answered goodnaturedly. She flinched and tried to push back.

"I really — am afraid — of heights..." She struggled against them so forcefully they had to manhandle her down the hole. She was sure they would leave bruises. "I'm really — rather not — please don't -"

"Stop — just go down," If Edward could laugh, he would have. But it would have been in bad taste, considering the Italian woman had risked her life to save him. "Are — Are you seriously crying?"

Altheia's face had morphed into a adorable pink mess of fear and anxiety, tears pricking at her eyes. Edward barked out a laugh.

"I would advise you to just close your eyes, hold your breath, and clamp your mouth shut."

Altheia's eyes glanced pleadingly to the two cloaked men. "There are other entrances, right, signori...?"

They snickered at her. "Sadly, signora, none right now."

Altheia clenched her teeth as she was lowered into the passage. "Edward, I don't want to do this," she hissed as her heart hammered. Cold hands held her wrist. "Please — don't, I can't!"

"Ready, Altheia?" Edward was still snickering. Altheia flashed her middle fingers to his face. She could hear someone chortling.

"Drop her!" Alice called out.

When Edward let Altheia fall fifty feet deep through the passage, all vampires in the near vicinity could immediately hear varied and colorful obscenities — both in Italian and English — for a full ten seconds, until the cursing voice faded. Edward jumped down soon after Felix and Demetri started shaking in laughter.

"Why, Altheia, I didn't know you had a filthy mouth!" Alice jested to the woman she caught in her arms.

There was no response.

"Oh! Edward," Alice leveled her gaze as Edward emerged from the passage and slid swiftly to Bella's side, who was sat on the floor. "We might need a few human minutes."

"Are you okay, Bella?" Edward asked, and Bella nodded dumbly. He turned to the other human. "And Altheia?"

Alice grinned, raising her arms to showcase the unconscious, tear-stricken form of the Italian woman. "She probably fainted halfway through the fall."

"I told you, Alice, I wasn't exaggerating..." Bella mumbled as Altheia roused slowly from unconsciousness minutes later.

"I never want to go back here," Altheia grumbled in Italian as Alice set her upright slowly. Edward snorted. "I never want to see your faces again."

"Where are we?" Bella muttered as she scanned the area. Altheia shrugged Alice's hold and latched onto Bella as they started walking again, glaring at Alice and Edward.

The tunnel was dim, illuminated only by light from the passageway above. The tunnel spanned almost half a kilometer, until the group reached a thick, dark, and looming metal door. Altheia released a sigh of relief when the grills unlatched and revealed a brightly lit hallway. The walls were off-white, the floor carpeted in industrial gray. At the end of the hallway stood the little girl from earlier, Jane, shrouded in her gray cloak.

Once inside the elevator, the guards in cloaks visibly relaxed. Altheia watched in awe as their hoods fell back on their shoulders, revealing three attractive individuals. Jane simply looked like an angel. Felix and Demetri were both of a slightly olive complexion, a bit odd as it paired with their chalky pallor. Felix's hair was cropped short, but Demetri's hair waved to his shoulders. Their irises were deep crimson around the edges, darkening until they were black around the pupil. Under the shrouds, their clothes were modern, pale, and nondescript. Altheia gulped nervously when her eyes traveled to Alice and Edward, who looked similar to the guards, except for their golden irises.

The elevator ride was short. The group stepped out to a posh office reception area. The walls were paneled in wood, the floors carpeted in thick, deep green. There were no windows, but brightly lit paintings of the Tuscan countryside hung on the panels as replacements. Pale leather couches were arranged in cozy groupings, and the glossy tables held crystal vases full of vibrantly colored bouquets. The floral smell reminded Bella of a funeral home. Altheia shuddered.

In the middle of the room was a high, polished mahogany counter. Behind it was a tall, dark-skinned, green-eyed woman. She smiled politely. "Good afternoon, Jane." There was no surprise in her face as she glanced from the little girl to the group of disheveled-looking visitors.

Jane nodded. "Gianna." She continued toward a set of double doors in the back of the room, guiding the group.

On the other side of the wooden doors was a different kind of reception hall. A pale boy stood lazily in the connecting hall in a pearl gray suit. His hair was darker, lips not as full, but just as lovely as his obvious twin. He smiled, reaching for her. "Jane."

"Alec," she responded, embracing the boy. They exchanged cheek kisses. Then the boy looked behind her.

"Ah, Jane," Alec's eyes widened infinitesimally. "They send you out for one, and you come back with two... and two halves?" He noted jokingly as he squinted at Bella and Altheia. "Nice work."

"Hate to break it to you," Altheia muttered to herself. "But math says that that equals three."

Jane suddenly let out a laugh - the sound sparkled with delight like a baby's cooning. Alec grinned at Altheia's direction, before eyeing Edward. "Welcome back, Edward. You seem in a better mood."

"Marginally," Edward agreed in a flat voice. Alec chuckled as his gaze rested on Bella, who shrugged awkwardly at the focus of his attention.

"And this is the cause of all the trouble?" He asked, surveying Bella from head to toe, skeptical. He shrugged suddenly, as if losing interest, and took his twin's hand as he ushered the newly arrived into the main hall. Upon ascending the marble staircase, leading to a grand throne room, Alice pulled Altheia from Bella's form and hid her behind. In their formation, Alice and Edward stood in front, Bella showing her face slightly as she peeked from Edward's side, while Altheia kept herself hidden behind Edward's back.

This was a mistake. Altheia grabbed at Alice's blouse nervously, huddling herself behind them. Her heart was pounding in her ears.

As they stepped into the throne room, Bella's mouth dropped. It was the largest, most opulent space she had ever seen. Pillars lined the corners, bright, high windows casting light to the front center of the room where three ominous thrones sat equidistant from each other. Bella glanced behind her to see Altheia gaze at the architecture in nervous awe, her eyes lighting up slightly as if in recognition.

Bella blanched. She really did end up dooming this woman.

"Master Aro," Jane's voice announced suddenly, making the humans flinch. "I have brought him back alive, just as you wished."

Bella shuffled nervously towards Edward as she observed Aro. He was different from the vampires she had seen in her life. His skin was pale, delicate — and it stood in shocking contrast against the long black hair that framed his face. His eyes were red, the same as the others around him, but the color was clouded... hazy.

Edward watched as Aro glided to Jane, took her face in his paper hands, and kissed her cheeks. "Ah, Jane," he breathed. "You are such a comfort to me." Edward straightened as his hazy red eyes wandered finally from Jane to their group - first to him, then to Alice, and then to Bella. When he returned his gaze to match Edward's, his smile brightened, as if ecstatic.

"Edward! Alice, and Bella, too!" he rejoiced, clapping his hands together. "A reunion in my home!" Suddenly his voice dropped as he addressed Felix. "Felix, be a dear and call for my brothers. I'm sure they wouldn't want to miss such a happy occasion."

"Yes, Master." Felix acquiesced immediately, bowing out and disappearing the way they arrived.