The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 19 HATE

WE MADE OUR dodging WITH SECONDS TO SPARE, AND THEN the true torture began. The savourless sat idle on the macadam while the flight att displaceants strolling??so nervelessly??up and polish the aisle, patting the bags in the hit compartments to make sure e lay outu all toldy occasion fit. The pilots leaned erupt of the cockpit, chatting with them as they passed. Alices manus was seriously on my shoulder, attri besidese me in my bottomland while I bounced anxiously up and down.Its faster than abidening, she re psycheed me in a slump joint.I mediocre n wizded in fourth dimension with my bouncing.At decease the mat rolled lazily from the gate, expression speed with a gradual firmness that tortured me further. I expected honorable roughly affable-hearted of re impositionf when we achieved liftoff, but my un appeaserained impatience didnt lessen.Alice lifted the ph wizard on the tush of the tin in reckon of her onward wed selectped climbing, turning her fanny on the stewardess who look her with disapproval. roundthing ab bug out my expression giveped the stewardess from glide path over to protest.I tried to furrow out what Alice was murmuring to Jasper I didnt requirement to hear the words again, but rough slipped with.I cleart be sure, I backup construeing him do different things, he remarks changing his mind?? A cleansing spree finished the urban center, blowing the guard, lifting a gondola over his creative turn overer in the main squ be?? mostly things that would utter them??he sleep withs thats the fastest vogue to ride a re setion??No, you cant. Alices voice dropped process it was nearly inaudible, though I was seance inches from her. Contrarily, I listened harder. sort Emmett no?? Well, go afterward Emmett and Rosalie and bring them back?? deem about it, Jasper. If he ticks whatalways of us, what do you call up he ordain do?She nodded. Exactly. I speak out Bella is the only outlook??if on that point is a chance?? Ill do e genuinelything that can be d ace, but make grow Carlisle the odds bent good.She laughed consequently, and there was a pay off in her voice. Ive purpose of that?? Yes, I bode. Her voice became pleading. Dont follow me. I promise, Jasper. One appearance or a nonher, Ill suck out?? And I venerate you.She hung up, and leaned back in her fuck with her eyeb wholly closed. I hate fictionalization to him.Tell me e realthing, Alice, I begged. I dont conceive. why did you itemise Jasper to stop Emmett, why cant they practise help us?Two evidences, she rustleed, her look unflurried closed. The graduation exercise I told him. We could estimate to stop Edward ourselves??if Emmett could deliver his mitts on him, we might be able to stop him coarse overflowing to convince him youre alive. b bely we cant sneak up on Edward. And if he agnizes us coming for him, hell on the nose act that much faster. Hell throw a Buiclc with a wall or s omething, and the Volturi ordain take him down.Thats the second reason of course, the reason I couldnt say to Jasper. Because if theyre there and the Volturi decimate Edward, theyll fight them. Bella. She exposed her look and stargond at me, beseeching. If there were any chance we could kick upstairs?? if there were a way that the tetrad of us could save my br separate by fighting for him, perchance it would be different. solely we cant, and, Bella, I cant lose Jasper same that.I effected why her eyes begged for my understanding. She was defend Jasper, at our expense, and maybe at Edwards, in similar manner. I tidyless, and I did non presuppose ill of her. I nodded.Couldnt Edward hear you, though. I asked. Wouldnt he know, as soon as he heard your surveys,that I was alive, that there was no point to this? non that there was any justification, either way. I still couldnt look at that he was capable of fighting like this. It do no sense I remembered with nasty clarity his words that day on the sofa, while we watched Romeo and Juliet kill themselves, one after the other. I wasnt loss to live without you, hed state, as if it should be such an obvious conclusion. notwithstanding the words he had spoken in the forest as hed go apart me had canceled all that out??forcefully.If he were listening, she explained. But accept it or not, its possible to lie with your suasions. If you had died, I would still try to stop him. And I would be sentiment shes alive, shes alive as hard as I could. He knows that.I ground my teething in numb frustration.If there were any way to do this without you, Bella, I wouldnt be en hazarding you like this. Its truly wrong of me.Dont be stupid. Im the last thing you should be worrying about. I shake my head impatiently. Tell me what you meant, about hating to lie to Jasper.She smiled a grim smile. I promised him I would labour out in the first place they killed me, likewise. Its not something I can guaran tee??not by a long shot. She brocaded her eyebrows, as if forgeting me to take the danger much seriously.Who be these Volturi? I demanded in a whisper. What makes them so much to a greater extent(prenominal)(prenominal) 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 lav looking external as if he wasnt listening to us. He appeared to be a businessman, in a dark admit with a might tie and a laptop on his knees. While I stared at him with irritation, he opened the calculating machine and very conspicuously put headphones on.I leaned closer to Alice. Her lips were at my ears as she take a breath the story.I was surprised that you recognized the see apart, she express. That you understood so immediately what it meant??when I tell he was exhalation to Italy. I thought I would project to explain . How much did Edward tell you?He just verbalize they were an old, flop family??like royalty. That you didnt antagonize them unless you lossed to?? die, I whispered. The last word was hard to exit out.You have to understand, she said, her voice slower, to a greater extent heedful now. We Cullens are unique in to a greater extent ways than you know. Its?? abnormal for so some(prenominal) of us to live to constituteher in peace. Its the same for Tanyas 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. dismantle Jamess micro coven of triad was unusually rangy??and you see how easily Laurent left them. Our kind travel alone, or in pairs, as a general rule. Carlisles family is the biggest in existence, as out-of-the-way(prenominal) as I know, with the one exception. The Volturi. there were three of them originally, Aro, Caius, and Marcus.Ive seen them, I mumbled . In the picture in Carlisles study.Alice nodded. Two females joined them over time, and the five of them make up the family. Im not sure,but I shadowed that their age is what gives them the ability to live peacefully together. They are well over three thousand years old. Or maybe its their gifts that give them extra tolerance. Like Edward and I, Aro and Marcus are?? talented.She continued out front I could ask. Or maybe its just their love of power that binds them together. Royalty is an apt description.But if there are only five?? louver that make up the family, she corrected. That doesnt 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 wobbles. And some(prenominal) of them are gifted as well??with formidable gifts, gifts that make what I can do look like a living-room trick. The Volturi chose them for their abilities, p hysical or otherwise.I opened my mouth, and then closed it. I didnt cypher I treasured to know how swingeing the odds were.She nodded again, as if she understood on the button what I was implying. They dont get into too many confrontations. No one is stupid decorous to mess with them. They stick to in their city, leave only as duty calls. certificate of indebtedness? I wondered.Didnt Edward tell you what they do?No, I said, faceing the blank expression on my face.Alice looked over my head again, toward the businessman, and put her stock-still lips back to my ear.Theres 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 voiceless transgressors. They fulfill that duty decisively.My eyes popped panoptic with shock. There are rules? I asked in a voice that was too loud-voiced.ShhShouldnt individual have mentioned this to me earlier? I whispered angrily. I mean, I wanted to be a?? to be one of you Shouldnt soul have explained the rules to me?Alice chuckled once at my reaction. Its not that complicated, Bella. Theres only one core limitation??and if you think about it, you can plausibly figure it out for yourself.I thought about it. Nope, I have no idea.She agitate her head, disappointed. mayhap its too obvious. We just have to keep our existence a secret.Oh, I mumbled. It was obvious.It makes sense, and most of us dont study policing, she continued. But, after a few centuries, some time one of us gets bored. Or crazy. I dort know. And then the Volturi step in before it cancompromise them, or the rest of us.So Edward??Is planning to flout that in their own city??the city theyve on the QT held for three thousand years, since the time of the Etruscans. They are so protective of their city that they dont chuck up the sponge hunting within its walls. Volterra is belike the strongst city in the world??from vampire attack at the very least.But yo u said they didnt leave. How do they eat?They dont leave. They bring in their food from the outside, from quite out-of-the-way(prenominal) away sometimes. It gives their guard something to do when theyre not out annihilating mavericks. Or protecting Volterra from pic??From situations like this one, like Edward, I unblemished her sentence. It was amazingly lightsome to say his name now. I wasnt sure what the difference was. Maybe because I wasnt really planning on living much longer without perceive him. Or at all, if we were too late. It was comforting to know that I would have an easy out.I doubt theyve ever had a situation quite like this, she muttered, disgusted. You dont 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 call option of pain. She wrapped her thin, strong arm most my shoulders.Well do what we can, Bella. Its not over yet. non yet. I permit her comfort me, though I k tonic she t hought our chances were poor. And the Volturi will get us if we mess up.Alice stiffened. You say that like its a good thing.I shrugged. exploit it off, Bella, or were turning around in sore-fashioned York and acquittance back to Forks.What?You know what. If were too late for Edward, Im exhalation to do my damnedest to get you back to Charlie, and I dont want any trouble from you. Do you understand that?Sure, Alice.She pulled back slightly so that she could glistering at me. No trouble.Scouts honor, I muttered.She rolled her eyes.Let me concentrate, now. Im trying to see what hes 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 match sculpture. The minutes passed, and if I didnt know bring out, I would have thought shed fallen asl eep. I didnt dare interrupt her to ask what was exhalation on.I wished there was something safe for me to think about. I couldnt allow myself to consider the offenses we were headed toward, or, more horrific yet, the chance that we might fall in??not if I wanted to keep from screaming aloud.I couldnt anticipate anything, either. Maybe, if I were very, very, very lucky, I would somehow be able to save Edward. But I wasnt so stupid as to think that saving him would mean that I could stay with him. I was no different, no more special than Id been before. There would be no new reason for him to want me now. comprehend him and losing him again??I fought back against the pain. This was the expenditure I had to pay to save his life. I would pay it.They showed a movie, and my neighbor got headphones. sometimes I watched the figures moving across the pocket-sized screen, but I couldnt in time tell if the movie was supposed to be a romance or a horror film.After an eternity, the plan ing machine began to descend toward New York City. Alice remained in her trance. I dithered, reaching out to touch her, only to pull my hand back again. This kick the bucketed a dozen times before the plane touched township with a jarring impact.Alice, I at long last said. Alice, we have to go.I touched her arm.Her eyes came open very slowly. She agitate her head from side to side for a moment.Anything new? I asked in a low voice, conscious of the man listening on the other side of me.Not exactly, she breathed in a voice I could barely catch. Hes getting closer. Hes deciding how hes going to ask.We had to run for our connection, but that was good?? smash than having to have a bun in the oven. As soon as the plane was in the air, Alice closed her eyes and slid back into the same stupor as before. I waited as patiently as I could. When it was dark again, I opened the window to stare out into the flat benighted that was no better than the window pure tone.I was grateful that I d had so many months recital with controlling my thoughts. Instead of dwelling on the terrifying possibilities that, no matter what Alice said, I did not intend to survive, I unvoiced on lesser problems. Like, what I was going to say to Charlie if I got back That was a thorny enough problem to touch several hours. And Jacob? Hed promised to wait for me, but did that promise still apply? Would I end up home alone in Forks, with no one at all? Maybe I didnt want to survive, no matter what happened.It felt like seconds afterward when Alice shook my shoulder??I hadnt realized Id fallen asleep.Bella, she hissed, her voice a little too loud in the darken cabin full of sleeping humans.I wasnt disoriented??I hadnt been out long enough for that.Whats wrong?Alices eyes gleamed in the dim light of a edition lamp in the row behind us.Its not wrong. She smiled fiercely. Its rightfield. Theyre deliberating, but theyve inflexible to tell him no.The Volturi? I muttered, groggy.Of course, Bel la, keep up. I can see what theyre going to say.Tellme.An attendant tiptoed down the aisle to us. Can I get you ladies a pillow? His hushed whisper was a rebuke to our comparatively loud conversation.No, thank you. Alice beamed at up at him, her smile shockingly lovely. The attendants expression was stunned as he turned and stumbled his way back.Tell me, I breathed virtually silently.She whispered into my ear. Theyre interested in him??they think his talent could be uselul. Theyre going to project him a place with them.What will he say?I cant see that yet, but Ill bet its colorful. She grinned again. This is the first good intelligence service??the first break. Theyre intrigued they truly dont want to eradicate him??wasteful, thats the word Aro will use??and that may be enough to force him to get creative. The longer he spends on his plans, the better for us.It wasnt enough to make me hopeful, to make me feel the relief she obviously felt. There were still so many ways that we could be too late. And if I didnt get by dint of the walls into the Volturi city, I wouldnt be able to stop Alice from dragging me back home.Alice?What?Im confused. How are you seeing this so clearly? And then other times, you see things far away??things that dont happen?Her eyes tightened. I wondered if she guessed what I was thinking of.Its clear because its immediate and close, and Im really concentrating. The far things that come on their own??those are just glimpses, faint maybes. Plus, I see my kind more easily than yours. Edward is even easier because Im so attuned to him.You see me sometimes, I reminded her.She shook her head. Not as clearly.I sighed. I really wish you could have been right about me. In the beginning, when you first saw things about me, before we even met??What do you mean?You saw me become one of you. I barely mouthed the words.She sighed. It was a hap at the time.At the time, I repeated.Actually, Bella?? She hesitated, and then seemed to make a choice. Honestly, I think its all gotten beyond ridiculous. Im debating whether to just transport you myself.I stared at her, frozen with shock. Instantly, my mind resisted her words. I couldnt afford that kind of hope if she changed her mind.Did I scare you? she wondered. I thought thats what you wanted.I do I natural gasped. Oh, Alice, do it now I could help you so much??and I wouldnt slow you down. gaminess meShh, she cautioned. The attendant was looking in our complaint again. Try to be reasonable, she whispered. We dont have enough time. We have to get into Volterra tomorrow. Youd be wriggling in pain for days. She make a face. And I dont think the other passengers would react well.I bit my lip. If you dont do it now, youll change your mind.No. She frowned, her expression unhappy. I dont think I will. Hell be furious, but what will he be able to do about it?My heart beat faster. null at all.She laughed quietly, and then sighed. You have too much faith in me, Bella. Im not sure t hat I can. Ill probably just end up killing you.Ill take my chances.You are so bizarre, even for a human.Thanks.Oh well, this is purely hypothetical at this point, anyway. starting time we have to live by dint of tomorrow. genuine point. But at least I had something to hope for if we did. If Alice made good on her promise??and if she didnt kill me??then Edward could run after his distractions all he wanted, and I could follow. I wouldnt let him be distracted. Maybe, when I was beautiful and strong, he wouldnt want distractions.Go back to sleep, she encouraged me. Ill wake you up when theres something new.Right, I grumbled, certain that sleep was a lost cause now. Alice pulled her legs up on the seat, wrapping her arms around them and atilt her forehead against her knees. She rocked back and forth as she concentrated.I rested my head against the seat, honoring her, and the next thing I knew, she was snapping the shade closed against the faint sheenyening in the east sky.Whats h appening? I mumbled.Theyve told him no, she said quietly. I noticed at once that her transport was gone.My voice choked in my pharynx with panic. Whats he going to do?It was helter-skelter at first. I was only getting flickers, he was changing plans so quickly.What kinds of plans? I pressed.There was a bad hour, she whispered. Hed decided to go hunting.She looked at me, seeing the scholarship in my face.In the city, she explained. It got very close. He changed his mind at the last minute.He wouldnt want to disappoint Carlisle, I mumbled. Not at the end.Probably, she agreed.Will there be enough time? As I spoke, there was a shift in the cabin pressure. I could feel the plane angling downward.Im hoping so??if he sticks to his a la mode(p) decision, maybe.What is that?Hes going to keep it simple. Hes just going to whirl out into the sunbathe.Just walk out into the sun. That was all.It would be enough. The image of Edward in the meadow??glowing, shimmering like his skin was made o f a million diamond facets??was burned-out into my memory. No human who saw that would ever forget. The Volturi couldnt possibly allow it. Not if they wanted to keep their city inconspicuous.I looked at the slight gray glow that shone through the opened windows. Well be too late, I whispered, my throat closing in panic.She shook her head. Right now, hes leaning toward the melodramatic. He wants the biggest reference possible, so hell choose the main plaza, under the clock tower. The walls are high there. Hell wait till the sun is exactly overhead.So we have till noonday?If were lucky. If he sticks with this decision.The pilot came on over the intercom, announcing, first in French and then in English, our imminent landing. The seat belt lights dinged and flashed.How far is it from Florence to Volterra?That depends on how fast you drive?? Bella?Yes?She eyed me speculatively. How strongly are you opposed to epic theft auto?A bright yellow Porsche screamed to a stop a few feet in fr ont of where I paced, the word TURBO scrawled in silver running hand across its back. Everyone beside me on the crowded airport sidewalk stared.Hurry, Bella Alice shouted impatiently through the open passenger window.I ran to the entre and threw myself in, feeling as though I might as well be wearing a black stocking over my head.Sheesh, Alice, I complained. Could you pick a more conspicuous car to steal?The privileged was black leather, and the windows were tinted dark. It felt safer inside, like nighttime.Alice was already weaving, too fast, through the thick airport traffic??sliding through petty spaces between the cars as I cringed and fumbled for my seat belt.The important question, she corrected, is whether I could have stolen a faster car, and I dont think so. I got lucky.Im sure that will be very comforting at the roadblock.She trilled a laugh. Trust me, Bella. If anyone sets up a roadblock, it will be behind us. She hit the gas then, as if to prove her point.I probabl y should have watched out the window as first the city of Florence and then the Tuscan landscape flashed past with blurring speed. This was my first sightseer anywhere, and maybe my last, too. But Alices driving shake up me, despite the concomitant that I knew I could trust her behind the wheel. And I was too tortured with anxiety to really see the hills or the walled towns that looked like castles in the distance.Do you see anything more?Theres something going on, Alice muttered. Some kind of festival. The streets are full of masses and red flags. Whats the date today?I wasnt entirely sure. The nineteenth, maybe?Well, thats ironic. Its Saint Marcus Day.Which way?She chuckled darkly. The city holds a celebration all(prenominal) year. As the legend goes, a Christian missionary, a catch Marcus??Marcus of the Voltun, in fact??drove all the vampires from Volterra fifteen snow years ago. The story claims he was martyred in Romania, still trying to drive away the vampire scourge. Of course thats nonsense??hes neer left the city. But thats where some of the superstitions about things like crosses and garlic come from. Father Marcus used them so successfully. And vampires dont trouble Volterra, so they must die. Her smile was sardonic. Its become more of a celebration of the city, and recognition for the natural law force??after all, Volterra is an amazingly safe city. The police get the credit.I was realizing what she meant when shed said ironic. Theyre not going to be very happy if Edward messes things up for them on St. Marcus Day, are they?She shook her head, her expression grim. No. Theyll act very quickly.I looked away, fighting against my teeth as they tried to break through the skin of my lower lip. Bleeding was not the best idea right now.The sun was terrifyingly high in the pale mordant sky.Hes still planning on noon? I checked.Yes. Hes decided to wait. And theyre waiting for him.Tell me what I have to do.She kept her eyes on the winding road??th e molest on the speedometer was touching the far right on the dial.You dont have to do anything. He just has to see you before he moves into the light. And he has to see you before he sees me.How are we going to work that?A small red car seemed to be racing backward as Alice zoomed around it.Im going to get you as close as possible, and then youre going to run in the direction I point you.I nodded.Try not to trip, she added. We dont have time for a rap today.I groaned. That would be just like me??ruin everything, destroy the world, in a moment of klutziness.The sun continued to climb in the sky while Alice raced against it. It was too brigh, and that had me panicking. Maybe he wouldnt feel the emergency to wait for noon after all.There, Alice said abruptly, pointing to the castle city atop the scalelike hill.I stared at it, feeling the very first hint of a new kind of fear. Every minute since yesterday morning??it seemed like a calendar week ago??when Alice had spoken his name at the foot of the stairs, there had been only one fear. And yet, now, as I stared at the past sienna walls and towers crowning the peak of the steep hill, I felt another, more selfish kind of dread thrill through me.I supposed the city was very beautiful. It abruptly terrified me.Volterra, Alice announced in a flat, icy voice.