The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 19 HATE

WE MADE OUR FLIGHT WITH SECONDS TO SPARE, AND THEN the true torture began. The airplane sat idle on the tarmacadam speckle the flight attendants strolledso casuallyup and d receive the aisle, patting the bags in the over forefront compartments to make sure e very amour fit. The pi fixs leaned disclose of the cockpit, chatting with them as they passed. Alices hand was severely on my shoulder, holding me in my bottomland while I bounced anxiously up and down.Its faster than running, she re judgemented me in a low piece.I just nodded in time with my bouncing.At ending 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, solely my phrenetic impatience didnt lessen.Alice lifted the phone on the certify of the seat in front of her before wed invertped climbing, turning her back on the stewardess who eyeball her with disapproval. Something about my prospect stopped th e stewardess from coming over to protest.I tried to tune out what Alice was murmuring to Jasper I didnt want to hear the wrangle again, but some slipped through.I cant be sure, I keep retarding him do different things, he keeps changing his mind A knock downing indulge through the city, attacking the vindication, lifting a car over his head in the main squ atomic number 18 mostly things that would expose themhe knows thats the fastest way to force a reactionNo, you cant. Alices 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 cerebrate 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 chanceif there is a chance Ill do everything that can be done, but prepare Carlisle the odds arent good.She laughed then, and there was a catch in her voice. Ive thought of that Yes, I promise. Her vo ice became pleading. Dont follow me. I promise, Jasper. mavin way or another, Ill get out And I love you.She hung up, and leaned back in her seat with her eyes closed(a)(a). I hate lying to him.Tell me everything, Alice, I begged. I dont netherstand. Why did you sort Jasper to stop Emmett, why cant they come service of process us?Two terra firmas, she whispered, her eyes lock closed. The first I told him. We could try to stop Edward ourselvesif Emmett could get his hands on him, we might be open to stop him pine enough to convince him youre a choke. But we cant sneak up on Edward. And if he sees us coming for him, hell just act that much faster. Hell throw a Buiclc through a wall or something, and the Volturi will fasten on him down.Thats the second reason of course, the reason I couldnt say to Jasper. Because if theyre there and the Volturi kill Edward, theyll fight them. Bella. She exposed her eyes and watchd 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, by chance it would be different. But we cant, and, Bella, I cant lose Jasper resembling that.I complete why her eyes begged for my understanding. She was protecting Jasper, at our expense, and maybe at Edwards, as well. I unders in like mannerd, and I did not think badlyly of her. I nodded.Couldnt Edward hear you, though. I asked. Wouldnt 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 couldnt believe that he was capable of reacting like this. It made no sense I remembered with painful clarity his interchanges that day on the sofa, while we watched Romeo and Juliet kill themselves, one after the other. I wasnt qualifying to live without you, hed said, as if it should be such an obvious conclusion. But the words he had spoken in the plant as hed left me had canceled all that outforcefully.If he we re listening, she explained. But believe it or not, its possible to lie with your thoughts. If you had died, I would still try to stop him. And I would be thinking shes alive, shes 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 wouldnt be endangering you like this. Its very wrong of me.Dont be stupid. Im the last thing you should be worrying about. I agitate 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. Its not something I can guaranteenot by a long shot. She raised(a) 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 shoulde r. I turned in time to see the man in the aisle seat learning away as if he wasnt listening to us. He appeared to be a businessman, in a dark suit with a power tie and a l liable(p)op 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 rear, she said. That you understood so immediately what it meantwhen 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 familylike royalty. That you didnt 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. Its abnormal for so many of us to live together 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. Even Jamess myopic coven of three was unusually largeand you saw how tardily Laurent left them. Our kind travel alone, or in pairs, as a general rule. Carlisles family is the biggest in existence, as furthermost 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 suspect 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 before 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 Five 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 social club 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 wellwith 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 didnt think I wanted to know how bad the odds were.She nodded again, as if she understood exactly what I was thinking. They dont 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.Didnt Edward tell you what they do?No, I said, tactual sensationing the blank expression on my face.Alice looked over my head again, toward the businessman, and put her wintry lips back to my ear.Theres a reason he called th em royalty the ruling class. Over the millennia, they have assumed the position of enforcing our ruleswhich actually translates to punishing transgressors. They pull through that duty decisively.My eyes popped wide with shock. There are rules? I asked in a voice that was too loud.ShhShouldnt somebody have mentioned this to me earlier? I whispered angrily. I mean, I wanted to be a to be one of you Shouldnt somebody have explained the rules to me?Alice chuckled once at my reaction. Its not that complicated, Bella. Theres only one karyon restrictionand 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 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 need policing, she continued. But, after a few centuries, sometimes one of us gets bored. Or crazy. I dort know. And then the Volturi step in before it cancompromis e them, or the rest of us.So EdwardIs intend to flout that in their own citythe city theyve secretly held for three thousand years, since the time of the Etruscans. They are so protective of their city that they dont allow hunting within its walls. Volterra is probably the rubberst city in the worldfrom vampire attack at the very least(prenominal).But you said they didnt leave. How do they eat?They dont leave. They bring in their food from the out array, from quite far away sometimes. It gives their guard something to do when theyre not out annihilating mavericks. Or protecting Volterra from exposureFrom situations like this one, like Edward, I finished her sentence. It was amazingly easy to say his discover now. I wasnt sure what the difference was. Maybe because I wasnt 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 theyve ever had a situation quite like this, she muttere d, 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 cry of pain. She wrapped her thin, strong arm around my shoulders.Well do what we can, Bella. Its 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 its a good thing.I shrugged.Knock it off, Bella, or were turning around in sunrise(prenominal) York and going back to Forks.What?You know what. If were too late for Edward, Im going 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 glare 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 pre ssed 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 pit sculpture. The minutes passed, and if I didnt know better, I would have thought shed fallen asleep. I didnt dare interrupt her to ask what was going on.I wished there was something safe for me to think about. I couldnt allow myself to consider the horrors we were headed toward, or, more horrific yet, the chance that we might failnot 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. Seeing him and losing him againI fought back against the pain. This was the price I had to pay to sav e his life. I would pay it.They showed a movie, and my neighbor got headphones. Sometimes I watched the figures moving across the little screen, but I couldnt even tell if the movie was supposed to be a romance or a horror film.After an eternity, the plane 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 happened a dozen times before the plane moved(p) town with a jarring impact.Alice, I finally said. Alice, we have to go.I touched her arm.Her eyes came open very slowly. She shook 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 goodbetter than having to wait. As soon as the plane was in the air, Alice closed her eyes and slid back into the same s tupor as before. I waited as patiently as I could. When it was dark again, I opened the window to stare out into the flat black that was no better than the window shade.I was grateful that Id had so many months practice with controlling my thoughts. Instead of dwelling on the terrifying possibilities that, no matter what Alice said, I did not intend to survive, I concentrated on lesser problems. Like, what I was going to say to Charlie if I got back That was a thorny enough problem to occupy several hours. And Jacob? Hed promised to wait for me, but did that promise still apply? Would I end up crustal plate alone in Forks, with no one at all? Maybe I didnt want to survive, no matter what happened.It felt like seconds later when Alice shook my shoulderI hadnt realized Id fallen asleep.Bella, she hissed, her voice a little too loud in the darkened cabin full of sleeping clements.I wasnt disorientedI hadnt been out long enough for that.Whats wrong?Alices eyes gleamed in the dim light of a reading lamp in the row behind us.Its not wrong. She smiled fiercely. Its right. Theyre deliberating, but theyve decided to tell him no.The Volturi? I muttered, groggy.Of course, Bella, 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 remain? 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 dazed as he turned and stumbled his way back.Tell me, I breathed almost silently.She whispered into my ear. Theyre interested in himthey think his talent could be uselul. Theyre going to draw out 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 newsthe first bruise. Theyre intrigued they truly dont want to end himwasteful, thats the word Aro will useand 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 through 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 awaythings 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 faraway things that come on their ownthose 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 metWhat do you mean?You saw me choke one of you. I barely mouthed the words.She sighed. It was a possibility 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 change 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 gasped. Oh, Alice, do it now I could help you so muchand I wouldnt slow you down. Bite meShh, she cautioned. The attendant was looking in our direction again. Try to be reasonable, she whispered. We dont have enough time. We have to get into Volterra tomorrow. Youd be writhing in pain for days. She made 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. Nothing at all.She laughed quietly, and then sighed. You have too much faith in me, Bella. Im not sure that 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. First we have to live through tomorrow.Good point. But at least I had something to hope for if we did. If Alice made good on her promiseand if she didnt kill methen 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 leaning her forehead against her knees. She rocked back and forth as she concentrated.I rested my head against the seat, watching her, and the next thing I knew, she was snapping the shade closed against the faint brightening in the eastern sky.Whats happening? I mumbled.Theyve told him no, she said quietly. I noticed at once that her enthusiasm was gone.My voice choked in my throat with panic. Whats he going to do?It was chaotic 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 comprehension 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 soif he sticks to his latest decision, maybe.What is that?Hes going to keep it simple. Hes just going to walk out into the sun.Just walk out into the sun. That was all.It would be en ough. The image of Edward in the meadowglowing, shimmering like his skin was made of a million diamond facetswas burned 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 audience 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 noon?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 grand th eft auto?A bright yellow Porsche screamed to a stop a few feet in front of where I paced, the word TURBO scrawled in silver cursive 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 inlet 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 interior 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 trafficsliding through fine 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. Sh e hit the gas then, as if to adjudicate her point.I probably 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 trip anywhere, and maybe my last, too. But Alices driving frightened me, despite the fact 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 people and red flags. Whats the date like a shot?I wasnt entirely sure. The nineteenth, maybe?Well, thats ironic. Its Saint Marcus Day.Which means?She chuckled darkly. The city holds a celebration every year. As the legend goes, a Christian missionary, a get MarcusMarcus of the Voltun, in factdrove all the vampires from Volterra fifteen hundred years ago. The story claims he was martyred in Romania, still try ing to drive away the vampire scourge. Of course thats nonsensehes 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 work. Her smile was sardonic. Its become more of a celebration of the city, and recognition for the police forceafter 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 blue 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 eye s on the winding roadthe needle 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 concussion today.I groaned. That would be just like meruin 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 need to wait for noon after all.There, Alice said abruptly, pointing to the castle city atop the closest hill.I stared at it, feeling the very first hint of a new kind of fear. Every minute since yesterday morningit seemed like a week agowhen Alice had spoken his na me at the foot of the stairs, there had been only one fear. And yet, now, as I stared at the ancient 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 absolutely terrified me.Volterra, Alice announced in a flat, frozen voice.