Born in Flames / / C. Volturi

{21 The Seattle Riots and Confrontation}

Adela Volturi

The air was musty, thick with the stagnant stench of  blood, but not the fresh kind, sweet and rich having flown freshly from  the neck of some unsuspecting human. This blood was old and caking  against the tarmac in thick, wasted coagulated clumps, savagely torn  from its victims and spilt carelessly in an act of pure and untactful  instinct. It was repulsing to see such a large group of newborns be left  to act so simply amongst themselves, however, I cannot imagine that  their creators care for them any more than a factory farm care for its  livestock.

It was easy to see the disgust on Jane's face as she looked down at the hoard as they fought and squabbled like children, clearly what even instincts they had fallen to creating an almost animalistic structure of dominance. "How many more days do we keep watch on them mother?" She asked, clearly bored.

"If what information we have is correct darling, they move against the Cullens tomorrow afternoon, after that, we can go home" Her mood seemed to brighten at the information. Jane had never been the biggest fan of Aro's old friend. She deemed him too soft for this life. His first son on the other hand posed a bigger problem. Carlisle's only saving grace was that Aro still after all these years, values his life. Edward, even from what small interactions I have had with him, is disrespectful and deems himself untouchable.

Unfortunately, he will not be continuing to think this way after tomorrow.

Bella Swan

Although the battle had not gone as she had intended, her dilutions always taking hold of her rational thought, Bella must admit that she had to at least be thankful that she was still alive after being found by Victoria herself. Less fortunately, however, was the fate of Jacob whose ribs had been crushed by a rogue newborn. No matter how much of her life she claimed belonged to Edward, there would always be that small part of her that longed for Jacob too, if not as a lover but as one of her closest friends. Her naive mind not being able to detach herself from the boys she so desperately clung to. The atmosphere of the clearing seemed to fall stagnant as the impending arrival of the Volturi slowly edged closer and closer, the wolves had left for their own safety.

The presence of the five vampires was suffocating, almost as if their power was physically radiating from them in a way that left them untouchable. Bella recognised the crimson eyes that belonged to Alec, Jane, Felix and Demetri, however, she was most surprised to see the fiery red hair of Adela herself. Fear shot hot down Bella's spine as she could almost picture the haunting face of Victoria in place of the monarch. But Bella did not seem to be the only one in shock as the Cullen clan seemed to grow ridged under her piercing gaze. She stood statue-like directly behind the twins with the other two guards just behind them at a slightly wider distance. Bella could feel her heartbeat speed up as Adela's eyes flicked to her own, sizing her up with an utter look of disdain. From what Edward had told her previously, Adela and Caius rarely left the court, but when they did there were always disastrous consequences for the coven they were dealing with. For every second that Bella saw her standing there, she could feel her hopes draining away.

"Impressive. I've never seen a coven escape an assault of this magnitude intact" Jane began with the same amount of contempt for them as her mother, looking down at them like she would rather be anywhere else. Bella could almost feel the lingering pain from her first encounter with the vampire as she cowered into Edward in an attempt to make herself less visible.

"We were lucky" Carlisle tensely smiled, trying to ease the palpable tension.

"I doubt that" She smirked back, knowing that there was nothing they could do in retaliation.

"It appears we missed an entertaining fight" Her twin continued, also raking his eyes over the Cullens in a clear display of power, standing with a perfect posture and confident demeanour.