Violet Forsythe has finally found peace.
She successfully escaped a coven of malignant vampires, worked hard to get an education, and has actually managed to pull herself together.
But, as old acquaintances begin to resurface, the life that Violet w...
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"What a fascinating tale," a cold, brittle voice drifted towards us from the bedroom door.
Renesmee and I snapped our attention to the doorway, which currently framed a petite, blonde girl in an elegant black dress and a matching black cloak.
I was stunned. Not because she was unusually beautiful, like Renesmee, or that she had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
No, I was completely taken aback by her vibrant red eyes.
"Jane," Renesmee said under her breath as she exhaled sharply. She stood up and took a few steps closer to me, almost protectively.
So the monster from the shadows of my nightmares had a name.
"Jane," I parroted, tasting her name on my tongue.
The girl looked at me with an unreadable expression before she flicked her eyes over to Renesmee. "Where are you parents, young Renesmee? Do they know you're out past curfew?"
I blinked stupidly at the girl. I'd never seen her before, and yet, something about her felt familiar. I frowned. I couldn't figure out if that "familiar feeling" I was experiencing was a good or a bad one.
"No," Renesmee said, setting her jaw. "I don't have a curfew anymore. I'm currently studying molecular biochemistry and biophysics at Yale, thank you very much."
Jane continued to stare at Renesmee coldly, without blinking. She didn't seem impressed.
"I'm on my winter break, and I was just picking Violet up to go visit my family and me in Forks," Renesmee added.
"So I heard," Jane said flatly. "But you and I both know that's not going to happen."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Renesmee replied.
"Hand her over," Jane said, cutting straight to the point.
"No," Renesmee said firmly. "I'm not going to stand by and let you hurt her."
"You have a lot of nerve to meddle in the Volturi's business," Jane said with a hard edge in her voice. "Violet's fate is no concern of yours."
"She's my best friend. I'll never let her go, especially not with you jerks," Renesmee said.
"But you already did," Jane scoffed. "Return her. Before I lose my patience."
"I'm sorry," I interjected, the alcohol beginning to mix poorly with my skittishness. "What are you supposed to be? A Sith Lord?"
"Close enough," Renesmee muttered without taking her eyes off of Jane.
"Hilarious," Jane said without humor.
"This is Jane, one of the head members of the Volturi guard," Renesmee explained briefly.
Jane shifted her vacant gaze to me.
"You really don't remember," she mused.
"Nope. Have we met before? I have a feeling we've met before," I replied, struggling to filter myself.
"Unfortunately," Jane said without inflection.
Out loud, it sounded like an insult, but for some odd reason I couldn't bring myself to be offended.
"But that's beside the point," Jane continued. "You need to come with me."
"To where?" I asked bluntly.
"I'm not going to repeat myself again. Unless you want me to sic Demetri on you," Jane said with a small smirk.
"Don't you dare," Renesmee said darkly. "Keep that monster away from her."
"You seem to be misconstrued," Jane replied simply.
"Alice saw him, plain as day," Renesmee asserted.
"Put your shoes on. We're leaving," Jane commanded me, choosing to ignore Renesemee's last remark.
"I won't let you take her," Renesmee said. "Violet deserves a choice."
"She has already made her choice. She's joining the Volturi."
"But she doesn't remember that," Renesmee argued.
"She won't remember most of this once she turns, regardless. Her mental state as a human is of no consequence to us."
"It does matter, Jane, and I will not leave her side until she consents to joining whichever coven she chooses - consciously and coherently," Renesmee proclaimed with fiery confidence.
"How valiant," Jane said coldly. "But this matter is still none of your business. Violet isn't a Cullen, or a Denali. She's a Volturi. Nothing, no matter what Alice thinks she saw, or what you personally want for your coven, will change that."
"Exactly," Renesmee shot back. "That's exactly what Alice saw. Violet didn't choose you, and you couldn't handle it, so you had your henchman execute her for it."
"LIES!" Jane spat furiously.
"Whoa! Whoa whoa!" I exclaimed, jumping into the mix quickly. I had no idea what to say because, honestly, I didn't know what was going on. The alcohol I consumed at the party had fully seeped into my system and I was barely following along. "Let's all bring it down a notch, okay? Let's work this out like logical, civilized people."
"Are you slurring?" Jane asked sharply, narrowing her eyes at me.
"I just got back from a party, don't judge me," I said, smashing all of my words into one sentence.
"You're intoxicated," Jane said accusingly before turning to Renesmee. "So much for allowing her to consciously and coherently consent. You were going to cart her off to the airport while she's completely wasted."
"Hey! I'm not drunk!" I protested.
"Really? What's my name again?" Jane demanded.
"Uh. Janice?"
"Unbelievable," Jane said, giving Renesmee a look of disgust.
"I'm just trying to save her life!" Renesmee said defensively.
"No. You're trying to poach her for your coven," Jane shot back.
"No, I'm not!" Renesmee cried.
"Look!" I interjected loudly. "I don't know what you people are talking about or who you people even are - but I have roommates, and I can't have them coming home to you two screaming back and forth about vampires and magicians and shit. We gotta take this somewhere else."
Jane and Renesmee stared at each other for a silent, drawn out moment.
