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The Cullen family stood in the driveway of their home, each member wracked with anxiety and fear as they awaited the imminent arrival of their world's most menacing coven. Emmett was the only one missing from their line up, currently dealing with their hostage situation.
As Alice had predicted, it was not even a minute after they had all congregated outside their two story, isolated home did they hear the rustling and crunching of twigs, the stirring of dirt under shoes.
Through the gaps in the trees surrounding them, they watched with concealed alarm as seven hooded figures, cloaked in black, arrived and broke through the tree line to glide seamlessly towards them.
While the four who formed a protective formation were intimidating enough, it was the three figures in the middle that strode with purpose who truly set the Cullens teeth on edge.
They came to a graceful stop not three meters away, their cloaks brushing against the dirt road leading to the house and its occupants in front of them.
With the same grace, the three in the middle removed their hoods. The shock of raven and snowy white hair against the backdrop of the peaceful woods was unsettling, reality setting in.
It felt all too much like the confrontation that had come to fruition all those years ago. It had led to nothing. No one died, no one was hurt, but past tensions had a tendency to remain. For vampires, it was hard to forget and let go.
A silent order had been spoken, the four outer figures dropping their hoods to reveal the impassive faces of the Volturi's elite guard. Their cold scarlet eyes looked over the Cullens with boredom that had become too commonplace over the last few decades.
Stepping into the rays of moonlight that shone down over them all, the handsome but terrifying grinning face of their leader, Aro, was nightmare fuel to poor Renesmee who his eager sights were set on.
The other two silent leaders hung back, choosing as they always did to not intervene.
For now.
Like their guard this little excursion brought them endless amounts of boredom, it was hardly worth any of the abundance of time at their disposal to be there.
The only one who looked enthusiastically upon this annual meeting was Aro, whose grin was still stretched across his face as he examined them. His eyes periodically fell on Bella and Alice, regarding them both as if they were some sort of trophy to be won.
Edward bristled at the thoughts running through Aro's mind, tightening his hold on Bella's hand assertively. Even after all these years, Aro's want for Alice's talents and Bella's shield still hadn't waned.
His was a greed Edward had never known in anyone else...for knowledge, power, loyalty and respect. His face didn't betray the salacious integrity and desire lying inside him. He was pleasant and calm when he spoke, looking to Carlisle in a friendly manner, who stood proudly in the center of their family.
