Mackenzie Cullen

Chapter 18

Esme's POV

~~~~~~~~~~~

 "I love you" Carlisle whispers as I reluctantly drop his hand. I nod my head, barely a fraction, before walking away from my mate, my family, and over to the line of black. I heard someone suck in a deep breath from behind me, whilst a few already fast heartbeats accelerate.

 I took my time, carefully calculating each step, until I come to a standstill one foot away from Aro. I stretch my hand out toward him, refusing to take another step away from my family and friends. Being away from Carlisle at a time like this was almost unthinkable with the danger ahead, but here I am, standing in front of the menacing line of black; with Jane who could make me collapse in agony, Alec, who could take away all of my senses, and, most terrifying, Felix, who could kill me with one hand behind his back. Aro -who, by now looked quite annoyed with my reluctance- takes a minute step forward, before roughly taking my hand in his. I fight back a hiss as he squeezes my hand, making his grip painful as he digs through all of memories. Searching through all of my past -my marriage to Charles, him attacking me, my deceased son and the cliff in Ashland-. But his gift does not stop there. Now he knows everything about me and my life, any moments that have happened between me and Carlisle, and each and every insignificant detail of my daily routine, now belonged to him, and there was no way I could ever take them back for them to be private again.

 "She is, indeed, powerful" Aro breaths, though everyone in the clearing heard him perfectly, before dropping my hand. His voice was usually masked, protecting his emotions; but that mask seemed to fail him today. He was amazed and...exited. Whether that was about the fact that him and his coven were about to kill one of my family, or whether it was about gaining Mackenzie's power for his coven (which will never happen, anyway), I'll never know. "But she cannot use her physical shield at will"

My nerves got the better of me, so I turn on my heel to make a hasty retreat. I go at a humans pace, trying to make it seem like I was calm, and failing. I could see it plastered across Carlisle's face as he sees my worried expression. My gaze touches each member of my family, the Denalis, and the wolf pack, and each looked stressed, but slightly relieved as they see me retreat. Even the wolves seemed less on end. That is, until I lock eyes with Alice. Her golden eyes glass over, less than a millisecond before she snarls, followed by Edward. I didn't have time to see the others' faces before the whoosh of wind tells me that it's too late to run. I didn't even have the chance to attempt to escape before a large hand wraps tightly around my throat, and lifting me into the air. I claw at the hand, even attempt to lash out, but it didn't work - whoever was holding me up was holding me too far away from themselves to be in any danger. And who am I a danger too, anyway?

"Emmett! Grab him!" Edward shouts, pointing to Carlisle, who was preparing to spring. Emmett rushes behind him, and grabs Carlisle's arms, pulling him from his crouch.

"Let me GO!" Carlisle roars, struggling against Emmett's steel grasp. Emmett doesn't let go of him, even when Carlisle kicks him repeatedly in the shins.

"If you attack now, she'll die" Emmett whispers in an urgent attempt to calm Carlisle's struggle.

"They're going to kill her anyway!" Carlisle shouts, kicking Emmett harder. "Alice has seen it!"

 It made my cold, unbeating heart ache to see Carlisle like this. And however many times I tell myself that this might not be the day I die, I know that his words are true. I can tell myself that they aren't, but that doesn't mean that I'm right. Alice had said that it was set in stone, that someone was going to die today, and it was whoever Aro asked for evidence. When Aro asked me to step forward, I refused to believe that it would be me, that fate would be so horrible as to strike me off just when I thought that I could forget my past. But, even then, some part of me knew that I would be wrong. As much as I dread to think of what will happen -of the pain as my head is pulled from my body, my limbs being ripped from my torso, and the fire that I will be torched with-, I must admit that I am glad that no one else will die, according to Alice. I am afraid of death, but at least I shall not have to live without Carlisle, or any other member of my family.