Devils Tongue- Jacob Black

11

Bella and Alice waited impatiently at the curb. Delphine had told them she would get a car, and would meet them here.

A yellow Porsche screeched to the curb. The darkly tinted windows rolled down to reveal Delphine. She was dressed in a loose shawl and sunglasses, her long hair hiding any exposed skin from the sun. Alice and Delphine climb into the car, and Delphine handed Alice a pair of glasses 

"Where'd you get the car?" Bella asked nervously as she buckled her seatbelt

"Don't worry about it" Delphine responded with a smirk

"Hope you're not opposed to grand theft auto" Alice explained to Bella with a sigh, as Delphine sped off, flooring the gas

*******

The Porsche screams down a highway in the beautiful Tuscan countryside. The sports car was cutting lanes, weaving through Peugots and Fiats.

Bella grips the dashboard as Delphine narrowly misses a car. The vampire laughs maniacally as she drove

 "How much time do we have?" Bella asked Alice, who was in the backseat.                      

Alice paused, before telling her "He's waiting till noon, when the sun's at its highest...."                                  
She paused for a second, before continuing  "...He's going to make the Volturi change their minds about killing him."

Bella checked the time on the car's dash nervously "It's almost noon now"                              

Delphine scowled and sped up more "Almost there. I'm going to make it." She was clearly nervous, knowing her brother's life was at risk

"There's Volterra" Alice told her as she pointed to a majestic, medieval looking city

The narrow, centuries-old streets are crowded with festival revellers who all wear red, most wearing cloaks that covered their heads. They excitedly head toward the town square carrying red pendants, balloons, scarves. The porsche weaves through them, hurrying forward.

"Why are they all wearing red?" Bella asked, looking around at the strange scene

Alice shook her head "San Marcos Day festival. The perfect setting. Large crowds. The Volturi won't let him get far enough to reveal himself - he's counting on that."              

 "We only have five minutes-" Bella demanded in a panicked tone.

"I'm working on it!" Delphine growled as she honked her horn at pedestrians. She was eventually stopped by a roadblock, and groaned "God help me" she muttered

The Italian police wave her back. Bella jumps out of the car in a frenzy, looking around

"Wheres the square?" Bella asked in a rush

"Follow that lane" Alice pointed to a cobblestone road, and Bella immediately took off

"He'll be under the clock tower!" Alice shouted after her.

"Alice, I need you here" Delphine stated as Alice went to follow Bella. The Italian police knocked on her window impatiently "I don't know Italian"

Alice nodded and took off her sunglasses, immediately sending the officers a charming smile

*********            

Bella races down the cobble-stoned alleys, stumbling on the uneven stones. Festival revellers head in the same direction, she maneuvers around them.

As Bella nears the square, the alleys become more populated. She pushes past people stuttering fast excuses "excuse me," "sorry."

Finally, she emerges into the plaza, filled with a sea of red festival-goers. Across her was a sea of scarlet flags, dresses and jackets. On the other side of the crowded square was a large clock tower. It reads one minute before noon.

Bella battles her way through the square; the crowd shoves back, shouting at her in Italian.

One older man shouted at her "Fare attenzione!"

Bella charges forward to find herself blocked by a massive fountain. Suddenly, a large gong sound echoes through the plaza.   The clock tower bells chimes, indicating it was noon.

Bella jumps into the fountain, wades through the shallow water to the other side- she jumps out of the fountain and barrels through the crowd. Finally, she sees Edward, in the shadows, just inches from the sunlight.

"Edward!" Bella shouted, but her cried were drowned out by the clock tower chiming. The deafening ring seemed to slow with the tension of the situation. She pushes toward him, fighting to reach him.

Edward slowly closes his eyes as he unbuttons his shirt, exposing his bare chest to the dim lighting

Bella felt as if she was running in slow motion, calling his name.

Edwards face broke into a smile, seemingly welcoming his inevitable demise. He knew he would soon be dead, as it would be the only fitting punishment for exposing himself as a vampire. He stepped into the sunlight, his arms outstretched. He seemed fully content with his imminent death, but just before he reached the light-