𝙀𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙄𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙨

Chapter Seven

It's been a couple of hours. They've been going as fast as they can to reach Edward. Right now, they've arrived in Italy, and Alice is driving the car. She is speeding as she drives, her eyes focused intensely on the road ahead.

I would've told Alice to slow down if we weren't trying to save someone's life. Suddenly, Alice dazes off, her eyes glazing over as she sees something in her mind. Bella, noticing this, asks, "Alice, what do you see?"

Alice snaps back to the present and says, "They refused him."

Bella and I exchange confused looks. Bella asks, "Sooo?"

Alice takes a deep breath and explains, "Edward is going to make a scene. He's going to show himself to the humans."

Bella's eyes widened in horror. "When?"

Alice's voice is tense as she replies, "He's going to wait until noon when the sun is highest."

Bella, her urgency renewed, says, "Alice, speed up!"

Alice nods, her foot pressing harder on the accelerator. "There's Volterra," she says as they start to see the buildings of the ancient city come into view. The race against time feels even more intense as they close in on their destination, every second bringing them closer to Edward and the potential disaster.

Alice is speeding through the buildings, beeping at the people in red so they get out of the way. Bella, stressed and anxious, asks, "Why are they in red?"

Alice, her eyes still on the road, quickly explains, "It's the St. Marcus Day festival. It celebrates the expulsion of vampires from the city. It's the perfect setting; the Volturi will never let him get far enough to reveal himself."

Bella, her panic rising, exclaims, "There's only five minutes!"

Alice, her voice tense but focused, replies, "I know."

I try to offer some comfort, I rub her arm over Bella's to try to calm her down. "We’re going to make it," I said reassuringly, even though the tension in the car was palpable. The ancient city of Volterra looms closer, and the streets are crowded with festival-goers, making the drive even more chaotic. 

Edward and Bella needed a moment to talk, so I stepped back, giving them some space. Their conversation was intense, filled with whispered words and lingering glances. The weight of their emotions was palpable, as if the world around them had faded away. Finally, they kissed, a tender moment that seemed to melt away the chaos around us.

Just then, I noticed two men walking towards us. Edward immediately wrapped his arm around Bella protectively. His eyes narrowed, a clear indication that he was ready to defend her at any cost.

"I won't be needing your services," Edward said firmly, his voice steady and unwavering.

The taller man smirked, a hint of menace in his eyes. "Aro wants to see you again."

Edward's expression darkened. He turned to me, his voice softening slightly. "Ishkhan, take Bella out to enjoy the festival."

But the taller man interrupted, his tone dripping with arrogance. "They come with us too."

Edward's jaw clenched, his anger barely contained. "Go to hell," he spat, his grip on Bella tightening.

Before things could escalate further, Alice opened the door, stepping into the tense standoff. "It's a festival. You wouldn't want to make a scene," she said, her voice calm but authoritative.

The taller man shrugged nonchalantly. "I wouldn't."

At that moment, a woman walked in, her presence commanding attention and respect. Edward lowered his head, his voice barely above a whisper. "Jane."