New Rise - Book 4

The Volturi

In what felt like just hours -in reality was days- we were landing in the airport and on our way to the Italian city of Volterra where we would face the Volturi.

I felt terrible knowing that my friends thought they were going on a vacation. Soon enough that smokescreen would become very apparent and so would their impending deaths. As we drove through the out skirts of Volterra their faces were lit with so much happiness it hurt me.

Too soon we were entering a dark tunnel that led beneath the city of Volterra.

"Where are we going?" Jamie spoke, her voice trembling.

"we are almost there." my father replied, ignoring her question.

"I'm right beside you Jamie." Tyler whispered as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close.

I felt my heart sink as I watched him place a kiss to her forehead. I couldn't believe I had ruined a future that they had together.

Before I knew it we were in a circular stone room that was lit by a few torches that hung near a massive aged desk in which a woman with brunette hair twisted in a bun sat.

She was clearly human as she stood to her feet, knocking a stack of papers to the floor. I watched silently as she stooped quickly to pick them up and restore neatness.

Her was darted around the room in a nervous manner before her tense body seemed to relax just the slightest. Then she gave her attention over to us.

"I presume you have an appointment." She spoke in a professional manner. Her face was acquit of any emotions.

My father took a step forward, his hands casually in his pockets. "Cullen. We are here for Aro."

The woman turned and picked up a day planner from the desk and ran her finger down it before she nodded her head.

"Right this way." She gestured for us to follow her before she led us down a dimly lit stone hall.

She stopped at the end before a pair of massive double doors which she opened.

There sitting at the front of the room, nose in book, was Aro.

The receptionist cleared her throat and Caius looked up from a document he seemed to be writing.

"What do you want!" He hissed.

A smile played across Aro's face before he was on his feet and standing five feet from us. His eyes went straight to me.

"How lovely it is to see you all again." Then his eyes looked up and took notice of my mother and father. "Hmmm." His gaze flickered quickly to the woman who led us here and made a tisking sound as he shook his head. "We have no room for error Beatrice."

She took a hesitant step forward. "Sir?" Her voice wavered.

"I believe... No I know I told you there should only be three in my five o'clock appointment am I right?" The woman known as Beatrice nodded her head. "Well unless I am seeing doubles I believe we have a bit of a problem." He made a beckoning motion with his hand and in the next second Felix was at her side. I saw her eyes widen largely before he snapped her neck. It all happened so quickly she didn't have time to scream.

"Take her to the dinner room and let my treasures decide who can have her. I don't like the taste of failure in my blood." Aro said unenthusiastically.

Then Felix and Beatrice's dead body were gone.

"Caius please make note that we need a new receptionist."

"What the hell was that!" Tyler shouted. "They just killed a woman!"

I took a sharp breath and moved to stand beside Tyler so I could calm him down.