Twilight

Chapter Twelve

At seven, Edward dropped Rigan and me off at home and we took my Chevy to the grill to meet up with Charlie. 

On the way, my interrogation began. "So, you didn't murder Carlisle and Esme, then?" I said, smirking slightly.

Rigan scoffed. "You really think that low of me, Bella Stella?" she demanded.

I shrugged. "You never know with you and your topsy-turvy mood swings," I replied. "Besides, you don't exactly give them the warmest of greetings. In fact, I think the fact Edward and I left you alone with them forced you to talk to them."

"Your point?"

I wanted to strangle this girl out of frustration at this point. "Damn it, Rigan! Stop being so bloody obnoxious and try to think less of your pride and face for once! He is trying to make it up to you but you keep pushing him away!"

"He pushed me away!" Rigan snarled back. "He did nothing when my parents died! He left me in foster care and then let me get shipped to England."

"But he came to England to get you!" I shouted, slamming my fist so hard on the stirring wheel it set off the horn. "He came to England to get you. He never got the chance because of the run-in with the Dark Ones!"

"Did Edward by any chance tell you this?" Rigan sneered. "I smell another Cullen's work behind this."

"You don't believe me, do you?"

"Negative," Rigan agreed.

"Fine, then don't," I said. "But if you want the truth, I suggest you ask the person you hate the most."

"Carlisle? Ha! More lies and excuses would come out of his mouth!" Rigan sneered. "I only did the things I did today for you, Bella Stella. Do not forget that."

"What did you talk about with him and Esme?" 

"About the Ice Category 'ruling family'," Rigan muttered. "They knew that my superiors had kept the books about them in the Restricted Section so they decided to educate me. The Ice Category vampire 'royals' are called the Volturi."

"The Volturi?"

"Yep. Aro, Caius and Marcus, and two wives; Athenodora and Sulpicia. Didyme, Marcus's wife and Aro's sister, died. The guard does not count as the family but they are royal within themselves. You see, Aro likes vampires with 'special talents'; he collects them like an average person would collect stamps or lawn mowers or acton figures."

"You've learned a lot in such a short time," I commented.

By this time, we were in parking lot outside the grill where some guys from school were playing soccer, including Mike. When he saw my Chevy, he came towards us. 

"Hey, Arizona," he said, grinning at me. "Hey, Britannia," he added to Rigan, who gave him a smile and a nodd back. "So what's happening?" he asked.

"Nothing much," Rigan answered. "We just came back from visiting the Cullens."

"I didn't know you have something with the Cullens as well," Mike said, frowning. "Is that why they showed a solemn dislike to you when they came?"

"Yep," Rigan confirmed. "I'm distantly related to their adoptive father, and they don't like it, so . . . . I'll see you inside, Bella."

I half wanted to use my power to pull Rigan back but that would have exposed me to Mike and got us both in a pile of crap so I fought the urge not to.

"So," he said as soon as Rigan was out of earshot. "You and Cullen, huh? I don't like it."

I glared at this puppy-like blonde-haired jock boy. "And how exactly is any of this any of your business?" I demanded, my tone slightly cold.