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CHAPTER SIXTEEN ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴏʟᴛᴜʀɪ
The splatters of blood-coloured ribbons dissolved into the bright sky as Bella disappeared into the crowd, the noon sun high against the blue and clouded backdrop. Large and bustling crowds, paired with the looming threat of death to each of us made me want to go back to the days that were locked within the same, repeating monotonousness.
"She doesn't understand how dangerous this will be... for all of us," Alice whispered, hands still clenching the steering wheel.
Then she moved to open the door, preparing to slip into the shadowed side of the street, without detection. My hand snapped around hers like a handcuff, pulling her back to my side.
"Keep yourself safe. For me," I said softly. "When we're out of here, I'm not going to hide it anymore. Just remember your promise to me, okay?"
I didn't elaborate on what it was that I'd been keeping from her and would ultimately share. But perhaps I didn't need to. Alice's gifts were great enough that my revelation would probably not come as much of a surprise, given how much thought had gone into my decision, and the feeling that she felt the same, at least an inkling of something underlying, had persuaded me as much as my own desire.
I couldn't keep it hidden anymore. How long had my mask been glued to the outline of my face, shaped around my inner personality? Far longer than the years I'd been a vampire. But all masks were made to be removed, and it was Alice who had made me want to rip into from my very skin.
Alice smiled and then went to leave the car again, wasting no time to lead the way. I slipped from my own side, stepping out into the strip of sun, letting it soak into my skin for a few seconds before I was following Alice again. Even that one, tiny glimpse of the sun's rays felt dangerous and illegal in some way.
She slid easily through the alleyway, already knowing where to take us. The clanging boom of the clock tower rang through the air. Not seconds later, Bella's shrill scream shattered the following silence, somewhere close by. Alice led us to the rooftops, scaling up a drainpipe and hopping over the slates and disappearing over the other edge, landing smoothly on her feet. I dropped down beside her, elbows grazing.
"Let's behave ourselves, shall we?" she said with her honey-like voice, the worlds dripping over her lips, almost seductively. "There are ladies present."
Across the shaded alleyway, Edward stood with his arms spread to cover Bella, who peered curiously over his shoulder. He looked no different from how he looked those months ago. There was no sign of his distress, of his deep, unfathomable sadness. That was all replaced by the disbelief and urgent need to make sure that Bella was okay.
Alice and I stood between Edward and Bella and two others. The men in the smoked grey cloaks straightened as Alice swung into the short space, arms floating in the air as she spoke in gestures. Their cloaks swirled around their ankles, undulating like waves as a gust of wind tunnelled through the back street, bringing with it a nipping chill that rubbed at Bella's cheeks.
