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THIRTEEN; CONFRONTATION

AMELIA COULD FEEL as if the room was spinning around her. Returning to the Volturi wasn't ideally her plan, and she knew she was putting Paul's life in danger by stepping foot onto the grounds.

She hated to see Aro again, his long, jet black hair gliding behind him as his red orbs pierced into hers. Edward could sense her discomfort and threw her a brief glance.

"Jane, dear one, you've returned!" Aro exclaimed with glee. He strode over to the blonde vampire and kissed her gently on the lips.

Jane grinned. "Yes, Master. I brought him back alive, just as you wished."

"Ah, Jane. You are such a comfort to me," he exhaled. The vampire's eyes shifted towards the others in the room. "And Alice, Amelia, and Bella too! This is a happy surprise! Wonderful!"

"Yes," Amelia spoke sarcastically. "I'm oozing with delight."

Aro ignored her comment and turned to the guards. "Felix, be a dear and tell my brothers about our company. I'm sure they wouldn't want to miss this."

"Yes, Master," Felix nodded and complied, disappearing.

"You see, Edward?" Aro questioned, giving his attention to the Cullen boy. "What did I tell you? Aren't you glad that I didn't give you what you wanted yesterday?"

"Yes, Aro, I am," Edward agreed, his voice a little strained. He gripped Bella's wrist.

"I love a happy ending. They are so rare. But I want the whole story. How did this happen? Alice?" He diverted his gaze to the smallest vampire. "Your brother seemed to think you infallible, but apparently there was some mistake."

"Oh, I'm far from infallible," Alice retorted with ease. However, Amelia could see how rigid her frame was. "As you can see today, I cause problems as often as I cure them."

"You're too modest," Aro chided. "I've seen some of your more amazing exploits, and I must admit I've never observed anything like your talent. Wonderful!"

Amelia scoffed, and Aro gazed at her. She despised it when Aro shifted the conversation to benefit himself. He was always trying to recruit one of her brothers and sisters into the Volturi simply because the Cullens possessed a power and patience no vampire could ever understand.

"I'm sorry, we haven't been introduced properly at all, have we? It's just that I feel like I know you already, and I tend get ahead of myself. Your brother introduced us yesterday, in a peculiar way. You see, I share some of your brother's talent, only I am limited in a way that he is not," Aro apologized and explained.

"And also exponentially more powerful," Edward added, not amused by Aro's clear jealousy of his power. "Aro needs physical contact to hear your thoughts, but he hears much more than I do. You know I can only hear what's passing through your head in the moment. Aro hears every thought your mind has ever had."

"But to be able to hear from a distance," Aro began, lingering on the topic. "That would be so convenient. Or to possess what your dear Amelia has harbored — she gets everything she wants, doesn't she?"

The blonde snickered. "I can get everything I want without the use of my powers."

She felt two new bodies enter the room, and she could tell without looking that it was Caius and Marcus. Every head turned in their direction.

"Marcus, Caius, look!" Aro yelled. "Bella is alive after all, and Alice is here with her! Isn't that wonderful?"

The two didn't seem pleased at all by the sudden news. Amelia didn't expect them to be, knowing that Marcus carried the same expression for most of his life. Caius, usually, was simply displeased by anything and everything.

"Amazing," Amelia breathed out. Demetri gave her a warning glance.

"Let us have the story," Aro spoke, not deterred by Caius and Marcus's lack of passion for the current situation.

Caius began to move to the thrones while Marcus paused to let Aro read his thoughts. Edward snorted all of a sudden, causing Alice and Amelia to throw him curious looks.

"Thank you, Marcus," Aro acknowledged. "That's quite interesting." Marcus then joined Caius on the thrones. Aro was shaking his head. "Amazing. Absolutely amazing."

Alice and Amelia were becoming upset because they were left out of the incident, and Edward turned to them to explain. "Marcus sees relationships. He's surprised by the intensity of ours."

The haunting grin on Aro's face returned. "So convenient. It takes quite a bit to surprise Marcus, I can assure you."

Amelia almost wanted to laugh into the palm of her hand at that statement. Marcus always looked like he was slowly being tortured on the inside.

"It's just so difficult to understand, even now," Aro mused, staring at Edward and Bella, who were close together. "How can you stand so close to her like that?"

"It's not without effort," Edward answered.

"But still — la tua cantante! What a waste!"

Edward laughed dryly. "I look at it more as a price. A very high price."

"Opportunity cost."

"Economics," Amelia raised an eyebrow.

Aro laughed. "If I hadn't smelled her through your memories, I wouldn't have believed the call of anyone's blood could be so strong. I've never felt anything like it myself. Most of us would trade much for such a gift, and yet you-"

"Waste it," Edward said in a sarcastic tone.

Aro chortled once more, and Amelia wanted to rip his throat out. "Ah, how I miss my friend Carlisle! You remind me of him — only he was not so angry."

"Carlisle outshines me in many other ways as well."

"I certainly never thought to see Carlisle bested for self-control of all things, but you put him to shame."

"Hardly." Edward was slowly growing impatient, and Amelia couldn't blame him. She didn't want to be here anymore either.

"I am gratified by his success," Aro spoke. "Your memories of him are quite a gift for me, though they astonish me exceedingly. I am surprised by how it pleases me, his success in this unorthodox path he's chosen. I expected that he would waste, weaken with time. I'd scoffed at his plan to find others who would share his peculiar vision. Yet, somehow, I'm happy to be wrong. But your restraint! I did not know such strength was possible. To inure yourself against such a siren call, not just once but again and again — if I had not felt it myself, I would not have believed."

Although Aro was complimenting Edward's strength, the latter was not amused by the conversation. He was clearly done with everything since the beginning.

Then, the subject took a turn. "Just remembering how she appeals to you," Aro laughed. "It makes me thirsty."

Edward and Amelia tensed. "Don't be disturbed," Aro reassured. "I mean her no harm. But I am so curious, about one thing in particular. May I?" He outstretched his hand.

"Ask her," Edward replied. Amelia was growing more and more paranoid by the second, wondering how dangerous this could be for Bella.

"Of course, how rude of me! Bella," he addressed. "I'm fascinated that you are the one exception to Edward's impressive talent — so very interesting that such a thing should occur! And I was wondering, since our talents are similar in many ways, if you would be so kind as to allow me to try — to see if you are an exception for me, as well?"

Bella offered a hesitant glance to Edward before stepping forward and raising her hand slowly. Amelia could see she was shaking. Aro took the human girl's hand and his expression changed.

"So very interesting," he said when he was finished, releasing Bella's hand.

Amelia could see that her brother was slightly smug by what Aro had seen. Or didn't see, for that matter.

"A first," he spoke to himself. "I wonder if she is immune to our other talents. Jane, dear?"

"No!" Edward snarled. Alice and Amelia grabbed his arm to stop him from causing any real damage.

Jane was unfazed. "Yes, Master?"

Edward snarled again, and Amelia gripped his arm tightly. She knew, however, that Aro was getting a kick out of the situation. "I was wondering, my dear one, if Bella is immune to you."

Amelia knew the full extent of Jane's powers and how damaging it could be. When Jane turned towards the group with a sinister grin, she felt fear course through her body.

"Don't!" Alice cried as Edward released himself from the restraints of his sisters and lunged for the blonde vampire.

"Edward!" Amelia screamed when her brother fell to the ground in agony as Jane stared at him, a smile painted upon her lips.

"Stop!" Bella yelled, jumping forward to shield Edward from harm. Amelia immediately took action and locked her arms around Bella to protect her. If Jane's powers did manage to work on Bella, she didn't know if the human could handle it.

"Jane," Aro called. The vampire left her gaze from Edward and he went still.

Bella was struggling in Amelia's arms. "Relax, he's alright," the blonde assured her. To prove her correct, Edward leapt to his feet.

Although, Jane had now moved onto a new target. Her focus was boring holes though Bella's skull but to everyone's surprise, nothing happened.

Aro began to laugh. "This is wonderful!"

Jane was angered, ready to jump on Bella and attack her for embarrassing her.

"Don't be put out, dear one. She confounds us all. You're very brave, Edward, to endure in silence. I asked Jane to do that to me once — just out of curiosity," he confessed. Edward glared at him. "So what do we do with you now?"

The Cullen siblings stiffened. This was the questioning moment they had been waiting for.

"I don't suppose there's any chance that you've changed your mind?" Aro asked Edward. "Your talent would be an excellent addition to our little company."

"I'd rather not."

"Alice? Would you perhaps be interested in joining with us?"

"No, thank you," Alice denied the offer.

"And Amelia? Someone here would love it if you wanted to stay."

She didn't glance at Demetri. "No, I wouldn't."

"And you, Bella?"

Edward growled, and Caius was shocked. "What?" He hissed.

"Caius, surely you see the potential," Aro chirped. "I haven't seen a prospective talent so promising since we found Jane and Alec. Can you imagine the possibilities when she is one of us?"

"No, thank you," Bella said, her voice shaking.

"That's unfortunate. Such a waste."

Edward spat. "Join or die, is that it? I suspected as much when we were brought to this room. So much for your laws."

"Of course not," Aro dismissed. "We were already convened here, Edward, awaiting Heidi's return. Not for you."

"Aro," Caius reminded. "The law claims them."

Edward glared at Caius. "How so?" He demanded.

Caius raised a finger at Bella. "She knows too much. You have exposed our secrets."

"There are a few humans in on your charade here, as well," Edward nodded, and Amelia recalled the receptionist they encountered on their way in.

"Yes," Caius agreed. "But when they are no longer useful to us, they will serve to sustain us. That is not your plan for this one. If she betrays our secrets, are you prepared to destroy her? I think not."

"I wouldn't-" Bella started to explain, but she was shut down by Caius' fierce gaze.

"Nor do you intend to make her one of us," Caius continued. "Therefore, she is a vulnerability. Though it is true, for this, only her life is forfeit. You may leave if you wish." Edward sneered. "That's what I thought."

"Unless," Aro started, interrupting their dispute. "Unless you do intend to give her immortality?"

Edward hesitated. "And if I do?"

Aro smiled. "Why, then you would be free to go home and give my regards to my friend Carlisle. But I'm afraid you would have to mean it."

Aro raised his hand. Amelia looked at her brother, knowing that this wasn't the life he wanted for Bella. Alice took the bullet for them, stepping up and taking Aro's hand.

When he was finished, a silence took over the room. Aro began laughing again. "That was fascinating!"

Alice smiled dryly. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"To see the things you've seen — especially the ones that haven't happened yet!" He said, enamored by Alice's gift.

"But that will," she spoke calmly.

"Yes, yes, it's quite determined. Certainly there's no problem."

"Aro," Caius complained again. Amelia narrowed her eyes.

"Dear Caius," Aro smiled. "Do not fret. Think of the possibilities! They do not join us today, but we can always hope for the future. Imagine the joy young Alice alone would bring to our little household. Besides, I'm so terribly curious to see how Bella turns out!"

"Then we are free to go now?" Edward questioned.

"Yes, yes," Aro waved off. "But please visit again. It's been absolutely enthralling!"

"And we will visit you as well," Caius promised the family. "To be sure that you follow through on your side. Were I you, I would not delay too long. We do not offer second chances."

Edward's jaw clenched. Before they could finally depart from the infamous Volturi, Aro spoke out one last time to Amelia.

"And my dearest Amelia, the next time you choose to visit, bring back that shapeshifter with you, yes?"

She blinked. "I'll make sure to mention it to him."

The corners of his mouth turned upwards. "Good."

They exited through the doors, and Amelia wondered what Paul would be reduced to when he met the Volturi.

we're nearing the end of new moon, but i'm extending this book to breaking dawn!!

if you want to read more about amelia, i just published edits of her in my 'meet my oc's' book!!