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TWELVE; DISCOVERY

"THIS CAR IS to die for!" Amelia exclaimed, stroking the leather interior of the bright yellow Porsche. Alice rolled her eyes from beside her.

"Can't you possibly think of anything else? Like our brother possibly breaking a law in front of the Volturi and ending his life?"

"Trying to focus on the positive, Alice. Trying to focus on the positive," Amelia repeated as they pulled up to Bella, who was pacing on the side of the street. Amelia could detect that every human on the sidewalk was staring at the bright car, but she didn't care what they thought.

"Hurry, Bella!" Alice exclaimed.

Bella quickly clambered inside of the car and she was forced to sit on Amelia's lap due to the lack of seating in the fast car. "Sheesh, Alice," Bella complained. "Could you pick a more conspicuous car to steal?"

Alice, frankly, didn't care about Bella's opinion as she zoomed through the city. "The important question," she corrected. "Is whether I could have stolen a faster car, and I don't think so. I got lucky."

"I'm sure that will be very comforting at the roadblock."

Alice laughed. "Trust me, Bella. If anyone sets up a roadblock, it will be behind us."

Amelia tried to focus on the positive as Bella examined the surroundings. The vampire could feel the human's anxiety from Alice's driving, which made her chuckle a little bit. She still had not witnessed Alice at her full speed.

"Do you see anything more?" Bella asked.

"There's something going on," Alice muttered in response. "Some kind of festival. The streets are full of people and red flags. What's the date today?"

"I believe it's the nineteenth," Amelia recalled. Then, she released a breathy laugh. "Truly ironic. It's Saint Marcus Day."

"Which means?"

Alice chuckled dryly. "The city holds a celebration every year. As the legend goes, a Christian missionary, a Father Marcus — Marcus of the Volturi, in fact — drove all the vampires from Volterra fifteen hundred years ago. The story claims he was martyred in Romania, still trying to drive away the vampire scourge. Of course that's nonsense — he's never left the city. But that's where some of the superstitions about things like crosses and garlic come from. Father Marcus used them so successfully. And vampires don't trouble Volterra, so they must work. It's become more of a celebration of the city, and recognition for the police force — after all, Volterra is an amazingly safe city. The police get the credit."

Bella was realizing why Amelia referred to the event as ironic. "They're not going to be very happy if Edward messes things up for them on Saint Marcus Day, are they?"

She shook her head, her expression grim. "No. They'll act very quickly."

Amelia closed her eyes, trying to focus on the positive. She could tell Bella was doing the opposite, scenarios running through her mind pertaining to Edward's fate. "He's still planning on noon?" Bella questioned.

"Yes. He's decided to wait. And they're waiting for him."

"Tell me what I have to do."

Amelia shook her head. "It's just a matter of who he sees first, Bella. If he catches sight of Alice or me, they'll be chaos. He has to see you first before his body hits the light."

"How are we going to work that?"

"I'm going to get you as close as possible, and then you're going to run in the direction I point you. Amelia will try to lead you, but in the end, she can't get too close because of Edward."

"Try not to trip," Amelia added for measure. "We don't have time for a concussion today." On any other day, the thought would be humorous to the vampire but she couldn't find it in her to laugh at this time. Her positive thoughts were slowly slipping away.

"There," Alice said, pointing to the castle city atop the closest hill. "Volterra."

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Alice began the climb up the hill. The cars started to thread closer together because of the narrow road, and Bella was growing antsy as time passed.

"Alice," she moaned, gazing at the clock on the dashboard.

"It's the only way in," she said.

As they continued to drive inside, people were beginning to park by the side of the road and walk the rest of the way to the city. Alice's Porsche crept closer, revealing a filled parking lot. They weren't allowed to drive through.

"Alice," Bella whispered frantically.

"I know," she dismissed.

The color red was oozing out of every part of the city. People were wearing the color crimson from head to toe and Amelia wasn't going to lie — it was making her thirsty.

"Bella." Alice spoke to the small girl. "I can't see what the guard here will decide now — if this doesn't work, you're going to have to go in alone. You're going to have to run. Just keep asking for the Palazzo dei Priori, and running in the direction they tell you. Don't get lost."

"Palazzo dei Priori, Palazzo dei Priori," Bella repeated like a mantra.

"Or 'the clock tower,' if they speak English. I'll go around and try to find a secluded spot somewhere behind the city where I can go over the wall."

Bella nodded in compliance. "Palazzo dei Priori."

"Edward will be under the clock tower, to the north of the square. There's a narrow alleyway on the right, and he'll be in the shadow there. You have to get his attention before he can move into the sun."

"This is important, Bella," Amelia emphasized with a gentle tone. "I don't believe I can be there to direct you. Edward will sense my presence and read my thoughts."

Bella nodded once more. Alice was approaching the front of the line, and once they arrived, a man in uniform was there to direct traffic. Alice completely ignored him and went around him. He shouted something in anger but the passengers ignored him. The man standing at the gate adorned the same uniform and as Alice accelerated, citizens moved aside to stare at the car with glimmering eyes.

They neared the gate and Alice reached behind her and grabbed something from her bag, and Amelia automatically knew that it was a huge wad of money.

The guard came up with an irritated expression, but it softened when Alice rolled down her window and the guard caught a glimpse of her blinding beauty. "I'm sorry, only tour buses allowed in the city today, miss," he said in English. Amelia could tell he wasn't very fond of denying Alice since she was so gorgeous.

"It's a private tour," Alice said, flashing an alluring smile. She extended her hand out of the car, which was luckily, covered with a long glove, and placed the wad of cash into his palm.

His eyebrows furrowed. "Is this a joke?"

Alice continued to smile and when he stared into the car, Amelia flashed him the same blinding grin.

"Only if you think it's funny," Alice teased. "I'm in a wee bit of a hurry."

The guard contemplated his decision before stepping back and waving them through. Alice drove into the city; however, people were still crowding the streets and preventing them from moving towards their final destination. If Amelia timed it correctly, they had approximately five minutes before Edward's downfall.

"Just a little farther," Alice assured when she saw Bella gripping the door handle, ready to throw herself into the street to save him.

Alice continued to drive in a haphazard manner through the streets, garnering the attention of angry people who were shouting curses as the Porsche passed. She stopped the car and Bella immediately opened the door.

Alice pointed ahead. "There — we're at the southern end of the square. Run straight across, to the right of the clock tower. I'll find a way around-" She paused, and Amelia knew she could sense that the massive crowds of people were preventing them from leaving. "They're everywhere?" Amelia wasted no time in pushing Bella out of the car as Alice yelled at her. "Forget about them. You have two minutes. Go, Bella, go!"

Soon, the two vampires were leaving the fate of their brother's life in the hands of Bella Swan. Amelia and Alice abandoned the car to find a safe place in the shadows — somewhere far away from Edward's mind or view.

"Alice," Amelia whispered, trying her best to conceal her fear.

"Don't fret, Mia," Alice exhaled. "Don't fret."

The clock struck and if she was still human, Amelia would've felt goosebumps rise on her arms and the pounding of her heart echo in her ears. The two finally discovered a spot where they could witness what would unfold with Bella and Edward.

At first, Amelia could feel as if time had stopped. She gripped Alice's forearm when she caught sight of her brother standing in the shadows, ready to step out into the light and reveal his existence to Volterra. She had not seen Edward in so long, and to experience the feeling of watching someone you love almost die was haunting. She didn't wish it upon anyone.

After a few moments passed and the light was almost capturing Edward's whole body, Bella knocked into him headfirst. Amelia could hear what the two were conversing about, and she scoffed when she realized that Edward thought he was already dead and Bella was just a figment of his imagination.

Alice released a sigh of relief when Bella got Edward to leave the sunlight and return to the shadows. However, the two Volturi guards immediately showed up. Amelia's eyes narrowed at the sight of Demetri. They began to prod Edward and Bella into a dark alley to avoid the sunlight, and Amelia exchanged a look with her sister.

"Move, Alice. Now."

The vampires' heads whipped around when they sensed the two coming. Demetri tensed when he saw Amelia standing in front of him.

"Let's behave ourselves, shall we?" Alice suggested. "There are ladies present."

"Yes," Amelia agreed, striding over to her brother. "I agree. Don't you think so as well, Dem?"

The guard shook his head at Amelia's casual behavior. Felix's expression became sour at the sight of the two, not enjoying their company.

"We're not alone," Alice reminded them. The gaze shifted towards the end of the alley, where there was a family observing the scene. The girls, who were clad in their crimson dresses, were watching with curious eyes. The mother seemed to be in full panic mode, speaking in a frantic matter to her spouse.

Demetri shook his head. "Please, Edward, let's be reasonable," he begged.

Amelia rolled her eyes at him, but they all ignored the obvious gesture. "Let's," Edward agreed. "And we'll leave quietly now, with no one the wiser."

Demetri sighed, hating the answer. "At least let us discuss this more privately."

Six more men now joined the family as they all watched with curious expressions. Amelia could tell that they were anxious by Edward standing in front of Bella protectively, sending off alarming signals towards the bodies of Demetri and Felix.

Edward's jaw tightened. "No."

"Let us leave, Dem," Amelia spoke, not wishing to play any more games with the two. Felix merely grinned.

"Enough," a voice commanded. It came from behind the vampires. Amelia grit her teeth together at the voice of Jane, not wanting to deal with her attitude at the current moment. If it was merely Felix and Demetri, she could easily charm the latter into setting them free. In Jane's control, it would be simply impossible.

The two guards moved aside so that she could walk through. Demetri kept his eyes on Amelia the whole time and she knew the question he desperately wanted to ask — why didn't she bring Paul with her, per Aro's request?

"Jane," Edward sighed. Alice folded her arms across her chest and Amelia kept her focus on the girl, not making any eye contact with Demetri.

"Follow me," Jane spoke in a monotone manner. Felix's grin twisted into a smirk, glad that she had stepped in because she knew he was losing Demetri already. Amelia was one of his few weaknesses, and Felix understood that the vampire intended to play that weakness into her advantage.

Alice moved first, following after Jane. Amelia followed, while Edward and Bella trailed behind as he wrapped an arm around her waist protectively. Bella wanted to ask many questions, but Amelia knew none of them could answer.

"Well, Alice and Mia," Edward said as they walked. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to see you two here."

"It was my mistake," Alice replied. "It was my job to set it right."

"What happened?" Edward's tone was slightly disinterested due to the eavesdroppers lurking behind them. Amelia could feel the frustration radiating from Demetri.

"It's a long story." Alice's eyes flickered toward Bella. "In summary, she did jump off a cliff, but she wasn't trying to kill herself. Bella's all about the extreme sports these days."

Bella's cheeks flushed and she could sense that Edward was reading every thought in Alice's mind to capture the full picture. He hummed in a curt fashion after he was finished.

Jane had disappeared from sight. They were approaching a brick wall and Alice didn't hesitate as she strode up and slid down an open hole in the street. In a human's perspective, it appeared to be a drain. Bella paled at the sight of it. Amelia wasted no time in sliding after her sister.

It was dim at the bottom as Amelia's feet landed on the wet stones. Bella was anxious from above, but when she slid down, Alice was fast to catch her from falling.

They began the slow journey of traveling deeper into the tunnel. Demetri fastened his pace to catch up to Amelia. "Didn't bring him with you?"

"I failed to mention the fact that a vampire coven who enforces vampire laws wanted to meet my shapeshifter boyfriend. I don't know if you could tell, but I had to rush over here very quickly after your kidnapping," she snipped.

"I just thought your werewolf boyfriend would mean so much to you after your encounter with Aro. He let you go generously," Demetri hissed.

Amelia's fists clenched. "Trust me, if Aro wanted a fight over Paul's life, he would lose."

They came near the large wooden door that would lead them farther into the building. Amelia took a deep breath for exaggeration, glancing at her siblings. They all exchanged a brief nod.

Hell was just about to begin.

don't even try going after paul ok amelia will beat your ass