The Eye of the Tiger

The Victoria?

"Holy- wow," I mumble, staring out the back seat window of Edward's car, Bella and Ed in the front as we pull up to the Cullen home. 

"What? Expecting dungeons and moats?" Edward asks, opening the car doors for Bella and me. 

"Funny, but I read more than tween fiction books. This is a pleasant surprise considering the vamp nests I've seen have been abandoned buildings," I explain, him and Bells pausing in their walking just as Ed's hand laid on the doorknob, both staring at me.

"How do you say things like that with a completely straight face?" Bells asks, staring at her closest friend. 

"When it's in your blood, it's in your blood. You wouldn't be able to fathom half the stuff that's happened in my family just because my dad and uncle are direct descendants of Cain and Abel." 

"They're what?!"

"Any whooo," I whistle, changing the subject on Bella and making Edward laugh heartily, him pulling her inside as I follow. "The house is gorgeous. Did Esme and the girls put this together like they did mine?" I ask, looking at the Cullen boy. 

"Esme is very pleased with your liking of the house," He tells, smiling softly. "And Esme mostly designed our home, although Alice and Rosalie were sure to give their input."

"Oh, I'm sure," I laugh.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Rosalie questions, hands dramatically thrown on her hips as we enter the kitchen. 

"Nothing short of praise, dear Rose," I assure, her shaking her head with the smallest smile, looking away. 

"It's so nice to see you again Artemis," Esme greets, making her way to me and pulling me in to a motherly hug. "We're making Italiano for you and Bella. We figured it was a safe option that you'd both like."

"It sounds amazing," I assure, pulling back and waving at Carlisle and the others. "Hello again, Carlisle."

"Hello, Artemis. It's nice to see you again. You've given us a rare chance to use the kitchen," he returns, coming to join Esme in front of us.

"Hey Art!" Em greets, waving at me with a large knife in hand from next to Rose at the counter. "Oh, and you Edward and Bella," He adds, acting bored. 

"Uh, hey Emmett. Nice knife," I greet, him realizing then what he was waving. 

"Oh, heh sorry about that."

"It's no problem," I assure, "Soooo"

"Jasper and Alice are just out hunting. Jasper wanted to be sure it'd be completely safe having you and Bella in the house," Edward explains, having read my unspoken question from my head. "Rosalie- no."

"She should know, Edward."

"Rosalie, not now, let this be a calm day," Esme requests, looking between her children.

"Wait, what am I missing? What should I know?" I question, looking around among the family. 

"Rosalie, n-"

"Our entire family would be implicated is this ends badly," Rose answers, cutting her father figure off.

"Because of the Victoria?" 

"What did you just call them?" Edward asks, the family chuckling at my previous question. 

"The Victoria? Although now I'm questioning that... I know it begins with a V. I've read about them in a lore book when I was younger."

"You make it so easy to forget you hunt the supernatural until you come out saying this like that," Emmett comments, shaking his head. 

"They're the Volturi. They are the leaders of our species," Carlisle corrects, me nodding. 

"Right, right, Volturi. Why would you be in the deep with them because of me?"

"As with Bella, any human knowing of our kind puts us at risk of death by the Volturi guards," Carlisle answers once more. "But with you I am unsure, as being a hunter you already know a lot about our species."

"But we can only hope that it never comes to anything close to the death of anyone," Esme cuts in. "Now dinner should be done, and Alice and Jasper should be-"

"Right here!" Ali interrupts, her and Jasper jumping down onto the balcony from a branch. "So glad you're here, Winnie," She says, pulling me into a hug. 

"I'm glad you could make it, Darlin'," Jas greets, although keeping his distance. 

"Don't mind him, he's just keeping himself a safe distance from Bella," Ali whispers in my ear. "Now, I heard dinner was done?"

"Yes! Artemis, Bella, come, let's let you two eat!" Esme exclaims, taking my hand and pulling me aftter her as Bella walks with Ed, the family following. "Now, are you two hungary?"

"I could eat."

"Always, Esme. Always."