Head Above Water (Twilight)

Chapter 66

Alistair and Kelby are in their tent, reluctantly getting dressed. After their kiss, they've been all over one another. They leave the tent together and they all go to the clearing. The volturi come along with pageantry, with a kind of beauty. Kelby curls up closer to Alistair and Alistair wraps a protective arm around Kelby 

They fine in a rigid, formal formation. They move together, but not in a Mary's, but flowing in perfect sync from the trees.

"The redcoats are coming, the redcoats are coming," Garrett mutters mysteriously to himself and then chuckles once and slides closer to Kate.

"They did come," Vladimir whispers to Stefan.

"The wives," Stefan hisses back. "The entire guard. All of them together. It's well we didn't try Volterra."

Alistair kisses the top of his mate's head as Kelby's eyes take in each guard, each King, each wife. He takes in the face of everyone who came from Volterra, Italy. Kelby and Caius meet eyes momentarily and Kelby's darken slightly. Caius helped him and now he's here to destroy him.

"I will fight for you, love, always," Alistair whispers.

"And I, you, Alistair," Kelby responds as the wolves join them. He looks at Alistair. "You are my existence now."

"And you are mine, love."

There is a pause as the Volturi stop moving and Edward!s breathing speeds up.

"Edward?" Carlisle asks, his voice low and anxious.

"They're not sure how to proceed," Edward says, translating thoughts. "They're weighing options, choosing key targets — me, of course, you, Eleazar, Tanya. Marcus is reading the strengths of our ties, looking for weak pointe. The Romanians' presence irritates them. They're worried about the faces they don't recognize, and the wolves, naturally. They've never been outnumbered before. That's what stopped them."

"Outnumbered?" Tanya whispers incredulously.

"They don't count their witnesses," Edward breathes. "They are nonentities, meaningless to the guard. Aro just enjoys an audience."

"Should I speak?" Carlisle asks.

Edward hesitates before nodding. "This is the only chance you'll get," he says.

Carlisle squares his shoulders and paces several steps ahead of the defensive line. He spreads his arms, holding his palms up as if in greeting. "Aro, my old friend. It's been centuries," he says.

The snow-filled clearing is dead silent for a long moment. Aro steps forward from the center of the Volturi formation. Renata moves with him. A rumble rolls through their line.

Aro holds one hand up toward them. "Peace," he insists and he walks a few paces more and then he cocks his head to the side. His milky eyes glint curiously. "Fair words, Carlisle," he says in his thin, wispy voice. "They seem out of place, considering the army you've assembled to kill me, and kill my dear ones."

Carlisle shakes his head and stretches out a hand as if there is not still a hundred yards between the two. "You have but to touch my hand to know that was never my intent," he says.

Aro's shrewdest eyes narrow. "But how can your intent possibly matter, dear Carlisle, in the face of what you've done?" He frowns and a shadow of sadness crosses his face.

"I have not committed the crime you are here to punish me for," Carlisle declares.

"Then step aside and let us punish those responsible,"Aro says. "Truly, Carlisle, nothing would please me more than to preserve your life today."