Self-Control [2] (Twilight]

9.

Volterra, Italy

I wasn't certain going impulsively and alone to find the idiot of my brother was a good idea, but what I did know was that I didn't want to lose him.

It had been easy though. It also gave me the opportunity to practice even more my gift. I was glad that my confidence was shining through the fear of my powers.

I had myself compelled a plane ticket for the first fly over the Italian city.

Sunglasses adorned my face while I put on a scarf and a red hood to blend in within the people.

There was a festival. San Marcos Day Festival and while the fabric and the glasses helped myself to not expose my skin to the bright sun of the city, I didn't want to attract too much attention either, specially using alleys and streets that had small sunlight.

I was taking a big risk, walking through the sunny streets of where the Volturi lived. But my brother was more important. I couldn't loose him.

~8~

Finding Edward had been hard.

But I had the feeling that the first thing he'll do is trying to get an audience with the Volturi. Leave it to him to try and make a scene.

"Edward!" I exclaimed lowly when I saw him walking calmly, almost to the sunlight. He wasn't trying to hide his skin like I was.

He was going to expose himself.

I ran to him, forcing myself to not use vampire speed, carefully keeping my head down and away from any stray of light.

Edward snapped his head to where he heard me, barely catching me as I jumped into his arms in an embrace.

"Eliza?" Edward murmured in confusion as he loosely and tensely returned my embrace. "What are you doing here?"

"Stopping you from doing something stupid" I replied, pulling away, giving him a look. "Edward. You cannot attract their attention, please. It's the worst thing you can ever do"

Edward looked away, sounding pained, "There's no point to my life anymore"

"She's alive" I tried to pull his face to mine. Maybe, maybe he needed a little push?

Edward grabbed my wrists suddenly, pulling them down. A ray of sunshine illuminated the porcelain and diamond skin around my wrists. He pulled me closer to the shadows of the building.

"Don't you dare" Edward warned. I looked at him through my sunglasses defiantly. "This is not the time to be confident and fearless about your abilities, Liz"

"I'll use them if I have to" I warned.

Edward placed a hand in the crock of my neck, bending slightly, face scrunching in pain. I grabbed his wrist, "Please, Lizzy. I want this pain to stop" I didn't realize he was trying to distract me, slowly turning us around to step back into the sunlight, not until the skin of my fingers reflected the light. My eyes widened in horror under my glasses, "I'm sorry, Eliza"

Edward pushed back from me, and I covered my glowing skin, lowering my hand as he turned around, the sunlight too close to get to his pale skin, slowly starting to get people's attention.