Redshift by Ashlynn Chantrea (free ebook reader for ipad .txt) 📕

see if your assertion is correct?” He asked. He sounded curious, no animosity in his voice.

I took his hand. It wasn’t like it was with Edward. I could feel Aro. He wasn’t picking up stray transmissions. He was a hacker. By touching my hand he connected himself to my thoughts. Part of me was deeply intrigued by his gift. But a more prevalent part of me felt that this was an invasion. One I needed to stop immediately. I felt where he was getting into my head and blocked it off.

He gazed at me in astonishment.

“I had not thought in so short a time I would come across another…very interesting.” He sighed.

“I’m not as gifted as Bella. She can extend her talent to others. I can’t share mine.” I was trying to win a few brownie points, placate his ego. He wasn’t thwarted often; didn’t have to know his history to know that about him.

He smiled a little, still staring with a look of amazement.

“You have met my young friend, Bella?” He sounded excited. Something about his enthusiasm bothered me.

I wanted to laugh at his use of the word friend. I couldn’t figure out if he thought I was ignorant or just stupid. But I kept a look of polite indifference on my face and all my sarcastic thoughts to myself.

“I have met all the Cullens.” I answered honestly. No point lying, he’d find out when he read Pim.

“How is my dear friend, Carlisle?” He asked.

“Distressed.” I responded. “He is disturbed by the news that the Volturi have become a hostile force, bent on conquest rather than justice.”

“I am sorry he feels that way.” He said with no contrition in his tone. “But I assure you, I am only intent on keeping the peace and preserving our way of life.”

“We are proof that isn’t true.”

Aro’s brow furrowed, crinkling like paper.

“Pim,” I said, looking over at him. He looked a little nervous but in control.

He lifted his arm, extending his hand to Aro. Aro eagerly accepted it. The look on his face transitioned from enthusiastic curiosity to confusion to aggravation. Then he released Pim’s hand and stepped back.

“You know my theory,” I whispered, looking at Caius, “of who orchestrated this.”

“What is this about?!” Caius growled.

“A most disturbing development, brother.” Aro answered, “It appears our dear ones, Felix, Jane and Alec have been creating an army.”

“Aro, as the leader of the Volturi, I’m begging you to let the others go. They know the rules, they won’t cause trouble. Please do not allow them to remain enslaved.” I pleaded.

“Impossible!” Caius said, “They would not do such a thing.”

“Do you doubt me, brother?” Aro asked. I could read the irritation and insinuation in that question.

“The Cullens wish to know from you that you have no intention of starting a war. I can assure you, they have no wish to fight you.”

“If that is so then why have they taken one of my dear ones hostage?” He asked me.

“They didn’t!” I answered quickly, “I did.”

“They did, however, conspire to destroy him.”

“But they didn’t do it. He was working with Jane, doing her bidding behind your back. We had to be sure he couldn’t hurt us before we had the opportunity to talk to you. We have every intention of returning him.” I assured him.

“For this you think I should be grateful?” He asked pointedly. He wasn’t talking about returning Demetri. He was talking about the information I had brought him. I probably should have chosen my words more carefully when I was talking to my family. We were a little too candid. He knew what we thought of him and his.

“I admit I thought you would appreciate knowing there is a traitor in your midst. How long has it been since you read his thoughts?” I was referring to Caius which I was sure he knew. Caius didn’t seem to know that, though.

Aro didn’t reply.

“This is a council, right? The three of you decide together?”

“Yes.” Caius answered.

“Marcus, what do you think?” I asked him, trying to engage him in our debate. “Would you declare war on the Cullens?”

Marcus’s cloudy eyes shifted to meet mine. I felt a chill slide down my spine as I looked into his ancient, weary eyes. This was not the face of boredom. This was the face of despair. Is this what happened when the one you loved, the one you connected to, your soulmate died? Or was it that he was forced to live without her. I can’t imagine Aro destroying him, he was too valuable. Ironically, I didn’t sense he’d have the same reservation if it had been Caius rather than Marcus begging for death.

Automatically, I looked back at Laney. I couldn’t imagine what life would be like if I lost her. But to suffer through the centuries, nothing holding my interest, nothing breaking through the fog of misery, that would be Hell, literally.

I looked back to the Volturi. I couldn’t look at Marcus directly anymore. It hurt, deep in my soul, to see his anguish.

Feeling a deep sympathy for him, I murmured, “Perhaps you wish for war.” With the hope that we will win and end your suffering.

“Peace is always preferable.” Marcus answered in a faint whisper.

“But not always realistic.” Caius added.

“Sometimes, punishment is unavoidable.” Aro was looking at Caius as he spoke.

“I have been told there is a law against building newborn armies. All we ask is that you enforce your law and punish those responsible. As for the newborns, allow them to go their own way. They’ve done nothing wrong, broken no law.” I said.

“I assure you, this was an unfortunate mistake on the part of my dear ones. But the Volturi are not so vicious as you think. Join us. You will see that we are an honorable assembly. You and your friends are welcome.” Aro offered.

I couldn’t help but smile. He was something else.

“I think our time with the Volturi has been sufficient for our lifetime.” I replied.

“Do you speak for all?”

“Not at all. They know they can do whatever they want. I sure as hell can’t stop them.”

“You underestimate your influence.”

“Any that want to join the Volturi under Aro are free to.” I looked over my shoulder towards Pim’s side, “I won’t judge and I won’t stop you.”

They closed ranks, stepping a little closer to each other. No one said anything.

“I think you have your answer.”

“Very well.” He sighed. His tone was resigned but I didn’t get the impression that he was resigned at all.

“And the rest?” I asked.

“Of course, I will extend them the same curtesy.” He lied.

Maybe it was that I knew what to look for, Carlisle and Edward had told me in detail about him. Or maybe he was just being obvious. The smugness of his smile and the way he seemed so sure of himself, gave him away. He wouldn’t give them a choice. It begged the question, why was he giving us one? Or was this a front, just for show. The attack would come later when it couldn’t be connected to this meeting or to him at all.

I sighed. This wasn’t going at all like I thought it would. He wasn’t ruled by emotions, they didn’t have the slightest pull on his decisions.

“What of the Cullens?” I asked pointedly.

“What indeed.”

“They’ve done nothing wrong.”

“In your opinion.”

“They have no quarrel with you. Will you agree to a truce? No hostility on either side. You release the army, and grant the Cullens their peace treaty.”

I felt something strange, a change in the aura of the room. I couldn’t define it but I could feel it. My anxiety was fading little by little.

“We shall see, when we have examined all the evidence.”

The feeling was increasing. I wasn’t nearly so uncomfortable to be here anymore. But nothing had changed. So why had my nerves calmed so much?

“We need an answer.”

“I cannot make such a decision in haste.”

He was avoiding Alice’s sight. Which meant he had already made his decision. All that was left was to decide when. We had failed.

“We’re under attack.” Zephyr breathed in my ear.

“Chelsea.” I murmured, remembering what Edward had told me about her. She was trying to shift our loyalty, make us join the Volturi. I wondered if it always took so long for her to break ties. Did Aro have to distract us for a long time before she could get us to become truly loyal to Aro? We couldn’t wait around to find out.

When I said her name, her eyes shifted to meet mine.

“Zephyr, care to teach her some manners?” I whispered.

Then Chelsea was on the ground, palms clamped down on her ears. The comfort vanished, replaced with a renewed sense of anxiety and dread.

Aro glanced at her and then us.

“All right, Zephyr.” I said and she stopped screaming in Chelsea’s head. Chelsea got up, looking at us with fear. I met Aro’s calculating gaze, “I don’t appreciate the parlor tricks.”

“I’m sure she meant no harm.”

“This is apparently a wasted effort. Enough politics. Enough games. This is your last chance. Will you agree to peace or not?”

“I will collect all the facts before a decision is made.”

“I’ve given you the facts. I’ve been nothing but honest and straightforward. But you can’t see the loophole that will get you your army and the excuse to destroy the Cullens. What you haven’t taken into consideration is that you are no longer the only ones able to enforce justice. Choose peace now or we will choose war for you.”

The guards were getting fidgety, shifting their weight from foot to foot, knees bending slightly. They were ready for a signal to take us out. Other things were happening, powers being pushed out into the atmosphere, making the air thick. They were getting ready to strike. I was grateful Alec wasn’t present. With him, I might have had more difficulty getting my family out.

“Plan B, Zephyr.” I breathed.

Aro’s eyes narrowed slightly. He watched Zephyr closely.

Zephyr spoke to Hector, using her gift. I knew a plan B would be pertinent before we left. And now she was telling Hector to use his power, see how many of them could resist him, how many he could control easily at once.

They all stood straight, all at once and slowly walked backwards towards the wall. Hector let out a relieved laugh. It was short, he wasn’t taunting them; he was just pleased.

“Zephyr,” I whispered.

She told Hector to stop and told Meadow to try her talent.

Everyone lifted a foot off the ground. She was breathing hard, this was a struggle for her.

“Rain, time to go.” I said.

Chapter 10

We were in a small living room. All the furniture looked old, worn but cared for. Most of it looked like it had been purchased in the sixties. Everything was decorated in shades of gold and emerald green except the brown shag carpet. The walls were wood panel.

Everyone looked as shocked to be here as I did, except the triplets. They smiled. This was home. I hadn’t actually seen the inside on my first visit.

“Where are we?” Bianca asked. She looked disgusted by her surroundings.

“Gran’s house.” The triplet’s replied.

Bianca tried to remove the look of disgust. Now, she just looked uncomfortable.

“What’s going on, girls?” Laney asked.

“Before we report back to the Cullens,” Rain said, “We wanted to know from Adam,” Zephyr continued, “How we