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me had canceled all that out—forcefully。
〃If he were listening；〃 she explained。 〃But believe it or not； it's possible to lie with your thoughts。 If you
had died； I would still try to stop him。 And I would be thinking 'she's alive； she's alive' as hard as I could。
He knows that。〃
I ground my teeth in mute frustration。
〃If there were any way to do this without you； Bella； I wouldn't be endangering you like this。 It's very
wrong of me。〃
〃Don't be stupid。 I'm the last thing you should be worrying about。〃 I shook my head impatiently。 〃Tell me
what you meant； about hating to lie to Jasper。〃
She smiled a grim smile。 〃I promised him I would get out before they killed me； too。 It's not something I
can guarantee—not by a long shot。〃 She raised her eyebrows； as if willing me to take the danger more
seriously。
〃Who are these Volturi？〃 I demanded in a whisper。 〃What makes them so much more dangerous than
Emmett； Jasper； Rosalie； and you？〃 It was hard to imagine something scarier than that。
She took a deep breath； and then abruptly leveled a dark glance over my shoulder。 I turned in time to see
the man in the aisle seat looking away as if he wasn't listening to us。 He appeared to be a businessman； in
a dark suit with a power tie and a laptop on his knees。 While I stared at him with irritation； he opened the
puter and very conspicuously put headphones on。
I leaned closer to Alice。 Her lips were at my ears as she breathed the story。
〃I was surprised that you recognized the name；〃 she said。 〃That you understood so immediately what it
meant—when I said he was going to Italy。 I thought I would have to explain。 How much did Edward tell
you？〃
〃He just said they were an old； powerful family—like royalty。 That you didn't antagonize them unless you
wanted to… die；〃 I whispered。 The last word was hard to choke out。
〃You have to understand；〃 she said； her voice slower； more measured now。 〃We Cullens are unique in
more ways than you know。 It's… abnormal for so many of us to live together in peace。 It's the same for
Tanya's family in the north； and Carlisle speculates that abstaining makes it easier for us to be civilized； to
form bonds based on love rather than survival or convenience。 Even James's little coven of three was
unusually large—and you saw how easily Laurent left them。 Our kind travel alone； or in pairs； as a
general rule。 Carlisle's family is the biggest in existence； as far as I know； with the one exception。 The
Volturi。
〃There were three of them originally； Aro； Caius； and Marcus。〃
〃I've seen them；〃 I mumbled。 〃In the picture in Carlisle's study。〃
Alice nodded。 〃Two females joined them over time； and the five of them make up the family。 I'm not sure；
but I suspect that their age is what gives them the ability to live peacefully together。 They are well over
three thousand years old。 Or maybe it's their gifts that give them extra tolerance。 Like Edward and I； Aro
and Marcus are… talented。〃
She continued before I could ask。 〃Or maybe it's just their love of power that binds them together。
Royalty is an apt description。〃
〃But if there are only five—〃
〃Five that make up the family；〃 she corrected。 〃That doesn't include their guard。〃
I took a deep breath。 〃That sounds… serious。〃
〃Oh； it is；〃 she assured me。 〃There were nine members of the guard that were permanent； the last time we
heard。 Others are more… transitory。 It changes。 And many of them are gifted as well—with formidable
gifts； gifts that make what I can do look like a parlor trick。 The Volturi chose them for their abilities；
physical or otherwise。〃
I opened my mouth； and then closed it。 I didn't think I wanted to know how bad the odds were。
She nodded again； as if she understood exactly what I was thinking。 〃They don't get into too many
confrontations。 No one is stupid enough to mess with them。 They stay in their city； leaving only as duty
calls。〃
〃Duty？〃 I wondered。
〃Didn't Edward tell you what they do？〃
〃No；〃 I said； feeling the blank expression on my face。
Alice looked over my head again； toward the businessman； and put her wintry lips back to my ear。
〃There's a reason he called them royalty… the ruling class。 Over the millennia； they have assumed the
position of enforcing our rules—which actually translates to punishing transgressors。 They fulfill that duty
decisively。〃
My eyes popped wide with shock。 〃There are rules？〃 I asked in a voice that was too loud。
〃Shh！〃
〃Shouldn't somebody have mentioned this to me earlier？〃 I whispered angrily。 〃I mean； I wanted to be
a… to be one of you！ Shouldn't somebody have explained the rules to me？〃
Alice chuckled once at my reaction。 〃It's not that plicated； Bella。 There's only one core
restriction—and if you think about it； you can probably figure it out for yourself。〃
I thought about it。 〃Nope； I have no idea。〃
She shook her head； disappointed。 〃Maybe it's too obvious。 We just have to keep our existence a
secret。〃
〃Oh；〃 I mumbled。 It was obvious。
〃It makes sense； and most of us don't need policing；〃 she continued。 〃But； after a few centuries；
sometimes one of us gets bored。 Or crazy。 I dor't know。 And then the Volturi step in before it can
promise them； or the rest of us。〃
〃So Edward…〃
〃Is planning to flout that in their own city—the city they've secretly held for three thousand years； since
the time of the Etruscans。 They are so protective of their city that they don't allow hunting within its walls。
Volterra is probably the safest city in the world—from vampire attack at the very least。〃
〃But you said they didn't leave。 How do they eat？〃
〃They don't leave。 They bring in their food from the outside； from quite far away sometimes。 It gives their
guard something to do when they're not out annihilating mavericks。 Or protecting Volterra from
exposure…〃
〃From situations like this one； like Edward；〃 I finished her sentence。 It was amazingly easy to say his
name now。 I wasn't sure what the difference was。 Maybe because I wasn't really planning on living much
longer without seeing hi