anything more than he wants Alice。〃 I felt my mouth fall open； remembering the nightmarish pictures I had imagined long ago： Edward and Alice in black cloaks with bloodred eyes； their faces cold and remote as they stood close as shadows； Aro"s hands on theirs。。。。 Had Alice seen this more recently？ Had she seen Chelsea trying to strip away her love for us； to bind her to Aro and Caius and Marcus？ Page 352 Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； ：。processtext。abclit。html 〃Is that why Alice left？〃 I asked； my voice breaking on her name。 Edward put his hand against my cheek。 〃I think it must be。 To keep Aro from gaining the thing he wants most of all。 To keep her power out of his hands。〃 I heard Tanya and Kate murmuring in disturbed voices and remembered that they hadn"t known about Alice。 〃He wants you； too；〃 I whispered。 Edward shrugged； his face suddenly a little too posed。 〃Not nearly as much。 I can"t really give him anything more than he already has。 And of course that"s dependent on his finding a way to force me to do his will。 He knows me； and he knows how unlikely that is。〃 He raised one eyebrow sardonically。 Eleazar frowned at Edward"s nonchalance。 〃He also knows your weaknesses；〃 Eleazar pointed out； and then he looked at me。 〃It"s nothing we need to discuss now；〃 Edward said quickly。 Eleazar ignored the hint and continued。 〃He probably wants your mate； too； regardless。 He must have been intrigued by a talent that could defy him in its human incarnation。〃 Edward was unfortable with this topic。 I didn"t like it； either。 If Aro wanted me to do something —anything—all he had to do was threaten Edward and I would ply。 And vice versa。 Was death the lesser concern？ Was it really capture we should fear？ Edward changed the subject。 〃I think the Volturi were waiting for this—for some pretext。 They couldn"t know what form their excuse would e in； but the plan was already in place for when it did e。 That"s why Alice saw their decision before Irina triggered it。 The decision was already made； just waiting for the pretense of a justification。〃 〃If the Volturi are abusing the trust all immortals have placed in them。。。；〃 Carmen murmured。 〃Does it matter？〃 Eleazar asked。 〃Who would believe it？ And even if others could be convinced that the Volturi are exploiting their power； how would it make any difference？ No one can stand against them。〃 〃Though some of us are apparently insane enough to try；〃 Kate muttered。 Edward shook his head。 〃You"re only here to witness； Kate。 Whatever Aro"s goal； I don"t think he"s ready to tarnish the Volturi"s reputation for it。 If we can take away his argument against us； he"ll be forced to leave us in peace。〃 〃Of course；〃 Tanya murmured。 No one looked convinced。 For a few long minutes； nobody said anything。 Then Iheard the sound of tires turning off the highway pavement onto the Cullens" dirt drive。 Page 353 Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； ：。processtext。abclit。html 〃Oh crap； Charlie；〃 I muttered。 〃Maybe the Denalis could hang out upstairs until—〃 〃No；〃 Edward said in a distant voice。 His eyes were far away； staring blankly at the door。 〃It"s not your father。〃 His gaze focused on me。 〃Alice sent Peter and Charlotte； afterall。 Time to get ready for the next round。〃 32。 PANY The Cullens" enormous house was more crowded with guests than anyone would assume could possibly be fortable。 It only worked out because none of the visitors slept。 Mealtimes were dicey； though。 Our pany cooperated as best they could。 They gave Forks and La Push a wide berth； only hunting out of state； Edward was a gracious host； lending out his cars as needed without so much as a wince。 The promise made me very unfortable； though I tried to tell myself that they"d all be hunting somewhere in the world； regardless。 Jacob was even more upset。 The werewolves existed to prevent the loss of human life； and here was rampant murder being condoned barely outside the packs" borders。 But under these circumstances； with Renesmee in acute danger； he kept his mouth shut and glared at the floor rather than the vampires。 I was amazed at the easy acceptance the visiting vampires had for Jacob； the problems Edward had anticipated had never materialized。 Jacob seemed more or less invisible to them； not quite a person； but also not food； either。 They treated him the way people who are not animallovers treat the pets of their friends。 Leah； Seth； Quil； and Embry were assigned to run with Sam for now； and Jacob would have happily joined them； except that he couldn"t stand to be away from Renesmee； and Renesmee was busy fascinating the strange collection of Carlisle"s friends。 We"d replayed the scene of Renesmee"s introduction to the Denali coven a half dozen times。 First for Peter and Charlotte； whom Alice and Jasper had sent our way without giving them any explanation at all； like most people who knew Alice； they trusted her instructions despite the lack of information。 Alice had told them nothing about which direction she and Jasper were heading。 She"d made no promise to ever see them again in the future。 Neither Peter nor Charlotte had ever seen an immortal child。 Though they knew the rule； their negative reaction was not as powerful as the Denali vampires" had been at first。 Curiosity had driven them to allow Renesmee"s 〃explanation。〃 And that was it。 Now they were as mitted to witnessing as Tanya"s family。 Carlisle had sent friends from Ireland and Egypt。 The Irish clan arrived first； and they were surprisingly easy to convince。 Siobhan—a woman of immense presence whose huge body was both beautiful and mesmerizing as it moved in smooth undulations—was the leader； but she and her hardfaced mate； Liam； were long used to trusting the judgment of their newest coven member。 Little Maggie； with her bouncy red curls； was not physically imposing like the other two； but she had a gift for knowing when she was being lied to； and her verdicts were never contested。 Maggie declared that Edward spoke the truth；