Baby Steps

5

Rosalie POV

Being concerned was clearly an understatement.

I was freaking the hell out!

Was there something against our good luck? Why do new threats always jump back up when old ones were taken care of? It felt complete as if someone somewhere had it in for the Cullen Clan and decided to put a wicked curse on us.

Curse the Volturi.

My thoughts were a mess, most of it about one thing: How could a sweet little thing like Grace, be destined to end up with a cold-blooded monster like Demetri? Demetri of all men?! Why not Felix? Hell, I'll even tolerate Alec if it was really necessary!

Looking down at Grace sleeping in my arms instantly made me relax a bit. I even became unaware of Carlisle speaking with the Volturi in his study. Currently, they were figuring out a way to get Demetri involved with Grace. I hated the sound of that. If I had my way, I'd disappear with her and Emmett and raise her alone.

Curse the Volturi.

My thoughts scared me and at the same time made me excited to do it. Instead, I listened in on the conversation going on in the study below.

"We both know we can't keep Demetri away from little Grace now that he's found her, Carlisle. Just look what good it did to Edward and Bella. Poor Bella, trying to kill herself just to see mere flashes of him. And Edward, so desperate not to live without her that he came to us to end his suffer. What do you think it will do to Demetri and little Grace, Carlisle?"

"You're being rash, Aro. Grace is too young to understand or even know that she's mated to your tracker. And what good will that do to Demetri? He can't possibly treat her as his blood singer yet. I say we wait until she has reached the age of eighteen and graduate from high school before we let the two of them meet."

I knew Carlisle was staling. He didn't like the idea of nine months old Grace being twenty-five year old Demetri's blood singer any more than the rest of us did. That was just wrong in so many ways...

Curse the Volturi.

"Come now, Carlisle. You can think of a better plan than that. And if you don't, you leave me no other choice than to take little Grace by force. We can easily overpower you and your mutts with Alec, and you know that."

Every fibre in my undead body screamed no. Every predator instinct in me screamed to attack the Volturi and rip them apart. They couldn't threaten us like that! I was ready to march down there and give them a piece of my mind when I heard a new voice in the study.

"No need to threaten us, Aro." Esme spoke up, "That will get you nowhere. We have a few properties in England, one of them being an old manor. If you give us a month, it will be renovated and we'll move to Europe. That way Grace will be closer to Demetri and everyone's satisfied."

I waited in anticipation for their answer, which came a minute after they thought about her negotiation, "Splendid, darling Esme. As bright as always. Well then, we shall see you in a month, Carlisle. Do not disappoint me or else..."

I rushed to the window with Grace still in my arms, seeing the Volturi leaving the house and marching into the dark forest. Demetri was the only one who turned around to look back before following his coven. As soon as everyone was sure the Volturi were gone, they assembled in the study to get answers for their own questions.

"So, are we moving to England?" Renesmee was the first to ask.

Esme confirmed it, "Yes. It was all I could think of. It's either that or they'll take Grace."