A Vampire's Love - Edward Cullen (Twilight saga)

Chapter 84 - Aftermath

Edward

The timing couldn't have been worse for us, and yet I believed it was the best for them. I didn't believe in coincidences, especially not in this case.

For the Volturi guard to be on its way to Forks only after a fight they should have fought as they were the ones who were assigned to handle such crisis, could only be interpreted one way : they were expecting losses on our side.

Our family along with the Denali coven were the second to third strongest clan after the Volturi, mostly because of our numbers and gifts. Of course, none of them would mourn if the newborns had reduced the size of the Cullen family.

Carlisle and I darted through the forest, trying to beat the Volturi to the clearing. Arriving even a second before them would be enough. We could not let them trace our scent back to the forest where the wolves were still carrying Aiyanna.

Her name made the panic inside of me pierce my chest with a pain which was nowhere stronger than unbearable one I went through in my attempt to live without her. These seven months apart were reduced to a cruel joke compared to what I had to deal with in this instant.

My mental state worsened when I thought of the fact that Carlisle, who was the only one who could take care of Aiyanna, would only be able to do so when the Volturi would be leaving. But who knew for how long we would be stuck with them ? Even a second was too much to bear, both for Aiyanna and for me.

47 seconds ! Hurry ! - Alice thought.

Being able to hear Alice's thoughts so clearly only confirmed that Carlisle and I were finally at a close distance to our family. I didn't realise while running after Victoria, Riley and Aiyanna that we had gone so far from the battlefield.

Poor child, I hope she won't suffer for long. Edward doesn't look any better. He's livid - Esme thought to herself, her mind full with worry.

Carlisle and I stepped foot in the clearing, joining our family 30 seconds before the Volturi's arrival.

"What happened, bro ?" Emmett asked, giving up his overflowing confident face expression after defeating the army of newborns, for an unsual worried one.

Emmett always managed to conceal his worry for Aiyanna with his unending quirkiness with her. Aiyanna's own confidence about the battle had erased his concern, which was why, knowing that she got hurt put him into shock.

I parted my lips, in an attempt to answer, but my voice got stuck in my throat. Exhaling at once, I quickly gave up on the idea of speaking and let Carlisle talk for me.

"Fifteen." Alice mumbled to us, looking at the north end of the clearing where the Volturi were supposed to come out from.

"Her ribs and right forearm need to be replaced." Carlisle answered in the same low tone.

As if the reality just hit me, my head faced the ground and my eyes closed to do something I haven't done since I was human : I prayed.

I didn't know if I was in the right place to ask for a divine help if it truly existed, to save Aiyanna or simply to help her endure the pain. I was in a hopeless position, and figured out that it was the only thing I could do at the moment.

"Her life is not in danger, though her injuries are serious enough to keep her in bed for the next following days." Carlisle quickly pronounced his first prognosis, before sealing his lips.

I opened my eyes, having heard their thoughts before seeing them approach us behind the smoke emanating from the pile of dead newborns.

The smallest of them was the obvious leader of the four Volturi guards : Jane. She stood in front of the others taking position behind her.