Dangerous Woman ▷ Paul Lahote

THIRTEEN

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THIRTEEN; CONFRONTATION

AMELIA COULD FEEL as if the room was spinning around her. Returning to the Volturi wasn't ideally her plan, and she knew she was putting Paul's life in danger by stepping foot onto the grounds.

She hated to see Aro again, his long, jet black hair gliding behind him as his red orbs pierced into hers. Edward could sense her discomfort and threw her a brief glance.

"Jane, dear one, you've returned!" Aro exclaimed with glee. He strode over to the blonde vampire and kissed her gently on the lips.

Jane grinned. "Yes, Master. I brought him back alive, just as you wished."

"Ah, Jane. You are such a comfort to me," he exhaled. The vampire's eyes shifted towards the others in the room. "And Alice, Amelia, and Bella too! This is a happy surprise! Wonderful!"

"Yes," Amelia spoke sarcastically. "I'm oozing with delight."

Aro ignored her comment and turned to the guards. "Felix, be a dear and tell my brothers about our company. I'm sure they wouldn't want to miss this."

"Yes, Master," Felix nodded and complied, disappearing.

"You see, Edward?" Aro questioned, giving his attention to the Cullen boy. "What did I tell you? Aren't you glad that I didn't give you what you wanted yesterday?"

"Yes, Aro, I am," Edward agreed, his voice a little strained. He gripped Bella's wrist.

"I love a happy ending. They are so rare. But I want the whole story. How did this happen? Alice?" He diverted his gaze to the smallest vampire. "Your brother seemed to think you infallible, but apparently there was some mistake."

"Oh, I'm far from infallible," Alice retorted with ease. However, Amelia could see how rigid her frame was. "As you can see today, I cause problems as often as I cure them."

"You're too modest," Aro chided. "I've seen some of your more amazing exploits, and I must admit I've never observed anything like your talent. Wonderful!"

Amelia scoffed, and Aro gazed at her. She despised it when Aro shifted the conversation to benefit himself. He was always trying to recruit one of her brothers and sisters into the Volturi simply because the Cullens possessed a power and patience no vampire could ever understand.

"I'm sorry, we haven't been introduced properly at all, have we? It's just that I feel like I know you already, and I tend get ahead of myself. Your brother introduced us yesterday, in a peculiar way. You see, I share some of your brother's talent, only I am limited in a way that he is not," Aro apologized and explained.

"And also exponentially more powerful," Edward added, not amused by Aro's clear jealousy of his power. "Aro needs physical contact to hear your thoughts, but he hears much more than I do. You know I can only hear what's passing through your head in the moment. Aro hears every thought your mind has ever had."

"But to be able to hear from a distance," Aro began, lingering on the topic. "That would be so convenient. Or to possess what your dear Amelia has harbored — she gets everything she wants, doesn't she?"