Pathetic || Seth Clearwater

Forty Two

Aro dropped Alice's hand, eyes wide. Ellis guessed that whatever he had seen, it wasn't pleasant. Alice looked at him expectantly as Aro took a step back. His gaze flicked to the Cullen's and the witnesses, taking in their set expressions. The anger, the fear. The wolves growling softly behind them, hackles raised.

"Now you know", Alice said bitterly. "That's your future. Unless you decide on a different course".

"We cannot later our course. The child still poses a great threat", Caius hissed.

"But what if you were sure she could remain sealed from the human world", Edward interrupted. Ellis looked at him in confusion. "Can we leave in peace?"

"Of course", Caius ground out in annoyance. "But that cannot be known".

"Actually it can".

Alice turned away from the Volturi to face the trees where she had come from. Voices halted as two figures emerged. A woman and a man. Ellis tilted his head as a scent washed over the field. The sickly sweet of a vampire mixed with the appetising scent of a human, a combination similar to Reneesme's. There was a sound too. A heart beat. Pounding off beat to a human rhythm.

The man and woman drew closer. They had dark tinted skin and long black hair tied by leather cords. They wore animal hides and were barefooted. The man had deep brown eyes, while to woman had red. There was a slight flush of blood in his cheeks and a thrumming in his veins. They drew closer and stopped next to Alice.

"I've been searching for witnesses of my own among the makona tribes of Brazil", Alice declared.

"We have enough witnesses"- Caius objected.

"Let him speak", Aro interrupted his brother.

The man stepped slightly closer to the Volturi. "I am half human", he declared, voice heavily accented. "Half vampire. Like the child. A vampire seduced my mother, who died giving birth to me. My aunt Huilien raised me as her own. I made her immortal". The woman smiled widely.

"How old are you?" Bella asked, stepping forwards eagerly.

The man turned to look at her. "One hundred and fifty years". Bella sighed with relief, hand clutching at her husband's.

"At what age did you reach maturity?" Aro voiced.

"I became full grown seven years after my birth. I have not changed since then". Bella and Nessie shared a happy smile. Relieved at the knowledge that Nessie was immortal.

"And you diet?"

"Blood, human food. I can survive on either".

"These children", Marcus breathed. It was the first time he had spoken. His voice rasped like a corpses' deathly with disuse. "Are much like us".

"Regardless the Cullens have been consorting with werewolves, our natural examines", Caius snarled. It was obvious that he was spoiling for a fight. Aro turned and rested a hand on the blonde's arm. Caius relaxed under the touch, backing down. Aro gazed over the Cullen lines again.

"Dear ones", he said, turning to address the Volturi. "There is no danger here". We will not fight today". Slowly, in small groups, the Volturi turned and sped into the trees. Caius and the guard. Then Marcus and the wives. The witnesses were next, until Aro was the only one facing the Cullens.

He smiled. "Such pride", he whispered in almost savagery. Before he disappeared after the others.

"We have them on the run! Now is the time to attack!" The Romanian vampires stated angrily.