an untouched corner。 I considered it for a moment and then shrugged。 After putting together Alice's
clues； I couldn't hope that the ing confrontation would be resolved peacefully。 But why not try to
start things out as friendly as possible？ I asked myself。 What could it hurt？ So I guess I must have had
some hope left after all—blind； senseless hope—because I'd scaled the shelves and retrieved Aro's
wedding present to me。
Now I fastened the thick gold rope around my neck and felt the weight of the enormous diamond nestle
into the hollow of my throat。
〃Pretty；〃 Renesmee whispered。 Then she wrapped her arms like a vise around my neck。 I squeezed her
against my chest。 Interlocked this way； I carried her out of the tent and to the clearing。
Edward cocked one eyebrow as I approached； but otherwise did not remark on my accessory or
Renesmee's。 He just put his arms tight around us both for one long moment and then； with a deep sigh； let
us go。 I couldn't see a goodbye anywhere in his eyes。 Maybe he had more hope for something after this
life than he'd let on。
We took our place； Renesmee climbing agilely onto my back to leave my hands free。 I stood a few feet
behind the front line made up by Carlisle； Edward； Emmett； Rosalie； Tanya； Kate； and Eleazar。 Close
beside me were Benjamin and Zafrina； it was my job to protect them as long as I was able。 They were
our best offensive weapons。 If the Volturi were the ones who could not see； even for a few moments；
that would change everything。
Zafrina was rigid and fierce； with Senna almost a mirror image at her side。 Benjamin sat on the ground；
his palms pressed to the dirt； and muttered quietly about fault lines。 Last night； he'd strewn piles of
boulders in naturallooking； now snowcovered heaps all along the back of the meadow。 They weren't
enough to injure a vampire； but hopefully enough to distract one。
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The witnesses clustered to our left and right； some nearer than others—those who had declared
themselves were the closest。 I noticed Siobhan rubbing her temples； her eyes closed in concentration；
was she humoring Carlisle？ Trying to visualize a diplomatic resolution？
In the woods behind us； the invisible wolves were still and ready； we could only hear their heavy panting；
their beating hearts。
The clouds rolled in； diffusing the light so that it could have been morning or afternoon。 Edward's eyes
tightened as he scrutinized the view； and I was sure he was seeing this exact scene for the second time
—the first time being Alice's vision。 It would look just the same when the Volturi arrived。 We only had
minutes or seconds left now。
All our family and allies braced themselves。
From the forest； the huge russet Alpha wolf came forward to stand at my side； it must have been too
hard for him to keep his distance from Renesmee when she was in such immediate danger。
Renesmee reached out to twine her fingers in thefur over his massive shoulder； and her body relaxed a
little bit。 She was calmer with Jacob close。I felt a tiny bit better； too。 As long Jacob was with Renesmee；
she would be all right。
Without risking a glance behind； Edward reached back to me。 I stretched my arm forward so that I
could grip his hand。 He squeezed my fingers。
Another minute ticked by； and I found myself straining to hear some sound of approach。
And then Edward stiffened and hissed low between his clenched teeth。 His eyes focused on the forest
due north of where we stood。
We stared where he did； and waited as the last seconds passed。
36。 BLOODLUST
They came with pageantry； with a kind of beauty。
They came in a rigid； formal formation。 They moved together； but it was not a march； they flowed in
perfect synchronicity from the trees—a dark； unbroken shape that seemed to hover a few inches above
the white snow； so smooth was the advance。
The outer perimeter was gray； the color darkened with each line of bodies until the heart of the formation
was deepest black。 Every face was cowled； shadowed。 The faint brushing sound of their feet was so
regular it was like music； a plicated beat that never faltered。
At some sign I did not see—or perhaps there was no sign； only millennia of practice—the configuration
folded outward。 The motion was too stiff； too square to resemble the opening of a flower； though the
color suggested that； it was the opening of a fan； graceful but very angular。 The graycloaked figures
spread to the flanks while the darker forms surged precisely forward in the center； each movement
closely controlled。
Their progress was slow but deliberate； with no hurry； no tension； no anxiety。 It was the pace of the
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invincible。
This was almost my old nightmare。 The only thing lacking was the gloating desire I'd seen on the faces in
my dream—the smiles of vindictive joy。 Thus far； the Volturi were too disciplined to show any emotion at
all。 They also showed no surprise or dismay at the collection of vampires that waited for them here—a
collection that looked suddenly disorganized and unprepared in parison。 They showed no surprise at
the giant wolf that stood in our midst。
I couldn't help counting。 There were thirtytwo of them。 Even if you did not count the two drifting；
waifish blackcloaked figures in the very back； who I took to be the wives—their protected position
suggesting that they would not be involved in the attack—we were still outnumbered。 There were just
nieen of us who would fight； and then seven more to watch as we were destroyed。 Even counting the
ten wolves； they had us。
〃The redcoats are ing； the redcoats are ing；〃 Garrett muttered mysteriously to himself and then
chuckled once。 He slid one step closer to Kate。
〃They did e；〃 Vladimir whispered to Stefan。
'The wives；〃 Stefan hissed back。 'The entire guard。 All of them together。 It's well we didn't try Volterra。〃
And then； as if their numbers were not enough； while the Volturi slowly and majestically advanced； more
vampires began entering the clearing behind them。
The faces in this seemingly endless influx of vampires were the antithesis to the Volturi's expressionless
discipline—they wore a kaleidoscope of emotions。 At first there was the shock and even some anxiety as
they saw the unexpected force awaiting them。 But that concern passed quickly； they were secure in their
overwhelming numbers； secure in their position behind the unstoppable Volturi force。 Their features
returned to the expression they'd worn before we'd surprised them。
It was easy enough to understand their mindset—the faces were that explicit。 This was an angry mob；
whipped to a frenzy and slavering for justice。 I did not fully realize the vampire world's feeling toward the
immortal children before I read these faces。
It was clear that this motley； disorganized horde—more than forty vampires altogether—was the
Volturi's own kind of witness。 When we were dead； they would spread the word that the criminals had
been eradicated； that the Volturi had acted with nothing but impartiality。 Most looked like they hoped for
more than just an opportunity to witness—they wanted to help tear and burn。
We didn't have a prayer。 Even if we could somehow neutralize the Volturi's advantages； they could still
bury us in bodies。 Even if we killed Demetri； Jacob would not be able to outrun this。
I could feel it as the same prehension sunk in around me。 Despair weighted the air； pushing me
down with more pressure than before。
One vampire in the opposing force did not seem to belong to either party； I recognized Irina as she
hesitated in between the two panies； her expression unique among the others。 Irina's horrified gaze
was locked on Tanya's position in the front line。 Edward snarled； a very low but fervent sound。
〃Alistairwas right；〃 he murmured to Carlisle。
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I watched Carlisle glance at Edward questioningly。
〃Alistair was right？〃 Tanya whispered。
'They—Caius and Aro—e to destroy and acquire；〃 Edward breathed almost silently back； only our
side could hear。 〃They have many layers of strategy already in place。 If Irina's accusation had somehow
proven to be false； they were mitted to find another reason to take offense。 But they can see
Renesmee now； so they are perfectly sanguine about their course。 We could still attempt to defend
against their other contrived charges； but first they have to stop； to hear the truth about Renesmee。〃 Then；
even lower。 〃Which they have no intention of doing。〃
Jacob gave a strange little huff。
And then； unexpectedly； two seconds later； the procession did halt。 The low music of perfectly
synchronized
movements turned to silence。 The flawless discipline remained unbroken； the Volturi froze into absolute
stillness as one。 They stood about a hundred yards away from us。
Behind me； to the sides； I heard the beating of large hear