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〃I'm not crazy；〃 he laughed； shaking his head as he got slowly to his knees； 〃but that was sure
something！〃
〃That's what I hear。〃
Edward rolled his eyes。
And then there was a low motion from the front yard。 I heard Carlisle speaking over a babble of
surprised voices。
〃Did Alice send you？〃 he asked someone； his voice unsure； slightly upset。
Another unexpected guest？
Edward darted into the house and most of the others imitated him。 I followed more slowly； Renesmee
still perched on my back。 I would give Carlisle a moment。 Let him warm up the new guest； prepare him
or her or them for the idea of what was ing。
I pulled Renesmee into my arms as I walked cautiously around the house to enter through the kitchen
door； listening to what I couldn't see。
〃No one sent us；〃 a deep whispery voice answered Carlisle's question。 I was immediately reminded of
the ancient voices of Aro and Caius； and I froze just inside the kitchen。
I knew the front room was crowded—almost everyone had gone in to see the newest visitors—but
there was barely any noise。 Shallow breathing； that was all。
Carlisle's voice was wary as he responded。 〃Then what brings you here now？〃
〃Word travels；〃 a different voice answered； just as feathery as the first。 〃We heard hints that Volturi were
moving against you。 There were whispers that you would not stand alone。 Obviously； the whispers were
true。 This is an impressive gathering。〃
〃We are not challenging the Volturi；〃 Carlisle answered in a strained tone。 〃There has been a
misunderstanding； that is all。 A very serious misunderstanding； to be sure； but one we're hoping to clear
up。 What yousee are witnesses。 We just need the Volturi to listen。 We didn't—〃
〃We don't care what they say you did；〃 the first voice interrupted。 〃And we don't care if you broke the
law。〃
〃No matter how egregiously；〃 the second inserted。
〃We've been waiting a millennium and a half for the Italian scum to be challenged；〃 said the first。 〃If there
is any chance theywill fall； we will be here to see it。〃
〃Or even to help defeat them；〃 the second added。 They spoke ina smooth tandem； their voices so similar
that less sensitive ears would assume there was only one speaker。 〃If we think you havea chance of
success。〃
〃Bella？〃Edward called to me ina hard voice。 〃Bring Renesmee here； please。 Maybe we should test our
Romanian visitors' claims。〃
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It helped to know that probably half of the vampires in the other room would e to Renesmee's
defense if these Romanians were upset by her。 I didn't like the sound of their voices； or the dark menace
in their words。 As I walked into the room； I could see that I was not alone in that assessment。 Most of
the motionless vampires glared with hostile eyes； anda few—Carmen； Tanya； Zafrina； and
Senna—repositioned themselves subtly into defensive poses between the newers and Renesmee。
The vampires at the door were both slight and short； one darkhaired and the other with hair so ashy
blond that it looked pale gray。 They had the same powdery look to their skin as the Volturi； though I
thought it was not so pronounced。 I couldn't be sure about that； as I had never seen the Volturi except
with human eyes； I could not make a perfect parison。 Their sharp； narrow eyes were dark burgundy；
with no milky film。 They wore very simple black clothes that could pass as modern but hinted at older
designs。
The dark one grinned when I came into view。 〃Well； well； Carlisle。 You have been naughty； haven't
you？〃
〃She's not what you think； Stefan。〃
〃And we don't care either way；〃 the blonde responded。 〃As we said before。〃
〃Then you're wele to observe； Vladimir； but it is definitely not our plan to challenge the Volturi； as
we said before。〃
〃Then we'lljust cross our fingers；〃 Stefan began。
〃And hope we get lucky；〃 finished Vladimir。
In the end； we had pulled together seventeen witnesses—the Irish； Siobhan； Liam； and Maggie； the
Egyptians； Amun； Kebi； Benjamin； and Tia； the Amazons； Zafrina and Senna； the Romanians； Vladimir
and Stefan； and the
nomads； Charlotte and Peter； Garrett； Alistair； Mary； and Randall—to supplement our family of eleven。
Tanya； Kate； Eleazar； and Carmen insisted on being counted as part of our family。
Aside from the Volturi； it was probably the largest friendly gathering of mature vampires in immortal
history。
We all were beginning to be a little bit hopeful。 Even I couldn't help it。Renesmee had won over so
many in such a brief time。The Volturi only had to listen for just the tiniest second___
The lasttwo surviving Romanians—focused only on their bitter resentment of the ones who had
overthrown their empire fifteen hundred years earlier—took everything in stride。 They would not touch
Renesmee； but they showed no aversion to her。 They seemed mysteriously delighted by our alliance with
the werewolves。They watched me practice my shield with Zafrina and Kate； watched Edward answer
unspoken questions； watched Benjaminpull geysers of water from the river or sharp gusts of wind from
the still air with just his mind； and their eyes glowed with their fierce hope that the Volturi had finally met
their match。
We did not hope for the same things； but we all hoped。
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33。 FORGERY
〃Charlie； we've still got that strictly needtoknow pany situation going。 I know it's been more than a
week since you saw Renesmee； but a visit is just not a good idea right now。 How about I bring
Renesmee over to see you？〃
Charlie was quiet for so long that I wondered if he heard the strain beneath my fagade。
But then he muttered； 〃Need to know； ugh〃 and I realized it was just his wariness of the supernatural
that made him slow to respond。
〃Okay； kid；〃 Charlie said。 〃Can you bring her over this morning？ Sue's bringing me lunch。 She's just as
horrified by my cooking as you were when you first showed up。〃
Charlie laughed and then sighed for the old days。
〃This morning will be perfect。〃 The sooner the better。 I'd already put this off too long。
〃Is Jake ing with you guys？〃
Though Charlie didn't know anything about werewolf imprinting； no one could be oblivious to the
attachment between Jacob and Renesmee。
〃Probably。〃 There was no way Jacob would voluntarily miss an afternoon with Renesmee sans
bloodsuckers。
〃Maybe I should invite Billy； too；〃 Charlie mused。 〃But。。。 hmm。 Maybe another time。〃
I was only half paying attention to Charlie—enough to notice the strange reluctance in his voice when he
spoke of Billy； but not enough to worry what that was about。 Charlie and Billy were grownups； if there
was something going on between them； they could figure it out for themselves。 I had too many more
important things to obsess over。
〃See you in a few；〃 I told him； and hung up。
This trip was about more than protecting my father from the twentyseven oddly matched vampires
—who all had sworn not to kill anyone in a threehundredmile radius； but still。。。 Obviously； no human
being should get anywhere near this group。 This was the excuse I'd given Edward： I was taking
Renesmee to Charlie so that he wouldn't decide
to e here。 It was a good reason for leaving the house； but not my real reason at all。
〃Why can't we take your Ferrari？〃 Jacob plained when he met me in the garage。 I was already in
Edward's Volvo with Renesmee。
Edward had gotten around to revealing my after car； as he'd suspected； I had not been capable of
showing the appropriate enthusiasm。 Sure； it was pretty and fast； but I liked to run。
〃Too conspicuous；〃 I answered。 〃We could go on foot； but that would freak Charlie out。〃
Jacob grumbled but got into the front seat。 Renesmee climbed from my lap to his。
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〃How are you？〃 I asked him as I pulled out of the garage。
〃How do you think？〃 Jacob asked bitingly。 〃I'm sick of all these reek