Breaking Away Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Suggested soundtrack for this chapter: Give Me A Sign by Breaking Benjamin

Alice’s POV

The chill of the Volturi castle never left. The visions in my mind never altered. My head would not stop burning with the futures of the millions of people in this world. Every future held nothing. Nothing but blackness, death, disease, and the end. The end of everything. Love, life, and even lust. Who still loved each other in this greedy, power-hungry world of mine? Why did Jacob have to be a werewolf? Why could I not see Jacob’s future? His was tied with Renesmee’s, therefore tying with my whole family.

Slumping to the floor at the foot of a wide curving staircase, I rubbed my temples. I could go insane from this pain.

“Argh!” I cried, and beat the stone ground, leaving an indent of my fist. Sighing, I twirled my fingers around the hole, curving the stone around to make a perfect circle. If the world hadn’t been burning to crisps outside, I would have gone mad from absolute boredom inside the Volturi walls.

I dreamed of Jasper’s arms wrapped in mine. Remembering the way we used to hunt together, seeing him in all his grace and glory, I swooned uncontrollably. I placed my palms on my face and sought out his future, penetrating into my mind to find him. Jasper was at our house back in Forks, sitting on our loveseat. He had the most pained look on his face that made me want to weep. His future had many conclusions, all that I had looked at many times before since arriving in Volterra: Jasper sitting endlessly on the loveseat, lingering only for the hope of me coming home, Jasper in a steaming rage, killing any poor soul to cross his path, Jasper turning against my family, and becoming a nomad, wondering aimlessly. All of them sad endings without me by his side. I had thought we would be each other’s forever. We should never be apart, not for one moment. But here I was, thousands of miles away from my beloved, searching for a happy ending.

“Alice?” Edward’s velvet voice came from behind me. Why had I not heard his and Bella’s approach? I was slipping through the cracks, I could feel it. Standing up, I came to them and hugged Bella tightly. I sensed the depression she was feeling for her daughter.

“Alice,” Edward pulled me away from Bella and placed both his hands on my tiny shoulders, shaking me a little. “Why can’t you see what Marcus is planning?!” the agony in his eyes was forceful, confusing me in every way. He waited for me to respond, his hands tightened on my shoulders and he raised his voice. “Alice! Why. Tell me.”

“What?” I grabbed his arms and pushed him away. Bella took his hand and I wondered why she didn’t protest of him assaulting me. “Marcus hasn’t had anything special planned lately.” What was he going on about? I stared at Bella, searching for her future out of habit, and found a blank slate. I didn’t expect anything less, all of her future mended with Renesmee. Renesmee’s entire future was Jacob. There was nothing I could do.

“Demetri discovered Renesmee’s trail today!” Bella spoke in a forged chipper voice. She put on an animated smile, but widened her eyes as Jane passed us in the hallway, ignoring us physically but most likely listening to our conversation intently.

“That’s wonderful!” I replied and hugged Bella tightly. How could I not see this? Demetri wasn’t involved with a werewolf in any way. I should be able to see every single decision, even the smallest of sorts. I racked my brain for his future, nothing but a blank slate of white. Oh God. If there was any time to pray, it was now. Watching Jane turn the corner with pleased eyes, I seized Bella and Edward’s hands and flew up the staircase that elongated the length of the whole building.

We rushed down a few deserted passageways, and then I opened the latch to a small door etched into the ceiling. A block of bitter, ashy air hit me with full force. I jumped the fifty foot height and nimbly slid through the small opening to the flat roof of the Volturi castle. This was the perfect place to talk in private with Edward and Bella. I had sought out a place like this a few days before, knowing sometime we would need it.

“What’s this all about, Alice?” Bella inquired as she jumped and landed on the roof beside me. Her eyes took in the view of Volterra and I heard her muted sigh. Volterra was grimy, isolated, and unattractive like the rest of the world. I squeezed my eyes shut and the released them to the same picture. Ugh. I knew what she was thinking and I didn’t want Renesmee to grow up in such a cruel world, either. She was too pure and perfect for such a humanity that used to have so much to offer.

Edward glided through the opening next and landed next to Bella, immediately taking her hand. They were always connected. I was envious of them. Why were they allowed to have their everything when I couldn’t have mine? Then I remembered they weren’t blessed with the presence of their only child. Truly their entire world. I hit myself mentally for being so selfish.

“Edward, make sure no one is listening, please.” I told him. No vampire could hear this conversation, or it all would finish in certain death for treason. He nodded and closed his eyes, hunting for nearby minds.

“Nothing. You’re safe to speak.” His eyes burned into mine, making me uncomfortable. I knew it was wrong to keep him waiting any longer, but I didn’t have the heart to tell him his daughter would surely be found. Sighing inwardly, I choked out the words.

“Demetri’s future is blank.”

Bella’s POV

I screamed. No masquerade could hide this pain. Edward grabbed my arms before I fell, and held me as his body shook with mine. Demetri’s future was empty and that could only mean one thing. He would find Jacob and Renesmee. Soon. Surely, he would kill Jacob and haul Renesmee to Volterra. Her pain would be unimaginable as he snuffed out her other half’s life. My eyes pricked with the non-existence of tears. Not being able to cry frustrated me. There was no release on this earth.

“What can we do?” Edward moaned, turning to Alice and silently demanding an answer. “I don’t know.” Was Alice’s response. He held me tighter. So there was no hope then. I pushed away from Edward and slowly made my way to the roof’s rough edge, a foot dangling. I laughed inwardly at the dark sarcasm of it all. This reminded me of when I had thought I would never see Edward again, and had jumped foolishly into the dark water. I wish I’d have died in the river. Then Renesmee would have stayed safe inside me, never to have the burden to live. But then I would have never had the heavenly moments with Edward. I screeched again, my head toward the sky in denial.

Edward ran impossibly fast to me, preventing my fall. “Don’t.” He begged.
“Why not?” I shrieked at him, “Not that I could kill myself, otherwise!” I smashed the ground with my foot and part of it gave way.
“Stop!” He pulled my up into his arms and cradled me like he used to when I was too tired to cling to his back when we ran together while I was human. “You’ll cave the roof.” He started humming Renesmee’s lullaby and that helped me calm down, be less livid. Renesmee would not have been proud to see me like this. I took a deep breath to ease my nerves and his arms unfolded, letting me slide out of his embrace.

Alice watched the whole spectacle with horror. Here eyes bulged and her mouth formed a tiny O. What have I done? Every single member of the Volturi must have heard my cries. Now they would know my true feelings to their existence. I wanted to burn them all in the smoldering hell of all cities, every single one. I needed them to feel the torture I did for Renesmee, Jacob, Edward, Alice, Jasper, Esme, Rose, Emmett, Carlisle, my father, my friends, for all of humanity. How could they live knowing they destroyed love, life, and meaning? It was all over. This was sealed knowing that my daughter was to be snatched from her serene world with her other half.

“Go.” Alice demanded. She shoved me and Edward, back toward the edge of the roof. “Leave, now! They’ll kill you, I’ve seen it! They’ll kill you for your thoughts alone!”

“Alice!” I protested, pushing against her, causing her feet to make screeching sounds against the stone. “What about you? You must come with us!” I took her face between my hands and made her stare at me. “They’ll murder you too.” She had to listen to my reason. I could not lose my dearest sister.

She simply shook her head, her soft black curls bouncing around her small face. Alice gently put my hands down at my sides, and stepped back a few feet. “No, the Volturi won’t kill me. I’m too important to them.”

My mouth gaped at her, but I recognized the truth in her voice. The Volturi would never cut off the future from their knowledge. They had to keep Alice alive. I borrowed some peace from this and nodded my head in defeat. If Demetri succeeded and brought Renesmee here, I wanted Alice to comfort her. I stepped to the edge and clutched Edward’s hand. “Let’s go.”

He understood and brushed his lips across forehead lightly before stepping of the edge. We fell through the air, our cloaks billowing behind us as they slipped off our shoulders, just as I heard Jane scream at the Volturi Guards to capture us immediately and bring us to Marcus. I saw Alice put her hands up and a few vampires I didn’t know grab her wrists and drag her across the roof. She smiled back at me and gave me a wink for good luck. The Guards were still some hundred yards away as we landed to the soft earth, unharmed. They moved with lethal speed but was no match for Edward as he pulled me in his arms and ran as fast as I had ever seen him do. Even my vampire eyes could not sustain without blurring as his blinding feet flew with impeccable speed. I pushed my shield around us instantaneously like an elastic band to block Jane and Alec’s mental attacks against us. Jane screamed in aggravation at her uselessness. Alec joined in the run with the other guards but they were gradually falling behind us. I pumped my fist in the air rather childishly and wrapped my arms around Edward’s neck, letting my thoughts speak for themselves.

If we escaped, maybe Edward and I could reach Renesmee and Jacob in time to save them from destruction. I’d slash Demetri apart myself for placing my daughter in jeopardy. I was astonished at myself as I found my strength. I knew I could resist Jacob’s death and rescue my daughter. All I had to do was beat time in it’s never-ending game.

I smirked as Edward held me tight and we crossed the Italy border