Chapter 18: I made my decision, what else is there? (Renesmee)
My mother turned to me, her face set in hurt and worry.

The Волки on either side of us whined anxiously.

“Nessie . . .” Michelle gasped, shocked.

“Like hell Ты are!” Rosalie growled.

“I’m old enough to make my own decisions.” I pushed past my mother, feeling her fingers rake gently over my arm as I passed and stood only inches away from Jane. “Leave them alone.”

Jane stared into my eyes, searching my expression for any hint of a lie.

After what felt like forever, she nodded.

I sighed, nodding once in agreement, turning to my family a tear streaming over my cheek though my expression remained resolute. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll see you.”

I turned away without another word, ignoring the pleading sobs of my nana behind me. After a минута I was joined by three sets of footsteps. I paused, realizing someone had stayed behind. I looked over my shoulder.

Standing in his Назад position was Michelle and Kasie’s father.

Jane turned to see what I was staring at while the others continued forward. “Micah,” She сказал(-а) firmly, her jaw set.

He did not answer, nor did he Переместить even a centimeter.

She moved to his side, looking back at my family and the two girls standing silently behind my mother, their faces both sad and fearful. “Micah, we are leaving.”

“No.” He сказал(-а) resolutely. “We came for something.” He looked at her, “We’ve yet to retrieve it.”

“We have a prize, Micah. We needn’t bother with the humans now.”

“They are еще than just prizes!” He hissed. “They are my blood.”

“Your сердце no longer beats. The bloodlines Ты speak of have ceased to exist.”

“They are still mine!” He growled, his eyes narrowing.

“Micah?” Alec asked, stepping up beside his sister. “Why do Ты cherish such human things? Do Ты not realize that Ты are now an eternal assessor of the times? Ты will see history come to life and live to tell each and every tale as Ты see fit. Don’t Ты see how much еще there is for Ты above these measly, mortal children?”

The man, Micah, stared at Alec, his expression falling further into a mixture of frustration and rage.

I turned to fully face the situation, fixing my stance, preparing myself in case the trouble progressed.

“Chelsea?” Jane called, her expression moving past aggravation toward outrage.
The tall woman stepped up beside Jane, her face humble, agreeable. Jane looked to Micah. Without another word Chelsea nodded and moved her gaze to Micah, her muscles tensing in concentration.

He watched her, his face still twisted up with livid emotion.

After a few moments she relaxed, turning to Jane and shaking her head in failure.

Jane growled.

Alec looked to his sister, “It seems we have an issue within our own ranks.”

Jane nodded her agreement.

“Shall we remove it?”

“It seems only right.” Jane replied, smiling ecstatically; there wasn’t a thing Jane enjoyed еще than torture. She turned to Micah, her smile widening.

I watched as he stood his ground, he didn’t even flinch, didn’t fall to the Jane’s feet in agony. I looked up to the crowd watching near the house.

My mother was staring at him, focusing hard.

I couldn’t understand why she would protect him. Keep him безопасно, сейф when he was dead set on taking away my friends.

“Micah?” Carlisle asked, stepping вперед as if he and my mother had planned this whole thing out ahead of time.

He turned to him while Jane’s smile began to falter and her brows pulled together in utter confusion.

“You wish to be with your daughters.” Carlisle stated, still moving toward him cautiously.

Micah didn’t answer; he stared blankly, contemplating my grandfather’s words.

“That is a very noble desire. I can see no fault in it. I know I would want to be with my family at any cost. But do Ты really believe they must be turned in order for Ты to remain together?”

Still, no reply.

“What if I could offer Ты a chance to stay with them while letting them stay human?” Carlisle halted only a foot away from our near enemy. “Would Ты be willing to except? или will Ты continue fighting along side your counterparts?” He nodded toward Jane and Alec, both of which were glaring now at Carlisle.

The only other thing, aside from deception and rule breaking that hurt the Voltri's feeling of security was the thought that they would lose one of their own; hence their bringing Chelsea. With her gift they could assure their bonds while breaking others. They were sneaky, turns out though, my family was sneakier.

I smirked at my thoughts.

“Micah?” Carlisle asked peacefully.

Micah stirred lightly in his place.

“This has gone too far!” Jane yelled, throwing her fists down at her sides angrily. “Micah, Ты will Присоединиться us as we take our leave, или Ты will lose your life. It is your choice. Ты best think carefully.”

“He has the right to choose what he pleases, Jane.” Carlisle сказал(-а) calmly. “There is no need for violence.”

Jane growled. “Our laws are definite, Carlisle. We cannot allow this man to leave our faction without punishment.”

“Carlisle is right. Don’t forget I know the inner workings of the Volturi as well as Ты do Jane.” Eleazar stated, pulling himself from his crouch. “He is free to choose without retribution.”

“Your situation was far different from his Eleazar. Do not forget, Ты left without Вопрос because of your mate.” Jane looked to Carmen once quickly before continuing, “That does not mean he can do the same. He hasn’t a thing for himself here.”

“He has family.”

“His family is nonexistent! Have Ты not been listening? His human life has ended. It is time he moved on.” She sighed, looking to Michelle and Kasie’s father, “Micah, do not listen to these heresies there is nothing left for Ты here. Ты have a life with us, a chance to progress in your gifts, teachers; a new family.”

“Leaving what Ты had before is harder than Ты might think, Jane.” My mother hissed. “Not everyone is as keen to become a vampire as some.”

“You would know,” Jane scoffed. She paused for a moment, looking up and down the line before her. “Where is your husband? I would have expected him to be the first to object to your daughter’s choice.”

“He had some business to attend to.” Mom said, lowering her eyes to the ground. Her anger waning as the worry and sadness washed over her.

“What business could be еще important than maintaining his family?”

“Protecting his family.” Carlisle сказал(-а) solemnly. He knew the chances of his children surviving their battle was high, but there was still anxiety drawn into his handsome features, just as it was in the features of all those standing in front of our home.

We could all feel the change in atmosphere. The emotions swirling around us were еще than intense, were they any stronger they could have torn each and every one of us apart in a second.

Micah turned to the girls who were standing so still they could be stone, “You don’t--want to be with me.”

His statement stung lightly. It was sad. Even if he was a cheater, a liar, and a vampire, he was still their flesh and blood, their father.

Michelle and Kasie looked at each other, conferring silently.

“No.” Kasie сказал(-а) finally, taking a step forward. “You’ve caused this family enough grief. Ты made your choice. We didn’t need Ты human—”

“And we definitely don’t need Ты now,” Michelle finished meekly, taking her sister’s hand determinedly.

Micah stared at them a moment, nodding. “All right then.” He stepped back beside Jane, crouching down. “Then I will kill whoever it takes to obtain you. This destiny—your destiny was chosen when Ты were born. It would be futile for me to deny its completion.”

We all stared at him blankly. I could see the looks of Вопрос on each and every one of my family and friend's faces. The things he сказал(-а) seemed like some kind of horrific nursery rhyme. For some reason, it was hard for us to process it.


Jane smirked, realizing my family’s defenses were down. They’d all let their sadness and fear and confusion affect their stance, their reactions, and most of all, their gifts.

Carlisle screamed in pain as Jane smiled widely in his direction.

“No!” Esme cried as Alec turned to the group and began his attack while Chelsea moved вперед with a fearsome growl.