Chapter 36: Its My Party and I’ll Cry If I Want To (Amore’s POV)
Eventually the sobs subsided. Not because I was any less upset but because I just couldn’t cry anymore. My mother looked so worried; I couldn’t let her be so concerned about me. “What is the matter?” She asked me hysterically. I just shook my head, “It is so important and I cannot even remember what it is.” She hugged me, “Well take your mind off of it for a bit and I am sure it will come back to you.” Just then Nessie came bursting into my room, “Hey, are you alright?” She asked. I nodded I decided to take my mother’s advice and let it go momentarily. “I’m fine, I am sorry that I put all of that on you down there.” She smiled at me, “Don’t apologize I am the one who owes you an apology. I never should have let you out of my sight that night.” I sat next to her and put my hand on hers, “I am such a horrible friend,” she thought to herself. Out of instinct I immediately thought, “No you are not; you had no way of knowing.” Nessie’s eyes widened. “How did you do that?” She wondered aloud. “Do what?” My mother asked. “She just answered my thought inside my head!” Nessie exclaimed in wonder. I smiled at her, “I gained a few powers, but that’s a new one. I didn’t know that I could answer people back.” My mother sat up, “Let me try!” She took my hand, “are you feeling any better?” she asked. I closed my eyes and focused as I answered, “A little thanks for the good advice.” My mother’s eyebrows furrowed in concentration. “Did you hear me?” I asked her hopefully. “No, she said in disappointment. Nessie’s eyes lit up, “Hey, maybe it only works between you and I because I have a similar ability in being able to share my thoughts and memories through touch". I smiled widely at her, “wow this is even better than a secret language, we can talk about people and they won’t even know!” We giggled as my mother rolled her eyes, “Oh great, just what we need,” Nessie and I laughed. “It won’t work around my dad though,” she warned me, “he will hear whatever we say.” I shrugged, “it’s still pretty cool.” Her eyes lit up with curiosity, “what else can you do?” she asked me. “I have visions, like Aunt Alice the only difference is I can share them through touch and I can see the wolves.” Suddenly Nessie’s eyes darkened, “Can you see half breeds?” I nodded, “I saw a vision of you and Jake last night.” Her face flushed a little as my mother looked at her through narrowed eyes, “that reminds me Renesmee, what were you thinking!” My mother hissed at her. She ignored my mother and continued, “Can you see Nahuel? If you could see him it will help us to find him.” I swallowed hard. That was one vision I wasn’t looking forward too. I closed my eyes and focused on him. Nothing came to mind. “It doesn’t work that way every time Amore,” my Aunt Alice said from the hallway. “You cannot always will a vision into being.” I looked at her in confusion, “It was so easy with Seth, all I had to do was think of him once and I knew where he was last night.” My aunt walked into the room, “I understand, you are very close with Seth so it is much easier to see him. Nahuel on the other hand isn’t going to come to you as seamlessly.” I set my jaw in determination; I wasn’t going to give up. I turned to Nessie, “I promise the minute that I see anything I will let you know.” She smiled a tight smile. “Good.” I looked at the clock it was already 4:00. The whole morning had passed so quickly. I stood up slowly, “Hey let’s go downstairs, I really want to go see Seth.” My Aunt Alice stood in front of me, "actually you should just stay in here for a little bit longer, you know to make sure that you are really feeling better.” I raised my eyebrow at her she was acting so funny. I sat down and stared at her curiously. She closed her eyes for a minute and then her eyes snapped open as a brilliant smile spread across her beautiful face. “Ah, perfect. There is just enough time.” I giggled at her weirdness as she grabbed my hand and rushed me into the bathroom to touch up my hair and make up. She ran to the closet and grabbed a black dress with a cowl neck and threw it at me and she grabbed Nessie a purple dress with a little matching jacket. “Here put these on, here are the shoes. I will be right back”. She grabbed my mother and when they reappeared they both wore dazzling dresses themselves. Aunt Alice in Silver and my mother in red. Aunt Alice fixed Nessie’s hair and make up next fussing the whole time, “such a pretty girl and you take it for granted I cannot believe you walked around like this today!” Nessie rolled her eyes, “I didn’t know coming to see family was a special occasion.” Aunt Alice smacked her arm playfully, “don’t sass me, girl,” she teased. Nessie and I laughed while my mother stood in the door rolling her eyes. “Really Alice, are you done yet?” She stepped back and looked at us with a contented smile. “Yep, all set.” They led me down the stairs where I was met by a chorus of, “Happy Birthday’s” I looked at my new family in awe. I totally hadn’t seen this coming. My mother and father smiled at me, “are you surprised?” My mother asked hopefully. I nodded, I couldn’t say anything. I had never had a surprise party before the thought behind it left me unable to speak. Aunt Alice led me outside I gasped at the yard she had decorated with the lights from Nessie’s party and there were lilies everywhere. It was beautiful. “Ok, before we do anything we are doing presents,” Aunt Alice squealed. I smiled in awe I couldn’t believe that on top of this there were presents too! My Aunt Alice went first (of course). “Your present from me and Uncle Jasper is an entire day of shopping for new clothes with me!” I laughed at her, “Thank you that is wonderful, I can’t wait.” Nessie and Jake were next. Jake brought a small pile of gifts over to me. They got me an easel, canvas, paint brushes, paints and charcoal pencils. I went to hug them to thank them when Nessie gave me one more present, “It is something that I am sure you were missing.” I looked at it in bewilderment as I ripped the paper off. “It’s my sketchbook.” I gasped. I couldn’t believe it, I looked at her trying to keep my voice from breaking, “I thought that I would never see this again. Thank you,” I whispered. She kissed me on my cheek, “Happy birthday my sister,” She whispered. She touched my face and her voice echoed inside my head, “Later on tonight look inside the last page.” I nodded at her. My grandparents were next they gave me a new laptop, “I don’t want your education to suffer. I will be teaching you from home for a bit until you are more settled.” My grandfather said with a smile. Aunt Bella and Uncle Edward gave me a collection of Tennyson’s poetry. “I used to read these poems to Nessie,” My Aunt Bella offered with a smile. They also gave me an iPod, Uncle Edward watched for my reaction as I opened it, “I compiled a playlist for you for when you paint.” I smiled at him, “such thoughtful gifts,” I replied. Seth gave me a beautiful bracelet that had made for me from leather and sandstone. “I love it,” I told him as I kissed him gently. I noticed that my father looked away almost uncomfortably I thought it was funny. Leah gave me a rectangular gift I opened it, it was a photo album of Seth’s baby pictures. I looked at her in adoration, “Leah this is a beautiful gift, thank you.” Seth turned to his sister, “Are you kidding me?” He fumed she smiled at him and shrugged. My father and Jacob hooted with laughter. My parents gave me my final gift. “Since Alice trashed your car we thought that you might be needing this,” my mother slid a key into my hand. I squealed with excitement as they led me to the garage. Jake and Seth pulled the car cover away to reveal a brand new, Black Mercedes SL600 convertible. I screamed and hugged them both. Everyone laughed at my reaction. “Happy Birthday Amore” my mother told me as she hugged me.
As the party wound down, Seth and I stole away together for a bit. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead. “So this doesn’t creep you out at all? I asked him. He looked at me in confusion, “What do you mean?” “Well, don’t wolves have a natural aversion to vampires?” I asked him worriedly. He put his hand under my chin forcing me to look into his eyes, “Amore, there is nothing that could ever change the way that I feel about you. Besides, I don’t mind vampires like your family, you know vegetarians.” He smiled. “But I look so different.” I hesitated. He smiled at me, “you were beautiful then and you are beautiful now. You are still the same person. I love you I don’t care what you look like.” He leaned over and kissed me carefully. “Now that you mention it, I do like the new hair,” he winked at me as I threw myself on him and kissed him so passionately that he fell over backwards with me landing on top of him. He started laughing, “Easy,” he chuckled. I grimaced, “sorry, I have to work on the whole realizing my own strength thing.” He smiled at me and picked himself up and then helped me up. “I was worried,” I confessed. “About what?” He asked. “That you wouldn’t be attracted to me anymore.” He looked at me seriously, “Amore, I explained to you how imprinting works. It is beyond physical and personality attributes that attract couples to each other. I don’t care what you look like, what you are, or what your name is. You are my everything, I want to marry you. I want to be with you forever.” His eyes clouded over; “when I thought I lost you…” his voice broke. I kissed his neck, “but you didn’t lose me, I am right here. I am not going anywhere.” He looked at me sadly, “Can you forgive me, for letting you down.” I shook my head, “Seth there is nothing to forgive. You did nothing wrong, what happened to me is not your fault. I love you.” He smiled at me and then he kissed me tenderly, something about the kiss changed it became more urgent. He pulled away, “I will avenge you,” he promised. I put my fingers to his lips. “There is nothing to avenge. I am safe now, I am better off than I was before. I am not as fragile and I will be here for you forever.” A growl ripped through his throat. I knew that he didn’t agree with my view of things. Jake came into view. “Seth, it’s time.” He said seriously. Seth nodded at him and led me back to he party which was wrapping up. The guys were all getting ready to go somewhere and I noticed the sound of wolves howling in the near distance. “What is going on?” I asked in alarm. Seth smiled at me with a strange glimmer in his eyes, a mix between anger and sadness. “Guys night, we are going hunting.” He pulled me close, “Happy Birthday Amore. I love you. I will call you tomorrow.” He lifted me up and kissed me so fervently that had I still needed to breathe I most likely would have passed out from a lack of oxygen. I looked at him dazed, “I love you too, be careful.” With that he bounded off into the woods. Jake and Renesmee were in the distance fighting over something. I saw him shake his head furiously he bent over to kiss her and disappeared before she could go after him. She growled and stalked past me into the house. “Where is daddy,” she demanded of my Aunt Bella. “He is already gone,” she told her. Renesmee growled and stormed into the house and I heard something shatter. My grandmother put her hand to her forehead, “What now, isn't it bad enough that Emmett just destroyed one of my dining room chairs that I had imported from Italy.” My Aunt Bella smiled at her apologetically, “she gets her anger from Edward.” Aunt Alice was straightening the back yard up, “and her stubbornness from you,” she directed to Aunt Bella who threw a branch at her. “Hey, where are they going?” I asked. All of the men were slowly disappearing. My grandmother smiled at me gently, "hunting, dear. Don’t worry.” I frowned something didn’t feel right, “they all go together at the same time like that?” Aunt Alice giggled, “You know it’s like how girls go to the bathroom together.” I tried to smile at her but something inside of me told me that there was something wrong, very wrong. I went into to the house to look for Renesmee. She was in my room switching stances from pacing back and froth and running to the large window and staring out attentively. “Nessie?” I asked she jumped as I said her name. “I’m sorry but I didn’t mean to startle you.” She looked back to the window, with a worried look on her face. “What is going on?” I asked her. She didn’t answer me. All of a sudden the walls disappeared and I was in the woods I saw my father, my Uncles, my grandfather, Seth, Jake all the wolves being chased by Nahuel… and people in cloaks. They were looking for Renesmee. I gasped out loud Renesmee ran up to me. “What is it?” She demanded, “What did you see?” Wordlessly I placed my hand on her cheek and relayed the vision to her. The blood rushed from her face. “We have to go and warn them!” She shrieked. “Nessie, no it’s too dangerous. They want you, stay here I will go.” She shook her head firmly, “We both go.” I didn’t agree with it but I could see that there was no arguing with her. I turned to go downstairs and she hissed, “What are you doing? We can’t walk by them they will never let us go.” She gestured towards the wall of my bedroom that was made up of a single window. “How good are you at jumping?” She asked. I had never attempted it but my instincts took over. I threw her on my back and leapt form the open window. I hit the ground gracefully and she hopped down we ran after them I concentrated on their scent. After a bit I came across the scent of Jake and Seth, Nessie followed me and within moments we were face to face with the wolves. Jake and Seth disappeared momentarily and came back in human form. Jake stormed up to Nessie and got in her face, “What the hell are you doing?!” He demanded “Do your parents know you are out here, do you have any idea how dangerous this is?!” She looked at him her eyes flashing, “Jake shut up, Amore had a vision.” Just as she was about to tell him what happened Nahuel stepped out from behind a tree. I gasped and Seth threw me behind him protectively. Jake whipped around and growled as he threw Nessie behind him as well. Naheul held his hands up protectively. “Wait, I am here to offer a warning. I come as a friend.” “A friend?!” Seth spat the words out venomously as he stalked towards Nahuel. Nessie reached out and grabbed me to her side. “You killed my girlfriend,” he snarled. Nahuel looked at him patiently the redness that I had remembered in his blood thirsty eyes was gone. Now they just looked pleading and scared. “Listen to me, please; I am so sorry about that it was not in my control.” Seth walked up to him and threw him into a tree, “not in your control? I will tell you what isn’t in your control. The fact that this ends now, you will die tonight.” Nahuel didn’t fight back. “Please just listen to me” Seth slammed him into a tree. “There isn’t time, they are coming for Renesmee and now they have seen the young one that you have they want her too.” Seth ignored him as he lifted him up and threw him against another tree. When Jake heard the mention of Renesmee's name he turned to her, “Is this you were trying to warn us about?” He whispered in horror. She nodded crazily, “The Volturi forced him to do this they are holding his family captive. He didn’t mean to kill Sienna. They are coming for me tonight. They are taking me back to Volterra.” His face twisted in anguish as he yelled for Seth to stop, “Seth, enough hear him out.” But it was too late Seth was too far lost in his rage. Jake ran over to stop him or at the very least protect him, but Seth didn’t need the help Nahuel never fought back. This was not the same maniacal vampire that had attacked me. Something odd was going on. Suddenly Jake was on the ground writhing in agony for some unforeseen reason. Renesmee’s body tensed and she screamed for Jake. I picked up a scent of vampires, but it was not the scent of any of the Cullen’s. A few cloaked figures slid effortlessly between the trees and stopped a few feet in front of us. There were four of them. The two in the front who appeared to be the leaders were much tinier than the two hulking figures that stood behind them. It was hard to tell if they were male or female until the one spoke. It was a female, “Hello Renesmee. Are you going to introduce us to your friends?” Renesmee’s eyes narrowed, “Hello Jane.” She said coolly. “I trust that you remember Nahuel.” The cloaked female continued, switching her malevolent gaze on him. “I suppose he has been filling you in on what has been going on.” She said with no emotion reflecting on her angelic face or in her voice. “A bit.” Renesmee admitted. Jane moved forward with her explanation,“You see, Nahuel is very conflicted. He has a hard time taking orders; he needs a little help sometimes.” She nodded to the figure next to her, “Alec.” She said he looked at Nahuel and narrowed his eyes. Suddenly Nahuel's eyes became blood red again. He growled at Seth and was no longer submissive. In front of my horrified eyes he lifted Seth with one hand and threw him. He landed on the ground with a sickening thud and didn’t get up. Jane turned her invisible torture onto Nahuel at that point. “We are no longer in need of your services, traitor. “She informed him maliciously. He squirmed in pain beside Jake. “Seth, no!” I screamed in terror I ran after him but Renesmee tackled me, “Amore do not move an inch.” She muttered through clenched teeth. I sobbed as I looked at his broken body I couldn’t help him. She placed her hand on my cheek and her voice rang throguh my mind only for me to hear, “When I give you the signal run, get as far from here as you can and warn the others that the Volturi are here.” I whimpered as she helped me back to my feet. “You’re friend is a little feisty.” Jane surmised. “Perhaps she should join the others,” she said wickedly, gesturing towards Jake and Nahuel. “That won’t be necessary, Jane.” Nessie retorted. Jane smiled at her, “You can make this easy or hard on yourself. Aro requests your presence; he is interested in this new born as well. You are to come with us.” Nessie nodded. Jake watched in horror frozen to the ground. Nessie looked into Jane’s face and replied evenly with no emotion, “Very well Jane I will go with you on one condition. You let all of my friends go. Just take me; I will not put up a fight.” I gasped but kept it under my breath. Jake growled. Jane turned to him, “Silence mongrel.” She commanded as she intensified the invisible current that kept him paralyzed yet thrashing in pain. She turned back to Nessie, “I’m sorry but this is not up for negotiation. She comes too.” Nessie gently touched my hand, “NOW!” She told me silently. I let go of her hand and met her eyes sadly as I tore off between the trees. “Demetri, Felix,” The small girl commanded. I heard them coming after me. I ran faster I had to get away I couldn’t fail Renesmee this time. I was much faster and stronger this time around. I didn’t hear them behind me any longer I noticed with relief. I had outrun them! The next thing I knew I was blind, I couldn’t see where I was going and then I felt their arms around me and heard their laughter, “she’s a looker this one,” one of them chortled. “Silence” a superior male voice demanded. “Carry her back to the others." “Yes Alec,” one of the other voices complied. I remembered that I was strong so I struggled as much as I could I hissed I lunged for whatever I could bite but to no avail. I had failed Renesmee again and this time there would be no saving us.