The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner Chapters 16

She has surrendered, the carrottop explained.Surrendered? Jane snapped.I peeked up to see the dark-cloaks exchanging glances. The carrottop had express that hed never seen any integrity surrender before. Maybe the dark-cloaks hadnt, either.Carlisle gave her the option, the blonde woodpecker said. He seemed to be the talksperson for the yel ow- spunks, though I intellection Carlisle might be the leader.thither are no options for those who break the rules, Jane said, her voice dead again.My b wizards matt-up interchangeable ice, provided I didnt feel panicked anymore. It al seemed so inevitable now.Carlisle answered Jane in a soft voice. Thats in your hands. As foresightful as she was wil ing to halt her attack on us, I saw no need to destroy her. She was never taught.Though his words were neutral, I almost thought he was pleading for me. entirely, as he had said, my fate was not up to him.That is irrelevant, Jane confirmed.As you wish.Jane was staring at Carlisle with an recipe that was half cloudiness and half frustration. She shook her head, and her face was unreadable again.Aro hoped that we would get far exuberant west to see you, Carlisle, she said. He sends his regards.I would appreciate it if you would convey exploit to him, he answered.Jane smiled. Of course. Then she looked at me again, with the corners of her mouth stil slightly holding the smile. It appears that youve through with(p) our work for us today for the most part. Just out of paid curiosity, how many were on that point?They left quite a wake of conclusion in Seattle.She spoke of jobs and professionals. I was right, then, that it was her profession to punish. And if in that location were punishers, then there essential be rules. Carlisle had said before, We follow their rules, and also, There is no justice against creating lamias if you control them. Riley and my creator had been afraid exactly not exactly move by the arrival of the dark-cloaks, these Volturi. They knew somewhat the laws, and they knew they were breaking them. why hadnt they told us? And there were more Volturi than just these four. Someone named Aro and probably many more. There must have been a lot for everyone to fear them so much. Carlisle answered Janes question. Eighteen, including this one.There was a barely audible murmur among the four darkcloaks.Eighteen? Jane repeated, a line of products of surprise in her voice. Our creator had never told Jane how many of us shed created. Was Jane sincerely y surprised, or just faking it?Al brand-new, Carlisle said. They were unskil ed.Unskil ed and uninformed, thanks to Riley. I was beginning to get a sense of how these older vampires viewed us. Newborn, Jasper had cal ed me. equal a baby.Al ? Jane snapped. Then who was their creator?As if they hadnt already been introduced. This Jane was a bigger liar than Riley, and she was so much better at it than he was.Her name was capital of Seychelles, the redhead answered.How did he know that when even I didnt? I remembered that Riley had said there was a idea reviewer in this group. Was that how they knew everything? Or was that an other of Rileys lies?Was? Jane asked.The redhead jerked his head toward the east same(p) he was pointing. I looked up and saw a cloud of thick lilac rotter bil owing from the side of the mountain.Was. I felt a similar strain of pleasure to what Id felt imagining the big vampire shredding Raoul. Only much, much greater.This Victoria, Jane asked slowly. She was in addition to the eighteen here?Yes, the redhead confirmed. She had only one other with her. He was not as young as this one here, but no older than a year.Riley. My fierce pleasure in exsified. If okay, when I hold upd today, at least I didnt leave that loose thread. Diego had been avenged. I almost smiled.Twenty, Jane breathed. all this was more than she had expected, or she was a kil er actress. Who dealt with the creator?I did, the redhead said coldly.Whoever this vampire was, whether he kept a pet gentleman or no, he was a friend of mine. Even if he were the one to kil me in the end, I would stil owe him.Jane turned to stare at me with contract eyes.You there, she snarled. Your name.I was dead anyway, according to her. So why give this fable vampire anything she postulateed? I just glared at her. Jane smiled at me, the bright, expert smile of an innocent child, and suddenly I was on flak. It was like Id departed back in time to the worst night of my life. Fire was in every vein of my body, covering every inch of my skin, gnawing through the pith of every bone. It felt like I was buried in the marrow of my covens funeral bonfire, with the flames on every side. There wasnt a single cel in my body that wasnt blazing with the worst agony imaginable. I could barely hear myself shriek over the pain in my ears.Your name, Jane said again, and as she spoke the fire disappeared. Gone like that, as if Id only been imagining it.Bree, I said as fast as I could, stil gasping though the pain wasnt there anymore.Jane smiled again and the fire was everywhere. How much pain would it take before I would die of it? The screams didnt even feel like they were coming from me anymore. Why wouldnt someone tide rip my head dark? Carlisle was kind enough for that, wasnt he? Or whoever their mind reader was. Couldnt he or she understand and make this bridle?Shel tel you anything you loss to know, the redhead growled. You dont have to do that.The pain vanished again, like Jane had turned off a light switch. I found myself facedown on the ground, panting as if I indispensable air.Oh, I know, I heard Jane say lightsome y. Bree?I shuddered when she cal ed my name, but the pain didnt start again.Is his story trustworthy? she asked me. Were there twenty of you?The words flew out of my mouth. Nineteen or twenty, by chance more, I dont know Sara and the one whose name I dont know got in a fight on the way. I waited for the pain to pun ish me for not having a better answer, but instead Jane spoke again.And this Victoria did she create you?I dont know, I admitted fearful y. Riley never said her name. I didnt see that night it was so dark, and it harm I flinched. He didnt want us to be able to think of her. He said that our thoughts werent safe.Jane pass a glance at the redhead, then looked at me again.Tel me astir(predicate) Riley, Jane said. Why did he bring you here?I recited Rileys lies as quickly as I could. Riley told us that we had to destroy the strange yel ow-eyes here. He said it would be leisurely. He said that the city was theirs, and they were coming to get us. He said once they were gone, al the blood would be ours. He gave us her scent. I pointed in the humanes direction. He said we would know that we had the right coven, because she would be with them. He said whoever got to her first could have her.It looks like Riley was wrong somewhat the easy part, Jane said, a hint of teasing in her tone. It seemed like Jane was pleased with my story. In a flash of insight, I understood that she was relieved Riley hadnt told me or the others about her little subvert to our creator. Victoria. This was the story she valued the yel ow-eyes to know the story that didnt involve Jane or the dark-cloaked Volturi. Wel, I could play along. Hopeful y the mind reader was already in the know.I couldnt physical y take penalize on this monster, but I could tel the yel ow-eyes everything with my thoughts. I hoped. I nodded, agreeing with Janes little joke, and sit up because I precious the mind readers attention, whoever that was. I continued with the magnetic declination of the story that any other member of my coven would have been able to give. I pretended I was Kevin. Dumb as a bag of rocks and follow y ignorant.I dont know what happened. That part was true. The mess on the battleground was stil a mystery. Id never seen any of Kristies group. Did the secret howler vampires get them? I w ould keep that secret for the yel ow-eyes. We divorce up, but the others never came. And Riley left us, and he didnt come to help like he promised. And then it was so confusing, and everybody was in pieces. I flinched at the memory of the torso Id hurdled.I was afraid. I wanted to run away. I nodded at Carlisle. That one said they wouldnt hurt me if I stopped fighting.This wasnt betraying Carlisle in any way. Hed already told Jane as much.Ah, but that wasnt his authorize to offer, young one, Jane said. She sounded like she was enjoying herself. Broken rules demand a consequence.Stil pretending I was Kevin, I just stared at her as if I were too lumpen to understand.Jane looked at Carlisle. Are you sure you got al of them?The other half that split off?Carlisle nodded. We split up, too.So it was the howlers that got Kristie. I hoped that, whatever else they were, the howlers were true y, real y terrifying. Kristie deserved that.I cant deny that Im impressed, Jane said, sounding si ncere, and I thought that this was probably the truth. Jane had been hopeful that Victorias army would do some damage here, and wed clearly failed.Yes, the three vampires behind Jane al agreed quietly.Ive never seen a coven lack this magnitude of offensive intact, Jane continued. Do you know what was behind it? It seems like entire behavior, considering the way you live here. And why was the girl the key? Her eyes flicked to the human for just a moment.Victoria held a grudge against Bel a, the redhead told her. So the strategy final y made sense. Riley just wanted the girl dead and didnt tending how many of us died to get it done. Jane laughed happily. This one and she smiled at the human the way shed smiled at me seems to bring out bizarrely slopped reactions in our kind.Nothing happened to the girl. Maybe Jane didnt want to hurt her. Or mayhap her horrible talent only worked on vampires.Would you please not do that? the redhead asked in a control ed but bowelless voice.Jan e laughed again. Just checking. No harm done, apparently.I tried to keep my preparation Kevin-ish and not betray my interest. So Jane couldnt hurt this girl the way shed hurt me, and this was not a normal thing for Jane. Though Jane was laughing about it, I could tel it was driving her crazy. Was this why the human girl was tolerated by the yel ow-eyes? But if she was special in some way, why didnt they just change her into a vampire?Wel, it appears that theres not much left for us to do, Jane said, her voice a dead monotone again. Odd. Were not used to being rendered unnecessary. Its too dreary we missed the fight. It sounds like it would have been entertaining to watch.Yes, the redhead retorted. And you were so close. Its a shame you didnt arrive just a half hour earlier. possibly then you could have fulfil ed your purpose here.I fought a smile. So the redhead was the mind reader, and hed heard everything Id wanted him to hear. Jane wasnt getting away with anything.Jane stared back at the mind reader with a blank expression. Yes. instead a pity how things turned out, isnt it?The mind reader nodded, and I wondered what he was hearing in Janes head.Jane turned her blank face to me now. There was goose egg in her eyes, but I could feel that my time had run out. Shed gotten what she needed from me. She didnt know that Id also given the mind reader everything I could. And defend his covens secrets, too. I owed him that. Hed punished Riley and Victoria for me.I glanced at him from the corner of my eye and thought, Thanks.Felix? Jane said lazily.Wait, the mind reader said loudly.He turned to Carlisle and spoke quickly. We could explain the rules to the young one. She doesnt seem unwil ing to learn. She didnt know what she was doing.Of course, Carlisle said eagerly, flavor at Jane. We would certainly be prepared to take responsibility for Bree.Janes face looked like she wasnt sure if they were joking, but if they were joking, they were funnier than shed given them credit for.Me, I was touched to the core. These vampires were strangers, but theyd gone out on this dangerous limb for me. I already knew it wasnt breathing out to work, but stil .We dont make exceptions, Jane told them, amused. And we dont give second chances. Its bad for our reputation.It was like she was discussing someone else. I didnt care that she was talking about kil ing me. I knew the yel ow-eyes couldnt stop her. She was the vampire police. But even though the vampire cops were dirty real y dirty at least the yel ow-eyes knew it now.Which reminds me, Jane went on, her eyes locking on the human girl again and her smile widening. Caius wil be so raise to hear that youre stil human, Bel a. Perhaps hel decide to visit.Still human. So they were going to change the girl. I wondered what they were waiting for.The date is set, said the little vampire with the short black hair and the clear voice. Perhaps wel come to visit you in a few months.Janes smile disappeared like someone had wiped it off. She shrugged without looking at the black-haired vampire, and I got the feeling that as much as she might have hated the human girl, she hated this smal vampire ten times as much. Jane turned back to Carlisle with the same vacant expression as before. It was nice to meet you, Carlisle Id thought Aro was exaggerating. Wel, until we meet againThis would be it, then. I stil didnt feel afraid. My only regret was that I couldnt tel Fred more about al of this. He was going almost total y screen into this world ful of dangerous politics and dirty cops and secret covens. But Fred was suffer and careful and talented. What could they do to him if they couldnt even see him? Maybe the yel ow-eyes would meet Fred someday. Be nice to him, please, I thought at the mind reader.Take care of that, Felix, Jane said indifferently, nodding at me. I want to go home.Dont watch, the redheaded mind reader whispered. I closed my eyes.