In the sun-drenched, open-plan living room of the Cullen home, surrounded by wary, beautiful immortals, Reina felt profoundly alone. Jane's absence was a physical ache, a hollowed-out space in her chest that the civilized quiet of this house could not fill.
She took a steadying breath, the scent of rain and pine from the open window doing little to cleanse the memory of Jane's cool, sweet blood from her tongue. She needed to use this time. Jane was gathering information for her masters; Reina would gather it for Jane.
Esme was the easiest to approach, her maternal warmth a stark contrast to the Volturi's severe elegance. She found Reina staring at a family photograph, a frozen moment of perfect happiness.
"It's a rare thing," Esme said softly, coming to stand beside her. "To find a coven that functions so completely as a family. It requires… immense sacrifice."
Reina traced the glass over Carlisle's kind face. "The animal blood… how do you live like that? It seems a constant struggle." She kept her voice low, genuinely curious.
A flicker of memory: a thrilling warmth flooding her mouth, Jane's sharp gasp of pleasure. The intoxicating power of it.
Esme's smile was gentle, understanding. "It is a struggle. Every single day. But it is a choice we make to hold onto the core of who we were. The thirst doesn't define us. Our love for each other does." She gestured around the airy room. "This life we've built… that is our sustenance, as much as the blood."
It was a noble concept, one Reina couldn't truly comprehend. Her thirst felt like a separate entity, a sleeping beast Jane had awakened and temporarily sated. The idea of feeding it only with animals felt like trying to douse a bonfire with a thimble of water.
Later, she found Carlisle in his study, a room that smelled of old books and antiseptic. He looked up from a text, his golden eyes patient.
"I have a question that might seem… impertinent," Reina began, crossing her arms over her chest. "The shape-shifters. The Quileute tribe. Jane mentioned them only as a threat. But you live beside them. There's a truce?"
Carlisle leaned back, steepling his fingers. "A tense one, but a truce, yes. They are the guardians of this land. We are… respectful tenants. The agreement is built on a foundation of mutual protection and a shared desire for peace."
"But they change into wolves," Reina pressed, the absurdity of the statement not lost on her. Her old life, the one wiped clean, had no place for such things. "How can there be peace with something so… volatile?"
"They are not monsters, Reina," Carlisle said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "They are men with an ancient gift. Jacob Black, their Alpha, is one of the most honorable individuals I have ever known. His connection to Renesmee…" He paused, choosing his words carefully under her scrutinizing gaze. "It is a sacred bond that protects her. It complicates things for the Volturi, I'm sure, but it is a pure thing."
As if summoned by the conversation, the front door opened and a group of people entered. Leading them was a young man with russet skin and a confident posture—Jacob Black. His eyes, dark and intelligent, swept the room and instantly found Reina. His nostrils flared slightly. Behind him stood others, including a young woman with a fierce expression—Leah, Reina presumed—and a younger boy, Seth. The air grew thick with unspoken tension.
Jacob's gaze was not hostile, but it was intensely assessing. He took a step toward her, and the Cullens in the room went still.
"You're new," he stated, his voice a low rumble.
"I am," Reina replied, holding her ground. She felt a prickle of… something. Not fear. Not exactly. It was a primal awareness, the feeling of being in the presence of a powerful, unpredictable force. Is this what Jane feels like to others? she wondered.
"She's with us, Jacob," Bella said, appearing in the doorway with Renesmee on her hip. The little girl reached immediately for Jacob, who took her effortlessly, his entire demeanor softening.
"Doesn't smell like you," Jacob said, his eyes still on Reina. "Smells like… ice and old stone. And her." He didn't need to say Jane's name. The distaste was clear.
"My allegiance is to the Volturi," Reina said, the declaration feeling both necessary and dangerous in this company. "I am here as an observer."
Leah let out a soft, derisive sound. "A Volturi pet. Great."
Before the tension could snap, Renesmee, content in Jacob's arms, turned and reached a small hand out toward Reina. The room froze. Bella looked tense, Jacob protective. Remembering the jolt of connection from their first meeting, Reina slowly extended her own hand. The little girl's fingers brushed her palm.
Images, softer this time. A flash of Jane's severe beauty seen through childish eyes, not as a threat, but as a fascinating, shiny object. A feeling of warm safety in Jacob's arms. The sweet taste of strawberry jam.
Reina pulled her hand back, unsettled by the innocent clarity of it. "She's… remarkable," she conceded quietly.
The admission seemed to shift the atmosphere. The rigid set of Jacob's shoulders relaxed a fraction.
It was then that Reina felt it. A sudden, visceral jolt that had nothing to do with the child or the wolves. A cold, familiar pressure at the very edge of her perception, focused and intense, moving closer. It was a dark star approaching, its gravity pulling at her very cells.
Her breath hitched. She turned away from the group, her heart hammering against her ribs, and walked toward the large window overlooking the forest.
She's here.
A sleek, black car she didn't recognize was idling at the end of the long driveway, nearly hidden by the treeline. The passenger door opened.
And then, cutting through the afternoon haze, a voice, sharp and clear as breaking glass, for her alone.
"I told you I would return. Are you ready for me?"