Something Sweeter - Alec Volturi

LI. Threat

I wrapped my arms around myself tightly as I hurried through the snow toward the cottage. When I entered I was thoroughly surprised to find Renesmee seated in the breakfast nook. She had a light smile and two very rustic cakes in front of her, which were decorated with lit candles.

I stared at her apprehensively as I closed the front door behind me.

"Happy Birthday," she said. The soft glow of the lit candles gently illuminated her features.

"Oh." I said flatly as I glanced at my phone. November 15th. "Shit. I forgot."

"Well, I didn't," she said.

"Renesmee. I'm sorry, but I'm not in the mood to celebrate today," I said dully.

"It's your eighteenth birthday. Could you at least join me for a slice of cake. I made them myself."

"Okay," I sighed, taking a seat. "Why are there two?"

"I didn't know if you liked vanilla or chocolate, so I made both," she grinned, pleased that she'd won me over.

"That one says nineteen," I pointed out.

"Jacob bought the candles and accidentally got the wrong number," Renesmee said sheepishly.

"Right."

"He didn't mean anything by it," she insisted.

"Thank you for thinking of me." I said as I tried to make myself let go of the pettiness.

Renesmee served the cake and we ate in silence for a few minutes.

"How have you been?" she asked in between bites.

"I'm fine," I said simply.

"I haven't heard from you much."

"I've been focusing on school," I said, too tired to make up a better lie.

We lapsed back into silence.

"Violet?"

"Yeah?"

"If you don't mind me asking...What happened?"

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I didn't respond.

"We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," she said quickly.

"No, it's okay. I don't mind," I said, struggling to compose myself.

Renesmee looked at me with sympathetic eyes as she waited for me to begin.

"Did Alec hurt you?" she asked with a hard edge in her voice.

"No," I said, swiping away tears from my cheeks. "But it's bad, Renesmee. Real bad."

"Oh, my God. What happened?"

"Things were going well, you know? Our relationship was moving in a really good direction, but then..."

Renesmee continued to look at me intently. After a moment her eyes went wide. "Is this about the fire at the Williams' house?"

I nodded slowly, my lip quivering.

"Did Alec do that?" she asked incredulously.

"She overheard me talking to Jane about vampires, and -- and," I words were rapid and disjointed. "I tried to help them, but I was too late. They didn't have to die. It's all my fault," I said with a loud, ugly sob.

"No. No nonono -- Violet," Renesmee cooed. "This isn't your fault. You can't blame yourself for this."

Renesmee's kindness only made me cry harder.

I broke down and told Renesmee everything, from beginning to end. Volterra, the nightmares, Jane's hatred and torment, Alec's willful ignorance, the hit and run, the hatchet, the fire - everything.

All of the horrors that I'd witnessed flooded from my lips like a tsunami; I couldn't stop it if I tried. Eventually, I ran out of words and just stared down at hands that were clasped and shaking on my lap.

"Oh, Violet," Renesmee said. Her voice was drenched with sorrow. "I am so, so sorry. I'm so sorry that that happened to you."

"What have I done?" I asked weakly

"It's not your fault," Renesmee said sternly. "Jane and Alec knew what they were doing. They're hateful and destructive, and they deliberately dragged you down with them. You can't blame yourself for all of this."

I covered my face with my hands and exhaled sharply.

"Are they gone? For good?" Renesmee asked gently.

"Yeah," I breathed. "They're gone."

"I'm sorry, Violet. I am so sorry," she said again, at a loss of words.

"You can't tell anyone about this, Renesmee," I said, dropping my hands. "I'm serious! I could go to prison!" I pleaded frantically.

"My lips are sealed," she reassured me. "Nothing is going to happen to you. It's all over now. I promise."

Renesmee stayed over for a few more hours to watch a movie with me before heading back home. She offered the option for me to move back in with her in the Cullen mansion but I declined. I wasn't ready to let go of the short life I had with Alec.

The following day, I woke up more refreshed than usual. Perhaps confession was good for the soul, after all. Or for my mental health, at the very least. I still didn't feel good, but I felt better than before.

I crossed the living room to the kitchen and opened the fridge to grab something to eat before I headed out. I scanned my meager options when something in the corner of my eye caught my attention.

I slowly closed the fridge door and eyed the flat, creamy rectangle that was placed neatly on the counter. I approached the item apprehensively, and picked it carefully. It was an envelope addressed to me; written in the most elegant script I'd ever seen, flawless and from another era.

The hair on the back of my neck stood up as I studied the envelope. It hadn't been there the night before. Someone had been in the cottage while I was sleeping. I lifted the envelope to my nose and inhaled, in an attempt to figure out who left it. I recognized the musky, alluring aroma of a vampire, but I could identify the exact scent. It wasn't from anyone I knew.

Goosebumps rose up and down my arms as I opened the envelope and pulled out the crisp note from inside. Just like the envelope, it was written in the same handwriting and addressed to me.

Miss Violet Forsythe,

You are selected to attend the Bicentennial Yule Ball

to be held at

Volterra Castle

Volterra, Italy

December 25th

at 7pm

I stared down at the note, dumbfounded. It was a threat. An invitation to my own execution.

Anger sparked in my chest. The invitation was a slap in the face. I desperately wanted to lash out and retaliate, but I felt completely helpless. There was nothing I could do.

Furious, I stuffed the note back into the envelope and tossed it on the counter where I found it. I pulled out a fork from a drawer and unwrapped the chocolate cake that was still placed in the breakfast nook; I sat down and grazed on it, not bothering with a plate.

Forget school. I needed a day off.