[BamaFan121s]

Then, that image was replaced with another more welcoming one…Jacob, in wolf form. Edward had been right; there was certainly no comparison between Jacob and this werewolf. So this was what James and Demetri had tracked for the Volturi centuries ago. Before they took to tracking human additions, that is. These were the Children of the Moon that Caius had mistaken Jacob’s pack for in the clearing. In that instant, all the pieces of the puzzle fit together, completing this picture that was part of the history of our kind. How many other pieces would I be handed to fit together? In how many other ways was I already tied to this existence?
I was only vaguely aware of Heidi’s lingering presence as Edward turned to answer her unspoken observation. “That won’t be necessary Heidi, thank you, on both accounts.”
“Ill rejoin the others, but will be glad to assist you should you require my services.” I felt the wind stir as she turned and departed to rejoin the others. I didn’t dwell on the silent portion of their conversation I had missed. I pulled my eyes from the rug and my mind from my recollections as I walked over to the nearest glass case to examine its contents.
At the bottom stood a massive paw print, forever captured in a plaster mold. Just above the footprint was a large map depicting Europe and most of present day Asia. The map was obviously very dated—frayed at the edges and yellowed by time. Small symbols were scattered around the map and it was shaded to indicate the areas with the largest concentration of the enormous creatures. Inset into one corner of the map was a small photograph of a wintery landscape. The mountainous background in the picture showed large, snow covered rocky peaks. Standing at the base of the nearest mountain were Caius, Marcus, Vladimir, Stefan and one other individual whom I did not recognize. His features were strikingly similar to those of the Romanian vampires.
“Who is that?” I asked Edward, pointing to the unknown man.
“That, I believe, is Karkov. He was one of the original members of the Romanian coven.”
“And was he, um, destroyed….during the disagreement with the Volturi?”
“Mmm, yes…” he responded, but his eyes had shifted from the picture. I followed his gaze and my eyes locked on a larger picture in the upper corner of the case. I felt a feral snarl building in my chest and clenched my teeth together as a menacing hiss escaped my lips. In the picture, a giant, newly slain werewolf lay on the ground. Its massive head was made to face forward and its features twisted and grotesque. Standing behind the “trophy” was the massive form of Demetri. He had a clear look of pride on his face and his muscles strained against the shirt he wore. But it was not the sight of Demetri that had spawned my reaction. Standing beside him, arms crossed triumphantly across his bare chest, was James.
I glared back at his face and felt pure hatred building up within myself. My vision blurred red on its outmost edges. I wondered briefly how different this situation might be if our paths crossed now. Then I smugly thought of how Edward had ensured that would never be a possibility and I felt the anger within ebb as it was replaced with a swelling sense of pride.
I inhaled deeply as Edward stood behind me and place two reassuring hands on my shoulders. He leaned down until his chin rested on my shoulder and pressed his cheek to mine. “Do you mind sharing what you are thinking, or would you like for me to become an exhibit here as the man who was driven mad by his secretive wife?”
Sensing the smile in his voice, I turned my back dismissively on the picture of James and wrapped my arms around him. “I’m sorry. I guess I’m just feeling a bit…surprised.”
“About what in particular?” He coaxed as he returned my embrace and gently stroked my hair.
I breathed in his sweet scent again and then exhaled in a rush as I tried to force my thoughts and emotions into words. “I never realized before how much my life was already intertwined with the history of vampires. It seems as if my life was tied to it even before I was a part of it myself.” I looked down, feeling very slight and somewhat embarrassed. “It’s all a bit overwhelming.”
“Bella,” Edward breathed in his velvet smooth voice. He raised my chin until my eyes met his gaze. “There has never been anyone else like you in the history of the world.” He leaned down and kissed me tenderly then pulled back to hold my gaze. “And that fact is something that overwhelms me every single day.”
Electricity coursed through my veins as I brought my hand up to cup his, and then sighed as a turned to continue on to the next exhibit, reminding myself to focus. We would be back in Forks in two short days and then Edward and I would return to our cottage and we’d have all the time we desired to….Focus, Bella!
We wanted around in the smaller alcove for some time taking everything in. There was a rather extensive display centered on the intervention with the Mexican armies of newborns. Of course, everything depicted the Volturi as being just and fair and with the noblest of intentions regarding every situation. Having experienced first hand the path of destruction and upheaval that can result from a pack of wild, uncontrolled newborns, I couldn’t exactly disagree with them in that one particular situation.
There was also memorabilia that served to illustrate the role that vampires had played in some events that shaped the very world as we know it. Of course, their involvement was something relatively unknown, or at least unexplained by your everyday textbooks and historians. I was astounded to learn how many major events the vampires had had a hand in. And not events just limited to Europe—Viking conquests, the Crusades, the Salem Witch Trials, the rise…and fall…of the Berlin Wall… It appeared that Marcus was even present for the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Aro had posed as a posed as a pioneer and traveled to San Francisco during the gold rush—on display were numerous golden nuggets of various sizes to commemorate his experience. And who would have guessed that it was a group of vampires who erected Stonehenge! No wonder it remained a mystery of how any human could have constructed a structure with such massive stones—on mere human did!
I became bored with a World War I display that seemed to entrance Edward and moved on my own to the next case. Large, black framed and enclosed in glass, it held only a few pictures, a stuffed bear, and a plaque identifying the subject of its contents. The words engraved in the slightly tarnished bronze sent a chill down my spine: The Immortal Children. I gasped inaudibly and my eyes darted upwards coming to rest on the picture hanging at eye level. A young child stared back at me from the picture. She was breathtakingly beautiful, yet gave the distinct impression of wildness. She was around Renesmee’s age and was similar in size and shape. Her hair was such a pure blonde it was nearly white and hung to her shoulders in unkempt tresses. Her piercing eyes were bright rubies, wild and unfocussed. Her cheeks were kissed by two dimples, just as Renesmee’s were and her bright smile showed tow perfect rows of teeth. Fresh blood dripped from the corners of her mouth.
Mesmerized by the child in the picture, I tore my gaze from hers and examined the picture beside it. Seated in three large chairs were Aro, Caius and Marcus. The caption of the picture indicated that it was taking during one of the trials held during the times of the immortal children. I noticed standing beside Aro, not yet clad in their robes of darkest gray, stood the youngest of the Volturi guard, Jane and Alec, watching over the proceedings taking place. Their features were quite similar to those of the child in the previous picture. Very similar…too similar. I
Felt the growing crease in my forehead and squinted my eyes unnecessarily as I looked back and forth between the picture of the child, and the faces of Aro’s prized twins. The similarities were undeniable. I drew an easy parallel between the obvious wild aura of the child in the picture and the lack of self control Jane so often exhibited. I quickly recalled ever picture I’d observed in the past few hours, quickly rearranging them into chronological order in my head. Jane and Alec had not appeared in any of the portraits until this one, but had appeared in quite a few afterwards…Then, just like before, the last piece of the puzzle snapped into place and the shock of the revelation washed over me. The “childlike” Jane and Alec were immortal children themselves! Aro had not only gotten the idea from the very people he’d condemned and destroyed, Alec and Jane had joined him during the same span of time. Did he create them himself, or were their creators destroyed under the guise that they children would share the same fate?