I felt my breathing quicken, but I had to let Carlisle greet the Volturi alone.  The group knew him from long ago, and my experience in Italy revealed to me that Aro, at least, did still respect him, even if he didn’t understand him.  Carlisle would make them feel welcome in a way that I couldn’t.  Diplomacy, I knew, had never been my strong suit, and it most certainly wouldn’t come naturally to me tonight.  As Carlisle took Jane’s hand and placed it over his arm, demonstrating a courtesy she couldn’t possibly deserve, my arm instinctively tightened around Bella’s waist; and she clung to me, shaking.

I heard the words stregoni benefici, almost as if Demetri’s mind had spat them out by accident, an epithet he was powerless to control as he followed Jane and Carlisle up the path to our home.  His dark, threatening eyes met mine for a split second as he smoothly passed by us, then they darted away from me to scan our group of guests.  He looked as if he were disgusted by what he saw around him.  Angela, seeing his furious gaze, shrank against Ben.

The Volturi must think it urgent to allow two of their most powerful envoys to be seen by so many humans. Fear sank its jaws into my heart again, and I felt icy terror dripping into my gut.

“They want … ” Alice began.

“What?” Bella and I both asked.

“They want – they want to – oh, I can’t see it!  It’s not clear yet, because their visit has more than one purpose.  Perhaps even Jane and Demetri don’t know everything yet.  But they do want something … from all of us.” Alice’s hand found Bella’s and held it.

“Not you,” I whispered into Bella’s hair.  “Never you.”

“They’re going to wait until the humans are gone.”

“Shouldn’t be long,” I observed.  Now Jessica and Mike were staring at our new arrivals warily. So much for our reception.

Carlisle led Demetri and Jane straight into the house, and our guests watched their passing with uncertain curiosity.  Carlisle, wisely, did not intend to introduce them to any human here.  Esme, who had been speaking with Charlie, excused herself to follow him.  Emmett trailed them nonchalantly and settled himself in the open doorway where he could see the goings on.  I could see his biceps flex through his suit when he folded his arms.  Inside, Carlisle turned on a lamp and crossed to the other side of the room, where Jane and Demetri were already seated on one of the sofas.  Our daylight was waning, the sky turning a vivid purple underneath the blanket of clouds; and the yellow lamplight made the house look inviting, as if no strange conversations were taking place at this moment, as though no silent threats hovered in the air.