CHAPTER NINE:
BELLS IN SANTA FE

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THE VOLTURI CREPT FROM the shadows like demons breaking out of the Underworld. At first, there was nothing, just the haze of icy snow on the wind and the grey early morning sky to signal it was time to meet their death. The witnesses crept one by one into the clearing, separated by their coven but representing a united front, Renesmee standing front and centre with her parents on either side of her. Ofelia was towards the back with Jasper, Peter and Charlotte. They had already died together once, and as the Volturi made their presence known, outnumbering them by the hundreds, Ofelia decided that she was more than happy to die beside them again.

She could still feel the phantom kiss of Jasper's lips on hers. Would it be easier to die thinking of him than it would be to die alone?

As the Volturi got closer and closer, everyone seemed to notice Irina of the Denali Coven. A gasp echoed through each of the witnesses, and all eyes drifted to where Kate and Tanya stood with Garrett, Carmen and Eleazar, the two sisters clinging to each other in shock and heartbreak. It was the worst kind of betrayal, that of someone you loved, and it made Ofelia wonder how she would feel if it was Jasper, Peter or Charlotte on the other side, the very reason for the knife above hanging her head. She forced herself to look away from the grieving sisters, to focus on Aro, Marcus and Caius standing opposite Bella, Edward and their daughter. They were still miles apart, but the distance felt like centimetres as the crowd of black and red coats moved like an otherworldly beast.

Were they ever going to stop? she wondered as the witnesses remained motionless and the Volturi seemed to only pick up speed. Or would the massacre be over before it truly began?

Ofelia's answer came in the form of a howl resonating through the trees behind them. A second later, two dozen wolves were prowling in to stand intermixed with the witnesses, seemingly stunning the Volturi enough that Aro raised a hand and the rest of his followers froze. The crowd watched on in outrage as the wolves, their supposed enemies, stood with the Cullens in a united front, putting aside their differences for one seemingly innocent little girl. It felt good, to have this one last 'fuck you' moment before they were all slaughtered. Ofelia stood with her head held a little higher, her hand clutched proudly in Jasper's, two battle-worn soldiers ready to fight again.

Slowly, Aro lowered his hood, red eyes taking in every face of the people who dared to stand against him. He didn't speak, forcing Carlisle to make the first move, letting Esme go so he could step up beside Edward and Bella, voice carrying across the clearing.

"Aro, let us discuss things as we used to," he implored. "In a civilised manner."

Aro took a second to mull over his words, then replied with an eerie sort of lightness, like he and Carlisle were nothing more than friends meeting up for brunch after a long time spent apart. "Fair words, Carlisle. But a little out of place given the battalion you've assembled against us."

"I can promise you, that was never my intent," Carlisle said, to which Aro just hummed to confirm he was listening. "No laws have been broken."

Immediately, Caius was interrupting with a scoff. "We see the child. Do not treat us as fools."

"She is not an immortal!" Carlisle yelled, every bit of pent up anger and agony echoing with each word. "These witnesses can attest to that. Or you can look. See the flush of human blood in her cheeks."

"Artifice," Caius grumbled, but was quickly spoken over by Aro.

"I will collect every facet of the truth," he said, effectively dismissing his brother's claims. Ofelia had to smother a laugh, though she couldn't contain the smirk that tugged at the corner of her mouth. She hated every single one of the Volturi members, especially Jane with her eerie eyes and her ability to render anyone useless with just a muttering of one word, but Caius held a special place of hatred and disgust in Ofelia Torres' heart. He was like a walking, talking baby, and the outraged glare in his eyes at his brother's words said as much. "But from someone more central to the story. Edward, as the child clings to your newborn mate, I assume you are involved."

Ofelia's wary eyes drifted between Aro, who already had his hand outstretched towards them, and Edward. The bronze-haired boy released his daughter's fingers from his own, ignoring the pained shake of Bella's head as he closed the space between him and the Volturi, marching towards Aro with his head held high. Ofelia had to admire his confidence. Not many could move so calmly towards an army waiting to rip him apart. She wasn't even sure how she would fare under the pressure. But for Edward, it seemed as easy as breathing when he took Aro's hand.

Immediately, the man was gasping in wonder, eagerly taking in every thought that raced through Edward's brain. He knew. Renesmee was not what they thought she was. With wide eyes, Aro slowly dropped Edward's hand, looking past him at Renesmee peeking out from behind her mother's legs.

"I'd like to meet her," he murmured, soft but demanding.

Ofelia knew Edward wanted to say no. It was written as clear as day across his face. But he couldn't, and Bella knew it too. Slowly, she took her daughter's hand in her own, and prepared herself to walk the girl to trial. Jacob's wolf form was right beside them, but they didn't even make it a step before Bella was pausing and looking back... at Ofelia and Jasper.

Bella's eyes met hers pleadingly, glistening with the unshed tears of a mother whose daughter was painfully vulnerable. Out of everyone present to witness for them, there were only two who fought with every breath they took. Ofelia and Jasper, like calling to like. They were made of blood and battle, of venom and demise. They didn't even have to think before releasing each other's hands and marching across the clearing behind Bella like soldiers on either side of a Queen. Ofelia heard Emmett following them too, but she didn't look back, not as they finally stopped in front of Aro and he laughed like Renesmee was a creature on display in a museum. Ofelia had to give credit to the girl, she didn't seem remotely phased, even as the Volturi hissed at her like she was the monster here. But the same couldn't be said for Bella. She shifted uneasily, and almost immediately, Aro's eyes were locked on her.

"Ah, young Bella," he sighed. "Immortality becomes you."

Though just as quickly as the distraction came, it went. Ofelia heard the steady beat of Renesmee's heart pounding to break free from her chest, and Aro was laughing again, the sound a chill down her spine.

"I hear her strange heart," he murmured, hand hovering in the air between them, waiting.

Renesmee, even then, knew what she had to do. She stepped away from her mother and Ofelia, snow crunching beneath her boots as she drew in close to the strange men, head tilted to the side curiously. "Hello, Aro," she said, then in a sudden movement that had the Volturi hissing again and even Ofelia blinking in surprise, the little girl reached up and pressed her own hand to Aro's face instead of taking his.

Seconds passed like hours as he evaluated what he saw in her thoughts. Nothing terrible seemed to happen, leaving the Volturi to quiet down and Bella to pull her daughter back in close as he slowly turned to address his people, utterly amazed at what he had discovered. "Half-mortal half-immortal," he exclaimed, and Ofelia could hear the terrifying excitement shaking in his voice. "Conceived and carried by this newborn while she was still human."

"Impossible," Caius scoffed, and closer than ever, Ofelia really had to concentrate on not rolling her eyes. She fought the urge to reach for Jasper's hand next, instead just crossing her arms over her chest while surveying Aro's closest confidants. Jane was already looking back at her, glare prevalent in the harsh set of her brow. If it was anyone else, Ofelia would've waved at her mockingly.

"Do you think they fooled me, brother?"

The silence was deafening. It was then that Edward and Bella moved, pushing Renesmee back towards the safety of the witnesses again. Ofelia, Jasper and Emmett turned and followed them without another word, Jacob growling one last time at Caius before joining too. For now, Renesmee was alive. They just had to play the waiting game.

By the time they were back in place beside Peter and Charlotte, Caius had turned his furious gaze on a trembling Irina. She looked horrified, as if she'd finally realised her mistakes. But it was too little, too late, and Ofelia had the horrible feeling they were about to witness her execution.

"Is that the child you saw?" Caius asked her with a dangerous quiver to his voice.

Irina stammered over her words, "I... I'm not sure."

"Jane."

"She's changed!" she insisted. "This child is... is bigger..."

Caius sighed and shook his head. "Then your allegations were false."

For a moment, no one moved. Aro was watching the exchange with interest, a creepy smile tugging at his lips as Irina evened her breathing and exclaimed, "The Cullens are innocent." Caius' nostrils flared like a dragon about to breathe fire, but she continued, knowing what was coming. If she was going to die, she needed to say her peace, to put her sisters' sorrows at rest. "I take full responsibility for my mistake."

Realisation seemed to dawn on everyone then. Edward quickly stepped forward, screaming Caius' name in anger, but Demetri and Felix had already seized Irina's arms behind her back and Alec had lit a torch on fire, cackling at the flames as passed them onto Caius.

The death was over before it began. Ofelia caught one look at Irina's now headless body as Caius threw the torch towards it, then clenched her eyes shut as Kate and Tanya screamed for their fallen sister. For a moment, Ofelia was back in her own personal version of hell. Her body was buzzing with untapped potential, with an ache so strong that even after she ended Minnie Brown's life, she still longed to kill her all over again. The young girl's body was limp at her feet, just like Irina had been with Caius looming over her, a victim of their own demons. But where Maria would normally be there to lead Ofelia further into the darkness, Jasper had appeared in a shining halo of light, of snow. His hand gripped Ofelia's like his life depended on it, and all at once, she was back in Forks, back across from the Volturi. Kate and Tanya were immobilised, their sight taken by the Amazonians, with Edward murmuring soft assurances to them.

"This is what they want," she heard him insisting. "If you attack now, we all die."

Neither of the sisters said anything, but Ofelia could see Edward had finally gotten through to them. They stood together, two broken pieces of what used to be a trio, leaning on each other for support as the witnesses slowly fell back into place. Edward eyed the glowering Volturi as he crossed back over to Bella and Renesmee. He didn't even make it halfway before the killing blow came.

"Pain."

But before Jane could cause any genuine damage, Bella was snarling and rushing forward, her shield erupting from her mind to wrap around Edward, around all of them, pushing Jane back out like it was nothing. Ofelia didn't hide her laugh now. Her lips split into a beaming, proud grin as she watched Bella finally proving herself, Edward standing back to his feet like he hadn't even been hurt in the first place.

From across the clearing, they heard Jane give an outraged cry, turning her gaze to those around Bella instead. First it was Carlisle, then Emmett, then Ofelia herself. But none of them felt an inch of pain, just a sick twist of triumph as the previously powerful girl's control crumbled like broken glass.

"Aro, you see there is no law broken here," Carlisle reiterated then.

Aro hummed in thought. "Agreed. But does it then follow that there is no danger? For the first time in our history, humans pose a threat to our kind." Ofelia knew what he was doing. He was trying to scare his own witnesses into fearing Renesmee, weaponizing their terror for his own gain. And from the looks of it, it was working. "Their modern technology has given birth to weapons that could destroy us. Maintaining our secret has never been more imperative. In such perilous times, only the known is safe. Only the known is tolerable. And we know nothing of what this child will become. Can we live with such uncertainty? Spare ourselves a fight today, only to die tomorrow."

Aro's witnesses were all murmuring their agreement, snarling and hissing at a wide-eyed Renesmee on top of Jacob's back. But before Aro could let them through, a new scent made itself known in the mix of snow and terror lingering in the air. It was floral, and painfully familiar for Ofelia.

"No," she heard Jasper breathe out in horror.

But there was no way of denying it.

For there she was. Alice Cullen had arrived, and she was out for blood.

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A/N: We're so close to the end now and I'm so sad. Two chapters and the epilogue left. How do you think it's going to end? Will Ofelia stay with Jasper? Let me know! And thank you for supporting me even after I took so long to update. It means a lot :) Oh, and yes, this chapter was inspired completely by Bells in Santa Fe by Halsey. It just has that ominous vibe, you know?