( outfit for
chapter above )

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chapter thirteen
contrivances.

        "I'd like to meet them."

Christina let out a warning growl as Aro's eyes landed on Greyson. It went unnoticed by the ruby eyed vampire.

Edward looked behind him and beckoned the two mothers to come closer with his eyes. Bella was the first one to step forward, with Nessie by her side — and Jacob by hers. She looked over her shoulder towards Emmett, and with silent understanding, the burly vampire stepped forward to walk with Bella, Nessie, and Jacob.

Christina kneeled next to Annie. "Stay with Seth, okay? Momma will be right back."

Annie frowned deeply, and with scared tears in her eyes, she nodded her head.

Christina gripped tightly onto Greyson's hand as she stepped forward, leaving Seth with Annie, knowing that if anything happened, he would be able to run fast enough away.

Carlisle took Christina's left side, and the mother was quick to put Greyson between them. Christina glanced behind her and gave Garrett a look. He nodded quickly, leaving Kate's side and coming onto Christina's right.

It took all but a minute for both parties to reach Aro. They each stopped in front of him, wary of his judgment from seeing Edward's thoughts.

"Ah. Young Bella." Her name rolled off Aro's tongue, making both mothers cringe backward. "Immortality becomes you." He turned his ruby eyes towards Christina with a bright smile on his face. "And Christina — so nice to finally meet you."

"The pleasure is mine," Christina replied easily. "Wish it were under better circumstances."

Both Edward and Carlisle gave her a warning glance, but Aro merely chuckled at her words. "Yes, indeed," he muttered before looking down towards Nessie and Greyson.

It was silent for a half of a minute before a shriek of laughter erupted from Aro. He joyously pointed towards both children. "I hear their strange hearts."

Aro bent down closer to them both, holding out his hand to read their minds. Nessie stepped forward, ignoring his hand. "Hello, Aro," she greeted in her small twinkling voice. He blinked as she lifted her hand to his cheek.

Once Nessie stepped back, he looked toward Greyson, who stepped forward with a greeting of his own. This time, the child did take Aro's hand — allowing him to read his mind and all of his memories.

"Interesting," he muttered to himself as he let Greyson's hand go. He turned his ruby eyes back to Christina, who stiffened under his watch. With his hand still outreached he asked, "may I?"

Christina stepped forward, in front of Greyson and placed her hand into his, knowing the questions he wanted answers to. He hummed lowly with his eyes closed, watching every scene happen before his eyes.

"Magnifico!" He exclaimed as he let Christina's hand go softly.

She stepped back into Carlisle's side, and pulled Greyson behind her, not trusting Aro's smile.

"Half mortal, and half immortal," Aro explained to the crowd. "Conceived and carried by these newborns — one while she was human, and the other... due to her power."

"Impossible!" Caius growled out.

Aro's smile dropped slowly as he turned to look at his brother. "Do you think they fooled me, brother?"

Carlisle and Garrett tugged Christina backward. The mother was quick to push Greyson towards the other witnesses on their side. Jacob snapped his teeth loudly towards Caius, making him sneer darkly.

Christina stopped next to Seth once again. Annie poked out from underneath Seth with tears in her eyes. She reached out and grabbed Christina's hand tightly — though, the mother did not feel it. Christina gently rubbed her thumb over Annie's fingers, trying to comfort the child as best she could.

"Bring the informer forward," Caius called out to the crowd.

Christina bit her granite lip as she watched two of the guards bring Irina forward. Her arms were trapped behind her back until she was placed in front of Caius. She was dropped onto her knees, and she looked defeated. She frowned towards her sisters that were on the opposite side before her attention was once again taken away by the blond vampire.

"Are those the children you saw?" Caius asked, pointing towards the family.

Irina's frown deepened as she looked at Nessie, and then Greyson. "I'm not sure."

"Jane."

"They've changed," Irina said quickly, not wanting to feel Jane's power used against her. "These children are bigger."

"Then your allegations were false," Caius stated with a snarl.

Irina nodded her head. "The Cullens are innocent. I take full responsibility for my mistake." She looked towards the opposite side of the field towards her sisters with a sad smile. "I'm sorry."

Christina gasped at the same time Edward stepped forward, "Caius, no!"

Felix, one of the bodyguards that brought Irina forward, reached out and snapped Irina's head off. Christina was quick to turn both of her children away from the scene as all Hell broke loose.

"Irina!" Tanya cried out.

Caius was quick to set fire to Irina's body. Both of the Denali sisters screamed in rage. They both started running forward to avenge their sister but were quickly wrestled back. Garrett wrapped his arms around Kate, enduring the pain of her electrocution. Tanya was held back by Emmett, who was quick on his feet to reach her.

"Blind them," Edward called out, looking towards the Amazonian woman.

Zafrina nodded her head silently, before taking away both blondes' sight.

"Give me my sight back!" Tanya screamed, trying to get out of Emmett's stronghold.

Edward leaned closer to the blonde. "Tanya, this is what they want. If you attack now, we'll all die." Edward looked towards Zafrina, and she released her power on the sisters.

Both blondes were let go and walked back into line with the rest of the witnesses. Edward walked back towards Bella side before going down in pain.

Jane was glaring at him from across the field — not happy about his interference.

Bella was quick to stretch her shield out towards Edward. He slowly got up to his feet as the pain dulled to almost nothing. He gave Bella a prideful glance as he stood next to her.

"It's working," Edward grinned.

Jane started to get annoyed as she moved to the next vampire in line — but her power still didn't bring anyone down. Bella had stretched her shield over everyone on their side, making Jade scream with aggravation.

Alec stepped forward, ready to use his power, but Aro held up a hand to both of the twins. They stepped back into line, still glaring towards Bella.

"Aro," Carlisle spoke up, bringing the attention back to him. "You see there's no law broken here."

Aro nodded his head, thoughtful. "Agreed. But does it then follow that there is no danger?" Aro turned in his spot to talk towards his witnesses and guard. "For the first time in our history, humans pose a threat to our kind. Their modern technology has given birth to weapons that could destroy us."

A handful of growls sounded through the field at his words. Christina's hands started shaking with rage, wanting nothing more than to rip Aro's throat out.

"Maintaining our secret had never been more imperative. In such perilous times, only the known is safe," Aro continued, ignoring the growls of protest. "And we know nothing of what these children will become. Can we live with such uncertainty? Spare ourselves a fight today, only to die tomorrow."

Another two sets of footfalls sounded throughout the field, making everyone turn their heads. Christina brightened up as she watched Alice and Jasper walk carefully into the field.

Aro laughed joyfully as his eyes met Alice's from across the field.

"Alice," Edward greeted.

Neither the pixie vampire, nor the southern vampire stopped to talk to their family, or give them any explanation. They both walked straight up to Aro and his witnesses behind him. Two guards stopped them from walking any closer, but that didn't drop Aro's large grin.

"My dear, dear Alice," Aro greeted. "We're so happy to see you here, after all."

Alice pushed forward, trying to get the guard's arms off of her. "I have evidence the children won't be a risk to our kind."

Aro stayed silent, not happy that his reason to fight could be debunked.

Alice held out her hand. "Let me show you."

Aro sighed but waved off his guards from restraining Alice. Alice shoved off the guards, but they kept Jasper held back. Christina growled lowly as one of the guards slapped Jasper in the face — but the southern vampire just smirked, not showing that he was affected by it.

"Brother?" Caius called, but Aro waved him off as well.

Alice stopped in front of Aro, and let him take hold of her hand in between both of his. It was quiet in the field for a short moment before Alice sneered at him and yanked her hand away.

"It doesn't matter what I show you," she snapped, taking a step away from him. "Even when you see — you still won't change your decision."

Alice quickly turned around and mouthed two words that made Christina's heart drop lower than the earth below them.

Now.

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IM NOT READY — OMG.