Chapter Text
Carlisle froze as images filled his mind. A lot were familiar – rooms in the Volturi Fortress in Volterra – but there was one that stood out… A petite human lying in a bathtub with curly streaky brown hair floating in the water. In the vision she opened her eyes, blazing deep amber with shards of cinnamon and gold. She was holding a hand out to him.
“Come to me.”
He gasped and opened his eyes and looked around frantically. He was in Eleazar’s study. They were in Alaska visiting. Eleazar looked confused.
“Carlisle?”
“I thought I saw something…” he stammered feeling very confused himself.
“What did you see?”
“I saw a human female.”
Eleazar frowned. “A memory?”
Carlisle shook his head. “No! I didn’t recognize her!”
“Perhaps a bad dream then?”
If Carlisle could have blushed he would have. “She was… bathing.”
Eleazar stared at him stunned. “Was she in a bath? A stand-alone tub?”
Carlisle was feeling very confused. “Yes? How did you know?!?”
Eleazar looked both intrigued and envious. “You’ve been Called.”
“Called?”
Then Eleazar began explaining. “The woman you saw is a witch.”
Carlisle’s expression shifted to disbelief. “Eleazar… there are no such thing as witches!”
Eleazar snorted. “I’ve forgotten how young you are.”
Carlisle stared at the other vampire. “Are you serious? Witches are real?”
Eleazar nodded. “Witches are female, wizards are male, wix is not gender specific. You usually would not meet one; they prefer to stay in their own enclaves, away from non-magicals. There is a treaty with the Volturi.”
Carlisle was very confused. “Aro didn’t say anything about this.”
“They wouldn’t. The treaty is more like a no-interference agreement. The Volturi honour it because wix can be very dangerous. With their magic it is very easy for them to destroy our kind with fire.”
“All right. Then why did I see this witch?” By now he was very aware of Eleazar’s coven and his approaching the study. Jasper was already joining them.
“Generally speaking wix do not associate with vampires.”
“I don’t understand? I don’t have visions. Alice does!”
“The witch did a ritual called a Calling.”
“A Calling?” It was Jasper who asked the question. “I saw something similar, a curly-haired brunette with amber eyes?” Carlisle nodded wordlessly.
Eleazar sighed. “I don’t know all the details but there are some witches that can have children with a vampire. A long time ago such witches would do a magical ritual called a Calling, to attract suitable potential suitors to her.”
Rosalie huffed. “That breaks vampire law.”
Eleazar did not even glance at her. “Witches are the exception for half-breed children, but even for them it is mostly high-risk. But in a few rare cases their magic allows them to have stable, safe pregnancies with a male vampire. Repeatedly.”
Everyone looked at Bella who had joined them, along with all the other members of both covens. She had Renesmee but had had nearly died during the pregnancy, and had to be turned during the delivery to survive.
Rosalie looked subdued. “So what next?”
Eleazar looked at Carlisle and Jasper. “It is your choice. If you wish to be considered you need to go to her. Where did you see her?”
“Volterra.” “The Fortress.” Both Carlisle and Jasper answered in unison.
Jasper looked hesitant. “Will the Volturi allow it?” he asked Eleazar.
“They cannot do anything to stop you from presenting yourselves,” Eleazar reassured both vampires. “The treaty is very clear, a Host coven is required to provide hospitality.”
Jasper glanced at Alice who smiled softly. “This is your chance,” she told him. “Both of us knew we weren’t forever, just a good fit for a time.”
Carlisle was glad Esmee had left him to look for her own mate. It would be horrible to be torn between two opposing desires.
“You shouldn’t go!” Edward declared. “The Volturi will use this chance to kill you.”
Rosalie hit his arm hard enough to crack. “Don’t you dare interfere!” she hissed. She turned to speak to Jasper and Carlisle directly. “I don’t know who of you will win, or even if you will. But if you don’t try you’ll regret it forever.”
Carlisle and Jasper glanced at each other with united purpose.
“Tickets?” Jasper asked.
“And a car rental. No check-in luggage,” Carlisle stated decisively.
Jasper pulled out his phone and began searching to make reservations.
Carlisle glanced at the others. “Edward does have a point. Jasper and I will be protected but none of you will. It’s best if you stay here. Or in Rome, or some other city than Volterra.”
“Milan,” Alice stated decisively. “We can do some shopping while we wait for news.”
~ooOoo~ooOoo~ooOoo~
Jasper and Carlisle exited the small local airport and picked up their rental. Carlisle drove fast but in a controlled manner, like a racecar driver. He didn’t know if there was a time limit to present themselves but he did not want to risk missing a deadline.
As they approached Volterra he could feel the warmth in his gut increasing, going up his torso and into his throat.
“There is a glow that seems to be coming from your throat,” Jasper pointed out.
Carlisle glanced at Jasper who had a similar light around his Adams apple. “You have a glow from your neck as well.”
Jasper twisted and pulled at his duffel in the backseat, unzipping and digging through the contents to pull out a couple of cashmere scarves, a navy blue and paisley grey and a sage green and yellow houndstooth.
“I didn’t know why Alice stuffed these in my bag. Now we do.”
They twisted the accessories to hide most of the light from any traffic light cameras or pedestrians with cell phones.
When they approached the Fortress there were several guards directing traffic down a path to a lot used for training. It was acting as a temporary parking lot.
“The underground garage is full,” Alec explained. “Go into the Main Reception Hall. Chelsea will give you a debriefing and assign a suite.”
Carlisle was a bit relieved by the civil reception, the directions and planning that indicated they were expected and weren’t going to be expelled.
They grabbed their bags and headed inside. There were a few other vampires waiting for Chelsea. Carlisle recognized Garrett and Benjamin. There was a clear glow on their throats, but they had different colours, blue for Garrett and green for Benjamin, Carlisle and Jasper were yellow.
Chelsea stepped into the room, taking note of whose throats were glowing, making notes in a tablet. “You’re just in time,” she said finally. “Tomorrow is the fifth day, the day you can meet the Madre Strega.” She shot each of them a warning look. “You are not allowed to force or influence her in any way. If she feels threatened she has permission to kill you. Aro wants a viable match, not an enraged witch.” She smiled ferociously. “And if she is too kind to burn you, the Guards will rip you apart.”
Carlisle was a bit surprised to hear the words, then reassured.
Chelsea went around the room handing out slips of papers. Carlisle glanced at his. It contained directions to the room assigned to him. He checked Jasper’s paper and noted it was very close to his. Seeing the other vampires were dispersing they followed suit.
“We should try to talk to Garrett and Benjamin. To find out if they know something that Eleazar didn’t,” Carlisle told Jasper.
It was the smart idea to pool their resources, especially since they knew next to nothing about the situation.
After checking the room for obvious traps or bugs they headed out to find Garrett.
He must have had the same idea because Garrett was sitting in a corridor alcove checking his phone. He stopped and looked up when Carlisle and Jasper turned the corner.
“Sit down,” he invited them, gesturing at the benches around him.
Once they were all sitting. Carlisle spoke first. “Were you aware of magic before this?”
Garrett smiled faintly. “I was born a squib, parents had magic but I don’t. They sent me to similar kin outside the enclaves. I kept my memories through the Turning.”
“Do you know what Eleazar was talking about? Madre Strega?”
Garrett shook his head. “Not really. But then I wasn’t raised in an enclave or taught wand magic. Wix are very prejudiced against those without magic, dark magic, magical creatures. Vampires are Dark Creatures.”
“Eleazar said the treaties are ancient and it’s up to the witch to approach a coven. That hasn’t happened in centuries.”
Garrett nodded. “Makes sense. It does make me curious to know how exactly Hermione Granger found out about it. And why she’s invoking it.”
Carlisle and Jasper sat up straighter. “Hermione Granger?”
“You wouldn’t know. She’s a rather famous British witch. A war heroine.”
That surprised them. “A war heroine?” Jasper asked. “I haven’t heard of any war.”
“There was a magical civil war, between the blood purists and the rest. It was essentially fought and won by teenagers and civilians. Once it was over Hermione Granger and her friends returned to school, to finish their last year.” Garrett’s expression turned thoughtful. “I wonder if she found out about the treaty during that time, while looking for possible allies.”
“Then why wait until it was all over?” Jasper argued.
Garrett shrugged. “Something to ask her.”