Chapter Thirty Eight- Power

Chapter Number: 38

Chapter Name: Power

Page Numbers: 725 – 741

Date of Chapter: December 31st, 2006

Summary: The battle appears to begin at the start of the chapter. Chelsea tries to divide the loyalties of the members of “Team Nessie” while Jane launches her painful mental attacks, but both fail. Jane is perturbed and Bella is smug. Alec then tries his paralyzing attack but the mist has no effect on Bella’s mind shield protecting the group.

Bella’s friends begin to plot who will attack the key members of the other side when Aro interrupts to offer positions in the Volturi Guard to Bella, Benjamin, Zafrina and Kate. When no one accepts, he begins to poll the powerful triad on whether or not to destroy Renesmee. Caius votes yes. Marcus votes no. Just as Aro is about to declare his position, Edward asks one for clarification: if they had proof that half-human, half-vampire children would not be a danger to keeping the supernatural secret, Renesmee would be spared. When Aro agrees, Alice appears with Jasper and three strangers. The two female guests are vampires, but the young male has a heartbeat; he is a vampire-human hybrid like Nessie, named Nahuel. Nahuel’s aunt, Huilen, describes the circumstances of his birth.

The vampire Joham impregnated Huilen’s human sister Pire. Pire ran away with her sister so she could carry the baby to term. Giving birth to her son killed Pire and the newborn bit Huilen, turning her into a vampire. The listeners learn that Nahuel reached maturity in about seven years of human time and hasn’t aged since then, that males are venomous but females aren’t, that he can subsist on blood and human food, and that his father had created other vampire-human hybrids as part of his plans to build a “super-race”. Aro reluctantly decides to vote no to destroying Nessie, due to the inarguable proof in front of him. They decide to discipline Joham in the future.

As the Volturi prepare to leave, Aro hypocritically wishes Carlisle well; Carlisle responds frostily but politely. The Volturi depart. Edward and Alice confirm that this is not another Volturi trick and the assembled group celebrates, with the exception of Vladimir and Stefan, who are disappointed with the lack of violence.

Characters Involved: Alec, Alice, Aro, Bella, Benjamin, Caius, Carlisle, Carmen, Chelsea, Edward, Eleazar, Emmett, Esme, Felix, Garrett, Huilen, Jacob, Jane, Jasper, Kachiri, Kate, Maggie, Marcus, Nahuel, Renesmee, Rosalie, Senna, Siobhan, Stefan, Tanya, Tia, Vladimir, Zafrina

Characters Mentioned: Joham, Pire, Nahuel’s sisters

Places Visited: the clearing where the battle / meeting was to take place

Memorable Quotes:

It was like air blowing harmlessly through a shadow; the shadow was immune.
Page 727, describing Alec’s powers and Benjamin’s snow effect on them

His face glowed with an expression of triumph that I didn’t understand – it was the expression of an angel of destruction might wear while the world burned. Beautiful and terrifying. Page 730, describing Edward realizing Alice’s plan.

“Aro, would you ask Jane to stop attacking my wife?” Page 732, Edward addressing Aro.

“Of all the rotten luck,” Stefan after the Volturi leave Page 740

Happiness expanded like an explosion inside me – so extreme, so violent, that I wasn’t sure I’d survive it. … I lifted my head and kissed him with a passion that might possibly set the forest on fire. Page 741, Bella describing her reaction to the news and to Edward.

Important Information learned:

Renesmeee is not the only half-human, half-vampire child; several exist in South America due to a prolific Libishomen (vampire) who wants to create a super-race.

Jacob realizes immediately the implications for him and for Nessie when Nahuel reveals he is immortal.

Marcus’ words do not seem to matter in the group of three and he does not seem to care about any of the proceedings.

Chapter Prepared By: LadyDi