This short One Shot is inspired by Breaking Dawn 2 and by Alice’s vision - the vision that couldn’t be. In Canon with the movie. Spoilerish.

Summary: It is the year 1353. Europe has been ravaged by the plague, and millions died. Now the scourge has ended and religion is flourishing. To thank God for their deliverance, or to atone for the sins of their dead loved ones, many people will go on pilgrimages, either to near or far away destinations. We will follow a number of such pilgrims, willing to worship at San Marcus’ shrine. But, things are not always what they seem. The handsome young monk leading them is very pale under his cowl, and he appears to be fasting all the time. Plus, all of them have secrets and very few are innocent. Will they find love or death at the end of the journey?

This is a Pre Twilight AU story. It is rather dark and there are no Edward and Bella, obviously. Feel like reading it all the same? I hope so, because I promise you a passionate love story, despite the setting. The rating is NC 17, for violence, sex and, just in one case, slash.

Each chapter will be decorated with the appropriate image. Unfortunately there is a rule I can only post the links. I do hope you will click on them. They are part of the story too.

The Pilgrimage has a blinkie

When published as an O/S, the prologue won an Emerging Swan Award for Best Original Character (Bonizella).

This is The Parachutist’ sequel.

It is the summer of 1945 and the war in Europe has ended. Despite his transformation in a vampire, Edward has found his love again, has prevailed over his bloodlust and they have married. Now he is going back to America with his human bride, where they’ll join Carlisle’s family. How will be their life with the Cullens, when will it be the right moment for Bella’s transformation? Will the Volturi discover them, will they face new dangers?

This story is rated NC 17, as there will be sex and some violence. I am not going to put warnings on individual chapters. If you are under age you should not be reading it.

 Raum made this beautiful blinkie for me

Make haste, my love, my soul, make haste and come back to me. It is time.

Bella's eyelids flutter open…

This story has a blinkie

On Isle Esme Edward feels compelled to share with Bella something about his past and his sexuality. Slightly OOC but fundamentally in Canon.

So, my preys were all male, and if men had that effect on me … maybe I was gay indeed. I could not reconcile myself with what my body seemed to tell me but, what did I know? So I decided to try, and be certain.”

Bella gasps and cannot hide it from him. Did he, did he really…?

2nd place as "Outstanding story" in the Shimmer Awards 2011

It is 1943 and WW II is devastating Europe. Edward Masen is a 23 years old American parachutist sent by the OSS on a secret mission, meant to help the partisans fighting the Nazis in Northern Italy. There he meets a girl concealing a terrible secret. They fall passionately in love and plan to marry as soon as Italy is liberated. However, while going back to the Allied lines and trying to reach Anzio, where the Anglo American forces are struggling to break through Germans’ opposition, Edward finds his nemesis, in the form of two Volturi warriors.

Edward is now a newborn vampire, fierce, desperate and bloodthirsty. Will he succumb forever to his inner monster or will he be able to recover at least some of his lost humanity? Will he see his love again and resist the urge to kill her? 

My parents and relatives told me many times of the day when Rome was liberated, much earlier than Northern Italy, and how joyful they felt. It was June 4th, 1944.

The American troops entered our city passing through Via Casilina and Porta Maggiore. It was a triumph. People cheered, girls threw flowers, kids got rides in the Jeeps. Romans were free, after 20 years of dictatorship followed by Nazi occupation. It was as if a gray leaden cloak had been lifted and everybody could breathe again. I dedicate The Parachutist to those brave, smiling American boys.

NOMINATED FOR THE FAITHFUL SHIPPER AWARDS AND THE SUNFLOWER AWARDS 2011

Renesmee and Jacob have just married, and Edward and Bella are free to enroll in yet another university, where they plan to follow a course of classical studies. Suddenly Edward leaves, and Bella is confused and totally alone. However, she is sure of his love and fears that something terrible might have occurred. It has. Indeed, something happened when Carlisle was in Rome in the 17th century, and now all the Cullens have to pay for it.

A Latin myth opens for Bella the road that might allow for her to rescue them.

Big thanks to Lion in the Land for valdating my chapters so quickly!

Who was the owner of the yellow Porsche which Alice stole to get to Volterra? Why was he also going to Seattle the next day? And did he notice among his fellow travelers three young Americans who looked exhausted?

This is the story, told in Stefano’s PoV

Heidi was a lure for the Volturi, but was she the only one? To be attracted and go to Volterra to die, different people might require different lures. And what if one of these lures had a change of heart, rebelled and started dreaming about the Cullens and their different lifestyle? A chance encounter in Moscow between Edward, Bella and another character helps bringing this story to completion.

A research-oriented trip brings Edward and Bella to gray Turin. But things warm up when he gives her una lezione di italiano.

This story can stand alone, but I would like it to become part of a series open to other authors. The title of the series would be “Growth” and should address moments of Edward’s growth, from teenager angst to adulthood. This first story is called “A man at last” and is written in Carlisle's POV. It describes the last moment of growth, at the end of Breaking Dawn, recalling briefly what the other steps were.