133A/N: Hi everyone! Hope you're all well! My usual and no less heartfelt thanks to my awesome serial reviewers: traceybuie, CoppertopJ, fresh-BLOOD-was-drawn-2night, BridieM, ChaoticH and That'sMzPeachesTYVM! You guys always make me jump up and down in delight when I read your thoughts! ;D
To answer zabou50's question, no, Bella isn't pregnant. In this alternative world vampires can't have or sire children. Sorry!
And huge kudos traceybuie, CoppertopJ, fresh-BLOOD-was-drawn-2night and That'sMzPeachesTYVM for having hit the problem nail in the head! We'll learn a little more about it in this chapter, but the rest of the answer is coming later, with an unexpected character (writer rubbing her hands in glee and anticipation).
I have to say that this fic will be a little bit more somber than the first two, but I'll still try to have some fun inserted somewhere ;)
Enjoy, and please review!
Chapter 5
Bella
I didn't stir when hearing the news, even though a part of me felt hopeful at knowing where Charlie could be detained. But Edward and I needed rest, so I stayed in our bed, snuggled against him. I only tightened my grip on him with my arm on his torso, and his arm squeezed me a little harder in my back. That was our only reaction to the news as downstairs the questions flew around.
"What? Where?"
"How do you know?"
"What did the Volturi tell you?"
"One thing at a time," Jasper ordered calmly, a wave of peace floating around. Edward and I heaved a sigh as I strained my hearing, wanting to stay here but wanting to hear what was happening at the same time. And I could feel Edward's attention too through our linked hands, the ones trapped beween our bodies. He was drowsy too, but was paying attention to what was said two floors below us.
"Did you see the Volturi?" Esme started at once.
"Yes," Jasper answered, his soothing voice seeping calm. "And it went well. The guards were happy to see us. They're glad that we'll help them fight Caius, and they told us about what happened. They said the same things that Seth did, but they had more specific info."
"For instance," Emmett went on, sounding more serious than I'd ever heard, "they told us who has joined Caius. Names and talents. We have everything we need to know to strategize."
"We'll see about that when Edward and Bella are with us," Carlisle decided calmly. "But what about Charlie?"
"Well, it's this female," Emmett explained with a faint growl. "Her name's Lindsey, and she's an old friend of Chelsea's. She had always refused to join the Volturi before because she was Jane's mortal enemy. Something about a very old grudge running, like Middle Ages old. Anyway, now that Jane's a Volturi leader, and that our dear Chelsea is dead, Caius sought this Lindsey out, and guess what?" he trailed off with a snarl.
"Our dear Caius convinced her to get revenge?" Rosalie growled through her guess.
"Ding, ding, we have a winner!" Emmett announced humourlessly. "So this charming Lindsey can entrance everyone and everything to do her bidding. Charlie, as a mere human, had no hope of even thinking about resisting her. We vampires could resist a little bit more, apparently, but it wouldn't last should she unleash her full powers on us."
"But we have Bella," Jasper added, a smug tone in his voice. "As long as she shields us, we're safe from Lindsey. By the way, what are she and Edward doing upstairs? Having a nap?"
"Exactly," Alice deadpanned, obviously seeing some vision. "They're somehow sleeping, as weird as it sounds."
"What?" Emmett exclaimed, bewildered. "What's happening to them?"
"We don't know, and neither do they," Carlisle answered grimly. "I can't wait for Marcus and Heidi to arrive."
"Marcus won't have the answers, Carlisle," Alice told him, her voice subdued. "But he'll be able to point them in the right direction."
"Is it serious?" Jasper inquired, always ready to strategize and take every single little thing into account.
"Very," Alice replied, making Edward and me stiffen. "Their predicament is serious enough that I have to monitor their minute decisions very closely. One wrong decision and all our lives will be in jeopardy. I kid you not. We need specific events to happen in a very specific order, or we could lose everything. But if everything happens as it's supposed to, then all will be well."
A heavy silence settled for a few seconds, then Carlisle spoke up, his voice still calm. "We know you'll be on the lookout, Alice, so I wouldn't worry about it too much right now. But now that we know of this Lindsey, what about Charlie?"
"The Volturi told us that Othella, the third leader, has had words through her mate Will that Lindsey had been seen in Canada, near Montréal, yesterday," Emmett explained. "She escaped Will and his fellow comrades, and disappeared into one of the lakes. But they sniffed around, and found Charlie's scent in an old cabin in the woods, thirty miles outside of Montréal. He had disappeared too, of course, but his scent was strong."
"They had just left," Jasper added. "So we know that Charlie's still alive, and treated fairly well, it seems. They found empty cans of food lying around."
"So if we find Lindsey, we find Charlie," Rosalie summed up.
"Yes," Jasper confirmed. "And we should've guessed sooner. Caius needs Lindsey to keep Charlie under control."
"He could be detained against his will," Esme objected. "It's not exactly difficult for strong vampires to subdue a single human man."
"You're right," Jasper said. "However, Will didn't find any rope or binds of any kind. And think about it. If Charlie was detained against his will, maybe he would rebel and find a way to escape, or end his life so as not to endanger his family. Regardless of what he thinks of Bella, I think he would fight for Sue at the very least," he argued as some voices rose to protest. "But by making him submit to his will, Caius holds a very valuable weapon against us. Bella won't be able to sacrifice her father, and Caius knows it too well. He'll use everything he can to overpower us, and neutralize her powerful talent."
I was too tired to get angry at his theory, or sink into despair. But I did hold onto Edward's hand even tighter, and he held me against him so forcefully that I would've been choking were I still human. But I wasn't, and I would make Caius pay. Whatever it took, however long it would take, I was going to end him. He would dearly regret attacking my family before being obliterated, I would make sure of that.
I tried to listen more, but our family was talking about meeting the Quileutes, and that wasn't at the forefront of my worries. So I heaved a huge sigh and curled up even more against my mate, thinking about Charlie. Would he be our downfall, as Jasper had suggested? Would he be my downfall? Was I ready to sacrifice his life to save my family?
Two days ago, I would have answered yes immediately, without thinking twice about it. But now that the perspective was staring at me in my face, I wasn't so sure anymore. Granted, my father was mortal, and couldn't be expected to live another fifty years, whereas us Cullens had eternity to contemplate. And he had betrayed me deeply, several times. I didn't want to count, even though I knew every single one, as their scars were stitched upon my frozen heart. But deep down, right inside my very core, I knew that he was my father, and that I couldn't sacrifice him.
However, I also knew that given the choice between Charlie's life and Edward's, I wouldn't hesitate a second. My mate, my husband, my everything was and would always be my first priority. And I knew that Charlie knew it. I had made my choice years ago, when I chose Edward over him. I would do it again in the blink of an eye. I just hoped that I would never have to make that choice another time.
I tried to empty my mind after that, and focused on inhaling Edward's scent, matching my breathing with his, and soon fell into a restful state, never sleeping but not truly aware of everything around me. It wasn't until I heard a car coming up the driveway that I started to stir, as Esme's voice reached us. "Marcus is here."
"Good," Edward said from beneath me, shaking himself out of his frozen state. He and I hadn't moved at all, locked in our tight embrace, but I could see in his golden eyes and through our joined hands that he was feeling much better, like a nap would have done on us had we been human. "I have so many questions for him."
"Then let's ask him, my love," I said before kissing him lightly. He responded earnestly, but again we weren't overwhelmed with lust or desire for each other, and that was becoming odd. After seventeen years of intense lovemaking, this break into our habits was quite unsettling.
Edward and I kissed and caressed each other, but we stayed perfectly in control, so much that he was frowning when we pulled away. "I don't know why we're not making love right now, Bella. Truly, I don't understand. I love you as much as before, if not more, yet..."
"Don't fret, Edward," I tried to soothe him, rubbing his chest tenderly, making him purr. "We will know soon enough, I hope. And frankly, the reprieve is well-timed. We have much on our plate to deal with as it is."
"You're right," he acknowledged with a faint smile. "But I kinda... miss you."
"Same," I confessed with a small grin. I was so used to having him right against me, in me, that this distance was weird. I never went as long with clothes on me anymore, and I missed the bare skin of my mate on mine. But even when thinking about it, the desire wasn't submerging me completely. I loved Edward, yet... I didn't need him right now. And I didn't like it.
"Don't overthink this, love," Edward murmured in my ear as he held me tightly against him, and I reveled in his arms. "We'll soon know what's happening. Let's go see Marcus."
I just nodded, my face buried in his chest, and he planted a gentle kiss on the top of my head before disentangling himself from me and leading me out of the bedroom, his hand holding mine. I could feel that he wasn't as calm as he appeared, and that the worry and love were fighting for dominance in his body. So I tried to push some of my calm towards him, and I felt some of his nerves ease. He shot me a grateful look and his beautiful crooked smile as we came down the two flights of stairs just as Marcus and Heidi entered the living room behind Esme and Carlisle, looking good and reasonably happy. It was obvious that their close friendship was doing wonders on both of them. I was happy for them. They deserved peace in their long lives.
"Hi dear Bella, hi young Edward," Marcus smiled at us, and Heidi waved slightly, her smile small but genuine. "I trust that you're well."
"We're..." Edward started, but trailed off, visibly hesitating.
"We're all right, Marcus," I supplied for him, squeezing his hand in support, and he squeezed mine back. "But we do have some very pressing issues that we'd like to talk to you about, if it's okay with you."
"Of course, my dear," Marcus said gently, kissing the back of Heidi's hand with a wink, making her chuckle, before letting go of her. "I understand that something important happened between the two of you, and that you need advice."
"Please," Edward said, feeling much more anxious than he was showing. Again I tried to soothe his nerves, and it worked a little, but my mate was coiled like a spring. I knew that he desperately needed answers, and truthfully, so did I.
"Let's go somewhere private," Marcus suggested, and after a quick word of welcome to Heidi who was looking concerned for us, we led him to our meadow.
The place was out of the way, and as private as we could get for the conversation we needed to have with our old friend. We settled down on the tall and soft grass, among the summer wildflowers, me between Edward's legs and Marcus facing us. He sat gracefully, not looking a day older than forty although I knew he was at least two thousand years old by now. I quickly dismissed the thought as it made my head spin.
"So, young ones," Marcus started with an indulgent smile. "What is happening in this troubled life of yours?"
My eyes dropped to the ground as I thought of the best way to talk about what was indeed happening. In theory, talking to Marcus was the best of ideas, as he was old and wise, and a true uncle to us now, but... I felt the blush on my face even though I had no blood left in me. Were I human still I would be beet red by now. Behind me Edward was tongue-tied like me, and uneasiness was coursing through his body, I could feel it through his touch on my arms.
Marcus just chuckled. "All right, young ones. I think I'll make a wild guess and assume it has something to do with your love life?"
Edward groaned uneasily but nodded wordlessly, like me. Marcus gave us an encouraging smile. "I may know a few things and I've seen lots in my long life, but I can't read minds yet, dear ones. So, tell me what's bothering you so much."
Edward almost whimpered, burying his face in the crook of my neck, and I knew then that his reserve and shame wouldn't enable him to speak. So I did, recounting with as few details as possible what had happened on Isle Esme. Marcus listened intently, his eyebrows furrowing more and more, and when I was done he sighed. "Bella, what you're telling me is... odd. But not unheard of."
"Really?" I asked hopefully, and Edward's head perked up, his shyness overcome with his interest.
Marcus confirmed with a nod. "Yes, I've already heard something like this happening. Once. But I never witnessed it myself. As far as I know, there is only one vampire still alive that did."
"Who?" I inquired curiously, feeling a spark of hope igniting in me. Maybe we could obtain some much needed answers? As long as it wasn't from Caius, I thought angrily. No way in hell would I ask him anything, or try to bargain for something with this slimy piece of crap.
Edward suddenly let out a dejected groan as he shook his head, his emotions matching his jaded tone. "Please tell me he's not the only one to be able to help us, uncle Marcus. Anybody but him!" I really feared he was talking about Caius, by now.
Marcus chuckled louder, an amused glint in his amber eyes, reassuring me. Our uncle wouldn't be laughing if his old traitorous brother was the one he was thinking about. "Sorry, young Edward, but he truly is the only witness we have."
"Jesus," Edward huffed wearily. "We're in so much trouble."
"Care to enlighten me?" I demanded, feeling my anger at being out of the loop flaring up instantly.
"Easy, love," Edward said apologetically, kissing my new scar reverently to soothe me, making me shiver and Marcus gasp. My eyes shot towards him, distracted, as he suddenly looked a little uncomfortable.
"What is it, uncle Marcus?" I asked him as calmly as I could, trying to turn my anger down a notch or twenty.
He squirmed a little, but his voice was calm as usual when he replied. "I see your scar, Bella. I hadn't paid it any mind before, but now it's obvious you have to talk to Alistair as soon as possible."
"Alistair?" I repeated, dumbfounded, wondering if I'd heard correctly. "The misanthropic, ever alone Alistair? The SecludedEnglishVampire Alistair on Edward's blog?"
"The very one," Marcus confirmed, and Edward groaned again. "Have you met him?"
"God, no!" I exclaimed, horrified. "He's a jerk. Can't stop writing conspirational theories and distrustful comments on Edward's blog. Carlisle offered him to come for a visit, to have a much needed chat, but he declined, very rudely. He seems to be a complete brute."
"He has his reasons to be that way," Marcus nodded with an indulgent smile. "He's seen his father sacrifice his mother and sister to a sadistic vampire in the hopes of putting him on the throne of England in the 1300's. The same vampire that bit and changed him. Alistair then accidentally killed his father in his anger. He's been a recluse ever since, his only friend being Carlisle. His views on life are tainted with this sad story, my dear."
"It doesn't reassure me that it's him that we have to ask about what is happening to us," Edward said, still a bundle of nerves behind me. "Will he even come?"
"If it's Carlisle that's asking, I daresay he will," Marcus said with certainty. "Alistair owes him a favor. But he won't be the easiest of guests, I'm afraid. He cannot tolerate being among people for too long a time."
"Wonderful," I grumbled, feeling thoroughly disgruntled. "Uncle Marcus, you seem to know about this," I addressed him pleadingly, pointing at my scar. "Don't you have some answers for us?"
He shook his head as Edward sighed. "I wish I did, my dear. But I don't. Alistair only told me about this in passing, when us Volturi went to visit England in the 1800's, and Aro had ordered him to meet us. I was asking about any mate of his, as his relationship status was the barest and most desolate I had seen, and he shouted in horror, I remember it vividly. 'Never!' he had bellowed. 'I don't want to submit to any instinct for a primal coition and end up bearing an ugly scar to prove that I belong to someone! No thank you! I've seen it once, and I don't want to see it again!' I asked him to tell me more, but he shrank back into his shell instantly, telling me that Aro had made sure we never heard of such a thing again, and then he requested to take his leave. I don't know anything more."
I contemplated his words for a few seconds. The story behind this tidbit of information sounded like a tragic one, and I didn't like it. Not one bit. Unfortunately, we needed to know it, and try to prevent such a tragic fate for us. Edward's voice shook me out of my dark musings. "Did Aro know about this?"
"No," Marcus shook his head adamantly. "He didn't touch Alistair, busy as he was recruiting Chelsea. He didn't spare him a glance."
"Well, that's something at least," my mate said grudgingly. "Now we wait again for Alistair to come."
"I'm afraid so," Marcus shrugged lightly. "But have you thought about reciprocating?"
"What?" Edward and I cried out in befuddlement. "What do you mean?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowing.
Marcus eyed us carefully. "From what you've told me, both of you have experienced some significant changes since Volterra. Bella, you're dazed more and more frequently, and prone to anger at the slightest thing. Edward, you're feeling possessive to the extreme, your vampiric instincts even taking control over your body, leaving you without any memories of it. To me it seems that it's the natural continuation of your previous predicament. Making love at all times isn't enough anymore. So you, Edward, followed your instincts – without any choice, I know," he hastily added, probably seeing my mate's distress that I could feel through our touch. "But nevertheless, your instincts acted up, and the result is a drastic change for Bella, and at the same time you both feel lacking something. So my advice is, Bella, bite Edward while making love and push as much venom in him as you can."
I simply stared at him, horrified and distraught. Was it the solution to our problem? And where would it bring us? For what? "I... I can't..." I stammered, shaking my head vehemently. "No way... No way! I won't!" I finished with a yell, jumping to my feet and dodging Edward's outstretched arms. "I won't do that to him! It hurt! And I don't want to hurt him! Why should I?"
"Bella..." Edward started pleadingly, freaking out. I was aware of his wide eyes, his short intakes of breath, his tense stance, but I wasn't thinking rationally. All I knew was that his venom in me had burned and changed me, I didn't know how exactly yet, and that without any knowledge I wouldn't do that to him.
"No way, Edward!" I shouted in panic, my gaze darting everywhere for an exit to this situation. "I won't do that to you! We still don't know why you did it, and I won't inflict such a thing on you without knowing what it could do to you!"
"But I did it to you!" he lamented, looking in pain as he reached out to me imploringly, maybe asking for forgiveness yet again.
"You didn't know what you were doing, and you don't even remember it!" I opposed him frantically, backing two steps as he took one towards me. "I know better, and I can't do it to you knowing all we know!"
"Bella, dear, please calm down," Marcus said, on his feet next to my very stressed out husband, palms outwards in a placating gesture. "You're right, we don't know the hows or whys. It was merely a suggestion, dear. I shouldn't have said anything yet. Better wait for what Alistair will have to say about all this."
I hesitated, torn between staying with Edward who looked on the verge of a panic attack, and making a run for it. I was terrified of our situation, and of the knowledge we both needed and dreaded. I was poised to run, standing on the balls of my feet and ready to get the hell out of dodge to clear my head, when a broken whisper caught my attention, slamming into my whole being harder than if it had been yelled. "Please don't go. It will kill me."
I instantly focused on Edward who was still staring at me with beseeching eyes, his hands clawing at his shirt right above his heart, as if he really were having a cardiac arrest. In a split second my anger, my panic and all my questions faded to the background as I ran to him, catching him in my arms and wrapping myself around him. The instinct to protect him from what was causing him pain and anguish was overwhelming, and I couldn't resist it. I didn't even try; it never even crossed my mind. He needed me. That was all I knew and needed to know in that moment. My mate needed me.
"Edward," I sobbed as his arms shot around me, crushing me to his body and locking around me. I didn't care; I was where I needed to be. I was where he needed me to be, and that was all that mattered. He was my whole life, my whole world, and I only lived for him. "I'm here. Always."
"Don't run away," he whispered brokenly, his face buried in the crook of my neck, his hands clutching my shirt desperately as I felt his whole body shaking violently. "Please love, don't leave me. It... it hurts so much..."
"What hurts, my love?" I demanded frantically, rubbing him comfortingly and kissing him everywhere I could reach. "Please tell me, Edward!"
"I... I can't stand... the thought of you... running away from me," he stammered, his breathing hitched as we still pawed and caressed each other in hurried but soothing gestures. "I need you... so much!"
"And I need you, my Edward," I promised him as firmly as I could manage in my wild state. "I'm not going anywhere, my love. I'm sorry for letting you think that I wanted to run away from you. I was just overwhelmed, and I wanted to take a run to clear my head. But I'll never leave you, my Edward. You're everything to me, and more than my own life. I'll never run away from you."
"God, it hurt so much, seeing you about to go away," he sobbed against my skin, his breathing ragged. "How did you endure it eighteen years ago when I was stupid enough to leave you?"
My heart broke a little at the pain still vivid in my mind from this darkest of times, but I took a deep breath. I needed to be the strong one for once, the rock he could lie on to rise again, stronger than before. "I just did, my love. I had no choice. I almost died from it, but I didn't. And it turned out well. We're together, my Edward. We're in love, and married, and equals. That's all that matters. And I'll never leave you, my Edward. You're my life."
He didn't say anything, only nodding briefly in my shoulder as his sobs peaked, then slowly abated. I continuously rubbed his back and the nape of his neck, murmuring my undying love for him and repeating my promise to never leave him again and again. Marcus had retreated a few steps back, giving us some privacy, but he was watching us with compassionate eyes.
After a while Edward's long overdue sobs stopped completely, and I sensed that he had needed the breakdown badly. He had held on so much on his shoulders since our encounter, without taking a break from it, that seeing him finally crack was good in a way. Now he would feel much better, I hoped. But before I could ask him anything, he spoke up, his voice rough. "Carlisle is coming."
We waited, still in each other's arms, as I listened to Carlisle's run in the forest towards us. And when he emerged from the trees, his face was calm but serious. "Alice told me about your need of information. Alistair is on the way."
It won't be a walk in the park for our lovebirds, but I'm a firm believer of a good ol' HEA, mostly. Please review ;)