Morning Mist - Edward, Bella, and the rest of the Cullens (+ Jacob) are enjoying their happy ending - until a mysterious rival coven decide they don't want "vegetarians" or "dog-lovers" on their turf. Can the family survive intact this time? Will they find a kidnapped Alice? And what's with the attackers looking identical? Chapter's from Bella's, Jacob's, and Edward's perspectives. Rated T for language/violence/torture.
†††† BELLA CULLEN††††
"Dammit, Jacob, turn the TV down! I can't hear myself think!"
Edward and I were upstairs, packing for an extended hunting trip - and Brazil was one point away from winning the World Cup, by the loud sound of things - the minute that Rosalie decided she was finally going to kill Jacob. Edward looked at me, dark eyes sparkling in a way that always tricked me into thinking that my fluttering heart was still beating. He winked.
"Shall I save his life this time, or shall you?" He braced, ready to sprint downstairs - a trip that would take him maybe a millisecond - but I jumped in front of the door.
"Oh no you don't, it's my turn."
I closed my eyes and imagined Jacob in my mind, sitting shirtless on the couch, a handful of popcorn still in his mouth, staring with alarmed eyes as Rose's menacing figure stalked down the stairs. Renesmee would be playing with paper-dolls at his feet, a puzzled expression on her face as her favorite aunt moved to murder her favorite uncle. I pictured a shield, strong and impenetrable as diamonds, surrounding both of them. We heard Rose run into it full force and crash backward, leaving a dent in the dining-room table and destroying one of the chairs.
"BELLA! Not fair!"
"He's only my future son-in-law, Rosalie. Next time think before you move in for the kill," I said, still delighting - after almost a year - in the way she could hear me without my having to raise my voice.
"Alright, who made matchwood of my priceless antique dining set," said Esme, who, I guessed, was standing in the kitchen doorway, holding yet another plate of food for her favorite human.
"I'll buy you a new one, Mom," said Edward, grinning at me and shouldering his backpack. We usually didn't pack to go hunting - but it was polar bear season in Alaska and Edward was taking me there for our anniversary. He'd promised we'd taste some penguin and walrus; I'd made him swear not to touch the wolves.
"Your getting good at that," he said as we walked downstairs, hand in hand. "It's not everyone who can make a gift manifest on both mental and physical levels."
"Yeah . . ." We rounded the corner and found Rosalie primping in the hallway mirror - the fall had mussed her hair. "But it really only works for you and Jacob and Renesmee. And I have to really concentrate." I shuddered. "Wouldn't be much good in a . . . a situation . . . like last time."
Edward gave a low growl and instinctively drew me closer to him as he remembered facing down the Volturi in the baseball clearing, all those months before. "There won't ever be a next time. Ever. There's absolutely no reason for the Volturi to bother us again – and you, darling . . ." He brought my hands to his lips and kissed both of them. " . . . and I, together, could beat anything anyone else would dare throw at us."
Jacob looked our way, smiled a mouthful of mashed-potatoes, and continued to shovel through the plate of food Esme had fixed him. "Don't you think it's about time you and Rose made peace, Jacob?" I said, mussing his shaggy black hair.
"Aw, come-on, mom, put your cold hands somewhere else . . . you're making me smell bad." He wrinkled his nose and obligingly turned the TV down. "And give me some credit. I haven't told a blonde joke or been mean to Auntie Rose in nearly a month, right, Nessie?"
My daughter finished dressing her paper doll, looked up at the clock on the wall, and then at me with big, grave, gorgeous eyes. "My Jacob hasn't told a Mean to Auntie in 28 days, 4 hours, 12 minutes and 44 seconds." She got up, jumped over the couch and into my waiting arms. "I've been watching the clock. Jacob taught me!" Her eyes roamed over to Edward's and my backpacks and her expression grew even more serious. She held out a hand and pressed it to my cheek. Do you have to leave?
"Yes, Renesmee," said Edward, stroking the beautiful curls that looked so much like his. "Mommy and I need to go have some special time together. It only happens once a year that she and I get to celebrate how very, very much we love each other."
She frowned, and I saw in my mind Jacob trying to rock her to sleep, but failing because she was restless for us, for her mommy and daddy. But don't you love all of us? Can't my Jacob and I come too? Her thoughts shifted to the many happy days all four of us had spent hunting together. You always let me come before. For one moment I let her lonely fears become mine, and I nearly decided to pack her and Jacob along for the trip after all. Then I heard Edward sigh and chuckle beside me and I realized I was being just as silly as my one-year-old daughter.
"It's all right, Renesmee," I said, hugging her close. "We still love you just as much as we ever did. Jacob and Gramma Esme and Grampa Carlisle and Auntie Rose and Uncle Emmet will take very good care of you. I bet Uncle Emmet will even let you skip your bathtime! Won't that be fun?"
"It will go by so fast, you won't even remember to miss us," said Edward. "You can even count on the clock, and tell us exactly how long we were gone when we get back. Can you do that for daddy and mommy?"
Her thoughts were still dubious, and now I saw a memory of her kissing Alice and Jasper goodbye as they left on a similar trip, weeks ago. That's what Auntie Alice said and they're not back yet either!
"You worry too much," laughed Edward, "just like your mommy. None of us would ever let anything happen to you." He pulled us both into his strong embrace. "We'll be really close by, and if you really, really need us, Uncle Jacob can call us and we'll be back here almost before you could count on the clock. Now," he took her from my arms and placed her on the couch next to Jacob, "we really have to go before mommy gets soooo hungry she tries to eat Uncle Jacob. We love you, Renesmee! Be good!" He gave her one last kiss on the top of the head, mussed Jacob's hair just for good measure, then he took my hand and we flew out the back door.
We met Emmett in the forest about fifty miles north of Forks. We were walking at that point, holding hands, just enjoying being together and miles away from anyone who could wonder why my husband and I sparkled as we walked through the leaf-scattered sunlight. We smelled him before he actually came up to us, covered in hair and bear-blood and other badges of his particularly savage style of hunting.
"Well, if it isn't the indefatigable lovers," he crowed, trying to grab both of us in a bear hug but failing as Edward and I delicately avoided getting soiled. "We'll be so lonely without you – I'll never be able to get Nessie to take her bath or make her bed and I'll have to lose at least 10 chess matches before she'll be tired enough to sleep every night." He punched Edward in the arm and the rumbling sound of rocks colliding rolled across the surrounding glen. "I'm tired of this Uncle baby-sitting stuff – Alice and Jasper are sooo much better at it. Rose and Jacob and Mom and Dad are no help AT ALL, of course. They're gonna spoil that girl rotten."
"Don't whine, Emmett," said Edward, "it's unbecoming. Especially not about our daughter. Alice and Jasper are due back any day now, aren't they?"
Emmet shrugged. "How should I know? Don't tell me you haven't noticed Esme and Carlisle worrying about it. They usually don't go this long before checking in, right?"
"I'm guessing they just found the one mountain in the Andes that Jasper hasn't climbed yet, decided to take their time adventuring, and that's why our cell calls haven't gone through. As long as they're together, they're not much worth worrying over." Edward grabbed me around the waste. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we have some adventuring of our own to do."
I thought I had rarely seen Edward so exuberant as we sped through the trees together. It had take a little while for the years of anxiety and self-inflicted pain over me, Jacob, the Volturi and the whole pregnancy mess to fall away from him. Now I was sure I saw him as he was always meant to be: strong and glorious and fearless, perfect in every way. Quietly I swore to myself that he would never have reason to fear again.
How wrong I was.
Suddenly, we both sensed it: the distinct, sweetly-heavy smell of an unfamiliar vampire. Vampires. After a few seconds I was sure I could pull out at least seven separate scents. We slowed, and Edward drew me behind him: even with me now as relatively indestructible as he was, he still knew it was wise to use caution when outnumbered by strangers.
"Can you hear them?" I whispered, gathering in the sound of their light footfalls, their quick breathing, the crack of the occasional twig as they passed. They'd be within sight in moments. I looked over at Edward and was alarmed at the look of fury and fear on his face.
"No," he hissed, "I can't hear them. They must be using a shield similar to yours . . . I don't like this. Judging from sound and smell, they're all around us by now. Impossible to avoid meeting them."
"Why so worried," I asked, trying to dismiss his sudden shift of attitude as characteristic over-protectiveness. "We meet strangers all the time. It's not like I'm appetizing to them anymore."
"There's more than one reason why one vampire would want to hurt another," he said, sniffing the hair again. "It's the way they approached – silently, spread out – like a war-party. And . . ." he ran frustrated fingers through his hair, " . . . and I can't tell why. Just stay alert, and don't let them separate us. Oh, I don't like this at all."
We heard them speed up. Edward straightened, and called out warily, "Hello? We're sorry if we interrupted any hunting – I'm Edward Cullen, and this is my wife, Bella. We're only passing through . . ." His voice left off in a growl, for now we could see them: eight tall, lithe vampires with long dark hair and piercing eyes – like what might have been if the vampires had conquered the Quileute werewolves so long ago. I shuddered as one - who reminded me of Jacob in a twisted, grotesque fashion - eyed me with disdain. They never said anything, never slowing for a moment. They rushed at us, a noose tightening with cruel and accurate speed.