A/N: Thank you for all the reviews! This chapter is for you, Jee007, Silke, i_am_ms_emmett_cullen, Kathy Hiester, isis70, xoxfiaxox, and civilgurl with a bag of cookies and hugs! You guys make me all giddy!
Most of it is Demetri and Felix talking, banter with those two is fun to write. :)
The Ghost Of Circumstances Beyond My Control
Everything Changes
Amazingly, Bella was quiet and still most of the trip. If I didn't know better, I would think I was carrying a corpse, but her heart was going stronger than I had ever heard. She only started to shiver in northern British Columbia. I shifted her in my arms to remove my cloak and wrap it around her. I knew she wouldn't feel the cold, but her body could still succumb to the effects of it, and we had come too far to let her heart stop from hypothermia.
"So why did you decide on Canada?" Demetri asked as we weaved between the trees lightning fast.
"I was thinking about the options you gave me earlier, specially about animals. And I figured the lodge is close enough either way. I won't tempt her to do something she doesn't want to do." I was trying to be subtle about the human versus animal diet, in case Bella could hear us, although she was probably in too much agony to pay attention.
I hated myself for subjecting her to this intolerable pain. At the same time, I was glad to do it, knowing she would be mine forever, and I would follow her to the ends of the earth.
"Nice planning! There's quite a few polar bears in the region," Demetri said, then started laughing.
"What's so funny?"
"Imagine Bella taking down a polar bear!" he exclaimed between loud guffaws. I burst out laughing too at the thought of seeing my little Bella battle a bear that was larger than I was. It was quite comical, and I actually hoped she would want to try a polar bear just so I could watch. Apparently Demetri wanted to as well.
By sunrise the following morning, we arrived at the small lodge perched on the edge of the Arctic Ocean Heidi bought Demetri for their anniversary. They had a couple places like this all over the globe, but this was a favorite due to the weather, remoteness and that only the three of us knew about it. I was allowed in on the secret because I helped Heidi build it. Also, it was the only one that didn't need to be rebuilt yet, due to 'unnecessary roughness', as Demetri put it, though he hardly thought it was unnecessary, just unavoidable.
"I need to hunt, Felix," Demetri declared an hour after the sun set. His eyes were almost as dark as mine.
"Can you wait until after?" I asked, hoping my quick glances to Bella and him would tell him why.
"I rather not, but I will. I guess I'll have to tackle a damn bear," he grumbled.
Earlier in hushed whispers, spoken in Italian, we had discussed the plan if Bella rather hunt animals. I had decided I would follow her lead. If she preferred to hunt wildlife, I would at least put forth a serious effort. I also asked Demetri to keep quiet about our natural diet as long as possible so I could hopefully have the chance to show Bella I would change for her. We could let our eyes change together.
All this thinking about changing for her brought up another concern. I had no idea if she knew about the Volturi, but what would I do if she did not want to join us? I couldn't see why anyone would not wish to become part of the guard, but it had happened once or twice, before my time. I had a choice to make, and I had to let her know my decision, whether she could push aside the pain to hear me or not. I needed to make my intentions known.
"Bella, if you can hear me, I need to let you know something important. We have some things to decide together when you awaken to immortality. You mean everything to me, and I swear to you, I will never leave you, and I will follow you anywhere Bells. I am yours for eternity," I whispered in her ear.
"Bells? Where did you get that?" Demetri smirked.
"Her father called her Bells yesterday. It just seemed like a nice little nickname for her. Although I'll call her whatever she wants me to." I shrugged, not taking my eyes off her perfect face which was slowing fading of color.
"And what if she gives you a nickname, Lix?" he chuckled, knowing how 'Lix' annoyed me.
"I don't think I'd have a problem with it, coming from my mate and 'Pookie Bear'," I smirked, referencing Heidi's pet name, and tossed the coffee table at him with a flick of my wrist. He quickly stepped to the side, and grabbed the flying wood with his hand, holding the two-hundred-pound of solid walnut aloft.
"Where did you hear that? Don't tell me she told you." His face was a mask of shock and embarrassment. I couldn't hold back my laughter.
"You have the suite next to mine, and you two aren't as quiet as you think you are sometimes. Remember after you got together I went to share Jane's room for three years?"
"That's why you moved?" He was completely mortified now.
"Yeah, it was nauseating!" I chucked. "Even Aro asked me to try and get you to tone it down. Caius was all for booting you to the countryside."
"I heard about Caius. Jane sent Alec in one day for some quiet while she was reading. You want to talk about going ballistic! There Heidi and I were and suddenly, everything was gone. It's quite unnerving." He shivered at the memory.
"Jane sent Alec? Why didn't she just come herself? And where was I?" I've never heard about this before.
"She was avoiding me, per Heidi's request, after I tossed her off the boat in 1546," he spit out between fits of uncontrollable laughter.
"She was furious about that! I can just imagine her frolicking in the water like a kitten in a puddle! She really shouldn't have killed the captain though, but she was only a couple years old, what did you expect?" I had to fight to get a grip on myself. His laugh was infectious, more so than ever.
"I didn't expect to sail the damn ship! I didn't know the area and sank the thing on a damn sandbar! We did feast that day though," he grinned.
"Only to spend three weeks at sea attempting to swim from the Indian Ocean to Italy! I still don't see why you didn't just cross on land."
"Too much sun. And there are a few we have bad blood with, no pun intended, between the two places."
" Ah, yes. The Romanians controlled most of that territory. If they decided to fight, with Jane as raw as she was..."
"Exactly, no Demetri and no Jane," he smirked. They still had a few allies back then, and there's no way we could have won if they found us. I would have just tracked them and stayed out of their way, but with Jane as stubborn and cocky as she is, it would have been impossible regardless."
"I always wondered about that, although I figured you had your reasons. She's almost as cocky as I am," I laughed.
"Yeah, glad you finally found the one person would can bring you down a notch," he snickered, knowing he was right. "Bella'll put you through hell, but I promise it's all worth it in the end."
"I guessed as much. Hey, come with me for a second." I motioned for him to follow and keep quiet as I flew out the door, far enough away that even a vampire listening from the house wouldn't overhear us.
"What? Discussing the diet again?" he scoffed, smirking at his disbelief of my willingness to adapt whatever choice she made.
"You would do anything for me right? Like I would do anything for you," I raised my eyebrow, hoping to get an answer before he figured out my intentions.
"Yes, of course I would..." he said slowly, his mind running a million miles an hour. A second later, I saw him grimace as it clicked. "Damnit, Felix! Why did you have to ask this of me?"
"What? I haven't said anything yet," I feinted innocence.
"I know exactly what you're about to ask." He narrowed eyes dangerously at me. "You know, you've not only gone completely insane, but you've hijacked the entire goddamn asylum!"
"Good Lord, man, that glare epitomizes 'if looks could kill'! All I'm asking is for a while, until I can get a grip on it. I need someone I can talk too, who understands, like a quitting buddy. And if Bella jumps on the wagon right off the bat, which I'm thinking is more and more likely, it's going to be hard for her to sympathize. I begging you brother, I'll owe you anything!"
He growled and punched a nearby tree, sending it flying into the sparse forest. "Owing me anything is an understatement, I'll fucking have your soul for this."
"Alright!" I smiled. "Just nothing that comes between Bella and me."
"Felix, you know I would never drop to that level," he scoffed, still glaring. "Felix, do you understand how major of an issue this is? We have to let Aro know before we arrive if this is the case. We don't want or need any undue static."
"You really think it could cause that much unrest?" I asked surprised.
"No one has ever changed like that in the Volturi. Carlisle is the only who to practiced it while he was there and Eleazar didn't until he moved on with Carmen. We're two of the most respected members, Felix. It's bound to cause a little uproar, especially with Caius, unless Aro can calm him first." He was worried about the backlash, that much was obvious, and concerned about how Heidi would react. She was our main fisher after all.
"Who's the most likely to follow suit, other than Heidi?"
"Heidi might, and only, ONLY, because of me. Chelsea is the next one," he said, fairly business like, although he was ready for my surprise.
"Chelsea? Why would she-"
"You probably don't know this, but you know how she breaks the bindings of covens on trial?"
"Yeah," I said, trying to sort this out in my mind.
"Her gift works the opposite way as well. I can't be certain, but perhaps that's why we're all so loyal to the Volturi. She told me that little detail of her power a few decades ago. She's been...conflicted, about her position for some time. It all works out for her since Aro never touches her. But you understand the uproar this could have, if in the remote chance, that Bella doesn't want to stay. With her gift, I wouldn't doubt she would be unswayed by Chelsea, and if she leaves, you will too, like Carmen and Eleazar. If Chelsea sees an out -"
"She'll follow us, and the loyal bindings of the Volturi will fall apart," I whispered gravely. "This is...wow."
"Wow doesn't cover it. We could be the start of a full scale collapse. Notice how you and me tend to branch off whenever we go on a mission? I think it's because Chelsea isn't around us. Everyone assumes it's homesickness, but remember how rough things got during the Southern Wars in the few battles Chelsea wasn't there for?"
"Oh God. Demetri...You know if Bella and I leave and Chelsea follows..." I couldn't finish. Our death at the hands of our old masters was an intolerable thought. Aro would be disheartened, Marcus would be too apathetic for words, but Caius was the problem. Caius was beyond bloodthirsty, even for his own. That cruel bastard. I could not allow Bella anywhere near him. "I can't go back."
"They'll send me to track you down. And the Ancients aren't stupid enough to threaten my life if I don't comply..."
"Heidi. God, how did this get so fucked up? We were just talking about changing diets for a while, and now we're-"
"Discussing essentially committing treason. Felix, you know I won't betray you like that, but if they threaten Heidi..I..I..."
"I understand. If, and 'if' is the keyword, Bella chooses the alternative diet and doesn't want to join the guard, I can't even risk going back," I choked. If my entire world had been turned upside down the past couple days, it had been burnt to the ground now.
"No, Felix. It's worse than that," Demetri mumbled, like he was confessing to a horrid crime.
"Worse? How so?" I had been able to follow his train of thought throughout most of this bleak chat, but surely nothing could be worse than losing my mate after giving up hope of finding her at all at the hands of the people I had dedicated my entire existence to.
"Really Felix? You can't see what this conversation alone means?"
The wheels of my mind were turning, but all I could think about was Bella and her future. I shook my head.
"None of us can go back. If you don't return, and Aro touches me, and he will because Jane and Alec know I'm with you, he'll know not only about Bella's potential, but your choice to follow her, this discussion, Chelsea, and everything else. You'll be hunted the moment he finds out, Chelsea will be ash, and I'll have no choice because of Heidi."
"Holy shit. You're right," I whispered. Everything was in a tail spin. "We're banished and you need to get both Heidi and Chelsea out, before..."
"Exactly. Heidi is going on a fishing trip when Jane gets back, but I might be able to get Chelsea to pass a message to her. They're like sisters, and I doubt Aro would have an issue with what appears to be her helping with the fishing. I'll have them meet us, and we'll start over. They have no tracker now, and the only one who I'm aware of who could find us would be Alistair, and you know he's still running scared from Aro," he said rapidly, in full planning mode.
"And I'm sure Heidi can retrieve all our personal effects without suspicion, especially with Chelsea's assistance. We'll need help though, not only with the animal thing, but we have no connections outside the Volturi. Eleazar might be willing to help us."
"Are you really ready to do this? Once I make this call, there is no going back, and we'll always have to be on guard until we know for sure how they will react."
I could only nod, my life was falling apart and I was actively tearing it down. Demetri's mind was set, but I felt immensely guilty for setting this all in motion because I couldn't leave Bella alone.
"Chelsea? Are you alone?" He whispered into the phone. I couldn't will myself to let him have this important call in private, not that he minded. Too much rested on the outcome.
"Why, hello Demetri. Yes. But if I may ask, why?" Confusion seemed to be a common theme lately, although she sounded upbeat.
"Just keep your answers generic in case someone overhears you. Do you recall that night you came to me with something on your mind the same year World War Two ended?" It was stupid to word a question like that, of course she would remember.
"Yes," she breathed, all signs of cheerfulness vanished.
"I believe the time has come to make a choice. I can't explain right now, but if you wish to follow through, bring Heidi and anything you will not leave behind. Tell Heidi to bring the same, and for Felix and myself. Go to Longyear, Svalbard, and call me when you arrive. You will not be returning."
"Are you certain? Is this really the end?"
"I believe it is, and we must rely on each other. We have more enemies than we realize."
"Right. But wouldn't you rather tell Heidi yourself?"
"Is she nearby? I do need to speak with her if you can find her quickly."
"Yes, just a moment, Demetri. She hasn't left yet."
I heard the wind rushing past the phone as she swept through the castle, picking up snippets of voices as she passed. Heidi's voice greeted Chelsea and Demetri took a deep breath.
I turned to leave, allowing Demetri to speak to his wife alone. He grabbed my arm and shook his head, asking me to stay. Whatever he was about to tell her, he wanted me to hear too.
"Hello?" Heidi's voiced flowered with seductiveness, her natural tone.
"Hey, Beautiful. It's me," Demetri cooed, happier than I had seen him since we left over two weeks ago.
"Why didn't Chels say it was you! I miss you Sparky!"
I heard Chelsea giggle as my uncontrolled snickers wracked my body. Demetri rolled his eyes and mouthed 'You just wait brother.'
"I miss you and I love you my Princess. Listen, can you do me a favor?" he said as if he would be asking her to record the game on television for him. I didn't know what he would tell her, if anything, but she couldn't know how everything was about to change.
"Of course baby. I love it when you call me your Princess."
I never understood all the silly nicknames, but I did now. I would rarely even call Bella by her given name again, if ever.
"I ordered you a simple cocktail dress in Longyear, Svalbard, at a little shop called the King of Wishful Thinking, I'm putting together a small party for Felix and his new mate and our closest friends. No need to bring anything except your sexy self and the dress, Chelsea of course too. And anyone you wish to invite." There was a long pause, over a minute of nothing but silence. "Sweetheart?"
"How wonderful. Give my congratulations to Felix. I'll call you and let you know how the dress turned out love," she said very strained but trying to maintain her earlier tone. She knew. Her words quickly lost any hint of brightness and turned despairingly grave, "Love, Chelsea and I will be on our way within the hour. Do I need to bring your tuxedo and Felix's too?"
"If you can with my red tie. Felix's is in a small chest in the corner of his room. It will fit into a bag you'll find at the bottom of his wardrobe. We'll match perfectly, it's the same shade of crimson as the one you wore on our one hundredth anniversary."
It suddenly hit me, it was all code, a warning they had worked out years ago. He was telling her to pick up my few possessions I did not want to leave behind. Thankfully, I told him about the location years ago, and I didn't like change, at least until Bella came along. Change was the one thing that terrified me, fourteen hundred years of the same Felix and now I wasn't sure who I was anymore.
"Alright, I'm headed to his quarters now, along with Chels. She wants to speak with you again."
"Demetri, there's someone I'm inviting to the party," Chelsea said very excited. She had picked up on the secret language. It appeared we would be having quite a 'party'.
"Who would that be Chelsea? I was not aware you were looking at anyone in the guard." He was as surprised as I was. We could only pray it wasn't someone Aro would give his right arm to keep.
"I rather not say just yet, but I promise they will follow me anywhere. It's been impossible to be open about our relationship because Aro demanded it be kept a secret."
This was not good. Aro would only ask something as serious as that if it would cause problems within the guard. This was quickly becoming a full-blown defection.
"Do what you must, but the get together will be very quiet and, um, exclusive. If they will not be coming, don't tell, we don't want to offend anyone. Are we clear?" He was more than concerned now.
"Crystal. We'll call when we reach France, I'll get directions from Heidi after I talk to my guest."
"Take care Chels, talk to you soon." He shut the phone and dropped his head.
"Okay, Demetri explain all that, right now. I got the general gist, but I don't want or need to be blindsided here," I pleaded, worrying beyond reason about Bella being thrown into a likely struggle of this magnitude.
"Alright," he sighed. "You had your time to explain two days ago. Let me finish before you fly off the handle and try to tear me apart."
"You really think anything you could tell me at this point is capable of bringing that level of violence?" I asked incredulously.
"I highly doubt it, but you have been slightly insane lately," he smirked.
"I'll try to keep an open-mind," I said grinning and raised an eyebrow.
"Well, after the fiasco with Sadie..."
"I think that shook most of us up and gave us all a healthy fear of Caius. " I shivered at the memory.
"Tell me about it. I still carry the guilt of her death. It's on my hands." He shook his head slightly.
"Mine too. That's one thing I will never forgive myself for. We were just following orders, but still. She was a sweet girl. It was incredibly cruel, and in front of all whole guard too."
Sadie was one of the few events in our history of the guard that had lasting effects. Caius had her executed by Demetri and I, although she had done nothing wrong, in my eyes. She had simply failed to follow a werewolf trail, after she and her sister were attacked during a hunting trip. Her sister was destroyed, and she knew she would only die as well if she tried to kill it herself. Sadie failed to return with any humans because of her grief, but also was seeking help with the scourge. Caius was angry enough about not sating his thirst, but when he heard what had happened, and that she had not chased the monster alone, he sentenced her to die without a second thought.
"Everyone thought so, that's why we were forbidden to even mention it. Aro didn't want it to cause us to question the Ancients, at least that's what Renata told me once," he said quietly.
"She knows as much about the inner workings of the Volturi as the Masters do, so that makes sense."
"Exactly, after she told me that Aro made the silence edict about the whole event," he said as he sighed, putting the pieces together and realizing this was a really big deal, just as I was.
"That explains a lot. Renata rarely said a word after the edict," I mused and pursed my lips. We began to understand the full force of influence Aro had, to change someone who was very talkative and friendly into a virtual mute.
"Back to the point, I told Heidi about Sadie, since it was before her time, after she asked me why Renata was so withdrawn. She kept asking questions and one thing led to another, eventually I told her the whole story," he said, like he was explaining to a superior instead of his best friend.
"Well, Heidi got understandably nervous about me doing something that would land me in the same position. We came up with a plan, and thankfully, since Aro never touched us, we were able to keep it a secret. He never needed special information from Heidi, and my loyalty has been proven time and time again, so he eventually saw no reason to read my thoughts because they were basically same thing, different day. That's the same reason he never touches you too. Remember where we went on our honeymoon?"
"North of Svalbard. You wanted to show Heidi the stars during the polar night." Puzzle pieces began to form more rapidly.
"We worked out a code, that would sound completely innocent to anyone listening. Even Aro wouldn't question it, I hoped so anyway. Think about it, if you didn't know there was a problem, would you have realized something was amiss?"
"Did you expect something like this to happen?" I asked, disbelief twisting my face and my voice.
"No! Never! Honestly, I simply did it to make Heidi feel better, and she knew that. That's why she responded the way she did. She knew if it was ever said, something big and dangerous had happened or was about to. So when I told her I ordered her a cocktail dress, I was telling her that we did have a problem. The garment that I 'ordered' indicated how big of a problem."
"So if you would have said a ballroom gown?"
"I would have been in a situation that would have meant my instant death sentence and her as well," he said as if he were staring his executioner in the face. "A simple cocktail dress basically meant that we have a serious problem, that could have some very unpleasant ramifications, but we don't have all the details just yet. We don't know how everyone will react yet, and no one will know we've left until we are all safely together and have plan. We will have to let them know before too long."
"What about the rest? The party?"
"Ah, saying the dress was at a store called 'The King of Wishful Thinking' told her we had to leave for good. Don't ask, that was Heidi's term. The party meant there would be more than just the two of us, and I said it was for you and Bella, meaning you're behind us. And Heidi stating she would call me and tell me how the dress was indicated she understood the gravity of the situation and that she still had questions, which she would talk to me about later. The thing about it being the same color as the dress she wore on our anniversary told her to come here."
"That's what I thought. What about Chelsea and going to France?"
"I think Chelsea meant she knew the seriousness of the situation and would follow Heidi's lead unquestionably. And the invitation only meant, of course-"
"Don't tell anyone who's not going. At least you managed to get our things. I glad you two came up with this."
"Me too. I'm just very disheartened that it's needed at all."
"Agreed, it feels like everything has been skewed from how I thought it was."
"I assume I never gave much credence to the thought of them controlling us so completely until I began to think all this through and talk it out with you. Honestly, I'm sort of glad, I probably would have never connected the dots if it wasn't for you finding Bella."
"I know, neither would I have. I still believe in our purpose, but if they might be a threat simply for something as petty as changing the way we feed..." I whispered, beginning to question everything I knew about the Volturi.
"Then who knows what the Masters might be capable of. We both know the Volturi don't fight fair, and there's no reason to, we keep the law. And it's our loyalty to Aro, Caius and Marcus that keep us all more or less subservient. But all things considered, if what I suspect about Chelsea is in fact true, I have reason to believe the entire Volturi might fall apart."
We began to walk back to the lodge. Bella's heartbeat was slowly become faster as the venom spread.
"Still don't understand how hunting habits could create this level of defection though," I said as I shut the door.
"Simple. Anything different is a threat, especially to Caius, and like I said, since we're two of the high ranking members, it's going to cause a stir among the rest. Imagine if Marcus suddenly wasn't so apathetic all the time."
"Oh dear God," I breathed, wide-eyed.
"Vast understatement. I doubt God Himself could help us now if Caius decides we're guilty of treason."
"Which he would," I said as I dropped my face into my hands.
"Unless, Aro thinks he could get us back, and he would only really care about myself and Chelsea, possibility Bella. Heidi's easy to replace, she's only there because of me. And well, there are other fighters out there. You're by far the best, but you're not one of a kind."
"Neither are you," I scoffed although I knew he was right.
"No, but I'm the only one who can track something anywhere in the world and without knowing specifically what it is. Alistair can't even boast that. Aro gave up his pursuit of him after he found me. I'm a million times better than he is."
"Why in the hell did you never tell me all this? All the things you've been keeping from me? I thought I was your brother!" I was furious, not necessarily at him, but at the situation. I just happened to take it out on Demetri.
"It never came up! Honestly! Either I thought it wasn't important or Aro asked me to keep it quiet! And I know you understand about the things Heidi and I discussed and even Chelsea! Don't you even think about blaming me! Blame the damn polar bears if you need a scapegoat!" Even in his anger, he still kept our issues veiled around Bella.
"I'm sorry, Demetri," I whispered as I sat next to Bella's still form and stroked her hair. "This is like heaven right smack in the middle of hell."
"I know. And I'm not mad at you. I'm livid that even if we're blowing this out of proportion, nothing will ever be the same. We can't go back, and I'm seriously doubting if I even would now."
"I feel the same way. Fourteen hundred years and everything has changed in one conversation. Not only my life, but yours, Heidi's, Chelsea's and whoever she's bringing."
"I honestly think I'm still in shock. Like it hasn't set in yet." He was staring blankly at Bella, pouring over something. "Who do you think Chelsea's mate is?"
"Heh, I have no idea. I'm thinking it's someone important, but I'll really hoping she either just wants to surprise us, or didn't want to say due to possible eavesdroppers," I smirked, not looking away from Bella, but watching Demetri's reaction in my peripheral vision.
"I hoping so too. But it must be someone who could cause a scandal. And unfortunately there's a few of those."
"Ha! More than a few! Basically everyone that's not mated would be feed for the rumor mill, and if he were supposedly mated, even more so."
"Wait just a second! Did you notice she never say 'he'?" Demetri's eyes were wide with shock. I turned slowly to face him, my expression mirroring his own.
"She didn't, did she?" I gasped. "It's not possible. Aro would never allow that Demetri. Imagine the issues that would bring the Volturi!"
"I agree, but she did say Aro demanded it be kept a secret, but not forbidden," he reasoned.
"Which is why I say it's an impossibility," I countered.
"We need to know right now," he murmured retrieving his phone from his jacket pocket.
The phone rang three times, two more than normal. That was rather ominous.
"Chels! What took so long?" Demetri spit out in a rush, concern peppering his voice.
"Sorry, that was my fault. My phone was in my bag in the back seat and not so easy to get to," she sighed. I had to chuckle at her lack of planning.
"Oh, okay. So you're already on your way?"
"Yes, sir. We are approaching the German border in a few minutes."
"Nice! You're making excellent time!"
"Well, Heidi's driving and my super-charged Audi. Tell Felix thank you for me again, by the way."
"You're welcome Chelsea," I said laughing. "I'm glad you enjoy it, since you only got lucky on that bet!"
Demetri was chuckling quite hard as well. It was nice to be reminded of the old days without all the doom and gloom I had been dealing with lately.
"Please! We both know that glass table wasn't going to last long," she giggled.
"Maybe, but I never expected Gianna to break it of all people! Who knew she was scared shitless of spiders and that table wouldn't support her weight! At least she didn't draw blood," I chuckled. Here was this cute little lady, with no fear of vampires, asking me to kill a tiny spider on her desk.
"Spiders won me the bet, Felix," she said. I could just see her smug little grin.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever," I replied, rolling my eyes.
"Returning to the reason I called," Demetri continued, his voice serious again. "Chelsea, I'm not going to ask you who your mate is, since I assume you have your reasons, but please just tell me it's not a woman."
"Demetri!" Heidi chided him from the background.
"No, it's a man, I promise. It's just complicated. Although I was perhaps a bit too vague on the phone earlier."
"Yes, you were. He's not mated to someone else is he?" he begged.
"Demetri! How could you think that?" Heidi screeched again.
"Seriously, Dem? You should know me better than that!" Chelsea wasn't as understanding this time.
"I realize that, but you didn't give me much to work with and we've already raised enough hell today," Demetri replied, sighing in relief.
"I know. Sorry about the confusion," she added, somewhat embarrassed.
"And I apologize for my lack of faith in order to even ask you such a thing, Chels. We just need to know as much as possible in order to figure out where we all stand," he said, with all the grace of a gentleman. "What's your plan on getting to us?"
"I'm still in the dark about were we are going, and Heidi won't say."
"Very wise Heidi!" Demetri commended his wife.
"Thank you, love," she beamed, her smile evident in her tone.
"All she told us is we will be driving to Oslo, abandoning my car, so she owes me. We'll stay in the city until nightfall, then we'll hunt and run the rest of the way."
"No, don't hunt until you talk to us first." Groans erupted on the other end of the line. "We have a good excuse, but I can't go into details right now. Just trust me please."
"Hmph. Fine, I'll keep them in line Demetri," Heidi sighed.
"Thank you babe. At the pace you're going you should be here by late morning if you don't wait until dusk. Heidi, just go in the straight line. It should be mostly frozen."
"That's what I was going to do. I'll call you when we into Oslo."
"Don't bother love. I'll just track you."
"I rather you not if you would, Demetri. I don't want to reveal my mate until we arrive. It was already a surprise enough for Heidi."
"No kidding," she muttered.
"As you wish. Call me in Svalbard too while you're at it. It's about a thirteen-hour run from there."
"Got it. Bye Dem!"
"Later Chels." He snapped the phone shut again. These phones weren't meant to take vampire abuse and it groaned in protest.
"Well, that's settled," I shrugged. "Still makes me wonder who it is though. If she won't say although they're nearing Germany and talking about where they're actually going."
"Agreed. As I said, I'm sure she has her reasons, and even Heidi was surprised so it really must be interesting at the least."
"Demetri, interesting? It doesn't matter who it is! This is already a tremendous problem! Think about it! Best case scenario, they've just lost three senior members, two guardsmen, and one potentially gifted immortal! And that's assuming Chelsea's mate is someone like Gregory with nothing above and beyond that Aro would want to keep!"
"And that's exactly why I think it's someone like Gregory! Aro isn't too fond of ungifted guards being mated with gifted ones. Renata also told me that after Eleazar left with Carmen."
"What? Why?"
"Baggage. Think of how many of the guard are gifted. Now think about how many are mated with ungifted permanent members."
"Then what about me?" I whispered, realizing that I very well might not be as important as Aro had lead me to believe. "I'm the best fighter in the world, always three steps ahead of my opponent."
"I wouldn't say you're not important to the guard. And you are the best in the world. It's going to hurt them to lose you, but you're not completely irreplaceable either, and you know that. Aro will have to settle for second best."
"Aro never takes second best," I said coldly. "But if he killed me, they wouldn't be second best anymore."
"Exactly. And quit side-tracking me! As I said, Aro's not fond of the gifted and ungifted being mated, but only within the guard. The reason being baggage, but more specifically even with Chelsea's help, if she is indeed binding us together, it's difficult for us all to get along all the time. Just look at how unpopular Jane is. The bigger the guard, the harder to control, no matter your resources."
"Ah," I sighed, contemplating the significance of this latest news.
"And I'm assuming the worst case scenario you were thinking of is if it's someone like Marcus."
"Hold up! That's beyond worst case! How could that be? Our kind don't remate. We're not like humans!"
"Yes, therefore someone could only be using her. We never truly become mated again after we lose ours," he said gravely, grimacing as the thought of losing Heidi.
I rested my eyes on Bella's changing form. A more intense expression plastered itself to my face, as the most horrid mix of emotions I was capable of of feel swept through me: pain, loss, guilt, despair, anger, loneliness, emptiness, more crushing despair.
"Felix," Demetri said gently. He rested his hand on my shoulder "It's alright. I understand. If I lost Heidi, I'd be begging you to kill me. I couldn't go on. I just couldn't." His words caught in his throat.
"Demetri, you have to help me protect her. I can't bear to lose her. I've waited too long for her, and we're so close to forever," I breathed.
"I know, brother. You've been in the dark for many centuries. I will protect her as if her were my own flesh and blood."
"Thank you," I said, clapping my hand over his. "She'll be immortal by morning. Just listen to her heart."
"Bella is going to be beautiful," Demetri smiled. "You couldn't have found a better mate."
"She was always beautiful." I whispered, the amount of love in my words stunned me. It was so effortless.
Bella had not moved at all since I laid her on the huge leather couch. I could see the change taking hold of her. Her skin was now like granite, and a gorgeous shade of snowy alabaster. The scar of the bastard that attacked her had faded, and her body was losing it's human warmth. It would not be long now, only a few more hours until she opened her eyes to her new life, to me.
A/N: I'm writing like mad right now, mainly trying to figure out where to break it up into chapters. Basically I get in the mood and just write until I'm too tired or out of ideas, and I'm don't really stop to split up chapters. For those of you waiting on a new chapter to Family Pieces, I'm almost done editting chapter 5.
Thanks so much and I'm truly shocked at the response this story has received!