Disclaimer: I own love. Okay, nope I don't. I don't own Twilight either.
Author's note: Thanks for being so patient! I'm just finishing most of my midterm exams and presentations, but I have still some work to go. I'm not abandoning the story, it's just taking a little bit longer than I want to post the next chapter. It should get better by Wednesday of this week, so expect the next chapter on Thursday or Friday.
Warning, this chapter is one of the big reasons my story is rated T. I don't go into extreme details, but Bella is telling her story of what happened while she was captive in the brothel house. It is suggestive and does speak of repeated rape. I am sorry if this offends you. This is the biggest description that Bella gives of the ordeal, there might be minor tales later on, but they won't be as vital as Edward hearing the story. I actually wrote it in his POV based on a suggestion by a reviewer, so thanks! I felt you understand more when you are hearing it, not living it.
Please don't hate me for the cliff-hanger. You all knew that the conversation at the end would come up. Please enjoy and review!
Thanks to my beta, Poohdog!
Chapter 6 – Scary Stories
Edward POV
I could hear Alice talking gently to Bella, trying to get her to open up. A part of me knew that she could never learn to trust a human again, especially when she found out those caring for her weren't human… they were vampires. I could hear Bella crying. The sound made my undead heart contract. She was saying how worthless she was and that no one would want her. It was almost if we were speaking from the same heart. I walked slowly upstairs as I heard Bella scream about wanting to die and being so broken that she could never heal. I felt the cool doorknob in my hands and before I realized what I was doing, I had stepped inside the room. Bella was dressed in a pair of dark blue sweat pants and pale blue t-shirt. Her wet hair draped around her sorrow filled face as the salty tears fell. I could smell the salt mixing with the floral scent of her blood. She dropped to her knees, unable to look at me.
"You have to help her," Alice murmured so only I could hear. Then she left us alone in my bedroom.
I knelt before her, knowing it would make things worse if I were to touch her. Touch was the last thing she desired anymore.
"Let me try. Tell me what happened, Bella. I'm listening," I whispered, trying to gently compel her with my voice.
"No," Bella sobbed. "No one needs to know what happened to me. They don't need to know what James and the other men did in the darkness on Sunday night after their confessionals. It's too horrible. It's my fault."
"I won't judge you. You have to understand, it's not your fault."
"Yes, it is! He said that I looked too tempting and any man would have pulled me off the street that night. He said that I was lucky this time and he knew someone that would pay good money to take me off his hands since I spit in his face and that made him try to choke me."
Bella covered her face with her trembling hands as she spoke and the tears leaked out. I gently cleared my throat and motioned for her to move to the couch to get comfortable. Her eyes stayed glued to the floor as she moved, not even warily looking at me. She slowly got to her feet and walked towards the couch. I caught her elbow when she stumbled. Bella flinched slightly, but didn't pull away. I quickly released her when we sat down on the sofa. She pulled the thick afghan over her body, keeping her eyes away from mine.
"It all started about a month ago. I was walking home from dance rehearsal. I stayed late to practice because my instructor told me that if I didn't improve, she wouldn't let me perform at the recital. It was dark and I forgot the key to my house and my dad wasn't going to be home until late. My cell phone was lying on my bed where I left it. His footsteps were heavy behind me and I panicked. I ran away from him. He called me sweetheart and baby. I tried to climb over a fence, but he caught my foot and pulled me down. I spit on him and he beat me, and then claimed I was a waste. Then he knocked me unconscious with something heavy.
"I woke up on the plane, but he stabbed a needle in my arm and I faded again."
Bella was trembling as she spoke, fiddling with the afghan between her fingers. The tears came silently down her cheeks as she refused to make eye contact with anything but her hands. I listened as she continued.
"We arrived in London and we had been on a private plane, so they didn't check us when we came into the country. He took me straight to the Portside Brothel House. James was pleased at the sight of me and paid my captor five thousand dollars. Then he…" Bella paused, glancing up at me for a split second and the pain in her eyes almost overcame me. Seeing my gaze, her eyes returned the blanket. "He took me upstairs and introduced me to the other 'ladies' off the house. Meg was supposed to take care of me by being my mentor, but she failed in the end. Though James assigned her the task of training me to become like them, so I guess I failed her. Anyway, James gave me something to eat and then took me to his bedroom. He raped me."
I wanted to throw things and kill the man who hurt her. Bella wiped her dripping nose on the corner of her blanket and tried to continue.
"Each night he would take me to his room. Some nights he brought other men with him and they had a jolly good time with me. I hated it, but I couldn't escape. I attempted to jump out my window on the third night, but Meg caught me and Laurent beat me for the first time. I broke a rib and had several more bruises. At first I would scream and scream, but then he would rape me longer. Eventually, I lost my voice and just took it. James got bored very quickly with me, sometimes telling me he wished he could have his money back. It was all to ruin my stubbornness.
"During the day, Meg would teach me things to say to get a man into bed and told me how to please them and get good money from them. It was a living hell there. She made me learn seductive dances and I was rotten at them, since I can't dance normally. I stopped eating, hoping that I would eventually starve to death… but it only made me weak and a bigger target for beatings from Laurent and rape from James.
"The night you came was the night that I was to be presented and sold to the highest bidder. I fought Laurent and he tied my hands together with ropes that cut off my circulation. I wasn't about to go down without a fight. I would rather die than be sold to a man for the night. They were always drunk and never remembered anything. I always remembered. Though honestly, I feel sorry for the wives and children that those sick bastards leave at home and return to in the morning as if nothing ever happened."
My eyes fell upon her wrists as I looked at the blistered and red skin where she had been bound. Since she was wearing a t-shirt, I would see some of the yellowy purple bruises up her arms. I would have to ask Alice for Bella's clothing to be more covering so she wouldn't be uncomfortable. Bella sniffled. We would also need to buy some tissues for her nose.
"The last night was the worst. After my shaming James and losing all the money for the night with my evil tricks, James and Laurent beat me severely. I was having trouble breathing and I was bleeding all over, but they didn't care. James dragged me down the stairs and made an example of me in front of the other girls. Some were crying, while the others looked at me with anger because I deserved it. I was returned to my room, but Laurent followed me. He wanted to get a turn first, but James and Meg came in. She chained me to my bed and let James rape me, forcing me to say his name and tell him how much I liked it. Once he was gone, Laurent came in. I simply let him do what he wanted and I passed out. The next thing I remember…" Bella's chocolate brown eyes locked with mine as her face soften slightly. I desperately wanted to touch. Almost as if embarrassed a bit, she looked down and finished. "I remember your face."
I didn't know what to say to Bella. My emotions were too much and I couldn't even tell what I feeling.
"I'm so sorry."
"You did nothing," she murmured. "I'm a wench… nothing more."
"No, you aren't." Knowing it was foolish, I took Bella's face in my hands. She attempted to get free, but froze at my cold touch. "You didn't deserve any of it. I will never let anyone hurt you again."
And then she broke. Bella crumpled in her spot on the sofa, screaming and weeping. I gently pulled her into my arms as she pounded on my chest in frustration, yelling about how she hated everything and everyone. I held her until she fell asleep from exhaustion. The tears didn't stop coming even in her sleep. When I knew she was completely out, I allowed Carlisle to come into the room. I'll give her a shot for the pain since she's asleep. It would be best if you waited downstairs son. I shook my head.
"I can handle it," I murmured.
"Edward… there's no need to stay with her. You will hear her if she needs you. Esme and the others are waiting downstairs to talk to you. There's something important that we need to discuss."
I knew what it was before he could block his thoughts from me. We had to discuss what to do with Bella, and I was completely unsure of what to do or say to my family. I didn't want to be parted with Bella, but it was dangerous for her to be staying here. Though, in some ways we weren't as bad as those vile humans that damaged her. She was safer here than there. I was torn. Walking slowly downstairs, I saw my family sitting at the dining room table we only used for show. Their minds were blank to me. Alice gave me a huge smile, while singing the alphabet song in French. I rolled my eyes and sat down next to Jasper. Wow… you are emotionally a wreck. His thoughts were extremely curious about my confusion.
"We cannot throw her out," Esme spoke.
"I agree with Esme," Alice declared, taking Jasper's hand in hers. "Bella should be allowed to stay here. There's no place for her to go right now and since we don't understand Edward's fascination with her… she cannot leave."
"But we can't force her to stay," Rosalie piped up. "It's important she knows that it is her choice to stay or go."
Emmett pulled Rose's hand into his lap, gently rubbing her fingers as her voice choked up with emotion. It was hard to listen to my sister like this. I never comprehended how much pain she was in before I met Bella. Esme's thoughts of concern came to my mind, but I wasn't paying attention to what she said.
"What about us?" Jasper questioned in a rougher voice, causing me to look up. "What if she finds out we aren't human? It's not safe for her here."
"She is safer here than free in this world where men rape innocent girls for money!" I yelled, standing up and knocking over the chair. My hands clutched the table, splintering the delicate wood. Esme internally groaned. I lessened my grip on the table. "Bella needs support and a doctor's care right now. Carlisle can take care of her here and no one will ask her questions."
Alice gave me a sad look, but I couldn't get past her block. Trembling in repressed anger, I picked up my chair and sat down. "Edward… Bella has a family out there somewhere. You said that she mentioned her dad Charlie in her sleep. She misses him and we don't have any right to keep him from knowing that she's alive. He probably fears she's already dead. We can't allow him to suffer needlessly. It's not fair."
"And Edward…" Carlisle had finished tending to Bella's wounds and was entering the dining room. He placed his hands on his wife's shoulders, kissing the top of her hair. "She will begin to notice things about us that don't fit."
"How we don't eat," Emmett added.
"Or sleep," Alice teased.
"Or sweat."
"Or pee."
"Emmett, that's gross!" Rosalie exclaimed, smacking her husband as he laughed quietly so he wouldn't wake up the human girl. "Shut up!"
"You are forgetting the biggest ones," Jasper remarked. "She might notice how we hunt all the time, our eyes are gold or black, and we glitter in the sunlight. There's also the fact that I cannot get too close to her for she smells too good."
Shaking my head, I put my face in my hands. Everything they were saying was true. Not all humans were naïve enough to ignore the strange things about my family, and Bella seemed to be a smart girl. We couldn't hide it from her, but I desperately wanted to try.
"We can pretend," I argued.
Jasper scooted his chair closer to Alice. "Edward, this is our home; the one place that we don't have to pretend. I don't know if we could all do that."
Listening to the thoughts of my siblings and parents, I realized that they all loved the freedom they had at home. It was nice to be themselves. I completely understood, but… I was willing to sacrifice my freedom for Bella's. Still, this was my family and for so long we had trusted each other and depended on each other. I couldn't give them up for a human child. Bella meant something to me, but I didn't know what.
"What do we decide?" Esme asked. "It is best to decide now, whether Bella is staying or we are sending her to her family once we track her father down. She needs stability in her life right now."
I grimaced, feeling my heart weighed down when Carlisle spoke. "Edward should make the decision. We will trust what he decides and as a family we shall do as he requests. Edward, what do you want?"
Please review and don't hurt me for the cliffy!
Emma
