HELLO! Long time no see! I know, I know! But I wanted to get this story completely written before I started posting again, so there would be no delay between chapters. And since I'm posting, the story is completely written. 19 chapters total and I'm going to post daily for the next 13 days until it's done. Then I'll have a brief break before I start the Sideline sequel in time for football season :) That's the plan and I'm sticking to it!

Also, if you didn't know, my second novel, The Hot Corner, came out a month ago! Reviews have been fabulous and I hope you check it out if you haven't already! Thanks for your support and your patience.

When last I saw you, Bella had found out that Renee was a vampire and that she'd abandoned her family to go off with her mate. She and Edward decided that they'd look for her, with a little help from Billy. This chapter picks up around a week later, with Edward doing what he can to help Bella find her mom. Enjoy and I'll see you tomorrow with more!

Fill Me with Your Poison Chapter 7

Edward Cullen was on edge. He was away from his Bella for the first time in the few weeks that they'd been together, and he found that he didn't like it one bit. He'd always wondered at that incomplete feeling that he'd picked up in stray thoughts from separated mates, never really understanding how a separation of a few hours could be bothersome. He'd thought he would welcome it if his time ever came, but he'd been dead wrong. Being without Bella caused a distinct pressure in his chest. It wasn't unbearable, but it was uncomfortable and he itched to turn around and find her again. However, he couldn't. There were pressing matters to attend to that needed to be done without prying eyes around.

He ran the menial errands that he needed for the club, meeting with alcohol suppliers, licensers, and a politician to keep the peace. Ostensibly, that was the reason he'd left. At least, that was what he wanted everyone but Bella to think.

Edward knew he could trust Emmett and Jasper explicitly, and when the time was right, he'd tell them of his plans. His brothers would back him up and assist in his power play without a doubt. But he wasn't so sure about others in the club. News of his mating with Bella had reached Volterra earlier than he'd planned or desired. Someone in his club was reporting back to Aro, and when Edward found out who they were, he'd end them, plain and simple.

Thanks to his and Bella's ability to communicate with one another without words, nobody knew that they were planning on finding her mother. Edward didn't know why he didn't want anyone to know, but he had a gut feeling that it was something that should be kept under wraps for the time being. So he was seeking help outside of the club.

"Brother." He smiled at the approaching figure cutting through the trees. Edward had chosen a secluded spot near the water, a place he'd discovered a couple of years ago and that he came to when he needed an escape.

"Brother."

He gave his brother a half hug before releasing him. He was dressed in an impeccable Italian suit that set off his European good looks. "Demetri, I hope I haven't imposed upon you?"

His brother tilted his head, his bright red eyes looking him over. "As if you could ever impose upon me? Though, I'll admit, you've tickled my curiosity. Why are we meeting here, and why couldn't I tell anyone you'd reached out to me?"

"Did you?" Edward demanded, his voice harsh as he imagined the consequences of Aro finding out what he was about to discuss with Demetri.

"Do you even need to ask?" Demetri tossed his shoulder-length black hair, offended. "I don't know why you wanted secrecy, but that doesn't mean I didn't grant it."

Edward ordered himself to relax. His brother wouldn't betray him. He owed him.

"I'm sorry. I've been on edge, and the walls have ears at the club."

Demetri nodded. "Would you expect any less? Father wouldn't let you go without making sure he had someone to keep an eye on you. Maybe several someones. He's still as paranoid as ever, despite the strides we've made."

And there it was. "You've liked my ideas, us going public, the deal with humans?" Edward inquired. Yes, Demetri had accepted the changes without complaint, but he wanted to know if his brother truly enjoyed them.

Do you really want to know?

Edward nodded.

"For the most part, I like it. I like being able to step out onto the street in the middle of the day and not have humans running in fear. I like that we're no longer in the shadows. I like human women." At that, he gave a wolfish grin.

"What don't you like?" Edward wanted to know, wanted to dispel any dissatisfaction before he let his brother in on his plans.

Demetri shrugged one elegant shoulder. "Sometimes I miss the hunt. Chasing my prey into the darkness, cornering them, feeding off their fear before I feed on their blood. There's still a hint of fear, but it's nothing like the blood pumping through a pounding heart as my teeth sink into that soft flesh."

Edward could only agree. There were times that he missed targeting his prey, stalking them, waiting for the moment to strike.

"Have you ever slipped?" he asked, for he knew not all of his brothers had the self control that he did. He hadn't been lying to Bella when he said that his family would never pay if they did decide to feed off humans. It was just the way it was.

His brother chuckled. "I've been tempted a time or two. Luckily, I'm able to find the thrill of the hunt in another way. I take it that's why I'm here?"

Right. Edward had other business at hand. "Yes. As you know, I've recently found my mate."

Demetri shook his head. "I still can't believe it. Female vampires all over Italy have donned black and gone into mourning."

Edward laughed. "You exaggerate."

Demetri raised an eyebrow. "Barely. There were quite a few broken hearts when the news broke, all those women who hoped that one day you'd magically discover that they were the one for you."

Edward rolled his eyes. "Like it works that way? If they were meant for me, I'd have known it from the moment I laid eyes on them, like I did Bella."

"Yes, Bella. Is she as lovely as her name?"

Edward felt the smile stretching over his face. "Even more so."

"Well I look forward to making her acquaintance. I can't wait to meet the lady that brought you to your knees."

Edward laughed. "One day, it'll happen to you as well."

"Lord, I hope not! I've had a field day comforting all the girls that are crying over you."

The brothers both laughed at Demetri's exaggerations.

"We both know you don't need my help when it comes to women, vampire or otherwise." Demetri was much desired within the walls of Volterra and beyond, as well.

"True, but I don't mind the extras. I'll take care of them for you."

"You do that." All other women had ceased to exist for Edward the moment he laid eyes on Bella. He didn't miss emotionless couplings with willing bodies. His connection to his mate was beyond any power he'd ever known.

"So, if I'm not here to meet the lovely woman that tamed the beast, what am I doing here?"

"Before I tell you, I need to again request your discretion in this matter. I don't know how things are going to turn out, so I'd like your word that you won't mention this to anyone back home or anywhere else for that matter."

"Brother, long ago, I swore my fealty to you, when you saved my life. You don't ever need to ask for my loyalty or my silence. You have it."

Many decades ago, Demetri had had a brief affair with a female vampire whose brother hadn't been quite right in the head. He'd plotted Demetri's death and had Edward caught wind of it, not only warning his brother, but assisting him in ridding the world of the dangerous vampire. Demetri had been in his debt ever since, and that was one of the main reasons Edward trusted him beyond anyone but Emmett and Jasper.

"Thank you. As I was saying, my mate lost her mother many years ago. She left the family with nothing but a note, and it wasn't until recently that Bella found out that she'd become a vampire."

Demetri started at that news. "Voluntarily?"

Edward shrugged. "By all appearances, yes. She found her mate and left her family behind."

"But that is unheard of. I've never heard tell of a person finding a vampire mate and abandoning their family."

Edward was relieved that he wasn't alone in finding this situation to be astounding. "Nor have I. My Bella needs answers, and I told her that I'd get them for her. You're the only one I know that could find Renee Swan, or whatever name she's taken in mating."

"Not only would I be happy to do so for your mate, but I admit that my curiosity is burning to be satisfied as well. What more can you give me?"

"She went north, according to a friend of the family, and that's all I know. I did get this for you." He handed his brother the locket. "Please, take care of this. It's all that Bella has of her mother."

Demetri took the necklace carefully. "I'll guard it with my life."

He closed his eyes as he closed his palm around the pendant. Nobody really knew how his gift worked; he was just able to get a sense of a person when he touched something that belonged to them. His body turned to the west.

"That way."

Edward didn't question the direction. His brother had never failed to find whomever he was tasked with locating.

"Thank you."

Demetri waved off his thanks. "Anything for you." At the slight narrowing of his Edward's eyes, he pressed on. "What more is there?"

"How do you feel about Father?" It didn't come out as smoothly as Edward had planned, but he wanted to surprise his brother into a truthful answer.

What an odd question. What does he want me to say?

"I want the truth."

"Without Father, none of us would be." It was the safe answer, the kind of answer that would satisfy Aro, not Edward.

"Yes, without him, we'd be long dead. We would have lived the lives we were supposed to live, as humans. I'm not asking how you feel about being a vampire."

"I don't remember much about my life before," his brother told him hesitantly. "Things have been pretty good since I've been changed."

Edward tried to swallow his impatience. They'd all been trained not to say or feel or even think anything negative about Aro. Of course his brother had reservations.

"Father is antiquated in his beliefs. He's controlling, paranoid, overdramatic, and possibly a little psychotic. He's arrogant and too powerful." Edward saw the shock on Demetri's face before he masked it. "Am I wrong?"

His brother's mind was whirling. Part of him agreed completely with what Edward had said; the other part feared the repercussions of voicing that agreement.

"I don't tell you that to set you up for anything, as you could as easily use what I said against me as I could you if you agreed. I want to know what you think of Aro, the vampire-not your sire, not the king of our kind. In a vacuum, how do you view him?"

"Where are you going with this?" Demetri asked, his voice an octave higher than usual.

"Answer me and I'll tell you. The truth, Demetri. Nothing you say here will be held against you, whether you agree or disagree."

His normally unruffled brother ran a hand through his hair. "It…It is as you say."

"So you agree with me? That he's too powerful and unstable?"

"Well, I mean…most of the time, he seems okay, but there are times…"

Edward got flashes of Aro losing his mind at a perceived threat when he couldn't read the thoughts of some random vampire. He'd ordered said vamp exterminated, even though they hadn't done anything to warrant it.

"He is suspicious whenever any of us are away for too long. The last time I was gone, he questioned me thoroughly and wouldn't stop touching me for a good hour longer than necessary."

"Were you able to shield your thoughts from him?" Edward asked sharply. It was imperative that his brother control his thoughts around Aro. If he couldn't…Edward would have to take drastic actions that he would loathe, but would do in order to protect himself and Bella.

"There was nothing to shield, but if you're asking if I'm still in the habit of keeping certain things to myself, then yes. I haven't forgotten your lessons." Demetri's mind flashed back to Edward showing several of the younger vampires how to keep from revealing what their father wanted to know. Since he could only read thoughts through touch, they simply had to think of something that had nothing to do with whatever Aro wanted to know. "Why do I feel like you taught us that for reasons beyond not getting in trouble for destroying his office when we got overenthusiastic during sex or killed one of the servants by accident?"

Edward had to admire his brother's sharp mind. "I had my reasons, yes."

"Lord help me, are you planning to overthrow Father? Is his supposed paranoia actually good acumen?"

Edward hesitated. "If I were?"

Demetri whirled and paced around the forest floor, his mind flying as he envisioned scenarios that included Aro dying, Edward dying, and himself being tortured before mercifully being ended as well. He saw a war between the old and the new, as Aro had family that would die before they allowed him to be usurped.

"It would be ugly."

"Perhaps. Perhaps there are more like you and me that see the bigger picture of where we are and where we're destined to go. Father thirsts for power, yes, but do you really think he can take it? Without me? Without you? And others? We'd still be skulking in the dark if it weren't for me."

"That's true, but…"

"He took us from everything we knew and loved, destroyed our families, and made us into his likeness, without even a thought or care for what we wanted. Don't you think it's time he paid for that?"

Demetri was stunned. "You hate him. You really hate him and I never knew. For as long as I can remember, you've been his favorite, the one we all envied, the one we all strove to be. How couldn't I see it? How couldn't he?"

"Because I'm that good. From the moment I was old enough to understand, before he even turned me, I knew that one day, I'd take him down. I knew it would take a while; maybe I didn't expect it to be a century, but I've bided my time, and it's nearly here. He's feeling very confident these days, basking in our advancements. The time to strike is now."

"Brother, you know that I'll support you in whatever you want to do. But you're talking about a war."

"Not necessarily. There are more like me, like us. You're not the first that I've approached, and you won't be the last. I won't hold it against you if you feel you can't act, but know that I will if you should side against me."

"I could never." Demetri shook his head. "I owe you my life."

Edward nodded. "Technically, you owe him as well, since he created you. I understand the battle in your head."

"My head says you're crazy; my heart says you're right."

Edward smiled, knowing that he'd won. "Which are you going to listen to?"

Demetri sighed. "What have you planned?"

"Nothing concrete, yet. There are a few others I need to feel out before I make any kind of move. Chelsea will have to be dealt with."

"Her binds are tough to break."

"Yes." She would have to die. Edward didn't verbalize it, but he saw the understanding dawn in his brother's eyes.

"Demi, I know I'm asking a lot of you. We'd be more than even if you stand beside me. I'll owe you more than I could ever repay. I can't assure you of anything, other than if we are successful-and I assure you that we will be-you'll have nobody to answer to but yourself. The days of Aro's rule, with fear and intimidation, will be a thing of the past. We're already free in so many ways, but we're not free from him. We won't ever be, until he's gone. Even now, here, I have someone watching over me and reporting back to him. Don't you want to be rid of that?"

"Of course. But wouldn't you be the new ruler?"

"In theory, yes. But I'm not interested in ruling our race. I'm interested in theirs." Edward gestured to the city.

"Like what? You want them to be our slaves?" Demetri was horrified, and Edward laughed at the images he had in his mind. At one time, perhaps he wouldn't have minded such a scenario. But that was before Bella, and humans like John and Billy. His perspective had changed.

"Of course not. I want people to co-exist with us; I just want us to be the ones in charge. Right now, humans are under the impression that we're subservient to them, even though deep inside, they know we could easily destroy them. I'm not interested in changing many of the agreements we've already made, but I want us to be stronger…in positions of power. Part of their governments-hell, the head of their governments. I want us to have a say, the say."

"Isn't that what Aro wants?"

"No, he wants what you imagine. Slaves. Him sitting on a throne as humans are brought to him to feed. He wants Volterra everywhere. I want equality. And the opportunity to rule peacefully. None of this is immediate. It will take time to win trust. I don't want to intimidate man; I want to work with him. I want it to be their idea to elect us to power, their acceptance. I want to do it the right way."

"This is a lot to absorb."

Edward knew when to step back. "I know you need time. All I ask for now is that you keep this conversation between us. When you see father…"

"There will be no mention or thought of you. I have others to find at his behest. Don't worry; I know what needs to be done."

It wasn't the immediate acquiescence he'd hoped for, but Edward thought things had gone pretty well. His brother might be hesitant, but Edward knew the picture he'd painted in his mind of their father was unfavorable and distasteful to Demetri.

"Thank you. For listening and for helping my Bella."

"What does she think of all of this?" Demetri asked quietly.

Edward smiled. "We haven't talked about it overly much, but she knows that I need to overthrow Aro. I could do that and forego anything else and be quite happy. But I cannot let him live. To do so would be catastrophic for our kind and destroy everything I've built toward."

His brother nodded. "I'll be in touch."

"Okay. Thank you again." Edward embraced Demetri and was hugged in return.

Demetri turned to go, reaching the tree line before hesitating. I will support you, brother. No matter the outcome, I'll stand with you.

"Thank you."

Demetri disappeared without another word, and Edward breathed a sigh of relief. It hadn't been easy, but capitulation without question would have worried him more than hesitance any day. He had another ally. More would come. But in the meantime, he needed to return to Bella. Nothing felt right without her by his side.

A/N As you know, I always try to respond to reviews, but posting daily might make that difficult. I'll do what I can, but if you don't hear from me, know that I appreciate it and I'll get with you soon!