~*~No Choice~*~
I couldn't have stopped smiling if I had tried. She loved me! I knew that she must, but to hear her say it! It was the most spectacular feeling in the world. On the way back to my room a song entered my head. The notes flooded my senses and I knew it was her song…her lullaby. It mirrored what I saw in her, what I felt for her and I would have to share it with her as soon as I could. I wanted to share everything with her!
Carlisle was slightly worried that I wasn't back yet, but when I walked through the door and he saw my smile he relaxed and smiled himself. Apparently, I was contagious.
"I suppose it went well then?" he asked.
"She loves me. She loves me! Can you believe it?"
"You're the only one that ever thought you didn't deserve happiness. Out of everyone, Edward, you are the one that has deserved so much more. I'm happy you've found her."
"Me too, Carlisle. I think I need to hunt after all, though. I was able to control myself better than I thought, but I don't want to take any chances with her."
'You were doing well. Did something happen?' He dropped our conversation into his mind. I just beamed. My smile was permanently set into my stone face.
"She kissed me. I was phenomenal! But it was harder than just touching her or being in the same room because I was fighting more than just my desire for her blood. I had to fight with everything I had to stop kissing her."
'You love her. Edward, I'm so happy. We will do everything in our power to protect her. It will be okay.'
"I know. She…explained something to me. I'm okay with what I am in her life. I know it will be okay." He smiled at me and I turned to go hunting.
I didn't hunt right away. I just ran…to no place in particular, in circles, even. I just ran. I felt the weight of the world lift from my shoulders and all I knew was Bella. Her smile made my heart swell, her voice made my breath stop, and her touch – oh her touch! – made my entire being alive with electricity. How had I been so lucky as to receive such a wondrous gift? I replayed the days since I met Bella in my head and decided I should call Alice.
"You're welcome," she answered on the first ring.
"You've still got a lot of explaining to do, but thank you."
"When are you going to learn to just trust me? Remember? Never bet against Alice." I laughed.
"Thank you. Truly, Alice, thank you."
"Yeah, I know. Ooh! I can't wait to meet Bella!"
"Alice, I don't know what's going to happen here," I said somberly.
"Shut up, Edward. I don't know when or where, but I will meet her. That much, I know. I saw it." I sighed, but I was almost relieved by what Alice said. If she were to meet Bella, then everything would work out. "I'm really happy for you, Edward."
"Thank you, Alice."
"Don't mention it."
We said goodbye and I decided it was time to hunt. I actually ended up finding a wild boar which finished off the hunt perfectly. It was late afternoon when I finally returned to the castle.
I was starting to head back to Carlisle when I heard the most heart breaking sound; Bella whimpering in fear. I ran faster than I'd ever run before. If they were hurting her I would kill them! I was at her bedside within seconds. She was having a nightmare. It almost pained me more knowing there was nothing I could do to fight off the monsters in her dreams.
"Mmmno, no please, not them too. I have enough, I swear." Her cheeks glistened with fresh tears as she begged.
"Bella. Bella, wake up." My voice seemed to calm her, but only slightly. I brushed a tangled lock of hair back from her face. "Bella, it's okay now. You're safe."
Her eyes fluttered open and her face twisted as a sob escaped her tiny body. She grabbed at my shirt, but there was no force behind her movements. I moved to lie on the bed next to her and pulled her into me. She cried for what seemed like forever and all I could do was hold her, feeling as useless as I had the night before.
Eventually, the noises stopped and I looked down to see her sleeping. I knew that emotions were tiring, especially for a human girl, but I was a little surprised how suddenly she fell into the deep sleep.
I pulled back to look at her. She was deathly pale and only the sound of her heartbeat convinced me otherwise. But when I listened to the beats they sounded odd. Her heart was weak and slow. I realized that there was a substantial amount of blood missing from her body. I didn't catch it at first because the freshly opened vein in her arm had sent her aroma flying through the air, but now that I was focusing my attention on the details, I could tell that Aro had pulled over half of her blood supply. That was why she was so frail. Why had he done that?! What was he thinking?! He could have killed her!
I was instantly furious and if it weren't for Bella making a small, unconscious whimper of protest every time I moved, I would have been in front of Aro that very second. I knew there was nothing I could do and that I would most likely be put to Jane's mercy if I made any inkling of threat, but I didn't think straight when I thought of them hurting her. She was so weak already and now she was barely strong enough to keep her heart beating. Why?! It didn't make any sense! If her power was so important to him, then why would he risk life her that way?!
"Edward…"
"Yes?" She didn't reply so I shifted to look at her. She whimpered again, but she was still fast asleep. My sweet Bella talked in her sleep. It was truly fascinating.
"I love you, Edward." My heart swelled with emotions too great to put into words. She had already told me, of course, but she dreamt of me and it was just amazing to hear her beautiful voice speak those words.
I stayed lying there with her wrapped up in my arms, humming a rough draft of her lullaby to her. She spoke a few words about several different things throughout the night and I took in every syllable. Listening to her talk was riveting.
As the night turned to morning, I could hear her beautiful heart becoming stronger and stronger with each beat. Bella would still be weak, but she was no longer on the verge of death. Her breathing deepened as she stirred into consciousness. Her eyes opened slightly and then popped wide with shock.
"Oh!" I couldn't help but smile at her expression. "It wasn't a dream! Or was it?" She poked me in the ribs, which did nothing, but make me laugh.
"I'm real, I promise. Are your dreams really so vivid?" She looked me over as if not completely convinced.
"Hmm. Sometimes. Are you really here?" I brushed my fingers across her cheek and smiled crookedly at her. A deep crimson flooded her cheeks at my touch. She was so absolutely charming.
"Yes, Bella love. I'm really here. I heard you having a nightmare last night. I came to fight off your attackers, but your head is impenetrable, as you already know." She laughed. It was a most exquisite sound.
"I have heard that before. I'm so glad you're here."
She snuggled closer to my chest and I held her for all it was worth. She was the love of my existence. She was the soul I didn't have. If it was the last thing I did, I would save her from all of this. She went stiff in my arms at once and stared up at me with fear in her eyes. What was the meaning of this? Was she afraid of me? I could hardly blame her, but it didn't make sense, right then. Her breathing became shallow and fast. She was hyperventilating.
"Bella! Bella, what's wrong?!"
"You have to go," she said climbing out of bed and heading to the closet. "They're going to come for me this morning and if they find you here, they'll hurt you. You have to leave." She saw the concerned look on my face and added, "I'll be fine, I promise."
"I won't leave you to face them on your own. I'll stay with you. I'll protect you."
She smiled sadly at me. "I may fear them, but they won't hurt me. Aro needs me. But the thing I fear most is losing you. Please, leave. Do it for me."
"Fine. I'll be back tonight."
"Only if it's safe. Promise me that you won't do anything stupid." I looked at her with frustration. This fragile little person was worried about me! I couldn't deny her, though.
"Fine, I'll be careful and if I can't do it…I'll try not to do anything stupid." I laughed at the exasperated look on her face. "In the mean time," I cupped her face in my hands, "protect this for me."
I placed my lips on hers and listened to her heart race at my touch. I smiled against her lips and pulled back to look at her. She seemed in a daze and I laughed again. She was absolutely stunning in every facet of her being.
"Breathe, Bella." She let out her breath in a huff. "What am I going to do with you?"
"I haven't the slightest clue, but right now you're leaving so I can get dressed and have some peace of mind." She tried physically pushing me out the door to no avail. Just then, I heard voices coming our way. Damn! They were coming for Bella. I growled, but it was more of a grunt of frustration than anything defensive. Their thoughts were relatively harmless, I just wasn't ready to let her go.
"Be safe," I whispered in her ear before brushing a kiss against her temple and disappearing from her room. I was back in my room within half a minute.
Carlisle looked up at me from the book he was reading, mentally noting the 'glow' lighting my features. "Long hunt. Find anything good?" I smirked at his thoughts. He knew exactly what I had been up to. Alice saw him worrying and informed him of my whereabouts.
I heaved a deep sigh. "Far more than good, Carlisle, I found something wonderful."
"You have no idea how happy I am for you, Edward." I looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Well, yes, I suppose you do know." He laughed. "Your mother is ecstatic."
Then he replayed his conversation with Esme. I sighed. My mother was such an endearing woman. I was sure that if she got the chance, she would love Bella. There was no way anyone could not love my Bella. She was exquisite.
"She's everything I never knew I wanted and more. I just wish I could have found her under better circumstances. I don't know how to help her, Carlisle. When I found her last night she was drained of more blood than was healthy. She was so frail and her heart was beyond weak. There was no excuse for it. If she hadn't needed me with her, I probably would have ruined everything and gotten myself killed."
"That's odd. I didn't think Aro would be so careless with something so precious to him."
"That's what scares me. What if he's planning something?"
"No, Alice would have seen it. Just be patient, Edward. I know it's hard. I'm trying to think of something, but she has no rights here." 'Not until she becomes a vampire.' I growled in protest.
"No! I won't allow them to ruin her! I'll steal her away! I will protect her!"
"Edward, don't be rash," my father said in a stern tone he rarely used. "I know you want to preserve her soul and I don't blame you, but she's going to become one of us whether you want her to or not. It's part of her destiny."
"That prophecy's a joke," I said flatly.
"That very well may be, but as long as she's human, she belongs to Aro. I'm trying, Edward, I really am, but I'm drawing blanks."
"I can't just sit here while they nearly kill her day after day, knowing that in the end, they intend to turn her into some sort of weapon. I can't and I won't." Carlisle looked at me with a pained expression.
'You may not have a choice in the matter.'
I froze at the words; the same exact words Bella had used. I didn't have a choice. At those horrible words, I knew that nothing I did mattered. Someone was playing a cruel game with my life and endangering my sweet, beautiful Bella in the process.
I pictured an evil hag with strings of destiny, cutting and sewing, tying them in knots. I wanted to rip her limb from limb and then I cursed myself for actually considering finding and dismembering a figment of my imagination.
My father was about to continue our conversation, but halted his speech when I vehemently shook my head. I heard thoughts coming and going near to our room. It was the most traffic I'd picked up from our room since we'd arrived. It was odd. Nothing to be alarmed about, although, I was more than a little annoyed. This meant that I was going to have to stay away from Bella for the time being.
'There's someone close?' I nodded and furrowed my brow to let him know the quantity of those someones. 'I see. Well, I suppose we'll pick this up later.' I nodded in agreement.
I listened to the minds surrounding our room, but they were all thinking of strangely unimportant and frivolous things. It was making me highly uneasy. Carlisle could sense my discomfort.
'Is something wrong? Is something happening?' I shook my head, frustrated. I didn't know if anything was happening because every mind I could hear was blocking me.
The phone in my pocket started vibrating. It was Alice. The uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach got worse, but I couldn't exactly put her in danger. With all of the potential eavesdroppers, I couldn't risk anyone finding out about Alice. The vibrating finally stopped and then the room's landline started ringing not seconds later. I suddenly got very panicked. It had to be bad. I looked at Carlisle. He was thinking the same.
I took off to find a place safe enough to talk. This was not good at all. The vampires blocking their minds from me, and conveniently close enough to the room so that Carlisle and I couldn't talk freely. Alice frantically calling my cell phone, even though knowing that I wouldn't answer for anyone to listen. Something was very wrong. I finally reached an area out of hearing range. The phone was still buzzing.
"Alice, what happened?!"
"Edward! Edward, I'm so sorry! It was a spur of the moment decision! I couldn't see it until…Edward, I'm so sorry!"
"Alice! What is going on?! Please, calm down and tell me!"
"He's changing her, Edward!" I went cold. Bella, my sweet Bella. How could I have left her to that? "Edward, listen to me! You have to go be with her, but you have to remain calm. If you don't, it'll turn bad. Do you hear me?! But she needs you. They've left her to go through it alone. They're guarding her, but she's in the room by herself. You have to stay calm for her, Edward." There was silence. I couldn't speak. "Edward? Edward, say something!"
"I…I…Alice, I don't know what to do." It came out in barely a whisper.
"You need to talk to, Aro." I would do what ever she told me. "Damn it! It won't be enough. Tell him that you know what you are and you intend to comfort Bella. Yes, that will do it. He'll be hesitant, but he'll agree, I think. I can't get a clear picture, but I'm almost sure. Go, Edward. Be with her."
I shut the phone without another word and went to find Aro. Unfortunately, I came across Jane first. I knew, the second she saw me, what was coming. I braced myself for the pain and clamped my jaw. I would not give her the pleasure of my screams. The pain taking over my limbs crippled my thoughts. I almost lost it, but then I thought of Bella.
I focused all of my energy on keeping my mouth shut, for her. I vaguely registered voices and then the pain subsided. I laid there recovering for all of a second before getting to my feet. When I looked up, I saw Aro, wearing a mask of mixed frustration and amusement. Apparently he was impressed by my will to stay quiet.
"Edward! How wonderful to see you! What brings you out of your room?" he kept his thoughts guarded.
"I want to see Bella. I know you've turned her and I want to help her through it."
"Ah, I'm so sorry, Edward, but Bella is none of your concern."
"I know what I am, Aro. And if that's any indication then she is my concern." He searched my face to access if I was speaking truly of what I knew. "I'm your precious light."
"Well then," his tone was uncharacteristically flat. "I wasn't sure if you had caught that or not. You know then why I won't give in to your request."
"Please, Aro. You think I'll destroy her, but you saw through Marcus how much I love her. Let me be with her."
"Hmm…I want to believe you, dear boy, but your destiny is unclear to me." 'I could find out the easy way.' I stiffened. He wanted my thoughts. Alice must not have seen this. 'But, no, not yet.'
In some part of my mind I registered that it was odd that Aro should pass up reading my mind now that he had no worry of slipping with Bella, but I was too focused on getting to her that I pushed the thought away.
"Very well, but know that I am keeping a very close eye on you. One step out of line and I will not hesitate to destroy you."
"I understand," I said with conviction. He sighed.
"Let's be off then." And he led the way to my beautiful angel who was screaming out in excruciating pain.
