July 16, 1927 the wealthier part of Chicago, Illinois
It was well into the early morning and Edward, Jacob, and I eventually agreed to be a bit more civil towards one another. We even decided to exchange a few different personal stories we were willing share about our past lives. Jacob was a bit more forthcoming when he talked about his family. From what I could gather it seemed that after the death of his mother his sisters both became the motherly figure of the house. But once they both were old enough to leave on their own his sisters, Rebecca and Rachel, left to get married and continue learning in a college.
I also learned that Jacob live not too far from where I once called home.
While my thoughts lingered on Jacob I noticed that the feelings of annoyance and anger towards him had almost diminished completely; I no longer felt repelled by him, I felt almost glad that he was here. I mean he did actually protect me from being attacked by Edward, who now actually was the complete opposite of the terrifying vampire I had come into contact with just a few hours earlier.
"So Isabell – Bella – you haven't really talked very much about yourself. I mean you mentioned how you were mentored by an 'older' vampire and such, but you haven't mentioned your life before you were…well…changed…" Edward asked. I could tell that he knew on some level that I was hiding my human life. Then I remembered how he can read minds, and I'm pretty sure he heard all of my thoughts on the subject. Why he was trying to make me say them out loud; I wasn't quite sure. "There isn't much to tell. My mother passed from a lingering illness a couple of months after my eighth birthday. My father and mother both didn't have the money to go to one of the doctors in the city. Plus, my father was too proud to even let the doctor we had in town examine her." That was all I was going to say. They didn't need to know that my father became a drunkard and took his anger out on me.
The sudden sound of glass breaking snapped me from my thoughts and saw that there was a small pile of glass shards down by Edward's feet. It didn't take me too long to figure out that he once again had read my thoughts. I really need to learn to shield my thoughts from him like I had taught myself to do around Laurent.
With a few muttered obscenities Edward got up to get a towel to pick up the mess and Jacob jokingly took the glass bottle filled halfway with bourbon from the tray before Edward got any angrier at whatever it was he was angry with.
To try and ease Edward's feelings I casually brought up the legend I had been told by Laurent. I had them both enraptured with the legend, especially when I mentioned how there were a few seers that had also confirmed the legend to be true.
"Think about it, some sort of concoction that has the capability to transform any supernatural being back into a human being. That is just so outrageous to even be true. I'm sure they were only humoring you Bella, there is no possible way that any sort of potion exists!" Edward said as he sat back down in his leather chair and poured himself another glass of bourbon. I rolled my eyes at him. "There was also a time that you also had thought vampires were nothing more than just scary stories people tell young children." I smirked softly when I saw Edward clench his jaw at this. I wasn't completely sure whether the elixir itself was even real either, but I did like to fanaticize about the possibility of there being such a liquid that could cure vampirism.
"Then it's settled. We should go and try and find that man and get him to mix the elixir. I mean the worst thing that could happen to us would be that we would just get to see the world, right?" Jacob said in a matter of fact way. I let out a long sigh and hesitantly went on to explain what the seer told me about the journey. I even told them about the alleged prophecy that went along with the legend of the cure elixir. "All the more reason to go, I mean who gets the chance of being mentioned in a prophecy?! I'm in, I am all the way in, are you both in for the journey of a lifetime?" Jacob said with a huge grin on his face. I couldn't help but smile as well looking at how excited Jacob was about being a part of a prophecy. I was a bit excited about the possibility myself, but I couldn't help but also feel a bit nervous about attempting to chase after this supposed cure.
The seer I visited told me that the journey would be dangerous and that the trio of supernaturals would be faced with creatures that would pose great challenges for them along the way. There would even be temptations before we could be granted an audience with the alchemist. I still couldn't believe how strange all of this was starting to sound; this was something that should only exist in library books and the imagination of children.
"Are you completely mad? There is no way we are even going to attempt to try and find this supposed cure. Who's to say that we make it all that way alive and there be nothing there but rocks and dirt. Why go through all the trouble for nothing?" Edward shouted as he got up to put his decanter of bourbon back in his liquor cabinet.
Seeing these two men before me I knew that I would have to be the deciding vote. A part of me wanted to go on this journey to see if there truly was a cure out there that would be able to change me back to a human; yet the other half of me didn't want to risk the possibility that this would all be for not.
After weighing all of the options I cleared my throat and announced that I had yet weighed my opinion, and after giving it some thought I also wanted to give the journey an honest try. "I know your views on the matter Edward, but I say that we at least look into it, we go back down to New Orleans and visit that same seer maybe she can tell us where to start looking."
Edward ran his fingers through his disheveled hair and pinched the bridge of his nose as he pondered what had just happened. I knew that he didn't want any part of it, but the prophecy said that three supernatural beings go on this quest, so it had to be possible that Edward would change his mind. "I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but yes, yes, I change my mind; I guess I'm coming with you both on the journey to New Orleans, that's all I'm promising at this time. I'm still unsure." I smiled and Jacob was grinning ear to ear as well. This was actually going to happen. We would be able to find out for sure where we would need to go to be able to start our journey.
Edward offered to let us stay the night in his home, the home he grew up in as a child, and I took that as our cue to head upstairs to rest and relax. Even though vampires do not require sleep, I was still a bit exhausted emotionally over everything that has happened in the past day. Jacob and I both walked side by side up the wooden staircase. I couldn't help but feel myself wanting to be near him. It was strange and foreign to me to feel this way towards a man that I had just met; and though before I felt this way I would have more than likely brushed him off as I did the first time I had met Jacob. But now things were different, I couldn't put my finger on it, but I felt drawn to Jacob.
"So, it seems we are headed off to New Orleans later today. And Bella, I just wanted to say – I look forward to the trip to see this seer you've talked so highly of." Jacob added quickly. It was as if he were going to say something else first then quickly changed his mind. I just brushed it off and smiled back at him as I walked into the room I decided I would call mine for the remainder of the time I would stay here.
Elsa, the seer I had visited in New Orleans, also told me that I would also find my one true love on this journey. At the time I just brushed her off politely, but looking back I was starting to wonder just who it was that my 'one true love' would be.
But I decided to focus my thoughts of other things, and pulled out the books I had kept with me since I left Laurent. He was kind enough to let me take the books of his that I had grown most fond of. I opened up Pride and Prejudice and was immediately engrossed in the story that would unfold in the pages.
June 16, 1927 somewhere 50 miles outside of Florence, Italy
In a room that was dimly lit stood three men wearing a dark shade of ruby hooded cloaks, and before them a quivering vampire kneeled before them. The man standing in the center made a gesture with his hand that signaled for two men, one larger in stature than the other, to come and assist the terrified man in standing before the trio of hooded men.
"Alonzo, it has come to our attention that you have made the grave mistake in allowing humans to see your true self. Do you, or do you not acknowledge these allegations?" The man who was standing in the center spoke as he pulled back the hood to allow the terrified man see his face. The other hooded men followed suit and lifted back their hoods allowing their faces to be better seen. The man who spoke first had a look that, at first glance, appeared to be that of pity, but upon closer inspection it is seen that this man is anything but sympathetic.
"I – I apologize A-Aro, I did not intend to expose what we are to the humans, I had thought th-that I was being far more careful than I had been." The man named Alonzo stuttered as he fumbled for an explanation.
Sadly though it was in vain; the three men that stood before him were far from sympathetic.
"I see, your explanation has been noted, and I shall discuss this over with my brothers and have a decision momentarily." Aro spoke almost too calmly. Alonzo picked up on this as well and started to panic. The two men that were standing on either side of him had gotten closer since he last realized.
"Aro, you do not suggest we let him live; what will that say of our authority!?"
"Caius, you must not always be so intent on maintaining our 'authority' to the outside world."
"Marcus, Caius is correct, as are you brother; we cannot allow this man live knowing that he has already exposed himself once before."
"Who's to say that he will not foolishly do so again? I say we end him now before he causes even more trouble!"
After much discussion it was decided that Alonzo would no longer be a part of this living earth. Aro informed the man of this and made another gesture signaling that the two strong men standing guard of Alonzo go ahead and decapitate him.
"Felix, Demetri, go ahead and proceed." Aro announced. He and his brothers, Caius and Marcus, took a step back and sat down in the three rather large chairs. Their expressions showed no emotion whatsoever.
Felix, the man who towered over his associate, Demetri, grabbed Alonzo by his shoulders and forced him down to his knees. Alonzo immediately began to beg and plead for leniency and mercy from the three men that sat before him.
Alonzo looked to the three men before him for any signs that they would change their decision and allow him to continue to live, but neither of the three said anything, and before he could utter a further word Demetri took hold of Alonzo's head on either side, quickly and swiftly twisted off the head of the now deceased Alonzo.
"Dispose of the remains and then return to what you were doing before. Felix, Demetri, thank you once again for your services.
Both of the men gave a curt nod and quickly dragged the remains of the body that had belonged to Alonzo.
Caius had a menacing smirk that played on his face while his brother Marcus looked a bit indifferent to what just happened moments ago.
Just as things were about to return to some sense of normalcy for the brothers in rushed a woman whose hair was mahogany in color wide eyed.
"Ah, Heidi, what brings you before us so urgently? We did not expect you back with the next…set of visitors for a few days. I do hope that all is well cara mia?" Aro asked with a feigned sense of worry. It was not uncommon for Aro to put up a façade that he actually cared about anything other than his self. Naturally, the people who followed him and his brothers had grown used to his charade and decided to overlook it.
"While I was out finding the next set of visitors for you and everyone I had heard whispers that mentioned talk of a man that was rumored to be able to create some sort of potion that could cure any supernatural being!"
This piece of news troubled Aro and his brothers. Aro, Caius, and Marcus, knew that if this rumor were to continue to spread word would get out that there was a chance at the possibility to become human once again. Caius especially was furious at this new development. He relished in the fact that he and his brothers were feared and respected. They had worked hard to make sure that their laws were strictly followed. There was no room for leniency in Caius's eyes.
"This will not do! Aro, we must act quickly so that word does not spread any further!" Caius shouted as he slammed his first hard onto the arm of his chair. Caius always did tend to have a short temper, and was easily angered by the tiniest indiscretions.
"What do you suggest we do then brother? How should we prevent this from happening any further?" Aro asked genuinely concerned. Aro always had the final say, but allowed his brothers, mainly Caius, sway his feelings to what they thought would be best.
"If I may speak freely Aro, Victoria, a woman from my former coven, and her mate is both highly skilled trackers, they would gladly serve you in locating this alchemist fellow and eliminating him so that you and your brothers remain in power and no one knows of this ever." Heidi spoke as her voice shook a bit from her nerves. Normally Heidi had no trouble in convincing others to do what she asked, but when it involved the Volturi her confidence went out the window.
"You are willing to vouch for this woman and his mate? You have proven your loyalty time and time again Heidi; I do not see why we should stop now. But I warn you, if they fail, this Victoria woman and her mate will suffer the consequences as well as yourself." Aro spoke coldly. Heidi swallowed hard and gave a brisk nod of her head. "I will do my best to not disappoint you Aro, thank you for trusting me." Then with that Heidi was gone and she hurried out of the chambers and off to find her former coven and hope to upon hope that Victoria and her mate, James, would agree to track down the alchemist and eliminate him.
