Hi! This is incredible. Over 300 reviews for just nine chapters! I am completely blown by you guys' enthusiastic response. I am also extremely grateful to Sarge Girls for recommending my story on their Facebook group. Thank you so much!
Stacey, Bella will be turned into a Vampire. Victoria's story will have no effects on her life or transformation.
Here is the next chapter. Please let me know what you think.
EPOV
She was a thing of beauty.
Attired in a dress of softest blue which looked particularly fetching against her pale skin, she was sat in a chaise, staring out of the huge bay windows unblinkingly.
The pattering of raindrops which fell like crystal curtains against the windowpane and enraged rumbling of dark-bellied clouds seemed to have failed in breaking her reverie.
Unable to help myself after being separated from her for the entirety of evening, I made my way towards her; my strong desire of unravelling her silent mind was only overshadowed by the persistent ache in my body to be near her. Hooking an arm under her calves, I lifted her easily and settled her on my lap, not even registering her weight. I could as well have lifted a feather.
"Edward, tell me something." Bella murmured softly, nestling in the crook of my neck. The ease with which we both almost unconsciously seemed to adjust our bodies to accommodate the other never ceased to amaze me.
I inhaled deeply the intoxicating aroma which was so...Bella, and purred contentedly.
"Hmm?"
"If Maria was so powerful, then how did you resist her?" She asked and I stiffened.
Not only did that hated name sired a visceral fury in me as sheer hatred flooded my body, but I was also seized by a sudden discomfort. I had failed to mention my...talents to Bella. Although she had seen me use one of my power on that darned Human, Alice, yet she knew not the entire magnitude and extent of my abilities.
Now the question was, how much do I tell her?
"Bella, are you aware that some Vampires have extra abilities?" I began cautiously, choosing my words with care.
Bella nodded, turning to look at me expectantly.
"I can read minds." I told her directly without beating about the bush and then watched the myriads of emotions that flitted across her face.
Disbelief, fear, discomfort, embarrassment, bewilderment.
"But...but you already have a power- the one you used on Alice! Then how can you have another? Aren't Vampires supposed to have only one extra-"
"A common misconception, which is unfortunately prevalent even among Vampires. The manifestation of power boils down to control and discipline. For instance, take those Human beings who are ambidextrous. Human beings are usually capable of writing comfortably and legibly with one hand only, still there are some people who can write with both hands and few others who can do so at the same time. They observe stringent discipline and control of mind and body to do so. Same goes with Vampires. We are thousands of time stronger than Humans, both physically and mentally. We can compartmentalize our brains- think a hundred different things at the same time. We have eidetic memory and nearly an endless repository to hold knowledge," I expounded, tapping my head with a finger whilst staring in her wonderstruck eyes.
"My power is mind, Bella. I have lived a very long life and in that time, I have honed and perfected my gift. All my abilities are tied with my mind. For instance, when I tortured your cousin back there in Arizona, I was actually controlling her mind to give her an illusion of pain. You see, that is why my power is particularly lethal. Since, the brain controls the entire body of anyone-be it a Human or a Vampire, I can have incomparable control over everyone and anyone, should I choose it. That's how I was able to resist, Maria. Not only did I know that she was using her gift on me, but with rigorous efforts, control and practice over the years, I have developed resistance to such talents which orient around mind though not quite efficiently. My power is limited to mind, but still I can't shield as strongly as you do."
"Shield?" Bella frowned in perplexity only for a moment then her eyes widened with realisation.
"You cannot read my mind, can you?" She asked and I felt a thrill of satisfaction and pride at her intellect.
"Correct. In all the countless millenniums I have spent on this Earth, never have I encountered any sentient being whom I cannot read. None have ever been able to block me or completely negate my power, yet you do that and that too when you are a mere Human." I stated not bothering to hide my admiration.
Her heart stuttered and she blushed furiously.
"Is something wrong with me?" Bella asked softly, biting her lips.
"Something wrong with you?" I repeated, incredulous, "No, love, you are very special and I can only imagine how powerful you will be when you are turned, seeing your gift has already manifested so strongly when you are still a Human." I told her before pulling her in a passionate kiss.
She kissed me back with equal vigour and I had to pull back soon, lest I lost my control and took her there and then. I had some important matters to discuss with her.
"Bella, don't tell anyone of your ability to shield or the extent of my control over mind." I said earnestly, leaning my forehead against hers.
She gave me a strange look but nodded in aquiescence nonetheless. Satisfied, I broached the subject which has been weighing heavily in my mind lately.
"When do you want to get married, Bella?"
"What?"
"Call me old fashioned, but marriage holds much importance to me. More so, if you so wish we can also hold your coronation on the same day." I said, playing with her fingers. She stayed quiet for a long time and I feared that perhaps she was not ready to get married yet.
Although she was my mate and we were bound for forever, yet I wanted to make her mine in front of everyone...in front of the world. I might sound a callow romantic, but institution of marriage was one aspect of humanity that I have never been able to give up my belief on or detest.
"When do you want to get married, Edward?" Bella questioned back.
"Well...I was thinking of next Monday when I have planned your coronation. That will give us enough time for preparation and for all the representatives of my government from every country of the world to arrive here." Bella paled at the mention of the number of people who were to attend the ceremony but nodded bravely.
"And my parents." She added quietly.
My temper flared immediately. I was loath to allow Humans in the ceremony even if they were her parents. Not to mention the stow away they were sure to bring with them- that evil banshee, Alice.
"Edward, please! They are my parents- my family and I love them. Even though I had never imagined that I will get married even before becoming an adult, I never thought of getting hitched without my family present and-"
"Bella, you don't need to stay in contact with them now. I can fulfill your every wish, your every need! You are no longer dependent on them for-"
"Edward, I don't love them because I was dependent on them financially! I am not some greedy, materialistic hussy!" Bella said indignantly, her ears turning red with anger and I immediately realized my goof up.
"No, of course you are not, Bella, but they are your weakness- your weak link. What if someone harms them to hurt you? You are now the most important person in the world after me, both politically and financially." I explained soothingly and she immediately deflated, slumping against me.
"I know that, Edward, I realise that. But, I can't just break all connections with them. They are my parents!" She pleaded, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. I sighed in resignation, hating to cause her pain.
"Fine! But only your parents. I don't want your cousin within a hundred miles of Forks or I won't be answerable for my actions." I warned her and she sighed in understanding.
"Alice has a difficult past, Edward. I am not saying that she was right in behaving rudely with you or spewing all that venom. You did not deserve that. But Alice, she...stereotypes all Vampires in the category of cruel, murdering brutes, deserving of getting tortured then torched. She eked away a horrifying existence of abuse in a foster home before she was adopted by my Aunt and Uncle. They were literally her saviours and then they too were savagely snatched from her by some Vampires," Bella shook her head, her eyes filled with pain, "Now she harbours a deep, unadulterated loathing for your entire species. More so, she refused to get help after the murder of my Aunt and Uncle. She felt and still feels that she will betray them if she lets go of her anger and bitterness towards Vampires and Alice is nothing if not loyal. She wears her hatred for your kind like a badge of pride."
Of course I knew of Alice's past and I also knew that despite all her abhorrence for Vampires, she also had mutated genes; she was destined to be a Vampire's mate. Needless to say, her hatred was a foreboding of disaster. I do not envy her mate, whoever he is. The poor man has his work cut out!
Her status as a prospective Vampire mate had also been a contributing factor in saving her life, despite the fact that she had pushed me to my limit. However, her refusal to take help to sort out her feelings was sure to be catastrophic, both for her and her mate and I wonder why Bella's parents had not been more adamant, more strict with her. Surely they knew about it.
One glance at Bella's weary face strengthened my resolve. Perhaps some good will come out of housing Bella's parents after all. I decided to talk to them on the matter on their arrival. It also won't do to have my mate worried by letting her know of her cousin's inevitable fate; as it was, she already had too much on her plate.
But, that was a matter for another time, for right now I had to distract her. Her sadness made me achingly uncomfortable.
"Now enough of maudlin. Let's do something." I announced cheerily and stood up with her tucked in my arms bridal style.
"Edward! Put me down!" She squealed, her arms snaking around my neck for support.
"Nope," I grinned, "I believe I promised to show you my Library, Miss Swan."
I strode out of my chamber and into the adjoining sitting room till I was standing in front of a heavy set oak door in the far wall. Pushing it open, I marched in, not taking my eyes off of my mate. I wanted to see her reaction and was not surprised when I saw her eyes widen and jaw nearly hit the floor in wonder. In the few days since I have known her, I have come to realized that Bella is a voracious reader. Granted the entire time we have been together, we have either made love or she had had her human minutes, still the sheer amount of books I found in her bedroom in Arizona was enough to tell me of her preference.
For a reader like her, my Library was nothing short of Heaven on Earth and apparently Bella agreed with my sentiments.
"I am in Heaven!" She declared, her expression blissed as she took in everything.
Smell of leather, old books and pine was redolent in the air. With sturdy shelves housing books of every kind imaginable from floor to ceiling, my Library was easily the largest in the world, boasting of several precious, rare tomes and first editions.
"Do you know my friends back home always used to tease me that I will only marry a Librarian, a novelist or a professor of English someday?" Bella gave me an ear-to-ear grin and started to wriggle out of my hold.
"Why? No one else will be able to deal with your obsession with books?" I teased her as I put her down.
"Exactly." She said cheekily and was off like a missile, darting from one shelf to another, running her fingers over the books lovingly.
I followed her languidly enjoying the transported expression on her face. And an hour and a half later, we were still navigating through the deeper sections of the Library.
"Woah! How big is this place?" Bella asked, cradling the first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone against her chest.
"Well, I do have nearly all the books ever published in the world." I boasted proudly.
"Even porn?" She teased, her eyes alit with humour.
"Allow me to rephrase please. Every book of relevance and quality." I sneered playfully.
"Dang! And I thought I could get some pointers." Bella sighed wistfully though I could hear amusement laced in her voice.
"I will give you pointers, woman." I leered at her, swatting her rear gently, causing her to squeak.
"Come on, let me show you the most precious jewels of my Library." I told her, pulling her along excitedly.
"You mean more than this?"
"This is nothing, little girl. You have seen nothing."
I took her down several bookshelves to the farthest corner of the Library.
We stood outside a set of double doors that led to the Secret Archives. Crossing the marble colonnade, we stepped through the vaulted portal, and into the inner sanctum. Lights flickered to life overhead as we moved towards the glass enclosure that were the hermetic vaults. The entire place was eerily silent and sterile with wireless cameras gazing down at us, mounted high on the walls.
"What is this place?" Bella asked in a hushed whisper, gazing around her wonderingly.
"These are air-tight cubicles which keep humidity, heat and natural acids present in the air, away. Protected by these glass walls are the oldest and rarest tomes and literary works of the world. Humidity and heat erode ancient vellums and parchments, so these vaults are necessary." I explained to her, "Those computers there have the entire collection catalogued, but we don't need those. I remember the placement of each scroll and tome like the back of my hand."
"You have read all these?" She queried.
"Yes, mostly."
"Wow! That's seriously cool...How old are you, Edward?"
"I am more or less around your age." I told her honestly. Although there was no defined concept of time or years back then when I was a Human, given my stature and built I guess I was either in late teens or early twenties when I became a Vampire.
"And how long have you been more or less around my age?" Bella asked, trying not to look interested and failing. I grinned at her.
"Subtle, aren't you? But that's mine to know and yours to guess." I told her and before she could ask any more questions, I quickly pulled her to a vault that I thought would most interest her.
"These hermetic vaults contain very little oxygen as it is an oxidant. Your breathing will be a bit strained in there." I warned and pushed the button beside the door. Immediately, the motorised doors slid open and a deep red light hummed on inside.
"My God! I feel like I am in a Dan Brown novel." Bella exclaimed.
"That guy does have a keen eye for detail. His books are quite descriptive." I nodded, understanding her sentiment.
"Woah! Head rush." She stumbled into me as soon as the doors shut behind us with a loud whir, sealing us in the crimson chamber. She panted heavily, leaning against me.
"Careful there, Bella. Double vision and nausea are common on entering such sealed vaults. Let me know immediately when you want to get out." I ordered, eyeing her in concern. The lack of oxygen had no effect on me, but she was still a fragile Human.
"No, no. I am fine." She said breathlessly, smiling up at me in assurance. Eyeing her carefully, I held her against me and waited for her to acclimatise before handing her cotton gloves.
"Finger acid will affect these vellums and parchments." I gave answer to her silent question.
Nodding at me, she strode along the vault, carefully taking in the staggeringly comprehensive collection. A cornucopia of tomes and manuscripts, ranging from Bronze age to late antiquities were carefully stored. Sequestered from the rest where book were classified and stored thematically, this vault contained those literary pieces which I have been perusing recently. Sumerian, Akkadian, Egyptian, Vedic Sanskrit, Latin, Avesta...
"Edward, aren't these supposed to be in the Library at the Yale University?" Bella asked, pointing towards a container labelled Voynich manuscript .
"Why, yes they are." I said, raising a brow archly. I was surprised she knew of them, but then again those manuscripts have fueled several conspiracy theory even in some literary work regarding their content.
"So what are they doing here?"
"Only some sheets are supposed to be at Yale, Bella."
"Do you...Have you deciphered them, Edward?" Bella asked suspiciously.
"Uh huh." I hummed noncommittaly and decided to distract her when she glared at me in frustration, "Let's get out of here, Bella. It's not good for you to spend too much time in here. Oxygen and humidity is very less." I held her hand and pulled her out of the cubicle.
We traipsed out of the enclosure and out into the main Library. I slung an arm around her shoulders as she breathed deeply.
"Did you like it?"
"Are you kidding me? I felt like David in front of Goliath. It's so much history...Our history." Bella whispered, staring longingly at the doors to the inner sanctum. I chuckled.
"You can come here any time, though not alone if you want to enter the glass vaults. That place is dangerous, given the scarcity of oxygen," I warned.
She stared at me with a queer expression and then she suddenly smiled.
"You, Edward Masen, are a mystery- one which I will unravel one day. Mark my words."
Voynich manuscript - It is hand-written in an unknown writing system. Scholars and cryptographers have worked hard to decipher it for years, but all the efforts have proved to be futile. No one even knows their origin, though the vellum has been carbon-dated to early 15th century. Some 240 sheets are stored in Beinecke Rare Books and Manuscripts Library at Yale University while the rest are believed to be missing.
I hope I have not gone overboard with books and libraries. Since Edward has been alive for so long, I have made him to be a veritable treasure trove.
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