I.
Bella left Rosalie to herself after the big revelation. Rosalie had a lot more questions, but they could wait. She would have been worried about Bella wandering around the forest alone, but after finding out… well… she was far less concerned. The blonde decided to spend a bit more time to herself before heading back to the house.
Bella was a demon. Rosalie still couldn't wrap her head around that. The very idea that the world of angels and demons was real. Rosalie shook her head to herself as she walked through the trees. She sensed animals scattering as she walked, but she didn't have the urge to feed. Just to think.
So many thoughts ran through Rosalie's mind, but the one that stood out the most was Bella's question to her. Did she want to continue to be Bella's friend? She knew in her heart that the answer was yes. Despite the danger Bella posed, she liked the brunette woman. She could see that now. It wasn't just contingency or intel gathering. She considered Bella a friend. And now that she knew Bella wasn't human, there wasn't the risk of exposure. Plus since Bella already knew about vampires, she wouldn't have to hide herself. Or at least, that part of herself. She still was reluctant to discuss her past. Though she had the feeling that if Bella had been around as long as Rosalie suspected, she had a good chance of knowing the gist of it.
However, there was also still a lot Bella was hiding as well. Important things that Rosalie needed answers to. The question at the forefront of her mind was the answer to the question Bella refused to answer. Why wasn't Rosalie affected by the natural aversion to demons? She didn't consider herself a religious individual, even as a human she barely had an interest other than it was expected in the 1920s. But Bella had said that any creature had some sort of reaction. And Rosalie supposed she did, but she was drawn towards Bella, not repelled by her. If she didn't know better, she'd have thought that she was mated to the demon.
But was that even possible? She didn't feel anything akin to a mating pull towards Bella. Or at least, not from what she heard as she had never experienced it. And did demons even mate? Rosalie suspected not. If the depictions of demons were correct, though she supposed she probably could ask Bella. Though if she would get an answer from her was a whole other matter.
Rosalie's feet seemed to have a mind of their own as she reached a clearing. The same clearing where she had seen the black goat for the first time. She looked around, not expecting to see it. But to her surprise, it walked cautiously into the clearing with her. "You again." She said. The goat bowed its head like it was nodding in affirmation.
"I'm guessing you have something to do with Bella?" She asked. At this point, she wouldn't even be surprised if it did understand her, knowing what she did now. The goat reared up on its hind legs, nodding its head before falling back to all fours. Rosalie chuckled. "I'm having a conversation with a goat." She mumbled to herself. To her surprise, the goat huffed, blowing smoke out of its nostrils. Rosalie took a step back out of reflex.
"You're certainly supernatural." She commented. The goat looked up at her. It bleated before rearing up on its hind legs again before running off into the trees. Rosalie watched it go, wondering what connection it had to Forks' resident demon.
II.
Rosalie returned back to the Cullen home, careful to hide her thoughts in case the boys had returned from their trip early, but she came back to Alice and Esme being the only ones home. The blonde made a beeline for the garage, shutting the door behind her, looking at her nearly completed project car.
The Jeep was mechanically complete, and mostly cosmetically finished. It just needed a new coat of paint, a wax and it would be finished and ready to gift to her brother. Rosalie sighed, putting her hair up in a ponytail, grabbing the sander and powered it up. She started at the front and worked her way back, sanding the paint off the few parts that were still intact from the old car, sanding in medium-sized circles.
There was a hesitant knock at the garage door. Rosalie groaned, powering down the sander. "Come in." She said, knowing who had knocked. Though, considering her history, it was a miracle that Alice had knocked at all. She opened the door slowly and walked into the garage. "Can I help you, Alice?" Rosalie asked dryly.
"I just… are you okay?" She asked. Rosalie raised an eyebrow.
"Why wouldn't I be?" She questioned. Alice looked at her sister curiously.
"It's just that you were pretty tense earlier, on the way back. Just thought I'd ask." She replied. Rosalie sighed, giving her sister her full attention.
"Yes, Alice. I'm fine." She reassured Alice.
"And Bella?" She asked. Rosalie took a quick breath in.
"It was nothing, just a misunderstanding." Rosalie deflected. Not necessarily a lie, but far from the whole truth too. But Alice looked skeptical.
"You were acting like the Volturi was on our doorstep. And now it's just 'a misunderstanding'?" Alice looked at her sister suspiciously. Though Rosalie had long perfected her poker face and didn't let her icy mask drop.
"As I said, Bella and I just needed to clear the air a bit. It's fine." Rosalie said dismissively. But Alice just sighed, knowing that fighting with Rosalie when her mind was made up was a wasted effort.
"If you say so," Alice said apprehensively.
"I do. Thank you for your concern though. I know Bella sets you, and the rest of the family, on edge." She said. Alice nodded.
"You like her, that's enough for most of us," Alice reassured her sister. Rosalie sighed, looking away from Alice, back at the Jeep.
"But not all of you," Rosalie said quietly. Alice didn't bother to contradict her.
III.
The rest of the weekend Rosalie spent mainly in the garage or in her room. The boys returned from their hunting trip Sunday afternoon and Rosalie had to be far more careful with her thoughts. She was mindful of Bella's request to keep her identity a secret, thus whenever she was around Edward she carefully constructed a wall of bad 80s songs to keep him away. Edward was none the wiser. He had long gotten used to Rosalie being defensive over her mind. She had always been more apprehensive over his gift than the rest of the family.
Though during her solo hunting trip she took Sunday night, she made up her mind. Bella was a friend. Or at least, Rosalie felt like she was. Despite the secret keeping, Rosalie wasn't exactly in a position to judge. She had her fair share of supernatural secrets that she hoarded like a dragon hoarded gold.
Rosalie jumped a deer, snapping the neck quickly and drinking from the animal. She felt her thirst dying away in her throat as she drank before dropping the fully drained deer. She inhaled, taking in the forest air. Then, there was the sound of clapping. Rosalie's head shot towards the sound, only to see a smirking Bella sitting on a low tree branch.
"Impressive. Clean kill. Much better than some of your siblings." Bella said. Rosalie frowned.
"What are you doing here?" She asked. Bella shrugged, hopping down from the branch, onto the ground next to Rosalie. The blonde tensed a little out of reflex, but willed her body to relax.
"I was just in the neighborhood." Bella teased. Rosalie just rolled her eyes.
"That's what you're going with?" She asked dryly. Bella just chuckled.
"When you've been around as long as I have, amusement sometimes comes from the most cheesy sources," Bella replied. Rosalie cracked a small smile.
"And how long have you been around?" She asked directly. Bella raised an eyebrow.
"So you do believe me?" She countered. Rosalie nodded.
"Did you think I would not? You changed into your demonic form right in front of me." Rosalie reminded her.
"Sometimes people, supernatural or not, will rationalize anything to fit how they see the world," Bella said.
"Perhaps true, but you never answered my question," Rosalie said coyly. Bella laughed.
"You are correct. To answer your question, I have been around since the beginning. Before the beginning in fact." Bella answered. Rosalie frowned.
"A fallen angel?" Rosalie questioned, knowing the basics of the story. Bella gave her a knowing look.
"There are three different kinds of demons in this world. Perhaps more exist in another. But this one…" Bella said thoughtfully. "Those of us who defied God and were cast out. Those that have fallen since. And the Nephilim."
"What's the difference?" Rosalie asked, genuinely curious about the breakdown of the divine world.
"The original demons are far more powerful, generally speaking. It is possible for the after demons to ascend the ranks, but it's rare. Most that fall are at the mercy of the princes, serving in one of their legions. The rare few that become lords have some seniority over the underlings, but still are bound to serve a prince's will." Bella answered. "And the Nephilim, well let's just say some of my brothers have a thing for human women," Bella said with some disgust.
"And you are…?" Rosalie dared to ask. Bella just snorted.
"That would be far too revealing for now," Bella said.
"So you're saying that your a high ranked demon if telling me your title would make it easy to identify you?" Rosalie said with some smugness.
"Ah, you've got me there." Bella conceded. "No matter. The fact you are asking me questions, am I to take that as you wish to continue our friendship?" Bella deflected. Rosalie nodded affirmatively.
"Yes. I… I don't make friends easily, but you are one that I desire to keep." Rosalie said, with honesty, but keeping her demeanor detached.
"Good, I'm glad," Bella said with a small smile.
IV.
That Monday, things went back to normal. Or at least, as normal as things could be for Rosalie knowing that her friend was a demon. She still didn't know a lot of the particulars or details of everything. But Bella seemed to be more forthcoming now that things were more out in the open.
"So do demons have a hierarchy?" Rosalie asked one day in their shared history class. At first she had been wary of talking about it in school, given that her siblings could be listening in. But Bella assured her that their conversations would be protected. It made sense to Rosalie, as Alice had said that it was like she and Bella had disappeared that one day when Bella went after her during lunch. A handy demonic power that Rosalie had no issue taking advantage of.
"Hmm?" Bella asked, looking up from the notebook she was looking at. "Oh, yes." She answered. "There are four crown princes, the seven princes, and the lords. It would take too long to name all the lords and to be honest, I don't even know all their names." She said.
"But the princes?" Rosalie asked curiously. Bella nodded.
"Humans have seemed to separate them into two different classifications, depending on who you ask for some reason. But it's all one in the same. The seven are based on the modern-day seven deadly sins. Or perhaps more accurately, the seven deadly sins were based on the demonic princes." Bella said, flipping to a new page in her notebook, writing down the hierarchy on the clean page. "Lucifer, the prince of pride. Mammon, the prince of greed. Asmodeus, the prince of lust. Leviathan, the prince of envy. Beelzebub, the prince of gluttony. Satan, the prince of wrath, though he goes by Amon nowadays. He got far too annoyed by everyone confusing him with Lucifer. And Belphegor, the prince of sloth." She said, sliding the notebook over to Rosalie to get a closer look at.
"Some of these names are familiar." Rosalie murmured. Bella smirked, nodding.
"Many would be. Hollywood has certainly taken an interest in us. Rather inaccurately might I add. Though I'm sure you understand that. Human's depictions of vampires are far from the truth." She added. Rosalie nodded in agreement.
"So who are the crown princes?" She asked curiously.
"Three of the four are considered part of the seven. The most powerful of the seven. Lucifer, Satan or Amon, and Leviathan. The fourth is Belial, largely seen as the king of Hell." Bella finished, writing Belial's name on the top of the hierarchy list.
"Isn't that Lucifer though?" Rosalie asked. Bella chuckled.
"He is now, but that's only because Belial has been missing for a long time. No one has seen him since the end of the war." Bella said. "Good riddance to be honest. He's the reason we're in this mess." Bella lamented. Rosalie frowned.
"Why's that?" She asked.
"Because he's the one that convinced Lucifer to rebel in the first place."
Sorry this took so long. I bought Kingdom Hearts 3 this week and well...
Anyway, this is more of an informational chapter again, but we'll be getting back to more Rosalie/Bella content in the next few ones. Just introducing a few names and concepts that may or may not be important later on. I'll leave you to guess which ones and why.