Ah, finally the big reveal. Much love to ecandme for her dedication to helping me obsess. Please check out 'Crooked Halo's and Ink Junkies'.
It's not what it seems
Not what you think
No I must be dreaming
It's only in my mind
Not in real life
No I must be dreaming
Not what it seems
Not what you think
I must be dreaming
"Rose is fine," Alice called over her shoulder. "Edward…," she trailed off.
Edward cocked his head to one side, almost as if listening to something that only he could hear. "Yes…that works," he answered back. He gripped the sides of my face harder. "Carlisle and Esme will stay here with you…just in case. The rest of us are going to finish this. He won't get anywhere near you, Bella. I promise," he explained, his eyes still locked with mine. He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on my forehead before he, Alice, Jasper and Emmett disappeared. Two figures – who I assumed were Carlisle and Esme - stayed crouched in front of me, guarding me from a fight moving so quickly that I couldn't even see it.
I heard Edward shout out for Rose, followed by the deafening sound of bodies colliding. Growls and hisses sliced through the air, assaulting my ears. I twisted my head around the woman's slender shoulders and looked out into the clearing. Emmett and Rose had the man by one arm, while Alice and Jasper had him by the other. Edward stood with his back facing me, both hands on either side of Red's face. A long, deep snarl ripped from his chest as in one quick movement, he ripped the man's head from his body.
In horrified silence, I pressed myself flush against the tree and watched as the rest of the Cullen clan ripped appendages from Red's body and placed them in a pile. It was like watching a train wreck, traumatic but I just couldn't look away. Once all of the pieces were gathered, Edward reached into his pocket and pulled out something small and shiny. I realized it was a lighter as he lifted the lid, flicked the thumbwheel and tossed it directly onto the heap that had once made up a walking, talking, breathing human being.
As the lighter connected with the remains, flames danced up towards the sky, sending purplish blue smoke into the air. A sickeningly sweet odor invaded my lungs, causing my stomach to turn. I covered my mouth and slid down the trunk of the tree until I was sitting. My breaths were coming in short, rapid bursts and I was afraid I might hyperventilate and pass out.
I closed my eyes, trying in vain to process what I had just witnessed, but none of it made sense. Questions rapidly shot through my head, each one sending me spiraling deeper into confusion. How did they know where I was? How did Rose move so fast? Why would Edward and his family willing decapitate a stranger in the middle of the woods? What happened to throwing a good old fashioned upper cut? Normal circumstance warrants you knock the fucker out, not rip his head from his goddamn body. And how the hell had they managed to extricate his limbs so effortlessly? Emmett could maybe, but Alice? Tiny Alice? No fucking way.
"Bella?" a man's voice called.
I slowly opened my eyes and looked up. Carlisle and Esme were facing me, staring down with sympathetic expressions, like parents whose child had just woken up from a nightmare. A nightmare. I'm dreaming…I have to be. I'll wake up soon, warm and comfortable in my bed. My eyes glazed over and I stared unblinkingly at the moss covered ground. I contemplated pinching myself, but there was no need as Carlisle spoke to me again, snapping me out of my reverie.
"Bella? Are you alright?" he asked softly. I answered with one quick nod of my head. I couldn't talk. Not yet. I was afraid that if I opened my mouth I would cry. I was doing one hell of a job keeping the terrified tears from spilling over. Opening my mouth – well that would open the floodgates. He nodded, wrapped his arm around Esme and walked away.
Edward had his back to me, his shoulders stiff and hands clenched into fists. I felt an overwhelming urge to run and comfort him, despite my mind reminding me that he had just decapitated a man with those hands. Unfortunately my body sided with my mind and refused to move.
I watched silently as Rosalie stalked towards him; her movements graceful yet lethal. "Next time, keep a better eye on your pet. This is the one and only time I will save her," she hissed. Turning quickly on her heel, she grabbed Emmett's hand and pulled him along, both of them disappearing through the thick brush. I watched their retreating forms until I could no longer see them. Taking a deep breath and steeling my nerves I turned my head back towards the clearing.
Alice and Jasper were watching me, their figures occasionally obscured by wispy tendrils of smoke rising up from the smoldering ashes.
"Edward?" I whispered. I watched his chest rise and fall as he exhaled sharply and turned around slowly. As he stood facing me, I noticed his face was contorted in a mixture of fear and sadness.
"Bella…." His fists unclenched and he held them up, palms facing me, as if in a sign of surrender. "Bella, I promise I will not hurt you." He took a tentative step forward. Confusion spread through my brain like wildfire. I couldn't explain it, but somewhere deep down I knew that he would never hurt me. I may have just witnessed an execution, but I didn't feel that my safety was in jeopardy. A sliver of my consciousness was horrified that I still trusted the Cullens, but I reasoned with myself that Edward and his family had killed to protect me.
"I don't think you would hurt me," I admitted, though it may have been more to myself than to him.
"You're not…..you're not afraid of me?" he asked, his brows furrowing in confusion.
"No. No I'm not afraid of you. Of the situation…yes. And I have a shitload of questions…"
He slowly walked to where I was and sat on the mossy floor beside me.
I looked into his eyes and gasped slightly. His usually vibrant gold eyes were now a murky black. "You killed him, Edward. They held him down, and you ripped his fucking head from his body. I don't understand. Why? How? I just…I can't…" I stuttered, trying to find the words to describe the thoughts flying through my mind. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me into his chest. As I laid my head against his chest I noticed two things. First it was hard, as if his chest were made of granite or marble. Second, he was cold; colder than any normal person should be. I had a momentary feeling of déjà vu, as if I had had these realizations at another time.
"Bella. There are things you don't know. Things I don't know that I can explain," he mumbled into my hair.
Suddenly a memory came unlocked in my brain; the memory that had tugged on my subconscious during my dream. The speed, the strength, the hard, cold feel of their skin, it all flooded back to me.
"Cold Ones," I whispered. Edward pulled away and stared at me in shock.
"What did you just say?" he asked.
"Cold Ones. But that's just a legend. A story," I answered. I looked up at Edward, looking for confirmation. It was just a story wasn't it? He stared back at me, mouth slightly open.
"How…how do you know about that?" he whispered.
"I spent two weeks every summer here until I was fourteen. Charlie's best friend Billy has a son. Jacob. We used to hang out at the beach in La Push while Charlie and Billy fished. Jacob told me all the Quileute stories. That's probably where my fascination with vampires came from now that I think of it." Minutes dragged on after my confession and the silence became deafening. Finally I couldn't stand it anymore.
"So…it's true? That's what you are?" I asked.
Edward stood abruptly and turned away from me. "He broke the treaty," he hissed.
"Treaty? What treaty? He just thought they were stories and he thought his father was insane! He didn't mean any harm. We were just kids!" I jumped up from my spot at the base of the tree and stood in front of him.
"Edward, calm down," Alice instructed, walking to stand beside me. Jasper followed and flanked me on the other side. A flash wave of calm rolled over me, once again confusing me. It was the same sensation I had felt the day before, facing down Rosalie. Edward's narrowed eyes focused on Jasper for a moment before returning to me.
I placed my hand on his cheek and rose up on my toes to look him directly in the eyes. "Edward, I don't care what you are. It doesn't matter to me. Jasper and Alice…they are more to me than just friends; they are like family. The only family I have left besides Charlie. And you…" I took a moment to briefly debate with myself on whether now was the time to confess my feelings for him. My cautionary side won out and I exhaled slowly. "Well, you are pretty important too."
"It doesn't matter, Bella? How can it not matter? I've killed people! Shit, you just watched me kill someone! And he wasn't even human! I'm a monster, Bella. The worst kind," he yelled, taking a few steps away from me.
"What do you mean he wasn't human? He was…he was like you?" I asked. Edward nodded, his eyes fixated on the ground. "But he didn't look like you. His eyes…they were…blood red."
"That's because he drinks human blood, Bella. He isn't a vegetarian," Edward answered.
"Vege…wait a goddamn minute." I thought back to my first conversation with Jasper. 'It's our diet. It changes our eye color. We're vegetarians, as is our whole family.' His words came flooding back to me, ringing loudly in my ears. I took a step forward and turned to face Alice and Jasper. "You mean…you two…Rosalie, Emmett? All of you…?" They both quickly nodded their heads.
I sighed and turned back to face Edward, my face softening. "Edward, you are not a monster. You're beautiful and I trust you…" Edward quickly cut me off.
"Stop, Bella. Despite how you may think you feel I assure you that everything you find appealing is all just part of the lie. We are wired to kill. There's nothing beautiful about that."
I took a few steps back, placing myself behind Alice and Jasper. Anger quickly overwhelmed me, causing my hands to shake. "Just who the fuck do you think you are trying to tell me what I feel? All my life my feelings, my decisions, they were never valid enough. No one ever took them seriously. I'll be damned if I'm going to stand here and allow you to tell me the same thing. So I'll tell you what I think. I think that if you wanted to kill me... you would have done it already, so just stop with the bullshit," I spat.
Alice and Jasper looked at each other and smirked.
"Feisty," Jasper whispered to Alice. I narrowed my eyes and glared at him. He mouthed a silent 'sorry' and took a step back. I refocused on Edward, his jaw tight with frustration. I saw him nod once in Jasper's direction. Instantly the anger that was coursing through my veins fizzled, leaving me frustrated.
"What's with the fucking nodding? What am I missing, and why the hell do my emotions keep switching?" I yelled, trying to hold on to the last remnants of anger I had and failing miserably.
"Bella, come sit. Let's talk," Alice suggested. I watched as she crossed her tiny legs and gracefully floated to the ground, patting the ground beside her. I stole a quick glance at Edward, noticing his face had not relaxed and his arms now crossed his chest. I walked over to Alice, and with not nearly the same amount of grace, flopped down on the forest floor tucking my knees up towards my chin.
"There are some things you should know. And since my brother here has decided to take to self loathing, I guess I should explain," she began. Edward rolled his eyes at his sister, but his body relaxed slightly.
"Our family is not like the others of our kind. We survive off animals not humans. That is what makes our eyes are gold and not red like the vampire you saw. It's only fair that now that you know what we are, you know that some of us have special abilities." She glanced at Edward. "Do you remember me telling you I was sort of psychic?" she asked.
"Yes." I answered, remembering clearly that day in the gym.
"Well I, for example, can see things; things that could happen. It's subjective though, as the future can always change. The visions are based on decisions, so as the decisions change, so does the future. And Jasper…well he can control a person's emotions. So the sudden switch in your emotions…that's his doing." She looked up at him and smiled.
I looked up at Edward and smirked. "See, so you can't possibly know what I'm feeling when Mr. Mood Swing here keeps jacking with my fucking emotions." I turned and looked at Jasper. "And you…knock it off and kindly give me back my anger. I'd like to hold on that…for safe keeping you know."
Jasper laughed and shook his head. "Sorry, no can do, Bells. It's better for my emotional well being when everyone is calm. Not only can I manipulate your emotions, but I also feel them. So you pissed off equals me pissed off and Alice doesn't like it much when I'm angry."
I laughed and looked up at Edward. "So what's your superpower? Oh wait, let me guess…being an asshole. Is that it?" I asked, arching an eyebrow.
He placed a hand on the back of his neck and looked down at me smugly. "Actually, no. I can read minds."
I felt my face flush with embarrassment. Edward could read minds? Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! Obviously seeing the panic clearly written across my face, Edward let out a low chuckle.
"Except yours," he added.
I looked at him suspiciously. "What do you mean 'except yours'?"
"Your mind is the only one I have encountered where I hear nothing. Not even a whisper. It's completely closed off to me."
I sighed in relief.
"I can't see you either, Bella," Alice added.
I furrowed my brow in confusion. "But you said you 'knew' I was coming. How could you know that if you can't see me?"
"I saw someone. I never actually saw you."
"Why? What's wrong with me?" Alice and Edward chuckled softly.
Suddenly I started laughing.
"Bella?" Edward knelt down in front of me, his expression worried.
"Is she going into shock?" Alice asked him. She reached out to put her arm around me and I smacked her hand away, hurting myself more than I probably hurt her.
"No, no. It…makes..sense…now," I answered, trying to catch my breath.
They all looked at each other confused. "What makes sense now?" Jasper asked Edward. He shook his head, still watching me.
I looked at him and started laughing harder. "Yesterday, in the car! You got pissed over that vampire song! I argued about vampires with…a vampire!" I answered, tears now streaming down my face. Alice and Jasper began laughing with me. Only Edward seemed unable to find the humor in my realization. After a few minutes, the three of us were able to stifle our laughter. Edward sat across from Alice and me, glaring at us.
I cleared my throat. "Sorry, Edward. I just thought it was funny."
"So I see," he answered.
"Yeah, sorry, Edward," Alice said.
I looked up at the sky and noticed tiny slivers of sun desperately trying to push against the clouds. A sudden thought hit me and I looked back down at Alice. "So, umm. Don't vampires like…burn in the sunlight?" I asked her.
"Myth. You can definitely tell we are different when we are in direct sunlight, but we'll show you that some other time," she answered.
"Well obviously you don't die by being staked. So that's a myth. What about Holy Water? Does it burn you?"
Alice laughed. "No. That's a myth also. As is garlic, turning into bats, fangs, sleeping in coffins." She ticked each one off on her tiny fingers.
"Yeah, I gathered the no sleeping in coffins one based on the fact that you all have beds," I answered.
"Actually, that's for appearances and…other things," she said, looking at Jasper seductively.
Edward sighed. "What Alice was trying to say, before she got distracted, was that we don't sleep…ever."
"Hmm." One last question flashed through my mind as I looked at Edward, only the faintest hint of black still swirling in his golden eyes. "So isn't your natural instinct to…feed…off people?"
"Yes. But it's a lifestyle choice we've made. True animals aren't as…fulfilling…as humans, but they keep us alive just the same," he answered.
"So…how can you stand to be around me without wanting to…you know…drain me."
Edward and Alice exchanged a quick glance. She hesitated for a moment before she answered. "Actually…we…well we can't smell you. I mean we can…but it's so faint that it barely registers."
"Except for me," Edward said.
"Except for him," Alice echoed.
Chapter title and lyrics by Evanescence. I'd love to hear from you...your thoughts, predictions...