Chapter 11- Loud Silence, Burning Words
Eventually they had to get up and leave before Carlisle and Esme became suspicious, or found out about all the murders before they could explain. They remained close, still drawn towards each other as they passed the King property. From where they were, they could see the smoke still rising into the dark sky; hear a small crowd gathering around the house along with reporters and police. There would be little way for them to trace the murders back to Cullens. Maybe a few of the superstitious folks in the area would raise a stir but Edward expected it to die down in time.
Rosalie was still gazing into the distance of the burning building, she was accepting this as her last connection with her old human life.
"Let's go," she said walking away, deep into the shadows of the street. She couldn't let anyone see her here, especially in an attention grabbing wedding gown.
They eventually made it to a familiar forest on the outskirts of town and could travel freely. On the way, Rosalie had something on her mind,
Do you think we will have to leave earlier now?
"Most likely, the police will be doing a full inspection. There is no room for the risk of any accusations being brought against us."
Rosalie nodded, but there was something else she had thought about ever since she had become a vampire,
Edward, you can read Carlisle's mind. Don't you know why he decided to turn me into a vampire? He sees dying patients on a daily basis but for some reason he chose to save me.
Edward inhaled, how was he supposed to answer that question properly without lying. Should he really tell her that his real motivations were for her to be with Edward?
"He said that what had been done to you was so dreadful, he couldn't bear to leave you to die," Edward replied.
I know there is more than that.
"Well, before you were found, I began to become very withdrawn from Carlisle and Esme again and the two of them started to become anxious that I would leave them for the second time. Carlisle was desperate to try to give me something to live for again so when he saw you, he thought subconsciously that perhaps…" Edward trailed off not sure of how to say the words.
Rosalie stopped in her tracks coming to a dreadful realization, "Are you saying! I was only intended to be what Esme is to Carlisle, which is why I was saved? And you knew! All along you only tolerated me to make Carlisle and Esme happy."
"Well at least I did tolerate you! I had no choice in this you know. And guess what, I told Carlisle NOT to save you, so don't blame me for your own misery, this is not my fault."
"I wish he hadn't saved me, because then I wouldn't be forced to spend all eternity with the likes of you, you self-hating, worthless jerk!"
"And do you think I like this situation any better? I was just adjusting to my life before you came along, bringing all you narcissistic drama with you," Edward shot back.
"Narcissistic drama, is that what you think of what happened to me?" She said in unbelief. "I can't believe for a second I actually thought that you cared enough to…Uhhh! Just stay away from me Edward!" And with that she was running away in another direction farther and farther away from earshot.
He growled as he threw a strike at a nearby tree, scaring all the wildlife away, how could one girl be so infuriating? He was sure that she would eventually return to the house once she cooled off, so he made his way back home. He only now was planning a proper way to explain the night's tale. He had absolutely no idea how his coven leaders would react.
As he made it closer, he could already tell by their thoughts that they had an idea of what he had been up to. He opened the door to see both Carlisle and Esme in the front hallway, facing him. Edward shut the door behind him; the only noise in the room was the ticking of the father clock at the end of the hall. The tension grew as they processed that Rosalie was not with him.
Esme spoke carefully afraid of the news she might hear, "Where is Rosalie?"
He was still a bit on edge from his last encounter with her and replied sharply, "I neither know nor care."
Then Edward moved past them up the stairs to his room where he sat at his desk chair, calming his current irritation with the entire night.
Carlisle followed him warily, Esme stayed downstairs. Carlisle spoke, "Edward I know you two don't exactly get along but there is no need to act like this."
He was in his room leaning against his dresser, not finished inquiring to his whereabouts.
"Four men were murdered yesterday, their necks snapped. I might have taken the news as a mere coincidence if I had not just been informed of the murder on the King property, earlier tonight. The mansion was burned down to the ground; the police confirmed it as arson and homicide Edward. The bodies of Royce King and his two guards recently were retrieved from the burning building, unrecognizable but it is confirmed to be them. However at the hospital, it was found that a good majority of the bones in Royce's body had been broken. Crushed by force that is unnatural for a human."
"It wasn't me Carlisle," Edward told him.
"Who is it then, Edward? Rosalie is a newborn; there is no way she could have left those bodies full of blood."
"Rosalie has a good amount of control for a newborn, but I did make sure that she did not slip up and drink Royce's blood. Blood was not what she was after anyways." Edward said.
"So you knew about these murders?" It was an accusation.
"Are you telling me I should have stopped her? She would not be swayed in her task of revenge Carlisle. She was determined to make them pay."
"Where could she have gone Edward?" Carlisle asked.
"Carlisle she-" Edward was interrupted by the sound of the front door slamming downstairs.
They ran down the staircase and turned into the living room where they found Esme staring at Rosalie in shock. She was still wearing the elaborate wedding dress; she had a wild and hysterical look about her. Carlisle was surprised that her eyes were not red and not a drop of blood stained her gown.
"Rosalie, thank goodness you're home," Esme said softly.
"This is not my home! And if I did not make this very clear before, this is NOT my family."
No one but Edward knew why she was so on edge, they assumed it was due to what she did earlier. But she was still bitter about the circumstances in which she ended up with the Cullen's.
Carlisle spoke calmly as always, "Rosalie-"
She hissed at Carlisle, one look in her eyes showed a glare of pure hatred for him.
"Don't even utter my name. You are no better than any of the other scum I slaughtered tonight. Maybe you should go the same way," she spat crouching into a predatory stance, planning her kill.
They were all were aware newborns were dangerous, but an outraged newborn was one thousand times worse. Carlisle backed away slowly; he raised his hands in a non threatening surrender. Suddenly Edward spoke, her head moved away from Carlisle and rested on Edward.
"Don't even think about it Rosalie."
"Give me one reason I shouldn't," she sneered.
Edward stepped forward so he was standing in front of Carlisle and Esme, closer to Rosalie who still looked ready to attack at any moment.
Edward, please be careful Esme thought worriedly.
Son don't put your safety at risk, move away from her, she is not stable right now. Carlisle mentally said
Edward stood in front of her, an unmoving statue, his eyes narrowed at the angry newborn who stood directly in front of him. For a few torturous seconds, there was no movement in the room, no sound but their unneeded breathing. Rosalie's eyes moved from Carlisle to Edward, she straightened up, her face hardening in defeat and she was halfway through the door when Edward added softly,
"I told you it wouldn't help; you don't have to try to sabotage the entire family as a result of your own personal torment."
She stiffened in the doorway; she knew what he was referring to. She was extremely agitated already; Edward rubbing in the fact that her retribution would do little to ease her own grief was like adding salt to the wound. She replied through her teeth without turning,
"Don't you dare be a hypocrite Edward. It's not like you don't know anything about ripping apart a family."
With that she was gone. They heard her go upstairs to the room she was staying in, she shut the door behind her. Carlisle and Esme turned to Edward.
"Perhaps it is best that we move for Tennessee as soon as possible, after what just happened," Esme said.
"Yes I think that would be best for us. These murders are far too numerous and coincidental to be overlooked by authorities and Rosalie will be extremely recognizable in Rochester. Edward did anyone see either of you tonight?"
"No one saw us, I'm sure of it," Edward replied.
"Good, we will all have to put tonight's events behind us and accept the murders committed."
"Don't tell me you don't think that they deserve it after what those monsters did to her," Edward said to Carlisle.
"You know what it feels like to kill. You yourself knew that murder would not help her yet you let her go after them anyway. And what about the guards Edward, they did not deserve to die just because they were doing their jobs. I expected more from you, son."
"Rosalie Hale is not my problem Carlisle! Don't expect me to care about that girl up there just for your sake. Why don't you just admit the real reason you turned her in the first place?"
"Edward she was dying."
"You know full well that is not the truth. You know that the real reason was because you decided to play with a human life for your own selfish motives," Edward sneered as he turned for the door. Grabbing the handle he paused and said with a dark, piercing voice.
"Maybe Rosalie is right, maybe you are no better than those men she killed." With that, Edward was out the door and running through the night, leaving Carlisle and Esme standing in shocked disbelief in the front entrance of their now shattered home.