Disclaimer – I hold no proprietary or artistic rights over Twilight or any of the characters or scenarios created by Stephanie Meyer.
Previously…
Eventually it was agreed that Carlisle would call the hospital claiming that Esme was sick and insist that he stay home to care for her. Everyone was satisfied that the age old maxim, safety in numbers, would be sufficient to keep us safe.
Chapter ten: Beware, My Esme
Carlisle's POV
Esme and I were startled when my phone rang. The only reason one of the children would ring was if there were problems. I retrieved my phone and answered it.
"Hello, Carlisle Cullen speaking."
"Carlisle?" cried the voice at the other end. "I'm really sorry to call while your wife is sick, but there's an emergency at the hospital."
"What sort of emergency?"
"A young man has been brought in with serious injuries, both internal and external; they're haemorrhaging. Dr. Gerandy is already in surgery and if you can't come, I'm afraid he won't make it."
This was the very reason that I became a doctor, to give back despite what fate has dealt me. When I was able to use my vampiric gifts to save someone's life, that was what made this existence worthwhile for me. Admittedly, this young man might survive just by having a surgeon available, but today, that was me.
I gave a hesitant yet pleading look to Esme. She knew how much my work meant to me, but it was selfish of me to want to leave her alone and unprotected while I went and stitched up a human. Sensing immediately what I needed, she mouthed the word 'Go' to me.
"It's alright, I'll be there as soon as I can," I assured the caller.
"Thank you," the nurse replied before the line cut off.
I returned my phone to its pocket as I turned to Esme, demanding to know whether she truly was ok with being left alone; even just for a few hours. Rather than replying, she just smiled and shook her head and gently pushed me out the door. Despite the strong front she projected, I knew her too well not to notice the undercurrent of fear in her actions. I also knew her well enough not to argue.
"Remember to drive at a human speed," she said, "It won't help anyone if you arrive so quickly that you cannot explain it."
It was with those last words that I left Esme and drove down the highway at a painfully slow, yet acceptably human speed. When I arrived at the hospital, I was met by several relieved faces that started to fill me in on my patient.
"…animal attack…"
"…hypovolemic shock…"
"…weak…"
"…already prepped…"
"…waiting…"
I was practically dragged to one of the hospital's operating rooms where I scrubbed up at a sluggish human pace. It wasn't until I was standing over the young man's heavily anaesthetised body that I was able to gauge the severity of his injuries for myself. Animal attack was a generous description; it looked as though he had been put through a shredder, the way ribbons of flesh had been separated from his body. I leant forward to begin putting this young man together when I smelled it; the distinctive scent of a vampire. It was too late to do anything now, I realised in panic. I was already here and I definitely couldn't leave until I had finished operating. I had left Esme unprotected…
Esme's POV
The last two months had been hard on the whole family. Edward and Jasper were blaming themselves for allowing James to get near Alice. Both of them felt they should have sensed some forewarning of the recent events with their gifts. In the meantime, on top of fretting about why she didn't see any of this coming, Alice was doubting whether she deserved to be a part of the family. Emmett barely cracked a joke anymore, and although she tried to hide it, Rose was struggling with the idea of not being able to protect her family. And Carlisle… there just weren't words.
I had been sick and Carlisle had taken the last two weeks off work to care for me. If the situation wasn't resolved soon, it would materially damage the lives we'd created here in Forks. The only moderately positive thing that I could find in the whole experience was that I was with Carlisle. More importantly, I was alone with Carlisle and we found plenty of things to fill our time with while the children were at school.
We were both surprised and a little worried when Carlisle's phone rang. The children were at school, the only reason they would call was if something had happened. Exchanging puzzled, yet worried looks with each other, Carlisle answered his phone.
I could see the indecision on Carlisle's face. On one hand, this was why he went to work each day, to make a difference, while on the other hand, he didn't want to leave me alone while James was stalking Alice. I knew he would stay with me, if that was what I wanted, but I couldn't be that selfish. Banishing the thought, I mouthed the word 'Go' to my husband.
"It's alright, I'll be there as soon as I can," he told them.
"Thank you," they replied before the line cut out.
Sliding his phone back into his pocket, Carlisle rounded on me and demanded to know whether I was sure. He would stay if I wanted him to. Of course I wanted him to stay, but if he could save this boy's life… that was more important. I would be safe here; there were only a few short hours before school was let out for the day. So, I just smiled and shook my head as I pushed him out the door.
"Remember to drive at a human speed," I said, "It won't help anyone if you arrive so quickly that they cannot explain it."
I leant my head against the closed front door, listening to the tyres of Carlisle's Mercedes crunch on the gravel drive. A few moments later, I heard the car turn onto the highway, and its sounds were lost even to my vampire hearing. Never would I admit it to Carlisle, certainly not when he could save that poor boy, but I was scared. I didn't want to be left alone while James was on the loose. Up until now, he hadn't ventured near the house while anyone was home, but his last poem betrayed his growing impatience. If there were a time when he may risk coming to the house when it was occupied, it would be now. But I calmed myself by remembering that there was no way that James could know that I had been left alone.
Resolving to fill my time with something productive, I turned to make my way to my studio and gasped at the scene in front of me. I hadn't noticed while my mind had been caught up in its own thoughts, but James and Victoria stood before me. Victoria's eyes were darting in every direction and James stood stock still with a small, but victorious smile on his lips.
"Hello, Esme, wasn't it?" he greeted me in a conversational tone.
I didn't move. I couldn't move. James walked up to me casually as though we were meeting in totally different circumstances. After circling my trembling body once, he reached out and stroked the length of my cheekbone, continuing down the side of my face. I tried to suppress my shiver, but he must have caught it, for his smile widened.
"Now Esme, I want you to do something for me," James crooned while twisting a lock of my hair between his fingers.
I was still frozen. I still couldn't move. I'd been in a position similar to this before. Memories of being unable to fight or being unable to do anything except submit started to float through my mind. If it were possible for a vampire, I would be heading into a full blown panic attack this instant.
"Dial Alice's cell," James instructed softly as he thrust a phone into my hands.
No! My mind screamed. It had taken me decades to deal with the trauma and the guilt of my human husband's abuse, but I had gotten past it. James would not have that same power over me. He had no power to wield over me.
"No, I won't help you," I stated with vehemence, meeting James' gaze.
My defiance obviously surprised him, but it also amused him which was a serious blow to my confidence. With a blindingly fast movement, he and Victoria had me pinned to the floor, it was painful and I couldn't move. His smile and next words completely disarmed me, and I reverted to the abused woman who struggled to escape her drunkard of a husband. Why did I always bring this on myself? His eyes silently told me that I had no choice but to obey.
"Why be like that?" James crooned, "I asked so nicely."
This time when the phone was held out to me, I took it without complaint and dialled Alice's number. It scared me how quickly I had capitulated. In vain I hoped that Alice wouldn't answer even though I knew how unlikely that was. There was nothing more that I could do. I couldn't protect my family. A failure, I was broken and slumped back to the floor in acquiescence. I listened with apathy as James intimated instructions to Alice, all the while threatening my safety to ensure her compliance. Time ceased to hold any meaning for me. Victoria gave a sharp kick to my side, trying to get my attention; evidently she had been trying for some time without any success.
"Esme," James warned.
In response to James' gentle disapproval, I sprung to my feet ready, to do whatever was asked of me. All fight had left me; I had already lost everything. Broken, I trailed obediently behind James and Victoria as we left the house and began to trek through the forest to meet Alice. Before we met up with her however, Victoria and I broke away and journeyed to a nearby cave that I had never laid eyes upon before. Obediently, I sat in the corner curling my legs up into my chest to wait for James' return.
Victoria paced around the mouth of the cave in the flighty nervous manner that I was becoming all too accustomed to. Eventually she turned to me, visibly annoyed at my compliance.
"Is that it?" she hissed in my direction.
I just blinked at her in confusion.
"After all your talk of how you are a family, you just give her up?" Victoria continued, "She really is more trouble than she's worth."
Her snide words were enough to snap me out of my stupor. Alice was family and she was definitely worth it. A feral snarl sounded from somewhere nearby as a crimson haze descended over my vision. Before Victoria could even move, I was on her back, biting and scratching like a wild animal. The swiftness of my attack left no room for Victoria to react and my ferocity left her unable to defend herself. It wasn't long before sickening snaps and hisses sounded throughout the cave and I had tossed her disconnected arms aside.
Straightening, I surveyed what I had just done, panting as I sought an influx of unneeded oxygen. I felt sick as I looked down on Victoria's armless body, twitching on the floor of the cave. There were deep scratches and chunks missing from her marble torso and her clothes were a complete mess. Fights were not something that I had ever had to concern myself with before. Usually, either Carlisle diffused the situation entirely or one look at Emmett caused the other vampire to turn tail and flee. Remembering Alice, I ran from the cave towards home as fast as I could. I needed to call the boys and set them on James; despite what I had just done, the power James had just asserted over me was too great for me to take him on alone.
Just before I made it up the porch steps, Rosalie's hard marble body crashed into mine with a deafening sound. I was locked in her vicelike grip for a few minutes before she released me. Opening my mouth to explain the situation to her, I broke down in tearless sobs, remembering my own weakness.
"It's ok," soothed Rose, "They'll get her back. You know Jasper won't let anything bad happen to her."
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Victoria's POV
James had formulated his plan and as usual, I was happy to assist him. Always, I watched from the sidelines as he tracked his prey, from vampires who offend him to the children of the moon he hunted in Europe. The scent of someone who would suit my purpose interrupted my reminiscing and I began to stalk the young human. Realising that we were too far away from the main trails, I started to create noise hoping to panic him and drive him to the more populated areas. After the loud snap of a branch just behind him, his heart rate and breathing increased dramatically as he quickened his pace back to the main road. The scent of fear and adrenalin was almost too much to bear by the time he made it to the road. Checking to ensure that there would be no witnesses, I pounced.
When I met back up with James, a short run away, I was still licking blood from underneath my fingernails like a cat cleaning her paws. James smirked at my behaviour, my persistence at getting every drop of blood from my hands was evidence enough to assure him that I hadn't fed from my victim. Waiting within earshot of the vampires' house, we listened to one half of the phone call that would call the male away and leave the female vulnerable to attack.
"Remember to drive at a human speed," she said before the male exited the house and drove away in a sleek Mercedes.
This was our cue and we silently entered the house through the back, catching the female completely unawares. As she leaned her head against the front door, my eyes scanned the room, looking for any signs of danger. When she finally turned to face us, utter shock registered on her face as she took us in, noticing our presence for the first time.
"Hello, Esme, wasn't it?" James broke the silence.
She didn't move an inch from where she was standing, instinctively knowing that any attempts at escape were futile. My eyes continued to dart around the room, searching for any possible threats. James walked one calculating lap around her trembling frame and then gently stroked the side of her face in an intimate gesture. With a struggle, I managed to beat down the surge of jealousy. The female shivered in response, causing James' smile to widen.
"Now Esme, I want you to do something for me," James said as he twisted a lock of hair between his fingers. Dropping the lock of hair and thrusting a phone into her trembling hands, "Dial Alice's cell," he instructed her.
"No, I won't help you," she stated, meeting James' gaze defiantly.
We were both stunned by her refusal and had her pinned to the floor in an instant.
"Why be like that?" James crooned, "I asked so nicely."
This time when the phone was offered, her response was more satisfactory. Taking the proffered phone, she dialled. Unmoving, she listened as James gave instructions to the small one called Alice while I whispered threats in her ear to ensure her continued obedience. When it was time to leave, I tried in vain to get her attention. Finally, frustrated, I gave her a sharp kick.
"Esme," James warned her as a flicker of his eyes gave me a similar rebuke.
Her response to James was dumbfounding as she quickly stood and obediently ran between us. Several miles into the forest, we split up. James was to meet Alice while I took the female to a nearby cave to hold her as insurance. When we came to the cave, she curled into a ball in a back corner.
The complete lack of opposition was unnerving, not to mention boring. When we had last spoken to the strange coven, we had been regaled with tales of their camaraderie and familial bonds. Where were those bonds now? Pacing around the mouth of the cave, in an effort to prevent her nonexistent attempt to escape, my frustration hit a crescendo.
"Is that it?" I hissed at her.
This vampire didn't seem to have any survival instincts whatsoever. Her only response was a blank look and a few blinks of confusion.
"After all your talk of how you are a family, you just give her up?" I spat at her in an effort to clarify. "She really is more trouble than she is worth," I added in an aside.
I heard the feral snarl from behind me and then felt the vampire land on my back. There was no other warning, and no chance to defend myself as I crashed to the ground. The frenzied movements as she bit and scratched at me marked her as an inexperienced fighter, something that only served to make this more humiliating. Driven by pure instinct, she ripped my arms from my body and tossed them aside. Up until this point, I had been struggling furiously against her attack, but without my arms, I was now rendered completely defenceless. With as little warning as it started, her attack stopped, and she stood up and away from my mutilated body. Aside from losing my arms, I had suffered extensive damage. There were deep scratches along my back and front while whole chunks of my marble flesh had been torn from my body.
I met her brief but disparaging, disgust laced look before she ran full tilt from the cave. My own instincts kicked in as I rolled to my feet and went in search of my arms. It took several minutes, but I reattached them and replaced much of the flesh that had been gouged from my body. My own wellbeing attended to, my focus shifted to my next priority, James. Running at full speed, I headed towards where I knew he would be, with the one called Alice. I stopped only for a moment as I forced the rank blood of a bear down my throat. Desperate times called for desperate measures, I thought to myself ruefully.
My worst fears were confirmed when I discovered James fighting with the tall blonde vampire that was Alice's mate. He was an even more skilled fighter than the pattern of scars across his skin advertised; James was in trouble even though his addled brain had yet to acknowledge that fact. I desperately wanted to help him, but in my weakened state… I spied Alice clinging to one of her coven like a small child. Seeing the two other males; the big one and the unmated one, made up my mind. I ran.
When I was satisfied that I had put enough distance between myself and the coven, I turned and looked back, hoping in vain to catch sight of James having fled behind me. I was greeted instead by a thick plume of purple-tinged smoke curling up into the sky. My James was dead and the realisation hit me with a force beggaring description.
A/N: Hopefully the different points-of-view aren't too much this time. I made a conscious effort to ensure I didn't hop around too much.
And for those of you who are wondering about my advertised plot the others turn up next chapter. I've spent a lot of time trying to ensure that they slot seamlessly into my alternate Twilight universe. This is intended to be an alternate storyline that is entirely plausible in SM's created world so I want their inclusion to affect everything else as little as possible.
27-July-2009
09-October-2009 -- beta'd
