A/N: Here we go. Hope you enjoy.
Chapter Twelve
Bella was pacing back and forth in her room. She was getting nervous seeing John again. "He is my brother." She repeated for the fiftieth time. It did nothing to help the gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach though. It was so surreal. John was a vampire. His primal instincts had taken control every time she was near him. She realized that she had brought a hand to her neck as her pulse was beating against the tip of her fingers.
She almost jumped when Charlie knocked on her door. "Bella it is almost time." There was a short pause then he added, "Can I come in?"
Bella tried to compose herself as she started to pack some of her clothes, "Yeah. I just started packing."
As Charlie entered her room he looked between Bella and her bag. "Remember to bring your toothbrush and ...uh." Charlie paused as he tried to come up with something else. Drawing a blank he just added "…Stuff."
A smile tugged at the corners of Bella's mouth, "Thank you dad. I will make sure to bring everything you suggested."
Charlie hesitated shortly before he brought out something from his pocket and offered it to her. "Take this pepper spray with you."
Bella took it and looked it over while wondering what the odds were of it being effective against vampires.
Charlie added, "If you see anyone or anything suspicious I want you to run away and find a safe place to call me. It doesn't matter what time of day it is."
Bella figured it would probably be better to contact the Cullens, but she agreed regardless, "I promise Dad." She perked up at the thought of seeing Alice again. Getting off the bed she hurried past Charlie and headed down the stairs. "I should get going."
"Don't forget your toothbrush!" Charlie called after her, giving her a smug dad-look.
Bella reached into her bag and waved the toothbrush at him, "See you Dad."
As Bella arrived at the Cullens she barely managed to get out of the car when slender hands snaked around her waist. Before she realized what had happened she was standing in Alice's bedroom.
The lithe pixie was standing in front of her with arms crossed and a big smile on her face. Bella was about to open her mouth when the little vampire disappeared only to reaper again with Bella's bag under her arm.
Bella laughed good naturedly, "Aren't you supposed to only use your abilities for good?"
Alice grinned, "I think that only applies to superheroes in the movies." She smirked with playful intent in her eyes and slowly stalked closer to Bella, "Who says I'm the hero."
Bella deadpanned, "Yeah I guess you're more the sidekick, huh?"
Alice licked her fangs. "I'm going to make you eat those words." She said, as she crouched down and prepared to attack.
Bella threw a pillow at the pixie and bolted for the door, "You gotta catch me first!"
She was actually surprised that she managed to make it to the living room. She hurried over the couch and ducked out of sight. She almost made an audible sigh as she realized how futile her attempt at hiding was.
"I wonder where Bella is hiding." Alice said as she slowly walked down the stairs. "I wonder what her punishment should be." She said, in what could best be described as a suggestive tone.
Bella tried to stay as quiet as possible as she could hear Alice getting closer and closer. Hopefully the flush in her cheeks would be gone by the time Alice found her.
"Perhaps an old fashioned spanking would be fitting." Alice said as she walked out in the kitchen.
Bella's cheeks went deep red. She really hoped no one else was home to hear this.
"Don't worry it is just the two of us." Was whispered right into her ear.
Bella yelped and tried to get up to run, but it was futile. A slender arm had snaked its way around her belly and prevented her from moving. She could feel the cool body pressing against her back.
Bella fought to bring down her heartrate and clear the lewd thoughts that was filling her mind.
A delicate finger traced her neck, "A penny for your thought?"
Bella blanched as she wondered if there was any risk that Alice could figure out what she was thinking. In what she hoped sounded dismissive she just shook her head "Oh you know – just idle thoughts."
Alice chucked, "Idle thoughts huh?" She lifted Bella off her feet and brought her up on the couch.
To Bella's mortification she now found herself sprayed across Alice's lap. She tried desperately to get free. Arms and legs flying in every direction, "Don't you dare!" She yelled.
Alice stopped moving and Bella sighed in relief, "Good now let me go-OW!" she groaned and looked angrily at Alice. "This is so uncalled fo-OW." She tried to defend herself as she desperately tried to wiggle away. She needed to find a way to get back at Alice. As she realized Alice hand had stopped she went on the offensive. "My turn." She exclaimed as she tried the only thing she could think of. She turned and started to tickle Alice, and to her surprise it worked. Alice burst out laughing as she fell on her back.
Bella got on top of Alice and continued her assault with renewed effort. She bend down and looked Alice straight in her eyes as she relented shortly. "I found your weakness." she declared triumphantly. To her surprise Alice's eyes had gone almost completely black. With some apprehension she started to move back, but Alice's hands on her sides kept her in place.
"I'm ok." Alice spoke in a husky whisper. She lifted her face to mere inches from Bella and licked her lips.
Bella swallowed. Her heart was pounding. Throwing caution to the wind she closed her eyes and pressed her lips against Alice's. A soft moan escaped her lips as the sweet taste of minty chocolate filled her. Bella was about to panic when Alice didn't reciprocate. She feared that she had misread the situation and started to pull back when the vampire brought a hand behind her head and met her in a deep passionate kiss.
As Bella leaned into the touch of Alice's soft hand she mustered up her courage. She carefully laid down next to the small vampire without breaking the kiss. She felt Alice shift her body to make room for her on the small couch.
Throwing caution to the wind she lowered her arm and hesitatingly put her hand on Alice's hip. Bella could feel the cool skin under the thin fabric of Alice's sundress. Caught up in the moment she ran her hand up the lithe figure enjoying the feeling of the cool silk. Before she realized it she suddenly felt a rounded mound in her hand.
It took her a second to realize what she was touching and another second to open her eyes to look at her hand. Her entire face was burning with embarrassment, "I-I'm sorry!" She managed to stammer out as she franticly removed the hand and started to back up to put some distance between them. Her mind was over capacity with emotions, right now she just wanted to run far away. She settled for moving to the far end of the couch with her hands around her legs and looked out the window, while whispering "I didn't mean to."
Alice got up and sat down next to Bella. "You don't need to be sorry." she stated softly. She put a hand on Bella's shoulder to console the brunette. When Bella didn't move away she decided to scoot a little closer and put an arm around her back. As Bella turned and looked at her she slowly caressed her back. "If it will make you feel better I can touch yours too." She offered with a smirk.
Bella looked at her in shock "No!" She blurted out, while once more getting a shade darker red, "I mean you can if you want to. I uhm-" Her rambling was cut short by Alice's lips on her own.
"I'm just teasing Bella," Alice said as she broke the kiss.
Bella tried to regaining her composure. She focused on the cool energy radiating off of Alice. It felt like it was enveloping her in a protective blanket. As she focused on it the feeling got stronger and stronger.
Thirty minutes passed before Bella decided to ask, "When is your family going to be back?"
"Esme and Carlisle are going to be out for most of the day. They had some errands to run in Seattle. Rosalie and John are expecting us this evening and the boys…" She paused, "I would have thought they would be on their way back from hunting by now..." Before Bella could panic she added, "Don't worry I will find out a while before they get here."
Before Bella even realized they had moved she was sitting on Alice's bed in her room, with an embarrassed looking vampire biting a nail in front of her.
Slow deliberate steps was heard from the stairs outside the room then someone knocked on the door. Emmett's spoke through the door "You got off that couch in an awful hurry Sis. I hope Bella's arm is still attached."
"We just wanted some privacy." Alice spoke back guarded. She looked at Bella apologetically.
"I'm sorry we interrupted. It sure looked cozy." Emmett paused, "I think Edward broke the sound barrier when he bolted out of here." The tall vampires laughed on the other side of the door, "Anyway. Jasper and I are down in the living room when you are ready to be social again."
Bella sighed, "I'm never going to leave this room."
Alice sat down next to her, "We could go meet with John and Rosalie now if you prefer."
Bella got up and walked to the door, "Let's go see your brothers first."
Jasper and Emmett was sitting in the living room speaking. Both of them stopped and looked at Bella as she sat down. She started to wonder if this was the right decision after all, but before she could change her mind Alice sat down next to her.
Emmett looked from Alice to Bella. He was obviously enjoying the whole situation. "So tell me all the details. I have the distinct sense that I missed the good part."
In a flash Emmett was suddenly laying on the floor laughing while getting beaten up by Alice. Jasper sighed, "I guess that went about as well as could be expected." He turned his attention to Bella, "Alice mentioned that you are going to Rosalie's place tonight?"
"Yeah that is the plan." Bella had a hard time focusing on the conversation at hand, "I'm sorry but is this normal?" Bella pointed at the two vampires still on the floor. Alice was now hitting Emmett with the remains of a broken lamp.
Jasper smiled and nodded, "It happens from time to time." Without missing a beat he added, "Emmett likes to tease and Alice has a bit of a sadomasochistic streak in her."
Bella blanched and looked at Alice who had frozen in place, with the lamp inches from Emmett's face.
Alice turned to Jasper, "Are you kidding me?"
He just shrugged and smiled in return.
Emmett go up and sat down in the sofa, "So how did we manage to get the drop on you earlier?"
Alice scowled at Jasper for a little while longer, then looked apologetic at Bella before she looked at Emmett, "I don't know. This is the first time it has happened."
"Do you think it could be Amaunet that blocks your ability?" Emmett suggested.
Alice shrugged, "My ability is back. Whatever it was only affected me temporarily."
The conversation was interrupted when Bella's phone started to ring. It was John calling.
It was nice to be able to speak with John again, though Bella was a little self-conscious as it was obvious that the three vampires were listening in. "Alright thank you for the heads up. See you soon."
"Amun is there now. We should head over there as soon as we can. Something has come up." Bella said.
John and Rosalie were outside when Bella and Alice arrived. Rosalie had a heated argument with Amun while John was sitting and watching the two.
Rosalie turned to Alice "You'll never guess what Amun has in store for all of us."
Bella looked to Amun for an explanation, but instead it was Alice that spoke, "He has asked the Volturi to come here." Her brows furrowed and she looked at Amun with some apprehension, "I've never seen them so humble before."
"Wait… The Volturi usually use safeguards against your ability. How did you see them?" Rosalie asked.
Alice shrugged, "I just did. My ability has been in a flux all day today."
The stoic façade that Amun put on since Bella first saw him started to cracking as he gave her a searching look, "Have you been close with Alice today?"
Bella looked at him in shock and glanced at Alice and the others. Suddenly she was the center of attention, and she just wanted to run away. "W-What…" She tried to collect herself and managed "That's personal?" she managed to state, though it ended up sounding more like a question.
Amun rolled his eyes, "I don't care who you screw. What I mean is that you are likely using your ability as a catalyst for Alice's power."
'When will this day end' Bella thought. "Excuse me." She turned and walked to the house. Inside she curled up in a chair and closed her eyes. She idly wondered if she could just sit there and wait until the day had passed.
Only a moment later the door opened and closed again. Alice came into view. She sat in front of Bella with a hand on Bella's shin. "Rosalie and John went out to hone John's abilities. They will be back in a little bit." Alice looked up at Bella tenderly, "Are you ok?"
Bella smiled morosely at Alice, "Well everyone knows about us now at least."
Alice got up and gave Bella a gentle kiss, "Yeah." She sat back down on the armrest of Bella's chair and ran her hand through Bella's hair on her back. "I guess you can affect my abilities as well now."
Bella leaned into the touch, "I didn't know I did it... I'm not even sure what I did exactly."
"You will learn to control it in time." Alice had a distant look when she added, "You are the key to restoring the balance in this world." When Bella looked at her she refocused and added, "That's what Amun said." She bit her lip, "It is why Amun requested the Volturi to come over here."
"You have mentioned the Volturi before… Who are they?" Bella asked.
"They are one of the largest and most powerful covens. Supposedly the coven was created to enforce peace and prevent the discovery of us by humans. According to legends they were formed by the old gods to act on their behalf." Alice seemed to mull things over then added, "Our family has always considered it to be a myth created by the Volturi to cement their position and make their ruling absolute." She hesitatingly added, "You can imagine our surprise when Amaunet revealed herself and who she truly was."
Bella muttered, "So have you ask Amun or Amaunet about it? Is the legend true?"
Alice shook her head, "We've tried, but neither of them will tell us anything. They say it is a matter of security." She shrugged then added, "We have tried to piece together the information we have anyway, but it doesn't amount to much more than speculations."
"If Amun can get the Volturi to come here..." Bella started.
Alice shook her head, "They would have come here regardless of who told them about you. We will have to wait and see how they act around Amun." She bit her lip then added, "You should know that they will likely ask that we turn you into a vampire." As soon as she said it though the carefree Alice surfaced, she gave Bella a big hug, "But don't worry we will tell them to back off. We will protect you."
As much as Bella enjoyed the hug she realized something. Instead of feeling helpless as she usually did in these situations she was determined to prove everyone wrong. She was strong.
Alice released her and gave her a meaningful smile. She then looked towards the door, "You can come in now."
Rosallie entered with John slowly following after. Rosalie smiled at them and then turned to John, "Go on, you won't hurt her."
Bella got up from the chair as John approached. She fisted her hands and straightened her back, then smiled to him, "Hello little brother."
John looked at her in confusion, "Did you hit your head or something? I'm older than you."
Bella smirked, "Was. Past tense. You don't age anymore, so technically I am your older sister now."
"That doesn't count!" John yelled, then he turned looking pleadingly at Alice and Rosalie, "Tell me that doesn't count?"
Rosalie shrugged and Alice just chuckled as she nodded.
John's shoulders slumped as he muttered, "What have I done."
Bella sighed, "You are such a drama queen sometimes."
John got up and hugged his sister, "I'm glad to see you sis."
Bella returned the hug, "How are you doing?"
John let her go and smiled at her, "It helps when you are this calm." He admitted.
