A/N: Hola todos! Okay, so this chapter isn't Bella visiting Forks, but I sincerely promise the next one will. It's a little "fluffy", but crucial to setting up her trip back. As usual, feel free to leave a review and look out for any mistakes I may have made (it's been a long week).
(Posted on 3/29/17)
Chapter 12: Preparations and Flight
After a month of intense training, I could reliably project my mental shield approximately twenty feet and hold it in place; the dogged encouragement of Renata was a contributing factor to my success. However, a setback I suffered was that I needed to concentrate hard—otherwise, the dome would contract and shrink at random, which frustrated me. I had far better luck with my physical shield—I was able to expand it around four times the distance compared to the mental. I didn't know why, but my physical shield just came easier to me.
Although I initially opposed the idea, sparring with Felix, Demetri and Santiago proved to be an enjoyable endeavour. Technically, it was learning on how to react defensively to potential threats. 'Just in case,' as Demetri put it, the purpose was so that I had something to fall back on if my shields failed for whatever reason. Challenging against, inarguably, the three best fighters the Volturi Guard had to offer, meant I spent a lot of my time pinned face down into the cobblestone floor. Yet, I still gleaned a multitude of useful moves I could potentially utilize in the future—from dodging frontal, side or rear attacks, to quickly turning the tide by evading, then countering the attacker, forcing a favorable engagement with the element of surprise. And since I no longer required petty sleep, it meant drilling everyday, to nearly every hour, along with my shields. I absorbed much; making the same mistake often led you to being taken down.
These preparations were part of my negotiation—and subsequent deal—with Aro, Caius and Marcus; though calling it a 'deal' was probably an inaccurate term. Truthfully, they had merely suggested I train for said month to solidify my gift, as well as a crash course in hand-to-hand combat. And, to be honest, I felt uncomfortable with the idea of leaving the extremely safe confines of my home without any training.
I was planning to travel—well, return would be the correct term, albeit twelve years late—back to the United States, which made me both nervous and excited. Because I couldn't remember a whole lot about my human family—my young age and vampirism both wore away any discernible memories—I yearned to discover information from my own, brief past life. The only detail I retained through the years were where I had resided—Phoenix, Arizona—and my father's small hometown of Forks, Washington. I'd remembered that small facet of my father because of my arranged adoption by his friend, Billy. If I had been adopted, as was the original intention, I wouldn't have met Felix and Demetri; consequently, I wouldn't have left for Italy, nor met my family.
"Princess," a high, melodic voice—it was Jane—addressed quietly, breaking me out of my trance. I slowly twirled around, and smiled when I spotted her standing still, cloaked, in the doorway. "Are you ready?" she questioned. In her hands were the forged legal documents that would make my trip considerably easier: my fake American passport and driver's license.
I nodded my head. "Give me a second," I replied. I glanced back to my bed, where a large, filled backpack laid on the sheets. Despite Heidi's sulking, I was able to pack some normal clothes—like jeans and shirts, instead of cocktail dresses. She had reluctantly agreed when I argued my case for remaining inconspicuous—vibrant, expensive clothes didn't necessarily accomplish that.
Other than clothing, there was my wallet that contained some cash and a credit card, which was linked to one of the Volturi's many offshore bank accounts. A brand new smartphone was also placed inside, as a means of communication, along with some cases of Heidi's colored contacts—they were a solid blue color, and would camouflage my crimson ones into a less terrifying hue. After stuffing my black cloak into the bag, I double-checked my nondescript outfit, making sure nothing was out of place. I quickly zipped the plain ebony backpack, swinging it easily over my shoulders—it weighed as light as a feather.
"Let's go," I prompted. We made our way to lobby in comfortable silence, taking the short elevator ride up. When the doors slid open, I was instantly assaulted by Valentina's delicious, clean scent—she smelled like cherries. It had been two days since I last fed, and my thirst was beginning to show. I hurriedly swallowed back the venom that flooded my mouth and walking toward her desk.
"Valentina," I nodded in greeting as I stepped past her.
She flinched slightly, startled at the sound of my voice, and her heart beat a bit faster. "Princess, Jane," she answered respectfully, forming a small, polite smile when she finally spotted me. She eyed my luggage with curiosity, but didn't say anything. Smart of her—asking too many questions would have irritated Jane, which was a dangerous prospect. Jane gave Valentina a brisk nod in acknowledgement as she, too, strolled past.
I stopped by the door. "Where are we meeting Demetri and Felix?" I inquired, speaking too low and swift for Valentina to hear, peering outside into the welcoming midnight darkness.
"Right outside the city, by the western gate," Jane responded with matching volume.
"Alright. Lead the way." Jane listened attentively before darting across the vacant plaza. I trailed behind her, using her peach scent as a guide. We stuck close to the shadows, weaving inbetween the empty alleyways, watching for signs of any nearby humans as we ran. Eventually, we slowed down when we reached the edge of the city. I emerged from the nearby gloomy alley, sauntering through the sandy arch, inspecting the metal portcullis that hung above with mock interest—an attempt to mimic a tourist.
I caught not two, but three recognizable scents that wafted in the air, which momentarily confused me. I'd been expecting only Demetri and Felix—the third was an all-too-familiar jasmine, which meant only one thing—Heidi. "Princess!" she called out in her high, musical voice, materializing beside a parked black SUV—a Cadillac—with Felix and Demetri. She wore a bright purple dress, which I sort-of half expected; it contrasted with the boring, pale gray cloaks of Felix and Demetri.
My eyebrows knitted together. "What are you doing here, Heidi?" I asked, confusion coloring my tone.
She shrugged her shoulders. "I'm going to pick up my latest catch, and it's near your layover stop. I figured I could kill two birds with one stone," Heidi explained. I automatically felt a smile play on my lips. I was elated that someone I knew was accompanying me—somehow, it being Heidi made me feel better.
Demetri cleared his throat. "Shall we?" he suggested, gesturing to the car with a sweep of his arm. He opened the back passenger door for me, and I thanked him as I climbed in. Heidi and Jane followed; Demetri got in the driver's seat, while Felix sat in the adjacent passenger side.
The engine quietly revved when Demetri hit the accelerator. I gazed out my window, watching the Tuscan countryside rapidly flash by as the minutes passed. There wasn't much sound beside the gentle hum of the engine, the tires rolling against the asphalt, and our shallow breathing. I didn't know whether it was nerves or something else that made everyone so silent—I suspected it was the former. This trip was my first real time I was going to be completely alone, without members of the Guard escorting me like they usually did. Part of this made me feel dejected, perhaps even afraid; I had always enjoyed their humorous presence, especially my close friends—Demetri, Felix, Heidi and Jane.
Yet, I suppose I couldn't blame myself for feeling this way. I had been shrouded in secrecy and protection nearly my whole human life, and consequently, the existence of vampires was all I knew and could comprehend. Suddenly, being alone presented itself as a new, frightening challenge—how to become self-sufficient when I had been taken care for my entire life. I could have asked Aro to order someone to accompany me, though I doubted anyone would've objected—when I had declared my intention to return weeks ago, many of my friends had offered to stay with me. What puzzled them was my answer: 'No'. It was difficult to fathom, but I always inherently believed that this trip be made alone. I wanted to uncover details regarding my human parents alone. I felt like they—and myself—deserved the right to privacy, to not have a friend with me while I explored my old life.
Demetri pulled up into a small, isolated, but well-lit airport after an hour or so, driving past the shunted metal gate and stopped alongside the long tarmac. A tiny, nimble-looking white jet sat at our end of the runway with the lettering 'G650' printed on the tail and engine. To my surprise, there was what appeared to be a human standing next to it, immaculately dressed in a black two-piece suit. Reassuringly, I knew our eyes were dark enough with thirst as to not arouse any unnecessary suspicion. I unlocked and pushed open my door, flooding the car and my senses with the faint smell of human blood. The night temperature must have been cold because the pilot—that's who I assumed it was—seemed to be shivering marginally, rubbing the top of his arms with his hands.
My friends assembled in a loose line before me, smiling, but with saddened expressions. I briskly closed the distance between them, hugging Demetri first, and tightly so; I breathed in his familiar cinnamon scent. "Stay safe, Princess," he murmured worriedly into my ear.
"I will," I promised, turning to face Felix, who stared at me with puppy-dog eyes. He bawled loudly, then crushed me in a vise-like hug. I involuntarily laughed a wheezy, breathless laugh, wrapping my arms around his large body and leaned my head against his shoulder—just like I would always do when I was younger.
"Remember what we taught you," Felix said softly in a abnormally serious tone after I'd backed away.
I nodded my head. "I will," I repeated confidently. I twisted to look at Jane. "Take care of these two for me, will you?" I asked, unable to fight the smile that crept up onto my lips.
She grinned widely in response. "Of course, Princess," she chuckled when I leaned in and embraced her delicate frame. I exchanged another set of hugs and goodbyes before Demetri, Felix and Jane returned to the Cadillac. The sounds of doors being opened and the car engine turning over filled the cool, empty air; I watched them drive away, feeling a little remorseful—I didn't know when I could see them again.
With a heavy sigh, I pivoted to face the plane, scrutinizing the pilot for a moment. He was in his late thirties, early forties, had warm, brown eyes—similar to oak—and hair to match. He looked very professional—his suit was spotless, which was an achievement in of itself.
"Hello, miss Ricci," he greeted in a low, soft-spoken voice when we approached. Ricci—I assumed it was an alias Heidi had concocted for her travels. Honesty, I thought it was rather funny; the ironic connotation suited Heidi's exorbitant lifestyle perfectly. The pilot examined me as discreetly as he could manage, for which I was mildly grateful. Most humans tended to gawk without any restraint—granted, it was certainly flattering, but it got annoying after a while. "My apologies, but I was not expecting another passenger," he stated with regret.
Heidi flashed him an stunning smile—I had to stifle my laughter as his eyes became unfocused, dazed into silence. He blinked several times, and shook his head, most likely trying to regather his cognitive functions and clear his mind. "No worries, Peter, this is a friend of mine. And, as expected, I'll wire you the money for her ticket as well," she reassured with a seductive lilt in her tone. Heidi was capable of putting anyone into a befuddled state—vampires included. Part of it was her gift, part of it was her natural beauty, which truthfully, was difficult to distinguish between the two.
He wobbled slightly as he staggered to the jet, pausing when he got close enough to access a small panel built flush into the aircraft. After toying with some buttons, the stairs slowly flipped out; carpeted in a beautiful red velvet. He waited patiently for us to board before climbing up the steps himself, pressing another button from inside, causing the stairs to retract back. The sharp click of the lock securely clasping the door was oddly reassuring. Peter went to the cockpit and carefully shut the door behind him.
I inspected the interior of the cabin—the flooring was made of the same luxurious red material as the door steps. Several spacious seats were spaced evenly among the cabin, the spotless upholstery an exquisite pearl color, and it smelled of rich leather. There were also cozy tables placed in front of the chairs, with a glossy coat of some kind of protective varnish. The extravagance certainly screamed 'the best money could buy'.
I made my way toward one of the closest seats and flopped down, resting against the supple padding. Heidi took the one across from me. "So, what's up with you and Peter?" I asked, arching an eyebrow, and putting a suggestive emphasis on his name.
Heidi trilled a light laugh. "Oh, nothing. Peter's just one of the pilots I use whenever I'm flying and transporting the humans I catch. He's actually married, but he still enjoys my presence a little bit too much," she winked, prompting me to roll my eyes in sheer amusement and disbelief. Leave it to Heidi to flirt with a human, while she brought the other ones to their awaited slaughter, all unbeknownst to the previous.
The jet engines began to whine; I could hear the muffled, controlled explosions occurring from within, driving the propeller shaft, and spinning the fans to an incredible velocity. The jet started rolling down the runway, its speed increasing the further we traveled. Soon after, the nose of the plane gently tilted up, and the body followed suit, lifting off the ground. After a few minutes, I immediately knew it was going to be a very long seven hours. The cabin, pressurized and oxygenated with recycled air, was filled with the appealing, maddening scent of our human pilot. Sighing internally, I simply decided to stop breathing instead of torturing myself—though it was uncomfortable, I'd rather deal with the awkward sensation than constantly being reminded of my growing thirst.
Our first stop would be New York City, where Heidi and I planned to split up; she was heading for Manhattan while I was to connect to another flight, bound for Seattle. A shiver of pure impatience and nervousness trembled down my spine. Obviously, I was eager to travel to Forks and determine if my father's friend was still residing there. There was one major complication: I didn't actually know his surname, just that he was referred to as Billy. That detail made me understandably anxious, despite the impracticality—I could always search for his blood relatives, legal records, and if I'd exhausted all options to no avail, I would simply return home. It was only the missing knowledge of my human self that nagged me; it felt like a piece of me was gone, disappeared. All my life, I'd wondered about my own past, and if I would ever obtain any answers. I wasn't going to let my chance slip away so easily.
I pulled off my cloak, stuffing it into my backpack—I had no need for it now, and it would only serve to gather the attention of other humans if I left it on. My eyes slid closed, and I laid my head against the comfortable seat, becoming very still. The soft thrumming of the engines, as well as Heidi's even breathing, helped to pass the time.
"Princess," she whispered after six hours and forty-three minutes of silence. I slowly reopened my eyes and looked at her. Despite my prolonged immobility, I still felt completely relaxed. "We're almost here," Heidi informed quietly, her usually genial voice sounding ever so melancholy. I suddenly noticed the radio chatter between our pilot and a control tower, illustrating her point. I nodded and sat a bit straighter in response.
The jet slanted at a greater downward angle, marking our descent toward the brightly illuminated ground. From the sky, I was able to distinguish the individual concrete and steel skyscrapers; each pane of glass it held and which ones light faintly shone through. I was taken aback at how different this urban city was, compared to the Italian cities Heidi often brought me to visit—those were comically constricted and compact. The tires screeched in protest when they first touched the runway, gradually bringing the aircraft to a halt. We had landed at a large, expansive airport this time—the ones designed for international commercial flights.
Peter exited the cockpit when we finished taxiing to our designated location, walking over to the door from where we had originally entered. "Ladies," he acknowledged politely, pushing a button and causing the deployment of the door. I stood up and, after giving him a courteous nod, went down the stairs with Heidi right behind. My two shoed feet stepped onto the ground; I realized that the last time I'd been on the same soil—the same country—I was still human. Memories of that unforgettable night when I'd first met Felix and Demetri, although fleeting and blurry, flooded my mind, making me smile.
"Miss Ricci," Peter called out from the top of the stairs, causing us to turn around.
"Yes?" Heidi answered. She shot him a breathtaking smile, though I could tell she was impatient—her eyes were nearing blackness. Which reminded me of my own, which made me sigh internally at the burn in my throat.
He lost the ability to speak for a moment. "I—I would suggest you stay here, as—" he pointed to another jet, the same make and model as ours. "—your flight is scheduled to depart in a few minutes." He seemed extremely disappointed with that fact. However, he perked up considerably when he glanced at me. "I'm afraid, miss…" he trailed off.
"Bella, please," I finished. It felt… strange to say my name aloud. I was so used to being addressed to as 'princess' by my friends and members of the Guard.
"Miss Bella. Our plane requires refueling, which will take approximately thirty minutes. I would recommend heading inside and out of this cold," he informed.
"Yes, thank you," I replied, trying not to sound dismissive and curt, but pretty sure I'd failed; Peter ducked his head back into the cockpit. Heidi raised an eyebrow at me, but I ignored it. I didn't enjoy taking orders from other people, least of all a human; unless the person was from my family, or a close friend, it was usually me who gave out the instructions.
"That wasn't very polite," she noted, an amused tone in her voice.
"I have another five hour flight with him, Heidi," I half-groaned, half-complained. "Coupled with the fact that I'm thirsty." It wasn't that I didn't like the man. My growing irritability stemmed from the lack of fresh blood in my system.
She chuckled darkly. "Thankfully, mine is so short, I think I'll have enough time for a real hunt." Her entire face lit up, onyx eyes flashed with excitement, taking on the appearance of an angel of destruction.
I rolled my own dark eyes. "Heidi, you had a 'real' hunt with me and Jane two weeks ago," I pointed out.
She pouted, jutting out her lower lip adorably. "That one doesn't count. We were teaching you."
"Yes, Heidi, I'm sure the act of killing and drinking a human changes with my mere presence," I said with sarcasm.
She grinned. "It does." Our playful banter was interrupted by the entrance of another pilot, somewhat younger, but dressed in the same professional fashion as our previous one.
The man looked pointedly at Heidi. "Sorry for the interruption, ma'am, but your plane is ready," he notified with a cordial voice.
Heidi turned her attention back to me before tenderly embracing my frame. "Goodbye, Princess," she whispered silently. I hugged her back fiercely; I knew most likely it would be a long time since I'd see her again.
"Goodbye, Heidi."
A/N: Anddddd Bella is finally on her own! Yay independent Bella! So the next chapter will be her arrival to Forks. Hmm. What's going to happen there?
