Sun and Moon
Ch. 13: Sibling Smack Down
BPOV
I sat on cross-legged on the couch doing some online shopping from my HP Mini Notebook that sat on the cushioned lap desk resting on thighs; my mobile Wi-Fi hotspot was on the coffee table in front of me. Mom and Dad had taken my siblings to town so that I had time to relax and repair my shield because I was still only able to be around Eric for short periods of time. Kate had given her notice at her law firm but when she went in and cleaned out her office, she learned that the case in Juno had hit some snags. She agreed to fly down for the week to help out. Thankfully, she was going to be back tonight.
It had been a month since my baby brother woke up to his new existence and thanks to Jasper and me, he was adjusting well. His emotions, like mine, still had the tendency to go all over place but at least I was getting a handle on them, Eric still had a long ways to go. Everyone was surprised that he was able to able to be around humans after only being a vampire for a couple of weeks. Jazz had taken him for a hunt when the two of them came across some lost hikers. Instead of flipping his shit and trying to eat them, baby bro calmly walked up to them then offered to show them how to get back to the closest Ranger Station. The entire family was proud of him but then he had to ruin it by gloating at me. While I was happy for him, I was jealous that he could be around the putrid mortals.
Not long after his initial round of marathon sex with his mate, Seth, we learned that he had a gift. Eric was in the middle of a particularly bad mood swing when suddenly we all found ourselves on the bridge of the Enterprise with six Klingon warships headed in our direction. Jazz was able to calm him down and the illusion vanished. At first, Dad was thinking it was just a mental projection but had to dismiss that theory the second my ass hit the floor because Captain Kirk's chair disappeared out from under me. Through trial and error, we learned Eric's illusions were 3-D manifestations that could be made solid if he concentrated on them hard enough but doing so drained him. Of course, Emmett realized the potential of such a gift and quickly corrupted the younger vampire and turned Eric into a mini prankster.
I'd just finished placing an order for some new books when the front door opened and my Cookie came in. Her mouth was curled in a wicked smirk as she kicked the door shut then ripped off her conservative courtroom attire and revealed the strap-on she had hidden underneath the outfit. My core was soaked and in a flash my lover had me naked then slammed the toy into me. It had been a long week for both of us and this encounter was going to be hard and fast; just enough to take the edge off before we continued our reunion in the privacy of our bedroom. I started to feel the familiar tightening in the pit of my stomach and knew I was seconds away from cumming when the passion was interrupted by the front door was kicked in.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE," a very pissed off Kate screamed at me from the door way while I found myself suddenly naked and alone on the couch. I was frozen in a moment of confusion but instead of waiting for my brain to snap out of it, my mate spun on her heel and flashed out of the house.
Something deep inside my mind started to crack but I ignored it as I realized the truth and focused on the very edge of my shield until I found what I expected. Without a second thought, I flashed outside and quickly found a snickering Eric. I was vaguely aware of my still naked state but undiluted rage consumed and jumped on my new brother then started to beat him. The other vampire was too shocked by my ferocity to fight back. He started screaming in pain the blows that drove him into the ground were alternated with nails that clawed his face. Something scorching hot hit me from the side and knocked me off my victim then something cold wrapped around me and tried to hold me back from going after Eric again but I wasn't going to be deterred.
The monster had made me hurt my mate and needed to be destroyed. My struggles against my captor increased until the image of Kate with a look of betrayal in her eyes as ran away hit me. Whatever had fractured in my mind earlier completely shattered and pain brought me to my knees; I remembered everything. My body slipped from my captor's embrace then onto the ground then I curled up into myself.
"She's gone… she's gone," I chanted repeatedly in the barest of whispers.
KPOV
I was halfway to my family's home when the shocking events of my Bella's seeming infidelity came into sharp focus. I'd taken an early flight in order to surprise my mate because I remembered how hard it was for her the last time I was gone but the surprise had been all mine. After dropping my luggage off at my car in long term parking, I decided to run to the Cullen place. I was shocked when I scented the brunette's arousal and heard her moaning before I even reached the door. During my trip, one of my former co-workers had gone on and on about how she caught her husband cheating on her so my mind automatically went down that path as I burst through the door.
Only now had I realized it wasn't guilt that had frozen Bella in place but confusion. My vampire enhanced mind quickly deduced that she must've been the victim of one of her younger brother's illusions. I felt like an idiot for not taking the time to think before I acted because her scent was the only one I detected but ignored out of anger and fear that I'd been cheated on. I reversed directions and headed back to apologize to my mate.
The Cullen's were clustered around in the backyard when I returned. The first thing I noticed was that Carlisle was bent over a beaten Eric. I started to panic as I looked around for my love and found her curled in the fetal position on the ground as Esme tried to sooth her. I rushed to her side but my heart shattered as I heard Bella softly chanting, "She's gone," and the light in her eyes died at the same time the chant stopped.
"BELLA," Esme and I yelled but the vampire in question just stared at nothing with a blank expression.
"Oh God, this isn't how it was supposed to go," Emmett muttered and everyone that was capable turned to look at him.
"What the fuck did you do," Rose hissed before I had a chance to ask.
"Bella's been complaining about not getting any and I thought it would be funny for Eric to create an illusion of Kate then get her all hot and bothered then leave her hanging because Kate wasn't due back until tomorrow," the fucker admitted sheepishly.
"How could you be so cruel," several voices demanded at once.
"Enough, Eric needs blood and we need to get him and Bella settled inside then we can deal with Emmett and his thoughtless actions," Carlisle stated then sent the guilty fucker and Jasper to fetch some animals while the rest of us helped get the two prone vampires inside and into their beds. Seth ended up carrying his mate but Esme was the one that held Bella.
It wasn't long before the boys returned; each dragged two moose behind them. Alice took a few large pots out to them and helped them drained the stunned animals. Eric responded immediately to the fresh blood and his injuries quickly healed but his normally chipper attitude soured when he learned how the ill-conceived prank had backfired. Bella refused to feed and I needed to force the blood down her throat. I let the rest of the family deal with the two miscreants because my mate needed my full attention and I wasn't sure if I could be objective enough when considering their punishments.
"Come back to me, baby," I pleaded with the catatonic girl then kissed her gently on the lips.
Carlisle and Esme returned and I stood back while my mate's father examined her. The pain and worry in her mother's expression was mirrored in my own because we recognized that blank stare from when we first found Bella after she'd been shot.
"As I feared, there is no sign of physical trauma which means the problem is psychological and we are going to have to wait for her mind to work through whatever has her trapped inside her head," the Cullen patriarch said sadly and his wife sobbed.
Fuck that waiting shit, I thought as I took more proactive measures. Without hesitation, I grabbed Bella's hand then braced myself as I was thrust into the raging storm of her subconscious.