AN: This chapter is totally for the best friend in the entire universe who has made my day by admitting to be addicted to this story. She hasn't even read Twilight! How sweet is that! I love you, and miss you! Oh and yah, I'm a lot more nervous now. Thanks. ;-)
Sorry it took so long to get this posted; I have not had any internet service for over a week and a half! It was cruel and unnusual punishment!
Disclaimer: Nope, still not Stephenie Meyer author of the fabulous Twilight Saga.
LPOV
"What do you mean I have to leave!" NO, I will not leave Granny, she needs me, she's hurting. What if she's scared when she wakes up.
"Lenai, Bella is going to be a newborn vampire. Newborns are very unpredictable, they are ruled by their thirst. It can take a year to two years before a Newborn can be around humans and resist the call of their blood." Carlisle answers calmly. A flood of serenity and acceptance radiate from Jasper, doing very little to decrease my anger.
"NO! I will not leave Granny." I push up out of Edward's embrace crossing my arms and stomping my foot. Why do they always make everyone's decisions for them. I may only be human but I have a mind of my own, I am capable of making decisions for myself. Compared to them yes, I may be fragile, but I am not a child.
Esme smiles motheringly at my stance, giving me the look mothers give a petulant child throwing a fit in the grocery store, half love, half exasperation. Not the reaction I was hoping to receive. "Lenai honey, think about this from your grandmother's perspective. Bella is going to wake up very thirsty. She will be able to smell blood from a very far distance. What Carlisle did not yet mention is that newborns are incredibly fast and strong, more so than any of us individually. Together we could successfully restrain Bella and insure your safety, but what would she think when she had fed and calmed down a bit. What would it do to your grandmother to know she was fighting against us, her family, to reach you whom she loves more than life itself, wanting nothing but your death to satisfy a temporary thirst."
The sting of tears filling my eyes was too much. I don't want to let them see me cry; I don't want them to know how much this hurts. Knowing they could catch me, or stop me in less time than it takes me to make my decision; I run to the front door. The door knob refuses to turn, denying me passage, and causing me to completely break down. I fall to the floor clutching at my sides. The raging fire burning in my chest, and sharp cutting sensations ripping through my abdomen make it impossible for me to stay standing or fight anymore. NO! Granny, I can't loose Granny too. This was supposed to make it better. I want her with me. Why does everyone I love get taken away from me.
Cold arms wrap around my body securely, lifting me easily. "Lenai, it's going to be just fine. You're not loosing Bella love, this is only temporary. We will stay close; you can speak to her on the phone anytime you want." Edward promises me, nothing but honesty and love in his voice. I bury my face in his chest crying out with the pain of loss I can not release. Edward's smooth fingers lovingly lift my face bringing my gaze to meet his own. A deep sigh releases his soothing breath over my face. I breathe in deeply smelling his comforting scent; my muscles relax infinitesimally as a small amount of my anxiety leaves me. His golden eyes drill into me as he holds me tightly willing me silently to believe everything will work out. "I will be with you; we'll get through this together. Lenai, I will never leave you, nothing can take me away from you."
Violent sobs rip forth as I clutch desperately to the man I love. My body shakes with the sudden realization that if I now lost him I would have no reason left to live. I heard the danger these Volturi guards carry in their wake. I know the threat is real. What that vampire Ajani did to Gran is proof of how dangerous he really is, and if this Aisling can truly cause other vampires to loose consciousness with her simple touch how can my family stand a chance. My family, my family, I try the phrase on for size; yes that is what the Cullen's are. Every one of them. I look around the room at each of the people gathered there watching me with concerned eyes; each of them ready to sacrifice their lives and their loved ones for me. I can't let them risk that. I can't sit back and watch them fight.
I look up at Edward finally having come to a decision, praying he will agree. "Bite me." I whisper trying to put the force of my conviction into my quiet voice.
The room freezes. No breeze nor breath bends the still air of the room. A tense silence surrounds us as I wait to hear how my love will answer me.
"No." Rings a high voice laced with fear from the living room. "No. We can't do that." Alice commands with ultimate authority. "Edward," She demands drawing him out of his surprised stupor. He pulls his eyes away from mine to turn and look toward Alice. Alice's face is a mask of pain as they share a moment of wordless communication.
Grief and pain contort Edward's beautiful face hideously. Fear grabs hold of my heart causing the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end. A low growl surrounds me as Edward looks toward his family.
"No, that is not an option." He answers resolutely. Turning back to me. "No, my love we can't do that."
Heat burns in my cheeks as I feel a flush of anger rising. "Why not! I am so sick of not being included in my own future! I am able to make decisions too; I would appreciate at least being involved in the decisions being made for my life."
Edward's cheek lifts shaping his lips into the amazing crooked grin I can never deny. His eyes twinkle with mirth as he gently places one hand on my cheek leaning in to kiss my forehead sweetly before pulling away. "Of course you will be involved in the choices related to your life my love, but please just trust Alice and I on this one thing."
I unwillingly nod in agreement lost in the haze induced by his loving gaze and intoxicating breath, compounded by the fire burning under my skin where he had just touched and kissed me. How does he have this control over me, my angry defiance stands no chance against his arsenal of charm.
Edward places me back on my feet wrapping his arm securely around me pulling my back against him, his head turned to the side to rest his cheek on my hair. "Carlisle, where should Lenai and I go?"
I stiffen involuntarily as once again control is being taken out of my hands. I want to make my own choices, everything is happening so quickly and I don't understand half of it. Why can't we all just leave, and find somewhere safer. Feeling my tension, Edward begins to rub his hands lovingly up and down my arms causing wonderful sensations sending heat up my arms and causing me to roll my head back toward him even further. Looking up at him it dawns on me that I am not the only one who is waiting to hear what choices are being made for my life, but that Edward has given up his power to choose his own path as well. Smiling, I relax back into Edward knowing that the most important choice has already been made. Wherever we are going, whatever we are doing we will be doing it together. That is a choice we made together.
"Before we decide where the best place for you to go is, there is something important we must know. We need to know what the pack are thinking. David will become suspicious when Bella does not show up for work tomorrow. We need to inform them of what has happened; regardless of whether or not they choose to stand with us now, they need to know what threats they are facing. This is not just about us, the pack are being hunted too. Anyone the Volturi deems a threat are in danger. They must understand this." His face marked with concern as he gives us our instructions. "Alice, Jasper you will go with Lenai and Edward, but it needs to be Edward who speaks to David. Edward, you must make him understand what is at risk."
Scott's frantic voice calls from the bedroom. "She's waking up!" Utter shock registers on every face in the room.
"Edward, go now." Carlisle demands nervously looking toward me.
Everything surrounding me blurs indistinguishably as Edward grabs me in his arm and runs with me toward Emmett's jeep. The car has roared to life and we are flying down the gradual slope of the mountain before things slow enough for me to see what is happening. I bounce out of my seat as Edward launches the jeep over a large boulder, he swiftly places his hand on my thigh to keep me from flying out of the seat.
"Alice, please do Lenai's seat belts." he asks tensely.
I am still having trouble focusing and trying to process how quickly our situation has changed when Alice perches in front of me smiling in obvious amusement as she fastens the complex belting system.
Turning to Edward she teases, "She's so cute when she's confused" Adding a light tinkling laugh that would make silver wind chimes sound dull and thudding. She turns back to me again still between me and the dashboard. "Bella was waking up. We have never heard of a transformation taking so little time before, so we were caught by surprise. We had to get you out of there right away. One of the first things a person feels when awakening from the change is extreme thirst. Your blood would have been far to great a temptation for Bella to deny." She explains before kissing my forehead in a sisterly fashion and climbing into the back seat beside Jasper.
"OH." I answer suddenly struck by the realization that Gran would have killed me. A faint dizziness surrounds me as I feel the blood rushing from my head. I'm sure my face must be as pale as Edward's right now.
"It will be okay Lenai; this is only temporary. With everyone there to help Bella she will learn to control her thirst easily, and then we can all be together again. Until then we will be right here with you." Edward comforts me. I turn in my seat as much as the seat belts will let me to see Alice smiling, holding Jasper's hand in her lap.
"All of us." She answers with a beautiful smile lighting up her face. Everyone is trying so hard to comfort me and assure me that everything will be fine that I can't stop a small twinge of guilt and doubt
from taking seed in my heart. What if they're wrong? What if the family having to separate because of me causes them to not be able to ward off an attack? What if the Volturi attack Gran and the others knowing the numbers have been split? It would all be my fault, everyone I love could die all because of my stupid human frailty.
"Why can't I be changed?" I ask Alice, just a small amount of the anger I felt earlier resurfacing.
Alice sighs deeply before answering. "First you need to understand something about the way my visions work. I've never had this problem before you came into our lives. Your future has always been unclear to me, the only parts of your future I have ever seen clearly are the ones you had no control over. Any future dependent upon your choices is indecipherable, as if there are numerous futures layered on top of each other, none of which are visible in themselves."
"Then how do you know that changing me would be bad?" I interrupt my anger growing, suspicious now that my lack of choices has something to do with Alice's ability to see the future.
"The future I saw for you when you decided to be changed and while Edward seriously considered changing you right then, was singular. There was only one outcome Lenai. That means you would have no choice, no ability to change what would happen. It was very clear."
A deep sense of peace filled the jeep. Looking in the rear view mirror I see Jasper's eyes closed in concentration as he strokes Alice's hand obviously trying to sooth her. Whatever future she saw has upset her badly. I won't question her any further. I know she loves me and will protect me in any way she can, even if that means telling me the gruesome truth; I won't demand that of her.
Silence fills the car for a while as we turn onto the interstate heading back toward Forks. My curiosity peaks as we pass a sign reading, "Thank you for visiting Forks. Have a nice day."
"Where are we going?" I ask Edward.
"La Push." he answers glumly.
Edward dials a number on his cell phone as we race down the narrow road toward La Push. "David, I need to speak to you immediately. We are headed out of Forks toward the boundary line. Meet us there." He speaks into the phone with authority. He hangs up the phone within seconds of issuing his command. Looking in the rear view mirror he speaks to Alice and Jasper. "You two stay in the car with Lenai. I'll speak to David."
Alice and Jasper nod showing their acceptance. "No." I state simply, angry that once again I am being told what to do instead of being asked my opinion.
"Lenai, I need you to stay. I don't know what his response will be when he finds out what has happened to Bella. Lenai, please. We've broken our promise to never bite anyone, he has every right to attack me as soon as he knows; I can't have you in danger. Please." He asks pleadingly.
A picture of Edward standing in front of a huge wolf like the one I had encountered the other night hisses and growls filling the air as they prepare to fight filling my mind. No, I will be there beside Edward. "We go together." I answer. I am not leaving your side.
Edward stops the car staring at me intensely as if searching my mind for any sign of doubt. I'm not loosing you too Edward. I love you. and I will be with you. You are not doing this alone. I want to be with you. Reaching out I cup my hands around his stressed face. You are mine. A low growl resonates from him, not caring whether his growl is from love or anger I lean in placing my lips on his. His lips remain still, unresponsive. I need him to feel my love, to accept that I will not be pushed away from him for even a moment, no matter how great the danger may be. My life is tied with his; if he were to die surely I would die with him even if I were miles away. Parting my mouth I allow my tongue to trace his lips begging him to allow me entrance not only to deepen the kiss, but to allow me entrance into his life fully. Begging him to allow me to stand beside him as his mate, human or not.
Joy floods my body and mind as his hands grip my hair tightly pulling me closer to him, his growl deepening and growing louder as he thrusts his cold tongue into my mouth wrapping my tongue in his and searching every crevice of my mouth claiming me as his as I have been longing for. I am yours Edward. I am never parting from you again. His deep moan sends heat flooding through my body making me kiss him more fervently wanting to never withdrawal from his embrace.
"David's here." Alice states from the back seat, looking nervously out the window toward the moonlit open field to the right of the car.
A breeze enters the car surprising me as I look up at Edward standing at my side waiting for me to climb out of the Jeep. "Let's go my love." He reaches out firmly grasping my small hand in his own large cold wonderful grip. Butterflies of anxiety dance in my stomach making me slightly queasy as we approach the man awaiting us a short distance from the jeep.
"Cullen." Mr Cruz announces questioningly.
"David." Edward replies wrapping his arm around me protectively as we walk closer. "There has been an attack."
"Where?" Mr. Cruz asks his demeanor immediately taking on an edge of menace.
"Bella was attacked at her home while she slept. The vampire who attacked her did not have to touch her physically, yet she would have died. They are preparing war against us and your pack. We all are seen as enemies." Mr. Cruz started growling preparing to interrupt Edward's speech. "Mr. Cruz" Edward pleads respectfully, "Please let me finish before you ask questions, our time is short."
Mr. Cruz ceases his growling waiting for Edward to continue, a hate filled glare burning into us so intensely it's almost painful.
"Scott, who informed us of this situation in the first place, does not believe this attack was meant to go this far. He is afraid the severity of Bella's injuries has drastically reduced the time before we are all attacked. He also believes whether you fight with us against the Volturi or not ,you, your pack will not be overlooked. The Volturi wish to have your kind extinguished, with no genetic possibility of ever resurfacing."
"They are threatening the entire tribe?" Mr. Cruz questions a fierce growl rumbling from his chest as he stares threateningly at Edward. Edward simply returns his stare not answering the question but letting the harsh silence speak for him.
"Where is Bella?" Mr. Cruz growls angrily. His eyes darkening in rage.
"She has been changed. Bella is with Scott and the rest of the family at his ranch. There was no choice, she was dying. Ajani's attack left her with punctured and lacerated lungs, her ribs were shattered beyond repair, and her heart was failing. Carlisle had no choice but to change her." Edward answers his voice barely above a whisper and filled with remorse.
"This is a difficult situation. You have broken the treaty, by your own admission. Everything in my very nature wants to tear you limb from limb and light a pyre for your remains." Mr. Cruz growls menacingly, his hands clenched at his side in tight fists. His arms shaking violently despite the control he is trying to maintain. His eyes glowing with hatred and rage.
"So it will be war." Edward states simply, pulling me closer to his side ready to defend me or possibly grab me and run; I'm not sure which. Mr. Cruz concentrates on me for one moment, his gaze softening, the shaking in his limbs becoming slightly less noticeable but still present.
"No, we are bound. We will stand with your family." His voice carries both the chill and strength of iron.
"What?" I ask my voice shaking? I was prepared to find myself in Edward's arms as he ran for the car to escape this man's retaliation. I was not prepared to see the look of defeat, determination, and love? in his eyes as he looked at me.
Mr. Cruz's eyes lock with my own a confusing patience shining in them, almost softening the dark coloring of his irises, as he pierces me with a fatherly gaze. "We are bound, the pack will protect you as a member of the tribe. We have no choice." His eyes harden as he turns to Edward, issuing his command in a threatening growl. "She will stay with us."
"No!, No, I won't." I scream. "I will not leave his side! Why is everyone telling me what I will do. I will tell you what I will do. I am going home, and Edward is coming with me. I don't care if you are 'bound' to me or not; I never asked for your protection and I certainly never gave you permission to make my choices for me! I don't know who you think you are, but I will not be staying here!" Edward pulls me to his chest wrapping his arms around my own shaking in fury, wiping away my frustrated tears gently before speaking.
"We will be at Bella's house." he answers softly not making eye contact with Mr. Cruz. "Thank you."
Edward leads me to the Jeep never releasing me from his grasp.
"We will be watching." Mr. Cruz calls out as we walk away, an unspoken threat lingering in his words.
AN: Hope you enjoyed it. Thank you to all of you who have reviewed so regularly! It really helps me keep up the mojo to write. Let me know what you think. Little blue button down there, just for those who may not know where it is. ; )