Luminescence
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, only Stephanie M. has that privilege. So please don't sue me, because I'm making absolutely no money from this.
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Chapter 25
Victoria
"Sooo… Not that I mind, but if I'd known you were going to take me so seriously, I would not have suggested the lube."
I was in the Cullen's garage, covered in motor oil, as I used my hands to lift the side of Bella's truck. Rosalie was under the monster, tinkering with its insides. Every so often I could hear her curse or growl as she'd toss some rusted piece of metal to the side and replace it with something else.
"This is important. If you're going to be an idiot and take a human as a mate, it's your responsibility to look after her. Letting her ride around in an ancient heap of metal does not suggest 'tender loving care'. This is why we are doing preventative maintenance." Rosalie snapped, scolding me like a child.
Really, I couldn't decide between being amused or affronted at her insinuation that I didn't take proper care of Bella. In the end I settled for amused. After all, she was technically doing me a favor by working on Bella's truck, even if it was completely unasked for.
For several minutes I simply watched Rose work, noting how efficiently she made adjustments and skillfully maneuvered around the car. It was obvious she was completely in her element.
"You know, I never would have pegged you for a mechanic. Perhaps it's because you're so…." I paused, trying to find the words to convey my disbelief.
"Gorgeous? Feminine? Blonde?" Rose slid out from beneath the vehicle, her sharp gaze looking straight through me. "You really shouldn't judge a book by its cover." Ashamed, I lowered my eyes. She was right; I shouldn't have stereotyped her so quickly. After all, I was a child of the 60's, I knew what it was like to try and be seen as more than a label. Rolling back under the truck, she made another remark. "After all, you don't see me type casting you, and just look at you." The last part was said with wry humor.
"Hey!" I exclaimed, feigning mortal insult. "Now you're just being mean." In revenge I kicked her shoe. It caused no damage, but she did slide out to glare at my audacity.
I grinned, unrepentant.
Huffing with annoyance, the blonde bombshell went back to ignoring me. At least, I thought she did, but surprised me by continuing the conversation.
"Tell me about Isabella. What makes this human worth all the effort?" I sighed, wondering how I could possibly explain what made my Firefly so unique.
"There are several things about Bella that are special, but what intriguing is how she seems full of contradictions. She's usually timid, shy, and avoids confrontation, but at the same time she is incredibly brave, loyal, and full of love." Rose cocked her head thoughtfully as I spoke. "I've seen a lot of human cruelty throughout the years, I thought I'd seen everything, but Bella constantly confounds me.
In Phoenix she protected a complete stranger from two men clearly bigger then her, and when she was attacked in her own home by said men, even battered and bloody her first thought was for her mother.
She fought them tooth and nail for god knows how long before I showed up." I could feel a growl rumble in my chest just from the memory. "She doesn't agree with how I live, loathes the very idea of taking a life, but hasn't abandoned me. My Firefly is such an open book, everything she thinks is written in her every expression. It's amazing that she can touch me, feeling the way she does, without revulsion..."
I blinked, coming out of my thoughts, and realized that Rosalie was scrutinizing me closely as she wiped the grease off her hands with a rag.
"You must love her very much." She murmured before standing and tossing the rag onto a nearby counter.
"I do." It was a statement.
"Have you talked to her about becoming a vampire?" Rose's expression was carefully neutral.
"Not explicitly." I said slowly. "I've mentioned it in passing, but I have yet to hear her thoughts on it."
"I never wanted this life." Rosalie's words were heavy with regret. "If I had the choice I'd trade it all back to be human. As it is, Emmett is the only thing that makes this damned existence bearable." Her gaze shifted, and she wouldn't look me in the eye. "You need to talk to your mate; unlike Edward, as long as you don't flout the law I won't object to whatever it is you decide." She paused, forehead scrunched in concentration. "If you do turn her, you might want to wait till she moves out. Otherwise her father will get suspicious."
Chuckling softly, I thought back to my encounter with the police chief earlier in the day.
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The front door slammed and I listened regretfully as Bella's footsteps retreated down the driveway to her car. More than anything I wanted to accompany her to class, but part of my duties as Bella's mate was to protect her anyway I could. Including, but not limited to, getting in trouble with her father. Diverting Charlie's attention to me had been easy, my clothing (or lack thereof) had accomplished that hands down, now all I had to do was handle the impending blowup.
Placing my cup of coffee down with a sigh, I passively met Charlie's glare head on. As predicted, Charlie was the first to speak.
"Yesterday I invited you into my home, hoping that you could do something to comfort my daughter. I trusted you to act with respect and consideration. Instead, you took advantage of her during a moment of emotional vulnerability!"
In the little time I'd known him, I'd found myself becoming fond of Bella's bashful father, but it still surprised me to know I felt a little hurt by his accusations. I wasn't used to caring about people. Mustering every ounce of patience I had, I calmly formulated a reply.
"When I came here yesterday, I had no intention of sleeping with your daughter. Bella is very beautiful, but I had every intention of waiting." For four whole years even, not that he needed to know that. "I love Bella, and I told her for the first time last night. We both got a little emotional and one thing led to another. I'm sorry you feel like I acted disrespectfully, but I don't regret it, and I'd gladly do it again if it means she knows I love her."
Charlie's face turned an alarming shade of red, and for a moment I thought he might attack me, but he took a deep breath and made a visual effort to calm himself.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't haul you into the station. Isabella is underage, and the courts don't take kindly to child molesters." His voice was toneless, like he was testing my resolve more than making an actual threat.
"You would be well within your rights to do so, both as chief of police and a father. However, I don't think you'll win any points with your daughter if you did." I stated matter-of-factly. Going to jail was unacceptable, but if worse came to worse I could merely escape and take Bella with me.
Charlie's fists clenched; he seemed torn between indecision and anger. Like he knew I was right but didn't want to admit it.
"Now," I spoke gently. "Are you going to tell me why you're really upset, or do you want to yell some more?" Much to my surprise, his shoulders drooped and his eyes began to water with unshed tears. It took everything I had to keep my jaw from dropping. Resigned, he slumped into one of the kitchen chairs as he covered his face with his hands.
"I know it might seem stupid to you, but Bella is all I've got. She's my little girl and as long as I can remember I've had to protect her. Every day Renee and I had to battle to shelter her from people who wouldn't understand; who would hate and fear her just for existing.
Every day I had to explain to my child why she couldn't go outside at night, why she couldn't have a sleepover, why she wasn't allowed to take off her gloves.
My marriage suffered, Renee left me and took my happiness with her." He paused, dropping his hands to look me in the eye. "Perhaps I overreacted. My girl is growing up, and I suddenly realized I'm not ready for it. You became a threat, and I didn't take it very well."
Never having been a mother, I couldn't say I emphasized, but I think I understood where he was coming from. As I watched Charlie's eyes hardened; and if I'd been human I might have been afraid of the words he said next.
"If you ever hurt my daughter, I'll make your life a living hell." Looking determinedly back I nodded my agreement.
"I would never dream of doing so."
Pursing his lips, Charlie jerked his head in assent.
"And for God's sake, would you please put on some clothes!" Grinning wickedly, I sauntered past him toward the stairs. "In my day, we at least had the decency to pretend we weren't having sex." He grumbled, and I laughed the whole way up.
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"I can handle Charlie. He's going to lose her sooner or later, but I'll try to make it as painless as possible. My Bella would be upset otherwise." Nodding curtly, Rosalie opened her mouth to speak when my cell began to ring.
Surprised, I noticed the unfamiliar number before answering the phone.
"Hello?"
"Victoria?" A gruff voice filtered through the speaker. One I instantly recognized.
"Charlie? What's going on, why are you calling?" Earlier, after I'd dressed, the police chief made me write down my cell number as well as copied my driver's license. Not that it really mattered, ID's were easy to obtain, but his precautions regarding Bella were endearing so I tolerated them.
"Has Bella called you?" Charlie sounded strained.
"No..." I replied, becoming more alarmed by the second. "Has something happened to Bella?"
"She may be missing. I just got a call from Bella's friend Angela. They went shopping in Port Angeles. She told me Bella left for the bookstore a while ago, but isn't answering her phone. Additionally, the owner of the store said Bella left just after six. That was an hour ago. I wanted to go investigate myself, but for some reason my car isn't working."
Just as he finished speaking, Alice came skipping into the garage. Without speaking, she tossed several car fuses onto the counter all while smiling merrily. Rosalie and I stared at her blankly. I had a feeling our pixie was the source of Charlie's car troubles.
"Alright, I'll head down there now. Don't worry Charlie, we'll find Bella. Chances are, she's just lost and forgot to use gloves around her phone. I'll call as soon as I find her." I kept my tone casual in an attempt to ease Charlie's fears. Overlooking the looks of confusion they were giving me, I got directions for the book store before hanging up the phone. Without wasting time I pinned my gaze to Alice.
"Want to tell me why you sabotaged Charlie's car?"
Shrugging, Alice leaned against the truck.
"Truthfully I have no idea. I got a vision of myself taking out his fuses, so that's what I did. I wish I could tell you why, but when I try to look past it, everything becomes blurred. It's like trying to look through a smudged window. That only happens when the future is unclear. If something supernatural has occurred… my vision implies that Charlie should not be the first one to arrive."
Gritting my teeth, I turned toward the door when Rose caught my arm.
"Come on, we'll take my car, it's faster than running."
Ripping the cover off a nearby vehicle, she revealed a beautiful cherry red Ferrari Modena. If my larger concern hadn't been finding Bella, I might have drooled. As it was, I got into the car without comment.
Thirty minutes and several broken speeding laws later, Rose and I arrived in Port Angeles. Thankfully the clouds had rolled back in by that time.
Starting at the bookstore Charlie mentioned; I tried the door only to find it locked. Seemed they closed their doors at seven. Taking a deep breath, I caught a faint whiff of Bella's scent lingering on the sidewalk. It should have been strong and fresh, but for once her scent eliminators were not working in my favor.
Rosalie stepped up beside me and nodded her head down the side walk.
"It seems Bella went that way." I growled, annoyed that my new friend obviously had a better nose. However, instead of wasting time I immediately set out in the direction indicated, straining my senses for any hint of my Firefly's whereabouts.
Jogging along the sidewalk, we simultaneously came to a halt when we caught the overpowering scent of wet dog. Hissing with displeasure, I followed the scent at a run, Rosalie close behind.
Eventually it led to an alley that had my anxiety ratcheting up when the smell of burnt meat mingled with wet dog and trash. Turning the corner, the first thing I noticed where two figures slumped on the ground.
Completely disregarding the larger male, I dashed to Bella's side. Gathering her in my arms, I breathed easier when my ears picked up the faint flutter of her heartbeat. My Firefly was pale; her skin looked shallow and was covered in an sheen of sweat. Caught up in my relief, it took me a moment to notice the electrical burns covering the palm of her hands and the gouges, possibly from fingernails, cut into her arms. Blood; Bella's blood, speckled the sleeves of her jacket.
Snarling, I pulled Bella's unconscious body even closer. My only thought was to get her to the nearest hospital.
"Victoria." Rosalie's voice cut through my panic and I turned an impatient gaze to my blonde companion.
"What?" I growled. Rose's face was stone cold, but her eyes contained the slightest hint of fear as she stood at the mouth of the alley.
"Victoria, he's dead." I blinked, my mind struggling to see the significance. What did I care if the mongrel got himself killed? My only regret was that it robbed me the pleasure of doing it myself.
Still, I tried to think past my rage, and examined the body. Even though I didn't recognize him, his scent tickled the back of my mind and I realized he must have been one of the wolves I'd met in the clearing. Bare from the waist up, the two hand shaped burns on his chest were incontestably the cause of death. From the way his face was twisted into an expression of complete agony, I could only surmise he'd come to a painful end.
The thought was satisfying.
The Quileute deserved no less.
Wait… Quileute. Treaty.
The treaty!
I felt myself stiffen as the implications finally sank in. When the wolves found out what happened here, there would be all out war. My mind worked quickly, as I tried to figure out the best course of action.
Unless it rained soon it was too late to hide our scents, but at the very least I could conceal Bella's involvement. I'd have to leave town, but at least Bella would be safe.
"Rose!" I snapped, too distraught to care that I hadn't called her by her proper name. "Do you have any spare gas in your trunk?" Nodding slowly, I could tell she was trying to follow my thought process. "Can you bring it, and a lighter here? We need to obscure his wounds."
"Alright, but I expect an explanation for this, and your mate, when we reach the house. Carlisle can take care of her; a hospital would ask too many questions."
I was loathe to agree, but I was short on options.
Gently depositing an unconscious Bella in Rose's car, I dashed back to the corpse just as Rose unscrewed the cap of her gas can.
"Splash it all over him, but especially his chest. I want those marks gone. I'll take care of the dental identification. With luck, he'll be just another John Doe and the wolves won't be any wiser. As far as they'll know, shit-for-brains just took off."
Rosalie went about her task with such grim efficiency; I couldn't help but wonder if she'd had to do this before. I watched her for a moment before riffling through his pockets for an ID. Finding none, I delivered a brutal blow to the cadaver's face. His jaw caved instantly, all superhuman qualities gone. When I was certain his teeth were pulverized I nodded to Rose who set the remains on fire.
Retreating quickly to the car, I pulled Bella into my lap as the Ferrari roared to life and we peeled away from the sidewalk.
The ride back was silent, and half way there Rose was forced to roll down the window. Her eyes were dark and it took an extreme effort of will not to snarl at her. My protective instincts were in full swing.
Instead of responding to my glare, Rosalie casually flipped open her cell and called her house. Summarily, she explained that we were on our way back, and that Carlisle should prep his medical supplies.
Ignoring, or perhaps unwilling to answer their questions, Rosalie promptly hung up. My mouth twitched when all subsequent calls were put on silent.
Bella still hadn't so much as stirred, and I was becoming increasingly feral with worry.
The instant the car came to a halt in the Cullen driveway, I was swept into the house, cradling my mate close.
"Carlisle!" I yelled, and within seconds the blonde patriarch had my Firefly stretched out on the couch as he examined her wounds. Anxiously pacing, I only barely acknowledged the rest of the Cullens as they filtered in from other parts of the house.
"What happened?" Esme was the first to speak up, her eyes wide and distressed. The attention of the entire room shifted to me and it took everything I had not to bare my teeth. When I failed to speak up, Rosalie took it upon herself to relay events.
"We found her like this. She was in an alley, unconscious. One of those filthy wolves was lying on the ground nearby. He was dead. Two human hand-prints branded on his chest." No one said anything, but it was clear they didn't think Bella's burns were a coincidence. "Victoria destroyed his teeth, and we set the body on fire. Chances are it was discovered shortly after, hopefully it will take a while to identify the body. Still, I don't think the mutts will remain ignorant for long."
Carlisle finished treating Bella's injuries, and gently arranged her on the sofa, his face was grim.
"Bella will recover; she seems to be suffering from a case of extreme exhaustion. She has bruising and a few shallow cuts, but nothing life threatening. The burns on her hands look worse than they really are. It should heal properly if it's not aggravated, although Bella might not have as much flexibility in her fingers as before. Still, with luck she'll make a full recovery." Carlisle sighed and rubbed his forehead. "How did things get so bad? We have not technically broken the treaty, but undoubtedly the Quileutes will not see it that way…" Carlisle's voice was even and calm, despite the situation.
"They left their scents all over the scene of the crime!" Edward growled; his eyes pitch black. "I don't care if they run you out of town, but you've involved Rosalie in this too! Now they'll assume our family is guilty by association!"
"Fuck you Edward! I didn't force her to come along, so you can shove your self-righteous attitude right up your ass!" I snarled, taking a step forward.
"No, but I bet Bella wouldn't be lying there if you hadn't gotten involved with her in the first place!"
I lunged, sending us both crashing through the piano as we wrestled on the floor. Edward might have been a mind reader, but even knowing what I was thinking didn't keep me from grinding his face into the hardwood. Enraged, I sank my teeth into his shoulder and ripped when two strong hands pulled me away.
"Calm down!" Jasper barked as he tried to keep me from escaping. Glaring hatefully, I spat a chunk of Edward onto the floor. Seconds later, I nearly collapsed from the wave of calm that suddenly enveloped me. "Fighting amongst ourselves won't solve anything! What's done is done. We can only make plans for what comes next."
Staring murderously, Edward shrugged off Emmett's retraining arm as he retrieved his lump of flesh. When it looked like I'd cooled off, Jasper did the same and went to stand by his mate.
Rosalie, watching from the sidelines, sighed with aggravation.
"As much as I hate to interrupt, Jasper is right. We need to figure out how we're going to deal with the fleabags."
"Fuck yeah! Does this mean I can finally kick some wolf ass? I've been waiting to put those dogs in their rightful place for decades!" Emmett grinned, pounding his fists together.
"Emmett, language!" Esme admonished.
"But Moomm," He whined, pouting a little. "You didn't say anything when Victoria did it."
"You are my child, Victoria is not." Her tone brooked no argument.
Grumbling under his breath, Emmett lapsed into silence. Taking advantage of the slight pause, Alice spoke up from under Jasper's arm.
"This still doesn't change the fact that we're going to have to deal with some very angry wolves. My visions are no help when it comes to them. For all I know they could be on their way now."
"We need to wake up Bella. I wouldn't suggest making plans until we know the whole story." I said, casting an anxious glance at my Firefly.
"I'll call Charlie and let him know she's here." Esme murmured before moving into the other room.
"Damn, I forgot about him." I sighed and covered my face with my hand. "He's probably gone ballistic by now."
"Forget Charlie!" Rose snapped. "I've been patient, but I think it's about time you explain why Bella has burns on her hands that match the wounds on our dead dog."
Everyone's eyes turned to me as I sat on the couch beside my Firefly.
"It isn't my secret to tell, but since the cat's already out of the bag, I don't have much choice in the matter." Exhaling heavily, I ran my fingers through Bella's hair and prayed she'd forgive me for what I was about to do. "When I told Rosalie that Bella was special, I meant that explicitly. Much like an electric eel, Bella's physiology allows her cells to create large amounts of bio-electricity. It manifests itself in many ways.
First, and most noticeable of which, is that when her body reaches a certain energy level Bella literally 'glows'. The effect is quite noticeable at night and subtler during the day.
I believe it's her body's way of siphoning off extra energy. However, as a result, electronics nearby tend to malfunction and in some cases overload. Hence the reason Bella usually wears rubber gloves.
I managed to rig a device to 'bleed off' Bella's excess power, which has allowed her to make public appearances at night.
We only recently discovered that my mate has some control over her output, but as far as I know, she's never used it as a defensive weapon before." I swallowed, my eyes glued to my Firefly's pale face. "Until now."
Silence enveloped the house as each member looked on with varying degrees of shock.
Carlisle was the first to break the unspoken tension.
"Do you think it was…" He paused, his face lined with worry. "intentional?"
"Of course not!" I exclaimed, clenching my fists defensively. "Even though Bella has limited control of her power, the majority is still subconscious. The mongrel must have done something to her if Bella felt threatened enough to electrocute him!"
Holding his hands up defensively, Carlisle took a step back.
"I didn't mean to imply anything bad about your mate. I'm merely trying to get a handle on events. I'm sure it was an accident. If we just explain it to the council I'm sure they'll see that this was all a mistake."
I looked at him like he'd grown a second head. There was no way Carlisle could be that naive right? I felt only slightly better when I noticed my expression mirrored by Rose.
"Advocating peace is swell and all," Jasper drawled. "But just in case, we should prepare for war."
Looking down at Bella, I really hoped it didn't come to that.
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A/N: Hope the wait was worth it, but hey at least it wasn't 3 months this time! I'm really in awe of how much attention Lumin has received. I mean I have over 800 reviews! 800!
Hopefully by the time I finish it in the next 3 to 4 chapters I'll have a thousand. Yes, that's right; we are reaching the climax and resolution of this fine tale. When I think back it's really amazing how long we've come from chapter 1 in Oct 2009. Practically 2 years ago!
Still, you guys have all been great, and I really hope you'll stick around to the end.
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