Chapter 25: Braedens Traitor

In the dark, cold cellar, Bella was lying on the ground, unconscious. Braeden had once again fed from her and now the young woman was weak and dizzy from her blood loss. The cellar door opened, making her flinch a little and close her eyes tight. "Please just kill me," she begged, believing it was Braeden.

One of Braeden's coven vampires, looking no more than sixteen, placed her hand in the middle of Bella's back and helped her sit up. Bella's head fell back. "Drink," he insisted quietly holding a bottle of water to her lips. He supported her head and she slowly took a sip of the water he was giving her. "Where did he hurt you?" he asked quietly. She gestured to her side. "My name is Gary," he told her.

"How…nice…" she got out in a mutter.

He walked over to the bag of supplies he brought with him and pulled out a small, yet fluffy pillow, placing her head on it. He grabbed the blanket he had in his bag, covering her with it. "I'm going to help you," he told her quietly.

"Why…?" she asked quietly.

"Because I don't think its right what he's doing to you," he answered.

He took out a thermos and filled the cap with the soup he brought. "I think its cool enough," he told her. He helped her sit up. "Come on, please eat," he said quietly to the young woman. She took a sip of the soup, suddenly realizing how hungry she really was.

"What are you going to do with me?" she asked quietly after a few minutes.

"I'm going to help you get your strength back before I go to find Edward and his family," he replied.

Her eyes were extremely heavy. "Edward…but…" she started.

"Braeden lied, Edward is alive," he whispered.

Tears fell down her face. "Edward," she sobbed. He hushed her gently, stroking her hair gently.

"Rest," he told her.

She whimpered softly, closing her eyes tight. He made sure she was still covered before he sat in the corner of the cellar, watching her sleep.

Two days later, Gary was still watching Bella rest when she sat up a little, holding her throbbing head. "I brought you some more food," he told her. She looked to her side to see a sandwich sitting on a plate next to her.

"You didn't poison it did you?" she asked.

Gary chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Don't worry, it's safe for you to eat," he assured her. She bit her lower lip before she tentatively lifted the sandwich to her lips and took a bite. "Your Edward's coven…I am uncertain that they will believe me that you are still alive," he told her.

"What…" she said quietly.

Gary pushed his auburn colored hair from his eyes. "I'm going to go back and find them for you, bring them here and rescue you," he told her quietly. Her eyes widened and put the half-eaten sandwich on the plate.

"You're going to find them?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied quietly.

Gary moved a little closer. "Bella, I need something, anything, to prove to them that you are alive," he told her quietly. Bella bit her lower lip as she tried to think of what he could bring to them to prove that she was in fact alive. She gasped before she took off her cuff bracelet, placing it in his hand.

"Take this," she told him.

The vampire looked at the bracelet in his hand. "I'll bring them back here, I promise," he told her.

"Thank you," she answered.

Nodding, he got up from his spot on the floor and left the cellar. Bella sat in the dark with her knees drawn up to her chest, gnawing on her bottom lip. All she could think about was the fact that Edward was truly alive; knowing he was alive and that he hadn't gone to the Volturi like Braeden said brought tears to her eyes. "Edward…" she whispered.

At the Cullen house, Edward was pacing the living room. "I don't believe you," he told his sister angrily.

"Edward why would I lie about this?" Annabelle asked standing up.
"She's telling you the truth, Bella is alive," Jacob insisted.

Shaking his head slowly, he moved his fingers through his hair. "You saw it yourself there was no possible way she could've gotten out of there alive," he insisted.

"But Edward you saw what I saw, I showed you what I saw, she is alive," Annabelle insisted grabbing her brother's arm.

Letting out an unneeded breath. "Even if she got out of there alive, who's to say that she is still alive? Braeden has wanted to feed on her the moment he saw her!" he snapped. The entire family was silent, unable to answer him. "I have to live the rest of eternity without her because of my stupid choices, and just because you say she is alive, doesn't make it true!" he hissed. Going into his music room, he slammed the door behind him, nearly shattering the doorframe.

The entire house was silent, except for the sound of one of Esme's collector's plates falling from the ceiling and shattering on the floor. Then again Esme's thoughts weren't on the shattered plate on the floor; her thoughts were on her son who had once again locked himself in his piano room. Carlisle sighed as he kissed the side of his wife's head and moved over to the door. "Edward, it's me son let me in," he said quietly as he stood in front of the door.

Silence only met his request. "Edward, we need to talk son, open the door," he insisted. Esme wrapped her arms around herself, sighing sadly.

Ten more minutes passed and the door finally cracked open just enough to let Carlisle in. Once inside the music room, Edward closed the door behind him. "What?" he asked irritably.

"Son, I know you are going through an extremely difficult time," Carlisle answered.

"No one knows the kind of pain I am feeling," Edward insisted.

"Yes, there is."

Carlisle stared at his son. "I didn't lose your mother to a murder like Bella's, but I lost her to disease, a different murderer," he said quietly. Edward was silent, staring down at the floor. "When I lost her Edward, I thought my world was over, everything was finished. If it weren't for you and Jasper I wouldn't have gotten up during the day," he explained.

"Well unfortunately I don't have that kind of distraction," Edward muttered.

"Son…" Carlisle murmured gently.

Carlisle sat down on the piano bench. "You have a family who loves you and it is hurting everyone to see you in so much pain. The pain will lessen; you will be able to go on. I myself didn't think it were possible at al that moving on was ever an option. Even so many years later until I got to know Esme. She's not your birthmother Edward, but she loves you just as much as a mother would love her child and it is killing her to see you in so much pain," Carlisle explained.

"What do you want me to do? Forget about her?" Edward asked.

"No, don't forget, but remember the greatest moments you shared together. The loving moments that no one could ever take away. Instead of thinking of the worse of times. Also who says Bella is even dead? Maybe Annabelle is right about her still being alive," Carlisle suggested.

"I doubt…"

They looked up when they heard commotion outside. "I NEED TO SPEAK TO EDWARD CULLEN!" a voice shouted.

"Get him out of here!" they heard Rosalie exclaim.

They hurried out of the piano room to see Emmett pinning another vampire on the ground. "I am here to talk to Edward Cullen!" the vampire insisted.

"What?" Edward asked.

The vampire's red eyes stared up into Edward's topaz colored eyes. "Edward, she is alive," he insisted. He wet to reach for his pocket when Emmett grabbed his arm. "I have proof that she is alive! It is in my pocket!" he insisted.

"Emmett let him go," Carlisle insisted.

Emmett got off Gary and the vampire stood up with a hiss. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he pulled out Bella's bracelet. "She's alive," he insisted. Edward walked over and grabbed the bracelet from him. There was a bloodstain on the blue stone in the middle. "He's feeding on her…slowly…torturing her," Gary explained.

"Why didn't you let her go!?" Alice exclaimed jumping up.
"Braeden has nine vampires following him, do you think I would be able to get her out myself?!" Gary demanded.

Edward stared at the bracelet. "She is truly alive?" he asked quietly.

"If that isn't enough…" Gary started.

He started sending images to the vampire of his memories of the last two months. Edward's eyes widened in horror, dropping the bracelet on the floor. "Enough, enough!" he hissed turning his head away, refusing to see anymore.

"She's still alive; I gave her food before she gave me her bracelet. For the last two months, until two days ago, she thought you were dead," Gary explained.

"That bastard!" Emmett hissed angrily.

Gary looked at the family of vampires. "It would be ten vampires against eight," he informed.

"I'm in, Bella's my best friend and I'll go with you," Jacob informed.

Annabelle rested her hand over Jacob's. "I'm going too," she told them. Rubbing the back of his neck, Edward let out an unneeded breath.

"We need a plan," he informed.

Gary nodded when Alice started drawing something. "What is she doing?" he asked.

"She's already envisioned the plan," Jasper replied resting his hand on his wife's knee.

Alice finished drawing her picture, placing it in the middle of the table. "Gary's going to show us around there, it's going to be a trap around the cellar," she informed.

"Now that I'm gone they'll know I have come to you," Gary answered as he kneeled on the floor.

"What do we do?" Esme asked quietly, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'll bring myself in as the bait, as soon as I step on his territory I'll be swarmed," he explained.

Carlisle rubbed his hands together. "Which ones are the best fighters?" Gary asked looking around.

"That would be Jacob, Emmett, and Jasper," Carlisle replied.

"We'll need them for the muscle part while Edward goes to the cellar, since he is the fastest of the coven he'll be able to get her out," Gary explained.

Each one of them nodded here and there as they listened closely to Gary's plan on how to get Bella out safely. Except what they were also wondering is if they were all going to come out safely.