Part 26
Bella stayed leaning back against the closed door of Alice's room as she watched the smaller vampire go back and forth between the suitcases on her bed and her wardrobe.
She smirked and crossed her arms over her chest as Alice mumbled something about shoes before closing one suitcase only to open another she had pulled from somewhere else in the room. This one was empty but Bella doubted it would remain so for long.
Bella counted, and with the new bag Alice now had five in total.
"We'll be there for a few days, not a few months Alice." Bella said, trying to be the voice of reason. Sure they didn't have to worry about the weight or carry the luggage around for long. But it was still overkill.
Alice came to an abrupt stop and glared at the older vampire who shrugged at her. "If you must know, I need to match my footwear to my clothes. Which means I need to take all of these with me Bella." The same vampire insisted as she raced from her shoe rack to her suitcase and back again as she filled it with varying colours of heeled shoes and boots.
Finished she turned a smug grin at the older vampire as she zipped the case closed. "They're all essential and one more word from you and I'll make you come back with twice this much after making you try everything on first." Her grin widened as Bella scowled at her and sniggers could be heard from downstairs.
Not one to be put in her place or dictated to, especially from such a young vampire, Bella stalked over to Alice slowly as her eyes narrowed on her mate.
The smile faltered on Alice's face as Bella approached her.
"One, this is not a shopping trip." Bella muttered quietly to Alice as she stopped a few inches shy of Alice's body, their faces a breath width apart. "Two, I never agreed to go shopping with you in the first place, and three," Bella leaned closer and dropped her voice to its lowest register. "I can keep you occupied enough during our trip that you never see the outside of our room bar the trips to and from the airport."
Alice swallowed hard, as her body reacted to her mate towering over her as she spoke.
Bella kept her gaze locked on Alice's golden eyes until they dropped unconsciously to her lips. It almost made her smirk but she held it in, it was far more important that she make her point. Her own eyes drifted to Alice's neck and as she surveyed the exposed skin there she felt her fangs drop with the need to mark her mate.
Alice gasped as Bella suddenly gripped her arms, holding her in place.
Bella grinned at the dark hair vampire, there was no fear in Alice's eyes but there was a large amount of shock and uncertainty, but just under those emotions was Alice's desire for Bella.
For her mate.
It was enough for Bella, and she pulled Alice into her body, wrapping her arms around the smaller vampire as Alice sighed at the contact and her own arms came around Bella to return the embrace.
But that just brought Bella's lips that much closer to where she wanted to mark Alice. Tightening her hold Bella let the tips of her fangs graze the skin on Alice's neck, testing how far she would be allowed to go, checking if her mate was receptive to being marked in this moment.
Marking Alice now would serve two purposes for Bella, it would signal to the rest of the Cullen's that Alice belong firstly to her and that there would be no leaving Alice behind should Bella decide that she couldn't remain with the rest of the coven. And it would protect Alice from most requests that could be made by Aro or any other Volturi member.
Alice would be claimed by Bella, mated to her for the rest of their existence on earth.
A whimper escaped past Alice's lips as she felt the touch at her neck. Vampires rarely allowed anyone, even their lovers, to touch such a sensitive and vulnerable part of their body. To permit a bite to such an area you had to trust the vampire not to rip your neck apart. The vampire being bitten had to remain frozen in place or risk causing damage to themselves.
To accept Bella's request, and as her mate Alice knew that was exactly what Bella was doing by running her fangs across her skin, was to risk death.
Bella felt Alice clutch tighter to her back and pull her subtly closer. Bella growled in pleasure at her mate's submission. She nuzzled Alice's neck for a moment before pulling back to look Alice in the eye. "This might sting for a moment." She warned, still conscious of the others in the house and the need to keep quiet or risk interruption which would set off her anger to the fullest.
Alice licked her lips nervously. She wanted this, she wanted Bella, but she had never allowed anyone, not even Jasper such a trust. She stared at the dark red eyes watching her and noticed the fang tips peeking out under Bella's top lip.
"You're mine." Bella growled out as she stared hard into Alice's eyes, needing the smaller vampire to understand that if this happened there would be no going back. She would forever be bound to Bella and Bella to her.
Alice nodded, she understood completely. "And you're mine."
Bella's red eyes blazed. She pressed her lips softly to Alice's then eased back. "Mine." She whispered.
"Yours." Alice affirmed in the same tone.
That was all the conformation Bella needed, she had held herself in check long enough. She let her fangs drop to their full length and displayed them to her mate before Alice smiled back at her and tilted her to one side and offer herself to be marked.
Bella took a moment to gaze at the alabaster skin before lowering her fangs, scrapping at the delicate skin this time as her intent shifted. She tightened her grip on her mate to hold Alice firmly in place as she pressed a kiss to her neck before sinking her fangs all the way into Alice's neck with a groan of pleasure as she tasted the essence of Alice for the very first time.
Bella was almost lost in the feel of being so connected to Alice, so much so that she only just heard the groan escaping past Alice's lips or the shudder of pleasure that ran through the smaller body in her hold.
But she didn't.
She closed her eyes and drank in Alice's venom, feeling its tang on her tongue like that of the finest of wines. Another swallow and she was addicted, nothing, man or beast, had ever tasted so sweet to her before. It was better than blood and Bella couldn't get enough.
Alice felt the pull and surrendered to it willingly.
Bella growled as Alice's body melted into her arms, an offering Bella gladly accepted. Satisfied for the moment Bella tightened her hold on the smaller vampire, ensuring that she couldn't wriggle as she began to inject her own venom through her fangs.
This was the most dangerous part, pouring venom into a vampire was extremely painful as their own venom fought the intrusion. To the victim it would almost replicate their first bite and burn at the veins under their skin leading to an agony worse than death. But for a willing subject, a mate accepting the marking of their lover, the burning was quickly replaced by the infusion of warmth throughout their bodies, the heat and passion of their binding boiling them from the inside until it consumed them.
Reluctantly Bella pulled her fangs free after a few seconds, as the older vampire her venom was stronger and more potent than Alice's and Bella was also conscious that Alice was so much smaller and too much venom could be very over powering to her senses.
Still with Alice in her arms, Bella licked at the mark, already closed from the moment she had withdrew her fangs, sealing her mark and mixing her scent with Alice's.
Alice whimpered, feeling exhausted and weak as she rested her head against Bella's shoulder.
Bella's chest vibrated, emitting a low purr like sound to Alice's ears that made Alice grin and giggle even as Bella then proceeded to lift her and carry her over to the bed and lay them both down. Alice had never known what it was like to be tired or to sleep like a human but that didn't stop her from curling up against Bella's body and closing her eyes with a heavy sigh.
Bella grinned at the vampire in her arms. While she would have preferred them both to be naked and to be in the act of consummating their bond properly she knew that could wait. For the moment.
"Feels nice. Warm." Alice muttered from beneath Bella's chin as her head rested against Bella's chest.
Pressing her lips to Alice's head Bella just increased the purring and then settled back and closed her own eyes. She had heard a car pull up as she had carried her precious cargo over to the bed, and she could hear quiet muttering coming from the floor below but she was in no hurry to have this moment with her mate disturbed.
Eventually Alice sighed and blinked her eyes open, feeling more alert and aware of her surrounding than she had since she first felt Bella at her neck.
Easing up she stared at Bella then grinned and pushed the rest of the way to lay a kiss on her mate's lips.
She felt different.
She studied Bella who just smiled back at her, as she tried to work through her emotions to work out what it was that was off with her. It wasn't a bad feeling, in fact it was the exact opposite, she felt whole for the first time since she had woken from her change.
Alice lifted her hand to touch the mark, the skin at the site felt no different to her fingers but her whole body shuddered as her fingers ghosted over it. It caused her to gasp and made her eyelid flutter closed.
The sight that greeted her when she moved her hand away from her neck was over a very smug and self-satisfied vampire watching her closely.
She shook her head wondering how insufferable Bella would be now. She could see the older vampire's eyes dancing with delight. "So full of yourself." She muttered with an eye roll only to cause Bella to burst into laughter.
Bella grinned and adjusted her hold around Alice as she eyed her mark. There was a strong sense of ownership in looking at it, in looking at Alice, but Bella refrained from voicing it. Instead she pulled Alice closer and nuzzled at her neck before whispering, "I think you'll find that I'm full of you my love."
Alice's whole body froze just as she lifted her head to retort that claim, only to fall into a vision.
Bella scowled as her mates eyes glazed over and she tightened her hold on Alice while putting her own senses on high alert. While they were safe in the Cullen home and the Quileute's gone, there really shouldn't be anything to worry about but Bella wasn't willing to take any kind of risk with Alice's safety.
As she came out of the vision Alice pouted at Bella then groaned and dropped her head down onto Bella's shoulder and whined.
Frowning Bella just ran her hands over the smaller vampire's back as she tried to sooth her. "What's wrong?" She asked softly.
Alice let out another huff then lifted herself up enough to stare down at Bella, she then lifted her hand and mouthed; one, two, three. And then pointed over her shoulder in the general direction of her bedroom door.
Bella tilted her head, still wearing a scowl on her face.
"Alice? Bella? Will you both come down here please?" Came the voice of Carlisle.
Alice saw the flash of annoyance in her mates eyes at the summons and wished she could prevent them from leaving her room but there was very little she could do. So she pouted at Bella then pressed a quick kiss to her mate's lips and hopped up off of Bella and off of the bed as she eyed her cases for a moment.
Maybe that could be her excuse? She did still have to finish her packing. Carlisle could say whatever it was while she remained up here.
Bella saw the look and grabbed hold of Alice's hand as she rolled her eyes and pulled the smaller vampire with her along to the door and out into the hallway.
"You're going to be lucky as it is if I let you bring more than one of those cases." She reminded Alice.
Alice heard Emmett and Jasper snigger from living area and scowled their way. Then she pouted as neither Rosalie nor Esme backed her up in that it was important to be prepared for all occasions. You never knew what kind of dress was needed until you knew the event.
Bella grinned as her mate remained silent as they made their way into the large room to join the rest of the family.
She took a seat on the couch beside Rosalie and Emmett and pulled Alice down into her lap before casting her gaze over at Carlisle and raising an eyebrow at him.
Carlisle glared at Bella, he could not only see the bite mark on Alice's neck but he could also smell the subtle change in her scent.
Bella noticed where his eyes had drifted and hardened her own stare right back at him as her grip on Alice reflexively tightened. She almost bared her fangs at Carlisle but a nudge from Esme stood beside him caused him to look away from her with a sigh.
Alice frowned as she felt Bella stiffen and relaxed deeper into her arms to try and comfort the older vampire. When that didn't seem to work she lifted on of the hands at her waist and pressed her lips to the palm before returning it to its duty at her stomach.
Bella grinned at the display by her mate and sighed into Alice's neck as she lifted her eyes back to Carlisle and waited.
Carlisle was very troubled by this turn of events. He couldn't help but worry for Alice, as much as they continued to ignore it, they would all have to eventually discuss the fact that this vampire version of Bella Swan simply did not belong in their time. This was not her world anymore and to interfere with his daughter's future by marking her was just immoral.
If Bella was Alice's true mate then should it not be for his daughter and Bella to come to that conclusion in their own time and at their own pace?
Yet here he was staring at a vampire that not only knew this herself but had simply disregarded it in favour of satisfying her own needs.
And that, he was not okay with.
Bella saw the emotions and the concern in Carlisle's gaze but then she watched that change to self-righteousness and realised she was about to be on the receiving end of some words of wisdom.
She growled at him, loud enough to make everyone in the room pause and stare at her. "Whatever you're about to say Carlisle, keep it to yourself and explain why you called us down here, we have a trip to pack for." She told him evenly. She knew it was unlikely that he would just drop the topic but if she could put it off for now it might give him the time to form a conversation with her that wouldn't end in her threatening to rip his head off.
Carlisle felt his own mate nudge at him again and let out a heavy sigh, clearly not happy to let this go but heeding both warnings he did as Bella asked. "As we were in town we were stopped by Charlie Swan who just wanted to say hello. As we got talking and let him know we were on our way to Europe for a few weeks he mentioned the Quileute's had left as well."
Esme cut in and explained a bit more. "It was meant as a joke I think, that he was saying that Bella was gone, some of the kids from town had gone to the city for a trip and then with the Quileute's and us also going, he said there'd be no one left in Forks to police."
Carlisle nodded. "We enquired about the Quileute's, mentioning that it was rare for them to leave their land in numbers, he explained that there had been a head on car crash between two groups of teenagers from a nearby tribe and that they had close connections to them and were going to pay their respects." He continued describing the conversation they had shared with the town sheriff. "He said almost twenty boys had died, and that he was glad Bella was out of town so she wasn't taking that trip to Seattle with her classmates."
"Twenty?" Emmett repeated then gave Bella a stunned look, before whistling, clearly impressed.
Jasper studied Bella, she didn't seem overly bothered by this news, but then as they all suspected she was responsible for the deaths she wouldn't be would she? He had also spotted the mark on Alice's neck but he could feel what he figured was only a fraction of their actually feeling,s that must be bleeding through Bella's shielding, and it was very powerful.
But more than that, Bella was still, maybe for the first time since he had got a sense of her when she had knocked on their door that night not so long ago. She was centred, whole.
And what made him grin and bounce that feeling out to the rest of the room, was the fact that so too was Alice.
The deaths of the tribe members didn't bother Jasper at all, not if Bella thought they were needed. And she would know wouldn't she? She had lived through whatever actions they had carried out.
Attack was sometimes the best form of defence was it not?
But for Alice to feel as at peace as he felt coming from her, well that was truly remarkable. That was what they should be talking about, that was what they should be discussing and celebrating, not a pack of shifters being taken care of.
"Congratulations." He muttered to them and as they both turned and grinned at him, Bella pulling Alice back into her body, he couldn't help but chuckle.
"Thank you!" Alice replied happily only to have Bella laugh in her ear.
Carlisle cleared his throat and drew their attention back to him. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked like he was about to give them a lecture.
"We have to finish packing." Esme spoke up as she grabbed hold of Carlisle's arm and practically dragged him from the room. "We leave in fifteen minutes." She called back just as they heard the room door of their bedroom close.
Edward eyed the pair then he saw Rosalie send him a warning look. She needn't have bothered, Jaspers thoughts on this change was giving him more than enough to think about. He turned and left for his own room. His packing was finished but right now he needed his music and time alone with his thoughts.
Alice grinned and struggled free from Bella's arms.
"You've finished all the packing you need to do Alice." Bella told her with the touch of a pout.
Rosalie shook her head but she got up and took Alice's hand and started for the stairs. "Then she can help me." She threw back over her shoulder as she left her husband with Bella and Jasper for company.
Emmett grinned at Bella understanding that his wife wanted to take a moment with Alice and discuss the mark at her neck. He wanted to tease Bella over it as well but the glare she was sending him kept him quiet.
He did value his life after all.
Jasper watched wondering if Emmett would say something stupid, but when all he did was grin at Bella he thought he should interject before Bella grew annoyed enough to scare him.
"Game?" He asked the pair as he held up one of the controllers in his hand.
Ah, Bella thought, when all else fails there was always gaming. She smiled at the blonde and held her hand out. At the very least it would distract her from the giggle fest going on between her mate and Rosalie upstairs.
All of a sudden being trapped in a metal box thousands of feet in the air with this family was starting to lose its appeal.