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Disclaimer: I own nothing, but the plot. All else is SM's...even though part of me wishes it could be mine.
Chapter 27
A few days had passed and no one was up for taking chances. Every chance we got, everyone had practiced battling so that we'd be ready for when The Volturi arrived. Some would say that it was nonsense and a waste of time to practice without knowing when exactly they were coming, but it quickly was proven as a wise decision.
Alice got a vision not long after it was revealed that The Volturi were coming. The Volturi were apparently closer than Alice had originally thought or seen. Based on Alice's vision, they were due here at any time now. At any time being today. We had all agreed to meet up in the clearing that Alice saw the battle, war, or whatever it is taking place so that we could all get just a little more fight practice in. After all, we could never be too practiced in fighting.
I was just getting ready to leave the house when I heard a knock on the front door. I hadn't been expecting anyone so I was a little hesitant to answer it. And, with The Volturi coming and all of that, I wasn't exactly going to just go run and answer the door. Knowing my luck, that would prove to be a very stupid move. So, I wasn't gonna do it.
Cautiously, I made my way to the door, and looked out of the window next to it.
"Aw, damn!" I muttered to myself.
What the hell was she doing here? Of all the times she could have come here, why now?
Taking a deep breath, I grasped the door handle, twisted, and opened it.
"Hello, Haley," I greeted her with the nicest smile that I could muster.
She smiled back. "Hi, Bella."
"Can I help you?" I asked her. "I'm sort of in a hurry right now."
"Oh, don't worry. This won't take long."
"Umm...okay," I said, moving out-of-the-way. "Would you like to come in?"
She nodded and walked past me. "Thank you."
"Uh...you're welcome," I replied, closing the door and turning around to face her. "So, what can I do for you?" I asked.
This better really be quick. Like I actually have time for this.
"I just wanted to talk real quick," Haley answered, leaning against the stair banister.
Oh, great. Of course, she did. Now of all times. I just can't freaking win, can I? Damn it!
"About what?" I asked, trying to somehow hurry this much unwanted conversation along.
"About the whole you, Jake, and me situation."
Oh, god. Just kill me now. I don't have time for this.
"Can we talk about this some other time?" I asked her. "I really, really am in a hurry."
Haley was silent for a second before shaking her head and smiling a smile that sort of looked fake. I was suddenly uneasy. I just wanted her out of here. Now.
"Okay, great," I smiled back at her. "So, I'll call you, then, when I have time to talk," I told her, turning around to open the door for her to leave.
The second I turned around, I instantly regretted it. Fuck! I knew something was wrong with this picture.
In the next second, I felt a piercing sting in my back. It took me a moment or two to realize what had caused the sting. I'll be damned. That bitch just stabbed me. Literally.
I instantly dropped to my knees. Thank god for being part vampire now. It would've been a lot worse had I not been.
Behind me, I heard a maniacal laughter, and then Haley walked around and stood in front of me looking down with a smirk.
"What the hell?" I asked her, reaching behind me to grasp the handle of the knife.
Haley shrugged. "I'm just following orders."
"Orders?" I asked her, confused.
"Aro told me to make sure you didn't show up at the battle," Haley informed me. "So I did what I had to do."
My eyes widened and my jaw practically dropped to the floor. "Aro?" I asked her.
She nodded her head, still smirking.
"How do you know Aro?"
"He's why I was here in the first place."
"But you...Jacob imprinted...say what?" I asked in complete shock.
Haley shook her head. "Not really."
"What? How?"
"It was just made to seem that way," Haley answered. "The second Aro realized you'd escaped he sent me. He had come across a vampire who had the power to manipulate people as well as other supernatural beings into believing things that weren't really true. Somehow it was possible to make it seem like Jacob imprinted on me the first time he saw me."
"I don't get it. How is that possible? How did Aro even know about..."
"To answer your first question, the vampire was around when Jacob first saw me, so he was able to make it work how Aro wanted it to. And, as for your second question, he's been around for a very long time. It'd be messed up if he didn't know about the wolves," she continued explaining, answering both of my questions.
This was just way too messed up. How had I not figured it out? Or Bridget? Or anyone for that matter?
"Aro would explain it so much better than me, though, so if you're still confused just ask him when you see him," Haley said. "He should be here in a few hours or so. After he and the others take care of the pack and the Cullen's."
My eyes practically bugged out of my head. "What? They won't...there's no way that they..."
Haley laughed and cut me off, "Aro has Victoria and her minions to help him."
I shook my head frantically. "It won't work. I can still get there and help them," I said, trying to stand up, but failing miserably.
Haley just laughed some more. "You're not getting up anytime soon. Your vampire side may be able to withstand the stabbing, but your human side isn't," she told me. "I stabbed you in just the right place to make sure that you don't walk for a while," she smirked and turned to the door. "Unless, of course, you find a way to magically heal yourself," she added before disappearing out the door, leaving me alone with a literal knife stuck in my back.
This was so not good.
"Bridget!" I called out. "BRIDGET!" I called out louder this time.
She would hear me or sense me. Or whatever she usually did. I knew she would. I just hoped she'd get here in time before what Haley said actually came true.
~CCC~
I don't know how much time went by before Bridget and Paul finally showed up. I had managed to half crawl, half drag myself to the couch. It didn't give complete comfort, but it was better than staying on the floor waiting. I had tried to pull the knife out of my back, but failed each time. Then, I remembered my human half, one wrong move and God only knew what would happen, so I just left it for when Bridget got here.
"Bella!" Bridget called out running into the house.
"Is that blood?" I heard Paul ask.
"Oh fuck! Bella!" Bridget called out again.
"In here," I replied.
Footsteps were heard and Bridget was suddenly in front of me with Paul behind her.
Her eyes widened when she saw the knife still stuck in me. "What the...are you okay?"
"I need blood," I coughed, slowly repositioning myself.
Bridget gave me a pointed look. "Bella..."
"I need blood," I repeated.
Bridget nodded. "Alright. Okay, I'll go get you some real quick."
Paul looked from me to Bridget. "What do you mean she needs blood?!" he asked, then turned back to me. "You said that you didn't need blood!"
"Only when she's injured," Bridget spoke up before I could.
Paul looked at her, confused. "What?"
"When she's injured, she craves blood," Bridget explained. "The blood helps her heal faster," she added before disappearing into the kitchen.
"Can you get this knife out of me, please?" I asked Paul.
He was still shocked for a moment before shaking himself out of it. "Oh, yeah, sure."
A few minutes later, I was knife less and I was completely healed thanks to the blood Bridget gave me.
"So, what happened?" Bridget asked me.
Through clenched teeth, I hissed, "That...bitch...stabbed...me!"
Paul and Bridget were both confused and shocked. "Who?!"
"Haley," I spat.
Bridget's voice went up a few octaves. "What?!" she shrieked.
"Why?" Paul asked.
"She's on The Volturi's side!" I answered, shaking my head in disbelief.
How had no one seen this coming?
"I knew there was a reason why none of us liked her," Paul shook his head as he muttered under his breath. "That bitch!"
It was then that I remembered something that Haley had told me.
"Oh, damn!" I exclaimed. "We have to go now! We're outnumbered!"
This was a lot more serious than I had expected it would be.
~CCC~
I didn't even pay attention to how long it took Bridget, Paul, and I to make it to the clearing where the fight was taking place. All I was worried about was making it there in time. I had assured Jacob a few days back that we would all come out of this alive. And, I was intent on still making sure that that was the case.
We arrived just in time for Aro to reveal that he had been fully aware of the pack all along. Then, he wasted no time revealing his reason why.
Gasps from everyone on our side filled the clearing as Victoria and the newborns and The Volturi parted ways to reveal none other than Haley standing there.
I was not the type of vampire to actually want to kill a human, but I swear that Haley was gonna be an exception. I so badly wanted to kill her right now. After all, she sure as hell deserved it.
There you have it, Chapter 27! Thoughts? Review, please?
Next chapter; The war as well as a few other explanations and reveals.
