Bella POV
I was staring a jaguar-looking werecat, slightly smaller than I was, fiercely growling at a brown haired, Spanish looking vampire. Jasper seemed to recognize the vampire, Maria, and I could see Alice getting furious. Was there history between Jasper and this Maria chick?
I wasn't about to find out. Maria attacked the other werecat, and they tussled in the ground. When I saw that Maria was going to bite, I jumped up and smacked her to the ground. Her face cracked with the force of the landing, rendering her paralyzed for the time being. I helped up the werecat, who gave me a thankful nod. But Maria was far from out. She got up, her granite skin sealing back up, and roared at us.
The roar she gave was so human and weak I burst out laughing. She looked at me with fury, but before she could retaliate, I said, "This is a roar, bitch!" I sucked in a gigantic breath, and with quite a bit of force, roared in her face with the strength of a thunderclap, and the sound of a bear mixed with a lion. She was pushed to the ground, frozen in fear. In fact, she trembled and whimpered.
I pounced, took her body in my mouth, and turned to Jasper. I walked over, prodding him in the shoulder. He was off in a trance, maybe remembering something. When he looked at Maria, he changed. It was no longer Jasper who stood here, but someone older, wiser, harder, and scarred. In fact, he snarled, and took off his shirt.
I jumped back, because his chest and arms, once hidden, now revealed hundreds, maybe thousands, of crescent bite marks. Every one evidence of a vampire attempting to kill him. Every one evidence of the death of a vampire. Every one proof of his skill. I was in the presence of a powerhouse. For the first time, I considered him a threat. Not just to me, but to his siblings and adoptive parents as well.
"Maria," he growled. "What are you doing here, so far up north?"
"Chasing that beast scum out of my territory! Now call off yours!" She spat, wincing as I bit down a tad more.
"She's not a beast, Maria. She's the queen of beasts! And she'll crush you if you make a wrong move." He looked at me, and I growled, emphasizing his words. "So, what did this werecat do to you to deserve this?"
"It killed my entire army! Told me to stop, or I'd be next. It was so weak, I figured why not take it out? But the thing is fast! Not my fault it came up here."
"You're not allowed up here, Maria. And you are not allowed to harm Bella, the werecat who killed your army, or any other werecat."
"Says who, traitor?" She spat. I readjusted my bite on her, and both she and her flesh squealed.
"I do. If you hurt any other werecat, you will burn." His stoic, hardened stare made her nervous, though she didn't show it.
"You know wha, Major? Bite me!"
Jasper looked at me, and motioned with his hands for me to break her in half. I nodded, and crunched down. The vampire's torso crumbled and the fabric tore, and she screamed out in agony as her legs and upper half fell to the ground. Her legs twitched once, and stopped. She grabbed the dirt and grass, growling at me. I landed my massive paw on her, immobilizing what was left. I dug my claws in, making her squeal some more.
"No, Maria, I think he's got another girl to nibble on, you shameful little cunt nugget." I made my voice resonate through her. She whimpered, and Jasper smiled, hugging Alice close and kissing her. He didn't look heartless to me anymore, just a bit weathered. He nodded to me, and with a flex of my paw, I shredded the bitch, and she was no more.
I looked back at Jasper, who seemed to be back to normal, but I wasn't quite sure. "Jasper, what was that? I've never seen you so... angry."
"A bit of my old self coming back out. That vampire was Maria, the one who created me. She made me so that I could control her army of newborns, vampires in their first year of life. Very volatile, very strong. With my ability, her army grew fast and stayed large. But with the help of a mated pair in the army, Peter and Charlotte, I escaped. That's when I found Alice. Or, rather, she found me." He kissed his mate again, and she smiled fondly.
"Ok, then." I looked toward the other werecat, who was busy grooming itself to a more healthy status. "Hello. Do you speak English?"
It looked up, and replied, "Yes, señora. I am grateful for your help. I am only just getting the hang of this whole werecat business." He had a thick Brazilian accent, and the way his words sounded made me smile. "You are the vampire's protector?"
I shook my head. "I protect them, sure, but I am actually mated to that one there." I pointed to Edward. "I moved here, and we are together. His family getts the added bonus of my ability to keep them safe. What about you, are you some sort of vampire hunter?"
He shook his head. "Not really. I knew that her army was getting out of control, so I took care of it. I was wounded, so she gave chase. I did not realize how resilient vampires are."
Emmett chuckled. "How young are you, kid?"
"I am fifteen, vampire. A man in our world." The Brazilian gestured to me. "We mature fast, if you did not know." He looked at me. "When did you mature?"
"Uh, I think maybe fourteen. I changed when I was young, not sure what age. I noticed after the first time, I was accelerating in every aspect of the word 'growth.'"
"What do you mean?" Carlisle asked with animated curiosity.
"I mean that I didn't grow up slow and normal like most humans. After I changed forms, my body shot through puberty like a rocket. I was well endowed in seventh grade, and well enabled to surpass the most athletic boy in school."
"Fascinating. Bella, do you remember your first monthly cycle?" he asked.
My ears folded back with embarrassment; of course I remembered, it was the worst moment of my life. "Um, yeah, about that... Can we take this somewhere private?"
Edward came close and gently rubbed behind my jaw. It felt good. "What's to be nervous about, love? Carlisle is a doctor, and the rest of the family has had enough education in the medical field to be professional and unbiased about your bodily functions."
I shook my head. "But that day, though, it's... Well, it's not a memory I look fondly at."
Carlisle nodded. "I think you, Edward, maybe the young man over here, and I can go into my office and discuss this further?" I was about to protest the Brazilian but he kept going. "If he knows anything about the female werecat, we need the information. Do you?" He turned to the werecat in question.
"Yes, seiñor. I have many sisters back home in Garanhuns. I know of their powers and their body changes."
Carlisle nodded. "Then you shall come with us. Oh!" He picked up Fabrette and Mocha, who were busy playing with his shoe laces. "Rosalie, would you take these little ones? We don't want them wandering off."
Rosalie nodded, took the kittens, and led Emmett, Alice, Jasper, and Esme into the forest. They were going far enough away to where they wouldn't eavesdrop. I felt slightly better, but not by much. I turned to the other werecat and nosed him into the treeline a little roughly.
"Where are we going, seiñora?"
"We're going to change back so we're human size, and go up to Carlisle's office. You are going to tell us what you know about us females, and then you are to leave. Do you understand?"
His voice fell. "Si. I understand. I would have hoped to stay and get to know you better."
"Well, that ain't gonna happen. You're about to force me into retelling the most painful memory of my life, and I don't want Edward to hear of my moment of weakness." I didn't know if I was talking to him or myself now. Either way, I stood up and changed back. When the Brazilian did the same, I was taken aback. His tan skin was cross-hatched with hundreds of scars, most very old and healed as much as a scar could, some large red welts dealt recently by Maria possibly.
"Uh, well, señiora, shall we?" The Brazilian unwrapped some hide clothes and wore them, and I led him to Carlisle's office after donning my own. Carlisle sat in his chair, while Edward stood behind another facing him. I sat in that chair, waiting.
"Well, now that we're here, how about you introduce yourself, sir." Carlisle gestured to our guest. Edward gripped my shoulders soothingly.
"My name is Santo, I am from Sao Paulo, and I am pleased to meet another of my kind. I come from a family of five, with my mother and my three sisters. We all live with the humans, but we hunt like the jaguire in the jungle."
"Good. Now, tell is what you know of werecats."
"I know about our kind because the knowledge was passed down from my mother, and from her mother, and so on. The female werecat has always been the leader, the figure head of the family. Males take a less dominant role because the females are bigger, stronger, and faster. The females are also the more intelligent, and are outstanding fighters, even when kits. It has been our job to keep the vampires under control, but never to eradicate them. I understand a balance occurs between the humans, the werecats, and the vampires. Human population is kept down by vampires, and we keep the vampires down."
"We check the vampires?" I asked. "But, then, who checks us?"
"We govern ourselves. Or, at least, we used to. There was a royal family, at one time. They ruled justly and fairly until the youngest daughter, filled with jealousy and rage, killed her parents. The older daughter, who would ascend to the throne, banished her sister, and stained her eyes red with the murdered blood of their mother, as a reminder to anyone who came across her that she would never be worthy to rule. Sometime after that, the older sister died. We do not know truly who killed her, but we all believe the younger sister was to blame. Since then, no one has stepped up to take the throne. We have slinked away into the dark, hoping that someone strong enough and brave enough will assert herself."
"What would happen if someone took the throne?" Carlisle asked, leaning in more. I gripped Edward's hand tighter.
"No one knows for sure. The last time we had royal rule, humans knew of our existence, and we were at war. It was not large, and not every human believed we were real, but should the werecats come back into power, we would resume war with humans, if my father is any indication."
"You're father?"
"He used to be the royal general, and had a strong opposition to the growing power of humans. He thought it best to find a way to stabilize their growth and find equilibrium between our two species." Santo looked down pensively. "He might be… how do you say? Sedento de sangue humano."
"Bloodthirsty?" Edward asked, a small smile creeping up on his face. "Forgive me, Santo, there's nothing amusing about that."
I barked a laugh. "Yeah, more like ironic. Are you worried about your father?"
"Yes. I fear, with his power in any possible new kingdom we create, he will try to take control of our warriors and, as he put it, 'set the humans straight'. The world isn't ready for us, or vampires. I would see our rule put fairly, but secretly, until we knew how to approach the young mortals."
I nodded; there was more going on with my kind than I could've thought. "Then why don't you or someone else take up the throne? There's no one stopping you."
"There is hope among those of us who remember the family that a royal might show themselves, although it is highly unlikely, given that the entire royal family is dead. The rest of us fear the idea of a ruling party occurring again. No one wants to confront the very real possibility of dealing with the human threat."
"There is not a single werecat who would take up the mantle? Surely your father would be willing to do so, even if threatening a military state of being." Carlisle offered, a pensive, calculating look on his face.
"He took an oath to only rule should the ruling queen declare military rule, and pass over power to him. It also says that, should the queen no longer be in power, by any means not of her own, that the next ruler in line can authorize this rule."
"Then," Carlisle asked, "If there was a living member of the ruling family alive, and they gave consent to your father, then he would declare martial law, and forcibly overtake humans. This is problematic on a grand scale. There must be a way to eliminate this possibility."
"But, Carlisle, we don't have that power. And even if we went to the Volturi, Aro would use this to his advantage, if he could." Edward argued, stepping forward, examining an old renaissance oil painting. It depicted three men in black robes, and a fourth, golden-haired man in formal, beige attire. I guessed the men in black robes were the Volturi, and the fourth being Carlisle. The artist did a fabulous job, but could never have captured the true beauty of the vampire. I suspected, given the vampire physique, that humans based their beauty ideals on them, without realizing. It made complete sense, anyhow.
"Who are these Volturi, Edward?" I asked.
"They are essentially our ruling body, a coven of vampires who enforce the rule of the Vampire race – secrecy. If that rule is broken, by any means, then they deal out punishment. But Aro, the head of the coven, is power-hungry. He continues to grow his dominance and expand his reach within the vampire world. If he knew of the existence of superior beings, he would do everything he could to eradicate them, as Caius did with the werewolves. The Children of the Moon, so to speak, not like the Quileutes. We cannot let Aro know of you or your kind, Bella, not until we know Aro poses no threat to you."
I stood up and kissed Edward on the cheek. "I didn't think it wise to just walk up to any old large ruling coven and go, 'So, yeah, I'm a badass werecat that can F you up, and we're gonna take over your shit.' That isn't too smart. And, so long as the vampires remain oblivious to us, there's little need to worry."
He smiled, but it didn't reach the corners of his eyes. I knew he was still worried, but he wasn't going to discuss it further. I turned to Santo and asked, "So, what do we as female werecats need to worry about? Living with your sisters, you should know quite a bit."
He nodded. "Yes, Seniora. When you matured, you were in a lot of pain from the bleeding, yes? What happened during that time? I must know, because different women mature in different ways."
I frowned, my heart jumping a little at the memory. "I was in constant pain, all over my body, and constantly shifting back and forth, from one form to another. Renee forced me to stay outside, because she feared I'd ruin the furniture." I hissed. "I couldn't see straight for the entire day, my eyesight kept flipping between human and werecat. I was so dizzy I got sick maybe five times. And there was nothing but acid, since I couldn't eat. Then, the next day, I was numb, and every time I moved, my body wouldn't respond correctly. Brain said 'move your leg!' and my body said 'duh, what is leg? I move this thing with opposable thumb.' It was fucking annoying. I was back to 'normal' by the third day."
Santo nodded, stood up, and started to pace. He took ten minutes to process what I said before looking up at me again. I had managed to be wrapped up in Edward's arms by then. "I believe," Santo responded, finally, "that you are like my oldest sister, Maya. She was violent in her maturing time, as well, but less so than you. My best guess is that you are ready to mate, or shall be soon. You must watch for the pull, if you are not ready. You will go mad because your body will override your conscious desires and focus on… this isn't delicate to say, but to… sexually attack every male you come across."
I balked, removing myself from Edward's embrace. "The hell? I'm gonna wanna screw every guy I walk by? What kind of instinct is that?"
"It's a pretty normal instinct for all animals, Bella," Carlisle interjected. "During a certain period of the year, every animal will instinctually find a partner and mate. Humans and some primates are some of minority who can choose when they wish to mate. What is the cycle for werecats, Santo?"
"There is no cycle, only flares; a female werecat will be in heat whenever their body is truly ready. The longest my sister went mad was maybe…. Two weeks."
"Two weeks?! The fuck?! I can't have sex for two weeks! That's fucking crazy!" I was feeling the chill, and I took a few deep breaths to remain calm. Wasn't working so well. My vision shimmered and became much clearer. I felt the push of my fangs and claws growing through the flesh. The itch of fur growing across my skin. I tried, so hard, to keep it in.
But then my sense of smell got MUCH more sensitive.
I looked at Edward, his visage so beautiful in the little light there was in the office, and really smelled him. His honey/lilac/sunshine smell was so DELISHIOUS! And then there was something else… a primal, earthy scent. Santo. He smelled like wetness and heat and fur and dirt. There was a pull, but not a strong one. Now another scent assaulted me. It was clean, sharp, butter, water, and moonlight. Carlisle, the only other person in the room. My god, I was being pulled in all directions. I was going crazy with each scent I was confronted with. I couldn't take it anymore, I was going to shift.
I rushed out of the room, out into the forest, and stripped. I took off everything but my underwear before I burst into seductive me. But something was different. My senses were so vivid and heightened, my attention zoomed back in on the house, where Edward and the rest of them were rushing out to see what the matter was.
Edward. Shit! He was…. Mine. Mine! MINE!
