Sorry I haven't posted in a bit! I've been reading more than I've been writing *blush* But I have some GREAT news! After months of prodding I finally convinced my husband to read the Twilight series! He's on Eclipse, and he loves it so far! Yay! Everyone celebrate with me! Now let's all "Eeeee!!!!" because the movie will be here in a few hours!
EEEEEEE!!!!
-SurrepTRIXus-
Chapter 29: Optimism
Like Carlisle had promised, Meg made a full recovery. Besides the ugly bruise, she was otherwise fine. Everyone liked her nearly instantly. She was one of those people it's almost impossible not to like. She was somewhat quiet – an understandable thing when you're staying in a house full of vampires after your werewolf soul mate rescues you from an abusive husband – but remarkably sincere and good natured.
I became quite skilled at managing my breathing around Meg, and eventually the smell of her blood didn't make me quite as nauseous as before, though I still didn't find it very attractive and had no interest in drinking it.
The rest of the pack came by at varying times the next morning to meet the girl Jacob had imprinted on. I was worried about how Leah might react, but I shouldn't have been. To my surprise, Leah got alone with her better than anyone else. Edward explained it to me later.
"She and Leah understand each other for the same reasons Jacob and Leah understand each other," he said to me as we stood in the semi-secluded kitchen. "All of them know what it's like to be in love with the wrong person. Meg actually gives Leah hope. She thinks it's a little bit silly, but her thoughts keep turning back to fairy tales and Prince Charming." Edward smiled. "Do all you girls believe that your prince will come someday?"
"You tell me," I said to him. "You're the mind reader."
"Well what do you believe?" he inquired.
"I believe I've already found my prince," I said and stood on my tip-toes to kiss him on the nose.
"If I'm your prince, than which fairy tale princess are you?"
I thought about this for a moment before answering. "I'm Sleeping Beauty. You woke me up from one life into another."
Edward was going to say something, but Seth had overheard us and made a gagging sound.
"I've had to listen to enough of that mushy crap. I don't need to hear any more!" he grinned at us.
Edward winked, and responded by giving me a ridiculously overdone kiss.
"That's it, I'm outta here!" Seth complained.
I barely noticed. It seemed like it had been too long since he kissed me like that, I let the feeling of it run through me. His lips were soft against mine at first, but soon I could feel the hunger of his kiss break through. My hands knotted themselves in his hair. His arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me closer to him. My skin tingled where he touched and ached for more.
A loud, obviously fake cough brought us back to earth.
Alice looked at us both slightly irritated and embarrassed.
"I don't mean to interrupt," she said, "but I just thought that you should know Eleazar and Carmen will be getting here soon."
"How long?" asked Edward.
"About two and a half hours."
"Thank you, Alice," he said. When she turned he whispered in my ear. "That should give us enough time."
"For what?" I asked, even though I already knew.
"Guess," he said, and accented the words with a quick bite to my earlobe. Shivers went through my spine and my knees gave out. Only Edward's quick reactions saved me from collapsing to the floor. He swiftly picked me up off my feet and carried me to our room. I was thankful that the thick golden carpet and the heavy fabric hung on the walls were designed to keep the acoustics confined to that room.
********
Edward and I greeted Carmen and Eleazar when they arrived, but we were surprised to find they brought two others. From their eyes I could tell they were vegetarians, like us.
"Alice," Edward stopped her as she passed. "Why didn't you tell me they brought guests? Didn't you see them?"
"Yes, I saw them," she hissed, annoyed at having her skills criticized. "I would have told you, but I lost my train of thought when I saw you two-"
"Alright, alright," he interrupted her.
I learned that the two guests were named Randall and Garrett. Garrett had met Eleazar soon after he joined the Denali coven and adapted to the vegetarian life style because of it. I thought I saw something pass between him and Kate, but I couldn't be sure. He and Randall had met a dozen or so year ago and had been travelling together ever since. Randall was already a vegetarian.
It seemed that he and Jasper both knew the same vampire, Peter. Peter was the vampire Jasper had escaped from his previous life and his servitude to Maria with. After they parted ways and Jasper joined the Cullens, Peter met Randall. It was from Peter that Randall first heard about the vegetarian lifestyle, and he decided to adopt it.
Both Eleazar and Randall brought special abilities with them. Randall seemed to be telekinetic, but he was limited to things that were smaller than him.
Eleazar was able to detect any powers other vampires might have. A skill that came in handy when he used to be a guard for the Volturi so many years ago.
"You're more powerful than you realize," he said to me quietly. I didn't quite know what to make of it. I still wasn't completely sure what I was capable of, and I wasn't sure I wanted to have to find out.
With the additions of Carmen, Eleazar, Garrett and Randall, not to mention Meg, Jacob, and the other members of the Pack which always seemed to be around, even the Cullen's large house seemed crowded.
But it wouldn't be crowded for long. Time was running out. We only had four days left before Alice predicted the Volturi would arrive. And then…
And then what?
The Volturi were coming, that much was certain, and the pretense was that they were coming to check on me – to make sure I wasn't still human. But they were also coming to check on the Cullens. They wanted to see if the Cullens were a threat to them and their power. Maybe if they saw that we didn't want that, that we didn't need it, maybe…
Jacob's optimism was starting to wear off on me. There was Love here. Pure, glorious, joyful Love. There was no struggle for power, no need to prove who was in control. There was just Love.
If they could see it and understand it, maybe they would see that we weren't a threat and never would be. Love is strong, and it's simple. When you have it, it's all you need and nothing can break that bond.
I had to believe there was hope. I glanced at Jacob and Meg. Even though he wasn't looking at her, the way he held her hand and positioned his body showed that all of his thoughts were devoted to her. Meg's eyes were locked on Jacob in wonder, like she had never seen anything worth looking at before in her entire life. She was practically glowing. Just like when I looked in Edward's eyes, I had to believe that there was hope, and things like Love last forever.
If we could just show the Volturi we were happy with the ways things were, that we were happy just to be, they'd have to understand. They would have to leave us in peace.
Right?
