As Always: This story is a work of fiction. Any reference to historical events, real people, or real locations are used purely fictitiously. Any names, places, or actual events are incidents of the author's imagination. I do not own twilight or the characters. I do own Allie and any character that was not in twilight.
"Catch me as I fall. Say you're here and it's all over now. Speaking to the atmosphere. No one's here and I fall into myself. The truth drives me into madness. I know I can stop the pain. If I will it all away. If I will it all away. Don't turn away, don't give in to the pain. Don't try to hide, though they're screaming your name. Don't close your eyes, God knows what lies behind them. Don't turn out the light, never sleep, never die. I'm frightened by what I see but somehow I know that there's much more to come. Immobilized by my fear and soon to be blinded by tears."
~ Evanescence
Chapter Thirty-Six: Whisper
Allie
She was the most beautiful creature I've ever seen. Her long hair cascaded down her back in a waterfall of midnight black; it framed her heart shaped face, and covered her shoulders. Her eyes were the same stunning bright sapphire as mine. Never had I seen such bright eyes besides mine and Joshua's. Her skin was ivory and flawless. There was a slight glow to her skin and a light surrounded her entire body. It wouldn't be visible to a mortal but I could see it clearly. Her features were perfectly straight and beautiful. She was about 5'4 with a slim lean body and a wispy waistline.
We stared at each other for what seemed like hours until I couldn't take it anymore. I had to know if I was dreaming or having a strange hallucination suddenly because she couldn't be here. Her arrival was absolutely impossible. It couldn't be real.
"Mom," I whispered. Impossible because she's dead.
Her eyes widened as I spoke and she launched herself at me. "Oh my sweet Alana," she cried and wrapped her arms tightly around my body as she sobbed into my shoulder. With my gift to manipulate heat I knew her touch was hot, like mine, but to me it felt normal, silky soft and comforting. "It's alright now my little fairy," she murmured softly as she cried and held onto to me as if I'd disappear at any moment.
I was too shocked to shed tears. I felt too much and so my body shut down and I was left with a sense of numbness and confusion. She couldn't be here, it's impossible.
"Everything is going to be alright now my little fairy," she murmured. And then I did cry because it wasn't going to be alright.
"No it's not," I sobbed. "It's not going to be alright."
"Shhhh . . . hush my little fairy, I won't let them hurt you or your family and friends. Everything will be alright in the end, you'll see my dear." Her voice was soft and comforting, her body seemed to wrap protectively around me and I found myself holding onto her as tightly as I could, which with my newborn strength was tight.
When I pulled away from her I found we were both curled up on the floor in the middle of the living room. I looked in her bright tear filled eyes and smiled softly. She gently wiped away my tears and lightly kissed my forehead.
"You have to leave," I said softly. I'd just met her how can I possible be asked to give her up now? If I can't save my family I can at least save my mother and her family. "You can't be here, the Romanians are . . ."
"Shhhh . . ." She placed her index finger lightly on my lips to hush me. "Don't be silly. My daughter and her family are in danger. Do you think I'm going to sit by and allow those stinkin' Romanians to kill you? I've just found you Alana, you're stuck with me now kiddo." She giggled softly and hugged me tightly once more. "Now come, there's much to be discussed and I want to meet my grandson and my future son-in-laws." She bounced to her feet pulling me with her in one move so quick if I blinked I would have missed it.
She moved to the couch and sat next to Esme, peering over her shoulder to see Joshua. "Oh Alana he is absolutely beautiful," she whispered. "And he looks so much like his father!" She gushed like a proud grandmother.
"Would you like to hold him?" Esme offered with a bright smile.
"Oh could I? You wouldn't mind? I don't want to take him away from his grandmother; he looks so comfortable in your arms." Her bright smile widened and Esme smiled with her.
"Of course not, you're his grandmother too," she gently placed Joshua in Liliana's arms. His eyes fluttered slightly but he didn't wake up.
"Oh isn't he the most handsome little man you've ever seen, Esme?"
"Yes, yes he is," Esme said softly as she lightly brushed Joshua's fine light blonde hair through her fingers.
"And look at those little toes! I could just eat him up!" She giggled happily and Katelyn and Elizabeth leaned down to look over her shoulders. Katelyn's hands brushed over my mother's hair in a comforting way and unconsciously Liliana leaned back into Katelyn's touch.
I stepped back when I was sure Joshua was fine and nestled myself between Jasper and Demetri. I giggled when Demetri lightly slapped my ass and pulled me closer to both of them. He kissed my lips and I leaned my head down on his shoulder, looping my arm with Jaspers and pulling him closer to me.
"I have to ask," I said softly, "how are you here? Demetri and I were told you died in labor."
Spencer rolled his eyes.
"No, sweetheart, as you saw when you gave birth to this handsome little one, we don't die during labor," Liliana said quietly. "It's quite similar to a human woman giving birth actually. There are a few differences you may have noticed. We naturally give off a small amount of analgesic, painkiller, during child birth. I say small amount because you may not have noticed it, it's not as strong as an epidural for a human woman but we're physically stronger beings. After birth you may have noticed your body healed without the aid of medical treatment. Your body will always heal itself after an injury or labor. Our healing process takes anywhere from three days to a week unlike a human who can still be healing six weeks after she's given birth."
"But if you didn't die during labor, what happened?" Demetri demanded. I could feel his anger pouring out of him and placed my hand on his cheek, turning his head so he'd look into my eyes. His emotions calmed dramatically and his body unclenched. I lightly kissed his neck and placed my head back on his shoulder.
"Perhaps I can answer that question." I turned to face Marcus as he came down the stairs with Alec and Chelsea shadowing him. Santiago, who was sat across from me, rolled his eyes as Alec glared at me.
There was a sudden shrill cry and Joshua's shield projected from his small body. I flinched and lurched out of my seat to go to him but I couldn't get past his shield.
"It's okay baby," Liliana hummed softly. "You're safe my little fairy."
"What's happening?" Nathan demanded as he and Spencer stepped closer to Liliana. Neither of them was able to get to her with Joshua's shield projected around her body.
"It's just his shield," Jasper said from beside me suddenly, "something's startled him. I can't influence his emotions while his shield is up."
"It's okay my little pumpkin," Liliana rocked him gently but his crying didn't ease and I was beginning to feel anxious and worried because I couldn't get to him. "Let's go see your Momma," she gently stood and walked as close to me as she could without shocking me with his shield. She lifted his body gently so he could see me. "See, there's your Momma," she cooed. His shield extended to cover my body and Liliana placed him in my arms. "There we go," she lightly kissed his head and smiled brightly at me.
I fed him a light blanket of calm and happiness. His body curled into mine and his head buried in my hair while I rocked him back and forth.
"It's okay doodle bug, nothing's going to hurt you." I held him close to my body until he fell asleep and his shield dropped.
"What was that about?" Jasper asked as I sat back down. He lightly touched Joshua's warm body and I felt the calm settle around us.
"I'm not sure. He seems okay now."
"Maybe he just needed to be close to his Mummy," Demetri murmured but I could see something in his eyes, something else he wasn't telling me. He and Jasper moved closer to me as Marcus, Alec and Chelsea moved closer to us and my body leaned against Demetri's again, my head resting on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry we interrupted your story Marcus, please go head," my smile yanked up at the corners each time I looked at the terrifying man. He took a seat with Alec and Chelsea flanking him. Strangely enough Santiago and Afton were sat beside Jane unconcerned about their former masters safety in a room filled with vampires that don't care much for them.
I was still nervous around Marcus's frightening looks but he was always so gentle with Joshua and the animals had taken to him quite well. Bear even enjoyed sleeping on Marcus's lap. But there was something about him that I couldn't put my finger on. Even as board as he always looked there was permanently a slight edge to his body language and the way he held his posture, as if he was better than everyone in the room. They were all very narcissistic and bigheaded, which I suppose comes from their millennia's of sitting on their thrones and knowing they are better than the rest of our world because ultimately they made the rules and they punished the rule breakers in a way they saw fit. There was a deep rooted sense of pride with each of them. When they were a room with everyone else I felt small and unwelcome in my own home. They were all haughty and had a flaunting 'I'm better than you' attitude that never went down well with me.
But I never found that to be true with Jane and Demetri, even Afton and Santiago weren't as snobbish as Marcus, Alec, and Chelsea. Of course, Afton followed his mate anywhere and never left her side for very long but he seemed uninterested in guarding Marcus.
I liked Santiago better than the other four. He was large and strong like Bubba and seemed generally protective of Joshua. He wasn't as high and mighty as the others and got along well with my new friends, he even made a few friends himself. He was social and outgoing, adventurous, and seemed thrilled by a new challenge. He reminded me of Garrett in a lot of ways.
Our guests were more open and friendly with Demetri and Jane than any of the others. At first they were taken off guard by my relationship with Jasper and Demetri but Demetri told them his story, going as far back as when Aro was alive and he was a Volturi guard. They listened to him and Jane and when it was over the one's that weren't almost in tears and sobbing because they felt Demetri's pain when he lost me. They were hugging each other or throwing their arms around him and welcoming him and Jane into their tight knit make shift family.
"Liliana," Spencer said softly.
"Yes," she nodded her head and I looked up at them. "There is something I must tell you before Marcus tells his story, sweetheart." She took a deep breath and Nathan and Katelyn left the house quickly. "There's someone else you should meet. Demetri doesn't know about this person, Marcus is the only one that truly knows what happened the day you were born."
"I don't understand," I said softly.
"Please don't be too angry with me," she said softly and Elizabeth placed her hand on my mother's shoulder just as the front door opened and two men and two women came into the house.
Demetri and Jasper instantly tensed at my side. They slid a little closer to me, pushing me back into the couch and leaned forward, ready to spring at a moment's notice.
"It's alright," Nathan said softly, "they won't hurt her. Allie there's one other person I'd like you to meet, would that be alright, Princess?" he asked politely. Always giving me a choice.
I couldn't see what was going to happen next and that frustrated me slightly. "Of course," I answered, unsure.
Liliana's mates surrounded the new comers. Liliana stood from the couch and walked slowly towards the circle of men and women. She easily slid between them and I heard her mumble something to the mysterious person in the middle. Liliana stepped forwards with her hand clutching the mysterious guests.
"Fuck," Emmett breathed.
"Emmett," Esme reprimanded.
He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry Mom."
I sat in complete shock. I felt lightheaded suddenly, dazed, and confused. The spinning in my head made it impossible to think or form a coherent sentence. I could hear my breathing getting faster but I couldn't control it. I started gasping.
It was all too much.
James's attack . . . running . . . Maria . . . the Romanians . . . Demetri and Edward attacking . . . Rosalie's weird behavior . . . my mother's sudden appearance . . . death looming over my head . . . losing Joshua, Jasper, and Demetri . . . and now this . . . it was all too much.
I felt as if my body was plummeting, falling out of control. I'd burned through all my adrenaline. My body had nothing left. I sagged, and Jasper caught me before I could hit the ground.
And then I slipped off the edge I was clinging to inside my head.
Everything went black.
I was first aware of the cool hands touching me. More than one pair of hands. Arms holding me, a palm curved to fit my cheek, fingers stroking my forehead, and more fingers pressed lightly into my wrist.
Then I was aware of the voices. They were just a humming at first, and then they grew in volume and clarity like someone was turning up a radio.
"Carlisle – it's been ten minutes." Jasper's voice, anxious.
"She'll come around when she's ready, Jasper." Carlisle's voice, always calm and sure. "She's had too much to deal with in the past few days. With her emotions so heightened after giving birth only a month ago this was inevitable. I've been expecting her to crash for a while now. Let her mind protect itself."
But my mind was not protected. It was trapped in the knowledge that had not left me, even in unconsciousness – the pain that was part of the blackness.
I felt totally disconnected from my body. Like I was caged in some small corner of my head, no longer at the controls. But I couldn't do anything about it. I couldn't think. The agony was too strong for that. There was no escape from it.
"Alice, how long?" Jasper demanded, his voice still tense; Carlisle's soothing words had not helped.
From beside me, Alice's voice. It was brightly chipper. "Allie will open her eyes in thirty-seven seconds. I wouldn't doubt that she can hear us now." I felt her small soothing hand brush across my hair.
"Allie, honey?" This was Esme's soft, comforting voice. "Can you hear me? You're safe sweetheart. Everything's going to be okay, dear."
No, it wasn't going to be okay. I wasn't safe. Did that really matter? I could care less about my safety, it was my family that would suffer.
Death.
We would all die.
It was the last image that crossed my mind before the darkness overtook me. Our bodies piled up, ready to burn. Joshua lying dead in my arms. Jasper torn to pieces. Demetri's wide shocked eyes. Dead eyes.
No, no, no, no, no, no . . . .
Then cool lips were at my ear, and Jasper was speaking the words that allowed me to escape from the torture that had me caged inside my own head.
"It'll be okay, angel. I won't let anything happen to you or our son. I promise. We're strong, stronger than anything they throw at us. We'll be fine. I promise you darlin', you jump I jump, remember? I love you."
As the pain and dread eased, I found my way back to my body. My eyelids fluttered.
"Oh, Allie," Jasper sighed in relief, and his lips touched mine.
"Jasper," I whispered.
I got my lids to open, and I stared into warm gold.
"You jump, I jump?" I asked.
"Forever," he promised.
"Forever." his lips lightly touched mine again and his arms tightened around my body. I felt the confusion in the room but I wasn't going to explain our little inside promise to one another.
I smiled lightly and took a few deep breaths. I struggled, trying to get vertical. Jasper realized what I was doing and helped me to my feet.
I stared at the scene in front of me.
My family stood in a loose semicircle around me, each of them giving off an anxious worried expression. Our new guest stood and sat around the room, nervously watching my every movement. And my mother and her family stood off to the side watching eagerly.
"Where's Joshua?" I asked turning to Jasper.
"He's right here," a soft calming voice filled the silent, tense, room.
I turned in the direction the voice had come from. She was sitting between a beautiful woman with long chestnut hair and an equally beautiful man with shaggy blonde hair. Besides the man was a tall beefy hulk like creature with stunning violet eyes and skin the color of caramel. Each of them seemed just as tense and worried as the next.
Again my head spun in confusion.
She was undoubtedly beautiful, one of the most beautiful creatures I've ever seen. Her skin was the color of porcelain and sparkled in the dim light of the early evening sun set. She had a slight glow that radiated off her body in warm silky waves. Her hair cascaded down her back in a waterfall of curls and waves and her bangs were swept across her forehead, shaping her perfectly angular face. Her bright eyes were almond shaped, wide and curiously, framed in a layer of thick curly black lashes. She was tiny, like me – mo more than five feet – but dangerously curvy with a slim body and small features.
"I don't understand," I whispered.
It was like looking into a mirror.
We were exactly the same. Our hair color – the deepest black you've ever seen – long and curly flowing down to our lower backs, our sapphire eyes – wide and round and filled with curiosity and power – our small curvy bodies, our small pixie nose, and our full lips, our shapely sufficient breasts, our lean legs, and our small hands – it was exactly the same.
"Identical twins," Carlisle murmured in fascination. "Fascinating," Carlisle and Eleazar said together. I rolled my eyes and I noticed she did also.
"Hi," she said, "I'm Anna."
"Hi," I murmured, still unsure. "Okay, does someone want to explain this?" I asked, keeping my eyes on the small girl holding Joshua in her arms. I felt stressed and lightheaded again.
"Take a deep breath," Jasper said softly. My body instantly curled into his and his arms wrapped around my waist. "How did this happen?" he asked in a voice that was too calm.
"If you'd let me," Marcus said, interrupting whatever Liliana was about to say. Anna stood and carried a fussy Joshua over to me. She smiled and placed him in my arms. Her largest mate followed her every movement as she sat down beside me, her body strangely protective and weary. It was like she could feel my unease around the former Volturi master.
I can, she smiled, I'll explain later. She winked and turned to smile softly at Liliana who was watching us with wide curious eyes.
"I'm sorry we interrupted your story Marcus, please go head," I repeated my earlier sentence and hoped I'd get my answers this time.
He nodded his head and smiled tightly. "I must apologize to you both," Marcus said in the same board tone I'd gotten used to. His face was dead of all emotion but his black hungry eyes were wide and sorrowful. It's the first time I've seen any type of emotion in his weird milky eyes. "I take full responsibility for your life turning out the way it has. You see, it is my fault Aro wanted to kill Liliana and ultimately sacrifice Demetri's happiness."
"This was not your fault," Liliana said gently, "you tried to help me."
"Yes, and look how that ended Lilly. One of your daughters is preparing to go to war with the leaders of our world and the other has been suffering without her sister for the past twenty-five years. I like Romanians even less than all of you, they are callous and will not listen to reason as my brothers and I would have done. As much as you all may have detested the Volturi we protected our world and our secret but the Romanians are not doing that. And I fear that it was my actions that caused the Volturi to fall." Chelsea placed her hand on his shoulder in a comforting way.
"What do you mean, Marcus?" Jane asked, her voice guarded.
"Aro was so pleased when he brought Liliana to the castle. At the time she was one of the most powerful creatures in existence and he had every intention of keeping her locked in the castle for the rest of her life. Her gifts are extraordinary and he had his eyes locked on her like a crazed bull being let out of its pen. He told the coven that Liliana had imprinted on him and he would marry her within the year. Of course I know that isn't true now," he paused and frowned at Chelsea who was staring intently at Demetri. "Liliana had been forced out of her home by Aro. It didn't take her mates long to find her and storm the castle. Liliana made him a deal, she'd stay in the Volturi castle if he allowed her mates to stay. He agreed eagerly. Her gifts were too precious to squander and he would not allow her out of Italy once he had her in his coven. In just days of Liliana's arrival I began to feel the bond being made between her and Demetri. But it was stronger than just a bond, at least the normal bond I'm used to reading. It was like steel unbreakable chains were linking Demetri to Liliana. I see now that it wasn't entirely Lilly that had formed a connection with Demetri but you also Allie. What I felt was the beginning stages of your imprint, even while you were still in the womb. I'd never felt anything so strong."
"It takes quite a bit to surprise Marcus," Edward said with a tight smile. "He reads relationships. He was always surprised by the intensity of ours as well."
I looked at Marcus's dead face, and I believed that.
"It's just so difficult to understand, even now," Marcus mused staring at Jasper's arm wrapped around my waits and Demetri's tense body leaning into mine as my head rested lightly on his shoulder. "How can you stand to be so close to her like that?"
"It's not without effort," Demetri answered calmly.
"I hardly notice her scent anymore," Jasper said. "My love for her is stronger than my bloodlust." I clearly noted the difference in their answers. Demetri had to make the effort to be so close to me, Jasper didn't. I wondered if that was some after symptom of the night he attacked me. I could see that Anna and Liliana made the connection too by the way their eyebrows rose just an inch.
"And you can drink her blood anytime you wish," Alec sneered, looking at me in disgust as if allowing my mates to drink my blood was a bad thing.
"Actually Jasper and Demetri rarely drink from me," I growled when Alec looked down his nose at me. I couldn't stand the vampire constantly thinking he was better than me because of his past. He looked at me now as if I were some type of blood whore. "My mates absolutely refused to go near my neck while I was pregnant incase taking my blood from me would harm Joshua. I've been bitten by more vampires that just wanted my blood than Jasper and Demetri have bitten me combined. And your brother, Felix, drained me every night from my sixteenth birthday until I met Jasper in France nine years later. Felix drained me completely, causing me pain you can't even imagine." I growled and the room seemed to sink into a shocked silence. "Jasper and Demetri only sample the wine they do not devour it as Felix once did. My blood calls to them in a way it never did with Felix and they can still restrain themselves." Jasper's arm tightened around my waist when my eyes narrowed into slits as Alec and I stared at each other in a strange powerful silence.
"Ah yes, la tua cantante!" Marcus ignored Alec, bringing my attention back to him before I let my newborn instincts take over. Jasper calmed the room and my body sank into his.
Ignore him darlin, he spoke calmly through our bond. He lightly kissed my neck and Demetri snarled at the look of disgust on Alec's face.
"I'm sorry I don't speak vampire what is la tua cantante?" Jack asked from beside Rosalie. His arm circled protectively around her waist and her body seemed to relax into his. I always enjoyed the climate of their emotions, they seemed so happy since they found each other, at peace almost.
"She is our singer. It means her blood sings for us, calls to us stronger than the blood of a random human," Demetri explained, his soothing velvety voice breaking into my thoughts.
"A la tua cantante and an imprint . . ."Chelsea shook her head slightly, like she didn't know she was doing it. "It's very rare . . ." her eyes were focused on Demetri but he seemed unworried, smiling smugly at whatever she was doing.
I gently rocked Joshua as he whimpered in his sleep and Marcus continued with his story. "It was my duty to inform Aro, he demanded to know when a bond was shaping up or shifting and I wasn't sure what was happening with Demetri, like I said I'd never felt anything like it. He was our strongest guard and had the talent to back him up. When Aro read my mind he was furious and began plotting ways to destroy Lilly. I had no idea he'd react that way, although I shouldn't have been surprised. I tried to talk him out of it, to convince him that Demetri would never leave his coven . . . "
"And then I asked to leave," Demetri chuckled darkly.
"Yes, Aro had no choice but to let you go, or at the very least give you the pretense of letting you go freely. He knew if there was no Liliana then not only would he get to keep Demetri but also his very powerful daughter. I spent the entire pregnancy trying to find a way to stop him, to convince him to let you all go without consequence. By the time I realized the extent of his plans it was too late, Lilly was going into labor. What I didn't know is it is very common among fairies to conceive twins. Very common in deed."
"I'm surprised Joshua doesn't have a twin," Spencer said softly.
"Anna was the first born and we assumed she was the only child Liliana would deliver. I believe now that Aro knew differently. It was as if he were waiting. He allowed Nathan to come and take Anna away, he wanted nothing to do with her, which I found very strange. In the last few years of his life his mental stability was declining and I wasn't sure what he was doing. Twenty-one minutes later Allie was born. After your birth I saw the iron dagger in his pocket and the small vile of pure iron liquid, so I convince him to let me take care of everything while he spent some time with his new child. He agreed and left the room with Caius following behind," Marcus droned.
"We knew Lilly would have twins. Nathan agreed to take the first born away as soon as she was born. Aro had spent months reading about the Fey world and knew the first born twin is always less powerful than the second. Nobody knows why it happens. It's widely speculated that the first born twin is the stronger physically, the protector I suppose," Spencer said in a tone that reminded me of Carlisle.
"Marcus let me go and promised he'd find a way to get you out and free you from Aro's steel grip," Liliana said quietly. "I didn't want to leave you, my darling. I never thought we'd be apart for so long. I searched for you, I never stopped searching. I followed your career but each time we tried to get close to you Felix would attack and I'd lose track of you for a few months. Then I heard of your death in that awful fire. I was devastated. I just couldn't wrap my mind around it. I couldn't make myself believe you were dead, that I'd lost one of my daughters before I had the chance to get to know her." Liliana's body curled into Nathan's much larger body and his arms wrapped around her in a loving and comforting way.
"I knew you weren't dead," Anna said firmly. "Fairy twins are always connected physically and mentally. I may not be as strong as you are but together we're unstoppable, Aro didn't know that. I knew you weren't dead because I didn't feel it."
"It's a commonly known belief that human twins can feel each other's pain and emotions, that they're linked. Whether it's true or not is speculative. But in the fairy world it is not a rumor, it's a fact. Where do you think the rumors in the human world came from? Every rumor has a story behind it," Nathan grinned mischievously.
"We're bound together by a blood bond. We share the same blood, the same genetic make-up. We are bound in every single way. When you're in pain, I'm in pain. When you're happy, I'm happy. When someone hurts you, I know about it," Anna said softly, as if she didn't want to say it.
My mind raced over everything I've ever felt, everything Felix did, everything Ethan did and all the rest. Anna had felt all of it.
"It's okay," she smiled softly, "your secrets are safe with me." She winked.
It was silent for a moment and then Arabella was knelt in front of me, looking worried and scared. "Damon and I had no idea Liliana was still alive or that you had a sister. Aro needed to believe they were dead, and so they had to stay in hiding. It's only recently that we've been allowed to contact Liliana," Arabella said. "Damon and I told the Queen that we'd revealed ourselves to you, of course she was furious with us, but she had a sense that we would tell you sooner rather than later. Damon and I have a way for breaking rules and we get along with the Queen because of that, she can be quite the rule breaker herself." Arabella and Liliana chuckled lightly and I couldn't help but smile at the soft musical sound. "That day she admitted her own secret and presented us with Liliana and Anna. We weren't sure how you'd take the news and it took a lot of planning but then the Romanians attacked and we knew we wouldn't be able to keep Liliana and Anna in hiding any longer. With three generations of fairy's standing together there's no way the Romanians won't back down." Arabella smiled bright.
The room was silent for a moment, taking it all in. There was a lot of new information to process and I had a sense that there was more to come.
It all seemed so strange to me. Everything that is happening now, that has happened in the past, is because of one man's selfish need to have the most powerful coven in existence. But that was quickly destroyed by the unknown force that killed more than half of the Volturi.
"Do you know who attacked and killed Aro?" I asked.
"No. I'd thought about it many times but never acted on it. I wasn't sure what he would do with you or to you if a danger was presented," Liliana spoke softly and I could see the truth in her eyes.
I was silent as everyone in the room began to chat quietly amongst themselves. There was a lot to take in and I wasn't sure what to think of the entire situation. I suppose in a strange way I had to be happy. If Liliana wasn't forced to leave me, if the Volturi wasn't attacked and Aro wasn't killed, if Demetri never took me away, I would never have met Jasper. I wouldn't have Joshua and I wouldn't know the Cullen's or the Denali coven. Of course I also wouldn't be in grave danger and preparing to fight the Romanians but I did have a lot to be thankful for.
"Are you alright darlin?" Jasper whispered in my ear. I turned to him and met his golden eyes.
"It's a lot to take in," I murmured. I felt Demetri lean closer to me, his arm tightening around my body. "But I think I'm fine." Jasper lightly kissed the tip of my nose and pressed his forehead against mine. My eyes closed and my body relaxed against them.
"You have six mates?" Spence asked breaking me out of my peaceful bliss.
He was a tall lean gangly thing with deep brown expressive eyes. His shoulder length wavy hair was dark brown and fell in his face or tucked behind his ears. He was very handsome in that boyish, young charm kind of way. His physical age was no more than twenty-three and I couldn't tell how old he was in immortal years.
"No, two," I corrected. "Jasper and Demetri," I smiled at each of my mates and wondered how he'd confused the numbers. Who did he think my third, fourth, fifth, and sixth mates were?
"No six," he argued, tilting his head to the back of the couch where Bubba was standing, his eyes shifted to Alice curled up by my feet, Edward sat strangely close to Demetri, and Emmett sat on the arm of the chair besides Jasper, then his eyes locked on me.
"That's Bubba behind me, my bodyguard, and Alice, Edward, and Emmett are Jasper's brother and sister . . ." I trailed off as Bubba came into the living room from the kitchen. I frowned and leaned back to see Peter standing directly behind me, behind the couch with his arms resting on the back and his body leaning down slightly. How long had he been there? "Oh, no," I shook my head. "Peter is happily married, so is Edward and I'm not that type of person to take a married man away from his loving wife. I have two mates and only two mates," I said firmly.
"Allie has problems accepting the fact that she could have more than two mates someday," Jasper informed them with a slight nervous chuckle to his voice. He didn't like the thought anymore than I did.
"Sweetheart, there's nothing wrong with having more than two mates," Liliana said gently.
"I know that and I'm not objecting but I have just two. I can barely keep up with Jasper and Demetri how am I supposed to have three or four or five or six or seven or eight or nine or ten! When does it stop? When is enough mates enough?" My words came in a quick blur.
"The average fairy typically has between one and seven mates," Spencer said happily. "But just because you have two or seven it doesn't mean your relationship will be the same with mate one as it is with mate four or five. Fairy relationships are very different than any other supernatural creature."
"What do you mean?" Jasper asked.
"How much do you know about Fairy's mating habits?" Liliana asked.
"Nothing," I murmured. "Up until a few months ago I thought I was a pixy/shape shifter hybrid." Everyone in the room looked at me confused but I waved it off, I wanted to know more about Fairy's.
"Alright we'll start from the beginning." Liliana smiled happily. "You know now that your half fairy half vampire, Jasper told me about the attack and your change before we arrived, this means your mating habits will be similar to mine and your sisters. Fairy's imprint like werewolves and shape shifters. Typically fairies only imprint once or twice . . ."
"But it has been known to happen three or four times," Spencer interrupted.
"Yes," Liliana nodded in agreement. "For example you have imprinted with both Jasper and Demetri, and I have imprinted with Spencer and Nathan, and Anna has imprinted with Tristan. That's why your connection with Demetri and Jasper is so strong because you're physically, mentally, and emotionally connected to them as they are you. However fairies also have mates. The bond is not as strong as an imprint but it is unbreakable."
"Like a werewolves imprint, a mate becomes whatever you need," Katelyn said. "Whether it's a best friend, a protector, a caregiver, a lover, or something entirely different, a mate will become that for you. Just because Liliana has two imprints and four mates it doesn't mean we each have an intimate relationship with her. Elizabeth and Mathew, for example, are imprinted together but they're both tied to Liliana as her mates. They're not her lovers like Spencer and Nathan, they became her best friends, her closest confidants, while still having their relationship with each other."
"But you and Reid have that physical relationship with her?" Jasper asked curiously.
"Yes, but we both chose not to enter her relationship with Spencer and Nathan. Reid and I prefer to spend our time alone with Liliana and it works out perfectly for us." She smiled lightly and brushed her fingers gently though Liliana's hair.
"It's a little different with us," Anna said. "I have a physical relationship with Liam, Tristan and Abigail, although each of my relationships is completely different. With Tristan, our relationship is very physical. I feel constantly aroused when I'm next to him. My relationship with Abigail is intellectual, although we're still physically intimate. But it doesn't matter how many mates I have, my relationship with my imprint is always going to be stronger, more powerful and absolute than anything else. The imprint is always binding; it's always stronger than mating with someone that isn't your imprint."
"There is no way to accurately explain why it happens," Spencer said gently. "Thousands of fairies have done research and tests but nobody knows why a fairy imprints and then mates. The only substantial piece of information given would be the imprint is always stronger. And even the imprints are not the same. Typically we've found the first imprint is the strongest because it was formed first."
"You'll also find being separated from your imprints is harder than being away from your mates," Elizabeth said.
She was as stunning as Rosalie. Her hair was long, and such a light golden blond that it almost looked silver. Her eyes were a steel gray but there were flecks of white and black in them. Her skin was a light tan, sun kissed, color. She was only small, about 5'2, and her body was lean and curvy.
"It's that way for all Fairies' I think," Tristan said, his voice was deep and husky. "I've known Anna since she was four months old. Our relationship started out as strong friendship and progressed as she aged as I'm sure yours would have done with Demetri had you not been taken from him. I can't imagine the pain Demetri was in while you were apart. But I know of the pain you were in, Princess. It was heart wrenching to watch Anna cry for you, to hear her sob for her other half was physically brutal at times. It will always be painful to be away from your mates, as it is going to be painful to be away from your sister now you have found her. Your bond will only grow stronger as you grow older."
"I am Anna's mate," Abigail said softly. Her voice was calming and soothing, small. She had chestnut shoulder length hair and big round dark brown eyes. She was about five-four with an athletically toned body and sun kissed, tanned, skin. I'm not sure what she is but I could detect the slightest hint of animal in her. "At first Anna wasn't sure about our relationship; she didn't want to hurt Tristan by admitting her feelings. But in the end it all worked out perfectly. Anna and I have been together for eight years and neither of us has ever been happier. Anna wasn't able to deny her feelings for me for too long. When you come across another mate, Princess, you'll know. In your heart of hearts you'll know."
"Call me Allie," I smiled. "I don't do the Princess stuff, it's just not me."
"Me either," Anna smiled happily. "I know it seems strange, the dynamic of our relationship, but it works for us. Mom has a different relationship with each of her mates, as I do mine, and you do yours, whether it's best friend and sisters or lover and husband. There's nothing wrong with having two husbands and four boyfriends and a girlfriend, it's natural for Fairy's to love and express their desires, its normal, and anyone who tells you differently . . . well I'll kick their asses," she assured me.
"Liliana and your sister both truly unique creatures and so are you Allie and Joshua too. If I'm right and Peter, Alice, Edward, and Emmett, are your mates, and if you accept them as your mates, your relationship will be nothing like the relationship you have with Jasper and Demetri because it can't be like that. You have a bond with your imprints that you will never have with your mates. And you might not have a physical relationship with any of them," Spencer said in that informative way that Carlisle speaks when he's trying to teach something to someone.
"I was Liliana's first mate after she imprinted with Nathan and Spencer," Reid said softly. He seemed to be the shy one of the group. He looked a lot like Spencer, so much in fact that they could have been brothers. He was tall and lean but slightly more muscular than Spencer. His hair was a lighter brown but shoulder length and pushed behind his ears. His eyes were a deep honey brown and he had a beautiful baby cute face and dimples. "It took us almost eighty years to progress to a physical relationship because I was so worried about taking her away from Spencer and Nathan. I loved all three of them and wouldn't want to hurt them in any way. Spencer is my biological brother and it scared me to death to think about how much I could hurt him if he ever found out I was in love with his wife."
"But after waiting a long eighty years for him to make his move I grew restless and ended up jumping him one afternoon when everyone was out of the house. Nathan and Spencer weren't upset when they got home . . ."
"Actually we were more than relieved," Nathan chuckled. "We'd been waiting for one of them to make the first move and encouraging both of them but nothing ever progressed until one day Lilly snapped." The room chuckled then and I remembered we were not alone. All our guests were still gathered in the living room listening to my mother, my sister and their mates.
"I do have another question." It's one I've always thought about. And now I have Joshua, to me, it's a very important question.
"Ask away sweetheart," Liliana smiled lightly.
"Do I have any other siblings? Can I have more children? And if I can how does that work?"
"That was three," Jasper chuckled and I playfully glared at him.
"You do have siblings yes. Nathan and I have two boys, Theodore and Jeremy. And Spencer and I have two boys, Jack and Mason." She turned and winked at Jack who was smiling happily to himself.
"Wait, Jack is my brother?" I asked. That can't be right. I've known Jack all my life. He's been my bodyguard since Erin kidnapped me and I began my career. "Jack, Jack? Jack my bodyguard?"
"You're her brother?" Rosalie hissed, glaring at Jack.
"Yes, although we had no idea he was your bodyguard. He told us he was hiking through the Middle East." Spencer chuckled, ignoring Rosalie.
"I had to lie to keep my cover story straight," Jack said. "If Felix had known he would have killed me instantly. I know I didn't always do a great job of protecting you but I couldn't stop everything they were doing. I spent years looking for Demetri but each time we came close to crossing paths I was always too late to get to him. And then you met Emmett and I began to wonder if he was one of your mates, simply because he was at every one of your concerts. We'd travel from New York to Atlanta and he'd be there to watch you perform the same set of songs as the last show he'd attended. He was either your mate or your stalker and I was praying he was your mate. And then he disappeared and we went to France to begin filming Remember me. When you met Jasper I knew instantly that you'd imprinted and I'd found my way to save you and take you away from Felix and Erin."
"Thank you," I smiled. "You did protect me, if it wasn't for you I would have given in a long time ago." He winked at me and smiled brightly.
"So Allie can have more children?" Jasper asked getting back to my questions.
"Of course!" Liliana exclaimed excitedly. "A fairy's reproductive system works different to a human however. Fairy's have a mating season like animals. Typically it lasts anywhere from three days to three months and that's the only time you can have a child. You'll know when it's happening because your emotions will be out of control, your temperature will rise significantly, your libido will be heightened drastically and you'll feel the need to be with your imprints constantly. I say imprints and not mates because, typically, it's more common to mate and have children with your imprints because of the tight close connection you have with them, although it isn't always the case. Some mates want to have a child with their partner and there isn't anything stopping them it's just not as common as having children with your imprints. Like animals this cycle will last your entire life. My mother is almost nine hundred and eighty years old and she still experiences the Estrous cycle."
"And as you already know, a male vampire can fertilize an egg just as easily as a male human, a male shape shifter, or a male werewolf." Spencer informed us. "If you don't want to have children during that time in your life you have to be very careful. It's not like a human ovulation when there's a 50/50 chance of getting pregnant, if you have sex during this time and the vampire venom fertilizes the egg it will always result in a baby."
"And when does this cycle typically happen?" Carlisle asked eagerly.
"It's different for each fairy. When did you conceive Joshua?" Reid asked.
"March 10th and he was born nine months three weeks later on December 21st," Jasper said before I could do the math and answer.
"Somewhere between February, March, and April is probably when your cycle began Allie," Liliana said. "There's no way of knowing how long it will last but your body will tell you. And in some Fairy's it happens twice a year but only lasting a few weeks."
"Do you have children?" I asked Anna.
"No," she said simply, "not yet but maybe one day." Liam lightly kissed her cheek and Tristan wrapped his arms around her. I felt her love and happiness project into the room.
Everyone was silent after that. Eventually our group detached and separated, going off to do their own thing or hunt or simply spend time with their loved ones while they still could.
Over the next few days Esme, Carmen and Liliana kept Joshua entertained while I learnt all I could about going into battle, though I didn't give him up easily. i needed my hands. I had so much to learn, both physically and mentally, and the time was so short.
My first attempt at learning to fight did not go so well, in fact it was disaster in epic proportions. Demetri had me pinned in about two seconds. But instead of letting me wrestle my way free – which I absolutely could have – he'd leaped up and away from me. I knew immediately that something was wrong; he was still as stone, staring across the meadow we were practicing in.
"I'm sorry, Allie," he said.
"No, I'm fine," I said. "Let's go again."
Then something strange happened. I saw Demetri shuddered ever so lightly, if I hadn't been half vampire I would have missed it. His body hardened and his muscles coiled. Everything inside of me was screaming at me to run but I was stood frozen on the spot watching as Demetri stretched his body out, as if he'd been asleep for too many hours and his muscles were stiff. And then, he was suddenly standing in front of me, his body pressing against mine. "Okay," his smile widened across his cheeks and I found myself flying back into the forest before I could blink. My back hit one of the spruce trees, which shook with the force, and I fell to the ground.
I blinked a few times, trying to focus my blurred vision but before I could get to my feet I was in the air again, flying through the air and landing against a large bolder. I heard the crack as my wrist snapped against the rock. I shook my head and tired to ignore the throbbing of my wrist to get to my feet and fight back.
"You're not doing very well," Demetri snarled and pulled me to my feet. I blinked, trying to clear the fog from my head and he shook me violently. "I thought you said you wanted to go again, you said you were fine," he growled and again I was airborne, my body crumpled to the ground as I hit another tree.
What the hell is wrong with him? Why does he keep doing this?
I shook myself off and pulled myself up, using a nearby branch as support. I only just saw Demetri charging towards me before he crashed into my body, throwing me into the air and pushing me back down like you would a basketball to see if it would bounce.
"Is this the best you got?" Demetri laughed. "The Romanians are gonna eat you alive, Princess." I just barley lifted my fingers and threw him away from me as he changed again. I'm not sure where he landed my vision was too blurry to see anything.
My head was spinning, my mind racing in a million direction, tears flowing down my eyes and I felt him pick me up by my hair and spun me around, tossing me into the forest like garbage.
"I could do this all day!" he shouted.
I could hear his footsteps as he walked through the forest, the leaves crunched under his weight but I couldn't move. I knew I had to, but I couldn't get up. The pain in my body was too much, it was all too much. "Come out come out wherever you are," he sung. "Ooooh Allie, where are you?" his voice was soft and sinister, like a child playing hide and seek only Demetri was suddenly playing throw Allie into the air and see how many bones we can break. "Allieeeeeeee," he called. "Gotcha ya," he breathed. I shuddered as he picked me back up and tossed me into the air as if I was his own personal ball. I landed with an audible crack against another bolder and felt my ribs snap. I screamed in pain and Demetri chuckled. "It's fun when you scream."
I tried lifting my hands to throw him away from me, blow him up or something but I couldn't raise my hands. The pain shooting through my body was indescribable and I felt the tears spill faster now.
Where was Jasper? Surly I'd been gone to long and he'd be worried. Why wasn't he here? Why wasn't he stopping this?
"Hello, my pretty," Demetri smirked down at me. I didn't see if it was his hand or his foot, it was too fast. A crushing blow struck my chest – I felt myself flying backwards, and then heard the crunch as my head bashed into one of the trees. The tree buckled and fell to the ground with the force.
I was too stunned to feel the pain. I couldn't breathe yet.
He walked towards me slowly.
"Hmm . . . I wonder how many trees we can knock down." He mused, looking at the fallen mess under me.
I ignored him, scrambling on my hands and knees, crawling towards the edge of the meadow.
He was over me at once, his foot stepping down hard on my leg. I heard the sickening snap before I felt it. But then I did feel it, and I couldn't hold back my scream of agony. I twisted up to reach for my leg, and he was standing over me, smiling.
"Why are you doing this?" I sobbed through the pain.
He didn't speak then. He seemed to be thinking through his answer. "Because you belong to me and the sooner you realize it, the easier this will be for you." His toe nudged my broken leg and I heard a piercing scream. With a shock, I realized it was mine. "Scream as loud as you want, Edward is keeping Jasper busy . . . he won't be saving you today, little Princess."
Through the nausea and dizziness I saw something that gave me a sudden hope, final shred of hope. A shadowy orange blur passed behind Demetri.
Demetri smirked and something smashed into my face, throwing me back into the river on the far side of the meadow. I felt the ice water crash against my warm body and instantly my temperature dropped.
Over the pain of my leg, my entire body, I felt a sharp rip across my scalp where a rock cut into it. And then the warm wetness began to spread through my hair with alarming speed. I could feel it soaking the shoulder of my shirt, hear it dripping into the river. The smell of it twisted my stomach.
I saw Demetri's eyes, merely intent before, now burned with an uncontrollably need. The blood – spreading crimson across my white shirt, pooling rapidly in the water surrounding me, giving it a pinkish tint – was driving him mad with thirst. No matter his original plan, if he even had one, he couldn't draw this out much longer.
Let it be quick now, was all I could hope as the flow of blood from my head sucked my consciousness away with it. My eyes were closing.
I heard, as if from underwater, the final growl ripping through Demetri's chest. I could see, through the long tunnels my eyes had become, his dark shape coming toward me. With my last effort, my hand instinctively raised to protect my face. My eyes closed, and I drifted.
A/N. I've been waiting to bring Liliana back since the first chapter. Anna however was a spur of the moment change. I'd been flip flopping on the idea for months and then just decided to go with it. This new relationship Allie will have with her mother and her sister will be explored in more depth in the sequel. But right now don't expect too much in the last four chapters.
Personally I don't like this chapter as much as some of the others but it answers a lot of questions and gives us a lot of information. The imprint/mate thing is confusing, I understand. If you have any questions or comments don't hesitate to let me know.
I'm so excited for the sequel! It really does change everything and I can't wait for you to read it!
Let me know what you think and as always thank you for reading and commenting or adding the story to your alerts and favorites!!