Chapter 35: Elixir of life

This love will be the death of me, but I know I'll die happily

I'll know

Because you love me so. – Selena Gomez, Come and get it.~

In the middle of the Eternal Cemetery, a tall boy paced restlessly before me, his hands locked behind his back. His face was serene and grave at the same time, reminding me of a dead person in a casket.

I looked around me and instantly shivered at the familiarly eerie place. Tombstones made out of fancy marble and stone surrounded me, while huge statues of Angels with their beautiful grim faces loomed on the sideline.

The grass at my feet was fresh and neatly trimmed and all kinds of beautiful flowers grew around the graves, decorating it in a natural way. The air was cold and tense, as if the buried had let out their final breath.

A sudden blast of wind played with my hair and I had to push it back to look at the boy properly. I jumped back when I recognized him for the first time.

"Uh...Edward?" I called tentatively. I felt ridiculous as the silence from the other side prolonged.

"Just a moment, love." He said finally, holding up a finger.

I froze in confusion, wondering what he was doing. He looked more like he was plotting something. Suddenly, he stopped walking and glanced around anxiously. The hair at the back of my neck stood up.

"It has to be here!" he insisted to himself. He bent down and traced the words in a tombstone.

"Edward, what are you looking for?" I asked softly, confused as hell. This had to be a dream. There was no way this was really happening.

He frowned. "She told me it would be here."

"Who? What are you looking for?" I rubbed my arms, shivering uncontrollably. There was something very, very wrong.

I never liked visiting cemeteries in my dream. Not ever since I met Edward and fell in love with him.

"The Elixir of life," a new voice answered my question.

I looked behind me and froze, my insides tightening in fear. Alice was leaning against a huge tree, her face shrouded in the darkness. The weird thing was that she wore a long billowing black gown and a cloak with its hood on.

"I'm not Alice, but you know me. You have dreamt about me, about my past. Alice is what I like to call my descendant." She said, her voice crisp and cold.

She paused shortly, as if waiting for me to say something. The thing was, I didn't want to say anything to her. I wanted to wake up from this weird scary dream.

"Uh, Edward?" I squeaked, taking a step back.

When I glanced back, the cemetery was empty. No Edward. Oh God, Bella, please wake up!

"If I wanted to hurt you, you'd be dead by now." She smiled pleasantly. "As I was saying before, you have to find the Elixir of life. It is a potion that gives life to the Undead. If your...friends drink it, they would be alive for a very long time."

By 'friends', I knew she meant Randall, Rosalie and Emmett.

"Wake up, wake up." I pinched my arm and yelped.

The Alice look-alike let out an amused laugh. "You won't wake up till I tell you to do. Don't you think you're being ungrateful by trying to get away when I have come here to give you this important piece of information you and your dear Edward are desperately searching for?"

"Because this is my imagination!" I rubbed my temples. "I'm just dreaming. None of this happening."

"Oh, this is happening alright. Carlisle got the same potion from the witch he met. He used it and that is exactly how he and Esme are alive till today." Her image flickered, as if it was a long distance video call.

A video call from beyond the grave.

"Okay," I said, deciding to play along with her. "So, the potion made them immortals?"

"No," she shook her head, eyeing me suspiciously. "I just said 'for a very long time'. Maybe for a century or so and then the living flame inside them will burn out."

I stared at her with wide eyes. Was this what Esme was about to tell me before the others interrupted us?

"But why would Carlisle drink it? He had Esme restored back to life because of their love, right?" I had to keep her talking. Dream or no dream.

"Carlisle has changed now, Bella. He was greedy for Esme back then, he wanted more time with her. He didn't hesitate to drink the potion along with Esme. They're slowly dying now," she paused, thinking. "Maybe twenty five years more. If you are able to find the Elixir of life, the others will live."

I was breathing rapidly now, processing all the information. It was too good to be true. More the reason for it to be a dream.

"Be careful with this information. It should not get into the wrong hands." She said vaguely.

Suddenly, I felt like I was being sucked out of the cemetery by an invisible force.

ZZZ.

ZZZ.

I woke up with a start. I touched my wet forehead and wiped the thin line of sweat formed there. Dim rays of the sun blocked by the clouds reached the room through the window.

I glanced down and automatically relaxed. Edward's warm arms were wrapped tightly around me in his sleep and his face was buried in my neck. I pulled his sleeping form closer to me and he readily snuggled into my chest.

I sighed and kissed the top of his head. He was so precious to me, his life as fragile as a thin strip of thread. I was so happy that I didn't have to worry about him dying anymore. Whatever that was happening to his heart will stop on the official day of March 1st.

However, a bad feeling came over me while images flooded my mind. You don't remember dreams with all the perfect details. But, I could remember everything that happened with the crazy Alice's supposed ancestor.

ZZZ.

I realized that it was the buzzing of my cell phone that woke me up. Or was it by something else? I shook the disturbing thought away and took my cell phone from the night table and squinted at the screen.

There was a new message from Sasha.

Know what day is today?! - S

I frowned at the crytic text and leaned back. Edward mumbled something in his sleep and nuzzled my neck. I giggled at the ticklish feeling.

Uh, Sunday Feb 24th? - B

You forgot, didn't you?! It's Jane babe's birthday! I'm totally telling her you forgot. Anyway, there's a party at her house tonight. U in? - S

She'll smote my soul if I don't come. :( Guess I'm comin', after all. - B

Fantastic. Hope you find a nice little gift for her :p - S

I groaned and placed the cell back on the table with an audible thud. Edward yelped and his green eyes shot open in confusion.

He grumbled. "What was that sound?"

Then he squinted at me with sleepy half-closed eyes. His face broke into a lazy grin and he placed his head back on my chest. Warm feelings fluttered inside me.

"Good morning, beautiful." He crooned, tenderly kissing a spot on my shoulder.

"We have to find a gift for Jane. It's her birthday today and she's awfully choosy about things. I'm officially screwed." I moaned, dropping my head back on the super comfy pillow.

He blinked, confused and then sat up. He stretched his long form and sighed in satisfaction.

"We'll find something." Edward promised, adjusting his T-shirt. His auburn hair was sexily mussed up on his forehead.

I nearly swooned at the sight of his sex hair. Too bad we didn't have sex last night. All we did was talk about what Carlisle and Esme told us and then fell asleep when the exhaustion took over.

He pressed a loving kiss on my forehead and then went inside the bathroom. I took my cell phone again and saw that there was a message from mom.

Did you have a great time with Rosalie last night, honey? When are you coming home?

I texted her back with a vague answer and rummaged in my backpack for my toothbrush. After Edward came out, I took a bath. I pulled on the extra pair of clothes I had packed the previous evening and joined him downstairs.

All the while, I tried not to think about the nightmare.

"Esme?" Edward called at the sight of the empty kitchen.

Suddenly, Emmett bounded down the stairs. "Carlisle and Esme have gone out somewhere. I can cook something if you want."

"No, thanks," Edward rubbed his flat stomach. "All you do is burn food."

"Suit yourself." Emmett guffawed and I felt a pang in my chest. The Elixir of life. Was it real?

Edward took a carton of juice from the fridge and poured it for us. After we were refreshed and fully awake, Edward led me to his car.

"What does Jane like? What type of things does she likes to buy?" he asked as he started the engine and backed out of the driveway.

I ran a hand through my hair and leaned back on the leather seat. "Antique things. She loves to buy ancient articles, vintage clothes. I guess she's more of a collector. Alec's like that too."

"Alright," he mused. I think he frowned when I mentioned Alec but when I studied his face, he looked pensive.

He drove down the town and took a few turns till we reached an empty street.

"There's an antique store nearby. Esme went there and loved it." He explained, smiling a little.

We emerged into a parallel street and small wooden stores lined both the sides. People wandered in and out of the stores with paper bags dangling from their wrists. Most of them were old aged people.

Edward parked the car in front of a huge store. He opened the wooden door for me and a bell jingled above us. Incense smell entered my nostrils and immediately calmed me.

He was right about the place. Candles were lit on top of the shelves containing the items. Ranging from accessories to funiture, everything was antique. I was afraid to touch anything, afraid that it will break at the slightest pressure.

Edward didn't seem to mind though. He went around the shop, examining an item and placing it back on the shelf gracefully.

At the end of the aisle, I came upon a display of a thin silver chain with a tiny shimmering crystal hanging from it. It was beautiful. Edward approved of my choice and followed me to the bill counter.

There was something familiar about the woman standing behind the counter. She had black hair and a slim hunched figure. Dark circles hung around her lowered eyes and her fingernails were long and black.

I passed the chain to her and waited. She froze and her hands tightened around the delicate chain.

"Do you know the story behind this chain?" she asked unexpectedly. Her eyes remained down.

"No," I admitted and shrugged.

Edward's face shone with interest as he took a step forward. At the same time, I felt another person's presence next to me.

"Ancient legends suggest that this chain was worn by the maidens who offered their service to the Virgin Goddess." She smiled sarcastically.

"That's nice," I laughed and turned to Edward. "What a coincidence! Jane is a virgin too."

"Bella," he chided at the unwanted information. He glanced at the person next to me and stiffened.

"I'm sure you're not." She continued, finally glancing up at Edward with an appreciative twinkle in her dark blue eyes.

I froze, my eyes widenening in shock. It was only because of her haunting eyes that I recognized her.

"Mrs Brandon." I sputtered and swallowed a little.

Ever since she divorced from Alice's father, all she did was drink and hide in their house. It was a surprise to see her after a long time.

"Bella," she acknowledged me with a wry smile. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine. How are you?" Alice's face kept flashing before my eyes.

"Great. I'm not an alcoholic addict anymore." She rolled her eyes. "Who is that?"

"Edward Ma―Cullen," Edward tore his eyes from the unknown person and turned to her with an embarrassed smile. At least he corrected himself before he said his real last name.

Mrs Brandon packed the chain neatly in a velvet box and I paid with my only-for-emergency credit card. As she passed the bag to me, her fingers brushed against the inside of my wrist and she gasped loudly at the contact.

At the same time, the person next to me ―who Edward seemed to dislike― knocked over the candles on the counter.

"I'm sorry, Miss." He was a boy around Edward's age and height, with a cute tanned face and dark eyes.

He bent forward and helped her pick up the candles, but both Mrs Brandon's and his eyes remained on me. Mrs Brandon looked beyond shocked and the boy had a victorious expression on his face.

"Let's go, Bella." Edward said stiffly, glaring at him. He took my hand and quickly led me out.

"Did you look at her? Why did she looked so startled?" I asked, confused by everyone's reaction around me.

"I'm afraid not. I was too busy looking at him." He spat in disgust.

"Do you know him?" I glanced behind me but the door was closed.

"Yes, his name is Jacob Black. He is...he is like me." Edward sighed and took the paper bag from me.

"Another Undead? Wow, interesting." I muttered, wondering if he was a part of James 'followers'. He looked so...normal.

"We were all stationed at the same place during the way," Edward continued. "I never talked to him but maybe Emmett knows him."

As Edward drove away hurriedly, I could feel someone's eyes following the car. I didn't have to look back to see who it was.

Hey guys,

I decided to bring Jacob finally in. But don't worry, he won't be a potential love interest or something. What do you think about Mrs Brandon? Does Elixir of life really exist or was it just Bella's imagination? Do you guys think Bella will find it? Review and tell me!

-BEJL