Chapter 34

Bella's POV

The past few days became like a blur to me. Every single second of every day, I'm trap in my room, thinking about my life and future. One day, I was staring at the rain pouring from my glass window when Ruby came in and told me about the little girl's parents. She said that she forgot how to feel about losing a loved one and the mother's emotions were overwhelming for her. Sometimes, I would wake up in the middle of the night or day hearing the little girl's screams echoing in my head.

I also dream about Edward.

I'm walking down the aisle in my perfect wedding dress in a church. I'm walking down a red carpet with Charlie and Caleb by my side, pasting my friends and family. But my eyes were focusing on the shadowy figure in the groom's spot, my hear beating wildly. When my hand touches his cold hand, I smiled happily ready to see my Edward until I saw him. The groom was Rafael. I tried to run away but when I turned around, everyone in my dream changed into Rafael's vampires and they began grabbing me as if I was meat to a pack of lions, and their teeth sucked down on my skin. That's a girl's worst nightmare before her wedding.

"Bella?" Ruby knocked on my door one day. "Rafael wants to see you."

"What for?"

"He did not say." She told me when she opened the door. "Let me pick out your outfit." I couldn't help but stare at Ruby and see how much she reminds me of Alice. She wasn't a bad person; she even told me that she and Ruben never drink human blood. Why and how did she and Ruben stay with Rafael? I ask her questions about her human life, but she would always change the subject and ignore whatever I had just said.

"I am not wearing that dress, Ruby." I told her.

"Yes you are."

"Ruby –"

"Bella put it on yourself or I will force it on you." She threatened.

She really is like Alice. "You win."

"Ruby: 5 and Bella: 0" Ruby smiled.

I was wearing a black sleeved dress that went down to my knees and made a cross mark on my back. I was also wearing leather boots that covered the rest of the skin on my legs and I could feel the bruises working up already. I put my hair into a side ponytail and took a deep breathe before following Ruby downstairs.

We arrived in a library, a huge library. There was a painting of angels on the ceilings, surrounded by big and white clouds. The walls were lined with books, the shelves so high that tall ladders set on casters were placed along them at intervals. There were some books that look years old and others that probably have never been opened. Ruby and I continued to walk on the polished wood as I looked around to see portraits of people, probably from the 18th century or later.

"Ruby, what's going on?" I asked her.

"I do not know." She told me. "There have been rumors down in the dungeons, saying Rafael will want an heir."

I was pretty sure my mouth fell. "Huh?

"Relax, Isabella. They are just rumors."

"Did Ruben read his mind?" I asked.

She nodded her head, "He told me that he saw images of you and children. But his mind always changes when he wants to think about something else that doesn't involve around you."

"He thought of something else?" I asked, pleading.

"It was odd. Ruben didn't tell me and he always tells me everything." She shook her head. "I must leave before Rafael comes." And I was alone. I began to walk around and eye the books on the dirty shelves. I saw a thin, leather book on a shelf and brush off the dust and open to a random page.

"The Seer has told me that one of my own kinds will betray me. I couldn't believe her. But when Ruben has told me that he saw Caleb kissing that pathetic creature in the forest one night. The Seer was right all along. I won't let my only companion betray me for a werewolf…"

What am I reading? There was a date on the right corner of the page, it was written nineteen years ago! This isn't a book. It's a diary. Rafael's diary… I'm reading Rafael's diary. These are his private thoughts. I jumped in my seat when I heard someone knock on the door and realized it was Rafael. Quickly, I closed the book and put it on the table when he walked to me.

"What do you want?" I asked him in a harsh tone. I still don't forgive him about the little girl,

"You like to read." It wasn't a question.

"Wuthering Heights is my favorite book."

"Emily Bronte?" He sounded surprised. "And Jane Austen?"

"I don't think you invited me down here to talk about my reading habits."

Rafael chuckled as he sat across from me. "I assume Ruby told you why you are here?"

"There's a rumor that you want an heir." I almost laughed when his eyes widen and his mouth hung open, but I bit my lip.

"That's not true." He told me.

"Then why did you think about having children?"

"I really need to block my mind from Ruben." I heard him mumble under his breathe. "I found a drawing in your room –"

"You went through my things!"

"It was a drawing of children." Rafael continued, ignoring whatever I said. "I tried to picture you with kids because who knows if you are able to." I moved closer to the chair and he took noticed. "I apologize if those rumors frightened you."

Did he just apologize?

"Uh…what did you want to talk about?" I asked changing the subject.

"You don't want to drink human blood."

"Of course."

"Would you consider –"He stopped talking. His eyes weren't drawn to his hands anymore but to the journal on the table. He picked it up and flips through the pages. "Where did you find this?"

"On the shelf."

"How much have you read?"

"None."

"Don't lie to me," Rafael snarled at me.

"I am not lying to you."

"Liar." And he hit me across the face, making me lose the balance on the chair; I fell hard on the ground. "What did you just read?"

"Nothing." I groaned when he pulled my hair, his breathe against my ear. "I read nothing."

"Don't lie to me." Rafael shoved me to the wall, his hands wrapped around my wrists, clinging me hard. His eyes turned from light blue to pitch black. "There will be consequences."

"Like what? Being trapped in this ugly and forsaken place for an eternity? And being married you? Nothing can be worse that that."

Suddenly, he threw me across the room, I felt myself sliding sideways, and then heard the crunch as my head bashed into some of the books. The books were flying down hard on me. Rafael was standing across the corner, his black eyes staring at me with such hunger. For the first time, I was truly afraid. I scrambled on the wooden floor trying to reach for the front door but Rafael was in front of me in a second, blocking my exit. He crouched down, his face close to mine.

"Why were you reading my journal?" he asked.

"I didn't read it and didn't know it was yours."

"I saw you reading it." His eyes were slowly changing back to normal. "Why are you lying to me?"

"I did not read your stupid diary!"

Again, he smacked me across the face and I could feel my own blood dripping from my forehead. I looked at Rafael with such anger because he was being offensive about his journal and he was hitting me. My blood was, literally, in his hands and on the floor, and I couldn't stand this. Quickly, I ran to the door and continued running until I could find some fresh air.

There was a garden outside, a maze. There was no behind me and I ran again. It began to rain like cats and dogs and I tripped over my boots and fell hard on the slippery and muddy ground. I took the boots off and continued running in the rain. This was my decision and should not be regretting it. I did this to protect everyone I love and now, I'm getting beaten up by my fiancé.

Edward I need you.

Rafael's POV

I was surprised to find Isabella in the room where I placed the little girl's corpse. She was touching her cold cheek and whimpered, close to tears. Is she blaming herself?

"What are you doing here, Isabella?" I asked but she didn't bother to turn around. Instead, she pulled the blanket back over the child's face.

"Take her back." She told me, ignoring my question. "Take her back to her family."

Her words took me a shocking minute before I could respond. "Why should I?" She turned around, she was crying.

"Because…her family is worried about her. Please…please take her back." She begged me.

I hate begging.

"Should I leave a note?"

"Say that you kidnap her and she ran away in the forest. A bear attacked her and you were too late to save her." She told him." You have to apologize to the family."

I nodded my head, "As you wish, my love."

"Don't call me that." She spitted at me. "You have no right. I may be betrothed to you but I will never love you."

Ouch.

"I'm surprised you're still walking after what my men did to you." I said. "Are hungry?"

"I'm not drinking any blood."

"I'm starting to like you as a feisty woman, Isabella." I laughed and walked back to the door but I couldn't leave things the way they are. "Tomorrow, a hiker, or hunter will find her in a forest and the note will be in her hand." And ran away to my bedroom. What is happening to me? Why am I being kind to the enemy?

"Because she reminds you of her." A voice said in my head. "When she was human-"

"No!" I screamed as pushed the things off of my desk. "What?" I roared when I heard someone knock on the door. Ruby's head popped in.

"Are you alright?"

"Leave me." I ordered but she stayed, picking the things I threw around. "Ruby –"

"I'm not leaving." She interrupted and looked at me… was it pity? "You need a friend."

I scoffed, "When have you been my friend?"

"200 years ago." She snapped at me.

I looked away from her. I felt ashamed because I remembered that night. Ruby took hold on hand and squeezed it. "You promised Bella, you will return the girl." It wasn't a question but I nodded my head. "I'm coming with you."

"Ruby –"

"I'm going with you and that's final." She snapped at me and slammed the door. I looked down at the hand that Ruby was holding and couldn't help but smile. She hasn't change one bit.

When we were determined that Isabella went to her room, Ruby and I took the girl, and put her in an area that hiker will mostly likely found her. I pulled the note out and put it in between her cold fingers. "You think they will believe it?" I asked Ruby.

"No." She told me, pulling the blanket over the body. "But her parents will be glad that she's home."

Ruby and I stayed standing on higher ground, waiting for someone to find the girl and it was two days later when they did. A hiker couple founded the body, the woman cried while the man dialed for the police. The human father of Isabella came and looked pale; Dr Cullen was next to him.

"An animal didn't do this." He said to Charlie.

"Was it…one of them?" Chief Swan whispered.

"Yes, she has bite marks and lost an amount of blood." Dr. Cullen informed him.

"I'll call the parents." Charlie said, sadly.

"You feel guilty." Ruby said to me when we arrived back to the mansion. We visited the house of the parents and Ruby couldn't stay any longer than a minute because of the emotions. "And I didn't have to read your emotions."

I smiled, "Of course you didn't have to." My smile fell as I ran my fingers through my hair. "We'd never take children as our meal and I'm trying to remember why."

"They are the future." Ruby said.

"Did I say that?"

She nodded, "It was days after Ruben and I transformed."

"Yes but you and your brother didn't even drink human blood then and you still don't"

"Speaking about blood, I want to take Bella hunting." She announced.

"Why?"

"I don't drink human blood and she won't either. She needs guidance if she's hunting on animals."

"Alright." I said.

"Really?"

"Yes, really. I trust you."

"I'm sorry what?"

I chuckled, "I trust you."

"It's nice to hear that time to time." She smiled and kissed my cheek before leaving to get my fiancé.

Fiancé…no! I choose this! I will not regret my decision because I need the power. But I couldn't help but touch my cheek where Ruby's warm lips laid. A smile was forming on my lips and I didn't care if anyone saw it.