Happy Thanksgiving! I fought through my tryptophan induced drowsiness to present this chapter.
~O~
Brielle POV
"Come again?"
"I said I cheated on Embry…I think," I added quickly.
"You think?" Renesmee repeated, "Wouldn't you know if you cheated on him?"
I sucked in a breath and looked down, ashamed over what I going to say. "I don't know if I did. It was the Halloween party and I felt sick, next thing I knew I was in bed with…someone else."
Nessie gaped at me incredulously as I spoke. "Does Embry know?"
I shook my head. "I don't know how I can tell him, he'll hate me. I don't what to do."
Nessie looked around the parking lot and then back to me. "Get in the car," she ordered.
"Where are we going?"
"Just do as I say and get in." Renesmee didn't wait for me as she jumped into the driver's side and started the ignition. Once inside, she peeled out of the parking lot and all but hissed at me. "I want you to tell me everything that happened from the beginning."
…
…
"…then I woke up in bed. He drove me and Skye home, but I don't know what happened between feeling nauseated at the party and waking up." I sighed, taking another sip of my tea. I attempted to distract myself from Nessie's pointed stare while I spoke.
She lounged beside me on my bed and hadn't uttered a word since I started speaking. An unnerving energy clung in the air and I chanced a peek at her. There was no indication that she even heard what I said; her face devoid of any reaction.
"Interesting," she said quietly. "So you woke up and there wasn't any sign that you had sex?" Renesmee asked after a lengthy pause.
"No, I was still clothed, wasn't sore and feel fine physically."
"Brielle, do you realize what this sounds like? You drank punch which tasted off, and while you can't remember putting down the cup, you have to consider that someone slipped you something. What did Leanne say?"
"Leanne doesn't know," I said obstinately.
"You need to tell someone." She insisted.
"I'm telling you."I countered.
Nessie glowered at me but didn't interject with any reprimands.
"Did you go to a doctor; you know to check for any…problems?"
"Yes, I'm not pregnant, and no STD's. I wanted to get an AIDS test, but I couldn't handle going in every six months, besides Leanne would become suspicious."
"I can get my grandfather to help with that, if you still want to." Renesmee smiled, holding my hand in hers. She offered me support and understanding by way of her special ability.
"Thank you," I sighed, "you don't know how it feels to actually tell someone."
"You need to tell Embry," she stressed, "the longer you keep this from him, the worse it'll be in the end."
"I know, but I can't. You saw how I reacted after the Morgan thing, he'll hate me." I whispered into my hands.
"He won't hate you, but speaking of Morgan, are you positive that he was kissing her?"
"While I don't have an eidetic memory, I am sure of what I saw." I quipped sarcastically.
"That makes no sense. Embry loves you and would never do anything like that; at least I didn't think he would." Renesmee mused.
"I thought the same." I murmured.
"Look, I know how this feels, trust me, but it will work out; I promise."
"You know how this feels?" I scoffed, "you and Jake have a wonderful relationship."
"We do now," she smiled, "but we've had our up and downs, screaming matches and petty fights, but we always worked through them."
"Here I thought that imprinting meant happily ever after." I teased.
"It does, but it take a long road to reach the ever after."
"Ness, how did you become so smart?" I joked.
"Oh you know, comes with the territory of being a preternatural entity." She laughed.
I got up and Renesmee followed me to the kitchen as I put more water on the stove to boil.
"This all seems to be too coincidental," she mused, breaking the casual silence. "You were basically abducted at the exact time when the rogues attacked."
I placed my cup on my bedside table and turned back to my friend. "What rogues? What are you talking about?"
Renesmee's eyes shifted around the room before landing back to my face. "Didn't Embry tell you?"
"No, he didn't tell me anything," I retorted, becoming more anxious. "What happened?"
"Well, there have been a few incidents." She offered casually.
"Such as?" I pressed.
"Well, there have been some rogue vampires in the area, but between my family, the Denalis and the wolves, it's been relatively safe."
I pulled my knees to my chest and hoped that I was reaching the wrong conclusions. I knew that the Cullens weren't a threat to anyone, but these other vampires had to be. Why else would they be keeping watch, making sure things stayed 'relatively safe', as Renesmee put it. I was beside myself thinking that there were possible threats just outside my window and I never knew. Embry didn't think to warn me?
"When you say 'relatively safe'…" I hesitated.
"It means that no one was hurt. The vampires were taken care of and besides, there haven't been any new attempts in weeks." Renesmee said quickly. Grabbing my hand, she showed me how the woods were always being watched. Emmett and Jasper were both patrolling; both itching for a fight, but sensing nothing.
"Why are the vampires here?"
Renesmee paused, which was something considering how instantaneous she reacted in most situations. She was on edge about the reason these foreign vampires were appearing in the area.
"It's bad, isn't it" I asked rhetorically.
"You have no idea about any of this?" She queried.
"No, I don't and the longer you take in telling me, the more nervous I am. Why are they here?"
"To destroy my family," she whispered.
"Destroy? As in kill and maim and pillage?" My eyed widened in shock.
"Well, they're not Vikings, but yes, there is a bounty on our heads," she asserted, plopping down at the kitchen table."
"Who is powerful enough to do this?"
"The Volturi," she stated apprehensively.
The Volturi, the same name that Tanya uttered before my entire world alternated into a mélange of otherworldly inconceivability; the same family Dr. Cullen told me about briefly as he explained who he was, as well as the Cullen family.
"You mean the royal Italian coven?"
"Yes, the same one. They came for my family five years ago, they thought I was an immortal child and were hell bent on killing all of us."
"What happened?" I asked, sitting down beside her, completely enraptured in her story.
Rather than speak, Nessie took my hand and replayed the scene. I watched as the beings in black robes- the leaders, I assumed- tried every maneuver to destroy the Cullens. It was ironic in a morbid way, each leader was dressed in a black robe- the symbol of an ethical judge- yet they were endeavoring to find any inequitable cause to kill.
It was Alice who came just in time. She was flanked by a statuesque vampire and another couple. I watched as she explained that the male was a hybrid like Renesmee, and there was no need for alarm. I watched as the fair-haired leader, Caius, resented the presentation of the halfling. Despite the inexplicable ease in which the Volturi left, I still felt something wasn't right in their actions.
"So, they are hiring others to do their dirty work?" I asked as Nessie removed her hand.
"It looks so, but no one can figure out why." As she admitted this, I saw the terror in her eyes and for once, she resembled the young being she was.
"It will be okay," I assured her, rubbing circles into her hand, "with the pack and the Denalis here, I doubt anything will happen."
"Thank you," she sniffled, "it feels good to be able to talk about how I feel without freaking everyone out."
"I know the feeling," I smiled.
The kettle started to whistle and as I picked it up, a thought occurred. "What kind of bounty could there be? I mean, I assume that vampires have unlimited access to resources, what could be the motivation- money, power, sex?"
"I don't know," Renesmee thought, walking to the cupboard, "perhaps it's a permanent residence in Volterra."
"Volerra?" I questioned, passing her a mug. She snickered at the cheesy print, but I dared her to say anything. I happened to like dancing cats.
"Volterra is the city where the Volturi reside; the bounty could be a perpetual dwelling in Volterra. Not only would it be seen as a huge honor, but vampires in general are nomads, a "home" is something most can never have."
"So you and your family…"I glanced up from my cup of steeping tea.
"Eventually, we will leave Forks. Grandpa has a rule about never staying in the same place for more than a decade and when the time comes, we'll have to leave." Renesmee said somberly, reaching for a silver spoon.
"I'll miss you." I admitted.
"It's not like we're leaving tonight," she laughed humorlessly, "besides, we will always be in touch. I'm not one to let best friends go so easily."
"Best friends," I repeated, a smile on my lips.
"Absolutely," she insisted, "you may be enigmatic, occasionally morose and possibly agoraphobic, but I like you."
"Gee, thanks" I replied sardonically.
"It's true, and I trust you like I would Alice or Rosalie."
"Aww, don't get all mushy on me."
We sat down, sipping at our mugs and glancing out the kitchen window. It was about to be February and the frost outside was picturesquely pretty. Renesmee didn't speak and the silence broke when her stomach growled colorfully.
"What?" She asked at my smirk, "I didn't eat lunch; I was too busy trying to control a raging werewolf."
"Do you eat every day?" I asked, switching the subject.
"No, but I do like some human food. When I don't hunt, I have to eat at least twice a week or I become weak."
"Hunting, as in some woodland creatures?" I pondered.
"Exactly," she grinned, showing her impressive teeth, "but I'd rather a grilled cheese today."
I chuckled and showed Nessie where to find the skillet and vegetable oil. She was busy slathering butter on some bread when I headed to the bathroom. As I washed my hands, I texted Skye to make sure everything was fine on her end. Apparently my chemistry teacher, Mrs. Brown, was asking for me. Thanks to Renesmee, I was her star pupil, but Skye assured me that she told the teacher I was feeling ill. I began to offer my sister an explanation of my skipping classes, but she quickly sent a text saying she was about to take a test.
The aroma of melting cheese wafted upstairs. "You better have more than one of those." I yelled down the stairs.
"Yeah yeah yeah," Renesmee shouted.
I walked into my room and decided that I should go over the material I missed in my classes. As I grabbed my chemistry book, the small, black case I tucked away fell out of my bag.
"Oh shoot," I muttered, picking up the mystery encasing.
I carried both my books and the unknown object into the living room. Nessie had a plate with two sandwiches waiting on the table. She was currently devouring one of her own as I sat down.
"Catching up?" She asked between bites of smoldering Gouda and crispy ciabatta bread.
"Yeah, but first, I wanted to see this." I replied, opening the case. Inside was a small circular disc.
"A DVD, what's the movie?"
"I don't know," I responded, "there was a note on my locker than led me to a different locker, which had this inside it."
"That's…weird." Nessie stated.
"Yeah, but let's see what it is. I doubt it was meant for me anyway."
I walked to the nearby wall and popped the disc into the integrated entertainment system Leanne had installed into the walls. It was times like these that I loved her sporadic and often superfluous purchase of the latest technology. While the television she attached to the ceiling was an amusing novelty, unless you laid down on the couch, it become bothersome to constrict your neck into the angle needed to see the screen. I pushed the appropriate button and a thin, white screen unfurled down the opposite wall. I made sure the projector was on and soon the screen turned blue, then black.
At first, only a rustling noise was heard, as though someone with a trembling hand was holding a camera. Then the noise became louder and stopped all together. The video was silent for a few moments and when a blurry angle came into view, I froze. A heavily booming bass line was in the background and I would have known it anywhere. I didn't need to see the Cullen house, which then came into plain view in the shot to know it was the Halloween party.
"What the fuck?" Renesmee said, inching closer to the screen.
The angle changed and I saw as Lucas, Skye, Andrew and I all walked toward the front door; the screen went black again once we entered. A new shot started, only this time there was more shaking and movement. Someone was walking towards a blue, run-down car and mumbling. It was distinctly a man's voice and not one I recognized.
"Who is that?" I asked.
"I don't know; this isn't someone I know." Renesmee replied.
We both stared as the shot went out of focus, tilting towards the ground. The man was still murmuring in the background and his shoes came into focus, then back out. There was a groan and the distinct sound of the car moving. When he picked the camera back up, I gasped.
The shot was now of a girl, unconscious and sprawled in the backseat of the car. She was unresponsive and helpless-it was me.
"Holy shit," Renesmee exclaimed.
The camera focused on me and the ending scene was the man running his hand across the side of my face, laughing.
When the video ended, I couldn't speak. I sat there dumbfounded and astonished.
"Who gave this to you?" Renesmee hissed.
"I…I don't know," I hesitated, "it was in an empty locker."
Nessie picked up the black case and narrowed her eyes.
"What, what is it?"
She didn't answer, but instead pulled at a piece of paper stuck to the inside cover. She opened it and let out a slew of obscenities.
Handing me the paper, my gut twisted into unimaginable knots. I didn't even have the energy to cry- I was immediately defeated.
"We need to talk to Embry, now." Nessie insisted.
"But the paper-"
"Fuck the paper!" She declared, reaching for her phone, "he needs to see this."
I nodded and placed the paper onto the table. I refused to focus on the big, angry letter splayed across the page, but it was too late, I already read it. In bold, red letters it simply stated:
Leave Embry alone or the rest gets published…publicly.
I stared ahead and wondered what the hell I had done in my life for it to be so royally screwed.
Whoa, no words. Seems things only get worse for poor Brielle. However, a part of me knows that Embry will show up and fix the issues the best way he knows :P
Hope you all enjoy and Review! Review! Review!
Not to be a review whore, (lies! lies! I love them soo much) but if I can receive 390 reviews by Saturday,
a spanking new chapter will be posted.
Until next time,
-L