A/N:
Thanks for staying with me. To everyone's surprise, I am sure, I'm back! Thank you for the reviews, and please let me know what you think as we continue this journey to a happy (or sad) ending. It is not over, nor will it be for a while yet. Cheers.
-Aphilli
Chapter 54-
Bella's POV:
Rosalie led me off of the street and into a building that seemed deserted. We walked to the far end of the building and into a small doorway. The doorway opened into a dark tunnel, which seemed to extend forever. It was damp and dingy with an odor of mildew.
Around a few twists and turns was another door. The large red door seemed old but not nearly as old as the cave like tunnel they had walked to get there. Inside was an open lobby with white marble flooring. Royal purple walls and soft leather armchairs framed the room.
A beautiful brunette sat at the front desk, she smile brightly at us as we entered the room. Her features resembled an Italian fashion model. Rosalie walked up to her and checked me in without a word of English.
After a few brief minutes a lady came to retrieve me, Rosalie knew her right away. Her family really did come here often. She gave me her goodbye and I followed the girl to the room at the end of the hall. My first treatment was to be a massage.
I wondered how it would work. I wondered how my marble skin could possibly be penetrated by any creature's hands. If one did have the force to mold my stone like body, it would crack and break, right? Sensing my curiosity and slight angst, the masseuse answered my unasked question.
"You will experience micro fractures to your skin my darling. The small fractures are almost completely pleasurable and very therapeutic to you." Her accent was thick.
"How is that pleasurable and good for me?"
"Our skin is turned from flesh into millions of minuscule crystals, tough like diamonds. They meet together like cells of the flesh, so tiny. I will shift these crystals in areas where you have excess build up due to stress. You will likely experience a purge later due to the release of such excess." She explained casually waving her hand as she led me to her room. "No need to feel worries."
"Are you special?" I asked without tact.
"I am, how you say? An emepth."
"Ah, Empath."
"Yes, Empeth."
She instructed me to take off my clothes and to lay on the bed face down. Once she left the room I obliged, feeling awkward. I placed my head within the headrest and waited for my therapist to come back. The room smelled of lavender and honey. I assumed that this was on purpose.
I small creek came from the door on as the smell of cedar, sand and driftwood hit my nose. I remembered the scent though it seemed impossible that it could be. Footsteps came close until a light touch ascended my posterior. A hand rested on my shoulder.
"Bella." The voice that spoke my name sounded modulated. It was pleasant but controlled, almost pained. I knew it at once. My body stiffened, wondering if this was a dream or my reality.
He must have felt my muscles flex in my back, his hand moved off of me. He moved his feet to reposition himself. I heard an unnecessary sigh fall from his lips.
"Bella, please, I need to speak with you."
I broke out of shock, realizing that this was not a ghost, nor dream. I lifted my head to see the face of a man I had once thought to be a god. His bronze hair was shorter now, still a mess. His jaw seemed sharper than it once did, his lips pursed in a way that only he could do. He did not meet me in the eyes.
"Edward? What are you doing here?" I saw in awe, my jaw refusing to close.
"Bella, I need to speak with you, but this is my only chance. You must come with me. Please." He sounded as though he were in pain. His eyes did not meet mine; it angered me to no end. Why would he not look at me after everything he had put me through?
"Why will you not look at me?" He swallowed hard.
"I'd rather not, you are indecent." I then realized my cleavage was more than present. I let my body fall against the bed again. He moved closer to put his hand on my shoulder.
"Please, follow me, we must go." He said with more urgency in his voice. I nodded in understanding. Whatever he needed, he didn't seem to be a threat to me.
He turned and I dressed quickly. I followed him out through another room and into a hall I had never seen before. He led me to a door and into what seemed to be another dingy tunnel.
Before I knew it he had led me to a hotel on the opposite side of the city from where I stayed with Rosalie. We had walked to the area on our night stroll, so I recognized it. The hotel was far less accommodating that our own. It seemed like it catered to the less fortunate, maybe the locals who were down and out. He had a room here; I wondered why he would choose such a place.
The room was small with cracks visible to the old walls. In one corner paint peeled off the wall and the ceiling wore stains from water leaks. The floors were scratched wood with dust in some areas. The curtains, ripped and shabby, were drawn over the windows making the room dark.
"Ok, what is the meaning of all this?" I said frustrated and confused.
I watched him walk over to the table near the window, a collection of bottles sat atop it and one glass. He popped the top off a brown liquor and poured a glass. He stood with his weight leaning on the desk as he took a sip of the drink. He stared at me for a moment. I had almost lost my patience before he finally answered.
"You are in danger Bella. I came to warn you." He said throwing back the rest of his drink. He poured himself another.
"No shit, that's why I am here. What the hell do you care if I am in danger anyways?" I asked with agitation that I didn't understand. I carried deep hurt over our last encounter, over us. I had never truly blamed him for all of it, but I hadn't forgiven him for what I did either.
"You are on their back doorstep!" He said gesturing his glass towards the window.
"Who?"
"The most powerful clan in all of the world. I told you of them once."
"The Voltu…"
The door opened suddenly, breaking my train of thought. A tall man with dark features abruptly walked in. He had crimson red eyes and harsh features. His severe eyes were nestled under a prominent brow. His dark brown hard was messy on his head. He ignored me, only looking to meet Edward in his eyes.
"We have no time." He said sternly. His accent was not Italian; it was a beautiful and elegant Spanish accent.
"I was just explaining…"
"You can explain later. For now, we have to go."
Edward stared at the man in protest for a moment. His eyes moved from the man to me, his expression became softer. He stood up and walked to me, hold out his hand.
"It would appear that we need to discuss this later. For now, you need to trust me." He gestured again for me to take his hand.
"No."
"Please Bella."
"Where is Rosalie? I will not go without her." When I finished Edward threw the glass he had across the room. It hit the wall and shattered. The pieces flew everywhere and I instinctively flinched. A whole had appeared where his glass met the wall, a small crack stemmed out from it. I looked back at Edward in slight horror. His eyes were black. Slowly they returned to dark amber.
"She will be safe. You are more val…" He stopped and thought about his next words. "She is strong and will be ok."
"I will not go! Let me go!" I shouted.
I stood up and moved away from him. Panic arose in my dead heart. I could feel the tension within me rising, like water to a boil. Things seem to go faster.
"You are going to have to do it Santi, Do it now!" Edward shouted. I felt a hand grip my shoulder.
"Sleep." The elegant voice said. My world went black.
Rosalie's POV:
"Alice! I need you to tell me what the hell is going on!" I shouted into my phone.
"I am trying. He knows how I work, he is unclear." Alice sounded defeated.
"He?" I growled out.
"It's Edward. I am trying to see his next move. He is good at dodging me."
I hung up the phone without another word. I stood outside the tunnel in the old building that led to it. I was filled with rage and anger. I heard a small crack. The phone in my hands was giving under my grip. A crack stretched across the screen. I placed it in my pocket, knowing I would need it.
As I left I closed the door to the building so hard that it broke its hinges and cracked its frame. I wanted nothing more than to crush him. I wanted to feel his skin crack beneath my strength. I wanted Bella.
A ring came from the poor phone in my pocket. It was Jasper. I quickly answered, hoping for good news.
"We are on our way." He said simply. I heard the sound of rustling from behind him. Alice spoke in the background to Esme. Esme was helping her get her things together.
"Meet us in Brasov."
"Romania?"
"We will be there tomorrow by noon." He said blankly. "Rosalie, don't do anything until we get there."
I growled in response. There was nothing I hated more than being told what or what not to do when it came to her. I punched the wall of the building next to me, leaving a whole with cracks splintering out from it.
Realizing that I was not alone, and that humans noticed my outburst, I quickly walked away. I caught the next flight out of the area and to Bucharest. Unfortunately, the flight didn't leave right away; I spent two hours pacing the terminal of the Rome airport.
I thought of her. I thought of the sweatshirt at the terminal news store and how she would love it. She had terrible taste. In a moment of sheer stupidity I bought her a key chain with the Colosseum on it. I didn't know if she was dead or alive, but here I was, buying key chains. I scoffed.
I thought of her smile, her laugh and the way she said my name. Those thoughts turned to her scream, I could see cracks form on her face as Edward pressed in on her. I heard a pop and realized that I had broken the keychain. I needed a drink.
A few hours later I was off the plane and making my way to the rental cars. I approached the counter to find a burly, greasy dark hair man. He was wiping his nose with a handkerchief. I groaned internally at the site.
"I'd like your fastest car." I said simply. He snorted and I heard the remainder of his snot suck back up into his head. I struggled not to wince. He looked me up and down and curled up the side of his right lip.
"I du not speak engleza." He said gruffly. My fingers tapped the counter impatiently as I tried to remember what Romanian I had learned over my life. Emmett had once learned some when he was obsessed with taking our family to 'learn our origins.'
"I'd …uh, ca cea… mai rapida masina." I said with my eyes squinted as if it would jog my memory better. When I opened my eyes he was staring blankly at me. "RAPIDA MASINA." I said louder, gesturing like an idiot.
He laughed a jolly gruff laugh and shook his head. His fat fingers typed slowly on his windows ninety-five ancient computer. I tapped more impatiently.
"Emer-icans." He said shaking his head as he pulled a printed sheet of paper off his printer. "Segn and date." He pointed with his pen to a few spots on the paper.
When I had given him my card and received the keys I was off to the lot to find my rental. I looked to the keys. Chevrolet. I knew by the cost of the car that it would not be a Corvette, and I didn't much prefer the newer Camaro. It would have to do I thought.
I clicked the remote and listened as I made my way through the lot, until I heard the return beep. It was weak, like a small child asking for someone to excuse them. I would have expected a Camaro to have a more robust horn. Chevy had really gone to shit.
"Shit! Shit! Shit!" I screamed in anger at the sight of my chariot.
It wasn't a Camaro. It wasn't even an Impala. Hell, I would take any other Chevy model, but alas, I had been given a spark. I had the urge to pick the tiny thing up and throw it. I could run there faster!
I kicked the tire of the car next to it. It burst with a loud thunderous pop. A man across the lot looked in my direction. I looked around suspiciously and jumped in the car I had been given. I was glad I got the insurance because I fully planned to drive the car off a cliff.
