Tolkein owns LOTR, Meyer owns Twilight. They're threatening snow here, I'll believe it when I see it.
14 Where vampires (should) fear to tread"I can't see them any more," Alice sighed rubbing her temples.
The four Cullen's had returned to the penthouse suite they'd arranged once leaving Renee's house. That visit had been a total waste, she was entirely uncooperative, practically anti them from the moment they arrived. Edward was furious, not only would she not tell them anything, but he couldn't get anything from her mind either, yet he could read everyone else's minds with no problems. He'd never had this issue with Renee before, admittedly she'd often come across as flighty and away with the clouds, but even those thoughts were gone.
"What do we do?" Edward asked the others, Carlisle paced beside the large window that looked out to the terminal building and the busy runways.
"Wait for her to go out and see if she has anything that tells us where they are?" Esme suggested.
"Break in?" Alice questioned. Her eyes glazed over as she attempted to see…anything, "I..I don't know, I can see us go in, but I've no idea what happens afterwards."
"What do you mean you don't know," Carlisle growled, "You see us get in, but nothing after that? Do we leave, do we find anything?"
"I don't know, it's blank, like no body is making decisions," Alice offered shrinking in her seat.
"What use is your gift if you can't tell us the outcome of something as simple as entering a humans house, perhaps you should've gone where ever Jasper went, speaking of which, where is he and the other two wasters?" Carlisle grumbled angrily.
"They followed us back here, but after that, they're just gone, I can't see them any more," Alice cried out.
"Useless! Fucking useless! All these years, all the plans and subterfuge and in one day we lose the empath, the two canon fodder and have no lead on our shield, what was this all for?! We needed her broken, we needed her to need us! WASTED!" Carlisle growled tossing a table across the room.
The other three recoiled in fright, it was rare for Carlisle to lose it, he was usually so mild tempered, that no one could imagine him being a danger, yet they had seen it before only once, it's what lead them to sending Alice for Jasper in the first place, they'd had their eyes on a gifted young man, but they had lost him to something as simple as a tram crash, a few more days and he would've been in their grasp. Carlisle had torn their home to shreds, the destruction so bad, they'd had to fake an explosion. Alice had been sent to find more gifts and it would be years before she returned with Jasper. Edward had also been sent out, although they excused his leaving as him falling off the wagon and taking some time for himself, his vigilante era.
Rose and Emmett were a moment of weakness and an experiment, one that they ultimately deemed a failure, they were both too caught up in the fake ideologies that Carlisle had forced on them to become barbaric.
Jasper would've been perfect, a gifted empath, but also a veteran of human and vampire wars, unfortunately he had no desire to fight any more and that lead them to now.
"When will she leave?" Carlisle asked.
"About an hour, we get in but after that, everything is dark," Alice replied concerned.
"Then we leave now and wait for her to go," Carlisle replied turning to leave the suite, "Come."
The rest of the Cullen's followed, albeit nervously, he was unpredictable when he was angered and they didn't want to face his anger. They drove quickly towards Renee's beach front home and parked along the street and waited.
It was almost 45 minutes later that she left the small home on foot and headed towards the beach, the Cullen's swiftly left their car and used vampire speed to move to the rear of the house unseen by any neighbours. There was a sliding patio door that opened to the beach and they found it unlocked. "Stupid human," Edward smirked as he slid it open.
They split up and took different areas of the one story home, they needed to be thorough in their search, but fast, as they wanted to be out before Renee returned. The open plan home was disorganised and had no pattern or theme, Esme and Alice shuddered as they moved through the open plan living area into the kitchen. Both were particularly unnerved by the large owl like creature that Renee had placed in the corner that overlooked the whole area. It looked terrifying and they couldn't understand why she would want anything that hideous in her front room.
"Stop checking out the décor and find something useful!" Carlisle shouted from the front bedroom.
Edward stuck his head out of the rear bedroom/hobby room and looked at the two vampires, his eye's pleading for them to get on with it.
Esme turned away from the hideous creature and walked into the kitchen area and began to search drawers and cupboards. Alice was stuck in the same room as the thing and felt unnerved as she searched the various tables and chest of drawers about the room. She felt like she was being watched. She almost cried at the multitude of coloured crystals that covered almost every surface, just how could the human live with all this clutter? If they had known that hidden within the crystals was one stone from Middle Earth, this stone was Renee's connection to home, it acted as a portal when the correct words were used, with this stone alone, the Cullen's could've found Bella, alas in this instance they lacked the appropriate knowledge.
When Carlisle returned they'd been through everything and come up with nothing. "I don't understand, how can she not have an address for where they are?" Edward moaned.
"Because I don't need to write it down, now what I would like to know Mr Cullen is what you are all doing in my house, when I never invited you to visit," Renee said from behind them.
"We need to know where your daughter is," Carlisle stated as he turned to face Renee, how had she entered without them knowing she was there? No human could get the drop on them like that, they were superior!
"I gathered that much, but what I am wondering is what vampires want with her, oh I know what you are and no she didn't tell me," Renee replied crossing her arms.
"You know that knowledge is a death sentence? We could help you, of course you would need to help us first," Edward said attempting to charm Renee.
"Oh Edward, I have no fear of your kind, I am perfectly well protected," Renee responded, "You however, are at great risk being here right now."
Carlisle scoffed as he nodded to Esme and Alice to surround the human, "Perhaps we can talk through your options, as I'm sure you'd not like to leave Phil a widower," Carlisle threatened.
"I'd be more concerned with yourself Carlisle," Renee snapped back.
"I have no fear of a human," he growled as the Cullen's moved to surround her.
"Me either, but perhaps you should, now Holata!" Renee yelled rolling to the side.
The hideous owl like creature spread its wings and the head turned with a terrifying screech, Edward dropped to the floor, holding his ears in terror as the creature flashed across the room at almost vampire speed and latched its sharp talons onto Esme and ripped her in half. The vampires scattered as Renee spun from within their circle, flipped over Edwards head in an outstanding show of acrobatic ability and stood, a long elven glaive spear in her hand, the silver like blade on a long weighted pole.
"You step blindly into situations you know nothing of vampires, you are either stupid or over confident," Renee taunted.
The three Cullen's looked at the woman shocked, what on earth was she doing and what was the creature?
"Bella and Charlie weren't the only ones to make friends in tribesmen, this is my friend, Holata, a Seminole shifter, he enjoys walks on the beach, good food, great music and...killing vampires, so again I would ask if you were stupid or over confident." Renee snarled, her glaive pointed at them.
"That stick won't do anything to us!" Edward growled.
"Why don't you try it and see?" Renee taunted.
The three vampires looked to each other, their confidence waning by the second. Esme was useless laying in two pieces and staring at them in horror, a silent scream on her face as venom leaked from her massive wounds.
"Take her and leave, but let me warn you, you ever come back, it will be the last time that you do!" Renee said pointing her glaive at them.
The Cullen's swiftly grasped the two halves of Esme and with the Owl Monster on their heels swiftly left as if the hounds of hell were at their backs.
Renee smirked as the door slammed behind them, before she placed her glaive against the wall. The giant owl like creature shimmered as they heard the sound of tires spinning and a car racing from outside. In it's place stood a tall native American man with a smirk on his face as he grabbed the shorts Renee threw at him and pulled them on.
"Seriously Holata, I don't need to see that," She laughed as he smirked at her and sat on the couch like nothing had occurred. "Tea?"
Holata laughed and nodded in response before unceremoniously flopping onto the sectional couch.
"You always have the best parties Ren," Holata smirked.
"You always like to show off, Holata!" Renee countered.
"What can I say, I enjoy my work," he replied with a grin.
The two friends laughed as Renee placed a mug of tea infront of the shifter. She leant back in her seat and savoured the warm soothing taste of the drink.
"Mmmm, nothing beats a good cup of tea after a little ass kicking," Renee sighed, before snorting with giggles.
Holata laughed alongside her, they'd known each other ever since she had left Washington, making an alliance of sorts, although more of deep friendship that had lasted years.
"So any idea on why they want Bells?" Renee questioned.
"None, they didn't really say much, spent more time bitching each other out and moaning about all your crystals, do you realise how difficult it was for me to remain still and not laugh my ass off whilst they were ransacking the place?" Holata responded.
"Atleast they didn't work out the portal stone, I'm not a big fan of the clutter, but it serves it's purpose," Renee answered. "Seriously though, I'm getting concerned that they're building up and Phil will be in danger if they keep this up, I'm dreading the moment that we end up having to head home."
"Better to regroup and live to fight another day," Holata offered.
Renee sighed, "I know, I know." she could see that eventually she would have to bite the bullet and use the portal, vampires were notorious in their pursuit, she'd seen it many times over the last 60 years, didn't mean she would have to like it.
"I'll wait and talk to Phil." she stated.