A/N: Maybe one more chapter after this one, I'm starting to run out of steam and other stories are distracting me xx Alexis
I'm staring at my newest ornament, my newest gold-plated ornament. Doesn't everyone have a gold-plated drone in the middle of their sitting room? No, just me then! I quirk my brow at Peter and he shrugs,
"Just markin' the occasion suga', I thought it looked rather nifty," he says trying not to laugh,
"Thank you, Peter, very thoughtful, I think. Just don't get any more fancy ideas, please. I don't want any more strange things gold-plated for my home!" I say before we both burst out laughing,
"Duly noted Bella, no gold-plated body parts in the house!" he sniggers, I'm not sure what's going on in his head sometimes,
"Peter!" I huff as I slap his arm, no, just no!
"How about some twenty-four Karat gold moves in the bedroom suga', would you like to see those?" Peter inquires wiggling his eyebrows at me,
"Okay handsome, only because you sweet-talked me into it!" I reply,
I giggle at him as I take his outstretched hand, but he's not wrong! He's seriously got some awesome moves that always get me hot and bothered every time. He may be a bit of a joker, but he's my joker and I love him. Plus I really couldn't think of a better way to pass an afternoon than in bed with my future husband. He may seem to the outside world as a bit of an idiot, but to me, he is warm, caring, sensitive and extremely loving. What more could a woman want, than a man who puts you first in everything he does and says. There are many out there who could do with taking a leaf out of my Peter's book.
Three months have now turned into two, the plans for the wedding are set in stone as it were. My studies are coming on in leaps and bounds. The history of Art section is thrilling and I know now spotting a forgery or over-painted piece will be a breeze for me. I have to stop myself from turning in assignments too quickly, that might raise some eyebrows. But I'm almost up to date and can see myself starting the restoration classes sooner than I thought. Being a vampire has its benefits that's for sure, but I'll have to learn some patience as well. Sometimes things seem to go so slowly.
So we have just one month to go before our wedding and so far all has been quiet around here. I did get an email from Mr Anderson telling me my file was buried and I felt it best to inform him of my impending marriage and therefore honeymoon in Europe. I was trying to be as open and as normal as possible, before fading into obscurity for him. I knew he was only about ten years from retiring and what's ten years to a vampire. By then I'd have my new vocation down pat and with stage makeup be seen as a thirty-odd-year-old no problem. It's longer than I planned before but this way I don't have to appear to have died.
All in all, everything is going smoothly and to plan at that, I know in the back of my mind, it's too good to be true! We spend our days making sure the ranch is up to scratch and our night in each other's arms planning our long future together. There are so many places I want to see and many he does too,
"Why haven't you gone before now Peter?" I quiz him and he shrugs,
"Didn't want to go alone suga', I wanted to share it all with someone special" he explains, with a slightly bashful look,
"I'm glad. I want to see them all for the first time with you too" I tell him sincerely, he's such a romantic, nobody would guess by looking at him,
I'm so happy to be his someone now and look forward to seeing all these places together as a mated couple, a mated married couple. This month just slips away and before I know it I'm knee-deep in deliveries and wedding paraphernalia! Jeez, what would this have been like if it was a large over the top wedding? The other four arrived back with only ten days to go. I'm so happy to see them all and the guys kept Peter occupied because he's getting so antsy, it's making me jumpy too. I think he's terrified someone will stop this from happening. But I'm determined to marry him even if we're thigh-high in bodies!
Our guests are slowly starting to arrive with five days left now. I know Marcus and Heidi will be the last to get here. But what do we expect, he's one of the leaders of our world and he's a busy man. I don't envy him his job as one of the rulers, there are just so many places to oversee and way more rogue vampires than there should be. What I don't need to know from our friends, is how many of them were contacted by Edward Cullen prior to their arrival here. He is trying to get them to help him stop the wedding at any cost. They all thankfully laughed at him and hung up, but I'm sure he'll follow one of them here.
Eleazar said he has spent hours on the phone with Tanya; he was less than amused to find she wasn't invited to my wedding. Jeez, he's vetting the list of guests now, those women are not related to me or Peter and what's it got to do with him. Turns out Edward was constantly bemoaning the incompetence of the CIA for not arresting me, thus getting me away from Peter's influence. That boy was beyond stupid and thought his childlike attempts were good strategic plans; I might have been exposed as non-human because of him! I just don't get how he survived this long; he is arrogant and an insufferable git with it.
Four more days and I'll be Peter's wife as well as his mate. Mrs Peter Whitlock, Mrs Isabella Whitlock, no Bella Whitlock, plain and simple. I don't have or need no airs and graces and neither does he. The outer perimeter alarm went off earlier today; I know it's Edward, who else could it be. He just doesn't have the balls to get any closer as yet. We're only waiting on the Italian contingent now and that will be two more days. I was going to just walk down the aisle myself, but as Char is my matron of honour and Jasper is Peter's best man. I decided to ask both Garrett and Abriel to walk with me, that way they are also involved.
Because we three are the newer additions to the Whitlock coven, it's kind of symbolic, well in my mind it is! Char and Abriel have decided to wear their hair up and mine will be worn down. Although Char's will be in a low bun so she can wear her hat. Abriel says, no hat for her, but she'll wear cowboy boots to tease Jasper with. Why is the time passing so damned slowly? We still have two days to go, but at least the four from Italy have now arrived. Emmett and Rose are staying stateside for a while as all the upgrades are finished in Volterra for the moment.
But I sense that they will probably return to Italy full-time eventually. I think they felt for once they had a purpose and were needed, even wanted. But for now, they are returning to Denali, since Carlisle is now in Volterra under orders. Once Caius puts him in his place and he will, because Carlisle thinks way too highly of himself, as does his son. But in Volterra he's nobody and vampires don't need doctors so he's also now useless! Eleazar is happy to teach them all he knows before they return to Italy once more. The most changed person here is Esme, she's happier than I've ever seen her and looks so young and vibrant now.
Boris has been so good for her in so many ways; he seems to bring the best out in her. I think it's because he doesn't keep her in his shadow, in fact, he seems to bask in her newfound glow. That's the difference between him and Carlisle, he sees Esme as someone to be cherished. Not as a prop to the pretend life he created for Edward. One more day to go and the inner perimeter alarm has been triggered several times now. It's as if he doesn't know whether to stay or go, he really should have chosen to go! I've stopped everyone from going to investigate, he'll run and I can't be bothered to chase him.
At freaking last! Today is the day, I'm getting married. I never thought I'd ever do this or be this excited about it either. Finally, the day has arrived, all our friends are here and I'm so ready to get this show on the road. Here I am in white and more excited than I've ever been about anything. That's what love, true unbreakable love does to you, it makes your heart soar. I'm guessing Edward will make his move at the, 'If anyone can show just cause why this couple cannot lawfully be joined together in matrimony, let them speak now or forever hold their peace', part for dramatic effect.
Why I don't have the foggiest because he has no just cause. Maybe he thinks I'll swoon into his arms, my hero! He is so infantile and delusional. I can't understand why he can't accept I'm not his mate or anything like that. He's a child of seventeen, I'm an adult! In what warped scenario would I find a child sexually appealing? None whatsoever, that's just a bridge too far for me! I don't even care that he is my sire; he ruined that by killing me needlessly. I have no connection with Edward at all, that's a fantasy in his head, shit! Edward has an obsessive crush on me and it's about to get him killed.
Well, Carlisle wanted them to be human, looks like he succeeded with Edward. He turned a vampire into a humanesque stalker, wow; I hope he's happy because he has had a very large hand in Edward's downfall! I mean he literally created Edward to be like this and now even he has basically washed his hands of him, leaving him out here in our world, while he's safe in Volterra. Does he know this is the end for Edward then? So anything he does now Carlisle can't be blamed for and with no Aro to read them he can't be held responsible! Talk about abandoning the sinking ship!
Aha! That sounds like my cue, Rose and Heidi are playing the wedding march on the piano and violin, it was so nice of them to offer, better than taped generic music. The guys are all in black jeans, white shirts, black vests and cowboy hats. Well, Peter and Jasper are wearing Stetsons, Garrett passed and has his hair held back with a black leather tie. I just want them all to be comfortable and happy in what they have on and everyone seems to be. I only have eyes for Peter now and he looks so good, he has his sleeves rolled up and seems pretty relaxed. But I can see the tightening of his eyes and the nervous licking of his lips.
My man has tells just like everyone else and I can read him. He's worried Edward will ruin this for me and for him too. But I know he'll come, he'll try to make a big production of it and I'm not prepared to allow that. So with a squeeze of Peter's hand once I reach him and a nod to Marcus we begin. Vampire weddings tend to leave out all the hymns and sermons. We all know heaven might be a place we never see and don't need it rammed down our throats. But we also know we have souls and it's up to us individually, to redeem them if we can. It's a very fine line we traverse and some don't even try or care.
I suck in a breath as we reach the part where Edward will come bursting in expecting everyone to listen to him and even take his side. As I've mentioned he's delusional to the nth degree. Marcus takes a deep breath also knowing this is the time and speaks,
"If anyone can show just cause why this couple cannot lawfully be joined together in matrimony, let them speak now or forever hold their peace," he says and before he even finishes his sentence, we hear him running towards us,
"I object! She belongs to me!" Edward shouts loudly and unnecessarily, all the guests are vampires, most shake their heads at his stupidity,
As he runs towards us from the inner boundary, with the practised look of being the wronged party on his face. I heave a small sigh of resignation; I knew he'd try to ruin my big day. Try to make it into a farce, anything to stop it. That's what children do; they throw a tantrum to draw the attention to them, to keep it on them. So I glance at Marcus and he inclines his head, giving me the go-ahead to rid us of the nuisance known as Edward Cullen. And I then turn to Peter and smile; I reach up on my tiptoes and kiss his lips gently.
"Could you hold this for me please, my almost-husband?" I ask as I strip off my wedding dress, no way am I ruining it for Edward Cullen,
Everyone around us sniggers at the looks on Edward and Peter's faces. One is gleeful the other deadly. As I step towards the boy, I'm in a lacy backless bodysuit ensemble and my cowboy hat. Edward looks confused and unsure now, I don't think he planned beyond the point of objecting, maybe he should have. I stalk towards him and he turns to run, thinking I assume to try again later. Of course, he hits my shield and is thrown back towards me. I don't even talk to him, why would I? I have nothing to say to him and hell he wouldn't listen anyway.
He means less than nothing to me. I just reach out and grab him by the hair and start ripping him to shreds, he can't even fight me off, he's pathetic. I'm done as far as this inconsequential fool is concerned; he is a pest, a thorn in my side, a pebble in my shoe to be disposed of as quickly as possible. It takes less than a minute to have him reduced to a pile of confetti sized bits, with his head balancing on top. I feel nothing for him, not even contempt. He isn't affecting me in the least, this is my day and nobody can take it away from me.
I look down and see pure fear on his stricken face. He now realises his error is going to be fatal. But it's well beyond too late, he pushed me too far to pull back now. In a calm and cold voice devoid of any emotion I speak to him for the first time since he arrived.
"I belong to no one Edward, I never did. But I freely gave myself to Peter the first day I awoke, after being changed by you!" I tell his pile of bits,
I look down at myself and realise I have no lighter on me. But I see Peter's hand appear next to the remains of Edward with his.
"Let me suga'? Char will help you with your dress" is all he says with eyes as black as ebony and I nod in assent; happy it's over now,
"Well goodbye Eddie, it's been a pain in the backside knowin' you!" Peter tells him as he lights up Edwards venom soaked remains without preamble,
I once more have my dress on and turn to Marcus and smile sweetly,
"His objection is no longer valid," I remark and a few giggles and snorts are heard from our guests, none seem bothered by his demise.
Marcus carries on as if there had been no interruption and summary execution. He asks for the rings which Jasper produces and I gasp, having not seen them before this. They are two beautiful black gold, etched wedding bands that match my engagement ring perfectly. I remember now, that other box Peter picked up that day and now I knew what it was. Once the I do's were finished and Peter kissed me like he was a drowning man. Marcus began the rarely done vampire binding and this time we weren't the only couple being blessed. Char and Garrett, Rose and Emmett, Esme and Boris and Jasper and Abriel also took part.
This was a twofold thing, not only were you officially seen as a mated pair by the ruling house, but we were tying ourselves to the remaining Volturi brothers by taking part in this, their custom. This was a good way of them having outside backing when it was needed. Maybe Aro should have tried this route instead of enslaving everyone. In times of war or great unrest, we would rally to the brother's banner, as allies, not vassals. It was in fact an act of diplomacy, but also a bringing together of different factions and reminding them they were vampires.
Today the Volturi gained ten new allies that they didn't have before and four were fearsome warriors. It was a two-way street, of course, they would also come to our aid if needs be. This was a way of keeping and ensuring peace, one that should have been done in the past. But Aro's need for control and ultimate power bent and twisted their vampire laws.