A/N: So, obviously my hands are finally cooperating with my urge to create. I wanted to share how much I appreciate you with a quick update!
Happy Holidays, my lovelies!
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Penelope had been toiling since the first light of morning had graced the stone tower. Shafts of sunlight poured in through the thin rectangles that sliced through the wall of her prison, illuminating the space. Night had since fallen, and with the waning of the moon, the witch had been required to halt her work.
Because who would be stupid enough to give a witch a candle, Penelope thought with a mental eye-roll, as though she wasn't fully capable of expressing her magic in whatever manner she chose.
I am both cursed and blessed to be here, she reminded herself.
Sometimes, there is no better place to be than in the lion's den.
/ * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \
Bella stared at her lunch, deep in thought.
Just one week: there will be two nomadic, human-drinking vampires in Forks, in seven days, and it means I will likely need to stay away. Bella mentally reviewed with a small frown.
But if it also means we can come up with a solution it's worth the risk they pose to the town, right?
She turned back into the conversation and was almost immediately confused.
"And obviously I need to find a dress since, Mike, Eric, Angela, and I are going as a group," Jessica was explaining to Rosalie.
"Going to what?" Bella asked, confused.
"Uh–, Earth to Bella," Jessica mocked. "The Spring Formal."
"What Spring Formal?"
Jessica gestured wildly around the cafeteria at the colorful flyers that announced a dance at the end of April.
"Have you honestly not noticed?" her friend asked in a shocked tone. "The fliers have been up for over a week!"
"I didn't even realize," Bella mumbled with a groan of frustration.
"I assumed you hadn't brought it up because you didn't wish to go. If you would, however, I'd be honored to take you," Jasper offered as he tucked a section of hair behind Bella's ear. "I'd take you anywhere," he breathed more quietly, just for Bella to hear.
Bella blushed in response, then cleared her throat. "I'd love to go with you," she answered, her words applying to both sentiments.
"Well, then," Jessica cut in, "it sounds to me like you'd better come with us to pick out dresses."
"And why didn't you ask me, Rosie?" Emmett asked Rosalie accusingly.
Jessica and Angela burst into giggles at the outburst.
Rosalie sighed deeply and in a playful tone said, "Awh, Baby, had I known you wanted to go, I would have taken you dress shopping myself," then winked at her husband, much to the continued amusement of the table.
"I'm just shocked at how inconsiderate you are. Maybe my real friends will understand how I feel," Emmett fake cried and scooted closer to Angela and Jessica.
Rosalie laughed at that and allowed, "It doesn't sound like a bad idea, actually."
"The dress?" Emmett asked in mock excitement. "I mean, I'd need a corsage to go with it and it's such short notice to figure out my colors."
"I'm not dignifying you with a response," Rosalie answered with a put-upon grin. "I meant dress shopping," she directed at Jessica. "Mind a tag-along?"
"The more the merrier!" Jessica answered happily.
We didn't mean to exclude you," Angela explained anxiously. "We had just noticed that–," she looked guiltily at Rosalie. "We noticed that you all never went to the dances and thought they just weren't your thing."
"Well, they usually aren't, but this one sounds fun, especially since I know all of you," Rosalie explained. "Would you two want help with hair and makeup, too?"
"Oh, my God, yes!" Jessica exploded happily.
"That would be fantastic," Angela agreed with a smile. "Thanks so much for offering."
"Seriously, thank you!" Jessica tacked on, remembering her manners.
"It'll be fun!" Rosalie responded with a smile.
"So, where does one get dresses around here?" Bella asked, her excitement building exponentially with the energy around her.
"Well, we're thinking about checking in Port Angeles this weekend with Angela's mom," Jessica started in annoyance, "but she might not agree to take us, and we might not find anything."
Almost imperceptibly, Jasper inhaled sharply through his nose at the risk Port Angeles would pose.
Rosalie nodded almost imperceptibly at her brother. "Well, we can check but if we can't find anything, I know Esme and I were planning on going shopping in Seattle at some point this month. She needs to pick up some lamps she was having repaired," she explained. "Would you all want to pack in with us so we can go looking?"
"Are you kidding me?" Jessica asked, a gleam of pure excitement in her eyes. "That would be awesome! My mom didn't want me driving that far, but probably wouldn't have an issue with your mom taking us."
"On that note, I'm pretty sure she would take us this weekend so your mom wouldn't be put out, Ang," Rosalie suggested.
Bella grinned at the easily arranged vampire escort and smiled at her mate reassuringly.
"But what about me, Rosie," Emmett asked making googly eyes at his wife. "Don't I deserve a pretty dress?"
"You know I like picking things out for you, baby," Rosalie answered with a wink, earning her another round of giggles. "Besides, didn't you and Jasper want to hang around to meet with our friends?"
Emmett pouted, his lower lip protruding comically. "Fine."
"You begged me to stay home when Esme wanted to go get her lamps." Rosalie pointed out.
"It didn't sound fun, then."
"Ya snooze, ya lose," Jessica quipped.
"Hey!" Emmett objected. "Whose side are you on?"
"I think what these fine, proper, young ladies are trying to say," Jasper started to explain, earning a snort from Jessica at the word "proper" before he could continue. "Is that they would enjoy company among their own to go shopping."
"I suppose that makes sense," Emmett conceded. "Besides, we do have visitors coming."
"Which I said!" Rosalie interjected, faking her frustration.
"It sounded better in an accent?"
"I'll give you accent," Rosalie muttered darkly, unable to keep the teasing grin off her face.
The rest of the lunch hour was spent with the girls describing the types of dresses they wanted to try on and creating a list of shop locations to try in Port Angeles, as well as Seattle.
/ * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \
Bella was on edge: something is coming, her body whispered to her.
I'm just nervous about dress shopping tomorrow, Bella tried to reassure herself. It's a long way from Jasper while his friends are here. Friends that either may not like me at all, like me a little too much, or be cause for me to stay away. Great.
Her instinctual side was silent but clearly agitated.
She glanced at the clock in the biology classroom once more and was relieved to find that only 15 minutes of the class remained.
Bella turned her attention to her worksheet and checked over her answers to pass the time until she would see Jasper's face once more.
Thankfully, time seemed to be on her side, as what felt like moments later, the bell was ringing, and the class was packing up to leave.
Bella spotted a golden head of hair in her periphery and grinned to herself as she stowed her biology textbook in her bag and flitted to his side. Their hands met immediately, each seeking to feel the other.
"Howdy, darlin'," Jasper rumbled softly. "You look particularly lovely today."
Bella blushed to the roots of her hair. "You know darn well I rolled out of bed and grabbed my clothes in the dark."
"Doesn't change my feelings on the matter," her mate grinned mischievously, effectively diffusing her previous distress.
The two made for Bella's truck, and once inside, Jasper asked, "So, how would you feel about coming over tonight?"
The suggestion felt right; something was pulling them to the Cullen house.
"Seems like a good idea," Bella answered with a grin. "I was feeling odd earlier."
Jasper smiled at his mate and complied, happy to keep up appearances. "Odd how?"
Bella nibbled on her lip, trying to figure out how to explain the feeling while they stopped for a red light. "It's like something is–," she trailed off.
"Coming," Jasper finished his sentence. "I feel it too."
"Yes, oh my God. I'm so glad you know what I'm talking about. Any idea what we're up against?"
"None, truly," Jasper responded with a grimace. "I do know that my home is where we need to be, however."
"Well, then I guess we'd better try to catch up to Rose and Em."
A long, and somewhat tense 15-minute drive later, Bella turned her pickup onto the winding driveway of the Cullen's home. Through the last bend in the trees, Bella could make out a flashy red vehicle, flanked by Emmett and Rosalie.
"Is that a Ferrari?" Bella asked, while she turned off the engine and moved to exit the truck. "My aun–."
"The nomads are early. Stay in your truck, Bella," Jasper ordered, unbuckling and launching himself outside to be briefed by his brother and sister.
Bella was already opening her door, however, and had one foot on the ground.
A blur of white and brown launched itself from the porch of the Cullen home and landed squarely in front of Bella. It was followed shortly by a rampaging Emmett Cullen. The being wrapped their arms tightly around her, and Bella started screaming.
/ * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \ / * \
Jasper was on them in less than a second, ready to murder Peter if he needed to.
"Uncle Pete!" Bella shrieked happily, drawing Emmett up short. "When did you get here?"
"Uncle Pete?" Jasper growled, his hands on the neck of his long-time friend, prepared to rip it clear off.
"Jesus Christ, Major!" Peter yelled, setting Bella gently on the ground. "Yes, Uncle Pete." He put his hands up in a show of good-will.
Rosalie stalked closer to the group, her unease apparent.
"How in the–, when did you–, did Renee know you're a vampire?" Each question that tumbled out of Bella's mouth was an octave high than the last.
Just then, the trio was joined by a second blur, this one white and red, which also scooped Bella up joyfully.
"Oh, Izzy!" Charlotte exclaimed happily. "I have missed you so much, Sugar."
"I've missed you too, Aunt Lottie," Bella cried into her aunt's hair.
Peter looked from Bella to Jasper and recognized the danger he and his mate were in.
"Char, we should probably explain ourselves to the Major before he slaughters us for touching his mate."
"Why doesn't everyone come on inside?" Esme asked politely from the porch.
The invitation doubled as a warning, indicating that an additional two vampires were prepared to step in if necessary, and as always, it wasn't merely a suggestion.
Jasper wrapped a protective arm around his mate and the group moved as one, compelled to do as Esme directed.
Peter whistled lowly, "That is some gift, Mama Bear."
Esme offered an almost genuine smile, feigning ignorance. "I'm not quite sure I understand, dear." She waved them into the living room.
Peter snorted and he and Char filed into the space to take seats where Esme had indicated.
Jasper stood next to one end of the couch where he gently planted Bella. Bella found herself tightly wedged in when she was followed by Rosalie, and then Emmett who shoved himself into the other end. Their protective stance was unmistakable: all three of them would gladly die to keep Bella safe.
"Well, I can see you've been taking care of our Bella," Peter offered, with a grin.
Jasper growled and for the first time, Bella was truly worried that a fight would ensue.
"Please, Major, we can explain," Peter began.
"She is not your anything," Jasper murmured lowly.
"She's our niece!" Charlotte protested quietly.
Jasper's dark eyes, the eyes of a predator, flicked toward Charlotte and Bella realized that she was no longer seeing her mate, but The Major.
Bella risked moving for the first time since she had been sat down. She turned her face to her mate and moved her arm slowly enough that Jasper would register it in his periphery and not be startled.
She reached for his hand gripped it softly.
"Jasper," Bella murmured quietly. "I need you to listen to my Aunt and Uncle."
The Major finally met Bella's eyes, his instincts very visibly warring within him as his eyes shifted from pitch to topaz and back again.
"They have had thousands, millions of chances to hurt me over the course of my life," Bella pointed out. "And they never have. Not ever."
"She lived with us, for fuck's sake," Peter muttered darkly, earning The Major's full attention.
"You're not helping," Charlotte hissed at her mate and gave him a light smack.
"So," Emmett cut in, clearly tired of being on the sidelines. "Who's going to kick us off?"
Charlotte rubbed her face in exasperation. "Well, it's a bit of a long story."
"Then I suppose it's a good thing we have time," Rosalie tacked on.
"Alright, where do we begin, Char?"
"Why don't you start with how you came to be Bella's Aunt and Uncle," Esme suggested wisely.
"Well, we met Renee out on a hunt one night." Peter began, much to Bella's shock.
Rosalie raised one perfectly arched eyebrow.
"Wait, that sounds bad," Peter amended. "Char and I, we were trying to feed your way," he gestured to the vegetarian family.
"Oh my God," Bella whispered, comprehension dawning on her. "You met her during a shift."
"Bingo!" Peter confirmed with a grin. "We were confused, see, because she didn't smell like anything."
"Peter picked her up," Charlotte added with a smile. "She was a coyote, and upon being scooped up so unceremoniously, shifted into an elephant."
Emmett howled at the mental image, startling his entire family. "I'm sorry," he wheezed, "I just really think we need to add an elephant to the training rotation."
Bella groaned. "You would, Em."
"Anyway," Char continued excitedly, "after we realized she wasn't an animal, we took time getting to know her. We were so shocked when she shifted back into a human, stark naked, in the middle of the desert."
"When?" Bella asked, her throat dry. "How old was I?"
"Well," Peter turned to Charlotte, unsure how to answer the question. "You weren't here yet."
"You knew her before she met Charlie?"
Bella's Aunt and Uncle exchanged another look. "We met her way before she met Charlie, Sweetpea," Charlotte offered.
"A good twenty-five years before," to be precise," Peter clarified.
"But my mom was–, she was only–," Bella did the math in her head. "That's impossible, she was only twenty when she met my dad. She was born in 1966."
"No, Iz," Charlotte whispered softly. "Your mom was born in 1744."
What the actual fuck. There's no way.
"What–, I–, no! That can't be true. That's impossible."
Peter and Charlotte looked at one another then back to Bella. "I mean, is it?" Charlotte asked, gesturing to the entire room.
"But my mom wasn't a vampire!" Bella shouted, moving to a stand in her frustration. She pushed her hair out of her face in agitation.
"No, Sweetpea, she wasn't," Peter reassured her and made motions with his arms for her to stand down, as the Major had once more taken a defensive stance.
"I'm sorry, I just–," Bella's eyes began to fill with tears. "There are just so many things that I don't know, and you're kind of blowing up everything I thought I knew." Breaking down entirely, Bella turned to seek comfort from her mate.
Jasper wrapped his cold arms around her, finally tearing his gaze from Peter and Charlotte; the need to comfort his mate took front and center. He didn't tell her it was okay, which Bella appreciated immensely. He did, however, slide his hands soothingly up and down her back until she quieted, and pulled away to study her face.
"If you need time before we continue this talk, darlin', that's understandable," he murmured softly, wiping tears from her cheeks.
"No, I–, I need to hear this. I need to know," Bella decided quickly.
Jasper wrapped one arm around his mate and settled the two of them onto the couch, allowing Bella to be wedged between the comfort of himself and Rosalie. With all her family surrounding her, including her Aunt and Uncle, her resolve solidified.
"Please, explain."
"From what we've been told," Peter started, "the shifting gene was a gift, bestowed upon your line in the 1500s." The vampire gave Bella a few moments before continuing.
"We don't know how or why, unfortunately, but we do know that the first was your great-grandmother. Both your great-grandmother and grandmother were born in the 1500s," Charlotte added.
Bella gulped, slowly beginning to believe that what she was hearing, and was no longer waiting for someone to jump up and shout "gotcha!"
"How did they live for so long?" Bella asked quietly.
"Well, from what Renee said," Peter cut in, "once the shifter gene is activated, you experience a wicked growth spurt that launches you to adulthood. Within two years it's done, and you stop."
"Two years will come in a few months," Bella realized slowly. "I'll stop aging then?"
"Very soon, actually, based on my calculations," Carlisle added quietly from a loveseat he was occupying with Esme. "You and I haven't been running as many tests lately, but from what I have observed, your growth spurt has slowed considerably. Any changes now are practically infinitesimal."
Bella said nothing, and the room respectfully remained silent. After a few minutes, she let out a sigh of relief.
"Well, I guess you're stuck with me," she directed to Jasper.
"Guess so, darlin'," Jasper teased her back, his own relief evident.
A contented silence filled the space a moment later.
"Thank Christ," Peter murmured.
Bella looked around and realized every vampire in the room had relaxed considerably. She turned a questioning gaze to her mate.
"Yeah, that was him," Peter announced confidently. "Had us all a little on edge."
"Your gift?" Bella asked curiously.
"No, just the mere presence of The Major," Charlotte answered, examining the two closely.
"He's kinda like The Incredible Hulk, see," Peter started the explain. "Except, he doesn't get all big and green, he just gets really, really scary."
Jasper stopped breathing, and somehow, Bella felt the shift in her mate's mood. His shame was apparent to no one but her. Bella jumped free from Rosalie and Jasper.
"Don't you dare compare him to a monster," Bella growled angrily, her hands shaking with energy. Despite being a full five days outside of her normal shifting window, claws began to grow where her nails were, and her eyes took on the appearance of something distinctly feline.
"Easy there, Sug," Charlotte spoke calmly. "Think about The Hulk for a second. He isn't a bad guy."
"It doesn't matter, the connotation is still monster," Bella snarled. "Jasper most certainly is not a monster."
"Most of the vampire population would disagree with you, darlin'," Jasper cut in quietly.
Bella didn't take her eyes off her Aunt and Uncle. "Well, they're wrong."
"Pete didn't mean anything by it," Jasper reassured his mate. "We rib each other all the time. He's a foul-mouthed son of a bitch that can't seem to think before he speaks. Ever."
Bella's rage began to ebb, as she remembered all the times Uncle Pete had pissed off both Lottie and Renee. If her mate was able to handle it, she could back down.
"I love you, but don't make that mistake again, Uncle Pete," Bella gave a final warning as she righted herself.
"Hey!" Emmett exploded. "You aren't bruised this time!"
Bella looked to her hands to see that her brother was correct. "I guess the growth spurt has led to some changes."
Charlotte and Peter exchanged troubled glances. "I hate to be the one to break it to you, yet again, but a partial shift form isn't something Renee could do."
Bella froze, not quite sure she understood. "Of course, she could. She must have been able to–, how else could I?"
"Well," Peter started slowly, "again, just from what we've been told, the shifter genes have only strengthened over time, changing subtly with each generation."
"Evolution," Carlisle breathed slowly, assessing Bella with a gleam in his eyes.
Jasper glared at his father. "Bella isn't a lab rat, Carlisle."
"Oh, dear. I certainly didn't mean to give that impression," Carlisle answered with chagrin. "Forgive me, Bella," he directed at the shifter. "I just get excited about new information."
"I get it, Doc. You like figuring out how people work," Bella forgave him easily, mollifying her mate.
Clearly, we're all still a little tense.
"Perhaps we should refer to your mother's journals, Bella," Charlotte suggested.
"What journals?"
Peter and Charlotte exchanged yet another troubled glance.
"Enough of that you two," Jasper ordered. "Spill."
"When I texted you, I mentioned that we were dealing with our own situation," Peter reminded his creator.
"I recall," Jasper noted.
"When Renee passed, we rented a storage unit. We put away the furniture that wouldn't fit at Charlie's, and things we thought you'd want later when you had a place of your own," Peter addressed Bella. "Some boxes contained mementos that needed to be sorted through."
"We went last month, but something didn't feel right," Charlotte picked up where Peter had left off. "The air had been disturbed, and it felt like someone had been inside the unit, though, there was no scent. We realized quickly, however, that some boxes were missing."
"At least five that we hadn't gone through yet. We knew from packing them that they contained pictures and the majority of her journals," Peter whispered quietly, his tone conveying how serious he was taking the theft.
"We assumed that you had them loaded with the moving truck back in January, and had them here; that maybe some warehouse foreman had been inside," Charlotte directed to the girl.
"No," Bella managed to choke out. "I have a box of photos, and a single journal detailing my early shifter progress. That's it."
Both Peter and Charlotte looked grave.
"Then we have a huge problem," Jasper connected the dots quickly.
It took Bella a moment to get there. "Someone has my mom's journals and our photos."
"Journals detailing back to the beginning of her life," Peter clarified. "Starting with her shifts in 1760."
"And worse, Sug," Charlotte shivered, "photos of the two of you."
Bella felt her world crashing down around her and began hyperventilating. She started pacing frantically. "I need to go get the box from my closet."
"We'll go," Esme replied reassuringly. "Where is it, exactly?"
"Bedroom closet, upper left behind my summer clothes."
Carlisle and Esme flitted away immediately, leaving the rest of the family and the nomads.
Charlotte stood slowly, gauging the reactions of the Major and the remaining Cullen's.
Bella's eyes filled with tears once more and she staggered to her Aunt, needing the familiarity and a hug.
"I'm so sorry this is happening Sweetpea," Charlotte tried to soothe her niece.
"I just don't understand, Aunt Lottie. Who would do this? Why?"
"I don't know," the vampire answered sadly.
Carlisle and Esme were back in record time, horrified looks on their faces.
"The box isn't there, Bella," Esme spoke fearfully.
Bella surged backward from her Aunt's grip and began pacing as she put the pieces together.
"Jasper," she started but couldn't finish. "What if–," she trailed off, trying to wrap her head around the realization she had just made. "What if the missing people cases are related to the disappearing scent trails?"
Jasper's face lost all expression as the horrifying realization set in.
"The missing persons cases have dated back to a year before I came here, and I know the other vampires only came recently, but is it possible there's some kind of vampire with a gift to–," Bella trailed off, thinking of what sort of gift would encompass this skill set.
"A gift of cloaking," Jasper answered, his voice hoarse once more.
"Exactly!" Bella exclaimed.
"Yes, that's very possible," Jasper responded, his voice tight.
"Well," Bella raised her eyebrow, "isn't it good that we know?"
"Do you understand what that means, Bella?" her mate asked with real fear in his voice.
"That they may have taken the boxes and journals, too," Bella replied in a bewildered tone, assuming that had been implied.
"It also means that if one of their party has a gift to cloak them, it's very possible that they never left."
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