Fated
Chapter 10
A/N: Thank you everyone for your patience in waiting for Chapter 10. I've been having some health that have slowed my writing down, but I should be able to get the next chapter up sooner. I hope you all enjoy!
It's been a week since I've seen Edward and Jacob. Edward and Alice went to Pennsylvania, where the vampire coven came from, to investigate. Jacob has been busy continuing his training on how to control his sparkle. I have not seen either of them since last weekend at Alice's house. I picked up extra shifts at work this week to keep myself busy, but today is Saturday and I don't have school or work this weekend and I'm wondering what I'm going to do with myself.
After my morning shower, I throw on a comfortable black t-shirt and a pair of jeans and start down the stairs.
"Bella," Patty yells as I'm trotting down the stairs. "Look who has come to visit."
I hit the last step, turn towards the kitchen, and see Patty and Jacob sitting at the island together. They both turn in their seats to face me. Jacob is wearing a proud grin. I'm shocked to see him controlling his sparkle already. Edward said that could take weeks to learn.
"Jacob! You're the last person I expected to see here!" I walk up to Jacob and hug him.
"Why?" Patty says.
Jacob and I both look at Patty and then at each other, speechless for a moment.
"Because it feels like it's been forever since we've seen him," I give as an excuse as I hug Jacob again. This fake perky personality is so not me, but it's the best excuse I could come up with off the top of my head.
"It hasn't been that long, Bella. But I'm glad you're here too Jacob!" Patty, wanting attention, stands up and hugs Jacob. Then she releases him.
"I have to get going to work now, but let's go to Otoole's tonight, guys!" Patty suggests as she looks back and forth between myself and Jacob.
"That sounds good with me," Jacob says.
I look at Jacob like I'm surprised he even wants to go to bars anymore. I thought he would be wanting to do vampire stuff, whatever that is.
"Come on, Bella. Let's hang out for at least a little bit. You can meet up with Officer Fine Ass later." Patty says. Jacob snickers.
"Well, maybe for just a little bit." It would be a fun distraction and something to do until Edward returns.
"Great!" Patty says.
Patty turns to Jacob. "There is something different about you." She leans in close to him, her eyes scrutinizing him. "I just can't figure out what it is." Jacob tenses.
"Your eyes are different!" Patty says.
Panic rising in my chest, I quickly look at Jacob's eyes, expecting them to have turned Ocher like other vampire's eyes. They are the same dark, maple brown eyes he's always had. I breathe a sigh of relief. They do look more intense though. I wonder why his eyes didn't turn Ocher.
"I had to get contacts," Jacob tells Patty. "I think they make my eyes look a little more sparkly."
Patty takes a closer look. "Yes. That's it. They look more intense."
My cell rings and when I look at the number calling my heart jumps. "It's Edward!" I exclaim.
"Don't pick it up right away. It will make you look desperate. Let it ring," Patty advises. She has too many dating rules I just can't keep up with. I answer immediately.
"Hi!" I'm embarrassed at how overly excited I just sounded.
"Bella, How are you? I've missed you."
"I've missed you too, Edward.
"I'm sorry I've been absent so long. I never want to be away from you this long, but I had no choice. The sooner Alice and I find this coven, fewer people will die."
"I understand, Edward. Really I do."
"I hope you don't mind, but I've been having Carlisle, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, and Esme keep an eye on you while I'm gone. They have been taking turns watching over you but keeping their distance so you don't feel stalked."
"I didn't know anyone was watching me. I'll have to thank them all for that, and tell them next time they should come in and visit and relax. If they are going to have to babysit me, they may as well do it comfortably."
Edward laughs. "I'll be sure to tell them that, but they don't have to babysit anymore."
"Why?" My heart is racing with excitement in the hopes he is back."
"Because we're back. In fact, if you are not doing anything right now, Alice and I would like to come over. You may be able to help us with this case some more."
"That would be great! I'd love to! Jacob is here also. Patty is too but she's leaving for work now." Patty has the front door open and is waving goodbye to me. I wave and mouth 'see you tonight' to her.
"Bye Bella, bye Jacob," Patty says.
"Bye Officer Fine Ass," Patty whispers and closes the door behind her. If Edward hears Patty, he makes no mention of it.
"Great. We're on our way now." Edward's voice turns soft and sexy "See you soon, Bella."
"Bye." I try a deep voice but instead of sounding sexy I think my voice sounds like I have a cold. I remember Jacob is still here listening to my conversation and feel my cheeks blush.
"Edward and Alice are on their way over to see if I can help with their case."
"Alice told me you had a vision. Who knew our Bella is a psychic," Jacob teases.
"I never had an experience like that before. It was really weird but in an awesome way. I just wish I didn't get such a bad headache afterward. I've been wondering, why haven't your eyes turned Ocher like other vampires?"
Jacob smiles a toothy smile at me. "They have...Color contacts. Alice got them for me."
I hear a knock at the door. I'm so excited and jittery as I race to the door, I trip over my own two feet and fall onto the floor, letting out a gasp of air. Suddenly my front door bursts open wide and Edward comes racing in. I look up at him, feeling ridiculous as I lay still sprawled on the floor. Alice walks in behind him. Both staring down at me.
"Are you okay, Bella?" Edward asks.
"Yes. I'm fine. I just tripped," I say as Edward wraps his arms around me and helps me to my feet. I look past him to see if he broke my door.
"The door's fine. I just popped the lock."
I raise an eyebrow.
"I thought you were in trouble," he says as he grins sheepishly. I hug him and then turn to Alice, with Edward's arm around my shoulders.
"It's good to see you again, Alice."
"It's good to see you too, Bella. We thought maybe you could help us again with our case."
"I'd love to. Let's go in the kitchen and sit and I can make some more coffee." Alice and Edward follow me to the kitchen island and I put another pot of coffee on.
"Hi, Jacob!" Alice says in her usual energetic manner. "I see you are doing well at your training to control your sparkle."
"Yes. Good job," Edward adds. I look at Edward, surprised he and Jacob are on such friendly terms.
Jacob stands up and takes a bow." Thank you. Esme says I still can't stay out in public during daylight in case I get tired and my sparkle starts to come through, but she said I can visit Bella and see how long I can control it. If I'm able to keep controlling it, I may be able to go back to school soon."
"That's great, Jacob," I tell him as everyone takes a seat around my kitchen island.
"Did you find any clues in Pennsylvania?" I ask both Edward and Alice. Edward looks at Alice, waiting for her to explain.
We spoke with a special unit team in PA and they said the coven had taken over an old abandoned quarry deep in the woods. By the time they found the place, the coven had moved on. They lived in the abandoned building and dumped the dead bodies in the quarry when they were finished with them. The carving of the S inside a circle is some sort of ritual they use to sacrifice their victims to their god. They believe they gain favor for each sacrificed body. We investigated the place but there was nothing we could use to trace the coven and no more clues.
"So how can I help?" I ask.
"Edward takes my hand. You don't have to if you don't want to. We will both understand completely."
"What, Edward?"
"Well, if you were to come to PA to check out the site, we thought maybe you would be able to pick up some information from the area. The bodies are gone but Alice thought you may be able to pick up information from the ground or just being in the area."
"That's what I do, Bella. I can pick up information just by being in a certain area, however, the information I receive is always about the future. I can't envision the past, but you can," Alice says.
"Sure. I would like to do that. How long of a drive is it?"
"Well, I'm not sure about that, but, it's only about 20 minutes by wing travel," Edward states with a sweet smile.
"I'm ready and can go anytime," I say enthusiastically.
"I can start running and meet you two there in about 45 minutes," Alice says.
"No need. I can place an arm around you both and fly all three of us there," Edward says and then turns to look at Jacob. "Sorry, but you have to sit this one out."
"I know. I'll go back to the house and practice more training. Good luck everyone, and Bella I will talk to you tonight. Bye." In a flash Jacob is out the door and gone.
Edward looks at me. "Tonight?"
Oh crap. I really wish I didn't have to tell him this. "Patty and Jacob wanted to...um." Edward raises an eyebrow. "They asked if I...would go to Otoole's with them tonight, just for a bit." There I said it, even through his stare. Why does his cop persona still make me nervous.
"You're going to be drinking alcohol?" Edward's stare intensifies.
"Oh Edward, she's young and healthy. Of course, she's going to have some drinks. Stop being such a cop!" Alice interjects for me. "I'm sure she will be responsible and only have a couple drinks."
"Yes," I manage to stutter out. Remembering my last adventure at the bar, my cheeks flush lightly. I can hardly blame Edward for worrying after seeing me so drunk. "I will only have two drinks and will make sure to get dinner there."
Edward moves in close to me. "I will be keeping an eye on you anyway, so please don't get drunk. If you do, I may just have to threaten the bartenders to never serve you again." Edward warns.
"You wouldn't?" I ask hesitantly. Edward responds only with a smile. I really don't know if he is bluffing or not, but this isn't the time or place for an argument. I let it drop so we can get to work on that vampire coven.
We made it to the abandoned quarry in 20 minutes. The three of us are walking around outside. I'm trying to remember what I did to receive the first vision I had, but nothing is happening. I'm touching the ground, and even the stones in the quarry, but I'm getting nothing.
"Why don't we try going inside the building? That's where they nested," Edward says.
The building is a small, mostly empty, old factory. There are old cardboard boxes lined up along the walls and old crates thrown on the floor. In one area there are mattresses thrown on the floor with blankets and pillows on top of them. Old coffee cups lie on the floor. On a worktable lies an old coffee pot and some rope and a knife. Several steel poles that run from ceiling to floor have cut rope looped around them, evidence of hostage victims. In a few places, dried puddles of blood remain on the floor.
I touch a piece of rope on the worktable and close my eyes. Nothing. I try the knife and the coffee pot and still receive nothing. Edward and Alice are staying quiet as they walk around so not to disturb me. I continue walking around and trying to bring on visions.
On one wall, the symbol of an S inside a circle is drawn in blood. I walk up to the symbol and place my palm against it. Suddenly my eyesight is filled with the vision of a blonde haired man tied with his hands behind his back, to a steel pole. His shirt is torn to rags on the floor, exposing his well-muscled chest. A vampire with yellow/blonde spiky hair, wearing a dark leather jacket and jeans, is digging his sharpened fingernail into the man's chest in a circle. Blood drips down the man's chest as he screams. The vampire laughs as he completes the circle and etches a large S into the middle of it. The vampire unties the man, grabs him by the back of the neck, drags him to the middle of the floor where another S inside a circle is drawn in blood, and throws the man into the center of the circle on the floor. My vision ends abruptly. Edward and Bella wait quietly by my side.
I quickly look around the room and spot a dried puddle of blood on the floor. I walk over to it, bend down and run my fingers across the dried blood. I leave my fingers linger, touching the blood. Once again my vision comes to life. The vampire I saw in my first vision walks up to the man on the floor and speaks out loud to the sky. The rest of the vampires encircle them.
"Father, Ambrogio, we make this sacrifice in your queen's name and honor. For you are the god of the undead. The father of vampires. We beseech you, give us strength, speed, and attack deadlier than any of your creatures. Allow us to rise up and overthrow all Originals and all those who oppose us." He jumps onto the man lying on the floor and bites his neck. The rest of the vampires, about 20 in all, jump on the man and together they drain him of his blood. My vision ends.
I try to stand back up but my legs are wobbly. Edward races to my side and helps me stand. I relay to him and Alice what I saw in my vision.
"So, they are worshiping Ambrogio and dedicating the men they kill to his bride Selena. They want to overpower Originals and become the world's leading vampires," Edward says.
"That will never happen," says Alice.
"We need to get a map and search for abandoned quarry's in PA," Edward says. I don't know where else to start."
"Don't forget in my first vision I saw the man in a bar," I say.
"I know but I wish we had more to go on than just a matchstick and a couple symbols," says Edward.
"Can I try to get a vision from the matchstick again?" I ask Alice.
"You look tired out already. I don't want you to overdo it and harm yourself, Bella." Edward says with concern in his eyes as he lays a hand across my shoulders.
"I'm not as bad as I was the first time and my headache is just starting. I think I'll be alright." I say.
Alice hands me the matchstick. Something feels different than before. I feel like I need to keep my eyes open this time. A wispy cloud of smoke begins to form in front of my face. It builds until it turns into the size of a football and then the inside of the cloud clears and slowly reveals a picture.
"How are you doing this, Bella?" Edward asks.
"You mean you can see it?"
"We both see it, " Alice says.
"I don't know," I continue to focus on the cloud in front of my eyes and slowly inside the cloud is a picture of the inside of the bar I saw in my first vision. Then that vision wisps away and I see behind the bar, a river. The vision ends. My knees go weak and I almost collapse on the floor but Edward catches me and picks me up in his arms once again.
"Edward, I just want to see if I can see anything else."
"No. You are exhausted and I bet you have a terrible headache too. You're not doing anymore today."
"But I may be able to get something important, Edward!"
His voice is gentle but stern. "No, Bella. I'm not going to let you do any more today. Everything will still be here tomorrow."
I let out a sigh of defeat and annoyance and hand Alice the matchstick back and then relax in Edward's strong arms. He seems to have more sense then I do about taking care of me.
"Bella, how were you able to do that?" Alice asks.
"I have no idea. I didn't do anything different. Other than Edward was touching me this time."
"Together your abilities could be drawing on each other and creating something new," Alice explains as Edward carries me outside and Alice follows.
"Before we leave, I would like to get an aerial view of the area just to make sure we're not missing any clues," Edward says.
"I'll stay here with Bella," Alice replies.
Edward kisses me quickly on the lips and then sets me down on the ground. He gives me a wink and in a flash, his fire-wings are out and he leaps into the sky. The sound of his wings thumping against the air fill me with a sense of awe.
"Bella, why don't you sit. You look like you're going to fall over," Alice says.
"Good idea." I take her advice and sit down on the grass. Alice sits next to me.
"You two really are cute together, Bella," Alice says.
"He's changed my whole world, Alice. I don't know how I ever got through life without him."
"I can see you are his world too," Alice says.
"I really..."
"Shhhh," Alice says. She quietly stands up and closes her eyes, concentrating upon her hearing. I watch her quietly, my heart thumping a bit inside my chest.
Alice whispers. "Bella, don't move or make a sound. We're being watched by a vampire. I'm hoping he hasn't caught your scent, yet." Alice runs so fast she is a blur going by me. She heads into the woods to the left of me and disappears behind the trees. I sit quietly, trying not to move or breathe loudly. After a couple minutes, I stand up and peer through the trees to my left, trying to see Alice.
"You another garnet miner out for a fun day at the abandoned quarry?"
I turn and look to my right. Walking out of the woods towards me is a man wearing a red flannel shirt and jeans.
"I don't see your tools. I've left mine back at the car. No use carrying them until I scout a good possible mining location. You didn't say what you were after. Garnet?"
"I'm not here to mine. I'm just visiting. Me and my friends."
The man steps closer to me and looks around. I see now he has pale skin and red eyes. He's a vampire.
"Friends? I don't see any friends?" He says.
"They're around." I try to sound confident. One step closer and I'm planning on screaming and running.
I feel a light breeze come up behind me and suddenly Alice is standing in front of me, blocking me from the vampire. She's poised to fight. The vampire stops advancing.
"Ah. This must be one of your friends how. Hello there, friend. I caught a scent and thought I'd come by and check it out," the man says.
"There's nothing for you here," Alice tells him.
"Are you and your friend looking for something?"
Alice steps up closer to him. "Yes. We're looking for some others, a specific coven. Would you know of them? They have a sigil they use, I can show you what it is if you think you may know them?" Alice lightly touches the vampire's arm. She quietly holds her hand on his arm for a few seconds and stares off into space. She's secretly receiving visions.
Alice turns to look at me. "Bella, get back!" Alice kicks her leg up high in the air and her foot connects with the vampire's nose, knocking him backward. She rushes him, arm outstretched, and hits him across the neck, knocking him to the ground. I back up giving them plenty of space. He jumps up and opens his mouth, showing his fangs coming down. Alice does the same. He advances on Alice, grabs her by the arm and flips her face forward onto the ground on her back. He then lifts his foot high and stomps on her neck, pinning her to the ground. I look around me and see a large rock. I grab it in both hands, run up close to them, and throw the rock with all my might, hitting him in the head. The rock bounces off. When he turns to look at me and growl, Alice kicks up high and hits him in the chest with her foot, knocking him backward and off of her. She leaps onto her feet. I back up again and continue watching from a safer distance.
Alice stands still as he rushes her. When he gets close, Alice leaps up into the air, he runs past her. She comes down with both feet landing on the back of his knee. A loud crunch echos through the air and he goes down to the ground with a scream. His Fibula bone is sticking out of his leg. Alice walks up to him, bends down, and grabs his head in her arm, putting him in a headlock. He struggles uselessly against her iron grip. She reaches down and grabs his shirt and rips it completely off of him with one hand.
"Bella, be a dear wouldn't you and check this man to see if he has any marks on his body that look like our symbol? He can't hurt you. I have him."
I walk up close to him but stand outside of touching distance and look at his arms and then chest. Alice twists him onto his stomach so I can check his back. "No marks," I say.
"Could you pull off his pants and check everywhere?" Alice asks.
I raise my eyebrows. "Everywhere?"
Alice nods her head. "Uh huh."
"Okay." I lean down over top of him and unsnap his jeans and then grab them at the sides of the waist and start tugging. They are not coming down easily. I bend down further into half of a squat position and tug harder. I hear the sound of something moving behind me and turn my head to look. Edward is standing there watching us, with a smirk on his face. I feel ridiculous.
"I was...Alice wanted..." I'm frozen half bent over with my hands on this vampires jean's waist stammering like an idiot, then Edward bursts out in laughter.
"When you're done laughing, maybe you could come help," Alice tells him, hiding her snicker behind a hand. I give up and drop the vampire's jeans and step away.
Edward steps up and grabs the bottom leg of the vampire's jeans and tugs, he is actually being gentle making sure to pull the jeans off gently around his broken bone. He then checks the vampire for any tattoos of the symbol we saw.
"He's clean. No marks," Edward tells us.
Alice lets him go and he slumps to the ground, grabbing his broken leg.
"Did you get anything out of him?" Edward asks Alice.
"We hadn't gotten that far yet."
Edward bends down to the look the vampire in the eyes. "This is how this is going to go. You tell me everything I want to know about the vampire coven that was living here, and I will let you keep the flesh attached to your body."
"Go to hell!" The vampire said and spat at Edward. Edward dodged the spit.
"Let's try this again. But I'm only giving you this one last chance." Edward leaned in close to the vampire, staring him in the eyes. I see fear begin to rise in the vampire's eyes. Edward's body slowly starts to glow that beautiful red ember flow that makes him look like a formidable god.
"You're a...dragon!" The vampire stares for a minute, before spilling everything he knows. "They're called the Sjorginys. They are power hungry. They let me live as long as I brought people to them to feed off of. They kill anyone. People, other vampires. They think if they can gain enough power they can take down Originals. They have a biker gang of humans that worship them and do their bidding. The biker gang searches for special humans for them. Like her." The vampire nods toward me. "They drink their blood and gain their powers."
"Where are they now?" Edward asks.
"I don't know."
Edward lets out a tiny cough and a puff of fire spits out towards the vampire. His eyes widen in fear.
"They went to New York. I don't know exactly where, but the biker gang is always close by. I know they are staying at a bar in Athens along the Hudson River."
Edward stands back up. "Thank you. You have been very helpful."
"Will you let me go?"
"He caught Bella's scent," Alice says.
"I'd like to, but you picked up on Bella's scent. You will never leave her alone now."
"I swear I will leave here and never come back. I won't ever bother her and will tell no one about her."
Edward's eyes meet Alice's and Alice shakes her head no. She has seen differently. Alice jumps up into the air, her feet land on the vampire's shoulders. She reaches down and grabs his head with her hands and pulls. He claws at her legs trying to get her off. I turn my head away and cringe when I hear a sloppy popping sound.
A/N: This story and plot and everything (other than the characters) are my original works and are NOT to be copied or reproduced. I have found out there is an unethical site copying stories from FanFiction, without permission, and posting them on their site.