A/N
There's some foreshadowing in here. I hope you enjoy it!
Much love and appreciation to my team; Sazzledazzled and Edwardsfirstkiss. They take time out of their lives to support this effort and I truly couldn't do this without them. Pre-readers and Beta's are the backbone of the fanfic community and deserve a lot of credit for keeping this engine that we all love so much, chugging away.
Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight but Devilward is mine.
THE DEVIL'S PLAN
CHAPTER 34
"What the hell…" Emmett's voice faded as he turned his head toward the direction of the yelled demand coming from his brother's room.
"What are you doing?" He asked, his attention turned from the yelling to the girl moving out of his arms. His eyes followed her as she went about the room putting on her recently discarded garments. "Rose, answer me. What are-"
"Astarte!" Edward's scream reverberated throughout the house.
"Why is that little shit screaming and why are you getting dressed?"
"Emmett, I need to go to him." Rose answered as she slipped on her jeans.
Emmett leapt from his bed, grabbing her arm as she reached for the door knob. "Why do you need to go to him? And who the hell is Astarte?"
Rose bit her lip as she surveyed the angry glare and rigid stance of her half-dressed boyfriend. She was afraid of this. Satan was not interested in keeping Ba'al's and her alter egos separate, especially when there was something wrong. And from the volume of his screams, there was definitely something wrong.
"Babe, he's obviously in distress." She tried to cajole him with a sexy pout.
"Who gives a shit?" Emmett was not playing along.
"He's your brother. Let me go see what's wrong." Astarte once more reached for the door.
"No. Let the little asshole deal with his own shit. He doesn't need mom cleaning up after him and he certainly doesn't need my girlfriend coddling him." Emmett tried to move her back towards the bed. His anger still raging.
"Stop! I will go to him and you will allow it." Astarte demanded in a calm cadence as she stared into his eyes.
Emmett's eyes narrowed before blinking several times and letting go of her arm. "Fine!"
Astarte took a step back as he pushed away from her to sit on his bed. Her powers of persuasion were usually better than this. Yes, he'd let go of her but she hadn't been able to calm his anger.
"Em, baby, I'll be right back and then I'll do that thing you reall-"
"-Just go!" Emmett pulled on his shirt and stalked into this bathroom, slamming the door behind him.
"Shit!" The confounded Demi-goddess uttered.
"Astarte!" Satan's shrill scream rang out again, prompting her to action. She would have to deal with Emmett once she'd settled down the Devil.
"What has happened?" Astarte took in the sight before her. Satan was curled into a ball in the middle of Edward's bed. Both of his hands were clasped tightly against his head. He was in pain and it was a sight to behold.
"The tablets aren't working!" His voice was ragged in pain.
Astarte nodded and immediately went into the bathroom. "Tylenol. That will do it." She grabbed the bottle and filled a glass with water.
"Here take these." Satan eyed her warily as she held out the white tablets.
"They'd better work, or you will-"
"-Yes. I know what's happening, and these will help." She had expected his mistrust after she stopped giving him the stronger medicine. Satan swiped the pills out of her hand and swallowed them dry.
Astarte quickly rehearsed in her head, the speech Ba'al and she had prepared. "I believe that you may be experiencing something the humans call desensitization." She swallowed deeply at his hateful glare and continued. "Edward's body has become used to the other pills, making them less effective. It's very common among humans." Satan groaned as he sat up. Astarte put the glass of water on the table and moved to stand in front of her lord, awaiting his next command.
Devilward took several deep breaths, keeping his head hung low over his knees. He didn't know how long, but finally the sharp pains began to dull.
"You knew this would happen?" He asked angrily, pushing himself off the bed to tower over his minion.
"Sire, I knew there was a chance, but I had no idea how soon or even if it might occur, and I'd thought that Edward had been silenced." Devilward glowered at her and moved towards the bathroom. Astarte dutifully followed.
Devillward leaned heavily onto the counter, his head was hung low over the sink for a moment before looking up into the mirror at Astarte's fearful gaze. "He was silenced. I don't know what brought him back. My plans have made great strides. Swan is mine. I will have my revenge in motion by- "
Shocked, Astarte's eyes widened at what she saw in the mirror. She knew immediately that Satan was no longer in charge, no longer were Edward's eyes a muted, murky green, as they had been since Satan took over. Now, bright green eyes stared back at her.
Licking her dry lips, Astarte stared at the face in the mirror and uttered a muted, "Edward?"
"You can see me?" Was the surprised response.
Astarte nodded, immediately recognizing the voice as Edward and not the harsher and more guttural tenor that Satan used.
"You can hear me?"
Astarte nodded quickly, hoping that this wasn't some kind of test.
"Do you know what he is?"
Another nod.
"Are you like him?"
"Not exactly." She hedged, not sure how much the human brain could handle. He'd already accepted the existence of the Devil; could he also accept that there was a whole layer of Gods and Goddesses that existed within the already accepted realm of Heaven and Hell?
"But you work with him." He accused. There was no way she could deny her involvement. Edward would see right through the lie.
"I don't want to. Not anymore."
"Why should I trust you?" She had caused Edward so much pain at the behest of her master. How could she get the boy to trust her?
"I'm in love with Emmett," she blurted out. "If he were to know this, I would be sent away and- please Edward, I don't want anything to happen to Emmett." Edward listened to her plea and if it hadn't been for the sincerity of her words and the pleading look on her face, he might have been tempted to dismiss her, but whether she meant to or not, he could see the love in her eyes for his brother. If what she felt was even a fraction of what he felt for Bella, he knew he'd found an ally.
"Is Bella in danger?"
"Yes." Astarte answered grimly.
Edward emitted a low groan. His hands gripped the counter top so tightly that his knuckles turned white with the exertion. Alarmed, Astarte reached across to touch his arm.
"Please, stay calm. When you scream, it causes him pain. He's been taking strong pain relievers to numb the pain."
Edward nodded in understanding as he loosened his grip on the counter top. "Is that why I'm here now? He's off those medications?"
"I don't know. But I think so. What are you thinking about right now?"
"My mom, my dad, Bella…" His eyes began to lose their brightness.
"Stop! Whatever you're feeling right now. Stop. You're fading." Astarte ordered, afraid that he was fading away.
Edward took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Astarte took a deep breath, awaiting who would appear next.
Thankfully, bright eyes once again met hers in the mirror.
"How do I stay in control?"
"I don't know for sure, but it appears that the stronger your feelings are the more you're able to control. Are you able to see through his eyes often? Does he always know you're there?"
"I can see what he sees most of the time. Sometimes when he does certain things I try not to look." Edward looked sadly to the ground. Astarte imagined that what he was referring to was when The Devil interacted with Bella.
"What happens to make you look away?"
"I just let things go. I get depressed and feel myself fade away. When I'm angry, I scream and can manipulate him into stopping whatever he's doing. Or at least that used to work. Today was the first time in a long time that I got through."
"Why did it work today?" Edward asked.
"Because I switched out the muscle relaxers with something a lot less potent." Astarte braced for an attack in case Satan was playing with her.
After a long pause, to her great relief, Edward spoke again. "Will you continue to do that?"
"For as long as I can." Edward nodded slowly.
"Edward, I'm very sorry for the hurt I caused you. I will do as much as I can to help. What he has planned-it's truly horrific." Edward watched a shudder run through her body. Astarte quickly recovered and continued her explanation.
"We have to work together to stop it from happening." His eyes narrowed as he remembered how her goading had caused fights between Emmett and himself. Astarte knew that she deserved his hatred, but she needed him to put it aside, for now.
"My punishment for helping you will be worse than you can imagine," she said, trembling. Tears came to the demi-goddesses' eyes as she imagined what awaited her. "But I will help you thwart the Devil's Plan. For mankind, for my Emmett."
"Rosalie, what do I need to do?" Astarte's heart nearly burst when she heard him utter her human name. It was then that she was absolutely sure that she was speaking to Edward and that they might actually have a chance to save the world.
Stifling her tears, Astarte looked straight into the mirror, "You have to stay calm and listen. You have to be aware of what he's doing so we all can act against him without letting him know you're there. When you can, let us know it's you in control. That will be the only way that we can communicate and plan. Edward, I cannot stress this enough, what he has planned will destroy everyone you love. In order for us to have any hope at defeating him you'll need to trust me and Ba'al." Edward's eyes narrowed quizzically at the foreign name.
"You know him as Jasper. Look, I don't have time to explain everything but if you can stay calm and trust us- Edward, this means you may have to watch him get close to Bella." Astarte watched as he took a deep breath, put his shoulders back and looked her straight in the eyes.
"How do I get rid of-"
Astarte barely held onto her composure as Edward's eyes abruptly darkened and Devilward once again looked back at her. He continued his griping without skipping a beat. "-by the Equinox. You and Ba'al must move quickly to get... Astarte's eyes darted around the room in terror as Satan's words fell on deaf ears. She was trying to hold herself together while working through the knowledge she'd just gained. Not only was Edward fully aware of what had befallen him, he could communicate and wanted Satan removed.
And Satan had no idea that Edward had taken over and had communicated with her.
"Are you listening?" Astarte startled at Satan's question.
"Of course, Sire."
"You act as if you have lost your senses. Do I need to replace you with someone who has the full use of their faculties?" He asked with a smirk.
"No Sire." Astarte wisely kept quiet and lowered her head in submission. She would allow Satan to think of her as addle minded if it meant she could continue working against him.
"Good. Now make yourself useful and go find me something to eat!"
Astarte nodded quickly and left the room, closing the door behind her.
Astarte leaned heavily on the wall in the dark quiet hallway and did something she had never done before.
She prayed.
BPOV
Bella walked into the living room, dropping her back pack off her shoulder, allowing it to drop unceremoniously to the floor with a thud, followed by several days' worth of mail she'd collected from the mailbox.
She wandered into the kitchen not bothering to turn on any lights to dispel the late afternoon Forks, Washington gloom that had settled throughout the house. The dark grey overcast sky matched her mood. Why was she gloomy? Bella didn't know. She hadn't had a bad day at school, per se, so there was no real reason for her blue mood. School hadn't brought any terrible moments. Her friendship with Alice was back on track; well, as much as it could be with Jasper still in tow. Angela and Ben were incredibly kind and always had a smile or a caring word for her. So, her friends weren't the problem. School was, school. Her grades weren't suffering through her mood. She still harbored some frustration over her father's reaction to the revelation of her mother's journal. And the letter from Father Accardi, had certainly not worked to ease her mind or offer any hope that she would ever find the answers she sought. Perhaps that was the crux of her sudden depression? Maybe, she thought.
Was it Edward?
Edward had been a little off today, but then he'd been 'off' since Christmas so that wasn't new. Today, like every day this month he'd strolled through the school with his shoulders back, his chest out and a satisfied smirk on his face. She'd walked beside him with a smile plastered on her face. But was she truly happy? Bella wasn't sure.
Her feelings hadn't changed for Edward, but Edward had definitely changed. Lately, he'd been saying the right things and acting attentive to her needs. Actually, his attention to some of her needs was very pleasing, she thought with a blush. But there was still a nagging feeling that he wasn't her Edward anymore. And she wondered if she would ever get him back.
The contents of the refrigerator yielded a withered apple and a bottle of water for a snack. Bella briefly thought about getting a list together and do some grocery shopping, but the thought of being around people put her off.
With her meager snack in hand she retrieved her book bag and began walking towards the stairs when the corner of an envelope from the discarded pile of mail caught her eye. Bella reached over and carefully plucked that envelope out of the precariously perched mound. Her heart skipped a beat when she recognized the return address of St. Joseph's Church. The black and white outline of a steeple with its large cross stood out among the other envelopes.
Bella clutched the letter to her chest as she hurried to her room. She tried to caution herself not to become too excited; after all, the last letter had left her with no answers and no new areas to pursue. But the hope that this letter would bring a little light into her day was too powerful to crush.
Her bed springs whined with displeasure as she threw herself onto the decades old mattress. Flopping onto her back, she unceremoniously ripped open the envelope. The thick letterhead of the church felt heavy in her hands as she read;
My Dear Isabella,
I hope that this letter finds you well. I have some news regarding Father Ignatius. Unfortunately, it's not news of his whereabouts. But, during a clean out of the church's basement, we ran across a box of his belongings. There's not much. A few articles of clothing, candles and a pair of shoes, but there was also a journal. I took it upon myself to read a few passages. There are several mentions of your mother and you among the ramblings of an old man. I tell you this against my better judgement. I don't wish you to travel down a road that will yield no answers. My wish is for you to let this go and to move forward with your young life. However, I found it difficult to keep this development from you. If you are inclined, you may come to the church and view the journal. Perhaps together, we can put your demons to rest.
I will keep the journal for the next two weeks. After that I will burn it in the church's boiler.
I await your decision.
God bless.
Your servant,
Father Marcus Accardi
Perhaps it was a coincidence. Just a parting of the clouds at the right time, but Bella took it as a good omen. She watched with lighter eyes as the dust motes floated over her bed in the bright sunlight that was now shining through her window. The thought that there was perhaps one more place to look for answers lightened her heart. She needed to see this journey to the end. Maybe it would all be for naught as both her father and Edward seemed to think, but then again, how could she dismiss what had happened at the Cullen's on Halloween? What about the dreams? She hadn't had one since Christmas, yet the memory of the ones she'd experienced were still intense. There were just too many pieces to the puzzle left to find for her to give up now.
She would go to the church and look at the journal. With her decision made, a smiling Bella took a bite of her apple and began to work on her homework.
?POV
"Have you received any word from above?" His dark eyes took in his partner's form as he spoke.
"I have not." She answered shaking her head.
"How much longer are we to sit here and do nothing?" His voice had an edge to it that was unfamiliar to her ears.
"I do not know."
"We don't have much time, the equinox is only weeks away." He said anxiously.
"I'm aware. You were briefed on our mission just as I was. You know what we were told to do." He sighed heavily, clenching his hands into fists. He was eager to fight. She could understand his need to do something to stop what they feared was taking place, but they had been told to watch and wait. She had been watching, and she was not happy about what she'd observed. But as a good soldier, she would do as she was bade and await further orders. Her counterpart may grumble and complain, but he would do the same.
Creatures of their kind always did.
Stick with me guys. Things are about to get good.
Much love to all of you!
ruinedbyrob
