A/N Hey everyone, I guess this is an added bonus chapter to all my great readers who have been making writing this story even more enjoyable with the amount of support you've shown. Seeing the comments you've left and even those who have added this to their alerts and favourites has inspired me to write even more recently. I'm well into the writing of the story around chapter fifteen but I've taken a pause today to edit this and finished it faster than I thought. So I decided instead of making you wait until next week to just give you another chapter. I can't promise I'll update this frequently always because of the size of my chapters and editing on my own. Hope you enjoy this bonus chapter for this week anyway. Once again thank you all for reading and let me know what you guys think.
Also an added warning. Violence. For those of you who are squeamish this one might be a little harder for you to read.
RED DAWN
SUMMARY: Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.
Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.
Chapter Five
The Denali coven had been completely blindsided.
Not even the millennia of years they had between them all, the sisters Irina, Kate and Tanya. The original legend behind the succubus myth some of the oldest vampires alive, hadn't been ready. They'd just broken through Canada when it had been Carmen. Eleazer's mate that had sensed something following them, at first they'd continued towards their location not expecting the dogs to have come so far from their own lands. They hadn't seen the cleverly laid plan that had been used within the pack to close ranks around the offending immortals and pulling them into a location they'd prepared for them.
The natural aversion and the horrid scent were completely new to the Denali coven and so had not recognised it for what it was. They'd continued running a few miles into the forests that would lead them to the location they had agreed upon meeting Alice, when it had become clear something had gone drastically wrong. The Denali coven had come to find themselves completely submerged and flanked by wolves at all angles. They were surrounded; they had been herded like cattle to a slaughter. Eleazer had been quick and thrown Carmen up into the trees to get his mate away from the threat as he'd crouched to defend. Irina still bitter over the death of her companion at the hands of these primitive tribe people had been eager to spill the blood of her friend's enemy. Tanya had seen the numbers and wanted to run, she hadn't survived for a thousand years to die to shifters because they had so many bodies. Kate had been firm and ready confident even with the odds so harshly against them, they had survived worse odds. They had walked away from a confrontation with the Volturi and an immortal child, puppies were no threat to her.
The wolves had moved in, so large in size and different varieties of colouring. The Denali's had known from the phone call with Alice that they had predicted the wolves had at least ten within their pack. This was more than ten, the size and numbers didn't match. It felt like there was at least twenty or more of these salivating monsters. Eleazer the most trained within the group struck first using the trees around him as he leapt pushing his feet off the tree and driving himself into a large russet wolf. The tree collapsed and fell to the ground with a heavy thud against the forest floor and with that moment the battle had began. Kate was pinned by three wolves in a matter of seconds but thankfully to her gift just as one had gone to rip her limbs from her body she'd electrocuted the dogs. They'd wailed whimpers under the shock that had sent them back away from ending Kate and tearing her apart, it gave her time but not enough.
Carmen could only watch from above as her family fought, she'd never been a capable fighter and never felt the need to learn with her mate to protect her. It was an old fashioned view that showed their age, she only begged that it was not going to cost them all now as they were so largely outnumbered. Tanya was doing her best to hold off the two wolves that had her but she'd suffered an error early on in her fight and a wolf had punished her for it as she stood with her arm completely removed at her left shoulder. She could only see the wolf throwing her arm to the side from its mouth and spotted in the corner of her eyes a boy. No, more than one child taking the limb towards a burning flame.
"Not my fucking arm" Tanya growled but was fortunate as Carmen saw what was happening and risked her own life as she leapt down to the forest floor and intercepted the arm.
"Run Carmen. Get the Cullen's" Eleazer yelled frantically still trying his best to fend off the attack's he was weakening with each snap and slash against his wounded body. He could only hope for his mate to get away and at best to get hold of the Cullen's, they knew enough that the mutt's blocked Alice's visions she wouldn't see that they needed her now.
Carmen ran then bursting forward only the young boys who hadn't shifted by command, to help burn the pieces they were given, they didn't make chase after her but one large wolf did. Eleazer feeling the need to pursue them both but he couldn't now. They weren't winning this fight with so many wolves, the pack were in their element and they were showing how truly effective their numbers could be now.
"Irina!" Kate screamed out in a cry of pure agonized torment.
Then her own screams stopped as the jaw snapped around Kate's head and yanked the head from her shoulder's, Tanya was wild with her own grief seeing how badly they were falling to these monsters. The boys had the head of Irina she'd been dismembered in her fight which had only freed up more wolves to close in on those who remained. The boy had held Irina's head for only a second before dumping it into the fire. There was no saving her now, as her beautiful blonde hair burned up and then her entire face ignited in the flames.
"We need to get Kate's remains. We can put her back together" Eleazer said urgently and then he grabbed Tanya and lifted her and threw her over the wolves' bodies placing him alone and defenceless against the attack. As a wolf closed its canines around his extended arm snapping ruthlessly through it severing his hand at the middle of his forearm, he could not even hope to stop in his pain however. His only option was to keep fighting, to never surrender to these mongrels.
Tanya even with one arm was a fighter, she'd survived near destruction before and she wouldn't see her end and both of her sisters ends at the hands of these pre pubescent little boys. She flipped forward as Eleazer threw her landing onto the back of the wolf carrying Kate's body. Dragging her fingers down its back and squeezing with her legs on either side of its body to crush it under her strength. Tanya grabbed the body of Kate from its mouth, and could see Kate's head. Lifeless eyes wide and face sagged on the ground. With only one hand she couldn't pick it up and thought quickly as she ran towards it and kicked it hard in the direction of where Carmen had ran. It flew over head of them sailing roughly through the trees and eventually landed a large distance away from them all where she'd be able to retrieve it. If Tanya somehow managed to survive this onslaught from the wolves.
Eleazer even with part of his arm gone had continued to battle on, he'd thought he was finished when a wolf had snap it's jaws around his torso. The savage jaws of the mutt hadn't made Eleazer's body crumble, it seemed his body was a harder task to rip apart with the wolves canines. He'd snapped the neck of the wolf holding him off his feet in his mouth and then leapt to Tanya's side. Delivering a well placed kick to the front leg of the wolf advancing on her as it had crumpled under its own weight, crippled for only a time. These beasts healed far too quickly to less fatal attacks.
"Go" Eleazer had ordered pointing to the gap in the wolves' formation with his stump of an arm. Tanya hadn't waited she'd blurred through with Eleazer hot on her tails as they tried to put distance between themselves and the pack. Both severely weak and injured their bodies roared from the oozing pain of open wounds, Kate completely lifeless until she could be reattached.
"Grab her head Eleazer" Tanya called to him as he'd swooped up Kate's head from the ground and then, they ran towards the scents that were closing in on both sides. The Cullen family had heard their cry for help and finally coming towards them and the pack making chase close behind the running allies, the Denali.
Carmen had come to find the Cullen family waiting only a small distance away from where they had agreed. They'd already been coming in her direction when Jasper's refined hearing had picked up on something. That had been how Carmen had come across them running blindly, scared and carrying Tanya's severed arm in her hands. Clutching it tightly enough to crack the marble like skin in it's much more fragile state. She'd barely broken towards them when the wolf that had given chase after her came through too. He'd barely had a chance to realise his error and mistake, he was the one now outnumbered before Jasper and Emmet had moved into attack.
Emmet had run straight at the wolf, the two bodies had come together with a deafening impact and crunch as the wolf's body broke and snapped. Emmet had wrapped his arms around the head of the wolf effectively keeping the muzzle forcefully held shut. Squeezing tight enough to drive its own teeth into the top and bottom parts of its mouth. Jasper had moved around the back of the mutt, one he'd never before seen. Larger and different in colour then those he'd seen as part of the pack in the past. He wrapped his arms around the lower half of the dog's body and for a moment Emmet and Jasper had darkly grinned while locking eyes. Both of them had then twisted and pulled. The wolf had made a strange strangling sound and then the ripping sound of flesh being pulled, as Emmet and Jasper stepped away from each other. The stomach churning wet popping sound as the wolf's body became two separate parts.
The wolf ripped into two, blood and organ matter dropping to the ground soiling it as then the body had shifted to a human again. The only part still connecting the once body was its intestines. Emmet had laughed as it had finally fallen away from both halves of the body. Emmet was holding the top half and Jasper the bottom dropping it in disgust.
"Filthy fucking animals" Jasper literally spat venom at the naked half he'd dropped at his feet.
"I don't know my half" Emmet said gripping the back of the man's neck as he held it up on display, more blood leaking from the served bottom half of his torso.
"He's certainly one of the tribe though, but he's an adult not one of Sam's pack. You think they've called in reinforcements?" Emmet asked when Carmen finally pulled at Alice tugging at her still hysterical.
"We must go. Now... Eleazer. The girls need our help. So many of them. At least twenty" Jasper and Emmet's eyes widened as they finally turned to Carmen then, Jasper reached down to pick up the shifter's legs around the ankle.
"Show us the way Carmen, quickly. Let's reintroduce this member to his people" Jasper said as Rose and Alice flanked Carmen following the direction she had come from.
Emmet and Jasper lagging slightly back so they were ready for anything that directed an attack towards their mate's from any direction. They all saw the purple smoke rising into the sky and then they ran faster. Someone was dead. One of the Denali had fallen.
Edward burst towards both approaching forces.
Both coming from different directions, the collision promised to be devastating and chaotic with the promise of more death. Edward could see his own family running straight towards the chasing pack through his mind. Tanya and Eleazer wounded and carrying what remained of Kate would be caught in the middle of the brutal confrontation if he didn't manage to do something. Irina was already gone. The wolves with their older shifters now in the pack had been even more of a threat.
The adults of the pack were quick to follow orders, matured they resembled more of what Ephraim had been able to actually do with his own men. These men had been able to mature before becoming shifters. Sam had created a masterpiece of a plan to trap the Denali coven and with the aid of men in his pack now he found he was better able to organise them. Sam had known Carlisle had looked to ask the Denali for help against the newborn army. Sam knew that with war coming between the wolves and the Cullen family, they would likely contact their close allies. He'd predicted it masterfully and had completely caught them off guard. They had drawn, herded them into the area and then attacked. They'd even used the barely teen boys in the plan as to burn the pieces once removed, while not helpful to them in wolf form had been a cleanup crew for the mature wolves.
"I'll make you pay Sam" Edward snarled then smirking as he locked onto his target amongst Sam's pack, Sam had shown he could be a truly brilliant strategist when allowed, now it was time for Edward to attack Sam closer to his emotions.
For all the insulted cruel retorts, questioning vampires being anything but monsters. Edward would attack the wolf's humanity. Edward was to turn this war far more personal than it had been. But hadn't war always been personal, his love was laying wounded it was time to attack someone the pack loved. Edward targeted that darker side of his nature using his mind reading and knowledge already gained to most effectively break the packs will, he didn't want to kill them yet. He'd kill their souls though, break their hearts to protect his family. War bred evil and Edward was prepared to cross all lines to make sure he won. He had always wanted to be a soldier, now he was.
Edward moved directly towards them. Coming right down the middle of where the two forces would meet, he ripped through the ground with blinding speed. His feet leaving not even an imprint, he all but flew across the forest flooring. Edward jumped his powerful legs sending him up into the trees, as he then leapt quickly from tree branch to each tree. Moving now in the same way he'd seen Victoria do, while she had been evading the wolves on the reservation. Memories he'd seen from the pack mind, old knowledge becoming useful now. Edward could see the moment that Sam's wolves could see his own family, Eleazer and Tanya almost with the rest of them carrying Kate. Jasper was the only one to see Edward up in the sky his face twisted in darkness and smug, cunning seeped strong enough that even from distance Jasper could feel it.
As the wolves moved underneath Edward his family watched as he leapt down catching the wolves off guard as he landed on the back of the slick grey wolf. The true rarity in the wolf pack. The only female wolf. Leah Clearwater. The woman Sam still loved even though he was married to Emily, Leah's cousin. Edward then sank his teeth into the side of Leah's throat and sliced his thumb nail along her wolf throat the pack hadn't noticed until they'd already passed Edward and Leah. The shared mind blinding them all with the acid burning in their minds as it scorched inside of Leah. The venom moved like an acid being poured through every vein in Leah's body, the venom even preventing the wound on her sliced neck from closing as her body warred in itself against the toxic venom.
When the wolves finally turned back to look behind them, to face where Edward was the image that filled their mind was of Edward holding Leah's naked human body. His teeth at her throat as the thick cut along her slender neck thickly coated blood down her body and she screamed, a deafening wail of complete agonized torment gargling on her own blood. The sight of Edward's blood red eyes looking up at them from this young beautiful woman of their people, appearing as the demon of all their nightmares when they'd first learnt of the cold ones. Edward looked satanic, demonic as he held Leah in place her blood trickling down rapidly covering her once bronze skin. They knew then there was nothing this man would not do, Edward finally knew there was no end to his own cruelty to protect what he loved. Even if that meant taking what other's loved from them to force his power upon them.
"You fucking dogs taste disgusting" Edward hissed and then dumped Leah to the ground beside him. The grief hit him from their thoughts even Jasper struggled around it, the grief as two members felt it even deeper than the rest. Sam the man who had loved and broken Leah's heart and Seth, Leah's little brother who had already lost a father and now was faced with the loss of his sister.
Edward was ready for it when it came, Sam lunging first. Edward had leapt quickly up into the tree's above him, the pack were still struggling just as Embry had before with the sharing in the venom. It was only due to one wolf, an adult. Sam's father Joshua Uley. He'd somehow taken hold of them in that pain, even while he suffered through it and he was making them run. Joshua forcefully slamming into his own son Sam and snapping at him, they were running away. Retreating. Edward leapt back down to the ground turning to watch the pack running all while Sam in his wolf form watched Edward. Joshua and some of the men tried to move him on so he wouldn't go back to fight Edward. Joshua Uley knew his son could no longer lead his men effectively while so grief stricken.
"You will die leech. I swear it, you and that fucking human. You'll get yours, you parasite shit" Sam's thoughts raged on even louder as the distance was furthered.
He'd hoped for this result while he'd have been more than happy for them to fight he'd hoped to hit them emotionally; he'd attacked their hearts to give his own family time to fix the wounded. Used that all too fatal method of venom to blind the mind. Edward knew it wouldn't be the only solution soon enough, they'd start to see their need for getting used to the shared link. They would adapt it wouldn't be easy. The adults added to the packs numbers were going to make them an even more deadly foe. Edward knew though now, his need to protect Bella would need to be even more heightened he'd opened up a door for at least Sam to want to take Bella from him for what he'd done to Leah.
"I look forward to ending you Sam Uley. You were the first to shift, you'll be the last I kill" Edward vowed darkly as his family finally moved to him and he finally turned to look at them. Some of them broken, the Denali had taken a harsh loss today. They'd been made to feel vulnerable and weak and now they'd lost a sister too. He couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible even if they hadn't thought on that yet.
"Always one for dramatics Edward" Rosalie said as she moved past Emmet who was still holding the top half of one of the pack members, he flung it then beside Leah's dead body shrugging his broad shoulders.
"I took a little note out of Jasper's strategy. While I can't influence emotions I can certainly bring about certain emotions with my actions" Edward said moving to the Denali who were huddled together, Tanya was sobbing dryly into her one hand trying to cover her face as best she could, while Carmen rubbed her shoulder.
"You broke his heart" Jasper said somewhat impressed while it hadn't been a secret the history shared between Sam and Leah and the complications that had been created in his shifting and imprinting on Emily he'd not thought to use that not the way Edward had.
"He took Irina from us. I plan to take much more form him before this ends" Edward said finally moving to Tanya and wrapping his arms around his friend.
There had been a time when she'd pursued him relentlessly, when he'd been the only single member of his family and his loneliness had been apparent to all. It had been Tanya though who had challenged him as he'd hidden away in the wilderness around the Denali's home thinking of a human girl. Whose blood haunted him and eyes made him yearn in a way he'd never felt before. So as she suffered pain that had come from the events of Edward's choice making he tried his best to comfort Tanya for the loss of her sister.
"She's gone. Burned her. Just like Sasha they'd have taken Kate too" Tanya cried while Carmen and Eleazer stood close by holding each other, Edward leant back his hand rested on Tanya's still intact shoulder.
"I can't tell you I understand your pain. Jasper will help you deal with your grief if you wish it but I need you now Tanya. You have centuries of experience in this world and I'm going to need your help avenge our families against these beasts. They've wounded my mate. Killed your sister, we'll rid this world of them now. Channel it, the pain let it turn to rage and then we'll take them, we'll make them all pay" Edward growled lowly then taking a step back and extending his arm towards Carmen who was holding Tanya's arm.
Carmen quickly handing the twitching limb to him as Edward took it and pushed the shoulder of Tanya's shirt up over the cracked weeping shoulder joint where her arm had been torn off.
"I'll deal with Kate" Jasper said kneeling down over Kate's head that had been completely torn from her body with Rose and Alice.
"I'm more used to dealing with these types of fatal wounds" Jasper thought of how many in his existence he'd been expected to help piece together with head's removed and limbs. Kate would be in agony while she recovered. Reattaching any pieces removed was pure agony to vampire's it was only second to the actual change itself as the venom fused the parts back together again.
"Eleazer where is your hand we can reattach it now?" Carmen asked as she held her mate's arm jagged and awkward looking in shape as it leaked the silvery liquid of his venom.
"Mi amor..." Eleazer hesitated. Concerned about revealing that he'd lost it amongst the fighting and hadn't had the time to try and capture his removed limb, before he'd had to run with Tanya. Kate had been too close to destruction and with both he and Tanya only having an arm each of good use they couldn't wait.
"During the fight I couldn't get it back. Tanya and I needed to get Kate away especially after Irina" Eleazer said sadly his thoughts lingering on the image of his home before, of them all together unharmed and happy. He'd believed his days of fighting were over when he'd been allowed to leave the Volturi.
"What will you do?" Carmen asked worried as she eyed the wound still leaking badly.
"It will heal, it's going to take time. I'll have to turn it into a stump of some kind smooth it out it'll be hard to do myself but..." Emmet stepped up to Eleazer then everyone else was preparing to help the other's he'd be happy to help Eleazer so he didn't feel useless.
"I'm no Carlisle or Jasper but tell me what you need and I'll handle it" Emmet grinned as Carmen reached up cupping Emmet's cheek in thanks, she'd always been a very motherly affectionate woman very much like Esme in that respect.
"It seems we are at war and I am crippled. I saw a vampire once in my early life he'd had a hand removed he'd turned the rest of his arm into a sharpened point" Eleazer mused then looking at the jagged stump of a forearm.
"It will be a painful but if you could Emmet. I would appreciate it if you would shape my stump to a point, they may have crippled me but I will not be made unarmed" Emmet looked at Eleazer then shocked and somewhat in awe of what Eleazer was suggesting. It almost made Emmet jealous in wanting the same thing but then he thought about it and pushed the errant thought away. Rose would never let him turn his arm into a weapon.
"Oh Eleazer... I am so on it" Emmet grinned then as he used his large hands and began to apply pressure and carved his thumbs into Eleazer's wound to shape it. Eleazer screamed out then as Carmen did her best to comfort her husband.
"All the years of waiting to feel that tongue on me and now this is how my dream comes true" Tanya huffed out trying to tease Edward to place her mind away from the pain in her chest. She didn't like dealing with grief, even more so around other's who could witness her pain. She wanted to be strong, that was how she was meant to be.
There was only one way to reattach a broken part of a vampire. The venom in their bodies, but when so badly wounded it often took the venom of another vampire to help along the healing factor in the venom. So Tanya watched as Edward went about dripping saliva, his own venom over the joint of her arm and then ran his tongue over the wound and forcefully pressed her limb back against the shoulder joint. Using his one hand to hold the arm in place Edward then licked his finger and ran the venom over the wound to try and seal it shut. While it was certainly known for only mate's to heal each other in certain times like these, it would be needed for whoever could to help.
It was certainly a peculiar sight as Edward had been licking along the wounded arm; at the same time Jasper had been using his own venom to cover Kate's neck while Alice and Rose saw to her body. It was times like these that made Edward all too clear how vastly different vampires and humans were; part of him however wished all it took was his venom to heal Bella. While still fragile she'd need time to heal, had she been immortal he'd have been able to use his tongue to seal those wounds in moments. It would have scarred permanently, however as all these wounds inflicted would be. The only downside to using other's venom to heal was that it always scared, it was the reason Jasper had so many bite marks on his skin from fighting in the south.
"This tongue remains firmly within the claim of my mate" Edward said firmly while knowing she was only trying to joke.
"Believe me. We are all more than aware of that Edward. I'm sorry we refused to aid you when you first asked... Irina she" Tanya struggled to say it. Explain Irina had rather thrown away the alliance between Cullen and Denali for a lover she'd only spent a few weeks in bed with.
"You don't have to explain. We'd hoped for coexistence between our species. Had I known then what I know now I'd have delivered the head of each of them too you and Irina to keep our friendship intact" Edward said as the Denali were beginning to see the darker edges to the change that had slowly been taking over since the fateful day of Bella coming to harm at the pack's hand.
"Oh shit" Tanya hissed closing her eyes tightly and then Edward removed his hand from her arm seeing that the numbness was gone and in its place the pain as the arm began to refuse back together.
"It should only take a few hours before you are back to normal. Kate's may take a day from what I can see from Jasper's experience with dealing with beheadings and reconnecting" Edward told Tanya, he didn't want to run out on them but he'd need to return to Carlisle and Esme inform them what had happened and then finally be back at his Bella's side.
"We're finished with Kate for now" Alice said moving to stand beside Edward.
"My visions are all over the place right now when I even see anything. I can't know when she wakes everything is either blurred or black. We are too connected with the pack now" Alice said frustrated, she hated how blind the mutt's made her.
If she had been able to see, so much could have been prevented she felt much guilt for that especially now as the Denali lay wounded and healing and one of them gone forever. Irina had been a friend to the family for decades it was a deep regret for Alice that she'd not seen anything to protect them.
"Now this is something" Jasper said loudly enough to draw both Edward's and Alice's attention towards Jasper and Emmet both looking at Eleazer as he held his wounded forearm up.
"I've impressed myself but it was all Eleazer's idea" Emmet nodded looking over to Edward smiling widely as Edward looked at the arm more closely moving towards Eleazer. He was impressed. He'd never for a second ever considered such a thing even possible.
Eleazer had talked Emmet through the process even in his agony of having parts of his wounded forearm all but carved away. He'd had Emmet carve what remained of his forearm into an almost large blade. It was still very much the width of what his forearm had been before, but with Emmet's strength he'd smoothed it out thinning it and sharpening the edge just enough. What should have been a crippling wound had been changed into something of a weapon. Carmen was doing her best to still coat it in her venom as Emmet showed his work, she wasn't using her tongue in case the edge was too sharp and harmful. While it would never be as capable as a hand it would certainly be something of an anomaly.
Edward could see through Eleazer's thoughts that he'd seen in his early life into his second life an ancient vampire who had lost most of his arm. He'd changed the top half into a spike that he'd used to help defend himself in those darker days. While it was affective in ways against vampires as Edward could see from the memories it took a great amount of skill and effort on the vampire's side who wielded it to harm other vampire's with it. After all the skin of vampires were the same and as strong as each others. Eleazer had no plans of using it against vampire's though in his mind he'd had it created for a more vulnerable supernatural. Edward shook his head in amusement at just what an intelligent man Eleazer was.
"Yes an ancient long since passed from this world Roderick. He'd lost almost his entire arm but he'd been a warrior in his human life and refused to accept being unable to fight. He'd been rather impressive with it. Unfortunately while impressive it was eventually the cause of his end. Took him far too many hits of the thing against a vampire's neck before beheading and he'd been caught" Eleazer said with a hint of sadness thinking of the warrior Roderick with his spiked tipped arm and his final battle where a vampire had managed to end him due to the weakened spike from continuous hitting against vampire skin.
"Well while I'm not common to this type of fighting amongst vampire's I can certainly train you in sword fighting. It needs some slight deviations for it actually being an arm but I'm sure I can work something out to teach you" Jasper offered his mind already thinking back to the few human memories he had of being a civil war solider. He'd always enjoyed sword fighting as a human and had been gifted with a blade he'd not had need for it since his transformation the prospect of this however excited him.
"It's something I'd certainly entertain the idea of Jasper, thank you" Eleazer bowed his head slightly as Emmet slapped Jasper on the back chuckling.
"Want me to do your arm too?" Emmet offered jokingly as Jasper pushed him slightly away from him shaking his head and rolling his eyes at Emmet.
"You are going to need to somehow keep it hidden amongst the humans. Conceal it as to not draw attention" Carmen told her mate seriously, while she was clearly not a fan of what had been done to her mate she was pleased enough that he didn't feel weak with this done for him.
"I'm thinking a prosthetic limb actually. I can get my hands on one and hollow out the inside so Eleazer can just slip it in place for when he doesn't have need for it. I might be able to get one from the hospital, I'll ask once we go back to Carlisle he'll know where I can find something" Emmet said he'd already thought of that when he'd been helping carve and shape the arm that Eleazer would need some type of way to keep it hidden from human eyes.
"That would certainly work" Eleazer mussed nodding his head then.
"I guess I'll have to get used to writing with my left hand from now on. I doubt it'll take me much time to shift between" Edward agreed it wouldn't take Eleazer long to shift to his less used hand with things like that. One of the advantages of being a vampire with the advanced mind and body, abilities with learning new skills came fast and were remembered without much practice.
Tanya was with her sister Kate, holding her head on her lap as she slowly ran her fingers through her long blonde hair, comforted by the closeness of her long time companion. She felt selfish in her relief that she'd not need to tell Kate that Irina had been killed she'd seen that just before she'd had her head removed. She'd been distracted and hadn't been able to hold onto her ability. All the practice that Kate had put in to being able to cover her entire body with the electrical shocking touch and it hadn't helped when she'd been distracted. Kate would be angry about that. She'd be even angrier that they'd been attacked and that Irina had been destroyed. Tanya didn't envy those with mates at that moment it was hard enough caring for those in her family the idea of worrying about a mate who would be harmed. She couldn't understand how Edward could even bare it as his mate was weaker than any other vampire's mate as she remained human. She'd always found him attractive and of course his rejection of her had made it into a challenge that she'd pursued with a dogged determination. She'd stopped the moment he'd come to Alaska after meeting Bella. She'd seen that glimmer of hope in his beautiful eyes and had known she'd lost the battle for his heart. She'd never stood a chance in all reality. She'd looked forward for a long time to meeting the woman who had captured the century old virgin's heart, finally broken through his walls it seemed somewhat poetic that of course the forever burdened Edward Cullen would fall in love with a human.
She would be a liar to say in the moment he'd appeared like a dark force of nature from the trees to attack the wolves that she'd not found him attractive. Frozen in the moment before he truly became an adult man he had features of both youth and maturity, he was certainly one of the most beautiful of their kind she'd ever seen. She was happy for him though, so very pleased that he'd found his other half. She only hoped now that he wouldn't lose everything, she hoped that none of her family had to carry that heartbreak of losing a mate.
It was clear that the Denali's wouldn't be able to come to the hospital, while the rest of the Cullen family wanted to return it just wouldn't be possible. They couldn't leave Carlisle, Esme and even Bella in such a dangerous position without other's there to help protect them. The Denali's however were wounded and still healing, Carmen was in the best shape of them all but wasn't in any means a fighter who could defend them. Eleazer still had wounds covering his body that would need some sort of attention soon enough so he wasn't drained of his own venom and become unresponsive. Kate would be out of it and in pain for at least a day. So they came to a decision that Rose and Emmet would accompany Edward back to the hospital, while Jasper and Alice returned home with the rest of the Denali coven. Edward would have returned to the hospital alone believing the pack wouldn't attack in such a public place but after how well thought out the plan had been to herd and destroy the Denali's. He wouldn't put it past Sam to create a way to harm Bella while she was in hospital if they weren't there to watch over her. Edward knew Sam would kill Bella to hurt him now. Leah while his ex had been the love of his life, if he'd been capable of choice he'd have chosen Leah the council had made that impossible. Essentially Edward knew Sam would only consider them even if Edward were to lose Bella, now suddenly Edward found himself with two beings planning to end his mates' life for ending their own loved one life.
Edward, Emmet and Rosalie had gone to the area where Irina had been killed to smother the fire that had been left burning, they could still smell the strong scent's of so many wolves. The wolves had left a man for dead on the ground a distance away from the fire; he'd clearly been killed during the skirmish with the Denali's, his neck oddly twisted at a horrible angle. They didn't touch the body leaving it where it was like they had with Leah's body and the other man who had chased Carmen. It wasn't there job to explain the deaths of Quileute people. Edward could only believe that eventually the wolves would return for the bodies of the dead or perhaps they'd fallen so far from the noble once protectors they had been and just leave the bodies to nature until some scavenger animal found the remains and ate them. As long as no human's found them Edward wasn't concerned. They had all considered collecting the ashes of what remained of Irina but had thought against it in the end, Tanya and her family didn't need reminding of what they'd lost and Rose didn't think it would help them in any way with mourning having the remains. They'd want to move on. All they wanted to remember of Irina would no doubt be in their home back in Alaska.
"I hope Carlisle has some spare scrubs" Emmet pulled at his shirt that had some splatter of blood on the edge of his shirt from where he'd killed and had to carry the body of his and Jasper's kill.
"I'm sure we'll be able to find something in the hospital" Rose said to Emmet as she took his hand and the three of them began to run towards the hospital leaving behind the scene of already so many deaths.
"Just don't let Charlie or anyone see you until you've changed shirts" Edward had warned they hadn't done all they could to keep things undercover of human's to be exposed by a human cop with a bloody shirt.
"Sorry not all of us are expert killers and don't get messy" Emmet had said it to mean a joke but even Rose had hissed at what her mate had said smacking him firmly upside his head as Emmet groaned under her slap.
"Stupid" Rose said shaking her head and letting go of her mates hand as they continued running.
"Ah... come on guys I didn't mean it in a bad way" Emmet complained and in all honesty it didn't bother Edward what he'd said.
Edward had never disputed that he was a killer. He'd carried that shame all his life even felt guilty for killing the human criminals. He had in the time of feeding on the dregs of society to feed his lust for human blood and justice. Edward knew he was a killer. Edward had always longed to be a soldier and while he'd never seen the side that meant he'd need to kill people as a human, he'd always understood you did what you had to for your country and people. This didn't feel all that different. Killing to protect your family and loved ones was different to killing for your own hunger. In his mind at least that was how he viewed it. It came down to killing for self or killing for love. That was how he viewed these coming wars with an untamed irrational wolf pack and a vengeful newborn army following a psychotic vampire who hungered for revenge.
"Don't worry Emmet I'm by no means offended" Edward had told Emmet removing his concern that he'd upset Edward as they shared a smile and head nod. Edward didn't tell Emmet that while he held nothing against him Rose would hold out on her little grudge for Edward a little longer but as he reached to take her hand once again and she pulled away and ran ahead more Edward couldn't help put chuckle at the pouted look on his brother's face.
When they finally arrived at the hospital Emmet and Rose moved to Carlisle's office to search for some type of clothing or scrubs to give to Emmet so he could destroy his bloody shirt. Edward took towards Bella's room alone, he'd not wanted to leave her not when he knew and expected her to wake today. He'd been gone longer then he'd wanted and only hoped she'd not woken yet, Edward paused in the doorway of her room as he found Charlie and Sue Clearwater sitting together. They'd found some type of relationship after the death of Sue's husband Harry, though the love shared by Sue and Harry had been waning for many years even more after both Seth and Leah's shifting. She had been there the night that Leah had shifted too close to Harry, she'd been in a confined room with her daughter had exploded outwards and Harry already with his actual weak heart hadn't survived long enough with his injuries to get help. Sue had consoled a deeply upset Leah and then they'd waited for Sam, Billy and Old Quil to come to collect Harry Clearwater's corpse from their home. It had been one of the last images in Leah's mind as she'd died from her wounds, she'd been lucky to bleed out before the venom had been allowed to kill her, a mercy in the end. Leah had died thinking of her father's dead body because of her.
"Edward, son I'm glad you got some rest. She's all good mumbling now and then but I think she's going to come around soon" Charlie had genuinely seemed pleased to see Edward and he couldn't help but smile at that as Charlie stood when Edward moved into the room his seat still empty as Edward moved to take claim of it again taking Bella's hand. All while Sue watched him through slanted eyes as she glared. She had no idea, no idea that she was looking at the man who had just killed her daughter.
"That's good. I'm sorry I was gone for so long. I have family in town they've come to visit Bella after hearing about what happened they were worried. They came into some trouble on the way in so my siblings and I went to deal with it" Edward said evenly with no sign of emotion as he slowly looked from Bella and Charlie too look straight into Sue's own eyes. She'd known the pack was planning some type of attack, it had been the reason she'd come to the hospital to see Charlie believing that she'd be safer in public against some type of attack if the pack failed.
"That's real nice of your family Edward coming to see Bella like that" Charlie said a little awkwardly though he did appreciate that Bella had so many close friends to help her get through everything. He was worried about having to speak to Bella about what had happened and what had resulted in the deaths of Jake and Paul, Embry having his own room here in the hospital too.
"Renee should be landing late today during the evening. Phil couldn't come with her I already made some arrangements with Rose and Emmet for picking her up from Seattle. So I'll have to speak with your siblings if they're around" Edward nodded knowing that Alice had been the one to set that in motion, Renee in Seattle was a risk in itself with all the vampire's in that area right now and the constant death toll rising. It seemed his family would be farther stretched then he'd wanted and now Sue would know that two of his family members would be alone away from Forks. He hoped the added involvement of Renee would keep Sue from mentioning it.
"Rose and Emmet are just speaking with Carlisle they should be here in a second I'm sure you can speak with them then" Edward smiled as he held Bella's hand in his own again, Sue's mind seething at how nonchalant Edward was around them when he'd killed those boys and Edward couldn't even suppress his smirk as he knew he'd done much worse.
"My cousins from Alaska will be coming later. Family sticks together in times like these" Edward then looked to Sue again and she paused the sinking feeling in her gut tightened as she believed Edward was sending her some type of message and suddenly she felt the need to run back to the reservation, La Push and find out what had happened.
"Well I'm more then okay with that. I know we've both had our differences about each other, I'm glad Bella has you Edward. With everything that has happened it makes me grateful you and your family care so much about Bella" Charlie said honestly and he meant it completely, it appeared that Charlie's once long held grudge was all but pushed aside in his mind now. Edward and every one of the Cullen family had been nothing but good to not only him but Bella too, Edward and Bella loved each other and he was okay with that. He wanted his little girl to be happy, life was too short.
"I have to go Charlie. I hope Bella gets better soon, I'll call you later" Sue said finally not able to swallow much more of Charlie being so thankful and happy about Edward's presence. She'd once believed he'd hated the Cullen family as much as she did after they had hurt Bella, she felt betrayed by his welcoming ways and wished she could reveal what his daughter lay in bed with at night. Sue had already believed Bella too far gone to be saved from the vampire's claim. She hoped Charlie survived when she ended up dead alongside them. Edward had to restrain the growl that almost slipped past his lips at Sue's thoughts his anger at this woman. She wasn't innocent just as judgemental and prejudice as the rest of them. Had covered up the murders of people, good innocent people even her own husband to allow the pack to do whatever they wanted.
"Yeah okay Sue I'll call you later" Charlie smiled blushing slightly and it resembled Bella to Edward and he found himself smiling wider at the Chief of Police blushing at the affections of a woman he cared for deeply. It had been a long time since Charlie had felt this way, Edward only felt badly that the woman Charlie was falling in love with didn't deserve him. Sue touched his hand once; she refused to touch Bella while Edward was so close and in contact like the whole act would make something of him brush off on her. She reached the doorway before Edward called out to her.
"Ms Clearwater" Sue turned her eyes dark and thoughts even more so.
"I'd just like to share my condolences. It's never easy losing those close to you, I can't imagine what I'd feel if I'd lost any of my family" Edward said his face covered to Charlie as he smirked at Sue and her eyes widened. While Charlie only heard a respectful comment from Edward to the woman he cared about Sue saw it for what it was. Both knew Edward wasn't sorry and the reality that this monster had taken more lives made her feel only sicker as she cursed Edward in her mind to the very depths of hell, Edward maliciously wondered if Leah were already there for her sins. Sue with watering eyes turned with her head held high and rushed out of the room, he could still hear in her mind her fear escalating as she moved as fast as she could toward the hospital's exit to check on her people, but mostly her children.
"That was nice of you Edward. I wasn't aware you knew there was a relationship between the Clearwater's and Black's" Charlie said as Edward forced a somewhat reserved smile as he turned back around taking claim of Bella's hand between his own as he leant forward.
"I know many of the members of the La Push Quileute's see each other as family" Edward said while looking at Bella, her breathing more even, her heartbeat seeming strong and back to its usual self her scent was still strange but it would fade soon enough. He could tell that she was now simply sleeping and not forced into sleep through the medication Carlisle had given to her. She'd be awake soon, he hoped she was ready for just how drastically things had changed in the day since her accident the world she knew was no longer the same.
"Jacob...No...run" Edward stiffened at Bella's words as she mumbled in her sleep.
It should have made him feel relieved, it didn't.
The first time he'd heard anything from her, first time she'd mumbled a word since he'd found her. It wasn't him she called out too, it was the dog. If he'd had blood it would have boiled his anger hit him so hard, the room around went deathly silent Charlie even realising the awkward tense air that surrounded them all.
A Human, a vampire, his mate who dreamed of another man.
A man he'd killed.
