CHAPTER SIX
Sacrifice
Over the days Nessie developed a fixed routine that focused mainly on Emma. In the mornings they had their future telling sessions. Nessie loved to see into her future, she enjoyed it too much that it had me worried about her getting dependent on it.
The rest of the day was planned by Emma, who suggested to create a home school environment for Nessie, where family members would be the teachers. She even had a room assigned for the lessons with a board on and everything.
She was responsible for Etiquette and English, Edward Math and Music, Carlisle was of course responsible for Science, while Esme taught her History, Emmet and Jasper had PE and Martial arts, Rosalie Literature, and Alice was responsible for Arts and design.
I couldn't think of a subject that I was so special at to teach my own daughter, just another part of my magnificent human days inheritance. My time with Nessie was labeled "Precious mother and daughter time", a sweet way to put a title to my inadequacy. I decided to teach her about life, about human experiences. After all I am just a recent vampire, I am more in touch with my human side than any of them, or at least I want to believe I am.
After the lessons were over, Emma and Nessie had their own special time as well. They shared a great amount of time everyday working together on enhancing Nessie's special ability. Emma was trying to help her project her visions, to try and share her thoughts with others without having to touch them. The ability that Emma never mastered with her own ability. They spend hours and hours of practice and trials. Trials that even involved Edward and left me out completely.
The bond between them was getting stronger by the day. Nessie filled up Jacob's absence with Emma, to the point that she never mention his name anymore. I didn't know if I should be grateful or worried. I just waited impatiently for my dad to set a wedding date, so I can at least bring Jacob into our lives again.
When the date was finally set, the Cullen's weren't happy about it... not at all.
"It's a blood moon night," Jasper stated suspiciously.
"A blood moon! The witches blood moon?! You can't be serious!" I wondered intrigued. I didn't believe any of this really existed.
"Yes, Bella. Blood moon nights don't only boost witches' powers, but wolfs too. The only creatures that get weakened by it are us," Edward explained, sharing the same doubts as Jasper.
"You mean to say witches exist?!" I asked overwhelmed.
"Oh, yes. There are some really powerful ones too. All this time in the supernatural world Bella, and you still wonder about things!" Edward added.
"You think it's intended?" Emmet asked, keeping his voice neutral.
"I don't really know. But it can't be all coincidence, especially after all that happened between us," Carlisle said worried and skeptical.
"May be it's because of what happened between us. May be they are just scared and they chose that date to protect themselves," Esme said, giving the wolfs the benefits of the doubt.
"I think it's planned, remember Charlie said that Sue is the one choosing the date," Jasper stressed.
"Ever since the date has been set and the decision was made, I can't see anything beyond the wedding ceremony, no matter how hard I look into it, and that just doesn't seem right," Alice Said, apprehensive, adding to the worries of the whole family.
"Well, I can't miss my father's wedding, none of you can," I said firmly in a non negotiable tone.
"we can't take Emma, and we definitely won't leave her behind now," Edward gave his opinion, an opinion that is also not up for discussion.
I knew he was never going to leave her behind so I tried the other option.
"Why can't she come?!it's my father's wedding, she is a part of our family. Besides I think you are blowing this blood moon issue way out of proportions. We will all go, the wolfs won't be stupid enough to try anything with all of us there."
My logic seemed to have worked with them. The Cullen's always welcomed a challenge, but what they loved more is standing together in the face of it.
After 10 dragging days of mutual planning and cautious anticipation, the day was finally here.
The Cullen's really knew how to dress for an occasion. They all looked stunning, even fragile Emma, her black dress complemented her complexion so well. At that point I was so grateful for Alice, if it weren't for the elegant dress she got me, I would have looked utterly under dressed.
Before we left Edward tried to peek into the future with Emma, but they also could not see beyond the ceremony, and that made us all on edge.
The wedding was perfect. Sue choose a great spot near the reservation for the wedding setting, although deep into the forest, the open air style hall they set under the blue sky, and the bright lights set from the entrance to the alter made it really magical.
Everything about the wedding was so emotional for me. Form my dad's teary eyes the moment Nessie walked into the hall carrying the rings, to how he insisted on holding my hand all through the ceremony. I was happy I was there for him, to support him and share his happiness.
Despite the obvious tension between the two sides, the Cullen's were at their best. What was really weired was Jacob's attitude. He ignored us completely, not even Nessie got his attention. It was like he was forced to show up at the wedding, or may be he wasn't in favor of the whole thing, may be the bond between a vampire father and wolfs mother is also violating their sacred code or something. My plan to patch things up between us seemed highly unlikely.
The pack members had their eyes fixated on Emma. Their hate gazes and malicious whispers, proved they were not even trying to hide their animosity towards her, and that made Edward stick to her like her shadow, exchanging hostile glares with the pack.
"Can I have this dance, ," I smiled extending my hand to him, trying to break the circle of hostility and enjoy a stolen moment with my husband.
He took my hand but gently refused the offer, "I can't leave her alone," He said referring to Emma.
"Everyone is dancing, Edward. Even Esme and Carlisle, oh...no...wait even Nessie is dancing with Charlie."
"That is exactly why I can't leave her alone," he firmly insisted.
"Come on, only for a minute, please," I insisted too.
in spite of himself, he took my hand to the dance floor.
"Just like the first time we danced together at our prom, remember," I whispered softly into his ears.
"You have changed a lot since our first dance, Bella," he said with a half smile.
"Not really! I am still standing on your feet to reach you."
His smile widened, as he pulled me into his arms and Span me just like prom. For a moment, it was all about me and him , only the two of us, no outside world dilemmas, no worries or stress, just his eyes in mine. His arms circled my waist, and we danced our problems away, only for a moment.
Just as we turned, Emma wasn't there. Edward instantly left me to search for her. He looked everywhere, but he couldn't find her. In a few minutes we were all discretely scrutinizing the place, keeping a low key, not to bring attention to ourselves, and not to ruin my father's wedding. But there was no trace of her anywhere.
Outside the hall, Edward could not hear her thoughts, We couldn't track her or even smell her scent. Jasper tried all the tracking methods and tricks he knows, but with no use. She had completely vanished.
Something horrible was going on, I just felt it in my bones. Especially after we realized that Jacob, Leah and some members of the pack have disappeared too.
"I will torture her location out of Billy Black right now, and no one dares to stop me," Edward proposed, consumed with anger and frustration.
"Son, you know this is wrong on so many levels. We need to think this through," Carlisle said in a composed voice, trying to contain Edward's anger.
"Think?! I can't think! I can't think beyond what they must be doing to her right now. God... er...her hand hasn't even healed yet," Edward voice was breaking, and his bones were cracking in his clinched fist.
"Dad," Nessie called out to Edward in an urgent tone.
Edward gathered himself and turned to face her.
"Where is Emma?!" she hesitantly asked, not really waiting for an answer. She seemed nervous, her face was pale and her eyes were wondering aimlessly into space. She hastily held his hands, pressing hard against them, her eyes went blank, and so did his, they both were still for a long moment. I watched them carefully as their eyes came into focus again.
"She can see Emma," Edward said shocked and anxious.
"How?!" I asked puzzled and worried.
" I don't know, and I really don't care. What's important now is that some how they are communicating. The wolfs have her, but I still can't figure out where in the forest they are holding her," He said ,still urgent, but somewhat relived.
"I can take you there. They are not far," Nessie offered, adding to our confusion.
"I can smell her from here," she added.
"Smell her?! The blood moon can't weaken us this much. There must be something else!" Jasper wondered in a low voice.
"Well, we have no time to waste. Nessie, darling, lead the way. Let's move," Edward ordered, securing Nessie on his back, and before I could even blink, they darted into the forest, and the whole family followed.
A few miles into the woods, we could see fire from a distance. We all had a cringe in our stomach and I feared we might be too late. But as we got closer, we could see more details, more shocking details.
There were two concentric circles marked down with fire. In the center of the Small circle, Leah was standing, holding a dagger to Emma's throat. Jacob, Jared, Embry,and Quil stood at the four cardinal points of the bigger circle, Jacob at the north probably because he is the strongest, at the 4 sub cardinal points stood four Of the tribe elders. In the center of a separate small circle of fire to their left, a Gypsy woman sat, mumbling to herself and throwing powders into the wood fire in front of her. It wasn't too hard to figure out that the woman must be a witch and they were performing some kind of ritual.
Up close we could really see how terrified Emma was. She was frozen in place, not really sure if it was out of fear or from the firm grip Leah had around her neck. Her eyes were wide open in terror, her teeth were chattering and even though we couldn't hear her voice, she was obviously screaming for help or even mercy.
"It's a sacrifice ritual, they are going to kill her," Carlisle stated, frustrated and angry.
Edward ran towards Emma, in spite of Carlisle screams behind him.
No one saw him coming or was even alarmed by his presence, it was as if they couldn't see him at all. But when Edward actually reached them he was struck back so hard, as if he has hit glass, or even was electrocuted by high voltage current. The impact sent him flying in the air, landing on his back, but he immediately bounced to his feet in shock.
"They have a barrier on. A shield that is keeping them completely isolated. The witch is holding it up. That is why we couldn't track or smell Emma," Jasper warily deduced.
"This can't be happening!" Edward yelled, as he made another failing approach toward the barrier.
"I have a plan," Jasper said, his voice faltered as he shot a quick gaze at me "but you are not going to like it Bella," he added.
"What's it Jasper?!" Edward Pressed anxious and eager, totally oblivious to my discomfort.
"Nessie is the only one of us who could hear and smell Emma, which can only mean, that she can go though the barrier," he explained.
I cut him off before he or Edward push my daughter in a circle of fire, a witch and angry wolfs.
"Nessie is just a child, Jasper. You can't lay the rescue mission on her back."
I refuted his plan ,but I could see not only in Edward's eyes, but in the way they were all looking at me, that they are willing to do whatever it takes to save Emma.
"Don't worry Bella, Nessie will only provide us an opening. If she manages to touch the witch, she can blind her with her visions, even if it's for a split of a second. That is ought to distract her bringing the barrier down, allowing one of us to snatch Emma out of Leah's arms to safety," He carefully detailed his plan.
"I will do it," Nessie offered with no hesitation, she stepped forward for her family, like a true Cullen.
"I am the fastest, so I will be responsible for freeing Emma. And Jasper will make sure to take Nessie away of the circle, just as Emma and I make it out." Edward volunteered, just as valiant, and proud as our daughter.
"It's a blood moon night, Emma is weak, and Nessie is with us, they are both going to be a liability. It wont be wise for us to fight the wolfs. So I say we rescue her and try to run home," Emmet suggested.
"If we run, they will chase us, and that will only be delaying the fight, not preventing it," Alice objected, not in favor with Emmet suggestion.
"I will stay behind to hold them off, and all of you make a run for it," Carlisle ordered his voice firm and sharp.
"I will stay too, and so will Bella. Her presence could buy us some time, or at least I hope so," Edward offered and I willingly agreed.
Nessie didn't flinch or hesitate, I was surprised by how confident and strong she was. She managed to sneak up on the witch without being noticed. Jasper made her break the barrier close to the witch, so that no one will see her coming. The witch being in a separate slightly distant circle, worked in our favor.
It all happened too quickly, once Nessie touched the witch, her eyes went blank and that's when Edward knew the barrier was down, faster than lightening, he swiftly snatched Emma out of Leah's arms and out of the circle, the same second Jasper graped Nessie away from the witch, and as planned, they started their run home.
The pack didn't know what hit them, except when Leah started screaming, blood gushing out of her neck.
"This could have been a bite, a bite that would have killed her. But I still honor the things you once did for us, that is why she is not dead. Let her scar be a reminder to never mess with our family again," Edward warned his voice loud and lethal.
He added his own twist to the plan, an addition that I wouldn't have agreed to, wounding Leah was a provocation we couldn't afford. But the pack was stunned, they didn't expect us at all. They had a tight plan, a plan that would have worked, if it weren't for Nessie.
"What happened here tonight breaks the treaty. If I see the shadow of any of you any where near my family ever again, none of you will have the mercy my son granted upon Leah," Carlisle stressed every word with confidence and menace. His eyes didn't blink and his stares were toxic.
His word didn't go well with the elders and the pack. They all started growling, their eyes went red with anger, they took an attacking stance and they were beginning to phase before Jacob stopped them.
The situation was flammable, it could easily turn into war, a war that we won't win.
"Nessie was here Jacob. She saw how you and your pack tortured her friend, her family, and how you planned to murder her," I spoke, looking straight into his eyes, trying to search for the Jacob I know.
"You can't murder what's already dead, Bella," Jacob sharply stated, his tone cold and distant, "I know you may think of this as betrayal, but I had to do it, I had to do what is best for my pack. And I know you won't believe it now, but I am doing this for Nessie," his voice was still sharp and his face as hard as a stone.
What happened to him? What is the reason behind this tragic change? What kind of believes he is convinced with now, and ready to kill to defend them?!
I was more angry at him than shocked. How could he do this? Go to this extreme?! Risk losing me...losing Nessie ...forever. How could he put me in this situation again, tearing me apart in the middle between him and the rest of my family.
Dead silence and deadly stares took over the conflict. I think we allowed it to linger, to buy our runaways some more time.
But eventually, I broke the silence, frustrated and angry, taking the initiative to end this none sense, "I need to get back to my father's wedding, if you all don't mind. I trust you wouldn't need us here anymore Jacob. Or if I turn my back to you, you will dagger me."
"My fight is not with you Bella, you know that," Jacob said, his voice a bit softer this time, my words seemed to have hurt him.
"You fight with my family, you fight with me. You know that." I was as cold and distant as he was before.
Carlisle chose to head home, but Edward and I had to stop by my dad's wedding first. There was something important I needed to share with Sue Clearwater.
"Edward, Bells, where were you guys?!" Charlie asked in his warm voice.
"Sorry Charlie, Nessie was sleepy and Emma was tired, we had to take them home," Edward gently apologized, while I kept my eyes focused on Sue, her discomfort on the mention of Emma's name confirmed my suspicions. She was in on everything, she knew exactly what the pack was doing, she wasn't fooled or tricked into choosing the date or the place of the wedding. She was a part of it all.
"The wedding was awesome dad, congratulations. But before we leave, I would like a word alone with my mother in law, please," I softly requested, taking the urgency away from my voice, not to alarm my dad. Charlie instantly complied, walking away with Edward, giving me and sue the space we needed.
"Listen sue," I made an obvious attempt to control my tone, "I kept my father away from our messy world, and I intend to keep him away. If you ever use him again, or put him at risk like you did today, not only will I drag you out of his life, I will drag life out of you."
She faintly nodded, her pale face and nervous eyes, confirmed that my message got through to her.
It was a tough night at home. Emma thrashed around in fear, she didn't stop shaking except when Jasper stepped in to control her emotions. Nightmares haunted Nessie too, it freaked us out to see such fear in her eyes.
"They are not nightmares, it's a replay of what happened tonight, over and over again. She must have been too scared, but she refused to let us sense her fear," Edward said, tortured by the images he could see in Nessie's dreams.
"What happened tonight wasn't easy on anyone, especially not on her. If we had other choices, I would have chosen to keep her away from it all." I tried to comfort him, when I really was the one who needed comfort. It's tearing me apart seeing my daughter suffer, and all because of my Jacob. Yes he was mine, I put him in my daughter's life, I trusted him to always do the right thing by her, but he didn't, even if his intentions were good.
"I think we should move her in the same room with Emma, she needs Jasper. I don't think I can bear seeing her go through another nightmare," he said, heartbroken and angry.
The night was quieter after Jasper magic, I think he used his ability on all of us to get us through the night.
In the morning, it felt like we all had a secret agreement not to mention what happened last night, we all wanted to forget it, put it behind us and move on. Even Emma and Nessie, they went on their regular routine as if nothing had happened. No one was more grateful for this than me, I didn't want to have to discuss Jacob and his motives with Nessie, at least not right now.
Edward and I felt exhausted, neither of us wanted to talk, but we mutually felt the need for one another. I wrapped my arms around him and rested my head on his chest, and he leaned downward to rest his head over mine. We were quiet for a few minutes, but then suddenly, he left his head and his eyes stared into space, someone's thoughts must have got his attention.
"What is it?!" I wondered aloud, scared of what he might be hearing.
"I don't know yet? But I am going to Carlisle to find out?! wait here," He ordered, his voice was tinted with disbelief and anguish.
I couldn't get myself to wait, but I also couldn't enter Carlisle study. It could all be about Jacob and I can neither defend him nor share in his defame.
After a very long half hour, Edward got out, he had a tortured expression all over his face, and an impatience that was obvious in his tone and attitude.
"I need to talk to you Bella," he urgently said, pulling my hand and taking us out of the house. All the way to our cottage he was quiet, but his silence was terrifying, His face was broken, his dormant pain has made it to the surface again.
"What is wrong Edward, you are scaring me."
"Emma's test results came in the mail today," he painfully sighed and barley continued, "Carlisle theory was all wrong. Her cells are not rejuvenating, they are dying. He believes her body systems will start shutting down soon, one after one, and eventually she would die," his voice was breaking so was his heart. I had a weird feeling of relief about her dying, I didn't know if I should despise myself for it, or was it normal to feel that way considering all that happened.
"There is one solution though, a solution that I am hoping you would agree to," he cautiously continued, choosing his word very carefully,
"The only way to keep her alive is to have venom pumping in her veins, still she takes no pleasure or desire in hunting. The only thing that gets her venom rising is..." he hesitated, his voice broke a couple of times before he finally managed to complete.
"The only thing that gets her venom rising is her feelings for me. She have always loved me, and if I act just act to have feelings for her, Carlisle believes this could keep her alive long enough for him to find another solution." his nervous eyes were searching for my reaction with every word.
"So it's Carlisle's idea then?!" I wondered in contempt.
"No it was mine, but I didn't suggest this to save her, I did it to give Emma the love story she wanted, the love story she lived for, but Carlisle saw a chance in it as well, so don't blame him," his voice was confident, not reluctant or nervous anymore, he believes that doing this for her is the noble thing to do, whether she lives or dies.
"My God Edward, how could you even think I would agree to something like that?! And how far are you willing to "ACT" to have feelings for her?! And am I supposed to sit around and watch it all happen." I shrugged, disappointed and angry.
"I know it's going to be difficult for you, but I have to do this, I owe it to her."
"What exactly do you want from me Edward?! Obviously not my approval, you are going to do this regardless," I fiercely interrupted.
Edward got down on his knees, clasped my hands in his, and looked at me with so much love, but also so much pain,
"All I am asking is for you to extend me the same courtesy and trust I once gave you when it came to Jacob, I beg you Bella, support me on this, please," he said in a broken voice.
I leaned forward and held him deep to my heart, I never saw him this weak, this desperate before, and this is probably the first time he ever asked me for something. I could never turn him down, not now, not after seeing how much this means to him, how much it's tearing him apart. He never opposed anything I asked, and when Jacob was ... was in my life, he gave me the trust and the space I needed. I have to accept, even though I know I will regret it every second of every day, but the smile of relief on his face was worth it.