Chapter Twelve: A Dragon, a Witch, and a Tiger
The Waterfall House - February 8th
"What happened?" Esme asked, stepping forward, her expression unreadable.
"I'm in communication with Jasper, we're not sure yet. He has landed and is driving like a mad-man towards Volterra right now to hopefully intercept Carlisle." Angela said, her attention clearly split.
"Can you keep us updated?" Isabella asked, and Angela nodded a couple of times distractedly.
"I hope that he is okay, but with that out of the way, we should begin talking about the giant in the room." Quil said with as much sympathy as he could given he was speaking about a vampire.
"Joham." Isabella's voice was harsh, the name coming out as a hostile curse. No one would've been surprised if she spit onto the ground after saying it, although she didn't.
"Wait, you know who is at the heart of these atrocities and you do nothing?" Mei looked appalled and deeply upset.
"We don't know where he is." Eliza replied immediately, her tone a combination of frustration and anger.
"And I only saw him that one time weeks ago." Brianna confirmed nodding, before realizing what she said and slowly looking towards Mei in fear. "I was taken by his recruiters and turned, they didn't think I could do anything so they ignored me and fed me the same tainted blood they gave everyone else. But I didn't want to fight, I didn't want to kill. I just wanted to be free. So I followed them, but desperately wanted a way out. When I saw mom and Eliza decimating our forces, I decided I would try and run. My body didn't cooperate, and I ended up near a tree where they found me."
Mei's face was unreadable, she stared at Brianna for several long seconds, her hand which was always resting on her blade tightened slightly. "Mei, do you know of prophecy?" Alice asked before she could react further.
Mei's eyes lingered on Brianna for another second before turning towards Alice,"it is important, however, I have only encountered one seer in my long life. He was a tortured and tormented man, who ended his life shortly after being turned."
"I am a seer. Nearly a century ago I had a vision of me and Isabella together, another life that didn't happen." Alice started.
Kira smiled widely, leaning forward with her chin resting on her hands perched on her knees. "The great Assassin involved in a century long tragic romance. Please tell me more."
"Unrequited romance for most of that time. My former… Coven mate, Edward, saw that vision with his telepathy and destroyed it, however, before he did I saw this girl, Brianna, as our daughter. So when we found her, I knew right away she would be one of the best parts of my life." Alice said with a warm glance towards Brianna who just leaned into her shoulder a little harder. Alice couldn't quite read Mei, her expression was hard but her grip on her sword was no longer tight.
"Neat." Rita said, utterly enraptured by the conversation. "So you're saying that you found effectively an enemy combatant, and instead of executing her for crimes your former coven would insist upon enforcing, you adopted her because of a century old prophecy about a possible familial connection? That's amazing."
"I would argue that she was ever an enemy." Alice answered Rita directly, and then turned towards Mei, and locked glares unflinchingly. "Brianna is my daughter. I will always defend her."
"Have you confirmed her story?" Mei asked simply.
"Yes, in every way." Isabella said, pursing her lips, "when my kind bond we share memories. If you understood half of what she has been through, I know you, you would be marching off to kill right now."
Mei gave Isabella a hard look, then turned her eyes towards Brianna and her expression softened completely. "Were your parents… unkind, Brianna chan?"
"Yes." Brianna said softly, as Alice pulled her into a hug. A moment later Michelle sat down next to her in human form and held out a hand which Brianna took immediately, interlacing their fingers, and squeezing a bit tighter than Michelle could physically handle, but she didn't wince or make any sound like it hurt.
"Anna, are you okay?" Michelle whispered, and Brianna nodded before looking down and realizing that she was hurting her and let go of her hand, giving Michelle a horrified look.
"I'm so sorry!" Brianna said in shame and embarrassment.
"Did I complain? What is a little pain when it gives you comfort?" Michelle reached up and cupped Brianna's cheek with the same hand that was hurt. Brianna shut her eyes tightly and leaned into the touch as warm tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. Michelle pulled her hand away and wiggled her fingers then took Brianna's hand in hers again, "see, all better."
"But I hurt you." Brianna gave her a strained look, not understanding.
"No you didn't. Remember I'm a pack leader who does not break very easily." Michelle said looking into her eyes, and Brianna felt herself melt slightly from the affection she felt in that look.
"Kinky." Eliza said with a big grin.
"Eliza!" Jake and Isabella said at almost the same time.
"What?" Eliza looked around and Leah began to chuckle, pulling Eliza close to her.
"We've got to work on your filter." Leah whispered, then kissed Eliza on the cheek.
Emmett leaned in towards Eliza, "for what it's worth, I thought the exact same thing." Eliza looked up at him and grinned.
"Thanks… Guido." Eliza's smile grew wider and Emmett furrowed his brow slightly. Then his eyebrows shot up and he chuckled.
"Strong Guy right?" Emmett said with a happy smile.
"You know X-Factor? No one knows X-Factor." Eliza said with a bright happy expression, almost bouncing to find another member of the family who knew something about her obsessions.
"He was into comics for a period in the 1990's." Rosalie explained.
"How do our conversations always devolve into comic books or movies?" Kate asked somewhat confused.
"You've met me right?" Eliza stuck out her tongue.
"Yes, but to be fair I don't know you very well yet." Kate said with a small shrug.
"We'll have to remedy that. Have you ever seen…" Eliza examined Kate trying to judge her tastes, "the Expanse?"
"No, we don't watch much movies or television." Kate answered with a small frown, she had really no idea what Eliza was talking about.
"Television, wow, this was an adaptation of one of the best hardcore science fiction series of all time." Eliza explained, her expression excited by the possibility of sharing things with not only her coven but the Denali as well.
"Oh, that might be interesting. Is it real sci-fi or more sci-fi fantasy?" Kate had been into early science fiction like Jules Verne and HG Wells, but found the more fantastical stuff fell outside of her interest.
"Real, as in actual physicists complimented the realism on the show. It is political and heavy, and spends a lot of time setting up the conflict about the breakdown of peace between Earth, Mars and the people of the outer belt." Eliza rattled off, hopefully, while watching Kate's expression carefully.
"Sounds interesting, I'll try it." Kate nodded, forgetting momentarily they were surrounded by dozens of people, then looking around feeling self conscious of the audience who were openly glaring at the two of them.
"Yay!" Eliza did a little happy dance of joy with her arms above her head.
"Can I watch it with you guys?" Brianna said with an excited smile.
"Absolutely baby sis." Eliza grinned at Brianna.
"Can we get back to the matter at hand?" Stephen said with more than a little impatience.
"Sorry, my daughter…s are a bit exuberant. I can't believe I have two of them." Isabella ran a hand over her face. "Anyway, the basic conflict is pretty simple from what we've been able to gather. We believe that Joham is testing how to alter a vampire at a genetic level. So far his experiments seem to have a built in expiration date, those afflicted dying within a few days after receiving what we can only guess is a catalyst agent that interacts with the tainted blood they are given shortly after being turned. Then he uses these newborn vampires as cannon fodder to destroy large covens. In a parallel development, he has apparently distilled a substance that can induce a human into developing the power to shift into a wolf. We don't know how he is accomplishing this, although Michelle and two of her pack have seen it first hand."
"This is all information that we essentially knew, are there any other developments." Quil said with a heavy frown. There was a short silence, and then Angela stood up with a look of horror on her face. Alice felt the explosion in Volterra ripple through the future in waves at the same time. The course of the future altered forever. Alice stood as well, sending the image of Carlisle's last moment to the rest of her family who all gasped.
Angela looked around at the gathered family and felt an old fondness for Carlisle emerge within her. He had been her doctor when she was a teenager afterall for almost four years. While she had only met him a dozen times during that period, she had always felt he was a good man who genuinely cared. How could she tell his family that he was gone.
"Carlisle has made a choice. He… he…" Angela started, not sure how to say the words. Alice reached out to her, and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I'll do it." Alice gave her a warm comforting smile, while her own emotions swirled around from guilt and grief to outright anger. Yet she let none of those show on her face, a century of practice finally proving useful. Alice stood tall, and found her immediate family surrounding her along with Michell and Leah and the rest of the Swan family, before turning towards the rest of the Cullens who had drawn close together.
"Carlisle, he's gone." Alice said, holding back a wave of pure grief from entering her voice, but she couldn't stop the tears from forming in her eyes. That new sensation, while welcome, felt like her body betraying her so she wiped at them almost unconsciously.
"What happened? Did the Volturi…?" Adara asked, feeling the weight of strength on her shoulders. As Rosalie, Emmett and Esme all began to break down. Esme fell back to her seat in shock, and Emmett and Rosalie sat with her. The three clutched onto each other in horror and pain.
"No, he smuggled an explosive into the tower and set it off. Dying along with Aro, Caius, Collins and a few of the guards in the council chamber." Alice explained, knowing that nothing could be done as the vision became reality.
"He was struggling with what happened with Edward, and decided to sacrifice himself." Angela said, reverting to her usually neutral voice, but found that her emotions couldn't be closed off so completely anymore. She felt her body shaking from the pain she felt in Carlisle's mind and the peace he felt just before the explosive went off.
"I thought you could control minds, why didn't you stop him?" Esme asked, her voice quivering, although her tone was less accusatory than inquisitive.
Angela shook her head, "from this far away I have no control, I can just listen and speak to a mind. "
"I can't…" Kate started as her phone started to ring. "Tanya, please tell me…"
"There's a massive plume of black smoke above the clock tower in Volterra. The entire Volturi council chamber is gone." Tanya said in obvious shock, her voice carrying to all the supernatural creatures.
"And you say you are not a part of these coven massacres." Mei said with a look of disgust.
"He acted on his own, as retribution for what they did to us." Isabella said with a heavy sigh.
"What did they do?" Kira asked, glancing behind them at the ruined house.
"Blew up our house." Eliza motioned towards the rubble. "With us inside."
"You are not injured or burnt." Mei pressed back, her voice growing more hostile.
"That's harder to explain." Isabella said, trying to figure out how to describe how different she and her family were.
"We heal." Eliza said flatly.
"Or not." Isabella said sarcastically, almost chuckling at the simplicity of Eliza's response.
Mei furrowed her brow in confusion, "heal, from burns?"
Kira placed a gentle hand on her lover's arm and Mei looked at her. A silent conversation took place, then Kira looked at Isabella.
"So, the most obvious question would be, what are you? You are no vampire." Kira's eyes were difficult to read, but Isabella could see a hint of curiosity and worry and a splash of fear.
"We just tried to explain that to the council here, and honestly we don't entirely know." Isabella said feeling frustrated that she barely knew anything about her own body. She hadn't even realized she was capable of that kind of recovery. Sure she could heal from most physical wounds, but she had never sustained that much damage before.
"I've seen your strength, speed and gifts first hand. I have witnessed Eliza showing the same gifts as you, which should be impossible. Now you say you have healed from injuries no other vampire could recover from. Are these things what separate you?" Kira asked, her tone starting to sound incredulous and a touch angry.
"Yes, and more." Isabella acknowledged. "We have regained some of our human traits as well, we can breathe, sleep and cry. Human food tastes sensational and certain scars that I wanted to keep and remember have appeared on my body, like the one you gave me during our last sparring match." Isabella raised the bottom hem of her shirt and showed off the scars on her stomach that Alice had just been marveling over the night before.
Mei sat forward and her face went slack with surprise, her expression shifting through a dozen feelings before she shut her eyes tightly. Kira pulled her close and Mei rested her head against her without opening her eyes.
Kira caressed Mei's hair a few times before looking around settling on Leah, "does your kind bond with one soul?"
"Yes, we do." Leah said, looking at Eliza briefly before meeting Kira's eyes. Kira's jaw began to quiver, before turning towards Eliza.
"Eliza, do you share this bond with her?" Kira's voice sounded a touch desperate, and full of emotions that she could never express outloud.
"Um… yes I believe I do. We've only known each other for a little over a week, and I can say with certainty that she is the love of my life." Eliza gave Leah's hand a squeeze, as she looked at Kira with confidence.
"Can this change to your physiology be shared?" Kira pressed, no longer hiding the need in her voice.
"Yes, but for now we are keeping it within our coven." Isabella said with reluctance. She still hadn't even addressed what happened with Angela and Talia. To bring Mei into this would be risking too much until they understood more. She wasn't worried about the information getting out anymore, the threat from the Volturi basically neutralized and an attack from Joham's forces was an inevitability.
"I understand." Mei said with no intonation, and Kira growled in response shaking her head.
"I beg to disagree with you my love." Kira didn't quite push Mei away, but she parted with her with a look of anger and frustration. "Mei and I share a bond forged nearly a millennia ago, weathered through war and countless rulers. She is the dragon and I am her tiger. Yet love to her is a difficult thing to express. Her heart froze at a time when her family had done unspeakable harm. To deny her a chance to change is cruel, I thought you of all people could understand this Isabella."
"Kira, it is not our place to demand such a thing." Mei tried to sooth her lover's anger, but Kira was inconsolable.
"Is the assassin not our ally? Or do you forget our vows to each other?" Kira said, her honor now being questioned.
"I cannot forget such things, as you well know." Mei whispered with her own anger starting to show.
"Wait, you're a thousand years old? Shifters can live that long?" Leah asked, sitting forward with wide expectant eyes.
Kira shut her eyes on her fury for a moment and turned towards Leah, giving her a sympathetic smile. "I wondered that once too, falling in love with an immortal is a difficult thing to wrap your head around. The answer is yes, I am nine-hundred and seventy-two years old. Our power is not bound to this… world. We can live indefinitely, as long as we do not release our spirit animal." She then turned towards Isabella, "is it not within your power to grant such a request Isabella?"
"The dissemination of this… power is new and largely untested." Isabella said almost ready to acquiesce to Kira. Kira's eyes closed slightly and she let out a calm sigh with a mysterious smile curling up her lips.
"But is it possible?" Kira asked, her voice peaceful and serene.
"Yes, possible." Isabella cast her eyes towards the fire and clicked her teeth together a few times. "Let me think about it. I promise I will have an answer to you soon."
"That is all I ask." Kira replied softly, pulling her lover even closer. Mei no longer seemed tense, her body nearly limp in her lover's arms. Eliza and Isabella looked at each other with curiosity, neither had thought Mei of relaxing at all, let alone surrounded by such a large force. Either she trusted Isabella implicitly, which was possible or Kira had talents she had kept hidden until now.
"Now that that is settled, please accept my condolences on your loss. I must ask, does this mean the Volturi are no longer a threat?" Quil said, looking towards the Cullens before looking back towards Isabella who looked to Angela.
"Perhaps, I am confident that Aro and Caius are dead." Angela confirmed, her
"Well then, I think the first order of business then is to get with… Jasper right?" Stephen asked, and Angela nodded. "Have him confirm whether the Volturi are in fact gone. Then we need to start to figure out a way to stop Joham."
"He will direct his forces here again, I have no doubt. If my math is correct we are the last and largest coven left." Eliza said with a frown.
"That's right, my sources confirmed that Berlin fell this morning. The smaller covens and any survivors are scattered and running." Zoey confirmed, causing Eliza to give her an impressed look.
"Do we have any friends still out there?" Rosalie asked in mild exasperation, "it would be foolish to believe we're enough to stop what we've seen from this maniac."
Esme took a few calming breaths, "when things first got bad I reached out to some of our friends. This morning I checked in, I hope that's alright." Isabella just gave her an appreciative smile. "I first tried Amun and Maggie, thankfully their numbers are active so I left messages, but I have not heard back. Zafrina doesn't use modern communications, but I sent a messenger to her. I did reach Henri, he and Yvette are in hiding but they will try to make their way here. Alistair is nearly impossible to reach, so is Mary but I sent a call through the nomad network for anyone willing to make a stand against these attacks. That may reach Randell, Peter and Charlotte too, but since they are Jasper's friends he might have some luck getting in touch with them. Mei, have you heard from Toshiro?"
"He is ronin, so no. Last we spoke with him was three hundred years ago." Kira answered for her, Mei still resting her head on her shoulder with her eyes closed.
"What about the Romanians?" Emmett asked somewhat hesitantly, no one really wanted them involved.
"I imagine they will be celebrating the deaths of Aro and Caius." Charlie said with a chuckle, the last interaction he had with them was an exercise in frustration. More amused with his gift than helping in his mission to find Victoria. They had some dealing with her, but hadn't heard anything in almost a century.
"Speaking of the council, do we know what is going on with Marcus?" Eliza asked, hoping that at least Marcus was alive.
"He wasn't in the council room, in fact Aro and Caius were offering Carlisle a place on the council. I got the impression Marcus is alive. Also, Carlisle noticed Aro acting fidgety when he mentioned his sister. There may be something there." Angela said, wishing she had reached out to scan Aro's mind while she was in Carlisle's. It would've been a stretch, but to look into the mind of an ancient vampire would've been fascinating.
"What could he be hiding?" Eliza asked Isabella who initially shrugged, and then her eyebrows raised with a look of horror on her face.
"Didyme. What if he faked her death?" Isabella started, then immediately shook her head. "No, that would mean he had her hidden away for millenia. No one is that cruel, even Aro."
"You forget how he treats Athenodora. If he imprisons his wife like that, who is to say he doesn't do the same with a sister who is supposed to be dead." Eliza let her conjecture run, but found herself disgusted by the idea.
"If Didyme is alive, and Marcus found out, he will not stop until he finds her." Isabella said, hoping it was a real possibility because then Marcus might find a measure of happiness again.
Stephen cleared his throat to draw attention back to the meeting, "what I am hearing is we have far too many questions without answers. I propose we table this meeting until we have those answers."
"I agree. Isabella?" Quil asked, and Isabella nodded. "Meeting adjourned."
The Cullen Residence - February 8th
"My dearest Esme. Or maybe I should say, Dear Esme. Estranged after two hundred years. It is an odd thing to think of my family as strangers, but I have come to realize that my mission in life has been in jest so what is a little estrangement? I know I'm not entirely in my right mind right now, and that would beg you to wonder whether I made my choice out of a sense of desperation or obligation or perhaps even madness. I assure you it is none of those things.
I went to Volterra for two important reasons. First, to follow your example and protect your family. I say yours, because beyond Edward they were your family, not mine. That might sound detached at best, and cruel at worst. The thing is, my entire life I went in search of others like myself. Looking for a kindness of mind and spirit. I failed with Edward, whether it was by my actions turning him into a vampire or some defect of his own mind I do not know.
Secondly, I am going because I must know the truth. Much like your video of Edward's confession I need to hear why they chose to hurt Isabella. If they are as corrupt as I believe they are, then this might be the only chance we have to eliminate a formidable threat. I do this also as a direct consequence for their actions. An eye for an eye, or more accurately, a bomb for a bomb. It's funny, but if Joham's little army hadn't attacked us this wouldn't be possible.
I do not blame you for your actions now, you made the right choice for your children. I do this now for you. I love you Esme, this is me choosing you. However, I cannot live with your actions, nor can I live with mine. I need you to understand this is not suicide, this is sacrifice. I go to end the lives of two abhorrent monsters. Something I should've attempted when I understood their nature. But I was too much of a coward then to ever consider such an act.
You taught me that courage is about committing to those you love. Protecting them no matter what, even if it taints your own soul. I thought I was a protector, a father, a good man. In truth I was just as manipulative and controlling as Aro or Caius. Maybe my motivations were pure, but my methods were just as corrupt. To that end I wish to make the following reparations.
Rosalie, you were never just a wife for Edward. The moment you went your own way, killing those men and finding Emmett, well, I thought you were going to leave us. Instead you stayed, committed to my lifestyle and never once admitted to your misery. I thank you for your loyalty and hope that you find happiness in your new place and family.
Emmett, all I can say to you is never change. You are a wonderful man, who I wish I had allowed myself to get to know better. May you and Rosalie find that elusive thing you have both longed to find.
Jasper and Adara, I can say many things to both of you. But in truth, you do not need me or my platitudes. However, I must say that you are both exceptional people, never forget your compassion for others and love for one another. It is special.
Alice, I'm sorry. I have no words to truly express my own disappointment in my actions. My rejection of you was unforgivable and I hope one day you can forgive me.
Isabella, for my role in what happened to you, I have no desire to express anything other than remorse. I do not ask for your forgiveness, I simply wish you to know I was wrong. You were always a part of this family, no matter what he may have told you.
I hope my words bring you all some peace. Goodbye.
Carlisle."
Esme folded the letter and set it on the mantle. "Goodbye." She whispered, dragging her fingers along the surface of the paper before turning away.
"What does it say?" Rosalie asked, holding herself tightly. Emmett was close behind her, giving silent support.
"You can read it, he does directly address all of you, including you Isabella" Esme said, sitting down on the nearest couch. "We should get our things, give this house to our cousins."
"That sounds good." Rosalie said with a smile, picking up the letter and reading it, her breath catching quickly and tears starting to stream down her face. Her eyes blinked a few times and she wiped away the tears with a half smile of joy over the sensation and grief. He was after all the closest thing she ever had to a caring father.
"We couldn't take the house, there are too many memories here." Kate said, taking her husband's hand.
"Kate's right, while it is very generous, I have started the process of purchasing a residence just north of town on the nearby lake. It is a bit smaller than we are used to but has rooms for all of us. Given the size of your coven you'll need this house." Garrett explained, looking around the coven with a thoughtful gaze. He had never encountered such a group that matched compassion with skill and power.
"I guess you're right. We'll discuss that later." Isabella nodded, "have you heard from Tanya?"
"Not yet, last I heard they were going to investigate… cautiously. Last thing they want is a confrontation with surviving guard members." Kate said with a smirk, although she did feel a pang of worry. The Volturi could end up being a fallen hornet's nest, appearing dead but full of angry soldiers roaring for vengeance.
"About that, Jane, Alec, Demitri and Felix were all on mission. We might have issues going forward with them, if they have any idea who attacked the council." Isabella didn't want to think about the Witch twins and what they might come up with for revenge. Yet she had to wonder if they even knew about the execution order, the council rarely disseminated information to their guard members. So while they may hear of the explosion in Volterra, it is possible they may assume it is connected to the rash of attacks on other covens.
"What about Athenodora and Sulpicia?" Rosalie wondered aloud, voicing another potential concern.
"I know they live in the tower, so they may have died in the blast." Eliza guessed, although it was impossible to know exactly what had been consumed in the blast.
"A bridge to cross when we know more. I know most of us don't need to sleep, but perhaps we can postpone the coven meeting until tomorrow. I'm personally exhausted by all of this." Rosalie suggested and Isabella laughed and nodded in agreement.
"So I know you wanted to figure this out later, but maybe we should work out who is staying where." Emmett stood up straight and crossed his arms waiting for disagreement, but everyone just bobbed their heads in somewhat reluctant agreement.
"I don't think I can go back to that room." Esme said, her eyes cast downward.
"That's completely understandable, you should stay in Swan house, are we really calling it that?" Charlie said sympathetically, and Esme smiled tiredly over at him.
"Yeah, until we have a better nickname." Zoey pouted, scrunching up her nose.
"The Roost, the Pen, the Swan Nest… come on there are dozens of easy ones." Eliza said, extending her arms out with her palms up in an exaggerated shrug.
"Eliza, not now." Isabella said with a tired smile and Eliza just shrugged again. "Zoey already has a room, so it makes sense that Angela and Charlie live there, along with Esme. Alice already has a room here and I'm good living anywhere. Rosalie, Emmett?"
"Here is home." Rosalie said simply, and Emmett nodded in agreement.
"I'm already staying down in La Push with Leah. Adara, Henry, Talia?" Eliza asked, glancing at the three of them who were standing huddled somewhat close together feeling a bit apart from all the couples. Talia was glancing over at Angela repeatedly, but did not want to seem too familiar with her yet.
"I still have hope for Jasper, so I'll stay in our room until he returns and we have a proper argument." Adara sounded sad but resigned.
"I'll stay with Angela if she doesn't mind." Talia said nervously, looking up at Angela with her heart on her sleeve.
"I don't mind." Angela gave her a warm smile, and a small look of something else that caused Talia's face to soften, a happy smile curling up her lips.
"I think staying here would be a novel idea, plus I prefer to stay close to you Isabella." Henry said simply, which made Isabella almost smile in return. A brief curl of her mouth gave him a lift, as he wondered when it would be right to broach the topic of trading up on the vampire food chain.
"Fair enough, and the feeling is mutual Henry." Isabella said with a genuine look of affection towards Henry. He wasn't quite a part of the family, but felt right as a valued member of the coven.
"Um, I wasn't sure but if Zoey is okay with it, I think I want to keep rooming with her." Brianna said randomly, drawing attention.
"Are you kidding, I would love that!" Zoey said enthusiastically.
"Is that okay… mom?" Brianna asked Isabella timidly.
"You are a vampire, and basically an adult now. We can be reached anytime through the link, so no I don't have a problem with it. I think it is a great idea for the two of you to get to know one another. You're basically first cousins." Isabella said, brightening her smile, glancing over to Angela who mouthed 'thank you'.
"So this meeting doesn't need to be formal tomorrow, and I would like to spend some time as a family. Make an evening of it." Alice suggested.
"Like a game night?" Emmett asked somewhat excitedly.
"I suppose, I haven't played anything but Chess and Poker since I was fourteen, but it could be fun. We should also organize a funeral for Carlisle, but after Jasper and the rest of your family arrive back home." Isabella directed the last part towards Kate, who nodded.
"Tanya would appreciate that." Kate sighed gratefully, the emotional need for closure was important in her opinion, even if Carlisle's was estranged from his family.
"Mei, Kira, you're welcome to stay here too. There are enough rooms." Alice offered, and Mei almost began to shake her head but Kira stepped forward with a big smile on her face.
"We appreciate that Isabella, I haven't had a good night's sleep since…" Kira started and then looked at Mei with a touch of nervousness. She was never a part of the Tokyo coven, they knew about her and tolerated her but had never fully accepted her. This coven on the other hand, looked to be far more tolerant and the idea of being a full member of such a group was very appealing.
"Alice you should take my old room, there is more than enough room for two, and we rarely used the bed. Then Mei and Kira can have your room." Esme offered and gave Kira a knowing and sympathetic look.
"I don't…" Mei started, but Kira placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"I think that will work." Isabella said, and Alice nodded once in agreement.
"We would be honored." Kira said, looking at them all with gratitude.
"Mine is on the second floor, the door is on the right. It'll be empty in an hour." Alice said with the kind of brightness she had never thought she would feel again despite the madness and darkness lurking at the edges of her mind. "Okay, that's all settled. Let's all break for now, meet up tomorrow around say noon and until then let's all try to relax and recover. This has been a trying few days." Alice said, realizing now that she was the matriarch of the coven. Not the second, but still in a position of responsibility.
"Sounds like a plan." Emmett said with a big grin, as he started up the stairs looking back for Rosalie who nodded at the collected family and joined him.
"Which room should I take?" Henry said with a small shrug.
"Up the stairs, room on the right, feel free to do with it as you like. His collection of music is extensive." Alice said somewhat dismissively. Hoping Henry would erase any traces of Edward over time.
"Ah, Edward's room. I will… try to be respectful." Henry tried to be tactful.
"I don't think anyone here will worry about that, but thank you." Esme said, shaking her head. Despite feeling like Edward deserved some consideration, she felt she had no right to say anything about it.
"I'm going to head out, we'll be back early tomorrow." Charlie stood, slapping his hands on his knees for emphasis. The move caught Isabella's attention, as an old memory sparked in her mind of Charlie doing that same thing every time he wanted to change a conversation or make a move to get things in motion. It fully cemented that he was her father, not just the idea of Charlie back in her life, but the actual man. She wasn't sure what their relationship was going to be moving forward, but she was finally happy that there was a chance to build one with him.
"I'm gonna head up to see Michelle if that's alright." Brianna again asked randomly. Isabella was partially distracted and didn't react, but Alice stepped over towards Brianna in her place.
"That's fine darling." Alice said, reaching out to Brianna tentatively. Brianna's breath catching at the casual contact, then leaning in to Alice's touch and shutting her eyes tightly. The impression of her saying 'mama' echoing across the link. Alice felt her body react to the emotions, which was a new kind of sensation, vaguely remembered from her restored human memories.
"I'll join you, I wanna catch Leah before she heads down to La Push." Eliza said standing as well, her whole body aching to be in Leah's presence again.
"I'll see you back at the house... Cuz." Zoey gave Brianna a big smile and then followed Charlie, Angela, Talia and Esme. Brianna and Eliza headed off directly towards the Waterfall house where the Council and packs were still discussing the last week and a half. Alice and Isabella started to move their room, switching it with Carlisle and Esme's room, with Kira helping right away and Mei almost reluctantly relenting to her current situation and relaxing her combat readiness enough to help with the final details.
Forks, February 8th
"Mads, whatcha doin?" Hailey asked, feeling a touch bored as Madison scoured the internet on her tablet for something she hadn't revealed.
"Research into that spell you want me to try. I think I need it to be personal, and there is really only one thing I can think of." Madison said without looking up, her fingers dancing on the surface until she found what she was looking for. With a big grin she pushed the image out, using the tiny holo-projector to display the page she was on a few feet in front of her blown up to three times the size.
"What's this?" Hailey said, as she leaned forward and began to read. She didn't understand the context, but it was an interesting read about a series of brutal unsolved murders that took place one night nearly a hundred years ago.
"Remember old Farley and the ghost stories he told at camp?" Madison asked with a slightly mysterious tone of voice.
"Ugh, only you would bring up camp. But yeah." Hailey couldn't tell where this was going, but trusted Madison to lead her to the point.
"Well, I never told you but one of those stories is an old family mystery." Madison raised her eyebrows for emphasis, a vague hint of a smile curling her lips.
"Oh really, do tell!" Hailey said excitedly.
"My great great great Aunt went missing about a hundred years ago under very strange and bloody circumstances. To this day it remains unsolved, but that's just the beginning. Her name was Angela and she was supposedly visiting Seattle with her boyfriend. They went missing, and his body was found three days later, naked and chained to a bed, beaten to a pulp and drained of all his blood. Her fingerprints and DNA were found on the scene, and then she was subsequently linked to thirteen other murders. The only survivor was a Priest, who died the next day, described someone that looked like her. She was a primary suspect, but she had vanished without a trace. The really confusing part is that there was evidence that she was a victim too, because there were broken chains near the bed where her boyfriend was found with her skin and blood all over them." Madison told the story slowly and deliberately, trying to create a mood. Hailey had moved over and sat in front of Madison so that their knees were touching.
"What do you think happened?" Hailey asked, feeling disappointed there wasn't more.
"Well it looks like someone was targeting the school and a group of her classmates for some reason. There were a lot of deaths, and several others that went missing including the police Chief and his daughter… Isabella." Madison emphasized the name, widening her eyes and making Hailey shake her head in awe.
"You don't think…?" Hailey started, completely into the story.
Madison sighed, deflating a little and shaking her head, "no, because there was no mention of her having a sister, but it's a neat coincidence." Then she bit her lower lip, "Angela on the other hand, I think she might be a vampire."
"The blood thing, wow. You think that's how she died, she was turned? So you think she could still be around?" Hailey guessed.
"Maybe, the priest did say she looked monstrous with red eyes. From my research into vampires most real accounts that I could find mention red eyes. I'm thinking that maybe this spell could finally answer a family mystery. None of her family ever bought into the idea she was guilty. So, I was thinking something like last time." Madison shrugged, and Hailey immediately nodded in agreement.
She quickly got up and gathered the book and the supplies needed for the spell. Madison followed her to the spot on the floor they had designated for spellcraft. Hailey handed Madison the bowl this time, and she held it up and started chanting the words like before. This time there was no pause before the echo began, and the power in those words started to flow more easily. The room spun, but not in a way that made them nauseous or sick this time. They rode the spiral easily and found themselves in a sparsely furnished bedroom, two women were finishing putting clothes back on and one of them was sitting at a vanity fixing her hair. Her eyes shot towards Madison astral projection and she immediately turned towards her, then in a blink she was standing in front of her narrowing her eyes.
"Madison." The woman said her name as if she knew her. "So it is true you are dabbling in magic. You might as well come here so we can talk." Angela's dark citrine eyes seemed to peer through her, and a lump immediately formed in Madison's throat.
"You know who I am?" Madison asked feeling oddly humbled.
"Of course, you are my blood. I will always watch over you." Angela said as if that explanation was any less creepy.
"You are Angela Webber." Madison said feeling astonished that it was so easy to find her.
"I was. Please come. We'll explain everything." Angela asked again, this time with a touch of a warm smile. Madison nodded absently and then dropped the bowl breaking the spell. Hailey was staring at her, utterly confused.
"What just happened?" Hailey asked, despite being witness to the conversation.
"I think I just met Angela." Madison mumbled out in shock.
Hailey looked down at her phone which had started to buzz. The number was unknown, but the message was clear, 'um… someone just texted me an address in town."
"Okay, when?" Madison said with feeling numb and overwhelmed.
"Now. Oh you're not going to believe this." Hailey held out her phone and Madison quickly read the text; "Angela sends her regards."
"This is fucked." Hailey looked at her phone again, shaking her head in disbelief.
"Maybe we should just go." Madison said, not really sure what to do next but feeling like she didn't have much of a choice.
"Sharpen a few stakes first." Hailey grinned, then glanced around the room for something that would work.
"Would a stake even work on a vampire?" Madison asked, suddenly wondering what the rules were. Would any of the fictional and hearsay accounts of vampires prove to be accurate?
"No idea, but do you want to go there without anything?" Hailey asked pointedly, and Madison reluctantly shook her head.
"Is there a spell?" Madison asked, feeling completely out of her depth.
"Maybe, let me look. Okay, I got something about vampires. Something about shattering stone." Hailey was being vague on purpose, the spell was very much designed to be lethal to vampires.
"I don't want to kill her." Madison shook her head emphatically.
Hailey looked at her girlfriend for several seconds, trying to figure out what was the right thing to say. Finally she settled on the obvious, "then maybe we should just trust that she won't hurt us."
Madison smiled widely, and pulled her into a hug whispering, "it's a risk, but I'm willing."
Hailey pulled back and then kissed her once, then two more times quickly. "Me too." She said with a big warm smile.
Author's Note:
Bet you thought I would never bring Hailey and Madison back. This and the next couple of chapters will work to define the new status quo within the coven. It will probably consist of quite a bit of conversation and some much needed fluff.
Sorry for the long delay on this one. I've had some writers block, and I think I have been starting to burn out a little. I started on Book 2 in September and have published over 100k words since then. That's almost novel length on it's own. I promise not to take too long, and I'll continue to work on the story but I need a small break. I will probably not be publishing a chapter next week.
Thank you for your patience!