WARNING: James is a horrible creature, and so the scenes with him in them are unsettling. Also, I've painted Maria as deplorable, and so the flashback in this chapter is unpleasant.
Please forgive my inaccurate Spanish, and PM me with an improvement. My Spanish is very elementary.
Chapter 15: Check
Without doubt Bella's death would be a blow to Charlotte and negatively impact Peter, and Esme's death would be beyond devastating to not just Carlisle, but all the Cullens. Truly none of us had ever lost someone we held affection for. I might have liked a few of the soldiers back in the camps, but it was a very casual connection. Sure, I had been disappointed to lose them and missed their jokes or whatever, but losing people was the cost of war. It was pleasant, but it also was expected. Comparatively, Carlisle spoke about Marcus of the Volturi living in a perpetual gloom due to his proclaimed mate, Didyme's, death. Yet, he had said that Aro, her blood brother, seemed barely affected, other than to increase the security around his own declared mate. Loss of a person with whom I held a significant connection wasn't something that I wanted to learn about. As such, despite all my mental options and worse case scenarios, my goal was to bring everyone home alive.
Since Carlisle had offered the location of Bella's body, based on its pinging, combined with the lumber mill location along with there being a tunnel, I had been attempting to estimate their destination.
"Esme's cell phone?" Rosalie checked.
"Found crushed on the side of the road," Edward answered, probably on Carlisle's behalf.
Checking my calculations multiple times, I showed Peter my conclusions, which by default included Carlisle, since he was also standing at the table staring at the maps.
Peter agreed. "Easy to defend and lots of ways out."
"The most likely option," Edward chimed in from the sitting room.
The abandoned ore mines in the Olympia National Forest it was. The question was which shaft and what condition would their hostages be in. Peter and I began to talk through options.
"Should we call the Denali's?" Rosalie asked several minutes later.
"Yes to Denalis," Edward voiced, as did Emmett and myself.
After a moment Alice added, "Can't tell for sure, but doesn't seem to hurt."
"I'll call them," Carlisle concluded heavily.
When Eleazar answered he was immediately concerned. Carlisle explained about James and the present events.
"Yes, Esme had mentioned to Carmen some unpleasant business with someone from Alice's past, but she never mentioned anything this risky," Eleazar commented.
"Well, honestly, we didn't expect this," Carlisle explained. "The car crashes alone were challenging. People died from injuries before I could even get to them. It was like serving as a military doctor, having to make quick decisions regarding which lives are possible to save and which are beyond any doctor's help. Esme needed a breather from the blood, and had only gone a short distance off the road. My focus was on the human in front of me, and I assumed she had moved further from the blood as a precaution. By the time I no longer registered her presence to the point of concern I couldn't see or hear her." By the end his voice was ragged.
"I shall ask Tanya and the girls, but Carmen and I for sure are on our way shortly," he assured us.
As soon as the call ended, I urged them to move out.
"Let's make sure by tracking Bella's signal and in the meantime gather together what we might need for such a location," Carlisle decided, his emotions still nearly flat with spikes of rage.
His choice shocked me, as I expected him to be the first one to want to leave. I vehemently disagreed, but wasn't about to go against orders.
Two minutes later Tanya texted Carlisle to let him know they were coming down as well. Five allies would be helpful. For a brief minute I thought about contacting the dogs, but decided against it. They didn't venture far off their land, and we would definitely be outside of their jurisdiction. Not to mention my interactions with them suggested that they were a loose cannon on a good day. We would need cool heads.
Alice announced, "The Forks police just decided to stop by the house. I do not yet have a time prediction. To stop their arrival Carlisle needs to call them and the hospital. Doing so before we go is best for not raising questions. The best option at this point is to tell them that Esme did not return home, and so the family is going out to search for her."
I agreed to the cover, as it stayed as close to the truth as possible, and was jarred by the fact that we might have missed this if we had been already on the way to the mines. I might not had understood it, but clearly there was some intuitive sense what had stayed Carlisle's hand.
No one objected, so Carlisle went to complete those jobs.
Immediately after, Alice came over to me and softly informed me, "It's going to take him 18 minutes and 36 seconds to get everything sorted in order to keep the humans off our backs. Take Peter and Charlotte and get some distance from our emotions, as well as blood, if you can find something quick. You seem better if they go too."
Eying her critically her emotions were screaming at me to trust her, but her words made no indication if she was aware or not of how they would be of assistance.
"Rosalie, can you please coordinate two backpacks? One with water and food, and another with any supplies for digging or caving that might be useful for us?" I requested, knowing she would be calmer with a task. Then, telling the house, I announced, "Peter, Charlotte, and I are going to do a quick perimeter check." Then, turning to Alice I warned her, "You better text all three of us if we're going to run into anyone else."
"Absolutely," she promised me.
Peter, Charlotte, and I ran far enough away to be outside of Edward's gift and to ensure no one was nearby.
"I want to be on my top game. More than blood, I need to quickly shed the feelings that I have already collected. Alice suggested that there's time," I told them. "You can say no."
Peter looked at me and checked, "Quick and dirty?" I barely started to agree when he asked, "Charlotte or me?"
Looking between them both, I stated, "It's your decision."
She looked at him questioning.
"You put your body like this," he said while demonstrating the posture of complete surrender. "And allow him to take over," he told her while standing back up.
"I'd rather," she told us both, pulling off her pants and underwear, setting them aside, and positioning herself.
Peter looked like he wanted to argue, but held his tongue instead. His emotions suggested that he was worried, despite his trust.
"Peter come and touch her back," I instructed him.
He placed his hands on her, and I put mine on top of his.
"Thank you," I told them both while undressing.
Perhaps it was the familiarity to battle, but I found this release to be the easiest, since joining the Cullens, to completely give in to what my body needed.
When I came to, my hands hadn't moved.
"I managed myself?" I checked with Peter.
"All good," he answered. Then, turning to Charlotte reminded her, "Try and stay downwind of everyone."
"Of course," she agreed.
"How was it?" I asked as we ran back.
"It was like being a handmaiden, but the connection deepened, like the action made a part of me yours and you left a bit of yourself in me to take care of," she answered after a few seconds. "It could almost be described as a holy experience. And I feel more protective and territorial of you."
Peter had mentioned something similar, although we never discovered how come it created that side effect.
"Any differences between you and Peter?" I checked, even though my gift showed nothing concerning.
"I feel closer to him," Charlotte told us. "It was like we became one to serve you."
"I feel calmer," Peter reported.
"Maybe two is better than one," I joked.
After a second, in a serious tone Peter agreed, "Maybe two energy and emotional signatures are more useful to your gift recharging."
"Something for us to consider when we're not heading into battle," I told him.
By the time we got back, it was only a few minutes before Carlisle ended his phone call. Peter, Charlotte, and I stayed outside waiting.
It took another seven minutes after we returned before Bella's pinging truly stopped. At least it confirmed my guess and narrowed where in the mine system down.
Emmett grabbed one bag, Rosalie the other, and Carlisle carried one, which I assumed contained whatever medical equipment he wanted to bring. Carlisle texted Eleazar and Tanya where we were going, since none of us were willing to wait for them.
"They have dynamite," Alice informed us as we went to leave, while also handing all of us black long-sleeved high-collared shirts that even to vampires' eyes hid our skin, telling us, "As a precaution."
A precaution to what she didn't say, and we didn't ask. At this point it really didn't matter.
"And the day just gets better," Peter commented with heavy sarcasm, while he put his on.
Emmett tapped Peter's back in support. "We'll get her back. She might come back a newborn, but we won't lose her."
Peter nodded in acknowledgement of the encouragement, even if there was no way to support the assertion. For all we knew Bella was already dead.
As we ran towards the mines, Peter and I strategized running lead, while Charlotte brought up the rear.
In all the battles I had fought none required for me to consider ensuring leaving the battlefield with hostages. Even Peter wasn't someone I had to keep an eye out for or consider. I had trained him how to take care of himself. I knew how to defeat an enemy. I would defeat James. The question was how to do that while taking others' lives into consideration.
Carlisle's flatness has been replaced by vacillating between his doctor mode and rage.
"You got to keep a level head, doc," Charlotte offered to him. "The trick is to allow the rage out in small bursts like when you throw a punch, but to keep it under wraps otherwise."
Rosalie emitted a small amount of appreciation and respect towards Charlotte. From Rosalie's story about how she handled her fiancé and his friends, she had done just that.
"We have to expect that he rigged the entrances," Peter surmised.
"And with José's gift, there's unlikely to be any weak spots," I added.
"Any suggestions?" I asked the group.
"How many entrances?" Rosalie asked.
"Six that we know of," Peter told her. "Those are only the ones on the maps. We did no scouting."
"Split up?" Charlotte offered.
"Can we try deciding an entrance and then see if my gift offers us anything?" Alice suggested.
"Last time it only gave you something almost too late," I pointed out.
"Charlotte did you decide to go down the hole?" Alice asked.
"No," she answered after a moment's thought.
"Jasper?" Alice questioned.
I reflected and then answered, "I decided to travel in further."
"Which is about when my vision hit," Alice informed us. "You, Peter, and Charlotte were hard to see for me once we got close to the lumber mill. I think it's because of your training. You act without decisions, making it fuzzy for me. Maybe if we each purposefully decided an entrance I could be of more help."
Peter sent me his agreement.
Stopping our run, I signed to Emmett, "Any eyes here?"
Emmett looked all around and then at his phone before he answered, "Nope."
Taking out the map, I showed them the entrances that we knew about.
"Each person pick one. Purposefully decide to go there and use it to enter into the mines and find Esme, Bella, and Charlie," Alice instructed.
To help, I numbered the entrances.
"I'll take one," Emmett stated and then followed Alice's instructions.
"Nope," Alice replied, staying still.
"Two," Rosalie voiced.
"Definitely not," Alice stated with a wave of horror.
"Three," Edward offered.
"Possibly," Alice informed us.
"Four," Carlisle stated in a detached clinical tone.
"Absolutely not," Alice gasped.
"Five," I said, making the decision.
"Hard to see for some reason," Alice stated.
"Six," Peter voiced his tone hard.
"No," Alice replied.
"Three and five," Charlotte surmised.
"We'll split into two groups, then," I decided. "Edward needs to lead into option three, since that seemed to work well enough."
"I'll go," Carlisle stated.
"Charlotte and I will go," Peter informed us.
I appreciated his awareness that Edward would need fighting support and Carlisle was in no shape to be level headed if they encountered James and/or José.
"Rest with me," I ordered and we moved in the two different directions. "Emmett carry Alice, so she can concentrate," I instructed.
"Come on, sis," he offered, and she jumped into his back.
We ran for another fifteen minutes before we came across where the map had indicated, but whatever entrance there might have been had disappeared, most likely from a cave in eons ago.
"Let's dig our way in," I told them, making sure I made a purposeful decision.
Alice jumped off Emmett's back and moved so that she was on the hill on top of where there should have been an entrance.
"Guard her, Rosalie, please," I requested.
She nodded in agreement and jumped up to where Alice stood statuesque.
Putting on the headlights Rosalie had altered for our eyesight after a deep cave trip, Emmett and I quickly figured out a rhythm of digging. We didn't get in each other's way, while we also removed the earth we were excavating from our path.
As we progressed Alice would call out, "To your right, to your left, or down more" I assumed so that we wouldn't trigger another cave in. We were probably a mile in when she uttered, "Stop"
Immediately we froze.
Emmett leaned his ear to the earth. Using ASL he told me "One heartbeat slow and sluggish. I can barely hear screams of pleading, but it's too muffled to catch the words or even who's speaking."
Alice and Rosalie came to us.
Alice signed, "José's in there. If we dig further, the earth will land on top of either Bella or Charlie. My visions don't give me further details. I do know that going in here makes it worse and alerts José."
"Options?" I signed to them, looking for suggestions.
Rosalie wondered, "Can we dig in such a way that earth falls on José?"
Emmett lit up like it was a brilliant idea. "Which way?" he signed.
Alice closed her eyes and then drew on the ground. He was west from us and a bit north near what I assumed was a tunnel that connected whatever space they were occupying to James.
"I'm going to dig fifteen metres west," Emmett decided.
Alice nodded in agreement, and he immediately began.
We all went in after him, helping move the larger stones out of our way by placing them along the walls of what he and I had dug out. At the same time Rosalie went and found some large branches using them to create a temporary ceiling, reducing the chance of a collapse. It wouldn't hurt us, but it would slow us down, not to mention be revolting. There was something instinctually horrifying about being buried alive.
When Emmett got to the fifteen metres Alice shook her head no.
"Five more," he decided signing it to us.
Alice agreed and we continued on for five more metres. At eighteen and a half metres Alice put her hand on the north wall. Emmett then came near her pressing his ear to the earth. After a minute he pulled back and shrugged looking uncertain.
"I just have a feeling," Alice signed. "No vision."
Having nothing better to go on, I waved Emmett to go ahead, and he started digging. It took less than two metres when the hole opened up into a junction room.
Bella and Esme's tones of voice indicating screaming and pleading were like a soundtrack playing in a low decimal in the background.
José had no emotional indications that he was enjoying their torture. Rather, he was revolted. Maybe he would live to see another day.
"Pull him up by his hand," I signed, even though we could only see his left fingers just beginning to poke through the rubble.
Emmett went, grabbed his hand, pulled him up, while I tore off the arm, leaving it in Emmett's grasp, which he dropped and appeared disgusted.
José screamed, but thankfully the dirt surrounding him fell into his mouth muffling it.
"Pull him up by his shoulders," I instructed Emmett with ASL.
When José's head was out of the rubble, I leaned into him close to his ear. "Scream again and I'll burn you," I threatened, while amplifying the fear he was experiencing, along with his desire to flee. "We have no problem with you, only James."
"Everything okay, José?" was barely heard through the rubble.
José's feelings morphed into hope.
Praying that James could hear us as poorly as we could hear him, I answered, "Yeah, I'm digging through it. Damn place."
James said no more and was too far away for my gift to tell me much.
James' lack of response caused José to radiate defeat.
"Make sure you hold him without touching his skin," I signed to Emmett.
"I'm going to tear off your other limbs," I warned José. "I promise to not burn you, if you stay quiet. This is only to make sure you don't cause trouble."
He was distrustful. Unwilling to give him an indication of my power, I continued only mirroring back his emotions, causing them to exponentially increase.
He nodded in agreement.
In rapid succession I took off his right leg, right arm, and then left arm.
In the mean time, Rosalie and Alice had gone over to aid the human with Rosalie offering medical care. Turning to look at them confirmed that it was the Chief. He appeared unconscious and there was no blood flowing, but one look at Rosalie's face told me his prognosis wasn't good.
"Rosalie, take him out of here and text Carlisle as well as mentally scream for Edward," I instructed.
"Emmett your shirt please," I requested, using ASL still.
Confused, but saying nothing, he took it off, which left him wearing the black undershirt from Alice. Using it as a way to bundle up José's appendages, I then handed the whole package to him.
"Go with Rosalie, watch him closely, and also mentally yell for Edward to send Carlisle," I signed to him, and then whispered, so José would hear, "As long as he keeps his mouth shut and doesn't try and escape, let him be."
Then, turning to José I told him earnestly, "I am a man of my word. Truly our quarrel isn't with you. I get that you owed James and he called in his chips." With that José's terror decreased some and he emitted relief. "Unless you have a beef against us?"
He shook his head no.
"Good to hear," I told him.
Waving Emmett off, he seemed disappointed, but also relieved. No doubt he wanted to keep Rosalie in his sights, even if he did want to join the fight.
"Ideas?" I signed to Alice.
She closed her eyes. After a few minutes, her emotions shifted into sadness, resignation, and hurt. Opening her eyes to me she signed, "The best outcome for Bella and Esme is if I decide to give myself up to him in exchange for their release."
After a few seconds, I asked signing back, "That doesn't resolve Carlisle's claim on you. What if I presented it like Carlisle had sent me to trade Esme and Bella for you?"
She closed her eyes and nodded her feelings growing in determination.
Not wanting to wait any longer, as her answer was enough for me, I began clearing out a path. With each foot of removed earth the soundtrack of Esme and Bella's torture was clearer. James was using them against each other in order to create the deepest emotional and psychological wounds possible.
As we stepped into the tunnel and began moving towards James, Alice put her hand on my arm.
"Say whatever you need. Esme might be appalled and Bella confused, but I get it. Play to his weaknesses. What's important is that we leave alive and James dead. Everything else can be explained and repaired later," she signed, her emotions pleading and sending me forgiveness.
Then, she put a folded piece of paper in my back pocket.
She didn't really get how some wounds and tears in connection could not be brought back into their original state, but, assuming what she saw would come true, at least we'd be alive to work towards her hope.
Sending my agreement and care for her, I began to focus on James in order to improve my read on him as we moved closer. The emotions he was emitting were in a mix of satisfaction and exuberance. The more the girls pleaded, the louder they screamed, and each time Esme offered herself for Bella the higher his ecstasy rose.
When I could hear Bella's heartbeat clearly he couldn't see us, due to the twists of the path.
I indicated to Alice for us to stop our progression and spoke, "I have been sent on behalf of Alice's Coven Master Carlisle Cullen to negotiate an exchange."
James chuckled menacingly, "And here I thought you were her champion."
"Following orders is more important than some filly," I retorted.
He laughed heartily, like my words were the best joke ever.
"Can we approach?" I queried.
"Approach," he ordered, his emitting feelings becoming suspicious and conniving.
Picking up Alice and carrying her like she was my prisoner, I moved a further hundred yards down the tunnel. There we came into another junction room. The only lighting were some lit oil lanterns.
Standing near Esme with his left hand opening and closing a lighter, in a light conversational tone told me, "You're interrupting my fun."
"My apologies," I replied and moved my body like I meant it.
Alice's body indicated hurt, defeat, and a little defiance. It was the role of her life, literally. I had complete confidence in her.
Esme was in pieces and appeared confused along with disappointed.
Bella was bruised badly, her face as neutral as a human could get.
He huffed, but my semi-submission seemed to intrigue him, based on his emotions.
"What are your terms?" he grunted out.
"Both of them," I waved my hand at Esme and Bella, "in exchange for Alice."
He mulled that over, and then with a gleam in his eye and lust becoming primary looked my body over.
"And Carlisle signed to such an accord?" he checked.
"Of course," I stated like that was a given. Taking a deep breath, like I didn't want to admit something and appearing contrite, with a tone of apology, I told him, "It would require your signature also."
"Trusts you to negotiate and risk yourself," he muttered before demanding, "Let me see."
Moving Alice so she was wrapped in one arm, I took the paper out of my pocket. Slowly moving forward until I was near him, I dropped the paper onto the floor. He had to move six inches away from Esme to pick it up.
His eyes on me the whole time, he stated, while he retrieved it, "I think you like to be disobedient."
Moving my body to indicate that I was uncomfortable with his words while also turned on, I said nothing.
He grinned and his lust increased. Whatever Alice had written seemed to appease him. Then, he looked Alice over hungrily. "You're going to come to be glad that you're mine."
She said nothing, but her body gave off all the signals of betrayal.
"Come here," he commanded Alice, so I opened my arm to allow her the movement.
She stayed in place, so I pushed her towards him, assuming that was what she wanted me to do.
When she righted herself, she looked back at me scornfully, while sending me appreciation.
He took in a deep breath and then smiled pleased. "Your spunk is barely noticeable now," he grinned looking at me. "You lose your privileges?"
"Yes," I answered looking down.
"Sorry to have lost you some standing with the good doctor," he chuckled, clearly glad at how his actions had impacted us. Then, looking at me seriously, he signed his name to the paper and handed it back to me. "I want a copy. Take the human. I was growing tired of her anyway. They just don't have the endurance we do."
Him altering the terms to his liking on the fly did not surprise me. No doubt he wanted to prolong the game as much as possible.
Nodding at his terms, as both Esme and Alice's emotions indicated support of removing Bella, after pocketing the document, I slowly moved over to Bella, picked her up, and walked out, not turning from him.
We were still able to visually see each other when he asked his tone casual, like it mattered little to him, "What did you do with José and the other blood bank?"
"They're on the surface," I answered.
"Tell Carlisle that they're my show of faith. I release them to him also," he declared.
It was a ridiculous statement intended to make it seem like he held all the cards, when clearly they were pawns lost to me fair and square. Nevertheless, I stated, "I will inform him," while continuing to move backward until we were at the hole I had made.
When I reached the surface everyone else was there, bar Rosalie and Emmett.
"I heard them and we came," Edward explained using ASL.
In case he's watching us in some way, we need it to visually appear that Carlisle is deciding the mission, and sending me in as his foot soldier.
Edward leaned into Carlisle and spoke, so that even I couldn't read his lips.
Carlisle looked at me with a puzzled expression and sent me confusion.
I returned it with my cocktail of trust and fidelity.
Carlisle reported, also signing, "I stabilised Charlie as best as I could and Rosalie accompanied by Emmett ran him to Forks General. He has a low chance of regaining consciousness. We took a vote and it was a no about turning him, as no one wants to babysit a newborn, especially with everything else, including his connection to the Quileutes and how it would violate the treaty, plus his heart was struggling enough that the venom might not be able to repair him in time. A lot of cons, plus a hospital really is the best chance for him."
"Esme is alive and all of her accounted for," I stated out loud on the chance James had some way to hear us even from his location.
Carlisle practically instantly turned from doctor mode into a vampire searching for prey.
Edward put his hands on Carlisle's face, while I sent him tranquillity and trust.
"Return to yourself," Edward told Carlisle in a way that suggested Carlisle had told him those exact words multiple times in the past.
Carlisle regained his ability to present himself more like he usually did, but his emotions were beyond bereft with rage barely contained.
"As requested, here is the agreement signed by James," I reported. "He asked for a copy. He also said to let you know that the humans and José are a gift to you as a sign of his good will."
Have him make a copy, I requested to keep Carlisle occupied, and then handed Carlisle the agreement I had made with James.
José? I enquired looking at Edward.
"Wishing he never met James," Edward signed as an answer.
Can you hear James? I wondered.
"No," he signed, "Esme and Alice."
As Esme is too much at risk, my tactic is to get James to trust me.
Edward looked confused.
A little like I did with Laurent, but adjusting for James' temperament.
Edward looked queasy and radiated discomfort.
It's going to get worse, I warned him. This is nothing less than a final showdown. His success in beating us to this point shows that he has been playing games like these for a while. No scum you ended in your human drinking years will compare to the depravity of a creature like James, simply because he has had more time to perfect it. No matter what happens, stay here, guard José, and keep Carlisle away. Try not to listen in, was my last suggestion.
"I need to get back," I told them.
Carlisle handed me a copy of the agreement sans James' signature, and looked ready to rush in.
Please tell him that Maria trained me well and to trust me. I will bring her back.
"You will return with Esme," Carlisle stated like he was trying to command me, but he clearly was struggling to play his part.
"Yes, sir," I stated, while sending him encouragement, strength, and courage. Then, I told Edward Keep him here, even if you have to restrain him or immobilise him. He will not be helpful.
Edward did his almost invisible yes thing.
Turning back, Peter and Charlotte were at my heels, their feelings showing me that they were with me irrelevant of the outcome. Signing to them and sending them my regret I told them, "Peter, please stay and guard José. Edward and Carlisle can't be trusted and James will underestimate Charlotte. Not to mention that somehow James knows you killed Victoria." His emotions were reluctant. "I have no idea how long it will take to kill a creature like James without casualties. I'll have Esme to think about, and she was in pieces. He carries a lighter. I'll need to tread carefully, gain his trust, play into his fantasy, and get him to drop his guard. I can't keep my focus on that if I'm worried about things up here. I need you to do this for me."
He grunted, but his dislike of the job was clear.
Pulling him close as if hugging him, I whispered in his ear, "This could take a while. Don't let anyone enter no matter what. No sound, no scream, no thought, nothing. I vow to return with them." Then, pulling back I told him, "I'm trusting you with my life."
"And I have your six," he avowed before returning to guard José, and thus within twenty feet of Edward and Carlisle.
"Do you trust me to keep you alive?" I signed to Charlotte, as we moved down the path Emmett and I had created.
"Yes," Charlotte responded, but her emotions showed that she was afraid.
"The situation is dangerous, but this is not the south. I am not Maria's enforcer. You are not collateral damage," I signed to her, while sending her my care, affection, and fondness. "I do need you to follow my lead, though. Everything I do will be a mirage made to trap him into his death. Even if my actions or words seem strange, above all trust that every move I make will be to gain his destruction and get everyone out alive with all pieces present. I will be reflecting back to James his feelings, to quicken his game, and reduce the chance of not reaching my objectives. Try and separate out what is meant for him, and let it pass through you. Can you do this?"
"I'll do my best," she signed back, adding a moment later, "Anyway I can help?"
"Focus on me and send me the emotions you think will support me in doing my job," I explained, continuing to sign, and then reminded her, "Everything will be a sham, a play for James, and Alice is excellent at counterfuge, almost as good as me. Can you do this?"
Her emotions settled and she was much more trustful. Then, I took my hands running them everywhere I could touch, breathed onto her skin, and tried as much as possible to cover up Peter's scent. The fact that my scent was within her could help. It was a lucky break.
When we got back down into the tunnel, stopping before we could see each other once more, I told James, "Even though I lost my privileges with Alice, Carlisle permitted me a new toy outside of the coven. Carlisle asked that I bring her as a sign of good faith, so you can see for yourself that my words are true. Alice is no longer under my protection, and I have the agreement from Alice's Coven Master, Carlisle Cullen."
"Prepare yourself," I signed to Charlotte.
She moved behind me and altered her body so that she appeared meek and subservient to me.
When we came into view James evaluated Charlotte. "You've already broken her in," he decided, his tone pleased with a hint of being impressed, while he was emotionally disappointed.
Alice was next to Esme putting her together while Esme seemed to be trying to comfort Alice. Clearly whatever game James had been playing with Esme and Alice had pleased him. As his eyes turned to where my eyes had landed, the emotions he broadcasted indicated that he was excited to experience the future things he had imagined.
Something about our presence pleased James more than the two girls, which confirmed my suspicion that James got off more on dominating men and believed women to be lower creatures. Alice was perhaps an exception. However, that might be as much because of how difficult he believed it would be to control her, as that she got away. It was bothersome to think that what drew him to Alice was similar to my own attraction to her. Unlike me, though, it was likely that he was looking to break her spirit and once he had, would tire of her. In contrast, I had wanted to get ahead of her. Despite these differences, the similarities between us were disturbing.
Deciding to test my theory, while placing myself as a beta male, I told him, "This is why I wasn't too upset about Carlisle's reprimand. I can't deny that I miss her petiteness, especially where it counts." Then, I gave him a smirk and a look, which he copied. After a sigh that sounded long suffering, I told him in a confessional tone, "After fifty years she still hadn't heeled. My new toy only confirmed that it wasn't my tutelage, but Alice that was the problem."
"Perhaps she needed a stronger hand," he suggested.
"Not my scene," I replied truthfully, shrugging like it didn't bother me, while remembering my frustration and disgruntledness in how she ordered me around, so that he could read it in my eyes.
He seemed to catch all the signals I was sending, and yet was still dubious and cautious.
"Yet, obedient to Carlisle Cullen," he pointed out.
"Yes, sir," I answered, showing my desire to submit to him through my body once more. "I was sent to secure his mate. Hopefully doing so will put me back into his good graces."
"Mate huh?" he mused and smiled cruelly, his emotions moving into vindictiveness. "Maybe he should have guarded her better."
Great, I thought to myself. I finally found a fellow vampire that disagrees with the idea of mates and he's a sadist.
Wanting to distract him, as whatever he had decided had caused Alice to feel distressed, I told him, "Total Italy propaganda if you ask me. Maybe I'll get up enough courage to go over and see if the brothers are as devoted to one woman as they'd like us to believe."
His features changed into superiority and his emotions were haughty. "They're not. Victoria was a part of Heidi's old coven, and according to her, the kings reward and punish their troops through a myriad of ways." He smirked like we were old buddies, and I would share in his fantasies, while his emotions were envious as well as lustful. "Some of their ideas, I've tried out myself."
"I knew it!" I exclaimed, taking in the lust he was experiencing and sending it back to him glad to have him emit an emotion that was useful.
He got a gleam in his eye, like he was imagining himself Aro with access to that much power over others.
"You seem to obey orders well," he stated like it was a test. "You obedient enough to do as I command?" he challenged me, rising in stature to show his dominance.
"As long as it doesn't violate my standing orders," I told him earnestly, placing my body in an even more submissive position with indicators that I was intrigued and a little turned on by the idea.
The emotional atmosphere, but especially how my body was contorted reminded me of Maria.
"Venga, mi Major," Maria commanded me.
Like a good puppy I obeyed, wagging my tail.
"We almost lost Nettie, I got bitten, Lucy had her arm torn off, and yet you are in one piece," she stated like it was my fault.
She said nothing about the new tears and bite marks on me, so I assumed that they didn't count as important.
Lucy had long fine blond hair, which she usually wore in a braid, a round face, a small nose, and plump lips. Whereas, Nettie had coarse black hair with large curls, an oval face, a broad nose, and small yet wide lips. They stood next to Maria, nodding like she was right. The three of them held accusatory stares.
My head bent in shame, as my body was filled with displeasure. I would do anything to feel appreciated again.
"You are going to give Lucy release until she's satisfied, then go and capture two young men and bring them back. Then, you will please Nettie and bring two more. Lastly you will satisfy my needs and bring two more. If we approve of your acts of contrition, then we will allow your release and for you to feed. Do you understand?"
I nodded my head in the affirmative, as this was a customary punishment for my failures. It was four days later when they determined that I had earned the privilege to protect them once more, but informed me that I still hadn't demonstrated my repentance, so brought me an old woman. It was enough to help calm my thirst, although not even close to having the burn gone, especially as my body was still seeping venom.
Learning what each woman liked in order to bring them to climax and altering myself to serve them was difficult, especially as they enjoyed hurting me. With Nettie I had quickly learned to cry out, even if it was barely painful, in order to expedite her, as it seemed that she enjoyed hearing me scream, especially when she dug her fingers so far into me that she broke my skin. She preferred to hold off on her climax and build towards it. When servicing Nettie I usually felt these strange combinations of enjoyment and loathing.
In comparison, Lucy liked to be touched, kissed, and licked in a variety of ways, while she tore at my joints, having orgasms over and over again. Thus, physically being with her was more enjoyable to me, but with Lucy I felt shameful at times, sadness and regretful almost always, and invariably vengeful.
In either case, it was beneficial when they climaxed, as I felt more relaxed, which helped a lot, so adapting to get that feeling became my goal.
Nevertheless, usually by the time it came for me to service Maria, my feelings were in turmoil. There was something itching me, like a glass fragment, but in my mind telling me that there was something amiss, but I could find nothing. My Mistresses was my Coven Master who had taken care of me, fed me since my waking, taught me to fight, allowed me to climax, finding moments of peace, and had only asked for my obedience in return. I should be honoured by the privilege of pleasuring her, so why did I not feel that way?
Rather, I often felt cunningness, fear, desire, yearning, and frustration right before she would have me enter her. Then, it was as if my johnson filling her soothed the feelings inside of me, and were replaced by feelings of anticipation, satisfaction, pride, and lust. Yet, I knew from experience that she would set the pace and decide when to allow me the calmness that came from release.
"Muéstrame que eres digno del lugar en el mundo que te he ofrecido, mi Major," Maria demanded.
Reminding myself that she had given me everything and I had earned her displeasure, I worked hard at acting in all the ways she required, which included acting as if her biting me and tearing at my limbs pleased me. Maria revelled in the wounds she created, while hated hearing me scream, as well as any outward sign of distress, as she saw it as a sign of weakness. Struggling to do what she requested, a part of me grasped at straws. And then somewhere alongside my pain, regret, and desire to please her was a wish that she didn't need to punish me, while I also felt excitement, anticipation, and delight. Holding tight onto these latter feelings, even though they had a tinge of being fuzzy, I pushing everything else aside, becoming her canvas.
"Serás mi mayor obra maestra," she cooed at me right before using her teeth to tear into me again, only this time the feelings were ecstatic, satisfaction, delight, and a heady powerful sense of being on top of the world.
I was no longer new to this life. There were no lingering feelings of devotion to my maker. My ability could no longer be turned against me in order to suit another's needs. I had spent too many decades with the Cullens and managing my ability around them to be suade by other people's emotions. But that didn't mean I didn't know a person like James. I had served one without question until Peter.
Something in my expression while my mind had been lost in the past had increased James' lust. It was another lucky break. Even more lucky was that it appeared my projecting of emotions to him had remained steady.
It seeming like luck was on my side, which bolstered me. Reminding myself of the words I had uttered to Charlotte along with her feelings of care she was sending helped ground me, so that I wouldn't get too cocky and loose my luck.
Sending his lust back to him increased what he sent out slightly.
He eye fucked me, and then scrutinized the girls.
"I need to break in Mary Alice properly, and you're the man to help me," he decided.
"And then I can fulfil Carlisle's command?" I questioned allowing my tone to sound like I had in those early years with Maria, but not quite as eager to please and slightly more reluctant.
"Of course," he assured me, although his emotions were cunning, no doubt trying to figure out how to extend this as long as possible. Then eyeing me closely, he asked, "What condition would your Coven Master expect to have his mate returned?"
His assumption was a another good sign that my luck was holding.
"Alive with all pieces present," I answered truthfully allowing him to read this on me.
"Delightful," he crowed. Then, talking to me as if we were in a men's club, he stated authoritatively, "He has tamed her so well that she willingly offered herself to get hurt, rather than Alice's pet. Unlike the pet, she can be broken over and over again with no end, so you can imagine the usefulness in his efforts in bringing my Mary Alice to heel."
As his pleasure, anticipation, and lust increased, I mirrored them back exactly as he sent them.
As the atmosphere became heavy with James' emotions, due to my interference, Esme became more afraid, no doubt remembering Charles. Hopefully she would forgive me one day. Alice acted like she was concerned, but her emotions were mostly determined. Charlotte began emitted anger with slight concern, but had not altered her presentation.
"Mind if your vessel aids the mate when deserved?" he asked me with a tone suggesting that there would be no consequence to my answer.
"Sure," I agreed, confident this would not put Charlotte in harms way.
Turning towards Alice, and thus slightly away from me, showing some level of trust in me, he told her, "First I'm going to remove that God-awful colour from your eyes. More even than your former companion, I am aware of how tenacious and deceitful you can be. So, I'm going to wait until your eyes are so black that you couldn't possibly resist. As a sign that you understand how this is going to work, either you tear off a finger willingly and hand it to me, or I'll take a part of Esme off. If you're a good girl, then I will permit Jasper's toy to put one piece of good ol' Esme back together. Each time you agree, she will be repaired. Each time you disagree even a little, Esme will be required to fulfil your failure."
Alice looked at Esme as if trying to figure out if Esme getting hurt would be worth saying no. Her pause told James that Esme mattered to her.
"It's fine, Alice," Esme told her. "I'll gladly take it."
Quickly, even for a vampire, he moved to Esme and took off her ear. I knew from experience how awful that punishment was. Esme barely cried out, suggesting that he had been doing this previously, as she had become numb to the sensation it generated. He flung it onto the floor too far for any of us to retrieve easily.
Enjoying himself, he told Alice, "Too slow. Let's try again."
Once more Alice hesitated looking at Esme in shame.
"It's okay," Esme assured her.
Before the words were out of her mouth James had removed the other ear throwing it where he had the other.
From experience Esme would be hearing little else than an annoying ringing sound.
Grinning wickedly, he repeated, "Too slow. One finger, Mary Alice."
The hesitation was less, but before Alice could complete the action, James had taken off Esme's right thumb, adding it to the pile of ears.
"I was going to, you bastard," Alice argued.
"Without pause," James reminded her. "You will learn to heel." Then, he waited five seconds before stating, "One finger, Mary Alice."
Without pause, she finished ripping off her ring finger on the right hand and gave it to him.
Instantly his demeanour changed. Cooing at her, he told her, "There, there, you're a good girl. Well done. See I knew you could do it." Then, he reattached it.
"Go ahead," he indicated to Charlotte.
She looked at me, as if verifying the command, and I nodded in the affirmative.
Moving at a slightly slower speed that I knew she was able, she reattached one of Esme's ears and then returned to her spot. Hopefully, she was slowing herself purposefully, as to have James discount her as an adversary.
The whole time Charlotte had moved, he had opened and closed his lighter, as a warning for me to not try anything. He was making it clear that this was his game, he was in charge, and he held all the cards.
"Finger, Mary Alice," he commanded.
Without pause Alice did as he requested, and then he praised her.
Once more he permitted Charlotte to return a piece of Esme.
Through the whole thing I had kept up mirroring his pleasure, anticipation, and lust. But then right as he attached Alice's finger he felt satisfaction and self-admiration, so I added those to the mix in exactly the configuration that he had expressed.
He turned to me and his look said that he was trying to win me over. "Would your vassal appreciate some nourishment?"
Turning to evaluate her and determine the best course of action, I decided that would be helpful to our needs. Alice sent me her approval, so I told him, ensuring my tone was demure, appreciative, and enjoying his torture of these women, "That would be mightily generous of you."
Looking at Alice, he told her, "Come."
Alice said nothing, but her body language said that she wasn't going to fight him on it.
Then he warned Esme, "If you are not here when we get back, Alice will permanently lose body parts."
Esme looked defeated and sad.
We walked down one of the tunnels about a mile.
"Wait here," he told us, and then sprinted away.
It was a challenge to keep the same quantity of his emotions reflecting back to him the further from me he travelled. Charlotte must have noticed something, because her pinkie touched mine. As soon as contact happened, it was if she had pushed towards me determination and what felt like her energy, which was odd, since it was a feeling I hadn't ever experienced before, but accepted it hungrily. The more I accepted it, the greater quantity she sent with each passing second.
There were screams of terror, pleas, attempts to negotiate, and then the sound of broken bones.
When the door slammed once more, I broke off the connection.
James came back carrying a little girl of about five or six years old. She was dirty, but had that angelic face of all young girls of that age.
Charlotte was repulsed for a second before she smothered it with trust.
The closer to us he became the far less effort it took to send him his current emotional cocktail plus the mixture I had thus far formed for him.
He smiled like this was the best game ever, and then handed the child over to me. She was afraid, but looked at me in hope.
After gaining some control over my thirst, I had sworn off children, pregnant women, and babies. That little girl and her family had been the only exception.
Pushing my disgust along with Charlotte's repulsion deeper into myself, even though from previous experiences, doing so would make the feelings more intense and difficult to manage in the long-run, I reminded myself of the cost of failure and how much I was willing to pay to end this bastard. Without a doubt this child's life, which was technically already forfeit, would be a penny in the bucket.
"A generous meal," I told James, my voice indicating that I thought his choice rebellious, and thus exciting.
Taking a huge risk, I lent in as if to smell the girl. When my nose touched her, for a nano-second I changed my focus to her and sent her a mini burst of all the peace and contentment I could offer.
Fortunately, James seemed too engrossed in watching the visual display to notice the slight downgrade of adrenaline in her bloodstream or his own brief alterations of emotions.
My luck was holding, and my action, irrelevant of how inconsequential, reminded me of my true beliefs and morals.
At a pace the child would be able to notice, I moved her body and hair, so that her neck was bare.
"Enjoy," I told Charlotte below the child's hearing range.
Faster than a cobra could hope to be, Charlotte sunk her teeth in and drank the child dry quickly, like she was some newborn.
James was disappointed both in appearance and what he radiated.
His physical presentation, even though he had already morphed his features back to neutral, permitted me to attempt to alter his state through my actions. Dropping the body, I turned to Charlotte and then with the same precision, although significantly less speed, I had acquired as Maria's second in command moved behind her, pulling her arm back up towards her neck, causing the seam to begin to rip, while also ensuring that our skin never touched.
"Apologise for your manners," I growled out.
"I apologise, James, profusely," she uttered immediately, her eyes downcast and her body language presenting shame. "She was just so tasty I forgot to be slow and savour it like my Master has taught me." Then, she changed her tone to near pleading, "Please forgive me Master for embarrassing you and for not showing James the proper reverence for his gift."
Fortunately, his disappointment disappeared, and instead he emitted a short burst of the lackluster emotions that indicated boredom, like her complete submission was only a formality he was ready to move past.
"Accepted," James stated, looking at me.
Letting her go and stepping back into where I had been, I stated, ensuring my tone sounded slightly scared and turned on, "I too apologise for her behaviour. Clearly more lessons are needed."
He sighed in response, like the work I suggested was exhausting, and then added, "Yes, there are always lessons," while his emotions indicated that he enjoyed my display of dominance and hints at fearing him.
"Shall we clean up?" I questioned my tone indicating that I was looking to please him.
He waved to the right. "There is a shaft. Drop it in there."
Looking at Charlotte sternly, as I was reluctant to leave her with him, she immediately took the body away.
He studied me. Taking a step towards me, as if he wanted to be closer to what I was sending to him, he mocked whispered, "In my era women knew their place, at men's feet."
"And the men?" I whispered back, adding a bit of interest and longing to my cocktail.
"Were treated by each other with the respect they deserved," he answered and smiled slyly to me.
Moving my body to indicate that I enjoyed the idea he had implanted, Charlotte returned and put herself behind me once more.
The entire time Alice had stood a little to the side, presenting her body with all the proper indicators to show that James' feeding Charlotte had been impactful, while she emitted sadness and determination with brief intervals of the indicators of her using her ability.
"Did you enjoy your meal?" James asked Charlotte conversationally as we travelled back.
This time, she acted like she was even more uncertain on how to act and looked at me for permission, which I gave, before she uttered, "It was my first time having blood that new. Master was right. I should have savoured it longer."
He smirked at her and seemed pleased at how deferent she was being, but there was very little emotional reaction, suggesting that it didn't arose him like he presented.
For a flash I touched Charlotte and sent her my approval letting her know to keep up this behaviour, as her emotions had wavered some, and even if he wasn't responding to her, it was keeping her safe.
Then acting like Charlotte wasn't there, he told me, "Your vassal has another male's scent on her."
"Yes," I agreed, curious where this was going.
"You sharing?" he asked, but there was no lust towards her, instead there was a playful curiosity, which on him was dangerous.
"For the right price," I answered, hinting in my tone, if he was interested.
He nodded like he approved. "Maybe you'll be willing to let me test drive it?"
Charlotte shut down her disgust quickly with trust, sending it to me.
"As long as it doesn't interfere with my responsibilities to Carlisle," I responded with a tone like it was a possibility.
"Well, let us see how the dear ol' mate is doing," James announced as we nearly entered the space.
I stayed by the tunnel we came from, as it was closer to Esme.
Charlotte stopped on my left, allowing her to be even that bit more closer to Esme. It was a smart move, and I was proud of her.
Alice went and stood across from Esme.
"Oh, good, you didn't even try and move," James cooed like she was a smart child. Turning to Alice, "Are you ready to show me that you're able to listen and obey?" he asked.
Alice looked at him reserved and with a bit of fear.
He glowered in excitement, so I took that and added just a touch of it to the mixture of pleasure, anticipation, and lust I had been sending.
Nearly seven hours had passed and we were only at the beginning of the game. The question was who would win this, him or me. Alice's suggestion that I ground before the battle had been wise. Between my release and the blood I had consumed on the way back to the house, based on how things had been in Maria's army, and estimating for how I was using my ability and the animal blood, I figured that I had at least 38 hours before blood would be a requirement. Hopefully he would put himself in a situation to be taken out without a chance of burning Esme or any of her parts before then. Although I loathed to consume human blood, as coming back off it was a struggle, I would if necessary. It would be a small price to pay in the whole schemes of things.