Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its characters. I am only putting my spin on Stephenie Meyer's already created world of the supernatural.
Warnings: Violence/Gore, mentions/attempt of suicide and character deaths
"You look terrible."
Rosalie had been waiting for me outside of the baggage claim area. She stood tall in her black high-heeled boots matched to her short, strapless dress. A black peacoat was over her shoulders and her hair was up, pulling all the focus to her big, red, floppy hat. Everyone looked at her as they passed her.
"You look expensive."
She smiled behind her cat-eye sunglasses. "Thank you." She took my suitcase from me, exposing her red gloves. "I hadn't dressed up in a while. I miss looking sexy for Emmett."
"I bet. Huh, you're actually taller than me in those." It was her tallest pair of heels I'd seen yet.
"I know, it ruins the immersion." She pouted her crimson painted lips. "You make a terrible man."
I snorted. "I take that as a compliment, Rose." She scoffed and started strutting away. I kept pace with her. "How'd you manage to keep the two busy so you could pick me up?"
"Oh, it was easy to get away once I had the proper motivation. I drugged them this morning."
"You what?"
"Calm yourself. I didn't give them opioids, I dosed three milkshakes with Benadryl—and, yes, it took two milkshakes full of Benadryl to take the mutt down. I hope they go straight to his gut," she said, narrowing her eyes at the thought of Jacob.
I grabbed her arm, forcing her to speed up with me. "Repeat after me. Drugging people is wrong."
"It was very effective, actually. I'm proud of myself for thinking of it." She tittered, the smooth sound catching even more people's attention even in a busy airport. "They'll be awake by the time we arrive, I'm sure. There's no reason to worry after them, the Volturi stopped their obsessive watch shortly after I arrived. No idea why."
"Maybe Bella's just not that interesting." Rosalie's red-stained lips twitched up into a smirk at my reply. She was wearing eyeshadow, too, but any more would've taken away from her beauty. "I didn't mean that in a bitchy way."
"Sure, you didn't," she purred.
I moved swiftly on. "How long has it been since you found them?"
"Several days. I was going to tell you once I'd found them, but problem after problem kept me busy. It became clear I needed to bring Bella back, but the dog kept getting in my way." There was barely a pause between that thought and her next one. "Has Alice told you anything? I can't seem to get ahold of her."
"She gave me a message before I left. This is all gonna go one way."
"And which way is that?"
"She didn't say and I'm not gonna guess. I don't wanna jinx it." I opened the door for the two of us and we walked out into a partially cloudy afternoon. Her hat and coat blocked any direct sunlight, so she was safe for mortal eyes as she led me to where she'd parked.
Jacob's stupid car knowledge had rubbed off on me after phasing for so long with him and I recognized the model. It was a 2002 Chevrolet Camaro Z28, bright red. I climbed into the passenger's side, the entire interior a sleek back with comfortable seats. Neither of us bothered buckling up before she hit the gas. She maneuvered us out of the long line of waiting cars and back onto the road.
When we got onto a highway, she broke the comfortable silence to say, "Bella's not acting weird in her typical way."
"So I've heard."
"Yes, but you're about to know why now." She took off her hat, throwing it in the back. "Problem one, she smelled like one of my kind when I found her in a store with her pet."
"She smelled like a vampire before you met her?"
"The mutt knew it, too. He claimed she'd disappear and he wouldn't see her until she came back to the hovel they called a hostel hours later. I've witnessed her disappearing act several times since arriving here and I'll say one thing about it." She put on her blinker, passing several cars that were annoyingly slow. "It's awfully clever. She's escaped Alice and Jasper before, but that was only because she knew the area better than them. This is Finland. She's never been to Finland. I couldn't explain her neat little trick, except for the fact that the vampire was helping her."
"And there are more problems than this?"
"Yes." She rapped her gloved fingers against the steering wheel, pursing her lips. While she was sulking, I stared out of the window, sand in my eyes from exhaustion. I'd never been so tired in my life. I couldn't even remember how many planes I'd taken here anymore.
As I was taking a gratuitous blink, Rosalie asked, "Have you had your coffee yet?"
"I had lots of coffee."
"I bet you were too stressed to sleep, though. You should've slept," she said, chastising me for a mistake I already regretted enough. "At least you had your coffee."
I couldn't believe how little caffeine I'd had in the last week. From almost dying in the woods to waking up with Edward ready to pounce, I'd been so deprived. And, sure, I'd had seven cups of coffee since leaving Edward, but I also had jet-lag now. Worst of all, I still smelled like the planes I took. I wasn't sure I remembered to pack my perfume, but I knew I hadn't worn it in at least two days. Everything, from my daily rituals to my circadian rhythm, had been tossed to the wayside.
No wonder I looked terrible.
I rolled down the window, enjoying the fresh scents of my new environment. It helped the car sickness I felt coming on. I should've eaten on the planes, but I felt too queasy the whole time. "Ok, other problems. Go."
"Hm, what else?" Her voice was soft music in the wind that whipped through my hair. "Huge problem number two, I know the vampire. He's very…rebellious."
I groaned, hanging my head out of the window. "Sounds fun."
"Let's hope the mutt will stop his damned shaking now that you're here. That should make getting her home much easier. In any case, begin preparing yourself."
"That bad?"
"And then some."
I stewed on the info dump the whole way to the hotel, which was on a busy street corner. It was huge, almost as big as Rosalie's hat, and covered with windows. There were restaurants and bars around it that I could see myself going to if this were a vacation.
"Keep up," Rosalie urged me, opening the glass doors of the hotel's entrance.
Her heels clicked against the floor as we entered the lobby. Their red bottoms clashing with the black, white, and blue she walked on. The hotel had everything: A restaurant, a bar, a lounge upstairs, a lobby that was more expensive than my house. Even the flower arrangements gave off an air of richness. I could understand shelling out the money for plants, though.
Rosalie ignored it all in favor of the man behind the white desk to the left of the old doors leading to the back. There were technically two desks, but Rosalie forewent the woman on the right. I could guess why.
"Vänlighet är så attraktiv för mig," Rosalie purred as the man slyly handed her room key. He flushed pink and she tittered at his expense before sashaying away.
I jogged to her side, my stomach jostling uncomfortably from being so empty. "How much are you paying for three rooms?"
"Two. My suite and then theirs, which has two twin beds. They're in my suite, though," she answered, not too impressed by the place, herself. "And don't you know it's rude to inquire about money?"
I let out a dry, derisive laugh, causing her to giggle some more. We were stopped and waiting for the elevator when I asked, "Do you always stay in places like this?"
"Is there any other way to travel? I prefer renovated hotels with history, personally. They tend to remind me somewhat of my childhood." She handed me the extra key.
"I forgot that you've always been rich."
"Well, I don't consider my days as a baby applicable." The door opened and we went into the spacious, empty elevator. "But I have always been beautiful." She pranced inside and I followed, happy to press the button to close the door as she pressed our floor's button.
"And arrogant."
"You would know of arrogance," she replied, giving my hip a gentle bump with hers.
"Shut it," I said through a chuckle.
Rosalie took off her hat and pulled the pearled pins out of the bun her hair was in. Golden waves tumbled down to their full length around her waist. She shook them out, amber strands shivering into perfect place. Watching her was like watching a model in a perfume commercial 24/7.
A sneer dampened her perfection. "They're awake. I can hear him already and I'm not even focusing," she said.
I channeled out everyone else in the hotel until I finally heard Jacob's obnoxious, loud voice. He was asking Bella if she felt ok. She kept reassuring him that she wasn't even groggy, the pills had worn off completely. Rosalie wasn't as sneaky as she thought she was.
The elevator came to a stop and jarred me out of my intent listening.
"Here we go," Rosalie whispered to herself, almost inaudible. She resumed a normal volume, saying, "Problem three is most infuriating. She's decided that since she can't be with Edward that there's nothing for her back home."
We walked out, Rosalie taking the keycard out of her coat's pocket in preparation. "Not even Charlie?"
"I'm sure you'd rather hear it from the horse's mouth."
As we came to a set of double doors, I still wasn't sure what to expect. The worst was a pretty safe assumption, though. My mind leaped to all the worst outcomes as Rosalie pushed me into the room.
I wasn't used to a hotel room having more than a room for the beds and a bathroom. The suite as a whole outstretched the first floor of my house. It had more rooms, too. One looked like it was a study. And there was an entire hall that led to the bedroom, off to the right of where you entered.
"Wow."
"You get used to it," Rosalie assured me. "I've stayed in the Mannerheim Suite twice before." Her voice was missing the pleasure it usually had when she awed me with her wealth.
The place was filled with natural light, most of it coming from the open balcony. It overlooked a park full of people who were enjoying the sunlight Rosalie hid from.
Jacob was on the couch in the middle of the main room, his back to us. He faced the light pouring from the balcony's parted doors. I walked over and stood in front of him, crossing my arms. He was frowning before he even met my glare.
"You look like crap," he said, looking me up and down. Something was off about him, though. Nothing the naked eye could catch, but I could sense it. It was a pack mind thing.
Rosalie huffed and came to my side. "Try and fight me now, mongrel. We're bringing Bella home."
Jacob stood up, almost breaking the couch clean in half with the force of his action. "If you'd killed the vampire when you met with him, this wouldn't be a problem!"
I looked at her for some verification, but she was too busy snarling at Jacob. "The rules are different for my kind, dog. We can't go killing our own willy-nilly." So, she did meet with the vampire and didn't think to tell me about it.
"Coward!" Jacob roared, ready to start a fight.
"Jake, cool it," I ordered.
To my surprise, he actually listened. He used meditative breathing until the heat receded back into him. "I'm guessing Sam's orders are still in effect. Right?"
"What?" Aw, crap did I forget some new order Sam made? I was so busy with the wedding, and Peter, and the pack, and reassuring Edward, and now this—
"I thought you knew. Embry sent me an email saying Sam needed me not to phase. I haven't gotten an email saying any different since."
I'd give that Embry free rides anywhere he wanted to go when I got back. "Yeah, that's still in effect. But I didn't just come here for you. I've come for Bella, to bring her home."
"Y'know, it's not like I'm keeping her prisoner. She doesn't want to go back. Simplest solution is to kill the leech that found out about her. I'm assuming that's why you're really here. We can take him, easy."
My eyes shot out to Rosalie and she gave a subtle shake of her head. The Volturi would never overlook two shapeshifters ganging up on an innocent vampire. Well, "innocent" per their dumb laws.
"Great plan, Jake. Overruled." I crossed my arms and Rosalie was quick to mirror my stance in silent support.
"You two can go to hell!"
"Jake, please," Bella's voice came from farther in the suite. She shuffled out from the bedroom shortly after, her big brown eyes wrought with remorse. "Don't be rude to them because you're mad at me."
It was surreal to finally look at Bella. Well, look down at Bella. The girl my imprint and the should-be alpha idolized beyond all measure stood a few feet away from me. I'd seen her plenty before, as a baby, and when she was hanging around Jacob for a while. The last time I'd seen her in the flesh was when I imprinted on her boyfriend. She looked healthy and her dark hair was twisted into twin fishtail braids.
"Hello, Bella," I greeted her, my brain freezing for a second when she looked at me. "Uh...I'm—"
"I know who you are," she said over me. Her heart sped up in her chest when she made direct eye-contact with me. She avoided my eyes, playing it off as she did a quick scan of my appearance. "Are you alright? You look ill."
Ok, everyone ragging on my appearance was getting old.
"Oh no, yeah, I'm great. It's obviously just a great situation all around." Her big, guilty eyes flicked away from me. "Can we talk in a room where these two aren't?"
She nodded toward the bedroom and headed back in. I followed, glancing back at Rosalie. She mouthed, "Good luck."
As I was closing the door behind myself, Jacob said, "Y'know, I owe you one, blondie. But I'm more surprised than angry that you drugged us with sleeping pills. I thought you'd be afraid of wakin' 'em up or something."
"Pray to your gods that there's never a point where I have good odds killing you and getting away with it."
And then I shut the door, locking it.
"I'm sorry about him. He's been tense since Rose showed up," Bella said, taking a seat on the lavish bed with purple and orange pillows. Her skin was tinged warm again by the gentle lighting of the chandelier. It was, like, the fifth chandelier I'd seen since walking into the hotel.
"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to. You can call your dad at any time, though."
"If only that were true. I can't even imagine doing that to him." Her eyes dimmed then and she looked down at her lap. There was something she wasn't saying, a conclusion to her thought she wasn't willing to share.
"Give me one good reason why you can't call your dad right now."
Her voice adopted a surprising edge as she said, "I don't have to give you any reasons."
"You really wanna play it that way?"
She winced, fidgeting where she sat. "No, I'm sorry. That wasn't—… I'm not even sure what to say to you." It was hard to believe she'd ever had the guts to sock Jacob one as she sat there, looking so pitiful.
"Lucky for you, I know exactly what to say. Charlie's barely functioning without you. My mom, she cooks for him, but he doesn't eat." She wrapped her arms around herself like my words had sent a chill through her. "You have to come home."
"I can't."
I motored through her denial. "Your mom isn't doing so great either. She's been losing it since the twenty-day mark passed, she calls Charlie all the time to ask about you."
"Leah—"
"Edward needs you back. He misses you so much."
She flinched at her boyfriend's name instead of fainting with relief that he still wanted her. "Believe me when I say that I miss him. I miss Charlie, too—and my mom. So much."
"Alright, then I'll book the tickets."
"You can't. It's not that simple." Her eyes changed, raw pain stealing the shine from them. "But I would still do it all again, even if it led me back here."
"Bella, you're here because you chose to be here. You didn't have to leave and leaving didn't help anything. But it's still not too late to fix things. And, sure, it'll be messy and hard, but it's fixable."
"You're wrong. There's nothing to fix, nothing broke. Things just changed." She reached up, tucking a loose tendril that framed her face behind her ear. "You shouldn't have come here. You wouldn't have, if you'd known."
I couldn't have asked quicker, "Known what?"
She averted her eyes for a moment before meeting mine again with a fresh determination. "Is there anything you wouldn't do for family?" Then she shook her head, her lips pressing together in evident frustration. "Is there anything you wouldn't do for Edward?"
"I'm not answering that." Mostly because I already had, hours ago, and it was exactly what she wanted to hear.
Bella pressed on despite my refusal to comply, "Look, however bad this all may seem to you, I'm doing it for them. For my family and my friends. For Edward."
"Trust me, you're not doing it for them if they're the ones suffering." She didn't answer me, still staring with that stubborn gleam. "Alice can still see you and Edward together. No one can stand in the way of that future. Not me or—or anyone else who wants to tell you what to do with your life."
"He told you about the Volturi, didn't he?" She asked, idle fingers tugging down her long sleeves.
Was it that obvious? "A bit," I admitted, not wanting to limit myself in the conversation with lies. "The way I see it, we have better odds against them if we work together."
She crawled farther onto the bed, curling up into a ball with her back against the pillows. "I'll take my chances."
I stared through the curtain of dark hair she was trying her hardest to disappear into. The weirdest part of all this was that she wasn't telling me to screw off. I'd expected a colder reception as the woman who imprinted on her boyfriend, but she seemed resigned. Accepting.
I left the room, Bella's heart jumping in her chest the second I moved from my spot. Rosalie was on the balcony since a huge cloud had rolled in, her coat and gloves draped over the back of the couch. Jacob was grimacing because of it, which was probably her goal.
Closing the door behind me, I said, "You two better tell me everything you know."
"Before you got here," Rosalie started, still people-watching, "I did meet with the vampire. There's another reason why it wouldn't be so easy to kill him."
"What reason?"
"I don't just know him, the whole family does. He's an old, valued ally of ours." That explained why she'd told me they'd get angry if they knew.
"Doesn't matter," Jacob chimed in. His voice was so loud and deep, chime seemed like the wrong word. He gonged in. "Me and Leah can take care of this in point two seconds if we disregard Sam's orders."
"We're not doing that. Why are you pushing so hard?" I took a slow step toward him, my eyes narrowing into slits. "Do you know something? Is that why you were weird when we came in? And what've you been telling her about imprinting? Edward's and my bond isn't normal, but you wouldn't know that since you ditched your life to chase after Bella. Again."
"Why are you so happy to be Sam's lapdog now?" He grinned at the way his insult made my teeth instinctively grind together. "Since when did you ever support him?"
"Since you left three weeks ago and someone had to become second. Someone better than Jared."
He stood up again, all riled up. "You? No way! No freaking way!"
"Be louder, why don't you? It's not like the little spies could come back at any given moment." Jacob growled at Rosalie's sarcastic bite but didn't push things any further.
"Can't we all work together? There'll be plenty of time to hate each other once Bella's home and safe." I couldn't believe I was the reasonable one in this dynamic.
"You know what? I'm just gonna call Sam." Crap. "If I tell him what's going on—"
"He'll tell you to come home, that this isn't even our territory. Look, he doesn't even know I'm here. I came 'cause I wanna help—I'm the only one who wants to help in the pack. So, time to break out those dusty, old cooperation skills and help me and Rose. Let's start with you telling us what you know."
Jacob scrubbed a hand over his shaggy hair. "Gimme a break," he muttered, hopping over the back of the couch for the door. "I'll be back later."
"We're weaker without each other!" I yelled after him. "It's safer for everyone if we pull together!" He slammed the door shut behind himself. "Dammit!"
Rosalie wasn't frustrated at all. "If you get her now, I can book a flight and we'll be gone before he gets back. I can be in Emmett's arms in less than a day." She was eager to leave, excitement in her eyes when she turned toward me.
"We're not kidnapping Bella."
"What, you think you can talk her into coming back? You, the person who caused her to want to come here in the first place? One last question, what planet do you think we're on?" She waved me off like I was about to jump on her. If anything, I was about to pass out where I was standing. "I don't expect we'll get another chance like this. There's something she's keeping from us, something the mutt now knows. The last tidbit. Although, this tidbit is bound to be the bulk of the iceberg, deceivingly hidden in her sea of secrets."
"Well, whatever it is, we'll handle it. I'm telling you, kidnapping is not the solution here. Killing isn't, either." She didn't answer me, turning around to gaze down at the park again. "Calling Carlisle sounds better by the minute."
"No." She stood statue-still, rigid, and unyielding. "If you call him, they'll all come. We're playing fast and loose as it is. Let's not tempt fate."
"I should be ok even if you meet with Aro. I'm an official member of the coven now—Carlisle and Edward both said so." Edward's arms were around me again, his breath on my shoulder as he promised me safety. He wouldn't lie.
Rosalie scoffed, facing me so I could witness the biggest eye-roll of the decade. "Please! That's what they're going with? It's delusional! The Volturi would never accept you as part of our coven. You're not a vampire. The only way you would be allowed to walk away is if you were Edward's mate. Which, you aren't."
"Why would he respect me as Edward's mate, but not as a coven member?"
"I'm not saying he definitely would let you off the hook if you were, but I suspect he would. It's different when we're mated to someone." Her face softened, a telltale sign was thinking about Emmett.
"Different in what way?"
"When a vampire's mate is killed or put under duress, they react one of two ways. Rage unlike any mortal could ever experience or despondency. For those who become enraged, they can't rest until they've avenged the mate. Since Aro wants Edward to join him, killing or keeping his mate wouldn't be high on his list of priorities."
So, in the end, Aro could still easily make me his pet. "And if they all came here, he'd really call them in?"
"Yes. So, let's avoid that altogether and get this troublesome child home by ourselves. Kidnapping can be moral."
"Do you even hear yourself sometimes?" She rolled her eyes and then turned back to the park again. Everything was riding on my ability to persuade now. I was so screwed. "I'll be back. I'm gonna check on her."
I charged back into the bedroom, but things were already different from the way I'd left them. Now Bella looked depressed like her soul had leaked out of her body. "I was considering changing my mind and staying when Edward attacked Jake. That was when I knew I wasn't good for him—for either of them."
"Jake earns every ass-kicking he gets, Bella. Don't feel bad for him."
She paled, revulsion contorting her fine features. "But it happened because of me, not him. The war happened because of me, too. How many more lives will be taken because of something I did? How much more fighting is gonna be over me because I exist as I am now? What if it's Charlie who gets hurt next?"
"I'll never let anything happen to Charlie."
"Neither will I," she vowed, absentmindedly pulling down a sleeve of her flannel. "Because you're right, Leah. They shouldn't all have to suffer because of me. I'm even more sure of my decision now."
"Whatever 'decision' you made, you should know that I'm going back home and I'm not leaving without you." Alice sent me for a reason, I wouldn't leave it behind.
"You're going to have to. And you shouldn't feel responsible for bringing me home. None of this is even your fault. It's probably your worst nightmare."
My arms went into a defensive cross over my chest. "What makes you think that? What's Jake been telling you?"
"That's not important. What's important is that I came to the conclusion a while ago that you're better for Edward than I am. You can be his equal without him having to sacrifice his morals or his beliefs. He'll never have to struggle over what he's done when he looks at you."
"It's not like that—"
"It is. That's why he hasn't come, because he knows it is, too. It's better this way."
I wanted to throttle her. "The only reason he's in Forks is because he thinks you don't want him. He'd be here if he knew you wanted him to be."
She exhaled harshly, blinking away the extra shine in her eyes. "I don't buy it. Eventually, he'll stop fighting the pull toward you. He's bound to give in, just like Emily."
A blurry memory of Jacob's resurfaced where he mentioned me and Sam to her. My guess was that he'd filled her in on all the details since they'd been here. I mean, why wouldn't he have? I needed every possible thing working against me.
"It's not the same. It isn't even close to being the same situation."
"All imprinting is the same. Why would you be any different?"
This was a conversation I wanted to have on a plane that was flying us home. "Because I'm the first female shapeshifter. Pretty much everything is different with me. The bond became even more atypical after I died. I could leave you two alone and be fine. It'd be like this all never happened."
"You died?"
"At the newborn battle, I was injured and I eventually died. Since then, Edward isn't experiencing the same pull as Emily. None of this is the same."
Her lips parted before she pressed them into a narrow line. A slow minute passed, her straight eyebrows drawing together. "Then, why isn't he here?"
"I told you why."
"No, it doesn't make sense. Why hasn't he even tried calling? Last time my life was in danger, he called—"
"Danger? What Danger?" And why hadn't Alice seen it? She had to have missed it or else she would've told Edward immediately.
Her cheeks filled with red and she reached up to tuck the tendril back since it'd fallen from her ear. She was flustered, sputtering nonsense, and her sleeve slid down since she'd kept her hand up.
The gash on her arm was raw and messily stitched, which meant it wasn't Rosalie or Carlisle's work. I remembered Seth's memories of her cutting her arm on the mountain, trying to link it to the long maroon, line. No matter how I sliced it, the injury should've been more healed by now. It shouldn't need the stitches that were still keeping it closed.
Bella caught me staring way too late and fumbled to cover up again. She looked mortified as she stared at the floor.
"I know you won't believe me, but it's not what it looks like and I'll tell you anything you want to know if you don't call Edward. Please, please put away the phone, Leah. I'm begging you."
I looked down to see my phone was in my hand. I didn't even remember pulling it out but I definitely wasn't putting it away.
Unless…
I hated even thinking about it, but Jacob could be right. Death could be a very valid solution now that the situation had changed. She'd said it, herself. She was in danger. That should give me a lot of slack with how forceful I could be, in Edward's eyes. Rosalie's forced kidnapping method was a messy concept and we'd get arrested before we got Bella back on U.S soil. But if I could kill this cold one in my human form, my scent would be gone by the time the Volturi found his ashes. And I seriously doubted Bella had it in her to rat me out.
I put my phone away, the loose strings of my plan tying tighter together. "I want to meet him." I let my demand sink in before I made my next move. "I meet him or I make a call and Edward does."
"He's not the danger, he would've killed me already if he was. And if you're thinking he's been feeding off of this cut, he couldn't. Vampires go into blood frenzies when they feed. I'd be dead if he'd chosen to drink from me. This is from something else."
I didn't care what excuses she had ready. "My way or the highway."
Her mouth twisted into a sour frown. "Fine, but I want your phone. I can't risk you contacting them anyway."
I sighed but gave in to her wishes, tossing her my phone. It'd be easy enough to get it back from her if I really needed it later. I was even more sure of that fact when she fumbled the easy toss. She dropped my phone on the bed before grabbing it again with steadier hands.
Yikes.
Her cheeks tinted red like she knew what I was thinking. "I'll come out when it's time to go."
"Cool." I was happy to leave the room. Despite her not being outright hateful like I would've been, there was tension in the air. I wasn't her friend.
"How useless." Rosalie was on the couch as I strolled back into the living room. Her legs were crossed, her arms loosely folded over her stomach.
I flopped down next to her, leaning my head on her shoulder. Maybe I could fit in a micro-nap before Bella was ready to go. I closed my eyes, my nose twitching as Rosalie's hair swept into it.
"I suppose her plan is to stay out here and allow the Volturi to kill her for her blatant mortality and disregard."
I peeked out of one eye at her radiance. "I don't know what she thinks'll happen if she stays out here, but I'm gonna make sure it doesn't. We're bringing her home."
"How?"
"I'm gonna kill the vampire."
Rosalie pursed her lips, twirling my hair between her fingers. "You're an idiot."
I sighed, shutting my eyes again. "Yeah, I know."
"You can't defeat a vampire in your human form and you can't risk phasing. So, which is it? Will you die for Bella or die for Bella? Of course, we could just leave her to her own devices."
"Can't leave without Jake. Won't leave without Bella—and neither will Jake, by the way. I don't care what I have to do to get this done. I already decided what I was willing to sacrifice by coming here."
"Don't say that," she whispered, the sound taut and strained through her teeth. I looked up at her and caught her staring, her eyes bright with how upset she was. "How could you say that?"
"Rose, I'm sorry."
Her hand slinked out of my hair. "I'm not watching you do this."
She slipped away, leaving me alone on the couch. "Wait, I need your help—"
"I'm all for bringing Bella back, but not if it's an exchange for you. This is a perfect lose-lose game and I won't play." She flashed out of the room then, the sound of the door slamming coming seconds later. There went my last ally.
Stress bore down on me so intensely that I was sure I would've thrown up if my stomach wasn't empty. I felt even worse when an order of coffee came to the room, just the way I liked it. Rosalie probably ordered it for me while I was busy talking to Bella.
I hoped Rosalie would understand someday. I didn't want to be another footnote of disappointment in her life.
The sun was well into setting behind the horizon by the time Bella came out of the room. A weary expression aged her to where she looked twice her age. "We can go and see him now."
"Let's go." I practically ran for the door. I wanted to drown my doubts in the venom that would pour out of the cold one's head when I tore it in half.
"Wait!" Bella jogged over to where I was already standing in the hallway, braids jumping up with every brisk step. "You can have this back. We won't be apart again." Her pale hands held up my phone, the small, plastic thing nestled carefully in their center.
Better this way than snatching it from her fragile fingers later. "Thanks." It went straight back into my pocket. I didn't dare turn it back on. I couldn't, not until I had results. "Ready now?"
Bella looked a tinge green as she made a gesture toward the elevator. "Yes. Let's go."
When we got to the lobby, she butchered a Swedish farewell that made the concierges chuckle and smile. I nodded to him before following her out into the fading, orange sunset. Her dark hair reflected the sandstone sky that caused her eyes to glow their deep shade of brown. Pretty…but girlish.
I couldn't understand how anyone could look at Bella Swan and not see her for the girl she was. Edward's agonizing over turning her made even more sense to me now. She was too young to die. Too innocent.
Bella counted our steps under her breath as we walked, unaware of my more morose thoughts about her. It was nice for a change. I could think about whatever I wanted without judgment or criticism. For instance, how disturbing it was that her smile grew the closer we got to the cold one.
People started thinning out around us, too. We were in a quiet part of town, removed from curious onlookers. Might as well learn a bit more about the vampire since no one could overhear.
"What's he like?"
"You wouldn't believe any of the good things I have to say about him." I would've called her perceptive but that was a given. "He fought in every American war, though."
So, he would know how to fight, how to strategize. Not ideal. My brain was fuzzy, even with all the coffee I'd had. "He's a soldier."
She laughed like I'd made a joke. "He's a patriot. I learned from the day I met him that he's a strong believer in freedom of choice and freedom in general."
"Is that why you hang out with him? Does he make you feel better about your choices?"
She came to a sudden stop, my reflexes keeping me from bumping into her. I thought I'd upset her until she turned around, beaming. "We're here," she announced with a jovial gleam in her eyes.
We went inside a quiet restaurant with barely any people and unpleasant smells. I could tell the cooking was the reason the few patrons around only had drinks on their tables. The familiar cloying smell that cut through the stench of burnt food was what killed my appetite.
While Bella was saying something to the hostess, I tried to think of how I'd split her off from us. One thing was for sure: It wasn't gonna be a cakewalk killing a vampire while I was in my human form.
The hostess led us to a row of booths, taking us all the way to the back. Sitting with one arm over the back of his side of the booth and a menu in his free hand, was a sandy-haired, slender vampire. He looked up from his prop with eyes that weren't red. Also, definitely not gold.
What the hell?
Whereas I hesitated, Bella climbed in beside him with an eager little grin. "Hey, Garrett." So, by weird, everyone had meant happy. Bella was happy with Garrett, without Edward.
"Hi, Bell," he greeted her, throwing his arm around her shoulders. It looked easy, but I knew how much self-control he had to be using.
The hostess said something in Finnish to us before leaving. Once she was gone, Garrett spoke. "Not to be rude or anything, but are you ill?"
"No." I climbed warily into the opposite side of them. "I feel amazing."
He smirked. "Glad to hear it, I think. I'm not entirely sure if you're being sarcastic… By the way, hi. I'm Garrett and it's very nice to meet you." He offered me his hand for a polite handshake.
I put my hand in his only for him to flinch away. It took me a second in my tiredness to realize why he'd reacted that way. "Leah. And I run a little hot."
"I noticed," he replied, wiggling his fingers. "Very interesting."
"More interesting than a vampire hanging around a human girl?"
"I suppose not," he replied, putting his hand back down. "You cut right to the chase, though, don't you?"
"I move fast, it's never much of a chase."
"Mmm," he hummed, examining me as if I was the world's eighth wonder. "I'm assuming you're not a human."
"You assume wrong."
He guffawed, the sound musical, but notably less pretty than the Cullens' laughter. "So, you're a human who smells weird and hasn't been killed for knowing about the existence of vampires?"
Bella was too quiet. She'd picked up the menu Garrett had abandoned and was pretending like she was trying to figure out what to eat. Her knuckles were white from how hard she was clutching it.
I was still looking at Bella as I said, "Enough small talk. Tell me what's going on."
"Sure. That's why you're here, after all. To put it simply, Bell's in a bit of a predicament and I'm helping her out of it."
"Predicament?"
Bella jumped in then but didn't look up from the menu. "He looks out for me." He'd agreed to be her protector already? Jeez, what made her so irresistible to vampires?
"I do. I've even taken up a new diet for her. Well, not new, but rediscovered. Thought I'd lose a couple pounds," Garrett joked, smiling at me. "Explains the eyes, doesn't it? They're not exactly red."
"They're not exactly gold either," I fired back.
He gave an unapologetic grin. "Let's just say I'm in the learning curve. It's not easy."
"Why bother 'rediscovering' the diet?" I asked with air quotes.
"Because my friend requires me to. Plus, I've been feeling a little bored. It'll be nice to have a companion—"
Bella interjected, "Garrett protects me. He keeps the Volturi's eyes off me whenever he can. He's a good guy." She was really playing this up, probably for Edward. She knew he'd see this exchange later.
"Tell me more. How'd you two meet?" Bella put down her menu at my question, shooting Garrett a look that seemed like a warning.
He snickered, eyes brightening as he completely missed Bella's look. "Funny story, that one. I was hunting along the docks, ready to kill someone and take their boat to wherever I wanted to go next. There's been too much chatter about the disappearances I've caused, so I had to go."
"How horrible for you," I remarked dryly.
"Quite. I like dear old Finland. The only reason I've overstayed my welcome is because I caught a beautiful scent while out on the water. I followed it to a girl in the woods with a bleeding arm. I was ready to make my kill and savor the unexpected dessert after a hearty meal, but then she saw me. And there was no fear in her eyes, no horror or confusion. She looked at me as if she knew me. Then she tilted her head, exposing her neck."
"So, now you know," Bella said with a shallow gulp.
"Know what?"
They shared a look with each other before staring at me. Bella looked like she was gonna throw up at any second. Garrett was chuckling under his breath, tickled, finding humor in what I didn't understand.
Invisible bells that only I seemed to hear started tolling. They kept ringing louder and louder until I asked, "You said she exposed her neck to you?"
"She did," Garrett reaffirmed.
But Bella knew that vampires went into blood frenzies. Why would she risk that? Why were the Volturi watching over her shoulder all the time? Why had Garrett used the word companion? Was Bella planning to tag along with the nomad when he up and moved again? Was that why he was drinking animal blood? To make traveling with her easier?
Or was that just another way he was helping her?
"The Volturi wouldn't stop watching her for no reason." I'd been so stupid.
The bells gave one last grim toll in my head before falling silent. Dead. There was no point in warning me anymore, I'd smacked straight into the body of the iceberg.
"They gave her a choice after she said she wasn't with the Olympic coven anymore," Garrett said. His voice had taken a decisive turn in tone. He'd sobered while I was connecting the dots. "She was lucky."
"They would've killed me before Rose ever found me if Aro wasn't so interested in how I'll turn out." My focus drew back to Bella where she sat with sagged shoulders.
"You should've called the Cullens as soon as you were approached by the Volturi. What the hell is wrong with you? Do you want to die?" Her cheeks made a gradual shift into a telling scarlet as I glowered at her.
"Wait, I thought you did tell the Cullens. You said you would after Rose and I met," Garrett said, looking at Bella differently.
She'd lied to every single one of us. "You're such a messed up human being."
"I wouldn't expect you to understand, Leah. You don't have to sacrifice anything for your ideal life. Your brother phases, your mom knows, you have a pack to go through everything with. I'm just me and I'm by myself—"
"Don't you dare talk to me about sacrifice! And you're by yourself because you left! This is self-imposed and it's pointless!"
"I'm by myself because of you! I put everything I had into Edward, I chose him over everything and everyone else. You have no idea what it's like to lose your life and still have to keep living somehow!"
I laughed in her face. "No, what I have no idea about is how you can be so pathetic when all you have to do is go home!"
"I can't!' Bella shrieked.
Garrett looked between us with wide eyes. "Whoa, ladies—"
Bella climbed out of the booth, bolting for the door. Garrett and I chased after her, following her scent and little, angry sobs. She cornered herself by running into a dark alley.
Pressing her back to the fenced dead-end, she asked me, "Don't you understand? With or without him, I have to do this! I chose without him because then he won't have to be tied to me for eternity. He can tie himself to you, if he wants. He deserves to make that choice, just like he let me choose between him and Jake."
"Don't even try saying this is for him! This will destroy him and you know it! That's the exact reason why you're not telling him a damn thing!"
"Does he even know you're here? Did you even ask if he wanted you to come?" Her chest heaved, glassy eyes catching starlight that reflected off her flushed face. And despite being her polar opposite, I saw so much of me in her at that moment. "Then it seems like I'm not the only one keeping secrets from Edward to help him."
"Fine. Let's air out all our dirty secrets, Swan." I ripped my phone out of its place in my pocket and flipped it open. A few unsuccessful tries to turn it on later and I realized, "You only gave it back because it was dead. Bet you even tried to snoop through it."
Bella didn't say anything, which was fitting since she seemed to prefer guilt by omission.
"Ok, this has gotten way out of hand." Garrett stepped into the gap between me and Bella. "I thought I was doing the Cullens a favor, but now I'm worried I've done a disservice."
Bella shifted her tortured gaze onto him. "Well, it's too late now. A deal's a deal. It's happening. Tonight."
Tonight. I understood the resignation now, the constant resistance. I'd arrived too late for any information I had for her to matter. In her mind.
"It's not over yet. The Cullens can help you if you just let them know what's going on."
"No, I won't put them in the Volturi's way again because of my choices."
Garrett was weirdly on my side. "She's right, though, Bell. And even if she isn't, I can't go forward without their input in good conscience. I'm a friend to that family."
Friend to that family. Family friend. It hadn't hit me when Rosalie mentioned knowing him because my mind had been looking for specific words. Alice's predictions from the cafe—oh my God.
"This is why Alice sent me here." My whole purpose, the one way. I'd changed Garrett's mind by helping bring new information to light. The future with the two of them running off together must have disappeared now.
Bella clutched her bad arm, hard enough to where the stitches were straining. Horror streaked her face as she asked, "Did Alice know?" I heard the real question in her voice. Why hadn't Alice stopped her?
An unwanted interruption dropped out of the sky, landing between me and Garrett since I dodged out of their path. We'd all been too busy with each other to notice we'd been followed. For a split second, I worried it was the Volturi. That worry got replaced with dread as Jacob stood up to his full height, towering over Garrett and Bella.
"Let's take him out, Leah. Together." He started to quake, heat emanating off him like hot coals. He was too far gone and I couldn't dream of overpowering him with how exhausted I was.
"Jake, no!" Bella cried out, running over. He would maul her to death in the process of damning the pack.
I should've known something like this would happen. Alice had only seen one way because she couldn't see a future where Jacob decided to interfere. But it didn't matter what she'd seen or hadn't seen anymore. I had to do something, something I would regret immediately afterward.
I shoved Bella away and pinned Garrett to the wall, covering him with my body. Bella was still falling when Jacob phased, his claws raking down my back and my left arm. My bones withstood the blow, but I could smell all the blood. Smell, not feel. He'd sliced apart my nerve endings and I was completely numb.
My legs gave out as Bella let out a short, piercing scream. I took the sound as a context clue that I didn't look too good. Garrett ran to Bella while I slumped against the brick wall, groaning. He snatched her up, scaling the walls so he could sprint across the rooftops.
Aro would see Jacob's attempt to end Garrett's life. Would that matter? I hoped him being alive and unharmed would be enough for him to disregard it all.
"Leah! Leah, you idiot!" Jacob's huge hands pressed the scraps of his clothing to my back. He was trying to slow the bleeding. There was a growing puddle under my knees as I pressed my cheek against the wall. "You ruined everything! We had him!"
"Jacob," I said. My voice was so even for being ripped open from my neck to my ass. "Listen to me—"
"I have to go after her! They're getting away!"
Cold sweat drenched me from head to toe. My eyes stung. "If you leave me, I'll bleed out before I can heal."
Some key things healed internally and the pain came screaming into my mangled flesh. I moaned in agony, the fingers of my right hand digging into the cement. I streaked blood across the ground when I pulled them out of the holes I'd made.
"So? You deserve to die for what you've done." His hands left my back and I listened to him run away.
"Bastard," I rasped before I fell onto my side, my eyes forcing themselves closed.
Yep, this was pretty much how I imagined the worst possible scenario.
A/N: So...I'm back! I really hope you enjoyed this. I was so nervous to write Bella, the first time is always the hardest. The next chapter will be coming out soon and will shed more light on things.
Thank you for your favorites, your follows, and most of all your reviews. One was simply wishing me well and it brought me to tears because I was having a very bad day lol. Thank you for sticking around! And I'm so sorry for any mistakes, I'm doing my absolute best!
