"We meet again, pet," James greeted her.
Instead of snowy white ground, the ground is coloured in black and grey and the sky is painted in hues of orange and red. Bella holds up her palm and the black and grey material falls on it delicately. Touching it with her finger, it turns into dust, leaving marks of ashes on her white palm.
"In the face of danger and adversity, fear will not do you well."
Tanya was circling Bella as if at any given moment she will zero in and attack a prey. While Kate and Irina had gone hunting, Tanya and Bella took the opportunity to train. They both had agreed that it was counterproductive for Irina to be present during the trainings as she proved to be a distraction for Bella and far much too protective.
"I'm not scared of you."
Tanya stopped and stood still. "If this training is to be effective, you shall fear me more than your worst nightmare. Are you able to do it or do you need some motivation?"
The question sounded dangerous and it seemed like a bad idea. But her instincts were designed in such way for her to distinguish the friendly vampires from the murderous ones. It was why she was not terrified of the Cullens upon learning their true nature. And it was also why she trusted the Denalis so easily. But she hadn't much choice, for she would always see Tanya, the coven leader, as someone wise and compassionate.
She nodded.
"Fair warning, I will not hold back."
"I don't expect you to."
Tanya had shown her best, or rather, her worst side. And it terrified the shit out of her. But after those gruelling hours, Bella had finally learned the lesson-
In the face of danger and adversity, fear will not do you well.
She opens her eyes and stares directly into the predator's red ones. She remembers her training and manages to keep her heart rate under control.
"When red-eyed vampires pickup the sound of your quickened heartbeats, they've got you cornered."
Control of her breathing is the key. She is scared but she can't let him know that.
"James."
The sight almost caused her to shiver. Red liquid oozes off his chin, his meal remains unmoved, dead.
"Even in dreams you still murder."
James stops sucking the blood out of the lifeless body and smirks, "You summoned me in this form. Who's the actual monster?"
There it is again, the claim. He keeps saying she's the reason for this. The word 'in this form' catches her attention. It means he's not the same vampire who hunted her down and almost killed her. He looks eerily similar to him and even sounds the same too. But it's not him.
"What are you?"
"Isn't it obvious? Hadn't the human loving vampires told you nothing of me?"
"You look like the vampire who hunted me but you're not him. His soul was destroyed, his body turned to ashes."
Ashes. She looks up the sky at the grey ashes raining down on her. The sun is still out but the debris blocks its light, turning the sky dark and horrifying. She feels like she's in a thriller/horror movie. His evil laughter roars and he easily throws away the body to the side. He zooms in on her, his sharp teeth barring at her but Bella stands her ground. It's important she understands this so she could have a chance to control it.
"Never underestimate your enemy. To always be one step ahead, you need to get into his head; understand his intention. Only then you may try to foresee how he plans to achieve it," Tanya went again.
And right now it's clear he intends to plant fear in her. So she has to overcome it, or at least to fake her courage. And that means no flinching, even at his sudden movements. Thankfully Kate and her had done this dance before where the playful Denali, more often than not, would try to sneak attack the human in an attempt to shock her again. She's sure she has an un-normal amount static charges coursing through her body as a human but at least Kate's playful attempts put her on high alert.
"The fact remains that I am the predator and you the gullible prey," he hissed, angrily because he once again was unable to touch her. "Your shield won't protect you forever. One day you'd let your guard down and I'd take full advantage of that."
Bella stares at him warily. Eventhough the trainings are helping her to navigate through these nightmares, she is still unable to understand or control her supposed shield. How does she know it won't let her down someday?
"You don't have much of a chance, not with the Cullens around," she decided to turn the table and provoke him.
"He deemed to have been a great hunter. But even the oldest vampire have their weaknesses, especially males. You'd be surprised at how similar they are to humans. Their ego mostly blinds them."
Remembering Tanya's advice, Bella decides to go another route. She just hopes he will take the bait. He licks the hot fresh blood off his fingers, enjoying how sweet and hot it feels against his hard tongue. It is as if he is overcompensating. But why? He scoffs at Bella's insuniation.
"Those spineless animal-drinking vampires? You think so little of me, pet. I have fooled them once and it didn't take much to outsmart them. Not when Laurent's so helpful and loyal."
Her heart drops. The mention of his name brings a sudden pain to her chest. It reminds her of what had transpired between the Cullens, the Denalis and her. She thinks one day she could fully forgive and forget it but at the moment, she's not there yet. It's fresh wound, one that James knows so well. Her face tenses and he easily picks up on it, hoping for her anger to arise.
"Yeah and look how that ended for him," Bella smirked, taunting at the fact she now managed to turn it around. So she decided to push a bit further, "All three of you tried and successfully failed."
She has done it. His smirk all gone and his eyes turn black. He seems to be mulling over something in his head when all the darkness in his eyes faded back to red.
"Did we?"
"First they killed you. And then the wolves tore Laurent apart. Finally, Edward and Jacob murdered Victoria and her newborn army. I'd say we won it all."
"Then explain this," James snapped his fingers and all her worst nightmare came to life. There standing right behind him is Laurent, Victoria, riley and all the newborn army.
Feeling overwhelmed and trapped by the sight of every vampire who had wanted to kill her, Bella closes her eyes, focuses on her breathing and tries to wake up from the dream. All vampires move from behind James, forming a big circle after her. Their eyes are red and it's obvious they are thirsty from being in front of the unprotected, delicious-smelling, human. They close in on her and whisper her name, "Bella."
She has never hated her name so much than in that precise moment. As they approach Bella, their voices become loud and clear. In her mind, she commands herself to wake up at the very instant! After a few moments of struggling, Bella jolts upright in her bed, trembling. Tanya calls out her name and it almost sounds like the way they chanted her name. She flinches and jumps out of bed. Tanya tries to reassure her that she is now safe again but Bella won't listen.
Caught up with the sight and the sound that last greeted her, her mind is still mostly back there with James and all the red-eyed vampires. The only words she heard in the midst of all chaos is Irina's name.
It is when she feels a familair and cold grip on her shoulder that Bella has truly escaped the nightmare. Irina stands before her, her blonde hair tousled from running so fast from her hunting ground to Bella's side. She sags as she sighs in relief being in Irina's safe arms. Irina then guides her to control her breathing and repeats the mantra she and Bella agreed upon.
"You are here. You are safe, Bella. I am here with you."
It takes her awhile before she could repeat it, "I am here. I am safe and you are here with me."
After the sisters placate the human's fears and Bella is anchored back to reality, Tanya insists on finding out what happened, much to Irina's dismay. Irina is about to chew her sister's head off when Bella squeezes her hand and tells her she is okay. She wants to get the whole image out of her head before she forgets the tiniest details.
"What did you learn, Bella?" Tanya prompted.
She swallows, trying hard not to tremble, "It wasn't just him this time. Laurent, Victoria and the newborn army was there too."
Irina isn't happy that they had to cut the trip short. She received a call from Alice asking them to come back earlier than planned as a restless Rosalie is bound to come and crash them if they refused.
"I was thinking..." Bella voice snapped her school of thoughts.
"Yes, Isabella?"
"Where should we go... Yknow, for the date?"
All anger forgotten, Irina dons a huge smile on her face hearing her mate's question. There are so many places she wanted to take her, places and activities she knows Bella might enjoy.
"About that. I was wondering if you'd allow me to take charge of the planning?" Irina asked with hopeful eyes. Bella looks hesitant so she quickly adds, "I am grateful you took the initiative but I was hoping you would allow me to take lead on this."
Bella narrows her eyes, "But it isn't fair."
Knowing she's about to lose to her mate's wounded look, Irina sweeps in and captures her mate's lips with hers, effectively stopping Bella's puppy eyes. When she pulls back, Bella looks dazed and her eyes seem unfocused.
"It isn't. But I want this so badly. I've been dreaming of this, been planning for it. Would you kindly do me this favour and make me the happiest vampire on Earth?" Irina threw her most dazzling smile, her lips hovering over her mate's.
Bella could only blink and nod, slowly giving into the seduction. "Is this one of your succubus skills?" She asked earnestly, curious. She doesn't resent her for it, this was Irina's history. It's all seem amusing to her.
"Isabella, if I were to use my seduction skills, you wouldn't even know it," Irina claimed before pressing her lips fully against Bella's. Her arousal shot through the roof and all vampires picked up on it.
"Gross! Irina, keep it in your pants! And Bella, I can't believe you fell for that. She didn't even do much but bat her eyelashes at you to melt you into a puddle," Kate cackled. "I wonder if you'd get a heart attack from seeing Irina naked." To that, Tanya smacks Kate in the back of the head and Irina gives her a smug look.
"You do not need to put that mental image in Irina's head. Now we both have to endure our sister's arousal," Tanya complained.
Bella pulls away, blushing at Kate's teasing. Irina's eyes turn a darker shade of gold as she leans in to whisper, "I cannot wait to have you all to myself, my Isabella. At least these two hags won't be cockblocking us."
"Call me old again and you'll find yourself walking home," Kate retorted after obviously hearing what Irina said. Irina scoffs, unaffected by the threat. She had walked much further before. "Alone and without your mate," Kate finished in a smirk and Irina kept her mouth shut. She pulls Bella almost onto her lap and holds the human tighter to her. There's no way she would waste precious cuddling time with her mate.
The car ride to Forks remains that way; Irina trying to seduce her mate while Kate chimes in every now and then just to piss her sister off and throw her off her game while Tanya focuses on the road, warning Kate not to take the teasing too far.
It's a long journey and after they stopped to feed the human, Bella spends the rest of the time sleeping against Irina's very comfortable body. The vampire purrs slightly at the body contact. She's a very happy vampire when she learns that Bella loves to cuddle in her sleep. Irina wonders if she could one day convince Bella to use her instead as a bolster.
Kate and Tanya watch the pair from the rearview mirror and smile.
"You look very happy, sister," Tanya noticed.
Never taking her eyes off the human sleeping soundly in her arms, she sighs happily and smiles, "Yes, and she's the reason for it."
"Eleazar and Carmen's running out of patience. I cannot hold them off much longer."
Irina runs her nose across Bella's hair and breathes in her mate's scent. She still smells like her favourite Sun.
"Soon, once Bella agrees."
No one is more relieved that Bella and Irina managed to spend somewhat intimate moments before their return to the Forks. Impatient Rosalie blocked their pathway with her red M3 and demanded to have private moment with Bella.
Normally vampires like Irina wouldn't be able to control her possessiveness but Bella's similar reluctance in saying goodbye to her gives her the confidence and assurance that Bella's beginning to accept their mating bond. They linger for a moment in an intimate embrace and Irina kisses her mate once again before is rudely interrupted by her selfish cousin.
Rosalie gently but firmly pulls Bella away from her cousin, grumbling about the lovesick idiots taking too long of a time to bid farewell and gentlewoman-ly opens the door for Bella. She gives Irina a subtle nod, promising no harm to come to her mate whilst she is around.
Bella gives her one last wave as Irina looks smaller and smaller through the mirror.
"Relax, you'll see her again tonight, won't you?" Rosalie grumbled.
Bella feels her heart do a little tug and she suddenly feels a little guilty towards Rosalie. To make up for lost time, Bella immediately takes off her seatbelt and jumps at Rosalie in the driver seat to give her a tight hug.
Not expecting it, the car swerve momentarily before Rosalie regains control and they're all safe. She wants to be mad at Bella's recklessness but how could she when Bella's holding her so tightly as if she's afraid Rosalie would run away.
"No need to jump my bones, Swan," she said with a hint of smile. Her right hand rubs Bella's back affectionately.
Bella snorts.
"No one would Hale seeing as Emmett's marks are littered all over your neck."
She lets Rosalie go and returns to her seat while Rosalie feels guilty for forgetting about the lovebites. It felt like she was someway cheating on Bella. But seeing Bella's relaxed posture she pushes the thoughts away.
"Come on, your spare part just arrived today. Let's try to savour whatever's left of your junk car."
"Hey, it's not a junk! It got characters and experience."
Rosalie feels something in her heart settles having Bella's presence near her. The car enhanced her smell. She smells like the woods but with a hint of salty ocean and a lot like Irina.
"Did you have fun?"
She asked as they entered her garage and Bella broke into a big smile. "Oh definitely! Cliff jumping with the Denalis are much more exciting than with the wolves."
"Cliff jumping?" Rosalie's teeth gritted.
But Bella's happiness never wavers. "It makes me feel good."
"How so?"
"When I'm up in the air, for just that one tiny second, I felt free and fearless. I haven't felt that way in a long time."
When she puts it like that, how could Rosalie get mad? Alice was right. She would definitely have opposed to the idea and Bella wouldn't have had fun. Although, Emmett would definitely invite himself to the next Denalis adrenaline-rush trips. She could see it. But perhaps that day wil not come too soon. As of now, she understands that there's a lot for Bella to process and she does it so much better around the Denalis. And she hopes they would extend the invitation to her too. Rosalie kind of wishes she could see Bella so carefree like the teenager she's supposed to be.
It makes her sad to remember how it felt like when they all thought Bella was committing suicide by jumping off the cliff. She knows without a doubt that the sight of Bella jumping would tear her heart into two.
"You're so messy," Rosalie complained seeing how everything she touched, Bella managed to get some grease or oil on her.
"You're my teacher, so..."
"Is that wise? Insulting the only mechanic who can help fix your monstrous truck?" Rosalie smirked and stopped working as a threat.
Bella's eyes widen and she throws herself around the vampire, "No, no, I was just joking. Please don't stop."
Rosalie puts her tools away, "That doesn't sound much like an apology."
"Okay. Okay. What do you want? An elk? Me to do your homework?"
Rosalie looks unamused. Last time Emmett and Bella pranked her, they purposely did her homework all wrong and drew love on Mr Ericson's name. She had to sit through an awkward after class session with him, enduring an even more awkward lecture of how it's forbidden for teachers and students to be in a relationship, while the two clowns waited outside laughing.
She glares at the human but Bella only chuckles and presses her body closer to the vampire, resting her head against Rosalie's neck.
"I'm sorry, Rose," she said while trying to stifle her laugh against Rosalie's skin.
Her warm breath tickles the vampire and she almost shudders. "You are not! You know what? I think I'll make dinner for you. How do you feel about having soup?"
Bella freezes and realises she's in trouble. There's no way she would eat another one of Rosalie's horrible cooking. Engines she could do but when it comes to food, Rosalie's a natural disaster with it. Last time she attempted to make a soup it turned blue.
"But I'm not hungry. Irina fed me already."
Her stomach miraculously grumbles and Rosalie decides to take the joke further. "None sense. Now come, I'm making you dinner."
She cleans herself up and the garage and pulls a pale Bella to the kitchen. With the help of Alice, Rosalie fakes cooking in the kitchen and keeps Bella occupied in the hall with Jasper. Really, she just took Esme's containers from the fridge and reheat it.
"Go on. You're hungry. Eat."
Bella tried to delay herself but then Rosalie got impatient and forces the human to sit on her lap as she tries to feed her. Bella nearly choked when she realised it was good.
"Oh my god! It's so good!"
"So you wouldn't oppose to me cooking for you again?"
"Well, duh."
"Hmm good. Because I didn't cook that. It was Esme. But I'd be happy to cook for you next time," she smirked. "I think I'll try making pasta next."
Bella narrows her eyes and realises she just got played. She stops eating and kisses Rosalie numerous times on her face and apologises.
Rosalie's about to tell her she forgives her when both of them unintentionally move their head at the same time and accidentally brush their lips together. Bella freezes while Rosalie feels something snaps in her.
It was such a tiny kiss but she realises there's a hunger building right inside of her. Curious and desperate to feel more, she leans in further and moves her lips slightly, which caused Bella to shiver on her lap. Entranced by this new and excited feeling, both of them turn their heads just a little bit more and Rosalie takes the opportunity to softly press her lips against Bella more. Her hands automatically go to Bella's waist, keeping her there and she pulls Bella that much closer to her.
And when Bella releases a long breath through her nose as if the kiss is something she has been waiting for all this time, Rosalie growls and lets her instincts kick in. She swiftly raises Bella up on the table and continues to kiss the human from above. The position excites her, more so by Bella's positive response. Deciding to test how far Bella is willing to go, she darts her tongue out and invades Bella's mouth.
For Bella it feels so good that a moan escapes her lips. Surprised and embarrassed, she quickly pulls back and that's when she realised what they had done. Feeling guilty and confused, Bella decides to do the best thing she knows how. She flees.
