Alright, This is the climax! And also, probably the chapter I enjoyed writing the most! Hope it makes up to your expectations!
Inuyashademons14 - The mystery sucks...doesn't it? Well, hopefully all will be revealed in the sequel. Let's keep our fingers crossed that this book merits another book. :D
Justabookreader - Thank you! I loved the twist too. It kind of hit me in the face like a ton of bricks so... :D
Kat Smith - OMG! I love puppy stories! I hope Bullet is fine and not annoying his sister anymore. :) Thanks for considering me good enough to share your life stories with! Hope you like the chapter and share your thoughts with me.
He was walking loudly, probably for my sake, so I could just listen and wait for the third degree.
Edward had been shocked, to say the least when I'd shown up at his doorstep with Stephen in tow. He'd sat me down but I'd insisted on the entire family being there. It had taken half an hour for the Cullens to gather and it had taken nearly an hour to explain everything to them. The result…? Questions, endless questions about nothing…to everything
After the inquisition ended, Edward had said 'Go, sit in my room, I'll see you there,' so, here I was.
After 20 more excruciating seconds, the door opened, noiseless and shut. I was sitting on the couch and watched Edward lean against the door with his back, expressionless eyes on me.
"You lied to me,"
I sighed, burrowing in deeper in my jacket as I flinched away from the cold accusation in his voice.
"Technically, no, I just never told you. You always knew there was something not right about me," I amended still unable to look at him.
"Tulika, this isn't even about lying really. It's about putting yourself in danger, knowingly." He gritted out.
"Is this really what this is about?" I asked, finally looking up. "I'm not Bella, Edward. I'm not going to just sit back while I let your family or Jacob's wolf pack fight wars I began. I only came here because I need your help. That doesn't mean I'm going to sit tight and watch the action." I said, matching his angry tone.
"You're doing it again; using Bella as a shield whenever you do something wrong," he said.
"Listen to me, if you don't want to help me, fine! Just don't kick Stephen out, he's already like a puppy. I'll see myself out," I made to walk past him but Edward's hand shot out, encasing my arm in a tight vice like grip. "Don't you dare, what do you mean if I don't want to help you? I love you! Of course, I will do whatever I can to protect you! Everyone will," his tone dipped towards danger zone.
I stilled.
"I…" I trailed off, watching his anger dissolve into something softer, sadder and infinitely more difficult to handle.
"However, I can see you want to go…home. I can't be selfish with something like that." He let go of my arm and walked away.
Do you ever imagine the moment when a Prince Charming will come and sweep you away from all your problems? Tell you he loves you and will stop at nothing to give you your happiness…? Imagine that, and then imagine it being shattered by a stupid thing…like being from a completely different dimension.
"Are we over?" I asked, unable to keep the pain out of my voice.
He stopped, his hand holding the door knob. I saw his jaw clench and then the door was slamming shut, wrapping me in moonlight as I stared at the crushed metal knob.
The plan was set…and completely un-proof.
Thanks to Stephen and my knowledge of the book, the Cullens knew to be prepared for two vampires. It just so happened that while James had been assaulting me in the parking lot, Laurent had shown up asking for a cover from a particularly vengeful vampire who was working for…something not good.
This 'something not good' was maybe Stephanie Meyer. I shuddered at the thought.
None of the vampires had looked at me ever since I'd come down from Edward's room. Even, Alice and Rosalie kept their distance. No doubt they'd heard the whole showdown in his room. Edward sat flanked by Jasper and Emmett as Carlisle spoke but I just stared out the wall of windows towards the woods.
I turned my head just as Carlisle told everyone to disperse and I felt his eyes fall on me before he tilted his head and walked away silently.
"Tulika…" I heard Esme come at my shoulder and I stood up heavily, following her up the stairs amid mixed stares to Alice's room.
"The clothes might be a little long," she said as she handed me jeans, a top and coat.
"No problem," I said as she walked out of the room and shut the door.
I dropped the clothes on the bed, pulling out my cell phone and calling home. What was the point of going through all this trouble if in the end I was knocking on an empty room?
The number you're calling is currently not reachable.
Slowly lowering my hand, I rubbed my eyes and put on the clothes with an empty feeling in my heart. It wasn't until I was zipping up the long coat that I felt the dam gates open and I sat down on Alice's bed and after pressing my own shirt against my nose and mouth started sobbing.
"Tulika, are you done?" I quickly wiped off my eyes as Esme appeared right in front of me.
"Yeah, done," I stood up and her face fell at the sight of me.
"Oh, my dear," she wrapped her soft long arms around me and I sniffed, wrapping mine around her as I leaned against her head.
"I don't want to go. I just have no choice." I whispered.
"I know. Neither do we, if we could we'd keep you here, we would but it would unbalance a lot more than just a story. You know that, Edward knows that, we all know that. You're so brave to make the right choice." She said.
"Then why does it feel like the wrong one?" I asked.
"Because love does funny things to our judgement," she smiled and tilted my head back as she tugged me gently towards the door.
"I do, I do love him." I realised.
"Yes, darling, the question is, would you tell him before or after?"
"Rosalie and Emmett have already taken Stephen. Alice and Jasper are taking your stuff to give the tracker a decoy. Esme and I will stay here to keep an eye on the area." Carlisle was saying as I stared at him with a horrified expression.
Edward stared at me for a bit before lugging a bag and nodding his head for me to follow him.
"Be safe dear," Esme gave me a last hug and Carlisle patted my back, his face sympathetic.
I opened a bleary eye to look at the digital clock on the bedside table. It read 3 AM. I groaned. Fantastic, I thought bitterly, it couldn't get any worse. Sitting duck, someone please stamp that across my head. I hadn't been sleeping for an hour and now I was awake.
Getting out of bed and tugging Alice's top lower, I made my way to the living room of the suite Edward had taken in Seattle.
"You always wanted to go to Seattle, didn't you?" he'd asked when I'd asked him mentally.
"Edward," I called and he dropped the curtain across the skyline as he looked at me.
"You should be asleep." He chastised.
"I know; I can't sleep." I said, flopping down on the sofa. He sighed but joined me, sitting on the farther edge. I eyed the distance between us, not liking it at all.
"You know, I'm sorry, right?" I asked, rubbing my temples. There was a pause but I heard his give a resigned sigh. "Yes," he answered.
"Because -"
"Alice and Jasper will be here by tomorrow. The scent must've faded by then and the tracker would come back." He said.
"Edward,"
"Rosalie and Emmett will take Stephen right up to Virginia, before back tracking. We'll figure something to send you back after we deal with James and his female."
"Listen to me,"
"You'll have to stay with us till then,"
A low snarl escaped me as I launched myself across the sofa at him. I hated being ignored and he probably knew it. His torso turned towards me and his eyes opened wide at my onslaught.
Our lips crashed roughly as he fell over backwards, arms flying out to keep me from sliding off of him.
His fingers went to my face and slid into my hair, combing it back and undoing the braid. His mouth, warm and soft, travelled over my jaw, brushing across my chin and kissing a hot trail over the column of my throat.
I let out a soft whimper and I felt him grin against the hollow of my throat. He turned over and placed me between his body and the sofa. "I love you," I breathed as his lips attached to my forehead and stilled.
"Tulika,"
"I do, really," I touched his face, reaching up to brush my lips against his but he pulled back, looking torn.
"I can tell; but I can't," he got off the couch and went to the door. "I'll be outside. The foods' on the dining table," He said and shut the door.
I watched the sunrise from the bedroom. I could hear Edward come and go from the living room, on the phone with Alice as she updated him on her visions. He probably knew I would try to over hear him so he constantly kept leaving the room to take his calls.
The cell rang so often I kind of blurred out it's blaring until it was mine that had started ringing.
Foraging it out, I looked at the caller ID and blanched. It was blocked.
"What do you want?" I whispered into it, flitting across the room to see the living room empty. "You, darling, you know that," James's creepy voice filled my ear.
"Yeah too bad, I'm kind of on house arrest." I snapped, shutting the door to the bathroom gently and starting the tap of the sink.
"Get out of it; you managed to sneak into our world, you can sneak out of your boyfriend's grip."
"Go to hell."
"Uh, uh, Sweetheart, you might not want to do that. My boss is not the most patient of people." "Tell your boss to go to hell too," I said and he laughed.
"Oh darling, you know I like you. I really do, but people say it is bad manners to play with food so I'll make you a deal. You meet me – any place, you name it and maybe I won't hurt that little quaint family of yours back in Forks." I could hear the grinning from over the phone.
"Carlisle and Esme won't let you touch a hair on their heads." I snarled.
"Oh believe me, I can be sneaky too. See, they think I'm somewhere on that little pixie and her blonde's trail. Victoria never left Forks. It isn't that hard to fool the minx when you know how to do it," He said and I remembered that James knew Alice from way before she was even born a vampire.
"How long do you think it'll take for her to snap their necks and get back? Your Cullens may be fast; but they're not that fast. So, consider it, oh and if you call them or tell anyone about our little chat. Well, you know the drill. I'll call back in an hour."
"No, I'll – I'll do it. I can get somewhere but I don't know this place well."
"No problem; you are in the Fairmont. The Seattle Art Museum is a five minute walk. Meet me there at midnight, oh and, bring the kid."
James hung up.
I always thought how Stupid Bella was when she dodged vampires to run off to protect her mother, who wasn't even in the vampire's grip. Yeah, too bad in my case, Bella and Charlie were really in danger of having their necks snapped.
My plan was not brilliant but it was supposed to be good.
Alice and Jasper had intercepted Stephen and we were meeting at the airport. They would take me and him somewhere north, possibly Alaska and wait the vampire out till he had to show. I didn't even have that much time.
I waited for Edward as he locked the door and stopped him with a hand on his arm before closing the distance to give him a firm but passionate kiss.
If this was my last time with him alone, I wanted it to last.
Edward didn't pull back but his brow did furrow in puzzlement as I put on a façade of mock cheer. If I wanted to get away with it, I had to act insane, so he wouldn't suspect anything.
"Are you ok?" he asked.
"Yeah, I just…I think he's not going to be much of a hassle anymore." I said, smiling wide at him as we got off at the parking lot. Edward didn't comment as he had a mental conversation with Alice and Jasper.
"Hey, Stephen, do you want to get a soda?" I asked, shuffling for some change in my jacket pocket, grabbing Stephen's hand and leading him sternly down the aisle, keeping the picture of the soda machines firmly in my mind.
Just as we reached the aisle, I snapped a picture of it, and then stared at it while taking the complete opposite direction.
"What are we doing?" Stephen asked, as usual suspicious.
"Getting us home," I handed him the phone and raised my hand for a cab. A yellow taxi pulled right up on the curb and I pushed him into it.
"Seattle Art Museum,"
Stephen turned to look at him and I gave him a slow pointed nod and he slumped back, looking curiously resigned. Well, so was I…I was giving in to Fate.
"Welcome to the Seattle Art Museum, right this way miss, sir," an elderly clerk said and began leading us through the darkened alleys.
"Where's he taking us?" Stephen whispered.
"To James; he's been persuaded." I whispered back as lights came on suddenly.
"That was fast, Tulika, very fast, I'm impressed."
Stephen and I turned to see the nondescript looking man in jeans, black boots and a simple grey t-shirt and a white flannel over it. Deep grey eyes stared at us from the top of the stairs as he inclined his head towards the clerk.
"You've been very helpful, sir. Kindly do the needful," he said.
I was about to turn when I heard Stephen yell something and I was being pushed away as the sound of gunshot echoed all around us, followed by deafening silence.
Oh my god, he'd killed himself…James compelled a man to shoot himself.
"You freak!" I heard Stephen yell at him and when I looked up he was standing right in front of us, smiling easily.
"I suppose Boss won't care either way," he said before blurring.
I turned around in time to shove Stephen out of the way as James went flying past us. Looks like watching Buffy did pay off, I thought grimly as I stood up quickly and threw a punch that made his face turn but he just turned back to watch me, smiling dangerously as he anticipated the next blow and crushed my hand.
I cried out, feeling myself being lifted and thrown. I landed on the edge of the stairs, pain shooting through my entire body as I felt something in my body snap and warm liquid ooze out and crawled up to see Stephen tackle James, both falling down. It didn't take long as James flipped Stephen over, his head smashing against the stone pillar.
He let out a guttural groan but managed to throw one last kick at James that he caught, flinging the fading boy over his shoulder and ramming him against the banner. Stephen didn't get back up as I threw myself across the stairs, rushing over to get to the glass doors. I had to give Alice credit though. She had to be watching out for me.
My hand just brushed the double handles before I was being thrown back, landing painfully through the glass walls which smashed under me. I screamed when I felt sharp shards pierce me but James was already walking over to me.
"Your smell is rather delicious. I could take a bite, or just…drink you up whole. It's a real dilemma." He sighed before raising his foot and trampling over my fingers. I bit back another scream as I coughed out blood. "Well then," he bent over me. I didn't even have the energy to bite back at him. I could feel the pain slowly numbing away…I probably had internal bleeding by now. I closed my eyes tightly, knowing I wasn't going to survive this.
"What to do with you?" The question was rhetorical and musing, as if he had all the time in the world to weigh his options.
"You could let her go."
James and I both looked up at the voice.
The scene with Edward and Esme really made me sad. :( Poor Tulika, she just can't catch a break, can she...?
I know, I'm very cruel. James just made me angry and Tulika's life hangs on a string...but, yay! Someone came to save the day!
How did you like the chapter? Please let me know.
Oh, and the link to Tulika's song is : watch?v=rqAQnJK5Tks. Please listen to it. It's awesome and all credits go to Irdeen of Youtube. This song is everything I imagined would be describing T.
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