sorry it took so long to get this chapter up, trying to get them out when i can, please review to let me know what you think, thanks!!!!
Chapter 13 Painted Fate
"Jane will not be a bother to you anymore, I assure you," Aro said slightly pleased with himself for some reason.
"We were just introducing her to the family since she didn't meet them for the first time," I spoke with almost a joyous sound in my voice. Whatever he did with or to Jane made me sparkle with content.
When Aro first arrived he left Mary outside for whatever reason, I most likely assumed it was because she wasn't familiar to us and didn't want us to worry that she was a threat. Which seemed odd, she was very friendly unlike the others she was associated with.
"Well Mary, glad you seem to be fitting in well," he chuckled lightly seeing everyone was talking and interested in her. "The vampire the trackers captured is named Aston, they should be arriving any minute now, but we need to be on guard. Whoever he is working for are trying to make sure that the prophecy isn't known, he wont say much more other than he fears for his life now that we have him," Aro sighed.
It made me wonder what kind of vampires he was working for that he would fear for his life even though Aro now had him, I assumed everyone feared the Volturi.
"Why would we need to be on guard, is someone after Bella?" Edward frantically suggested.
"I'm not sure Edward, I never said a word to anyone about this whole situation, not even to my brothers, the only ones who know are Jane and Mary, and I only filled them in just before we arrived here. I don't know how this could have leaked out," he pondered. "I just want everyone to be on guard, so Mary you will not leave my side, do you understand?" he said now redirection his attention.
"Yes Aro," Mary sighed, taking her place next to Aro.
Our attention was distracted from Aro to my now ringing cell phone, Edward looking slightly distracted trying to focus on something in his mind.
"Hello?" I quickly answered.
"Bella, I had a vision, it isn't good, let Aro know his trackers are now being followed by three unfamilars, they are planning on intercepting them before they are supposed to arrive. The only way get them off their scent is to send them through the reservation lands, they will smell the wolves and stay out of the area long enough for them to get to you safely," Alice spat hastily.
Suddenly Edward was standing in front of Aro and put his hand on Aro's to let him see what Alice envisioned. Aro frantically dialed a number on his phone and as he did so I explained what Alice instructed me to do. His voice was almost filled with panic as he told his trackers of the complications they might have, telling them to change directions and head through forbidden territory for vampires other than us. After he hung up he dialed another number and demanded someone to get here as soon as they could. I assumed it was Jane because within minutes she was walking, rather limping through the door coming to stand behind Aro, her eyes held strong towards the floor to avoid any eye contact with us. Aro had obviously punished her to the point of humiliation that she couldn't look upon any of us. My heart almost sank for her then I remembered the crap she had caused in the past and a got over the feeling instantly.
What had this all caused, this stupid prophecy I didn't want to any part of was causing my family possible troubles, of course leave it to me to put my family in some type of danger again. I was sick of this, it left me wondering again if I would ever catch a break, I found my way to the couch where I found Esme coming to keep my company as she had seen the discomfort in my face.
"Dear what's wrong?" she sighed to me.
"It's always the same thing, we just cant get past all of this and exist peacefully, its always something Esme, I am sorry for everything I have caused," I said slightly ashamed.
She chuckled a bit before countering a response, "Do you think life was easy for all of us, we had our issues, every single one of us, its just what happens? Nothing is ever easy and when you become a vampire the issues are still there, but now they are only magnified in difficulty, don't worry Bella no one hates you or thinks less of you, we all knew you were special to begin with so nothing surprises me."
I wasn't sure if I felt better by what she just said, nothing surprised her when it came to me? I was sort of shocked by her response but in some twisted way I felt comforted as well, I guess I really was special.
"We should have your trackers come here instead of to Edward and Bella's house, that way we have greater numbers here just in case we are met with a situation," Carlisle reasoned.
"Agreed," Aro sternly commented, frustrated that someone would bother messing with any of the Volturi's members or trying to interfere with any of their business.
"How much longer do you think they will be?" I questioned from my position on the couch.
"A little over an hour now, with the detour now in their plans," he said.
It seemed like much longer than an hour waiting for them to arrive, I have called Jacob to make sure the others in the pack knew what was happening, even though I know they did. It was just calming to hear his voice, he had that way about him and no wonder my Renesmee loved him so much. They were just being escorted through as we were speaking and Jake refused to leave the house as he knew Nessie would only be there with Alice and Jasper, he didn't like leaving her when there might be trouble near by. Jacob said that Sam and the others would patrol for the next few days just to make sure no one would follow the vampires scent through their territory and he would love to see them try, I heard the evil laugh in his voice and it was definitely reassuring.
It was about time they got here I would not have been able to take much more of this waiting we all had to endure. Aro's two trackers, Joel and Valentino were met by Aro at the back door along with Sam and Leah escorting them so there was no mistake on where they needed to be. Sam and Leah were still in their wolf forms and didn't hesitate to head towards their territory once they were here with the unfamiliar vampire that had tried to steal my package. Aro waved Joel and his captive in and instructed that Valentino to keep watch around the house and to let him know if he sensed any others in the area.
"Thank you," Aro said taking a package out of Joel's hand while shoving this strange crook into the nearest chair as Joel took up position from behind him.
Aro slowly unwrapped the package and opened the box with one scratch slice of his fingernail revealing its precious cargo. "Ah, this is what it's all about," he said slowly removing and carefully wrapped item and placing it into my hand with them utmost concern. "I believe this not belongs to you."
I held it in my hand wavering the decision to unwrap it or not, when I noticed everyone's eyes were locked on my and the tiny package I now detained in my hand. Slowly I removed the brown paper that enclosed the necklace I knew it contained, once I had completely uncovered it, I was in complete shock. Nothing I had ever seen could compare to the beauty I now grasped, the jewels were nothing I have laid eyes on to which captured my complete attention. I could not take my eyes off the deep colors of each precious stone and was captured by their intensity the possessed. I let the paper drop to the floor and raised it to my neck trying to clasp it when I noticed that Edward had placed his hands on mine, "May I?" he asked taking the piece from my shaking hands. He stepped behind me and I felt the heavy stones fall around my neck as I felt his hands fidget with the ancient clasp. Suddenly I felt the necklace fall into place around my neck as everyone reveled in its beauty, there was a sudden surge through my body that was overpowering, like nothing I had ever felt before.
"Bella…." Edward said now coming to face me, "your eyes?"
It took me a few seconds to break back into reality, "What?" I questioned.
"They are completely black, no sign of any color," was all he managed.
I could see clear, nothing that would indicate that my eyes were a different shade or that they were changed, the only difference I felt was the beating that was slowly building in my chest where the biggest jewel in the middle laid. "I can feel it, I can feel her," I said without thinking. "I can feel some kind of pulse coming from the green gem," I staggered out.
Aro was reading through one of the scrolls that were also contained in the package. "I believe that is Genevieve herself, its kind of hard to explain but its all here in the writing," Aro said as he started to translate some of the scrolls. "The one who wears my legacy shall know me, feel me and become me, for the individual who accepts their fate will know true power gifted to them by thyself…." he suddenly paused. "Half of this scroll has faded away I can read what's below this, but basically says that whoever is deemed next to be king and queen shall don the bracelet and necklace that shall bind them for eternity, I will check the other scrolls," he said handing the first one to Carlisle to get his take on them.
I was still mesmerized by the gems that glistened around my neck and still feeling the tingle it bestowed on my pale flesh. Edward noticed my distraction and reached for my hand holding it tight, waiting for me to make a move or even say something. He had desperation in his eyes and I knew I could not keep him or the others waiting, but I was honestly at a loss for words, like my breath had been taken away, but I managed a little verbal usage, "What else do the scrolls say?" now directing my attention to Aro.
"Just minor specifics that include the Black Veil, which is a list of thirteen rules which we still follow today for the most part, something also about a blood oath, like I said minor things, I am mainly looking for a loophole right now, hmm give me a minute or so to continue looking here," Aro said still exploring the fragile papers. He was in a deep concentration so I didn't bother to respond and let him keep to his business at hand. "It tells about conditions you must abide by and how your beast or dragon becomes more noticeable, you start to show more human traits, sleep is a possibility, this seems more like a guide then a prophecy really," Aro said more frustrated now.
"You are missing a scroll," the unknown stranger said directing his comment more towards me than anyone else.
"What do you mean one is missing, what did you do with it, tell me where it is or I swear you will wish you were dead," Aro demanded.
"I don't have it, I never had it, it's supposed to have been hidden away and it's the missing key to the puzzle. It tells about the way out you are looking for, but no one has seen it for centuries. Genevieve has all of her secrets contained on the scroll and if anything were to happen to her she wanted it to be almost impossible to find, it is thought that she concealed it within one of her favorite paintings she produced," he sighed.
"What kind of painting?" Carlisle demanded with a curiously suspicious look on his face.
"I don't know, no one knows or has ever seen any of her paintings, the only key to her paintings was her mark which is thought to be just the letter G, in large script style writing on the back, there are only three of her paintings to ever be recovered so I doubt you would have ever seen one," the man was cocky about his statement.
Carlisle ran upstairs and after a moment came to the top of the stairs with a large painting he loved from his office, he turned it to face us and to all of our immediate shock, there it was the significant G on the bottom right hand side of the painting. "I think I have had the final scroll for almost as long as I have lived my vampire life," he said almost jumping out of his shoes.
As soon as I saw the painting I noticed a slight green haze coming from my chest and looked down to notice the large green gem in the center of the necklace glowing. Then I felt another change………..