~ Chapter Six ~
The wards for Rosalie's room hadn't taken too long. A few etchings into the woodwork in precise locations imbued with a small portion of his magic and the room became a safe haven for Rosalie and Emmett when they were desperate to escape Bella Swan. Rosalie was grateful while Emmett seemed simply ecstatic his wife was happy. A fragile bonded had sprung up between them and not wanting to push any further Harleigh had turned in for the night.
Upon discovering the changes to his study, Carlisle enquired about the use of wards which led Harleigh to his current predicament. Dawn broke on the horizon streaking the cloudy sky with tinges of pink and red. Dew clung to the grass and as Harleigh walked around the property left streaks of moisture alongside his shoes. He might have been accustomed to waking early but warding a property at dawn wasn't something Harleigh ever wanted to repeat.
With no fence, the runes had to be placed along the trunks of trees in the area. The locations became jagged and the protection far from the circle it should have been however it would be strong enough to protect the people within long enough to alert them and prepare for an attack. Harleigh wasn't happy with the result but Carlisle had insisted.
Behind him, Carlisle watched. His interest didn't lie in the wards but rather the caster. In the time he'd known Harleigh, he'd never gone to such lengths to protect a family. Of course such skills hadn't been learnt then and Carlisle couldn't help but wonder what else Harleigh had learnt in his time alone.
"There is something on your mind." Harleigh stated, startling Carlisle from his thoughts.
There were numerous things on his mind but any way to see them would only push Harleigh further way so he settled on, "It was nice seeing you reach out to Rosalie last night."
"Rosalie and I are on agreement."
Carlisle frowned. "What are agreed upon?"
Harleigh didn't bother to turn around as he answered.
"Isabella Swan holds no interesting traits. She is like every other human who has tried to extend her mortal life. She doesn't lust for Edward. She certainly has desires but Edward is not high on her list."
The honest shocked Carlisle. He had hoped Harleigh would become close to his children. Certainly that didn't include Bella. But for all her trouble Edward was infatuated with her and he wouldn't say no to his first child when he eventually asked to turn her.
"You dislike her for being human?"
Harleigh turned from the final tree, finishing his warding by activating it with his magic. The crooked ward settled into place and flared to signal it was complete.
"I admire you Carlisle for selecting to turn humans only on their death bed. Your compassion is as strong as ever. But I fear in this case it is your weakness. Your desire for Edward to find someone is allowing you to miss all the signs you should be seeing. You know these signs, you've seen them before, and yet only Rosalie and I are acknowledging them."
Frowning, Carlisle turned to the house watching as his children moved about inside unable to hear the conversation due to Harleigh's intervention. He did desire for Edward to be happy in life. After so long and so many setbacks he wouldn't intervene. But he couldn't ignore the way every instinct rose to the surface when she was around.
His paternal instincts as a sire certainly held great significance. With them he could tell whether a mortal meant harm to their family and they were greatly enhanced because of his connection with Harleigh. However they hadn't flared so strongly until Harleigh had been introduced. He couldn't stand having Bella anywhere near when they were all in the same room. It certainly was a problem.
"Why would I only be acting out now? She's never troubled me this greatly before."
Harleigh turned his gaze to the house watching as the vampires and the sole human prepared for school. He disliked Bella. There was something about her that didn't sit well with him. Yet while he could see Bella's negative traits starting to emerge Carlisle couldn't and he couldn't just speak these thoughts to Carlisle. He wouldn't believe such a thing of her at least not without more proof.
"I can't say Carlisle. All I can offer is to listen. Listen to your instincts. As a vampire they won't lead you wrong."
Carlisle acknowledged his answer. He wasn't happy but there wasn't anything he could do. Until he discovered why Bella caused his current aggression he wouldn't believe anyone. If his bond with Harleigh was a little better perhaps he wouldn't need so long to contemplate this.
"What of our bond? Could that offer me aid?"
Harleigh flinched. Their bond had suffered in the time they were apart. Harleigh's bitterness and Carlisle's reluctance to connect meant their bond had frayed and torn in the meantime.
"Carlisle, you shut our connection away when you first turned Edward. You haven't used it in years and I doubt you know how. We may have worked well in a team when faced against one newborn but that doesn't mean we can connect in the same way we did when we could work in tandem against a group."
Carlisle tried not to allow the guilt to surface once again. He hadn't bothered to acknowledge Harleigh or their bond for the longest time worried about how his family would react to the bond. Usually there were only two bonds for a vampire, the bond between two mates and the bond between sire and childe. Carlisle had three however and could never truly classify the bond.
They weren't sire and childe; Carlisle hadn't bitten Harleigh. They couldn't even pretend to be father and child. The difference in their age wasn't great and the difference in their appearance didn't even allow them to be considered family. They barely passed as cousins. Carlisle didn't even consider the mate bond. None of this made Carlisle reconsider treating Harleigh as his son and as such, he failed as a father.
"Will our family survive my indecision?" Carlisle questioned.
Harleigh sighed, stepping forward and placing a hand on Carlisle's arm.
"Your family is strong Carlisle. While you brought them together they have forged bonds which put the Volturri to shame. When they need you, you provide for them, you fight for them. They will do the same."
"What of you, Harleigh?"
Even after all of the pain the separation had caused them, Carlisle still held hope Harleigh wanted to be part of the family. Their relationship wouldn't be fixed overnight. He'd accepted that. However after they had taken care of the newborn army he wanted Harleigh to remain.
Offering a fragile smile, Harleigh replied. "I'm here aren't I?"
Before Carlisle could reply, Harleigh dispelled the ward keeping their conversation private and walked back to the house. He wasn't prepared to make a decision regarding his stay with the family. For Carlisle, he had travelled to Forks to offer his aid and though reluctant at first, he planned to see the end of this confrontation between the two groups of vampires. Til then he would take one day at a time.
Entering the house Harleigh couldn't help but watch as Esme dashed around the kitchen preparing food. The table piled higher and higher with typical breakfast foods until there was no space. Harleigh sat down and with a smile from Esme began serving himself food. For a vampire Harleigh had to admit her cooking smelt divine and tasted even better. Pulling the newspaper closer, Harleigh settled down for a peaceful morning.
Ten minutes later Edward and Bella strode into the room. Harleigh chose to ignore them. Though there was a spread on the table, Bella only managed to eat a few pancakes. Edward frowned and tried to push a few more pancakes her way but Bella ignored them, eyes watching Harleigh. She couldn't contain her worry and interest in the witch. Having the ability to use magic was something she'd dreamed of as a child. The possibilities would be endless with magic but she wouldn't be immortal, she wouldn't be able to remain with Edward. If only there were a way she could have both.
Yet what worried her was Harleigh's ability to read her mind. Humans couldn't read minds which meant her inner thoughts were safe. Learning Edward could read minds had been terrifying. Bella felt relieved when he'd admitted her mind was the only one he couldn't read. Harleigh didn't have the same inability. However she couldn't tell what he'd managed to read when they'd first met.
Since the meeting with the pack Harleigh hadn't made any mention of what he'd read from her thoughts. Bella knew however his silence wouldn't remain for his entire stay. Eventually he would tell someone what he had discovered, whatever that may be. Spending the night thinking, Bella still couldn't figure out what she might have been thinking at the time.
"Will Harleigh be joining us at school?" Bella asked turning to Edward.
Harleigh watched as Bella's eager eyes glanced back at him. With her current way of thinking he would bet she wanted yet another reason to get close and see what he knew and what he could give her. He wasn't about to grant her wish.
"Harleigh won't be attending school. He has no need to spend his time learning history he has lived through." Carlisle replied finally entering the house.
"Aren't the others required to do this though?" she continued.
"As it has been explained to you, the children begin high school so we may remain in the area for a longer amount of time. I'm certain many of them would be pleased never to repeat the classes they are forced to endure daily. However it is a necessity."
Bella flushed. While Carlisle spoke calmly and intelligently he managed to make her feel like a child. Edward had explained why they attended school when they held years of knowledge. She had expected Harleigh would be the same given Carlisle had brought him into the family.
"How will he protect me if he isn't at school?" she demanded.
As the others entered the kitchen on their way out of the house they heard the Bella's question. Rosalie sneered before walking out of the room. Emmett and Jasper followed not wanting to be a part of the conversation. Alice remained pleased to hear Bella taking more of a concern in her own well-being.
"Harleigh is present to aid the family, Isabella. He is not present to watch over you while you draw in every creature for miles." Carlisle snapped.
The paper before Harleigh barely twitched as he shot to his feet just in time to prevent Carlisle lunging at Bella. With a quick step, he slid between the pair drawing Carlisle's attention. Golden eyes searched green checking to make sure he was well.
"Carlisle, Bella is not today's concern. Focus on your work, return home, then take your time to figure out what we discussed." Harleigh offered.
From the corner of his eyes, Harleigh watched as Edward pulled Bella out of the room. At least he had the sense to see when she was in a precarious position. Alice and Bella both wanted to remain. Esme turned towards her husband and silently added her support by placing a hand on his arm.
Eventually Carlisle nodded, walking towards his study to gather his belongings. The children of the house had left during the time it took to calm Carlisle leaving Esme and Harleigh in the kitchen.
"He's never been this way with Bella." Esme muttered to Harleigh.
"He's never used the full extent of his vampiric senses before."
Harleigh walked away before Esme could question him further. She didn't need to know what was spoken during their discussion. When Carlisle had fully accepted what his senses were trying to tell him then he would speak with them. Until then the Cullen family would be left waiting.
As Esme busied around the house, Harleigh chose to sit in the living room now that there was peace in the house. Without any distractions he could concentrate on his work.
A hand drawn map placed delicately on the table revealed a section of the English coastline. His sources alluded to an artefact hidden within a network of caves and protected by dark magic. Harleigh had yet to go and investigate the location but if the artefact was indeed there then he would be paid a handsome sum in Galleons.
The job didn't have a time limit which left Harleigh the ability to check all sources before entering the location. It also meant that anything he accepted in the meantime wouldn't affect his profit. The fact his job gave him a reason to leave after he'd finished with the newborn army he tried to ignore for now.
The location of the cave entrance he was certain of. He'd confirmed the location just before Carlisle had called him for help. What he didn't have knowledge on was what lay beneath the surface. From what he'd heard from his source, dark magic layered the cave as soon as you walked within. Yet that much dark magic would leech the surrounding area. It didn't make sense.
Just as Harleigh prepared to pull out a few books on magic, Esme entered the room with an apologetic smile.
"Harleigh, I have to go and meet with a client. Will you be alright on your own?" Esme questioned.
Harleigh ignored the urge to snap at her. He had been alone for over one hundred years. He was far capable of taking care of himself however he didn't want to strain Carlisle's home life any further than had already happen this morning.
"I'll be fine. I can keep myself occupied."
Esme smiled, grateful Harleigh seemed in a more receptive mood.
"I won't be gone longer than one hour." She reassured.
Harleigh perused his books until he heard Esme's car drive away. Checking his watch, Harleigh noted the Cullen children wouldn't be home for a while and Carlisle even later again. If he kept conscious thought on the time, he could sneak to the location of the newborn army and obtain accurate information on the threat rather than unreliable second hand information.
Gathering his belongings, he raced to return them to his trunk and seal everything inside. Harleigh needed to return before anyone could tell Carlisle of the danger he had managed to place himself in. Grabbing his jacket, he hurried outside and apparrated to his destination.
x-x-x-x-x-
A cloud of tension hung over the village. People remained indoors and kept curtains pulled tight against the light. The few that ventured out kept quiet and only offered aid to those they knew well. No one wanted to find their family caught in the gaze of their new village leader.
Carlisle's father had taken control fairly easily. All it had taken was a few carefully placed items no one could explain away and their village leader had been accused and killed because of witchcraft. That had been the final act; turning their peaceful town into a hub of hunters.
His father had begun expanding their village's power as soon as he'd been chosen. Many of the men eagerly stepped forward all willing to burst into homes and raid what they could find. The countryside choked on smoke as his father accused people of witchcraft and then men carried the people to their deaths. Carlisle had lost hope his father would give up this endeavour.
There was nothing to be done. His father had journeyed down a path of thought that he couldn't easily return from. No proof of witchcraft had been evident until he'd raided the home of Harleigh and his family. Carlisle still didn't know the child's surname but he knew Harleigh was alone in the world. The very day Carlisle and Harleigh had been bound together was the day Harleigh lost his family. Carlisle also counted it as the day he lost his family. His father was never the same and his mother hadn't ceased crying.
Yet Carlisle didn't blame Harleigh. How could one blame a child thrown into a situation he didn't understand? It wasn't an option. They were both changed men now and together they would discover and reverse what his father had done.
As he remembered Harleigh making the same promise, hands carefully combing through his hair, Carlisle went in search of his father.
This situation had to stop. He couldn't allow his father to continue putting other lives in misery. Someone had to stop his father and he would be the first. Carlisle didn't get far.
His father was returning from the next village over with a group of men. One in particular was tied in chains and smirking at everything he could see. His father had a very smug air and boasted to everyone he could find about capturing a creature worse than a witch.
Carlisle allowed his uncertainty to surface.
"Father, what is this?"
"This, my son, is what is called a vampire."
Red eyes gleamed at him. As the clouds parted and the sunlight hit the man he glittered as if his body had been made from a precious stone. There was no denying the man wasn't human but Carlisle had doubts.
"How do you know what he is?"
"The creature told me of course."
The vampire sneered in Carlisle's direction as if it was his problem his father had taken leave of his senses.
"What do you plan to do with him?"
The look that passed over his father's face sent chills down his spine.
"I want to see how my little witch handles a vampire."
Carlisle froze. If his father released the vampire in the basement with Harleigh there would be no telling what would happen with their bond. Needless to say they would both suffer the effects of any attack on either of them.
"Father you have no way of knowing what that would do to us."
His father grabbed Carlisle by the arm and dragged him before the vampire.
"It won't matter what the vampire does to the witch for you will heal him in seconds and then the creatures can try again and I will be able to watch every second."
"This isn't right." Carlisle insisted.
His father threw Carlisle's arm away from him. "I care not for your thoughts. But you will aid me in this willing or not."
Just as his father turned towards their house a cry rang out through the group behind them. Chains rattled. Men flew through the air as if swiped aside by a giant bear. As arms cold as ice wrapped around his body, Carlisle felt liquid fire burn through him. With his head tilted back and screaming ringing in his ears stars blinked back and his world went black.
x-x-x-x-x
Harleigh had felt the burn before he heard the screams. As the burn made its way through his system all thoughts turned to Carlisle. This was not his body reacting to a spell the Cullen Patriarch had read and desired to try. Carlisle was in pain and Harleigh wasn't in a position to offer comfort.
Mercifully the Cullen's had agreed he was to be allowed to roam around the room. No longer were the chains a necessity to keep him contained. All Carlisle's father had to do was cripple Carlisle and Harleigh would likewise be incapacitated.
Right now though, Harleigh wasn't going anywhere. The pain crept through his system leaving him huddled against a wall. It was unpleasant. He felt as if he were burning from the inside yet couldn't tell whether he was hot or cold. This however was probably nothing compared to what Carlisle was feeling.
They'd made that discovery early on. If one of them was hurt the other would feel an echo of the hurt and not the real pain. It wasn't very useful when they were both in agony but at least they knew more information on what had happened to them. Anything was something.
When the door swung open Harleigh was horrified at what he saw. Carlisle was bleeding from a wound on his arm, the red soaking his shirt and dripping on the floor. The screams of the blond man echoed around the basement as several men dropped him to the floor without glancing at Harleigh and fled.
Carlisle's father walked in eyes curious.
"What have you done?" Harleigh questioned.
The man looked towards him.
"I had found another creature." He started. "I had thought to bring it back to the house and introduce you however that doesn't seem to have worked quite the way I wanted it to."
Harleigh stared at the man in horror. Another creature wasn't something Harleigh ever wanted to meet. Being a witch was one thing but at least he appeared to be human. There was no way of telling he was anything less but vampires were meant to be truly terrifying from the stories he'd been told.
"What happened to Carlisle?" Harleigh demanded, gritting his teeth through the pain.
"The vampire was stronger than I had anticipated. It attacked Carlisle and managed to bite him before running off. I don't know how this is going to affect my son so I thought I should bring him to see you. After all, you share a marvellous connection with one another."
The vicious grin he wore sent shivers down Harleigh's spine. The man just wanted to experiment on their bond. He cared nothing for his son's life or the future he would have after this nor did he care what results he achieved. Harleigh felt tears well in his eyes. To spend his life at the mercy of this man wasn't what he wanted and now that Carlisle was incapacitated as well they stood no chance.
Harleigh paid no attention to the man as he left, eyes turning towards Carlisle. The bite was obviously spreading venom through his veins and turning him slowly from human to something far less. By the end Harleigh had no idea what to expect and even less to hope that his life wouldn't be the first Carlisle went for. With a sob, Harleigh curled up beside the moaning form of his friend and allowed himself to mourn.
So as far as I can remember from reading the books once, when Carlisle was turned he ran from his home. I'm choosing to add a little more backstory here and while it might not add up to the original… I don't care. BACKSTORY. Hope you enjoyed.
~MidnightEmber