~ Chapter Ten ~
The meeting with the Shifters later that night went about as well as Harleigh feared. News of the small army hidden in the warehouse district sent the Shifters growling, but Harleigh's plan to deal with the Newborns caused the entire grove to descend into chaos.
Harleigh wanted to use Isabella to draw the Newborns away from the town to save the people. Protecting one person would be easier than attempting to protect the entire town. Plus having all the Newborns focused on Isabella meant they could funnel the Newborns and kill them with ease. And while, Carlisle, Jasper, and Rosalie agreed with Harleigh's plan everyone else was rather vocally against it.
Alice despised placing Bella in any danger. She desired to take the fight to the Newborns at the warehouse and leave Bella at their house with someone to protect her just in case. Her entire plan revolved around Bella remaining far from the danger. Given Isabella's penchant for running directly towards danger, Harleigh knew Alice's plan would fail. She would be incapable of sitting still while Edward fought Newborns.
Yet, despite this, several of the Shifters also wanted to go with Alice's plan. Jacob was almost desperate for Alice's plan to work. He was prepared to protect Bella wherever they planned to protect her, but Alice hissed in displeasure wanting to keep Bella away from the wolves.
Edward and Emmett hadn't voiced their opinions. Both unwilling to upset either side. Regardless, Alice was furious Edward hadn't sided with Alice in protecting Bella.
With Alice bickering with Jacob, Harleigh sighed and took a step away from the disagreement. Dealing with this situation was beginning to get tiring. Isabella Swan was nothing special apart from her desire to run straight into danger without any fear or forethought. Yet, these creatures were so enamoured with her that any reason Harleigh brought forth in dealing with Newborns was immediately dismissed.
If Harleigh had his way, he'd ignore the Cullen's and the Shifters and go straight to the warehouse. Fire would easily destroy the Newborns and the other vampires congregating and waiting for their time to strike. Once done, he could leave these people and their odd fixation with Isabella Swan. Never again would he have to deal with Carlisle's family. At least, until they ran into trouble once again in another hundred years or so.
"Harleigh, are you alright?" Rosalie questioned, moving towards his spot by the tree line.
Well, perhaps there would be some members of Carlisle's family he wouldn't want to leave behind.
Giving a nod, Harleigh replied, "This situation is merely frustrating, and I want to deal with it as soon as possible so I can leave."
Edward glanced sharply in his direction as Harleigh spoke. Yet, Harleigh gave no reaction, instead, choosing to share a wry smile with Rosalie over their shared distaste for Isabella and their situation.
Alice and Jacob were still bickering over who should protect Bella and their argument was beginning to get repetitive. No one else was speaking. Everyone had given up trying to get a word in, instead choosing to tiredly stand around and wait for someone else to take control. Jasper, surprisingly, snapped first.
"Enough," Jasper hissed at the pair. "We are using Miss Swan to keep the Newborn army away from the other humans. She will be protected but she won't be hidden. Fighting in an enclosed space, surrounded by other humans, would do us no good. This battle will use Isabella to draw the vampires into a clearing within the forest surrounding Forks and together we will destroy the Newborns."
"Jasper!" Alice shouted, outraged.
"No, Alice this is getting out of hand. For you, this is no longer about making Edward happy but about keeping Isabella in our family and away from the Shifters. You have ceased taking into consideration anyone's feelings on this matter and so this decision will not be influenced by your words."
Alice deflated upon hearing Jasper's final decision. Normally, Jasper would have sat idly on the side and allowed everyone else to make a choice when discussing their family. The ire within Jasper's voice, however, was barley restrained when discussing Bella and the Newborns. It was clear to everyone present, Jasper no longer felt content to allow Bella's protection to be the main priority, not when it concerned Newborns and the influence it would have on his family.
Harleigh, Rosalie, and Carlisle stepped forward readily supporting Jasper. This, however, only caused the Shifters to tense and move in support of their own, sides once again drawn down the middle.
"Well I'm not allowing some leech anywhere near Bella when I'm protecting her!" Jacob sneered.
Sam stepped forward, pushing Jacob back into rank. "You will not be protecting her, Jacob, the task will be given to someone else."
Before Jacob could say anything else about the decision, Carlisle stepped forward. "We agree then; the battle will be fought out in the open of this forest and away from town, both sides will deal with the Newborns."
Most of the group agreed, seeing it as the best option to protect the people of the town and desperately wanting to move forward in their planning.
"Given the information Harleigh has presented," Carlisle continued, "and with the additional knowledge provided by Jasper, it would be foolish to engage them in a small, populated area. Even with both sides we would never overcome the ferocity and strength Newborns possess."
"We know these lands." Sam agreed. "It would be easy to keep the Newborns where we want them."
The pack smirked, confident they could keep the Newborns in check within their territory. With the Cullen's also herding them into a predetermined area, they could quite easily destroy them all without anyone else suffering.
"Who do you think would be the most beneficial in protecting Miss Swan?" Harleigh questioned, turning to the leader of the Shifters.
Sam paused, glancing around the group. Though Sam knew of their abilities, Harleigh was mostly interested in seeing what the Shifter's leader knew about the Cullen's temperament and who would be capable of pushing aside their differences amongst the Shifter's to fight with a vampire.
"I believe the best people to protect Miss Swan would be Esme and Seth. They are both neutral when it concerns protecting Isabella. Everyone else will defend against the Newborns in groups of two or three to makes sure they don't allow anyone through."
Harleigh nodded, while there were several people with a neutral attitude when it concerned Isabella, many of them would be needed when dealing with the Newborns. Emmett, out of all the vampires, held the most neutral tone towards everyone. Due to his size, however, he would be instrumental in controlling the direction the Newborns were herded. Regarding the Shifters, Harleigh would defer to Sam's judgement.
"You'll need to decide who will work well together during the fight. Carlisle and I will work as a team. Rosalie, who do you want to work with?" Harleigh spoke.
Rosalie didn't even glance at Alice as she turned to consider her family. Working with Edward or Jasper would be the better option. They held abilities that would work well with someone without. Working with Emmett would only serve to push her focus more on aiding and protecting her mate than killing Newborns to defend Swan.
"I'll work with Jasper."
Jasper nodded his consent also ignoring Alice's wounded look. Working with Alice right now wasn't something he could handle given her attitude towards this situation. Certainly, he hadn't helped to ease Alice's intentions towards Bella, however, he was slowly tiring of everyone's inability to speak about their emotions. Much like Harleigh, he wanted nothing more than to destroy these Newborns and move on.
"Fine," Alice huffed, "I'll work with-"
"No, I'll work with one of the Shifters," Edward insisted, "Emmett can work with Alice."
Alice faltered, no longer as certain. She could only muster a small smile for Emmett as he agreed to work with Alice.
Sam agreed, "Very well, we'll have a discussion on who is agreeable to work with Edward and let you know."
The silent pack discussion was only available for Edward to listen. There was no argument between them and Edward readily accepted their decision. In the end, Edward would be working with Sam, so the pack could communicate with a vampire silently.
Harleigh honestly couldn't believe Edward hadn't put up more of a fight, however, recently he'd noticed a change in the vampire's attitude toward Miss Swan and he didn't know where that would lead. Edward didn't seem as enamoured with Isabella Swan as he was when Harleigh first arrived. Yet, Harleigh didn't want to assume the two instances had any relation.
The relationship between Edward and Bella wasn't something he could afford to focus on. He shouldn't care for it, period, especially when his opinion didn't matter. Edward needed to figure out what he wanted from Isabella and whether a future together was something he desired. Harleigh found he honestly didn't care if Edward's decision hurt Isabella's emotions.
"Very well," Edward started once everyone agreed, "this weekend we'll have Bella lure out the Newborns and destroy them."
With a few words of courtesy, the wolves retreated from the boundary line.
The Cullen's remained unable to face each other. While they were moving forward with destroying the army of newborns, they were also destroying their family with arguments over Isabella Swan. Alice and Edward were at the centre and neither desired to lose.
Harleigh, having no desire to remain and listen as they argued further over Isabella Swan, decided to leave. Gesturing, Rosalie, Carlisle and Jasper all moved to stand by him. They all supported his plan and he would never leave them here to face whatever inquisition the remaining Cullen's were about to settle.
Holding out an arm, Carlisle, Rosalie, and Jasper took hold and he apparated away. At least now, they might get to relax without having to listen to the debate of love between a mortal girl and an immortal vampire.
x-x-x-x-x
Edward watched as half his family disappeared, leaving him with Emmett, Alice, and Esme. Never had he desired to be further away from Alice than right at this moment. With the glare on her face, Alice looked prepared to tear into him with all the fore she could muster.
"You're letting Harleigh mess with your mind!" Alice shouted. "Every single moment in his presence the future between you and Bella changes. In the beginning, you and Bella were going to be happily married. You were going to turn her, as you promised Aro. Now, I'm lucky if we remain in Forks, let alone see you in a relationship with Bella."
Edward snarled, "You don't get to dictate my relationships, Alice."
"You are happy!"
Her insistence merely had Edward shaking his head in disbelief. Yet, Alice continued to push.
"The last time you left her, Bella decided life wasn't worth living and you returned because you love her and want her in your life! You are happy together; your future is with Bella."
Pacing away from Alice and towards their house, Edward responded, "I returned because I felt it was my fault. The way in which we left wasn't fair to her and I could understand why she was having such a difficult time adjusting. I didn't return to her out of love, I returned out of guilt."
Emmett matched Edward's pace, walking beside him in a show of comfort. They could hear Alice walking with Esme behind them, both continuing to push the subject.
"You are happy with Bella, Edward. Your happiness is all we've ever wanted." Esme said.
"Bella did make my happy, for a time," Edward agreed, "however, Harleigh's presence has made me realize I settled for just being happy. Bella was a comfort and a curse I found myself hiding in. I couldn't read her mind and yet I wanted to taste her blood. But, what I wanted more was to uncover why I couldn't read her mind. She was a mystery, something different. I forgot what that was like, but I've discovered she isn't unique."
Edward stopped moving to face Alice and Esme, ready to put this argument to rest.
"I won't pursue my relationship with Bella any further; she is my singer and not the one I want to spend eternity beside."
"But you want to spend eternity with Harleigh?" Alice spat.
Edward kept silent, accessing Alice. From her insistence on Harleigh's presence in his life, Alice must not be able to see his future anymore. He couldn't help but wonder if she could see any of their family or if she was so focused on Bella that she hadn't bothered to try. Either way, Edward no longer cared to know his future. He wanted to be surprised, he wanted more than knowing and watching for his future to come true.
"Who I spend eternity with is not your concern, Alice."
Alice flinched, but Edward ignored it, instead turning towards Emmett. He didn't want to be here any longer. Not when Alice was determined to get her way.
"Race you back?" Emmett questioned.
"Please."
The two sped off, leaving Esme and Alice to return home at their own pace.
x-x-x-x-x
Apparating with three vampires wasn't an easy task, the exhaustion alone meant once home, Harleigh moved into the lounge and collapsed onto the sofa, disregarding those he brought home. Rosalie joined him on the sofa, flicking through magazines from fashion to sports cars. Jasper moved into the room with a stiffness in his shoulders and carrying a book, prepared to relax with his sister and Harleigh.
Carlisle offered his children a smile, placed a comforting hand on Harleigh's hair, and moved off into his study. After their confrontation with the Shifters, everyone needed time to relax, especially considering Alice's tantrum. Jasper, however, seemed to be struggling.
The first few pages ripped beneath Jasper's fingertips, the spine faring no better. Rosalie and Harleigh exchanged a concerned glance.
"Jasper, are you alright?" Rosalie questioned.
Jasper turned dark eyes towards them as his book split down the middle. "Alice is testing my patience."
Rosalie nodded, agreeing with her brother. "Alice has become too focused on keeping Isabella within the family. She no longer considers the emotional welfare of her family when she looks into our future."
"I can't… understand… she no longer…"
Harleigh watched as Jasper's anger caused his voice to stutter, his thoughts becoming a jumble before they could be vocalized. Standing, Harleigh moved around the coffee table and sat next to Jasper and with a hand raised before Jasper's face, Harleigh closed his eyes.
Colours burst behind Harleigh's eyes, jagged and harsh, each lashing out in vicious arcs. He could see the struggle Jasper had with the vegetarian diet, the black curling and seeking a target to satisfy the hunger. The most prominent, however, was the irritated orange. It's sharpened edges desired nothing more than to tear everyone to shreds.
"You aren't dealing well with this." Harleigh stated, opening his eyes. "It's not just the Newborns or Alice's tantrums, you struggle with the Cullen's diet more than you allow your family to know."
The remainder of the Cullen family entered just as Harleigh spoke, their eyes wide with pity. Worry flew from Alice and Esme only causing Jasper to tense further, readying to flee from an annoyance. Edward and Emmett immediately turned and tried to defend their brother.
Green eyes turned towards the doorway and with a flick of his hand sent Esme and Alice flying. A barrier appeared in the doorway and silence settled in the room. Esme and Alice pounded on the barrier, their mouths moving in rage but Harleigh turned towards Edward and Emmett.
"You can remain in the room as long as you are silent."
Edward gave Harleigh a nod whilst Emmett sent him a cheeky thumbs up.
Turning back to Jasper, Halreigh offered, "I can help calm your aura. You won't be as tense for a few weeks and if you want I can teach you techniques to calm yourself naturally."
Jasper's mouth flicked downward. "And the diet?"
"That's the easy one." Harleigh smiled. "The community of witches and wizards are rather brilliant and accepting of many species. They created a formula that replicates human blood without actually containing a drop and the best part is it comes in the form of a lollipop."
Jasper blinked, unbelieving the simplicity with which his diet could be controlled.
"It would be best to calm your aura first because it will help somewhat with your hunger but after, I can get a Bloodpop for you to try."
Harleigh waited as Jasper looked towards Rosalie, Emmett, and Edward, searching for their opinion. The support within their familiar bond was evident and Harleigh felt a curl of jealousy within his stomach. Even with the bond he shared with Carlisle, Harleigh had never been surrounded by family he could trust to make accurate decisions on his behalf. He'd come close once, during a time he spent away from Carlisle but that had soured.
"Please," Jasper asked, "I would love your help."
Nodding, Harleigh instructed Jasper to lie down. Rosalie, Edward, and Emmett all sat down on the opposite sofa eager to watch as Harleigh performed magic. Just as Jasper settled, Carlisle walked through the barrier and stood behind his children, ignoring Esme and Alice's outrage at being stuck behind.
"This will be intimate." Harleigh cautioned. "Not romantic, but I will be able to read more from you as my magic touches your aura. You will also get more of an insight into my emotions. For the next few weeks, we might be more in tune with each other but that will eventually settle down."
Resting both hands at Jasper's temples, Harleigh closed his eyes and allowed his magic to flow around Jasper, soothing the jagged edges of the vampire's aura back into something soft and flowing around in waves. The orange settled back, pulling the black with it somewhat. When finished, Jasper's aura held green and blue, the black still licking at the edges but monumentally better than before.
"Your aura, it feels as if I'm strolling through a rainforest; everything is green and blue." Jasper murmured.
Smiling, Harleigh nodded, "Your aura now contains green and blue as well. How do you feel?"
Jasper's mouth quirked upwards in a smile, but the vampire didn't reply. Harleigh laughed.
"Is that normal?" Edward questioned, leaning forward in curiosity.
Rosalie, Emmett, and Carlisle all looked amazed at Jasper's comfort.
"It's the first time in a long time that Jasper actually feels relaxed, he isn't accustomed to the feeling so it's affecting him a little more than normal. He'll be alright in a few hours, calmer than usual, but not quite as relaxed. I'll just go and get him a Bloodpop."
With a wave of his hand the barrier broke and Harleigh moved up the stairs, ignoring Esme and Alice. Within his bag there were several odds and ends but a few bits of candy could always be located. Grabbing a few, Harleigh made his way back downstairs, handing one to Carlisle and another to Rosalie.
Esme and Alice hovered in the background, frustration clear on their face. Harleigh didn't want to know what went on between the family in the brief moments he'd left the room.
"Jasper, I have a Bloodpop for you."
With minimal effort to sit up, Jasper opened his mouth and allowed Harleigh to place the lollipop in his mouth before curling on his side with a content sigh.
"Has Jasper really been suffering that badly?" Alice's voice was quiet.
Harleigh sat back, relaxing into the sofa and facing the remainder of the Cullen family. "Jasper feels emotions from everyone. It's a pressure that builds upon him and he has little way to release his own emotions let alone what he feels from everyone else. He'll be fine once he learns how to calm his mind."
A frown crossed Edward's face. "Calm his mind?"
"There is a form of mental magic called Occlumency. It allows a witch or wizard to calm their mind and control their thoughts in difficult situations. It also protects their mind from foreign intrusion."
"Is that similar to what I can do?" Edward's question held a frustration to them that Harleigh couldn't ignore.
"Edward, your form of mental intrusion is like Legillimency which allows a witch or wizard to intrude upon another's mind when they maintain eye contact. Obviously, you're strong enough you don't need eye contact but Occlumency still works against you because it's what I use to keep my mind safe."
Sighing, Harleigh closed his eyes and allowed his Occlumency shields to open enough for Edward to feel his mind. A breeze registered to Harleigh, causing him to open his eyes. Edward stood above him, golden eyes searching his face with an intensity any mortal would quake before.
"I can hear whispers in your mind." Edward whispered. "Is this… could Bella…"
"More than likely Isabella Swan is a natural Occlumens which means she doesn't have to try to keep you out. It's purely her minds natural defence but she can't control it as a mortal girl."
Edward braced his hands along the back of the sofa, trapping Harleigh between his arms. "Could I learn more about my gift?"
Harleigh felt the intensity in the room rise. Everyone seemed to fall away until there was only Edward, so close, Harleigh could see desire curl in his eyes, black flickering through the gold.
"With your gift honed, I'm certain you would not only be able to read people's thoughts, you would be able to compel people to do as you wish."
With a nod, Edward sped away, leaving Harleigh a little breathless. A throat cleared nearby causing green eyes to glance towards Carlsile, only to see amusement and hope reflected back. Checking on Jasper, Harleigh spoke, "Anyone who comes with us would need to learn Occlumency as well."
"Do many people know Occlumency in the Wizarding World?" Carlisle questioned.
"It's not a usual talent. There are a few, however, and you don't want to cross them without being able to protect your mind."
Green eyes darkened, memories threatening to overwhelm his mind, only causing Jasper to twitch in discomfort. With a frown, Harleigh resettled his shields, pushing his thoughts back for a moment when he was alone.
"If any of you are interested you can join me when I teach Jasper." Harleigh offered.
Not waiting for a response, Harleigh stood and moved towards his room, intent on settling his mind. With the Newborns so close, he couldn't afford to have an unsettled mind and that meant going through his memories and regain order… even if he wished some of his memories could fade and take the pain with them.
x-x-x-x-x
Travelling around America was rewarding. Carlisle had made it his mission to aid humans and given he could approach those wounded without succumbing to his bloodlust, chose to learn about healing. A doctor, the mortals called them. And while Harleigh was glad Carlisle had found a profession to keep his mind occupied for the foreseeable future, he had not.
Given that Harleigh looked to be sixteen at best with his height, no one would consider taking him into a profession. Too young and innocent of the world, the people would say, take some time and relax. The frustration was endless; it was eternal.
Instead, Harleigh bought an apple and chose to wander the park, a place where quiet and tranquillity lingered at all times of the day. With a small skip and a magical push, Harleigh floated into his favourite tree; a wide oak spanning across a pond.
"That's not possible."
The young voice startled Harleigh, causing his apple to be lost in the depths of the pond. Below him, a small boy stared up at him with narrowed eyes. The boy wasn't unfamiliar to Harleigh.
"Were you following me?" Harleigh questioned, leaning back against the trunk of the tree.
"No." The child scuffed the dirt with his shoes, a blush creeping its way down his neck.
Harleigh couldn't fault his curiosity. They lived next to each other and many a time the child could be seen watching through his window as Carlisle left to aid the community or Harleigh walked the streets aimlessly. They didn't particularly fit in with the usual people of the town so curiosity was a given. Yet, this was the first time the child had approached Harleigh so boldly. Normally, the child stood silent as Harleigh spoke about the world around them, content to soak up Harleigh's words.
"What if I said, anything was possible if you know how to accomplish it?"
Hazel eyes widened, hope shining. "Could I get dad back?"
A simple request, and yet, Harleigh felt a weight in his stomach. "Where is he?"
The child pointed towards the cemetery. Rows of tombstones lined the green fields, a rickety iron gate keeping a barrier between the living and the dead.
Harleigh sighed and with a flick of his wrist, the child was swept onto the branch, Harleigh steadying him as he settled with a giggle of glee.
"Not even I could achieve that I'm afraid, though, I would do it in a heartbeat if it meant I could see my parents once more."
Sniffling, the child gave easily into tears, reaching towards Harleigh for comfort. After some careful rearranging, the child sat with his back to Harleigh's chest, wrapped within the witch's arms.
"You must have loved him very much and I'm certain he loved you equally as strong. But don't forget, your mother loves you as well and misses your father just as dearly. I'm certain she would do anything to make sure you lived a happy and loved life."
"What 'bout you?" the child sniffed.
Harleigh smiled, "My parents died a long time ago, but, I have Carlisle, and I know he would do anything to keep me safe."
"I care…" the words were so quiet, Harleigh strained to hear them.
"I know Edward, you have a great gift for knowing exactly when my mind is troubled. Now, come along, I believe you have probably scared your mother senseless if you ran out the door again without telling her where you were going."
Harleigh allowed his magic to carry them back to the ground. Once their feet were on the ground, he turned Edward around and hugged him properly.
"Promise you won't tell anyone about what I can do?"
Edward nodded his head, tucked against his chest. "Would never betray you, love you."
Harleigh smiled. "I love you to, Edward."
The end of this chapter just wrote itself and left me as an emotional puddle. I hadn't planned for it to be written this way but it feels right for the direction of the story. I hope you enjoyed it.
~MidnightEmber