Chapter 22 – Confrontation

The night of the dinner, everything and everyone was ready. Dr. Perry tried to back out of it, but I 'persuaded' him to keep the dinner date. It was obvious, when he told Viktor, he wasn't happy about it. EJ was at the house, being guarded by Esme, Alice and Rosalie. Carlisle, Emmett and Jasper were closest to the house, though they were two miles away. Edward watched my every move as I made dinner and prepared the house. This was getting annoying. In frustration, I threw the case of silverware at him, "Could you set the table?" He was done in less than a minute, "Anything else?" Putting the food on the table, "Yes," I held his face, "calm down. This evening is tense enough. You have to remain calm or he'll pick up on it." He inhaled deeply, "You're right." He looked to the front door, "They'll be here soon. Emmett just caught their scent." I nodded, "Ok, let's just find out what we can." Edward held me closely and his mouth found mine. He crushed my to his body, not wanting to let me go. The sounds of a car pulling up to the front of the house reached us. Edward could hear it too, but he still didn't release me. The doorbell rang and his lips still crushed mine. The bell rang again and I smiled, "Answer the door."

He smiled a genuine smile. Kissing me calmed him down enough to endure this evening. He opened the door to Dr. Perry and an older man. He had dark hair, with touches of gray around his temples. His skin was slightly creased with lines. He looked a bit older than Charlie. My nose was bombarded with the foulest scent. Much worse than Jacob's scent. I almost gagged as he stepped into the house and introduced himself. It was a good thing EJ wasn't here. He would have given the game away from that scent. He would have complained and ran from the room. "Hello," he said with his thick accent, "I am Dr. Viktor MacNicol." Edward shook his hand and I felt his tension, Disgusting. When he was very upset, I could hear his mind. We discovered I could hear some of his thoughts after the first time I consumed his blood. It seems when drinking each other's blood, we absorb some of each other's abilities. Viktor smiled at me, but I could see the tendons in his neck stiffen, "Mrs. Cullen, I have heard a great deal about you." I took his hand and his skin was blazing hot. I smiled sweetly, "Thank you." I gestured to the dining room and Dr. Perry walked past me. His heart was beating frantically. Edward and I shared a glance. Hold your breath, love. It felt uncomfortable, but it helped. Viktor's scent was making me sick. I could barely eat and smile.

"Dr. Perry tells me you were interested in the legends of the old world." He was fishing. I could play along. "Yes, stories like that fascinate me. It was quite interesting. The legends coincide with human events almost perfectly." Edward looked at me from the corner of his eye. His tension hadn't died. He was posed to spring to my defense, if needed. The dinner conversation was light and casual. He asked about my knowledge of the legends and he was curious about Edward and his family. "Bella and I met in high school, our junior year. We dated to the beginning of our senior year. But my father got a job offer in Los Angeles. After my sister and I graduated from high school, we moved out East to go to Cornell." He smiled, "How many brothers and sisters do you have?" Viktor showed great interest in that topic. He wanted to know how many of us were there. Edward lied coolly, "Just me, Emmett and Alice." It wasn't that far from the truth. The Cullens always said just the three of them were adopted into the family.

Viktor looked at me, "What about you, Bella?" It was my turn for the interrogation, "I'm an only child. My mom and step-dad live in down south." I wasn't giving their exact location, "and my dad…" I hesitated. Edward took my hand, "Her father was murdered in their home town. That's why Bella came out East. She wanted to leave." A tear slide down my face. Viktor and Dr. Perry were silent for a moment. Viktor was still looking at me, "I'm so sorry to hear that." I nodded and clear my throat, "It's fine. It happened some time ago and I'm still coping with it. Part of me still believes it should have been me." Edward squeezed my fingers, "Please don't say that."

The evening went on, surprisingly, nice. Well, as nicely as two vampires, a human and a werewolf can go. I was right to have them come to my house. Viktor was keeping himself under control. Viktor and I discussed the legends. He gave some more information in the story of Viktor, the young man who sought the wolves. "The overlords were quite cruel to their slaves and Viktor saw his father be killed by then, only to be sustenance." There was a low, guttural growl. "They were demons that walked the earth and Viktor thought the wolves would bring the salvation his family and the humans needed. But, finding the wolves, it was a curse. A curse he would endure for the rest of his life." I briefly glanced at Edward, "How come?" "On his third full moon, after seeing his family beginning to put their lives together, Viktor changed into a wolf, but he couldn't change back. He had to leave his wife and child, because he was too wild to be around humans." Edward leaned forward on the table, "I've heard stories that, as wolves, they would kill anyone near them, including their own family." Viktor stared at Edward, "Yes. The animal instincts come over and the yearning for killing does take control." Edward sneered, "Well, they are dogs after all." I kicked him underneath the table. Another growl came, "Well, they served a purpose. The vampires ravaged the land, enslaving and slaughtering humans." Edward looked back at him, "True, but not all of them were like that. We read about Darius and how he was kind to his humans. He didn't want to condemn them to the life he had. So, he kept them human and helped them prosper." Viktor leaned forward on the table, resting his hand on the surface, "Yes and that makes up for keeping them prisoner."

Edward was getting angry, "Maybe so, but at least the vampires had much better control. They didn't see a human and automatically attack. The vampires were more civilized." Viktor's eyes widened, "Civilized? They ripped the humans apart; they starved them and would throw scraps of food to the humans, just to watch them fight over it, like they were animals." I could feel Edward's anger, "True enough, but those beasts were no better. They would chase the humans down, in a worse and violent way. They would rip them apart just as badly." Viktor's fist slammed on the table, leaving an imprint, "I never did!" Dr. Perry and I stared at him and Edward smiled darkly, "You never did?" Viktor's frame was starting to shake. I knew the warning signs. I could feel the heat rolling off his body. Dr. Perry stood and tried to hold his shoulder. Viktor pushed him away, knocking him into the wall. Edward moved to stand in front of me, taking a protective stance, "You will not touch her!" Viktor snarled. It was a guttural sound, "She's a direct descendent. You're just her creation! You'll be easier to kill!" My eyes widened and bared my teeth, "You will not touch him!" I moved from behind him and stood at Edward's side, "If you want me, here I am!" Edward tried to push me behind him again, but I wouldn't budge. Viktor's body convulsed, just like Jacob. "How was he able to change back? Werewolves stay in their wolf form." Viktor looked at us, "Centuries of gaining control."

He fell to all fours and there was a loud ripping sound. Standing in front of us was a gigantic, silver grey wolf. The wolf was stood on its hind legs and it was three feet taller than Edward. The wolf pulled its muzzle back, showing its razor sharp teeth. It snarled and swiped its huge claw at us. "Bella!" Edward whirled and blocked me from the attack. There was a high keening noise and Edward groaned. Edward turned back to the wolf, "My turn." He lunged at the large animal and I heard the sound of the impact of his fist. Moving quickly, I moved Dr. Perry from being trampled. He stood a few feet away from the fight of the mythical creatures. "What have you let into my house?" There was a loud crash and glass shattering, "Edward!" He landed on the balls of his feet near me and snarled through his teeth, "He's much stronger than I thought." He couldn't take his eyes off the wolf. He couldn't afford a loss in his focus, "Bella, run!" he ordered as he circled Viktor. I pushed Dr. Perry down, "You stay right there!" Viktor was focused on Edward and his back was to me. Taking this advantage, I tackled the wolf to the ground. Getting my arms around him and using my strength, I tightened my hold around him and several bones cracked and broke. The wolf howled in pain and tried to break my hold. Something warm followed down my arm; he was bleeding. One of his bones was protruding from his body. I threw the wolf's body through the back window into the trees. Looking back at Edward and Carlisle was standing by his side. The giant wolf groaned. Edward was suddenly holding my waist, looking out the broken window. The veins were on his face and his eyes were pitch black. I touched his face, "You need blood. You're drained." I almost forgot Dr. Perry was in the room. He was witness to the entire fray. "What are you doing?" Edward looked at me, but my eyes were fixed on Dr. Perry. I looked at him and he cowered, "Please don't hurt me. He said he just wanted to talk." My angry was growing. Edward did need blood. I pulled Dr. Perry up by the collar of his shirt, "And you believed him. Now, you can to make up for it." I looked at him. He let this monster into my house and it attacked my husband. "Edward needs blood," I spoke through my teeth, "fresh blood." I dragged him across the room, "You'll be perfect." "Bella," Carlisle tried to stop me, but nothing could. "This man almost got my husband killed."

Carlisle held my wrist, "Bella, don't." Ignoring him, I pressed my fingernail into the skin of his neck, letting blood flow out of it, "Edward." His eyes were wild, smelling the blood. He leaned closer and so did I. "Stop this!" This was an unfamiliar voice. Looking up, there was a tall man with dull red hair and the same pale blue eyes standing in the doorway. I recognized him from the book of legends I read. Darius.