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Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews, favorites, and follows! Hopefully, y'all will enjoy this next chapter! I've been a tad busy with work and school. I'll try to keep-up with regular updates! Pinky promise!
The Soldier
Chapter Eleven: "The Officer"
A concoction of scents lingered around the Red Lion Hotel; all were familiar. They drifted from the empty parking lot into the building. One smell shrouded the others – sweet tarts. Hostility boiled beneath the soldier's skin. She clenched a fist, nails biting into her marble flesh. After numerous threats, Alice Cullen decided to test the vampire's resolve. No doubt, the pixie brought the Whitlocks to act as a buffer. "Fucking bitch," Bella seethed. Fueled with rage, the immortal marched into the hotel.
When she reached the room, the door flew open. A boyish female bounced at the threshold. The soldier pushed her aside, closing the door with a muddy sneaker. "You're beautiful, Bella," squeaked from the meddlesome midget. The immortal ignored her. She scanned the space with a tactical eye. Charlotte lounged on the bed, reading a complimentary Bible. No others were in sight. "Oh, the boys are at a concert. They'll be back soon! I thought we could have a girl's night! I brought nail polish," Alice rambled. "Did you know that purple is the color this season?"
Bella looked at the digital alarm clock. The show ended in an hour. A sinful smirk pulled at the immortal's lips. "I warned you, Alice." The pixie's face slackened, a side effect of visions. The soldier waited, savoring the outcome. When the chipper vampire returned to reality, she leapt for the exit. The escape attempt was futile. Bella grabbed the woman's arm, whipping her onto the bed. Immediately, Charlotte bolted out the window.
"I am going to rip you into pieces," the soldier vowed.
"We're here to help you! If we didn't come, you would be in pieces!"
"You just don't get it," Bella growled. "I told you not to look into my future. If I decided to take on a hundred newborns, it'd be my choice. You, Cullen, are not my keeper."
The tiny vampire searched for an out. Fortunately, the soldier centered the room. Fear began to sweeten the pixie's pores. Bella inhaled, relishing the stench. After slaying newborns and fighting werewolves, the inner-predator itched for an encore. "I'm going to enjoy this," sealed Alice's fate. Favoring self-preservation, the vampire sprung to the open window. Like before, Bella grabbed the bitch's arm. Her skin cracked under pressure.
The soldier brought the pixie onto her knees. She squirmed like an untrained pup. "Let me go," Alice screeched. To silence her, Bella pushed her head into the mattress. A muffled scream met deaf ears. The pissed immortal bit into the woman's shoulder, ripping off an arm. Venom pulled onto the diva's designer clothes. Satisfied at the sight, Bella removed the other arm – symmetry.
"I fantasied this," the brunette chuckled. "Honestly, I should probably thank you. Once I'm done with you, I'll be one item short on my bucket list."
For ten minutes, the soldier dismembered the boyish vampire. Bella wrapped the pieces in a sheet. Taking advantage of the silence, the immortal removed the cell-phone from her back pocket. Undoubtedly, the arrival of four vampires deserved a call. Tapping the screen, she dialed the tribal chief. An unfamiliar male answered on the third ring.
"I need to speak with Chief Black. It's important."
"Sure," he consented. "Who's calling?"
"Bella," she slipped without thought.
"Bella," the man repeated, disbelief etched in his tone.
"Look, Sir. I need to speak with him. If he's not available, put Jake on the phone."
"Bella? It can't be… You're dead," he breathed.
Unsure of what to say, the soldier chose silence. She had unexpectedly outed herself. The immortal assumed a werewolf would answer the phone. It had only been two hours since the interrogation. Bella calculated the potential outcomes of the conversation; none ended pleasantly. She sighed, regretful.
"Where are you, Bells," the man pleaded. The tone twisted the immortal's undead heart. He sounded broken – an abandoned shell.
As the soldier parted her lips to speak, Jacob intercepted the call. An argument ensued through the receiver. The man demanded the phone, raging like a rapid animal. Of course, the werewolf denied him. "Charlie," barked across the line, "It's not who you think!" The policeman sniffed out the lie. A scuffle vibrated within her ear; Bella rose from the bed. If the wolf harmed her father, she'd murder him.
"Where is she," the officer hollered. A click of a revolver ceased the dispute. "Give me the phone, Jacob. I don't want to shoot you, but I need to speak to my daughter." Terrified, the wolf returned the corded device. "Bella, are you there?"
"Yeah, Dad," she smiled.
"Oh, Bells… I missed you. Where are you?"
"Close," the brunette disclosed.
"Where," he reiterated. "I need to see you."
"I promise we'll see each other, but we have to wait a couple of days," the soldier pledged. "Plus, there are things that you need to know. I'm… different. People can't know that I'm alive. Only a few members of the tribe are aware of my existence. It has to stay that way. If not, bad things could happen."
"What does that mean? If you're in trouble, we'll sort through it."
"It means that you can't talk about me. Our relationship must be kept a secret. When you see me, you'll understand," she exhaled. "And, Dad, I can't answer your questions. I'll have to lie. Please, I need you to accept everything that I'm saying. If not, I won't be able to see you."
Hesitantly, he whispered an okay. They exchanged numbers before Jacob reclaimed the phone. Bella shared the new information, swearing to uphold the treaty. As anticipated, the werewolf blew a gasket. Luckily, their previous history swayed his temperament. He agreed to remain applicable until the newborn army was destroyed. Being alpha, the pack would fall under his command. Afterward, the human drinkers had twenty-four hours to vacate the Olympic Peninsula. If not, they were open game.
Twenty minutes after the emotional call, the others returned from the concert. Randall led the group, rushing to her side. A heated kiss wiped the tension from her body. Unfortunately, their moment was interrupted by Jasper. He grabbed the makeshift sack, dumping Alice's body parts onto the comforter. The God of War shook his head, while Peter guffawed. Bella awaited her kin's ire, but the Major surprised her. "Welcome to the family, Whitlock," he grinned, knowingly. A surge of respect infiltrated her body. The soldier smiled – proud. With the family together, the newborns didn't stand a chance in hell. Soon, she'd be reunited with her father.