(A/N): I kinda changed my original outline by a little bit. You see, I never meant for James and Victoria to actually be in this story, but I had a flash of inspiration when I was daydreaming one day...and now they are part of my main plot :). The song in this chapter's called "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion...the song was almost like a last-minute decision sort of thing. This chapter was lonely without a song, and the only song that kinda-sorta fits the mood (that I know of off the top of my head) is this one...so yeah. Good reading :).
Chapter 8 – …And Getting Found
The sky rumbled softly, muffled perhaps by the distance that separated the earth and the heavens, silenced by the thick canopy of branches and leaves overhead. Had she been able to see past the thick weaving of the tall plants, Bella could have taken in comfort from the occasional faraway flashes of lightening that streaked across the sky in beautiful bright white, but empty, branches.
Every night in my dreams
I see you, I feel you,
That is how I know you go on
Yet, she sat still beneath the tree, whispering to herself that she'll be able to find her way back as long as she can last the night. A silent cold breeze disturbed the otherwise peaceful air, as if forewarning a storm in the future. She hugged her knees tighter around herself as silent tears escaped the corners of her eyes. Questions whizzed in and out of her thoughts – questions that she tried hard to keep away.
Distant rustling and growling suddenly alerted her to the presence of more creatures. At first, she thought it was just the wind and oncoming storm, but when the sounds came closer and closer, she deemed her first guess wrong. Moments passed; she held her breath, only to hear the silence of the forest night and the occasional out-of-place footsteps, growls, and more rustling. Birds called, crickets chirped, others hissed and croaked; but the footsteps padded closer.
Not long later, faint voices floated on the wind – a man and a woman were discussing something. Apparently arguing, their bickering traveled far.
"I'm telling you that they may have done their work…I overheard them talking one day. She's somewhere here – possibly their only hope. All we have to do is find her!" the woman said.
"How do you know they aren't setting you a false trail? Remember the rules? Never kill an innocent and one failed attempt – just one – and we are dead! Just base our reasoning on something they said is not going to help us, for goodness sakes," the man retorted angrily. "Honestly, Victoria, I thought you knew better than that!"
Growls drew nearer as the couple's voices grew louder. Just as the woman, Victoria, was about to say something, one of the growls changed into a piercing bark. Moments following it, everything was silent.
Bella's heart pounded loudly in her chest as she leaned back into the oak tree, as if she wanted the tree to swallow her fully. The anticipating silence only made her more uneasy.
Then, without warning, dark shapes emerged from a nearby thicket. Three of them were dog-like shadows whose eerily bright red eyes shone like ghostly lanterns. Noses to the ground, sniffing and growling, their pearl-white teeth glinted in the reddish light of their eyes.
Closely following them, holding onto long tight leashes, were two humans – a man and a woman. Seemingly to be in their early thirties, both had perfect features that made them immensely beautiful. However, the aura of fear that surrounded them masked this beauty; made them seem like fiends from ends of the Earth. Their eyes glowed a soft red, like their dogs, but paler. The woman's dark red hair seemed to dance like flames in the red light.
Somehow…somehow she knew that these were not to be trusted. However, the fear in their presence seemed to chill Bella to the bone – paralyze her until she could neither scream nor run. A sudden breeze from behind blew her, obscuring her vision with her tousled hair. The woman's head snapped up.
"Ah…," she said in a sickeningly sweet voice that bordered on the edge of mocking. "Here you are." She flashed a smile, as if gloating how white her teeth were. The man watched at the side, his dark gaze never leaving Bella.
"I am James," he said. His voice was soft, but carried well in the quiet night air. "You needn't be afraid." There was a hint of irony in his voice.
"No…you don't need to be afraid of us," sneered the woman with a hint of sarcasm. "I am Victoria, dear, and I think it will be honest of me to say that we will be the very last faces you will see." At this, she cackled a high-pitched laugh and let loose the leash she was holding, stepping slowly back behind the now restless dogs. James stood beside her, both faces grinning in an odd satisfaction as the dogs suddenly howled and charged.
It was as if time had slowed down. Bella watched, her eyes wide, as she watched each running step the three dogs took toward her, their tongues lolling, their eyes sparkling with excitement. Her mind scrambled for ways of self-defense. A suddenly image of her snapping the jaw of one dog and using the kicking legs of said dog to defeat the others popped into her mind, almost making her laugh, before it was replaced by reality.
As the lead dog reached her, he pounced, closely followed by his other companions. Instinctively, Bella closed her eyes and ducked, praying that it will be over quickly. There was a furious roar and a sickening crunch as a heavy furry body fell upon her. Apparently, one of the dogs missed and hit the unyielding oak instead. Furiously, she waited, her breaths quick, her heart hammering, for the other two dogs to hit. They never did.
Far across the distance
And spaces between us
You have come to show you go on
Hesitantly, she opened her eyes, struggling to see through the mass of fur and flesh that covered her. She saw Emmett and Jasper rolling on the floor, basically crushing the two other dogs to death with their stony weight. Alice was beside her in a moment, pulling the dead dog off of her. Bella's sudden saviors and her unexpected relief nearly made her collapse.
James and Victoria were nowhere to be seen.
Before she could think, she was swept into a bone-crushing hug from behind. Turning in her embrace, she hugged Edward back, tears leaking into his shirt. She clung to him, all her terror and fear unwound as she sobbed. He held her tightly, pressing soft kisses along her collar bone and into her hair, whispering that he's sorry and comforting nothings into her ear. Not able to take it anymore, she pressed her lips to his, pulling him into a desperate kiss that left both aftershocks.
Pulling a little back from his embrace, she stared into his eyes. There was relief, anger, elation, sadness, and something else that she couldn't place – something that burned and smoldered with raw emotion. A fleeting look of pain flickered as she suddenly remembered his words. 'I won't die; but I would be under the most painful and torturous of torture until I return.'
"How are you feeling?" she asked, gently caressing his cold cheeks.
"Much better than you, I suppose," he replied with a slight smile.
"Let's go back home, okay?"
"Bella, listen, you have to –" he began, but she hushed him.
"Shh…we'll go home first," she whispered, quiet but determined. He didn't protest. With a simple nod, he scooped her into his arms and ran at lightning speed all the way back to the castle. Feeling a little nauseous, she leaned into his chest, breathing in his smell and closing her eyes; shaking slightly in the aftershocks of fear. The trip back to Kimberley Castle was almost like a heaven in itself.
Near, far, wherever you are
I believe that the heart does go on
Once more you open the door
And you're here in my heart
And my heart will go on and on
And then, it ended. They were suddenly standing in front of the giant castle doors as it creaked open. Edward silently brought her still-shaking body into her room, gently – almost hesitantly and regretfully – lowered her onto the soft bed. She had fallen asleep, but it was clear that her dreams were giving her no respite. As soon as his arms let go of her, she started thrashing, groping for his hand. "Don't go," she whispered fervently. "Stay here…Don't go."
"Shh, Bella," he whispered back, immediately drawing her into his arms again. "I'll be here as long as you want me here…as long as you'll be safe." Then, in the faintest of whispers, he added, "I do love you, Bella. I love you so very much, and I'll do anything to keep you safe…anything…"
Beside him, Bella stirred slightly, almost as if she heard his last confession. He froze for a moment, barely breathing, but she stilled, snuggling closer to his cold body. For the rest of the night, the only sounds were of the two's deep breathing and Bella's occasional sleep-talking.
Love can touch us one time
And last for a lifetime
And never let go till were gone
Bella woke up feeling unreasonably well-rested and peaceful. When she stretched, she felt a hand on her waist tightening; and suddenly realized that she was curled up with someone. Half turning, she yelped when she saw smiling at her. "Good morning, Snow White," he greeted softly, pressing a sweet kiss to her lips.
The shock and surprise made her loose her balance. The next moment, she somehow rolled off the edge of the bed and landed with a soft thud. Edward's head peeked over the bed, his eyebrows furrowed. "Are you usually this clumsy in the morning?" he asked, offering her a hand. She blushed.
Throughout breakfast, lunch, and even dinner that day, Bella put on a nonchalant façade that made her seem as if she had forgotten about the encounter with James and Victoria. She didn't…the truth was, she only wanted to know who they are, but she doubted that the Cullens knew any more than she did. However, the tense family and hushed whispers that ended as soon as she entered a room convinced her otherwise.
Sitting by the fire reading after dinner the next day, Bella couldn't stand it any more. Padding over to where Edward was sprawled on the couch, she sat by him, smiling when he scooted over to make room for her. He seemed awfully distant the last two days. He looked up and smiled back at her, though it seemed almost forced.
"Edward?" she began without preamble, "What do you know of James and Victoria?"
His smile immediately froze. He looked away, as if suddenly made to face unwanted facts. The moments of silence made Bella's heart speed up.
"They are probably the most notorious of a group of special people, more nicely known as Curse Hunters," he whispered, almost unwilling. Bella raised an eyebrow and prompted for more. Edward swallowed uneasily. "Like their name says, they hunt down people with a family curse or any type of curse and try to kill any hope they have for the curse to be broken."
Silence reared its neck and roared.
"They have ways of knowing when a curse is about to be broken." Alice walked into the room, her light topaz eyes staring intently at Edward, almost twinkling with meaning. "They come and kill off hope…James and Victoria does. Many nearly-broken curses continues to live on today because of their evil work."
"Is there nobody to stop them?" Bella asked as the rest of the family filed into the room.
"Their archenemies are what is known as the Angel Hunters – those who seek the person or bring about an event that would break the curse. The only problem is, unlike the Curse Hunters, Angel Hunters are usually only for specific curses. Most of the time, the Angel Hunters won't even know exactly who they are until the curse is broken," Esme answered, curling up by the fireplace.
Everyone seemed to know what question burned on Bella's lips. All eyes pointed to Edward, who looked silly with embarrassment, but also determined. "James and Victoria thinks you are my angel…" he answered, mumbling something else incoherent. His family understood, however, and their reactions were immediate. Alice almost chased her tail in joy (almost, because Jasper was in the way); Jasper grinned, but immediately yelped loudly when Alice stomped on his tail; Esme also grinned, her happiness spilling to Carlisle (who mouthed 'Good choice, son'); and Emmett whooped, but lost his balance and landed on Rosalie, who whacked his head. Edward continued to grin sheepishly as Bella looked plain confused and amused.
Love was when I loved you
One true time I hold to
In my life well always go on
But the family suddenly stopped in mid-whatever they were doing. Six pairs of eyes stared at Edward and Bella, every pair wide with terror. Edward's complexion abruptly became serious. "No!" he shouted, sitting up.
He looked around frantically, almost seeking some sort of assurance. Standing up, he grabbed Bella by the shoulders and drew her into a desperate hug. Shivers running down his back, body shaking with sudden grief and sadness, he took several deep breaths before steeling himself. "Bella, you have to leave Kimberley. Go as far as you can, don't look back, and don't come back. James and Victoria are hunting you…"
Bella's eyes widened with understanding. A look of determination crossed her features. "Edward Cullen! If you think I'll just leave you here to endure and escape for my life, you've got another think coming."
"They are trackers, hunters – the best there are…heck, they've probably were born with hunting abilities! You have to get away from Kimberley…maybe it'll make them think they've got the wrong person…" Edward trailed off, his body breaking into uncontrollable shivers. "Please, Bella, for me." He paused, his golden eyes melting. "I can't live without knowing that you are safe."
Tears ran down her cheeks. She buried her head into the crook of his neck. "I don't want to go, Edward…I don't want to leave you…" She was hushed by a desperate kiss. Melancholy mingled within the heavenly feeling of being in each other's arms. He could taste her tears.
"Alice and Jasper are barely affected by the sickening that we experience when we go from Kimberley. They can keep you safe…both can go weeks' journey away from Kimberley and still barely feel it," Edward said. Near by, Alice and Jasper nodded. Bella hesitantly nodded her agreement.
"We'll leave right now…we have a much better chance of escaping their watches by night than by day," Jasper put in.
The next hour passed in a blur of commotion. Alice and Esme helped Bella pack her very few belongings as well as retrieving a pouch full of money for their journey. Edward was everywhere and nowhere at once, helping everyone else get rid of all traces that someone had lived here for the past three and a half months. By the end of the hour, Bella was laden with anticipation and dreading every single moment that went by.
Near, far, wherever you are
I believe that the heart does go on
Once more you open the door
And you're here in my heart
And my heart will go on and on
When the moment of farewell finally came, Bella's face was a mess of new and old tears. Crying in Edward's warm embrace for what may be the last time, she clung to him as if she would never let go. He stole two searing kisses; and though he tried to be strong, his eyes betrayed his heartbreak to see her go.
"Stay safe, Bella. That's all I ask of you…stay safe," he said, his voice low and urgent.
"I will come back. I will come back!" she shouted as Alice and Jasper forcefully tugged her away.
When she could barely see him through the darkness, she heard a faint voice. "I love you," it said, carried by the wind. Could it be? More tears streamed down her cheeks. Would she ever get the chance to tell him that she loved him, too? Promising to keep her words, she dried her tears and walked into the forest. Someday…someday she will tell him…but that day is not today.
You're here, there's nothing I fear,
And I know that my heart will go on
Well stay forever this way
You are safe in my heart
And my heart will go on and on
Okay, several things: First of all, I don't want to make Edward or his family look stupid. They knew about the Hunters all along, but they were kind of in denial, in a sort of way. Edward also kind of wanted some time to build up his courage to tell Bella to go. Nevertheless, things doesn't go as planned, and he told before he was truly ready (thus why Edward seemed kind of overly emotional). Now, as to what happened to make him suddenly tell Bella to go: Alice still has occasional visions of the future (though before my slight plot-change, I hadn't a reason to truly mention everything). At that point (not mentioned in the chapter), she had a vision, and Edward saw it. It was of James and Victoria coming and scavenging for Bella; and no matter where they hide her, they still found her; and they murdered her cold-bloodedly.
Secondly, I'm going on a one-week vacation starting the coming Thursday. I'm going to try to update on Wednesday before I go, but know that if I don't, I'm probably not going to have any internet (or my laptop, for that matter) until I get back.
Lastly, please drop a review :). I do like them very much. Nit-picking my story is NOT frowned upon (encouraged, actually). And then, of course, encouragements are more than welcome. I think I have about four or five chapters left...it's getting near my climax...lol. Review!
Cathy