{Notes} Thank you so much for your reviews. Sorry I'm much too busy to answer all of them, just know I'm excited that you're enjoying it.
Chapter Two
"Nice Porsche," Harrison commented lightly as he was pushed inside the yellow car. Edward climbed in after him, taking Bella's body from Alice. The stench of death was strong and Edward had to hold his breath in order to stop his trembling. Sweet Bella… she always smelt so beautiful, so appealing. To smell her rotting body was a horrifying experience, it was like listening to her die a second time over.
Alice threw Harrison a surly look as she climbed behind the wheel. Her foot hit the gas pedal and they sped down the streets of Volterra.
"What are we going to do?" Alice questioned with distress in her tone. "I don't want to label Bella as a burden, not after everything…" the short vampire trailed off, a hand going to her face in despair.
Edward bowed his head as he clutched onto Bella's fallen form. Her face was grey and her human body began turning stiff and rigid. "Well," Harrison spoke from next to him. His voice was oddly chipper. "You can't fly across the ocean with her. Too many questions."
"Then what would you suggest?" Alice snapped. "Leave her in an abandoned alleyway? It would be just in your nature to do so. That's what you do to your other kills, isn't it?" Her head was full of grieving for her best friend. Because the Volturi weren't here to get the brunt of her anger, she focused it on the only available person.
"Alice," Edward hissed, defending the vampire next to him. He eyed Harrison from the corner of his eye. The vampire was looking out the window, successfully hiding his features. "This is not Harrison's fault."
The vampire hit the steering wheel, denting it. "Why are you defending him? He's part of the Volturi. Of course it's partly his fault… Why is he even here? I don't understand anything."
"Pull over," Harrison whispered coldly.
Edward narrowed his eyes. "You're not going anywhere."
"Pull the bloody car over, damnit." Alice, already shaken with the proceedings today, pulled the car over sharply. "Get out. Now. Everyone." Harrison climbed over the seats, avoiding Edward's quick hand. They were on a secluded road as they piled out of the car. Edward's body was coiled, ready to lunge after Harrison if he ran. He had to remind himself why he was so desperate to keep Harrison within his grasp.
Because he was his Fated.
Edward leaned against the Porsche, keeping a wary eye on Harrison as the boy looked at Bella. "Give me her body." Harrison ordered, stepping closer to Edward.
"And what are you going to do?" Alice asked, bitterness creeping through her tone. "Throw her body in the woods?"
Edward hissed threateningly at his sister. Her expression clouded with uncertainty as she took a step back. "That's enough," Edward growled. "Harrison saved us from the Volturi. He had no hand over Bella's death. He's trying to help us. The least you can do is show your gratitude."
Alice nodded; a heavy frown to her lips as a sign of her dislike. "But can't you help me understand why he's with us now. Why did you insist he come with us?"
"Yes Edward, why?" Harrison drawled amusingly next to him. The small vampire was rocking on his heels, an impish grin stretching his breathtaking features. Edward felt dirty for thinking so highly of another creature with Bella's dead body in his arms.
Edward threw the boy a look before turning to Alice. "I'll explain later. Right now we have to decide what we're going to do. Charlie will become suspicious if we bring the body back ourselves, not to mention the Shape-shifters. They'll hunt us down no matter what."
"Unless we stage the accident that claimed Bella's body," Harrison interrupted, a bit irritable. "She was distraught about Edward and wasn't thinking clearly as she took the wheel. She wasn't looking where she was going, her tears clouding her beautiful brown eyes…" Harrison taunted, staring at Edward in challenge. "She drove off the road and snapped her neck cleanly. The airbags were defective— they didn't help with the impact especially with her small body."
Alice was quiet, her head buried near her chest as she tried to control her shaking.
"Give me the body," Harrison persisted again. "I'll make a nice scene."
Edward reared his head at the suggestion. "I'll do it."
The small vampire sighed grumpily. "You're much taller than I am. If people see another person in the car they'll become suspicious. With me, I can make myself even smaller so they can't see another passenger in the car. When word gets back to her family, Carlisle, your clan leader as I've been told, can manipulate the story. He can sneak word in that Alice was in the seat next to Bella and passed away just as quickly as his own daughter." Harrison shrugged. "He'll think nothing suspicious of you. The Shape-shifters, on the other hand, know a car accident can't kill a vampire. You're on your own with that."
Edward was torn. On one hand the idea sounded logical, the best they could do at a time like this. Bella's body was already becoming rigid with death, any longer and there would be questions to the real cause of neck injury. To make Bella's 'death' public, many witnesses will vouch for Bella's 'natural death'.
But then, he didn't want Harrison behind the car at the time. He didn't know if he could witness another death, albeit fake, of a …
He cleared his head, unenthusiastically handing Bella to the boy. Bella's body looked as if it would weigh Harrison down, but the vampire easily held the human up. Despite her smaller frame, she was longer than he was. Edward was reminded; again, that Harrison was only thirteen physically.
Alice sniffed quietly next to him as she watched Harrison lay Bella's body in the driver's seat. The boy grinned at Edward and Alice as he rolled down the windows and turned the radio on. He got inside the car on the passenger side and slammed the door shut, winking at Edward. The small vampire then leaned closer to Bella, slamming his foot on the gas.
Edward watched him go, a feeling of dread in his stomach when he realized what the vampire planned to do.
Run.
He growled deep in his throat and sprinted. He was fast enough to keep up with the Porsche and Alice trailed him at a slower pace. His eyes were predatory as he watched Harrison steer the car. The boy was slowly inching his body downward until he became almost invisible to the human eye.
"He's going to drive it off the bridge," Alice declared from behind him. "I can't see his future, he's a block to me because of his powers, but he's heading toward the bridge, Edward."
They reached a point where the woods ended in a steep cliff. The cliff out looked the bridge. It was a small river but the bridge was high enough. Edward clung to a tree, in the shadows, as he watched the yellow Porsche. Harrison did a decent job of swerving believably. There were a few cars on the bridge at the time and Edward watched as Harrison slowly drifted into on coming traffic. His fingers left dents in the tree as he observed Harrison swerving sharply to avoid a car. But Harrison intentionally swerved slowly enough in order for the opposite car to ram into him.
The hit was directly on Bella's side of the car.
The Porsche fishtailed, spinning horribly before Harrison geared it faintly toward the river. The force of the speeding car easily knocked down the thin rails and Edward stopped breathing as he watched the car descended into the river.
Topaz eyes watched the splash, knowing this was solid proof that Bella was dead. It was believable to the observers and now it was to Edward as well. He lost his love, his human love. It was his fault and there was nothing he could do to turn back time. There was, however, a positive to this tragic event.
Finding Harrison.
Whether or not Edward hated or liked the boy, he knew he would eventually come to care for the vampire. It would become a care, a sort of love that could never be described. Harrison was his Fated mate, the only one who could complete him and make his existence worthwhile. With Harrison's presence, the boy was able to subconsciously remove any guilt Edward had over Bella's death. And despite the fact that Edward wanted to feel torment as a punishment for her death, he was entirely grateful for his Fated's presence.
Alice stared at the scene below her in devastation. The humans slowly began to stop their cars and exclaim over each other. No one could have survived that accident; little did they know that Bella and Harrison were already dead at the time. They were yelling and screaming to one another as they looked into the river. Some were even dialing the emergency number.
Edward made a move to dive into the river, while their backs were turned to him, but Alice grabbed him, holding him back. "What… leave him." Alice whispered. "This is his time to escape. Just let him. He's helped enough."
"I can't, I can't let him go." Edward shook his head. "He's my Fated."
Leaving Alice to stand there dumbly, Edward jumped into the river.
The water embraced him as he sunk to the bottom. The currents were strong, but they were nothing against a vampire. He was distinctively aware of how warm the water was as he pushed himself through the river toward the car. As he swam closer to the bridge, he was comforted by the fact that he was deep enough to avoid human eyes. Sunlight was able to reach the river, but the bottom was mostly covered by darkness, his skin nothing but a faint shimmer.
His eyes first caught sight of the blood floating above the sinking car. It looked nothing short of a faint crimson cloud, blooming upward above the Porsche. The car itself looked almost like an uncanny calm as it sunk peacefully. Also near the car was Harrison. The boy's face was turned away from Edward as his arms reached inside the car, pulling at the airbag and seat to make it appear more convincing. Edward swam toward the car. He was underneath the bridge, casting shadows across his form. The younger vampire wouldn't have a clue at his capture from behind.
But Edward paused, his body sinking toward the bottom as he caught sight of Harrison's face. The usual cold and impassive face was twisted into sorrow as he reached inside the car and stroked Bella's forehead. A dark shadow of guilt and torment darkened Harrison's face as he tore away. The lithe body swam in the opposite direction, leaving Edward behind.
Edward stood there, his mind reeling. He had thought the younger vampire was just as cold and callous as the other Volturi members. Edward believed he would have had to teach Harrison humanity, morals, like the rest of his family possessed… but seeing that expression on Harrison's face… he knew the boy was well aware of morals. The expression tore at Edward. It was almost an expression of self-disgust.
He frowned.
His memory easily recalled the guilt and shadows across the boy's face. It made the younger vampire look much wiser beyond his years. It was almost if the boy was protecting himself behind a bitter and cynical barrier. And inside, there was a truly admiring boy who harbored care for every creature, no matter their statues of human or vampire. Edward was now more curious then ever to find out about Harrison and the boy's past. Perhaps the vampire had been forced into his status of a vampire, and in turn, forced to stay with the Volturi which required him to bury his morals behind solid doors.
Aro wasn't known for turning young children. He had been forced to turn both Jane and Alec at a young age because of circumstances.
Had it been the same for Harrison?
In the shadows of the river, Edward realized Harrison was incredibly misunderstood. He vowed to himself he would tear down those walls and reveal the boy that was meant to shine through.
Determined, Edward pushed off from the floor; swimming toward Harrison's retreating back.
As he passed the car, he locked in the memory of Bella's peaceful expression, taking comfort in the fact that she was now somewhere safer, somewhere unblemished with the curse of vampirism. She was happy.
Edward forced himself to turn away and continue forward.
Harrison wasn't too far ahead. The vampire was allowing the currents push him forward. His small body was twisting and swirling with the currents appearing similar to that of a stunning and graceful rag doll. As the boy flipped backward, his crimson eyes caught sight of Edward pursuing him. The serene expression contorted into surprise before the boy kicked forward, pulling away from the currents and hurrying from Edward.
It angered him that his mate wanted to escape him so badly. Should Edward allow him to just run and escape? The idea was ludicrous, especially because Edward felt like he needed Harrison. He felt as if he had to heal his mate from the past. He also believed that Harrison was running from the idea of committing to someone, especially a family so opposite of the Volturi— he didn't want to lower his defenses.
Edward pushed himself faster, trying to catch up to the boy. The water, while easy to stay on track, was difficult to push through the currents. The boy in front of him seemed as if he were born underwater as he easily sliced through the currents. Edward would have thought the smaller body would have more trouble with the currents, but easily came to the realization that Harrison might be a newborn.
They were approaching closer to land, far away from the bridge the Porsche drove off. Harrison broke the surface, his body easily hurtling through the waves as he landed on the surface. Edward grinned wolfishly as he climbed onto land just seconds after Harrison. He prided himself with his abnormally quick speed. If Harrison wanted a chance of getting away, he should have stayed in the water.
Weighed down by his wet clothing, Edward sprinted through the trees, hot on Harrison heels. He toyed with the vampire first by running alongside him and then in front of him. Harrison quickly stopped, his usual soft curls straightened out by the water, falling into his almond-shaped burgundy eyes.
Harrison's face twisted as he pulled apart his arms, ready to clap his ability at Edward.
Growling, Edward lunged, curling his hands around Harrison's wrists and holding them apart. The boy struggled, his feet swinging back and forth as Edward lifted him off the ground. He snarled at the boy before slamming his back against the tree. He loomed before the flawless beauty, his arms still struggling to hold the boy's hands apart.
"That won't work on me," Edward growled fiercely. "Even if you managed to inflict your ability, I would still remember you quick enough to catch you again."
A shapely eyebrow cocked upward. "Care to try that out?"
There was that cockiness to Harrison again. It was a far cry from what Edward saw at the bottom of the river. The boy was putting up a front, a careless front; it was all an act to protect himself. Edward had to keep reminding himself such.
"I'm trying to help you, Harrison." Edward struggled to swallow the primitive urge to dominant over Harrison and claim him. It was ironic that he went from being a gentleman with Bella to a creature with Harrison. He blamed it on the fact they were both males and both vampires. "Can't you see I won't hurt you? How could I?"
Harrison gave an animalistic whine as he reared his head backward into the tree. "I helped you; the least you can do is let me go."
Edward thrust his face into his mates, pressing their foreheads together. All the while, he was still struggling with the boy's arms. "I can't do that. And I have a feeling you feel the same way. You just want to run from it instead of facing it head on."
The boy snickered at the irony of Edward's words. "On the contrary, we are both facing it head on." With that, the boy slammed his head into Edward's causing the vampire to lose hold of Harrison for just a moment.
But a moment was all that was needed for Harrison to clap his hands in defense. Edward leaped back, struggling to protect his mind as he felt a wave of blurry confusion enter him. His eyes went hazy, and slowly, he became distracted from the issue at hand. The woods became nothing of importance as he remembered past memories in his life. He thought back to his hazy days as a human… but even as he watched himself struggling from the influenza, there was something nagging the back of his mind.
It pulled at him and tugged him from the memory of Carlisle turning him.
Vampires.
Yes…
Edward breathed in deeply, a habit he kept in his vampire life that helped him think. As he inhaled, he caught scent of a very tantalizing smell. It was just as alluring as humans but it wasn't alive.
Harrison.
Edward cried out, his eyes becoming less hazy as the woods and leaves sharpened into focus. He looked around noticing Harrison was no longer in front of him. How long had he been in his own mind? He promised himself that he wouldn't forget Harrison, he had been confident the boy's ability wouldn't work on him.
He charged deeper into the forest, using his nose as means to catch Harrison. To other vampires, Harrison's scent would probably be null and void. But considering the younger vampire was his mate, the boy's scent was strong and unreservedly appealing. Up ahead, the forest came to an end and a wide open meadow stood in place. Inching closer to the end of the forest, Edward took a look out of the trees. He was satisfied to note that there were no humans near for miles upon miles. There was a road further down to the right, but it was too far for human's to see.
Because he still smelt Harrison's trail, Edward deduced that the boy had become invisible. There was no sparkling vampire in the meadows but the smell was so close.
Edward's eyes squinted in a smile as he ran past the smell where it was the strongest. He knew well enough that Harrison was hiding on the branch in the tree. "Edward?" Alice called from behind him. He turned, keeping a silent watch over the branch he knew Harrison to be sitting. Alice just stumbled beneath it, her own hair and clothes wet from following their trail. "Did… did you lose him?"
Her mind was still at turmoil. He thought it ironic. She was confused about Bella's sudden death, Harrison, and now Edward's feelings toward Harrison. How did she think Edward was feeling? Nonetheless, she was trying. She was trying to see things Edward's way and her vow to play nice with Harrison was all that mattered.
"Yes," Edward whispered. Did Harrison not realize he could smell? Unless… unless Harrison relied on the fact that most vampires didn't breathe, and in turn, didn't inhale their surroundings. A frown creased Edward's lips. He would have to teach Harrison to act more human.
He walked toward her, keeping his steps controlled. She wouldn't smell Harrison. No, that tantalizing smell was reserved for between mates.
With reflexes too quick for both vampires and humans to take note of, Edward coiled and jumped. He lunged above the branch, colliding with an invisible force and taking them both down to the ground. He easily pinned Harrison beneath him, making sure to pin the boy's wrists above his head.
Alice backed away, her eyes wide in surprise.
Harrison blinked into existence, his lips pulled heavily down into a scowl. "I can't come with you, can't you see?" He whispered; the usual bite from his voice gone. His dark burgundy eyes glanced at Alice before looking back onto him. "You live a life I am unable to follow into. Your ways are so different…"
"I can help you. I want to help you." Edward paused, his lips pursed. "I especially want to get to know you. I can see this isn't the true you." With his free hand, he lightly touched Harrison's chest. "Allow me a few weeks, a month. If you don't like my family or our location, you can leave. But I can't guarantee that I won't follow you to wherever you decide to go."
Harrison stared into Edward's eyes, a stubborn lift to his chin. "A week."
Edward recoiled. "No. A month."
"We… I would like to have you," Alice spoke quietly. In her mind, Edward heard her less than thrilled thoughts about having Harrison's presence in their lives. But she was willing to withstand a Volturi member's presence if it was for Edward's own happiness.
Harrison slowly moved his eyes back onto her, a sneer marring his stunning features. "You were just spitting at me a few minutes ago. Surely you haven't changed your opinion of me that quickly. I haven't changed mine of you, I can assure you."
Alice frowned viciously. Her hands curled into claws but she withheld a biting retort. Edward issued a sigh, turning Harrison's gaze back on his own. "A month. And you have to try to get along with the others."
Harrison chuckled coolly. "A month," Harrison agreed but began again with his own term. "And I'll act however I want to act. That's all you're getting. Either that, or a week and I'll play nice."
Edward pondered on the terms. If he agreed on a week, it would be far too short of time to convince Harrison to stay with him. But then again, if the boy would try to get along with the others, there may be a chance that he would actually come to like the other members of the family. And then he'd want to stay.
On the other hand, it could be all a game to Harrison. Behind the smile he would quietly scheme, counting down the days left in the week.
"A month," Edward whispered, letting Harrison's hands go. Alice looked at him incredulously.
Harrison sat up, smug. "Alright," he cradled his wrist to his chest despite the fact Edward had hardly applied pressure. "I need to feed before we leave." Harrison declared. His eyes were proof enough. They were the color of aging wine, growing darker by the minute. The shadows under the boy's eyes were obvious, clashing with his porcelain colored skin.
Edward wondered what would be more noticeable. The dark shadows and cranky behavior or brilliant crimson eyes. He assumed it would be the latter. But he didn't want to risk Harrison attacking someone on the plane to America. There was also the fear that Harrison would be too still and too statuesque to the human eye. Edward would just have to work with the boy at the airport. The younger vampire moved too quickly for humans, spoke too quickly, and he normally didn't practice any human behavior— such as blinking, breathing, and moving.
"How long have you been a vampire?" Alice questioned suspiciously. "How well can you handle being around humans?"
"On a full stomach, I can handle them just fine," Harrison informed sharply, almost if he were insulted with Alice for questioning his self-control. Edward noted that the boy had skillfully avoided the question of how long he'd been a vampire.
Edward would take a good guess that Harrison was five or ten years into his vampirism. He had decent self-control and yet, he was still young enough not to have full understanding of his powers.
"There are no humans around," Alice's voice trembled a bit. She didn't want to have to smell the human blood, Edward knew. "Maybe you should try going after some—,"
"Animals?" Harrison hissed dangerously. "I don't think so."
"You'll have to get used to it while you're with us," Edward ordered sharply. His fingers curled in on themselves as he loomed closer to his mate. "Under Carlisle's roof, you'll be a Vegetarian."
Harrison didn't seem too worked up over Edward's warning. In fact, if Edward didn't know any better, he'd say Harrison looked a bit relieved. It was gone the next minute. "Allow me to have one last meal. They fill me up faster, anyway."
Alice was about to argue but Edward placed a hand on her arm, stopping her before she could spike Harrison's anger again. "He's right. We shouldn't start his diet right before we board an enclosed plane with several humans. Even after eating a few animals, his control will be pushed." Reluctantly, Alice nodded.
Before they could stop him, Harrison ran. Edward stood stiffly, trusting the boy enough to come back. Yet, he couldn't help himself from becoming guarded and rigid. "He'll come back," Alice reassured him as she took notice of his unbending posture. "Look, you can see him from here. He's going toward the road…" she trailed off as she watched Harrison step in front of a moving car. The car came to a sharp halt, just as Harrison went to the ground.
Edward turned away after he realized what Harrison was about to do. He didn't want to hear the human's dying thoughts. Alice did the same after catching sight of the man step out of his car, desperate to see if Harrison was alright.
"Do you think he'll be able to turn Vegetarian? He's been with the Volturi so long…" Alice trailed off as she caught smell of the blood. She stopped breathing, her eyes focused on the endless miles of rolling hills in front of her.
Edward felt a stab of guilt wash through him that wasn't his own. It was similar to the time he watched Harrison with Bella underwater. He knew then, that he was feeling Harrison's regret at killing. Somehow, they were able to feel each other's strong emotions. And Edward knew the boy was shameful for killing a human. It made Edward even more confident that there was a truly beautiful person inside Harrison's cold barriers.
For a vampire, years of drinking for them usual turned one cold toward the lesser beings. It was rare and very surprising that Harrison was able to feel remorse for his actions.
"I'm more than certain he'll be able to turn Vegetarian," Edward spoke strongly, confidently. "He just needs a family to support him through the adjustment."
"You have a lot of faith in someone you just met, Edward," Alice said quietly. "Even if he is your mate, he was part of the Volturi for so long. I know some of the others will be guarded and suspicious around Harrison, even if you do tell them he's your mate."
"You just haven't seen the beauty inside him like I have, Alice." Edward smiled thinly. "In time, you'll love him just as much as you loved Bella."
"He can't replace her," Alice grew agitated.
"No, I'm not saying that," Edward turned to her, eyeing her warily. "Bella will never be replaced, she can never be replaced. But you need to remember that Harrison is my Fated, no matter how difficult it is to admit it now, he will always come before Bella and her memory."
Alice didn't like that. She turned to stare opposite of Edward. Grudgingly, her shoulders dropped in sign of her submission. "I can understand that, Edward. It's just hard right now…" she trailed off, sorrow thickening her voice. "Will he let me pick his wardrobe out for him?"
Edward chuckled. "I'm certain you're the only one applied for that job, Alice."
She smiled softly, inching closer to Edward. "Does it bother you? That he's only thirteen?"
There was a long pause in which Edward struggled with the proper words. Before he could respond, he was aware of Harrison quietly approach them from behind. Edward turned, catching sight of the broken expression crossing his Fated's face. It cleared up into a mask of indifference when he noticed Edward's observation.
Had the boy overheard Alice's question?
Edward never thought how Harrison's age would affect Harrison himself. Surely the boy wasn't comfortable with being physically thirteen forever. It made Edward apprehensive for Harrison. Would his mate think Edward was disgusted at his young age? Would he distance himself purposely because of that?
"Are we leaving?" Harrison wiped a bit of blood from the corner of his mouth, coolly eyeing Edward and Alice. His eyes were brilliant crimson, a sign he was fully fed.
"Yes." Edward gave a sharp nod. "We're going home."