Chapter Four
I was antsy to say the least. Alice had left with Kate and Tanya to go shopping and I was nervously waiting to hear from her. I was really hoping she wouldn't do something cheesy and buy a heart shaped one or anything. But then again, she was Alice. She would know my reaction to it before I would. I had nothing to worry about. At least that is what I kept telling myself.
"Love, what are you thinking?" Edward asked, interrupting my thoughts.
"Nothing."
"Bella," he laughed.
"Really, its nothing."
"I know you better than that," he sighed as he pulled me to him.
"I was just wondering if Alice was going to go overboard shopping for me. I told her to pick up a few things for me," I replied honestly.
"You know she will," he chuckled.
"I know," I sighed.
"I was thinking about going for a run, would you like to go?"
"No thanks, I was thinking about calling Renee and seeing how she was doing."
"Ok, I'll stay here if you like."
"No, no, you go ahead and run, I'll be fine," I replied smiling.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"Positive."
"Here," he said, handing me his cell phone.
"Thanks."
"I'll be back soon."
"Take your time, I'll be fine," I replied smiling.
"I love you," he replied, before planting a quick kiss on my lips.
"I love you too," I sighed as he pulled away. He got up from the bed and walked out of the room. I looked down at the phone and wondered what I would say to Renee. Last time we spoke, her hormones were going wild and she was quite difficult to speak to. As I flipped the phone open and started to dial, I hoped that she would be in a better mood this time.
"Hello," she answered.
"Hey mom."
"Bella! How are you doing sweetie?"
"Fine, some of the Cullen's friends came to visit us and are going to stay for a couple of days."
"Oh, are they nice?"
"Yeah, how are you and Phil doing?"
"Bella, I had a horrible argument with Phil," she began to cry. I knew then that her mood, or moods, had not gotten any better. She was still as emotional as before.
"Its ok mom, I'm sure you two will work it out."
"I don't know Bella, he's just so stubborn."
"What was the argument over?"
"We were talking about potential names, and I told him that I liked Olivia Jade if it was a girl, and he said that he would not name his daughter Olivia!" she cried.
"Mom, mom, it's ok. Maybe you two should work together and come up with names you both like."
"I don't understand why he doesn't like the name Olivia."
"Me either. But if you work together maybe you can come up with a compromise?" I replied. It was really hard to speak logically with her when she was crying. As silly as it was, I knew this meant a lot to her.
"Maybe your right," she calmed down.
"How did your last check up go?" I asked taking my chance to change the subject.
"Good, the doctor says that I'm over three months."
"Wow, so you were pregnant when you came for the wedding."
"Apparently so," she laughed.
"Are you still enjoying living in New York?" I asked.
"Yes and no. I mean, I love being surrounded with all the culture and art, but when they say it's the city that never sleeps, they mean it."
"You will get used to it."
"I hope so," she groaned.
"Have you had any trouble?" I asked.
"Not at all."
"Good, you need to take care of yourself," I replied. I was always worried about her.
"Bella, please don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Just worry about taking care of yourself and Edward."
"We're fine mom, you're the one going to have a baby," I laughed. If only she knew that I was indestructible, well, nearly so, anyways.
"I realize that I'm having a child Bella. But your still my little girl, and I don't want to see anything bad happen to you," she said angrily.
"Really, mom, I'm fine and Edward is fine. We have all we need and there's no need to worry about us," I tried to explain. It was then that I heard my door crack open I saw Irina walk in. Instead of her usual scowl, she was actually smiling. I looked at her, taken back for a moment Then I realized I was still on the phone with Renee.
"Bella! Bella, are you there?" she was asking frantically.
"Sorry mom, Irina, one of the visitors walked in, I'll call you back," I replied.
"Alright, love you dear."
"Love you too mom," I sighed as I hung up the phone.
"Sorry to interrupt your phone call," she smiled.
"It's ok," I replied as I eyed her. She seemed to be in a better mood. Maybe she realized that it wasn't actually my fault that Laurent met his demise.
"I just wanted to apologize for my behavior yesterday," she sighed as she took a few steps forward.
"It's ok, I understand."
"I know deep down Laurent deserved his fate, it's just hard being parted from someone you love, you know?" she replied, a smile still plastered on her face. Her demeanor threw me off. I couldn't understand how she could talk about someone she loved like that and remain happy.
"Yes, I understand," I sighed as I looked down at the cell phone in my hands.
"Can we let bygones be bygones?" she asked.
"Sure," I replied, smiling. I couldn't help but trust her. It was as if she was radiating this unnatural charm and I couldn't pull myself from her clutches. Deep down I knew something was a bit fishy, but I couldn't rationalize that she was anything but nice.
"Everyone has stepped out and I'm a bit bored, would you like to come down to my room and talk?" she asked.
"Um, sure."
"OK!" she exclaimed as she pulled me from the bed, and then the room. It was then that an irresistible scent hit my nose. I automatically stopped breathing.
"Don't worry Bella, I wont let you near it," she grinned pulling me down the stairs. My head was screaming for me to stop. I knew that I was getting closer and closer to it.
"No," I whispered as we got even closer to the guest bedroom.
"There's nothing in there Bella," she laughed maniacally. She pushed open the solid wood door and pulled me in. On her bed was a man strapped down. He was looking absolutely smug when we entered the room. His bushy brown hair was messy and he was quite chubby. He appeared to be middle aged and I caught sight of a wedding band on his finger. This man had a life, he had a wife at home and possibly kids. What was Irina doing?
"I told you I'd be back, didn't I darling?" Irina cooed at the gentlemen. He instantly relaxed against the pillows. My mind was screaming to attack. Irina was barely holding me back and I knew she wanted me to attack him. She wanted me to feel pain, just as she had pained. My heart ached for humanity and here she was, offering it up on a plate, so to speak. She let go of me and I was ready to pounce. I felt myself edge even closer to the poor man.
In my mind a faint voice was telling me not to do it. I honed in on it. Slowly and carefully, I edged away and sunk to the ground. Putting my head between my legs, I closed my eyes and drew not a breath. I had to stay focused. I couldn't let her get to me. I couldn't kill this poor, innocent man.
"Bella, isn't he just delicious?" she laughed. I heard her approach the bed and then climb onto it. I lifted my head to see her kiss him gently. As she did, she carefully sliced her fingernail into his wrists, allowing the blood to drip. All my resolve was gone as I saw the crimson liquid flow from his now slit wrist. The burning in my throat intensified tenfold as it slowly dribbled down his arm.
The beast inside me was awake, and it would not be quieted until I feasted on this scrumptious delicacy. The man remained calm as I sauntered forward, low growls erupting from my chest. I was about a foot away from him when two strong arms wrapped themselves around me.
"Bella, love, listen to me," Edward called to me. The beast thrashed and pushed against him, trying to get free of his entrapment.
"Edward, I tried to stop her," Irina replied in a shocked voice.
"I'm sure you did," he replied bluntly. He knew she was lying and he wouldn't allow himself to fall for her tricks. I pushed with all my might to get out, and was almost successful, when he pulled me to the ground and kept himself on top of me.
"Listen to me Bella, you don't want to do this. He is a person. He has goals and ambitions, he's a human Bella," he whispered in my ear as he continued to pin me to the ground.
"Is it so hard to believe, Edward that your little Bella likes to drink from humans?" Irina laughed.
"Shut up! You are not fooling me or anyone else," he growled.
"But Edward, she came here of her own free will."
"You baited her here and you know it," he growled. I was still unable to think logically and I continued to thrash under him. Part of me wondered how long he would be able to keep me down like this, while the other hoped to God he could do it long enough.
"I did no such thing," she laughed as she sauntered closer to the man.
"Get him out of here!" Edward growled.
"I wasn't finished with him," she laughed.
"But I think you were!" Esme yelled as she entered the room. I had never witnessed her mad before, and I had to admit, it was a scary sight.
"Esme!" Irina gasped in shock.
"I said to get him out of here!" she screamed.
"Fine!" Irina growled as she cut the restraints and tugged the man from the bed.
"And you better not try to run, Alice and Tanya will be back soon, and Tanya would like a word with you!" Esme said harshly as she moved aside to allow Irina to exit the room.
"Whatever," she huffed as she pulled the man out of the room. I pulled and tore at the now ruined carpet as I tried to get out from under Edward. Part of me wanted to run after the poor defenseless man, to take in every drop of his blood.
"Bella, dear, please calm down," Esme said soothingly as she lowered herself to place a calming hand on my head.
"Did you call Emmett and Jasper?" Edward asked as he struggled to keep me pinned down.
"Yes, they will be here in a few seconds."
"Good."
"Edward, she will pay for this."
"I know, I have faith in Tanya and Kate."
"I'm so sorry this happened Bella," Esme sighed as she continued to stroke my head in a motherly fashion.
"Love, please calm down."
"What in the hell happened?" Emmett asked as he burst in the room.
"Irina tried to tempt Bella with a human," Esme replied.
"Well that little…," Emmett started to be shushed my Esme. Jasper then walked in and immediately started to send waves of calm my way.
"Why would she do this to her?" he growled.
"Laurent," Edward replied.
"He was a good for nothing excuse for a vampire!"Emmett exclaimed loudly. My body stopped thrashing at this point, and I lay helplessly against the ground. I was physically drained. It was as if I had taken a severe beating.
"Bella, are you ok?" Edward asked as he pulled us from the floor and upright on our feet.
"Y-yes," I sobbed. I was close to taking a human life, too close. I almost took everything away from that poor man and his family.
"Let's go upstairs."
"Ok," I continued to sob. He pulled me into his arms and pulled me back to our bedroom. Resting me on the bed, he pulled me to him and began to hum my lullaby. It had been quite a while since I'd heard the tune, but just as it had before, it soothed me.
"I'm so sorry Bella," he whispered in my ear after my sobbing had stopped.
"It's not your fault," I said as I rubbed my hand across his arm.
"Yes it is. I shouldn't have left you here alone," he sighed.
"You didn't know the others would be out," I pointed out.
"Bella, I knew better than to leave you alone."
"Edward, quit beating yourself up. It's all over with now."
"Bella, I love you and I'm sorry."
"I love you too, but there really isn't anything to apologize about." He had nothing to say to this. He gently kissed the top of my head and then it came to me. How did he know I needed him? How did he know to come back?
"Edward?"
"Yes?"
"How did you know to come back?" I asked.
"Well, I noticed Irina was acting a little odd and I decided to stay relatively close by. It was while I was running that I picked up the scent of human blood, and realized it was coming from the direction of our home. Once I got close, I heard her vile thoughts, and my worst fears were almost confirmed," he replied.
"I'm just glad you made it back in time," I sighed in honestly.
"Me too love, me too."
"What will happen to her, Edward?" I asked as I turned to face him.
"That is up to Tanya. Out of respect, we will not do anything but ban her from visiting,"
"Do you think Tanya will do anything?" I asked.
"I believe she will take some sort of action against her," he replied, gazing down at me with is beautiful eyes.
"Oh."
"We will find out soon," he chuckled. It was then I heard the door downstairs open and two very angry vampires walk in.
"Where is she?" Tanya scowled. It was as if I could feel her anger from here. I wondered what she had in store for Irina.
(A/N: As predicted, Irina tried to seek her revenge on Bella. The question now at hand, is what will Tanya do to her? Will she punish Irina? What do you think? Please review and let me know what you thought of this chapter. Also, I have a poll on my profile relating to a possible story I am thinking of writing, so if you have the time please vote. It's rather indecisive right now, with the majority being No, Jacob can burn. Thanks to all who have reviewed, I really appreciate it! And thanks go out to my beta xedwardxloverx, of course.)