Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or the fabulous characters that Stephenie Meyer. Copyright infringement is not intended.
I went back and re-read this chapter again. I wasn't really happy with Edward and Charlie's phone call. I thought that Edward took the easy way out and he should man-up and let Charlie know who he is from the get go.
~0~
Indecent Proposal
EPOV
The tiny silver cell phone buzzed in my pocket for the millionth time just like it did every day. Why hadn't I crushed it yet and thrown it away? Oh, yes, Alice would comb the world over to find me. At least this way I could afford myself some privacy. I didn't want to answer it but I knew that she wouldn't give up until I did.
"Alice," I groaned. I just wanted to be left alone. Was that too much to ask? Seeing and hearing from my family made me ache all the more. And just because Bella wasn't with me anymore didn't mean the memories of her faded. They would never fade. The members of my family were a constant reminder of what I'll never have but only too briefly experienced.
"I lost her, Edward," Alice whispered into the phone. She knew that I would be angry that she was looking for Bella's future. I specifically requested for her not to. All I wanted was for Bella to live her life the way she was meant to. No more interference from us. And yet Alice couldn't seem to abide by my wishes. Anger reared its ugly head but before I could turn my sister's world upside down she continued in a hurried fashion knowing all too well that I was going to stop her. "Her future has gone completely black. It's blank, Edward. There's nothing."
Black, blank, nothing? How could this be? It was impossible, right?
"What does this mean, Alice?" I demanded in an overtly surly tone. "Maybe you aren't trying hard enough. Or better yet why don't you just leave her alone like I asked."
Her voice wavered and I knew that my sister was sobbing. Since Alice could no longer see Bella she told me that she was focusing on Charlie instead. It was Charlie's demeanor that set my course and the path that I would now follow.
"He's sad and seems broken."
"I don't get it, Alice," I couldn't bring myself to say those words; words that I never wanted to say or hear. But Alice knew what I was thinking. There was no need to say those three dreaded words.
"Yes, Edward, I think she is. There is no other explanation for why Charlie is the way he is and for Bella to just disappear like that."
My own voice shook with tearless sobs. "Alice, I have to be sure. I have to be one hundred percent sure."
"You have to call Charlie. As much as it hurts and as painful as this is, it's something you have to do. But I already know that you will chicken out and take the coward's road. I love you. We all love and miss you, Edward."
As I ended my call with Alice, I had just one more thing to do before I set my plan in motion. I needed to place a call to Charlie. I needed to be sure.
I didn't want to come right out and say it was me. I was pretty sure that I was not high on this man's list of favorite people right now. But Alice's words came floating back to me about taking the coward's road. I owed Bella this much. I owed her much more then I could ever give her but since she was no longer part of this world, I could at least be honest and up front with her father.
Charlie answered the phone after the fifth ring and I could feel the lump already forming in my throat. "Hi, Chief Swan, this is Edward." I swallowed unnecessarily.
"Yeah," He grunted.
"Sir, I realize that I am probably the last person that you want to hear from right now, but..."
Charlie quickly cut me off. " Just tell me where she is, Edward. Just fucking tell me where she is!" I could here the man break down on the other end. He was holding out for that one last hope. Hope that I could never bring him. "Just tell me, please, Edward. Tell me that you two eloped and went to Vegas. Please tell me that she's too scared to call her old man and tell him that she's married."
I wish that I could tell him that. I would give anything to turn back time right now.
"Chief Swan," I tried to remain polite and calm in the face of the Chief's anger, depression and worry because I too felt the same. "I really don't know, sir. I wish I was calling to tell you differently."
"Edward Cullen, you were the last person to see her alive!" Charlie's voice trembled. "Just tell me where her body is at so that her mother and I can lay her to rest properly."
"I left her alive and on the path in the woods right behind your house." I let my calm façade slip away along with my dead heart. "If would have known that she was going to travel farther in the woods then I never would have left her there. I didn't know, Chief Swan, I didn't know."
"Cullen, I swear to fucking God in heaven, if I ever see you, I will strangle you, shoot you and not think twice before killing you. I know that you hurt my baby girl and you're the reason she's now dead! Don't give me that bullshit that you didn't know because you do know. There was blood, her blood and items of clothing found deep in the woods close to your house. You're just lucky that your parents don't have a clue to your whereabouts because your ass would be in a jail cell right about now. " Charlie was right. This was my fault entirely but I didn't have it in me to listen anymore. It was confirmed for me straight from the horse's mouth.
As soon as I hung up with Charlie Alice texted me asking when it was that I was planning on coming home. The only way now that I was coming home was in an urn filled with my ashes. I crumpled the tiny phone in my hands. It was over and I was no longer Edward Anthony Masen Cullen.
Bella was dead.
Bella was dead.
It was the only thought that consumed my expansive mind. Why did she do this? What about Charlie and Renee? How could she do this to them? It was the one thing I asked her specifically to do without question. All she had to do was stay safe for Charlie's sake. It's all that I asked.
Dry sobs wracked my body. This world is full of beautiful things and people but there was only one Bella Swan. A sense of greed filled me. Not guilt. It was too late for that. If I had just acquiesced to her request and changed her or even let Carlisle do it then this sad situation would not be upon us now.
~0~
I pounded the steering wheel of the piece of crap compact that I had rented. The destruction of the vehicle was inevitable. The rental company had my card number. There were sufficient funds to pay for a new one and then some. I crumbled the steering wheel in my hands to fine powder. Its fragility only served to remind me of what I once had by my side. So beautiful, so delicate like thin spun glass. She was so easily breakable but yet I had to have her.
I was such a selfish creature. I took what I wanted when I should not have. God, forgive me for ruining her and bringing death upon someone who was so beautiful, sweet and innocent. I knew that I would be the cause of Bella's end. Even the monster that used to rejoice in the thought of taking her and draining her dry missed our Bella. But in the face of death I was still a monster to the core. I hated what I had become. Evil is what comes to mind. Evil monsters always find the most precious, beautiful, kindest creatures and destroy them. Good versus evil. Most people would like to think that good will prevail and win out in the end, but they're wrong. Evil and all that is bad always seems to get undo attention and people tend to gravitate towards all that is wrong. Bella included. The world itself is full of evil and wrong doers and I'm most definitely counted amongst them.
I pushed the compact car into a grape vineyard and pulverized it beyond recognition. I made the last track to Volterra on foot. I ran as fast as I could and as I rounded the last bend of the road a sense of freedom came over me. Ninety plus years of being a monster that should have been dead ages ago was now free to die. And if the three Masters couldn't grant me death then I would provoke it somehow and bring it about myself.
I knew that I would never again see Bella. She was too good. Heaven was the place for her and hell awaited me. Heaven's gates would be closed for someone such as me. But I hoped that at least God would grant me one glimpse of my beloved before I am to endure hell.
As the castle came into view I became increasingly aware that I was being followed. They knew that another of their kind was in the area and I could hear their thoughts the closer I got to the castle. The guard waited for me as I approached.
"What business brings you at such a late hour?"
"I wish to speak with your Masters," I spoke with confidence as I eyed the overly huge guard. His thoughts were smug thinking that I wanted to join them. How wrong they were. I wanted no part in the debauchery and underhanded dealings that went on in the castle.
"They're busy." The huge guard huffed as if he couldn't be bothered. But yet he was curious as to my being here.
"Then I'll wait." I painted the most perfect, patient smile on my face. I planted my back against the cobble stonewall and waited. Crossing my arms, I smiled at the big over grown oaf. He was much bigger than Emmett but I was sure if it ever came down to it that they would be evenly matched in strength.
He went on seemingly trying to ignore me but as time went on and I continued to wait, he grew all the more interested in my being at the castle.
"Fine," The oaf breathed out heavily like I was now a burden for him to deal with. "I will take you to the waiting room where you can wait to convene with the Masters."
He led me through dripping tunnels that seemed to be a fitting scene before I experienced death. I only knew what Carlisle had told me about the three Masters, Marcus, Aro, and Caius. They delved in the arts and science but held little compassion for human life. They also served as the under belly of organized crime, supplying the drug cartel with variable funds, giving away vast amounts of fortunes to support weapons trade and funding both sides of the Iraq and Afghani war. This was the side of the brothers that my father did not approve of. They cared little for the destruction of human life. Humans were nothing but whiny, obsessive, complaining cattle. Why Carlisle considered them friends or why Jasper looked up to them I'll never know. To me they were a means to an end.
An out of place elevator was at the end of the damp dark tunnel. We rode the elevator to a waiting room. The room wasn't what I expected it to be, it was simply decorated with a few chairs covered with gray fabric and a mahogany desk. The walls were an off white. Only the heavy ornate wooded doors along one wall were out of place in this simple décor.
"Gianna is human so keep your teeth to yourself or Demetri will definitely have your head." The oaf leaned in so the human couldn't hear.
"Felix," Gianna stood to greeted him. So the oaf had a name? The name Felix didn't really fit him. It seemed small compared to him.
"Gianna, please inform the Masters that we have a guest." She picked up the phone and in perfect Italian informed one of the brothers that someone wished to speak with them and that I was a nuisance to Felix. I should have made it know as to who I was. Maybe the name of Cullen would have gotten me to see the Masters sooner rather than later. But then again the name could pose as a problem as well.
Gianna put the brothers on hold. "Who may I say is calling? The Masters are extremely busy."
Here it was. The one thing that could put a hitch in my plan was my name.
"Could you please tell the Masters that Edward Cullen, son of Carlisle Cullen, would like to speak with them." Gianna rolled her eyes at Felix like I was trying to be somebody important when I really wasn't. I could care less really if the name Cullen would get me to see them any faster. Although it should, I wasn't counting on it.
"Oh, yes, sure, yes, I will send him in right away." I guess the name did mean something after all.
She quietly led me to the ornate double wooden doors and opened them. Down the corridor sat three ancient looking men. I knew them by name only from the painting that hung in Carlisle's office. Should I have survived for thousands of millennia, I knew what I would look like. Their ruby red eyes were clouded over with age and they were much paler than I was. Their skin seemed paper-thin and I worried that I would tear or crush them if we came into contact.
Aro sat upon a throne in the middle, Caius to his left and Marcus on his right.
"To what do we owe the pleasure, young Edward?" Aro clapped his hands together and stood to greet me. The other two sat back and observed.
"Master Aro, I don't know where to begin?" I didn't. How do you explain that the son of your good friend would like you to put them to death?
"No need, my child," Aro held out his hand and I put mine in his. "With just the mere touch of your hand I can read every thought you've ever had. Experience every memory you've lived. See your life as you have." A strange presence came over me as he did this. It was like being enveloped in an invisible fog and as soon as I sensed it the feeling was over. Aro released my hand and backed away slowly. He shook his head as if trying to dispel my thoughts and memories from his brain.
"My child, I don't know if I can go through with what you are asking. You're sire, Carlisle is dear to me." He sat back down on his throne. "And you are most like a son to him. I am not without envy."
Aro turned to face each of his brothers with the gravest of expressions.
"Masters," I began to plead my case. I was losing as their friendship with Carlisle was winning out. "It is with a heavy heart that I come seeking your hand in my demise. I know what I have done in revealing myself to my beloved was wrong, so please don't hold it against my father. My love for Bella is strong and although I am a soulless monster, I wish to join her in death. I can no longer go on this way without knowledge of her in this world."
Aro looked pensive for the moment as I could see that he was thinking about Marcus. Marcus lost his mate some time ago due to Aro's own jealous hand. Aro never revealed to his brother how his mate died and it was a secret he planned to keep for eternity. He forgot for the moment that I could hear every thought in the room. This tidbit of information will be stored away as it may come in handy for future use. As I stored away Aro's secret my own thoughts came to mind. I hoped what I revealed to Aro does come back to bite me or those of my family. Aro is a collector of sorts. He collects the talents of other vampires to make his own coven stronger. Aro was definitely the brains and the manipulator behind this whole operation but the guard was the proverbial back bone. Without the guard the brothers were nothing.
"Young Edward, we will take your request into consideration." Aro said as he motion for Felix to come forward. "Felix, please show our guest to one our suites. Edward, I am sure that you will find that our accommodations to be quite pleasing."
"Masters please don't think of me as rude for turning down your offer. But if you may, you can find me in the gardens."
Aro nodded to Felix, "To be seated amongst the beauty thinking about beauty herself. Ah, to be young again and in love. Death is such an eternal waste." He stayed seated as Felix led me out into the garden grounds.
I knew that if Bella were here she would not want to stay in a lavish room. She would prefer to wait out her sentence here in the gardens and this is where I sat. I planted myself down on a stone bench that was as cold and as hard as myself. This is where I waited and contemplated what I was going to do if they should reject me. From Aro's thoughts I gathered that he would love for me to join the guard and forsake my plan of death. But I could not allow myself to live through the years without Bella in this world. If she could not be by my side than she had to at least be part of this world but she was not and neither will I.
I waited for a day and a half before I was summoned to meet with the brothers again. I knew their thoughts even before I reached the two double wooden doors. They had rejected my request. I knew what I had to do now. I love you Bella. God will probably not grant me entrance to heaven it's self let alone forgive me. But I hope that you can find it in your heart to do so. If God is as kind and loving as Carlisle claims him to be, may he grant just one glimpse of you, my love, before the hounds of hell drag me to where I truly belong. Forgive me Bella. I love you. I tried desperately to keep my face blank as I entered the antechamber.
"Edward, my child," Aro began. "It is with the deepest regret that I cannot abide by your wishes just yet."
Were they or were they not going to do this for me. Their thoughts did not mirror their words. In fact at that moment Aro's went completely blank as if he were blocking me from seeing things.
"You have such an amazing talent. It's such a waste to throw it away like that."
I felt like a petulant child. I didn't care. My "talent" was a burden and one I had come to wish that I didn't own.
"Edward," Aro looked toward Caius and Marcus and nodded his head. They in turn did the same as if they were all in agreement. "We will grant your request…but you in turn need to give us something in return. And before you protest let me explain and I'm sure you will see things my, our way.
"First of all, it is a crime to reveal yourself to humans. Carlisle knows this and I am well aware that he has taught you that our secrecy is the utmost importance. Has he not?"
I nodded my head in agreement but I seethed in anger. Where was he going with all this?
"That crime by its self is punishable by death." Aro continued his tirade. "Again, I am aware that this is what you are seeking. However, your beloved human is now dead and with reasonable assurance has never spoken a word of your existence to no one…I spoke to Carlisle last night about you being here. He assured me that the girl kept the secret of our existence – very rare for a human indeed. Are you certain that the girl was entirely human? After all you couldn't read Isabella's thought. Ah, too bad she had to throw that talent away. It would have been interesting to see what kind of vampire she would have made…Oh, that's right; you didn't see fit to grant her immortality, did you?"
My fists clenched at my sides. If I provoked them enough would they see fit to grant me death? How dare he speak of Bella that way? He didn't know her. He couldn't see how good she was and that some one that innocent and good didn't deserve to have their soul ripped from them only to be made into a monster.
"Keep your anger in check, boy." Caius muttered sensing my raging mood. "It will do you no good. Provoking us will not bring about your death even though you are deserving of it."
"May I continue, please?" Aro's gaze cut to my very core and as much as I wanted to piss them off, it wouldn't bring the desired effect that I was longing for.
"What was I saying? Oh, yes, Isabella's death. Yes, her death saved your entire family really. Secondly, even though the threat of being exposed no longer exists, there's still a price to be paid for the actual crime its self.
"Here is our proposal, young Edward. We usually require a dedicated service of ten years to the guard but we are willing to make an exception in your case. You want something from us and we want something from you. If you do this one job and take care of this emanate threat to the Volturi we will grant you death upon your return if you so choose. Do you except?"
Aro's intense gaze was serious. The threat he spoke of was real and he needed me, my talent to weed out and eliminate the potential danger. If I did the job they would grant me death. Hell, if this job was so dangerous and posed such a risk to the Volturi maybe, just maybe it would be too tough for me to handle and bring around my release from this prison. A suicide mission, I was all for it.
"Yes, Aro, you have my word" I agreed wholeheartedly to this. I was committed. Either way, I was going to receive what I was looking for in the end. "As long as you hold up your end of the bargain I will do this."
"My child, the only way I will change my mind is if you change yours and you choose to join the guard. I would love to have you, you know. And just keep this in mind as well, if you should choose at some point to go against and forsake this job, our arrangement is off and your entire family will pay the price for the crime that you clearly committed. Are we clear?"
"Yes," I would do the job or die trying at least. My family will not pay for my sins. They were mine and mine alone to deal with."
"Ah, so noble, I see. The job entails this: The Romanian Coven poses as a threat to Volterra. There is claim that they possess an item of great importance that once belonged in our vaults. It's been missing for two thousand years. I want it back!" Aro's eyes went black with hatred as he remembered his dealings with the Romanian Coven. "The leaders of this coven, Stefan and Vladimir think that they have claim over the ruler ship of Volterra. Of course, they do not. But that is neither here nor there. We will deal with the Romanians in due time. You are to get the item in question. Kill whom ever you have to get it. Getting it will not be easy as I am sure that the item does not reside in Romania. Vladimir and Stefan are too smart for that and know that's the first place we would look. I know for a fact the item is guarded at all times. Who is guarding as we speak, I don't know. The last one to guard it went insane and had to be dealt with in a manner to which best suited him. Rumor has it the next guard on the list is female. She will likely be a newborn and still in training but she will be strong as well as talented. I needn't remind you to be careful of this. You've been around newborns before so you know how they act. Be careful, my boy. Do not go for the obvious kill. "
Yes, I was well aware as to how newborns acted. In a way I wished I had Jasper here to help me deal with this situation, as he knew how to handle a newborn in a militaristic way.
"May I inquire as to what this item in question is?"
"Yes, that's the beauty of it, Edward, you can!" Aro's eyes gleamed like a child's at Christmas. "The item you will be in search of is a list, a scroll."
"A list…" I repeated.
"Not just any list, a list that was written by the hand of God Himself. The list comprises of all the names of every single fallen angel that ever existed, exists now and will ever exist. These are angels who choose to fall away from heaven only to be born into humanity. These human angels have special gifts, very special gifts. Some of these fallen angels are specifically designed to guard this list. Since the list was created there have been nine guards in total. The female is rumored to be the last. Every single guard they had went insane and it's a wonder why. These guards are made into vampires only to refine their gifts."
"How did the list come to be in the possession of the Romanians in the first place?" I asked.
"Like I said, dear Edward," Aro started to explain. "These angels are tricky and powerful. I know that we in Volterra possess two of them already, Jane and Alec. There is some question as to whether Demetri is among the human angels as he is the best tracker that I have ever seen. But then again there are also very talented humans in the world as well. The scroll was stolen by the first guard on the list and brought to the Romanians.
"I know you're going to ask it so I might as well just answer for you anyway. How did we first come in contact with the list? Legend has it that the scroll was given to Cain from Lilith to protect. Cain as you probably suspected was indeed the first vampire created by God as a punishment for murder. I won't go into the history of him, as it's not really necessary or important at this time. How Lilith came upon it, it is not known. But the list is as old as time and needs to be lock back into the vault from whence it came. It serves no purpose for Vladimir and Stefan."
Two thoughts hit me at once. Aro wanted scroll as these talented fallen angels fit so nicely into his treasure trove of equally talented vampires. It only serves to make his coven that much bigger and that much stronger. Aro is driven by greed. On the other hand, Stefan and Vladimir have seemingly tried to do their best and not to let Aro's coven get any bigger than it already is. They've used the list only to garner the respected guards that are supposed to protect the scroll. I was at a cross roads so to speak. I wasn't sure what to do. What would my father do in this situation? What would Bella want me to do? If I delivered the list back to the brothers than I get my just reward but if I failed in doing so then my family would pay the price. Have I ever done the right thing in all my life? It seems that I have failed miserably time and time again.
I proceeded to go about doing what I could never letting Aro see the dilemma raging around in my head. My father and my lost love would want me to the right thing. So I headed out on a private jet bound for Romania not knowing where this indecent proposal will lead me or what path it will take me down.
~0~
AN: The next chapter is Bella's POV and the story of Lilith and Cain.
I wanted to thank everyone who has read, faved, added this story to their alerts and reviewed. It means a lot to me.