(Twilight theme by Stephanie Meyer)
"Tristan, death has been very kind to you. You have a wonderful family." A tall very pale vampire stood and slowly made his way to me. He was not as young as the newborns with him, but something in his eyes made me weary. These eyes were familiar, they stood out to me.
"Do we know each other?" I said trying to pull every person I had ever come in contact with into my mind.
"You don't remember me? You and my brother Riley were such good friends I assumed you would remember me."
***
My last October as a human, it was a week after the Halloween party at Jared's place…
"Riley, I got your stuff together and I spoke to Jared for you. I don't understand why you won't come and pick it up yourself. We are worried about you… Call me, or I'll call you again after your brother leaves. I have a date with Bella tonight, I know you want details on that…" I let out a huge sigh and hung up. I don't even remember seeing Riley during the party he disappeared right before Bella arrived.
My doorbell broke me out of my train of thought and I went to the door. In the doorway was a tall guy with features that looked nothing like Riley. He was pale where Riley was tan and he was not as open and friendly. Another douche-y guy wearing sunglasses at night, he wouldn't take them off, but I let him in none the less.
"Hey man, I'm Tristan, you're Roderick right?"
"Yes, thank you for going out of your way to get Riley's stuff together."
"Why is he dropping out? I mean I was really surprised when I heard about that, his classes were cake this semester."
"Our family is having some problems, so he is coming home for a while." The answer surprised me, not because it was so personal, but the way he said it was like he was detached from the whole situation, like it wasn't his family.
"Oh sorry, well, I have to jump in the shower so um, just feel free to go through the boxes here and I'll take whatever you can't take on the plane over to the Goodwill later."
"Thanks." He called from the living room as I went into my room. I flipped open my cell and dialed Jared's cousin to make sure we were still on for Forks estate tonight. I made sure not to say any of my plans out loud. My internal radar was all over the place with Roderick in my house. I was rushing to shower and finalize plans while Roderick was shuffling around my living room. I trusted Riley with my life, but something was off about his brother. I could not put my finger on it, but I knew there was something. I only left him alone for about 10 minutes. I slipped on clothes and went to rejoin him.
"So, you got a big date tonight?"
"Yeah, kinda." I answered
"You and jailbait?" He said all non-chalant, as if he were the one who I gave details of my life to and not Riley. I hid my annoyance and just blurted out, "Her name is Bella, but yeah I have a whole big thing set up for her."
"Riley said that you have it pretty bad for this girl."
"We are good friends; I wanna see where it can go."
"Where are you taking her?"
"She is grounded, so we are staying at her place. Her dad works late so I am sneaking in and cooking her dinner." I lied smoothly; this guy was too interested in my dinner plans.
"So, is Riley no longer in town or what?" I changed the subject quickly and began moving around using my body language to tell him it was time for him to go.
"I am actually not sure where he is. I will see him in a couple days." He said and just stared at me, like he was trying to read me. The moment went a little too long and I decided to just end this awkward conversation.
"Did you get everything you needed?"
"Yes, thanks again."
He grabbed a couple boxes and I escorted him to the door. He waved and I mirrored it, feeling a slight desperation to get him out of my house. Once he cleared the door frame I shut it and felt the need to lock it. I scanned my living room and everything was where I left it the night before.
No more than twenty minutes later my phone buzzed; it was a text message from Riley.
Thanks for my stuff. Good Luck with Jail bait. Don't worry; I'll see you sooner than you think.
That was the last time I heard from Riley and the only time I had met Roderick. What I did notice about Roderick was that he was asking me questions that could potentially lead him to Bella. He was frustrated by what I wasn't telling him, like Edward sometimes got… it clicked in my head; he could read my thoughts!
***
The next few seconds slowed dramatically and I watched as Roderick used his gift against us. The second Riley's name left the tall vampire's lips Edward's reaction caught my attention. He tensed immediately and looked to Emmett who was not his usual cheerful self. I am not sure what they were thinking, but what I was sure of was the fact that Roderick knew. Just like Edward knew what the rest of us were thinking, he was reading every thought in the room. I instantly moved closer to Bella and felt the edge of her shield cover me. I grabbed her hand and in our way told her.
Shield all of us, he's a telepath.
My warning and her action came too late; Edward and Emmett's thoughts angered Roderick.
"You!" The composed presence that followed Roderick was gone in an instant and his newborn rage flowed from him as he turned to face my growling brothers. "You killed my brother!" he was seething and the three with him were immediately mirroring his rage.
"Roderick, please chill out for a sec." I said trying to get his attention. He turned on me and advanced, "You were his friend!"
"I am his friend, I had no idea…" I wasn't sure how to react, Riley was my friend. Ed and Em are my brothers. Bella could sense my hesitancy…
~ They are not much older than we are; this is not going to end well. I have to do something.
… and she did what she does best, she slipped away from me and put herself in front of Roderick before he got himself killed.
"Move out of my way Jailbait, I swear I have no issue going through you." He said using Riley's nickname for Bella. She grabbed his chin and made him lock eyes with her.
"Without your gift you will be immobilized before you understand what has happened. And I promise that if you so much as mess my hair, you will be dead even quicker."
Her tone was not threatening; it was protective and a warning. He stared at Edward and then he analyzed her expression, she was dead serious. His eyes darted around the room before he decided to back away slowly towards his coven.
"Jazz, a little help here!" Bella hissed and the room's mood lightened almost immediately.
Bella used her body as a way to shield Rod from our family. She crossed the tense living room and stood in front of the four nomads, whose bodies were readying to spring.
"Bella!" Edward growled, but she just put up her hand as if it possessed the ability to hold all of us at bay. Eventually, my brothers relaxed their stance enough that Bella felt comfortable letting go of Roderick's gaze.
"Marcus did not exaggerate." The youngest of the newborn coven said.
"About what?" I asked.
"Your gifts…"
"Why were you sent here?" Bella demanded cutting off the little one. "And don't you dare lie to me; we have a telepath and polygraph in the room." She did not take her eyes off them, her icy tone made her intimidating and strong.
There was a brief look of fear in their eyes and then Edward decided to announce Rod's thoughts, "Marcus wants you and Tristan to be his second in command. In the same way that Jane and Demetri were for Aro."
Bella acted as though Roderick were the one to answer her, "What else did you hear?"
"Not much that I understood. He has a book that he knows Tristan wants…"
"Did he verbally confirm any of this?"
"No, he just told us that he wanted us to invite you for St. Marcus' festival. He was intrigued that we knew each other. He also instructed me to address you as Princess."
"I think you should leave." Bella said in a voice that made her sound as though her thoughts were far from her. I felt Jasper relax at Bella's suggestion and that is when time slowed down again.
"NO! They killed Riley!" Roderick's calm demeanor was gone and Emmett didn't wait for him to lose it he just attacked. I watched as Bella was grabbed out of the way and restrained by Edward. I tackled Emmett, but the newborns broke free and it became a brawl. Roderick and Emmett were snapping their teeth and I decided to take control. I helped Jasper and Alice restrain the coven while Emmett and Roderick circled in the middle of the room.
I could feel Bella's eyes on me as she decided what to do about Em and Edward taking control of the situation. She slipped out of Edward's hold and pushed him clear across the room. I yelled. "Bella, get Emmett out of here!" She grabbed the bear from behind and tried to drag him outside. Emmett was strong, much stronger than any of us individually so Alice and Esme helped her while Edward and Jasper helped me restrain the newborns. I was barking out orders and we worked together to get things under control.
Once Emmett was safely outside Bella re-entered and she pointed to Jasper who immediately grabbed Roderick. Bella was furious at the outburst and clearly she was holding Roderick accountable. "Did Marcus explain the hierarchy to you?"
"Of course Princess."
"Good, I assume you will respect my request then. I would prefer it if you would leave my family intact."
"The punishment is death, an eye for an eye." Roderick said slowly and Jasper tightened his hold.
"I understand, but Emmett does not wander the woods in hopes of spontaneous homicide. I am sure when I explain to Marcus that my most valued protector was killed because of erroneous charges that he will look to correct the problem. I am not sure you want to be the one he finds in that case. Do you?" Her eyes were smiling, but the rest of her features were the calm and stoic.
"No Princess, I would hate for that to be the case." Roderick said embarrassed that this little girl was keeping him from avenging his brother. His eyes fixed on mine and he tried to appeal to my guilt "Tristan, they killed our maker, the same night you and your mate were born. You should be on our side!"
"On your side? You were hunting me and Bella before we were changed. You came to my apartment to glean information from me. Why should I stop my twin from ripping you limb from limb?"
His eyes searched the room and fell on Edward, "That one is in love with your mate; he hates you and wants you out of the picture! Join us!" He pleaded with me, but I just shook my head. Roderick's head slumped in defeat and Jasper slowly loosened his fingers.
"You need to leave, take your life and consider it even. Four lives in exchange for Riley's life." I said and left the room to find Emmett. Jasper and Edward were told to go with me while Bella sat with the newly calmed newborns.
We stepped into the fresh air and found Emmett on his back with Alice and Esme perched on his chest. I was a little disappointed to see that they were laughing. Not taking the situation seriously at all, but then again, Emmett has that effect on people. He can make light of almost any situation.
"What the F*ck Em! We had this under control, why'd you fly off the handle like that!" I meant for it to sound strong, but my voice leaked my frustration.
"Like what? They were threatening me!" He said lightly; as if I accused him of eating the last pop-tart. Jasper and Edward just stifled a laugh at my lack of effect on their satisfied brother. I just shook my head and decided to go back and check on Bella. My anger was manageable, but my control was not as perfect as it could be.
"Jazz, you got him?" I said ignoring the smile that spread along Emmett's proud mouth.
"Sure, you should check on Bella, her nerves are shot to hell." Jasper said in a low tone and then shot Edward a guilty look. No matter how conscious they were of Bella and Edward's relationship I was still the one that each of them turned to if Bella was upset, which of course got on Edward's last nerve.
Edward just sat on the ground staring at the window into the living room as Esme and Alice looked at Emmett's unrepentant expression disapprovingly. I couldn't think of anything to say to my family at the moment.
I shook my head and walked at human speed back into the house and towards the nervous energy. The living room had calmed down significantly; it even looked as if Bella made them set the furniture back to rights. Not wanting to talk in front of the coven I hugged Bella.
On the outside she seemed confident and calm, but the second I touched her I could feel all the fear and anger that was swirling around inside her.
Are you okay?
~ Woo- Sah….
I would say deep breath, but that doesn't work so well anymore.
"They've agreed to leave." She announced in her newly discovered authoritative voice. "I am going to escort them to the property line."
"I'll come with you." I said and Roderick motioned for the injured members of his coven to follow him to the front door. We did not exchange any pleasantries; they followed us and disappeared into the woods. Once they were miles away my mood lightened significantly, but Bella's mood shifted for the worse. She spun on her heel and ran at full speed towards the house.
"Emmett!" She yelled and ran straight for him; I grabbed Bella's waist and stopped her from slamming into Emmett's body. In life Bella was one of the calmest people I knew, even now with the streamline features and sharp teeth I couldn't see the lion, and I just saw the tiny kitten.
"Calm down, kitten."
"Let me go!" She cried, but I knew she wouldn't fight me. "Emmett!" She yelled as I threw her over my shoulder. This was one of the few times her anger had gotten out of control and I couldn't help but laugh as I watched Edward's usually cool calm and collected demeanor change as I threw Bella over my shoulder while she threw a tantrum.
"Edward, I told you, you need to learn how to control your woman." I was laughing as she struggled to break free of my iron hold on her. I began walking towards the backyard and Edward followed us.
"Put her down Tristan." He said in a calm manner.
"Yes Tristan, put me the hell down!" Bella mimicked in a less than calm manner.
"Calm down first princess." I said over my shoulder and turned to Edward, "Um, Edward I suggest you hide your brother. Bella is a little, irrational, at the moment and she may actually hurt him for what he did in there."
"Emmett was justified, they are in our territory."
"Yes, but you forget that you two killed his brother."
"When we ran across him in the woods he was thinking about killing Bella; to impress his girlfriend Victoria. You remember Victoria don't you?" He said like a petulant child.
"Okay, but let's pretend that those guys killed Jasper after he went after their human. What would you do?" I waited, but no smart retort came from Edward. Bella stopped kicking and wiggling, "Are you going to behave kiddo?" I called over my shoulder.
"Yes, please set me down." She said in her silky vampire voice.
I set her down and took her cheeks in my hands to see if she intended to behave.
"I wasn't going to hurt Emmett. I might have smacked his arm and scolded him, but not hurt him." She said sounding like a little girl.
"I know kid, but your temper got away from you and I wasn't sure if you might regret smacking him, he is a bit of a marshmallow comparatively." I brushed her hair from her face as I released her. She gave me a forced smile that went nowhere near her eyes.
"Thanks." She mumbled and straightened her clothes. Edward was still fuming a few feet from us.
"Why did you get so angry?" He snapped as he asked the question.
"I don't see the point of violence when we can talk our way out of it. They aren't human, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't be murder." Bella said this like she was lecturing a child. She was staring in the direction of the house and searching for Emmett.
"It would be self-defense." Edward said between gritted teeth.
"No, it would be unfair and wrong. They are so much younger than you guys and they don't have nearly as much control. You could have helped your brothers restrain them."
"Yes, well now that you have so graciously let them go, what will keep them from coming back?"
"They won't be back. I'll tell Marcus that they can't have Emmett." She said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"What makes you think he will listen? He just wants to get you to Volterra."
"You think we don't already know that?" I snapped, I had just calmed her down and he was going to derail her again.
"Back down Tristan. I am talking to Bella." His words were harmless enough, but his body language was issuing a challenge. He didn't fully understand me, the fighting experience I had coupled with the things I knew about him would even this brawl out tremendously. I shook my head in an attempt to keep my fist from flying at his perfect face.
"Man, I really wouldn't step to me like that. I might take it as a threat and I am not sure I can control my temper." I said moving closer infinitesimally. Edward's eyes should have been a blaze, his intensity and anger was flowing from them in waves and Bella was beginning to get anxious.
"I will go to Volterra if it will stop Emmett from being judged because of something he did for me." Bella was trying to get the conversation back on track, but I am not one to back down from a fight; ever. It seems that Edward was just as stubborn.
Bella moved quickly between us and took Edward's face in her delicate hands. She lifted up on her tip toes and kissed him. After the initial shock he returned the kiss and she pulled away.
"I'm sorry I lost my temper, I just hate to think of you fighting. Especially ones so young, it would have been tragic." She said all this in a soothing, almost mothering voice. It was the same smooth cadence she used on me when I was being unreasonable. Most importantly she was ignoring the tension between Edward and me. That is how she handled it, never showing preference to either side. She would just stay neutral and impartial as possible. It drove me crazy and I am sure it hurt Edward's feelings, but that was Bella. Infuriatingly fair to the core.
Over the next few months we had a lot of visitors like Roderick. Each of them carrying a letter from Marcus and drawing more and more attention to us. Not everyone who came to visit was as discrete in their hunting activities and Bella and I were devising a plan to get to Italy without the Cullen entourage in tow.
Carlisle and the rest of the family, kind of put the two of us on lock down. They voted and it was unanimous (well, besides me and Bella) that we stay away from Volterra. We only had a couple more years before we relocated and they decided if any more guests came we would just move again. Disappear without a trace.
Edward was the most adamant about the whole situation which did not improve our relationship at all. After the initial Roderick visit he was more territorial about Bella and he treated me as if I were a bad influence. Which I found ridiculous, no one could influence Bella to do anything she didn't want to do. Of course most of the world was oblivious to this tension because in any public situation Edward was the picture of patience and Mr. Manners. I of course saw the intentions behind every question and change of inflection or tone. You would think that with that knowledge I would have been able to anticipate what happened next…
(A/N: i have kind of lost steam writing this story. I will continue to submit chapters, but not on a weekly basis. Sorry for the delay... )