Chapter 23: Adjusting Perceptions
Sometimes, I write myself into a corner. Sorry for the terrible delay. Some of you have poked me so charmingly that I can only say 'thank you' for your loyalty. It was impossible to post for a while without giving away pivotal information. But now that Leah and Ivo have caught up with us, you'll see lots of chapters pairing the two stories. This chapter corresponds to 'Heaven Help My Heart', Chapters 17 to 20.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is merely coincidental. Opinions expressed are those of the characters, and may not reflect those of the author. Ivo, Camilla Sala, Theo, Ethan, Lottie and Tina belong to me. And Edward. Don't even think about touching them. He's a powerful Dom, you know.
Please go to my channel, youtubedotcom/jmollytwilight2, and pick the LAF Playlist to hear great music that I guarantee will enhance your reading. This chapter's selections begin at #11:
'Time of Dying', by Three Days Grace
'Saviour', by Rise Against
'(Lord of the Rings, Return of the King) Track 17: The Return of the King', by Hans Zimmer
Thursday, February 22, 2014, 7pm:
Angela's pov:
"There's something odd," Alice asserted fretfully. Everyone set aside their work and watched her, but then, she visibly relaxed.
"What is it, Titch?" Edward asked, his brow creasing, and then his face turned smooth. "Leah."
"She's been... contaminated," Alice said gruffly. "Just like Jake, in all probability."
"I object to the word 'contaminated'," Ren asserted, her nose in the air.
"Whatever. Infected," Alice shrugged.
"I thought you said they were going to be chaste," Esme questioned. Huh?
"I think they are. Hard to See," the little psychic said softly.
"She's not pregnant then?" Bella asked.
"I don't think so, but like I said, it's hard to See. She's feeling a little defensive of her privacy these days. Since she gave me permission to Look, I can follow her, but some of the details are pretty fuzzy."
The evening passed quietly. The vampires were concerned about Leah, but not speculating. Ben and I got the feeling they were waiting for the shoe to drop, but there was no news by the time we went to bed.
The next morning, when I made my way down to the Great Room, I was surprised to see a change in the usual population of the room. Some people were not adhering to their routine. The leaders of the family, for instance. "Hi," I said to the group at large.
"Hi, Angel," Bella smiled.
"You heard anything about Leah yet?" I wondered.
"Yes. Ivo phoned Edward at about two o'clock this morning. Leah has, indeed, been infected with venom. Apparently, they've been French kissing," Bella informed me, eyes rolling.
"Oh. Infected," I said lamely.
"Morons," Em grunted.
"Hey, she probably got the wrong idea from me and Ren," Jacob said, patting his baby on the bum. She burped loudly. "Lottie Black! You have terrible manners." He was obviously delighted. The baby squealed and smacked him in the face. He grasped her tiny fingers and kissed them.
"So what's that mean for Leah?" I wondered, eyes flickering from face to face. There were rather sarcastic smiles all around.
"She's just become a superior species," Jacob crowed.
"Humble much?" Bella muttered.
Jacob rolled his eyes. "She's gonna feel really crummy for a couple of days. And she won't be able to phase, and she'll lose some strength. But when the fever stops, and she gets her muscle back, she'll be able to do some cool stuff she couldn't before."
"How do you know?" I wondered.
" 'Cause I am one. A Stripe."
"A what?" I gawped, wincing.
"Stripe. Like me," Ren shrugged, rearranging Tina under a baby blanket as she nursed.
"What's a Stripe?" I wondered blankly. I've heard of Vampires, Kwali Ute, and Hybrids, but not Stripes.
"It's an affectionate nickname for Kwali-Hybrids, or the offspring of Vamp-Human mate pairs. We should, by all genetic standards, not exist. Our DNA shouldn't be compatible. We should be mules: genetically inferior beings. But we aren't. We're superior creatures."
"You're unbearably vain," Esme growled. "And you aren't a Stripe anymore, Renesmee. You're all vampire."
"Meh. I still claim fellowship with the Stripes," Ren said cockily. "Stripes are faster, leap farther, can survive on human food, have warmer bodies and beating hearts, although we're also venomous. We're fertile. We sleep-"
"You are unbearably vain. And you're not a Stripe," Esme insisted.
"Whatever, Gram-Gram. I gave you two very stripey babies to play with. Bite me," Ren teased.
"You are so much like your father," Esme moaned, shaking her head.
"Thank you," Ren beamed, cementing the resemblance, except for her Newborn-red eyes.
"So... a Stripe is the offspring of a Vampire and a Kwali?" I asked, needing clarification.
"The offspring of a Vampire and a Kwali Hybrid, or a Human-Vamp Hybrid and a Kwali, or a Human Hybrid and a Vampire. See, we used to just all fall under the label of Hybrids, but a Stripe can do things a Vampire or a Human Hybrid can't. Like eat and sleep. There are quite a lot of us now," Jacob told me.
"But in all cases, is the Kwali mate not a Stripe?" I frown.
"That's correct. Leah identified herself as a Stripe. If she continues to be able to eat and sleep, that is the proper designation for her. Seems silly in our melting pot culture to differentiate, but it helps medically to know what we're dealing with, if somebody gets sick. Hybrids are vulnerable to illness, and the germs can mutate and make other species sick. You should hear Edward rant about it. Bella gave him a cold once. It was hilarious. But Stripes aren't vulnerable to illness. Anyway, you'll be meeting a lot of different species at the wedding," Esme said, counting her knitting stitches again.
"Cool. So are Hybrids very different from Stripes and Vamps?" I wondered.
Bella tucked her feet up on the couch. "First generation Hybrids are usually Human girls impregnated by Vampires. I was one, of course. The first sign of genetic change is usually blackening of the eyes, followed by toughening of the skin. Then, the thirst for blood comes on, but Hybrids don't normally thirst specifically for human blood unless they are mated to a Trad, and are taught to drink it. Animal blood usually sates them. After ingesting animal blood, the Hybrid's eyes turn red, and probably thanks to the baby's venom increasingly circulating in the mother's system, she gains a lot of new abilities: leaping, climbing and running become enhanced, and eventually the mother loses the ability to eat human food, and it becomes harder to sleep. Although Hybrids are strong, they don't get as strong as their Vampire mates until they change into Vamps themselves. And Hybrids who become Vamps don't seem to have as many challenges taming blood lust as normal Newborns do."
"Amazing," I nodded. "Are there Hybrid-Kwali pairs?"
"Once, we found a pregnant girl and a Kwali imprinted on her," Jacob smirked.
"Who?" I asked, astounded.
"Colin and Elena."
"Is she from the Amazon?" I asked curiously. The best thing about this family is that they don't mind my nosiness.
"Nope, Peru," Jacob told me. "She was part of Zafrina's coven. They have a little sweetie now. She's two. They named her Guadalupe. It means 'Valley of the Wolves'. They've been living in the Amazon with Nahuel."
"What did Sam say?" I wondered. "He seemed pretty upset about Leah. I didn't think there had been any other Vampire-Kwali matches aside from you and Ren."
"Sam wasn't happy, precisely. But Colin has always been fond of the Cullens. I think Leah and Ivo were a bigger blow, both because Leah used to hate Vamps, and because she never imprinted on Sam. He probably wonders why Leah wasn't his match, and feels insecure. At any rate, it's been a week. He has to adjust, because they're obviously mates."
"Speaking of mates, Edward and Carlisle are conspicuous by their absence this morning. I don't think I've ever come down to breakfast in all the years I've known you, and not found them bickering over the newspaper." There were not a few chuckles over this, because I was totally right.
"Oh, they left in the night to go and help Leah and Ivo," Bella shrugged.
"Edward's calling in ten minutes," Alice supplied helpfully. Bella's lips turned up, and as usual, I admired their relationship. It didn't matter how long they had been together, they always reacted to each other like young people do in the early stages of love. The kind of relationship where one partner lights up when the phone rings. I wouldn't trade my humanity for that, but I have often found myself imitating their behaviour, which is part of why I think Ben and I have such a good marriage. The immortals in my life taught me never to take him for granted.
Sure enough, ten minutes later, Bella's phone vibrated. "Hiya Beautiful. How's tricks?" All the Veggies in the room snorted, and I wished once again that I had ears that powerful. "I suggest you save that thought. Your mother is listening."
Even I heard Edward say 'ew'. It set everyone to giggling.
"Yeah, I miss you, too, Mocha-chino. How's Leah?" Everyone listened, and then people started to drift back into their various activities. So, it must have been exactly as they expected. Bella and Edward talked for a while, and after a rather tender 'good-bye', Bella hung up the phone. "It's just as we expected," she informed me. "Leah and Ivo have been -I quote her- swapping spit. Leah is pretty weak right now, and she can't phase, but when she found out she was a Stripe, the first thing she did was worry that she might miss Ivo's book signing today."
"Hah!" Jacob barked, eyes rolling.
The front door opened, admitting a blast of cold air, and Sam and his Pack came in, clad only in their black shorts. His Pack was bigger this morning. More members had arrived for the wedding. The younger ones laughed, shoving each other, and I smiled at them. Sam and Paul crossed the floor to join us. Most of the other pack mates hurried to the kitchen, or stomped up the stairs.
"Bella," Sam acknowledged.
"Hi Sam. Good run?" Bella asked gently.
"Yeah. It's nicer out today." That meant it must not be blizzarding, or slushing. I looked out the far windows flanking the piano. The sun had to be out. The sky was blue. "Any word about Leah?" Sam asked solemnly.
Bella smiled. "We just heard from Edward. Your timing is great. Yeah, Edward and Carlisle are thoroughly convinced that she's now a Stripe, like Jacob and Colin."
Sam grimaced, obviously worried, but resigned. "Is she alright?"
"She appears to be coping beautifully," Esme said happily.
"She loves him, Sam," Jacob told him earnestly.
"But how can she? Their values are fundamentally different," Sam fretted.
"I don't think they're as different as it seemed at first," Bella informed him. "Edward said Ivo is a lovely guy, and you know how cautious he is about Trads. Ivo doesn't kill humans, apparently. He actually lives amongst them and has human friends. Edward is very impressed with him."
"Well," Sam said slowly, "that's encouraging."
"Yes. You know Edward will teach him, Sam," Bella reassured him. "He would never let any harm come to Leah. He's very fond of her. I mean, she's one of the few people on the planet that he's nicknamed, and she actually has two nicknames, not one. That makes her pretty important. I only have two, myself."
He calls Bella 'Minx', and 'Love'. Amongst humans, nicknames tend to change over time, but our vampire-given ones never get stale. He's been calling me his 'Little Angel' for ... over eight years. Wow. He calls Leah 'Fluffy' most of the time, and he calls her 'Smurfette' when he's being sarcastic, or when he wants to remind her she's unique and indispensable. He calls Alice 'Titch' because she's little, and when he's mad at her, he calls her 'The Pixie'; and he calls Rosalie 'Blondie' for obvious reasons. I know he calls Kaure Silva Pereira his 'Little Birdie'. I'm not sure there's anybody else on the planet that has one. Once, I heard him mention a 'Merrytwinkle', but I've never met her.
"Bella, I know this is totally random, but who is Merrytwinkle?" I asked hesitantly. The Cullen females sighed, looking fond.
"Ah, that was my sister, Cynthia," Alice said, shaking her head. "She passed away in 2009 at the age of 101."
I was astounded. "Was she a vampire?" Everyone laughed a little.
"No, she was like you," Alice said with a teasing glint in her eye. "Except she'd have chosen to be one of us, if her Albion had not been killed in 1921."
"Her Albion?" I asked, hoping for a story.
"Yes. He was an old vampire. He saved me from the sanitarium. That's how he met Cynthia. She was only fifteen, and he said he'd come back for her when she was ready for a suitor, but then, he died."
"Oh, that's so sad," I lamented.
"Well, in one way it was. Cynthia missed him, but they never firmly established their mate bond, so she didn't pine. She eventually married Bertram, and they had lots of kids. She was always thankful for her blessings. And thanks to Apple, we discovered that Albion was her Guardian Angel, and when Cynthia passed, Edward said Albion took her away."
"He did?" I said, imagining how it must have been, with Edward Hearing her final thoughts, and I thought I knew what the vampires at her bedside must have thought. It must have been confirmation for them, that their own souls were not lost, just because they were vampires. Lucky that Alice and Jasper's great-something-niece could See people's Guardians. My own is my grandfather Weber, according to Apple, and Edward confirmed it. I thought about having a Guardian escort me to Heaven, and how happy Cynthia must have been to see Albion again. "That seems very romantic."
"Oh, it was. We were all so excited. So, even though we all miss her, we know they're together now in Heaven, and it's a great comfort," Alice smiled. "We'll have to mention her to Edward. He's a big sap that way, you know. Loves to reminisce."
"I know," I declared fondly. "Are all vampires like that?"
"I suppose most of us have things from the past that we want to keep fresh, or wish that the world still ... was like," Esme declared. "The music was better in my day, for instance."
"But the movies are better now," Ren asserted, looking narrowly at her grandmother. "3-D is so much better than Black and White."This ignited a whole lot of scoffing from Bella and Esme.
Sam sighed and turned toward the kitchen. "I hope he's good to her. If he isn't, he'll have me to answer to." The group fell into an uncomfortable silence. I noticed Jacob gave Sam a very strange look.
"She's not your responsibility, Sam," he told the other Alpha. "She's mine."
Sam sighed, looking displeased and impatient. "I know she's had a lot of miserable years, Jake. And I know I ruined her life, or at least many years of it. I spoke out of turn when I said she was a freak and she and Ivo ought to die. I'll give him a chance, okay, out of respect for our coven, here. I want a good life for her, and I want her to be happy. But I also don't want her hurt, or led astray. If he doesn't treat her properly, or he teaches her bad things, he's going to have to answer to me. I've done her enough harm. I'm counting on all of you to make sure she's properly protected."
"She will be, Sam. I promise," Bella said softly.
"I think you're worrying too much," Jacob told him gently. "We'll all be helping them, Sam. We won't let them fail."
"Everyone fails, Jacob. That's life," Sam muttered.
"It's what you learn from your failures that counts," Esme declared gently. Sam nodded gruffly, acquiescing.
"Thanks for not kicking me out, after I lost my temper," he said softly.
"Love isn't love if you hold grudges," Esme responded, wise as always.
"If we give Ivo a lot of unconditional love, he's going to respond beautifully," Alice grinned. "He's so nice."
"He's adorable," Bella declared.
"I dunno, I think he's a little nerdy," Jacob winced.
"Adorkable," Ren said, looking at her mate teasingly.
"He's talented, rich, nice looking, and gentlemanly," Esme said, peering over her knitting.
"Too bad he's so short," Paul grinned.
"Play nice, Paul. It sounds to me like he merits our respect," Jake declared.
"Sure, sure," Paul said, eyes rolling. "Any muffins left, Esme?"
"Your Pack just passed through the kitchen," she smirked. Paul's face fell. "Go, see. If there aren't any left, then look in the freezer. There are a lot more in there. You may get out a couple of dozen. I'll have to make and freeze more for the guests anyway."
"Thanks, Esme," Paul beamed, practically skipping to the kitchen.
The clicking of high heels sounded on the great stair to my right, and Aro's very human event coordinator, Camilla Sala, came swiftly down in her stunning black and red designer suit.
"Buon giorno, buon giorno," she enthused, replete with energy for the day. She sat gracefully on the couch, next to me, and carefully set down an overnight bag on the floor at her feet."Alicia? The men should arrive at any time with the equipment and furniture."
"Yay!" Alice clapped. She was enjoying her new job as assistant to the glamourous lady, who had been planning events for the Italian elite for fifteen years, and had her own plans for the future. Her future. As a vampire. Aro had been after her to join his coven, but Camilla wasn't going to convert until she had milked every possible ounce of money and celebrity out of the rich and famous humans to whom she catered. She was in her prime, at forty-six, and said she might consider changing before the age of fifty, to preserve her handsome looks.
Alice and Esme had decided to hire her, to take the stress off themselves. Leah's wedding was to be a big event, and the Cullens had never arranged to entertain so many guests at once. Not only were multiple species to attend, with various dietary and sleep requirements, but the lodge was isolated, meaning supplies were hard to come by. Aro was delighted to loan out his trusted pet, and Camilla was delighted with the challenge.
Bella told me in confidence that the biggest challenge regarding the wedding would be keeping the peace. She was more worried about Sam's Pack then she was about the handful of Trads whom Alice had Seen attending. Alice said the chances of the party turning into a wild ride were slim to none, however.
"Where are the rest of the gentlemen this morning?" Camilla asked sweetly. "We need to accomplish their final fittings for the Rehearsal costumes, yes?"
"I'm sure we can round them up. Jasper, do you know where Emmett is?" Esme asked.
"He was out, uh, in the garage with Rosalie earlier," Jazz winked.
"Splendid. I have the box of confections here," Camilla declared, indicating her bag. "Are there some among you who would not mind, this beautiful morning, helping to wrap them?"
"Uh, I am previously engaged," Jasper said, bowing slightly. "I must round up the male attendants. Do excuse me, ladies and gentlemen."
Jacob stood up, and handed Lottie to Esme. "What he said." He scooted off after Jasper, leaving us gawping after them.
"They spruced off again," Alice said almost-admiringly.
"Men," Renesmee said, shaking her head.
"Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em, better keep their hands busy," Alice sang.
"Oh, they will be busy alright," Camilla grinned, pulling pink chiffon circles out of her bag and casting them all over the coffee table. "They shall be assembling the tables and chairs as soon as the truck arrives."
Sunday, February 25th, 2014, circa 1 am:
There was a commotion in the Great Room, loud enough that it brought people running. Alice and Jasper were having a frantic discussion, and Bella, Emmett and Esme were asking questions. By the time Ben and I crept downstairs to see what all the fuss was about, Seth, the Cullens, the Hales, the Uleys and Blacks were all present. Alice was pacing with a phone to her ear, looking terrified. Finally, she froze. "Edward! Le-" She stopped and listened, looking devastated.
"What's going on?" Sam barked, and the vampires shushed him. The family watched on tenderhooks as Alice spoke to Edward at vampire pitch. I could barely see her lips move, never mind follow it, but everyone looked so upset with their black eyes, that I knew the news had to be awful. Reluctantly, she turned off the phone and faced everyone.
"Damnation!" Jasper cursed softly, starting to pace.
"Should we go?" Esme asked anxiously.
"Where are we supposed to go?" Jasper said, scuffing a Converse-clad foot on the rug. "This stalker teleported Leah right out of an elevator with three male vampires on board. Edward couldn't get anything off her. They could be anywhere." He gnawed his lips in frustration.
A few minutes later, Alice's eyes turned black. "Ivo is going after her. It could turn nasty."
"Stalker?" Sam frowned, trying to keep up.
Bella enlightened all of us. "Ivo has a female stalker. She's human, but exceedingly dangerous. Edward thinks she's talented, like I was. She can teleport in the blink of an eye. Edward thinks her gift is manifesting very powerfully."
Sam's eyes narrowed. "Super. We're going to Toronto. Maybe we can pick up Leah's scent."
"Hold up, Sam. It's wasted effort. If you wait until we hear from them, we'll know where to direct a rescue effort. She could be anywhere," Jacob suggested. Sam didn't like it, but he accepted Jacob's advice.
We waited and waited, but there was no news. Alice declared that Leah was tied up somewhere dark, and that she had decided to escape. However, there was nothing to tell Edward except that she was still alive. I rested my head on Ben's shoulder, exhausted. Alice ironed her forehead, pushing away a headache that had been born in her fruitless effort to See. Emily sat silently, with tears running down her cheeks. Jasper paced like a caged lion, and Emmett stood looking out the back window at the moon, while Esme sat with her arm around Rose, who looked stricken.
Edward phoned again a couple of hours after his first call, probably just to commiserate and to give him something to do. He said that Ivo had gone outside his building, pretending to want the attention of his stalker, and that she had shown up after he had shouted, "My love, where are you?" and been all gooey with him, to his revulsion. Then, she had embraced him, and both of them had simply winked out of existence. Edward had expected to hear from Ivo pretty much immediately, because he had given him his cell phone. But time was going on, and there was still no word. And Alice couldn't See anything.
"If she could only phase, we could find her through the pack mind," Seth lamented.
"Obviously she still can't, or we'd have heard from her by now," Jasper growled.
At ten to four in the morning, Edward called again, to ask if Alice could get a glimmer of anything, anything at all. She couldn't. She said it was like Leah and Ivo had both simply ceased to exist. She had a feeling that Leah was alive, but there was no way to prove it. I found myself drowsing despite my fretfulness. As time passed, the vampires became increasingly still, the Kwali Ute increasingly restless.
"Can't we do anything, Jasper?" Jacob blurted out at last. Jasper sighed, and shook his head sorrowfully.
"Pray," Esme murmured.
Emmett cleared his throat. "Dear God, we humbly ask for Your help and protection for our dear kinswoman, Leah, who was snatched from us this night, and for her mate, Ivo, who is also missing. Please keep them safe and let them return to us very soon. Please God send news, so that we may be comforted. Comfort Leah and Ivo now, wherever they are. Give us strength, and let us be patient. As always, we wish to serve. Please let us serve, God. We're not really good at sitting with nothing to do. You have infinite power. We ask Your intercession in the name of Jesus. Amen."
"Amen," most of us said quietly. Rose, however, burst into tears.
"What if they're dead? What if she killed them, and we never even find out where they are?" she sobbed.
"Honey, I wish you would have hope," Emmett said, enfolding her in his bearlike embrace. "It's too early to be putting our Smurfette in the ground."
"It's too hard sitting here, with nothing to do," she cried.
Jasper's lips thinned. "Rose is right. Sitting here, watching each other stew, i'n't gonna solve a thing. We should be resting. We should all go to our lairs and those who can sleep should try to get some. Then, if there's a rescue mission to mount, we'll be strong and ready to act."
We were all drifting unhappily up the stairs when Alice shrieked, startling everyone. "She's coming home! She phased, and she's coming home. She's not happy, but she's alright, and she's going to get here in the late afternoon."
"Thank God!" Esme said loudly.
"Let's get our boys," Jacob ordered, beaming at Sam and Seth. Within a short time, all the Kwali were congregated in the Great Room, and soon after that, they were bounding out into the snow, toward the south.
"We should thank God, don't you think?" I smiled, looking at Rosalie. She gave me a filthy look.
"God doesn't exist. You're deluding yourselves." I saw Emmett droop, but he didn't let her see. Rose turned to him, lip quivering. "Em? I want William. After we see Leah, can we go home?"
Emmett ran his hand through his hair. "Uh, Hon'? He's going to be here tomorrow. There's no point in us running for him. We'd cross him on the way in all likelihood. We can phone him this morning, though, okay Mama?"
Rose pressed a hand to her forehead. "Okay, Big Bear. You're right. I just miss him so much."
"Me too, Baby. Me too." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
Jasper sighed, sounding relieved. "God? Thank You for helping. Please return Leah to us safe and sound, and let us find out quickly what's happened to Ivo."
And all the Christians said 'amen'.
"Where is Ivo?" Bella asked Alice, looking dreadful.
"I don't know," Alice said sorrowfully. "I can't See him at all. The stalker's thoughts are too random. I can't read her. And I have been able to read Ivo quite easily, but now I can't. He's not with Leah. He's either dead or he's stopped making decisions. You know what it reminds me of? Edward, after he left you. He stopped participating in life, and I stopped being able to See. It got so bad, that I couldn't tell if he was dead or alive. It was awful."
Jasper put his arm around his wife. "C'mon Jelli. Time to rest. Perhaps we'll find out what happened, from Leah, this afternoon."
"Okay, Jazzy," Alice said. "Just let me phone Edward and tell him the news. At least he'll feel better about Leah."
"Okay, Jelli. You just do that."
"Come on, Ang. We need to sleep," Ben directed me, taking my elbow. Wearily, we trudged upstairs to bed.
Sunday, February 25th, 2014, 4:45 pm:
At last, the front door slammed open, and Leah ran through it, looking harrassed. Sam hovered over her, badgering her for information. She ignored him, heading straight upstairs to her room. The Kwali Warriors barged inside, brushing snow off their bare heads and chests. Sam turned angrily to Jacob.
"You have no right to keep it from me," he snarled. Uh-oh. He was working himself into a tantrum again.
"Sam. You are upsetting Leah," Jacob told him firmly.
"He hurt her. I knew he would. Embry said he was all over his victim like a cur in heat, and then he drank her blood. I told you he was bad news. He's a Trad. They're addicts. Creatures of habit. She's better off alone. Brave, brave Leah! She was so strong to leave him like that. She's better off without that depraved tick. I knew he couldn't be good enough for her. She deserves-"
"Sam!" Jacob snapped, nipping Sam's tirade in the bud. "She imprinted on him. No matter what happens, this is going to be really hard on her. Now, it's time to stop ranting, and let her unwind so we can get her to talk to us. I hate to break it to you, but you're not her favourite person, so kindly settle down and let us help her deal."
Sam just kept talking. "Aw, it must be awful for her, going against her bond to leave him. Leah is such a fine person. Imagine having the strength to confront that devious-"
"Sam! Enough!" Jacob said firmly.
"But I only want what's best for her," he protested hotly. "I know I can help her, but she needs to talk."
"Sam! I forbid you to ask her anything. You're too biased. Furthermore, Leah is my Beta, not yours. It is not your place to be getting involved."
"Just because Renesmee is nice doesn't mean you can apply that to Ivo," Sam said hotly. "He's obviously a nasty-"
Jacob was definitely annoyed. "Sam, do I have to forbid you to talk? Listen to Leah: she's crying her heart out. Not only is she devastated about whatever has happened between her and her mate, she's probably humiliated, too. Now drop it."
"But," Sam protested.
"Sam, you're showing entirely too much interest. She's your ex-girlfriend, and she doesn't like you. Now butt out, and let Jacob handle it," Emily snapped.
Sam looked cowed. "I only want to protect her, Emily."
"Then be quiet. You don't protect someone's heart by criticizing the man she's in love with," Emily said firmly.
Sam crossed his arms. "He's hardly a man, Em."
"I can't believe you said that!" she snapped, then softened. "You can't help who you love, Sam. You ought to know that better than anybody. Now, let Jacob and her pack mates handle this. She hates us. There's nothing we can do, except respect her privacy."
Sam deflated. "Okay, Emmy. I know. I'm really sorry for how badly I treated her. I just want to make it up to her."
"Then don't interfere. Let her make her own choices," Emily directed, still irritated. She composed herself and peeked up at him. "I'd like you to help out with Alex for a while. He's been asking for your attention."
"Okay."
"He would love for you to tell him a story," she said wistfully. "Claire, too."
"That sounds nice," Sam agreed. "Okay, Emmy."
"Thanks, Sam."
"You're not mad at me, are you?" he asked softly. She lifted a shoulder.
"Just ... I'm hoping she'll forgive me now. We used to be best friends, Sam. I'd really like for her not to be angry at me any more."
Sam wilted. "I guess we'll have to ... work on that." I knew he would do anything for Emily. "She's not going to care about anything right now, though, Emmy, if she can't be with her Imprint."
"I know, Sam. I know."
Tuesday, February 27th, 2014, circa 9am:
Bella did the vampire equivalent of trudging down the stairs, and sank onto the sofa, pinching her nose with a sigh.
"You ever notice how married people start to look alike?" I teased. She snorted.
"Very funny. If you were trying to figure her out, you'd have a headache, too," she told me.
"I get them all the time," Ben said with mock sadness.
"Brat," I said, handing Ethan the teddy bear that Rosalie had given him. He squealed and toddled off with it. Theo chased after him, saying 'bay bay bay'. I turned my attention back to Bella. Tina crawled out from behind the couch, and hauled herself up Bella's ankles. She squeaked an earsplitting squeak, and Bella winced. Vampire babies could be highly disconcerting. They started crawling within a couple of days of birth, and it didn't take them too long to figure out how to stand up, either, although they could fall with a flump on their diapered bottoms just as easily as any other baby.
Bella picked her up, and ruffled up her spiky hair. "I don't know how these kids ended up looking like Alice."
"Alice looks so different with long hair," I mused, shaking my head.
"You think she looks different, you should have seen Jasper the year he dyed it black."
"Jasper dyed his hair black? That's a sin," I moaned.
"I know, right?" Bella said, her mouth turning up wryly. "He lost a bet to Emmett. Emmett was just glad he won, because if he'd lost, he'd have had to shave his head."
"Eesh. They like to bet, don't they?" I grimaced. "Remember when Eric lost that bet, and he had to sing 'Three Little Maids' in the Washington State talent show?"
"A day to remember," Bella said, smiling. "I'm so glad Tanya got that on camera."
"One of the few things Tanya has put on camera, that anybody's safe to watch."
The phone rang. "I'll get it," Bella called, flitting over at vamp speed to get it. She stood beside the multi-line phone with Tina tucked under her arm, limbs dangling. The baby squealed again with glee. "Hi, Love. You do? ... She misses him terribly. Yep... Yep. She says she doesn't want to see him. I think she's afraid someone might hurt him. So do you know what happened?"
Alice came tearing into the room. "You can't ask him, Bella. It changes the odds to Ivo's detriment."
Bella sighed into the phone. "She's not going to be happy... Okay... Okay. How are you?" There was a very long pause. "Oh, you brat. Well, it had to be done, right?... You will?" she asked, brightening. "Thank God! I'll tell Esme. Yeah, I'm counting the minutes," she grinned. "Hurry. Yes, I love you too. I will. Bye." She put the phone back on its cradle, starry-eyed.
"Edward, I presume," I teased.
She nodded, jumped up, and skipped to the middle of the Great Room floor. "Esme?" she sang, and it echoed in the rafters. The matriarch came out onto a second floor balcony, brushing her hair.
"Yes, darling?"
"They've got Ivo." A bunch of other vampires came out of the woodwork. Bella smiled up at them, her eyes molten gold. "He's safe. He's not in good shape, though. Carlisle thinks he probably got into a sorry state quickly, because he changed to our diet so recently. He's not used to being less than fully sated. He's pretty dehydrated, and very depressed. When they first picked him up, he was practically catatonic, but they've stopped to hunt twice, and he's tons better."
"When did they find him?" Jasper wanted to know.
"About five o'clock this morning. The stalker had transported him and Leah to Exeter. Edward says they should be home by suppertime."
"They're coming home?" Esme beamed.
"Yes!" Bella grinned.
"Be a relief," Jasper said. "She's getting worse."
"Yeah," Bella agreed. "She's stopped eating again. We might need you to settle them down enough to talk, Jazz."
"I'll be there for the General, Bee. You know that. I think I'm gonna like this fellow, anyway. Sounds like he's really into history. We'll have lots to jaw about, I bet."
"Thanks, Jazzy."
"Any time, Bee."
Tuesday February 27th, circa 4:45pm:
It was already dark. The fire burned cheerfully in the enormous stone fireplace. Sam's pack sat on the floor in front of it, playing board games. The older men watched hockey on the big screen. Claire was at the piano, practising her Hanons. All of the children seemed to be running or crawling in and out and between everybody else. It was kind of chaotic, and at the same time, peaceful. The smell of savoury chile con carne and garlic bread drifted out of the kitchen, making my mouth water. The Kwali had taken some of us outside for a ride through the still woods, and despite a large afternoon snack, I was starving. It must have raised my metabolism.
Em and Rosalie had their adorable little boy between them, reading him picture books. They looked so happy, which was normal for Emmett, but not how I was used to seeing Rose. Little William was too cute: sandy-haired, and round-faced, with astonishingly blue eyes. He turned them curiously up at his parents, asking questions in two languages: English, and Brazilian Portuguese. He had tried to converse with Ben earlier, and plainly we were no good at deciphering his accent. I could barely understand a word he said. Whenever Ben had said, 'pardon?', the child had switched to Spanish. Even if he were human, he was going to be a typical Cullen wunderkind.
I had also asked his middle name. Rosalie told me regretfully that it was another secret. The child's middle name matched his birth father's, and it was highly distinctive. They would only say that they had wanted him desperately, and that they wanted to protect him for his parents' sake. The unspoken conclusion was that his birth parents were unable to protect him themselves.
I was ravenous to have the story. How on earth had they come to be the legal guardians of a human baby? I had asked to take their picture, but Alice had informed me that that was an inviolable rule: apparently, William had an extremely important future, and it would be threatened if his existence were made public before he was old enough to turn. The little family consequently spent most of their time in the Amazon, at the Aid Station, away from Newborns on the one hand, and the bulk of human society on the other. And yet, Alice had insisted that having him here for the wedding would be fine, which didn't seem to make sense. I asked her, and she said it was too foggy to See, but that it was important that he was not in South America for the month. She wouldn't elaborate.
Abruptly, Jasper sat up straight, his eyes morphing black. "What is it, Jelli?" My eyes flew to Alice, who was quivering, Tina clutched between her hands. "It's okay, Jellicle. Give me the baby, and tell me what you See." He carefully loosed Alice's fingers, and whisked Tina away, into the waiting hands of her father. Alice whimpered. Then, her eyes started to sharpen, and she looked at Jasper in horror.
"Collect all the humans and children. Emergency protocol," she breathed.
"Is it an enemy?" Jasper asked worriedly, scooping Theo into the air by his overall straps as he toddled by. Theo squeeked, making the Vamps cover their sensitive ears.
"No. Just in case the worst happens. Low odds. Get them away. They're almost here. Be casual."
Jasper marched over to Ethan, and plucked him up by his overall straps, making jet plane noises. The boys squealed, delighted. All the Cullens and Jacob got up, and scooped the kids from the room. They called that casual?
Bella put on a big smile that wasn't very convincing. She always was a terrible liar. "Ang? Ben? Come and see the nursery."
"Okay," we chorused, and she put an arm around each of us, giving Rose a meaningful look as she passed by.
"Rose? Bring William for a minute, would you, please?" Bella said nicely.
"Sure," Rosalie said hesitantly.
"Em, you stay there," Bella directed. Jasper came back into the room. We passed him, and allowed Bella to pull us into the hall situated just before the kitchen.
"What's up, Bee?" Rosalie asked softly.
"Hush. Alice," she said curtly, pushing into a doorway to the left. Inside was a very large room, with a climber in it, and a huge number of toys. We crossed it, to another door. Inside was sort of an arcade, with a big huge TV and lots of games. We crossed it, to another door, inside which was a quiet room with a fridge and cradles, rocking chairs, and playpens. Naturally, Ben and I had already seen it several times.
My heart was beating much too fast.
"What's happening, Mom?" Ren breathed.
"Alice said Dad and Carlisle would be home pretty soon, with Ivo. She said we should get the children away, in case of the worst-case scenario happening. It's unlikely, but we're not taking any chances. Rose and Ben? I want you to stay in here with the children and their mothers, until we tell you it's safe to come out."
Ben looked pretty flattered to be asked. He nodded, his mouth firm. What a doll.
"Yes, Bella," Rosalie said, setting William down. Esme brought in a couple of worried-looking young women, and immediately went back out.
"They're here," Bella breathed. "Jacob, let's go."
" 'Kay, Mom."
"Shut up."
"Yes Ma'am."
All the vampires were gone except Rosalie. She flitted past the humans closest to the first door in the first room, and shut it quickly. It clanged. She opened a nearby cupboard, pulled out an eight inch wide metal beam, two inches thick, and slid it into two slots on either side of the door. The last humans filed in. Rose passed through the second door, and repeated the procedure, then came back into our room, and secured it, too.
I realized there were no windows, and the room was protected on three sides by other rooms. We were on lock-down. She approached a little panel on the wall, and flipped a switch. I heard the hissing of air coming through the pipe. I noticed another metal door opposite the entrance to the room. It was secured with a keypad. "What's in that room, Rose?"
"Armoury," she murmured.
My stomach lurched. "As in guns?" I squeaked.
"Machine guns, rocket launchers, tasers, grenades, flamethrowers, bombs, you name it, it's in there," she said grimly.
"I thought you were pacifists," I gasped.
"You never met Caius."
"Rose, what's going on?" Kim asked, cuddling Nelda.
"Alice Saw something. It's probably fine, but we don't take chances with our most precious people."
"I'm hungry," Claire said, her brows contracted in a plea.
"Well, let's see what's in the snack closet, shall we?" Rosalie said. "We're having a little game, Sweeties: Hide and Seek. We all need to stay hidden in here until somebody says we win."
"But it ammost time fo suppies," William protested.
"Oh, look what Mommy found in the snack closet, Willy: chocolate pudding. Enough for everybody," Rose smiled, passing it out.
"Puh-" Theo supplied happily. Ethan clapped.
"Yay!" Claire said, clapping, too.
"Let's turn on the TV and see if we can find something on Netflix, okay? And we'll have ourselves a nice little party until Granddad Carlisle gets here and tells us we can come out. You guys can roll the beanbag chairs over here, and we'll all pretend to be little birdies in nests."
"Granddad Carlisle is It?" Claire frowned.
"Yes. He'll be home soon. Won't that be nice?" Rose beamed. "Have some pudding."
"Otay," Willy said happily. "Tockit pudding id bedder dan tiwwy soup."
"Sure it is," his mother said, distractedly, flipping through various icons for films. I wondered nervously what could be so distracting to a vampire.
" 'Free Willy'!" Claire demanded, pointing.
"What did you caw me?" Willy frowned.
"It's a movie, silly, about whales."
"Wayos are scawy," Willy frowned. His mother did a double-take, and stared at the door, black-eyed.
"How 'bout 'Snow White and Rose Red'?" Claire suggested.
"Dats fo garotas."
"Girls," Ben told him.
"Gills."
"Good boy," Claire said.
Rose flipped through more of the movies on offer. Emily sidled up beside her. "This is because of Sam, isn't it?"
Rosalie looked at her sadly. "I don't know. Bella didn't have time to say."
Emily gave her an angry look. "You can hear them."
The lovely vampire bit her lips. "Sam set his pack on Ivo." Emily gasped, cringing in disbelief. Rose hurried to reassure her. "He's alright. Jake intervened."
"Thank God! I dunno what's gotten into Sam. We've trusted you for years. Why is he suddenly questioning everything? He's challenged Edward's authority, hasn't he?"
"Just relax. Jasper's sedating the room, and Edward's talking Sam down. He's the best communicator on the continent, don't forget."
Emily looked nervously at the door, wringing her hands. "He won't hurt him, will he?"
I wondered of whom she was speaking: Edward and Sam, or Sam and Ivo.
"No, Edward would never hurt Sam. He's very kind, and he doesn't hold grudges. Now, the best thing you can do is help to keep the babies entertained. I don't think we'll be stuck in here long, but-"
"Goggies!" Theo hollered, pointing at the screen.
"Gog-gies! Gog-gies! Gog-gies!" Ethan said, doing a little dance.
" 'Doggies for Hire'?" Rose asked.
"Yes!" the kids clapped. Ben and I clapped, too. Everyone sat down to watch the movie, which was doubtless delightful. The special effects with the talking dogs were really good, especially when the PI, Detective Pucci, broke into the villain's lair. Unfortunately, the adults couldn't enjoy it. We were all too nervous. We had been pretending to watch for about twenty minutes when Rose's voice rang out.
"Yes?" she called, and listened. Then, she turned to Emily, who was waiting anxiously to hear what was said. "It's Jazz. He wants us to come out. He thinks it will make Sam feel more conscious of the need to keep calm."
"Let's go," Emily said, rising smoothly to her feet.
"Okay," Rosalie said, unbarring the door. Everyone picked up their babies, and took the hands of the little ones. I picked up Ethan, and Ben took Theo. "Now, kids? We're going to a very important meeting. You need to be quiet, and stay close to your Mommies."
"So Granddad isn't coming to get us?" Claire asked narrowly.
"He'll see us in the Great Room," Rosalie promised. We trooped out to the next door, and she double-checked with Jasper, who told her to hurry up. We entered the third room, where she removed the bar, and opened the door. Jasper stood outside, looking like a soldier on duty.
"Come," he said simply, leading the way. As soon as we were out of the rooms, he vanished. Voices were ringing in the crowded hall. We filtered into the background. There were at least a hundred and fifty souls in the room, standing at intervals between all the round tables. Nobody was sitting, because the chairs were still stacked against the wall.
"That's cryptic," Embry said loudly. A few of the Kwali muttered in agreement. Edward was standing on the low platform at the far end of the room. I noticed that Rose chose a spot near the dining room, close to an exit. I looked at the dais, and realized there was a person sitting between Edward's feet. It had to be Ivo.
"Gan!" Theo enthused, pointing at Carlisle, who gave him a tense smile. I shushed my son, kissing him on the temple.
"Sam, you know me. Can I be trusted?" Edward asked softly.
Sam looked both angry and depressed. "I should trust you, Edward. You have demonstrated a dedication to humanity throughout your life, and you have wiped out Trads who were murderers before. Don't tell me this one is worth saving, just because of Leah."
The vampire at Edward's feet shrank against his leg. Edward looked calmly at Sam. "He repents."
Sam laughed incredulously. "What does that matter? He's killed. He has a taste for it. Vampires are creatures of habit. Once a Trad, always a Trad."
Edward blew out his breath heavily. "I've told you before Sam, not to judge people."
"The Creator gave us the power of discernment so we can tell good from evil!" he roared. All of us tensed. The room was vibrating with his challenge. Ben took my hand, grasping it firmly.
Edward looked up at Sam, head cocked a little to the side. "To prevent those who are unrepentant from harming the innocent."
"He's a threat!" Sam bellowed, stomping his foot down so hard that I feared it would crack the hardwood.
Edward wasn't flustered. His hand fell to Ivo's head: a benediction. "Then we're all a threat. Any of us could change our minds about being good, including you. You need to stop playing God. I'm not going to let you kill him." Leah whimpered, regarding her mate with desperation. Ivo clearly mouthed 'I love you'. All of us females fell in love with him a little. Edward continued, "He has my endorsement, and is under my protection."
"He's a threat!" Sam reiterated aggressively. Leah cried out, and Carlisle clutched her to keep her from throwing herself forward. He whispered something in her ear. At the same time, Jasper and Emmett moved to Edward's sides.
"I was a Trad, Sam." Edward said solemnly. "For nearly three years."
It was so quiet, you could have heard a pin drop. Ben and I looked at each other in shock, then he rolled his eyes and shrugged, as if to say 'well, he's certainly not a bloodsucker any more'. The humans near me seemed to be having the same reaction. The Kwali had more mixed reactions. Some were dismissive, others wary. They eyed their pack mates and leaders for guidance.
"You're lying!" Sam roared. Well, that would be the easiest explanation, but somehow I didn't think it was the case.
Edward cocked his head to one side, folding his arms. "Why should I lie?"
"Out of some misguided compassion for that thing snivelling at your feet," Sam spat, gesturing at Ivo. I saw Emily's head drop. His behaviour was obviously disappointing her.
"He's not a thing," Edward growled. "He is a person."
"Not for much longer, he isn't," Sam snarled, sinking into an aggressive crouch, visibly vibrating. Oh, no. Would he phase in a crowded room, occupied by fragile humans and children? Was that what Alice Saw? I was filled with dread. Beside me, Ben stared fiercely, clutching my hand. I tightened my hold on Theo, preparing to run. A sickening sense of lethargy permeated the atmosphere. Jasper was using his gift.
"You do as you're told, Sam, no violence," Jacob snarled loudly. Sam grunted in frustration.
Edward continued to speak mildly. "I'm really surprised you think Ivo is weak. I'd say he's pretty strong, considering you're threatening to kill him, and he already dislikes you based on things Leah has told him. He knows if he moves it will validate your excuse to kill him. He's extremely well-controlled considering he's a blood-drinker. And he's also wondering if you're planning to phase in a room full of innocents. Seems to me, he's exhibiting more dedication to the preservation of human life than you are right now."
"Hah. Go ahead, bloodsucker. Defend him just because he's one of your own kind. I never thought to see the day when Edward Cullen would lie to protect a Trad," Sam pouted.
"I'm not lying, Sam. I was a Trad. I was young, and rebellious, and I thought God didn't love or want me any more. I figured as long as I was a soulless monster, I might as well go to Hell thoroughly," Edward admitted quietly. The crowd shifted uneasily, but waited on his leadership. My understanding of the degree of respect everyone held for him grew. He pwned almost all of these people. They trusted him. I wouldn't be surprised if there were a couple of hundred people here, and they all looked to him for guidance, even more than they looked to Carlisle. When had Edward gotten so powerful? It was... an eye-opener. He really was a vampire Dom.
"No," Sam protested.
"Carlisle will tell you."
"No. I know we're both mad right now, Edward, but I know you can't ever have behaved like a Trad. You've built something noble here in this house. Don't lie to jeopardize it," Sam pleaded. I knew he very much respected Edward. This confession had to be rocking his world.
Edward pulled in a large breath, and sighed it out. He faced Sam's eyes squarely. "I had a fight with Carlisle. I left home. I was always thirsty. Never satisfied. Restless. I tried to justify my actions by picking off criminals. Hundreds of them. And for a long time, Sam, I enjoyed it."
The audience started to whisper, but very quickly, turned their attention back to Edward. My own respect for him grew by leaps and bounds. All these disparate beings were solidly at his back. Wow.
"No," Sam moaned, sounding like tears threatened him. It was sad, really. His view of people was so narrow.
"Daddy?" Ren whimpered.
"I'm sorry, Baby Girl. It's true," Edward said softly, without taking his attention from Sam. His face twisted with self-loathing and regret. "After a while the ... delectable taste, the ... satiation, the extinguished flame of my previously burning throat ... just didn't make up for the guilt. Carlisle and Esme will tell you how I crawled back to them on my knees, begging for forgiveness, with eyes full of blood." There was more muttering in the crowd. Almost every eye rested on him with respect.
"Edward is telling you the truth, Sam," Carlisle affirmed. "Just look at all the good he has done. Had we turned him away, or murdered him for his actions, he would not have had the opportunity to influence so many of our kind toward vegetarianism. Also, although he will be unhappy to have me say it, he has created charities in his lifetime that support humans with millions of dollars."
Millions? Edward ducked his head sheepishly. Bella was standing at the foot of the dias, to his rear. Her chin came up proudly. Em and Jazz also seemed to change before my eyes: instead of two protective brothers, they became high guardians to the President. Only, vampires didn't do democracy so much. No, he was a king of sorts. The change in the family dynamic was... striking. My entire perception of their existences, and my place in their inner circle, was altered forever. I suddenly really wanted to talk to Carlisle. Bella used to say that his coven was one of the three largest in the world, back when there were ten core members. But Edward's following was... unbelievably huge. And Carlisle seemed perfectly content to let him have the honour.
Sam's surety began to visibly waver. Everyone could see that he wanted to believe it was possible for a Trad to change.
"I'm not that man anymore," Edward said firmly. "It's a lifetime ago. I changed."
Jasper shifted on his feet. "I'm not that man anymore either, and I killed a lot more humans than Edward. Innocent humans, not nasty ones."
"I'm not that man now, either," Em boomed. "And unlike my brothers, I killed women, too."
"So did I," Esme chimed in, her voice firm.
"I'm not that woman," Rosalie declared, and her voice rang in the rafters. "I'm not the same person who avenged herself on her attackers and their innocent bodyguards." I noticed that she was no longer holding her son. She had sent him off somewhere, with someone she trusted, to keep him safe if a fight broke out. I wondered again what his existence meant for humanity.
Was Edward's family going to save humankind someday? Or was I over-exaggerating William's importance?
"You... you're all Trads?" Sam gawped, deflating.
Edward shifted his weight a little. "No, Sam, we're not. That's my point. Being a Vegetarian is a choice. We make it on a daily basis. And we choose it gladly, even though it is sometimes difficult to resist our thirst. All of our throats burn, almost all the time. Even those of Vegetarians who have never murdered anyone, like Carlisle and Bella. But managing a sore throat is infinitely preferable to killing people."
"But... you're good. You... take care of people. You..." Sam said, lost for words.
"And that is my point. Things... change. Thank God!"
Thank God, indeed! For all our sakes.
"It is much easier to endure a sore throat than it is to live with the guilt of being a cannibal," Carlisle declared, looking at his coven members. "Would any of you go back to life the way it used to be when you were killers?"
"No," all the vampires chorused. I looked at Ben. We effectively swore oaths of fealty in our heads, in that moment. How I loved the Cullens! What a privilege to be called the Dom's Little Angel, and call him Big Brother.
"And Ivo is already well-controlled. He interacts with humans all the time. He exhibits his art, goes to events surrounding his books, has human friends over daily, uses the subway, works at a university... Something happened that interfered with that," Edward informed everyone. "Ivo met his Singer."
The vampires groaned, and look at one another in undisguised relief. I wriggled with excitement. He was going to tell us more about Singers!
"But Mom was your Singer, and you didn't kill her," Renesmee protested, looking tearful. It had to be awfully confusing for her.
"I was mated to your mother," Edward reminded her. "and I fought my inclination to kill her for months. It was always a terrifying possibility. Wasn't it, Bella?"
"Yes, Mocha-chino. I always knew you might lose control. I always had to tread carefully." Bella stood with her arms crossed, daring anyone to come near her mate. And here, the high school kids used to think her such a mouse. Well, obviously, after he left, she was shattered. She was born to be Dona Isabella, queen of the New World. The allusion to Columbus was not lost on me. It fit them very well.
"I was in love with her, and still had to fight the impulse to kill her," Edward explained. "Ivo was not emotionally connected to his Singer. He had no willpower to save her. It was a tragedy that they met. For both killer and victim." Ivo looked down in grief. He looked so small, reminding me of the dog that begs under God's table. Only Edward wasn't God. He admitted his fallibility on a regular basis. Shame he couldn't run for US President. He'd have knocked Congress on its ear.
"So... the stalker was his Singer?" Leah asked Edward, her eyes examining her mate.
"Yes. There's really no way he could have stopped himself. The lust for a Singer is all-consuming," Edward declared. The Cullens all murmured in agreement. Leah looked devastated, and raised apologetic eyes to Ivo, who smiled at her. I was really getting to like him. Like Edward, he was not a person to hold grudges.
"So if one of you met your Singer, even Carlisle, it would be your philosophy that it is okay to kill the Singer?" Sam asked incredulously. A lot of people groaned and sighed in frustration. He wasn't getting the point.
Seth folded his arms in disgust. "Sam, you're such an a-"
"That's not what I said," Edward interrupted curtly, preventing Seth from calling names. "It's wrong, but if circumstances are beyond someone's control, and they fail, we take remorse into account. Our philosophy is that it is wrong to kill people, and it is to be avoided as much as possible, even if those people are our enemies. However, we understand how it feels to hurt someone innocent." Edward's eyes rested on Emily. Both she and Sam blushed furiously.
It never would have gone over in a democracy, because it embarrassed her. But it was time that Sam be called to account, for criticizing behaviour that he himself had indulged in. Edward watched him without relenting. "It feels horrible to hurt someone when you're out of control. It's even worse to kill them. The guilt is crushing. When you hurt someone, you hurt yourself more. Why do you think we live together in such large groups? It helps us to avoid failure and wickedness. It also keeps us accountable, and it helps us protect our loved-ones hearts and spirits."
"Trads don't have consciences," Sam declared provocatively, narrowing his eyes at Ivo in challenge. "They kill over and over without regret. They're self-centered and shallow. I doubt he even loves Leah. Look how he betrayed her! Embry said he was all over his victim like a cur in- "
"How do you know how we feel?" Ivo roared, leaping to his feet. Almost everyone present jumped fearfully, except Edward, who clutched Ivo's arm, holding him back. The smaller man looked trustingly up at the immovable Dom, deferring to his leadership. Edward squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, and Ivo turned to Sam, and spoke more calmly. "How do you know anything about me, Samuel Uley? Yes, I know who you are, and what you did. I do not think that you should be criticizing me for hurting Leah, considering that you used her in every possible way and tossed her aside. I love her more than someone like you can possibly imagine."
"And exactly what sort of person do you think I am?" Sam growled threateningly. Every hair on my body stood up on end.
"The sort of person who pushes a young girl to sleep with him, does not care for her needs, and abandons her for someone he considers better, destroying her dreams of marriage and children!" Ivo spit.
Leah hid her face sheepishly, then gradually came out of her shell, as though acknowledging the truth of the matter, as though she was sure for the first time, that she would not be judged and found wanting. Bella and her stepmother, her sisters, and friends had been trying to get that message across to Leah for years. I realized with a jolt that Ivo had somehow taught her that she was ... worth more than she had been given by Sam. For the first time, she was standing up for herself. Wow. And they had only been together a couple of weeks? Edward had better watch out. This small fellow was a force to be reckoned with. He had moved Gibraltar.
"I imprinted on Emily!" Sam protested at top volume. A lot of people near the front backed up a step. A few of the vampires growled and crouched reflexively. Edward signalled them and they stood straight. I saw Emily sob and cover her mouth. Oh, no. She must have felt so... awkward. Sam must have realized how bad it sounded. He decided to lower his voice. "Not that I don't love my wife, she's perfect for me. But I didn't have a choice."
Ivo crossed his arms, smiling smugly, and gestured triumphantly. "And Leah imprinted on me. Therefore, our bond is just as valid as yours and your wife's."
"He's good," Emmett muttered, looking at Ivo with respect.
Sam, however, was determined to kick a dying horse. "I was happy for Leah until I found out you were a Trad."
"I am not a Trad. Not in the way you mean. I haven't killed a human, except my Singer, in more than two decades. I have killed only a handful of humans in the past century, and those instances were when I found individuals who were despicable. For the past three years, I've had a highrise condo in Toronto, and I have a few good human friends. I don't want to kill people. It makes me unhappy, and it's rash and foolish when there are other ways to feed. I've been following the new diet well, haven't I Leah?"
There was a pause. "Ivo has been doing very well on the Vegetarian diet," Leah husked.
He shook his long hair out of his dark eyes. "There! You see? I want to be good, Sam, and I will do it for Leah, even if the Cullens have to pull out all my teeth to keep me that way. They will teach me, and I will do as I'm told. In that way, I will be able to protect my Leah."
"He's perfectly genuine," Edward declared, folding his hands behind his back. "Won't you trust me, and give him a chance?"
We all stood on tender hooks as Sam spent a minute considering. "Since you and your family used to be Trads, and you now behave admirably, I ... guess."
"We done here, Sam?" Edward asked quietly.
Sam obviously wanted to argue, but he surrendered, and stepped closer to Ivo. "Are we done here?"
Ivo, with Edward's hand on his shoulder, nodded curtly. "I came here peaceably. I do not wish to quarrel with you, Samuel Uley."
"If you treat Leah well, I will have no quarrel with you, Ivo whoever-you-are. Assuming she'll take you back after the way you behaved." He still looked disgusted.
" Ivo Iluak. It means 'The Archer Who Does Good Things'. I am sorry for the way I behaved. I was weak to fall into destructive behaviour. It will not happen again. I have a family now, that will not allow me to fail." He held his head up proudly.
Edward slapped Ivo on the shoulder, and he swayed a little, making his Dom chuckle and smile. "That's good enough for me, Sam. Is it good enough for you?"
Sam resigned the battle. "I guess... it's only right of me to give him a chance. But he had better behave himself."
Edward offered his hand to Sam. "Friends?" he asked uncertainly.
With very little hesitation, Sam shook on it. "Friends," he agreed. He looked at Ivo calculatingly. "Truce?"
"Truce," Ivo agreed happily, shaking his hand.
"Don't let me down," Sam warned.
"I do not wish to let myself down," Ivo declared. Nobility was not dead, I decided. Ivo turned to Leah. Carlisle looked so proud of him. Edward whispered something in Leah's ear, then drew Ivo back under his arm to address the room. His voice sang through the hall. "I, Dom Edward Anthony Masen Cullen di Volturi Yawaruna, claim Ivo Iluak for my new kinsman, under the mantle of the Yawaruna Coven of the Amazonas." Nearly everyone in the room clapped and cheered. How wonderful.
Carlisle yelled happily over the noise. "And I, Dom Carlisle Volturi Cullen, claim Ivo Iluak di Yawaruna for my new kinsman, under the mantle of the Cullen Coven of Olympia and Muskoka."
Emmett stepped forward. "I, Vice-Dom Emmett Wallace McCarty Cullen di Yawaruna, officially welcome our new member to the family. I give you Ivo Iluak Cullen di Yawaruna."
Ivo was so excited that he picked Leah up and swung her in a circle. Then, he got all shy, and pulled back. She would not allow him to retreat. They whispered something to each other. Probably apologies. Then, Ivo pressed his face against her cheek, and she nuzzled him back. How adorable. They were just about to get snoggy when Edward got between them and muttered something. Aw! Edward! Don't wreck the show! But the audience was already pressing forward, with the closest family members in the lead. It was time to welcome Ivo to the fold.
"Good thing you told me what Edward was," Ben told me, looking awestruck. "I never would have understood this day otherwise."
I was contrite. "Ben, I didn't find out until close to the time we got married, and they only told me because I arrived the day Edward was bitten by a Great White. We all wanted to tell you, but it was a dangerous time. They had a war brewing with Caius. Alice said that if we told you, it would result in your death. The war heated up, and meanwhile the Cullens had to move, because people were getting suspicious of them. Caius sent Trads and they cast suspicion on the Cullens for several murders. The FBI even came to question them. It took a long time for the dust to settle. Years until they felt safe again. So I hope you'll forgive us for taking so long to let you into the circle of trust."
Ben shook his head, bemused. "I never knew we'd be witnesses to Camelot. Or that my dear friend was really Arthur."
I shook my head. "He's not Arthur. If anything, he's Lancelot. I can't imagine the story going wrong this time, Ben. Look at him: he's majestic."
Edward still had his arm around Ivo, making introductions. It was very slow going. Each person in the crowd took their time, and I knew Ivo would be memorizing names and faces and affiliations. It was more meaningful than a wedding's receiving line, but it had the same purpose.
"Beautiful mens, aren't they?" a voice mused beside me, and I found Camilla Sala looking admiringly at them.
"Yes. Will you join this coven?" I asked curiously. She smiled curiously back.
"No. I go home to Aro in Italy. He has been my friend these twenty-three years. Very like his friend Edward, is Aro, only perhaps less patient. But I would never betray his friendship to me, and after all, their brand of friendship is unalterable. The world is a big place. There will always be room for two good Doms. I, myself, wish to hold Aro's hand and show him this day. He will be delighted. He always said Edward Cullen Yawaruna would go far, and he will be thrilled for his brother, Dom Carlisle." She looked at me, evaluating. "So will you join this coven, when you are changed?"
I was startled. I smiled at her self-consciously. "Oh. I'm already part of the coven, and Edward assures me that will never change. He respects my wish to remain human. He says he wants me to put in a word or two on his behalf, when I get to Heaven someday."
Camilla chuckled. "Then you are amongst the most important people here. You are a darling. Will you put in a word with God for me, as well?"
"Are you going to be a Vegetarian?" I asked slyly.
"Sí. You know, Aro has not forced his coven to convert, but he is delighted when his servants follow his example."
"You will be in my prayers," I promised.
"When we are parted, I shall miss you. Write to me, cherub?" she asked, presenting her card.
"Yes," I agreed, surprised.
"Ciao, bella."
"Ciao."
An hour later, we were at the front of a line, and Edward was drawing us forward with a smile. "Angel. Come here and meet my new son. Ivo? This is Angela Chantal Weber Cheney, and her mate, Ben Deshi Fa Cheney. They've been our friends since 2004. You will consider them your aunt and uncle. These are my godsons and nephews, Ethan Emmett Huang-Fu Cheney, and Theodore Anton Ming-Hua Cheney."
"Ivo," Ben said, sticking out his hand. Ivo took it gently.
"Uncle Ben," Ivo murmured, looking shy. He looked our age, but he was almost as old as Carlisle. Vampire family structures were not logical, but I was hardly going to argue with my Big Brother. He was smart as a whip about people, thanks to his talent.
"I present my precious Baby Sister," Edward said, resting a cool hand on my shoulder to pull me forward.
"Hello, Ivo," I said, offering my hand.
"Hello, Auntie Angel," he said in a lightly-accented voice that reminded me of Mandarin. He looked at my sons curiously.
"Kiss him," Edward growled in my ear. Nodding, I bent forward to whisper in Ivo's ear. He was at least a head shorter than me.
"We're all very impressed with you," I told him, and he turned silver around the edges. I kissed him on top of his head, and gave him a pat. He seemed so young and cute. "I've never met a Trad before," I teased him. He lowered burgundy eyes flecked with marmalade lights, amused.
"Let us hope that you never meet one again," he giggled. I decided I loved him for sure.
I reached for Leah, who was looking rather watery and excited. "Oh, Leah. He's absolutely wonderful. Congratulations. I can tell God's been looking out for you." I patted her hand, while she thanked me, looking at her mate as though she had never seen him before. "I hope you're ready to be royalty."
"Oh," she scoffed. "We're not looking to lead, Ang. We're probably just going to live in Toronto, while he sculpts and I ... finish school."
"I would be surprised if that happened," I told her, looking meaningfully at Edward, who was now introducing Ivo to Carmen and Eleazar. I never saw Edward so confident. His stance was wide, and self-assured. Tanya and Eric were next in line. I wondered when they had arrived. Waggling my fingers at them, I moved on.
Ben and I mingled, eventually greeting our Denali 'cousins', and gaining introductions to people who were arriving for the wedding. Vampires were leaving the Great Room, and the lodge itself, in chattering groups, and Kwali were dispersing, or settling back into their previous activities. Esme was herding humans into the kitchen for a late supper.
"Can we go and eat?" Ben asked me. "I'm starving."
I turned in time to see Edward staunchly grab Leah and Ivo by the ears and drag them toward the stairs. "Ow! Leech!" Leah protested, scrabbling on the hardwood floor. I did a double take, then realized that this was exactly the way he treated his brothers or Jacob when they were naughty. He was an equal-opportunity Leader. I laughed silently, watching their stumbling progress. I saw Edward's brothers and sisters prod each other, beaming. Alice had the video camera. Big surprise.
Edward's growled words reached us clearly. "Don't talk back to me Smurfette."
Leah submitted with no further argument. "Yes, Dom Cullen," she said, lowering her eyes.
Carlisle reached Alice, and covered up her camera lens with a reproving look.
"This place is a zoo," Ben said weakly.
"Yeah. Isn't it great?" I beamed. I marched toward the kitchen with Theo and Ethan, knowing Ben would come with me. After all, he was my mate.