Volturi's Precious Guard
Volturi's Precious Guard
Ok, guys, were here again. Don't got much to say this time. Cept, I'm a very simple girl. I like simple things. Ice Cream on the weekends, going out with friends twice a week, a review now and then… D Seriously, I don't ask for much, just a simple smile ( D ) will make me happy. Just tell me one thing you liked. Thanks D The next chapter starts with Edward see Bella get out of the shower.
Chapter 5: Leaving with Secrets
I knew something was wrong when I walked into the house and felt Alice immediately block me. I was even more frightened when I realized she was upstairs with Kit. Running up the three flights of stairs, I made it to the guest bedroom just as Alice stormed out. Walking inside, I saw Kit in the bathroom, one hand holding up a towel wrapped around her body, the other pinching the bridge of her nose. Her hair was dripping wet, curly strands running halfway down her back. She turned toward me, a drip of water running down her chest. The small towel hung low on her upper torso, showing just the swell of her chest. It clung to her body, showing her curves better then any designer dress ever could. Too short to fit well, it revealed almost all of her thighs, just covering the rise of her back. My eyes unconsciously traveled down her sculpted legs, right down to her toes on the white tile.
Realizing what I was going, I looked away quickly, embarrassed. I heard the door shut swiftly. She seemed as embarrassed as I was. It took her only a moment before the bathroom door slowly creeked open. Downstairs, Emse made a mental note to oil the hinges.
I shifted uncomfortablely when our eyes met. For a second, she stared at me with unbelieving eyes. Then, almost as if some unseen force pushed her back, she stumbled.
Without thinking that hitting her head on the corner would not hurt her, I lunged, grabbing her before she could even fall off her feet.
"Are you alright?" I asked, afraid she had been expecting me to leave. "I didn't mean to scare you."
"I'm fi-" She was cut off by Alice. Downstairs Carlisle had been explaining the situation to Alice to low for anyone else to hear. When being told the information about Kit knowing Jasper's talent, she was suddenly on edge.
"Maybe we should go for a walk." I suggested, eager to get her away from the impending eruption.
"Edward." Carlisle's fatherly warning rung out. He didn't want any of us alone with her, or separated at the moment.
"Oh, hush." Alice hissed. "He'll be fine. We have bigger problems to worry about."
Carlisle remained undecided. On one hand he was looking out for the protection of his family, on the other hand he want Kit gone so the could talk, but was not willing to be rude. Carlisle felt that something was amiss, but, unlike Alice, Rose, and Jasper, he felt that Kit was in trouble, not behind it. Part of him wanted to save her. Finally, realizing that I could take care of myself, Carlisle agreed. I didn't give his still slightly undecided mind a chance to change. I pulled Kit by the hand, ignoring the warmth I felt while her hand was in mine. I muttered something about this begin faster, as I approached the window, unwilling to subject her to my families stares. As I pulled the drapes back, I felt her pull away from me. I was glad that she didn't drop my hand.
"Edward," she stuttered. "Edward, I don't think this is such a brilliant idea."
"Nonsense." I ignored her, jumping out the window and pulling her along.
"Edward!" She screamed as she tripped on the sill, falling head first out the window. I righted her until she was pressed against my chest, my arms wrapped around her. I loved the feeling. All I wanted to do was keep her close to me forever. The sting of betray in the back of my mind was what reminded me I did not deserve her. The whole fall last three seconds, but being able to capture every millisecond made it seem like so much longer. With a small 'uff', we hit the ground on my back. She lay on top of me, her arms tight to her chest and her eyes securely closed.
"Kit," I said, chuckling. I raised a hand to cup her cheek. "Kit, open you're eyes." She shook my head vigorously. The look was comical, sending me into another round of laughter. The vibrations ran through my body to hers, shifting her and causing her to rub in all the right places. I traced small circles on her cheek with my thumb. She opened her eyes to look down into mine.
Suddenly, I realized just how close we were. She was practically straddling me, my left hand way to far down on her spine to be considered appropriate. Unconsciously, all my motions stopped. I wanted to kiss her. She was only a few inches away and leaning closer. I closed my eyes, and-
Bella flashed through my mind.
In less then a millisecond, as fast as I could possibly go, I grabbed her waist and pushed her away. I tried not to look into her eyes as I stood, pretending to chuckle. I offered her a hand up and she accepted.
"A vampire scared of heights," I shook my head. Only I knew it was to try and clear it.
"Only because I'm so clumsy." She defended, chin raised high. "Do you know how annoying a broken neck is?" She wiped imaginary dirt from her jeans.
I laughed harder, muttering about vampires who are clumsy, as we walked towards the woods. She never did what I expected. She frowned, looking down at the shirt Alice had given her. Huffing, she fingered some make-believe line.
"This was my most comfortable shirt." She muttered.
I raised an eyebrow at her, not understanding. "It looks fine."
"To your eyes." She garbled, not paying attention. We had reached the little deer trail near the house. The trees pushed close to the trail, forcing Kit and I to walk shoulder to shoulder. Every time she stepped wrong, our bare arms would meet, sending jolts of electricity through my body.
"That's right." I said. "I can't see what you really look like." I looked down at her, fascinated by her power. For centuries, no one had been able to hide their true selves from me. I could always see through them. It was mind boggling to know that she not only hid her true self from me, but also her physical self. Raising a hand to touch the ends of her blonde hair, I couldn't help but muse aloud. "I wonder, am I really touching your hair?"
She stared into my eyes, though I barely noticed, I was so intrigued with the idea that I was not really touching her at all. "Do you were this disguise often?" I asked, genially curious. Was this one of her favorites? Or did she prefer brunette to blonde? Short to long? She shook her head, pulling the strand lightly from my fingers. Instantly, I missed the touch.
"I never wear the same disguise twice." She informed me, tripping over a root. Without thinking, my hands grabbed her hip, righted her, and quickly came back to my side. I didn't want to touch her sometimes, and other times I did. With every touch, I felt as if I was betraying Bella, who I still loved more the world. But every time Kit looked at me, I couldn't resist. It was as if everything else didn't exist.
"Do you ever not were one?" I asked.
"No." She answered quickly. I could sense that she was unwilling to stay on the topic, but I had to know.
"Will you ever show me what you really look like?" I asked hopefully. She looked back with the same expression, like she wanted to, but something was stopping her.
She looked away, concentrating on the path in front of her.
"Maybe someday," She said. I couldn't tell if it was a lie or a hope, but I knew it wasn't a promise. I reached for her hair again, pouting with a half smile.
"Please," I whispered, though I expected no answer. Her returning smile was promise enough. Suddenly I wondered what she smelled like. Whenever I tried to catch her scent, it wasn't there. I could smell everything else, but her. Still, there was always a sense. To me, though my brothers and sisters did not smell it, I could smell a great emptiness. A place were there was no scent. But, surely, this close I would have to smell her. I leaned in until my nose rested above her head. It smelled of fresh strawberry shampoo.
"Mmmm. Strawberries."
I wrapped my arm around her waist, needing to be closer. Needing to have her. Shocked, she gasped and tripped over her feet, pulling me down with her. I placed my hands on either side of her head to stop myself from crushing her, while in the process capturing her. Her knees were bent at a forty-five degree angle of the ground, pushing her hip against mine. I had to lock my jaw to stop the moan from escaping me. We were so close, and it was happening again. Everything was disappeared until it was just Kit and me.
"We can't keep meeting like this." I whispered in her ear, my voice huskier then usually. Accidentally, my teeth nipped the sensitive skin there. The scent of strawberries was intoxicating, allowing me to believe it was just me and Bella. Kit said something, but I didn't process it. Just me and Bella. I knew it wasn't fair to Kit, but I could help myself…
My lips moved down my jaw and kissed her cheek. She turned her head, giving me access to her lips, and stared me straight in the eye. She wouldn't allow me to believe it was someone else. I knew who it was. I closed the distance, and kissed her gently. As much as I wanted it to be Bella, it wasn't. Bella was gone. It was my fault, and I would never forgive myself, but she was gone. I needed to move on. If I could be given one more day, I would choice Bella over Kit, but they were so similar…
Edward, were coming to get you. We need to talk.
"Damn." I pulled away with a hiss. Instantly, her eyes filled with hurt. No, no, no. I kissed her lips lightly to reassure her.
"It's not you. My family is coming. They need to talk to us." I stood fast, smirking down at her when she wobbly pushed off from the dirty ground. I liked the idea that I could make her weak. When my brother's and sister's thoughts reached my ears, I wrapped my arm around her once more, pulling her to my side, as my family appeared from the trees. They were all ready to attack, from Emmett, who was waiting until the need arose, to Alice, who was waiting for a single slip up. They fanned out in attack formation. I immediately stepped in front of Kit to protect her.
"Edward, it's time to come home." Carlisle's said. It's too dangerous for us to be involved with Kit while this power fund is being fought within Volterra. "We're leaving."
--
Kit had left quickly, after my family appeared in the woods, and I had been in a fog ever since. I had been lying on my bed, eyes closed, breathing low, almost sleeping…
"You have to think about it some time." A sweet voice called. Ah, my own personal torture. I opened my eyes and sat up.
On the far side of the room, Bella sat on my dresser.
I should be disturbed or worried that I was seeing ghosts, but, in truth, at first I hadn't cared. I had welcomed the torture of her presence.
She smirked at me. "Why don't you just say it?" She asked.
"Say what?" I indulged her. She hopped off the dresser and came closer to me. I knew, from many attempts, she would never let me touch her.
"You like her. No, you love her." I huffed and flopped back on the bed. She leaned over me. I closed my eyes. She was still there.
"She's pretty." Bella mused, though I could see the pain in her eyes. She wished it was her, wished she was with me, wished she was alive.
"I don't even know what she looks like." I responded, wanting to kiss away that pain.
"Doesn't matter." She said, shaking her head, shaking tears away. "She has a beautiful soul. Good taste in appearances. She's a vampire." She stretched out a hand, mimicking playing with my hair. "I don't blame you for choosing one of your own kind, you know." She whispered.
I stretched out a hand, wanting to touch her. She pulled away. "Bella, Bella, Bella, when will you learn? There is no one I find more attractive then you." She walked away, forcing me to open my eyes and sit up. She shuffled through my CD collection.
"You haven't gotten anything new."
"Haven't care." I responded, standing. A moment passed like that, her reading the CD's, me, hands in my pockets, watching her.
"Tell me about her." She whispered. I didn't want to, but I couldn't deny Bella.
"She's nice. Beautiful. Selfless. Never does what I expect. Just like you."
"I like her." Bella stated, turning toward me.
"You can't like her." I said.
"Why not?" She argued. "She's good for you."
"My god, Bella." I whispered, coming as close to her as the allusion would allow. We were inches from each other. "You're so selfless. I love you so much. I'd give anything for one more day…"
"Don't," She stopped me, putting a finger to my lips, I felt no touch though. "Forget me. I forgive you. Be happy. Move on."
"I can't." I told her. "I will never move on from you."
"But you love her." It was not a question.
"I'm so confused." Alice was calling me, but I was unwilling to leave Bella.
"Don't be." She said, fading.
Alice opened to my door without asking, phone in hand. I was snapped from my day dream state.
"Edward, she's on the phone." She said, throwing it at me. I caught it in one hand and raised it to my ear.
"Kit?" I asked.
"Hey, I wanted to come talk to you, but I ran into some….restraints." She said.
"What do you need?" I asked. For a long moment she was silent, then, barely more then a whisper, she asked, "How long?"
I didn't need her to clarify. "Tomorrow." You could come with us. Part of me wanted to say. However, part of me still remembered my conversation with Bella. She wasn't surprised I was moving on, that I was attracted to someone else, someone of our kind, but the hurt in her eyes tore me apart. So I remained silent.
"I'm coming over." She said after a moment. "If it's ok." She added as an after thought.
"It's fine." I said. Our goodbye yesterday had consisted merely of 'I think I should leave.' 'No, its ok-' I meant to say something more, but the phone was dead.
--
B POV
I sat by the river for a long time. Aro and Lucian had forbade be from leaving after I got back last night. Lucian had been amused with my stunt as Elisa Clair Rodmilla DeGhent. I still felt the chills run down my spine. He had invade my personal space, taunted me. I had only been allowed out because Heidi came with me, under strict instructions to allow me only to the River and back.
"UG!" I screamed, kicking a rock. "I hate him! I hate him! I hate him!" The rock hit a tree a half mile away, leaving a deep gash.
"I hate him too." Heidi agreed, dipping her feet in the river. Heidi was much more passive with her hate though, because, under the hate, she loved Lucian. "It's not fair that he fawns over you, and you don't even want him."
"I'm so sorry, Heidi." I said, coming to sit by her and slipping my feet into the warm water. "If I could change his affections I would." She smiled weakly. She never blamed me. Years ago, before anyone besides the Cullen's knew of my existence, Lucian and she had been lovers. Heidi always knew that her affections were much strong than his.
"You know how you could get back at him?" I asked, nudging her with my shoulder. She smirked at me, pushing back.
"How?" I returned her smirk, pulling my knees into my chest and hugging them.
"Well, you know how he hates when I spend time with Edward."
"Bel-lah," She sighed. "I could get in a lot of trouble, and they'd never let you go out with me again."
"Well, they wouldn't ever make you play babysitter again, but how can they blame you if I just suddenly…disappeared?" I asked, disappearing. She laughed. Standing, she stretched out her hands like a blind man. "Bella! Bella! Where did you go!?" I heard her laughter all the way back to Volturi.
Once she was gone, I stayed by the river for a while, just playing in the water, collecting my thoughts. God, I had gotten myself in deep. Edward was leaving, and I was unwilling to let him go. Yet, every day he falls more in love with me, was a day he fell less in love with Bella. I might rejoice at the fact he was fawning over me, that I could kiss and touch him as much as I wanted, but I didn't want to be this person. For the first time in a century, I wanted to be Bella.
Since he came back, everything has changed. Nothing is the same anymore. My feelings and hopes for the future have shifted ever so slightly – I didn't even realize that. But that's the problem with wishes; they come through the backdoor, invading my mind and take over my thoughts until I can't think of anything different. I can't even remember the life before Edward. I have lived, breathed, eaten, laughed and even loved. But it seems that I'm lost in his reflection now. For the woman inside of me who wants just to hide and forget everything, he is the perfect reason to keep fighting. I fought suicidal thoughts for so many reasons before he reentered my life.
First it had been for betrayal. He wanted me gone and I choose to stay for eternity. I hide because I knew that Edward Cullen never wanted to see my face again. But time has given me the opportunity to think, to make new impressions, to gain new information.
So, my thoughts have altered so slowly and tantalizingly that I didn't even realized the change in my behavior, in my dreams. The dark feelings of anger have been replaced by the hope of a future with him one day.
Not even one minute passes where demons aren't haunting me. The picture of Edward, cold and indifferent leaning against a tree in the forest, was more than I could take.
Surprisingly, Marcus was the voice of reason. At first he seemed like a bad person to take advise from, but after all he is just like me. He has the ability to decipher the meaning behind my words. And I talk and talk, hope that the wave of words will choke him before he can see the blush on my cheeks. But he read the three words that were well-hidden in all the distractions and debaucheries: I still love Edward.
'Forget him', Heidi tells me, and I have even thought about that. I have thought about the poor Alice, the tortured Esme, deceived Carlisle, arrogant Emmett, vain Rosalie, thoughtful Jasper, and my own broken soul. He would be better without me. He could live a happily-ever-after. I can clearly see a strawberry blond wife in his future. A house, a well-paid job. But who wants happily-ever-afters? I tried to erase the picture of Edward Cullen from my future. But I cannot forget, and even refuse to regret, that we have met. Because I found someone who makes worth all the pain that I live through. Someone I can't have.
What was I going to do?
From behind me, someone was coming closer. It wasn't a scent of the Volturi though. The leaves rustled, and Esme stepped from the forest.
"Something wrong, dear?" She asked, coming to stand by me. She must have stumbled upon me while hunting.
"Just…contemplating my life." I told her, smiling. "I need to make a decision, and I am afraid to hurt the people I love, but I must do what's right by my heart." She came to sit by me, rolling up her khakis, and sliding her feet into the babbling brook.
"Sometimes you must out weigh the options." She said thoughtfully. "Does the joy you bring to these people outweigh the pain you will cause them?"
"I'm not sure." I whispered, watching a young deer that dared come to frolic. "There are so many complications. Even if they're happy about it, it will cause them so much trouble."
"Maybe they are willing to accept that." Esme said, putting a hand on my shoulder. I look at her. She was beautiful, not only on the outside, but the inside to. She was such a motherly influence in my life.
"I'm scared." I admitted to her. For the first time in three centuries, I had said what I felt. I didn't have to be strong. "I'm scared of Lucian." I muttered into the stream. Esme did something I did not expect.
She pulled me into her arms and hugged me.
Her embrace was comforting, as any mother's embrace is. There was something in it I had never felt before. With Renee, I had to constantly take care of her. I realized, now that I was safely in Esme's arms, that she was offering me something no one ever had. Her hug told me everything was going to be alright. I couldn't help but sob into her shoulder, even if I wasn't suppose to know her that well.
"It's hard to live a lie. Always keeping everything inside." She whispered, pulling me closer. I nodded. It was hard. "You could come with us, Bella." She said. I wanted to, so much. I wanted to leave Lucian, Volturi, Aro, everything, but I couldn't lie to Edward like that-
Wait a minute. I pulled out of her grasp, even though my whole body protested it. I studied her face. It was sad, but open.
"How long have you known?" I asked harshly.
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