A/N: We own nothing but the plot. Reviews are appreciated. Happy reading.
~o0o~
~ Bella's Point of View ~
~ By ncbexie25 ~
Bella opened the door with Peter behind her, getting her shield ready for anything she deemed a threat against either of them.
There, standing before them, was a man perhaps just a little older than Peter and Bella, with blond curly hair atop his head and blue eyes. Beside him was a significantly shorter woman, younger than Bella, Peter, or indeed the blond man, at perhaps late teens. Her hair was short, and fell in a sort of spiky fashion to shape her face. The look was complete with elfin features and, to Bella's surprise, the most beautiful pale pink wings flickering on her back. Standing behind the two was a blonde woman who looked remarkably like the man, although with decidedly feminine features. She was lovely and very quiet, seeming reluctant to be the center of attention.
Alice smiled, and seemed to answer the unspoken question on Bella's lips before it had even registered for her to ask. "Don't worry. Only the supernatural can see my wings."
"Right," Bella said slowly, "and you are?"
"I'm Alice, and this is my soul mate, Jasper and Jasper's sister, Charlotte," she said with a cute grin on her face. Bella glanced down at the joined hands between their bodies and smiled. Their connection was so potent it was tangible.
"Huh," Peter said from behind her. "Well, whoever you are, you're a damn cute pixie."
Jasper rolled his eyes as Alice scorned, seemingly upset. "I am not a pixie," she sneered in her wind chimes voice, "I am a fairy."
Peter and Bella looked at each other, then Peter smirked and replied, "Well, you're short, little bit, but aren't fairies… shorter?"
Bella groaned and smacked at Peter's stomach, making him grunt, when he held up his thumb and index finger, pinching them to about a centimeter apart from one another.
The aura now freely flowing around Alice grew red as did her face, and Jasper wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her back against him.
Jasper's drawl resounded through the small room. "I'd thank ya'll kindly for not teasin' my Ali... she spits fire when she's angry."
Bella's eyes widened and Peter grinned with excitement. "Really?"
Jasper raised an eyebrow, disbelieving at their gullibility. "No. It's a figure of speech. When my Alice gets angry, she tends to get a little more violent."
"What's more violent than spitting fire?" Bella pondered aloud, her arm all the while wrapping around Peter's waist and gripping tight on his hip. Her shields flickered under the surface, readied if needed.
Alice huffed. "Fairies are notorious for playing tricks, you know. I'll just turn him into a toad."
Peter smirked. "Bring it, short stuff."
"Peter," Bella warned. Her shields were reacting to the talk around them, as if knowing instinctively that Peter might be in danger—even if he was talking himself into it.
"What, babe?" Peter asked with a smirk, crossing his arms over his chest. "Li'l bit can't do nothin' to me. You'll protect me."
Bella's eyes narrowed, a hand on her cocked hip as her eyebrow rose. "Oh, really? Will I?"
Peter didn't know it yet, but he was walking into uncharted and dangerous territory. "Yeah... it's your job, remember?"
Bella hissed, the sound again animalistic and attached to the more primal, bestial part of herself. "Protect yourself," she growled before storming off, leaving a spluttering Peter to deal with the angry little pixi—fairy himself.
"Shit," Peter moaned and Bella smirked, huffing to herself.
From the small lounge area she called, "aren't you going to invite them in, Peter?"
He sighed and did so, and a moment later, the three strange visitors were seated opposite Peter and Bella, Alice grumbling every time she looked his way.
"So, as nice as this has been, what exactly is the reason you're here?" Bella asked, feeling the need to get straight to the point. As pissed as she was at her jerk of a soul mate right now, she knew that these two supernaturals wouldn't be here if it weren't for a significant reason. And she had a feeling it had something to do with the prophecy that had brought Peter to her.
"Well, first of all, we need to give you a very important parcel," Alice said, and a strange mist formed out of her hands before a paper parcel landed in her hands. She set it on the table. "It's extremely important, and it will answer most all of your questions about everything that's peculiar in your life. The dreams, the marks, the gifts you possess, the prophecy that has led to your reunion—everything."
"I'm sorry, did you say reunion?" Peter interjected with a frown on his face. "We've never met before; not in person, anyway."
Alice and Jasper smiled, and this time it was the latter who spoke. "Please, before we answer any of your questions or indeed even explain why we are here, please open that parcel. Explore the contents—everything. And heed what you read from the note and indeed the book that is bestowed in there. It is of grave importance."
And then they literally vanished into thin air.
"What the fuck?" Bella gasped. Her brain could hardly believe what she had just witnessed—let alone the entire exchange—and then there on the table was the brown parcel.
Peter leaned forward. "It's from Egypt," he told her, reaching his hand out to grab at it when Bella smacked his hand like a parent would a naughty child. He leapt back. "Ow! Bella, what was that for?"
"Don't touch it," she warned, getting up off the couch. "Think about it, Peter. With what you lived through down there, don't you think it's awfully peculiar that two supernaturals—a fairy and a who-knows-what-he-was—suddenly arrived at my house? How did they know where I live, Peter?"
She was pacing now, shaking her head, and he just stood there and watched, letting her get it all out. From their shared dreams, he knew she could get like this sometimes, so he just let her go off on her tangent, ready to bring her back to planet earth when she was done. "No. No, this all just feels a little too circumstantial and I am not buying it. Whatever is in there, if it's bad and we open it, I can't protect you, Peter. We have no way of knowing what's in there and with all the circumstantial evidence, there is no way in hell that I am opening that fucking thing and neither are you. What if it's from him?"
"Who?"
She rolled her eyes. "Osiris."
"Who?"
"Seriously, Peter? You have no idea whose lair you were in all these years?"
"Well, it's not as if he came up to me, shook my hand and said 'hey, I'm Osiris and you're going to be staying here for the unforeseeable future. What's your name?' Really, Bella." He raised an eyebrow at her, his mouth screwed up in a strange grin-grimace.
She shook her head, ignoring his sarcasm. "Peter, he already knew who you were."
His head flew up in shock. "Huh?"
"Why else would he take you when you were a baby? Peter, think about it. What harm could you have done as a small, innocent child?" There were tears in her eyes now as her mind flashed back to the pain she'd seen, the tears, in his earlier years, slowly transforming him into a bitter man.
Part of her felt like it was her fault that she couldn't save him, protect him. It had grown worse when she'd developed her up-until-now useless shield. And despite the happiness that sang from her very being at merely having him truly, physically with her, she mourned the sweet, innocent boy she knew he'd never be able to be again. Osiris had completely destroyed any chance of it.
Her thoughts took on a turn for the worse at the name. After turning eighteen, and developing her power, she'd started really paying attention to her shared dreams with Peter. And when she'd picked out a few details that sounded like it was associated with the Ancient Egyptian God her class was studying, she did a little extra research.
It turned out that she was right. Osiris was indeed the one who had kept her Peter under lock and key. So when she'd come across a birth certificate for a Peter Whitlock on the exact same date that she'd been born, from Texas—and subsequently a missing person's report from the same day—she'd put two and two together and made an unbelievable four.
Imagine her surprise at discovering the whole thing was indeed every bit as real as she had thought it, in the back of her mind known it, to be.
Yes. Her hate for that cursed bastard knew no bounds.
But she didn't know anything else. She couldn't find any real reason for Peter to have been taken—especially at his age, not even a day old—but there was nothing to explain any of the rest of it. So she'd let it sit, hoping that one day the answers would drop into her lap.
And it seemed quite possible that it had.
So why was she resisting? It was simple. By her very nature, upbringing, and gift, she was a hesitant person. She had thought that Peter would be, too, but he was eager and reckless. She had to protect him from any danger. She couldn't let anything happen to him again, especially when she could stop it. She wouldn't be able to live with himself.
"Baby?" Peter called, breaking her from her thoughts. She looked up at him, blinking, and he sat down beside her. She hadn't even realized she'd sat down. He took her hand in his, his brow pinched as he stared at her, love and concern in her eyes. "Baby, how do you know all that?"
She sighed. "Are you sure you want to know? It's not pretty, Peter."
"Please," he begged, and all she could see was that five year old boy again, begging for the men that hit him to stop. She swallowed against the lump in her throat, her breath hitching, and she sniffled and wiped her eyes.
"I can't deny you a thing," she whispered with a soft ghost of a smile, "but I can't let anything happen to you. I'll protect you from anything, Peter, even if it's from yourself.
"But if you want to know, then I'll tell you."
And she did.
She could see once she'd finished that Peter was thinking hard, and she straddled him and wrapped her arms around him in an effort to comfort him in any way she could. The pain in his eyes was that of a burning man, and she knew he was reliving things she couldn't even begin to imagine. Sure, she'd seen it all in her dreams, but she hadn't felt it. She didn't know as he knew it.
A while passed as there was total silence, the sun going down. The only light in the house, as Peter hadn't moved and Bella didn't dare to, was the soft glow of the package that they hadn't even realized before.
That was perhaps what awakened them.
"Bella," Peter whispered and she clenched her eyes closed, squeezing tighter. "Baby, I think we need to open that parcel."
It felt as though cold water had been thrown on her. She felt anger build inside. Had he not heard a thing she'd said? The danger that presented? Her worries about the situation?
"Peter—" she started as she got off him.
"No, baby, hear me out," he said, voice calm. He had no idea of the anger welling inside her, no idea at all. She scoffed, shaking her head. Why the fuck were men so clueless? "Alice and Jasper, good people, would not have been sent with a bad package for us."
She snorted. "Peter, what if they thought something else was in it?"
"Hear. Me. Out," he said again, slower, his voice still pretty damn calm. She swallowed her anger, hands on hips, and nodded for him to proceed. "You have a shield, Bella. You can protect yourself and me if there is a problem. But if we need to know what's in there, and we don't open it..."
"Did you not hear anything I said?" She was shaking as she shouted at him, tears now spilling down her cheeks. All those years of hurt because he hurt, with every syllable she felt it rise and then release in a tumult of emotion and word. "I mean, Jesus, Peter, you're right, okay? It is my job to protect you. But I can't do it if you won't let me. Don't you think I feel useless enough? All those years, watching you suffer, wishing I could do something, developing this fucking shield that I couldn't even use to help you!" A sob caught in her throat, and Peter pulled her into his arms, resting his chin atop her head.
"Baby, don't you think that we should see what's in the package then? We felt no bad vibes from them before we let them in. They were good. And maybe if we find out from the parcel what we need to know, you'll know how to protect me and why. It'll make it easier for you. Please, baby, let's make this easier and just open the package."
She swallowed and wiped her eyes. Pulling back, she nodded, and took a deep breath before pushing him behind her. He let her, she reached for the package, and with an encouraging nod from him and another deep breath, she pulled the cord off and ripped the brown paper.
On the top lay a letter, and Bella put the things down to open it up. Peter came closer as she read it aloud.
Dear Bella and Peter,
As you are now twenty one, the time has come for you to learn of your history and of your true nature. My friends, what I am to tell you will tilt the very axis of your worlds as you know them.
Your history begins in Ancient Egypt, in what is now considered legend and myth. But your existences, my dears, are proof that it is anything but.
Among the Gods were three by the names Osiris, Ra, and Ra (yes, my friends, two people with the same name). The God Ra, as you may know, was the male God of the Sun, and the Goddess Ra was his wife.
But the Sun God had many enemies, particularly Osiris, who was jealous of his power. And so the Goddess was his protector from the darkness and hatred of the underworld God. Osiris had minions that he would send regularly in attempts to end the God's life, but each time, Goddess Ra protected her husband like a fierce shield, using her powers and the form of the Lion to aid her.
What many do not know, is that Osiris once succeeded, and since then, twice have the husband and wife risen in human-warlock/witch form to find their other half to overcome him.
And twice, Osiris has prevailed.
But there is only one more time before the world is shrouded in eternal night under a moon of hate. Twenty one years ago, on the thirty-first of October, the two rose again. But this time, Osiris was waiting, and he stole away the God and took advantage of his fragile lesser form.
As the two were born, they were each marked with a symbol of who they were, knowing that when the time came to fight, they would use those marks to unleash the inner part of themselves needed in order to save all worlds from this dark that Osiris threatens.
As the two grew, they knew of each other through dreams. And as they grew, they discovered their gifts—the girl, a shield, and the boy, to wield fire.
And just today, they were reunited and recognized in their souls who the other was.
Yes, my friends, it is indeed you that this prophecy focuses upon. It is indeed you that Osiris wishes to kill in order to prevail and create a world of such chaos and terror that none will remember the world before.
You are the only two, guided by those who come to help, that can stop it. And yes, my dears, you will know who is friend and who is foe. All those who bear the mark of the Phoenix on their bodies, and who have dreamt of the Lion and the Sun, are friend. All others who have not are foe.
I will write you again when the time comes to fight. All I can say to you now is that you must prepare and be strong in one another. Our love is fated, and has been since the dawn of the God and Goddess you once were and will be again. You cannot fail.
I bid you well, great God and Goddess Ra.
Blessed Be,
Your Observer
"So, we're Gods?" Bella said, a laugh of hysteria bursting from her lips. They were right, they had received answers, but fuck, it was surreal having all that extra knowledge inside her head. It was hard to wrap your head around the fact that you were the human form of millenias-old Goddess.
"No, babe, I'm a God and you're a Goddess."
She sighed, slapping the letter into his chest. "Funny, Peter." And then she stopped, spun around, and grabbed the letter from his fingers. She gasped as her eyes quickly found the words she'd just remembered in her mind. "Shit."
"What?"
"Uh, we're not human," she said slowly.
"Yeah… I know… we just—"
"No, Peter, we're not human… and we're not just deities," she turned to him, "we're fucking magic."
His eyes widened as he remembered the words she'd read out. "Fuck, you're right. You're a witch and I'm a warlock. But what does that even mean?"
Bella's movements were frenzied, and she had never been more grateful that the years of martial arts had banished her ungracefulness. She spun and bent over to pick through the package, looking for something that might aid them. Her fingers found paper, and she gripped then stood back up straight.
She read it aloud, turning to Peter.
My friends,
In this package are the books of spells that you need for this and indeed for your life ahead. The other warlock and witch supernaturals will guide you in this skill as they come.
"So, we've got more supernaturals coming? And Alice and Jasper will be fighting with us?" Bella asked.
Peter shrugged. "I guess so. And from the word 'supernaturals' it won't just be witches and warlocks, either."
"Holy shit."
"Yeah."
Also to be found is information unknown about the ancient world from which you are. Read every page, and do so together. It is imperative in finding every weakness of your opponents, and knowing your own strength.
"Wait… strength…" Bella gasped, "Remember what the letter said? The Goddess Ra fought as a lioness." She gulped. "I'm turning into a fucking lioness?!"
"No, babe, it's just a form," Peter said, wrapping his arms around her. "That lioness is a part of you, and she's part of what you need to protect me. It's okay. Don't be afraid. We'll figure this all out together. Now read on. I have a feeling there's more."
Peter, I have provided you with clothes. They are fireproof, you see. It may come in handy. There are more to come.
"Sweet!" Peter exclaimed, reaching for the clothes.
Bella rolled her eyes and kept reading.
And Bella, for you, I have a journal. I know it may not seem as much, but it is somewhere you can write your pain away. But heed me, dear, you have no need to feel guilty for what fell upon your soul mate. It was destined to be so that he could become the man he has to be in order to fulfil the prophecy with you. The pen, also with the journal, allows for your writing to be erased if you so desire once you close the book so none should be party to your innermost thoughts if you do not wish it.
Bella smiled to herself.
"He's right, you know."
"Hmm?"
Peter was smiling. "He's right. You shouldn't feel guilty."
"He?" she played him. "What if it's a she?"
He chuckled. "My little feminist."
"Let's remember that I protect you in this relationship, hmm?"
And lastly, for the both of you, I have armbands of gold that you wore in your godly forms. These will enhance your powers and enrich your knowledge of your origins further than the book allows. Heed my warning: these are dangerous in the hands of evil. You were killed in previous times because Osiris was able to attain these. You cannot allow this to happen. Put them on immediately and do not take them off again.
I fare thee well.
They did not speak this time. In utter silence, Bella reached for the armbands, and gave Peter his. Facing one another, they slipped them on and up their arms until they reached their biceps, placing the second on their other arm.
As soon as both surrounded her skin, an electric pulse rang out through Bella's body, staying in her very core as a surge of power filled her being. When she opened her eyes, which had closed from the sensation, she found Peter much the same as her. And dear god, she could feel his power as sure as she knew he could feel hers. The draw to him was ever more, and she could hardly believe it. There was a pulse, a charge, generating between them from their souls and reaching out to the other's.
Eyes narrowed, Bella reached for the letter again, and huffed.
One more thing… the armbands will increase your connection and thus your desire to consummate this bond. You must do so as soon as it feels right. You will know. The bond will guide you.
Hmph.
"Well, thanks, you mysterious bastard," Bella muttered under her breath, passing the letter to Peter. Their fingers grazed against each other and their breathing hitched, whimpers falling between parted lips at the sensation.
But before they could continue it, Alice and Jasper were next to them, knowing smiles on their faces.
"Hi again," Jasper said, his smile turning into a smirk. "Are we interrupting?"
Bella's eyes narrowed. "Not at all."
Alice giggled. "Excellent. Now I presume you wish to see our mark of the Phoenix and hear of our dreams? We both share the same in both aspects, so either can answer."
"Right," Bella said with a nod, stepping back from Peter in almost a jump movement. "You're right. So right. Um, can we see the mark and then we'll talk about the… the dreams."
The other three smirked at her sheepishness and she flipped them the bird, sitting down and waiting. An errant thought of hers wondered if it was okay for a Goddess to act as she was. Probably not. She shrugged. Oh, well.
Peter sat down beside her, and Jasper and Alice came forth and knelt before them, pulling up their sleeves. And there, on their wrist, was the mark of the Phoenix to mark the location that all supernaturals would travel to in order to find the God and Goddess Ra.
"Wow," Peter and Bella said together, pulling their own sleeves up for comparison. "They glow as ours do," Bella continued, looking between the two marks on her own skin and Alice's.
"And the dreams?" Peter asked, pulling his sleeve down. Bella did the same, as did Jasper and Alice.
"All supernaturals called to aide you dream of the Sun," Jasper said, nodding toward Peter, "and the Lioness," he continued, nodding toward Bella. "We hear the prophecy, and are guided on our own destiny—to help you fulfil it and overthrow Osiris. As we grow, we hear of your history, and of what we can do to make sure that this third time ends in your favour."
With that, Peter and Bella rose as did Alice and Jasper just after them. It was discussed quickly what next would happen, and after much debate, it was decided that they would read the books that were in the package first, sleep, and only then would training begin.
~o0o~
"Again, my Goddess."
She picked herself up off the ground, dusted off her ass, and turned back to face Jasper. He was a hard ass when it came to learning how to fight, but as it so happened, he was an extremely effective teacher. In just a few days, he had turned her into a better fighter than her human teacher had in two years.
Though Jasper liked to say this was due to the knowledge that Bella and Peter had attained through reading the book of their history and the world they had come from, aided by the armbands which bestowed memories on them as they read.
Surprisingly, after the initial shock had worn off, it was easy to slip into the role. It felt right. Gone were her attentions on anything but the important, the here and now.
She had been writing in her journal whenever she felt that guilt kick in, and it was really helping her. She was thankful to whoever it was who had sent the package from Egypt, and only wished she was able to express such to them.
Alas, a short note of you're welcome appeared after she showered yesterday and she didn't know how, but she knew that he—or she—was watching.
"Pay attention, Goddess," Jasper called her back from her thoughts delivering a hit to her stomach that sent her flying.
Instinctively, she let out a roar as she landed on all fours, skidding and glaring in his direction. But when she made to lunge at him, each move was blocked until she was thrown back again, harder, and hit a tree.
Another roar fell from her lips at being bested again, but her head was aching so hard that it only caused more pain. She gasped and clutched at her head, peeling herself away from the tree only to fall to the ground. She felt Peter come to her, and Jasper, too.
"If she is hurt, I can help," a charming British accent said from somewhere to Bella's right.
Slowly she peeled her eyes open, finding herself in Peter's arms with Jasper seated in front of her, trying to coax her into opening her eyes and speaking to them once more. At the sound of the voice, they all looked up to see a golden-haired man with the palest skin they'd ever seen and golden eyes to match.
"And you are?" Peter asked hesitantly, his instincts warring. He could feel that the man meant good but due to his soul mate's injury, he was more vigilant and careful toward any—even Jasper, with whom he'd become fast friends.
"I am Carlisle, God Ra," the blond spoke again. He came forward slowly, pulling up the sleeve on his arm to reveal the now-familiar mark of the Phoenix. "I dreamed as a human of the Sun and Lioness, and was told of all I would do in time to help them fulfil their prophecy. I was informed as well of what I would go through in order to do so. I heard the prophecy many times, and can now recite to you the history I was told."
"As fun as this all is," Bella groaned, "now that we know you're a good guy, can you please help me with my head? You said you could."
"I indeed can," he said, kneeling down next to her. "I am a warlock, and have healing properties as my main strength. That is the main aide I provide to you, my Lady."
Working his magic—Bella's eyes were closed at his request; apparently it made it faster somehow if she concentrated on something else and turned away from the brightness of the magic he would use—Carlisle quickly made her well again. When he was done, Bella thanked him, and they engaged in conversation.
"You said when you were human you dreamed of us?" Peter asked, "But you are a warlock?"
Carlisle nodded. "I am a vampire now, my Lord, and I was a warlock when I was human."
"Fuck, they're real, too?" Peter groaned. "Are there wood nymphs?"
"Yes, Peter," Bella answered.
"Wait, how would you know?" Peter asked in an almost accusatory tone.
Bella snorted and rolled her eyes, answering his slowly. "Peter, if the Gods are real, then so are all the other mythical creatures made of legend. And I imagine the Greek and Roman Gods are real as well, including their mythical creatures."
"Well, fuck. How much freakier can this fucking world get?" he whined, his head braced his hands, his elbows on his knees. He looked like a naughty six year old boy does when they're in trouble and upset.
"A whole lot, son," a thick Irish accent rang out as four red headed, pale skinned people emerged from the trees. Everyone turned to face them, and were met with the sight of a family of four: two older, a mother and a father, and two children, one male and one female.
"And how is that?" Peter asked.
"We, boy," the man continued, "are leprechauns."
"You've got to be shitting me."
"Afraid not," the younger woman said, her curls bouncing as she walked forward. She smiled kindly, hand outstretched to shake Peter's. When he was unreceptive, Bella sighed and took her hand instead.
"I'm Bella, but everyone here seems to call me Goddess," she said dryly. "Peter is my mate, and in our other forms, my husband Ra. I share his name."
Her grin stretched wider. "My name is Esme. My brother is Edward, and he is younger than I. Our parents are Edward Senior and Elizabeth."
"Nice to meet you all," Bella responded kindly. "Now, if we may see your marks of the Phoenix and hear of your dreams?"
Like Carlisle, and before him Alice and Jasper, they presented themselves to the scrutiny of Peter and Bella. With exchanged nods, they stepped back, and that was when Esme's eyes met Carlisle's for the first time.
And their bond was completed.
It seemed all mythical creatures had mates, but some mating drives were stronger than others, as they immediately pardoned themselves from their presence. The others did not mind, but it was strange for Bella to think that when they consummated their bond—or indeed did anything else—everyone would know. Stranger still, Bella wasn't the least embarrassed.
They stayed outside until it had long grown dark, speaking and getting to know one another. Bella found Edward quite a nice boy, though broody he was. He had offered to play the piano for them sometime when Elizabeth had gushed about his talent, blushing the entire time, his Irish voice stuttering.
"Well, I think we'll go to bed now," Peter said, kissing Bella's cheek. "Thank you all for being here. We will see you tomorrow and begin more training."
With that, he and Bella walked inside and into to the bedroom they shared. They got ready for bed, pulled back the covers, and slipped inside, Peter's arms wrapping around her body as Bella laid her head on his chest. They sighed at the feeling after such a crazy day.
It really was no question when it came to that just a few hours after they had read through the book of their history the day Peter had arrived, and Alice and Jasper had come with the parcel. Sleeping in each other's arms after so long apart was a source of comfort. It felt so right. And so when they fell asleep in each other's arms, the power of their connection and their origins humming within, they were finally in peace.