Are you still with me? I apologize for the long wait. I never intended for it to be so long. The story was lost and so was I. :( But I am back, and I am writing again. Thanks for your patience and support!

Chapter 25- Closer

Stranded in this spooky town
Stoplights are swaying and the phone lines are down
This floor is crackling cold, she took my heart, I think she took my soul
With the moon I run far from the carnage of the fiery sun

Driven by the strangle of vein showing no mercy I do it again,
Open up your eye, you keep on crying baby, I'll bleed you dry
Skies they blink at me, I see a storm bubbling up from the sea

And it's coming closer
And it's coming closer

Edward POV

Being carried through the woods was the most disconcerting feeling. My body was frozen—totally immobile. I tried to fight against Fatik's hold, but no amount of mental struggling made a difference. I could read the minds of those around me, but with my own panic-filled thoughts all I picked up was the foreboding sense of fear that swirled around me.

Never had I experienced the kind of terror I felt when I entered that clearing ahead of Bella and was paralyzed. It took my mind a moment to realize what had happened. I heard Bella's footsteps coming up from behind and felt myself falling as she tried to move me. I heard the panic in her voice when she realized I couldn't move, and while I was terrified for her, I was also proud of the way she stood her ground against a force as deadly as Fatik.

I was baffled by how she hadn't been affected by his unusual powers. Why hadn't they worked? I couldn't read her mind and wondered if the two were somehow related.

I tried to calm myself enough to gain an understanding of what was going to happen now that Fatik had captured me. The four vampires surrounding me were all newly created but not quite newborns. They were scared of Fatik, but they were also scared of me. I was surprised, considering I was incapacitated by the paralysis.

Seconds after we arrived at the SUV, Fatik, the woman, Shireen, and the large vampire who had been holding Bella joined us. Without warning, I was released from the hold Fatik had on me. I tensed my muscles to flee when he released me but had no time to act on the impulse. I was forced into the back row of seats and flanked by two of his men, then Fatik paralyzed me again with an infuriating arch of his eyebrow.

My only relief came when the vehicle pulled away leaving Bella behind and the huge vampire that had held her slid into the driver's seat and pictured her in his mind. He had left her stunned on the ground. Her arm was badly hurt, but she would heal. He drove away with squealing tires, his thoughts filled with worry over the vampires that were running through the woods—my family, I hoped. They would find Bella and keep her safe.

I couldn't imagine what she was going through emotionally. I'd had no choice but to go with them. I couldn't fight the hold Fatik had on me, and even if I could have fought him I wouldn't have. I would have done anything to keep her safe. She had made the same decision once. Bella had had enough bravery to face James alone to keep her mother safe.

I tried to take comfort in the thoughts of her safety and calm the turmoil inside of me, so I could try and discern Fatik's plan. I was going to need to have control of all the faculties I possessed and being stuck in my own mind was the last thing that would help me. I listened carefully to the thoughts around me, picking through them to find anything I could use and hoping I would be given the opportunity to speak to Fatik before I was destroyed.

Fatik was enthralled with Bella, and all his thoughts centered on her. He had never met another that could resist his powers, and this filled him with so many different thoughts. It frightened him, but he mostly wanted her. I wanted to close my mind to his fantasies of her, but I knew I needed to know what he was planning. Victoria may have been the one who wanted us, but now that Fatik had found something he wanted, the whole scenario was probably going to play out differently than Victoria had planned. I tried to take some comfort in his thoughts of betraying her.

Fatik's words in the clearing had been cryptic; he told Bella she would know where he was taking me. Unless he was sending a message or told Bella, he knew about Alice's abilities, and as we had suspected all along, Victoria had learned how to manipulate the holes in her visions.

I had no doubt, if given the chance, Victoria would kill me straight away. Part of me hoped she would continue to be her vindictive self and wait, allowing me the time to talk my way out of Fatik's grasp. I needed to convince him somehow to switch sides against Victoria and keep Bella safe.

As usual, keeping Bella safe was my first thought, but I knew there was no chance in hell she would stay away from Victoria. She had no regard for her own safety. A part of my brain, one I was trying to drown out, felt she may be our only chance against Fatik.

I had heard fleetingly about Fatik in a conversation with Carlisle and Eleazar many years ago. In his worldly travels, Eleazar was on a mission for the Volturi to find vampires with powerful gifts to bring back to Aro to strengthen his army. Eleazar had met Fatik while in Pakistan and had immediately sensed the strength of Fatik's power, but hadn't been able to specify what it was.

In an attempt to better understand, Eleazar had spent time with Fatik and his mate, Shireen, in the small encampment in the mountains, and discovered the exact nature of his power when Shireen disobeyed one of Fatik's commands. Watching her be frozen in front of him had frightened Eleazar, as I assumed was Fatik's intent.

Eleazar had left the couple as soon as was polite. He'd later told Aro of Fatik's power. He couldn't hide it from him, of course, but Aro must have known that Fatik was a threat to the Volturi and let him and his mate be.

After speaking with Eleazar about him those years before, I never gave Fatik another thought. When he introduced himself to Bella, I was more scared than I had been in my life. I couldn't help but wonder how he and Victoria had met and what kind of favor was owed that would draw him into a situation like this. The havoc Victoria had caused with her newborns was sure to be noticed by the sharp eyes of the Volturi.

I could see everything in my direct line of vision. I watched as the SUV we were in sped through the curving roads of the mountains and crossed over the New York border. I could see the shores of Lake Champlain in the periphery. The driver pulled off the paved road onto a narrow, somewhat overgrown gravel road and drove deeper into the trees until he stopped at a large white house with a wide front porch.

The air was filled with the scents of unfamiliar vampires and two very familiar ones—Victoria and Irina. Her betrayal to my family stung, but I held hope that she would be an asset to me and help me escape.

Fatik climbed out of the passenger's side of the vehicle, along with Shireen, and the two vampires that had sat on either side of her. The seat in front of me was flipped forward and the vampire to the right of me got out. Fatik ducked his head into the truck.

"Holding you thus has exhausted me. If I release you will you show restraint and manners? If you can't I will not intercede if dear Victoria decides to do away with you. Although, knowing her, I would assume she wants more of an audience before she does something so drastic. Let us go play her little game, shall we?"

Fatik released his hold on me, and I sagged into the seat. It was interesting to know that he couldn't use his hold indefinitely without suffering. He waited for my acquiescence, and when I gave it, I was pushed out of the car by the dark haired vampire that was still sitting with me.

I stood and looked at my surroundings. The house was old, the white siding dirty, and the wraparound porch looked ready to collapse in two places, the worst shored up by four cement blocks.

Just as I caught her scent, I looked up and saw Irina's horrified face looking down at me from one of the dirty upstairs windows.

"Oh Edward! How the hell did they get you? I can't believe this! She's crazy! She's going too far!"

Her disbelieving thoughts were frantic. I wished I had the ability to telepathically communicate with her. I wanted to know why she was there. What had she been thinking to get involved with Victoria?

A very young female vampire came out of the front door, and seeing Fatik and his entourage standing there she froze. I would have thought Fatik had paralyzed her had she not gasped and fled back inside the house. I heard her call for Victoria.

I stopped, going no closer. I could feel my insides boiling. I didn't know if I could keep from trying to kill her. Fatik must have sensed my anger.

"Now, now, Edward." He looked into my eyes and finished in his head. One of his eyebrows cocked. "You will have your chance at her, but it is not now."

What was his game?

I relaxed my tightly clenched fists and jaw and tried to calm my temper. I wanted to destroy her for all the turmoil she had caused in my life. I held myself back as Victoria appeared in the doorway. Her chilling, triumphant smile lasted only as long as it took for her to realize Bella was not with us.

"Where is the girl?" she sneered at Fatik, who mockingly bowed to her. I clearly heard his disdain for her in his thoughts.

"I humbly apologize, but I was unable to bring the girl to you."

Victoria walked over to him. I clenched my hands into fists again to keep from going for her throat.

"That was not our deal, Fatik. You promised me both of them."

"Yes, I did. Do not fret. She will come."

I could see the fire in Victoria's eyes and heard her plans as she looked at me. She wanted to kill me but wanted Bella there to watch as she did it. I glared at her until she turned. Eric, the vampire who had held Bella, grabbed a hold of my arm and led me to follow Fatik into the house.

He pushed me down in a chair. I sat with Fatik's eyes on me. He was just waiting for me to step out of line. I looked across the room and watched Irina as she walked into the room. I narrowed my eyes at her, and she winced from my glare.

Her cell phone was in her hand.

"Don't you think this has gone too far, Victoria?" she asked. I saw the regret in her eyes before she turned away.

"No, actually, I don't. You're not going to stand there and pretend you're not delighted you can finally avenge the men we loved, are you?" Victoria prowled toward Irina, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "I was thinking of letting you take care of this one. You did say you wanted all of the Cullens punished, didn't you?"

Irina was visibly shaken by her words. She glanced over at me, her mind screaming her innocence.

"I was angry, Edward. I never wanted you dead."

I looked away disgusted, while Victoria laughed at her.

Irina sat on the couch and started typing away on her phone before she slid it into her pocket. I could feel her stare on me and met her eyes when she begged me to.

"I'm sorry, Edward. I never should have come here. I was only looking for Laurent. Victoria says he's dead. Is he really?"

I nodded imperceptibly. I saw the real pain in her eyes and could hear her sorrowful memories of his betrayal of her love.

"I know now he was only using me to gain information for Victoria. I loved him and thought he wanted to change and be with me forever."

Irina looked away from me, her shame clear on her face. She jumped to her feet and stood in front of Victoria, who was pacing and ranting at Fatik in front of the window. Fatik sat on the sofa, Shireen's hand clasped in his like he hadn't a care in the world. I guessed he didn't. I was sure he was comfortable, because he knew Victoria was no threat to him.

Victoria's nostrils flared in anger when Irina stopped her. Eric, who was standing behind me, put a restraining hand on my shoulder when I made to get up.

"This is done right here, Victoria. I'm taking Edward, and I'm leaving. In fact, I will be on the first flight to Italy to report you to the Volturi. You have put us all in danger, and I will no longer be a part of your insane plans."

Irina turned away from Victoria, and, before I could warn her or act, Eric's arms were clamped around me. Victoria grabbed Irina by the back of her head and slammed her into the wall, then threw her down before she could recover. Victoria bashed her head into the floor over and over until the wood cracked. I turned my head as she leaned down and bit Irina, tearing her head off her neck.

I struggled against Eric, but he was too strong, and he slammed me back into the chair. Fatik stood calmly and gestured for me to stay down. His face was impassive, but his mind was not. He was shocked at the viciousness Victoria displayed. I realized then he had no clue what he had gotten himself into.

"I have no fight with the Volturi, Victoria. I have spent centuries living a peaceful existence away from them and have no desire to be implicated in your schemes. What was the girl referring to?"

Victoria called for two of her newborns to come and remove Irina's body, brushing all thoughts of her away like she had only been a pest. It took all my strength to stay in my seat. I wanted to remove Victoria from this Earth. I was afraid if I tried to fight against Eric, Fatik would paralyze me, and I'd have no way to defend against an attack from Victoria. I didn't have one ounce of trust that he would raise a finger to defend me.

In the back of her mind, Irina's words shook Victoria, but she felt confident with the protection of the army she had created.

Irina's phone fell out of her pocket as she was carried out. It fell at Shireen's feet. She handed the phone to Fatik, who studied what he saw on the phone. Victoria had resumed her pacing and was again demanding an explanation for why Fatik had left Bella behind when he interrupted her ranting.

"I guess we will soon see how this all turns out. It seems your little friend has alerted her family to our location."

Her family? Carlisle had been expecting Tanya, Kate, Carmen and Eleazar. I wondered if they would come. I knew Alice would see me, or hoped at least. I wished she had seen Fatik. It would have saved us a lot of trouble, although I was somewhat happy to have this situation come to a head. There was nothing I wanted more than to be able to move past this part of my life and to live peacefully—to live with Bella and forge a new life together.

I listened as Fatik and Victoria fought. He could have paralyzed and destroyed her in a minute, but he didn't. I patiently sat and waited for my opportunity to act.

"I came here to repay my debt to James, a debt you claimed, and I honored because he was my friend. I have carried it for one hundred years, but today I consider it repaid."

"If James was your friend, then you should stay and help me avenge his horrific and unwarranted death."

"Unwarranted?" I growled, unable to stay silent any longer. "He tried to kill Bella. He was begging for death when he came into my territory and tried to take what was mine."

Fatik turned back to Victoria, a restraining hand on her arm when she would have moved toward me. "James was a vicious vampire, but he was a loyal friend to me. If he was here I would stand to the death with him, but I have seen you with that boy, Riley. You do not honor James' memory by cavorting with him. I was willing to play this game until I realized how far you were willing to go. The Volturi have the power to destroy us all, and I would like to stay alive."

"You're a coward, Fatik. We could rule the world together, but you're too scared to act. The Volturi have no powers as strong as yours. We could rise up and destroy them all."

I could hear the grandiose thoughts of power running through her head, thoughts of vampires taking over the world and using the human race as a food source. She wanted to rule over all, and I couldn't help but think she was insane.

She brushed him away with her hand and turned her back to him. "Leave if you want, Fatik. I can handle this on my own."

She called to the vampires that had accompanied me in the car and gestured for them to come into the front room. "Guard him," she said, pointing at me. "I want him sitting there when I come back. I'm glad Irina told your coven where you are. I have an army of vampires just waiting to destroy them."

She whipped her hair around and jumped down the front stairs. I heard the screaming plans in her head and took the opportunity to talk to Fatik.

"You can help me. We can destroy her. Let me destroy her."

He stared at me, contemplating his next move. His thoughts were jumbled. He was trying to hide something from me.

"I can't help you, Edward, but I will remove myself from the equation."

He looked over my head to Victoria's guard dogs. "If you know what is good for you, you will leave. Victoria is going to get you killed. It may not be at the hands of the Cullens, but I can guarantee you the Volturi will not allow her scheme to come to fruition. They will kill you all."

Fatik tossed Irina's phone to me and reached for Shireen's hand.

"I wish you the best of luck, Mr. Cullen. Please accept my humble apologies for my part in this ordeal."

He walked out the door. The last thought I caught from him was of Bella and how much he desired her. I knew then that we had not seen the last of him.

xoxoxo-

Thank you for all the reviews. They are truly what keeps me going. Thank you Jessypt for being there when I know you are as busy as I am.

Thanks to the ladies on Facebook who spur me on- Kimberly, Paula, Heather, and Courtney. I hope the wait was at least a bit worth it.