Chapter 19
Isabelle took them back to the medical suites. Alice, Jasper and Edward went to the secured suite to practice their mental relaxation while the others picked their scanners and went to get settled for the procedure. For the first time Isabelle felt sorry for the procedures they used. The next several hours would be long and hard on the Cullen's but in the long run it would more than likely save their lives. On her way out Isabelle picked up the test results for the Cullen's and the hybrid and went to find Gabriel.
She found him at the waterfall in the forest. He had left subtle clues for her to find him there. It was a special place for the two of them, they had married there, done the bonding there and each of their sons was conceived there. She could feel him before she saw him and when she stepped out of the forest he was already gazing at her. Isabelle could feel how hard it was on him having Edward and the Cullen's here, they were linked to a part of her Gabriel didn't know and that put him even more on edge. Edward didn't realize how close he was to death when he had touched her hand on the balcony. She was what had stopped Gabriel from killing him; she had sent her feelings to him when he had walked up behind her. Her love for him, her pride in his restraint and lastly her disappointment if he carried out killing Edward, the last one was a below the belt move and she knew it but it was what had stopped him. Now she had to make this right, he was the most important thing in her life and he was feeling threatened by an unmated male, one who appeared to still be in love with her.
She understood his feelings, once a female lycan tried to rub herself all over him at a Council meeting. They had been married about 500 years at the time, before the lycan could blink Isabelle had reached across the table pulled her heart out and crushed it. Then she calmly sat back down to listen to the meeting with the crushed heart in the middle of the table. When everyone turned to her she shrugged and asked if any of the other females needed a lesson in touching someone else's mate. The women replied no and nothing like that has ever happened again. What made it even harder for Gabriel, if that was possible, was the fact that he knew she did not welcome any kind of intimacy or touches from Edward no matter how innocent they were. In Gabriel's eyes not only was Edward touching his mate but he was doing so against her will.
She eyed him up and down, he was lying on his plaid naked as the day he was born and he was magnificent. She needed to claim him, he needed to know she chose him over all others and when she shed her dress and her eyes flashed ice blue Gabriel knew he was in trouble. As he went to sit up he heard her murmur something and then he was being pinned to the ground as vines sprouted up to hold him in place. "You are mine Gabriel Hamilton, no one else can claim you and I will never let you go." Isabelle growled at him while lowering herself onto him. "YOU LET HIM TOUCH YOU!" Gabriel snarled back at her. "I did because that is what he needed for comfort. I CHOSE YOU! You are my mate. You are the only one to ever touch me this way, to touch my soul. I am yours, body and soul. Open to me fully cèile, bind with me I need your strength and your love."
Gabriel opened their link fully to bind their minds and souls as Isabelle was binding their bodies together. It was not soft and gentle, it was a claiming, and a taking and a giving of what they each needed.
As she collapsed on top of him and released the vines he took her in his arms, "'Nam Mnaol, I love you and I am trying to keep my jealousy in check but it is hard. I know you understand this but it hurts to keep disappointing you. We have been mated almost 3,000 years logically I know he is not a threat and it bothers me that even knowing that I still need reassurance. I think if you let me beats his ass it would help." Isabelle laughed, "Oh, I am sure if I let you do that it would make you feel better and I will make a deal with you. If he touches me again, after I warn him not to, then you can beat him for me. Will that satisfy your nature for a while?" "YES," Gabriel yelled to the sky, "I hope he screws up soon. It could be fun; I'll invite the boys to watch." Isabelle stood shaking her head, "Like I said earlier your sons get their war mongering attitudes for you. Let's head back I need to go over the test results so far with you. At a quick glance I saw some interesting information."
As Isabelle and Gabriel entered the keep they noticed the flag was flying indicating that the Cullen's were hunting. Mary let them know that the scans were done on Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie and Emmett and Digby and Keldan were taking them hunting. Kate was setting up to begin Alice's scan with Leif watching for problems. Alice and Jasper's scans would be easier than Edward's. Isabelle was sure with him they would need a watcher and a blocker so Edward wasn't overloaded with the memories of the scanner. He would need to be handled very delicately. Scanning him was very necessary but also very dangerous, for this reason he would be last. She hoped he was strong enough to take it.
The results on the Cullen's were interesting. She wondered if Carlisle knew that his venom came from one of the most ancient bloodlines and so did the ones he turned. Alice and Jasper came from newer lines and Jasper was from a volatile South American bloodline, know wonder he was such a good fighter. DNA and tissue samples came back normal as did their MRI's. They x-ray's showed they had each been tagged with what looked like a tracking device, but at this time none of them looked as if they had been activated. She wondered how that was done without their knowledge, in a fight maybe. She would have to ask about recent skirmishes they had been in. Also, the infrared pictures showed that another tracking device was on Alice, Jasper and Edward. When activated it would send out a heat signature, she was almost positive this was used by the Volturi but she would need to find out if they knew they were there, and if they were aware Jasper's was trying to transmit. It was not successful because of the castle's protection but it was trying none the less.
The hybrid was the most interesting, he had been genetically enhanced. His blood sample showed similarities to human, lycan and the Cajun/voodoo. When looking at his DNA sample he had been breed for intelligence. Judging from his brain scans and tests his IQ was off the charts. Was this why they took some of the females? If they were going for numbers in an army they would need human blood to prevent inbreeding. If you are taking humans anyway why not take the smart ones? At least that way you stood a chance of training them quickly. The most disturbing thing about the hybrid was he had been given growth hormones. Hybrids aged quickly under normal circumstances, how fast had they accelerated the growth process and what did that do to them mentally? She could ask Carlisle to see if he had any insight into this, she needed to talk to him about the tracking devices anyway.
She called for Anthony and told him to let Carlisle she needed to see him when he returned. Anthony said we would and informed her Alice was now hunting and Jasper was undergoing the scans. Isabelle took this time to think about Alice. She did miss Alice and would like to see her, but Alice had always thought she and Edward would end up together and those thoughts would only cause more trouble. She would need to make sure it was clear she would not leave her husband and any talk of that kind was not welcome here. Maybe Carlisle could help with that also. There was a knock on the door and Anthony was letting Carlisle in.
"Thank you for coming Carlisle," Isabelle said leading him to the sitting area. "I have several things I need to discuss with you but first is everyone ok after the scans?"
"Yes, everyone appears to be doing fine. I understand what you meant about the tests not being pleasant and we are grateful to be able to hunt so often. They are very draining." Carlisle answered. "We are trying to make you as comfortable as possible." Isabelle said.
"Actually, I have a few things to share with you and a few I would like to ask you opinion on."
"First, are you aware that you all have had tracking devices implanted on you?" Isabelle asked. At this Carlisle's eyes widen, "No, I had no idea. How was that done without our knowledge?"
"Well have you been involved in any fights the last 5 years? It could have been done then." Isabelle questioned. Carlisle shook his head no. "In that case we will have to wait until I can talk to whoever scanned you. The memory of that must have been erased. I can tell you they are planted at the base of the skull fairly deep and they have not been activated. You also need to know that Edward, Alice and Jasper also have a second device on them; it is at the base of their spines. It is infrared and sends out a heat signature when active. I believe this is the kind used by the Volturi. Jasper's has been activated but the protection around the castle is jamming the signal out. Once you leave here though he will be transmitting. We can not remove the devices Carlisle, to do so would tip our hand to much. However, you have the right to know they are there and you need to decide if you want to tell the rest about them or not. They will need to go on as if they don't know about them. If you think that would be to difficult for them then I suggest not telling them at all."
"There is nothing you can do about them?" he asked. "No, I am sorry about that but all we can do is alert you to the fact they are there. Whoever put them there doesn't need to track you they can find you at a moments notice. If we remove them it will send up a red flag when they are activated and that could be worse for your family. I need to ask for your assistance on two matters, if you would like to help of course?" Isabelle said. Carlisle nodded for her to continue. "The hybrid that was captured was given growth hormones to accelerate aging. We would like for you to look over his results and sit in on the discussion about how this may have affected his mental ability." continued Isabelle. "I would love to sit in on this Isabelle. I want to help in any way I can." Carlisle responded.
Isabelle looked down at her hands, "Carlisle I have something else I need to talk to you about and it is sensitive. I know Edward has not told you much about our talk and it is not my place to tell you. When he is ready he will talk to you. At one point in the conversation he reached out and held my hand. I need you to stress to Edward that he can not touch me. It is one thing if I initiate contact, which I will not, but he can't reach out to me first, under any circumstances. Gabriel has asked for and received my ok to 'beat his ass' if he does, he is really looking forward to Edward messing up. I fear it will not end well for Edward so no touching, ever." Carlisle agreed to talk to Edward, again.
"Lastly, I know Alice wants to talk to me and I would like to catch up with her, with all of you actually. The problem is Alice has always felt so sure that Edward and I would end up together; she can not vocalize those feelings here. If we meet on a social level any talk of Edward and I is strictly off limits, I will not hurt my husband in that manner. His patience is almost out and he never had much to begin with. I can not allow someone we invited into our home to insult him in that manner. I hope you can understand?" Isabelle said looking at Carlisle. "I do understand, in fact we all do or almost all of us." Carlisle responded. "I can speak for all of us but Edward when I say we just want your happiness Isabelle and I am not saying he doesn't want you happy, he doesn't talk to us about you. There is guilt and remorse over how we left and before we arrived we all talked to Edward about how to behave. We just want to know you are happy and be a part of your life in any way possible."
"Thank you Carlisle. I would like that also, as long as everyone can abide by the boundaries set up. Now, let me go get you a copy of the results and see if you can help us with the hybrid." As Isabelle left Carlisle was glad he could help in some way, he was glad his family may be able to be a part of her life and he was furious at Edward. If Gabriel didn't rip him apart Carlisle was tempted to do it himself or let Alice carry out her threat. It was nice to know he had options.
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