Cullen's Hound

Ch. 7: Revelation

CPOV

While we waited for Rosa to make both Bella and her room presentable, I decided to head up to my office and grab a medical journal that I wanted to read. The others had chosen to meet me at Bella's room in a few minutes. My family knew me well enough to know that I might get caught up in some unexpected work to want to come with me. I stepped out of the elevator and the overpowering stench of cheap perfume filled the hall. The scent was concentrated at my office door.

I opened the door to my office and fully expected to see one of the nurses sprawled in a seductive manner across my desk. It would not have been the first time something like that had happened. At least Esme had stayed downstairs with the children so I knew there was no chance of any bloodshed. Instead of a would-be home wrecker, a familiar vampire lounged in the chair across from my desk, one hand absently played with her muted red curls.

"Maggie, how good to see you again. I was not aware of you coming out for a visit," I commented to the Irish vampire.

"I'm not visitin', I've been here since my mate chose to testify in Seattle," she responded plainly.

"Charlie was your mate," I asked shocked.

"Yes, he wanted to be changed after the trial. Now that he's gone, I've not got much longer left," she replied sadly. I chose to ignore the implications of her statement.

"That means that," I continued but was interrupted.

"A part of The Network, aye. I took the liberty of assumin' ya were joinin' up, so ya'll find a laptop and secured wireless modem in your bottom desk drawer. The first time you long on, it will take you to our secured network. Any instructions you receive or reports you file will be done via e-mail on the network. I wasn't told who yer physical contact would be, so they will leave word on when and where to meet," Maggie explained.

"What about you," I queried but somehow already suspected the answer.

"After I walk out the door, I'm headin' for wolf territory. I can't live without my mate, besides my Angel is in good hand with ya and yer Rosalie," she commented calmly as she flashed out of my office.

I already knew it was too late to get her to change her mind. News of the destruction of the Irish Coven had reached me last year, with Charlie gone and Bella mated she had nothing left. After a quick check to see that the laptop was indeed in the drawer, I left my office and met up with my family in the elevator.

We made our way to Bella's room and went inside. She and Rose sat on her bed, the brunette cuddled into the blonde's side. Each of us greeted the somewhat human girl by tapping out the message on her outstretched hand. Esme placed Cu on the bed next to her and she smiled happily as she pet the dog. I shot a glance at Rosalie to let her know we needed to start the difficult conversation before us.

BPOV

I was happy to have Cu, but he was still a puppy and needed to be trained. However, there was something I needed to tell Rose and her family so I was stuck with a limited window to do it in. My fingertips rested lightly upon Cu's head then I opened the connection.

RPOV

Just as I was about to tap Bella on the shoulder to get her attention, I noticed her head snap up and she swept her head from one side of the room to the other. Cu mimicked her movements while the fingertips of her left hand rested gently on his head.

"As Cu has not been properly trained, I have very little time to say this," Bella began as she and the dog looked at my father.

"I know your secret, that you're vampires. Now I've shown you mine. I can borrow another being's senses. Thank you for giving me a home, I hope we can be a family as I'm desperately in love with Rosalie," she rushed out in a single breath.

Cu was becoming distracted by a bird that landed on the window sill and the connection severed. My family watched in shock as she was forced back into her world of dark silence. Carlisle was the first to recover. He left his seat and knelt before my love.

"Have you ever tried to use another person's senses instead of your dogs," he tapped out the question as he spoke it.

Bella shook her head no. From the expression on her face anyone could tell that she wanted to try.

I pulled her right hand to my throat and said, "Let me be your eyes and ears, beloved."

Tentatively, she slid her left hand over until it touched my arm. There was a tingle then after a few seconds her eyes widened and she gasped.