Disclaimer. All publicly recognizable characters, settings etc., are the property of their respective owners. The original characters, ideas and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. I only do this for fun. –B
Chapter 29
(Lilly's POV)
The connecting door opened and I was startled to realize that the other vampire that was about to enter didn't have a scent. No wonder I didn't know that anyone else was here. They must have been standing against the wall near the observation window where I couldn't see anyone.
The footsteps continued and in walked another male vampire. He looked to be in his late twenties with dark black curly hair that was cut short and gelled back. He was wearing a navy 'V' cut t-shirt and black jeans that were worn at the knees. His boots were what looked like a knock off version of black timberlands and were creased at the toes and worn. His crimson eyes were piercing and he stood with a stance of dominance.
"Isabella, Lillian, may I introduce you to my sire, Gillian Sánchez." James introduced us proudly with an amused smirk on his face.
Gillian approached us with his arms crossed over his chest as he studied us. His stopped in front of me and leveled a gaze at me.
"So, you are the mate of the God of War, are you not?" He asked in a monotone. I didn't answer. "Humph, I'll take that as a 'yes' then." He paused. "Also, you will learn to speak when you are addressed."
He slowly began to circle me as he looked me up and down. I stayed as still as I could, even though my entire being was forcing myself to fidget under his scrutiny. He stopped when he returned to his starting position in front of me.
"Beautiful…" He murmured as he lightly brushed my hair back behind my ear. I kept myself frozen as to not flinch or react in disgust to his touch. "You did very well, James." Gillian praised him without taking his eyes off of my face.
James began to object rather loudly and strongly. "Wait a minute, you said that I could have her if-"
"I said that you could have the human!" Gillian raised his voice. "I allowed you your mate when she was in my army and I spared both of your lives when the Major and his army came down on us. You will not argue with me on this, are we clear?"
"Yes sir." James gritted out unhappily.
"It will be my master's bite that will grace your neck and me who will defile you." He said softly as he stroked my cheek. The nauseous feelings increased and I fought to keep my stance and to summon Lilith. I couldn't seem to find the right trigger though and I balled my fists at my sides.
"Now, as I was saying before I introduced you to my sire, we were getting ready to talk to you about your gift. I am no fool and I picked up on your gift when we were out in the field. I knew then that I could not go in to this alone. I knew how my sire wanted to get his revenge on your Major and knew that he would take great delight in playing this game. He was only too eager to accept." James explained.
"But what does that have to do with Lilly's gift?" Bella asked.
Gillian smirked and began to slowly pace as he answered. "A little over a half of a century ago, my life was perfect. I had my mate, Alondra, by my side and the largest army in the southern wars. We owned the largest territory for about two decades before we went after Monterey. It was there we met the Major and his mistress, Maria, for the first time."
He paused and looked to take in Bella and my expressions.
"I have a gift. It is nothing all that special, but it comes in handy if we do our homework." He began. "If a vampire has a gift, I can put a shield around them to make their gift temporarily not work. I can only do it to one vampire at a time and it's not the kind of shield that can protect the person from any other gifts, but if we sent a spy to the other army camps and learn about their gifts, when we go to battle I can block that gifted vampire from using their gift."
"But what did Jasper do to you that you are taking this out on me?" I asked in confusion. I knew that there had to be more to this.
"HE KILLED MY ALDONDRA!" Gillian roared before he took several deep breaths composing himself. "I had every intention of repaying the favor and killing you, but once I heard James's speech about the master's bite and thought why kill his mate when I can just take his mate for my own?"
"I'll never be yours." I growled out at him.
He chuckled. "We will see about that, won't we?" He turned to look at James. "Get on with this." He gripped me by my arm and tugged me in to the corner. I struggled against his grip, but it was too strong.
James nodded as this was happening and smiled and then began to circle, casually with the video camera still recording as if he were trying to get a better view of a statue in a museum. His face was still open and friendly with a malicious undertone as he decided where to start.
Then he slumped forward, into a crouch I recognized, and his pleasant smile slowly widened, grew, till it wasn't a smile at all but a contortion of teeth, exposed and glistening.
(Bella's POV)
I couldn't help myself – I tried to run. As useless as I knew it would be, as weak as my knees already were, panic took over and I bolted for the emergency door. I knew that I couldn't leave Lilly to them, but I knew that they wouldn't kill her and at least from everything I heard, I could help the Cullen's get her back. I felt like I had no choice.
He was in front of me in a flash. I didn't see if he used his hand or his foot, it was too fast. A crushing blow struck my chest and I heard Lilly scream out my name in panic. I felt myself flying backward, and then heard the crunch as my head bashed into the mirrors. The glass buckled, some of the pieces shattering and splintering on the floor beside me.
I was too stunned to feel the pain. I couldn't breathe yet.
He walked toward me slowly.
"That's a very nice effect," he said, examining the mess of glass, his voice friendly again. "I thought this room would be visually dramatic for me little film. That's why I picked this place to meet you. It's perfect, don't you think? What about you, Lillian?"
As he tilted the camera up towards Lilly and Gillian, I scrambled on my hands and knees, crawling toward the other door.
He was over me at once, his foot stepping down hard on my leg. I heard the sickening snap before I felt it as Lilly screamed again and I could see her out of the corner of my eye wrestling to get away from Gillian, but he had too good of a grip. When I did feel the pain, I couldn't hold back my scream of agony. I twisted up to reach for my leg, and he was standing over me, smiling.
"Would you like to rethink your last request?" he asked pleasantly. His toe nudged my broken leg and I heard a piercing scream. With a shock, I realized it was mine.
"Wouldn't you rather have Edward try to find me?" he prompted.
"No!" I croaked. "No, Edward, don't-" And then something smashed into my face, throwing me back into the broken mirrors.
Over the pain of my leg, I felt the sharp rip across my scalp where the glass cut into it. And then the warm wetness began to spread through my hair with alarming speed. I could feel it soaking the shoulder of my shirt, hearing it dripping on the wood below. The smell of it twisted my stomach.
Through the nausea and dizziness I saw something that gave me a sudden, final shred of hope. His eyes, merely intent before, now burned with an uncontrollable need. The blood – spreading crimson across my white shirt, pooling rapidly on the floor – was driving him mad with thirst. No matter his original intentions, he couldn't draw this out much longer.
Let it be quick now, was all I could hope as the flow of blood from my head sucked my consciousness away with it. My eyes were closing.
I heard, as if from underwater, the final growl of the hunter. I could see, through the long tunnels my eyes had become, his dark shape coming toward me. With my last effort, my hand instinctively raised to protect my face. My eyes closed, and I drifted.
And as I drifted, I dreamed.
Where I floated, under the dark water, I heard the happiest sound my mind could come up with – as beautiful, as uplifting, as it was ghastly. It was another snarl: a deeper, wider roar that rang with fury.
(Lilly's POV)
The door that Bella and I entered the studio from burst in to pieces as Edward rammed through it and slammed in to James. He flew across the room and hit the wall, momentarily dazing him. Jasper followed seconds after and stopped about ten feet in front of us.
"Gillian," he growled as Gillian tightened his hold on me.
"Hello Major," He greeted him.
"This is it…let her go!" From the way that he spoke and the look in his face and eyes, I knew that this was the Major that we were dealing with.
"You're right." He agreed. "I am no fool and I know what my chances are for the moment."
He rearranged his hold on me and leaned forward to whisper in my ear so that no one else could hear.
"But don't worry, my little flower, I will be back to pick you out of your little garden sooner than you think." He whispered and kissed my neck before shoving me so hard in to the Major that we both flew across the room. The Major landed on his back and I landed on top of him.
We both jumped up and turned only to find Gillian gone.
"Don't worry, I'll go after him!" Emmett said as he jumped down off of the balcony type loft with Carlisle and Alice.
"Don't bother!" The Major ordered as he began to check me over for injuries.
"What, why?" Emmett asked perplexed.
"He doesn't have a scent. He's long gone." I answered for him.
I heard a scream and turned full of panic.
"Bella!" I whispered as I saw Bella on the floor next to Alice bleeding brokenly, but before I could run over to her side, the Major grabbed my wrist and pulled me in to his chest.
"No!" He growled.
"Major, I have to help her! Go help Emmett with James." I suggested before I kissed him chastely on the lips. He looked in to my eyes, searching for something. He must have found it, because he nodded and flitted over to Emmett who was standing behind James with both of his arms in a locked grip behind him.
By the time I made it to Bella's side, Alice had gone to help finish off James and start a fire while Edward and Carlisle were by her side.
"Bella!" Edward cried as he took her hand in his.
"She's lost some blood, but the head wound isn't deep," Carlisle informed us in a calm voice. "Watch out for her leg, it's broken."
A howl of rage strangled on Edward's lips.
"Some ribs, too, I think." I added as I remembered what I saw James do to her.
"Ed-ww-ard…" Bella struggled out through her teeth.
"Bella, you're going to be fine. Can you hear me, Bella? I love you."
"I'm so sorry, Edward. I tried to help her, but Gillian has a gift that wouldn't allow me to use my gift and I couldn't get away from him! He wouldn't let me go! I tried!" I rushed out.
"No, I know…I saw it in your mind when I approached the building. It's not your fault." He said, not taking his eyes off of Bella as Carlisle worked on her leg.
I nodded, but didn't say anything else as I followed Carlisle's instructions to stop the bleeding on her leg.
"Edward," Bella moaned again. This time, her voice was a little clearer.
"Yes, I'm here."
"It hurts," she whimpered.
"I know, Bella, I know" – and then, in an anguished voice he asked "can't you do anything?"
"My bag, please…Hold your breath, Alice, it will help," Carlisle promised as she brought his bag over and sat next to Carlisle.
"Alice?" Bella groaned.
"She's here, she knew where to find out." Edward assured her.
"My hand hurts," She complained brokenly.
"I know, Bella. Carlisle will give you something, it will stop."
"My hand is burning!" She screamed, her eyes fluttering open. I began to check her hand closest to me for any injuries.
Edward's voice was frightened. "Bella?"
"The fire! Someone stop the fire!" She screamed as I finally spotted the problem on the hand that Edward was holding.
"Carlisle! Her hand!" I pointed out, bringing their attention to the bite.
"He bit her." Carlisle's voice was no longer calm, it was appalled.
I heard Edward catch his breath in horror.
"Edward, you have to do it." Alice insisted as she brushed her fingers at the wetness in Bella's eyes.
"No!" he bellowed.
"Alice," Bella moaned. "Lilly…"
"I'm here, Bella, I'm fine. You're going to be fine." I reassured her as I rubbed her upper arm letting her know where I was.
"There may be a chance," Carlisle said.
"What?" Edward begged.
"See if you can suck the venom back out. The wound is fairly clean." As Carlisle spoke, he poked and prodded at Bella's head as to check the cut she had gotten when James threw her in to the wall.
"Will that work?" Emmett asked as he and Jasper approached us, Emmett holding his breath.
"I don't know," Carlisle said as Jasper squatted behind me and pulled me in to his arms and then buried his face in my hair and growled possessively before licking away the scent on my neck where Gillian had kissed me. It was clear to me that Jasper was running on instinct now that James was dead. I could smell the purple smoke that filled the room and see the flames beginning to grow in the corner of the studio.
"Carlisle, I…" Edward hesitated. "I don't know if I can do that." There was agony in his voice again.
"It's your decision, Edward, either way. I can't help you. I have to get this bleeding stopped here if you're going to be taking blood from her hand." He explained as he moved back to her leg and added more pressure.
"Whatever you do, you better do it quick before the fire attracts attention from the humans." I pressed him as Bella withed in the grip of the fiery torture that she was going through.
"Edward!" She screamed.
Her eyes flew open again and she looked around seemingly despite to find his face. Her eyes finally landed on him staring back at her, his face twisted into a mask of indecision and pain.
"Alice, get me something to brace her leg!" Carlisle instructed before turning his attention back to Edward. "Edward, you must do it now, or it will be too late."
Edward's face was drawn. I watched his eyes and the doubt was suddenly replaced with a blazing determination. His jaw tightened. He locked his fingers on her burning hand and then his head bent over, and his lips pressed against her skin.
Slowly, her writhing calmed and her consciousness slipped.
"Edward," She tried to say.
"He's right here, Bella." I comforted her as I kept my eyes on Edward and Jasper gripped me tighter in his arms nuzzling my neck.
"Stay, Edward, stay with me…"
"I will." Edward answered after he finally wretched his lips from Bella's wrist. His voice was strained, but somehow triumphant. I have to admit, I was very proud of him. I don't know anyone else who could do that with their singer.
Bella sighed contentedly.
"Is it all out?" Carlisle asked as he looked up at Edward.
"He blood tastes clean," Edward said quietly. "I can taste the morphine."
"Bella?" Carlisle called to her.
She tried to answer. "Mmmmmm?"
"Is the fire gone?"
"Yes," she sighed. "Thank you, Edward."
"I love you." He answered.
"I know," she breathed and Edward quietly laughed, weak with relief.
"Bella?" Carlisle asked again.
She frowned. "What?"
"Where is your mother?"
"In Florida," she sighed.
Everyone looked at me in confusion and looking for answers.
"He tricked her." I grumbled.
"He watched our videos." The outrage in Bella's voice was pitifully frail.
Everyone nodded their understanding as Bella tried to open her eyes again. "Alice, the video – he knew you, Alice, he knew where you came from."
"What?" She looked up at me shocked and urgently.
I sighed and nodded to the video camera that was still recording on the floor a few feet away from us. "Watch it. He knew who you were when you were human and how you got changed."
Emmett walked over and picked up the camera, shutting if off and flipping the screen closed and holding on it.
"We will have to watch that later to see what we can find out about Gillian." Jasper spoke up for the first time since before he and Emmett killed James.
"I smell gasoline," Bella mumbled out of the blue.
"It's time to move her," Carlisle said.
"No, I want to sleep." Bella complained.
"You can sleep, sweetheart, I'll carry you," Edward soothed her as he picked her up and cradled her against his chest.
We all rose and followed after them with me tucked against Jasper's side. Edward leaned down and kissed her temple. "Sleep now, Bella."
"Are you sure you're alright, Lilly?" Jasper asked as he pulled me to a stop in front of the car.
"I'm positive." I smiled as I reached up and cupped his face. "I'm perfect now that I am back in your arms, mon amour." (my love) He returned my sentiment with a small smile and pressed a hard kiss to my lips.
"And don't think that we aren't going to talk about this later." He warned and I nodded, knowing that he wasn't going to just let this slide. "Don't ever do that to me again."
"I won't, I promise." I murmured as I cuddled further into his embrace.
A/N: So, what did you think? Don't worry, we still have a few more chapters to go before the end and then I will be starting on the sequel! I would love to hear your thoughts, so review!
Also, if you have any questions at this point in the story, feel free to post them in my reviews and I will answer them in my next Author's Note!
Check out my other stories!
'Attempting to Covet'
'Dhampir'
'Far Fetched Realities'
'Mirror Image'
'Other Worldly Beauty'
'Perplexing Revelations'
'Pretexting'
'The Heart's Desire' NEW!
'The Major'
'Twilight ReVAMPed'
If you enjoyed this story so far, check out some of my other stories on my FanFiction page! Also, I am still accepting Twilight stories that involve Jasper/any female leads or Bella/selected male leads if anyone is looking for a Beta Reader. I will make exceptions on the characters depending on the plot. I am also now accepting Phantom of the Opera FanFictions that include Erik! I will also be accepting Titanic FanFictions featuring Jack, and Law and Order SVU that feature Elliot. PM me for details!
- Bella'Xo
Xo BellaItalia oX