Chapter 26
Know Your Enemy
"Violence is an energy/against the enemy/Well, violence is an energy, Ohaooh/Bringing on the fury/The choir infantry/Revolt against the honor to obey/Overthrow the effigy/The vast majority/Well, burning down the foreman of control/Silence is the enemy/Against your urgency/So rally up the demons of your soul." –Know Your Enemy by Green Day
BPOV
A small gasp left my lips and a hand shot up to trace the sapphire crescent moon that was left after the lightening had hit it. Just as the others, it was placed in the center of my forehead. Inside the moon were swirls of different hues of blue, purple, and silver that all faded into one another smoothly. And then, on either side of the moon, hm, how do I explain it?
Rolls of scripts? Or swirls of scripts? I'm not sure how to describe the intricate pattern that moved over my face. One thing I did know was that it was definitely more than one color. Midnight blue faded into magenta, and that faded to silver, and then silver faded into midnight blue. Words couldn't describe how it looked.
Then something twinkled back from the moon. I looked closer, the silver in it was twinkling, so was the silver in the long, twisted rolls of script that had tiny lettering in it that I couldn't exactly decipher. But the silver continued to sparkle.
The blue was so dark; it was almost like the sky at night with little tiny stars that twinkle back at you from above. The midnight blue had little points that were stars and they did sparkle like the silver.
The purple was bright and bold. Where it was purple, tiny silver swirls danced and sparkled within. It was amazing. It was miraculous, that was the word.
"Told ya," Stevie Rae said, looking over my shoulder in the mirror. "Nyx has something big planned for ya. No one has ever had a mark that shined like yours. Hey, I can see little stars. That is too cool." I returned Steve Rae's wide smile with one of my own. My brown eyes, oh how I missed them, were wide with shock.
"We should get downstairs." I realized we had been up there for ten minutes already.
Stevie Rae cocked her head to the side with a thoughtful look on her face. "Zoey says to stay here for a few more minutes. She needs to speak with ya. She might even send her spirit. Now that is a sight to see." By the confused look I gave her, Stevie Rae added quickly, "Ya know how Z has an affinity for each element?" I nodded. "Well, when she concentrates, she can send her spirit a bit of ways and send a message. And she stays in the present in her body, like she can continue having a conversation while the spirit is out. It comes in handy during a fight. She can concentrate on the fight and send for help. It's really spectacular."
I just stood there looking at her with amazement. "Hey, how did you do that?"
"Do what?" Stevie Rae asked, slightly confused.
"When you cocked your head to the side and then said Zoey said to wait here, how did you do that?" I had no clue what she did, but it was interesting.
"Oh, I listened to the trees. Z has the earth affinity too, so she can send me a message through them. Damien can get them through wind. Erin water, Shaunee fire, the list goes on. When she sends her spirit, it takes a little bit more energy, so simple messages are passed through the receiver's element." Stevie Rae explained.
"What happens when she has to send a message to someone who doesn't have one of the five elements as an affinity?" I inquired.
Stevie Rae smiled, "She sends her spirit then. She usually only uses that element for those reasons because she has more of a connection with spirit and doesn't like to use it for everything. And besides, most of her messages go to us anyways. Stark is usually by her side all the time, so Z never sends one to him. Jack is with Damien all the time, although Z can create lightening. So can Shaunee. It's pretty cool. Although, I don't think I would want a message through lightening," Stevie Rae grimaced, but had a wide smile plastered on her face. I shivered at the thought though.
"Oh, she's here," Stevie Rae was turned the other way, so I turned to see who she was talking about, but I already had an idea. "Priestess," Stevie Rae fisted a hand over her heart and bowed. I mirrored her movements.
"Stevie Rae, will you give Bella and I a moment?" The spirit Zoey asked kindly. She was a sight to see, as Stevie Rae put it. I remembered the wisps I had seen in the circle. That was basically what Zoey was. She was translucent and floated in the air. Small wisps floated around her and moved constantly. Her hair was floating, as well as her clothes, away from her.
"Yes, Priestess," Stevie Rae bowed once more and left the room, shutting the door behind her.
"Hello Bella. I take it you like your mark?" the spirit Zoey gestured to her forehead. I nodded enthusiastically.
"It's beautiful."
The spirit Zoey smiled. "Yes, it is. I have never heard of anything like it. Marks are meant to be either one or two basic colors. But yours are three and they shine like stars. It's pretty amazing. Our Goddess has something big planned for you."
"That's what Stevie Rae said," I mentioned. Zoey nodded and moved closer. She lifted her translucent hand and brushed it against my forehead. I only felt a slight brush of wind caress my skin.
"I'm sorry I couldn't speak with you in person," Zoey moved away quickly. "I had to explain to your worried family what had happened. They are quite loyal to you. I was surprised by the big one when he demanded to see you instantly. He bombarded me with questions like 'What did you do to her? Was she hurt?' It was quite comical. But he had heart and was worried about you. Maybe one day when this is all over he could join the Sons of Erebus. That would be a good place for him." Zoey said this while pacing around my room, looking at pictures of my family. "He is your brother for all intensive purposes, yes?" Zoey had paused in front of a picture of Emmett and I. Emmett had an arm slung over my shoulder and I had one around his waist. Big grins were plastered on both of our faces.
"Yes. I changed him a few years after I had changed." I informed her while she continued to look at pictures.
"Bella, if my intuition is correct, you have something in your possession that could change the future. Something that you should pull out and use right now," Zoey's spirit gaze lifted to meet my eyes head on. Her violet eyes were strong and pierced through my brown ones like skewers.
Then her words registered in my head. "Oh, you mean Ambrosine's cell. Yes, I have it," I answered, digging into my jean pockets for it. I pulled out a sleek black phone that glistened in the dim lit room.
"Call him," Zoey instructed before disappearing. I looked around and realized her spirit had joined her body somewhere down stairs or outside. I shrugged and flipped the phone open. Remembering Ambrosine had pressed the one button; I hit it and held it for a second until it started to dial a number.
I pressed the phone to my ear and waited three rings for Aro to pick up.
"Isabella, I am disappointed. You stole from one of my guard. That wasn't very smart." Aro began, giving me no room to get a word in edge wise. "Isabella, if you want to join us, say so now. If any other word comes from your mouth other than yes, I'm sorry, but your chance is over." Aro paused, allowing me to make my decision and answer.
"Aro, I-" I was cut off quickly.
"Isabella that is not a yes," he sighed heavily into the receiver. "Your chance is over. I gave you it and you turned it down. I'm so very sorry this has happened. I will see you Monday for the last time. You have chosen to be an enemy and therefore you will be punished along with your friends. Why you chose to allow more friends to share the same fate as you, I will never know. Goodbye Isabella. And may you spend your last days wisely." The phone made a beep noise and went silent. I slowly closed the phone in shock.
The door flew open just as I sat on the edge of my bed. A small pair of arms wrapped around me, pulling me to their small frame. "Oh, Bella, I'm sorry." I vaguely recognized it as Alice. My mind was elsewhere.
It's over. It's all over. We were going to have to fight. Aro said so himself. Only he thought it would be extermination, not a battle. He was in for a big surprise. But what would this mean for the ones I loved? They were going to be in danger. Mass amounts of danger that I wasn't sure I could protect them from. If it was just Jane and Alec, I could protect them from their affinities. But not some of the other's abilities. Renata would make us go in another direction if we tried to get to Aro. Chelsea could try to severe our ties, I wasn't sure if my shield could protect against that, I had never tried it before. Demetri could track anyone who managed to escape the battle.
That didn't include the rest of the old guard and then the new guard, who I had no idea what kind of abilities they had. I didn't even know how many they had. They also had several Dark Daughters and Sons on their side, which couldn't be good. It was all nerve-racking.
"Bella you must have faith in yourself." A strong, powerful voice spoke to me, pulling me from my thoughts. The voice was kind and gentle though. I looked up, trying to find the source. Alice was still clinging to me, oblivious to the woman floating in the room.
She was sitting criss-cross apple sauce, floating mid air. Long, brown hair floated like Zoey's had, only this woman wasn't transparent. She was glowing though with a bright light that was hard to look at before my eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness. She was beautiful; an in-human beauty that stirred something in my heart. Nyx. That was her. Nyx was sitting, floating, in my room. My heart started pounding quickly.
"Nyx?" I asked quietly. Alice let go of me and pulled back, giving me an odd look. Nyx smiled kindly and nodded. "Can Alice not see you?" I inquired, glancing at the very confused Alice who was looking at me strangely.
"No, only you. I wanted to speak with you alone." Nyx answered. I noticed she had an air of command that made me pay full attention to her. "Now, Bella, I have chosen you for a special task, one that is going to be tough and hard to follow. But you must trust me Bella. I have full faith in you. But the real question is do you have faith in yourself?"
I thought about what she said for a few moments and realized all this time I had doubted myself. But when someone needed me, I was always there for them. I always thought it was them that had pulled me through, but a big part of it was me. I had been there for them and done everything I could. I realized, with much shock, that I always succeeded no matter what or how I did it, but I did it. It took me this long to recognize all that I had accomplished in one hundred and twenty seven years. And it was because Nyx had pushed me in the right direction. I had faith in myself now thanks to her. I raised my head with an answer.
"Yes, I do. I trust you Nyx," I received a warm smile from Nyx.
"Trust your instincts. They never steered Zoey wrong. I had chosen her for many special reasons. As will you have many more. But this first one is the one to decide if you will get to see those others. Bella, I know you will feel overwhelmed. But never forget you have friends and family to help you. They are there for you and will never let you down. Zoey learned that the hard way, I hope you don't. Trust them and your instincts. You will know when I approve of a decision and when I don't. Bella, this is your chance to prove yourself to everyone. Remember to have faith in yourself and you will succeed against any darkness." With the final words, Nyx started to disappear.
"Thank you, Nyx." I fisted a hand over my heart and bowed something I knew you did with someone in high position now.
"No, thank you, Bella," and she was gone.
I smiled and my dead heart had swollen with love and trust. "Bella, would you care to explain what just happened?" Alice said from beside me.
I turned slowly to her. She looked slightly annoyed. "I just talked to Nyx."
"Nyx?" Alice's expression did a 180. She now looked completely shocked. "Nyx. Was. In. Here. And. I. Didn't. See?" Alice punctuated each word with a sharp breath.
"She wanted to speak with me alone," I answered, standing with a purpose. "Now, I have something I need to do."
I walked proudly down the stairs and through the crowded living room, ignoring the stares and gasps. Stepping onto the porch, I saw my destination. Zoey was talking to Aphrodite and a very tall and muscular guy that reminded me of Emmett. Aphrodite was holding onto his arm in an intimate way. I walked to them with confidence. Zoey looked up at me with understanding eyes.
"Aphrodite, Darius, please excuse me. I have to speak with Bella." Darius fisted over his dead heart and bowed while Aphrodite just nodded and pulled Darius to another group.
"Zoey, I'm sorry, but…" I trailed off with the look on Zoey's face.
"Did Nyx speak with you?" Was all she said.
"Um, yeah, how did you guess?" I asked.
Zoey smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Because you are glowing with pride. Only the Goddess can do something like that in such a short amount of time."
"Well, yeah, she spoke with me?" But it came out like a question.
"How did the call with Aro go?" Zoey inquired and started to walk around the yard with no real direction. She changed the topic, which surprised me. I figured she would ask what Nyx had spoken to me about.
"Not so well." I answered truthfully, my face falling.
"Oh, how so?" Zoey's head popped up.
"Well," I stopped walking, my hands digging into my pockets. "He knew it was me calling. So Ambrosine had told him. He gave me the ultimatum: I either said yes to join them or died with the rest on Monday. He thinks it's going to be an extermination when they arrive, but they're wrong. When I tried to protest, he assumed correctly that my answer was no. So he basically declared war when he said we were all going to die. But I'm not going to just lie down and be killed. Neither is anyone else here. We will fight till it's over. Even if that means every single one of us dead," I kept my voice low, not wanting to be overheard. Zoey placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder.
"I know. And I admire you for not taking the deal. I don't know the outcome of Monday, but it doesn't look too good. Most would have chosen the easy way out," Zoey stepped in front of me. "We have some training to do."
"Edward, don't worry about hurting me. Its okay, I can take it. Give me your best." We were standing in the backyard. I was trying to train Edward to be a fighter. Jasper and Carlisle were watching from a few feet away. Rosalie was on the porch with Lillian watching the spectacle that was happening. Several others had found seats and watched. Others were out in the woods practicing too. And then others were in another state hunting. We only had two days until the battle, not enough time to prepare them.
"Bella, I don't think it's a good idea to face him. He is going to be too hesitant because you're his mate," Ethan said to me, he was sparkling in the sun like a million diamonds had been glued to him. His midnight black hair was glowing and it looked like a halo above his head. "Why don't me and you fight and show him how it goes?" Ethan suggested with a mischievous smile. I didn't know what he was up to, but he had a point.
I turned to where Edward was waiting patiently for the go ahead. "Edward, why don't you just watch us two? Then maybe you and Ethan can go at each other for a little bit." Edward shrugged and went to stand with Jasper and Carlisle.
"Ladies first," Ethan bowed, moving across the yard to face me. There was twenty feet between us. I decided to leave it a fair fight. Ethan had an affinity for self preservation. So, I left my shield down.
I started pacing back and forth; never giving hint to which foot I would lead off of until the last second. Ethan was watching my every movement with an intense gaze. But his lips were in a smirk.
With a quick decision, I charged from the right and leaped left, reaching for his shoulder for a surprise grab. He would be expecting me to grab for his neck, not shoulder. I was lucky and my fingers brushed against fabric. I clenched my fist and pulled him with me. Landing on my feet, his shirt in my hand, I flung my arm to the side. This caused him to go sailing into the nearby trees, his shirt staying in my hand though. A giggle escaped my lips when Ethan stood, shirtless, and brushed leaves off him angrily.
"I liked that shirt," he grumbled before stepping back into the yard. His sculpted chest and back lit up like a disco ball.
I smiled wickedly at him, "I liked it too." With another giggle, I discarded the black shirt and readied myself for his attack. Ethan didn't ponder long about his move.
With a grin, Ethan moved left, then right, and back and forth another time before reaching a hand out. I ducked and the arm sailed over me. But something grabbed onto my back and threw me. I flew backwards into an old oak. It bent backwards and made a cracking noise before falling backwards and crashing into another oak behind it. I fell to the ground with a 'humph'.
I heard an 'oops' and I turned to see Ethan looking from the blue t-shirt in his hands to me and back again with a mixed expression. I looked down to see I was left in a lacy purple bra. "Son of a"-
"Now, now Bella, you stripped me first. I kinda like this game though," Ethan grinned at me and winked. I rolled my eyes and stood. Walking into the yard again, I heard several cat calls, laughs, and a few growls. I looked over to Edward and he was fuming. He looked like he was about to jump up and rip Ethan's throat out any minute. Ethan glanced at Edward, "Hey, I didn't mean to."
While he was distracted, I made my move. I ran flat out to him. He turned at the last second, surprise etched in his red eyes. I jumped onto his chest, clutching his shoulders, my knees pushing down into his hips. He fell back onto the ground, I was hovering over him. Something flickered in Ethan's eyes. I realized what position we were in. I gulped and sat back. Ethan took that wrong though; he flipped us over and brought his mouth to my neck, teeth pressed against the skin.
"I win," he mumbled. I took in a shaky breath. Suddenly, Ethan was thrown off of me. I blinked and looked up to see Edward staring at where Ethan was just standing. His eyes were black. Oh man, he was mad.
With a quick shake of the head, I jumped up, pressing a reassuring hand on Edward's arm. He flinched, and looked at me. His eyes lightened to a dark green, but his mouth was still set in a grim line.
"I think we should take a break," I said with a shaky voice, glancing around the group. Jasper and Carlisle nodded before quickly disappearing back to the house. Wow, they were eager to get out of there. Ethan shook his head in a tight nod and picked up his shirt before running back to the house. I didn't look at Edward as I reached my shirt and put it on quickly. It was ripped down the middle in the front so I wore it like a vest and tied it so it wouldn't move, leaving my stomach and lower back exposed.
Finally, I looked toward Edward. His body was tense and he wouldn't look at me or in my direction. "Edward," I hesitated, trying to think of something to say to explain that we were just fighting. Nothing happened between us. The only reason he would suspect something, even though there wasn't anything to suspect, was if he knew we had been together. But then again, Edward could read minds. I could only imagine what Ethan had been thinking that set Edward off like that. Oh gosh.
"Edward, we were just fighting." I managed to say with a steady voice. I ignored the stares that were piercing my back from the house and the deadly silence that meant everyone was listening intently.
When he didn't say anything, I sighed and turned to leave. "Bella, wait," Edward grabbed my hand. But when I looked up and saw his face twisted in doubt, I kissed him with such passion that all thoughts of me not loving him went away. There we stood, in the middle of the backyard, kissing like crazy. We hadn't been intimate together since the night before we left on our journey to find more witnesses. My arms snaked around his neck and fingers tangled in his bronze hair that I loved so much. His arms wound around my waist, pulling me to him. I giggled when a throat cleared behind us.
I turned my head to see Damien standing there with a hand over his eyes. "You can look now," I sighed, but a wide smile was on my face.
Damien peaked between his fingers, satisfied with Edward and I not making out anymore, he lowered his hand. "We're having a meeting in twenty minutes. We have to go to the clearing and start putting up spells and we should put some up around the house like now. So, you two should probably come with me now." Damien informed us with a smirk. I noticed he still had the cloak on. But in the light of day, it was a dark grey, not a black that I had thought last night.
"Okay," Edward was beaming. He grabbed my hand and led us behind Damien back to the house. Our steamy make out session had caused the audience from earlier to disperse. I smiled inwardly at the wonderful kiss we had shared. All the walls were down and there wasn't a care in the world when his lips connected with mine. It had been pure utter bliss.
"So, Edward," Damien began, but was cut off by Erin who had appeared out of nowhere.
"Wrong," Erin said.
"Team," Shaunee finished, stepping up beside her 'twin'. I giggled and Shaunee winked at me.
Damien pouted. "I know…"
"You'll be the first to know if I ever change my mind," Edward said with his crooked grin.
I nudged him in the side. "I better be the first to know." Edward just winked and kissed the center of my forehead where my moon was. A smile crossed my features.
"Besides, I have Jack," Damien said, grabbing the passing, unexpecting, Jack and kissed him full on the mouth. Just then Zoey walked down the stairs in a beautiful deep purple cloak.
"Stevie Rae, help Alice and Bella find fitting robes. Stark, will you attend to Edward?"
"Of course my lady," Stark bowed formally and led Edward away. Stevie Rae skipped over to me; Alice was following close behind, both blue eyes bright with excitement. Stevie Rae brought us into one of the guest rooms and started digging through a trunk full of different colored robes, all dark hues.
"Here is a midnight blue cloak," Stevie Rae said, standing with a blue velvet material in her hands. She handed it to me and I slipped it on. It was beautiful. It flowed over my curves perfectly. I looked in the mirror, noticing it matched my most of my mark. Stevie Rae handed me a silver belt and I fastened the robe closed. The sleeves bellowed out at the elbows and I could easily hide something in them. The hood was long, and when I pulled it up, it hid my face from view completely.
"Perfect," Stevie Rae nodded her head in approval. "Now, I wonder if we still have that magenta cloak…" Stevie Rae mumbled, throwing the trunk's contents around until she came up with the dark pink robe. It was the same material as my own. And when Alice put it on, it gathered on the ground like at pool at her feet. "A little big. I will get Aphrodite to fix that when we go downstairs." Stevie Rae added as an afterthought. Alice's little pixie frame was swallowed up by the cloak.
"Now, ya'll can go ahead and get on downstairs. I have to get some supplies for the rituals." Stevie Rae shooed us out. Alice and I skipped down the stairs proudly in our new robes.
Edward was standing at the bottom in a velvety dark green cloak that made him so tempting. "You look tempting yourself," he whispered in my ear. I looked up in shock. "You were kinda screaming that thought at me. I still can't read your mind, but since my affinity has grown, I can catch some words when you think them hard enough."
"Oh," I then started thinking about how much my affinity had changed.
"Hey, Aphrodite, Stevie Rae wanted me to ask you if you could fix my cloak," Alice was saying to the blonde bombshell who looked bored.
"Sure," she rolled her eyes and starting whispering words I couldn't quite catch. "There," Aphrodite shrugged and turned back to Darius.
Alice's cloak had amazingly shrunk to fit her body fabulously. She came over to where Edward and I were standing. "What do you think?" She asked, spinning around in a circle.
"You look great," I commented. I noticed it was only the Dark Daughters and Sons in the foyer. Just then Zoey and Stevie Rae descended the stairs; both sets of arms were full of different bottles and books.
"Let's go." Zoey smiled wickedly.
A/N: Okay, I am exhausted. I hope this made up for the cliffy. It's kind of a filler chapter. I'm not sure. It's just a whatever chapter. I think there might be two chapters before the big fight scene, or at least when the Volturi get there. The fight scene might be another chapter after that. I don't know yet. All that I know is that I'm tired and my sister broke her arm, yesterday. It is now 1:45 and I have been playing with this chapter all day and night.
So, I say good night and good morning. My other two stories will be updated this week sometime. I have to go to the ER tomorrow so they can set her arm and put a cast on it, so I don't know when I can start working on My Only One. I can't really sleep tonight because I have to keep an eye on my sis who asleep next to me right now. She might have an allergic reaction to the medicine they gave her, and she has to keep her arm elevated and stay off it. So, here's to my sleepless night!
Lyric Game: Congrats to BloodSilverThorns for guessing Ghost of You by My Chemical Romance. I absolutely love that song and band.
This chapter's lyric excerpt:
C'mon tell me that you're better
And you rather just forget
That things have gone so far
Yeah, tell me that you're better
And you rather just forget
That things have gone too far, oh
You're all I see
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Sharpen your teeth
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