Chapter 17: Gush

My eyes faltered in lifting their lids. Swirls of red velvet and shimmering gold filled my thoughts. Alice's tiny cold hands were clutching my shoulders, "Ness, are you okay?" Her voice pulled me through the thickness of the enveloping vision and back to my reality.

"Yeah," I whispered, my eyes still closed. I rubbed my forehead trying to make sense of what I had just been shown. "Who are they Alice?" I groaned, finally gaining enough strength to open my eyes.

"Vampires. A species far more ancient and far more powerful than we are," she said with confidence. "The visions that I'm having, are not my normal type of vision." she shook her head tossing her spiky hair, "Marius and I have reached a connecting point, their minds are much stronger than ours. He can hear me-- my voice, my thoughts. He was searching for us because he knows of Aro's fear of us." She said quietly.

"But they want to destroy us," I said wrapping my arms tightly around my belly.

"Well, they think that it may be necessary. And for some of our kind, I agree. The Volturi has been slaughtering humans and other vampires of both species. They have gotten careless and I don't think Aro realizes the danger of the situation," she said gravely. "He and his forces have awakened an ancient power. Some of these vampires are thousands of years old, Aro is no match for their strength. If he does not comply with their wishes, I fear he may doom us all. Marius is really the key. If Aro destroys him, there is no chance for the rest of us. Maharet would surely act of her own accord. Marius and I have reached an understanding, but I don't know that his kin will be so kind. He knows that we are different and he does not wish any harm to come to us. I believe is fascinated by our existence and I think he may be the key to understand how and where we came from as a species. He has allowed himself to be captured and Aro has him now. He is growing weaker. He is still strong enough to call the others for help, but he knows that if he calls on Maharet, we will all be destroyed. He is waiting, watching and learning about Aro and the others in Italy. He is biding his time." Her voice was sound and reassuring, but I could sense something else, something she wasn't telling me. I stared into her eyes, searching for the source of her reluctance. A million thoughts raced in my head.

"But what about Jake, what about the pack? How are they going to react to a newly found race of vampires?" Worries and fears plagued me, "Does Marius know of them?"

"Yes, I have shown him as much as possible. I don't really know him and though he seems to be fair-minded, I wanted to make sure that he got the whole picture and that there were no surprises. It seems that most of his species pretty much keep to themselves. I doubt that they will have any concern with the pack, as they are devoted to the preservation of human life. The pack would be stupid to rage war with this group," her face twisted at the thought. "Marius says that he himself, is an observer and his kind does not group like we do anymore. Covens have become a thing of the past for them. Most of them prefer solitude. Some of them are so old that they are no longer concerned with things happening in the world. Some have taken to dream like states, others spend their time watching mortals. The elders have little need to drink blood and those that do feed only upon the evil-doer or some of them take a small amount of blood from a whole bunch of people so that they don't actually kill anyone. They don't have a governing body like the Volturi, they all act of their own accord to a certain extent. Some are stronger than others due to age and others have acquired their power from sharing blood with older vampires. They are very interesting to me," she said dreamily. "I am looking forward to meeting Marius very much."

"Sharing blood?" I asked, still trying to absorb.

"Yeah, they drink from one another. It is a means of transferring strength, healing those in need, and seeing each other's thoughts and sharing experiences. It is done as a gesture of love and intimacy. They are unable to have sex. When I told Marius about you, he was very surprised. I think that he is just as interested in us as I am in them. I never even imagined that there were other immortals." Her eyes gleamed and a smile flashed across her lips.

"Is that why you told me give Jake my blood?" I could feel my eyes widening with the memory.

"Yes," she nodded, "Since you and Jake's, um... shall we say union?" she smirked, "You two share a blood bond. Similar to the one that we share with our maker, but more intimate. It means more when it is an exchange rather than one sided, I think. I really want to try it, but I'm not sure how the others will react. It seems a little crazy." A gust of wind rustled through her hair creating a dynamic and wild picture. She looked almost savage. "That's why I wanted to talk to you alone, I think you would be the only one that would really understand this. I can't imagine what your father would say," she said rolling her eyes.

I laughed at her comment about my dad, I could see the shock in his face, he would be appalled. Always so worried about hurting my mom. "I'm not too sure about that whole thing either," I said with a chuckle, "this all seems pretty nuts to me too." She looked hurt, but only for a moment. "I mean, is it normal for us to feed upon each other?"

Alice just rolled her golden eyes, "You and your normal!" Her pixie laugh broke into a million pieces. "When you figure out what normal is, why don't you let me know?" I smiled. Her excitement was growing by the minute. She had obviously really wanted to get this off her chest.

"Did you want to try this with me?" I said cautiously.

"Oh no, Nessie, you are only half vampire, I could kill you." she said in a shocked tone, "No, its too dangerous and besides, I don't know what my venom will do to you."
"Okay, good," I couldn't help but sound relieved.

"Of coarse, I want to try with Jasper first, but you know how he is about the whole biting thing..." she trailed off, lost in her own worries. "But tell me, Nessie, what is it like drinking Jake's blood."

My cheeks flushed, I looked down. "Ah Alice, its sort of embarrassing, you know?"

She gave me a knowing look and shrugged, "Well, I guess I'll just ask Jake what you taste like," she said rousing.

"NO!" I gasped at the horror of it. She laughed.

"That's what I though, now out with it, " she demanded. Her tiny features were turned up smugly.

"Oh all right," I said in defeat, but my eyes couldn't help but twinkle as I felt the gush coming on. "It is the most amazing thing! I can see him and taste him and hear him and feel him all at the same time. Its so much more than a mental image, its like our hearts are sharing the same veins to pump blood through." I was surprised at my own expression of this. She nodded. "I mean, I know that it would be different for you, no beating or anything, but I imagine that it would feel much the same. Its like being completely intertwined. And he tastes so good, I know that's hard for you to believe," I said with a grin, "But all other blood has damn near lost its flavor." I pouted out my lower lip dramatically.

She sat thinking to herself, "I wonder..."

"What?" I said pressing.

"Oh nothing, I was just wondering if your craving for his blood is really your own," she meaningfully cast her eyes to my stomach.

"Oh," I said, "I hadn't thought of that." I joined her in puzzlement.

"You know, when your mom was pregnant with you," but I didn't let her finish.

"Yes, I know, I wanted the blood." I felt a tiny bit of shame at making my human mother drink blood for my sake. I didn't want to think about it.

"Do you really think that the baby wants Jake's blood? It seems, I don't know, kind of horrible," I said with a shiver. Alice's eyebrows raised.

"I wouldn't doubt it, it seems to make sense to me," she was thinking again.

"Alice, have you seen a vision of the baby?" Her eyes darkened at this and she looked away from me. My stomach churned and my chest tightened.

Without looking at me, she answered, "Yes."

"Well," I demanded, "what did you see?" I was kind of angry with her for not telling me, I shouldn't have had to dig it out of her.

"Nessie, the night that Jake and I got in that fight, right before I linked with Marius, I had the vision of you dying," she said quietly, her eyes still searching for something else to look at, "and of your baby surviving. I didn't let you see the end because I wanted you to understand, for your to know what you are risking. Your mother never really understood what she was doing, she was too, well too Bella. But you are different. I wanted you to really get it." she looked more guilty than ever, but she looked up at me, "I'm sorry, I never meant to hurt you and I hate keeping things from you."

The heat of anger boiled in my blood, I pushed the sensation down, deep down and fought to slow my breathing, "But you can tell me now, right?"

"Yes, I will tell you know, you deserve to know. I told you and Jake earlier, that you didn't have a choice, do you remember?" I nodded, "Well, I said that because I have seen your child Nessie. This child will be a union of the blood line between Vampire and wolf. And it is this union that is going to be the only way of defeating the Volturi and saving Marius."

I was stunned, I mean, what the hell was I supposed to say to something like that? I was instantly mad at Alice, how could she think that she knew that? How could she put that kind of weight on a child, my child? How could she expect me to let my baby fight the Volturi for the sake of her precious Marius or whoever the hell he was? The boiling point was coming near. I saw fear spark in her eyes when she looked at me. She knew it was coming. The emotions roared and tangled inside of me, I could have screamed. I reached out to Alice, and suddenly a cooling sensation, numbness almost rose from within me and I heard a voice in my head, a soothing voice, "Calm yourself," it said, "there is much to be learned, try to be patient, young one."

Alice stared in disbelief, "You hear him, too," she whispered, her eyes never leaving mine.