Disclaimer: I do not own most of these characters, they belong to Steph Meyer.
A/N: First, I saw the movie twice so far and simply adored it. There were only 2 wtf moments. First, was the kiss scene when Bella has nothing on but a shirt and some undies??? And the second was when she tripped on the field trip and he scolded her and handled her very roughly. It just seemed a tad too aggressive, but aside from that loved it.
Second, I just received an email from Summit stating that because twilight was # 1 that they are moving ahead with New Moon! I couldn't be happier, obviously and it can't come out soon enough.
Back to the ff. Well, I believe we are a post away from the battle. I have no clue how many chapters are left, but not many. I bet you guys were beginning to wonder if I would ever end it, huh? Well, thanks for all the lovely feedback and kind comments. You guys really do inspire me to keep writing. EdwardObsessedForever, thank you for the uplifting talk you gave me. It was just what I needed to get this post started. Sorry for the long rant, onto the story.
Chapter 40 Petty Torments Day 2
The sweet coppery liquid slid down my throat like honey. I held Charlie tightly against me as he'd been fighting so violently. I could smell the acrid scent of wolves approaching so I drank all the deeper in order to drain him before I had to fight my way out of the small room.
The voices from beyond the door were distorted, but getting clearer and clearer as they made their approach. They were not even attempting to hide their presence, so cocky they were.
The door swung open and Leah stood framed in a spill of light, her eyes narrowed in concentration. I expected her to shift, but she simply stood there for a few breaths in shock. I guess I could understand, I mean, Charlie was supposed to be her step dad and all.
"Bella," she sighed a bit exasperatedly. She crossed the room cautiously. "Bella?"
I'd turned away from her and began drinking again. She was no threat.
"Oh dammit, Bella," Demetri snarled as he glided across the room and ripped Charlie from me as another pair of arms snaked around me and kept me from clawing Demetri's eyes out. There were other humans. Did he really have to take my dinner?
"Bella, can you hear me?" Edward's velvety voice caressed my ear and brought the room into focus briefly.
"Demetri, she has not been feeding from her long, it might not be too late."
He looked at the man behind me and asked, "Not too late? What…"
"Just suck the damn venom out, Demetri," he said pointedly as his hands convulsed tightly around my arms. I guess I'd been struggling to get to the woman. I had no clue where Charlie had gone, but on the floor, Melinda sat propped against the wall writhing in pain as my venom started burning her wrist where the blood was still seeping out of her.
I growled and flung myself back roughly against the wall, crushing Edward, but his hold did not lessen.
Demetri kneeled carefully in front of her and gently took her arm that she'd been clutching so tightly against her chest. Her tears looked like perfect little diamonds falling against his pale skin. He brushed her cheek tenderly and whispered so softly to her.
Marcus was suddenly blocking my vision as he looked me over quickly, satisfied that I had not been harmed in any way.
"Do you know where you are Bella?"
I watched his lips moving and heard his smooth voice, but the meaning of that noise was elusive.
He touched my chin and raised my gaze to his as he tried again. "You are in Volterra, in our castle. Do you remember coming here nearly a month ago, Bella?"
The more he talked the harder it was to focus. I was slipping away from the room again allowing that sweet darkness to take me. Their noises were still surrounding me, but my vision was black.
"Seline! Finish him," he commanded when I did not answer him again. "She is caught in his illusion and her mind may already be beyond repair."
There was a scuttling noise and then a piercing scream when another familiar voice penetrated the haze.
"Enough, Seline. Blain was acting on my orders. You will restore his life's essence now, or so help me…" I heard a woman's voice cry out. "You will listen to me when I give a direct order."
"Blain, release Isabella from her vision," the voice rang out full of authority.
And just like that I found myself in Edward's arms in that foul, minuscule cell where Demetri now held Melinda in his arms, his hands stroking her hair rhythmically. I turned and buried my face against Edward's shoulder and wrapped my arms around his waist and silently sobbed. "It's alright now, love," he whispered against my hair as he brushed the slightest of kisses against my head. "Can I take her back to her room now, Aro?"
"Yes, of course. I will be up to check on her in a little while as I have some important matters to deal with first." He came forward and twisted me towards him gently and stared at me with expressionless eyes for an interminable amount of time. He finally nodded once and Edward guided me past everyone.
It hurt a part of me to see Aro look at me like that. The anger was gone, but so too was the friendship and trust that had built over the last month. I stopped in front of Marcus and pulled out of Edward's grip.
I knew that he'd been the one to orchestrate my exodus from hell. Knew that there was nothing he wouldn't do to see me safe, even take on Aro. "Thank you, Marcus." I took his hand in mine. "I am so sorry….sorry for everything. I did not mean to hurt you…to betray you."
He brushed the hair out of my eyes and stroked my jaw reverently before pulling me into a firm embrace. "You have nothing to apologize for, dear. You have done your best to keep everyone that you love safe. Aro knows this; otherwise he would not have ordered Blain to release your mind. He has been in a right state ever since he ordered you down here, has he not, Seline?" He turned his head to face her and she nodded encouragingly.
"What day is it?" I finally asked. "How long have I been here?"
She smiled a small smile, but it did not erase the worry lines that had gathered between her lovely arched eyebrows. "A day and a half." She rested her hand on top of mine and Marcus'. "Our scouts report that the Romanians will be here in less than eight hours. You must go upstairs and rest. We have plenty of blood waiting for you." She dropped her hand in one sudden movement, like someone who'd had the bad luck to touch a stove. "As much as I hate to admit it, Isabella, we need you to win this war. We need you to keep us safe from our enemies." She glanced quickly at Edward then back to me. "Enjoy a few hours with your mate and then you can prove your loyalty to us by fighting by our side and keeping everyone alive."
Edward closed the door and leaned against it while I sat on the edge of the bed uncertain of everything. Less than eight hours to go. For a creature that had all of eternity to get things done, I suddenly found myself out of time.
Edward seemed content where he was so I left him to it. I didn't have time to deal with whatever it was he was thinking about, I needed to feed, so I went into the side room and grabbed a glass. I'd drained more than ten goblets full before he walked past me and took his own goblet.
"How did you get me out of there?" I asked, because I was still fuzzy on the details. I was having a dreadful time discerning what was reality and what was a lie.
"I did not. Marcus and Seline did. Along with Felix, Demetri and Leah." He shivered slightly and fell heavily into the plush chair farthest from me. He swirled his blood around in the glass like one would with a fine wine, then tipped it up and drained it in one gulp. "Seline is a terrifying creature when she is irritated." He sighed softly and set his glass down and leaned his head in his hands before continuing, "They kept Blain busy while Leah, Demetri and I broke into the cell."
I still can't get over her helping me." I shook my head and went to refill my glass.
"Come here," he patted his knee beckoning me. Hope zinged through me at this small gesture. I was curled in his lap before I even realized I'd moved. "Yes, Seline helped you, but do not mistake it for friendship, Bella. You are a threat to her in more ways than one. Right now you are useful to her. She values her life and that of her lover's more than her quarrel with you, but once everything is settled, she will revert to her usual behavior."
"And what are Aro's thoughts on me?"
He tipped my face up to his and laid the barest of kisses against my lips before answering. "He has already forgiven you," he smirked. "He just doesn't want to look weak, so he is trying to keep his distance."
"The way he looked at me…" my voice faltered. I don't know why his approval mattered so very much, but it did.
"It was all an act, love. I was inside his mind. Trust me; he is no longer angry with you. We've made certain that the Volturi were made aware of the predicament you were in and how much you sacrificed for them. If anything, he now values you all the more, for you have only been a part of his family for a month and shown more loyalty than others who have spent far more time among the court. And this is precisely why you must not let your guard down around Seline. You possess her power and the favor of the majority of the court, but more importantly, you have Aro and Marcus in your corner."
My mood lightened considerably at his words. I didn't care what Seline thought of me, so that was no big deal, but I had noticed that someone that I'd become very close to was not among the vampires downstairs and Edward had not mentioned her.
"Why was Renata not downstairs with Aro?"
Edward shifted just a little letting me know that he didn't want to discuss this. "Christian and Kattra took care of her."
"By 'took care of' you mean…?" I asked uncertainly, unable to complete the sentence. Christian would never kill her. He knew how much she meant to me. No she couldn't be dead. No matter how disappointed Christian might be with me, he would not hurt me so.
He smoothed his hand down my hair. "She's not dead. They just kept her occupied while we went after you." Seeing the relief fill my eyes he gave me a sad smile. "I am afraid that she was hurt most by…our plan," he admitted.
I closed my eyes and took a slow deep breath. "You mean, she's not happy with me and feels that I betrayed our friendship."
He nodded. "You two will work it out, love." His lips trailed slowly from my temple down my jaw before capturing my lips. His hands tightened their hold against me, while mine burrowed into his messy hair. He leaned forward, tipping me back as he deepened the kiss, his hands moving under the hem of my shirt to rest firmly against my ribs. His lips finally broke away leaving both of us panting heavily. He pulled me back into an upright position and rested his forehead against mine. "I know this is probably a wildly inappropriate time for this, but I can't wait one more day to be with you, love." He kissed the top pf my head and stood up while I locked my legs around his waist and began feeding on his luscious lips again. A growl erupted from his throat as he walked us to the bed were he dumped me unceremoniously. He frantically began pulling off his clothes while I struggled out off mine, then suddenly the weight of his body settled on mine.
I forgot about everything, but the feel of Edward's hands and lip, his scent, his low moans urging me on. It didn't matter that an army of angry vampires were marching on us or that I'd disappointed everyone I knew. All I cared about was feeling him inside of me again. There would be an eternity to clean up the mess I'd made. Plenty of time to prove to Aro that I'd never meant to hurt him. To renew my friendship with Renata.
I cried out as Edward quickened his pace and pounded into me more forcefully. "What ever you're thinking about, worry about it later." He bent to my lips and whispered roughly, "I want your full undivided attention right now, love." He shifted just a little but it was enough to bring me over the edge. I screamed against his soft lips as my body trembled with the orgasm coursing through me, and still he plunged into me, his lips still working forcefully against mine. He bit my lower lip, the sting of venom felt delicious. His hips bucked once, twice, then a third time before he broke away from my lips with a hissed curse and allowed the full weight of his body to collapse against mine, his head resting between my heaving breasts.
"Did I hurt you?" He asked quietly once our breathing slowed.
"No more than I wanted to be," I whispered. I sat up causing Edward's head to fall into my lap and reached for my glass of blood. I let the cool liquid dance across my tongue, thoroughly enjoying the taste of it before allowing it to glide down my throat.
Edward shifted in my lap and peered at me with a wicked glint in his eyes. He took the glass out of my hand and tipped a small amount into my mouth and brought his mouth firmly against mine, his tongue licking every drop of it from my mouth. He pulled back slightly with his crooked grin playing on his lips. "This has possibilities."
He spilled the blood down my neck and watched as it glided across one breast before pooling in my navel. The feel of the blood against my skin was amazing and sent a small shiver down my spine. He let out a deep moan and his tongue suddenly licked against my neck and followed the trail of blood. We found that we were both ready for round two. He flipped us over roughly.
"I want to watch you this time," he murmured.
Did we have time for this? Not really. But I'd lost out on a whole month with him and I just couldn't refuse him. Things weren't perfect between us, but he was trying to get past everything. I certainly wasn't going to deny him these few precious moments just because we were hours away from some great battle. No, if this was the last day we had together, then it would be spent just like this, our bodied locked together in ecstasy.
A/N: Anything in particular you'd like to see in the battle or afterwards? Let me know, and I'll see if I can work it in. Thanks for reading and taking the time to review. –hugs-
Sabrina