Chapter 19

Bella's POV:

Given all my near death experiences, and one successful attempt, you'd think death had an infatuation with me, flirting with me whenever an opportunity arose. Just when I had thought that my end was here, definitive and indubitable, and that I would never be able to hold my son, or see his tiny little hands reaching for my face, fate reassigned my life to a different avenue.

There was so much I needed to know, so much I needed to ask. Why would Gabriel have denied me his blood when I had needed it most? How could he just stand there, watching me die and not do anything? The inklings of deception were playing at my thoughts. Did he fool me into thinking he wanted me when all he really wanted was Lucian?

Lucian.

I blinked my eyes, forcing them to open. I found that it took me a great deal of strength to even move my head. My body felt like led, though I felt no pain. I slowly pushed myself up from the bed, finding the Cullens staring at me in excited anticipation. Alice looked like she was about to explode with excitement. The minute our eyes met, she moved swiftly to me and gave me one of her bone-cracking hugs.

"Oh Bella!" she said elatedly.

The only thought that occupied my mind was Lucian.

"Where is he?" I asked anxiously as I gently pushed her away.

She beamed at me and turned, moving out from in front of me. My heart swelled, like a rising wave at the ocean, when I saw Edward holding my son in his arms, gazing at him warmly. For a moment, I thought I was only imagining him walking towards me with my bundle of joy, but as he came close, as I caught his clean scent, and I knew it was not a figment of my imagination. It was Edward. I found it odd that Gabriel was not here, in place of him.

He sat on the edge of the bed, placing Lucian in my arms. I could feel my bones trembling all over my body. Cradled perfectly in my arms, as if my arms were designed exclusively for him, was the most beautiful child I've ever seen and not because he was my son, but because he truly was. He took my breath away. He had my eyes, the shape and color and all of Gabriel's small facial features. His skin was colder than mine, but just as pale. He was truly magnificent.

I unwillingly looked away from him to look up at Edward through tearful eyes. He was staring at me with a warm and earnest gaze. Though, I couldn't understand why he was here in Gabriel's absence, I was happy that he was.

"He's beautiful" he murmured softly.

I lowered my eyes back to Lucian and smiled, finally remembering to breathe. I could stay here forever, gladly living out eternity just holding him in my arms.

"Where's Gabriel?" I asked, still smiling at Lucian. After a long empty moment, I looked up, my smile fading when I saw Edward's face. He stared at me frowning and I got the sense that something was wrong.

"Bella, "he finally said quietly, "he's not here."

"Where is he?" I asked, wondering if he was out on a last minute ordeal.

Instead of answering me, Edward stood up and walked over to Gabriel's back pack – taking out an envelope. I didn't understand what this was about and I didn't like the feeling I was getting either. Gabriel should be here and he wasn't.

He sat by my side again. "He left this for you" he said seriously as he held the letter out to me. I stared at it for a long moment before taking it with my free hand and handing him Lucian with my other. My name was written beautifully on the face of the envelope. I glanced back him.

"Do you know what this is about?" I asked him, with a cautious look.

"I think you need to read it for yourself, Bella" he said in his low velvet voice.

Something was wrong, I knew it. I felt it. Though the envelope was featherweight, it felt heavy and oppressive in my hand.

I slid my finger through the flap, feeling my heart constrict with apprehension as I pulled out the two page letter.

My dearest beloved,

When you read this letter, I will no longer be by your side. It is with a heavy and dying heart that I have accepted that you and I can be no longer. I have denied myself this terrible truth since the moment I first laid eyes upon you, so many centuries ago. My presence in your life has only brought you turmoil, pain and despair and I cannot begin to express to you how much I remorse having put you through so much misery. Please forgive me, my lady. All I've ever wanted was to love you. I know you will have many questions in your head by the time you read this letter. I hope to afford you answers for every one that you may have.

It wasn't my intention to bring you to Volterra. My mind was set on having you stay at the island, waiting for my return, but as I lay with you on the beach, I witnessed the fate of our son and the dark reality that would come with his birth. I saw what was to become of him and I assure you, despite the many tribulations awaiting him in his future, he will succeed all his ambitions and the result of his determination will be so great that it will forever change the course of the world and the future for our kind.

Lucian will bring to light our long hidden existence, revealing us to the world for what we are. He will become the voice of our kind and the instrument for our survival. He will create a new form of survival where the need for human blood will no longer dominate us. He will work wonders that have never been witnessed by mankind, shaking the beliefs of the churches and religions all around the world. Many will think of him the antichrist or the resurrected Christ himself. But he is neither one. You need not dear for his life as we will never perish. However, I must step aside and leave you both in order for you to live.

I never fully explained to you the intricacies of my bloodline. In explaining it to you now, I hope you can come to understand why I have abandoned my most beloved … you and Lucian.

As you know, my father was an evil and vile man with a calamitous desire for power. He combed the world, seeking out those who's power or ability would be of benefit to him, which is the reason why he so desired you. You could provide him the protection he needed. He went about the same with the women he'd claim, one being my mother.

My mother came from a family of witches, the most powerful of their time. They possessed both dark and white magic. This was something that intrigued my father very much. He pursued my mother and it was never truly known if his love for her was a fabrication of a spell cast upon him, but regardless of any doubt, they came together and conceived me.

My powers were passed down to me by my mother's blood. Because of it, I was my father's most prized possession, his tool for destruction. I served for him in many wars, wiping out our enemies with little effort. I was much stronger than him but he did not mind just as long as I remained a servant for his vengefulness.

Years later, he met Seraphim, Aro's mother. She was a simple child, with no power or specialty. Her innocence and her beauty is what attracted him to her. He showed her no mercy and brutally raped her over and over again even through her pregnancy. The fact that my brother was born is miracle enough. He later grew bored of her and banished her from the kingdom just moments after she gave birth to Aro. She later jumped to her death.

Aro was limited to only one ability, which bothered my father greatly. Both my father and I possessed multiple powers, I exceeding his and in his sick and twisted mind, an idea dawned upon him one day. It was widely believed back then that if a vampire drank the blood of another vampire, then some of their ability would pass through the blood. My father made Aro drink my blood, unaware of the ritual he was performing.

Aro never gained any of my strengths or abilities, instead he gained protection. Because my blood flowed through his veins, I could never kill him. By doing so, I would kill myself.

I learned that he was not after you for your ability … he was after you because he knew you'd become pregnant with my child, a child that would liberate us all. He wanted to kill you and Lucian and planned to carry out the murders the night of his birth. I knew you'd protect me, so I had to stand back and watch you die, taking with you the protection you guarded me with. Only then could I could I kill my brother, and end his quest for your blood. Believe me, it was the only way. Should he have lived, you would've been forced to walk in shadows for all your existence and Lucian would never be able to succeed with the revelation.

I have set you free, Bella. You will no longer need to fear for your life of for the life of our son. I wish only love for you, that you may find it once again. I can tell you that Edward truly loves you, Bella, more than you think he does. He is fine young man and he will be a good father for Lucian. I am sorry that I broke the bond you had formed with him, but I believe this was our destiny, the reason why I managed to exist for so long … to be with you once more and create the miracle which is our son. Over and above all, you're the woman whom I have not just simply loved, but an omniscient messiah who was my breath, my body, my blood and my all. I love you, my lady, infinitely.

-Gabriel

My hands were shaking badly by the time I finished his letter. Tears gushed down my face as I looked up at Edward.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I'm sorry" he murmured and wrapped his free arm around me, kissing my forehead as I cried for Gabriel's death.

Ok, one more chapter to go. Stay tuned!

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More to follow soon...