It took a while to write this, but once I got it going, it flowed. I hope you all enjoy this! The attack is among us! Just a warning, This summer I've been under the influences of the Generation Dead series, The Evernight Series, Night World, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, oh and ways to integrate Education and Fun in the classroom. Don't forget the True Blood series, along with my Twilight obsession. That all shows up in here.
Chapter 18: Seattle
The meeting had me scared. Billy had told me that the Volturi might try to pick one of us off, to anger the rest and force a fight. After that night, our family traveled in at least groups of two. The uneasiness that was coursing through my veins had me suggesting that we wear our makeup and stay in the light as much as possible. But with the town of Marks, we still ended up under an overcast sky. Alice, Rosalie and I would go watch Renesmee's cheerleading practice, pretending that we were her ride home. The boys would all ride home together. We tried to avoid Mike and Carol as much as possible. The guys had to admit that it was a great prank and wanted to be around Emmet and Jasper. The girls were not so forgiving. Renesmee received the cold shoulder during practice, and Alice, Rosalie and I might have well have been invisible. Angela's class was the only class that felt right. Our class was now past the Dracula session, and we were reading Pride and Prejudice. Austin's book is perfect for me, but the rest of the class found it boring. Angela spiced it up by comparing Austin's original book, with a newer book, called Pride and Prejudice, and Zombies. Everyday, she read a chapter from the book, and we would compare and contrast it to the original. I have to admit the zombies did make it funny. The words were almost unchanged, except for the plague. In the few weeks it took to finish the book, everyone understood Austin's book. Even Mike started to talk of Pride and Prejudice. Mike tried to act cool, even when his friends sold him out and told the entire class about him freaking out when Edward came at him, dressed as a vampire.
"Hey, the guy makes a creepy vampire." was Mike's usual reply. If only he knew.
~*~
"So, it would be you, me, Angela and Stephanie?" I asked. Esme nodded. It was Saturday and Thanksgiving was less than a week away, and she wanted to get a head start on shopping for everyone. "Why isn't anyone else going?"
"Carlisle, Rosalie, and Emmet are traveling farther south, in hunt of bears. Emmet says it has been too long since they hunted bear. Edward and Nessie are going to La Push to see Jacob, and Alice and Jasper have requested alone time. Jasper has been working so hard to keep the situation calm, and poor Alice has been searching for signs of the Volturi. They need some quiet time. Please, Bella, I would really like to go shopping in Seattle. I thought you wouldn't mind spending time with Angela either." Truth be told, I thought the idea was great. I was a little worried about Edward, but the Volturi would not attack La Push. Demetri, himself, almost lost a battle with a werewolf once. So even if the packs aren't werewolves, they are close enough to scare the Volturi.
"It sounds like fun, I'll call Angela."
Within the hour, we were driving my Ferrari to Seattle. Esme had asked both Angela and Stephanie which car they would like to ride in. My car had won the vote over the Mercedes. I felt like I had a thick layer of oil on my face, as I lounged in the partial sun, with the top of the car down. The makeup was thick and didn't feel as natural as I would have liked. Esme didn't seem too bothered by the makeup. Alice had warned us that she saw patches of sun. Once we made it to Seattle, we parked my car in one of the lots. (Paying extra to ensure that the car would be in once piece when we got back.) Our next adventure was to hunt down the main streets for deals. Stephanie insisted that we visit a toy store, for her two boys.
"We could probably find something in there for Emmet!" I joked. Esme laughed.
"No, remember the super soakers?" I was instantly taken back to the time Emmet barricaded us out of our own house, he made barricade and threw water balloons and used the super soakers on Edward and Jasper. Emmet could be such a kid. While everyone helped Stephanie pick out a present for her boys, I made an excuse to go into the local Dairy Queen and get a drink. Angela raised an eyebrow at me, and I smiled. I'm no psychic, but I know that she wouldn't try to call me on that lie in front of Stephanie. Esme knew I was planning on getting Angela's present. I had gone online and ordered it a few days ago. It made more sense to pick it up, instead of waiting for it to arrive. As soon as I was out of sight, I dashed over to the jewelry store. I gave the man the name that the package would be under, and he handed me the parcel. It makes me uncomfortable to have humans, or anyone, stare at me. This elderly man meant no harm, but it still gave me an uneasy feeling. I felt it in the pit of my stomach, almost a paranoid feeling. I took the package and looked at the contents. Inside, was a small necklace for Angela. The necklace was a hair smaller than my necklace, and much smaller than Rosalie's necklace. The center of the necklace was a silver piece with the Cullen crest molded in the center. After the ordeal with the Volturi, we plan on inviting Angela to join our family. She wouldn't have to live with us, but she was more than welcome to travel with us, and have a family. The idea of Angela not aging and losing everyone she cares for sounds a bit like how I sometimes feel when I think of Charlie, or Renee. No one should be forced to spend eternity alone. I looked deeper into the packaging. The other necklace in the package was a choker, much like Alice's, for Renesmee. She had loved Alice's choker and always wanted something like it. Now she had her very own choker with the family seal. We held off getting her one, until we knew how big she would be once she stopped growing.
I stashed the package into my purse, and walked back to the toy store. Stephanie had decided to get the boys a Disney Car's set. It was perfect for the young boys. Esme offered to carry it back to the car with us, so we could continue our shopping. We stopped at a vintage store and I bought Angela a small Wizard of Oz snow globe. She laughed as she held it. Inside was the Wicked Witch of the West, the bottom of the snow globe had the inscription, "Only bad witches are ugly." We also found a mirror that says "Fairest of them all" Written across the top. It looked like the mirror from Snow White. I grabbed it for Rosalie. She would love it.
By the time everything was loaded into my trunk, I could hear Angela's and Stephanie's stomach growling.
"Would you prefer to head home?" Esme asked, trying to be polite. Stephanie shook her head.
"It's only four thirty. We'll grab some dinner, hit up a few more shops and then we can leave." She thought for a few moments and then smiled. "We passed an Italian restaurant not to long ago. We can walk there."
The restaurant was small, but quaint. Everything looked authentic. I smiled to myself when I saw the first item on the menu was mushroom ravioli. I couldn't help but think of the restaurant Edward had taken me to after the disastrous trip into Port Angeles. The smells were so strong and almost nauseating. I wondered if Esme was having as much trouble with the smells as I was. The garlic made the air thicker, almost like breathing water. I understand the garlic myth now. But I also remember Jasper telling me that other than the smell being bad, garlic was harmless. The waiter walked up to our table and asked if we wanted any drinks, and if we were ready to order.
"I'd like to try the Chicken Nachatta," Stephanie ordered. Angela looked at the menu again.
"I'll take the mushroom ravioli." I smiled. Nice choice. The server looked at me and Esme, waiting for one of us to order. Angela chimed up. "Aren't you and Esme still on that diet, where you only eat early in the morning or late at night?" I looked to her and she winked.
"Yes, we're trying to get in shape, and I heard it was the best way to get your metabolism going." Esme continued. The waiter walked by. My phone rang and I answered it at the table. It was Edward checking in. I knew he would be safe, but he didn't seem so convinced about my safety. I had to reassure him that everything was fine at least two times. After I hung up, I looked up and noticed that Stephanie was staring at me.
"Do the kids at school treat you differently because you're dating someone that is adopted into your family? I don't mean to be rude, Bella, but I think that would be scandalous at my old high school." Angela joined in the conversation.
"I KNOW that would be scandalous at my high school." I shrugged, and did my best to be blasé.
"It's not that big of a deal. I don't really mind what others think. It's not like Edward and I are related."
"I think Bella and Edward liked each other before we invited Bella to join our family." Esme added. As if on cue, Stephanie and Angela's dinner arrived.
After dinner we walked to a few more stores. Nothing was bought. It was getting dark, and we were wandering around, wasting a few more minutes before we headed to the car. We had gone down an alley that was deserted. This led us to a quieter part of the town. Stephanie and Angela were beside us. We looked like a line, taking up space. I started to get the feeling in the pit of my stomach. The paranoid feeling. I shook it off. I'm acting like a child that is afraid of the dark, instead of a vampire. I'm supposed to be the thing in the dark that children are afraid of. I smiled at my rational and continued with the conversation we were engaged in. Then I heard it. The soft foot falls of someone trailing us. We were being followed, just like in Port Angeles. Boy, were these poor boys in for a surprise. Then I listened harder, trying to hear how many were following us. That's when I noticed it. I could hear the sloshy thump thump thump, of Angela's heart and the thudding of Stephanie's heart. But I couldn't hear the heartbeats of whoever was behind us. I quickly turned my head, so fast, that Angela and Stephanie missed it. There was someone following us as we went farther from witnesses.
"Esme, we're being followed." I whispered quickly, and quietly, so that no one else would hear. She looked up, surprised. "We're going to have to run when we hit the corner okay?" She nodded. "Good, warn Stephanie, I'll get Angela." Esme leaned in toward Stephanie to somehow explain our super speed to her and keep her calm. I had no idea what I would say in her predicament. I looked over to Angela, who noticed the change in atmosphere.
"Angela," I whispered. "The cold moon is now." Angela did not comprehend what I was talking about at first. Then I heard her heart start beating faster, and her breathing hitched. "I'm going to grab you and we're going to run, once we hit the turn up here, okay?" She looked numb, but nodded. "Good." I felt myself wanting to shake. The corner was approaching fast. I took a breath and noticed that Esme was slowly reaching her hand towards Stephanie. I took two more steps. In one smooth motion, I grabbed Angela's hands and pulled her up onto my back, I grabbed her legs and ran, much the way Edward used to run with me. Esme had grabbed Stephanie and was carrying her, like she was cradling a child. We dashed down the alley, and I pointed to start zigging through the alleys. We took quick turns. I motioned for us to turn right. I could hear the vampire pursuer overcome the shock of seeing us run and demonstrate our vampire abilities in front of humans. He was starting to dart after us. The turn we made ended in a dead end. Figures. There was no place to hide. There was a dumpster, and a few piles of trash at the side of the dumpster. No time to retrace our steps. We were stuck.
"Quick." I whispered to Esme. "Put them behind the dumpster." Esme and I put Angela and Stephanie behind the dumpster, which was pulled out far enough for them to hide behind it. The dumpster was full of rotting trash and the lid was opened to make for a roof to hide them. The dumpster was rusting and had jagged edges exposed.
"Okay, stay calm and quiet and whatever you do, if something happens to us, do NOT come out of hiding until you see the sun." Angela nodded, knowing what was up. Stephanie looked like she was going into shock. We backed away from the dumpster and prepared to run again when our pursuer dashed in front of our getaway. He was a talk lanky man, with glowing red eyes and messy chocolate hair. He was soon joined by an Asian looking woman. The woman looked to be about my size, with long black hair. The two vampires looked like they were vagabonds, with tattered clothing and mussed hair.
"Cullens." The woman sneered. The man flashed his teeth.
"Where are your human friends?" The man eyed the area thoughtfully.
"They ran the other way. We threw you off of their scent." I put as much anger and bravado in to my voice as possible.
"We'll sniff them out once we're done with you." I hissed at his threat. I used to hate the sound I made when I hissed. But now it feels as if I am a lion that just learned to roar. I could hear the unspoken threat in the hiss. I heard a menacing hiss come from Esme.
"Leave them alone." She warned, leaning and putting her self in front of me. She bared her teeth.
"Golden eyes." The man stated. "Do you know how much the Volturi is offering us for the death or capture of just one of you?" I glared between the two of them. They started to circle, but I wouldn't budge from my stance near the trash bin. They started pacing, noticing that I wasn't leaving my spot. "The Volturi offered the capture a spot on their council, with all the sweet blood we could drink." The man's eyes flashed.
"You broke the law. The woman said gravely." Her smile growing wider. "You exposed your powers to humans." She was trying to justify her reason to attack. The woman looked us over. "The younger one, with the brown curls, she's the one the Volturi specifically asked for, her and the short spiky haired girl." The Volturi did plan to force Alice and me into joining them.
"You're not taking me anywhere." I growled.
"We'll see." The girl sneered. Then she lunged. I felt her body slam into mine, and her teeth sunk into my arm. The pain was instant. I thrashed and knocked her down. I pushed her into the wall. I saw the man jump at Esme and she shoved him into the wall. He fell with a heavy thud on top of the trash lid that was holding above Stephanie and Angela. I lunged at the girl from behind and dug my teeth into her neck. I felt the venom in my mouth flow into her. She screamed a piercing scream and thrashed wildly. She caught a few strands of my hair and was able to scratch my arm, but from my position behind her, she was unable to have her arms make purchase on me. I was able to rip a chunk of her flesh away from her neck before she threw me. Her throw was weak. I landed nicely on my feet. I noticed that Esme was having trouble with the man, who was feinting away; she couldn't catch up to him. Then it happened. I heard a soft intake of breath and then a tearing of skin. Even though I could not see the dumpster, I knew what had happened. Stephanie had leaned out to see the fight and cut her hand on the jagged edge of the dumpster. I could see the image of a single drop of blood forming on her hand.
"Esme! Hold your breath!" I yelled. Esme did as told. I watched the female vampire stop, dead in her tracks, her eyes turning black, instantly. She turned her head and pinpointed the corner of the dumpster where Angela and Stephanie were hiding. I wasted no time. I dove for her neck. I pushed her head to the side and bit down, and twisted. Her neck made a sickening crack sound. She fell to the ground. The man seemed to be fighting his way around Esme and towards the dumpster. He was ferocious. Esme was trying her best to hold him off. Then I heard another soft tear of skin and smelled it, rancid chicken. Angela had cut her hand to help subdue the man. His nose wrinkled as he inhaled the horrible blood. Esme took that chance to bite down into his arm, and pull it away from his torso. The man quickly ran, knowing that he was outnumbered. Esme took after him, leaving his arm behind. Once I was sure the vampire was gone, I ran to the dumpster. Angela looked shaken, and Stephanie looked ill. She caught sight of the Asian vampire with the broken neck and became violently ill. Angela held her hair as Stephanie threw up.
"Angela, I need a lighter." I said trying to sound calm. Angela smiled and a lighter floated out of Stephanie's purse. It bobbed its way towards me. I took it, without question, and lit up a small piece of paper. It ignited instantly. I threw the paper into the dumpster, and watched as the fire started to spread. The smell was putrid. I quickly ran to the arm on the ground. There was a bit of venom excreting from the severed part of the arm. I lifted the arm by the elbow, for fear of the hand grabbing me, and carried it to the dumpster. The vampire was never going to get his arm back. The arm caught fire, like a tinder box. Angela helped me lift and dump the woman's body into the dumpster. Then Angela used her powers to shut one side of the dumpster lid. Only after the woman's body was safely in the flames did Stephanie speak.
"You can't just burn her! We need to call the police! They will understand that it is in self defense. Those people were crazy!" She was rambling.
"Stephanie, we can't take them to the police. The coroner can never see them. They weren't human." Esme appeared, without the man. He must have dashed away. "They were vampires." Even saying it felt cheesy. Stephanie stopped mid sentence and looked at me hard.
"Vampires? They aren't real!" She looked at my serious face, then looked to Angela, who looked just as grave. Then she looked to Esme. "Right Esme?" Esme smiled a comforting smile.
"I'm afraid they were vampires." Stephanie took a step towards her friend.
"How did you know how to defeat them?" She asked. This was the question I was afraid she'd ask. Esme took a step toward her.
"Because Bella and I are vampires too." Stephanie stopped moving and looked around. She shrank back towards Angela. She looked over to Angela.
"How can you stay so calm?" She demanded. Angela looked up and smiled, apologetically.
"Because I'm a witch, I'm here to help protect the Cullens and make sure there are no wars between the worlds of the differently biotic." Stephanie looked trapped and petrified. Just then, I heard a swoosh and saw a flash of dark hair stop in front of me. It was Alice.
"I couldn't see them until they were after you." She sounded slightly frantic. "Then I saw that if I called, they would attack, so I ran the whole way here." She looked at all of us. "I was half way here when I saw that you would be all right, but I still decided to come help you."
"Help us what?" I asked. She looked to me and held up three fingers.
"Three….Two…..one." She said putting down a finger each time she said the number. On one, she looked over to Stephanie, and held out her arms, and caught Stephanie, right as she fainted."
~*~
Now I'm in the midst of it, it should go a lot faster. I hope everyone is enjoying it so far. Remember to review!
Thanks again.
