Chapter 8: Starting Again
~Bella~
There was so much going on in my mind all at once that I felt myself going into sensory overload. Just as I would focus on one scent, a new one would assault my mind, and we would run in another direction. Finally, Edward pulled me to a stop and for a brief moment I felt a snap of anger, but it melted away the moment I saw his eyes focused on mine. Initially, I'd asked him to let me lead the way, so long as I didn't get too close to anyone human. Now in lieu of running around for however long we had, and the fact that my throat felt like it was on fire, letting him lead seemed a much better idea. "There is so much," I said shaking a little.
"Everything is very new," he agreed taking my hand. We began to run again and, instantly, my sense of smell picked up on a sweet scent, one I remembered from earlier before I'd opened my eyes on my new world and life. We ran through thick brush and trees not hindered by any of it and after a few minutes, Edward pulled me to an abrupt stop. He moved behind me and turned my head slightly up. The scent was coming from a very large cat lounging a few branches up. I felt my mouth watering with the venom and instinct took over. Without having to guess or wonder how I would get up there, I was suddenly in the air landing a foot away from the animal without any sound and just the slightest of movements. It was enough to startled the cat and the animal turned just as I lunged for it. Suddenly, we were both falling, and before we hit the ground I had sunk my teeth into it's neck. The cat managed to move a little away from me and I growled clutching it's jugular with my teeth pulling the warm blood into my mouth. My throat began to cool and it didn't seem like much later before there was nothing left.
I looked at the animal, seeing it for the first time and leaped back several feet in total shock. The fur and skin on the animals neck was ripped away and as my eyes sought something else to look at, they fell on my shirt which was ripped and covered with bark from the tree along with dirt and blood from the cat.
Something moved behind me and I instantly faced who it was growling once before my mind registered that it was just my husband. "I, what did I just do?"
"You did very well on your first hunt," Edward encouraged. In spite of my grubby nature, he wrapped his arms around me and as he held me close I realized that his skin was no longer stone hard nor cold. "You're different," I said still feeling totally overwhelmed.
"You and I are now alike. Our bodies are the same temperature and our skin the same density so that it feels more normal to you," Edward explained.
There was so much I wanted to talk about and discuss, but already my throat was beginning to burn, and a moment later Edward was running with me through the trees to find something else to help control my hunger.
~*~
As much as I wanted to see my babies, I was afraid. It was mid afternoon and there was only a small tickle in the back of my throat. Edward had helped me get cleaned up and dressed and I had finally gotten the courage to look at myself in the mirror. My body was beautiful and shapely, but not too overdone. My hair fell around my shoulders like soft brown silk accentuating the paleness of my skin. The only thing I didn't like were my eyes and Alice had already promised to help with contacts. She would be returning with Edward, who had gone to the other house to get our daughter down for her nap. Renesmee had been acting out all morning, and I knew it was because she could tell something had changed. I was glad Edward wasn't punishing her for something I was inadvertently causing and wasn't sure how much longer she could take not seeing me. The problem with that was my fears. If for some reason she smelled good to me and they had to take her away, Renesmee would really fall apart. We didn't want that to happen, and Edward had phoned asking me how I felt about seeing Anthony. Our son would, hopefully, not be upset if they had to get him away from here.
The waiting was starting to eat at me, and needing something to do, I went in to Anthony's room and practiced using control as I changed the sheets in his crib. I made myself move slowly, careful not to pull at the sheets too hard when I removed them from the mattress. Once a fresh sheet was in its place I folded his favorite light blue and white striped blanket, draping it over the side of the mahogany crib. While I did that my mind was on the hunt and on how graceful my husband was. Where I struggled with each animal I brought down, Edward did that task with ease I knew was from experience. He never got a mark on him from claws or blood.
My hearing focused on the sounds outside my house as I heard a car pull up. "It's us, love. Renesmee is asleep for the moment. Alice, Jasper and Emmett are with Anthony and me. Why don't you go sit in the family room." His voice sounded like it was coming from right next to me along with the movements they were all making. It took two seconds for me to make it to the family room and one to sit down.
I heard the front door open and took in a deep breath smelling other vampires, scents I had never really taken notice of until now. My eyes were on Alice as she entered the room with Jasper at her side. A wave of calmness washed over me and I smiled at Jasper, "Thank you."
He nodded approaching me slower than his wife. "Why don't you stand. Emmett and I want to hold onto you. When you are ready, Edward will bring the baby," Jasper explained, his tone of voice soft and comforting. They both grasped my arms carefully and once I was comfortable Jasper called for Edward to come in. For a moment I saw only him, but my eyes were soon looking at our son held cradled in his arms. "My eyes," I said feeling a moment of panic. Both of my brothers grasped me tighter and more calm washed over me.
"I don't think it will bother him," Edward said as he stepped closer. When he stopped just a few feet away I took in a deep breath smelling the powdery sweet scent of my son. My thirst didn't even bother me and I reached my hand out as Edward stepped closer.
Anthony was awake and when I touched his small hand he turned his head looking right into my eyes. "What is he feeling, Jasper?" I whispered as my soon clutched the finger I offered.
"Safe, loved. Anthony isn't afraid."
"Hi, baby," I said hoping my voice wouldn't startle him.
The wide toothless grin he gave me calmed my fears and in a moment I was holding him cradled against my chest. Jasper and Emmett still had their hands on my shoulders and at the moment nothing mattered to me. "You are so beautiful," I said kissing Anthony's cheek, feeling their hands tighten on me.
"Guys, she has this," Edward said beaming proudly at me. The moment they let me go I moved to the sofa, sitting down, never looking away from my son. I had never noticed that his eyes had a slight shade of green to them, and that his little cheeks were getting chubbier. As Edward sat beside me I moved against him laying Anthony on my lap as our son yawned. "He's perfect, but how will it be with our daughter?"
My eyes moved from Anthony to my husband as he spoke, "Jasper had an idea that you might want to go with us to the other house. Alice will stay here with Anthony and you can look in on our daughter while she sleeps, see how she smells to you."
Our daughter seemed more human than her brother and that worried me, but for now I was content to stay here.
Once Anthony had fallen asleep, Alice took him up to his room and I went with the rest of the family to the other house again feeling a little overwhelmed by everything. When we arrived, Carlisle and Esme were on the porch and Rosalie was in the garage working on one of the cars. These people were my family and there was no threat as they greeted me with hugs and kisses. When I was ready, Edward went with me alone holding my shoulders from behind me as we went upstairs. Already, I could smell my daughter's scent. It was a mixture of floral scented shampoo and her own sweet scent. My throat remained the same and when I was by her bedside I wanted to wake her and make her feel safe. "Promise me that for a while you won't leave me alone with them. I'm not sure how I'm going to react when she gets into one of her moods," I whispered so soft that I knew only Edward could hear me.
"We will take this one step at a time," he agreed.
Back downstairs Alice was waiting, "Rosalie is with Anthony for the moment. I want to go on and show you how to put the contacts in," Alice said offering her hand. I took it smiling at my husband before my sister led me away. In one of the large bathrooms, were several boxes. I watched as Alice opened one and pulled out a small plastic container. Inside was a brown contact and Alice explained to me how to put it in and that it would irritate my eyes to have them in due to the venom. That same venom would dissolve them and every five hours I would need to change them out. My first attempts to get them in were frustrating, but on my fifth try, I finally did it and looked at myself in the mirror. The color wasn't the same as my natural chocolate brown, but it wasn't too bad either. Renesmee would undoubtedly notice but it would be better than the bright red of my newborn eyes. They were irritating and my vision was clouded, however I would endure this for my daughter's sake.
My big test came a half hour later. The moment I heard my baby stir, I stood from the sofa and took Edward's hand. We made it to her bedside just as she was opening her eyes. The moment Renesmee saw me she reached out and didn't seem to notice anything as I very carefully lifted her away from the bed to rest against my chest and shoulder.
"Miss you, Momma," she whispered.
"I missed you, too," I said softly.
"Sound different," Renesmee observed as she lifted her head away from my shoulder. My baby was more awake now looking at my face. Her small hand moved over my cheek and a frown formed on her soft pink lips, "Momma, not same?"
"She's more like me now," Edward said rubbing his hand over our daughter's back.
Renesmee sighed resting her cheek back against my shoulder as she wrapped her fingers around my hair. Evidently that didn't seem to bother her and I was very grateful.
~Edward~
As the day progressed, Renesmee began to notice the differences in Bella, though that didn't upset her. The differences merely made our baby girl curious. My wife did an amazing job answering all of our daughter's questions, explaining to her that she would be more like the rest of our family. Renesmee wanted to know when she would be more like us and I had to step in and explain that each one of us was unique and very special. For that reason, we would all have some things that were not the same. I'm not sure she understood it but after I finished Renesmee was ready to go outside and play in our small yard.
Our house was quiet with both children asleep, and I followed Bella into our room watching as she dressed for bed. When she finished pulling on one of my button down tops Bella went to the bed and moved the covers down a moment before turning to face me, "I don't need sleep," she said, sounding mildly shocked.
"Not ever again," I answered going over to her, pulling my wife into my arms. For a moment I was in control dipping my head down to kiss her. In another Bella shoved me away and I sat down on the bed a moment before my back hit the mattress, "Easy, love," I reminded as she kissed me a little too hard.
Bella gazed at me before remembering that I wasn't the strongest one in this house, "This is going to take some getting used to, and now I guess I'll kind of understand how it was for you."
As I was about to answer, her lips were back on mine and there was no more need for words. Each touch of her hands over my body as she undressed me was followed by the heated kiss of her lips pressing down on my skin evoking feelings that were more intense than when she was human. Bella made quick work of my clothes and when I reached up to grasp her hips, her hands moved mine away. Bella slid down me and it didn't take much before my body was demanding release. I moved my hands to her hips rubbing circles there with the pads of my thumbs before rubbing them ever closer to the point our bodies were connected.
When I began to rub her sensitive nub, Bella growled moving faster up and down on me. Suddenly, she stopped looking at me before a smile spread over her face and she leaned forward hugging me. "I just realized that we don't have to stop for any reason," Bella purred against my chest.
"Not until one of our children wakes up." Not giving her a moment to think, I grasped onto her, pulling Bella to my chest before I flipped her over. I pushed my hips sinking inside of her as her ankles locked around my back and her arms around my neck. Tonight would be a very good night for us.
~*~
Something neither of us had factored into Bella being changed was that Renesmee was now the only one in our family requiring the normal day to day foods of a human along with her blood. It was never a big deal, but now as I sat trying to comfort her, Bella looked on from a few feet away as she worked on keeping Anthony calm. "Shh, you need to eat," I tried, rubbing my hand up and down Renesmee's back. Her head shook back and forth against my shoulder, and Bella shut her eyes.
"Do you know why Momma can't eat with you anymore?"
"Noo," Renesmee whispered clinging to me.
"How about we take a walk," My wife suddenly said shrugging her shoulders as I shot her a look of uncertainty. The moment she suggested that, the cries stopped and Renesmee was anxious to be on her feet. We both watched as she headed off toward the front door to get her shoes and once Anthony was in my arms, Bella kissed me.
"How is this going to help?" I asked not sure what my wife had planned.
"Get back to me on that one. We won't go far, but maybe if she's distracted for a while and has run off a little energy she will be more willing to give breakfast a go. It couldn't hurt to try." Her lips pressed against mine and a moment later Anthony and I were alone.
"You have an amazing Momma," I told my son as he grinned up at me as though he were quite aware of that fact.
Fifteen minutes later, Anthony was in his bouncy seat in the family room, and his big sister was sitting in her booster seat at the table eating her second chocolate chip pancake. Bella and I were sitting on either side of her listening as she told me about the walk they shared.
"Me and Momma go in woods. Saw rabbit, him smell good." Bella glanced briefly at me as our little girl finished off her pancake. After she let me wipe her hands and face, I put her down and that left Bella and I alone.
"When do we let her hunt?"
"Not at this age, but maybe when she's old enough to understand what that entails. Until then we keep doing it the way we have."
"And Anthony?" Bella asked as she finished rinsing Renesmee's cup and plate, putting them in the dishwasher while I wiped off the table.
"He might before she does given that his diet is purely blood based."
The kitchen was clean in two minutes leaving Bella and I time to snuggle and reflect. "I enjoyed last night," I breathed into her ear.
"I feel like I should be extremely tired with everything that has happened. Now it all just feels right, better than it has in a long time. I was thinking since I'm doing so well, if I keep this up maybe we could figure out a plan on visiting Volterra, and getting that all out of the way."
That one word sent chills running through my body and I pulled Bella tight against me. "Why don't we enjoy this..." I was about to tell my wife that we should enjoy this time with our kids when my hearing picked up on what our daughter was doing. My hand clung to Bella's as we arrived in the family room just as Renesmee's mouth closed over Anthony's neck. Before she could bite him, I had her in my arms, and Anthony was in Bella's already crying at being picked up so fast.
"What were you doing?" I asked sitting down on the sofa, holding my daughter in front of me.
"Aunt Rose say he taste good, wanted have taste too," Renesmee answered also in tears.
In a moment she was in my arms as I shut my eyes. "Aunt Rose was playing, baby, like when I nibble your tummy and your neck. We don't really bite you do we?" Her head shook as she continued to cry and I didn't know what to do. My anger had vanished when Renesmee told me why she was about to bite her brother, and from her thoughts, it was evident that she was still confused by it all. "You must never bite Anthony or anyone else, even if it is to play, and we won't do that anymore either okay?" Renesmee was instantly relieved and once she had calmed down she slid off my lap and went to Bella giving her brother a kiss before she sat down to watch the DVD my wife had put on for her.
"That was a close call," Bella murmured as she sat next to me.
"Too close," I agreed hoping that this would be the last time she did it. Our baby was two years old, and there would be worse things for her to do to her brother, but I hoped they would get along, and that she wouldn't try to nibble him again.
A nice day for us to be outside were the days when most others chose the Malls or Movie theaters to visit. It wasn't too blustery or windy, just very overcast with a chance of rain. After the babies had their naps, Bella and I took the kids on a longer walk down our lane. While Anthony rested with his bottom against my left arm while my other arm held against his chest with him facing out, Renesmee ran ahead.
"I wish we could take them to the park," Bella said as she walked next to me.
"We will be able to do that soon enough. You really are doing well."
"This all just feels like the way it should be. I've been wondering what if any my ability will be."
"Maybe to keep us out. I still can't read your mind, and I had such high hopes for that," I told her as our son kicked his legs and screeched happily. Anthony seemed to like the fresh air, just like his sister. Everything at that moment froze and several things happened at once. Several miles away a car came to a stop. A door opened and the scent of Werewolf was overpowering. It came as fast as it went and already Renesmee was in Bella's arms as we turned finding Emmett and Jasper racing toward us. The second scent that blew past us was human blood.
Emmett already had Bella in his arms and Rosalie took Renesmee while Esme got Anthony, both babies crying as they were carried away. Seconds had passed and Emmett was struggling to hold my wife as she snarled at him doing her best to bite at his hands. I moved in front of her as she lunged at me. Her eyes were wild and unfocused.
"Isabella, look at me!" I commanded as Carlisle ran past us following Jasper with Alice behind him.
My wife got one arm free and I found myself flying as she landed a punch against my chest. When I landed Emmett already had her back in his arms. "Let me take her."
"Edward..."
Before he could say another word I was beside him. "She is my wife," I growled. When I had a good grip he let go and Bella pulled hard to get away from me before she thrust backward, but this time I was ready as I moved with her. "Love, focus on us right now, not what you smell." The scent of blood was still there, very sweet and very tempting even for us. Jasper had taken a long circle around what ever was left and had not been able to pick up on the scent of werewolf. My children were still upset, but right now Bella was my priority. The further away I managed to get her, the less she struggled against me. By the time we were back at the house she was in control and in my arms.
"All I could think about was the blood. I could have hurt her."
"But you didn't and we had help," I said not willing to let Bella beat herself up over this.
"Right now we need to get over to the main house. Our children need us and after that we need to see if Alice knows what this is about."
My wife didn't answer, just nodding her had once as she pulled out of my arms.
~Bella~
There were too many questions and not enough answers. As I sat holding my sleeping daughter, my mind kept replaying everything that had gone on just hours before. We had been so happy, all of it like a dream only much better than all of that. I'd thought I had perfect control, but was proven wrong the moment I smelled the sweetness of human blood. Downstairs I could hear Edward talking to Carlisle, both of them at odds over how to handle this situation. It was like the wolves knew about me being a Vampire, only I hadn't had the chance to tell my husband that because our daughter wasn't willing to let me go. Renesmee remembered that scent and was still shaken by everything.
From what Alice said, this wasn't anything to do with the Italian Coven, though I wished it was. That would make it much easier to deal with, or harder. My hearing had picked up on the lack of conversation downstairs along with Edward's near silent footfall as he came up the stairs. It was time for me to try and get Renesmee to lay down, and with a grace I'd never had before I stood and moved to her bed laying her down without any problems. Edward put a blanket over her and I willingly went with my husband to the guest room sighing as he shut the door. We all agreed it was safer to stay here at Carlisle and Esme's in light of what happened, and already Alice and Rosalie had gone with their husbands to get the things Renesmee and Anthony needed from the other house.
"We have to leave?"
"There isn't any other way. I don't believe this was a random act. Somehow they knew about you. Alice believes the Werewolves may have someone tracking us when we go in to town."
"And they will know we are leaving." Going away didn't feel right and my anger was rising to the surface but I forced it down, knowing it wouldn't help at this point. "Where do we go?"
"Back to Washington for a while. We have ways of getting around very discretely, and no one will know we are back."
In Forks, the old house was pretty secluded, and no one ever went that way. "And if they follow us? There is more at risk than us. What about Charlie? Or Jacob and the two packs?"
"They need to know about this danger. If they know of you they might already be interested in Charlie."
"And they may not be. God what a mess," I muttered as I sat down on the bed balling my hands up into fists until my fingers began to dig into my skin. Edward's hands were on mine easing them apart.
"We will figure this out."
"I wonder how the La Push wolves will feel about us being back and me being changed. Jacob will likely want to help, or kill us all, but maybe that's how this is all going to play out," I said as I stood and began to pace.
"Stop that," Edward growled as he grasped my arm. I turned and growled back, before shutting my eyes.
"You're right. I'm sorry."
His arms were instantly around me, and for the first time since it all happened I melted against him letting go of all the stresses, wanting to cry before I fought to keep my babies safe, our babies safe. Somehow we would figure this out, but somehow wasn't coming fast enough for me.
~*~
AN: I am sorry for such a long break in between chapters, but life has gotten a little busy. Well what did you think? I think they are ready for a change and that this story is now ready for the action part of it all. Werewolves are involved, and there might be some similarities with the characters, but the story is much different than the previous one with Cannon Renesmee. I will tell you that I'm not planning on any kidnappings, but there is much planned so stay tuned. Thank you all so much for the adds and the reviews, they make my day.
~Ella~