THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING! Y'all are the best of the best! I cannot explain how happy I was when I read them. I was literally staring at my computer screen re-reading every FANTASTIC review! REMEMBER: Reviews=Updates! The more reviews I get, the more inspired I am and the more chapter you get to read. I know y'all have many questions and I promise, over time those questions will be answered! You've just got to be patient and I promise I'll upload faster ;) The song I chose for this chapter is Clocks by Coldplay…
Come out upon my seas
Cursed missed opportunities am I
A part of the cure
Or am I part of the disease, singing
Forks, Washington 2008
Isabella Marie Whitlock Mason Cullen's POV:
The water that surrounded us evaporated in a millisecond and we were dropped onto the cold, wet, and familiar dew of Forks forest. But because I am 'bad luck Bella', I landed a bit harder on my back than necessary and snapped my head into a huge tree. "Bella!" Edward yelled as he ran to me.
He knelt down beside me with wide eyes. "I'm fine, I'm fine…" I sighed as I pushed myself of the ground and straightened my wings. Edward picked me up bridal style and I yelped in surprise.
"Edward, what are you doing? You know I am perfectly capable of walking." I stated while placing a hand on his chest. He chuckled as if thinking about an inside joke. "Are you sure about that?" I smacked his arm and huffed which made him laugh harder. I guess Jasper had told them about my clumsy days. I would have to get back at him later.
"So…he told you about…that?" I asked in an annoyed tone as he started to walk towards the house. I wasn't going to tell him specifically what it was in case he actually didn't know. I didn't feel like making an idiot of myself once more. He smirked at me and got an evil glint in his eyes.
"Oh, you know Jasper…he always has something to say about someone…especially if that someone happened to be a certain Bryan Forbes." He said it. I felt embarrassment flood me.
"Oh c'mon! It was his own fault he got soaked" I grumbled, but Edward wasn't having it. He shook his head still wearing that damn cocky grin. Sometimes I wanted to kill this man, others I just wanted to straddle him, but most of the time I wanted to be in his arms telling him how in love I was…right now, he was on my hit list. That's not a good place to be. "Well…you technically did drag him in…"
"Edward!" I yelled at him and scoffed. He cracked a smile but bit his lip to keep from laughing. "Okay…so I had a minor mishap and I accidently fell into a lake. It was the fourth of July and I was only thirteen, it's not like people would have really taken it that serious! I could swim!
Than Bryan ran over to help me because he always had a 'thing for me'…or so Jackson said…and I might have… accidently pulled him into the water when I grabbed his hand…" I trailed off knowing I was only making matters worse. Edward couldn't help himself and burst out laughing. I scowled at him. These were dark times I'd rather not relieve.
"You Miss Whitlock are one very fascinating creature." He declared while kissing my temple sweetly and chuckling to himself. Thank God I couldn't blush. "Fascinating….I guess….creature…" I trailed off, looking around at the monumental black wings sticking from my spine.
Edward stopped walking and I thought I was going to hear another clumsy Bella pun, but when I turned around to face him, I saw the exact opposite. He looked serious…possibly even angry.
"Isabella," I was right, he was definitely angry. He only used my full name when he was lusting for me, or when he was pissed…his eyes weren't black with hunger or love, but anger. "Do you not understand how beautiful and magnificent you are? Or how smart, silly, sexy, kind, and downright adorable?
You are no creature of the night Bella, only an angel in a dark place. I wish you could see that, because I sure as hell do, my love." I felt venom collect in my eyes and watched as Edward brushed a stray tear off my cheek.
My venom didn't burn him nor did his burn me. It was almost like we had grown so in love with each other, our venom did as well. "I-I'm sorry Edward…I thought you-" he cut me off by grabbing my face and bringing it closer to his.
"Do not apologize. You have nothing to be sorry for. Bella, if anything I should be apologizing to you. I have failed you…again! I cannot believe I let you out of my sight…" he trailed off, swallowing hard.
"No" I whimpered as I brushed his thick hair with my slender pale fingers. "I should have been paying attention. I shouldn't have left you guys. I shouldn't have been so close to the boundary line, knowing we don't have that great of a connection with the wolves. I shouldn't-"I was cut off once more but not by words. His lips dug deep into mine and I forgot all about our argument.
His arms curled tighter around my legs and back, bringing me closer to his body. I plunged my fingers into his bronze lock. We both opened our mouths in sync, letting our tongues dance inside each other mouths, exploring every inch. Edward stroked my hair lovingly while pulling back to place kisses all over my face.
I moaned and tossed my head back, enjoying my diversion for now. I looked around, really taking in the forest. It finally clicked in my head that I liked Forks. I didn't see it as the depressing little town that rained too much and was freezing.
Now I saw it as home. The green forest the glowed silver in the moonlight, the bright full moon and starry night that shone down upon the town, the beautiful snow and droplets of water that cascade from the sky and to the lush grass…Forks was growing on me.
The sudden urge to see my family washed over me. I snapped my head forward and Edward looked up in his adorable confusion. When he saw the look in my eye, he grew soft and softly kissed my forehead before swooping me up once more and running towards the house.
I swallowed hard and closed my eyes shut. What would my family think of me now? Was I still the same Bella to them, or were the raven wings going to throw them off? Oh God, will I even be able to 'retract' them so to say. I liked going out in public!
And we would be attending school next week. Carlisle already called and said we had a family emergency from his brother how lived in London, England. Our 'uncle ', 'aunt' and 'cousins' all perished in a tragic house fire. I guess that qualifies for us missing a week and a half of school, right?
I shook my head lightly, I shouldn't be thinking of that now. I needed to remain calm and focus on my family. They were my main priority. Oh no…were the Denali's still here? What would they think? Surely Tanya would have something to say. I felt like curling up in a ball and dying. This is going to be hard to explain.
I peeked open my eyes when I smelt the familiar surroundings. We were getting closer. I saw the parting in the trees just a few feet ahead, then we would be fully exposed in the backyard and they would be able to see us from the living room.
Edward picked up the pace and we broke through the lining in less than a second. He marched up the steps and kicked the door open. It echoed throughout the house while he ran with me to the living room. And there they were.
Emmett was sitting on the sofa with Rose in his lap. Rose was playing with her hair, looking off in the distance with a morbid expression on her normally gorgeous face. Emmett looked heartbroken as he looked at the ground. Alice was hugging Jasper to her side, a strange sight indeed. But I saw Jasper's venom filled eyes and knew he needed the comfort more than his almost hysteric wife. Esme looked just the same as Carlisle hugged her to him near the kitchen counter. Even he looked petrified and dejected.
Eleazer had his arms wrapped around Carmen who was standing near the mantel place. She looked upset, but surprisingly a little…happy? Eleazer looked the same, like he really didn't care. That was…odd. Tanya was sitting with her sisters on a separate sofa. Kate actually looked depressed meanwhile Tanya was smirking and Irina looked pleased. Laurent looked like Eleazer as he stroked Irina's arm.
As soon as Edward ran into the room, all of them snapped their heads towards us as their jaws dropped. I heard choruses of, "BELLA!" "Thank God you're okay!" "Don't you dare do that to us again!" "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?" "Holly shit, you got wings? Niiicceee!" Next thing I know, Edward and I are in a dog pile up on the floor with our siblings on top of us, smiling brightly.
I giggled and felt my eyes lighten up ten shades. I grabbed the closest body to me, which just so happened to be Rosalie, and slammed them into me with an Emmett-worthy bear hug. "Rosie! I missed you, sis!" I said while she laughed and picked me off the dog pile and into her arms. It was funny because she was around five inches taller and in heals, so she had to twirl me around with my feet in the air. "Bella, don't leave us again! I don't think I could take it." Her eyes shone with venom and I immediately pulled her back to me and stroked her back. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Hell yeah you 'aint!" I heard Emmett yell as he ran up behind us and picked both of us off the ground into a massive grizzly attack. The picture frame nearest to us was kicked off the wall, but I don't think Esme would mind right now. Emmett placed us on the ground and kissed my forehead in a brotherly way. "Bellsie…WHAT THE HELL? You got wings! Dammmnnn giiirrrlll!" I rolled my eyes at him but couldn't suppress my smile. At least Emmett wasn't petrified of them. I even saw Rose look at me in awe and I looked down, embarrassed once more.
"Hey, where's my hug!" I was then tackled to the floor by a hyper active pixie as she clung to me for dear life. I laughed aloud and got off the floor, Alice still around my waist like a baby. I pat her head and murmured sarcastically, "there, there.." She growled at me and hugged tighter. "Dammit Bella, I couldn't see where you went…I was almost the first vampire in the world to have heart attack!" I felt bad so I just hugged her tighter.
I heard someone clear there throat and say, "actually darl'n…you might have been the second…" Then another velvety voice replied, "or third…" I smiled widely and Alice jumped off to give me room to face Jasper. He stared at me and I saw anger in his eyes. I flinched and began to stutter, "J-Jasper…I-I…I d-dint mean to-"I stopped talking when suddenly his body rocked me over the side of the couch and onto the floor near the coffee table. Luckily the Denali sister moved out of our way quick enough to avoid the collision.
"Bella god dammit, I swear…I was about to go to hell and back with a search party! When I went to look for you in the forest and I couldn't smell you anymore…" He trailed biting his bottom lip.
I could tell from the small gasp of the Denali's that they've never seen Jasper this emotional, even with Alice. "Oh Jaz…I'm so sorry…" I said for the billionth time as he shut me up by bringing my face to his chest and wrapping his arms around my body in a vice grip. (Though it was strange because he had to maneuver his arms around my wings) "You're here…that's all that matter now."
We stayed on the ground in each other's embrace for hours…or at least it felt like hours. We were interrupted when someone cleared their throat and a soft voice said, "I love that you two are so happy to see each other again, but son may I please see my daughter?" I smiled and flew upwards, letting go of my brother and running straight to my mother's arms.
Esme sobbed slightly as she hugged me and a few of my tears escaped and fell to the carpet below us. I felt another pair of arms around me and recognized them as Carlisle's. "Our daughter has returned" he sighed into my hair and I felt an immense amount of comfort and love crash onto the shores of my emotions. I knew Jasper had nothing to do with it.
"It's good to be home, mom, and dad" They smiled brightly at me. I knew Carlisle was about to burst so I sighed and said, "Okay lay it on me, you want to know about my wings, right?" He smiled sheepishly and nodded. I turned around to face the rest of the room and walked over to sit on Edwards lap near Jasper and Alice.
"Well actually" Emmett said awkwardly scratching the back of his neck, "I think you should tell us what happened first and where you went. We couldn't smell you for miles!" I smiled sadly at him, knowing it was now or never.
"I was sitting by the rocks near the boundary line, just relaxing…" I shot my hand up just as the protest began and the yelling got louder. "Please calm down; I swear I didn't think about the wolves finding me! I was just…day dreaming and then I was suddenly attacked by three of them. They dragged me to their side of the line." By the end of my statement, the entire room was filled with growls. The loudest were Jasper and Edwards.
"Let me get this straight. They came onto OUR territory and DRAGGED YOU onto theirs?" Emmett seethed through clenched teeth. Normally Rose would have calmed him down but she was far from calm herself. I nodded silently and he snarled, "Fucking bastards!" Even Esme didn't scold him for his language! She looked like Rose! Livid! I guess you don't mess with mama bear unless you want to feel her wrath.
"Anyway, they took me to some cliffs called the Sungati's and performed a 'broken imprint' ritual. Basically Sam told me some story of when a wolf imprinted on a nomad vampire and the pack needed to break the bond so they performed the ritual. It worked, obviously…but the vampire or human in question just…disappears." They all looked angrier by the second and Edward had a firm grip around my waist trying to control him. Only the Denali's seemed calm. I was really starting to feel strange around them. Something was definitely wrong. Oh well I would investigate later.
"So Sam knew about you possibly dying, yet he performed it anyway?" Alice said through her clenched teeth. I smiled sadly and replied, "He said it was best for Jacob." She snarled and replied, "Screw the mutt! He could have killed you!" I stayed silent until muttering, "Technically he did." They all stared at me and I saw their eyes linger to my wings. I nodded sadly.
"Bella…" Jasper said, gaining a little control back, "where exactly did you go?" I frowned, trying to think of a good enough explanation. "I went to a…different dimension of some sorts. It was almost like being in limbo. Not Heaven but not Hell. I was stuck in between. In that dimension I met others like me; we each have different colored wings based on our pasts. Mine are black due to my history and what has happened to me in the past. Each one of us got a 'territory' where we could call a room. It had a door, painted the same color as our wings and it could even lock from the inside out."
Esme looked thoughtful as she spoke, "What territory did you get sweetheart?" I smiled at her and looked back at Edward. His smoldering golden eyes made my dead heart beat once more. "Just a small park in Chicago where Edward and I had our first official encounter." I saw Esme's face brighten up and heard the girls 'aww', even Kate! Emmett looked like he was going to tease Edward about being a 'mush' but was interrupted by Jasper's next question.
"I wonder why you didn't get the desert in Texas. You were pretty attached to that place as well, possibly more so than the park." I went rigid in Edward's lap, feeling a slight panic attack coming. I knew this was the part I needed to tell them the most. I swallowed…hard. Edward turned me to face him and looked up into my eyes with concern.
"Love…" his questioning voice trailed off. I shook my head and stood up, shaking everyone. I began to pace around, not caring what they were thinking right now. I blew out a gust of air as I went to stand near the window. "Bella, please tell us what's wrong?" Rosalie's concerned voice floated over to me. I knew my revelation would hurt her a lot, more so than the others.
"I didn't get the desert because someone else did. Someone I knew…and Jasper knew as well…" I trailed off, looking at the ground. I heard someone move and felt an arm on my shoulder. I looked up slowly and was met with the hard eyes of Jasper, "Who was it Bella?" He had gone into protective brother mode before I even mention the name! Damn I was screwed.
"Alexander" I breathed that one word. He went rigid. His fist clenched and his lip curled. "Oh…really?" I nodded, feeling lightheaded all of a sudden. My mood swings must have got to Jasper as he wrapped an arm around my waist to support me. "Bella!" Edward yelled, reading my brothers mind. I smiled at him as I saw him getting off the couch. I nodded back to his seat and he read the 'I'm fine' message in my eyes. He still looked tense as he sat. I sighed aloud.
"Bella…why do you feel so…terrified?" I stared at Jasper. I was actually at loss for words. He took that opportunity to continue his thoughts, digging a deeper hole for me. "I thought you two were friends?" I nodded my head, finally a response! "Well…I mean…I guess we were….before you left…" If he wasn't rigid before, now he was a rock.
"What. Did. He. Do?" Each word was spoken through his teeth as his hair hung in his black eyes. I looked around the room and saw everyone tense and on edge. Hell even Tanya looked anxious to know, I guess it only made sense. After all, she probably thought Oh goodie! More bad things that happened to Bella! I could totally take my husband's power.
"It's not really what he did…more like what James did…" There I had said it…well the first part. I just needed to say the R word for everyone to lose it…God I hope this wouldn't end like I vision it. The Denali sisters gasped and my siblings snarled at Laurent. He looked panicked as he looked back and forth between the girls and me. "You mean…my old coven leader? That James…are you sure?" His voice shook a little. I saw something like recognition flash in his eyes before he tried to think of something else by looking at his mate. Bingo. I got'cha sucker.
"Yes. I know for a fact it was James. And I can prove it! His last name was Ferrell. He had sandy blonde hair that he tended to tie back and his eyes are of course, blood red." Everyone stared at me with wide eyes, then back at the squirming Laurent. "I-I…guess you did know James…" He said, suddenly very uncomfortable. I smirked at him, narrowing my eyes. He noticed and his eyes grew wide. He knew that I knew. My smile grew into a very threatening smirk. I've seen Jasper's evil smiles, so I knew mine were just as bad.
"I…am lost. Bella I thought you said Alexander had the territory….and you never explained why you are no longer friends with him…" Emmett asked. I sighed and looked at my feet while I spoke.
"For those of you who don't know, Alexander and I were great friends since the day I was born. He was childhood friends with my youngest brother Ben, so he knew me for sixteen long years. It was late one night, nearing November. Jasper had gone off to war a few months before it, so I was still in my Zombie state. I know I shouldn't have walked home alone, Thomas even offered to escort me…but he reminded me so much of you…I just couldn't be near him."
I glanced up looking around. Everyone looked confused, but Jasper looked guilty, Edward looked angered…maybe a little jealous, and Rosalie looked scared. I think she knew where I was going.
"Alexander was going to propose to a long term girlfriend named Sarah. Sarah was a very sweet girl, but she was also very mysterious. As it just so happens, she was a werewolf who had imprinted on Alexander, but didn't tell him. He believed she was just a defenseless human." I trailed off collecting my thoughts.
"A few months before Jasper left, James moved into town. He immediately took a licking to me and would rarely leave me alone. I was always with my brothers or my friend's brother. I didn't want to be left alone knowing James was out there. Something about him screamed danger, and now I knew why. He was a vampire, but what did I know at the time? I thought he was a psychopath just trying to court me…well I got the first part right."
I heard Edward snarl and I smiled at my protective husband. He smiled back at me, though I could tell he was still aggravated.
"Well, after I denied him he tried his next best shot. He threatened Alexander to hurt me, or else he would kill Sarah. Alexander didn't know Sarah could protect herself…so he got drunk the night I was going home…" I couldn't breathe anymore. I looked up and saw the serious expressions on my family's faces, every pair of eyes hawking me down.
"He…raped me." There I said it. Those three words couldn't have been any more destructive than an atomic bomb. Because that's pretty much what happened to the room. "WHAT!" Screeched a livid Rosalie. She stood up and threw the coffee table across the room, making it hit the other wall and shatter all over the place. She continued her rampage while Emmett shot off the couch a snarled, "WHERE IS HE? I'LL KILL THAT SICK FUCK!"
Alice and Esme sobbed loudly, thinking of what I had possibly endured. They were heartbroken and were in need of their mates…but they seemed pretty far gone as well. Carlisle was glaring at the floor and I even heard him snarling! Jasper growled second loudest next to Edward and he punched a huge hole in the wall right next to us. He continued his assault while Edward stood up quickly, knocking the couch backwards with his fist clenched.
I was about to ask them to calm down or…do something useful! But all I could do was staring as my family fell apart in front of my eyes, all because of a carless mistake I had made a century ago. "That motherfucker is going to be begging for the flames after I'm through with him…" Emmett snarled as he assaulted a book case. Rose was a complete mess, just ripping apart anything in her path. I almost laughed when I saw her go for Kate…almost.
"Laurent where were you when all this happened?" Jasper suddenly asked. The vampire in question froze and began to stutter excuses, and by that time it was obvious to everyone he had been traveling with James while I was raped. Jasper ran towards him but was stopped when Emmett restrained him. He snapped at Laurent and growled ferociously through his teeth.
"He didn't know what was happening!" Irina yelled at Jasper. She was defending her mate. I normally would have respected her for it, but this poor excuse for a man really didn't deserve to be defended. How could someone live with themselves when they knew a rapist was about to be born? It disgusted me. I wished Emmett would let Jasper go at him…then maybe even I could join in.
"Well he was traveling with the fucking clan at the time, now wasn't he Irina?" Rosalie yelled at her. Oh crap…as if Rose wasn't pissed enough…
"Excuse me? Are you seriously yelling at me because of this?" Irina was livid as well and she got in Rose's face. Emmett had to break them apart before someone lost an arm…or a head. Rosalie snarled at Laurent and Irina hissed back.
"You sick fuck…MY SISTER WAS RAPED, AND YOU COULD HAVE PREVENTED IT!" She lunged for him one more time, but Emmett grabbed her at last minute. Jasper was still in his 'protective brother' mode so he lunged for Laurent but was knocked backwards by Irina. I had to admit, that girl was strong. Alice shot off the couch and knelt by my brother while glaring at Irina.
I wanted so badly to be wrapped din my loves arms. I wanted him to kiss me all over and tell me it was going to be okay. I wanted to go back in time to when I was training him to hunt animals…those were good days. I just didn't want to be in this situation right now. I couldn't even move as my family started to argue more with the Denali's while successfully destroying the house. Hell, Edward even smashed a fucking window during his rage rampage.
"He didn't know what they were doing at the time; even if he did he couldn't have stopped him!" Irina defended Laurent once more. I thought I was witnessing the worse when suddenly I heard Edward's loud voice bellow out, "EXCUSE ME? Want to repeat that TANYA?" Uh oh…
Everyone seemed to stop what they were in the middle of and looked slowly towards Tanya. She was standing in the middle of the room with her arms crossed in front of her chest, inspecting her manicure. "Oh nothing….I just said that even if Laurent could have stopped him, why would he have wanted to? The skank probably enjoyed it." I don't think I was the only one whose jaw hit the floor.
Whatever our reactions were didn't even compare to what happened next. Edward growled the loudest angered snarl I had ever heard as he lunged for Tanya and landed on top of her with her head in the floorboards. "I WILL KILL YOU, BITCH!" Esme and Carmen gasped but the rest of us just stared in shock, awe, and anger.
Edward was known for being the early 20th century gentlemen who respected women…but at this point, Tanya was no female in his mind. He was out for blood, and if no one stopped him, I knew he would get it.
Tanya tried to punch him but he grabbed her hand and swung her around into the wall, creating a huge hole. She snarled as she sprung at him and they landed in a heap, rolling on the floor like animals…well it sure did sound like it.
Edward snarled as he punched and kicked her. She got in a few decent blows but was nothing compared to Edward. I heard Edward hiss in pain when Tanya bit his arm, and that was when I went out of my mini coma. "YOU FUCKING BITCH! DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH MY MATE!" I screamed while everyone looked at me in shock.
I lunged for her and landed a blow to her head. She stumbled back and fell on her ass. I laugh manically but was pulled away by Alice before I could do anymore damage. Edward was being pulled away by Carlisle and Emmett. Esme was in the corner with her hand over her mouth in horror, and Jasper and Rosalie were looking ferocious and smug while standing near the Denali sisters.
"Enough of this! We shall leave now, I am sorry Cullen's." Eleazer said while grabbing Tanya by the arm with Kate and dragging her snarling form out of the house. Kate smiled apologetically at his while following Carmen. Carmen looked lethal, and I once again was questioning our relationship with this clan. Irina and Laurent didn't even glance at us. Irina did send a chilling glare my way, but Edward's fucking scary growl made her stop and run with her mate.
I couldn't stop the sob that escaped me. I stumbled backwards and heard my name being called. Edward's arms shot out and grabbed me, cradling me like a baby to his chest as he murmured sweet nothing in my hair. He kissed me everywhere like I had longed for while sitting down on the cleanest couch in the room. Rose sat on my left and Jasper on my right. They hugged me while I was still in Edwards arms. Edward leaned his head on top of mine, not at all bothered by our company.
I sobbed harder as the memories came at me and I felt their grip tighten. Esme sat down across from us with Carlisle next to her. They both looked…dead. It scared me. They hugged each other while their eyes glistened with venom as they saw their children break down in front of their eyes. Alice and Emmett were sitting on the floor, hugging each other while looking up at me with sad eyes. I closed my eyes and ducked my face into Edwards's chest.
I knew they still had to tell me what happened with the wolves, and I still had to explain what happened to me, both portal wise and human wise. I also had a bad feeling lurking in the pit of my stomach. The look I received from Irina wasn't just any glare. It was like a warning…she wasn't done with me. I didn't really care at this moment. I just wanted to be with my family. And so I would. I would try to move on from my dark past. Start fresh. Well…we had school Monday. Let's only hope things start to get better…starting with me finding out how to duck these damn wings in.
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