Chapter 66

Edward looked to the people around him, and his look made them all uneasy. Bella stared at him, asking him what was wrong with her eyes. Esme had the same look, as did Sue.

"What, Edward?" Bella finally asked.

He looked at Esme, "Leah. She-she just imprinted on Masen."

Sue's mouth dropped, and she and Esme looked toward each other. No one said anything. They made their way through the crowd to where Carlisle and Seth stood beside Masen and Leah.

"What's going on?" Sue asked.

Everyone else sensed the commotion and their focus was now on the DJ table.

Masen's love struck stare was finally broken and he looked at his father.

Carlisle recognized his son's expression, and felt a wave of emotions at once. He was happy that his son wouldn't be lonely ever in his life, but the thought of his son having these feelings of overwhelming love so early in life made him anxious. Then there was Esme. How would she react?

Everyone stared, and if it weren't for the music, the moment would have been a million times more awkward.

Finally, Leah broke the silence and stared at Carlisle and Esme, "I'm sorry," she told them with tears in her eyes, "I didn't have any control over it." She turned to Sue, with a hopeless expression.

Edward saw Jacob pull Renesme closer to him out of the corner of his eye. The two of them looked at each other, as if to acknowledge that they understood the situation of the two people before them.

Leah was trying harder than ever not to cry, and Esme pulled her in for a hug, "You have nothing to be sorry for, Leah." Tears began to flow from Leah's eyes. They were a mix of happiness, and just a overall feeling of being overwhelmed by the sudden reverse of emotions.

Sue clutched her heart, trying not to cry. She had seen Leah in agony for so long, she was entirely too happy to know that the pain was finally over and hoped their relationship over time would develop into one similar to that of Renesme and Jacob.

Esme rubbed Leah's back gently, as she continued to apologize.

"You don't have to apologize," Esme continued to tell her, "You didn't do anything wrong."

"I was so rude to all of you," she said, "I was so miserable," she thought back to the time when Esme offered her a sandwich in the woods, and she turned it down, "I should have taken that sandwich you offered me that time."

Her words caused Esme to chuckle, and she knew the time Leah was referring to, "Leah, it's fine honey. I understand completely."

Carlisle watched as Masen attempted to sneak looks out of the corner of his eye at Leah. "Masen," he said.

"Yeah?" Masen looked love drunk.

"We'll have to sit down and talk about all this."

"Talk?"

"Yeah. Later on. After the party."

"Talk. Okay."

Edward couldn't help but smile, then let out a series of laughs. Masen's thoughts were jumbled and so spot on for a boy of thirteen.

"What?" Bella asked, now smiling herself.

"Imprinting is what you told me about, right?" Charlie asked Sue in a whisper.

Sue clutched his arm and smiled, "Yes."

"I see. I see."

Bella was still waiting for Edward to answer her.

"I'll tell you later," he told her, "It's Masen's thoughts." He was grinning from ear to ear.

Carlisle made eye contact with him, apparently hearing what he was telling Bella. He motioned for him to meet him away from everyone else.

Edward walked to a separate corner of the room and Carlisle was close behind.

"Tell me what he's thinking," Carlisle instructed.

"It's hard to read because they're kind of bouncing all over the place in his head," Edward told him, "But he keeps thinking how pretty she is, and things like that. He can't keep his eyes off of her."

"I've noticed," Carlisle told him.

"Not so easy, is it?" Edward said, trying not to sound taunting about it.

"I'm not unhappy about it," he said, "I just think he's very young to feel the heavy emotions that go with being in love."

"The good news is, he'll be right up with the rest of us in age soon."

"Yeah."

Edward laughed.

Carlisle bowed his head, "Now, what?"

"Nothing."

"Edward."

"He's just head over heels right now, Carlisle."

Some of the Quileute boys had gone back to what they were doing, thinking nothing of it considering they had all gone through it. Some voices Edward could gather said, "It's about time," and "Poor Masen has to deal with Leah."

Masen darted in their direction, "Dad. I-I really," he looked over to where Leah was standing, still talking with Esme, "I really think Leah is kind of... she's kind of pretty, Dad." He looked to Edward, "Don't you think so, Edward?"

"Yeah, Mase. She is."

Masen looked at Carlisle, waiting for him to say something.

Carlisle knew there was nothing he could do or say to change the expression on his son's face, or what he was feeling inside. He wasn't even totally sure what advice to give. Everything had happened all too fast. Imprinting was instantaneous.

Edward's head suddenly sprung up and he looked to Emmett, who was already moving fast to the door with Jasper on his heels. Bella, Alice and Rosalie stood protectively around Charlie and Sue. Esme exchanged a few words with them and rushed to Masen's side.

"Gianna," Edward said to Carlisle, who already knew what was happening before the name left his mouth.

Masen snapped back to reality, "That's the scent me and Emmett tracked."

"Stay here," Carlisle told Masen and Esme. He ran to join Emmett and Jasper outside.

Edward looked over his shoulder at Bella's worried face. Renesme was at her side, and Jacob stood protectively in front of her.

"Go with them," Esme said.

Edward grabbed Esme's hand and lead her and Masen to where everyone else was.

Sam was instructing the pack not to phase until it was necessary, "There's only one of them," he shouted over the music and signaled for Seth to shut it off.

The room went quiet.

"What can you hear Edward?" Esme asked.

"I think Emmett and Jasper have her," he told her, "Come on, let's go."

The large group of vampires and werewolves darted outside with Charlie and Sue in the middle of everyone. Charlie's face looked fearful, as did Sue's. Bella grabbed her father's arm, "Dad. It's going to be okay."

"Gianna's the one that bit me?" Charlie asked.

She wanted to lie, but didn't, "Yes, Dad. But there's all of us, she won't be able to get to you. I'm so sorry."

Charlie grabbed Sue's hand and she clung to him tightly.

"Stay with Alice!" Esme instructed firmly to Masen as she, Edward and Rosalie darted off to where the rest of their family was - about twenty or thirty yards to the side of the old mansion.

Jacob was about to follow but Renesme pulled him back. Reluctantly he listened to what her eyes were asking of him and he stayed behind.

"Don't phase," Sam shouted to the rest of the boys who were ready to go. Paul fought back every urge that was telling him to run and tear the mysterious vampire's head off.

Bella saw Edward, Esme and Rosalie from where she was standing, and saw Gianna being held by Emmett and Jasper. Carlisle was talking to her, trying to reason with her. She stayed with Charlie at a safe distance but could clearly hear their conversation.

"Why did Aro send you here?" Carlisle asked.

Gianna smirked at him arrogantly, "I don't questions Aro's orders," she said.

"So he didn't explain himself?"

Edward read her thoughts and confirmed that this was true. He nodded to Carlisle.

"Why should he have to? To me or anyone?" Gianna asked in the form of a statement.

"He sent you here to die, Gianna," Edward said coldly.

She smirked again, "Aro can't live without me."

"I've read his thoughts. Aro's mate is Sulpicia, not you." He began to have flashbacks of Victoria and Riley.

"Tell that to Aro," she went on, "We just had a child together."

"Let me guess," Edward said, "On the night of the conception, he brought you away from his home? It was so Sulpicia wouldn't know what was going on."

Gianna's confidence dropped slightly, but she tried to play it off calmly, "Aro took me to the most special place in Italy."

"I bet you he didn't tell you about our gifts," Edward continued.

She let a loud laugh escape her throat, "Gifts? Your gifts, whatever they may be, are not on the same level as what Aro and Caius and Jane are capable of."

"Did he tell you I can read your mind? Your every thought..."

The expression on her face was changing.

"Like right now I can see you're doubting him. You're doubting everything. Think about it. Why would he send you alone to a house full of vampires and werewolves?" Edward motioned to himself and everyone around them who had inched closer to be up close and personal with their delemma.

Gianna's expression grew dim, and her thoughts grew even dimmer.

"Why did you bite Charlie?" Carlisle asked.

"Because he looked tasty," she said nonchalantly.

"It's because Aro told you to," Edward said, "Alice can see what moves he makes. He sent you here to attack Charlie so we'd retaliate and kill you. He wants you out of his life so he can live out the rest of time with Sulpicia."

"Then why did he want me to have his child?" Gianna protested, fighting against Jasper and Emmett's hold.

"So in case it came out as some destructive demon," Edward heightened the last word in his voice, "That he could kill you and the thing the two of your created. Sulpicia is his mate. He'd never dispose of her. You on the other hand, you're nothing to him."

Gianna tried everything to wriggle free. When she couldn't, she let out a loud, high pitched scream. It made everyone glance at each other with annoyed faces. Carlisle was the only one affected in any way. He clutched his ears and dropped to his knees before curling up in the fetal position on the ground. His hands were pressed against his ears.

Gianna stopped momentarily. Everyone else was left unaffected. Carlisle was still curled up in a ball holding his ears.

Esme rushed to him, "Carlisle. Carlisle, what happened?"

He grabbed her arm with one hand, still clutching his head with the other, "I don't know. My ears, my head.."

Masen was quickly behind Esme and put a hand on his father's shoulder to try easing the pain.

Gianna began her tantrum again and let out another long scream. Jasper and Emmett continued to hold her in their grasp.

"Make it stop," Carlisle pleaded. His eyes were tensly shut and he fell back to his side, bringing his knees to his chest.

Bella felt her heart pouring out for him. She had never seen Carlisle so vulnerable, or in pain. It was hard to watch him in agony on the ground. To make it worse, Esme and Masen looked helpless and in a state of mental anguish that matched the physical pain that Carlisle was experiencing.

"What can I do, Carlisle?" Esme asked, trying to cradle his head to her.

Edward rushed Gianna and squeezed her throat, causing her to stop what she was doing. Carlisle's body relaxed, but he still looked out of it and weak. Bella saw Edward give a nod to Jasper, and Rosalie took Edward's place and ripped off Gianna's head.

Paul separated himself from the crowd, unable to contain himself any longer and tore Gianna's body to pieces. Alice left and retrieved some candles and a bottle of vodka to light her body on fire.

Esme and Masen still hovered over Carlisle, and with Masen's help, his head stopped spinning. The rest of the family came to his aide.

Carlisle pushed himself up on one hand so he was sitting upright. He closed his eyes and let his stray hand linger around his ear. Masen hugged his father, almost knocking Carlisle off balance. "Are you okay?" He asked. Tears of venom lingered on his eyes but didn't fall.

"Yeah," he said confused, pulling his son close.

Esme knelt down beside them and ran a hand through her husband's hair.

"Esme, I still don't know what just happened," Carlisle said.

"Are you okay?" Esme asked, still looking very shaken.

He nodded, "Now, I do. Yeah."

Bella looked to Charlie, who was in a state of shock, having witnessed all of this first hand for the first time. She looked back to Carlisle. He tried to make his way to his feet, but stumbled getting up, and leaned on Emmett for support.

"What's wrong, Carlisle?" Esme asked. Her voice ached with helplessness.

"I think my equilibrium is off," he said, "Everything's a little off. That didn't affect any of you?"

Everyone sort of shook their heads.

"Dad, are you going to be okay?" Masen asked.

Carlisle forced a smile, "I'll be fine Masen."

Emmett could tell her still needed his help and started walking him back to an area where he could sit.

Bella looked at Esme, and she had fear in her eyes. Edward looked to his mother, "Esme, he'll be alright. Whatever affect that had on him, it just needs to wear off."

"I know, Edward. Thank you."

"Masen," Edward said, "Stop worrying."

Masen turned away, almost angrily, but Edward could see he was trying to keep them from seeing that he was crying. His shoulders bounced up and down just slightly and Edward pulled him aside.

"Hey, Mase," Edward told him, "I promise, your dad is fine. No one can hurt him, or any of us, for good. It's fine."

"I've never seen him hurt," he said, now sobbing, "And I've never seen anyone... die like that girl," then looked up at Edward almost shyly and said in a halfheartedly cold manner, "I'm glad she's dead."

Edward hugged him close, and let the tears soak his shirt.

"Masen," Emmett called.

He quickly tried to dry his eyes and seem like he was okay. Edward smiled and nodded for him to join his brother.

Carlisle and Emmett both waved Masen over and he ran up to hug his father again, who was sitting on the steps by one of the pillars.

"I'm sorry you had to see that Masen," Carlisle told his son, referring to Gianna's death, "I'm so sorry."

Emmett rubbed the top of Masen's head to try to comfort him. He had his face buried in Carlisle's shoulder and sniffed in a few times.

Carlisle looked up at Esme, who wasn't convinced he was alright. "I'm alright," he told her, then looked her in the eye knowing she didn't believe him, "Esme. I'm alright."

They all looked around at each other, and Carlisle found Charlie's gaze, "I'm sorry, Charlie. I didn't want you to have to witness any of that, either."

Charlie attempted to shrug it off like it was nothing, "You feeling okay?"

He nodded, "Yeah I'm okay. Thanks."

The party was certainly over, and everyone started making their way back to their respective homes. Carlisle still wanted to come to a conclusion as to why he was the only one affected by Gianna.. and then talk things over about Leah Clearwater.