I don't own anything!

Chapter 33

Unkind

It took nearly a minute of saying her name before Edward was able to gain Bella's attention. She looked at him, blinking and unable to comprehend, then shook her head to clear it. Edward watched as her eyes filled again with horror, with despair.

"Don't." A simple word, delivered in the same calm, strong manner in which he always spoke. Not a request, not a command. Almost a piece of advice, as in the car, he first night she had met him. Don't. Bella clenched her fist, fought down the sorrow that wanted to engulf her, and looked again at her lover.

"We're in trouble, aren't we?"

"Oh, yes. Very much so, I'd say. This has not gone according to plan. Anyone's plan. Unbeknownst to me, there were many of those."

"What do you mean?"

"Your death at Rosalie's hands was meant to be Carlisle's parting gift to his son. Just a little dark comedy. A way of thanking me for centuries of service, and a reminder of who truly holds the power, now and forever. It seems he underestimated your abilities."

"Or my luck."

"It doesn't matter. You are alive and Rosalie is dead. It is regrettable that she took Rose with her, but this was inevitable. Carlisle will not be pleased with this. I think it best that we leave. Now."

"Can I come?" The two vampires had forgotten Tan, who had thrown herself behind the couch when Rose's body had initially jerked back to life. Edward sighed. He looked at Rose's body, looked at Tan, looked at Bella.

"You promised her, Edward," Bella reminded him.

"I did, yes."

"So let's go." Edward nodded.

"Yes, Tanya, you may come." Bella looked over at Rose.

"What about her? We can't just leave her here."

"Carlisle will take care of her. No, don't argue. I realize how preposterous it sounds, but you have to trust me. One of the few customs he seems to care about is giving dead vampires a proper funeral. He will conduct services, and then he will burn her, but he will do both with reverence. I do not know why he does this, but I have seen it more than once. It is the only thing in him that still seems human."

"It feels wrong."

"Everything is going to feel wrong for some times, I think. We must go, Bella. You've done all you can for Rose." Tan came to join them.

"So what now?" Edward turned to Tan. "Where are your shoes?" Tan raised her eyebrows.

"How the hell would I know?"

"You'll need something for your feet, and a coat. The closet in the hall is full of discarded clothing. Find something." Tan looked at Bella, unsure. Bella nodded.

"Do what he says, Tan." She did. Edward turned to Bella.

"Good. Let's go." Bella glanced once more at Rose as they left the room. She wanted to apologize, to take it back somehow. There was no time.

They found Tan at the closet, pulling on her shoes and jacket. Bella had brought no possessions to the mansion, and had none to take.

Edward cared very little for any of it, and had no desire to bring anything with him. He held other apartments, in other places, had more than enough money in banks with which to begin their life.

They left the mansion, packed full of art, trash, and everything in between, to Carlisle.

The Ferrari wouldn't fit three, nor would a motorcycle, of which there were four in the garage. A Jeep was parked behind two of the latter, and Edward leapt on the first, moving it quickly out of the way and returning to move the second.

He seemed agitated, an unusual state for him. Bella thought it best not to question, but Edward picked up on her curiosity.

"I am greatly concerned by what Carlisle may do in the heat of the moment. He is undoubtedly aware of his daughter's death, and I do not expect him to take it well. I hope he may allow us to escape, though I do not know if he will. If he decides to stop us, things will likely not go well."

"I'd ask you to define that, but I think I already know." Edward nodded, and let the second bike drop with a crash, not concerned with it.

He moved back to the Jeep. Bella reached over, hit the button for the garage door opener, and watched it rise. It was raining outside, dark and cold; December rain just barely too warm to freeze. The hunger raged in her, but now was not the time. She heard a howl.

"What about Alice?"

"No time, Bella, and no choice. Carlisle's orders were to leave her. We've already killed his daughter and are stealing her fledgling. I'll not risk angering him further."

Bella looked again out into the blackness beyond the garage door, understanding but not yet ready to accept. Behind her, she heard car doors opening. One closed.

"Bella." Edward was standing at his door, waiting. The passenger side as empty in the front. Tan sat in the rear. Bella bit her lip, fighting against her anger.

"Okay, Edward. It's not right. It's not fair. It's totally fucked up, but I think we crossed the line between right and wrong somewhere around the time I stabbed my friend to death with a fucking table leg, anyway."

"That may well be true. We wait on you, my love. You must decide if you are ready to leave." Bella clenched her teeth, turned, and moved toward the Jeep.

They made it halfway down the driveway before Edward was forced to jam on the brakes, bringing the Jeep to a sudden, skidding halt on the wet asphalt. Bella, not wearing a seatbelt, caught her weight on her arms.

Stronger now than she had been before, she barely felt the impact. Tan thudded against the back of Bella's seat with a squawking cry.

"Edward! Jesus, what are you …" Bella didn't need to finish.

The sweeping sense of dread that engulfed her, starting at the base of her spine and working its way up, told her everything she needed to know. Carlisle. Outside.

Bella looked out through the windshield, and into the eyes of hell.

"Run him over!" It took Bella a moment to recognize her own voice. It sounded like a scared little girl.

"He could pick up the car." Edward's voice was flat, bereft of emotion, accepting, and Bella understood in that moment what was to happen.

This would be the end, likely, for all three of them. Frustration, hate and rage rose up inside her. It was going to end like this? Edward picked up on these thoughts, and turned to her.

"I am out of ideas, Bella. I love you, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry I brought you into any of this." Before Bella could respond to this, they heard the rear door unlatch.

Bella glanced back. Tan's eyes were fixated on the figure standing before the car. Glazed, unseeing, Tan pushed with her arm, opened the door, stepped out of the car. Bella felt the tug as well, a gentle push.

Get out. Get out, and all will be well.

It grew like the tide, surging over her thoughts, compelling her.

Get out, and all will be well.

Bella felt Edward's own mind drive suddenly into hers like a spike. It acted as a harsh slap, a mental shock so great that it left her reeling. Carlisle's grip on her thoughts was lost.

"All will not be well. I'm sorry, Bella. I didn't want to hurt you, but I could think of nothing else to do."

"S'okay." Bella felt groggy, like she had just been pulled from a deep sleep. "What do we do, Edward?"

"We get out. All will not be well. Be ready to run when I tell you."

"Run where?" Edward shrugged.

"Run in whatever direction Carlisle is not." He exited the car and went to stand beside Tan in the rain. Bella followed.

Carlisle towered in front of them, massive, grim and silent, his face a mask of fury. Bella felt rooted to the ground, legs stiff and numb from fear. Run? She wondered if she could move.

"Father." Edward's voice was quiet. Cautious.

Carlisle's eyes moved to his son, seemed to bore into him. Edward stood firm, staring back at the elder vampire.

"Leaving so soon, Edward?" he asked. His voice was light, mocking, but behind it Bella heard anger, and an ageless, depthless hate.

"I thought it best. I can only assume you wish to be rid of me, and of Bella, as soon as possible."

"Rid of you. Yes. Yes, my headstrong son, I wish to be rid of you. And so, you may go. You will leave me Tanya, and you will leave me Alice, and since I am now short a daughter, you will leave me Bella. In doing this, you release yourself from my bond, forever." Edward took a breath, set himself, and looked off to the side and back at Carlisle.

"No, father. I will not."

"Oh no? And tell me, boy … how would you have this encounter end? Shall I allow you and your lover to run off into the darkness? No, I think not. Shall I instead slaughter her, and this half-vampire cow, right where we stand? My child is dead, Edward, because of your fledgling. Her life is forfeit."

"Your daughter murdered herself, Carlisle. There is nothing Bella wanted less, but she did what she had to do. Bella proved superior to Rosalie."

"Did she?" Carlisle's voice was raw in its malice. "Did she indeed? What will she do now, Edward? She is a quaking little girl, trembling at the darkness. See how she stares? She stands in the face of eternity, a candle before the blackness of the storm. What will she do?" Edward closed his eyes.

"She will run, and when you try to pursue her, I will stop you." Carlisle seemed taken aback by this. He paused for a brief moment, cocked his head, and then howled his horrible laughter.

Bella felt goose bumps ripple up and down her arms. Tan cried out, and took a step backwards, her trance dissolving. Carlisle put his hand out, and she stilled, but looked at Bella as if awaiting instructions.

"You are ready to die for these two, my son?"

"Bella has my heart, and Tanya has my promise to my sister. I will sacrifice myself for them, if that is how it must be."

"Ah, little, holy Edward. Do you truly believe this act can make up for centuries of godless living? Centuries of death and evil? How much blood is on your hands?"

"That blood can never be washed away, Father. You know this. There is much I would atone for, given the chance, but the blood will always remain."

"Perhaps I shall simply kill all three of you." Edward shrugged.

"It is within your power. I ask that as payment for three hundred and fifty years of loyalty, you let us live. Let us go, Carlisle."

"No."

"Then I offer my life for theirs. That is the bargain … the request." Bella wanted to protest, but could not find her voice.

She wondered if it was Carlisle or Edward keeping her from speaking, suspected it was the latter, and began to weep in frustration.

"Your foolish notions of love and redemption disappoint me, Edward. At every step, you have disappointed me. Did you learn nothing from Kate?"

"I learned much from Kate, father."

"Not everything. No, Kate brought one secret with her into the ground, Edward. Sweet little Kate, pure and honest. Wretched. Loathsome. Good. All these years and you've never found out. How marvellous.

"Oh, Edward … How she did scream when I chained her to her funeral pyre." Edward's eyes blazed.

His jaw clenched, hands wrapping into fists, muscles tensing. It seemed that at any moment he would spring at Carlisle.

"Garret—" he began, and Carlisle cut him off with the wave of a hand.

"Garret was a fool, and a puppet. It took me little effort to work him into a frothing rage over Kate's transgressions. He brought her to me, Edward, so she would know. Before she died, I wanted her to truly understand the penalty for taking what was mine." Edward was pale. Shaking. Barely in control of himself. He spoke through his teeth.

"I have given you more than three centuries of service for a debt that I did not owe. You will let my child, and Rose's child, leave. Then you will prepare for death." And now Carlisle grinned, his eyes greedy, burning with anticipation.

"Oh, my. How exciting it all is! Yes, Edward, she may leave. You will stay. This will be wonderful indeed." Edward turned to Bella.

"Go." Bella found she could speak again.

"No, Edward. I won't."

"You will. Take Tanya, and go, and do not look back."

"You can't—"

"Go!" he snarled. Bella flinched backward, and then looked at him again, frightened, confused, and unsure. Edward, with a visible effort, brought himself back in control.

"Please, my love. Do not make me force you." His eyes held her for a moment longer, and then Bella saw the anger swallow him again, and he turned back to Carlisle.

She took Tan's hand, turned to her left, and ran, tugging the younger girl along.