Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight.
All plotlines, characterizations, and details in Eternally Intertwined 2.0: Blood Ties belong to the author: Bronzehyperion. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without the author's authorization. ©2011 Bronzehyperion. All rights reserved worldwide.
This is the sequel to Eternally Intertwined. I advise you to read/skim through it before you read this because otherwise most won't make sense.
CHAPTER TWO: TRICK OR TREAT
"Alice, for the last time, get off my case!"
"Edward, I told you; I want those decorations outside! You never listen!"
I sighed in frustration. My sister had always been very demanding but ever since she'd become cheerleading captain, she'd become impossible. She tried to drill everyone around her the way she did the cheerleading squad. Right now she was standing in the middle of our living room, which was filled with boxes full of Halloween decorations that she wanted – demanded – me to use to adorn the front porch and surrounding garden.
I really didn't want to. There was only so much "human" partying one could do and maybe I was a selfish jerk for refusing to indulge my sister and her need to have these human experiences but I'd rather spend a quiet Halloween with Bella.
"No, Alice you never listen. I honestly don't know why you want to throw this party anyway. The decorations, the food. It's pointless because we're vampires," I pointed out.
Alice hissed and threw some silent profanities at me which Bella put a stop to when she came walking out of the kitchen; clearly she had heard we were arguing, judging from the way she looked at both of us.
"Alice, be nice; even mentally," Bella warned my sister because she knew Alice well enough to know she was badgering me mentally. "And Edward, it's not pointless; it's Halloween. You know how much Alice looks forward to these things. She didn't get a chance to plan the Homecoming dance because principal Roberts axed her 1001 Nights of Aladdin idea due to the fact the school budget couldn't cover the costs."
Right. Homecoming. A human milestone that Alice had insisted on celebrating because Forks very own - small - football team had been resurrected. For years the team had played very little but our new principal wanted to restore some traditions including a football team and a cheerleading squad.
Unfortunately, since Forks High didn't have enough money or willing athletes who wanted to join the new team, principal Roberts had arranged for our team to merge with Port Angeles High's football team. Together with their principal Mr. Dunee, Mrs. Roberts had dubbed the team the Forks Angeles Rangers.
Basically the collaboration was all about money, or rather the lack thereof. Port Angeles had better finances and Forks had more room to practice. Every Tuesday and Thursday the entire team would practice on the large field behind the school. Occasionally they'd practice in the Gym if the weather didn't allow for outside practice.
So far the new team wasn't very successful. Maybe that was because Mike Newton was their "star" quarterback and he didn't know how to hold the ball. Not to mention, he ran awkwardly and didn't know how to catch a ball either.
I could have joined and Alice had demanded I would but I refused to pretend to be an adolescent athlete who had to carry a nonfunctioning team. There was no way I could pretend to be that human. And if boys like Mike Newton and Tyler Crowley didn't already annoy me enough, I would also have to deal with one of the kids from Port Angeles; Riley Biers. Ever since I had caught him ogling Bella during cheerleading practice one time he was on my "naughty" list.
Anyway, since money was an everlasting issue we hadn't had a proper homecoming dance. We might have had one if the money raised at the carnival and from the masquerade ball ticket sales hadn't disappeared.
No one had a clue who had taken the money that was supposed to fund fixing the school roof. It was another one of those mysteries that – with all the chaos at the carnival and the masquerade ball; a class mate assaulted and one gone missing (and ending up immortal) plus Jessica's murder right after– no one had noticed how the money raised to fix the school roof had vanished. The roof had been fixed, thanks to volunteer work and an anonymous donation from my family but the money intended for that purpose was gone.
With a school budget below zero, a homecoming party had been out of the question. Alice being Alice had wanted to donate money for the dance herself but that would've been too obvious. Since we were already exposed aplenty every day, we couldn't fill the large hole in the school budget ourselves without people noticing.
Not that our new principal would have noticed immediately; she had been too busy picking up the pieces Daggett had left behind. For someone who'd only been around for a short time he had managed to be the most worthless principal ever. Of course, it had only been an act to him; a part he could hide behind while he focused on trailing his vampire wife and daughter while doting on his human daughter and pestering me and my family for reasons we still hadn't figured out.
And because Mark Daggett and his daughter Sapphire had disappeared after the battle where his wife and other daughter; Victoria, had been ripped to pieces and burned to ashes, we probably never would. We had tried to track them but Alice couldn't see their future decisions because for some reason they knew how to shield from our powers.
"Edward," Alice grumbled, grabbing my attention, as she stuck out her tongue at me. "Hang up those decorations."
I frowned, still unwilling, but Bella took my hand and pulled me along.
"Come on, I'll help," she offered.
We went outside, where I grudgingly began hanging decorations in the trees around the house. I circled the premises with blinding speed; putting lights, fake cobwebs and plastic bats in the trees and around the edge of the roof.
When I was done, I jumped done from the roof onto the front porch, which startled Bella, who'd been standing on her tiptoes to hook one of the pumpkin carved lanterns onto the roof ledge, causing her to drop the lantern onto the ground.
"Edward," she scoffed me. "Human at work here, no need to scare me to death."
"Sorry. Need help?" I smirked as I grabbed one of the pumpkin lanterns and hooked it to the roof of the porch. Deliberately slow and human this time, which caused Bella to roll her eyes.
"Pff," Bella huffed. "It won't be that long until you can't use that "I'm a vampire so I can do everything in under a second" – smirk anymore."
Her comment was effective enough to kill my smile.
"You know," Bella pointed out, clearly irritated by the evident change in my facial expression. "You have to stop being so bipolar about this. I thought we agreed on me becoming a vampire. I thought you wanted it to. Now every time I bring it up, you look like it's the worst idea in the world."
"Bella, that's not it," I assured her as I continued placing pumpkin lanterns all around the porch. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you and I do realize that it seems logical that you become a vampire yourself to make that happen…
"But?"
There were buts. See, there was a part of me that truly looked forward to having Bella with me forever. But there were hesitations. And some had been there all along.
"You're human," I said, a smile playing on my lips because I truly loved that she was. It made me feel human too. I liked the type of human I felt with her because it seemed natural as opposed to the human pretence we used to blend in with others. That was like putting on a mask from which we'd observe behind with wonder. With Bella it were all genuine emotions.
"And the change will be difficult in many ways. I worry about that."
There was the pain during the transformation; to put Bella through that, knowing that wanting her forever was a selfish act, burned whatever conscious I had as a vampire. The fact she gave up an entire life and traded it in for eternity- a concept she couldn't possibly grasp; I couldn't even and I'd had almost a century to get used to that – had me worrying she would eventually leave me anyway because she would get restless.
There were other things that had me worried. More recent developments.
Bella had dreams. Or rather, nightmares.
I couldn't read her mind, so I didn't exactly know what Bella was dreaming about but since she still talked in her sleep, it was evident that her nightmares were wild and chaotic.
She usually mumbled things like "must silence the heart beat" and how she had to "find her prey."
Those clues pointed to Bella dreaming about being a vampire and while she had never shown a tendency of having precognitive dreams or something of the sort it still spooked me a little that her dreams about something she had never seen seemed so vivid and realistic.
I had never considered that Bella could be a difficult newborn. I had always believed that while she would need space and time to adjust to immortal life she wouldn't run solely on bloodlust nor needed to be restrained for a long period of time.
"Angela seems to be doing alright. Especially considering how she becoming a vampire; unexpected and definitely not by choice, I think it will be much easier for me," Bella pointed out.
I shrugged. "Perhaps you're right. Despite what Angela has been through she's been doing quite well."
Angela was an extraordinary newborn. In many ways she was still very human. She needed the blood but he had never been very aggressive about her thirst. Ad because we controlled it well, she seemed to do fine.
"Thanks to your family and Jacob," Bella said. "And I'll have that same support system. I mean, I know it'll be tough but there are plenty of people helping me out."
"People?" I teased.
"You know what I mean," she scoffed.
"You make a good point though," I said. "It's people I worry about. You see, Angela was reported missing and her family moved on – as weird as that is when you think of it – but you have family that won't know or understand what happened to you."
"Carlisle said that maybe I can contact my family when I'm doing better and see them every once in a while," Bella said and she sounded so hopeful. "If that happens than I'm sure we can appease Charlie enough so that he won't get suspicious."
In that moment, I wished I could promise her that. But in reality, it would be very difficult for Bella to stay in touch with her family. And that would indefinitely mean Charlie would become suspicious.
"Maybe, but still," I murmured. "When I think of those three days the change takes, I feel disgusted with the idea you'll be in pain."
Bella reached out and pulled herself into my arms. "But that won't be forever," she tried to assure me.
I smiled and kissed her on the tip of her nose. "I suppose so."
I then moved my lips to mine and kissed Bella softly until we were interrupted by a gagging noise with some accompanying thoughts.
Gross stuff.
"Jacob," I acknowledged him as I pulled away from Bella's lips.
"Leech; Bella," Jacob greeted us as he bounced onto the porch. "I see you two are still perving on each other."
"Are you here for the party?" Bella asked, ignoring his teasing. She knew better than to comment on it.
"Yup," Jacob nodded. "Someone's gotta eat all the food, right Eduardo?" he grinned as he patted me on the back.
That was Jacob's new thing to annoy me: call me various ridiculous and very irritating variations on my name and then pat me on the shoulder or back to make it seem like it was something nice.
I believed the best approach was to ignore Jacob but I always had to restrain myself from doing so and I didn't always succeed. I wasn't sure if he was teasing me – his thoughts showed there was no malice there – or if there was still some bad blood between us.
For me, it didn't bother me that he came to visit Angela. I could tell they were really in love, there was no denying that. But the fact he was getting chummy with Bella too, that bothered me more than it should. I hated how it made me a jealous teenage boy and that it angered Bella that I acted so childish, even if Jacob wasn't exactly the picture of maturity himself.
"Really creative," I muttered as Jacob disappeared inside the house laughing and yelling "Thought so too."
"I'm sorry," Bella turned to apologize. "He's just being Jacob."
"Never mind," I brushed it off, knowing that making a big deal, after I had promised Bella I'd try and be better, wouldn't do me any good.
"If it helps, I used to call him Jakey-Poopface when we were little," Bella chuckled.
Admittedly, it did. "Jakey Poopface?"
"I was five; I wasn't very creative."
I leaned in and cupped her face. "Thank you for that. For taking my side."
Bella stood on her tiptoes to press her lips against mine. "I'm sorry Jacob's presence makes you feel bad. I should have been more sensitive about that."
"That nickname helps," I grinned.
"No unnecessary teasing though," Bella warned.
"I wouldn't dare. Now, why don't we get ready ourselves?"
Alice's Halloween party was in full swing and I had to give Alice credit where it was due: she had once again outdone herself. The decorations were the right kind of creepy but classy, the music was haunting but listenable and the food – that only Jacob and Bella could eat – matched the Halloween theme. There were cupcakes decorated with spider webs and pumpkins – which Angela and Esme had baked, cotton candy – because it looked like spider webs according to Alice – and lots of chocolate goodies because it was Halloween after all and it was appropriate "trick or treat" candy.
What stood out most was Alice's effort with our costumes. She and Jasper were Gomez and Morticia Addams while Esme was dressed as a witch with the nose and warts to match. Angela's costume was Dracula's Bride – much to Alice's dismay because it seemed too easy but she had relented when I had pointed out this meant – quote "that Jacob would have to dress up as a leech."
The idea sure had amused me.
Of course, Jacob being Jacob had thought it was hilarious and was now parading around in black jeans, a black tee, a blood red cape and plastic fangs. He kept calling "Blood, give me blood" in a horrible accent paired with over-exaggerated hissing.
For Bella and me, Alice had decided on a Corpse Bride theme. When she'd suggested it, I had actually protested because I knew exactly why Alice had chosen that particular costume. My deviant sister had declared her idea "freakishly ironic" because she knew all about my plans.
See, I wasn't just freaking out a little about the concept of Bella becoming a vampire, I was also nervous about something that I'd been thinking about a lot lately.
Marriage.
I wanted to marry Bella before she became immortal. It was romantic and traditional. The problem however was that Bella had declared marriage a silly institution and an unnecessary piece of paper when Alice had brought it up – not so – innocently during one of their girl nights with Angela.
When Alice had told me about Bella's feelings towards marriage she had teased me about never getting Bella down that aisle while she was still alive and that maybe immortal Bella would be more willing.
Thus the reason Alice thought "Corpse Bride" was hilarious. Bella didn't get the reference and didn't understand why I hated the idea and had given Alice a hard time about it.
But now, seeing Bella all dressed up, I had to admit that Alice had managed to make her look even more beautiful than she already was. Bella looked beyond amazing in her strapless silk off white dress. The corset was tight – thus bringing out the cleavage, of which I certainly approved – and the skirt was flowy with question mark shaped patterns in tie dyed blue and grey on its pointy ends. The makeup was heavy and very sexy. Alice had put blue extensions in Bella's hair because she had refused to let my over enthused sister dye her hair blue.
My costume was far less impressive. Since I was Johnny Depp's character Victor van Dort, I was wearing a suit from that era.
To celebrate and get us through the night Alice had arranged for games, music and scary movies and the party was coming along nicely. Well for some people.
Not so much for me.
From my peripheral vision I watched Bella as she danced with Jacob – trying very hard not to give them the stink eye because my sulking was immature enough and I was already overstepping boundaries by not so accidentally listening in on their conversation.
It was wrong, I knew. Mostly, I was not so much listening as I was waiting for Jacob to check out Bella's cleavage. So far he hadn't paid much attention to them because while they moved, Jacob was chatting with Bella animatedly.
He told her how much it meant to Angela to have these human activities. It made her feel more normal which also made it easier for them to get closer.
"He's right," a soft voice told me. "I love that your family acts so human. Makes everything easier for me. It makes me feel like I'm good enough Jacob and that he's not dating a leech"
Angela stood next to me, smiling as she looked at Bella and Jacob.
"Our family; you're part of it too," I reminded her gently, which earned me a wide smile and a silent thank you. "And Jacob is very much infatuated with you; you are more than just good enough."
"One of my favorite things about being a vampire," Angela chuckled as she pointed at a dancing Jacob and Bella. "Listening in. Jacob knows I do it. Not to pry but to hone my senses. I guess it's double for you. You can listen in and hear people's thoughts at the same time."
I shrugged. "I try to block it out most of the time. I should right now. Bella doesn't like it when I eavesdrop."
But I didn't tune out what Jacob told Bella. "I think I'm going to kiss her tonight," he shared, which surprised me on the "too much information" level.
I noticed Angela shaking her head a little but smiling. She clearly hoped he would kiss her tonight.
"You've never…?" I asked at the same time Bella asked Jacob across the room.
Angela shook her head.
No.
"On the cheek, maybe corner of mouth. But no tongue." Jacob answered Bella, which caused Angela to duck her head a little in embarrassment.
"Wow, talk about over sharing," I said. Angela just smiled at that.
"I just don't want to freak her out." Jacob continued, captivating both Angela's and my attention.
"Well," Bella told him, "Word of advice: you might want to refrain from using the word tongue or using it without warning."
"Oh and Jacob…?" she added before releasing him.
"Yeah?"
"Vampires have super hearing, so she probably heard all of it. Given the fact she is right there," Bella pointed at us - "I'm pretty she was listening," she winked before patting him on the cheek and walking – well wobbling was more like it, thanks to the killer heels Alice had put her in – over to me.
"You're in trouble," she said as she stopped in front of me. "Eavesdropping again. Tsk, tsk."
She then turned to Angela and gave her friend a light hug which Angela returned without hesitation. She held herself surprisingly well around Bella and while Angela felt the familiar burn we all did around her- with Jacob this was no problem because of the wolf DNA and the awful smell – she didn't mind having Bella close. She enjoyed it.
"You better check on your boyfriend," Bella told Angela. "There's enough sugar on that snack table to have him bouncing off the walls. And maybe he would like to dance with someone with better coordination."
"Will do," Angela smiled before she left us.
"Tongue?" I asked Bella as soon as we were alone.
Bella shrugged, smiling. "It's Jacob's idea, not mine. And don't think I have forgotten you've been eavesdropping. Big no-no!"
"Hmm," I mock- frowned as I led Bella out of the living room and onto the patio that overlooked the back yard. "So no tongue for you?"
Bella grinned, leaning in close to me: "That depends; are you offering something?"
I responded by gently grabbing Bella's chin and pressing my lips to hers roughly. I pulled her flush against my chest and her hands found their way into my hair, tugging gently but with enough fervor to make me groan and get me aroused.
I could feel Bella's body getting flushed with heat – although that could also be the patio heaters spreading their warmth – and her heart beat erratically as we kissed. Our breathing labored and I knew that all too soon I had to pull away to make sure Bella's vitals wouldn't crash.
Her heartbeat was the most important sound to me, even if it would soon be replaced by the silence of immortality which was a small but selfish price to pay if I could keep her forever. Still, that sound; I would recognize it anywhere and every time we got physically close, her heart would thunder and leave an echo in my own chest; sometimes it even seemed I had a beating heart myself.
"Wow," Bella murmured, trying to get her breathing under control. I leaned against one of the beams that held up the patio roof, trying to do the same.
"Thank you for demonstrating your point," she teased. "But don't think I have forgotten about the eavesdropping, mister," she teased.
"You're very welcome," I winked. "And I won't do it again. I'm sorry for invading your privacy."
"Apology accepted."
"Shall we go back inside? I believe you owe me a dance," I smiled.
Bella nodded and took my hand. I led us back inside where Jasper and Alice were having one of their weird –supposedly romantic – stare offs while Esme, Angela and Jacob were chatting. Carlisle was absent because he had a shift at the hospital and Rosalie and Emmett were currently visiting the Denali National Park in Alaska. According to Alice we could expect them back next week after a six month around the world trip.
"Will we travel the world when I…" Bella wondered as I held her close, swaying us to the music.
"Do what?"
"Travel. Like Emmett and Rosalie," Bella clarified.
"If you like. I mean, we have to wait a while at first, make sure you are in control but it's certainly a possibility. There are many wonderful places I'd love to show you."
"What's your favorite spot in the whole world?" Bella asked, "What place had made most of an impact; left the biggest impression?"
That one was easy.
"Hmm," I said, pretending to muse over the question. "Well, there is really no contest. It would have to be a little town called Forks," I smiled.
"You're such a sap," Bella scoffed, "Butt a sweet one."
"Maybe I am, but it's the truth."
We were about to lean in for another one of those "nauseating to the outside world" kisses, as Alice had deemed them, when Jacob jumped up with a string of curses leaving his mouth.
"Fucking shit!" He growled, before he ran to the door.
His mind gave away the same expletives and it was easy to determine why.
We had company.
Smelly company.
"What's going on?" Esme wondered while she moved close to Angela and put her around her shoulder.
Jasper and Alice moved in front of her to make sure she was protected.
I let go of a puzzled looking Bella and told her to stand with Angela so that she was hidden behind Alice and Jasper and then I followed Jacob to the door.
"Did you tell them you were going here?" I muttered.
Jacob turned and shook his head. "No. But they know about Angela. Or maybe there's a problem at the rez."
"What's wrong?" Bella asked, wanting to move close but I gestured for her to stay back, which, stupidly stubborn as she was, she didn't.
"Is anyone going to say anything?" Alice demanded. "Because I can't see a thing."
"The pack is outside," I answered.
"Jacob's pack? The wolves?" Bella asked, shocked and she – thankfully – took a few steps back to the others.
I nodded and frowned, concentrating on the noises surrounding the house and the inner voices that were approaching fast.
"They want to talk," I said. Their thoughts were jumbled because there were three of them and they were silently communicating amongst themselves which made it harder to pick up on their individual thoughts.
"To me?' Jacob asked, waiting to open the front door.
"Not just you. Me too."
With my answer, Jacob opened the door and right there on the front porch stood Sam, with Paul and Embry flanking him. They were only wearing lounge pants which frankly made them look a little weird. But their eyes were cold and menacing; which made their attire a little less humorous.
Jacob and I stepped outside and I half closed the door behind me to make sure the others – namely Bella and Angela - would be safe from an unexpected move or invasion.
"What are you doing here?" Jacob hissed. "Are you stalking me now?"
Sam moved a little closer to us and I realized how tall he was. Taller than me and broader too. Embry and Paul weren't as tall and looked a bit skittish, like they weren't happy to be here. None of them could intimidate me though.
"Like we would cross the border for that," Paul said, rolling his eyes. "We can hear far enough to know what's on your mind. Gross stuff, it would seem."
"Shut the fuck up, Paul!" Jacob sneered. "I know all of you have been watching me."
"Because you seem to have lost your mind," Embry commented. "Boning a leech, it's creepy, Jake. You have to snap out of it"
His smirk lasted for about a second until Jacob lunged at him. But the boys didn't get very far with their scuffle because Sam's cool voice ordered for them to stop.
"Enough!" he demanded. "We are here on serious business. Go fight you adolescent battles somewhere else. Some other time!"
Jacob huffed and straightened himself. He moved to stand next to me which gave a strange display of divide. The stray wolf living with the leeches.
"So, what business?" He asked.
"We've had a trespasser," Sam said coolly.
"Trespasser?"
I opened my mouth before Sam could answer.
"Vampire."
A/N: We're only just getting started, so it's not all that exciting yet. Chapters alternate between an BPOV and an EPOV. If both in one hapter, I'll mark the parts.
I still don't have a BETA and unfortunately FFn gave me a hard time with PM's so if you sent one to offer your services; I didn't get it nor an alert. I apologize to anyone who didn't get a reply because of that. Darn technology. It should be fixed now, so by all means... give me a jingle. I wish I had flawless grammar but I don't. I don't want people to get annoyed with the story because of that.
Thanks for the reviews. Welcome back to the people who were waiting for this and hello to the newbies!
Happy weekend! And Happy ExTwiVaganza tomorrow at the MTV Movie Awards!