Chapter 23 – Compelling Edward
The full band removed our masks and jumped off the stage. Jim went to offer his hand to Rebekah and pulled her for a dance. Hugh and Gregg went to a pool table. I went to the bar making a point to stand with my new friends. I jumped on a barstool near Freida. Lexi handed me a shot glass with blood. I gave her an easy smile and downed it in one gulp feeling suddenly calm again.
"thanks Lex"
"no problem. you okay?"
her eyes shone with concern and her trademark teasing smirk was gone
"why is everyone asking me that? I'm fine"
I whispered back
"Bella you were a mess when he left. When Renée found out you were almost comatose for a week she got here and dragged me with her."
"I was ... what?"
"I had to compel you to get you out of your funk"
Freida joined the whispering.
"really?"
I shook my head amazed
"I need some fresh air guys"
I mumbled and taking my purse back from the back of the bar I pushed my way outside the club. I was almost out the heavy doors when a hand touched my shoulder
"What now?"
I growled turning around only to see Stefan with his trademark worried expression
"sorry"
"I wanted to ask you something"
he shuffled his feet, I felt a smile build up on my lips watching his cheeks flame slightly
"ask ahead"
he bit his bottom lip
"what do you think about Angela?"
I felt my mouth fall open
"Angela. Angela Webber, Angela? my good friend Angela?"
"yeah.,.."
"she's a great girl who had her heart broken. don't hurt her and don't eat her either"
I said cautiously. he had that dreamy look on his face that made me want to A-buy wedding invitations and B-stock up stakes, just in case.
"Stef? don't you have a girlfriend back home?"
"meh. who cares about her"
he hadn't lost his dreamy look.
"okay then. Hurt Angela and I'll sick Mikael on you"
I said sweetly as his eyes widened comically. I blew him a kiss chuckling and left the club. the air outside was seriously warm but judging by the heavy coats people wore on the street it must have been cold. I leaned against the wall of the club just breathing in and out.
"love why are you with these people?"
I opened one eye.
"because they're my friends Edward. why are you here?"
"I missed you, love. I couldn't stay away and I was on my way back when Alice got her vision"
"the vision of me, leather clad, being stabbed by a guy"
"yes"
"Edward, that did happen. a month ago. Alaric stabbed me and I've never been more grateful to someone that hurt me"
his eyes glimmed.
"what? it happened? who hurt you?"
I chuckled
"No one did Edward. Yeah, I got staked but in return I got many things. Yes, you left me but it didn't exactly hurt Edward. So stop pretending and go back inside to your family."
I closed my eyes again, feeling the bright moonlight on my face. Edward seethed.
"is there a problem here?"
Klaus came outside with Kol with him followed by the hybrids. I opened my eyes and smiled at them
"nope. Edward was going back inside"
"I wasn't. You and I are going to talk, love"
Edward growled, his eyes slowly turning black
"no, we're not"
I replied in the same tone feeling my fangs slowly come out to play. Klaus turned to me before sneaking a look at the full moon.
"why don't we leave?"
"not yet"
I smirked before locking eyes with Edward. I felt my eyes widen.
"you are going to go to Italy, meet the Volturi, and tell them how you left me here, alone and human knowing about vampires"
Mechanically he repeated everything with a horrified expression on his face
"but they'll kill me"
he shouted
"oops"
I said darkly before back to Klaus whose eyes were wide and a pleased smile stretched on his lips
"we can leave now if you wish"
Klaus threw his head back in a full belly laugh and guided me to a classic black sleek long car
"I have my own car"
"Pete will bring it back later"
he dismissed the issue. I felt my eyes widen in sheer terror. the smile never left his face, I decided to believe him
"should I be afraid?"
I flirted
"very"
