Chapter 13 — Vampire

BPOV

When I woke, Carlisle was sitting right next to me reading. The feelings coursing through me were no different than before Edward sank his teeth deep. The only difference I can readily tell was that my eyesight was phenomenal. The colors were brighter, more vibrant.

Turning my head, I noticed the clock. The digital display read 06-01-10 and 02:45. What in the world? I was expecting to be out of sorts for three days, burning as my body rejected my human side. But the clock! I couldn't explain it. I didn't chance a glance at it before Edward ignited the vampiric transformation.

"Carlisle," I said. My voice was strange to my ears. Musical. Luring. Sexy.

Carlisle turned wide eyes on me. It was a long minute before he spoke. The digital display read 02:46.

"Bella!" he exclaimed in a low voice, but to my ears, it was as clear as day. "You should… but you are." He sounded perplexed and, at the same time, curious.

"It seems I'm immune to the three days of burning," I remarked. "Maybe it's my powers."

Carlisle nodded. "It would seem." He stood, placing his book down on the nightstand. "A test of your abilities," he said, extracting a folded piece of white paper from his shirt pocket. "As I told you long ago, there is no way of knowing how becoming part vampire will affect your magic."

A long, distressing sigh left me. There were more reasons for becoming a vampire than against. The only troubling reason was my magic. "Start at the top," I suggested, motioning to the list he held. I didn't want to think about my abilities being gone.

"Conjure fire," Carlisle said.

Cup my hand, I scoped the air and concentrated on heat and flame. The ball-of-fire flared to life with ease, a little more ease than in the past, or was it future.

Carlisle said nothing about the action. "Extinguish it."

The ball vanished the moment I closed my hand, there was no thought whatsoever. That was new and I told Carlisle so.

Again, he said nothing about the task but pointed to the lamp next to the bed. "Levitate."

The lamp lifted. I glanced at Carlisle. "No way!" I exclaimed.

He looked at me. "What do you mean?"

I took a breath, thinking a moment. "A fleeting thought passed through my mind of raising my hand. The lamp lifted without any further command."

"Interesting," he said. "Let's skip down some to the wizarding powers." He picked up the wand my great-great-grandmother must have placed in the room when she brought the tiara in.

Speaking of the tiara, it was prominently displayed on the armoire next to the window. It twinkled at me, but no longer held a menacing power. To me, it was like any other diamond headpiece. Hah! Take, that mages, I thought, accepting the wand from Carlisle.

"Bind me," Carlisle said.

"Excuse me?" I didn't recall binding being on the list.

"You heard me, Bella. Put a binding spell on me."

Petrificus Totalus. It was a horrible spell and I hated it. A white light filled the room as I thought about the hand movements I needed to do to curse Carlisle.

Like with the lamp, all that was needed was mental thought. I watched in horror as Carlisle's arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood and then fell flat on his face. The thud that resulted reminded me of a stiff board being thrown down on a heavily padded and carpeted floor.

With another thought, I removed the curse as I leaped off the bed. "Are you all right?" I asked.

"Of course," Carlisle answered, sitting up. "Did the same happen? A thought only?"

I nodded. "I don't think there are any repercussions."

"I agree. And your speed at getting to my side… you might be faster than Edward."

I felt my face heat but I didn't think much about it. The rush of blood had me thinking. "Shouldn't I be craving blood?" Heck, I didn't know. All I knew was that Cullens hunted animals, so I thought I would wake from shedding my humanity and be hungry. I wasn't.

Carlisle took a deep breath. "Not necessarily. It is hard to know what you will eat. Blood. Fruits. Veggies. Meat. You're the first to still have a heartbeat."

Heartbeat? What? How? I didn't know what to say. What to ask. "Huh?" was my intelligible remark.

"You, Bella, are still very much human, in a way. I am seeing a blending of all the qualities you possessed before my son changed you with the addition of some vampiric qualities."

That was the goal. I knew there was no possibility of me becoming a full vampire. "Okay. Now, I can return to my time. I've got the crown and became what the mages fear…"

The room shimmered around me and I soon found myself in the middle of the woods, my knapsack on my shoulder. A wave of dizziness coursed through me and I felt like I was going to vomit. It was a strange sensation. A noise behind me had me turning.

"Thaur she is," an angry Scottish man yelled.

I ran. Something inside of me knew it was one of the McGregor mages.

"Dinnae lit 'er vanish," another shouted. "We main kill 'er."

Panic, pure unadulterated fear, filled me. Where in time was I? Pain shot through my head as I focused on transporting myself someplace, anyplace else.

Looking behind me proved to be dangerous. They were close. How in the world was that possible? Carlisle said I was faster than Edward, so how were they still on my tail. I crashed through the underbrush and foliage. My clothing snagging and ripping.

The trees were thinning and a house came into view. I recognized the manse and the car outside it. I was on the Gillpatrick's estate and Grandfather was there. With a glance behind me, I found I was alone but I could still hear the mages.

I was about to step out onto the lawn when my younger self flew out the front door of the house. She/I was rushing toward the woods and the mages. If they captured her/me, they would kill her/me. Just thinking about it gave me a headache but I knew I had to save myself. After dropping the knapsack and with a pray to the goddesses, I made my younger self disappear.

I smiled when one of the mages cursed. "She vanished."

I held in my laugh. If the mages found out that I was still in the area, I was dead.

"Isabella," Grandfather shouted, coming into view.

Could I risk revealing myself to Grandfather again? I had in the past but he made me wipe his memory. It was worth the risk, so I picked up my knapsack and approached him.

"Grandfather," I said.

He started before looking me up and down, taking in my worn shoes, cloak, and clothing. "Isabella," he said a smile lighting his eyes when they connected with mine again. "Not the Isabella I know, but you're her. Well, her future self."

I smiled. "I need your help."

"What aid do you need that your magic can't provide?" he asked.

My gaze fell to my feet.

"You've embraced time travel," he said.

My eyes snapped back to his. "Yes. I've been away from my native time for three months." It was strange that I knew that.

"Far too long without an anchor," he said, his gaze moved to my left hand. "But you have one."

I nodded. "I love him very much and need to get back to him, but the mages are on my tail." I motioned to the woods behind me. I could still hear the mages.

Grandfather turned, motioning to someone who had exited the house. They ran to a town car and were soon stopping in front of Grandfather and me.

Aengus got out with a cloak and handed it to Grandfather. Aengus didn't look at me, but he did bow, muttering, "My lady."

Grandfather held out the cloak to me, and I recognized it as his. "I know it's not much but it's warmer than the rags you're wearing. It will also shield you from the mages until I can get you to the safety of McCullough lands."

"Not where I need to go," I said, accepting the cloak.

He frowned when I was facing him again. "And where do you need to go, lass?"

I sighed, looking to the north. "McGregor lands," I said. "To the little church where your Maribella married Iain."

Grandfather shook his head. "The church no longer stands and where it stood is now a visitor's lot."

My face fell. "All hope of healing the past is gone then."

"No, lass. There is a way, but you will need help from witches and wizards to recreate the church inside the library," he said. "It will take time."

"How much time?" I asked.

"Two and a half years from today," Grandfather replied. "You will have your full powers back and will be able to do what you need to."

And I will be able to get a handle on my vampiric abilities. "Until then, I remain hidden," I said, drawing the hood up. "I will need to get a message to Carlisle Cullen, though."

"Who's he?" Grandfather asked, opening the door of the car for me.

"Another anchor," I replied, getting in and leaving it at that. I wasn't about to explain outside of McCullough lands what I had become and the reasons.

Grandfather handed me his cellphone. "Call him. I need to let the Gillpatrick's know I haven't found you. I'll be back in a half-hour."

Disguising my voice, I dialed Carlisle's cell.

"Carlisle's phone, Alice speaking." My heart clenched at hearing her voice. I wanted to tell her who I was but she didn't know me. The likelihood of her believing me was slim.

"This is Marie Swan from Forks Hospital," I said. "I need to speak with Dr. Cullen about a notation he made in a chart."

"One minute," Alice replied. "I'll get him."

If she thought my reason was strange, she didn't say anything.

"Ms. Swan," Carlisle's familiar voice said. "What notation don't you understand?"

"Thanks for playing along, Carlisle," I replied.

He chuckled. "I believe that is a stray mark and means nothing. Any other questions?"

"Two and a half years." I did a quick calculation to get the date. "The end of May 2217."

"I see. That does seem too long for the medication, but it is correct. Why do you ask?" he asked.

I was silent for a good five minutes, collecting myself. Carlisle was a constant in my travels through time and knew me. "You won't hear from me again."

"Bella," Carlisle said. "Are you okay? You've never been this cryptic."

"Are you alone?"

"Yes, and miles away from my family."

My gaze went to the car window. Grandfather was still talking to someone on the front steps.

"I'm in danger, Carlisle. The mages are after me. I have to keep out of sight," I said, tears slipping down my face.

"Do you need me to come and get you?" he asked.

I wiped my face with the inside of the cloak, glad the divider was up. "No. It would put you in danger and there are things I still need to do." I sighed, needing to give him some hope. "You know the date I disappear. Remind Edward how much I love him every day until I send my younger self to you again."

"Again?" he asked.

I smiled. "Edward is sitting by my side now, Carlisle. I will disappear and will not reenter his life for two years. On Valentine's Day, Edward will ask me to marry him, and then he will lose me when I go back in time. I'll be gone for three months."

My gaze went to the window. Grandfather was approaching the car. I didn't have much longer to talk with Carlisle.

"The day I return, I'll be Edward's wife," I said, my gaze falling to my lap and the ring on my left hand. "Don't let Edward lose hope."

I hung up, not wanting for his promise. The rear passenger-side door opened and Grandfather slid in. I handed him back his phone.

"Message delivered?" he asked once we were on the road.

I nodded and closed my eyes, exhausted. I've never felt so drained. And I felt Grandfather was right. My powers would take the entire two and a half years to recharge. Luckily, I wouldn't physically age.