Chapter 23 – Checkmate
BPOV
There were things I knew about Taran McGregor, or as the sisters name him – Aseruhz – that were the stuff of nightmares. A shiver ran through me as one particular memory surfaced.
I sat on the edge of the woods. The McGregor mages were in the clearing dressed in red, blood-red robes. They didn't move but stood there facing east in a lop-sided circle almost like they were the moon and it was on fire. Counting quickly, I found three mages were missing.
A noise to the east caught my attention and I turned, my enhanced vision allowing me to see what a normal human eye would not. Two of the absent mages soon came into view, dragging a young girl, no more than thirteen, dressed in a sheer white gown between them. She struggled against them, tears coursing down her face. The last mage was behind them carrying a curved sword on a plush black velvet pillow. A swallowed hard as they came closer to where I crouched out of sight. The sword was an Egyptian sickle-sword. It looked like a small dagger with a hook – a khopesh. I read about them in history class. They were used to behead enemies. What were they going to use it for?
They continued pulling the girl toward the others and were soon in the center of the moon. She was pulled over to an altar, I hadn't noticed before, and tied spread eagle to it. My hands itched to step in and help her, but I couldn't. All I could do was observe.
The mages, as the last knot was secured, started chanting. Their chant was low and deep, a cacophony of sound that grated on the ears and soul.
"Ad ligandum eos pariter eos coram me."
In a swirl of smoke and fire, a demon appeared with the face of Taran McGregor. I shrunk back, further into the woods. He was wearing a kilt, the McGregor kilt, weathered pink, brown, and white.
Taran looked around, a cobra smile materializing on his face when his eyes landed on the thrashing girl. "My children," he called, raising his head and appeared to be sniffing the air. "You honor me with a virgin witch. And a terrified one at that."
"My lord," the mage with the pillow stepped forward. He knelt offered the khopesh.
Taran's gruff laughter reached my ears on a discordant note. "I need no sword for what I am going to do to her. Her screams alone are what I need to rejuvenate my powers."
Taran walked to the altar and ran a hand up one of the arms of the girl. "When I am through with you, you will wish I killed you," he whispered after he leaned down over her. He then took hold of the hem of the gown and, as if it were made of tissue paper, ripped it up to her neck.
The girl whimpered.
Taran unbelted his kilt and it fell to the ground. He was hard and ready. He mounted the altar between the girl's splayed and tied legs, stroking his manhood.
The girl's eyes went wide and a scream split the night air.
"Ah, yes," Taran shouted as he settled himself over the girl. "Scream all you want, lassie. Any who try to save you will be cut down by my children."
Another shiver coursed through me. "The last time I saw him, he raped a thirteen-year-old girl." I wiped at my face. "The girl screamed until she was hoarse. She eventually passed out. He didn't stop his assault."
I knew the time had come for me to face Taran before he could ruin another. We started making plans. Most of them Alice or Jasper nixed. Three hours later we had a sound strategy.
The plan was to confront Taran in the Great Hall. The sisters were prepared to jump in with protection spells if the need arose. And Nickodemus was prepared, though hesitantly, along with his students to use wizard's fire to fend him off if he got too close and the sister's protection spells failed to stop him. However, I would be doing the heavy lifting. I refused to go into detail about how I was going to get him close enough for the spell would work.
"Bella, are you sure there is no other way," Edward asked me for the thousandth time, drawing me into his arms.
We were in the hall, alone for a few moments.
"If there was…" I started to say and Edward cut me off with a quick kiss.
"I just don't like that I can't help."
"I second that," Emmett bellowed, coming into the hall followed by everyone else.
I slowly freed myself from Edward's embrace, walking to stand in the center of the room facing the door. Unknown to the others, I had another plan. One I hoped would keep my family and friends safe. In my mind, I visualized a blue bubble expanding out from me and encompassing everyone in the room with me while thinking 'Protect with light that is pure. Protect through day and night. Protect from harm. Protect from negative energy. This shield cannot be broken. So mote it be.'
Not even a moment later the doors flew open, in a show of power.
"There she is," Taran shouted as he entered with the other, dressed in blood-red robes, he had brought from the past.
"Isabella," he greeted me, his eyes roamed over my body, undressing me.
I knew that look. Taran had given it to the girl he ravished. Breaking me would be the ultimate power rush for him, I had no doubt.
"We must speak, in private" he ordered, taking a step forward. His eyes had lingered on my midsection before meeting mine. The cobra smile I had seen years ago was planted on his lips. I didn't have to be a mind reader to know he didn't want to talk. He wanted to ravish me brutally.
I so wanted to tell him to 'go fuck himself,' but instead, I said in a bored voice, "You are too late. I married a vampire last eve."
"No matter," he replied.
Taran wasn't fooling me with his blasé reply.
"As long as you haven't been changed, you are of use to me."
Like hell I was. "How?" I asked in a nonchalant manner that matched his.
"You have the power to make all of Scotland bend to my will."
I schooled my shock. It was certainly true. I did have the power but would never use my gifts in such a way and he knew that. But he could have gained the power through my screams. "I will never help you."
"You most certainly will, lassie," he yelled. "I'm your blood and can control you if need be, you will do what I will. Or I will forcefully take what I want."
I knew of his power to control but failed to share the information with Edward and the others. A mental scoff had me raising a hand to stop Edward. I still had cards to play. "Like I said you are too late. I will never help you, I will never serve you, and you will never control me. And you will never rape me."
The last comment had Taran clenching his hands into a fist and breathing deep. He was close to exploding. After three or four more heartbeats, he spoke again. "I'm not too late and you know it. I know you and vampires better than you think. You wouldn't be standing before me now had your vampire bitten you. You would be writhing in pain for this day and another two days."
I smiled wickedly, as I felt very wicked. "Shows what you know." I was taunting him.
Careful, Jasper thought.
"What does that mean?" he shouted, taking another step closer to me.
"I wouldn't be writhing in pain still," I said, bringing my right hand up and examining my nails a moment before turning my attention back to Taran. "For me, the transformation would be much quicker, a matter of hours not days."
"Impossible!" Taran roared.
"Not impossible," Carlisle responded, stepping forward. "A fact."
"What do you mean?"
"It means," Edward started, coming to my side. "I changed her two hundred and seven years ago."
Taran bellowed, flying toward me only to come in contact with the shield I created. I stumbled back from the force of the blow but didn't go down.
"What in the world!" Taran and Jasper exclaimed at the same time.
I smiled. "Didn't know about that did you?"
"How? You shouldn't possess this power." He turned to the man clad in the blood-red robe.
"My lord, I cannot explain. My sojourns to this year never revealed the power."
Taran spun to face me again when I laughed.
"But I do," I sneered.
"My enemies mean me harm. Keep their feet glued to the spot they stand. So mote it be."
"In fact"–I took a step away from Edward–"I possess the power to banish you."
He paled and started to turn but found himself glued to the spot.
I extended the shield and stepped to the edge of the perimeter, two feet in front of him. Bringing my hands up as if I was going to touch him and spoke in a deep double-edged voice, yelling, "Carlem! Koas! Camerinthum! Aseruhz." I pushed my hands quickly forward when finished.
Fire shot up from the floor and Taran appeared to be melting. "Your child will pay," he shouted. As quickly as the fire emerged it was gone along with Taran.
I felt weak, very weak but somehow managed to stay on my feet. "What was it he said as he was swallowed up?" I asked as Edward pulled me into his embrace.
No one answered for a long time, I was sure with all the super-hearing in the room someone had caught what Taran had shouted.
"Bella, he said 'your child will pay,'" Carlisle said stepping forward.
I'm pregnant.
"Is that even possible?" Edward asked, pulling me closer.
"No, he's gone and will never return," I answered. Of course, I knew what Edward was asking. It wouldn't bode well with him had I told him my suspicions.
EPOV
I looked to Carlisle. Bella's answer was not the answer I was looking for.
I'm afraid it is indeed possible, Edward. Even though your body is frozen, your reproduction capabilities still function. Bella is not a full vampire and still can get pregnant, unlike your sisters.
I stiffened slightly. Looking down at Bella, was she? "Bella," I swallowed, "is it possible you could be pregnant?"
"Not possible," she responded. "I am."
I stumbled back away from Bella a few steps.
"You know," Maidie and Alice said.
"I had my suspicions," she replied, turning to face me. "Our having a child was prophesied, Edward. I'll survive the whole ordeal."
I wasn't worried about Bella surviving. She had survived so much and her delivering a baby would be no different. Her taking the risk, even if she wasn't certain, was more than I could comprehend. "Did he curse our child?" I asked.
"No," Maidie answered. "I don't know how it's even possible but his curse didn't reach Bella."
I again looked down at Bella and she was smiling up at me. A protection spell around everyone, she told me in her mind. Let's have a little fun. I was thinking chess. Me versus Alice since I'm a terrible player and all.
Bella! Pure genius. I pulled her face to mine and captured her lips in a tender kiss. "A shield protected everyone," I said after a few moments.
"How could you know that?" Jasper asked.
"I think the best way to answer that is a game of chess," Bella said. "Alice, are you game?"
"Sure," she doubtfully answered as I walked over and sat at the ever-ready board.
BPOV
Alice started by moving her pawn to 'e4'. Through Edward's instruction, I countered her move by moving my pawn to 'e5'. She looked up at me, expecting the move.
Don't worry. Edward told me.
Pawn to 'f4' and I claimed it.
Knight to 'f3'. Pawn to 'g5'.
Alice looked up at me and shrugged.
"What didn't see that move coming?" I asked sweetly.
Alice said nothing and moved another pawn to 'h4'. I countered with a pawn to 'g4'.
Knight to 'e5'.
Putting my elbows on the table, I examined the board. Edward had yet to instruct me on a move. I tentatively touched a Knight and moved it to 'f6'.
"Good move," Edward's voice came close to my ear.
Alice claimed my pawn with Knight to 'g4'. I in turn took her pawn with a move to 'e4'.
Pawn to 'd3', Knight to 'g3', and Bishop to 'f4'.
"Not a big loss," Edward whispered in my ear. "You've improved."
I shrugged. I knew he was saying it for Alice's benefit.
I still sucked.
I paused, examining the board again. After a moment, I moved my Knight to 'h1' claiming a Rook.
It was a while before Alice made her next move, Bishop to 'g5'.
She looked up with a smirk on her face.
Cupping my face in both hands, I examined the board to see if I could figure out what she was seeing. I saw nothing.
Bishop to 'e7'. This didn't come from Edward but Carlisle. He must have figured it out.
I did as he instructed. "Bella," Edward said, touching my hand and keeping it on the chess piece.
"Stay out of it, Edward," Alice said, glaring at her brother.
It's okay, Edward. Let the move stand.
With a sigh, he removed his hand.
Queen to 'e2'. I switched my Rook and King per Carlisle's instruction ignoring Edward's.
Bishop takes Bishop with a move to 'e7'. Rook to 'e8'. Knight to 'h6'.
"Checkmate," Alice declared.
"Oh well," I said with a shrug.
"You did nothing I expected. It was as if I was playing Edward or Carlisle."
I smiled. "You were playing both," I remarked.
"How?"
"She can read minds," Edward said with a chuckle as he placed a hand on my shoulder.
"I had a feeling," Carlisle said, "and Bella confirmed it when she Castled."
"Now we have you to contend with," Emmett moaned.
"Nope," I answered. "I can switch it on and off."
"Handy," Jasper and Massie said.
I shrugged not knowing how to answer.
