For those who said I am a good writer, I would love accept that complement but unfortunately I can't. The only part I can take any credit for, minus editing, is chapter 25 and beyond. So until chapter 25 and my Egyptian story, I will ignore the rare compliments about that.
Chapter Twenty Two: Caius.
The blade slid out of her chest with a sickening sound of tearing flesh, and clattered to the floor as Isabella collapsed.
The first word that entered my mind was,
No.
And then the entire right side of the room caved in as Demetri burst through it snarling, his face contorted with bloodlust.
The next second he was on the ground screaming, as Jane appeared by my shoulder, her wide eyes alternating between Isabella on the floor and Demetri writing on the ground.
Felix then rounded the corner, and he tugged Demetri upright, locking him in a tight head-lock, before Jane released him from her gift.
"…what are you doing Caius? Change her now!"
Aro appeared, halting halfway down the corridor, stopping as he scented the blood, his nostrils flaring, and I could see his fists clenching as he tried to restrain himself. Surprisingly enough, it wasn't Aro who said the words, but Jane.
I was still frozen though. For the second time, the only other person who I lov-
"Caius! She's dying!"
Why….
Why was Jane yelling at me to do it? They all knew I was hardly the vampire with the best self-control, they knew that she was probably dead right now- her heart had stopped, and it was likely that even venom couldn't save her now… It would be easier to let her die… Less complicated…
After all, if what Marcus and Aro said was true- that I loved the girl, then why was I standing here- deaf and mute? Not acting instantly to save her?
Aro's voice broke in. "It's your choice Caius. We all care for her, but it is your choice… Decide now… She may be too far gone…"
My choice?
If I loved her, shouldn't I already be changing her into a vampire right now? Or even sobbing uncontrollably that the second love of my eternity was dying… dead?
It would be so much simpler to just let her die… Let her be dead… life, or not life- but our existence could go back to the way it was before…
Empty.
That was exactly the word. Looking back at the past without the constant irritating presence of the human, I realized that all I could see was black and grey, not even white. Every day had been a forced existence, constantly trying to focus on every detail to make it through every second, every minute, every hour… And then the girl had arrived, and I hadn't noticed that it was easier, easier to not have to concentrate on living my joke of an existence. I could find actual interest in insulting the human, find entertainment from arguing with my brothers, not just the never-ending cycle of anger and madness…
…and the guard… They had accepted Isabella as one of their own, something that had never happened before, most humans became snacks, and even the receptionists never lasted longer than a week before they either died from the guard's pranks on them, or ended up as desert when the guard got bored of them.
Isabella…. Bella… She was different.
…and if she was different, and if she meant something to me, then why was I not moving? Why was none of the guard changing her instead of me?
And then it hit.
So blindingly obvious, it had always been there, just out of reach, undetectable by me, but so clear to everyone else with half a brain. Yes. I did love her.
And everyone knew that I loved her, hence the fact that they stood as motionless as I did, eyes fixed on either her or I.
I loved her, and I wanted her happy, to laugh in the way that she had just two hours ago by the pond, and that meant that even if she was in constant danger, even if she was about to be torn to pieces the very next second, and she was happy like that, then I could not stand in her way.
…and if she was happy dead, then who was I to deny her the privilege? After all, if I did change her, would she be happy? Her entire family slaughtered, and hometown burnt down… What would she have?
"It's rude to watch people while they're asleep." She snapped, eyes flaring with anger.
"…you should smile more often."
"If you continue that way, you're going to die girl." I drawled slowly. "Why?"
"Ummmm, I might as well make it clear that I don't speak Italian…"
"Cursed Americans."
"…I am not a sack of potatoes if you haven't noticed! I get nausea, notion sickness! And if you do for much more, then I will throw up on you!" Her face was green, and I had to fight the urge not to laugh.
"You looked like you were smoking." She said cautiously. "…so the human is not stupid after all."
"So seriously? You just like burst into flame?" I smirked. "Not exactly."
"You noticed!" She beamed, seeming strangely happy for such an occurrence. "I merely dislike the idea of you trailing after me like a vagabond…"
"Having fun?" She glared at me, eyes hard. "Yes. Until a few seconds ago when you started talking."
"Mortal, you could be torn to pieces before my eyes and I could not care less. I am merely following my orders." Oddly enough, she did not seem discouraged. "Idiot."
"What is WRONG with you? …even dry-cleaned that awful cloak thing of yours! I mean, seriously what is your problem with me?" "…moron is a favorite word of yours isn't it?"
"…ever heard of something called knocking?" she snapped. "…you looked fine before." A smile crept across her lips as I uttered the words, and a faint blush crossed her cheeks as she ducked her head. The image was burned into my mind for the next few days.
"Why the HELL did you kiss me?" So she was the first human in probably the entire history of my existence to ever reject a vampire. Impressive.
"…Caius… you piss me off."
"No duh. Of course I can't, because just before that wasn't really me playing- just a cyborg." Firstly, I didn't know what a 'cyborg' was, and also because the way she had looked… Her eyes closed, fingers moving gracefully- almost lovingly over the keys… Just for a second I could see Athena sitting in her place, smiling up at me…
"ALIMENTO COMBATTERE!" The first thought was- Italian? And the second was- genius.
"When's your birthday?" An odd question. Not once in two thousand years had I ever been asked that, Athena had found out from Aro, not me… "…and yours?" It was odd, because instead of being polite, I was genuinely curious.
"…why are you smiling?" Her eyes were sparkling mischievously, daring me. My eyes glinted in response. "Give me a reason not to."
…and she looked just so happy.
The thoughts rushed through my mind in the span of barely a second… I still have a chance to change her… But still…
Something crinkled under my foot, and automatically my eyes flashed to it. It was a piece of paper, torn in two… A sketch of unsurpassed detail, a piano and… and…
And then I decided.
~~~(o.O)~~~
Bella
My heart had stopped, I knew that much, for a split second I had felt something, like someone punching a hole in my chest as my heart froze in its tracks, and then the world had gone black, and I was just so grateful, so damn relieved, and I could feel myself slipping away, seconds passed, and the numbness was replaced with a sort of peace… It was like floating on your back in a pond… Staring as the clouds went by…
Happy memories flooded my mind… Making mud pies in the dirt with Jake. Shopping with Alice while I grumbled and moaned, but she never tired. Watching the news with Charlie, trying to appear interested, but really just focusing on staying awake. Edward giving me piggy-back rides through the forest. Carlisle stitching up my arm and telling me about his life. Emmett laughing at my clumsiness while I scowled and pretended to be offended. Jane braiding my hair and humming, acting for once like the little 15yr old she looked like. Alec, quiet Alec showing me how to cheat in Guitar Hero and beat Demetri. Demetri, throwing fits as I beat him time and time again at his own video games. Felix, running around the throne room naked, while Jane and I just laughed. Aro, weird psychotic Aro who loved FRIENDS so much. Marcus, who I hadn't seen much of lately, but was always so sweet and understanding. Caius, dripping wet, a lily-pad hanging over one ear, his ruby eyes flaring with challenge.
Challenge accepted.
Only the black was there, and I was falling, and there would be no challenge…
My mind cleared slightly, somehow much clearer than it had been several moments ago- or was it moments? It seemed like hours- when I had been shouting and screaming… Right then, it had seemed right, it had seemed reasonable… It was what I had wanted… What I had said was true!
But… Had I really swore at Caius? Had I really called the Volturi assholes? Had I really stabbed myself? Had I really drunk eight bottles of Vodka? One bottle could kill a fully grown man, and I had drunk eight!
Charlie would kill me! Renee would kill me….
But then they were dead. No one would be killing me either, because I was dead, and I didn't know whether or not that was a good thing anymore….
I would see Charlie, Renee, Phil, Angela, Embry, Quil, Billy… Maybe even the Cullen's… I knew they had souls… But the Volturi… Jane, Felix, Aro, Marcus, Demetri, Caius…
If I had to hang on to something…
…maybe it would have been Caius. Maybe just the look in his eyes only a few hours ago- was it really so recent? The memory seemed hundreds of years old… thousands of years old…
But it was fresh in my mind, and as I concentrated, it grew clearer.
Just for the look in his eyes alone, I regretted my actions… He probably wouldn't have cared much for me at all. Here I was, dead, something I wanted- and yet…
Thump
It was like someone swinging a hammer at a drum.
Thump
Heat raced through me, firing through my veins, like I was burning. It wasn't a comfortable heat, more like someone tying me to the stake and leaving me to burn…
Thump
What was with the thumping? NOT FAIR! Was this death? Was I going to hell?
I had committed suicide. It hadn't seemed like that right then… But I had committed suicide… Wasn't it said somewhere that if you killed yourself you went to hell?
Thump
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no….
Thump
This was NOT what I had expected, come to think of it, I didn't know what I had expected but not this…. Yeah, now the fire was burning straight through me- like someone had lit the fire INSIDE me. It burnt especially near where I imagined my neck to be, and my wrists…
Thump…
…and then maybe it was because I was finally past the point of no return, when the heat became so intense, the tongues of fire hitting me like the lashes of a whip, that for the next three days, the only thought in my head was one word.
Ow.