AN: I apologize for the lack of updates, but life has been a little busy... in a really good way! In case you haven't heard, I published my first book, A Thousand Words, A Novella under my Author Name, Jaime Sommers. Thank you so much to all of you who have encouraged, asked and made me believe in my dreams.
Thank you to my TR Admins, who have never let me falter. To my reviewers who have made me smile over and over again. To Misty for doing so much leg work, to Shadow for teaching me so much over the past two years. To BetterinTexas, for giving me the words.
I could not have done it without any of you.
A Thousand Words can be found on Amazon in print and kindle editions.
Chapter 45 - Culmination
When Bella woke in the morning, the sun was shining and the promise of a new beginning greeted her. Jacob's arms were wrapped protectively around her body, his quiet, even breathing telling of that blissful state between dreaming and awake. A smile crept over her face, tugging at the corners of her lips until reaching the farthest depths of her eyes. The engagement ring on her finger sparkled with a hundred rainbows in the light. There was something simple, delicate and timeless about it. She wondered how Jacob managed to find a ring so uniquely her.
"It matches that soft blush that creeps over your cheeks and the color of your lips after I kiss you."
Bella rolled over and looked into Jacob's eyes. "It's beautiful."
"I saw it and knew there was no other ring I wanted to give you. I'm sorry it wasn't the most romantic proposal in the world, probably not what every girl dreams of, but I couldn't wait one more second to give it to you. I want to tell the whole world that you're mine."
With a kiss, she rolled on top of Jacob, swinging her left leg to straddle his hips. Bella let the soft, cotton sheet fall past her shoulders so he could drink in her nakedness. "How about first I show you why I'm glad you're mine."
ooo000ooo
Charlie was headed over to Billy's to pick him up for a little early morning fishing. The fish and wildlife commission posted the reports of what was biting and where. The day was calm without a breath of wind in sight and the ice was thick. If only Bells would let us have fish for Christmas, he thought, sure that they were gonna make the catch of the century. He'd have to settle for having it stuffed and mounted above the fireplace.
A quick pitstop by Paul's to drop off some reports and they'd be on their way. Swinging into Black's driveway, he noticed that nobody was home. It didn't really matter. He'd leave the paperwork and go. It wasn't anything urgent anyway. Just a couple forms that needed the detective's signature. Probably out Christmas shopping, he thought, smiling about Bella's present wrapped up under the tree.
Charlie let himself in through the back door, planning to slip out as fast as his feet could carry him. The steelhead were biting and he didn't want to lose out on a honey hole over some bureaucratic bullshit. If there was one thing he despised about being a cop, it was the massive trail of paperwork that went with it. The state wanted everything documented down to the letter. One day in the not so distant future, they'd probably want reports containing how many squares of toilet paper it took to wipe his ass.
The smell of warm apple pies cooling on Rachel's kitchen counter made his mouth water. Christmas dinner was only a few days away. Charlie looked forward to all of the high holidays. Living the life of a bachelor wasn't bad, albeit a bit lonely at times. One thing he did miss was his mother's cooking. Sue, bless her heart, she might be a decent cook, but nobody could touch his Bells. It was as if her grandma whispered the recipes in her ear.
Charlie looked longingly at the pies one more time, knowing full well they were the same ones Sarah used to bake. He could taste them now, the warm mixture of cinnamon and sugar, served up with a hefty scoop of melting vanilla. Too bad Rachel inherited her father's temper. She'd skin him alive if he so much as picked off one little crumb of broken crust.
The kitchen table was a mess of flour and sugar. A dirty rolling pin laying in the center of the clutter. A pile of papers lay off to one side. He rifled through them looking for something to write a note on.
The first thing he noticed was the glossy edge of white sticking out from under a stack of bills. The second thing he noticed was the streak of red marker, the kind they used at the station for dissecting evidence, swiped across the pristine edge of white. The third thing he noticed, even before the gruesome pictures of blood and lifeless eyes of the drifter dying in his cell, was the date stamp in the upper right corner.
Print outs taken from the missing security footage that night.
Charlie laid them out across the kitchen counter in sequential order. The first showed the inmate reading, nothing out of the ordinary. A second later, there was a startled look on his face, eyes wide with fear. The third showed the figure of a man, long hair, leather coat, standing in front of the cell. The fourth showed nothing out of the ordinary, except for the eyes of the man who'd shot him, seemingly in a trance.
Charlie stacked them all together, then quickly flipped them like the pages of a book, seeing the animation come to life.
There was little doubt in his mind as to what happened. A vampire had slipped into the station and forced this man to take his life. But why? That was what he didn't understand. Slowly the pieces of the puzzle came together, his mind playing a game of connect the dots. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end when the finished picture played before him.
Bella.
If he hadn't been shot, she wouldn't have come home. Something or someone wanted her to return to Forks.
It was about time to tell the wolves he knew their secret. Bella would need all the protection she could get. In the meantime, fishing would have to wait. Charlie had a sinking feeling in his gut. For years he'd been tracking the movements of the Cullens, wanting to be ready if Edward ever made another appearance in his daughter's life. For now, she was safe, neatly ensconced in her new home with Jacob Black. Soon, he told himself. Soon. They'd get through the holidays and then he'd call a meeting with Billy, Sue and Old Quil. Until then, he was certain the wolves would keep his daughter safe.
ooo000ooo
The sound of laughter filtered out of the Swan house sounding like a choir of heavenly angels gathered in song. She'd waited until they were all inside and the snow was coming down hard and fast in blizzard fury. Tonight she'd take no chances, the stakes were far too high.
Esme gathered all her courage, reminding herself that so long as she were in Forks, the treaty was valid. Painting a smile on her face, she walked toward the door, a beautiful red muffler wrapped and ribboned in her hands. After all, it was Christmas. A time for goodwill toward men.
Inside, the Blacks and the Swans played games, Charlie and Billy drinking beer, drunkenly telling stories from their misspent youth. The Clearwaters had gone home after supper, having their own Christmas traditions to keep. It was the only moment of sorrow in an otherwise joyous night, knowing they were going to wish Harry a Merry Christmas.
Bella's engagement ring sparkled merrily under the twinkling lights of the tree. Jacob's heart, near to bursting, filled with pride each time he saw her admire it. The announcement brought tears to their father's eyes, followed promptly by toasts of whiskey and hot buttered rum. Currently they were kicked back with six packs of vitamin-R, eagerly waging bets on wedding dates and the sex of their future grandchildren.
Paul and Rachel joined Jacob and Bella around the kitchen table, playing board games with gusto, Paul trying to figure out the best ways to cheat at Trivial Pursuit. His eyes shone happily, an arm slung tightly around Rachel. Bella knew they had their own secret to keep. She and Jacob wouldn't be the first to give Billy a grandchild. Nobody seemed to notice when Rachel swapped out brandy for cider or passed over a second helping of mashed potatoes. Looking greener than the brussels sprouts, she quickly excused herself from the table, not re-emerging until everything had been cleared away.
For the first time in her memory, Bella was happy on Christmas. Renee's idea of the holidays consisted of take-out and old movies along with her refusal to buy a tree. The one year Bella convinced her gypsy mother to get one had resulted in a lecture on the environmental impacts of clearcutting and the massive deforestation occurring in the United States to the poor Boy Scout who sold it .
Surrounding her was the big, loving family she'd always craved. Brothers and sisters to laugh with, parents to love and a fiance who never took life for granted. The ghosts of Christmases past faded away, leaving her to revel in the present and look forward to the future.
Paul's eyes twinkled at her from across the table. He felt it too. Both of them lonely souls most of their lives. The joy surrounding them was infectious. It was ironic that the one man who scared the piss out of her turned out to be one of the few she could count on the most and further, that he was one day soon going to be her brother-in-law.
"Hey, I saw that!" she shouted while throwing a handful of popcorn at Paul. "You cheater! No using your freaky speed to take a peek at the back of the next card."
Paul roared with laughter, ducking before Rachel could land a smack on him. "Black, you're screwed. That one's got eyes in the back of her head."
"Screwed, chained... call it whatever you want," he stated, suggestively wiggling an eyebrow, "at least I'm gettin' some."
"That reminds, me..." Leaning back in his chair, Paul scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Bella, the other night when you were wearing that pink thong and Jake was-"
"HEY!" she shouted. "Our dads are in the next room!" Jacob's raucous laughter earned him a smack on the head. "And you're not helping!"
"Paul just wants to know if-"
"Again! Not helping!" she cried, looking to Rachel for support. The girl just shrugged her shoulders, a half smile painted on her full lips. "May as well give up now. Remember, there's no secrets in the pack. Just fantasies."
"Oh my God, you guys are incorrigible. I'm getting a drink." Halfway to the fridge, the doorbell rang. "Who on earth could be ringing the bell this time of night?"
"Probably Mike Newton with a Christmas present for you," Jacob teased. "Better go see what he wants before the wolf answers the door."
Bella rolled her eyes and whirled on Paul. "No cheating while I'm gone."
Plastering an innocent look on his face, he replied solemnly and held up his crossed fingers. "Wouldn't dream of it."
"Oh! and honey?" Jacob called. "Best be careful. I bet he's packin' mistletoe."
Still laughing when she opened the front door, the smile on her lips died instantly when she saw the visitor who had come to call.
"Merry Christmas, Bella!"
The sound of growls and wooden chairs hitting the floor echoed through the closed house. "What are you doing here, Esme?" she asked, already flanked by Jacob and Paul. This has to be a dream, she thought. Please, God, let it be a bad dream! The tension in the air was palpable and Bella knew the situation could get out of hand if she didn't do something quick.
"Is that any way to greet an old friend?" she chastised her. "I was in the area and wanted to see you." Esme smiled so brightly that if she were actually human, her cheeks would have been frosty from the cold, lips pulled into a mile wide stretch. "You look wonderful, Bella!"
The compliment sailed past her much like a deflating balloon. There was no kindness in her heart for any member of the Cullen family. Not anymore. "Esme, I think you should leave." She could practically feel Paul and Jacob trembling behind her, their wolves desperately begging to be unleashed.
Bella made a move to close the door, but Esme's hand shot out forcing it firmly back open. "Actually," she pointed out, "they need to leave. A technicality, but still... though I don't mind if they'd like to stay while we catch up. After all, it is Christmas." She actually had the gall to sound magnanimous. Holding out a wonderfully wrapped gift decked in wide green ribbon and silver sleigh bells, the serene voice from Bella's past lulled her into a false sense of comfort. "This is for you, sweetheart."
Her hands reached for the gift of their own accord, as if moving in slow motion. When the firm set of her shoulders relaxed and when her fingers brushed against Esme's, Bella looked into the woman's eyes finding herself wanting nothing more than to invite her inside. "I've missed you so much, sweetheart. We all have. Edward and Alice especially," she crooned.
The mention of his name snapped Bella out of it. The scars on her wrist began to itch and throb. Danger... danger... her mind repeated it over and over. A conversation with Billy years ago tickled her memory. 'Did any of them ever get you to do a thing you wouldn't ordinarily do and yet you found yourself doing it anyway?'
Jacob pulled her backwards, breaking the spell, then forced Esme further out on the porch. "The treaty is void. Leave now."
"NO." Suddenly Esme's face transformed before Bella's eyes, revealing the monster that lurked deep inside her body. "You're all overreacting. I'd never hurt Bella, she's like a daughter to me. It's up to her if I stay or go."
"That's where you're wrong, leech. Things have changed since you left town." Paul edged closer to the vampire, forcing her back into the swirling darkness. "Bella is pack. Jacob Black is the Alpha. Now, leave."
The wheels spun in Esme's mind, churning faster than the blizzard of snow falling around them. She smiled hugely, her voice sickeningly sweet as she clamped eyes on Bella. "Come with me," she begged. "I've planned a wonderful Christmas for all of us. We'll sing carols around the piano and drink hot chocolate by the fire."
Charlie was stirring in the living room. Bella stepped outside and closed the door behind her. "Your brand of persuasion isn't going to work on me. I'm celebrating the holiday here, with my real family. Now, please, go before someone sees you."
"I'm very sorry you feel that way. If you change your mind..." she offered, but Bella cut her off at the pass. "I won't."
Seemingly defeated, Esme turned toward the street. Just past the edge of the sidewalk, she whirled around, darting between the muscled shoulders of Jacob and Paul. Her hands had barely brushed against Bella's arms before another blur of white emerged out of the darkness, knocking her to the ground.
The world tipped on its axis, then a blond-haired vampire was screaming into the wind. "Bella! Get inside, now!" In a flash of fur and snow, the wolves exploded out of their skin, snarling at the two women wrestling in the snow.
"Rosalie..." Bella sat frozen, unable to move. A cacophony of howls echoed through the forest. They were coming. Panic bubbled up in her throat. Every mistake in her life had culminated into this moment. The wolves closed in, circling their prey, while Rosalie screamed with all her might. "I'm not here to hurt her! I'm here to stop this from happening!"
Her pleas were lost on the warriors in the frenzy to protect their own. Leah rushed out of the trees, Matt, Máire and Embry hot on her heels. "I'm on your side!" Rosalie cried. "They want to turn her! Don't let them have her!"
It didn't matter, Paul's monstrous jaws were nearly on her neck. Bella couldn't breathe. The pack was about to tear apart two vampires on her father's lawn.
A shot rang out in the air, startling everyone from their insanity. Another and another, each crack of the rifle jarring them out of their senses. Esme twisted beneath Rosalie, breaking free. As suddenly as she came, she was gone. Only Charlie's voice remained in the silence, cutting the air like a knife.
"Boys, I may not be able to kill you, but I'll fill your asses so full of lead you'll be picking out buckshot for a week." Bella turned to see him standing on the porch, a shotgun leveled right at them and knew he meant business. "I don't know what the hell is going on here but you need to get your furry behinds back inside." He didn't blink once, but looked over the rest of the crowd. "You too Leah. All of you. The girl too. I'm going in and I expect you all to join me in thirty seconds or there's gonna be hell to pay." Slowly he lowered the gun then turned toward the door. Hesitating at the threshold then tossing a glance over his shoulder, he stared down Máire.
"Welcome back, grandmother."
AN: I apologize for the lack of updates, but life has been a little busy... in a really good way! In case you haven't heard, I published my first book, A Thousand Words, A Novella under my Author Name, Jaime Sommers. Thank you so much to all of you who have encouraged, asked and made me believe in my dreams.
Thank you to my TR Admins, who have never let me falter. To my reviewers who have made me smile over and over again. To Misty for doing so much leg work, to Shadow for teaching me so much over the past two years. To BetterinTexas, for giving me the words.
I could not have done it without any of you.
A Thousand Words can be found on Amazon in print and kindle editions.