Chapter 5 - First Encounters
Edward was puzzled.
He knew the thoughts of three people in the prisoner transport van. Two human males and one female. The driver gripped the steering wheel tightly as the Compound's main access gate opened. He was nervous about meeting vampires for the first time. Beside him in the front passenger seat, his fellow correctional officer gave a hum appreciation when the Manor House and its perfectly maintained grounds came into view. The third officer escort rode in the back of the van and reviewed prisoner transfer guidelines. She didn't want to make a mistake on such high-profile proceedings.
Edward felt the mental presence of three correctional officers from Hazelton Federal Penitentiary.
But there were supposed to be four people in the vehicle.
Through the eyes of the third guard, Edward could see the girl, Isabella Swan, sitting in a metal-framed confinement cell. She obviously existed in the physical sense, yet he couldn't access her mind. He concentrated on the area of space he knew her to occupy, but nothing was there.
Nothing at all.
Such a thing had never happened to him, not even before his abilities had been enhanced.
Her apparent mental silence wasn't the only strange phenomenon he discovered. She had unique scent, and he detected it much earlier than those of her companions. The aroma was potent—rich and heady, seductively enticing. It burned his throat and beckoned him near. It caused every single muscle in his body to tense, ready for the hunt. More than any other time in his vampire life, save one, he wanted to close his hands around a human's neck, bring it to his lips, slide his teeth over the delicate skin, and suck down the blood until not a drop was left.
With a tightly clenched jaw, he cut off the flow of air to his lungs and directed a questioning glance toward Jasper. The Security Director wore a similarly strained expression. He could feel Edward's desire, which made fighting his own a much more difficult endeavor.
Jasper's brow furrowed in confusion. It affects you, too? That's odd. No one else in the family noticed a difference when we were around her in Forks. I wonder why you—
Jasper's thought was interrupted by a deluge of emotion—a hungry, animalistic need for blood. An instant later, he took off at top speed after a vampire whose sole focus was to feed on the source of such a mouth-watering fragrance.
As quick as Jasper was, Edward could run faster. Just as the van came within striking distance, the Vice Chancellor took a final long stride and then leapt into the air. He closed his arms around the target, and together, they crashed to the ground.
Demetri struggled and fought hard to free himself, but escape was a lost cause, especially when Jasper arrived to assist Edward. A wave of calm helped Demetri gain control over his lust.
"Oh, what fun," Alice said as she ran up and subtly edged Edward out of the way with her hip. She put her hand on Demetri's arm in case he tried to run again. "I certainly didn't see that coming."
Demetri shook his head in remorse and looked at Edward. He opened his mouth to speak and then realized that it would be prudent not to breathe.
I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. The scent—it's just so…tempting.
"I know," Edward said. "Jasper and I also find this particular scent extremely appealing. We've had much more practice resisting human blood, though. There's no reason to be ashamed. You've done remarkably well since your conversion."
Emmett jogged up to the group and came to stop in front of Demetri. "Alrighty, then. Someone want to let us normal people in on the fun? What the hell just happened?"
Jasper held up a hand as he listened to the buzz of his earpiece. "Thanks, Rose. I'm going to have Emmett escort Demetri to you. Keep him in Security Central until we get a chance to do a complete debrief."
"I don't need to stay there with him—do I? I'd really hate to miss out on the show." Emmett tilted his head toward the transport van that rolled by them on the way to the Manor House. He thumped Demetri on the back hard enough that the vampire had to take a small step forward to keep him balance. "He'll behave. My boy's not stupid; he knows better than to piss off Rose."
Jasper gave a curt nod. "That's fine. Demetri, wait until you're inside before breathing again. Emmett, make sure you stay until it's clear he is completely under control."
Emmett and Demetri departed for Security Central, and the remaining three vampires returned to the transfer site, where Tanya and a lithe gray wolf waited beside the prisoner transport van. The strawberry blond vampire caught Edward's eye and arched a brow.
All this excitement over a single human female? She must be quite extraordinary, eh, zlato?
The expression on Edward's face never changed, although he bristled inwardly at her use of the Slovakian endearment.
His discomfort wasn't due to any shame over his previous relationship with her—or her sisters, for that matter. He didn't regret staying an extra two and a half years in Denali when the rest of the Cullens moved to Forks. But he wasn't able to overcome the lingering frustration and…disappointment…when reminded of that period in his life.
Even before Kate fell in love with Garrett, she respected Edward's wishes to end their tryst. She closed the door on that compartment of memories in her mind and resumed their easy friendship. Tanya, however, held onto the hope that he'd one day want more with her. She wasn't pushy about it, but neither did she curb her suggestive tendencies.
With a twitch of his shoulders, Edward acknowledged that he'd heard her comment and turned his attention to the van. The driver shook visibly in his seat, trying to control his shock over seeing a horse-sized snarling wolf burst out of a young woman's body. The guard on the passenger side also stared at Leah, but more out of intrigue than fright.
Jasper stepped in their field of view and motioned that they should exit the vehicle.
"Thank you for being patient, gentlemen," he said, looking them over with a discerning eye. "First, I'd like to inform you that Vice Chancellor and Chief Magistrate Edward Cullen will be observing the proceedings today. Sir?"
When Jasper nodded toward Edward, the eyes of the correctional officers grew wide as they recognized the man whom they'd seen countless times on television, on the Internet, and in printed media. The driver jerked forward at the waist in an awkward attempt to bow.
"Hello, sir…uh, Your Highness, sir…" he said in a wavering voice. "I'm Lieutenant Stilberg, and this is Sergeant Mueller. S-Sergeant Becklin is in the van with the prisoner."
Edward hid an amused smile and dipped his chin. "Pleased to meet you both."
The two guards probably would have stood staring for a few minutes more, but Jasper wanted to have the girl locked in her cell as quickly as possible. Knowing that Sergeant Mueller was more level-headed than the Lieutenant, Jasper spoke to him about the prisoner and had Stilberg handle the transfer paperwork with Tanya.
"What can you tell me about Swan's temperament?" he asked Mueller.
The correctional officer glanced at the van as if he could see the young woman inside. "She's been a model inmate so far. Follows directions, doesn't cause a fuss. Actually, she doesn't do much at all except read and exercise. Never hear her talk unless someone asks a direct question."
"What does she read, and how does she get her exercise?"
"Huh?" Mueller gave the Security Director a baffled look. "I'm not sure exactly what all she reads—books from the inmate library, I guess. Maybe a magazine or two? No idea what she does at the gym, but there's not much in there. Treadmills, elliptical, punching bag…a few other things."
Jasper rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm. Can you think of any other noteworthy information that wouldn't be included in the report?"
"Er, not off the top of my head. Sergeant Becklin might know of something. I can switch places with her so you can—"
"That won't be necessary," Jasper said, cutting the man off with a wave of his hand. "You can bring Swan out now."
Edward had been watching the girl in Becklin's mind and saw nothing extraordinary in her. She sat primly on the white metal seat, her cuffed hands folded in her lap. The shapeless khaki inmate garb she wore swallowed up her figure and made her look almost like a child. Medium length brown hair was tied away from a delicate profile that was interesting in a non-classical sort of way. Edward found her attractive on an empirical level, though her feminine appearance did nothing to arouse him.
Of course, that didn't come as much of a surprise, he thought wryly.
There was something familiar about her, however—something that put him on edge. He knew her face well from photographs, video footage, and others' thoughts, but seeing her now, in person and with her scent in the air, he had the niggling feeling that he was overlooking an important detail.
Sergeant Becklin unlocked the wire door to Isabella Swan's cell and released the tether running from her cuffs to the seat.
"Alright, Swan, this is it," Becklin said quietly. "Behave like you've been doing, and I'm sure you'll be back with us soon. Take care, okay?"
The sergeant's body blocked everyone except Edward from seeing the girl's furtive smirk. His uneasy feeling intensified at the sight of her shrewd expression.
"Don't worry, Sarge," she murmured. "I'm tougher than you think." Her lips still twisted slyly, and she let out a low, bitter chuckle.
Edward and Alice gasped.
The smaller vampire reacted so quickly that Edward didn't have time to steel himself against her forceful tug. Before the breath died on his lips, she had pulled him fifty yards away from the van.
"Alice!" he exclaimed, getting his feet under him and bringing them both to a stop. "That was not necessary."
A moment later, Jasper bounded up to them, landing in a low defensive position and searching for the cause of their alarm. "What's going on?"
Edward looked past him, back to the van, where Leah hovered menacingly over Mueller and Tanya had a hold of Stilberg and Becklin. He could hear Emmett charging out of Security Control on his way to them.
"It's her, the one in Alice's vision," he said calmly.
"Swan? She's the human who stood over you in the vision?" Surprise was thick in Jasper's voice. "The one who caused you all that pain?"
"She did, and apparently, she will. The image in Alice's vision wasn't clear enough for identification purposes, but we recognized her laugh. It's her."
Jasper's mind raced to incorporate the new information and analyze its implications.
"Okay…let's not jump to conclusions. Maybe Swan was present in the vision, but that doesn't mean she had anything to do with whatever happened. We can't even be certain whether or not that possible future will still come to pass." He turned to his wife. "You haven't been able to see the vision since the first time, right?"
"I've been searching for it, but my sight, it's…well, you know." She shrugged and then sent a warning glance to Edward. "Of course, I'm thankful for the glimpses that I do get. At least we know to be careful around her."
"And we will be careful," Jasper declared. "Even if she's unrelated to potential future events, I'll take every precaution necessary."
Edward stifled a groan.
Ignoring his brother's exasperated sound, Jasper straightened from his defensive position and signaled Tanya and Leah to stand down. When Emmett joined the group, the Security Director assigned him to stay with Edward at a "safe" distance from the van.
"This is completely absurd," Edward muttered, watching Kate emerge from the forest. After accepting a communication headset, Tanya departed at a swift jog to assume her sister's patrolling duties.
"You know Jasper," Emmett replied with a good-natured grin. "He doesn't mess around, especially when it comes to your protection."
From their distant vantage point, they saw Swan step out of her cell onto the stone-paved driveway and slowly examine her surroundings. She looked first at Leah, making an unmistakable sound of disgust. The wolf bared her teeth and snapped them together repeatedly as if daring the girl to come closer. The two exchanged a long, hostile glare until Swan snorted in derision and turned to the vampires.
The hatred she emanated was almost a tangible force. Though her mind remained silent to him, he could easily read her hostility and loathing. She glowered at Jasper, Alice, and Kate in succession and seemed to vibrate with revulsion when Kate closed a cool hand around her bare forearm.
"She feels like every other human," Kate reported to Jasper. "I'm not harmed."
Edward rolled his eyes when Jasper touched the girl, then had Alice and Leah do the same.
"If anything is painful, it's being subjected to this circus. She's a human, not a landmine. " He began to walk toward the group, his strides long and purposeful. "I've had enough."
Emmett caught up to Edward with a leap and then matched strides.
"Oh, this is gonna go over well," he commented sarcastically as Jasper's head whipped around in Edward's direction.
"Unless Carlisle directs otherwise, this is my interrogation, and I'll handle it as I see fit." Edward spoke quietly but with a tone that left no question about his authority in the matter.
Jasper gritted his teeth but said nothing as Edward approached. He knew that arguing was pointless, and it wasn't something he would do outside of a private setting, anyway. His wary gaze flicked back and forth between the Chief Magistrate and Isabella Swan.
When she spotted Edward's tall form closing the distance between them, the young woman stiffened, mouth agape, barely breathing. Her hands were clenched into fists by her side, her eyes narrowed to slits. The animosity she previously expressed seemed negligible compared to the rage that now consumed her body. Its sheer magnitude almost gave Edward pause.
Almost.
He continued toward her, stopping only when less than an arm's length separated them. Steadying himself against the potency of her scent, he studied her features in minute detail.
"You," she hissed, shifting her weight forward onto the balls of her feet as if she wanted to spring at him. "It's you."
He had no idea why she held special contempt for him but was intrigued by the mystery. This girl held the answers to so many questions.
"Yes, it is I, Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, of the Vampire Populace," he said mildly. "And you are Isabella Marie Swan, United States Federal Bureau of Prisons Register Number 235527. Welcome to—"
Stepping smoothly to the side, he avoided the mouthful of saliva that shot through the space he'd just occupied. "–Cullen Manor. You know, it isn't considered polite to spit on one's hosts," he said, unperturbed. "I think your manners could use some improvement. For instance, did you know it's also not nice to shoot at your friends…Bella?"
The surprise on her face at his use of the nickname was so unambiguous that Edward wondered if his ineffective telepathic ability would be such a hindrance after all.
"Don't you remember your conversation with Vice President Parker before you pulled a gun on her? You insisted she call you 'Bella,' as your friends do. I have to wonder if you try to murder all the people you like."
The angry flush of red in her face amplified her scent and aggravated the burn in his throat. Calling on a reserve of willpower, he swallowed the rush of venom and bent forward so that his lips brushed the hair beside her ear.
"If that happens to be the case, Bella," he murmured, "I'll do my best to ensure you never like me."
-v-v-v-v-v-v-
Arms folded in front of her chest, she paced the perimeter of her small, fully enclosed cell. Several strands of hair had slipped from the tie, and they fluttered against her face when she made a sharp ninety-degree turn in each corner.
The girl had been at it for over an hour. Although the video feed that Rosalie watched came through in high definition, Edward couldn't make out the film of sweat he assumed must be on her body. She'd shed her prescribed button-down shirt a while ago, now wearing only a thin white undershirt. The subtle curves of toned arms supported Sergeant Mueller's statement about her gym use.
Rosalie was pleased to have Swan in their custody, but she didn't think much of the inmate as either a human or an assassin. To her, Inmate 235527 signified nothing more than a means to a larger end—one in which Jacob Black faced serious repercussions for the attack against the Chancellor. If the girl could provide additional evidence against the Quileute, there would be a stronger case for his extradition to the United States or, preferably, the Vampire Populace.
For Carlisle and Seth's sakes, Edward also wanted to get his hands on the boy, but he sought justice for the Vice President and the injured Secret Service agents, as well. He wished Isabella Swan was like any other accused individual. The process would be easy, then. He'd put her to sleep if she wasn't already in that state, search her mind for pertinent memories and associated thoughts, and deliver a report to a judicial committee.
After his testimony was reviewed, Swan would have a final appearance before him and the committee for additional questions. There, she'd be granted an opportunity to offer a personal statement. Edward would compose his closing report based on her thoughts during the session, and then the committee would pass judgement. If warranted, a sentence would be issued.
For even the most complex cases, the Chief Magistrate's participation never amounted to more than a handful of hours. The hardship lay solely in the physical and emotional toll brought upon him during interrogation sessions. But this Swan girl…not only did she seem immune to his abilities, there was also a chance she could cause him harm. It was a highly unprecedented situation with highly unfortunate timing.
And because of those circumstances, his strongest ally turned traitor.
"There are more reasons for him not to be here right now than otherwise," Jasper said to Carlisle. "Your security needs are minimal for the next week, so it won't be a problem for Rose and Emmett to accompany him while Alice and I stay here to question Swan."
The Chancellor rested his arms on his antique oak writing table and touched the fingertips of his two hands together. "I do see your point. Edward?"
Swan heaved a sigh and finally stopped in front of the small closet recessed in one of the cell walls. After pulling a paperback out of her duffel bag, she trudged to the twin-sized bed and sat down.
Edward had an irrationally strong desire to know the title of the book, but the words on the cover were hidden behind a particularly defiant lock of hair, and then Rosalie was turning away from the screen to pull up the latest NSA security brief…
"Edward?"
Though he was physically located in the Carlisle's private study with the Chancellor and the Security Director—looking straight at them, in fact—Edward's attention had been focused on the inmate two levels below. He pulled his mind back into the meeting and replayed the last few minutes of conversation that only his subconscious had registered.
"Absolutely not," he replied finally. "I think I should spend more time with her if tonight's attempt fails. It's important to discover how she's keeping me out and to see if prolonged exposure makes a difference. We should bring Eleazar in. He might be able to help, as well."
"Yes, but there's no reason you can't look into those options after a few days of vacation," Jasper argued. "It'll give me a chance to research her history further and collect data on her behavior while she's here. That way, you'll have more information on hand when it comes time for a verbal interrogation."
"Don't you think it'd be more useful if I observe her myself instead of relying on a report? I have the same doctorate in Psychology as you, not to mention decades of insight into countless minds." Edward sighed and met his brother's gaze. "Listen, Jasper, I appreciate your concern—I really do—but you can't keep me wrapped in a protective bubble all the time. It's oppressive, counterproductive, and, quite frankly, annoying as fuck."
Jasper stared at him for several moments and then averted his eyes to the floor.
"Yeah…maybe you're right. I'm sorry. I'll try to find a better balance between your security and your personal freedom."
But you have to remember, Jasper continued in silent remorse, our family is still suffering from Esme's death. Even the mere thought of losing someone else is…
"I know," Edward murmured. "But I can't step back from this one. Not now. I promise to be careful, though."
Carlisle looked at his two sons and saw that the matter was settled. "Alright, then. Edward, you'll attempt a standard interrogation session tonight, and if that fails, conduct a verbal interview at your discretion. I haven't heard from Ambassador Black yet, but expect him to visit with Ms. Swan in the next day or two. His influence may encourage her to be more forthcoming."
"I'll start looking for Eleazar," Jasper added. "He was in South Africa at the beginning of the year, but Tanya mentioned something about him wanting to spend the summer in Spain."
"When you get in touch with him, give minimal detail regarding the situation. I'd rather tell him in person about Edward's inability to read Ms. Swan," Carlisle said. "We should keep that information as close as possible. At this point, there is no reason for anyone outside of the family to know."
After Jasper and Edward voiced their agreement, they took their leave of the Chancellor. Jasper headed to Security Control, and Edward returned to his room to see how many items Brady had added to his worklist in the past four hours. He was grateful to discover that his tasks could likely be completed before the pre-interrogation counseling that evening.
But his mind needed only the short delay of his email opening to wander away from the laptop screen and down to the surveillance camera monitoring screens in Security Control. Rosalie thoughts didn't contribute much—her gaze flickered over the numerous streams from cameras located all over the Compound. Jasper, however, was concentrating on the feed from the sole occupied inmate cell.
Still on the bed, the girl had turned onto her stomach. The book she read lay flat on the mattress. Edward felt irritated that the title was obscured yet again. It was such a small, insignificant piece of information, but for some reason, he wanted to storm into her room, snatch the book out of her hands, and satisfy his irksome curiosity.
It did make some sense, he supposed. During his time as a vampire, Edward had become accustomed to knowing exactly what was going through the minds of the people around him. Yes, there had been times when he'd wished to be "normal"—that he could rid himself of the frustration, stress, and physical pain associated with his ability—but he'd never truly considered how he'd feel without it.
Blind.
That's how it was. When it came to Isabella Swan, Edward felt blind.
He didn't like it one bit.
So, it seemed reasonable that he found every detail about her interesting. She was an enigma, a riddle to be solved. Her intense hatred of vampires—particularly him—only served to intrigue him further. Given the vast disparity between her strength and his, Edward found her stubborn defiance to be whimsical, yet brave. Even…admirable, perhaps?
He wondered how, or if, his opinion of her would change should he gain access to her thoughts.
Over an hour passed before Edward realized he'd not gotten a single task on his list completed. With some embarrassment, he pushed the girl out of his mind and set to work. Reports were written, briefings were read, calls were made, documents were signed.
And then it was time for Swan's pre-interrogation counseling.
He deliberately arrived a few minutes late. Rosalie gave him a thoughtful once-over when he stepped in the room reserved for inmate interviews. Edward was known for his punctuality and adherence to rules. Exceptions rarely occurred.
He surprised her further by asking her to step out of the room for the session. She almost argued, but the hard set of his features caused her to think twice.
The girl sat at a small wooden table in a simple chair made of metal, staring blankly ahead. She wore a different set of clothes now—the deep crimson uniform of an inmate in the custody of the Vampire Populace. Her hair was tied back in accordance with regulation.
Edward was thankful for the latter. Since the inmate rooms had a separate ventilation system, he'd been spared the assault of her potent fragrance, but there was no escaping it while in the same room. Loose, flowing hair increased scent diffusion, and he was having a difficult time resisting as it was.
He circled the room several times without saying a word—simply observing and wondering. She didn't look at him, didn't act as if she noticed his presence at all. Her respiration and pulse fell within normal range, and she sat casually as if being in the presence of a powerful vampire didn't bother her in the least.
Edward had witnessed previous occupants of that seat acting in a similar manner, but then, they'd all been sociopaths. Isabella Swan didn't seem to fit the profile, yet he knew so little about her.
Enough games, he decided. It was time for answers.
He sped across the room and slid into the chair on the opposite side of the table, hoping to startle her. But the only reaction he inspired was the blinking of her eyes as a wake of disrupted air breezed over her.
In a quick change of tactics, Edward adopted an equally relaxed posture. He would try to catch this little fly with honey before going after her with a swatter.
"I hope you've found your room acceptable," he began, his tone conversational. "Is there anything you need? I could look into it for you."
Her eyes flicked up to his face, and Edward thought he noticed a flash of wary surprise within the rich brown. Her gaze quickly returned to the table surface, but it was enough that he'd gotten her attention.
"If you think of anything later, let one of us know. We'll do what we can."
She didn't respond, and they sat in silence, Edward watching her and Swan staring at the table. He assumed the completely motionless pose of his kind, not breathing, not blinking, ignoring everything else to focus on her, sight and sound.
The girl tried to keep still, herself, but he could see that she was fighting a losing battle. Her fingers twitched against the material of her pants. Then a leg shifted position under the table. The muscles over her jaw tightened, her shoulders tensed, and nostrils flared. Edward had to suppress a smirk when her heart rate increased.
It turned out to be much easier than he expected. Five minutes after he shed all human idiosyncrasies, Swan's egg cracked.
"Ugh! You…things…are so fucking creepy!" she huffed, standing up with a loud scrape of her chair across the floor. She began to pace back and forth in the small area behind her side of the table. "I don't know why you even bother acting like us when it's so obvious that you're not."
Other than following her movement with amber-colored eyes, Edward remained frozen in place.
"You think you're fooling everyone with your polite, refined manners and 'peaceful' government, but we know better. We've defeated your kind for centuries and have seen your true nature. And though some of our people have fallen for your lies, the rest of us will never stop fighting." She scowled and began walking faster.
Edward found so much in her rant worthy of further study, but one point required clarification before all others. He sprung out of his chair and landed directly in the path of Swan's march.
"Excuse you," she snapped, pulling herself up short. "If you're trying to intimidate me with all this zipping around, you're wasting your time. I live with a bunch of overgrown wolf-boys who try to scare the shit out of me every chance they get. Sorry, but super speed and strength don't do much to impress me."
Though intimidating Swan was exactly what he'd hoped to accomplish, Edward graced her with a condescending grin.
"Impress you? Your country has charged you with a laundry list of federal crimes, not least of which is the attempted assassination of a beloved vice president. You were handed over to your self-proclaimed enemy for interrogation and involuntary testimony collection. I have you here, in my custody, in this room, where I could snuff out your life with a twitch of my fingers. Inmate 235527, I don't need to impress you at all."
As he spoke, Edward leaned so far forward that the girl had to crane her head up and back to meet his glance. Their faces were mere inches apart, close enough that he could taste her warm, intoxicating breath on his tongue. The swirling scent made him nearly delirious with desire. All he had to do was lower his head just a little more—a simple drop of his chin—and his lips would be right there, on her neck, over her vein…where the blood was pulsing faster than he'd ever heard it…he'd pull her body tight against his so she couldn't escape—but she'd probably struggle…he hoped that she would…
Edward had already straightened upright with a jerk before Jasper and Rosalie's stern mental warnings echoed in his mind. The two were observing the room from Security Control. Jasper had the advantage of feeling Edward's lust, but even without empathic abilities, Rosalie could see his control slipping.
Expending no small effort, he stepped away from Swan and gestured to her seat.
"Before, you said that 'we've defeated your kind for centuries.' I understand you live on the Reservation now, but do you have a Quileute ancestor I'm not aware of?"
The girl scowled at the chair as if sitting in it was an acquiescence she wasn't prepared to give. She settled for standing behind it with her arms crossed.
"Maybe I wasn't born a Quileute, but I'm just as much a member of the tribe as any of the others. Probably more so, because I didn't betray my ancestors by befriending a mortal enemy." She shook her head and lowered her voice to a mutter. "Taha Aki would be ashamed to call them his sons. Traitors, especially Billy…Ephraim's own grandson…a chief…disgraceful…"
"You do realize that it was Ephraim Black who made the original treaty with my family, right?"
Swan shoved the metal chair out of her way and stepped to the table. She slammed her hands down onto its surface.
"Because you tricked him! You got into his head and told him lies and forced him to accept your will so that you could murder without the tribe's interference. And now you're doing it again, but this time to the entire human race! But some of us know the truth, and we're going to stop you. All of us. When it's time, we're going to—"
Her eyes grew wide, and she stared at him in horror, her mouth gaping open.
It took Edward a moment to figure out why she looked so aghast. The girl had no idea that her mind was silent to him. She thought she'd given away important information. She thought she'd exposed a secret plan.
If only that could be true.
Clearing his throat conspicuously, Edward adopted a more formal position in his chair. He leveled an apathetic gaze at her.
"As you have been informed on several occasions, tonight you will be subjected to a mental deposition extraction. Physically, the procedure is painless and occurs while you sleep. I will be in a room adjacent to your cell and will search the stores of your memory for information related to the charges against you. Any evidence I collect is considered sworn testimony and will be used by a judicial committee to pass judgement and determine sentencing, if applicable. If you wish to volunteer a statement now, your cooperation will be noted and may result in a more lenient sentence."
The girl had taken a step back from the table, her shoulders drooping in defeat. She seemed to shrink inward on herself, and once again, Edward noticed how small she was compared to him—slight of stature and delicate, fragile like a baby bird. The thought made him oddly uncomfortable.
"Is there anything you'd like to say?" he asked, his tone more gentle than before.
When she glanced at him, reflections of the overhead lights shone brightly in her watery eyes. Her mouth opened as if to speak, but then she clamped her lips and turned her body away from him.
Edward let out a quiet sigh. Though he did want justice to be served, he'd hoped the girl would make an effort to help her case. She was facing the very real possibility of life in prison, and it seemed such a waste. He found it disheartening to picture a vibrant spirit such as hers confined in a cage.
But, she was still an inmate in his custody. He had a duty to discover the truth, and she was no different than any other criminal. He didn't care what happened to her or her spirit after she left Cullen Manor.
Not at all.
Pushing back against a strange sense of lethargy, Edward walked to the door at slower pace than he would normally take. When her breathy "Wait!" rang out, he felt a spark of hope.
"There is something I want to say."
Edward looked over his shoulder and was surprised to discover that the unmistakable expression of venomous hatred distorted her features once again.
"Maybe my time on this planet will end before yours, or…maybe not," she said with a sneer. "Either way, Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, I look forward to seeing you in hell."
Zlato – Slovakian term of endearment that translates to "gold." It refers to something precious.
Thank you so much to fyrebyrd89 and PurpleC305 for pre-reading! Eternal thanks to Powered by 23 Kicks for pre-reading, helping me with difficult paragraphs, and listening to me whine. She's a supah-stah!
Last but certainly not least, thank YOU for reading and reviewing! In Your Dreams was voted a July Fic Dive Favorite at A Different Forest. I can't say how grateful I am for the amazing support.