Fill Me with Your Poison Chapter 16
Shortly after Edward showed Bella all around the castle, the male vampires took their leave for a night of debauchery, while the females stayed behind to greet guests as they arrived and to look over last-minute wedding details. And true to Edward's word, Gianna appeared quickly to inform Sulpicia of an issue with her dress.
As mother of the groom, Sulpicia considered her dress to be nearly as important as the bride's itself. Actually, if she was being honest, her dress was the most important in her eyes, but even she knew that only she would consider it so.
She had the expected tantrum that the males had been all too happy to escape. Bella stayed out of the line of fire while Gianna reassured her that the dress could be fixed in time, but that they needed to go and have a fitting immediately. Sulpicia forgot all about Bella as she followed Gianna from the room.
Guess I'm on my own.
Bella waited several minutes before making her way through the castle. One of the rooms that Edward had been sure to show her was Phillip's. Demetri had told them that Renee wasn't social with the other vampires. She either performed her guard duty or spent time in her room with Phillip. Bella suspected that he wanted it that way, since he'd kept her from the rest of the group until Chelsea had bound her as tightly as she could to him.
She knocked on the door and waited several moments before the door slightly opened. Renee peeked out at her, her blank expression the same as it had been in the parlor earlier.
"Am I needed?" she asked, her voice soft, musical, and very different from that which Bella remembered growing up.
Bella's heart would have been pounding in that moment if it had been capable of doing so. "No." Remember me. Why can't you look at me and see?
Renee started to close the door, but Bella stilled it. "Sulpicia had to leave, and I was hoping that maybe you and I could talk."
Renee shook her head and tried to shut the door again, but again, Bella stopped her. "Perhaps you could show me around? I'm new here, and surely you-"
"It is not permitted," Renee interrupted. "I am to guard Aro or stay here. That is all."
"Maybe I could come in, talk a little?" Desperation was gripping Bella. She wanted to shake her mother, rattle her brain and make her realize that her daughter was standing before her. It wasn't the answer, but it the only one she had at the moment.
"No, it is not allowed." Renee had a stubborn line across her forehead that Bella remembered from her youth. Her mother was dug in, and nothing was going to change her mind. Before she could figure her next move, she felt the tingle of a new power, and before her very eyes, her mother started to look different. She could still see the black cloak, but now she saw threads, brown threads wrapped around it, almost making her look like a mummy.
Bella gasped as she realized that those were the bonds that were holding her to Phillip, to Volterra. Chelsea was clearly nearby, and Bella had absorbed another power that was pivotal to the plan. She concentrated on one particular thread and watched as it unwrapped and moved toward her. For one brief moment, it connected her and her mother, and she swore she saw a flash of recognition in her eyes.
Before she could react, a feminine voice interrupted them. "Well, hello. Who have we here?" The thread snapped back to Renee's body instantly, before several other threads reached behind Bella to the newcomer.
Bella turned and put on what she hoped was a confused smile. "I'm afraid I'm all turned around. My name is Bella. I'm-"
"Edward's fiancée! I'm delighted to meet you. I'm Chelsea."
Bella wanted badly to rip the pretty brunette's head off, to free her mother of those awful threads that stretched between the two women. But she couldn't.
"It's great to meet you. I was wondering if there were any other females about. I've only met Edward's mother and Ren…Renata."
Chelsea laughed, seemingly delighted. "There are a few of us about, but we are outnumbered greatly." She grinned conspiratorially. "Not that we tend to mind. So many gorgeous men, you know?"
Bella chuckled with her. "Yes, it's not a hardship on the eyes, is it?"
"Most certainly not."
Bella didn't react as a new bond moved from Chelsea to wrap around her, even though everything in her screamed to break it and take her mother and run. That was not to be the way. Edward had warned her that Chelsea would use her bonds on them; it was just her nature. The key was to appear to already be tied to Volterra, to want to be there. She wouldn't feel the need to use more than the most basic of ties, plus Bella would be able to break it at any time with her newfound gift.
"So, what brings you to Renata's door?" Chelsea asked. Bella heard the underlying tension in the tone.
"Edward and the men went out to celebrate his last few days of bachelorhood," Bella told Chelsea, rolling her eyes for effect and making her laugh. "I wanted to look around this fabulous house, castle, whatever you call it, and got all sorts of turned around." She put all of her love for the architecture and art into her words, making it clear that she found Volterra to be heaven on earth. It wasn't hard to look at it as such, even though she knew it had been her mate's prison for far too many years to count.
"They left you all alone, did they?" Chelsea shook her head, tsking at the very idea.
"Sulpicia and I were going to go over wedding stuff, but there was an issue with her dress, so-"
"Well, we can't have that, can we? Let us show you about, and you can tell us all about how you and Edward met." Chelsea tucked her arm in Bella's, and the bond wrapped around them.
Bella smiled, accepting the tie. She bit back the sigh of relief when Chelsea gestured to Renee to join them.
"That sounds great." She fell into step with the women, trying not to be annoyed that she hadn't had a breakthrough with her mother. A germ of an idea took shape, and she beamed at Chelsea. "Are you mated?"
"Oh, no, not yet! I've found my place here, but not my mate."
Bella glanced at the Picasso on the wall. "I can see why it's your place. I've never seen anything more amazing."
Chelsea was pleased at Bella's contentment with Volterra.
Aro will be thrilled. She wants to be here without any assistance from me. His wish of having his son and daughter nearby will be quite easy to fulfill.
"The mate will come, I'm sure, and as you said, there are so many pleasing men to have a good time with in the meantime, am I right?"
As Bella gossiped and pretended to be interested in Chelsea's love life, she sent her mother image after image of herself as a human, with her daughter and her husband. She showed her memories of curling her hair, and Bella pestering her with questions as she made dinner, visits to the park and picnics at La Push, of Charlie and Billy and everyone else in town who her mother interacted with. She oohed and aahed over the magnificent sites in the castle as she inundated Renee with visual after visual. She was grateful that her mother's mind was open to her. Edward had warned her that the shield might prevent her from having any effect, but her mother apparently only used her shield when Aro was around.
Renee didn't react, but Bella felt like she was accomplishing something. Her mother's mind was carefully blank, but something about her face appeared softer. Even if she didn't remember the images, she seemed to like them. For now, it would have to suffice.
Xoxoxoxoxox
"A strip club? Really?" Edward asked as the vampires poured into one of the many clubs owned by Aro. As a mated vampire, he felt absolutely no pull toward the gyrating bodies on the stage, but his brothers were all whooping it up. Since Emmett was actually smiling, Edward wasn't going to make a scene. He did notice that, while most of the mated vampires looked as bored and disinterested as he did, Phillip was having a grand time.
His eyes met Marcus's, and he raised an eyebrow at the elder vampire. "They don't do anything for you?" Marcus had been alone longer than Edward had been alive.
"Nobody will ever compare to my Didyme," he responded.
"But-"
"We were together for a long time, and one day, we'll be together again. Until then, I wait." Marcus regarded Edward with interest. "You are as besotted with your Bella as I was Didyme. Can you conceive of ever touching another, even if she were gone?"
The thought made Edward physically ill. He took a seat at the table the elder vampires occupied, his back to all the action. "No. Bella is all I'll ever want."
"That is good, my son," Aro told him. "Meeting the right woman changes your perspective. All the things that once mattered become less."
That was true, yet Edward was still going to kill Aro and enjoy it. He'd enjoy it more now knowing that his Bella had been robbed of her mother due to his family. Maybe Aro didn't know about it, maybe he hadn't sanctioned Phillip's and Chelsea's actions, but he'd done plenty of other things he had to pay for.
"What if your mate was human when you met and she had no interest in becoming a vampire?" Edward asked, thinking of Emmett. He didn't know if Aro knew and he wasn't going to betray his brother's secret, but he was concerned about him.
"You mean, what if Bella hadn't chosen to be with you? What would you do?" Marcus asked, leaning back, his bony fingers tapping the table.
"Yes. I got lucky, but I know there are some humans that are very against becoming what we are. What then?" Edward was interested in Marcus's viewpoint on this topic in particular.
"Change her anyway," Caius answered, sounding bored.
Edward rolled his eyes. That was not unexpected, coming from Caius. He was a cruel vampire who thought only of himself and his needs.
"That's against the law," Aro informed, his grin belying his words. "I'd do that or take away her reasons for objecting." Emmett should have killed her family until she agreed.
"What if you couldn't?" Edward didn't react to Aro's thought. He knew Emmett wanted to kill Rose's fiancée-it had been a brief thought-but he'd been dissuaded by knowing the pain that it would cause her, and the anger it would bring his way.
"Nothing is impossible for us." Aro waved a hand airily. "If she is your mate, she will come to accept what she's become."
"Or make you miserable for eternity," Marcus pointed out. "No. I'd let her go. I'd stay close, and I'd wait for her to realize that she couldn't do without me. If she didn't, then I'd wish for her happiness, and when she got old and passed, I'd follow."
"But you didn't follow Didyme," Edward said.
"She and I had our time together. I have that to hold on to, to remember, to get me through every long day of my existence. If I go before my time, she'll be waiting for me, yes, but she'll be very angry. She wants what's best for me as well, young Edward. For now, I'm needed on this earth. Think of all I would have missed had I followed my beloved."
Edward couldn't fathom it, but thankfully, he didn't have to. He suspected Emmett would do as Marcus mentioned: watch and wait to see if Rose would come to him. If she never did, and Emmett wanted to follow her when she died, he would respect his brother's wishes. He'd want the same, in his place.
"It seems the boys are having a fine time," Aro observed, changing the subject back to more pleasant topics.
Edward saw that several lap dances were happening. Jasper, James, and Phillip were all partaking. Emmett was cheering and smiling, although it didn't reach his eyes.
"Some more than others," Edward muttered. "I thought Phil was mated."
"He is, but you've seen her," Aro sniffed derisively. "Not much life in that one. She's a good guard, though."
Edward's hands clenched into fists under the table as he sought for control. He badly wanted to snap that Renee might have been livelier if not for Phil and Chelsea's machinations. Soon, he reminded himself.
You see that he is not mated to her, don't you?
Edward responded to Marcus's mental inquiry with a tilted head. Of course Marcus knew. He should know, as that was his gift. What Edward didn't understand was why he hadn't said anything to Aro or anybody else.
He wants to be, or he puts on a good show of wanting to be, but something isn't right there. I haven't figured out why he continues the charade.
Edward cut eyes to Aro, asking the question with his eyes.
Yes, he knows something isn't right, but he likes her gift.
But of course. Aro didn't care if Renee was more or less a prisoner in her own body; he just cared that she provided him protection. Edward fought not to sneer.
For a long time, I thought that perhaps they were mated, just not as strongly as others. Not everybody is as connected as you and Bella are: in fact, the strength of your connection is quite rare. But even the weakest mate bond I've encountered has felt "right." Phillip and Renata have never felt right to me.
Because they weren't. Edward wanted to bash his quasi-brother's head in and free Renee then and there, but of course, it couldn't be done. Not if he wanted to be alive to marry his Bella in a few days. Phillip wasn't long for this world, though, so Edward hoped that he enjoyed his lap dance.
Nice, brother. You put me on distraction detail while the rest of the guys get tits and ass? The things I do for you.
Edward bit back a grin as Demetri's annoyed thoughts hit him loud and clear.
"Demetri's here," he told the rest of the table. "Excuse me for a minute. I haven't seen him yet."
"Yes, yes, go! Just because you have no interest in the ladies doesn't mean you shouldn't spend some time with your brothers. They have missed you nearly as much as your mother and I have."
Edward gave Aro a grateful squeeze on the shoulder. Thank you for everything, Father. Bella is so in love with the house, and it's the perfect place to marry her and give her my name. Your acceptance of her means more than I can say.
She is a beautiful girl, Edward. And I can see how complete she makes you. Your mother and I are beyond happy that you've found her and that you're coming home.
It's good to be home, Father.
"Go! Enjoy your bachelor party, son. You only get one!"
That was true. A mated vampire never got divorced or found another. One and done.
Edward congratulated himself on a job well done as he joined his brothers. Aro had no idea that anything was afoot, and thus far, he and Bella had both managed to maintain their equilibrium, despite the emotional challenges around them.
"Having fun, perverts?" Edward asked as he avoided the grasp of a scantily clad woman. He dropped into a chair next to Demetri, who was making up for lost time with a topless dancer grinding in his lap.
"I am now!" Demetri licked his lips as the woman bent to the floor, waving her ass in his face.
I sent Chelsea home as requested. Do you think Bella had enough time with her mother?
Edward shrugged. No news was hopefully good news. By now, Bella had Chelsea's ability in her repertoire, and that could only serve them well when things started to happen. The plan was for Bella to break Chelsea's bonds by killing her and re-bond those who weren't on the hit list to Edward, temporarily. He had no interest in maintaining loyalty through tricks and fear like Aro did, but during the heat of the moment, the more help they could get, the better.
"Don't you want a lap dance, brother?" James asked sarcastically, his hands on the ass of an athletic blonde.
"No, thanks," Edward replied with disinterest.
"I guess I can understand. Bella is one hot piece of ass. Wherever did you find her?"
Edward fantasized about backhanding James and sending him through the wall. "She walked into Venom, and instantly, I knew she was mine."
"Lucky, fucker. I have got to get Father to let me run a club."
"Like that would go well." James wasn't known for his control or his restraint. He'd likely break major rules on the first day.
"It would if all the girls looked like Bella. Hot damn." James slapped the blonde's ass, watching it jiggle.
Edward knew James was trying to get a rise out of him. He just gave him a wolfish grin, his face saying it all. You wish you had what I have, but you don't. Enjoy watching from afar, because that's as close to her as you'll ever get.
James couldn't hear his thoughts, but he got the message and didn't like it. That girl on the pole looks a bit like your Bella. Maybe I'll call her that when I'm fucking her later.
Edward laughed. "Have fun with that. She pales in comparison. And later tonight, it'll be my name that Bella cries out. I couldn't care less what your poor substitute says or does."
He turned his back on one soon-to-be-dead brother to face the other. "So, Phillip, you've all heard how I met my Bella. How did you meet your mate?"
Phillip looked away from where his eyes had been glued to the pole dancer in question. "Huh? Oh, I met her when I was visiting America a decade back. One look at her, and I knew." His gaze went back to the brunette.
"And she knew, too?" Emmett asked loudly, shaking his head. "I just can't see it, Philly." Phillip hated nicknames, so Emmett delighted in using them. "Girls just don't like you, unless you pay them, of course." He waved a hundred in the air, and the brunette left the pole and took it, dancing with little enthusiasm in front of Phillip when Emmett pointed to him.
"She liked me just fine," Phillip said testily.
"If you say so, Philistine. She sure is quiet, though." Emmett shook his head. "I hope she's livelier for you in private."
"She's shy and she's in Father's employ," Phillip said through clenched teeth. "She takes her job seriously, as should you. Don't disrespect her."
Edward raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that what you're doing, eying naked girls while she's home alone?"
"She knows where I am, and she doesn't mind. It's my brother's bachelor party. This is what men do."
Men, yes. Male vampires? Not necessarily, but Edward had squashed Aro's hunting idea. He felt no need to break the law, content with the status quo.
God, he's annoying, isn't he? I can't wait to kill him, really. The fact that I haven't in all these years is beyond me.
Edward laughed at Demetri's thought. "Indeed." He saw the way Jasper watched James, with the same covetous desire to kill as Demetri had. His brothers were going to enjoy his wedding nearly as much as he would.
A part of him wished that he and Bella could have a normal wedding, but that would have to wait until they returned to Seattle. He would give her the wedding she deserved then. Here, it was fitting that they spent their wedding in a non-traditional way. They were vampires, after all. Why not spend it killing? He watched Phil lick the shoulder of the dancer. Yes, love and death would do.