Hey guys! This chapter was started in November of 2011 and I finally decided to pick back up on this story and finish it for you guys. I apologize for the wait, but I needed to find inspiration again to pick this back up, especially since it is a pretty dark tale. I thank you all for sticking with me and I hope you enjoy the next few chapters that will be coming over the course this month. :)
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
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Story contains graphic content including rape, violence, strong language and other non-suitable aspects not appropriate for minors or those sensitive to such content.
A newly purchased engagement ring caught the fluorescent lighting overhead in the bright hall, sparkling as Bella made her way hastily down towards the private back room. Closing and locking it behind her, she went for the desk in quick and clumsy leaps. A set of small keys fumbled on the key ring in her hand and in her state of nervousness, she dropped them on the floor. Once she had regained some composure, she opened the top mahogany drawer and pulled out what she had her heart set on in the past few weeks. It was a detailed map of the facility, each area was labeled with its purpose and function.
Jake was alive somewhere in this building, Bella felt it in her heart. Edward hadn't brought up that horrible night in the arena and Bella had to keep pretending that Jake's fate meant nothing to her. It was a facade Bella had presented to Edward to keep him fooled that she was still in love with him. His obsession with her had his judgements clouded on Bella's intentions, giving Bella an advantage on the attempt to deceive him. Alice's advice had been an opportunity and Bella planned on staying alive not just for herself, but for Jacob.
The area's labeled as "cages" caught her attentions, which were exactly the same type of rooms that she was staying in within the facility. Only now, Bella was allowed to move freely amongst them in the day time after having taken on many working roles to help out the Cullens. They were luxurious looking cell blocks, scattered throughout the facility. Some, weren't so luxurious, obviously for the fighters not as valuable as Jacob was.
Pulling out a scrap piece of paper from her back pocket, Bella messily drew a rough outline of the building as her own guideline to the large space. Trying to cover her tracks the best she could, she put the map in exactly as she had found it and locked the drawer afterwards. Making her way around the desk, she froze in her white designer pumps as the door handle moved violently against the lock. Eyes wide, she waited in terror.
The image that emerged was not one of her worst nightmares, but the dainty vampire that had been less of a threat to Bella.
"Alice, please don't tell anyone-"
"I'm going to help you, Bella."
The human's jaw dropped. "What?" She asked, thinking she heard something incorrectly.
"How do you know-?"
"Bella, I know everything, because I see everything."
Alice closed the door behind her as Bella's fair shoulders relaxed. The gift's of the vampire sometimes went forgotten by Edward's fiancee.
"You are not the only one who's looking to take down Edward."
Alice's eyes were cold and unwavering as they stared into her dark orbs. There was something here that Bella wasn't quite comfortable trusting her with, but again she knew she had to play along in order to get out alive. Alice continued to talk after several tense moments.
"Jasper and I are leaving. We are tired of Carlisle's favoritism towards Edward and their careless decisions. No offense Bella, but Edward's love for you has put us all through the ringer and nearly got Jasper killed on several occasions. Not to mention, Carlisle and Esme's reckless spending and business decisions-"
The tiny vampire shook her head.
"The Cullens are over, Bella. Everyone is deceiving everyone."
Bella found it hard to breathe as she asked challengingly, "Are you deceiving me, Alice?"
Alice's shoulders slumped. "No, Bella. I just want a good life for Jasper and I. We feel like employees more than family nowadays."
The human's thoughts raced. "What about Rosalie and Emmett?"
Cold eyes reappeared. "They're lost. I don't know what's happened to them, but they're just puppets now to Carlisle. Can't even think for themselves."
For a split second, Bella swore she saw the faintest hint of emotion on the Emmett and Rosalie subject. It was apparent that Jasper and Alice had many pained arguments on leaving their other adoptive siblings.
"The wolves are coming for Jake, Sam and Leah. Tomorrow night. With our assistance, they can destroy this entire place and Jasper and I can sneak out unnoticed..with as much money we can take with us."
Feeling suddenly weak in the heels Alice had designed for her, Bella braced herself against the wall. Alice was there at her side, helping her stand. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah." Bella cleared her throat as the room came back into focus. "Still trying to get used to all of this. It's a relief though, to not be alone anymore."
To Bella's surprise, Alice laughed. "It's all going to be okay soon. Jasper and I will make sure you're safe too."
Bella simply nodded in response, not being able to form any words. She wasn't sure if she could trust Alice fully, or any of the Cullens at this point. Learning from her past mistakes, Bella refused to let Alice in on the plan she was forming involving Jake's freedom.
"Just tell me what the plan is and I'll be the first one out of this place."
Alice reprieved a small smile before hugging Bella tight, taking her by the hand and leading her out of the room. "I'm very excited for the future, Bella. I've seen it and it looks great. I will find you when the time is right and I'll take care of you."
Bella's concern grew. "How does my future look Alice? Does it look good?" She didn't dare ask about Jake, knowing that her friend's fate was the least of her concerns.
Alice blankly stared ahead, swallowing a lump in her throat. "Yes. It looks bright for you."
Not wanting to press her, Bella knew she was lying. Whatever Alice had seen, wasn't looking good for Bella. "Great." She said with exhaustion over the emotional roller coaster, as she reeled over the coming dangers. Alice walked her to her room, before kissing her on the cheek.
"Don't worry, Bella. Everything will be fine."
Bella nodded as Alice walked off, entering her room to find a dozen red roses on her purple satin bedspread. Her heart fell at the sight, knowing damn well who the gift was from. She slowly approached the roses and the white envelope on top of the thorn stems. Closing her eyes tightly as she held the closed envelope in her hands, she silently prayed that it wasn't an invitation for a date with Edward.
As she opened it and read the note, she realized that her luck was forever nonexistent.
Tonight, my lamb. Dinner, at eight o'clock. I will come for you.
All my love,
Edward
Leah Clearwater's dark circled eyes were rimmed with red, evidence of the endless tears she had been shedding since her traumatizing ordeal months ago. She had been violated physically and emotionally, not having any rights and becoming a vessel for the greed that the vampire's prided themselves on. There was no life left in her and the product of the Cullen's endless efforts was now inside of her, only having months left of safety while inside of Leah's frail body.
She had lost close to thirty pounds since her capture, having refused to eat out of the stress that had festered within her stomach. Food didn't stay held down long in Leah when she would decide to eat, which was becoming a growing concern for Carlisle and his business partners. They stared at her through the glass where Leah couldn't see them, but she was well aware that they were there. Still, she had no energy left within her to fight or even move. She simply sat at the foot of her bed, staring out into nothing.
"Pretty soon we're going to have to put a food tube in her, but there's no guarantee that she won't rip it out of her." Carlisle's fingers rested upon his lips as he struggled to find a solution. "She's practically become a vegetable."
James reflected Carlisle's mannerisms, trying to think of ways to get some food in her.
It was then that the unexpected source of enlightenment spoke up. "Let Sam stay with her." Esme said, as all eyes turned to her. "It will give her hope that she needs. It's obvious she doesn't have any will to live and maybe Sam will force her to eat. She'll listen to him."
"She's right." Victoria added.
Carlisle scooped his wife's face into his hands and gave her a loving kiss, impressed with the way her mind worked.
The large and tawny form of The Monster paced back and forth in the new cell he called home since he'd been released from the medical room, staring down at the somewhat familiar face on the other side of the room. A shatterproof glass pane separated the two men, who had once shared an alliance bound by bloodlines.
Sam Uley, stared back at Jacob Black, who had obviously lost touch with himself. What was staring back at Sam was no longer the friend he had once known, but an animal in its truest form. This wasn't even the wolf form he had known from Jacob, it was pure anger and rage. Murderous and utterly terrifying, Sam didn't dare speak another word to him, after Jacob had ran at full speed at him and into the glass pane. Three weeks had passed like this, with Sam watching the stalking violent aggressor on the other side of the invisible glass.
Sam didn't know what the Cullens planned on doing with him, but he expected that he would soon end up much like his once friend before him. Tears glazed over Sam's eyes at the failure of being the protector of his pack, his dread over what was happening to Leah weighing also heavily on his conscious. Sam jumped as the buzzer sounded overhead, a trigger given off when someone was about to retrieve either Jacob or himself. Jacob acted as a highly trained dog would at the sound, moving backwards toward the far wall and putting his palms against the surface.
This time, however, they weren't coming for Jacob.
Gas was released into Sam's room and he coughed against the familiar poison. It brought him to his knees as it weekend his rigid muscles, while a pair of vampire guards rushed him to restrain his hands and feet. The chains rattled as he was escorted to an unfamiliar wing, his brow furrowed as he tried to predict what the Cullen's had in store for him next.
The door opened and the sight before him nearly brought him to tears. Till this moment, Sam had been compliant with the vampires, but the sight had enraged him. The wolf inside of him growled as Leah's broken eyes locked onto his, but soon Sam was greeted with the sight of the taser as the guard stepped into his view.
The vampire guard spoke, "You make that sound again and I will not hesitate to shock you."
Sam sobered to the best of his abilities, allowing the Cullen's hired help to release the chains and leave the room, before rushing up to Leah.
"Hey." He said softly as he looked up at her from his knees at the foot of her bed. His large hands framed her face, her cheekbones prominent against her paling flesh. "What did they do to you, Leah?" Sam nearly broke into sobs as he struggled to gain recognition from her for several seconds. A light flickered in her gaze, the first sign of life he could conjure from her.
"Sam." She spoke with tears that couldn't form from her dehydration, causing Sam to reach for a nearby bottle of water as he noticed her trembling dry lips.
"Drink, Leah." He ordered her and after several moments passed of her just stroking the hair that framed his face, she took the drink offered from his sturdy hands. Sam would then get her to eat something and get some sleep, watching over her with grave concern as the hours passed. She looked like death and Sam even wondered, if she would make it through the night.