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THE LOCKET

Chapter 16.

Since Jane and Santiago were out on their mission to gather intel, they had a few hours until Kane got in contact with intel of his own. She chose this moment to ease the tension in the room.

"Have any of you seen a ghost before?"

They all turned to look at her like she was crazy. She probably was. Perhaps the change had fried a few of her neurons. That would explain why suddenly she could see ghosts, or a ghost at least. She hoped, since she had only seen Didyme that this particular development didn't evolve into a full paranormal activity. She was sure that even as a vampire, some things were better left unseen. She'd seen enough horror movies to know that.

"Not really." Trust Alec to be the diplomatic one. "Why?"

"What would you say if I told you I can see one?" Demetri and Felix, to their credit, were doing everything in their power not to laugh. Bastards.

"Just how hard did Demetri fuck you, princess?"

In a flash, faster than Felix could think, a notebook hit him on the side of the head. Bella burst out laughing. Didyme had come to the rescue.

"He'll do well remembering how to speak to a lady." Oh, Felix had made of Didyme an enemy.

"Well, he'll think twice now, for sure." She replied, still laughing.

"What the hell?" Felix looked at Alec.

"Don't look at me. Not that you don't deserve it, but my shadows don't do that." He looked a little bit spooked. But besides that, he'd promised Bella that he wouldn't use his gift on the other two idiots, no matter how hard it was not to choke Felix sometimes.

Bella hoped that with this poltergeist activity, her mates could believe her.

"Ok. Let's say I believe you, and you can actually see a ghost. Who is this ghost?" Felix had always been a skeptic.

Bella snorted. "You're telling me that you're a thousand years old at least, and you've never seen a ghost." She couldn't believe that. For sure, in that amount of time, some spooky shit that couldn't be explained otherwise must have happened, especially in this ancient place.

Her three mates shook their heads. She snorted again. "And you've never ever ever seen or heard about someone seeing ghosts?"

"We've heard things, darling. But we don't give credit to them. Jane and I were almost burned as witches." Alec was still trying to be diplomatic in his disbelief. He was the most sensible of her mates. He reminded her of the saying, "It's always the quiet ones."

"Yeah, but you must admit that it was a pretty safe assumption given your gifts. They weren't that far from the truth." It was true. While their gifts hadn't fully developed until they were turned, some weird things happened while they were humans, and who can actually define what a witch is? There were so many definitions out there, so many fantasy books that played with it. She wondered why there wasn't a varied repertoire about vampires as there seemed to be about witches.

"Two different things." He grumbled grumpily.

Bella shrugged. Kettle, pot, pot, kettle. Same thing.

"The only difference is that people wouldn't burn me alive now." It was partially true. Society was way more open now, and depending on where you were, you'd receive almost praise for seeing a ghost. Hell, there were mediums now—people whose job was to speak with ghosts. Bella had the sudden urge to pull a Ghost Whisperer stunt like the tv show.

Felix guffawed, bringing Bella back to earth. Damn newborn brain. "She's not wrong if you really think about it." Alec apparently didn't like being called a witch any more than his sister did.

She slid to his side in an attempt to apologize without saying the words out loud. Alec winked at her, letting her know there was nothing to worry about, and she smiled at him. She dropped a kiss on his mouth just because he was looking all rumpled and cute, trying his best to be diplomatic.

That was the thing about Alec. He could be playful, sexy, and dirty like the day he'd told her she was making him walk with blue balls, but that face is one he wore mainly with her in private. It was very rare that he let out that side in front of the other two men. In public, he was quiet and analytical, and in situations like this, he tried very hard not to scoff and call bullshit like he was probably doing on his mind. She knew him better than she probably knew herself, so it was fun to mess with him a little bit.

"So, tell us, princess. Who's the ghost?" Felix intervened from his place; his computer abandoned in front of him.

"You'll love this." She teased. "And you'll never believe who it is."

Demetri raised a brow; suspense had never been his favorite genre. Bella finally dropped the bomb and said, "It's Didyme."

Demetri would have landed on his ass had he not been a vampire with perfect balance. Such was the shock.

"What?"

She nodded eagerly and not at all offended that her mates were now looking at her with more skepticism than before. Even sweet Alec had dropped all pretenses. His face screamed bullshit, but there was a twinkle in his eyes that made Bella think that perhaps a tiny part of him believed her.

"Didyme?" Demetri repeated.

Didyme had been Marcus' entire reason for living and staying at the castle. The late queen had been a ray of happiness everywhere she went, and the castle hadn't been the same after she was killed. The fact that the three kings swiftly dispatched the culprits from Earth wasn't enough to alleviate Marcus' melancholy. And now that Demetri had his own mate, he admired Marcus for even having the will to live without his mate. He would certainly die if his mate were dead.

"Yes. Marcus' mate."

If Demetri and the other two vampires doubted her word, with her stating the relationship between Marcus and Didyme, every doubt disappeared.

Still, he could see Felix and Alex weren't convinced yet and saw that Bella had also seen the disbelief in the other men's faces.

She huffed, not as aggravated as he would have thought, which was nice. It meant she wasn't taking their disbelief as an offense to her personally.

"Even after having a book thrown to your head and giving you a piece of information I had no way of knowing, you still don't believe me." Felix looked contrite.

"It's hard to believe, Princess. And it's nothing against you."

Demetri saw Bella's head moving to her left -the opposite side to where everyone was sitting- she tilted her head as if listening to something, then nodded with a chuckle. It was creepy as hell.

"Fine. You haven't shared anything from your human life or your beginnings as a vampire, correct?" She eyed the three men, who stared back at her with guilty expressions. "We'll talk about that later. But please confirm this is so."

"No, sweetheart, we have not."

"So, we agree I have no way of knowing that Felix had trouble putting his pants on without ripping them, and he was forced to walk out naked once before someone took pity and bought a bunch of pants for him."

Felix's look had no English word equivalent to describe it. Demetri only laughed.

"Or that you were also captured the night Didyme was killed." She looked at Demetri, who nodded. Didyme's death was imprinted on his mind. "You were overpowered by a crazy dude named David who even managed to avoid Aro's power."

Demetri was surprised. If he didn't believe her before, he would have now. One of the reasons Aro was keen on touching people from time to time was to ensure that his ranks were not plotting against him or with an unknown enemy. Same with anyone who visited the castle.

Didyme's assassination and his capture were one of the reasons he panicked those first two weeks when Bella disappeared from his radar. He knew nothing about her then, except she was his mate. And the thought of possibly losing his mate without having gotten the opportunity to know her was enough to send him spiraling.

"I also know that you, sweet darling, couldn't control your gift and either isolated yourself in clouds of smoke and shadows or got stung by Jane by not being able to summon that mist." Alec's eyebrows shut up. Jane had hated their first months as a vampire because the only person in this world who had always protected her was Alec. She hated that she had no control over her gift, and as a result, the only person she would never hurt was getting electrocuted by her.

Alec had hated those few first months as well, seeing his sister hurting, having no control over his body, his urges, and his gift had felt like being chased by those villagers over and over again. It had been a nightmare. He had gone through great troubles to have the control he had now.

"So, now that I spewed some of your secrets." She cast a mean glare to her left as if angry for having to repeat something that the main sources had not told her. "Do you believe me or think I'm crazy?"

Despite knowing that Bella did not take their disbelief personally, Demetri knew this was important for her, and he saw through her bravado and her front. She would be hurt if her mates didn't believe her. She had seen and grown so much, yet she was still so young and innocent, and he wanted to preserve that innocence at all costs.

He approached his mate from behind and placed a kiss on his mark. "I believe you, sweetheart." She nodded and offered him a smile before turning to Alec and Felix.

"There is no way you could have known about my naked shame any other way. She was the one who took pity on me, and we swore not to tell anyone." His voice had a tinge of melancholy. It must have been hard for everyone to lose such a force of nature. "So, yes, princess, I believe you."

That left Alec, whose eyes were dark and unfocused. She stepped out of Demetri's arms, but he forced her to stay put. She frowned; Alec would never hurt her. She turned her head to look at Demetri, but he was not looking at her; he was looking at Alec with concern.

"Did you make me say something too personal? Something he wouldn't have shared yet?" Bella was worried that she had violated her mate's privacy. Judging by his clouded eyes, it seemed as if he was remembering something traumatic.

She stepped away from Demetri, remembering she was no longer a human. She would never be as strong as he was, not even as a newborn, but she still applied all her strength into freeing herself. He let her go with a silent warning glare.

"Alec?" She called softly as she slowly approached him.

From her peripheral vision, she could see Felix wanted to reach out, but she shook her head. He was her mate, damn it, and he needed her. He'd always been there for her, and she would damn well be here for him.

When she finally reached him, she only rested her head on his chest. She did not touch him except for that contact. She felt him stiffen under her cheek but instantly relax. It took him a few seconds to tightly wrap her arms around her and kiss her head. "I'm fine. I promise."

She kissed his chin and smiled shyly at him. He kissed her mouth fervently and passionately before saying. "I believe you."

Great, that settled the matter. Her mates believed her.

Now what? It felt a bit anticlimactic. Like her big revelation had no further consequences.

"Thank you for believing me. And I'm sorry if I violated anyone's privacy by what I said." She looked at all three men in the eye. "I don't care who you were as humans or how your journey started. I love you all for who you are now. Is that clear?"

Alec tightly wrapped his arms around her, and he squeezed in agreement.

"If you don't feel comfortable sharing any of your pasts, I don't want to know. I only want you to share with me what you want." She received three nods in response. "Great. Now that that's settled, has there been any news on the newborn front?"

Alec took his phone from his back pocket without breaking his hold on Bella. They all waited for him to read whatever message Kane had sent.

Finally, he passed the phone to Bella, who quickly read the report. Victoria had gotten rid of all the newborns she'd created on US soil, which left the one in Italy. The only way for Victoria to know she was here was for Edward – or one of the Cullens to tell her – or someone inside the castle had betrayed them.

Bella passed the phone to her other two mates, who read the report in seconds and returned it to its owner. Alec tightened his hold on his mate after putting his phone back in his pocket. "We have to plan now."

Bella saw quickly how her mates entered soldier mode and began analyzing the map with the red dots. It was too much for her, but she wanted to make them proud, so she stayed, she paid attention, she asked questions, and they decided to attack once Jane and Santiago returned with more news.

After planning was over, her three mates asked if she wanted to go hunting or do something else with them, but she rejected them, choosing to seek the company of Renata for a while.

"I'll send Jane up when she debriefs us." Alec promised, kissing her hard once more.

My my, someone was getting mighty possessive lately.

…

…

…

In the end, Bella's dilemma regarding the Cullens solved itself. Alice called her one day when she was going to Renata's room.

Bella accepted the video call and quickened her pace until she reached her friend's room. Renata waved at her silently just as Alice spoke. "Bella, thank God you picked up!" Alice's urgent tone didn't sit well with Bella. "Victoria is building a newborn army in Italy."

She rolled her eyes, not caring that Alice could see her. "Well aware, Alice." Then, because she needed to know, she added, "Have you spoken with Edward lately?" She needed to know if Alice had seen her brother conspire with Victoria.

"No. I'm having trouble seeing him. I think he's purposely avoiding me. He did the same thing when he went to Volterra to kill himself. He knows how to get around my visions." She sounded aggravated by this, and Bella felt a tiny bit bad at Alice's discomfort. But it was her life that was in danger if Edward proved to be a traitor.

"Did you know he was going to come to Volterra a second time to speak to me?"

Alice's eyes slid sideways as if checking with someone, possibly Jasper. "No. Neither Jass nor I have spoken with him since we left you in Volterra. He's been mad at me for not fighting."

Bella's eyes widened. "You would have been killed had you fought."

Alice nodded. "That's what I told him, and he knows that. But I don't think he believes me, even after I showed him what would have happened."

"Wait." Bella stopped dead. She'd been pacing her friend's room, unable to sit still during this conversation. "Are you telling me that you had another vision the day I rescued Edward? One where you fought and died?"

Alice shook her head. "It wasn't a full-on vision because usually my visions and triggered by decisions. It was more like a snippet of the future. I'm used to snooping around and came across this alternate version of events. It was more like a warning than a vision."

"Holy shit, Alice!" This could prove that Edward wanted to fight to get Bella back to him. He didn't care that she had a mate - that he knew of - he would still fight for whatever delusion he'd been following. Still, this was more like circumstantial evidence, hearsay, and speculation, but it could be a working theory. "If I ask you to snoop into his future without telling you why, would you do it?"

Alice thought about it for a few seconds. "I don't want any trouble, Bella. Either with Edward or the Volturi." It was not an answer. She couldn't begrudge Alice her reticence to see her brother commit any crime and be a witness of his death sentence. And Bella wouldn't ask Alice to choose between her brother or her. She knew Alice would always pick Edward, even when he was wrong. She just hoped that, for once, she could be on the right side.

"That's fine, Alice. I understand." And she did. This was the closure she needed from Alice. Two more, four and a half to go. "I have to go." She didn't, but she didn't want to continue speaking with Alice.

"Bella, please. Don't leave angry." Alice pleaded. Human Bella would have caved. But she no longer was human Bella. That girl died when she decided to stay in Volterra, and that girl was buried when she accepted the mate bond with her three vampires. That girl was ash and bones the moment Felix's dick had sunk into her, forever imprinting her soul. That girl, the gullible, easy to manipulate, vanished when Alec decided to sacrifice himself and his feelings if she didn't feel the same. The girl that had crossed the Cullen's threshold more than a year ago was gone the moment Demetri held her in his arms outside the library.

"I'm not angry, Alice. But I no longer wish to have a relationship with you. I hope you understand why." She didn't give her time to respond before tapping the red button on her phone's screen.

She turned and noticed that Renata was silently observing her. "What?" Bella asked, a bit self-conscious.

"I don't know how you did it."

"Do what?"

"Keep your cool like that. She is one, if not the only person who could help us gather information in a second about Edward. Still, she's too comfortable in her position and plausible deniability to interfere. It's like she wants to befriend God and the Devil."

Bella shrugged. "When they all left, they showed me whose side they were on. I no longer care. It no longer hurts, but it's cathartic to have closure individually."

"I'm proud of you." Bella beamed at her friend's words. They meant the world to her.

"Thanks."

She jumped into her friend's bed and lay there with her eyes closed, feeling like a pressure had been lifted off her shoulders.

She heard the door squeak and the bed sink on both sides. She opened her eyes and found two pair of curious red eyes watching her.

She laughed and sat up. "You look like puppies waiting for your treat."

Jane poked her on her side. "I want details."

"I don't know what you're talking about." She faked innocence.

"You do know. But I'll humor you. I'm talking about you reeking of my brother and having a mark on your neck."

So that's what Alec had been doing. He wasn't as unperturbed by her bedding Felix and Demetri as he had let it seem. Perhaps she'd smelled too much of Demetri, and nothing like him, which had irked him.

"It's Demetri's mark, actually."

Jane and Renata preened at the gossip.

"Where else did they mark you?" Jane asked.

"It's gross that you're so interested in your brother's sex life."

Jane shrugged. "I accepted long ago that he has one. Trust me, he and I are closer than we let on. We tell each other everything, and I dropped the pretenses of being grossed out by the details of my brother's sex life."

Fine. If this is how it would be, then so be it.

"I haven't slept with Alec yet, but he marked my wrist when they changed me. Felix had my femoral and Demetri the jugular."

It was nice to have this time to decompress and gossip, even if Renata's and Jane's version of gossip revolved around what it was like to have three men for mates, how she could handle them, and how hot the sex was.

"Have you had them at the same time?" Jane whispered as if the thought was scandalous.

Bella laughed. "Not yet. But that is definitely on the to-do list. No pun intended."

Renata laughed. She was enjoying this scandalous conversation. Had this conversation occurred when she lived as a human, they would have been cast out and branded as whores.

"Who's bigger?"

Bella bit her lip, unsure if this was something that she should be actually discussing.

"You don't have to tell us if you're uncomfortable." Jane chimes in. "I might be ok with hearing the details about my brother's sex life, but maybe spare me the description of his dick. I think some things need to be a mystery. But I'm more intrigued than disgusted right now."

"It doesn't make me uncomfortable. It's just that I feel as if I would be violating their intimacy or something." But at the same time, she needed this girl's time a lot. She needed to gossip about the boys, talk things out loud, giggle, and daydream about how hot, sweet, and wholesome this entire experience was.

Renata grabbed her hands. "Bella, I understand you want to protect the privacy of your relationship, but you'll learn with time that there is no such thing as privacy. We simply ignore many things, but we know almost everything about everyone in here."

She knew she was right. So, she shook those feelings away and, squaring her shoulders, prepared herself to deliver some needed gossip. "I have only had sex with Felix and Demetri so far. I'd say Felix is bigger, but Demetri is sort of like a dom."

Renata squealed, and Jane grinned excitedly. "How dom are we talking?"

So Bella told them a few things that Demetri had done to her after that scene in the shower that had her feeling all flustered again. And she told them about the scene in the shower and the comment about taking his cock so well. "Holy fuck. That is hoooot." Jane sang.

"It was definitely hot."

They spent a few hours like that, joking and enjoying the reprieve in between the chaos that their lives were about to become, thanks to Victoria. She almost felt bad for her, the Cullens had killed her mate, and she could empathize with that. If she ever lost Alec, or Felix, or Demetri in a similar fashion, she would move heaven and earth to avenge them.

Which was precisely what they were doing for her, moving heaven and earth to get rid of a threat over her life. She bolted off the bed abruptly, realizing how fucking scary the situation was. She wasn't scared for her life; she trusted in the abilities learned so far and trusted in the group that she had backing her up. But there were two dozen newborns, plus Victoria and Edward, as Jane told her a few minutes ago. And there were only six of them – her three mates, Jane, Santiago, and herself – the scale was titled to neither side. Victoria could have a few newborns with powerful gifts and could be honing them as weapons against them. The sole target: her.

Fuck not being scared. She was petrified.

She darted out of the room and reached Alec's in seconds. She didn't bother with knocking – she never did – and she didn't bother with subtlety or care when the door banged into the wall and slammed back shut. Alec was on his feet in seconds, crossing the room and meeting her.

"Bella, what's wrong?" He eyed her up and down, looking for injuries.

She hugged Alec and clang to him, to his scent and his quiet reassurance, but her mind was buzzing so hard it was hard to focus. Her shield was firmly in place, and she'd kept practicing on how to expand it beyond her mates and herself, but so far, she hadn't had any luck in that department. And now, with the new threat, what if something happened to Jane or Santiago because she couldn't protect them from a powerful gift? She wouldn't be able to see Alec or Renata on the face again.

"I'm scared." She admitted finally.

He tightened his arms around her. "I'm also scared."

She tilted her head. "You are?"

He nodded. "We all are, darling. There is your ex who sold you out to a crazy vampire who built a newborn army to kill you. I'm confident in my gift and abilities and in Felix, Demetri, and any other who will join us in destroying them. But I can admit that the thought of a threat over my mate, the love of my existence, is fucking scary." He caressed one of her cheeks.

"Will you let me go with you?" They were thinking of keeping the element of surprise and ambushing the campsite by tomorrow. The earlier, the better. Not only because that kept any threat controlled but because that avoided any exposure. At least more than they had already gained.

Alec sighed. He wanted to ask her to stay where he knew she would be safe. Where he knew nothing could touch her. But he wouldn't ask her to stay. It was her life, and she had the right to choose how to fight for it.

"We don't let you do anything, Bella. You are your own person, and you make your own choices. If you want to go with us, then come. If you want to stay here, then stay. The choice is always yours to make."

"I want to come." He nodded. "Will we take Victoria and Edward alive?"

"Ideally. Aro would need proof of what happened. And I'm sure he'll call the Cullens out of deference for his and Carlisle's friendship but make no mistake, Edward will die for what he did."