Heidi & Bella - Part 4 (Second Good Impression)
"Why has Carlisle allowed this to go on for so long?" Heidi's voice was curious but adamant.
Heidi was granted a special request. The Volturi allowed her to summon Alice and Alice alone to help concoct a plan. All guards and even Aro, Marcus and Caius left to give them the space Heidi needed. They don't want Heidi to follow in Eleazar and Carlisle's footsteps, especially after learning Bella's gift and so she has the edge here.
Aro did fill her in on what happened moments before Heidi's return. There are still some important pieces of the puzzle missing and Heidi needs all the footing she can get before she goes to talk to her mate.
Alice's head drops in shame. She had seen the line of questioning coming her way but having just left Bella and seeing visions of her breaking down in the room alone, it takes away the walls she's tried to put up.
"You have to understand. In the beginning, we honestly thought Bella was Edward's mate."
A growl accidentally escapes Heidi's lips but she reins it in and apologises, before asking Alice to continue. It wouldn't be any good to unleash her anger on the pixie. Bella and Edward's history was in the past and she needed to gather enough information. She slips her mask back on and remains composed.
"Ever since our paths crossed, I had always seen that Bella would be one of us. And Edward was so convinced that Bella was his mate, we all went along with it. Even though Rosalie had doubts about it, it seemed Bella naturally fell in love with him, and most of our coven loved Bella too. It just made sense."
Heidi's body turns rigid, "But then you left her?"
Alice winces at the memory.
"It was Bella's 18th birthday and an accident happened that made some of us lose control. Edward is convinced that leaving Bella was the safest way to keep her safe. When I saw Edward make the decision to break up with her, I still saw visions of Bella becoming one of us, clear as day. So it was then I knew, without my brother, Bella was always destined to become one of us - and a very powerful one at that."
Vampires don't normally have human characteristics but in that moment, Heidi sees it in Alice. Her lips almost quivered and she almost shuffled her feet like a kid in trouble. Decades of surrounding themselves among humans could be infectious that way. But it was how meek Alice's voice sounded at the end of the sentence which caught Heidi's attention.
She stands up straight and looks directly onto those golden orbs.
Swirls of guilt and fear loom over her eyes. And it hits her. Alice must have seen a new vision on her way here and she's trying to give Heidi a fair warning.
When Aro spoke of her mate earlier, she was surprised at how intrigued he was of her. It has been a long time since a boring human peaks his interest. But with this new wave of knowledge, it all makes sense to her. Marcus on the other hand was instantly on her side once he saw their mating bond, surprising them all with something that was almost a smile.
She would have thought that Aro would have reservations about her mate being a human but now it seems suspicious that he is too nonchalant about it. Heidi has made the decision to probe more into this later because she knows her focus should be on her mate and making a good second impression.
"Does my mate still have strong feelings for Edward?" It was the most important question to her.
Bella's actual mate or not, Alice knew Bella would hate her more if she had indulged Heidi in Bella's private matters, more than necessary.
"It's been six painful months but I'm afraid you're going to have to ask Bella that yourself."
That irks Heidi but she understands where Alice is coming from. As a seer, not all of her visions will manifest in real life events, but it is sometimes better not to reveal the future so things can happen naturally.
Heidi does something she has never done as a vampire, she lets out a deep sigh. She could have used her power on Alice to answer that question but she doesn't see the significance of it. She opts to ask her the second most important question of all, "Will she be able to leave here, unharmed and alive, preferably anytime soon?"
Alice's eyes widen and her body startles at that question. That was the last question she expected out of the Volturi guard. She thought Heidi would have wanted her mate to stay here with her and send both her and Edward back to Forks to try and rewrite the future. Because that's what she had seen earlier, when she was back in the room with Bella.
As if reading Alice's mind, Heidi throws her a menacing glare and crosses her arms, unimpressed, "How heartless do you peg me for."
The Cullen tries to backtrack and smoothen out an apology but it doesn't arrive as desired.
"The closest thing I had to a family was ripped away from me and I won't allow the same fate to befall my mate. She deserves better," Heidi huffed. That pierces through Alice's unbeating heart as she is reminded once again of how Bella doesn't deserve all the turmoil they put her through.
Alice wants to say more but Heidi stops her, listening in to nearby footsteps. When the nearest guard left the vicinity, only then Alice could resume, "Do you have a plan then?"
Her confidence fills the room as a smirk appears on her face, "Protect my mate and make her fall irrevocably in love with me."
Bella still couldn't fathom what is happening as they board the plane. When Alice returned to their room, Bella was told that they could leave soon. Their freedom seems too good to be true. She couldn't shake the feeling that there's something else they're not telling her and the fact that Edward had to remain there under Volturi's supervision just screams trouble.
It's also suspicious that they're travelling back home in a private jet, unlike the commercial airline they had taken earlier while racing to Italy to save Edward.
"Bella, just take a deep breath. Everything will be alright."
She hates being kept under the dark but all thoughts stop when the flight attendant greets someone entering the plane, "Welcome aboard, Miss Heidi. It's a pleasure to fly you again."
Bella instantly recognises the owner of the long and lustrous mahogany hair, accentuated by a pair of alluring violet eyes that exude confidence anywhere. With a graceful poise, each step in her elegant dress is a testament to her undeniable allure and Bella finds her heart leaping at the sight of Heidi. While Bella thought Rosalie Hale was attractive, she paled in comparison to this gorgeous goddess, who is making her way down the aisle and apparently heading straight to take over Alice's seat.
"I'll sit over there," she pointed out to the seat a bit further behind. Alice gently squeezes Bella's hand in assurance as she rises from her seat, "She'll explain everything to you."
Bella's protests die out once Heidi claims the aisle seat and quickly absorbs Bella's attention, "I believe an introduction is in order. Nice to meet you Isabella Swan, I'm Heidi."
Her violet eyes sparkle in what Bella thinks is mischief, her lips curve in a playful smile and her hand is extended in greeting. Bella's breath is still stuck in her throat and she realises her lips are dry when she tries to wet them. Something in Bella jumps at the opportunity for skin contact and she automatically slides her hand against Heidi, surprised at the skin that doesn't feel as cold or hard like Edward's is.
She really wanted to say she feels the same way but she was a little too trusting before with golden eyed vampires and her defence mechanism is screaming at her to not repeat the same mistake, especially looking into those velvety eyes.
However, the vampire did attempt to protect Bella earlier, so she still owes her some hospitality, "Call me Bella."
Heidi's head tilted in curiosity and a coy smile appeared, "Did you know that in Hebrew, it means 'God is my oath'?"
Whatever perfume she's wearing, it's definitely alluring and very appealing to Bella's sense of smell that she almost missed the question. She had to hold in her breath just to refocus.
"Oh, that's a first."
Knowing Heidi is successful at reeling her mate in, she continues, "The name Isabella has a rich historical significance. Queens, princesses, and noblewomen in the old much preferred that name too. There's a weight and honour attached to it."
Bella's shoulders slump down in disappointment. Now she wonders if she could ever live up to her name when she's just a plain old Bella from Forks, Washington. What a shot to her self-esteem.
"And I'm sure you've heard of the Spanish and Italian translation of Bella - which you are the very definition of the name."
The sultry tone and the piercing gaze makes Bella's heart leap once again. She tries to avert her eyes knowing how warm her cheeks are now but there's something so magnetic about Heidi that makes Bella want more. And so her curious eyes keep going back to Heidi.
That compliment was so bold and yet it felt genuine. It was the first time she's been complimented like that and it's making her all flustered and confused on how to respond. No one had been so smooth and charming before. Not even Edward the poet.
Getting Bella where Heidi wanted, she leans in and whispers into Bella's red ear, "Do you know the meaning of my name?"
Bella shakes her head.
"In Germany and Switzerland, the name was famous for the protagonist character in a children's book written in the late 19th century. She's commonly associated with qualities like innocence and purity. And ironically, those are the qualities that I simply do not possess," Heidi purred in a way that made Bella's toes curl.
The effect she has on her is evident by the raised hair on Bella's arms. Her hearty chuckle alone almost gives the human an eargasm. Heidi would have loved to continue teasing her mate but there's always another place and time for that. If all goes well, she will have the rest of immortality to make her mate blush. And she plans to do just that.
Bella feels relieved once it's announced that their plane will take off soon.
It's supposed to be a smooth ride out but then they are met with dark grey clouds in the sky and the plane's wings start to shake, left and right. Usually she has faith in whichever pilot that's navigating the aeroplane but this private jet is smaller in comparison to the airline commercial she took so each turbulence has the double impact on them. Bella gasps and she fists her hand until her knuckles turn white.
As if she had done it a thousand times before, Heidi gently massages Bella's knuckles while leaning in to assure her concerned mate, "I didn't allow anything to happen to you at the Volterra then and I'm not going to allow anything to happen to you now."
Bella nods but it isn't enough to quell her fears.
"If it makes you feel any better, if the plane crashes anyway, you'll be in my arms, safe and sound."
Somehow her iron fist becomes loose and Heidi takes the chance to curl her fingers underneath Bella's and continue to caress her mate's soft skin.
Bella has her eyes closed and the window shades shut. If she had taken a peek to the left, she would have noticed Heidi's furrowed brows. But she doesn't need to because at that moment, Heidi's seductive voice turns soothing; which keeps her heart anchored and provides her with a peace of mind. The gentle stroke on her hand continues and doesn't seem to stop anytime soon. She is once again reminded that these things are out of her control and even if the worst happens, she somehow knows there are two immortals here that will save her.
Alarms go off in her head as she realises the amount of faith she has in Heidi's every word, eventhough she's basically a stranger, and a vampire who consumes human blood nonetheless.
What the hell is going on?
A/N: Somehow I just keep getting inspired and excited writing this one. The next update may take a while due to my busy schedule ahead. Stay tuned~
