Heidi & Bella - Part 7 (Blood)
Time never moved so fast for Bella until that moment when her hand has its own mind, flying upwards and towards Jacob's face. And it happens within a blink of an eye. All Bella knew was that her brain wasn't at work, it was all her fist.
"God damn it!" Bella hollered in pain and cradled her now numb hand. She should have known better, it's not her first time punching a wolf. For a human, Heidi feels Bella's swing was a speed on its own. She and Jacob were having a stare down when he uttered those insults, Bella side stepped her and allowed her instinct to take over.
Heidi takes a step closer to her mate, fearing Bella would have broken any fingers. Snarls reverberate in her chest noticing the broken blood vessels under her mate's fragile skin.
Jacob growls further in anger but somehow manages to reel it in hearing Bella's curses. Sensing danger, Heidi automatically steps in front of Bella, ready to protect. After the exhausting conversation they've had in the plane ride, the vampire actually looks forward to a fight. That way she is able to channel all those pent up anger beating the mutt to a pulp. It doesn't matter that Bella takes the first swing, to Heidi, Jacob's steely jaws hurt Bella's hand.
"One more step and you're dead, mutt," her voice glowered in anger, borderline dangerous.
"I should kill you! What business does a blood sucking leech have doing here!" Jacob towered over her by two inches, his wolf desiring the vampire's blood, more than ever. Every fibre of his being calls out to her destruction.
They are stopped by Charlie, who sees the situation from afar, quickly kills the engine and jumps out of his cruiser before an unwarranted fight could break out. Knowing Jacob's stance and rising chest, Charlie focuses on putting a distance between him and the girls by pushing him back at least one feet away.
"Easy, easy."
"She shouldn't be here!" Jacob yelled in frustration.
Smirking, Heidi wraps an arm around Bella's shoulder, pulling her in, purposely pushing the mutt over the edge. Jacob sees red and tries to have a go at Heidi but Charlie pulls his power move and shoves him behind. He adds salt to Jacob's wound with a warning, "Back off or I'll throw you in jail."
"But Charlie-"
"I mean it! Walk away, Jacob," his pleading turned into an order.
His jaws tense and his fists shake in rage. If Charlie weren't here, he would have pounced on that irritating leech. With no other choice, he grunts, and walks away, disappearing behind the treeline. He does fear for Bella's safety but he sees one of the Cullens arriving at the edge of the forest, knowing the golden-eyed vampires should keep Bella and Charlie safe. And if they don't honour the treaty, then the pack will come back for their head.
Heidi turns around, shielding Bella away from the wolf's sight, and instantly covers Bella's swollen hand with soft kisses, "You shouldn't have done that, love."
Bella blushes a dark red. Not even Edward had kissed her hand like that before. Before she could warn Heidi to drop it before Charlie notices, the vampire already has her body turned around to face her father, with a charming smile on her face.
Charlie actually stops in his tracks, his mouth agape. He tries to speak but the words die in his throat. Never had he seen a woman so stunning in Forks. Usually women with faces like hers belong in tv and magazines.
The first thing Heidi notices is that his hazel eyes are the same as his daughter's, warm and welcoming. While the man may be stunned by her beauty, his gaze isn't bewildering or lustful, unlike most men Heidi meets on her business trips. He clears his throat to shake the stupor away, getting down to business.
"Uh, hello? Are you a friend of Bella's?"
Heidi's quick thinking helps Bella from fumbling the lie they agreed upon earlier, "I'm Heidi Fischer, Bella's mentor." Heidi whips out a glossy business card out of nowhere and hands it to the Chief. Charlie accepts it and reads the card, and yet it doesn't explain much except for the Italian address.
"Dalla Torre Foundation?" he scratched his head.
"Yes, Ms Swan here applied for our scholarship and I'm here to personally deliver the good news," she exclaimed excitedly as she handed him a letter to him.
His eyes scan the document and grow big at the announcement, "Congratulations, You're a Finalist for the Dalla Torre Scholarship!"
At the big news, he almost drops the letter and turns to Bella for a celebratory hug. While cradling what may be a broken hand, Bella returns the hug and urges her dad to stop embarrassing her in front of their guest. Heidi's smile turns genuine. She likes him. Now she knows that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
"You never told me about this. Does your mother know yet?"
"I'll call her later, Dad. I just got the news myself and we haven't even made it to the front door," Bella signalled to where they were, still on the front porch.
Charlie apologises for their bad manners and invites Heidi inside. He's still in disbelief by all of it but he's proud and extremely happy for Bella. Just a few months ago Bella was so depressed she didn't even want to leave the house and now she has caught up with her study and making plans for her future, how could he not be ecstatic over it?
After the excitement dies down a little, Charlie promises her that they will go out to celebrate but that he needs to go pack for Seattle.
"What's in Seattle, Dad?" Bella asked, curious about the sudden call. It's the first time he's been asked to go outstation.
A grim look passes his face, "Something terrible."
"How long will you be there?"
Bella follows Charlie upstairs trying to keep up with the conversation as they leave Heidi alone in the living room. He's still packing his clothes when Bella leans on his door frame, trying to calm the uneasy feelings in her chest.
"Probably a week."
Once he's done, he slides Bella enough money to last her for two weeks. She tries to refuse but he said it should cover her fuel money as well.
"Listen, Ms Fischer has been assigned to mentor me for the next couple of months and is stationed to be here until I'm all set for Italy. They messed up her lodging and she doesn't have a place to stay so far. Is it okay if she stays here for a while?"
She hopes he doesn't ask too many questions.
"Then she can keep you company and make sure you stay in school while I'm away," Charlie smiled teasingly.
"I've been good, Dad," Bella assured him. He had been worried sick ever since the Cullens left town. At one point she didn't even want to go to school so he had to force her to. She was a senior and he didn't want her to ruin her future like that, throwing away education that she could easily get. An opportunity that wasn't granted to him.
"I know."
Bella accompanies him to the front door to say goodbye. After putting his spare uniform and suitcase in the cruiser, he approaches his daughter, still with a bright smile on his face.
"I really am proud of you, Bella; of what you've overcome and achieved. I'm sure your mother is too."
Bella ducks shyly but smiles nonetheless. "Thanks, Dad."
"We'll celebrate when I get back," he promised.
Again, something doesn't sit right with Bella. So she pulls him in for another hug, "Be safe!"
As soon as he came, that's how fast he left. When the cruiser is no longer in her view, Bella can feel the vampire behind her. It's not the first time she's been snuck on by a vampire. But Heidi is standing a little too close for her comfort.
"Let's get your hand fixed," Heidi pulls Bella by the other hand, with an ice pack in the other.
Once the ice pack touches her skin, Bella sighs in relief, "Thank you."
"Consider this my gratitude for earlier."
Her eyes darted everywhere but on Heidi, trying to hide the embarrassment. To be honest, she isn't sure what triggered her anger. Normally, she's a pacifist but something snapped when Jacob threw vile insults Heidi's way.
"Ever since he's turned, his temper flared greatly. I've been patient enough to let some things slide but those nasty words were unacceptable. He crossed a line."
When the mutt showed up unannounced earlier, Heidi was caught in surprise and nearly jumped him. From the stench, she had assumed he was a Child of the Moon so she was horrified to see one still alive. After all, she was one of the few Volturi's guards responsible for the werewolf genocide.
Eventhough the hunt was caused by Caius' fear, but it was deemed a necessity. Unlike shapeshifters, Children of the Moon was a threat to vampires and humans alike. Their inability to control their transformation and bloodlust caused an uproar in England and almost outed the existence of the supernatural. In some cases, they went feral and fed from humans as well.
In essence, they had to be annihilated.
Heidi saw how Bella's friend almost lost control but she saw his restraint, how weak that may be. She's relieved that she does not have to report this back to Caius or even have to kill him and risk losing Bella trust. The Volturi would have this place swarmed and Bella whisked away back to Volterra, which would neither be the conducive environment for Bella nor would it be a good way for them to begin their relationship.
Regardless, judging from the pain in Bella's eyes, Heidi is aware that the mutt has a special place in her mate's life. Her mate cares for him. Although she is confident in vampire mating, Isabella Swan is still a human, therefore easily influenced by external factors when making life-changing decisions.
"Is that the Jacob that you told me about?" she inquired in a whisper-like voice.
She smiles solemnly, "Yes, during the hard times, he was the friend I could rely on, and he saved my life. I owe him."
It isn't to her liking but since the mutt had saved her mate's life, then she too is indebted to him. Swallowing the possessiveness that's rising up to her chest, Heidi is aware that her mate's beauty is bound to turn many heads around. She cannot find it in her to blame neither Edward nor Jacob for being in love with her mate. However, on the subject of how her mate feels towards those two, is a concern for her.
"He didn't just leave me unprotected - Edward and the Cullens left me broken. Jacob was the only one who could help me pick up the pieces."
Bella isn't telling the whole story, Heidi can tell by the way her eyes cast downward to the floor. "From then on it got complicated?"
She nods, "He wasn't happy with the way I left. He had thought I chose Edward over him. And when I returned with… you… That pushed him off the edge. "
"Did you?"
"Did I what?"
"Did you choose Edward?"
Bella remembers the kiss they shared. It's true; Bella did share her life story with Heidi but there were private moments that she didn't share with her; moments like the kiss. It infuriates her how Edward could leave her so broken and yet with one kiss, he could revive some feelings she thought was dead.
"No. At least I don't think so. If he had died and it was all because of my stupid decision to go cliff jumping, I wouldn't have been able to live with the guilt."
Centuries had passed and this is the second time she had felt her heart ache in this vampiric life. Her mate had gone the length to save the boy who broke her, even to lay her life on the line. It infuriates her to think how Edward's idiotic decision could have ended her mate's life and destroyed his coven. If Heidi hadn't arrived at the castle at the right time… She couldn't bear to think about the consequences. She wanted to execute them all.
The list of culprits is endless.
She promises herself every single one of them shall pay for all the hurt they've caused her mate, intentionally or not. Even though James was killed and destroyed, she wanted to have a chance to murder that sadistic hunter.
"You've been through so much," her cold fingers run through the bite mark, regretting they had not met earlier, thinking she could have saved Bella from so much of pain.
Feeling uncomfortable, Bella pulls her hand away and consciously tries to rub away the scar, as if she could erase it. James still gives her nightmares sometimes. They got worse when the Cullens left.
"Edward saved my life too. He was the one to extract the venom out."
Her eyes flicker with agony. In Heidi's early vampiric days, she's accustomed to scars and wounds left by vampires on the human flesh. If one were to inspect closely like Heidi did, they would notice the scar is too thick to be caused by one vampire. The hesitancy in her voice, the pool of tears in her eyes and the way she fiddles with her thumb - Heidi knows the effect Edward has on Bella.
She needs to put a stop to it. The only way to do that is to remind her of the harsh truth.
"But he also almost killed you," Heidi said with conviction.
Bella glares at her, "It's not his fault, it's my blood! It's too tempting for any vampire."
She is aware that her mate's blood is alluring, even to Aro. A young vampire like Edward would not have that much self-control. So she lets out a dark laugh, "If he really was your mate, he wouldn't have the ability to hurt you, much less have it in him to drink your blood; human or not."
"You weren't there! You don't understand."
"Bella Swan, are you aware that you are victim-blaming? Let me put it into perspective. What do rapists often say when they are brought to human's court of justice? That the victim's skirt was too short? That the victim should have known better?"
The questions hit Bella like a ton of bricks, prompting her to stand on her feet, nervously pacing around the living room. Sometimes, she can still see images of greedy Edward in her mind, almost sucking her dry. It terrifies her and she almost always didn't win that image battle. She's tried so hard to bury it in the deepest of her memory so it won't surface again.
"Is that why you are here - come up with the ruse to kill me? To finish the job the Volturi sent you for?" Bella stood up straight, ready to embrace Death if he so much stared her in the face. She feels like losing her mind already.
Heidi does not appreciate that tone and accusation one bit. She understands everything has been overwhelming and confusing for the human but she would never harm her mate; she knows she isn't capable of it.
Someone as young as Bella has surely heard empty promises thrown her way. Heidi knows then that words won't matter here and now; only actions will. So she grabs Bella's hand and pricks one of her fingertips with her sharp nail and allows the blood to drip.
Bella's resisting to fight her natural instinct to apologise and cover up the tiny wound but she wills herself to watch the ruby-eyed vampire closely, challenging her. But colour her surprise when there isn't any sign of struggle, pain or thirst on Heidi's face. In fact, she looks dead serious and unbothered at all. Her eyes turn burgundy and Bella isn't sure if the vampire's hungry or angry.
The last time she bled in front of the Cullens, it took them less than five seconds to react aggressively. Almost a minute passes by and there's only a smirk to be found on Heidi's face, "Your blood does not tempt me."
Taking the opportunity to not hide her intentions, Heidi takes one step further into Bella's personal space and leans into her neck, sniffing, "Don't get me wrong, you, my dear, smell wonderful. But not for the reasons you were thinking."
For icing on the cake, Heidi drags her nose up to the tip of Bella's ear and places a wet kiss behind her earlobe, making a bold statement. It's effective as she feels Bella shiver under her touch. Letting out a husky laugh, Heidi disappears and grabs the first aid kit and cleans the blood off Bella's skin. Once it's all bandaged (not that Bella needs it), she pushes the human to the edge once again by kissing her finger.
"There, all better. Forgive me for resorting to such extremes, but I feared you would not have believed me otherwise. Now let's get you something to eat. Humans need to be fed every few hours, no?"
Heidi runs to the kitchen, opening the cabinets and fridge, trying to see if there's anything that Bella can cook herself or if they should head out for dinner.
"Why?" Bella asked dumbfounded that a red-eyed vampire, who's at least 500 years old, displays better control around her blood than the Cullens ever did.
She hears the question, but is unsure which answer Bella is ready to hear yet. Bella pops in the kitchen, trailing behind Heidi like a child eagerly waiting for an answer.
"It just is."
A/N: Do you think Bella's getting the hint yet of Heidi's true intentions?
