Chapter 16
The Wonderful Mama4 Dukes Beta'd a few chapters for me! I can't thank her enough for taking the time to help me. She's truly my best friend! I love you, Girlie!
Charlie's POV
Song for this Chapter: Demons by Kenny Chesney
To say I was livid would be an understatement. From the time my daughter left Forks all those years ago until just this past weekend, every person who had been out in my front yard had talked to me about how she was loved and missed.
They told me I wasn't alone in missing my girl and that they hoped she would return one day, not only to reconcile with me but also with them.
After watching with my own eyes the lengths those people went to, I realized my daughter knew a lot more about what was going on in the pack than I did! And she didn't even live here.
I'm hurt that even those closest to me just stood by and let the SOB treat her like she was only worth what her uterus could give him and them!
I could see it now, everything she'd been saying all weekend.
I wonder now if Sue ever loved me. But if she didn't, why would she want to be married?
I saw how those from the reservation never loved her or wanted her. I could see the pain that they intentionally inflicted, and my mind was having trouble discerning the two differences.
Everything had been a lie.
Every conversation.
Every piece of information they'd tried to weasel out of me.
On every hunting or fishing trip with Billy, where one of the pack came along to help with Billy's needs.
Every time, Sue would put on airs when the tribe members were around.
Every touch we'd shared.
Every… Everything!
"Fuck!" I screamed as I slammed my front door.
I don't know if I'll ever be able to get this memory out of my head. Hearing my flesh and blood screaming out, "Hok'wat no more!" over and over…
I watched dumbfounded, and the two vampires worked quickly to get some medication down Bell's throat. She was talking nonsense and barely able to catch her breath when the drugs finally reached her bloodstream. I watched her eyelids close slowly.
I could only stand there and watch. I dared not to even touch her, afraid I'd somehow wake her up, and she'd start screaming again.
I sat down hard on the coffee table close to her. My body bent over my knees, my hands were over my face, and in my mind, all I could do was relive the scene that had just happened in my front yard and front of me.
I'd told her for the last few days that it was us against the world. I'd told her that I would protect her. And the first time I got a chance to do so, all hell broke loose, and I was too stunned to do anything to help her.
No, I didn't help her one bit, but her vampires did.
"What the hell am I going to do about all of this?" I whispered to the room at large.
I'd been told that werewolves' hearing was good, so I could only imagine that vampires had to have a good hearing as well.
I looked up to see Peter peering down at Bella when he turned his face towards my own.
"Do you want me to answer that question for you?" I believe that this was the first time the man had been completely serious with me since he'd walked through my front door. I was afraid to wake my drug-induced daughter, so I just nodded.
"Charles Swan, if I were you… I'd put that damn For Sale sign back in your yard. I'd sell everything in this house. I'd forget about my plans to retire at 45 and do it now. I'd get my life together, but… I'd only do all that if I were willing to follow this woman, laid out on your couch, to the ends of this earth." I watched as his small, beautiful wife bobbed her head at her husband's words.
Leave Forks? My job? I couldn't begin to process what he'd just said.
"Why?" The two vampires looked at me like I was a heartless SOB, but that's not the question I was meaning.
"No, I mean, why are the two of you helping her? What are you after from my daughter?" I knew they could break me like a matchstick, but as Bella's dad, I needed to understand their point of view.
"She told you her story?" Peter asked. At my nod, he said, "She's innocent in all of this, Charles. She never asked to meet vampires or shapeshifters. She never asked to be loved and then thrown away like last week's garbage by either side. But they sure as shit threw her away. They left her to face her demons head-on and all alone… I've lived a long time on this earth. I've lived through some fucked up shit in my time. But… Here's mine and daughter's difference, Charlie." He pointed at Bells.
"Where I've always had help. She didn't! She did it all on her own. Sure, Char and I have been there for the last two years, but our girl lived an unthinkable life for two years before that. She always fought her instincts and somehow made it through without losing most of her mind. I've seen aged vampires who couldn't have done that."
His wife started talking next. "Our sire, the vampire who created us, is part of the Cullen coven now. Before he left us, he'd taught us many things. How to fight. How to win. How to make sure to have each other's backs. But he also taught us to be gentle with the innocents of this world."
Peter took over. "Being an empath, he felt the emotions of those around him. When in battle," I gasped at his words, stopping Peter from continuing. "Our story is for later, but you asked, so because of our attachment to your daughter. We're giving you what you want to know."
"Anyway, when there were humans around, he'd always try to leave the innocent alone. We've continued following his rule, but we never believed he'd break his own rule…"
Charlotte started again, she was rubbing the top of Bella's head as she spoke. "Right after the Cullen's left Forks, our brother came to us. He was in a bad way and talked about almost killing an innocent human girl. He stayed for a couple of weeks before taking off and going back to his wife. But not before telling us the whole story of Edward Cullen and his human mate."
"We'd never heard of a vampire mated to a human before, and we became curious about her. Then, a year or so later, we were in NOLA when a redhead vampire asked if we knew of a human girl named Bella." Peter shrugged. "It only added gas to our fire to find her." His face was turned towards Bella's as he spoke.
"After finding her singing in a bar near the Smokey's, we followed her to Georgia. We watched as her piece of shit car broke down…when she saw us and then walked out of that bar. My gift told me that she was to be protected at all costs. I never dreamed she'd become like a sister to us. But she sure has spunk." he smiled before saying.
"Spunk she has in spades. What she doesn't have is peace."
"Our lives before our brother left to be with his wife weren't peaceful, Charlie. It was full of war, blood, and fighting. We know what it's like to live without peace. But…" Charlotte stopped talking, and she looked my way. Her eyes seemed to glisten.
"But we feel responsible for Izzy since it's our sire and his new family that turned their backs on her. She needs a constant in her life. We've been trying to fill the void, but you're the one meant to be doing that. Or my husband's gift says it's you anyway."
Charlotte's voice didn't sound so sure about me being the one to help my daughter. I guess, after having the wool pulled over my eyes these last few years, I could see where she was coming from. I could see Peter was having trouble believing in me as well. Hell, who could blame them?
"I've fucked up here," as said as I pointed towards Bells.
Neither one was holding back when they nodded their heads in agreement with my statement.
"Her journey into all of this bullshit isn't over, Charlie. She has so many more obstacles and challenges that no other living person has ever faced before. I don't doubt that she'll face them head-on. But I also know the only reason she'll do so is to keep those she considers family safe from the wrath of others of our kind."
"The Volturi she talked about?" I questioned, then suddenly I felt foolish.
"Can't they hear us anymore?" I was pointing towards the front of the house and thinking about the pack.
"Nope!" was Peter's short reply. At my questioning look, he said, "Your daughter, though still human, is projecting her mental shield around us." He held out my daughter's scared arm.
"When she was bitten years ago. I believe Dipshit didn't get all of the venom out. Enough to turn her? No. But enough to trigger these episodes so that she can protect herself mentally and physically when needed. It's happened before. She says it's like pulling a String in her mind. That's why the Kings are so interested in how she'll turn out. Once she's been changed."
"She's going to go through that?" I'd heard Bella say the words. I'd just heard Peter mention my daughters carrying out the plans to become a vampire, but letting them peace my mind was another memory I'll never be able to forget.
He just raised his eyebrows in my direction. "Wouldn't you do anything to make sure she and those you love are safe? Hell, she had the balls to run from our site just to take another psychotic vampire head-on to save her mom. Now that the three of us are her only family left. She won't hesitate to keep us alive and happy."
I watched as Peter's face twisted, and he started to dig into his jeans pocket. I watched as his face went from worried to downright pissed.
"They're here."
"Who are you?" I asked.
"The Cullen Coven."
Well, shit…
So sorry for not posting a chapter last week. We celebrated both of my grown and married son's birthdays. Plus, we (yes, me included) drive drag cars and NHRA came to town!
Please read and review! Revel