26
A ROYAL LETTER AND HISTORY AND DARK MAGIC OF THE CHILDREN OF THE MOON
SOON AS EDWARD'S BELOVED MOTHER, Elizabeth, hung up, not waiting for either Esme or Alice to speak, Gideon spoke, his voice feather soft, Amelia cradled close to his side, Gideon protecting her as a husband was suppose to protect his wife. "How long, Edward," a hard swallow, Gideon pulling Amelia closer to him, "how long did you have to put up with such depravity and promiscuity?"
Edward sighed, ran his fingers gently, carefully so as not to ruin her hairdo, over Bella's hair, pressed repeated kisses to it, to soothe Bella, able to hear the way her heart was ricocheting inside her chest—as well as himself. "Over half a century, as Rosalie and Emmett make their thoughts, wretched, vile, and perverted, pretty loud on purpose—though, of course, this issue, the issue of Alice spying on my love life, wanting to know how my bride and wife would seduce me so she could 'help' her with her wardrobe, it becoming a matter of gossip and discussion in the Cullen household, has not occurred before, as I did not meet my Bella until this autumn passed, a month after her birthday."
A pause, more kisses pressed to Bella's hair, Edward inhaling her scent, letting her inhale his own, trying to soothe both of them. "This, coupled with the fact that the Cullens seem to have no notion of the words privacy, secrecy, other than keeping the existence of vampires secret, and modesty, is one of the reasons why I never allowed them to meet any of you, brought you up at all while I was living with them, as I did not wish to make you feel invaded, put your privacy at risk, the other being that while I was here, in England, with any or all of you, I only wanted to be me, Edward Masen, completely the son my beloved mother, Elizabeth, raised, not have to hide bits and pieces of myself, be Edward Cullen, who they knew me to be."
He let out a laugh, and it was dark, harsh and jagged, sharp as a knife, that knife, Bella knew, still able to hear his thoughts, Edward her own, it was directed towards Alice. "Of course, I had no idea Alice would go to such lengths, attempt to see what is for my eyes and my bride's to see, all so she can treat my Bella as her own, personal, life-size doll, have her selfish desires satisfied, else, I would have left the Cullen household a lot sooner, the minute I knew I loved my Bella, that she loved me. I suppose I could have paid better attention to her thoughts, the workings of her mind, have discovered this a lot sooner, but my Bella and I, we recently awoke to the truth, how dark and twisted, filled with lies, the Cullens' relationships are with one another, and I did not realize the depravity and promiscuity ran that deep, included Alice to such a level."
Elizabeth, able to sense and feel his pain as only a mother could, cupped her beloved son's face, stroked his cheeks, as If wiping tears away, then his hair, tears streaming down her own face, the words she spoke, loving and motherly, in French, though Bella immediately got a translation, connected as she was to Edward's mind, Edward to hers. "Non, mon amour, mon beau garçon, mon fils bien-aimé, la promiscuité d'Alice n'est pas de ta faute, ni sous ton contrôle, mais la faute des personnes qui l'ont élevée, de ses parents, et tu ne peux pas te concentrer sur ce qui était, seulement sur ce qui sera."
No, my love, my beautiful boy, my beloved son, Alice's promiscuity is not your fault, nor under your control, but the fault of the people who raised her, her parents, and you cannot focus on what was, only what will be.
Edward laughed, harsh and bitter, filled with pain and sorrow, leaned further into his mother's touch. "That is the thing, Alice remembers naught of her human life, Mama. "
Elizabeth continued stroking Edward's hair, the touch that of a loving, doting mother who was soothing her child, her precious treasure, pressed a loving kiss to his forehead. "Then it is the fault of Carlisle and Esme, my beautiful boy, my precious son, for they did not teach her limits, how to use her ability, seeing the future, a precious gift, properly, the meaning of the words privacy and modesty—but it is certainly not your fault. Assure yourself of this, my precious son, the babe who I carried in my womb for nine months, rocked in my arms, I will speak to Carlisle and Esme before the day is through, when Gideon, Amelia, Liam, Emily, Henry, Charlotte, James, Tessa, and Charles and Lucy take their leave."
Edward pulled away from his beloved mother slightly, though it was only momentary, so he could shift his hold about Bella, cradle her even closer to him, press a kiss to her forehead, the crown of her head, then buried his face against his mother's neck. "It makes me so mad, Mama, the thought of something such as this happening in my and my Bella's wedding."
Elizabeth, who was yet stroking her beloved son's hair, pressed a kiss to his forehead, then took Bella's hand in one of hers, gave it a light, reassuring squeeze, then stroked her fingers lovingly over the back of it, the touch deep, warm, and motherly. "I know, my beautiful boy, my precious, beloved son, and I will make certain it does not, that the day and night you and your Bella are wed pass by flawlessly." Her lips curved up a little, and her smile, it was one of pride, deep, motherly love, and satisfaction. "It is a very good thing, I reckon, that you and your beautiful bride found a way to block Alice from being able to see your future at all, as she cannot see and know what is only for you and your bride to see and know, no matter how hard she tries—and if you have any questions regarding the future, ask me, I will find a way to give you the answers you seek, if I cannot give them to you directly then I will give you clues."
Bella saw Amelia lift her hand, touch it gently to Gideon's cheek, speak with her lips next to the skin of his neck. "I told you that you, Liam, Henry, James, and Charles should have tried harder to keep him here, convince him to stay each time he came here, was about to return to the Cullens. I mean, after listening to naught but a bit of the way he interacts with them, it is no wonder why each time he came here, to England, he was akin to a dead man, so solemn and sad, thirsting for privacy, yet also our company, for we have the same values as he."
Gideon tilted Amelia's chin up, pressed a sweet, chased kiss to her lips. "You were . . . are right indeed."
"Well," Henry now, his lips curving slightly, eyes brightening, "I know of something that is bound to lift everyone's spirits." Standing up, he walked over to Edward, Bella, and his beloved mother, Elizabeth, slowly, like a human, handed Edward a manila envelope, along with a letter sealed with a wax seal, then walked back to sit next to his wife, Charlotte, put his arm round her.
Not letting go of Bella, Edward stood up, moved fast like only he could, went to get a wax seal opener, a paper knife, the thing looking old, so old, yet pristine and sharp, then sat back down on the same spot, shifting Bella sideways on his lap so she was facing both him as well as their present company. Carefully, slowly, he slid the knife across the wax seal, the letter, scanned its contents once, twice, then again, allowing Bella a chance to scan it, too.
Dear Edward,
I am very pleased indeed to hear of your marriage, however, I am not pleased that I had to hear it from someone, Henry—other than you. I will, however, pardon you, put it down to extreme excitement.
I would be pleased if you and your wife-to-be would come to Buckingham Palace for cream tea after the return of your honeymoon, where I would hear of your archaeological discoveries. It's been quite a while since we've seen each other last, I would venture to say about a year and a half, and I'm certain you have discovered lots of things in the meantime, you always do.
Do let me know a day or two before you come so I can clear my schedule.
My very best wishes,
Elizabeth R.
Edward opened the manila envelope, took out a whole bunch of paperwork, grinned, and Bella, she was too distracted, nervous, playing the words she'd read over and over in her head. She was vaguely aware of Edward sliding all the paperwork back into the manila envelope, closing it back up. "You told the queen that I am to be wed, Henry? Also, I thank you for these," he held up the manila envelope, "I will work on them tonight while my Bella is asleep, will probably get them back to Liam sometime tomorrow."
A nod, Henry's eyes unrepentant, shining. "Yes, I did." Laughter in Henry's eyes, those eyes dancing. "She was so cross, was the queen, when she learned of your betrothal and subsequent wedding from me, not yourself."
"The queen, Husband, my love," Bella swallowed, wetting her dry throat, "she was cross with you, pardoned you? Also, will she assist our wedding?"
He laughed, deep and full-blooded, something which neither of them could have predicted would be happening just a couple of minutes ago, however, Bella knew he wasn't making fun of her, was simply so very happy—took a deep, honey-sweet kiss that was yet polite for company. "Calm down, mon doux, the queen was only joking, and much as she would love to attend our wedding, she will not, for it is a private event and she does not wish to steal the spotlight from us."
His next words were inside her mind, something that brought her very much pleasure, made her shiver, press herself closer to him. I know you are fretting over going to Buckingham Palace, having afternoon tea with the queen, for I can hear it in your thoughts, but there is no reason to fret so, mon précieux trésor, as I will teach you everything you need to know, the proper etiquette and protocol, before we go. Besides, she could hear a smile in his mental tone, you might get to meet Prince William, too, she often invites him to have tea with her, the queen.
"Speaking of your wedding, when, exactly, will it take place?" Gideon now, one arm round Amelia, the other stretched over the back of the sofa they were sitting on.
The happiness and joy coming off of Edward, it was infectious, made Bella feel twice as happy as she was already feeling, which, in turn, made Edward feel twice as happy. "Three days hence," Edward informed everyone, stroking his thumb over the back of Bella's nape.
Edward's beloved mother, Elizabeth, kissed Edward on both cheeks, his forehead, then did the same to Bella's. "Well, Bella's wedding outfit is almost ready, and as for her going away frock and honeymoon wardrobe, we can purchase everything we need tomorrow."
Liam, who had one arm round Emily, his other hand holding hers, tracing soft, gentle, loving, soothing circles on her skin, spoke next. "So where will it take place?"
Edward opened his mouth, was about to respond, but Bella spoke before he could, looking at the portrait hanging above the mantle, of Elizabeth and Edward senior. "Can it take place over there, Edward, my love?" She pointed to the painting. "It seems a very beautiful, sentimental place."
A kiss pressed to the crown of Bella's head, her lips, Edward's joy and happiness growing more and more with every passing second, which, in turn, made Bella's grow, too. "It certainly can, ma belle mariée. It is a very beautiful, sentimental place indeed, filled with flowers, mostly different color roses, though there are heliotropes, lavender, and peonies, too, and cherry blossom trees, as I return there every year, plant a whole bunch of new roses and three cherry blossom trees. The vegetation, beautiful and vibrant, will provide plenty of shading, allowing our wedding to occur without incident, though it will occur in a sunny place."
Elizabeth, who had tears streaming down her face anew, though this time they were from happiness, love, and pride, touched her warm fingers to Edward's cheek. "Oh, my beautiful boy, my precious son, you kept all the traditions that we use to do, the ones that did not require you to eat human food, alive all of these years?"
A nod, Edward leaning further into his beloved mother's touch, closing his eyes, placed a hand over his mother's warm one. "Of course I did, Mama." As Edward spoke, a waterfall of images, Edward's memories, came into Bella's mind, Edward with his parents, going to that beautiful meadow every year, each of them planting a cherry blossom tree, Elizabeth also planting a whole bunch of roses, Edward and his father helping her. He turned to Bella, explained "Every year we would go to this property, an ancestral one, plant cherry blossom trees, one for each of us, my grandparents, both Mary and Henry, and Charlotte and James, coming with us, too, planting their own cherry blossom trees, the tradition and old one, passed down from generation to generation through my mother's side of the family."
His hand slid low, came to rest over her abdomen, fingers stroking over her for now, empty womb, his next words spoken inside her mind, this a secret they both cherished, held deer. When we have children, we, too, shall pass this most beautiful of traditions onto them.
Edward turned to his mother, his beautiful, inhuman, incredible, emerald green eyes that sometimes shifted to blue bright, alive in a way Bella had never seen before, as if whatever he was about to tell his beloved mother had ignited yet another facet of him, a facet that had been dim and dull for too long, eighty-six years, nearly a century. "We should go there tomorrow morn, Mama, and you can plant trees for yourself, Papa, grandmama, and grandpapa, while my Bella and I plant trees for ourselves, as I have not yet done it this year."
His beloved mother, whose eyes, so much like his own, were looking shiny, filled with pride and love, threw her arms round him, round him and Bella both, clutching them close to her chest as a mother did her children. When she pulled away, cupping Edward's cheek with one hand, the other holding Bella's, a single tear rolled down her cheek. Edward reached up, gently wiped it away with his cold thumb. "Oh, my beautiful boy, my precious, kind, gentle, beloved son, I have missed doing this tradition with you." She shook her head. "Much as I long to go there tomorrow morn, it will have to be the morn of the day after, as your Bella and I, we have a lot of work to do tomorrow, as I am certain you do as well, for you must prepare everything for your honeymoon, the location of it."
Bella groaned, pressed warm, honey-sweet, open-mouthed, discreet kisses to Edward's throat, for they were not alone, not yet. "Will you not tell me where you are taking me for our honeymoon, give me a tiny, tiny clue, Husband, my love?"
Edward shook his head, made a low, much too low for anyone, save somehow for Bella, though she was still human, to hear—throaty sound in the back of his throat. "You need only wait three more days, ma belle sirène, then you will find out where I am taking you for our honeymoon."
Gideon, who was gently stroking Amelia's back, had her cradled close to his side, spoke up. "Speaking of mysterious locations, why is it, Edward, Bella, that your wedding will no longer take place in Forks but in . . ." Gideon trailed off, turned to Edward, clearly not knowing where the location of the beautiful meadow was.
"The Loire Valley, near the Vienne River and Chinon, France," Edward supplied.
Bella shivered, pressed herself closer to Edward, who tightened his arms around her, buried his face against the crook of her neck, inhaled her scent, letting his cold, sweet, addictive, intoxicating breath wash over her skin, knowing how much the scent of it calmed her. "Werewolves." Bella's voice was naught but a whisper, inaudible to human ears, but it didn't matter, Bella herself currently the only human in the house.
A gasp, every single vampire in the room, save, of course, for Edward, all of them looking shocked and worried, speaking at once. "Edward, you did not tell us there were werewolves in Forks."
A shake of his head, Edward touching his hand gently to Bella's neck, running his forefinger over her straining artery, telling her silently, mind‐to‐mind, Such fear I sense in you, my Bella, mon précieux trésor, though you have no reason to fear so, as Billy and the dog, they will not come here, step on a single millimeter of our land, for I will not allow it, no matter what. I would vanquish the look of terror on your beautiful face, erase the acrid, bitter taste of fear on your tongue, later, when I feed off of you tonight, you, too, feeding off of me.
Out loud he said, "They are not true Children of the Moon, but shapeshifters who take the form of a wolf. I am not too familiar with their history and folklore, as the dog who my Bella is afraid of, Jacob, along with his father and great-grandfather before them, are filled with hatred and loathing so, do not think straight, but according to everything I have gathered, when spirits of his ancestors, and I am unaware if this was through dark magic or not, though I am more inclined to believe the former rather than the latter, chose to enter the bodies of wolves, for they had no bodies of their own, as they had been killed by a rival clan, the human emotions, anger and rage, thirst for vengeance, were too much for the animals to be able to handle so they transformed back into humans, thus gaining new bodies."
Edward paused to press ten quick, consecutive kisses to the top of Bella's head, trying to gentle her, able to hear her quickened heartbeat, the way it was beating akin to that of a trapped bird's. "By doing this, transforming back into humans, they gained the ability to transform back and forth between a wolf and a human, passing it on to their descendants, though the gene must be active in order for them to be able to do so. I suppose they could have just as easily entered a lion, bear, or any other animal, guess the reason why they chose wolves is because they were the closest animal nearby."
Bella looked confused, however, her gaze wasn't directed towards Edward, but towards his beloved mother, Elizabeth. "You told Edward to leave me alone with werewolves not before, when we were in Chicago, first met?" Because Elizabeth, she had undoubtedly known Jacob wasn't a true Child of the Moon, whatever that meant. If Bella had to take a guess, there were indeed people who transformed into a wolf under the light of the full moon, though she wasn't certain about silver bullets doing them harm, would have to ask Edward later.
Elizabeth took Bella's hands in hers, gave them a light, reassuring, motherly squeeze, set them on her lap, then stroked Edward's hair. "Yes, I did, the reason why I chose to use the word 'werewolves' rather than 'Children of the Moon' so I did not confuse you, and, of course, my beautiful boy, my beloved son, knew what I meant, my words carefully chosen, for I emphasized the full moon, that during that time the spirit of wolf was stronger than the spirit of man." She again took Bella's hand in one of hers, Edwards in the other, gave them a loving squeeze. "Panic not, but what I am about to inquire of you is very important, Bella, beautiful, darling girl. Have you or your father ever shed blood in Billy's house or while in the company of Billy or his son, have either of them ever protected you or your father, saved your life?"
"No, I have never shed blood in Billy's house, in front of him or the dog, nor have they ever protected me, saved my life." Bella's lips tilted up slightly, and she took a quick, chased kiss from Edward. "Edward has always done that, protected me, saved my life, too." She bit her lip nervously. "I am uncertain of Charlie, though."
A shake of Edward's head, even as his lips brushed a loving, soothing, cold kiss to the crown of her head. "No, Charlie has never shed blood in Billy's house or in the presence of him or the dog, nor have the dog or his father ever protected Charlie, saved his life—such a thing would have created a mental imprint, a link of sorts, and I would know about it thanks to my gift."
His beloved mother let out a breath of what Bella thought was relieve. "Good, if either of those things had occurred, it would have created a blood debt, usually paid in the form of a sort of marriage they like to call 'imprint', a sort of binding that occurs with dark, so dark, blood magic. If the person who is indebted is a male, the debt is passed on to that person's first daughter, as the person who is usually owed to is a male, and if that daughter is already in love, and the love is strong and genuine and true, the debt is passed on to her first daughter, no matter if that daughter is a babe, as no magic can compete or break true love."
Bella and Edward shivered, Bella bringing a hand to rest on her abdomen, over her for now, empty womb, Edward placing a hand over hers, the thought of Elizabeth Catherine being bonded to Jacob or any of the men in his tribe, for that matter, because Bella and Edward didn't know if the "werewolf" gene had to be active to create such a bond, and even if it had, Bella and Edward were certain there had to be other people with it active, too, in such a way, wretched and vile to them. Thankfully, none of the people in the room noticed the position of their hands, that they were resting together over Bella's for now, empty womb, the way Edward was cradling her just a little tighter, protective and loving—all of them distracted, engrossed in what Elizabeth was saying
Edward's beloved mother, Elizabeth, tapped a finger against her lips, thoughtful. "I know not how it would have worked in your case, as the debt is usually between shapeshifters and themselves or shapeshifters and humans, other supernatural creatures, such as vampires, usually not involved, for vampires, they usually do not mingle with humans, fall in love with one, your case a rarity, the only one of its kind, though there are certainly similar ones, yet not similar at all, for there are other vampires who fall in love with humans, change them, but those couples, they come close not to what the two of you have."
At this, Bella saw Gideon pull Amelia closer to him, Liam and Henry doing the same with Emily and Charlotte, realized Charlotte, Emily, and Amelia must have been human at some point during their courtship with their respective partners, though they must have been changed at some point without having made love first, as none of them seemed to have any children of their own.
Still, she had to check, had to make certain what she was thinking was true, asked Edward mind‐to‐mind, the scent of him, honey lilac with a hint of lavender and freesia, a breeze inside her mind as he answered. No, mon beau diamant, mon précieux trésor, none of my friends have children with their partners, as they all had to be changed very early in their courtships, for Amelia, Emily, Charlotte, Tessa, and Lucy, along with the partners of all my other friends, who you will meet during our wedding—all fell ill with life threatening illnesses, though not at the same time, and the only way to save them, make certain they survived, was to change them. Even had they not fallen ill, I think not that they would have made love to them while they were still human, would have changed them first, way before their wedding nuptials, as they would have considered it way too risky, to make love to them while they were still human, not enjoyable.
A soft gasp, too soft and quiet for anyone, save, for Edward, as no one was paying attention to her, the sounds she made, to hear—Bella keeping their conversation on the mental level. But you, my love, Husband, you were willing to make love to me as a human even before we found out everything we did, that we could have a child, multiple children, as I, like you, will remain fertile even after you change me, that our love, so strong and pure, it is an entity of its own, will not allow you to do me harm.
Nothing but pure love, so strong it was a blanket wrapping about her, warming her up, in his mental response. Yes, but I love you too much to deny you anything, especially a request such as the one you made of me, to make love to you while you are still human. He turned to his beloved mother, Elizabeth, spoke out loud, clearly having been using a separate part of his mind to look for any possible loopholes, danger, Bella or their future children, particularly Elizabeth Catherine, could be in. "Is there a way to make certain there are no such ties between my Bella and the dog or any male member of his tribe, that even if Charlie is indebted to the dog or Billy one day, that debt does not pass on to my Bella or our family, Mama?"
The look Elizabeth gave her beloved son, it was loving, triumphant, satisfied. "Yes, of course, my beautiful boy." A slight pause, Elizabeth reaching over to kiss Edward on both cheeks, his forehead, the top of his head, soothing him as only a mother could soothe her son. "Usually it is not the case, as the magic of the shapeshifters, it is strong, so strong and dark, to the point that they believe it unbreakable, believe themselves on top of the 'food chain', so to speak, for they eat naught but human food—the top predators, as no one has been able to break through their magic, avoided completely, I, however, can, one of the many, many abilities God granted me so I am able to protect you, you and Bella both. I will make certain Bella is clean of blood debts, that even should Charlie become indebted to any shapeshifter that debt will not be passed on to Bella or our family."
She held out her hands, the look on her face as she looked at Bella loving and fiercely protective, that of a mother to her child, and that, Bella knew, it was exactly how Elizabeth saw her, as her own daughter, her own flesh and blood. "Take my hands, Bella, beautiful, darling girl, press yourself closer to my beloved son, my Edward, my beautiful boy, make certain your bodies are touching everywhere they can."
Edward shifted her so they were in a position according to his beloved mother's requirements, but remained polite for company, Bella taking both of Elizabeth's hands. Elizabeth closed her eyes, began to glow, the white, beautiful, pure light emanating from her so bright, Bella had to close her eyes. She felt a deep warmth seeping into her, gentle, warm, loving, motherly hands stroking over her, making certain all of her ties, the bonds she had, were clean, pure, not malicious. Then, as if they were back on the mental plane, only this time Elizabeth came with her and Edward, too, she saw a white string, but that white string . . . it was stained red, as if with heart's-blood, the droplets that clung to it akin to diamonds or red rubies. That white string that was stained red, it caught aflame, turned to naught but ash. At that moment, Bella felt her shield change, gaining a new layer, becoming even more protective, wrapping tighter around her and Edward, extending to cover Elizabeth.
Elizabeth let go of Bella's hands, stroked her hair, carefully, gently, so as not to ruin her hairdo, then Edward's, pressed a kiss to the top of their heads respectively. "It is done. The string or cord you saw me burn, it is not that of a blood debt, but that which shapeshifters use in case of a blood debt, to create the sort of marriage, the imprint."
Relief filled Bella, but she swallowed hard, two horrible thoughts occurring to her. "The truck that Charlie got me for my welcome home present, will it not create some sort of debt? Also, Edward, he and the Cullens, they made a treaty with the shapeshifters, will that not affect him in any way?"
Surprisingly, it was Edward who answered, pressing a kiss to the top of Bella's head, somehow surrounding her with his scent, sweet, so sweet and addictive, intoxicating, of honey lilac with a hint of lavender and freesia. "No, mon précieux trésor, the truck Charlie got you for your 'welcome home' present, which he got off of Billy, had that dog fix, it cannot and will not create a blood debt, nor any other kind of debt, for while it is true that objects can create both blood debts and other kinds of debts, especially if given with ulterior motives or malicious intent, the person who receives the object, the recipient, must be emotionally attached to it, and, thank God, you are not attached to your truck in any emotional way, actually despise it, wish to dispose of it, for it links you to the dog and his father, though that link is tenuous, for you wish to have naught to do with them."
He laughed then, dark and satisfied. "When you rang me and Carlisle to go fetch you, to Charlie's house, for Billy and the dog were there and you felt unsafe, I was not able to get much information from the dog's mind, as he was so full of hatred and loathing, was throwing every mental insult he could at Carlisle, but from what I was able to gleam from the dogs thoughts, they ar furious, not only the dog and his father, but the tribe elders as well, for when you were ten, the last time you went to Forks, before you permanently moved back this autumn passed, they had devised a plan to either make you fall in love with the dog or create a blood debt, thus making you marry him either out of love or because of either a blood debt or some other kind of magical debt, not expecting that you and I would fall deeply in love, ruin their plans."
Tears streaming down her face, Bella screamed, "I am yours, have been since before I was born, a part of your soul inside me, just as you, too, are mine, have been since before you were born, a part of my soul inside you, no amount of magic and scheming can change that, break our bond, a connection and love so beautiful and pure, angels and God knew one human lifetime would not be enough for us, thus God granted us the gift of immortality, for Carlisle changed you and soon you will change me, too, so we can be together for eternity!"
Edward wiped her tears away, her loving and future husband, so strong he could pulverize metal and rock without the least bit effort, gentle and loving with her, tilted her head back, kissed her, soft and deep, yet polite for company, for they were not yet alone, her lips hot and salty from her tears.
"I know that, mon coeur, mon âme, and I will allow nothing and no one to tear us apart, invade our privacy, or harm us in any way, be it the Cullens, the Volturi, shapeshifters, true Children of the Moon, or some other creature, even humans. The reason they, the shapeshifters, were, still are, for they are attempting to find out a way to break our bond though it is unbreakable, told Charlie to do everything he could to break our betrothal, stop our wedding, is because they need 'fresh blood' so to speak, as their gene pool is getting smaller and smaller due to inbreeding, and soon, perhaps within three to four generations, they will begin to be born with birth defects due to inbreeding, making it difficult for them to face, as the tribe of shapeshifters in Forks is quite small."
He clenched his fist, pressed repeated kisses to her hair, neck, throat, and straining artery. "As you so eloquently put it, mon précieux ange, you are mine, just as I, too, am yours, and it has always been thus, even before we were born, will remain thus for eternity. Even if it was not the case, that we belong to each other, which, thank heavens, it is not, I still would have liked it not, for they see you as naught but an object, a means to an end—the reason why they chose you, they thought you the best bride for the dog, for Billy and Charlie are best friends, thus they thought it would be quite easy, for Charlie to push you to hangout with the dog, that you would eventually fall in love with him, which, in turn, would make Charlie very happy, as it would bring him and Billy even closer."
Because Edward could still hear her thoughts, connected to her mind as he was, Bella his own—knew how worried she was, he pressed a tender, sweet, cold kiss to her throat, letting his very sharp teeth scrape lightly over the soft, fragile skin, making her ache, shiver, press herself closer to him, wanting him to drink of her sweet, sweet blood, feed. "As for the treaty affecting me in any way, shape, or form, you need not fret so, as it will not, for I am not truly bound by it, part of it, unlike the Cullens."
Bella blinked, startled, so many questions in her eyes, the thoughts going through her mind akin to rapid fire. He smiled a little at her beguiled, bewildered look, touched her face, cupped her cheek, his palm open, fingers spread over her skin, the whole world, even his beloved mother, fading away so it was just the two of them. "Forgive me, mon doux ange, for I misled you at the time I told you of the treaty, as I did not tell you the whole backstory, for we were not alone at the time, were with the Cullens, and I did not wish to argue with Carlisle, this a point of contention between us, but I will rectify it now, tell you what you need to know."
He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, they were glowing, those beautiful, inhuman, incredible, emerald green eyes that sometimes shifted to blue Bella loved so much, shining with power, a power that wrapped around her, akin to a warm blanket or an embrace. "When the Cullens and myself first came across the shapeshifters in 1936, it was in their wolf form, they immediately attacked us, attempted to kill us, the chief, who is the great-grandfather of the dog, at the forefront. Because I can read minds, understand them even while they were in their wolf form, Carlisle had me translate, communicate to them that we were not there to do them harm, only to hunt animals, satisfy our thirst. After I communicated this to them, they all transformed back into humans, the chieftain telling Carlisle that as they were the two leaders, they would speak in private, sort this out, both parties afterwards having to follow whatever they decided."
Edward winced, brought his hands to his temples, pressing his fingers gently against them, as if he was getting a headache, though such a thing was an impossibility, for he was a vampire, was her lover and future husband—and Bella didn't know why, couldn't tell from his thoughts, for they were passing through his mind too quickly for her to understand. "I had to step away a short distance, though not far enough away that I could not hear their thoughts anymore, for I had never come across such a thing before, a mind that was a collective one yet also individual, comprised of many different minds, in this case thirty or so, for there were some women who were with child in the village. Because of this, the fact that their mind was a collective, yet individual one, I was able to gleam a lot of information faster than I otherwise would have, thus I knew the top reason why they wanted to kill us, which was not, of course, because they believed us dangerous, for they had secretly spied on us, seen us in Forks, though that was certainly the second reason."
The look in Edward's eyes . . . it was dark yet fiercely protective, loving. "It was because they wanted to expand their territory, subjugate not only Forks, but the surrounding small towns as well, mainly Port Angeles, so they could fool the population into believing they were good, kind-hearted people, marry their women, making the tribe stronger, bigger, and believed us a threat to their plans, for they knew they would no longer be the most charismatic, kindly viewed people in Forks, Port Angeles, and the surrounding towns and territories."
So many images, Edward's memories, coming into Bella's head as he spoke, but they all played out too quickly for her to be able to understand. "I, of course, warned Carlisle of this soon as I could, but he hearkened to me not because of his compassion, the fact that the chieftain, the dog's great-grandfather, had fooled him into believing his sweet, sweet lies, clapped me on the shoulder, told me to have faith and be kind, that perhaps they would change their minds over time, that we would make a treaty with them and certain parts of Forks would belong to us while others remained neutral, that the territory the tribe had now would remain the same, their own, and they would not be permitted into our territory, just as we would not be permitted into theirs, and they would keep our secret just as we would keep their own. I, of course, refused to take part in such a treaty, for I knew how dark and twisted the shapeshifters truly were, saw it in their minds."
Able to hear her quickened heartbeat, along with her panicked, frantic thoughts, he stroked her hair gently, careful not to ruin her hairdo, her lover and future husband, who was so very strong yet so very gentle with her, pressed gentle, soothing, loving, chased kisses to her skin. "Three days later, a document was signed by Carlisle and the chieftain that encompassed the entire Cullen family as well as the entire tribe, however, the real treaty, the binding one, for a written document is naught in this supernatural world, came a day later, when the chieftain drew his own hearts-blood, asked each of the members of the Cullen family, save, of course, for me, for I did not return with Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, and Emmett, loathing to take part in such a scam—to give him a hair of their own each, pulverized them, mixed them with his blood, the process having to be repeated when Alice and Jasper joined the Cullen household so they could be added to the treaty, too, though I, of course, still refused to take part in it."
Bella swallowed audibly, her throat dry as parchment, mostly from fear, though it was also because she craved his blood, sweet, so sweet, tailor-made for her, the intimacy and pleasure they felt when they fed off of one another. "Our cottage in Forks, Husband, my love, is it in the territory of the Cullens?"
"No, Bella, beautiful, darling girl, but neither is it mutual territory." Elizabeth's voice, it made Bella jump a little, startled her, she'd forgotten she and Edward were not alone, had company, had been too absorbed in their conversation, the images in her head, Edward's memories. Elizabeth took one of Bella's hands in one of her own, stroked her hair, her face, then Edward's, her touch warm, loving, and motherly. "Instead it is in yours and my beautiful boy's territory, for the second you two moved in there, you created a protective bubble around it, your love, so strong and pure, it is an entity of its own, not allowing anyone into your cottage and the land that surrounds it without your permission."
"Well," Gideon's voice, his arm round Amelia, holding her close, "it is getting quite late so I reckon we will take our leave now, see ourselves out, inform James, Tessa, and Charles and Lucy of what has occurred, as you have yet to talk to the Cullens and your Bella must be getting quite tired and hungry."
They all, Gideon, Amelia, Liam, Emily, Henry, and Charlotte, stood up, began to leave, then turned back for a moment, looked at Edward, Bella, and Edward's beloved mother, Elizabeth, all spoke at once. "Do let us know if you need help setting up things for the wedding, where, exactly, it will take place."
When Edward spoke, running his thumb over the back of Bella's nape, then her pulse, her throbbing artery, it was for the three of them, his beloved mother, Bella, and himself. "We will."
There were several moments of silence, likely because Edward and his beloved mother were waiting until it was just the three of them again, then Elizabeth stood up, grabbing the three teacups and teapot, touched her fingers to Edward's cheek, the touch that of a loving, doting, protective mother who loved her son so, would do anything for him. "While you get everything set up so I can speak to Carlisle and Esme via video, as it is impossible for me to speak to them face to face, for they are in a different country, America, Forks, we in England, I will go warm up our tea, as it has gotten quite cold and none of us have touched it thus far. It would have been better if I spoke to them face to face, but I will make do with speaking to them via video, not put off this conversation any longer, for I will not allow such perversions to keep happening, your privacy and Bella's constantly being bridged."
Elizabeth stood up, went to the kitchen, Edward picking Bella up, like how a groom carried his new bride, moving fast like only he could, fetching the laptop, then returning to the same spot, setting the laptop up, Bella remaining on his lap, in his arms, cradled close to his heart. His beloved mother, Elizabeth, returned not long thereafter, having not only warmed up their tea, but made more, hoarded into a different teapot though it still matched with the teacups, one big enough so each of them could have multiple cups of tea, at least three if not more, sat down next to Bella and her beloved son, poured each of them, including herself, a cup of tea, preparing them with sugar and milk.
Bella took a sip of her tea, closed her eyes . . . it was perfect, so perfect, the tea, unlike anything she'd tasted before. "Mmm."
A soft, musical, male laugh, cold fingers touched to her cheek. "I am very happy indeed that you like your tea, my Bella, mon précieux trésor." A shudder rippled through him. "It is so much better, more exquisite, healthier than Twinings English Breakfast tea or Earl Gray, trust me on this, mon amour." Soon as he finished speaking, he took a sip of his own tea, had the same reaction to it as Bella, as if this was the first time he ever drank it, and in a way it was, for Edward hadn't drank this tea in a long, long time, almost, but not quite, a century.
Elizabeth took a sip of her own tea, her face contented, that of a mother who was happy to be back with her son after not seeing him for so long. "Ah, I have missed this so, Edward, my precious, beloved son. her face became serious from one heartbeat to the next. "It is time, ring Carlisle and Esme so I may have a word with them, get this conversation, a conversation that should not have to happen in the first place, over with, so we can focus on your wedding, which will take place three days hence."