Carlisle Cullen didn't need to have the powers of his adopted children like mind reading, or seeing the future, or reading emotions to know what was coming. Esme had been on edge, well, for the past three years really, but the past week or so had seen so much more anxiety. If Carlisle had needed air, he would have sucked in a huge gulp before entering the house through the back door after his hunt.
"Good afternoon, dear." He still greeted his only love with affection and devotion, but he could see how unhappy she truly was.
She gave him a half-hearted hug before pulling away with a sigh.
With none of their children still living at home, Esme was lost with hardly any purpose in her life. She volunteered where and when she could. She did some interior design when she really wanted a project, but her calling in life had been motherhood. Three years ago, her children left in their pairs, and the empty nest she and Carlisle shared now felt more like a tomb.
"Car, I need you to call Edward again." Esme stared out the kitchen window, eyes glassy and half-closed.
Carlisle knew this was coming. After all, it was August; of course, it was time to try to contact Edward. Esme was desperate to see him, talk to him, anything. But there was something... not right with Edward.
Edward married Bella three years ago. They went off on their honeymoon and never came back. There was a helicopter crash near Isle Esme with three incredibly unidentifiable bodies, but we knew. Charlie and Renee didn't know. They were grief-stricken and mourning the loss of their only child. We knew they had a plan to change Bella, but it wasn't supposed to be like this.
They were going to pack up and meet them after Bella had time to acclimate to the change. Where they could all be together as a family. When they finally tracked Edward and Bella down, that was the day their family was irrevocably destroyed.
"I don't know what you want me to say to him, to ask him." Turning to look at his wife, Carlisle sighed. "He won't let us come see him. He won't come see us. We haven't seen..." He chokes on an unescaped breath. "We haven't seen Bella since the wedding."
Esme stepped away from the window in a flash to grasp her husband's shoulders. "We need to end this, Carlisle. They can't live like this anymore. Please."
The last word was a pleading whisper before she darted away, leaving Carlisle heartbroken yet again, aching for the love that was lost between him and his wife; the loss of his family and friends. His eldest son had strayed so far from the path, and taking someone like Bella with him had devastated everyone.
Esme was right; things couldn't continue like this. No matter how Edward responded, Carlisle would go to him, see how things were for himself. Then he'd make the decision for himself.
After all, he created Edward all those years ago to save him. He could destroy him if it meant saving him again.
~~*~~ NECR~~*~~
Two days after his conversation with Esme, Carlisle called his eldest son. Even if Edward had turned his back on his family, he was still Carlisle's son. He was loved and missed. Carlisle knew he could forgive him of whatever sins he'd committed, although he couldn't speak for his other children or even Esme, for that matter. But Carlisle was the patriarch of this family, the leader of this coven, and had created Edward; if he could forgive him, that had to mean something, right?
He'd already justified every scenario in his mind over the past three years, with only a terrifying and unsubstantiated theory of what had happened in the helicopter crash and how Edward and Bella were now.
Pulling out his phone, he scrolled to Edward's contact, pausing before hitting the call button. In that brief passage of time, his daughter Alice's face lit up the screen. With tawny eyes and choppy black hair, Carlisle knew why she'd be calling right now.
"Alice."
"Something's different, Carlisle." Alice's voice was often compared to tinkling bells, but through the phone, the tone was just tinny and hollow sounding.
"What's different?" Carlisle didn't have to ask what she was referring to. Alice had the ability to see the future, or what could be the future. There was always a choice. She tried to keep her mind open to anything involving Edward and Bella because she never saw anything coming while they'd been on their honeymoon.
"His response is different or his answer. I can't see it fully, but this year it's different."
Carlisle physically relaxed, his shoulders slumped over his frame. "Thank you, Alice."
"Carlisle, Dad," Alice whispers as he freezes, listening closely. "You need to prepare yourself for the worst."
"What did you see?"
"Nothing...just...everything is black. All black."
Carlisle dropped the phone from his ear for a moment to process what his daughter had just said.
When he brought the phone back up, he was thinking only of the future. "Will you and Jasper come see us soon?"
Alice paused for more than a minute. "As soon as everything is resolved with Edward and Bella, we'll come home to visit. Then maybe, we can all find a new home together."
They said their goodbyes with no promises except to be careful, and Carlisle stared down at his dark phone screen before pulling up Edward's contact again. This time, he didn't hesitate to connect the call and wait while it rang.
And rang.
And rang.
He assumed the voicemail would eventually pick up and was contemplating his words when Edward ground out a hesitant, "Hello, Carlisle."
~~*~~ NECR~~*~~
"Son, we just want to see you. It's been three years, after all. Bella should be past her newborn stage by now." Carlisle bit his tongue. He didn't mean to mention Edward's bride by name so soon into the conversation.
"Actually... you should come, but just you. I don't know if Bella is ready to see Esme or anyone else yet." Edward's voice is different. Distant, hollow, remote. "It's been quite remarkable actually."
Carlisle clenched his jaw and nodded even if his son couldn't see him. "I'd be happy to come alone."
There was more silence as Carlisle waited for Edward to accept his offer.
"August 12th. Obviously, we have plans on the 13th."
Carlisle forces back a smile. He didn't want Edward to hear it in his voice. "I'll see you then. Thank you, Edward."
Explaining the situation to Esme was more difficult than Carlisle imagined it would be. She couldn't understand why she couldn't accompany her husband to see her son. She raged and fought against Carlisle; she threatened to leave and never come home.
After several days, she'd calmed down enough to understand that this was the only option, the only way to get answers to their questions. Carlisle had to go alone and face whatever awaited him.
The plan was set, and Carlisle had decided to travel commercially by plane, and then rent a car. The wide-open acreage of rural Montana seemed like a terrifying adventure. But it was where Edward had chosen to settle down with Bella. Wide-open space and, if Google Earth was to be trusted, enough trees to give them some coverage from the sun.
Carlisle left on August 10th. He wanted two days to assess his surroundings and figure out how and when to get around not drawing attention to himself. His plane landed at night. He checked in on an app for his car and hotel room and didn't have to speak to anyone the first 24 hours.
Carlisle had overheard some conversation between a maid in his hotel and someone who worked the front desk when they were talking about how the city government was trying once again to convince Mr. Masen to donate some land.
"They want him to donate it so they can use it as a nature preserve, but if you ask anybody who hunts 'round here, they'll tell you there's nothing to preserve out there." The maid was looking over her shoulder as she commented.
The front desk clerk laughed. "The council wants that land so they can rezone it and do some commercial development. I heard they might bring a Costco in here."
The two had gossiped for several minutes before Carlisle became bored and uninterested. The only piece of information he found worth noting was that someone from the town had tried to contact Edward. The worry that there may have been injuries or even deaths over land had Carlisle breaking into the Mayor's office and searching the entire place top to bottom for anything related to his son. When he found nothing, he went to the city planners office; nothing was there either.
After sunset on the 11th, Carlisle headed out to the edge of Edward's land. He wanted to be in nature, and it reminded him of home. Mostly, he wanted to get a feel for the layout; to see where the paths of least resistance lie.
He anticipated the smells of nature: trees, dirt, animals, water. He anticipated the smell of construction in the area where Edward had bought 100 acres of untouched land for residential development. He anticipated the scent of a vampire that might smell like Bella. What he smelled on the air was something he hadn't prepared or accounted for.
Twelve miles out from Edward's house, Carlisle found his other children. Emmett and Rose with their impressive and imposing forms. Jasper and Alice stepped out behind them, hands joined, pensive looks on both their faces.
"You absolutely cannot be here," Carlisle says, stifling a smile. He hadn't seen them since Edward and Bella disappeared. He missed them desperately, but everything about this visit depended on Carlisle being alone.
"Carlisle," Emmett stated calmly. "We've been here for six months."
"Jasper has been trying to influence Edward's emotions so he would be more responsive to you." Alice's eyes sparkle as she explains why the fake siblings were hiding in the forest.
Carlisle tried to shut down everything they were telling him. "No. Look, we don't know what's going on in there."
All four of their voices rose, talking over each other. "Stop!" Carlisle's voice was barely above a whisper. "If Edward or Bella hears us, I won't be able to see them. I need to find out, once and for all, what's going on."
"You know exactly what's going on. You just don't know the specifics," Rose spits out.
Carlisle sighed, turning away from his children. "I can't believe it unless I see it with my own eyes." Swinging back around, he leveled with them all with a single glance. "Keep an ear out."
Jasper, always the strong and silent type, spoke up as the other three began to run away. "I know what needs to be done... if you can't do it."
The two men said nothing else to each other before they turned to run in opposite directions.
~~*~~ NECR~~*~~
At sunset on August 12th, Carlisle ordered a large pizza and picked up a six-pack of beer and walked them both back to his hotel room. He made sure that enough employees saw him, and for an added bonus, he called to inquire about one of the local bars.
He left his rental car, slipped out a back exit using his speed to avoid the cameras, and soon found himself on the edge of Edward's property line. Pulling out his phone, he first called Esme. He wanted to hear her voice in case; just in case. As he spoke to her, he saw movement at the tree line. His other children watched and waited.
He told his wife he loved her. Then he called Edward.
Edward had always been his difficult child. He had a propensity towards guilt and never seemed to be able to fully relax. He often did not understand social norms, even though he had been changed young and lived as a high school and college student. Edward could never quite fake it as well as his parents or siblings.
"Carlisle, where are you?"
"I'm right at your property line by the road." Carlisle tensed. "I didn't feel comfortable stepping over until we spoke again."
Edward spoke over the connection. "Please start to make your way. I'll meet you."
Edward hung up, and Carlisle began to jog. Going at full speed may come off as an attack, and he didn't want that. He could sense movement along the tree line and wondered if Edward had scented them or would tonight.
The 100 acres seemed easy to cross with nothing in his way, but after almost five miles, Carlisle could make out the house and Edward running to meet him. He looked the same as he did on his wedding day, if not dirty. His son wasn't filthy, Carlisle conceded, but he clearly didn't care about his appearance. He had an odor about him that Carlisle knew, but he couldn't place it. It wasn't overbearing, like something he picked up in passing.
The two men came to a stop in front of each other, taking each other in. Carlisle looked like he'd found his prodigal son and Edward looked like he'd stumbled upon a trespasser. "Carlisle. It's good to see you."
Whether it was the innate politeness or he was trying to make a show, Carlisle didn't care. He missed his son's voice. "It's so good to see you, Edward. How are you?"
That's when Carlisle saw it—the crack in the foundation.
Edward's eyes grew wide and glassy. His mouth broke out into an unnaturally wide smile.
"Everything is finally perfect." Edward wouldn't stop smiling, and Carlisle felt repulsed by the look on Edward's face.
"And ... how is Bella? Is she adjusting to her ... new life well?"
The grin somehow grew wider, and Edward's voice dropped to a whisper. "She's perfect. I'll show you." He turned to walk back towards the house, and Carlisle followed.
When they entered, the strange smell was there too—stronger this time—and suddenly, Carlisle knew exactly what it was: formaldehyde, methanol, ethanol, glutaraldehyde. Embalming fluid. The entire house smelled like embalming fluid and lavender and ... paraffin wax.
He strained his ears to listen for a heartbeat, even a faint one, but there wasn't one. His nerves had gotten the best of him, and when Edward called his name, asking if he liked the decor of the house, if Esme would be proud, he forced a smile.
"Of course, she would love it." He needed a moment to steady himself before he asked. "Is Bella up to having a visitor? I'd really love to see her."
For a moment, Edward looked confused, as if he had no idea what Carlisle was talking about or even why he was standing there in his home. "Bella! Yes, Bella. I'll go get her. You won't believe it."
He walked away, leaving Carlisle frozen to the spot, waiting anxiously to see Edward's bride. He heard some bumping, and then what sounded like squeaking along with Edward's very hushed voice. Then Carlisle heard the squeak of wheels coming down the hall.
When he turned around it took everything in him not to scream in terror. All he saw was what looked like a crudely constructed doll that looked eerily similar to Bella Swan. Her skin glistened with an unnatural sheen that made her look plasticky, like a doll. Her facial features appeared to be painted on; not just makeup, but defining characteristics like her Cupid's bow, her minimal widow's peak, and the point of her chin.
She was positioned rigidly in the chair, not moving or blinking. Carlisle didn't hear a pulse or smell her like another vampire, but he knew there was something wrong here.
"Doesn't she look amazing?" Edward asked, interrupting his father's thoughts.
Carlisle couldn't think clearly. He knew she was dead. "How did you manage all of this?"
Edward hummed, as if he was pleased to be able to tell someone of his triumph. "It was easy enough to steal the embalming fluid and equipment. I secured her limbs to her torso with heavy duty copper wire. It's flexible, and it holds up over time—"
"So, can you pose her?" Carlisle was struggling with the concept.
"Not so I could pose her, so she could be comfortable." Edward explained this fact as if he were admonishing a child. "Replacing her skin was more trial and error than anything else. I finally landed on a lanolin base, then a light layer of paraffin. I know I'll have to come up with a longer-term solution, but this has been working so cure." Edward's arms were crossed over his chest, and the creepy grin was gone, replaced instead with a proud look of achievement.
Carlisle, who couldn't remember the last time he was at a loss for words, stuttered. "H, how—what happened?"
Edward shifted his gaze to the older vamp. "How did what happened?"
"How did you and Bella get to this point?" he clarifies.
"I'm a little embarrassed to tell you. It makes me feel weak and foolish." Edward cast his gaze to the floor.
"Please tell me." Carlisle reached a tentative hand out to place on his son's shoulder. "I'll never judge you."
"We... consummated the marriage," Edward whispered. "I got carried away—"
"You could have changed her. That was your plan!"
"I drained her instead!" Edward roared at Carlisle, making him shrink slightly. "I lost my mind, and I drained her. There was nothing to put my venom into, and she died in my arms with my hard cock inside her. And as she took her last breath, I fucked her until I came."
Carlisle stepped up to his son, his first, his pride and joy. "And yet you did this to her?"
Edward laughed. "I can still have her every day. I made sure of that. She can still be mine forever."
"At what cost? Look at her." Carlisle grabbed Edward's face and forced him to stare down at his wife's mutilated corpse. "She's wearing a wig. You stuffed something inside her cavity because it's not her body anymore, it's just a cavity. You wired her body together? So it wouldn't fall apart?" Carlisle shoved him away, casting Edward to the floor so hard he broke through the hardwood.
"Don't you have any remorse?"
Edward laid on the floor, a few giggles escaping his mouth. "She can be mine forever. It is what she wanted, what we both wanted—to be together forever."
"Maybe it was, but if you truly loved her, you would have given her a proper burial with dignity. You could have lived out your existence knowing you had seen true love, even if for just a short time." Carlisle shuddered at the sight before him, his son, mentally broken, and his daughter-in-law, desecrated.
"You do Bella such a disservice. The shame you've cast upon yourself is too great, Edward. I'll have to report you."
Edward cackled. "The Volturi? What will they do to me? I'm not showing myself off or killing whole towns or cities. I still keep to your ridiculous diet, Carlisle. But how was I supposed to ignore the siren's call of her blood forever? "
Carlisle couldn't answer him. He had nothing more to say to a being that he once loved and cared for. He turned to walk away when Edward called out to him.
"I make love to her every night. She doesn't bruise anymore or break. I can keep her like this, with me, forever."
Carlisle was frozen in his tracks, the disturbing details sinking in. He didn't want to think about it, to even consider for a single moment that Edward could go that far.
At that moment, he made the decision. He'd begun to scent his other children over the embalming fluid and the lavender and the wax. They'd been creeping closer, just as they said they would; to aid, to protect... to fight.
In a conversational tone, Carlisle simply said, "Come now."
Edward snarled as he realized what was about to happen. "I told you to come alone."
"I did. They've been here, watching you," Carlisle simply said as Emmett and Jasper burst through the door with Alice and Rosalie hot on their heels.
The two men lunged for Edward, but he tried to make a run for his mate, his doll, Bella. Before he could reach her, Alice and Rosalie wheeled her away as Emmett and Jasper forced him down to his knees, his arms outstretched, and his head bowed forward.
"Edward, how could you?" Alice cried over Bella's body, venom leaking from her eyes. "How could you!" she screamed, running to where Edward was being held, jumping on his shoulders and ripping his head off.
The room was silent.
This is not how Carlisle wanted this to happen. Alice had loved Bella like a sister, and they were best friends. He understood her pain, her anger. He watched, worry etched into his face as she heaved Edward's head across the room.
"Okay, okay," Carlisle tried to soothe. "Let's build the fire."
While Emmett, Jasper, and Alice started planning the fire, Carlisle and Rosalie stood back, taking it all in.
"And to think you thought I'd be a good mate for him," Rose snorted.
"I thought a lot of things," Carlisle simply said before turning away from the scene in front of him. "I'm tired."
"I know. I think you and Esme should go somewhere for a while. Maybe the island or, if that isn't an option after all of this, find someplace new. A spot just for the two of you," Rose said quietly.
Carlisle didn't respond, just nodded as he began to step away.
"The humans won't find anything. I promise." Rose glanced over her shoulder, but Carlisle never looked back.
~~*~~ NECR~~*~~
As reported three months ago, the investigation of a structural fire that overwhelmed local firefighters on the large piece of land owned by a local husband and wife is finally being closed.
The state fire marshal was at first skeptical of the origin of the fire, and the fact that while intense, the fire only attacked the residence and a small square footage of land surrounding the home.
The fire seemed to have stemmed from faulty wiring within the walls, creating a spark in the insulation causing the fire to catch within the walls and spread.
While there was never any total confirmation that Mr. and Mrs. Masen were in the residence at the time, two matching wedding rings were found at the scene. The fire had been so hot the metal from the two rings had fused together slightly, creating something akin to an infinity symbol.
No bodies were found at the scene, and all attempts to locate the Masens or any family have been fruitless.
The fire marshal officially closed the case, ruling the fire as accidental, and the coroner has stated that if no information is brought forward the whereabouts of Mr. and Mrs. Masen, the state will declare them legally dead.
