Incomplete 3
Isabella Swan had always known she was an incomplete puzzle. When the last pieces finally fell into place, it was much more than she hoped for.
Bella/Zafrina
AMAZON RAINFOREST 1974
Enrique found himself questioning his sanity. He was high enough on the food chain not to do these sorts of runs. Except, the last shipment never reached Martin, their biggest buyer. He would admit Martin has been relatively calm and patient about it all, considering he had paid a lot for a shipment he hadn't received. Enrique was at a loss as to how the drugs and his men disappeared off the face of the earth. His own brother was among them; it was why he knew they hadn't stolen his drugs and run. Above all else, Isaac would never leave Ximena and the kids behind for anything. Even fifty kilograms of uncut cocaine.
The quiet of the rainforest was suddenly and brutally disturbed by the noise of several birds fleeing the treetops. His men had their guns ready and pointed to the treetops as the disturbance approached them. It took little intelligence to know whatever it was, was after them.
"SHOOT." Enrique screeched. The sound of gunfire reverberated throughout the rainforest, drowning out the noise of nature. The noise soon ceased, and all that remained was the smell of gunpowder and rapidly beating hearts. Nothing moved for several seconds, and Enrique started to breathe a little easier when they descended. Had he lived to tell the tale, there was not much Enrique could say. All he saw was a flash, and his men were gone. Seconds later, so was he.
For the next two decades, drug smugglers occasionally disappeared, their wares found floating down the river or caught on tree branches. Several attempts by several cartels to flush out the culprits proved futile and often fatal.
Over the years, Zafrina noticed increased human activity in the forest. Their home, though, thankfully, still remained isolated from human curiosity. Their part of the rainforest too dark, with many unknowns even for curious humans. The need for isolation wasn't always possible though, considering their food source. The humans they kept away from were also the things required to keep them fed.
Zafrina tracked the small motorboat; the smugglers had implemented various changes to evade them over the years. A futile and laughable attempt, she thought. This was a perfect example, the motherboard had been turned off, and they were paddling down the river. It was absurd; the paddles hitting the water caused enough disturbance to alert them. Then there was the stench of fear that permeated the air and the rapidly beating hearts. Zafrina smiled at the other two, who had joined her without disturbing a leaf. They watched the men, guns drawn, eyes searching for any signs of movement. Kachiri threw a piece of bark on the other side of the river, drawing the men's attention to it. Watching them scramble to aim their guns in that direction was rather pathetic. As he turned, one of the men was firing, killing two of his comrades in the process.
The three women descended on them, making quick work of the five remaining men. Zafrina found herself feeling unsettled for the last two days, and with every passing day, it became more difficult to ignore. That feeling reared its ugly head right then, but she forced herself to ignore it and helped Kachiri and Senna clean up. The two bodies with bullet wounds were left on the motorboat with the drugs to float down the river. It would be will found soon enough.
The uneasiness returned with a vengeance, and she found it hard to settle."Okay, I am getting worried. What is wrong with you?"Senna asked, clearly concerned.
"Honestly, I don't know how to explain it."She groaned, frustrated with herself."I don't know; I feel like I have forgotten something."
Kachiri stared at her for a long while."What do you want to do?"She asked; it was apparent that Zafrina had something in mind.
"I have to go."Zafina stood but made no further movements.
"Go."She encouraged.
Parts of the Amazon were now overrun with human activities like never before. Parts they took great pains to avoid, and yet Zafrina found herself headed toward it. The closer she got, the more she felt a pull encouraging her to go further.
It was another tour group; they had long ago become used to them. Curious humans venturing into the unknown. She met the eyes of one of those humans; warm, excited brown eyes stared into her red ones. Zafrina was not visible in the least, yet this young human had honed in on her position as though she was. She didn't take note of human beings, not to the degree she found herself doing with this one. The young human was pale, almost as pale as a vampire, with long hair a few shades lighter than her own. As far as Zafrina was concerned, her human was an exceptionally beautiful one, and she was not biased. It was simply a fact.
Zafrina watched the human from her perch on the tree top. The human had a serene smile, her eyes focused on her exact location."You have foundwhat unsettled you, I see."Kachiri smiled as she and Senna joined her.
"She knows what I am."That surprised the other two."I believe she is here for me."She added.
"That is not possible,"Senna whispered.
"I know, and yet..."With that, Zafrina moved. Kachiri and Senna watched in awe as the human's eyes followed.
"Incredible."The two practically cheered.
For the rest of the night, Zafrina followed her human until they stopped again in the morning. This time, it was just her human and the guide that ventured deeper into the forest. Her human seemed eager to come to her but was prevented by the guide. Kachiri was what stopped her from killing the man who dared lay a hand on her mate.
A day later, Kachiri could not help but think stopping Zafrina had been a mistake. They'd lost sight of the girl when she disembarked at the end of the cruise. For several hours Zafrina seemed lost and aching for her mate. Yes, the girl had come looking for her mate. So it stood to reason; she would return now that she knew where to find them."Is there any reason why we can't go and find her? One thing we know for certain is that she won't go very far."Senna muttered.
Zafrina was gone before Senna's words had a chance to marinade, much to Kachiri's amusement. The two stared at each other and went after their coven mate.
It was nearly midnight when she finally found her mate. Again, the human knew she was there. She had company and unwelcomed company at that. A growl left her when one had the nerve to threaten her mate.
"She truly knows what we are,"Senna said. They'd suspected but now had confirmation.
"She must have one hell of a story,"Kachiri added.
Zafrina chuckled when Bella warned the men they could still hear him." Whatever her story, I can't wait to hear it."She murmured, going after her mate and turning the camera's away from Bella's position.
Zafrina placed a hand on her mate's shoulder as she watched the car disappear. "I'm sorry, my carelessness has attracted unwanted attention." Bella sighed dejectedly. She had found her mate, only for trouble to follow.
She moved to stand in front of Bella, whose head had dropped. Zafrina placed a finger under her chin and lifted her head gently. "I do not care about your carelessness; if anything, I welcome it. Without it, we would not be here." Zafrina said softly. Bella heard her words and found herself trying very hard to get over the sheer beauty of the female vampire standing before her. Her vampire was tall, almost as tall as Carlisle. She had on what amounted to a bikini top and a very short skirt. Her wild appearance would be intimidating, but the sheer attraction Bella felt for the vampire in front of her overrode everything else.
It was clear the vampire knew this as she smirked when Bella opened her mouth only to close again.
"Fuck me." She finally managed. The laugh that left Zafrina had Bella wobbling on her feet.
"Before that, I would love to know your name." The vampire asked.
"It's Isabella Marie Swan..." She almost added you can call me anything you like but managed to bite her tongue in time. "Call me Bella," she said instead.
"Hello, Bella; I'm Zafrina. Come, we will soon have company." Someone was on their way to check the cameras.
Bella let out a squeak when Zafrina picked her up without warning and headed for the forest that surrounded the resort. They went a long way around to avoid the security personnel. They made it to Bella's room through the patio doors.
She was surprised by the two other vampires in her room. "Oh, hello." She murmured.
"Hello, Bella. I'm Kachiri, and this is Senna." She responded, then turned her attention to her coven mate, who had yet to let go of Bella. Zafrina sheepishly put her mate down, earning a chuckle from the human.
"I need to sort out this mess," Bella muttered angrily to herself. Kachiri and Senna stared at Zafrina, confused.
"We can easily deal with them." Senna offered.
"I'm afraid not those two. If those agents disappear, more of them will come looking for answers. I have already drawn enough attention to myself and you." Bella knew the vampires had no fundamental concept of law enforcement.
The three started speaking in a language Bella had never heard. Clearly, the little bit of the Portuguese she'd learned was no good here. "We will see you soon, Bella," Kachiri said as they left Bella with her mate.
"They believe it wise to watch the humans." Zafrina informed her. She kneeled in front of Bella, who, to Zafrina, seemed too downbeat for her liking. "They are nothing for you to worry yourself over… truly." She added earnestly.
"I will admit, I didn't even think you understood or spoke English, not this well at least," Bella said, changing the subject.
"I was speaking English before you were born." Zafrina quipped.
"Of course, you were." Bella chuckled.
"Now, Isabella Swan... how are you here. I believe you came looking for me."
"I did." Bella stared into the red eyes of her mate. "I'm only nineteen, but I felt incomplete for as long as I can remember. Something was missing, and I had no idea what it was. Then I met the Cullens..."
The Olympic coven?" Zafrina said, surprised. "I'm surprised Carlisle, of all people, would be the one to expose us to a human." She mumbled.
Bella didn't feel the need to explain that Carlisle had nothing to do with her learning the truth. "Well, you should thank him. It was meeting them that gave me some idea as to what was missing. With the Cullens came the realization that whatever was missing was more than likely to be found in the supernatural world. I wanted to ask Carlisle, but I never got the chance." And she knew Edward would ensure Carlisle never answered even if he knew. She was continually grateful she never got the chance, as it is clear now Carlisle had no knowledge of what she was going through. Even the Volturi only knew because of Athenodora, a vampire who would forever be in Bella's affection. She suspected Zafrina's too.
"I soon got the chance to ask the Volturi, and that was where I found the answers I had been desperately seeking," Bella explained her meeting with the Volturi to a rather captive audience of one.
Zafrina stared at her mate in awe when she finished her story." I am beyond... I do not have the words to tell you how much your courage and determination mean to me." Bella blushed in response.
"Do you have to leave?" Bella asked, noting daylight would soon be upon them.
"No, my place is by your side, and yours is by mine." The conviction of her words sent a delightful shiver through Bella.
"It might seem a silly question. But you do intend to turn me?" Even though she had known with certainty that Edward wasn't her mate, his refusal to turn her despite him insisting he was had left her concerned.
"I am not giving you a choice in this matter. It isn't something to be talked about or debated; you are becoming a vampire. I will not watch my mate grow old and die. Surely you knew that before you came looking for me." Bella nodded, a smile taking over her face.
"You'd be surprised to learn I have met a vampire who refused to change a girl he believed to be his mate." Zafrina's eyes widened to the extent that had Bella laughing.
"Surely, you jest."
"No." Bella shook her head, still laughing.
"I have never heard of such foolishness." Zafrina scoffed.
"I have learned that some of your kind hate being vampires," Bella said, her fingers playing with the end of her vampire's hair.
"Well, I do not hate being a vampire. I do not remember much about my human life, but what I do remember does not make me wish I was never changed. It wasn't a bad life, but it wasn't anything I missed enough to rue becoming a vampire." Bella nodded in understanding. Even though she would miss aspects of her human life, it did not in any way give her pause about leaving to find her mate. "If anything, Bella, I thank Kachiri every day for sharing her gift. It had always been the three of us, and then she was nowhere to be seen one morning. Senna and I were devastated and felt lost. The village searched for her as people didn't just disappear back then. We were all too close for such things. A year later, she came back for us." Zafrina smiled at the memory.
"Kachiri and Senna, are they mates?" Bella asked.
"No, sisters, all of us." Zafrina leaned in, still on her knees. "I am the first to find my mate, and only because you came looking for me." She smiled, and Bella found herself unable to look away.
"For the first time in forever, I feel complete," Bella whispered. "When I met the Cullens and heard about the Volturi, I knew they would have the answers. Nothing would have kept me from you when I learned you were out there." Bella chuckled tearfully. Zafrina ran a finger gently under her eye, catching the rogue tear that escaped.
"I cannot tell you enough times how happy I am that you had the courage to come and find me." The kiss didn't come as much of a surprise to Bella; it was the intensity that damn near did her in. Surprisingly soft lips molded beautifully against her own. Lack of blood flow meant vampires were colder in temperature, but at that moment, all Bella felt was heat radiating from her vampire. Bella found herself straddling the vampire as she pulled her closer. She wrapped her arms around the vampire's neck, only for the vampire to pull away suddenly. "Humans are headed this way." She growled. "Can I show you my home?" Zafrina asked. She had been so caught up in finding her mate the fact that other humans were so close had escaped her.
"Yes, I would love to see your home." It was clear Zafrina wanted away from the villa. The vampire smiled, picking Bella up bridal style. Unable to help herself, Bella kissed her vampire. It was soft, a brush of her lips against her vampire's before she took off.
Zafrina ran slowly for a vampire, allowing Bella to take in the rainforest. The further they went, the denser the forest became, to the point, Bella could not see much of anything. "Well, your home is beautiful." Bella teased as her vampire came to a stop in what was now sheer darkness.
Zafrina laughed as she slowly helped Bella back on her feet. "Get on my back." With a hand on Zafrina's shoulder, Bella walked around slowly until she was behind her vampire. She climbed on and held on tightly. "Ready?" She asked, her voice laced with amusement.
"As I will ever… FUCK." Bella screamed as Zafrina shot into the air laughing. She landed on a branch, and she was off again before Bella could get her bearings. They shot through the densely packed leaves that blocked the sunlight into stunning daylight. Landing on a surprisingly flat surface. It took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the brightness. "Holy shit," Bella whispered, then she let out a loud whoop, earning a chuckle from her mate.
"Welcome to my home, Bella." Zafrina smiled at the sight of the stunned human.
"What am I standing on," Bella asked, jumping up and down on what appeared to be a platform of leaves.
"Come, I will show you around." Zafrina put her hand out for Bella to take. She walked them to the edge of what Bella soon discovered was the roof of their home. It was effectively a tree house and the biggest Bella had ever seen. It reminded her of the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse.
"I honestly hadn't even considered how you lived. You aren't nomads, so you'd have something permanent, but this is far more than anything I could have dreamed of." Bella said in awe.
"We built it long ago, and nature added to it and strengthened it," Zafrina murmured.
"It's beautiful." She smiled at Zafrina. Bella would not know for several decades, that her mate had been nervous. Bella was, after all, a city girl and not someone who had grown up anywhere near a rainforest. She had rightly worried as she ran home how Bella would feel about what would become her home.
"I'm afraid your communication devices will not work here." She said when Bella took her phone out. She thought she looked a little shamefaced as they walked along a bridge to the next treehouse. The bridge had no handrails, so Zafrina kept a tight hold of Bella, not that the human was complaining.
"That is not a concern." Emmett had sent her a laptop, phone, and a solar charging pack just in case she was stranded somewhere without a way to communicate. Her phone did not just use a cellular connection but satellite as well. She wondered if Alice had seen something; if she did, she clearly kept it from Edward, which said a lot. "And how do you know my phone won't work here," Bella asked, having noted there was more to that statement. Zafrina actually looked embarrassed.
"Senna is a thief." The blunt phrase was uttered with such frustration that Bella cracked up laughing.
"Seriously." Bella barely managed to get the words out.
"Unfortunately," Zafrina grumbled. She walked to what was Senna's treehouse; it had a rather large bed that had Bella gawking. The frame looked like it sprouted out from the floor, bare of leaves and covered in various furs. Then in the corner on a makeshift table, phones, many of them broken.
"Good heavens… why?" Bella asked. Zafrina simply shrugged in response.
Bella sat on the roof of Zafrina's treehouse, right in the center, because she promised she would not move from that spot as Zafrina went to get her some food. Bella's stomach had growled a few minutes earlier, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since the previous morning.
Her vampire clearly had zero concept of just how much a human could consume. She had an entire hand of bananas, figs, mangoes, pineapples, and coconuts. Bell had replaced water with the coconut; it was the most refreshing drink she'd ever had, and she welcomed it more than the other fruits. "I doubt I can eat all that." She mumbled, grabbing a fig as Zafrina peeled back the thick husk covering the coconut. They sat in comfortable silence as Bella worked her way through the figs and coconut. Bella's head dropped on Zafrina's shoulder after she drank the last of her coconut. The lack of sleep finally caught up to her.
Zafrina stared down at the human, clearly on the verge of sleep. With great ease, she picked her up and into her own space and placed Bella gently on the bed. Bella held onto her as she tried to pull away; with a smile, Zafrina slid in next to her human, who wrapped herself around the vampire.
It was still very much daylight when Bella woke up. "I will get my things from the villa and return here." Bella still had her eyes closed and missed the mile-wide smile her vampire was wearing.
"Of course." Bella finally opened her eyes and looked up at her, smiling.
The run back to the villa took very little time. Bella had not unpacked since returning from her cruise, so it was simply a matter of grabbing her bag. "Remind me to call Marcus when we get back." She mumbled but noticed Zafrina's focus was elsewhere. "What's wrong?"
"My sisters are back, and it seems trouble is coming." The vampire growled.