Arriving at 'The Gardens' I was momentarily overwhelmed and full of anxiety. The venue was stunning of course, slate gray bricks, windows decorated with vibrant greenery. I could see flickering lights and hear the rumble of music bleeding out into the streets. The parking lot was completely full. Stenton dropped us off, right as the snow had begun.
There was a heavy chill in the air. I clutched my jacket closer to me, snuggling into the soft fur. Edward's arm came around me, pulling me close to his side. Jacob and Katlyn walked quietly behind us as we walked to the front of the building.
My heart was racing, I struggled to keep my breathing steady. Sweat started at the back of my neck. The closer we got to the door, the more nervous I got. Edward noticed, I'm sure he could feel the war of emotions raging within me. We paused as we reached the door. A burly man was positioned in front of us. He wore a security guard uniform, with a pair of dark sunglasses. Tattoos were all over his muscular arms. I've never seen him before. I could only assume Esme had hired this man to keep this party secure. Two different groups of reapers collected in one place. An unassuming human walking into this event wouldn't be good.
Edward leaned in, planting a soft kiss at my neck. "Are you sure about this? It isn't too late to go home."
I made a face, pulling a little away from him. "I told you, I want to be here."
"I know my sweet, but you're trembling." He whispered, there was a frown on his face. His emerald eyes swept over me from head to toe. I could feel the concern he was holding.
I hadn't even noticed that I was shaking. I was trying so hard to focus on my breathing, I didn't realize how scared I actually was. But there was no way that I was running away from this.
"She said she wants to do this. Maybe you should listen to your girlfriend and stop making her feel like she can't handle this." Jacob spoke up in a clipped tone.
Edward whipped his head around to glare coldly towards Jacob. Instantly Edward's emotions became fiery, anger, outrage, complete aggression. It almost made me dizzy how fast his demeanor had changed. His temper was just as explosive as ever.
His hold around me disappeared as he shot over to Jacob, grabbing him by the collar. "Mind your own business, if I want to hear your opinion, I'll ask for it." Edward snarled. He sounded like a beast, instead of a man. It brought chills down my spine.
Jacob didn't back down - to my surprise. He usually was quick to end a conflict with Edward. He would become nervous and submissive. It was so strange seeing him act this way. It was like he no longer had any fear of the consequences of his actions.
"If you want to actually help her, build up her confidence, don't push her into running away from what scares her. She will never learn to be strong if she isn't pushed into uncomfortable situations." Jacob barked back.
Both of them looked like they were about to brawl. Edward was livid and took everyone by surprise when his fist came flying out to connect with Jacob's face. The impact sounded just as brutal as it looked. Jacob went flying backwards, landing on the ground. But he was quickly sitting up, glaring murderously at Edward.
Without thinking I moved to grab Edward's arm, attempting to stop him from moving forward. I needed to stop this, before someone got seriously hurt. I didn't even understand what was going on between them.
Edward tensed, his eyes flying over to me. His shoulders were trembling with fury. He was ready to fight. I could feel his rage. I wasn't sure if I would be able to calm him down. This wasn't his usual bad temper. I had the feeling that he wanted to kill Jacob. Like actually kill him. And even though I didn't really trust Jacob yet, I did think of him as a friend. Or maybe the word 'ally' would be more correct. Friends spend time together; they understand each other and enjoy being with each other. I couldn't say that's how I felt about Jacob.
Katlyn had already moved to Jacob, she was crouched down, speaking to him quietly. It looked like she was preventing Jacob from getting back on his feet. She had the same idea. Keep the guys away from each other.
The security guard continued to watch everyone. Expressionless. Almost appearing bored. He offered no help in dissolving this fight.
"Bella," Edward's voice was dark and menacing. "I can't allow this disrespect." It was a matter of respect. It always is, when it comes to Edward and those that work under him. It was something I have understood since day one with Edward. He didn't stand for anyone speaking out against him.
"I know that's how you feel." I said lightly touching his face. "But right now, is not the time. We are just about to go into this party, where a bunch of other Galen reapers are waiting. If you end up fighting with one of them, it's going to cause trouble."
Jacob may not be a Galen reaper anymore. He transferred to our company. But it didn't change the fact that Jacob most likely had deep rooted connections to the Galen reapers. They would surely retaliate if we let these two fight.
Edward looked away, I could see he was trying to recollect himself. When he was in this state, it was hard for him to act rationally. His temper didn't allow him to see the situation clearly. But my touch did seem to chip away at some of that anger.
Jacob seemed to bounce back quicker. He and Katlyn approached the two of us, until Edward held up his hand, signally for them to stop. Which both of them did. Jacob remained expressionless and averted his eyes. He looked towards the parking lot. While Katlyn watched Edward for her next order.
"Jacob, you're dismissed for the night. I'll have a talk with you after the holidays. Until then, your position is dissolved." Edward said with narrowed eyes. His arms came back around me and I felt his body begin to truly relax.
I couldn't believe it. Edward fired Jacob. Just like that. Katlyn had told me that the two of them used to be close friends at one point. And just seeing how they act around each other, I couldn't imagine that ever being true. Especially lately.
Jacob didn't respond, he only turned his back on us.
"Jacob," I said hesitantly.
He paused, turning slightly to make eye contact with me. The look on his face was haunting. I almost didn't recognize him. He has never looked at me like that before. I couldn't put it into words. But at this moment, he looked dangerous.
"Thank you, for everything you've done for me." I muttered, losing the nerve to look at him.
"I was only doing what I was told. Don't get the wrong idea. None of this was really for your benefit." Jacob spoke, his voice was strained and rough. It didn't sound like him at all. "Frankly I'm relieved I was fired. It was a complete waste of my talents."
His words wounded me. Deeply. I didn't know why, but Jacob always knew what to say, to make me feel like garbage. I thought we would have moved past this pettiness. When he had come to my office to apologize and move forward with a better understanding of each other, I had thought there was hope. But that's not what I saw now.
Edward sensed my distress and was beginning to get angry again. I had to get a handle on myself, before another fight would start. So, I focused on something else. I would throw Jacob out of my thoughts for now. I had a party to go to. I didn't want this night to be ruined before it even started.
"Alright," I bobbed my head, turning my full attention to Edward. "Let's get in there. It's freezing out here."
At the mention of my discomfort, Edward's focus recentered on me completely. His hand gently rubbed my back. "Alright, let's get through this night together." There was a hint of a smile on his face, but it didn't reach his eyes. This little scuffle with Jacob had taken a toll on him as well.
Without a word, Jacob walked off into the streets, before turning to dust right before my eyes. He was gone. The world went silent again. Katlyn remained with her head lowered.
Finally we faced the security guard, who analyzed each of our expressions, still not giving any information on his thoughts or feelings.
"Master Edward, Miss Isabella and female guard. You may enter." His voice was deep and intimidating.
We walked past him, Edward holding the door open for me. He kept one arm wrapped around my waist as we entered the building. There was an insanely large crowd immediately inside. The volume level was intense. You couldn't hear anything distinctly. The chattering among the reapers, or the music playing loudly in the background. But the moment we made our presence known, most of the crowd went silent, they parted from each other, allowing us to walk through. Edward led us to the far side of the room, to a large table, where others were sitting. Instantly I recognized Esme sitting at the head of the table. On the opposite side of the table was a handsome man, with spikey black hair and gold eyes. He stood as Edward and I reached the table.
He bowed his head with a smug smirk. "The prince has finally arrived," He lifted his head to now scan over me. I felt his eyes all over me. It gave me the urge to cover myself. His gaze was so heavy I had to look away. "And I'm assuming this is his new wife. The lovely Tanya?"
At these words, my blood ran cold. I instantly met his eyes with anger. I wanted to say something. I wanted to rip into this guy. But words escaped me. I couldn't even open my mouth. Thankfully Edward was quick to speak up.
"No, this is Bella, she is my life partner. And I'd appreciate it if you don't bring up my ex-wife around her. Aro." Edward replied with a glare.
So this was Aro. The leader of the Galen reapers. And Esme's ex-husband. He isn't what I had pictured. But I had to admit, Alice really did resemble him. I could see it now. Personality-wise, I already didn't like him.
"Oh my apologies, I hadn't realized this new development. I'm sure you are pleased with Edward finally finding someone to give the eternal mark to." Aro chuckled, tilting his sights over to Esme.
Esme offered a clearly fake smile. "Oh yes," She then looked at Edward. "Come sit dear, we were waiting on you." Esme gestured to the seat at her right side. There were two seats open.
I held my breath as Edward walked us over to the table to take our seats. Katlyn, who stayed completely silent, moved to stand directly behind me. I was seated between Edward and Alice. Which made me a little nervous. More so, because Alice still hated my guts. She inched her chair a little further from me and rolled her eyes.
Of course, she looked completely gorgeous. Her once short black hair had now grown into thick curls that fell over her shoulders, neat and glossy. The smokey gold makeup, the skin-tight red sequin dress, she looked like a model. My self confidence took a nose-dive. Everyone seated at this table was beautiful and held an air of authority. It was clear that I didn't belong here. Even Emmett, who was seated across from me, had brought a breath-taking woman with him. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting her. But Edward had mentioned a while back that Emmett had begun dating.
"Emmett," Edward grumbled with a raised brow. "You really brought her along."
The woman seated next to Emmett shifted, appearing uncomfortable. She was pretty, with unnaturally red hair and eyes of pure ebony. Her skin appeared incredibly pale and delicate. Freckles dotted her face. Her posture suggested that she was feeling a bit out of place. Maybe a little intimidated. I felt bad for her. It was easy to feel out of place amongst a table of powerful individuals.
"Was I not allowed to bring my girlfriend?" Emmett snipped back at him, reaching across to let his arm drape around her shoulders. "Bella was permitted to come, I don't see why Ashley wouldn't be allowed to be here as well."
The woman now snapped her sights on Emmett, instantly looking pissed off. "I'm Victoria," She hissed at him, standing up from her seat. "Ashley is my sister you asshole." She abruptly left the table, leaving Emmett embarrassed.
He lowered his head, letting out a heavy sigh. "They are hard to tell apart at times, that was my mistake." Emmett looked to Esme nervously. "I'm sorry mother."
Esme barely glanced in his direction. "You've always been a fickle boy. Choose a partner. Just one. Don't try juggling many at once. You are supposed to be a respectable young man. I knew I had made a mistake in raising you. But I didn't expect such a disappointment." Her tone was sharp and demanding. I've never heard her speak like this to Emmett.
Emmett seemed to deflate completely; his head lowered further. A dejected look on was his face. I fought the urge to reach out to him. He seemed so pained. I wanted to help. But I couldn't come in contact with him. Any time we are around each other, it was a risk. I wasn't willing to go through that torment again. I couldn't allow him to mark me again.
Aro laughed freely, waving his hand. "He is just like his father; you can't fault him for that. Now can you, dear Esme."
Bringing up Carlisle was a touchy subject around Esme, I had expected her to reply with anger. But she kept a twisted smile on her face. I could see the effort it took to keep that look on her face. Instead of answering Esme snapped her fingers, which signaled for seven men to quickly move to our table. They all were wearing uniforms and one by one they began to serve our table. Most of the plates were full of soul stones. This had been my first time seeing them. It wasn't at all what I thought they would look like. They didn't actually look like stones. They were perfectly round and a vibrant blue light emanated from them. Each plate held an abundance of stones.
Thankfully, my plate was steak, with a vegetable medley and a glass of wine. It was the same for Emmett, he and I were the only ones to get human food. I knew Emmett was more human than reapers, but I hadn't expected that. The look on Emmett's face suggested that he hadn't seen this coming either. He turned to look at Esme with a frown.
Esme ignored him, she held a single stone to her lips and slowly began to suck. The stone went dark. The light that had been coming from it was gone. A look of satisfaction came to her face. "Let's not spoil the night, enjoy the meal everyone."
All the reapers at the table did as she said and began to eat. If you could call it that. I quietly began to cut my steak. Edward's hand was in my lap, lightly tracing circles against the fabric of my dress. He appeared distracted. But I was afraid to open my mouth. I didn't want to bring attention to myself.
Aro's eyes danced between each of us as he consumed his soul stones. "So, would you care to share with me why you insisted us to come to this little… gathering?" His question was directed to Esme.
"You're always so dramatic Aro, always so suspicious. I thought it was time for a little family reunion. Or have you forgotten you have a daughter?" Esme said with a smirk.
Aro's eyes flickered to Alice, who met his gaze. I couldn't read her expression. But her body became tense beside me. I wonder how long it's been since she had seen her father.
"I do have a daughter, two of them actually. They are always by my side." Aro shrugged his shoulders, before gesturing to the two women at each side of him. "This is Edith and Elease." They were identical twins. There was absolutely no way to tell them apart. Both had strawberry blonde hair and golden eyes, just like their father's. Just like Alice's. They sat with elegance and exchanged smug looks towards Alice.
The pain that came to Alice's face ripped into my chest. I couldn't believe how cruel Aro was, to his own daughter. To actually deny her in front of all these people. It was despicable. Alice was sitting right here, his first child. He showed absolutely no love or compassion for her. And it pissed me off. Again I had to bite my tongue. I wanted to say something But it wasn't my business. And I didn't want to make Alice feel worse.
"Still can't manage to have a son, such a shame. I know how badly you wanted a son to preserve your name." Esme shot back at him, maintaining her wicked smile. "Who's the unfortunate mother of these two beauties?"
Esme didn't jump to Alice's defense either. No wonder Alice had such a disturbed attitude. With parents like these… I would have been a cold, miserable witch as well.
Aro chuckled darkly, rubbing the back of his head. "Sulpicia is the mother of course. She's always been the true love of my life. I was very fortunate that we were able to reconcile."
"Very fortunate indeed," Esme's smile began to turn a bit sour. That mention of Sulpicia seemed to have put a damper on her mood. I wasn't sure who was winning this little battle of pettiness between her and Aro, but I'm sure we could expect more of this ugliness throughout the night.
The other reapers seated around the table all kept their heads down, muttering quietly amongst each other. Things were a little awkward. But I took this opportunity to size-up the Galen reapers. There was really no way of telling them apart from those that work in our company. They just looked like people. The only difference was they each had a tattoo under their right eyes. All identical. The pattern was strange, almost grotesque in nature. Twisted, sharp and bold. As if they were branded. It gave cult-like vibes. Strangely, Jacob never had a tattoo like that. He was a Galen reaper. Why didn't he have one as well?
Edward noticed my curiosity and leaned over to speak with me privately. "The highest ranking reapers of Galen are given the Galen crest. It's just a symbol of loyalty and commitment."
"Is it a marking… or a real tattoo?"
"Traditionally they are markings. But since Aro has come into power, it has been replaced with tattoos."
That's strange. What would Aro gain by removing markings off his people?
A reaper on Aro's side of the table spoke up with a calm smile. "Good question. But a simple one. Aro would rather have people that are truly loyal, he doesn't want to force anyone to be loyal. We don't use markings in Galen."
I raised a brow, watching the man that had made that statement. His eyes were a striking violet. So strange, yet mesmerizing. That man had just read my thoughts.
"Yes I did," He replied with a slight smirk.
Edward watched between me and him for a moment, curious but I could feel a ping of annoyance coming from him as well. "What did you do?" He demanded.
The man now turned in Edward's direction, still wearing a smirk. "I have the ability to read minds. No need to feel overly protective. I've done nothing to harm your girlfriend."
Edward narrowed his eyes on the man but didn't comment any further. Instead, Esme spoke up. "I'd like to remind you, Uriah, when speaking to those of higher ranking, there is to be a higher level of respect to be given."
Uriah, even his name was unique. But this would mean the truth of why the Galen reapers were invited would be revealed to him. And I'm sure he has already filled Aro in on the situation.
"You are a quick-witted woman, impressive. But you can rest assured, your secrets are safe with me." Uriah said with a wink in my direction.
Edward was silently fuming next to me. Which only seemed to amuse Uriah even further. I had a feeling this was just the beginning to a very interesting party.
Thank you for reading! What do you think of Uriah? What do you think is wrong with Jacob?