The Changer, The Charmer 2
Summary: Their mate was delivered to them in the midst of violence and blood, with a dire warning to boot.
Bella/Tanya, Kate, Irina
She had always known she was English and that her parents were dead, and her guardian brought her to her new family to keep her safe. She understood that much and never really questioned it, but now she was full of questions. Questions that would have to wait until Marcus found the answers, that is if he ever did. Isabella had not missed the fact that her family was not all that keen on the vampire and his coven knowing about her.
It had been nearly four months since she learned her family were vampires and nothing like the ones she'd read about. It had her wondering what else was not entirely in the realm of myth.
"Isabella, how many times." Katrina groaned.
"I know, I know, widen my stance." She grumbled. She absorbed everything but found it impossible to remember to widen her stance during sword training. A year since she started training and she still failed in that one regard. This time, she could blame it on her distracted mind. It was not just her history and the lack of information regarding her so called power that would have a dying woman term her as 'beyond powerful.' It was that she had begun to suspect she was not entirely human either. It had started happening the week she asked her family what they were. She had hoped their answer would answer the questions she had about herself. She knew she had to tell them, but the reality was that she had no idea how to explain what was happening and that it happened so infrequently.
In the three months since it first occurred, she had only experienced the change two other times, and they had both been so fleeting she was not sure it had been real to begin with.
Not that she had been paying a great deal of attention to Katrina's instructions, but Isabella did notice the sudden change in her demeanor. Katrina stiffened, and seconds later, Isabella was in Eleazar's arms, surrounded by her family. They stood rigid, looking through the woods that divided them from the large house that bordered them. Isabella did not know her neighbors, in fact, with the exception of Alix, who delivered their groceries, she knew no one. Her interactions with humans had been limited, not that she minded. She wondered why anyone would come through the garden or how they'd manage it. She obviously knew the answers, they were not human. Why else would her family look so worried?
The group that suddenly appeared from the trees had her dropping her jaw. To see so many look like her family was surreal at best. The black and red cloaks had her wondering why her family didn't have cloaks. She would be sure to mention this when their somewhat guest left.
Irina's thoughts focused on Isabella, they were doing this for her. The more they knew about their mate, the better their chance of protecting her. She wished it did not involve the Volturi, especially a power angry Aro. "Hello." Isabella greeted, fed up with the silence that had descended.
"Hello, Isabella. I am Marcus, and I have learned so much about you." That had the Denali coven animated.
"Please, come in," Tanya said, finally moved to action. The Volturi coven was made up of Marcus, Aro, Caius, Demetri, Felix, and the twins. It did not escape them that these very vampires had gleefully killed Sasha. It was hard to forget Aro's euphoric look as he ripped their family apart.
Marcus moved to the dining table and spread several scrolls and books around. Katrina, who seemed unable to take her eyes off Aro, found the vampire unable to take his eyes off Isabella. Who was now in Carmen's arms, looking from one member of the guard to another. She wiggled in Carmen's arms, desperate to escape her tight hold. "And where do you think you are going?" Isabella looked up at her mother, smiled sheepishly, and stayed put. She had no good reason for the freedom she desperately wanted except to closely inspect the newcomers. Newcomers her family was wary of.
"Hello." Isabella waved at the only girl among the guest. "You are beautiful." She added.
Any chance Jane had of ignoring the child evaporated at that compliment. She could not help but reply.
"Thank you." She smiled. "I'm Jane."
"Isabella," Marcus called, halting whatever else she planned on saying to Jane.
"If my research is correct, then I believe you will easily understand everything I am to say to you." He looked around at the Denalis.
"Yes, my level of intelligence is far superior to that of other children my age, although I do not know that for a fact." Marcus smiled. Her response was answer enough.
"Good." Marcus stared at Aro for a long beat before turning his attention back to Isabella. "Before I say anything." To everyone's surprise, he kneeled in front of Isabella. "I vow to protect you against all who would try to use you for their own nefarious reasons." With a kiss on the back of her hand, he stood with an ease and grace, Isabella now knew was common with vampires.
"Thank you?" She might be intelligent, but she suspected she would be lost for words no matter her age after such a declaration.
Knowing little about their guest, Isabella did not know that Marcus had not divulged a single thing about his research to Aro. Something that had infuriated the vampire, as he had failed, despite every attempt to ascertain the information regarding Marcus' research.
Aro had known nothing for two years regarding Marcus' fact-finding mission, but his brother's insistence on traveling to London aroused his suspicion. All Marcus would divulge was that Sasha's daughters had found their mate, a unique individual they knew nothing about and Eleazar had asked for his help. Of course, he was going to be there when the information was revealed. What truly irked Aro was his inability to come up with a way to make Isabella a member of the Volturi, if indeed she turned out to be so unique as to warrant three years of research. He believed knowing everything might just give him the excuse he needed. Marcus had obviously suspected just as much if his vow was anything to go by. That did not come as a surprise, the only caveat in his plan was Caius, Aro had no idea where his brother's loyalty lay in regard to this. So far, Caius had no interest in what was happening, if Aro forcing him to be there was anything to go by.
"So you know what she is?" Eleazar asked.
"Indeed." Marcus smiled. "What do you know of shapeshifters?" He asked.
"I know there are tribes, mostly those native to the Americas; they call them spirit warriors. Few are chosen in their hour of need to protect the tribe." Eleazar knew this because Caius had at one point joined forces with a pack of wolves and hunted down a werewolf who had attacked in the area. The werewolf in question had been a bitten merchant who had traveled to the new world without realizing what he had become. Of course, when they do, their only thought is to bite and kill. Few are able to fight that instinct. The story was in the Volturi achieves, with drawings of the wolf, which he would admit was vastly different to that of the werewolves. Shifters were majestic animals compared to the deformed and deranged look of the werewolf. In reality, Eleazar had not come across either, and the illustration was instrumental in teaching him the difference between the two creatures. The truth was that werewolves were, by definition, shapeshifters but of a different kind.
"Yes, that is correct. Isabella, if I'm right, is a shapeshifter…" Marcus raised his hand to stop Katrina from interrupting. "But, she has the ability to change into any animal. Isabella is not limited to one. Hence the word changer." Marcus finished.
"Dios Mio." This time it was Eleazar. He'd never once heard of a shifter with such an ability.
"Why the changer," Irina mumbled.
"The idea of shifters is unknown to humans. Changer, I imagine, seemed the best term to describe your gift." Marcus informed Isabella.
"Then how did the humans learn of Isabella?" Carmen asked. A knowledge that had gotten Isabella's family killed.
"In 1536, during the closing down of Roman Catholic Abbeys, monasteries and convents in England. One of the Abbey was Glastonbury Abbey, the oldest. In there, were found several precious relics, jewels, and scrolls. Most of these were sold off, as were most of the riches found during the reformation of the church at that time. One scroll, in particular, ended up in the hands of an eccentric Lord, who in reality was mad due to syphilis."
"What is syphilis?" Isabella asked.
"That is not important, and you do not need to know that," Carmen interjected.
"Well, what if I get it? I want…"
"Isabella, you do not need to worry about getting syphilis," Tanya added, amused, as if their mate was going to ever bed a filthy human. Isabella crossed her arms and scowled. Being denied knowledge was the one thing she loathed with a passion.
"Due to his insanity, no one paid attention to his beliefs. Lord Swan believed that his descendants would one day bear a child, who would be the most powerful being in existence. Now, we need to put this in the context of humans entirely unaware of the existence of the supernatural. That being said, Isabella's gift is unlike any I have heard of or seen." Marcus smiled at the child. "Despite that, she is no more powerful than any other shifter. Understandably, humans would see her as something beyond powerful, but in the supernatural world…" Marcus was almost dismissive of Isabella's gifts.
"Yes, from a human perceptive, I can see why they would think so," Tanya murmured.
"How did it get from a mad man making claims to this?" Eleazar asked, eager to get back on track.
"He soon died, and his eldest inherited as per custom. He sold the scrolls, believing his father's assertions were due to madness. Unfortunately, he sold the scroll to the Order of the Masonite. They were once part of the Knight Templars, but their methods were frowned upon and excommunicated."
"Not very inventive with the naming, are they." Katrina scoffed.
"No." Marcus chuckled.
"How did they find out?" Eleazar asked. Afraid of who else would learn of his daughter and decide to search for her.
"How they found out about the scroll and its prophecy, I could not ascertain. They kept an eye on the Swan family for centuries, and then Isabella was born, and it was time to make their move. The Order, though, had not accounted for those willing to protect the child from them. Despite his madness, your kin founded and financed a small number of people to protect you, knowing what would happen if no such protections were in place. The scroll his son sold was not, in fact, the original." Marcus slowly unwrapped a cloth to reveal a rolled-up parchment.
"This is the original. The scroll that contained the prophecy of your birth. The changer, the charmer, a unique being of immense power." He looked up at the sisters. "Daughters of the creator of the son child, who perished by fire. Lord Swan had this edited from the copy he made. So the Order has no knowledge of your existence. Even if they somehow do, they are in for a surprise when they realize they are not dealing with mere humans." Marcus smiled gleefully.
"When can we expect Isabella to start shifting?" Tanya asked.
"I do not know. It might be when she finds herself in great danger." Marcus surmised, although correctly, Isabella thought.
"When you fall out of a tree, you had no right climbing," Isabella muttered loudly, but her look clearly showed she had no intention of saying it aloud.
"Isabella, are you shifting?" Carmen asked.
"Well… not completely." She whispered, wringing her fingers, something she did when she thought she was in trouble.
"What do you mean by not completely?" Tanya asked.
"The baby birds would have fallen out of the tree had I not helped, but then the mother startled me, and I fell. Well, at least I was supposed to fall, but in mid-air, I righted myself and landed on all fours. When I looked at my hands, I had paws, but it was gone before I could say anything. It happened two more times, but I was perfectly fine then. They are so fleeting, I wasn't entirely certain it was truly happening." The room just stared at her, despite her valiant effort to avoid eye contact.
"You should have told us, but it's done. Now, how do we get you to fully shift." Eleazar murmured.
"We could throw her in the river; she might turn into a fish to stop drowning," Katrina suggested.
"If there is one thing I am not turning into, it is a fish. A mermaid, maybe." Isabella cheered at the idea.
"Katrina, we need helpful suggestions." Tanya groused, and the room descended into animated conversation.
"What happened to my father and mother?" Though barely above a whisper, Isabella's voice shut the room up.
"I visited London in my research, there I found great help in the form of Lord Clayborne. Your parents died the very night you were spirited away. Agnes Hill is the name of the young woman who brought you here. Lord Clayborne had expected the Order to come for him, but they never did. However, he still made preparations to make sure you knew everything and those responsible." Marcus placed a small stack of papers and a rolled-up canvas in front of Isabella. These should answer any questions you might have had.
"Could you?" Isabella asked Tanya to unroll the canvas. It was a large painting of Lord Charles Swan, and Lady Renee Swan.
"Your features are that of your mother, with the eyes and hair of your father," Irina whispered. Isabella stared at the painting as the tears ran down her face. She had never known them but often thought of them. How they looked was one question that was now answered.
"Thank you, Marcus," Isabella whispered.
"I will leave everything with you to read at your leisure." It was time to leave the coven to comfort their daughter and mate.
"Thank you, Marcus." Tanya bowed in deep appreciation.
Tanya noticed Aro, it seemed, had something to say, but Marcus' determined walk out of the room and into the garden followed by Caius was answer enough. Isabella was their mate, and it would stay that way. Aro stared at Isabella.
"Aro," Tanya called. Every fiber of her being screamed at her to make sure whatever machinations he had in mind would be put to a stop that very moment. "We are not a concern. She is ours and will remain so. Isabella has lost too much already, and we intend to ensure she does not lose anymore." The message was clear, there would be no killing them to get his hands on Isabella. With a nod, he was gone.
"Unfortunately, it needed to be said," Eleazar murmured.
"It would also explain why Marcus left out the information about the charmer. It appears it's another gift Isabella possesses." Irina informed them, reading a marked page in one of the books.
"What is it?" Isabella asked.
"The ability to bewitch anyone and anything." Irina laughed.
"Explains why we can never say no to you." Katrina quipped.
"Mama and papa say no all the time." Isabella frowned.
"That's because we are immune," Eleazar answered, reading another book. "You cannot say no simply because you do not know how to." He chortled.
"You should imitate them." Isabella jested, a loud yawn making itself known.
"You need your rest. I will have the painting on a frame to be mounted by the time you wake up." Carmen picked up the three-year-old, who did not have a word of protest. She was far too gone to attempt walking to her bedroom.
With Bella down for the night, the rest plowed through the information left by Marcus. "Do you think it worked," Carmen asked as she worked on a frame for the painting.
"No, I believe Aro knew what his brother was doing dismissing Isabella's gift," Eleazar answered.
"So did Marcus if his offer of protection was anything to go by," Katrina added.
"I think it would be prudent for Isabella to foster a relationship with Marcus. The occasional letter would do." Tanya advised, surprising everyone.
"One visit when she's older," Eleazar murmured, avoiding eye contact, and rightly as he could feel Tanya's infuriated gaze on him. "Her ability to bewitch was considered powerful by the Order enough to have a protection spell against it. One visit to Volterra, and we might just have Caius onside. Even if he has no interest now, who knows what Aro might use in time to influence Caius to his side." Eleazar finally looked up at Tanya.
"Do you always have to make such logical arguments!" She exclaimed, annoyed. Eleazar simply went back to his reading, but there was no missing his satisfied expression.
"Oh my," Irina muttered, sitting up.
"What is it?" Tanya asked.
"When Marcus said Isabella could shift into any animal, I thought he meant…" The child in question screamed, whatever Irina had to say was forgotten. The vampires raced up the stairs to find Isabella waving a paw excitedly.
"Look, I've got paws, and it stayed." Both hands and feet were indeed paws.
"So, what has changed?" Katrina asked as they sat around the dining table. Isabella was currently inspecting her paws with rapt attention.
"Knowledge," Eleazar answered. "She is no longer afraid as she knows what it's happening now." Isabella nodded in agreement.
"I was terrified before." She admitted.
"Okay, why it is just her extremities?" Tanya asked as she took one paw in hand. She ran a finger over a claw and was shocked to find a superficial cut, deep enough, and she would bleed.
"I believe it's a lack of control; Isabella is too excited to focus enough for the rest of her to shift," Eleazar said. It gave him an understanding of how to help his daughter.
Isabella had chosen the one animal she saw almost every day. It was a painting of a snow leopard in Eleazar's office. "I dreamt I was her, but then I woke up." Isabella brightened.
"I thought as much." Eleazar chuckled. "Now, Isabella… I need you to calm down and focus entirely on the painting. Unfortunately, getting an excitable three-year-old to focus was not an uncomplicated task. The second Isabella would start to shift, she would lose focus in her eagerness. At least the coven found it more amusing than frustrating.
A week later, Eleazar was still spending an hour or two a day trying to get Bella to shift entirely. Despite not achieving a complete shift, they had learned a great deal. Isabella's clothes shifted with her, something they had no understanding of. Her warm brown eyes turned an arctic blue. Above all else, whiskers looked comical on a human, which Isabella was currently sporting.
The decision was also made to move back to the coven's home. Isabella fully shifting was a matter of when not if, and when it happened, they wanted her to have the freedom of running around without the worry of human eyes.
Of course, it was one thing getting Isabella to fully shift, another entirely to shift back into a human child. "When her excitement wears, she will shift back," Eleazar said as Carmen worried. Tanya saw no need to worry; the child in question was currently attempting to catch Katrina with little hope of success. She was still ungainly on four legs.
"When she gets hungry, she will shift back." Irina chuckled at Katrina's yelp. It appeared Isabella had gotten her teeth into her calf.
"Unless she decides to eat while a leopard." Tanya teased.
Soon, Isabella was worn out and trudged to the front porch, panting heavily. "Don't worry; you will gain more strength with time." Tanya chuckled as she ran her finger through soft fur.
Soon, the leopard fell asleep; in her sleep, she shifted back into her human form.