Chapter 26~ The Cellar

Clutching Mara to my chest we run to the house, I turn every so often to see that everyone is following. The wolves have taken human form to fit inside.  What once a sunny bright day only moments before has turned into a lunar eclipse. I grab Edward, “We all need to get down to the cellar!”

He nods quickly, jumps onto the living room table, “Everyone we need to get to the cellar so calmly please follow Emily down there.”

No one pushed, there was no chaos. It was a creepy calm, and single file in a showing of trust in Edwards’s words  they went to the cellar, I gently kissed Mara’s head and handed her to Edward, “ Bella what are you doing?”

“I need to secure the cellar door, Moriana once said it was my love that protected Mara, now I need it to protect everyone, I can’t hold Mara and do that at the same time.”

“Bella, we aren’t leaving you.”

“Edward, my magic won’t deny me entry into the cellar, but it might for you and Mara, so please go.”

He takes my arm, “I told you I won’t leave you, and it wasn’t open for negotiation.” 

I leaned in, caressed his cheek, and lovingly kissed his beautiful lips, “ I know what you said, and I also knew you would never agree with me when it comes to my power, but Edward, you need to keep Mara safe, it is her she wants.”

His eyes widened, “Bella no don’t”

I closed my eyes, “I am sorry,” I lifted my hand and using my gift forced them through the cellar door, and slammed it shut. A single scarlet tear ran down my cheek as Edward screamed behind the door, his strength would normally make splinters out of the wood, but it could not penetrate the shield that I placed upon it. I walked to the door, places my hands and forehead on frame, “ I love you both, trust me please.”

Edwards words of disapproval got louder with the sound of my voice, “Very well then my love.” Placing my hands on each side of the door I repeated over and over “Darkness, silence them, protect them” I did this until their words, cries and screams were no longer heard through the cellar door.

It was pitch black outside, I walked around the coffee table a few times, waiting, anticipating. I thought there would be a thunderous explosion, but like a light summer breeze the front door opened, and she calmly walked in taking a quick overview of the room.

“Hello Mother,” Distain was dripping on each word I spoke.

She grinned devilishly, “My darling daughter, so good to see you again, and so much stronger, you make mommy proud.”

With a roll of the eyes, “Oh well you being proud of me is all I live for.”

She lightly laughed,” there is no need to be so disrespectful Isabelle.”

“On the contrary you are lucky I am only greeting you with disrespect and not a rod of fire up your ass.”

Moriana laughed boisterously now, “So cocky, it is like looking in a mirror.”

I glared fiercely at her, “Don’t compare me to you, we are nothing alike.”

She pursed her lips, and shook her finger at me, “True, I would never be so stupid to trust everyone who simply promised me loyalty.”

Anger was seething through me, “There you go again, trying to get me to turn on those who have fought by my side, who would protect Mara with their own life, when you her own grandmother want to kill her.”

Her face was placid, only a mild twitch of her eye, “Kill her?”

“Don’t play dumb, it is an unflattering color on you.”

She took her nails and annoyingly scratched along the walls of the house, stopping at the cellar door, “When you silence them, even you cannot hear them.”

My eyes flicker to the door and then to her, she smirks, “Do you think a hushing spell would hide them from me?”

“Maybe not, but you are not allowed down there, you can’t harm them.”

She shook her head in agreement, “You are correct, I cannot enter there, and you are a smart witch Isabelle.” She inhales, pursing her lips once more, then turns her attention to me.  “Luckily for me I am smarter.”

I began walking to her, “Get away from the door.”

She backs away with a smile, “You would have made it harder for me had you simply told them to be quiet.”

Part of me wanted to open the door, run down and see if they were all there, the other part knew if she was lying I would be sending them to slaughter. “What can Mara’s blood give you that mine can’t?”

I decided, to trust my gut and not open the door, I confidently turned and looked at her, waiting for her answer.

“When did I say I was going to spare anyone, or slaughter anyone, and when did I say that your blood was less valuable?” She sat on a rocking chair, folded her hands on her lap.

“I watched you turn Jasper to ash, you told me you would take Mara, you promised death!”

“Fair enough, I killed Jasper, but he was not loyal to you, just like the pixie princess, neither are here for you or your fight.”

Every part of me wanted to charge her and beat the shit out of her, but I calmly sat on an ottoman in front of the fireplace, “Let’s pretend for a moment you aren’t mindfucking me, why would Alice stay this long and not kill me, and most recently kill or take Mara?”

Moriana, leans forward, staring deep into my eyes, “What makes you think Mara is still safe?”

“Because Edward wouldn’t let anything happen to her, and Alice alone wouldn’t be able to fight off everyone down there.”

She grinned, “Exactly, there was no time where she could defeat you alone.”

I could feel the terror inside me, it was rising and I feared Moriana was telling the truth. Was she killing time with me so that others could deal with everyone down stairs? She knew she couldn’t get down there, but she is powerful, she could teleport others there. As I found my mind wandering in a million directions, her face was reacting to my thoughts, she could hear them. “You can read my thoughts?”

“ Of course, and Mara’s, at first it was just I could feel everything, but in time I was able to hear thought, much like your prince charming, but since you and Mara are blood, it is much easier.”

“You have been playing on my thoughts?”

“I have never been playing with you, any of you, I came for something, not to chit chat, and now that I have it I will be going.” 

As she rose from the rocker I rushed her slamming her against the wall, “What the fuck do you mean now that you got it?”

She effortlessly pushed me off, her eyes darted to the front door; I turned and saw the twins standing there, “Me?”

“It has always been you Isabelle, your own powers locked them away downstairs, unable to help you, Don’t get me wrong, Mara is needed to, but I am sure as soon as the spell wears off Edward will be in a frenzy, and I will help it along, leaving little bread crumbs, and he and Mara will bring themselves to my feet.”

“Why didn’t you just take me on the mountain then, when you froze everyone?”

“My sweet child, you had not presented Mara to me, and now that you have it will be only a matter of time until I have you both.”

My body slumped, every decision I had made has been wrong. I felt Jane and Alec at my sides, I looked up at Moriana, “She is your blood, the growth of your bloodline, why destroy it?”

She stroked my cheek, “I don’t know love Isabelle, I never have and I never need to, I know only power, your father and I were good together in that aspect, but he got all soft when it came to you, I see chaos, war, mayhem coursing through your veins, your blood will make my army unstoppable, there is nothing I can’t accomplish at that point.”

“And when you have conquered the world, then what?”

“She chuckled, “I am not sure, take up golf maybe.”

The twins took my arms, I knew I could fight but against Moriana, it would do no good. I knew no matter what I said to Edward he would still come after me, I couldn’t stop him. I knew the only way to stop this was death, my own.