Chapter 31 ~ Longing

Days passed by quickly, Edward and Carlisle spent the entire time introducing me to everyone. It was suffocating. They hugged, kissed, and praised me non-stop. One woman grabbed my arm like it was a life raft and repeatedly thanked me for coming to their aide. Another man said he prayed for the blessed angel who freed them once before. They thought me to be like Moses, but I was no saint and all I wanted to do was scream.  I ran down one of the corridors and slammed the door to an empty room, slid down to the ground head in hands and wept. 

Moments later I heard a light tapping, “Bella are you alright?” Naturally Edward would follow me.

“No, I am far from alright.” He pushed the door open, slid beside me and cupped me into him.

“It must be so difficult for you, I can hear their thoughts but you can feel the pain they are in.” He gently rocked me as he spoke in a calming voice. “It must be torturous.”

“Edward, I can’t be this person they want me to be, for what they are suffering from I can’t mend them.” The tears flowed freely as I spoke.

He caressed my cheek and smiled, “You being here is everything to them, you fought beside them before and promised to them you would return and so you have.” He leaned in and kissed me softly. “Perhaps we should distance you from them for a while.”

I wiped my tears, “ No Edward, it will be far worse when I go face to face with my parents, if I can’t handle overbearing pain then I won’t survive them.”

Edward grabbed both sides of my face with a sort of madness, “You will never go face to face with them without an army behind you ever again Bella! Ever!”

His eyes were frantic, worry shadowed his gaze, “I promise I will not go alone Edward.” I kissed him with all the passion I had in me. The love he had for me was addicting. After being surrounded by such depression and pain all I wanted to do was melt my body into Edwards and hide there forever.

He felt my need to feel anything other than dark, his hands danced with the thrusting of my body. He was as eager as I was.  Our clothes were in pieces in seconds. I grabbed his rock hard cock in my hands and forcefully pushed him into me.  He lifted me up and crashed me against the wall. He fucked me till I forgot everything but my name and my need for his touch. 

We were inseparable, bombs could have been going off outside and it wouldn’t have mattered. This, right here and now was what mattered. I saw the sun begin to peak through the blinds. We had been at it for hours. Edward began to laugh, he gently kissed my forehead and laid me onto the bed, “You need to rest awhile.” I thought he was going to go, but he just curled up next to me. 

I drifted to sleep fast, and I dreamt, not a nightmare but dream that was full of peace, prosperity, and hope. Everyone was happy laughing and drinking together. A utopia, there was no pain, no sadness. I walked through the beautiful garden Esme had on her front lawn. The tips of my fingers caressing the velvet roses, I giggled when the baby’s breath rubbed against the palm of my hand.  I heard Edward’s voice, it was like a whisper in the wind, “Bella find your peace and you will find your way.”

I looked around, but everyone was gone, the clouds were rolling in, “the darkness!” I felt my heart begin to race with fear. The more terrified I felt the worse the storm turned into. “Find your peace Bella,” I repeated Edward’s words. I calmed myself, I breathed and as I calmed so did the skies. I felt happiness replace fear and my nightmare return to the dream.

My eyes flew open and I sat up, “Bella?” Edward was still next to me; he sat up and embraced me, “Are you alright?”

I turned to him and smiled, “I am perfect,” Laughter escaped my lips, “I know why I have not been able to push out the power inside me.”

Edwards face lit up,” Really, why?”

“Because I was trying to get angry, I was trying to summon the darkness because that is what everyone called it, the reason my mother is no good to Aro is because she is dark, where Mara and I are a light, we are the yin to his yang, mix them together and you have the perfect weapon, you have it all, the good and the bad.” I hopped out of the bed and spun around. “It’s so wonderful Edward, to know.”

He grabbed me and swirled me around the room,” I always believed you would figure it out.”

“It makes sense, I saw burns on my mother, Aro likely tortured her because her blood was worthless, he made her so submissive, and he figured it out.”  I smiled coyly at Edward, “It was you who showed me you know?”

He curved his lips and furrowed his brow in confusion, “Me, how?”

“You calmed me, and I dreamed. I heard you whisper to find my peace and I will find my way.” I could see he didn’t get it, “Edward you are my peace!”

He leaned in and kissed me, “and you are mine.”

I quickly fixed our clothes and dressed myself, “I need to try it out, don’t dilly dally Mr. Cullen.” I winked and raced out of the room eagerly. “Let’s see what I can do now!”

Chapter 30 ~ The Others

Edward and I walked quite a while until we came to a rather large Villa. Huge mountains flourished behind it and a magnificent garden covered the entire front. It was something out of a dream. Edward was holding my hand gliding me through.  All I could do was stare in amazement at the sight of the blissful slender.  We reached the front door and Edward walked right in without knocking.  It was like stepping into a field full of sunflowers, it was a garden inside the house. “This place is amazing Edward.”

“Esme spends a great deal of her time searching for the perfect serenity, I think she has reached it.”

I smiled, “Who is Esme?”

No sooner I said that I heard delightful laughter and she breezed right into the room, “Oh Bella, how wonderful to see you are well, we were so worried about you.”

Her face was like looking at the Mona Lisa, her voice was angelic, and she just drew me in. She reached for me and hugged me so tightly, I couldn’t help but return the embrace, I wanted to. But as we hugged an overwhelming rush of sadness came over me. It was mixed in with a happiness she had created for herself. 

When she finally pulled away, I looked into her eyes, I felt as though all she wanted to do was cry, but in her frozen state could not. “It is a very lovely home you have here.”

“Thank you Bella, that means a lot to me.”

Edward gently rubbed my back, “Come Bella, let’s go meet everyone.”

Edward and I walked through the enormous mansion; most of the rooms were empty. We came to a large burgundy door, Edward held it open for me and I walked down the corridor to an elevator. He hit the button and we walked inside. “Edward, where are we going?”

“To meet the others, it’s OK Bella.”

The elevator took a long time to reach its destination, and when the doors finally opened it was like stepping into a secret military base. “What the hell Edward?”

 

When the door closed behind me everyone halted and turned to me, “Edward why is everyone staring at me?”

His words were interrupted by another; I looked to a see a fair haired man in a doctor’s jacket, “We have waited for you for a very long time Bella.”

“Have you?” I looked at Edward who was smiling slightly,” What is this place, and where am I?”

“My name is Carlisle, and this is my home, you already met my wife Esme and these people, well I guess they are the others.”

I walked further and realized it was a balcony, and below was hundreds of thousands of vampires, and wolves.  “You have to be shitting me?”

Edward and Carlisle both laughed, “Bella,” Edward said, “Come meet them.”

“All of them, it will take hours and I don’t have time, my mother she is in trouble.”

Edward looked puzzled, “Bella your mother she is not on your side, did they give you a drug or something?”

“No Edward, she saved me, she got me to the tarmac I swear it.”

Carlisle and Edward looked at each other and then back at me, “I know what you are both thinking, but Aro has some sort of hold on her and that place drains you of your power while inside, she is a prisoner there.”

Carlisle placed his hand on my cheek, “She isn’t running a fever or anything.”

“I am not sick!”

“Look Bella, we are aware Aro is alive, one of the guards in the castle confirmed that, however he stays true to the fact that Moriana is indeed the ringleader of this circus.”

“No your guard is wrong, I am her daughter and I saw the burns on her body and I felt her love for me.” I was angry, I was feeling untrusted.

“Bella, listen lets go talk to this guard, sound good?” Edwards’s words were calming.

“ Fine.”

We walked to a large conference room. Edward sat beside me and Carlisle brought the guard in. I looked at his face; it looked somewhat familiar but nothing that screamed to me that I knew him.

Carlisle introduced him, “Bella this is Stefan, and he is one of Aro’s personal guards.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle, “Personal guard?” I looked at their faces, but not a hint of humor peeked through. “Your spy is Aro’s personal guard?”

“Yes, Bella why does this this amuse you?” Carlisle asked

“Well for one having your spy so close to a man who simply has to touch you to hear every thought you have ever had isn’t exactly reliable.”

Edward just looked at me, a half smile painted his face.

“Not to mention Alice sees the future, you know she saw him coming and likely warned Aro of this?”

Again I looked at Edward, “Why are you staring at me like I lost my mind?”

He inched closer to me and took my hand in his, “Bella we already thought of that,” he paused for a moment shared a glance with Carlisle and began talking again, “actually you thought of that Bella.”

“Me, I thought of it?”

“A long time ago, before you went to the Gypsy, you said we needed someone inside always, to watch over them, you used so much of your gift to protect Stefan’s identity, and you blocked anyone who tried to penetrate it.” 

The familiarity of Stefan’s face was becoming clearer to me, “And this was able to block Alice as well?”

“Everyone, even from my own gifts Bella.” Edward said with amazing pride in his voice.

I smiled, amazed at my own power, slightly jealous that I couldn’t summon this outstanding creature inside of me to come forth and save everyone. I looked up at Stefan, focusing on his face. I forced myself to remember. “Your name is Stefan?” He nodded. “And you have been with Aro for many years?” Again he simply nodded. “You can speak, I don’t bite.”

Stefan looked at Carlise, Carlisle stepped forward, “No Bella he can’t.”

“Why not?” I was puzzled.

“Stefan is from Romania; hundreds of years ago The Trilords invaded killing everyone, even his children and wife. Aro always leaves at least one survivor of every encounter; he likes it to be as a warning of his capabilities. But he never leaves the survivor unscathed, so he turned Stefan into a vampire, and after transformation removed his tongue and destroyed it so no one could hear his cries.”

My heart ached as Carlisle told me Stefan’s story, I could feel the anguish pouring from his body. “Then why would you plant yourself in that place?”

“He did it for us, well for you and the hope that we could destroy the Trilords Bella.” Carlise said.

“I see, and knowing only Aro would have the power to read your thoughts, clearly I knew this and prepared for it.” I stood and walked to Stefan, “Every day you stayed in that place, you tortured yourself daily reliving it all.” I put my hand on his cheek and looked into his painful eyes. “What was your price?”

Edward came to my side, “He wants to die, Bella.”

“Of course he does, I can feel it, you watched everything you loved die, and the hope that you could simply take your life to end it was taken from you when Aro, my father, turned you.” His eyes dropped to the floor. “Very well I will kill you.” He immediately looked up at me. A twinge of relief came over him. “I just have one question.” He nodded, “why are you so certain my mother’s kindness is not real?”

He took a deep breath, I could see he was trying to figure out a way to explain it to me; he spotted a dry erase board and began writing. His handwriting was beautiful, and his speed was as fast as a hummingbird’s wings. 

When he was done it simply read, Moriana lives because you and Mara live, her motives are selfish, if Aro kills you then she dies with you.

“But that means she would protect me?”

He shrugs and writes, unless she realizes how your blood if consumed could make her untouchable.

“If she let Aro drain me he wouldn’t share any of it with her, so she will keep me safe until he is destroyed and then she will come for me and Mara.” He just nods. “Once again I am the fool.”

I plop down in a chair, head in hands. I feel a hand on my shoulder, I thought for a moment it was Edward, but turned to see it was Stefan. He takes the marker and writes on the table. “Love seeketh not itself to please, Nor for itself hath any care, But for another gives its ease, And builds a Heaven in Hell's despair. “

“That is beautiful, William Blake?”

He smiled and nodded, and under his words wrote, “You are heaven’s door for all of us stuck here in hell.”

I rose up and embraced him, “your wife and children wait for you Stefan, and it is time you go to them.”

He gently pulled himself from me smiled and kissed my cheek. Edward took my hand “Bella, to take his life it might destroy you.”

“Edward my internal struggles are not because of doing what is right, every single vampire or werewolf here has been tortured because of my parents, and I will not be like them and make them suffer longer.” I kissed Edward, “I love you for loving me like you do, I need to keep the promise I made with him, or I am no better than they are.”

He kissed me back, “You are amazing Bella.”

I led Stefan to the couch, “lie down and close your eyes, think of your family and of a happy time you had with them, remember when your wife would make you laugh, and when your children’s hugs magically made every moment better.” I placed my hand on Stefan’s chest. “Think of the intoxicating scents your wife embodied and the melodic sounds of your children’s happiness.” Slowly Stefan’s body hardened and turned to ice, not an ounce of pain touched his already tortured being. I watched how he peacefully slipped into a place where his life was only happy, fulfilled and rewarding. Little pieces of light shot out of his chest and they dissipated into the air until his body no longer remained. I sat there for a moment; the tears pouring from my face, Edward knelt beside me. 

“I was afraid it would ruin you.” 

I looked into his perfect copper eyes, “I am not ruined Edward, I am relieved, he finally has the peace he desperately craved, he has his family, he has love.” I stood and looked out the window to the others who were practicing fighting. “This must end.”

Chapter 29 ~ Love Hurts

All I could do was stare, speechless, in absolute shock. Alice broke the silence, her tone confident and as smooth as silk, “Do you like this room Bella, it’s one of my favorites?” 

I closed my mouth, I tried calming myself. I could feel every fiber of my being begin to fume. I looked to Moriana briefly before looking at Alice. She had her gaze on her challis, her fists clenched. I knew I was not prepared, but something told me there was nothing I could do about it. No matter what happened here somehow, someway my powers were useless.  Moriana’s simple nod of her head told me I was right.

“No Alice, you don’t get to act all hey lets be best buds!” I folded my arms and slammed my back against the chair turning my attention to Aro. “And you, do you have any idea the horror you put me through?” He cleared his throat about to speak, but I wasn’t finished. “I doubt you even care, you are sick and sadistic as ever, I knew it, always, you never cared about me, all you are is patient, you sat there on your better than thou pedestal pretending to be half of a good person. But you are shit!”

He walked toward me and sat beside me, lovingly he took my hand in his, “My sweet Isabella, if there was anyone in this world who I trusted more it would be you, no one has ever loved me like you have, and I doubt anyone ever will.”

I looked into his eyes; a curious amount of satisfaction was there. “Then please explain it to me, Edward felt you die, I felt you die.”

“I never died, Moriana made Edward believe I was dead, and she did a very remarkable job of it, honestly I wasn’t sure she would be able to pull it off with you around, but alas she did.”

I looked over to Moriana, but she sat there as still as a statue, I could feel her wrath burning inside, but it was trapped. “If you love me so much why would you put me through all of this?”

He reached out and gingerly rubbed my cheek, “Isabella, my daughter, you were not listening to me, I said you loved me, I said I trusted you, these are two different things.” He smiled, it wasn’t a warm smile it was the Cheshire cat kind of smile. “You had to think I loved you, or you would never in turn trust me.”

My heart felt like it was imploding, the pain was immense, I wanted to scream at him, hit and punch him, but I was defeated. I looked at Alice and glared at her.

“Oh please Bella, you hated me, don’t act all surprised by this.”

“But, what about Jasper, he loved you.”

She just rolled her eyes, “Yeah like a puppy.”

Every part of me felt like it was being sucked away through this emotional vortex. “I locked you in the cellar, with Edward and Mara…” My eyes became wide, “What did you do to them?”

She smirked, “They were still there when I was taken from there.” 

“How?”

She took a sip of the blood in her challis, “mmm that’s good, well the gypsies were able to concoct a sort of potion out of Moriana’s blood, and well with it I was able to transport here.”

“I can’t understand Alice, Edward was able to see you were good.”

She interrupted, “No he saw what I thought, I see the future I knew what my thoughts did to him, the future shows the greatest future is with Aro, I will be powerful, I will be more than you ever could be.”

She was comically crazy, a slight giggle crossed my lips, Moriana looked up finally at my reaction. Alice was fuming mad. “ It’s so funny how you think the Tri Lords would spare you, or give you any of the glory, have you not been paying attention, they don’t trust, they don’t give, and they don’t love, you my dear are a foot soldier. “

She smiled, “You are stupid, I would see it all.”

“ No you are stupid, you will see what they damn well want you to see, Moriana is the most powerful being in this world, and she is rendered useless with in these walls, you think you, the magic eight ball can’t be altered to?”

I could see she was rattled, doubt crossed over her face, she got up and stormed out of the room. “Well My dear daughter, that was cruel.”

I turned to him, “I guess I am more like you then I hoped.”

He chuckled, “Oh sweet Isabella, I shall miss your wit.”

The doors swung open in a furry, “My Lords, there is company, hundreds of them.”

Aro and Caius rose, looked at each other, “Raise the gates.” They said in unison.

Caius turned to another guard,” summon the gypsies to the arena, we will speak there.”

Moriana got up and came toward me, offering her my hand, “It is best we get you to your room.”

Aro grabbed her arm, “Isabella will go to the chamber and await her extraction.”

“Aro, you know that Edward will find her there, I will take her to my room, it is hidden, he will not get to her there.”

I could see he was thinking, finally he nodded and shook his hand at us, “very well be gone.”

We quickly ran down the corridors, every guard, and servant was running in the opposite direction, “Mother please let me go.”

She stopped running, she looked at me in the eyes, “never, you will stay with me, this war happens with or without you, keeping you safe is the only way to insure victory.”

I pulled from her grasp, crimson tears flowing from my eyes, “Victory for who, for him, for you?”

She grabbed my arm, she pulled me into a monstrous embrace, I think it was a hug of some sort, “For you Isabella, I want victory for you.”

My mother, who did an amazing job of convincing the world she was the devil, was nothing more than a prisoner, a puppet of the Tri Lords. They made the executive decisions, not her. It was all a lie; I felt her tears in my hair as she hugged me. “We need to get away from these castle walls, we need to help Edward.”

She pushed from me gently, “He is a good man, He loves you, and he does not play games with your heart.”

“I know, he is my world, he is my air, my life.”

She gave an almost proud smile. “Then go to him.”

“Come with me, I need your power, I need your help, Hell I need you.” 

She kissed the top of my head, “I can’t I have to hold them off here, they will come for you momentarily.”

“They will kill you.”

“God willing I hope you’re right.”

“Mother please, no more, I can’t lose anyone else, you made me hate you because you loved me so much, now I finally get it, we can win this war together I know we can.”

“ Go down this corridor to the black oak doors, down the stairs, you will reach a damp dungeon, at the end of that is a stone door, take it to the garden, under the Spider Lily’s is secret door, lift them up and you will see it, it will lead to the landing strip.” She blew me a kiss and ran the opposite way.

I wanted to run after her, but I couldn’t I had to get to Edward. I told myself I would come back for her, but who knew what the morning light would bring. I did as she said and reached the landing strip.

It was empty, not a soul in site. My powers were still useless. I ran to a helicopter and got inside. I took just a moment to catch my breath. The glass crashed and five large guards were standing before me with sharp spears. “GET OUT”

I slinked out angrily. “Turn around”

I turned against the chopper, I felt one of them pull my arm down and put on a handcuff, I waited what felt like a minute for them to grab the other hand but it never happened. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder. I got whipped around and before me stood Edward.

Without even a second of thought a rushed into his arms, “Oh Edward I am so sorry I left you I love you I love you so much.”

He returned my embrace, “I know and I love you so much Bella.”

“Aro is alive; Alice is with him, my mother was right all the while.” I began sobbing uncontrollably.

“I know that to.”

I looked at him, “How did you know?”

“Well one thing about gypsies is, they like to wander mostly in fields, it was only a matter of time until a few left the castle walls, we grabbed them, they were so unaware of what was happening reading their thoughts was easy.”

I reached up and kissed his lips, “I will never leave you again.”

He smiled, “Damn right you won’t, now let’s get out of here, the others are waiting.”

“Others”

He smiled once more, “You’ll see.”

Chapter 28 ~ What a Tangled Web We Weave

 My eyes began to flutter open as I felt the plane begin to descend. “Good Morning Sleeping Beauty.” Alec said sarcastically.

I just gave him a roll of the eyes and sat up straight. Moriana was in the same exact position I left her in. I heard a voice from the cockpit, “When we land we will be met.” 

Alec stood up and walked into the cockpit, Moriana moved slightly simply grabbing her dress up exposing only a small bit of her leg. It was scorched beyond belief. I tried not to think anything of it but when she looked at me quickly I knew she had known I saw it. 

So many strange things I have experienced in such a short time. I wished I understood more. When Alec came back he was carrying shackles. He walked toward me. “What the hell do you think you are doing with those?”

 

He took my arm, “What’s the matter princess, you prefer gold?”

“Get the fuck away from me; I am not putting those on.”

He just sighed tossing the shackles to Moriana, “She is your daughter you deal with her.”

It seemed weird how he didn’t fear her as he should have, Moriana jumped when the shackles fell on her lap, just nodded and took them over to me. “Isabella, please just put them on.” 

“Do you think because you said please that I would just say OK?”

She put her fingers to the bridge of her nose; she was full of stress it was like a balloon with too much air, just one strong breeze and, POP! “Why do I need to be shackled?”

She sat back, tossed the shackles to me, “They are scared of you, those are laced with Gypsy dust, you won’t be able to break free of them.”

Jane turned to us, “Moriana, is there a reason you would tell her that?”

Moriana just waved her off, “They can’t tie up your mind Isabella, so just make them happy and do it.”

It felt almost pointless to argue, the whole situation seemed idiotic, so I grabbed the cuffs and put them on, “There, happy?”

She shook her head and returned to her seat. When the Plane touched down I could see what looked like over a hundred figures in perfectly straight lines, still as statues. “Who are they?”

“Everyone,” Jane said as she got up and opened the doors. Alec quickly got out and walked to one of two figures draped in a long black robe. Jane then followed suit.  Moriana turned to me, offered her hand to me.

“It is time my dear.” I hesitantly took her hand, unsure why I would bother, but oddly I didn’t feel safe otherwise.  The shackles were dreadfully loud, we slowly went down the steps of the plane, I looked over the figures, the general sense was terror, I looked at Moriana, and she just nodded and whispered, “They are afraid of what they do not understand.”

We stopped a few feet from the figures in black; they took down their hoods, and before me stood Caius and Marcus. Two of the men I wanted to kill most in this world. “Greetings Isabella, it is so good of you to finally accept your fate.” Caius said with a huge amount of cockiness. 

I glared, “Just the shackles are magical Caius, I can still use my mind.”

He smirked, pleased with my response, “Then by all means, go ahead, light me on fire, turn me to ash, I beg of you Isabella.”

I was so confused, “Are you suicidal?”

He began laughing, “On the contrary, I am enamored by life, I can’t wait to have even more than I do now, but do you think I would bring you here and not take precautions?” 

My eyes surveyed the area, I took in all the figures, I looked at Moriana, and her eyes were downward, absent any eye contact. “Moriana?”

She didn’t look up, she didn’t even speak, I turned to Caius, “What is going on here?”

“Let us get you inside, we have a rather delicious meal planned and then we can discuss the future Isabella and then your questions shall be answered.”

Two lines of guards guided me inside, down the familiar corridors to a circular room. I had never seen this place. I figured it was built after I had left. A large banquet table was in the middle of the room. The walls and the floor were made of marble. There were no windows just the table, chairs and an extravagant chandelier.  “A new addition I see?”

Caius simply nodded once and took his seat at the head of the table, and gestured to the chair next to his. “Do have a seat Isabella.”

I wasn’t sure why he acted like I had a choice but I went as if it was my decision.  Moriana sat across from me, Marcus at the other end of the table. Alec was beside me and Jane sat beside Moriana. There were two empty seats. “Are we expecting more company?” I asked.

Marcus let out an exasperated sigh and waved to one of the servants. “Bring in the food.” She bowed slightly and exited the room.

“Are we not talking? I know you said I would get some answers.” I was using a forceful tone, but it was useless.

I stood up, “ If I am not going to get any answers then I am not staying in this room, just take me to whatever dungeon or whatever you have made for me and let’s get this over with!” 

Caius eyed my stance, took a quick look at Marcus and tapped the table. “Sit down.”

“Not until I understand this strangeness.” 

Caius rose, looked me dead in the eyes, “I said sit down!” 

My body slammed into the chair against my will. I shot a look at Moriana, but she just shook her head at me, as if to tell me it was not her doing. “How the hell did you do that?”

Caius smiled and sat back down, “Precautions, like I had stated earlier.” 

Eight servants entered each holding silver platters. They placed them on the tables in front of each seat.  In unison they lifted the silver domes. Part of me was nervous at what food there would be. But there was just a challis filled with blood.  I heard Alec chuckle, “What did you think there would be severed baby heads?”

“Oh please nothing you all would do would surprise me.”

With that I heard the doors from behind my chair open, Moriana’s gaze lifted to the sounds, and then it was in her face that I saw, the joy and the fear. I slowly turned my head. My heart almost leapt out of my chest. Right there before me stood the two people I never thought I would see. Until I heard the voice I was almost uncertain of what I was seeing. “Hello my daughter.”

My words were strangled in my throat I stared at the woman that my mother continually warned me about, Alice. Beside her confidently stood my father, “ Aro?”