Succubus ✧ E. Cullen + J. Hale

33 ✧ I almost died because of you

FORKS, WASHINGTON

"You're just gonna let her go like that?!" Jacob asks the trio as he points at the retreating car.

"Of course not," Valentina snorts with crossed arms.

"Oh," Jacob scratches the back if his neck sheepishly, "I should've known better."

"Have a little more faith in me, Jake," Valentina chuckles, "I would never let my best friend walk into a death trap...at least not by herself."

"We'll go back home, pack a bag, and beat them there. We'll pick them up at the airport and take them to Edward. And whatever happens after that, will happen," Valentina's voice dies down as Charlie's police cruiser drives into the driveway.

"What's going on?" He asks, hurriedly getting out of the car.

"Please don't be mad at, Bella," Valentina starts, "Edward, he's going to try and harm himself. Carlisle found received a letter and he sent Alice in hopes that Bella will change his mind," she tries to explain, the lie coming to her so easily.

"W-What?" He rubs his face in confusion, "well, where is she?!"

"She's on her way to their summer home in Italy," Luka winces as Charlie's face falls.

"Everything's gonna be alright, Charlie. We're gonna go and bring her back,"

"Goddamn it!" He yells in frustration. He stomps his way to his front door, "Bring my daughter back or I swear to God, I will hunt you all down," he slams the door.

"Please," Jake looks at the trio, "please bring her back safe and human," he begs desperately before shifting and taking off towards the reservation.

With that, Emmett runs back to the house in order to pack while Valentina and Luka both made arrangements. Vehicles needed to be ready and the house needed to be spotless when they arrived. They didn't know how long they'd be staying, but they're hoping it won't be long.

When Emmett returns, they don't waste a minute to make their way to Italy. They were late by a couple hours because apparently traveling with Emmett meant, eating at least once every hour. They made it to the airport just as Bella and Alice's flight had landed.

Valentina stood by the entrance while Luka and Emmett went to get their car. A few minutes later, Alice and Bella emerge from the doors.

"Val?!" Bella runs out of the airport with Alice in tow, "what're you doing here?"

"Get in the car," Valentina demands as Luka pulls up behind them. Luka switches with Val and gets into the passenger seat. Bella and Alice get into the back, where Emmett is sitting.

"What do you know?" Valentina asks Alice, taking off as fast as she legally could while trying to make it out of the airport.

"They denied him, he's going to cause a scene. Expose himself to the humans so that they have no other choice."

"Fucking dumbass," Bella cusses.

"You got that right," Emmet snorts, high-fiving Bella.

The rest of the drive to Volterra was silent, Valentina speeding down the streets. They hadn't made it very far into the city when they were stopped by the Police.

"What's going on?" Bella asks anxiously.

"It's the festival, we can't drive through," Valentina sighs.

"Bella, you go. Follow everyone in red, they'll lead you to the tower, that's where he'll be," Alice says frantically and Bella jumps out of the car as fast as she possibly can.

To Bella, these five minutes felt like hours. Running with no direction, trying to wrap her mind that Edward could be dead soon if she didn't hurry.

Then, she finds him. The beautiful creature that she fell in love with. Bella was stuck. It was almost as if she were seeing him for the first time again. Looking at Edward's face was nostalgic. But the bell on the tower wakes her from her trance and she runs to him.

Edward begins to step out of the door, unbuttoning his white button-up and letting the fabric fall from his shoulders and upon feeling the sun hit his face, a body crashes into his.

"Heaven..." Edward smiles, embracing the human girl, taking in her scent.

"Open your eyes, we have to move," Bella pants, "I'm alive," she desperately tries to push him back into the building.

Edward's eyes shoot open and he hurries back into the building. The vampire couldn't comprehend how his Bella was here in Italy with him.

"You're here," Edward smiles, "You're alive."

"Of course I'm alive!" Bella pants, avoiding his eyes, "God, you're so fucking stupid! Did you really think I was stupid enough to kill myself? Are you really that fucked in the head?! Look, now you've seen me, you know I'm alive and you don't have to act out of guilt anymore. You and I can let each other go now."

"I never acted out of guilt. I just couldn't live in a world where you don't exist," Edward sighs.

"But you said—" Bella scoffs.

"I lied," He interrupts her, "I had to lie...and you believed me so easily," He looks at her with hurt.

"Because it doesn't make sense for you to love me, Edward! I'm human, I'm nothing compared to what you are," Bella runs her fingers through her hair.

"Bella, you're everything to me, you're everything," Edward says softly, grabbing Bella's face in his hands. And just as their lips are about to meet, Bella pushes him away.

"No," She steps away from him, "no."

"What's wrong?" Edward asks, confused about the rejection.

"If I was your everything, then you wouldn't have left. Your need to protect me should've made you stay, not leave. And the fact that you thought I was gonna jump into your arms and let you kiss me and act like you didn't abandon me shows you don't care. I almost died because of you, several times! I'm not yours anymore, Edward, you don't get to have that privilege after everything you've done," Bella backs away from him, but the sound of heavy footsteps stop her in her tracks.

Two men, vampires, in dark clothing approach them. "Looks like I won't be needing your services after all, gentlemen," Edward smiles cordially.

"Aro wants to speak with you again," Felix looks at Edward, but adverts his eyes to the human behind him.

"No rules were broken," Edward says defensively.

"Nonetheless, we should take this conversation to a more appropriate venue," Dimitri says.

Edward's jaw clenches in annoyance, "Fine. Bella why don't you go enjoy the rest of the festival."

"The girl comes with us," Felix smirks.

"No, you can go to hell," Edward says, ready to fight them if he needs be.

The door beside them breaks open and Alice enters, "C'mon guys, it's a festival. You wouldn't wanna make a scene."

"We wouldn't," Felix raises his brows at the small vampire.

Small footsteps reach everyone's attention, "Enough," a petite blonde says firmly, putting her hood down.

"Jane..." Edward looks down, avoiding the girl's eyes.

"Aro sent me to see what was taking so long," and with that she turns to walk the same way she came from. Edward reluctantly follows her. He tries to take Bella's hand in his, but she's quick to move her hand away.

He glances down at her, wondering what had happened to his Bella?