8 Lives (Sequel to Shattered)

Chapter 22: All Alone

She wasted her time on mortal men that admired her beauty too much for their own good. She pushed images into her mind of how they did not satisfy her. She also pictured in her mind a little fantasy of hers that made me wish I was capable of barfing up the blood from my last feed.

In her mind we were tangled in bed sheets. Tangled in the way that only Bella and I used to be. Our bodies as one, no longer two. I shuddered lightly in a way for her not to take much notice of. Her hands dug into my back as she gave me her signature smile. Behind that signature smile she was thinking of me. My body. Pressed up against hers in every part of her. Her eyes raked my body with a lustful thoughts, and then they settled onto my darkened eyes that resembled the night all too well.

"Pleasure to see you as well, Tanya." A broken smile cracked on my face as I tried to push her away gently. She pried her nails off of me, but I saw she was waiting. Waiting until I hugged her sister Kate, Eleazar and Carmen. Once I finished, she had a look of admiration. Much different from the way the mortal men looked at her. Her gaze was lustful and a tad bit determined. Stepping away from her arms that were outstretched towards me, I gave Eleazar and Carmen what I hoped looked like a warm smile.

"It is always a pleasure having you all in our home," Carlisle spoke. Clearing up the silence that engulfed us all.

"We hope we are not bothering you. We simply come to say hello. There is no trouble in that," Eleazar shrugged.

Looking into their thoughts they seemed only to say hello to us all. But something about this visit seemed planned, and that there was a more reason for them coming. Perhaps it is mind playing tricks on me, depression never did well to me. Threading my fingers through my bronze hair, I pushed the negative thoughts away.

"Of course there is no trouble in that," Carlisle smiled. "But it seems we have trouble at our end."

"What type of trouble?" Eleazar asked automatically thinking that it had to deal with the Volturi.

"Is it possible for a vampire to have memory loss?" Carlisle pressed lightly on the subject. Mainly for my own benefit. If I heard the mention of why we were talking of this problem I may actually crumble onto the ground as fast as raindrops fall from the sky and meet the ground.

"Not that I have heard of, why?" Eleazar questioned. His brow creased in confusion. Looking towards me, he began to open his lips to form a question. But even through my sorrow filled mind, I already know what he was about to ask.

"Bella, she lost her memory." I fisted my bronze hair with my fingers and sighed through my mouth.

"Oh Edward, I wish I knew, but there was never a case like this. It is rather unheard of." Eleazar expressed his sympathy, while I turned away from him. I didn't want the pity, I didn't need it. But at the same time I did need it. I needed it because it is going to be the only thing to keep me sane. Their pity is meaningless, but there is a part of me that is grateful for it. Grateful that they care enough to give me their pity.

"Do you have any options? Anything that might help?" I said through clenched teeth. Frustration built into me as bricks do to make a stable house. The weight was something inside of me, not something that can be seen physically. It only tore me apart emotionally- soon it will take over my body physically.

I let out a disgruntled sigh and began to let my mind think on its own accord for a possible way to gain her memory.

"Edward, I don't see anything about her memory coming back to her." Alice saddened. She missed Bella almost as much as I did.

"Do I have any options," I breathed, not sure if it were meant to be said aloud or just to be said to myself. "There is nothing I can do." I sighed in defeat. Bella was lost from me forever.