48
Breaking Dawn [Pt.2]
T h e W e i g h t
o f t h e W o r l d
THE NEXT AFTERNOON, Adele was dejectedly participating in a conversation with Eleazar and Kate, who were discussing how interesting it was that Adele could manipulate Bella's mind while Edward couldn't read her thoughts.
"Edward," Eleazar spoke up as the young couple followed their daughter outside to where they stood. Eleazar had the ability to identify the gifts of other vampires. "You didn't tell me your wife is a shield."
"What's a shield?" Bella inquired interestedly. She didn't think she had a power.
Edward gazed at her curiously. "The ones I've met are so...different."
"It is a defensive talent. It is why Edward could not read you mind even before." Adele nodded. She always suspected that Bella had some sort of inhuman ability as a human. Her expression darkened. "It is also why Aro couldn't."
Eleazar regarded her curiously. Like Renesmee, Adele was an anomaly of their kind. "How is it that you can?"
"Bella has a very powerful gift, and so do I."
Adele had been distant ever since Paul drove away with the kids yesterday. If she knew for sure that it'd only be a week or two before she saw them again, she wouldn't feel so terrible, but she wasn't sure if she'd ever see them again. That's what haunted her most.
She snapped out of her brooding as Kate grabbed Bella's hand and summoned electricity. The blue electricity crackled on Kate's hand, but while it took Bella by surprise, she felt no pain whatsoever. Kate smirked at her. "Oh, yeah, she's a shield, alright."
"Shoulda put her on her ass." Garret spoke up daringly as he walked up with Carlisle. He looked charmingly at her. "Or your voltage has been exaggerated."
With her smirk growing, she daringly held her palm out to him as the electricity crackled at her fingers. "Maybe it only works on the weak."
Grinning, Garrett inched towards her with his finger out. Despite the heavy burden weighing in her shoulders, Adele found herself grinning as he neared her.
"Garrett, I wouldn't." Edward warned. He had only come in contact with Kate's electrical abilities a few times before and since then, he'd kept his distance.
He deliberately ignored Edward's warning – he wanted her to admire his boldness – and they all watched intently as the tip of his finger touch her palm. The blue electricity crackled around his finger and groaning,zero he dropped to his knees and retracted his hand. She smirked down at him.
He looked up at her with an admirable, lopsided smile. Everyone could sense the chemistry – electricity, if you will – between them. "You are one amazing woman."
A tree branch snapped in the distance, bringing their attention to the woods. Adele and Carlisle sped in front of everyone and Jacob and a few younger wolves clumsily chased two blurs – vampires – that were coming toward them. Carlisle and Adele, with much dread, vaguely recognized the prancing vampires. When the landed eight in front of them, a tall burly man and a short thin, they were unfortunately right.
"Vladimir, Stefan, you are a long way from home." Adele commented suggestively.
Kate walked up behind Adele and muttered irritatedly. "What are they doing here?"
The Denalis and the Cullens met Vladimir and Stefan many years ago, and didn't much like them even then.
"We heard the Volturi were moving against you, but that you would not stand alone." Vladimir spoke up in his thick Russian accent.
"We didn't do what we were accused of." Carlisle said defensively.
The short blond man, Stefan, rolled his eyes. "We do not care what you did, Carlisle."
Vladimir grinned. "We have been waiting a millennium for the Italian scum to be challenged."
"It's not our plan to fight the Volturi."
"Shame. Aro's witnesses will be so disappointed." Stefan prompted with a chuckle. "They enjoy a good fight."
"Yes, witnesses is what they are called." Adele muttered spitefully.
Eleazar turned to her. He and Carlisle we're the best of friends and the was very fond of, even fascinated by, her. "What are you thinking, Adele?"
"When Aro wants someone from a coven, it is never long before evidence turns up proving that coven committed some crime."
"So he's done this before?" Tanya questioned, exchanging glances with her sisters Carmen and Kate.
"It's happens so rarely." Eleazar nodded as realization struck him. "I never realized it was a pattern. Apparently, he always pardons one person whose thoughts he claims are repentant. This person always had an ability – and they're always given a place with the Guard."
"This is all about Adele and Alice." Edward realized horrifically as Adele bowed her head. Carlisle's gaze snapped to her – she knew, she knew and she didn't tell him.
She set her jaw. "It took you long enough to figure that out."
"He has no one like them." Carlisle was sickened by the thought of Aro owning his daughter after what he did to her, after what he put her through. That son of a bitch would not go near his little girl, he'd make sure of it. "You said he showed interest in Alice when you went to Volterra..."
"Which is why I told her to leave." She whispered and rhey all looked at her in surprise. She crossed her arms and regarded them wistfully. "This time, I am several steps ahead of Aro and his coven. I have been for quite a while now."
The fact that Alice and Jasper didn't abandon them relieved the rest of the Cullens. They knew that, deep down, they would never. Bella, who'd already figured this out, pressed on.
"Why does he need witnesses?"
"To spread the word that justice has been served." Emmett spat as his expression darkened. He always showed much interest in bloodshed and war because he was always so angry, but the thought of losing his family was a stab in the chest. "After he slaughters an entire coven."
"Benjamin, Tia, we're leaving!" Amun, Carlisle's friend from Egypt, spoke up as he overheard their conversation. He was a cowardly man compared to the others and Adele didn't much like him. She was, however, fond of his adoptive son Benjamin, who she just met.
"And where will you go?" Edward cut in exasperatedly because he, too, saw no good coming out of running. "What makes you think they'll be satisfied with Adele and Alice? What's to stop them from going after Benjamin next? Or Zafrina or Kate or anyone else with a gift? Anyone they want." He ran a hand through his bronze hair. "Their goal isn't punishment, it's power. It's acquisition."
Everyone had gathered around now and they let his words sink in with them. He was right. The Volturi were tyrants. They didn't abide by their own laws. In fact, their laws were in place only for their benefit.
"Carlisle might not ask you to fight, but I will. For the sake of my family, but also for yours – and for the way you want to live."
Jacob stepped up with a determined expression on his face. No harm would come to Renesmee, not while he was alive. "The packs will fight. We've never been afraid of vampires."
Adele rolled his eyes – he just had to say that whilst surrounded by three dozen vampires.
"We will fight." Tanya spoke up for her coven, who nodded in mutual agreement. They owed it to the Cullens.
Garrett shrugged. "This won't be the first time I fought a king's rule."
Benjamin bravely stepped up. "We'll join you."
"No!" Amun objected, grabbing his arm.
"I will do the right thing, Amun." Benjamin stared determinedly at him through his crimson eyes. Adele's admiration for him only grew. He want just defending Renesmee, but himself. He had a catastrophically powerful gift, just like Adele and Alice. "You may do as you please."
"We will stand with you." Peter, Jasper's friend, spoke on behalf his coven.
"So will we."
"And we."
"That didn't take much." Stefan muttered to Vladimir.
Adele narrowed her eyes at them. "It is called loyalty."
Carlisle sighed and looked from his daughter and from his wife to the rest of the people gathered. He couldn't believe it was coming down to this. "Let's hope it doesn't come to a fight."
• • • • • • •
I will be there later.
- Paul.
Adele tucked her cell phone back into the back pocket of her jeans and returned her attention to the conversation she was having with the Denalis, Edward, and Bella.
"Aro will want us incapacitated before he attacks. Jane and Alec will try to take Edward out first because he can anticipate their moves."
"And you?" Kate inquired.
Adele smirked at her. "All he is going to worry about is whether he's pissed me off enough or not."
"It's too bad we don't all have your shield." Eleazar frowned at Bella.
She shuffled awkwardly on her feet and amazingly enough, she seemed graceful while doing it. She shrugged. "Doesn't help me fight, though."
"No, but you could help the rest of us if you could project it." Tanya said. While she didn't have an ability of her own, she helped her younger sister, Kate, develop her ability for many years. Although, they only had days to work with now.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, shield someone other than yourself."
"Is that possible?"
Carlisle nodded. Adele did it, unbeknownst to him until recently. Alice was just starting to improve her ability to focus her visions on shapeshifters. "Gifts can be developed – over time."
Adele nodded. "I sure as hell had a lot of time to develop mine, though."
"At first, mine was just in my palms." Kate stared at her hands as she recalled how scared she used to be of hurting someone. That was all until Tanya helped her. She looked at Bella. "Now I can radiate it all over my body."
"How do you do it?" Bella asked. Kate sighed – they were getting her hopes up for something that would probably take months, even years. Bella grabbed her wrist a little to roughly, underestimating her Newborn strength. "Tell me."
Kate stared at her. "Ow."
• • • • • • •
Everyone gathered in the spacious yard behind the Cullen house to watch Adele and Kate help Bella try to expand her gifts. Edward and Emmett stood closest to them, watching intently. They were excited to see the women in action.
"You need to visualize it." Kate spoke clearly as Bella closed her eyes. "See how it moves....what color it is...."
"Now picture it expanding." Adele added in his angelic lilt. "Will it to go beyond you."
After a moment of nothing but silence, Bella opened her eyes and sighed frustratedly. Kate looked to Edward who already had a dreadful look on his face as he read her thoughts. "I think she needs something to motivate her."
"No." Bella objected protectively as he stepped forward. She had the ability to do that now.
"It's all right." He reassured her and Adele smirked. "I can take it."
Garret chuckled a little ways away and elbowed Emmett in a friendly manner. "He says that now."
"Edward, I'm not ready to do this yet–" She began anxiously, but Kate had already electrocuted him. He grunted and dropped to his knees, glaring at her. "I'm sorry! I said that I wasn't ready!"
"Dude, you're not motivating her." Emmett accused as he stood.
"You want to try?!" Edward bit back and he held his hands up defensively. He was not about to look like a little bitch baby.
Bella concentrated as much as she could in the heat of the moment as Edward reached to touch Kate's palm again. He groaned and dropped to his knees again when she failed to expand her shield.
Adele looked at Kate. Threaten her.
"You seem to lack incentive." Kate took her advice and made to step towards the house with a sly smile. "Shall I go see if Renesmee's awake?"
Shit. She plays no games. Adele thought. This is why I love this woman.
"Are you crazy?!" Bella exclaimed furiously, gritting her teeth. She didn't seem to see through Kate's empty threat.
"Alright." Kate turned and Edward stood again, huffing. She held her palm up and the blue electricity sparked around her hand. "This one's on full power."
Edward silently pleaded to her to do it this time – his fearful look inspired a new sense of motivation within her this time – and he turned back to Kate. Bella watched intensely as they moved to touch hands once again and just as his hand touch Kate's, a thin wispy veil expanded from within Bella, like a force field. He grunted softly because it still hurt, but he stayed on his feet.
"It's painful, but it's bearable." He told her as a small smile played on his lips. Kate pulled her hand away and Bella's shield retracted like a rubber band.
She grinned. "Okay, we should go again."
"Emmett!" Edward stepped back. Shield or not, he was done for the day.
Emmett backed away. "I'm good!"
Without a word, Adele stepped and held her hand up. She looked at Bella who regarded her with surprise and she shrugged. "It is not like it hurts me much anyway."
Bella nodded. Adele's reassurance gave her confidence. "I'm ready."
Adele turned back to Kate and they both smirked. "Give me your best shot, woman."
• • • • • • •
Adele silently strolled through the woods, deep in thought. Christmas was in two days time and Max had called her earlier that day asking if they would visit her and Asa. Adele had told her daughter that they could not, for it was a sacrifice they had to make, but that they would have their own Christmas when the kids returned only a few days later.
Adele reached the cliff that overlooked the vast hills in the distance and waters below. It was her and Paul's cliff.
"Hey." Paul was standing in the middle of it with his hands in his pockets when she emerged from the thicket.
"Hey."
"We haven't been here in a while, huh?"
She frowned. "I seems as though every time we come here, one of us is going through something."
He smiled. "Well, at least this time we can go through it together."
She offered him a wry smile. Max's phone call was really weighing on her. She didn't want her little girl to feel abandoned. "I just want to come to our spot and enjoy it for hours and hours on end, just once. No problems, no sorrows. Just peace."
"One day, we will." He put his arms around her. After a moment of silence, he asked her exactly what she was trying to push from her mind. "How are Max and Asa?"
"They are having fun with your sister at her house today."
"I know they're upset about us not spending Christmas with them, but I was hoping we could make it enjoyable for us anyway." He smiled softly down at her and his eyes twinkled mischeviously. "Are you up for it?"
She smirked coyly at him. "What is a Paul Lahote Christmas like?"
He winked. "You'll just have to wait and see."