From Chapter 32:
Finally I forced out the unbelievable words, “H-h-he j-just exploded...h-he...there was fur...and...huge teeth...and....,” I stuttered. Taking a deep breath, I gazed deeply into Edward's eyes which were large in his pale face. Somehow I felt calmer, and I was able to speak a coherent sentence.
“H-he turned into a wolf...a gigantic wolf...the size of a horse. And he was growling at Sam and me. And he had huge sharp teeth and claws.... I...I thought he was going to attack us....” My voice dropped, as did my eyes, which I focused on my hand in Esme's. “I was so scared.”
Chapter 34
My words were met by complete silence. Every one of the Cullens were frozen...as if they were fixed in place by a magic spell or something.
Tears welled up in my eyes against my will, and despite trying to blink them into submission, they trickled down my cheek. Slowly I raised my head, my glance first focusing on the purple-ringed eyes of Edward Cullen.
He was utterly still, his hands gripping the top of the carved end of my bed; his eyes, though starkly black, were somehow aflame with something that looked like fury.
Edward had never looked so terrifying...or so beautiful. I couldn't take my eyes off him as his gaze burned into mine.
The silence was broken by a sharp cracking sound as the wooden bed frame under Edward's hands crumbled into shards and splinters.
But the sound seemed to reanimate the Cullens. Carlisle and Esme exchanged panicked glances while I heard Emmett mutter, “Fuck, man,” under his breath. Rosalie looked nearly as upset as Edward, and Jasper made a hissing sound as he flinched backward, almost as if he were being bombarded with something.
Alice's voice was the first to ring out after the destruction of part of my bed. “What the hell is going on?” she screeched. “I can't see anything this afternoon!”
What did she mean, she “can't see anything”? Was she going blind? Or did she just have a lash in her eye?
But wait—how could she know that she wouldn't be able to see this afternoon?
Okay, I was getting confused...or at least more confused than usual. I felt that funny wrinkle pop up on my forehead as I tried to make some sort of sense out of Alice's exclamation.
Then I pushed aside my interior questions as Alice's panicked voice morphed into controlled annoyance for a moment. She spoke quickly, almost too quickly to be easily understood as she imperiously pointed at the floor at her brother's feet. “The only thing I know for certain is that Edward had better clean up his little mess there as Mrs. Jane will be arriving in twenty minutes.”
Okay, but how did Alice know that?
But Alice's fear returned as she finished, “But later this afternoon, everything just disappears....” Her face took on a far away expression, as if she were daydreaming, or was at least trying to. Then she shook her head sadly, moaning, “Nothing! After four-seventeen this afternoon—nothing!”
How did she know this? And down to such a specific time?
The Cullens were already pretty damn weird, but Alice was getting stranger by the second....
Carlisle ghosted toward Alice so quickly that I gasped quietly; fortunately, no one but Edward turned toward me as their attention was riveted on the tiny brunette. Carlisle took Alice's hands in an apparent attempt to calm her. “Do you think someone is coming?” he questioned cryptically.
Alice shrugged, but her eyes looked worried. “After what happened before, it's my best guess.”
Edward made a strangled sound, then turned away from me as if he didn't want me to see his expression. His evasion sent a shiver of fear up my spine as questions and thoughts continued to bombard my mind.
Who is coming?? Not a stranger, as he or she or they had been here before. So who? And why were they hiding it from me? Was this whole thing something about me?
Carlisle's reaction, Alice's worry, Edward's panic...I shook my head, hoping that someone in this wacky family would make sense, but no such luck. Damn.
Once again Edward started pacing between Alice and the end of my bed, back and forth, one of his hands pulling nervously at his mess of auburn hair. “They can't come here, not after all she's been through,” he muttered angrily. Was he talking about me? He stopped for a moment, narrowing his dark eyes at his father. “You can't allow it, Carlisle; it isn't safe. I don't care who it is—we can't let them near her!”
Carlisle sighed. “Well, let's deal with Mrs. Fairfield first, then we'll move on from there,” he stated firmly, then disappeared down the hall.
Esme was still sitting beside me, and she patted my hand absently, smiling at me weakly. “I'll go prepare some tea for Mrs. Fairfield. I'm sure she'll want to chat with you, dear.” She swallowed hard, then looked me in the eye. “Bella, you need to do whatever is best for YOU. Don't worry about us. We'd love to have you stay, of course, but we want whatever is best for you. All right?”
Her motherly arms surrounded me in a gentle hug, and I leaned into her embrace for a moment as I felt her kiss the top of my head. My eyes filled with tears again at her loving gesture. God, it felt wonderful to have parents—parents who love me and want what's best for me.
What a foreign concept.
“I'm sorry,” I gulped, ashamed both of making a decision that would take me away from the Cullens...and embarrassed by my constant waterworks. I had gone for years at a time at the Blacks' without allowing myself to cry, and here at the Cullens' I cried at every blinking opportunity. Literally.
It was frustrating...and somehow freeing...to finally be able to let down my guard a little and not stuff my emotions down deep to fester like I usually did.
Then it struck me.
Despite their secrets, I actually felt safe here in the Cullens' mansion.
Safe.
Protected.
Loved.
Could their secret be as monumental as Jacob's? After all, I had lived under the same roof as a fricking wolf for who knows how long?
Of course, look where THAT got me....
No, I couldn't live with secrets.
But part of me wanted to try to stay here anyway, secrets and all.
The whole thing was really confusing.
Esme let go of me and rapidly left the room, not looking back, but I noticed that her shoulders were shaking the way mine did when I cried.
Jeez, now I was making the gentlest person I know cry, too.
I sighed, my shoulders slumping dispiritedly into my pillows.
My room was not empty yet. Rosalie had followed Esme from the room, so now I was left with Alice and Jasper, Emmett and Edward. Jasper moved to the center of my room as he approached my bed. Another strange hissing sound split the silence, and I noticed Edward's black eyes fixed malevolently on his brother.
“Sheesh, Edward,” complained Emmett. “Hold it together, will you? He's just gonna talk to Bella.”
But Jasper moved no closer to me; he peered at me curiously, as if I were an interesting specimen he wished to examine. “Don't worry, darlin',” he said with a soft but definite Southern drawl. “Esme and Carlisle will be fine, whatever you choose to do. You just do the best thing for you, and we'll all be fine.”
“Speak for yourself,” interrupted Emmett with a frown. “You can't leave us, Bella. Who else would I watch movies with and bother all day? You know I need ya.”
Alice snorted in a definitely unladylike manner. “Yes, you need to tease her and make her life miserable,” she grinned, winking at me, lightening the mood of the room for a moment.
I cracked a smile at long last, and Alice looked inordinately pleased with herself.
Emmett was immediately on the defensive. “Bella, you know how I love to tease you, but really.” His smile faded, and the jovial note in his voice faded. “You gotta stay, chickie.”
I felt tears welling in my eyes...again. God, I hated all this crying! Maybe it was because of my weakness while getting better after what happened. But I really hated crybabies...and here I was becoming the Queen of the Waterworks.
Ew.
I sniffled noisily as Emmett stepped forward and gave me a gentle hug, ignoring what sounded like a growl from Edward and quite possibly some muttered threats. With a kind of choking sound, big and burly Emmett turned on his heel and disappeared much faster from my room than I thought possible, Jasper on his heels.
I tried to surreptitiously wipe my eyes, hoping that Edward and Alice wouldn't notice my tears...although nothing seemed to escape their sharp eyes. However, they seemed to be locked in a silent debate. Staring hard at each other, Alice kept shaking her head at Edward whose face was stricken with something that appeared to be panic or fear. Then as Edward sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers, Alice began jumping up and down like a pogo stick, clapping her hands excitedly.
“That's it,” she crowed. “You've got it, Edward!”
Edward's beautiful mouth was agape in shock, and he somehow seemed even paler than before...which I wasn't sure was even possible.
The rest of the family was back in my room in a split second in response to Alice's excited call and applause. One minute Edward and Alice were the only Cullens in my room, and a blink of an eye later, my room was packed full.
Sometimes this family seriously creeped me out.
“What is it, Alice?” Carlisle asked, his eyes hopeful.
She turned to him, her eyes glowing. “It's simple, really. We just tell Bella the truth.”
Edward was still frozen in consternation, shaking his head in the negative. He swallowed hard, tried to speak, and couldn't. Closing his eyes, he swallowed again. “No,” he managed to whisper roughly. “She can't know. It's too dangerous.”
Emmett jumped in at this point. “Dude, she already knows about the wolves. What's so different about us?”
Now that was interesting.... Did the Cullens change into some kind of animal, too?
Edward glared at his larger brother with such ferocity that Emmett took an automatic step back. Whoa. I didn't think much could intimidate huge, burly Emmett, but apparently Edward could...at least now. Edward was really wound tightly, and I felt a deep sorrow in watching his extreme worry. My chest seemed to ache with how much I hated to see him this upset.
Esme was shaking her head slowly, obviously not agreeing, and Rosalie was stony-faced as she whirled to address Alice.
“You're going way too far, Alice!” Rosalie hissed, her arms folded tightly across her chest. “We are not endangering our family on her behalf.”
It was my turn to glare...at Rosalie; I didn't like her sneering tone at all, especially as I was positive I was the “her” she referred to.
Emmett saw my pique and laughed, amused as if I were a mere child angry at a tiger while Edward gave a low hiss...I assume at Rosalie since he was glaring at her, his hands fisted at his sides.
By simply raising his hand, Carlisle called all of the tumult produced by Alice's announcement to a sudden halt. “Let's listen to Alice for a moment,” he advised quietly once the room calmed.
Alice stepped toward me, smiled benignly first at her family...and then at me. “I've seen it. Everything works out for the best if we just tell her.”
I sat up in bed, eager to finally be told the truth and still curious about Alice “seeing” things. What did she “see”?
I really had to know.
Carlisle gazed into Alice's eyes calmly for a moment, then nodded briefly, ignoring hisses from Rosalie and Edward and a muffled cheer from Emmett. Esme frowned, clearly worried.
I glanced around the room, feeling instinctively that Alice was right. “Tell me, Carlisle,” I begged. “I can handle it. I promise.”
Edward began his frantic pacing again, rudely pushing Emmett out of his way as he ghosted between my door and the pile of debris at end of my bed (which he still needed to clean up), murmuring what sounded like low curses under his breath.
Gosh, Edward certainly was an emotional teenager. He was either up or down; there didn't seem to be anything in between. Not only did I feel sorry for him, but it also truly disturbed me to see him so distraught. I wanted to take his hand and try to calm him, but he wasn't looking at me as he pulled at his beautiful hair with one hand and continued pinching the bridge of his nose with the other, clearly at his wits' end.
But why?
My concerned watching of Edward's pacing was blocked my Carlisle as he sat on my bed, Esme standing behind him again, her hands resting on his broad shoulders. Carlisle took my hand in his, squeezing it gently as he smiled calmly at me.
“I have hated hiding who we are from you, Isabella. We love you as our own, and you have been quite justified in your wish to know the truth about us before deciding to stay in our home permanently.”
Rosalie huffed, then left the room in a snit, muttering some choice curse words loudly enough that I heard her quite clearly. Despite my pique at Rosalie's rudeness earlier, I was worried about her now. “Is she okay?” I asked timidly, feeling at fault for Rosalie's outburst.
Jasper stepped forward, smiling slightly. “She's just concerned, Bella. We have never told a human what we are before, and there will be consequences to telling you the truth. But despite my misgivings, I trust Alice. So if she says that this is the best course, then we go forward.”
Edward stopped for a moment in front of Carlisle. “Are you certain about this?” he hissed, his black eyes glowing with anger and...fear?
“Yes,” Carlisle responded calmly. “Telling Isabella everything has always been my wish, and as Alice has also seen doing so as being our best course, then Isabella should know what we are.”
“But--” he started, but Alice cut across him. “Edward, trust me. You will be extremely happy very soon if we proceed with this plan of action.” Alice was grinning smugly at him, but her lips moved in a strange way, as if she were speaking a foreign language or something.
Edward threw his hands in the air. “Stop blocking me, Alice,” he complained bitterly, then calmed slightly as he continued, “I don't care how I will feel 'very soon'; I am concerned about the future. About the Romanians. About Isabella being further endangered. I'm looking at long-term consequences, Alice. Are you?” he challenged, his arms folded across his chest.
“As far as I can see, this is the safest and best choice,” Alice said firmly, her smile fading as she looked seriously into her brother's coal-black eyes.
I sucked in a deep breath, then winced, my hand flying to my side where my injured rib throbbed.
“Did you bring the portable x-ray, Carlisle?” Edward asked, his eyes on me as he frowned with concern.
“Yes, and you're quite right. We should take care of Isabella first, then tell her,” Carlisle agreed, and Edward sighed, obviously relieved.
“Nooooo,” I objected. “Truth first, x-ray later.” There was no way of God's green earth that I was letting anything or anyone, even Edward, get between me and the truth, especially when Carlisle is obviously moments from revealing all.
“Truly, Isabella, the x-ray will take five minutes, and then both Edward and I will rest easier.”
Alice rolled her eyes. “You know, I can just tell you the results, you idiots.”
Carlisle chuckled. “And I could have saved myself a trip to the hospital,” he teased gently.
Alice sighed, then stated, “Slight fissure on the right ninth rib, but it's just a hairline fracture. No splinters or any other danger.”
Edward relaxed his pose ever-so-slightly by unfolding his arms and leaning back against my dresser; he definitely looked a little (a very little) less on edge.
I lay back on my pillows, hoping that if I lay very still, nothing else would interfere with getting to the truth at long last.
Carlisle cleared his throat, something I wasn't sure he even needed to do, and I noticed Esme squeezing his shoulders slightly in encouragement. “Isabella, you've noticed how different we are. Your...I mean, the Quileutes are also different. They are descended from a long line of shape-shifters which in their tribe become wolves. They change back and forth between their human and wolf forms at will.”
I frowned, concentrating. “You mean like werewolves?”
Carlisle shook his head, and I noticed Edward tensing in my peripheral vision. “True werewolves have no control over their change; the moon cycles produce their change from man to animal whether the werewolf wishes to change form or not. The Quileutes, once they change into their form once in adolescence, can with practice control their form and change at will.”
“So do your family change into animals, too?” I asked, grimacing as Emmett guffawed wildly at my question.
“Emmett, hush,” Esme corrected over her shoulder. “Let Bella and Carlisle talk. This is a lot for Bella to take in.”
“No, we do not change form like the Quileutes,” Carlisle said gently, smiling a little at Emmett's antics. “Our family is more similar to the werewolves of yore.”
I frowned, not understanding.
Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Edward lowering his eyes, almost as if he were ashamed of what was coming...or was afraid of my reaction.
Carlisle squeezed my hand gently, smiling at me as he said quietly, “Isabella, our family are vampires.”
***
Yes, I'm afraid that I'm leaving you there. Many thanks for sticking with me anyway. I have one more “weekend from hell” ahead of me this weekend as I have to grade all of my incoming research papers and compute final grades for my high school expository writing class for our last day of classes on May 31.
So I'm afraid that I won't have time to write another chapter until after June 1. I'm so sorry! I hate waiting ten days between chapters, but I just won't have time to even think about writing—and I may not be able to respond to reviews, either. Grading research essays is all-consuming. Sigh....
But after May, my weeks and weekends will be much more open, and I'll be able to post longer and better chapters and some of the one-shots wandering around in my leaky imagination.
Thanks for all the kind comments on last week's unusual point-of-view; we'll be back to Bella for now, despite how much I adore writing from Edward's POV. ;)
Much love, as always,
Cassandra :) xxxooo