Wei and I keep our heads down as we walk quickly to meet Edward. He waits, sheltered from the rain by some forest area just outside down and instantly rushes over when he sees me, hugging me tight. I hug back for a moment. "We can't stop. Go back to the others and get them ready. I'll explain it all once I know what's happening, okay? Hug my babies for me." I kiss his cheek.
He holds me close for a moment and glances at Wei. "You'll be safe?"
I nod and smile as I pull away. "Promise. Go, please."
He sighs and nods, disappearing moments later as Wei and I head into the trees. "Here's good." She says as we find a small clearing. I stop walking and watch what she does; she sets a few sticks in a small pile in the centre of a circle she draws with a stick in the dirt, her white eyes turning a golden colour as she begins to whisper something in Latin. I watch closely as a fire slowly ignites, the flames black instead of orange.. Creepy...
"His spirit is thousands of miles away. If I transport us you have to do everything I say not a single thing can go wrong or we'll both burst into flames." She warns as she straightens up and holds her hands out. "Okay?"
I nod once and step closer, taking her hands and holding them in mine over the black flames. I look into her eyes as they darken, turning black. "Don't look away. Do not let go. Do. Not. Move." She warns.
I nod once and keep looking into her eyes, gripping her hands in mine. I hold my breath as she slowly closes her eyes and mutters under her breath, the ground seemingly disappearing from beneath our feet. I resist every urge to look, keeping my gaze in her closed eyes.
Nothing seems to happen until the flames surround us, swirling like a tornado of heat. Isn't fire the one thing that can destroy me? That's not terrifying at all. I grip her hands a little tighter and try to keep still at the spinning sensation around us - okay, someone lied about this vampire shit. I feel sick at the motion of it, the sickness you feel when you've been on a roller-coaster with too many loops and turns.
Her eyes open again and look deep into mine before everything stills and we stand on snowy ground, the fire burning small between us again. She slowly let's go and I exhale deeply, stepping back. "That's... Intense." I finally manage to say.
"It's more fun alone." She says as she pushes her hat back on her head in a straighter manner, buttoning her coat up after. "He's about a mile away, in the mountains."
I nod and we begin to walk, neither of us speaking for a few minutes. "How long have you been a vampire?" She asks.
"About 14 years. Alice changed me just after our wedding, when we lost our baby." I say, a sadness to my voice.
"I'm sorry... Alice mentioned he has a lot to pay for, so I assume it was down to Aro?" She glances at me.
"Partly, yes. But also my daughters mate - that's hard to look past but she makes her happy so I can't turn her away." I look at the white snow beneath my booths, crunching as I make my steps heavy and slow, deep down dreading what Amadeus will say.
"That's a sticky situation." Wei laughs a little. "I don't have any family left." She admits. "My last relative died about 100 years ago."
"I'm sorry, that must suck. My parents and siblings think I'm dead, it's harder having them alive than it would be if they're dead."
"Do you ever wish you could go back in time?"
I nod a little. "Sorta . You can, though, so why don't you?"
She shakes her head. "No, I can freeze a moment in time and save it - for example, my granddaughters home which I now reside in. A few memories from my childhood. But I can't go back. I can only relive."
I smile small and done respond as we near a cabin. As we near it I hear a low growling, grabbing Wei's arm to stop her from going further. She looks confused, unable to hear it, but accepts as I push her behind me.
"Amadeus..." I call. "I come in peace, I just need to talk to you."
"How did you find me!" he roars from somewhere, his voice echoing around the mountains.
"Wei here is very powerful.. You wouldn't want to hurt her so let's just talk face to face." I say slowly as my eyes scan around me.
It's silent for a moment before a male appears, completely naked, in the middle of the snowy clearing. I avert my eyes and clear my throat. "What, you've never seen a male before?"
"I tend to prefer seeing females naked, if I'm honest. Would you please cover up?" I say as I look straight ahead. He laughs and disappears in the cabin, coming back with a cloth wrapped around his hips. "Thanks." I finally look at him, recognising him from the drawing in the book.
"Who are you?" He demands as his eyes scan us.
"My name is Bailey Cullen, this is Wei. We need your help - your gift." I say slowly.
He laughs once. "Oh, you're one of those people? You think you can handle my gift?" He snaps.
"I just want to borrow it, I don't want to keep it. I have my own gift, thanks." I say as I smirk at him - hostile doesn't work on me, I've lived with Rosalie too long.
He narrows his eyes. "Borrow? It isn't something you can just take and hand back, it demands power, it craves more." He growls. " a puny thing like you could never handle it."
"Then help us out. We need to destroy a coven who think they own our kind. The leader Aro, is a disgusting being who takes what he wants and kills when he pleases. We won't stand for that any longer but we cannot face his arsenal of gifts. We need your gift."
"Aro?" He says, shocked. "I created him..."
I feel my hope turn to anger. "You? You're the reason for all of this!?"
"I was lonely - I tried to create a companion, a friend, but he didn't want that so I left him go. We knew each other for mere days, didn't really get to know one and other... He's the head of the Volturi? I've heard whispers of them, but I'd no idea..." he shakes his head sadly. "I should not be involved."
"You should right your wrong." Wei says as she steps aside slightly to be seen.
Amadeus' red eyes scan her for a moment. "He's not my problem-"
"Oh he is. We can strike a deal - I have something you want." She smirks coyly.
He chuckles. "I highly doubt-" His eyes widen when I hold up the frail necklace, dangling it from my pinky.
"Oh really?" I smile.
"How did - that isn't yours!" he yells, his eyes darkening.
"No, it is mine." Wei says. "Unless you help us, then you may have your wife's necklace back."
Amadeus growls as he prys forward slowly. "Don't push me."
"Don't push us." Wei smirks, not intimidated.
I roll my eyes. "You two can flirt and play this game once we've finished this. I am asking for your help - give me your gift for a day, two at most, and then you can have the necklace and you can come back to this pity party you call a life. Help me get my wife back, for my children, for me. We need her." I beg.
He thinks for a moment, his expression blank. "You get it for 48 hours - any longer and you'll never be the same again. It'll be overwhelming, I've taken on many gifts over the years and you'll need to be ready."
I nod once. "Fine. Let's do it."
-
My hands shake, they have been since the moment Amadeus touched me. He watches me closely from the back seat of the car as Wei pulls onto the driveway; both want to see how this turns out - and I think they may have a thing.
As we approach the house everyone rushes out and I find it overwhelming - I can sense everything about them. Jasper's cautious Ness, Emmetts pep talk in his head; I can smell my children stronger than ever before, like I could track them from hundreds of miles away. It's terrifying.
I climb out and catch Lily in my arms, holding her close for a moment. "Hi baby."
She looks up at me. "What's going on?" She begs.
"I'm gonna fix everything okay? Wei here is going to take you somewhere safe with uncle Parker for a few days while we fix this. Then we can have forever." I tuck her hair back. "Protect your brother okay?"
She shakily nods as Wei opens the car door for her. I kiss Lenzy's head as he sleeps, Lily keeping him on her lap as they drive away. Her terrified eyes stick in my mind as I take a moment before I look at my family.
"I can hear you." Edward says in shock.
"And I can feel you..." Jasper says slowly.
I smile. "Well, guys, it's time. We need to face them now. It's been 7 hours since I took on Amadeuses power and I'm certain Alice has seen me at this point, so we only have a few hours. How many people came?" I ask.
"About 50... What's the plan, Bailey, we're going in blind here and I don't like that." Jasper says sternly. "Not when Alice is at risk, or you, or everyone else."
"Do you trust me?"
"Of course but-"
"Then trust me. If you know then it won't work. It won't get us Alice back." I look at them all slowly. "No matter what happens I love you all. I love you all so very much and I pray that we all make it out - I pray that I make it out. For the love of God if I don't... At least make sure Alice does, make sure she doesn't wallow. You guys have to be there for her and the children."
Esme buries her face in Carlisle as they all give a sad nod as Rosalie looks down, Jasper giving a sad glance at me before he looks at his brothers. "We should prepare everyone." He says solomly and they slowly head inside.
I turn to Amadeus and he gives me a single nod - this is the end...