CHAPTER FOURTEEN
ᴇᴅᴡᴀʀᴅ
Once again, Charlie was absent when Alice pulled up to Bella's home in Carlisle's sleek Mercedes. All morning, she'd been somewhat tense, her eyes hazing over every half an hour or so. I thought it was her visions, at first, but she didn't dip in and out of timed reality like I'd seen her do before. This was different. This was controlled. She was thinking about the reason she'd come to see me and Bella in the first place.
Bella grinned as she opened the doors for us, widening it so we could slide through without touching. There was something behind her beaming face that made me turn away. Something like, I know what you've realised, I know what you're thinking.
"Would you like to do something today?" Bella asked as she led us toward the kitchen.
"I can't see us doing anything," Alice said, with her shoulders still tensed. "But the day is still young."
We waited to decide what to do while Bella ate breakfast, a meagre bowl of porridge, and a glass of orange juice. Alice watched her curiously, her head tilting slightly, her nose stuffing the air. The light fell prettily onto the back of her hair, highlighting only the ends of her hair. As I looked at her, I was reminded of the fact that Alice knew nothing of being human- not personally, at least. I couldn't imagine it, not remembering or even knowing the taste of cake or fruit or having the memory of drinking a glass of water after a long day in the sun.
Vampires got hungry, but it wasn't the same. The insatiable need for blood was more of a need than a want, for most. But for humans, the act of cooking and baking, of waiting until the perfect moment for the food to be ready, it was a delicacy that I liked to remember.
It was then, that the doorbell rang, making Alice straighten and her eyes widen.
"Bella. I have a fairly good guess who that might be and I think we'd better step out," Alice said, head snapping toward us.
"You guess? What does that mean?" I asked. Alice didn't just guess.
"If this is a repeat of my egregious lapse in foresight yesterday, then it's most likely Jacob Black or one of his... friends," she said.
"You can't see werewolves?"
"So it would seem."
She seemed uncomfortable, and I didn't blame her. Alice's visions were her first line of defence. Not being able to see the wolf pack must have set her into a mode of panic. I knew how scared I'd felt when I'd first seen the large wolf in the forest, and then again how I felt while I was surrounded by the pack, even if they hadn't shifted. If I could see something before it would happen, I would be sick at the thought of losing that advantage too.
"You don't have to go anywhere. You were both here first," Bella said, standing in front of the door before we moved.
"Trust me. It wouldn't be a good idea to have Jacob Black in a room with us together," Alice said.
I nodded in agreement. "Not after all that's happened," I said. "He knows what I am now too."
I followed Alice outside around the back. I could feel her stare even as I turned my back to her, moving toward the tree opposite so I could climb up and perch mere feet away on another close branch. Alice had the kind of stare that felt as if she was looking straight through you, at the very essence of your movements and choices. In a way, she did, with her visions. But I had a feeling that even without her gifts, she would hold the strength and, in some ways, the mystique behind her looks. In one smooth movement, I turned on my heels catching her in the act.
"I know you want to ask something, so just ask," I said, adding a small chuckle as she simply raised a brow in response.
It was hard to make Alice feel embarrassed too. I liked that about her. Every move I made, I had to rethink- especially if it involved her.
"How long did it take for them to figure out what you were?"
"They didn't know until the day on the beach, I think," I said.
I waited for her to ask another question, for her to shuffle forward toward me and reach a hand out, as she'd already done on multiple occasions. But Alice remained perfectly still, her back rigid and eyes wide and pale. There was a shift in the air, and I recognised it well. When Alice returned from wherever her vision took her, she choked out a muffled sob of surprise.
"Alice?" I shouted, gripping her close by the arm. "Alice? What's wrong?"
Her eyes fluttered up, first looking to me before her focus shifted to the house, to Bella. "Edward. He's made a very bad decision."
She disappeared into the house before I could ask what it meant.
"Bella," she choked out.
Alice's face was drawn, her eyes wide and glazed over in a daze. Bella looked at me in questioning, before she scrambled to her feet, rushing to our side. Her hands reached out, taking the hand that I wasn't holding.
"Alice, what's wrong?"
Her eyes shifted to Bella finally, dropping into a frown. "Edward."
Bella's body stopped suddenly still, her eyes zipping to steady on the wall. She dropped, hands not even moving to stop her fall. His name was warning enough. Jacob lifted her, hands swooping beneath so he could carry her to the sofa.
"What did you do to her?"
Alice ignored him and I followed. "Bella? Bella, snap out of it. We have to hurry."
"Stay back," he growled, the noise in his throat sounding animalistic.
As Alice crouched down beside Bella, her hand gravitating toward her shoulder, I shifted in front of them, blocking Jacob as he growled and groaned again. A deadly glare was shot my way before Alice broke it up.
"Calm down, Jacob Black. You don't want to do that so close to her."
"I don't think I'll have any problem keeping my focus," he sneered.
Bella blinked rapidly, her hands failing to push against the settee, surprised at how she'd even gotten there. "Alice? What happened?"
"I don't know. What is he thinking?"
Alice dug around her bag, bringing out her phone and dialling a number, all within a few seconds.
"Rose, I need to talk to Carlisle now," she said, not giving her sister time to speak.
I could hear Rosalie shuffle around on the other end, her voice lowering, already knowing what it was all about. Alice's face darkened.
"He's not here."
"Fine, as soon as he's back," Alice snapped.
"Can't you just phone him later yourself?"
"No, I'll be on a plane." She sighed, placing her palm flat against her forehead. "Look, have you heard anything from Edward?"
"Yeah, I found him near Rio. I told him about your vision," Rose said, hesitation stuttering her voice.
"Why? Why would you do that, Rosalie?"
"He needed to know that she died. It would be wrong to keep it from him."
"Well, you're wrong on both accounts, though, Rosalie, so that would be a problem, don't you think?" Alice said.
"What?"
"Yes, that's right. She's absolutely fine. They both are. I was wrong," Alice said, turning her head away. "That's why I'm calling."
"But you saw her jump?"
"Yes, that's exactly what I saw."
"So she's alive?" Rosalie asked.
At that, my head snapped toward Alice in questioning. Her eyes widened, her head shaking only slightly, telling me not to say anything.
"Oh, God, I'm sorry. If I'd know, I wouldn't have told him, I swear," Rosalie said with a flat voice.
"It's a bit late for that Rose. Save your remorse for someone who believes it," Alice spat before she hung up, flinging the phone back into her bag.
"Alice. Alice, Carlise is back though. He called just before..."
"How long ago?"
"Half a minute before you showed up."
"What did he say?"
"I didn't talk to him," Bella said as she glanced at Jacob.
The wolf shrugged. "He asked for Charlie, and I told him Charlie wasn't here."
"Is that everything?"
"Then he hung up on me."
"You told him Charlie was at the funeral," Bella said.
"Oh shit." The words slipped from my lips as everything came together.
"What were his exact words?"
"He said, 'He's not here,' and when Carlisle asked where Charlie was, Jacob said, 'At the funeral,'" Bella explained. She reached out desperately. "Tell me, Alice."
"That wasn't Carlisle on the phone."
"Are you calling me a liar?" Jacob barked.
"It was Edward," Alice said. "He thinks you're dead."
"Rosalie told him I killed myself, didn't she?"
She nodded."Yes," Alice said. "In her defence, she did believe it. They rely on my sight far too much for something that works so imperfectly. But for her to track him down to tell him this! Didn't she realise... or care?"
"Let's not shed blame. This is no one's fault," I spoke up, lingering by Alice's side, hoping to give at least some drop of comfort.
Bella's eyes widened as everything clicked into place. "When Edward called, he thought Jacob meant my funeral."
"You're not upset?"
"Well it's really rotten timing, but it will all get straightened out. The next time he calls, someone can tell him."
"Bella, that's not what's happening," I said, my voice little above a whisper.
"Edward won't call again. He believed her," Alice said.
"I don't understand," Bella trailed off, shaking her head.
"Edward's going to Italy."
It was almost as if the air in the room tightened and thinned, but only Bella would be suffocated by it. Her hands clutched around her waist as if she was trying to hold herself together. I caught Bella, pulling her toward me as she fell forward, my hand stroking her hair as a sob rippled through her body.
"No. No. He can't do that. No!"
"He made up his mind as soon as your friend confirmed that it was too late to save you."
"But he left. He didn't want me anymore. What difference does it make now?"
"I don't think he ever planned to outlive you by long."
"Love outlives borders, Bells. He still loved you, even from the moment he left," I whispered.
But these words seemed to just put pressure on an old wound that hadn't yet healed. Her face crumbled, first with pain, and when she pulled herself to her feet, out of my arms, there remained nothing but anger left in the expression.
"How dare he!" She screamed. Jacob rose uncertainly. "Get out of the way Jacob!"
"What can we do? Can't Carlisle phone him?"
Alice shook her head. "He left his phone in a bin in Rio."
"You said before we had to hurry. Hurry how?"
"Bella, I don't think I can ask you to..." she trailed off in indecision.
"Ask me!"
"We may be too late. I saw him going to the Volturi, asking to die," Alice said, placing her arms on Bella's shoulders as if attempting to keep her grounded. Bella's eyes blinked quickly against the tears, but they ultimately fell, stripping down her cheeks. "It all depends on what they choose. I can't see that yet. But if they say no- they might- Aro is fond of Carlisle and would never want to offend him- Edward has a backup plan. They're protective of their city..."
"He's going to out them all," I said, finishing where she could not.
"They'll act to stop him," she said. Bella stared back straight between us with a clenched jaw. "So if they agree to grant his favour, we're too late. If they say no, and he comes up with a plan to offend them quickly enough, then we're still too late. If he gives in to his more theatrical tendencies, then we may still have time."
"Let's go."
"Listen, Bella. Whether we are in time or not, we will be in the heart of the Volturi city. I will be considered his accomplice if he's successful. You will be a human who not only knows too much but smells too good. There's a good chance they will eliminate us all- though in your case it won't be as a punishment."
"That is what's keeping us here?"
Her head snapped up, almost in disbelief that we would hesitate. But she wasn't thinking it through- not thoroughly. I'd never been in the presence of the Volturi, and even I knew to be wary of them, if not fear them.
"I'll go alone if you're afraid."
"I'm only afraid of getting you killed," Alice shouted, her patience thinning.
"I almost get killed on a daily basis. Tell me what I need to do."
Alice paused for a moment in consideration. Her head twisted to me, almost undetectable, and I nodded. She would see the visions: if Bella was meant to go to Italy, Alice would know.
"You write a note to charlie. I'll phone the airlines."
"Charlie," Bella gasped, only just thinking about him. I'd almost forgotten about the Victoria problem amongst it all.
"I'm not going to let anything happen to Charlie," Jacob said.
"Hurry Bella," Alice shouted. "Get your wallet- you'll need an ID. Please tell me you have a passport. I don't have time to forge one."
Bella hurried up the stairs, her footsteps sounding like they'd go through the ceiling. Jacob shuffled toward the door, standing at enough distance that his scent didn't seem so pungent.
"You might control yourself on occasion but these leeches you're taking her to-"
"You're right, wolf. The Volturi are the very essence of our kind. They're the reason your hair stands on end when you smell me. They are the substance of your nightmares, the dread behind your instincts. I'm not unaware of that," Alice stopped him midsentence.
"And you take her to them like a bottle of wine to a party."
"You think she'd be better off here, with Victoria stalking her?"
"We can handle the redhead," Jacob snarled defensively.
"Then why is she still hunting?"
Bella stopped at the bottom of the stairs, face flushed, and jumped between them. "Stop that! You can argue as much as you like when we get back."
Alice turned, heading toward Carlisle's black Mercedes which stood in the driveway. I followed after her, leaving Bella and Jacob to talk.
"I've already seen that there's no stopping you from coming," Alice said, finally calming as she slid into the front seat. "Thank you."
"Of course. You're not going without me," I said, leaning my head through the open window. Alice seemed to lean in too, not startling me as much as it should have. She was so close that I could feel her breath as she let out a near inaudible chuckle. But then Bella ran toward the car, leaving Jacob scowling behind. I pulled back, stepping backwards a few times. "You drive Bella. I'll get our documents."
"You'll find mine easily. In Carlise's study."
"I'll be back before you know it," I shouted, before leaving to the Cullen's home through the trees.
☾
Not my best of chapters but there was a lot of dialogue that I had to keep in from the book.
I'm busy planning out the chapters for a Rosalie Hale book - would any of you like to read one? If so comment, and I'll give updates at the end of few chapters so you don't miss it :)