Incendere sole I Chapter 10
a/n: this is longer than I expected. Happy reading!
<- Chapter 10 - pure as snow ->
A sharp voice interrupted the otherwise silence. I haven’t noticed it before, but there was no calming chirping of the birds, only the wind whistling, rustling the branches. As if all live seized to exist near the mansion.
I leaned on the car door, leaving Edward to partially obscure my vision of his sister. The one I had already met once in the hospital after he saved Bella from being crashed by a car.
“I just fixed the brakes. What do you mean you trashed the interior?” It came out almost as a whine rather than a reprimand.
He matched her demeanor with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Hello, Rose.”
“Don’t you hello me, Edward. Not only do you bring back a wrecked car, but you bring a human to our house, too. Ugh, what is wrong with you?” There was a sense of anger set deep in her features.
There was a second where I almost bit back at that comment. Not just because I wasn’t entirely human, which she knew and elected to ignore, but because I knew that if she despised humans, she wasn’t ecstatic about Bella either.
“She’s a guest. As for the car, I’ll buy a new one.” Her lip curled into a snarl, the anger now fully directed at him for his answer.
“A guest that stinks like a dog.” She added, just to taunt me. Instead of giving in to her game, I offered a smile.
It only seemed to rile her up more, but before she could say anything else, there was a woosh sound, making the little hairs on the nape of my neck stand. “Why don’t we go for a nice run, babe?”
Her gaze remained on Edward for a little while before it switched to the robust arrival, her features softening a bit. His dark hair was cut short, a stark contrast to Edward’s voluminous, bright locks.
Without the grin, he might have appeared scary, but the almost boyish spirit that emanated from him reminded me of Jared.
The blond didn’t reply, only grunted, and with a woosh, she was gone. Not before she could spare a disgusted glance my way, instilling the idea that this was, in fact, an enemy’s territory.
“Don’t take it personally, little Swan; she’s just not a fan of car destruction.” He joked, showing his earily pearly white teeth.
I knew it wasn’t the only reason why she wasn’t the friendliest, but I wasn’t about to argue. Nor could I blame her for a reaction I would too have if I were in her shoes. Not because of the car destruction, but bringing danger to the doorstep.
I remembered our last conversation, where she was ready to bite my head off for touching her brother. And her conflict since her brother put their family in danger.
“Little Swan?” My brow quirked at that.
His grin extended, if it were even possible, sparks flying in his eyes. “As harmless as a swan.”
That man had clearly never encountered a swan in his life. Because those are vicious animals. There was nothing harmless about them.
“I wouldn’t antagonize her, you see what happened to the car.” Said Edward, his gaze moving to the interior, that was thankfully no longer churning, but the smell was still rather prominent.
He only laughed, his head snapping right toward the way his girlfriend disappeared as if registering something that I couldn’t hear. Frowning, I tried focusing, but even I knew it wasn’t possible to beat vampire senses.
“Bye, little Swan. Say hello to your sister, would you?” He didn’t wait for a response, running off into the trees.
“Let’s get you to Carlisle.” With that, he showed me the way into the mansion. My senses were screaming, flashing red like an alarm bell, for me to run in the other direction. I knew they hadn’t posed a threat, yet I couldn’t stop my heart from hammering.
Paul would have had my head had he known I was here willingly. Not that I would keep that information from him. I would tell him.
I was surprised he hadn’t called, since I was pretty sure he was on a patrol, circling my house and finding it empty. Pushing him out of my mind to focus on my surroundings, my eyes ran over the modern interior.
It was spotless, appearing almost not lived in.
There were no personal pictures, no coats on the hangers in the hallway. It was a gallery, a showroom without emotion, without soul. It was beautiful; there was no doubt about how much thought went into every detail.
But all the effort was diminished, since it clearly lacked the human aspect.
As we took the stairs, my head kept turning, taking in the decoration from different parts of the world. Sculptures that emitted energy that only an old object could gather.
My gaze landed on Edward’s back. “I’m sorry for the car.”
“I don’t blame you. She is your sister; you have every right to protect her.” He didn’t have to turn because even without seeing his expression, his words came out sincere.
I nodded, staying silent after that.
We stopped at a wooden door, which was clearly a gateway to Dr. Cullen’s office. Before we could knock, there was an invitation coming from inside the room.
Living with a vampire would not be for me. It felt invasive.
The door revealed a room set in a different century; it was almost like stepping through a portal. The mahogany table lay in the middle, accompanied by sculptures similar to the ones on the staircase and a lamp.
Every inch of the walls was covered by art, some probably older than the US.
“Doctor Cullen.” I returned the greeting with a smile of my own.
“I understand that there was a mix-up with fire?” I nodded in agreement.
So this was the version we were going with? Not me trying to murder his son, or the least seriously maim him, just playing with fire.
Maybe it wasn’t smart to be here, but I couldn’t go to the hospital without my dad knowing, and Emily was out of town. The only option was either Sue, who would go to my dad if she found out, or the hopefully discreet Cullens.
It was a beneficial agreement on both sides.
“Edward, why don’t you get Miss Swan a water?” That was one way to dismiss him.
He stood there for a second, his eyes once again unfocused. He truly did that a lot to be a coincidence. My mind went back to him admitting to his sister's ability.
What else could the Cullens do that we were not privy to?
The tribe was aware of many of the advantages that came with being a cold one. Like a cocianery tale, the legends were passed down to the members of the tribe and their loved ones.
Especially once they became the spirit warriors.
The Cullens kept many secrets; they didn’t tell what wasn’t meant to be shared. If it wasn’t necessary, Edward wouldn’t have shared that his sister was a seer.
He came back to himself, leaving the room without a word, plunging it into silence after the door thud after him.
I hummed, face contorting in pain when his hands slowly removed the gauze that, thanks to the soothing cream, didn’t stick to the skin.
As soon as he revealed the bubbled-up skin, my stomach flipped, eyes rolling backwards. Palm flying to my mouth instinctively, I had to revert my gaze to prevent emptying the contents of today's breakfast on the mahogany table.
He didn’t comment, working silently as he cleaned the wound again. As soon as he was satisfied with his job, he took out a syringe.
I shook my head violently, the chair screeching with the sudden movement backwards. “No.”
“It’s anasthetia. It is necessary to avoid any more pain.” He dangled the syringe as if it were the most harmless thing in the universe.
Maybe for someone who wasn’t deadly afraid of needles it was. I, however, wasn’t one of those people.
“I can do it without the needles.” I insisted.
I was managing just fine without it. Or I would, because there was absolutely no way I was letting that evil piece of metal near my body.
“Miss Swan, I do not wish to undermine your pain tolerance, but I strongly suggest taking the anasthetic. I promise to be gentle.”
Taking in his smile, his reassurance, I nodded after a few seconds. He was a doctor with a long-standing practice. He knew what he was doing.
I repeated that mantra over and over again in my head.
Trying not to focus on either him or the pain surging up with each of his little movements as he inserted the needle into my skin, my gaze roamed around the office. The numbness began to spread just when my gaze caught on one of the portraits depicting what seemed to be a royal family dressed in clothing from the renaissance era.
An image of vicious red eyes, a crooked smile, and long hair flashed in my head.
The Volturi, Edward said.
And he was one of them. The depiction of Doctor Cullen in the portrait stuck out, as a terrified feeling spread under my skin, covering it with droplets of sweat.
He seemed to notice where my gaze hovered, his fingers slowing while massaging in the cream. “The 18th century. I haven’t stayed for long; however, the art during that time kept me in Volterra for longer than I expected.”
“But you stayed with the Volturi. With that creature in the middle.” There was an accusation in my tone that I wasn’t able to hide.
He didn’t appear surprised, instead smiling, amusement reaching his eyes. “I did, for two decades, but our lifestyles and views on human life differed greatly.”
There was an edge to his voice, disapproving of something he had no control over. Not everyone could be a vegetarian, devoting their life to helping people instead of killing them to sustain their life.
“And their views on beings that aren’t completely human?” It was a broad question. They might be okay with shapeshifters, leaving them alone, but despise witches, for all I knew.
I thought back on the memories that flooded my system during the ritual. Seeing not only a face, but its shiny teeth, the manipulation, and the promise of demise.
A promise given to a coven that had been wiped out by a disease no one understood.
They said it was a heartbreak. Let the families believe a simple heartbreak could break a strong spirit. With everything that came back to me, I knew that might be only partially the case.
Magic works in tandem with nature. It is a transaction where one gives to take. It is a delicate balance that shouldn’t be disturbed, yet with the arrival of vampires, that balance hangs by a thread that keeps snapping every time a life is taken by their cold hands.
Mended only when their soulless bodies are shredded and burned to a crisp.
I focused on the pendant decorating the covered pale neck, one word echoing in the back of my mind.
“Anything that threatens their power, their authority within this world, even in the smallest way, is eliminated.” He confirmed what I feared, tightening the bandage, covering the last remnants of the menacing crest. I hissed, face scrunching.
“Thank you. For helping me. And for telling me the truth about your world.” I offered a genuine smile. He didn’t have an obligation to share it with me. Their world was as private as ours.
He smiled back, glancing at the painting once more. “You remind me of Edward’s mother. Not only because of your name and that striking resemblance, but also that determination to protect your loved ones. She was exactly the same.”
He nodded, “She is the reason why I changed the boy.” It was almost ridiculous hearing him call Edward, someone old enough to be a grandfather, a boy.
“But why not her?” It wasn’t my place to question his decisions, but it just came out before I could stop it.
Surely, Edward would appreciate a blood relative. The way he spoke, and the way he dressed and carried himself, he must have been at least 80 years old. Meaning all of his family was likely gone.
“She wouldn’t have made it. The process of becoming a vampire is a painful one. Not only that, this world wasn’t meant for someone so gentle-spirited.”
I glanced at the painting again, “It wasn’t made for them either.”
He shook his head, agreeing with me, “It wasn’t. It is best to stay clear of their path. They are a dangerous coven, do not mistake their desire to keep the vampire world hidden for anything other than personal gain. They have proven many times just how powerful they are. The attempt for werewolf extinction should warn anyone from pursuing them.”
Doctor Cullen didn’t mistake my questions just for curiosity; that much was clear. I didn’t ponder long on his insinuation that the pack was werewolves, and I wasn’t about to correct him either. Some things were better left alone in the dark.
I never planned on pursuing revenge. It wasn’t the way I was raised by my grandmother. The witches didn’t operate on vendettas.
The only thing I was looking for was answers, and clearly, I found a new reliable source of information.
The forest was a blur when we sped through it toward the reservation, Edward’s foot planted firmly on the gas pedal. He left his damaged Volvo in the driveway, taking his father’s Mercedes instead.
The belt dug into my ribs as I gripped the handle, trying not to panic due to his reckless driving. “Slow down, you maniac.” I bit out just as my phone rang.
The ringtone was like an omen. I dug it out of my pocket, glancing at the ID. “It’s Paul. He might already be at the treaty line. Fuuuck, he might kill me at this point.”
I left him a lengthy voice message asking him to meet me there, where I would explain everything. I included a plea for a place to stay for a night or two, and told him to try not to freak out.
Which probably made him freak out more.
I should invest in a course where they talk about de-escalating situations. Or teach me how to paint a prettier picture of a shitty situation.
“You cuss a lot,” Edward commented, gaze fixated on the road. He took a sharper turn, making me fly to the other edge of the seat.
What an old-fashioned prick.
“I’m a teen, they tend to do that.” I exhaled, eye twitching at his priorities. If I had it in me now, I would have kicked him.
I could see him contemplating his next answer, but before he could say something else, I picked up the phone. “Are you okay?” My heart melted when his voice came from the other end of the line. Worried, love pouring out of his tone.
“Hi, my love.” I started off, adding an obscene amount of sweetness to my tone, hoping to soften the blow of Paul’s emotions. However warranted they would be.
“What did you do?” He sighed. I swear, I could hear him pacing around. Not a good sign.
“Me? Nothing. I just really want you to remember how much you love me, right? It’s a whole lot, isn’t it?” I rambled out, squeezing the phone in my palm.
“Elizabeth…” Full name. Not ideal. At all.
“I don’t think it’s good to tell you on the phone. But then again, you would at least have time to cool down.” I tried, joking to lighten the situation.
Edward snorted at my poor attempts, making me shush him, eyes narrowing at him.
Damn him and his hearing. And damn that stupid vampire sitting next to me, who was the bane of my existence. I might not have burned him to a crisp, but there was a high possibility of Paul tearing him to pieces.
I glance back at Edward, who only focused on the road, not saying anything. What an asshole. “My possible brother-in-law?”
“What?” He took a deep breath. He was losing his temper; that much was evident in the way his voice shook. “Elizabeth, what the fuck is happening?”
“I will tell you, I promise. I just need you to stay calm, wait at the border, and promise not to freak out on me.”
“If you’re bringing a friend, don’t.” He snarled, breathing heavy. He realized what kind of friend that would be, and he wanted no part of that.
“Promise me.” I insisted anyway.
There was no way around it. I was already in his car. It might have been partially his fault that my hand was burned, but he had helped me afterwards. Caring for me even if he could have left me at the curb. Taking me to his family home, His father even prescribed me an antibiotic in case of an infection spreading.
“Elizabeth, I swear to the spirits of the ancestors, if you are with a leech right now-” I didn’t let him finish, since I knew full well how that sentence ended, “I realize it doesn’t sound ideal.”
“Ideal? Are you out of your mind?” He yelled into the microphone.
He went quiet for a second, contemplating his choices. “Don’t expect me to play nice.” He hung up right after that, possibly trying to regain a semblance of self-control to not shift.
Pushing the phone back into the pocket, I sighed. There were three outcomes once we came to the line. Either he would be there as himself, ready to listen, which I prayed would be the case.
Or we would find a grey wolf waiting to sink its teeth into cold flesh.
And last, my least favorite of the bunch, was arriving and seeing the reservation sign without any soul accompanying it.
He had every right to be angry. From his limited perspective, I was either conspiring with the enemy or becoming one. Neither was particularly appealing to him. Or me.
“He will understand.” Edward weighed in, offering comfort.
Shaking my head, I disagreed with his statement, “You don’t know him.”
“He is your mate, right?”
I giggled involuntarily at the wording. “Imprint. But I guess what you said works, too.”
“And he loves you?” A smile spread across my face. A genuine one, as I hummed to answer. I was almost positive that if it came down to it, and I became one of them, he would still choose me.
Not that it would happen. I would rather die than become the one thing throwing off the delicate balance nature set. And losing my soul, my magic, with it.
“Then you have nothing to worry about.” I wish I could believe that.
The rest of the drive was relatively peaceful. The quiet before a storm hit. As we came over the horizon, the sign appeared, and with it a tan body pacing on the sideline, I took a deep breath.
The car slowed to a stop just far enough not to provoke the bear. “You should go.”
“Don’t bring her into this. She doesn’t know about any of this besides you.” My tone dropped. “And I am not afraid for myself, but you. So go.”
For him to insinuate that Paul would ever physically hurt me ignited the extinguished fire. But without oxygen, it only flickered, smouldered under the weight of exhausted magic.
Paul was ill-tempered, quick to react, but he would never hurt those whom he cared about the most. Especially not after he witnessed what happened to Em and how losing one's temper could easily end up in scars and tears.
He vowed not to repeat the mistakes the leader, and our friend, made.
He constantly worked on his temper through breathing exercises, meditation, and different outlets such as his art. And if he felt he couldn’t contain the wolf, he wouldn’t be here. Then again, maybe he hoped he could sink those teeth into someone and rid the world of a cold one in the process.
Something Bella would never forgive either of us for.
There was no doubt in my mind that the Cullens wouldn’t let her know who was behind his demise, if it came down to it.
With one last deep breath, I pushed the door open, stepping out of the car, expecting to see an angry face. Instead, I am met with a worried and troubled gaze.
There were remnants of anger in the way his jaw was clenched, yet his eyes were soft, taking in the color of my irises and checking for a lack of pigment in my skin. Taking in the humanity that hadn’t yet left me.
Nervousness gnawed at me as I shut the door, purposefully leaving the bandaged hand out of sight. His gaze hadn’t left me once, not even when the car next to me reversed back on the road ever so slowly.
Edward was taking his sweet time, locked on the shifter in front of him, whose shoulders were tense, flexed with the ongoing battle inside him. The instinct to shift, to kill.
When he finally turned the car around, the tires only squealed as his foot hit the gas pedal. Paul exhaled, the pent-up tension finally leaving his shoulders.
He opened his arms, beckoning me into them.
I didn’t need a worded invitation, taking quick steps toward him, tumbling into his warm embrace. His arms closed around me, cradling me closer. “I’m so sorry,” I mumbled into his skin.
“You’re okay.” He whispered, tone low.
I nodded even when I knew he didn’t need my confirmation. With my ear against his chest, listening to the soothing rhythm of his beating heart, I squeezed him tighter.
The events of today melting away. Time slowed as it always had. The world around seemed to stop existing, turning into a blur when he held me close. The imprint bond tethering our souls together seemed to strengthen.
I was the first to loosen my grip, looking up. “Bella knows about the cold ones.”
His brows pinched, questions sparking in his eyes. “Nothing else, just them. He came to my lesson to tell me and declare his love for her, and I obviously didn’t react well. If it makes you feel better, I wrecked his car. Melted it from the inside.”
“Melted?” Sparks of amusement entered his features.
I hummed a response, “Emotions run high, so did the temperature in his car.”
“Right.” He chuckled, waiting for me to drop the but that he knew followed. He wasn’t naive, nor was he stupid. Edward wouldn’t be driving me here if there wasn’t a reason behind it.
“I might not have been as careful with my powers and kind of-sort of burn myself in the process, but that’s okay, because I’m all patched up since his father is a doctor with his own personal clinic back at their huge mansion that I kind of visited.” The words tumbled out quickly, like ripping off the bandage.
However, unlike the bandage, this wouldn’t be as painless.
His brows flew up to his hairline, jaw clenching as his brain registered what I hurled at him. “You what?”
“I might need clarification on what exactly your question is referring to.” I gave him an innocent smile, a nervous laugh escaping my lips.
He didn’t look amused. In fact, his body temperature rose, scalding to the touch. “If Dad found out, I would be locked in the house for eternity. And I actually found insightful information.”
An image of the Volturi flashed in the back of my mind. And with it a feeling of unease. I would tell Paul and the rest of the pack. He just needed time to cool down and digest all of the under information.
“Well, maybe you should be. Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to be in a house full of vampires?” He reprimanded, tone low, his arms crossing over his chest.
He gave me a pointed look, effectively shutting me up. “Why are you still taking risks and jeopardizing your safety? Without backup.” He stepped back, putting distance between us.
My heart cracked a little, but I knew better than to take a step toward him. “I didn’t exactly plan this. And besides the car incident, we actually worked it out.”
“You should have called. I thought we were in this together, that is what we promised each other.”
“I know. I know, and I’m sorry. I was just so angry with him. He introduced her to this world when all I did was try to steer her away from it. Because once you’re in it, there is no turning back.” I looked down, fixating on the grass beneath my feet.
“But then he said he loved her. And he was so genuine about it, I just- I understood where he was coming from. I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t.”
It pained me to say it, because I didn’t envision this life for Bells, but if we played by the rules, I wouldn’t have been in Paul's life. The secret would have kept us separated, never letting the bond come to life.
Their bonds were different, their love wasn’t.
I saw it in the way Bella’s face was lit up, her eyes twinkling like they never had before.
“He’s a cold one. He doesn’t feel love. The only thing they feel is hunger.”
“Fine, I’ll humor you. He loves her, she loves him, they have a “bond,” He added quotation marks to make his point, “What happens when he turns her? You know the rules of the tribe.”
My body tensed up at his mention. The way he used it to his advantage, knowing it would hurt, a low blow. They would be obligated to kill off the entire coven.
“It won’t come to that.” I shook my head in protest. He prompted me to follow, clearly doubting my statement. “You might not believe it, but he despises his fate and doesn’t wish it upon anyone else. Much less someone he loves.”
He snorted, “Wow. And you believe that?”
“I do.” I stood firmly, feet planted into the ground. Challenging him with a pointed look, we entered a staring contest.
There were no more words, no more arguments left to say.
He exhaled after a minute, taking a step toward me, his gaze dropping to my hand, examining the bandages. “Emily will be back tomorrow to help you with that.” He gently took hold of it, fingers lightly grazing the top of my hand.
I shook my head, “No, it’s numbed with local anasthesia. I survived needles for it.” Out of everything that happened today, that was my proudest moment. And he was painfully aware of it.
A chuckle escaped past his lips. “Course you did.” His hands cradled my face, fingers planted just beneath my ears.
Leaving a gentle kiss on my lips, he moved back, his nose crinkling as he looked down at me. “You stink.”
“I am not a fan of everyone telling me this. It’s not my fault you guys can smell everything.” I took offense to that, huffing. “But given the circumstances, I’m letting your comment slide.”
He rolled his eyes, lacing his fingers with mine. “Let’s get you to the pack house before I change my mind and leave you to Charlie to chew you out.”
“You wouldn’t.” He only raised his eyebrows, challenging that statement.
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