Twilight Wars Chapter 6
Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns all rights to the Twilight series books and Summit Entertainment holds the rights to the movies. I do not intend to infringe on Stephenie's intellectual property. This story contains sexual situations and if you're under age or are offended by homo-erotic works, you should probably stop reading now. If you're not, then keep reading and enjoy :)
Note from the Author:
Twilight Wars
Chapter 6 -- The Visitors
"We'll be home soon, love," Lucian's smooth voice told me. He'd called me twice a day, every day since he'd gone with the other Cullens to get together friends and allies. Of course Kate and Tanya were the first to sign on. They came down immediately then joined the Cullens to find friends to help us, leaving Carmen and Eleazar with me. Carmen made sure I hunted on a regular basis and Eleazar gave me brutally intense lessons in combat. He'd been a member of the Volturi for a while so he had the insider information.
"I don't know how much more of Eleazar's lessons I can take... I may actually kill him," I told Lucian.
"It's for your own good. Eleazar knows what he's talking about."
"That doesn't mean I have to like it," I countered.
"Touché," was Lucian's answer. "But I've got to let you go. There are a few more werewolves I need to deal with before I can come back and I need to hunt before then."
"I'll see you when you get home," I growled then closed the phone. Nearly immediately, Eleazar was at my side.
"Are you ready for another round?" he asked.
"Do I have to?" I responded.
Carmen was now with us. "Eleazar, he has worked hard day and night. He deserves a break to go hunt."
"I can assure you that the Volturi isn't taking a break," Eleazar replied.
"They're coming on a peaceful mission," I replied. "They're planning how to get here."
"Fine," Eleazar said. His tone was fierce. "But when Lucian has to watch you ripped apart and burned, don't blame me for not trying to help you." He moved to walk away, leaving me with that image. My mind's eye saw Lucian, restrained by Emmett and Edward. The shredded metal sound of my skin being torn cutting through the air, overpowering Lucian's shrieks. A blaze of flame, then a purple plume lifting up, all that would be left of me.
"Just let me hunt first," I said. The flames were scalding my throat and had been for days now. From the moment he'd arrived, he'd been doing nothing but training exercises. He'd taught me maneuvers to avoid the muscle of the guard, the simple methods of dispatching newborns (something I was still considered), and even ways to use my gift to protect myself from attacks.
"We hunt together, and then as soon as we return, we'll get back to work," Eleazar mandated. I knew it was my best offer. I agreed to it, but as we walked outside, I muttered, "Lucian wouldn't push me this hard."
"That's why it's not Lucian who's training you," he said. "The thing about mates is the pure, unconditional love we feel for the other. It's a bond that causes us to do things we never thought ourselves possible. But it prohibits us from even thinking of ways to harm the other. Edward couldn't train Bella this way... Jasper had difficulty doing it to Alice. Emmett outright refused to do it to Rosalie. It's normal for our kind."
I hadn't thought of it that way and I wasn't going to let him know that. I'd been very prideful as a human. Imagine what that meant as an immortal.
I cherished that hunt, hoping it would last forever. "Hurry it up! I've seen Renesmee hunt in a more timely manner!"
I gave a fierce snarl. "Why do you hate these sessions so much?" Eleazar asked finally as we made our way back to the Cullen house. "It's all for your benefit."
"I don't like thinking of myself as mortal again. The idea that I could still die... that I could still be separated from Lucian scares me. I haven't faced that since before I was changed," I answered.
"I'm sorry," Eleazar's voice held more caring to it. "I hadn't realized..."
"No," I cut him off. "No one does. And if Lucian fights to save me... and our side loses... then his life was wasted."
"Dying for someone you love is never a waste," Eleazar replied softly.
***************
The Cullens had finally come home, but Lucian was now MIA. No one had heard from him in at least a week. Carlisle had been the last to speak with him. Lucian was nearly finished with his task of swaying the leader of the largest werewolf pack in all of Europe. Of course, that wasn't a ringing endorsement considering the werewolf population of Europe was quite miniscule.
"Who is the last to see him?" Carlisle asked.
"Jasper was," Edward answered. Alice was away from us all, trying to search the future for any sign of him. She was growing increasingly frustrated because if he was still with the werewolves, he'd be invisible to her.
"Last I saw, he was headed to the Black Forest, that's where the pack is thought to exist," Jasper said.
"Why didn't someone go with him?" I demanded.
"He told me not to. He said he had a relationship with those werewolves and that he'd only be able to do it if he were alone," Jasper said.
I began to pace back and forth, furiously snarling. My emotions were all over the place. It felt like my body needed to be near him. All at once, I felt calm overcome me. "Jasper, stop."
"I can't think with you like that, I'm sorry," Jasper replied.
Jasper kept me under his emotional control until we received a phone call, a week later, from Lucian. "I need to speak to Alex," were his first words. It had been Rosalie who'd answered the call.
I ran to the phone. "Lucian?" I asked, almost afraid it'd not be him. I felt Jasper's hold on me dissolve.
"Alex, I needed to hear your voice. I'm sorry for what I put you through. I just couldn't contact you all until I was sure my request for their help would work," Lucian told me. Relief flooded my body, but this time it was all mine.
"Please come home soon!" I begged.
"I'll be there tomorrow," he promised. "I need to speak with Carlisle now."
I handed the phone to Carlisle and gave Esme a hug. "I knew it'd all work out for the best."
"You're a hopeless optimist, Esme!" Emmett chuckled.
Time seemingly slowed down in the 24 hours that followed. However, when his scent first entered our radius, I ran to meet him. The force with which I ran at him to hug him knocked us both to the ground. I kissed him again and again, as if trying to ensure my brain that he was truly there.
"Calm down, love," Lucian told me.
"I thought I'd lost you," I said. My lips grazed his cheek, forehead, nose, lips, chin, and neck. "I was going out of my head..."
"I'll make it up to you," Lucian promised. I grinned and stole one last kiss before getting up and pulling him off the ground.
We went back into the house and Lucian was attacked with another barrage of hugs and questions. He put his hands up and the noise quelled. "They're on our side. As thought, they want to see the Volturi go down. They'll be here in a couple of weeks. I've also told them they're not allowed to turn anyone."
"It's amazing how long immortal creatures can hold grudges," Eleazar mused. It was the first time I'd seen a smile on his face.
Friends from near and far came, all of whom were told they needed to take up camp outside the area we knew Marcus and Aro would travel until we needed them, at which time Renesmee would make a phone call.
Jacob and his pack, along with Sam's were also on call and at last, Alice gave us the message that they'd be here soon.
Our friends went to their designated hideouts and Carlisle got ready to greet his former friends.
Four foreign scents crossed my nose and immediately I tensed. "Calm, love," Lucian whispered, giving my hand a gentle and loving squeeze.
At last, I saw two vampires with thin skin, a large vampire, and a small woman. "They brought Felix and Jane..." Edward breathed. I'd heard of Jane and her horrid power. She had the ability to create the illusion of excruciating pain. Luckily for us, though, Bella had the power to protect us.
"Ah, Carlisle, my good friend, it is so nice to see you," the old vampire said. His voice dripped with falsehoods. His skin looked paper-thin and I wanted more than anything to tear it to shreds and use it as firewood. Edward, who was standing directly beside me gave me a very fast and very subtle jab in the ribs.
"To what do we owe the honor, Aro?" Carlisle asked. His voice remained strained and cordial.
"Still holding contempt after our mix-up, I see," Aro shook his head. "That was a regrettable miscommunication, Carlisle. Please know that."
"It nearly resulted in the death of my granddaughter... and my entire family, Aro. Please understand that I'm inclined to still hold some resentment for the manner in which you seem to make your decisions now," Carlisle answered.
"Well, that is certainly regrettable, but I must implore you to realize how truly sorry I am for that," Aro answered. That was the end of that. "I see you have two new additions to your coven. It's nearly as big as mine now." The ancient vampire chuckled to himself. I was unsure whether it was bemusement or malicious.
Aro approached me. "And who might you be, young man?" he asked and went to shake my hand. I recoiled. I'd been warned. Every thought I'd ever possessed could be his with a simple touch.
"Don't be rude, love," I heard Lucian urge. He must have known something I didn't.
I held my hand toward him and he took it, his grasp was surprisingly strong as he gave my hand a quick shake and released it. "I see you've gotten even better since our last meeting, Bella."
Bella gave a quaint smile. She wasn't any happier about this than I was.
"M-my name is Alex... Alex Cullen," I told him. "This is my mate, Lucian."
"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Aro said with a smile. "But one must wonder why it is that Bella is trying so hard to prevent me from knowing what you know."
"The circumstances around his creation were... sketchy," Carlisle said. "Lucian fell in love with him, much like Edward did with Bella. We explained to Lucian that should he reveal his true nature to Alex, he must be prepared to change him."
"Well, I see it was done, so what is the problem?" Jane demanded. Her eyes narrowed furiously as she wanted more than anything to cause pain. I had to wonder what she did before being turned that would manifest like this. A talk with Lucian, Edward, and Carlisle gave me reason to believe that the abnormal influence I had as a human manifested in my ability to influence objects mentally via telekinesis.
"Dearest Jane, patience," Aro scolded. It didn't help her attitude one bit.
Marcus smiled. "I doubt you'll be able to get them to tell. They're bonded much too strongly to this newborn and he to them."
"Carlisle, I can only deduce that you have something to hide," Aro said stiffly.
"Bella, release your hold over Alex," Edward told her. Both Lucian and Bella growled. "Just do it."
Immediately, I was left with no protection. "Place your hand in mine, young Alex," Aro ordered. Instinctively, I recoiled again. My eyes narrowed as I stared into Aro's blood-red irises. My hand made contact with his and every thought that was ever mine flowed into him. Aro's eyes narrowed. He became angry. "Carlisle, do you take me for such a brute that you think I would wage war against your coven just because Alex refuses to join me? Much less go so far as to recruit true werewolves for the battle?"
Marcus, Jane, and Felix gasped.
Carlisle remained as still as before. "We judged based on the best evidence of the time. Given your... history with my family I thought it best to be prepared."
"Prepared?" Aro asked. "You created an army."
Esme shifted uncomfortably. Emmett's eyes narrowed and a low growl could be heard from Jasper's throat.
"It is my belief that the Volturi has deviated from its original purpose. Aro, you have become selfish in your attempt to create your own army," Lucian accused. I winced.
"You are certainly entitled to that opinion, however when your opinions threaten to destroy my coven, we must take action. Someone must be held responsible for this," Marcus commanded.
"Hold on, Brother," Aro commanded. "Carlisle thinks me capable of such barbarism as trading his newest son's service for his life. I think we should make that same deal."
A round of snarls ripped through the Cullen clan, including me. "You will not take him without going through all of us," Rosalie growled. I'd never heard her so angry or fierce before.
"Well then, I believe we've come to our impasse," Marcus said softly. "I'm sorry it came to this, Carlisle."
"I am, too, Marcus," Carlisle replied. "But be sure you remember, it was you who drew first blood."
"We'll be back, Carlisle," Aro said.
"We'll be ready," Lucian replied.