AVitD-Chapter 21

Chapter 21~ Unwelcome Visitors

March was uncharacteristically warm; coming in more like a lamb rather than a lion.  Emmett was teasing Bella after she had accidentally let loose a rip roaring burp following a huge breakfast of French toast with warm maple syrup and fresh strawberries.

“Stop laughing at me you big ox!  Don’t vampires burp after a good meal?”

Bella was as red as a strawberry by this point.

“No!” he said before falling back into a fit of laughter.

Bella was distracted by her embarrassment causing her to lose focus on the dishes she was washing.  She reached into the soapy water to grab her plate when she felt the sharp pain slice into her hand.  It came rushing at her brain like a runaway train; the knife from the fruit.

“Ow!  Damn it!” she cursed looking over her shoulder at Emmett who had fallen eerily quiet.

His eyes began to darken; he stopped breathing.  Even with her hand submerged in the water, the smell of the blood began to permeate the air.

Carlisle came from nowhere and was in front of Bella in a protective crouch growling in warning.

“Emmett go!  Get out!” Bella told him as she attempted to apply pressure to the wound while it was still in the warm water.

Emmett nodded before backing away in the direction of the front door.  The back door may have been closer, but he would have needed to cross by Bella to get there, and he knew without a doubt in his mind that Carlisle would never allow that.  Alice, Rosalie and Jasper had already made a hasty exit outside.  Jasper did not feel his control slipping, but he would never take that chance again.

Once Carlisle was certain that the house was empty, he relaxed enough to allow his eyes to return to their natural color.  He stood turning to go to Bella’s side.

“Let me see, sweetheart?” he asked in a tender voice.

Concern was written all over his face as he examined the three inch long gash.  Thankfully it wasn’t deep.

“Carlisle, I am so sorry.  I wasn’t paying attention.  It was all my fault.” She rambled on.

“Shh, shh, shh,” he hushed her as he ran cold water over the cut.

“It is fine, love.  The cut isn’t bad at all.  You will not even need stitches.” He reassured her.

He reached over to grab a paper towel to press against the cut.  He kissed her forehead as she appeared to be on the verge of tears.

“Stay right here.  I am going to grab some supplies.” He instructed her.

Bella nodded, and he was gone in an instant leaving her hand suspended in the air.  His cold hand was back under hers in half of a heartbeat; gauze, tape, steri-strips, antibiotic ointment and surgical glue on the counter by her side.

Carlisle made short work of cleaning the wound before applying the glue and adhesive strips.

“It is better than stitches for a cut like this.  It will wear away as the skin heals.” He explained as he continued his work.

He applied several steri-strips perpendicular to the cut, then the gauze and tape.  Once the cut was sealed he leaned in to press a gently kiss over the bandage.

“There.  All better.” He smiled softly at her, “Do you need anything for the pain?”

She shook her head, “No, it is minimal now.”

She looked into his eyes which were significantly darker than they were yesterday. The shadows under his eyes were much more pronounced as well.

“You need to go hunt.  I am fine now.” She told him, “Go on.  I am sure the others are waiting for you.  I promise not to do anything dangerous, like sweeping the floor, while you are gone.” She smiled at him.

Carlisle hated to leave her, but he knew she was right.  None of them had spent a great deal of time with humans other than her, and being around fresh human blood always wore down their resistance.  Not to mention, ignoring his thirst would put her in unnecessary danger.

“Alright My Bella.  As long as you are sure you are okay.  You don’t feel dizzy or nauseous do you?”

Bella gave him a smirk and shook her head in exacerbation. “No, I feel fine.  I am going to go sit out in the gazebo and write in my journal while I wait for you to get back.”

He tipped her chin up and pressed his lips to hers.  He gave her two chaste kisses then made his way to the door, but not before pulling the drain plug from the sink and removing the offending knife.

Bella shook her head once more with a chuckle.  Silly, over-protective vampire.

She walked to her room and grabbed her most recent journal along with a pen and her hoodie.

Bella strolled out to her gazebo, setting herself up on the wooden swing in the center.  It was a perfect, early spring day.  The sun was warm on her skin and the soft breeze that blew on occasion carried the scent that was distinctly fresh, like spring.  She closed her eyes for a minute to just take it all in.  In the past six months since waking up from her darkness, she had learned to slow down and appreciate everything around her.  As fast as the family could move, they were the ones who showed her that life was to be savored.  It was something that the average human didn’t do because they were always in a rush to get to the next thing.

They wished their childhood away to be grown up and independent.  They hurry through school to get a job, then they rush every morning to said job just to rush back home every night.  Then they work till they are too old to be able to do all the things they should have done when they were younger.

At first Bella felt compelled to find a way to achieve her high school diploma, but then Alice pointed out that she could do that at any time.  Bella did not need to hurry to do anything now.  She could take all the time in the world to do the things she wanted to.  And that was just what she was doing.  She loved writing in her journals.  She was so grateful to Alice for getting them for her.  She had written about her childhood; her fondest memories such as planting unsuccessful gardens with Renee or visiting the tide pools with Charlie.  She wrote about school and her favorite teachers.  She even made note of her friends back in Forks.  She often wondered how things turned out for Angela and Jessica as well as some of the others.

She wrote about her time with Edward.  It was hard to put it down on paper.  She wrote about her memories from the meadow when she was catatonic.  Those were the memories that she never wanted to lose.  She cried through most of those pages, but when she finished that journal, she felt renewed; like she had finally let the last of her pain over losing him go.

Bella spent pages talking about Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett and Alice.  The laughs they had shared and the quiet times.  The shopping trips or just the trips around the property.  She made note of her favorite meals that Emmett had prepared for her and included the one time it was really, really bad.

Today she was working on when she woke from her catatonia to find Carlisle by her side and how she realized that she loved him.  She wrote about skiing and kissing in the snow; about dancing and cooking together.  Carlisle’s proposal took several pages to write.  She did not want to miss one tiny detail.  Bella wrote about slowly making love for the first time and how he destroyed lollipop lingerie.  A blush warmed her cheeks at that memory.

She described Valentine’s Day and being woken by a long stem rose tracing down the center of her face and down her body to her toes; making detours on all his favorite places.  The memory sent a shiver of arousal down her spine.  She went on to write about Carlisle taking her to an Opera and staying the night in a hotel under the names of Dr. and Mrs. Cullen.

Bella blushed as she remembered that night.

As soon as they got to their room, he slowly began to strip her out of the floor length black gown that Alice had helped her buy.  His lips worshiped every inch of skin he exposed as the dress slipped down her body all the way to the floor; leaving her only in the black corset, matching thong and black kitten heals.  He had intended to take her slowly, but those plans were gone as fast as her thong as he tore it from her body with his teeth.

“Bella, you should not tease a vampire.  And this,” he said as his fingers ran down the sides of the binding fabric, “is nothing but a tease.”

Bella was going to respond but lost all cognitive functions as his mouth was attacking the tops of her breasts.

“Mmmm Carlisle.” She hummed out as he lifted her.

He gripped her ass cheeks and carried her away from the bed and over to the glass doors leading out to the balcony.  The view from their penthouse room that looked out over the lights of the city was incredible…and Carlisle wanted to show it to Bella.

He set her down on her heel clad feet.

“Turn around,” he growled.

She didn’t hesitate.

“Beautiful.” He whispered as he rubbed his hardened length against her pert rear end.

Bella moaned and her eyes closed relishing in the feel of him.

“No, no my beautiful Bella.  Open your eyes.  I would hate for you to miss this view.” He said as he licked the shell of her ear.

“Oh God.” She whimpered.

His hand drifted down to her sex and he stopped abruptly when he noticed something missing.  He could see Bella’s blush reflected in the glass.  He let his cold digits graze over her bare apex a few times; enjoying the smooth texture.

“I like it.” He whispered, “It feels like silk.  Your skin is so soft there.  I wonder what it is like to taste you…bare.” He practically purred.

His words were like liquid sex causing Bella to leak her juices on his fingers.  Carlisle turned her around and pressed her back gently to the glass.  He dropped to his knees and picked her up under her ass; planting his mouth over her naked lower lips.

“Oh…ugh…oh my…” Bella moaned out as her hands went right to Carlisle’s thick blond locks.

Without hair, her sex was ten times as sensitive.  She felt her climax coming on fast.  Carlisle licked her hard and deep until she was cumming all over his face. Once he felt that she could stand he let her legs back down.  He stood up and licked a line from her heaving cleavage all the way to her ear.

“Simply divine.” he said, causing her to shudder with desire.

Without another word, he turned her around and put her hands on the cool glass.  He stripped out of his suit in seconds and put both his hands on her hips.  He pressed his weeping length against her entrance and slid deep within her quivering walls.  Their moans filled the room as he stayed sheathed inside of her before he pulled out and pumped back in.  He could see her lust induced expression reflected back at him in the glass. 

It was amazing.  He alternated between pumping hard and fast to agonizingly slow; keeping her on the edge of release for what felt like hours.  She was beyond wet; her juices ran down her legs as he pumped into her over and over and over again.  Until finally he reached around and rubbed her swollen clit making her cum sohard.  Her body bucked back into his in an attempt to deepen his thrusts.

“Carlisle!!!!!” she screamed out as she shuddered and fell apart.

“Isabella!!!!” Carlisle voiced his pleasure as he exploded inside of her heat.

Each time with Carlisle was amazing, but there was something special about that night that she never wanted to forget it.  So even though she blushed the whole time she wrote it, she cataloged the memory of that night in pristine detail right down to the hand prints she left on the glass.

Bella gently flexed her injured hand.  It ached from holding the journal too tightly.  She turned when she heard a small rustle in the pine trees at the edge of the property.  She smiled reflexively thinking that it was one of the family members returning, but the smile disappeared as she realized that she couldn’t have been more wrong.

A shock of red hair was the first thing she noticed before her brain could comprehend that she not only knew this red head, but that she was not alone.  A split second later Victoria stood in front of her, a handsome vampire with short dirty blond hair was by her side.  Handsome, with the exception of the hard sneer on his lips and the blood red color of his eyes.

“Oh Riley, this is even better!” Victoria cooed as she walked in a small half circle in front of the entrance to the gazebo.

Bella was scared stiff.  She couldn’t move or breathe.  She sat stone still praying for Carlisle or the others to be on their way back.  She knew that Victoria had been hunting her after Edward left, but she thought she may have given up or been taken down by the wolves.

“You were so good at tracking the scent of the fresh blood, my sweet.  But you have done one better.  This pathetic little human is the one I have been looking for.” Victoria went on as she curled herself around Riley talking sweetly in his ear as she raked his hair with her long fingers.

Bella looked to her hand that was bandaged and cursed herself once more for being so careless.  Please come back fast Carlisle, please?  She begged in her mind.

“This,” Riley said with distain as he nodded in Bella’s direction, “is the reason you have feared for your safety?” he looked around, “But where are the ones who you said protected her?”

“Lucky for us, they aren’t here, but very unlucky for her.” Victoria said as she stepped towards Bella.

Bella shook herself out of her stupor.  Wake up Bella!  You need to try and stall them.  Buy the others some time to get back.  Hopefully Alice will see this and they are already on their way.

Bella searched for something to say since running was useless.  She cleared her throat swallowing around the ball of fear lodged there.

“So Victoria, who is this handsome devil?  He is much easier on the eyes than that James character.”

Victoria growled at the sound of his name being spoken by her.  Bella did all she could to remain still and not react to the threatening sound.  Riley turned to look at the red-head.

“Who is James?” he asked.

Bella saw her opportunity and jumped at it, “What?  You didn’t tell him about James?”

Victoria growled again; much louder this time.  Venom dripped down her curled lip.

“Don’t you DARE speak his name!” she howled at the frightened brunette.

Bella cowered back a little as she pushed her hair behind her ear.  The sun’s rays caught the diamond on her finger, reflecting the light.  Victoria smiled a sinister little grin that sent chills down Bella’s spine.  Riley and his inquiry were forgotten as she stared down at the insignificant, pathetic little human who was the reason her mate was not here.

“Where is your Edward, Bella?  Hmmm?” she sneered.

Bella swallowed hard, “He’s dead.” She said softly.

“Well that is obvious, you stupid girl.  We are all dead.” She chuckled at her own joke.

“Edward lost his life in Volterra last year.” Bella answered in return.

Victoria quirked her head in question, “So, where ever did you get the nice, shiny ring?”  Or do you wear it in mourning?” Victoria asked in a mocking tone.

Bella felt her anger swell inside of her.  Without thinking about what she was doing, she stood up and took a step forward, “It is from my fiancé who will be back here any second with the rest of my family. So, I suggest you get the hell off our property before you meet the same fate as your precious James.” She spit out.

Bella screamed out in agony as the bones in her forearm were crushed in Victoria’s vice like grip.  She had lunged at Bella before she even finished saying James’ name.

“I told you not to say his name, you stupid little bitch!” Victoria seethed as she threw Bella by her broken arm into the opposite side of the gazebo; breaking several wrungs as her body wrapped around a support beam.

The sickening crack of her ribs flooded Bella’s ears as blood began to ooze from a cut on her chest.  One of the broken pieces of the structure had torn her hoodie and scraped her skin beneath.  Bella tried to push herself up, but fell with an agonizing scream when she put pressure on her broken arm.  She managed to flip herself onto her back.  Victoria glared down at her with eyes more black than red.

“You are a worthless, pathetic blood bag who I should have drained in that field the first time I saw you.” Victoria sneered as she stalked closer to Bella.

She reached down and picked Bella up by both arms and hurled her towards the entrance of the shelter.  Bella’s face hit the main pillar bloodying her lip and nose while smashing her cheekbone.

Victoria slowly strutted towards her, “You are barely worth the effort it takes to kill you.  You are nothing.” She bent down to meet Bella’s tear filled eyes, “And when I am through with you, you will not even be a memory.”

She yanked Bella’s hair, tipping her head back.  Terrified brown eyes met deadly onyx.  The pain seared through Bella’s chest as she tried to catch her breath.  She was going to die.  She saw it in Victoria’s face.  She would never have her wedding that Alice had worked so hard to plan.  She would never hear Emmett’s laughter or see Jasper’s warm smile as he watched Alice flitter about.  She would miss Rosalie; the sister she never expected to find; the protector who would most likely never forgive herself for not being here in time.  But worst of all, she knew in her heart of hearts that she would never see Carlisle; her love; her soul mate again.

I will never feel his kisses on my neck or be held in his strong arms as I fall asleep.  I will never hear him sing to me a song that he loves that he just wanted to share because it reminded him of me, nor hear him simply say my name. I will never run my fingers through his hair or sit by the fire reading in perfect silence. 

Oh God!  I don’t want to die!  This is not how it was supposed to happen.  We were meant to have decades; centuries; millenniums, not months.

Then her thoughts turned to the aftermath.  Will he survive my death?  Will the others?  Will they ever know how much I loved them all?  Please God, protect my family.  Give them the strength to make it through this.  Please help Carlisle’s heart to heal and find love again.  She prayed in silence.

It broke her heart to think of Carlisle finding love with someone else, but it hurt more to think of him alone for all eternity.

Victoria pulled Bella up to a sitting position by her hair and leaned over her neck with her teeth, slick with venom, bared.  Then she paused to take notice of her companion for the first time in the past twenty minutes.  He had been a loyal pet.  Not the love of her life that James had been, but loyal none the less.  If he had not smelled Bella’s fresh wound, she may never have found her.  Victoria smiled at the thirsty vampire.

“Riley, you were such a good boy to track her the way that you did.  Why don’t you have the first taste?” she offered.

Victoria grabbed Bella’s undamaged arm and ran her nail down the sleeve; slicing it open.  She repeated the motion, filleting Bella’s arm; allowing her blood to pour out.  Her screams echoed off the trees.  Riley’s eyes lost the last of their crimson color as his blood lust took over.  He licked his lips as he came forward.

Bella looked away; she couldn’t handle the thought of another man’s mouth on her, even if it was to hasten the end of her life.  She clenched her eyes shut as he came closer.  Then there was a strong breeze followed by a loud keening sound like metal scraping against metal.  Her mind likened it to a car crash, but that didn’t make sense without the predicating sound of horns and squealing tires.  The next thing she heard was Victoria’s high pitch scream of disbelief.

“NOOOOOO!”

Bella cried out as she felt herself being dragged across the floor then pulled into a standing position by her hair.  The throbbing in her body now reached to her scalp.

A feral growl filled the air followed by a voice Bella would know anywhere, “RELEASE HER VICTORIA!”

Carlisle.