UNEXPLAINED DEATHS 👥

“There has been recent cases of unexplained death in Seattle. The police suspect a serial killer on the loose. The murders have all been committed with the same brutality. The victims were found dumped in trash carts with their necks broken…”

Edward switched off the TV and threw the remote on the couch.

“What the heck! Where did these vampires come from? Have they no sense?”

“Calm down Edward. We need to act cleverly,” I was beside him in an instant, rubbing soothing circles on his back.

“You know what dangers that can pose. I don’t want the Volturi too close to home. And such massive destruction grabbing the attention of the human world is a case where Volturi would love to jump in. And then they may come here under the pretext of meeting us.” He ran a hand through his crisp, bronze curls.

“I can easily shield you all,” I mumbled. “Don’t get too upset. We’ll talk to Carlisle about it. We can’t just go on the offensive like that. Besides it’s Seattle. If they attack forks, it’s then we could actually interfere.”

“But Bella. You know what happened a few years before. I don’t want that to recur again. Creation of vampire armies is one of the guilty passions for dominance and territoriality among us. We’re animals after all. The baser instincts take precedence after the transformation.”

Remembering about Victoria, Riley and their army of newborns, still sent chills down my spine. How close was I to death at that moment?

Edward wrapped an arm around me and we sat in silence for a moment.

“You know, we're in this together,” I lightly kissed his cheeks.

He pulled my face roughly and our lips met. Soon we were drowning in an all-consuming kiss, our hands knotted through each other’s hair.

“Got you,” a ringing voice sounded from the doorway.
Renesmee was standing, crossing her arms, grinning.

We immediately drew back.
“Renesmee, you shouldn’t make fun of your parents,” Edward tried his best to hide the smile playing on his lips.

“What? I just said you look cute together,” she made a pout.

“Renesmee,” I warned, “You’re a teenager doesn’t mean you have the right to comment on your parent’s love life. I don’t go to ask what you do with Jake. Do I?”

“Come on mom. I’m still a virgin…”

“Get lost,” Edward yelled.

She gave a mischievous smile and ran off.

“Our daughter is growing up. It’s okay,” I crooned.

It has been two years since the face off with the Volturi and Renesmee had already grown up to be sixteen. Her growth had slowed down since and I knew she would stay eighteen forever.

“I guess you’re right,” he got up.
“I need to talk to Carlisle and Jasper.”

Just then my phone rang.

'RENEE' flashed in big bold letters.

“Who’s it?” Edward snatched the phone from my hands.

“Oh shit!” I muttered.

                     GUEST 👤

Talking with mom was something I did with everyone present in the room. I put the call on loudspeaker, while my family gives me hints about how to deal with each question.

My mother wasn’t the one to be satisfied by vague answers. It was with great difficulty that I could convince her not to pay a visit, when I had been pregnant with Renesmee and dying.

Edward received the call and put it on loudspeaker.

“Bella, are you all staying at home this week?”

Where the hell would we be?

“Umm…Yeah mom. Why?”

“I’m coming over to your place.”

What!

I and Edward stated at each other, unable to speak. With the vampires on loose, the Volturi fear, we couldn’t just afford to have Renee in the house.

“What happened? Are you all going out? I could come next week then.”

“Umm…Mom. I don’t think that’s a good idea. Our house is very far away from the town. If you want to go shopping and all, you won’t be able to go that easily,” I tried to give whatever reason came to my mind.

“Why should I spend money on a hotel? I can’t go to Charlie’s as he has already settle with sue,” I could hear the bitter note in her voice. “Or are your in-laws against allowing your mother to visit.

“Help me, Edward,” I whispered.

He shook his head in defeat.

“No. it’s not like that mom, it’s for your safety and well there’s nothing to see at forks and it’s snowing daily. And it’s so cold. You should stay in Florida or maybe go to some warm place like Hawaii with Phil,” I tried to negotiate.

“I have my daughter to visit. I haven’t seen you since your wedding. Don’t you miss your mom?” her voice was breaking.

I missed her, I missed her a lot, but it was the cost I had to pay for my eternity. My father was into the secret a bit, but not my mom. We had kept her shielded from the harsh realities.

“Mom. It’s okay. Calm down. When are you coming?’ I blurted out.

“This Sunday,” her mood cheered up immediately, “And I’d bring in lots of gifts for you both and well we can go shopping and to the theatres. I can’t wait to meet Esme…”

None of her plans entered my head. I was too busy trying to think out ways to hide our identities, for the days she would stay.

                      PLANNING 🤝

“Whoa! So your mom’s coming. Role playing will be so much fun,” Alice wrapped me in a hug.

“Alice, just think straight for once. It’s dangerous to have her here. The risk for exposure is too much and then she dies and we die too,” Jasper chided.

“But what could poor Bella have done? We can’t just tell her not to come, unless we can feign the death of all of us and leave forks,” Esme whispered.

“I’m going nowhere without Jake,” Renesmee shouted.

“I won’t leave my pack alone, Jacob crossed his arms.

“You go and marry her and take her to the Quileute reserve. I had expected you to be a bit sane and not have typical teenage ideas. You both behave like a bunch of imbeciles,” Edward chided.

“Don’t lose your calm, Edward. We will manage everything. Let’s get to planning. It begins with food. Everyone has to practice eating food, a few morsels at least, however tasteless it maybe.”

Voice of wisdom from Carlisle.

“Sure,” they grumbled.

           VISITORS AT NIGHT 🌃

My phone was ringing, a steady dull monotone.

I dropped the book I was reading and received the call.

“Bella, its Jacob,” a voice sounded from the other end “We have two intruders in our land unless you’ve called any of your bloodsucker acquaintances to dinner.”

“What? No one is coming over. Were there any murders in Forks?” I sat up stunned.

“No. But they are moving stealthily through his forest and the pack is on their tracks. They may enter civilization and cause havoc. Besides we want your help as they are on the borderline of out lands. They may cross over to your territory and we may lose them…”

Just at that moment, Alice burst into the room, her face a shade paler.

“We’re in big trouble. The Volturi.” she said, before slumping down on the couch.

“The Volturi?” Edward enquired. “Here? Now?”

“No they're coming soon,” Alice stared into the future, “The leaves are turning brown. It must be a few days later and it’s only Jane. I can’t see the others.”

“Jane? Alone? How’s that possible…”

My voice was cut off by Edward, “Alice, we can deal with that later. It may be a casual visit. Please see into the near future. There are intruders in the area.”

“No harm to our family. Everyone’s future is clear. Don’t know about Renesmee or the wolves. I could never see their future anyway.”

Alice seemed confident but yet we had to go help the wolves out.

Leaving Renesmee at home, we spread in all directions in pairs, scanning the area for any sign of vampires. Edward had picked a smell and soon found a trail leading up the hills. We both followed it until it winded back to the river which we crossed in a leap and it ran straight to the Cullen mansion!

“Renesmee!” I screamed.
But before that I heard the howling of a wolf, followed by a crash of undergrowth and a female scream which was unfamiliar.

We immediately ran to the front of the house to find an odd scene.

There was Jacob, standing protectively near the door and before him stood two vampires, dressed in clothes of the mid nineteenth century.

One man was dark skinned with a mass of black curls while the woman was beautiful with her hair tied in a neat bun. They clearly showed the aura of vampires of the early era, who haven’t been able to adapt to the new century.

The woman seemed to be scared stiff of Jacob, as the man gritted his teeth, clutching his hand, where a couple of fingers were missing.

Jacob’s posture was tense. Ready to jump any moment.

“We didn’t mean any harm. We found the trace of people like us and came to visit,” the woman wailed, “I assure you we’re allies. Please let us go whatever you are.”

Jacob only growled in response, his hackles rising.

At that moment Renesmee opened the door, awakened by the commotion.

She immediately put her hand on the head of the wolf. Jacob purred.

“Tell him to calm down,” I mumbled.

“It’s okay Jake,” Renesmee whispered, latching herself to his neck.

Jacob relaxed his posture. By that time, the whole family had surrounded the intruders.

“You have a human with you?” the lady pointed at Renesmee in disbelief.

“Half human, half vampire. My daughter is a Dhampir,” I replied. "Nothing that you need to worry about.”

“Who are you and what is your purpose here?” Carlisle came forward.

The man by now had reattached his fingers and he gave a low bow, holding his hat.

“I’m Heathcliff, the former master of Wuthering heights and Thrush cross Grange in Yorkshire. And this is Lady Catherine, daughter of the wealthy farmhouse owner, Mr. Earnshaw. She’s my lover and my creator…”

“Wait, what?” I interrupted, “You mean the characters from Emily Bronte’s novel, ‘Wuthering Heights’ really existed? But Catherine died of disease at childbirth and Heathcliff was found many years later, dead in the same room?”

The other lady gave a faint smile, “I wasn’t dead. I was turned. And my death was a story made up to cover for the missing me.”

“Every night she used to come to my house. She even scared Lockwood one night,” Heathcliff said. “We used to meet, talk and make love. Because I could never give up the attraction for her. As you know, she couldn’t marry me because of my social status and considerations. Life with a vampire was difficult and I began to get hurt and fall sick. So she decided to turn me. I went back and feigned my own death in the room.”

“And once they buried him, he escaped from his coffin and since then, we’ve been frozen forever, roaming the world,” Catherine added.

“You are the ones who have hunted in Seattle?”

That was Jasper, and I could feel the tension in the air.

“We did.”

“You fools, what makes you hunt in the city and then leave the victims lying around? Everything isn’t your stupid village moorland in Yorkshire. You have any sense?”

Alice caught his hand, to try to calm him down.

They looked puzzled.

"Do we need to hide bodies? But don’t people die every day? The world has changed. We thought murders are common,” Catherine replied.

" Not so common as you think,” Rosalie snapped, “Have you any idea of who the Volturi are?”

“No, we’ve been living as nomads. We didn’t have contacts with the civilized vampire world for a long time.”

Heathcliff looked uneasy.

“Then for your information sake, the Volturi are like the kings, noble men, the royals of your times. They are the ones who make rules in our world. And they have no mercy. If you break their rules, you die. And you have broken a very serious rule. You killed without consideration, leaving behind a trail of destruction. This puts us at a risk for detection, the worst crime in the eyes of the Volturi,” Jasper's voice was emotionless .

“But why are you different from us? I can see your eyes?”

Catherine looked from one to the other.

“Because we abstain from hunting humans. We have adapted ourselves to a vegan life, drinking blood from animals,” Esme exclaimed.

“And what are they?” Heathcliff pointed a finger at Jacob who had shape shifted back to human.

“Were-wolves,” Emmet muttered, “Wolves of the size of horses and they are vampire hunters. We work in collaboration with them."

“They’re coming after you,” Alice’s voice startled us. Her eyes turned glassy, unseeing. She was lost in the future again.

“They’re coming. All three, Aro, Caius, Marcus and they’re angry. Oh no!”

This was Edward. He was seeing into Alice’s mind.

She snapped out of her haze and looked straight at them.

“They’ll find you out,” Alice’s voice was sad. “They’ll destroy you. And nothing we could say or do would help you.”

“Isn’t there any way to stop them?” Catherine’s voice shook.

“No. we’re sorry,” Edward replied.

“But they didn’t know about the rules. Carlisle, can’t we explain” Renesmee’s eyes were moist.

“No we can’t. I need to protect my family. I’m sorry.”

The voice of finality from Carlisle shocked everyone. We all stood stupefied, at loss to know what to do.

“Excuse us all. You’ve been forewarned. Future can be changed though. We have changed ours,” Alice said, grimly.

“I’d advise you to abstain from hunting here and flee to the north, as far away from Italy as you can. Though Demetri can find you in any corner of the world. You still have a fair chance,” said Carlisle.

They all started retreating into the house, one by one.

Heathcliff had put an arm around Catherine who was crying vampire tears.

“It’s okay. Guess we’ve lived through many centuries. We’ll be freed forever. We’re in it together.”

“I never wanted to have this soulless existence,” she wailed. “But I had gotten used to a life of eternity. How do you accept the bitter truth?”

He looked at me and nodded an apology.

I wanted to go then and there and comfort poor Catherine. Edward held me back.

And then in a jiffy, they were gone, lost into the night.

I came and jumped into my bad, tired from the nightly adventures and unknown visitors. The way their fate had been were too unusual to believe.

I picked up the 'Wuthering Heights' from my bookshelf.

“It reminds me of your human days," Edward kissed my neck. "You used to carry this book around, always.”

“Catherine was my hero, my idol. There love was the perfect forbidden romance, due to societal considerations, I so hope we could have saved them.”

My eyes were stinging.

Edward came and sat beside me, playing with a lock of my hair.

“We can‘t save each and every one that breaks the rules. It’s the law of nature. The twist of fate.”

“Guess you’re right.” I drew him closer and the strange events of the night were forgotten in the sea of pleasures.

              MOTHER TROUBLE 🙅

“It’s okay, everything is okay, and you can do it,”
Edward’s voice was ringing in my ears as I moved towards the luggage collecting area, to receive Renee.

“Breathe, breathe,” I told myself. “Fidget, move, and shuffle your weight, chatter incessantly, be human. Don’t let her understand.”

And there she was, walking down the green channel.

I pulled at the sleeves of my sweater, and adjusted the high neck collars.

“Bella!” she screamed, almost running and pulling me into a hug.

“It’s me mom. It’s okay,” I tried my best to lower the pitch of my voice, glad that I had worn double layers of sweater and  gloves to prevent her from getting chilled.

“Why are you wearing such heavy dresses in this weather?”

Because I don’t want you to get killed because of your foolishness.

“Actually mom, I have a bad cold,” I tried to cough.

“Oh! Here’s your luggage,” I quickly moved towards the conveyor, giving her no more opportunity for enquiry.

“What’s with your eyes?”

I froze, almost going off the road.

Had I forgotten my contacts?

“They look duller. Must be effect of the disease,” she mumbled.

“Yes,” I almost smiled to get a clue. My contacts were of a different shade than my chocolate brown eyes previously. “I have been very sick since that time. I need to protect myself from the cold and the sun and my voice and eyes have changed.”

I swerved the car dangerously to avoid a truck. The contacts were the culprit behind my poor vision.

My mom was pale.

“Since when have you started driving rough?” her lips quivered.

“Mom, it was the truck, no fault of mine. Besides the deadly disease had affected my sight.”

“Edward shouldn’t have allowed you to come alone.”

He’s busy stocking food for you, and removing all potentially suspicious objects.

“He had some pressing engagements at the hospital where he is working with Carlisle?” I managed a fake smile.

“Oooooo, that’s great,” my mother’s eyes shone like a teenager.

“Yeah,” I mumbled.

“How’s Jacob?”

“Fine. He hangs out at our house often.”

“How are you so young still? It seems you haven’t aged a day since I saw you.”

I’m a vampire.

“Mom, I’m just twenty one. Do you expect me to have wrinkles? Besides, my mom is so beautiful still. Her daughter can never age fast.”

She seemed flattered.

Mission accomplished.

“What are you planning for the future? I know you’re still young but,” she seemed uncomfortable.

I was dreading this conversation.

“I’m sorry, Mom,” I said, bringing as much sadness in my voice as I could, “But that disease actually made me lose my capacity to become a mother.”

“Oh my God! I’m so sorry. I can’t even pretend to understand what you must be going through!” she touched my arm.

“No it’s okay. It’s going great actually. We’ve adopted Edward’s orphaned niece and named her Renesmee. She’s a beautiful girl of sixteen.”

I ranted all the memorized dialogues like a parrot. We had practiced all that for a whole day. Each question was looked at my Alice in the future and we made up answers.

“Why are your car windows tinted black even in this rain?”

“We don’t want people to see and gloat on those inside the car. We prefer to maintain our aristocracy.”

I avoided a narrow accident again.

“Okay umm, why didn’t you contact me earlier? I had been missing you for so long…”

I screeched the car to a halt in front of the spotless white Cullen mansion.

“Here we are. We’ll talk later.” I cut her off and jumped out of the car.

Edward was waiting.

He immediately rushed to grab the luggage. Fortunately the sky was overcast or he couldn’t have come out in the sun, all sparkly.

As we entered the common room, everyone came forward to greet her.

Renesmee stood at one corner of the hallway, watching her intently.

“That’s Renesmee, our daughter,” I beckoned to her.

Renee extended her hands to my daughter, who came step by step, very cautiously and hugged her. It was awkward, but sweet.

“I see you have my name in yours,” Renee commented, rubbing the tears off her eyes.

“I do, gramma” Renesmee gave that winning smile and I knew at that moment, Renee would stick to her throughout the day.

                FOOD TIME 🍲

“Aren’t you going to eat?”

“Oh yeah!”
“Definitely!”
“Sure!”

The voices rang out from around the table, at my mother’s question.

Each face wore a comical expressions mirroring the other, except Renesmee, who was busy stuffing herself with goodies.

Edward picked up a piece of meat and put the whole in his mouth, making a great show of relishing it. Emmet was trying to show his manly nature by gobbling the food, making a face at each bite.

Esme and Rosalie were both playing with their food, taking in the tiniest bit possible. Jasper excused himself while Carlisle was trying his best to thrust the lettuce down his throat without puking.

Alice put a tissue to her mouth after every bite and threw the food in that, gathering all bits in a napkin on her lap.

I munched in some fries which were no better than dust, making up my mind to wash my mouth as soon as possible.

We had hunted in advance, and so we weren’t hungry. It helped matters with Renee around.

She was her usual chatty self, unaware that she was sitting amidst a group of blood-suckers.

Once the disastrous dinner was over, we put up our guest in Renesmee’s room. The only room with a bed as out daughter slept each night.

We retired to our own rooms, to spend a quiet night.

Just as I was going to change, someone knocked at our door.

Alice was standing there, a morose expression on her face.

“What happened?” I quickly ushered her in.

“Catherine and Heathcliff have been captured.”

We sat in stony silence for a second.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “But do you know what that means?”

I stood stiff as the reality of the situation began to sink in.

The Volturi are here.

Edward’s face confirmed my thoughts.

“Renee! We have to protect her. We have to drop her off, anywhere. I can drive her to Charlie’s house or leave her at the Quileute reserve where they won’t find her.”

I was panicking.

“We can’t take her anywhere now. There is a heavy chance that they may not know about Renee. If we try to escape, Demetri would track us down. It would be the same chase that happened years ago with you,” Edward said, lines of thought forming on his forehead.

“I can’t let her die. She’s my mom... oh why couldn’t she just think I was dead? Why did I let her come?”

I was close to hysteria from guilt.
The whole family came to my room and we all sat still, contemplating ways to tackle them off. What kind of questions could they exactly ask her? We were at loss.

“They won’t ask direct questions. They are not fools.” mumbled Carlisle.

“Get ready.” Alice’s voice was distant. “They are coming.”

                     FACE OFF ⚔️

“What do you want my friend?” Carlisle’s voice was cool and composed.

Aro was standing across, the field, and a smile of glee was on his face. Caius was constantly glancing between us. Marcus, still lamenting his wife was behind them all.

Jane stood fiercely glaring at us. Desperately trying to find her way around my shield, which I had projected around everyone. Alec had a hand on her sister’s shoulders, muttering comforting wards. Renata shadowed Aro as his personal shield.

“Come on my old friend. I just came to pay a casual visit. There were some trouble makes in Seattle.” Aro bridged the gap in long steps, as I proceeded midway to meet him.

As we shook hands, both parties stood tense. It was deliberate as mine was the only mind he couldn’t read due to my innate shield.

“I’m missing the person I came to see,” Aro commented, looking around.

My heart skipped a bit.

“What was her name now? Rene…”

“Renesmee! You came to see how Renesmee has grown, haven’t you?’”

It was Alice.

“Why my yes, beautiful Alicia! We came to see her. She was a kid the last time we saw her.”

I’ll bring Renesmee down,” said Esme, moving towards the door.

My shield followed her until she was inside.

I couldn't show my relief yet.

“What’s she doing inside?” Caius asked.

“My daughter sleeps unlike our kind, Caius,” Edward almost had a smile on.

“Hello, Aro. Nice to see you again, Renesmee jumped down from the porch and came towards him fearlessly, extending her hand.

Jane shot her death glares.

“Somebody is getting jealous of her ravishing beauty. Jane, please keep your thoughts to yourself,” Edward chuckled.

Aro had the smile of a lunatic on.

Jane was red in the face.

“I smell a human!” she screeched.

“Of course you do. My daughter is half human.” I tried to sound confident.

Renesmee rushed back before he could catch her hand, and pretended to blush and hid behind me. Jane’s comment, really helped her.

The look of disappointment in Aro’s face was pure pleasure to my eyes.

“Okay. We don’t have time to waste. A hell lot to do in Italy,” Aro turned to his gang, “We’ll meet again Carlisle.”

“What did you do to the rebels at Seattle?” Carlisle asked.

“Oh! Good question. You must be uncomfortable as they were so close to home. Well I found that Catherine was a shield like Bella while Heathcliff has amazing tracking qualities. We couldn’t let talents go waste. They apologized and pledged their loyalty to us and I let them go…”

“In exchange for eternal service,” added Edward.

“Of course, the same offer is extended to you all, including you, Renesmee,” Aro gave that manipulative smile.

I could feel Jane’s pressure, like needles on a bubble, trying to destroy my shield. I stood strong. She made a face, seething with jealousy.

And then they were gone, like the storm.

We silently trudged in and collapsed in the living room.

“Why is everyone awake?” my mother was at the top of the stairs looking down at us.

“Um, no…actually…” I began.

“Actually nobody was being able to sleep, so we got up to have a get together and then ewe thought to have a walk at night, and it was tiring but fun. We didn’t want to wake you up.” Edward explained.

Renee seemed unconvinced.

“It’s okay gramma! Tell me a story, I’m coming with you,” Renesmee quickly climbed the stairs, dragging Renee with her.
Our daughter winked at us, before closing the door.

                  DECISIONS 🤔

“I’m so glad Catherine and Heathcliff are alive,” I said, turning the worn out pages of my book.

Edward seemed eerily silent,
“What’s the matter?’ I scooted closer.

"It’s Renee and Charlie. How long would it be before they would notice that we never age?”

I knew it was a risk, but somehow I had been able to push back those thoughts to a corner of my mind. They came flowing back and soon the pressure of it smothered me.

“I know it’s hard for you to lose your parents, but in a few years they will be no more but we will go on. We need to feign our death and go away. Forever, before we cause some permanent damage in their lives. This encounter with the Volturi has been a close brush with death. It won’t be so merciful next time.”

“It’s not that easy, Edward. Especially with Renesmee and Jacob. Once she turns eighteen and gets officially married to Jake, then we can feign a plane crash and run away, never to return her. Not until then,” I said.

“You’re right, Bella, we need to think about the convenience of everyone. The couples may want to break away and stay at different places, but we must accept the changes and go on. After all, eternity isn’t a small amount of time, for any of us,” he sighed.

In response I just tugged at the first button of his shirt.

That was a cue for him to do the same and then, we were drowning in pleasures and our unquenchable passions and desires.

He hungrily devoured me as I thirsted and craved for him. All the problems, all worries, the fear of death, or separation and heartbreak was lost on us as we wrapped our bodies around each other.

And there we lay,
White to white,
Two marble statues,
In the pitch black night.

💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

4731 words

A/N I've never written anything like this before. Hope you like it... Love you all. edelmeehan Pipigrin MaryFahey lindajonesAuthor KashishBelikov TwilightGirl32