Chapter Text
Epilogue
“Stop fidgeting,” Una chided and slapped at my hands, which were anxiously running over the newly formed leather covering my body. “You are starting to make me nervous. You look fine.”
“Easy for you to say,” I complained, scowling back at the two women flanking me, whose names I had forgotten. They had spent the last two hours scrubbing me clean, cutting my hair, and painting patterns on my arms. I looked down at the bizarre, twisting symbols twining around my biceps. “You haven’t been manhandled all day.”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re being overdramatic. You were not manhandled. They just wanted you to look presentable. Did you expect you could just walk before the High Elders as you were? We have all had to go through it, so stop complaining. At least you are not getting joined with a leannán. That is something completely different and invasive.”
I turned and frowned at her. Una’s short, blonde hair was not in its usual disarray. It was smoothed back with gel, or mousse, or something, which gave her a businesslike appearance. Had she not been dressed in the traditional Walker attire, I could have sworn she was on her way to a meeting of some sorts.
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We had left the United States on a Tuesday, and after stowing aboard a massive tanker and finding a nook where our presence would go unnoticed, we had settled in for a week long voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. The time had passed quickly, though, as the majority of the journey had been spent preparing for what was to come. I learned things about the purebloods that I had never learned in the large tomes. For instance, it was never wise to bare teeth at a pureblood. They perceived it as a threat. Rix was different, since he had spent time around humans.
The days melted into one another, and I was pleasantly surprised when Rix had told me that we were pulling into port.
After disembarking, Shiloh had led us on a decently long run through the open, somewhat frozen, countryside of Sweden. The freezing wind cut through the air, but it didn’t bother me or the others. My body temperature was significantly higher than it had been as a human. I smiled as the flakes of snow floated toward my skin, only to melt two inches away from it. Overcome by the sheer splendor of the world around me, as well as my excitement over my place with the Walkers, I let out a cry of joy. It was echoed by the shouts and hollers of the rest of our group—Collin, Una, Tobin, and even Rix, joined in.
We crossed into a reserve called Sarek National Park, and if I had been amazed by the natural beauty of the country up until that point, I was blown away by what I saw there. Mountains, taller than anything I had seen in Washington, crossed the horizon, casting magnificent shadows on the valleys below. Their peaks were topped with snow that glistened, even in the muted daylight. A long, winding river cut in between the mountains, the water reflecting the cloudiness above.
As I trailed behind Shiloh, I noted that she was dashing straight toward one of the larger mountains. A shiver ran through me, and I wondered if we would run up the side of it. However, she stopped quickly, coming to a stop about twenty feet from the rocky surface. At the base of the mountain was an opening. Before I could question where it had come from, Shiloh started running again.
The entrance led to a massive, underground cavern, which in turn, held a giant lake. Despite the freezing temperatures, this one was somewhat temperate, possibly heated by an underwater hot spring. I dipped my hands in and noticed it was very warm, but not insanely hot. My attention was focused on the pleasing warmth of the water, so I didn’t acknowledge the quickened footsteps behind me. Collin leapt over my head, spinning through the air, and dove headfirst into the water. He was quickly followed by the others, including Shiloh.
I warily made my way into the warm, yet murky water, feeling around the dirty earth beneath my feet, hoping that I didn’t get bitten. It was a reactionary fear, though. Realistically, I knew that there was nothing in that water that could harm me. Shiloh led us beneath the water, down to nearly the bottom of the lake. How on earth something that deep could exist on land was beyond me.
As we moved through the dark water, I was shocked by how easy it was for me to move in the water. With one stroke of my hand, I could propel my body across the entire length of the lake. My strength knew no bounds. I also found that, while I couldn’t breathe beneath the water, I could hold my breath indefinitely, which helped a great deal. However, I curbed the desire to fully test my power under the water, and instead, I trailed dutifully behind Shiloh and the others.
We maneuvered through a deep chasm at the base of the lake, and as I swam, I felt my body beginning to rise up. Almost as though we were about to—
My head broke through the surface of the water, and I released the air that I had been holding in. Water streamed and beaded off my hair, and I shook my head once to clear away the excess clinging to my eyebrows. I hopped out of the water easily, brushing the greenery and dirt from my body. I turned away from the others, who were repeating my actions, and gazed up at what was before me. I gasped.
I stood at the mouth of a giant cave opening, and beyond was something I could not believe I was seeing. It was a city, made almost entirely of stone. Giant, dark blue pillars stretched up to the top, possibly preventing cave-ins. They were etched with intricate swirls, lines, and a language that I could not identify. The city was a vista of stark angles and stone surfaces—surfaces too great to belong to anything human, and, as with the pillars, they were inscribed with images and symbols. Buildings of multiple sizes and shapes stretched as far as I could see, almost a hundred of them. At the center of the vast, ancient landscape was a single, monolith-type citadel. The underground city was illuminated by strings of bright, shining strings of rope. They lined the walkways, outside edges of buildings, and circled around the pillars. The illumination made the city glow an eerie cerulean color.
“Follow me close,” Shiloh instructed in a tense voice, and I noticed that her posture was rigid, more so than usual. She turned and caught my eye. “Be careful.”
The streets were cobbled with the same stones that made up everything else, and they, too, glowed.
“Shiloh?” I sidled up beside her. “What is this place made of?”
“The stones of the mountain.” It was Dex who explained. Shiloh kept her lips closed and her eyes focused ahead. “During the excavation, we discovered a vast amount of sturdy rock at the mountain’s base. Our Elders were enchanted by the way they seemed to glow in light.”
“We?” I was bemused. “You helped build this place?”
“Of course,” he answered, somewhat smug. “I was in charge of designing the Elder Hall”—he pointed to the giant structure at the center of the area—“It’s where the Elders meet and discuss issues. It is also where you shall be officially inducted.”
“How long did all this take?” I couldn’t imagine that it took anything less than a hundred years.
“About ten years,” he answered. When I responded in shock and awe, he smiled. “We weren’t hindered by the issues that humans face. We could work seven days straight and never grow tired.”
I smiled softly but remained quiet. After a few moments of walking, I slowed my pace and fell in step with Collin and Una. We moved through the quiet streets, and I glanced around nervously. “Where is everyone?”
“They are watching us,” Una answered simply, and she pointed up to a tall, five story building. Although the windows were dark, I could see the unmistakable, light-reflective eyes of the Walkers staring back at me. It was an eerie sensation.
“They have every right to be anxious,” Tobin stiffly interjected. His words were laced with an underlying pain that was too great for me to understand. “After all the pain they’ve suffered, they should discriminate against anyone who walks into their home. It’s the only way to stay safe.”
Our footsteps were soft and barely echoed through the massive cavern, however, as I focused my attention to what I could hear, I became aware of a continuous, rhythmic pulsing. Many fast, fluttering heartbeats, joining together to create one large cacophony of life, reverberated through the space. It was amazing, and for some reason, I found it very beautiful.
At the speed we were moving, it took us a long time to get to the center of the city. I was slowly becoming irritated with all the sneaking around. We were Walkers, too, after all. Why were they hiding? Surely they could sense that what we were. A low, audible growl left my lungs, and I immediately felt a hand wrap around my wrist. It was Collin’s.
“Quiet,” he chastised softly, steadily releasing me from his grip. His eyes darted to the side before returning to my own. “Now is not the time to lose your nerve.”
I nodded and resolved to keep my nervousness and irritation to myself. So rather than continue to observe the haunting beauty around me, I focused all attention on my feet. They were bare, since I still didn’t have my own set of boots, but my skin was resistant to almost everything. The stony surface felt like soft feathers, as though I were walking on a cloud. I marveled at the way the ground glowed, shimmered almost. It was so beautiful. It was unlike anything I had ever witnessed in the human world. It was—
I ran into Tobin’s back with a soft thump. Startled by the sudden impact, I arched my back and growled, but it was cut short. We were surrounded. There were about ten of them. All were dressed in the traditional Walker attire, but with a couple noticeable differences. There was a black hood attached to the fabric behind their necks, and it was pulled up over their heads. In addition, they all wore black masks that concealed their mouths, and they were covered in bright blue embroidery. The stitching seemed to glow in the dark.
I was trying to decide whether to attack or run, when Shiloh stepped forward. She extended both her hands at her sides and bent forward. At the same time, one of the strangers moved toward her and mimicked her bow.
“Fáilte, Aoife,” he stated clearly. He peeled back his hood and mask, revealing a youthful face beneath. His hair was dark, as Shiloh’s was, and the angles of his face were sharp and defining. He smiled widely, and in three long strides, he closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her. “Fad saol agat, mo dheirfiúr, mo ghrá.”
I turned to Una and shook my head, silently asking, “What’s happening?”
She smirked. “That is Lorcan. He is the leader of the city guard, and he is Shiloh’s brother.”
My mouth opened slightly, and When Shiloh turned around and faced us, I could easily see how they were related. Their faces curved in a similar manner, the way their eyes curved slightly sideways identical, but it was their expressions that differed. As she spoke to him, his eyes were alit with joy, and his mouth pulled up into a wondrous smirk. He looked friendly and mischievous, completely unlike Shiloh.
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“Are you paying attention?” Una snapped her fingers in front of my face, and I quickly brushed away my memories of before. She frowned disapprovingly. “We are about to start. As your Maoirseoir, I will enter first and announce you. You will be told when to follow. Do you understand?”
I nodded, my nerves kicking in again.
All newly turned receptors were required to have a seasoned Walker with them at all times. It was to keep them from accidentally hurting someone should they get too angry. This position was called the Maoirseoir, which loosely translated meant overseer. It had to be someone who was at least one hundred years of age, had experience with newly turned receptors, someone who the receptor knew and trusted, and last, they had to be someone of the same gender. Shiloh wasn’t an option since she was a ceannaire. There was only Una. I was a little disappointed that it wasn’t Collin, but I understood why it was necessary for a female to take that position. They had to be objective, which was something Collin was not—at least, not since I had become a Walker.
Una turned away from me, and I let my eyes trail down to my feet. They were no longer bare. The first day we had arrived, after the pleasantries had been dispensed, I was carted over to a strange place with a great roaring fire at the center. It was there that Shiloh had instructed me on how to create my boots. It took less time than I had anticipated. This was due largely to the fact that they had a large supply of venom-imbued leather already. I had paid close attention as she had shown me how to mold the leather to my legs. The way I had massaged and urged the material was almost hypnotic, beautiful.
When I had finished, I stood in the mirror and gaped at my new accoutrements. They hugged my calves in a comfortable, reaffirming manner, and when I stepped forward, they held firm. Shiloh had led me outside and instructed me to test their resilience. I had struck out with my right foot at a large boulder and had watched in amazement as it shattered. The boots, on the other hand, were undamaged.
Now, my throat tightened as the tall, twin doors swung open, and Una stepped through. She disappeared into the great room that lay beyond the threshold, and the doors closed behind her. I was left alone, with the exception of the torturous women behind me.
I stepped away from the doors, and instead, I moved to a window. The underground city glittered beyond. I could almost imagine living here, almost imagine what it would be like if this place had been my home from the very beginning. If I were to move down her, what would I miss? Would I miss the air? The sky? The grass?
Behind me, a door opened. It wasn’t the same one that Una had just walked through. I turned and found myself standing in front of Collin. He smiled and greeted me warmly, and for some reason, I couldn’t help myself. I ran toward him and launched my body into his arms. His arms encircled me protectively, and I smiled when I inhaled his specific scent.
“I can’t stay long,” he explained apologetically. “I just wanted to come see if you were okay.”
“It’s just so … overwhelming,” I answered slowly, gesturing to the shining city beyond the window. “I can’t believe this is real.”
“I know,” he remarked softly. “I felt the same way when I came here. I stood at this very window and said almost the exact same words.”
We stood there for a few, brief moments, observing the outside world and reveling in one another’s company. However, as we enjoyed the brief reprieve from the past few days, there came a sound, and I noticed his back was suddenly straight as an arrow. He turned to me and placed a kiss on my forehead, before he skirted back through the door he came from, and I was left alone again.
The giant, twin doors parted, and I hurried to my spot. I took a deep breath and stepped into the chamber.
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In a sense, the audience chamber reminded me of the Walkers’ burrow back in Jacksonville. It was dark, there was an unmistakable earth smell that clung to the air, and the tiny bits of illumination made the place look sinister. If I were watching a movie, that chamber would have been undoubtedly where they made the blood sacrifice. The room was perfectly bisected by a walkway, which ran down the entire length of the chamber. There were tons of bodies on either side, all of them dressed in Walker regalia. Apparently, my confirmation, if that was what you could call it, was the event of the century. There were easily about two hundred bodies in the space. Each one of them turned to gawk at me as I made my way to the front of the room.
With every pair of eyes in the room trained on me, I felt my heartbeat begin to increase. It is punctuated by a loud thudding, a rhythmic pulsing. I realized then that the others were stomping their feet in unison. The closer I got to the platform, the quicker it became. I could feel their excitement radiating off their bodies, and for some reason, it actually started to quell my fear. They were happy that I was there.
I reached the front, all sounds were silenced, and I got my first look at Oren and Dechtire—the High Elders.
There was no other word to describe Dechtire, Shiloh’s mother, but gorgeous. She had long, cascading locks of dark hair that fell to the small of her back. Her pale face was heart-shaped, similar to mine, with a prominent widow’s peak on her forehead. Her eyes were angular, similar to Shiloh’s. She smiled warmly at me as I approached, but there was an authority behind her expression, one that silently commanded respect.
Oren was unlike anything I have come to expect. He was very tall, easily six inches taller than me, with broad shoulders, and muscles that protruded from his clothes. He wore a black, sleeveless shirt, and a long pair of pants, both made of thin fabric. His expression was calm, collected, and devoid of outward emotion. It was here that I could see his resemblance to Shiloh. They had the same eyes, facial structure, hair color, and most importantly, the same manner.
Realizing that I may have been staring for too long, I bent at the waist while simultaneously bringing three fingers to the middle of my forehead. I was careful to sweep my right leg behind me and bow elegantly. This was the proper greeting for an Elder.
I kept my eyes focused on the ground, and in a strong voice I announced, “Dia Duit.”
It was the formal way of saying, “hello” in the Walkers’ tongue.
Imagine my surprise when a strong, masculine voice said, “Greetings, Isabella. You may rise.”
I complied and stared at him in awe. “I was unaware that you spoke my language, Lord Oren.”
He chuckled lightly. “I have been well trained in all manners of diplomacy. There is no language on this Earth that I cannot speak.”
I nodded but remained silent. As he descended the tiny staircase separating the two of us, I found it impossible not to swoon. One of my favorite stories of the Walkers’ past had been the sacrifice of Oren’s mother, Aednat. The bravery that she had shown moved me in a way I had never thought possible.
“I have heard much about you, young Isabella.” Oren smiled reverently, clasping his hands in front of him and regarding me with a neutral expression. “In spite of your weak, human form, you endured the training necessary to becoming one of us. In the face of fear and doubt, you persevered and found your strength. When the life of my daughter was threatened, though she was not your ceannaire, and you had no allegiance to her, you stepped into the void. You sacrificed yourself to save the life of my daughter, as well as those who serve her. The bravery you have exhibited is far beyond the skill of any receptor I have known. There is nothing else to say but thank you.”
With that, Oren bent forward, clasping his hands to his chest and lowering his eyes. At the same time, every single Walker in the audience chamber mimicked his bow. I stood there, gazing around at the many figures bowing to me, and I didn’t know what to do. After a few long, drawn out seconds, they rose simultaneously.
“Before we begin with our celebrations,” Oren said, stepping closer to me and taking my hands in his, “I wish to extend to you an offer. A brave child such as yourself would be of great use here in the city. You would be trained as a diplomat, sent to various, exotic locations to learn languages and cultures that are not our own. You would serve as my personal emissary. What say you?”
Hundreds of possible destinations flashed before my eyes, but they seemed shallow. No. That wasn’t my purpose. I shook my head. I knew what I had to do.
“The stories of your generosity were not exaggerated, Lord Oren,” I said clearly, smiling from ear to ear. “Unfortunately, I must decline. You see”—I glanced back at Shiloh, who was standing to my right, along with the others—“I have a debt to pay. Everything you see before you is a result of Aoife. She saved me in more ways that I can possibly explain. I owe her my life—if she’ll have me, that is.”
Appearing pleased with my response, and Oren gestured to Shiloh. “What say you, Daughter?”
“Bíodh sé amhlaidh. Blood of my blood—flesh of my flesh.” Shiloh stepped forward, and I turned to face her. In her hand was a long silver dagger, one that was remarkably similar to the one Constantine had possessed. As I watched, she drew the blade across her palm and extended her hand to me. The sight of her blood cutting its own twisted path through her skin was fascinating. She knelt to the floor. “I swear upon my blood and my soul to protect and guide you to the best of my ability. Do you accept my offering?”
I stared at her on the floor; her spine was curved forward, and her eyes were focused on the ground. My lips curled up in a smile as I took a step toward her. “I accept.”
In the blink of the eye, Shiloh rose from her position, and much to my surprise, she lifted me up onto her shoulder. “Seo an Isabella! A chuisle mo chroí!”
The crowds rose up and swarmed us, each member of the city urging forward to touch me. Shiloh lowered me, and I found myself in a multitude of embraces. I simply responded to every well wish with, “Faol saol agat,” which meant ‘long life to you.’
Finally, when the majority of the masses had filed out into the streets, shouting and singing strange songs all the way there, I found my way back to the others. I found myself wrapped up in Collin’s arms immediately, the others forming a protective circle around us.
They were my family, after all. Tobin, Rix, Una, Dex, Collin, and Shiloh. I loved them with all my heart, and I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, I would die for them. I felt a soft hand on my shoulder, and I turned to see Shiloh smiling warmly at me. She called the others to attention, and in a somewhat exasperated voice, she said, “Let’s go home.”
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Author's Note: The following section was originally intended for the sequel. However, since there won't be a sequel, I wanted to post this in answer to the endless questions about Edward's motivations. I hope this answers them.
Alice Cullen POV
Having given up on his relentless attempts to cheer me up, Jasper slunk out the front door and disappeared into the woods, my foul mood having finally chased him away. It wasn’t that I didn’t appreciate what he was trying to do; I just didn’t see the merit in it. He would make me smile for fifteen minutes, thirty minutes, or maybe even an hour, but despite how eagerly he would attempt to maintain that happiness, I would inevitably sink back into my pit of loneliness and heartache. After all, there was only one person that could assuage my suffering, one who could make this darkness leave our lives forever—but he was too much of an arrogant ass to do such a thing.
I pulled my knees to my chest and glanced at my large closet, sniffling and burying my head into my awaiting hands. Hanging in the doorframe was a deep indigo, knee-length dress. It was meant for her; it had been meant for her. But she was gone. So the dress was just there, hanging lifelessly, existing without a purpose.
After Bella’s disastrous birthday party, she had vanished from my visions completely. It had scared me and Edward, and he had been convinced that it was a sign. A sign of what, I don’t know. He had interpreted her disappearance to mean that our presence in her life would ultimately lead to her death. Despite my attempts to assuage his decisions, to remind him, for quite possibly the thousandth time, that my visions were not infallible, he had brought up the concept of leaving Forks to the family. But he had been overruled. Carlisle and Esme knew exactly why he was choosing that path, and they had refused to enable his self-destructive behavior. If only I had been that brave. Instead, I had let Edward railroad me into the worst decision of my life. I wasn’t exactly sure why I had let him bully me in the first place. Perhaps it was because he had used Jasper against me. Yes, that was probably why.
I heard Edward heave a sigh from his bedroom, and my nostrils flared in response. I’ll never forgive you for this.
It took him a few minutes to respond, and when he did, his voice was hollow, monotone, as if he was reading a script. “She’ll be safer in Jacksonville … away from us … from me.”
Save your self-depreciation for someone who hasn’t been listening to it for fifty years.
“Maybe I should leave,” he mumbled, and I heard the unmistakable sound of his hand running through his hair. He always did that when he was frustrated. “I’m making everyone miserable.”
You just don’t get it, do you? It isn’t you making everyone miserable—it’s your choices. Esme and Carlisle loved Bella as a daughter. Emmett, Jasper, and I cared for her as a sister, and Rosalie … well… Rose has her own way of showing affection. She cared enough for Bella to want her safe.
“Is it so wrong for me to want the same thing for her?” He was annoyed. “Do you think I wanted to chase her away like this? Wasn’t it you and Rose who said she would never let me go unless she hated me?”
Don’t you dare try to pin this on me and Rose! We were pointing out the futility of your attempts. It certainly wasn’t an invitation for you to torture her, Edward. I mean, honestly. Jessica? Couldn’t you have picked another method? Now that insipid child won’t leave us alone. Your imbecilic solution has created a massive problem. If her attention brings the Volturi on us, it WILL be your fault.
“I’m not worried about her—she’ll eventually stop. I plan on making it abundantly clear that I am not interested.” Edward sighed, and he stopped pacing. “Regardless, it worked, didn’t it?”
Yes, Edward. Congratulations. You succeeded in chasing Bella away from her friends, her father, her home, and everything else she’s grown to love. You sent her to a world she knows nothing about, into the arms of a flighty mother who loves from a distance, to a city she’s unfamiliar with. I hope you’re proud of yourself!
Edward growled. “Leave her alone, Alice. Don’t look for her future. She needs to have a normal life … away from us.”
Aahh! I’m sick of you rationalizing your self-flagellation. Stop it, Edward. And while you’re at it, stop dictating what I should and shouldn’t do with myself. It makes me sick to think that I actually sided with you. Besides, I already told you, I haven’t been able to see Bella since after her birthday party. I have no idea if she’s happy or sad … or if she’s even alive.
“Don’t say that.” He appeared in my doorway, his face panicked. It was clear the same fear had been running through his mind. It was no secret that he had expected that Bella’s future would reappear when she had moved away. When it hadn’t, Edward had almost lost his mind. He had purposely eavesdropped on Chief Swan’s phone calls, hoping he would hear good news, and he had also entertained the idea of going to Jacksonville to keep an eye on her. “She’s going to live a long, happy life, and she’s going to die a grandmother.”
I stood up, my shoulders square, and I glared at him. “Says who?”
“That’s the way it’s supposed to be,” Edward answered through clenched teeth. “She’s supposed to live, love, and die—just like all humans.”
“Just like all humans?” I shook my head. “Are you really that dense? What if she went to Jacksonville and was hit by a bus? More appropriately, what if she fell down some stairs and broke her neck? Or, just another example, what if she was hit by a van driven by a boy named Tyler?”
Edward blanched as I replayed the memory of that incident: the day he had practically outed us as unordinary. He had intervened in her life when he had saved her from the van, and he didn’t regret it. So why on earth was he so against saving her from death long term? Bella certainly didn’t mind being turned into a vampire, so why was he so against it? Didn’t he want her?
“Of course, I do,” Edward responded to my thoughts, and when I glanced at him, he looked pained. His voice was soft, barely a whisper. “I want her so much, I can hardly see straight. It’s torture being away from her.”
I moved to him and rested my palms on his shoulders—not an easy feat for my 4’11’’ self. Despite my anger at him, I loved my brother. He was the only one in my family that truly understood my predicament in life. I knew his intentions had been admirable; it was his execution that had failed. “Then go to her, Edward—tell her how you feel. I don’t need to see the future to know she’ll forgive you.”
He shook his head and stepped away. “I can’t. Every moment I spend with her is a risk to her safety. Her birthday party was proof of that. She deserves better than a half life … she deserves better than me.”
“What about what you deserve?” I smiled up at him, putting as much encouragement in my words and thoughts. “Don’t you deserve to be happy? After years of watching the rest of us paired off and in love, don’t you think you’re entitled to the same? What if you were meant for Bella, and vice versa? What if fate wants you to turn her? To be with her forever?”
He shook his head, but I could see his resolve was waning. “I don’t want her to be a monster.”
“You’re not a monster, Edward,” I replied, exasperated. “Well, when you’re not intentionally being an ass, anyway.”
I opened my mouth to continue, but the sound of a door closing downstairs cut me off. My gaze darkened in anger. There was one person who had taken it upon herself to convince Edward that he was doing the right thing. Rosalie. She was so jealous of Bella’s humanity; she was willing to emotionally cripple both Edward and Bella in an attempt to live vicariously. When she appeared in my doorway, her expression told me that she had been listening for quite awhile.
“Stop trying to force Edward to do what you want, Alice,” Rosalie chastised, and she rested her hand on his shoulder. “He’s made the right decision.”
Edward showed no appreciation for Rosalie’s interference. He could, without a doubt, tell that she was backing him up for purely selfish reasons. Couldn’t he? Of course, he could. My brother could be a brute, but beneath his teenaged exterior lived a very wise man.
“You’re such a hypocrite, Rose,” I countered, glaring at her menacingly. “The only reason you want Bella to stay human is because you think everyone should live the life You”—I pointed my finger in her face—“wanted. Every human female should aspire to be nothing more than a baby maker! When will you learn that your life and dreams are not the center of everyone’s universe?”
“Attack me all you want,” Rose responded in a steady tone, the tiniest amount of anger appearing in her eyes. I had hit a nerve. “You know that Edward’s right. How many times has Bella been injured in our presence?”
“Humans hurt themselves all the time,” I answered.
“Not all of them are attacked by vampires.” Rose crossed her arms across her chest, looking smugger with every passing second. “And, if I might add, not all humans are attacked by their best friend’s husband for getting a paper cut.”
I flinched at the verbal jab, and I could feel the heat growing inside me. A vision flashed before my eyes—Rose and me tumbling down a flight of stairs, destroying everything in our path as we fought relentlessly—and it was too tempting to pass up.
I stepped forward, ready to rip her face apart, when something happened.
There was a flash of light, all consuming, all encompassing, and then it went black. A metaphorical blanket was tossed over my eyes, blinding my view of the future. I heard myself shriek as the futures of my entire family were wiped out, blotted away by the darkness. What was happening? I was alone in the dark. I was alone in the dark … again.
“Alice?” Jasper was by my side immediately, his arms wrapped protectively around me. Wave after wave of soothing calmness washed on me. “What’s wrong?”
“My—my vision’s … gone,” I said, staring off into space. I tried to look into the future, but nothing came. The loss of my sight, one of the few constants in my life, panicked me. “Jasper, I can’t see anyone anymore. My visions, they’re just … gone.”
“Is it the wolves?” Rosalie asked. She was standing in a corner, picking at her nails. She couldn’t have looked more disinterested if she had tried. Jasper glared at her indifference, to which she frowned. “Didn’t you say that you had trouble seeing things when they were close?”
I shook my head. “This is different.”
“How?” Jasper asked, tracing the contours of my face with his fingers. His touch was soothing me, and I found that I could focus. “What’s changed?”
“I can tell when something is hidden, and when it’s simply not there.” I tried to find the best words to communicate what I was feeling. I tried once again to look for someone, anyone. I focused on finding Carlisle, but all I felt was darkness, and the same happened with all the others. I couldn’t even see myself. This was a familiar feeling. “Do you remember when Bella vanished from my visions? I knew she was there—I just couldn’t see her. I could feel it. It was like something had covered her, shielded her, maybe. Whenever I tried to look for her, I felt fuzzy and confused.”
Jasper frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Whatever caused Bella to disappear from my visions,” I said slowly. “It’s coming here. Soon.”
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- Translations
Fáilte – Welcome
Fad saol agat, mo dheirfiúr, mo ghrá: Long life to you, my sister, my heart.
Bíodh sé amhlaidh – So be it
Seo an – Behold
A chuisle mo chroí – Blood of my heart
Please note: The girl who translated these may or may not know gaelic. I'm not entirely convinced she does. LOL.
Formal Author's Note:
I’ve sat down several times in a vain attempt to convey my thanks and appreciation, but words do not seem adequate enough. I’m not just talking about the warm reception and amazing response I received for The Walkers, but for my experience with the fan fiction world in general. I started this journey a little over four years ago, and I haven’t looked back since.
Not only did I meet some awesome ladies and learn more than I ever thought possible about crafting a story, I became an even better writer. I cannot recommend Project Team Beta enough. Since I started working with them, my professors have described my writing as intimidating, strong, and concise. I owe it to writing fan fiction with PTB.
I want to send a special shout out to jcat5507, who has been helping me with chapters since January. She has been awesome, always getting my chapters to me quickly and giving honest, thoughtful criticisms. I don’t know what I would have done without her!
I also want to thank the readers who have joined me on this journey. Thank you for believing not just in me, but in Shiloh, Nora, Una, Tobin, Rix, Collin, and Dex. They couldn’t have come to life if you guys hadn’t set aside the time to read this story. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
And, with nothing more to say, I wipe the tears from my eyes and switch this story to complete.