Changing Tides
by Momma2fan
Chapter 26
Sam, Jared and Paul set their imprints down and moved in front of them when they got to the parking lot. Standing in front of Paul’s car were four, red-eyed vampires.
“Stand down, Shifters. We mean you no harm.”
“Yeah, your red eyes say otherwise.” Sam spoke, ever the Alpha.
“Just as we smell to your kind, you stink to ours.” Another spoke.
“What do you want?” Jared asked, wanting to get Kim away from the human drinkers.
“Allow me to introduce us. My name is Demetri.” He pointed to the larger vampire, “This is Felix.” He turned to the little girl and boy beside him, “These are Jane and Alec. We are from the Volturi in Italy.”
Bella gasped at hearing who they were. They were essentially vampire royalty. “Why are you here? No laws have been broken.”
Paul turned his head and glared at her over his shoulder. She put her head against his back and muttered an apology.
“Ah, but you see you are a human who knows about us.”
Paul stood up straighter and Bella could feel him shaking. “She’s also the marked mate of a supernatural being, therefore she is not subject to your laws. She would have known about you regardless.”
“Perhaps,” Demetri nodded.
“I’ll ask again, what do you want?” Sam nearly growled.
“We would like to speak with the human.”
“Then talk.”
“Alone,” Jane hissed.
“Well that’s not happening,” Bella informed them. “So say what you need to.”
“Although your mate keeps you a part of the supernatural, your knowledge was still gained from sources who need to be punished. We are here on behalf of the Cullen coven to inform you of their punishment. They are to serve one-hundred years with the Volturi, either in the guard or in some other manner.” Demetri explained.
“Our Master, Aro, was deeply saddened to hear of the demise of Edward Cullen, he had hoped the young vampire would join us. However, after reading the minds of the others, he understands there was no choice. He wanted to extend an invitation to you,” Alec points at Bella. “To join the Volturi. He seems to think you will possess a one-of-a-kind gift.”
Jane glares at Bella, but picks up where her brother left off. “He wishes to assure you this will be a one time offer and there will be no repercussions if you refuse.”
Bella was stunned. “Why should I believe you when you say there won’t be any repercussions?”
Demetri shrugged, “I suppose you’ll have to trust us.”
The three wolves growled, but Bella placed her hand on Paul’s arm. “You’ll have to forgive me, but past experience has taught me vampires aren’t trustworthy. I want something in writing stating I won’t be bothered by the Volturi ever again.”
Janes hissed, “I hate it when that pixie is right.”
Alec grinned and reached into his pocket. “Alice Cullen anticipated what you would ask for. This is signed by all three brothers. We will no longer bother you.”
Sam took the envelope and after a look at Bella, opened it and read the contents. He nodded and handed it to her. Paul leaned his head on her shoulder and read with her.
“I appreciate this. I trust your business here is over?” Bella folded the letter and put it back in the envelope.
“If you are not joining us, then yes.” The four of them retreated back into the trees before disappearing.
“I’d like to go home now.” Bella whispered and looked at Paul. “I’m sure the three of you need to phase. Should we drive ourselves or are you containing the wolf?”
Sam looked at Jared and Paul. “I’m not leaving Emily until you are all home safely. I believe we all feel the same about that. Let’s go.”
Paul was still shaking as he and Bella settled in his car. Bella stared at her fiancé trying to figure out a way to calm him. “Paul?”
“I’m okay, Bella. I just need to get you home.” Paul had a whiteknuckled grip on the steering wheel.
“What can I do?”
Paul looked over at her and she gasped, seeing more of his wolf’s eyes than his beautiful brown. “Nothing, baby. I’ll be fine when I get you home and can let out the wolf for a while.”
Bella sat back, but placed her hand on his arm, needing to touch him to know he was there.
Paul pulled his car into the driveway and took a deep breath. He looked in his rearview and saw Sam and Jared pulling up behind him. Turning, he looked at Bella. “I need you to go inside and wait with Emily and Kim. I promise I’ll be back as soon as I can, but the wolf won’t let me be right now.”
Leaning forward, she pressed her lips to his. “I love you.”
“I love you.”
Exiting the car, the three of them walked to the treeline, making sure the girls were inside before the wolves took over. The three of them ran hard, not speaking, culling a few trees on their route. They ran all the way to Canada before they stopped.
I’m trying to see the bright side here. -P
What’s that? -J
That the leeches are completely gone from her life. -P
True, you won’t have to have the Cullens hanging over you like a shadow anymore. -S
Sam, do you think this is a step toward a normal life for all of us? -P
Maybe. I still won’t let us get complacent, but maybe. -S
Let’s go home. -J
***CT***
Bella stared out the window, while Emily and Kim sat on the couch watching TV, the three of them waiting for their men to return. She was having trouble believing vampires were really out of her life forever and she couldn’t fathom why the Cullens were with the Volturi. The longer she stared out into the night, the less it began to matter. They were gone and she could live her life with Paul without interruption. Suddenly she couldn’t wait.
Paul, Sam and Jared finally returned after a few hours and the other couples left, leaving Bella and Paul alone.
“You okay?” Paul asked as he wrapped his arms around her from behind.
“Yeah, I’m amazing actually. They’re gone, forever.” She turned in his arms and looked up into his eyes. “I knew they were when the treaty was voided, but this just makes it so much more final. I feel like I can breathe for the first time in two years. It’s a wonderful feeling.”
Lowering his head, Paul pressed his lips to hers. “Nothing is standing in your way now, Bella. You can do whatever you want.”
Bella ran her hands across his shoulders and down his chest, tracing the curves of his muscles. “What if what I want is to marry you and make babies?”
Paul smirked at her and picked her up, causing her to laugh as he ran them to their room.. “I say let’s get started.”
Sam, Jared and Paul set their imprints down and moved in front of them when they got to the parking lot. Standing in front of Paul’s car were four, red-eyed vampires.
“Stand down, Shifters. We mean you no harm.”
“Yeah, your red eyes say otherwise.” Sam spoke, ever the Alpha.
“Just as we smell to your kind, you stink to ours.” Another spoke.
“What do you want?” Jared asked, wanting to get Kim away from the human drinkers.
“Allow me to introduce us. My name is Demetri.” He pointed to the larger vampire, “This is Felix.” He turned to the little girl and boy beside him, “These are Jane and Alec. We are from the Volturi in Italy.”
Bella gasped at hearing who they were. They were essentially vampire royalty. “Why are you here? No laws have been broken.”
Paul turned his head and glared at her over his shoulder. She put her head against his back and muttered an apology.
“Ah, but you see you are a human who knows about us.”
Paul stood up straighter and Bella could feel him shaking. “She’s also the marked mate of a supernatural being, therefore she is not subject to your laws. She would have known about you regardless.”
“Perhaps,” Demetri nodded.
“I’ll ask again, what do you want?” Sam nearly growled.
“We would like to speak with the human.”
“Then talk.”
“Alone,” Jane hissed.
“Well that’s not happening,” Bella informed them. “So say what you need to.”
“Although your mate keeps you a part of the supernatural, your knowledge was still gained from sources who need to be punished. We are here on behalf of the Cullen coven to inform you of their punishment. They are to serve one-hundred years with the Volturi, either in the guard or in some other manner.” Demetri explained.
“Our Master, Aro, was deeply saddened to hear of the demise of Edward Cullen, he had hoped the young vampire would join us. However, after reading the minds of the others, he understands there was no choice. He wanted to extend an invitation to you,” Alec points at Bella. “To join the Volturi. He seems to think you will possess a one-of-a-kind gift.”
Jane glares at Bella, but picks up where her brother left off. “He wishes to assure you this will be a one time offer and there will be no repercussions if you refuse.”
Bella was stunned. “Why should I believe you when you say there won’t be any repercussions?”
Demetri shrugged, “I suppose you’ll have to trust us.”
The three wolves growled, but Bella placed her hand on Paul’s arm. “You’ll have to forgive me, but past experience has taught me vampires aren’t trustworthy. I want something in writing stating I won’t be bothered by the Volturi ever again.”
Janes hissed, “I hate it when that pixie is right.”
Alec grinned and reached into his pocket. “Alice Cullen anticipated what you would ask for. This is signed by all three brothers. We will no longer bother you.”
Sam took the envelope and after a look at Bella, opened it and read the contents. He nodded and handed it to her. Paul leaned his head on her shoulder and read with her.
“I appreciate this. I trust your business here is over?” Bella folded the letter and put it back in the envelope.
“If you are not joining us, then yes.” The four of them retreated back into the trees before disappearing.
“I’d like to go home now.” Bella whispered and looked at Paul. “I’m sure the three of you need to phase. Should we drive ourselves or are you containing the wolf?”
Sam looked at Jared and Paul. “I’m not leaving Emily until you are all home safely. I believe we all feel the same about that. Let’s go.”
Paul was still shaking as he and Bella settled in his car. Bella stared at her fiancé trying to figure out a way to calm him. “Paul?”
“I’m okay, Bella. I just need to get you home.” Paul had a whiteknuckled grip on the steering wheel.
“What can I do?”
Paul looked over at her and she gasped, seeing more of his wolf’s eyes than his beautiful brown. “Nothing, baby. I’ll be fine when I get you home and can let out the wolf for a while.”
Bella sat back, but placed her hand on his arm, needing to touch him to know he was there.
Paul pulled his car into the driveway and took a deep breath. He looked in his rearview and saw Sam and Jared pulling up behind him. Turning, he looked at Bella. “I need you to go inside and wait with Emily and Kim. I promise I’ll be back as soon as I can, but the wolf won’t let me be right now.”
Leaning forward, she pressed her lips to his. “I love you.”
“I love you.”
Exiting the car, the three of them walked to the treeline, making sure the girls were inside before the wolves took over. The three of them ran hard, not speaking, culling a few trees on their route. They ran all the way to Canada before they stopped.
I’m trying to see the bright side here. -P
What’s that? -J
That the leeches are completely gone from her life. -P
True, you won’t have to have the Cullens hanging over you like a shadow anymore. -S
Sam, do you think this is a step toward a normal life for all of us? -P
Maybe. I still won’t let us get complacent, but maybe. -S
Let’s go home. -J
***CT***
Bella stared out the window, while Emily and Kim sat on the couch watching TV, the three of them waiting for their men to return. She was having trouble believing vampires were really out of her life forever and she couldn’t fathom why the Cullens were with the Volturi. The longer she stared out into the night, the less it began to matter. They were gone and she could live her life with Paul without interruption. Suddenly she couldn’t wait.
Paul, Sam and Jared finally returned after a few hours and the other couples left, leaving Bella and Paul alone.
“You okay?” Paul asked as he wrapped his arms around her from behind.
“Yeah, I’m amazing actually. They’re gone, forever.” She turned in his arms and looked up into his eyes. “I knew they were when the treaty was voided, but this just makes it so much more final. I feel like I can breathe for the first time in two years. It’s a wonderful feeling.”
Lowering his head, Paul pressed his lips to hers. “Nothing is standing in your way now, Bella. You can do whatever you want.”
Bella ran her hands across his shoulders and down his chest, tracing the curves of his muscles. “What if what I want is to marry you and make babies?”
Paul smirked at her and picked her up, causing her to laugh as he ran them to their room.. “I say let’s get started.”