Hurricane
by Laura Spudzmom
Chapter 6
Victoria’s eyes went wide as this savage unknown entity lunged at her, her gift of evasion kicking in fully as she tossed the wailing infant toward him while diving toward the gaping window.
Instincts and her gift told her doing so was her only chance of escape. Somehow she knew, deep in every fiber of her being, to take his words to heart—if she harmed the child now, it would be the moment of her end, so she tossed the brat and fled.
Faster than a human eye could track, Klaus caught his terrified child in gentle hands, his arms wrapping the infant protectively against his chest as he twisted in mid-air, one hand carefully cupping his son’s tiny head as he landed lithely amidst scattered broken glass.
“There now,” he soothed, his lips placing tiny kisses against the downy head as he whispered to soothe his child’s cries. “I’ve got you. Shh, you’re right as rain. All is well, shh,” he murmured with a tiny smile as the baby slowly settled against his chest, his cries quieting to hiccuping whimpers.
He met Bella’s teary gaze and walked toward her, his eyes still a blazing amber as he placed the baby in her outstretched arms.
“Thank you,” she sobbed as she cuddled the whimpering baby close. “Oh god Niklaus, thank you.”
She was weak with terror and relief, unable to rise from where she’d collapsed on the floor as she peppered her baby’s head with grateful kisses while Klaus dug out his phone and made a call. “Brother, I need you back here. There’s something I need to take care of and I don’t want Bella or my son left alone. We’ll fill you in when you arrive.”
With that, he ended the call and helped Bella to her feet. “Come, love. Let’s get you to the sofa while we wait for Elijah to get here.” He wrapped an arm around her waist as they walked into the living room.
“Where are you going?” she asked as she settled herself and the baby.
Barely holding back a snarl, he answered, “I’m going to take care of the problem, once and for all. No one threatens those I care for and gets away with it.”
A scoff caught their attention and Klaus pinned the lingering mind reader with a deadly gaze as he spoke. “She’s long gone by now, unless Jasper managed to grab her.”
“Do not assume that I am inept simply because you are, child,” Klaus drawled with a sneer before turning back to Bella.
“I am not a child and neither am I inept!” Edward hissed, his jaw tense and fists clenched. “Victoria possesses the gift of evasion. That’s why we’ve been unable to catch her.”
Klaus tossed a derisive glance over his shoulder. “Why are you still here when it’s abundantly clear that you’re neither needed nor wanted?” he asked, his bored tone dripping disdain.
Edward drew himself up. “I’m here for Bella, to ensure her safety.”
Klaus snorted. “Yes, and from what I witnessed earlier, it’s a fine job you’ve done so far…”
Bella sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “Edward, he’s right. I don’t want or need you here, so please, do us all a favor and leave before this devolves into a dick measuring contest.”
Klaus eyed her with amusement. “Even then, I’m confident in my superiority,” he quipped.
Her lips twitched as she tried to glare at him. “Be that as it may…”
Edward frowned as he stepped closer. “Bella, love, please…”
He trailed off at the frigid look she pinned him with. “Don’t call me that! And I believe I asked you to leave. You know the way out.”
“You won’t even take a moment to speak to me?”
She bristled further and Dominic began to fuss, his upset increasing every second with her darkening mood. “Why should I?” she hissed quietly while rubbing the baby’s back in a bid to soothe him. “You said plenty for both of us seven years ago, now go.”
“Things have changed, Bella…I still love you, even though it’s clear you’re now saddled with another man’s child.” His eyes widened as the baby began to glow and he hissed in pain as his hands began to burn, horrified to see the barest hint of purple tinged smoke rising from them when he looked at them. “What’s happening?!” he asked as he stared from his hands to the glowing, crying child held against Bella’s shoulder.
Klaus looked from his son to the mind reader, a smirk slowing curving his lips as he put two and two together. “I believe our son is manifesting a family gift, love,” he drawled smoothly, his smirk turning into a grin as he chose to ignore the mind-reader and address Bella.
She stared at him, her eyes wide as she glanced between Klaus and her child while Edward backed away, a grudging groan of pain finally leaving him as the pain and blistering slowly crept up his arms.
“I would advise leaving, Cold One. My son seems to feel threatened by your presence and I’ve no knowledge of what damage you may incur should you insist on staying,” Klaus said, not bothering to hide his delight.
With no further argument, Edward turned and rushed out the damaged door just as Elijah arrived. After a curious glance back, he walked in with one brow cocked as he pushed the door closed. “That was a hasty retreat,” he said as he joined them, taking a seat in an arm chair while taking in his brother’s satisfied smirk and Bella’s concerned frown as she quieted Dominic.
“What family gift, Niklaus? What the hell’s going on?” Bella demanded, not even acknowledging Elijah’s presence.
Klaus leaned down and lightly kissed her parted lips. “Not now love. We’ll talk when I get back, I promise you. For now,” he said, catching his brother’s eye, “I have a cold one to destroy. Brother, Bella can fill you in on what happened.”
“Wait! Niklaus!” Bella protested, but he was already gone and the baby’s cries picked up again.
Elijah sighed. “Don’t worry lovely, you’ll get used to it. Niklaus can be…impetuous. Now, perhaps you should feed the child and then tell me what has happened?” Elijah suggested, his tone understanding at her obvious distress.
She rose and handed him the baby, nearly laughing aloud at his spluttering protests as he stared down at the red-faced, squalling infant in his arms. “He won’t bite Uncle Elijah, don’t worry. Just talk to him while I get him a bottle. I’ll be right back.”
She left the room and he pressed his lips together while gently bouncing the crying child. “If you could make haste Bella, I would be most appreciative. I’m not exactly…cut out for this.”
He heard her laugh from the kitchen. “You’ll be a veteran in no time, Elijah. Babies have a way of breaking you in quickly.”
“Even the unwilling?” he called out, his voice tight with stress, and she smirked as she returned and took the baby from the relieved looking vampire.
“Yes,” she said as she took a seat and settled Dominic with his bottle. “Besides, I don’t think you’re as unwilling as you think you are. I’ve seen the way you look at him. He means something to you already, even though holding him makes you uncomfortable.” She smirked.
“That may very well be, but I’d rather keep our interactions at a minimum—say, until he’s in his twenties and over any messy stages or growth influenced emotional episodes?”
She laughed. “Nope, sorry, you’d miss too much. All uncles need to experience a sticky kiss to the cheek and an adoring hug every so often, not to mention soothing over angsty teen issues when the parents are the bad guys. It’s in your job description.”
He smirked. “Why do I get the feeling Niklaus will reap all the fun parts out of this deal?”
For the first time in a long time, Bella felt her face heat with a blush. “Subject change time,” she said and launched into all that had transpired after Elijah had left earlier. The sooner she got that over with, the sooner she’d get some answers about what was going on with Dominic, whether Niklaus was back yet or not.
~o0o~
Klaus raced ahead as he followed the scent trail left by the red-headed cold one, letting the rage take him over as he replayed the images of his son in her filthy hands.
Even though the sun was rising, it was easy to keep to her trail as she kept to a path of concealment from the humans. It seemed she was more wily and less reckless than he suspected but that was probably due to a healthy fear of the Volturi on her part than any inherent wisdom.
Over the many centuries he’d lived, he’d found their species rather dim when it came to any form of courtesy or common sense. In short, he didn’t hold much respect for any of them. They were instinct-driven and blood-thirsty to a fault and the only thing that kept any of them in line was the threat of destruction from their so-called rulers—the Volturi. Well, with the notable exception of Cullen and his coven, he conceded.
When he began to pick up the sounds of growls and hissing in a heavily wooded area, he slowed his pace and took in the scents of two other cold ones who’d joined that of the red-head just upwind of him. It wasn’t that he couldn’t defeat more than one of the creatures, but caution was always the best approach he’d learned through experience as he slowed to a sedate and silent walk.
“You’ll never catch me empath, so give up trying,” the red-head’s shrill voice echoed through the trees as he stilled and listened. A deep growl sounded.
“Don’t be so sure bitch,” a distinctly accented, male voice intoned. “I tire of your games. You may have gotten by my brother, but I’m not such an easy opponent.”
She hissed. “Why do you care anyway? What’s the human bitch to you, or your brother for that matter? He left her after all and you all followed him like good little sheep. It’s clear she means nothing to any of you and I will see her dead at my hand for what happened to James!”
“I’m done talkin’,” the male said. “This ends now.”
Klaus felt his face change at the mention of the cold one harming Bella and he strode into the clearing where he could see flashes of her red hair through the branches of a tree. “I couldn’t agree more, empath,” Klaus said, his tone laced with a growl as he launched himself into the tree while the female shrieked and tried to escape.
Jasper gaped as he watched the lightning-fast newcomer grab Victoria by the hair before jerking her back toward his body. “What did I tell you earlier, love?” he murmured into her ear as she fruitlessly struggled, her eyes wide with terror. “Have you forgotten so soon?” He paused as she trembled in his unbreakable grip, only a whimper slipping past her quivering lips. “Well,” he continued with a vicious smile, “let’s rectify that, shall we?”
Lithely jumping from the tree, he dragged her with him by the hair over to a thick trunked fallen tree where he tore first one arm from her, then the other in quick succession. She screamed and he grinned down at her. “Save your screams for later sweetheart. Believe me, you’ll need them.”
As he reached down and tore her legs off at the hips, he glanced over at the stoic empath and another petite female who’d joined him and now clung to his side. “Don’t go anywhere. I have use for you.”
The blond male gave him a curt nod before murmuring to the female. “You should go darlin’. Not sure this is somethin’ you wanna see.”
She whimpered, her eyes wide as she looked up at him. “It’s too late, Jazz,” she whispered, “I’ve already seen it and I won’t leave you.”
With a resigned nod, they both fell silent as Klaus placed the sobbing red-head face first over the log, holding her secure with a booted foot on her lower back as he tore her shirt from her, exposing her back.
Forcing enough of a change so that he now had razor sharp claws, he leaned down and spoke directly in her ear. “I’ve lived a very long time, you know? A very long life I’ve had, my dear, and in that time, I’ve learned some very…interesting methods of dealing with someone like you. Tell me, have you ever heard of the Rite of the Blood Eagle?”
She sobbed and shook her head vigorously, her flame colored hair tangling into her face with the motion. He grinned, his glowing amber eyes filled with the promise of pain and death. “Well then, you’re in for a treat.”
With one sharp claw, he began to deeply carve the image of an eagle into the flesh of her back, her shrill screams rending the air as her venom burned and sizzled in reaction to his werewolf DNA. When he’d finished an agonizing half hour later, he straightened and surveyed his work. “You know, it’s really quite beautiful,” he mused. “You’re quite the canvas, sweetheart,” he said over her loud, hitching sobs. Then he frowned. “All that hair is marring the view though and that just won’t do.”
Reaching down, he gathered the bulk of her wild, red curls into one hand and yanked while still holding her down under his boot. Most of her hair along with a good patch of scalp came away in his hand as she screamed again. “There, much better.” He turned to his audience of two. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
Not waiting for an answer, he tossed the hair and scalp into the pile where her twitching limbs were and leaned down again. “Now, the real fun begins,” he purred into her ear and she clenched her eyes shut, never ever dreaming that one of her kind could experience this level of pain.
Had she but known…
“Please,” she began to beg. “Please, just set me aflame and get it over with. Have mercy…”
“Mercy?” he questioned. “Have you ever shown mercy in all your pathetic existence, disgusting creature that you are? Would you have shown Bella or my infant son any mercy if it hadn’t been in your interest to escape me?”
She sobbed and he nodded. “I thought not,” he acknowledged with a snarl.
With that, he placed a clawed finger at the base of her neck and pressed while following the line of her spine, his claw carving cleanly through her toughened skin all the way to the bone. Despite her screaming and begging, he didn’t stop until he’d reached his booted foot at her lower back.
Her screams were like music to his ears and he praised her for them. “Yes…that’s it my lovely! Let me hear you!” he demanded as he carved more furrows just under her shoulders and at her waistline before agonizingly peeling back the two large flaps of skin and muscle, exposing her spine and ribs to him as he laid her open. “Would you like me to share the next steps in the Blood Eagle Rite, love, or would you rather it be a surprise?”
“No, please! Mercy…I beg you, have mercy! Burn me now and be done, please!” she sobbed as thick, viscous strings of venom streamed from her eyes and nose and dripped in long stringy drips from her lips and chin. She turned her head and stared into his demon-lit eyes, her heart dropping at the smirk of satisfaction she saw there. “Please,” she rasped. “Death is all I ask for.”
“And death you shall have,” he answered before his grin widened, showing his lethal fangs. “when I’m through with you, and not a moment sooner.”
Jasper gasped and Alice whimpered and hid her face against him as a scream, so filled with despair the empath had trouble standing through it, rang throughout the woods as Klaus continued on with the ancient ritual.
One by one, he reached in and tore her ribs from their anchor points on her spine, peeling each one back until they stuck up like a bereft and gruesome frame of wings from her back. “You know,” he intoned casually as he worked, “we are fortunate, you and I, as most humans, when undergoing this rite would have passed out by this point, either from the pain or blood-loss.” He shrugged and peeled back another rib, his detached monologue continuing as he worked. “One can never be sure. But you? Ah, you are blessed—or cursed, depending upon how you see it—with a constitution of iron and the gift of immortality! Isn’t that wonderful?” he grunted as he yanked up yet another rib amidst her incessant screams. “Yes, if one were so inclined, one could patch you back together again, give you a little blood and do this all over again another day! Isn’t that a marvel?!” he asked as he peeled back her last rib.
“Please, just…end her,” the petite female clinging to the empath whimpered, her eyes tightly shut as she shuddered against the male who held her tightly.
“Have patience young one. I’ve not finished.” He motioned to the empath. “This is, however, where you come in.” He eyed Jasper, motioning with a hand when he showed reluctance to move forward. “Come, come, I don’t have all day.”
When he finally drew next to him, he held out a hand, palm up. “Spit. I need some venom.”
Jasper’s brow pinched. “What for?”
Klaus sighed. “Very well. You see, originally, salt would now be rubbed onto the surface of the exposed lungs. Since I do not have that, and it wouldn’t matter if I did, I will use foreign venom to inflict pain instead.” He held out his hand insistently. “Now spit.”
Jasper spit into his hand before backing away quickly as Klaus spread the venom over the wailing female’s exposed lung tissue.
He stood back and tapped his chin as she writhed under the pinning weight of his boot. “Usually, the lungs would be lifted out, but I think we’ll forego that part. I find your screams becoming tiresome and I do have a beautiful mate and son to get back to,” he said with a wide grin just as a scowling Edward joined his siblings.
“You’re an inhuman beast with all the morals of a hell bound demon!” Edward spat.
Klaus absently waved a hand while searching his pockets for a lighter. “Yes, yes, believe me, I’ve heard it all before and from far more important people than you so I’m not likely to lose sleep over your opinion. Empath, do you happen to have a lighter handy?”
Jasper dug out a Zippo and tossed it to him. “Excellent,” he said before reaching down to grab a handful of dirt which he vigorously rubbed his hands with.
“What the hell are you doing?” Edward asked with a furrowed brow.
Klaus rolled his eyes while muttering, “I’m dealing with a sharp one…” before addressing the mind reader. “My hands have been soaked with venom and I don’t relish the thought of toasting myself whilst sending Red to Hell where she belongs. Make sense?”
Grabbing a dry, leafy branch, he quickly lit it and tossed it on the moaning vampire before motioning to the others. “Grab her hair and limbs and toss them on, yeah? I’m ready to be through with this. Your infant sibling is trying my patience.”
When all Victoria’s parts were quickly turning to ash, Edward stepped up and shoved Klaus’s shoulder. “Just what is it you want with Bella?”
“Edward!” the petite one hissed in warning as Klaus raised a brow while glancing at the place Edward had touched him. Looking over at the staid empath, he ignored the obstinate mind-reader completely. “You may want to rein in your errant sibling before I teach him some manners in a rather permanent way.”
“He’s sorry and it won’t happen again, we swear it,” the female hurried to say as she shoved the scowling mind-reader away.
“I’m thrilled to hear it,’ Klaus muttered absently while brushing his hand off on his jeans before looking up at them with a polite smile. “Well, while this has been untold amounts of fun, I must be going. Make sure the fire’s completely out before you toddle off, won’t you? I’m too impatient to wait. There’s a hot shower and a glass of well-aged single malt scotch with my name on it, not to mention a beautiful woman and the finest egyptian cotton sheets money can buy waiting for me. Cheers.”
With that, he practically vanished from their presence as they stood there gazing at each other, only Jasper having been somewhat unaffected by what they’d just witnessed.
With a heavy sigh, he drew Alice close and motioned to the smoldering embers. “Mind that fire till it’s out, Edward. We’ll see ya back at the house.”
Victoria’s eyes went wide as this savage unknown entity lunged at her, her gift of evasion kicking in fully as she tossed the wailing infant toward him while diving toward the gaping window.
Instincts and her gift told her doing so was her only chance of escape. Somehow she knew, deep in every fiber of her being, to take his words to heart—if she harmed the child now, it would be the moment of her end, so she tossed the brat and fled.
Faster than a human eye could track, Klaus caught his terrified child in gentle hands, his arms wrapping the infant protectively against his chest as he twisted in mid-air, one hand carefully cupping his son’s tiny head as he landed lithely amidst scattered broken glass.
“There now,” he soothed, his lips placing tiny kisses against the downy head as he whispered to soothe his child’s cries. “I’ve got you. Shh, you’re right as rain. All is well, shh,” he murmured with a tiny smile as the baby slowly settled against his chest, his cries quieting to hiccuping whimpers.
He met Bella’s teary gaze and walked toward her, his eyes still a blazing amber as he placed the baby in her outstretched arms.
“Thank you,” she sobbed as she cuddled the whimpering baby close. “Oh god Niklaus, thank you.”
She was weak with terror and relief, unable to rise from where she’d collapsed on the floor as she peppered her baby’s head with grateful kisses while Klaus dug out his phone and made a call. “Brother, I need you back here. There’s something I need to take care of and I don’t want Bella or my son left alone. We’ll fill you in when you arrive.”
With that, he ended the call and helped Bella to her feet. “Come, love. Let’s get you to the sofa while we wait for Elijah to get here.” He wrapped an arm around her waist as they walked into the living room.
“Where are you going?” she asked as she settled herself and the baby.
Barely holding back a snarl, he answered, “I’m going to take care of the problem, once and for all. No one threatens those I care for and gets away with it.”
A scoff caught their attention and Klaus pinned the lingering mind reader with a deadly gaze as he spoke. “She’s long gone by now, unless Jasper managed to grab her.”
“Do not assume that I am inept simply because you are, child,” Klaus drawled with a sneer before turning back to Bella.
“I am not a child and neither am I inept!” Edward hissed, his jaw tense and fists clenched. “Victoria possesses the gift of evasion. That’s why we’ve been unable to catch her.”
Klaus tossed a derisive glance over his shoulder. “Why are you still here when it’s abundantly clear that you’re neither needed nor wanted?” he asked, his bored tone dripping disdain.
Edward drew himself up. “I’m here for Bella, to ensure her safety.”
Klaus snorted. “Yes, and from what I witnessed earlier, it’s a fine job you’ve done so far…”
Bella sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “Edward, he’s right. I don’t want or need you here, so please, do us all a favor and leave before this devolves into a dick measuring contest.”
Klaus eyed her with amusement. “Even then, I’m confident in my superiority,” he quipped.
Her lips twitched as she tried to glare at him. “Be that as it may…”
Edward frowned as he stepped closer. “Bella, love, please…”
He trailed off at the frigid look she pinned him with. “Don’t call me that! And I believe I asked you to leave. You know the way out.”
“You won’t even take a moment to speak to me?”
She bristled further and Dominic began to fuss, his upset increasing every second with her darkening mood. “Why should I?” she hissed quietly while rubbing the baby’s back in a bid to soothe him. “You said plenty for both of us seven years ago, now go.”
“Things have changed, Bella…I still love you, even though it’s clear you’re now saddled with another man’s child.” His eyes widened as the baby began to glow and he hissed in pain as his hands began to burn, horrified to see the barest hint of purple tinged smoke rising from them when he looked at them. “What’s happening?!” he asked as he stared from his hands to the glowing, crying child held against Bella’s shoulder.
Klaus looked from his son to the mind reader, a smirk slowing curving his lips as he put two and two together. “I believe our son is manifesting a family gift, love,” he drawled smoothly, his smirk turning into a grin as he chose to ignore the mind-reader and address Bella.
She stared at him, her eyes wide as she glanced between Klaus and her child while Edward backed away, a grudging groan of pain finally leaving him as the pain and blistering slowly crept up his arms.
“I would advise leaving, Cold One. My son seems to feel threatened by your presence and I’ve no knowledge of what damage you may incur should you insist on staying,” Klaus said, not bothering to hide his delight.
With no further argument, Edward turned and rushed out the damaged door just as Elijah arrived. After a curious glance back, he walked in with one brow cocked as he pushed the door closed. “That was a hasty retreat,” he said as he joined them, taking a seat in an arm chair while taking in his brother’s satisfied smirk and Bella’s concerned frown as she quieted Dominic.
“What family gift, Niklaus? What the hell’s going on?” Bella demanded, not even acknowledging Elijah’s presence.
Klaus leaned down and lightly kissed her parted lips. “Not now love. We’ll talk when I get back, I promise you. For now,” he said, catching his brother’s eye, “I have a cold one to destroy. Brother, Bella can fill you in on what happened.”
“Wait! Niklaus!” Bella protested, but he was already gone and the baby’s cries picked up again.
Elijah sighed. “Don’t worry lovely, you’ll get used to it. Niklaus can be…impetuous. Now, perhaps you should feed the child and then tell me what has happened?” Elijah suggested, his tone understanding at her obvious distress.
She rose and handed him the baby, nearly laughing aloud at his spluttering protests as he stared down at the red-faced, squalling infant in his arms. “He won’t bite Uncle Elijah, don’t worry. Just talk to him while I get him a bottle. I’ll be right back.”
She left the room and he pressed his lips together while gently bouncing the crying child. “If you could make haste Bella, I would be most appreciative. I’m not exactly…cut out for this.”
He heard her laugh from the kitchen. “You’ll be a veteran in no time, Elijah. Babies have a way of breaking you in quickly.”
“Even the unwilling?” he called out, his voice tight with stress, and she smirked as she returned and took the baby from the relieved looking vampire.
“Yes,” she said as she took a seat and settled Dominic with his bottle. “Besides, I don’t think you’re as unwilling as you think you are. I’ve seen the way you look at him. He means something to you already, even though holding him makes you uncomfortable.” She smirked.
“That may very well be, but I’d rather keep our interactions at a minimum—say, until he’s in his twenties and over any messy stages or growth influenced emotional episodes?”
She laughed. “Nope, sorry, you’d miss too much. All uncles need to experience a sticky kiss to the cheek and an adoring hug every so often, not to mention soothing over angsty teen issues when the parents are the bad guys. It’s in your job description.”
He smirked. “Why do I get the feeling Niklaus will reap all the fun parts out of this deal?”
For the first time in a long time, Bella felt her face heat with a blush. “Subject change time,” she said and launched into all that had transpired after Elijah had left earlier. The sooner she got that over with, the sooner she’d get some answers about what was going on with Dominic, whether Niklaus was back yet or not.
~o0o~
Klaus raced ahead as he followed the scent trail left by the red-headed cold one, letting the rage take him over as he replayed the images of his son in her filthy hands.
Even though the sun was rising, it was easy to keep to her trail as she kept to a path of concealment from the humans. It seemed she was more wily and less reckless than he suspected but that was probably due to a healthy fear of the Volturi on her part than any inherent wisdom.
Over the many centuries he’d lived, he’d found their species rather dim when it came to any form of courtesy or common sense. In short, he didn’t hold much respect for any of them. They were instinct-driven and blood-thirsty to a fault and the only thing that kept any of them in line was the threat of destruction from their so-called rulers—the Volturi. Well, with the notable exception of Cullen and his coven, he conceded.
When he began to pick up the sounds of growls and hissing in a heavily wooded area, he slowed his pace and took in the scents of two other cold ones who’d joined that of the red-head just upwind of him. It wasn’t that he couldn’t defeat more than one of the creatures, but caution was always the best approach he’d learned through experience as he slowed to a sedate and silent walk.
“You’ll never catch me empath, so give up trying,” the red-head’s shrill voice echoed through the trees as he stilled and listened. A deep growl sounded.
“Don’t be so sure bitch,” a distinctly accented, male voice intoned. “I tire of your games. You may have gotten by my brother, but I’m not such an easy opponent.”
She hissed. “Why do you care anyway? What’s the human bitch to you, or your brother for that matter? He left her after all and you all followed him like good little sheep. It’s clear she means nothing to any of you and I will see her dead at my hand for what happened to James!”
“I’m done talkin’,” the male said. “This ends now.”
Klaus felt his face change at the mention of the cold one harming Bella and he strode into the clearing where he could see flashes of her red hair through the branches of a tree. “I couldn’t agree more, empath,” Klaus said, his tone laced with a growl as he launched himself into the tree while the female shrieked and tried to escape.
Jasper gaped as he watched the lightning-fast newcomer grab Victoria by the hair before jerking her back toward his body. “What did I tell you earlier, love?” he murmured into her ear as she fruitlessly struggled, her eyes wide with terror. “Have you forgotten so soon?” He paused as she trembled in his unbreakable grip, only a whimper slipping past her quivering lips. “Well,” he continued with a vicious smile, “let’s rectify that, shall we?”
Lithely jumping from the tree, he dragged her with him by the hair over to a thick trunked fallen tree where he tore first one arm from her, then the other in quick succession. She screamed and he grinned down at her. “Save your screams for later sweetheart. Believe me, you’ll need them.”
As he reached down and tore her legs off at the hips, he glanced over at the stoic empath and another petite female who’d joined him and now clung to his side. “Don’t go anywhere. I have use for you.”
The blond male gave him a curt nod before murmuring to the female. “You should go darlin’. Not sure this is somethin’ you wanna see.”
She whimpered, her eyes wide as she looked up at him. “It’s too late, Jazz,” she whispered, “I’ve already seen it and I won’t leave you.”
With a resigned nod, they both fell silent as Klaus placed the sobbing red-head face first over the log, holding her secure with a booted foot on her lower back as he tore her shirt from her, exposing her back.
Forcing enough of a change so that he now had razor sharp claws, he leaned down and spoke directly in her ear. “I’ve lived a very long time, you know? A very long life I’ve had, my dear, and in that time, I’ve learned some very…interesting methods of dealing with someone like you. Tell me, have you ever heard of the Rite of the Blood Eagle?”
She sobbed and shook her head vigorously, her flame colored hair tangling into her face with the motion. He grinned, his glowing amber eyes filled with the promise of pain and death. “Well then, you’re in for a treat.”
With one sharp claw, he began to deeply carve the image of an eagle into the flesh of her back, her shrill screams rending the air as her venom burned and sizzled in reaction to his werewolf DNA. When he’d finished an agonizing half hour later, he straightened and surveyed his work. “You know, it’s really quite beautiful,” he mused. “You’re quite the canvas, sweetheart,” he said over her loud, hitching sobs. Then he frowned. “All that hair is marring the view though and that just won’t do.”
Reaching down, he gathered the bulk of her wild, red curls into one hand and yanked while still holding her down under his boot. Most of her hair along with a good patch of scalp came away in his hand as she screamed again. “There, much better.” He turned to his audience of two. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
Not waiting for an answer, he tossed the hair and scalp into the pile where her twitching limbs were and leaned down again. “Now, the real fun begins,” he purred into her ear and she clenched her eyes shut, never ever dreaming that one of her kind could experience this level of pain.
Had she but known…
“Please,” she began to beg. “Please, just set me aflame and get it over with. Have mercy…”
“Mercy?” he questioned. “Have you ever shown mercy in all your pathetic existence, disgusting creature that you are? Would you have shown Bella or my infant son any mercy if it hadn’t been in your interest to escape me?”
She sobbed and he nodded. “I thought not,” he acknowledged with a snarl.
With that, he placed a clawed finger at the base of her neck and pressed while following the line of her spine, his claw carving cleanly through her toughened skin all the way to the bone. Despite her screaming and begging, he didn’t stop until he’d reached his booted foot at her lower back.
Her screams were like music to his ears and he praised her for them. “Yes…that’s it my lovely! Let me hear you!” he demanded as he carved more furrows just under her shoulders and at her waistline before agonizingly peeling back the two large flaps of skin and muscle, exposing her spine and ribs to him as he laid her open. “Would you like me to share the next steps in the Blood Eagle Rite, love, or would you rather it be a surprise?”
“No, please! Mercy…I beg you, have mercy! Burn me now and be done, please!” she sobbed as thick, viscous strings of venom streamed from her eyes and nose and dripped in long stringy drips from her lips and chin. She turned her head and stared into his demon-lit eyes, her heart dropping at the smirk of satisfaction she saw there. “Please,” she rasped. “Death is all I ask for.”
“And death you shall have,” he answered before his grin widened, showing his lethal fangs. “when I’m through with you, and not a moment sooner.”
Jasper gasped and Alice whimpered and hid her face against him as a scream, so filled with despair the empath had trouble standing through it, rang throughout the woods as Klaus continued on with the ancient ritual.
One by one, he reached in and tore her ribs from their anchor points on her spine, peeling each one back until they stuck up like a bereft and gruesome frame of wings from her back. “You know,” he intoned casually as he worked, “we are fortunate, you and I, as most humans, when undergoing this rite would have passed out by this point, either from the pain or blood-loss.” He shrugged and peeled back another rib, his detached monologue continuing as he worked. “One can never be sure. But you? Ah, you are blessed—or cursed, depending upon how you see it—with a constitution of iron and the gift of immortality! Isn’t that wonderful?” he grunted as he yanked up yet another rib amidst her incessant screams. “Yes, if one were so inclined, one could patch you back together again, give you a little blood and do this all over again another day! Isn’t that a marvel?!” he asked as he peeled back her last rib.
“Please, just…end her,” the petite female clinging to the empath whimpered, her eyes tightly shut as she shuddered against the male who held her tightly.
“Have patience young one. I’ve not finished.” He motioned to the empath. “This is, however, where you come in.” He eyed Jasper, motioning with a hand when he showed reluctance to move forward. “Come, come, I don’t have all day.”
When he finally drew next to him, he held out a hand, palm up. “Spit. I need some venom.”
Jasper’s brow pinched. “What for?”
Klaus sighed. “Very well. You see, originally, salt would now be rubbed onto the surface of the exposed lungs. Since I do not have that, and it wouldn’t matter if I did, I will use foreign venom to inflict pain instead.” He held out his hand insistently. “Now spit.”
Jasper spit into his hand before backing away quickly as Klaus spread the venom over the wailing female’s exposed lung tissue.
He stood back and tapped his chin as she writhed under the pinning weight of his boot. “Usually, the lungs would be lifted out, but I think we’ll forego that part. I find your screams becoming tiresome and I do have a beautiful mate and son to get back to,” he said with a wide grin just as a scowling Edward joined his siblings.
“You’re an inhuman beast with all the morals of a hell bound demon!” Edward spat.
Klaus absently waved a hand while searching his pockets for a lighter. “Yes, yes, believe me, I’ve heard it all before and from far more important people than you so I’m not likely to lose sleep over your opinion. Empath, do you happen to have a lighter handy?”
Jasper dug out a Zippo and tossed it to him. “Excellent,” he said before reaching down to grab a handful of dirt which he vigorously rubbed his hands with.
“What the hell are you doing?” Edward asked with a furrowed brow.
Klaus rolled his eyes while muttering, “I’m dealing with a sharp one…” before addressing the mind reader. “My hands have been soaked with venom and I don’t relish the thought of toasting myself whilst sending Red to Hell where she belongs. Make sense?”
Grabbing a dry, leafy branch, he quickly lit it and tossed it on the moaning vampire before motioning to the others. “Grab her hair and limbs and toss them on, yeah? I’m ready to be through with this. Your infant sibling is trying my patience.”
When all Victoria’s parts were quickly turning to ash, Edward stepped up and shoved Klaus’s shoulder. “Just what is it you want with Bella?”
“Edward!” the petite one hissed in warning as Klaus raised a brow while glancing at the place Edward had touched him. Looking over at the staid empath, he ignored the obstinate mind-reader completely. “You may want to rein in your errant sibling before I teach him some manners in a rather permanent way.”
“He’s sorry and it won’t happen again, we swear it,” the female hurried to say as she shoved the scowling mind-reader away.
“I’m thrilled to hear it,’ Klaus muttered absently while brushing his hand off on his jeans before looking up at them with a polite smile. “Well, while this has been untold amounts of fun, I must be going. Make sure the fire’s completely out before you toddle off, won’t you? I’m too impatient to wait. There’s a hot shower and a glass of well-aged single malt scotch with my name on it, not to mention a beautiful woman and the finest egyptian cotton sheets money can buy waiting for me. Cheers.”
With that, he practically vanished from their presence as they stood there gazing at each other, only Jasper having been somewhat unaffected by what they’d just witnessed.
With a heavy sigh, he drew Alice close and motioned to the smoldering embers. “Mind that fire till it’s out, Edward. We’ll see ya back at the house.”
DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.