Breaking Away Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Suggested soundtrack for this chapter: Black Black Heart by David Usher

Link to song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8U4C-zYrFUg

Alice’s POV

I glare at Jane with hooded eyes of uninteresting depths. She would have been menacing if I knew she could attack me with her mind-blowing power. Now that I’m second in command, and Jane being third, I was untouchable. I watched Jane’s torment as she comprehended this. Her eyes suddenly became wary, and she turned her face to hide her emotions from me. This is odd. Usually Jane in no way showed emotion, except of pleasure for other people’s pain.

A vision suddenly hit me, fast and hard. I gasped a little, unintentionally. I saw Marcus and Jane turn to me before my sight was clouded with a scene of time.

“Aro…”

A black figure approaches him. I could only see the silhouette of the figure stalking toward the former leader of the Volturi. Why can’t I see? Aro’s wrists are shackled with some sort of unrecognizable material. Metal? The room is bare, except for a few survival kits, a back pack, a bed roll, and a pitcher of water set by Aro’s feet. The walls are made of stone; the floor is rocky, and uneven.

The menacing figure crouched down to Aro, who is kneeling on the floor. His shackle’s chains are connected to a big slab of the same material behind him. Why can’t he break free? Vampires can break anything. What’s happening?

“Aro, look at me.” The figure’s male voice spoke and he forcefully lifts up Aro’s chin to meet his penetrating gaze. Aro’s eyes are closed, almost as if he’s tired. Mentally or physically drained? Vampires can’t be physically immobile. What has this figure done to him?

“I’m not going to give you information.” Aro’s voice is raspy, cold. He flips open his eyes and stares at the figure straight in the eye. “He’s my brother.”

Marcus?

The figure suddenly sighs and unfolds himself from the ground. He took the pitcher and lifted it to his mouth. Or what I thought was a mouth. It was hard to tell. Why can’t I see? I heard the gulping noises as the figure drank heavily, his Adam’s apple bobbing. Then he threw the pitcher down and its contents sprayed out in all directions.

“You will tell me!” He screamed, and hit Aro across his ancient, wise face. I mentally flinched, expecting the worse. But of course, nothing happened. Aro hadn’t even recoiled. The figure’s hand and smacked solidly against his cheek, but the figure did not cry out in pain, as it should have. It was a simple gesture of disrespect. Aro is fuming, and I don’t blame him. No one should be able to hit him like that.

“You will tell me,” the figure repeated, “or I’m not letting you leave this place. You will rot here for millennia, unable to move, or speak to anyone. It will drive you mad.” He crosses his arms and stared down at Aro, whose head was slumped with the realization of the man’s words. Aro’s fate is worse then any vampire could imagine.

“And you will not die.” The figure spit at him, “There will be no release for you, like everyone else in this world.” The figure raises his foot as if to strike Aro, then he paused when he heard a woman’s scream.

“Stop!”

I blinked and shook my head. My eyes slowly unclouded and came back into the now. Marcus’s face is twisted with curiosity. Curiosity killed the cat, I think to myself and smile inwardly, but then it quickly fades as I try to make sense of what just occurred in my horrifying vision. Aro is alive! And trapped. For some reason, Aro is fragile and vulnerable. He is powerless to even crack the mysterious metal-like shackles to free himself from his fate. Where is the mysterious man holding him prisoner? From the intense light and type of stone, it had to be some kind of desert, or dry place. Sahara Desert…? That’s where Aro’s brainwave had abruptly cut off…

“What did you see, Alice?” Marcus’s amused rasp broke me from my revere. His right hand was placed on his chin, with a finger placed on his bottom lip. Marcus’s eyes were slit slightly, making him look curious as ever.

“Nothing of consequence, sir,” I cleared my throat. Why was lying to this man so difficult? “Just a tidbit, of what is to come.” Or what is happening right now. Who knew? I had no initiative as to when this would happen. From the light, it’s sunset, or maybe daybreak? For all I knew, the vision takes place a hundred years from now, or a thousand. I just couldn’t lay a finger on it.

“And what would that be?” His eyes alight with amusement. He loved abusing my talent. Marcus wanted to know every single vision of everything that is yet to come. Or happening right now –I corrected myself. What he didn’t know though, is that I can summon visions intentionally. Marcus believes that my visions come at random, and unwillingly. I’m surprised he’s so naïve, or that no one from the Volturi Guard knows.

“Oh, it’s just us, sitting in this very room together. Chattering mindlessly.” I answered him. There. I’ll let him make whatever he wants of that. Just because I’m in the Volturi now, does not mean that I have to tell the truth. Luckily Marcus doesn’t have Maggie in his grasp, or else he’d force her into telling if I was lying to him.

“What do you mean by mindless chatter?” Marcus is suddenly hostile, his hands grip the arm rests and I see the bones forcing his knuckles ever whiter... I swivel my head to meet his, unaffected by his rude act.

“We were talking about the weather. How ashy and gray it is. All the time.” I beam at him. Jane snarls at me and changes into a crouch. Alec eyes his sister warningly, and then observes me and Marcus, amusement in his features. Renata glowers at me, and I can feel her gift start to whirl around us, stunning my senses into confusion. What was I saying? Oh yah, the weather.

“The weather is so lovely don’t you think?” I spat at him. I don’t care if he knows how I feel. My gift is too much of a treasure for him to lose. “With all the ash blowing in the once-was pure air, and the splendid smell of fire in the atmosphere? It’s wonderful."

He stands up and rages at me, pointing a finger towards my direction. “Yes it is! And that is how it shall stay, Alice Cullen.” Marcus’s eyes are alight with a burning desire for evil. His features are warped and foul now that his mask has dissipated. “I can feed on anything, and torture anyone. I have ultimate power of the entire universe. I am the most powerful thing you will ever come to encounter!”

His rants raged on, without tiring. It frightened me and I glanced nervously at the small slits in the walls, too thin for me to slip through and escape. “Edward and Bella will depart from this life for their crimes, and Renesmee will be brought to me. The alliance you ever had with the dogs will be their downfall, and I will destroy them all. There will be no threat to vampire existence! We will thrive like never before!”

Edward’s POV

“Lynn, will you come with us? Bella and I can keep you safe, I promise you.” I held the child in a soft hug, not wanting to hurt her susceptible human skin. I gazed up at Bella, who stood beautifully three feet across from me. I understood her desire to keep a distance from the girl, in case she couldn’t control herself. Swallowing back my instinctual venom that pooled into my mouth at the smell of Lynn’s blood, I thought of my Renesmee. Is she safe? Is Jacob keeping her protected? Demetri… I shook my thoughts, fighting my own demons to ignore Lynn’s blood call. I can get over this, like I did for Bella. Lynn’s blood should be no different, but its smell is intoxicating. Not near as potent as Bella’s was… but still.

I cleared my throat noisily when Lynn didn’t answer. Then I remembered that Lynn may as well have no ears. I kneeled down next to her again, and asked the question with my hands. Lynn curtly nodded and grasped my hand, an act of trust. Should we do this? Can we do this? I throw a fleeting look at Bella and her eyes are closed, struggling for control. After a few moments, Bella’s darkened, grim eyes open and she takes hold of my hand.

“I can do this, as long as you help me.” Bella says and takes a breath, embracing Lynn’s lovely scent. “You know what this reminds me of?”

Curiosity takes hold over me. “What?” what could this situation possibly remind her of? Carlisle and Esme’s adoptions? Maybe.

“It reminds me of when we were in Volterra the first time, and Aro had called me your singer? I think Lynn’s blood sings to me in the same way.” Her throat constricts as Bella says this, and I cry out inwardly for her pain. She must barely be keeping her inner demons under control. I squeeze her hand and run soothing circles across her palm, trying to calm my reason for existing.

“That bad, love?” I tell Bella and chuckle, trying to lighten the mood in this dark situation. She grimaces. I stop immediately and my heart goes out for her turmoil. I keep repeating my circles over her hand and her face smoothes, piece by piece.

“Yes.” Bella clears her throat and the wind picks up, causing her beautiful long hair to push back from her neck, the tresses coming apart and together seamlessly. She is so dazzling.

“It makes me wonder how you could ever stand to be near me, when I was human.” Bella continues, and looks up toward the ashy gray sky, longing for the sun. I sighed. The world hasn’t seen the sun in three tormented years. I longed to touch her bright diamond skin again as it shines in the light. I want to marvel at her beauty in the sun, when the rays tickle her hair and make it shine, provoking the hidden red shade. I want to listen to Bella’s wind-chime laugh for the rest of my life.

Damn Marcus to the farthest pits of hell for what he’s done to my wife. She is supposed to be the happiest being in the universe, as a vampire now. Is it worse that I changed Bella into a blood-sucking angel? Would it have been best if Renesmee never existed?

No, I tell myself. It wouldn’t. I love my daughter, and now I’m wasting precious time with Lynn when we should be saving her. I clench Bella’s hand tighter for a moment, then let her go. I make my way to Lynn. Pressing my hand to hers, I say that I’m going to lift her onto my back, so that we can run together. I stare into her disturbing neon eyes, and hope that they prove my honesty to not harm her.

“Er-kay.” Lynn grumbles, and holds out her arms, like a baby preparing to be picked up and cuddled by its mother. I grab her underarms and hoist her to my back. Lynn wraps her arms around my neck in a death grip, and I situate her legs comfortably around my waist.

“Bella, are you ready?” I gazed into her black eyes.

“Yes, Edward. We need to move. Fast.” She started running, knowing she’d need the head start. I pat my hands on Lynn’s calves to warn her we’re going to run now. Lynn’s grip tightens on my neck as my legs fly hard against the earth. I see Bella in the distance, her arms pumping, but her breaths come easy and slow, like they should. I pass her almost instantaneously, and hear her eyes roll. I smile.

Lynn is suddenly screaming. Her arms are around my neck so tightly, I’m afraid she’ll hurt herself. I throw a frantic glance at Bella, and her eyes are wide. I feel Bella’s gift push outside of her, wrapping around me, so I can read her mind.

“She’s scared!” Bella yells mentally and her gaze travels to Lynn’s horrified face. I look at Lynn through Bella’s eyes and feel pity for this human girl. “You need to put her down, she’ll fall off.”

“Oh, hell!” I yell as Lynn starts to slip. This blurring speed must be too much for her sensitive senses, and she’s frightened for her life. Lynn’s gargled screams terrify me, but we have to keep moving, we can’t stop for her. I need to get to Rome as fast as I can, to salvage a plane, fly to Forks, and then save my daughter from Demetri.

“Edward!” Bella squeals my name from behind me as Lynn slides off my back. Bella runs as fast as she can but to no avail, Bella can’t keep up. Now everything is slow-motion as I feel danger.

Lynn’s hair is billowing in front of her face, covering her mouth, creating silent screams of terror. Her clouded eyes are wide and the neon blue color pierces my soul with a force I’ve never known. Lynn’s arms flail around her as she senses her downfall.

I catch Lynn before her head collides with the ground, and throw her in my arms. Lynn’s screams rage on, so I stoke her cheek, trying to calm her down before she throws herself off again. As she makes her second attempt, I wrap my arms around her small body like steel girders. The only thing to do is slow down, that’s the best I’ll manage. I slow, and Bella’s stride matches mine as we race towards Rome.


Renesmee’s POV

The bright, savory morning brings along the sun that fills my eyelids with a lovely pink light. I dare not open them, savoring in the moment of warmth. Mmmm. I haven’t felt this in good in so long. Is it because I declared my love for Jacob Black? That reminds me…

I flutter my eyes open to see his face, inches away from mine. Jacob’s russet skin is striking in first light. I marvel at the color and fight the urge to stoke his cheek. His eyelids are closed and for once I can’t see any hint of disturbance in his features. Jacob seems irrevocably calm, and serene, as he dreams. It makes me wonder what Jake’s dreaming about…

I stifle a yawn, and stretch, my arms out to my sides and I twist my neck around. I would never get used to sleeping on the ground. I would much rather prefer my crib back at Mom and Dad’s cottage, even though I know I’m much too big for it now.

Thoughts of the cottage bring thoughts of what life would be like living with Jacob, down at the La Push reservation. I plainly see little black heads bobbing around our backyard, playing in the mud as I hold Jacob’s hand on our porch. They shout “Mommy, mommy!” and squeal with delight as they play with Sam and Emily’s children, making mud pies and miniature castles out of dirt and sand.

My children are older now, and graduating high school to live long and prosperous live. No one can hurt them; they are a fourth vampire, half werewolf. My children will fit in against any human, but they are so beautifully unique and other-worldly. A slight glow to their skin will set them apart, a slight appetite for blood, maybe, and a sort of animalistic nature about them…

I see grandchildren sitting around my dining room table, eagerly awaiting some family recipe of my mothers while I babysit them for the weekend. Their souls are so bright and alive I fight the urge to cry out in joy.

And most of all, I see Jacob. By my side through every obstacle everyone encounters in life. We hold hands as we walk down the beach and kiss as the sun retreats down the endless horizon. I clearly see Jacob, as my own wolverine to protect me and our family from malevolence.

But can we live like this, the way the world is now? With death and blood and insanity at every turn? Tears brim my lids and I try to push them back but fail. They spill over relentlessly and I wipe them away quickly.

My love, life, and meaning. Over. Without a world for all to live in, it’s nothing. Jacob and I couldn’t possibly have kids; it would be cruel and selfish to bring something so innocent into this world of fire.

I cannot believe I’ve never thought of this before. My future. Maybe it’s because I’ve never loved anyone as much as I love my Jacob, and I need to spend the rest of my existence with this man. I stare at his face, mused.

That’s when I notice how much I smell.

Twisting my nose, I unfold myself from the ground carefully, so I don’t wake Jacob. He needs his sleep ever since his strange energy hold-up. Taking one last look at his sleeping face, I turn on my heels and head into the direction of the river. I follow my ears to the fresh gurgling sound of spring water. Even with my coat on, I feel the chill coming off of the river. It’s shallow, and I strip off my clothes as my feet hit the bitter water. I almost cry out in shock at the frostiness of it. It’s so strange, if my skin is naturally colder than humans, it must be blindingly wintry to their warm skin. Insanely so to Jacob’s.

I wash quickly, feeling uneasy about being naked out in the open, for some outlandish reason, I sensed eyes on my back. I rub under my arms and around my legs while I wash my hair with shampoo I brought from my pack. The water is so cold I’m instantly shivering all over. I wrap my arms around my torso and dunk my whole body in, ridding myself of the access soap. Then, I scramble out of the foreboding river and put my clothes on as quickly as I can manage with trembling fingers.

The invisible eyes never leave. I twist my head around, scanning my surroundings. Nothing. I slowly make my way back to Jacob, taking my time while listening out for strange sounds.

Snap.

I whirl around to empty space, a ghost of movement at the back of me. My vampire senses heightened, rising to their fullest as I instinctually felt menace in the air. What was that noise? My eyes pinpoint a fallen branch lying in the muck, among a thousand others, but this one seemed special. It was broken in half, not by the tip of the branch like it should have been if it fell from the tree. This was broken by some external force, other than nature. I walk toward it, curious to find its breaker.

My instincts scream at me to keep back, away from the danger. I ignore them as their pleas elongate. There’s a shuffling sound from above as I reach the branch, and I gaze up to the treetops, seeing every detail. The pine needles encircled the branches of the tree wondrously, and they were very green, like how my daddy’s eyes used to be. But- there! A dark patch covering a part of the tree. It moved. I shifted into a crouch, and sniff the air. It smells like dust, fire, and smoke, with a twinge of…blood.

“Hello.” A daunting voice comes at me from above. It falls to the ground right in front of me and all I can focus on is the sharp, gleaming white teeth of its mouth as it says its greetings. The vampire smiles, revealing his teeth’s razor-sharp points. His dirty, pale hand ghosts over to feel a curl of my scarlet hair.

“You smell lovely.”


End of Chapter Five