Sorry… it's been a while. Small Recap: Jacob kinda freaked out that Charlie knows about vampires and went a little overboard telling him to 'mask his scent' with a bunch of candles/air fresheners. He then calls the Cullens because Billy is getting very ill… This chapter jumps back to moments before Lucas's 'mess up'. Bella's PoV.
Chapter 29: (BPoV)
Esme and I were out in her garden. She was in the middle of showing me her exotic greenhouse and all of the beautiful imported flowers. The new vampire, Lucas, was inside… probably exploring the house while the others were out hunting. Carlisle had given
him a spare bedroom that had been across the hall from Alice. I'm pretty sure that Jacob had gone home in the middle of the night… I haven't seen him this morning, and I highly doubt that he could fall asleep in a house with eight vampires…. Especially
with everything that's happened recently. I frowned, thinking about Seth's disappearance. I really hope he's okay…
Esme flashed over to refill the watering cans. She was back in a split second and handed one back to me.
She turned to water some of the more tropical-looking plants. As I looked around my heart skipped a beat. There in the corner of her greenhouse was a little patch of purple flowers. Esme came up quietly behind me, "Those were always Edward's favorite.
He brought them to me one day from the forest…" she said, her eyes turned nostalgically to the tiny clump of purple. The meadow. Edward's meadow. Our meadow. My lips curled up in a small smile, remembered how we'd spend hours laying in the
field of flowers with the sun glimmering down… Where we could just be ourselves…
Esme gently rested her hand on my shoulder. "We've missed you, Bella," she whispered softly as I turned around to look at her motherly expression, "so much." She reached out and touched a strand of my hair, placing a light kiss on my forehead.
Esme suddenly froze, her cold lips still against my forehead. An involuntary chill rippled through me. Her head whipped up towards the house, eyes narrowed in alarm.
"Umm… Esme? What's… what's wrong? What's going on?" I asked in a hushed voice, almost afraid to hear her answer… My blood froze as a horrible thought surfaced… Victoria? I subconsciously bit my lower lip, a habit that I've had since I was little.
style="text-align:center;"Her eyes flashed to look at me, but she gave no answer. Her eyebrows knitted together in worry. She just barely raised her head again to look at the back door to the house before Edward came flying through it, breaking off one of the hinges, and skidding
to a stop in front of us. "It's Lucas," he said, his skin sparkling bright in the afternoon sun, "he just attacked Angela." My eyes widened in horror, Edward looking at me anxiously, "She'll be fine," he added quickly, "But there's something else…
Esme," he said, turning to his mom with a mixture of wonder and dread in his now bright, golden eyes, "Angela's blood sings to him. Just as Bella's does to me. He found his la tua cantante."
The late March air sent another shiver running through me. My throat tightened, and my voice came out scratchy and raw, "Where- where is she?" I trembled.
"Upstairs. Carlisle is with her," his eyes shown with pity, "Don't worry. We got to her just in time," he said quietly.
His eyes flickered back to the house and he let out a sigh. "I'll be right back, I better go talk to him or he'll drown himself in self-loathing." He gave me a quick, reassuring kiss on the cheek before zipping back into the house, the words "I love
you," still tickling my ear.
I blushed before looking down, embarrassed, knowing that Esme was watching me closely. I examined my hands, covered in potting soil that lasted up until my elbows. I'm sure some of it was on my face also, knowing me. Esme chuckled softly, just the
slightest hint of unease lacing her sweet voice, "Let's get you all cleaned up. Then maybe Angela will be ready for some visitors," she suggested kindly. I nodded my head and we slowly made our way back to the house, the backdoor crookedly hanging
ajar. I could hear Esme huff when we passed through the doorway- she was not thrilled that Edward had broken her door… and I bet it wasn't the first time that's happened either.
My hands were still shaking as I ran them under the cool faucet water, rinsing off the last of the potting soil. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. Angela's gonna be okay. Carlisle can save her. She's going to be fine… I
bit my lip and blinked back tears. But what now? Angela's blood has the same effect on Lucas as mine does on Edward? I opened the bathroom door and heading up the stairs, determined to check on my best friend.
When I opened the door to Carlisle's study, I saw Angela laying on the table, unconscious, but alive. Carlisle was bent over her, checking her vitals. He looked up when he heard me step into the room, "All of the venom is out of her system. She'll
make a full recovery in no time," he said gently, stepping back away from the table on which Angela was resting. Alice approached me from where she had been standing by the wall of bookshelves.
"I am so sorry, Bella. I… I couldn't see… There was no warning…" she said, frustration, guilt, and pity practically emanating from her. I shook my head, "Not your fault, Alice," I whispered, my throat tightening as I held back a nervous sob.
style="text-align:center;"Right then, Edward flashed up the stairs, his face set in a grimace. "Lucas is distraught over what happened. And," he paused, his beautiful golden eyes flicking worriedly in my direction, "Jacob called. Billy is just about on his death bed. I need
to borrow some supplies-" Edward shuffled through a couple of Carlisle's medicine drawers, "and I'll be back soon. Whatever's wrong with Billy, I have a feeling it may have something to do with Victoria. It's just too much of a coincidence," he
said darkly, taking a few bottles from a couple of the shelves before whisking out of the house.
Rosalie walked into the room looking back over her shoulder as Edward had zipped past. "In my opinion, we should just leave the mutts to deal with their own problems…" she muttered. "Speaking of problems: What are we gonna do about this?" She
nodded her head toward Angela, who was still out cold.
"I'm going to erase her memories of today," came an anguished voice from the top of the stairs. Lucas walked past Rosalie and into the room, stiffening when he saw Angela. I could see his eyes darken before he squeezed them shut, recollecting
his control. He strode over to Angela and gently placed his palm on her forehead, his eyebrows knit together in concentration. After a moment, Lucas yanked his hand back as if he had just placed his hand in a scalding fire, his eyes wide with
shock and confusion.
"I can't do it," he said, staring down at her. "I'm trying, but I can't even see her past… at all." He looked down at his palm, perplexed.
That's when it hit me, and I bit my lip. "It all makes sense," I whispered to myself, running my fingers through my hair as I stood there, shocked.
All eyes in the room snapped up to look at me, before I explained quickly, turning to Alice, "My blood is the hardest for Edward to resist. He can't read my mind. Angela's is the hardest for Lucas. He can't see her past. Alice's powers are linked
to Lucas's, so she can't see Angela's future either. That's how you couldn't 'see' what was about to happen." My eyes grew big as I began to connect the dots even further, a feeling of dread and anxiety settling in the pit of my stomach. That
feeling of not being able to hold myself together returned with a vengeance, "What's the one other thing we know that's ever stopped you from having visions, Alice?," I asked, as Alice gave me a weary, confused look. "Wolves…" she answered,
"But only when they are too close to me or whoever's future I'm trying to glimpse." Alice said slowly, not quite seeing where this was going. I took a deep, shuddering breath, wishing so much that Edward were here to calm me as the truth came
crashing down around me, "Exactly. For the past few weeks you've been desperately trying to watch for Victoria. But you can't get any real glimpses as to her whereabouts and plans. So, that must mean…" I trailed off, my throat tight, too afraid
to voice my fear. A collective gasp rippled across the room as the dreadful realization sunk in.
"Seth." Esme breathed, horror and worry etched across her face, accurately mirroring everyone's in the room.
I am so so sorry for the extremely long wait. Major Writer's Block. It took me quite a while to piece together exactly how I wanted the ending to go, but I think I've got it all pretty much sorted out. Not to mention when I first tried to add this chapter (and one for my other story) the website thought I was a scammer and wouldn't let me post it. I think it's cuz of my new computer… Anyway, finally got that sorted out (obviously). I know the last few chapters were sorta filler chapters… but hopefully things will pick up soon. I want to let you all know that I will see this story through to the end. There's nothing worse than an unfinished story. And again I am sooo sorry I left you guys hanging for like 10 months. Please continue to review the story and let me know what you guys think! It really inspires me to keep this story alive.