EPOV
I watched helplessly as Bella stormed out of the room. I wanted to go after her but I knew she needed time. Every word she’d said had been dead on. It would have been better if I’d have just told her what Renee said in the beginning. She’d have been embarrassed but she would have gotten over it eventually. Right now she felt betrayed and that was my fault. I slumped back into the couch and buried my face in my hands.
“Man, don’t you think you should go after her? Usually when they storm off like that they want you to follow after them and start groveling.” I rolled my eyes at Emmett’s rather unhelpful advice. When Bella said she wanted to be alone, she meant it.
Rosalie unfolded herself from her seat. “I’ll go talk to her.” Getting used to this new dynamic wherein Rose and Bella would not only tolerate one another but actually sit down and have important discussions was going to take some getting used to.
“Rosie, maybe you’d better let her…”
“Emmett, of all of us, I’m the one she expects to have made fun of her. She won’t hold it against me the way she does the rest of you.” I sighed knowing she was right. The rest of us were close to her and we’d shut her out.
Rose left and the rest of us sat in silent for a few moments before Alice couldn’t stand it anymore. Her mind was whirling with anger at herself. “I’m a terrible best friend and sister. I never should have gotten her that bellybutton ring. I laughed when I picked it out!”
Emmett sighed and flopped down in the chair Rose had vacated. “We were just having fun, Alice. I think once she cools down, Bella will realize it’s funny.”
I ran a hand through my hair. “She’ll forgive you guys.” Bella had a forgiving heart. “It’s me that she’ll have a hard time with.”
Esme moved over to sit next to me and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. “She’ll forgive you, Edward. She loves you.”
“Yeah, she’s forgiven you for way worse…” Emmett’s voice broke off at my wince. He was right though, I’d done the unforgivable and lied to her and broken her heart and still she’d taken me back. Surely she’d forgive this.
I could hear Bella and Rose start talking but I did my best to tune them out. It wasn’t fair to listen to her; she’d say what she needed to say to me when she was ready.
“Hey, Emmett, why in the heck did you swallow that key anyway?” Alice had asked a darn good question. In the heat of the moment I hadn’t really thought about it.
Emmett looked as mystified as the rest of us, shrugging his giant shoulders. “I don’t really know, it was instinctual or something? She told me to and I did? Maybe I subconsciously wanted to do whatever I could in that moment to make it up to her.” It was as good an explanation as any I supposed.
Carlisle shook his head. “That’s not going to feel good coming back up.”
“No, it isn’t, but I deserve it.” He looked at me sadly. “I never wanted to hurt her, Edward. I was just having fun.”
“I know.” It can’t be, can it? She couldn’t possibly; no it’s definitely not that. Perhaps she really is a shield…Jasper’s thoughts broke off abruptly when he noticed me watching him. “What are you thinking, Jas?”
He looked uncomfortable as all attention in the room shifted to him. “I didn’t stop using my power when she asked me to.”
Carlisle leaned forward eagerly. “What do you mean?”
“When Bella yelled at me to stop using my power on her, I didn’t want to and I wasn’t going to.”
Emmett laughed. “Well you must have because she was sure still mad.”
“You think she blocked you?” I was fascinated. Had my Bella finally started to exhibit her power?
He shook his head. “I just don’t know, all I know is she told me to stop and I did.”
“Man, that’s weird. But good for Little Sis, it’s about time she made with the voodoo!”
“We still don’t know exactly what she did and I doubt Bella has any idea either. Maybe I should call Eleazar. He couldn’t get a read on her when she was human but maybe now that’s not, he’ll be able to tell us exactly what her power is.” Carlisle pulled out his cell phone.
“They’ll come. They’re actually not too far away. It seems that Kate met someone and they wanted to go to Washington DC to soak up some history. They were already planning on stopping in for a visit.” Alice piped up, a smile on her face.
Carlisle made the call and our cousins decided to head north, minus Kate and her new mate, Garrett. I sighed, wishing Tanya would stay behind with them. Bella was irritated enough without her presence. “Alice?”
She closed her eyes and peered ahead but neither of us saw much in her visions. “It seems Tanya hasn’t made up her mind whether to cause trouble or not.”
“Great.” Maybe, if Bella was speaking to me when they arrived, she and I could take off for awhile.
Alice giggled. “I don’t see that happening.” Of course not.
Emmett grinned. “Maybe she’ll hit on you and Bella will fry her!” Despite all evidence to the contrary, Em was clearly still holding out hope that Bella had an offensive power.
Jasper still looked troubled but before I could inquire any further, Rose strolled back into the room, a satisfied smile stretching across her face. “You’re allowed to go home, brother dear. That’s as much as I could do for you. The rest is up to you.” I was on my feet instantly, heading to Bella without a backward glance. I heard Jasper and Emmett start taking bets but I wasn’t interested in the terms or the stakes. All I wanted was to be with my wife.
I found her where I usually did, sitting in front of the fireplace in the library, watching the flames lick at the logs. She didn’t turn her head to look at me when I came in and I wasn’t sure I was welcome next to her so I took a seat in the recliner. We probably only sat in silence for two minutes but it felt like two decades to me.
She finally turned her head and looked at me and I studied her lovely face in the firelight. Several months ago, she’d have had tears streaking down her face or color staining her cheeks and I would have known exactly what she was feeling. Now her expression was impassive and her mind was silent. I could only speculate on her thoughts. It was so frustrating.
“Bella, I’m sorry. I know I should have told you sooner but…” She held up a hand and I trailed off uncertainly.
“You weren’t making fun of me?” It was a question more than a statement and I saw a glimpse of that unsure girl I knew back in Forks, the one that doubted that I could possibly love her like she loved me. I hated myself for putting that uncertainty back in her head. I was next to her on the couch in an instant, gripping both her hands in mine, letting her feel our electricity in my touch.
“No, love, no. I would never make fun of you!”
“But you laughed sometimes.”
I sighed and nodded. “I couldn’t always help it. You’d innocently respond to a key comment and it could be construed in an entirely different way.”
She groaned and tried to tug her hands free from mine, no doubt to try to hide her face from me. I held firm and though she could have broken my hold on her, she refrained. “The things I said! I said Alice found the key for me!” That was the one that had actually set me off but this time I didn’t laugh. She frowned. “Didn’t I say something about you finding my key before our first date? When we got back from our honeymoon?”
“Yes, love.”
She narrowed her honey eyes at me. “Did they hide my keys on purpose to make that happen?”
“Well, yeah.” I didn’t know what to say or do, was she going to go off again?
“Emmett is a dead man. I’ll help Alice scatter Emmett Junior all over North America. He’ll never find the pieces.” I let out a relieved laugh; her ire wasn’t directed at me at the moment.
“We went at it over that one, let me tell you.”
She nodded. “I heard a loud crash as I drove away. That was you I take it?”
“It was. I fought with both Emmett and Jasper.”
She smiled. “Did you win?”
“I took Emmett. Jasper & I were a draw, as usual.”
“Well at least you got one of them back.”
“I’ll go fight them both now if it’ll make things better.”
She shook her head ruefully. “That’s not necessary. They were having fun, I can’t really blame them.”
I hung my head. “You can blame me though.”
She pulled her hands free then and ran one through my hair. “No, I don’t blame you.” I jerked my head up in surprise, looking into her eyes and seeing that she meant it. “Rose pointed out that you were trying to protect my feelings.”
Thank God for Rosalie. Did I really just think that? I didn’t feel that way often but I would be forever grateful that she’d gotten through to Bella. “I was. Bella, you know I’d never let anything hurt you, not on purpose. I knew having my whole family hear something so private would really embarrass you. So I didn’t tell you.”
“But you did sort of warn me, when I asked about it that night in the meadow.”
“I told you that you didn’t really want to hear it.”
“And you were right, I wouldn’t have. There’s no way I could have made love to you that night if I’d had my mother’s words in my head like that. The fact that you could…”
“Speaks volumes to the love I feel for you.” I stroked a hand along her jaw and she closed her eyes, absorbing my touch. I was so thankful that she wasn’t pulling away. I debated saying it but Bella seemed to be okay with my words so far. “Plus, she was right.”
Her eyes widened. “What?”
I gave her my half grin that always made her melt. “I took your mother’s advice that night and well…it worked.”
Bella gaped at me for a few minutes and then let out a peal of laughter, followed by torrents of giggles. I joined her in her merriment, thrilled that I had her laughing.
When she’d finally calmed, she took a few deep breaths. “Yes, it certainly did. I hope you don’t hear my mother’s voice when we make love now.”
I leaned forward and kissed her softly, her lips were responsive under mine. “No, I only hear you and me when we make love. I’m not nervous anymore.”
“I’m glad.”
“As am I, love.” I tried to kiss her again, hoping to show her the truth in my words but she put a palm against my chest and pushed me back. I frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, but there’s something else I need to say.” It’d been too easy, even someone as forgiving as Bella wouldn’t crumble that quickly.
“Okay, what is it?”
“You promised never to keep anything from me again.” She was right, I had and I’d broken that promise. “I told you that even if you felt you were protecting me, you couldn’t keep things from me, remember?” I looked down at my lap, ashamed to meet her gaze.
“Yes. I’m sorry, love. I didn’t mean to break that promise. I really thought I was doing what was best.”
She put one of her little fingers under my chin and raised my eyes to hers. “I’m going to ask you to make that promise again and this time, no matter what you think you’re protecting me from, you keep it.” Was it really that simple? She was truly an angel and I never deserved her.
I met her gaze and said the words she wanted and I truly meant them. “I promise I will never keep anything from you again.”
Her smile reached her eyes this time. “Then I accept your apology.” She kissed me then, a real kiss filled with love and forgiveness. I got lost in it as I tended to do whenever she touched me. I was so lost, in fact, that it took me several seconds to notice that neither one of us were clothed anymore. Bella was in my lap, straddling me and I was inside of her and moving without realizing it.
Her porcelain skin was illuminated in the firelight as she threw her head back and rode me. I pressed my lips to that graceful neck as my hands cupped her breasts. “Edward,” she whispered in a throaty moan.
“Yes, love?”
“I think you need to use the key. Now.” I laughed and hurried to comply, pressing my fingers to her sensitive spot. Her moans became louder and she moved faster, her hips rolling against mine. I sped up my fingers and she began to thrash against me, her thighs slamming into mine. She tightened around me and I came with her. She collapsed against me and pressed her head to my shoulder, our naked bodies still intertwined.
“Maybe we should fight more often.” Bella suggested with a giggle, kissing my neck.
“Maybe we should skip the fighting and just make love instead.”
She tilted her head back and smiled lazily. “That’s a better plan.”
“I thought so.”
“Edward?” She murmured my name into my neck.
“Yes, love?”
“I’m kind of glad that I know the key story now.”
“Why is that?”
“It makes me feel a little bit like my mother is still with me.”
I ran my fingers though her hair. “She’ll always be with you, Bella.”
“I know but it’s not the same. I wish I could pick up the phone and have her badger me about our sex lives again. It made me uncomfortable but still, it was just Renee, you know?”
“I know exactly what you mean. I can’t hear the word key anymore without my mind going instantly to that discussion and then to you.”
She giggled, the vibration tickling my neck and making my body begin to hum for her again. “You better stop that, sweetheart. We don’t have time for another round.”
She pulled back and frowned at me. “Why not?”
I sighed, hating to break the peace that had just settled back over us. “Carmen, Eleazar & Tanya should be here shortly.”
The frown deepened. “Why?”
I ran my thumb over her cheek and traced her jaw bone. She arched against me and I bit back a groan as my body responded to the movement. “Carlisle called them. We think it’s time to find out about your power.”
She huffed and crossed her arms. “I don’t have a power.”
“Yes, you do. Jasper is convinced of it. You somehow were unaffected by his power tonight.”
“I wasn’t unaffected, I just was too mad for it to work.”
“No, you told him to stop and he didn’t but it didn’t work on you anymore.”
Her brow furrowed. “That’s weird.”
“Yes, it is. They were down in DC and thinking about coming to visit anyway.”
“Yes, but Tanya?” Tanya’s past crush on me still bothered Bella even though I’d never considered becoming involved with her. It astounded me that after all this time together she still doubted that she could be enough for me.
“We couldn’t exactly forbid her from coming, could we?”
Her lip stuck out in an adorable pout that I had to capture with my own. “I suppose not” she murmured as I kissed her. She pulled back and climbed off my lap. I missed her presence immediately.
“Where are you going?”
“If I’m going to see Tanya and the others I need to clean up and hunt first.”
“Would you like me to come with you?”
She shook her head. “I think I need a little more time to clear my head before I face the family.”
“Are you sure we’re okay?”
She smiled and ruffled my hair. Only Bella could get away with that. “Yes. I understand why you didn’t tell me but from now on…”
“I tell you everything.”
“Yes, you will.”
“Can I at least shower with you?”
She bit her lip and stayed silent for several long moments. “I suppose.” Tease. I scooped her up and carried her into the shower.
BPOV
After I showered and had a little more fun with Edward, I dressed in a white sleeveless dress that cut off at the knees and had a cute little belt around the middle. A glance at the label told me it was Prada and I shook my head. Alice. Still, I wanted to look good and the dress achieved that without looking like I’d gone to a lot of trouble. I darted into the woods and quickly caught the scent of a herd of deer. It wasn’t exactly what I was in the mood for but it would suffice.
I took down two large bucks and drank my fill, then wandered to a nearby stream and walked into it until the water was up to my calves. I had probably overreacted about the key situation. Now that I’d had some time to think about it, it made sense that the others had enjoyed having something over on Edward. They didn’t have the advantage of him being unable to read their minds like I did. I wasn’t happy that they’d been making fun of us for months on end but if the situation were reversed I’d probably do the same thing. Given a few more years, I’d have things to tease them with as well. I looked forward to that immensely.
I climbed out of the water and prepared to head for home to see the Denali clan. Tanya. It was wrong to dislike her for having a crush on my husband. Who didn’t? But she bothered me more than anybody else; probably because she’d known Edward for so long and because she was beautiful. She was nearly as beautiful as Rosalie was and that was intimidating. I was sure of Edward’s love, finally, but that didn’t stop me from being insecure sometimes. I knew he loved me, I just didn’t understand why.
I wandered slowly back the way I came, not in a rush to get home. I’d be on display like one of Carlisle’s science projects, everyone watching to see what power I had, the family tiptoeing around me because I had been so angry at them. It wasn’t going to be fun. I leapt over a fallen tree trunk and sped up. The sooner I got there the sooner they’d be gone, hopefully. I ran up the gentle slope that led to home and then halted in my tracks.
Edward and Tanya were standing between the two houses, her hand on his shoulder and she was gesturing wildly. I narrowed my eyes and crept silently forward. I knew they couldn’t smell me, I was downwind. I got a whiff of Tanya’s scent and wrinkled my nose in disgust, she smelled like some kind of bad French perfume. Having that scent mix with the honey and sunshine that was my Edward had me seeing red again. Why couldn’t I just be left alone today?
I stopped behind a tree just at the edge of our property, finally within earshot.
“So, where is your lovely wife, Edward? I’m dying to see Isabella post-transformation.”
“She went on a quick hunt. She should be back shortly.” I could hear the warmth in his voice as he talked about me and I felt a smile curve my lips.
“Is marriage everything you thought it would be?”
“No.” My smile melted to a frown and I was about to run over and confront him. “It’s better. Bella is my everything. Even though I’ve heard it in their minds and seen it, I never really knew how powerful love truly was.” The smile was back at his sweet words. Was there ever a more perfect guy in the world? He was mine, all mine.
“I’m quite happy for you.” Did he not hear the sarcasm in her tone?
Edward cocked his head to the side. “You don’t sound it.” Good, he did. She was so fake.
Tanya sighed and twirled her hair around her finger. She’s flirting with him! I was seething as I watched her touch his arm again. “It’s not that I’m not happy for you, it’s just that now I’m the only one alone.” She didn’t want to be with anyone, she just wanted what she couldn’t have. I truly loathed her.
“So you can’t be happy for me and for your sister, that we finally found our other halves?” Good question, Edward.
“I guess I’m just jealous.” Yes, you are. “It’s been hard, watching Kate fall so hard and so fast.”
“Is Garrett not a good guy?”
She laughed bitterly. “Oh but he is! He’s an interesting fellow, fought in the Revolutionary War. He and Jasper should really get together.”
“What about Irina?”
“Irina’s been broken since your wife’s wolves killed her mate. She’s not any fun anymore.” Oh sure, her sister’s boyfriend gets killed and she’s no fun anymore. Poor Tanya. I bristled at the mention of the wolves as well, so sorry that they didn’t just let him kill me, Tanya.
“They’re not Bella’s wolves anymore. And I can’t apologize for their actions, I am grateful that they saved her.”
“Well of course you are. I certainly wouldn’t begrudge you your mate.” Yes you would, could you be any less sincere? I watched the wind blow those strawberry blond curls that I hated. I remembered the day Edward told me about her and I freaked out over the fact that she was blond. Edward preferred brunettes though.
“I wonder where Bella could be?” Edward turned his head in my direction but I slipped behind the log before he could see me, at least I hoped so. It wouldn’t do to be caught eavesdropping.
“I’m sure she’ll be along soon enough. I’m amazed that she’s had such an easy time with the change.”
“That’s just my Bella. She’s remarkable.” Pride shone in his voice. I wanted to run over and tackle him to the ground and have my way with him again.
“And is she taking care of all her wifely duties? Because I would be more than happy to step in if she’s too busy with bloodlust to take care of the other kind.” She ran her fingers along his forearm as she said this and I envisioned myself ripping that arm off her body and beating her with it.
Edward cleared his throat nervously and stepped out of her reach. “You don’t need to worry about our sex life. I can assure you we’re doing quite well without any assistance.”
Her laugh peeled out, sounding to me like nails on a chalkboard. “Well you have my number should you ever get bored.” Bored? Our being together would never be boring. How dare she?
“I think we should go inside.” Edward’s voice was filled with disgust and discomfort. That was the only thing keeping her alive at the moment, the fact that he was not remotely interested in what she was offering. He turned to the door and Tanya flashed a smile in my direction. She knew I was here and she did that anyway? What an evil witch!
I kicked a good sized rock and sliced a tree in half with it. The sound thrilled me and I proceeded to punch a few trees for good measure, knocking them all over. I stormed around the edge of the forest for a few minutes, trying to corral the anger that was rocketing through my body at Tanya’s behavior. Why would she put on a show like that for me? Was she trying to make me jealous? We both knew Edward would never succumb to her advances so I couldn’t understand what her purpose was.
I took several deep breaths and sought to find the calm that I’d found earlier. Edward was with me and he’d never leave me for Tanya or anyone else. I knew that and so did she. Clearly she just liked messing with people’s minds, probably because she was alone and bored. I wasn’t going to let her get the best of me. I squared my shoulders and marched toward the house, ready to face her and anything else coming my way.
Before going inside, I peered in the living room window to see what was going on. Emmett and Jasper were having another of their Halo tournaments. Rosalie was flipping through a magazine and Alice sat at her sewing table, cutting some fabric with her shears. Edward was on the couch and Tanya and the rest of her family were nowhere to be seen. I could hear them in the den with Carlisle and Esme. Good.
I went in the front door and every head turned my way when I walked in the living room. Edward smiled in relief while the rest of my family looked at me pensively. “There you are, love, did you have a good hunt?”
I went and sat next to him, resting my head on his shoulder. I didn’t quite know how to answer that. The hunt had been fine, after had not. “It was okay.”
Alice dropped her fabric and ran over to me. “Bella, I’m so sorry. I really didn’t mean to make fun of you, honestly. It was funny to us but we weren’t trying to be mean.”
“I know, Alice, it’s fine.” It was, really, I was just in a bad mood from seeing Tanya hitting on my husband and I really didn’t feel like discussing the whole key thing. It was stupid and I was beyond it. Alice studied me carefully but didn’t say anymore.
Emmett handed his controller to Jasper and scooted over to me slowly. “Do you forgive me? I didn’t mean to make you sad.” He looked like a dejected giant teddy bear and I didn’t have the heart to make him suffer.
I sighed but ruffled his hair. “Yes, Emmett, I forgive you all.” I looked around the room. “I’m sorry I didn’t have a better sense of humor about it.”
Emmett’s sad face transformed into a giant grin and his dimples winked at me. “Don’t worry; you’ll gather ammunition to use against all of us over time.”
I smiled at him. “Count on it.”
Jasper eyed me. “If you’re not still upset about the key, what are you upset about?” Why couldn’t I block him the way I did Edward?
I shrugged. “It’s nothing really, just a mood.” Tanya chose that moment to come into the living room and I stiffened involuntarily.
“Why there you are Bella! I was anxious to see how you turned out.” Her eyes traced up and down my form, taking all of me in. “You do make a lovely vampire, don’t you?” There was a smugness to her tone and I knew she found me lacking compared to her. I didn’t need Edward’s mind reading ability to pick up on it though his eyes narrowed at her thoughts and I considered that confirmation of my suspicion.
“Edward certainly thinks so.” Rosalie barked out a laugh at my response while annoyance flitted across Tanya’s perfect face.
“They say love is blind. I guess our Edward has been well and truly struck by it.” She actually had the nerve to reach out and run her hand through his hair. My hair. She touched him again. That was not to be tolerated. Edward jerked his head away from her but I’d had it. I glanced over at Alice’s shears and smiled.
“You have such lovely hair Tanya.” She preened at my words, the stupid girl. “Have you ever thought about cutting it?” I was going to cut it for her. Maybe cutting was too nice; maybe I should yank it out by the roots.
Alice’s eyes clouded over. “No, Bella, don’t.” I didn’t know what she was talking about and I didn’t care. All I saw was a red haze as I looked at the lovely viper before me. I wanted to hurt her. I wanted to humiliate her. The thought of hitting her was appealing but I wanted to do something that would last.
“Cut it? Why ever would I do that? My hair is perfection.”
I picked up Alice’s scissors and handed them to her. “I think you should. I think you should cut your hair right now.”
Confusion ran across Tanya’s face but she shook her head and cleared it. “Are you crazy? I said no.”
I glared at her. “And I said yes. Go ahead. Cut it. Cut your hair right now!” I knew she wouldn’t do it but I was going to, I should be able to take out a chunk or two before any of them got me off her.
Alice grabbed my arm. “Bella, don’t!” Edward reached for me as well. Ah, she’d seen what I had planned and so had Edward. It didn’t matter; I was stronger than all of them.
Tanya’s face went blank and her hand curled around the shears and she put her thumb and pointer finger into them. I watched, stunned, as she raised the scissors to her hair and started cutting. Why had she listened to me? Was she doing it just to take the joy that I would have gotten from doing it myself away?
Carlisle, Esme, Eleazar and Carmen came running at Alice’s shout. Emmett grabbed Tanya’s arm but the damage was done, the right half her head was shorn into a boyish haircut, shorter than Alice’s. The other half was still long. It was like some bazaar before and after photo.
“Tanya, what on earth are you doing?” Carmen ran to her and tried to wrestle the scissors away. Her fingers were still moving, opening and closing them as if she were still cutting her hair.
“It can’t be.” Jasper gasped, staring at me as if I’d grown a second head.
“What?”
Eleazar came over to me. “Did you make her do that?” Make her do it? I didn’t make her do anything.
“I might have told her to cut her hair but I certainly didn’t make her do it.” Everyone in the room was staring at me with identical expressions of shock and horror. “What?”
“Mind control, it has to be.” Jasper shook his head in disbelief. “That explains it.”
“Explains what? What are you talking about?”
Edward stood and put his hands on my shoulders, staring into my eyes with a look of fear and wonder at the same time. “Bella, you made her cut her hair. Your power is mind control.” I shook my head in denial. That just wasn’t possible.
Jasper nodded. “That’s it! I didn’t turn off my power earlier, you made me do it.” Well yes, I’d told him not to use it on me but surely I hadn’t done anything. He had stopped of his own free will.
“The key!” Emmett shouted. “She told me to swallow that stupid key and I did. I didn’t even think about it.”
“Come on, you guys, surely it’s just a coincidence.” I tried to sound confident in that fact but my voice shook.
“It’s unprecedented. In all my years of cataloguing gifts for the Volturi, I’ve never seen anything like it.” Eleazar was looking at me as if I was a bottle of water and he was a man dying of thirst. “The power…I can feel it emanating from you.”
“You’re sure?” Carlisle asked quietly.
“Yes. There is no doubt about it. She can control minds.”
“It makes sense, don’t you see? Even when she was a human, Edward couldn’t get into her head. You’ve never wanted anyone to know your real thoughts, have you?” I shook my head. That much was true, I’d always felt like a freak and wanted to keep my thoughts to myself. “See, even then, she was controlling her own mind so nobody would know what she was thinking.” Jasper’s eyes shone with excitement. “You’re going to be the most powerful vampire in the world when you learn to control it.”
I shrank back in horror. I didn’t want that. I didn’t want this. I just wanted to live a happy life with Edward and my family. Thinks like power and mind control held no interest for me.
Tanya started screaming. She dropped the scissors and felt her hair. “No, no! What did you do? What did you make me do?” She shrieked and lunged at me but Emmett held her still.
“I didn’t mean to!” I yelled, frustration getting the better of me. “I don’t want a power. I don’t have a power. She just did it!” Edward wrapped me in his arms and I pressed my face against his neck, heaving silent sobs. I just wanted to be left alone.
“Tanya, I can fix your hair.” Alice took her arm and led her up to her bathroom and her wide array of beauty products. I watched over Edward’s shoulder as Tanya followed her, her shoulders shaking.
“I didn’t mean to.” I whispered it this time, defeat in my tone. I didn’t but it was clear that somehow, some way, I had done it.
“I know you didn’t, love. It’s alright. You couldn’t control yourself.” He lifted me and carried me back to the couch, sitting down with me on his lap, rocking us back and forth gently.
“She just made me so mad, Edward. I heard her talking with you outside.”
His rocking stilled. “You heard that?”
“Yes. And it made me so angry. She has no respect for me or our marriage.”
“Bella, that’s just how Tanya is. She flirts but she doesn’t mean anything by it.” I jerked my head up at his words, anger filling me again.
“And just a minute ago, when she looked at me and said how lovely I was? What was she thinking?” He shook his head. “Tell me, Edward.” I could feel everyone’s eyes upon me and did my best to suppress the rage that was threatening to take me again.
“She was thinking that she was still prettier than you and she couldn’t understand why I preferred you to her.” I knew it! He stroked my cheek. “You know that I don’t agree.”
“Of course I know that but I knew that’s what she was thinking, that I didn’t measure up. And then she touched you, again!” I threw my hands up. “I swore to myself, when I saw her running her fingers up your arm, that if she touched you again I was going to do something about it. Then she did and I…I just lost it.” I hung my head, shame overtaking me.
Carlisle put a hand on my shoulder. “Bella, nobody can blame you for getting angry at her behavior. Tanya’s always had boundary issues, especially where Edward is concerned.” Edward shifted uncomfortably underneath me. “And you didn’t have any idea that you had the power to make her cut her hair like that.” No, but I was going to do it myself anyway. Alice and Edward both knew that.
Carmen cleared her throat. “For my part, I’m sorry for Tanya’s behavior. We asked her to rein it in before we came but clearly she didn’t listen. Not that that excuses your actions but I know you didn’t mean for this to happen.”
I pushed off Edward’s lap and walked over to her. “I’m so sorry. I don’t even know what to say.” She pulled me into a gentle hug.
“It was an accident dear, plain and simple. I can’t say Tanya didn’t have it coming. She’s stuck her nose into many a relationship despite our warnings.” Maybe but that didn’t excuse my behavior.
Eleazar approached me then. “It is very important that you learn how to use and control your power, Bella. Right now, the only times it’s manifested have been when you were angry, yes?” I shrugged; I didn’t know I was using anything at all.
Jasper nodded. “Yes, earlier today she was upset with us for making fun of her and Edward and she made Emmett swallow her bellybutton ring and shut me down when I tried to use my power on her.” Emmett grinned and rubbed his stomach. “Then of course this,” he gestured at the small pile of hair on the floor.
“Oh my God, you used it on me when we argued the day of your funeral!” Rose pointed an accusatory finger at me. “I was going to storm out and you told me to sit down and shut up and I did.”
Emmett gaped at her. “You sat down and shut up when someone told you to?” He laughed. “I wish I’d seen that!” He cringed as a resounding smack echoed through the room, Rose’s hand striking his head in its usual spot.
“It’s not funny! Don’t you ever use your power on me again, Bella!” She flounced up the stairs. Great, the good will we’d built over the last few days was wiped out with one use of my ridiculous power.
Carlisle sat and folded his hands. “I think we should all calm down and discuss this rationally.”
“Man, why is everyone so doom and gloom about this? Bella’s power is awesome! Do you know the fun we can have with it? Where does Newton go to school? We have to hunt him down and have him pull down his pants in the quad or something! This is great!” Emmett was clearly thrilled with the situation.
Carlisle sighed. “Can we save the plotting against humans for another time, please?”
Emmett looked chagrined, a two hundred and fifty pound child being chastised. “Yes, Carlisle.”
“Eleazar, what do you recommend here?”
“She needs training, lots of it. You can’t have her losing control at the wrong place and time.” I stood silently while they talked about me as if I weren’t there. Jasper, perhaps sensing my mood, came over and looped an arm around me.
“I can train her.” I glanced at him and he gave me a reassuring squeeze. “Our powers are the most alike. She controls minds, I control emotions. I can teach her how to get into the brain and understand it.” I liked that idea. Jasper had done well with my bloodlust training, after all.
Carlisle nodded. “That makes sense.” I hated that everyone was staring at me like I was some specimen in a lab. Even Edward was looking at me like that. I shifted nervously and felt Jasper let a wave of calm out.
“Please stop looking at me like I’m a freak.” My voice was weak, shaky, and I hated it.
Edward took both my hands in his and drew me gently to him. “Nobody thinks you’re a freak, sweetheart. You’re a wonder.”
“I don’t like it.”
Esme spoke up then. “We’re sorry, Bella. This is just so new to us, so unexpected.”
“You have a gift, Bella, don’t regret that.” Edward kissed the top of my head.
“How can I not? Thus far I’ve used it to get back at both Emmett and Tanya. How is that a good thing?”
“That was anger and inexperience. With time and practice, your gift could be an incredible thing.” Carlisle smiled at me. “Forgive us for being taken aback and for treating you like a science experiment. I know you hate that. It’s just fascinating to me.”
I gave him a tentative smile in return. “So, I work with Jasper; learn to control it, and then what?”
“Then we have fun with the humans!” Emmett interjected. Jasper punched his arm but we all laughed, the room felt a little less tense.
Tanya and Alice came down the stairs. Alice had evened out the two sides and cut the boyish hair in a more flattering style so it framed Tanya’s face. It actually looked quite lovely on her but I didn’t think I should say that.
“I’m ready to leave,” she announced tightly, not looking at anybody in the room.
“Tanya, I…” she turned to me, her eyes blazing with hate.
“I said I’m ready to leave!” Carmen ran and slipped an arm around her, leading her out the door. Apology not accepted. I couldn’t blame her.
Eleazar clasped hands with Carlisle. “It’s best that we get her out of here. In time, she might get over it.” I sincerely doubted that. He turned to me. “Bella, you’ve been given a great gift. Embrace it, own up to your mistakes when you use it the wrong way and never knowingly abuse it.” I nodded. I had no intention of using my power to harm others ever again.
He turned back to Carlisle. “Aro must never find out about her power. He would want it above all others and he wouldn’t rest until she came to Volterra.” I shuddered at the truth in his words. Aro had wanted me there before we knew what I could do. I would be the ultimate weapon in his eyes.
“Thank you for coming, Eleazar and again, I’m very sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologize for.” He glanced back at me. “Neither of you do. Something very good came out of our visit, after all. Do what you can to learn to control yourself. Take care and we’ll talk to you soon.” We watched as he joined up with Carmen and Tanya in the car and drove down the road.
I was thoroughly exhausted and I collapsed onto the couch. Edward sat back next to me and pressed a kiss to my forehead.
Emmett plopped down on the other side of me. “So, what’s next?”
“Training.” Jasper took my hand and hauled me off the couch. “We’ll be back in awhile.” I sighed, wondering what he’d do to tap into my mind but willing to give it a chance. I couldn’t risk losing control again.
“Let’s go, then.”
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