Enjoy!
Glitterb
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Chapter 2: Threats
The coke bottle spun
around the little circle, pointing to each of us in turn. It began to
slow, and I tensed, sure it would stop on me. But it continued to
turn, and ended up facing Kate... again.
We all laughed as Kate
made a face.
Tanya, Carmen, Kate and
I, along with their new sisters, Crystal and Maddy, were playing
Truth or Dare on the floor of their living room. Eleazar and Garret
had disappeared, probably hunting; anything to get away from us.
It was Tanya’s 700th
birthday, and we were having a girl’s weekend to celebrate. Kate
had planned it in secret. She had invited Rose and Alice as well, but
Rosalie and Emmet were taking another shot at college, and Alice had
stayed behind to give Nessie some female company, because Esme and
Carlisle were on vacation for their anniversary.
“Truth or Dare Kate?”
Crystal trilled, her voice almost as high as Alice’s.
“I can’t imagine
there’s anything else you can ask me. This is, what, the sixth time
it’s landed on me?”
“Tenth actually.” I
corrected.
She glared at me. “No
one likes a smart ass Bella.”
I just stuck my tongue
out at her. The others laughed, and we couldn’t help joining in,
our squabble forgotten.
“Anyway,” Kate
said, when she was able to speak, “I don’t think there’s any
more truths to tell, so I’ll go with dare.” Her chin lifted
slightly, preparing for whatever Crystal was going to throw at her.
She considered for a
second, then grinned and reached behind the couch, bringing out a big
bottle of Jack Daniels and a tray of shot glasses. Kate’s jaw
dropped, and Crystal smirked.
“I dare you to drink
three whole shots without bringing them back up. You have to
swallow and keep them down.”
Kate growled, a low
menacing sound, but she took the bottle and a glass, and forced down
three shots, with no more complaint than low grumbling, a few
disgusted faces and one gag. The rest of us were rolling on the floor
laughing by the time she was done, and we barely calmed down enough
to spin the bottle again.
Miraculously, I managed
to make it through the whole evening without having to touch the
alcohol, while everyone else had at least three glasses; they all
hated it, and Tanya even said, “and the humans drink this stuff for
fun?”
Unfortunately, the fact
that I had avoided dares meant I was telling a lot of truths, mostly
about Edward (inevitably). I was forced to reveal the location of our
first date, the first time I had seen him, and our honeymoon, as well
as several details of a rather more personal nature. Thankfully, the
others had the bottle land on them so often that we were all giving
out the same information, though in Crystal, Maddy and Tanya’s case
the questions veered more into how many human men they had seduced,
and which of their various vampire partners was the best in bed.
I left at eleven,
because I had to get back to my hotel and pack. My flight was at five
the next morning; the earlier I left, the sooner I could be home with
my baby and my Edward. I was so focused on getting back, hurrying
towards my goal, that I didn’t even know she was there until she
stepped out of a dark alley in front of me.
I hissed as recognition
dawned.
“What do you want
Jane?” I snarled, wanting more than anything to rip her throat out
right here right now. The street was deserted; no one would see.
Jane smiled a cruel
little smile at me. “I have a proposition for you.” Her voice was
just as unpleasant as my memory.
“Proposition?” I
growled. I didn’t like the sound of that.
“Well, I suppose it’s
more of a demand really. You see, we have a new guard member with a
very interesting ability. He can see when one of us reveals
ourselves. It’s very vague; he’s still learning, and he only sees
the faces of those involved. But he had a vision of you a little
while ago.”
The surprise brought me
up short and I took a step back. “Me? But I haven’t told anyone,
none of us have.”
She smirked. “Oh but
Bella you have. Don’t you see? Christiano saw you and your father.
Just showing yourself to him after your change is enough. If we had
known, we would have dealt with it sooner. As it is, Aro would like
to offer you an... alternative.”
Shock had me pinned to
the spot, absolutely rigid. Charlie. They were going to kill Charlie.
Unless...
“What kind of...
alternative?” I asked my voice shaking.
Jane made a face. “I
think it’s stupid, and a waste of time; but Master won’t be
disobeyed.” Her features twisted back into that cruel little smile
as she continued. “You have the option to join us; to become a part
of the Volturi. A once in a lifetime opportunity.”
I was shaking, but I
tried not to let it show. “And if I refuse?”
“If you refuse, I’m
afraid we would have no choice but to dispose of the human. Now
Bella, you must listen to me carefully. Go back to your hotel. Cancel
your flight. Tell no one what you are doing. Pack your bags and meet
me at the airport at 4 am tomorrow. If you don’t turn up, I will
inform Aro and we will come for your father. Understood?”
I couldn’t move.
“You’re... blackmailing me?” I managed to choke.
She laughed softly.
“Think of it more as... creative persuasion. I shall see you
tomorrow.”
And with that, Jane
disappeared as suddenly as she had arrived, melting into the
darkness.
My mind was panicking,
racing at the speed of light. I hurried back to my hotel, infuriated
by the need to move at a human pace.
I didn’t see any way
I could get out of this. I couldn’t let them kill Charlie, and I
couldn’t drag my family into this. My only option was to do as I
was told. I would have to hope that it would be enough, and that they
would leave Charlie alone.
The next morning, I
arrived at the airport at four. As instructed, I had cancelled my
flight back to Seattle, and I met Jane outside, resigned to my fate.
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