In Another Life: Book Two - Taming the Beast

Chapter Twelve: A Dragon, a Witch and a Tiger

The Waterfall House - February 8th

"What happened?" Esme asked, stepping forward, her expression unreadable.

"I'm in communication with Jasper, we're not sure yet. He has landed and is driving like a mad-man towards Volterra right now to hopefully intercept Carlisle." Angela said, her attention clearly split.

"Can you keep us updated?" Isabella asked, and Angela nodded a couple of times distractedly.

"I hope that he is okay, but with that out of the way, we should begin talking about the giant in the room." Quil said with as much sympathy as he could given he was speaking about a vampire.

"Joham." Isabella's voice was harsh, the name coming out as a hostile curse. No one would've been surprised if she spit onto the ground after saying it, although she didn't.

"Wait, you know who is at the heart of these atrocities and you do nothing?" Mei looked appalled and deeply upset.

"We don't know where he is." Eliza replied immediately, her tone a combination of frustration and anger.

"And I only saw him that one time weeks ago." Brianna confirmed nodding, before realizing what she said and slowly looking towards Mei in fear. "I was taken by his recruiters and turned, they didn't think I could do anything so they ignored me and fed me the same tainted blood they gave everyone else. But I didn't want to fight, I didn't want to kill. I just wanted to be free. So I followed them, but desperately wanted a way out. When I saw mom and Eliza decimating our forces, I decided I would try and run. My body didn't cooperate, and I ended up near a tree where they found me."

Mei's face was unreadable, she stared at Brianna for several long seconds, her hand which was always resting on her blade tightened slightly. "Mei, do you know of prophecy?" Alice asked before she could react further.

Mei's eyes lingered on Brianna for another second before turning towards Alice, "it is important, however, I have only encountered one seer in my long life. He was a tortured and tormented man, who ended his life shortly after being turned."

"I am a seer. Nearly a century ago I had a vision of me and Isabella together, another life that didn't happen." Alice started.

Kira smiled widely, leaning forward with her chin resting on her hands perched on her knees. "The great Assassin involved in a century long tragic romance. Please tell me more."

"Unrequited romance for most of that time. My former... Coven mate, Edward, saw that vision with his telepathy and destroyed it, however, before he did I saw this girl, Brianna, as our daughter. So when we found her, I knew right away she would be one of the best parts of my life." Alice said with a warm glance towards Brianna who just leaned into her shoulder a little harder. Alice couldn't quite read Mei, her expression was hard but her grip on her sword was no longer tight.

"Neat." Kira said, utterly enraptured by the conversation. "So you're saying that you found effectively an enemy combatant, and instead of executing her for crimes your former coven would insist upon enforcing, you adopted her because of a century old prophecy about a possible familial connection? That's amazing."

"I would argue that she was ever an enemy." Alice answered Kira directly, and then turned towards Mei, and locked glares unflinchingly. "Brianna is my daughter. I will always defend her."

"Have you confirmed her story?" Mei asked simply.

"Yes, in every way." Isabella said, pursing her lips, "when my kind bond we share memories. If you understood half of what she has been through, I know you, you would be marching off to kill right now."