Half & Half

Half & Half - Chapter 10.

Half & Half

Chapter Ten

When all was said and done in the back garden of the cottage, Bella and Edward left Renesmee to come in in her own time. The flowers that once adorned her hair now neatly nestled her cupped hands. She admired their beauty and their ability to have a time of the year where they come out and shine for the entire world to see. She often likened her family to that of flowers; all year round they are kept in the shadows except for in the dull winter months when they can let their true beauty shine without being shunted. The thought made her smile until she heard a rustle in the shrubs at the far end of the garden, standing up and letting the flowers cascade down to the floor she could tell that whatever it was it wasn’t a threat. On the wind a musky smell was carried to her nose and her defensive stance was immediately lifted and she smiled, relaxing. She knew this smell very well and sauntering out of the bushes was indeed her mate Jacob Black.

Jacob was all clean and presentable, not like his earlier self when he parted from Renesmee. He’d gone home after leaving her and had a shower and made himself feel much refreshed as he sat down beside her, his natural musk now stronger to her nose. “What brings you here?” she said softly, turning her body sideways so she was now facing him. “Well, I just wanted to talk. Straighten a few things out, and I don’t mind being heard.” He faced his head towards the cottage as he said the last part, not just directing his words at Edward but facing in his physical direction. Renesmee used her hand to turn his face back so he was now looking at her again, “You don’t?” Jacob shook his head and put his hand on top of hers, smiling like a total idiot in love. “No because he knows as well as I do that I feel right now is how he felt when he first met Bella.” A spark appeared in Renesmee’s eye and a smile on her mouth as she knew what that meant; this was Jacob’s best attempt a confession of love, as best as she was going to get at the moment. Her other hand snaked its way up his sternum and chest, leaving a warm trail in its wake. The smile resonating from Jacob could only show a fraction of his happiness he was feeling, his heart was saying more than his mouth could ever speak. He loved her this much.

If love could be described and a picture painted from the elegant words used to describe it, this would be THE moment. It was if a warm glow surrounded the pair as their bodies were once more touching as far as touch could go. Jacob had slid Renesmee onto his lap so their inner intimacy levels were risen a notch, her arms remained around his neck as both in perfect synchronisation moved in and made the two halves of their lips whole. His hands rested on both of her sculpted shoulder blades, caressing them with his tan fingers. The love that they felt for each other now that it was out in the open was greater than that of Romeo and Juliet; nothing could kill this pair’s love. Or so that’s what they thought. Rather embarrassed to break up the happy couple, Edward appears with Bella at his side, Renesmee instantly shifting back to her seat looking up at her parents with a shock and surprise fuelled look. “Mom, dad? What’s wrong?” Edward and Bella exchanged looks as they debated on whether to tell her right away, it was evident by the scowl on Jacob’s face that he had read Edward’s mind and immediately knew what the threat was, he wasn’t happy.

No one wasted anymore time debating on whether or not to tell Renesmee they were on the move, Edward at the front leading the small group to the main house with Jacob bringing up the rear, Bella and Renesmee ran side by side scanning their surroundings as they were joined by Sam and Paul flanking their sides. Renesmee knew when she saw the two of them that this had to be even more serious than she once thought. In no time at all they were at the main house with Sam and Paul stopping outside with the rest of the pack that had made it there, fanning out around the house to be sure to catch a threat should one arise during the family meeting. Which Jacob now always attended now that as of today he was with Renesmee almost officially. The whole Cullen family was dotted around the spacious living area as the four of them came in the room, each wearing a similar worried frown on their faces. This was serious. Carlisle as always was the first one to step forward, leaving Esme wrapped in the arms of her protective daughter Rosalie. He looked at the four of them before a sorrowed sigh escaped his lips. “Edward, Jacob. I’m sure you’re aware of the situation, would you like Alice to enlighten Bella and Renesmee.” Normally Edward would object, but here he could see that it would be better if Alice explained in detail from memory what she had seen.

Alice moved with Jasper to where she directly faced the now two seated ladies, both legs crossed and matching worried expressions on their faces. Jasper kept one arm around Alice’s waist and the other on her two joined hands as she began to speak. “You all Remember Riley Biers, when Seth tore him apart them years ago we assumed he was the end of the line when it came to Victoria. We were wrong. Like Victoria and James, Riley had a mate back when he was human. However at the time she was on a university course and was in her first year, Riley rarely spoke to her since she was in a remote part of Alaska and when she discovered his death four years after, she was devastated.” Renesmee was briefly told about Riley but the look on Bella’s face already worried her, Jacob gave her a reassuring shoulder rub as Alice continued. “She did her research into his death, more than Charlie did when he tried to track him down and her search led her to the Volturi. Though we are at peace with them, she wasn’t with us once she learned a wolf pack member had killed her mate, more so because he was friends with a vampire coven. Begging to get revenge she made a deal with Aro, in order to get revenge on the wolf and vampire clan who killed her mate she became a vampire and joined the Volturi.” Gasps were heard all around from the family as none had heard the full story. “It gets worse. When she found out the group members Victoria used to be with she hunted down any comrades of those few, turns out Laurent wasn’t Irina’s first lady love. A woman called Kairisha once adored Laurent and Riley’s mate has teamed up with her, now the two are hungry for wolf blood for killing their mates.” Renesmee’s eyes immediately darted around to Jacob as he was responsible for killing Laurent, and within that split second she was no longer conscious, she was laying in Bella’s arms with a worried Jacob kneeling in front of them and with Edward leaning over Bella’s shoulder.