Chapter Fourteen

I must’ve fallen asleep sometime during the ride. I knew I shouldn’t sleep in a car full of vampires, but I was running low on energy. Jasper had taken way more blood than I realized. I needed the sleep, and the vamps must’ve thought so too. They only bothered me once. I almost complained when Alice shook me awake, but then I realized it was for a good reason. I had to eat to restore my strength. Edward had pulled into some fast food joint’s drive-thru; I gave a mumbled order, ate, and quickly went back to sleep. I had to admit, the warmth in the car was peaceful. The next time I woke up, I was leaning against Alice, who had an arm around my shoulder.

I sat upright, Alice’s arm easily slipping away, and glanced at the clock before turning my attention to the window. Streetlights whirred by, houses silent in the dark night surrounded by trees. Of course, always trees. Nothing that would tell me where we were. I rubbed my eyes furiously, trying to wake myself up.

“Where are we?” I grumbled.

“We’re passing through Edmonds now,” Alice answered. “We’re about thirty minutes away. You can go back to sleep.”

I shook my head. “No, I’ll stay awake.” It wasn’t that I didn’t trust them; I mean, I still didn’t completely trust them, but they had yet to hurt me.

My neck hurt like something fierce, and my nerves made it impossible to fall back asleep. Before I woke up, I’d had some kind of freaky dream. I knew it scared me, but I couldn’t remember why, or what it was about, just that it was scary. Even with the heater and my thick coat, I was shivering. It was probably another anxiety dream. Yeah, like I needed more of those. It was bad enough I was plagued with doubt.

What if this plan didn’t work? What if it only got me killed? Sure, I’d said I didn’t care if I died, but I’m only human! Of course I’d be scared of that possibility. I was only eighteen. I had a lot to live for, if I could ever get my life back. No, I would get my life back. I had to kill Aro. Not just to save Charlie, or to return my life to normal, but for everyone else too. I had to save everyone who was stuck in this nightmare. Somewhere at the back of mind, I knew it was a cliché. That I felt the whole world depended on me was a huge exaggeration, but I didn’t care. This was important.

I spent the rest of the ride imagining my first encounter with Aro as I watched the scenery flash by. I could see him being a wizened old man hiding behind a bunch of bulky bodyguards. Yeah, an easy kill. Perfect. Then again, thinking about it, maybe I should’ve asked what Aro was like before we left. Alice described him as insane, greedy. Maybe a physical description would have helped my final decision.

A hand touched my shoulder, and I jumped, pulling away from the light tap. I turned to find Alice’s surprised face illuminated by the Mercedes’ overhead lights. I didn’t even realize the car had stopped. If I was this jumpy around three vamps, what would I be like when I was in the heart of the nest?

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” said Alice, “but you can get out now. We’re here.”

I popped the door open with a sigh. The cold air quickly made its way inside, killing off the warmth that had packed the car. I was about to tell her she didn’t scare me, just kind of spooked me, but then I caught sight of the house.

It seemed like a modern home, but knowing the Cullen family, there was more to it. It was extravagant, to say the least. With a three-car garage and giant windows everywhere, yeah, it was definitely different compared to Forks. Edward and Jasper had already disappeared inside, lights flaring to life behind the windows, so I followed Alice up the steps with my bag.

I stood in the foyer, gaping and staring like an idiot. It was even bigger than their Portland home, but that was probably because the home was further in the woods here. In Portland, they had neighbors. Alice beckoned me into the house with a friendly smile, after telling me to kick off my shoes. I could see why after rounding the corner; the carpet was a bright, spotless white. I followed her with the promise of a quick tour of the downstairs.

Alice told me to set my bag in the living room, but I vehemently refused. My weaponry wasn’t leaving my sight if I could help it. I was officially on my own now; I didn’t have Sam to watch my back, or Jake to make sure I was constantly defended from everything except his over-protectiveness. She rolled her eyes before showing me around.

The house was decorated almost exactly like the one in Portland, except this one had more space to fill. Art hung on the white walls, windows were literally everywhere, and there was a sparkling white Baldwin grand piano in its own room. As I was shown around, I couldn’t help but notice how clean everything was. If they moved so often, why would they bother to keep so many houses, and why was this one spotless?

When we came to the steps leading to the second floor, Alice pulled me along. The white hallway seemed to go on forever, but I wasn’t allowed to enjoy the sight of classic paintings and charred pages of literature framed on the walls. Alice continued to drag me down the hall and only let go of me when we entered the last room on the right. Apparently, from the looks of it, it was the master bedroom. She pushed me through a different door on the opposite wall, flicking on the lights behind me. I was standing in an immaculate bathroom, complete with marble countertops and a Jacuzzi on a raised dais. Gee, why was I not surprised?

“Help yourself to whatever you want, just make sure you get extra clean, and trust me, shave your legs,” Alice said. She pointed to a cabinet under one of the sinks. “You can find everything you need in there. I’ll have clothes for you when you’re done.”

She shut the door and I was alone in the huge room. I wasted no time. I turned on the water to let it warm up then set the bag near the sink and searched the drawer Alice indicated. I found exactly what she promised. Everything I’d need. A disposable razor, girlie-smelling shaving cream, deodorant, and every thing strawberry. Strawberry shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Why always strawberry? Was it Alice’s favorite scent? Maybe she thought I’d like it.

This whole situation was uncomfortable to begin with, but now I had to give up my guns. I couldn’t take them into the shower with me, but I didn’t want to leave them lying where the Cullen’s could steal them. I checked the door; it had a lock. Sure, it wouldn’t do much, but if I was lucky, they would respect the tiny lock. I stood in the white room, bargaining with my conscious. I’d hang up the big guns and sword, but keep my pistol near the shower. The toilet was close enough that I could set it there within reach and it wouldn’t get wet.

With a sigh, I stripped, hanging my rig carefully on the hooks in the door and stepped into the warm shower, closing the frosted glass door. My stiff muscles melted under the onslaught, and my next sigh was much more pleasurable. I stared at the pink line on my wrist, the temporary mark of Jasper’s bite, and knew I couldn’t enjoy the shower very long; we didn’t have time.

I quickly shaved, praying I wouldn’t nick myself, and showered, feeling like a completely different person by the end. When was the last time I shaved my legs? Being chased by vampires, I never had time, or much of a reason. It almost scared me to wonder why Alice insisted I shave. It had bad news written all over it, but I wouldn’t be intimidated. I had to relax, slip back behind the wall I’d had up before this whole mess started.

It all started with Seth’s death. It left a huge crack in my hard exterior, and having a vampire care for me made that crack larger. Charlie was the one who made me see the trembling wall. He’d been worried about me, and I had a feeling he knew I was fighting my emotions. Every bad thought I’d had, I ignored it and hid behind the wall. I never even dealt with Seth’s or Tyler’s death. I pushed it away and promised revenge for them; that wasn’t my way of dealing with grief, I kept ignoring it on purpose. Then Charlie was captured, and all those terrible things I hid from—even the smallest thought—tore down the wall. Now that I thought about it, I shouldn’t have been so surprised I’d lashed out at Eric, or even Jake. I had it coming.

But I was okay now. That wall was slowly going back in place. I couldn’t look mentally unstable in front of the creator of the vampiric race, now could I? I had to be a cold, unfeeling killing machine . . . even if my skin crawled with the thought of being surrounded by dead bodies.

I turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel from the open closet. I pulled it tight around me and carried my pistol as I checked the room. The door was still locked. That was a good sign. The Striker and FAMAS still hung on the door while my clothes were scattered on the floor where I left them. Everything was just as I’d left it, but that also meant no new clothes had been delivered.

I waited to hear a knock on the door, but there was only the sound of distant piano keys.

“Alice?” I called, knowing she would hear me wherever she was in the house. No answer. I opened the door, poking my head into the room. “Alice?”

“Coming!” her voice answered from the hallway. She entered the room with a large dark bag in her hands; it looked like it could hold a body. “Oh good, you’re done. That was a lot faster than I thought it would take. Hang on just a sec.” She set the bag on the bed and went to the bureau, pulling something from a drawer before coming to the bathroom door. She held out a strapless bra and panty set. “Put these on, and wrap the towel around your hair. You’re dripping.”

I reached an arm through the crack to grab the underwear, and couldn’t help asking, “Why is it strapless?”

Alice gave me an innocent look with her big, golden eyes. “You don’t trust me?”

I glared at her, and she rolled her eyes. Yeah, she should’ve seen that one coming.

“Honestly, Bella, it won’t bite you. Look, its frontsies—fun!” She gave me a teasing smile then shoved my head back so she could close the door, effectively ignoring my question. “Now get dressed and get out here.”

“I’d get dressed if you actually gave me clothes to wear,” I muttered. I received no answer, so I guess she was pretending not to hear me.

I held the bra at arms length. It was black, simple, and for that I could overlook it being strapless. The matching panties weren’t extreme, either. I tore the tags off after checking the sizes. They should fit perfectly, but why would I expect anything else? So far I hated her power, just because it freaked me out. I slipped into the panties but struggled with the bra. How the hell did front snapped bras work? Was this what a guy felt like when faced with a bra? After much struggling and grunting, I finally had it snapped and situated. I looked up to the mirror to see how it looked and balked at what I saw. Cleavage. I had cleavage! What was Alice planning?

I wrapped the towel back around my body before opening the door. Alice sat at the foot of the bed, waiting with a smile.

“Bella, Bella, Bella.” She shook her head in time with my name. “We’re both girls here. It’s not like I haven’t seen it before. Put the towel around your hair or else you’ll ruin your outfit.”

“What exactly are you trying to make me wear?” I asked.

“I’ll show you after you wrap your hair.”

“I’m not comfortable—”

“So you have bigger boobs than I do. Who cares? You should embrace them; I’d kill for your C’s. I just don’t want your damp hair ruining the material. It’s silk, and everyone knows that water absolutely ruins silk. I haven’t decided on what to do with your hair yet, so I don’t want it dried. But you can get dressed now, so it’s out of the way.”

I was being stupid, I knew that. We didn’t have time to argue, but I felt more vulnerable half-naked. I sighed and obediently wrapped my hair in the towel, crossing my arms over my chest when I finished. Alice bounded off the bed, satisfied that I did as she asked.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I took a few liberties,” she said. “I ordered some clothes for you online and had them shipped here. You should have enough outfits while you’re down there.”

“You bought me clothes?” I asked uncomfortably.

She shuffled her feet and tugged at the ends of her spiky black hair, almost like she was embarrassed. “I know, I know. It’s weird. I don’t usually do stuff like this, but you didn’t complain about the clothes in Portland. I thought you wouldn’t mind.”

I didn’t like her spending money on me or guessing I’d be okay with her dressing me. Then again, I wasn’t convinced it was a guess.

“I do mind,” I mumbled.

“Bella, you’re half-naked in a house full of vampires, smelling particularly delicious, might I add. Let’s not forget that we have less than an hour before the sun comes up. There’s no time for pouting, or arguments.” She lost the nerves and flashed a grin, rubbing her hands together as she went to the bag. “Would you like to see what you’re wearing this fine, chilly morning?”

I hugged myself tighter. “Just give me a T-shirt and jeans.”

She scoffed, unzipping the bag. “You have a great body, Bella. You can hide in your boy clothes later. So tell me, how gorgeous is this?”

She pulled out a sheet of fabric and turned, holding it up so I could get a good look at it. My eyes went wide. It was a dress! Not just any dress, but a short, sleeveless dress. My neck and shoulders would be exposed, and it would probably barely reach my knees. The only thing I thought was gorgeous about it was the deep bluish-green color. I was not a dress-type of girl. The last time I wore a one was when Renee still dressed me. Translation: when I was a kid.

“No way!” I yelled. “You are not getting me into that thing.”

It wasn’t gaudy; in fact, it was very simple and kind of elegant-looking. I just didn’t want to wear it to meet a bunch of evil vamps. Actually, that wasn’t entirely true. I just didn’t want to wear it in Seattle’s cold. Alice seemed to forget that November in Washington meant freezing cold.

“Please, Bella!” Alice whined. “This is demure yet sexy, and it draws attention to your neck.”

“I’ll freeze in that thing! I want a turtleneck,” I said with a glare.

“Sorry, but no turtleneck sweaters here,” she replied, not at all apologetic. “What’s wrong with the dress?”

“Besides the obvious? If I wore that thing, I’d look like food! I’m not wearing it.”

“You’re supposed to look like food. You’re going as Jasper’s Renfield; they are another way for a vampire to feed, you know. You want them to underestimate you. What better says ‘harmless’ than a girl in a short dress?” I opened my mouth for a snappy reply, but she quickly cut me off with a dangerous look. “You are going to meet the ancients; you have to be presentable, not dressed like what they’d call a street rat. It won’t kill you to wear a dress for two hours. It’s common courtesy to show up in front of the ancients in nice clothes. It’s kind of like meeting a king. You don’t dress like a slob. Besides, they’ll be dressed in the finest clothes of their time.”

What’s that, a loincloth? I wanted to make the stupid joke, but I wasn’t that comfortable, and we weren’t friends. I’d save it for when I saw Jessica. It would be the perfect way to close the awkward gap between us.

“The clock is ticking,” Alice reminded me.

Fine, I’d play their game. I sighed and hung my head. “How long do I have to wear it?”

“At least two hours, but it will be warm in the tunnels. I know, doesn’t seem right since their so deep underground, but I guess they put in a heating system for the humans. Oh, but there’s a catch.”

I threw my arms up. “There’s always a catch with vampires!” I said, exasperated.

She smiled. “So you saw this coming, good. While you might be Jasper’s protection, the guards won’t let you near Aro with the firepower you carry. You’ll have to store the shotgun, sword, and assault rifle in your bag; they’ll fit.”

“Deal’s off. I’m not going anywhere near them without a gun.”

“But I have good news. Sheesh, let me finish.” She fished something else out of the bag and tossed it my way. I caught it and held up the straps; I recognized it immediately as a thigh holster. “I spoke to Embry while you were busy with Jasper. He said this would perfectly conceal your pistol, a magazine, and two knives under the dress. With the way the material will flare around your knees, I agreed.”

“Why do I have to hide my pistol?” I asked. I didn’t argue about putting it on, though. Alice must’ve told him Embry I’d be in a dress, because it had the waist strap already attached. I immediately slid the band up my right leg, but didn’t holster my gun, and buckled the waist strap around me like a belt.

“Because modern weaponry makes the guards a little uncomfortable,” Alice said, “and as Jasper’s Renfield, you shouldn’t technically need a gun.”

“You know, I’m starting to think maybe I should have been more informed about Renfield’s before I agreed to this.” I knew that Renfields were a vampire’s attack dog and go-to human, but the way Alice spoke about it, it made me think there was more to it. I was pretty well educated about vampires, but they hid a lot of information about themselves, sometimes even putting out false myths to make them seem weaker to us humans.

She shrugged. “It’s nothing important, really. Back in the day, when the church was hunting evil, vampires needed a way to defend themselves. They found a way to bind humans to them for protection. It never lasted very long. The mentality of the Renfields was worn down quickly, and it made the church able to find them easier.

“After years of Renfields being burned at the stake for witchcraft, it was hard for a vampire to hold onto a human. Humans heard stories, they knew what would happen if they were caught, and they would kill themselves after the vampire caught them. One vampire started to make deals with humans. If they would protect him, he promised them eternal life. He gave them power, and eventually turned them when they pleased him. Renfields are just another way to quickly build a stable powerbase. So yeah, that’s where the whole Renfield thing comes from.”

I had no idea. I thought Renfield’s were kept for appearances—the more Renfield’s you had, the stronger you were, or more important in their society—but I guess they actually helped their master besides running errands on sunny days. Wait, wait, what was that? “What do you mean by power?” I asked quietly.

“There are rumors that when a vampire bites a human, if they give the human their blood, it will give the human their master’s ability, if he has one,” she explained. “Of course, the human will be stronger, faster—kind of like a real vampire, except without heightened senses or immortality.”

“I thought that’s how vampires were made; an exchange of blood.”

“It’s something like that. How about you get dressed?” She held the dress out toward me. “We’ll continue this discussion over your hair.”

I took the dress from her hands without argument and unzipped it, stepping into the silky fabric. I still didn’t completely understand why I had to look nice. I wanted to know more about how vampires were made and the humans bound to them, but Alice firmly refused to continue until I was dressed. I had to agree. I was starting to get cold.

I pulled the dress up, and Alice zipped me in. She turned me toward the mirror attached to the large armoire. I stared for a minute, but I could never tell what women looked for when they examined themselves in the mirror. I watched Renee do it all the time; she would turn to one side, then the other, tilting her head and batting her eyes. Living with Charlie, there was nothing like that. It was more like wearing whatever was clean and comfortable. But I had to applaud Alice; she got me in a dress. Renee would flip if she ever found out.

“It looks . . . good,” I said, feeling a little awkward.

“Good?” Alice asked with wide eyes. “You look great! And I think I decided what to do with your hair. Up, definitely up. Keep the neck bare. You don’t accessorize anyway, right?”

“Only with guns.”

“Of course. Must be nice to be that simple,” she said flippantly.

I thought about it, and she was right. I answered with a small smile. “Yeah, it’s really nice.” But then again, she was talking about accessorizing with weapons.

“Alright, come with me, and I’ll fix your hair.”

“And tell me more about vampires,” I added, grabbing my pistol. I still didn’t want to put it in the holster yet. Clinging to the familiar feel of it was the only thing that was keeping me sane.

“If you really want to know,” she replied uneasily.

I nodded and followed her into the bathroom. Alice pulled out a stool from under the counter and had me sit down while she set up the countertop. She produced a hairdryer and bottles from the deep drawers while I cradled my pistol in my lap. She tugged the towel from around my head, catching the wet strands before they could touch the silk dress.

“So what else do you want to know?” she asked as she pulled her slim fingers through my hair. “I thought you knew pretty much everything about vampires.”

“I thought so too, but I never knew what kind of role I’m playing. I thought Renfields were for show and running errands, not powering their master’s. What about bloodwhores? Are they really just blood bags and fuck buddies to vampires?”

Alice frowned and picked up a brush, running the soft bristles over my tangled hair. “I wouldn’t say ‘fuck buddies.’ I’ve never heard of a vampire successfully make love to a human, but I guess it’s possible.”

“I know it’s possible. My friend lost her virginity to a vampire instead of her childhood sweetheart.” I still remember the day Jess told me, a huge smile on her face. That was the day our friendship was cut; I only hung out with her because it made Charlie happy. It was a way to get information.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said softly. “The vampires surrounding Seattle are pigs. Aro gives them too much slack where he should tighten the reigns. I’ll be glad when they’re gone.”

“Is your master in this mix?”

Her hand stilled, and she turned her gaze to my hair so I couldn’t see her eyes in the reflection. She was quiet for a long moment, and then finally shook her head, continuing her brushing. “No, or at least I don’t think so,” she answered. “I don’t know who made me, but maybe its better this way. I see Carlisle as my creator and father; he’s my counselor and guidance. That’s what really matters to me. I remember the first day I met him. He was shocked that I just appeared in his life, but he still welcomed me with a warm smile and a hug. He was like no one I’d ever met. He’s a great man, Bella. And you know he’s never had human blood, and he’s definitely not in with the criminals who ruled your life.”

“I’m starting to see that, but I still don’t like it.”

“What, that you might become friends with a vampire?” Alice laughed. “That’s hilarious! You’re friends with a pack of wolves! What are a few vampires compared to that?”

Thanks to the bra, I had to cross my arms under my chest, but it didn’t stop my pouting. I wanted to tell her, Werewolves never killed my friends and took over my life, but I kept my mouth closed. She was only making a joke.

So what if I was uncomfortable around vampires? It was to be expected. But the Cullen’s were really putting their necks on the line for me. And for what? Just to get rid of the creator of the race? Carlisle knew what kind of massacre that would cause; I had a feeling he wouldn’t want something like that on his conscious. It was Vampire Mythology 101: kill the foundation of the bloodline, the rest of them go with it. He had assured me over the phone he wouldn’t be affected by it, but there were hundreds of newborns and elders alike that could die.

I quickly changed subjects, unwilling to answer Alice’s question. “Tell me how vampires are created. It’s through blood, right?”

“Yep, and from what Carlisle has described to me, it doesn’t sound all that fun.” She grimaced and continued, “I always thought it took a single bite, but he said the disease lives in our blood, not our saliva. So when the vampire bites a human, and when the human is almost completely drained, the vampire has the human drink their blood. It symbolizes the total control the vampire will have; the human can’t live without their blood. Understand?”

“Okay, say a vampire doesn’t bite a human, but still makes the human drink his blood. What would happen?”

“Good question, although I think it would still have the same effect.” She set the brush aside and pushed my hair forward, ordering me to hold onto it while she grabbed a bottle from the counter. “Maybe the virus would travel quicker through the bloodstream, but I think it would hurt worse.”

I looked up at her. “It hurts?”

She shrugged and took control my hair again, rubbing some kind of product through it. “I don’t remember myself, but I saw a few turnings in my lifetime,” she said. “The human body dies while the virus takes control. Who knows how it actually works, though. Someday I’d like to figure it out. What keeps us alive? It’s a question that’s plagued Carlisle since the day he was turned.”

Alice picked up the hairdryer, drowning out our conversation. She mussed my hair with her free hand, working diligently to dry it, before bringing in the brush to smooth it straight. I patiently sat on the stool and let her work; she really seemed to know what she was doing. With all the free time on her hands, I wondered if she ever attended beauty school. I already knew she could bake, so what was a bit of hair and makeup to her small hands?

When my hair was dry, Alice picked up a different bottle, squirting some of the product in her hand before rubbing it through my hair. I stayed passive under her hands. Whatever she wanted to do was fine with me, as long as I got out of here soon. I had vampires to kill.

I watched as Alice produced four sticks from a drawer—two long and two short—and proceed to twist my hair. They resembled chopsticks. What would Alice do with them? She hummed a tune to match the piano downstairs as she worked. It had picked up volume since I first heard it coming out of the shower.

“Who plays?” I asked.

“Edward,” answered Alice with a smile, pinning a stick to the left side of my head, keeping the hair in place. “He’s had lessons ever since he was human. I think his mom pressured him into it, but he insists he wanted to learn. Isn’t he amazing?”

I listened to the song wafting through the open doors. It was a sweet melody, yet he was playing it a little too harsh, almost like he wanted us to hear, but the song wasn’t meant to be played so loud. I shrugged. “It’s not bad. How long has he been playing?”

She giggled. “It’s not my place to tell you his age, silly Bella. He’s played like this long before you were born, and every day he practices to improve his art. It’s really something. Esme loves to listen to Edward play; she always says she could sit and watch him forever.”

“Esme, that’s Carlisle’s wife?” I asked. Esme and I had never really spoken before. There was one time while I was staying with them that we had a short conversation, but otherwise she was quiet.

“The one and only for eternity!” she giggled. She pinned the second long stick on the opposite side of my head. The shorter sticks were just for decoration. After she stuck them in, she set a hand mirror in front of my face and made me turn around see what she had done. I thought I’d have some complicated chignon, but Alice went for simple once again. There was a neat bun on both sides of my head, the sticks holding them firmly together.

I turned back around and stared at myself in the mirror, amazed with what I saw. I looked . . . “Pretty,” I murmured.

“You have a natural beauty to you, and that’s why you’re not getting much makeup,” Alice replied, oh so happy I was okay with her handiwork.

I shook my head, surprised my hair stayed in place. “That’s where I draw the line. I am not wearing makeup. It would run and make a mess all over my face.”

Alice stepped around me and opened another drawer, pulling out a small clear tube. “Lip gloss?” she asked, clearly testing the waters.

“Gloss is fine,” I relented.

A smile on her elfin face, she held up another tube. “Mascara?”

“No. Lip gloss.”

“Eye shadow?”

“Lip gloss, Alice.”

I stopped her before she could pull anything else out. “No time for arguments, remember? We’ve been here way too long; we’ll never make it before the sun starts shining.”

Alice pouted briefly, but she gave in with a nod of her head. With my consent, she ran the wet brush over my lips, and suddenly my lips weren’t just pink, but vibrant and sparkly. I knew if I had given in to the rest of the makeover, I’d look so girlish I’d call this whole thing off. Or at least, I’d try.

I was uncomfortable with being girly. I always thought dresses and make-up never suited me, but somehow Alice made them look superb. Maybe being a little girly wasn’t too bad. And I only had to wear the dress for two hours; I could do that. Compared to what I’d be doing underground, wearing a dress was easy.

Alice took me back into the bedroom. She pulled a shoebox out from underneath the bed and cracked it open with a devious smile. When I saw what was inside the box, I had to fight to keep from yelling at her. They were heels! Not just normal heels, or even stilettos, but boots! Peep-toe ankle boots.

“Alice,” I started quietly, trying to control the anger in my voice, “I don’t know if you’ve noticed this, but it’s freezing outside.”

Alice grinned. “I know,” she chirped.

Her easy answer lost me the grip on my anger. “Then why are you dressing me up in a fucking mini dress with those death traps!” I screeched.

There was a knock on the open door. I turned to find Jasper leaning against the frame, his blond hair slicked back, wearing a tuxedo. My anger seemed to fade away, and I knew it was because of him; I didn’t say anything. He looked just as uncomfortable as me, and suddenly I didn’t feel so ridiculous. If he could put up with the stupid dress code, I guess I could too. Couldn’t let a vampire best me, right?

“Everything okay in here?” he asked with a calm, quiet voice. “We need to go soon, you know that, right Alice?”

She didn’t even turn around, just grinned at me. “I know, Jasper. Well, Bella, no time for arguments.”

I snatched the booties from the box and sat on the bed with a frustrated sigh. “How high are these things?” I asked, defeated.

“Four inches,” Alice answered.

“Are you kidding? I’ve never worn anything that high!”

She laughed. “It’s not that high, Bella. Four inches is a cakewalk compared to the eight inches I had originally picked out. Then I saw you break your leg on the church steps. Eight inches was a bad idea, but you can handle these.”

Eight inches? Yeah, suddenly four didn’t seem so intimidating. I slid my bare feet into the black shoes and zipped them up. I wished for tights or something to wear with this outfit, but I didn’t want to risk anything with the thigh holster. Most women could wear any kind of stockings with a thigh band, but I was not most women. I’d find a way to rip either the tights or band somehow.

I stood on wobbly legs, and Alice helped me balance. The design made it feel like I was standing on my tip-toes. I did not like this one bit. I took a tentative step with Alice’s help, then another, and two more before pulling out of her grasp. She hovered by while I adjusted to these monsters on my feet. I didn’t do too badly for my first time in high heels.

I went to the door, trying not to stumble, where Jasper was still waiting. The heel caught in the carpet, and I tumbled toward him. He caught my arm before I could fall face first into the hall, but as soon as I was upright, I shrugged him off. Now that Alice was done primping me, I had my own preparations to make. I told Jasper to wait as I cautiously made my way back to the bathroom, where my bag still sat on the floor.

I grabbed the rig from behind the door and quickly unloaded the Striker. I had remembered I never loaded the incendiary shells, and I wanted to fix that quickly. I switched out the shells then had to dig around to find the knives Embry had packed; everything inside the bag was black, so it all melted together, but I finally found the knives in their sheaths. Because the thigh band had built-in sheaths, I didn’t have to worry about stabbing myself. I hiked the skirt of the dress and slid the two knives into the band—hearing the click told me they were secure— and then reached for my pistol. I set the gun in its temporary holster along my leg. Carefully, I shoved the FAMAS, Striker, and sword inside the duffel bag, zipping it closed. Huh, Alice was right. They fit.

I was afraid to try and lift the bag in my heels, and Alice knew it. She offered to carry it downstairs for me. Which would be worse? Having a vampire touch my equipment or falling over in front of two vampires? I let her carry the bag while I tried not to cling to Jasper’s arm going down the stairs. He was patient, taking them one step at a time. When we reached the first floor, I heaved a sigh of relief. Maybe I’d get the hang of walking in these things quickly.

Edward waited by the door, jingling the car keys in his hand, sunglasses on his face. What was he hiding behind there? Were they his new eyes? Did he kill someone? And apparently he felt he didn’t have to dress up much, because his auburn hair was still a mess, and compared to Jasper’s tux, he looked almost homely. Edward wore a simple gray vest with a white Oxford shirt and black slacks. Seriously, I was in a dress and four inch heels for this. Couldn’t he have tried harder?

He snatched my bag from Alice, slinging it over his shoulder. “The car has all your luggage already,” he said, sounding somewhat grumpy. “We need to go.”

“You don’t think I know that?” I hissed. “You try walking in these things.”

His head made a bobbing motion, and I realized he was looking me up and down, stopping on the little boots. He opened his mouth to say something, but Alice was quicker.

“Try to remember that the shoes are suede, so if you get blood on them, it won’t wash out,” she said.

“Fine with me, because I’m throwing them out with the dress after we’re done with the meet and greet, or tea time, or whatever it is vampires do,” I said.

Alice grinned and tapped her temple. “I thought you might say that, so I thought ahead.”

“More clothes?” I groaned. “Why couldn’t you give me guns? I’d love a flamethrower.”

Her face grew serious, the grin quickly slipping away. “Strength isn’t going to help you now, Bella. You’re entering a game of wits and politics. You have to follow Jasper’s lead.”

I glanced up at the stoic blond. “He’s really in charge? I thought we were partners.”

“Officially, Jasper is in charge, and Edward is second-in-command. You have to listen to them while you’re down there, so try not to argue with them too much, okay? They can look after themselves, but they have to protect you as well. If you fight them every step of the way, it will make their jobs harder.” She grinned as she said this.

I sighed, eyes catching sight of the hall clock. My feet were already killing me, and I’d barely walked in these shoes. “Can we just get going? It’s already six o’clock.”

Alice stood on her toes as Jasper bent down, giving him a sweet kiss. She didn’t seem nervous at all that he might not come back. She bounced over to Edward to give him the same chaste kiss. She looked at me, and I shook my head, wobbling past them. My coat was still hanging in the closet, and I’d definitely need it in this getup.

“Be careful down there, Bella. I’m worried for you,” Alice said sincerely. If the psychic was worried, what did that mean for me? Shit. “Watch your back when you’re alone. Aro might try for you around every corner. Remember what I said about him, if he can’t have you—”

“No one else can,” I finished darkly. He could keep dreaming. The only way Aro was getting me was if I took him to Hell with me.

The sky was a gloomy indigo by the time we were in Seattle. The sun was still hidden behind the clouds, but with the help of the church’s lights, I saw it long before we ever got to it. The high pillars of stone in between all the modern buildings were a big hint. When we maneuvered through the early morning traffic, finally pulling into the back parking lot, I was overwhelmed by the sheer size of it. It was beautiful, but I knew what lay underneath, and that made it intimidating. This was where the big bad vamps stayed. I could kill Aro, or he could kill me. This was it.

I grabbed my bag beside me and was about to open the car door when Jasper stopped me, a hand on my arm. I shrugged off his hand and turned back around to see his face set with grim determination.

“We have to use the front entrance,” Jasper said quietly. “You can’t carry the bag with you. All eyes will be on us; they’re expecting us.”

“I need the ammo,” I replied, biting my lip with nerves. I only had one extra clip with me. Even with the clip, I had twenty shots. Definitely not enough to help me.

“They’ll come get it and put it in our room.”

“What room? Who?”

“The guards,” he answered. He continued before I could take a breath to protest. “What were you and Alice talking about? No time for arguments? Now let’s go, and try not to make eye contact.” He opened his door, cold air rushing up my skirt, as he slipped on his sunglasses, exiting the car. Edward followed his lead without a word.

I reluctantly left the bag in the backseat and pulled myself out of the car. They didn’t even wait for me, and I was in heels! I wouldn’t have complained if they wanted to touch me now; my feet were killing me. I wanted someone to carry me. I clomped after them, shivering in my itty bitty dress, the coat doing nothing to protect me from the early morning frost. I told Alice a dress was a bad idea. I never saw anyone wear a dress in winter. Should’ve told her off.

I looked up from my feet to yell at the vamps for leaving me behind, but my breath caught in my throat. Eyes were everywhere. And they were looking at me.

To make the eerie silence in Seattle even worse, every face I passed on the sidewalk seemed to be staring. At first I thought it was the dress drawing attention to me, then I noticed the secretive smiles, and then I spotted the red eyes. The vamps in Seattle weren’t like Jasper or Edward; they didn’t hide behind sunglasses. I immediately stared down at my feet, pulled the coat tighter around me, and hurried towards the giant stone steps. They all knew we were here.

Jasper and Edward climbed the front steps while I struggled in the evil heels. Bunch of gentlemen they were; they couldn’t even save a damsel in distress. Then again, maybe they thought I didn’t want the help.

Edward held the door as he and Jasper waited at the top. When I finally made it up, my feet utterly aching, we entered the cathedral.

I stumbled just inside the door; it wasn’t my clumsiness, but the sight of the interior. It was huge. There was no vestibule, so we were greeted by the tall ceiling and a sea of chairs. I took it all in with wide eyes. I never knew a building could be so beautiful. The many stained glass windows were already casting colors around the wide room. I followed the vamps down the walkway, approaching a fountain in the very middle of the room. Behind it were more chairs, and on the very back wall, hundreds of polished golden organ pipes shone through the spaces in the walls. It gave the illusion that the pipes were built into the walls.

We didn’t go towards the organ; Jasper led us off to the right side, taking us through a door into a dim hall. We passed humans who kept their eyes glued to the marble floor. I had a feeling they worked here and knew exactly why we here. You couldn’t have vampires come out of the woodwork and not know their master lived below you, right?

We walked down two more long hallways before Jasper took us through a large wooden door. He and Edward didn’t even pause, just went through it. I stood in the doorframe, looking down into the room. I was faced with stone steps, the room dark and chilly. “Do you even know where you’re going?” I asked, watching as Jasper’s blond hair disappeared down the steps.

“It’s been a while,” his voice echoed, “but yes, I know exactly where I’m going.”

“It seems like this door should be locked.”

“It usually is. I told you; they know we’re coming.” His voice took on a teasing tone as he asked, “Would you like to join us down here?”

I glanced back down the empty hall, wondering how far I’d make it before they caught me. In these heels? Not far. Damn it. I sighed and reached for the wall inside the room, my hand met with cold, scratchy stone. I stepped down carefully, thankful for the light from the door above me. Slowly, I descended into the darkness.

After the twentieth step, the door closed behind me. I yelped with fear. I couldn’t see the next step, and I had no idea where those stupid vampires went. My night vision was pretty good if I had a small bit of light, but there was none of that here. It was black as oil. If I closed my eyes, it would make no difference.

My free hand was caught by something cold. I screamed, taking my hand off the wall to grab my gun, but the heels threw me off balance. I fell forward, into something scratchy. I tried to shove out of its grasp, but two icy hands held onto my arms.

“Calm down, Bella, it’s me!” the voice said.

I stopped squirming almost immediately, my heart beating against my chest so hard I was sure Edward could feel it against his. Pushing against his rough jacket, I stepped back and he let me go, chuckling all the while. I stopped gasping long enough to tell him, “You should have said something before you grabbed me.”

“I scared you?” he asked happily.

“Just be lucky you don’t sleep or I’d kill you then,” I growled.

He laughed and a light shone on his face, the sunglasses still covering his eyes. He was holding a small flashlight. I really hated him. He could’ve lit up the stairs for me.

“Relax Bella, I was just having a bit of fun,” he teased.

“I hate you, I really do. That wasn’t funny, and it definitely wasn’t fun.”

“Let’s keep moving,” Jasper’s voice barked from somewhere in the darkness.

Edward turned, shining the light in front of him. I followed closely. The uneven cobblestone was hard to walk on, and if I fell, I’d at least have someone to grab.

I tried to take in my surroundings, but I couldn’t see much outside of the light. I’d guessed we were in a cellar. There were racks of wine, but no coffins. Wasn’t this where all the vampires stayed? I thought they would’ve been lower. And what happened to that electricity and heat the Cullens’ told me about?

“It seems stupid for a vampire to hide underneath a church,” I said, unable to stand the silence any more. “It’s too public.”

“Not exactly,” answered Edward. “This is just the main entrance to Aro’s lair; we’re using it to show respect. We could have entered from any of the tunnels. The cathedral might be a public location, but the real entrance is inaccessible to anyone who isn’t a vampire.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s a long way down.” We turned the corner, and up ahead I could see a dark red light, Jasper standing underneath it. The flashlight went off when we finally caught up to him.

“This is the real entrance,” Jasper explained, motioning to something beyond the arch we stood under. “It’s just a short walk after the jump, and then we’re officially cut off from the outside world.”

I stepped past him to see what he was talking about. In the middle of the small room was a wide stone well. I bent over it, staring down into more darkness. Even with the red light I couldn’t see anything. Great.

“I’m not going down there,” I said. “There has to be another way.”

Jasper shook his head. “You already agreed to do this, Bella. You can’t back out now.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “How am I even getting down there?”

“It’s a drop only the undead can survive, so I’ll hold you, or Edward can.”

After what Edward did on the steps, and the fact that he had some weird attraction to me, I wasn’t letting him hold me. I smoothed the back of my dress, the skirt barely as long as the coat. “I’m not comfortable with this.”

“None of us are, but it’s something we’ll work through. Edward can go first, to show you there’s nothing to fear.”

Edward came to the well and stepped up on the thin lip. He didn’t even pause, just fell into the dark depths. I leaned over the well again, waiting to hear a splash or a crack or something that would show he was down there. Nothing happened.

Jasper stood by my side, leaning over with me and called down, “Are you clear?”

“Come on down!” Edward’s voice echoed off the walls.

Jasper straightened up and looked at me, a small smile on his lips. “Let’s go.” His hand was suddenly around my wrist, pulling me to him. I struggled, digging my heels into the floor, but that didn’t slow him down. When I was close enough, he wrapped an arm around my legs, knocking me over, but caught my back with his other arm. I was suddenly cradled to his chest, trying not to scream my head off.

“You could’ve asked!” I complained, still kicking in his arms.

He stepped onto the lip. “If you don’t stop squirming, I might drop you.” That stopped any movement I might’ve made next.

I looked down to find the pit of darkness at his feet. I swallowed hard and turned my gaze to his face. “There is a floor down there, right?” I asked with my shaking voice.

“Why? Are you scared?” he asked with a grin.

“I’m going to the heart of a coven with only two vampires I don’t know to keep me from getting killed, and one of those vampires is about to fall down a well with me in his arms!”

He seemed to consider it for a moment. “Good point,” and with that said, he stepped into the well.

I felt the air rush by me, taking my ability to scream with it; it ruffled my dress, tugged my hair. It felt like we fell forever. When I felt the impact jar Jasper’s body, I jerked. He held me closer, but he didn’t stumble. He let me down before standing up, and I scrambled to get my footing. After that drop, my legs were shaking like leaves in the wind. Edward was there to hold me steady. He held onto my elbow with a strong hand, and waited while I found my equilibrium. My skin crawled, but I didn’t shake him off. I clung to his arm and fought to control my breathing. It gave me the chance to look around.

We were standing in a dark corridor, but up ahead there was a bright light beyond an arched doorway, showing off smooth white stone. I swore if I had to walk much farther, I’d take off the boots, no matter how dirty the floor was. Jasper dusted off his coat and took the lead again while I let Edward go, following after him.

We passed under the arch, the hallway before us ending with an elevator. Seriously? Edward didn’t seem surprised; his face was empty as he kept pace with Jasper. Wasn’t this his first time down here too?

Jasper pushed the button, and the scratched metal doors opened immediately. We all stepped in. There was only one button inside; it would take us lower, closer to the vampires. The doors closed, and we were on our way to vampiric central station.