Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Venom

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 02:

Chapter 2

She was eating. This was a good sign. Perhaps my medicine worked. It wouldn’t hold though. The bandage on her wrist was wet. The serum pulled the venom back to the surface. But it wouldn’t stay there. Eventually the salve would fail. The venom would spread and she would die. Would she wake up as one of the undead? I had no idea. I doubted it.

“Girl looks like she hasn’t eaten in months.” Chris said quietly as we sat in his living room watching the Alpha’s mate clean up her plate.

“She hasn’t. Once she began to work her way out of the thrall of the cold one, she began to get sick. The venom started to spread infecting more than her wrist. She hasn’t been able to hold anything down in months other than the slightest amount of food.”

“She looks like a walking skeleton.” Chris further commented. I know he did not mean it as an insult but I couldn’t help but feel a bit defensive. Bella was the Alpha’s mate. Although not of our tribe she was the most important female in our tribe. Add to that the destiny I was sure she was meant for and any perceived slight against her had my hackles raised.

Still, he meant no harm.

“How long do you think we have to get her ready?”

“I don’t know.” I answered honestly. “The spirit world is restless. The balance between light and darkness is shifting. The ancient one and her consort will not wait much longer. Her cold ones roam the Earth in greater numbers than ever before. The Cullen’s are not the only ones to infiltrate the human world. They are the start. The experiment. A doctor. Who could argue that a doctor is dangerous?”

Chris nodded his head in agreement.

“How long do we have to get her ready?

“I told her father a year.”

“He’s gonna play ball? We can’t have others here. Too much magic is going to be floating around. Especially till she learns to control it.”

“I know. He will have to see her though.” I pointed out.

“Take her to Casper. Not here. I got enough wards on this place to keep us hidden from everyone short of God, but the more she pops up the more she is going to land on radar.”

“I know. When she told the truth to her father she mentioned briefly something about one of the cold ones seeing the future and the one who enthralled her being able to read minds.”

“Could he read her mind?” he asked, momentarily concerned.

“I don’t believe so. She was mumbling at points. She will explain more. Either way it doesn’t matter. Once the bracelet is on, they cannot touch her. The enthrallment will completely break. She will be able to see them for what they are.”

Bella finished her second bowl of stew and walked slowly to the sink.

“Here ya go little lady. I got that.” Chris rose from his chair and walked over, taking the empty bowl from her hand.

“I can wash. You have been so nice, at least…”

“Kid you look like a slight breeze could blow you away. I know you got to be tired. Go sit down by the fire next to Tonto and we can talk.”

Tonto? Shit kicker can kiss my beautiful bronze ass.

Bella sat next to me and I smiled at her. It was a sad smile. She had been through hell. Despite that she smiled back. She was tough. Tougher than she believed. Chris walked back into his living room and stoked the fire while Bella absently touched the wrapping on her wrist. He sat in his recliner across from us. I turned towards Bella.

“So little Swan. I imagine you have some questions now.” I started.

“Why am I here?” she asked immediately. “Couldn’t you have done this in Forks?”

“I could have. But it would not hold. It would not work for long. A week at most if we are lucky.”

“It’s the venom isn’t it? It’s spreading.”

I nodded.

“It’s going to kill me, isn’t it?”

I nodded again.

She was silent for a while.

“Why bother then? If this will only last a week why hold off the inevitable?”

I looked at Chris. He seemed to approve the answer. As I expected this girl was not afraid of death. Any other 18 year old who was told she had a short time to live would be crying. Yelling hysterically. Not her. She was the Alpha’s mate. She was also more. She was touched by the spirits when she was born.

“Bella, I need to tell you a story. Are you awake enough to listen or do you want to get some sleep and we can pick this up in the morning?” Chris asked. I give it to him. He had a soothing tone to his voice. Exactly what she needed. No pressure. She needed to come to this decision herself. The bracelet was both a blessing and a curse. Great power and great responsibility.

She considered this and then nodded.

“I’ve slept enough. I want to hear the story. I need answers. Before it is too late.”

“Are you cold?” Chris asked. On with the damn story.

Patience. Patience Quil. We have time. Not much but there is time. Even young Jacob hasn’t come into his own yet. But he will. Taking his mate away may be the trigger that pushes him over the edge. I hope Billy and Sam are prepared.

“I’m fine. Please?”

Chris nodded and began. Finally.

“This story started in a place called Sumer. What you would know as ancient Sumeria. One of the earliest civilizations in record history.

A woman named Erishkigal, or Irkalla as she was sometime known. She was a simple woman. Not a queen. Not a deity. But she was born with a great hunger for power. A woman ahead of her time. She recognized the growing civilization and wanted to be a leader. I don’t know her exact reasoning. Sometimes evil people don’t need reasons. And forgive my language but this bitch is evil incarnate.”

“Is?” Bella caught on. Glad to see she is keeping up. The salve is working better than I thought it would. She is strong.

Chris ignored her question and moved on.

“Unfortunately for the human race, one day Irkalla took a break from having sexual relations with every man she could manipulate who might be in power one day and took a walk. Perhaps she was drawn. I don’t know if we will ever know. But she found herself in a cave. In the cave she rooted around in the dark until she found a box. It was made of stone. She took it out of the cave and opened it.

The box was a prison. Meant to keep an evil inside. Or perhaps it was placed there by the devil himself. Either way the silver substance rose from the box and attacked her. It covered her face and entered her body. Entered through her mouth, her eyes, her nose, her ears. She was instantly in pain. Greater pain than was known to exist in her mind. Three days later the pain stopped. Her body had been transformed. She was beautiful. All imperfections gone. No blood flowed through her body. No heartbeat. No breath was taken. Her skin was hard but smooth. She could move at great speeds, had great strength.”

“She became the first vampire.” Bella whispered. She catches on fast.

“Yes. Everything about her drew a person in. Even her skin sparkled in the sunlight. She also had a powerful taste for blood. She slaughtered the outlying villages. She was seen by all. She didn’t hide. Warriors could not stop her. So as people in ancient times were known to do in regards to that which could not be understood, they instead worshipped her. She became the goddess of death. Eventually she chose a consort. His name was Nergal. She attempted to have sex with him. Lost in passion she bit him. However she did not want to kill him before he could… finish, I suppose would be the word.”

I had to chuckle. Chris had to be incredibly uncomfortable talking about sex with an 18 year old girl.

Glad it wasn’t me.

“That was when she figured out that she could pass the venom on to others.” Bella whispered.

“Yep. He was nearly as strong as she was. Nearly. The two ruled Sumer as gods of the Underworld.

One night Irkalla decided to feed from a beautiful young girl. Nerkal however wanted her for himself. He was intrigued by her. He was drawn to her. Irkalla bit the girl and threw her at Nergal’s feet. Nergal however wanted her human. He sucked the venom from her body. He convinced her that he loved her. Irkalla was not a jealous woman. She didn’t care if he had his pets. One night while Nergal was away, the young girl became ill. The venom spread through her body slowly. She ran off into the night to die, only to find herself in the same cave Irkalla found the box. She laid down to die. Underneath her she felt what she thought was a rock. Instead it was a bracelet. She thought it beautiful and placed it on her wrist. She thought she should not have to look at the scar on her wrist from the two vampires who had essentially killed her.

Instead the bracelet wrapped around her wrist, attracted to the venom in her blood. She was healed. The origin of the bracelet was not known, but it had many powers. It provided her knowledge. It allowed her to see past the beauty of vampires. It became one with her. When she was in danger the bracelet wrapped around her arm and hand to form a glove of armor. Armor that could do many things. Armor that also wrapped around her body when she was attacked. The greater the threat the more the armor covered. It was light weight but indestructible. A second skin. She was as fast as a vampire. Not as strong but she didn’t have to be. The bracelet had other… powers. Powers that allowed her to kill vampires.

“She didn’t die?” Bella whispered.

“No. The bracelet would not let her age. She healed rapidly when she was injured before the armor could protect her. However she was not immortal. She could bleed. She was human. And like all living things she could be killed.

When Irkalla and Nergal returned she was waiting in Nergal’s chamber. The minute she saw them the armor revealed itself. She had no clue of its possibilities yet. But she knew enough. The bracelet told her. It whispered to her. She cut off Irkalla’s arm with a sword that merged from her gloved hand. Irkalla recovered it. Nergal, shocked that something could harm his wife, ran with her. They tried to return but the girl defeated them. She spent the next hundred years chasing the two. Going from village to village killing their creations and following their trail of blood. Eventually the two stopped killing in mass and went into hiding.”

“What was her name? The girl?” she whispered.

“Ursalla. The first of the warrior witches. Eventually she gave up the bracelet. She passed it on to a successor. Another human pet who had been bit by a vampire and saved by another.”

“Why?”

“She was tired. Ready to die. She had lived for hundreds of years as a warrior. No family, no love. Once her foes went into hiding she had no other reason to go on. She found the girl dying, much like you are. Since that time there have been 36 warrior witches. 36 over the last 5000 years. Some gave up the bracelet and grew old, the venom leaving their body with the bracelet. Others were killed by vampires. Vampires can still drain the witches’ blood. If the witch is weak enough for the armor to give. Like I said, the bracelet does not make a girl all powerful. It only gives the tools.”

“When a witch is killed how is the bracelet passed on?”

“It is always found. Always by a girl who was under the thrall of a vampire. A girl who had been bit once and had the venom sucked out of her. My wife was the 36th warrior witch. We married when I was 24. She was already three hundred years old. When I was 28 my wife and I were visited by a medicine man from Washington State. He told us a tale about spirit warriors and wolves. Was doin research. Said the spirits had told him that a coven of vampires would be returning to his area during his lifetime bringin all kinds of trouble. Said his young would be changing into wolves to battle the vampires. He is the old fart sittin next to you.”

“What happened to your wife?”

“She was killed. By a vampire. Irkalla and Nergal are coming out. For eons the warrior witches have fought vampires where they could be found. But none have fought the two ancients since Ursalla. They are returning though. Quil believes they are setting themselves up to take over the world. Literally. He says the Spirits have warned him. My wife was killed, ambushed at home by a large number of vampires, using the last of her power to protect me. She made me disappear. I wanted to die with her. I have wanted to die since then. But she died so I could live and I won’t spit on her sacrifice. I have studied magic, learning everything I could. Quil helped me. I did it so I could be ready to help the next warrior witch. You Bella. If you accept it.”

I watched her face carefully. She looked at her wrist and closed her eyes.

“I was so stupid.” She whispered.

“You never had a chance child.” I patted her shoulder.

“It was destiny Bella. It got you here. The question is whether you want your destiny to end here. Or will you fight? Because child, I realize it isn’t fair to put this on you. But Irkalla and Nergal are not coming out of hiding to drain a few humans. If they are coming out they must want to set themselves up like gods. I believe vampires under their instructions have been infiltrating high profile positions for years. Killing my wife was the first step. A war is coming. I truly believe, as does Quil, that soon vampires will be public knowledge. Once that happens it could be a war or a silent takeover. But it will happen. The world is going to need you.” Chris told her solemnly. I knew it hurt him to speak of his wife. But it had to be done.

“So this bracelet is the only thing that can kill vampires?” Bella asked.

“Not exactly child. But the warrior witch will be needed in the war to come.”

“What do you mean not exactly? What did you mean about spirit warriors?” she asked.

I nodded to Chris. I would be taking up this part of the story.

“Child let me tell you the history of our tribe.”

Jake POV

“Where the hell is she?”

“Charlie sent her to Florida, son.”

“Bullshit Dad! She was too sick to fly anywhere. Is she in a hospital? I know you are lying. No way had Charlie let her go being that sick. She would have called me.”

“Son, watch your language.”

My language? My damn language? Bella was gone, no one was talking and he is worried about my damn language?

“To hell with that Dad. I want to know where she is and I want to know right the fuck now!”

Dad suddenly looked very afraid. I realized I was shaking. I didn’t care at the moment.

“Where is Old Quil, Dad? You and Old Quil visit Charlie and the next thing I know, Bella is gone and so is Old Quil! He took her! You convinced Charlie about the damn Cullen’s being fucking vampires didn’t you?! He took her to work some damn voodoo on her. Damn you old men and your superstitions!”

I hit the wall. I wanted to calm down but I couldn’t. All I could think about was Bella. I knew she didn’t love me the way I loved her but I didn’t give a damn. I would win her. But she had to fucking be here!

I realized I was touching board. My fist went through the wall.

That should have caused me to pause but I couldn’t stop shaking. Everything. Embry leaving me to be a part of Sam’s gang. These damn fevers I had been running. Bella being so sick. She was turning into a wraith before my eyes. The last time I saw her she looked half dead. She couldn’t stay up for more than a few minutes. It was frustrating. Now my father was lying to me about the only person who mattered to me in this world.

“I’m sorry I have to do this son.” I heard him whisper so softly. My hearing had gotten so much better lately that even in my rage I caught that.

“Sorry for what Dad? Lying to me?”

“She is a damn white woman! You are the future Chief of this tribe! You will not be around her. There is no future for the two of you! She is gone and you will never see her again!” My father yelled.

I loved my father.

My handicapped father sitting in a wheelchair.

The man I was about to murder.

My vision turned red. My body was vibrating. I felt so hot. Must be the flames of hell that were about to claim me. I stalked toward him slowly, the vibration in my body increasing. My sight was becoming blurry, but I could see him. The fear in his eyes should have given me pause.

He said I couldn’t have Bella. She was white? Future chief? He could go to hell. Nothing. Nothing without her.

The door slammed open but I paid it no mind. I fought though when I found myself locked in the arms of Sam Uley. I don’t know how I knew but I knew it was him. He was dragging me away from my prey. The man who insulted my Bella. We crashed outside into the rain falling into the mud.

I rolled on top and hit him. Sam Uley had my full attention. My father would be dealt with later.

Sam tried to strike me and I jumped back. Suddenly I exploded. I literally exploded. My rage caused me to self-destruct.

What the hell?

/Jake?/

I looked up and saw what used to be Sam Uley. His voice was in my head. But before me was a large black wolf. I backed up and realized I was moving on four legs. My head dropped and I saw… paws?

/Jake, calm down./

I tried to talk but my mouth moved up and down. My eyes saw a snout.

I was very confused. Had I tried to attack my father?

/It’s okay Jake. It’s the change. Our tempers are out of control at first. You have to be careful. But it’s okay. It’s all going to be okay./

I wanted to kill my father. What the hell was I?

/Jake it’s okay. You weren’t yourself. He angered you on purpose. He said those things about Bella to make you angry. Remember your legends./

/Can you hear me?/

/Yes Jake. We can all hear you./

/All?/ I reached out and thought they weren’t speaking I knew they were there. Embry. Paul, Jared.

/Yes./

/The stories are true? Bella? The Cullen’s! They hurt her! That’s why she is sick!/

/Jake we have much to talk about. But right now we need you to calm down. We have to get you to phase back to human./

/Phase?/

/Try to relax./

/ I’m a big fucking dog and you want me to relax?!/

/If you calm down I can tell you where Bella is./ Sam’s voice rang in my head. Bella? This fucker knew where my Bella was?

/Okay maybe that wasn’t the best idea… /

I attacked him. I would beat it out of him. Rip it out of his hide. No one was going to keep me away from Bella. I felt the power in this body. I felt animalistic. He bit me and I locked my teeth onto him, shaking his body.

/Jake I will tell you. Just stop attacking!/

My teeth were around his throat. Some part of my reasoning remained. If I bit his head off he couldn’t tell me where my Bella was.

I let go and stepped back.

/Fix this Uley. Tell me how to change. I need to see my Bella. You are going to tell me exactly where she is or so help me I will rip everyone and everything around me to shreds./

/Try calming your breathing Jake. Think about being with Bella working on your bikes./ Embry’s voice intruded into my head.

That suggestion instantly brought me back to the greatest time in my life. Laughing. Sharing warm soda and pizza. Watching her hand me the wrong tools. Her smile. The smile that told me no matter what she was glad to be with me. The smile I dreamed about at night.

I felt mud on my knees. I opened my eyes and saw I was me. Naked. Kneeling in the mud but me. Dad was on the back porch looking at me.

“Son?”

“Dad?”

“I didn’t mean that about Bella. I’m sorry I had to say it. I had to push you. It would have taken longer if I hadn’t. Hurt more.”

I nodded. A pair of shorts was in front of me. Sam Uley stood there smiling.

“Get dressed. We have a lot to talk about.”

Bella POV

Okay.

Okay.

“So…”

“I realize it is a lot to take in little Swan. But everything I have told you is the truth.” Quil told me.

“I know.” I whispered. I did. I was so taken with the supernatural I never thought there might be more to Edward and his vegetarian family. James showed me an evil side but it wasn’t enough. According to Quil I was enthralled by Edward.

But…

“Jacob. I was supposed to be his imprint? Now we can’t because I have this venom in my blood?”

“Yes.”

“But I don’t love Jacob that way.” Brother. Best friend.

“How do you feel when you are around him child?” Old Quil asked.

How did I feel? Warm. Safe. Cared for. Happy.

“I feel like home.” I admitted.

“What do you think love is?”

That caught me off guard. I had always assumed it was Edward. Beautiful. Mysterious. Sweeping me off my feet. But is that what really happened? Why had I fallen so hard and so fast? Why did I let him… Oh God.

“It’s too late though, isn’t it? Jacob will imprint on another.” I looked at Quil searching his eyes for the truth.

“No. One only has one soul mate. You will still be able to love each other. The two of you are connected. No imprint is needed. Should you choose to wear the bracelet you will understand. Once the remnants of the enthrallment are gone you will see. You will understand.”

Chris spoke up for the first time in two hours. I looked closely at him and saw the loss in his eyes. He had beautiful sky blue eyes and a warm smile. But the sadness was there.

“Bella why don’t you get some sleep. Take tomorrow to think about what we told you. Understand with the bracelet comes the mantle. It is an important decision to make. Think about it. Take as much time as you need.”

Time? I believed every word they told me. There was no choice. My death didn’t matter. I allowed myself to get into this situation. That was on me. But if I didn’t do this…

“What if I don’t take it?”

Neither said anything. Nothing needed to be said. The Wolves could not do this alone. They needed the power of the bracelet.

“You can’t exactly find another girl who has been bitten by a vampire and had most of the venom drained.”

“True.” Quil answered meeting my eyes.

“Quil you know what I am going to say. I won’t allow vampires to harm others if I can do anything about it. I won’t allow them to harm me again. I don’t need time. I need the bracelet and I need someone to tell me how to use it. To help me. I’m willing. But I don’t know what to do.”

They both smiled. The look of relief on both their faces was obvious.

“Looks like what you said was right Quil. Heart of a warrior. Just like my wife.” Chris said.

Quil place a hand on my shoulder.

“We will show you what to do. It is why we are here. We have a lot of work to do. Get some sleep. In the morning you and the bracelet become one. Then we have some things that need to be taken care of right away.”

“Like what?”

“Getting more food in you would be a start. You will need to be strong. The road you are about to travel will be difficult. But you will not be alone child. You will have your mate. You will have his pack. And most importantly, you will have us.”