Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Venom

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 22:

Irkalla was running out of patience. One final stop to put the animal eaters in their place and remind them of what they were. Then it would be time. She had vampires in the FBI, CIA, Secret Service, and Interpol. Cabinet members in governments around the world.

The time to strike was now. A simple text message would instigate the attack. A press conference to organize the attack against humanity. But first a final stop.

The Cullen house.

“Very nice. They have good taste.” Nergal whispered.

“I will most likely kill these pathetic excuses for vampires and we can move on. We do have a vampire uprising to organize dear.” Irkalla informed him calmly.

She had twenty two vampires with her. She did not need them, but every queen deserves an entourage.

“Caius, you and Nergal will accompany me inside. The rest of you will stay in place in the front.”

Irkalla seemed to glide over the wet grass. She listened and heard nothing. No sounds in the surrounding area. No voices inside. Certainly not the voices of 12 vampires who were supposed to be present. She didn’t bother knocking on the door. They knew she was here.

Walking inside she saw no one. A set of stairs in front of her led to the next level. Irkalla rose with her servant Caius and lover following her.

“Welcome.” A soft female voice came from the room she entered at the top of the stairs.

“You are Esme Cullen?” Irkalla asked, already knowing the answer.

“Yes. This is my husband Carlisle and my son and daughter Rose and Emmett.”

Irkalla was instantly alert. She expected more vampires.

“Where are the rest of…” her question was stopped short by the dawning realization of a heartbeat in this room. Her eyes shot to the back of the room. Against the wall, behind the big vampire, a small human girl stood wide eyed and alert.

“My name is Irkalla. I am the first vampire. Your queen and mother. I come bearing good news. Our time in the shadows is over. We are taking our rightful place over humans. Where is the rest of your family?”

The doctor spoke.

“I’m afraid Edward is on a trip along with Alice and Jasper. We weren’t informed of your arrival until yesterday. They were unable to arrange transportation to return in time.”

Irkalla tried to focus on the doctor’s words but her gaze was violently drawn to the human girl in the back of the room. There was nothing special about her. She wore old faded blue jeans and sneakers. A white, simple tee and a denim jacket that was slightly too big for her. Her eyes were guarded. She stared at the ground and appeared very frightened. What was she doing here?

“The Alaskans?” Caius asked, pulling Irkalla to the current conversation.

“We don’t know Caius.” Carlisle said honestly. Bella had not told him.

“Who is this human?” Irkalla whispered.

“This is Edward’s girlfriend. We are planning on changing her soon.” Carlisle said quietly.

The Cullen’s stepped aside and she saw the girl clearly for the first time. A slip of a thing. But something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong. Every instinct in her body screamed at her to kill the child. She was harmless. Irkalla did not understand her reaction. She had not reacted like this since…

“Nergal, kill her. Kill her now!”

“Of course love.” Nergal moved to obey, though Irkalla could tell from the tone of his voice that he was confused.

Irkalla expected a reaction from the Cullen’s. Surely they would attempt to talk her into sparing their human?

Nergal towered over the small girl who was looking at the floor and biting her lip.

“Nothing personal young lady.” He sneered.

“Same here Nergal.”

The girl met his eyes and he was taken back. Her disposition changed. She was not frightened.

Nergal barely saw the flash of silver. He felt the pain though. A pain he had not felt in a very long time. The pain of steel cutting through his body.

Bella lifted her sword between Nergal’s legs and arched upward. She saw his skull split in two and the two sides of his body fell apart. Blue fire exploded from her body, burning her clothes and enveloping Nergal’s body.

Irkalla held in a scream, while watching her first lover and companion burn to dust. But her emotions would not be held in much longer. Twenty feet away from her was a site she never thought she would have to behold again.

A warrior witch wrapped in armor surrounded by blue flames.

“You betrayed me?!” Irkalla shouted at the Cullen’s. Bella charged the short distance across the room. Before she could reach Irkalla, the ancient one lifted her hands. The four remaining Cullen’s attacked Bella.

Outside the vampires in the yard heard the scream of their queen.

Jane motioned to move inside and was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.

She turned and saw Demetri.

“It is time we leave.” He said quietly, eyes scanning the tree line. A tree line that was suddenly alive. Large wolves were moving from the foliage.

Werewolves.

Jane prepared to attack. Alec focused on the nearest beasts.

“Quiet them and let’s go Alec.” Demetri whispered.

“The Queen…” Jane started.

“Can burn in Hell. Even if these things can’t kill her, they can buy us time. It is time to go Jane. You, Alec and I. I can keep us ahead of her. We do not have to be her servants.”

Jane listened to Demetri and then glanced at Alec. The two exchanged a look. No more. Whether they were caught or not, performing for that thing…

“Alec?”

Three wolves rushed towards them and then stilled in the fog of Alec’s deadly gift.

Demetri, Jane and Alec left the yard.

The fog gone and the wolves recovered they joined the fight. The Volturi in the yard were scrambling. Jake saw the three running.

“Go after them, Jake?” Sam asked.

“Nope. Focus on the ones here. We need to get these taken care of.” Jake had a mate to get to inside.

Bella POV

I had hoped that Irkalla would try to kill me herself. Instead I was able to turn Nergal into dust. But my surprise was blown. She reacted quicker than I expected. Esme and Carlisle had both struck me in the head. Emmett had my arms pined behind my back and Rose was choking me.

I was getting pissed off.

Irkalla approached slowly. Cautiously. That’s right. Come a little closer.

“So the bracelet found a new home. What is this noise outside? You have more witches? Wolves? Did someone say wolves? Are you bringing others into our fight? Not very sporting little witch.” She ran a finger over the armor on my cheek. Rose still hadn’t moved her hands from around my throat.

Close enough.

I summoned every bit of power I could draw from the Earth and let my body turn into a conduit for it. Blue light exploded from my body. I felt Rose’s hands blow away from her body and Emmett’s arms broke off. Irkalla screamed. Her hair was on fire. I dropped to a knee and saw Rose and Emmett were in flames. The blonde who came with Irkalla had ran outside. Irkalla looked at me and then at Carlisle and Esme. Without looking I swung to the right and then the left, briefly feeling my blade slicing through their heads. The windows were shattered and the house was on fire.

I dove for Irkalla. I managed to land on top of her and attempted to shove a dagger through her brain. She dodged and tossed me off. Rolling through the remains of a wall I hit the ground.

The sudden impact knocked my breath out. I looked around and saw my wolf pack locked in combat with the Volturi. I couldn’t tell who was winning. It looked like neither side was backing down. Irkalla…

I rolled over and saw her. The bitch was running. No… she was waiting for me. She grinned and took off for the woods. Damn it.

“Thunder!”

Chris had her near. He and Quil were watching from nearby. I hope he heard me.

Thunder burst out of the forest, swerving wolves and fiery ruins to reach me. Never breaking stride, I jumped on her back as she ran by and we were moving, following the trail that Irkalla left. The bitch didn’t go far. She wanted me as badly as I wanted her.

Two hundred yards away I found her standing in a small clearing. I jumped off of Thunder, and slowly approached her.

“So a new…”

“Not here to talk bitch.”

“But battles such as ours deserve dramatics wouldn’t you say? I must thank you. I suppose you could have harassed me from the shadows as I took my rightful place over your kind. This way is much more sporting. I can kill you now and make sure that damn bracelet never finds another girl’s arm again.”

I still wasn’t in the mood to talk. Sword in one hand and Axe in the other, I charged.

And missed.

Damn this bitch was fast.

She struck me twice in the face before I could recover. The second blow knocked me to the ground. She leapt over me, trying to bury my skull in the ground. I reached out with the bracelet and let loose a blast of energy that knocked her back into the damn sky.

Hoping that some part of her was knocked off, I was sorely disappointed. She brushed the dirt off of her black dress and smiled.

“That the best you got kid? The third one before you had a hell of a lot more power. You need more practice. Too bad you won’t get the opportunity.”

Irkalla stood before me quickly and swung. I ducked but caught her knee in my gut. Another swing to the side of my skull hit home. Even through the armor I could feel her power.

I grabbed her face with my right hand and screamed.

She twisted my armored hand off her face and guided me to the ground. A foot to my jaw and I was back on my ass.

Fuck that hurt.

My entire skull, my entire body was covered in armor. Still I could feel the bones trying to mend underneath. I couldn’t breathe. My ribs… three… four of my ribs were shattered. My jaw was broke. I was swallowing my own blood.

“No, you are definitely not as strong as the ones who came before you.”

I struck her jaw. She smiled.

“I wonder if your dogs will provide better sport. Assuming there are any left when I return.”

I dodged a kick but she must have spun and delivered another one. I found myself thirty feet away, face first in the ground.

The armor receded from my face and I spit up blood. A lot of blood.

“Hmmm, that smells good. Witches blood is always sweeter. I bet you were infected with venom beforehand as well. That’s why it took the last witches husband so long to find a replacement. I figured you would be a better fighter. Of course his wife wasn’t much of a challenge. Perhaps he has low standards.”

I tried to stand.

I fell to one knee. The pain.

I couldn’t breathe.

My face hit the ground again. Irkalla must have hit me in the back of the skull.

I was dragged up by my hair.

“What is your name?” she asked. I didn’t answer. I was fighting to hold onto consciousness. If I lost… Jake… Charlie… Chris… Old Quil… Mom…

I hit a tree and slumped down. Opening my eyes I saw my armor was receding. Oh damn.

I coughed and blood poured onto my chest.

Irkalla stood over me.

“I don’t have much time here girl. I have a world to take over. Since you aren’t very talkative and you aren’t much of a fighter…”

She raised her hand and prepared to strike me. I had to dodge. I had to get room. Space.

Lightning struck Irkalla from the sky. The blast deafened me. She stepped back, her dress smoking.

Fighting to keep my eyes open I saw the silhouette of a cowboy standing behind us.

“Chris Jennings. I knew you wouldn’t be far behind.”

Lightning swirled around Chris. The wind picked up. Thunder rolled overhead.

“I’ve been looking forward to seeing you again, Irkalla.”

“As have I, Chris. It is good that I am able to take care of old business before moving on to greater things.”

“You are going nowhere, leech.” We both turned at the new voice. Old Quil walked out of the trees and stood beside Chris. Fire was circling his body. Great red flames.

“Sit still little girl. I will be right back.” Irkalla walked towards Chris and Quil. I tried to stand again.

I fell again.

Jake POV

This is a fucking nightmare.

We were outnumbered. Our element of surprise ran out quickly. The leeches were fighting back. Some ran at first. But twelve remained.

Leah’s leg was broken. Quil had broken ribs. Sam was injured.

I pinned a leech and bit into her chest. She screamed and moved to the side, ripping herself in two. I kept trying to reach Bella. Her mind was closed off. I had no idea how she was doing.

Embry and Jared ripped one leech apart. Quil was struck in the head and dropped.

“Gather in the middle.” I ordered.

My Pack circled. Brady was limping. He looked bit. He was becoming very, very sick. I could feel it. Collin was a deep gash down his side. The blood was flowing freely. Leah was limping.

I took stock of who was around us. We were in injured. Ten whole leeches stood around us, snarling.

“One on one guys. We don’t have the numbers to attack in pairs.”

We broke and charged the leeches. One jumped on Brady. I took him off and rolled. Another was on me.

My paw was just crushed. Pain lit up my world.

My jaws clamped on the nearest dead thing and I bit. Sam was just thrown into me.

“Back up! Get to the center of the debris. We can bite and throw directly into the fire.”

Jumping into the remains of the Cullen Mansion, I was immediately concerned that this was not a great idea.

8 leeches.

We were surrounded by flames now. It would help us offensively but we could be burned too.

Where are you Bella?

“Give me an injury report.”

The leeches were slowly stalking towards us, wary of the fire. This would be a battle to the death. We were injured. They were injured.

“Jake?”

“We fight until there are no wolves standing Sam. We make our stand here.”

Bella POV

I couldn’t move. I was cold. Probably because I was nearly naked.

Renee was supposed to come visit me in a few days. Jake and I were going to spend time with Rachel now that she was back, before we hit the road to clean up Irkalla’s mess.

Jake would rebuild his car. We could talk about the future. Maybe college.

Instead I was lying broken at the foot of a tree, nearly naked. Chris and Quil were standing in front of Irkalla. They would die. I couldn’t move. Why couldn’t I move?

Chris struck Irkalla with lightning again.

Irkalla laughed.

I wanted a future. I wanted a wedding on the beach. I wanted to live forever, watching my children grow.

“Get up.”

The voice in my head. The voice on my wrist.

“I can’t.”

“Get up now.”

“Ursalla?”

“Listen to the bracelet. What does it tell you?”

What did it tell me?

Irkalla was close to Chris and Quil. They were keeping her back but she would break their shield soon enough.

I didn’t want to quit. Chris told me to never lose control.

No. Chris told me never to lose control until it was time.

I stood up.

My ribs crumbled.

But I stood.

I thought of the look on Jake’s face when we picked up Rachel from the airport. The joy on Billy’s face when we brought her home. The look on Charlie’s face when I came back from Wyoming.

Cleaning stalls every morning. The pain in my back when I weighed eighty pounds and lifted 50 pound bags of feed. Shoveling hay. Running every evening. Pushups and pull ups in the barn at the end of each day.

I should have just died if this was how I was going to go out.

This fucking evil bitch.

Give me everything you got girls. I need it all now.

I felt the power surge through me immediately. More power than I ever allowed before. I always focused on controlling the power of the bracelet. I never let the bracelet control me.

My armor wrapped around my body. I didn’t have to look to know it was no longer silver. It no longer shined. It was black.

I didn’t know if I could come back from this. If I would ever be the same. But if I didn’t do it, there would be nothing to come back to.

“Chris, Quil… go help the pack.”

Irkalla turned towards me.

Chris nodded. The two turned and left.

“Ready for round two?” The demon asked me.

Dark energy left my hands and knocked her to the ground.

I straddled her waist and began hitting her. On the fourth swing her jaw cracked. She reached for my throat. A black knife met her arm and her hand was no longer part of her body. Irkalla screamed.

She struck me in the face. I think my cheekbone may have cracked.

I placed my right hand on her chest and screamed. Thousands of years of power and pain flowed through my arm.

Her face was contorting. No longer the angelic beauty. She was twisted. Her outward appearance began to match her soul.

My hand was inside her.

She lifted the two of us in the air. Landing my hand jerked from her body. I formed my broad sword and shoved it into her chest.

Irkalla screamed again.

I was thrown to the ground. My sword stayed inside her. I attempted to sweep her legs. She jumped and pulled my sword from her body. Irkalla dropped the blade and grabbed my throat.

“Nice try. But you are still not powerful enough.” She smirked.

The smirk left her face quickly though. I knew why. I could see my reflection in her red eyes. My eyes were glowing. The black shadow rolling around my body was black fire. She was burning.

“Your time has passed. You are going to Hell.” I told her truthfully.

I reached inside her still open wound and grabbed her non beating heart,

I squeezed and felt the power erupt through my glove.

Irkalla blew apart around me. I felt a jolt as her essence left. She was no more. Only remnants of a black dress remained.

I fell to my knees. Looking around I saw pieces of her body. Tiny pieces. I needed to light her up.

I mumbled a chant and the ground lit up.

Jake.

Opening my mind, I saw the Pack, circled and surrounded. We were injured. The leeches. At least eight.

I looked toward the sky. The trees were tall but it would be quicker going up than going through without Thunder.

Jake POV

“Stay together. Do not break formation.”

“We can’t stay like this forever Jake.” Sam said.

“I know Sam. But we can buy some time for Leah and the others to heal. My front paw is getting better. Just defend.”

“Brady is bit. He needs…”

“I know Sam. But the rest of us getting killed is not going to help him.”

Sam slightly nodded. Paul was very agitated. He wanted to attack.

“We need help.” Quil stated the obvious.

“We got this. We can take them.” Paul added in.

“Look! Is that Old Quil and your Dad, Jake?” Collin asked.

I turned in panic. What the hell was Dad doing here?

Old Quil stood in front of Dad. Chris was walking out of the woods. Where was Bella? What were they doing?

Old Quil stepped forward.

“Taha Aki! We call upon our birthright to protect our tribe!”

The leeches moved closer to Dad. Dad looked at me and smiled.

Dad and Old Quil phased.

Oh my God.

In front of Dad’s chair now stood a russet and grey wolf. A pure white wolf stood where Old Quil had been.

The sound of thunder could be heard overhead.

No. It wasn’t thunder.

It was Bella. She was completely armored. Her armor was dark. A black fiery surrounded her. She had some sort of black wings around her.

Bella lowered herself to the ground. Her wings disappeared and a large black sword appeared in her hand.

“Injured stay back. Those of us mobile attack.” I ordered.

Dad and Old Quil charged. Bella walked between the two wolves cutting leeches heads with every swing of her sword. Flames seemed to flicker from her eyes. Paul, Sam, Jared, Seth and Quil charged forward with me. Within thirty seconds I was in the middle of the pile. The leeches were gone. Bella was in front of me.

She touched my cheek and smiled. Then her armor disappeared and she collapsed on the ground. Chris rushed to her and I growled. He stepped back.

I phased and gathered her in my arms. My hand was broken, but was healing.

Oh my God.

She was covered in blood.

“Bella? Wake up sweetie.”

She didn’t make a sound.

“Jake…”

“Stay back Chris! Check on my Pack.”

“Son, we need to get her inside. Covered up. Warm. She is hurt Jake. We need to move her.”

I looked up at Dad’s voice.

“Dad?”

Dad was standing. He was naked. But he was standing.

“Jake, Brady has been bitten. Others are injured. We need to move. We need to get to La Push.”

I nodded. I understood. But nobody touched Bella.

“Be careful lifting her Jake. She has crushed ribs.” Chris whispered.

I gathered her gently in my arms pressing her into my chest on her uninjured side. She just needed rest. Rest and she would heal. We all would. Even Brady.

“Paul?”

“Yeah boss?”

“Find the Cullen’s in this rubble. Make sure they are dead. Burn Edward’s head if it hasn’t been done yet. Jared, when we get to La Push burn his body.”

“You don’t want to do it Jake?” Jared asked.

“It needs to be done. I don’t give a damn who does it. Just make sure it is done.”

The Cullen’s were the past. We had the future to look forward to.

Narrator POV

The evidence of the battle between Bella and Irkalla was abundant. Scorched ground, broken tree trunks, body shaped craters in the ground. Small fires consumed the pieces of Irkalla’s body. Her heart burned away.

What Bella did not see when she took off over the trees was a small black puddle on the ground. A puddle that almost shimmered in the shade.

The puddle began to move of its own accord. Traveling around the outside of the site, avoiding the flaming piles of crystalized body. The puddle found what it was seeking.

A finger. A single finger.

The black venom moved into the appendage. The appendage began to twitch.

Soon the finger was crawling along burrowing under leaves.

The venom could not be stopped. It was damaged but it was not gone. Irkalla knew. She had not yet gone to hell. She would be back. The Witch would not see her coming this time. The world was hers. This was only a slight delay.