Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Hellcat: Guardian Of The Gate

By Wizardtho

Chapter 17:

I could barely hear my own damn thoughts with how loud and shocked everyone was. They were all yelling over each other, with Captain and Major being the loudest. Yes, Captain and Major, not Peter and Jasper… or even somewhere between the two extremes. Their alternate personas had quite literally taken only a nano-second to emerge in full force.

“Damn it, Isa! No. No. Fuckin’. Way! Ya ain’t nowhere near prepared for a fight with that cunt-whore yet, and that’s what’ll happen if we get within a hundred miles of her crazy ass! NO!” Captain was clearly upset, so I wrapped myself around him tightly while looking up at him.

Before I had the chance to say anything, though, Major spoke. “I heard her telling the pilot San Antonio, Cap. She’s takin’ us home. We’ll have time to run her through some more drills, time to prepare her before we march into Maria’s camp. We won’t go until I’m sure she can handle herself in that situation.”

My mate growled lowly at his maker, but at a stern look from Major, Captain’s growl turned into a dissatisfied grumble of, “Fine. Fuck. God damn it all. Fine… but not until she knows everythin’. I hate to even say it, but she needs taught the hard way, Major. Ya fuckin’ know what that means.” 

Major’s eyes flashed a darker black, a growl rumbling deep in his chest, but after a touch of Alice’s hand to his chest, he nodded, “I won’t have you bein’ the one to do it. It almost killed me to be the one to train Alice that way. I’ll be the one teachin’ Isa… only if Hades says we have the time. If there’s no time, we’ll hafta make a new plan.”

A chill went over me as I watched the two, understanding what they meant. I straightened my spine as I looked into Captain’s obsidian eyes, “I’ll call Hades as soon as we’re sure the property is still secure. If he says there’s time, you can turn me, then Major can train me. If not, maybe Hades will have an alternative. If I explain where we are headed, he’ll understand the importance of this happening.”

No sooner had I finished my sentence, than I felt a tell-tale shiver down my spine. I let out a sigh as I turned in Captain’s arm, just as fire and black smoke rose in the open space between us and where Major was standing with Ali.

From the smoke, this time, stepped a man wearing pants and a braided vest made of leather, his hair long and face sporting a short beard. Everyone else looked on edge, but I greeted the man with another sigh, “You know, Hades… it’s impolite to just pop in unannounced. I may be able to feel you coming, but they can’t. At least give me time to let everyone else know. We’re kinda on high alert here, if you haven’t noticed.”

He slowly looked around at each of my family, saw they were clearly on edge, then nodded. “I will endeavor to give you a few moments before my arrival in the future, Isa. This form you see before you now is my appearance from my first life. I will be using it from now on in your presence, to keep with your first bequest.”

I scuffed slightly, “I don’t think I would call it a bequest, Hades. Ultimatum, more likely. One I meant to the very depths of my soul. Either way, since you’re here, you must know something is going on.”

He nodded, motioning with his hand for me to continue as he leisurely sat on the sofa. I sat across from him in Captain’s lap, Sky lying at our feet. “James, the vampire, is in Mexico. Maria’s camp. I need to know if there’s time for Captain to change me, then Major to train me. Look, I know I could go up against these two escapees one on one, or even if they are with one or two others. I don’t feel good about putting my human self -or the unnamed hellhounds- in a camp overflowing with fucking newborn crazed vamps.”

Hades closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them and waved his hand in front of his face. Though I couldn’t see anything, Hades seemed to be watching something, his eyes scanning the space in front of him like he was taking in every detail. 

After several moments in silence, he waved his hand in the opposite direction, then his eyes landed on me and Captain. “Yes, there is time, as long as you do not take more than a day in preparation for Isa’s turning after arriving at Major’s homestead. Major Whitlock, you will have to give Isa the fast-tracked version of battle training. She will not have newborn bloodlust to fight, so feel free to speed her training past that bit.”

Major and Captain nodded to each other happily at that tidbit, but Hades cautioned, “Isa will, however, be easily riled until the two escapees have been dealt with. It is ingrained in the Guardian part of her to be restless and agitated until they have been dealt with. I would advise all of you to be cautious if you push her to where the whites of her eyes start turning. When they become as black as the rest of her eyes, Isa is in full Guardian Instinct mode. In that event, she would kill even you without a second thought, Major, should you get between her and her target.”

Major nodded seriously, “No whites equals me in battle mode. Got it. Back off and give her a wide as fuck berth.”

Hades nodded, then asked me, “Are there any other topics you wish to touch on now?” 

I shook my head, so after standing, he placed his hand on my shoulder, “You are strong, Isa… both the Guardian in you and your strength of spirit. You will also be an exceptional vampire at your mate’s side. My advice to you, in that area, is to mark him as soon as the urge takes over. Doing so will boost your connection as mates, as well as the protection afforded to him in the battles to come.”

With that said, Hades stepped into the open area. I knew what was coming, so I hurried to say, “I wasn’t kidding about the sneakers, Hades. When I finally do get home, there had better be at least a few pairs of my sneakers put back. I can be Guardian in sneakers just as well as I can in all those damn heels. I won’t, however, go the rest of my life on this earth without owning a single pair of comfortable flat shoes.”

Hades shook his head with a chuckle as flames started slowly licking up his calves, “Isa, my dear… complete your first mission without having a limb removed, and I will return 3 pairs of your wretched sneakers. Complete it with no more than 4 bite marks, and all of the horrid things will be placed back in your closet. That means no lost limbs, no deep gouges, no stab wounds, and no more than 4 bite marks to have all of your sneakers returned to your closet within 24 hours of completing your first mission.”

I let out a breath before offering just as the flames and black smoke engulfed Hades, “It’s a deal.”

His fading chuckle was the only response I received… until Emmett snickered as the smoke dissipated completely, “Bells, you just put a whole new meaning on the phrase ‘making a deal with the devil’. I mean, think about it… no figure of speech for you, you just actually made a deal with the devil.”

I chuckled as everyone started relaxing, then offered in an almost sad tone, “Unfortunately, Em, I think there will be many more deals in the future. My gut tells me that’s the only way to communicate on Hades’ level. I could feel that he was being truthful, or I wouldn’t have taken the deal. His motive might have been to get me to focus on training, but I honestly just want my sneakers back and these guys dealt with. Beneficial to both sides.”

I got up to retrieve a bottle of water, then plopped back down onto Captain’s lap. With a tender kiss at his worried look, I said seriously, “We have time. I won’t go in unprepared. Yes, my training might have to be done harshly, but I’m strong enough to handle it. I can feel that much… could feel it even before Hades confirmed it. I can do this, Captain. Now kiss me and stop worrying.”

He did, and I caught Major’s smirk just before my mate calmed as he consumed me in a passionate kiss.

Arriving at Jasper’s family homestead was tense, to say the least. Major, Alice, Captain, and Emmett all went to do a thorough property search while they left Carlisle and Edward with the rest of us. That was only after Captain had me instruct Skylar to bring Mystic and the rest of the hellhounds for protection.

It took 45 minutes, with the property being as big as it was, but once the property was deemed clear, Captain whispered to Sky, “Please have some of your hounds do a check of their own to clear the property. You and I will both feel better knowing that nothing was missed, and Isa’s safety is secured.”

Without a pause, Skylar gave Mystic a deep growl, all while nodding her large head in my mate’s direction. Mystic dashed off with around 10 of the hounds only a split second later.

Another 15 minutes passed before I felt an increase in the secure feeling through my bond with Skylar. Mystic and the hounds returned in the same second, so I smiled at my still-tense mate, “All’s clear. Sky is sending me a secure feeling. We’re good to settle in. No scents detected, other than our group’s.”