CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE:

Athens, Greece: Athenodora:

Returning to Herpo's castle to ask another favor of her brother was not what Athenodora had ever hoped to do. Unfortunately, she'd been left with little choice– though Herpo's response certainly made her wonder if it was possible that she'd overlooked just about anything else.

"Just so I understand, sister," her brother drawled, with that disgusting, mocking look on his face that made her want to just claw it off or pulverize the bone of his skull, "you want a way to guarantee the loyalty of your army– or at least ensure their obedience– and you wish to make them undetectable, to both sorcerers and other vampires."

"I do," she said shortly, not willing to pander to him by playing along with his little games. "Can you do it or not, brother?"

"Oh I can do it," Herpo confirmed, "but it will cost you."

"You have Corin now," Athenodora pointed out, "with her and your wealth, you live in comfort and contentment– what else could you possibly desire?"

"Power, influence, a challenge, an item or event that serves to interest me... take your pick, Athena."

"Do not call me that!" She snarled before she could stop herself. Herpo just grinned at her; sickeningly, mockingly, and oh she hated him. "That tells me nothing about the price I must pay for your aid," she said harshly, "what is it you desire, Herpo?"

"You know," he mused, "this is the most entertainment I have had in centuries. And that little vampire girl, Corin, is certainly everything you promised– her Gift is quite extraordinary, and once I used a touch of magic to replace her old master, Aro, with my image in her mind; well, she was more then eager to serve me."

Athenodora resisted the urge to shift nervously– the thought of just what a sorcerer's magic was capable of, how it could twist her psyche and rewrite her very thoughts, truly terrified her and Herpo knew it, the rotten bastard. Pressing her lips together to hold back the growl that wanted to escape, she pointedly stayed silent, waiting for Herpo to reach his point.

Mouth twisting into a pout, almost, as she refused to play along to his little games, Herpo finally named his price. "You wish for my aid? Then in return, I want you." He said bluntly. "No, stop panicking, not like that," he added, twisted amusement on his ancient face as her upper lip automatically pulled back into a furious snarl, her hands curling to claws at her sides. "That was yours and brother's prerogative, dear, not mine. Matters of the flesh hold no interest to me, not anymore. No, I wish for your company, Athena. We are both alone in this world, in this dull future that has moved forward without us. We are forgotten relics and your race has been damned to an inevitable complete eradication. I will provide you with everything it is you wish– mind magic, protection, wards of concealment; all I ask in return is that if you survive your little vendetta, then you spend your next century with me; living in my home, by my side. Two and a half thousand years we have lived and now we are all that is left, sister. I am the only family you have."

Athenodora wanted to scream in frustration, because as much as she loathed to admit it, and she really, truly loathed it, she couldn't deny that Herpo's words rang true to her. He was all that remained from the time where she had ruled, the only one she had.

"What if I want more?" She asked abruptly. "What if I want you to fight with me?"

Herpo laughed, the mocking sound grating and unpleasant, and gestured at his aged, decrepit form. "Do I look like I can fight?" He chortled and she met his gaze calmly, not reacting to his derision.

"We both know just how deceptive appearances are, brother," she said icily, "especially when it comes to people like us." Herpo's laughter halted abruptly, his eyes turning cold as death and sharp enough to cut. All traces of mocking humor had fled the aged, lined planes of his face, replaced with something ancient and powerful and strong.

"I have not fought in battle for over a thousand years, Athenodora." Herpo said quietly. "Nor have I desired to."

"You know me nearly as well as I know myself, brother," she replied with a dangerous smile that exposed the perfect rows of glistening white teeth. Despite the illusory youth of her painfully perfect face, there was something ancient about her in that moment too, something old and dark and hungry. "Yet you seem to forget, Herpo, that I know you too. War and violence, battle and death; they are in our blood, burned forever into me by the venom that Turned me. You desire the thrill of the fight, the fierce rush; you dream of it. This age of relative peace, of wars fought by pistols not swords, of outlawed blood-sports and monarchy cast aside for elected parliaments; it bores me, so I know it bores you. Why should you not seize the chance to spill blood once more, to make people fear you instead of living in this dull obscurity? Why stay a mere footnote in history; we are the immortal Prince and Princess of Athens, Queen of the Vampires and Master of the Darkest Arts, and nobody, vampire, sorcerer or human, can stand before us."

Herpo's thin, cracked lips twisted into a gruesome smile and cruel, anticipatory hunger lit his flat, cold eyes. "We always did know each other too well," he said and Athenodora smiled too, fierce and triumphant, because she knew she'd won him.

-

-

Forks, Washington: Bella Cullen

After a lunch of cheese and tomato omelettes and two large thermoses filled with warmed O-positive, I settled back on the couch with my blanket and husband. The living room was filled with people and easy conversation; Seth, Jacob, Quil and Embry were discussing something related to the rez's high school, Paul and Emmett were watching a game on the wide-screen television and Rosalie had pulled Leah to the side and the two women were talking quietly.

Edward had his head rested gently on my stomach, his ear pressed just below my belly button as he listened to Baby's movements. One of my hands was cradling the swell of my belly while I ran the fingers of the other through Edward's hair, taking small amusement in messing up the already untidy bronze waves. As I relaxed, eyes half lidded, I started to hum softly, not really paying attention. 

"It likes that," Edward said suddenly.

"What?" I mumbled, only half-listening.

"The baby likes hearing you hum." Edward clarified and that got my full attention.

"What? You mean– you can hear Baby's thoughts?" I demanded, shocked and barely aware of the way other conversation in the room seemed to die down.

"No, not thoughts, just... impressions, I think is the best word to describe it." Edward explained.

"And you didn't think to mention this before?" I asked incredulously.

"I wasn't even really sure it was the baby, earlier," Edward admitted. "But as you've gotten stronger, well, it has too."

"That's a good thing, right?" Jacob cut in, concern on his face.

"Of course it is!" Snapped Rosalie, glaring fiercely at him before turning to me, her expression softening. "You should sing to them," she suggested, before wrinkling her nose slightly. "Do we have any way of knowing if the baby is a boy or a girl? Non gender-specific terms seem very impersonal and I refuse to call the baby 'it'." Here she shot Edward a particularly unimpressed look.

"And do you have any names?" Jacob asked eagerly.

"There's probably a spell to figure out gender," I said with a shrug, "but I kind of want it to be surprise... if that's okay?" I turned questioningly to Edward who nodded.

"If that's what you want, then it's what I want too," he said and Jacob made a fake gagging sound.

"Oh that's charming," I snapped at him with a glare. Jacob grinned, entirely unrepentant.

"That's me all over, Bella. Prince freaking Charming."

"Watch me swoon," I muttered and he snorted.

"Funny. Don't think I don't realise you're avoiding my question– have you thought up any names yet?" He repeated and I felt my cheeks heat up slightly and ducked my chin, avoiding the interested looks from around the room by looking at the swell of my stomach.

"Well... Edward and I haven't really discussed anything yet," I mumbled and Jacob scoffed.

"So? Come on, you can't say you haven't thought of anything yet!" He complained and I rolled my eyes, looking back up at him.

"What makes you think I'd want to tell you, if I had?" I countered and he scowled. Edward, from the floor beside me still, laughed.

"You should put him out of his misery, love," he said, giving me a warm smile. "And I'm quite interested in hearing what you've thought up too."

"Well..." I said slowly, "for a boy, I was thinking maybe EJ?"

"EJ?" Edward asked curiously and I blushed.

"You said that your dad's name was Edward too, so I thought we could keep with the tradition– Edward Junior. EJ."

"EJ... I like it," Rosalie said thoughtfully. "The abbreviation is snappy and modern so he wouldn't be teased, but it's a traditional name too. What about for a girl?"

"Well, for a girl I was thinking Esmeralda." I mumbled, biting my lip and looking back down to my stomach. "I figured, the son would be named after your dad, so if it's a girl we should name her after my mom– Esmeralda is considered the extended version of Esme."

"That's beautiful, Bella," Rosalie said softly. "And Esme will be over the moon to hear it."

"Well, speaking of moons– I thought Luna for a middle name." I said, going red again, "for a girl, that is. And for a boy, don't laugh but I thought Harry. He saved us, Edward; he saved all of us."

"I think they're wonderful names," Edward said firmly, reaching over to cup one of my burning cheeks with his icy cold hand. I relaxed slightly, moving my hands to my stomach.

"What do you think?" I asked Baby. "Are you an EJ or an Esmeralda?"

"Well I think that I can now start buying baby items stylized with the letter 'E', even if I can't buy either dolls or dinosaurs." Rosalie said, sounding very satisfied. I laughed, relaxing back against the couch again. As Edward rested his head over my baby bump again, I almost started humming but remembered his earlier comment about singing. I didn't really know many songs and as I knew full well I would never be able to hit the proper notes for 'Cauldron Full of Hot, Strong Love' I instead turned to an old favorite, one I knew I'd never forget– not even if I lived for a thousand years or more. 

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling,
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot!"

Edward was laughing by the time I finished singing quietly, having picked the tune of 'twinkle, twinkle little star' to accompany the school song. "Who wrote that?" He asked.

"Dumbledore." I answered fondly, with a warm, reminiscent smile. "Probably. He was a bit bonkers like that."

When Qiang arrived then for my thrice-daily check-up, the sudden rapping on the front door of the mansion had me startling slightly. The reason for her not just apparating directly in quickly became clear, however– Charlie was with her.  

She and my father looked suspiciously like they'd just been out on a date– Charlie's curly hair had been carefully brushed and he was wearing a pair of dress pants I'd never seen before and a nice button up shirt that wasn't plaid. With her long hair wound in a sleek high bun, Qiang looked as stunningly put together as usual, of course, but far less stiff while dressed in her muggle-style cranberry red dress, dark stockings and a black coat, then she did in her normal traditional Chinese robes. She appeared as at ease with performing a medical exam in her date clothes, however, as she was in healer robes, simply rolling up her sleeves, pulling out her wand and getting straight to business with casting a series of diagnosis charms.

"You appear well," she announced after a few minutes, sounding surprised but undeniably pleased. "Startlingly so."

"At least the rapid deterioration of my health has been countered by rapid improvement." I answered brightly. "'Cause I feel good, too."

And I did. Physically, at least– mentally, admittedly a lot less so. The stress of Athenodora and Alice and Jasper's spying plus the whole shifter situation, not to mention the fact I was actually pregnant and having a baby, could all be overwhelming if I let myself think about it too long, but it wasn't something I could avoid, exactly, either. And then there was the elephant in the room– while no one had mentioned it yet, I was very aware of the fact my baby was going to be immortal. As was my husband.

Immortality had never been something I'd sought. Living forever didn't interest me– only being with those I loved. But my husband and child would never die of old age and I didn't want to leave them behind as I moved on to my next great adventure.

We make sacrifices for the ones we love, and for Baby and Edward I was prepared to give up my magic and burn alive for three days and three nights. For them I would outlive my father and my friends. For them I would lose my place in the Magical world, for a vampire could never be accepted by most there.

I would do all that for them and I would do it without regret, but that didn't mean the thought of becoming a vampire didn't hurt. It didn't mean I was any less stressed about it all.

"How about the stress involved with the shape-shifter debacle?" Qiang asked, her eyes keen and shrewd as they fixed on mine. "Did you experience any negative effects from that?"

"Not really, I slept through most of it." I admitted. Jacob immediately sniggered. 

"Yeah, that's what she said."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Then you're clearly doing it wrong." I retorted and Qiang sighed, exasperated.

"Children, please," she said. "Try to remember you're adults for a few minutes, at least." Jacob and I both nodded meekly in response.

Once Qiang had kicked everyone out then finished the check-up with a physical examination, much to my relief she announced I wouldn't need any IVs or needles she'd threatened me with last time after all. And after asking her in a hushed voice to put up a few privacy charms so that the shifters wouldn't overhear, I told her about the solution to my starvation problem Edward had come up with– the blood. Qiang kept her composure remarkably well, only blinking a few times before nodding.

"Whatever it is that works we will take," she said, and other then wanting to know what sort of blood– O positive– and how much of it I was drinking– so far about three and a half litres– that was that. The lack of drama was a relief and a balm to my nerves.

After finishing up the examination with an application of bruise paste on my stomach, before Qiang could then invite everyone else back, I asked her to send Charlie in– alone. She raised an eyebrow but nodded, exiting the room with a sharp click of heels and leaving up the privacy charms for good measure. A minute later, Charlie knocked then entered.

"You're looking pretty sharp," I teased him as he sat down beside me. He smiled sheepishly.

"I took Qiang out for lunch," he admitted.

"Go dad!" I laughed and he rolled his eyes at me, cheeks going a bit pink.

"Ha-ha, Bells. Now stop avoiding what it is you really want to talk about– I'm pretty sure you didn't ask me in here just to tease me about my dating life."

"Ew, please don't call it that, that just sounds wrong," I said with a mock-shudder before slumping back against the cushions. "But yeah, you're right– I did ask to speak to you privately for a reason." I admitted. "I... well, I was talking to Edward about Renée earlier and it... it scared me."

"Oh Bella, honey," Charlie said, his voice sad and heavy as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders, tugging slightly so I was leaning into him. I rested my head against him, sighing softly.

"I'm scared," I admitted quietly, "that I won't know how to be a good mom, because I didn't have one."

"You're breaking my heart, kid," Charlie sighed, his grip around me tightening. "Bella, you're going to be the most amazing mother. I know you will, baby."

"But I don't know how to be a mother!" I said, choking up a bit.

"Cherish your child." Charlie replied gently. "Every moment. Even if they're different from what you expect. Even if they make you tear your hair out in frustration. Cherish them. Never lie to them. Lavish them with attention and love. And when it's time to let go, do it with as much grace as you can manage."

"You make it almost sound easy." I whispered and he laughed thickly.

"Being a parent is the hardest thing in the world, honey; but it's also the very best. I regret marrying Renée, god I do, but never once have I ever regretted you and I would do it all again with her, just to have you."

"Now you're going to make me cry," I mumbled.

"And letting your child go... Christ, Bells, I would have done anything to have been able to go in your place the first time Snatchers caught up to you here in Forks, then again with the Italy situation, then the damn battle at Hogwarts and then that vampire newborn army– having to let you go off and fight when every instinct in me was screaming to lock you away in bubble wrap and go out in your place... hardest damn thing I've ever had to do." Charlie muttered, shaking his head.

I was confused by his original mention of Snatchers catching up to me in Forks until I remembered that Charlie had never learned the truth about James. And as I realised he was the only one who didn't know about the tracker vampire, I was faced with the unpleasant awareness that I had to tell him the truth before he learned it from... well, just about anyone else. "Snatchers never caught up to me in Forks," I said, unable to look him in the eye. "I was actually running from a vampire, that time in spring."

"What– but you got hurt! I visited you in the hospital!" Charlie exclaimed and I continued looking down at my hands, studying them like they were the most interesting things I'd ever seen.

"The vampire I was running from– the mate of the one who made the army– tricked me," I admitted, "I thought he had Renée and he said he'd kill her if I didn't hand myself over to him."  

Charlie made a low, furious noise, his grip on me tightening to the point it was almost painful. "Dammit, Bella!" He snapped, "saving Renée would never have been your responsibility– she's the parent! And surviving and knowing your child is dead in your place... that has to be a fate worse then death! If you ever do that again, I'll kill you myself!"

"Dad!" I exclaimed, jerking my head up to look at him with shocked eyes. He glowered back at me fiercely.

"I mean it, Bella – you're almost a mom; would you want that kid in your belly to ever die in your place?" He demanded and I blanched at the horrible thought.

"No," I whispered and Charlie nodded grimly.

"Remember that, Bella." He growled, before his face and tone softened. "For all her many faults," he said, "Renée is still the one who gave birth to you. There's still a part of the woman that I fell in love with, decades ago, inside her... deep, deep down. She wouldn't have wanted you to die for her, Bella– she does love you. Yeah, she never got over the witch thing, but she never stopped loving you. She's your mom."

I swallowed past the lump in my throat. "You really think that?" I whispered and Charlie smiled sadly.

"I do, honey. I really do."