Anna's POV:
I huffed annoyed when I closed the brown cardboard box a little more forceful than I should have. Only the content inside prevented the top from giving in.
"Where are you hiding?" I grumped under my breath, willing my IPod to appear out of thin air as my irritation grew.
I was certain I had put it on my desk, yesterday, when I was packing, to the other items I wanted to take with me away from those that would go into the moving truck.
"Is everything alright?" A velvet voice asked me from behind as I hauled myself onto the next defenceless box.
"I can't find my IPod anywhere." I sighed annoyed before I glared at the packaging tape in front of me.
"You mean this?"
I froze and whirled around to be met with the sight of Edward looking sheepishly at me while holding my IPod in his right hand.
"Where did you find it? I have been searching for it everywhere!" I rose to my feet as Edward closed the distance between us.
"I borrowed it to ad a few songs." He murmured when he handed the piece of technology over to me.
"Hey, what's with that distrusting look?" He asked a little offended.
My slightly narrowed eyes were moving between the piece of technology in my hand and Edward before I mumbled. "Let's just agree to disagree on the point of good music."
It was sweet and thoughtful of him to ad a few songs to my list but then again in regards of music we lived in completely different words. According to him my taste in music was grotesque, at best, and so he took it upon himself to "educate" me in this profession.
Too bad one can't put sarcasm into words. My subconscious grumped wearing a cute, displeased pout.
"A fault confessed is half redressed." He retorted with an amused chuckle.
"Excuse me?" My eyes, wide and round, snapped to his smiling amber pools and my mouth popped open, more out of reflex than out of being disgruntled over his comment.
Though that changed once I saw that challenging eyebrow and that cocky smirk of his.
The shocked and stunned expression on my face which had built, during our brief stare down, gave away to an evil smile as an idea flashed through my mind.
"What?" He asked eyeing me.
Wouldn't you want to know? My subconscious giggled gleefully, rubbing her hands in mischief.
"Nothing," I mumbled making sure it sounded way too innocently and shrugged my shoulders before I went over to my desk placed the IPod next to my purse and the other things that belonged into my hand luggage.
Turning around I was faced with his confused expression and those narrowed and suspicious pools of gold.
I smiled sugary sweet as I passed him on the way out.
"You are up to something." He accused following me out onto the hallway.
"Not really." I murmured in a voice that suggested otherwise.
"Anna." He warned mildly and I had to fight the grin that threatened to overtake my face and give me away.
You are enjoying rattling his cage, aren't you? My subconscious stated amused.
The best thing about this was that I didn't even had to come up with something alone the fact that I pretended was enough to rile him up since he couldn't read my mind.
Was that mean? … Probably.
But also so much fun!
Your mood swings are giving me a whiplash. My subconscious shook her head with a disapproving expression on her face.
I ignored her comment.
"Anna."
A smile stretched my face.
"Yes?" I answered as I fished a bottle of coke out of the fridge and then whirled around to face Edward. "How can I help you?"
He pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes further while his hip was braced against the counter and lithe, agile muscles rippled along his crossed arms.
"What will you do with this place after the others will close it down? Sell it? Or….." I asked to distract him.
"If we get a good offer for it but for now it will be up for rent. The hunting season is coming up soon. The upper class of Seattle likes to hunt here on the weekends." He played along, his eyes still narrowed.
"Our destination is it warm there or rather cold?" I questioned before he could say anything.
He gazed at me for a long moment and I could see the wheels behind his amber depths turning and suddenly they sparkled with amusement. "Both." He chuckled with this signature crooked grin on his lips.
"That's soo helpful." I glared playfully at him as I took a sip.
"Always at your service." He bowed his head slightly in a teasing way.
"Now you are pushing it," I warned him pointing the chilled bottle in my hand at him while my other hand was braced against my hip.
Edward just chuckled and shrugged his shoulders before his gaze settled on the object in my hand and a frown narrowed his marble face.
"Is that all you are going to have for breakfast?"
"I'm not hungry." I shrugged.
"Do you feel light-headed or dizzy?"
"I'm fine Doctor Cullen, just running a little fever." I smirked at him shaking my head.
"But," I murmured in a sing sang voice and looked from under my lashes at him using this opportunity in my favour, "I might feel better if you tell me where we are going?"
Snapping his mouth shut he closed the distance between us and leaned in, guiding his lips to my ear, "nice try," he chuckled and placed a kiss against my temple before pulling away.
"You are no fun at all," I playfully swatted his muscular chest while pouting at him.
Suddenly a large grin spread across his face, he wiggled his eyebrows at me and his golden pools lit up with ominous mirth.
"Hmm, aren't I?" His velvet voice was a breathy whisper. "Now are you going to tell me what you are up to or will I have to tickle it out of you?"
"Don't!" I giggled warningly as I was slowly taking a step backwards only to have him move to close the distance I just created.
"Edward," I laughed as my hip hit the kitchen counter behind me.
"Well…" he began but suddenly his face fell with worry and his head snapped up and around to look at the back door through which a moment later Alice and Jasper burst into the house.
"It must have been a split of a second decision …. I just can't believe they left her out of their sight." Alice rambled on frantically.
"What's going on?" I wondered confused.
"Irina. She is coming here." Alice answered.
"Tanya called. They missed her by hairs breath at the airport but they boarded the next plane. She and Kate are about an hour behind her." Jasper threw in, looking directly at Edward as the rest of the Cullens - except Carlisle who was at the hospital – were milling into the kitchen.
"How long?" Emmett asked looping his arm around his wife's waist as she was glowering into the distance.
"Irina's plane will arrive in Seattle in about thirty minutes." Alice responded to his question as Esme went out into the hallway with the house phone pressed to her ear.
Edward's hand sought out mine and he intertwined our fingers before his attention return to his family members.
"You don't think she'll try to …." Emmett mumbled but Alice cut him off.
"No," she shook her head vehemently, "at least I don't think so."
"Can you see what she wants?" I asked.
"I'm trying to but it gets blurry after she arrives here." The pixie frowned.
"… then please tell my husband to call as soon as he gets out of the OR. Goodbye Mildred." Esme sighed and ended the call.
"I think it would be best if Edward and I head her off to make sure she does not make a last minute decision to enter the territory of the mutts. We don't need that kind of trouble right now." Jasper drawled while he rested his hands on his wife's shoulders.
"Do you really think that is necessary?" Esme asked whilst her brows furrowed in concern.
"It won't hurt to be on the safe side." Edward's reply caused a deep frown to settle over Esme face while his thumb was brushing comforting circles over my skin.
(.)
"Come on Rosie sit down." Emmett tried to coax his wife to join him on the couch in the living room where we were waiting for Edward, Jasper and Irina to arrive.
"How can you be so calm?" She hissed at him interrupting her angry pacing long enough to throw him a dirty look. "She ratted us out to the Volturi."
"She wasn't thinking clearly and she did apologise sincerely before she got killed." I murmured what earned me a glare from her and a shrug from Emmett.
"Carlisle won't make it," Alice mumbled with her eyes still closed as she sat on the loveseat scanning the future, "he is stuck in the OR."
Tense silence followed her quiet words.
It didn't take long before we all walked outside and a red Hyundai Sonata rushed down the driveway. Edward was by my side, at the bottom of the steps which led up to the front door, before the car even reached the house and slung his arm around my waist.
"Why is she here?" Emmett asked looking eagerly at his mind-reading brother while he stood next to his wife who was leaning against the door frame of the front door, sporting a sour expression on her beautiful face.
"She wants answers." Edward replied curtly before his mouth set into a grim line and his gaze settled on the moving vehicle.
Jasper and Alice were in front of us and Esme took a step forward only to be stopped by Jasper's hand on her upper arm. She turned around to face him, wearing a determinate expression.
He sighed and reluctantly let go of her arm.
The car stopped directly in front of us. The ignition ceased purring but Irina didn't make a move instead she remained seated in the car for another couple of moments.
Slowly very slowly she unbuckled the seatbelt and opened the door, exiting the red Hyundai and when her head surfaced above the roof of the car we were all met with a blank expression.
"Irina, welcome. It's nice seeing you again." Esme murmured warmly.
"Esme," Irina said in a toneless voice that disturbed me for some reason as her gaze fell on Carlisle's wife.
Slowly blank, guarded eyes swept over the area and zeroed down on me.
"You must be Anna," Irina stated and Edward took a step in front of me shielding me with his body.
Suddenly she started to laugh quietly but there was no humour in the bell like sound that travelled through the air. Her gaze settled on the roof of her rental car and she pressed her lips into a thin line before she lifted her head.
Anguish and fury were etched onto her face.
"Laurent had to die for a worthless toy that you threw away and replaced?" She whispered bitterly looking directly at Edward; her eyes narrowing. "Why is she still alive and he has to be dead? You don't even want her …. This is all your fa….." Irina growled.
"Don't make it sound like it's our fault." Rosalie barked from behind me.
"Then whose fault is it," Irina snarled and her features twisted into a raving grimace, "those beasts tore him apart but you are refusing to help me avenge him."
"Stop that," she hissed dangerously, glaring at Jasper, "stop pulling your crap on me. I have a right to be furious."
"Yes, you do I am sorry," Jasper apologised in a soft voice but his eyes regarded her with upmost concentration and caution as if she was a wild animal about to strike.
"Victoria is the one responsible for Laurent's death." Alice piped up. "She is the one who lured him here and sent him into the territory of the mutts knowing what would happen when they came across him."
Irina glared fiercely at the pixie as she shook her head.
"Those mutts were nothing else but tools that had been used."
"And where does that leave me?" Irina cried out angry and desperate as her body trembled. "Without a companion! Without even the possibility of revenge for what has been taken from me!"
Her porcelain face twisted with pain, sadness and fury. She looked like a caged tiger that was pacing in front of thick metal bars, in its way too small confines, desperate to get out, to escape the forlorn situation but being left with no radius of operation.
No hope.
My heart sank with that thought, turning into a heavy stone. Gone were the playfulness and ease from this morning as painful memories slammed into me with renewed favour. My arm moved on its own accord and my fingers grasped the cold metal handrail with as much strength as I possessed.
It was then that I noticed that since Irina had gotten out of the car she hadn't move an inch from her position. Using the vehicle as a means to built distance between her and the Cullens.
She was in fact a caged animal. On one hand she must have wanted to take revenge, to forget everything and let it all out, to destroy and break everything around her until nothing was left but on the other hand there was still family. The Cullens were family.
I exhaled, a short and forcefully gush of air leaving my mouth, as I sympathized with her knowing her predicament so well myself.
I'm a survivor not a victim! I remained myself before self-pity could strike roots.
A quiet sob escaped past her, into a thin line pressed, lips. Her eyes glared a hole into the roof of her rental car while her entire body shook with barely suppressed grief, anguish and fury.
In the next moment Esme was suddenly next to her, pulling Irina into her arms. She struggled, demanded for Esme to let her go but she didn't.
"This is not fair. It's not fair." Irina cried before she gave in curling herself around Esme's body and violent sobs overtook her.
No, it isn't. Life isn't fair. My subconscious agreed sadly.
Both of them disappeared behind the red Hyundai as they sunk to the ground, accompanied by cries and whimpers of sorrow.
"We should go inside." Edward ushered us inside to give Irina the illusion of privacy.