Heartless Reaper

When I awoke, I smelled all kinds of foods cooking.
My mouth watered and my stomach roared, begging me to get food into it. I groaned and swung my legs off the bed, sitting up.
“Good morning, sleepy reaper,” sang Alice cheerfully, “You know you talk in your sleep?”
My eyes widened at her sudden appearance and I gasped, “Alice!”
She laughed lightly, “C’mon! All of us are going crazy cooking food for you! I semi-saw that you were a big eater even at midnight like a time like this,” she chimed.
It’s only one in the morning? I must have really passed out.
I grinned, “I hope I’m not a bother…”
“No!” Alice almost shouted, “After all you’ve done for us! But… You do have a lot of explaining to do. All of us are very curious.” She cocked her head to the side, staring intensely at me. “You are very curious.”
“Thank you,” I said, rolling my eyes.
Alice tugged at my arm, “Hurry!” Then she was gone.
I stretched for a long while and then finally made myself make my way to the smell of food. It was easy to navigate through the Cullens’ tidy home.
“Peri!” called out the one called Emmett if I remember correctly. I was surprised when he engulfed me in his arms and picked me up.
“Emmett, stop it! You’re going to suffocate her!” laughed a Cullen.
I couldn’t tell who since my ears were practically deaf smashed against Emmett’s stone body.
“She can’t suffocate,” Emmett responded, but placed me down grinning.
I chuckled, “That sure did wake me up.”
“Come, Peri. We made you breakfast,” said Esme, smiling sweetly and giving me a soft hug.
I hugged her back, “Thank you. I know you guys don’t eat, so this means a lot,” I said gratefully.
They sat down at the dining table with me right when I sat in front of the table full of food.
My mouth was literally watering.
“Dig in,” said Rosalie, smirking.
I listened to her and immediately started scarfing down all the food I could grab. I didn’t feel embarrassed that the Cullens were probably watching me eat like a full on pig. Maybe they would compare me to a shifter.
It didn’t take long for me to finish all they put before me, which could probably feed 10 full grown men.
I’m not ashamed.
“Whoa, you practically made it all disappear,” commented Emmett.
I blushed, “Reapers are big eaters when they have the chance. We might not have to eat, but it sure does feel good and gives us extra energy. Plus it taste so good and I’m so use to it!”
“We’ll have fun cooking for you,” said Esme, smiling, “I get to practice my skills that I barely use.”
“Same here,” said Rosalie, smiling.
Suddenly the room became silent and I knew they were curious about what happened in Italy.
Alice was looking at me, waiting, and I nodded.
“Let’s move to the living room for a more comfortable setting,” suggested Carlisle.
We all walked swiftly to the living room with all the couches and sofas that looked modern and very comfortable.
I sat myself down on one and found Alice and Emmett sitting down next to me on each side.
“We don’t want to seem like we’re intruding in your personal life,” started Carlisle, “But we are oddly curious to how Aro is so fearful of you. Did you have a serious past together?”
I smiled, “All right, Cullens, I’ll tell you my story.”

++++++++++

It was such a long time, I barely remember what date. You see, I sometimes block memories that bother me… I wasn’t a very good person back in the time.
Maybe I should explain more about reapers first.
Death is our king, our boss, our father. When life was starting to appear on Earth, he didn’t want the duty to be weighing him when he already had so much to do like transporting the souls to heaven or hell. That is a hard job, you know. Have you ever tried such a thing? Souls are very stubborn to stay on Earth and sometimes they escape Death’s grasps without him realizing it until it’s too late.
So Death decided to create his own foundation to help him and so he created us reapers. At first, he created only ten. He thought that would be enough. It was for a while, until everything started to grow and soon humans were in the way of everything and we were going back and forth everywhere trying to control the deaths.
At first, reapers were ruthless.
I was ruthless.
We took the dead and never gave them a chance to live. But soon we ten reapers felt… Guilt? How could we feel such a thing when we aren’t supposed to feel anything! It was amazing how we suddenly reacted. We started to mock feelings, to act more… Human.
It was disgusting in Death’s eyes. He punished us and tried to make us back into animals, but we wouldn’t dare go back to being so evil and emotionless.
Soon Death had to create more, but this time he didn’t make them as human-like; he made them more frightening and brainless for they wouldn’t be able to think except of taking life away.
The original ten reapers are the only ones who are close to being normal and actually feel. We suddenly looked at life differently and thought better of humans. We began giving life back to give another chance for those who deserved it, but as for those who didn’t, we would take their life and they would surely be guided to hell.
It was a hard time for us. Sometimes the other dangerous reapers would try killing us because they’re jealous of us. They’re greedy and only want Death to see them. They’re all the sins.
We were on the run and yet Death himself never tried catching us when he could do so. It was a pain and yet a blessing to be so free.
I met Aro just about when he was turned.
I can’t tell you the specifics, I’ve blocked out how bad it was. He actually wanted to be a cold one. To be a God in the eyes of humans.
It was awful how he acted, how blood thirsty he was. It was then when I deliberately took his life away, let him lying until he could barely twitch his eye.
Now you might be asking; how could I? I can’t mess with life like that, but think about it; vampires are already dead. We have no rules against vampires. Only with humans can we not mess with them when living.
Marcus and Caius begged me to bring their friend Aro back. They literally went on their knees and begged.
You see, I was still new to vampires and they explained how it’s only natural at first to be crazy.
I let Aro live at the last minute when he barely had life left, barely a breath, but I watched him constantly. He was worse than Marcus and Caius. I watched until he finally started controlling himself. I continued watching when he got his wives and started to build his empire and steal it from the two named Stefan and Valdimir and their Romanian coven.
I was against the making of the Volturi. I didn’t want that controlling Aro in power so I fought against them and killed most of their gathered coven. Even their wives.
I bet you didn’t know that, did you Cullens? Their wives now are from such a long time ago, but they weren’t the originals, the ones I killed were the ones they’ve loved first. They’re the ones they’ve found after I let them spread their coven and take over.
Aro, Marcus, and Caius had feared me, but tried explaining why they wanted to destroy Stefan and Valdimir’s coven. I found out that they were awful and treated their realm with such cruelty. I then turned to the Volturi and helped defeated the Romanian coven once and for all.
This was when I told them the main points of rules and that’s what they stick to now. My rules.
Of course they’ve added their own over the years…
The Volturi fear me because they saw how easily I took their life away. Even without the Romanian coven’s help, I could take them down. Then again, back in the day they didn’t have as much guards…
Also, every person I gave life back to who was near death… I can always take that life back in a blink of an eye. I could’ve killed Aro without touching him back in Italy.
He fears me because I’ve that power and I’ve destroyed his coven in the making. Wouldn’t you be afraid if I killed your whole coven, Carlisle, and just left you? Aren’t you afraid of the Volturi of that power?
I have that power.

++++++++++

“That’s quite a story,” commented Carlisle, his eyes still curious and wanting all the specific details.
Emmett grinned, his dimples carved into his perfect face, “You must be pretty bad ass to make the Volturi fear you like that.”
Alice nodded, “Now it makes sense for them to be afraid of you…”
Rosalie stared at me with new respect, when I met her eyes she nodded at me with a smile.
I grinned, “Yep. Good bed time story for one o’ clock. I’m heading back to sleep until the morn,’” I said.
All the memories are starting to rise up in my mind again, it’s painful and I want to forget them again, not bring them back. I’m now exhausted from all the thinking back.
“Carlisle? Esme? Rosalie? Emmett? Jasper? Alice?” a voice like velvet streamed into my ears.
“Edward,” said Alice, smiling softly and bringing herself up.
The rest of the Cullen family followed and pulled me with them towards the front door of their home in a flash.
“Welcome back, Bella,” Carlisle said, standing beside Bella with a smile. “What can we do for you this morning? I imagine, due to the hour, that this is not purely a social visit?”
Bella nodded slowly, “I’d like to talk to everyone at once, if that’s okay. About something important.”
Edward looked like he was ready to snatch Bella away and take her far, far away.
“Of course. Why don’t we talk in the other room?” Carlisle suggested as he led the way to the dining room where there would be enough seating for all of us.
Bella looked around curious at the smell of food roaming around the room.
“Did you guys…” Bella started.
“Peri ate,” Carlisle answered, smiling at me.
Bella nodded and soon we were all seated looking directly at Bella.
“The floor is yours,” the head of the Cullen said.
“Well… I’m hoping Alice has already told you everything that happened in Volterra?” Bella said.
“Everything,” Alice agreed.
Edward suddenly looked at me, studying me as I twiddled my thumbs. His eyes were curious and grateful.
He still hasn’t thanked me, that bastard.
“And on the way?” Bella suddenly said.
Edward and I snapped back towards Bella.
“That, too.”
“Good. Then we’re all on the same page,” Bella sighed, “So, I have a problem. Peri promised the Volturi that I would become one of you. They’re going to send someone to check, and I’m sure that’s a band thing… Something to avoid.
“And so, now, this involves you all. I’m sorry about that. But, if you don’t want me, then I’m not going to force myself on you, whether Alice is willing or not.”
Esme looked like she was about to say something, but Bella raised a finger to stop her.
“Please, let me finish. You all know what I want. And I’m sure you know what Edward thinks, too. I think the only fair way to decide is for everyone to have a vote. If you decide you don’t want me, then… I guess I’ll go back to Italy alone. I can’t have them come here,” Bella said.
Edward growled low.
I smirked.
“Taking into account, then, that I won’t put any of you in danger either way, I want you to vote yes or no on the issue of me becoming a vampire,” she finished, smiling.
“Just a minute,” Edward said, “I have something to add before we vote.”
Bella heaved a loud sigh, expecting just the very thing from Edward.
“About the danger Bella’s referring to; I don’t think we need to be overly anxious. You see there was more than one reason why I didn’t want to shake Aro’s hand there at the end. There’s something they didn’t think of, and I didn’t want to clue them in,” Edward continued, smiling.
“Which was?” Alice said.
We were all suddenly curious and leaning forward.
“The Volturi are overconfident, and with good reason. When they decide to find someone, it’s not really a problem. Do you remember Demetri?” Edward looked down at Bella and she shivered.
That’s a yes.
“He finds people; that’s his talent, why they keep him.
“Now, the whole time we were with any of them, I was picking their brains for anything that might save us, getting as much information as possible. So I saw how Demetri’s talent works. He’s a tracker… A tracker a thousand times more gifted than James was. His ability is loosely related to what I can do, or what Aro does. He catches the… Flavor? I don’t know how to describe it… The tenor… Of someone’s mind, and then he follows that. It works over immense distances.
“But after Aro’s little experiments, well…” Edward shrugged.
“You think he won’t be able to find me,” Bella said dryly.
Edward looked smug, “I’m sure of it. He relies totally on that other sense. When it doesn’t work with you, they’ll all be blind.”
“And how does that solve anything?” asked the human.
“Quite obviously, Alice will be able to tell when they’re planning a visit, and I’ll hide you. They’ll be helpless,” he said glee. “It will be like looking for a piece of straw in a haystack!”
Emmett and Edward exchanged glances and smiled.
“But they can find you,” Bella reminded.
“And I can take care of myself,” Edward stated.
Emmett laughed loudly and extended his fist to Edward, “Excellent plan, my brother.”
Edward punched his fist into Emmett’s with a loud crack.
“No,” Rosalie hissed.
“Absolutely not,” Bella agreed.
“Nice,” Jasper said.
“Idiots,” Alice whispered.
Esme glared at Edward.
Danger after danger it seems for this family.
“All right, then. Edward has offered an alternative for you to consider. Let’s vote,” Bella finally said.
We all waited as Bella turned to look at Edward, “Do you want me to join your family?”
“Not that way. You’re staying human.”
His answer was expected, we all knew it.
“Alice?”
“Yes.”
“Jasper?”
“Yes,” Jasper said, his voice a little grave.
“Rosalie?”
Rosalie looked pained at Bella, “No.”
Bella didn’t show any emotion as she turned her head to move to the next Cullen.
“Let me explain. I don’t mean that I have any aversion to you as a sister. It’s just that… This is not the life I would have chosen for myself. I wish there had been someone there to vote no for me,” Rosalie explained.
Bella nodded, turning to Emmett.
“Hell, yes! We can find some other way to pick a fight with this Demetri!” Emmett shouted enthusiastically.
Esme’s turn.
“Yes, of course, Bella. I already think of you as a part of my family,” Esme said, smiling brightly.
“Thank you, Esme,” Bella whispered as she turned to Carlisle.
The man was looking at Edward in a calm gaze, “Edward.”
“No,” Edward snarled, his teeth bared and his eyes dark.
“It’s the only way that makes sense. You’ve chosen not to live without her, and that doesn’t leave me a choice…” Carlisle said, then turned to me as Edward growled and stalked out of the room in anger. “I guess you know my vote,” Carlisle said softly.
Suddenly, Bella turned to me, “Peri?”
“It’s the only way. Edward would kill himself once you’re dead. You’ll get mopey after the years. I promised the Volturi you would be a vampire. I definitely say yes to you becoming a cold one, Bella.”
“Thank you. That’s all I needed. Thank you. For wanting to keep me. I feel exactly the same way about all of you, too,” Bella said, her voice full of emotion.
Love… How it floats around this room suffocating me.
I closed my eyes as Esme hugged Bella.
Jacob Black, I wonder if you’re missing me like I’m missing you?