Give Into Us Chapter 24

Heidi glanced over at Bella as the woman slowly read a book Heidi was sure Bella wasn’t even really interested in; especially considering the woman hadn’t turned the page in at least ten minutes. It also didn’t help that Heidi was positive Bella’s eyes were focused on the floor just past the books line of sight. Jane had picked the book out, some random story based on the time Jane had been alive. It wasn’t the right culture and a lot of things were historically inaccurate, it was a fantasy book after all, but Heidi was sure Jane was just trying to pick a book she thought Bella would like and had some sort of connection to Jane herself.

Heidi thought it would have been better to get Bella out of their room and get her mind on something else. Clearly, Bella was having problems getting out her head and Heidi was concerned the longer she stayed there the more Bella would suffer. Not physically of course, but mentally. The more Bella thought over everything she had just been through the more Bella would be stuck in the grieving process instead of healing. At least, that’s what Heidi thought.

She hadn’t really talked much Jane about it; both vampires focused on just doing what Bella asked, if she did actually ask for anything which was rare. Bella typically needed to be reminded to eat in the few days she had been with them. They knew Bella wasn’t purposefully trying not to eat, she very clearly just forgot and ate what was prepared for her. Both Heidi and Jane were thankful the queens had someone prepare meals for Bella; it made it so much easier to make sure the woman ate and ate healthy as well. It was one less worry. But the reason for Bella not remembering was still a problem.

Every time they offered to go out with Bella to different stores around the city so their human could buy new, and much needed, clothes and furniture. While Bella’s room wasn’t necessarily lacking in terms of clothes and whatnot, the items were picked out for her. Everyone, her parents and mates alike wanted Bella to pick out her own things, things she enjoyed and wanted. But Bella didn’t seem to care as much as the others about making her room her own.

So, Jane offered to let find books she thought Bella would like instead of trying to get her to go someplace. But Heidi didn’t want to settle for that; especially when it was clear reading a book wasn’t working to help cheer Bella up. Heidi wanted to tease Jane about not succeeding, but that meant acknowledging their mate was still hurting and they weren’t able to do anything about it. Heidi was determined to change that. She had to.

While Bella had slept, Heidi made plans with the queens to try and coax Bella out of her depressive mood. She knew Bella wouldn’t be able to just heal and get over the death of her father over night but at least she could start mending her heartache. Heidi felt Bella was stuck and she wanted to fix that. She had talked with the queens about what she wanted to do and got their permission. Heidi felt some bonding time without being interrupted by a parental figure wouldn’t hurt anything. She also talked with a few members of the elite guard to try and get in on helping Bella as well. Initially the guard didn’t want to intrude, afraid they may say or do something with/to Bella the queens wouldn’t like; decorum and all that. But after Jane also asked, in her own special way of course, Heidi was able to get both Alec and Felix to join them. Some was better than none in her mind; but this way Bella would start to get to know the guard and the people she would be living with for now on.

Heidi casually walked with only a little sway to her hips, she wasn’t actively trying to seduce Bella after all, only get her attention, and sat at the corner of the desk she had taken position at.

“You would have better luck with the wall.” Jane whispered with a roll of her eyes. Bella was so lost in thoughts there was no way she saw Heidi walk up, much less the little show the seductress likely couldn’t help put on.

“At least I have something to put a show on with.” Heidi snarked back, enjoying the fact Jane couldn’t retaliate because both of them didn’t want Bella to hear them arguing; at least not until not until she was feeling better and their arguing couldn’t make her feel worse. “So, Bella, my love.” Heidi said as she leaned across the desk. “I was thinking we, all three of us, can go to the training room and perhaps watch some of the guards beat each other up and take bets on it.” Heidi offered the first thing off the top of her head. “We could even let you take a swing at it if you want.”

Heidi’s original plan was to watch a movie with all of them but when Jane commented how cliché and boring that was, she wanted to do something else. She didn’t know what. When she talked with the queens, insinuating she already had an idea of what to do and was trying to avoid saying what, Jane offered up the idea to have Bella watch a couple guard members train. That didn’t sound very fun as well.

Then Heidi had an idea; an ingenious idea. It was such a good idea, even Jane approved! They had the perfect room just off the training room where Bella could release all her emotions in one spot and hopefully release some tension she had been carrying from being so sad. Heidi figured if Jane could release her emotions via anger and her gift, Bella may be able to do something similar. She was actually looking forward to what they were going to do; sure, it would be more fun if they were human and didn’t have superhuman strength but that’s okay. Bella should have fun and that’s what her end goal was.

“I don’t think training is something I would be any good at.” Bella said as she shook herself out of her thoughts. She had been thinking about what Charlie would be doing if he was still alive; how mad he would have been for her being in Italy again. Would he have been mad? What if she had told him about it, or come up with a lie about why she was in Italy and try to keep talking with him as long as she could until it would be too obvious that she was with vampires? She didn’t know and that’s what she was stuck on.

“Lady Athenodora in particular, but all three of your parents, want you to learn self-defense. Not in hopes that you use it, but in case you need it.” Jane offered, seeing how well Heidi was failing even though she had just started. “It may be worthwhile to at least see what is coming down the road; we all have to train, no matter what gifts we have.”

Bella wanted to say no, she wanted to stay where she was and not have to do anything. But she knew that wasn’t healthy. She knew Charlie wouldn’t want that for her. In fact, Charlie had done all he could when she had been drowning in depression when Edward had left her, before she went to Italy. So, as much as she didn’t want to, she knew she should. Even if she also knew her watching someone else train, if she could even see them since they moved so fast, would absolutely bore her, she decided it was probably a good idea to at least humor them.

“Okay,” Bella said with a sigh as she closed the book. She didn’t bother putting a book mark to mark her spot because she couldn’t remember any part of the book she had ‘read’.

“Wonderful!” Heidi cheered, happy Bella didn’t put up a fight but also a little sad she didn’t get to try and convince Bella to go in some very pleasurable ways. Bella was ruining her fun. “Let’s go, I think Alec and Felix were just there.” They were just there setting up the room and would be on standby to replenish. Heidi would have preferred more of a group activity but she changed her mind; without telling anyone. Sue her, she was allowed to decide to become selfish and not have anyone interrupt her bonding time with her mate; Jane was the only one she would share with. And the queens. But no one else!

Heidi grabbed Bella’s hand and started to pull her out of the room towards the training room. She was completely excited to have Bella with her, out of the room and about to do something she was sure her human would love. It would probably take some convincing, hopefully not but one never knew, but Heidi was up to the challenge! If there was one thing she was good at, it was convincing someone to do something.

“So, I’m just going to watch them wrestle or something?” Bella asked as she was all but dragged through the halls. She hadn’t been there long and hadn’t really left her room much, so after the second turn, she was already lost. They were going downstairs, probably to a basement or dungeon or something else more sinister as they were vampires, but besides going down, she had no idea where she was going.

“Something like that.” Jane answered as she walked on the other side of Bella. She hoped this would be something that would help break Bella out of her morse thoughts. She knew Bella wouldn’t be a hundred percent, not after losing someone so close to her, but she hoped this would put Bella on track to being happy again.

It only took a few more minutes of Heidi practically jogging with Bella in excitement and telling her how amazing her idea was and how much fun Bella was going to have. In all honestly, Heidi forgot she hadn’t actually told Bella it wasn’t actually training they were going to watch, it was something else entirely. So, the more Heidi talked, the more Bella was confused as to what they were doing. By the time they reached the room, she knew it was highly unlikely she would be watching someone train or even start on training herself. She wasn’t sure if she was excited or nervous to see what Heidi had planned with all the hype she was giving it. At least she knew since Jane was involved, it wouldn’t be anything too crazy. She hoped.

Heidi through open the door on the opposite side of the training room and waved her arm in front, showing off the room with what appeared to be a lot of junk inside. “Voila!” Heidi said with a wide smile as Bella cautiously walked into the room, not sure what she was looking at.

Alec and Felix were in the corner near another closed door, seemingly trying to blend into the wall. The junk consisted of very old to newish TV’s, broken lamps, random electronics like blenders and microwaves. It resembled a room a hoarder had decorated and stashed things in rather than a room the Volturi, self-proclaimed royalty and keeper of nice things, would have in their home.

“Um, you want help organizing or something?” Bella asked as she took a few hesitant steps into the room, ignoring the smirk both boys gave her at her question. Apparently everyone was in on what was going on instead of her.

“Not at all.” Jane said with a serious look, “I’ve seen how you decorate, it’s not very good.” She earned a snort of amusement from her brother and a just slightly offended look from her mate.

“Actually, just the opposite.” Heidi said as she picked up one of three different bats leaning against the wall, “We know you’ve been down a little, and with good reason.” Heidi quickly added, wanting to make sure her mate knew no one thought she was ‘milking’ the sadness to get attention. “So, we wanted you to do something to try and cheer you up; to try and release some of those emotions you have.” She handed the bat over to a very cautious Bella. As far as Bella was concerned, the last thing anyone would ever want to do was give her a bat in fear of getting hurt themselves in case Bella lost control of the potential weapon. “All you need to do is take this bat with Jane and I, and help us literally destroy everything in this room.”

Bella was about to open her mouth to argue that not only would they create a very large and unnecessary mess, she didn’t think it would be safe to do so, but Felix cut her off.

“Don’t worry about the mess or anything, we’ll get it cleaned up. And all this stuff was going in the trash anyways, at least this way it will go out in style with someone having some fun with it.” Felix yelled from his spot.

Jane pulled some goggles and gloves out of her robe pocket before gently laying her robe on the ground, “We have these for you to wear to make sure you don’t get hurt.” She said as she offered the items to Bella.

“I was wondering why you were wearing that.” Bella said with a smile, starting to get excited about being allowed to swing a bat everything to break it and not get in trouble for it.

“Jane’s weird, she probably decided to wear it before she knew she needed to hide some items on her.” Heidi said with a smirk.

“She does like wearing the cloak, she thinks it makes her look cool.” Alec added, earning a death glare from his sister. He didn’t often tease his sister, but seeing the smile and hearing the laugh from Bella, he knew his sister was secretly okay with it. As long as it was done sparingly, not egregiously and for Bella, he was allowed to tease her in front of others.

“As soon as those are on, because safety first and whatnot, just swing your bat at anything except vampires, and have fun!” Heidi said with a cheer as she grabbed her own bat. She and Jane wouldn’t use their full strength and speed of course but they didn’t want Bella to feel alone in the activity; what type of bonding game would only have one person participating anyways?

Bella finished putting her safety gear on and turned to both her mates with a smile. “Thank you.” She heartfeltly said. She knew she was still adjusting to everything that had happened to her, there was still some mending and healing that needed to be done but at least she knew, without a doubt, her mates would be there to help her and make sure she didn’t turn into Edward with her melancholy.

“Of course, Bella.” Jane answered as she picked up her own bat, giving her mate a rare smile Felix was sure to spread rumors about. Jane was positive with her mates’ appearance in her life, her reputation of being a hard-ass was out the window and people would likely start to think she was going soft. The things she did for her mate.

“Enough of that, swing Bella!” Heidi said as she swung her bat at the closest item to her with the goal of hopefully getting some glass rained down on the boys. As far as Heidi was concerned, this was the best first date in history and she was looking forward to the many others she would share with her mate.