Diamond Legacies: Part 22

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Chicago & New York, September 2226

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Nova Cullen

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“Nova?” Ophelia’s voice came from behind as I stood at her window watching the fifty or so wolves lined up in formation on the grounds of the Volturi. Behind the mansion consisted of an entire neighbourhood of homes that many of the Volturi and Cullen’s lived in. In the middle were gardens and a giant courtyard. It was the only place big enough to train the wolves and bears under Amirah and Ignacio. Come rain or shine, that’s where Lucan was.

I watched the sea of young men and women following the instructions of their alpha at the front. Ignacio was at the back, an occasional black cloud escaped from him to envelope the pack. Amirah was at the front, she was talking and creating her own clouds in between. I didn’t understand what they were doing but I couldn’t deny the fascination of watching it. Lucan worshipped the ground Amirah walked on, and I understood why. She was kind of incredible.

“Amirah…” I said trailing off. Ophelia knew her well, I knew she had been trained by her and she was close friends with her, well not as close as we were. But I knew Alena was Mia’s best friend and Ophelia spent a lot of time with Alena. I knew they were all connected.

“What about her?” Ophelia asked standing next to me to watch the drills.

“she’s kind of amazing” I said and couldn’t help my gasp as Amirah waved her hand silenced the cloud that had reached her from across the clearing. She twisted her hand, causing the cloud to burst into flame. Some wolves flinched, some didn’t. She was talking as she demonstrated but I couldn’t hear a thing she was saying. I had never seen anything like it before. Even when I watched Alena or Ophelia use magic. The control and power Amirah possessed was kind of inspiring.

“She is.” Alena answered and I turned to look at her smiling up from her seat, she was reading a book.

“I can see why my boyfriend idolises her so much” I nodded turning away from the window.

“Have you told him yet?” Ophelia asked as we went to sit on their couch.

“No, that’s why I’m here. I wanted to wait until his training was done.” I said with a sigh.

I was leaving for New York in an hour. I had done it behind his back and made sure I had left it until the last minute, so he had no chance of following me.

“You know if he wants to come after you, he will. A flight to New York is barely an hour” Ophelia mentioned and then turned to Alena. “Or he can just get an immortal witch to take him there in an instant” she added but Alena didn’t look up.

“If he asks, I need you to say no Lena” I said to my friend. She looked up from her book to look at me with a frown. “please” I added.

“I’ll say no.”

“Thank you” I sighed, and she gave me a swift nod before returning to her book.

I stayed with Ophelia for another ten minutes until Lucan was done with his training.

I noticed they were all starting to go their separate ways, so I said goodbye to Ophelia and Alena and left their house to catch up to Lucan. He was a few meters from where Amirah and Ignacio were talking to Zac and Leah Black, the actual alphas of Lucan’s pack.

“Hey babe, what are you doing here?” he asked when he saw me coming over.

“I went to see Ophelia” I said with a shrug. It was the only actual reason I was allowed on these grounds. Even though the threat of the disciples seemed to have mostly disappeared, for now, or so I’d been told, I still had to be careful being at the Volturi.

“of course,” he said with a sideways smirk.

“And to tell you I’m going to New York” I said in a hurry.

“you’re what?” he asked after moments pause.

“I need to check on my sister. I just… I have this feeling in my gut... and I need to go. I will only be there a day or so. I just need to meet this guy she’s been seeing.” I tried to explain.

“Okay well ill talk to Mia.” He said and turned to look at his alphas still talking although Mia turned her head for a moment at her name. Great, so she could hear us. Of course she could.

“I need you to stay here” I said but the words felt like a dagger in my heart, but I had to push against the feeling. I needed to do this alone.

“That is not happening Nova.” He said with a shake of his head. I had to be strong. I had to say no. This time I wouldn’t let him control me.

“Lucan… I need to do this without you” I said stepping forward to put my hand on his shaking chest.

“Nova” Mia was suddenly at my side. “Back away” she coaxed. I noticed my touch wasn’t calming Lucan.

“I’m going with her. I’m going to New York with Nova.” He said and turned to Mia as if to tell her why he wouldn’t be here tomorrow.

“No, you’re not Lucan” I said strongly. His shaking only worsened.

“Yes I am. I go with you wherever you go. I have to go with you. I always go with you. you always do what I say to protect you” he said, and I hated the tone of his voice, it set my nerves on edge.

“Lucan” Mia said before I could. I looked to her at my side to see the pure shock and confusion on her face. She didn’t know this side of Lucan existed. Clearly.

I did. I knew it far too well.

“She is my imprint” he said, he still hadn’t taken his eyes off me.

“And you can live without her for a day.” She said, her voice was confused.

“No, I can’t” he said his shaking worsened at the idea of his alpha siding with me. I hadn’t expected her to, but I was suddenly glad she was.

“Lucan, back off” Mia said, and the next few seconds happened in a flash. I saw Mia’s hand collide with Lucan and when I blinked, he was twenty meters in front of me. His dark brown wolf snarling at his alpha at my side.

“Run it off” Mia commanded, and the wolf turned and took off running through the access point to the forest behind the Volturi estate.

I was stood there, still shocked, with my hand outstretched from where it had been resting on Lucan’s chest.

“Are you okay?” Mia asked at my side. I turned to look at her. She looked so small. She looked so normal and sweet. She looked concerned but also sympathetic. She looked at me waiting for my response patiently and calmly. She didn’t look like she’d easily just thrown a fully grown man twenty meters with a small push of her palm.

There was so much power and authority in this woman at my side, it was almost jarring to think about.

“Yeah, I’m okay. Thank you for that” I said forcing a smile.

“he’ll be okay. Imprints are funny things. You should leave before he comes back. Ill alpha order him to stay in Chicago. Just be careful. Don’t make me regret it” she said with a warning in her eyes. I swallowed nervously and nodded.

“Thank you” I said, and she gave me a small nod before turning to walk away.

She didn’t get far. My mother was walking towards us with a murderous look on her face.

“What just happened? Nova why are you out here? What the hell did you do?” she asked far too fast for me to answer the first question before she asked the second or the third as she pivoted on Amirah. She was in between myself and Amirah faster than I could register. She had me behind her back and she was now facing Amirah. I looked around my mother to see Amirah just had an expression of annoyance on her face.

“Back away from my daughter” Ivy said to Mia. Mia only rolled her eyes which I knew would infuriate my mother more.

“Mama I’m fine.” I sighed trying to step out of her protection.

“I told you to stay away from the pack, stay away from everything that’s happening here, from them” she said turning to glare. My heart ached seeing my mother’s fear. It was only a flicker, but it was there. She feared Amirah. Was it because of her powers? Or because of her demonic imprint? I wasn’t sure.

“Mama, Amirah saved me. Lucan was out of control. He might have hurt me. She knocked him out of the way, Amirah made him go for a run to calm down.” I said trying to explain to my mother what her frenemy had done. Ivana turned to look at Amirah a few steps away from us.

“You promised you’d stay away from my children.” She said and I realised they had an agreement in place. Something I didn’t know about.

“I saved your daughter from the trauma of a nasty injury. You’re welcome, Ivana.” Amirah said, her voice was icy, and she ignored my mother’s statement as she walked away. I could see my mother’s distrust for the tribrid coming off her in waves.

“Amirah?” I called out and I could see as Amirah debated whether she should even turn around. She did. The soft understanding normal girl that comforted me before was gone, and she was the fierce strong warrior alpha I had come to know.

“Why did you help me? With Lucan and New York, I mean,” I asked her.

“Because I know the pain of losing your freedom” she said, her voice hollow and void of emotion. She didn’t say anything else or let me respond. She was over by the Volturi mansion in a blink of an eye and then gone. I noticed my mother’s aura flood with empathy. She’d never admit feeling anything other than distain for the tribrid, but I knew her better. I was also getting to know Amirah quite a bit too.

I told my mother of my plan to visit my sister in New York. I managed to play it off with the fact I just missed her and wanted to see her, and I’d be back in a day. She took this reason without any resistance and even drove me to the airport.

‘I know the pain of losing your freedom’

Amirah’s words resonated with me the entire flight to New York.

Freedom. I had lost that the day Lucan imprinted on me.

That’s what I felt anyway. It used to tear me apart emotionally. Until I saw Lucan being torn apart physically at least. That event had changed things for me. It had tightened the tether I had to Lucan, but I had also lost a part of my self at the same time.

Is that what Amirah felt?

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I arrived at New York and immediately caught a cab to Eden’s apartment. I knew where she lived. I had seen it in her mind in the few times she had let me in. I knew her roommate and best friend was Lara and I hoped that at least one of them would be home when I got there.

I needed to get Lucan and Amirah and the events of today out of my head. There was no use in worrying about how Lucan would react when I returned so I focused on something else.

On Eden. On protecting my sister. Because that’s all it felt like I ever did, protect and help my family. I did it with my mother and my father. Now it was Eden’s turn. I didn’t care that she didn’t want me here. It was more of a reason to be here. I needed to find out who this guy was and whether he was who she thought he was.

I buzzed the apartment and was grateful I was let in immediately. It had to be Lara because I didn’t have Eden in my head asking what the hell I was doing at her door.

“Nova, right?” the girl answered as the door opened.

“hi” I smiled in greeting and Lara let me in.

“I’d recognise you anywhere” Lara joked, and I let out a small smile as I accepted her invitation. I had seen Lara a few times in my sister’s mind, but I hadn’t registered how tall she was. She was in lounge sweats; her thick long hair was tied into a messy bun on the top of her head, and she had spots of cream dotted around her face.

“Sorry I’m not exactly presentable, Eden didn’t tell me she was having visitors.” She said and rushed into the bathroom.

“Eden doesn’t know I’m here. I’m sorry to just turn up. I er… is she here?” I asked looking towards her bedroom door, but I knew she wasn’t. She’d have definitely walked out here at the sound of my voice.

“No sorry. She’s out with her boyfriend, she won’t be back for a few hours.” She called and after a moment she came back into the living area to see me. The cream had gone from her face, and she had changed her top.

“About that boyfriend…” I said trailing off as I looked around the living area. I could tell my sister lived here; it had her touches. My heart warmed at the sight of the picture of us together on the shelf.

“What about him? What did she tell you?” Lara asked and I noticed the curiosity in her aura spike at my words. I also noticed her disgust at the thought of Eden’s boyfriend. So, she didn’t like him?

“Not much, that’s why I’m here. My sister is quick to jump into things without fully thinking them through. I came to make sure she hadn’t done anything stupid.” I said carefully editing what I was saying. I had to be careful around Lara too. She didn’t know Eden was a Cullen and I wouldn’t destroy that part of her life, her anonymity she was so desperate to protect. Well, protect from everyone but her new boy toy apparently.

“Because she’s a Cullen?” Lara asked and I couldn’t keep my jaw from swinging open at her words.

Who hasn’t she told?

“She told you?” I asked in shock.

“It was an accident really, but yeah I found out.” Lara said with a small smile. She was embarrassed.

“Eden is normally very secretive with that information” I said selectively.

“Yeah, she wasn’t happy when I found out, but we’ve worked it out. I haven’t told anyone. I wouldn’t. She’s my best friend, I’ll always protect her” she said, and I believed her. The girl in front of me reminded me a lot of myself. She had a fiercely protective side of her, and I was grateful that protection covered my sister.

“And her boyfriend? Do you think he’d protect her?” I asked curiously.

“no” the words came out far too fast for my liking. I saw her aura flicker with disgust.

“Will you tell me about him? When I found out, she pushed me away. She stopped answering my calls. She won’t let me know who he is, and I don’t know why” I said editing the truth slightly. Whilst Lara definitely knew that Eden and I were Cullen’s, I was confident she wasn’t aware of Eden’s other secret. She was still in the dark about the supernatural. Eden hadn’t been a complete idiot revealing all her secrets. There was that at least.

I spent the next hour or so with Lara as she told me about Eden’s new boyfriend. I had a feeling Lara had been waiting to rant about the man for a while and she couldn’t say it all to Eden, whether out of respect for her friend or out of stubborn pride I wasn’t quite sure.

Whilst Lara’s gripes seemed to be of a jealous nature as humans often were, the main part of Lara’s rant that concerned me was who this man my sister was so desperately in love with was.

He was Nicholas Disney. One of the most powerful men in the human world.

And he knew she was a Cullen now too. That’s why she had cut me out so quickly. That’s why she had begged me to leave it alone, because she knew I wouldn’t approve. She knew no one in our family would approve.

He had way too much power, way too much influence in the human world to ever know about ours.

He wasn’t a viable candidate for dating the granddaughter of Carlisle Cullen. He was a risk, and a big one at that.

“Nova?” Eden’s voice entered the house as the door closed. I turned from my place on the couch to face my sister entering her apartment. “Why are you here?” she asked eying Lara on the couch with me.

“To get you out of the mess you’ve gotten yourself into” I said as I stood to face her.

“I’m not in a mess, everything is fine. Go home.” She said and sent me a warning look that would give even our own mother a run for her money.

Nova what are you doing here? She asked in our mind.

Nicholas Disney Eden? Seriously? I almost yelled. I decided to repeat it out loud.

“Nicholas Disney? Eden are you out of your mind?” I asked and I heard Lara shuffle behind me.

“I’m gunna go get some food. Ill be back in an hour or so, so you guys can talk this through” she said eying us staring each other down before she left. Eden let out a breath she was holding as the door closed behind Lara.

“Its none of your business Nova” Eden responded to my question. I felt like screaming and strangling my sister all at once.

“None of my business? Are you kidding me right now? Eden. He’s a Disney!” I almost yelled at her. “You were supposed to stay low. We promised mama and papa we would. Telling the most powerful man in the world you’re a Cullen is not laying low. Screwing the man that controls the worlds media, is not laying low!” I was trying to stay calm, but I just couldn’t. I couldn’t believe how reckless and selfish my sister was being.

“I didn’t tell him what we were, what I am. You’re blowing this way out of proportion. Him knowing I’m a Cullen doesn’t put me in danger, it doesn’t put the family in danger. He’s not going to do or say anything. He loves me. And even if he did, why does it matter? You’ve wanted me to embrace the Cullen name for years. I’m finally accepting who I am and you’re yelling at me for it?” she asked, her voice was rising now too. I hated arguing with my sister, but I had never felt fear like this before.

I would bring down the world to protect my twin, and I would, even if she didn’t agree with me.

She was my priority, always. We had forever together, I had to make sure we were both mostly whole, emotionally, to survive it.

“Anyone else Eden. You could have anyone in the world, and you picked him? The Volturi wont stand for it. I’m trying to protect you. You need to end it.” I said but I saw her mind flicker with the acknowledgment of her own prior thoughts on the subject. I also saw a conversation with our mother over the exact same thing.

“Mama knows?” I asked I couldn’t control the hysteria in my voice.

“She does and she’s on my side.” She said rather smug.

“Mama isn’t in her right mind, and you know it. She hasn’t been since Nonna went missing. Mama will do anything to keep us happy, even if it’s sacrificing the greater good.” I said. If she had been around her, she’d know this. If she hadn’t ran away the first chance she got from her responsibility as a daughter, she’d know how fragile our mother was. “You know it yourself. This relationship won’t last. It can’t. Not unless you tell him about what you are and without Nonna you can’t guarantee any protection for him or have the evidence to convince the Volturi he won’t reveal the supernatural. You know that, I can see it in your mind. It’s a ticking time bomb Eden and you need to defuse it before it explodes” I tried to reason with her, I lowered my panic in my voice and hoped she was seeing the emotions in my aura. My worry, my love for her, my fear.

I saw her understanding in her mind. I saw her agreeing with me and yet her words contradicted her thoughts.

“I won’t break up with him. I need him.” She said but her aura was anxious. It was stubborn and angry. I could see the heartbreak seeping into her every emotion. It would consume her. Just the idea hurt her. She wouldn’t be able to manage the sheer act of doing it. She wasn’t strong enough. Not where he was concerned.

So, I had to do it for her.

I could see that now.

“Eden. I know you think that, but this is for the best. If you love him as much as you say you do, you know this is the only way to save him.” I said and her emotions were mixing with my own now. I could feel tears on my own cheeks mirroring hers. I could see her agreeing with me and yet she was fighting every word.

“I can’t do it Nova. I can’t.” She said and I nodded as I stepped towards her. I reached for her, hugging her to me in response to the overwhelming emotion we both felt.

She hadn’t asked me, but I would do it for her.

I would do anything for her.

It only took one touch. I flooded her aura with the feeling of exhaustion, and she was asleep before she had the chance to counter my ability. I gently lay her on the couch at our feet and leant forward and kissed her forehead. I took her phone out of her hand and sent Nicholas Disney a text message from my sister’s phone.

I was grateful the reply came quick, an acceptance to meet up at a local diner.

My plan was pretend to by my sister and break up with him for her. Hopefully persuade him to take a trip away or avoid my sister for a while whilst she ‘processed’ the breakup. If I could get him to leave her alone, I could work on convincing her this was the right thing. I could help her through this heartbreak. Just like I had helped my mother through hers. I would save her, I had to. For my own selfish gain, I couldn’t survive the rest of forever without my sister, I’d make sure she got out of this safe.

I had given my sister enough of the same emotion to keep her asleep for another hour or so. So, I was grateful Nicholas was willing to meet up right away.

I entered the busy café to see him sitting in a booth at the back. I pulled on my best Eden impression and made my way over to sit opposite him. He lifted his head and for a moment I saw a surge of love on his aura before it suddenly dropped.

“you’re not Eden” he said, his voice was dark and brash.

“No, I’m not” I responded impressed he’d worked it out so quickly. Not many people can tell us apart. We could even trick our own parents from time to time. Strangers were easy to trick. I guess he was no stranger though, not to Eden.

“Nice to meet you Nova.” He said formally but didn’t offer his hand or a smile in greeting. He knew, or at least he had an idea as to why I was here on my own pretending to be Eden.

“You too Nicholas.” I said and paused. “Enough with the pleasantries though, you know why I’m here alone and without Eden. You know who we are. The conflict of power and influence in this relationship will destroy you both.”

“Are you here pretending to be your twin to break up with me?” he said with a scoff. He folded his arms across his chest in response to my words.

“I am because she can’t. You need to leave my sister alone”

“I can’t do that” he said his eyes didn’t break contact with mine.

“You have to. she doesn’t know what’s best for herself, or for our family. You need to be the one to break it off. Or things are going to get ugly. She’s going to break up with you anyway eventually. It’s only a matter of time” I said harshly.

“If that were true, she would be here herself. But you’re her sister, you’ve fought her battles for her since you were children. You’re the strong one. The voice for your sister.” He explained and I flinched at his knowledge of our dynamic. She had told him about us, about me.

“I will always fight for her, she’s my twin. This relationship won’t last. It won’t work. It can’t” I said repeating my words again.

“you’re wrong.”

“How are you so sure?” I asked.

“Because I’ve never been surer of anything. I know that all I think about is her. All I see when I close my eyes is her. All I dream about is her. The connection we have isn’t ordinary, it isn’t a fling, its more. It’s so much more. We were meant to be together.” He said and had I not been happily imprinted, and, in a relationship, I might have swooned over his words myself.

“This isn’t a Disney movie. You can’t live out your families’ fantasies on my sister. This isn’t a fairy tale. This is a very real situation. Your relationship puts you both in danger. A Disney and a Cullen. It won’t work.” I said shaking off the romanticism of this situation and calling it what It is. He was cocky and stubborn, and it boiled my blood to see his aura reflect his personality.

“I want to hear that from her.” He said but I didn’t let my frustration show. Eden loved him, vampire forever kind of love. She needed to cut the tie in one swift movement, no more contact or she might never recover, and I needed to do it for her.

“Listen to me” I said changing my stance on the situation. Tough girl protective sister wasn’t working so I changed my tone, one I hoped to God he would listen to. If he didn’t, it meant Eden would be in for a world of pain and I wasn’t sure she would survive it. I knew he was somewhat trustworthy; I had seen it in his aura. I knew what Eden was drawn to, but I also saw the negative traits Eden was blind too. I saw how easily angered he could be, how stubborn and prideful he was. I saw how much grief he was in; he had lost someone, and I knew what grief did to people. I watched my mother for a year become a person I barely recognised when she grieved the loss of my grandmother. I saw her do acts she wouldn’t dream of in the haziness of her pain. I was scared what Nicholas would do, not because of Eden or what she was but in times of distress. He had been so accepting of her, but I knew that was because he was so lonely and desperate for someone to love him outside of his family name. He was a desperate man, and desperate people often did things they regretted. I couldn’t let my sister put herself in that kind of danger. One wrong word and this man could tear down the supernatural and all it hinged on was his love for one girl. The thought terrified me.

“I’m listening” he said mockingly and leant forward towards me. I did the same, hoping the proximity and the tone and urgency of my voice would scare him into doing as I said.

“Eden has secrets. Secrets that aren’t really hers to disclose. Secrets that are part of our family and secrets that you will never know.”

“Every family has secrets” he responded, he still wasn’t put off.

“Eden has been lying to you. She’s been lying this whole time about a part of who she is. What kind of relationship can last when there are secrets that big? What kind of person are you to accept only part of her? One day you’ll want to know the rest and you’ll lose yourself in the process” I threatened him. He didn’t answer back and his poker face faltered. “You will lose yourself; Eden; your position; your dynasty and possibly even your life. Is even a piece of Eden worth that to you?” I asked and he looked down at the table before he looked back up. Stubbornness and pride soaked his aura. It reminded me of Lucan.

“yes” he said, his voice strong and loud.

“Then you’re an idiot. And you’re going to die for it”

“Are you threatening me Nova Cullen?” he asked

“no. I’m trying to save you” I said, and I was truly truly sorry for him in that moment. I stood from the booth and paused at the edge of the table. The Volturi would wipe his memory, they would recreate his life, removing any trace of Eden. Their time together would be taken from him, and Eden would have to watch them do it.

“You will stay away from her. Or Eden will get hurt, hurt beyond your understanding. Can’t you do that? For her? To protect her?” I asked and I looked down at him now with tears in my eyes. He was going to be the death of my sister and I wouldn’t get over it.

“Nova” he said softly, his hand reached out for mine on the table. He lay his over mine for a moment. “I will never hurt her, and I will take all her secrets to the grave. All of them” he said, and his eyes bore into mine. I wanted to believe him. I really did. For my sister’s sake. She loved this man, God knows why, but she did. And he loved her, but it wasn’t enough. It was too risky, and I knew the Volturi would view it that way too. I needed to protect her before her heartbreak was irreversible. Not even my miracle working mother could mend a broken heart.

“Your love will kill her. Stay. Away. From. My. Sister” I threatened him, and a snarl escaped my lips. For a moment I saw fear in his aura. Just for a moment. It was the fear of prey staring at the face of a predator. He sat back; he didn’t say a word, he just gave a small nod in response.

Good.

My gut felt like it was in knots. He meant nothing to me, but he meant everything to my sister, and I had felt her emotions, felt her worry over him, felt her heart break at the idea of him being hurt because of her and it echoed in my own.

I would never feel that heart break. I would never experience what my sister was experiencing. Lucan was mine forever, if I had learnt anything from the imprint and the events of the last few months it was that. I wouldn’t lose him; he would always come back to me.

But Nicholas? My sister? He was her forbidden fruit. She had fallen for the untouchable. Their love was tragic and beautiful.

And I hated that I was jealous of it.