When The Ball Drops 7

“I can’t believe I am shopping for food I can actually eat.”Rosalie said to Isabella. The pair were in a health food store that sold different products Isabella’s company made. Rosalie could have just given Isabella a list of things she wanted but she wanted to have the real experience of shopping for her own food. It was a very human thing to do and Rosalie liked having the chance to get a bit of her humanity back. She already had regained a lot of her human life back and predicted in the future Isabella would introduce her to many other human things she was never able to do before because she was a vampire. It made Rosalie who didn’t at all believe in the gods say many prayers of thanks for being matched with Isabella. Rosalie would have preferred to be united when they first met but knew that if they were that Isabella wouldn’t have accomplished all the things she had while they were apart. Plus they would have had to kill off the royals and all the guards to be together. Rosalie may have always held herself like a queen but she had no interest ruling over vampires and living in the castle for the rest of eternity.

“They actually have a pretty good selection. I hadn’t realized that we had such a presence in France. Then again Paris is a huge city so that may be why they have so much.”Isabella hadn’t thought that she would find an entire aisle in the store dedicated to her products, two refrigerator doors and three freezer doors as well. They of course had a bigger presence in England and Ireland but Isabella hadn’t realized that they were so big in France.

“I’m surprised that they have your fruits and vegetables. I bet importing them was a pain in the ass.”Rosalie knew how strict countries were about allowing foreign foods into their countries.

“We are planning on setting up farms and butchers in different countries so that we don’t have to import anything. That will also make the products cheaper in each country.”Isabella told her.

“How long has the business been operating?”Rosalie asked.

“I had the idea for the food while I was human and created my first product which was the meat two years after I last saw you. Once we found out it was actually able to sustain vampires I started dedicating my time into inventing other foods. Victoria decided to make it a business a year after I was turned. We started off small with only one farm that had two hundred acres. We raised dairy cows and beef cows and grew all different kinds of vegetables. We even planted fruit trees and had an acre each of eight different kind of trees. It took about another year to get the permits and licenses to sell the food. After we had them Victoria, James and I visited health food stores in the area to sell them our products. We started off with three stores initially. It wasn’t until a body health magazine interviewed Victoria about the health benefits of the food did we really take off. The day after it was released we were overwhelmed with calls from other stores and individual people wanting to buy the food.”Isabella was extremely proud of all she and her coven mates had achieved with the food.

“That’s incredible and based on what I’m seeing in here you three are doing very well for yourselves.”Rosalie was very impressed with what Isabella, Victoria and James had done.

“We really didn’t need to turn it into a business but Victoria was getting bored with traveling the world. She and James had been nomads since they met two and half centuries ago. With the limitations as human drinking vampires they didn’t really get to experience the world other than at night or in bad weather. It was because of that she had been wanting to settle down. They just didn’t have the resources to do it as they made their money from robbing their victims. When I came into the picture with my gifts I had made us billionaires within two years of them saving me.”Isabella had been happy that she could be a contributing member of the coven that had gone out of their way to help her.

“It still blows my mind that you have access to so much wealth. When I was with the Cullens Carlisle had us on a tight budget and we had to ask him for money for everything. Including to get gas for our cars. The only reason I could afford to pay for the few luxuries I had was because I would buy beat up cars, restore them and then sell them. It didn’t make me much but I had a lot more than my siblings. My siblings who constantly asked me to pay for things for them. Which I never did.”Rosalie would have never even considered using her money for anything but something for herself.

“Well as soon as we get home I will take you to the bank so you can sign the paperwork needed for you to be co owner of my accounts. Then again if you want you own we can set that up for you as well. I will just put a bunch of money in it for you.”Isabella offered.

“I don’t mind sharing an account with you. Does Victoria and James have their own account or do you share with them as well?”Rosalie wanted to know how Isabella’s relationship with the pair worked.

“They have their own account but it’s mostly for tax purposes. I’m the one who makes them their money. They earn a lot from the business but most of it is from me investing for them.”Isabella told her.

Rosalie scanned the shelf in front of her, grabbed four boxes of cereal and put them in the cart. She had never had cereal before and as it was such a popular human food she wanted to know what it was like.”Do you help other people grow their money?”

“I help the Denali, the royals and some of the guard members make money. A few other people that Victoria and James have asked me to as well. The royals have asked me to help people a couple times. I don’t mind helping if they are a good person and I know they aren’t going to do something morally wrong with the money.”Isabella was more than willing to help anyone who came to her for help as long as they weren’t a horrible person.

“I had noticed that the Denali had been making big purchases in recent years. The remodel to their house cost a lot and it was outfitted with all the lasted high tech gadgets. That and they were dressing a lot better and had bought at least a dozen new vacation properties. I had just thought that they were sick of living in the same house and being away from society.”Rosalie hadn’t really thought it was odd that the Denali were spending so much.”Carlisle did make comments to them about it but they always brushed him off.”

Isabella grabbed a bunch of different kind of rices and put them in the cart.”You are correct about their reasoning. They were sick of living in the same house and being away from society. They just didn’t do anything about it because they are smart enough to realize that any money they have has to last for hundreds of years and there is no guarantee that they will be able to make more while they are vampires. Now like you they don’t have to worry about money anymore as long as they stay on my good side. Something they will go out of their way to do because not only do I make them money I am the reason they can travel the world and not have to worry about the sun.”

“I wouldn’t risk it either.”Rosalie would do everything she could to keep Isabella’s favor. Picking up a box of chocolate cake mix she held it up.”Will you make me chocolate cake?”

“Of course. Make sure you grab some frosting as well.”Isabella was happy that Rosalie was comfortable asking her to make certain foods.

“Do you think Emmett has seen the video yet?”Rosalie asked.

“Likely not because Kate would have sent us the video of his reaction.”Isabella said.

“I’m bummed we weren’t allowed to burn all that stuff but it was satisfying buying all those expensive high tech gadgets and video game systems Emmet always begged Carlisle to let him buy and driving over them with a steam roller.”Rosalie had been right to think Isabella would have a better idea than using a pipe to break all the items Emmet wanted. Rosalie was actually planning on using a steam roller to destroy other things in the future.

“I’m happy that you enjoyed yourself.”Isabella hadn’t minded shelling out two hundred thousand euros to the city to get permission to use their steam roller. Her mate had a great time and that’s all that mattered to Isabella.

“I can’t even describe how satisfying it felt when I drove it over everything and could hear it breaking knowing I was the one who did it. I had always thought of Emmet as a brother. Not one I was particularly close to but I liked him well enough. Knowing what a creep he is makes me want to rip his head off.”Rosalie wanted to cause Emmet lots of pain for everything he did to her and Isabella.

“You will get your chance. Likely soon.”Isabella was going to make sure it was Rosalie who took the head of each of her former coven mates.

“What do you mean soon?”Rosalie thought they had a month in Paris.

“During my meditation this morning I saw a vision of Carlisle talking to two other vampires about using gifted vampires to create newborns in the hopes of them having gifts. I don’t know the exact date he has that conversation and want to prevent him from following through on his plan. That means we may not be able to stay the full month before we visit all the homes and storage units.”Isabella felt horrible having to cut their vacation short but it was important that Carlisle didn’t start creating newborns.

“That fucking idiot.”Seeing Isabella’s guilty expression Rosalie walked over to her, gave her a kiss then pulled her into a hug.”I in no way blame you for having to cut our time here short. I fully blame Carlisle and this will be just another reason I want to kill him.”

Isabella tightened her hold on Rosalie before pulling away.”I’m hoping the Denali keep them occupied for a while. If they do then we will have no problem going through their current home while they aren’t there.”

“They just settled there three months ago so they aren’t going to be moving somewhere else.”Rosalie told her as she went back to shopping putting foods that caught her interest in the cart.

“Then it might be a good idea to go within a week.”Isabella suggested.

“Can we come back here after everything is over?”Rosalie hadn’t gotten the full experience of spending time in the city of love with her mate.

“Of course. After everything is over we can go wherever you want for as long as you want. The only thing that would be able to interrupt us will be an emergency in the vampire world. Other than that though I will make sure we aren’t bothered.”Isabella hated she wouldn’t be able to turn her phone off but her presence was needed at times.

“I want you to teach me how to fight. That way I don’t have to stay behind when you go off on Silent Death business.”Rosalie didn’t want to be away from Isabella for anything.

“I wasn’t planning on leaving you behind but I am more than willing to teach you to fight.”Isabella wasn’t worried about taking Rosalie on missions because her shield would protect the blond.

“Good.”Rosalie was happy that she would be able to go with Isabella.

“We need to get all the things you bought shipped to our home before we leave.”Isabella said.

“I don’t feel comfortable shipping my new jewelry.”Rosalie didn’t trust anyone with the pieces as one of them was a million dollar silver necklace that was adorned with large diamonds and rare jewels. The other pieces were equally expensive.

“I will have a guard deliver everything to Victoria. That way she can inventory it while they are there and if anything is missing or broken she can kill them.”Isabella offered.

“I like that idea.”Based on what she had been told about the vampire Rosalie knew that she could trust Victoria to make sure everything is delivered properly.

“She will also keep James from snooping through your stuff.”Isabella told her.

Rosalie tossed three containers of instant macaroni and cheese into the cart.”Would James really go through my stuff?”

“I like to joke that in their relationship Victoria is the husband and James is the wife because he acts like a stereotypical married woman.”Isabella loved how people thought James was the one in charge of his mate.

“I don’t know them well but when we dealt with them we assumed that James was the one who made all the decisions for him and Victoria.”Rosalie had also thought the pair were crazy and obsessed with killing Isabella.

Isabella chuckled.”Not at all. Victoria makes every big decision and is constantly reeling James in because he is so impulsive. James is actually lucky he met Victoria six months after he was turned or he would have gotten himself killed due to him follow through on one of his hare brained schemes. Even when they went after me it was Victoria’s idea to split up so that your coven wouldn’t all be there when James tried to change me. She hadn’t expected that Edward would actually make it in time to interfere.”

“I’m still pissed that he stopped you from being turned.”Rosalie hated that Isabella had to not only go through all that pain but it would have united them quicker.

“I am to but I know in my heart that everything was supposed to turn out the way it did. If I was turned James would have been my sire and had a claim on me. Something that I would be perfectly fine with. Carlisle and the others would not have been fine with losing me. The definitely wouldn’t fine with you leaving and joining me in my new coven. I don’t even have to have a vision to know they would have hunted us day and night and done anything they could to make me a member of their coven. Even if it meant that they have to go to Aro and lie about the mate bond. A lie that would then force us to go to Italy and I would have been exposed to Aro before the time was right.”Isabella knew that meeting Aro before she got him to trust her would ended with a lot of death. None of those death being Isabella, Rosalie, James or Victoria however.

“So basically the only way for us to live in peace was for you to fake your death and bind yourself to the Volturi for life. Then stay away from me for over a decade because if you didn’t I would be killed by either my family or your enemies.”Rosalie hated that it made sense because she wished they had been together as soon as Isabella met eyes with her in the cafeteria.

Isabella nodded as she pushed the cart further down the aisle.”Yes that was the only way. Trust me I spent hours working on different plans but in every one it ended with either you dying or me having to kill hundreds of people and the pair of us taking the thrones.”

“Taking the thrones doesn’t really sound like it would have been so terrible if it made it so we could have been together sooner.”Rosalie grabbed a box of microwave popcorn. She had aways wanted to eat popcorn while watching a movie as it was a right of passage for humans. Rosalie added that to just another thing she could do that brought back a bit of her humanity.

“You say that now but how would really feel about taking on the responsibility of every vampire in the world. You would have to deal with all the fights, requests and political alliances with the humans. That isn’t even getting into the fact that you would never be allowed to leave the castle ever again. Meaning you would spend eternity in that one building working 24 hrs a day sometimes.”Isabella didn’t want that kind of life.

Rosalie thought about it for a minute.”I hate that you’re right. I would have hated being in charge of everyone. I would probably get annoyed the first time someone came to us with a petty problem. Also living in the castle for the rest of my life is not appealing at all.”

“Exactly. I want to travel the world with you and explore places vampires usually don’t get the chance to go. That can’t happen if we are stuck in the castle.”Isabella had hated living in the castle because there was no privacy and barely anything fun to do.

“I haven’t even really let it sink in that I can go anywhere in the world I want and experience the places we visit like humans do.”Rosalie didn’t think it would become real to her until she was in a really sunny place walking amongst the locals. They had been out in the sun for a few hours in Paris but it didn’t really count to her.

“That’s how most vampires I travel with feel. It took Irina until our third trip for her to finally relax and not be overly aware of all the humans. Everywhere she went she made sure she knew where the places she could hide from the sun were.”Isabella wasn’t surprised by that reaction because Victoria and James had been jumpy the first time Isabella took them out in public on a sunny day.

“I think that I will likely be like that for at least our first trip when we are faced with a crowd of humans. Here we have been only outside for a few minutes before entering a store or like at the park there was no one around us. Even with the convertible we weren’t seen by many people.”Rosalie said.

“I hope you get used to it quickly so you can enjoy our trips.”Isabella would hate it if Rosalie didn’t have a good time when they went places.

“I’m sure I will. It will be like with the food. I am still so awestruck that I can get a piece of my humanity back that I haven’t gotten used to the fact that I will never have to drink blood again. I have a stray thought every now and then about having to hunt so that I don’t put anyone in danger. I think it will be like that for a while. Which I don’t mind having to get used to not hunting because I love that I can live off of human food. I especially love that I got my human eye color back.”Rosalie had been ecstatic when she had gotten out of the shower and saw that her eyes had finished changing back to the color blue she was born with. Once again just another bit of humanity Isabella gave back to her.

“I do enjoy your eye color now because it was the last thing that tied you to the Cullens. Now you have no more connections to them.”Isabella didn’t like that Rosalie had golden eyes that was a constant reminder that she was a member of the the Cullens.

“I didn’t even think of that. Without my eyes being gold no one can link me to them at all. I’m not an animal drinker anymore so no one would know that I had been a member of their coven.”Rosalie was very happy about that. She didn’t want to have any link to her former coven.

“Do you need anything else in this sale or can we move on to frozen foods?”Isabella asked.

Rosalie looked around.”No I’m good.”

“I’m excited to see what they have of ours to offer.”Isabella wasn’t sure what the store stocked of their frozen products.

“I am looking forward to different ice cream flavors so that you can make me different flavor milkshakes.”Rosalie had only gotten to try strawberry and vanilla. Isabella promised a chocolate one if they could find the syrup which they did and told Rosalie she could make ones with different types of cookies and candies in them. Rosalie was excited to try them.

“I got some thing so I can make you a few more flavors.”Isabella was more than willing to make Rosalie milkshakes because they meant so much to her mate.

Rosalie stopped at the freezer doors and opened it. Looking inside she was surprised by what she found.”You make ready made meals?”

“Yes those you are able to cook in the microwave. There are other kind that you cook in a pan on the stove top.”Isabella explained.

“I am going to try a few.”Rosalie liked that they were something that she could make herself. She picked out five different ones and put them in the cart before moving on to the other door and opening it. She was once again and surprised by what she found.”I thought you just made ice cream not other frozen deserts.”

“We make all kind of things. In Britain you can buy breads, cakes and other different kinds of baked goods. The town we are going to live in is home to our own bakery that supplies the surrounding area. I like to go in the morning when they have just opened and get the freshen baked donuts.”Isabella was hoping that Rosalie would join her in that morning ritual.

“I like the idea of being able to go to a bakery and getting fresh made baked goods.”Rosalie was looking forward to being able to get breakfast at a bakery. Just another bit of your humanity Isabella was giving her back. Before either could say more Isabella’s phone chimed.

Isabella pulled her phone out and checked the message. She held the phone out to Rosalie.”Kate sent the video. You do the honors.”

“Don’t mind if I do.”Rosalie set the box of ice cream sandwiches in the cart then stood next to Isabella and cued up the video. She hit play causing a very angry Emmett to fill the screen.

“How fucking dare she do this to me?! She knew I wanted all those things. I have even asked her to buy me some of them but she told me no she couldn’t afford them.”Emmett began quickly pacing the Denali’s living room.”Who is this guy to think he can twist her mind against me?!”

“He twisted her mind against me too!”Alice’s voice was heard off screen.

“We need to do something to break his influence.”Emmett said.

“What do you think you can do to get Rosalie away from him?”Kate asked.

“I’m going to hunt him down and kill him. That will make it so Rosalie isn’t affected by him anymore. Then she will come home and things will be like they always were. Just me and her like old times.”Emmett told her.

“You think you can kill the man she is with.”Irina wasn’t the only one who laughed at him.

Emmett growled.”I could easily kill him. He is nothing. Just a nobody who is trying to steal Rosalie away from me.”

“Rosalie was never yours so he has stolen nothing.”Tanya reminded him.

“Rosalie has always been mine.”Emmet roared.”And I will make sure this guy she is with knows it!”

“Are you trying to make a false mate claim on Rosalie?”Kate’s voice sounded excited.

“Emmett is not making any kind of claim on Rosalie.”Carlisle was quick to say.

“That isn’t what it sounds like to us. Emmett just said that Rosalie has always been his. I personally would like to know what he meant by that.”Tanya said.

“I meant that Rosalie is meant to be with me. I chose her and that means she’s mine. Not some random man’s she just met.”Emmett told her.

“Are you claiming Rosalie is your mate?”Irina asked.

“She is my chosen mate. We have formed the bond the day I was turned. That means she is mine.”Emmett explained.

“That’s a very serious claim.”Tanya said.

“It’s the truth and something I am going to remind her and the man she is with as soon as I find them.”Emmett declared.

“Carlisle is your family supporting this false claim?”Kate’s voice was now laced with glee.

“It’s not a false claim. Rosalie is my mate.”Emmett told her.

“Once again Carlisle are you going to support this false claim?”Kate asked again.

“Emmett is just upset he doesn’t know what he is saying.”Carlisle said.

Emmet growled.“I know what I am saying. Rosalie is my mate and you all know it. I have just been giving her space because of her issues. When she comes back I’ll have her tell you all it’s official.”

“We can call Rosalie right now and ask her what she thinks.”Irina offered.

“No because Emmett isn’t claiming a mate bond.”Carlisle’s voice sounded anxious.

“Emmet are you claiming a mate bond with Rosalie?”Tanya asked.

“Rosalie is my mate. She would tell you herself if you called her.”Emmett told them.

“Alright then let’s call Rosalie and clear all this up.”Tanya said causing the video to end.

“That fucking bastard.”Rosalie really hated that she was ever nice to Emmet.

“He will get what’s coming to him.”Isabella was just as mad as Rosalie but was staying calm to give Rosalie the support she needed. Isabella’s phone rang seconds later.

Rosalie seeing it was Tanya’s number answered it.”Hello.”

“Hello Rosalie this is Tanya.”Tanya greeted.

“Hey Tanya what’s up?”Rosalie knew what was up but had to play along.

“I have you on speaking phone. In the room with me are your coven and my sisters. The reason I’m calling is that Emmet had made an official claim that you are his mate. Before you say anything I and my sisters have both asked him numerous times if he was officially claiming a mate bond with you and he has said yes every time. I offered to call you so that you can clear up any confusion.”Tanya explained.

“There should be no confusion because I have been nor will I ever be Emmett’s mate.”Rosalie would never be mated to Emmet.

“You liar Rosalie. We have been mated for over a century!!”Emmett yelled in the background.

Rosalie growled.”You are not my mate little boy and if I hear you make the claim again I’m reporting you to the kings.”

“Now wait a minute. No one needs to be reported to the kings.”Carlisle said.

“I am not a little boy.”Emmet screamed at the same time.

“I won’t involve the kings if he admits he is lying and never claims I am mate again.”Rosalie was going to go to the kings but after she and Isabella dealt with everything else.

“Emmett apologize and admit you’re wrong.”Carlisle demanded.

“I am not going to apologize for speaking the truth. Rosalie is my mate. Whoever she is with is obviously manipulating the bond so she doesn’t feel it anymore.”Emmett said.

Rosalie hissed.”Who I’m with would never manipulate a bond. As a matter of fact I think you should expect a visit from them very soon Emmett because they are going to be pissed when they hear about this.”

“Let them come. Then I will prove to you who is more worthy of being your mate.”Emmet told her.

Rosalie shot a look at Isabella get a nod to her unasked question.”Fine then expect to get a visit from Silent Death in the near future.”

“What?!”Carlisle screeched.”What do you mean Silent Death?”

“That’s who I have been with this whole time. They have become rather fond of me and will have no problem taking care of this false mate claim. Taking care of it and all those involved in supporting it instead of making Emmet stop spreading his lies.”Rosalie wasn’t lying. Isabella would be confronting them when the investigation was over.

“Now Rosalie there is no reason to send Silent Death.”Carlisle voice shook in fear.

“Emmet hasn’t apologized or admitted he is claiming a false bond. I fully believe he will continue to claim me. Meaning he is breaking the law and needs to be punished. I’m sending Silent Death to dole out that punishment.”Rosalie liked how scared her sire obviously was.

“Emmet apologize and admit you are lying right now.”Jasper demanded.

“I’m not apologizing for telling the truth.”Emmet grunted followed by a loud crash.”Let me go.”

“Apologize and admit you were lying.”Jasper once again demanded.

“He knows he is lying. He doesn’t honestly believe Rosalie is his mate. He just figures if he can convince others of it it will force Rosalie to complete the bond with him.”Edward’s voice was heard for the first time.

“Emmet apologize and admit the lie right now!”Now it was Esme who was demanding it.

There was a long pause then Emmet screaming in pain.”Give me back my arm!”

“Apologize and admit you lied or I will burn this arm and starting other body part!”Jasper threatened.

“Fine. Rosalie I’m sorry I tried to claim you. I know were aren’t mates. I just think that you would be way better off with me than being being with some maniac Volturi guard.”Emmet admitted reluctantly.

“They are not a maniac. They are a kind, caring person who treats me like a queen fulfilling my every want and need. You on the other hand are a creep who manipulated me into being friends with you so you could have the opportunity to pretend we were in a relationship.”Rosalie took a deep breath.”I won’t send Silent Death after this time but if I even hear a rumor about you claiming to be my mate they are coming straight for you. You will get no other warnings.”

“We will make sure Emmet speaks no more lies about you.”Carlisle promised.

“Good now if that is all I would like to get back to my vacation.”Rosalie was sick of dealing with the drama.

“That’s all we had for you.”Tanya told her.

“Then good bye.”Rosalie didn’t even wait for a reply before disconnecting the call. Turning to Isabella she pulled her into a hug.

“Are you alright?”Isabella asked.

Rosalie shrugged the best she could.”I don’t know. It’s just when I think they can’t any worse stuff like this happens. It has me wondering how many people Emmet told that we were mates.”

“Probably a lot of people unfortunately. As Edward said he did it so it would force you to complete the bond with him so he likely told everyone he could. It doesn’t matter though. In a couple months he will be dead and we will be able to go public with our relationship. Then the world will know that I was always yours and you were always mine.”Isabella was looking forward to that happening.

“I hate that he told even himself we were mates let alone anyone else. You are right though in couple months it won’t matter because Emmet is so forgettable that no one will remember he ever existed. Him claiming I was his mate will die with him because no one will connect the two of us when it’s revealed you and are mated.”Rosalie knew that no one would even think that Rosalie was the person Emmet was claiming.

“Exactly. Now let’s finish shopping so the frozen stuff won’t melt before we get back to the hotel.”Isabella said.

“We should have started with fruits and vegetables.”Rosalie said as she reopened the freezer door and added a couple more frozen things to the cart. Once done she walked next to the cart while Isabella pushed it. She had been so looking forward to going food shopping with her mate. It was such a common human thing to do Rosalie wanted to experience it for herself. She had enjoyed doing it especially when the store was filled with humans. It made Rosalie feel like she was actually a part of society not just looking at it through a window. It was just to bad her former coven had to ruin her good time. After speaking to Isabella Rosalie was unsurprised that Emmet was claiming a false mate bond. Knowing what she knew now it was likely he had been claiming it for decades. It didn’t mean she had to happy about it however. If it were for the other stuff Rosalie really would have sent Isabella after him. Rosalie shook off the thoughts of Emmet and the Cullens. She wasn’t going to let them ruin food shopping for her. It was her first time going and she was going to enjoy it.