Chapter 21

Chapter 21

 

Edward

 

Bella was on the phone with Alice and Jasper was on the phone with Emmett coordinating where we would stop. We found a nice rest area and pulled in, we parked down by the end so we could see if anyone came around.

We all gather in the RV and try to figure out what we need to do …. Jasper again says that we should take this to Aro and not wait for him to come to us. Liam, Siobhan, and Maggie are all against it and feel that with Bella’s gift and the proper precautions Aro would never find us. Siobhan couldn’t resist telling Bella that if she hadn’t gone in with her hair down she wouldn’t have been seen. Bella already felt bad that she had been spotted, putting us all in danger and started to apologize but Alice, bless her heart, jumped right in and told Siobhan that Bella had asked her to take a look to see if we met any vampires at the mall that day. So if anyone was to blame it was her for telling Bella that it would be safe to keep it down. Liam didn’t waste any time letting us know that although they had no problem going against the Volturi to notify us about the reward they had no intentions of actually going against them in a fight and they would be returning to Ireland as soon as they could.   I could tell that Jasper wanted to say something but I caught his eye and gave him a sign to just let it go. I could tell from his thoughts that Emmett was torn and I wanted to make it as easy as possible on him. “Emmett, if you want to return to Ireland with Maggie no one here will think any less of you and you will still be our brother. We don’t expect you to risk your or Maggie’s life.” Bella nods her head to show him that she agrees with me as do Jasper and Alice.

Emmett looks at Maggie then at us, “I feel like if I go with Maggie that I am deserting you and that if I stay here with you when she returns that I am abandoning my mate”

“Then let us make this easy on you, Bella and I have no desire to put any others at risk and we want you to go to Ireland with your new family.” Bella hugs Emmett and tells him “I Love You Emmy but, I want you to go with Maggie and find the happiness that I have found with Edward and that Jasper and Alice have.” Emmett gives her one of his bear hugs and tells her he loves her too and for her to promise him that she will stay safe and that if he didn’t believe that she could stay ahead of Aro he wouldn’t go. He puts her down, hugs the rest of us and goes to leave. Just as he get to the door Bella calls his name and he turns, they look at each other, then he nods his head and out the door they go. She tells Alice and Jasper, that we won’t blame them if they decide to go as well and that we will just stay off Aro’s radar. They say nothing but they don’t move to leave either. After a few minutes Jasper tells us that he has never run from a fight and he won’t be starting now, Alice agrees with him but asks what they should do with their car. I told her what I did with the Vanquish and they agree to do the same with the Porsche.

Jasper asks if anyone else needs to hunt and Bella tells him that we still have blood left and she will heat some up for us. She is very excited to use the new crystal goblets we purchased at the mall.   She heats blood for everyone and we sit down in the living area to wait for her to drink her blood and then check on Aro so we can make an informed decision on what direction to head.

Jasper tells us about this great waterpark that he and Alice had been to some years back and that since we are so close and Alice sees that the next few days will be overcast we should go there for a day or two to just have some fun before we head back to confront Aro. Bella says that she would like to go so I agree that we can go to the Wisconsin Dells before heading back to Forks.

 

Aro

 

I wasn’t the least bit surprised when Esme said she would like to accompany us back to Forks, after all it is her house and it would probably be good to have some distance from Carlisle. What did surprise me was after we had left Alaska she told me that there were now 8 wolves and that Sam Uley was the Alpha of the pack, she suggested that we capture him so that I could read him and that might give me some insight as to where Demetri is. She told me that the last time they had encountered the wolves Edward had told them that while in wolf form they can hear each other’s thoughts. As she and I were talking my phone rang, I wasn’t expecting a call about the reward so soon but I was happy to get some information. The vampire that called let me know that he had spotted Isabella & Edward at a mall in Minneapolis but that he had lost them in the crowd and wasn’t able to pick up their scent anywhere outside. I was right, she is a psychic shield! I told him they would probably head south if he wanted to try to find them again.

Oh here comes Caius and his crew and it looks like we have company. I watched as they led our ‘guest’ into the house. As I entered Caius had him in the living room forcing him to his knees. He had him in cuffs that we normally used for vampires and it seems to be working on the shapeshifter as well ….

“What is your name?” I asked

‘None of your fucking business leech” he growled at me.

“His name is Sam” Esme told us as she came in and sat in one of the chairs.

I turned to Caius and asked how he came to be in the company of Sam since I thought they were only going out to scout around the area.

“He was out in the woods near the house trying to get close enough to see what was going on but still trying to not be seen. He was so busy paying attention to the house that he didn’t realize we were right behind him, it was no trouble to bring him with us.” Caius told me.

“tsk tsk you were breaking the treaty Sam, and from the smell of things around here it wasn’t the first time. Tell me why you feel that it is okay for you to come onto our lands but you would be looking to start a war if one of us were to go to the reservation?” Esme asked glaring at this very angry young man/wolf.

Sam glared right back at her “we were trying to make sure there weren’t any more of you fucking leeches around.”

“Even though we had left Sam you still are not allowed to come on our lands or is that you & the Elders think the terms of the treaty only apply to us and you wolves can do, say, or go wherever you like” Esme responded to Sam but the look he gave her told me she hit the nail right on the head.

“You may have left, but that didn’t stop all those other leeches from coming around.”

“What other vampires have been around other than the three standing here in this room?” I ask him hoping he knows something about Demetri.

“Fuck you leech.” With that answer I grab his hand and let all his memories enter my mind.

“Oh my, you have been a naughty wolf haven’t you” I ask as I watch his life.

I turn to tell Esme “It appears that our friend here is quite the hypocrite, they call themselves ‘Protectors’ but this young man has disfigured the one he calls mate. He is also unfaithful to her, he claims to hate “leeches” but it appears he is quite fond of two and meets with them quite often in a quaint little cottage right here on your property Esme.”

“The cottage? The one I had restored and was planning to surprise Edward and Bella with before we left?”   “Who were the two he was meeting?’

I look at Esme and sadly tell her “Rosalie and Tanya.” I think if it was possible there would be steam coming out of her ears. I sure wouldn’t want to be them when she gets hold of them.

I also see what the wolves have done with Demetri and watching the attack gives me more answers. Why would Demetri stand his ground against 5 wolves, he was in the trees why would he jump down to confront them? Unless …. Of course … Edward didn’t change Isabella, Demetri did, that is why he confronted them, he was protecting his child.   She must have been in the change or he would have taken her out of the area and away from the wolves. I turned to Caius “Demetri is dead, this wolf and his pack killed Demetri in the woods near here. From what I saw, Demetri is who changed Isabella not Edward. He was protecting her when the wolves attacked.” From the look in his eyes I knew Caius would kill this young wolf, he and Demetri were like brothers.   In the next moment I knew I was right.

Caius attacked.