Chapter 20

It had taken Bella a little effort to locate Peter Whitlock, as she wasn’t as familiar with him, but through Carlisle, she eventually appeared outside a modest ranch home in the middle of Bumfuck, Nowhere. Narrowing her eyes on the structure, she circled around the perimeter to get a feel and listening for any voices that might come from within, smiling as she heard a familiar tone begging.

“You do know it’s only a matter of time before she shows up and finds you,” Peter shrugged a shoulder at the blond man in the chair with his back to the window that she peered through. “Now, I’ve been soft on ya. A smack here and there. A kick to the throat maybe. Even fed ya your mammals ya love so much. You just had to go disrespecting my woman and her cookin’ skills for russlin’ up a few rodents for ya picky ass. Well we ain’t no five star restaurant to be servin’ up some mountain goat or shit like that.”

“He shoulda just told you what he was doing in Forks to begin with,” Charlotte spoke from the doorway. “And your phone is buzzin’ off again. Your wolf contact is pissed and is catching on that we have a Cullen and hasn’t said anything.”

He brushed it off. “I knew they’d figure it out eventually. They needed the time to get the dolly ready for the Italian fuckers and learn more of her skill. Always time for revenge later. Need to be alive for that first.”

The female vampire rolled her eyes at her mate. “Do you really think she’d see it that way? I know I wouldn’t.”

“You’re also a vampire and prone to bloodthirsty temper tantrums,” Peter scoffed. “Jasper said that girl is the most level-headed human he ever met. I’d rather keep her alive so that we can all have a piece of this fucker when her wolves take the Italians out and they help us get our brother back.”

“You are so sure that I would even allow them to help you,” Bella spoke, standing strong with her arms crossed and some opacity to her form. How she got between Carlisle and the wall and passed the bickering vampires, they had no clue and they stared at her with their mouths gaping.

Peter quickly hid his surprise. “Of course. That’s my gift. I know things.”

She rose a skeptical eyebrow. “According to my Peter, your gift is being an asshole.”

He shrugged. “Comes with the territory, I suppose.”

Charlotte smiled as she glanced over at the girl. “Well, she ain’t wrong either. After all, I live with ya ass.”

“Nice to know how much you love me,” he grumbled, drawing in a breath as he attempted to stare down the ghostly looking girl. “What the hell are ya girl? Because to be honest, ya kinda freaking me out.”

Bella gave him a little smile as she took slow steps around the back of Carlisle’s chair. “Good. Because you never should have kept this a secret from us. I would have understood, and eventually agreed, after some tantrum perhaps, that his captivity was for the best. Unfortunately, it now puts you in a very fickle position.”

He was silent for a moment and nodded. “You don’t trust me. I get it. What you don’t get is that you have more than you think backing your corner and you don’t have to like what needs to be done to ensure that you will survive.”

She met his gaze, not even slightly intimidated by his attempt at posturing. Whatever creature the once human girl became, it made his marble skin crawl with the creepies and he struggled with the urge to run. “Regardless of intentions, he will meet his fate by my hand,” she answered, her voice filled with promise as she finished her circle around the chair to face the defeated vampire. “As I understand it, you murdered my father. For what intention would you kill an innocent man?” she questioned.

Carlisle let out a sigh and averted his gaze away from the girl. In a blink, Charlotte was on him, hand gripping his jaw to turn his face to face the girl he allowed his creation to torture under his authority. “Answer her,” she hissed in his ear.

He glared at the vampiress before turning to Bella. “I did only what was needed in my mission to better our world,” he responded.

“You mean that whole speech you tried selling me when Edward brought me to your house?” Bella laughed. “Converting the world’s vampire population onto animals. What? Did you intend to take over the Volturi to force a new diet by force, through law?” She bent over to get a good look into his eyes and grinned. “You did, didn’t you? Just how did my father’s death play into that, I wonder?”

Peter watched, running his hand over his jaw as he leaned against the doorway. He really had no intention of getting in between the Cullen and this unknown creature but there were things that might encourage some actions. “He’s been obnoxiously silent to what we need to know. Shame we didn’t have his mind reader with us.”

Bella’s lips curled into a dark grin, making her look almost as sinister as the royalty that Carlisle intended to take over in his eyes. “Well, if he won’t speak aloud,” she spoke with a derisive tone, leaning on the arms of his chair, effectively caging him in. “I’ll just have to dig around in his head.”

Just as he was about to ask her what she meant by what she said, Peter’s jaw fell open and his own horror at what he witnessed remained stuck in his throat as she literally threw herself into Carlisle. The other vampire began screaming in pain, writhing in his chair, fighting against his bonds and forcing the reinforced metal chair to bend.

Whatever the creature was doing, Carlisle Cullen ended up pleading for mercy. Pleading for death. The torture lasted for about an hour, metal scraping sounds were visibly coming off of his body, sometimes venom leaking out of little holes his body had started to create to relieve the pressure inside.

When Bella popped out again, she had a wild look on her face as she proudly observed her handiwork as she circled the defeated Cold One in his chair. “He killed my father intentionally,” she said venomously. “And hoped that the trauma would make me come back and stick with them as a wounded animal.”

Peter and Charlotte maintained their respective distance from her as he nodded. “Sounds like something a squirrel muncher like him would do,” Peter murmured. “But, uh, darling? Were you able to get anything out of him about his mind raper pet and bitch?”

“Yeah,” she replied as she eyed Peter and Charlotte. “If I tell you, will you bring them to where I am for me so I can deal with them personally?”

“And the Volturi? You know those fuckers can’t wait to get their hands on ya. We’ve been suspecting he knew more about what they planned. We can’t get to the Major with the majority of their gifts lurking around their lair.”

Bella turned to look back at Carlisle as she considered her options, reevaluating certain plans. “Hold onto him for me. He’s going to be the first to be sacrificed to show the rest of them of what would happen if they choose to cross me again,” she replied with a malicious smile on her face. “He knows where the mindfucker twins are, and now I do too. I’ll have my Peter send the rendezvous location to you once I have the pawns in place. This is one game of chess that they won’t win.”

“Yeah, sure,” Whitlock replied with a grim frown. “I’ll get him there. Just – don’t spend too long fucking around when you go see the others. They might still be able to find a way to entice you back, despite everything you’ve gone through. Just sayin’.”

She raised a speculative brow, smirking back at the vampire. “Is that your suggestion or your gift telling you?”

He merely shrugged as he met her gaze. “Does it matter? We wanna help you and get our brother back any way necessary. Sometimes you gotta deal with the devil to get results.”

Not wanting to dwell on his implications, Bella nodded and vanished from their sight as quickly as she had appeared, leaving behind her signature trace of her triskelion glowing on the floor of the room.

“That girl has one hell of a dark side,” he grumbled, glancing at his silent mate. “I just hope it doesn’t destroy her before this is over.”

~o.O.o~

Two impatient male wolves paced the length of the loft as they each had an eye on the unconscious girl lying on the couch. Isaac sighed as glanced at his watch, wondering how long this trip would take. If he had to deal with Hales on his own for much longer, he started considering jumping out the closest window.

Bella drew in a deep breath as her eyes shot open. Her lips curled back in a scornful sneer. “The Cullens are going to burn to hell,” she growled out, pushing herself up and looking around. When her eyes fell on Peter, she scrambled to her feet. “We need to come up with a battle plan. You and Argent are the best for that,” she rambled her words.

Derek and Peter stared at her for a moment before Derek made his way to her side. “What happened?”

Bella told them everything, didn’t leave anything out. How Peter Whitlock had Carlisle, how she dug into Carlisle’s mind, and how unapologetic she was for nearly making a mess of it. The general consensus was that they needed to take care of the Cullens for once and for all, but they weren’t quite sure where, exactly.

Isaac texted Argent to come over because he was the only one among them who was strategically minded. No offense to their Peter, of course, but where Peter was a deranged killer, a psychopath, Chris was far more level-headed and knowledgeable on how to deal with Cold Ones. He then went out to get them all food, having the feeling of needing something to do.

Bella became a little annoyed with Derek after she went to sit in his lap, to cuddle, seeing as he liked to use the moment to give her a lecture about revenge. How they knew ‘all about revenge and that not all methods were the way to go and don’t let the anger consume you’, and all it did was make Bella angrier. She had wanted to burn Carlisle Cullen from the inside out. Seeing the venom leak out would be amazing – granted, had the vampire been able to bleed instead, it would have been better. But she’d take what she could.

She deserved to feel the way that she did. After all that the Cullens had done to her, she deserved her revenge, and they needed to be gone. As brutal as she possibly could get out of the werewolves of Beacon Hills. In her anger, she compared them to the puppies in Forks. Weren’t werewolves supposed to be the natural enemies of vampires? Why try to end them with as less of a spill as possible? She wanted flying limbs. Dribbling messes. All the Cold Ones’ dicks shoved up someone’s ass.

Derek managed to calm her down, some. He didn’t want the anger to consume her, nor did he want her to play a big part of the fight because he liked to keep her in one piece. The wolves could take a beating, Bella, could not. What if she’d be too late with getting out of the way?

However, the calm was short lived. Argent has brought Deaton as they had been together when he received Isaac’s message and the emissary expressed his desire to assist in any way he could. Bella still didn’t like the man. And in her mind, he was far too peaceful to actually be a successful help of anything.

Bella reluctantly allowed the two men inside, especially after Argent revealed that he had received a package for Bella from a Mikaelson from New Orleans, which she happily took and carefully placed it in the fridge for safekeeping. A package from a Mikaelson meant blood, hybrid blood, which she was likely going to need after fighting the Cullens.

Argent had brought a map of the area with him because he didn’t want the Cold Ones to enter Beacon Hills and thus avoid civilian casualties. He had an area in mind that was on the California border to Nevada and Deaton agreed that that area would be perfect. There was no habitation, no vegetation and no place to hide. One wide open space.

Since Bella wouldn’t be able to poof over to check it out without getting lost or stuck somewhere, they had to plan a scouting mission and she wanted to come with. So she’d know the area and would be able to find it if needed. Derek and Argent would come along while Peter said he’d hold down the fort with Isaac. In turn, Bella said they were going to take Isaac along with them too because she didn’t want him to feel left out or pushed to the side, something she found annoying in the way that the two Hales – amongst others – treated him. Isaac deserved better.

Rosalie wanted to help, she had been quiet for the entire time, silently observing the wolves and Bella – and Bella’s behavior. She didn’t agree very much with Derek about his means of revenge, but she was worried that Bella’s power could go to her head and slip into complete darkness; it was something Rosalie wouldn’t want to happen to Bella. Sweet and kind Bella who could have a mean streak.

Rosalie offered to come along to scout the area, seeing as she’d know better if it’d be suitable, but Bella declined Rose’s offer for her own safety. Until all of this was over, including dealing with the Volturi, she wasn’t going anywhere. Rosalie was still at risk and a risk because of that stupid gifted Cold One. Maybe Bella could try to find her, too, and end her life. For Rose.

The next day, Derek, Argent, Bella and Isaac went to scout out the area that they had agreed on the day before. The car ride was agonizing because Argent couldn’t help but complain about this wolf that imprinted on his daughter, but he found it hilarious that Allison ignored the pup, even going as far as sticking knives into him. Isaac playfully remarked that Allison treated him like that in the beginning, much to Argent’s dismay. He still thought that the what the wolf did was practically rape without the actual sex. The area was perfect, though. There were some trees and a handful of rock formations, but other than that, it was all flat and bare. No things that could break, a clear sight on everything.

Bella taped Argent’s mouth shut for the return trip. She also made him aware how happy she was that the dog’s attention was no longer on her considering the drama that she’d endured because of him attempting to force his imprinting on her for so long. Despite his… faults, Jake was a good kid. Maybe Allison was just Jake needed so the boy could get some sense knocked back into him.

When they returned, Bella popped over to Peter Whitlock to give him the coordinates of the place, telling him that they needed two more days, three at most, to make sure everyone was ready to battle the Cold Ones. Peter said she’d need two, but he was going to make sure to ‘spill’ the coordinates to Carlisle before letting him go. And, if she wanted to invite the Volturi, that some of them were hanging around in Forks, and she would easily find them.

Forks was way too close for comfort. There was no way that she was going there, but she had another idea and Peter agreed with it. He told her that once he had released Carlisle, he and Charlotte were going to Italy to rescue Jasper and see if they left Jessica’s family behind as Bella believed they would. Despite everything Jessica had done, she did promise to save her family. However, she couldn’t promise Jessica’s safety. She still was considering feeding the emissary to a vampire.

Coming back from her visit to one Peter, she instructed the other Peter to go nuts in Forks. Spill the beans on where Bella was – the coordinates she had given Peter Whitlock. Peter absolutely loved the idea, thanking her a million times while his nephew simply rolled his eyes at his uncle’s display of affection. Bella was far too indulgent with his deranged uncle. With everyone, really.

The next two days were filled with making sure that everyone was alright, Isaac had fun with the Quileute shifters and took pride in the fact that Jake actually thought he was a better fighter than his previous Alpha, Scott. Scott was afraid to punch hard, to use all of his strength, and Isaac simply lets loose. Scott tried to stop him from going too far, but Bella was fine with it. She was sure that once Isaac had worked through his rage, he’d eventually stop seeing red. Her reasoning was that Isaac had been through a lot, so it was only natural he wanted to beat everything to shit. Who cared that Paul got a few extra bruises? He was a werewolf, he healed fast. He’d get over it.

Argent’s weapons and traps couldn’t harm the Cold Ones much, but he had prepared a few Molotov cocktails that he and Allison could use, away from the fighting with the werewolves as not to hurt them. Flare guns were also in their arsenal. Leah, now human, insisted on tagging along and promised to stay with Argent at all times. She didn’t want to miss the fight and wanted to light some Cold Ones on fire.

Not knowing when exactly the Cullens and the Volturi would show up, Bella decided that to kill the time, they’d have a barbeque picnic in the clearing that they had staked out, to simply enjoy the nice weather it was out and not to think about the mayhem it was going to become soon. Besides, they all needed their bodies fed.

“Hey, I hear there’s a party going on,” a voice sounded. Jake, who had remained in his shifter form, got to his feet and growled at the Cold One. “Woah, down pup. I’ve come to help.”

Bella turned to the voice and narrowed her eyes. She remembered him being from the Cullens’ cousin family when they had come, though she wasn’t conscious for most of their visit.

“Garrett!” Rosalie exclaimed as she rushed over to hug him. “I can’t believe you’re here! What about Kate, Irina, and Eleazar?”

“Oh, they’re on the side of the Golden Children, I’m afraid.”

Clearing her throat, Bella had her arms crossed as she glared at the one vampire, aside from maybe Peter Whitlock, she trusted so far. “Care to explain what this is about to the rest of us? Because as far as I remember, he fucked the one that liked to give me the shock therapy.”

“This is Garrett,” Rosalie explained, looping her arm through his, keeping him close. “I know you don’t have any reason to trust me, but you know how men are when there’s a pretty lady around.”

Garrett looked at Rosalie for a moment, then looking at what she had done and he shrugged her off, giving her an incredulous look before carefully approaching Bella and got to his knees in front of her, head down. “The name’s Garrett, miss,” he spoke politely. “I fought in the American Revolution for the Colonies self-right to govern, the American Dream and freedom is all I stand for. For years nobody dared to take on the Cullens, and for someone to actually do so, I find that ballsy. I can never resist a pretty face and the fight for freedom. Also, fuck the authority.”

“That’s just stupid,” Rosalie remarked underneath her breath.

Bella raised an incredulous brow as she eyed the vampire and glanced at the other wolves who appeared just as confused and dumbstruck, scratching their heads at the sight.

“Fine, Whitlock managed to convince me and sent me. Go look around in my head,” Garrett winced as he gestured to his head. “You can trust me.”

“Thanks, but I think I’ll pass. I’ll take your word for it,” she muttered, stepping away, moving closer to Derek. Garrett looked like a nomad. A transient. Long hair, long brown coat. Someone who’d fuck around, too. Typical someone who’d actually hang out with Peter Whitlock. He was also freakishly tall and if he was willing to stand and be on her side, then she was happy to have him. “I’m actually kinda afraid of what I might see in there now. I might need a supernatural scrub afterward.”

Rosalie pulled Garrett to his feet and hit him over the head. Jake snarled as he laid back down, but kept his eyes on the two Cold Ones, just in case.

Bella turned to glare at Jake and hissed a warning at him. “We are all here to work together. If you can’t do that, then run your furry ass back to Forks.”

“Garrett is actually a skilled fighter, maybe to kill some time your friends could spar with an actual Cold One?” Rosalie suggested a playful smile on her lips.

Garrett eyed her, curious as to her intentions. “Why would you do that? I’ve seen these guys fight already. Against the Cullens, they are fine. The Volturi, they might have a hard time with their gifts.”

“Which is why Bella, you really should leave now and get to a safe area,” Argent suggested. “Take the truck or one of the shift wolves. Whichever you think might be faster to get you where you need to be.”

She scowled then. She didn’t want to leave. Bella knew she had to, of course, to keep her safe, but why should she be the only one punching out to be safe? And was she even going to be safe? What if someone leaked that she was in Beacon Hills, to begin with? She’d be defenseless. However, she decided not to throw a fit, Argent had her best interests at heart and if she wasn’t going, then Derek would get upset. Both Derek and Jake needed to stay, they were strong and she didn’t want to diminish the success of this little thing they were trying to do. “Alright, Seth, you’re coming with me,” she let out a breath. “Take us home.”

“But Bella, I want to fight!”

“You can help me by keeping my body safe. Now, come on.” She then sighed and stopped in her tracks. “Isaac, you’re coming with me. Sorry man, I just want to keep you safe. I know you can fight, that you want to fight, but I need you with me in case Seth can’t take care of stuff, is that alright with you?”

“Yeah, of course,” Isaac said lightly as he grabbed his helmet and hopped on his motorcycle. “Meet you back at the loft!”

Seth pouted at first but then threw a smirk her way as he started to follow. “Could you at least change into a bikini before you go haunt some bloodsuckers?”

“If you want to remain a wolf, you take that back right now,” she said as she hit him on his shoulder. “Wolf out, take me on your back, it’s quicker and the guys need the trucks.”

Seth huffed. “Making me work too!”

“Well, you have to earn your keep somehow,” she grinned. “Come on now. Chop, chop.”

They were back at the loft within 15 minutes, or maybe faster. All Bella knew that she was glad that it was the summer, otherwise, she’d have frozen her ass off. After letting Seth in, she made sure everything was locked securely and turned around to face the boy. “You can help yourself to the food we have, to the drinks we have, just don’t make a mess.”

“You do know that if any vamps show up, and I have to shift, that is the literal definition of a mess, right?” he deadpanned.

“Yeah well, that’s the exception to the rule, I guess.”

“One I doubt your boyfriend would even care to excuse. He seems to be a neat freak worse than your last one,” Seth remarked, looking around.

She shrugged then. “He told me his loft got messed up plenty of times, hence why it’s so sparsely decorated. And he’s not like Edward at all.”

“They do seem to be the type to like to get into trouble, your new friends. I can see that.”

“Life is always more fun with trouble, although the pups really need to finish what they start and not try to make nice first. I like Derek, and Peter, at least they try. And Isaac is awesome.”

“Yeah, he seems cool. You planning on staying in this town after this? I have to say, this place, doesn’t seem your style Bells.”

“Yep, you want to stay too?”

“Eh, Forks and La Push is boring. Sam was a dick about letting us come help you and you know how Jake is. If I could become a lone wolf, I would but the pack bonds suck ass,” Seth sighed. “What you did for Leah. You really freed her.”

Bella shrugged. “These wolves are in a pack, too. Derek and Peter are more of the lone wolf types. Isaac changed from Derek as an Alpha to Scott, but he’s wavering now and might actually just stick around here, becoming a wolf without a pack, an omega. If you want to remain a wolf, I could just try to figure out how to cut the pack bond, if you’d like, because yeah, from what I’ve learned about that pack bond is that you have almost no freedom and that really sucks.” She went to the kitchen to get some water and down the glass in one go. “I’m not saying I could do that, but it’s only a minor altercation, so it should be possible. Think about it while I’m going to pop back to the others.”

“Make sure you change into that bikini first!”

“I ought to smack you…” Bella hissed as she laid down on the couch.

~o.O.o~

Peter Hale stood with his arms crossed in the desert, staring out at the empty expanse of nothing. His blue eyes darted back and forth before turning to look over at their Cold One ally. “You said they’d be arriving by now. We can’t start down there if they aren’t finding one another first.”

“Just relax,” Garrett replied, leaning back against a boulder in the shade with his legs stretched out and his arms folded behind his head and eyes closed. “Whitlock said they’ll be there.”

Peter shook his head. “I don’t like this. This feels like a trap and not one we want,” he muttered.

The vampire opened his eyes to peer at the wolf. “I ain’t interested in betraying you dogs or that little lady. I hate the Volturi as much as the next and the Cullens are just as fucked as the leaders. So don’t try lumping me in with them. You know how Peter’s gift works. Trust in it.”

“Stop fighting,” Bella said as she glared at Peter. “If you’re so worried, why won’t you run the perimeter?”

“Have you locked up?” Derek asked her as he joined his uncle and the Cold One. “Bolted the door?”

She looked at Derek with an expression as if that was the least important question of the moment considering the situation and their locations. Turning around to the desert, she winced against the sun. “The Volturi are on their way. Needless to say, Aro was both annoyed and ready to cum in his pants at seeing me.”

“Ah, yes, the pervert,” Garrett sighed. “I wouldn’t be surprised if there was actually some spillage in his pants…”

“I don’t need to know that,” she glared at him. “You know what, for that, he’s your responsibility.”

“You can check that easier, sweetcheeks,” Garrett winked at her before thumbing over to one of the entrances into the area. “I hear some Cold One feet pattering. Sounds like the Volturi and their guard.”

Bella made her way over to take a look, with some of the group following in their curious manner. She glared over her shoulder. “You know they say curiosity killed the cat. I thought you all were dogs. Get the fuck back.”

“Bella, you can’t go out there by yourself,” Scott told her sternly. “You need to stay safe.”

“I am safe, all the way in California,” she blinked. “Don’t make me come at you with a rolled up newspaper, Puppy Chow. Now stay back and let me get this party started. When I send the signal for you all to come out and have your fun, you get to come out and play. That’s the plan. You don’t get to change it now that it’s showtime. Understood? Or shall I neuter you like I’ve done to others of your kind already?”

“Do whatever, I’m not leaving you.”

“Scott,” Liam said as he pulled on his arm. “Come on, man, let her do her thing. This is not your fight, it’s hers. You’re here to help, not to lead.”

Bella glanced around, meeting her gaze at the necessary people to make sure that they kept Scott back as she disappeared while he was distracted by his new recruit Liam, Liam was only a recent addition to Scott’s pack, likely due to the fact that Scott felt that Isaac was slipping away from him. She reappeared several yards before the Volturi with a flourish pose. “Surprise!” she sang, causing them to stop short in their run.

“Isabella,” Aro Volturi greeted, his beady eyes ran over her form. “You had implied we had much to discuss and offer.”

She pretended to appear confused at his words, tapping a finger on her lip. “Did I? Discuss, perhaps. An offer, not so much. Well, maybe. I can offer you up a mutual enemy,” she replied with a devilish smile. “Actually, consider it an opportunity to legally dispose of our mutual enemy, abiding by the rules you’ve so carefully crafted all those years ago,” she said as she motioned for them to follow her back to the clearing. “All I ask is for you to refrain to attack my friends, they’re here to make sure justice is served even when you decide not to pursue.”

“Why should we be concerned about your enemies. We are here to collect what is owed to us and that is you, Isabella,” Aro stated.

She raised a brow at him. “You think so? The Cullens’ plan to overthrow your reign doesn’t seem important then? I would think that you would be concerned that your own dear friend Carlisle and his creation planning for so long to gain control of someone like me so that they can take your throne would be something quite important to know,” she rebuked as she kept walking. “On top of that, I’m not a human. The Cullens knew this before they started to starve me and kept me in a basement. Oh, and so did you, because you had a nice little spy who told you all about me. You will let Jessica’s family go. Right now.” She smiled then as she turned to him a little. “And it might be a good idea to release Jasper Whitlock from your dungeons as well, just so you are in my good graces.”

Aro scowled as he reached out to his brothers, already knowing that Marcus would cave to agree to the girl’s terms, whereas Caius would wish to do battle and challenge her. “What proof do you have to make such claims child? What power do you think you hold over us that we would submit to your demands?” he questioned but before an answer could be received the Cullens appeared. “Carlisle. How lovely to see you…” he spoke, voice soft with suspicion and his fingers twitching as they moved to fold over one another.

“Isn’t a part of your law not to interfere with humans, or suspected humans, for a vampire’s gain,” Bella said, not acknowledging Carlisle and the Cullens at all. “Like… Oh, I don’t know, tiny manipulations to make sure that their prey does what they want? For example, killing my father so I would return to Forks?”

Aro’s head spun back to Bella, as did Caius’ at her accusation. “Tell us more girl,” the blond kind demanded. “What manipulation do you speak of? Do you have proof?”

“His confession, his own memories,” she answered, pointing at Carlisle. “I’ve seen it all, and I’ve made sure they were permanently unlocked so he can’t hide them from you, Aro,” she added, a playful smile on her face as she remembered what she had done to Carlisle.

“She speaks lies!” Carlisle denied. “Peter Whitlock held me prisoner until days ago!”

“Don’t make this any harder than it has to be,” Bella rolled her eyes at him before disappearing and diving straight back into Carlisle, propelling him forward towards Aro with his hand stretched out. When Aro had a firm grasp on Carlisle’s hand, she made sure his mind spilled everything before getting out of him and allowing Aro to ride out the wave of misdeeds and unpleasantries.

Aro motioned for his guard to make sure the Cullens wouldn’t leave. The trip in Carlisle’s head had been interesting indeed, and he hoped that the remaining Cullens would have the same story inside their memories from their point of view. He needed more evidence. More. He released Carlisle and let out a soft hum before moving to Alice. Felix held Carlisle tightly, making sure he wouldn’t be able to escape. “Show me your side of the story, dear,” he said softly, his eyes scanning her face as he held out his hand.

Bella floated in between the players, her eyes filled with mirth as she was anxious to jump into either Edward or Carlisle to burn them from the inside out. She knew they were the guiltiest of them all, but she was waiting to see who Aro would choose to take himself first. She could not help but smile at the fear on Alice’s face as she attempted to force visions to get herself out of her current situation but the land was littered with hair from the shifters blocking her visions. “Tsk, tsk, Alice. No white rabbit to save you this time. The clock has run out in this story,” she sang.

“Very interesting indeed,” Aro said as he eyed Alice while reading her mind. He then pushed her into Jane’s waiting arms before moving on to Edward. Edward’s mind disgusted him even more. It was intriguing how the Cullens had worked their little empire, what they had been planning and how much of an operation of obtaining Miss Bella had been. He handed him back to Demetri after being done with him.

Bella cocked her head as she eyed the vampires. “Hm, maybe I won’t torture Fuckward. I might let the cutie holding him take him for a pet. I hear the guard developed some interesting torture techniques over the centuries,” she winked at the one she recalled to be Demetri.

Aro then addressed the vampires who had come with the Cullens. “And your allegiance is with them? Or is it with the Volturi? Or, seeing as some of our kind has sided with Miss Bella, are you on her side?”

“If it comes down to a fight, I’m well defended. I have plenty of wolves of different breeds and Cold Ones. I’m well connected in the supernatural world, trust me,” Bella warned. “My allies don’t stop here.”

“We side with them, as a witness that they have done nothing wrong,” Kate replied solemnly. “No matter what the girl says, no matter what you found in the heads of the Cullens, they’re all lies.”

“Pity,” Aro sighed as he motioned for his brothers to follow him. “Let us discuss. Guard, please keep an eye on them so they don’t toddle off.”

Peter started making his way closer, decided to throw another nail in the king’s side. “Hey Bells! Did you ever get that present the hybrid said he sent?!” he called out since he was still a distance away, causing the kings to glance up and Derek to growl.

“For fuck’s sake, Peter!” Bella shot at him. “Did I call for you? No! Go away!”

“Well, I wanted to make sure that you got it. I’d hate to have to call him and ask for him to make a personal visit, ya know?” he shrugged, smirking. “Though, for you, he wouldn’t mind.”

Marcus looked over his shoulder, turning his attention to Bella and one of her wolves who was still closing in on them. “You know Niklaus Mikaelson?” If it were possible, Marcus looked about 50 shades paler than his usual complexion.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “I know of him. I came across him recently and we helped one another out so we are on friendly terms I suppose. What of it?”

“Niklaus Mikaelson never takes sides but his own,” he said as he excused himself from his brothers, the verdict was clear and had been clear for a very long time, but Aro simply loved his theatrics and he and Caius were more than happy to indulge. “Unless it’s for a good reason, a good cause that he believes in. For someone whom he considers to be family. Tell me, does he know of your misadventures with the Cullens?”

She shrugged. “He knows a little of it, but I didn’t tell him much. He had his own issues he was dealing with. I don’t get the big deal,” she pushed, impatient.

“Niklaus Mikaelson is the Original Hybrid, he’s a vampire of a different kind, created by his mother, and he and his siblings are the reason why there are so many of them on this Earth, even dwarfing our own presence. He’s unkillable, or so they say.”

“Yeah, okay. I got the cliff notes from Daddy-O here,” she nodded towards Peter, who smirked.

“He was also very interested to learn about what you are around about the year 1296, as he’s had a dealing with one of your kind and he wanted to know if we knew, and what we knew, about your kind,” Marcus said cautiously. “Beings like you are very rare, hence why his interest sparked an interest in myself.”

Derek muttered beside her, “I said we couldn’t trust the guy.”

Bella glared up at him, but could not help but share her own disappointment. “Thanks for telling me. I’ll keep this information in mind for the future. However, where does this leave us? I want Carlisle to burn for my father’s death and I want it by my method. The others, you may take back to Volterra with you…”

“Oh, no, we are not taking anyone back,” Marcus laughed. “That would be ridiculous.”

“I’m itching for a good fight,” Caius added as he joined Marcus.

“Very well,” Bella sighed, glancing at her wolves. “As long as none of you are hurt… have at it,” she waved them on before setting her eyes on Carlisle, launching herself at him once more.