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Thank you to all of you who continue to read and review this story and a big thanks to my amazing BETa Miss. Ellen.

Chapter Ten

Persuasion

As much as I had enjoyed spending Christmas with Renee and Phil, I had been looking forward to ringing in the New Year alone, will Bella. Unfortunately, once again Alice Cullen had to stick her pixie-like nose in where it didn't belong. She was having another party.

"Come on, it'll be fun." She pleaded bouncing on her toes. She had come over completely unexpectedly and, might I add, completely uninvited just to ask us to yet another party. I wondered briefly why she just hadn't called but I suppose she had her reasons. "We're even having some other vampires over."

I groaned in annoyance while Bella gave a small, yet polite smile.

"You mean your cousins from Denali?" Bella asked, slipping her hand into mine.

Alice's uncrossed and re-crossed her legs unnecessarily, her smile faltered for just a moment. "Only Carmen and Eleazar," she explained. "Jasper's friends Charlotte and Peter are coming, as well as a few people Carlisle and Esme know."

"Other Vegetarians?" I asked, knowing how rare the diet is? I thought perhaps they had some kind of, I don't know, animal drinkers club or something."

Alice shook her head and gave a small sigh. "Carmen and Eleazar are, but not the others, but they respect our choice and do not hunt in any area we are currently living in."

"Maybe we should go, Harry, it will give us a chance to meet more of our kind." Bella turned toward me, her eyes hopeful. As much as I loved to make my Bella happy any way I could, I really didn't want to do this.

"Honestly, Bella, I've met very few other vampires that I have liked, aside from you and the Cullens. Most simply wanted to make sure I didn't encroach on their territory. I'd really rather just spend the holiday with you."

She sighed, then placing her hands softly on my chest. "Please?" She pushed out her lip in a pout and she raked her fingers over my pectorals. Merlin, I loved it when she did that, and she damn well knew it. She was playing dirty.

"Bella, this isn't fair."

"What's not fair, my love?" She breathed the words into my ear before parting her sweet lips and taking the bottom of my lobe between her teeth. Dear God, I was getting harder by the second and I was bloody standing right in front of Alice.

"Bella," I groaned, "please send Alice home." My arms made haste to her waist, my finger slowly creeping under her shirt and up her bare back.

"Not until you agree." Her mouth was now on my neck, kissing, sucking, and licking over my Adam's apple. Oh Merlin!

"Okay, okay, I'll go to the bloody party."

"Great."

Her perfect lips turned into a smirk as she pulled away from my body and turned to her friend, who was wearing a rather shocked expression. "Alice, you can count us in."

"Wonderful, see you then." And before I could blink, she was gone, and I was more than grateful. Scooping my love into my arms, I whisked her off towards the bedroom where we stayed for several hours. One of the good things about being a vampire—great stamina!

XXX

As we pulled into the Cullen's driveway, I noticed several vehicles I didn't recognize as belonging to any of the Cullens, including a silver Volvo, which for some reason, immediately caught Bella's attention. Her eyes focused on the car I had pulled up next to. A gasp escaped her lips, and she began shaking her head. "No, no it can't be. She promised! She promised he wouldn't be coming."

"Bella, love. What's wrong?" I placed my hand on her shoulder, slowly she turned her gaze to mine.

"That's Edward car."

I could see the pain in her eyes, his car alone had brought back the painful memories of being abandoned by the man she once thought she loved so deeply she was willing to literally give up her human life for him.

"Then we should go home," I suggested softly.

She shook her head and sighed. "I can't run from him forever, Harry."

Suddenly there was a tap on the passenger side window. We both turned you see Alice and she was looking far from her usual bubbly self. "I'm so sorry, Bella," she said through the window. "I didn't know he was coming. Tanya decided, at the last minute, that she wanted to come and so Edward came too. I-I'm so sorry."

Bella took a long deep breath before opening the car door and stepping out. "It's okay Alice. I should face him anyway. Does he know I'm coming?"

Alice nodded. "He knows about Harry too, though…"

"Though what?" I asked, rounding the car and quickly going to Bella's side.

Alice laughed but then rolled her eyes. "He's sort of in denial He still think he and Bella are mates."

I growled furiously. If he thought for a bleeding second he was getting his hands anywhere near my Bella, then I was going to show him how wrong he was!

"Harry, please calm down."

My fingers curled into fists as my growls becoming deeper, louder. "I swear to God, Bella, if he tries anything with you, I will hex his fucking balls off!"

"You know they can all hear you." Alice pointed out, but I didn't care. Bella was my mate. Mine!

"Harry, love, please," Bella's delicate hand slipped into mine, then she kissed me softly on the lips and then the tip of my nose. "Let me deal with Edward, please."

I wanted to refuse, to confront that bastard who had broken my sweet Bella's heart and spirit all those years ago, but when her golden eyes looked so pleadingly into my own, I couldn't. "Fine." I relented. "But if he doesn't back down, I will fight for your honor."

"I wouldn't expect anything less."

Suddenly Alice was grinning. "That probably won't even be necessary," she said.

"Why would you say that?" Bella asked, affording her a very confused look.

"Because, Marcus is here."

"Who?" Marcus who? And why would his presence stop me from turning Eddie Boy into a pile of ash.

I watched as Bella's brow furrowed, a slight look of concern filled her golden eyes. "You mean Marcus, as in one of the heads of the Volturi?"

Alice nodded.

"The Volturi, are in your house?" I groaned at the possibility.

I did not want to meet these guys, which was part of the reason I never ventured by way of Italy. Sanguini had said they would be very interested in having me in their guard, and with Bella's shield I had no doubt they would want her as well. I refused to be under anyone's rule ever again, at least not directly anyway. I'd abide by their rules as any other vampire, but I will not allow myself or my magic to be subject to their whims.

"Carlisle used to live with the Volturi," Alice explained unexpectedly, "Although he only remained with them for a few decades, he's still friends with them. You see, Harry, Marcus can sense relationships. He should almost instantly be able to tell you who in fact is Bella's mate."

She looked at me like her words were supposed to be reassuring. I loved Bella, and deep down I knew she was my mate; but what if I was wrong? What if the moment she saw Edward again she realized she still loved him, still needed him. I felt a sudden panic sweep over me. I could lose her, I could lose her forever!

I was surprised when I felt a sudden wave of calm come over me. I was normally suspicious Jasper's interference, but at the moment I was thankful for it.

"Harry." I turned to Bella, who then cupped my face with her small hands. "You are the only one for me. You fixed me, remember. You made me feel whole again. I love you Harry, I love you more than I could ever love another."

She looked so confident, so certain and I couldn't help but feel reassured by her words, but I still needed more, so I turned to Alice. "You wouldn't happen to know how this is going to turn out, would you?" I asked.

She just smiled and shrugged.

Not helpful.

"Come on." Bella took my hand. "Let's go make some friends, shall we?"

As the front door opened, Bella and I were quickly greeted by a friendly hug from Esme. "We're so glad you two came, there so many people we want you to meet.

"And perhaps some old friends as well." It was a voice I hadn't heard in many years.

"Sanguini!" I wasted no time in stepping forward and extending my hand, which he shook enthusiastically. "It's so good to see you." If I had met him again a few years ago, before Bella, I probably would have thrown a few hexes at him; but now it took all my will not to pull the man into a bone crushing hug.

"And you as well, Harry Potter. I see, by your eyes, you have followed the Cullens in their choice of diet." He said with a boisterous laugh.

I gave a slightly nervous laugh of my own, shaking my head. "No, I followed my Bella." I motioned to Bella who was currently talking with Alice and Jasper.

"Ah, you have found your mate. That is wonderful."

"Indeed it is, she makes this life livable."

"Yes." He smiled. "I understand completely, I feel the same way about my Anya. She's here, somewhere. I would love to introduce you, if I can locate her. Give me a moment, I will look for her."

As Sanguini walked away to find his mate, I heard the sweet sound of my beautiful Bella's voice, but the name that came from her lips was the very last one that I wanted to hear."

"Edward."

"Hello, Bella."

He stood there, just a few feet away, tall, chiseled features, bronze hair with that tousled look that was so popular these days. He looked like a freaking Greek god. Bloody fuck! How in the hell was I supposed to compete with that.

"You look… amazing." His eyes wandered over her body, and it took every ounce of my strength not to pull out my wand and perform the eye-gouging curse on him.

"Yes, she does." I said, protectively wrapping my arm around her waist.

He just smiled at me. Smiled! What the hell? I wanted to rip his head off his shoulders and then hit it with a blasting curse, and he was smiling at me! "And you must be Harry."

"Yes," I hissed. "And you must be the bloody prick who seduced and then abandoned my Bella."

His smile quickly faded. "That isn't what happened," he said evenly.

Bull shit it wasn't! Fucking bastard. I was about to open my mouth once again, quite set on using several choice profanities to tell the git exactly what I thought of him, when surprisingly enough my Bella did it for me.

"Oh come on, Edward, cut the crap. It may be in the past but there's no point in denying it. You left me. You used Jasper's loss of control as an excuse to end our relationship, and then you and your family went on your merry little way, not caring one iota to look back and see how frail little human Bella was doing."

That's my girl! I grinned, proudly! That's it Bella, rip him a new one.

Edward took a long deep breath before saying, "Bella, would you mind terribly if we had a word in private?"

"Yes, she would!" I growled.

"Harry." She gave me that look- that 'quit being an ass' look. "You promised you would let me deal with this."

"Fine, but of your not back in half an hour I'm coming to find you." My eyes narrowed and shifted to Edward, "both of you."

Bella gave me a soft smile and kissed me on the cheek, "I won't be long, I promise," she reassured me. Without another word she headed toward the kitchen, Edward right behind her. I heard the patio door that led from the kitchen to outside open and then close.

"There really is no need for you to worry Bella," Alice's voice drifted from across the room where she stood with Jasper.

I wanted to believe her and in that she could see the future I really should have been more confident in her advice, but a part of me, the part that had lost so many people I had loved and cared for, was scared to death.

"She's right, you know. You really don't have anything to worry about." A deep voice spoke suddenly from behind me. I turned to see a tall man, with dark eyes and dark wavy hair. He held a tiny smile as he tilted his head and looked at me curiously.

"You must be Harry ," He said extending his hand, "I'm Marcus."

A/N: I left you with a bit of a cliffy, didn't I? Well I'll try not to make you all wait to long for the next update. I already have it written I just need to iron out a few details. So what did you think? Let me know.