A.N.

So here it is, another new chapter. Hope you like it...i'm working really hard to get the next chapter up.

agian comments are always welcome...

Much Love

~Mistress Melody

Chapter 9

Alice POV

It all seemed to happen in slow motion. I watched from Jasper's arms as James and Bella made there way to the king. I had no idea what had happened, but I knew it wasn't good. Bella was clinging to James, looking up at him like he was the only man in her world. But she loves Edward, I know she does…I think… It is so difficult with Jacob around, I can't see clearly.

I felt Jasper tense next to me; he could feel peoples emotions, and what he felt, I could tell he didn't like it. I turned towards him.

"What is it jazz?" I asked

"I can't feel Bella, what I see and what I feel are to different things. She looks happy, yet her emotions are blank." He said, a small crease forming on his forehead.

"What about James?"

"Triumph" he said "come on, we have to get closer" he said, but I was way ahead of him, grabbing his hand and pulling him behind me, as he spoke.

"Your highness, I your daughter has agreed to marry me." James was saying when we approached. Charlie looked quite befuddled as he looked to Bella.

"But Bella, I thought…well I thought, Edward…you said…just this mourning" I had never seen the king unable to form a coherent sentence. Edward had finally made his way to where we stood. His heart was shattering; I didn't need Jasper's gift to feel it.

"Bella" he said, his voice cracking. James turned to Edward, a smirk on his lips.

"Oh, Edward. You've decided to join us I see." James said. "I guess you should hear this as well." Edward ignored him, walking to Bella.

"Bella, my love, tell me this is a joke. Please" he took her hand, urging her to look into his eyes. He caught his breath, when she met his gaze. That's when I saw the empty look in her eyes.

"No, this isn't a joke. I love James." she said, her voice was stern and cold. I could see Edward crumble, and then a second later he lunged at James as a feral snarl ripped from his chest. He never made contact. Jasper and Jacob were there, holding him back. James just stood there and watched with an amused grin on his face, while Bella stood, completely stoic at his side.

"Now, now Eddie, don't be a sore loser." James said, I knew by the look on his face that he was projecting something more to Edward. One look at Edward's face confirmed it, he was in agony. The look on his face reminded me of Emmett when he asked Jane to use her powers on him.

"We will wed by the end of the week." James said turning back to the King, who looked quite taken aback at the statement.

"Now see here, I will say when the wedding will be" he began to say, but was cut off when Bella stepped forward.

"Daddy, please, this is what I want. I don't want to wait any longer." She said, her voice pleading, yet there was something off.

"But what about Edward?"

"I never want to see Edward Cullen again" she replied, this time there was no pleading, her voice was not cold, it was just empty, like she was repeating something for one of her governesses. It was unsettling.

"No" Edward choked out. He began fighting as Jasper, Jacob and his father, Carlisle, took him from the room. I hesitated, not sure if I should follow Jasper or stay for Bella. With Jacob out of the room, I could see that if I stayed I wouldn't get near Bella, no matter how I tried there would be some one blocking my attempts, so I followed the others.

Once we were in Carlisle and Esme's chambers, Jasper began to send calming waves to Edward. It took about 5 minutes but it finally worked.

"My Bella" was all he could say.

"Son, it'll be ok, I mean you have only known Bella for a few days." Esme said trying to ease his pain.

"No, it won't be ok. Not until I find out what that blaggard has done to her." he said; venom dripping from every word.

"What do you mean?" Carlisle asked slightly confused.

"That wasn't my Bella. Her eyes were so empty." He took a deep breath; I instantly recalled my dearest friend's eyes as she had spoken to Edward. His eyes flashed to mine. "You saw it too" he said, it wasn't a question, he could see it in mind, I nodded, there was something wrong, something dreadfully wrong going on.

"I tried to go to Bella after you all left the room, with Jacob gone I could finally see a little. But every way I went about it, there was always someone there to block me. James has done something, I don't know what and I don't think he will let me close enough to find out." I said, Jasper wrapped an arm around me for comfort. "We have to do something"

"We will my dear" Jasper said.

"What was he showing you?" Jacob asked

"What?" we all asked, except for Edward, he knew what Jacob meant. The agony returned to his face.

"He was projecting images of…of…" Edward was struggling with his control. Jasper walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder, calming him. "Thank you" he mumbled, Jasper nodded. "He showed me images of him and my Bella, together…" he didn't finish, but we all knew what he meant. When I get a hold of that cad I'm going to…to….well…it won't be very nice….Edward chuckled at my thoughts.

"While he was showing me that….well…I got to see a few things I don't think he wanted me to see. First a colony in the Amazons, I believe. And then he was handing Bella a glass of blood, then I got a brief glimpse of a crystal, he was holding it on a chain in front of Bella, then nothing. He cut me off when he realized that I was seeing more then he was showing."

"But what does it all mean?" Jacob asked.

"I don't know, but we only have a few days to figure it out." he said.

I hope we can figure it out, and save Bella. If we don't I fear we will lose her forever.