Thanks all for giving me the kick in the butt to continue :-)

This chapter is far more brutal than any that have preceded it, sorry it's necessary for the story

Mrs. Meyers Characters are hers, not mine.

Special thanks to Lil-sunandstars, my great Beta Reader.

Chapter 20

Machiavelli's Child


APOV

We were walking back to the house, Leah, at Bella's request, had stayed at the reservation.

"Bella what you described to them was nothing like the vision I had."

Bella simply placed her fingers on my lips and said "Stay at our place until we get the family underway darling, I'll be along to fetch you and we can go fulfill our part."

We parted ways and I had to wonder, what dangerous games was my lover playing?


BPOV

"Is everyone ready?" I asked the assembled family.

"Where's Alice?" Edward asked.

I rolled my eyes.

"She took a flying trip to Seattle to get some 'traveling clothes', I'm to meet her at some point I decide upon later and by the way I want all of you to randomize your routes, the Volturi will be expecting something and I don't want any of us captured and revealing anything to Aro. All he would gain so far is what he would be expecting."

Everyone nodded and dispersed, to different point of the U.S. and the globe except Edward, who pulled me into his old, and now his new room.

"Bella, I know things are bad between us right now, and part of it's my fault," He said, "In my day the wife took care of the home, the children and deferred to the husband. While I don't expect that to be all you do, things must change when this is all over with."

"What in God's name are you getting at Edward?" I asked him incredulously. Did he seriously think we had some future together?

"I want you to end this ridiculous affair with Alice immediately and tell me in detail what this plan of yours is so I can tell you whether or not I approve!" He said, his eyes burning and voice growing heated. He was grasping my arm so hard it began to hurt, Edward was far stronger than me these days. I realized now, this wasn't an us thing it was an Edward's pride thing.

"Are you fucking insane Edward? We'll discuss Alice after all this and loose lips sink ships." I responded, my own voice rising.

He released my arm and backhanded me so hard across my cheek I flew across the room and shattered a 12 foot by 12 foot mirror which was affixed to his wall. I could feel my arm shatter and something was wrong with one of my legs

"You are my wife!" He shouted, his eyes were crazed now, "You will do as I say and you'll do it now!"

Now all vampiric powers increase at turning and then gradually increase more and expand after newborn strength wanes, I was about to show Edward just exactly what my shield could do these days when Emmit and Rosealie burst in, tackling Edward. Rosalie leaped on Edward's back and began pummeling him.

"I knew what you were up to the moment you hung back, you fucking misbegotten cur!" She screamed. Sometimes Alice, Edward and Rose lapsed back into the vernacular of their youths. Rosealie had special reason to loathe any man who struck a woman and while she kept her reasons private she did not hide her opinion.

I was bleeding and my arm was broken, which is rare for a vampire, but I knew the wounds would heal in minutes. I stood up with some difficulty. Instantly Rose was at my side supporting me.

"Are you OK Bella?" She asked, rage still writ large across her face.

I stroked her cheek with my good arm and said "Yeah thanks you two."

Emmit growled at Edward as he restrained him. Rose walked over and spat venom in Edward's face then returned to me.

I pulled out my cell and hit speedial. She answered on the first ring.

"Leah tell your pack Edward has a one minute head start then after that to kill him on sight or scent, he just struck me."

She growled and I could hear glass breaking, she'd wanted this particular order for a very long time, "The clocks ticking" she said and hung up. Seconds later (time enough to phase I suppose) I heard four sets of growls.

"Release him Emmit." I asked.

Emmit did.

Edward was a blur running from the room.

Emmit smiled.

"You are one wicked bitch when you get pissed off Bella."

"All Cullen women are monkey man, keep that in mind." Rosalie felt she had to add. Emmit held both hands up in a universal sign of supplication.

Then I said something I'd never said before, in all my time with the Cullen's.

"I love you Rosealie, my sister."

"I love you too Bella." She said, kissed my cheek and they left.

I collapsed to the floor and wept...it was all...too much.


APOV

I was waiting impatiently at our little cabin when I felt myself being pulled into a vision.

Edward was holding Bella's arm.

He yelled something at her and her eyes went wide.

He screamed at her then she screamed back.

He released her and then struck her hard enough she destroyed a wall when she hit it.

Bella was hurt...

Bella was hurt!!!

It took me a moment to recover from my my vision then I was up and running. Maybe 30 seconds until I reached Cullen land then Seth was loping along beside me. We reached the house and ran inside. I detected Bella's scent and and could hear her weeping.

I was beside her in an instant.

"It's all just too much Alice, Nessie gone, now this." I could see grief and rage overwhelming her. I could understand, how much was one person supposed to bear? I wondered if her assuming leadership in this rescue thing would be the straw that broke my Bella's back.

"Edward hit you didn't he." It wasn't even a question.

She nodded. Then she did the most incredible thing. She wiped her eyes, though she could not truly cry, shook her head then said.

"Come on my Alice, we have a lot to do."

I knew then what courage was. Courage was my Bella.

She stood up, grabbed Seth's wolfie head and pulled it down and kissed him between the ears (how she can stand to do things like that with them I'll never know) grabbed my hand and we left, in search of the amazons.


NPOV

I was reading in our room. I only have half the strength, speed and agility of a vampire, my communication gift and another gift Aro has hinted at, but not revealed. So thus far the Volturi had not really figured out what to do with me.

The door opened and it was Ravven, one of Felix's subordinates. He was a tall, hard man with coal black hair and a hawkish nose. Visible bite scars around his neck and on his cheeks bespoke how many struggles he'd been in and survived. He wore the same grey cloak all the lower ranks of the guard did.

I marked my book and set it down.

"What can I do for you Ravven?"

"You're a very pretty thing Nessie."

I didn't even get a thank you out before he was on me, his hand over my mouth.

"Too bad you're only half as strong as other vampires isn't it?"

He ripped my skirt and underwear off. His hand rubbed my intimate places in a mockery of foreplay.

I struggled but he was too strong, terror was building in me, my heart pounded and I tried to scream but his hand clamped hard across my mouth prevented any sound from coming out. Black spots began appearing before my eyes.

Oh Gods no!

"Out of anyone here and you choose that little girl, that pisses a lot of us off you know girlie? Pisses us off very much."

By now he'd lowered his grey trousers and underwear.

Oh gods no! Oh Gods no!

He forced himself inside me and had spent himself inside thirty seconds. I was bawling and trying to scream, it felt as if my insides had been torn out. I was bleeding...a lot. I was bawling, incapable of anything else.

"Now I'll find out how a half breed's blood tastes."

Of course he had to kill me, so I could not bear witness...

Why did I ever come to this horrible place?


A/N

Please review if you like or dislike, both help me improve the quality.