"Flint, go get the girl! I've got this one!" Carla said and clamped her hand around my throat, pressing me back against a tree. I grabbed onto her shoulders, digging my nails into her, and brought my right knee up into her stomach. She stumbled backwards, but didn't let go of me.
"I won't say it again… leave her alone." I growled. I twisted and got loose from her grasp. I spun around, kicking her hard in her stomach. She flew back into a tree, snapping it in half.
"Hey!" Flint called out, grabbing a fist full of my hair. "Keep your hands off--"
"My wife." Edward finished his sentence for him. He leaped onto his back, the three of us tumbling to the ground.
I quickly glanced around at the rest of my family. The nomads were now outnumbered. The three others were easily being taken care of. Edward had his hands full with Flint, so I turned my attention to Carla. We stalked each other in a small circle, waiting for the other to make a move.
"Why are you protecting someone you should be feeding off of?" She hissed, smirking a little.
"Because she's my child." I snapped.
"The boy too? He's rather mouthwatering," She winked at me, then looked over my shoulder at Masen. "In more ways than one."
That was it, I lounged for her throat. She ducked under my arms and had me pinned.
"Dad! Mom needs help!" I heard Masen yelling. "I got it!" He said after a second. I could hear Edward somewhere over my head struggling to tear at Flints limbs. By the sound of it I knew he was having a hard time.
Masen stood over me, knocking Carla to the ground. He helped me to my feet and spun to punch her square in her nose as she leaped for us. I watched him for a moment, his fight was almost identical to Edward's. The way he move, I turned to see Edward on his feet moving quickly as he fought with Flint. The others were taken care of, but the two strongest were the only ones left.
"Bella, go find Renesmee!" Edward ordered. I watched Masen and shook my head.
"I can't leave him." I stepped in to help Masen.
"Mom, go find her. I've got this."
"No! Back off before you get hurt."
"Seriously?" He asked, acting as if I just insulted him. His second of being distracted gave Carla a chance to punch him hard in his chest.
I cringed at the sound on her fist making contact with his body. I heard the air rush out of his lungs as he fell to the ground.
My growl started deep in my stomach and escaped through my lips, echoing off the trees around me. Edward's was not far behind as we both set in to attack her at the same time. It was easy to tear her apart. I dropped her left arm on the pile and turned to check on Masen. Rosalie was kneeling on the ground with his head on her knees.
"He ok?" I asked, leaning in and tilting my head to the side to listen to his heartbeat.
"It's weak, but he'll be fine." Rosalie said, hearing his heart as well.
"Where's Alice?" I asked looking around the now quiet area.
"She ran off to find Renesmee after Flint got away." Rosalie answered.
"What?!" I gasped, narrowing my eyes and leaning over Masen's body, protecting as much of him as I could.
"I'm sorry, but with her going after Masen like that, I had to go after her." Edward sighed.
"It's ok, where are the others?" I stood up looking for Jacob, Emmett, and Jasper.
"Jacob and Emmett went to go help Alice find Renesmee. Jasper went after one of the other vampires. He ran off as soon as the fight broke out." Edward answered, kneeling beside me tilting his own head to listen to Masen. "Lets get him home." He said softly, picking him up.
Masen whimpered, but didn't open his eyes. "Carlisle might have to do an x-ray, I think there might be a broken rib."
"How come you taught him to fight, but you refuse to teach Renesmee?" I asked on our way to the car.
"Because there is no need for her to learn how to fight. She will always be protected. Like today, she had no reason to fight. We protected her just fine."
"I told her to run, Edward, what if they went after her? What if there were more out there that we didn't know about? No one was there to protect her."
"Stop thinking so negatively, Love, she doesn't need to fight anyone."
"I'll teach her if you don't. It's not fair for you to teach Masen and not Renesmee. Is it because she's a girl?"
"No, it's because she's my daughter."
I rolled my eyes and slammed my foot down on the gas pedal.
When I pulled into the driveway, Carlisle was waiting outside. He hurried over to the car. "How is he? Alice called me, she told me what happened."
I got out of the car slowly, starring at Carlisle. "They're not back?"
"No, she just told me to meet you guys back here… is there more?"
"Yes, Jacob, Alice, and Emmett went to find Renesmee… she should have made it back home by now. She knows her way." Edward said, lifting Masen from the back seat.
"I'm going to look for her." I took Rosalie's hand, dragging her behind me.
"No! Bella!" Edward protested, but he had his arms full--he couldn't stop me.
Rosalie and I caught Alice, Jacob, and Emmett's trial quickly. We followed it for a while and I caught the scent of Renesmee. I breathed a sigh of relief once we got closer and I could hear her heart beating normally.
"Renesmee!" I called out, darting into view. Jasper was leaning over Renesmee, tears were stained on her cheeks. "What's wrong?" I asked frantically, dropping to my kneed in front of her. I looked up at Jasper. "Did you get Flint?" I asked him.
He shook his head. "I could have kept following him, but he was back in the states. I got the other vampire, though."
"Great," I groaned. "This is all we need." I took a deep breath to calm myself before focusing on my daughter.
"He's going to come after Masen and I now, isn't he." Renesmee sniffed. It was meant as a question, but sounded like a statement.
I was taken back by her question. I knew he was probably going to try. It was natural for a vampire to avenge his mate's death. I lived through it, barely. I didn't want to worry her, but I didn't want to lie either. "Let's just get you home."
"Answer me, Mom. I know you and dad killed his mate. I know the story of James and Victoria when you were human. It's going to be like that, isn't it?"
"You'll be fine. We have something we didn't have before." I told her, forcing myself to smile.
"What?" Her voice shook.
I let my smile spread across my lips and pointed to myself. "Me."
"You're shield isn't going to stop him from coming after us. It only repels others' powers, not their hands."
"Relax, we'll take care of it. None of us will ever let anything happen to either of you." I reassured her. She took a deep breath and nodded. Jacob took her hands and helped her up. She leaned against him as if she needed the support. "Are you ok, honey?" I asked her, touching her cheeks.
"Just scared." She whispered, molding herself into Jacob's side.
"No reason to be." Jacob told her. He swept his arm under her knees and cradled her. We ran home with Jacob and Renesmee between us all.
"How's Masen?" Alice asked as we ran.
"What's wrong with him?" Renesmee asked nervously.
"Nothing to worry about. He's fine."
"It's something, I know for a fact." She said from Jacob's arms.
"And what fact would that be?" I looked over at her, already knowing what she was going to say.
"Dad let you find me on your own. He didn't follow after you. How badly is he hurt?"
I shook my head. She was more observant that I gave her credit for. "He'll be fine." I repeated and ran ahead of Jacob, pretending like I couldn't hear her anymore.
"Masen!" Renesmee yelled, leaping out of Jacob's arms. She hurried up the front steps and burst thought the door.
"He's up here." I heard Edward tell her.
I followed at her heels as she hurried up to his room.
"Masen, what happened?" She asked with tear-filled eyes.
"Nothing." He answered groggily.
"You tried fighting one of them on your own, didn't you?" She asked sitting on the edge of his bed.
"Mom needed the help." He tried to sit up, but moaned in pain. His arm moving to his wrapped up torso.
Renesmee sighed and placed her hand on his chest, gently pushing him back down on the bed. "You idiot! You're half human. You could have gotten yourself killed. Don't ever do that again."
He closed his eyes and smirked. "She's dead, isn't she?"
"Thanks to mom and dad, she is. Please be more careful."
"I'll get right on that, Ness." He opened his eyes and held out his hand. She took it in hers and laid on the bed next to him.
I leaned back against Edward's chest, both of us watching them fall asleep.