Chapter 20
When Bella walked up the stairs to the main floor of PK she knew at once that the others had all gathered there the amount of power and electricity she could feel flowing through her veins brought both comfort and fear to her at the thought of what her brothers and sisters could be thinking about the current situation. Reaching the main floor she took a deep breath before walking through the door trying to mentally and emotionally prepare herself for all the arguments that could potentially be about to be unleashed.
"Bella" she heard different people greet her as she walked onto the floor of the club which was not open for business and all gateways had been automatically sealed to everyone bar Peace Keepers so that they could talk in private. She nodded her head tightly as she made her way to the bar where Aaron was pouring drinks for everyone alongside the other bar staff, even though he was a Peace Keeper he didn't always feel happy with what the life entailed and so when he had been informed about the path his life would take he had not been happy about it and refused to believe the counsellors when they had come to talk to him; eventually Bella had gone and instead of seeing what everyone else saw – him being difficult … she saw a scared and confused teenager and she remembered how she had initially felt upon finding out what she could do so she had convinced him to try this life and had taken him under her wing and treated him like her little brother and that had never changed. He noticed her walking towards the bar and quickly had a drink ready and waiting for her to which she smiled gratefully at him before sitting down, "how's things?" he asked looking at her and noticing that she looked stressed, "fine" she replied shortly, "what's the word on the street?" she asked looking around and seeing that everyone were currently mingling in groups talking quietly, "mixed" he replied quietly, "some don't even seem to know what has happened" he added before they heard a summoning noise in the main meeting room that was away the main area of the club, "let's get this over with" she said draining her drink and feeling her stomach clench and twist into knots, "it will be ok" Aaron said quietly noticing the look on her face as he moved around the bar and put his arms around her while the others moved into the main conference room, * I am scared that they will vote for not doing anything * she said silently to him knowing that aside from Carlisle he was the only person that she could truly be honest with * you know that they won't do that * he said to her reassuringly
* I'm not sure about that * she said needing the reassurance from someone who knew all sides of the world that they lived in. * you have to have faith in them … they have all been hurt by her over the years *
* I hope you are right * Bella replied as they stood up and slowly walked into the main room.
"Carlisle" Esme said happily as she saw her husband walk through the door of the house where they had all been standing anxious waiting for everyone to come home, he smiled at all of them and immediately went over to his wife embracing her feeling bad that he had made her worry but knowing that there was no way that he would of let Bella go by herself. "Carlisle what is going on?" Rosalie asked immediately sounding uncharacteristically anxious, "did they make it across the line?" she added
"Yes they did" Carlisle replied, "and providing that they are sensible there should be nothing to worry about" he added before looking at Edward * Bella has had to get back for the vote but she will be back soon * he said having seen his son's face fall at the fact that she had not return with him. "Is she ok?" he asked trying to cover how much it had upset him that she wasn't there, "hard to tell at the moment she is trying to focus on getting the Council to side with her"
"Is there a concern that they won't?" Alice asked having never received visions any visions from the Peace Keepers so she was kept in the dark as to how they worked behind the scenes, "I believe so … from what she said about her earlier conversation with them the majority were not of mind to do anything" he replied
"Even after everything that happened in Southampton?" Edward asked remembering the path of destruction, "The Elders don't like to have confrontation unless absolutely necessary" Carlisle replied
"So what do we do now?" Esme asked looking anxious again as he sighed
"We need to wait for Jasper and Emmett to come back and then wait for news from Bella" he said causing them all to sigh with impatience once again not used to having to sit on the sidelines.
After a couple of minutes running the three wolves, two vampires and ex Peace Keeper had finally arrived in the La Push village where the two vampires took a couple of seconds to take in their surroundings noticing the wooden houses and the community that had been set up there, Jasper was also drawn to the emotions of some of the people that they could see wandering around, their emotions fearful of them in case they were going to attack them, "we mean you no harm" he said in a clear voice while sending out calming waves, "can you please show us somewhere for Beth" he said to the wolves in front of them causing them to turn to look to Jacob who nodded his head as they walked over to one of the huts at the opposite end of the village and from the sounds of it a five minute walk from the beach. "Thank you" Jasper said once they had reached the door which Emmett quickly opened before they all trooped inside with Jasper and Emmett taking a point in the far corner of the room causing the russet coloured wolf to whimper, "I know this is difficult for you but I would like to speak to one of you face to face if that is acceptable so that I may tell Bella who is looking after her daughter" Emmett said looking at the wolves and realising that he wouldn't be happy with the situation until he could see who they had been talking too. The wolves looked at each other and two of them growled at the other until Beth started to stir in Jasper's arms, "what's going on?" she asked sleepily opening her eyes to look at him, "we have arrived at La Push" he replied looking down at her in concern seeing how tired she still looked and how jumbled her thoughts and feelings were, "so what's with the growling?" she asked looking at the wolves "I asked to speak to one of them in person so that I could tell your mom who was looking after you" Emmett replied coming into her line of vision
"I would also like to know who is looking after me" Beth replied looking hard at the wolves and in particular the russet coloured wolf who stared back at her before letting out a massive sigh as he disappeared out of the door, leaving the others to look at each other in confusion.
Jacob POV
I can't believe that I am walking out of the door of my own home to change back into my human form while two vampires are still present in the village … all because of some damm girl!
Ever since we met the bloodsuckers at the boundary line I felt drawn to the blond one and I had no idea why especially as it made me physically ill to be around him. I told myself it was because I wanted to make sure that they were not going to try anything funny but that didn't play right in my head … it was only when they moved away from me that I felt something tug at me and want to pull me closer.
Then when the girl that Jasper was carrying sat up it was like my world involuntarily stopped moving especially when she turned her piercing green eyes on me and practically ordered me to reveal myself to her. I then sighed feeling my body wanting to comply and I knew instantly what had happened and in my eyes it was probably the worst possible thing which is why I am currently outside cursing so loudly that I am probably starting to bug every wolf that is connected in the link before changing because I am not ready to deal with imprinting on a relation of a bloodsucker!
Bella gingerly took her seat on the platform looking down at her fellow Peace Keepers as they filed into their seats; walking into the main meeting room was always as a daunting experience as walking into the Powers chambers, as the room was only used when there was a problem that needed to be voted on. Bella always cringed when a vote was needed as she hated leaving anything to chance especially when it was something like this.
The room was set up in theatre style with rows and rows of comfy chairs for the six hundred old Peace Keepers that still existed in the world, their numbers still severely diminished from the last of Victoria's rampage against them. At the front of the room where all the seats were facing was a platform that Bella was currently sitting on as due to the loss of the Peace Keepers over the years she was currently the eldest, there was also space left in the middle for the Powers to appear in whatever form that they wished. She knew that Aaron was sitting out in the crowd as anxious about the vote as she both of them knew what she would end up doing if the vote ended up going against her both of them silently praying that it wouldn't come down to it as Aaron knew how Bella had struggled to put The Council back together again. Suddenly the room was plunged into darkness as the final Peace Keeper settled in their seat and a ghost voice filled the room. "Welcome all of you" the gruff male voice said echoing around the room, "it is a pleasure to see all of you in one place again" another male voice said that was quieter then the first, "you may or may not be aware of why you are here but a situation has arisen that we would like the opinions of yourselves for" a third voice said that was female, "I now invite Isabella to take the floor" she added as all eyes fell onto her again causing her to hate the fact that she was the centre of attention but knew it was the only way. "Thank you" she said clearing her voice and raising her eyes to the ceiling before looking back at her brothers and sisters who were now watching her intently.
"thank you for all coming at such short notice" she said as she stood up and moved herself to the centre of the podium, "I am aware that there has been a great source of confusion as to why the relocation call was sent out and I am here to tell you why" she said pausing for breath as she realised that she now instantly had everyone's attention, "at precisely 8pm Greenwich Mean Time there was a breach on the privacy spells …" she said breaking off as a collective gasp ran through the group, "I went to investigate to find that an entire estate in Southampton had been attacked by vampires decimating over fifty households of men, women and children … including my daughter's household … Beth had arrived at the club earlier that evening but I am sorry to inform you that her husband was killed hence the reason the relocation call was activated" she said trying to compose herself for her next statement, "it was no random killing spree it was targeted for one thing and one thing only – to capture Beth" she said as she heard a voice in the distant crowd
"Who was responsible?" they asked as the rest of the crowd also asked the same question, "Victoria" she replied finally seeing waves of anger and shock appear across the room, "so what are we doing sitting here?" Chris asked who Bella hadn't seen since before she had disappeared for Washington, "we are here to vote as to whether we end this once and for all or we sit back and allow her to continue" Bella replied causing another round of chatter to go through the crowd, "you can't be serious" another person said who she recognised as Denise
"The Powers are unwilling to allow me to send you into battle" Bella replied struggling to remain tactful, "which is why we are now at a vote situation as I believe that Victoria should not be allowed to continue her rampage and that this should have been dealt with long ago" she added letting her personal feelings take over
"We will not risk open war" she heard the gruff voice say again causing her to roll her eyes "But that is not your decision to make" came several voices in reply, "she has done enough damage to us over the years she should be made to pay" causing Bella to smile slightly as a Peace Keeper named Greg came to her defence
"Stop being cowards and show yourselves" another voice shouted from the back which caused even Bella to look in surprise as nobody had ever demanded such a thing from the Powers, "very well" they heard the female voice say causing the other two male voices to such bickering back and forth, "it is my decision to show myself and as the Peace Keeper Representative I side with them" the voice added as a bright light appeared on the platform blinding them all leaving a long blonde haired woman typically Peace Keeper age of seventeen wearing a long red robe as their eyes adjusted there was an awed hush across the room as the woman stepped forward, "hello Bella" she said with a smile as Bella felt her mouth drop open in shock at seeing a face she thought had long since disappeared.