"Are you alright?" Bella asked looking over to Damon in the passenger seat as they drove.
"Nothing a little blood won't heal," Damon replied as he pulled out some more wood.
"I'm sorry about Finn and Kol," Bella said, "They are a bit over protective."
"I can't imagine why when they sided with your father so long ago." Damon replied and pulled the last of the wood out.
"Well can you really blame them Damon?" Bella asked.
.*.*.*.*.*.
One Hour Earlier;
"Care to join me for a drink?" Damon asked Bella smirking.
"I don't think so," Kol said and moved close to his sister, "We as a family have some catching up to do."
Damon narrowed his eyes at Kol, "Don't I know you from somewhere?" he asked.
"I've met a lot of people," Kol replied smoothly.
"It's alright Kol," Rebecca said, "Let Bella go out; she's been cooped up for a while."
"Then we'll all go out," Finn said studying Damon closely.
"Finn, Kol," Bella said deciding to step in, "I have been on my own without the two of you for over five centuries. Times have changed and right now I am tired of this badgering. I am going with Damon…alone and I hope you all can refrain from trying to stake one another."
Bella grabbed her leather jacket and as they were walking out the door Damon turned around smiling and said;
"Don't worry I'll take real good care of her and make sure all of her needs are met."
.*.*.*.*.*.
Back in the car;
"Did you expect anything less from my brothers when you decide to imply such things?" Bella asked.
"I thought maybe they could take a joke." Damon replied smirking.
Bella pulled up outside of a club and popped the trunk. She got out and reached inside the trunk and threw Damon a black button up shirt.
"Nice choice," Damon mused looking at the club.
"I figured since our first time at a club was interrupted I should make it up to you." Bella replied and removed her leather jacket while she reached in the trunk.
She quickly removed her shirt and put on the one she had grabbed out of the trunk. Damon turned around to face her;
"Damn I missed you changing." He said pouting.
Bella just rolled her eyes and put her jacket back on;
"Come on…I'm starving," Bella said and walked pass Damon.
Damon smirked and quickly caught up with her and wrapped his arm around her waist. Bella just smiled and allowed him to keep his arm where it was. They walked in without even having to compel the bouncer and left all their troubles at the door.
.*.*.*.*.*.*.
"Why didn't you kill her?" Arthur asked staring at Armand, "You had her right where you wanted her."
"All in good time; timing is everything." Armand replied looking through the papers Arthur had collected on their family.
"What is she going to do now that you're back?" Arthur continued to question.
"I don't know," Armand replied irritated, "But I'm not leaving anything to chance. Tell me about this family…the Cullen's and the pack as well."
"Bella was involved with Edward and apparently the dog Jake," Arthur said, "They didn't know she was a vampire until recently."
"Hmmm," Armand said pondering, "Perhaps we can use them."
"How?" Arthur asked.
"As a distraction tactic you stupid boy," Armand roared, "Do you not have brain in that head of yours. Edward is probably still in love with Isabella as is this Jake."
"Why would they be if she lied to them?" Arthur asked through gritted teeth.
"You are still in love with her," Armand said, "And don't try to deny it. Isabella has a way of keeping her claws in people and I guarantee these families are no different."
"What can I do?" Arthur asked.
"Extend a friendly hand," Armand said smiling wickedly, "Tell that Carol Lockwood you will be inviting some guests to her little party."
.*.*.*.*.*.*.
"Do you have any clue as to what your dad might be planning?" Damon asked her as they downed some more shots.
"He's going to contact the Cullen's and the pack," Bella replied and Damon looked shocked, "Don't worry I already contacted Billy and they are already on vervain so he doesn't have a chance in hell."
"What about Cullen?" Damon asked swirling his scotch in his glass.
"Do I detect a hint of jealousy in your voice?" Bella countered.
"Perhaps," Damon replied slowly.
"You don't know me well enough to be jealous," Bella replied shaking her head.
"What if I wanted to?" Damon countered.
Bella turned and looked at him, "You're in love with Elena," Bella said, "There is no chance with us."
"How do you know?" Damon asked.
"Years of observations and experience." Bella replied. "Don't try going down this path Damon the only thing that will come of this is pain and sadness."
"You don't trust very easily," Damon stated.
"Neither do you," Bella replied.
"Explain to me why you never truly told Edward and Jake what you are." Damon said signaling for more drinks.
"I knew I didn't truly love Edward," Bella replied, "I tried to force my feelings for him, but it never truly felt right. Before I came here I was planning on faking my death or compelling them. Jake well I didn't want him to hate me."
"You care too much," Damon responded.
"And you care too little," Bella replied, "You're so afraid of rejection you can't even let your walls down and take the preverbal leap of faith."
"You have and look where it has gotten you." Damon countered. "Heartache, pain, sorrow, the list goes on and on."
"But at least I've lived instead of trying to fill a meaningless existence with even more meaningless things like booze and sex." Bella said scanning the club.
"Ouch," Damon replied clutching his chest then laughed, "Sex isn't always meaningless you know. Why don't you give me a chance?"
"I'll give you a chance Damon when you stop pretending that you don't love Elena and the mere reason you're trying to get in my pants is mainly to get back at my family." Bella said and walked off finding a suitable boy to drink from.
.*.*.*.*.*.*.
"Dad what exactly did she say?" Jake asked nervously.
Billy sighed, "She was warning us about her father."
"Why would he come here?" Carlisle asked.
"Because he thinks we'll join him," Jasper said, "It's a good battle plan, Bella betrayed us and so he thinks perhaps he can get us on his side in destroying her."
"There's no way that's happening," Emmett said fiercely. "Never."
"Why would her own father want her dead?" Rosalie asked.
"From what I know Armand was a terrible man, he never truly cared about his family only their honor. His pride overruled everything." Billy explained.
"So when he changed it was magnified," Alice said.
"Yes, and it became deadly for everyone around him." Bill continued, "Bella wants us to be on guard at all times."
"Billy," Edward said standing up, "Did she say anything?"
"No Edward," Billy replied solemnly, "She made no mentioned of you only that unless we wanted to be puppets we should be prepared."
"She is quite the planner," Arthur said coming out of the shadows of the woods and everyone tensed, "Oh please calm yourselves I mean you no harm."
"Who are you?" Sam asked ready to transform.
"Arthur Van Helsing," Arthur said bowed. He looked at Edward, "You know she played me too…turned me into this."
"What?" Edward asked shocked. "She would never."
"Oh but she would," Arthur replied and came closer to the group, "William Black tell me do you truly know anything about Isabella? Do you know her brother wants to slaughter innocents to make way for a hybrid army?"
"She would never allow that," Bill said glaring at him.
"The only way to stop him is to kill him, tell me do you think she is capable of killing her own brother?" Arthur pressed.
"She'll do what is right," Billy replied, "You aren't welcomed on our land I suggest you leave."
"Why must you choose to be rude," Arthur asked and waved his hand.
Several men came out of the woods many of them holding members of the tribes with knives at their throats.
"I have a proposition for you," Arthur said smiling evilly. "Come with me to Mystic Falls, help me kill Isabella and I will let them go."
"We could kill you in a heartbeat," Jake growled.
"True, but not without losing a few of your own," Arthur replied. "Tell me is the life of one girl worth the lives you would lose of your own blood. Not to mention if you don't join me you all will be killed."
"You have no control over us," Esme hissed.
"But I have something to offer you," Arthur countered and pulled a vial from his pocket, "Within this little bottle is a potion. This potion is a very coveted thing among vampires such as yourselves; tell me Cullen's what do you want most in the entire world?" No one answered, "I know what secret desire lied deep within your hearts, something you are willing to kill for….your humanity."
"There's no way," Alice said clutching Jasper, but her eye sparkled with hope.
"With magic anything is possible. A deal has been struck with the old witches you all help kill Isabella I give you vampires this and you become human as for you the pack we leave you all intact and you will never come to harm." Arthur said and grinned, "Do we have a deal?"
.*.*.*.*.*.*.
"Why do you three allow her to go off with that rogue?" Finn questioned angrily.
"Isabella is a grown woman," Rebecca said, "She's fully capable of taking care of herself.
"Are you certain Rebecca," A voice said an all the originals froze. Armand came out of the shadows, "If I recall correctly all she did was cause trouble."
"What are you doing here?" Rebecca asked her vampire face coming out.
"Tsk, Tsk, Tsk," Armand said and sat down in a chair, "My favorite lured in by the poisonous snake. I never should have abandoned you."
"Save me your lies," Rebecca replied.
"My children," Armand said shaking his head, "I do not wish to fight you; I love you all even you Klaus. Isabella has poisoned you all against me."
"I am not your son," Klaus growled.
"I raised you," Armand said, "I fed you, clothed you, taught you to fight, to hunt, to wield a sword. You may not be of my blood, but you are my son."
"Interesting way you treat your children," Kol said clenching his fist, "Stabbing us in the hearts, hunting us down like rabid dogs, forcing us to watch as you beat our youngest sister half to death."
"Lying to us," Finn said picking up Kol's train of thought, "Abandoning us to fulfill your own selfish quests, not to mention the numerous times you tried to coerce us into killing Bella and then punishing us because we refused to do it."
"Then of course there was the punishing of us when we didn't live up to his standards," Rebecca said stepping in, "The nightly screaming at us, the belittling."
"The never ending fear you instilled in us," Elijah said finishing, "Though now father I believe you'll find we aren't afraid of you anymore."
"Children," Armand said standing up, "She has tricked you. She is the tyrant not me. I helped you to become strong, to survive, to be cunning, to be able to exact revenge on those that took your brother."
"You are the one that tricked us," Rebecca hissed.
Armand's eyes turned cold and his lip turned up into a cruel sneer, "You want to protect her so much then you will die with her. I am going to kill Isabella in front of you in three days. I am going make you watch as I strip the flesh from her body and then stab her, slowly, in the heart with the white oak stake. Then my children I place each of you back in those boxes with a dagger in your hearts, you Klaus shall be chained, and dump you into the deepest depths of the ocean."
Armand disappeared quickly and the sibling were finally able to breathe again, but in the darkness Armand watch and smiled as he knew he still had a hold on his family and he would be damned if he allowed Isabella to break that hold.
A/N: Hey everyone I know long wait for the update and short chapter, but life has been hectic and admittedly I was blocked on the story. Now I won't be updating again until after my finals so probably somewhere in the middle of May there will be a new update. Don't be upset who knows maybe I'll get inspired and can't help, but write.
Review you guys I love hearing your opinion's and thoughts on the story. Also thank you to everyone that reviews, favorites or alerts the story and me I truly appreciate it.