Chapter Twenty Nine

Alice

I was glad Peter had gone down to the barn to check on the gauges, I would have been in serious trouble if he had heard the conversation. Edwards decision to go with me was unexpected but welcome. He was right of course, I would never cope on my own, it had been unbearable when I woke to find myself a vampire and the thought of returning to that cold empty existence was more than I could bear. They thought I didn't understand the enormity of what had happened when I did and it hurt me too. I had loved Jazz and to see what Carlisle had done to him upset me greatly but there was nothing more I could do, I'd done my best by bringing Bella to relative safety. What Esme didn't understand was that I too hated Carlisle for what he'd done and I wanted to find out what had happened between Jazz and he. I wasn't convinced Carlisle was dead although I couldn't say just why. I didn't think Esme believed it either, she had never said she thought him dead so she must be feeling something. The one thing I was very sure of was that his actions had cost him his mates love, the bond between the two of them was broken.

Peter

I was sick of this already, Edward Cullen tap-dancing through my fucking brain while Alice sat around looking superior. I'd asked her the outcome but all I could get was,

"Too many variables. I think the others have a plan but I can't see what until its finally decided."

Bella sat for hours at the window looking out at the flames and although she must be feeling thirsty now she never complained, I had to give her that. I didn't like humans but this one was different, she wasn't scared of being in a house full of vampires even though I'd been sure to tell her I lived on human blood, just to see if I'd get a reaction. The only one I got was from Esme who reminded me of my mother with her disapproving glare. She must have something to get the whole Cullen family up in arms to protect her but I only cared about my friend. He was out there ready to kill us all and I could feel the tension, he was ready and waiting and maybe making him starve wasn't the best idea after all, he would be more irritable than ever. The Major always was when he was thirsty, a real bad mother fucker.

I tried to hide out in the barn as much as possible and I'd only just got back when my phone rang making everyone jump, the tension was getting to all of us.

"Charlotte? You got a problem?"

"No, we're ready though. If you turn the flames off we'll take him from here. Can you keep them going your side just for a little while, until I tell you its safe?"

"And leave you out there with just Garrett and the fucking Cullens? No way, you'll never take him down."

"We won't no...but we have someone with us who can..."

She hesitated then and her words suddenly made sense. I cursed,

"You rang that fucking bitch didn't you? I'll bet she couldn't wait to get here, wanted to drop me too I guess. Is that her fee? How could you?"

"It wasn't her Peter it was me"

"Oh Garrett and in which alternate universe did you think it would be A O fucking K to bring that bitch here? You know she'll be looking for a payout somewhere along the road. She'll probably drop him then sic him on me and have a good laugh as he rips my fucking head off."

"Peter shut up and turn the damn flames off. You can kick my ass later."

I swore roundly as I threw the phone against the far wall just missing Bella's head as it blew apart from the force of impact.

"Hey watch it. You could have hurt Bella"

I was on Edward in a second,

"Watch your fucking mouth in my house. I have a pair of dick heads out there who think its OK to make a deal with the fucking she devil and a friend who is trapped inside his psychotic alter ego. If I have to listen to you whine I might just explode myself and that will get extremely fucking uncomfortable for all of us. Understood?"

He nodded choking as I shut off his throat and then I let him go and he slid to the floor.

Bella

I'd been studying Peter, there wasn't much else to do in the house, I was sick of playing cards and even reading. But I did a lot of thinking, Alice seemed to think she'd saved my life although I wasn't quite as sure about that as she was. Something told me I might not be in as much danger as everyone else thought. The space where I'd felt Jasper before he was taken by Samuel was no longer so empty and I was convinced that was because there was at least a tiny part of him still there inside The Major. I wanted to know what was going on with the others, Charlotte and Garrett but no one was talking. All Peter would say was that the others had a plan although he didn't seem very happy with any of them.

AS he walked out the back I followed,

"What do they plan on doing?"

He ignored my question and kept on walking,

"Peter please, wait."

He turned round cursing just loud enough to be heard,

"What?"

"I want to know what they're going to do."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want them to hurt him."

He laughed loudly and shook his head,

"Girl, his only interest once those flames die is to get to the house and kill you, don't you understand that? The man you see isn't Jasper Whitlock or Hale or whatever the fuck you call him, Jasper is gone, there's only The Major and if we don't take him down first then we are all dead."

"You think he could take all of you? Isn't that overestimating his capabilities? Especially against all of you?"

He took three steps and stood toe to toe with me, his voice cold and hard,

"You have no idea what he's capable of but I am. I've seen him take down a group of newborns without so much as a scratch. He knows our weaknesses, he'll go for the girls first. If he kills them he'll cripple us. You can't survive the murder of your mate, not in front of your very eyes. We also have another disadvantage, protecting you. That means we aren't free to act as we want. Now do you understand?"

I shook my head,

"He wont harm me"

"Oh really? And just what makes you so fucking sure about that?"

"I don't know but he wont. Please ring the others and ask them not to hurt him."

"No. Now get back in the fucking house and stay there."

Before I could say any more Edward and Esme were there at my sides,

"Come on Bella, do as Peter says. He knows what he's doing."

I tried to struggle free but it was impossible and I was hurried back into the house to see Alice sitting on the couch looking really sorry for herself. She got up and came over as if to put her arms around me but I shrank back,

"Leave me alone Alice, you are the last person I want comfort from."

I was peering out the window in the direction of the flames, tense and waiting but Esme put an arm around me and guided me away to sit by the fire.

"It's best you don't watch Bella. We don't know what they are going to do and it might become distressing."

"I'm already distressed Esme. I know Jasper wont hurt me. You have to let me go out and talk to him."

Esme shook her head sadly and Edward smiled condescendingly but it was Alice who spoke up,

"Bella I think maybe you are reading too much into that kiss, after all Samuel was able to persuade him to kill you."

I turned on her in anger,

"You don't get to tell me anything Alice, not after what you did so back off. You have no idea what I'm feeling or thinking just get the hell away from me"

I think I shocked everyone because the room fell silent and all I could hear were the flames and then suddenly they too went quiet and there was only an eerie silence.