Chapter Thirty Five

Maria

The two girls followed me, keeping close together and I knew they were frightened. Both looked around and I was sure I knew who they were looking for. I had sent The Major and Peter along with Nathan to set up some more booby traps. There was a chance Carlos might know of our present defenses. Alice had intimated as much telling me that I should keep all my best men close to hand. Maybe Carlos would bring the battle to my doorstep giving me the advantage. The Major had been reluctant to leave the compound along with Peter until I told him to take Nathan too,

"He could do with some hard manual labor."

Of course then they were more willing, the only person who was a threat to Alice and her pet would be with them, or so they thought. They failed to take me into account. I might need Alice, her gift was turning out to be a real asset, but the same did not go for her pet, and the fact she had all three of my best commanders dancing to her tune. Although, Nathan's desire was less to keep her safe and more to take his pleasures, did not please me. Well, The Major and Nathan were mine and I was not willing to share either of them with a human!

So, once they were out of sight and busy, the sound of all the building work and excavating muffling the noises from inside the compound, I made my move. The two girls followed me to my cabin and stepped inside, the two guards stationing themselves at the door.

"Alice, I hope your latest vision is correct, I would hate to make all these extra preparations only to find dear Carlos has dug in some miles away with no intention of attacking my compound. It would displease me and trust me when I say you do not want to do that."

"I told you my visions depend on the actions of the people involved, they are fluid, but that was the last vision I saw."

"Well, we will see. Do you like my commanders? Would you like one of them for yourself? They seem extraordinarily interested in you."

"What? No."

There was just a hint of a lie in her voice, so she did! Well if I had to allow her one of my commanders to keep her sweet so be it, possible Peter or Nathan but most definitely not The Major, I would never allow him such freedom.

I turned my attention to the human girl Bella, next.

"And you my little pet, is there someone you like the look of? Nathan seems very interested and I think you two might make such beautiful music together. He's feeling a little left out right now and I think you will be just the thing to cheer him up."

She looked horrified her eyes wide and her heart beating as if trying to find its way out of her chest. She glanced at Alice who took her hand comfortingly,

"How touching. But don't fear Bella. I will insist he changes you before he takes you to his bed. Who knows, you might even be able to fight him off as a newborn. If not then at least I am giving you a man, not a boy, he is good in bed, not as good as The Major but then I'm hardly likely to offer you to him. You wouldn't last two minutes with a man like him."

I watched as she blushed furiously and laughed,

"Well, well, it would seem I have a pretty little virgin here. That makes things more interesting. I think I will have a competition, the winner gets to break in the new girl. I have to tell you human females are very popular amongst the men although they don't usually live very long."

Alice

Maria was deliberately taunting Bella, trying to frighten her, but I thought she was still being honest. A human girl wouldn't last very long with a vampire, especially not having sex. We tended to lose control if blood were spilled and with Bella a virgin that was inevitable. I squeezed her hand hoping to make her feel a little better knowing I was here by her side. A competition meant time, time I could use to find a way out. I would speak to Peter and suggest he contact Carlisle. I had just started feeling a little more confident when Maria sighed and her smile broadened.

"I think perhaps the competition between my men would be fierce and may result in a loss of life, not only yours Bella. For now I can't afford to lose any men so perhaps while your noble knights are out of the way I should just kill you and be done with it."

"You said if I helped you she would be safe."

I was disgusted with Maria, I was just glad she hadn't yet discovered what I had just seen, that The Major and Bella were mates, or she would scratch Bella's eyes out here and now.

Maria

Alice's indignation amused me almost as much as her naivety in believing me and I smiled, my eyes not leaving the humans ashen face.

"Did you really think I would keep my word, Alice? You really are less worldly than I imagined. Keeping a human here is far too dangerous, she already has my commanders at each others throats. Don't think I haven't noticed the way my Captain keeps sniffing around. The Major does his best to draw my attention to him instead, but that's just misplaced loyalty to a friend."

There was something wrong, a strange expression crossed Bella's face as I spoke and I glanced at Alice just in time to see a similar expression flee from hers. Why had they looked so relieved? I was missing something and that only increased my antipathy towards the human girl.

I called in the two guards, pointing at Bella,

"Take the human, strip her and throw her to the men who are still in the compound, tell them she is a gift from me for fighting so well."

They grinned and I knew they would have some fun themselves before they offered her up to the others.

"NO, I won't look for you again Maria, not if you kill Bella."

"Oh, you will because if you don't I'll have you handed to the men and as a vampire you would survive, at least for a while. Take her."

The guards grabbed Bella by the arms and dragged her screaming in fear outside while I remained, watching Alice carefully,

"Care to tell me what I am missing Alice? While there is still time. It won't take them long, so I would hurry if I were you."

She opened her mouth but there was a loud scream from outside and the glass in the window shattered while the door burst inwards off its hinges and smashed through the back of the cabin just missing me. Everything inside was picked up by the whirlwind that filled the room and blasted the roof off, the walls sagging inwards.

Running outside I saw the whirlwind had been extremely localized hitting only my cabin and its close surroundings. Bella lay amid the timbers curled up as if asleep and Alice ran to her while I watched as the men came running over to pick up the scattered pieces of the two guards who had accompanied her. The force of the wind had literally blasted them to pieces, some already burning as they had dropped into one of the fires. Alice had lifted Bella up and I saw that apart from a cut to her temple she seemed to be unharmed.

"Clean up that blood before the men lose control and go back to your cabin."

Alice scooped Bella up and carried her rapidly to the cabin wiping off the blood and throwing the rag into the fire as she passed to avoid the scent of blood drawing the men to her charge. The Major, Nathan, and the rest of the men who had been working outside the compound came running back in, looking around in astonishment and I realized the whirlwind must have originated inside the compound, now how had that happened?