Chapter Thirty Six

Bella

It felt good being useful, being able to stop a horde of vampire warriors from reaching those I loved and yes, even Peter, so I was rather sorry when Darius asked me to stand down. Then Charlie pushed through and launched himself at the black cloaked figures but before he could reach them they fell writhing and screaming in agony to the floor just as if they had been hit by Jane's gift. I recognized this because both Darius, and Edward before him, had told me about the evil bitch who could torture a man by merely looking at him. Did Charlie have a similar gift?

Jasper

Bella had protected us from the guard, even from Jane, her gift was powerful indeed but I had never seen anything like Charlie before, whatever he was doing had been instinctual, he was a newborn, he'd had no time to discover his vampire nature. But then I had never seen a vampire transformation go as speedily as his had. Perhaps the suffering he had undergone all this time had meant the transformation had almost been completed and my injection of venom finished the job or maybe it had something to do with Aro's potion, there was no way of telling and I was just relieved he had survived for Bella's sake. Perhaps once her obligation to Darius was fulfilled we could finally spend some time alone together and work out our own destiny, but for now there were other things that needed our attention.

I turned to see Carlisle kneeling beside Aro who had gained his knees but seemed unable to rise further, Peter and Darius were watching in amusement as the Volturi guard, including Jane, rolled around on the floor suffering. Charlie stood above them a little confused and I walked to his side slowly, whatever his gift was I for one did not want to be on the receiving end of it. As he turned to look at me they fell silent and I saw them rising to their feet. I glanced at Bella who nodded, her shield was up and protecting us once more.

"What the hell just happened Jasper? What happened to me? I feel different, great, but different and Bella…"

He ran to her throwing his arms awkwardly around her in what was obviously an unusual show of affection. She hugged him back and then in quiet tones tried to explain what had happened although the full story would have to wait for a better time. I joined Aro crouching down to look at him closely. His jaw was slack and his eyes unfocused,

"What happened? What's the matter with him?"

"I have no idea Jasper. He hasn't spoken and I'm not sure he can even hear me. Aro? Aro, do you know who I am? Where you are?"

He turned his head slowly and smiled but his gaze was directed over Carlisle's shoulder and there was nothing there except a stone wall.

"Aro? Where? Is this a castle? A temple? Where are my brothers?"

Whatever gift Charlie had, it had played hell with Aro's brain.

"Oh, it's not good, terrible thoughts, evil thoughts and deeds. Listen, can you hear them? They're in the wall whispering to me, all their darkest thoughts, blood and destruction, pain, lots of blood and lots of fear."

He slumped back putting his hands over his ears and muttering quietly to himself.

Carlisle stood up brushing himself down and threw a glance at Charlie and Bella,

"I think somehow Charlie twisted Aro's gift in on himself and its scrambled his brain, hearing all those thoughts, maybe even his own, centuries of them."

"So there is some justice in the world after all. You think Charlie's affected the others in the same way? They don't look like it."

We turned to see the guard standing looking murderous but uncertain what to do without Aro's guidance.

Then we saw Caius appear striding towards us and his eyes locked on Darius who stood looking relaxed although there was tension in the muscles around his eyes. Caius stopped beside the guards looking in concern at Aro who was now standing with shoulders hunched still muttering to himself.

"Aro? What's the matter? Why are these people here?"

Aro turned at his name and then shrieked holding out a shaking finger pointed at his "brother".

"You, shame on you for your lecherous thoughts. You should do penance, dip your cheating member in the fountain, cool it down."

Peter sniggered at Caius' horrified look,

"What have you done to him?"

"Me? Nothing but I think his latest experiment went a little awry. Anyway you have more important things to worry about."

Charlie and Bella joined me gazing at Caius who was trying to keep an eye on me and Darius who was the other side of the wide corridor.

"Who's this? Was he involved in luring us here?"

"No Charlie, I doubt he knows anything about it."

"Let me at him. I'll soon get the truth."

I grasped his arm shaking my head,

"There's a line forming and Darius is at the head so you'll just have to wait your turn."

Caius turned to Santiago who headed the guard milling around, much to Jane's disgust.

"What are you waiting for? Kill them all."

"What about Aro?"

"Him too, it's obvious they've destroyed his mind."

As the guard started forward, a little wary now, I glanced at Bella and she nodded as they began to approach only to be stopped by her shield once more.

"Go on, kill them."

Santiago turned on him angrily,

"We tried Caius but we can't get close, there's some kind of force field around them. You try."

Darius took a couple of steps forward his arms outstretched,

"Good idea Caius, come on, if you are man enough."

The Volturi leader hesitated but he could hardly turn and run from his opponent's mocking challenge so he took a step forward only to hit Bella's shield and I swear I saw a look of relief flash across his eyes. Bella must have seen it too because she stepped to Darius' side,

"You want me to let him through?"

"I do, I want to see my husband defend himself against the man whose mate he murdered. It seems it's crunch time at last Caius and not before time."

Caius threw a dangerous look at his wife who gazed back impassively standing with Esme who looked horrified, obviously she hadn't known the history between Caius and Darius either.

"Time to fight, time to fight, come on boys, no breaking the rules, no hair pulling or biting. Come on, come on."

Aro was dancing in excitement, a mad gleam in his eyes and Carlisle grabbed a hold of him as he tried to get through the shield to drag Caius forward.

"It's done Darius, he's all yours."

At Bella's words Darius leapt forward and grabbed Caius by his shirt pulling him away from Santiago and the other guards to our side of the shield which I saw Bella had put back in place as Jane tried to follow and was brought up short.

Caius was a competent warrior but Darius had centuries of anger and revenge stored up and nothing was going to stop him now. For a time Caius was able to hold his own and even got in a few punches and throws of his own but he had been out of it far too long and it was beginning to show. Then Aro, who had broken free of Carlisle's grip tried to grasp Caius arm and threw him off balance. He went crashing to the floor and Darius descended on him like an avenging angel.

After that the outcome was obvious although Caius died hard. Darius was not content to kill him, he tortured him first, ripping his prey to shreds like an eagle before finally building a pyre of the parts and setting them on fire to watch grimly as the body burned to ashes.

"A fire? Goody, I love flames."

Aro got too close to the pyre and as he turned, his cloak caught alight and Carlisle had to take him down and roll him on the floor to douse them. Personally I would have let him burn for what he had done to Charlie but it wasn't my call. All we could do was to wait for the smoke to clear and decide on our next move.