Into the Cold
"Give her to me" The Cullen's growled in response to the red haired vampire's demand.
"Give her to me now or you all die" she demanded.
Bella was silently crying as she shakily moved to stand on her feet. She was confused but understood that she was the reason for the attack. Emmett held her to him tighter to stop her movement.
She spoke one word to him in a silent breath; 'Edward'
She was frightened for her life, the Cullens' and the wolves' but knew that if she wasn't killed immediately, she'd have a chance to call to Edward.
"Let me go" She begged Emmett through tears. His response was a frustrated growl.
"Please" She added.
When Emmett ignored her plea she tilted her head towards Rosalie. Emmett's face was pained when he looked at his mate. Victoria pulled Bella roughly from Emmett's hold. She stumbled and fell.
"Such a weak human!" she spat in a high soprano voice.
"How are you all under her control?" she sneered pulling Bella up by her hair. She screamed in pain.
"We'll test out that power of yours in Volterra. I will gain favour for bringing one with your little talent to the leaders." Victoria talked at a terrified Bella.
Bella's fear increased. The Volturi would know about Edward from her. She was his biggest weakness.
"Thank you; I'll be sure to mention you to Aro." Victoria cackled in evil laughter after threatening the Cullens.
Victoria and her group ran away carrying a frightened Bella carelessly.
They swam with her to James' island on the back of one male. Bella was in pain, wet and cold. She used the quick trip to focus on connecting with Edward. She sensed him just before she was thrown roughly to the ground.
The group of vampires gathered six feet from her. They talked too fast and low for her to hear, in-between laughter and growls. Her whole demeanor suddenly changed. Her sharp angry eyes scanned the group with her hands tightly fisted. Her change was undetected until she fainted.
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When dawn broke Edward had led his brothers and their guard into Russia. He led them from the front with his brothers at his flanks. The guard watched over the left and right sides while the werewolves were on guard behind them. They traveled with stealth at a slow pace. They killed any they could sense or see who stood on their path.
Edward commanded their guard and wolves to search out and destroy his brother's blood banks, clubs, and various other homes. Antonio had information on the locations of these places.
"Is this wise brother?" Evan asked Edward on the merit of splitting up the group
"They will have no trouble. Our brother called all his guard to make a stand at his house." He informed them using Alice's vision as the reason for his knowledge. He had read Yev's thoughts.
"Coward!" Kira spat.
They travelled further into Russia towards the border of Siberia, where their brother's castle like home stood. They moved slowly to allow their guard time to complete their mission and join them.
When they did, Edward sent Luke forward to announce his master's arrival at the house of Khrypkov.
Though he believed he would not survive the meeting, Luke followed his orders. He was attacked when he came into view of the house before Yev's general recognized the stones of his sword.
He was presented before Yev at the castle entrance with his head bowed down.
"Speak!" Yev commanded
"I come with word from my master." Luke replied
"You are of Usha?" Yev asked, studying the swords laid on his sides
"Yes. He sent me to announce his arrival."
Yev didn't know how to respond. If he killed Luke he'd be declaring war on his brother.
"How many in your house?" Yev asked
"Six, three males and three females"
Yev relaxed with the knowledge. His brother posed no threat to him with only three males. He neglected to ask more questions; feeling overly confident. After a moment of thought he sent his first general and two others to go collect the Romanian leaders immediately.
His relationship with the Romanians was fragile.
He could not trust them fully because they had killed his kind, their wolves and had control over him.
They did not trust him because he turned against his own to spare his life and helped the Volturi kill the werewolves.
Closer to the end of the war, he had no wolves left to his house. He killed all remaining wolves that were bound to other houses out of fear of retaliation. He killed his brother - Edward's second - to make the Volturi think it was he who had died to escape imprisonment.
The Romanians kept their alliance with him because he offered to train their armies and create them soldiers of his kind when the time came. Their seer had foretold a great war to come in the future. The Romanians had hid him and controlled the size of his house to make sure he didn't turn on them.
They had refused to give him more guards from their army to seek his brothers out and protect his house. He had sensed Edward the days he changed Anna and left Volterra. He had sensed his brothers and Edward the day they met when he arrived in the Americas. The Romanian's believed there was no threat; since there were so few of their kind.
For this, he had retaliated by destroying one of their nesting sites in India. His guard had killed sixty newborn vampires that were carefully selected and changed because of the gifts they would have as vampires.
He had blamed the attack on his brothers to convince his allies of the danger without success. Since then, he had been living in fear. When his borders and sites were attacked; he suspected the Romanians had found him out.
With his brother's pending arrival; he hoped to strengthen his alliance with the Romanians. He would offer Kira and his house to them. In his mind he would gain an ally and eliminate a strong enemy even though it was his brother.
If the Romanians refused to come; he planned to convince his brother to help him defend his lands.
He sent Luke back to let Kira know he was expected. Luke ran full speed back. He was grateful to have survived the meeting.
The three brothers had left their group when he returned.
Edward used Luke to distract his brother while he, Kira and Evan entered the castle undetected. They had used the dark underground passageways which lead to the main room of the castle. Edward had been close enough to hear his brother's thoughts which filled him with rage.
When they reached the door, Edward froze in place. He had sensed Bella calling to him in distress. This stopped Kira from pulling the door off for them to enter.