Chapter Fifty Five.

Jasper

Inside the central chamber it was chaos with furniture and bodies joining shattered stone in a whirlwind controlled by Corey who on seeing my signal lowered his hands and the wind dropped as quickly as it had risen with everything that had been suspended within the funnel crashing to the ground in a heap. I nodded again and our party started rounding up the bodies, some intact, others in pieces, caught in the first explosion or battered by the debris in the vortex. Rouke and Darius were fighting Marcus who didn't seem to be trying very hard against our party and I saw him go down under the assault. There were a number of guard soon dismembered and burned by our group and then I saw Aro trying to force a way out between huge stone blocks that were making his exit into the corridor impassable. I ran at him crashing into his back and crushing him between my self and the wall. He turned like a cornered rat teeth bared and hands clawing at my face forcing me back slightly but I was quicker and stronger only desperation giving him an edge initially. I saw in his face that he knew he couldn't win but he was going to fight me all the way and the others joined us in a semi circle watching as the leader of the Volturi fought The Major and lost. Only when his dismembered body lay on the floor did they close in and picking up all the pieces threw them to join the others on the still burning pyre. I whirled hearing a sound behind me to see Chelsea appear and felt her gift working its magic on our group as she strove to turn us into an army she could use against our friends to escape. She would have succeeded too if Bella hadn't arrived at that moment with the others. She seemed to understand what was going on as we turned to attack her party because I heard her cry and suddenly everything was as it had been except that Chelsea was bound by invisible chains, Bella staring at her and shouting her defiance,

"No way are you turning us against each other bitch. Now you die."

Chelsea staggered as her chains seemed to pull her from her feet and drag her unwilling body into the flames of the same pyre that had consumed her leader.

Bella

There was chaos in the chamber when Rose and Elspeth helped me up from the passage but I could see something was wrong as the eyes of our friends, my mate, were glazed and angry as they stared at us.

"Its Chelsea, she's binding them to her."

Rose's shout told me what the problem was.

"No she's not, the bitch"

I turned on her, first throwing my shield about our party to stop her influence touching them any longer and once I saw that succeed I turned my power on her, wrapping her tightly in it, much as I had Jane in Brazil. I knew she needed to die and seeing one pyre still burning I used my power to drag her into it only letting go when I heard her screams as the flames set her vampire flesh alight. As I sagged exhausted Jasper ran over and pulled me into his arms kissing me and holding the terrible fire from my sight.

"Well done Bella. Aro and Marcus are both gone and a good number of the guard with him but there's no sign of Caius yet. We need to join up with the others but keep your eyes peeled, there will be Alec and other guard still alive and ready to fight."

Everyone nodded and Jasper put my hand in Rose's,

"Look after Bella for me Rose, she's my most treasured possession. Stay back and be careful."

We followed them out of the chamber through the now cleared door into more corridors hunting for our friends and I was praying that their luck had been as good as ours because every one of our party were still with us, none suffering more than a few bites.

Peter

When we heard the explosion above us we knew it was time to go topside so Antonio and his brothers used the stone key and then pulled the unlocked but still firmly jammed door away from its surrounding stones giving us access to the citadel and once in it was clear to see that the damage while significant was only to the front of the building, this area where the brothers had their studies was relatively intact. We spread out looking for guard, or if we were lucky perhaps a brother or two. Garrett looked at me with a big grin,

"Now this is what I like about The Major, he always throws a bloody good party."

I nodded my agreement then shouted a warning seeing a number of cloaked figures running at us. Garrett spun round and the fight was on. The Fraternidad were remorseless working their way through the guard one by one literally ripping them to pieces and scattering them around as they moved forward once more. Emmett and Hawke once finishing with their opponents started collecting up the pieces and began the process of burning them, ensuring none could reassemble and threaten our backs. I saw the edge of a black cloak and shouted to Antonio who was in pursuit with his friends in a second, Whether it was Caius or another of the brothers I couldn't tell but I doubted whoever it was would survive their assault. Hearing another scream I turned to see Heidi cornered by Emmett but before I could speak Wilhelm was there pushing Emmett aside to stand protector before his mate. As she looked at him her eyes changed and I knew that the others had found and killed Chelsea setting Heidi free of her mental imprisonment. She recognised Wilhelm and grasped his arm crying out in relief. Emmett was ready to take on Wilhelm before recognising him and realizing who the woman was. He backed away with a nod and joined me as the second wave appeared pretty annoyed there was nothing for them to do except help with the clear up.

Caius

I heard Peter's cry and footsteps running after me but I wasn't finished yet. I knew I needed to move fast and I wanted Alec with me, watching my back and keeping me safe but he was unwilling to follow me out of the citadel.

"My sister's killer is here now and she should be avenged."

"Alec there are too many of them, now isn't the time. Wait until we regroup, then you can take revenge for your sister."

"No, I'm staying."

Nothing I said made any difference and I didn't have the time to argue with him I had an escape plan of my own if I could just get to the archives ahead of my pursuers and hopefully he would slow them down. The corridors seemed longer than usual but eventually I reached the door and wrenched it open slamming it shut again after me and pulling the huge metal bars across to lock it shut. Then I went to the back of the book stacks and pulled the last in the left corner open slightly so I could slip through and then shut it after me. No one as far as I was aware knew of this passage except me and I ran down it silently to the end where there was another door, this one fastened from with in by a huge iron lock, the key ready in it for a quick escape. I had prepared this many years ago when I first found it. I thought it prudent to have a way of escaping the citadel...just in case an enemy of the Volturi ever stormed us and now they had. The lock opened with a small click, it had been regularly oiled, again just in case. I slipped out into the alleyway near the town walls planning on hiding in the surrounding countryside until it seemed safe to go back for Athenadora but as I turned I heard a voice address me,

"You know, I thought you might try sneaking out on us Caius."