Chapter Fifty Five
Carlisle
When I heard from Aro again I knew it would be with an ultimatum this time.
"This is none of my doing Carlisle, but you can tell Isabella that she has less than two weeks to return to us or her parents will be executed."
"None of your doing? I find that hard to believe, then whose Aro? And where are you? If I can get in touch with Bella and I make no promises then she would need to know where you are based now."
"The old ruined monastery in Lamia Greece, remember it, Carlisle?"
"Yes, at least I remember the painting in your study, it was a beautiful spot but who is forcing your hand with regard to the Swans?"
"My dear brother, you'll understand when you get your invitation to join us for the trial."
"Trial? You're putting Bella's parents on trial? For what? Why don't you just change them and be done with it?"
"The trial isn't for them, they are merely an addition to the proceedings. If Isabella doesn't appear in front of us by the time of the trials we will be left with no choice but to kill her parents."
I rang Jasper with this latest information and promised to be in Greece waiting if they needed our help. It was time the Cullens stood up to be counted. I knew there were many who considered me to be a coward, weak, thinking only of my family and the humans I treated at the hospitals where I worked, but they were mistaken. While I was no lover of violence and preferred diplomacy to war I could and had fought during my life as a vampire and I would do so again for the girl who had never judged us or threatened us with exposure. I had given the other members of the family a free choice, whether to come with me or stay behind, after all it wasn't my choice to make for them but everyone was determined to stand with me, even a still sulking Edward.
Jasper
Bella and I were in bed when Carlisle rang, having decided it was more comfortable for Bella's soft human body and I didn't want to hurt her but I couldn't help admitting that I needed her again and again until she finally fell asleep exhausted but with a smile on her face. Her lips puffy and several bruises on her shoulders where I had held her too tightly and I made a mental note to be more careful. It hadn't really occurred to me just how easy it would be to hurt Bella badly until I almost bit her as I climaxed, then I pulled myself up short and it took some time to reassure her that I hadn't decided I didn't love her after all. Bella was in a very delicate state of mind right now with everything that had happened but once I told her the reason for my hesitation she smiled and I felt relief flood her system.
Luckily my phone was on vibrate instead of ring so it didn't wake Bella but I slid out of bed careful not to disturb her pulled on my boxers and walked through to the lounge.
"I was going to call you Carlisle, but I got sidetracked."
"Never mind Jasper there's been a development, I had another call from Aro, it seems Caius is keen to see this over. I think he's frightened that the longer the rest of our world think the Volturi are in disarray the more likelihood there is of insurrection. I got an invitation in the mail from them, they are holding a show trial, to underline that they still have our world in an iron grip."
"Good, it means they'll be tied up with that, giving Bella more time to work on controlling her gift."
"Actually no, because there is an addition to the Volturi circus. If Bella isn't back by the day of the trial her parents will be executed along with Raoul and other rebels. I'm sorry Jasper, there was nothing I could do about it but we are on our way to Greece as we speak, ready to help you in any way we can."
I sighed, this would be a blow to Bella and added pressure, but I couldn't hide it from her.
"Thank you, Carlisle, I think the best thing to do would be to meet up and go to the trial en masse if I can get Bella's gift under control in time. If not then I guess we will just have to try to spring her parents the old fashioned way, although it's not going to be easy, they'll be expecting us."
After making a few tentative plans with Carlisle, I returned to the bedroom to find Bella standing naked in front of the full-length mirror studying her reflection. I smiled and slipped my arms around her from behind pulling her against me and nuzzling her neck,
"Now that is a sight I will never forget. Are you OK?"
She nodded smiling and turned to plant a kiss on my cheek.
"I wondered where you were and decided to see if I look any different now."
"I see, and do you?"
She nodded frowning slightly,
"Yes, see, my skin is paler and my eyes, the color is changing. Do you think my body is devouring itself as I change?"
"I hadn't really thought about it, but I guess the venom must be feeding on something, so your blood would be the obvious thing. Are you scared?"
She turned around and wound her arms around my waist, laying her head on my shoulder,
"Not now I'm with you, what do I have to be afraid of? Where were you?"
"Talking to Carlisle, they are flying out and we are going to meet them in Greece once we have your gift under control."
"But that could take months, after all we haven't done too well up to now."
I sighed and led her back to the bed sitting beside her and holding her face between my hands, it felt considerably cooler now, as if the transformation if that's what it was had sped up suddenly,
"We have just under two weeks."
"We have? Why? What's going on?"
"I told you I wouldn't lie to you so here goes."
I told her exactly what Carlisle had told me and waited hoping she wouldn't start to panic.
Instead, she nodded,
"OK, we can do it in two weeks, we have to. I will not let the Volturi kill my parents if I have to kill every one of them myself."
"It won't come to that Bella, you'll never be alone again, we are in this together and we have our friends as well as Carlisle and the family."
She groaned at the thought of Edward reappearing in her life, but I just smiled,
"Don't worry darlin' he'll know things have changed as soon as he sees you. Besides which you smell of me now, a sure sign of a mate."
She pulled me close breathing in deeply,
"Shall we just make sure of that before the others get back? Then we have to start working on my gift for real."
"Always happy to oblige but I think I hear the others coming."
She groaned pulled me close again and whispered in my ear,
"Make this just a short interval. I can't wait too long."
"Don't worry I'll find a way to get you alone again soon enough, for now go get dressed, I don't want anyone else to see my mate in the nude."
I slapped her bare rump as she turned away and she giggled grabbing the sheet and winding it around herself as she made for the bathroom door, gaining its sanctuary just in time to spare her blushes.
Peter was the first one through the door and he stopped testing the air, a huge grin spreading across his face,
"Well, well, it seems The Major got a ride after all. Not before time, I was beginning to think you'd taken a vow of celibacy like some fucking monk."
"And speaking of monks we need to talk."
I explained everything to them and they agreed we needed to concentrate on finding a way to control Bella's gift although Charlotte didn't seem that concerned.
"Major, you've done everything necessary to accomplish that. Now you and Bella are truly mated it will be easy for her to connect with you and use your emotional control to enable her to control her gift, it will just need a little fine tuning, that's all."
I just hoped she was right or we would be marching into battle with the odds stacked against us and I hated the idea of that, now I had my mate close at last.
