Chapter Forty One

Carlisle

Esme and I had been walking in the citadel gardens when Felix appeared with a summons from Aro. I cursed his timing as for the first time since this whole business blew up Esme had appeared to be softening her attitude towards me.

Perhaps our recent trip to Pisa had helped, giving her time to think about our future. For her, it had been a holiday, but I had spent the whole week with the Volturi lawyers and next week I was due to meet with representatives of the Financial Intelligence Unit along with a team of accountants.

We had been discussing the future and I had rather arrogantly said that I was pleased she had been able to put our past differences behind her.

"Don't fool yourself, Carlisle. I will never forget what you did even though I forgive you. If I ever find out you are keeping something from me again I will not be so generous despite my love for you."

I suppose in retrospect it was probably good that we were interrupted. That way I didn't have time to decide if I had any more secrets that might come to light.

Aro wasn't alone when we arrived. Sitting beside him was a young woman I had seen around although I didn't know her. It seemed however that Esme was better acquainted with her.

"Phoebe! It's good to see you. How was your trip to Geneva?"

Aro ignored the two women and gestured for me to take a seat beside him.

"I forgot Carlisle. You haven't been introduced to Phoebe yet, have you? She is one of my more private gifts but I decided that under the circumstances you should hear what she has to say. I would appreciate it if you kept what you see and hear to yourself, my friend."

I felt uneasy, Aro had that certain look in his eye. The one I recognized as meaning trouble for someone.

"Of course, Aro."

He smiled inclining his head graciously and turned to the women.

"Phoebe. Perhaps you will tell Carlisle what you saw a few hours ago? I should perhaps just explain that Phoebe is a remote viewer and has been watching Edward and Jane."

I felt the first stirring of apprehension as she flicked her long dark hair back from her face then turned to me.

"Edward and Jane met with Eleazar and explained the situation to him but he decided to stay and face The Major. I'm not sure if that makes him very brave or incredibly stupid but it's not for me to judge.

Anyhow, as they were about to leave The Major and Bella appeared and the atmosphere became very charged. I can see why people are afraid of him although I think she is probably the more dangerous of the two. After all, she doesn't have his self-control and she was not happy to see Edward."

I glanced at Esme expecting her to be as anxious as I was but she merely looked bored. Did she hate our son that much?

Feeling my gaze on her she raised an eyebrow, "What? Are you expecting me to fall apart and pray that Edward is safe? I think a little lesson in humility might do him good and I seriously doubt that Aro would be telling you all this if Jasper or Bella had been killed."

Aro smiled, "As always Esme you see things more clearly than Carlisle. I told you that your compassion would be the ruin of you my friend and you laughed. Who is laughing now?"

Bella

I had braced myself when Jasper told me Edward was in the house with Eleazar and an unknown vampire.

"It must be one of the Volturi. Darius told us that the family had gone to Volterra so maybe Edward has a helper."

Jasper snorted, "More like a childminder. I doubt Aro would let Edward wander around unsupervised. So, are you ready?"

I nodded and we stepped up to the door just as it opened.

Edward stood there aghast, a blonde-haired girl behind him.

"Bella? Jasper?"

"Two for two, Edward. I see your brain hasn't atrophied yet. Why don't you step outside?"

Jasper's voice was cold and menacing and I saw Edward stiffen as he stepped outside.

He realized the girl had moved to one side and was watching him closely.

Seeing his gaze she shrugged, "This has nothing to do with me. It's your problem, Edward. I'm just here to make sure you return to Volterra but Aro never said what state you had to be in."

I couldn't help liking her attitude even though she looked cold and distant. She may look like a teenager but her lack of emotion and cold blank eyes gave away her true age as being far, far, older.

"Look, I'm sorry about your father Bella. I don't know what happened to you but if it was in any way our fault then I apologize for that too. It looks like you got a little too close to the dog boy. I did try to warn you he was dangerous."

I tensed, did he have any idea how close to being executed he was? I truly doubted it, Edward was too arrogant to think he could die, especially at my hands.

"Apologies not accepted and for your information, this was not Jake's handiwork. He actually tried to help unlike you. Do you still run away from threats like a little boy, Edward? Or does Carlisle still jump in to save you?"

He frowned, "Carlisle? What are you talking about?"

"I heard stories about you and Carlisle. How you draw in the innocent girls and he hands them over to the Volturi."

Edward opened his mouth to protest but I wasn't interested.

I held up a hand to silence him. "Don't bother. I'm not interested in hearing your excuses. Do you remember a girl called Lucy?"

I stared at him and noticed the change in his stance, "I see you do. I met her father a while ago and he told me what happened. How Carlisle threw her into the fire to save you."

There was a long silence and then he shrugged his shoulders and smiled, "So, you heard a story and decided to believe it. Probably because you wanted to think I was evil. I never hurt you. I just left, if you can't handle that then you need to grow up."

"Oh, I can handle it. In fact, I should thank you for my lucky escape. I could be dead like Lucy now."

"So, if you didn't come to kill me, why are you here? Not that I care. Jane and I will go and leave you to get on with it. I take it Jasper is going to kill Eleazar? I would if I discovered he was the one responsible for my death."

"Jasper can speak for himself. I'm more interested in seeing you suffer for the others like me who didn't survive."

Edward frowned and stepped back one step then another, "You can't kill me. You heard Jane. Aro will expect me back in Volterra."

"Oh, he can have you. For what that's worth. Without your gift, I doubt you'll mean much."

As he scowled I used my gift for what I hoped would be one of the last times. After all, I had no idea how much more I could use it without killing myself and now I finally had something to live for.

As we had travelled I had tried out a theory on Jasper. Maybe I could use my gift to disable Edward's. How long it would last I had no idea but if I was as powerful as Darius and Johnny H seemed to think I should be able to shut down his mind-reading. Making him suffer was better than killing him. That would be too easy a way out for him.

Edward's eyes misted over momentarily and when they cleared I saw the look of panic on his face.

"Strange isn't it when you don't know what everyone else is thinking. Welcome to our world Edward. Now you can go."

"What did you do to me? Change me back. You have no right to take away my gift, Bella."

I stepped over until we were toe to toe and stared into his face, "Just be thankful I didn't kill you. I still might change my mind if you don't get the hell out of here right now."

Feeling the rage begin to rise in me I considered finishing him here and now but then I felt Jasper's hand on my shoulder.

"He's not worth it, Bella."

Tearing my eyes from Edward's face I stepped back and felt Jasper's arms close around me.

"You're right. He isn't."

Edward stepped forward as if to confront me again but the girl grabbed him by the elbow.

"You really don't get it do you, Edward. Come on, we're leaving. Unless that is you have a death wish."

He tried to pull free of her grip but then he must have seen something in my face and understood just how close he was to dying.

Spinning around he walked away still in the grip of the girl who was smiling broadly. I understood then that she disliked him too. Edward didn't have many friends in Volterra if she was anything to go by.

Jasper pulled me close and kissed the top of my head, "I'm proud of you, Bella. Now, let's go see Eleazar and see if I can make you as proud of me."

"Whatever you decide to do I'll be proud of you and let's be fair, Edward was not my biggest challenge. We didn't even know for sure that we'd find him here."

Carlisle

I found it hard to believe that Bella was capable of destroying Edward's gift while Aro, to my amazement, seemed to be enjoying himself.

"I think I made the right call with Bella if that is anything to go by. She is learning how to wield her gift like a weapon. I just hope it doesn't explode in her face. The major seems to have things pretty much under control for now.

So, shall we continue to watch Carlisle? Would you like to know what happens to your friend?"

I just stared at him in disbelief. He didn't seem at all concerned that he had lost Edward's gift. I was just relieved that he had gotten off so lightly.

" Would you like to bet on the outcome? It would make things a little more interesting."

"Don't you care about Edward and Eleazar, Aro? Why aren't you trying to stop Bella? You know what she's capable of. You've read the prophecies and you spent centuries hunting her ancestors down because of them. You and Caius. Why would you suddenly do an about-face?"

Aro's eyes narrowed and I got the message. He didn't like being challenged and I for one wasn't prepared to risk his ire, so I backed off.

"Let's just say that Bella and I have an understanding. As for Edward, well, he can still be of use to me and who knows, the block may wear off in time. It will do him good to exist on a level playing field with the rest of us. It might even be the making of him."

I forced words from between frozen lips, "And Eleazar? He's our friend. He did such good work for you over the centuries."

"The important word is did. Eleazar left many years ago and it was Caius not me who used him to find The Major. Eleazar had more than one master."

"But we owe him something surely?"

Esme squeezed my hand in warning, the atmosphere in the room was becoming frigid and I needed to be careful.

Aro's eyes flashed dangerously, "Yes. And I offered him protection. He refused my offer. What else would you have me do, Carlisle? I suggest you stop questioning my actions now before you test our friendship too far."

Aro had never uttered a threat to me in all the time I had known him. It was his way of telling me I was about to cross a line from which there was no return.

Esme squeezed my hand again more urgently this time, "Be satisfied that Edward is safe, Carlisle."

I began to pull free of her before remembering she had stood by me when I needed it most. I had made my decision, Esme was all that mattered. Instead, I squeezed her hand back and managed a wan smile, "You're right. I'm sorry, Aro."

Aro nodded his head graciously, "Well then, Phoebe. Tell us what is happening in Denali, please. Just the highlights."

Phoebe closed her eyes once more and her brow creased in concentration.

Jasper

Eleazar stood in the open doorway having witnessed everything that had happened. He could have turned and run or tried to barricade himself inside but he did neither.

Instead, he took two steps forward as Edward and Jane disappeared from view.

"Jasper. I always knew there would come a day when my actions would lead someone here to challenge me. I'm just sorry it had to be you."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"Because I grew to know you, the kind of person you are and I know my actions ruined what should have been a good life. You were quite the commander, everything a soldier should be, brave, spirited, a true leader of men."

"Isn't that why you singled me out for the Volturi?"

He nodded, "Yes and I was right. Without you, the Southern covens would have become too dangerous to allow them to exist and we needed them at the time. If not for you then peace would never have been achieved."

"Well, I'm glad I could be of service. Do you have any idea what you put me through?"

"No, not really. I can only imagine. Your gift was far more powerful than anyone could have imagined. I would say I'm sorry but that seems rather weak. I'm glad you survived though. You and Alice were so good together. I never thought she would find anyone who could cope with her eccentricities. You gave her the stability her life lacked."

"Right. Well, we're no longer together so that doesn't matter. What does matter is you and me."

"So, are you going to kill me? You know it will put you in danger? The Volturi have strict laws against separating mates and Carmen would never survive without me."

"Do you really think that would stop me? I don't care about the Volturi. What more can they do to me? They already took everything away from me with your aid."

I could feel Eleazar's fear but also his hope. Hope that I wouldn't make Carmen pay for his deeds. He was right of course, I had no quarrel with her but I couldn't just walk away and I had no intention of doing so.

"I decided that the best thing to do would be to subject you to the kind of pain you put me and all my victims through. I just hope for your sake that you're strong enough to survive it."

Eleazar looked around wildly, he knew he couldn't run or hide and soon he was on his knees screaming in agony. I had decades of pain and terror locked up inside and I let him have it all.

By the time we left, fifteen minutes later he was prostrate and trembling all over calling out in a feeble voice for Carmen.

Bella took my hand and led me back to the car and I realized that I too was trembling. Reliving all that had also been painful for me and I felt weary and drained.

"It's OK, Jasper. It's over. Soon it will all be over. You rest, I'll drive."

She leaned over and kissed me and suddenly I didn't feel so terrible anymore. Revenge is never as sweet as people imagine. It takes from both sides but it had been necessary to show him the result of his actions. He said he no longer worked for the Volturi and whether that was true or not it might make him think twice before doing so again.