A/N Hey everyone, okay first of all I just wanted to say thank you all so very much. I couldn't believe it when I checked here and found that I'd hit 200 reviews. When I first started to write this story I'd honestly not even been sure if I was going to put it up on the site, just wanting something to do for fun. Only as I'd kept going with it had I felt maybe it was time to see what other's thought. I'd never expected the kind of response that I've received from you all. There has been so much support from all of you guys and you make writing so enjoyable when you know that people are just as excited to read the next chapter as I am to keep writing them. So many of you have recommended this story some on sites and others of you to friends and then even some on their own stories. It's blown me away how amazing you've all been. I hope I can just keep getting good quality chapters to you that you'll continue to enjoy reading. I just wanted to make my appreciation to all of you clear, you've all made me very happy that I actually posted this story instead of it ending up hidden in a folder somewhere.
This chapter has no Beta but I do believe with the help of Trillion I may have a Beta that is interested in helping, I will however have to find the time to send her a message and see if she is still interested. It will certainly help if I have a Beta, it freeing up some more time to keep writing for all of you guys.
Anyway I'll let you all go and read the chapter that's why you're all here not to read my long author notes. Just as a side note, there is a warning with the chapter. Violence will be seen within this chapter continue at your own risk ;)
Enjoy :)
RED DAWN
SUMMARY: Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.
Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.
Chapter Thirteen
Edward had followed the thoughts of the newborns.
Their hunger for blood was so loud in his mind, that it almost made his own desire for blood heighten at just how painful the venom in their mind was. So far removed from that time in his own existence, he'd almost forced away those early days when all he'd wanted was to get to the human's that he could hear screaming in his head. Carlisle had been a large help in keeping him sane in those early days, when it had only been the two of them, not only with his struggle for human blood but his mind reading too. Haunted by them not only with the constant bombardment of their thoughts but the knowledge of how close they were and how vulnerable and defenceless they were to be, should he want them. The thirst for a newborn was insatiable but he'd faced something even since then more destructive, the blood of his singer Edward knew now though had Bella not been more than just his singer he'd have never been able to resist her sirens blood call to him. Edward knew it was near impossible for any vampire to resist the call of their singer. Emmet had come across such a scent twice in his existence and not been able to stop himself. The fact that Emmet had come across such a thing twice in life was a phenomenon all in itself. Edward had seen from Aro's mind though just how unbelievable it was that any could stop the initial instinct to hunt that scent.
Edward while he'd never wish the pain or risk of life with any vampire finding their own singer, he'd be a liar to say he'd not been curious to see Carlisle's reaction to such a call. Though he didn't believe there was a scent on this earth that could tempt Carlisle's moral code, he'd not gone centuries without feeding on a drop other than those he'd changed to throw it away, all those years of struggle. It was easy to forget that even Carlisle at a time had been just as tormented by the newborn thirst, his fear of what he was and need for destruction had taken him away from human life. His starving his new body had eventually gifted him the solution when he'd finally come across a wild animal while waiting for death.
Animal blood.
There the lifestyle that they'd lived by under Carlisle's guidance had been created.
Edward was no longer blind to how much fate could be seen in that simple moment in Carlisle's life all those centuries ago, a man who had been so disgusted within his own creation. A religious man. A man who still at heart had been a boy trying to impress a father with such high moral standings that it had almost crippled him. Had it simply been a human who had stumbled across a starving Carlisle this entire world they shared together could be so vastly different. Edward doubted Carlisle would have ever become a doctor, he'd have never found him in a hospital bed dying of the Spanish influenza. Carlisle would have never fixed a younger Esme's broken leg. He'd have never found Rosalie Hale dying in a street. Rosalie would have never found Emmet and brought him to Carlisle to change. Alice would have awoken blind to this world with only an image of Jasper but the two would have never known of the alternate diet. Edward doubted Bella would have survived the day Tyler's truck had veered off the road. It was so stunning in his mind, how that one simple moment of complete chance had in effect gifted the life they shared now, the family they all had was because of that one moment in time.
Like a sign from the god Edward believed had abandoned him had given Carlisle the solution to his suffering and prayers.
As Edward listened to the complete consuming need for blood he couldn't help but find that his own belief in not feeding traditionally was only further held stronger, the animal diet had given him so much. It had allowed his family to build and grow in strength. It had allowed him to resist that initial desire for Bella's blood and given him just enough control to run and gain back his will to not harm her. It had given him the control he'd needed and now he was strong enough to let go of some of that control and be gifted with all those things he'd always wanted.
Edward inhaled, his nostrils flared he'd moved past a good ten feet away from where both Alice and Jasper were running to take the flank they'd been given. Edward could hear just off a mile away Riley, he was in the trees he had a good vantage point to watch the newborns he'd sent. The wish to hunt down the puppet in Victoria's plans was hard to repel away he couldn't leave his family without his assistance in this fight. While the numbers were evenly matched every one of them would be out strengthen. Only Emmet even held something close to that of a newborn strength but even he couldn't expect to simply best a newborn on brute force. A vampire was at their physical pique during the first year of life, if it was controlled it would make for a formidable and incredibly destructive weapon. The main issue however was what they held in strength they lacked for in control, they ran only on instinct and by the time they slowly started to fade away from the blood lust haze the strength had waned significantly by then.
Edward saw in Riley's mind the moment that he saw him, he'd almost missed the movement but it had been enough, a wild blur of untamed bronze hair mixed amongst the trees and Riley had gone. He'd run right towards the direction of La Push, he was following the similar routes that Victoria ran but without the added skill of her evasive ability. Edward knew that the only way to get him now was to move the fight forward now. Too much distance and he'd lose his read on his mind and then even his scent if Riley got to water. It was the only real way for their kind to completely cover their scent, water completely removed the trace of scent and once in water a vampire could remain submerged indefinitely. They had no need for oxygen and could just keep swimming never tiring. It was how nomads often travelled from different continents around the world not able to be in enclosed spaces for long amounts of time with humans without slaughtering them, swimming the distance was the best alternative solution.
Edward reached his position but felt his body freeze instead of moving into attack as he moved using the tree cover and bushes as a somewhat cover to hide behind. Not that the newborns were focusing on him now anyway, they had their backs to him but their eyes were all focussed on two figures. Edward knew it was Carlisle and Tanya though, Edward could see that Tanya seemed awfully resistant to stand at Carlisle's side, instead of charging towards them readying to stop them he was walking. At a human pace, hands raised as if in a sign of peace and good faith.
Carlisle had decided to change the plan.
Edward was not the only one furious with this. This was only giving Riley all the more time to escape him but Edward couldn't abandon his family, he refused to break away from the plans they'd decided upon. Carlisle however it seemed had no problem with this.
"What the hell is he doing?" Jasper's mind was aggravated as he tried his best to gain some leverage over the newborns emotions to keep them in control.
"Edward you have to be ready. If this goes badly we'll need you to play interference for us to gain some sense of power over them. Can't believe he's gone rogue on me" Jasper said still disbelieving of Carlisle's complete disregard for the plans they'd put in place. It deeply offended and upset Jasper especially considering his own mate was with him very much in this dangerous situation while Carlisle's was safe away from here at Jasper's own request. He felt a sense of betrayal that Carlisle would risk his mate when he'd taken to have Esme removed from harm's way.
"You must stop your advancement on these lands" Carlisle said which only furthered the newborns aggravation, they'd been told about the claiming of land that the yellow eyed coven had. How they'd taken human pets within their own coven to show how powerful they were, this man was denying them and there was only him and a female.
"Yellow eyes" a man sneered his name was Nathan he was short but stocky, with a narrow waist but broad set of shoulders he looked the most physically powerful within the mixed group of newborns. At least he would have been as a human, Edward assumed now they'd all but evenly matched in strength within the seven newborns. Edward felt himself hiss as Riley's mind faded out then moving past the distance that Edward could keep read of his thoughts he'd have no way of telling his location now without using his sense of smell. He'd never been an exceptional tracker in that regard he'd relied too much on his mind reading to aid him in tracking anyone he was following.
"Yes I have yellow eyes. It's due to my diet. My family also share in this lifestyle that affords us a more acceptable eye colour to the humans" Carlisle explained as if he was trying to convert these wild newborns, Edward couldn't believe what he was hearing. He wasn't sure who he was angrier towards then, those who would dare to risk his family or Carlisle who was looking to convert threats to their lifestyle. Edward couldn't recognise the man he'd always believed a good leader and father with this man right now. He couldn't understand his motives even hearing his thoughts.
"Carlisle we're not here for a fucking talk" Tanya said aggravated as some of the males with the group were eying her with a lust filled aggressive hunger that made even the succubus wary.
"This doesn't have to end in more fighting" Carlisle said to her then turning to face the newborns, looking from them each seeing the dark black eyes. The hunger was strong in them all, they were used to being allowed to glutton themselves on human blood. This had bred them to be even less controlled then any typical newborn.
"We have claim of this land and we protect the humans within our land. You risk exposure. While I can't expect you all to follow my family's lifestyle I hope you all would consider it. We are not your enemy. We will protect our land and the humans here, we have you surrounded" Carlisle said completely devastating the plan and any surprise that they'd have from those who still remained hidden.
"Oh shit Poppa Cullen has gone senile in his age" Emmet thought wide eyed seeing that Carlisle had just revealed to the hostile newborns that they were surrounded, he'd ousted the rest of his family. The newborns were now wildly looking around them in each direction, their anger was growing to exceptional levels and Edward could see Jasper struggle to control it then.
"You damn fool" Jasper hissed in his mind, he knew then that he'd need to step in even though it wasn't how they'd planned and that the newborns would see them coming he wasn't about to leave Carlisle completely without protection even if he'd ruined the plan.
"Edward now" Jasper said in a hiss that carried throughout the area surrounding them all, while Jasper knew he hadn't needed to voice the order he'd done so more for Emmet and Rose across from them to allow them to know that no longer were they to wait.
The newborn, Nathan had finally had enough his rage had bubbled over and the most set in his instincts had gone to move towards Carlisle and even then, in spite of Carlisle risking them all Edward reacted. He placed himself in harm's way knowing that he could protect the man who had been like a father to him. The man he knew who was still struggling so deeply with the actions of his family. Before Jasper had even spoken aloud Edward had already broken from his position behind the vampire's before him. He lunged quickly propelling himself in a strong leap over the vampire's standing behind Nathan as he'd moved to crouch and gripped hold of the broad male's shoulders. Edward used the momentum and force of his own movement and speed to bounce on the balls of his feet, flipping his own body over the back of Nathan's while still gripping painfully tight into the very shoulders of the vampire. He pulled him over and sprung Nathan airborne in the direction of his larger brother Emmet.
Emmet had just broken from his own position ahead of Rosalie and could see the newborn sailing through the trees and leapt up tackling him. With a sound that could only be compared to thunder clapping, as two mountainous immortals clashed together in the impact. The moment they hit the ground almost causing a crater in the harder mud of this area of the forest, as chunks of mud and grass was sprayed upwards from where Emmet had powerfully driven Nathan into the ground.
Edward found himself vulnerable then in his aiding in stopping Carlisle from being attacked, he'd placed himself in the centre of the mass of the remaining six newborns. They lunged at him then together, Edward tried his best even with his mind reading though he could only do so much against so many numbers and instincts were hard thoughts to follow. They resembled more a wild animal, reacting on the smallest moment of thought barely did the mind register what they were doing before they'd already reacted. He felt the harsh slash of nails drag down his chest from one of the females as she lunged at him and felt the agonizing sting as she sank her teeth into the top of his arm. Rose had come to aid her brother though, leaving Emmet to fight with his own newborn away from the rest she'd seen Edward struggling to fight back the far superior vampires and gone straight for the female that had attached herself to Edward.
With a sickeningly placed punch into the back of the females head Edward felt her teeth sink deeper into his flesh and then completely dislodge as he heard the crack of marble skull at Rosalie's well placed fist. Edward then took advantage of the stunned look flipping the woman off him twisting her body in a strange angle, with his arm wrapped around her head while her body was arched awkwardly her stomach facing up in the air. With a vicious twist and pop as Rose kicked the woman's legs from under her own body, the head popped off audibly and flew across the small space they fought in, the head taking out branches as it rocket past others engaged.
Alice and Jasper had kept to the intended pod of two, they moved in an almost synchronized dance as they twisted and used each other to leverage themselves around the bodies lunging at them. With the newborns so unused to fighting and untamed in their own instincts they found themselves having to move from target to target in the circular area that the newborns had been closed in on. Jasper was stunned at just how poorly these newborns were at fighting, they leapt and tried to bite which he understood was normal for a newborn but they'd taken to fighting in a very human like manner. Punches and shoving. It was a pathetic showing of skill, not nearly the type of fight he was used to, and Jasper had become almost arrogant in his own assessment when a female placed a well delivered kick that had sent Alice reeling into the tree line violently.
Felicia as she faced a fight like she'd never seen before was beginning to remember, it was a blurred memory but with it came back to her fast even as she tried to avoid the sprite female with short hair. Memories of training, of the itchy white uniform and proud smile on a man's face who cheered in the stands at her. She was remembering her human life, the martial arts training she'd taken part in throughout her childhood and then even into her adult life. As the memories faded and she came back too, it felt almost natural to her then as she swiftly swept her foot upwards and slammed it into the side of the small yellow eyed woman's face.
She didn't have time to gloat though.
The man who fought alongside the pint sized woman was on her quick, he looked like the devil himself skin so marred that it sent a wave of panic through her entire body that made her tremble. She blocked and parried but with everything she did it was like this guy had a solution, he didn't fight in a particular style but in multiple ones. Her memories showed her what she knew but even she didn't have the wide array of moves, attacking or defensive this man had. He hit her, with open handed strikes like slaps, they blinded her visions as he sent hard chops of the back of his hand across her face making her skin crack and flack under the power of his blows. Even when her mind pleaded for him to stop, when her body felt like it couldn't continue any longer he continued to rain down upon her with a savage brutality. She felt the moment his knee hooked behind her thigh and swept her from her feet. How fast he moved as he took claim of her throat while she was still falling and the moment his knee came out beneath her back stopping her dead in the awkward angle. Her face completely unrecognizable then, she couldn't remember why she was there, why she'd felt the need to fight even, but as his open hand came down over her throat as he held her at his mercy. She'd remembered the man in the crowd cheering as everything went black.
Jasper dumped the female's body to the ground once he'd removed her battered head. Pressing his knee down into the centre of her back he removed both arms and then the legs. He knew all too well how vampire bodies had a nasty ability of reattaching even without aid if left too close together and mostly intact. The girl had been good, with time she'd have been an exceptional talent with her skills in the technique of martial arts. She was the enemy and had hurt his mate though, it had to be done. Jasper stood then, rushing off in the direction of where Alice's body had been sent sprawling into the trees quickly moving to make sure his mate was not badly wounded so he could return them both to the fight. He wasn't about to abandon them before the final brawl had been ended.
Rosalie had left Edward once he'd worked his way from out of the gathering of vampires. She'd moved quickly back to join Emmet even if Emmet hadn't wished for her not to be involved. Emmet had seen fairly quickly that Edward's manoeuvring this particular newborn to him had been a strategic one. Clearly the largest of the newborns in size and that added with his enhanced strength made Emmet the only logical person to fight him. Emmet who was so used to having to hold back some of his strength, even with his family was finally allowed to take off the kid gloves as he landed hard body shattering punches. He quickly found however that this male was a worthy opponent. Nathan even wild in his untamed natural instincts hit back at Emmet, what Nathan lacked in technique and skill he made up more for in his brute force that had even Emmet having to try and block and dodge strikes instead of taking them how he usually would while fighting with his brothers. So used to always being the more powerful in a fight he was finding his training failing in areas. For all the times he'd brushed off Jasper's constant nagging that he needed to be more than just strength, felt even more true as he found himself being pinned to the ground thick fingers trying to lodge into his very neck and rip his head off.
Rosalie was there then, leaping onto Nathan's back clawing at his face and temporarily blinding him as Emmet tried to work himself free from under them both. Emmet couldn't help but remember his first memory of Rose though then, as she was above him tearing into his attacker. Once upon a time it had been a beer above him and Rosalie his beautiful blonde angel saving him, seemed she was doing so once again. Nathan was quick to throw Rose's body from his back sending her roughly into a nearby tree and toppling it over under the force of impact as Emmet roared viciously underneath him and then brought his head forward cracking Nathan's face. The fractures splintered over his face from the force of Emmet's skull hitting the centre of his face, his nose all but pulverized as chunks of hard vampire flesh exploded away from his face. Thick globs of venom seeping out of the now missing nose congealing and hardening already but Emmet could see instantly he'd shattered the man's teeth too. The pain Nathan was suffering gave all the opportunity he needed to flip Nathan from above him and finally remove this weakened males head.
Tanya and Carlisle fought side by side, two sides of the same coin in many respects to the styles in which they approached the fight before them. Tanya was one completely held with offense. She was quick and lethal with no holding back even when it could have cost her injury to herself even. She was the epitome of all offensive. Carlisle at her side fought with measured control and agility, everything was defensive he neither made movement to strike at any time but was ready and prepared to parry or reverse any strike offered to him. Even when his defensive skill left the vampire open to lethal ends he did not take them, he did not take the killer blows that would have freed him from his fight instead he appeared to be playing with the newborn as the rage only built inside of the male more. Carlisle had no intention of being the one to end this man. Tanya had every intention of destroying the newborn male she thought. The male snarled venom leaking from his mouth he'd attacked Tanya mainly for the attraction he'd felt for her in his twisted instinctual belief that by beating and dominating her he'd have every right to claim her after for his own pleasure. Tanya knew this without having any gift like Edward or Jasper, she knew when someone wanted her, knew when someone wanted her enough to go to disturbing ends to take that. She focussed her seductive aura even more heightening her own appeal to the already uncontrollable newborn as he all but foamed at the mouth with the excess of venom in his mouth lunging for her desperate to injure and then claim.
Tanya span using her hip to send the male sprawling into the mud, almost taunting him like a bull as she span and twisted her way around and then leapt into attack. Tanya used her fingers more like claws slashing and swiping at flesh feeling gauges of hard skin peel off under her fingers as she made contact. She continued striking at his throat and shoulders slowly working down the skin around his neck before screaming out in a predatorily, almost catlike snarl as she attached herself to the newborn wrapping her legs around his waist and sank her own teeth into his already wounded neck ripping large chunks of his skin free and spitting them aside as his head fell limply away from his still twitching body.
Edward ignored the sting of his exposed bites and the few scratches he'd taken from the female, Rose had left his side then to help Emmet leaving Edward to fend off the man who charged him. Edward could see that the man had been in some sort of physical type relationship with the woman he'd just killed. They weren't mates but Gabe was enraged, enough by having witnessed Edward pop her head as cleanly off as it had fired off into the distant trees. Edward had stood firmly his powerful legs kicking down into the ground as Gabe tried to tackle him around his waist his power sending Edward back but not really an affective move, not against a vampire. Edward used the completely exposed back to beat down upon the males back, feeling the newborn give out slightly under him he'd pushed Edward a fair distance away and the track marks of Edward's feet kicking up the mud showed that. Edward hit into where his kidneys would have been as a human and then forcefully brought his knee up into Gabe's gut. Only then to find that Gabe had wrapped his arm around Edward's raised leg, his mind reading ability couldn't help him when he was already so closely placed between himself an opponent not when they already had some type of hold on him.
He knew it was coming but had no way of removing himself from the vice like grip without crippling himself completely and losing the leg. Gabe twisted the leg at an awkward angle sending Edward sprawling to the ground, Edward from this vantage point using his sense and knowledge from the minds around him of his own location with him on the ground with his back to Gabe. Edward shoved himself up off the ground in a push up position, sending his body off from the ground as he twisted his body feeling the crack of his other leg under Gabe's grip almost pop from the joint as he slammed his free foot into the vampire's chest. It sent Gabe sailing away but he'd been aware enough to keep hold of Edward's foot as the kick sent them both sprawling in the direction of the kick Edward hand landed. Gabe landed roughly to the forest floor with Edward above him, Edward was more aware now and not nearly, in as vulnerable position as he had been. He slammed the palm of his hand upwards slamming into Gabe's throat and felt the satisfying shriek and crunch as his vocal cord crumbled. Edward agilely then rolled his body onto the back of his shoulders and flicked his tall frame up onto his feet.
Gabe was there too, all while his mind agonized over the pain and the added venom that was being fuelled towards his injured throat, healing the damage Edward had inflicted upon him. Edward took advantage of his abilities then completely, one on one with an untrained vampire it seemed more like he was playing with Gabe then as Edward blurred even to vampire's sight in moments as he struck out against the brash and wild swings of Gabe. It was a sight to behold as Edward showed that lethal speed that had made him legend in its own right amongst nomads during his travelling during his rebellion form his family. A speed, that Aro believed unmatched by any other throughout the world of vampires in creation. Gabe had no recollection of ever fighting and he'd barely survived numerous confrontations within the army that Victoria and Riley had put together. Gabe had been fortunate that when he did come to blows the few times he'd been so close he'd been able to take his target completely off guard.
He relied far too much on his strength.
Edward was punishing him for it now.
Edward feigned to his left as Gabe flailed out trying to strike Edward across the face, then dipping down and bring his elbow down upon the bent knee of Gabe. Edward felt the knee cap completely implode upon his strike and watched in an almost thrilled adrenaline of the unbelievable pain it was causing his enemy. He couldn't even scream out his throat was so deeply damaged still that it came out like a chocked gaggle sound with venom spewing out from his mouth. Edward moved then not to hesitate for a second as, he span on his knees twisting his body under the arms that came to wrap around him dodging it with all the grace of a seasoned contortionist. Edward placed his large hand around the second knee then grabbed around Gabe's ankle and brought it up and outwards at a ninety degree angle snapping out horrifically as Gabe fell to his already destroyed knee and Edward discarded the bottom half of his leg.
There was a moment then, as Gabe looked fearful at Edward's blood red eyes, they'd been told all about the yellow eyed members of this coven. That ruled over the entire area who would kill them because they held claim over the blood, seeing this red eyed male confused him even though he matched the description of the one who had the human pet his eyes weren't yellow like the others. Gabe looked at the sinister smile that sent ripples of terror through his broken body, he'd thought he was strong that he'd never be made to feel weak again but here he was crippled, weak and he knew death was coming. He'd created death, believed himself a bringer of it, now he was seeing a true creation of death and destruction in the face of a man who would smile at him before taking his life.
He wasn't ready to die.
"Please, mercy" Gabe cried out roughly his vocal cord appearing to have fitted together somewhat but Edward shook his head reaching forward with his hands and placing one under Gabe's jaw and the other at the back of his head readying to rip the head clean off from this vampire.
"Rosalie, no!" Edward roared becoming distracted. His mind, moving away from the neutralised threat within his very grasp as he detected something within his families own fighting that he'd been blind to see before. They'd never considered the need for Eleazer, with him wanting to stay behind to help Kate protect those weaker in the family. His lack of confidence in his somewhat new appendage they'd not considered the possibility of a gifted vampire.
Across from Edward, he'd caught just at the last possible moment that Emmet was readying to end another vampire, he'd dealt with Nathan and now moved onto the only one remaining active. Tanya had killed her own newborn and she and Carlisle had the other restrained to the ground, this immortal though was different.
She was gifted.
While she had no idea what it was, her fear and panic had activated her gift as she'd gone from being within Emmet's grasp to vanishing from the place she'd been, to appearing behind Rosalie. It had all been so fast and only Edward had picked it up in that moment as the confusion had clouded the woman's mind and then her desire to end the blonde. As she attacked an unsuspecting Rosalie from behind, tearing both of her arms from her body. She'd not been smart to target the head straight away but she'd left Rose in pain and immobilised and was readying to behead her.
Edward hadn't been able to stop himself from calling out to her as he'd watched his sister's arms come clean off with the ripping metallic sound shrieking around him. Edward hadn't been able to focus on if Rosalie had made it or not, as suddenly he found his arms pinned to his sides and then two impossibly strong arms tighten and then squeeze. Edward found himself incapable of even calling out for help as the shattering strength seemed to only grow even tighter. His mind screamed around his own pain though as he felt his insides being crushed feeling every bone within him snap and shatter. Felt the moment his own spine snapped and his legs under him became useless, then to even add more insult to injury the moment when he felt teeth tear into his neck ripping violently into his skin.
The one rule that they'd all had drilled into them by Jasper was not too ever allow a newborn to get their arms around you because they'd simply be able to crush you to pieces within their grip. The strength of a newborn was so impossibly heightened in that first year that they were capable enough to kill an immortal from simply crushing one to pieces. Edward had only ever seen it once but not first hand, he'd seen it through a memory Jasper had. Edward had watched through Jasper's memory as the splinters and cracks had formed over the vampire until it seemed to explode under the pressure the newborn delivered. Only small broken pieces left behind like a jigsaw puzzle of flesh that would never be placed back together. He'd been distracted by Rose being harmed and he'd needed to warn her, he'd arrogantly believed his enemy so beaten that he'd not take advantage and now he was paying for it, as he felt even his arms grow numb, a strange feeling washing over him he'd never in his life felt since waking to immortality. Slowly feeling unconscious taking him, even then he could see the blackness in front of his vision. He'd failed Bella and his family, he'd promised her he'd come back and now he might not be able to keep that promise. He found his rage in that screaming out struggling within Gabe's grip and then suddenly he was free.
"Release me" Edward had roared wildly.
He'd screamed it around them in a tone that had been so frighteningly animalistic it had sent birds even a distance away, in trees into the skies to flee from the sound. What had surprised Jasper though who had been coming to aid Edward seeing him in the vulnerable position was that when he stepped into the space around Edward and the newborn he didn't only hear the command with his ears. He'd heard it rip through his very mind and all but brought him to his knees, it had been so loud it had stopped and halted Jasper in his very tracks stunning him. Even more so was the sight of a newborn completely out of control in its anger and fear that instead of continuing to destroy the threat to its life. The newborn had shoved itself away from Edward clutching at its head whimpering the same words.
Jasper didn't wait then seeing the prone newborn and moved to it flipped him onto his stomach and pressed his knee into the centre of his back. And peeled his head away from the bottom half of his jaw, throwing it aside discarding it. Alice finally healed but not completely lucid still was coming to enough that she went to Edward's side to look him over. The female had nearly kicked Alice's head from her neck. It had been enough to knock her down temporarily but with Jasper's help she'd recovered quicker then had she been forced to let it heal without help. Alice was sitting at Edward's side pulling his head into her lap as Jasper approached lifting Edward's shirt and hissing at the sight of his brother. He wasn't as bad as Rosalie. Emmet was taking care of reattaching her limbs. Edward though, his body was littered with what could only be described as a cobweb of fractured lines over his entire torso and chest. It even looked bruised with the purple colouring around the lines and against his naturally pale skin. His arms were all but ruined from being trapped between his body and that of the newborns grip. Jasper couldn't even think to question the strange events. Of hearing Edward in his own mind and what had happened to the newborn while it clutched its head, while he moved to help fix Edward's barely attached arms.
"Shush, it's okay. Just going to take a little for your body to reset itself" Alice was whispering to Edward trying to calm his anger her fingers stroking back his hair. He had a large section of the side of his neck chewed up from the bites he'd received that Jasper knew from personal experience were going to scar badly. Edward would always carry those marks now, the fractures would fade they'd vanish once his body had the chance to heal itself, and blood would certainly help. The bites would scar it was how the venom of other vampire's worked, it was why some vampires even refused to use other's venom when reattaching a limb because it left a line around the fitted pieces.
"This'll sting" Jasper said looking to Edward's pained eyes and then snapping the arms back, watching the odd angle reset visibly and then the even paler complexion seem to darken a little and Edward's fingers began to twitch.
"My spine" Edward gritted out between teeth, he had never been more thankful in his entire existence to have both Jasper and Alice in his life, they'd saved him from Gabe and what would have been his end.
"I need you to straighten my spine. Once you do that I'll be back on my feet" Edward said stubbornly even though Jasper would have preferred keeping Edward off his feet to allow the fractures to fuss back together. He'd never seen such a wide gathering of fractures before not on a vampire that wasn't at least in parts ready to burn. He couldn't imagine the pain it would feel even with the emotional connection he had with being an empath. Alice moved back then helping Jasper to flip Edward over and lifted the back of his shirt to get a better look for which joints within his spine had been broken, as he ran his thumb down his brother's back feeling along the separate kinks and then forcefully pushed his thumbs inwards and heard the resounding crack as Edward growled out.
"Son of a whore" Edward spat his fingers dipping into the mud beneath him as he tried to grip hold of something. He was slowly coming back to himself. He was thankful to hear Emmet's and Rosalie's thoughts, while Emmet was deeply upset at Rose's injuries. Edward's warning had given both an injured Rose and Emmet enough chance to stop her head from being removed. Now Emmet was holding Rose, as he ran his tongue along the wounds on both her shoulder joints, holding her against him as he with Tanya's help set the arms back together.
"My mother was a lady, I'll have you know Edward. A real Southern Belle" Jasper chuckled and Edward could feel even in spite of his pain that he laughed at Jasper's comment too shaking his head. Edward could hear the mind of one vampire though, one vampire that didn't fit within the group. A terrified man who was still face down in the mud arms held restrained behind his back at Carlisle's grip. Edward moved to get up both Alice and Jasper helping him stand up straight as he felt ribs pop into place and hissed around it. Thankful he had no need for breathing but knew he'd need to take in a large breath soon to inflate his slightly crushed chest.
"He surrendered" Carlisle said seeing Edward moving towards him, body parts still scattered around them. The fight while they'd all suffered their own injuries was a large success, Edward wasn't forgetting however that many injuries could have been avoided had his father stuck to Jasper's plan. Edward could see even now Jasper was infuriated with Carlisle he'd gone rogue on a set plan and it had changed the fight completely. Jasper wasn't about to let it go, his Alice had almost lost her head because the fight had not gone as planned. In Jasper's mind that blame settled completely on Carlisle's shoulders.
"This isn't a human war. There is no such thing as a vampire war prisoner" Jasper said coolly with a edge of anger in his tone, he'd never been so firm with Carlisle before but felt completely justified in his reaction to him after what he'd done. Jasper then moved as Edward leant more on Alice, Carlisle not wanting to step aside as Jasper took claim of the arms Carlisle had restrained and then forced the man up from the ground Jasper then latching his hand around his throat from behind and kicking out his feet from under him sending him to his knees.
"Wait" Edward said roughly Jasper looked to Edward shocked, the emotions running through Edward, Jasper would have believed Edward would have been the first to want to execute the newborn. Not stopping him, Jasper found himself worried that with his injuries and Carlisle's thoughts Edward might be faltering.
"I have questions" Edward said evenly not wanting to have to explain himself but Jasper understood instantly. Edward had lost the chance to get Riley. He'd lost the chance to end the man who was controlling the newborns while Victoria gave him the orders. Carlisle's change in plans had caused that.
"Who created you?" Edward said looking at the male as Jasper stood behind him still holding tightly to his throat, Edward eased away from Alice even as she tried to protest wanting to help him. Edward could see in this man's mind Karl that he only remembered red eyes and orange hair.
"I don't know" the man rushed out.
"I just remember the pain" Karl looked wildly from each of the faces around him seeing that now the attractive blonde had joined them as the bear sized man and another blonde was healing. He'd not known that could happen, he'd seen her arms removed.
"Yes our kind can reattach limbs, once they've been removed. Imagine how that would feel. To endure that. The feeling of you arms being ripped off then put back together only to have them pulled again" Edward said darkly as he moved closer making a show of himself almost a he leant forward to lean on Karl, his hand gripping at the joint of his shoulder.
"See I have questions and I'm hoping you have answers Karl. Answer the questions and Jasper will end this fairly quickly. Refuse and I get creative" Edward snarled his onyx eyes set on the all but trembling man in front of him as Jasper fuelled the man's fear even more, heightening it to lengths that no human would even be able to tolerate had it been turned on them like he was using it against Karl.
"I don't know anything I swear. I don't know. I was thirsty. Riley promised blood swore the sun wouldn't burn us today that it was some rare special day. When vampires could go out in the daytime without burning up. I just wanted to feed" Karl rushed out in a ramble as Edward and those around him realised a way that Riley had skilfully forced those within the army to remain hidden, at least during the daylight hours. Make them fear burning up and the need for survival will make them instantly follow such a rule to stay indoors during the day. Without that Edward knew without a doubt that they'd feed all day long and night being newborns they'd glutton themselves. Hunting so openly though especially during day time would have exposed everything though. Humans would have known vampires existed.
"This Riley is intelligent" Jasper said impressed with the lie as he looked at Edward intrigued with this vampire now. Curious if he himself contained any ability, he'd used his own to control the newborns for Maria in the south he found it hard to believe that Riley had done so with just lies. Though this army weren't very controlled and had shown signs of killing each other, Jasper and Emmet had found numerous remains of vampire ashes during a former scouting of Seattle.
"He's also being played. Victoria has him convinced she loves him" Edward said but not bringing up how the situation was similar between what Maria had done to Jasper. Edward knew all too well the complete hatred that Jasper had for the woman who created him, the desire to end her was still so very strong within him even now.
"Today was a mistake though. He's just as inexperienced in fighting as you were. As your friends were" Edward hissed now turning his attention back to Karl.
"I want to know where, Karl. Where are the others?" Edward demanded his dark eyes daring Karl to lie to him or even try, Edward watched his mind closely seeing the inside of a type of warehouse, the sounds of a dockyard.
"I don't know. Seattle. I wasn't a local I just know there was boats around. Shipping boats" Edward nodded but he could see the whisperings of Riley's words in this man's memories.
"You reveal anything and you ruin us all. They have many skills within their numbers. We'll move location after this hunt" it appeared that Riley had been forward thinking enough, that he knew if they didn't kill them all they'd need to move from where they were or else risk being tracked down. Edward was beginning to believe Victoria had no clue at all of this planned strike by Riley.
"Where was the second location?" Edward gritted out in a hiss that vibrated in his still healing chest, Edward's hands moving to either side of Karl's face his thumbs pressing painfully into his cheeks.
"Where would Riley move the rest of you too?" Edward demanded as Jasper held Karl by his throat even tighter as Karl felt the need to try and escape this man. He'd much rather risk dealing with the freshly made vampire's at feed time then these guys any day.
"I don't know anything" Karl yelled back which only made Edward angrier, he'd lost his chance to capture Riley. He'd missed out on that and now they'd move the remaining newborns, and that meant they'd gotten nothing from this entire fight except for injuries and a few newborns destroyed. Newborns that he knew Victoria and Riley would simply replace with no trouble at all. He could see that he was going to have to take more drastic measures to force every drop of information from this man. He was going to have to break his mind to have it truly open. He took no pleasure in doing it but he had a family to protect and this was his enemies' weapon before him.
"I warned you" Edward grunted as he moved his thumbs up over Karl's cheek and then pressed his thumbs into the man's eyes, Jasper was aware enough of what was happening to grip tighter on Karl.
Edward could hear the shocked minds of his family as he took to torturing the remaining newborn. He didn't care, there was no line he would not cross to keep those he loved safe, and they could see him evil or cruel. But he'd faced the possibility of losing his reason for living before. Edward would never again leave people alive who posed a threat to that. The scream that left Karl's lips echoed around the trees, as Edward's thumb nails pierced his eyeballs. The squelching, gush of fluid and venom spraying down Edward's thumbs and his hand as he destroyed the man's eyes. Edward hooked his thumbs into the sockets then emptying out the remains of what was left of Karl's eyes dropping them to the ground and then suddenly Edward was being tackled away from Karl.
The face before him though was not an enemy, not an enemy like the pack or Victoria, no this man was his father and creator Carlisle. His eyes stuck between disgust and horror as he looked down at Edward.
"What are you doing? Have you lost your mind Edward? Torture? Is that what you have sunk so lowly too now, that you would torture a defenceless man to gain the knowledge you desire" Carlisle yelled angrily his hands gripping at Edward's shoulders and shaking him as if to try and bring back the Edward of the past. The weaker version, the one who hated himself, who feared ever crossing any line. Carlisle found himself admitting that he did not like the man before him and it broke his heart. His son had become a stranger to him.
Edward shoved Carlisle off from him and leapt to his feet Carlisle staggering slightly, as Edward moved towards Carlisle his face twisted in outrage at the man. Edward almost felt the need to strike out against Carlisle as both Alice and Tanya tried to stand between both men, Jasper removing Karl's head then quickly to help try and control the implosion that was about to take place.
"I will sink as low as my family needs me too Carlisle" Edward roared at his father pointing at him as if accusing him of some wrong doing his anger in his own mind was completely justified.
"I will dirty my hands. I will carry the sins I commit and I will do it with a smile if it means we live. You consider him defenceless and yet you know he'd have offered you no mercy if the roles were reversed" Edward spat as Jasper pressed his palm to Edward's chest to try and prevent him from closing the distance. Jasper believing that to let him go now would end in Carlisle and Edward coming to actual physical blows.
"He surrendered, he knew nothing and you would then continue to do such a thing. I have raised you better. I have taught you better" Carlisle thundered back finally releasing some of his own anger at the entire situation.
"How could you possibly know? You are not the mind reader. You do not hear what I do. He knew more than he was saying. I could see it on the edges of his very mind. You think I wanted to harm him in such a way." Edward shoved at Jasper but without any intent or force simply wanting to get closer to Carlisle in his rage. As Carlisle stood his face twisted angrily and his shoulders set, this had been coming since he'd killed Jake.
"Let's get this out there shall we. Your true reason for being angry with me is that I killed Jacob Black. You believe I killed him without true provocation even though you see what he did to Bella" Edward swung his arms wildly in this belief that he'd had since the very first night.
"This is nothing to do with your actions on attacking the pack and starting a war. This is about your growing lack of control. You are becoming everything we have denied. You kill without remorse, you disregard moral codes. An unarmed man, a defenceless man and you would torture him" Carlisle returned to his problem with the entire situation, he didn't like how easy this was all becoming for his first creation. The killing and fighting, the planning for more death, even his lack of worry now over changing Bella. He didn't know this Edward and he wasn't sure he could continue supporting him.
"See to you I started the war. Perhaps in basic terms I did. You begrudge me my defending Bella. Your little treaty with the mutts meant so much to you. Even now you barely interact with your own family because you mourn a document that is worth nothing" Edward snarled pointing out to all what none had voiced about Carlisle's strange behaviour.
"Let's not forget how you almost completely derailed this here too. Jasper gave us our plans, our guidance to fighting these hostile newborns who wanted to kill not only our family but humans in Forks. You risked us all for you own personal goals and desires. To try and convert wild blood thirsty newborns to your way you ruined the entire plan" Edward then shoved past Jasper moving between Alice and Tanya and barrelling toward Carlisle. Only stopping, face to face with the man who had meant so much to him and now he felt just as much disgust in himself, as Carlisle felt for him.
"I would have never resorted to such ways to try and gain information had you not changed the plan. I would have captured Riley. The one who, I'd have been able to read all the plans of Victoria had from. I'd have known where the newborns are, where Victoria is. Everything and because of you he got his chance to escape us" Edward shoved his finger roughly against Carlisle's chest.
"That is your fault" Edward spat aggressively Jasper moving back to try and stand between them but it was no use, now the door had been opened and Edward was at least going to finish.
"Because you couldn't stand with us and what we were doing you risked us. Those you have called your own children. Look at Alice she almost had her head removed because of the fight being so drastically shifted for your need to settle this in words. Look at Rosalie, her arms removed and her head with it had I not seen, just in time to call out. Then me Carlisle, what of me? Finally I have everything I could want, Bella is my fiancée and I could have died here today because you couldn't do what needed to be done. You're a coward it isn't compassion because if it was compassion you'd at least show this to your family. You've been our leader my entire existence but now I see you aren't worthy of that position. I won't let your cowardice destroy us Carlisle. Even though I see in your mind your disgust in me, I love you enough as my father to not let your own hangs up get you and Esme killed" Edward turned away from Carlisle then distancing himself from the man who had brought forward from him such an intense rage and heartbreak. All his fears had been made true in that moment, Carlisle looking at him in disgust and unforgiving he'd failed to be what Carlisle expected and while he'd always known he would. It broke a part of him at finally facing the day when Carlisle couldn't forgive him.
"There is no peaceful resolution. Once we return I want you and Esme to prepare to leave. I want you to stay on the island while we deal with this. It's clear you can't accept this and I won't allow you to put us at risk. You can believe me wrong and hate what I do Carlisle, but at least we'll both be alive for you to hate me" Edward ended finally before moving from the area leaving everyone completely stunned as Carlisle sagged in broken tearless sobs to the ground hiding his face in his hands. Deeply heartbroken and confused.
All unaware as a similar scene carried out, miles away as Edward felt himself crumble at the realisation that he and his father would never be able to fix this now.
It seemed Carlisle did have a limit to his forgiveness and Edward had finally reached it.
Change was inevitable now.
