AN so here it is, the final chapter.

Just a small epilogue coming up, but then it's done!

Thanks to everyone that read my story and thank you all for your lovely reviews!


Chapter 31 - The conclusion

BPOV

It couldn't be.

No.

It just couldn't be.

I knew she could be baiting me, trying to get me alone. But she'd had me alone. Edward hadn't fought her with me. And he'd also not told me she was lying. That meant it had to be true.

But it couldn't be… could it?

I had to know. I had to go see for myself if Charlie was dead or not.

I turned my back on Victoria and raced through the trees. I would head to his house. If she'd gotten to him it must have been when he was leaving to go to Billy's. She wouldn't have been able to get to him on the Rez, that much I was sure of.

I ran through the woods aware that I was being chased. Was it Edward? Or Victoria?

I was close to the house now, but thankfully there was no scent of fresh blood yet. Surely if she'd killed Charlie I must have smelled that by now?

As I rounded a bend in the path I was on I came to a skidding halt. There were two vampires in front of me. their red eyes zeroed in on me and their lips curled into sneers.

Shit. It had been a trap.

I whirled around intending to run back again, but Victoria stood there, with a smug smile on her face, blocking my exit.

'Fuck.' I muttered.

'God you're easy.' Victoria snarled. 'One mention of that man's blood and you go all crazy, abandoning all rational thought.'

I growled at her. she rolled her eyes at me.

'You should have stayed with your mate. Those odds were not in my favour. But these… you're not getting out of this alive.'

I hissed at her. 'Watch me.' I bluffed.

I knew I was outnumbered. I knew I was in deep shit. But I hoped Alice would have seen me and would be coming soon. The battle in the clearing had been almost over anyway. Surely they would be coming soon, right? if I'd just manage to hold them off for a few minutes, that would give them enough time to get to me right? Edward must have seen me leave the clearing. He must have known what Victoria was up to when I caved to her taunting.

'Your mate will finally know what it is like to live without you, like I have had to live without James.'

'Well you seem rather content to me. Creating your little army of bloodthirsty monsters.' I spat back.

'You know nothing of my pain!' she seethed and launched herself at me.

I dodged, but just barely. She landed a few yards behind me and quickly launched herself at me again. I barely had time to doge this time, feeling her fingers graze the back of my arms as I jumped out of the way. I knew two things; one, I was outnumbered so I had to make sure to keep my eye on all of them. And two, I could not lose my footing. I had to stay upright to hope to be able to survive this. If I fell I was dead.

I prayed that Edward was coming, or one of the wolves… really just anyone. I needed help. But still I squared my shoulders and got ready. I was not going down without a fight. Victoria charged me again, but this time one of her minions joined her. She came at me head on and threw her fist at my face, I jerked back and brought my knee up at the same time to block a kick from her henchman. Fuck, I was in trouble.

Their fists came at me again and I managed to block them. Then third henchman joined in too, gaining up on my rightside and starting his own barrage of blows. I evaded and ducked and dodged as much as I could, but I couldn't miss all of them. Victoria managed to land a punch to my ribcage, sending me flying back a few feet. I managed to duck under a flying foot from my left and block the punch the left henchman was throwing at me.

But the next kick I couldn't block, it landed on my tigh at the same time Victoria landed another punch to my nose.

'Fuck!' I growled out as one of my knees buckled and I was dangerously close to falling on the floor. I couldn't. If I fell now it was over. They'd be on me and before I would be able to defend myself they'd rip me to pieces.

I needed help. Now.

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck.

My foot slid further away and I couldn't get purchase again. I was slipping. Sliding down to the ground. My knee hit the floor and I put my hand down to steady myself, hoping to propel myself back up again. But before I could get the momentum I needed, another punch landed on my cheek and I lost my balance even more.

SHIT!

I was going down. My arm had buckled as well and I was falling down to the ground. Another kick landed on my ribcage and I felt myself get thrown down on the ground. Shit. It was over now. they wouldn't get to me in time..

Victoria grabbed my neck and her face was twisted up in a feral snarl as she leaned towards me.

'Finally.' She breathed.

'BELLA!' I heard Edward's frantic voice call out to me. He was close. But not close enough.

'Fuck! Bella! Fight back!' I heard someone else scream at the top of their lungs - Alice, panic evident in her voice.

My eyes locked on Victoria's and she snarled at me.

'They won't be able to save you.' she snarled.

I snarled back. I wasn't meek, and I sure as hell wouldn't just let her kill me without putting up one hell of a fight. I closed my eyes and my hand shot out grabbing hold of her neck. I was dimly aware of the other two vampires sinking their teeth into my legs and arms to try and keep me controlled. But I was beyond that. Edward was on his way, he was going to get hurt if I didn't take care of this right now. The rest of my family was probably coming too. Everyone had been in danger because of this bitch. She had gotten on my last nerve. I was done.

A door inside me opened that I never knew was there. But as soon as it did, it unleashed an amount of pure unbridled power that I directed at the vampires crowded around me. my shield snapped out from me and somehow manifested physically. It slammed into Victoria and the other two knocking them away from my body in an instant. They soared through the air and I sprung to my feet.

I grabbed hold of Victoria before she could regain her sense and pulled back my fist. My shield manifested itself over my body and as I slammed my fist down on her head my shield shot out again, adding another level of power behind my punch. Her neck snapped sideways and with a loud crunch her head started to detach. I pulled my fist back and brought it back down on her head again. Her head snapped off and rolled onto the forest floor. Her eyes staring lifelessly and her mouth agape as if in shock that his had actually happened.

I was panting hard, my shield having taken a lot out of me, but the clearing was already filled with my family and the loudmetallic screeching of the beheading of the other two.

'Bella!' Edward's worried voice was close, and his arms pulled me into his chest frantically.

'Charlie?' I managed to bring out.

'She tricked you. Charlie's safe. She didn't get to him. He's on the Reservation with Billy.' He soothed me. He was still clutching me tightly and I was certain that if he'd had a heartbeat it would be thundering right now. 'God Bella. You scared me.' he mumbled, before pulling me back slightly and touching his hands to my face, seeming to confirm to himself that I was still alive and actually here and in front of him.

His lips crashed down on mine and I threw myself around him. Relief flooded through me.

We'd made it. We'd all made it.

'What the hell did you do?' Jasper asked when Edward released my lips.

I looked around, confused.

'We were here when you blasted Victoria off of you.' Alice explained.

I shrugged. 'I think it's something else my shield can do.' I closed my eyes and concentrated for a moment, focussing on that source of power I had located. When I felt it flare up I controlled it and when I opened my eyes the rest of the family looked at me in wonder.

'I think I can make it a physical shield as well as a mental one.' I muttered. the shield wrapped around me with a soft purple shimmering glow.

Edward stretched out his hand and he touched the outer barrier with his palm. He pressed it flat against he shield but couldn't get through.

'This is amazing.'

'A mental and physical shield?' Carlisle asked dumbfounded. 'I've never heard of something like this.'

'Neither have we.' A new voice said. I froze as did the rest of us.

'Shit.' Edward mumbled under his breath.

"Three people wrapped in black hooded cloaks stood before us. 'It seems you have been holding out on us, Carlisle.' The largest one said, dropping his hood down. The other two followed suit. The smallest one was a slight blonde woman, with a particularly nasty smile on her face. It rivelled Victoria's. the other one was medium height and build and had short black hair.

'Bella, these are Felix, Jane and Alec. They are members of the Volturi guard.'

I froze on the spot. Damn. This was not what we had wanted. Eleazar had warned us to keep me from the volturi. Edward squeezed my arm warningly.

'Felix, Jane, Alec. This is Bella. Edward's mate.' Carlisle introduced us all.

They regarded me for a moment with their red gazes. Then Jane gestured around us.

'What happened here?'

'Victoria.' Edward nodded his head to the redhaired disembodied head that was lying near his feet. 'She held a grudge against Bella. I killed her mate to protect Bella and she wanted to retaliate against me by killing Bella.'

Jane stared at Edward then nodded once. 'And she felt the need to create an army to do that?'

'We don't know for sure but we think that she wanted to target the people Bella loved from her human life. She only recently turned and was from this area originally.'

'You brough a newborn into the town she used to live?' Alec growled as his eyed incredulous.

'We made sure to keep her hidden. Bella is amazingly well controlled for a newborn. She's never attacked a human.'

Alec and Jane scoffed.

'Did you take care of all the newborns?' Felix asked.

Carlisle nodded. 'Yes, there were these two here, Victoria of course, and a little ways east in the clearing there are about twenty more.'

Their heads turned east and they noticed the purple smoke rising from between the trees.

'were you planning on disposing these properly as well?' Jane asked in a sneering tone.

'Yes. We were just about to start the fire.' Carlisle said, quickly nodded to Jasper and Emmett. They quickly set about gathering all the body parts and then started a fire as they piled them on. the purple smoke wafted up immeidately and a rich almost inscence like scent filled my nostrils.

'So Bella.' Jane said turning to me. 'When were you turned?'

'Nine months ago.' Edward said.

Jane raised an eyebrow at him and before I knew what was happening, Edward was on the ground and writhing in pain.

'Stop it!' I cried out, flinging myself in front of him. Her eyes turned on me but I felt nothing. So her gift was mental it seemed. I grinned at her.

'I wouldn't try to do that again.' I warned her. Edward groaned behind me, getting slowly up to his feet again.

'I'll do what I want to get the answers I need.' Jane sneered.

'Not with me around, you don't.' I snarled back.

Edward grabbed my arm again before I could hurl myself across the clearing at her.

'Then answer the question.'

'Edward answered it.' I snapped.

'I asked you.' she sneered.

'Nine months.' I snapped.

'And you're this controlled?' Alec asked in surprise.

'Yes it's a veritable wonder.'

'How is that possible?' Felix asked.

Carlisle shrugged. 'We think she's simply an extraodanarily talented vampire.'

'Yes.' Jane drawled. 'We saw. A shield.'

'Physical and mental.' Alec mused. Then he looked at me. 'Do you mind?'

'What?' I asked slightly apprehensive.

'A small test.'

'We're here about the newborns.' Edward tried to intervene. 'Not about Bella.'

Alec waved his hand dismissively. 'You've already rendered us useless on that account. We'll convey to Aro that you cleaned everything up nicely.'

Then he turned to me. I gave a curt nod. I had a feeling they wouldn't be taking no for an answer.

'Alright. thank you.' he looked intensely at me, and I felt Edward stiffen behind me. but I felt nothing.

'What's supposed to happen?' I asked in a whisper.

'I can take away one's senses.' Alec said. 'but apparently not yours.'

'Felix?' Jane asked.

Edward growled. 'Absolutely not.'

'We've just fought for our lives. Please don't make her do this now, we don't know what her physical shield can do exactly.' Carlisle pleaded.

'No time like the present to find out.' Jane said, levelling her gaze on Carlisle. He blanched and backed off immediately. I sighed I guess I was doing this then.

'There has to be another way.' Edward pleaded.

Jane shook her head. 'Aro would want us to be thorough.'

'He's going to want to see her in person anyway. There's no need for any of this now.' Edward insisted.

But Jane was already shaking her head again. 'Felix.' She ordered.

Felix stepped away from the other two and smiled at me. Although his eyes weren't as calculating and mean as the other two's, he still made me feel uneasy.

He charged me immediately and I had little time to prepare. I tried to find the power again but I was paralysed by fear it seemed.

'Fuck!' Edward yelled, pushing me out of the way at the last second before being ploughed into by Felix.

'Edward!' I yelled. I felt extremely frustrated with myself. Why couldn't I just do this? I had used my shield not five minutes ago. Why was this suddenly so hard again? Why did I always had to be saved? It's ridiculous.

'well…' Jane droned. 'that was pathetic.'

'She's just been in her first ever battle!' Alice yelled. Jasper pulled her behind him protectively.

'Give her a minute!' Rosalie added.

'Calm down, girls.' Carlisle cautioned them.

Felix and Edward were getting to their feet again. Apparently there wasn't a lot of animosity there though, because Edward had a small smile on his face as he helped Felix back to his feet.

'Sorry Bella. It has to be this way.' Felix said, before charging back at me again.

I took a deep breath and steadied myself. I would be ready this time. I would. I closed my eyes and focussed. I located that door again and opened it. I felt power flare through me again and then something slammed into me… but not…

I felt the impact on my shield, that had materialized just in front of me, it felt like a soft whisper of a touch on my body. Felix bounced off of the shield with a grunt, landing unceremoniously on his ass.

My shield was pulsating between us, a faint purple pulsing glow that stood a few yards from my body. I focussed on the shield, trying to mould it to my will and I was surpsied to see it listen. It drew closer to my body and then stretched outward as I took my place in front of my family, between them and the Volturi guard.

'You've seen enough now.' Edward said. More of a statement than a question.

Jane and Alec were looking at me with incredulous expressions, Felix was rubbing his jaw, looking up at me in wonder.

'You'd be a terrific asset to the Volturi, Bella.' He muttered.

That earned him a glare from Jane. She probably didn't like that idea much. I had a feeling Jane was one of the favourites around there and she wasn't keen on sharing her place as the palace pet. br /not that I had any interest what so ever in joining them. They sounded like tyrants that enjoyed collecting people, without any regard for how those people themselves might like it.

'I think you'd better come with us.' Alec stated.

Edward grabbed my hand firmly, stepping beside me. 'She's not going anywhere.' He said firmly. 'You came here for the newborns, that situation is handled. Report that back to your masters. We owe you nothing else. Bella doesn't have to come with you. she has done nothing wrong.'

Jane glared at Edward. 'Aro will want to meet her, she's coming.' She said firmly.

'Then Aro can send an invitation or visit us.' Carlisle said calmly. 'Surely you don't mean to take Bella by force when she has done nothing wrong?'

Jane glared at Carlisle then. She apparently wasn't used being told no.

'I suggest you leave now.' Edward ground out.

'We're not going without her.' Jane snarled, levelling her gaze on us.

Edward might have been the mind reader but in that moment it was crystal clear to me what her intention was. She was going to torture all of them and then have Felix grab me and take me away with them. I wasn't about to let that happen. I flung my shield over my family covering them all tightly and securely before charging at Jane with a shriek.

I faintly heard Edward gasp behind me and Alice let out a small incredulous laugh.

I raised my hands in front of me and pushed the air out towards the trio. My shield flashed out and knocked into the three of them with force. Alec flew back a good few feet, Flelix was knocked back on his butt again and Jane landed against a large tree. I was on her before she could move. My hand wrapped around her throat securely as I glared at her.

She glared and hissed at me. 'Let me go you insolent little bitch!'

'Shut up!' I hissed at her. 'you come here and hurt my mate, then you demand I show you my power, after just having fought a battle you should have fought yourselves, before insisting I come with you to Volterra against my will. I have had it with you and your incredibly petulant ways. So you listen to me. I'm immune to your power. My shield can knock you on your ass. I'm betting you have relied on your precious torturing gift for far too long and don't have any practical combat experience. And I have you pinned.' My face was right up against hers by now as she stared hatefully into my eyes. 'I have the upper hand here and you will listen.'

She snarled and hissed but she couldn't break my hold.

'You will leave here without me. you will report back to Volterra that we cleaned up your mess for you. you may tell them of my power, but you will be polite about it and convey that we harbor no ill wishes towards the Volturi. We're not interested in their position, we don't want to interfere with their work. We're on the same side. I think we proved that just now, didn't we?'

Jane said nothing, but I noticed Alec getting back up so I slammed my shield into him again. Sending him against a boulder this time.

'If you so much as send anyone else here to kidnap me, I will unleash hell against you in retaliation, do you understand? I will respond to a formal invitation, but I iwill not be treated like some kind of prisoner that has no choice in where to go or what to do. I am no one's pawn and I will not be treated as such.' I hissed. 'Do I make myself clear?'

Jane didn't answer she just stared at me. but she was beginning to understand that she was powerless against me and by the looks of it. She didn't like it one bit.

'Yes. We understand.' Felix answered for her though. He was slowly getting to his feet, showing me his palms that he meant no harm.

'We didn't mean to make it sound like you had no option.' He said, Edward scoffed at that.

'We will report back to Volterra and if Aro wishes to meet you he will extend an invitation. We will relay that information for you.' Alec said also cautiously getting to his feet.

I still held my grip on Jane's throat.

'Bella, dear.' Esme's kind voice said gently. 'Put her down, now.'

'You've made your point, love.' Edward said.

I kept my eyes on her for one more moment, before releasing her. 'if you try even one thing, I will throw you into that boulder so hard your head will cave in.' I hissed at her in warning.

She growled back, but Alec wisely stepped between us to prevent his sister from doing anything too stupid.

'We will take our leave now.' Felix said, backing away slowly.

'Bella.' Edward mumbled, stepping to me and squeezing my hand softly. I glanced up at him and noticed he was indication tot the Volturi. He couldn't hear them of course. He wanted out. I quickly pulled my shield from him and he stared at the trio in front of us for a moment.

'Yes. You can go.' I said.

'Send Aro my regards.' Carlisle added.

'We will.' Alec said nodding. With that they turned around and Felix and Alec each took hold of one of Jane's arms and they hauled ass out of there.

As their forms disappeared I breathed a sigh of relief. Then I turned to my family, who were all staring at me in varying stages of disbelief.

'That… was… amazing!" Emmett yelled after a moment. 'You should have seen yourself! You were one badass, throwing your shield up and bounding into them. That is some next level force field you have Bella! It was awesome!'

That broke the tension and soon everyone was laughing and brathing sighs of relief. It was over.

'Is everyone okay?' I asked after we'd all caught our breath.

Carlisle nodded. 'Every one's fine. The wolves are pretty pleased with themselves and no one got hurt. It seemed you got the worst of it here.'

'Yes.' Edward said, his tone cross. 'because you ran away by yourself.'

He shook his head at me and I winced. 'Sorry. I thought she had Charlie.'

'I know. But you promised me you wouldn't do anything stupid.'

'I know. I'm sorry for making you worry.'

He crushed me to his chest and I breathed in his lovely smell. 'I'm just glad you're alive.'

'Me too.' I muttered.

'But what about the volturi?' Esme asked.

Carlisle mused for a moment. 'I think they'll definitely be interested in Bella now, Aro will want to meet her. She's made it clear she's not going there against her will, so he will try the cordial route first probably. We'll probably be invited over somewhere in the near future.'

Everyone turned to Alice, who shrugged. 'I wouldn't expect anything soon. Time works a bit different for them.'

Edward stared at her for a moment as her eyes unfocussed.

'We'll be fine for a long time. There are some possibilities out there. But nothing is definte yet.'

'Just keep an eye on them and we'll be able to react accordingly.' Carlisle said in a kind voice. Alice nodded.

'So what now?'

'We go home.' Carlisle said with a smile.

Edward turned to me and kissed me soundly on the lips. 'We go on our honeymoon.'

I grinned back at him and wrapped my arms around him. We were safe. We had survived. I had found a new power that would let me protect my family. I was no longer the weak link. I was powerful and I was useful and I would make sure my family was always safe. I knew now that there was nothing I couldn't do and I would not let anyone, including the Volturi, threaten my family ever again. That I was sure of.

'Let's go.' I muttered as I grabbed Edward's hand and we set off towards the house.