**Author's Note: This sequence had to be included, but could only be done from Edward's POV. Bella's POV returns next chapter.**

Chapter IV – Chase

(Edward's POV)

The frustration was going to undo me. I was trying desperately to get my wife and her Father to safety, and meanwhile the dog in the backseat had to decide to go to pieces and transform. My poor Bella's voice pleaded with Seth in the backseat. The truth was I preferred Seth to the rest of the pack. He was a good kid, and I was sorry he was going to be forced under Sam's control.

Seth was talking to Bella, now, apparently more under control. "I have to let Sam know Bella. He has to know about this." He turned towards me, and looked at me with pleading eyes. "I need to get out Edward."

I hated the idea of their assistance, and wanted to put it off as long as possible, I could have let him out, but I decided it would just jeopardize our timing. "I can't Seth, I have to get Bella and Charlie to safety first. You can make it to Charlie's house."

I had to take care of them, and then get back to help defend my family. Carlisle said he knew Aurelio would mostly be after him, but that he wouldn't give a second thought to destroying the whole family in the process.

I looked back again at Bella, I could tell my speed was worrying her, silly girl. I was inwardly grateful that it was Carlisle he was after, and was congratulating myself that we'd be able to slip away unnoticed and I could get Bella to safety, when I looked forward at the road. Aurelio was there, in our path. I swore vehemently as I slammed on the brakes and spun the truck to the side so we could pass around him, I internally cursed myself for taking Charlie's cruiser.

I pushed the accelerator all the way to the floor to get around him, but the tires weren't gaining any purchase, damn the rain! Suddenly he opened the passenger door, pulling Bella's father out before I could get the car into park. I jumped out the window and flew over the roof of the cruiser. I threw myself at him, noting as I came down that he was biting Charlie's thigh. I hit him with all my force, tackling him to the pavement. As we rolled I tried to grab onto him somehow, to keep him there while I destroyed him.

The rain was my enemy again, as his stone skin, so like my own, slipped through my fingers. He fled into the trees. I was easily faster than he was. I chanced a glance back to see if Bella was safe. Bella was looking at Charlie, because Aurelio had bitten him. She turned toward me, and for a moment our eyes met. He would not harm her; I snarled and leapt into the trees, chasing Aurelio. I caught up to him in a moment's time, and he tried uselessly to dodge me. He'd feint left, then right, always a moment after I'd already shifted because I could see his plan before he put it into action.

He was using the roof to guide him still, and it was drawing too close, too quickly. I ran in front of his path and stopped him. He dropped into a crouch snarling. I did the same.

"Carlisle has family now, eh? He doesn't deserve them." He snarled. I heard the bitter jealousy and disappointment directed at Carlisle that screamed in his head. Essentially he knew he was at fault for Marie's death, but felt it was easier to blame Carlisle. I could hear him planning to move to my left, my right. I covered him easily. I decided to distract him the same way I had distracted Victoria not so long ago. I taunted him.

"We both know Carlisle isn't who you should be angry with. But if you want to attack him, go ahead. But please, before you go…let's play for just a little while. Don't run off quickly, stay and let's see what we can find out about each other." I snarled, threateningly.

He tried to figure out if I knew about him, if Carlisle had told me of his past. "Yes, Aurelio, I know you were part of the Volturi guard, but I think you're underestimating me." I laughed, though it was nearly humorless.

"I was wondering though, just now, why did you come after us, when you so clearly are looking for Carlisle?"

"I could hear the sound of the engine, it was being pushed to its' limit. I assumed, wrongly as it turns out, that it was Carlisle, trying to escape. I waited for you to come upon me on the road, and when you arrived, Oh," he moaned and clenched his collar tightly in his fists pulling down on the material, and rolling his head back in ecstasy, "I could smell the human blood. It was, so wonderful smelling I had to taste it. I pulled the man out, and bit, but that wonderful aroma was elusive in the flavor of the blood. I turned and realized there was another in the car and knew she must be the bearer of that wonderful scent. I knew she must be the one called Bella, your "singer" as she's known. I realized then that I also smelled the stench of licantropo. I had to run then, how are you able to travel with such offensive company." He wrinkled his nose in distaste.

I felt myself tense as soon as he said Bella's name, black rage filled my mind for a moment. It would do no good to show any weakness, it might make him try to return to her.

"I don't think that's what is important to you, Aurelio, I believe that what you want is vengeance for a life lived well, instead of one such as yours, grasping at the edges of a preference you can't comprehend, and are unwilling to resign yourself to. That is understandable, but such a shame. You'll never reach Carlisle." I teased him, knowing he would take the baiting. Brawn and no brains make vampires very foolish creatures.

He looked at me one moment longer with the hard, chiseled face of his, and then turned and was off in a swirl of black hair. I let him run ahead, knowing I could catch him easily, as well as knowing what awaited him. For a moment I froze, I could hear Bella screaming my name. I had to keep Aurelio away from her though. That was most important for the moment.

I ran through the trees, giving myself over to my sense, feeling the thrill of the chase. I heard the snarls and growls of my family as Aurelio broke into the clearing around the house. I heard in his head the surprised hiss he let out. As I stepped out of the trees behind him, Carlisle stepped out of the front door of the house.

"I am sorry to see you here Aurelio." Carlisle said in an uncharacteristically vicious voice. "I had hoped you'd been destroyed. You bring with you nothing but long buried memories. What are you doing here?"

He stood looking at Carlisle as though he couldn't believe he'd finally made it there. He stepped towards Carlisle and everyone reacted instantaneously. Alice was between Carlisle and Aurelio, before he'd even put his foot down, Emmet and Jasper both jumped to the step just before him. Esme stood beside Carlisle, poised to strike, as was Carlisle. He turned to run again towards the trees, but at that moment, I was shocked to see Rosalie step out from the side of the house. She stepped into a powerful stance, and snarled viciously.

He paused coiled for a moment, seeming to make a decision, which foolishly led him to spring. He went for Alice first, who simply wasn't there where he landed, he didn't jump again though, he merely reached out and grabbed her throat and held her for a second, looking at her curiously, then threw her across the yard. Alice rolled to where Rosalie stood, but immediately was on her feet again, her face blazing indignantly. He didn't wait for her to stop rolling, he turned to Jasper and Emmett, I could hear him tabulating their size and possible weaknesses. He chose Emmett first.

He jumped at Emmett and they struck like thunder, crashing into a post on the patio, breaking it instantly. As soon as Emmett had vacated his spot, Jasper filled it immediately, blocking Carlisle from Aurelio still.

Emmett wrapped Aurelio's body and arms into a vice-grip hug, and then crashed his skull into Aurelio's forehead. Aurelio struggled to pull his arms free, loosening Emmett's constrictive left arm – Emmett used the freed arm to grab the left side of Aurelio's neck, then lifting him off the ground, placed his right hand on Aurelio's hip and threw him bodily into a tree which snapped, upper branches crashing down around the tangle of his body. I moved out from under the extra shower of water from the trees, grinning with pleasure. Aurelio was up again in a moment, but he now had me, Emmett and Jasper between himself and his target, Carlisle.

He looked me in the eyes, calculating. I grinned widely, "You're underestimating me again, Aurelio."

He growled and launched himself at me, at the same moment I sprang towards him. He was aiming to hit my torso with the full impact of his velocity, but I turned sideways and merely caught him by the throat with inside of my elbow. I pulled him back with my momentum and then slammed him to the earth below. The sound of his body hitting the ground reverberated through the forest. He twisted around and kicked me in the head, knocking me to my side and jumped up.

Emmett, Jasper, and Alice had spread out along the yard. He turned back to me, and I took a step towards him, making my face a menacing mask.

He realized he was surrounded and decided the only direction to run was towards the garage, which was open. I saw him planning to jump into a car and drive off. I held my hand up to the others, because his mind said he was going to take my car. He stepped forward towards it, and then saw Alice's Porsche. Alice and I both jumped forward, "NO!" He was in, the car was coming forward almost before I could have imagined. I ran into the garage intending to rip the door off.

He pulled past me as I entered, and my eyes opened in horror. If he got away, Bella was down that street. I looked around me and spied a gas can. I gave Alice a quick apologetic look and mumbled that I'd replace it, and then opened and threw the can underneath the Porsche. This part of the driveway was gravel covered, and the can had a metal ring around the top. It sparked and suddenly the car blew into the sky. The ground jerked beneath my feet in a satisfactory way. Pieces joining with the rain as together they fell.