Bella's POV
"What's the plan?" Peter asked me. "You must have a plan."
"Why?" I questioned.
"When someone hurts you, you hurt them back," Peter said. "So this Bringer of Darkness took someone from you, take someone from him."
"It's not that simple."
"Why?"
"Because he works alone. He's never been seen with anyone before. The only person who possibly knows anything is Garrett and you helped him escape."
"Bella," Peter sighed. "I did not have anything to do with that, I swear. I don't even know who he is, but if you think he can help you get to the Bringer of Darkness then let's do it. Let's recapture him."
"He would be foolish to resurface this soon," I said and it was true. Garrett was not stupid, I knew that much.
"Then do nothing," Peter said simply. "Let him wound you, let him kill a part of you, let him win."
"I am not letting him win. I am just processing and trying to figure out a plan."
"I just gave you a plan. Track down Garrett, force the information from him. If he knows anything on the Bringer of Darkness then he will spill. Find his weakness and exploit it."
"Why do you care?" I asked him.
Peter seemed overly invested when this wasn't even his fight. Why did he help free Garrett? I knew Peter was playing me. Maybe he worked with Garrett. It would explain why he helped him escape and why he was directing me towards him right now, but why? What was his game here?
I grabbed Peter by the ear and pulled hard. He howled in pain.
"What is your game here?" I asked him. "I'm not stupid. Just tell me Peter before I kill you."
"Ow, ow, ow, Bella, stop it, stop and I'll talk, I swear."
I stopped pulling on his ear and he looked at me.
"Speak," I told him, crossing my arms.
"Fine, fine," he said, holding his ear protectively. He definitely seemed like a weak vampire. His tolerance for pain was definitely low. "I am with you because I wanted to get close to you."
"Who sent you?" I asked.
"No one, I swear. I sent myself." Why didn't I believe him? "Get Edward to read my mind if you don't believe me?"
"Say it's true, why are you with me?" I asked.
"I told you. I tried to get into the Volturi and they didn't want me. I thought that if I could get close to you then I would have my in. That's all, I swear."
"And Garrett?" I asked. "You freed him didn't you?"
"No. I snuck into the castle and I saw him. I used to know him and I thought I could help him, but he didn't want my help. I left him there. You know him, he's strong headed, he's independent. I offered my help, but he didn't take it. I didn't push him on it, I left him in there."
"Then how did he escape when he has no gift?"
"I don't know. Garrett's resourceful, he doesn't like to be caged. He probably MacGyver'd up a plan, but I didn't have anything to do with it."
"How do you know him?" I asked.
"My maker in Montana knew of him. Garrett gets around, he's old and he knows many vampires. I only knew him in passing."
"Why did you try and free him then?" This was getting more confusing.
"My maker was good friends with him. I just wanted to offer him my help, but he didn't take it."
"Why?"
"Because I am indebted to my maker. Without him I would be long dead. I lived to serve him, but he is no longer. He died a century ago. I just thought I could do one last thing for him, no matter how stupid it was."
Why did I still not believe him?
"Why do you want me to seek out Garrett now? You must have a reason and cut the bullshit. I want a straight answer."
"Garrett, he… he knows the Bringer of Darkness, I've heard whispers. They used to serve together in the war. He's the one you need. You get to him and you can get to the Bringer of Darkness. He's the key."
"And you've always known this?" I asked, my anger rising. He scampered away from me.
"Yes."
Finally he was being truthful.
"And were you ever going to tell me?"
"I don't know. You said this was only temporary. I thought that if we never caught the Bringer of Darkness then I could stay with you longer. I like you and I don't want to leave you. I don't want you to get hurt."
"What changed?"
"I saw you when you came back. He wounded you and it had to do with the heart. He wouldn't have done that unless…" Peter trailed off. Unless what? "He just can't get away with this. You can't let him get away. He needs to pay. Track down Garrett, he's the one you need."
Maybe Peter was right. I had caught Garrett once before so it shouldn't be too hard to do again. And what other leads did I have? Peter was right, I would be foolish to just sit here and not retaliate. If Jasper was my mate then I needed to give him hell for knowingly hurting me when he didn't have to.
Peter's phone buzzed and he looked at it. Peter's usually composed face fell as he read the screen. He didn't seem too happy at all.
"What's going on?" I asked him.
"A complication," he said, but offered me no more.
"Do you need to take it right now?" I asked him.
"No," he answered, pocketing his phone. "It can wait a while. I'm going to go find Edward. Are we cool?"
I looked up at him. Something still seemed off, but things had definitely settled down. Peter had told me a lot and I just needed to process it all and analyze the situation.
"We're cool," I told him and he looked so relieved.
I watched him leave. Peter may be playing a game, but I was certain of one thing, he was definitely on my side and that was a good thing.
