I don't own anything Twilight. That belongs to the great Steph Meyer. I do, however, own a lot of pictures of Joe Manganiello, for he is my inspiration for Peter in this story, lovely beard and all. Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Thanks for everyone who added me to their favorites and those of you who are now following me. That makes me so happy!

Crimson Knight

Chapter 6

"Let me know when you're ready for me to release my shield completely, Bella." If I left it around her with the strength that it was at the moment, the water and soap would never penetrate it. She'd wash the shield and not her body.

"Alright, Peter, you can take it down; I'm ready to get in the shower."I slowly pulled my shield away from her body, and growls erupted from the floor below us as I did.

"You better wash fast, doll, then wash again for good measure. Make sure you get the areas where your blood dried on your skin extra well. The Veggies are getting antsy down there; I'm not sure what scent they're upset about, though." I wasn't sure what had their senses piqued, the scent of Bella's blood, her arousal, or my venom interlacing them both.

Upon smelling her arousal, I was sent back to the events that took place in that damn tree. What the hell was going on with me? I know that she's Edwards girl, but why am I feeling like it wasn't gonna happen after today? Could I let her be anywhere near him after this? I want what I want, and I find myself wanting Bella. I'm a selfish fuckin' bastard; I know there's no way I can let this go easily.

Within moments, I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Jasper and Alice were approaching. I didn't want anyone near her until she was ready for them. Besides that fact, the scent of her blood has intensified with the heat of the water, I wasn't sure they could handle it, so I threw my protective shield over them both as a precaution.

"You better stay the fuck back, Jasper. She's not ready for this yet," I growled.

"We just want to check on her. Alice still doesn't have a clear vision of her, and she says her visions of her are blurry now." Oh shit…what does that mean? My shield has been down. I fully pulled it away from her; maybe I'm affecting her visions inadvertently by being in close distance to Bella with my shield even though I'm not encompassing her with it.

As far as I'd known, I'd never had an effect on Jasper in Alice's visions. If I had, someone should've fuckin' told me well before now, damn it! I know she doesn't like it if he's under my shield when it's thick because he becomes a blur to her. She can't see me at all, at any time. But why is Bella a blur now? She's not under my shield, and my shield is thin, not thick.

I heard Bella shut off the water in the shower. I wanted so badly to open the door to check on her, so I turned for a moment before knocking lightly on the door.

"I'm almost finished," her soft voice let out.

"It's alright. I just wanted to check and make sure you didn't need anything right now."

"No, I'm fine, Peter. Thank you."

"Bella! Are you ok?" asked Alice. She just couldn't let it go. I already said she was just fine now, didn't I?

"A…Al….Alice? W….wh…what are you doing up here? Peter said you were downstairs with the others." I growled because I know I damn well said that, but these two fuckers just couldn't listen.

"I told them to stay downstairs, Bella, but as you and I both know, some people gotta put their noses where they don't belong!" I glared at Jasper while I said this because he damn well knew I needed them to stay put. Bella needed them both to stay put. But this was one of those times where the meddling little vampire had to shove her fuckin' nose all up in someone else's business.

"How can you be so casual about this, Peter? How can you say that Bella isn't any of our business? She's my best friend for crying out loud!" Oh good, I managed to piss the elf off a little.

"Casual? Really, Alice, you're asking me about being so casual?" Because, fuck me, she was the one being so damn casual.

"You walk right up here like nothing happened today! Like fuckin' Eddie had not only hurt Bella, but then topped it off by damn near making her his fuckin' dinner! Do you really wanna talk to me right now about who's being so motherfuckin' casual?" My last words came out as a growl. She looked down where she and Jasper's fingers were intertwined. I had to get it all out.

"If I recall correctly, Alice, and I know for a fuckin' fact that I do, you were the one who insisted that I get her the hell outta this house. Me, Alice, you screamed for me to get her out, and now what? I'm being casual for taking care of her? She's a bit put off by you guys at the moment. And I think that you should back the fuck off me because I did nothing but take care of her!"

Jasper stepped forward one step causing me to growl at him and bare my teeth. He knew better than that shit. I was in the zone. I'd been in protection mode for hours now, and he knows he doesn't want to fuck with me right now. He put his hands up showing me he was going no further and spoke.

"Captain, there is no need for you to be so hostile toward my mate. She is simply worried about our friend. Please calm down, or allow me to help you."

A small and timid voice came from behind me at that moment, "It's alright Peter; it's their room; it's fine."

"Like hell it's fine, Bella." I never took my eyes off of the Major. "I don't give a damn if the room belongs to the motherfuckin' President of The United States; when I ask for space, I fuckin' expect to have all the space we need." Jasper took a step back at my words. He knew he fucked up by listening to the tiny vampire at his side.

I turned toward Bella and encompassed her with my shield while removing it from Jasper and Alice. I didn't want them to be able to touch her right now.

I had found that anything that I protected under my shield could intertwine with each other and pass between the shields with no problem. But anything on the outside could not pass unless I willed it to let them pass thru. Needless to say, I let nothing pass thru at this time. Not a damn thing!

A horrifying scream let out in the room just as I had cut the shield from Alice and encompassed Bella with it. Two seconds later we were privileged to have Carlisle and Esme in Jasper and Alice's bedroom as well.

Alice was on the floor with her knees up to her chest rocking back and forth screaming and rubbing her temples over and over again. Jasper had knelt down beside her trying to get her to talk to him and tell him what was wrong. Bella had managed to hide behind me while this was going on. None of us knew what the hell Alice was screaming about.

"No! No! No! Why is this happening? Why?" Alice was chanting the same words over and over again.

"Alice, you have to tell us what's happening. Are you having a vision? Are Rose, Emmett and Edward alright?" Jasper was worried; I could hear it in his voice.

"I can't see her, Jasper!" She managed to sob out. "I can't see Bella anymore. Why? I know she's right there. Why can't I see her anymore?" Are you fuckin' kidding me?

"That's what the fuck all the screaming was about, Alice? You can't 'see' her?"

"Now, son, something serious is happening here; Alice has always been able to see Bella." Poppa Cullen had to pipe in there with his two fuckin' cents worth.

"What transpired this afternoon while I was at the hospital? What happened to Bella or Alice that could cause this to occur?" Carlisle placed his thumb and forefinger on his chin while he was lost in thought.

I took that moment to look at Bella who was now looking up at me with that knowing look. I knew what she was thinking, but neither one of us was ready to be forthcoming with that kind of information; the kind he was looking for. Jasper stopped his mumbling to Alice and stared straight at me.

"I can feel everyone in this room right now, apart from you two." He pointed his fingers at Bella and me in an accusing way. "Now for you, Peter, that's nothing new to me. But you, Bella, that's not happened before. Are you shielding her now, Peter?"

Oh fuck!

"As a matter of fact, I am, Jasper. Why the fuck is it any concern of anyone else at this time?" He stood up and was now facing me.

"Drop the shit Captain! Why do you feel the need to encompass Bella in your shield now?" I stepped forward brining Bella right along with me.

"After the bullshit that went down today, Major, do you really believe that Bella would feel comfortable right off the get go being back here so soon? I'm protecting her till she tells me she's alright bein' without it! I made the promise to her not you." With my words, Jasper dropped his glare from me to Bella and back again.

"Alright, I can deal with that." He said with a sigh. When you put it like it is, the Major usually never has a problem with anything. It's just how you put it to him is all. At my side, I also felt Bella sigh in relief.

"So, from what I'm understanding is that you, Peter, and Edward had some sort of confrontation this afternoon that resulted in Bella being injured?"

"Whoa, back the fuck up! I didn't do anything to injure Bella. This shit is all on Edward and his fucked up little vampire boy tantrum. He threw Bella behind his back across the table and the vase which resulted in her being injured. I was simply talking to her in the company of the family in the living room. He stormed in and threw a fit about me talking to her. That's all there is. It was he who then lost his shit and pinned her up against the wall by her fuckin' neck making like he wanted to snack on her." I let this bit sink in before going on.

"As I recall, it's been Edward for the last week or more that's been running his mouth about my bloodlust not being in check. Whose bloodlust isn't in check? Certainly not mine!"

The back door to the Cullen home was opened, and we were joined now by the missing three. A very put off Rose, a relaxed Emmett, and a very pissed off and worried looking Edward. I glared at him, and a low growl rumbled thru my chest. Bella placed her hand upon my right arm to calm me her actions causing little Eddie boy to growl in response.

"Get away from her!" Edward yelled.

"Fuck you! She wants me here!" I growled back at him taking a step forward. Bella not wanting to part from my side was right on stride with me.

"Why would she want you anywhere near her? She's afraid of you!" Edward spat at me.

"Me? She's afraid of me? I don't think so! You might want to check the mirror on that last statement though, Eddie boy! What are you now? Huh? The pot or the kettle?"

"Who-"Eddie didn't get to finish.

"Enough! Edward!" It was Esme who put a stop to his bullshit this time. "You, son, chose your actions this afternoon which resulted in Bella being hurt. You do still owe her an apology. I will not stand for any of my sons to hurt the women in their lives in any way, shape or form; you will apologize until she accepts it. Even if it takes forever for her to do so." She added to the now quiet room.

"Now, Peter, Alice took the liberty to call Charlie and ask for her to stay here with us for the night. We did not know when she would be returning back here tonight, so we covered that base." Esme informed us as well.

"Bella, dear, you may sleep in any room you feel comfortable in considering today's events. No one will argue with that, and I mean no one. Do I make myself clear?"

A chorus of "Yes, ma'am" rang thru the house from all the Cullen "children" except for Edward.

"Esme, this isn't right! Bella is my girlfriend; she always stays in my room. She can stay in there tonight, as well." Oh, he's a fuckin' snotty little bastard.

"I'll be damned if you're gonna tell her what to do, Edward! She has a mind of her own. If she's not comfortable in your room, she is more than welcome to stay anywhere she likes in my house! I do believe that Esme did say this was not to be contested, am I right?" Carlisle all but growled back at his first born son. Edward kept his head down because he knew not to test the "father" of the family.

Carlisle stepped forward toward Bella and I when he finished his tongue lashing. Bella stayed slightly behind me at this point and looked back at Carlisle with tears starting again in her eyes. He looked sad and genuinely worried about her well being. Jasper had mentioned on the phone earlier that Carlisle was upset with Edward; I'd never heard him talk to anyone like that before, let alone little Eddie.

"Bella, sweetheart, I know Edward scared you today, and what he did was totally uncalled for. On behalf of my family, I apologize that something like this happened under my roof. Edward will make his own formal apology to you as well once he's calm enough to deliver a proper statement to you."

I looked down at Bella by my side noting the look of worry in her eyes. I wasn't sure if it was his words that worried her or the closeness of all the Cullen's in the room. She opened her mouth and closed it several times before actually getting her statement out.

"Thank you, Carlisle, but what happened today was not yours or anyone else's fault. Edward was the one who attacked me. I….I never thought he could do that to me." Bella began to cry and her body slumped against me. I put my arm around her to keep her from falling.

Edward looked disgusted and ashamed at her words. He better fuckin' well be ashamed for this shit. She was his girlfriend, and he still managed to hurt her like that. He claimed she was his mate. No mate could ever hurt the other, ever, no matter the reason.

"Love, I'm so-"I couldn't let him finish!

"I'm going to fuckin' kill you for this!" I growled to him. I was gonna have murder on my hands once again, but this time it was gonna be Edward fuckin' Cullen.

Edward started to lunge at me; I clutched Bella a bit tighter as he did so. He never made it further than two steps before Emmett and Jasper both grabbed him and slammed him back against the wall successfully restraining him there as Esme reached his side and slapped him across the face. This tactic was used to instill shame on another vampire. A slap never really hurt physically; it hurts your pride.

I leaned down and scooped Bella into my arms and held her against my chest. Taking a deep breath, she laid her head upon me and closed her eyes. The feel of her skin and wet hair against my still naked chest felt amazing. As her warm breath ghosted over my skin, I closed my eyes at the feel of it. I was brought back to the now by Carlisle's next words.

"Bella, honey, I really need to take a look at your leg. Will you let me do that now?"

She looked up at me cautiously and hesitated before she spoke, "I'm really not sure it's necessary, Carlisle. I'm not bleeding anymore." He looked puzzled for a moment.

"Bella, I was under the impression that you were cut pretty badly today. Esme and Alice cleaned up the blood from the floor after you left."

Consequences be damned; I decided it was time for them to know how I sealed her wounds. None of them would like it at all, but right now, it wasn't about them. It was about Bella, and what she wanted.

"Carlisle, Bella and I already took care of the problem while we were out earlier; no needles or doctors were required this time." Every eye was now on me and Bella. No one spoke; no one moved. They just took in the sight of Bella still cradled in my arms.

"Son, I'm led to believe by your words that either the damage was not as we suspected, or a higher form of healing was rendered. Which one would it be?"

"I was asked to seal the wounds with my venom, so I did." Growls and hisses erupted through the room. Bella's head snapped up to watch the scene unfold before her.

"You son of a bitch! How could you touch my girlfriend like that? What gives you the right to touch her at all? In fact, you put her down, right now!" Edward roared from the clutches of his brothers. Jasper and Emmett still kept him pinned firmly against the wall.

"Peter, will you put me down for a moment, please?" Bella's little sweet voice filled the panic filled room. I glared at everyone around the room and ended on Edward's pained expression. I really didn't wanna fuckin' do this, but I set Bella back down on her feet as the fire within her small frame exploded.

"Edward, stop! Stop it right now! I can't take this shit! You did this! You!" Bella was pissed off now. Her body trembled as she let her frustrations out upon her attacker.

"Everything was fine; everyone was having a great time today until your jealousy or whatever the hell it was got in the way. You hurt me because you thought you were doing what you thought was best for me! What you thought, not what I thought. If I thought that anyone of you were harmful to me, I never would've been here. Peter did nothing wrong. I asked for his help. I did." She placed her hand upon her chest taking the blame for the repair on her leg. It was her idea, but I agreed to do it.

I stepped up closer behind her and placed my hand on her shoulder showing her my support. Letting her know I was behind her one hundred percent.

"I really can't believe that you would, or could, blame Peter for any of this." Bella shook her head in disbelief. "He did nothing but help me today. I couldn't be more grateful." She smiled and looked into my eyes as she finished her statement. I couldn't help the demon man in me; I winked back at her.

"He's trash, Bella, nothing but murderous vermin" Edwards's disgust laced his words. Bella flinched at his hurtful words, and I'd had enough.

In a flash, I launched myself toward them pushing my shield out around me in a bubble shape to still encompass Bella. I kept her in my bubble because I still needed to protect her even though I was otherwise occupied. The larger the bubble the less room everyone else had to move around in which was an advantage to me. No one could pass thru but Bella and me. Individual bubbles would've also worked, but this was a space issue. I needed it, so I took it up with my shield. No one could get thru it now. I could feel Bella under the shield with me; she was calm at this point.

The pressure of my shield expanding knocked Emmett and Jasper away from Edward as I grabbed his fuckin' pencil neck bringing him into my shield with me. He kicked around me. Edwards's growls were cut off as I gripped his neck tighter.

"She smells of nothing but you and you smell of her!" Eddie managed to choke out his disgusted words. Gasps of shock ripped thru the room; every expression was that of worry.

"Which one pisses you off more?" I growled back so only he could hear me. I couldn't help the smile that now blessed my face.

I dug my fingers into his neck causing venom to leak down my hand. I still squeezed tighter; oh, I was lovin' this shit. Edward needs to pay. I pressed my teeth into his right shoulder, and I injected venom to cause him pain, pain like he caused Bella. He garbled out words that couldn't be understood, and his body shook from the pain he was feeling.

"You little piece of shit, you will never talk to her like that again. Do you understand me? I am what I am; I don't pretend to be something I'm not. You don't judge me, motherfucker. I should burn your ass now!" My growl shook the room. Bella stepped toward me.

"Bella, don't move any closer. He's not stable right now, and he could hurt you!" Poppa Cullen was now on my shit list, as well. I could never hurt Bella.

"Peter, you don't need to do this." Carlisle had a tint of fear in his voice now. Everyone else remained silent.

"Jasper, please son, help Peter out." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jasper give a nod of understanding. I turned my head to meet his glare.

"Stand down, Captain. I believe that Edward has received his message. Further punishment shall not be delivered." He knows me better than anyone else; even though he gave me a command, Jasper knows I'll not stand down till my worthy punishment is delivered. He did this to comfort his "family".

"Like hell, Major!" I roared back. I immediately bit into Edward's right shoulder again, and with a twist this time, his arm was now separated from his body and tossed onto the floor. Eddie boy's garbled roar was weak from the pain I was delivering to his sorry ass. Collective gasps fill the room the only one I cared about was the one that came from three feet behind me.

"Looks like you'll need to get your worthless, armless ass outta here and get some blood in you. Good luck motherfucker! Now your pristine pride and body will be scarred just like the rest of us. Even Bella, it's not fair that she carries immortal scars, and you don't!" I sneered at him.

"Consider punishment now delivered, Major, but next time—hell there better not be a next time—if he crosses paths with me again or does anything to harm Bella, his ass will be in pieces before anyone can stop me." I turned and faced Bella as I brought my shield back in close around us letting everyone else move about the room to help Eddie out.

"I'm sorry you couldn't deliver the punishment yourself, doll. I hope you're not too angry with me for doing it for you. I just couldn't let him get away with hurting you as if there were no consequences." She stepped up to me and looked into my eyes once again; she seemed fine. I was worried I might have scared her.

"Actually, I'm fine, Peter. Thank you." And with that her arms were around my waist, and her head was against my chest. She was hugging me. I put my arm around her and gave a little squeeze. It felt really nice.

"Get away from my girlfriend, you bastard!" He just doesn't know when to stop does he? I turned Bella and myself around to glare at Edward gripping his neck wounds as Carlisle gathered his arm up for reattachment.

"I think you better shut the fuckin' hole in your face before you find yourself in a whole heap of trouble you can't even begin to fathom boy! I just removed your arm, asshole, was that not enough for you to get the point?"

Carlisle answered for him as he dared Edward to speak again "He's got the point now, Peter. I don't believe that this was completely necessary; sure he did wrong, but does it really constitute limb removal? This is a very painful process to overcome." Is he fuckin' serious? He does know who he's talkin' to, so I'd say, yeah, he's officially lost his marbles.

"Carlisle, let's be glad this wasn't 70 years ago. Peter would've burned him without limb removal just for talkin' to him the way Edward does. I'm glad he stopped at an arm." Jasper gave me a small smile to show me he was impressed with my restraint with Edward. Now that's just one reason I love the hell outta my brother, he stands by me no matter what. I just hope that will remain when he finds out the full reasons behind mine and Bella's scents.

"I should've removed his fuckin' skull. Maybe then the nosey little shit would've gotten the point. He hurt Bella; he needed to be hurt in return. Limb removal was completely necessary." I couldn't help but laugh. Yeah, I'm a sadistic motherfucker.

A special thanks again to my girls Juliangelus & noncanon4me! You know what you do, and you know what you mean to me ladies!

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