I watched, no where near close enough to get to the match before it hit Edward. I wouldn't be fast enough even if I tried.
I was at a loss.
Nothing I can possibly do can stop gravity. The gifts I've picked up from others wouldn't help and I felt far too weak to try.
But the match didn't hit Edward. It flinched off something blue and fell to the ground. Some – for lack of a better word – force field stopped it. Electric blue and it hurt to look at but it did stop the flame. It reached the ground and hit the cobbles, slowly going out.
Edward and Demetri just stared at it in shock.
I, on the other hand had a better idea. I ran over to them, as fast as I could – not tumbling on the way, may I add – and in a split second chose who to pounce on.
Edward.
I leapt through the air and pushed his shoulders down when they both turned to see what was flying at them – me. I showered his face with kisses and came to his lips last. He kissed back just as hard. They stayed like this until someone interrupted.
"Ahem!" Demetri coughed from above, still holding the pack of matches. "There are at least sixty-nine more of these." Demonstrating, he took one out and lit it over us. It dropped and I hoped and prayed the shield would protect us again.
It did.
The match slid around us, as if it were hitting a curved object and fell to the stony ground, landing beside the other. I grinned.
My grin turned into a scowl. I glared at him and the small box – namely the box – and sent it to where ever Emmett was. He would find a good use for them. I felt Edward jump beside me as they left.
Was that you?
I nodded looking into his dark gold eyes. He grinned back but I could see he needed to hunt.
"Ah, I see…" Demetri turned to leave but I froze him in place. Edward stood and pulled me up, not that I needed it. I just needed him. I grabbed him into a hug, shoving my face into his chest, inhaling his wonderful scent. I smiled and he saw me.
What are you smiling about?
Being able to do this and being back with you.
For a moment he was totally speechless, mind and mouth, like he couldn't believe what I was doing. In all honesty, I couldn't believe it either, but it worked and I wasn't complaining. I could send my thoughts to other people and I was so thankful that Aro made me meet all those vampires…
You're amazing Bella. I love you so much.
I love you too Edward…I looked up into his dark gold eyes. Where are the others? I can't send thoughts and listen to them too or do three gifts at once. Only two, at least, I'm not going to try another just in case.
I caught the drift of Emmett's thoughts through his mind, and realised they were practically screaming at Edward. Well, Emmett's not far off and…Oh…Jane and Victoria aren't far off either.
We'll be fine Edward, we can win this.
I know, I just don't think I could bear loosing you again.
Edward… I couldn't think of anything to say. I knew we wouldn't loose this but it broke my heart to think he was worrying over me being killed. As if that could happen!
Say something…
It's just, I can't believe you're worrying over me after I've become a vampire and got all of these gifts. If anything you should be worrying about yourself.
Bella, you'll always be a clumsy human to me. He grinned down and I grinned up.
"Oh, how heart warming. The two lovers meet again, once more."
We spun around and came almost face to face with Jane – well, as close as face to face could be. She was still so tiny.
"You know, Isabella. You can't do so much all at once." Her words were getting to me. "You can't manage it all." And they were true. "Besides, why bother. It's not like he really loves you. Just think what he did with Victoria."
Edward caught my shoulders and I couldn't look at him. "Bella, look at me." How could I refuse what he was asking? "Don't believe a word she says. You know I love you and could only love you. I know you can keep this up. The others are only a minute away. You can last that. We can win this." I smiled as he quoted me.
"I'll be a little preoccupied for a while. I'll trust you'll protect me?"
"Always." He smiled down again, gently kissing me on the lips.
"Urgh!" Jane groaned in exasperation. "Can't you do that somewhere else?"
"We would but I don't think you'd let us go, would you?"
Jane frowned at me and Victoria thought it best to intervene.
But she couldn't.
The rest of the Cullens had arrived. Emmett shook the box of matches with a raised eyebrow. At least it worked.
"Look what the cat dragged in." Victoria sneered.
At that point I was all for come backs but Rosalie did something I'm sure not even Victoria was expecting. She slid her way around Edward and I, in front of us and glared at Victoria. Rosalie Hale was defendingus. Rosalie, who hated me – or so I thought but maybe that was just my mind playing tricks on me – was defending her whole family. And I was included in that.
"Care to repeat that? Some of us at the back didn't quite hear," she said with a falsely sweet voice. I suppressed a shudder and it looked like Jane did too. Rosalie had enough menace in her voice to make a member of the Volturi tremble.
Victoria looked like she was contemplating what to say to that, or whether it was wiser just to keep quiet. "I think you heard me… Though now you're all here, I suppose I'll have to kill you all. You picked the wrong side to fight with, my dear." She grinned at Rosalie, her shining white teeth almost glowed in the rising moonlight.
"I admit, you've done well. All of this nonsense caused me to accidentally push my own brother away with words that were meant to comfort him. I pushed him away and Alice started to hate me for it. The guilt I felt was worse than anything that I'd ever felt before. Now, you have this out in the open. You plan to kill an entire coven because you want to kill one of them. I'd get angry if you just went for one of us, Edward, Alice, even Bella but tell us. What really was your plan?"
Victoria turned away, looking around the courtyard. "My plan…" She was looking for words, and still wondering whether she was doing the right thing. "My plan was to take the girl, dragging Edward back. I knew if I killed her, he would kill me so I would have to kill her instead. Mate for mate, it was as simple as that. Then Aro decided he would keep her and add her to the Volturi's assortment of gifts. I tried talking it out with him, he knew my strategy from the start and they seemed up for watching the things unfold. I had no idea he would just turn on me like that. Never truly trust the Volturi, ever. I kept out of the way when the ball came around. It was only after you and Bella" – she motioned towards Edward – "did your little jump sequence I found out you were back together. My plot was slowly falling through my hands. One of you has to live in pain and right now, I don't care which of you survives and which of you die. One of you has to go."
We all stared at her with cold eyes. I got the feeling, now Rosalie had spoken up, the whole coven was with Edward and I and we didn't need to fear anything. The Cullens were going to help us win this but I wouldn't let it start just yet. I had unanswered questions.
"Why did you let me write on the letter? You were so patient then. It was as if you took pity on me."
"No, idiot girl," Edward pulled me into him as a low growl erupted from his chest. I hadn't been paying too much attention to her thoughts which was probably why he was pulling me close. "I needed Edward to see you were still alive and have a reason to follow. If he knew you didn't love him, he wouldn't have followed us."
As I looked over her, I probably would have believed her were it not for Edward's gift helping me hear the truth. If only it were that. I used to hurt in exactly the same way until I realised what I needed to do. James would be so proud… Her mind drifted into memories and I shared a glance with Edward, confirming he heard the same.
"I feel a fight coming on." Emmett muttered from behind us.
I grinned. "So do I Emmett," I grinned at Jane and she seemed to step back a little. Maybe she was finally coming to terms with the fact three vampires – one of which was frozen – was no match for a whole coven.
Rosalie turned her head to face us, a grin crept onto her face and she winked at me. I stood, shell shocked.
Then she leapt on Victoria.
As Rosalie started clawing away at her skin I still stood shocked. Emmett had come up to me. "Bella, do something!" I came to my senses after Jasper gave me a jolt of power and I froze Victoria. Rosalie continued to rip her to pieces. Jane was slipping away and I froze her too, hoping I could do everything at once. My breathing was becoming ragged and I was feeling so dizzy.
Rosalie had attacked and killed Victoria, she was a burning pile and Jane was not far behind with Alice and Esme helping. Demetri was almost lit because Jasper, Edward and Emmett were attacking him. For a moment I wondered where Carlisle was but I didn't get the chance to ponder it. Edward's eyes had turned completely black.
It was what I had feared. He hadn't hunted in all the time he was here, it was the vision all over again. He would stalk that girl and attack her. If that wasn't bad enough he would be killed for hunting in the city.
I had to do something.
With all the concentration I had left, I pushed the repulsion to human blood onto him.
His concerned eyes were the last thing I saw before my head hit the ground and black engulfed me.
I knew I couldn't die but I didn't know if I'd ever see Edward again or if my eyes would ever open.
A/N:Okay, so a little less death on the Cullens part. More so on the Volturi's!
How do you all feel?! Victoria, Jane and Demetri are dead! (I flop at writing fight scenes) and Edward isn't! Bella may be in a coma (again) but that's not the point, I suppose. She will wake up, I can promise you that. She is not dead.
I'm really sorry about not updating sooner. I've had writers block all week and we've just got back to school. The teachers have been laying on the homework thick and fast so it was so hard to write. Also, because we are having building work going on here, my brother had to sleep in my room for a few nights so I had to turn off my computer early and didn't get the change to write more.
You haveone more chapter left and then an epilogue.The epilogue will be something to look forward to! I had so much fun writing the Author Note!
Please review!
Emma
