Disclaimer. All publicly recognizable characters, settings etc., are the property of their respective owners. The original characters, ideas and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. I only do this for fun.

Overwhelming Darkness

A/N: This story is written as collaboration by both Xo Bella Italiana oX and DeathQueen26. We hope that you enjoy the story and look forward to reading your reviews. If you have any questions or comments, post them in my reviews and I will answer them in my next Author's Note! Enjoy!

Reminder: If you go to my Wattpad page – where I have also posted most of my stories, including this one – you will see that I have posted PICTURES of a scene from each chapter inside the story with the chapter! So, take a look and tell me what you think! There are even Jasper Romance pics! The user name (penname) is the same as this one so it won't be hard to find. Or you can click on the link on my profile! - Bella'Xo

Previously…
(Bella's POV)

Jasper must have sensed that I needed to speak with Peter, because he dragged Jake out of the room with Charlie and Sue following along with the others.

Nick, Samantha and the other kids headed back into the building, no doubt heading for the gaming room. I saw Charlotte inching further away from her mate as a grin spread across her face. The woman may not have a gift, but she knew when I was pissed, upset or angry.

I was about a foot from Peter when he noticed that Charlotte was no longer by his side, but on the other side wall.

"Char..." Peter started to speak, but she just shook her head.

"I ain't gonna help ya here, Peter." Charlotte raised a brow to me. "I know he's been hidin' somethin', but I don't know what." She placed her hands on her hips as she moved to my side. "What do you know, Peter?" Her eyes narrowed on her mate as Peter swallowed, his body tensing.

"Well..."

Chapter 30

(Bella's POV: Enemy Holding Cell; Texas Compound)

"Well, what, Peter?" I snapped, irritated that he had been keeping something from me.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "There's a double-agent in Volterra."

My brows shot up, not expecting this information in the slightest. "A double-agent? What do you mean?"

"I mean that there's someone amongst the guards that's playin' with both the Volturi and the Romanian's, feedin' information to the other side. Now, I don't know everythin', which is why I haven't said anythin' earlier, but I do know it has somethin' to do with Didyme's death." He explained.

The surprises just kept on coming today.

"And just what does any of that have to do with Sue, Jake and my father's reappearance?" I pressed, remembering his expression only moments ago.

His smirk reappeared. "We are goin' to find out who that someone is on our upcomin' trip."

I growled, my irritation at my Captain getting the better of me. "Damnit, Peter, enough with the riddles! Out with it!"

He held his hands up in surrender, "Alright, alright, jeez...you're no fun today!" He grumbled, clearing his throat and straightening his spine as he looked me in my eyes. "We are goin' to be bringin' the Chief along for the ride."

"What? My father? Why? He's a newborn, for crying out loud! That would be highly irresponsible, not to mention a death sentence." I chastised him.

"Well, from what I gather, the Chief's deductive reasonin' skills, along with his talent for interrogation in the field durin' his time on the force, has granted him an immortal talent for detectin' lies enhanced by those around him. So, in other words, he's a human lie detector, Boss." He revealed.

I pursed my lips and nodded, Peter's manifestation of Charlie spot on.

"But it is vital for this double-agent to be found, now of all times, am I right?" I pressed on.

"Absolutely," Peter agreed.

I nodded again, "You mind divulging your reasoning behind that one?"

"Of course," He grinned cheekily, "Didyme's reappearance in the guard will no doubt spread, along with how it happened. Even if we set it up so that no one witnesses her rebirth, it'll only deflect the speculation from Nick on to you." He made a show of weighing the options, none of them good. "If we allow Nick's ability to be revealed publicly, I can't even begin to tell you the damage that it'll cause. Word will spread, and he will be coveted. Eventually, the double-agent will catch wind and deliver the news to Stephan and Vladimir. They can eventually be destroyed, but it'll cause many deaths from both sides in the process. And even after they're vanquished, that'll only be the start of us tryin' to protect Nick from bein' used. He'll eventually end up losin' himself completely in this mess, feelin' obligated to bring back all our allies who fought to keep him safe."

I shook my head rapidly, knowing that I could never let that happen to my son. My God, he was just a child!

"And if we didn't allow him to be revealed publicly?" I asked.

He shrugged, "It's a bit different. Everyone will have their own theories and speculations on Didyme's miraculous return. Most will think that you had somethin' to do with it, what with all the gossip going around about your power and abilities. But no one would dare attempt to press you under their thumb. However, our double-agent will still go to the Romanian's with these theories and beliefs, and they will surmise that if they could gain you into their ranks, they'll be able to take back their throne. It will cause a lot of trouble for all of us, either way you decide to go about it."

"Is there a reason that I can't just shift through the minds around me for the double-agent?"

"They're smarter than you give em' credit for. He or she knows to watch their thoughts, especially with Aro around. You won't find anythin' that way."

"But if we bring Charlie?" I sighed, already having an idea on where this will go.

"He will be able to help us reveal the double-agent before Didyme's brought back. They will be eliminated an' Nick will be able to bring Marcus's mate back privately without the double-agent stirrin' shit up. Lives will be saved and Nick won't be fightin' for his freedom, or his sanity." He placed a hand on my upper-arm. "It has to be this way. This is just somethin' we are goin' to have to risk."

"But if something happens where Charlie reveals himself to the humans, the Volturi won't play favorites. It won't matter what I do if they deem him a threat to our livelihoods." I murmured.

I felt like I was being forced into making a choice between my father and my son.

"We will make sure that doesn't happen," Peter promised. "No one will have to be sacrificed for the good of another."

I closed my eyes and let out an unneeded breath of air, "You do that. I'm counting on you."

He nodded, "I won't let ya down."

I made my way over to the training arena and stood, leaning against the fence as I watched Jasper as he worked with Sue and Jake with their transformations from wolf to vampire and vice versa. Apparently, with their vampire instincts running amuck, they had been having loads of trouble keeping from phasing back and forth at their will.

"No, stop!" Jasper chastised Sue, who seemed to be having more trouble than Jake, what with her not having been a wolf when she was human. So, this was a lot harder for her to grasp. "You need to calm yourself. Don't let your emotions control you. You can will them away if you work at it."

Jasper had been chosen to help the vampire shifters, since he had the most experience with what they were going through. He might not change into a giant horse-sized wolf whenever his emotions got the better of him, but he still had to deal with foreign emotions threatening him and having to push them down. Anger and thirst were especially the harder ones for him to deal with, especially with his inner demon sizzling beneath the surface. He was worse to deal with than an out-of-control wolf.

Charlie appeared at my side, not saying anything as he leaned his elbows against the same fence I was currently resting against. His eyes were glued to the female shifter with a protective aura about him.

"She's your mate, isn't she?" I murmured, kicking up some dirt, unwilling to meet his eyes.

He sighed, "How'd you know?"

I smirked, "Let's just say I have had enough experience with mated vampires to know the difference between a casual admiration and the real deal."

He grinned, shaking his head in what appeared to be befuddlement. "All that time we were imprisoned in her army, we were able to keep it from everyone, especially the Mistress. But you are able to tell with one look. How is that?"

I turned my head to give him a full-on smile. "Well, I have learned my skills for observation and seeing what's beneath the surface from the best."

I knew that if he were able to blush, his cheeks would have been the color of roses.

My smile faded, "I know that no words could ever make up for everything that I've done to cause you and everyone else such trouble and pain, but for what it's worth, I really am sorry."

His crimson eyes softened with affection as he reached out to place his hand on my forearm. "I know that, kiddo. You've never been the kind of person to purposefully cause others pain."

I returned his statement with a quick appreciative smile, my eyes following his to Sue as she stood before my mate, seemingly unable to pay attention to him with me standing so closely to Charlie. She clearly didn't like my father being near me; not in the sense that a female is near her mate, but a possible danger instead. Sue was obviously conflicted with what she believed to have been true, and what she was feeling.

Charlie let out a long breath of air, smiling adoringly at his mate. "She will in time, I'm sure of it." He began. "She just needs to come to terms with what had really happened to her and understand it fully."

"So, in the mean time, she's going to have an issue with us being around each other?" I asked.

He shook his head, "Sue knows how much finding you meant to me. But she couldn't comprehend how I could still want to after what she had believed you had done to her, my mate, at the time."

I stifled a sob, bringing Jasper's attention directly towards me, his expression tortured, wanting so badly to come to me, but knowing that I needed this with my dad.

"I didn't mean to kill her, at the time," I said, "But I had just woken up, and she was so close, and smelled so good..." I trailed off, turning fully to face my father as he gazed at me with an expression full of heartbreak.

He shook his head, "I don't blame you in the slightest for what happened. I know what it's like to be so thirsty that common sense seems to flee from your mind."

"No," I objected, "It's not even that. She was my singer, dad. It's so much worse than anything you'll experience, and I pray to God that you never have to. It was like any will-power I had over myself completely fled from me, and all I could do was watch as my body reacted on it's own accord, killing someone I deeply cared about with no one there capable enough to help me." I swallowed harshly, "I couldn't even stay around to pay my respects. The guilt ate at me every day, especially with what I had just gone through with losing Jake and our child."

Venom had flooded Charlie's eyes by this point, and I felt a pair of arms wrap around my waist as I smelled my mate's scent.

"None of that was your fault, Darlin'," He cooed in my ear.

I shrugged, unable to say anything as Sue flitted to Charlie's side as he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her against him. I could see that she was indecisive, both at war with her heart and mind, and I couldn't blame her. All I could do was be there and hopefully gain her trust and loyalty in time.

Jake cleared his throat from off to the side, unsure of where he was supposed to stand. I truly felt for him. Before he had died, we were a couple and about to have a child together, and when he was reborn into this world, I was mated to someone else. He could not shut off his heart, and I knew that Jasper understood this, as well, as much as he didn't like it, and respected Jake.

"For what it's worth, Sue, we all woke together in Maria's camp and I know you both probably don't remember the short time in between where we were human, me just being a normal shifter once again before the full transformation into what we are now took place, but I do." He announced.

"What do you mean?" Sue pressed, cocking her head to the side as she leaned into Charlie's side, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"He means that he remembers waking up before Maria bit you three, changing you into vampires." Peter interpreted, climbing to sit on top of the fence with Charlotte standing at his side.

"With me a wolf at the time, I have the ability to remember things a lot clearer than the two of you would have, especially with the time in between coming back to life and being bitten being so short, but I remember waking up, lying in a bunch of hay in a large barn with you two across from me. Mistress Maria was with the one who brought us back, Sebastion, and that Chris guy - the one who can teleport. She was telling Chris what a good job he did and how proud she was that he was able to dig us up and bring us back without the other wolves catching him and his team...

...Flashback...

(Jake's POV)

Where was I?

Bella? Was she okay?

Why can't I move my body?

Everything felt so stiff and heavy. I wanted to scratch my shoulders; whatever I was laying on was really itchy. And I was hot. Where ever I was, the air was hot and dry, which was weird. The last thing I remembered was being in the mountains with snow around me. And Bella was...

Oh God, was she okay?

The sound of footsteps walking over creaking boards caught my attention and I was able to force my eyes open in time to see a Hispanic female red-eyed vampire approaching another black-haired red-eyed male vampire and a blonde red-eyed male.

I could feel the familiar hatred bubbling within me whenever I came across a bloodsucker, especially with red eyes. But my body was just too weak to attempt to phase as I struggled to keep my eyes open.

"Very good, mis mascotas (my pets)," The female seemed to purr to the others.

"Thank you, Mistress Maria," the two spoke together.

She approached the blonde first, pressing herself against him and running her hands through his hair as she spoke in that this Hispanic accent of hers, "Christopher, I can't tell you how much it pleases me that you all were able to make it into the crummy little town to dig up these three and make it back without that pack of mangy mutts catching you."

The one named Christopher wrapped his arms around Maria and held her against him as he thanked her, "They were right where the Cullens said they would be."

The Cullens? What part did they play in all of this - whatever this was?

"Mmm, yes," Maria purred, "They have proven themselves to be quite useful. Even that doctor and his little wifey." She pressed a passionate kiss to his lips before pulling back and making her way over to the other male, who had been standing there without speaking so much as a word.

"And you, my dear Sebastian, mi fuente a pie de la juventud (my walking fountain of youth). You have been very helpful to me. You only have to keep an eye on that Isabella for a little longer. We'll be ready soon enough, and when we are, we'll kill that thieving puta, and we'll take back what's ours!"

Just like with the other male, she pressed her mouth to his, holding his face in between her hands as she kissed him.

Stepping back, she face the two men, "You both will be handsomely rewarded for your successes tonight. But be quick about it, Sebastian. You need to be back at that puta's camp before she notices you are missing." She grumbled the latter. "Christopher, I will need you to stay for just a little bit longer, until their transformations begin."

"Yes, Mistress," both men nodded, the former leaving the barn.

The sound of a groan caught my focus, as well as the attention of the other two bloodsuckers in the room. My eyes shifted and widened as I saw two others lying across from me.

It was Charlie and Sue!

How was this possible? Charlie had been killed by that red-headed leech, Victoria! But he was alive! And still human! They both were, however, Sue was never dead, as far as I knew.

"I see you're finally awake and ready to join the party!" Maria smiled. However, her smile was not the least bit comforting. There was an edge to it that make it more malicious that genuine.

"What's going on? Where am I?" Charlie grumbled, his voice breaking, not having been used in so long.

Maria chuckled as Sue's eyes opened and gasped. "Wh- who are you? Why am I here?" Her eyes took in those around her, finishing with Charlie and I in shock. "Jake? Charlie? No... you're dead."

Dead? Had I been dead? And if so...how am I alive again?

"Where's Bella?" I rasped, able to push myself up some so that I could sit up, leaning against the wall of the barn against the pile of hay I was lying on.

"Tsk, tsk," Maria shook her head, "So many questions, and not enough time to answer them all." She sighed, turning her attention towards her companion. "Christopher, be a dear and fetch the Cullen's for me. I'm sure they would take pleasure in explaining why they're here before we get started."

"Yes, Mistress," He bowed, disappearing before our eyes, much to he shock of Sue and Charlie.

"What was that? What do the Cullen's have to do with any of this?" Charlie hissed, forcing himself to sit up on his elbows. "And where is that other woman? The one who -" He didn't finish, seemingly unable to as Chris suddenly appeared at the entrance to the barn, followed by Edward, Alice, Carlisle and Esme.

"You," Sue spoke with narrowed eyes at the Cullens.

Taking in Edward's form, a growl erupted from my throat, recalling everything he had done to Bella with his leaving her the way he did.

The mind reader's eyes narrowed and held his hands over his ears. "Stop it!" He growled in return.

"Edward, what is it, son?" The doctor asked in concern.

Edward shook his head, glaring at me, "Nothing."

Maria gestured them inside, "Why don't the four of you explain to dear old dad and his friends, why they're here and what has become of his beloved daughter while I get everything ready for their transformation into my army."

"With pleasure," Edward grumbled as the four of them approached, leaving Christopher standing guard in the doorway.

"Edward, son, let's not act malevolently. After all, it's not their fault that they ended up where they are now." Carlisle chastised him.

Alice nodded, "They're just a pawn in the bigger scheme of things."

Edward rolled his eyes, "Whatever."

From there, they went on to explain everything, from how we had been brought back from the dead by Sebastian to how Bella was now a Warlord here in the South. It was all so surreal and hard to take in, picturing Bella as the girl I knew to the one they painted her as. I knew that it couldn't all be as tedious as they spoke, and that they believed in what they said.

"Alright, enough chit chat," Maria interrupted as Charlie disputed the things they had spoken about his daughter, refusing to help them kill his only child.

"It's not like you'll remember much of this, anyway," Alice huffed. "If any of it."

"Let's see, who will be first?" Maria grinned, an evil smile maring her features. "Eenie, meanie, minie, you!" She pointed at Charlie before pouncing, sinking her teeth into his jugular.

...End Flashback…

(Jasper's POV)

Silence echoed around the group as Jake finished his story. No one seemed to know what to say next as I held Bella in my arms.

"She was right," Sue finally spoke up, "Alice, I mean. I don't remember any of that. The only thing I remember is Bella coming at me and biting me before I blacked out. The very next memory for me is a world of pain before waking up in that barn Jake had just spoke about, my throat feeling as though it were on fire."

"Same here," Charlie agreed, "I can only remember that Victoria woman ranting and raving about revenge as she..." he trailed off, his eyes flickering towards Bella as guilt filled him for having brought up such a painful topic for both of them. "Anyway, after that, I just remember feeling like I was being roasted alive before all the pain centered in my chest. When I was able to wake up, I was in that barn with Jake and Sue, practically clawing my throat out until that Christopher person appeared with three humans, and we..." He looked down in shame, trailing off into silence. He was still looking towards his boots as he spoke again, "I hate that I have to kill these innocent people to survive. What makes me any better than the monsters I'd worked my whole life to put away to protect the very people I'm killing?"

"I agree," Jake added, "As a wolf, my pack and I killed they very beings that I've become to protect the humans around us."

Bella and I exchanged a glance and she nodded before I cleared my throat, garnering his attention. "You know, there are other options."

Hope flickered in both his face and emotions as he spoke, "There is? Like what?"

"Well, its not easy, but when I was living with the Cullen's, they would only feed on the blood of animals. It's why my eyes used to be that odd shade of amber, unlike the crimson we all have now." I explained, "You'll have to feed a lot more often and gain a hard hold on your control, but if you're really that opposed to killing humans, I don't see why you wouldn't have the willpower to stay on the diet."

"I've tried it," Jake admitted sheepishly, "I'll admit, it doesn't taste nearly as good as a human, nor do I have nearly the strength I do now. But the main reason why it didn't work out for me was because I wasn't able to have as much control over my wolf as I do on human blood."

"Well, I'm not a wolf," Charlie said before puffing out his chest. "I'll give it a try. No offense, Sue, Jake."

Bella smiled, "Good, I'm glad to see that you've found a compromise for living this life."

"Yeah, good for you, Charlie," Jake smiled, genuinely happy for the Chief, but his emotions were still troubled by his predicament, Sue's emotions mirroring the same cocktail.

"I did say that there was more than one option," I reminded them, "You could do what Bella and I do, as well as the majority of the soldiers here at the compound."

"And what is that?" Sue pressed.

"We live off the blood of those humans who are undeserving of the life they've been given," Bella admitted.

"And how do you differentiate between those who you deem undeserving?"

"Simple," Peter answered, turning to Charlie, "As a cop, I'm sure you've seen your share of human monsters. You know the kind; child molesters, rapists, murderers...The law can sometimes be a double-edged sword. At times, it protects the very monsters it was designed to ensnare."

Charlie's face darkened. "Yeah, I know the sort. I can't tell you how many times over the years that I've wanted to take the law into my own hands because a guilty man wasn't put to justice." He shook his head in disgust.

"Well, those are the exact sort we go after," I informed them. "You'll never see me purposefully hunt down a child, or innocent bystander. And not just because of the painful affect my gift has on me, but because I have morals, just like the rest of us, here."

Jake nodded, thoughtfully. "I guess I could give that a try."

"But is that it?" Sue asked. "Are those our only options? What if none of that works out for me?"

Bella leveled Sue with an empathetic stare. "No, Sue. They aren't your only options. It's just that we only reserve this final option if we have no other choice."

"And what's that?" She pressed.

"Donated blood bags," I answered for her.

Comprehension dawned on her face and she nodded. "Oh."

"Yeah," Bella agreed. "We'd prefer not to have to take blood designed to save the lives of innocent humans."

Sue was quiet for several seconds before she let out a sigh of resignation. "I guess I'll try hunting the way you all do."

"Glad to hear it," Peter smiled as Charlie wrapped a supportive arm around his mate.

The sound of a loud gasp coming from the tree line caught everyone's attention, as well as several deep, loud growls.

My senses were immediately on alert, and I pushed Bella behind me and dropped down into a crouch, nearly every male, along with one or two females mimicking my position.

The smell of the northern woods from the Olympic Peninsula mixed with the strongly sweet smell of wet dog wafted through my nose and into my lungs, bringing out a low, loud growl of my own.

"Sam?" Bella questioned softly.

But he was not alone, that much was for sure. The sound of eight different heart beats, as well as sets of disbelieving, angry emotions, echoed around him, sending my instincts into a frenzy.

Protect.

A/N: Cliff Hanger! Any idea's why Sam and some of the wolf pack are there? What are their reactions to seeing Sue, Jake and Charlie alive, and as vampires, no less? And what about the double-agent in Volterra? Who do you think it is? Review!

If you have any questions or comments, post them in my reviews and I will answer them in my next Author's Note!

To see more, go to either mine or my Co Author's FF page: Xo Bella Italiana oX or DeathsQueen26

If you enjoyed this story so far, check out some of my other stories on my FanFiction page! Also, I am still accepting Twilight stories that involve Jasper/any female leads or Bella/selected male leads if anyone is looking for a Beta Reader. I will make exceptions on the characters depending on the plot. I am also accepting other story topics as well! PM me for details!

- Bella'Xo -

Xo Bella Italiana oX