Chapter 9 - Choose Your Side

Andrew POV

"Victor, what is going on here?" I asked, wondering how long he wanted me to keep this poor woman in her enforced coma-like state.

"Nothing, just wait for me outside." He hissed in response to my question.

"Then why did you have me shut down the doctor's wife like that?" I demanded, wanting to understand why he needed my assistance.

"She needed some time to recover from the news of his death. She is overwhelmed by his demise and I am just trying to ease her pain." Victor explained more calmly this time. I wondered if he was voicing his true intensions, or if there was more that he wasn't saying. He seemed awfully protective of this new woman.

"How long are you going to keep her suspended? Are you sure you are not trying to keep her for yourself?" I asked him, worrying that might be his real intensions.

"What if I were?" he demanded. "Look at her. She is as delicate as a flower and as beautiful. She needs to be cared for by someone." Victor looked over at the still form of the woman as she lay on a couch. His eyes watched her almost obsessively.

"Someone like you perhaps?" I questioned, worried. "Your father is not going to like this." I warned him.

"My father can go screw himself! I am tired of living in the dark ages. That man doesn't have a forward moving bone in his body. I will not be under his rule much longer. And when that happens and mark my words, it will; you'd better know which side you are going to choose." He exclaimed as he stormed yelling for his brown nosing comrade Percy.

This is so not going to go over well. Alistair knew he was up to something but this was not even remotely close to any ideas he could come up with.

Victor POV

"Percy! We need to go now, to make sure the doctor is properly disposed of. I am ready to stake my claim on my mate and my coven. Are you still with me?" I asked him once I knew I was out of anyone's hearing.

"You know I am. But we need Andrew on our side. He can shut us all down with his powers. Lock him in the guest room with our guest. Tell him were under attack from other travelers, or something that he will be gullible enough to believe so he does what we want."

"You know that is a good idea. If he feels like he is protecting someone, he won't hesitate to use his power," I agreed.

With Andrew, the story had to be believable. And considering our past conversations, it had to be foolproof.

Carlisle POV

I smelled bear again but this was not a fresh kill as I had done earlier. I followed to odor imagining if there was a dead bear near here for whatever reason; it was probably close to an opening to the outside. I had tried digging my way out as I had dug my way in but I discovered that the walls had some type of rock formation that was impervious to even my vampire strength. I reached a corner where the smell was strongest. I turned and entered the next cave. What I saw sickened me.

Eight bears had been ravaged mauled and completely torn asunder as if some kind of horrible massacre or feeding frenzy had taken place. This was almost bad enough to bring in the Volturi. Not that they cared about a bunch of black bears but the carelessness of the situation was enough to bring out curious investigations and retribution from the Vampire royal family. People would be curious why a bunch of almost extinct creatures had been killed en masse as such without any care as to the ramifications of the impact it would cause to the natural order of things.

Then I smelled an unwelcome scent - newborn vampires. Newborns and lots of them! Who would be creating newborns in this area? This was a dangerous game someone was playing. I could tell there were several of them due to the variations of scents, although how many, I could not discern. They were gone by now but due to the overpowering smell; I could also tell they had not been gone long, perhaps just by a few hours.

I headed out of the cavern after a few more minutes traveling at full vampire speed to get out of the caves. I assessed my injuries as I ran out of the cavern. My leg was fine by now and my ribs were completely healed. My arm was still a little sore and slightly weaker than the other but very much in tact and with a little more time will be completely healed. After I exited the cave, I searched to determine my whereabouts.

I was looking for a scent; anything that would lead me to Esme or Victor or both. I was worried about what she must be going through not seeing me for the last two days; what lies Victor must be telling her. I regretted leaving out any way of contacting the kids so I could assure them I was safe. I explicitly told Edward he is never to be out of contact again after that little stunt he pulled in Italy and yet here I was out of contact myself. Much to my own chagrin now, I could probably use a little help from my kids right now.

The wind shifted and I smelled vampires approaching. The scents were not those of the newborn vampires, but the more familiar scents of Victor and Percy. They were heading back to the caves. I followed their scent to see what they were up to. They were discussing something as thet walked ahead of me but were speaking too quietly for me to understand what they were saying. I followed them to see what they were up to. Were they coming to rescue me or to try and finish me off? If my heart still beat it, would have been racing at this point. Where was my wife? I toyed with the idea of continuing to look for Esme or confronting the vampire and his henchman. I decided even if I found Esme, it is not clear what this man's intention were in the future. So as they reached a large open cavern, I addressed him aloud.

"Where is Esme, Victor?" I demanded. "What have you done to her to keep her from me?"

"Dr. Cullen! You are alive as I suspected. They told us you were dead but Percy and I came to be sure it was true and here you are; alive and well." He crooned with false glee.

"I am not impressed with your false happiness, Victor. Where is my wife, I asked you once. I will not ask again. Whatever ministrations you are involved in do not include us and I would be happy to take my wife and leave as soon as possible."

"What if she does not wish to leave? Would you make her? Would you force her against her will?" He questioned me.

Where was all this coming from? I would never hold Esme against her wishes. Has there been a change since this natural disaster that has resulted in a disaster of its own? For a minute I almost feared the worse, and then I realized who I was talking to and composed my thoughts accordingly.

"My wife makes her own choices, Victor. She will not be railroaded by me or anyone else for that matter," I spoke, the venom building in my mouth. Whatever he was manipulating was not something I was allowing to happen to us.

"I have been here since the earthquake and yet here you are two days later under the guise of coming to be sure I was here. How much patience do you think I have, Victor? I can smell your deceitfulness and corruption from here. Do not be under the misguided interpretation that you are in control of anything where my wife and I are concerned."

At this point I knew without a doubt this man meant to take what was mine and to do me harm. He awakened in me feelings and emotions I had longed deemed as dead as my unbeating heart. I was through talking. I fell into a defensive stance as I saw Percy move to flank me on my right. I preferred to handle things from a nonviolent perspective but I was raised in the 1600's. I knew violence, if it was necessary and today, I concluded, it would be.

Percy flew across the cavern at me nearly bowling me over. I was trained by the best at the Volturi and my son Jasper, in hand-to-hand combat against newborns. This was not going to be an easy kill if that's what these two were planning. I side-stepped his attack and grabbed him around the neck for the kill. Victor pulled him away before I could bite into his neck but did not break my vice grip on his arm. I pulled with the intentions of relieving him of the appendage permanently. His screams of horrendous pain and Victor's kick to my back gave him the release he sought temporarily.

I rolled several feet toward the back of the cavern but I jumped up and swung around getting ready to go for Victor who backed up out of the cavern pulling his friend away quickly. The explosion they obviously had preset caused a massive cave-in sealing me in as they escaped. Surely he did not think this was over that easily.

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