BPOV

Looking on at the line of bodies in front of me and Demetri, I tried really hard to find the old sense of feelings I know I once had for them. I tried to envision things like they used to be, and I was blindsided by the fact I couldn't. It wasn't even the eyes, or the fact Demetri said he changed the way I reacted to them. It was... just not there. It was like looking at perfect strangers. I knew who they were, but, I didn't know them anymore. I was actually pretty used to that, though. Everything was new to me now, even things I've seen all my life didn't have the same familiarity they used to have.

I forced myself to wonder briefly if the manipulation of my memories did have something to do with that, but I had to dismiss the notion. They didn't even look familiar, much less evoke a sense of want in me to have anything to do with them. And, to the other side, there was no extreme hate either. It was nothing but indifference, like they just didn't matter. I knew enough about the past, my older memories surfacing and telling me I had decent times with them, but that was the end of it. In the last week with Demetri, though I couldn't completely dismiss some of things that happened over that time, proved he knew more about me than they ever cared to learn in the entire near two years I've known them.

Now, they want to take me away from the one man that generally cares about me for no other reason than they landed in hot water, dragging with them innocent people that had nothing to do with any of this. I looked first at the wolves, who were there for me when they didn't have to be, and knew they were only here because they didn't want me to become a 'bloodsucker'. Since it was too late to stop that, from the looks on their faces, they had already severed whatever ties they once had with me. I was their enemy now, and fighting for my return was beneath them.

My eyes then shifted to the two faces I had never seen before, the one Demetri called 'Captain'. He certainly looked ready to take off Jasper's head himself, and the woman with him didn't look any happier. They were put in a position to die, and it was through no fault of their own. It was that thought that had me grabbing Demetri's arm, and pulling his attention from the Cullens to me.

When he did, I glanced back at 'Captain', then looked up at Demetri. "You once told me you don't kill those that don't deserve to die, right?"

He cocked a brow at me, but nodded just the same. "It's a general rule, yes; though guideline would be more apt a term because if you also recall, I told you if you do not kill them," he turned away and looked back at the group of intruders, "they will kill you. I also believe that was demonstrated."

I bit my lip and debated that for a second. It was but, I really didn't think it would ever come to that. Looking up at him through my lashes, I lowered my voice. "He was lied to, Demetri. That's the only reason he's here."

He looked at me for a short moment, his eyes twisting with his thoughts before he sighed. "Still as soft towards others as always, are you, Gataki? Something we still need to work on it seems. But, very well. Captain." Looking away from me, he locked his eyes on the other vampire's. "I never want to see you again. If I do, for any reason, it will be the last."

A smirk pulled at the Captain's lips. "Gotta get that insurance policy, huh Tracker?"

I heard Demetri chuckle. "Something like that. You will be sure to one day answer for your own crimes, but that day seems to not be today, nor will it be on the back of someone else's. When you do fry, it will only be because of you." He then looked back down at me, his face clearly backing up his next sentence. "That was your one to save. The rest... their fates are their own."

I gasped. "His mate?"

Demetri snorted and shook his head. "Just as you and I, they are one." He then looked to the couple. "Leave, Captain, before I change my mind and you join your sire."

I would have thought the guy would have taken the cue and bolted, but he continued to stand there, looking at Demetri, saying nothing for a long moment. The anticipation in the room was growing to a palpable level, and this mother fucker took his good ass time to say whatever it was that came to his mind. When he did, I heard Demetri grunt, but to my surprise, he didn't interrupt. "Why don't I just g'on and take him with me? He don't wanna be here, and he the only one that gonna be able ta save that little dolly's daddy. Y'all ain't been together long, but I know ya don't actually wanna kill her pa."

Demetri scratched between his now closed eyes. "Your gift is as annoying as ever, Peter." He opened his eyes and smirked. "I will make you a deal, Captain. There are currently forty-five guards trained by me hunting you within these walls with the orders to bring me the heads of the three of you. If you three can make it out of the palace, I won't come after you... for now."

I watched something pass through Peter's eyes, but all he did was nod to the terms presented. I wasn't sure I would ever understand how someone that doesn't deal with Demetri on a daily basis would simply take him at his word like they do. This wasn't the first time I've seen this happen, and I would be willing to bet it wouldn't be the last.

I jolted when I saw Peter wink at me, but he was gone without another word, his mate and Jasper along with him, something else that I was trying to get used to. I was beginning to think it was more rude to say farewell than it was to not. Shaking that off though, I had to cover my ears at the sound of a shriek following their departure.

It was then I was able to put my finger on why I had reservation about this group of vampires. None of them looked overly please, but Alice looked at me, her eyes blazing, and screamed again, though I was unable to make out exactly what it was through the ringing in my ears.

I can vaguely remember a time when I was human and I thought I wouldn't get whiplash by moving too fast without knowing it was going to happen. Why I didn't know it was going to happen was beyond me, too. I wasn't wearing my mask, so I shouldn't have been able to be taken off guard like I was when I found my feet leaving the ground and sight being cut off by the big brick shit house that was Felix.

Grabbing onto his arm, I looked around his bicep and gaped at Demetri, unable to stop my tongue before I spoke. "You really haven't lied to me, have you?"

There was a chuckle on the air, and I looked around, seeing what was the equivalent of a fucking army between me and the Cullens. I shook my head, lips slightly parted. Guards really were never alone within the palace.

Looking up at Felix, I lowered my voice. "Where the hell did you come from?"

He glanced down with a grin. "The back door. Now, shuh. This is gonna be pretty."

Though I cocked a brow, I looked back into the room and waited to see what was so pretty, thought I would find I would term it more along the lines of magnificent. It was one thing to see bits and pieces as a human, but when you have the ability to follow someone's every move, what was once breathtakingly morbid was now magnificently sinister.

DPOV

My ears were going to ring for a fucking week after that banshee mating call. It was so loud it stole my sight momentarily, but I was still ready enough to duck when the little imp dove at me. Wasn't so much ready for the second body that came behind her, though.

Kicking my legs up and over, I slid through the parting bodies of the guard on my toes and fingertips until I came to a stop. Head down, I lifted only my eyes, my lips pulled back from my teeth and a growl rumbled my throat. Reaching up with one hand, I popped my jaw back into place with a snap and a grin pulled at my lips as I locked my eyes on the mind reader as I remained crouched to the floor. "Alright, Bitch. Let's dance."

Lunging into a sprint, I dropped to my hip as he dove, sliding under him and recovering fast enough to grab his ankle, and toss his ass into the middle of the room. It was with an unspoken understanding that the guard then circled around us, ensuring there would be no interference.

He looked at me, and I at him. I could read in his eyes the fear that ran through his veins, thicker than any blood or venom. It was a palpable atmosphere, heavy with knowledge and understanding. I knew he was going to burn, and he understood this. He knew he wasn't going to make it out of the palace alive, and everyone understood that... perhaps all but my little mate. I could feel it, her discontent and upset over the situation as it stood. She didn't care for death, something she has made very clear many times over.

While there was no personal care for the mind reader in her heart, I understood that didn't equate to her wanting him dead. However, regardless of her not caring for his death to the point I did, she also knew, and understood, that was exactly what was going to happen. Had it not been for her, it would have been for something else, though that was the part she clearly didn't fully grasp.

I absolutely never lied to her, but I also didn't tell her everything. Some things were far better left unsaid, and the past transgressions against this coven were among those. She was not Edward's first human pet, and I am fully willing to bet she also wasn't his last. It was almost a certainty he replaced her a year ago when he left her, the narcissist unable to be alone but also unable to fully commit to anyone.

My head cocked to the side as I regarded him, him continuing to do the same to me. Curiously enough, the wedding proposal then popped into my head, making my eyes narrow as little pieces began to click into place. While I am positive the marriage proposal was for nothing but show to keep her quiet, I am just as positive the conversation Bella and I had on the plane was far more true than I had thought at the time. Though he would have found one way or another to get out of it, he didn't have to. Between he and the seer, they would have known exactly what was going to happen the day they left.

He just had to keep her happy - and human - until then.

For as stupid as the man-child was, he was smart enough to avoid changing someone else's mate. Now, here he was, trying to take her back, but for what real reason? This had nothing to do with her father. Her father was a human and very easy to deal with without resorting to suicide. Something else was going on here, and I had to take a moment to consider if I walked right into it.

His eyes sparked with something I didn't care to figure out and I went on the attack, allowing my mind to explore the possibilities of this uncovered implication and off what I was going to do to him. There was never any reason to make this easy for someone else. This fucker was certainly not my first fight with a mind reader, and he would certainly would not be the last.