Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, they belong to Steph Meyer!

A/N: Kinda short, sorry, but keep in mind that wrote the last 3 posts in one day, so it was quite a bit of writing for me. I've finally mapped out this story and think I have some unexpected twists coming up. Not in this post or the next one, but things start to get interesting by chapter 14.

Chapter Twelve Bella's Men

Demetri POV

I made the right decision. I repeated this over and over as I ran through the forest away from the one person on this whole planet that cared whether I lived or died. Another small part of me died as I walked away from her distraught form, imagining what she was now going through. They would all judge her harshly if they ever found out what she'd done. I had stolen her only ally when I decided to leave the Cullens. Now she'd have to deal with this Tyler's death on her own, no one to lessen the guilt that was sure to be eating at her. I made the right decision. I hoped she found my portfolio and my journal. She needed to understand how I saw her and how much I valued her. I made the right decision.

The Dungeonmaterialized in front of me before I'd realized I'd even left the forest. It was better that I join Alyria and gave Bella and Edward the time they needed to come to terms with everything. Though, I couldn't imagine an eternity without her. Without a doubt I would go crawling back to the Cullens eventually. Carlisle was a good, honorable man and he would welcome me back. I couldn't say that for the rest of them, however.

I opened the door pushing through all the scantily clad women and sweaty men who were dancing obscenely to the incessant beat of the music that assaulted my ears and walked directly up the dank wooden stairs. I didn't even bother with knocking. Not like she wouldn't be aware of my presence, after all.

She was reclined across her couch naked with two other vampires. "Oh," she purred as her eyes roamed over me. "You came back," She said as a lovely smile blossomed on her lips. She crooked her finger at me and I found myself on her smooth couch. The other two moved to the arm of the couch giving me space. I was already under her spell and happy to be there. I couldn't feel anything except lust for that incredible woman before me. There was no Heidi, no Bella, nothing.

The man shot an inquisitive glance at the other woman who shrugged. He was taller than me with gold hair that fell midway down his back, tattoos on his neck, and unfortunately, very naked.

The woman had the deepest brown hair which was cut to her chin. Her skin was dark, and yet, at the same time, still pale. She also had the same odd tattoos on her throat except hers were vivid violet where his were a deep blue.

"This is Christian," she said as she ran her hand up and down his arm leaving red marks with her nails. He shivered and closed his eyes as she let her power flow over him. And just as quickly she cut it off when she turned her attention to the woman. She inhaled deeply. "Ah, and this fine specimen is Kattra."

Kattra smiled at me and offered her hand which I brought up to my lips, my eyes never leaving her exquisite face because she, too, was very naked and I didn't want to be tempted to stare at what I'm sure was a wonderful chest.

Alyria's sensual laugh echoed through the room and sent chills down my back. "You have far too many clothes on, love." She drew up on her knees before me and began unbuttoning my shirt. "Let me help you with that," she simpered as my shirt fell on the floor.

EPOV

Carlisle had been chastising me for nearly an hour now. Long enough for me to calm down and realize that I'd acted rashly. Said things that I did not mean. Behaved in a way that was damn near unforgivable. Yet, there was still a part of me that believed those words I'd spoken earlier.

"Edward," Carlisle called softly. I glanced back at him and tried to focus on our conversation. "We all make mistakes as newborns. You cannot fault her for this, nor yourself. You cannot be everywhere. Tragic though this is, we need to get past it and move forward."

"She concocted a lie with Demetri to cover up her failure," I reminded him yet again. As absurd as it seemed, the lie bothered me more than Tyler's death. No, if I was honest with myself, it wasn't even the lie; it was that she'd conspired with Demetri. That he'd tried to protect her from me.

Carlisle sighed, frustration etched on his face. We'd been going around and around and getting no where. "I do not think they seriously planned it, Edward. Things happened very quickly in the alley and perhaps she did not speak up when she should have, but do you not think that she was a little confused? She'd just fed on a human, one that she knew. And then watched you break his neck. I think it's safe to say that she was a trifle bit overwhelmed."

I ran my hands over my face as I remembered the fear and hurt in her eyes as I shouted such vile things at her. Her frozen form huddled against the wall as she stared horrified at Tyler. "I don't understand why she lost control like that." I shook my head trying to puzzle it out.

"It's not important right now why it happened. Right now, you need to go down there and fix this mess that you have created."

"I have created? How is any of this my fault?"

Something flashed across his face but was quickly hidden again. But he could not hide his thoughts from me. I heard my own words shouted so vehemently at Bella in his mind, heard them the way she would have heard them. "Do you not remember the things you said to her? Because I would be more than happy to refresh your memory." Anger was finally winning out as he tried to make me see reason. "Demetri, Tyler's death, that's all fairly easily dealt with. But you are risking your marriage to the woman you love above all others. And for what? Because you are jealous that Demetri tried to protect her? That Aro wanted her many powers? That Marcus-who wished to control her, but instead fell in love with her-used his powers against her which she was defenseless against." He placed a hand on my arm and paused long enough to collect his thoughts and to calm the anger that had crept into his voice. "And let us not forget Jacob. I mean, what would she have done without him when you ordered us to abandon her? Are you really going to fault her for that?" He leaned back against the bed frustrated as I'd ever seen him.

I started to say something and he waved me silent as he continued. "These men are drawn to her-yes. But for many different reasons," he added. "Marcus and Aro mean nothing to her. Demetri just needed a friend and someone to take his mind off of Heidi. Jacob, well, I won't deny that there were feelings on both sides, but she chose you. She loves you."

He was right. He was always right. Aro and Marcus never meant anything her. She severed the power between her and Marcus. How could I blame her for what she felt while under his thrall? But there had been something more than friendship between her and Demetri. I was sure of it. Jacob, as much as I hated to admit it, was all my fault. I left her in such a state and he picked up the pieces. I forced them together and had no one to blame but myself.

I stood up. "Okay. You've made your point. I will go apologize, for what good it will do."

The rest of the family was gathered downstairs glaring at me, but Bella was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Bella?" I asked. But I didn't need their words as their thoughts rushed over me. Like my hour long lecture from Carlisle wasn't enough I now got to hear it in stereo from all of them. "Never mind." I headed for the back door. I could still smell her intoxicating scent, but she'd left a while ago. Fear washed over me. She'd had her first taste of human blood and now she was out there somewhere on her own with no one to restrain her. What were they thinking allowing her to wander off without supervision?