Chapter Thirty Four

Bella

I could smell a familiar yet slightly different scent as we approached the cabin but more than that I could no longer hear a heartbeat, Charlie was awake. I sprinted for the door while Jazz held back giving me a chance to say hello to my dad alone. Inside the cabin I stopped amazed, Charlie sat at the table with Garrett a map spread out between them while Emmett tapped away on the laptop. Looking up Charlie smiled at me and if not for the red eyes it could have been the Charlie I remembered of old, his face no longer showed the cancer that had been eating away at his human body, his hands were steady and no longer knotted up with arthritis and he stood with a fluidity that reminded me of the time I lived with him in Forks years before. He came over and hugged me,

"Bella."

Hugging him back I could feel the steel of his vampire muscles and a hint of the strength in them.

"Dad, how are you feeling now?"

"Never better. Garrett and I are trying to work out the best place to make a stand if the Volturi come for us. He told me about the fight with the wolves and Sue's death."

"I'm sorry about that but they left us no choice."

"You should have run and left me, that way you'd still be safe."

"We don't work like that Charlie. Our family is of prime importance, we stick together."

Charlie nodded at Jaspers words and he continued,

"It appears Bella got her unusual control from you Charlie. I take it you haven't attempted to rip anyone's head off or demolish the cabin."

"No, he even went out and took down a moose with no trouble. Peter's gonna be mighty upset."

"You got that right Garrett. Just what the fuck is going on?"

We turned as Peter and Charlotte walked in.

Charlie

Peter screamed danger as did Jasper, with their battle scars visible to me now but I overrode my natural instinct to attack and sat down again at the table waiting. Jasper kept his distance which made me feel less intimidated but Peter came to look over my shoulder at the map.

"Planning a trip Charlie?"

I tensed but just shook my head,

"Nope, looking for somewhere to make a stand if the Volturi decide to pay a visit."

Peter peered at me closely,

"The country's going to the dogs, what's up with these newborns? They just wont play the fucking game. Charlie I'm very disappointed in you, why aren't you spitting nails and attacking everyone in sight? It's a poor thing when people don't play their part right. If this keeps on our kind will be seen as fluffy fucking kittens instead of majestic predators."

Emmett chuckled,

"Where did you get the idea you were a majestic predator Peter? Fluffy kitty suits you much better."

Peter snorted,

"You wont be saying that when the Volturi are beating the crap out of you. Anyway did you come up with a good place for the rerun of the Alamo?"

"Bad comparison Peter. The good guys lost that one."

"Just shut up and show me."

Jasper

Once I saw that Charlie wasn't too intimidated by my presence I walked over to join them studying the map carefully. I saw a few marks Charlie and Garrett had made for possible places. It needed to be well away from any humans with cover for us and none for those coming for us.

"Will we get any warning about the Volturi?"

Bella nodded,

"Felix will contact me but I don't know how much warning we'll get."

"Right then, we'll have to make something to slow them down."

"Such as Charlie?"

"Dig some pits in the snow, deep pits and put sharpened sticks in the bottom, like they did in Nam, it won't kill them but every wound slows them down a little."

"I'm not sure they wont feel there's something wrong but its worth a try."

Charlie had gone very quiet and we could see something had occurred to him.

"Bella has a gift, she can protect us but only if we're within a certain distance, right?"

"Yes, its much more reliable when I can see people."

"You killed the wolves with it?"

"Yes. But that wont work on vampires, they will just crush and then recover as soon as I remove the shield and I can't keep it up indefinitely, it's very tiring."

"OK, lets see what we've got apart from Bella. Garrett, Peter, Charlotte, and Jasper are all trained warriors, Emmett is the muscle, that just leaves Rose and myself."

"You may well have a gift too Charlie if Bella takes after you and that looks likely."

"How do I find out?"

"Eleazer?" Peter suggested.

"I'm not sure he can tell over long distances but I guess its worth a try."

"Major, should we call in our other friends?"

"OK Garrett but warn them it's not going to be easy or pretty."

"That's the way they like it Major."

Bella

Garrett took his phone out and started dialling while Jasper did the same.

"Eleazer"

"Jasper? Its been a long time, I hope you are well. Is Carlisle with you?"

"No, I haven't seen him since Alice and I broke up."

"So you wont know what happened between myself and him."

"Actually I do. Rose filled me in."

"Oh, she said they would leave if he insisted on excusing Edwards childlike tantrums. good for her, she's much more than the girl I used to see at the Cullens. Still, you didn't ring for a friendly chat. What can I do for you?"

"You know Bella Swan survived?"

"No I didn't, is she with Edward?"

"No, she was turned and is now one of us, my mate in fact."

"Really. I'll bet that upset the apple cart a bit."

"Edward is less than impressed, Carlisle not so bad."

"She's gifted I take it?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

"Just a feeling, but I'm rarely wrong."

"We have another newborn and I wondered if you could read his gift."

"Who is it?"

"Bella's father Charlie Swan."

"I see, well I would say there's a better than even chance that he has a gift and probably am interesting one but I couldn't tell you from here, I'd need to speak to him and if possible meet him too."

"That could prove difficult, we're in Canada but I think the Volturi will be coming soon and I don't want to lead them to your door."

"Thank you for that, why are they coming for you Jasper?"

Jasper

I told him what had happened and there was silence on the line for a short while.

"So Aro will see the slaughter of the Quileutes as a declaration of war?"

"Possibly. He's looking for an excuse to take Bella back and kill the rest of us as rebels."

"It's never a good idea to go against Aro openly, you know that but as you have I suggest you work with Charlie and see if you can stimulate his gift into showing itself. If he has one similar to Bella I suggest you go warily. From what you've told me she is deadly enough by herself. In the meantime I'll see what I can do about getting to you but I will say that if I think it might put the Denali coven at risk I wont act."

"Thank you Eleazer."

So that was it, we were on our own and all we could do was wait to hear something.

Peter offered to test Charlie out and for safety's sake they disappeared into the forest while Garrett and Charlotte went hunting again, we needed to be at full strength if we had any hope of defeating the Volturi.