Chapter 36: Meeting the Makers

Edward:

I follow Dean through the club, one part scared as hell and the other part of me is ecstatic. I told her. I told her I loved her and while she didn't get the chance to say it back to me, it doesn't matter. I was honest with her; I laid myself out before her, stripped of everything but my feelings for her. I can't regret that, no matter what happens…she knows.

We trudge down that same darkened hallway, bypassing the dressing room and shuffle into the unknown. We're ushered into an office; Aro, Caius and Marcus sitting behind a deep cherry wood desk as the judge, jury and executioner, the resounding slam of the door echoing through the room and the silent stares.

"Edward, Bella…..so good of you to join us." Aro says in that same sickly sweet voice that grates on my every nerve.

"Brothers, I assume the scene was up to snuff?" I ask questioningly, as the hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention.

"The scene, it was spectacular…..in all its choreographed glory." Caius murmurs I watch as his hands grip the edge of the desk turning white. All instincts inside me yelling 'abort, abort" and part of me wants to grab Bella and run for our lives. Shit is about to go down, I can feel it.

"Choreographed? I hope you're joking Caius. That was perfection and you know it." I say rubbing my hands together to try to rid myself of the stench in front of me.

"It was…..almost too perfect. Wouldn't you agree, Tanya?" Aro says with a wicked smile. Mine and Bella's breaths catch as a battered and bruised ex is hauled into the room. Oh shit!

"Seems Tanya here knows you from somewhere else, Edward my boy. Where was it again? Ah, yes, seems she knows you from the Federal Bureau of FUCKING INVESTIGATION!" Caius's' voice rings out in anger, he's seething given his clenched jaw and the fire in his eyes.

"Pardon me? I'm sorry…..she must be mistaken." I say, less than confidently, as my eyes discreetly searching the exits, only to find them staffed by the men in black. Fuck, this is bad…..this is so fucking bad.

"Well, let's find out from the source, shall we?" Aro says pulling back harshly on Tanya's hair as a garbled whimper escapes her.

"Who is this man?" Aro asks in feigned calmness, but I see the tremble in his hands.

"Edward Masen, he…..he's my former lover. He's an agent with the FBI." Tanya gasps as Aro's hand grips into her hair. I see the bruise forming just beneath the skin of her left eye, and my fists clench in anger.

"And the girl? Who is she?" Caius asks, his evil gaze never straying away from me.

"I don't know. He calls her Bella and I know he's sleeping with her." Tanya answers sagging against the iron clad fists that hold her up.

Oh Christ on a crutch, things just went from bad to terminal in a split second. They know who I am, all because of my stupid wayward pussy-seeking dick. But that isn't me…not anymore, not like it matters now. All I've become in Bella's eyes is face-to-face with the bad guys. Tanya could say I'm the King of fucking England for all they care, they have the inside information. I curse myself and my seeking cock under my breath.

"Oh, is this true? Are you a bastard traitor? Tsk…tsk. I really hate to hear that, you had such potential." Caius says as he produces a gun from the inside of his sport coat, leveling it at me and Bella alternatively then smiles darkly as he presses the cold metal against Tanya's temple.

The steel smooth metal in his hand scares the fuck out of me. So I do what I do best in these situations, I bluff my ass off.

"Caius, it's no use. There's a SWAT team outside just itching to break down the door and take you and your brothers in. Let's talk about this. I'm sure we can come to an agreement." I say, drawing closer to Bella with each word until I'm standing beside her, taking her hand in mine as a show of solidarity.

"I call Bullshit, Edward. I think you're a raving pile of shit, forgive my speech young lady." Caius says with an evil gleam in his eye.

"I think you and your little Oscar award winning slut are on your own. We'd know if anyone inside were in on it. Oh no, you and her are here alone. Taking on the whole thing all by yourself. I can see the headlines now, "Federal agent killed in a pleasure play in downtown club." Caius chuckles, joined by the others. "You see, I own this fucking town. I own everything in it….the police, the lawmakers, hell….even my slimy attorney. May God fuck him up beyond all recognition!"

Tanya's whimpering pitifully, and I feel guilty. If it weren't for me, she wouldn't be in this situation. "So, I guess the question is, Caius, is what do we do with them now? They are certainly a liability that we can't afford." Marcus says despondently, looking at his nails in boredom.

"True…" Caius says with a shrug as he pulls back the slide with practiced precision, pressing the gun against Tanya's skin. She's begging and pleading as tears streak down her face, colored black by her mascara.

"Please, please…I won't say a word, I promise. I'll never say anything about you or this place to anyone…please, please don't hurt me."

"Oh, I know you won't talk you little whore!" He grins maniacally and with not an ounce of remorse pulls the trigger. Blood spatters across the wall as Tanya's body slumps down to the floor.

"Noo!" Bella screams, covering her mouth with her hand holding back a sob as my former lover's dead body falls in dead weight. Caius chuckles as the gun is turned to me for a moment and I brace for the impact. My eyes widen as he bypasses me and levels the barrel at Bella.

"No, Caius, NO! We can come to some kind of agreement, here. It's me you want…she's innocent in all this. Let her go, I can assure you she won't say a thing about this place or you and your brothers." I ask eyes trained on the still smoking gun.

I can feel Bella's shocked eyes on me, but I don't dare look away from the deranged lunatic pointing the weapon. She opens her mouth to speak but falls silent as I raise my hand to silence her.

"Ah, Edward…do I seem like I give a FUCKING SHIT WHAT YOU WANT? " He seethes; spit flying from his tight mouth in his anger. "You think you can waltz into MY sanctuary and take it down? Who the fuck do you think you are? You are nothing to us, that shiny badge you carry means nothing to us. You see, we are so far above you. You think you can trade your life for hers? You pathetic fuck! You both will die, you can guarantee that…but it will give me great pleasure for you to watch your precious Bella die an excruciating death before I end your life. You failed her, Edward. You will die knowing that YOU are the reason. You and your stupidity will end her. You'll go to Hell knowing that!"

Time seemed to slow and I watched in horror as one of his eyes close, aiming. I lurch sideways a split second before the barrel explodes. I register the actual sound of the gun being fired just as I block Bella from the line of fire. The bullet explodes in a fury of white-hot pain as it slams into my upper chest and my feet can't hold up my body as I hit the floor like a ton of bricks screaming out in agony.

In the melee, I hear the splintering of the door and people yelling "FBI, drop the gun. Hands up….get you're fucking hands up!" Bella drops down to her knees beside me as I grit my teeth against the burning fire in my chest, licking at me with hot flames from the inside out.

"Oh God, Edward!" I scream in pain as her hand presses against the wound. It hurts….it hurts so motherfucking bad.

My peripheral vision waves in and out as the room erupts in a flurry of activity. I can make out the black Kevlar vests and the yells of the men and women around me. I hiss as Bella's hand presses harder, and my mind can't catch up to the fact that the warmth of my body is seeping out around her pressing fingers. I can feel it leaking from within, and in the wake of its absence I feel the cold, the cold resonating through my limbs and rolling toward my center.

"Oh God, Edward, baby, look at me. Baby, hey, stay with me. Okay? Stay with me honey, please….no, don't close your eyes, let me see those sexy green eyes, okay?" Bella's voice sounds dream-like, clouded in a haze and I struggle to concentrate on her eyes. The vision of her blurs in front of me and I feel the fire within licking….seeking the outside.

"Emmett! God, Emmett!" Bella's voice rings out with trembling resonance.

"Eddie, man, you'll be okay. Stay with us, man, or I'll kick your ass…do you hear me? Hey….HEY, Ed, man…." I can faintly make out Emmett's face in my vision, and I open my mouth to speak, but the sound dies in my throat.

"Fuck, Emmett, there's too much blood. There's too much blood, Em, I can't stop it! Help me stop it!" Bella's voice sounds frightened and anxious, but I don't have the energy to comfort her. I want to, but my hands feel so heavy.

"Goddamnit, I need a bus NOW! Agent Down, Agent Down! Get a bus here right fucking now!" I hear Emmett's words, but I can't make him out, I blink several times but it gets harder and harder to open my eyes.

"Edward, baby, please….don't leave me baby, please don't leave me! I love you! I love you so much….please, please, please." Bella's voice hitches with emotion and I can't help but smile. She loves me. She loves me like I love her. Why is everything getting dim?

She says it over and over again as her hands press harder, but it doesn't hurt anymore. I feel tingly and so fucking tired. I just need to shut my eyes….just for a minute. So tired.

I hear her sobs fading; floating away….floating so far away until it's quiet and I give in and surrender to the calling blackness.