Chapter 55 - On the Brink of Battle
Jasper POV
The past few weeks had been rather eventful for all of us. Bella was a consummate hostess to the various vampires who arrived at our not so humble abode, seeking shelter and guidance. Sent here by our family and friends, they listened to the full story, after which they all were eager to aid us in our endeavor to free our world of Aro's tyranny. They all understood that if Aro was willing to assassinate Carlisle and his family, the most peaceful coven in the world, then there wasn't anything he wouldn't do. Aro had clearly gone off the deep end at some point, losing his sanity in his obsession with power.
To make everyone more comfortable, Bella arranged for shipments of both animal and human blood to be delivered to a nearby warehouse, which supposedly contained a medical research facility. The bagged blood was kept frozen and then heated in a warmer to normal human body temperature. Esme would be so proud of Bella and her thoughtfulness, when she hears about it.
Though most of the vampires were used to hunting and killing humans, they were surprisingly receptive to drinking the bagged blood, especially after being convinced to try it. None of them could resist my mate when she was at her most charming, though I may have helped a bit with my gift, making them more pliable and compliant. Many of our guests stated they couldn't even tell the difference between bagged and fresh blood, as long as the blood was warmed slowly and evenly in the dialysis machine first. Some insisted they could detect a slight tang, from the blood being aged outside the body, or perhaps claiming freezer burn.
They're just saying that because they know it's bagged. The blood is still living, though it is perhaps overly oxygenated, I thought, mentally rolling my eyes. They just want a reason to complain. Or maybe they feel stupid for not thinking of this idea before now, and thus don't want to admit it's just as good as fresh from the vein.
The reheated animal blood tasted the same to me as getting it fresh, and while I missed the 'adrenalin' of the hunt, I couldn't help but appreciate the knowledge no animals had to die to provide my meals. Drinking blood this way was utilizing a renewable resource, rather than wastefully destroying our food source. Interestingly enough, this same attitude was shared by most of those who preferred to drink human blood, and I knew vampire blood banks would soon be operating all over the world, after we removed Aro and his brothers from power.
Bella was quickly growing into her own as my mate. She loved meeting all the new vampires and learning their stories, whereas I was more concerned with what talents, skills, or knowledge they brought to the table. We each excelled in our own spheres, while beautifully complementing one another. It was nice to see our skill sets only slightly overlapped, allowing for more areas to be covered as a couple. As a result, we were one of the most powerful couples I knew of, with so many strengths between us. I was strong where she was weak, she was strong where I was weak, and we had very few areas where we both were weak. Luckily, neither of us was interested in wielding power or ruling the world. We were content to leave such things to others and simply do our duty.
While our friends and family scoured the globe for allies and support, Bella worked with other gifted vampires to expand and master her shield. Once Kate was happily mated to Garrett, so that she was no longer perceived as a possible threat to our relationship, Bella was able to forgive her and become friends. I was relieved to see them finally getting along. One major benefit to all the mating was the large reduction in tension and jealousy that used to be so common in the atmosphere whenever large numbers of us got together.
Once the Amazon coven arrived, made up of three 'sisters' - Zafrina, Senna, and Kachiri, - Bella and Zafrina became fast friends. Zafrina's gift came in handy for determining how many people were protected by Bella's shield, as well as time limits and distance restraints. It was much easier to find volunteers willing to subject themselves to Zafrina's talent than Kate's.
Only Garrett seemed to get off on his mate's electric shocks. Everyone else kept their distance. At least, they did once they witnessed what Kate could do. They didn't need to feel it themselves to know they didn't want anything to do with it.
I had actually expected it to be Jane who was subtly given the cold shoulder. Surely her power was the scarier of the two, since she didn't even need to touch a person, like Kate did, to have him or her writhing on the ground in pain. Why do they accept Jane, but avoid Kate? I wondered, confused with the behavior of our guests.
Surprisingly enough, seeing Jane here gave the visiting vampires a feeling of relief and renewed determination, rather than fear or worry, when they first spied her and realized who she was. They tended to react the same way upon being introduced to me. I was confused at first, but after talking to several of the new covens and nomads, I found out why.
"Siobhan, what is it about seeing Jane here that seems to comfort the newcomers?" I asked our old friend, figuring the reasoning would be similar for feeling that way about both Jane and me. I knew Siobhan wouldn't be shy about telling me the truth, especially with her new sister, Maggie, standing right beside her. She knew she had nothing to fear from me, having known me for decades as Carlisle's 'son', instead of the infamous God of War.
"Ah, well, there would be several reasons for that, dear boy," she informed me with an affectionate grin, chuckling as she ruffled my hair. I rolled my eyes and shook it back into place, used to her maternal treatment. Siobhan rivaled Esme for her nurturing nature toward those she cared about. It was an honor to be on that small list of people she welcomed into her heart. Once she decided to 'adopt' you, she was as openly affectionate as her mate Liam was stoically taciturn. Maggie grinned at me, quite used to being on the receiving end of Siobhan's compulsive hair tousling. I secretly wondered if Liam had always kept his hair so short or if he had decided to cut it after meeting his mate.
"Please, enlighten me, O' Wise One," I pleaded dramatically. Siobhan and Maggie both giggled at my theatrics, especially when I struck an adoring pose, as if I were waiting worshipfully for pearls of wisdom to fall from her lips and bless me.
"Behold, the terrifying Major Whitlock," Siobhan jested. "I'm sure everyone would be quite surprised to discover I was the true mastermind responsible for the brilliant strategizing that shall lead us to victory.
I smirked, then pouted, complete with soulful puppy dog eyes. I knew it had to be effective, considering I had learned from the best. Alice had mastered the art of the pout long ago and used it to get her own way for decades, manipulating me to ignore my own instincts and trust her version of the truth.
We all know how well that turned out, now don't we? Major grumbled. I can't believe you actually shut me out all this time. I could have told you the bitch was lying through her teeth, but you didn't want to listen.
Sorry, I mentally apologized. You're right. She used our gift against me and had me so muddled I didn't know up from down. I should have trusted you when you warned me all those years ago, but I wanted the peace and joy, the hope and love, she was offering so much that I didn't want to know the truth. I wanted the escape of the fairytale fantasy she described.
Siobhan grimaced. "Please, stop. The Major should never lower himself to pout. It's demeaning, unbecoming, frightening. The fierce vampire leading us into battle shouldn't look or act like a bratty child. That's hardly a reassuring image for the rest of us."
"You could just answer the damn question," I growled, losing patience.
She smiled. "Well, seeing young Jane leaning on a horse-sized wolf, completely at ease with the deadly beast, is a fearsome sight. It confirms everything they've been told by a representative of the Cullen family. The werewolves who can shift whenever they want, day or night, with no dependence on the cycle of the moon, are obviously real. Moreover, they are clearly fighting on our side. Aro has lost one of his most valued and trusted guards, one who strikes fear in the hearts of vampires all over the world. Not only does he not have her, but she is voluntarily fighting against him. She is on our side now, which is immensely reassuring. Most of all though, hearing her laugh, seeing the joy in her eyes, noticing the ease with which she interacts with you and your mate, all of it reinforces their belief they are doing the right thing. Seeing how happy Jane is, how affectionate and loving she can be, not only to her mate, but to her new family, gives them a vision of what life could be like under Carlisle's rule, rather than Aro's."
Maggie chuckled. "They figure if Jane the Pain and Major Kick Ass Whitlock can find such happiness living the Cullen way, then anybody can. If two of the most hated and feared vampires in the entire world can become so loving and likable, then there has to be hope for the rest of us, right?"
I frowned, not liking her answer. I didn't like the reminder that I was generally considered one of the lowest of the low, persona non grata within civilized vampire society.
"Oh, don't be offended, my boy," Siobhan reassured me, gently squeezing my shoulder. "You know we love you. Maggie was just repeating some of the gossip we heard, so you'd know what was being said about you behind your back."
Maggie nodded emphatically, her emotions sincere.
I gave her a small smile in response. There was so much going on right now, the stress was getting to me. I need my mate, and I need to hunt. Not necessarily in that order.
Unfortunately, Bella was busy at the moment, so I would have to wait. Currently, they were testing to see if other vampires' gifts still worked while they were being shielded by Bella. It was an important question, as the loss of those gifts would make our job much more difficult, but we couldn't afford to go into the heart of Volterra without the protection Bella offered.
Noticing the extra space the crowd afforded when Kate was under the shield compared to when Jane was, I turned back to Siobhan and Maggie. "Why is everyone so much more wary of Kate than Jane, when Jane's power is actually more dangerous to them?"
Maggie chuckled. "Jane is so young, a mere child by modern standards. Now that she is happy and carefree, always giggling and smiling, she seems so innocent. It is hard to fear her when you watch her playing with her mate, laughing and playing jokes. She has such a sunny disposition now, positively glowing from her interactions with her ever enthusiastic Jacob, that simply being around the two of them brings a smile to your face."
"Kate, on the other hand, is a well known succubus. Unfortunately for her, the reputation of her and her sisters precedes her, and anything any of the three have ever done is being held against her. The female vampires are all worried she won't be satisfied with the attention of just one man, even if he is her mate. They are concerned she will go after their mates, using her powers of seduction to tempt the menfolk into infidelity. The male vampires, the mated ones, are acutely aware of how closely the women are watching Kate's interactions, ready to jump on the slightest hint of impropriety. Not wanting to antagonize their mates or end up in the doghouse, the men are thus carefully keeping their distance. The unmated males, on the other hand, are acutely aware how closely Garrett is watching and protecting his mate. Newly mated vampires can become quite vicious if they perceive a threat to their mate or their bond. Garrett has demonstrated just how skilled of a fighter he is during training, which has effectively warned all unmated males to stay clear of Kate if they want to keep all their limbs intact," Siobhan explained.
Maggie nodded in agreement. "Don't discount the curiosity factor though, with the surprising mating of a werewolf with a vampire. Everybody wonders how those who are supposed to be natural enemies can belong to one another, complete each other. Not to mention the appeal of being able to examine and interact with a werewolf up close without fearing for your life. When has this ever been an opportunity for our kind? Who has ever heard of a friendly werewolf, one who willingly spends time with vampires without trying to kill them? It's unreal. Almost as unreal as the existence of vampires and werewolves in the first place."
We all laughed at that and parted amicably. They went to look for Liam and grab a bite for lunch, while I joined the crowd watching Bella train. Upon meeting my eyes and seeing the need there, she promptly decided she needed a break to 'recharge' and walked swiftly into my embrace. Just being able to touch her, to feel her in my arms and know she was safe, was a great stress reliever.
Inhaling her sweet scent as we walked slowly back to the house, I got caught up in my thoughts again. It was quite a blessing that Liam had chosen to call and warn us when he did about the Volturi calling everyone to Italy. As a result, we were much more circumspect about whom we approached and what they were told. We soon found the Volturi had gotten to some of our allies before we could, convincing them to seek protection from the 'ghost wolves' within the castle walls. Now we had to come up with a whole new plan on how to approach Volterra. We couldn't simply go barging in, fists swinging and guns blazing, or we risked injuring one of our friends - people we were sure would have chosen to fight on our side if they 'd known that was an option.
Knowing anyone going to Volterra would be touched and read by Aro, I issued orders that nay vampires who chose not to join us be either taken prisoner or killed. We couldn't risk Aro finding out we were still alive and planning a rebellion to remove him from power. We needed the element of surprise to ensure the least amount of injury or loss on our side. Carlisle hated the order, hated the idea of being responsible for anyone's death, but he knew how important it was for the safety of our family, and nothing was more important to him than his family. Our compassionate patriarch was able to take comfort in the knowledge that peaceful accommodation would be offered to each and every vampire we encountered, and only those who chose the path of violence against us would be terminated.
The wolves, on the other hand were only too happy to comply with the kill order, but were less than thrilled with taking prisoners. Luckily, the number of prisoners was small, so they were easily accommodated at the Forks house, fed bagged blood, and guarded by the rest of the pack, who had stayed behind in La Push to be close to their imprints. This allowed them to get a small piece of the action, so they didn't feel like they were missing all the 'fun'.
If I wasn't aware through my gift how closely bonded Jake was to our family, I'd definitely be worried by just how enthusiastic all the wolves were at the prospect of killing vampires.
Only the naïve look forward to war. Anyone who has ever experienced it firsthand knows it is something to be avoided if at all possible. I will do my duty to destroy the enemy for the safety of my family, but I will gratefully return to peace at first opportunity, once the job is done, and my family's future is secure again, Major and I both agreed.
Of course, we weren't foolish enough to inform the prisoners that they were our captives. We diplomatically referred to them as 'guests', assuring them they were escorted to a 'safe house' for their own protection. These vampires were too chickens hit to fight at all, so they willingly bought into the rhetoric, relieved to be protected from both the Volturi and the 'ghost wolves'. They wouldn't be any use to us on the battlefield anyway, as they were the type to run and cower at the first sign of trouble, concerned only with maintaining their own personal survival.
I didn't have any respect for these selfish cowards, but they weren't a direct threat to us. Even though they weren't a physical threat, they still couldn't be left to their own devices, as they were easily manipulated by fear and would expose us to the Volturi to save their own skins. Personally, I would have let the wolves have them as practice dummies, rather than wasting our resources babysitting them, but I knew Carlisle would never accept condemning them to death simply for being lily-livered, yellow-bellied thumb suckers. So, this was the compromise I used to get the kill command for the more dangerous enemies past his moral sensibilities.
I spoke to the wolves separately to make sure they understood my orders fully, both the spoken ones and the unspoken ones.
xxxxx Flashback xxxxx
I took Jacob aside, going for a run with him out of hearing distance of everyone else. Now that the wolves were helping us, he could communicate mentally with them, and we had worked out our own communication system for when he was in his wolf form. He would scratch his replies to my questions in the dirt with his claw. When he first started, it had looked like nothing more than chicken scratch, but with a little practice, patience, and encouragement, he was able to etch legible questions and answers into the soil.
Who needs a bloody mind reader? I congratulated myself. I can keep tabs on each of my reconnaissance teams and issue my orders to them all at the same time, as needed. Very convenient. I'm sure this'll come in handy during the upcoming battle.
"Our plans have changed and are more dangerous than we originally thought," I informed him and subsequently all the rest of the wolves too, knowing everyone was currently on the move.
How so? Jacob scratched in the dirt.
"A friend of ours has notified us the Volturi are currently recruiting for battle as well, calling all vampires to Volterra. The good news is they are still unaware of our survival and have no clue about the impending rebellion. The bad news is they may well get to some of our friends and allies before we do, so we may be accidentally facing some of them on the battlefield. It also means we will be facing many more of the enemy than we originally expected."
Why are they gathering vamps if they don't know about our plan of attack? Jake wrote.
I smirked and replied, "They're terrified of the ghost wolves and are convinced these new spirit wolves intend to go around the world destroying any vampires they meet along the way."
Jake snickered, a choking, coughing noise that sounded like he was trying to hack up a hairball. He finished with a big wolfy grin.
I grinned back in acknowledgment of the humor, then straightened my expression back to my serious military demeanor. Jake quickly straightened up in response, tilting his head to the side in question.
"As a result of this new development we need to change our strategy for making contact and retreating. Aro is a very powerful mind reader. With a single touch, he can see every single thought a person has ever had in their entire existence. We absolutely cannot let any vampire who has seen one of us go to Volterra. Aro will be greeting all guests personally, so he can know all their dirty little secrets. One touch of Aro's hand to a vampire who knows we are still alive, any of us Aro currently believes is dead, and the advantage of surprise will be totally lost. We need that advantage to maximize our success, reduce the length and scope of the battle, and minimize the damage to our side."
Jacob nodded in understanding.
"As a result, our people will now only be approaching the vampires they know and believe to be trustworthy. Any vampire close enough to lay eyes on any of our teams must be peacefully confronted."
Jake bared his teeth and growled, shifting his weight irritably. I nodded and held up my hands.
"I know, I know. Remember though that each vampire you meet is a potential ally. It'll do our cause no good for our initial approach to be hostile, even with the unknown. They need to be given the opportunity to join us first, before their fate is chosen. We don't want to come across as no better than the Volturi, do we?"
Jake huffed and shook his massive head, sitting back on his haunches.
"Now, if any of the vampires decline our polite offer to join the rebellion and fight for freedom from Aro's tyranny, well, that's another story. If they refuse to fight at all, for either side, we'll offer the cowards asylum from both the werewolves and the Volturi at our 'safe' house in Forks. They will be escorted there with the solemn promise that as long as they stay within the confines of the house, no werewolves will eat them. However, if they step foot outside, we can't guarantee their safety against any stray werewolves that might be lurking in the woods surrounding the house. We'll supply the losers with bagged blood, so they have no legitimate reason to leave the premises. That way, the pack knows that any unknown vampires they find lurking in the woods are nothing more than firewood."
Jacob howled appreciatively, but then wrote, Sam isn't going to want any human drinkers hanging out so close to La Push, even if they are a bunch of tree-hugging pushovers. They still eat people, right?
I frowned and sighed. "I know, Jacob, but we need to keep the prisoners somewhere they can be guarded. I was hoping the rest of the pack wouldn't mind performing that duty while running their normal perimeter checks, so we don't have to pull any of our soldiers out of the battle to babysit a bunch of wimps and sissies. They should be easily intimidated into not causing trouble, simply by catching a few glimpses of wolves weaving through the woods at random times throughout the day and night. They will be too terrified to run away. I don't really think the number of prisoners will be all that high either, considering the option is only open to those willing to come peacefully and who agree to stay sequestered in the Forks house until the war is over."
What about the ones who don't join us, but don't come peacefully? Jake wrote carefully, eying me speculatively.
A dark grin spread across my face in response, causing him to shudder briefly. "Any who resist our invitation to join us as either a comrade or a well guarded guest, will immediately become wolf chow. Their ashes shall fertilize the soil for future generations. Nobody may walk away. It is your duty to ensure that by any means necessary."
ANY means? Jake challenged, staring at me with a gleam in his eye.
I nodded. "Exactly. If they aren't with us, they're against us. I personally have never taken prisoners before. When I led soldiers in previous wars, both human and vampire, anyone unwilling to voluntarily fight by my side was immediately put to death. History shows that cowards are quick to become turncoats in order to save their own skins, once a turncoat always a turncoat, and leaving an enemy alive will only lead to another fight later which you may win. But this is the way Carlisle wants it, and he has my utmost respect, so this is the way we're going to do it."
xxxxx Flashback xxxxx
My beloved mate brought me back to the present with a gentle caress of her lips on mine. I smiled and kissed her more thoroughly.
She pulled back and studied my face. "What is bothering you, my Jasper?"
I sighed, closed my eyes, and gave her one more chaste kiss before answering. "I've thought and thought, but every idea and strategy I've come up with, every plan I've concocted ends up with innocent people being hurt or killed while the real targets are safely hidden behind their battlements. I don't know how to protect those who are friends, but have mistakenly gathered at the castle. I don't know how to get at the Kings without going through all the guards and gathered covens first. Yet, if we pause long enough to offer for any who wish to join our side to flee the castle grounds, we've lost the element of surprise and make our own ranks more vulnerable as well. I feel caught behind a rock and a hard place," I finally admitted.
"That's because you aren't including all the gifts into your plans and strategies," Bella offered with a smirk.
"Oh?" I questioned, both eyebrows raised. "Please enlighten me, my mate, as to what I am missing."
She chuckled and whispered her suggestions into my ear. As the details of her brilliant ideas percolated in my brain, added to my own, I felt more and more excited, hopeful, and encouraged than ever before. There was absolutely no doubt she was the perfect mate for me. A wide grin spread across my face, and I swung her around in a circle, now confident of victory. I clutched her closely to my body, purring happily.
"My beautiful Bella, more beautiful than Helen of Troy could possibly have been," I purred, while nibbling lovingly on her neck, inhaling her calming scent. "Your Trojan horse plan is just the thing to get us close and have Aro and his brothers expose themselves without realizing the danger until it's too late. It's absolutely brilliant, and I'm so proud you!"
xxxxxxx
"Um, is it just me, or is that a rocket ship off to east?" Bella asked.
I whipped my head off to the side, as most of our regiment did, and opened my eyes wide at the sight of a rocket located less than half a mile from Volterra. We were two miles away from the city, running in formation, approaching from the south.
"When did Italy join the space race?" Emmett wondered.
"Why isn't there a fence around it?" Eleazar pondered.
"It's got the Volturi crest on it!" Jane exclaimed, as we got closer.
"Hmmm, Bella, can you let me out of your shield for a moment?" Carlisle requested. "I'd like to just check on something."
Bella nodded and we all ground to a halt to watch the two of them. After a few seconds, Carlisle looked around in confusion. "Why did we stop?"
We all stared at him, trying to figure out what he meant.
"Because of the rocket," Rose reminded him, her tone clearly annoyed.
Carlisle furrowed his brow in confusion, meeting her eyes and tilting his head slightly, before replying. "What rocket?"
There were numerous gasps of surprise at his sincere reply.
"What do you see off to the east, Carlisle? In the distance?" I demanded. "Less than half a mile from Volterra?"
He startled at my tone of voice and promptly looked off in that direction. He swept his eyes carefully over the whole area, before slowly answering, "I see fields, trees, and bushes. There are birds, sheep, goats, and other animals. I see roads, cars, and houses in the general vicinity. Nothing out of the ordinary."
A gentle murmuring began amongst the rank and file. "Cover him with your shield again," I commanded Bella. She hastily complied.
Carlisle jerked, startled and gasped, "Where did that rocket come from and those buildings?"
Peter and I shared a speaking look.
I turned and addressed my comrades. "It's obvious this rocket is protected by a gifted vampire and bears Aro's mark. I think it would behoove us to send a team to check it out before proceeding with our invasion plan. We certainly don't want Aro pulling any aces out of his sleeve at the last minute, now do we?"
Feeling the overwhelming approval of this adjustment to our original plan, we began carefully approaching the rocket site instead of the city, circling around from the back to keep out of the range of detection of the city's sentries. Once we were in position, a mere fifty yards from the laboratory and rocket site, I decided on the best way to handle the situation. Contrary to my expectations, the property was practically deserted. My gift told me there were only four vampires present - two in the lab and two in the aerospace engineering bay.
"I want to go in the lab," Carlisle whispered urgently. "I need to assess what they've been working on to know which questions to ask."
I nodded, thinking hard. "Okay, Maggie should go too, so you'll know if they're telling the truth or not."
Maggie quickly made her way to Carlisle's side.
"I'll go too," Esme offered, grabbing Carlisle's hand, but he shook his head.
"No, you stay here. There's no telling what we'll find in there," Carlisle insisted. I felt her disappointment and concern, but she accepted his decree.
"Emmett, Peter, Jacob, and Jane, you go with Carlisle and Maggie to restrain the other vampires if necessary. I'll take Charlie, Billy, Kate, and Garrett with me. Esme, Rose, Charlotte, and Chelsea guard Bella. She'll be keeping her shield on all of us the whole time so we don't get caught off guard by any gifts they may have. Eleazar, I want you ready to assess them for gifts as soon as we bring them outside," I ordered.
Everyone moved to obey my commands with hesitation or question. Gotta love an all volunteer army. Greatly reduces the incidence of mutiny and treason.
Capturing the four vampires within the two research facilities was anticlimactic. All of them were research scientists with no fighting skills or training. They were purely academics, pursuing knowledge for the good of all vampirekind. Carlisle found it easy to relate to them, and I had to interrupt their highbrow intellectual discussion to remind Carlisle we were in the middle of a war. As intriguing as the research into a blood substitute that could be mass produced in a factory setting was, now was not the time to get into it.
Carlisle grinned sheepishly and apologized. After speaking to them with understanding on the topic at hand and adding viable suggestions of his own, it was easy for him to persuade the medical scientists to join us.
Emmett's fascination with technology, as well as his open nature and childlike enthusiasm, worked just as well for us with the aerospace engineers. His typical playful and youthful demeanor made it impossible for either of them to consider him a real threat to them intellectually, while his familiarity with the terminology and excitement over the subject encouraged them to speak freely about their projects and objectives. Both of them viewed Emmett as a potential intern to take on their grunt work and went with him calmly and peacefully.
None of the four scientists were impressed with Aro, putting up with him only because he paid the bills, rather than out of any sense of loyalty or respect for him personally.
Eleazar confided that only one of them had an actual gift, the one who was able to shield the entire site, making it seem as if nothing was there. Eleazar explained it wasn't actually a shield at all. Lance projected an illusion in a hemisphere around himself with a half mile radius, convincing an observer there was nothing of interest in the vicinity. It created the illusion that it didn't exist, even if it had been previously observed, as Carlisle experienced. It was an excellent defensive gift, convincing the observer's mind to photoshop the image of everything around Lance by replacing it with whatever was least interesting to the observer.
Using my gift to instill a sense of trust, helpfulness, and camaraderie within Lance's heart and mind directed toward us and the promise of better funding and support, we convinced Lance to stay with our army. Now Bella didn't have to shield the entire regiment, just those outside of Lance's range.
I relocated Lance and the other scientists to a point about halfway to Volterra, so that the research site was just inside Lance's bubble of nonexistence. All he had to do was take a few leaps toward Volterra and the rocket would be exposed in full view of every vampire within the city walls. The majority of the regiment stopped just outside the city, so they were still within Lance's bubble. Breaching the walls would remove them from Lance's protection unless Lance moved closer to them. The best part about it was because they were within the sphere of invisibility, they could see everyone and everything else around them, both inside and outside the bubble, but nobody outside the bubble could see anything inside it. Unless, of course, they were protected by Bella's strong mental shield, which cancelled out Lance's illusion.
Everything was working out even better than I hoped, and we were now ready to engage the enemy with our master plan. The next twenty minutes would make us or break us. The success or failure of this next step would determine the number of casualties and the course of the entire war . . .
xxxxxxx
AN: Sorry to leave you hanging right there. I really had expected to start the battle, but there were a few little things that needed to be taken care of first. I promise no more delays - the battle starts immediately in the next chapter. Are you still with me?