Chapter Thirty

Bella

I ran back to Jasper and Felix moved aside to let me in,

"No one will get past me unless you allow it"

I nodded and went over to Jasper who lay just as I'd left him although his eyes were open as if waiting for my return. They were black and his face gaunt, black shadows under his eyes reaching down to his cheek bones. I looked around but I couldn't see anything in here to quench his thirst so I opened the door again.

"He needs blood"

Felix shook his head,

"He can't drink until his throat heals where his head was removed."

"How long?"

"A few more hours at a guess. Its intentional you know."

"What is?"

"This torture. It was outlawed centuries ago as barbaric even by our standards. The body is ripped to pieces and each part is buried in a metal box so it can't find its way back to the rest. The head is the only part not buried, its hidden so it can see and hear and feel the pain of its missing parts. The pain gets worse as the days and weeks pass, driving the vampire mad. Some were killed then, by burning the head but others were left in torment for decades."

"Why didn't he scream out? I was there, I would have heard him?"

"Yes, Caius thought of that, he had us rip out The Majors tongue and bring it back to him."

"Where is it?"

"In his room I assume. He didn't give it to me to return".

"Felix, you'd better find it before I rip the place apart."

He nodded and walked off purposefully down the corridor and I returned to Jaspers side placing the arm that had been left to be found close to his shoulder and held it there hoping he had enough strength to allow it to reattach. His eyes were still open and he mouthed my name again.

"Don't worry Jasper. As soon as your throat is healed I'll get you blood. You're going to be OK I promise. Caius is dead and you're safe with me."

Jasper

I had no idea how she had done it but not only had she found her way here but she had somehow persuaded the Volturi to bring me back and heal and now she was promising to stay with me. I wanted to take her in my arms and hold her close, immerse myself in her scent but I was just too weak. I wanted to thank her, to tell her I loved her but I couldn't. I'd heard her conversation with to Felix and even he accepted her statement that Caius was dead. What had happened to the shy beautiful awkward girl I had met in Forks? Alice was right, she'd told me Bella would find me, I just hadn't expected I would have to suffer so much first but it was all worth it to have her here now. I tried to swallow and the pain was manageable now. My thirst was a living creature prowling my body and screaming for prey but I was too weak to hunt, at the mercy of my enemies. Now however I had my mate by my side and I knew I would recover.

I heard the door open again soon after and a few words were exchanged then Felix was bending over me opening my mouth and I felt the trickle of liquid down my throat and the sweet warm taste of blood. He stopped after a few drops and I tried to lift my hand for more but it wasn't working properly yet.

"Slowly Major or you will choke. A few drops at a time Bella"

His bulk was replaced by Bella's face and she smiled as she dripped the blood into my mouth a little at a time. I felt my body soaking it up in order to heal itself which was a long and painful process but after an hour she put the flask aside and took something from a silver bowl.

"I'm not sure how to do this Jasper but Felix said if I place your tongue back in your mouth you will do the rest so I hope he's right. I saw her lift my tongue with shaking fingers and I opened my mouth to receive it feeling finally whole again. The taste of her fingers, her skin was like nectar and I longed to taste it again. She smiled then picked up the flask once more not turning when Felix came in with another.

The slow drip drip of the blood became my whole world for the next few hours and I felt my strength coming back slowly until I had enough control of my reattached limbs to lift my hand to touch her face and whisper her name,

"Bella"

She smiled and pushed her face against the palm of my hand.

"I'm here Jasper, I don't know what happened and for now I don't care but someone engineered all this and I intend finding out who. The revenge I had planned isn't good enough, not now. Not for this"

I felt her anger at what had been done to me and knew it was born of her love for me, she truly was my mate as Alice had said so long ago and I had survived long enough for her to find me.

Bella

We stayed like this for the next twenty four hours as Jasper slowly recovered aided by the flasks of blood Felix was supplying. I knew it was human blood but it was the best thing to help my mate recover and that was all that mattered for now. The smell of the blood made my own throat burn but I held my thirst inside, no way was I taking nourishment from my poor Jasper. I made do with coffee and soup that also appeared in Felix hands. Luckily none of the Volturi appeared because I really think I might have lost my temper again.

When he finally sat up and put his arms around me pulling me close I knew Jasper was going to be OK.

"I was so scared Jasper when I first saw you here."

"I'll be fine now Bella. I just didn't realise I would be waiting for you so long"

"I'm sorry but I didn't open the present until a long time after my birthday. I just couldn't bear the thought of any of you."

He looked at me confused and I thought it was still the effects of what had been done to him.

"My present? I'm sorry Bella, what did the swan have to do with anything?"

"The swan? You mean the carved swan?"

"Yes. I carved it for you so you wouldn't forget me"

"What about the bracelet? So you didn't put that in with the swan? I did wonder."

He looked even more confused and I knew we needed to talk in depth but first I wanted to get him out of Volterra.

I stroked his face again and he sighed in pleasure,

"I have to go to see Aro soon but then we can leave"

"Leave? Caius will never allow me to leave Bella."

"He's dead Jasper. I killed him"

"You did what?"

"Don't worry about it now. I'll explain later. Can you walk?"

He nodded and got up slowly then stood for a few minutes,

"It feels strange being a single entity again but wonderful."

I handed him the last flask of blood and he drained it eagerly.

"Right lets get this over with."

"What exactly is it you have agreed to do to get me freed?"

"You'll hear soon enough. There's one thing Carlisle forgot."

"Carlisle? What? Bella I'm lost"

"I know my love. What he forgot is that we women are all the same, we must have the last word. And this word will cause him a world of grief".

He didn't seem to understand me but he would, very soon, and then we would leave this evil place for good.