Chapter Forty Nine

Alice

It was wonderful when a plan came together and this one had. I knew Jazz would be too weak to start anything and Bella would stay at his side so I could discount them. I had checked my future and seen two other groups coming for me which was why I had bought and adapted this island. Soon I would be home in Spain and enjoying the sun, thinking of a new game although one that could top this would be incredibly hard to Peter and Charlotte, Garrett and Darius were out of the way I could breathe more easily. The group that had been blown to pieces would recover in time but I would be long gone. The other group, well they were less lucky because the brick lined root store they had fallen into had been made waterproof so I could fill it with gasoline. It was too deep to jump out of and the sides were sheer and slippery.

As I passed on my way out I would finish the job with a lighted spill. I thought this group might include my sister and brothers but that couldn't be helped. I didn't see who would be appearing from which direction so they had to take pot luck. I grabbed my bags, now all I needed was to escape before the survivors were able to contact Bella and Jazz. I wanted to be well away when they came to visit. Not being able to see Bella or him any longer I was forced to rely to a large extent on intuition and the Lord of Mischief's spies currently working on my behalf. One day I must find out his or her real identity and thank them personally.

Peter.

I waited back against the wall close to the door leading down a path to the pier and stopped breathing. I didn't want to raise any alarms for her and it wasn't long before I heard the door open on well oiled hinges and a shadow stepped out shutting the door again quietly before heading towards the place where the others disappeared into the ground. I followed her watching for the two others to join me. I wasn't going to act until she reached the boat but then I smelled gasoline and saw a spark followed by a glow. The bitch had doused them in gasoline and now she was going to set them alight so I leapt on her back dousing the flame on the damp grass as we fell and grabbed her tight around the rib cage trapping her arms by her sides.

"Trick or treat!"

She hissed in fright and anger and struggled fiercely knowing she was fighting for her life but I was an old hand at fighting and she couldn't get enough purchase to swing round or dislodge my grip. Only when she saw Bella and The Major appear in front of her did she stop struggling cursing under her breathing,

"Now that's not very ladylike is it?"

I hauled her to her feet and pushed her into The Majors arms.

"I have to get the others out of that pit before they end up barbecued"

Bella

At last I was confronting the real author of my misery and I couldn't wait to kill the bitch but I wanted her to suffer first.

"Peter, don't empty the gas out I might have a use for it later."

He nodded smiling wickedly at Alice.

"How did you get here? I didn't see you. You should be weak and helpless after your treatment Jazz. It's not fair."

"Fair Alice? None of this was fair, what you did to me wasn't fair, what you did to your family wasn't fair. You are a psychopath, and a dangerous one at that."

Alice smiled serenely no longer struggling against Jaspers grip but pushing her body into his and I felt my temper already high raise still further.

"Remember this Jazz, how well we fit together? How you enjoyed rolling around naked with me, how our bodies complemented each other? Is she really as good as I was? Bella you should be thanking me, after all I did what I promised and brought you together and after all the trials and tribulations you will appreciate each other that much more."

She leaned back and planted a kiss on Jasper's cheek and I grabbed hold of her pulling her away from my mate and slapping her so hard her head flew to one side. She turned back rubbing her cheek with one hand,

"So, the fragile and weak little human has teeth after all. You'll need them you know. Have you slept with Jazz yet? He likes it rough, the rougher the better and its all down to the things Maria and I taught him."

This time when I slapped her I made sure my nails raked grooves in her oh so pretty face.

"Alice whatever you say makes no difference to the way I feel about Jasper. The fact you were as sick and warped as Maria is nothing to be proud of. What I'd like to know before I kill you is why?"

"Why?"

"Why you did all this to people who loved you and were your friends."

"Oh that old chestnut again. You'll find out in time Bella that immortality can become tedious. I became bored even before I met Jazz and I was approached by one of the Players asking if I'd like to join them. I was intrigued and I've never looked back. I treat you all like pawns in chess to be sacrificed for the bigger prize."

"And what was that?"

"The accolades of my fellow players and the satisfaction that I can play everyone as I like. Bella you should try it...but no, you are much too principled to attempt manipulation. I found I could make almost anyone do exactly what I wanted them to, provided I gave them the right motivation. Look at you two, I had you running when I said run and hiding when I said hide."

"So it didn't bother you that the man you had been sleeping with, the man you said you loved was in pain and ultimately tortured?"

"No, but I have to admit the torture wasn't my idea. That was all Jane's doing but it was a good idea and Caius almost wet himself when she suggested it."

I mentally added Jane to my hit list and smiled inwardly, I was determined that anyone who had a part in Jaspers torture was going to pay.

I lost patience with Alice, she was totally amoral, she had no feeling of her own guilt or the pain and damage she had caused. Peter came back with Emmett who had rinsed most of the gasoline out of his clothing which were now dripping wet.

"I left the others washing off then we're going to help the others she blew up. Emmett wanted to speak to Alice and I left the pit just the way I found it, minus the little fishes swimming around in it that is."

I nodded and Peter went back to help the girls and Edward, well maybe not Edward unless he planned on putting us all out of his misery and drowning him. Alice smiled at Emmett,

"I underestimated you brother. Under that buffoon exterior is a sharp mind and a determined one. It was interesting to see you work around my blocks to help your dear brother and Bella. I never did manage to split you and Rose up did I? But I gave it my best shot. My one real failure in all this"

Emmett stepped forward so they were toe to toe.

"You know something Alice, I've never been in the presence of pure evil before but that's exactly what you are and the sooner you are dead the better and safer for the rest of us."

"True Emmett but I don't think you have it in you to commit murder, let Jazz do that. After all it's what he's best at, savagery."

I didn't wait for any response just grabbed one arm, Emmett took the other, and between us we frog marched her to the pit of gasoline and I took a lighter from my pocket.

"See Alice I even came prepared"

"So I see. Can I ask one question though?"

"Go on"

"What about Carlisle and Esme? I can't see what you plan for them. If nothing else they should be punished for their gullibility, they believed everything I fed them so they didn't think very highly of you but then neither did you parents... did they? Doesn't that make you wonder how people really saw you? It would me."

I didn't answer just pushed her backwards until she fell into the pit splashing around in the gasoline.

"You know something Alice. I don't care what people thought of me then, only what they think now and I have you to thank for that. Now go to hell"

I flicked the lighter and the gas vapours caught fire immediately, turning the sea of gas into a flaming crucible that turned Alice to ashes in a second.