Chapter 93 – The End… or the Beginning?

Reuben was the first to speak.

"Jane"

Jane?

"Hello Reuben"

Her voice was clear and razor sharp, just like the smile she was now showing. I looked quickly to my side, at Alice, who had raised a delicate eyebrow, surveying the scene before her.

"Hello Jane"

Carlisle stepped forward from seemingly nowhere. I had been that preoccupied with the new arrival I hadn't realised he was nearby. I watched as he held out his hand. Although his action was a courteous one, I sensed he felt something quite different. What, I wasn't sure.

"Ah, Carlisle… so nice to see you again" she replied, taking his hand in hers, shaking it gently. I watched with fascination. She may be a stranger to me but I already had a feeling she was… dangerous. I watched as she removed her hand and frowned… she almost looked like the act of shaking Carlisle's hand had been painful… or perhaps holding back had been painful…

What was this stranger capable of?

"What brings you here?" Carlisle asked his voice temperate as always. Jane laughed, shaking her head a little.

"Carlisle Cullen, it seems you have forgotten who is asking the questions here" she replied, smiling…

Before Carlisle could answer, Reuben seemed to take a harsh intake of breath. Everyone's eyes moved to his hunched figure. The new arrival had distracted us…

"If I wanted you to express pain, Reuben, I would do… this…."

What happened next was a blur of activity that would have knocked me from my feet had Alice not taken my hand and steadied me.

I watched in disbelief as Jane's eyes seemed to take on a flaming crimson colour, deeper than the shade I had seen seconds earlier. Slowly she walked a few paces towards Reuben and then stopped; her head now bent a little lower as she seemed to focus on him, her gaze penetrating to his very core…

"I… no… Jane…."

Reuben's speech was fragmented and laced with anxiety as she smiled…

"Beg" she simply answered as he started to shake…

What is she doing to him?

"No… Never…." He spluttered, doubling over, his already broken body now shattering more…

Suddenly Jane closed her eyes as Reuben simultaneously collapsed.

"I forget how good that feels" she replied, her voice crystal clear, laced with excitement.

Slowly she opened them again and averted her gaze to mine.

"Did it feel good for you Bella, when you… inflicted your revenge on him?"

"I…" my voice faltered.

Did it feel good? I looked from Jane to Alice, recalling the pain and anguish he had caused her. I recalled the games he had played with me… with us all… the threats he had made to Jake and Charlie… the pain I had felt when the bullet had entered my skin…

And the deaths… of so many before mine…. Those who were not so lucky as me… because I did consider myself lucky, lucky to have been saved and turned in a vampire… lucky that I could spend the rest of my life and thereafter with Alice…

I looked at Jane defiantly.

"Yes, it felt good" I replied calmly as Jane tilted her head, raising a perfect blonde eyebrow.

"Why Bella, you are quite the enigma" she answered as my gaze remained on her.

Reuben seemed to moan again as Jane, her eyes still holding my gaze, sighed.

"Nobody is interested in your woes, Reuben. You were standing on the precipice of fate… you decided to edge further into insanity…you decided this" she continued as I felt a slight shiver run along my spine.

She continued her voice calm.

"You may be able to manipulate this… newborn…" she smiled again shrugging "Sorry Bella, but you were manipulated… you could have easily put en end to him… decapitation, perhaps? If you felt pleasure at torturing Bella, imagine the pleasure you would feel at killing?"

I felt Alice's hand tighten on mine as her scrutiny finally broke her attention now on Reuben.

"But you cannot manipulate me…"

I watched her with interest as her face changed slightly, her eyes narrowing. "You love the feeling the darkness brought you, Reuben…"

Reuben started to scream.

It was happening again….

As if reading my mind Jane turned, her eyes back on mine, ruby red, destructive and vicious.

"I like causing pain" she simply replied. She began to smile as Reuben's cry ceased.

"You are a problem, Reuben" she continued, as Edward interrupted.

"He has been a problem for weeks, why intervene now?"

Jane turned to look at Edward who was still holding a semi conscious Antara in has arms.

"I don't answer to you" she responded, pointing to Antara she continued "and as for that… the Volturi have unfinished business with her also"

Edward's grip tightened.

"You'll have to get through me first" he replied as Jane laughed.

"Very well then, Edward isn't it? Keep her. She is weak. We have no use for her any longer… but you…"

She turned to face me.

"You, Isabella Swan… you are a complex puzzle to us…one they will enjoy solving. You will prove very useful…"

Alice was immediately in front of me, as a low growl escaped her lips.

Jane sighed theatrically.

"What is it with you vampires and love? It's all so very… disturbing to me…."

Disturbing? She causes pain by a simple though and she thinks love is disturbing?

Her voice trailed off as Carlisle appeared at my other side.

"Take Reuben and go. He has caused too much of a scene here already… I suspect that is why Aro sent you here?"

Jane's eyes flickered.

"Perhaps" she replied as she took a step closer to me.

"This isn't over, though" she continued, as she held a slim arm in the air.

"Felix"

Before I could make further enquires as to whom Felix was, a tall well built man appeared at her side. She pointed to Reuben.

"Take him" she commanded as the man obeyed her order.

Jane placed both her arms behind her back. "You Cullen's are…. different. Aro said as much but I didn't believe him until now"

Nobody answered as she shrugged her shoulders again.

"No matter… I have what I came for… thank you, Bella… for taking care of the… dirty work for me. I do hate getting my fingers dirty".

Felix had already disappeared before I replied.

"What will happen to him?"

Jane shrugged. "It all depends on how they feel..."

They?

Alice was now at my side again, pulling me back a little.

Carlisle pointed to the small clearing to our side. "You should go now, the wolves are coming".

"Ah yes… those wolves… Aro will be interested to learn of that alliance also…." Her voice deliberately trailed off.

Nobody replied.

"Farewell" she continued, and with that she was gone.

"I will be seeing you soon though, Bella"…

Her voice echoed around the woods as Alice's grip tightened on mine.

I looked at Alice who was frowning.

What had just happened? Who was Aro?

My eyes flickered over everyone.

Alice now had her arm around me and was looking at me intently. I smiled at her.

"Is it over?" I asked gently as she frowned.

"No Bella, my love. I am afraid it's about to begin"

A/N… I feel I need to apologise (again) for being so slow in updating this story. I just want to take this opportunity to thank you all for reading – your reviews and email encouragements mean a lot to me. I sincerely hope you have enjoyed the story and as the Chapter title suggests…. It could be the end… or the beginning of a sequel…

I shall let you, faithful readers, decide.

Thank you again.

Love Eden Storm.