Chapter One Hundred and Two
Charlotte
When we got down the road Peter suddenly screeched to a halt and looked over at me.
"What?"
I looked back,
"Sorry?"
"You think I'm wrong?"
"I never said a word."
"No you didn't. Why not? Because you think I'm wrong in leaving him, them. You think we should put our necks on the block for The Major again? You think we owe him loyalty? You think as friends we shouldn't turn our back on him, them? Well?"
"What do you want me to say Peter? We do what you think is right."
"What about what you think is right?"
"Nobody asked me what I thought"
"So why didn't you just say?"
"When exactly? One minute we were in triumph at putting one over on Aro Volturi the next we were in the car making for...where are we making for anyway?"
"I told The Major you wanted to see Sweden"
"Sweden? Why Sweden?"
"Because it was the first fucking name to occur to me woman"
"Why didn't you tell him we were just getting the hell out of Dodge?"
"Oh yeah that would have sounded good. Sorry Major we're running scared, like fucking yellow bellies in case Aro comes after us"
"Well isn't it the truth?"
"Who's fucking side are you on woman?"
"Whose car am I sitting in? Don't you start that one Peter Whitlock"
"You'd rather be sitting with him waiting to get nuked I guess?"
"I'd rather not be seen to run with my tail between my legs"
"So you think I'm a coward?"
"Did I say that?"
"You inferred it"
"I'm surprised you even know what that means Peter. Just drive"
"Fuck this"
He turned the car round and raced back to the house coming to a screeching halt outside, throwing up clouds of dust before getting out and slamming the car door so violently that it bent in the centre then stormed back into the house. Em and Rose who were sitting outside looked on in amusement as Peter stormed past and into the lounge shouting at the top of his voice,
"If this gets us killed Char I'm coming for you."
I wasn't quite sure how he planned on doing that but I kept quiet, just smiling at them as I walked sedately back in to hear the shouting still going on.
"You listen to me Major. You get me killed I'll fucking gut you. So just watch out. This is going to be a dirty fucking fight just remember that. I hope you've got your strategy worked out or they'll massacre the lot of us and use us as firewood. Just so you know, I'm only here under fucking duress."
He stomped out of the room and up the stairs still swearing as he went,
"Fucking women think they know best. Stupid fuckers gonna get us all killed."
I walked back in to the lounge where Bella and the Major were sitting. Bella looked a little confused but the major just smiled at me,
"How far did he get this time?"
"About quarter of a mile"
"About the usual"
"Yeah, I'll go calm him down. See you later."
I heard Bella questioning Jasper as I went out,
"He does the same thing every time he gets nervous. Never makes it far before he talks himself round but he can blame Char then when things don't go the way he wants"
She laughed at my husbands antics as I went to sooth his ruffled feathers.
Bella
Jasper had explained that Peter would be back soon but I hadn't believed him until Peter came storming in swearing and cursing.
"So he's in then?"
Jasper just nodded and went back to his book so I went out to talk to Em and rose,
"So Peters had his hussy fit. Are we expecting trouble soon?"
"It wont be long" Peter shouted from upstairs.
"Is he for real?" Rose mouthed.
I nodded, "Apparently."
A few minutes later Peter was down again, his last actions totally forgotten,
"So Em you want a few pointers on how to fight the Volturi?"
Em, always eager to fight, quickly agreed and the two of them disappeared into the trees.
Char who had followed him down shook her head,
"Sorry about that but he doesn't feel happy until he's had his little tantrum, its his way of letting off steam."
I had no idea whether trouble would be coming soon or if we had time to get on with our lives but both Jasper and Peter took to spending a lot of time outside checking on the horses, on line, or on the phone talking to people I'd never heard of. I assumed they were checking for any suspicious activity in Italy. We hunted in groups with either Jazz or Peter and it was decided we all stay together so by the end of a week everyone was strung tighter than a tennis racket.
"Jazz we need to let off steam before someone blows a gasket, how about a camping trip into the hills, we'll all be together but not so tightly packed."
He looked over at Peter who was on the internet and I saw him nod once,
"OK we can if you want. Have a word with the others, if they want to we can go this evening."
Em and Rose jumped at the opportunity and we decide to take the horses along as they'd been stabled far too long.
Jasper
Bella's idea fell in with our plans nicely, we knew Aro was mustering his forces, any Vampire that owed him a favor or wanted a favor were being gathered together, He was billing us as the enemy, the ones who'd killed Caius in order to get our own representative on the Volturi governing body, but that he'd arranged for Chelsea to get the position instead. Chelsea knew what he was doing but as it didn't affect her own position she was happy to sit back and watch. If it seemed we might get the upper hand she would intervene but not unless. As for Marcus, he too was watching and waiting. He knew if Aro beat us his position would become dangerous but Aro wanted his gift so I think he gambled that Aro would decide against any action against him. In short the Vampire world was watching for the clash of the Titans and taking bets on the outcome. We were rank outsiders because everyone knew of Aro's powers. A lot however didn't know about Bella's gift and I wondered how Aro planned on negating it. Peters spies were busy trying to find out the answer to that question but so far there wasn't a clue.