Chapter Thirty Nine

Carlisle

I knew they were going to be difficult about Esme and I understood why but there was no way I was allowing them to keep my mate prisoner, whatever she'd been responsible for. I needed to think of a way to get Esme released without putting Jamie at risk, I didn't want to resort to threats but if it came down to it then I would. They knew of my relationship with Aro and while I would never hand the child to him I would use the threat if all else failed. How Bella and then Jamie had eluded Aro thus far I had no idea, it was almost as if they had a friend inside the Volturi but that was ridiculous, it would have to be someone with great influence and I couldn't see either Marcus or Caius acting against their brother or even Jane, Alec or Felix. There was no one else I could think of with the power to thwart him. My biggest problem was going to be Alice. Esme doted on our daughter and Alice hated both Jasper and Bella but could I keep the two apart? It would be almost impossible once I started work again, I wondered if a move abroad and the offer of making another daughter for Esme would work. If I found a young woman dying I could legitimately help by turning her and I knew Esme loved children, a young girl, perhaps a little younger than any I'd turned before would tempt her into behaving. As long as it wasn't a child I thought the Volturi wouldn't care, perhaps sixteen, a girl who would still need a mother. It was something to think about.

Peter

I was relieved to hear Bella had made it through the change without any problems, she was crazy lucky that girl. Then Emmett rang to ask us to take Esme to a nearby Motel so she could see Carlisle!

"Are they crazy? What if he tries to snatch the bitch? By rights she should already be dead, there's no way I'm delivering that bitch anywhere, so you can tell The Major if he wants her moving he can do it himself but don't come to me when he sees her ass disappearing up the road with the good Doctor."

"Peter don't be difficult you know he wont leave Bella and Jamie. If you like I'll come along too."

"Put him on the phone Em or she ain't going anywhere"

I had no idea what was going through his mind, it must be addled with fatherhood or something, and although Char tried to calm me I couldn't get rid of the feeling this was a big fucking mistake!

"Captain, what's your problem?"

"I don't have one Major but you will of you let Esme Cullen out."

"Carlisle asked to see her"

"Tell him to fuck off"

"He helped with Jamie, I owe him"

"No you don't, his crazy family almost got Bella and you killed multiple times. Get your head out of your ass and think. You let her out there's going to be an almighty cock up."

"I'm relying on you to avoid that"

"Yeah well I am, because for the first time I'm directly disobeying an order Major. You want Carlisle and Esme Cullen to meet, you get your ass down here and organise it. Until you show she's not going anywhere"

I put the phone down cursing his stupidity,

"Peter really"

"Don't you start woman. I'm right and if you stopped for just one minute you'd realize it. When they ride off into the sunset its gonna be down to us to haul them back, you do understand that don't you?"

"Is this bloody mindedness or do you have a feeling?"

"I always have a feeling when I think of the Cullens, a sickness in the pit of my stomach usually. They are mad, bad, and dangerous, look what they did to him last time and that crazy ex-wife of his is still running around plotting fuck knows what. Am I the only one seeing clearly here?"

Bella

I heard the conversation and I had to agree with Peter on this. Much as I hated going against Jazz he was wrong. He had no loyalty to the Cullens, not even Carlisle, that score had been settled a long time ago.

"Please listen to Peter Jazz. He's right."

"Bella, I went to Volterra to claim you back as my mate. By law we can't separate mates and Carlisle knows that. He has every right to see Esme."

"But he'll try to take her home, you know that"

"Then I'll stop him, but I can't act until he does Bella"

"Why do you have to come over all noble now? Jamie should be our main concern"

"He is Bella, if I refuse Carlisle's request he'll go to Aro and demand justice, that would put Jamie in more danger. My hands are tied."

I hadn't realized it was that serious, so we had to let him see Esme but did we have to let him take her?

"What happens if we refuse to let him take her home?"

He didn't answer because he didn't have to, we had no choice. If Carlisle insisted he would have the Volturi on his side. What could we do? Jazz was looking at me as if I should know something, but what?

Jasper

I had no power to stop Carlisle seeing Esme or demanding his mate back, I couldn't act,

"I can't act against him Bella."

She looked at me and I saw it register with her,

"Oh, of course you can't as head of our coven."

But that didn't mean she couldn't act in my stead. She grabbed the phone ringing Peter back and handing Jamie to me.

"I think he's hungry, could you take him downstairs."

I smiled and nodded,

"Sure, I'll see you in a few minutes."

As I shut the door I heard Peter answer the phone.

Peter

"I told you Major, you want her out you come and get her, otherwise fuck you."

"Peter"

"Bella darlin' you OK? Hows Jamie? I can't wait to see him again."

"Peter I need you to listen carefully to me."

"OK. I'm all ears"

"I want you to take Esme and move somewhere else, somewhere he doesn't know. I don't want you to tell anyone else where, I don't want you to contact us, we'll find you when the time is right. Do you understand?"

"Not a fucking word but if that's what The Major wants"

"No Peter, Jazz wants you to let Carlisle and Esme meet."

"But you just said..."

"Yes Peter, I said."

"Just a …...Oh I get it. Right Bella I'll be out if touch for a while. Give that boy of yours a kiss from me."

"Will do Peter, and Peter"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks...for everything."

"No problem Bella glad to help. I think I might go see a place I know where a Jeep broke down sometime ago".

"Got it Peter. Bye"