CHAPTER FORTY SIX

Jasper

Bella was still concerned about her 'slip' with the blood, was she becoming more Vampire the older she got? She wasn't entirely convinced with my explanation about her human half protecting itself so I tried another approach. One that had occurred to me as lay thinking about her on the plane journey to France.

"Bella had you ever thought that perhaps your gift was being used by your human half to protect itself. A lot of humans bring a latent gift they have with them, but magnified, when they become vampires. We know you have a gift but I wonder if we have any idea how powerful your gift might be."

"Alice told me that I could only protect those I love, that's how I was able to protect you from Jane. Why, do you think its more powerful than that? Do you think I could protect other people? My Dad for instance?"

"It's a possibility but I was thinking along slightly different lines Bella."

"I don't follow you"

" Aro wants your gift but maybe it could help you to stay safe from him in another way. If we think of your shield as an offensive weapon rather than a defensive one it opens up a whole new field. It could mean you being able to deflect others gifts back at them or even possibly direct it elsewhere"

I thought about this for a few minutes,

"So in theory, I could deflect Jane's gift not only back at her but possibly even at someone else who was attacking me, maybe Aro even?"

"Its a real possibility Bella and it would mean, if we're right, that you are virtually impregnable. I can't think of anyone who could take you down if your shield operated like that, and it would mean that there was nothing Aro could threaten you with, theoretically."

"So, how do we test this theory of yours out?"

" You want to test it out now?"

"Yes, I'm being threatened by my "father" I want to know how well I can defend myself and if there's any way I could retaliate."

"We need someone with an offensive gift to see if you could send it back on them and I can't think of anyone off-hand to use""

"But you think it would work?"

"Well we know it worked against Jane when you blocked her, so you just need to try directing it elsewhere next time"

"There's going to be a next time?"

"Without a doubt darlin' She is a vindictive bitch who hates to lose face, especially to a human"

"What about physical attacks though?""

"Well that's easily checked. All you need to do is piss Emmett off."

"OK I can do that, or Peter of course."

"True. I'd like to see him on his ass, but Emmett's around."

Emmett

I was bored, nothing was happening and with Jazz up and about again I didn't even need to go hunt as often. I was playing Modern Warfare on the computer when Bella came running downstairs. She was shouting angrily at Rose who looked really upset.

"Bella back off. I never touched Jazz, why would I want to anyway. I've got the best in Emmett"

I smiled a little at hearing that.

"Oh yeah, well from what I hear you aren't too fussy where you get your kicks."

I turned to look at Bella, I'd never heard her speak like this before and I glanced at Rose who was fuming.

"Why don't you just shut up bitch and run back up to your little man. Leave the big guys to us grown ups".

Bella launched herself at Rose who unbalanced flew over the bannister and landed stunned on the floor below. Bella was about to leap on her when I intervened, stepping in front of Rose. Bella leapt anyway and as I went to grab her out of the air I hit something and flew backwards myself. As I crashed into the wall at the far end of the room I saw Bella grab a table lamp and hit Rose with it. Rose's head snapped back and I roared as I charged in defence of my mate. Again I flew backwards shattering the patio door this time. When I picked myself up I saw Bella and Rose standing together slapping palms. Standing at the top of the stairs was Jasper and he too was grinning.

"Would somebody please tell me what just happened and who sent me flying because from the look of your faces I think I've been set up."

Rose came over and kissed me, wrapping herself around my body,

"Sorry honey but we needed to test a theory out and you were nominated as guinea pig."

"Great I'm a test rodent now!"

Bella came over too and kissed my cheek,

"Sorry Em but you were the most powerful guy we knew."

That made me feel better straight away,

"Yeah well, OK. But what did I hit?"

"Bella's shield" Jazz explained.

"Yeah but something threw me backwards"

"You threw yourself backwards Em."

"What?"

"Bella sent your power back at you"

"Awesome Bells!"

Well they'd learned something but at the expense of Esme's patio door and I certainly wasn't taking the blame for that.

Bella

So Jasper had been right, it was possible to use my shield as a weapon if the vampire I was fighting had an offensive gift. The thought of sending Jane to her knees with her own ability was appealing. Also it meant that Aro's presidential guard were not only useless to him but a real threat too. Alec, Jane, Felix, Chelsea, they were all as dangerous to Aro as to us. I felt immediately better knowing I had a way of not only protecting myself and Jasper, possibly others too, but I could fight back. If only I has known that as a child maybe I could have helped Renee as we ran. My biggest fear now was for Charlie, as Jasper had explained, the knowledge he now had made him a target for the Volturi so it was vital he did nothing to lead them to suspect that he knew of the secret vampire world.