Chapter Eighty Four
Bella
There was a heavy silence broken by Felix cell phone ringing. He took it out of his pocket and to his ear listening briefly before turning to Jane,
"We have to go"
Alice whirled on him,
"Go where? On whose orders? I need you here"
He smiled at her,
"Sorry Alice. Orders from Volterra"
"I am Volturi and I order you to stay here"
"Sorry but two Brothers tops a Sister, we have to go. Nice to see you all"
He and Jane turned and walked out without another word, leaving Alice alone to face us. She looked uncomfortable now and Charlie was looking from her to us and back totally bewildered.
"So bitch, on your own now. Still want to take us on?"
"You can't hurt me. I'm still Volturi"
"Well personally, and I can only talk for myself, I couldn't give a flying fuck about the Volturi."
She was seething as Em moved to Peters side followed by Rose and Charlotte.
"Well said Peter"
"Thank you Bella. I always thought I could have got a job as a motivational speaker"
"Yeah, you missed your vocation Peter"
I looked at Jasper, he wasn't smiling along with the others but he stepped forward pulling me with him.
"You know Alice, I was prepared to give you the benefit of the doubt. Bella said you'd keep the others honest an I truly believed you would but you just couldn't resist the chance the power gave you to cause more mischief. To get a little of your own back even if it meant Charlies death or ours. You had it all, and it still wasn't enough, well guess what, now you have nothing.
Alice turned to leave but I was on her before she took the first step,
"You know Alice, I was wrong about you. I really thought you could handle the power but it corrupted you just like Aro. For that reason alone you deserve to die but for threatening my Fathers life you will lose it and I mean Charlie, not that sick twisted psycho you called Father."
I dragged her out through the door followed by the others. I wasn't sure I was vampire enough yet to kill another but I would give it a dam good try. Jazz took my arm offering to do it for me but I shook my head.
"No Jazz this is my business, I can do it."
I wrapped my shield around Alice and pulled it tight wrapping her like a mummy in invisible bandages then suspended her from a branch of the old tree in the yard. I held out my hand and Peter slapped a lighter into my palm while Charlotte and Rose collected enough twigs to start a small pyre under Alice's topsy turvy body.
"No one threatens mine, I told you that."
I lit the pyre under her and watched as she screamed seeing the flames pick up under her head before engulfing her fully. I felt nothing as she burned to ashes, no regret, no pain, no guilt, it had been necessary and I'd done it.
"Well she didn't see that coming. Well done Bella"
Peter slapped me on the back before disappearing into the house.
Jazz wrapped me in his arms and kissed my neck,
"Come on Bella its over, let's try to save your Dad now"
We turned as the ashes blew in the breeze and went back into the house and Charlie. One job over another to do, this one with ultimately a good outcome.
Inside Charlie still sat unsure what had just happened,
"Am I safe or will she be back?"
"No Dad she wont be back but I think it might be a good idea if we went sooner rather than later. Just in case the others change their minds about you"
"We have to go now?"
"Is there any reason to delay Charlie? If you're having second thoughts I'll understand"
He looked at Jasper,
"Second thoughts Son? I'm dying here and you're offering me eternal life, what is there to have second thoughts about?"
"Don't forget Charlie, we aren't the good guys, we live on blood, be it human or animal, I'm not offering you Paradise. Just a way forward, an alternative to death."
"Do I get a choice what I live on?"
"Yes to a degree, but you'll always crave human blood. Animal blood will keep you strong but never totally satisfy your needs or cravings."
"But I can choose not to kill humans?"
"Once your newborn time is over, for the first couple of years possibly it will be up to us to keep you under control"
"So I'll be out of control at first?"
"Yes but Peter, Char and myself can keep you from running amok"
"You have experience at that kind of thing?"
Jasper laughed bitterly,
"It's what we did for decades, create and train newborns"
"Train them? What? How to hunt animals?"
"No Charlie, how to hunt humans and we were very good at it. We created an army of newborns for our sire Maria."
"Do I want to know about this?"
"Probably not but it is a fact, I was The Major in her army and the most feared vampire in our world"
"But no more?"
"No, I left her and learned to hunt animals instead, but I'm afraid I'm probably still seen as very dangerous, Bella keeps me on the straight and narrow"
I smiled at him,
"You do that yourself and help me."
"You have problems Bella?"
"Yes, it's not easy with all the strange feelings you have and I'm no different but we'll look out for you Dad."
Billy and Jake watched us leave promising to wind up Charlies affairs for him. I knew Billy was sad to say goodbye to his oldest friend but he knew it was this or death. Charlie looked back at the sign for Forks.
"It seems strange to be leaving here for the last time. I've lived here all my life"
"Well Charlie, new life, new surroundings, and you'll still have a family, just a slightly different one."
"I'll still have Bella and you I guess Jasper."
Peter who was travelling with us spoke up then,
"Hey what about me or don't I exist any more? I'm a Whitlock too and that means you get me as a son too."
"Do I have a choice?"
"Fuck no, you take The Major we come as bonus."
Charlie laughed at that and turned to look out the windscreen.
"Well I guess its goodbye Chief Swan and hello Charlie Swan"
"Well Swan Whitlock actually, as The Major will be your sire"
"Let's keep it simple shall we"
"OK Bella, just telling it like it is."
"You'll get used to Peter, we all did eventually"
Charlie laughed again at Charlotte's words and I saw a different man from the one I'd been used to, this man was more relaxed, more at ease than I'd ever seen him before and I liked the change.