~ Chapter Thirty-Four — We Will Fight ~

Isabella POV

Thr first thing I was aware of was burning pain at my throat. I tried to open my mouth to scream but was unable to move my lips. I felt detached from my body, as if I was no more than disembodied thought.

The pain at my throat faded mercifully and my senses returned. I could feel the wind on my face and the stony ground beneath me, but I still felt oddly detached, almost as if I was incomplete. I only had a moment to ponder this before other pains came. My shoulders burned and then my elbows and wrists. I had not felt pain like this since my change. I locked my teeth shut to prevent the howls of pain from coming forth.

A soft voice spoke beside me and a hand stroked my cheek. "I am so sorry, Isabella. It's almost over now."

The voice was wrong. The pain was not lessening. It was increasing. Now there was burning at my hips and knees. When the pain reached my ankles I screamed. It was too much to bear.

As the pain flared and scorched. I recognized the sensation. I had felt it after the destruction of the nomad in Seattle, but it was not of the same scale as then. I had been dismembered and now my limbs were being reattached. With realization came memory. The last thing I remembered was seeing Eleazar being decapitated and then I had felt teeth at my neck. Could Eleazar have been spared the burning too or had I lost another friend today. The thought of Eleazar brought with it thoughts of Marcus. He was gone. I had seen him flung into the flames. My greatest friend was lost because he came to warn me. My poor Marcus.

The pain ceased, but I remained silent and still staring into the darkness of my closed eyelids.

"Isabella, can you open your eyes," the voice asked.

I felt sure I could, but I wasn't sure I wanted to. I didn't know if I was ready to face the world again, as it was a world without Marcus in it. I was happy to stay here in this darkness forever. But I couldn't there was something more important than my own life at stake. I understood it, but my disconnected thoughts made it hard to remember what it was.

"Maybe we did something wrong."

"No, I told you, I've seen Maria do this before," a second voice answered. This voice was female.

"Only with an arm. Maybe you can't heal them when they are injured like this."

My thoughts were coming clearer now; the intangible something I had to fight for was still creeping at the edge of my memories though, refusing to come to the forefront of my mind. Then with a burst of understanding it was there.

My eyes flew open and I jolted upright. "Jasper!"

"Take it easy."

I turned and saw Tomas kneeling beside me, standing behind him was Lucy.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"I'm fine," I said brushing off his assisting hand and getting to my feet. "Where is Jasper?"

He looked confused. "I haven't seen him. Was he here?"

I considered the question carefully. No, he hadn't been here. I had forced him to stay safe at the castle.

I shook my head. "No, he's not here. Where is here?" I looked around at my rocky surroundings.

"We're in the cave the bosses used," Tomas explained.

The bosses. He had to mean Stefan and Vladimir. I wondered what had happened to them. I hadn't seen them since the beginning of the fight. Were they still lurking here somewhere or had they already fled back to Romania in the wake of our victory.

"Where are Stefan and Vladimir?" I asked.

"We haven't seen them since the fight started," Tomas said. "We were hiding and watching."

Wherever they were was unimportant now. What mattered was that I got back to Jasper as soon as I could. "How did I come to be here?" I asked.

"We saw Shelly take you down and we came out and attacked her," Lucy said matter–of-factly. "Tomas killed her and then we brought you here."

"And no one saw you?" I asked with trepidation. If no one had seen me carried away and if the survivors had returned to the castle already, Jasper may know of my apparent demise. The thought of how he would be suffering made a sob creep up my throat. I swallowed it with determination. Now was not the time to break down.

"I don't think so," Tomas said. "They were all busy fighting the last of us. You won by the way."

"Everyone we knew was burned," Lucy said with a hint of accusation.

"As well they should be," I said without heat. "They plotted against us and killed one of my closest friends. They are lucky they were burned. I would have created a better punishment for them."

Both Tomas and Lucy looked uneasy at my declaration. I decided it was high time I left. Jasper needed me.

"Well, thank you for your assistance, I appreciate it." My simple thanks seemed inconsequential given that they had saved my life and therefore Jasper's, but there was nothing else to be said. I set off out of the cave and into the dazzling light of day.

The cave was only two hundred yards from where the battle had waged. There were small piles of ash spread across the ground from fallen vampires. The sight of such loss of life was abhorrent to me. I wondered idly which was Marcus'. I would have liked to return his ashes to the castle. I could not be sure though, and I decided that to leave him where he had fallen in battle was more honorable.

The sun was bright above me, casting a shimmer of light on my skin. I would have to take care making my way through the populated areas if I was not to expose the secret. Such care irked me as I wanted nothing more than to run to Jasper's side.

I readjusted my clothes to cover as much skin as I could and began the slow trudge home.

xXx

Jasper POV

I remained curled in the centre of Isabella's bed with my eyes squeezed shut. If I really tried, I could pretend she was here with me, surrounded by her scent as I was.

I would have been content to stay there alone forever if not for the pain. It started a few hours after I learned of Isabella's death. It began at my throat and spread down my body at my joints. I wondered idly what could be happening to me. I theorized that it was the physical effects of the broken mating bond. There was no one I cared to ask though. The only person I knew that had suffered through the loss of his mate was now dead.

In the throes of my pain, I found new understanding of Isabella. No wonder she had been so against the mating if this was the price. But despite the pain, I could not regret the time I had with her. It was worth the pain for the few months of joy I had with her.

I couldn't bear to lie still while the pain was raging so I stood and began pacing the room. I felt like a caged animal, even through the doors to the balcony were flung open.

Time passed and people came and went. I heard them speaking about me as if I was not there. Esme was worried that I was losing my mind. If I could have drawn forth the effort needed to speak, I would have told her she was wrong. My mind wasn't the problem; it was my heart that I had lost.

After a time, the pain faded and went. I felt more bereft than ever at its loss. If my theory was correct and it was the mating bond that hurt me, it meant that my last connection to Isabella was gone. That understanding was enough to bring forth a new wave of desperation.

I flung myself down on the bed again and considered my situation. The pain in my body had faded, but the pain in my heart was as potent as ever. Was this to be my life from now on? A constant state of agony. I couldn't bear to think of it. But my other option seemed cowardly. I could end my existence in hopes of seeing Isabella again, but that could cast me into the eternal oblivion, or worse, Hell.

"There is another option."

I started. I hadn't heard Edward's approach, so consumed by my thoughts as I was. He now stood leaning against the doorframe.

"What option?" I asked.

"Revenge. You can end your existence, and thereby dishonor Isabella, or—"

I cut him off with a low growl. "Dishonor? I would never—"

"You would. If you died, you would be spitting on her grave. Isabella was against mating for this very reason. What do you think she would say if she knew you gave up so easily?"

"She would understand." But even as I said it I wondered if she really would. Isabella's life had been dedicated to the protection of our kind and the secret.

Edward nodded, evidently following the direction of my thoughts.

"If the situation was reversed, she would never seek death. She would want keep fighting to protect."

I sighed in resignation. He was right, of course, but I didn't know what that meant for me. Was I to join the Volturi and dedicate my life to protecting the secret as she would have done?

Edward shook his head. "She wouldn't want that either. What she would want is revenge."

"Who is there left to kill?" I asked. "Their army was destroyed. Even Maria is dead."

"There is the people that orchestrated it all."

I hissed. "Stefan and Vladimir!"

He nodded approvingly. "Exactly. They were the ones that started this whole mess. They are the ones that have to pay. And I am offering my services as your wingman. I think Emmett will want to come along too."

Of course he would want to come. They all would. But they couldn't. This was my fight alone. I needed the assistance of only one person. Demetri.

I ran past Edward and through the door, calling Demetri's name. He met me in the receptionist's lobby.

"What is it?" he asked, rubbing uncomfortably at the scar on his neck. He too had been dismembered but someone had protected him from the flames. It seemed unfair that so many had been hurt as Isabella had but they survived while my love was lost.

"I need to know where Stefan and Vladimir are."

He looked uncomfortable. "You're going after them?"

It was not a question, but a statement. I quirked an eyebrow; I didn't understand why he looked so uncomfortable.

"He is worried that his master will not approve," Edward said scathingly.

Rage built in me toward the Volturi. I shoved Demetri against the wall and pinned him there with one hand at his throat. "You think I give a damn what your masters want anymore? Tell me you don't want revenge, too; tell me that you aren't grieving for Isabella, too."

"I can't," he said solemnly. "They deserve death, but my first duty is to the Volturi. That is how it has always been, for Isabella too."

I released him, seeing the truth in his words. If I was to have his assistance I needed Aro and Caius' approval. If they refused to give it I would find Stefan and Vladimir alone.

I made my way to the throne room. As I walked through the door, I was momentarily halted in my tracks by the sight before me. Isabella and Marcus' thrones were draped in black velvet. The throne that had brought home to me just who Isabella was, now displayed the physical proof of her absence. My family were gathered in the room, and they looked up with evident relief when they saw me. I nodded to them curtly and then made my way to Aro. He looked dreadful. Deep lines of sadness were etched upon his brow and the light that always sparked in his eyes was extinguished. I had forgotten in my own misery that Isabella was loved by more than just me.

"Jasper," he said softly. "I cannot express how deep my sadness is for our loss, but let me offer you my condolences."

"Thank you, Aro," I said stiffly. "I come with a request."

He nodded understandingly. "I expected as much, and I am afraid I must refuse you. Isabella would never want you to—"

"You misunderstand me," I said, extending my hand, "I do not come seeking death. I come seeking assistance."

He took my hand and bowed his head as he searched through my memories. There was a wealth of information there for him. Months of memories of Isabella. I knew when he saw some of them as his sorrow deepened. Eventually he released my hand and locked eyes with me.

"You wish to seek out the Romanians."

"And to end them," I said firmly.

He nodded. "I understand the desire, and I share it, but your plan to go alone cannot be supported. There is a reason Stefan and Vladimir have lived as long as they have. They are fierce opponents. If you go alone, you will die."

I didn't particularly care if my mission ended my existence, as long as I took them with me. To show that would be a mistake though, so I nodded agreement and forced a rueful smile.

"Very well, I will take others with me, but they must be ended."

"I am coming," Caius said, rising to his feet.

"Me too," Felix said.

Around the room there was a chorus of voices all offering their assistance. I had underestimated how much Isabella had been loved by those here.

Aro looked around the room and nodded his agreement. "If you take protection, I see no reason you should not be successful. Demetri, do you know where they are?"

"They are still on Elba, Master," Demetri said.

"Very well," Aro said with satisfaction. "We will fight."