Chapter Thirty Two
Renee
I knew these characters were involved in Bella's disappearance and I thought my being here was also related, if so they weren't getting what they wanted from her. I was being used as some kind of lever to get Bella to do something.
"Is this connected to Edward Cullen?"
Aro's face was quite comical as he stepped back before regaining his cool demeanour,
"Edward? You know him?"
"He was my Daughters boyfriend for a while but then you knew that didn't you? Lets stop the games, you tell me what's going on and I'll tell you if I can help you."
Caius laughed and Marcus wore a grin, it seemed they were enjoying Aro's discomfort.
"We have a slight problem with your daughter Bella and we hope you might be able to help us with it. As you know she is no longer with Edward Cullen but she is involved with another of Dr Cullens "children"."
"Oh I didn't realize he had that many, I've met Edward and Alice and I take it Bella isn't involved with her"
"No. This relationship is with a much more dangerous member of the family."
"Dangerous? How?"
"He is a mercenary, a soldier with a lot of kills to his name"
"Really, and who has he been working with?"
"I'm sorry?"
"Well he isn't working with you so who? Dr Cullen? I doubt that somehow. I also doubt my Daughter would be associating with a confirmed killer, so why don't you tell me why I'm here. Is he threatening you? Is she in some kind of trouble affecting you? Is she a threat to you?"
I got the feeling my last question hit very close to home.
Felix
I hadn't enjoyed myself so much in Centuries, this Renee was another Bella. She'd nailed Aro in minutes and I didn't think she was going to be a push over or even that intimidated when she found out what we were.
"Why do you need to threaten my daughter? Do you really think threatening me will make her do what you want? Do you expect me to try to persuade her? Aro there's something you should know about Bella, she isn't a push over, she's stubborn when she feels she's in the right and she never gives up."
Aro lowered his head with a sigh then looked into her eyes,
"That's a pity my dear because your life depends on persuading her to our way of thinking."
"I see. Then you may as well kill me now because her answer will still be no. You want her to do something she's already refused you."
Renee smiled a little knowingly,
"Oh Aro I think you have made an enemy of my daughter. That wasn't a smart move, not smart at all. Is she coming here? With her mercenary friend perhaps?"
She turned to me,
"Felix what are you doing with this man? You are so much better than that. Have you met Bella? What do you think of her?"
"I think she is a very brave and resourceful young woman"
She nodded,
"And what do you think of her friend the mercenary?"
"The Major is as stubborn and brave as she is. He's not a killer by choice, not now anyway and he's a man I would be honored to stand beside if circumstances were different."
Renee
There was a knock on the door interrupting our conversation and a young man, well boy really, walked in. I recognized the face as the one I saw before I found myself here. Aro turned to him with a smile,
"Ah Alec, you have news for us?"
"The Whitlocks are here and demanding to speak to you"
"Really? All of them?"
"Yes, The Major, The Captain, Charlotte and of course Bella"
I smiled on hearing this,
"Well it looks like you'll get your chance to see how persuasive I can be with my daughter and I'll get to see this murderer she's associating with."
Alec's eyes flickered to me and I sensed a strange power within him, a power tainted with evil, the whole place smelled of it, the very stones infused with an evil aura. I glanced at him and saw something else in his face, jealousy. That puzzled me so I would watch him closely.
"Am I going to meet my daughter or do you have threats to make first Aro?"
He moved from the room very fast with Alec , the other two following on their heels, leaving Felix and I alone.
"Are you going to tell me what's going on?"
He looked at the door hesitating then shook his head
"Not now. I have to see what's happening, stay here I'll be back."
Aro
Bella's Mother was proving to be a little different than I had expected, she wasn't cowed by our presence, in fact she hadn't asked the one question every human asked, who or what are you? She seemed to accept we were somehow different but she wasn't cowed by us and she should have been. A human in a room full of powerful vampires and she'd hardly batted an eyelid. She seemed to have some kind of connection with Felix too, that in itself was amazing as he was the most frightening of us all but I didn't have time to worry about that now, I needed a clear head to speak to Bella. We walked into the Audience Chamber cloaks swirling but they just stood there unimpressed. Bella looked neutral and the others bored. How could they be bored in our stronghold, at our mercy? It seemed as if Caius could read my mind because he smiled over,
"Well Brother they look impressed. I hope you can do better than that."
I glared at him but put the smile on my face as we reached our guests,
"Bella, and your friends. I'm so glad you could accept our invitation. Your Mother is quite anxious to see you"
"Where is she Aro?"
I smiled,
"It doesn't work that way Bella. You give me what I want and I give you the lovely Renee in return."
Alec, Jane, and Chelsea joined us from the back of the room and Bella glanced over at them.
"Are these a threat Aro? Do as I want or I set the scary guard on you?"
"Bella please. We are merely keen to have you stay here with us. Renee is just an... incentive."
"An incentive? Really? That's a new term for it. Aro I told you once already that I wouldn't work for you or accept your idea of a mate for me. Nothing has changed."
"Well I think something has, I hold your mother."
"Oh I thought she was your guest. Are you telling me she's your prisoner now?"
"Prisoner, hostage, guest, choose for yourself Bella. The fact is she is here, and her continued safety relies on your acceding to my request, invitation, demand, choose your own words."
We stood measuring each other up.