Chapter Thirty Four

Jasper

I listened to Bella with a quiet satisfaction, Aro had underestimated her strength of character and her hatred of him. She was willing to hand over the reins of our world to the Romanians just to get rid of him.

"Bella, could we talk to you about another possible solution to this problem?"

She looked over at Caius and smiled, like a panther about to devour its prey,

"Of course Caius, if you have a suggestion I'm willing to listen"

"Firstly do you have any deal breakers?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Is there anything you are not willing to compromise on?"

"Yes. Aro's future role in the Volturi"

"I take it you mean that he has no role?"

"Precisely."

"Will you guarantee his safety?"

"How can I? He's upset a lot of people and I'm not protecting him, let Renata."

She was really laying it on the line.

"And us?"

"Did you know of Aro's plan?"

"No, not until your Mother was already in Volterra."

"Then with certain undertakings I have no problem with you remaining on the governing body."

"Undertakings?"

She turned to Marcus,

"No unilateral decisions, no changing humans without an exceptionally good reason agreed by all the Brothers and of course the Sister, or Sisters. Also I want more members on the Volturi council."

Marcus

Bella was squeezing us for everything she could get but I didn't blame her. In her eyes she and her family had been treated extremely badly and now it was payback time. I looked at Caius to see how he felt about her demands but my attention was distracted by Bella's mother and Felix. Only now did the relationship register with me, those two were destined to be together, they were in fact mates which made Aro's actions even more hilarious. Bella saw my smile and looked over to Renee and Felix. He was standing slightly forward of her, shielding her with his bulk. She looked back at me and lifted an eye enquiringly, she knew my gift. I nodded and she smiled slightly.

"So Bella. You want Aro off the council? You realize that will make him a dangerous enemy of the Volturi?"

"Oh I don't think so, not if Chelsea binds him to us"

Aro looked up sharply at that, so he would find out what it meant to be bound to someone they hated. Revenge for the death of my wife had been a long time coming but finally I could see it, almost touch it.

Bella

I watched Aro closely, he wasn't going to take this lying down but his options were limited to the Guard now present. Who would stand beside him knowing I could, and would, negate their powers? Not Felix it appeared, he and my mother were connected, very much like Jazz and myself. That left Alec, Chelsea, Renata, Jane and Demetri who had just come in. He must have heard there were important things being discussed in here.

"So, who stands with Aro?"

The five looked from each other to Aro then me, it was a hard decision especially as Chelsea bound them to him so I extended my shield to cover them, keeping Chelsea outside, and I saw faces clear as they realized they were finally their own masters again. Alec and Jane moved to stand together then holding hands they walked to Caius side and then moved to stand behind him, so they were going with the old members of the new regime. Demetri went to Felix side, unsure which way his friend would vote, but Felix took Renee's hand and they walked to my side which just left Chelsea and Renata,

"Well, you two have to make a decision. Is it to be your old master or the new ones? Choose."

Chelsea hesitated then stood to Aro's left while Renata went to his right. They were loyal if nothing else.

"I'm sorry to see you make that decision because it means neither of you can be trusted, like your master, therefore you forfeit your freedom and Chelsea, your life. You are too dangerous to allow to live freely."

"And me Bella? What do you intend doing with me? Will you kill me personally I wonder?"

"Aro, what would you do if roles were reversed?"

He smiled,

"Kill you of course but then I am a leader. I take the difficult decisions that weaker men shun. It's the mark of a good strong leader."

"Then you die"

I knew this was coming but the speed shocked even me. Jasper flew at Aro and had him broken into pieces before anyone else could move. Peter threw him a lighter and he finished the job, purple aromatic smoke filling the chamber momentarily before drifting up to the high windows and disappearing to the outside.

Renee

I hadn't expected things to move so fast and was glad of Felix cold hand to steady me, what else did Bella have planned? Was Felix in danger too?

"Bella I would like to plead on Felix behalf"

He shook his head,

"I need no one to stand for me"

I touched his face, having to stand on tip toe to do so,

"You don't need anyone but I need to do it. Bella, I have to ask you not to take any action against Felix for my sake. I stand beside him."

She smiled at me, but it was Caius who spoke,

"Yes we know and Felix has the respect of us too. He has been a good servant of the Volturi and I hope will continue to be."

I was relieved to hear that and held his hand tighter,

"Then I have no reason to leave Italy and plenty to stay, that is if Felix wants me to?"

He leaned down and took both my hands in his,

"Renee, I need you here with me. Someone who has finally made me complete after centuries alone."

Then he kissed my cheek and wrapped one enormous arm around my shoulders.

Bella

The Renee "problem" had resolved itself and I was happy for her although I wasn't sure how Phil was going to take it or what exactly we were going to tell him. Jasper looked at me and smiled,

"Bella the matchmaker"

"No, Aro the matchmaker as it turned out."

"So he did something worth while."

"Do you want to stay here in Volterra?"

He looked over to where Peter and Charlotte stood talking quietly,

"No, not really but if we must."

"Well I thought perhaps we could ask Felix and Renee if they would be our representatives. They can keep us informed of what's going on. That way you and I can leave Italy. I want to see my Dad and it would be nice to thank Esme for the things she sent over with him and for all that Carlisle has done for him. I guess we need to come up with a way of explaining Renee's absence too."

We looked over to where she and Felix sat together on a corner holding hands and talking animatedly.

"She's probably introducing him to Feng Shui or something, maybe Crystal Healing"

"Whatever she talking about he doesn't care."

Jazz was right, Felix was gazing into her face with rapt attention much a I looked at Jazz sometimes I guessed.