Chapter Thirty Nine

Jasper

We hadn't got far when I saw a truck coming towards us flashing its headlights. I pulled up and Peter jumped out of the passenger door and ran over,

"Now how many times do I have to tell you, no fighting unless I'm invited. Hi Bells, you OK?"

"Yes thanks Peter but what are you doing here? We left you in Italy to keep an eye on things"

"Bella with your mother and Felix there we are superfluous. Every decision Marcus or Caius make she's there like a fucking hawk, checking them out. I don't think she trusts them any more than you do."

"She's all right though?"

"Yeah but Felix is looking a tad shell-shocked. I don't think he's ever met anyone quite like your mother before"

"Very few people have Peter, she's a revelation to me sometimes. Why are you here anyway?"

"My radar started pinging a couple of days ago and that usually means trouble. Now things are very quiet in Volterra so I guessed you two were up to something. Can I come and play too?"

I sighed and nodded,

"Follow us and stop when we do, we'll explain everything then."

"Now Major I know it's Char driving but I think even she knows if we follow and don't stop when you do there's going to be an almighty fucking crash and I bet on our truck over your little sedan any day. Speak to you soon"

Bella laughed as he ran back to the truck,

"I missed him you know."

"Yeah me too, but for Gods sake don't tell him that, hell be unbearable."

Bella

We pulled up a little way from the Cullen house and Peter and Char joined us in the car.

"So do tell, whose ass are we putting through the wringer today?"

"We think it was Carlisle who started all this not Edward. Carlisle who gave Aro the impetus to snatch me for my gift"

"So the good Doctor goes bad. I never liked the smug bastard anyway"

"Peter there aren't many people you do like, and no Cullens I can think of"

Char sounded exasperated with her husband.

"Hey I have very exacting standards, that's all. Anyway his, "Don't hurt the humans" kick gets on my wick. So what are we going to do? Take him apart and feed him to the furnace? Rip his head off and crap down his neck? Come on give me something to look forward to."

"We go in and see what he has to say for himself before we do anything Peter"

"You spoil all my fun Major. Still we're here now so we might as well go with you."

I was sure it was a bad idea but I also knew that "No, sit and stay" wouldn't work so I just glared at him,

"You open your mouth and I'm gonna rip your tongue out, you understand?"

"Jeez you sound more like The Major every day and it's not a nice thing Bella. You need to chill."

We drove up to the house to see Carlisle waiting on the porch for us, had Alice told him we were on our way? Was Edward back and had he heard our thoughts? I couldn't see anyone with him but I could hear sounds inside, heartbeats! Carlisle had human visitors and as I opened the car door I smelled who. What were Jake and Raven doing at the Cullens? Carlisle walked down the steps slowly and came to the driver's door a smile playing on his lips.

"Bella, you are even more beautiful as a vampire than you were when we first met. Jasper."

He looked in the back and acknowledged our friends who remained silent.

"You were expecting us Carlisle?"

"At some point yes. When I heard of poor Aro's demise I thought you might be coming to see me. That was a tragedy by the way, you may not have liked him but he was a peace keeper."

"I didn't like his brand of peace Carlisle, any more than I like yours. You have visitors."

"Yes Bella, they came to tell me you were in a fighting mood. It seems Jaspers violence is rubbing off on you."

His eyes flicked to Jazz and back to me,

"I understand Billy's friends has a score to settle with The Major, interesting. So, why are you here?"

"Aren't you going to invite us in Carlisle?"

Again his eyes flickered to Jasper before he answered,

"No I don't think so, I'm rather particular who I invite into my house Bella"

"Yeah real particular when you have a house full of mutts and bears Carlisle."

He looked to Peter who had just spoken and smiled,

"Better than a house full of killers perhaps"

"Fuck you Cullen."

Jasper

I didn't want things getting out of hand so I opened my door slowly forcing Carlisle to step back,

"Carlisle I want a straight answer. Did you tell Aro about Bella's gift?"

He smiled at me and for the first time it reminded me not of a kindly father but a cat who'd just eaten the canary.

"I mentioned Bella's gift or at least he already had an idea of it from Edwards thoughts. I merely expanded on what he already knew."

"Knowing what it would mean for Bella?"

"I didn't know anything Jasper but it seems Bella has taken to our life as if she were born to be a vampire. As for her mother, that wasn't me."

Bella had got out of the car too and stood growling softly,

"I think you should leash her Jasper before she does something she might live to regret"

"Oh yes Carlisle, and what might that be?"

Her voice was hard and full of rage.

"I have several visitors as I know you are aware. One of them is Chief Swan. He came with Billy looking for Jake and Raven."

It was a thinly veiled threat and Bella's eyes became slits as she took it in.

"You're holding my dad in your house as protection against me?"

"Well he made it so easy Bella I didn't have to go looking for him, he knocked on my door so to speak, but a I knew you might be visiting in a less than friendly fashion so I thought it might be as well if he and the others stayed. They are looking forward to seeing you and I think we can possibly do a deal Bella"

"A deal?"

It was a hiss and he smiled again,

"Yes, I want my safety ensured, you want Charlie, and Raven wants The Major. Perhaps we could do a swap"

Bella

I couldn't believe what I was hearing, Carlisle really thought I would guarantee his safety and hand Jazz over to Raven in order to keep Charlie safe? Peter and Char got out the back of the car to stand behind me,

"Carlisle what makes you think I'd hand Jazz over to anyone? Your idea of mate and mine must be vastly different. You have Charlie but I don't think Jake would react well if you hurt him. You forget the wolves hate the vampires especially Jake. You have the machine of your own destruction as a guest in your house."

"I always said animal blood would addle the brain eventually and here stands proof of that theory. Carlisle you are fucked, you just don't know it yet. I think I'm going to enjoy this"

Having said that Peter leaned against the side of the car arms folded with a huge grin on his face as Carlisle processed what we'd said, did he believe us though? That was the question.