Chapter Sixty Two

Jasper

I guess I'd known it was coming, Peter just hated any change and he never could keep his mouth shut until he knew someone but I had expected it would be me he argued with not Bella who had stood up for herself magnificently. Still he was gone so I had to carry on without my right hand man and hope he wouldn't go over to the dark side. If Caius or even Stefan heard of the rift between us they might try to recruit him and while he was in this kind if mood he was quite likely to agree and repent later.

"What else is there Darius?"

"Peter was wrong about the Volturi. They know you'll change the human girl, sorry Bella, what else can you do if she's your mate? They don't know about her gift yet or Charlie's and it would be a good idea to make sure they don't. You know what Aro is like when he gets a sniff of a talent."

"Who told you about Bella?"

"Eleazer. He asked me to monitor communications between the Volturi and their trackers, its how I stay one step ahead of them."

"They still looking for you?"

"Caius is and he owes me. One day I'll get my revenge on him. For now though we have another problem, Edward Cullen."

"What? I thought now he had Josie he'd forgotten about me."

"Not you Bella, Josie is the problem."

"Why? Who is she? I thought she was a friend of Eleazers?"

"Actually she's a friends of a friend and angled an invitation there with his friends Saffron and Damien."

"She's a friend of theirs? But I don't see the problem, they are friendly with the Denali's and the Cullens."

"I know, but Josie is another matter entirely. She's a Changeling and I only just discovered this interesting piece of information, it was buried very deep."

"What's a Changeling doing with Edward Cullen?"

"My guess would be she's a spy Major, and getting close to the Cullens is a good way of watching the Quileutes or at least it was until Bella turned up and changed Edwards plans. Instead of getting her close to the Reservation he's got her stuck up in Denali and way too close to the most powerful guardian tribe. If they get a whiff of her it will mean the end for the Denali's and the Cullens."

"You think they'd take both covens out?"

"If they think they are harbouring a Changeling? Definitely."

Bella

I was lost, the only thing I could glean was that the Cullens and Denali's might be in danger.

"What's a Changeling?"

Darius smiled at my question,

"It's a pretty little tale Bella so make yourself comfortable and let Uncle Darius tell you a fairy story. Once upon a time there were two distinct beings, the Vampires or Cold Ones and the Werewolves, each hated the other and there were terrible wars with hundreds being killed, humans too. Then a doctor found a way to enable the werewolves to change at will not just the full moon. It meant they were no longer easy prey the rest of the time and a much more dangerous adversary of the vampires. The war went on and on until both sides were almost wiped out, the werewolves had already become extinct, the work of Caius Volturi. Eventually realizing neither side could win the two enemies arranged a truce and peace talks. The Romanians who were in charge at that time made a peace treaty with the shape shifters. Each side agreed not to hunt the other and the world was split into territories. The shape shifters had areas that no vampire could enter and any who did were seen as breaking the treaty and would forfeit their lives. The vampires in return promised to honour the territories but any shape shifter off their lands could not protect the humans around them. It worked for a long time but then the Romanians became complacent and the shape shifters began to grow in power and extend their territory until the Volturi appeared and snatched control sending the Romanians into exile. Caius wanted to kill the shape shifters for breaking the treaty but it was soon discovered they were just too numerous and to start a war again would risk exposing both sides to the humans who were getting to the point where they could be a tangible threat to both sides. So a new treaty was signed, a treaty that both sides kept but there were always points of conflict and Changeling's were created, vampires with the ability to shape shift and vice versa. Once they became known most were hunted down and killed as spies and traitors but a few remained at liberty going underground for their own safety."

"And Josie is one of them?"

"Yes. She was created by the Volturi and it would seem still works for them. I think she's trying to get information on the Quileutes, one of the few guardian tribes still in existence or at least one of the few who still change."

"But there's another more powerful tribe in Alaska isn't there?"

"Yes Major, the most ancient of the Guardian tribes and their overall leaders, rather like the Volturi. If they find out the Volturi still have a Changeling, even only one, they will track her down and kill her if it takes every one of them and even if it means taking the battle to the very walls of Volterra. So its vital Josie gets out of Alaska and stays away from Forks. Edward needs to get her to Europe where she is far less likely to be discovered."

"Wont the Volturi object to that though? If she's a spy for them that is?"

"I doubt the Volturi even know she still exists Bella, and I have no ideas how she managed it. A lot were destroyed and their bodies never discovered, some were burned, others buried with their heads taken hundreds of miles away so they couldn't reassemble. There could be others but she's the only one I know of and she's a real danger to all of us."

Jasper

I could see what Darius was getting at, if the guardian tribes thought the Cullens or Denalis were sheltering a Changeling then they were dead, all of them.

"We should tell Carlisle and Eleazer. Let them handle it."

"If you say so. Either that or destroy her ourselves."

I looked at Bella but she didn't look as horrified as I expected her to at the thought of killing someone she knew, however slightly.

"If you tell Edward would he take her away?"

"Its not so much Edward as the girl herself. She was created for one task and one task only, to spy on the guardians and she wont be happy if she's thwarted."

"But won't the guardians smell that she's a vampire?"

"No because she isn't a true vampire. She has guardian genes in her make up. To them she will smell like a shape shifter and she can live on both blood and food."

"Then we have to tell Carlisle and Eleazer. Warn therm before its too late."

"I was hoping you'd say that because I don't think they'd believe me but they would believe The Major."

"Is there any way Dante could be looking for her? Could he have detected her gift?"

"No I don't think so. He just happened to be here, a coincidence, or he'd have told the Romanians or tried to sell the information to the Volturi. Besides its not a gift in the normal sense that's why Eleazer never recognised it or Alice never saw any danger."

"Then I need to warn the others straight away."

"Yes Major you do. Before its too late."