Chapter Sixty

Jasper

Charlie and Tanya sat together in the back of the car while Emmett drove leaving me free to keep an eye on our newborn. He seemed oblivious to anyone but Tanya and she couldn't bear to look away from him. I wondered if this was normal, I hadn't seen many newborn couples, except Peter and Charlotte and the circumstances then had been very different.

"Charlie, I need you to listen, to focus on what I'm going to tell you."

He looked up at me without speaking but I had his attention,

"Eleazer is convinced you are powerful, that you can save Bella from the Volturi with your gift. I need you to think, to look into your mind and tell me if you feel anything different, anything you think might help Bella. She's a shield and we assume you are a stronger one but you need to understand your gift quickly because Bella is in serious danger, she needs your help, we all do. Going into Volterra is very dangerous for all of us but we're doing it for your daughter and we need your help."

I saw him thinking about this and understood it wasn't easy, he may not be a typical newborn but his old memories were still cloudy and there were a lot of things whizzing around in his mind right now, mostly unfamiliar. Then he nodded,

"Got it, I'll try…..for Bella."

About half a mile outside the town we were flagged down by Darius who looked a mess and smelled even worse.

"What the hell happened to you?"

He scowled at me.

"You try swimming through the town sewer and see if you come off smelling of roses and Chanel Major. Anyway we've got a problem."

"What?"

I felt myself freeze with apprehension, he could only mean Bella, what had happened to her?

"Aro got fed up waiting, he's called Bella's bluff. Now she's protecting herself for now but with no food or water and no sleep how long do you think she can hang on?"

"Is Bella defending herself now?"

Darius turned to look warily at Charlie,

"Yeah for now but she can't go on much longer."

Charlie's face went grave,

"Then I need to move."

Before we could stop him he was out the car and up the road moving faster than me.

"Shit, come on. Leave the car Emmett, we'll be quicker on foot!"

We took off after Charlie the second car continuing up to the town as back up.

I caught up with Charlie just inside the walls and tackled him taking him down with a loud thud. Before he could fight me I spoke in his ear,

"Do you have a plan? Or do you intend just charging in? You could get Bella killed that way."

He calmed slightly and then threw me off,

"I blame you for this, for putting my daughter in danger but I'm going to get her out. If you want to come along feel free but do not touch me again or next time I'll rip your head off. Understand?"

He sounded convincing and I understood he had found his gift and was confident he could use it to save Bella.

Charlie

There was a lot about what had happened that I did not understand, including how the woman at my side had suddenly become so important to me but two things I did remember. My daughter was in danger and I was the only one who could save her. Jasper was responsible but Tanya had explained that killing him would only hurt my daughter and I would never do that to Bella, she had been hurt enough in her short life but he and I would have a reckoning before this was over.

I had never been a violent man, I preferred talking to fighting but now that had changed and I knew I wouldn't be able to stop myself. For now though I needed him to get me into the vampire stronghold so I held my peace.

Tanya stayed at my side and we followed him and the newcomer Darius through the narrow alleyways until he came to a large drain cover at the end of a scruffy looking alley. When Darius took the cover off the stench of sewers wafted into the air,

"We have to go in through the sewers? Why don't we just go to the main entrance and demand admittance?"

"Do you want to give the Volturi warning enough to try something drastic Chief?"

I shook my head. Darius had a point there so I followed the two of them down into the sewers. Emmett stayed behind to keep watch, if he saw anything he would follow us and give us warning.

The sewers were full of rats but luckily the stinking water was only about ankle deep and we could move simply by crouching.

"Do we have to go this slow?"

My voice was low but it echoed and Tanya put a finger to her lips. Lips that at that moment looked very kissable but I pulled my attention away.

"We could go vampire speed but it means more noise and this sludge being thrown into the air. Do you really want a crap shower?"

I shook my head in reply to Darius question and he nodded,

"Right, about one hundred feet ahead is a grill with access to the catacombs. It should be clear but I'm taking no chances. The Major and I will go up first and you wait for the OK."

"Why wait? I can deal with anyone who's up there."

I knew I could, the power was still building in me but I knew I could send it with pinpoint accuracy, taking out an individual or a whole room full of vampires and I was just looking for an excuse to try it out.

"Do it our way Chief. We know the Volturi, you don't. Keep your gift for Aro and his brothers. Take them unawares."

OK I understood that, hide your advantage so again I nodded and Tanya smiled at me so sweetly I just wanted to take her in my arms but I forced myself to concentrate on Bella, saving my daughter.

Once out of the sewer which was old and crumbling away at this end and dry I could see these were underground tunnels and heard more rats but in the distance was the faint noise of people moving around and talking. Darius kept a finger to his lips and guided us to another narrow chute, this time leading almost straight up.

"It was a chute for the rubbish in the citadel many centuries ago, sewage, food debris, bodies. The walls are rough so there's plenty of handholds but be quiet. It leads straight to the corridor where the audience chamber is and if I'm right that's where they are holding Bella."

"Come on then."

I was impatient to find my daughter but god help them if she was harmed in any way, I would rip them apart and laugh as I did so. The thought shocked me back to reality, had I really just thought that? It was the vampire in me talking, the same voice that told me someone and Jasper was going to learn that I didn't like him. We climbed up and Darius was right, it was easy but close to the top I heard a heartbeat and my mouth flooded with venom, I wanted the blood that heart was pumping around that human body, then Tanya spoke shocking me back to reality again.

"That's Bella's heart you can hear Charlie and you are as much a danger to her as the Volturi unless you keep yourself tightly under control. Keep hold of my hand and keep thinking of your daughter."

Was I really a threat to my own daughter? Possibly, but I would hold myself tightly in check, I was here to save her, not to kill her myself!