Sorry folks I posted the first draft of Chapter 80 not the final one so I have reposted. Please read the repost. Love Jules xx

Chapter Eighty One

Bella

I was horrified to see the woman in the nomad's arm terrified and already bleeding as he took a chunk out of her neck. Her screams became louder and I knew she was already feeling the results of the venom injected into her system as he bit her. I ran at the nomad he flicked her away snapping her neck and leaving her lifeless body to fall to the ground. Her heart hadn't had enough time to pump the venom round and she was dead. Smiling at me he flung himself forward and we clashed rolling over on the ground. I looked over to where Carlisle lay and saw to my horror his attacker tear a huge chunk of flesh from his shoulder and spit it on the ground then go back for more.

I didn't even have to think of my shield it just snapped into being covering both of us which threw the vampire holding him away but mine was less fortunate. Where the shield snapped into place it had sheared his head and arms off leaving the body to flop around on the ground. Running over to Carlisle I saw to my relief he was OK, the bite wound already healing and I was glad we'd come upon this after we had hunted and he was strong.

Carlisle

I looked up as my attacker disappeared backwards at speed and saw Bella walking towards me the nomad she had tackled laying on the ground his arms and head separated by a few yards. Then it struck me she had found her control and had used her shield to protect me. Of course, I should have known Bella would find it easier to protect others than herself!

Bella

I was feeling really despondent, I just couldn't get a handle on this gift of mine and I was beginning to think it was a mere fluke back at the house but then, I felt it and I felt triumphant but that was the easy bit. Learning how to use it was something else entirely. Despite trying really hard all I succeeded in doing was hurting Carlisle and Emmett and I started to despair of being of any use to our side when it came to fighting Caius. When Carlisle suggested a break to hunt I was relieved, maybe when I'd quenched my thirst I would be able to think more clearly.

I'd drunk my fill when I heard a noise and walked into a nightmare scenario. I'd only just taken in what was occurring when it just happened. Carlisle was injured and it looked like the nomad might well kill him if I didn't do something fast. My shield suddenly popped into being covering not only myself but Carlisle too and excluded the two nomads. His attacker was thrown backwards at speed and jumping to his feet he looked around warily then took to his heels. Unfortunately for him he ran straight into Emmett's huge arms. He must have been drawn by the noise and smell of blood too. Without hesitating or breaking his stride Emmett put one huge arm around the nomads neck and pulled. The body he dropped to the ground but the head he carried with him in one fist stopping to pick up the head from my attacker that my shield had sliced off. Once he had collected all the pieces he threw them onto the body of the nomad he had decapitated and set fire to the heap.

Once we were sure there was nothing left I sighed in relief and as I relaxed the bubble seemed to pop back. Carlisle gave me a triumphant smile,

"Well done Bella, I knew you could do it if you had the right, motivation, I just didn't envisage finding out quite like this."

"Way to go Bella."

I was lifted up from behind and swung round above Emmett's head.

"Put me down or I'll try it on you next."

"You forget I already got Bellarized.

From then on things went rapidly, Bella gained in confidence and was soon able to protect any one of us from attack by any others.

"So we know your gift can protect you at least from a mental invasion such as Edward's mind reading and you can protect any one of us from danger as you did me from the nomad but I wonder…."

She looked at me eagerly,

"What Carlisle?"

"I just wondered if you are powerful enough to protect more than one individual and if you can protect both yourself and others plural. The more powerful your shield the more useful you would be but we don't have long to find out."

She wanted to try immediately but we had to wait for the others to return from hunting first, training is thirsty work! By the time the others got back Bella was pacing in frustration but as soon as she saw Jay she ran over to explain what we'd found out, a choice that made me smile. She was drawn to the one person who reminded her of her mate.

I told the others what we had discovered and they were naturally eager to see her in action so we divided up into two small groups. Bella had to try stopping Jay's group reaching her own.

First time Bella was only stopping three people and she seemed able to do so pretty easily so the next time I made the "attacking" group smaller. She was protecting five of us and trying to keep Emmett and Alice away. That was more difficult but mainly because she had difficulty seeing only the two as threat. I was sure she would be capable of far more but she needed something to protect her group from, something tangible so now I had to make a decision whether to take her with us or not.

"Carlisle it's a no brainer, at worst she can protect herself and who knows how many she could protect if she had the right motivation. We have to take her."

Bella glanced at Jay gratefully before turning her attention to me. She looked at me imploringly although I was well aware there was no way of stopping her if she really made her mind up to go.

"Very well, but you keep training Bella and if there is the slightest concern at your ability to keep at the very least yourself safe then you'll be barred from fighting and don't think we can't stop you. There's always a way."

"Thank you Carlisle, I won't let you down I promise."

I smiled and hugged her,

"I never thought for a second that you would my dear."

I was not without my reservations, she was still impetuous and that could be dangerous if unbridled so we would need to keep a close watch on her. The closer she got to Jasper the stronger the craving to be at his side would become and that in itself could be dangerous. If she were to decide to go find him then she could place both of them in terrible danger. Even if she were able to protect both of them she couldn't keep it up for very long.

We arranged to travel to Death Valley in two cars, we couldn't afford to risk flying with Bella a newborn. Being in that small space with a host of humans would be asking for trouble! Stopping frequently for Bella to hunt it took us two days but it gave time for her to understand her feelings better as we talked. I had picked Jay and Alice to join us leaving Rose and Emmett to take Esme and it had been the right choice. Jay understood the newborn feelings the rest of us had more or less forgotten about and both Alice and Jay understood the torture at being parted from a mate. Bella finally realized that everything she was feeling was quite natural and not to be afraid of but at the same time had to be mastered before it mastered her and made her too dangerous to take into battle.

I had spoken to Darius and told him of my decision,

"Do you really think it's a good idea you coming here Carlisle and bringing the family? This is hardly your scene after all."

I explained Aro's words, a command to be there for the battle and he grunted,

"OK, it's your funeral but bringing Bella?"

I told him of her gift and determination to join the fight as well as her hopes to see Jasper as soon as possible.

"Well, if she does have a gift and can learn to extend it great. It means less chance of any of us turning into Roman Candles but please keep her away from Peter, he's gonna have a fit as it is."

"I'll do my best Darius I promise but she's very strong willed. How is Jasper by the way?"

"Hanging on in there but I don't think he'll be sorry to get out of the situation. Its a heavy burden to carry alone."

He went on to tell me that he'd called Maria and she had agreed to join the fight which surprised me but not Jay who explained he thought she was trying to right her former wrongs. He didn't elaborate but I knew he was talking about her treatment of Jasper. Well, soon we would be there and then the serious training would begin,