Chapter Eighty Eight

Jasper

I saw them seconds before the rest of the camp did but only because I was expecting the attack any time. As they got closer I couldn't help a smile at seeing Maria heading her group of men, the first to appear and take their places waiting for battle to begin. I had hated her for so long yet now I really felt nothing at all when I saw her but I remembered many occasions when I would have been stationed at her right hand in just such a situation. This time although we appeared on opposite sides once the fighting began I would be switching my allegiance.

Not far behind them were Aro, Darius and Jay and the sight of him threw not only our men into some confusion but had the Romanians looking in disbelief and when Caius spotted him I saw his eyes open wide with shock. Then he shouted for some of his men to seize me, like that was gonna happen! Within seconds I was surrounded by men I had drawn to me personally and some I hadn't expected to join us. We turned and attacked the other men still loyal to Caius and the Romanians, the battle had been joined.

It happened very suddenly, one moment I was in the thick of the fighting and then I found myself flanked by my friends, Peter to one side smiling and enjoying himself hugely while Darius was at my left, grim faced but scything through the opposition like they were made of mist. Then I saw her just yards away and fighting her way through the intervening men towards me. She had never looked more beautiful or more deadly, a Diana with red eyes shining with excitement and fury.

Throwing the two men I was fighting to my sides for the others to deal with I made my way over to her and threw my arms around her holding her close for just a second, a second I couldn't deny myself, needing to assure myself she were really here.

Bella

I looked around frantically, I had to find Jasper, until I could touch him, smell his scent I couldn't concentrate on the battle so I threw my shield close around me and ignored everything going on around us. Our eyes met and then I was in his arms and felt his lips touch mine for the briefest moment. It wasn't enough, a lifetime wouldn't be but it would have to suffice and then we stood back to back taking on all comers like our friends and for the first time since I woke up I could really enjoy the strengths of this new vampire body I now possessed.

As the fighting around us started to slow a little I tried looking round to catch sight of Jay and then I saw him. He had four of what appeared the Romanian guard attacking and coming up behind him was Stefan the coward. It all happened far too quickly for me to act. Stefan and the four of his men attacked jointly and Jay started to go down under the mass onslaught. I could see Stefan pulling them back towards one of the fires that still burned around the compound. He was going to burn Jay alive!

Jasper

I heard Bella's cry of horror and turned to see Jay about to topple into one of the fires, two Romanian guards going with him. He was too far away for me to help quickly enough and then there was a blur of movement and a flare of orange flame and purple smoke as vampire flesh caught light. Three bodies were burning fiercely and I could only wonder at the sacrifice she had made to save him. Alice's cry could be heard above the fighting and unable to do anything to help I turned back and resumed the fight.

It didn't go on for much longer, the odds were just too overwhelming and I saw a large group of men I had trained standing lifelessly and unaware held in place by Alec's gift along with Stefan and Vladimir's dismembered body. Aro was going to take his time dispensing justice, he wasn't going to rush this.

Caius still fought on staying well away from the range of Alec's gift but I could see he knew he'd lost and was only looking for a way out. Did he really think we were going to allow him to leave this place alive? There were too many scores still to be settled.

As the sun rose higher it illuminated a sight of utter devastation. The compound was pretty much destroyed, vampire body parts were scattered around but slowly being rounded up by the victors to feed the flames of the half dozen fires that still burned with such a plentiful supply of fuel. As the fighting petered out I looked round to make sure all our friends were safe.

Carlisle, Emmett, Esme, and Rose, all sported injuries but nothing that would soon heal when they hunted, they had fought well for beginners. Peter and Hunter stood together watching the fight between Darius, Jay, and Caius, along with Charlotte and Alice. Maria of course was missing although I thought she would have enjoyed the sight of Caius in trouble. I had no idea why she had sacrificed herself to save Jay but I was grateful to her for that action, I had too few friends and family to lose any more.

Speaking of family I put an arm around Bella and looked down into her beautiful face.

"Hi darlin', having fun?"

She grinned nodding at me rubbing venom, not her own I was pleased to note, from her face.

"Its not quite over yet though is it?"

Gesturing to Caius.

"No, not quite although Aro is not going to be best pleased at losing his most high profile prisoner."

"But he's not a prisoner yet is he?"

We went to join the audience that had formed around the fighting men. Caius was holding his own but only because Darius was injured and Peter…., well Peter was just playing with him as a cat does a mouse. Spotting us he called over,

"You ready to finish this piece of shit?"

I nodded and stepped forward smiling as Darius and Peter backed off but found myself unable to reach Caius. Bella had beaten me to it and was somehow holding me back.

"That's some fucking gift isn't it?"

I looked at Peter confused.

"Oh yeah I forgot, you missed out on all the fun. Bella has this kick ass gift, a shield and she knows just how to use it. This should be worth watching."

Turning back to Caius I saw Bella dancing around him and darting in to take snaps at his arms and hands as he tried to fend her off. Her technique could do with a little polishing but she made up for that with speed and determination. She must have wrapped this shield of hers around her because Caius wasn't able to land a single blow or take a single bite from her body. So long as she was winning I was content to watch although I would have found it satisfying to take him apart myself for all he'd put us through over the past months.

Like Peter, Bella was playing with Caius but she was also weakening him and everyone watching was waiting for the final killing blow. I didn't like the idea of my mate killing him in cold blood like this, she may be a vampire but she was certainly not a killer, not like me. I stepped forward into the open area where the fight was taking place and Bella turned to look at me questioningly, giving Caius some respite,

"Let me Bella."

Her eyes flickered back to Caius and I thought she was going to refuse but then she relaxed and smiled at me,

"Sure, he owes you after all."

I moved forward and smiled coldly at Caius,

"Now you have to ask yourself a question, just who have I been working with all these weeks? Was it The Major? Or was it…..

Jay came to stand beside me,

"Or was it The Major? It seems you were led to believe I was dead…..or he was dead. See you can't even believe the evidence of your own eyes now can you? Life's a bitch when that happens."

He turned to me,

"Shall we?"

Caius threw himself at us in desperation but he didn't stand a chance. We quite literally tore him to pieces Aro coming closer to watch but knowing that any appeal for us to stop would be met by deaf ears.