Chapter Fifty One

Darius

Carlisle, Emmett, and I stood taking in the horrific scene as Peter snapped the chain from the floor and followed The Major out with the girl still struggling and screaming in his arms.

"Carlisle you'd better go after them, Peter's out of his depth. Take the girl and send Peter after The Major."

He didn't argue with me, just nodded and ran back up the stairs.

"You OK Em?"

He nodded too but he was trembling with emotion.

"I'm OK."

"Do you want to go back with the others?"

"No, I'm fine really."

He tried to sound confident but I knew he was as horrified and enraged as myself. We looked around appalled at the conditions the girls had been living in just like the other place, the filth on the floor and rags to sleep on then Em moved forward and picked up a few cartons that were scattered on the floor.

"From the state of these I'd say he's been dumpster diving to find food for them, some of these cartons are full of maggots and there are screwed up used napkins in them. Can't see the kidnapper buying them take outs and furnishing them with napkins can you?"

I shook my head,

"What makes a man do such a thing?"

"There are sick minds in all races but I'm sure we'll be teaching him the errors of his ways once the Major gets back."

"Surely he'll stay with Bella? She's going to need him, you saw the state she was in Darius."

"Precisely which is why my friend it is up to us to find somewhere snug and secure to hold the evil fucker until The Major has time to deal with him."

Emmett nodded again, he was finding words hard, choked by emotion as he was.

"We're not going to kill him straight away then? Good."

"I'm pleased you feel that way Em, for a minute there I thought you might be a bleeding heart pacifist like Carlisle although even he has surprised me."

"Well in that case I think I might have just the place."

Now that interested me and I waited for Em to continue.

"I spent a lot of time in the woods here back then and I found a cave quite by accident. I don't think it will take much to make it escape proof. Its narrow and drops in the far corner to an oubliette."

"Now you are talking. All we need now is the guest of honor to make the party complete."

Looking around I nodded,

"I did think of leaving him here in the same conditions he kept the girls in but maybe your idea is better because I don't doubt Mendoza will come looking for his brother once he's on his feet and we don't want anyone interrupting us now do we? Right lets get out of here and wait for Alonzo."

We went outside and found somewhere to watch the cabin where we wouldn't be noticed by him as he approached. Once settled Em turned to me,

"You think the baby belongs to the girl we found at the other place?"

"Yes I do. Now the poor thing is an orphan or soon will be."

"So you think our kidnapper is the father?"

"Don't you?"

"I guess so, just as well it will never find out who its father was or what he did. What do you think will happen to it?"

I looked at him and smiled,

"Oh I think its probably already sorted isn't it Em?"

"I have no idea but I would guess taking it away from Rose and Esme is going to be something of a challenge."

We waited through the next day thinking about the chill and stench in the cellar room with no windows and the door firmly shut. The girls must have suffered that day after day for months until they were taken from there possibly hoping they might be taken somewhere better only to end up somewhere even worse. Or did they expect they were going to die just like the girls before them and Renee? I wondered briefly about Bella's step father, he must be dead so why hadn't his body ever been found? Sheer good luck for our kidnapper or had he thought it out beforehand? I tended towards sheer luck so would he ever be found or would he remain a mystery? How was Bella going to take it all when she recovered from her detention? Had she seen the murders and if she had could she ever forget what she'd witnessed? I was pulled from my reverie by a nudge in the ribs from Emmett. I looked out from our concealment, there was someone coming who looked like the photograph I'd snatched from the internet although he was heavier built these days and his hair was greying.

"What's he carrying?"

He had a bin bag at his side which banged against his leg as he walked.

"No idea but I'm sure he'll be only to happy to tell us when we get round to asking him. We watched as he approached the cabin carefully, looking around before opening the gate but then he stopped suddenly listening intently, had something spooked him? Then it came again, the door to the cabin creaked where The Major had gone through it at a run knocking the lock off.

Cursing Emmett sprang up and sprinted after Alonzo as he took off down the road towards the truck he had parked up only a few minutes before. Of course he stood no chance against vampire speed and found himself in the back of the truck, a prisoner this time with me holding him down. I sat looking at him as Emmett drove out to the cave he had described to me. The silence unnerved Mendoza and he tried to bluster,

"Who are you? Why am I here? Do you have any idea who I am? My brother will rip your hearts out for this."

"Really? Well he's gotta catch us first and that's not quite so easy. Besides we're the clean up crew."

"What?"

"We clean up the crap that lives around decent people and you are about the biggest pile of crap I've ever encountered but don't worry we aren't going to kill you, that particular prize belongs to the guy whose girl you kidnapped and tortured and believe me, we are kittens compared to The Major."

"The Major? Who the fuck is that?"

"Your worst fucking nightmare so you might want to think about that while you still have time."

When Emmett pulled up I punched Mendoza in the jaw just hard enough to stun him, there was no way he was getting out of the horror of his situation easy, no way, then carried him slung over my shoulder making no effort to avoid branches as we ran to the cave. It was difficult to spot which was good and it went back a long way narrowing all the while until near the back there was only room for one person to stand so Emmett stood back and let me have first shot.

"Now I hate sneaky cowardly little fuckers like you who make war on women so I'm gonna give you something to think on while you're here."

My leg moved far too fast for him to see but he felt the pain as I stamped down on his right foot hearing a satisfying crunch as the bones broke. He screamed and I put a hand over his mouth,

"We don't want you frightening the wildlife now do we?"

I stepped back and let Emmett take my place as he hopped on the spot,

"I didn't know those girls but this is for every one you hit, terrified, or killed."

Emmett took his arm and wrenched and I heard the click as it dislocated,

"Think about the pain you inflicted as you suffer. Bella is my brother's mate and you snatched her from him, tortured her, and kept her in conditions you wouldn't put an animal in so this is from her."

The punch was pulled but even so it took the wind from Mendoza's body and had him gagging,

"Just be thankful I want you alive to suffer at my brother's hands or I'd take you apart right now instead."

He pushed and Alonzo stepped back into fresh air and fell backwards down the chute to land heavily as his body jammed, unable to go down any further because of his fat belly. He was still retching as I stepped forward to peer down and snarl at him,

"When you upset one vampire you upset them all and remember its a vampire who'll be coming for you real soon."

Then I took off my shades and illuminated my face with a torch so Victor could see the red eyes and the sparkling skin. As we walked away he began to scream more loudly but we just ignored him and by the time we reached the mouth of the cave the cries couldn't be heard above the waterfall dropping into a creek in front of it.