Chapter Fifty Three

Peter

I had no idea how to calm the girl in my arms or what to do with her, this really wasn't my scene so I was relieved when Carlisle caught up with me and offered to take her.

"Darius wants you to follow The Major, make sure he's OK."

"I can tell you without finding him that he is most definitely not all right, in fact he may never be OK again. You saw what that ass hole had done to Bella. How would you feel in his shoes? Just take the girl to the house. I'll find him but I can't promise to get through to him."

Carlisle took charge of the girl whose struggles were becoming weaker and weaker and I knew she had almost exhausted herself. I just hoped maybe the girls would be able to help her although she had been through so much she might not let anyone close enough to help. In the meantime I had to find The Major, not so easy among all these fucking trees but I let my radar hone in on him, it was jangling madly but whether because Bella was in danger from him, which sounded pretty fucking unlikely, or because the girl was so far detached from reality that she might never come back, I had no idea.

I ran back the way I'd come until I crossed his path which wasn't exactly hard to find, he'd gone off without any conscious thought of hiding his trail which made it easier for me. Not that I had any great desire to find him too quickly from the expression on his face when he left. I couldn't remember ever seeing him so enraged and in so much pain before and I knew it wasn't going to be easy to get through to him. The problem was that Bella still had the baby in her arms and while it might be safe smelling of her as it must do it would need feeding and all the other things the little critters needed and I wasn't sure anyone was going to persuade him, or Bella for that matter, to hand her over. She couldn't remain with him, it was just far too dangerous. I skidded to a halt when I saw from his tracks that he had slowed and peering out through the undergrowth, why did it always have to be some fucking plant that wanted to rip my clothing? I could see the motel. So he'd headed back here with Bella, well that made sense. He would know instinctively that Bella needed shelter and warmth and a motel room provided both. There was also water to clean her up and for her to drink and food close by although I wasn't sure the motel manager would be pleased if he found his vending machine ripped open and the stock all gone.

I pulled bits of greenery and twigs out of my clothes cursing as I saw green slime on one sleeve of my jacket then walked nonchalantly across the parking lot to the first of the three rooms we had rented. He wasn't in there but it was close enough, a base for me to watch out for him. From the sounds I could hear he was talking to her and trying to persuade her to look at him and allow him to check her and the baby over. Good job he had some medical training because I wouldn't have the faintest fucking idea what I was looking for if it wasn't a knife wound or a gun shot, vampire attack too, but anything else? Forget it.

I rang Char and asked her to join me telling the others only that I'd traced The Major but not where.

"Why on earth not? She needs medical attention Peter and Carlisle is best qualified to give her that."

"What she needs right now is to spend time with her mate, he'll look after her far better than any fucking doctor Char and you know that. Just get yourself here and bring some supplies."

"Like what?"

"Like things for a fucking baby, medical supplies, food, water, clothes. I don't know, whatever you think she might need, fuck do I have to spell it out."

She cut me off but I knew she didn't take any notice of my words, it was just the way I was, worried about The Major and his mate but more scared of trying to establish some route of communication with him. I doubted he would answer the phone or the door and trying to force an entry would probably get me disemboweled or something similar. His room was next to this one so I decided to listen for a while and take my cue from there.

Charlotte

I was relieved Peter had found The Major and that he'd had the sense to find shelter for Bella and not a cave or some cabin in the woods, she needed careful handling and plenty of love both of which he could give her but the baby was another matter. She needed medical care, a warm environment and proper formula. Peter and I had to persuade The Major to get Bella to give up the baby. I told the others exactly what Peter had said but I was happy to have Rose come along with me, Esme had her hands full with the young girl Carlisle had brought back to the house.

I didn't think I'd ever seen anything so pitiable before, a young girl who had been turned into a terrified urchin, malnourished, and ill treated. How could a man do such a thing to a little girl? Or to any woman or child? I just hoped Darius made sure the sick bastard paid fully for what he'd done. We hadn't heard anything so I had no idea if they'd found him or not yet. Shopping was a chore but we made a list as we drove to the mall then found maddeningly that the sales were on so the stores were packed with bargain hunters. I left Rose buying things for the baby while I concentrated on clothes for Bella and medical supplies although I stopped off at the toiletries counter making sure to get her plenty of shower gel and shampoos to rid her of the ingrained dirt and smell of that cellar.

Peter was sitting listening to The Major talking to Bella when we arrived and waved us to silence as we walked in. We could hear perfectly well through the walls even though he was talking very softly.

"Bella please look at me. It's Jasper, I won't hurt you darlin' and I won't let anyone else hurt you either. You're free now, out of that terrible place and you will never ever have to go back again."

He waited and we heard the baby snuffle a little.

"Is she OK Bella? Maybe she's hungry, what do I need to get for her? Are you hungry too? Thirsty? Bella please?"

The pain in his voice was almost too much to bear but she wasn't responding to him.

"Do you think she's too far gone?"

I whispered the words to Charlotte hoping The Major couldn't hear but she just shrugged looking concerned while Rose motioned for me to join her outside and I rolled my eyes but followed her out.

"We need to get formula in or the baby out Peter and quickly."

"Right, I'll just knock on the door and announce room service for the kid. Rose, he's in a dangerous state right now. All he cares about is Bella and bringing her back. You waltz in there you'll find yourself leaving in bits I guarantee."

"Well you know him so you do it"

"Thanks, that keen to get rid of me are you?"

She glared at me and handed over a bag full of stuff,

"What's all this crap?"

"Things for the baby, Charlotte is making the formula up as we speak so you'd better think of a good way of getting in there."

Fuck! Why was it I got all the dangerous jobs?