AN – Ok, so it seems on this story I've gotten fairly regular as this is the third chapter in 3 weeks. I'll keep this short and say thank you for sticking around and enjoy what's to follow...

As always, I do not own any part of Twilight, I'm just playing with the characters.

Chapter 7 -

Peter's head whipped around, and his eyes opened wide. "Well, fuck me. That's just great. Now there is no chance of saving this place. Major, we need to start looking for a new homestead."

As normal, everyone just ignored Peter as they stared at the newest arrivals.

Carlisle composed himself quickly before addressing the cloaked figures. "Aro, my friend, what brings you all the way to the states?"

"I believe you have already guessed as to why we are here." Aro spared a glance for his longtime friend. "Your family has been broken for a long time, thru no fault of your own. I have been hearing rumors over the years about a young vampire that was searching out gifted humans and then toying with them. I could never get a name or catch this vampire in action, but I can tell you there were too many instances where we had to clean up after him."

"Lies, I never toyed with humans. Once I learned they had nothing of importance I left them."

"Yes, Edward dropped them like a bad habit is more like it." Felix grimaced, most likely picturing some of the scenes he had dealt with in the past. "Some of the women we came across were either so mentally abused they didn't even know their own name or they were very close to death's door due to carrying your spawn."

Edward recoiled, then shot an imploring glance at Bella. "Don't listen to him, Bella. I had planned to come back and turn you like you wanted. I was heartbroken over our parting and I was coming back to fix things, but you were gone."

Bella just stared at him before letting the laughter loose. "Edward, do you really think that I would believe anything that comes out of your mouth? Especially when your sister outed your plan to control me and our fine guests here have shared their insight."

He stared at her aghast. "How can you believe them over me? You loved me and I never did anything to you like they are claiming."

Jasper stepped forward at this. "No, Edward, you did far worse because it was done to my mate. I know that somewhere you and Alice had to know that you were messing with a mate that wasn't yours. Why else would you have worked so hard to keep Bella and I apart? My only confusion is how did you not see that she was mated to Carlisle as well?"

Edward looked back at Alice and Esme for support.

"We'll get the story from them as well, Edward, but for now I think its best that you answer The Major's question." Aro all but snarled, showing all the signs that he was just going thru the motions with the questioning.

"I..." Edward closed his mouth as he realized just how much trouble he was in. "Alice saw it all. She told me all about her visions as soon as we made the decision to move to Forks. She knew that with Bella coming it would give me a great opportunity to finally achieve my...our goals, but there was the drawback to her being the mate of one of the family members. We orchestrated everything to keep them apart as well as making sure that Jasper always felt on edge. It was perfectly executed too."

"Wait!" Jasper growled. "Just how did you two manage to keep me on edge?"

"Oh, let me." Alice said excitedly. "That was my doing. I made sure the times between hunts were longer than normal and I procured some human blood that I would place just enough on a collar of your shirt to keep you on edge. I think it worked perfectly if you ask me."

Aro looked at Alice with a look of horror on his face. "I will admit that I am quite devious but that goes even farther than I'm willing to go."

At that Alice's face broke out into a self-satisfactory grin.

"That is not something to be proud of." Caius snapped. "Even he knows not to mess with a mated pair...or trio in this case."

Aro nodded in his brother's direction. "Thank you for that Caius."

"But..." Edward started. "But we all know what you did to your sister."

Aro gave a long-suffering sigh of someone who was tired of this subject coming up and Caius just grunted in annoyance. Marcus was the one to address the accusation.

"Are you referring to the death of my mate, Edward?"

"Yes, Marcus. Everyone knows that Aro killed your mate, his sister, to keep you at his side for your gift." Edward looked to Alice who nodded in confirmation. "See?"

"See what? That you and Alice are as addle witted as the other?" Marcus snorted. "You lived with Carlisle for how long and you never thought to ask him for the truth? He was with us much longer than he likes to admit and he knows what happened."

Edward looked to Carlisle as if seeing him for the first time. "Is that true?"

"Yes, Edward. I down play how long I was there so that others do not come at me as a way to get to the brothers or to get private information about the Volturi as a whole. I was there long enough to know what happened and if you had asked, I would have informed you that Aro was not the cause of his sister's death." Carlisle glanced at Aro and Marcus, aware just how painful this topic was. "Although I fail to see how this has anything to do with your plan to take over the Volturi."

"Easy, Carlisle." Edward snapped. "Who wants to be led by someone who would kill his own sister to keep his brother around for his gift? Also take into account his obsession with acquiring every gifted vampire out there. We aren't safe as long as Aro is left in control. The wives are kept artificially content and he uses Chelsea to bind everyone to him. We would be doing the world a favor by taking him out of control. Not to mention Caius who is even more bloodthirsty than Jasper claimed to be when he was Maria's bitch."

Jasper growled but didn't move. He knew the truth of his past and the acceptance of his mates. He also knew that Edward was digging himself a whole too deep to jump out of in the end. With a smirk, he leaned back against the railing and pulled his mates into his sides, enjoying the show.

"Those are some big accusations you are throwing around there, Cullen." Caius snarled, taking a step towards the arrogant prick before being stopped by Aro, who just shook his head.

"I agree with my brother. Do you have any proof to support these accusations?" Aro cocked his head to the side, a gleam in his eye. "Did you think that what you were told was just filth spread by those who tasted Volturi justice and were not happy with it? Seems to happen in the human world as well."

"I... ah..." Edward took a deep breath before trying again, all the while still trying to get out of the hold Bella had him in with her shield. "Alice saw it all and she saw us succeeding for the very reason that you are no better than rats. She also told me that by doing this we would be saving Marcus from his current torture."

"My torture?" Marcus gave his own long-suffering sigh. "I believe you are trying to find whatever you can to give fuel to your failing rebellion. Let's stop this charade right now as I grow weary of this. Didyme was not murdered by her brother nor anyone he 'controlled'. She was murdered by followers of the Romanians who found a way into the castle and tried to seek revenge on their behalf. Plain and simple. Also, I am not tied to Aro in any other way than we are brothers who rule the vampire world. I could leave if I wanted to, but I know my sweet Didyme would have wanted me to stay."

Caius glanced at Marcus with a smirk. "I believe that's the most I've heard you speak at once in centuries, brother."

"Please." Aro raised his hand to forestall and further banter between his brothers. "We are not here to go over our history, but to deal with these two upstarts and the poor woman they dragged into this mess with them. I am aware of the wrongs done by Edward even knowing he was led around by the nose like a bull by young Alice here. I believe I know how we must act in this instance. Brothers?"

"Oh, do stop this farce. You need not ask us as you already know the answer, Aro."

"Of course, Caius. You do know how I love to go thru the formalities of everything though." Aro turned serious as he addressed the trio on trial. "For the crimes against those poor human girls as well as young Isabella here, that alone would bring death upon you. You just had to take it a step too far and try to think that you would be any match for us. No, you are too unstable to be allowed to live in this world any longer. The same goes for you, Alice, as it seems you instigated all of this stupidity. As we only have one victim left living from Edward's escapades, I believe it is only fair to allow her to choose how you two should die."

"Me? You want me to decide?" Bella looked first at Aro and after his nod she turned to look at her mates, but a thought occurred to her. "What about Esme?"

"Well, she is only guilty of believing the lies of Edward and Alice and being spiteful. As she has lost everything due to that bad judgement, I'm not sure there is anything else that we need do." Caius spoke over the sobs coming from Alice and Esme. "She will watch her two children be put to death and if our reports are correct, she has already lost her other two children as they have disowned her for how she treated Carlisle. I believe being alone after having lost everything is punishment enough."

Bella nodded although she wouldn't feel safe with Esme still running around. It really wasn't her choice. Looking to her mates, she made her decision. Without looking at the condemned, she raised a hand and all watched as both Edward and Alice were forced to their feet in silence as their screams were muted by Bella's shield. Closing her fist, she waited as everyone watched both Edward and Alice be crushed by an immense amount of pressure. When she felt her shield close in on itself, she released it, turning to see two piles of dust where the two once stood.

"I'm glad that's done." Bella sighed as she was wrapped in the arms of her mates. Having released Esme from her hold after what Caius had said, she stood still soaking in the comfort she was receiving.

With a screech, Esme darted for Bella. "You thieving little whore, I won't let you get away with this..."

She was cut off as Felix stepped in her path and grabbed her around the neck. With a quick twist and a metallic screech, Esme's head was torn from her body. Felix turned to Aro, waiting to be told what to do with her.

"Sad but she brought it on herself. Add her to the dust from the other two and burn them." Aro sighed. "I do not believe that one can be reconstructed from dust, but I'd rather not take any chances."

"Yes, master." With a bow of his head, Felix turned to follow out his orders.

Everyone stood still and silent as the purple smoke drifted away on the breeze. Once it was clear, the brothers turned to leave.

"I apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you and your family, Carlisle. I am just glad that it is over." With that, Aro left with his brothers and guard just as quietly as they had arrived.

"Thank fuck that's over." Peter exclaimed with a clap of the hands causing everyone to jump. Looking around sheepishly he shrugged at the glares he got. "Sorry, folks, but I only speak the truth."

"It was crudely put, but I have to agree with my husband. I was wondering when they would all leave." Charlotte grinned at her mate. "Peter, do you still feel the need to move?"

With a groan Peter thru up his hands. "Damnit, woman, they just left. Give me some time to process that and I'll let you know. Although I'll tell you if we stay there will be some serious sterilization going on around here. Anything they touched gets torched."

"So that's a car and some grass." Bella quipped. "Unless you include me in that as I did have the misfortune of touching them."

"Don't even think that." Peter laughed as he pulled her away from Jasper and Carlisle. "I have to keep you handy incase these three decide to run off together. We can commiserate together."

Jasper growled as he dove for Peter, just missing him as he ran off into the woods, his laughter trailing wildly behind them as they disappeared.

Carlisle wrapped his arms around Bella and nuzzled his mark on her neck. "I'm glad they are back to normal. Although I feel I should apologize. If I hadn't turned on my phone they never would have found us."

Bella turned in his arms and placed a hand on his cheek. "As pissed as I was earlier, we are passed that now. We dealt with the fallout and survived. Nothing else will be able to threaten our happiness now."

"Don't let Peter hear you said that." Charlotte sighed. "He'll swear that something would happen just because you said that."

"I don't believe in jinxes, Char." Bella laughed as she pulled Carlisle to sit with her on the porch swing. "Now it's time to relax after all that crap and wait for the guys to come back."

"Hopefully in one piece." Charlotte quipped as she moved inside, happy it was all over.

To be continued….

AN – So it seemed there were a few misconceptions going on or just excuses to use to get away with what they had planned. Were you surprised that it was left to Bella to decide their fate or Esme's reaction? As always, I love to hear your thoughts. I will let y'all know that we are almost at the end. Should only be one chapter to share. Then we will be off onto another adventure of finishing other stories and starting new ones. All of you lovely readers are much appreciated and adored. With that, till next time...

Reminder, there is the FB page for updates and discussions. Just search for Bella & Jasper – Love Under a Blood Moon and you should be able to find it easily. It will be the hub for all Twilight fanfic discussions as I have Darkness and Love Under a Blood Moon as well as one shots that are in the works. If you aren't reading the other two Twilight stories…I highly recommend them, lol, but I may be a bit biased.