Chapter Sixty Eight
Bella
I knew the guy standing in the shadows but I couldn't put a name to him or the other guy. My head hurt so much I wasn't even sure I could remember my own name but I recognized Charlotte which was a relief. The stairs looked as if they stretched on for miles but I made the top eventually and was relieved to find a tub and clean towels. While I bathed throwing my stained clothes in the basin I tried to remember what had happened and how I ended up here with the strangers but everything was so fuzzy.
The knock on the bathroom door was followed by Charlotte with a pair of denim jeans and an old sweater in her hands.
"Sorry Bella that's the best I could do. I just hope they fit. Couldn't find any underwear I'm afraid."
"Never mind, they're dry and they smell sweeter than my own do. Where are we Charlotte? Whose house is this?"
She looked apprehensive and I knew I wasn't going to like the answers to those questions.
"Who are the men down stairs? Where are we?"
"Do you remember anything Bella?"
I was about to shake my head when two things stopped me, the knowledge it would probably hurt like hell and a set of memories that flashed by really fast. I sat down hard on the edge of the tub holding the sweater I had been about to pull gingerly over my head and gasped.
"The Major, that's him. What happened to Charlie? Is he dead?"
Charlotte smiled reassuringly,
"No Bella he and the others were freed, they're safe. But..."
"What?...What is it Charlotte?"
"Your dad, he thinks you're dead, they all do."
I thought about this and suddenly memories came flooding back, I saw Charlie standing there defiant and pick up a branch to hit The Major then he ducked and the branch hit me. Everything went black after that but I understood, Charlie thought he'd killed me and The Major allowed him to, he probably thought it was amusing the bastard!
"I have to find a way to get back to him Charlotte. He can't go on thinking I'm dead, that he killed me, it's not right."
"I'm not sure how you're going to do that Bella, we have no idea where they are and we're prisoners to all intents and purposes although..."
She put a finger to her lips and turned the taps on again speaking a little louder,
"Let me wash your hair for you I can get the blood out of it if I'm really careful."
She led me to the basin and put her mouth to my ear,
"We aren't in any danger Bella. You knew that instinctively when you met The Major. You stood up to him and he didn't try to harm you. The incident with the branch was natural instinct to duck. You didn't survive the hit Bella, you died, your heart stopped and you weren't breathing. The Major took you away, he saved your life."
"HE did? Why?"
I was hardly moving my lips but still Charlotte hushed me,
"Trust me Bella, you owe him your life and he will continue to protect you, he would die to keep you safe as Peter would to save me."
"But why? I don't understand."
"I know, Peter saved me by picking me out, not because he wanted me for a few hours but because he recognized me as his mate even though he still doesn't understand his actions."
I stood up shaking my head even though it made me feel sick again,
"No, that can't be Charlotte. Its not possible. How can I believe that animal means anything to me."
"Do you hate him?"
"Of course I do he..."
My voice trailed off as I realized I was lying, I didn't hate him so much as pity him. I'd wondered before what had turned a human with such good intentions into a monster and that hadn't changed.
I wanted it to, I really really wanted to hate him, to feel I could stick a knife between his ribs and watch as he bled out, metaphorically speaking of course, but I couldn't. That didn't mean I had to like him, or at least show anything but contempt for him, if I had to act it.
A knock on the door interrupted us at this point and I heard his voice outside,
"What's taking so long? Is there a problem?"
Even enraged at him as I was I could hear the concern in his voice and I think he heard it too because he cursed and tried to act hard once more,
"I want you both downstairs now."
I pulled on the sweater wincing as it grazed the side of my face then looked in the mirror groaning to see the terrible bruise. Charlotte smiled encouragingly and took my hand as she opened the door suddenly forcing him to step backwards.
"We were just coming but thank you so much for your patience."
He glared at her but she ignored it and brushed past him towing me along in her wake. As our arms touched I felt an electric shock run up my arm and straight to my chest were it lodged, a warm entity around my heart. I think he felt it too because he jerked his arm away and almost ran down the stairs ahead of us.
The Major
I didn't trust Charlotte up there alone with Bella, she could be saying anything and as the minutes ticked by I became edgy, it was worrying that made me feel this way. It had nothing to do with Bella being out of my sight. Peter kept glancing up the stairs too, what the hell was wrong with him? With us? Why did these two girls matter so much. We'd killed plenty before, both human and vampire so why couldn't we kill these two?
"What do we do next Major? You know the Volturi will be expecting a report. They'll have more for us to do. Probably hunt down the Cullen and finish the job if Caius has anything to do with it."
I turned to him suddenly sure of one thing, I was through with the Volturi,
"What you decide is up to you Peter but I'm cutting loose. I'm sick of being at their beck and call. I paid my dues a long while ago and now my life is going to be my own. I won't stop you of you want to go back but if they send you after me...be ready to die."
He looked at me long and hard before answering,
"You know something Major, for a clever guy you can be a real fucking idiot sometimes. I stood at your side all these years watching your back and you think I'm just gonna turn my back and walk away now? We were friends once, I know its my fault that ended but I like to think the years since have proved something, I never wanted to and I know my place."
I nodded, he was right of course, all the years since I was turned he had been there to watch my back and not once had I ever doubted him. I may have been angry at the way he was used to catch me but that was the important word used. Peter had been used just as I had and spent decades trying to make amends.
"I know, so its you and me against the might of the Volturi? Should be a piece of cake."
"Yeah, that's if they even send anyone to look for us, after all do they have who stands a chance against The Major?"
"Without you? No one. But that doesn't mean to say we let our guard down."
When I finally lost patience and went upstairs to see what was keeping the girls I wondered if they'd tried to get away. It would be a stupid move but sometimes scared people did stupid things, it was the nature of the beast. Hearing Bella's heartbeat has me less tense which I cursed at, the girl was getting to me even when she was out of sight. Charlotte opened the door suddenly and I stepped back but not far enough. Bella's arm brushed mine and I felt a jolt through my arm that only stopped as it curled around my stone heart, what the fuck was this?