Chapter 100
Charlie
I couldn't deny the look in their eyes as they glanced at each other or the fear in Bella's eyes as she turned back to me. She was really scared that I would side with Aro and agree to his death.
"Major, you say you want to change your ways, to stop the killing and love my daughter but how do I know you can do that? From your history I doubt you could be gentle and kind, the monster has been in charge for a very long time."
He nodded in agreement,
"I see how you come to that conclusion and I would have agreed with you if not for one thing...Bella. She saw the good in me when no one else did, she believes in me and with her by my side I can change, I'm sure of it."
He sounded sincere enough and I could see he really meant it but I wasn't so sure Bella wasn't putting herself in danger, not from him physically, I didn't doubt she would be safe from violence, but there were other dangers.
"You know she loves you and she'd stick by you no matter what but if you can't control your urges? How do you expect her to live with a killer?"
Bella
I knew dad was just looking out for my interests, but it seemed so unfair, Jasper hadn't killed a soul since I had been with him...or was I being short sighted, of course he had, he'd hunted while I was in the diner which meant he had murdered another human, but it was a vampire's nature to kill to feed. True the Cullens had found another way, but they had Carlisle to help them, Jasper had been turned into a monster by the Volturi, He wasn't a killer by nature.
"Dad, it's not his fault. Aro turned him into a killer,"
Aro shook his head,
"I'm sorry to contradict you Bella, but The Major was already a killer when we found him. He was also a soldier who killed the enemy, other humans. Then he killed vampires, any vampires, it was the Volturi who gave him a purpose and stopped him killing indiscriminately. We were good for him."
The Major
I was sick of being talked about as if I were some idiot who couldn't answer for himself or a deaf mute.
"I killed in battle yes, I was fighting for what I believed in. When I got home and found my family and friends murdered by vampires I went after them, killing any I found to stop them from killing more humans. You kidnapped me, turned me into a vampire and taught me to hate, to kill, to forget my humanity. It was the Volturi who created The Major, but Bella reminded me of the man I had been. If not for her I would have remained your killing machine. I know I can stop the killing if not the hunting for food."
Aro clapped in mock approval,
"We didn't create the killing machine, merely honed it to perfection Major. If you think differently then you are deluding yourself. You could no more stop killing than a human can stop breathing."
Bella
I could see my dad wavering and suddenly knew I had to do something drastic.
"I know Jasper can overcome his past. We could stay here and he can teach me to hunt. I'll become a vampire too and stay on the mountain. There are no humans here so we would have no choice but to live on animal blood. It's possible because Carlisle and his family do it all the time."
My dad looked at Jasper and I could see the skepticism in his eyes,
"What do you say Major? Do you think you can do it?"
"Chief Swan I know The Major, there is no way he could live on animal blood, you are asking the apex predator of our world to become a vegetarian? Be realistic Chief Swan. Allow me to take him back to Volterra, with your daughter certainly and we can watch over him as he learns to overcome his violent nature. With you there to watch over and guide him perhaps he might succeed."
Aro just wanted to get my dad back to Volterra where he could capture his gift using other gifts and I didn't want that any more than I wanted Jasper to go back to that awful place.
"Please dad, give us a chance. You owe us that."
Charlie
I couldn't ignore Bella's plea and it sounded a good idea to me. She couldn't go back to her human life, the Volturi would never accept that and she loved The Major, believed in him just as he loved and trusted her. I was suspicious that Aro wanted my gift in Volterra, something that just wasn't going to happen.
"OK, here's what I propose. You and The Major stay here in the mountains and he can try living off animal blood, there's no alternative after all. I'll be watching you just to make sure you keep to the bargain."
I looked into The Major's face and addressed the rest to him.
"If you succeed for a year then, and only then, will I give my blessing for you to change Bella. You will have proved yourself. If not then I'll be back and I'll take you back to Volterra myself. I won't have you on a killing spree with my daughter along for the ride."
"I agree."
I looked at the young man holding Bella close and saw the determination in his face.
"OK, but you kill one human and all bets are off. So long as you keep to it I will make sure no one bothers you, not even the Volturi."
I gave Aro a meaningful look but he already understood I meant what I was saying and I could back it up.
"That's not fair. He doesn't need your blessing and I can choose what I do with my life, not you dad."
He hushed Bella gently,
"Your father is right to worry about you, Bella. If I can't control my thirst by living on animal blood then I won't ever be able to stop killing. It's OK besides he didn't say you couldn't stay with me. Did you Chief Swan?"
"No I didn't but it won't be easy up here for her. If she's staying then you'd better arrange for some supplies. Better still I'll contact Darius, he can arrange for what you need to be flown in."
Aro coughed discreetly and I moved my attention to him.
"Could I just ask one thing, Chief Swan?"
"Go ahead Aro."
"What is your diet? Am I right in assuming you are an animal hunter?"
"I've done both, but I'm happier on animal blood. I don't relish killing well I was going to say my fellow man, but that would be wrong. I don't want to be responsible for killing humans. You don't have to kill humans to live as a vampire. Any life is valuable to the person who it belongs to and we don't have the right to take it from them."
"You sound scarily like my friend Carlisle. Well, we will see, and you won't consider visiting Volterra Chief Swan?"
"No thanks but don't worry I won't be using my gift to undermine you, I don't much care for power, just peace and once Edward Cullen is where he belongs I reckon I'll have that."
Bella turned to me puzzled,
"I thought you were leaving Edward to Carlisle?"
"I was but seeing as you are settled here I think I can start to concentrate on him again. You don't need your old man for now Bella. I understand that though I'll always keep an eye on you."
She came over to me and gave me a hug, but it didn't feel the same any longer. Something had changed between us, she wasn't my little girl any longer I understood that, she was a woman with her own life and her mate. She knew what she wanted and had gone for it. The thing I could never forget was that I had almost killed her and she hadn't thought it necessary to tell me she had survived.
It hurt that she had kept me in the dark because I would never have given her away to anyone. Maybe she blamed me even if she didn't understand she did. There was a gap between us that would never be bridged and that made me sad. I would never forget that awful sound as the branch connected with her face and because The Major was her mate I couldn't even blame him for causing the chasm between us that my actions had caused.