Chapter 122

Bella

Darius caught up with us out in the square, I couldn't spend another second in that building beside which Jasper needed to hunt to heal.

"You two should get away from here, let him heal. I guess the rest of us will be in Volterra for a time so take my keys, use the apartment in Portland as long as you like. I arranged a flight back for you in the jet, it's waiting at the airport. Can you drive Major?"

I took the keys from him,

"Its OK I'll drive and thank you, Darius, for everything."

"Don't know what you mean, now scram, I'll tell the others. Peter will be pissed, but I'll deal with him."

He opened the car door for Jasper who climbed in holding his arm and looking weary and I drove back to the airport in Florence one handed, my other grasping his as he laid back, his eyes closed.

"You shouldn't have come Bella, but I'm glad you did. I think Charlie would have killed me if you hadn't been there."

"No he wouldn't, he only acted because he thought I was in danger but I couldn't just sit at home worrying and waiting, we're in this together."

"Yeah, so it would seem. I told you life with me wouldn't be easy, are you sure this is what you want?"

"I'm sure you are what I want and that means taking whatever comes with you. Now rest, do you want me to stop so you can hunt or will you make the flight?"

He turned away as he replied as if embarrassed by his admission.

"I think I should hunt before we leave, it will help me heal quicker."

"Fine well there are some woods just ahead, I'll pull in and wait unless you want me to come with you."

"NO, I'll manage but thank you for offering. Doesn't it turn your stomach to know you are being kissed by someone who drinks animal blood?"

"I don't think of it that way, besides I'll be doing the same soon enough. Once you are healed I want you to change me, no arguments. My dad already gave you his blessing and he's going to be tied up in Volterra for some time.

Charlie

Darius told me what he had done and I was relieved. Until we knew how many of the Volturi would be loyal to the new regime Volterra was dangerous for Bella.

"They'll be fine in Portland Charlie and you won't have to be worrying about Bella all the time."

Carlisle who had joined us introduced the woman who accompanied him as Athenadora, Caius widow, but not his mate it seemed.

"Charlie, Athenadora would like to help, she knows much about the Volturi including the guard and she wants a seat on the new council if possible."

I studied her and she watched me steadily,

"Well it will be down to a vote eventually but if you want to sit in with the interim council I see no problem."

"There may be one Chief Swan."

Her voice was soft, like velvet,

"Oh?"

"My mate, I'm not sure he will be welcome in Volterra, but it's my home and I want to stay here. We aren't asking for a place on the council although he will be happy to help out, check the loyalty of anyone you suspect of lying, as well as reading their mind when needed. At other times, he and I will live in the tower."

Carlisle coughed before answering my unasked question,

"Edward is her mate."

The others who had gathered round went silent on hearing this and I have to admit it took me aback at first.

"Well, I know it's against the law to separate mates and Volterra is your home so we can't refuse your request that he live here with you but no one here will trust him and there is no chance of him serving on the council ever."

"He knows that and accepts it, but I hope you might find a use for his talent somewhere, sometime. Thank you for allowing him to live in Volterra I would have hated to be forced out of my home."

"Just make sure he stays out of sight as much as possible, anger and resentment run deep in some here."

She nodded thanked me again and left.

"How did those two meet?"

"I have no idea, but she seems certain about him and much as I hate the thought of Edward here in Volterra we can hardly break our own laws as soon as we take over the running of our world.

It didn't take long to weed out the few guard who were still loyal to Aro's memory, they flatly refused to take a new oath of allegiance and if they had no gifts they were allowed to leave Volterra. Out of the gifted vampires, only Alec refused to join us and it was with regret that we decided he was too dangerous to live if not with us. Felix agreed to perform the execution and although Alec tried to use his gift and escape it took just too long, Felix acted immediately.

Eleazar and Carmen arrived the following week and the first meeting of the interim council took place the next day with the guard there to see it was a democracy. I agreed to head the first meeting and each potential member was proposed by another and seconded before taking their place at the table we had brought in to replace the "thrones". The guard were asked to nominate two members for the committee and we were joined by Felix and Jane.

We sent out messages to the covens we knew of and asked that they pass on the message to any nomads they encountered to join us for a full meeting two months hence to appoint a permanent council. Bella kept in contact until the day Jasper rang to tell us he had turned her and I had to accept I had lost my daughter to her mate, but he promised to bring her to visit as soon as she was safe to fly. Even the Romanians accepted our invitation to join us for the general meeting although if they thought they would get a place on the new council they were very much mistaken, this was going to be a new ruling council in every way, even Athenadora had never been a part of the Volturi ruling council.

As for her, well she kept to herself in the wives tower, it being her residence alone after finding that Sulpicia had chosen to join her mate in death. Peter and Charlotte who were ready to return to the States but had stayed on until we were sure of the guard and the visitors we received had reported Edward's arrival in Volterra but he kept out of sight which was just as well. Esme and Rosalie were still baying for his blood and Emmett although he had agreed with our decision to let Edward live wasn't going to cross his mate. Alice was very quiet on the subject spending all her time with Graeson in the archives that Marcus had so recently been in charge of. When she came to see Carlisle and me with her idea it seemed a good one, Putting Edward in charge of the archives would give his life purpose and keep him out of the way, we had no need to visit his domain unless we wanted to.

Carlisle had hoped Alice and her mate would stay in Volterra with the family but she decided she wanted to travel and in the end they joined Peter and Charlotte for a world tour promising to come back at some point. It seemed strange without Bella here although Jasper kept me updated on her progress. It sounded like she was leading him a merry dance as he tried to teach her self-control, Bella had a mind of her own and a wicked sense of fun. Thinking about it, he was probably the best, maybe only, person who could have taught her but I still wanted to see her again. She did speak to me a couple of times but the first she was in a bad mood because he had prevented her going after a human who had been unlucky enough to break down close to the cabin he had rented for them well away from any human habitation.