Chapter 43~ See No Evil

We are standing a few miles from the castle. I look at everyone's faces. I can see fear, devotion, determination, but mostly I see tired. This has been a fight, a battle of good verses evil plain and simple. A war between the ones who want to rule the world against the ones who just want to live in it. " Everyone ready?"

I keep my voice steady, I am not worried about myself I am worried about everyone else. I can feel the pain pulling me toward Mara. She is my beacon, that is where I need to be. " Edward and I are going that way." I point

" Everyone else knows their jobs, drink, wait and go." They all nod. There aren't words, we are fresh out. " Good luck everyone." I grab Edwards hand and head down the hill toward the eastern part of the castle where Mara is. Jake isn't far behind. He needs to stick with us to stay with Mara. Seth will stay on the hill and make sure no one starts to charge toward Carlisle's.

The grounds are fairly empty, normally I would welcome it but its too quiet. " Keep your eyes open, ears to this isn't right." I whisper.

" Do you think they know we are here?" Jake asks.

I shrug, " They DO have Alice, let's just hope for the best."

We reach the large iron door, naturally its locked. But that ridiculous lock is no match for me and we are inside in seconds. I close my eyes and halt for a moment. Taking in every sound, every vibration and feeling. But its pointless, Mara's energy is grabbing me. " This way." 

We rush stealthily down the corridors. Edward focuses on thoughts, I focus on Mara. Jake is bringing in the rear.

Pull, Tug, yank... its strong, its painful, my heart is suffocating in anguish... Mara.

We stop in front of a door, " She is in here." I say barely a whisper.

" Wait." Jake says, " You said there were guards."

" I hear nothing." Edward answers.

" Yeah doesn't that seem a bit odd that we are meeting no resistance?" Jake has a point.

" Everyone else is on the grounds and meeting no retaliation either, lets hope its just coincidence." I know I am fooling myself I am sure it will be a war zone the second we try to head out.

I place my hand on the knob, take a deep breath and open the door. Mara is still laying on the bed, pink and plush. " Baby?"

No movement. Edward and I slowly enter. We don't rush her we are cautious. Every slow step is killing us. Closer.... I can hear her breathe... closer.... her chest raises and falls, repeat....closer... whimpers are released from her tiny mouth. We reach her, I sit on one side, Edward on the other. " Mara?" He whispers in her ear.

Her eyes flutter open, and fall, she repeats this several times till her eyes lay upon Edward, " Daddy." Her voice is low, tired, painful. She shifts her head to me. 

"Mommy."

" Hey baby, I told you we would be here before you wake." I feel the lone tear slide down my cheek. Mara tries to lift her hand to my face only to realize she has no strength. 

" She can't move." Edward says in an angry whisper.

" I know, but mommy will make the pain go away." I smile at Mara, she understands. We are linked, my blood heals, everyone. But right now its only for her. I lift my wrist to my mouth and bite, streams of crimson dance along my arms. I lower it to her lips. I see them quiver, wanting, needing. Her cotton soft lips rest weakly on my skin.

I watch her raw arm, the bite marks, slowly begin to heal, her color returns, her hair begins to glisten. " Amazing." I hear Jake's voice from behind me. " You are saving her Bella, here in this room." I look at him and give him a smile. " I see no evil in this body Bella, you are an angel." 

" Thank you Jake, I would give her every drop to save her." I would!

After a while, Mara releases my arm and beams, " I feel much better." Edward scoops her up and pushes her into his embrace. 

" I love you baby."

" I love you to daddy."

My perfect family, here we are in a vortex of horror and uncertainty clinging to just one moment of perfection. 

" OK Jake head out the way we came, Edward and I will follow you out, and make sure you make it to the hill. But I can't go back till I know everyone is safe." He nods.

" When you return make sure Carlisle releases everyone." 

" I know my job Bella." Edward turns and hands Mara off to Jake. He takes her in his massive arms. The second he grabs her I can feel the protective vibe pour out of him. His arms are shielding her from everything, I know in that moment he too would die for her.

We cautiously but quickly make our way out of the room and down the corridor. We turn the corner toward the exit and finally are met with the resistance we dreaded. 

" Well well well, how rude, are you leaving with out even a fair thee well?" Demetri quips. But its the one standing next to him that has my attention. Alice!

Edward and I fan out our arms, protecting Mara and Jake, " You are going to let us go Demetri, you know it, I know it." I turn my head to Alice, " She sure as fuck knows it." I snap back.

Alice's tinkering laugh echoes off the stone walls, " Bella, sure we can let you walk out of here, but lets be honest here do you think behind that door isn't a hundred murder hungry vampires?"

I'm getting angry, I am about to speak when I feel a twinge of pain, then another same spot, someone's in trouble. I look at Edward, he is shooting mental daggers at Alice and Demetri, " Edward?"

" What?" He says it without dropping his eyes.

" We need to get Mara out of here, NOW!"

The urgency in my voice has grasped his undivided attention, he nods.

" Alice," He begins, " I can hear the conflict in your head, you don't really want to be here, so tell me why you are?"

What is he doing? She looks at Demetri who is wearing a rather bored look on his face.

" I do want to be here Edward, it was hanging around you fools that made me realize how clueless, and powerless you all were." 

I watch Edward begin to inch closer to her, he is distracting her. " We were always good to you Alice, Jasper loved you and you just LET Moriana take the only good thing in your life, and then you played the most perfect actress didn't you?"

I can see her agitation, I can feel her hatred, its working. Demetri is totally focusing on this altercation between Alice and Edward, he's entertained. Perfect.

Using my hand I gesture to Jake to take a few steps back. He does. 

" I admit losing Jasper was unfortunate, he was an amazing fuck, but he was weak, pathetic!" Alice yells.

Demetri's head falls back and laughter is filling the corridor now. and that would be opportunity knocking.

It only took a moment, it was fast, fierce. I grabbed Edward's arm and pulled him back toward  Jake and Mara. With my other hand I extended it toward Alice and Demetri, I let a triumphant smile play on my lips before saying the word that will erase their existence," Fire."

The last thing I see is the terror, and finality on their faces before the are engulfed in flames. I can hear them scream, beg, shrill. I stand before them, I will the fire stronger, harder, hotter. I wait until they are nothing but ash.

Finally the fire is extinguished, I turn to Jake and Edward, Jake is horrified but amazed, Edward is proud, but sad. " Don't dwell on it, we need to go, I have to get to Esme, she is in trouble." They both look at me. 

Edward races out the door and we rush to the hill where we see Seth waiting. " Go Jake, don't say anything to Carlisle." He nods and they run. Edward and I turn back to the castle, we see hundreds of red caped figures pouring out of the entry ways. " They know we are here now." I say