Wolverine

Chapter-31

Bella's POV

Victor chuckled humourlessly. "What do you know; mosquitoes are scared of puppies."

No one on our side seemed offended by his remarks, or maybe they recognized that he wasn't the Victor we knew and tolerated. He was a mercenary now. I suddenly pitied the poor vampires who dared try to attack him. He didn't live to be a hundred and fifty in his line of business without learning a few tricks.

I turned to Edward. "Which one is Aro?"

My husband stared straight ahead, his body tensed and ready for a fight. "Aro, Marcus, and Caius are the ones in the black cloaks. The stronger a vampire's ability, the darker their cloak. Don't underestimate the weaker ones, though. Only the most powerful join their ranks. Aro and Marcus are dark haired, while Caius is blond."

I studied the mass of faces until I found the three that reminded me most of the Romanian vampires. Their skin was almost translucent, and their eyes were milky-red. They moved with stunning grace, surpassing even Alice.

Alice.

I cringed internally. Where was she now? Was she safe?

I recognized several of the Guard from the incident with the newborns. Jane, Demetri, and Felix wore the darker cloaks. I was a little surprised at Felix's attire. I knew he didn't possess any extra powers. I assumed that his talents lay in the fact that he was very strong, like Emmett, and perhaps very skilled in hand-to-hand combat. I remembered how easily he'd dealt with Bree.

Victor could take him. No sweat.

Standing next to Jane, in another dark grey cloak, was Alec. I was sure of it. His hair was darker than his sister's, but the resemblance was there.

I wondered how long it would take me to get over there and take him out. I'd have Victor to back me up, but there were so many of them…

I heard Edward's breathing hitch.

"Edward?" Carlisle asked, low and anxious.

"They're not sure how to proceed. They're weighing options, choosing key targets - me, of course, you, Eleazar, Tanya. Marcus is reading the strength of our ties to each other, looking for weak points. The Romanians' presence irritates them. They're worried about the faces they don't recognize - Zafrina and Senna in particular - and the wolves, naturally. Aro knows who Bella is through Jane and Felix's thoughts, but he isn't sure who Victor or Remy are. They're making him nervous. They've never been outnumbered before. That's what stopped them."

"Outnumbered?" Tanya whispered incredulously.

"They don't count their witnesses," Edward breathed. "They are nonentities, meaningless to the guard. Aro just enjoys an audience."

Wonderful. A sadist and a drama queen.

"Should I speak?" Carlisle asked.

Edward hesitated, then nodded. "This is the only chance you'll get."

Carlisle squared his shoulders and paced several steps ahead of our defensive line. I hated to see him alone, unprotected.

He spread his arms, holding his palms up as if in greeting. "Aro, my old friend. It's been centuries."

The white clearing was dead silent for a long moment. I could feel the tension rolling off Edward as he listened to Aro's assessment of Carlisle's words. The strain mounted as the seconds ticked by.