𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐥𝐲

Chapter 17

Before I could even take a moment to process what Bella had just said, Demetri and Felix charged in and started to restrain a screaming and thrashing Bella.

"Your family is never coming to visit again," Caius hissed in annoyance as he shifted underneath me, aware that any intimacy between us was now long gone...much to the amusement of Aro and Marcus. I placed both my hands on Caius' face and pressed our lips together in a, although be it a brief, passionate kiss before focusing my attention back onto the problem at hand.

"What?" I asked in surprise as I quickly pulled the top of my dress back up and zipped the backup. I, with as much grace as possible, slid off Caius' lap and turned to face my twin...also mindful to shield Caius as much as possible because I was very aware of the tent currently pitched in his pants at the moment. I signaled Demetri and Felix to release my sister and the remainder of the Cullen coven arrived in the throne room. Some of the Cullens looked a bit worse for wear while Jane and Alec walked in looking very pleased with themselves. I was going to hazard a guess that Alec, Demetri, Felix, and Jane intercepted the Cullens before they came into the throne room while Bella with her shield power was able to slip through. The Cullens' eyes roamed over my bloody top and I could practically feel their judgment. However, their opinion mattered not to me.

"What do you mean she's been taken?" I asked in confusion, "She was in your room wasn't she?".

"No," Bella responded immediately, "Rosalie took her to see Jake and was attacked on the way there". It was only then that I really looked at Rosalie and saw that her injuries were far worse than anything the guards could have done in the short amount of time. Her face had taken quite a beating with deep cracks covering her face and one of her arms was quite mangled. I could see that the deep scratches on her face were very, very slowly starting to heal. Probably because of her animal blood diet it was taking longer for them to do so.

"What happened?" Marcus questioned Rosalie.

Rosalie sobbed and even after all these months, it was still very strange not to see any tears, "Nessie and I were headed to the hotel where the mutt was staying. We were about two blocks away when these two women approached us, one with blonde hair and one with black hair, they smelt strange. By the time I figured out we were in danger, I was attacked and Nessie ripped from my arms". I stared at the blonde Cullen, slowly processing what she had told me.

"Elaborate by what you mean by strange?" Aro questioned further.

"Did you not hear me?" Rosalie screamed back while her family quickly hissed at her, trying to remind her of who she was addressing.

"Mrs Cullen," Aro warned, "Do not forget who you are speaking to. I will forgive you on this occasion but I would be mindful of what comes out of your mouth next. Be thankful that you are...family for others have been killed for far less".

Reason seemed to come to Rosalie as she quickly muttered an apology before continuing, "I thought they were originally human tourists. It was only when they got closer that...that I truly smelt their scent. They...they were human but not human at the same time".

Carlisle frowned as he caught Aro's gaze, "Potentially more hybrids I fear".

Marcus hummed in agreement, "Nahuel did mention his father created other hybrids. Potentially his half-sisters are involved?".

"Perhaps we should contact him and see whether he can confirm the identity of the two mystery vampires?" I proposed.

Caius nodded in agreement, "Yes. We need to move quickly but quietly. We need as much advantage as we can get".

"Demetri," Aro ordered, "Please bring our dear friend Nahuel to us". The underlying 'by whatever means necessary' was not lost to Demetri. Demetri nodded and bowed before he quickly left the room. I was about to say something when I noticed Bella shifting nervously from one foot to another. It was something she used to do when she was a human and had something on her mind but was too shy to say it.