Eye Of The Tiger

Chapter 80

After showing Alice, Jasper, Esme and Victoria her car collection Bella and Rosalie found themselves alone in the war room looking over the many artifacts.

"Are you sure we should let each of them have their own keycard?" Rosalie asked checking her family members locations on the tablet she took from the security office.

Bella laughed. "They will be fine. As for letting them all have keycards they can only go into rooms that their cards open. Though I guess if they were really determined to go somewhere they could easily break in."

"Don't give them ideas. We should have made them pair up or move around in groups. That way we could keep track of them better. Why did you let Victoria roam around on her own? I know you vouched for her but surely you must not totally trust her."

"It's giving her freedom we can see how she reacts. No one knows how security here works other than the pins track their movements. Leaving Victoria on her own gives us a chance to see if she tries to contact anyone or does something detrimental to us." Bella explained.

Rosalie smiled."That's actually a good idea. But do you trust her? I mean I know you said you had a feeling about her and you were right in knowing she had a gift but how can you trust her?"

Bella motioned towards an original map of 12th Century England. "When Gorgen was fighting for the king he kept his shifting a secret. He never trusted anyone enough to share that side of himself. None of us know what happened to his family but by the time he became a Duke he had none. The first person who knew about his tiger was his imprint. Isabella was the only one he ever truly trusted and she never betrayed him."

"That's a great story but what does that have to do with trusting Victoria?" Rosalie asked confused.

"You are my imprint. I may find allies and I may allow others into my inner circle but I will never trust them completely. It is you who has my trust. The others simply have a level of usefulness."

"Bella that sounds really harsh. You don't trust my family?" Rosalie asked hurt at the idea that Bella couldn't trust those dearest to her.

"Your family is nice. Would I trust them to have my back completely? No I wouldn't." Bella cut off Rosalie's interruptions." They aren't of my kind. Carlisle looks at me like I'm some science experiment and I know he holds no regard for my safety as I can guarantee he is right now going over everything he has learned about both you and I with your cousins. Your cousins who he himself told me were Volturi loyalist. So it is almost certain that your governing body will know soon and do you think they will leave us alone after they find out that information?"

Rosalie thought about this and the conclusion she came to left a bitter taste in her mouth." You're right. I have been so caught up in the changes and being with you that I haven't really thought about the implications. I have even told them not to push as it would dangerous for them to know things. One of the leaders his name is Aro. He has the ability to know your every thought just by touching your skin. Everything that has happened, everything that they have witness is out there."

Bella gave her a sad smile." You see why I have fought to keep many things private."

"This about so much more than a newborn army isn't it?"Seeing Bella nod Rosalie's eye began to fill with venom. "You knew all of this was dangerous. That going along with my wishes would expose you but you did it to make me happy."

"I would do anything to make you happy and I didn't want you to be at odds with your family. You seem to really love them. If I was standoffish and secretive around them it would have caused a divide and I didn't want you to have to choose between us."

Rosalie flung herself into Bella's arms and sobbed. "This is all my fault."

Bella rubbed her hands up in down Rosalie's back in soothing motions."No this is not your fault. I was just as curious as you were. I should have put a stop to the questions and tests but I was worried to. We didn't know any better. It's not like we let them know all of our weaknesses or even all of our strengths."

Rosalie pulled back to look Bella in the eye. "We need to be more careful. The more people we bring into our circle the less we let them know. How are we going to distance ourselves from my family?"

"We don't have to distance ourselves. We just have to think about the full picture. I think from now on we attend training but only train with each other in private. We need to never show off our strength and speed to anyone else. That way the only people who can say they know for sure are the Cullens. If no else sees anything then they will dismiss their words as over embellishments."

"So we just go on as normal and keep the serious stuff to ourselves?" Rosalie asked.

"I think that's the best way to handle this. I don't want our lives to change much but it will have to because from now on destiny is driving us." Bella said.

"We are no longer just two teenagers in love are we?"Rosalie asked sadly.

Bella gave her a smile."We will always be two teenagers in love as neither of us will age with you being immortal and me staying the same age as my imprint."

Rosalie rolled her eyes." How do you want to handle all the new vampires that are joining us? We need a plan and it seems like you are the one in charge. The others were looking to you to make decisions."

Bella sighed."It seems that it's time for the great white tiger to lead. I want to have the Denalis return to Alaska. That way they can keep Laurent busy so he is of no help to James. Do you think they could pull off such a deception."

Rosalie nodded. "Their anger at being used will help them with it. What about Victoria? I think she should stay with us. If she does we need to address her eating habits."

"I agree she should stay at your home. We need to have either you, myself, Emmett or Jasper with her at all times though. I'm sure she is being truthful about helping us because she needs protection. It's when she no longer needs protection that concerns me. The blood stuff is on you. I don't know anything about it. I don't want her killing anyone though."

Rosalie ran through scenarios in her head." I also don't want her killing people and if she did in Forks then it would break the treaty we have with the wolves. We can ask if she wants to convert to animals but if she doesn't we can have Carlisle get her blood bags from the hospital. That leaves Peter and Charlotte."

"What do you know about them?" Bella asked.

"Jasper was in control of both when he was the leader of Maria's newborn army. He was tasked with killing them as they were no longer useful but let them go when he became overwhelmed with their emotions. They would be helpful with teaching us how to fight."

"Then they stay with you guys as well." Bella decided.

Rosalie gave her a kiss." Looks like we have the beginning of a plan."

"We need to tell everyone." Bella said.

"Together?" Rosalie asked.

"Together." Bella replied holding out her hand for Rosalie who accepted it right away.