The UnForeseen Fall of Lahote (A Paul/Bella Fanfic)

28. Redemption

Bella's POV

"Renee managed a surprise attack. If we get out of here, all leverage will fall out of Medora's favor." Jack moved quickly and adeptly, showing me where to step in the labyrinth of a mansion.

I shifted Paul's humongous body the best I could and winced when I felt his ribs prod into me. Such a weakness for food wasn't present in vamps, fae, or even normal humans. It was scary to think that he was so vulnerable right now.

"Will they retreat once we're out?" Dread formed in the pit of my stomach.

Jack shook his head solemnly while his eyes trained ahead. "Renee hasn't had an opportunity like this ever. It could be her only chance."

A fight to the death between mother and daughter. Goosebumps formed on my skin at the evil and neglect that was allowing such a thing to happen.

"She tortured her, you know."

"What?"

"Before Medora deflected, she tried to take Renee with her. She had cast a spell on Renee, immobilized her... The sick hag told me all about the months she had the General locked up. She was fifteen years old."

Shock colored my skin white. "How did we not know about that?"

"My only thought was it was out of respect for Grandfather. But it makes sense... Why do you think our people accepted the daughter of a traitor as their leader? " Jack's voice was rough, like he wasn't used to speaking a lot.

We finally made it to a door that looked relatively ignored in comparison to all of the rest. Jack opened it with a careful focus that made me realize just how serious the situation was. The roar of battle was behind that door.

As soon as that door opens, we will have to get out of here fast. Every enemy out on the battlefield will want a piece of us.

It opened, and sure enough, three vamps looked up from their feast of a dying fae. One of our warrior-born.

Willow. My brain supplied her name to the horror-filled, crystalline blue eyes and blonde hair. She was beyond help.

The vamps tried to advance on us, but something knocked them back as we began to sprint as hard as we could across the wooded yard that led to denser forest. Sunlight burned my retinas that had adjusted to captivity.

As we moved, I could sense the flow of fighting fundamentally shifting. The focus of killing intent intensified monumentally. It threatened to knock me off of my feet.

The clangs of swords, whispered chanting, growls, screams and hisses grew in volume. A vamp tried to drop on top of us from a tree, before a silver bullet of fur followed by a giant black wolf sailed through the air and took the threat out. Sam and Leah.

Apparently wars could even make those two work together. The thought would've almost made me smile if terror didn't breathe down my neck.

I knew it probably looked like Paul was floating mystically in the woods at this point. Adrenaline was nearly choking me.

Exhaustion was close, but we powered through it. Jack cursed beside me when a vamp took a chunk out of his forearm before it was cut down by someone.

"Fuck!" Jack swore again. "They're leading us down a straight path." His sword seamlessly rolled to his hand. I followed suit.

We cut through a fight between a couple of warriors against a castor whose hands were glowing green. I cut a clean scourge of gaping crimson across the enemy's hand, earning a high-pitched screech. Our people quickly ended it.