The Cullens stood at the ready at the front of the open field that would soon turn into a battleground. Carlisle and Esme were together with Jasper and Alice on their one side and Rosalie and Emmett on the other. Dean and Damon were behind them and the wolves were hidden by the coverage of the trees.
"Now remember, sparky," Damon warned. "Know who the enemy is before you get trigger-happy with that fire of yours."
"He's going to be fine, Damon," Jasper interjected before Dean could.
"They're here," Carlisle announced.
Running and racing into the clearing must have been about a hundred or more newborns. They were vicious and out of control. Their thirst was the only thing motivating them at this point and their bleeding red eyes could testify to that.
The Cullens charged forward and made sure there were no openings for any of them to get away. Bella's blood led the newborns into the trap because all they could smell was the Swan girl even if they couldn't see her.
Jasper made the first kill, ripping a newborn's head clean off before grabbing another one and slamming them to the ground. Emmett wasn't far behind his brother and all he needed to do was punch his fist into the newborns' faces and they either shattered or flew right off the bodies. The rest of the Cullens had to pick their battles a bit more carefully and one by one. They couldn't be reckless because neither of them had the training for it or the strength to get away with it.
Rosalie headlocked one of them as Alice elbowed the newborn until its head went flying off. Carlisle and Esme kept up with more or less the same tactic as they tried their hardest to keep each and every one of their children within their line of sight.
Damon being from the original bloodline or just Damon being Damon took his shot at being the fastest bait. He kept the newborns in line and in the middle of the battlefield until the wolves showed up and leaped into action. Sam, Paul, and Jared took the lead with the rest of the wolves following behind and trying their best to catch up.
Once everyone was positioned and either keeping the newborns busy or killing them, Dean raced around the edges of the field and set them on fire. He created a circle of blazing heat to keep the war contained and within his manipulation.
From the outside and hidden in the shadows of the trees a certain redhead watched the chaos. From her expression, she wasn't expecting any of this to happen. She thought she had a foolproof plan and one that Alice couldn't see coming. But she was wrong. The Cullens were more than prepared for this war and winning by the looks of it, and not on their own either. The wolves were an unexpected playing card, more unexpected than the Cullens, and even more than Dean's gift coming in at the last minute.
This wasn't a part of Victoria's plan. She was furious and with her eyes darting around the scene angrily she noticed that two of the Cullens were missing. The one she wanted revenge on and the other she could care less about.
In a blur, she was gone from the fight going on and she was vampire speeding her way up the mountainside and toward the revenge she so longed for. She couldn't smell Bella, but she could smell Edward and that was good enough.
✦✦✦
"Jacob just got there," Edward announced.
Lizzie let out a breath she didn't need to and Bella went over to hug her. The blonde took the Swan's hand in hers and squeezed it.
"He's good," Edward nodded at his sister.
"And what about our family?" Lizzie asked, she hated being on the sidelines like this.
It was perpetually killing her to not race down the mountain and help them kill this stupid army, make sure her family was safe and sound forever.
"They're fine," Edward said. "Jasper's doing well. Emmett just helped Paul. Dean already created the fire barrier and Damon's baiting them. Everything's going as planned."
"That's good, right?" Bella asked, glancing between the siblings.
"So far so good," Lizzie murmured.
Seth leaned against the vampire softly and she felt grateful for it. Seth really must have been the most perceptive and nicest kid of his age.
Edward's eyes suddenly widened and his mouth opened slightly. Immediately Lizzie left Bella and Seth to appear in front of her brother. The young wolf had to quickly catch himself and so did her cousin.
"What is it?" Lizzie asked, resting a hand on Edward's arm.
"Is someone hurt?" Bella stared at the two.
"I can smell her," Lizzie said glancing around.
"She's close," Edward stressed. "I can hear her thoughts. Seth, go!"
Seth growled lowly at the thought of Victoria.
"Seth, be careful!" Lizzie called after the wolf.
He jumped up the rocks and climbed his way to higher ground to try and catch the redhead by surprise and detour her away from the two Cullens but most importantly Bella.
Bella ran the few steps to Edward's side. He immediately gripped her tight and protectively but his eyes roamed around them. Lizzie slowly turned on the spot trying to hear something or at least catch the scent of the redhead and which direction she'd ambush them in.
"She knew we weren't there but she caught my scent," Edward muttered. "She knew Bella would be with me."
"Well, at least I get to partake in some of the action," Lizzie remarked half-heartedly.
"Did she find us?" Bella asked when she felt Edward stiffen completely.
"She's not alone," Edward warned his sister.
Lizzie instinctively went to her brother's side, her body fixed for a fight as her eyes caught sight of a young boy around their age. He was Riley Biers from the missing person's report, the one Sherriff Swan was investigating.
"I can take him," Lizzie offered.
"No," Edward shot her down.
He didn't want anything happening to Bella, he wouldn't survive it. But like hell was he going to sacrifice his sister like that. Lizzie might be the Cullen's best fighter but she wasn't as invincible as she was before, they had no idea what it would take to kill her now.
"Riley, listen to me," Edward tried to talk to him. "Victoria's just using you to distract me. She knows we'll kill you. In fact, she'll be glad she doesn't have to deal with you anymore."
Victoria fell to the snow-covered ground just a way behind Riley. She was kneeling and glaring at Edward and Bella like a hunter after prey that was long overdue and that aggravated her to no end. She hated them, she wanted Edward to suffer like she was suffering. After all, he killed her reason for existing.
"Don't listen to him, Riley," Victoria said, her voice low and soft. "I told you about their mind tricks."
"I can read her mind," Edward admitted. "So I know what she thinks of you."
"He's lying," Victoria denied.
"She only created you and this army to avenge her true mate, James." Riley's eyes narrowed slightly and his head turned to look at Victoria. "That's the only thing she cares about, not you," Edward promised.
Victoria looked like she was struggling to control herself. Like she didn't want to keep this act up any longer and just wanted to finish what she started.
"There's only you," she whispered, barely meeting Riley's eyes. "You know that."
"Riley, be smart about this, okay?" Lizzie spoke to him for the first time, her voice level and calm. "You're from Forks. You grew up in this town your whole life. You know the area better than any outsider and that's the only reason she chose you."
"She doesn't love you," Edward added, mimicking his sister's gentle tone.
"Riley," Victoria called his name. "Don't let them do this to us. You know I love you."
Riley turned his head away from her, he looked conflicted for a second but it didn't last long when his eyes focused back on the three in front of him.
He smiled coldly at Edward before whispering, "You're dead."
Riley growled and took a domineering step forward but before either Lizzie or Edward could do anything, Seth flew out from the trees and slammed into the vampire. They rolled in the snow together but Seth was the first on his paws again. He locked his teeth around Riley's shoulder and began swinging him from left to right aggressively. Riley's wrist knocked against the nearest rock and his hand broke off and shattered. He roared in pain, screaming but it didn't seem to phase Victoria for a second. She jumped down from the rock she was perched on and took off running to save only herself.
Without thinking, Lizzie sped away from Bella and Edward and appeared in front of Victoria to cut her getaway off.
"You won't get another chance like this!" Edward yelled. "You want her! You want me to feel the pain you felt when I killed James." Victoria's nostrils flared in anger as she turned to look at Edward and he stepped closer to her. "When I tore him to pieces. When I turned him into ash. When I turned him into nothing."
Victoria was shaking and growling, and before Lizzie could grab her she bolted forward and tackled Edward to the ground. He flipped their positions over but Victoria wasn't interested in him and rather reached out to grab Bella. Lizzie raced over and grabbed the redhead by her hair and tossed her away from Edward and Bella. Victoria flew through the snow and was stopped by the tree behind them. She was angry and there was no way she was going to let them go now or let alone run away herself.
"What now?" Lizzie asked.
"We have to kill her," Edward said.
He grabbed Bella's hand and pushed her to hide behind a cluster of trees. Seth was still fighting with Riley Biers while Edward ran up to the tree Victoria was in and pushed at its base until it collapsed. The redhead skidded to the ground and gracefully caught herself. She scrambled to her feet to charge after Bella but Lizzie caught her from behind and the two collided with each other into the snow.
Seth got distracted and his head turned to see if Lizzie was okay and that's the opening Riley took to kick Seth in the jaw. The wolf growled and pounced for the newborn again.
Victoria rolled around and flailed her arms to try and get away from Lizzie but the Cullen's grip only tightened on her until she had the redhead in a headlock. Victoria's hand shot out and she added pressure to the first thing she could reach. Lizzie's head got tilted back but as cracks appeared on her neck, Edward interjected and grabbed Victoria's arm. He pulled her away from Lizzie and threw her hard on the ground.
Before either Edward or Lizzie could make another move, Bella had picked up a stone from the ground. The object had a jagged edge to it and with one swift movement, she cut a gash into her arm and blood trickled down her skin.
The first to be affected and smell it was the newborn, Riley. He pushed and shoved at Seth, his instincts driving him to feed and quench his sudden thirst. Victoria caught wind of Bella's flying scent and she hissed, both in hunger and anger. It gave the Cullens an advantage and even when Edward longed for Bella's blood, he fought against his primal urges and rather fought to protect her instead.
Riley escaped Seth but Lizzie turned and pushed at his chest. He went flying right back into the young wolf's clutches. Seth snapped his teeth around Riley's good arm and dragged him up the cliff and away from the smell of Bella's blood.
"Victoria! Victoria!" he screamed.
Victoria pulled her face distastefully at him. She turned her head and began to stalk back to Bella. Bella held her ground and stared the redhead down as Edward and Lizzie nodded at each other. They ran forward and gripped Victoria, Lizzie held the vampire in place and Edward lunged forward with his mouth open. He bit down as hard as he could and in a second Victoria's head was severed from the rest of her body.
She was dead.
Edward growled as he fell to his knees. Vampires couldn't sleep but it didn't mean they couldn't feel exhausted. Lizzie crouched down by his side and rested a hand on his shoulder.
"It's over now."
Hesitantly Edward nodded. "Help Bella," he managed to grit out.
He was battling with his self-control. He could smell Bella's blood and almost taste it from how strong her scent was and how strong his desire for her was. Lizzie was the complete opposite to her brother. The smell was overwhelming in the air but in no way did she have the slightest temptation to taste it.
"Here," Lizzie said as she stood up.
She handed Edward a silver lighter and he took it before she unzipped her denim jacket and ripped a piece of her t-shirt. Lizzie walked up to her cousin and silently bandaged the wound on Bella's arm.
Edward felt slightly easier as he stood up and flipped open the lighter. The small flame appeared in front of his eyes and the next second Victoria's body and dismembered head went up in a roaring fire. Seth dragged Riley Biers's body down the mountain and to Edward's feet where he kicked the newborn into the fire, too.
Seth came up to Lizzie but growled lowly like he was trying to tell Edward something.
"Something's wrong," Bella guessed.
"Alice needs us to go... now!" Edward said and nodded at Seth.
"The Volturi's coming, aren't they?" Lizzie asked.
Edward didn't answer her but his expression gave it away. He took Bella's hand and in a burst of cold wind, the two were gone from sight. Lizzie sighed as she mentally prepared herself and Seth nudged her arm. She winced in pain and Seth whined with his head bowed.
"Ow," Lizzie murmured and brought her arm up to look.
She obviously didn't notice how Victoria bit her when they were fighting. Or was it Riley when he tried to get to Bella? Lizzie didn't know but it wasn't a major thing. It would heal just like James's bite did.
"It's okay, Seth. It's only a scratch," Lizzie reassured the wolf.
He whined some more before gently nudging his head into her side until Lizzie laughed at him. She playfully pushed his snout away from her.
"Come on. We gotta go," she said and Seth yipped in agreement. "Race you there?" Lizzie challenged and vanished from the wolf's sight.
Seth gave a short howl before leaping over the rock in front of him and running his way down the snow-covered mountain after her.