Chapter Seventy Four

Bella

We left Garrett with Carlisle and Edward, Esme having disappeared. I had no idea what had just happened and as we walked back to the car I started to quiz Jazz,

"What are we going to do about Esme and Tanya? Just let them waltz off into the sunset?"

""You tell me, you're the Avenging Angel."

"No, I'm just a woman very much in love with her husband and I'd do anything to protect him"

"We'll protect each other but I don't think they any immediate danger to us now."

"In a way I was glad Tanya wasn't home when we got there. The thought of Carlisle and Edward watching as I ripped her scrawny throat out wasn't nice. I think we'll give them time to think they're safe then pay a visit to Denali and take both bitches out together. By that time both Carlisle and Edward will be used to being without them. But for now I have other things on my mind!"

It was then we saw Esme standing beside Tanya on the driveway.

We thought they had both gone had gone but there they were was standing in the driveway Esme holding a can of petrol and Tanya a lighter.

"Did you really think we'd let you ruin us after all the effort we put in to kill you both? Let Carlisle throw Esme out, destroy our reputations, and leave he and Edward nice and cosy? No, if we have nothing then neither will they."

We could smell the gas, they'd doused the outside of the house with it and as we watched Tanya lit the trail Esme had set. The flames rushed to the walls fast and they started burning furiously. Jazz wanted to go back in and try to save them but it was all over too quickly, they'd planned this well. Esme must have stored some full gas cylinders in the basement because the whole place exploded and we were forced to duck as burning debris fell all around us. There hadn't been time for anyone to escape, Carlisle, Edward, and our friend Garrett were all gone. We stood in disbelief as Esme laughed like a crazy woman and Tanya stood there smiling lighter still in her hand.

"So,who's next?"

I turned and flew at her knocking the lighter from her hand and fastening my hands around her throat ripping her head from her body as something came flying past me and grabbed Esme It was Jazz and he stopped suddenly turning back to throw her into the still burning wreckage of the house. I followed suit with Tanya's remains and we watched as they burned knowing there was no one close enough to call the fire in yet and by the time the emergency vehicles got here the bodies would be ashes.

We drove away as we heard the first faint sounds of a fire engine in the distance and I still didn't understand fully what had happened.

"That was a total mystery to me? What happened? Where was Esme going? What did Edward mean? I feel like I missed the middle act of the play"

He took my hand in his and kissed each finger before answering,

"Esme and Carlisle weren't mates. He thought so for years and she let him because he gave her what she wanted most, a family, children."

"And once they were all gone she decided to leave him? Where was she going?"

"Denali, somewhere she visited often enough over the years."

"Denali? You mean she was going to live with Tanya and her sisters?"

"Maybe for a while. She would have waited to see what we did about Tanya."

"What difference would that have made?"

"Esme and Tanya were very close, much closer than Carlisle was to her"

"Close? OH! You mean..."

"Yes I think so."

"And Edward?"

"Tanya's way of staying close to Esme."

"But she was the one who wanted a separate house"

"I don't think either of them could cope with the idea of the other with a man."

"So, did Edward know?"

"I don't think so, but Carlisle would have told him eventually."

"How did they hide it from him? Their thoughts?"

"Edward is very good at deluding himself, he hears what he wants to hear, sees what he wants to see."

"What about Carlisle?"

"That was why I asked Garrett to come with us. He would have been be a crutch for Carlisle until he got himself sorted out. Once he'd accepted it all he would have buried himself in his work at the hospital and in a life with Edward."

"You think Edward would have stayed?"

"Oh yes. Edward saw Carlisle as his father, he relied on Carlisle for everything. Did you not see that when you were involved with Edward?"

"No, I thought he ruled the family actually"

"He did because Carlisle allowed it, he was very proud of his first-born but I think he finally saw the flaws in him. They would have worked it out. My greatest regret is bringing Garrett along. He was a good man and he didn't deserve to die at the hands of those crazy bitches".

"So my Avenging Angel what now?"

"Not an Angel, I'm just a woman very much in love with her husband and who would do anything to protect him"

"I'll reserved judgement on that, you looked and acted pretty much like an Avenging Angel lately"

"Talking about reservations how about you pull over at that Motel and reserve a room for us. I need you and I can't wait till we get home"

"Home?"

"Yes, I'm looking forward to seeing it finished. Have we got a big bedroom?"

"Oh yes"

"And a big bed?"

"Enormous, I built it myself"

"Well maybe we should get some practise in before we get back. I don't want the others to think we're novices."

"Are you comfortable with us living as a family, for want of a better word?"

"Hey, they are our family. I'd be lost without Rose and Char to talk to, and Peter and Emmett to tease"

"And me?"

"Oh I have my uses for you. Pull over and I'll show you."

The car seemed to guide itself to the Motel Parking Lot as I kissed my mate.

THE END