4th Bad Bella story. Bella has to prepare for the war of her life. Will she, her family, and her friends all survive? Can they defeat Annebelle and her followers? What hope can you give the hopeless? R&R

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to Meyer. The rest are mine.

Warning: Mature chapter. Quite gruesome.

Chapter 13-Let's Fly

...

I was losing my mind. Of this, I was certain. Edward was fine. Not only was he fine, but he was playing around with Hope-her laughter a melodic song in the air around us. Aro put a hand on my shoulder and squeezed it tightly. I said nothing.

"Half of the day has passed and we've had no indication of any sort that Annebelle or her people are here." Aro told me in a quiet voice. "Perhaps...you were wrong about the date or time-"

"No, I know what I heard...what I saw."

"You were taken and held captive by one of the only people able to induce fear in you. It's understandable if you misinterpreted some things."

"I didn't, damn it!"

"Isabella-"

"No, Aro! I know something's gonna happen. I can feel it. I just...I don't understand." I rubbed my forehead, feeling like a child. What was going on with me?

Aro led me to the library, where there was already two glasses of warm blood waiting for us. We were silent; nothing needed to be said. I was too busy trying to figure out my rampant thoughts.

Ash came into the room, her hands on her hips, a few moments later. "The bitch wants to talk with you."

I stood, handing Aro my half-full glass. "Not hungry," I said before following Ash out of the room.

Rosemary smiled as soon as I stepped through the doorway of where she was being kept. She tilted her head back, laughing. "Don't you look worse for the wear!"

I growled and flew towards her, pinning her to the wall with my hand squeezing her neck. "I am sick of the fuckin' mind games. Tell me what's going on!"

"Annebelle likes to see you squirm," she whispered, her lips by my ear. "She wants to see you come crawling back, begging for it all to stop. And then she's going to rape you as she slits your throat over and over again."

I took a hanging candelabra near my head and shoved it into her stomach, flames and all. She screamed, venom squirting out of the wound and onto my hands and clothes. "You're going to tell me where she is, or I'm going to burn your limbs off, one by one."

She spat in my face and snarled.

"Alright then. Ash?"

Ash nodded her head and left, returning a few moments later with a bucket of coals, a metal rod, and a fire nymph to heat everything up. She looked at me, her hair a bright orange, colorful tattoos lining her skin in shades of red. "How hot?" she asked.

"As hot as you can make it without melting the pot."

"The pot is in enchanted. It won't melt."

I smirked. "Alrighty then. Let's try some volcano steam for now, eh?"

I watched as the coals grew to a warm red color, the air in the room growing stifling hot.

Rosemary thrashed about, trying to escape my grip. But I wasn't going to let her go. Not on my life.

"Give it up, Rose. Without Annebelle, you're nothing. Weaker than a newborn." I picked up the rod as soon as it appeared ready and held it against her skin. "One more chance. Where's Annebelle?"

She shook her head. "I'm not afraid to die for her."

I didn't say a word. Instead, I pierced her arm socket, listening as her screams turned to wails. Flesh bubbled and fell to the floor, charred and smoking. Her fingernails of her right hand dug into my skin, drawing venom.

"Stop!" she shouted, her voice scratchy from yelling.

"Not until you tell me where she is."

"I can't!" she sobbed.

I placed the poker by her leg, pressing it into her skin. She screamed, her eyes rolling back into her head. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ash wince as I thrust the rod through Rosemary's right leg, the smell making my throat rise and fall in disgust. But, I couldn't-wouldn't-stop.

"I want to see you squirm," I whispered, "hear you beg for your life."

Her leg from the knee down dropped to my feet, as black as her arm. "Why are you doing this?" she asked, her voice thick with unshed tears.

"You've tortured little children, Rosemary. Don't tell me you can't take what you've given." I taunted, waving the burning metal in her face. "I'm going to send you to Annebelle in pieces."

She shook her head. "No...she's at Nicholas' house. The attack was planned for today, everything was ready, but a group backed out. She had to take care of them. They're planning the attack for tomorrow."

"How do you know this?"

"When I brought Annebelle back, something happened. I can occasionally hear what she's saying. She's a part of me."

I rolled my eyes. How corny.

"Please...don't kill me, Noleen. Heal me. Please."

I sat down, throwing the metal rod back into the bucket. Crossing a leg over the other, I clicked my tongue to the roof of my mouth. "Give me one good reason why I should."

She fell to the ground, hitting it with her palm. "Damn it, Noleen! Don't do this! You're not a murderer!"

Rosemary shook her head, her eyes wide. "No...no! Don't!" I left the room, telling a guard to keep watch until the packs had arrived. I ignored her screams.

And there were plenty of them.

...

"Now that Rosemary is dead, we have no leverage." Ash said from her seat around the table.

The twelve of us in the room looked at the spot where the wolves had pulled her apart. The venom still wasn't completely dried. I had already boxed up her pieces, intent on giving them to Annebelle exactly as I said I would.

"We have me. That's enough," I said.

"What are we going to do?" Flora spoke up.

"We're going to leave in an hour and get there before she knows what's coming to her," I replied. "All Volturi members save for me will stay here, along with the wolves and witches. It'll just be us; the people I trust the most in a situation like this."

"Wouldn't it be better if we had more people?"

"Probably, but we don't have the time to load everyone into separate planes and hope she doesn't recognize not a single one. It'll be easy with one plane."

"I don't like this," Yuzria said, frowning. "It makes me...uneasy."

"If we can get them just off guard enough, we can probably wipe out half of her soldiers before they even know what hit them." Laurent said, a dagger in his hands.

"We'll plan on the plane. Right now, load up your weapons." Everyone who was going with me stood and left the room. I turned to Aro, smiling softly. "Don't worry so much. We'll be fine."

He shrugged his shoulders. "It's in my nature to worry. Be safe, Bella."

He said the words, but all I heard was Edward's voice. I felt a shiver run down my spine. I got to my feet and excused myself. I had to see Edward before I left.

...

The tension between us could be cut with a knife. I was sitting on the bed, he was near the window, his arms crossed across his chest. "I don't know what's happened this past few days. I'm so confused...it's enough to make my head explode." I stood, facing him. "But, I know I love you. When I was with Nicholas, all I thought of was you. Only you. And I know you love me."

He sighed, coming closer to me, his arms falling to his sides. "Oh, Bella," he whispered, embracing me tightly. "I'm so sorry."

I moved my hands up his back, nodding my head. "Me too."

He kissed me, his lips like fire on mine. "Come back to me."

"I always do. Always will." I replied, giving him a kiss back. "Don't mistake me for someone else this time," I taunted, poking him with a finger.

He laughed, running a hand through his hair. "Never again."

"Good."

I turned, my own weapons needing to be packed.

a/n: where have I been? procrastinating writing this. so sorry it's been MONTHS since my last update. I've just been uber busy with my originals (I've finished three full novels! in the process of editing them) and I just had surgery last friday. everything went well, so no worries. umm I'm thinking there's going to be about-t-t-t two chapters left. big battle happens in the next chapter, then another. maybe three more. don't know. I can't wait for it to be done though. I've kinda grown sick of the characters XD. hope you like the update! thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed!

Faith

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