The Dark Princess 32

“Remember we will not be killing either of the humans.No matter what they say or do.”Aro made sure he made eye contact with not only Caius, Marcus, Athenodora ,Tanya and Jane but all the other guards in the room as well.He knew that when Bella’s parents were brought in that not only would the kings, queen,Tanya and Jane be upset but the guards as well.Bella was loved by most of the castle and Aro knew if he allowed it any one of the inhabitants would happily take the chance to punish the humans.That wasn’t what was going to happen that day though.They needed to find out who had hurt Bella and what crimes her parents had committed against the princess.

“Yes, we know.”Caius did know but he didn’t have to like it.The only thing that would stop him from killing them was the fact that they needed them alive for now.That and they wanted to go along with Bella’s plan to hunt them through the castle.Killing them quickly would ruin the fun.

“Keeping them alive now will let us have more fun with them later.”Athenodora was thinking the same thing as Caius.Even though it would be nice to eliminate any threat she had to her bond with her daughter the queen wanted to hunt them.Not that Athenodora believed that Bella would forsake her or her mate and choose her human parents over them.Her daughter made it quite obvious how she felt about the humans and wasn’t shy with her affection towards her vampire family.

“Agreed.”Jane was looking forward to the hunt.That wouldn’t stop her from using her gift if the humans got out of hand though.Something she hoped would happen.

“I’ll behave.”Tanya wasn’t going to mess up her chance to be in the room with the kings and guard.She had been surprised when the Athenodora offered her the chance while they were watching Bella eat breakfast.Although she would prefer to stay with her mate Bella had plans with Didyme.Not only that but she wanted to be in the room to see what kind of people Bella’s human parents were.

“My kings the humans you have requested are here.”A guard said as he opened the throne room door.

Athenodora took a sharp breath when door opened and four guards entered the room dragging with them two humans.The queen was not the only one who growled at the sight of them.”Remind me again why I can’t kill them.”

“Because it wouldn’t allow us to get justice for Bella.”Caius told her.He looked the pair over and tried to see any resemblance to Bella.Other than the same colored hair as her father it didn’t seem Bella shared any attributes with her parents.Caius didn’t know why he felt so relieved by that.Maybe it was because it was physical proof Bella never belonged with these people.

“Welcome to Voltaire.I hope that your accommodations have been satisfactory.”Aro greeted politely.He really wanted to kill the pair but figured he would confuse them with his pleasant greeting.It was always best to keep people on their toes.

“Don’t play with me.We all know you could care less about our accommodations.”Charlie took a step back when most of the room growled at him.He wasn’t completely worried though because if they wanted him dead he would have been killed a while ago.They needed him for something and he was going to draw out giving them that information as long as he could.It would give him a better chance of escaping.

“Watch your mouth human.”Marcus demanded.

Athenodora wasn’t the only one who looked at Marcus in shock.Her brother was a sensitive man who barely spoke most of the time.Hearing him scold someone with the amount of anger in his voice was unheard of.She never doubted his love for Bella but if she did it would more than obvious how much he cared at this moment.

“I think he should continue with his little tantrum.Let’s see how long he can last before he pushes one of us too far.”Caius suggested.

“Now, now brother we still need information before we decide their punishment.”Aro wasn’t going to mention that they already decided the punishment and it was the humans’ own daughter that pick out what would be done.

“What have we done to be punished for?”Charlie asked.

“What have you done?!What have you done?!”Jane roared.

Alec wrapped his arms around his sister keeping her in place.”Be still sister.Remember the plan.Bella would be very upset if you ended them so soon.”

“You are right.She would want us to draw it out and make it as painful as possible.”Jane relaxed in her brother’s arms thinking of Bella.Her mate would be very unhappy if Jane rushed the punishment.

Tanya surprised herself by laying her hand on Jane’s shoulder.Maybe it was the shared mate bond but she felt a connection with Jane over their love of Bella.”Bella will get her justice.”

“Justice?What justice.I have done nothing wrong.”Charlie told them.He realized this was his chance to throw Rene under the bus.”It was Bella’s mother who abused the girl.I took her in and treated her better than Rene ever did.”

“You treated her better than Rene did?”Aro was surprised the man thought that would save him.

Charles held back a smirk as he knew that he was most likely going to be let go.He just had to continue on this narrative and Rene would get all the blame.”Of course.Bella is my daughter.I have done nothing but love and support her even when her mother stole her away from me.”

“Be still love.Bella would never chose them over us.”Caius told Athenodora when he felt her body move forward from where she was standing next to his throne.

“She is not his daughter.”Athenodora hissed.

“In a few days you won’t have to worry about their claim anymore.”As soon as Bella was changed Caius and his mate wouldn’t have to worry about anyone but Jane and Tanya having a claim to Bella.Even though he wished she wasn’t mated yet and he would get most of Bella’s attention it would still be a relief to know that bond would be in place.

“True.”Athenodora couldn’t wait until the bond was in place.Even though that meant Bella’s other bonds would be as well it would nice to have confirmation of her daughter’s love.

“So you are saying that you have always loved and cared for Bella?”Aro asked getting everyone back on track.He knew they couldn’t drag this out to much because if they did the likelihood of the two humans living was not very high.

“Of course.I would’ve have done more but her mother all but kidnapped Bella.She refused to let me see her or visit her.I sent money and presents but was never even allowed a phone call.”Charlie told them.

“You lie.”Rene shouted finally got some of her bearings back.She knew she had little chance of living but she wasn’t going down by herself.”You never tried to see Bella and the only money you sent was when the court forced you to.”

“How would you know?You are an unemployed druggie.As soon as you were able you shipped Bella off to me as fast as you could.”Charlie said.

“Let’s address that.Why is it you never tried to get custody of Bella?It’s obvious you knew of Rene’s situation and as a police officer you would be more than able to get custody of the child.So why is it you left her in the hands of an unemployed drug addict?”Aro was interested in what the man’s defense would be.

“I didn’t know where she was.Every time I tried to find her she had moved somewhere else.”Charlie told them.

Athenodora sneered at the man.”Why didn’t you a police officer get the law involved?”

“I…Well..”Charlie stuttered out.”It wasn’t that easy.When we divorced she got full custody.To get Bella back I needed proof of the abuse.Since I didn’t know where they were I didn’t have enough proof to show Bella was in danger.”

“That’s something else I don’t understand.Why did you let your wife have full custody of this daughter you claim you love so much?When looking into the laws we learned that a parent can block another parent from taking the child and moving away from the other parent.If you loved Bella as much as you claim why did you not fight to keep her with when you had a chance?”Aro asked.

Charlie tried to think of a reason.He hadn’t expected a bunch of Italian vampires to understand American law.”I didn’t think in my grief I could possibly take care of a child.”

“Enough of this.”Caius was sick of hearing the man’s lame excuses.”It’s quite obvious that this human thinks he can trick us with his words.”

“He has proven time and again he has no love for Bella.Alice’s memories alone have shown us this.”Marcus wanted this done with so he could check in with his mate and his niece.Being around these people had his anger flaring and he knew that only his mate could calm him.

“I suppose the only thing left to do is see for myself.”Aro wasn’t looking forward to this but would go through it for Bella.She deserved to get justice.”Bring the man to me first.”

“Get your hands off me!!”Charlie screeched as he fought against the guards.

Aro ignored the flailing and grabbed the man’s hand.Closing his eyes he was assaulted with all kinds of horrible images.Once done he growled.”You dare claim you love your child!!!”

“What did you see?”Caius asked.

“This man is disgusting.He may have not abused Bella when she was older but he had specific plans for her once she graduated.Plans that included pimping Bella out to his friends.”Aro wasn’t surprised by the roars of outrage he heard coming from the vampires in the room.

“You dare think you can even think of treating my daughter that way!!”Athenodora had to be held back by Caius, Aro and Marcus from advancing on the man.

“She is worthless.Just like her mother.I figured if I was stuck with her she should be of use if not to me then my friends.”Charlie told them dropping the caring father act.”As matter of fact I had a line of boys from the reservation who were more than interested in that disgusting piece of filth.”

“Let me go.”Tanya growled as she was held back by 8 members of the guard who were also growling.It wasn’t until Charlie dropped to the ground screaming in pain that Tanya quit struggling.

“Jane my dear that’s enough.”Aro knew that the human mind couldn’t recover from prolong exposer to Jane’s gift and they had plans for the man.

Jane took an extra second before stopping her gift.”Sorry my king.”

“Take that filth back to the dungeon.”Caius told the guard taking great pleasure in the man’s slack body.

“Now we will deal with you.”Aro motioned for the guard to bring Rene to him.He ignored the woman’s screams and pleas as he took her hand and closed his eyes.The horrors he saw almost made him drop the hand but he knew that he had to do this for Bella.Once done his eyes filled with tears that would never fall.”My god.”

“Are you alright?”Marcus asked his brother in concern.

Aro shook his head as he held his hand over his mouth to stop the sobs that wanted to burst forward.”Take her away.”

“Aro what did you see?”Caius knew it was something horrific because he had never seen his brother act like this.Aro was a jovial man.Not much could effect him negatively.So for him to be crying something Caius had never seen happen before Aro must have seen something disturbing.

“I will not burden you with what I have seen.Just know that I have even more respect for your daughter for having to go through all that she has been through and is still able to allow the chance for us to love her.”Aro told them.

“Did you at least get the identity of the people who hurt her?”Athenodora asked.

”Unfortunately the list is long.I will go to my office right now to make sure I write them down while the memory is fresh.”Aro knew he would never forget what he had seen but wanted a moment to himself.Then he would seek out his mate.Aro knew she was planning to watch a movie with Bella later so hopefully they wouldn’t mind him joining them.After seeing the humans’ memories Aro needed to see for himself that Bella was safe.”Everyone is dismissed.”

“We will see you later then.”Caius turned his attention to Athenodora after watching Aro leave.”Let’s go see our daughter.”

“Would it be alright if Jane and myself come with you?”Tanya and Jane were planning on having lunch with Bella but after dealing with the humans Tanya needed to be around her mate.She wished her family was there as well but didn’t want to push the royals.

“That is fine.”Athenodora would prefer otherwise but knew that after hearing what the humans said that Bella’s mates would be in protective mode.Them being denied access to Bella would be unhealthy.

“Thank you my queen.”Jane was happy that the queen allowed them to meet with Bella earlier than they had planned.She was happy that she got a chance to hurt Bella’s father but wished that she had also got to hurt Bella’s human mother.Although Aro didn't tell them what he saw Jane along with everyone else knew it was worse than they could imagine.Following the royals out of the room Jane made a promise to herself that she wouldn’t rest until she got her hands on anybody who even though of hurting Bella.The boys on the reservation being some of them.Jane was positive the royals wouldn’t mind.Especially since Charlie seemed to have already included them in his scheme.