Disclaimer: I do not own the main characters nor do I profit from them.
Rating: R
BETA: Mist
A/N: Okay so I forget the grammar rules I am so sorry I did not major in English. It's been like 21 years since I took a English class. Hope you enjoy the plot however. Also, thank you for those of you who have joined the sequel and for those of you who never gave up on me.
Chapter One:
Bella woke up to see tiny little stars over her head. Squinting her eyes she felt the earth beneath her backside. Reaching up to touch the pounding spot in the back of her head. She could hear the sounds of animals as they hunted in the night. Trying to sit up she felt a cold hand lift under her arms, to assist her. Bella's head flip to the side, needles of pain shot up through her neck into the back of her eyes as she look to see who she was with.
"Edward?" Bella whisper as she began to wake up from what had felt like a long sleep.
"Yes." Edward nodded his head with a relieved smile on his face.
"Where are we?" Bella was confused. She remember nothing. She only knew that somehow she had hit her head earlier before she fell asleep. The pain was excruciating.
"We are in the woods not far from my house." Edward replies slowly.
"Why are we in the woods?" Bella could not fathom why they were alone in the woods at night. It felt creepy.
"Sorry, I had to keep you near me, near my scent so she would not detect you right away." Edward answers when his smile fades and the worried look is return.
"Detect me? My scent?" Bella shook her head trying to make sense of what he was saying.
"Jane. She wants to kill you. She feels it is her rightful place to get even with Jake by killing you for killing her vampires." Edward replies as he stands up next to Bella.
"Vampires? Are you serious?" Bella took a unsteady step back, nearly tripping over her own feet as she look blankly at Edward.
"Yes. You know they exist. Jake didn't tell you?" Edward was confuse by her reaction of the title he gave his people. After all Jake was a wolf, which Bella knew already so it only made sense that Jake also explain that they were vampires, his sworn enemy.
"Jake? Who is Jake?" Bella rubs her head as the pain grows worse, her stomach grumbling loudly and at the same time a tab of nausea swirls around in the back of her throat.
"What?" Edward cries out as he looks at her with a very frightened expression.
"Jake? Who is this guy you think would tell me about vampires." Bella chuckles rudely as she slides back down, sitting on her rear she notices the nausea was not as strong as before when she was standing up.
"You seriously do not remember Jake?" Edward was stunned. He could not believe what his own ears were hearing.
"NO." Bella cries out as the pain begins to grow unbearable. Covering her face with the palms of her hand she felt like she might pass out again.
"How do you know me but not HIM?" Edward wonders loudly.
"What?" Bella groans as her stomach starts to act up along with the pain and the dizziness she wonders what the hell happen to her exactly to make her feel so damn awful.
"Are you ill?" Edward stops his train of thought when he senses her pain. Kneeling down he pulls back her hair, he see's that the wound has started making a scab over it but the cut was still too wide to heal on it's own. He needed to get her to Carlisle so he could stitch her up and also check her over for anymore injuries. He suspected she was having some sort of temporary amnesia. It was the only rational explanation he could sum up at the moment.
"Yes." Bella whimpers as she continues to cover her face.
"Let's get you to Carlisle. He will know how to make you feel better." Edward scoops her up in his arms as he walks quickly to the house. He listens closely for any signs of Jane or any other vampire that she might have watching their house. When he hears and feels nothing out of the ordinary he slips them both in the back of the house, up to his room where he lays Bella down on the twin size bed.
Bella did not say a word. She just laid there quietly with her eyes closed shut. The pain increase when she open her eyes.
Edward calls Carlisle hoping that the rest of his family is safe. He had been in such a hurry to rescue Bella from Jane's clutches that he not taken the time to consider what happen after he left. Was there casualties? Did someone he care about die today? What about the wolves? Did they lose any of their pack? So many things to consider.
The fourth ring Carlisle answer the phone, Edward sighed in relief hearing the familiar voice of his creator.
"Edward. Where are you?" Carlisle demands in a soft voice.
"I am home. I have Bella with me. She is hurt badly." Edward states swiftly.
"Did Jane follow you there?" Carlisle feared that if they went home too soon, Jane might be around waiting to locate their haven for a ambush. He knew Jane was not the type to run away from her enemies. She would never give up. She was relentless.
"I don't think so. I did not hear any thoughts or feel any other vampires in the area." Edward answers as he stares down at Bella's form. She remain quite as a mouse and laying almost frozen. He had not bother turning on any lights. He had not needed them with his night vision.
"Good. We will be there shortly. What is wrong with Bella?" Carlisle had not witness the scene when Bella was thrown up against the tree or when she was nearly choked to death.
"She has a bad cut on her head, she seems very ill from it. She also….well…she doesn't remember Jake." Edward bit down on his lip while he waited for Carlisle's medical opinion on the situation.
"What? Are you sure?" Carlisle did not want to face Jake with this news. He knew that Jake would think they had somehow brain wash the girl. Not that they did not know of a way to do that but they had not done so in this case. Plus Jake was already livid when he realize that Edward had disappear at the same time that Bella had gone missing. He was already terrified that Bella might be dead already.
"I mentioned Jake's name and she ask me who he was and she also thought I was joking about vampires. Yet, she knew my name." Edward was not sure how to take that fact. On one hand he felt flattered that she remember him but on the other he knew that Jake would not be so please.
"That is odd." Carlisle answers with a worried tone.
"Can you get here soon? I think she might need some stitches." Edward pleaded.
"Will be there in a few minutes. Right now we are trying to help Jake locate Bella and Jane. He will not be thrilled to learn you have her but he also will be less likely to kill you when he knows you kept her safe from Jane." Carlisle chuckles bitterly.
"So what should I do for her in the meantime. She looks awful." Edward asks.
"Not much you can do until I get there. I will have some medicine that might help ease the pain while I stitch her up and also something that will calm her nerves. Maybe her amnesia state is only temporary. I will let Jake know you have her. He will want to come with us." Carlisle warns his son.
"Okay." Edward hangs up the phone. Pacing back and forth for a few minutes trying to make sense of what had happen today. He knew that Jane would come back for them. He had recalled several stories over the years when Carlisle was part of the Volturi, he knew that Jane was as stubborn as she was lethal. There was no way in hell she would give up now. No, she lost the battle but she still had the war ahead of her. A war that she would declare not only on the wolves but on the Cullen household as well.
"Jake we found Bella." Carlisle walks steady up to the Alpha who look more than ready to tear off their heads as he runs around trying to pick up any possible scent of Bella left behind. The scent had faded with the constant rain shortly before she was taken away from the danger.
"What?" Jake shifted back into human form as he slip on his pants, stepping out from behind the tree looking at Carlisle with a hopeful grin.
"Edward has her." Carlisle caught the glint of anger shine in his dark eyes.
"Jane was a threat to them. He knew this. He kept her safe. She needs my help. He says she injured her head and well….he isn't sure what else is wrong with her. Let's go back to my house so I can check on her." Carlisle saw the way the other pack members look unsure about their Alpha going into a vampire's house.
"Fine. Keep a patrol going nonstop until I return with Bella. There can be more of them. Jane will no doubt be preparing for another battle." Jake informs Sam while glancing over the rest of his pack that look rather tired but ready for anything that came their way.
"Collin, come here." Jake step away from the others as he pull Collin to the side.
"I need you to make sure Lizzie is safe. Go check on her. Tell Sue to not let her eyes off of her. I mean it." Jake orders in his Alpha tone knowing there was no way Collin could do anything except what he told him to do.
"Alright." Collin agreed as he turn and ran into the woods in the direction of Jake's home.
"The rest of you, keep a close eye on the reservation as well. Put the council on high alert. This is not over yet." Jake demands.
"Will do chief." Sam winks at him as he starts sending the others to their area of guard.
Jake walks back up to the vampires wearing a smug expression. He is not afraid of them anymore. He knew he could take them down if ever came down to it.
"Let's go. I need to see with my own eyes she is safe and well." Jake growled as they all ran in the direction of the Cullen household.
Twenty minutes later they reach their destination. Walking up the steps Jake got a strange cold sensation course up and down his back. He had a bad feeling that they were being watched.
"Shouldn't you have guards out here?" Jake asks Carlisle.
Carlisle looks at him with surprise. He had not even consider the idea of having one of the family members stay outside. He wonder if it was wise when the real threat would be Jake inside once he learn that Bella had no memory of him.
"Jasper and Alice stay out. Keep a close eye on the perimeter." Carlisle stated firmly but softer than Jake had ordered his own people.
Stepping into the house Jake was thrown for a loop when he noticed all the spacious windows set around the house. He would have thought they would try to be more discreet with what went on in this house. He also noted how everything seem quite expensive and some items even look antique. He wondered just how long had the Cullens been in existence. He knew that Carlisle was the eldest of the group but other than that he had no need to know much about the others. They were just blood suckers who one would break the treaty and sink their teeth into some poor unsuspecting human.
Carlisle nodded toward Jake to follow him upstairs. When they reach Edward's room they found the door was wide open. Edward stood with his back to them as he look out a wall size window as they step inside the room.
Jake touch the wall to find a light switch. Flipping it on cause Edward to jump slightly as he turn to face them.
Jake saw Bella's body laying on it's side facing Edward. She look like she was sleeping. Jake sat down on the bed, rolling over to see her face. He had to assure himself it was really her laying there. Staring at her pale face that still had tinges of blood splattered on her forehead. He look at Edward wondering why he had not clean her up?
"I did not want to touch her Jake. I knew you would not like that." Edward answers reading his mind.
"What's wrong with her?" Jake look nervously at Edward and then back at Carlisle. His gut was warning him they were not telling him something. Some small detail they fear would throw him into a rage.
"She passed out when I took her away from the battle. I laid her in a hiding place while I made sure we were not being followed by Jane. When she woke up she was confused. She did not seem to remember anything about the battle." Edward started as he watch Jake's brow scrunch together.
"How hard did she hit her head?" Jake asks sadly as he pulls back her hair to find the wound where blood had dried up in her hair and around the opening. He wince looking at how deep the cut was. He knew she had to be in serious pain. She was so frail. So fragile. He did not take her as a person with high tolerance for pain.
"She was sick to her stomach and nauseated. So I got her here to lay down. She knew who I was." Edward stop as he saw the warning look that Carlisle shot at him.
"Let me help her Jake. I will have Esme come in here with me to help clean her up. I promise you we will not harm her." Carlisle's voice was smooth as glass as he spoke to Jake. He wanted him to know that they were the last vampires to be a threat to the Alpha's imprint. They could sense a serenity about her. She saved the life of her daughter. She stay among the wolves and knew of their customs as well as their enemies. They would cause her no harm. He just had to make Jake see that.
"Okay." Jake release a long loud breath of air as he place a tender kiss on her forehead. Then walk out of the room with Edward behind him.
Edward could hear his thoughts loud and clear. He knew that Jake did not like being in their home. Nor did he like Bella being in Edward's bed. Still, he knew he had to do what was best for Bella and right now being here she was safe and getting the medical attention she needed so he was willing to step aside and let Carlisle do whatever was necessary to make her better and come back to him.
Bella wince as Carlilse slip the needle in her arm, helping her relax further and take away any unnecessary pain while Esme held her head firmly in her arms. Carlisle stitch her up as easily as one would wash their hands. He had done this so many times that it came so naturally to him. He would often have to remind himself over and over again not to be too fast or too perfect or the staff at the hospital would start to wonder how he was so damn gifted. It was part of the job that he hated the most. The way he had to feel as if he was on constant guard.
Still, he did find great pleasure and redemption when he help save the lives of humans. He knew in the long run he might not find his way into Heaven when his final time came but he hoped that God would see the good deeds he did do with the evil powers he was cursed with and show some form of leniency when his judgment was made.
"Edward…..where are you…..help…" Bella mumbled as the drugs began to flow through her veins.
Carlisle and Esme both share a private look over Bella's head. They knew that this was not a good sign. If Bella showed interest in Edward, even if it was unintentional, Jake would fear they had brainwashed her some how. They knew that Jake would want blood. He would want Edward's life. They were not quite sure how they were going to explain to Jake that there had been a chance that she might have forgotten him. Forgotten the love they shared. The daughter they both adored. They were not sure yet how far back her amnesia went exactly. Until she woke up and talk to them they were all in the dark. Still, they did not want to tell Jake yet. He would need to see for himself before he would believe them. When that happen they knew that another battle would take place in their very own home.
Collin told Sue everything that Jake had ordered him to say. He gave Lizzie several kisses on her sleeping head before he race out of the house to catch up with the others. He wanted to be close to Leah tonight. Like Jake had a bad feeling that this Jane character was not going to just sink back into her dark deep hole and forget all about them. He had a feeling they just irritated the hornet's nest and soon they would be swarming with more vampires than they had wolves.
It was so strange to him that he had taken in stride this strange world that he had been born into, but abandoned just to return to learn there was more than the human eye could see. He was also amazed at how close he had grown to Leah in the short time he had known her. He knew the others would say it was due to the imprinting but he did not believe that was the extent of it. He felt like there was more of a natural connection between them. Had they not imprinted he felt confident that he would have fallen in love with Leah regardless. She was a strong woman on the outside but in the inside she was just a fragile little girl. She kept her heart guarded. She feared that others would see her softness as a weakness. He hated that she was the only female wolf in the pack. He knew how unfair it was to her, to be out here fighting vampires while the other women stay safely behind tending their homes and families.
One day he hope they would have a family of their own. Then he would learn what they could do about keeping her from the dangers of being a wolf. It seem only fair that she got some well deserved time off. She should be called for duty in a last resort to protect their people. He knew that the others would argue that she was more than capable of doing what was expected of her but he was her man. He had a right to argue with the others about what was best for his imprint.
Catching her scent and Sam's he race faster hoping to learn where he was needed now that he had done what was asked of him by Jake. He hope like hell that Jake found Bella safe. He knew how pissed off he would be if he discovered that the vampires that they had promise to leave alone had somehow hurt Leah. He hoped that they were not called to take out the Cullen vampires, he had already witness their fast speed, their quick reflexes and the abundance of strength they as a pack much like the wolves. They would be a force to be reckon with and Collin knew the casualties would be greater than they had been today.
Jake had nodded off as he set on the cushy sofa that face the direction of the stairs. He knew he needed to get a few minutes of rest in case danger was still fast on their heels. He also saw the way that Carlisle and Esme both seem genuinely concern about Bella's wealth fare. For now, he felt a little less on guard with those two. Not so much with Edward and Rose. Rose made it clear that helping the wolves or any other human was not a requirement in her job description.
Waking up after a fifteen minute nap he saw Esme standing in front of him with a plate that had a sandwich and chips in her hands.
"You must be staving." She spoke gracefully.
Jake had to admit she was a nice person, well a nice vampire person. She also seem to be the mother of the pack. She was always scolding the others when they spoke out of turn. She also seem to receive a lot of respect from the others. He was not sure if it was just due to her being Carlisle 's life mate or if she had gain it on her own.
"Thank you." Jake's voice was gruffy from the sleepy state he had been in moments before.
"Your welcome." She smiled sweetly at him as she walk out of the room.
Jake took a bite in the sandwich and was surprised at how great it actually tasted. He was also a little surprised by the fact they had food in the house. He knew they did not eat food. They survived on blood alone. Why would they keep food? Did they tempt humans in for a nice meal then had their own meal on the humans?
"Seriously? That's what you think we do?" Edward snickered as he saunter into the room sitting in a chair not far from Jake.
"Why else would you have food?" Jake ask between bites.
"We happen to know that occasionally we will have humans over. That and Alice saw us having guests that would require food." Edward frown wondering why Alice had not seen Bella's loss of memory in her latest vision.
"Oh." Jake shrug his shoulders enjoying the tasty food that he manage to scoff down in less than five minutes.
"Do you wish for more?" Edward offered.
"I'm fine." Jake was still hungry but he did not want Edward to serve him any food. He could not place his finger on it but Edward always seem to annoy him more than the others.
"We have plenty. Alice never does anything small." Edward smirk recalling all the food that Alice had brought in the day before. Everyone had been stunned by the amount of food she had filled the fridge and cupboards with.
It was not amount the money, they had plenty. It was more about the fact that most of it would go to waste. They had been raised to never waste when others suffer from having less.
"I'm fine, really." Jake place the plate on the table in front of him as he lean back stretching his arms behind his head, his vision staring up at the stairs. He wondered how long Bella would remain asleep? What was wrong with her? Why had she not woken up yet? Something was not right. Something warn him that there was still more than he was being informed about.
"Do you know if Jane had brought more vampires than the ones we took out?" Jake wonder how far their Intel of the enemy went.
"Not sure. Carlilse is making a few calls. We know who she is staying with. We know their coven is smaller than ours but they are just as strong. We fear she might force us to fight against them if she demands service from them, despite the fact that they are not Volturi members." Edward answers.
"Are there any other vampires like you? You know that do not kill humans." Jake was curious why exactly this pack did not do the very thing they were created to do. Also, if they did not take human blood what did they use to keep them alive and strong?
"There are a small number of others like us. Not many. We feed on animals. Mostly large animals. We stay in areas where there are plenty of animals that breed in a area. We would never want to cause a species to grow extinct due to our appetite." Edward explains as Jake sinks in the information for later use if necessary to hunt them down.
"Why did you save Bella?" Jake knew he had surprised Edward with the sudden question that had pop into his head. It had come so fast that Edward had not been able to hear it before he voice it. He had no time to way out his answer.
"She is human. She did not need to die. Besides, I saw the way Sienna wanted to kill her. She knew if she killed Bella she would have broken your heart, the way she felt you had broken hers. She also knew you would have no choice but to kill her. In her last moments she prayed for death. She did not want to remain a vampire. Especially not one under the control of Jane. She knew Jane would eventually hunt down her family and force her kill every family member ." Edward cluck his tongue, remembering how painful it had been to hear Sienna's final thoughts. How sad she was not to see Jake in human form one last time. She also felt it was only justice that Jake be the one to kill her, since as a human he had doom her to a life of loneliness.
"That's all. You do not feel anything for the woman I love?" Jake wonder out loud as he saw the sadness creep into Edward's cold golden eyes as he reveal Sienna's last thoughts.
"I feel only compassion. She is a nice person. She loves her daughter dearly. I think she has suffered for too long." Edward stated honestly.
"Good. Cause I will kill you if you ever try to touch her or change her into the likes of you. I love her and she is my imprint as you know. I plan on spending the rest of my life with her. So if you get in the way I will not give a damn about the treaty. I will kill you." Jake warns him as Carlisle steps into the room.
"She is awake. Jake, I'm warning you now she might not remember things. Her head injury was pretty severe. I am surprise she did not go into a coma to be honest with you." Carlisle pray silently that Jake would give them time to watch over Bella and see just how far back her amnesia went before he lost his head and did something ultimately stupid and regrettable.
