Little Carlisle

by Arigamiokura

This is a short story about Jake and Nessies Son Lyle from Chasing the sun. If you like Elias His story will be on here soon. I apologize for Leah's language when she's angry.

This is the story of little Carlisle.

Carlisle Ephriam Black.

Ten years after Lile is born. He is old enough to go to school.

Having had to move away from Forks finally Nessie and Jake now live in Calgary. Charlie retired from the police force and he and Sue were traveling the country looking for all the best fishing spots. The Cullen's have moved to Whistler Canada outside of Vancouver. Carlisle works at a hospital there. Edward and Bella are just ending there sophomore year at the high school. Jasper and Emmitt are the enforcers and Alice is the watcher for the Volturi council here in the eastern coast of Canada.

For the last ten years life has been quiet. We enter the story at the Vancouver Airport where the family is waiting for Lile and Leah to arrive.

They are spending the summer with them while Nessie and Jake go to Europe to spend the summer with Caius and his wife. The children decided not to go; Leah still had trouble with normal vampire diets Lile wasn't as bad but, he didn't like the idea of it either.

When Jake and Nessie moved the second pack moved with them. Now a pack lived outside Calgary. This is where Sue and Charlie were when not traveling…

"The plane arrives at 2:45 right." Emmett and Rosalie were just as excited as Edward and I. Everyone was excited and impatient to be completely honest. We had not seen Lile in over two years. We had all been moving and running around we were so busy. This visit was well overdue. I would like seeing Leah as well. She had gotten over her aversion to us with her imprinting, just as Jake had. It was nice to not see animosity in her eyes.

She was really nice when she wasn't being angry. So we watched anxiously as the plane disembarked watching for faces we would recognize. The last time we had seen Lile he looked like he was about twelve, all knees and elbows. His growth had been almost human until he hit about seven then he had shot up and grown almost a foot in a few months. Nessie had told us it was incredible to watch. I could imagine.

He had looked completely human. He had smelled almost completely human as well. Just enough of the vampire to sweeten his scent and just enough wolf to add an almost Sandalwood musk to him. It was lovely really. His teeth he had gotten from us. He had gotten Jake's black hair but, he kept it in an unkempt style that reminded me of my husband. He also had Edward's human eyes, jade green and almost glowing. Edward gripped my hand, pulling me from my daydreaming. I picked my head up and looked in his golden eyes. As usual I got lost. My breath caught at the crooked smile on his perfect face.

"They are here love." He nodded to the terminal. I looked and waited I felt my self jumping up and down.

Rosalie snickered. "I smell a dog."

"Rose; be nice." Esme chided.

"I still can't see anything." Alice mumbled impatiently. Jasper patted her shoulder.

We saw Leah, first her hair was still short, out of necessity --- wouldn't want to be a shaggy wolf--- but, it was styled in a very posh way. Her inky hair was tipped with red and spiky. She really was beautiful, especially now that she smiled every once in a while. Walking beside her was a gorgeous young man. Actually to be honest walking next to her was Edward with black hair and a tan. I felt my jaw drop. There was a collective gasp. Every one's thoughts were just as paralyzed.

Edward found his before anyone else.

"Leah; Lile we are so happy you've come." He walked forward and hugged Lile then He clasped Leah's hands in his own. Leah was a little shocked but, Edward was so happy he just couldn't help himself. Esme and Carlisle came forward and embraced them. Rose hugged Lile and smiled at Leah. Emmett hugged everyone. Alice and Jasper followed. Warm welcomes all around. I just stood there like an idiot. I kept trying to see Jake in his face somewhere but, except the skin and the hair. It was eerie. I watched this beautiful creature walk forward and I tried to get a hold on my self. I knew I was being rude. He smiled my husband's crooked smile. "Hi Bella." We had dispensed with the grandma and grandpa bit because we were in public and I wasn't fond of the term. Being a vampire didn't make me less of a woman so age mattered darnit' So I was Bella and Edward was just Edward.

He hugged me and I hugged him back. I was still in shock when we rode home. The kids rode with Jasper and Alice. Alice wanted to discuss the future with them. Which in Alice terms means; she wanted to see when she could plan another wedding.

Edward and I were in Bells we wanted to get home first to get bedrooms finished. Alice of course had readied them but, we had some finishing touches to add. We had bought a property that had four houses on it. It had been a private school for the gifted at one time. There was a main house a Georgian style mansion. The rest were large cottages. Everyone had their own little place and of course the main house went to Carlisle and Esme. It was massive, square with an inset porch all the way around. Esme had redone the whole property. It was beautiful. The children would stay in the main house where there was more room. It was really nice to have all the extra room, especially when we had holidays or visitors. Our family function attendance had increased exponentially over the years. It also allowed, everyone to have their own space and we had several large cities near enough that we could stay here for a couple of decades and not be bothered. We could just change schools and drive a little. We were Canadian now. Canadian's were such polite people as a whole that they didn't even start rumors often about us. It was a little odd.

As we drove home. I was still trying to deal with the way Lile looked.

I tried to see some of Jake in there. But, I just see you.

I know dear. It is uncanny. I thought Esme was going to faint and we can't do that. He snickered.

Leah saw it too, did you see that. She looked at the two of you together and her jaw dropped. She must have forgotten you a little. After two years. He has changed so much. He looks a little older than you, Like you would have looked at twenty or maybe a little older.

He nodded. "Yes, I see that. Myself as a Man instead of a teenager forever" I felt the melancholy starting to fill him.

Edward. I wouldn't want you any other way than you are right now. You are perfect.

He rolled his eyes but, he smiled and I felt the sadness ebb away slowly. He was still a little sad at not being human sometimes. I couldn't imagine why.

If we were human, I would only have one life with you. Just one, I want forever one lifetime is not enough. I don't know what waits on the other side. What if all we get to do is sit on a cloud and sing. No touching. Just sitting and singing. No late mornings in bed, just clouds and, hallelujahs.

He laughed and shook his head. I started running this morning through his head. I smiled as he grabbed the steering wheel tighter. "Bella!" He glared at me. "We have to be there to greet the children." He couldn't help it though he started to think about it too. I laughed and he did too. We drove faster…

We were waiting very properly for the rest of our family when they got there. Carlisle with Esme and Rose and Emmett were in the Mercedes and, the kids were with Alice and Jasper in the New Volvo we had traded up for.

I tried to keep the idiotic smile off my face. I was still reeling. We had gotten home in plenty of time. Carlisle's car was nice but our speed gave us nearly an hour before they pulled up.

When the Volvo pulled up and everyone hopped out, Lile went back and grabbed the bags with Jasper.

Alice grabbed Leah by the hand and towed her forward. She was smiling but, I could tell she was feeling a little overwhelmed.

Maybe you should rescue her. Edward smiled and patted my hand. The other car pulled up as I walked down the stairs and took Leah's hand.

"Alice could you go inside and make sure we did everything right." Alice's lips fell into a grim line.

"I suppose I had better." She walked off knowing she was being run off and not liking it one bit. I shivered knowing I would pay for that later.

I smiled at Leah. "So what do you think?" She was looking up at the overwhelming house. I knew the feeling. This place was twice the size of the house in Forks. "I know that's how I felt but, we got a great deal on it. It was in bad shape till Esme fixed it up." She smiled and tried to make it look genuine. I knew this would be hard for her. She had never been with us without at least Jake to make her feel comfortable. She was feeling all alone. She started to look almost panicky but, in the blink of an eye literally; a hand clasped hers and she breathed in and out calmly. My grandson had her hand.

He leaned down and whispered so quietly I had a hard time hearing.

"Breathe honey it'll be fine." I almost laughed it was so Edward. This was just surreal. I shook my head and turned to lead them in. Alice waited at the foot of the double staircase. They spiraled up and around to the second floor. This house was really huge. It was magnificent. Aro had commended us when he saw it last year for finally getting a house befitting a family as prominent in our world. We just laughed and said that it was cheap. It would stagger me I'm sure if I knew how much it cost to fix the houses up. When we moved here there were already several residents, an entire family of Raccoons and a large tom cat. The raccoons beat a hasty retreat. For some reason the cat stayed. We named him Leo and fed him. Esme really got attached to the darn thing. None of us could understand how the animal managed to be near us. Edward said that it must have had the same glitch as me or maybe his nose didn't work, either way he lived here and we had a cat.

Ch2

We settled the kids in and told them that dinner would be at six. We went to the dining room where Alice was transforming it into a masterpiece.

Alice grinned as we walked in. "Edward. He looks just like you, if you were tan anyway. Isn't that weird?"

Edward smiled. He sat at one of the chairs, looking out a window lost in his thoughts for a moment.

I heard his thought and I frowned. "That is not nice Edward. That was a very long time ago. You shouldn't think that way." He smiled looking abashed.

"I know but, I can't help it. It is kind of poetic justice. That man caused me a great deal of trouble. Now he has to see me every time he looks at his son. It has a sort of beauty to it."

"It's still not nice." I frowned at him.

Alice was chortling. She found it very funny.

That night I got to know my grandson. He was charming. Every bit as charming as my husband, he told stories of our daughter and my best friend, Leah told us of the things that had gone on back home in Forks. Some day we would move back there. Not yet but, some day. It was hard to believe I missed it. I hated that place so much and now it feels more like home than Phoenix ever did.

I smiled at my family, knowing that was the reason for the difference in my feelings. I began to like Leah very much she was smart and she spoke her mind. She didn't mind telling you her opinion. Of course I already knew that. She and I didn't have the best beginnings.

To see her happy was a great joy to me. It hurt me terribly to know she had been in pain. She had been in love once but, it had not worked out and she had been sad and bitter. Now I saw the same love in her eyes that I knew were in mine. How could I be so lucky? To have been given this much joy and happiness, it felt like a reward I didn't deserve. But, I looked around at my family again and saw what was really sitting here. I saw them as people. I saw myself as a person. But, I knew better. I thought about it another way. I looked at my father. My other father: Four almost four hundred years he has been on this earth helping people. Refusing his nature and doing what he thought was right.

I looked at each one of them thinking of their beginnings and their ends. If anyone deserved a reward was it not these individuals. They had worked so hard to be good people when being good people is so much harder. A normal human wakes up goes to work goes home raises a family maybe, buys a house. They never have to feel like they're fighting every single moment to have those things. They didn't have to work to be human, because they were, simply human. My family fought every moment of every day to be human when that was the last thing they were. Not out of envy. But, because they believed it was right.

They deserved a reward. A chance to have that happiness, I saved the best for last looking at my husband, his bronze hair, gleaming in the light of the crystal chandelier over the table. He smiled and squeezed my hand. He had heard my thoughts too. He looked around and sighed.

It does seem like that doesn't it, like we have been blessed beyond any imaginings. I feel very overwhelmed. If my heart was still beating it would burst from my chest right now. I even like Leah. Can you hear her thought, so clear and honest. Her thoughts used to be so bitter and filled with pain. It's just gone, all the pain gone in a moment just from looking into our grandson's face. She loves him almost as much as I love you. He feels the same. They will have a beautiful life together.

I smiled at him but, I had a twinge. I don't know what from but, I just felt uneasy. What was that? I shrugged it off. He looked at me concerned but, I just shook my head. Nothing.

That summer went so fast it was amazing. In the middle of it something amazing and frightening at first happened.

Lile went to the hospital with Carlisle to just spend some time. None of us thought anything of it. Carlisle was hoping to push him towards being a doctor. He was so proud of Nessie. He was hoping to keep the tradition moving forward.

Everything had been fine. They had checked on some patients and then Carlisle was called to the ER for a car accident that had severely injured a pregnant woman. They jumped in an elevator and got there just as the woman was rolled in covered in blood. Lile was fine right up until he smelled the blood.

Carlisle heard a hiss and looked at Lile and his eyes were manic. He looked at Carlisle and covered his mouth and ran. Carlisle watched as he ran to an office and heard the lock click. He knew the office was empty so he tended to the patient first then went to the office.

"Lile it's me open the door son." Lile opened the door and then rushed back to the window and put his nose back to the open sash he was crouched on the floor his nose poked out the window.

"Lile are you okay?" Lile just shook his head. "You look thirsty. Is that possible? Have you felt like this before?" He shook his head again but didn't speak. "I need to take care of this patient. Will you be all right in here?" He looked desperate but nodded.

Carlisle got everything taken care of and then rushed Lile out the back entrance and came straight home.

Walking in the door he called to all of us. We were already in the dining room all except Rose who was keeping Leah busy shopping in town.

Carlisle walked in, Lile behind him his head down in shame. Carlisle sat and Lile sat next to him. We knew something happened but not what. Carlisle's thoughts were sympathetic but he was keeping his mind off the incident. I suppose he wanted us to all know at once. Carlisle went through the story and the exchange in the office. Lile never spoke.

Esme sat next to him and took his hand. "What did you feel, what made you run away?" He looked at all of us. His thoughts chaotic.

"I wanted…to…kill her. I wanted her blood. It was horrible I couldn't think of anything else. She was covered in it and it was the most wonderful smell and I wanted it. Then my mouth started to water. I had to run away or I would have attacked her. I ran in the office and locked the door against myself and, anyone coming in. I felt demented. I was afraid I would hurt someone. I opened the window so I could get some fresh air. As long as I held my nose outside I was okay. I was myself. What am I suppose to do. Is this what you deal with all the time? How do you keep from killing people?"

We sat there a few minutes speechless honestly we didn't know how to feel. Edward gained his composure more quickly than the rest of us as usual.

"Lile I am sorry. We had hoped that you would not have to worry about this. To answer your question; yes that is exactly how we feel sometimes. And I have definitely had to run before. All of us have at one point or another I suppose."

Emmett took a deep breath. "I can smell the venom. I would swear it wasn't there yesterday."

We all took in his new scent; yes you could smell the sweet scent. The venom had a sweet odor, unmistakable, for us anyway.

Lile dropped his head into his hands. "What will I tell Leah? She's going to be so upset. I can't go to school like this. Ahhhh." We calmed him down. It took a while but, he was very sensible, so much like Edward.

When Leah walked in the door he squared his shoulders and looked her in the eye. We had Leah sit down. She looked apprehensive. Her thoughts were worried. She was not looking in the right direction though. She was afraid that Lile was going to tell her he didn't want her. Poor girl was terrified. She looked about ready to bolt. She was shaking. She was about to faze and run. I took her hand.

"Leah calm down. That's not it at all. Lile loves you. Breathe." Leah looked at me and frowned. She didn't like me hearing her thoughts but, she did calm down.

"Then what is it?" She said sharply.

Lile sighed and stood up, as he walked around the back of the couch, I stood and moved so he could sit next to her. I walked behind Edward and put my hands on his shoulders. He covered my hands with his. We all waited to see how Leah would deal with this.

"Leah, something happened today at the hospital. I almost killed someone." His voice was rough and filled with pain. Leah was so confused she looked in his eyes, those gorgeous green eyes.

"I don't understand. Who? Why?" Lile dropped his head in shame and covered it with their twined hands. "I wanted….her…blood."

Awareness dawn on her pretty dark face, "Oh." She sat there a long time. Edward and I listened as her thoughts went from one emotion to another. We were both very glad that she did not feel any anger.

"Well I guess that was always something that could happen right. You are part vampire. I wonder if you will start changing into a wolf too." We had not thought of that. It was a possibility.

She took his head and pulled it up so she could look in his eyes. "Carlisle Ephriam Black I love you. If you grow wings and turn into a bat, I'll still love you. We can beat this. You certainly have enough bl…family around here that can help you." Everyone chose to ignore the insult she almost used. Old habits are hard to break.

Almost as if she had Alice's gift, poor Lile woke the next day with a terrible fever. In less than a week he was shifting into a wolf. The only good thing was he was such a good tempered young man. He had very little trouble controlling the shifts. Once the sickness of it was gone he was able to change at will. He was the most beautiful wolf any of us had ever seen. Leah was beautiful. Silver and sleek but, Lile was something else entirely. He was magnificent. The first time he phased we were trying to teach him to hunt. He was having a very hard time. He just didn't like the idea of taking life, any life. We had tried to see if he could survive without the blood. Nessie seemed capable for long periods to do so. But, Lile could not live without it completely any more than she could. So he would have to learn to hunt. Edward and I went with them. We were hunting for deer.

As unappetizing as that is it was the easiest prey and Leah didn't really like eating raw either, but she would do it for Lile.

Lile had caught a deer without much effort he was an adept hunter but, he couldn't kill it. It had happened twice that day he would catch it and then let it go. This was not going well.

"I just can't do it. They're so helpless and scared. I can smell they're fear. It's awful." He had just let a doe trot warily off into the woods.

Leah wined at him. She looked at us.

"Leah wants to know if you would rather she killed them and then you could just do what you have to then." Leah had used a more colorful term but, we chose to ignore that. She was frustrated to. Lile glared at her.

"I have to do this and I will. I can't have you killing for me for the rest of our lives. That is ridic…" And he phased. He didn't seem to know it had happened. He was still arguing just inside his head.

…ulous. I am a grown man. At least sort of and I have to do this myself. I can do….why are you looking at me like that?

Edward laughed. "Because you are now standing on four feet instead of two."

What are you…He picked up a paw and looked at it. Well crap. What else is going to happen today?

We stood there looking at the most beautiful wolf we had ever seen. He was white. Solid white. He looked like fresh snow. His green eyes glowing brightly. The only deviation from the white was a dark ring around each eye and his nose also black. He was breathtaking.

Leah was grinning a wolfy grin.

Can you hear me?

Of course I can. Isn't that the way it's supposed to be. I can see myself through your eyes too. Ha! Ha! You don't look too bad yourself.

Just shut up. No more secrets for me. This is going to take some getting used to. If they can do it so can we.

She motioned at us.

Edward had a thought. I nodded, that might work. I looked at them.

"Maybe he could hunt like this. Leah. Do you remember when Jake had to help you hunt? See if you can teach Lile to give himself over to the wolf and hunt that way." Edward smiled at the two of them.

That might work, we'll try. She walked forward and rubbed noses with him then laying her head against his muzzle. Let's go hunting just you and I. This will work I have a good feeling about this, I love you.

I love you too. More than you know. He closed his eyes and, hummed.

I believe they will do better without us dear. Edward looked at me and smiled

Yes. We'll just be in the way here. Let's go home.

I walked forward. "Lile, we are going to let you two work this out. You'll do fine. I must tell you, you are the most beautiful wolf I have ever seen." I patted him on the head. He rolled his eyes. I laughed. How could he still look like Edward. His tail waved slowly. I smiled at Leah. "You take care of him." She nodded and the turned and ran. He was out of sight racing after her. We listened to their thoughts as they moved silently through the woods.

You'll never catch me, I've always been the fastest wolf in our pack.

Watch me!

We did, we watched as Lile flew around trees over and under until he caught her. She was really pushing. Then we felt his burst of speed and he was gone. Everything turned into a blur. Leah was shocked but, happy. We let them be and went home. We told the family what had happened and Alice was happy to inform us that she saw it already. She was so glad to have a child of our family that she could see. She had been getting closer and closer to seeing the wolves over the years. So now she could see Lile even if he was a wolf.

They're hunt was successful and as long as he let his wolf have rein over him he could hunt as necessary. He didn't feed exactly the way we did. It was more like wild wolves hunt but there was enough blood running through the meat that he ate raw that he would be able to survive. We spent the rest of the summer teaching him to control himself. He would finish school from home and then work on college later. It would be a while before he would be able to be comfortable around humans.

By the end of the summer we were a little worried. Not about Lile exactly just the relationship between he and Leah. They were already so close and now that they could both phase there was a problem. When they were wolves they went mostly on instinct and well… that caused a bit of a problem. They were getting a little too romantically inclined.

Edward had to sit Lile down and talk to him. It was so much fun. It was like Charlie all over again only I could really enjoy the humor because it wasn't directed at me. I was in our house laughing at my husbands discomfort when he pulled him aside.

This is hard enough Bella please stop snickering at me.

Sorry dear. I'll stop. You could always block me out.

No I haven't done that in years I'm not going to start now. Just please be quiet.

Okay, I'll do my best. I love you

And I love you

Deep breathes. It will be all right. You didn't have this much trouble with Jake.

I was too busy trying not to kill Jake. I already had my calm. Shut up.

Shutting.

Ugh!

"Lile, can I have a word?"

"Sure Edward, what's up?

Edward took a deep breathe. "I have to talk to you about something that isn't easy for me. But, I am afraid that I don't have a choice.

"Okay, what is it?" Lile smiled and sat on the couch. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No of course not. But, we have noticed that you and Leah are very close." I watched as Lile raised a brow. So much like my Edward.

"Yes?"
"Well, are you planning on asking her to marry you?" Edward looked awfully uncomfortable.

Deep breaths.

Yes dear.

Lile was smiling now. "Yes I was. Is that what this is about?" He raised a brow and chuckled. "Actually I already did. I asked her to marry me on the plane coming here at the beginning of summer. I didn't say anything and neither did she because we didn't want to spend the entire summer running from Aunt Alice. I'm sure you understand." He laughed as Edward raised both brows in surprise. "You weren't worried about us being intimate were you?" Now Edward was trying to hide his chagrin.

He laughed. I did too.

How does Jacob live with that? He is so much like you. It must drive him crazy.

Now Edward was nearly rolling. I couldn't help but run through some of the times when he had frustrated me, like the night when he had to ask me to stop taking my clothes off. I pursed my lips. He nearly fell off the couch.

Lile just sat there looking at my husband indulgently. He waited for him to calm down. It took a little while. We were still talking and every sentence sent him over the edge.

God woman you drove me crazy. It was so hard to resist you. I wanted you so desperately, and you would just push me till my limit every time.

I kept hoping you would give in. Every once in a while I got close didn't I?

He laughed and nodded. Constantly. I felt like I was walking around perpetually on guard.

After we had a few minutes to calm ourselves, Lile smiled. "Are you two done?" He was much to smart for his own good.

"Yes as a matter of fact we are." Edward looked at him a moment and frowned. His next thought had me rolling

Am I this arrogant? How irritating.

Yes but, it's cute really.

Hmmm.

Lile was frowning now. And Edward saw his thoughts and smiled. Leah was apparently as frustrating as me. I saw some of her less controlled moments I would have blushed. She was worse than me. This was really hilarious.

"Lile, I have a solution for you."

After he told him his thoughts I agreed. It would take some careful planning but, we could do it. We worked out the kinks and were on a plane by the middle of the afternoon. We were on the plane before all hell broke loose.

I was sitting with Edward and we both looked at the phone it was Alice. Even the ring was angry. I sighed. "I'll get it." I took the phone and sighed at it.

"Bella! Why are you on a plane? Why would you do this to me? You are supposed to love me. You are taking my last wedding from me." Alice sounded miserable.

"Alice calm down. Listen to me for a minute. We are just making it official you can still have your wedding. This is the wedding Leah wanted. She wanted to be married now. Lile wants the big wedding. He still wants you to start planning so everyone can be there. He wants his whole family to be at his wedding but, they needed it to be official now Alice." I tried to infuse my meaning into my words without being crass. She was silent. I could tell she was looking ahead.

"Oh." She snickered. "I thought you were bad, that woman is evil." I laughed.

After that Alice was happy. Leah and Lile were married officially at 5:30 on a Tuesday afternoon. We left them in Las Vegas to have a quiet honeymoon for a week. They came home to a lot of teasing but, they took it all in stride.

Leah only phased and attacked Emmett once. We only had to sit on her for a few minutes before she calmed down.

We had the big wedding six months later. Everyone we knew came. We actually had to charter a 737 this time. Almost the entire tribe from La Push and Calgary came. Charlie and Sue who were so happy, Seth had imprinted on a young lady who had moved into town from California. A pretty girl with big blue eyes and honey colored hair. She came to the wedding with him. It was fun to watch the wonder on her face as she saw everyone. It was like looking at myself so many years ago.

We had a great time and Alice was so happy. She was hoping for a girl out of them so she could do this again. Actually she was hoping they would have a whole troop of kids.

It didn't take Lile near as long to get a handle on the thirst as we first thought. He was able to go to college at Stanford the next year. Leah was extremely smart so she didn't have to feel left behind in the least. She actually majored in science and took valedictorian. The immediate family went to the graduation.

They headed to LA where they had both gotten jobs. Leah was working for a huge research center that dealt with gene therapy. Lile was working for himself. He had already designed a video game that had sold millions of copies based off of a tribe of Indians that turned into wolves and had to defend it against the nasty vampires. Ha!Ha! The heroine was a silver female wolf. We all liked it. It was cute Emmett actually played it. He and Rose would play against each other. It was actually an amazing game.

Their lives were happy and peaceful. There was the twinge again. I couldn't help it. Every time I thought of they're life together I felt apprehensive. It wasn't until years later that I found out what the twinge was from.

Ch3 Lile

I was in my dungeon again. That was what we both called my office. It was in the basement. I could better secure my equipment here. Not that anyone could come in here without me knowing but, corporate secrets were some of the most highly sellable. I had to be careful or all my planning would be lost to some petty thief looking for a quick sale.

It was probably a little overboard to be honest. No one was getting anywhere near this place without our senses picking them up. I took a deep breath. I smelled my wife in the kitchen. We were having steak for dinner. I had gotten used to meat. I still didn't like the idea of animals dying but, I could not ignore the thirst. I loved hunting with Leah It was like being one animal. And it felt more natural.

If we didn't have the time to hunt then I ate meat which I had gotten used to. Like the steak tonight. It took a couple of years but I didn't turn my nose up anymore.

I also smelled broccoli and mashed potatoes. Mmm. None of this made me my mouth water though. Ever since I was a teenager the summer that I gained my thirst; the only thing that did that was the smell of human blood. My thirst was mild, but there and the venom always came. I counted it as a price I paid for my extraordinary life.

My wife and I had been married ten years today. I smiled as I thought of that. I blinked upstairs and creeped up behind my young wife. She was at the sink washing a pan. Her black hair was cascading down her back. She had stopped cropping it two months ago and it was already down to her waist. She had learned to completely control her wolf form as I had. We hadn't shifted on accident in a very long time.

I stood directly behind her and leaned down to blow softly in her ear. She purred and fell back against my chest. I looked down at her sweet face.

"Hello dear. How was your day?" I pulled her more firmly into my arms as the pan lay forgotten in the sink.

"Well I went to the lab and started on the research for the new cancer inhibiter. It seems to be going well so far." She looked at me and smiled turning in my arms. "I also went to the doctor today."

I frowned. She had been ill a lot lately and tired all the time. We didn't get ill so I was worried that there was really something wrong. "What did he say?"

"Well first he said I had a fever of course." I rolled my eyes. She's lucky they didn't admit her 108 was more than a fever it was brain damage, unless you were a werewolf. "Then he took some blood and told me that I would have to be very careful for a while. Since I had such a bad fever…."

I glared at her. "So what is wrong? Leah I'm dying here just tell me what is wrong. Should I call Carlisle or Mom? Maybe Mom should look at you. I could…" She covered my mouth with a finger.

"Yes you should call all of them. But, I'm not sick. I am pregnant." I froze for a tiny part of a second then I felt a silly grin slide onto my face.

"Really?" She nodded. I framed her face then and kissed her until we were both dizzy and panting.

"I'm going to be a father?"

"Well unless someone snuck in one night yes." I frowned.

"Not funny Leah."

"Yes it was. Of course you're going to be a father and I'm going to be a mother." She started to cry then. She had been so frightened that she could not have a baby. I pulled her into my arms.

"Oh Leah I am so happy. Father was right. It was just part of the shifting. I guess we'll have to stop doing that until the baby is born.

"Yes so don't make me angry." We both laughed. We were too happy to be angry. We never seemed to fight. I knew a lot of couples did fight but, in my family there wasn't a lot of fighting. There was too much love and understanding to fight, so we called everyone to tell them the happy news.

She started seeing Mom for her appointments so we didn't have to listen about the fever issue. Everything was normal. Very human, we were getting farther and farther away from the vampire side of my family genetically but, it seemed to be extremely dominant. I knew how much I looked like my grandfather. I wasn't oblivious. We could be doppelgangers if not for the hair and skin color. And of course my green eyes, a supposed impossibility for me genetically. My parents both had brown eyes my father was Native American. Not a lot of opportunity for green traits there. Those green eyes came directly from Edward.

Carlisle told me about finding him and how much he looked like me then except for the hair.

I wondered what parts of that family would carry over into my son or daughter. The pregnancy progressed normally. No complications.

We were ecstatic. I was headed home after presenting my new game to the publishers, a sequel to the first, this time my pretty silver wolf was charged with defending the world with her friend a young vampire from the first game that turns out to be good. They run around trying to defeat the evil vampire king who uses werewolves to do his bidding. Very scary they loved it and would start mass production next week. We were supposed to visit Sue and Charlie this weekend. I was a little late but we were taking our own plane so I wasn't that worried. I just didn't like upsetting Leah.

I turned down our long drive. We lived in the mountains outside LA. I felt the hair on my neck prickle. I stopped the car, something was wrong. I climbed out of my Lexus LF and took a deep breath and felt a hiss building. Vampire; I didn't panic. My family was very deeply involved with the council so there could be a legitimate reason for this. It wasn't anyone I knew but, that didn't mean anything either.

I blinked and was in my dungeon. I took another deep breath but, as I turned I realized that wasn't necessary. My door had been torn open. I blinked to my kitchen and there was blood. I smelled Leah's blood and panic almost overwhelmed me. I couldn't imagine what was going on but, panic wouldn't help. I pulled out my phone but, it was already ringing. I answered not recognizing the number I just wanted to call my family. "Hello I'm sorry but, can I call…."

"No Carlisle I don't think I will call again. You will want to take this call." I snarled. The voice was female and musical. Not human.

All politeness gone I tried to speak without a hiss. "If you have harmed my wife in any way I will find you and I will kill you."

"Tsk…tsk. You are not in position to threaten me. I have something that you are very fond of. I do apologize for the blood. She was using a knife and I surprised her. You'll be glad to know that it has already healed. Fascinating." Her voice was pleasant; we could have been talking of the weather.

I kept the quiet menace in my voice. "I assume you know who I am. This is not an intelligent avenue for you whoever you are. My family will be very unhappy about this." I hated playing that card but, this was not a time to be prideful.

"I am counting on that dear boy. I have been crippled under your new laws long enough. I am hoping this will make them more reasonable to my ideas. I do apologize that I have to use you but, every one seems to be so very fond of you and your pretty werewolf. Now she is getting distressed. We wouldn't want to upset her so early in her pregnancy. Your family of hybrids is certainly different." I heard the snarling in the background. The phone was being moved. I could hear other voices maybe a radio.

"Lile, are you okay?" I couldn't believe she was asking about me.

"Yes love I'm fine it's you I'm worried about." I tried to listen to her voice to hear any stress beyond the norm. "The leech didn't hurt me. I couldn't phase. So I couldn't rip her head off like I would like to. But, I'm fine. Don't worry. I have to give you a message from the parasite. Aro needs to be more agreeable to her way of life." She spit that out with obvious disgust. "Oh yeah and tell Jasper hi, whatever the hell that means. I love you…" The phone was snatched away with a curse.

"Now, you, be a good boy and call your family and tell them that you really want your wife and baby back. They'll know who it is. Oh yeah and don't try to come after us. Your wife smells terrible but, I'll kill her and your baby without feeling poorly, I promise. I am not a sentimental soul." I heard my wife scoff about the existence of a soul at all. And the woman laughed quietly.

"I'll expect a call soon." The phone disconnected. I sat heavily in a chair. Why? I looked at the phone for a couple more moments then I called my grandfather. I needed to call my parents but, I wanted to get in touch with Jasper and find out who this woman was. He would apparently know. I dialed the number feeling numb. "Hello Lile how are you?"

"Not very good Edward is Jasper around?"

"Yes I'll get him." I heard him call Jasper quietly. "Can you tell me what this is about? You sound distressed. It's not the baby is it?"

"I don't know I will explain but, I need to ask Jasper something. You'll hear it anyway I need to get it out at once…" I was getting very close to the edge I could feel the anger but I couldn't afford to phase. No one would hear me then.

"Of course here he is. Jasper its Lile something is wrong." I heard Jasper take the phone.

"Yes Lile this is Jasper what is wrong? Nothing's wrong with the child is there?" I groaned.

"Not yet….Someone has taken Leah…" I heard the hiss that moved through the house. Edward would hear as well as Bella. Jasper snarled.

"Who? Why?" I groaned again this wasn't going to work. I wish I was there then this would be easier. I closed my eyes and I heard another sharp intake of breath only it was in the room with me. I jumped up to defend myself and realized I had blinked to my family's home I also realized that I wasn't sitting in a chair anymore.

I fell to the floor. "Whoa, that was wild."

Edward held his hand out to me. "I didn't think you could do that."

"Me either but, that is not important right now. Who ever this is she knows you; Jasper she made Leah tell me, to tell you hi." I stood and Esme pulled me into her comforting arms.

"We will figure this out. I promise you." I tried to believe her. I was so frightened and angry. I just cried.

Jasper was pacing back and forth and Edward was watching his every mood listening to his every thought. Bella and Alice came running in with Aunt Rose and Uncle Emmett. Carlisle came down the stairs.

Bella was in Edward's arms when all three heads snapped up. All three hissed as their teeth pulled back from their glistening teeth.

Jasper looked ready to murder. "How dare she? The fiend!"

Alice looked at me and frowned. "I don't understand why she would have done this. I can see her clearly. If not for the baby I wouldn't be able to see Leah very well but, I can see your….baby."

"Please people. Who? I'm loosing my mind here." I was really loosing it. I felt myself start to shake.

Jasper took me by the shoulder and I calmed down immediately. "It is Maria my creator. I don't understand what her point is. Why take your wife. But, it must be her."

Emmett snarled. "She wanted a bargaining chip, she tried to negotiate her territory and we wouldn't let her take over the way she wanted to. Remember, we put Demetri and Jane in charge of that area. She was very angry. Now she thinks that she can use you to get what she wants." Emmett had been there. He was part of the law enforcement for our world.

Carlisle frowned. "I will call Aro." He pulled out his phone walking away.

Edward was stiff still too angry to speak. Bella looked ready to commit murder. Her eyes were narrowed to slits. They were looking at each other intently I knew they were talking inside their minds.

"Jasper she expects you to call her." I handed the phone to him. Jasper just stared at it for a minute.

He took a deep breath and opened the phone calling the number that he didn't recognize. I heard her just as if she were speaking to me. Everyone in the house except maybe Carlisle would hear the exchange. It rang twice. "Jasper is that you?"

"This was a mistake Maria." Jasper was cold his voice like ice.

"We shall see. At least now I have your attention, don't I? I used to have your full attention but, since you met the little seer I don't seem to have any influence with you at all. So I had to do something. You understand?"

Her voice was almost pleading.

"No, I don't. What I see is that you have killed yourself. The Volturi will not stand for this. And, I realize you may not know what my family is capable of but, you will if you do not free Leah this instant. I promise you Maria you know me. You know that I tell you the truth in this. You will die if you pursue this insanity." Jasper voice was quiet but filled with menace.

Maria's tinkling laughter was a razor to my heart. I felt like my world was ending and that…creature…was laughing. I stood up and walked out of the house. My legs were stiff as I got to the edge of my family's porch.

"Jasper, you used to know me. Surely you realize that I am not bluffing. I will kill the girl and her unborn hybrid. Do not toy with me! What will your little tribe of animal killers do?" I couldn't take it anymore I phased. I paced back and forth in the front yard. My claws digging into the grass. It was the first time in my life I wanted something dead. I had never felt this way before. A red haze covered my vision. I was livid. A string of curses ran through my mind. I wanted to go home and find the scent and follow it. I wanted to kill that…

"No Lile you can't do that, you're no good to Leah dead." Bella was standing there and she was looking at me with a mothers concern.

I know but, I feel useless. Are they still talking to her. Who the hell is that person. Why is she so angry. I haver never wanted to hurt someone. I don't know how to control this, rage. She smiled at me.

"I know exactly what you mean. When the Volturi came to kill your mother I felt the same way. But, we need a plan. Let's go back inside. Stay in this form if you feel more comfortable. I nodded and padded after her into the house. Once inside I lay down. I was much too large to move around.

Jasper was looking around angrily. He felt as frustrated as I did. We just stood around for a little while waiting for Carlisle to come back from his conversation with Aro.

Alice, Bella and Edward jumped up at once. Edward looked at me. "I am going to get you some clothes. Carlisle will be done in a moment and we will be on our way to Mexico. Demetri and Jane are waiting for us." And, just like that we were on our way. We stopped to pick up my parents and then we were off in Emmett's jet. We arrived in Mexico City at seven-thirty in the evening. My wife had been a hostage for almost ten hours.

Felix met us at the plane. "I'm sorry this is happening guys. We'll figure this out." I had met Felix once at a young child. He looked at me and his mouth fell open. Any other time I would have found this highly amusing. I saw my father frown out of the corner of my eye. This did bother him a little. He had no animosity towards my grandfather anymore but, he still wished I didn't look exactly like him. Felix snickered. "Edward you certainly make an impression don't you." Edward would have laughed if he wasn't so upset. He still smiled a little as Felix shook my hand.

"Yes Felix I know now please let's get this under way. We are understandably worried." Edward solemnly answered.

"Of course I apologize. It just took me off guard for a moment. We'll be on our way then. Come along." We followed Felix to a car and then road to an old Hacienda outside of town. It had probably belonged to some Patrone at some time and then to a drug lord based on the fence surrounding it but, now it belonged to the lead member of the Volturi. Aro had settled here when the council had divided up the continents. Marcus was in Australia Aro was here and Caius had stayed in Europe. They still lived in Volterra but, they came here frequently. We were lucky Aro was actually here.

Felix hurried us through all the gates and doors soon we entered the office area and Aro was pacing. He turned and looked. "Oh thank goodness you are here. We need to sit down and discuss this. She called here too. She believes she has us in a trap. Demitri is supposed to go and see her but; I wanted to wait until you were here. We need to know what we are up against. Jasper knows more than anyone else about this young lady.

"She certainly has brass to do this?" Aro looked at Jasper.

Jasper smiled without humor. "She always had plenty of that Sir. She is a determined individual I respected her but, this is unforgivable." Aro nodded, as did the other members of the family including me. Aro looked at me and his eyebrows raised but he had more control than Felix he did not comment just shook my hand. "Young Carlisle, I am so sorry you have been brought into this. It is most unfortunate. And your wife I remember from the wedding. She is pregnant." I nodded. "How far along is she, she is not in danger of going into labor?"

"No, she is only in her second trimester." My Mom put in, she came forward and held my hand. Jake had his hand on my shoulder. I was glad for the support. This was not something I was used to. I was the lucky one in my family. Danger had not shadowed my every step as it had my mother and my grandmother.

Aro looked at me and saw my distress he could hear my heart beating frantically everyone could. "I promise you son, we will figure this out. You are like family to me. I will certainly not allow any harm to come to my family." I smiled weakly if one of the most powerful beings on the planet felt that way then maybe this would be all right….

Ch4

I did not know it but apparently the entire council had been called in to figure this out. It was a comfort to have so many powerful minds in on this. The other brothers Marcus and Caius had come. Stefan and Vladamir from Eastern Europe and Saiobahn , Liam and Maggie, the Denali clan. All of them were here. My family including the members of my fathers pack.

We sat in a huge dining room made to seat at least a hundred; we more than filled half the room. I sat in between my mother and my grandmother each holding a hand. My father and my grandfather sat on either side of them. My family fanned out from there. Vampires on one side Wolves on the other. We looked like a formidable force. Demitri and Jane had gone to bring Maria here for negotiations. I was trying very hard to keep control of my temper. I was very glad for the genetic leap that gave me my grandfathers self control today. It might offer me enough to deal with this with out phasing and ripping the bitch to pieces.

Jasper was ready to calm me if it came to that. He was very intent on me. Testing my mood, "Your very calm considering, Lile I am very proud. You seem to be very much in control of yourself."

Seth snickered. "Did he get anything other than your hair?" Jake glared at him. Seth looked away but, he was still smiling.

Bella tensed at my side. "She is coming." We listened to the quiet arrival of the woman responsible for stealing my life. I watched as the door opened. She was as pale as everyone else of the vampire persuasion in the room but she was obviously Spanish in decent. She was beautiful just as all of us were and very petite not as small as Alice but, she was small.

There was an evil light in her eyes that did not match the beauty. She was nasty. A vile creature incapable of real caring, a true definition of a vampire. My family was not what anyone would define as vampires. Not even the part of them that fed in a more normal way. They did what they needed to survive but never with cruelty or taking any enjoyment in suffering. This thing was enjoying my pain I could see it on her face. She found me and smiled. She knew that she was hurting me and she liked it.

I felt myself start to tremble. I took two deep breaths and tried to calm down. Jasper nodded respectfully to me. Bella and Mom squeezed my hand.

Aro stood and waved to a chair across from our group. She sat and Demitri sat on one side Jane on the other. Maria sat daintily in the chair.

"Well you certainly keep diverse company these days," she looked at the wolves and her pretty nose wrinkled at the smell.

Aro was all business. "Maria what exactly is it that you want, you have us all here now what are your demands?"

"What, no small talk. Well, in that case, I want to have my lands back. I was in control of Mexico I want it back." Aro looked at her brows raised.

"Do you really think this is the way to get it? We took control away from you because you were creating newborns to be your army. That is unacceptable. We are not going to accept someone just creating our kind, not controlling what they do, and then destroying them when you get tired of them. I know exactly how you won your territory. Jasper was enlightening on that point. This is why we rested control from you in the first place.

"Now I will tell you that you will get to keep what you have and not be destroyed if you give up the girl and go back to your home and do not try this again." Aro frowned at her.

Her laugh tinkled like tiny bells. "Does that work? Just talking down to me as if I am your errant child; I am the one with something you want I really think you would do better to try to deal with me and, stop trying to make me feel like a bad girl. Ask Jasper just how bad I can be. You would do better to consider my demands. The young lady would fare better to."

She looked in my eyes and smiled. "I won't kill her but, there is a lot you can live through. Especially when you heal as quickly as she does. Of course the baby would…." That was all she got out. No one had a chance to stop me. I was sitting with my family and then the next second I was on her. I phased as I blinked. I was standing over her my paws on her shoulders holding her down. My teeth millimeters from her pretty face she struggled but I was stronger. I finally realized how powerful I really was. She was very strong I could feel that. She must be very old. But, I had the strength of both my sets of ancestors. She was no match for me. My teeth bared and my ears flattened to my head. I looked in her eyes. She was livid at first hissing and writhing. She looked in my eyes and realized who I was and she saw her death. That made her still.

I heard Edward behind me. His voice filled with venom. "Yes Maria, this is the boy you were taunting. He is more powerful than any other person in this room. He has all our strengths as well as his father's abilities and some that we could never match. Do you see now why Aro tried to reason with you? You may go home you may hurt Leah but you will never escape him. He has seen you. Any where you go he can go. All he has to do is think of you and he will be where you are. If not for fear of his wife and child do you think you would be living right now? You underestimate us because we do not live our lives surrounded by bloodshed. You are wrong."

She was frightened. I grinned at her showing each and every one of my teeth. Venom dripped from my fangs. I need Jasper I am not in control. I want to kill her.

"Jasper, please." I heard Bella. Then there was a hand on my shoulder burying in my hair.

"Come Lile," Jasper said softly. I looked up at him feeling the calm sweeping through me. "Come just calm down don't try to shift back just take a deep breath and back away." He looked down at Maria.

I backed off and let her up. When she stood she was a little shaky. She crouched and prepared to strike. I braced myself and smiled planting my feet she already had scratches in her stone skin where my claws had buried in her shoulders. I would decimate her. "Enough." Caius was on his feet. "We will have order. Young Carlisle back away this instant. Jane if Maria moves drop her." He raised a brow daring us to disobey him I sighed heavily and backed away. I lay down and flopped my head on my paws. Maria twinged at the mention of Jane.

Jane smiled at her, and she sat back down. "Now can we get back to the matter at hand? I believe we have had enough excitement." Caius sounded a little breathless. I guess he didn't know about me being able to shift. I hope that didn't get my family in trouble later. I am sorry about this I tried. I looked at my grandparents. Bella smiled. "It's all right no one is mad at you." I huffed and lay my head back down.

Maria sat back down in a different chair I had broken the other one. I felt bad about that too. I sighed quietly.

"Now what were you saying. I suggest you simply tell us your terms and be realistic please. I would also warn you to refrain from threatening the woman again. I am not sure we could stop him a second time." Caius was still looking at me warily.

Maria glanced at me and I showed my teeth. She shivered. Good I wanted her to fear me. She should fear me. She had my life and happiness in her hands and I wanted it back.

"As I said I want my territory back." She straightened her hair in an attempt to regain her composure. "I am not asking for something that is not mine."

Marcus frowned. "It is not your territory we had a problem with it was your methods. You will not make packs of newborns to plague the other covens with. It is not tolerable. You have most of Central America."

"I have had to give up Mexico and I no longer control the rainforest. She glared at the Amazons.

Aro glared at her. "You never had the rainforest. And you are volatile. This is why we did not put you in control. You are proving us right with this behavior. Now we only wish to get the girl back safely but, we will not give you control. If we did it would be just until we got the girl then we would kill you anyway. Do you not see that you are in a no win situation.

"You were under the illusion that you had the upper hand." He scowled at her. "We gave you the option to give up and return the girl but, you refuse. Now we will have to take her by force." He shook his head sadly. "You have lived for a long time to have such little sense." He looked at my family. "I give you leeway to get her back however you need to. Jane I need you to take our friend and ask her where Leah is being held." Maria looked at Aro and froze then she looked slowly toward Jane who was smiling a different smile than the one I was used to. Maria fell to the floor and writhed keening. I tried to take the pleasure I knew I should but I couldn't it was a horrible sound. I had to leave the room. I jumped up and ran out.

I ran out side and paced the courtyard still hearing the screams. I heard other paws and looked up. My father was there and my mother. My fathers pack as well. We will get Leah. I promise we will.

I looked at my father. His dark eyes filled with concern I sighed and rubbed his muzzle with mine. I know Dad I know.

If I know my sister she is causing them so much grief they'll be happy to give her back. Seth was trying to make me feel better but, he was probably right. We all laughed.

After a few minutes. The screaming stopped. We looked up and listened. Aro's voice sounded tired. "Are you willing to tell us where she is?"

Maria sounded like a child; none of the confidence was there. Now she just sounded petulant. "All I wanted was for life to go back to the way it was."

Carlisle spoke now with quiet authority. "That will not happen. Just because we do not change does not mean the world doesn't change. You can not stay in the past. We all have to move forward or cease to exist."

"You won't get to her before they kill her. They are thirsty. She smells bad but the baby smells delicious." I leaped but bodies stopped me. I would have blinked but I heard my grandmother snarl.

"You worthless….let me at her. I'll kill her. I'll rip her to pieces." Bella must have tried to do the same thing I did. I did blink then. I wanted to know what was happening. I was in the middle of the room and Edward had his arms around his wife. She was glaring at Maria. Maria was crouched in the middle of the room. I slipped into a crouch of my own and prowled closer to her.

"No, This is not the way we do things." Caius was in between us. I stopped and looked at him. He was warily holding out a hand to stop me. I stood up straight. I sighed and sat down. He nodded and turned to Maria.

"You will tell us where she is and we will deal with it then we will deal with you." Maria stood up straight a defiant glare in her eye.

"They are in the mountains near Hidalgo. It won't matter." She glared but didn't finish her vile thought.

Caius looked to me and then around the room. "Now you know where to look it is up to you. We will wait for your return. Maria will stay here. Her guard has already been captured they are safe. You will be on your own. We will allow you to deal with this the way you need to."

I nodded and leaped out the window landing lightly with my wolf brothers. The rest of my family was outside with us in moments.

Carlisle frowned. "We will all need to go. We don't know what we face. If she has created another army we will need everyone we can spare."

"We will go to the airport and we can be in Hidalgo in the hour." We rushed to the airport. Everyone shifted and we put clothes on. I needed a new set. This was becoming a bad habit. I had not ruined a set of clothes in years. Now I had ruined two sets in a day and a half. Of course I guess I had my reasons.

We landed on a dirt strip outside Hidalgo. Everyone stepped out of the plane. There were five wolves, and eight and a half vampires. Bella snickered at that. I looked at her and realized that that was funny. "Well it's true." Edward was smiling.

My mom the half vampire looked around. "What?"

I looked at my feet. "Nothing Mom."

Jasper stopped everyone. "Now some of you have never encountered Newborns. Bella you never got to fight them but, you already know this. "Jake you let Lile know when he shifts you know better than anyone how strong they are." He looked at my Mom. "Nessie, you are the most vulnerable so please stay close to your parents. I know Maria. She will have a group of Newborns guarding the perimeter then a smaller circle of older more experienced vampires to hold Leah. Now let's get moving. It will be light soon."

We travelled fast. I stayed in human form. I ran just as fast and I could speak. It took us less than an hour fanning out to find a scent to follow. We trailed a group of scents that covered the whole range. We stopped at least a mile back off from a group of caves that was carved into the side of a mountain. It looked like it might have been a native dwelling at some point. You could almost see the primitive peoples going about their day.

We surrounded the area keeping in constant contact through Edward and Bella. Even from this far I could hear my wife. She had a terribly foul mouth. I usually cringed at her streaming curses when she was angry but, now it was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard.

"I am not going to tell you parasites again. Stop touching me. And could you stay over there you fucking stink. I may not be able to phase and bite your head off but, I will fucking kill you if you come near me again. Stop touching my food. You make it smell like you, you fucking piece of shit" Yes my wife had a foul mouth.

"She must be all right." Bella snickered. I nodded. Then Bella went stiff. "You need to phase Lile. Jake just came up on the first guard there are newborns out here. He just took one out no one heard it so we're still good."

I nodded again and walked to the trees I put my clothes on a limb I would worry about them later. I stepped back out.

"Okay Edward says we should start moving in." As one entity we moved in closer. I could smell my wife now. Her soft musky feminine scent was a balm to my wounded heart. I'm coming. I knew where she was I even had a sense of where she was in the room. I looked up at Bella.

When we get close I am going to phase in and put myself between her and the four that are in there. I know, I know you don't agree but, that is what I am going to do. You take care of the Newborns and come in and we'll deal with them. But, I will not sit out here when she is in there.

Bella scowled at me. "You are not a match for four experienced vampires.

No but, that is what I am doing. I looked at her.

"Just like your grandfather." She shook her head. I just looked forward and walked slowly towards the cave where my life was being kept from me.

I listened to my wolf brothers as they took care of the Newborns. I watched as Rose grabbed a young girl not more than sixteen when turned and she ripped her to pieces. I didn't want to see anymore. I concentrated on my task. My father broke into my concentration. Lile do not do anything foolish. His Alpha tone was in his voice but, it had no effect on me he knew that but he couldn't help it.

I am doing what I have to do. What would you do?

You are supposed to be more sensible than me.

I barked out a laugh and blinked to my wife's side. I was in a dark room that had been honed smoother than it started I'm sure. There was a couch and a table. Leah was standing by the table glaring at the four vampires that stood in front of the door. She jumped then looked at me and smiled. "Hi honey."

I leaned into her chest breathing deeply. She wrapped her arms around my neck. "I love you two." I looked in her eyes. She looked okay. I turned and faced her captors who were still in shock.

My teeth bared, I sank low and spread my body out feeling my limbs bunch. Leah touched me. "No," she whispered. "You can't there are four of them." I could count. I threw her a withering look. She glared right back. "You don't intend to attack them by yourself do you?" I rolled my eyes. Did she really believe that?

The vampires had recovered and were widening their stance, coming at me from all sides. "You should not have come whoever you are."

"Oh I'm sorry, my manners go right out the door when bloodsuckers are involved. This is my husband Carlisle." She glared at them.

They stood up. "I thought your husband was a Cullen. A vampire or at least part vampire." I smiled a feral grin.

"I thought you weren't stupid. I guess we were both wrong. His father is a werewolf like me you idiot." She gave the speaker a look that could peal paint.

I heard my family approaching. There had been twelve Newborns. They were gone. Only these four remained. I smiled and stood up straight.

"Gentleman, Lady, I see that we are right on time." Edward and his flawless manners; the four vampires froze and looked behind them. My family slowly filed in and surrounded the four. The wolves came in last padding quietly to my side and flanking Leah. She smiled at her brother and the rest of our pack. It was getting cramped in here.

She looked at her would be captors. "Oops. Looks like you made a mistake. Big surprise, I tried to tell that bitch that she was making a huge….fuck up.

But, no you wouldn't listen. I would imagine you are all that's left isn't that just too fucking bad." I pursed my canine lips and looked at my wife. She looked at me. "I think I've earned the right to curse a little okay." She crossed her arms over her chest. I sighed and leaned into her. She smiled.

We looked forward again. Edward was stalking forward looking very much a predator. "She is right you know. All of your young companions are dead. You can choose. Come with us and stand witness against Maria. You may live but, don't come with us and we'll rip you apart. I can't imagine you think you're much of a match for us." He looked around and back at them.

"That is what I thought." They stood up. "Every one this is Fidel, Juan, Paulo and Tomas." He pointed to each one as they glared at him.

"How do you know who we are?" Edward smiled showing every one of his perfect teeth.

"I know lots of things. Let's go I want this finished. I want to go home. I have lived a long time without conflict. I would like to return to it."

He pointed knowing that they would go. The men turned one by one toward the door. Emmett smiled at each one as they passed.

Everyone was over excited. The Newborns were very strong and more skilled than they had been used to. Emmett and Jasper were sporting bites. Bella favored an arm. Seth had three broken ribs but, he was already healing. I hated it that my family was harmed from this. But, I was glad my wife was safe.

I walked with Leah leading her to where my clothes were. She was exhausted. I could feel her stress like it was my own. I put my clothes on and turned to her she was leaning against a tree. Her stomach was a tiny swell under her dress. She was beautiful to me as always but she was hungry and tired. I walked to her and wrapped her in my arms. "I missed you." She fell into my embrace. I turned her face up to me.

"I missed you, I was so worried. I love you." I kissed her till we were both breathless then pulled her up into my arms. "Now rest love we'll be home soon." She tucked her head into my neck and sighed. She was so light in my arms. I walked out where my family waited. We ran back to the plane. We arrived back in Mexico City around nine in the morning. We stayed on the plane as Jane brought cloaks to my family.

She grinned. "Can't have you guys out here like a bunch of disco balls." We all laughed. Of course that didn't stop me or my wolf family. Just the full vampires. It took three cars but we all traveled to the Hacienda.

I kept Leah in my arms. We walked into the room where everyone waited. Aro was on his feet smiling. "Thank goodness."

Maria hissed from where she sat. Leah picked her head up just for a second to look at her with loathing. "Stupid Bitch!"

I glared at Maria and sat down on the other side of the table. "You were a fool. You should have picked on someone your own size."

She snarled and stood, looking at me with hatred. "How dare you speak to me like that? I have been on this earth for five hundred years and you speak to me like you have some knowledge of me."

"In five hundred years you should have learned something." Rosalie looked at her with disdain. "We have beaten much more frightening foes than you. You know nothing of us or you would have found some other way to deal with this."

Bella smiled mockingly. "She wanted to get back at Jasper." Maria glared at her and crouched.

"Shut up!"

"She was hurt when Jasper left and then when the council was formed and she had to see Jasper with Alice happy you wanted to hurt him and Alice. Jealousy that is what this was really about, poor Maria." She said with obvious ire.

Maria screeched and launched herself at Bella. She never made it a foot. Little Alice was on her and she was on the floor. Alice was a millimeter from her face her teeth pulled back. Her tiny frame shaking with rage; "I would love to rip you into little tiny pieces and dance around your fire." "Jasper carried the scars of his life with you for a very long time some of them he will carry forever. I would love to repeat those marks on you but, I am better than that. Now if you try to touch my sister or any other member of my family again I will make you sorry, very sorry." Alice smiled sweetly, leaped in the air did a somersault landing by Jasper's side, and taking his hand in the same fluid motion. Jasper looked at his little mate with wonder. She smiled and stood on her toes kissing him on the cheek. "I feel better now." Everyone took their first breathe since she had pounced on her.

Aro smiled and stepped forward. "Well now we have to figure out what to do with you."

I held up a hand. "Aro, I am sorry to interrupt."

"No dear boy, go ahead."

"I really need to get my wife home. Can we leave and you can just call us and let us know how it goes?" Aro smiled.

"Of course young man. I will have Felix take you home. Your family will need to stay but, we can contact you later." He walked to Leah and took her hand where she still lay clasped in my arms. "You go home and rest my dear. We are so glad you are safe."

Leah looked at his ruby eyes and frowned. "Thank you. I don't agree with the way you live but, I owe you for my baby. Thank you."

Aro nodded. "We all have our own lives and our own decisions and opinions. Thank you for your kind words and you are most welcome."

We were on a plane and on our way home within the hour. We left Felix at the airport and took a cab home. My car was still in the drive I put her in it and drove up to the house. Once inside there was a note on the table.

Dear Lile and Leah

We wanted to set this right. It is our fault after all.

We fixed the door in the basement you

will find all is in order.

We do apologize for this.

Aro

"I guess now I have to start not being rude to all the vampires." Leah said with resignation.

"Love, you just be who you are. That is good enough for me." I took her face in my hands and kissed her gently. She crushed herself to me. I smiled against her lips. "Don't you want to get some rest?"

"MmHmm, I need a shower too." She kissed my throat and I shivered. "So why don't we go do that?"

I smiled and pulled her back up into my arms. We walked slowly up the stairs. "Leah I love you. I wouldn't have known what to do if you had been hurt?"

She hugged me tightly. "I was a little scared there for a minute."

I laughed. "I was terrified the whole time."

She frowned at me. "Well at least one of us is brave."

We walked into the bathroom and I set her on her feet. I raised a brow. "Yes I guess it is good." She grinned at me.

"You looked very scary. Those idiots were scared long before the rest of them showed up." I smiled.

"You my dear are simply trying to sooth my bruised ego."

"Is it working?" I pulled her into my arms and kissed her my hands holding her tightly to me.

"I love you and I was terrified. I would have killed every vampire in Mexico to get you back." I felt the tremors of my fury.

"I know." She tucked her head into my shoulder. "Let's take a shower we both smell like vampire. I smiled.

"Mine doesn't wash off." She laughed.

"Just get your clothes off." I looked at her in mock horror.

"How forward of you wife."

She smiled. "Would you rather I did it."

We laughed and undressed to get in the hot water to wash away this horrible ordeal. I wanted my life to go back to normal. I liked peace too much to want this kind of stuff all the time.

Much later in bed I looked at my wife. "Is this what it was like for them all the time? How in the world did they cope? I was ready to break."

She smiled and looked out the window at the moon. "Between vampires and werewolves I'm really surprised that Bella and Jake especially didn't end up in the looney bin. You've heard the stories and I wasn't even there for the James thing but, yeah that is what it was like. No I wouldn't want to live that way. I am glad that this was some kind of fluke thing but, I think we may want to move closer to our family. We are very vulnerable here. I don't want our child to grow up in that atmosphere. We would be better off being close to the group." I nodded she was right. We would do that for the sake of our baby.

For the night though I just wanted to celebrate her safe return to me. I pulled her into my arms and held her close very glad to have her.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too."

We stayed in each other's arms for the rest of the night. Tomorrow would come soon enough….

Ch 5 Bella

After Lile and Leah left everyone sat down trying to be professional about all this we went over what happened and then brought in the other vampires who told of their part in it.

After that it was up to the council to decide their fate. Edward and I stayed behind with Esme and Carlisle. Everyone else headed home. That night we spent in one of Aro's many spare rooms. Of course since we don't sleep the room was fitted with a TV a computer and a lovely couch. I sent an e mail to my mom seeing how she was doing.

I told her how things were leaving out the recent events and then asked about Phil he had retired from baseball. He had cancer and was fighting it. I was worried. Mom was not going to be worth a darn if something happened to him.

I stood up and turned looking at my husband he was on the terrace. The moon light glowing on his skin, I walked to him and ran my hands up his back and laying my head against his spine. "We had a pretty good scare today."

"Yes we did. All the years I lived like this and nothing exciting happened until I met you. Now my life is a roller coaster ride." I smiled. I could feel his happiness shining through him. The remark belied his true feelings.

"You were dead bored before." He pulled me around and into his arms.

Grinning down at me, "Yes I was. You certainly changed that. I will never complain of boredom again." He framed my face with his hands. "I am more in love with you every moment. I don't even know how that is possible."

I closed my eyes and lay my head against his chest. "I'm just glad that it is." We stayed like that most of the night just enjoying the nearness, and happy that our family was safe.

The next day the guilty were sentenced to death. We knew what it would be and we didn't really feel bad but, we didn't want to watch either. The sentence was to be carried out tomorrow. We were leaving today.

Everyone hugged and said their good byes. We hopped a plane and headed home. Carlisle was considering us moving to England. Jake and the pack would stay in Canada. Lile and Leah would move with them. He really wanted to see his homeland for a while. I thought it sounded like fun really. We would decide when we got home.

Ch6 Lile

Elias Alexander Black was born weighing 8lbs and 13oz. He was a beautiful boy and another one where we had to wonder about the genetics behind our family. Leah and I had green eyes this young man's eyes were silver. It was fascinating. His temperature was normal as mine was until I changed. As the rest of the children in our strange family he was born with a full set of teeth. His skin was pale but rosy. Not the dark tan of my wife or the middle ground that mine was.

His hair was sandy blond. No clue where that came from. He was a beautiful baby and like all of us he was much too aware. It was amazing to think that this far down in our line we would have so many obvious vampire traits in our children. The werewolves were essentially human until puberty then the extra senses came into play. The vampires were so different more the product of mutation than evolution.

The whole family got together to greet the little guy to the world. Some of our friends that didn't live forever had already left this world. My parents friends Judy and Phil had passed away Phil had only lasted a few months after his sweet wife. Charlie my great grandfather had passed as well he had gone to sleep last year and had not woken up. My grandmother Sue was sad but, she had, had the chance at two happy endings; one with my grandfather, and then with my great grand father. Geez that was convoluted my family was so different.

My grandfather would always look younger than me. How weird was that?

Anyway my son grew slowly and happily. He never cried. He healed as fast as my wife. His skin was not impenetrable so I was glad he healed fast.

We put him in school like a normal child and he learned so quickly we had to keep finding more and more gifted classes to put him in. When he was in the eighth grade he was taking college courses at UBC in Vancouver.

He was aging like a human almost a little faster but, not much. He was fifteen when he hit his real growth spurt so there was no reason for anyone to notice. Some fifteen year olds would grow quickly. For that summer we stayed with my family in Calgary. The Cullen's were going to England soon so we were spending the summer with them. As he got older Elias's Hair got darker but, it was still a dark gold. His silver eyes shined at you from under his perfect brows.

Leah was so proud that she never quit smiling. We were incredibly happy. To be honest I almost felt too happy. I thanked God every day that my life was so good.

Elias was intelligent and opinionated. He was a lot like his mother. When he got his first car he stayed gone for more than twelve hours his mother was frantic. I was irritated. I blinked to him my abilities were so very convenient. I was in the kitchen watching her pace one moment the next I was in the car next to my son and he was driving in the desert.

"Hi Dad." He said mildly.

I raised a brow. "Son, Your mother is frantic." He looked at me and rolled his eyes.

"I am perfectly capable of taking…"

I stopped him. "That is not the point Elias. You mother is frantic and you are in the middle of no where more than a five hundred miles from where you are supposed to be. You are only sixteen years old. Whether our family is extraordinary or not does not mean that it is okay to drive her crazy."

He stopped the car. "I know." He sighed. I just feel like I am all alone. There is no one my own age who can possibly understand my life. My great grandfather is seventeen. Doesn't that bother you? Our family either drinks blood or turns into a wolf. How can I possibly have a normal life?" He laid his head against the steering wheel huffing loudly. "I started driving and thinking and I got so frustrated I just kept driving."

I smiled at him. I suppose he was right. I had never experienced this frustration. "Well I guess this is due to you going to public schools all your life. You feel out of place. I however grew too fast to do that. I didn't go to school until I went to college. Otherwise I was tutored by my mother. I grew up surrounded by the supernatural." I rubbed his neck roughly and patted his back.

"Why don't we spend the summer with the Cullen's before they leave for Europe you will be surrounded by people who understand you completely, and they really are great. You haven't had much time with them since we have been so busy. Holidays and a couple weeks a year is not enough to know someone, it might be fun."

He sighed heavily. "Maybe your right, at least I won't have to try not to kill anyone." I looked at my son sadly. His thirst was more pronounced than mine. He really had to work at it. Sure enough when he had hit puberty he had begun the change. He didn't seem to phase so that was something I suppose. And, he had amazing self control. He had never hurt a soul.

I was beginning to think we would never get away from that. But, there was a huge support system to help him. "Well let's go to the airport. Emmett is waiting in Salt Lake for us."

He groaned. "Alice." I nodded.

We got to the plane and Emmett was there Rose by his side a huge smile on both their faces. "So; decided to run away from home?" Emmett pulled Elias in for a big hug.

"No." He groaned again. "I just wanted to be alone. I would have come home."

Rose laughed. "Your in Utah. You live in Canada. I'd say this is more than a Sunday drive."

I patted him on the back. "Let's just load the car and we can go." He sighed heavily and drove around to the back of the jet.

Rose watched after him. She sighed and looked at me. "I know how it feels to not fit in. It was a long time before I was happy with my life. This is awfully hard to be so different, even though he isn't as different. It has still got to be hard."

I frowned. "I think maybe putting him in school from the beginning was wrong. I never felt the loneliness the separation he is feeling."

Emmett shrugged. "Maybe it's just him. People are different. God look at Edward. He hated who he was until Bella then he hated himself worse. Then he went nuts. Of course you weren't there for that. But, believe me he was crazy for a while. He wanted to be human so bad. The only thing he wanted more was Bella and that just made him crazier. Woo man you're lucky you weren't here for that."

Rose scowled at him. "He didn't want to take her life away and yet he wanted to be with her. That isn't crazy. It's hard. Our lives aren't easy."

I smiled at the Lear Jet we were about to get on and the Ferrari my son was loading onto said Jet. I raised a brow. "Oh no it's hard times."

They both laughed. "Okay well not like that but, we have to walk around not wanting our intended dinner. That would be like a fat man surrounded by cookies. And, someone standing around saying no, don't eat the cookies. You can look at it you can smell it, hell you can almost taste it but don't eat the cookies. You know what that feels like"

I nodded warily. Yes I remembered. That poor woman, I could taste her blood. I wanted it bad enough to take her life and the life of her unborn child. I didn't care. "You're right I should be easier on him. I just wish I could make this better some how."

"We'll help. Leah is on her way she'll meet us at the house." I heard my son's sigh.

"Mom's just going to yell at me." He trudged up the stairs his eyes on the steps.

We were silent on the way home. We landed on the strip and were at the house in a few minutes. We had to move a little slower because Elias wasn't as fast as us. But, we still made it there quickly.

Leah rushed out and I looked at her over his head shaking mine. She was going to let him have it but, seeing my face she stopped. He trudged to her still looking at the ground. She saw his expression and instantly softened. He pulled to a stop and waited. She put her hands on his shoulders. He was taller than her now. "Elias; look at me."

His head picked up and he looked her in the eyes. "Yes Mom?"

She smiled. "You scared me." She pulled him into her arms. "Don't do that to me again."

He was so relieved that she didn't yell he just grinned at her and wrapped his arms around her. "Okay mom okay. I really am sorry. I just started driving and thinking and I lost track. I don't sleep that much so I didn't really get tired. I promise not to do that again."

That was something else he had gained from my vampire ancesters He slept less than five hours a night. Even that was dwindling. He seemed to need less sleep as he got older. It was almost as if he was slowly becoming a vampire a little at a time. I wasn't exactly worried. Some of the best people I knew were vampires but, I had hoped for better for him.

We went inside and Alice had made up a room for him. I went to find Carlisle and Edward there were some things that I wanted to talk with them about.

Edward of course found me knowing what I wanted. "Come Lile, This is definitely something to discuss. I have already brought Carlisle up to speed." We went into Carlisle's office where he was looking out he window.

"I am sure we can help him adjust but, if you are right and he is slowly becoming one of us it could mean he will end up one of us completely. I don't know if that is possible but, it is something to think about. What is his diet like how often does he need blood?" Carlisle sat down looking at me.

Edward stood by the wall of paintings and listened to my thoughts and probably Bella's as well. Hi Bella; I thought I saw him smile. "He drinks close to a gallon a week probably. I can be more accurate since we use the container blood I started ordering. Since Leah doesn't hunt with me anymore and we all know that murdering helpless animals is not in my power it just seemed like the best way. So I order it from the slaughter house. It all tastes just as bad to me anyway. He likes it less than I do but, drinks a lot more.

"Over the last year his intake has tripled. I am not sure what to do. He is having a hard time in school. He has several friends and the girls follow him around like puppies." I put my head in my hands. "Why wasn't any of this so hard for me?"

"You have had Leah all your life. And you are right. Being surrounded by the supernatural is very easy for you because it has always been. You know he is really the first teenager that has ever been in this family. Everyone else grew up so fast they never had the chance to be filled with angst." Edward patted my shoulder.

"Bella is going to talk to him. She is a very persuasive person. Beilieve me." I looked at Edward and he grinned at something his wife said.

"Okay maybe she can get somewhere with him. I feel lost. So does his mother…."

Ch 7 Bella

Very funny Edward. I certainly never convinced you of anything. But, I do know what it feels like to be on the outside looking in. That is what I felt like all my life till I met you.

I made you feel like you belonged. I was right you are insane.

Love you too.

More each and every moment. Go find the boy.

Yes dear.

I walked outside took a deep breath and found him I ran to his side silently. "Hello Bella."

"Hello." He was sitting on a big tree limb. I had leaped and landed above him. I now dropped down lightly to sit beside him. "So you've grown, I haven't seen you in a while. Edward and I were in Australia last time you came. I'm sorry I missed you." He sighed.

"Me too." He looked at me his silver eyes flashing. "Is that what you came out here for?"

I had the decency to look chagrined. I could hear Edward listening intently feeding me encouragement. I frowned. "No it's not. I really just want to help. I know your having a hard time and I wanted to help."

"Yes, everyone wants to help." Sarcasm dripped from every word. "Do have any idea how I feel?"

I sighed. "I know exactly how you feel. I lived for seventeen years of my life feeling like an outcast. I lived in Phoenix and out of hundreds of thousands of people I don't think I had one friend, just my Mom. Then she ups and gets married. Don't get me wrong I loved your Grandpa Phil he was great but, I suddenly wasn't needed anymore. My Mom had someone. Everyone did but me."

"I move to this tiny crappy town to live with my Dad I barely know in a climate I can't stand. I loved the desert and the heat and now I was stuck in wettest place on the planet. I hated it, all the green and the wet cold rain. I go to school and I'm all alone I don't know anyone. It's half way through the semester. I never fit in anywhere. Believe me I know how it feels."

He smiled a little. "That does sound pretty sucky and they told me about that crappy truck you had to drive."

I scowled. "I loved that truck."

He grinned. "I know. But, you fit in now. You are completely happy. I can tell. You walk around half the time with this idiotic grin on your face. The rest of the time you look like your completely at peace. I don't ever feel at peace. I have all these conflicts running through my head. I go to school and they love me. They think I'm great. All of them want to be close to me. I can almost hear it. Hear what they're thinking."

I know my eyes were wide. "Can you hear them?"

"Sometimes, it seems to be getting clearer. I can't hear you. I can't hear Edward either but, sometimes Mom and Dad and the rest of them. I can hear them like whispers. Here they say what they're thinking it's honest, at school though they all lie. They follow me around but, they don't like me. The girls act like they want to know me but, they only want…well you get the idea. It's like living in a lie."As we listened to this Edward had started this way.

"Edward would like to talk to you too. He understands this better than I do. He like you had to live that way and listen to humans and they're minds for a long time." Edward was in a limb across from us. His scent wafted to me and I shivered.

"Elias when did you first notice this?"

"Last year when the thirst started."

"It seems that puberty is the main component here. Your father also gained his powers at puberty."

"So this means I'm a man now." He snickered.

"I don't know abbg it's honest. lisle. Read ooubout that. I am just trying to get a timeline set up. I can tell you that the humans do not change. They will always say one thing and do something else. It is part of being human. But, don't be surprised when you meet some of us it is the same. People lie. Our family doesn't do it as much because there is little chance for the truth to hide with Bella and I knowing what they are thinking. Alice seeing what they are doing before they do it.

I jumped in. "And, Jasper making you feel all relaxed all the time."

"Yeah I can see where dishonesty would be at a disadvantage in this house."

We nodded. "I am sorry this is happening and if you want you could finish your schooling from here. Your father had too. He never went to school until he went to college. You could do the same. We aren't going to Europe for another year."

I took his hand. He was considering it. I opened my mind and Edward's so he could see that we wanted him. So he would feel that acceptance. He smiled. "That was weird. How did you do that?"

I grinned and looked at my beautiful husband and let my shield glide back around us. Edward smiled too. "Bella has a shield that makes her mind impenetrable to people with gifts like yours and Jane you remember her. Aro as well. She and I both have it now. We have become so close that our powers are one in the same. As you know I have the ability to read thoughts Bella did not start out with that it is part of the bond that we share."

"Wow that's close." He looked away at the night his eyes wistful. "I don't know if I could ever be that close to someone?"

I took his hand and smiled at Edward. "We didn't think that either until it happened. You will find that someone when it is time, that other half that makes you whole. But, you have to be patient. Edward waited almost a hundred years for me. Carlisle waited over two hundred. So I can't promise it will be as easy as it was for your parents or your grandparents. But," I looked at this beautiful young man. "I can promise there is a woman out there that will be the perfect match for you. She might be like us or a human or even some fantastic creature none of us has heard of yet. I can tell you that we will be here and we will love you and we will wait with you, until she comes for you." I smiled at him and he smiled back.

"I do feel better. I guess I was feeling my age a little. All my teen anxiety." He grinned. "Do you want to hunt with me? I am not as fast as you but, I am good at hunting I promise." We smiled.

"Sure, we would love to. We never got to hunt with your father. His aversion to killing made it impossible." He rolled his eyes.

"I know, my dad is the weirdest vampire well part vampire. He's kind of a wimp isn't he?" We both looked at him with shock.

The next instant we both said "No. He's not."

Edward grinned. "Didn't they ever tell you about your Mom being taken hostage by evil vampires?"

He looked completely dumbfounded. "No, they didn't what happened?"

I laughed. I couldn't believe they never said anything. He thought his father was a wimp. Geez how much farther from the truth could you be. "Come on we'll let you live the memory while we travel." Edward lifted the shield and we both showed him what happened when Leah was taken captive by Maria. When we finished we were in the perfect area to hunt and Elias had a much better idea of what his father was like. And a good dose of respect.

We started hunting and Elias wasn't as fast but, he had a cunning that made up for it. He snuck up on a small brown bear and had her down before she could feel a thing. She was just gone. Edward and I found a couple of grizzlies that were already fighting each other. We came home sated mostly, and happy. We had a new respect for him as well.

I found Leah sitting on the porch much the next morning drinking a cup of coffee. "Hey,"

"Hi, you talked to him didn't you?"

"Yes, he seems to feel better."

"Thank you. I never knew he felt so alone. He doesn't talk to me." She sounded so sad.

"He's a teenager Leah. Did you talk to your mom?" She grinned.

"God no, if she knew half the things I did. She thought that I was a virgin till I married Lile. She would have lost her mind if she knew that Sam and I had…well I guess I understand what you mean. It just hurts."

"I know. It hurt my Dad when he found out about me and he was scared and worried. But, he forgave me and everything was fine. It will be that way for you too. Your son is a wonderful young man."

I laughed at my husband and repeated his thought. "Edward thinks the only reason he opened up to us is because we both look like kids."

Leah laughed too. "You're probably right. You both look younger than me by almost ten years. I at least look a reasonable age. You two couldn't buy alcohol."

I frowned. "Thanks."

She stood up and chuckled to herself all the way in the house. Well at least she feels better. I rolled my eyes.

What does it matter you don't drink anyway. You are perfect. I can't believe I am having to reassure you.

He sat down and pulled me into his arms. "This seems backwards. Aren't you usually telling me that things are so much better this way?"

"I still feel that way but, she kind of rubbed it in. I don't know it bothered me for a second. I really want to tell her Ha at least I don't have lines around my eyes. But, that would have been petty." I thought about that for a minute. "She is ageing isn't she?"

"Yes the longer periods of time between shifting and she is growing older. I think she is trying for another baby. She appears to be thirty which we know is ten years off her actual age. I worry though for Lile. He will not fare well if she continues this he is ageing though too. Very slowly but, you can see it if you look. He had stopped at twenty two or three. Now he appears to be in at least his mid twenties. So maybe they will age together, just at a slower rate." I felt a moment of sadness for that. It meant saying goodbye. "That's the way its supposed to be."

"I know, I know. It doesn't make it easier though. It really doesn't." I leaned into him and he held me close. "Are we going to tell everyone about his ability?"

"No I think he will tell them when he is ready. He has a lot to deal with. It took us some time to come to terms. Well it took everyone but, you a while to come to terms with who we are." He kissed me breathless. "You always knew what was best for you. You just had to convince the rest of us."

I laughed. "I only had to convince you. No one else mattered."

"And, I thought you were the stubborn one." He kissed me again and I let myself go just feeling. I really did hope Elias could find that some day….

Ch 8 Lile

After my grandparents spoke to Elias he seemed to do much better. He seemed to have found some kind of peace. I was glad beyond words for that. I loved my son and didn't want him to be unhappy for any reason. He never told me what they talked about and I didn't ask but, he looked at me differently like he had found out something. I couldn't fathom what it was but, it wasn't as important as his apparent happiness.

That summer was important for him. He seemed to be growing up before my eyes not physically but, mentally. He started spending a lot of time with Carlisle. I would find him in his office looking over medical journals with him. I think he was beginning to find his calling. That would make my mother very proud. And Carlisle was bursting. Of course we were happy too. Unfortunately I did worry though. His thirst was more pronounced than mine and I know how it had affected me when I had been at the hospital.

I was sitting on the porch considering this when Jasper found me. "What is wrong Lile, you are distressed."

"Well I was a little worried about the interest Elias is showing in becoming a doctor. He has a fairly strong thirst. I worry that he will do something to disappoint himself. Or worse…"

"Carlisle is a doctor and his thirst is as strong as any other vampire." He pointed out.

"Yes but, he has been doing this for hundreds of years. He's built up a tolerance." He nodded but, added.

"He didn't start out with a tolerance. Your son is much better off than I was because he has been working on his tolerance for over a year and has not ever had a mistake. He is doing as well if not better than the rest of us. If he puts his mind to it he will do fine. That is what life is about setting a goal. You can't just give up because the goal is not easy to reach you know that. This family surely knows that. Look at all of us. We are a walking contradiction. If we can do what we do every day I don't think there is anything we are not capable of. It took me a long time to accept that but, it is true. If you believe in something hard enough and long enough it will happen for you. He will find that determination if this is what he wants. It is our way." I think that was the longest speech I had ever heard him make. Jasper was quiet a lot. He just wasn't a big talker. So I really listened. It calmed me. I don't know if it was him or if it was what he said but, I felt better. After that I could enjoy my son's interest with my wife and stop worrying. She never had any doubts in her son.

At the end of the summer he took aptitude tests and they skipped a grade again. He was now a sophomore. Soon he would be off to college. The Cullen's moved to Surrey right outside of London. We took over the house here with the rest of the Canadian wolves and settled in for our son to graduate. I had put out another game and had designed a new flight simulator for NASA to use and that had taken off really well. My amazing wife had found a South American plant that could reverse several forms of cancer and was trying to get it approved.

Life was going to be okay. As my son aged and finished his high school career he became more and more like a vampire. His mind and heart were the same but, his body changed. The color slowly faded from his skin He looked more like my mother now. His heart was faster his temperature higher. He could move faster. He seemed to stop there by the time his graduation rolled around he was as much a vampire as my mother if not more. His skin had hardened. I was actually glad of that because two days after graduation a truck had jumped the median and landed on top of his Ferrari. Leah and I arrived before the ambulance he called us from under the truck unhurt but amazed his phone had survived. He wanted to lift the truck off of him but, he couldn't see if anyone was looking. He didn't want to expose us. So we watched as he lifted it only enough to crawl out and then let it fall back. We then told the paramedics and police that he had jumped from the car when he saw the truck coming, which was plausible. The east bound lane was at a standstill due to construction.

They bought it and the driver of the truck was too disoriented to notice what had happened after the crash.

It was only a week later that Leah told me the news that we were pregnant again. She was ecstatic and so was I. Elias was hoping for a sister to spoil. We had plans to visit Bella for her birthday, unfortunately Elias couldn't go he had to start school but, Bella would understand. He took us to the air port then we were off to London and then to Surrey where my other family waited…