"Woof!"
Tommy Black froze, his history book suspended from his right hand as a bright white smile lit up his tanned, handsome face. He slammed his locker and turned, looking down at the diminutive dark-haired girl who was running toward him full tilt. He held out his arms and she barreled right into his chest, her feet dangling inches above the floor as his arms closed around her.
Emmy was actually his aunt, though they were only a year apart. They'd always been more like brother and sister and had spent their childhood, for the most part, together. Leah Clearwater Black, Tommy's mother, was Emmy's (much) older half sister. Today was his first day at LaPush High School, where she was a sophomore.
He set her gently on the floor and she looked up at him with a huge grin. "God, Woof, you look more like a teacher than a freshman! You sure you're only 15?"
He shook his head, smiling back at her. "And you're still a munchkin, Em," he teased. "You sure you're 16?"
Her smile dimmed slightly. "Hmmmph. I'm not that short. It just seems that way to you because of your freakish height. And what's with the deep voice? Got a frog in your throat?"
He chuckled, slightly embarrassed. His voice had deepened over the summer, so he not only towered over his classmates but sounded like an adult as well. He slung his arm around her shoulders. "Wanna walk me to homeroom? I think we're next door to each other."
She laughed, almost running to keep up with his long-legged stride. "Just wait till my friends get a look at you," she grinned. He patted the top of her head as she slipped into her homeroom. Sure enough, Pokey was waiting impatiently with one eyebrow raised.
"What? He's my nephew!" Emmy offered by way of explanation as she stashed her book bag under the desk.
"Holy shit, Emeline! You forgot to mention how good looking he is!" her friend whispered. "Didn't you say he was 15?" she asked suspiciously.
Emmy grinned. "Yes, he's 15, so keep your distance, Pocahontas!" She winced as Pokey punched her in the shoulder. Emmy knew she didn't appreciate her parents' sense of humor, and she hated her full name. Even on the reservation, the name was a cause for giggles and snide remarks. Both girls were "half breeds," but it was more obvious in Pokey's case. She had been given the unlikely handle "Pocahontas Murphy," reflecting both her mother's Native American heritage and her father's Irish ancestry.
In spite of her unfortunate nomenclature, she had lucked out physically. She'd inherited both her mother's smooth russet complexion and her father's fiery red hair and emerald green eyes. It turned out to be a striking combination.
Emmy and Pokey were waiting by Tommy's locker at the end of the day. "You two have met before," she reminded them. "It's been a while, but you were both at my 13th birthday party."
Pokey looked thoughtful, and suddenly her face brightened. "But you were a little kid then!" she laughed. "I guess you'd have been twelve at the time, all gangly arms and legs!"
Tommy blushed. "I remember you too, Pocahontas. I don't come across that many gorgeous red-headed Quileute maidens, especially with such interesting names."
"Oh my GOD, Woof! You are SO not stealing my best friend!" Emmy warned him, smiling. They maintained eye contact and continued to flirt as if she hadn't spoken.
"Speaking of unusual names," Pokey purred, "I'll bet there's an interesting story behind your nickname. Why does Emmy call you Woof?"
Tommy grinned. "It's a long story," he evaded, "for another day."
The two girls walked home together while Tommy took off in the opposite direction. Emmy knew he had a couple hours of patrol to squeeze in after school, leaving him time to do homework in the evening. He waved to them and walked quickly down the dirt road. Pokey kept looking over her shoulder to see where he was headed. "Em, is he going into the woods?" she wondered.
Emmy shrugged, her eyes straight ahead. "Not my week to watch him," she muttered, chuckling.
Tommy smiled as he entered the cool, dark forest. He quickly stepped behind a large boulder, shedding his clothes and folding them neatly before leaping smoothly into the undergrowth as a large grey wolf. He shook out his coat, trotted up to the rocky cliff, then loped onto the well-worn path that wound around the perimeter of the reservation.
He had always embraced his wolf, partly because he had been shifting since he was an infant. He loved the strength and freedom he felt running in this form, stretching his lupine muscles and eating up the forest floor with his outsized paws. He projected his thoughts toward his father as he quickly approached the checkpoint. "You can go home and take a nap now, old man," he chuckled. "Relief is on the way."
Jacob's reddish brown wolf, even larger than Tommy's, grinned wolfishly. "I can still run circles around you, kid," Jake shot back affectionately. "And, just for the record, 35 isn't old." The sight of his and Leah's first-born child, whether in wolf or human form, never failed to fill him with pride. He'd never really gotten over the wonder of him, when legend and practicality both argued against the possibility of his existence.
The birth of Tommy's twin sisters, now 13, had further confounded the elders of the tribe and forever altered their expectations of shape shifter procreation.
Sarah and Susie Black were truly identical, and they loved to dress alike and switch identities when it suited them. The only people they couldn't fool were their parents and Tommy. They especially loved to hang out with twin aunts Rachel and Rebecca. Rachel and Paul had two children, a boy and a girl, and Rebecca was happily unattached.
Sarah was helping Leah with the dishes when Jacob strode in the back door. He walked up behind Leah and, pushing her hair aside, kissed the back of her neck. "Oh, for heaven's sake, Daddy," Sarah scoffed. "Don't you two ever get tired of that stuff?"
Leah grinned, drying her hands on a dish towel before wrapping her arms around Jacob's neck and kissing him softly. "Nope," she replied.
Jake raised an eyebrow. "I think somebody's jealous," he murmured to Leah. Sarah squealed and tried to duck past Leah, but Jake caught her and lifted her in his arms, planting a sloppy kiss on her cheek. "Ewww!" she yelled as her twin came charging in from the living room and tackled Jake. He threw Sarah over his shoulder and grabbed Susie around the waist with his free hand, leaning down and noisily kissing her neck. "Gross!" she yelled, giggling.
The three of them landed in a tangled, giggling heap on the tile kitchen floor. Leah stood to the side, hands on her hips and shaking her head. "Okay, girls, don't hurt your father." She grinned and offered her hand to help Jacob up. "Sorry, but it's homework time. And I want each of you to do your own!" she warned.
Leah opened the oven and, using a dishtowel as a potholder, set a plate on the table for Jacob. She poured a cup of coffee and sat down with him. "All quiet?" she asked.
Jacob nodded, his mouth full. He swallowed and explained, "Tommy came to relieve me after school. He should be home in about an hour." Leah shook her head, smiling.
"I'd love to have this family sit down around the table all together some day," she complained good-naturedly.
No sooner was order restored in the Black house than they heard a knock at the front door. Sarah was closest, so she ran to open it. "Uncle Seth!" she chortled. "Hey, Aunt Christy!" Christy chuckled as both twins crowded around to pat her obviously pregnant stomach. Sarah leaned in and spoke directly to the baby bump. "Hey, little cousin, I can't wait to meet you! Actually, I can't wait to see if you're a girl or a boy."
Leah heard the commotion and sighed, then grinned at Jake. "I guess that homework will have to wait a little longer."
"Let Aunt Christy sit down, girls – you're smothering her!" Leah smiled at her sister-in-law and gave her brother a quick hug. "How's everything, Seth?" she whispered.
Seth returned her hug, his eyes never leaving Christy. "Everything's great, Sis. We just stopped by to share our news." He took a seat next to Christy on the couch, and Leah perched on the arm near him. Everyone looked at Christy expectantly.
"It's a boy," Christy breathed without preamble. She waited for the cheers to subside before adding softly, "We've decided to name him Embry."
Jacob, on his way in from the kitchen to see what the commotion was about, paused in the doorway and glanced at Leah. He noted her sharp intake of breath and walked to her side, sliding his arm around her shoulders. The children knew the story, but they had no memory of Embry. He had been a dear friend, only 16 when he was killed in the battle so long ago. Actually, they only knew part of the story. The adults knew he was killed by a vampire in the last battle between them and the shape shifting Quileute wolves. The Cullens had left town soon after, and Tommy had been the last member of the tribe to phase into wolf form.
Leah blinked quickly and smiled at Seth and Christy. "That's perfect," she said quietly.
The next morning, Emmy turned to close the door and almost jumped out of her skin as she detected movement right next to her elbow. "Pokey! God! You scared me half to death!"
Pokey grinned. "Sorry. I just couldn't wait till you got to school to pick your brain. I need details, Em. I can't get that big hunk of Tommy off my mind."
"Come on, Poke! It's no big mystery. He's just a guy – a sweet, kind, lovable guy. He's just…Tommy." She chuckled. "Now knock it off – you're creeping me out! He's my nephew, for heaven's sake!"
After school, the friends met at their usual corner of the building. Pokey picked up where she'd left off that morning. "So you're saying he doesn't have a girlfriend?" she asked, incredulous. "Come on, Emmy! There's gotta be some big secret here." Her face suddenly fell. "He's gay, isn't he? Yeah, that must be it. I knew it!"
Emmy shook her head, laughing. "No, as far as I know he's not gay. But he's very private, and a little shy. He's had a lot to deal with, and that's all I'm planning to say on the subject." She glanced to her right, toward the corner of the school building. "Now here he comes, so drop it!"
Tommy's smile widened as he approached. "My two favorite sophomores," he greeted them, "Emeline and Pocahontas." He slipped his arm casually around Emmy's shoulders and noticed Pokey's slight wince. "I just don't understand why you don't like your name," he chuckled, his deep voice rumbling pleasantly. "The original Pocahontas took the name Rebecca when she married John Rolfe. I guess she was trying to anglicize it, but I think that's a shame. Pocahontas is a noble and beautiful name."
Emmy elbowed him in the side. "I think that's the longest speech I've ever heard from you, Woof!" she grinned. "Now knock off the flirting and carry her books already."
Tommy colored slightly, but he picked up all three backpacks and slung them over his shoulder easily. The Black house was the first on their route, and Tommy called to Emmy as they started down the driveway. "Don't forget you're taking me into Forks after dinner. I really need some clothes…again."
Emmy waved her assent, then turned to Pokey. "I don't know why he bothers. He'll just outgrow them before he gets home," she chuckled.
Pokey's face lit up. "Hey, do you think I could hitch a ride? I need a few things for school." She tried to act casual, but Emmy saw right through her and smiled.
"Sure. We'll pick you up about seven." She grinned and waved as she turned toward her house. Sue was sweeping the porch when she got home. "Hey, Mom," Emmy greeted her, taking the broom and sweeping down the steps. "Okay if I borrow the car after dinner?" She smiled at Sue. "Guess who's outgrown all his clothes again!" Mother and daughter laughed and headed into the house together.
The three friends chatted and joked, oblivious to the endless checkout lines at Target. Finally, Tommy paid for his jeans and tee shirts and waited patiently while the girls paid for their snacks and makeup. They exited the store together, Tommy holding the door open while the girls walked easily under his outstretched arm. "Showoff!" Emmy grinned up at him.
The beautiful woman appeared as if by magic. Tommy looked both ways before stepping off the sidewalk. First there was no one there, and then there she was. He blinked, his eyes watering slightly as the acrid smell filled his nostrils. He wasn't aware of the low, menacing growl that escaped his throat, but Pokey took an involuntary step back onto the sidewalk.
"Jake," the creature breathed, her perfect lips barely moving. Then she shook her head, suddenly realizing that no scars marred his young, handsome face. And the eyes were not quite right. "No. You must be Tommy," she muttered. Her smile looked sincere, but it was chilling nonetheless. Her flawless skin resembled the color and texture of marble, and he had an urge to reach out and touch her arm. If she hadn't smelled so bad, he might actually have done it. Her crimson eyes moved to Emmy. "And Emeline. Lovely."
And then she was gone. Not walking away – just gone. She moved so quickly it seemed as if she had simply disappeared. Tommy sneezed, his sensitive nose reacting to the stench, though the humans seemed immune to it. He sank down on the curb, his head in his hands, as he breathed deeply of the fresh night air. Emmy stood beside him, her hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her, his face pale. "My God, Em. Was that…?" He glanced back at Pokey, who was frozen in place. The stranger had stood in front of her, so she hadn't seen her eyes, but the menace in her demeanor was palpable. He knew without a doubt that he'd just met his first vampire.
Emeline Swan took a deep breath. "I've seen her picture, Woof. And yes, it was my sister."