Summary: Takes place during New Moon. Jacob is kidnapped right before his transformation to being a shape-shifter by a group of vampires running a supernatural creatures fighting ring. Will get pretty angsty – sorry.
Inspired by: New Moon and Gladiator
Disclaimer: I don't own it. There are some direct excerpts from New Moon and I'm sure you'll recognize them when you read them.
Chapter 1:
"Your heart is my piñata" – Chuck Palahniuk
Jacob POV
I pulled up next to Bella's old red truck when the first wave hit me. It felt like something in my body was shifting around – not painfully – just…unusual.
"I would invite myself in, since we're early," I said, turning to face Bella. That one look at her sent me spiraling into a fit of desperation. I yearned to spend more time with her. I could spend every second of my life with her and never get tired or long for someone else's company, but if I was getting sick, I didn't want her catch anything.
"But," I continued, my disappointment clouding my voice, "I think you might be right about the fever. I'm starting to feel a little…strange."
I had to make an effort not to blush as a worried mother-hen look crossed her face, "Oh no, not you too! Do you want me to drive you home?"
Could this get any more embarrassing?
"No," I replied as steadily as I could, shaking my head while my body continued to betray me, "I don't feel sick yet. Just…wrong. If I have to, I'll pull over." That was a lie but I couldn't have Bella trying to take care of me while I was trying to prove to her that I wasn't a kid.
The anxious look did not disappear from her face. "Will you call me as soon as you get in?"
I looked away from her and bit my lip, not wanting to reveal how much discomfort I was beginning to feel.
"Sure, sure."
She looked hesitant but opened her door to get out of the car anyway. I knew I had to salvage this, lest I look as ridiculous as Mike Newton. I grabbed her wrist.
She looked surprised. "What is it, Jake?"
I shifted nervously but was able to look at her. "There's something I want to tell you, Bella…but I think it's going to sound kind of corny."
I almost stopped myself when she let out a disappointed sigh.
"Go ahead," she urged with almost no attempt at enthusiasm.
I felt like it had to be said, even if she went inside and laughed at me and even if it confirmed her belief that I was just some kid that would never be worthy of her affection.
"It's just that, I know you're unhappy a lot." I wanted to slam my head against the steering wheel, what a dumb thing to say…I had to save this!
"And maybe it doesn't help anything, but I wanted you to know that I'm always here. I won't ever let you down – I promise that you can always count on me." Ugh this was not going the way I had hoped, I tried to smile, "Wow, that does sound corny. But you know that, right? That I would never, ever hurt you?"
She smiled patiently and I couldn't help but notice how warm and deep her brown eyes were. She was too perfect, too beautiful and good for me but I had always been ambitious. I didn't deserve her, but I wanted her more than I could say, even if she could never want me to the same degree.
"Yeah, Jake. I know that. And I already do count on you, probably more than you know."
I was terrified to let myself believe, but I knew that Bella wouldn't cruelly lead me on like this. I couldn't hold back the smile that broke out on my face, but my happiness seemed to disappoint her. I barely had time to reflect on this before another wave of – strangeness – passed through me.
"I really think I'd better go home now."
She hopped out of the car quickly and turned to shout, "Call me!" as I pulled away.
I would, the second I got home.
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"Are you sure we will find anyone worthy of Vespasian's time here?" a belligerent voice asked in what could best be described as a whine. The voice, however, was beautiful and musical despite this.
"Hush Galba!" a harsher, but no less melodic voice whispered back. "We do not need someone of enormous skill, merely a decent fighter that will last longer than that fool …what was his name?"
"Herbert?" Galba supplied.
"Ha! Yes…Herbert from North Dakota…how boring."
"But Otho!" Galba cried indignantly, "Herbert died after 5 minutes in the fight!"
"Exactly," Otho snapped, "That is why it will not be so difficult to find his replacement."
"But what will make 'so-and-so' from Washington more talented than Herbert from North Dakota?" Galba would not be easily swayed as he made a move to stand from his crouched position beside Otho.
"Do you really believe that I would risk displeasing Vespasian again?" Otho growled, pulling Galba back down, "Do you really think I neglected my research?"
Galba crouched mutely, waiting for Otho's explanation.
"There is a tribe here…Quileute, to be precise, and it is rumoured that they are no normal tribe. They have protectors amongst them…shape-shifters!" Otho smiled greedily as he imagined the fortune Vespasian would bestow upon him for such a find.
"You expect to capture a shape-shifter? Just the two of us!?" Galba cried in outrage, fearing a fight. He was a businessman, not a fighter.
"Oh Galba!" Otho cried in delight, "how little you trust me! This is a relatively new – pack – Many young ones will start their transformations and be absolutely clueless as to what is happening…as long as we grab one before they complete their transformation it should be positively simple!"
"How do you propose we-" but Galba's question was cut off as they heard the sound of tires pulling on to the gravel shoulder of the road, not 10 meters from their hiding spot.
They watched as a boy, in obvious discomfort stumbled out of his car and sat down, seemingly trying to catch his breath.
Otho looked delighted, "Galba," he whispered, too quiet for human ears to hear, "it appears luck is on our side. We need not search any longer for a little wolfling has come to us!"
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Jacob POV
I hadn't believed that what I told Bella to comfort her would actually become a necessity. I was glad that it was late and no cars would pass this road for many hours – I didn't need someone else to see me being weak.
The mild discomfort had changed to a startling pain as it felt like my bones were rearranging themselves and my muscles were morphing. My body was being stretched and it felt like torture. I was startled out of my self-pity suddenly by a voice that sounded like little fairy bells…which was pretty messed considering this person was clearly a man.
"Are you alright?" he asked pleasantly, but I felt an immediate distrust. He was tall, but not nearly my height, and oddly feline and slender. He was…beautiful, which I always found to be a strange adjective to describe a man, but it seemed apt in this case. Yet, despite his strange good looks, there was something sinister about his manner…and his scent was almost…sickening.
"I'm fine!" I snapped, trying to think of a way to scare him off, "My dad's on his way to come get me right now."
The man chuckled lightly, "Does it feel like your whole body is changing? Like you're becoming a different man, perhaps even a different creature?"
My mouth hung open in surprise and I was about to stand up and run until I noticed a movement at the back of my car. It was another man, similar in appearance, though slightly shorter.
I threw myself up and tried to run but I hadn't even taken a step before both men were on me, holding me down. I struggled but there hands were solid, like stone, and their grip was unrelenting.
"You're feisty," the shorter one grinned, "I commend you, Otho, Vespasian will enjoy him."
I spat in his face and instantly regretted it as I felt something slam into my cheek, almost like a boulder. I opened my eyes and tried to ignore the pain but neither of them appeared to have even moved an inch. I felt a primal growl growing in my throat and both men immediately began to chuckle.
"You're a good-looking boy too, Vespasian will appreciate you for more than just your temper," the tall one, Otho, leered at me.
I felt a surge of panic at his words before everything went black.
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Bella POV
I had never wanted to use Jacob, but I couldn't help but interpret the guilt I felt now to mean that I had.
Even more, I had never meant to love him. One thing I truly knew – knew in the pit of my stomach, in the center of my bones, knew it from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet, knew it deep in my empty chest – was how love gave someone the power to break you.
I'd been broken beyond repair.
But I needed Jacob now, needed him like a drug. I'd used him as a crutch for too long, and I was in deeper than I'd planned to go with anyone again. Now I couldn't bear for him to be hurt, and I couldn't keep from hurting him either. He thought time and patience would change me, and, though I knew he was dead wrong, I also knew that I would let him try.
He was my best friend. I would always love him, and it would never, ever be enough.
I went inside to sit by the phone and bite my nails.
"Movie over already?" Charlie asked in surprise when I came in.
"Mike got sick," I explained. "Some kind of stomach flu."
"You okay?"
"I feel fine now," I said doubtfully. Clearly, I'd been exposed.
I leaned against the kitchen counter, my hand inches from the phone, and tried to wait patiently. I thought of the strange look on Jacob's face as he drove away, and my fingers started drumming against the counter. I should have insisted on driving him home.
I watched the clock as the minutes ticked by. Ten. Fifteen. Even when I was driving, it only took fifteen minutes, and Jacob drove faster than I did. Twenty. Thirty.
I considered calling but I remembered what Jacob said about pulling over. Maybe he was puking at the side of the road and would head home as soon as the nausea passed.
I collapsed on the couch, waiting for the call.
Two hours after Jacob had left my driveway, the phone rang.
I jumped up and grabbed it.
"Hello?" I answered breathlessly.
"Hey Bella, is Jake there with you?" Billy's voice sounded curious but relaxed.
"No, no, no!" I whispered as fear began to cloud my senses, "he left two hours ago, he said he was feeling strange and there's this stomach flu going around."
"Strange?" Billy asked, his voice suddenly choked in fear.
"It's just a stomach flu," I answered back comfortingly, "he's probably heaving on the side of the road." An image of Mike Newton's pale and clammy face flashed in my mind.
"I'll hop in my truck and look for him," I offered, in a hope to placate my fears and Billy's worry.
"No!" Billy gasped, "No, I'll send Sam Uley and his friends out to find him. Stay at home."
I grimaced at Sam's name and grudgingly agreed as Billy hung up. It was a lie of course.
Charlie looked at me expectantly.
"Jacob didn't make it home," I told him, "I'm going to go look for him."
Charlie looked apprehensive and offered to come but I reminded him that it was just a flu and Jake would probably be embarrassed if the police chief came out looking for him. Charlie nodded in understanding and sat down on the couch while I grabbed my coat and keys and rushed out the door.
I had driving for about 8 minutes when I saw his Rabbit at the side of the road, the driver's door still open and the keys in the ignition. I pulled over and got out of my truck but I couldn't see Jacob anywhere. I was about to call his name when I heard whispers coming from the forest.
"I can smell their scent all over – leeches!" someone snarled.
I stepped lightly, praying for once in my life to be stealth. The voices sounded like they were coming closer. I saw them then, about four meters in the trees. Sam and his gang.
"What could the vampires have done with him?" another voice, it looked like Embry, whispered harshly.
I almost let out a gasp. Sam and his gang knew about vampires!
At those words, one of the gang members began shaking violently and where that person stood an enormous creature suddenly took his place. It was almost like an explosion – the boy had turned into a- a wolf! But not an ordinary wolf, an enormous wolf! The bear!
I remembered suddenly, long before I had entertained the idea of mythical creatures like vampires, Jacob had told me the old Quileute legends.
"Do you know any of our old stories, about where we came from – the Quileutes, I mean?" he asked.
"Not really," I admitted.
"One legend claims that we descended from wolves – and that the wolves are our brothers still. It's against tribal law to kill them."
"Then there are stories about the cold ones." His voice dropped a little lower.
"The cold ones?"
"Yes. There are stories of the cold ones as old as the wolf legends, and some much more recent. According to legend, my own great-grandfather knew some of them. He was the one who made the treaty that kept them off our land." Jacob rolled his eyes.
"Your great-grandfather?"
"He was a tribal elder, like my father. You see, the cold ones are the natural enemies of the wolf – well, not the wolf really, but the wolves that turn into men, like our ancestors. You would call them werewolves."
I let out a thoughtless gasp and suddenly four pairs of eyes were upon me, one set being the beady eyes of a giant – werewolf!
Sam gave a meaningful look to his gang before stepping toward me. I took a terrified step back, ready to jump into my truck and drive away. Far, far away. Were they the ones responsible for all the deaths? But, before I could take another step, Sam was at my side, holding my wrist gently but firmly.
"Bella," he spoke in a strangely calm voice, "I think you should come with us to LaPush, some things must be explained."
I gasped, "Charlie's waiting for me!"
"Hmm," he looked away thoughtfully, "tomorrow morning then. If you care about Jacob, as I assume your presence hear shows, it would be best if you came."
"Where is he?" I whispered in a strangled, small voice.
"We think he has been captured by the cold ones, though we cannot explain why or how." He looked too calm for such a dire situation.
"Captured!?" I cried fearfully. Not poor, innocent, happy Jacob. He was the last person to deserve this.
"Go home," Sam told me in an authoritative voice, "Tomorrow we may have more answers."
I nodded numbly, feeling my heart collapse again as I stumbled toward my truck. The drive home felt like a dream, my entire body felt cold and numb.
Charlie was standing in the driveway as I pulled in.
"You find him?"
I let out a sob as I shook my head.
"Sam Uley and his friends are out looking right now," I whispered before Charlie started panicking too.
"They'll find him," Charlie whispered confidently, "they know these woods better than anyone."
I couldn't bear to see Charlie's optimism when the world seemed to be falling apart again.
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Any plot suggestions? Criticisms? I would be glad to hear them.
Thanks for reading :)
