"Nessie," Jacob groaned, pulling away from me hesitantly. "We shouldn't."

I rolled my eyes and wrapped my hands around the back of his thick neck, looking up at him from underneath my eyelashes. Thank God I had my mom's old eyes—I knew Jake loved 'em, which meant he had an extraordinary, and useful, weakness when I wanted my way. "Aw, please, Jakie?"

He whimpered a little, his hand on my waist, and silently considered the pros and cons of continuing our fun in his empty house. Pro—I was kissing Jacob; simple and sweeter than candy. Con—my dad would probably rip his spine from his body if he caught us in this position.

We weren't having sex or anything, but leave it to the mind-reading vampire to get all angry and the kind of annoying that you only find in parents.

But we were far away from his thoughts—all the way in La Push—and as long as Jacob kept track of his head around him, my dad would never be the wiser.

My teeth raked over my lip as I grew impatient, waiting for his final decision. You would think it would be an easy choice when were young and in love—but no, not when the boy is actually the hormonally-controlled, responsible one. Kind of a reverse role play, huh? I wasn't normally like this, but it wasn't like I could look at his face and remain calm. He was beautiful and mine.

He sighed, giving into my pleading look and pressed his lips back to mine, not in a way that made me think I won. Unlike before, he was being gentle like this was for my benefit only—and to me, unsatisfying at the moment—so I pressed myself more against him.

"Ness," he yelped, pulling my hands out of his black silk hair. "You're killing me, you know that! Don't you want to take a walk on the beach or something?"

"No," I muttered, running my hands down his bare chest and watching him shudder in delight. "I want you." Heat flooded my face when I realized what I had said and what it could have sounded like. Jacob brushed his thumb over my cheeks, his eyes dark and intense, and for a moment I felt ready for...that.

He looked completely torn from doing the right thing and doing what I wanted. It looked like it was actually painful for him to refuse me. "We…um…are you hungry yet, Ness?"

At the mention of food, my stomach gave a ravenous growl. Weird. I hadn't even noticed my hunger until now; not even the slight but painful stinging in my throat. I dropped my hands and rolled away from him—it wasn't easy on his small bed, but I needed whatever distance I could get if I wanted to control myself. "Fine, let's go back home then," I grumbled.

He grinned and kissed my temple. "I love you, Nessie."

"Yeah, yeah…"

I stood up and held my hand out for him to grab it, which he took gladly. He kissed the top of my head again. "What're you hungry for? Elk, mountain lion… How about a sandwich?"

"Whichever. Do you want to race me?" I faced him and raised my eyebrows mischievously. "Try not to cry too much when I win, okay?" I challenged and he laughed. I usually won, but I wasn't yet convinced that it was fair and square. He may be a competitive guy, but he'd rather be the loser than see me defeated.

He raised his eyebrows at me like he expected me to chicken out. As if. "On your mark…set—"

"GO!" And I darted ahead of him, leaving nothing but sounds of my giggling in my wake. Jacob's paws were quiet but heavy and I knew without looking that he was at least five feet behind me, but getting closer. Our surroundings became a green blur around us, everything one color, as I weaved through the trees effortlessly. I could feel him on my heels and his excited panting on my back.

Ah, it was blissful. Every time I ran it felt like a first—which is partly because at school I have to pretend to be all slow and human. It's so boring compared to a race with Jacob.

Just as I was about to kick it up a speed, I was abruptly knocked over. I didn't even see it coming until I was pinned down. It didn't hurt, despite the thunderous sound, but I knew that fact would do little to reassure Jacob. Whoever had tackled me was ripped off like a band-aid; Jake's fierce growls and snarls roared even louder than the collision.

"IT WAS ONLY A JOKE!" A vaguely familiar voice declared. His voice was frightened. I looked up to see not a vampire like I had expected, but someone else. Someone with beautiful, rich dark skin and long dark hair in a low braid; his movements animal-like and his face god-like. His eyes were dark, but not black with thirst, and though I knew I recognized him, no name came to mind.

My brain was trying to process something obvious but unthinkable: he was someone like me.

"Oh, God...Nahuel?"

Jacob was an inch from ripping his neck off, but stopped on a dime when I spoke. Relief washed over Nahuel's face. "Oh, thank you, Renesmee. I thought I was going to be slaughtered."

I got off the soggy ground and brushed the leaves off me. A low voice rumbled in Jake's throat as he stood his ground in between us. "What are you doing here, Nahuel? Where's your aunt? Did something happen?"

Either Jacob realized there was no danger, or he was desperate for some answers—either way he was back in human form, pulling on his pair of shorts that he kept tied to his ankle for shifting. "Nessie, who is he?"

There was a very soft, almost undetectable whimper in his chest, and it made me automatically reach for his rough hand, squeezing it in mine. "He's the other hybrid. The one who saved all of our lives..." I shot Nahuel a tentative grin and he returned it shyly, heat creeping up on his copper-colored cheeks.

"I didn't do much, really. Just told them about myself. I came back to see how well maturity suits you." Jacob growled and I squeezed his hand again.

"It's been so long," I reminisced. We hadn't met on the best terms, but when we parted he had promised to visit soon. And here he was, seventeen years later. Not exactly soon, but what's time to an immortal?

"You and your coven have been in my thoughts," he murmured. In my back of my head I took note that Nahuel seemed to be ignoring Jacob completely.

"Of course you're welcome here anytime you wish—but I have a few requests, the first which being that you not tackle me in the middle of a race." He smiled sheepishly. "The second: let's go back to my house and not remain here, if that's alright with you men? My family will be ecstatic to see you again."

Nahuel nodded. "But can we forgo the running?" Nahuel asked. For the first time, I noticed the dark rings under his eyes. "I'm a bit tired—it was a long trip. Plus we have much catching up to do."