Author's Notes: It seems my brain doesn't function well with my plans. I attempted to start writing the next chapter to DemP and my mind exploded with more ideas for this chapter. Although, I wanted to focus more on Jacob here, it was important that I explain Edward's events as I go through Jacob's just to make the chapter more "hopeful".

Hopefully, I can pause at least for a day of writing on this sucker and spit out the chapter of DemP. It's been TOO long since I updated that. Thanks for reading and thanks for your patience guys.

P.S. Read carefully, quite a bit is being revealed about characters and their choices.

And with much respect to Meyer, I do not own the characters.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Chapter Two: Playing the Game

Everyone's looking at me
I'm running around in circles, baby
A quiet desperation's building higher
I've got to remember this is just a game

Jacob

The best question to ask myself was where exactly was I and which way was out? I felt pinned by pain. I gasped out, breathing in harshly as the stab increased in pressure. My ribs. Were they broken? I shifted, finally able to acknowledge that my eyes were not yet open. I was finally able to see- barely.

I was in a room. From what I could see, it was an old, abandoned one. The windows were dusty, cracked or broken. The walls were littered with what looked like spider webs and the air was mildewy and dank. I was reminded of the old, hotel room.

I coughed specks of dust, tickling my lungs and yelped out at the added pain that put on my ribs. I wasn't sure I could move. How did I get here? Did I black out? I did my best to piece together the last thing I remembered.

I remember showering. I remember the growl on the other side of the door when Edward realized it was locked. I recalled giving him a quick, dry kiss before he left with his brothers and sissters, irritating him.

I remember the phone call with Embry and the urge for fresh air.

Was this all stress? Did I somehow collapse in my efforts to stay calm and phased in a frenzy, running off somewhere?

Wolves going crazy from too much stress and worry; that is something I don't recall.

I guess there was one option left. James had a plan and it worked.

"I don't remember much of my dad, you see." I expected his casual voice, but what I heard was one that must of fit a teenage girl, possibly my age, "But I do remember going into his shop with mom." Whomever this was, she must of been having a conversation with someone else or herself. There was no way she was talking to me. I looked around the room, my eyes adjusting on a small figure. For a second, I thought it was Alice. The petite frame was so much like hers, but in the dim moonlight, she had opposite features. I inhaled, nothing burned my throat. She was human? The young girl stepped forward, long yellow hair dancing down to her waist like it had a life of its own. She looked so innocent and pure with the exception for the glowing, red eyes. Guess not.

I think I just met another one of James's friends.

"It was odd for them to be together. Not many women like my mom married men like my dad, but there was no denying they were in love." Was she psycho? What the hell was she babbling on about? "When they took me, my dad begged and pleaded. We wore not the star of David. Only him. Yet, my dear boy, I was branded. Not by the bindings of love, but by hate." I stared up at her wide-eyed, unable to tolerate the pain of moving or breathing. I was a prisoner to my broken bones. She knelt by me. The expression in her eyes were curious. I flinched when her hand shot out, collecting what I now felt as a wet, sticky goo at the corner of my mouth. She held her finger to her lips, inhaling deeply, her eyes rolling back before she licked my blood off her fingers hungerily. The suggestive gesture looked repulsive coming from a girl who looked no older than 14.

"I envy your luck." She said sweetly.

I stared at her, completely bewildered. Why were we having this conversation? "My luck? Would that be the part where your friend attacks my own or the part where my bones are broken and I'm kidnapped?"

"You must excuse Joan here." I heard the male voice, "She has a way of being poetic in storytelling. Her and Jean both are just...amusing." another set of red eyes floated toward me. I saw his face, so calm and so relieved. He looked nothing like Paul or any of the pack remembered; so visciously intent on the kill.

"I'm going to kill you." I growled.

"I don't think you're in the position to do so." He replied lightly. I made to look at the small, blonde vampire, but she was already out of sight.

"The same way I have you now, is the same way I can have him." He knelt beside me as the other bloodsucker did, "And he wouldn't see it coming. Just as he didn't see this coming." I shut my eyes, fighting off any urge to scream out in fury or cry. I couldn't let this happen to Edward. "All you have to do is behave and your precious Edward and his friends won't get hurt." He whispered gently, tucking a finger under my chin to lift it up.

I did my best to keep a leveled voice, "What do you want from me?"

He leaned in, his face merely inches from my own "Curiosity killed the cat," his thumb massaged my cheek deftly. I did my best to choke back the bile in my throat, "Must be good that I'm already dead, huh?"

I didn't reply.

"Victoria was expendable, but barely. Everyone is just so interested in you." I had a feeling he wasn't talking about himself, "Everyone will get a turn to play with the little pup."

"And what will you do?" Kill me? Maim me? Play fucking House with me. I'm sure the activities were endless.

"I wonder what Edward would think if his little pet was damaged goods." What a sick, twisted fuck, but there was nothing I could do. Anything was better than him or anyone else I cared about at harm. He could attempt to rip me apart. I'd bite down and take it. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.

Edward

Looking at her was like looking in the mirror. Her right hand was gingerly placed over heart. It wouldn't have been a miracle if it was still beating. Her eyes were glassed over as she stood that way for what was now 6 hours. Even Carlisle had no means of snapping her out of it, neither could Jasper, who was emotionally exhausted with the effort. Something about seeing her like that, brought me to life. The guilt she felt, the pain she couldn't contain if she was to move or speak. His life was ultimately my life. She would lose two of her own. That was how she seen it.

Alice seemed to work better this way as well. She continiously asked me questions, doing her best to piece together what could have occured. We ruled out the pack hours ago. Alice was more than sure it wasn't them. Something about the flash that we caught. They wouldn't do anything to him. Thinking about it made the world close in on me. Granted, I wasn't frozen in terror as I should be, but my eye sight was dimming, my body growing weary. I was slowly becoming what I should have been a century ago. Perhaps the only will I had left was to hold him in my arms, dead or alive and kill every being that had a play in this.

For the first time in two days I thought about the raven-haired woman who conveniently met me in the forest. She made it so clear that there was more than just her and James. There was another and perhaps more.

Did it ever occur to me that they had skills like her? I turned quickly to Alice, piecing everything together. The presence I felt, meeting her in the small clearing in the forest, James unexpected attack and Jacob's disappearance. One of them had a means of getting past Alice and me and even Jacob and Esme.

There was no sign of a struggle, Esme heard nothing.

Our senses were dulled.

Jasper frowned, picking up my frantic emotions, "Did something come to mind?"

"As a matter of fact..." In a gentle swift of a motion, Esme turned as I spoke, "I felt like I was being watching when I met that vampire. She knew too much to not have seen us up close. One of us would have found them. How did they know to come when most of us were gone? Why attack just Quil and Sam if they were able to infiltrate the whole entire area?"

Carlisle frowned already catching on to what I was about to say. Esme's soft eyes seemed to harden considerably. Everyone was preparing for my next words, "They have an advantage of being unseen because whomever I felt watching me has the skill to be invinsible, dulling our acute senses and they are using that to get what they want."

Carlisle's eyes met mine as a careful hand was placed over Esme's in reassurance, "The ambush on the pack was bait."

"Bait..." Alice muttered lowly to herself, "I don't understand how-"

"They wanted him away from us."

"They had a 24 hour oppurtunity there!" Emmett argued, "Why not take it then?"

I shook my head, already knowing the strategy, "They won't strike with everyone expecting it. They would wait until his down time. Until-" I felt my throat tighten again. If only I could sob, "Until I willingly left him, thinking he was safe."

Esme disappeared from Carlisle's side, "Edward." She whimpered, holding my shoulders, pulling me in a secure embrace.

"They're playing games with us." Alice said darkly.

"Well, fuck it," Emmett roared abruptly, "Game on. Are we taking them on or what?"

From under Esme's arms, I could see Rosalie scowl at Emmett's enthusiasm, "Where are we going to look?" That was the first time I ever felt or heard consideration from her to Jacob.

I pulled my body slightly away from Esme to look at everyone standing, ready, alert. It finally was occuring to me that he was one of us now. He always had been ever since he stepped foot into the house.

We were family.

And it was about time Sam and the pack saw that they were too.

"Maybe with some help we can find out." I spoke up, walking towards the front door.

"Alice," I called, "Jasper." He looked up, both walking toward me. I couldn't do this without Alice and Jasper wouldn't let her go alone without protection, "Come with me."

Jacob

I hadn't seen her since her weird introduction, but I was starting to miss her babbling compared to the constant presence of James. I still had no clear reason why I was here. I saw no one new. I remained immobile and docile in hopes that he would at least keep his word while torturing me. So far, it seemed okay.

It couldn't have been more than 6 hours since I awoken in this shithole. James was kind enough to let me rest the first three hours, but the bang of the decaying wooden door opening moments later had let me know that his patience was up. I was instantly thrown against the wall, his hard body pressing into mine as he whispered softly contrary to his death grip, "I would love more than to watch you bleed to death, but I cannot control myself even over your stink." I kept my breathing short, hoping I didn't agitate the sorenes in my healing bones.

"How unfortunate for us both." I replied sarcastically despite my not being in a position to do so.

He merely sneered, exposing some nice, white, intimidating teeth, "Yes. Very." His knee came up between my legs, settling under my ass to keep me on my feet, as his hands gripped my arm like some stone vice. His nose lightly grazed the crook of my neck as I heard him inhale deeply.

"This scent burns. It is disgusting." By the way he spoke, it seemed like he rather enjoyed it.

"Yes, yet your're so close." I choked on a yelp of pain. He was already becoming irritated with me, snapping my right arm. I had heard the crunch and was almost sure that wouldn't be fixable.

"Shh." He whispered, tracing my lips with his fingers. I shuddered. He may as well just get on with it. This "foreplay" of his wasn't exactly woody worthy. I bite my lip, keeping in any whimpers of pain. "Good boy. Hmm, it is too bad you cut off all that hair. It gave a feminine look to you." My back collided with wood. The floor groaned under the force. I would have been lucky if it crack, allowing me to fall under.

It didn't.

Instead, with vampire quickness, James was straddling me, holding my chin roughly with his thumb and fingers, keeping me from turning my head away.

"I'm sure he'll see this soon." He smirked evilly, "Say this for me: 'I want you, James.'"

"N-no." I tried against the wave of pain. He tsked at me.

"If you don't, there will be no home, no lover, no family for you. It is a very easy thing to do."

I thought for a second that my heart stopped. I won't allow that.

I closed my eyes, willing any tears of fury to keep at bay.

"Look at me." He spoke these words so gently, it was almost hard to read the crazed insanity behind them.

I bit my lip, opening my eyes. His smirked widened into a very satisfied grin. Good to see someone was enjoying themselves.I felt his thumb on my lips again, parting them to open my mouth.

I hate you, I hate you- "I want you, James." I panted out in a whisper, making it sound convincing. He wanted me to store this in my memory as a message to Edward and he was going to make sure I remember everything.

His fingers moved down to my neck, choking it tightly, as he leaned in, his lips inches from mine, "I've been denied so long. You think you can help me?"

I knew he wanted an answer, "Yes." I said obediently.

"Good dog."

Edward

"I'm not sure this is very wise." Jasper tried again, holding Alice behind him. Alice groaned it irritation. She found it unnecesary to need Jasper as protection. If anything, she thought it was wise for him to stay behind if something happened, not accompany.

"That's why you're here." I said. He heard the authority in my tone and was silent, thinking of Alice instantly. If he had to face a handful of wolves to get to her, he would and my company would be appreciated if I could help.

But he still thought of Alice. And for her safety. Her petite hand held his forearm.

"I will be fine." It didn't ease his worry, but he prepared him. He didn't want to overreact like he had once done with the wolves before.

We were better going to La Push by foot, rather than drive. I didn't want to alert the wolves to an attack and I knew there was a chance to catch one of them by patrolling the area and possibly pursuade to them that we came for the sake of Jacob, nothing else. At that moment, my realized my idea of civil confrontation just might work.

I could hear him, innocently worrying about his father and the well being of the two young men he had seen earlier. I grimaced and felt a rising heat of fury erupt from me.

"Wait here!" I bellowed. They both stopped, frowns suddenly on their faces. They weren't updated on the new information I had just acquired. It would have to wait though. Right now, I needed to be sure this one wouldn't overreact when he saw me.

I ran, following the scent and stopping abruptly when I saw the big figure behind a gathering of trees. He suddenly stopped, catching my scent. His fur stood on edge and I could see the face in mind, the face I longed to ripe apart as well.

"No," I stepped out from behind the trees, "I'm not him, but I am here because of him." The wolf turned towards me, lowering himself down, ears back as if considering an attack. I expected that, but what took me by surprise was the brief pause and the curious cock of his head as his black eyes finally took me in. He was scrambling through images and came across one that had my dead heart pulsing with warm; my face, as I held Jacob to me. A memory recycled from everyone in the pack down to this little one who may or may have not endured the conditioned hatred his pack already had for me.

Can you hear me?

"Yes, I can." I nodded, giving a reassuring smile, a weak one, but a smile nonetheless. That image he had only increased the damage I wanted to do on James if that were possible.

Good, cause I'm a little shy being naked around strangers. Where is Jacob? Everyone is looking for him. Is he with you? OH! Is he hurt, is that why you're here? He rushed, giving me no chance to answer his first question.

I closed my eyes, trying to tame myself, "What's your name?"

Seth.

"Seth," knowing his name was perhaps the only thing that would calm me down. This was a young boy, a person, just like Jacob, "Jacob is gone. We believe him to be taken by James, the same man who attacked Quil and Sam. I believe all of us, on both sides of the treaty line, have been fooled."

Sam whined, pawing the ground anxiously as he worked everything out in his head, Do you think Jacob is...

"Something tells me that they need him right now, so no," I hesitated, "But I can't be sure it'll stay that way."

How did he...? I mean, was he taken from you or...?

"That's another reason why I'm here Seth. I need to alert Sam or any of your elders about your safety. No one is safe, because what you are now looking for is undetectable."

So 'undectable' that Jacob was taken against his will under 7 vampires' noses. He caught on quickly. I nodded Uh oh. This doesn't look good.

My eyes lifted to the sky. We were running out of time. "Seth, how is Sam and Quil handling the last of the venom in them?"

He whimpered, ducking his snout down, They're dying.

I turned my head toward where Jasper and Alice waited about 10 yards away, "Alice. Jasper." I called. Within minutes they appeared, cautiously stepping towards Seth. Jasper stood in front of her, his body shielding her completely. I turned to Seth, "Take us to them." Seth nodded, turning, running across the jagged earth quickly catching on to the urgency of the situation.

I felt what was left of my sanity, slowly waning. I couldn't hold on much longer. I couldn't dedicate time to playing leader and working a stragedy when time was possibly breaking him. Alice's fingers gripped my shoulder. She saw it. It was a brief and fleeting thought, but she caught it.

Edward...please. You're doing so well, please hold on a little longer.

Jacob

It was my own screaming that woke me up. I was still in that room, but this time I had new company. We hadn't been formally introduced, but we did know each other. She stared down at me, ruby eyes ablaze with intrigue, hard fingers gripping my forearm.

"He is a mild irritance, but he is convenient." She said as if we were in mid-conversation, "But I need be thankful. It is James that ultimately led me to you." I didn't know how to view her. If my eyes served me right, she had just snapped my bones back into place.

"It would be wise not to move so much, Jacob," She said in a very dreamy voice. My eyes adjusted, noticing she had long, flowy black hair that shined. This was who Edward talked about. The woman who approached him a few days ago.

She seemed kind enough so I thought I'd ask, "Where am I?"

She didn't miss a beat, "Somewhere," She answered as if that would satisfy me, "and that should be good enough."

I chuckled dryly, finding that response pretty damn funny. In this absurd situation, she actually had an intention of being humorous. I'd like her if I wasn't broken and taken against my will.

If there was anyone I was going to expect to like in here, I thought it would have been the small vampire, "Where's that blonde girl?"

"Joan is watching James." She said faintly as if she was lost in thought.

Intresting observation, "Something tells me you and James aren't the best of friends." She smirked at my answer.

"Be what it is, I still owe him a debt," a frown passed quickly on her face, before she smiled again.

Maybe she wasn't so bad. Granted, it was obvious she killed humans and had a weird relationship with James. Maybe there was a way to see if she wasn't all...evil. "Did you know what he did to Quil and Sam?"

She nodded, "James knew Joan had been watching you carefully. He knew Joan had witnessed a pecular exchange of emotion between you and your brethren. He wanted revenge. He wanted him to turn." Whoa wait? We were being watched this entire time?

"Why the hell were you watching us?!" I growled, sitting up on the damp, wooden floor. She didn't move back at my advances, nor did she blink.

"It would be wise not to move too much with broken bones." She said, motioning me to lean against the mildew wall. I did as she instructed, waiting for an answer.

"We're curious." she said, her voice humming in that dreamy tone, "And we learn by keen observation."

"But how-" I moved my arm in efforts to move toward her. She raised an eyebrow and my arm instantly came down.

"Joan has a talent." She worded slowly.

My mind snapped to attention. I thought of Alice and her precog skill, Jasper and his emotion thingy and of course- I gulped at the thought of him. Not now. And this vampire. I remember she could see things too. So that could easily mean that her blonde friend possibly had some magic voo doo ofer her own. I thought on it for a second, trying to reenact our first meeting. She talked, walking towards me, talking of her father, the star of David. I thought she was human at first. Why?
Then it all came to me, "I couldn't smell her!" I shouted out, quickly regretting it when my ribs ached.

"Joan numbs senses. In your or any other vampire's case, that would even be the extra sensitive ones. That even includes any extra skills a vampire may have." She stopped immediately. Uh oh, I guess I was getting too much information.

"Like reading thoughts or seeing the future." I stated to myself. She nodded curtly, but didn't say anything else, "Look. Who am I going to tell? You guys have me and made it obvious that you'll do whatever you want to me. The possibility of me dying, not seeing anyone again is high, so what do you have to worry about?" And at that moment, I realized two things: I have possibly lost a bit of sanity, trying to make my capturer feel better

And.

I just might never see Edward again.

* * * *

The floor felt wet and weak under me, groaning when I hit it with force repeatedly. I sucked feverishly on my lip, making sure the liquid never left my mouth. I had bit my lip so hard in the efforts to keep from reacting to the pain, I began to break through the skin.

My body ached to the point of feeling the tugs of blackness pulling me in deeper. My entire being screamed from pain, more than my body could ever. The invisible rope between me and Edward was straining under the distance and time of seperation.

I was getting rope burn.

He leaned against me, his teeth met my skin and his lips closed around it, "I want to taste you. I want to know what it's like."

I closed my eyes, gripping my one functioning hand into a fist. My ribs weren't even healed, and yet they were getting battered in once again.

"Would this change anything?" He whispered into my ear, "Would he still want you after I'm done?"

I shuddered under him, doing my best to silence my whimper. If there was anything that broke me, it was that. He laughed visciously, forcing himself against me again, stretching my insides.

I was losing control of my body. Each limb went limp. I finally lost consciousness.

"Edward..."

I woke up screaming again. I was able to manage pushing the memory out for the past few hours while awake, but in my dreams it replayed. I shivered, thinking how much of a disappointment I was to myself. And I was doing so well. I tried again, thinking back to the conversation I had with the black haired vampire. Since she was able to open a bit of her secrets to me, I explained briefly what intrigued her the most; what tied me to Edward. How was I able to get through that without cracking the first time? No wonder I had nightmares. I shook, curling up into a ball when I took in what exactly was happening to me. I would never see him again. I'd kill myself and save them the trouble if it wasn't for the fact that James demanded I "be good". The only hope I had was that they kill me when they were done. It was too late to try to pursuade the sane, nice vamp to let me go. I was now "damaged goods" and better off dead and forgotten. Edward would understand.

I felt the sudden shiver and the familar burn. I willed myself calm. I couldn't do this, not now. Please, not now. I needed something to keep me at bay. The only thing I had. I willed my eyes closed, thinking back to the last quick, restrained kiss I gave him. I imagined that kiss growing stronger, my arms wrapping around him as he happily responded, enjoying that I was done denying him. I pictured him pulling away, kissing my face in random places as he usually did, breathing out the words, "I love you."

My body relaxed instantly, but a new wave of shudders took over me.

I could only do this once and make it quick. My throat exploded in the sob as I belted his name. I hope James enjoyed hearing this, because this was the only satisfaction he'd get.

Edward

We had waited in a small clearing only a few yards away from Jacob's home. Seth disappeared, only to come back a few minutes later dressed in jeans.

He was so young, but his face shone with what could have only been years of conditioned tolerance and a warm heart. He was definately a black sheep amongst his pack and I was forever thankful for running into him.

"I got Embry to come. He is on his way." He had an apologetic expression on his boyish face, "I'm sorry, he is really the only other person that I can trust to not freak."

"It's okay, Seth." Alice spoke sweetly beside me, "We truly appreciate your help."

His cheeks flushed under the brown skin and he stammered on, "He told me that he was suppose to meet up with Jacob. They were working on a way to find a loophole in Sam's orders."

This grabbed my attention, "Sam had orders?"

"Before he went out, Sam ordered them not to get a doctor to help him. He doesn't want others knowing. Well, Jacob was already making plans to have your dad take a look at him, but his father and the other elders won't allow it."

"And the venom?" I asked. Jasper froze at the word and Alice stared at me, upset I hadn't shared this with her.

"Alot of it was taken by Jacob, the minute he got to Quil. He said he was the only one that could, but, what's left of it is already killing them." He stopped, turning away so I couldn't see the glass effect the tears had in his eyes, "Quil won't even wake up." Jacob hadn't thought or told me this. He was keeping to Sam's orders, knowing I'd get myself involved to spare him the pain of losing them.

It seemed I was at a crossroads. I needed Jacob's pack and they unknowingly needed me. There was no use, disappearing to find Jacob when I couldn't even get a hold of his scent. His life was too important to lose myself and him at the same time.

I thought back to my quick run-a-away act after I had bitten him. Things changed. There was no running away to have a moment to myself. I get no moment. I needed to act now.

"Where's Sam and Quil?"

"At Emily's." Seth answered. He looked from Alice to me, trying to figure out what I was thinking.

"Take me to them."

Alice stepped in front of me, eyes hard and alert, "Edward, what are you going to do?"

Pursuade them?

"I'm going to take the venom out."

____________________________________________________________________

AN: Finally, you see a bit of the mysterious bad guys. There is a detailed history about them that I may never get the chance to fully reveal in the chapters, just because it'd seem too storytelling when they talk about it, but I am pretty much giving these two (Joan and the black haired woman) some layers for characterization. Hope you caught on to what Joan was discussing in the beginning. Perhaps you can even determine from what she said when she was sired.

I meant to go more into Jacob's and James's "interactions" in this chapter. They were going to be pretty painful, but I think I'll hold back until next chapter.

More will be discussed on why Jacob is "interesting" to Joan and the black haired lady and what they may need him for.

Thanks again for reading. ;)

Lyrics by 30 Seconds to Mars- A Beautiful Lie.