TWO FRONTS

I stayed with Leah and the twins for the rest of the night. Peter was inconsolable but also brimming with rage. Jasper took him aside from everyone, but there was no privacy to be found within several miles of the house. He convinced him to come away from the house and into the forest so they could talk. By daylight, the two of them had yet to return, but Edward and Alice assured everyone they were still out there and as well as could be expected. I'd been laying with Leah all night, watching her, wondering what I would feel, what I would do, if she were torn away from me so suddenly as Charlotte had been from Peter. I couldn't begin to imagine the scope of my grief. I slipped out of the bed, trying not to disturb her, but I knew she wasn't asleep. She'd tried after last night's events but couldn't settle. Fortunately, the twins had been convinced that everything was okay and had dozed back off. As I stood in front of the window, staring out on the morning rays casting long shadows across the landscape, she turned to me and said, "Are you okay?"

"Sort of, not really."

"What's the matter?"

"I don't know Peter, nor did I know Charlotte, but I feel terrible for him."

"I know what you mean."

"I feel selfish, too, though."

"Why?"

"Because despite the loss being his, I can only think of myself. I can only think of the danger we're in, and how I can't lose you."

She got out of bed and came to my side, looking right into my eyes. She replied, "You won't. Whatever else happens, we'll be together."

"I suppose it's your turn to reassure me."

"Maybe. Maybe I just mean if the end comes, I want us to face it together. Perhaps that's selfish of me."

"If it comes to that, there'll be nothing else for us, as long as the twins are safe."

"I love you, Jason."

"I love you, my Leah. I still believe we have a chance."

"And I trust you to do your best to make sure that chance happens, as I hope you trust me to do whatever I can."

"I know you will."

I kissed her then, gently on the lips, but it lingered a while until my keen ears picked up the tiny changes in breathing that accompanied the twins' awakening. Though Harry still didn't nod off until late, he and Chloe had taken to waking at almost exactly the same time. We made our way over to them, scooping up one each as they cleared the sleep from their eyes. I had Chloe. She laid her head on my shoulder as we carried them downstairs. She seemed a little sad. I hoped it was just sleepiness and not some awareness of what had actually happened last night. I sincerely hoped she was not like my sister in that way. Her ability, although an advantage like when she used it to calm the rising blackness, was very much a curse, as well. I just put it down to bad dreams. Chloe's sleep had been restless. Perhaps Peter's cries had scared her. Harry, though he'd been woken, too, was much less perturbed and was, as always, just looking around serenely with his scrutinising eyes. He seemed endlessly fascinated by surroundings that should be so familiar to him as to be mundane. I hugged Chloe a little closer as we reached the living area. As normal, Esme had breakfast made and set on the table. We constantly reminded her that she didn't need to do this, that we could take care of the kids' meals, but she insisted. She would always say that she didn't sleep, she enjoyed cooking, and Leah and the twin's gave her a perpetual excuse to do it. She, of course, also cooked for Renesmee, but Edward and Bella often made their own meals for her at the cottage, which they'd quickly rebuilt after the Volturi's last incursion, hoping that they hadn't done so just to have it torn down again.

They'd all sat down to some eggs and bacon with buttered toast. Esme had also made some coffee for Leah. I'd gotten used to the smell of human food by then, and it wasn't so repulsive to look at. The house was empty with the exception of us, though I could hear plenty of movement outside, most of it pacing. The loss of Charlotte this early on and at hands of someone we had hoped to enlist had shocked everyone, especially our newest vampire allies. They had all been told the odds were stacked against us, but this brought the reality of that fact into sharp focus. We had already lost one of our number, two if Peter couldn't get himself together, and without knowing Maria's motivations, there was plenty of speculation going around. I heard a few of them mumbling about the possibility that perhaps the Mexican Coven had thrown in their lot with the Volturi. My eyes darted over to the twins as some mentioned the loss of Charlotte. They seemed unaware. Perhaps they couldn't hear all the "whispers" through the walls. Thankfully, I heard none of them mention switching sides or just going on the run. I hoped that spoke more to their resolve rather than their tact. I saw Edward appear through the trees, but he drifted past the door, giving the impression of being lost in thought. Still, I couldn't miss him whisper, "Jason, a word."

I stood up slowly, placing the newspaper I'd been reading on the table, before kissing Leah on the forehead. I said, "I'll be back in a minute."

She just nodded and smiled. Perhaps she'd heard, too. I stepped outside and followed Edward back into the tree line. He seemed as pensive as he had outside the house, so maybe it hadn't been an act. I said, "What's up? Have you heard from Jasper?"

"No, but I know Peter has begun to calm down, which isn't necessarily a good thing."

"How's that?"

"He may be in control of his grief for the moment but even from here, I can sense the rage that burns within him, the desire for vengeance. He will not rest until Maria pays for her transgression, even if he has to dole out justice by himself."

"That would be suicide."

"Maybe we can think so, standing here in a reasonable state of mind but for him, there is nothing left but to avenge Charlotte. I know you've thought about this, Jason, what it would be like to lose Leah and though I have not experienced it myself and pray I never will, I know something of what it means to a vampire to lose their mate. Our feelings for each other are so much more intense than anything a human can comprehend. That means that when the worst happens, our grief is indescribable. You saw how Peter was last night. Well those were the tempestuous waters atop a fathomless ocean. He is in pain, more than he can ever hope to shed in even our indefinite lifespan. The only thing that might bring him some rest will be to see Maria pay for killing his mate."

"All right, I can't say I disagree. Why would it be bad for him to do so?"

"Because as much as I hate to say it, fighting Maria and her coven now would be a distraction from the real dangers we face. Peter will not see reason now. He will go after her, and Jasper will not see him go alone and of course, we will all support Jasper no matter what. I do not begrudge Peter his retribution, but this fight may cost us numbers which we need to build up if we are to face Aro's armies."

"I don't know. Ultimately, we may end up fighting the Mexican Coven, too, sooner or later."

"You've heard the produce of the rumour mill."

"It makes sense, Edward. All I know of Maria is that she's practically a female Aro. She's power-hungry, manipulative, and cruel. It would be more to her advantage to favour the stronger side in this war, especially if she wants to maintain her status and her domain down south."

Jasper emerged from behind a nearby tree trunk and said, "Astute assertion, Jason, and I can confirm it."

Edward seemed surprised. He said, "You mean it's true? The Mexicans have sided with the Volturi?"

"Peter confirmed it. After she subdued them both and slaughtered Charlotte by fire, she told Peter to send us a message."

"Which was?"

"That our time was at an end, we're coming for you."

"That's it?"

"She also said that Aro sends his regards."

I said, "Well, that certainly settles it."

"Indeed."

"How is Peter now?" Edward asked.

"Calm but as you said, focused on only one objective."

"Jasper, you know Peter has my sympathy, and you will always have my support, but you also know we can't go chasing after the Mexicans. Not now."

"Don't worry, Edward, I agree, which is why I convinced Peter to wait."

"You did? I'm surprised you managed that much."

"If Maria has truly sided with Aro then she will eventually bring her coven against us. One way or another, Peter will have his chance for revenge."

Edward replied, "True, but this is a blow. It would be one thing if Maria abstained but to join the Volturi against us, that'll be hard for everyone to swallow, especially the newcomers."

Jasper replied, "The Mexican Coven is quite large if loosely knit, even to this day, but it doesn't help that she has gathered so many others to her, much as we have."

I interjected. "Wait, she is building her own army?"

Jasper nodded and said, "Probably planning to join Aro's when they finally move in on us, or maybe they'll attack us on two fronts."

"Okay, knowing that, do we still think letting Maria come to us is wise?"

Edward replied, "What else can we do?"

"Well, I'm thinking we make a pre-emptive strike. It'll be hard enough to fight Aro's horde without another charging at us from the south."

"Jason, that might just weaken us before the real battle begins."

"Or it could do the opposite. Let's face it, everyone's shaken by Charlotte's loss, none more than Peter. Now he craves revenge, and he won't be able to focus until he gets it. Putting down Maria and the Mexicans will get Peter back into the right frame of mind, and it may boost the confidence of the others. Who knows? We might even be able to convince her allies that our side is the better bet. If anything, we can play to the pretty much universal dislike of the Volturi."

Edward said, "I still don't know."

Jasper replied, "His suggestion has merit, Edward. Even with her allies, we still have the Mexicans greatly outnumbered and as far as I know, they possess no abilities with which to even the odds where as we have them in abundance. I believe we can pull this off without any losses."

"We'll have to see what Carlisle and the others think."

"Of course."

"Will Peter be joining us at the house any time soon?"

"No, he wishes to be alone for now. He has control of his grief, but the suddenness with which Charlotte was taken from him, and his powerlessness to help her, still overwhelm him. Besides, until I have anything concrete to tell him, I see no point in disturbing him, or getting his hopes up."

Edward nodded then, and we all turned back to the house. We had just broken through the tree line. Far over to my right, Esme and Leah were playing with the twins out on the lawn. Carlisle, Rosalie, and Emmett were approaching them from the opposite direction, and Chloe ran into Rosalie's waiting arms. I could hear Bella and Renesmee off in the distance, coming from the direction of the cottage towards us, and the shapeshifters were out in force, both packs heading in the general direction of the house. Everybody was randomly converging as if they all sensed something was up, even though their arrival was totally coincidental. Then Alice burst from the forest to our left. She looked frantic. She said, "Jasper, it's Peter."

He placed his hands on her shoulders and asked, "What about him?"

"He's gone."

"He couldn't have. I just left him only a few minutes ago."

"He only just made the decision."

"But he was better, he agreed to wait."

"He lied so you would leave him. He thinks you won't help him, and he can't hold on until Maria comes. He's going after her, Jasper. He doesn't care if he dies."

Jasper was not best pleased. He blamed himself really. He thought he should have been able to sense Peter's deceit, but Jasper's ability limited him to sensing emotions and that Peter might feel rage towards Maria was perfectly understandable. He already had a massive head start by the time a course of action was decided upon. Running as fast as he could, there was no way any of us could close the gap before he reached the Mexican Coven's last known whereabouts. Not even Edward or I would get within sight of him, but when he stopped, we'd catch up in no more than a few minutes. We all hoped that was enough. Without question, Jasper, Edward, Emmett, and myself were going as were Carlisle, Dermot, and Garrett. We asked for other volunteers. The remaining Denalis, the Irish Coven, the Amazons, and Benjamin and Tia all offered to help. We could have used Bella, but she wouldn't be leaving Renesmee for a second in times such as this. We felt better that Rosalie, Esme, and some of the others were there to help Leah with the twins. Jacob and Seth joined up with our party, too, but we got little to no response from most of our newfound allies. They were all either uninterested in rescuing one grieving vampire or felt that it was foolhardy to risk our numbers when we were already at a disadvantage compared with the Volturi. Either way, no one stepped forward to join us, leaving us numbering twenty-two versus a possibly much larger force. We were singularly unimpressed.

We were gearing up to go. Peter's lead had already grown to fifteen minutes at this stage, and every moment lost was another in which he'd be alone against the whole Mexican Coven. Fiona came to Jasper before we left. I noticed Alistair standing off a distance near the porch. He and Fiona had developed a rather peculiar relationship in the last month, though nearly everyone wondered what exactly was going on between them. They did nothing but aggravate each other. At the start, Fiona had herded Alistair back every other day as he tried to run to the hills. His cowardice and selfishness infuriated her to no end, and her saying so riled Alistair right up. However, over the last few weeks there had been a clear mellowing trend between them. Fiona had grown less antagonistic whilst Alistair merely only threatened to run off, never actually doing it, and when he made such threats, Fiona would always say the same thing, "And where will you go, you foolish man?"

He used to react in stunned anger to that question but more recently, he seemed bashful almost whenever she said it. I wasn't sure what to make of it. The idea of Alistair and Fiona together didn't sit right with me. It was comparable to putting a lioness and a cheetah in a cage and seeing how well they got along. Not that I was in a position to judge them as a strange couple, after all, my mate wasn't even the same species as me. Well, I supposed there was no explaining love. I shivered at the thought but whatever my reservations were, I knew Dermot didn't approve, and that was putting it mildly. He favoured Alistair with a look of death every time there was any interaction between him and Fiona. I didn't know whether or not he was just being protective of his aunt or whether he actually hated the guy. All I did know was that if Alistair wanted to run, Dermot would have no trouble seeing him off.

I was standing nearby when Fiona spoke to Jasper. She said, "I thought you should know, my connection to Peter is weak because I've had limited interaction with him, but I can sense where he is."

"Fiona, if you can accurately track him, we could use your help."

"That's the thing, I'm not that precise."

"So, what is it you're saying?"

"I don't know his exact location, but I know he's no longer travelling. He's stopped."

"Already?"

"If my geography isn't completely off then he's just over the border in Oregon."

"Can you sense why he's stopped?"

"No, I cannot divine anything else but that."

Edward interjected, "He may be hunting, powering up before he confronts Maria."

Jasper shook his head and replied, "No, his emotions were in turmoil. His frame of mind would not allow him to think that coherently. Even dire hunger would be overwhelmed in his state."

Edward nodded in agreement. Jasper thanked Fiona before she came to Dermot and me. She said, "You two be safe. I want you both coming home after this is all over."

Dermot replied, "Don't be worried, auntie. We'll be home in time for dinner, or to hunt it, I guess."

She still looked concerned but embraced us both. Esme also saw me off with a hug and a similar request to come home in one piece. It didn't matter about my ability or that I'd barely left the newborn stage, she was never going to stop being the mother of our coven, the worrier. I looked around. Bella, Rosalie, and Alice were saying their goodbyes to their respective mates, as was Esme. Isolde appeared out of nowhere and pulled Dermot into a passionate embrace. I politely excused myself. Isolde was great and all, but she was a tad full on for my taste. That was, of course, when Leah arrived and pulled me into almost as fervent a kiss, though I sensed her anxiety in it. She let go just as the twins came running out of the house. I scooped both of them up into my arms. They were getting bigger, though their rate of growth was always slowing down, they looked to be several years old rather than the several months that they actually were. Chloe was becoming more like her aunt who was her namesake everyday. She reminded me of her when she was four, when she'd gotten me a birthday cake with saved up pocket money. Granted it had been a chocolate swissroll with full-sized ornamental candles from our living room stuck in it, but she did it for me, my clever little sister. I would never forget her, but I always felt like part of her had come back to me in my daughter. Chloe asked as I hugged them both, "Daddy, why are you going?"

"I'm going to help uncle Jasper get his friend, Peter, back."

"Will you be long?"

"No, sweetheart, I should be back this evening."

Harry asked, "Can we all go?"

"No, little man, strictly adults only."

Chloe then asked, "Is it because it's dangerous?"

"No, not at all. Peter is just sad right now, but we're going to get him back and make him feel better."

"Okay, you'll be quick and come home soon?"

"I will, I promise. Now go to grandma, guys. Daddy just has to talk to mommy."

Once they were with Esme and she led them inside, I said, "I love you, my Leah."

"I love you, too, Jason. I'm holding you to that promise, too."

"And I'll keep it, no matter what."

"Good…"

She looked hesitant, like there was something else she wanted to say but wasn't sure if she should at that moment. I asked, "Is there something else, Leah?"

"Yes, am, it's important, but it can wait. Alice came to me with a proposal just before her vision, and we need to discuss it. It's nothing to worry about, so don't let it distract you."

"O-kay, well, I'm sure anything Alice suggests is bound to be exciting."

"I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, but I do want your input first before we agree."

"Well now you have me intrigued."

"Just put it to the back of your mind until you're home, promise?"

"Promise."

"Be safe, and come back."

With that, she stepped up to the porch with the others as they filed into the house, waving us off as they went. I took one last look at Leah before she disappeared inside. I fell in then with the group as we took off full speed south towards the Oregon border, following Peter's trail.

Jasper was in the lead. Peter hadn't bothered to cover his tracks at all, which suggested Jasper was right about his state of mind. He was going to be careless and hard to control once we caught up with him. We hoped he hadn't continued on after we left and that we would have the opportunity to talk him down. As it was, we would have flown right past him had he not stepped into our path. We all came to an abrupt stop. As it happened, he'd stepped out right into the middle of our group, but it gave the impression that we were surrounding him. Everyone kept their distance, luckily enough, and no one made any sudden moves. Jasper walked toward his friend, radiating calm with his ability, which we could all feel, but it had its limits, and Peter's emotions might be too strong and turbulent. He said, "That won't be necessary, Jasper."

"What won't?"

"You know what. I'm not going to lose my mind or do anything crazy."

"You did run off, Peter, to face down an entire coven single-handedly."

"I did, but my plans have changed."

"How so?"

He didn't answer immediately and then said, "You know, I didn't get why she let me live when she killed Charlotte without a moment's notice. I thought she wanted me to deliver a message, but she knew I'd do nothing but try to kill her, which I did, at which point I assumed she'd kill me, too, as I'd become such an annoyance, but she didn't. She made damn sure her henchmen chased me off without doing me harm. I fought them, but they only ever hurled me forward, even when I broke off one man's arm. They actually chased me this far before I lost track of them. I considered turning around again, but the pointlessness of it all came to me in a rush, which was about when the grief set in, too. So I came back."

He was so deliberate and calm as he spoke as to be a little unsettling. Jasper asked, "What are you trying to say, Peter?"

"She's here, Jasper."

"Who? Maria?"

"They were using me to lead them to you. Maria knows you're in Washington, but not exactly where."

Edward interjected, "No, if she's aligned herself with Aro then he would have given her that information. This is something else."

"Like what?" asked Jasper.

"A trap maybe."

"Or an attack." Emmett added.

Everyone was uneasy. The prospect of a battle already was not what anyone had in mind. Jasper asked, "Peter, you weren't sure of Maria's exact numbers with everything that happened in California. Do you know now?"

"No, I did not get close enough to see, in case I was spotted."

"Where are they now?"

"Lurking several miles south of here. I think they plan to hunt, en masse."

"Such an act in a localised area is bound to draw attention."

"Who's going to punish her? The Volturi?"

Everyone grew even more unsettled. It looked likely that this was some kind of pre-emptive strike, an attempt to soften us before Aro arrived to finish the slaughter. Even though we could repel them and they'd lost the element of surprise, if they all hunted locally, it would draw unwanted attention from the humans. That was one more consideration we didn't need. It was already difficult to keep our own allies in line, trying to convince them to disperse widely and hunt away from Forks. We didn't need human search parties scouring the mountains and the forests looking for the killers and have them arrive on our doorstep. I'd hate to think what would happen in that situation. Carlisle stepped forward and said, "It would seem that the Mexicans will not be swayed from confrontation, but Jasper, you say their coven is not that cohesive."

"Indeed, there are a dozen members, including Maria, one or two mated pairs but the rest are individuals. They only associate with each other to address matters of mutual importance, usually to protect their territory from outsiders."

"But we can assume their numbers have been greatly bolstered."

"The southern states and northern Mexico are practically free of vampires as Maria cleared the territory of competition long ago. That said there are still numerous covens further south into the Yucatan, Central America, and to the east in the Caribbean islands. Many are long established covens who would rather not disrupt the status quo, and most would see upsetting the Volturi as a sure-fire way to achieve that."

"Then we have an opportunity. They all know they have to fight regardless. Aro will not give them the option of neutrality. If we can, we must convince them that our side is the better choice, if they want to ensure that they get to live as they please when this is over."

Edward added, "And that they won't just get used as cannon fodder."

"That, too. Perhaps we can even convince the Mexican Coven to submit."

Peter stepped to Carlisle, very animated all of a sudden, and said, "Carlisle, I don't care what that bitch says or concedes. She is going to pay for her crime. I will not have it any other way."

Placating him, Carlisle replied, "Of course, Peter. Maria must answer for what she has done, and I assure you that none of us will accept anything less. Even if she does try to become a turncoat, there would be no way we could tolerate her, much less trust her."

Jasper said, "Maria is the coven leader, Carlisle. Even if we can have a reasonable discourse with the Mexicans, they will never turn on her."

"Maybe they will under pressure from their allies, and if it's the difference between their lives or hers."

Peter said, "Carlisle, it's not just Maria. She merely gave the order. Her whole coven is complicit in Charlotte's death. They were the ones who subdued her, the ones who broke her body and set her remains alight. I want all of them punished."

Jasper said, "Carlisle, he's right. Maria is a master manipulator. She is more like a cult leader, and her coven mates are her devoted followers. The may associate loosely as most vampires do, but they will fight to the death to protect what Maria has them believing are their mutual interests."

Carlisle nodded gravely and said, "It would not be my first choice, but we do not have time to convince the indoctrinated. We will have to settle for drawing away their allies, if we can."

Everyone seemed to agree with Carlisle's assessment. Kate asked, "So how shall we proceed? Will we attempt an ambush?"

Jasper replied, "It's unlikely to succeed with such a large group. We're better off…"

Edward exclaimed all of a sudden, "Wait. I hear something."

Carlisle asked, "What, Edward?"

"Thoughts, of vampires." By then, we could all hear the footfalls of several dozen vampires getting nearer by the second. Everyone began to form up, facing in the direction from which they were coming. Edward said, "It seems Maria is coming to us."

Jasper looked troubled. This was not how he planned to approach this, I knew, but I wondered was this an encounter he hoped to put off indefinitely. We all knew what Maria had done to him and had made him do. I was sure Alice wouldn't have minded to be there to administer vengeance on his behalf. However, Maria's transgression against Peter was fresher, and it was for that that she would pay that day.

They arrived into forest clearing that we occupied. The city of Portland wasn't far away, and we had not left the Columbia River very far behind. They definitely outnumbered us, forming up in a circle to surround us at the perimeter of the clearing. We slowly drew into our own circular formation so that none of them could blindside us. The vampires around us were of varying Latin American and Caribbean extraction, but none of them stood out as Maria's coven. Just then, a gap appeared in the enemy line right in front of where Peter, Jasper, and Carlisle stood. I was off to the left a bit, but I could still see clearly as she marched in followed closely by her cohorts. Jasper had once said how he had come to Maria's aid when he was human, thinking she was a lady in distress. He offered her aid, but that was when she turned him. The woman I saw before me then could just as easily be mistaken for some pretty Latino girl. It was hard to believe that she was the one to win the Southern Vampire Wars, to orchestrate death on a grand scale, the one who could manipulate just as easily as she could breathe. Yet here she was, squaring up to Peter and Jasper who looked much more formidable. She was gutsy I'd give her that. She'd marched up to Peter until she was within arm's reach with her own coven mates a good few paces behind. That distance hardly mattered where vampires are concerned, but it did send a message. She didn't care how exposed she was, she wasn't afraid of us. Peter had a wild look in his eyes, but Maria smiled as though she were eternally amused. The tension between the two of them looked ready to snap until she herself broke it by saying, "Good job, Peter."

"What?" He snapped.

"I knew I could depend on you."

"I did nothing for you, bitch, but I will do the world a favour by ending your existence."

She laughed as though Peter had cracked a particularly ridiculous joke. She replied, "Oh, Peter, we both know that won't be happening today. In fact, you may find the reverse case to be true."

"I will break you, woman, should you come against me."

"Hmm, you always did say the darnedest things, Peter. Is it your bravado talking, do you think, or your grief? Poor, poor Charlotte, how terribly heart-wrenching her absence must be for you."

Peter lunged forward, but her coven mates instantly fell in around her, and Jasper and Carlisle had to hold him back by the arms. He snarled and spat, saying, "I'll kill you, Maria. I will burn you into the dirt where you belong."

"Oh, it would seem sorrow has turned to madness. Such is often the way when one loses their mate. They are consumed by revenge. It is too bad your newfound obsession will never find fulfilment, but do not despair. You're suffering shall soon be at an end."

At that point, she turned to walk away, her coven mates preparing to fall in after her. She had not batted an eye towards Jasper, as if he didn't exist. Emmett had joined Carlisle in restraining Peter, as Jasper stepped forward. He said, "Maria, I would speak with you."

She froze, turned her head to regard him, and said, "Would you really, Jasper, and what would you have to say to me, you traitorous dog?"

"Cast as many stones as you wish, but we both know who between us first contemplated betrayal."

"You did more than contemplate, Jasper Whitlock. You let that low-life go free with his newborn bitch. I should never have given in to you. Peter should have died like all the others after their first year, but no, I let him live, for I knew you had a soft spot for him. That was a sign of weakness, and I should have disposed of you then along with him, but I could not bring myself to do so. You had been so faithful a servant, helping me to achieve all my goals. I should have realised you're weakness had rubbed off on me. I let you get too close, Jasper, but now I can rid myself of the guilt that has haunted me since then."

"What are you talking about? Why did you let Peter go?"

"Because Peter is a simple creature, emotional and unrestrained, easy to goad and to lead. I knew he would initially try to take revenge, but the longer that urge went unsatisfied, the easier it would be for grief and despair to set in. I knew as those emotions peaked, he would return to you, but it would only be so long before his desire for vengeance would resurface, and he would only tolerate your hesitance to help him for so long before he took matters into his own hands. I have to say it all played out wonderfully to plan, and now he's here with you all in tow."

"This was an elaborate lure then."

"Quite."

"Why are you doing this, Maria?"

"Why have I ever done anything, Jasper?"

"You're a fool if you believe Aro will share power with you. Your alliance with him will only bring you damnation."

"I do not require more power, Jasper. I merely want things to remain as they are, which they will not if I try to abstain from this war, or join the opposing side. I'm not stupid, Jasper. I know Aro means to tear through the continent like the coming of the apocalypse, and I would much rather be a willing participant than just another conscripted pawn."

Jasper shook his head and replied, "You really are a fool, Maria, or you've just convinced yourself that volunteering out of fear and lack of choice is the same as choosing. You are just a tool to the Volturi, one which they will run into the ground just as soon as those that they forced to join their ranks." Jasper looked about and said in a raised voice, "And that goes for the rest of you, too."

There were some murmurs, shuffling, and sideways glances among Maria's recruits. The Mexicans had not even flinched. Peter had calmed somewhat by then, so Carlisle stepped forward to address the other vampires. He said, "Jasper is right. You think by siding with Maria, with Aro, that you are choosing the winning side. Perhaps that will be the case, but it is not you who will claim victory, for few of you will live to see it. You are nothing to the Mexicans, or to the Volturi, nothing but sacrificial pawns to be deployed and expended until Aro gets what he wants. Join them and I guarantee you even if they win, you will not like the world that you will find yourselves in. You want to live as you always have, for things to remain as they are, well, that is not what you are choosing right now. You are choosing to help the Volturi make the greatest power grab in the history of our kind, to expand their tyranny beyond all restraint. You are choosing to enslave yourselves to them, and under Aro's imperial rule, you will never know freedom, and you will never again know peace. The choice is still yours, however, so I urge you to make the right one."

The murmurs increased. Maria's recruits became very restless. Even the Mexicans themselves were becoming agitated, as though Carlisle's speech had awoken some shred of common sense within them. Maria was the only one who maintained her poise, though she did not speak. The silence dragged out for a minute as the tension in the group rose. Then, four of Maria's recruits stepped forward. They were all ebony-skinned with braided hair tied back severely. One was male and he came forward with a female who matched him in stature and apparent age. The other two females remained a few steps behind and were smaller and daintier than their taller counterpart was. They appeared younger, too. If I didn't know better, I would have mistaken them for a normal family. The male spoke in a thick accent, saying, "I am Najac of Haiti. This is my mate, Jessanna, and our daughters, Leila and Cassandre. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

He always spoke with a smile, his voice dripping with charm, and his introduction of his coven mates as his daughters unsettled his fellow recruits and the Mexicans. Perhaps they were a real family. The younger two did resemble their "father" and "mother". Carlisle regarded him pleasantly and said, "And you, Najac. I assume you have a question for me."

"You assume correctly. We have joined with the Mexicans in the hopes of preserving our way of life, but your words have certainly brought us a fresh perspective. My question to you is therefore quite simple. If we were to join your side, what can you offer us that the Mexicans and Volturi cannot?"

"I don't know quite what you mean."

"Let me rephrase, what guarantees can you give us? You say a world in which the Volturi have won and have absolute power will be one of servitude and terror for those of us left standing. Yet, you have not said what we can expect afterward if victory should fall to you."

Carlisle considered but a moment and replied, "For now, I can guarantee you will not be used, you will not be needlessly sacrificed, you will not be forced into any action against your will. In fact, if any of you choose to abandon Maria now and flee this place to find shelter from this storm, we will not pursue you, or press you into serving our cause instead. Do you think Aro would say the same or Maria for that matter?"

Maria looked sour, but she still did not respond. Najac regarded her with narrowed eyes but still maintained his perpetual smile. He returned his attention to Carlisle and asked, "And what about after you win? We all know the Olympic Coven is large with many powerful gifts to hand. You also have the allegiance of these shapeshifters, and you have many loyal friends among our kind, too, themselves gifted. In a world with no Volturi, that equates to a great deal of power. How do we know that you will not try to fill the vacuum left by the demise of Aro? How do we know that you will not see fit to impose your way of life upon us? We know you feed upon animals and coexist with the humans. What if that's not what we want? What if we want to return to our lives as they were before the war when all this is over?"

"Then you may do so. We are not the Volturi, Najac, nor do we have any aspirations to be. Ultimately, free will is what matters to us. We want to live how we always have without fear, without prejudice, and to finally be at peace. Aro will never let us have that, so we must fight for it, but make no mistake, just because you live as most vampires do, do not think you will be ignored by him. If your covens have gifts or anything of use to him, he will find a way to exploit it. No one will be safe until Volterra falls but when it does, so will tyranny, I promise you that."

Najac nodded, looked to his mate and then his daughters. They all nodded also and then he said, "Then you have my coven's allegiance."

They moved to our side, facing Maria and the Mexicans. She looked incensed and on the verge of exploding. The tension could not escalate much further without snapping, which I think everyone realised, at this point, was exactly what Maria wanted. She knew we'd send our most powerful players, those with strength, experience, and gifts, to chase after Peter so if it did come to a fight, we'd have an edge. I wasn't sure though how much that edge mattered right then. Even with the Haitian Coven defecting to our side, we were still outnumbered about three to one. We could still win, but we would likely incur losses, a scenario that would play in Aro's favour when the real battle began. All that was left then was to see if more recruits would switch sides or flee before Maria gave her orders.

Low and behold, it didn't take long.

Without a word to anyone, several of those who stood alone, nomads perhaps, departed in a flurry of movement, each of them heading in a different direction. This carried on for about a minute until Maria's recruits had diminished by a third. That still left us outmatched by two to one. When there were no further departures, Maria seemed ready to hand down her commands, playing her much reduced advantage while she still had it. It was then that the remainder of her recruits by some unseen signal broke the circle and gathered together. They stood with neither group but off to the side from the no man's land between us. Maria looked over both infuriated and confused, so we knew this wasn't part of her plan. One of the recruits stepped forward, a male of Hispanic extraction. He wasn't very impressive in stature, and he looked quite ordinary for a vampire. Clearly, he hadn't been much to look at in his human life. Nevertheless, he'd been designated as speaker. He clasped his hands together behind him, not making eye contact with either side, just addressing us all collectively. He said, "Well, I will be blunt. My compadres and I believe we are at an impasse. We joined with the Mexicans in hopes of preserving our ways of life and appeasing the Volturi. Yet, none of us are too keen on living in a world where Aro has even more power than he wields now. That said, we will not be so easily swayed by mere words as the Haitians have been. So, Carlisle, leader of the Olympic Coven, you may have our allegiance, but not before we evaluate your situation. We reserve the right to leave then or any time thereafter. If you are a man of your word, you will not stop us."

Carlisle replied, "I can assure you of that."

"I will vet you on your actions, not your words." He turned in Maria's direction without really looking at her. He said, "Maria, you led us to believe that a Volturi victory was assured, that those that stood with the Cullens were dooming themselves along with them, and we were only required to bolster the Guard's numbers to make for a more efficient victory. We already raised concerns over the cavalier manner with which you treated this offensive, telling us that even we alone had the Cullens and their allies outmatched. We took you at your word, a mistake we will not soon make again. Of course, we are not without reason. If, as you have said, the Cullens are to be so easily dispatched as not to be a threat to even you, then prove it. Let the mighty Mexican Coven put down the Olympians right now, and we will then grovel for your forgiveness should you win. Aro will surely award you, too, for being so cunning in drawing the enemy out into a trap."

His last few statements were heavy with sarcasm. Maria lost it. She spat and shouted, "I will make you pay for this betrayal, Javier, you mongrel dog." She turned to us, fury in her eyes, but she was still calculating, still in control. She pointed right at Jasper and yelled, "Attack!"

Her coven mates were without hesitation. They lunged forward, even though they were by then only eleven versus twenty-six. Peter and Jasper were first into the fray, followed closely by Carlisle, Dermot, Garrett, and myself. The Mexicans were vicious and experienced fighters and if it were merely a matter of skill and brawn, they might have posed a challenge, perhaps even killing a good number of us before we finally put them down. Jasper and Peter, though, had enough skill to handle them. Emmett could easily overpower any one of them, even several at once. That didn't matter, though. Once Kate, Zafrina, and I jumped in, the fight was over in moments. I used the blackness to ensnare three individuals who were posing a challenge for Carlisle and Dermot. With them immobilized, they were easily slain. Simultaneously Zafrina blinded the remaining combatants whilst Kate stunned two of them, making sure they couldn't continue fighting despite their lack of vision. Emmett and Garrett tore them all apart and began piling the remains when Peter exclaimed, "Where is she?"

I knew immediately what he meant. None of those that we had killed was Maria. Immediately, my ears picked out the sound of rapid footfalls heading away from us to the north. It was a ploy. The whole attack had been cover so she could make good her escape. If the recruits were just pawns then her own coven mates were merely the more powerful pieces, but still under her control. I wondered had they known her purpose for them. I hoped not. It was scary to think she could have that much power over the minds of others.

Peter was after her before a word could be uttered.

Jasper was not long following. I went, too. Maria had too much of a head start to be caught, but I could still snare her with the blackness if I could get close enough. I was soon overtaking Jasper and gaining ground on Peter who was just up ahead. I still had some of my newborn speed and strength, though I had definitely noticed that diminishing with time. Edward, who was the fastest among us, could finally outrun me. Still, I was closing the distance between Peter and me and up ahead, I could just make out a blur of movement disappear behind some trees. Her trickery hadn't gained her as much time as she'd hoped. Peter was only a few paces ahead as I swept ahead with sensory side of the blackness. Maria was moving fast, still heading north. Surely, she realised that escape was impossible. Her speed wasn't anything spectacular by vampire standards. Eventually, Peter would have caught up without me to trap her. Even with that realisation, I kept going, wanting to make sure that Peter got the vengeance he deserved. He was angry enough to defeat her himself, but she was tricksy enough to outwit him, especially in his enraged state. I was level with him then, and Jasper was catching up, but I didn't try to overtake, even though I could. I knew Peter would want to be the one to bring her down. Maria was close then, but she staying out of my line of sight, dodging behind trees or rocks. I could still sense her position, but I needed a clearer shot to use the physical elements of the blackness. I changed my tactics and tried to create obstacles to slow her down. I sent out a swarm of tendrils to rip at tree limbs and pull at rock faces, trying to knock them into her path. None of them could harm her and what she lacked in speed, she made up for in manoeuvrability. It didn't matter. There was only so long she could play this game. We were too close, so there was no way she could lose us. We were gaining. We were going to get the bitch. Then, ahead, Maria's position changed. She was falling. We all heard it then, a resounding splash. We cleared the trees and emerged upon a steep bank of the Colombia River. We stared down into its murky waters. Her scent trail had vanished. There was no sign of her. Peter went to dive in, but Jasper and I held him back. Jasper said, "It's no use, Peter."

"We have to try."

"Peter, she hasn't crossed the river, which means she's still in there. She could swim upstream or downstream and emerge at any point along its course. She could even swim to the ocean if she wanted."

"I could still catch her."

"Even if you guessed right which way she went, the waters are clouded. She could easily hide from you or worse, jump you."

He wasn't fighting anymore. Despair was creeping back in as he said, "Jasper, I have to. I have to make her pay. She took her from me…"

He fell against him wailing, crying in place of the tears that he was unable to shed. It was awful to behold the depths of his misery and loss. The scope of vampire emotions could bring the greatest of joys but also the deepest of sorrows. I glanced sideways at the river, sweeping it as far as I could up and down its course. The water was too chaotic with too much detritus for me to even guess what anything was. Jasper was assuring Peter that Maria would meet her reckoning eventually, but the fact was that this time, she had eluded us.