Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or Twilight. They and most of the characters I'll be using belong to their respective creators.
A/N: sorry for the delay guys but my clumsiness caught up with me and I've ended up with a badly sprained wrist that hurts like a mother…and typing with one hand, lemme tell you, is coming to be a serious pain in my ass. But it can't be helped so, yeah…it looks like I'll have to take my time with this and probably the next chapter too if I want to keep on updating this story instead of putting it on a hiatus… (le sigh) …
La Push, Washington: Quileute Reservation – Present Day
''So you see'', Ephraim began as he looked around at the pack members gathered around the bonfire, taking in their wide eyes and shocked faces as he wrapped up the story of events long since past.
''…It was the death of Carlisle's son that helped us put our differences aside'', he continued before directing his gaze onto his great-grandson: ''…I understood what he was going through…I empathized with him, with them, you could say…''
Jacob's eyebrows furrowed as he struggled internally to work through the load of information his grandfather – as he liked to refer to him – had dumped on him and the rest of the pack.
''When you say empathized…'', Sam Uley started uncertainly.
Ephraim sighed as his tired eyes sought out his second-in-command: ''I mean that I – as a father – understood what it was like to lose a child…biological or not…or as it was in my case – to almost lose one. So, I swore to myself that I would do whatever it took to help him and his family find the vampire responsible for their loss, their grief since I didn't think the silly little treaty we signed to allow them to live among the pale-faces of Forks was a 'thank you' big enough for fighting off their attackers, which they didn't have to do since they were so badly outnumbered. They could have simply ran...but they didn't. They stayed, they fought and it cost them the life of one of their own: a brother, a son...''
The pack was quiet. No one said a word.
''As it was, I offered them MY help…'', Chief Black continued, standing up as if he expected the pack, or worse yet – Jacob – to argue the decision he had made years ago, ''…because I knew this…Maria…might come back to Forks one day…which she has done several times over the years, if only to spy on both us and the Cullen's, but that still poses a serious threat to our tribe's people. SHE HAS TO DIE. I cannot and will not risk her bringing another new-born minion army onto our lands…so either join me or stay out of it all together!'', he finished with a growl as he looked at every and each wolf.
Sam nodded his head: ''I agree'', and slowly the rest of the pack conceded too – some verbally, some directing a simple nod or a smile at their Alpha as a sign of their agreement.
Ephraim sighed; feeling like a weight has been lifted off of his shoulders now that the pack knew the real story and just what exactly was at stake if they did nothing before looking at Jake who had remained almost suspiciously quiet. The Alpha of the La Push wolf-pack raised an eyebrow in silent question – ''well? Don't you have anything to say, Jacob?''
The teenage boy raised his eyes from the ground he'd been silently staring at and met his grandfather's stern gaze: ''I agree, grandpa…''
Chief Black's face mellowed out as the anger and slight annoyance left his features, surprise being the only visible emotion in the older man's eyes.
''Excuse me?'', he asked, his voice laden thickly with the disbelief he felt.
Jacob rolled his eyes: ''I said I agree with you…'', the young wolf repeated, his voice coming off strong and sure. ''She needs to die and so she will. Now…'', here he stopped to gather his thoughts: ''…can you tell me – can you tell us – what Carlisle wanted when he called earlier?'', Jake inquired curiously as he only heard the very end of the conversation between his grandfather and the vampire doctor before the explosive argument over the call in general had ensued.
Ephraim considered his grandson's request before conceding with a swift nod of his head: ''very well…'', he started as he returned to his seat, ''…apparently, Carlisle has gotten word of a rumor that Maria's been hiding in New Orleans. But then, one of his other sources told him that that wasn't true as she was spotted in Germany not a week ago so…they've split up into two groups in order to corner her. The mind reader – Edward – his mate Alice and the other remaining brother – Emmett – left for the European location about four days ago and the other three are – as we speak, in fact – sweeping the French Quarter for any trace of that despicable woman.''
The Alpha huffed in slight irritation before continuing: ''…Carlisle called to tell me that Emmett had finally called him back, saying that they've actually managed to corner the one who had started the rumor in the first place. It turned out to be a young female vampire who had been created to fight in the Southern Vampire Wars back in the 1860's. Now, since she was alone and there were three of them, even if less experienced in the art of fighting than her, they've managed to successfully intimidate her into telling them the truth where Maria is concerned. The female told them that – and I quote: the whore – who had apparently forced her to start the rumor, is actually neither in Europe nor in New Orleans…'', Ephraim stopped his story as a couple of the younger members snickered at the nasty nickname the vampire warlord has been given.
Leah Clearwater scowled at the two miscreants: Paul and her own younger brother – Seth, for their childish behavior before directing her gaze at the pack's leader and asking: ''…so, if she isn't in Germany or New Orleans, then where in the hell is she?''
Chief Ephraim Black smiled at the young woman: ''Texas.''
''Texas..?'', asked Sam, his voice giving away his surprise and slight disbelief.
Ephraim nodded his head in confirmation: ''yes. Apparently, there is something there that Maria wants and she had…well, I guess you could say pressured the female vampire the first group met in Germany into joining her, as she was in the middle of packing her things when Edward, Alice and Emmett caught up to her. Now, since she had no intentions on actually joining Maria and when the Cullen kids offered to assist her in getting out of the country safely, she was more than happy to tell them all she knew…which, as you can see, wasn't much but that's beside the point since we now at the very least have Maria's location…''
''But how do they know that that is where she'll really be?'', asked Jared, ''…I mean, if she can manipulate people and other vampires left and right into carrying out her orders, then who is to say that she didn't scare that leech in Germany into lying? For all we know, she could actually be in Australia…chasing around Skippy the kangaroo or something…''
Everyone laughed at this and even Ephraim himself chuckled before answering: ''…well, Jared, it seems like you are forgetting that Edward Cullen has the gift of telepathy – he read the girl's mind…''
''Oh…'', the young boy muttered before grinning sheepishly, ''…forgot about that…''
Ephraim smiled at him: ''never-the-less, you did make a good point. Even if Edward Cullen pulled Maria's location from the girls mind, there is no way to know if she actually will be there or if it was yet another attempt of hers to cover her own tracks.''
Sam nodded his head, obviously agreeing with his Alpha on this.
''However'', Chief Black continued, ''…it is a lead and we cannot let our doubts discourage us from checking it out…so, since it's going to take at least until tomorrow afternoon for Alice, Emmett and Edward to get back to the States and Carlisle's flight to Seattle has been unfortunately delayed due to bad weather, he's asked me to check if there is any truth to Maria being in Texas…''
''…because he doesn't want to risk the chance of Maria getting away if she happens to find out her…contact...had rated her out'', Leah surmised.
''Correct'', said Ephraim with a little smile for the young woman in question as Jacob once again met his gaze: ''like I've said earlier – I'm in.''
The Alpha of the pack nodded before directing his gaze onto his second-in-command: ''Sam, I need you to stay here in La Push.'' He then turned towards some of the younger members of the pack: ''Quil, Jared, Brady and Embry – you're staying too.''
The aforementioned young men however, weren't at all happy to hear they were going to miss out on all of the action and as Ephraim noticed an argument was about to break out, he raised his voice so that he could be heard over the young ones protests: ''…someone has to protect our people and I am trusting you with this task. Sam is my second-in-command and you will obey him in my absence! Am I being clear?''
The youngsters quieted down at their Alpha's command, not speaking, only nodding their heads in acquiescence.
''Good'', he nodded back at them, if somewhat curtly: ''…start patrolling now. ''
As the four young wolves, led by Sam Uley left to start their usual evening patrols, Ephraim turned towards the remaining four: ''Leah, Jacob, Seth, Paul – we're leaving soon so go pack…and make sure you pack light.'' Then he turned on his heel and headed towards his house, swiftly followed by his great-grandson.
Leah and Paul exchanged weary glances as Seth, the youngest of all of them grinned and ran off to pack too, shouting: ''Texas, here we come!''
Houston, Texas: The Old City Cemetery – 48 Hours Earlier
''Darn it!'', Bart Hogan cursed as he, startled by the sudden hoot of an owl dropped his flashlight. Kneeling down to retrieve it, the old man who had volunteered – out of sheer boredom – to be the new night guard at the old cemetery that has been abandoned for as long as he could remember, grumbled irritably under his breath: ''I am way too old for this…why in the hell did I say I could do this…''
Shaking his head, he wrapped his hand around the cool metal of the flashlight and straightened out, gently brushing it clean of the dirt that clung to it.
He gasped and clutched at his chest in fright not a second later as a loud almost screech-like noise from off to his left made him freeze in his tracks. The old man's heartbeat picked up in speed as he slowly turned towards the sound, directing the beam of light his trusty flashlight provided him with onto the oldest part of the cemetery as that was the direction the noise seemed to originate from.
The thin beam of light illuminated a couple of time and weather battered gravestones and one of the many family crypts from way back in the day, although it was entirely too dark for Bart to make out the name of the people laid to rest there that was carved skilfully just above the rusty iron gate of the vine covered stone structure.
He jumped a little at the sound of a twig snapping somewhere not too far off and as he looked around the dark cemetery his imagination kicked into overdrive and Bart could swear up and down he saw someone move in the shadows of the night.
''Who's out there?'', he called out, his voice wavering, only to be met with a hoot of the owl that had startled him so in the first place.
''Figures…'', the old man muttered under his breath as he rolled his eyes. Sighing, he turned to head back to his usual post when a light so bright it nearly blinded him illuminated the long ago abandoned cemetery.
''Oh, God! What is happening here!'', Bart shouted as he hastily covered his eyes with his arm.
The silence of the night was disrupted just as suddenly by incomprehensible whispers that followed the bright light.
This frightened the old guard even further and he – his chest heaving with the effort to remain as calm as possible – tried to back away from it. However, in his haste, he tripped over one of the decrepit gravestones and fell, his head connecting painfully with the neighboring rock tombstone.
As Bart Hogan fell into unconsciousness, the light went out and the whispers stopped just as abruptly as they'd started...
A/N: This chapter might not be much but I already have most of the next chapter typed out so I will be posting it very soon…think 2-3 days kinda soon. Until then though, review please…