Spring Tide

by JasonCulhane

With a family of his own to protect and the Volturi coming to once and for all put an end to the Olympic Coven, Jason must go to battle with Aro and the Guard once more. To protect their children, he, Leah, the Cullens, and all their allies will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything in order to assure their safety but ultimately, they will not be safe until Aro is no more.

4. Chapter 4 - A Moment's Reprieve

A MOMENT'S REPRIEVE

Given that we didn't have a huge number of people attending our wedding, we decided that the afters need only be a small affair, but Alice's idea of modest and ours were like the difference between night and day. She'd decided to set up a marquee just off the clearing we used for the ceremony, so it would mostly be away from the prying eyes of our allies, if not their ears. Alice had raced off after the pictures and had remained until the last possible moment before the wedding, setting it up. She probably roped in Rosalie and Bella after they had gotten ready, too, but given the limited time, even I had to admit she'd done an impressive job. The marquee was delicate-looking, undulating in the gentle forest breeze. It had the shape almost of a tepee with three of them adjoined, the centre one, with the entrance adorned with silver bells and lavender ribbon, being the largest. Inside, each of the tables had a centrepiece of violet orchids, and the chair covers were a similar hue, providing a contrast against the white and softer colours of the marquee and the table covers. Walking in, hand in hand, we were greeted first by Emmett and Emily who had gone ahead to usher us to our seats at the head table whilst the rest of the wedding party and family filed in behind. The rest of our guests who had chosen to attend were seated at tables centred in the two smaller tepees.

More of the bells hung from the ceiling following the seams of the marquee while LEDs projected gentle hues of purple that varied in intensity, having almost an aurorae-like effect. Some classical piece was playing softly in the background. As we sat down, hands still entwined, we looked at each other in gleeful awe. We were here. We had done it. We were husband and wife. Everything we'd been through had come to this, had brought us to this place, this happiness and fulfilment. Everything beyond this one perfect moment was blotted out. There was only each other, our children, our families, and those who had chosen to share this day with us.

The head table accommodated us, Chloe and Harry, and the groomsmen and bridesmaids. Our families were seated in several tables directly in front of us. Taking everything in, we had to show our gratitude to Alice. It may have been a little less low-key than we were expecting, but we weren't complaining, much!

There wasn't much point in carrying out all the traditions of a standard wedding. Everyone had embraced us and offered their congratulations already. Alice did take some slightly more candid pictures of us and the kids from time to time, but there were to be no more professional shoots for the night. We had a cake for the benefit of our human and shapeshifter guests. Edward informed me that Alice couldn't get something as grand as his and Bella's cake on short notice, but she did her damnedest to find something as decadent as possible if not as impressive in scale. We cut our cake under the ever-watchful lens of Alice's camera. I fed Leah her slice just as she shoved mine into my face. After the Quileutes had demolished all the food Esme had prepared, Leah threw her bouquet to a throng of single, female vampires. It was a miracle that the flowers survived such a superhuman tussle but of all of them, it somehow ended up in Fiona's hands. She looked simultaneously abashed and thrilled. Alistair hadn't attended the wedding, but something told me that that's where Fiona's thoughts were wandering. I caught a glimpse of Dermot watching the whole thing play out. He looked appalled!

When I had to take off the garter, we were both a little mortified, but I managed to clumsily drag it down her leg whilst Emmett and Dermot teased and taunted me from the side-lines. Seth managed to catch it, but I don't think the vampires or the other Quileutes actually seriously challenged him. I was sure his imprint would be thrilled and expecting him to act on it!

Thereafter, we moved outside to an improvised dancefloor. Alice had managed to assemble a wooden decking with a railing decorated with the obligatory bells and ribbons that we had to take two steps to climb up on. It was just the right size for the two of us to dance around while everyone else formed a circle around us. Alice told us that she had chosen the perfect song to represent us both for our first dance. I felt a little sceptical, but Leah seemed unfazed like she already knew what it was. We took our places on our pedestal and with one hand on her hip and other in hers, we began to slow dance as the musical intro began. Then, a male voice begin to sing.

Take me where I've never been,
Help me on my feet again.
Show me that good things come to those who wait.
Tell me I'm not on my own.
Tell me I won't be alone.
Tell me what I'm feelin' isn't some mistake.
'cause if anyone can make me fall in love,
You can.

Save me from myself, you can.
And it's you and no one else.
If I could wish upon tomorrow,
Tonight would never end.
If you asked me, I would follow.
But for now, I just pretend.
'cause if anyone can make me fall in love,
You can.

Leah looked at me with all the meaning she could muster. Her eyes were glistening, but she was trying to hold back the tears for the moment. I knew there and then that she had chosen this, not Alice. She just wanted it to be a complete surprise to me. As I ran over the lyrics in my head, I knew that this was about how she felt for me, in the beginning, now, and for the future. I kissed her then, her heat flowing into the cold of my skin, a warmth I could never, ever part with as I continued to live, exist, whatever I was in this world. All that mattered was that I had the love of someone more alive and vibrant than I ever thought possible and, together, we'd brought more life to this world. As the second verse started, she embraced me, and I sensed this part wasn't about her anymore.

Baby, when you look at me,
Tell me, what do you see?
Are these the eyes of someone you could love?
'Cause everything that brought me here,
Well, now it all seems so clear.
Baby, you're the one that I've been dreamin' of.
'cause if anyone can make me fall in love,
You can.

I held her tightly, letting her warmth envelop me fully. That verse was meant for me, about me, and she was right. Sometimes, I wondered about everything that had taken me from a miserable school boy in Ireland to a supernatural being, a vampire, a freak even among my own kind, married to a woman equally as unusual, being the only female shapeshifter, and being happier and more at peace than I could ever remember being. Was it just luck and happenstance, or was all this really fated? I liked to think so. It was hard to believe, given the distances that had been between us and differences that were still there that we could be anything less than destined. It felt like our love had always existed, it just hadn't found expression until we came together.

As the song picked up for the bridge before the final chorus, we drew closer, no longer really making any effort to dance, just embracing one another, but that didn't stop everyone else from getting into their respective couples and slow-dancing off the rest of the song.

Only you can take me sailin' in your deepest eyes.
Bring me to my knees and make me cry.
And no one's ever done this,
Everything was just a lie.
And I know, yes I know...

This is where it all begins,
So tell me it'll never end.
I can't fool myself,
It's you and no one else.

Those last lyrics were beautiful, hopeful, but poignant. They reminded me at first of how hard it was in the beginning, when it seemed we were impossible, that Leah's imprint had to be some kind of mistake. We'd grown past that doubt, though, to come to where we were then, to a new beginning, what for any couple meant the start of life anew, happy ever after, forever. That one little line clung to me like it was wrenching my frozen heart from my chest, tell me it'll never end. It felt like a plea, words Leah held inside but could never voice except maybe indirectly through this song. I held her tighter then. Despite her warmth pervading me, all I could sense around us was a deadening chill and there and then, I fully comprehended the meaning of cold fear. The reality was that as much as she couldn't ask, I could not reassure her, tell her anything different than the facts as they were and how dire our circumstances had become. Leah gripped me even tighter back, her burning fingertips pressing into my unyielding skin. I think she understood that I couldn't tell her what she wanted to hear. I just held her as the song died for what seemed an endless moment, wishing it really was.

Towards the end of the night, when the Quileutes were beginning to disperse in need of sleep after the highs and barely subdued tension of the day, Leah and I expected nothing more than to return with our tired out little ones to our room and let this brief moment of joy pass behind us before reality could truly come crashing in on us. However, as we looked for Rosalie who last had the kids, she was nowhere to be found. That natural panic started to set in when you aren't even sure yet if something's wrong, but you freak out anyhow. We rushed around the marquee to the clearing where our nuptials had taken place only to find the Cullens minus Rosalie, Fiona, and the rest of our wedding party all gathered with Seth and Sue standing off to the side. All our other guests seemed to have taken their leave, but I could sense the Quileutes not far off, probably out of concern for Leah's mother in an environment crawling with human feeders. Alice strode forward with a silver envelope sealed with a lavender bow, not to deviate from the theme even at this point. "What is it?" I asked.

Alice replied, "You'll find out when you open it."

I broke the seal and Leah drew out the sheet of paper delicately. She unfolded it, quickly scanning the contents before saying, "This is a booking confirmation."

Alice replied, "That it is."

"For what?" I asked

"Your honeymoon, of course."

Alice was all excitement and beaming smiles. Everyone else just looked hopeful that we would accept the gesture. Leah and I just nervously glanced at each other. It's not that we didn't want a honeymoon but given the circumstances, could it really be justified? It was a stretch to arrange a wedding but given that we might have only weeks to months before a calamitous battle with the Volturi, it was understandable that we'd want to seal the bond we already had by becoming husband and wife. However, tonight was surely celebration enough. A holiday, just us two, seemed too much of an extravagance, even reckless, and could wait until things were safer for all concerned. I was building myself up for a polite decline, but Alice, as usual, was way ahead of me. "I've already foreseen that you're going to say no, but hear me out."

"Alice, I'm not comfortable with this. Leaving the kids, leaving everyone. What if we're attacked while we're away? What if there's an attack here? I couldn't live with it if any of you were killed because of our absence?"

Emmett replied, "You're not all that, man. We can manage without you."

I was about to respond, but Leah interjected, "And what about the kids? I can't even fathom having them anywhere right now but at my side, in my arms. I'm sorry, we can't go anywhere now."

Alice replied, "It's okay, Leah. We're not sending you far, and not for long. It's two nights in Seattle. You'll have a nice room in a fancy-ish hotel, a romantic meal or two, and you'll see the sights. Mostly, you'll just have some precious time alone, time together that you deserve and might not get for a while."

"I appreciate that, Alice, I really do, but I am more than happy to take this trip when and if this conflict is resolved. I just feel right now that it's too much of a chance to take."

Carlilse stepped forward and said, "I understand how you both feel, but the reality is that for the moment, things are quiet. The Volturi haven't even begun properly rallying in Europe yet, and their main ally on our side of the Atlantic has lost her coven and is on the run. It will take significantly more time for Aro to muster the forces he needs to move against us. You also need not fear being targeted yourselves whilst you're away from here. At best, there may be advance scouts in North America at the moment, probably not even members of the Guard. Your children are surrounded by hundreds of vampires and shapeshifters at all times. They will be safe, so will we, and so will the two of you. I promise you that."

Alice added, "Just to reassure you further, you didn't pick up on the use of 'fancy-ish' to describe your hotel. This is me we're talking about. If I were planning your honeymoon under any other circumstances, what do you think you'd be getting?"

Emmet answered, "Seven-stars, exotic location, wining and dining, personal transport everywhere by limousine, the whole nine yards?"

"Thank you, Emmett, you're exactly right." A few sniggers followed. "Now, unfortunately, given things such as they are, you will be honeymooning a little more low-key. I've booked you in to a four-star hotel under aliases, and your room and package are a little more on the economical side. That way, even if the Volturi are looking for signs that some of us have ventured out of Forks, they're not going to be able to track you by any conventional means."

Leah replied, "I still don't know."

Carlisle placed a hand on both of our shoulders, looking at us earnestly with a slight smile, and said, "Please, do not worry yourselves. Everything will be fine, I'll see to it. Just take this time together after the most important thing you'll do together as a couple, with the possible exception of Chloe and Harry. Believe me, we are all treasuring every moment, and you two should cherish these in particular, while you still can. It's all dark days ahead from here."

We looked at each other. I could see it in her eyes. We were scared to be parted from the kids or anyone at that moment. Still, we felt like we needed this. What Carlisle was saying really resonated with us. We might not get the opportunity to be properly alone together for a long time, if ever again. Leah was getting emotional, tears welling in her eyes. I was sure she was feeling a great many things, fear, longing for time together after this momentous day in our lives, maybe even a little guilt for even considering it. She turned to Alice and asked, "And we would only be gone for two days?"

"You leave this evening. Jason can't legally drive yet, and I'm sure you're exhausted, Leah, so we've arranged a limo to take you all the way. Have to have some glam in this honeymoon! Then you can check in to your hotel whenever you want, you'll have the next two days and nights, and you'll be back on Tuesday."

Leah smiled, but she couldn't hold it in anymore. The tears flowed freely as she put her arms around Alice and said a choked up, "Thank you".

Alice accepted the gratitude with grace, of course, and said, "Don't give it a second thought, and don't just thank me. Everyone here contributed."

Leah looked to Carlisle and then everyone standing behind and said, "Thank you, all of you. This day has been more than perfect."

"Thank you so much, guys." I said.

Carlisle put his arms around our shoulders and guided us back to the group, saying, "Like Alice said, think nothing of it. We all wanted this for you, to have this moment and some time afterwards to truly appreciate the step you've both taken together. Now, it's best you be off, your transportation is already here."

Leah said, "But I just want to see the kids first."

Esme said, "Rosalie already has them tucked in to bed. You can stop in for a minute to say goodnight. They already know you'll be going away for a little while. Chloe was okay when we told her, and Harry was his usual unperturbed self."

Alice said, "Come on, Leah. We'll get you into more travel-appropriate attire, and then we can get you two on the road."

We were ushered back to the house by the whole family. Leah went off to Alice's room to put on what would undoubtedly be an unnecessarily extravagant travelling outfit. Meanwhile, I went to our room to change into a more casual getup myself. I dressed for the cool evening we were having even though I didn't need to. Leah arrived in a little while later. Her outfit was surprisingly casual, black skinny jeans, boots, and a warm jacket. I took her in to my arms for a moment before we went to kiss the twins and say goodnight to them. They were already out for the count, from the exertions of the day no doubt, the two them wrapped tightly in their blankets, as peaceful as could be, their breathing and heartbeats low but steady. We decided not to disturb them or try waking them before we left. We each kissed them both one last time and left the room before we could change our minds about going. We arrived downstairs to find everyone waiting to embrace us and offer one last congratulations before we departed in our limousine, which was fairly standard and black in colour. Between our limo, Leah's outfit, and the hotel booked under aliases, Alice was really overdoing it with the whole nondescript, cloak and dagger thing. Emmett was there to open the limo door as his last duty as best man. Sue, Seth, and Emily were waiting opposite him to say one last goodbye to Leah, and all three of them embraced me as well, which I appreciated. I took Leah's hand and guided her into the limo. Emmett caught my hand before I could get in and pulled me into one of his bear hugs. He said, "Have a great time, my man. Don't do anything I wouldn't do, but be safe about it. A honeymoon baby would be a little ill-timed all things considered."

"Wow, Emmett, thanks for that sound advice."

"Just looking out for you, bro."

"Sure, see you in two days, man."

I gave one last wave to everyone before sitting in beside my Leah. The door closed, muffling the last cheers and well wishes of our friends and families, and the car began to move off. Before long, the sounds of home were out of earshot, even for me. With my arm around her, Leah tucked in to my side and a moment later, I could sense she was asleep, worn out herself from an amazing but exhausting day, both physically and mentally. The second one I could feel, but the former was no longer part of my experience of being. I envied shapeshifters and humans the ability to sleep sometimes but the further we got from Forks, the more wary I felt myself getting, more alert to even the slightest sound outside, a pebble flipped by the tyres, a small animal rustling through undergrowth. Maybe we had taken too great a chance, maybe this was reckless, and we should have held off for after whatever was coming, if there was even going to be an after. The decision was made, though, and I wasn't about to go back on it. We did need these last moments together before the enemy came to the gate because thereafter, there would be no time for anything but survival and protecting those we held most dear.

Leah slept through the four-hour drive to Seattle. To be honest, my state of anxiety did not even begin to calm until we were within the city limits. We passed Port Angeles on the way and the brief clamour made it harder to discern any noises coming from the wilderness of the Olympic National Park. Maybe had that distraction persisted, though, I might have tried less to listen for signs of an attack that never came. After two bridge crossings, we finally arrived at Bainbridge Island where we were to catch a ferry across Elliott Bay to our final destination. It was still dark when we arrived, and the first ferry of the day to Seattle was due to leave almost as soon as we arrived. The limo driver boarded us, handling the fee, at which point, Leah started to stir from her sleep. She looked up at me with a smile but with tiredness still lingering in her eyes. She asked, "Where are we?"

"Just boarding the ferry across to Seattle, last leg of the trip."

"Is it still dark?"

"Yeah, you can go back to sleep if you want. It'll be another hour before we're at the hotel."

"Yeah, maybe..."

Without another world, she'd tucked herself back into my side and dozed off. I stroked her hair gently in adoration of her. Getting married at sixteen, despite being immortal, to a shapeshifter, best decision I'd ever made. As the ferry departed, I started to feel a little more secure, though I did get thoughts in my head like how the Volturi might have operatives on-board, and this would be the perfect opportunity to strike. I managed to stave off complete paranoia, though, with sweeps of the ship with the sensory side of the blackness. I could confirm that, besides myself, everyone on the ship had a beating heart, so no other vampires. When we were nearing the city, the driver rapped on the window nearest me. I hit the button to roll it down. The man before me was probably in his fifties but seemed to be in a good state for his age, not overweight or anything but fully grey and wrinkling considerably around his eyes. He looked at me peculiarly, almost with some trepidation. I guessed that this wasn't his first dealing with the Cullens. Often the humans who the Cullens trusted to provide services like fabricated documents took note of the strangeness of their clients, the too-perfect appearance, the agelessness, but fortunately such people also rarely asked questions. It was all about business, and it didn't do to discomfit your clients. He said in a gravelly voice, "I just thought you'd like to know that we're coming up on the city. It's a pretty site, especially at night. Your, ahem, wife, might appreciate the view."

"Am, thank you, we'll certainly check that out."

"Very well. When we dock, come back to the limo, and I will take you to your hotel."

With a quick nod, he hurried away and got in to the driver's seat. I found it odd how he seemed to hesitate on calling Leah my wife. Then, it occurred to me that this was just another part of the weirdness as he was seeing it. I could pass for a sophomore high school student and yet, here I was apparently married to a woman who looked at least five years my senior. I imagined Alice or whoever arranged this transportation had said I was considerably older than I was, still, not that the driver would ask. I was about to wake Leah, but she'd already awoken again, no doubt disturbed by my chitchat with the driver. She asked, "Are we here?"

"Almost. The driver suggested we might want to go out onto the deck and see the city as we come in to dock. What do you think?"

"I'd like that."

We exited the car, hand in hand, and made our way out of where the cars were stowed up to the deck. We were greeted by a most spectacular sight. The lights of Seattle reflected in all their many colours on the water of Elliot Bay, which was so still on that cool night that it looked like a sheet of mirrored glass. The waterfront was a kaleidoscope, almost blinding, with the Space Needle and the Great Wheel being most prominent. The sky had lightened enough that the faint outline of Mount Rainier could be seen off in the distance like a mirage hovering in the sky. Leah put her arms around my waist, as I put one arm around her and grasped a railing with another. "Thank you." She said.

"What for?"

"For this, for everything."

"I wish I could take credit for this, my Leah, but that belongs to a lot of people who care about us deeply."

"I know. I just mean thank you for agreeing to this. I almost talked myself out of it, but Carlisle was right. We need this time, and I guess I'm thanking you for being with me, for agreeing to be my husband, for always being there."

"Forever, my Leah, I promised you yesterday and from here for as long as we both live. Even a thousand years down the line, it will always be you."

"Hmm, we make it out of this and I'll hold you to that."

"We're going to, my Leah, survive this. We're going to see our kids grow up, and we're going to not grow old together and failing that, we'll find a way that Chloe and Harry will still get to grow up, even if that's without us."

"I hope you're right, one way or another."

She fell silent as we approached Colman Dock and downtown Seattle towered over us in all its night-time splendour. Leah wasn't paying that much attention, though. She was staring down into the still water that was gently rippling with the wake of the ship. I could feel the melancholy seeping in to both of us, that grim chill I felt at our first dance when I realised that I couldn't make Leah any promises about our future. Even though I could say we were going to make it, that there was still hope, I didn't feel it, and Leah could tell. I pulled her in close and kissed her forehead before planting another gentle one on her lips. I said, "Let's head back. We'll be disembarking soon, and then we get to go to our semi-luxurious four-star hotel."

She laughed briefly and said, "My, aren't I spoiled?"

We returned to the limo, waited for docking, and as soon as the cars ahead of us had cleared, we disembarked and headed on into the city. We were almost too on edge to roll down the window as we drove through downtown, but we decided to crack it enough to peer out at the city skyline from below. The second air wafted in from outside, the human aroma registered. I'd been aware of it on the periphery of my senses as we approached Seattle on the ferry, but it occurred to me that I hadn't physically entered a human habitation this large and this populous since I'd arrived in Forks. Sure, I'd passed these places on the way, aware of the fragrance of prey that beckoned to my baser instincts, but I'd purposely avoided actually entering these places. When I'd been a newborn in Ireland, I'd taken a lot of lives in the short few hours I'd visited the bigger towns and cities there, but this time, everything was different, I was different. The stench from outside was just there this time around, a non-thing, something I could choose to ignore, not something that stole all my focus and overrode my self-control. Everything I'd experienced allowed me this measure of calm where a newborn would be a frenzied beast beyond any reason. It helped, as well, that most of my focus was on Leah, watching her glance out the window with a slight smile that she was clearly struggling to muster, her mind clearly preoccupied with other thoughts, distant from the here and now. I held her close again, following her gaze, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead. She pulled closer but still feigned interest in the view passing the window.

A moment later, the melancholic reverie was broken, as the limo came to a stop at our final destination, the Motif Hotel in downtown Seattle. The driver opened our door and helped us with our luggage that Alice had so considerately packed for us, two gargantuan suitcases for two days did seem a bit much. He seemed perturbed by how easily I manhandled both cases out of the limo given that I must not have looked particularly well-built in his eye. He then nervously wished us a pleasant vacation and assured us he'd already been sorted out by Carlisle, tip included. After he'd driven off, it finally hit us both then that, no matter how fleeting, that we were on an actual honeymoon. It was as though there was no easy way back with our driver departed, so it let us let go of a little of the tension and enjoy the moment. I took Leah's hand as we strolled into the hotel. The reception area had a kind of funky neo-modern look with the reception desks looking like they'd been shaped from matt-effect sapphires and with some rather eye-catching art pieces on the walls. I couldn't guess what genre of art it was but between that and the décor, this place didn't really strike me as the relatively economical hotel as Alice had led us to believe, which made me wonder what she would consider luxurious. We approached the nearest occupied desk, leaving the luggage down, I said, "Hi, we just want to check in, we're under..."

It occurred to me then that I didn't know what aliases Alice had booked us under. The receptionist was looking at me strangely, but I could hear Leah rooting through a small travel clutch Alice had given her. I cleared my throat to buy her some time and she said, "We're under O' Halloran. Sorry, we just got married, and the whole name change is something I'm still getting used to. Couldn't even remember what name we booked under."

The receptionist involuntarily cocked an eyebrow because the excuse didn't really add up, but she probably just thought we were nervous-excited or just odd. "Ah, of course, I understand completely, and congratulations," she replied.

"Thank you."

"Yes, I have your key cards here, please enjoy your stay.

"Thanks, we will," I replied.

We found our way to the elevator, hurriedly, avoiding the peculiar stare of the receptionist as she followed our progress. When the elevator doors closed, we looked at each other and spontaneously burst into laughter, as if we'd just done something sneaky and almost got caught. It was the first time we'd genuinely, heartily laughed in a long while. So much had happened and the pressure weighing down on us had been suffocating. It was a relief to break the surface and feel normal, even a little silly, just for that moment. I took Leah's hand and gently kissed her on the lips as the elevator doors parted. We found our way to our room. When we unlocked the door, we realised that Alice really had no idea of the concept of cheap and cheerful. She'd gotten us the executive suite with a bay view. On our right was a king-size bed and on our left was a full suite with a view right out onto the bay. It was still before dawn, and we could see all the lights of city and boats passing over the still waters. On a coffee table in front of us was a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket with two glasses. Beside it was a note, it read, "From all those who love you, enjoy this moment." The script was very flowy but precise, most likely Edward's, which was probably why Alice had undoubtedly twisted his arm into writing it.

Leah and I bypassed the table, hand in hand, and drifted towards the window, giving us our expansive view out on the bay and city. Our eyes met in the half-light of the neon glow coming in our window. It hadn't occurred to either of us to turn on the room light. We joined both hands, facing each other, and kissed so delicately, but it seemed to last an eternity. Nothing but us existed. We were alone with our hopes, our love, our need for one another, and the hint of fear that intruded on our isolation, but it was lost in the maelstrom of emotions that overcame us, only adding to that need, turning it to near desperation. The gentleness faded then but was not totally lost as we made our way frantically to the bed. I picked Leah up, her legs wrapped around me, and let her down on the bed as our hands found zips and buttons. Leah's breathing laboured, as did mine, but not because of any need for the air, only as a reaction to the exhilaration I was feeling physically. As my lips trailed away from hers, finding her neck, she said to me in a gasp, "I love you, Jason."

I stopped, only because it was still tainted by little fear, sadness even. My hand found her cheek as she looked up at me. "I love you, too, my Leah. Forever."

"Forever." She agreed, as if, with one last effort, she was pushing away the last traces of the disquiet that was coming between us. We found each others lips again, found our way under the sheets, and, at last, allowed ourselves to be lost in this moment and in each other.

I could remember a time that seemed like another lifetime ago just as Leah turned towards me in her sleep for the sixth time. I remembered the first time, our first time. When we were back in Ireland, visiting Fiona and Dermot, in Sligo, that night when we'd finally shared everything, that night when we'd consummated our love, so they say, but perhaps it was the night that we were bound together in the most important way, through our children. The contrast between our first time together and here in Seattle was as sharp as a knife, slicing a yawning divide between what had been a moment of joy, hope, discovery, intimacy, love and one of sheltering with one another, if only for a little while, from a storm we might not weather. Perhaps it felt different for Leah. Maybe our time together had given her some peace, enough that she could get some decent sleep, at least. I, on the other hand, had no so such escape. I laid there in the darkness, completely engulfed by it and yet seeing right through it, right to the storm clouds gathering on a not too distant horizon.

Dawn came and went. The neon lights flickered off, replaced by rays of sun creeping into the room until they found my sleeping Leah. I watched her as she lost her grasp on the somnolence that had kept the demons at bay. When light cast itself on her face, she begrudgingly opened her eyes. The brief dismay that had darkened her expression was replaced by that sweet smile of hers that I loved so much, that brought light to every moment. I couldn't help but smile back at her.

"Good morning, my sleeping beauty," I said to her as I leant down to plant a kiss on her forehead.

She caught my face in her hands as I leant back and kissed me firmly on the lips. After a few seconds, she pulled away and replied, "Good morning to you, too. Were you watching me sleep again?"

"Possibly..."

"I'm still not certain how I feel about that sometimes."

"How would you feel about a morning jacuzzi bath after which I'll order you breakfast in bed?"

"Hmm, would you be joining me for that bath?"

"Am I invited?"

"You're always invited."

My dark mood that had festered overnight was quickly forgotten about as we left the bed behind, and I chased her into the bathroom suite. We spent what seemed like hours together immersed in the warm water, in each other's bodies before we finally pulled ourselves from yet another safe harbour to face some stark realities. Thankfully, for the time being, they were minor issues like the fact that Leah still had to eat something. I'd fed just before the wedding, so I imagined I'd be fine until we got back. We'd both donned bath robes, and Leah answered the door for room service, as my skin was sparkling obviously in the sunlight. As Leah snacked on some toast and scrambled egg, I threw myself down beside her and asked, "So, my Leah, what would you like to do today, anything at all?"

Her chewing slowed, and she swallowed with effort, her eyes slightly downcast. She then looked at me pleadingly, saying, "Do we have to leave here?"

"You want to stay in this room the whole time we're here?"

"Maybe, why, have you not enjoyed yourself?"

"I didn't say that. I assure you, it's been pretty amazing, but what do you say we take in the city? We can go to the Space Needle. We can do as much or as little as you want."

"What if I just want to stay in this room?"

"Then we can, of course, do that. Just tell me why."

She considered a moment, eyes downcast towards her breakfast platter and still hesitant, replied, "Because here feels safe, like this is our own private space, and that's one thing that's been in short supply lately. I feel like this our last opportunity to be alone together, just you and me, and I don't want to share this with anyone, even random passers-by on the street. I just desperately want to be secluded away from the world because right now, it just seems everything out there is out to get us. I feel safe here with just you, despite everything."

I took her right cheek in my hand, looking at her with all the love I felt for her tinged by just a touch of sadness, because nothing I could do or say could change the way she was feeling. There was a helplessness in that. I knew, though, that she'd regret not doing anything but hide in a room, that we let these moments pass us by, especially if they were our last opportunity. I took her hand as we both sat cross-legged on the bed and said, "My Leah, I understand how you feel and believe me, if I could take you, the kids, and keep us in a safe little space that was all ours, I would, but this isn't that. It's a hotel room in a big city, and we'll have to leave it eventually. Wouldn't it be nice to just go out into the world as carefree newlywed honeymooners just for a little while? At least then we can say that no matter what happens from here on out, we didn't miss out on anything, that we experienced all we could when we could."

She seemed daunted by the prospect for a moment but then she considered some more and with a small smile, she replied, "I guess it would be nice to tell people we're just married. I suppose we know no one. This experience is just between you and me, and I still feel safe with you. It doesn't matter where we are."

"Exactly, and if it gets too much, we can always come back."

"Okay, so what should we do first?"

"Let's just walk around. I can see clouds rolling in on the horizon. I'd say I'll be free of dazzling sunlight soon enough. Let's not schedule. We can just get to places on our own time, no pressure."

"I'd like that." Leah smiled at me, and I could see a little excitement building along with a lot of relief in the way the strain was leaving her body and her expression. She said, "Okay, give me ten minutes to get ready."

She leapt into action, grabbing one of our travel cases and disappearing into the bathroom. I took my time throwing on a similar getup to the one I arrived in. I hoped Leah dressed for less than pleasant weather. Even from inside, I could sense a change in the air foretelling rain and general unpleasantness. Almost subconsciously, I'd been sending out waves of the sensory element of the blackness, throughout the corridors, up and down the building, and outwards for a few blocks. It was a nightmare really, all the people and vehicles moving in a million different directions. It was like trying to use sonar in the midst of a shoal of fish. Even if there were threats of the supernatural kind nearby, I knew it would be hard for me to isolate them. Nevertheless, I decided to keep scanning my surroundings for any hint of trouble. I agreed with Carlisle that we were most likely safe here, but it didn't hurt to be cautious. Even a few extra seconds warning could make a massive difference.

Just then, Leah emerged from the bathroom, wearing black skinny jeans with boots and a hooded rain jacket. It wasn't the most flattering thing on her, but I did want her to be dressed appropriately after all. She said, "I had planned to dress more glamorously but then I sensed the change in the air and thought this would be a better choice."

"You look great anyway."

"You'd say that if I wearing a potato sack."

"Well if that's all you were wearing, I suppose I would."

She slapped me over the back of the head and said, "I believe in Ireland they say what are you like."

"That they do. I guess I am a little infatuated and a bit in love with you, Leah Culhane."

"Oh my God, that's so much weirder now that it's actually true. I can't believe I agreed to that."

"You love it really."

"Hmm, I do. I love you, Jason."

"I love you, my Leah."

We embraced each other briefly. "So, where shall we wander to first?" Leah asked.

"Ah, no planning, we said."

"I know, I know, but aren't we going to go in some general direction?"

"Well, let's go around downtown, see what we see, and then I have an idea for somewhere to go to get a nice view."

She narrowed her eyes, as if to discern my plans, but then relented with a smile, saying, "Very well, husband, lead the way."

We headed through the reception. I noticed the staff who had checked us in were gone, but the woman at the desk still looked at us oddly. Clearly, her predecessor has passed on that we seemed dodgy along with ample description of us apparently, as well. Just as we stepped outside, the sky opened up. It was a strange and sudden perturbance in the air. I looked at Leah and from her perplexed expression, I knew she could sense it, too. We'd both sensed the change from inside but even as we left the building, it seemed as though any foul weather was still at least twenty or so minutes away. Leah caught sight of a passing cab and hailed it. As we bundled ourselves into the back seats, the driver asked, "Where to?"

Leah looked at me expectantly, and I had to relent. "Can you take us to...Pier 57?"

"Sure thing." He replied.

Leah shuffled closer and whispered, "So, the Great Wheel?"

"Damn, I thought I was being coy giving just the pier number."

"You were, but you forget I'm actually from around here."

"Indeed, I'll have to be cleverer next time."

"Why? Are you planning to deceive me a lot throughout our marriage?"

"Only to your benefit."

"Hmm, I believe you, I suppose." We laughed but as we turned a corner, a particularly strong gust of wind, funnelled by the surrounding buildings, smacked into Leah's window as the rain intensified. My thoughts returned to the strangeness of it all, and they lingered, despite my efforts to concentrate on our outing. Leah, too, was unsettled. She tried to speak lower than the driver could hear whilst still looking outside. "Jason, this is really strange. What do you think's happening?"

"I don't know. It's certainly unusual. I've sensed big storms before, like the one that passed through Forks last year and nearly took out the house. This is different. It's too...abrupt."

"Do you think it's anything to worry about?"

"...No, I mean it's just weather, right? Weird weather, granted. Maybe it's global warming."

"I don't know. I feel spooked, like my instincts are on edge. Something just isn't right about this."

"I think it's okay. I think we're so accustomed to being tense and worried lately that something a little out of the ordinary happens and now we're on red alert. We're overthinking and we're stressing. We just have to ignore this little niggly feeling and enjoy our time here."

"...You know what, you're right. We're totally just flipping out."

The driver interrupted the conversation he couldn't hear, saying, "Here, we are."

Staring out, even my enhanced vision had trouble clarifying the wheel with he rain, but the blackness almost automatically filled in the blanks. The Pier was practically deserted. Everyone had retreated inside from the storm. Leah looked at me dubiously. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Sure, just take my hand when we step out."

Leah caught my meaning. As soon as we'd paid off the cab fare and emerged into the pelting rain, I threw Leah's arm around my shoulder and zoomed along the pier to where the tickets were sold. I was certain no one had seen. Even the driver, who'd parked up to sit out the worst of the storm, was oblivious. I stopped us short of the ticket booth. The girl manning it wasn't paying attention anyway, too focused on her phone. We gave her a start when we suddenly appeared under the booth's shelter, though it didn't really serve its purpose with the wind. I passed in enough cash for two adult tickets. She looked from us to it and back again before saying, "You know you picked a bad time for this? You're not gonna see much of anything in this storm."

"That's fine," I replied, "We just want to have the experience. We're not in town long."

She narrowed her eyes and said, "Have it your way but just so you know, each of the gondolas have a camera, so no funny business!"

Leah contained her laughter, as I replied, "You have my word."

Still eyeing us with suspicion, she shoved our tickets under the glass window and directed us where to go. We went around to the place people would normally be queuing to board but obviously, there was no one. The next available gondola was up a short flight of stairs, but it wasn't open. We were uncertain at first, and I was sure I could manage opening it myself if needed, but a small man bundled up in a raincoat came out running, opened the doors quickly, and gestured emphatically for us to get in. We did so with haste and as soon as the doors closed, he did a runner back inside. The wheel started moving with a groan barely audible over the rain drops smashing against the glass. It was as the girl had said, there wasn't much to see. The Seattle skyline was a blur of shapes and lights through the rain. My senses made up for it somewhat. I looked at Leah with a pained smile. This hadn't turned out at all like I planned. She was distracted, though, too transfixed by the maelstrom outside that caused the wheel to shudder every so often. We climbed higher, almost reaching the apex of our ascent. I put my arm around Leah and said, "I'm sorry about this."

"What for? You can do a lot of things, Jason, but controlling the weather isn't one of them."

"Maybe so, but this is going to suck for the rest of our day."

"We're already soaked. What difference does it make if we stay out? It's not like either of us can catch cold, and we can always come back later."

"True...we could get you something on the go next. I had planned..."

The wheel ground to a halt very suddenly right at the highest point. We were both jolted but managed to stay seated. Leah looked unperturbed at first saying, "Did they forget we're still up here?"

"No, I think the power's out. Look, the lights are out in the city."

"I guess I'm waiting for lunch so."

The blackness was reaching out in omnidirectional waves. It was instinctual. I could feel something wasn't right. The sensory waves broke on the buildings, reaching into every room, every staircase, down to the last cupboard and cabinet. They ricocheted between them, combing the streets below. I didn't know what I was seeking out, but something was wrong. Deep down, I knew it the moment the strange rainstorm began, but I dismissed it. It was then I detected the familiar vibrations of human voices, so many of them, a simultaneous cacophony rising above the noise of traffic and the beating rain.

They were all screaming.

The waves passed over the masses running down the streets away from a threat I had not yet seen. Then, I realised the threat was among them. Vampires. I counted five, eight, fourteen, and then it became clear that there at least several dozen. It was an attack, an incursion, in broad daylight in a city such as this. By now, Leah had become frantic, as I'd ignored her pleas to know what was happening, too locked in the sensory blackness, trying to discern every detail that I could about what we were facing. She shook me then and just as she did, there was a resounding bang and a bright flash from one of the nearby buildings. I could see smoke and flames, quickly being extinguished by the rain that somehow seemed even heavier. I looked at her with intensity to convey the urgency of the situation. "I'm gonna have to get us out here, right now." I said.

The screams were starting to carry to the pier then, and Leah looked pale. I moved into her view of the city where one of the buildings still smouldered with black smoke through the downpour. "Leah, you understand me?"

"Yes, yes, get us down."

"Okay, get your head down."

She put her head down between her knees. I used the blackness to press against the glass until it shattered, admitting pouring rain and the gale-force winds. It clattered on the pier below and already people on it were vacating the area. Some were even hijacking the boats and heading out on the water. I could have detached the whole gondola and lowered us gently to the ground. Instead, to expedite our escape, I scooped Leah up in my arms and jumped. The pier buckled under me as I landed. I let Leah down, and we followed the crowds off the pier onto the streets. The cab that had brought us here was overturned on the pavement, the driver's limp body lay on the street beside it, drained of blood, his neck horribly twisted.

There was another blast just up the street from us. The light and heat were intense. Despite the rain, I could feel it on my skin. I just thought to pull up a physical barrier before shrapnel pelted the ground around us. The building began to smoulder, but I could see fire was catching inside, and people were blocked from escaping through the lower floors. It was only then I realised that my physical barrier had protected at least a dozen bystanders from the explosion. Most seemed unaware of or bemused by what had just happened, but a few looked at me with a mix of awe and burgeoning terror. I supposed for all they knew, I was part of all this. They didn't wait to find out and scurried off in the opposite direction, as we trudged forward. Leah asked whilst staring warily ahead, "What are we doing, Jason?"

"Getting out of here to call for help. There's too many of them, but first, we need to help these people." I replied, indicating the burning building.

As we approached, the ground floor became completely engulfed, and parts of the ceiling were collapsing, allowing flames to reach into the floor above. People were scrambling higher to get away from the heat and the smoke. I could hear the sirens of emergency response vehicles converging from every direction on downtown, but already some were being intercepted as the wailing abruptly cut-off. If any reached this spot, it would be too late for everyone in this building. I drew on the blackness, forming a large blob of it. I kept it incoherent, squeezing it into the ground floor of the building, allowing it to reform, filling the space, every room, hallway, every nook and cranny. The oxygen was quickly displaced, suffocating the fire, and eventually, the heat diminished. To ensure it didn't restart, I started dredging up the rainwater from the street, and spraying it liberally across the whole burn area.

Another blast, much closer this time.

I was thrown bodily in a high arc by the shockwave, so was Leah. The heat and light were overwhelming, but I sensed we were heading straight for the water. I cast a physical barrier akin to a net behind us that immediately stole our momentum and cushioned our fall to the ground. It was then that I realised that Leah had changed form, probably just as the explosion occurred, to protect herself. The blast had been devastating, and all my efforts had been for naught. Fires raged in all the surrounding buildings. At street level, everything within a one-block radius was in ruins. I noticed then just beyond the wrecks of several vehicles in front of us stood two vampires. One was ebony-skinned, completely bald, and had a look of absolute menace in his blood red eyes. He was surrounded by a field of energy that periodically distorted his figure, but I could not discern what it meant. Beyond him, the other was smaller and younger-looking, a girl, ebony-skinned also with long locks of hair falling outside a hooded cloak. Her red eyes seemed to look in my direction but past me, as though her mind was elsewhere. Suddenly, other vampires filed out of side streets on all sides. The sensory blackness fanned out, noted each one, and their rough dimensions. Outside of the first two, they all seemed burly much like Emmett, so they were just the muscle. The leaders of the pack were right in front of me.

Suddenly, the girl looked more focused and just as she eyed us with a similar degree of odium to her counterpart, the wind ceased, the last raindrops fell, as if someone had thrown down a bucket of water, and the clouds evaporated. Sunshine illuminated the scene, the diamond shimmer of the vampires, the red flames and black, billowing smoke coming from everywhere. Some of the vampires on the periphery were repositioning to distance themselves from the fires. Others looked as though they were readying for the attack. Leah growled in defiance, as I quickly assessed my options. I could probably hold off the majority of them whilst I used the blackness to carry us off over the water to safety. It was just the two in front of me that were the unknowns. I had no idea what they were capable of. The older male spoke, his accent seemingly African, maybe from Nigeria. "Know this, we are here. Your fate is sealed."

"Who's we?" I shot back.

His lips turned up in an evil grin. He replied, "His guard. His army. Your death."

The distortions around him intensified. They looked like a mirage or the blur in the air created by heat. I did not hesitate. I encompassed us both in a solid sphere of blackness and lifted us off the ground and over the water. Suddenly, the shimmering blur around him turned a fiery orange like molten metal, and shot in our direction. It impacted the blackness like a missile, erupting in a blinding explosion like had happened before. It did not breach the sphere, but the force projected us far from the city and across the water like a skipping stone. We settled not far from the opposite shore. When I regained my composure, I found Leah unconscious and returned to her human form. I checked her pulse and her breathing. She was alive, but I didn't know how hurt. I began shoving our improvised vessel towards the shore as fast as I could. I had to get us home and get Leah help. She began muttering and then finally said coherently, "What...happened?"

"We've gotten away Leah. I'm going to get us home, okay. Tell me, what hurts?"

"...Everything."

"That's a good sign."

"If you say so."

We finally got ashore. Leah was able to sit up, so I gave her my jacket to cover herself with. Then, piercing brightness like the rising of a hundred suns erupted across the bay. I could not see anything around it for a moment but then, the light rapidly dimmed, revealing solid flame and smoke like a volcano had exploded in Seattle's downtown. Of what I could see left behind, there was nothing but contorted steel frames and burning piles of rubble, and the inferno was spreading. Leah was fully awake, her hand gripping mine, her face stiff with fear, but her whole body trembled. Without a word, I grabbed her up and sped off into the forest of Bainbridge Island heading west. We needed the strength of family but just then, for the first time, I really, truly doubted that we had strength enough for this.