Okay everyone, I have 14, yes 14, chapters of this completely finished and ready for posting. However, I am not getting nearly enough reviews. So, I'm going to give you a bit of incentive. I plan on updating once a week. If I get 15 reviews for any given chapter, I will go ahead and post the next one, even if it's the very next day. If I don't get more reviews, my posting will continue regularly on Friday afternoons. So, if you want more than one chapter a week, review!!! Let me know what you're thinking about this. Because I promise, what's to come, you definitely want to read!

****

"The Volturi are the royalty of the vampires. They are the oldest, the most powerful. Basically, they make the rules, and they have members who are sent to enforce those rules if they're broken. The only one they ever enforce regularly is that humans cannot know about the existence of vampires. If a vampire breaks that rule, they can be killed. That's why they're after me. I know about vampires, and they found out that I know when I went to Volterra with Alice to save Edward. Aro, their leader, can read your thoughts, all the thoughts that you've ever had, just by touching you. Though for some reason, he can't read mine, which is why he wants me turned instead of killed. He was going to have me turned then, but he read Alice's thoughts, and at that time, Alice saw me becoming a vampire.

"The Volturi are very powerful, and there are a lot of them, though the leaders rarely leave Volterra. If they're coming after me, we're in deep. Jane can put you in excruciating pain just by thinking about it, Demetri can track anyone all over the world. Once he's got you, there's no escaping him. He either kills you, or you kill him. It's the only choice. Alec can block your senses. Basically, he can turn you blind, deaf, block everything. Renata can make you lost, even if you know exactly where you are. Caius and Marcus are the other two leaders. Marcus senses relationships, which might seem like a stupid power, but think about it. If he can see who you love, he knows how to hurt you the worst. I don't know what Caius can do, but he's strong. Chelsea can do something with emotions. She basically can change the way you feel about people. Make you hate people you love.

"I know it doesn't seem like much. They're not physically stronger than other vampires, but their powers are with the mind. In fifteen hundred years no one has ever been able to defeat the Volturi. I don't know who they're sending, I don't know when they'll get here. But vampires all over the world respect the Volturi. If we don't take them out definitively, the vampires won't ever stop until we're all dead."

The building was silent when Bella finished speaking, all of them trying to take in what she had just said. They were looking at each other, trying to get a feel for what all the others were thinking until, finally, Sam stood.

"Bella's right. We can't take this too seriously. The abilities of these leeches are different than the ones we're used to. Most of the vampires we've fought haven't had any special abilities about them. Our only experience with vampires with mental powers have been the Cullens. And obviously, the Cullens have nothing on the Volturi. Physically, we can be ready soon. Physical training is something we can do. It's the mental training that we have to work on."

Jacob cleared his throat. "Bella, do you know if their abilities work on werewolves?"

"I would think they would. Edward can read your minds."

"But Alice can't see us."

"Alice thinks that's just an Alice thing as opposed to a vampire thing. She thinks she can see humans because she used to be one, and she can see vampires because she is one, but not the wolves because she never was one of them."

"We do have one advantage, Jake." Quil leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. "The pack mind. They can't get at all of us at once, and if we're very aware of each other, then we might be able to break out of whatever it is they're trying to do."

"Bella, how many are there?"

"Thirty two total. Most of them I don't know, but I get the feeling they're muscle. Some never leave Volterra. The wives of the leaders, they never leave. The ones I told you about are the ones I know to worry about. Especially Jane and Demetri. They're the two that are the scariest. I saw Jane work. She tortured Edward with one word. And Demetri, you can't ever escape from him."

"Does the Cullen girl know who they're sending?"

"I don't know. I haven't spoken to her. I haven't heard from any of them other than the one letter Alice sent me, warning me about the Volturi. Right now, they don't want me dead. They want me turned. According to Alice, it's only after I'm turned that they want me dead. Apparently, as a vampire, I would have the ability to shield myself and those around me from outside influences. It's an extension of why they can't see into my head. Once I'm turned, they become scared of me, think I'm a threat, and they want me dead."

Jacob chuckled ruefully. "Seems like you can't win with these things. When you're human they want you vamped out, when you're a vampire they want you dead. Well deader."

"I don't want to be a vampire anymore. I haven't wanted that in a long time. I don't want them to turn me, and I don't want to die. If they find out I'm unwilling to be turned, they'll just kill me and be done with it."

"Bella, why haven't they come after us? Some of the humans on the reservation know about vampires. It's obvious they know about vampires. They're married to werewolves, children of werewolves or parents of werewolves."

"Because you're not technically werewolves. Werewolves change during the full moon only. They can't control the transformation, and they aren't capable of rational thought during the change. You're what they consider to be shape shifters. They don't consider you a threat. You're not doing anything to expose them. And the humans know because they're family. It wasn't some random discovery. In centuries the Quileute haven't exposed vampires. Why would you start now?"

"Okay, so now we just have to figure out what we're going to do. We know it's only a matter of time before they figure out that you're here. If they think you're still with the Cullens, we have some time since they know what's going on. But we need to find a way to counteract their mental abilities."

Sam looked at Jacob, then turned to Bella. "Can you get in touch with the Cullens? Maybe they have some ideas on how to resist them."

"I don't have any way to contact them. I don't have a number, an email, even an address. I have no idea where they are. The only thing I can do is go home and try to do something that Alice will see. I'd do it here, but she won't see me around the pack."

"I'll take you home."

Bella giggled. "Jake, that negates the whole, I need to be away from werewolves thing. If you're around, she won't see me."

"She's right, Jacob. And Mackenzie could probably use some time with her Daddy." Emily smiled as she entered the room, holding a pretty baby on one hip. Jacob lit up when he saw his daughter, eagerly took her and cradled her against his chest.

"I'll come down tonight to get my bike."

"That's fine. It's just going to be me and Charlie tonight." She cleared her throat nervously. "There is one other thing that I wanted to talk to you about. All of you."

Sam lifted his eyebrows. "There's more?"

"Well, not exactly. I know I'm already asking a lot, but there's one more thing I'd like to ask from you. When they come, if they bite me. I don't want to turn. I don't want to be a vampire."

Jacob was at her side before she could blink. "You can't ask us to kill you. I can't kill you."

"Jake, it's for the best. I don't want to be that. I don't want to live on blood. I don't want any of it. It's not living. It's just existing. I don't want it. I don't want to be your enemy."

"Bella-"

Leah cut Sam off before he could finish the sentence. "I'll do it. If they bite you, I'll kill you."

Bella nodded her thanks, squealing when Jacob grabbed her hand and dragged her outside. Emily stifled a laugh as they passed her. "We're having a party for Mackenzie on Saturday at noon. You should come."

Bella waved, trying not to stumble as he propelled her out the door. "I'll be there!"

Jacob marched her to the car, opened the passenger door and shoved her inside. He carefully buckled Mackenzie into the carseat that was still in the backseat of her truck. He crossed to the driver's side, got in and pulled out of the driveway, tires screeching.

"What the fuck was that about?" he punched the steering wheel. "You'd rather die? Bella, how the hell can you ask that of us?!"

"It's better than having you all hate me! It's better than never being able to see my parents! Than never being able to see you and the pack! Than never being able to walk down the street in the sun, than being able to sit in a movie theatre without wanting to eat everyone around me! That isn't a life, Jacob! I don't want it!"

"It used to be the only thing you wanted! And now, just when things are starting to get back to normal, just when I think things might get better, you decide you would rather die than live like that!"

"I would rather die because everything about my life that I love would disappear the second my heart stopped beating!" the tears surprised Bella as they started streaming down her face. "I don't want to live an eternity alone and miserable. I'd rather have whatever time it is that I get to spend human. I don't want it, Jacob."

"Would things be different if you were still with Edward?"

"I don't know. Maybe. But it's a moot point because I'm not with him. I haven't spoken to him in seven years. He has nothing to do with this. The Cullens have nothing to do with this. This is who I've become away from here, away from you, from them. This is me."

Jacob pulled the truck over to the side of the road, turned to face her. "I don't think I'll be able to do it. I don't think I'll be able to let her do it. I don't think I can stand watching you die."

"And I cannot live as a vampire. I don't want you to be disgusted when you touch me. I don't want your nose to wrinkle up when I walk in the room. I don't want you to worry about leaving me alone with your daughter."

"Bella, I'd have to worry about leaving her with you now. You can barely manage the stairs on your own."

She giggled at that, wiped tears from her face as he pulled back onto the road. By mutual assent, they decided to leave the topic for another time. The longer they spent together, the more it was obvious that neither of them had moved past the feelings they had long ago harbored for one another. It seemed as if they had successfully buried their feelings for many years, but they had not gone away. That was something that they would both have to deal with.

The rest of the car ride was silent until Jacob parked in Charlie's driveway. Bella shivered involuntarily, and rubbed her hands on her arms. She was still only clad in the jeans and tank Emily had lent her, the rest of her clothes being soaked. Her shoes had gone missing at some point, so she was barefoot. Jacob chuckled, slid his arm around the back of the seat. She smiled, slid across the seat and into his warmth, sighing contentedly. The situation brought back memories of that long ago night when they had sat so close to each other the night that Alice Cullen had returned.

"Don't smell any vampires this time do you?"

"I think the coast is clear."

"You can take the truck back to La Push, bring it back tonight or tomorrow and get your bike. It'll be safe here."

"Thanks."

"No worries." She shifted to reach for the door handle, smiled when Jacob's hand curved around the back of her neck, drawing her into him, fitting her body to his larger one, his mouth covering hers softly.

The kiss was sweet and easy, not at all like the one they shared in the water. He didn't prolong it, kept it brief and shallow, but her breath was still slowly sucked out of her body as she melted into his embrace. When he pulled back from her, he was grinning.

"I wanted to do this so bad that night. Would have to, if Alice Cullen hadn't been inside." He kissed her once more, then leaned over her and opened the door for her to get out. "I'll bring the truck back tonight."

"I'm making lasagna for Charlie. There's plenty."

"If that's an invitation to dinner, I would love to, but I can't. Raincheck?"

"Sure." She slid out of the truck. "I'll see you tonight."

"I'll try not to be too late. You know how patrol can be. And she's normally pretty fussy at bedtime."

"Take your time. I'll try and get in touch with Alice."

Reluctantly, Bella closed the door and walked to the house, stopping briefly to check the mail before unlocking the door and walking inside. She was halfway to the kitchen to deposit the stack of catalogs and bills when a thick envelope addressed to her caught her eye. There was no return address, but the handwriting was unmistakable. Alice.