Woo boy, another chapter out! I actually just saw the Eclipse trailer on Youtube and my hatred of Bella (selfish bitch) prompted me to update. Plus I need something to cheer me up. Yesterday my grandfather passed away after struggling with cancer for a year. So my family is pretty unstable right now and we're trying our best to deal with the grief. But I'm just happy he's finally at rest in a better place.
PLEASE READ!!!!! In other news, I'm not sure if any of you caught this in the last chapter but I'll ask again cause I really need the help. For the Salvation and Damnation arc I've decided to have the Cullens (plus Jacob and Gaara) travel to three different countries in their attempt to flee the Volturi. I've already decided on one, but I need help figuring out the other two. So if you could review and give me an idea of what country/city they should hide in, I would greatly appreciate it! So without further ado, the next chapter of Dance of Fire and Ice II: Life and Death!
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Twilight or Naruto. They respectively belong to Stephenie Meyer and Masashi Kishimoto. I'm merely borrowing them for a while! But I do own Sage and the Cullen twins!
Warnings: AU (alternate universe), slash/yaoi (malexmale pairing), M-preg (male pregnancy), Bella Bashing and violence.
Pairings: Edward/Naruto, Carlisle/Esme, Jasper/Alice, Emmett/Rosalie, Sage/Naruto (one-sided), Bella/Edward (one-sided)
Chapter VII
Destroying Our Fragile World
While Naruto and Edward had been thrilled over the concept of being parents, the young couple hadn't realized how much time and effort they would have to put into it. Two days since the twins' birth had passed and already Naruto was a bit worn thin which was natural, as Carlisle explained. It was just the blond demon adjusting his schedule to his new role as mother and care giver. Of course Naruto was mainly thankful for his mate. Edward didn't have to sleep and never ran out of energy which enabled him to pick up the slack. Yet even with the slight advantage it was still difficult. The twins had to eat every few hours which meant waking up throughout the night, equaling lack of decent sleep.
Esme had offered to buy formula instead and have bottles prepared on standby, but Naruto had declined. He was grateful for his family offering their help, but his instincts demanded that he and Edward take the responsibility. He didn't mind breast feeding the twins since it reinforced the bond between him and his children, strengthening that love. And at the rate they were growing, he figured he wouldn't have to do it for long. Yet despite everything, the young parents couldn't be happier than they were at that point in time. It was a fairly pleasant Sunday afternoon even with the light cloud cover and the Cullens along with Jacob Black were enjoying themselves as they relaxed outside.
Jasper and Emmett were wresting nearby while their mates talked over fashion magazines. Carlisle was busying manning the grill they set up while Esme came to and from the house with all sorts of ingredients and dishes. On the opposite side of the yard away from the wresting vampires, Edward and Naruto sat on a quilt along with Jacob. Devon was squirming around in his father's lap while Lauren was tugging at Jacob's hair, getting a kick out of her new toy while the shifter just winced in pain. Despite her size, she was a strong little thing. Naruto laughed at his friend's predicament while Edward shook his head, although he found amusement in the action as well.
"You know, I think they inherited your mischief from you Naruto," Jacob joked as he was finally able to remove Lauren's hands and free his hair.
Said blond demon shrugged as he picked up his son, grinning, "Yes well that seems to run in the family. From what I was told, my father was a bit of a mischievous devil himself. But my mother was able to curb his… enthusiasm by scarring him for life."
Poking at Devon's stomach drawing a giggle from him, he continued, "Besides, I think Lauren takes more after me while Devon takes after Edward. The little guy is mellow."
Jacob nodded, "Yeah seems like it. These kids are going to be heart breakers aren't they?"
"Yes, Naruto and I already agreed they were. Of course any who wish to court my children will have to go through me first," Edward stated, his voice taking on a more serious tone at the end. Snorting at his overprotective mate, Naruto pecked his cheek, "Relax, they're growing fast but not that fast. Enjoy them while they're young."
"Yeah they can't stay kids forever. At least that's what parents say all the time. My dad always tells me that I grew up too fast; that one minute I was this annoying little toddler, the next I'm a teenager," Jacob stated watching as Lauren took one of his fingers into her mouth and sucked on it. Edward didn't like the idea of his children growing up, but he knew it was inevitable although he wondered what age they would stop growing. After all, they were immortal through their blood and no doubt they would cease aging at some point. The vampire speculated that perhaps they would remain eternal teenagers much like most of their family. Edward theorized this due to the fact that Naruto still looked like a teenager himself despite the fact that he was well over thousands of years old.
"So… I hate to bring this up, but uh… any word on this Sage guy?" Jacob asked wiping his finger when Lauren became uninterested. He unconsciously handed her a small stuffed weasel which she immediately latched onto. Frowning at the topic, but knowing it was important Naruto replied, "No, we haven't seen him. It's been quiet which has me worried."
Pulling his mate closer, Edward kissed his cheek in reassurance while he tickled Devon's stomach. Jacob frowned, "So you think he might be plotting something?"
"Most likely, I seriously wouldn't put it past him. Despite the challenges your pack and our family present, it won't daunt him. He's been chasing me obsessively all this time and I doubt he's just going to give up without a fight," Naruto muttered.
The shifter nodded knowing the topic was souring the atmosphere. Jacob could see the rest of the Cullens still going about their business, but he noted that it seemed strained and tense. No doubt they had heard the discussion and weren't happy over the idea of being helpless against the situation. Jacob could understand since Naruto was his friend and the idea of such a mentally unstable demon focusing his sights on the blond was unsettling. Deciding a change of topic was needed, Edward inquired, "Have you received word from Gaara?" Naruto perked at the name of his best friend while Jacob tilted his head curiously.
Smiling widely, the blond demon replied, "No, but hopefully I'll hear from him soon. I really want him to meet all of you and I really do miss him. Plus the twins need to meet their godfather!"
"Who's Gaara?" Jacob asked having been lost in the discussion. Naruto grinned wider if that was possible as he replied, "He's my best friend and a demon as well, a raccoon demon to be more precise. He and I became friends when we were still human even though we lived in different villages. After what happened to me, I went to seek refuge with him only to discover the same thing had happened to him. Then we both packed up and decided to travel!"
"Then why isn't he with you now?" the shifter questioned.
"Well we couldn't be around each other constantly or one of use would have wound up dead! Gaara's pretty much my opposite in personality, very quiet and doesn't really show his emotions. He was raised pretty badly and didn't have anyone to love him. But back on topic, sometimes we just went our separate ways to have time to ourselves. We'd find each other again eventually," Naruto explained.
"Jacob! Naruto! It's time to eat!" Esme called to them, watching as both perked at the promise of food. She couldn't help but smile as she watched her family gather. Had she been told a year ago that not only would she have a demon for a son, a pair of hybrid grandchildren, but also befriend a shifter she probably wouldn't have believed whoever told her. Yet here they were and Esme couldn't be happier. The motherly vampire smiled wider as Naruto sat himself down cradling Devon in his lap while Edward held Lauren. Jacob sat on the blonde's other side, sniffing the air and grinning widely obviously excited over the meal.
Alice was quick to dance over and pluck up Devon just as Esme began to set out plates, not that Naruto minded too much. He just kept a close eye on his sister as she settled herself between Rosalie and Jasper, the pair of females cooing over their nephew.
"This smells good kaa-san," Naruto hummed as she served them mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli and steaks from the grill. Jacob nodded in agreement as he immediately cut into his steak. Taking a bite, he purred and melted as he chewed. Swallowing, he exclaimed, "Definitely tastes good too! Thanks Esme, Carlisle!"
"You're welcome Jacob," Carlisle replied graciously while Esme beamed happily, pleased that they were enjoying their meal. As the shifter and demon ate, the vampires talked among themselves while passing the twins around. Of course between Edward, Esme, Rosalie and Alice, it was quiet difficult for anyone else to gain even a second with the infants. But light scolding from Naruto had the family playing nice and sharing. When lunch was done, Jacob had offered to help Esme with the dishes as favor for feeding him and allowing him over. She had protested at first, but the bulky teen was stubborn and had insisted. Finally she gave in and they had headed inside while the coven had chuckled and giggled in amusement. Even Rosalie seemed humored, obviously approving of Jacob taking responsibility to help her mother.
"So when do you think we'll be able to start taking the twins places?" Alice inquired as she tickled Devon's stomach while Emmett played with Lauren, holding her over his head. She seemed to enjoy that as she clapped and squealed with delight.
"I think more importantly we should come up with a cover story for them before we present them to the public," Carlisle advised, the others nodding in agreement.
"But they look so much like both Naruto and Edward, it'll raise many questions and draw more attention to us," Jasper added as his mind ran through various scenarios. They had to agree that their looks would definitely pose a problem. Naruto frowned, "Well for now I suppose I could place illusions on them to change their appearance. At least until I can finish my project."
"Project?" Rosalie asked, raising a delicate eyebrow.
The blond demon nodded as he explained, "When you told me about your sun problem, I thought perhaps I could somehow find a way to use my abilities with genjutsus to help. At first I thought I could just place the illusions on each of you, but it would take a lot of chakra to do it. Not to mention that it would be hard to maintain at great distances. So I've been working on creating jewelry that I can pour my chakra into and when you wear it, it'll automatically cast the illusion."
The Cullens seemed surprised and excited at the idea. Naruto held his hand up to keep them quiet, "Of course the illusions won't last long, only for a week at the most. I'd have to recharge them and as I said, they aren't finished yet. I need to work a few things out first."
"How did you manage to keep it a secret for so long? Especially with Edward?" Emmett asked as he handed Lauren over to Carlisle to hold. Naruto grinned smugly, "I've lived for a long time! I have so much knowledge that I had to rebuild my mindscape from scratch and now it's practically a maze! Edward's only able to read my surface thoughts, if he tried to read deeper then he wouldn't get far."
"Woah, you're always full of surprises aren't you?" Emmett joked.
"Yes I am. But back to the topic at hand, as I was saying I could probably place illusions on Lauren and Devon. I would anyway to hide their ears and tails. We would just need to decide what their story will be before I can do it," Naruto stated.
"Maybe Carlisle and Esme could pose as their godparents," Alice suggested.
"How so?" Emmett questioned.
"We could tell the town that they're the children of a family friend who recently died after suffering from serious illness over the last few years. In their will, they gave custody of the twins to us since you were named godparents and they have no other family to take care of them." The Cullens thought for a moment, wondering if the story would work.
Finally Naruto shrugged, "I think it's a good cover story. If we claim adoption, people will start becoming nosy and you can't claim them to be blood related either. Kaa-san is already posing as Rosalie and Jasper's aunt while otou-san is posing as my uncle." They murmured in agreement understanding the blonde's point.
"I believe it's the best we can come up with now in this situation. But perhaps it won't matter much in the next year. With the rate of their growth, we might have to move soon should we wish to keep our secret," Edward explained calmly as he watched Jasper handled Devon carefully, pleased when he didn't hear any thoughts of blood lust. Rather he heard unconditional love from his brother as he whispered softly to his nephew.
"Yeah, these guys are only a few days old and they don't look it. Kinda messes with the mind a bit," Emmett joked smiling.
Naruto shrugged, "Yes well their blood is unique and a mixture of two powerful species. We can only speculate what other sort of abilities they have in store besides the basics they gained from Edward and I."
"Unfortunately due to their mixed heritage and power, they'll be sought after most likely if they're found out," Jasper stated as he let Devon suck on his fingers. Naruto pouted and shook his fist at him, "Aniki! Don't jinx us!"
Jasper shook his head while Alice giggled, "Don't worry Naruto. If anything happens, it'll be okay! We won't let any harm come to Devon and Lauren."
Holding his mate close, Edward stroked his side as he tried to calm him. He knew Jasper had a point and sadly it was the bitter truth. Those who would find out about the twins would perhaps either try to kill them or use them in some way to gain power. Perhaps the coven they had to worry the most over was the Volturi. The Cullens knew that if Aro ever found out about Lauren and Devon, he would have quite the field day.
A sudden chill seem to hit Edward which startled him as his hair rose at the back of his neck. It had been many years since he had ever felt such a sensation, perhaps since he was a human. Golden eyes snapped towards the woods while Alice seemed to go rigid which drew this family's attention toward her. Scanning the foliage, Edward frowned as the air seemed to shimmer like heat in the middle of a desert. This set his senses on higher alert as he spared a glance at his family who seemed to be fine. Although looking closer, something seemed off about the situation. They were too calm. Alice was smiling as if nothing was wrong when he knew that she just had a vision moments before.
He suddenly heard thoughts in a familiar voice that made his hackles rise and his lips pull back in a snarl. Alice's voice called out in his mind, "He's here!"
"Release!" Naruto's voice suddenly shouted along with a clap of hands. The air wavered once more and the haze fell away, liberating the vampires from its hold. They were quick to realize they had been put under an illusion. Edward suddenly heard his daughter's cry just as he felt Naruto being jerked from his grasp. He snarled as Sage jumped back holding his mate by his throat as the blond struggled clawing at the hand. Rosalie and Alice moved back to the house with the crying twins while Carlisle, Emmett and Jasper moved to Edward's side.
Smirking, Sage leaned close to Naruto nuzzling his ear as he purred, "For being such powerful creatures, you sure are easy to trick. But it just makes my goal that much simpler to achieve." Edward growled but couldn't attack knowing the demon would use his mate as a shield. That didn't stop the male vampires from circling him although this just seemed to amuse Sage.
"Release my son and we shall let you leave this place with all your body parts intact," Carlisle threatened. Truly he wished to tear the man who harmed his family apart, but right now they weren't in a position to.
Sage laughed as he held Naruto closer running a tongue over his cheek, smirking when Edward snarled and glared darker at him. Jasper was tense and Emmett was growling deep in his chest as he shifted anxiously, wishing to attack. Naruto flinched away from the contact, twitching his fingers as he felt the familiar blade of a kunai slip down his arm.
"Sounds tempting, but I will regretfully have to decline. I have what I want and I won't let it slip from my grasp," Sage purred, too distracted by his attempts to provoke Edward to notice his surroundings. He didn't realize Jacob had just snuck out of the house with Esme and was crouching low nor did he notice the kunai that was poised to strike.
As if the motions had been planned out, Naruto suddenly raised the kunai stabbing Sage in his left eye. Screaming out in pain, the dark fox demon released his captive to stumble back and dislodge the weapon. Blood gushed from the gore that was his eye socket along with various other liquids and questionable chunks of matter. Assured that his friend was safe, Jacob jumped into the air as he phased and tackled the demon into the ground. Jasper and Emmett immediately jumped into the fray to help the shifter while Edward gathered his mate into his arm, clutching to him tightly. His instincts were torn; one part wishing to take his mate and children away, to flee while the other part of him wanted to join his brothers and the wolf in tearing Sage apart.
"Edward… the children," Naruto whispered, wanting to be near his young who were still crying. Snapping out of his daze, the bronze haired vampire nodded and guided his lover to their children. Without hesitation, Rosalie and Alice handed them over and almost immediately they stopped crying. Their eyes were puffy and their faces red, but thankfully they were unharmed in any way. Nuzzling their tiny faces, Naruto whispered softly in Japanese to them while Edward continued to hold onto him. Sparing a glance over his shoulder, Edward watched as his brothers, father and Jacob fought with Sage. The demon was faring well considering the circumstances of his sight and seemed to be only having the most trouble with Jasper. Observing them he could see why, they had similar fighting styles.
Deciding that he should be the one to end the life of the man who endangered his family, Edward released Naruto and tenderly pushed him towards Esme. Blue eyes gazed at him with worry and understanding along with slivers of anger and helplessness. No doubt his beloved didn't like the idea of not being able to help and to be forced to remain on the sidelines. But Naruto was still healing from the twins' birth and any sort of strain could tear open the fragile wounds and cause more damage. Words seemed to have no meaning in the situation, rather Edward kissed Naruto on the forehead as topaz eyes burned with promises of safety and happiness. Nodding, the blond demon watched as his mate turned and rushed back to the fight that was moving further into the forest.
"We need to go," Rosalie ordered as she grabbed the arm of her smallest brother, trying to guide him quickly from the chaos. Naruto held back a whimper and felt frustration as he was pulled away. The three female vampires walked swiftly through the house and into the garage toward Rosalie's red BMW convertible.
As said owner of the car moved to start it, the rest of them climbed into their seats. Naruto was the only one who buckled himself in and within seconds, they were pulling down the drive although they could still hear the fight going on. The twins whimpered their eyes watering as they thought of their father, wishing for his protection.
Nuzzling them, Naruto whispered, "It's okay. It'll be okay my little ones. Daddy will come home and we'll be safe." Alice stroked Naruto's back knowing that the situation was taking a toll on her brother. She could tell by his voice that he was trying to hold back his tears, sensing he was upset and angry.
"Where should we go?" Esme called back, unable to hide her own fear for her family. Even she felt anger and hatred for Sage, for harming her loved ones so. Alice gazed into nothing as she replied, "Seattle, we should head there. If he tries to track us, we need to heard further north into Canada."
Nodding in understanding, Rosalie pressed on the accelerator as they picked up speed. They had to quickly put distance between them and Sage if they had any hope of out running him. The forest and lush scenery around them became a blur as the BMW was pushed to its limits, the speedometer resting on its highest setting. As they passed the sign indicating the Fork's city limit, Naruto felt his senses tingle as the hair on the back of his neck rose. Snapping his head around, blue eyes glanced back behind them narrowing as they tried to distinguish the source of the sudden killer intent. Sniffing the air, Naruto growled having a hard time detecting anything due to their speed and the various other smells around him.
"What is it Naruto?" Alice inquired with worry, obviously knowing that something was wrong.
Clutching the twins closer, Naruto hissed, "Something's wrong. I can sense it." Esme turned in her seat his beautiful features twisted with heart breaking concern. The blond demon felt guilty for bringing this situation upon his family's head.
"Can you tell what it is? Do you think Carlisle and the others are alright?" she whimpered, delicate hands clutching at her bosom. Naruto opened his mouth to answer when the killing intent spiked along with an all too familiar smell.
"Rose! Watch out!" he shouted, seconds before a black blur shot out in front of the speeding vehicle. Alice immediately covered Naruto and the twins as Rosalie's quick reflexes kicked in. She pressed the brakes and gripped the wheel as they wound up going into a tail spin, the tires screeching as rubber marks were burned into the asphalt and smoke was kicked up.
None were really sure how many full circles they spun, but were grateful when the car stopped. Knowing they didn't have the time to gather their bearings, the small group swiftly began to climb out just as a rather threatening sight appeared. The female vampires were stunned as they gazed at the large, black fox that stood forty yards away from them. It was a bit bigger than Jacob in his wolf form and seemed more menacing as it growled angrily at them while two bushy tails swayed behind it.
"We have to go," Naruto whispered, hiding his children's faces against his chest as he took a cautionary step back. The fox growled moving closer, obviously having noted the movement and wasn't the least bit pleased.
"What it it?" Rosalie growled back as she moved protectively in front of Naruto.
"Not what, who. That's Sage."
"Does that mean…?" Esme trailed off, obviously becoming frightful over the fate of her mate and sons.
"They're still alive kaa-san. Sage was able to get by them and they're on their way," Naruto reassured her, tensing more as Sage suddenly launched at them. Alice and Rosalie moved into action as they jumped to intercept the attack. Both of them kicked away the massive demon, feeling satisfaction when he slammed into trees.
Landing in crouches, Rosalie turned to her mother and brother, "You both should escape while you can! We'll hold them off till everyone gets here!"
"Go!" Alice called back as she charged at Sage who was moving to get back up. Knowing that her daughters could take care of themselves, Esme turned and led Naruto into the woods both running swiftly. Despite the ground they were covering, they could still hear and feel the chaos of the fight they left behind.
"I'm sorry kaa-san," Naruto muttered as he leapt over a fallen tree. Esme stopped suddenly forcing the blond to follow her example. With quick strides she walked over and embraced him careful to be mindful of the twins. Kissing his forehead soothingly, she hummed, "Don't be sorry dear heart. None of this is your fault. You hear me, it's not your fault! Everything will be fine."
Naruto nodded, feeling grateful for the motherly vampire who took him in and treated him as his own; for offering him the chance to have something that he always believed was out of his grasp. But as much as he wanted to bask in the tender affection given to him, Naruto knew they had to keep moving. Shifting his children and nuzzling their heads, he began to run again sensing Esme following him knowing the direction they were heading was their only chance for salvation. Although he knew the details of the treaty between the shifters and the Cullens, Naruto hoped that perhaps they could offer help and sanctuary.
After all, Sage was not only a threat to the Cullens, but also to the La Push pack and to the humans of Forks. The shifters would have no choice but to fight if they wanted to protect the town. They only had to keep running and trust that Sage was being kept at bay.
"Naruto," a familiar voice whispered in his mind. Once more the blond halted ignoring Esme's worried gaze, "Edward?"
"Yes my sun. We're okay, we're making our way to Alice and Rosalie as we speak. Where are you?"
"Esme and I are near the border separating our territory and the La Push pack's territory. I know this is a risky move, but it's the only choice we have," he explained. Edward sighed, "I know. I can hear Jacob's thoughts which are linked to the pack's. They're on their way so you'll probably run into them soon. They've agreed to help since Sage is a common enemy to all of us. Are the children okay?"
"Yeah they're fine. They're scared and they want you not that I can blame them."
"I know love. Just keep moving and make sure to stay safe. Jacob's told some of the pack to escort you and Esme further into La Push for protection," Edward explained. Naruto could only agree knowing that right now Edward's frame of mind was in the instinctive alpha stage; fight the threat, protect pack, protect mate and protect kits. There was no point in arguing with the vampire.
"I understand. I can already sense the wolves are close so we'll go to meet them. Just be careful, I want you to come back to me. We need you," Naruto explained firmly. He felt the vampire's love and reassurance trickle between their bond, easing him.
"I will. Nothing in this world is going to take me away from you or our children, I promise. I love you Naruto."
Said blond demon smiled returning the sentiment before he cut off the link focusing on Esme. She held a look of worry on her lovely face and Naruto was quick to reassure her, explaining what Edward told him. Relieved that her family was okay and that they would be receiving assistance, Esme seemed to relax slightly although not fully. They still had an enraged demon behind them.
"Lets go then," Naruto ordered as he shifted the twins, his feet carrying him to where he sensed the pack was, Esme on his heels. Minutes seemed to stretch into eternity before the two groups finally met. Naturally the pack were in their wolf forms, some of them eying the vampire and demon warily while others were curious about the pair of twins Naruto carried. Sam stepped forward and shifted back unbothered by the state of his nudity. Naruto didn't care although he made sure to cover the twins' eyes while Esme looked away respectfully. The shifters watched as their alpha and Naruto gazed at each other firmly, neither wavering.
After a moment, Sam nodded over to a pair of wolves, one being rather small with sandy brown fur. He explained, "Leah and Seth will escort you to La Push while the rest of us move to meet with Jacob and your coven."
Naruto nodded, "Do not underestimate Sage. Hit him hard and hit him fast, don't give him a moment's rest. If you do, you're dead for he as the ability to cast illusions and if you give him more than a few seconds, you will be caught in one." Sam nodded in understanding before motioning for them to get moving.
As he and Esme walked toward the pair of wolves, he heard the shifters howl and take off in the direction they came. Nodding for them to lead the way, neither had any trouble with maintaining pace with the duo although Naruto kept his senses open. Just because he was the beta of his relationship didn't mean that he was weak by any means. Living as long as he did and seeing what he saw, Naruto knew that any sort of carelessness during battle got you killed. And he had too many responsibilities to be caught off guard; he had to protect not only his children and mother, but also the two wolves with him. It was his job and instinct as an alpha and demon lord.
A sudden howl echoed through the air, followed by a crash and rumble. The very earth along with the trees shook while the wildlife seemed to scatter. Naruto stopped, perking as he gazed back with narrowed eyes. He heard Leah and Seth move on either side of him, growling and snarling as their fur rose. Shifting closer to Esme, Naruto kept his gaze trained on the forest as he carefully passed the twins to her. They began to whimper while their grandmother tried to comfort them, although her eyes held worry and fear. Smiling at her, he whispered, "I need you to stay with them. They need to be protected and I know you can provide that for them."
"Naruto please, don't do this dear heart," Esme whispered, her eyes shining with tears she could not shed.
Hugging his mother close, he hummed with reassurance, "I'll be okay. You forget who I am."
Leaning toward his children, he kissed their foreheads tenderly, "My little ones do not cry. I promise you that your father and I will be back. But we have to protect you from harm first so you'll be going with grandma to a safe place. Do you understand?"
Devon whimpered before looking at his sister. Lauren gazed back before they turned to their mother, nodding in understanding. Smiling, he kissed them again, "Good, I'm blessed to have such smart children. I'm proud of you both."
Giving Esme one more hug, Naruto turned to Seth and Leah. Firmly, he told them, "You two must take Esme and my children to your village quickly, make sure to keep them close. I'll stay here to hold off Sage if he comes."
The two wolves looked at each other, the younger one whimpering while the older one shook her head. It was obvious from how they interacted that they were related in some way, perhaps siblings or cousins. Leah suddenly nudged Seth toward Esme before turning to Naruto, gazing at him in the eye.
"You want to stay?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow. He already knew the answer, but it was refreshing to see such determination. It was very rare for people in this day and age to hold such spirit, the comforts and advancement of their civilization having made them soft. Leah nodded, her eyes daring him to disagree. Sighing, Naruto merely nodded knowing perhaps it was best to have back up. Glancing at Seth, he smiled, "Take care of them." Seth barked before running off with Esme following.
Naruto watched them till he could no longer see them, an ache for his children forming in his chest. He wanted to follow, wanted to reassure them that he wasn't going to abandon them. But he couldn't. He had to stay, to remain and fight off the monster that threatened his happiness and the safety of his family.
"If there is a god, please watch over my children and keep them safe," Naruto thought as he focused once more on the trail. The howling and snarling was growing louder, the ground and trees continuing to shake.
Feeling Leah tense beside him, he stated, "As I told the rest of your pack, you have to be careful around Sage. Do not relent in your attacks for he will attempt to put an illusion upon you if given the chance. Also, his element is earth which means he will use the plant life around us. Keep your senses open to everything even what's under you."
The female shifter nodded in understanding before growling again as the brush before them shifted and moved. Crouching slightly, Naruto's eyes flickered red narrowing into slits. A strained moment passed before they both jumped away just as a large mass was thrown at them. Hearing a pained yelp, they looked back to see it was one of the pack. Moving quickly, Naruto crouched beside the wolf his hand glowing a soft green. Leah growled before pausing and sniffing, unable to sense anything threatening about the energy. She watched as Naruto placed his hand over the wolf's injured back leg, the blood flow slowing before stopping completely. She was shocked to say the least.
"My knowledge of medical jutsus is limited so I merely mended some of the muscle and flesh, closing the wound to prevent infection. But it's still tender and strained so we need to get him to a farther location in order to make sure he isn't hurt," Naruto explained watching as the wolf shifted back to his human form.
Leah nodded in understanding as Naruto easily picked up the male and helped him hobble to a safe location. As they were setting him down, a snarl and more rumbling caught their attention. Frowning, Naruto glanced at Leah, "I'll stay here with him for now. But if things get too intense, I'm jumping in and you get this guy to safety alright?"
Understanding passed between them before Leah took off into the brush with a growl leaving Naruto to make the male in front of him as comfortable as possible. Taking off his jacket, he folded it into a pillow and tucked it under his head, his senses never straying from the fight just yards away from him.
"Edward? Are you alright?" Naruto questioned as he patted himself down mentally checking what weapons he had on himself. It was mostly kunai, shuriken and senbon, but it was better than nothing.
"Yes, I can sense you near. Esme told me what you did, you should have left with her!" Yup his mate was angry. Sighing, Naruto replied, "I know but Sage is after me Edward. I'm just putting the children in danger if I remain with them. If I'm alone there's less likely of a chance that Sage will go after them."
"I don't like it. I don't like how you're using yourself as bait," Edward growled. Rolling his eyes, Naruto snorted, "It wouldn't be the first time. But need I remind you of exactly who and what I am? I'm not invalid Edward and I will fight if I have to." He could feel the vampire's frustration through their bond but brushed it away. Naruto was stubborn, Edward knew this and he would just have to deal with it. Listening while keeping close to his patient, Naruto observed, "Sounds like a real party over there. Hopefully none of the humans will come snooping around trying to find out why they're having earthquakes and hearing such strange noises."
"Please don't jinx us my sun," Edward joked before pausing, "…Naruto run!" The warning came too late as Sage burst through the foliage with Emmett, Jasper, Jacob, Sam and several others of the pack hot on his heels. Blue eyes immediately locked with violet as a satisfied and gleeful grin twisted upon the dark demon's lips, having at some point phased back to his humanoid form.
Crouching low in front of the shifter in his care, Naruto growled as his tail bristled before splitting into three, the fur color bleeding to red and black. Not caring how the others would react, Naruto charged and tackled Sage, slamming him into the ground resulting in a rather sizable crack. Without hesitance, he cocked his fist back and slammed it into the other's face feeling satisfaction at the crunch it gave. Snarling and howling in a mix of rage and pain, Sage kicked Naruto off of him and jumped away dodging the two shifters that came at him from either side. Landing in a crouch, Naruto turned to his left as Edward appeared at his side, looming protectively next to him.
Emmett jumped over some of the shifters to grab Sage from behind, but the demon managed to flip him over using the bigger vampire's own momentum against him. He then ducked to avoid a strike to his head from Jasper, swiping his leg out to knock him off balance. Although he did get hit from behind by Jacob and Sam, grunting at the impact. Growing irritated and enraged, Sage snarled as he placed a glowing hand upon one of the trees he was near. Without warning, thick roots shot out from the ground knocking or grabbing any living thing in sight. The wolves were easier to catch due to their larger size, but the Cullens were too quick. Alice and Rosalie moved through the obstacles of deadly roots in order to free the shifters while Emmett, Jasper and Edward tried to get closer to Sage.
Naruto dodged any threats that came too close, moving back to where the injured shifter from earlier was. He wasn't surprised to see Carlisle there, the doctor doing his job. He quickly explained, "He had a pretty bad leg injury. I healed what I could, but I'm not a medic nin and only have basic knowledge of how to treat those in the field. He's in no shape to fight or be here."
Carlisle nodded, "I understand. I'll take him to the town and tend to him there. I'm sure Esme is worried."
"Yeah, kaa-san didn't like that I stayed behind. But Sage is after me and if he's focused on me, his chances of going after Devon and Lauren are slim. It's the only way I can truly protect them." Carlisle smiled sadly knowing what his son stated was the truth. It was the logical choice in the shinobi part of Naruto's mind so it was the correct move to make. Yet it was also more than that really.
Carlisle had enough time to observe the nature of families and the instinctive will to protect one's young which was what the blond demon was doing. Despite his own trepidation of Sage, Naruto loved his children more than anything and it gave him enough strength to confront his fear head on. If he wanted to keep Lauren and Devon alive, Naruto couldn't allow something like terror to cripple him or blind his judgment. Focusing back on his work, Carlisle sensed Naruto moving next to him as Rosalie and Alice appeared carrying a few of the Quileute who had been caught by the roots. Some were injured and some were just dazed or sore. The blond was working on helping those he could while Rosalie and Alice worked to keep any threats back.
"This is no place for them otou-san. These injured need to be taken back to the village," Naruto stated as Leah moved to help him sit up Paul who had been knocked unconscious. The female shifter nodded in agreement, "Some of us aren't injured. We could help carry those who are back."
"Very well. Rosalie, Alice, help us get these people out of here," Carlisle ordered. Alice was quick to obey while Rosalie sneered down at the shifters, obviously displeased with having to perform such a task. Before she could start, Naruto moved in front of her and took her hands firmly, gazing into her eyes, "Please just do as you're told Rose. I know you don't like it but these people are just in the way. If we don't get them to safety then they'll die."
"Might be better for us in the long run," she hissed lowly. Sighing, Naruto's red eyes pierced her as he continued, "Please… I need all the help I can get right now. Help tou-san and Alice get them out of here, back to the village. I need you to do this so that you can help kaa-san protect Devon and Lauren. Please nee-sama, for me."
Rosalie's eyes softened, understanding why Naruto wanted her to help. He felt better knowing she would be at La Push with the twins to protect them while he and Edward fought here. It was one less thing for him to worry over.
Smiling when he felt her delicate, cold hand touch his cheek, Naruto nuzzled it as he purred, "Thank you nee-sama."
"Only for you Naruto and for my little niece and nephew… only I would do such things for you," she said. He just grinned wider, "And that's why you're the most kind and beautiful sister I could ever ask for."
"Flattering will get you nowhere young man even if it is true," she joked before moving away to help her family. It only took a few moments with the vampires each carrying a person while the rest had been carefully placed on the backs of the more able shifters.
"Are you sure you'll be okay Naruto? I can't see anything," Alice inquired with worry, sensing that something was going to happen. Nodding, the blond demon replied, "I'll be fine I promise. Now hurry before Sage tries to break through to us again."
"Be careful Naruto," Carlisle ordered firmly, watching as his smallest son grinned and nodded. Knowing there was nothing else he could do, the head of the Cullen coven turned and rushed off, his daughters and the shifters following.
When they disappeared, Naruto turned and swiftly returned to the fray of battle. Eyes narrowing as he saw the number of roots attacking those who were left, the middle and pointer fingers on his right hand began to glow a vibrant red. Ducking and dodging some of the roots with ease, Naruto used one as a launch pad as he vaulted himself into the air. Flicking his wrist, the red energy formed a fiery whip that sliced through the bark of the roots like a hot knife through butter. With his left hand, he pulled out a few senbon and flicked them, growling when he only managed to get Sage in the leg. The other fox demon jumped back snarling when Naruto landed.
"That was awesome!" Emmett cheered as he appeared next to Naruto along with Jasper and Edward. Sam and Jacob stood behind the vampires and demon, growling lowly as their eyes remained locked on Sage. Naruto merely grinned and shrugged at the comment, happy with how easily amused Emmett was.
"Just like my precious Naruto to never back down from a fight," Sage purred tossing the senbon from his leg aside.
Edward snarled possessively while Naruto glared, "I'm not your precious anything and I'm here because you've pissed me off for the last time. I'm going to kill you Sage and make sure you never bring harm to my family or friends again."
"Do you think you can? After all, you've been quite out of practice."
Twirling a kunai on his finger, Naruto hissed, "You forget who I am, what I was trained to be."
Sage chuckled, "Yes yes; Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze son of the Yellow Flash of Konoha, the Yondaime Hokage Minato Namikaze and the Red Death of Whirlpool, Kushina Uzumaki. You're also known as the Lord Kyuubi no Kitsune and the most deadly assassin to ever come out of Konoha's ANBU squad."
"Of course being a stalker you would know all of this despite how much time has passed since those days. So you know that you're not making it out of this forest alive," Naruto growled his tails swaying as he gripped his kunai, his fingers glowing again.
Snickering, Sage smirked, "So you say, but even you cannot control or predict the true outcome of this fight." With that said, Sage charged dodging Jacob and Sam with ease since they were much larger targets. He ducked Emmett's fist and delivered a kick to Jasper knocking him out of the way. Naruto caught the slightest glow of chakra around his legs and fists, concluding that this was how Sage was able to fight the vampires without breaking any bones against their hard bodies. It was similar technique he had seen Tsunade and Sakura use, understanding the basic principle of it. A rather smart move he had to admit, but two could play at that game.
Remembering to leave his mind open to Edward in order to better coordinate their efforts, Naruto jumped back from Sage's charge which was blocked by his mate. Gathering chakra into his left hand, the blue tone indicating wind, he slashed at the air watching as blades formed and whistled with swift speed. Edward jumped aside while Sage moved to dodge the assault. Hissing as a gash formed on his right thigh, Sage grunted as Sam tackled him from behind catching him off guard. Growling, he managed to roll over and tucked his legs against his chest, pressing his feet flat against the alpha's chest. With a mighty heave, he launched the weight off his person.
Jasper and Emmett were quick to jump into the air to catch Sam before he could hit a tree while Jacob charged. Rolling into a crouch, Sage placed his hand on the ground as he grinned smugly but was quick to roar in anger when Edward tackled Jacob out of the way before the shifter could be skewered.
"Wow, your reflexes suck!" Naruto chirped as he suddenly appeared in front of Sage. Without prompt, he kicked the other demon in the face sending him flying back. Bouncing on his toes, Naruto followed flicking his wrist as more chakra blades sliced through the air cutting away at the trees and their target.
Grunting, Sage flipped and spun doing his best to dodge the deadly assault before he rolled behind a tree. Not even a moment passed before the glow of a fiery whip wrapped around said tree and sliced through it, the massive structure groaning as it began its decent to the ground. Any wildlife nearby scattered at the crash that reverberated across the valley. Luckily Sage had managed to avoid being crushed, ducking behind a thick brush.
"Not so tough now are you? Look at you now Sage, how the mighty have fallen! You only feel powerful and in control when you attack a single individual. But put you against a group and you're getting your ass kicked," Naruto growled as he moved closer.
He didn't care what the others thought, he was going to kill the bastard himself. It was his right after everything Sage put him through; the assault and the death of his first born weighing heavily on his mind. This was going to be his kill, his demonic instincts commanded it. It was quiet for a moment before Sage cautiously stood, revealing himself to the group. His wounds were healing slowly, although he didn't look the least bit frightened or apprehensive despite his obvious disadvantage. Instead, he merely grinned, "I wouldn't expect any less from you Naruto. So fiery and passionate when you're angry, you're positively glorious in your beauty."
"Man this guy is seriously off his rocker," Emmett grumbled. Naruto made a face, his nose scrunching up as if he smelled something foul.
Growling deeply, he hissed, "I have to agree with Emmett. Are you truly out of your mind Sage? Can you not understand that I hold no feelings for you, that I have no desire to mate with you? I mean, I already have a mate and I have a family!"
Sage snorted, "They're filthy vermin Naruto. A coven of vampires and a pack of shifters are not proper company for one such as you. They are not worthy to be in our presence."
"Don't you dare speak of my family and friends in such a manner or I shall rip out your throat!" Naruto snarled. Edward immediately moved to his mate's side, pulling him close. Sage's eyes narrowed as he roared, "Don't you dare touch my mate with your dirty hands vampire!"
Before Edward could retaliate, Naruto shouted back, "I'm not yours! I have never been nor ever will be yours Sage! Even if we were the last people on this god forsaken planet, I would kill myself before agreeing to be yours!"
"You are mine! You were mine the moment I saw you and chose you! But perhaps once I kill these parasites, I shall remind you of that! You will be my mate! Only I will be able to touch you and you shall bear me powerful children! We would conquer the world together!" Sage raved as he shifted restlessly. It was obvious he was growing anxious with his fury.
A thick root rose from the ground with deadly looking thorns decorating it, a glowing energy glimmering along the surface. All eyes watched it apprehensively although they still kept their attention on Sage. No doubt if provoked, he would use his newest weapon and none but Naruto had any idea of what the energy was or what it could do if it made contact. Feeling no fear, Naruto carefully stepped away from Edward staring at Sage with blank features. In a soft, but firm voice he spoke, "I will say this only once Sage. From the moment we met I have refused your advances and intentions. Instead of backing off with your head held high, you became a disgusting and perverted man who continuously stalked me in a pathetic attempt to change my mind. Not only that, but you attacked me, tried to rape me and caused me to have a miscarriage."
Edward and his brothers growled softly while Sam and Jacob merely listened. While they were a bit lost having not heard of Naruto's story, they were curious and concluded that it was important. The blond continued, "Now you've come back, threatened the lives of my family, my friends, my mate and my children. All this and you think I would willingly go with you? Not a chance in hell. I'm going to kill you Sage and I'm going to enjoy it because this is the only way I know that will keep everyone I care for safe."
Sage frowned, his eye smoldering with madness and rage. It was obvious to all of them that there could be no reasoning with him. But none could realize the extent of his insanity and wrath, the next few seconds catching even Edward off guard. Letting out a resounding yell, Sage lashed his hand out in a conductive manner, the root following the movement of its master. With a mighty crack, it struck at Naruto who took the brunt of the impact against his chest and midsection. Edward could only watch in mute horror was his mate flew back and hit a large mound of rocks, the collision and force turning them to rubble.
Seconds later the scent of blood filled the air, the vampires' eyes turning black as they saw the blond demon cradled among the debris, his C-section wound having been ripped open and the stitches a mangled mess. Emmett quickly latched onto Jasper holding him back and pulling him away, the shifters' focus torn between Sage and the struggling vampires. Edward remained still for a few seconds, yet it seemed like eternity. Emotions bubbled and smoldered inside of him, boiling until they overflowed and he snapped. Whirling around, he roared as he suddenly tackled Sage to the ground. His fists flew as he punched and clawed at the demon below him, his rage burning like a forest fire. He could not be stopped and none moved to try.
Jacob, worried greatly for his friend, shifted back and rushed over to Naruto. Just seeing his wounds, he knew that the other needed medical attention quickly despite the fact that he was already beginning to heal. But from what he had been told, Jacob could tell that the process was slower than normal which concerned him all the more. Knowing he needed to stop the blood flow, Jacob pressed his hands onto the wound firmly wishing he had a shirt or some sort of cloth to help. But his hands would have to do for now. Frowning, he whispered, "Come on Naruto, come on you gotta wake up. Come on wake up, you can't sleep now." No response, not that he really expected one.
Despite that his back was to the chaos, Jacob could still hear everything around him. He could hear Edward fighting with Sage, could hear Sam shifting in agitation while Emmett tried to help Jasper focus. But another noise seemed to catch his attention; the shuffling of brush near him. Glancing up, Jacob's eyes narrowed as he gazed in the direction he heard the sound, sniffing the air. Wrinkling his nose, he felt irritation at the fact that he couldn't smell anything over the scent of blood and the vampires. But something was there and it unsettled Jacob greatly.
Without taking his eyes off the brush, Jacob called back, "Edward!" There was no reply, only the continuous sound of flesh hitting stone and grunts of pain mixed with growls of anger. He tried again, "Edward!" By now Sam, along with Emmett and Jasper focused on the direction Jacob was gazing into. Jasper felt his whole body tense, feelings of glee and bloodlust trickling to him fueling his own. Someone was there!
"Damn it Edward! Something's here!" Jacob screamed. Edward finally jolted out of his blood rage as he registered the words. Whirling around, his distracted and hazed mind began to pick up thoughts; thoughts in a very familiar voice that, if he was living, would have made his heart stop.
"Smells so good!Delicious!Bloodbloodbloodblood!Drink!Taste!Mineminemine!" the voice hissed. Forgetting about Sage, Edward bolted toward Jacob and Naruto as another figure leapt from the brush it was hidden revealing the recognizable face of Volturi's expert tracker Demitri. His eyes, like the Cullens', were black with hunger and they were trained on Naruto.
Crouching low, Edward leapt into the air and with a reverberating crack that sounded like thunder, he tackled the other vampire to the ground. Jacob had once more shifted and now stood protectively over his friend's body, Sam next to him. Jasper and Emmett placed themselves in front of the wolves, tense and ready in case Demitri managed to get past their brother. Knocking Edward away, Demitri moved into a crouch as he growled and snarled his eyes flashing between Naruto and his opponent. Jasper flinched at the hunger that he felt knowing firsthand how tempting Naruto's blood was and how it tested his control. Edward snarled and glared in return as he read the other's thoughts, shocked by what he knew and what he would do with that information.
"Jasper! Emmett! He knows about the twins!" the bronze haired vampire thought urgently. His brothers tensed and moved quickly to surround Demitri. But he seemed to anticipate this as he grinned darkly and took off from the direction he came, his thoughts echoing in a cruel, teasing manner, "Aro shall be very pleased with this news little Edward, very pleased indeed!" Jasper and Emmett followed, the shifters not far behind leaving Edward to tend to his mate.
Glancing around the destroyed area, Edward growled when he noted that Sage had slipped away unnoticed using Demitri's arrival as a diversion. It seemed that today was a day for screw ups and chaos. Gliding over to Naruto, Edward held his breath as he knelt down and gathered his beloved golden fox to his chest. The blood flow had slowed and the wound was healing, but it was still life threatening if not treated quickly. Knowing he had to see Carlisle immediately, Edward took off his pace swift and urgent. He didn't have a doubt that the others would be able to find him or at least realize where he was heading so he wasn't concerned. What he was truly alarmed over was the person he held in his arms.
"Please be okay, please. I just got you back, don't make me lose you again," Edward thought as he raced through the forest. If there was a god, Edward hoped that he was kind and benevolent; that he would look past the monster that Edward was and allow him to keep Naruto in his life. He held onto that faith, needing the strength and hope it offered as he raced toward La Push. For if he lost Naruto, Edward knew that he would lose what was left of his humanity.
"Please… please…"
Cliffhanger! Muwahahahahaha! One more chapter to go before the closing of this arc. Exciting isn't it? I just want to thank those of you who have read/followed/reviewed this series. You have all been a wonderful inspiration and motivation to finish this! So thank you very much! And don't forget to review, especially if you have any ideas. I have more of a solid plot in my head for the third of the trilogy, but I need more ideas to fill it out. So help is welcomed!
~Seth
