A/N First off I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed especially Lynette and Sweetest Suicide but all you guys/gals/anything in between (giggles) are the bestest. Second I could not sleep last night so did some stats. I've had something like 10,700 hits, over 3600 views, 109 story alerts, 49 favorite story additions and quite a few favorite author additions. I don't have anything to compare this to but I DO know that I appreciate every single bit of attention to a story that's not even 30 days old yet (I think) and had (in my opinion) subpar chapters 3 and 4 (funny how hindsight works that way) I love you all.
[xxxxxx{|]==================}
Chapter 8
Repercussions
There is a place you can touch a woman that will drive her crazy.
Her heart.
Melanie Griffith
[xxxxxx{|]==================}
Leah's Point of View
I was restless running through the woods just beside the Cullen mansion. I felt a pull towards the bloodsuckers' home and was repulsed by myself. For so long I'd thought fate had been so cruel to take Sam away from me, to make me this...thing that I'd become. But now the only thing that mattered was her, was that beautiful little leech. I'd always hated the leeches nearly as much as Paul! With that thought I skidded to a halt and tried to clear my thoughts.
I should have been furious but I was not, I was...happy. I was not just the happiest I'd been since Sam I was the happiest I'd ever been I was...ecstatic. I wanted to just lie on the ground and just wriggle with my paws in the air. The only thing that marred my bliss was the slight distance between us.
Suddenly I was the lucky one. Not the one outside looking in, not the bitter, disenfranchised, lonely female wolf. ME! Leah! I had finally gotten lucky even if it was with a vampyr. But Gods she was so beautiful.
I could sense my packmates disgust as my attitude not so slowly softened towards her kind, yet even through their disgust I could feel a sense of relief that I'd finally found someone. We don't pick who we fall in love with and we certainly don't pick whom we imprint with. Of course the rest of the pack being male these understandings came along with what I felt certain were the beginnings of certain perverted fantasies. Even that was OK, I'd squelch all that in good time.
Then a thought occurred to me, there was only one thing that could ruin my happiness about Adrielle, (I had no idea how I knew her name, all these things about her were flooding into me, even that felt really good, imprinting honestly seemed like a two hour orgasm) something I knew would surface sooner rather than later.
[xxxxxx{|]==================}
Bella's Point of View
I was seeing red even angrier than I'd been before when the wolves had tried their underhanded trick upon me. Of course by then almost all the alcohol I'd been doused with had evaporated, surgical grade alcohol does not last long in open air, and I ran from the porch screaming.
"Leah! You whelp bitch! Come out and face me! It's time to die!"
I ran towards the woods as fast as I could and I am very fast, even for a vampyr.
My answer was not long in coming as I her thudding footsteps coming to greet me.
Soon we faced each other in a clearing her haunches drawn back as if to spring, me coiled to fly at her like some sort of midieval projectile. Our eyes were locked, orbs dripping malice towards one another. I drew my my power about me and spoke to her in low menacing tones.
"I thought you curs had sunk as low as you possibly could with that little alcohol trick you mangy bitch," I said, menace emanating from every word, "But this goes beyond duplicitness, this goes beyond your filthy, stinking species hating my older and far superior one."
She growled, low in her throat but still we circled one another.
"To play games with my Adrielles heart, all to seek petty revenge upon me, your better. For that I will tear your heart out and eat it, you've whored yourself for your pack and that makes you even more of a stinking cur than I'd ever imagined."
With that she sprung at me, faster than even I'd imagined, and momentarily pinned me to the earth her slavering visage inches from my face.
"Get your paws off me you damn dirty dog!" I said and flung her off of me. She broke several trees in her flight then struck a boulder of sorts then lay there broken and whining. She'd heal in time I knew, though much slower from my wounds than she normally would, but she'd never get that chance.
Her pack mates would be here soon, but not soon enough. I stood and began to casually approach her. This fight was over.
[xxxxxx{|]==================}
Adrielle's Point of View
Bella took off from the porch at a sprint and I knew what she was going to do, I even knew what she'd be thinking. Bella always thought in terms of tactics. Love was not a stranger to her vocabulary but still a rarely used word. I gave chase as fast as I could, followed by the Cullens.
I did not know if I could arrive in time but I knew I had to try.
[xxxxxx{|]==================}
Bella's Point of View
By the time I got to the dog's side she'd changed back to human. She was nude and honestly, under other circumstances I'd have found her quite beautiful. These weren't those circumstances however. Her breathing was ragged but even I could tell it was getting better, it was remarkable how fast these mongrels healed, even from the wounds I'd administered. These were not the werewolves I'd helped hunt for the Volturi in Europe, these were, something else altogether. No matter, soon this would be over. I knelt by her side, intending to separate her head from her body.
"You really are a self centered bitch you know," She looked up at me and said, not without some yellow wolfie eyes were a bit out of focus.
I was honestly a bit taken aback, "You want those to be your last words?"
"It's all about you isn't it? You've got to protect Adrielle, I imprinted with her to get at you, no one could love Adrielle for her! Well guess what, you do, I can feel it through her and you know what...so do I." Somehow I could feel the truth in her admission though I honestly don't know why, I just could. It was like trying to question a force of nature, some may not believe in the law of gravity but jump off the empire state building and I'll bet they start believing halfway down. She was that convincing, that sincere. Her statement allowed no doubt. Then she continued, "Go ahead then, finish it, I was not made to find happiness in this world it seems after all," And I could see she was weeping and,suddenly, inexplicably, if I could I would be too.
I knelt and placed her head gently in my lap and her eyes widened. They widened further when I stroked her hair and said, "It will be all right, I imagine Adrielle and your pack mates will be along soon. Just rest Leah, rest and heal."
[xxxxxx{|]==================}
Adrielle's Point of View
It seemed as if the Cullen's and I arrived in the clearing simultaneously with the wolves only to take in the strangest tableau I'd ever witnessed. There, near a boulder, Bella was kneeling, Leah's head in her lap, stroking her hair and speaking to her too softly for me to hear. We all came to a stop and the wolves followed suit on the other side of the clearing. It was as if we were all loathe to interrupt what seemed like a private moment. Finally Esme approached carefully, removing her jacket, when she gained Bella's attention she held up her jacket and Bella merely nodded.
Esme then carefully covered Leah with it.
This seemed like a signal for us all to approach and I honestly don't know what came over me, I ran to Leah's side.
"Are you all right?" I asked her, gripping her hand without even thinking about it. It felt really good though.
She smiled and stroked my cheek with her other hand, "Just a misunderstanding, I'm healing."
I heard Sam's now human voice say, "Regardless Leah we must get you to the reservation, you will heal faster there."
I hadn't noticed, but Bella had backed away.
Sam knelt, looked me in the eye then carefully picked Leah up in his arms. He then gave Bella a baleful look.
"You have much to answer for."
Bella's crimson eyes and tone were steely.
"If anything happens to my Adrielle's mate under your care, you will answer to me."
Her declaration stunned all present and I could see an angry protest rising to Leah's lips, I tried to tell her with my eyes "No!" and somehow she got it, she simply lay her head back on Sam's arm.
He looked at me with a curious expression and said, "This little one has powers even I cannot imagine it seems."
And with that he and the pack were off in the woods. As they left I whispered, "Just the power of a heart that feels like it's beating again."
[xxxxxx{|]==================}
Volterra
Aro, first among equals amongst the three kings of the Volturi, looked as close to pensive as he could, sitting on his throne. His fellow kings Marcus and Caius flanked him, to the left and right respectively, and the surviving wives of the kings, Sepulcia and Athenodora were behind their spouses Aro and Caius. Renata, part of Aro's personal bodyguard knelt by his left side.
The rest of the elite guard stood impassively in front of Aro and the other kings.
"I have need of Isabella Swan's services yet she seems nowhere to be found," He nestled his chin between his hands, "Though I bear some portion of the blame for her absence, her refusal to answer simple telephone calls really can't be allowed."
"She should have been forced to be one of us years ago," Caius answered simply.
Marcus looked on impassively, but seemed deep in thought.
"The last I saw her she seemed awfully fond of that Adrielle chit," Heidi suggested, from amongst the elite guard.
"Indeed," Aro said, "This gives me much to consider."
He waved his hand in dismissal, waited for the wives and guard to leave their presence then said to his brothers, "The bait is in the water, let us see what shark rises to it."
Later in a Secret Place
It was all coming to fruition just as the seer had told me so many years ago. Damn I had to move faster. Isabella Swan must never live to set foot in Volterra again.
[xxxxxx{|]==================}
A/N Thanks again to my brother for a great line- this one from 'Planet of the Apes', which he loves. I won't tell you which line though. Next chapter a lot more questions start to be answered (I told you up front it was a mystery — giggle) and Alice and Bella finally have their talk. Breaking News! I was playing with the poll thingie and put a poll on my profile. Who would you like the first lemon scene to be with? Alice/Bella Adrielle/Leah vote if you feel like it.
Once again, please please review it makes me really happy.
