I hated it when Sam laid down the law like that. I hated the feeling of having no choice. Of having to obey.

-Jacob Black, Breaking Dawn, Chapter 8, p.157

Jacob

I had driven as fast as my car would go down the deserted road, my mind flying times faster, when a figure stepped out in front of my car. I saw them about a mile away (sooner if my attention had diverted away from what I was doing and back to my problems' back at my family's house). I slammed down on the breaks, stopping about ten feet away from the figure. In a flash, a breeze came from the passengers' side as the door was flung open and the person was sitting next to me.

"Hello," I said politely, trying not to show my annoyance that he had stopped me. Always on my nerves, always in my way. He could never really just let me be, could he?

"Hello, Jacob." Edward said back. "I heard your thoughts a few miles away, though I'd better stop you before you drove you car off of a cliff."

"Yeah, well, wouldn't be the first time I've taken that into consideration." I muttered, both my hands tightening on the steering wheel slightly. "So… did you have any luck finding people?"

"Yes, we did. Quite a few, actually. We had the luck to find a coven in South America who we didn't know. There were more in their family than in ours. I think as for the amount of people Bella and I found, we have about twenty. The others are not back yet. How are things back at the house?"

"Fine, lots of people there. Renesmee is fine." I added.

"That's good to know. But I was referring to the people."

"Yeah, they're all great, I guess."

"Jacob, you know what I meant."

"No, I do not." I continued to play dumb, careful to keep my mind blocked from him.

"Some brunette girl, and your mother, is what I saw before you so rudely blocked me out. What's going no with them?"

"Um… the brunette is Lily. Long story there."

"Is it somewhat uncomfortable?" Edward's lips curved up into a jeering smile.

"No. I do not find her the least bit awkward. Or attractive for that matter. A bit annoying. Creepy."

"Comes off a bit strong?"

"I wouldn't say a bit. 'bit' generally means 'slightly'."

"Worse than slightly then?"

"No, I just said that." My voice dripped with sarcasm, a bit of my annoyance showing through. "Anyway, I need to drive, so…"

"Slow down. I am not done here yet." He said in a flat voice.

"Well then hurry it up." I growled back.

"What about your mother," he asked, his voice softer. "I thought that she had…" he trailed off.

"Died in a car accident when I was a kid? Yeah, well apparently not. She was saved by a vampire coven who is not living in Arizona. End of story, really."

"And you won't talk to her?"

"She left me." I said in the same, flat tone that he had used moments ago. "End of story. That's it."

"Did you ever think that maybe it's time for a sequel?" He said that as if it were finalizing the conversation.

"Okay, Socrates-" I stopped dead sentence when I saw his expression, and the way he stiffened up. "What is it?"

"They're here." he stated simply.

"Who is?" I asked, hoping for a different answer than I knew was the real one.

He gave me a look. No way to describe that one. Sort of along the lines of, 'how thick can you be?' "We need to get home. NOW." he said.

I turned and sped toward the house. Those words finalized what I had feared. As the car raced towards the house, I felt sick to my stomach for the first time since becoming a vampire.

They were here.

The Volturi.