New faces and Distractions

I know I'm super late with this update Hopefully this marks the beginning of more frequent updates and the summer writing season.

Please Review.

Once again I must remind you I do not own any bit of Host or Twilight.

xxxxxxxxxxxx-Diana pov-

Recap:

I bit down hard on my lip to keep the unholy scream trapped in my throat.

My father seemed to weep empathizing with my pain his voice once warm was now shaky, it scared me even more.

Another sound overrode his sobs though and sliced neatly through my pain, the sound of panicked screams.

My father seemed to freeze up in place at the sound and I knew that something was terribly wrong. My mind somehow flashed back on the time I'd gotten outside the compound and Nicholie's reaction….H-Had whatever scared him back there somehow broken through?

There was a sudden spectacular crash of glass and a large thunk that must've been the door because it sounded so close.

I heard my father give a low oath of surprise and I think I saw a flash of white as he ducked using his coat to protect him from the shards.

I winced trying to sit up but then I whimpered and started to sink down to lay down once more.

"Mhmmm.." A new male voice murmured, a fraction lower than Nicholie's usual timbre. I could smell distinctly blood that seemed to be on this new entity, "I thought I smelled it around here.." The voice trailed off and I heard someone stepping on glass the distinct crack of it as he ventured forward.

The creature Nicholie was scared of sounded…. Fairly human… or perhaps..

I squirmed uncomfortably on the bed and whoever he was seemed to sense my movement.

"Ah there it is," the man mumbled before I heard once more the soft tinkle of broken glass and could FEEL his presence come toward me.

I wondered why my father wasn't doing anything did.. he.. had he been hurt?

"S-Stop!" I suddenly heard my father stammer as he tried to scramble to his feet making the glass once more grate on my ears.

The man seemed to turn slightly to my father but my vision was going in and out and it suddenly felt too hot in the room, "Mhmm…"

"D-Don't hurt him…." I stammered closing my eyes tightly, "I-I don't know what you want but please leave him alone… I-If your after me just .. just kill me fast… O-Okay…."

"Nala," The male suddenly called for and I felt a slight shift in the room and then a female's voice piped in a sorta rough low voice that made me think of the typical rougue thieves in all those cliché movies.

"Yes, Erik?... What do you need? You know I hate to leave Lance by himself with all those humans around that's just torture…" The female grumbled good naturedly but paused glancing in my direction, and sniffed the air? It was strange but a distinct soft sound that indeed sounded like an animal sniffing, "What the heck is she?"

Erik as I suppose he was called the male blurb in my vision waved a hand dismissively, "Questions later.. For now she wishes me to spare the older gentleman.. Shall I?"

The female stiffened slightly looking to my father in question or at least as far as I could tell, "Er.. Well he doesn't.. Hmm SEEM like the others…"

"Is he a silver ringed one?" Erik asked a tiny bit reluctantly coming a little closer to me and I could once more heard the gentle sniffing sound.

Nala sighed, "Yeah he is but he's not acting like the other silver ringed ones…"

"D-Don't hurt him please.. H-He didn't want to be part of this.." I felt something touch my arm a cold hand skim it, it reminded me of Nicholie's.. touch…

"…..Spare him, Nala, we need to get going anyway-"

There was a sudden loud crash behind us and I could once more make out the blob near me turn to face the intruder.

A harsh ragged breathing entered the strange awkward atmosphere and I recognized it immediately.

"Hello Nicholie," Erik's voice greeted cool and dismissive unafraid. I could only imagine how ticked he must've looked.

".from . her." A thundering growl followed his words and I wasn't sure if it was Nala or.. Erik who snickered.

I was suddenly picked up and thrown over someone's hard shoulder. I felt sick at the shift and ridiculously hot like I was burning internally. I stayed pretty limp unsure what was going on or where this would lead.

The growl rose to a frightening level and objects around the room started to shake at the sheer ferocity of it.

"Tsk tsk tsk…" Nala's cool low feminine voice rang, "Nicholie manners please…"

He hissed at the female's taunting statement and I heard once more the breaking of the glass shards as Nicholie seemed to enter the room.

"We can do this the easy way or hard way, Nicholie, " Erik's voice rang out stern and commanding, "You can leave us be.. Or have a set back in your operation with the amount of recovering you'll need…."

At the end of his statement the room once more rattled and I heard a rather dull explosion the must've been distant but within the compound. My vision solidified for a moment and I could see Nicholie glance back towards the door at that sound.

I heard Nala sigh, "Oy Erik I told you Lance needs supervision…"

I wasn't sure who Lance was but I privately was beginning to see where Nala's concerns were.

Nicholie turned once more to face the two intruders his eyes turning more to slits and falling to a crouch, "Put Diana down. She's mine!" he snarled possessively.

I felt myself get shifted once more on the man's shoulder and I could now make out that he was a bit taller then Nicholie and shared the same dark hair as Nicholie but his eyes were different. They were a strange almost red orange color with a milky film over them. They flickered slightly as if sensing my gaze but it was strange. When he was looking at me I felt like he wasn't.. seeing me… I carefully noted that his face was rather well handsome and almost sculpted I swallowed uncomfortably, beauty wasn't a good thing , I reminded myself it usually meant another cold one.

"Erik," Nicholie snarled taking his attention from me and cutting my observation once more as I seemed much more sensitive to sound now. I winced a little and Erik shifted me a little once more his cool hand adjusting me to a more stable position over his shoulder.

I didn't know who Erik was but I'd rather take my chances with him then with Nicholie though by the way Nicholie seemed so blantantly opposed to him…

Nala moved a little closer to Erik and now that my vision was starting to play nice with me I could make her out. She wore a black cropped top that showed her flat toned stomach. Short denim jean shorts highlighted her atheletic toned legs and she had strange almost olive skin that was hidden under a ghostly parlor. She ran one of her hands through her cropped blonde hair with the same strange orange gold color that was a couple shades away from Erik's. She glanced to me as if sensing my gaze and grinned showing pearly white fangs.

I shuddered, maybe siding with Erik wasn't a good idea.. it seemed either side would leave me with cold ones.

I glanced back to see where Nicholie was but he was gone and suddenly I was thrown off the shoulder of Erik and was rolling painfully in the sea of glass. I gasped in pain expecting to be cut to pieces and bleeding everywhere but.. somehow.. I was..I mean I felt the glass shards sticking into me.. But I didn't feel.. Didn't smell blood..

What.. the heck.. was .. I becoming? A… A cold one?

I lay there whimpering lightly more pained by the sudden throw then the actually landing. I closed my eyes trying to steady my breath. I opened my eyes quickly to see just flashes of movements and large gaps growing in the wall the two moving too fast for my eyes to keep track. A sudden cold hand shook my shoulder and I heard Nala's voice grate into my ears, "Yo.. Get up… we have to get going…"

I looked up her frightened and unsure where exactly we were going to go, "I-I…"

Another large bang and I saw Erik grasp the door frame for a moment before throwing himself forward into Nicholie's direction.

"Look Erik will be fine we have to get out now though before the silver rings come up with something to rebute with!" She yanked me to my feet making me wince.

"O-Okay…"

I felt a warm hand grab my hand on the opposite side that Nala was at , "Diana.. Go.. Go with them.. Surely a better fate will lie with them then here.."

Nala looked to my father and for a moment she seemed to drop her tough act and gave him a single nod in respect before tugging me forward towards the exit while the chaos and loud sounds continued as Erik and Nicholie tried to tear eachother apart… I felt my father walk with us till we reached the door then he let go of my hand.

I glanced to him begging perhaps with my eyes for him to come to follow but he shook his head with a small sad smile, "Goodbye my little girl…"

"Dad.. Dad no wait.. Come with us-" I half begged as Nala tugged me forward.

"I'm sorry I can't.. " He whispered and blew me a kiss as he turned back to watch Nicholie and Erik's fight, "I…"

Another explosion rattled the building and I was quickly rushed forward.

I never got to hear his reason to stay and I never got a chance to ask him about it later…

That was the last time I saw my father or what remained of him…..

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxShiela POV xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I winced inwardly realizing that might've come out wrong.

"Er I'm sorry that probably sounded like-" I began sheepishly though I couldn't help it.. I didn't .. I didn't feel comfortable around Bella just something about her made me uncomfortable and on edge. And there seemed to be some sick sweet smell that clung to her that set my teeth on edge.

Jacob was having a little difficulty balancing his pile of food. My goodness the boy could eat. I giggled inwardly at that thought seeing the big pile of food that somehow was remaining balanced on the plate.

"Um.. D-Do you mind me asking why?"

I was silent for a long moment glancing off to the side and a little self conscious.

I dropped my voice to a whisper, "I-I just.. Her scent.. and she just.. sets me on edge.." I mumbled almost trying to keep our conversation between us instead of prey to the crowd's enjoyment.

He seemed to be glancing to Bella then to me, "Um…" He didn't seem to know how to answer that and I felt bad for even bringing it up.

"Just forget it…" I mumbled not even sure why I had thought it'd be okay to be honest with him. I took my plate and spotted an opening near Sam and Emily who both glanced up to me with welcoming smiles. I headed for them without a backwards glance to Jacob.

I didn't need him to help me.. Diana had set this letter to Sam not Jacob he wasn't even involved in this.. I had… to help her.. not get distracted…

Distracted? Oh man… I almost slapped my forehead as I set my plate down and fought not to glance in Jacob's direction.

I needed to focus. I needed to focus, I reminded myself as I picked up the sandwich biting into it. Diana had helped me escape and now I needed to help her…

Emily and Sam seemed to exchange glances and Sam scooted over a little as a plate was set at the table and Jacob took a quiet seat next to him. I didn't glance up but concentrated on my sandwhich. I was fairly sure I could feel a slight glare at my back.

(A/N): Many apologies for this VERY late update. Now that summer is nearly upon us I'm really hoping to tackle these Fanfics and complete them! I haven't abandoned them the long hiatus meant life got busy as I'm sure it does for everyone. Please enjoy this and let me know what you think, If anything was unclear or etc.

May the creative force be with you!

-002fox