Chapter 10: Damn Bloodsuckers
Leah's Point of View
My fur bristled and stood on end as we escorted the big bloodsucker ahead of us. Sam had not wanted to take him to La Push (not that I would have let him take the vamp there anyway), so we were going to the bloodsuckers' abandoned lair.
Seth snorted and nudged my shoulder with his nose. I could hear his thoughts. Oh calm down sis, you know the Cullens aren't the bad guys. I sighed. Grow up, Seth. A bloodsucker is a bloodsucker. They all smell the same to me.
I got several acknowledgments from the rest of the pack before Sam silenced us. We'll talk it out once we get there.
I really hated the pack mind. Sam and Emily had been married a few months ago. And never would I have wanted to even hear about it, let alone see every horrifying detail. I shook my fur out and shuddered.
Probably the only good thing about being a werewolf was the speed. I knew no one other wolf could match me. That kind of made up for being the only girl werewolf in our history and having to share my thoughts and share everyone else's whether I wanted to or not. And I usually did not.
Oh, and killing bloodsuckers was pretty awesome too.
If only Sam would let us kill this one. I remembered him from our so called alliance with the vamps when we fought off the newborns. He was strong, cocky and stunk just like the rest of 'em.
I didn't care so much that the bloodsuckers had broken the treaty by biting Bella. The first time I had met her at Jacob's house she'd been ok, not that I really took the time to get to know her. But anyone who would actually hang out with vamps and want to become one was seriously unhinged.
Don't talk about her like that. I laughed. Oh please Jacob, don't tell me you're still all teary eyed about her, are you? It's been a year. She picked her bloodsucker and death over you a long time ago. Get over it.
Jacob would have come after me if Sam hadn't ordered us both to calm down and stay away from each other.
I sighed. Stupid pack mind. It's like living with 10 brothers, except instead of only catching glimpses of their dumb behavior I was bombarded with every excruciatingly boring and gross detail. And then in return, not only do the brothers steal your diary and read it, they also know every thought you've ever had.
I would have stopped phasing a long time ago just to escape from all the crap, but Sam had insisted that we all wait a year or 2 to make sure that the Cullens or any other damn bloodsuckers didn't show up in search of them.
So I'm forced to wait through an entire nasty year and now this dumb vamp shows up again. They're kind of like undead roaches, hard to kill and they always come back even when they're not welcome.
We finally reached the bloodsuckers' extravagant house and let the big one lead us inside.
Well, he did come alone. I think it's safe to enter the house. Colin, Brady, I want you two to run a patrol around the house. Let us know the instant you smell any other vampires. If you do, then head straight for La Push and wait for the rest of us there. You are not to engage any, that's an order.
Colin and Brady took off on patrol, immediately obeying our fearless leader.
Now, I think we can trust this one. Jared and I will phase back to our human forms. We will question the vampire and then we will phase back and all of us will talk over what we are going to do. While we are in our human forms I expect the rest of you to be on your guard and ready to help. But you are not to attack the vampire unless I give you the command.
Sam phased and Jared quickly followed. They both pulled on a pair of pants before entering the house. I snorted. Like any of them had anything the rest of us hadn't seen a thousand times before. And there's no reason to be modest in front of a monster like this vampire.
I grinned. Looks like Sam doesn't trust you to talk, Jacob. Too emotionally involved, huh?
The russet wolf took a snap at me but I was too fast for him and dodged out of the way.
Laughing, I entered the house after the others, effectively ending our little fight. Gotta keep a unified front for the bloodsucker Jacob, calm down.
We had all gathered inside the cavernous living room. It looked like they had left behind most of their furniture, but it was all covered in sheets. I surveyed the house slowly. Hmm, whatever that sheet was covering could be a coffin.
While everyone settled in for our ridiculous discussion I amused myself by guessing what macabre object might lie under each sheet.
Right when I had almost convinced myself that another sheet-covered object had to be one of those medieval torture racks, Sam began to talk. I sighed. He'd probably be pretty mad if we didn't all pay attention, so I stopped my game and listened.
All of us wolves were in a loose circle around Sam, Jared and the bloodsucker. Sam and Jared took a seat on the sheet covered sofa but the vamp was still standing. Humph, he probably didn't even need to sit.
Whoa, that's weird, it looks like the vampire is actually trembling. I grinned smugly. Of course he was trembling, he probably thinks we're about to rip him to pieces.
My eyes began to glass over as he repeated the story he'd already told us in the clearing, though this time he told it in greater detail. The only time I perked up was when he talked about the powers of the Volturi. There was one who could take away all your senses? I frowned. I hoped that one's powers didn't work on us, the way that the little psychic one couldn't see us.
But I was also pretty sure that the one who made you feel pain couldn't really be all that bad. This bloodsucker was most likely exaggerating to make them look better for being so easily defeated.
I frowned when he ended his story about the fight and started to talk about how close his family was. He had closed his eyes for a long time and swallowed hard a few times before continuing. So what? Maybe all the vamps really did care for each other. That didn't mean that the world wasn't better off now that they had been separated and their coven numbers reduced a little.
Oh here it comes. Now he's playing the Bella card. Help us for her, help us for her father. I growled low in my throat. Bella's father was now my father. And as fathers went, he was ok. He left me well enough alone and didn't try to act like he was my real father at least.
But when it came down to it, I really didn't like this bloodsucker talking about him. Of course Charlie was upset that Bella had never come back to visit after she started college. Not that he would ever admit it, but I could tell.
There he goes again, trying to play the noble hero and offer himself to atone for the breaking of the treaty. I rolled my eyes. Like he could condition when we kill him, we could take him right now if we wanted and none of us would even get scratched.
Wow, he really is crazy. Now he's talking about how with our help we can bypass the psychic's sight and we can all go to Europe and storm the evil bloodsucker's castle.
That's just how I was planning on spending the weekend. Going on a suicide mission with vamps in some far off country to rescue other vamps who I don't even like. Awesome.
And once again on his knees. I guess any vampire brave enough to come in front of an entire pack of his mortal enemies and beg for our help on his knees has to have some redeeming qualities…I shook myself. Don't fall for his pity speech Leah.
All right, looks like its time to make our decision. Sam has trusted the vamp to stay in the house and we are all headed outside to discuss. We'll be able to tell pretty quickly if he left the house.
Sam and Jared phase back and we all sit in a loose circle, waiting for Sam to talk.
You've all heard what he has to say. I will say what I think, and then if anyone else wants to talk he may. I could hear the unspoken thoughts in Sam's head. That 'anyone else' meant Jacob. So Sam knew that Jacob would want to chase off after Bella to help, even though she had dumped him long ago and she was now a vampire.
I believe that we should let the vampire go his way if he promises to never return. It is not on us to help them, even if we used to know Bella when she was a human. He is right about the mission, it will most likely be suicide. I cannot condone it.
I could already hear Jacob's thoughts shouting back at Sam. Oh geez, here we go.
Sam sighed. Jacob, go ahead.
The shaggy russet wolf stepped to the middle of the circle and looked at all of us in turn. My look was much briefer than all the rest. My fur bristled.
You all know about mine and Bella's…history. Even though she did not choose me, I can't just leave her in a place like that. If there is anything I can do to help, I am going to do it.
Paul rolled his eyes. Give it up man, she's not even Bella anymore, she's one of them. She's not the girl she used to be.
I nodded. Paul was actually making sense, for once.
Jacob growled softly. I believed that myself, a long time ago. I've had a lot of time to think, and it…it doesn't really matter to me. Bella will still be Bella. And if she is in trouble I have to help her.
Quil stepped forward. Jacob is right. Plus, we haven't seen any action in a long time. It'll be great to have something to fight again.
I shook my head in disgust as my own baby brother stepped to their side.
Yeah. The Cullens really are the good guys. If they're in trouble I think we should help. Emmett is really torn up about this, they can't do it on their own. And…we all know how important family is so we should help them get theirs back.
I snarled. Stop being a moron, Seth. How can you even talk about those dirty bloodsuckers as if they have families like we do? I think you may have forgotten that our dad was killed by vampires.
Seth frowned. That's not true, Leah, and you know it.
I rolled my eyes. If those vamps hadn't come back here after all those years, you and I would never have become werewolves in the first place. You know the shock of us phasing the first time is what gave dad his heart attack.
It's not fair to blame them. They had no idea that showing up here would turn us all into werewolves. And they never would have intentionally injured dad.
I took a threatening step towards him. Those are all just minor details. What it comes down to, point blank, is those vamps killed our dad. This is a great way to honor his memory Seth. Cozying up to the Cullens and acting like you're their trained dog.
Seth's eyes shot sparks and he took an answering step toward me. That's enough. Sam ordered. We both stopped in our tracks, unable to move.
Sam turned to face Jacob. When he spoke his sympathy for Jacob was evident. You see how this is already twisting and splintering the pack? It's just best if we don't get involved.
If no one else has anything to say then we are going to close the matter. We will let the vampire go this time, but we will not help. As Sam finished speaking I realized that his last words had been a command. He must not want Jacob running off by himself.
No! Jacob snarled and shook violently. This isn't right, Sam. You can order us as a pack, but what I do on my own is my business alone.
I'm sorry Jacob, I really am, but this decision is best for all of us.
Suddenly I realized that Jacob had moved really close to Sam, and they were standing almost nose to nose, glaring into each other's eyes. Then Jacob spun on his hind paws and headed toward the house at a trot.
That's weird…something feels different. I gasped as the realization hit me. Jacob's thoughts were missing. All the other wolves comprehended a second after I had. Our heads whipped around to follow after Jacob.
I'd always known that Jacob was the beta, and that traditionally speaking he should have been the alpha because of who his ancestors were. But he'd given that up a long time ago…hadn't he?
I gasped again. It was like lights were winking out all around me. Quil and Embry, Jacob's adoring wingmen, had taken off after him.
I think the thought hit me a few seconds before it actually happened. I spun around and growled menacingly at Seth. Don't you dare even think it…
And then he was gone too.
So many emotions swirled through my head that it was impossible to sort them all out. Even with all the rest of the pack's thoughts still in my head, I felt…lonely.
I frowned and mentally shook myself. Get a grip, girl. Sure you always had fun provoking Jacob, but did I actually miss him? I glanced around me quickly. Paul, ugh, I could really do without him. I was sick of hearing Jared's thoughts about Kim. Embry wasn't so bad, he just always shared cute, sappy little pictures of Claire with us. Then there were all the other boring younger wolves, like Colin and Brady and the rest.
And Sam. What an absolute relief it would be to get away from his mind. It was hard enough to get over him and Emily without having their happiness thrown in my face every time I phased at the same time he did.
Abruptly my mind was made up. Before I could even start to puzzle over how to switch my allegiance it had already happened.
Seth's voice growled in my head. What are you doing here, Leah?
Jacob's thoughts interrupted him before he could get any farther. He now sounded calm and in control. Glad to have you with us Leah. There was some sort of strange emotion behind his words that I couldn't decipher.
But just then Sam turned to me, and I knew he had noticed the winking out of my own thoughts. We stood still, staring at each for a full minute. Finally Sam smiled a wolfish grin at me, showing all his teeth. I felt like grinning back at him.
I dipped my head in his direction then turned tail and headed to the house with my new pack.
Not that I really wanted to help any bloodsuckers, but if helping some meant killing others, then it couldn't be all bad.
I managed to reach the house at the same time that my new pack was entering it. The bloodsucker had been standing with his back turned to the door, looking out the giant wall window.
It was a moment before he turned. He looked very grave. 'Thank you for coming back.'
I know that most of you won't feel comfortable doing this, but if we are going to be able to effectively communicate we are going to need to phase into human forms. We'll just have to trust them.
All of us agreed with varying degrees of reluctance and then I stepped around a corner to phase, quickly pulling my clothes on. The rest of the pack had done the same and we all emerged slowly in our weaker, more vulnerable human forms.
Jacob strode quickly up to the vamp so that he was standing right in front of him, eye to eye.
'Now listen to me. We have all agreed to help you. In order to talk and organize we are going to need to be in our human forms to talk with you and your family. All of my friends are following my lead.' He jabbed a finger into the vamp's face. 'I need your absolute guarantee of their safety when they're among your kind.'
The vampire nodded solemnly. 'None of you will be harmed from us. We may need to bring in other vampires outside of our family to help, but they will also swear not to harm you. You have all already risked so much, you don't need to be afraid of any danger on our part.'
Jacob stared, hard, into the vampire's weird golden eyes for a long time before nodding. He stepped back and flopped onto the sofa. 'So what's the plan?'
Seth sat on one side of Jacob and I sat on the other, Quil and Embry on a smaller sofa beside us. The vamp, or I suppose Emmett, as I would have to start calling him, stayed standing.
He began to speak in a soft, feverishly pitched voice. 'I think it would be best if you came back to our new home in Alaska with me to meet with the others. I do not want to remain here or bring in any new vampires.'
He furrowed his brow. 'I made a list of our friends who I think might help us. A few are already in Alaska so they will be easy to get. The rest are scattered. The way that I've always understood Alice's power is that now you're involved, our entire operation should be hidden from her. But just in case, it might be best if some of you came with me to get the other vampires, and if the rest went on to Alaska to meet with my family.'
Jacob stiffened beside me, I knew he didn't like the sound of that at all.
The bloodsu- Emmett, put up a hand to stop any arguments. 'I am going to call ahead to Carlisle. He will offer you the same guarantee of protection as I did. Surely if you trust any of us it would have to be Carlisle.'
Grudgingly I nodded. He was the doctor vamp who stitched up Jacob after I…messed up in the newborn fight. I had felt horrible that Jacob had been injured because of my screw up. Hopefully he knew that.
Jacob glanced around. 'Quil, Embry and Seth can go straight to Alaska.' He glanced quickly at me and then away. 'Leah and I can go with you to round up the others.' He shifted a bit closer to me and I frowned. Jacob could be so weird sometimes.
Emmett had pulled out a handful of credit cards that he had got from who knows where. Next he was on his phone, arranging for plane tickets and calling Carlisle.
The next 2 weeks were pretty overwhelming. First we went to Alabama and met up with 2 vampires, Charlotte and Peter. These ones had the terrible red eyes.
Jacob and I then had a long, private conversation that involved lots of yelling about what we were going to do when these non-vegetarian vampires tried to feed. In the end we finally had to settle on the fact that what we couldn't see wouldn't hurt us…not that it wouldn't hurt others.
These two acted like we were crazy when Emmett explained to them that he wanted to go up against the Volturi in their very own castle. It took a lot of explaining the values of having werewolves along until finally Peter stopped Emmett. He told him that when it really came down to it, Jasper was his friend, and if he was being mistreated then they would have to come with us.
I could admire that. I guess some of these vampires had human like qualities after all.
Hanging out with a bunch of vampires and Jacob turned out to be a lot more fun than I had originally thought it would be. Jacob seemed to completely trust Emmett, and I soon found myself almost liking him. He was really funny and after a few days with him I began to think that I could grow to trust him too.
Also, it was weird being with Jacob like this. Back in La Push we didn't get along very well. We were always ragging on each other about something or other, but now that we were alone and away from the pack it was just like something clicked.
The next part of our trip was the best. For the first time in my life I got to leave the country. We went to Ireland to find some of Carlisle's old friends. Ireland was so beautiful and…old. Jacob and I were able to convince Emmett to let us stop off and tour an old castle. It was incredible until Peter had to go and ruin the mood by pointing out that maybe we could pick up some pointers here to apply to our attack on the Volturi's castle.
I couldn't believe how easy it was to forget sometimes that we were about to storm an ancient vampire stronghold. It sounded like something out of a book.
We finally caught up with the 3 vampires who we were looking for. Once Siobhan, Liam and Maggie heard that Carlisle's family had been attacked they immediately agreed to help us. I was impressed that they didn't even have second thoughts after Emmett explained exactly how they were going to be helping.
Siobhan suggested that we stay a few more days and search around for a nomad vampire, Garrett. She explained that he had some sort of experience in rebellions and wars.
Much to my complete shock, I actually find myself liking the Irish vampires. It was really hard for me to comprehend that these vampires had actually lived through history and seen firsthand some of the things that I only read about in a textbook. I had to laugh at myself after that thought, how could I disbelieve anything anymore? I was, after all, a werewolf.
The worst part of the trip happened on the second day of our search for Garrett. We were in an ancient, dark wood. Liam said that Garrett had a little cottage deep inside the wood.
We were on the path toward it when all of a sudden I realized that bit by bit, all the animals had grown silent. And then it seemed like the wind completely stilled, though there was a new chill in the air. The vampires noticed it too, they were crouching defensively.
Jacob came over to me and stood very close by my side. 'I don't like this. Something's not right. Be ready to phase quick.' I nodded.
Drifting down the path from the way we had just come were two ancient, black cloaked figures. I knew they were vampires because I could smell them, but there was something off about the 2. They kind of had a scent of decay.
They drifted right up to our vampires and threw their hoods back. I shuddered. It looked like the slightest breeze could topple them. I whispered to Jacob. 'They must be ancient.'
At the sound of my voice both of their heads whipped around to us. I had to frown a bit as Jacob pushed me behind him. Who did he think I was that I needed his protection?
1 of the vampires clapped and made a sound that I can only describe as cackling. And now that I heard it, I realized I had never actually heard anyone cackle before.
'Most excellent. Werewolves, simply delicious.'
The other one grinned. 'We had heard that you were moving against the Volturi, but we had never imagined that you would be so inventive.'
The one who had spoken first nudged the other. 'I told you they had a chance.'
The second nodded sagely.
Emmett scowled. 'How were you able to hear about us?'
The first aged vampire waved a papery hand in dismissal. 'Don't worry about that, we have our ways. The Volturi don't know, and it's not likely that they will catch wind of this.'
Liam took Emmett by the elbow. 'Then you are welcome, Stefan and Vladimir.'
I almost choked. Vlad? As in Vlad, the impaler? Dracula? He even had a Dracula accent, come to think of it. No freakin way.
Dracula spoke again. 'On our way to meet you, we thought of the most wonderful of plans.'
The good vampires all looked a little wary.
'You'll never be able to get inside the Volturi city, let alone the castle, without them discovering you. So we thought we would help you with that.'
Emmett nodded slowly. 'We're listening.'
'We are going to create, oh what would you call it?'
The other rolled his eyes. 'A diversion.'
The first one clapped his hand in delight. 'Ah yes, we are going to create a diversion outside the city walls so that you can all slip safely, and unnoticed, inside.'
Our little vampire group all waited expectantly to hear the plan.
Dracula frowned. 'Well, we aren't going to tell you. That would completely ruin the surprise.'
The other nodded. 'It would simply take all the fun out of it.'
'But trust us, we want to see the Volturi fall just as much as you do, possibly even more.'
'Yes, most decidedly more.' Emphatic head nod from Dracula 2.
Dracula 1 held out his hand with a tiny slip of paper in it.
Emmett cautiously took the paper and looked it over. 'A phone number?'
Dracula 1, or was it Dracula 2? I couldn't really tell them apart, nodded. 'When you figure out the particulars, you know, the time and such, just give us a ring and let us know. I daresay we will have our little diversion all planned out by then.'
Siobhan forced a smile onto her face. 'That's very kind of you to help us…'
One of the Dracula's cut her off. 'No need to thank us, really, this will be too much fun. Now we really do need to be going. Much to do.'
They turned as one and floated off. One looked over his shoulder. 'Really, nothing for you to worry about, our diversion will be quite adequate. Shouldn't wonder if we empty the city of the entire guard.' They both cackled maliciously as they drifted off.
We watched as they vanished around a bend. I turned to Jacob. 'Well, I think I've seen a lot of weird things in my life, but that just topped the list.' He nodded slowly. 'Somehow, I completely believe them, that their diversion will clear the city. But the thought of it scares me.' I agreed and Liam ushered us all on.
Within a few hours we located our revolutionary vampire, Garrett, and he quickly agreed to join our fight.
All the vampires agreed that we should stop our hunt here and head back to Alaska. They didn't want to involve any more vampires because they weren't sure if they could trust any others to go along with the ridiculous plan.
I knew Emmett was relieved as it was. He had been terrified that some of his choices would refuse us. And then what was to stop them from tipping off the Volturi?
Besides, Emmett had been in touch with Carlisle and we knew that the vampires who they called the Denali coven had agreed to help. And that was how many more? 5, which brought our grand total to 13 vampires and 5 werewolves. Not bad if you were filming a horror movie.
Though I knew we were still drastically outnumbered. Emmett had said the Volturi kept anywhere from 25-40 guard members at a time with them. I hoped it was on the 25 member side.
My earlier calculations also didn't count the Draculas. If they were to be counted on, which our vamps felt that they could, then the guard number inside the castle would be drastically reduced.
We headed back to Alaska to come up with a battle plan. It was a pretty unnerving plane ride back to the states. I felt horrible for all the unsuspecting people on the plane with us. If they had only known that 2 werewolves, a vegetarian vampire, and 6 non-veggie vamps were on the plane with them they would have probably run screaming right out the emergency exit and plunged several thousand feet to the Atlantic Ocean.