Chapter 9

"You already made up your mind?" Jacob asked nudging me.

"Yes I have." I said looking to him.

"Alright then I've got your back, Auntie." He grinned.

I rolled my eyes before looking to Billy, "I apologize, what is the story of Nina?"

"Well there were cold ones here before the Cullen family, before a treaty. They would come here, take anything they wanted, kill whoever they wanted as their meal. One of the cold ones came across Nina Black, our great-great Aunt. He had been feeding all night, they always took more than they needed but that night he came across Nina who had been returning from the beach with a group. He killed all but her because something about her struck him, despite what he had done she fell in love with him. The cold one went to the elders to marry her but they would hear nothing of it, there was already a rumor that she was with child. They disappeared sometime in July of 1873 never to be seen again." Billy explained.

I could not tell if my mouth was gaping open or not, his story fit the outline that my facts had said. A Native American woman, northwestern tribe, vampire boyfriend, possible pregnancy. I took a deep breath, it sounded choppy, "wow."

"That's it?" Jacob asked poking my shoulder.

I smiled slightly, I had looked for so long for the answers and now they could be directly in front of me. There was just one problem, technically Nina Black had been a traitor to her tribe and family that fact alone made my stomach turn. One of my best qualities which I cherished, happened to be loyalty to those who deserved it. But I opened Pandora's box so to speak. Nina had been in love, people do the oddest things when they are in that type of state.

I felt the first tear land on my cheek, I wiped it away quickly with a sniff straitening myself in my seat with a small nod, "what would it take to find out if Nina had been my mother?"

"DNA test?" Jacob suggested.

"Okay and who could we go to for that? And for that matter if it turns out to be accurate, Nina is technically a traitor to your tribe correct? I cannot fathom the doors to La Push being opened with a welcome party. Not that I would settle here I would not want to put anyone into the position of having to 'accept' me. What am I saying, I'm just rambling off over something that may not even be true." I shook my head.

"Carlisle, duh." Jacob said.

"There is too much going on right now to request something so futile with impending doom and all." I corrected, "I will asked him once all of this is taken care of. And I promise right now there is nothing that I want from either of you or from the Quileute's I just want to know that there might be some good running through my veins." I explained reaching behind me for my jacket, standing.

"Did you take Nessie away from me or well us?" Jacob asked standing up as well.

I looking up to him, "no I did not, nor will I.'"Then there is your answer besides you have Dominatrix for a sister, she is loyal to you unless you missed that memo." Jacob explained.

I laughed, "she would like that nickname better than the demon speak anyway, I have Amelia she is loyal also."

"Mmmk, she stands in the corner, says nothing, observes everything going on, does not contribute to the planning. It's like a fart with no sound, silent but deadly." Jacob snorted.

I laughed shaking my head, "you just called my sister a fart?!"

"No well yeah I did look I'm just saying look out for her." Jacob stated.

I tied my jacket around my waist before crossing my arms shaking my head, "no offense but she had been in my life for 97 years now I trust her, I know her better than you do."

"You may have known her longer than me, probably even better but Vivian I am telling you now there is something not right. You all were taught that you were Gods right? Or well Goddesses, that should have sent Domenica into an ego trip from hell!"

I smiled, "she does believe that she is a Goddess just not in the conquer and kill psycho way. We have all had to play our part until we could safely make our escape we should have never placed the safety of anyone over ourselves. But what is your point?"

Jacob grabbed both of my shoulders, shaking me "YOU ARE NOT EVIL! So stop talking like you are for crying out loud! You have a conscious, you are sorry for what you have done and now you are here to save a few lives. NOT to join your loony tune family and help to kill us, take Nessie away and practically enslave her into your world. So shut up already!"

"Jacob!" Billy reprimanded

I stared back him stunned, "okay."

Jacob released me, "good and my point, just because YOU changed does not mean EVERYONE has changed with you. Now dad it was good to see you but I have to get back, ready to go?"

"Demanding aren't we." I teased.

"Me? No! Never!…..Auntie." Jacob laughed.

I punched him in the arm before walking over to Billy, I crouched down I hated the thought of looking down at him. "Thank you very, very much for all of your help." I smiled offering a hand.

Billy shook my hand with a smile, "your welcome, I hope this turns out the way that you want and to be honest it would be nice to know exactly what happened to Nina."

"Maybe it could bring peace to both of us." I nodded before turning to Jacob, "do we really have to take a vehicle or can we run?"

"Thank God!" Jacob yelled.

I smiled heading for the doorway behind Jacob, we both ran human speed towards the forest I hadn't notice Jacob had stopped.

"What is it?" I asked stopping.

"I can't phase in front of you." Jacob called back, "you don't want to see I promise!"

"Why not? I am curious to see how it works."

"Because we have to be naked otherwise our clothes go kapoof." Jacob explained.

"I'll meet you just to the north." I said taking off, I could hear him laughing behind me.

No matter how quickly I ran my human legs were no match for the four thunderous paws of the russet toned wolf. Jacob had joined me quickly, he sped up attempting to make it a competition and I must admit having him around me make me feel a little more alive. I smiled picking up my speed to keep up as we ran towards the Cullen house.

I inhaled quickly, my senses took over my body as it had before, I stopped quickly almost slipping on the mossy ground. I spun around to the north crouching down as I heard Jacob coming back, we were being followed or so I had thought at first. I had become tolerant to being followed, it was just someone being curious as to who I was and why I was there like it had been the other day with the Cullens. But this was different, it was animalist we were not just being followed, we were being tracked.

Jacob nudged the back of my head before sniffing into the air, growling.

"No." I held my hand out, my voice purring like a cat, "we need to lay down our scent to confused them it will bring them from the shadows and directly to where we want them. There are two of them five miles to the north, follow me."

I turned to Jacob, "when I say so split up, meet me two miles to the south in that clearing just above the house."

Jacob nodded and did as I asked, under normal circumstances I would not command that was Domenica's job. I would only track them and make sure they would come right to us. They never truly realized what would be waiting for them until it was too late, we had the surprise and ultimately Joham's latest prize.

Jacob and I blasted through the forest together setting down our combined aromas, once we reached a small clearing I motioned for us to go our separate way. I ran closer towards the ocean, Jacob headed towards the stream that I had passed the other night while hunting. It did not take us long to meet at our location and our trackers were hot on our trails. I could hear their feet against the ground as they were gaining speed on us.

I ran into a small opening in the forest it was a little unusual but absolutely perfect. The large towering trees formed an almost perfect circle the ground beneath was a rich deep brown dusted with the snow that continued to lightly fall. The canopy of the trees kept much of the forest clear of the white powder with the exception of these small openings like this one.

I saw Jacob standing in the center awaiting me, I ran directly to him. "I am giving you the choice go and tell Carlisle and his family that we have company or stay here to help."

Jacob stiffened his stance, I smiled nodding. "Okay I need you to get out of sight until I have them."

Jacob nodded trotting off into the shadows while I quickly climbed into one of the trees resting on a branch. I cowered down like a panther just before it made the killing blow to her prey. I dropped my guard allowing my senses to become more attuned to my surroundings allowing them complete control over me.

I turned my eye in the direction that Jacob had come from waiting patiently as a small figure jogged into the clearing. It took a few more steps before coming to a complete stop, I tightened my eyes with sheer focus and pounced.

I reached out grabbing the person's waist spearing them to the ground before flipping to my feet grabbed a dagger from their side. I stomped my foot down on their chest before using the handle of the weapon to impale the second tracker against one of the trees.

Jacob came out quickly growing at the one at the true.

"Oh my God you ARE working with them!" Marianna laughed from beneath my foot.

I looked down at her grabbing her throat tossing her like a rag doll against another tree, "why are you here?" I purred.

"Joham sent us to make sure the rumors he was receiving were not true. You are some deep shit now Vivian, remember Argentina?" Marianna cackled.

"Hot damn I have been waiting for some action around here!" Domenica's fiery voice rang out.

"Party time! Party time!" Emmett boomed through the forest with Domenica laughing.

They both stepped into the clearing from my left giving each other a high five, I looked over to Domenica her eyes were canary yellow now. Good I needed her to help me on this one.

"Hello lovely." Domenica smirked to Marianna, "this climate does nothing for that complexion. But cute accessories they fit you well." she said pulling a twig from her hair.

Marianna looked at Domenica and over to Emmett, then back to Domenica with a laugh before looking to me. "They have no idea do they?"

"Shut up." I began.

"Idea of what?" Emmett asked.

"Oh nothing, this one is just attempting to save her sorry tail from annihilation you know I wonder how Jackson is doing over there. Seems he has a nice sharp blade sticking out of his shoulder. Good job Vivian this is going to make my job so much easier." Domenica smirked taking her jacket off glancing back to Emmett, "watch this." she whispered before waltzing over to Jacob and Jackson.

Domenica patted Jacob on the shoulder as he stood with a steady low growl, "I have this dearest." she said scratching under his mouth.

Domenica jerked the dagger out of Jackson's chest, he collapsed to the ground holding his fresh wound pulling himself to a sitting position against the tree. She pressed the edge of the blade against his throat, "run I dare you."

Emmett looked to Marianna still pondering what she had said, Marianna looked back to him. "It sucks to forget your human life doesn't it?"

"Shut up!" I yelled slamming her against the tree, "how does Joham know anything about what we are doing here? Who is his spy? Where are they?"

"Human life?" Emmett asked getting closer.

" Spy?" Marianna sneered looking at me with her bright crimson eyes, must have fed recently. "Who said anything about a spy, you should be more worried about who the real one in charge of all of this is." She cut her eyes to Emmett, "why don't you ask Domenica about that."

"What?" Emmett and I both said in unison.

"I'm not saying another word go ahead and kill me." Marianna glared.

"Oh I don't think so come on Jackson let's play." Domenica grinned grabbing Jackson by his wound dragging him towards us, he winced in pain.

Marianna flinched as she watched, "stop it Domenica! STOP IT!"

"We have no idea who is in charge Joham takes his orders from them and that is it!" Jackson said.

Jacob barked at me slightly, "no way Jake there is no way." I said remembering our previous conversation.

"He is right!" Marianna snapped her head back to me obviously concerned for her husband, "we all take our orders from Joham he is only the second in command, he only relays the messages. He does what they say including the treatment of the two of you. The leader attempted to kill Joham 75 years ago but we were sworn to secrecy because if you and Domenica are stronger. If the two of you knew that Joham or the leader were as weak as they are compared to you then you would overthrow them. Then they would not be able to overtake the Volturi and create the super race as planned."

Emmett growled at Marianna before abruptly stopping, "D?"

I glanced over to Domenica who was staring hard at Marianna her eyes were a shade of neon orange that I had never seen before, I began to hear a quick rapping noise realizing it had been her teeth chattering together her entire body was beginning to shake.

"Oh my God." Marianna whispered.

Emmett began to take steps towards her.

"Don't! I called out over my shoulder.

"She will not hurt me right D?" Emmett called out.

Domenica cut her eyes over to Emmett, they softened slightly "Emmett?"

"That's my name." he grinned.

Domenica smiled reaching her hand out for him, "She kept her promise to me, you survived that bear." she whispered tears filling her eyes. "But you are a vampire now, you do not remember me from your human life do you?"

"I'm trying to." he smiled taking her hand.

"It's okay as long as you are alive that is all I care about, all I ever did care about." Domenica said lovingly her chin trembling with emotion before take a short breath. Her eyes fluttered for a few seconds before her knees gave out.

"Well technically…" Emmett began, "Whoa!" he yelled out catching her, he looked at her face for a moment before looking to me. "Someone has a LOT of explaining to do!" he growled.

"I will tell you everything I promise." I said looking back to Marianna, "can we take them to your families house for now?"

"I guess." Emmett whispered still starring into Domenica's face.

I hadn't noticed that Jacob had briefly gone to phase into his human form, he was walking over to us standing over Jackson.

"Why in the HELL are you going to allow them to live!" Jacob demanded from me.

"Because Carlisle is going to hear everything that they just explained to us and if they value their lives still they will find out who this leader is." I said releasing my grip from Marianna's throat.

"Thank you." she whispered looking to the ground, holding her throat. "Go." I eyeballed Jackson laying beneath Jacob's feet.

Because Marianna was a vampire she could not cry but the pain was written all over her face as she collapsed, ultimately crawling to her husband caressing his face.

"I think I am going to barf." Jacob snarled.

"What if that were your Nessie laying on the ground." I reminded.

Jacob looked to me rolling his eyes, "we are not like that."

"Love is love Jacob and compassion is the greatest gift that humanity could ever give to any of us." I said walking over placing a hand on Emmett's shoulder.

"While you were still human we hid in Gatlinburg, you met Domenica there at the market, since we were hiding you knew her as Leandra at first. That is until she fell in love with you and spilled almost everything but what we were to you. This is the first time since we were caught in Tennessee that she remembered who you were, she remembers almost nothing before she blacked out in Argentina." I explained before looking to Marianna and Jackson.

"Come on." I said to Marianna as I walked over to help Jackson up.

I heard Jacob huff before moving me out of the way throwing Jackson over his shoulder. I looked up smiling at him, I knew he would much rather have them dead. Emmett cradled Domenica in his arms as I led Marianna using the string from my hoodie as hand restrained. We all walked silently through the forest moving slightly above human speed.