Unable to move, unable to speak I tried to understand how someone I considered a friend could share blood with someone so evil. His father had killed so many innocent vampires in the name of loyalty, had tried to kill me once upon a time.
"I'm not him little one," Sky said seeing the fear in my eyes. He was lifting his arm toward me when I was jerked backwards.
My mother had grabbed me and placed me so that I was behind the barrier of my family. I watched from behind Emmett's broad shoulders while my father made sure that we were safe.
"Please," Christiana begged. "Do not punish my son for my mistakes. I was young and foolish when I met Aro. I loved him and believed that he loved me. We, my son and I, are nothing like him. Aro wants the three of us dead. We have been running for a very long time."
Edward stared at them for a few minutes then let out a long and exaggerated sigh and relaxed. He turned to us and said, "They're telling the truth."
"Edward man, are you sure?" Emmett had felt my hands clutching the back of his shirt in fear. Rosalie's hand covered mine.
"We won't let anyone hurt you sweetheart," I heard her think. Rose was like a second mother and was ready to kill anything or anyone who wanted to hurt me.
"Yes," Edward answered then turned his attention back to Cristiana. "I'm sorry, but you have to understand our concern where the Volturi are involved. How is it you think we can help?"
"Aro has always managed to find us. It never mattered where we were hidden. I am tired of running." There was a fire in vampire's eyes as she spoke. "I truly believe that with your help, we can rid the world of Aro's madness."
"Lady you're the one who's crazy," Emmett blurted out.
"Emmett!" Esme scolded.
Emmett gritted his teeth, but could not remain silent. "Why should Carlisle and Edward be the only ones who get a say in this? No offense Ed man, I know she's your kid, but it's my shirt she's clinging to. She's terrified."
I let go of his shirt when I realized I was acting like a baby. "I'm alright Em." I forced a smile and walked around him and made my way toward Sky again.
My mouth went dry as I mustered up the courage to do what I had to do. Reaching, I touched Sky's face and felt the fear he and his mother felt while hiding. The guilt he felt knowing that he was the reason his mother had become a monster. And I felt the hope they felt when they discovered the existence of my family.
I knew in that moment that we could trust them. I could trust him.
A few hours later I was wandering the land that surrounded my house. I was trying to find Leah to let her know that the coast the clear. It had been suggested by my mother that I leave the house while they all discussed how to go about killing the most powerful vampire in the world, a subject that made me a tad uncomfortable.
"For someone who is so chatty in her dreams you're being awfully quiet," Sky stated as he kept in step beside me. Any and all fears my family had had disappeared when I gave the green light. So when Sky volunteered to join me in the search they all but pushed us out the door.
"How old are you?" I blurted.
"Excuse me?" he laughed
"I mean I knew you were older, but my god. You're like older than my entire family combined."
He stopped to look me in the eye and said, "I thought age wasn't an issue for you. You are a fifteen year old with a boyfriend that's…how old again?"
A breeze forced its way through the trees sending any of fallen leaves swirling. I was trying to pin point Leah's whereabouts, but between the noises around me and the distraction of Sky's questions; I wasn't having much success.
"So who exactly are we looking for?" Sky asked once he realized I wasn't going to answer his previous question, even if it was meant as a joke.
"Her name is Leah. She's a part of Jacob's pack. He left her behind to look out for me until my sixteenth birthday." One of his dark eyebrows rose in question. "It's a long story."
"And what was she supposed to do if we had been the big bad come to town? Snatch you up by the scruff of the neck and run away?"
His smile quickly faded as a growl rumbled through the trees followed by a flash of fur. Leah was crouched in front of us snarling and snapping. We might not have heard her, but she had heard us.
"Leah, it's okay." I tried to calm her. "Mom and dad gave Sky the green light. You don't need to–," Leah flew past me before I could finish the thought. She tackled Sky and did her best to bite him.
"Easy girl," he grunted as he struggled to hold her back. He was also struggling to keep a smile off his face.
I couldn't let her hurt him so I took a page from her book and tackled her. "Listen to me! Sky is one of the good guys so could you please stop trying to bite him?"
Leah's body relaxed in my grip. I released her, but she kept eyes on Sky who was brushing the dirt from his clothes. When she whined I knew she was looking for an explanation. I showed her everything that had happened.
I waited and waited for her to turn back into her human self, but she didn't. Instead she pawed at my shirt.
"I'll leave you two alone," Sky gave a slight bow. "Leah, it was a pleasure." He then removed his coat, laid it on the ground next to Leah and I watched as he vanished into the trees.
When I turned my attention back toward Leah, she was pulling Sky's coat around her body. The pawing had been because she had no clothes.
"Sorry," I shrugged.
"I have been out here for almost three hours thinking that any minute I was going to have to throw down to save your sorry butt. But no! Instead I see you on a lovers walk with the vampire prince himself."
There was fear and anger in her voice along with something else. I thought it was confusion. "It was not a lover's walk, we were looking for you."
"We have to get back to the house. I need to talk some sense into your family." She started to walk away but was stopped when I got in her way.
"What are you talking about?"
"Oh come on Nessie. You can't tell me you don't feel it? There is something not right about that guy." She was shaking. "He has to leave. He has to leave or I do," she pushed past me and disappeared.
"Sweetheart," Bella rushed toward as I entered the house. "What is going on? Leah came home half naked wearing Sky's coat yelling something about us being dumber than a sack of hair."
"Where is she now?"
A door slammed answering my question. Leah came into the room fully clothed holding the phone in one hand. Her face had a shine of sweat covering it and her eyes darted around the room. She was breathing heavily.
"Leah," Bella approached her. "What is wrong with you?"
"You can't trust them. You can't trust him!"
When she began to punch a number into the phone Bella asked, "Who are you calling?"
"You might not listen to me but…Jake!" her eyes got wide as she took the phone outside to tell Jacob about our company.
"Where is everyone," I asked noticing Bella was the only one home.
"Well when Leah came back your father thought it might be a good idea to take Sky and his family out to see the property so they'd know where to hunt."
Bella smiled. She came to stand beside me and tuck my hair behind my ear. "I am so proud of you and I am sorry we didn't believe you about Sky." Her smile began to fade, "You didn't know about Aro being his father did you?"
I shook my head. "He was probably just worried I'd react the way I did."
"Are you still okay with helping him?"
"Yes mom. Just because his dad is evil doesn't make him evil. I mean look at how Carlisle turned out and his father was a wacko."
"Renesmee!" she scolded.
"Well he was," rolling my eyes I continued. "I just wish Leah could be a little more accepting."
We both stopped talking when Leah reentered the house, her mouth opened with shock as she held the phone out toward Bella. She kept walking after the phone was taken from her and sat on the closest chair. As much as I wanted to talk to Jacob, something was wrong.
"Leah?"
She looked up with unshed tears threatening to fall. "I thought I was messed up and that was why..."
"Sweetie, you're not making any sense," I caught one the tears that had managed to escape.
"It happened to the others, but it wasn't supposed to happen to me. Cause I was the first…the only," she jerked her head up to look me in the eyes. "I couldn't breathe Nessie. When I saw him with you I couldn't breathe. I thought it was something trying to tell me that we were in danger. Not this…"
Her face was in her hands as she sobbed. I had never seen this side of Leah before and it frightened me because she was so scared.
"Nessie," Bella said. "Jacob's going to call you a bit later."
I nodded, but kept my attention on Leah. "Did he say anything about not trusting Sky?"
"No, that's not the problem," she knelt down to Leah. "Jake told me what's going on and if you want to go home you can, I'll talk to Jake. We'll understand if you need to go. There's no danger here, but Leah, I think you need to stay. Running away from this isn't the answer."
"I'm afraid," Leah whispered.
I listened as my mother comforted Leah, telling her that everything was going to be okay while stroking her hair. Bella was playing the role of the mother Leah had been forced to leave behind. After a few more soothing words, Leah accepted a hug.
"God, I'm so embarrassed," Leah sniffed. "Please don't saying anything to the others until I figure out how to deal with this mess."
"So does that mean you're staying?" Bella asked with a hopeful smile.
Leah nodded, then without another word went to her room and shut the door leaving me in utter confusion. Having missed more than a few steps through the conversation I did the best I could with what little information I had. Once again, my mother blocked me from her mind so that Leah's secret would be safe. Whatever it was I just hoped that the mess she had to deal with didn't end with her trying to kill Sky.
Do you know what Leah's problem is (Tee-hee)? I know it's kind of obvious…well to everyone but Renesmee. Ah young Renesmee…too young to understand really going on. So what do you guys think of Sky? Can he and his family really be trusted?
I was asked by one of my readers what the new characters look like (like which actors would play them). So here we go:
Tim Rozon (.com/name/nm0747653/) as Sky.
Marisol Nichols (.com/name/nm0629653/) as Cristiana (Sky's mother).
Nathaniel Arcand (.) as Kitchi (Sky's adoptive father). This is actually who I saw playing Jacob when they were first making Twilight.
Chris Massoglia (.com/name/nm1491631/) as Finn Foster
Jenna Dewan (.com/name/nm1564087/) as Quinn Foster
This is how I see the characters.
CHAPTER 11 TEASER
Sitting at the big dining room I half listened to my father and Kitchi discuss their individual histories with Aro. My attention was split between their conversation and Leah. She sat to my right and kept fidgeting, glancing every so often at Sky. He was sitting to my left and the one time their eyes met, Leah accused him of staring at her and told him that if he didn't want to lose his baby blues then he should knock it off.
"You know what?" She jumped up from the table. "I don't need to be here for this. I already know this Aro guy is evil. When you get to the part on how we get rid of him let me know. I'm going for a walk."
"Yikes," Sky said while making a face. "She's a little high strung."