Disclaimer: Do not own anything. Sorry it may have taken so long. Hope you like it!

Deception

I was running. Again the moon was high in the sky the air around me frigid. But this time instead of running away from something I was running TO it. I knew my time was short to get to where I needed to be before the inevitable happened. My heart felt as if it would burst right through my chest, but that did not stop me. Leaves and rocks alike crumbled under my determined paws, from just up ahead I heard the howl of a wolf. I pushed a little harder. By the time I broke through the clearing it was already too late, the cry escaped from me before I fully knew what was going on.

"Leah wake up, are you okay?" Something I could not see was shaking me.

It was not rough but it was enough to pull me from my dreams.

"What's wrong?" The hand brushed across my cheek and I realized tears were running down my face.

I sat up in confusion and immediately registered Jeremy's distressed face.

"I'm okay honestly."

I really was okay in fact I felt fine with him being so close.

His figure was hovering over my body, his eyebrows still furrowed down.

"Really Jeremy I'm okay." But I won't be for long if his body stayed this close to mine.

"Jeremy leave Leah alone I told you she was a big girl."

Jeremy frowned at me than glanced at the small voice coming from the left.

The sound of her voice reminded me of all that had occurred the night before, I laid back down with a groan.

For the first few minutes of wakening I had forgotten all the questions and confusion but now it hit me again like a ton of bricks.

"Are you sure you're okay?" His distress was coming off him in waves.

Although my head felt as if it would spilt and I was pressing my arm across my eyes to block the blaring light I still needed to comfort him.

"I'm fine promise I think I just had a head rush or something." I reached up to smooth the crease I knew would be between his eyes.

I heard Chloe walk into the room and stand beside me.

I peeked from under my arm to see her; she was staring down at me on her tiptoes.

"So what's on the agenda for today?"

So many things to sort out, so many questions unanswered.

I need to go back home.

"Actually Chloe and I have to go…out. But we shouldn't be gone too long."

It took me three seconds to notice they were both fully dressed and alert, which was more than I could say about myself.

I felt my face heat up when I also noticed how high up the sun really was.

"What time is it?"

"Oh, not that late just a little after one."

Oh, not that late just a little after one?

"That's late Jeremy." I sat up again running my hands through my hair.

"I didn't want to wake you, Chloe slept late too…so don't feel too bad. Maybe it's a girl thing."

He scratched his head actually running the idea through his mind.

His face was so thoughtful I couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah, a girl thing." I winked at Chloe who was grinning at me but immediately felt guilty about the secret I was keeping from Jeremy.

I knew once he found out what I truly was any small feelings he thought he felt about me would fly out the window.

The idea made my stomach clench and my throat burn a little bit.

This would be a good time to run away and go back home.

I shook my head, it would hurt too much to leave and I was too selfish to test it, at least not yet.

"So we'll be back in a few hours." He was backing out the room looking at Chloe, she was looking back at him.

Those two could not hide anything.

"Maybe I'll clean something while you two are gone."

I felt guilty about just coming in and interrupting their lives, I didn't even have money of my own.

"No, no do not clean!" Jeremy's voice startled me.

His eyes were wide and nervous.

Chloe's was a mirror of that look.

He calmed down a little bit.

"Just…relax Leah. You can even go back to sleep if you want okay? Everything's cool."

His tone was one that so obviously tried to display nonchalance that I laughed again.

"Yes Leah, relaxxxx everything's cool."

Chloe dragging her words as she tried to mimic Jeremy was hysterical.

"Okay strange people I'll relax, now go so you can come back."

I looked at Chloe, something was different about her.

After more awkwardness and Jeremy embarrassing himself they finally left.

I paced around the house.

I had not been alone since I phased and the quiet seemed foreign.

The house just felt empty without Chloe and Jeremy so I opted to go outside.

I did not phase for I was sure if I did this time I would be greeted by more than Embry.

The sun shining was different from what I was use to, but lovely nonetheless.

I had been walking aimlessly ten miles into the woods when the scent first hit me.

It was repulsively sweet and burned my nostrils.

Instinctively I sneered and the origins of the smell appeared just up ahead of me, all I could see was the leeches back.

Before I could think about phasing the figure turned around and faced me and the snared died in my throat, surprise and shock taking its place.

Another leech appeared and stood in front of the first one, his stance casual yet still protective he watched me with frightening onyx eyes, but my attention did not stay on him for long.

That's why it did not occur to me that although he was present his whole being was slightly filmy as if fog needed to clear before I could see him fully.

His partner was the one that prevented me from at least tempting to rip them to shreds even if my attempts were futile.

"Please calm down we mean you no harm."

My body had begun to quake and convulse, even if I tried to fight it knew its natural instincts.

"Who are you?" I demanded the beautiful voice, reflexively taking a step forward.

The man took a step in my direction as well, not exactly threateningly but also not one I took lightly.

He finally became more than substance and I could see him fully.

I guess he was her mate.

The eyes were different but the face and everything else was the same even though I had only seen the beautiful young woman in pictures.

"I think you kind of know who I am already, but I would gladly introduce myself."

She had stepped forward taking her partners hand into her own.

They were now standing equally in front of me, he looked down at her and something passed between the two because he relaxed his cautious stance.

"I'm Christine and I really appreciate all that you've done for Chloe and Jeremy."

Even though her eyes were bright red and distracting I could tell she was sincere.

"How can this be?" Nothing made sense anymore and it hurt too much to try and figure it all out.

"I'll tell you everything when things become a little less tense." She looked at my still trembling figure and I relaxed as well.

I had not realized I was crouched slightly over.

She smiled a beautifully dazzling smile which caused her mate to smile as well giving me the opportunity to look at him closer.

Smiling he was less intimidating; His hair was a golden mane of loose shoulder length curls, he was tall and muscularly built, his features were perfect of course but all in all he was beautiful.

"I love the creek it's just this way I promise we mean you no harm. I would just like to talk to you."

This was Jeremy's dead sister of course I would talk to her I had many questions but old habits die hard I hesitated before following them.

She turned back towards me.

"Please Leah"

Her eyes burned and I could not help following them to the small creek a few yards out of the way.

We sat down, I farther away I hoped I did not offend her.

Dead or not she was Jeremy's sister.

"It's okay if you want to sit farther away, your scent is not very pleasing to me either."

Her nose crinkled slightly and her eyebrows furrowed.

She looked so much like Jeremy it was strange.

Her laughing mate pulled me away from my thoughts.

He looked too serious to laugh but he was laughing at her and it made me feel better.

He was smiling teasingly at her, she looked guilty.

"How about I don't have to smell you and you won't have to smell me?"

The question was confusing and I did not quite understand what she was asking of me until she smiled and nodded her head.

That's when I noticed the burning went away, instead the natural smells of the woods returned.

"What happened? I know the wind did not blow your scent away."

She was looking at her mate now, who had his arm wrapped around her but was facing away from the both of us looking at things unseen.

"Nicolae hid your scent from me and mines from you."

I frowned even more confused, but she took it differently.

"I'm sorry, I told myself I would not do it. I mean I don't want to offend you about your smell, I mean I know you can't help it. Like I can't help mines."

She threw her hands up in frustration and I knew if she was human her face would be red.

"Calm down love, just explain it to her."

She smiled kindly at him, it softened his face a little before he glanced at me and turned away again.

She rubbed the hand that was resting on her waist and tried again.

"Okay, well Nicolae has a…talent? You could say. He hides things, like smells, emotions, senses and people."

She frowned having to know how strange that sounded.

"Anyway he offered to hide your scent from me before you even got around because he knew you would smell awful…"

She caught herself

"I'm sorry, I smell awful too and I'll understand if you say it. Okay anyway he offered and you would not have known when he did it but, you know, I felt bad so I told him not to. Anyway I can see your discomfort so I guess it helps us both right?"

Christine asked me but looked at him, he smirked at her and she nudged him.

"Please tell her you're not offended because you smell like a wet dog, honestly she's going to beat herself up over it when it's not 'a big deal' isn't that what you call it? And hun you DO NOT smell awful you have the loveliest smell it has been my pleasuring of smelling. If that makes any sense"

This time she tried to shove him away from her but he would not let go.

"You see why it's better if he does not talk? Yes of course you see, do not mind him."

Their playful banter was enough to sidetrack me from all the strangeness that was going on.

"I thought you were dead." I blurted without thinking much about it.

Her smile turned down and her eyes saddened.

Nicolae gave me a hard look but turned and smoothed the black strands of hair away from her face to behind Christine's ear.

"I feel immensely guilty, immensely everyday over what happened. Call me selfish and I'll admit that I should be called worse."

Nicolae's hand moved to the back of her neck where he cradled it gently, I felt very intrusive the two were so intimate without knowing it.

"Yes you can call me all that and more but I do not and will not regret what I did."

Things started to make sense.

"So Nicolae thought to change you? But how did you get away with that?"

I thought I had it all figured out until she shook her head sadly.

"Contrary to what he believes I think he would have got along just fine if I had died."

Nicolae flinched and I knew she was wrong.

"Of course I'm selfish and no one ever thought I was but I am. Love makes you want to do things that under normal circumstances are impossible. That's why I'm able to live with this guilt because of love. I made him change me, it was wrong the tactics I used to make him do so but he did and although I did not know at the time fully what I was getting myself into I do not regret it one bit."

I hadn't noticed Nicolae was gripping a large stone until I heard all the pieces shatter and crumble into dust.

Christine rubbed his hand and smoothed the frown that seemed to be indented permanently on his face.

She looked fully at me, not a look of hostility but one that dared me to question her actions and point out the wrongness of it all.

The look was one no mere eighteen year old could fully possess in such a short span of life.

She knew and accepted the course of her life with no regrets.

That was something many people that lived to see a hundred could not say.

Jeremy was right, very mature indeed.

a/n: Whoa, didn't see THAT coming really. Wow…I'm shocked too, but this is how it has to be. If you have questions please ask and review PLEASE. Can't wait to hear(er, read) what you have to say. I think the next chapter will be from Christine's point of view and I promise more LeahxJeremy soon, but this had to happen first. I'll try to update soon, just so much work. Grr. Love, Bria