Chapter 9: A Promise

Estrella

"I'm growing tired of waiting. If they want to attack, then I'd rather they do it. The waiting is the worst part."

"Bite your tongue. Waiting is not worse than fighting, brother."

My sister shrugged and gave me a bemused look as we watched our bother pace in front of the windows. He was right - waiting was the worst part. However, the last thing I wanted was a fight.

"He's making me nervous," Isadora complained, running her fingers through her sandy curls. We were sitting inside, waiting for the battle to begin.

I watched as Nahuel growled to himself, obviously displeased. I knew he was growing anxious; he was almost as anxious as Collin was on the back patio. My sharp ears could hear his paws crunching on the snow as we waited for news. I stood, walking to the windows that overlooked the back lawn. It was a beautiful, sunny winter morning. The weather did not reflect the mood of the house. Placing my hand on the window, I watched as the heat from it melted the frost on the windowpane.

I watched Collin pace in wolf form below. It was a shame we were in danger for he was beautiful when he was agitated as a wolf. So powerful, so demanding.

I sighed wistfully.

"What about you, Estella? Are you ready for today?" my brother asked, walking over to me. He put his arm around my shoulders, pulling me against his tall, lean frame.

"I'm ready, I think," I admitted. My English was getting better by the day, and I was glad. Collin was slowly talking to me more and more, and it was getting easier to communicate with him. I smiled to myself.

"Let us go outside. I'm going crazy," he finally said, opening the side door. The three of us followed, walking onto the patio. My sneakers crunched against the snow as we walked out, the sun glinting brightly off our skin. We barely sparkled compared to the other vampires, but it was still noticeable in the sunlight.

Collin had stopped his pacing. He was sitting down now, his wolfy ears pricked and his attention to the North. He glanced quickly our way, his eyes lingering on mine. I felt my heart stutter as they met. He made a noise in his chest and turned his attention back to the tree line.

"This is terrible," Renesmee muttered, covering her cheeks with her hands. I walked over to her, linking my arm with hers.

"We will live to see tomorrow, Nessie," I said to her. It sounded strange, but I wasn't sure what else to say.

Suddenly, Collin jumped up with a growl. Renesmee gasped, racing to his side.

"What is it?"

Renesmee watched as Collin crouched down, growling fiercely.

"What is it?" she asked, following his eyes. She held her breath, watching…waiting. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

Collin glanced at her, his eyes shifting to me almost immediately. He made a desperate whining sound, his body tensing.

"Collin? Collin, answer me!...Is…Is someone in trouble?" She asked worriedly. I watched as Renesmee frantically questioned him with no response. Collin continued to pace and growl, occasionally showing his teeth. I watched as he moved, trying to decipher what was going on. I hated the uncertainty of everything the most.

Nahuel jumped up, walking over to stand beside Renesmee. I followed him, as did Isadora. We all glanced at Collin and then out at the sprawling lawn for a sign of what was to come. We were all so jumpy and on edge it was making my teeth chatter slightly.

Silence.

Suddenly, Collin growled. The bits of fur on his shoulder blades stood straight up, and I felt a shiver roll down my spine. He growled again, deeper. Then, he tore across the lawn, sliding to a halt in the middle. He scratched at the ground and made a hissing sound, as if to challenge something.

I gasped.

Two glittering figures emerged from the trees, their blood red eyes glowing. My eyes widened, my senses going on high alert as my body reacted to their scent. They smelled like the other vampires, but they were laced with something different.

Something wild.

Their empty red eyes shone in the morning light, making me shiver again. I watched as they walked from the trees, the gaits predatory.

With a twist of my gut, I realized they were.

We were the bait.

They were the hunters.

The man and the woman moved together, their bodies reacting to each other as they stalked cautiously toward us. I inhaled sharply, reaching to grasp my sister's hand. I had never felt so much fear in my life.

Isadora gripped my hand, the bones cracking slightly. I winced, but not from her strong hold. Collin stood in the middle of the yard, snarling and growling fiercely.

"What will he do?" Isadora asked, turning to look at our brother.

"Shh…" Nahuel whispered, signaling for her to keep quiet.

"Do you want to go, or should I?" The man asked flatly, looking at his partner. She smiled, letting the sunlight hit her glittering teeth.

"I want the others. You can have the dog," she said in the same emotionless tone. He nodded, and Renesmee gasped, jumping slightly. She looked back at us with panicked eyes, her breaths short and quick.

I didn't understand.

Their words were quick and low, and quite confusing. I panicked, my heart fluttering to my throat.

Then, it all happened faster than anything I could have imagined. The male vampire lunged at Collin, and for a split second I was afraid. Then, I saw what the wolves were really made to do. Collin rolled with the glittering vampire, his jaws snapping like nothing I had ever seen before. I was mystified; he had as much or more power than the immortal being that attacked him. I didn't have much time to watch, for I saw movement in the corner of my eye.

With a violent hiss, the female vampire lunged forward toward the house.

Towards us.

I watched in complete horror as she lunged at Nahuel, who was not to be underestimated. He grabbed her arm with a violent growl, using her own force to swing her around. The vampire crashed into the side of the house, screeching horribly before jumping back up. Her cracked, damaged skin healed almost immediately. She lowered herself into a crouch, her red eyes wild.

Fear shot through me.

We were in for a fight.

I crouched down with my sister in a defensive stance as Nahuel warned her. "We're not food. You will die if you attack," he said firmly.

"Three against one isn't fair, but I'll still take it," the vampire hissed, slapping her teeth at him. Nahuel growled in warning, but she still continued to stalk closer on the patio.

Before I could blink, the fight began.

The female lunged at Nahuel, and the male lunged at Collin. I felt my head snap in both directions, battling with itself over who to look at first. I felt like I was being torn in two directions as the sounds of fighting filled the air. Both of my friends needed help and I had never felt so completely useless in my life. I didn't have the first clue of what to do.

Nahuel screamed suddenly, pulling my attention in that direction. The sound of his bones crunching made me wince. I gasped, both myself and Isadora lunging forward to help him. The female vampire pounced on him again, the two rolling haphazardly through the snow. Isadora and I each grabbed one of her arms, yanking them away from Nahuel's neck. She was incredibly strong compared to us, and I worried we weren't making much headway.

"Pull!" he commanded through his teeth. We yanked at her arms, our forces combining against her. I couldn't believe I was hurting another creature; it wasn't like me to do such a thing. Nahuel's eyes widened as she lunged at him again. Isadora gasped, her eyes meeting mine.

"Pull!" she urged me. We gritted our teeth, yanking with all our might. It was no use. She pulled herself away, sending us both sailing to the ground with a thud.

I knew that if she was free to fight, she would attack Collin. He might be able to hold off one vampire, but surely not two. I had to stop her before she made it to him.

I stood up, gathering my thoughts and trying to collect myself. The vampire hissed as she watched her mate tangle with my wolf halfway across the lawn. She sunk into a crouch, preparing to spring. It was now or never.

I ran at her. If she killed Collin, she might as well kill me. I forgot all consequences.

My family and friends were in trouble.

I hit the vampire with my body as hard and fast as I could. I felt myself roll across the snow with her, her hard body smashing against mine like a vice. She gripped my arms and her hands felt harder than rock as they squeezed my skin. Then, everything stopped. I was pinned to the ground below her, and her eyes met mine. Time stood still as she glared down at me. I felt my breath catch in my throat as I waited for her to strike.

She lowered herself down and sunk her teeth into my arm. Pain shot through my arm, coursed up my chest, and seared through me like nothing before.

Time got even slower as her venom moved through my body and made my arm burn like it was being held over an open fire. I heard the voices of my friends yelling around me, but everything was starting to blur. The pain of the bite was the only thing I could concentrate on as the fight continued around me.

I rolled onto my side, blinking to clear my vision. She was gone. I saw Collin struggling with the male vampire on the lawn, bits of snow and ice flying up as they rolled together in a snarling mass. Closing my eyes in pain, I tried to concentrate on anything but the venom as it burned in my veins. I didn't know what a vampire bite would do to my body, and I began to fear for my life.

Would my life end before I had gotten a chance to live it?

Blinking, I watched as Collin gave a long, blood curdling growl and lunged at the vampire in front of him. A shattering sound filled the air, and I saw the two separate pieces of the vampire separate. I watched as he ripped him to pieces, his jaws shredding through their tough skin. Struggling, I was able to push myself up off the ground. Pain ripped through my arm, making me stagger.

I looked up at the house in time to see the female vampire on the roof screech with anger. Her white, stony hands ripped at a piece of the house, tearing a chunk of the walls away. I staggered to the side as she threw the pieces in utter fury. A few shards collided with my back as I struggled to get out of the way. The splintering wood made me cry out in pain. I staggered, already weak from the venom. Looking up again I could see her red eyes as she focused on the wolf pacing below. He was still shredding the male vampire on the lawn, trying to keep him from reattaching himself and wasn't paying attention.

She was going to attack.

"Collin!" I heard myself scream.

Collin's head whipped up, his dark eyes wild. He spied the female vampire on the roof and began to growl. His lips pulled up to reveal two rows of razor sharp teeth as he began to slap them together to taunt her.

I winced, looking down at my arm. The bloody vampire bite glistened in the morning sunlight, the venom suddenly burning ten times as hot. I gasped and held my hand over the bite, desperate for it to stop burning. My head dipped slightly as I fought to stand, but it was no use. The pain was suddenly too much; it clouded my head and made me sick.

Everything went black.

My eyes fluttered open as someone shook me violently.

"Estrella! Estrella? Please wake!"

Wincing, I opened my eyes and squinted into the bright sun. My sister's face appeared in front of me as she cradled my head in her lap. Her desperate voice was shaky and panicked.

"She's alive!"

I blinked a few times, struggling to focus.

"It burns," I heard myself say. My voice was dry and cracked and it hurt to speak.

Nahuel limped over to us, suffering from his own wounds. Blood trickled down the side of his head, and his lip was split wide open. He grabbed my arm, studying the bite.

"She's been bitten! What do we do?" I heard my sister wail.

He shook his head, his eyes meeting hers.

"I have to suck the venom out," he said to her. My eyelids were heavy, and I had to fight to keep them open. What did he mean? I was had never been so scared and confused in my life. What had happened to Collin?

"Do not be afraid," Nahuel said to me in my native tongue. "I will make the pain stop. Trust me, little sister."

He held my arm up to his lips and began to suck. Crying out, I shook in agony as my brother attempted to suck the venomous fire from my arm. Pain ricocheted off every inch of my insides as he tried to help me, but soon it became too much.

The blackness returned.

I opened my eyes, struggling to get them to focus. They didn't want to cooperate. I groaned and tried to sit up, but a strong, warm hand gently pushed me back down onto the soft bed. Turning my head, I squinted and fought to see. I said the only word that mattered to me right now.

"Collin?"

I heard him chuckle to himself, shifting his weight on the side of the bed.

"Yes, I'm here…"

"Collin….what…."

Don't move, Estrella. Your arm…"

He trailed off, lightly brushing his fingertips across my bare arm. My eyes didn't want to open, but I made them anyway. The first thing I saw was a blurry outline, my eyes slowly focusing enough to allow me to see. Collin stared at me, a tentative smile appearing on his lips. He ran his fingertips across my arm again. I felt goose bumps rise up on my skin where he touched me. Looking around, I recognized I was in one of the bedrooms on the Denali home. It was dark out, although I wasn't sure if it was early or late.

"What happened?" I asked.

Collin sighed, shifting beside me on the bed.

"Edward helped me bandage your arm. Nahuel…he…he saved your life. He sucked the venom out after you were bitten. He fixed it."

I blinked several times, trying to make sense of it all. That last thing I remembered was blacking out and falling down into the snow.

"Nessie and Jake?"

"They're fine."

"And Damon?"

"He's gone. He went with the Volturi. They won't be bothering us any longer. Everything is back to normal or….I guess, as normal as it can get."

"We are safe?"

"Yes, we're safe. It's over."

"I will live?"

"Yes," he said softly, leaning closer. I reached my good arm out, touching his cheek.

"Enough questions. You need to go back to sleep."

"I don't want to sleep…not now," I protested, trying to sit up.

"Please? Everything's over. You need to get some sleep for now."

"We are both here. Breathing. We have made it," I said, struggling over my words. I ignored his worried glances as I let the information soak in. We were all alive and Damon was gone. He nodded again, his dark eyes growing slightly emotional.

"Yes, Estrella. We're both here. Alive. I told you we would be. Didn't you believe me?"

His hand touched mine on the bed, his touch lingering.

"I believed you Collin. I trust you - I'll always trust in you."

He stared down at me, a faint smile dancing on his lips.

"Always?" he asked, his smile growing a little bigger. I could feel his breath on my cheek, and it made my face feel hot and my stomach twist.

I liked it though.

I nodded. "Always."

He leaned closer still, his breath as shaky as mine. I could smell his masculine, spicy scent as he moved closer, his hand resting on my hip. I was lying propped up on some pillows, my bad arm out of the way. Carefully avoiding my bandage, he moved in closer and placed a soft, sweet kiss on my cheek, just on the corner of my mouth. I felt my eyes flutter shut as I savored the feeling of the innocent gesture.

"Always," he repeated.

"Collin," I pleaded, my emotions taking over. "Do that again. I…I liked it," I admitted sheepishly.

He smiled, touching my cheek again. "You need your rest. I should leave you alone."

"No," I pleaded in a childish tone. He smirked, his dark eyes dancing.

"You need to rest. You've been through a trauma."

"What is a trauma?"

"Nevermind. Just rest."

"But-"

"What?"

"I…." I fought with my nerves and my words, not sure which was going to win. I was so nervous to say what I wanted to, but I knew that I wouldn't regret it. If the battle had taught me anything, it was that I needed to say what I felt for any day could be our last.

"I want another kiss," I pleaded.

He laughed softly, the bed shaking. "I'll kiss you again…if y-you want me to. But not now. Just rest, and I promise….when you feel better, I'll give you the kiss you deserve."

"Good," I said sleepily. "I want a kiss on the mouth. Like in 'All the Children.' Those types of kisses."

He looked at me blankly for a moment before chuckling again. "Estrella, do you watch TV?"

I nodded.

"I think you mean, "All My Children. Do you watch soap operas?"

"Um…..They don't sing, no," I said with a shake of my head. I was confused at why he thought I was watching an opera, but I didn't have the energy to try to explain the it was a television show.

Collin opened his mouth to argue, but closed it and laughed again. "No, just…never mind," he laughed. Reaching out, he touched my arm reassuringly. "Rest now, and I'll kiss you like they kiss on soaps. I…guess," he said.

I didn't understand most of it, although I did catch that he had agreed to kiss me again. I did know that much.

"Thank you Collin. I will rest now. You can stay?"

He stood up, running his fingertips across my forehead. "I'll stay, sure," he said. He retreated to the corner where a plush looking chair sat. Plopping down, he curled his large frame into it and sighed. "I'll be right here. Now sleep."

I let my head fall back against the soft pillows, a feeling of ease settling over me. Glancing at my bandaged arm, I realized it still stung a bit but I had barely noticed.

Collin had kissed my cheek. He had kissed me. The idea alone was enough to make me forget the rest of the world. And better yet, he had promised me a real kiss. Just like the ones I had seen on TV! I could hardly sleep after that. I drifted in and out, but each time I opened my eyes I saw Collin in the chair in the corner. He was fast asleep, his head thrown back and his mouth open each time. He was making a strange noise as he breathed, but he looked peaceful so I didn't mind. If he was happy, I was happy.

The next day I woke up feeling much better. My body was still quite sore, which was something new for me. I understood that the vampire venom hadn't reacted well with my body, as Edward had explained to me the night before. He had come to visit me with Nahuel, and the two of them helped me understand everything that had happened. It would take a long time before my arm felt completely right again, and I would always have a scar. I glanced down at the bandage on my arm and felt indifferent. When I thought about everything that had been at stake, a small scar was a fair price to pay in my book.

Collin had been gone that morning when I woke up, but there had been a note on the beside table. There, in his scratchy handwriting had been a few words I did know the meaning to:

Patrolling. Jake made me leave. Be back soon. Promise.

Collin

I smiled, glancing down at his messy words on the piece of paper. I folded it up and tucked it inside the camisole I wore.

There was a soft knock on the door, and I turned to see my sister poke her head in.

"You are awake?" she asked, a smile decorating her tan face.

I nodded, turning around with a bright smile to match hers.

"Come in!" I urged, waving her in. She walked in slowly, a slight blush on her cheeks. I smiled wider, realizing the cause of her glow - it was Stefan. The young vampire had done nothing but fall victim to my sister's flirtatious ways, and I was happy she had gotten her way. I knew that they had chosen each other, and judging on the smell coming off of her, they had chosen each other in more ways than one.

She read my face and blushed harder. "I'm sorry…I need to take a shower," she said.

I nodded, wrapping my good arm around her waist. She rested her head on my shoulder, the two of us staring out at the snowy lawn below.

"So you are to stay here, yes?"

She nodded against my shoulder, a happy sigh leaving her lips.

"Yes, I think so. Stefan has asked me to stay with him. I…I love him, Estrella. I want to be with him always."

I glanced over at her as she wrapped her arm around my other side. I squeezed her as tightly as my healing body would allow before pulling back to look at her.

"He makes you happy then?"

She nodded, her blonde curls bouncing slightly. Her bright eyes lit up, and her cheeks resumed their rosy color.

"So happy. I do love him, and he loves me. He wants to stay with me always. And I feel the same. I've never had these feelings before, and….I don't want them to go away. So I'm going to stay here, in Alaska."

I nodded, the two of us breaking apart. I sat on the edge of the bed, my heart feeling light. My sister was happy, and I was happy for her. I knew that she had found her mate in Stefan, and he wouldn't disappoint her.

"You should stay, Isi," I said, resorting to my nickname for her. She nodded, joining me on the edge of the bed.

"You aren't angry?"

"No! What is there to be angry for?"

"I don't know. I've chosen a mate, and chosen to stay here. What will you do?"

I shrugged, another burst of warmth entering my chest. It swelled the most around my heart, and I felt my body grow light as I thought of Collin.

"I think I will be fine," I said with a secretive smile. Isadora bumped my shoulder playfully, and I laughed.

"You and your wolf. I should have known."

"Yes. My wolf," I said happily, linking arms with her. She giggled, and I soon joined in. We talked for a few more minutes about her plans, and she soon left me to rest. When I awoke a few hours later, my throat had begun to burn with thirst, although I felt much better than I had earlier. I crept into the bathroom in my bedroom and began to clean up a little. When I was freshly showered and changed, I opened the bathroom door to see Collin sitting on the edge of my bed.

He looked up at me in surprise, his dark eyes bright.

"Estrella?"

I smiled as he said my name, feeling the tips of my ears grow hot.

"Yes?"

He swallowed, biting his lip nervously.

"How about we take a walk? I um….ah…I h-have something to tell you."

Oooh, wonder what it is? ; ) Next chapter is in Collin's POV. Enjoy! And please review : )