Earth & Fire

10

Jacob and Leah look surprised as a teenager opens the motel door instead of an adult. He looks about sixteen and has short cropped black hair and tormented brown eyes. He stiffens and closes the door shut behind him when he sees them, "Yes?"

Leah blinks, "Hi," She reaches her hand out to shake. He doesn't return the gesture. "Um, I'm Leah Clearwater and this is my partner, Jacob Black, we're reporters for a local newspaper. Is there an adult we can speak to?"

The boy tosses his head back to look into the motel room, he shakes his head, "No adult here, sorry."

Jacob frowns, biting his lip, "Okaaaay, can we talk to you instead?"

"Why?" The boy asks dully.

"We heard about the, um, disappearance." Leah says slowly. At the rate they're going, the kid won't tell them anything. "We were wondering if we could get some details about the incident."

"So watch the news." The boy clearly does not want to talk, "Look, I've been getting interviewed for the past two days and no one has believed anything I have to say, so why does it matter?"

Leah sighs deeply and decides that the whole 'journalist thing' is not going to work with this guy. "Look kid, I'll just be truthful with you," Jacob sends her a panicked look but she just continues, "We aren't reporters, we're actually…investigators searching for…any sign of the supernatural. We need to see if this case is anything like the one in Forks."

The boy's eyes widen and he tries to make his face remain neutral, "You mean there's another case like this?"

"We think so…" Jacob cuts in, "We need to compare them, that's why we came to talk to you."

The boy hesitantly lets the wolves in, leading them to the single room in the motel. "My name's Jason." He tells them.

"Where are your parent's, Jason?" Jake asks. Leah sends him an annoyed look, figuring that it's none of their business.

"Well my mom's right there," He points idly to a woman passed out on one of the queen sized beds. "We lost our home recently and had to rent a room here for a couple weeks. There were three of us…me, her, and my little brother…Jonna." He rubs his arms insecurely. "Y-you guys really think it's something supernatural?"

Leah nods.

"Supernatural like what?" Jason presses.

"We aren't permitted to you guys that information…" Leah replies loosely. Jason gestures for them to sit on the other bed across from the one the mother is laying on. They both sit stiffly.

"So, you work for, like, the government or something?" Jason asks.

"Yeah," Jacob replies stiffly. "So can you tell us what happened? I'm assuming Jonna is the missing child…but I heard there were a total of three children involved."

Jason shakes his head, "There was only one other kid named Katie, she lives next door. The other person was my mom." Jason lets out a long sigh and turns to look at his mother, "She's been like that since Jonna was taken two days ago."

"Mind if we…" Leah stands and looks over at the woman as Jacob engages the boy in conversation. The woman's face is pale but her breathing is even and steady. Her eyes are open, though, and are starring straight ahead, exhibiting no signs of life. There are dark circles under her eyes and her lips are stretched and dry. Leah's stomach twists at the vacant expression on the woman's face, wondering what thing could cause such absence…such cold. "Is Katie the same?"

Jason nods shakily, "Yeah. Her father dug up enough money to put her in the hospital for a couple of days. We weren't so fortunate."

"Can you tell us what happened, Jason?" Jake asks gently.

"My mom baby-sits Katie and had taken Jonna and her across the street to get some snacks. I decided to stay here and watch Tv," Jason begins, his voice shaking again. "I could hear them coming back…Katie was singing loudly and giggling and Jonna kept asking her to stop." He clenches his fists in his lap. "And my mom was laughing quietly, telling Jonna to be nicer."

Leah can see the beginning of tears start at the corner of his eyes. She can tell that he'd loved his little brother with his whole life. Leah looks away, hoping that Jacob could look the boy in the eyes instead.

"The sun was going down, so I decided to get up and watch them come up the stairs from the door." Jason begins to look uncomfortable and even a little scared. "But then suddenly, Katie stopped singing and my mom stopped laughing. I panicked and tried to move towards the staircase but it was like I was stuck."

Just like what happened to Suzanne, Leah thinks, cold fear starting in her stomach.

"It was like I was drowning in the deepest part of the ocean," Jason struggles to describe, his form shakes, "And everything went silent and dark, and I was alone." His fingers are clenched tightly into fists against his thighs, "The fear started slowly and then it was everything. Full force, something evil—"

He cuts himself off, suddenly going very pale at the mere thought. Leah and Jacob share a concerned look and Leah reaches for him, "Jason—"

"Anyway," He shakes himself a little, "The moment passed and I was able to run downstairs, even thought my legs felt like rubber. When I got there, mom and Katie were on the ground and Jonna was gone." He wipes his eyes irritably, "And I have no idea what happened."

Leah nods slowly and stands, "That's sounds exactly like the story in Forks, there's definitely a connection."

Jason stands too, "Do you…do you have any leads?"

"Not yet," Jacob starts, "But don't worry, kid. We'll take care of this."

"Okay," Jason nods to himself. He looks them both in the eye, "Please bring my brother back, and if you can, find a way to help my mom."

Leah finds herself nodding despite the fact that she has no idea how to accomplish those two things. "We'll do our best."

-:- -:- -:-

"This is strange," Benjamin decides. "But I kind of like it."

Bella and Edward beam at him, Tia just looks hesitant. "You kind of like it?" She utters.

"Yes," Benjamin says. He stands and drops the deer beside him, "It's like…choosing a different type of meat for dinner—"

"Like being a vegetarian?" Bella says brightly.

"Yes, but to me, the taste difference is only subtle. Human blood is much sweeter and this is just a little more tame."

"Well, I wouldn't know," laughs Bella. She smiles and turns her head towards the smell of other game. "Shall we continue? Maybe Tia would like to taste?"

Tia rolls her eyes and doesn't reply. The four of them run in the opposite direction until reaching a creek where four elk rest.

They each grab one, Tia looking at hers cautiously. After a few minutes of deciding, she sucks her teeth into his neck and drinks. She actually drains the animal and drops it to the ground.

Benjamin grins cheekily at her, "Do you like it?"

"It tastes weird," Is all she says.

Edward laughs and finishes off his elk as well, "Your thoughts are a little more colorful than that." He stands beside Bella, "It's strange, animal blood has varying effect on both of you."

"Maybe it all depends on the vampire," Tia says, "A matter of taste."

"And you think yours is more refined, don't you?" Benjamin teases lightly. "There is no great difference for me, so I wouldn't struggle to make the switch."

"You are like Bella then," Edward says, "She only had a small craving for human blood, although you've had years of practice containing yours. Jasper on the other hand still has issues even though he's been drinking from animals for years."

"What about you?" Benjamin questions curiously, "Do you like it?"

"I prefer carnivores, honestly." He gives them all a crooked smile, "Mountain lions are my favorite and I've only almost lost control once," He puts a finger under Bella's chin, "With Bella."

Tia raised one unamused eyebrow. Benjamin laughs internally at her expression and he knows that Edward can hear them both. Tia doesn't exactly try to hide her disdain.

"She was your Singer?" Benjamin humors him, "A perfect love story, then."

"Yeah, you didn't eat her." Tia echoes.

Edward just laughs, "It was a journey, but we're together now."

Tia just blinks at them.

"So…more hunting?" Bella asks.

Ben nods and pulls Tia with him, "How long until my eyes change color?"

"A few weeks, depending on if you stick to a strict animal diet, why?" Bella humors him.

She gets no answer in response, Tia and Ben run off in a race to catch a stray mountain lion.

-:- -:- -:-

"You're really committed to this," Tia says lightly, as she watches her mate pounce on the large mountain lion.

"I am," Benjamin agrees as the animal struggles under him, "But the taste honestly isn't that bad to me…there's not too big of a difference."

"Weirrrrrd," Tia complains, watching him drink from the large feline. "What about the carnivore? Taste any different like Edward said?"

"Slightly different, sweeter, like human blood." Benjamin mutters, dropping the animal to the ground. He shrugs easily, "Not bad."

"Hm," Tia still doesn't look impressed, "Is Leah really worth it? Changing yourself?"

"Not myself, my diet." He says, shrugging. "And it's not really a matter of being 'worth it,' it's more…getting my memories back and learning what this connection means."

Tia climbs a tree, easily jumping on a lower branch, her eyes are questioning but there's a smile there. "Your memories of that girl really mean a lot, don't they?"

Benjamin nods and joins her on the branch, "Yes. It just feels like a part of me is missing. I'm sure Leah will give me the closure I need."

"You're such a weird vampire," Tia cocks her head, "Weird gift, weird way of thinking."

"Weird as the Cullens?" Benjamin humors her, knowing that they aren't exactly her favorite people.

"Weirder," Tia wrinkles her nose, "Only a weird vampire would ever take interest in a werewolf."

"Shifter," Benjamin corrects her, something he knows that she hates him doing.

Tia shrugs, her nose picking up the scent of another mountain lion, she smirks at him, "Race you for it."

Benjamin jumps down, nodding, "You're on."

an. I made Tia so unamused by Edward and Bella, it's funny. Not everyone loves fairytale endings.

This chapter was ehhhh, kinda boring

anyway Leah and Ben interactions next chapter!