I do not own Blood and Chocolate, nor do I own Twilight. I DO own my characters however.
"When the Levee Breaks" by Led Zepplin
"If it keeps on rainin, levees goin to break,
If it keeps on rainin, levees goin to break,
When the levee breaks Ill have no place to stay...
If you dont know about Chicago."
Layla:
We searched everywhere. Before Jonas said he could smell Paulette's rank smell way too often, now he says its died down. The smell was hardly as horrific and now it was as distinct as any ordinary person, making it harder for her to track. Figures, doesn't it? We were stiff and quiet in the truck. It was still freezing outside, and the Christmas decorations were wrapped around poles. Stray snowflakes started to gently float from the sky, but we needed the windows down so Jonas could smell.
He knew what I knew. It was still stuck in my throat. I knew Jonas wouldn't say it.
We'd been out driving for two hours and we couldn't find her. We weren't going to at this rate. I kept thinking about Paulette. What took her? What had happened? I tried to think of the possibilities, but none of them made sense. We could find her in time if Jonas was in his wolf form, however, getting him to Change and leave me would be difficult.
I sucked in a breath.
"Jonas," I said and bit my lip. "Your sense of smell is stronger when you're a wolf. Maybe you could..." He started to shake his head cutting me off. My brown eyes met his at a stoplight. I gave him my sternest look. "Jonas."
"No, Layla."
"My sister..."
"I don't care about her as much as I do you," Jonas said looking intense.
"But I want you to help look for her. Something supernatural took her. What if its the Marille's mate?"
"It wasn't human," Jonas said.
"What if he somehow has super speed? What if this is some sort of plan to..." He gave me a look of disbelief. I narrowed my eyes at him. "I know its not likely, but you said yourself it didn't smell human. The smell made you throw up! Looking around like this isn't going to help against something like that."
"I'm not leaving you," Jonas said as the vein in his neck twitched. I made a pout.
"You have to get her," I said.
"I said, no," Jonas said.
"And I said yes," I argued, as though that would help.
"Layla, I love you, but you don't have control over me," Jonas said harshly. The light turned green and we rolled forward. I frowned out the opposite window, fists clenched. A few buildings went by. I felt a comforting hand rest innocently on my thigh.
"Don't," I snapped. He jerked his hand away. He exhaled.
"I don't know what you want me to do. It goes against my nature to leave you unguarded," he said. He glanced at me frustrated. "You know that."
"This is an emergency," I retorted. "I don't care about me as much as I do her."
"Well I do," Jonas said. My temper flared. I threw my back against the seat and crossed my arms quietly. I felt like a little kid, but honestly, what good was a supernatural boyfriend if I couldn't use his inhuman powers when I was in trouble. The grey clouds hung quietly in the sky puffing together to make a storm cloud for a fresh blanket of snow.
"I can't for several reasons, Lay. First of all, I can't just run around town in my wolf form. I don't exactly look like a normal wolf when I Change," he said.
"I don't care," I snapped too angry to hear what he had to say. He scowled at the windshield and drove a little bit faster. In response I made my angry face sharper, though it wasn't as perfect as an angry werewolf. I huffed out my nostrils.
"You're not being fair," he said through grit teeth.
"I'm being perfectly reasonable," I disputed. "I want to find Paulie." The truck rolled to another stoplight. Jonas relaxed, unclenching his iron grip on the steering wheel I failed to notice until just now. I shivered quietly as the breeze from the open windows chilled me. Jonas sighed and started to shrug off his jacket.
"I'm okay," I told him as he had one arm out of his sleeve.
"No. You're cold," he said and tossed it into my lap. I ground my teeth. I hated how he never failed to be chivalrous even when he was in a flaring bad mood. "Put it on before you turn into a Layla-sicle." His tone was angry, but he could never cover up his own good nature. I resented my stubborn smile. This was serious, I reminded myself.
"Do you think Tommy or Katrina can help?" I said refusing to look at him.
"My father sent Tommy out of town on an errand. He talked Katrina into going with him," Jonas said. I swallowed hard. Jonas perked suddenly. As the light turned green he rolled down his windows with the crank and stuck out his head. I resisted any dog remarks.
My interest was piqued when he sniffed.
"What is it?" I asked sitting up in my seat. We ignored the honking cars behind us. Or rather, the honking motorcycle. We both turned. Jonas stared at them, brow furrowed in interest. Behind the driver the passenger hugging his chest seemed to say something. The driver shook his head. Jonas popped open his door handle, but before he could open it the motorcyclist drove up the driver's window and faced Jonas. In surprise, Jonas jerked backward.
"Green means go, jerk," said the motorcycle driver. Then he sped off down the street, his blonde passenger's hair flapping in the wind.
Ben:
I felt Paulette's grip tightening on me as I drove as fast as I could to reach the Reigh house. It was still early, the classes were just starting and the sun was peaking over the mountains. My skin was already starting to sting with the small amount of rays that were coming through.
When I reached the house I yanked Paulette off the bike with me and didn't bother as it fell to ground with a loud clunk. Paulette struggled without prevail the whole way there. She couldn't do anything about it of course, not with my strength and my current mood. We were both irritable though, and I commend her for her efforts.
"Let go! You dirty leech!..." she screamed among other curses that are not suited for a fanfic of this rating. When I reached the door she shoved me, moving herself more than me. I glared at her. She angrily returned the look.
"You're an idiot," she hissed taking advantage of the fact that I was paying attention to her.
"I am. I shouldn't have done what I did," I admitted, though it didn't come out as sincere as I'd hoped. Then unnecessarily added, "Happy now?" She breathed out through her nose, her eyes were angry narrow slits now.
"No," she growled. "And you yelled at my sister's boyfriend back there. You're not exactly earning a lot of points here."
"This isn't a game," I said shoving the door open because I didn't want to bother asking for the key. The deadbolt snapped, catching her off guard and making her flinch. I smirked at her surprise. "And as weird as the boyfriend is, he doesn't scare me." I reached for her wrist again, but she pulled away.
"My wrist is purple enough as it is."
"That's only because you keep trying to pull away when I make you follow me," I said. The sun was beginning to rise. I snatched Paulette by the back of the coat and dragged her in and shut the door. Finally, we were safe. I slumped against the wall and closed my eyes, one hand still on the collar of Paulette's coat. She slipped out of it and huffed angrily.
I peacefully breathed as her ranting continued. It was beginning to turn into a familiar sound, like traffic. I could easily push it into the background. When I felt easy enough to open my eyelids I could tune back into the ranting.
"And how am I going to be safe in here?" Paulette said. She placed her hands on her hips as she acknowledged me. "You broke the deadbolt. Not that it would have stopped them."
"Vampires can't enter a home without an invitation," I told her. She cocked her head disbelievingly. "What? You never heard that myth?"
"And who invited you?"
"I go where I please. Laws don't stop me. I didn't listen to a government when I was human, why should that change just because I became something else?" I said. She still looked confused. I rolled my eyes dramatically. "Vampires have a government. In fact I'm one of the most wanted vampires in the world for defying them. Abiding laws are the last of my worries. They can just add it to my list of offenses." Paulette relaxed a moment, looking as though she had another question.
Then I heard a truck screech up to the house.
"Stay here," growled a smooth voice that only my sensitive ears could pick up.
"Jonas," said the sister.
"He doesn't smell right. He's in there with your sister," he said.
"I'm coming with you," the sister said defiantly.
"Fine."
"Go upstairs," I told Paulette. She finally noticed that there was a new person was here.
"It's Jonas," she said unnecessarily. Then something started to hit me. Something the boyfriend said. He doesn't smell right. That sentence suddenly set off alarm bells. I held onto Paulette, pulling her to me. She yelped in surprise as the door opened.
He was gigantic, much more muscular than me. I held my ground with Paulette by my side. The boy, Jonas, stood across from me. His eyes weren't right. His beauty wasn't perfected like a vampire's, but he wasn't human. I could hear an inhuman growl within his chest, I could see his nostrils flaring.
Behind him the sister, Layla poked out.
"Paulette, get away from him now," Layla said worried.
"No," Paulette said defiantly. You'd think her own sister would no better than to try and make Paulette do anything. My eyes were still locked on Jonas as he held my own eyes. They weren't right either. Vampiric eyes were brilliant colors, like Tav's yellow ones, or Adam's brownish reds.
But there was something not plain about them. It was probably the way he stared at me, sending that uncomfortable feeling I got when I came too close to the Carter House or how I felt when I was everywhere in this town.
"Paulie, listen to me for once. He's not what he seems," Layla said. I didn't have to hold onto Paulette anymore. I felt her stand by my side. My lip curled in a smile as this seemed to irritate the mysterious person that she was on my side.
"And what is he, Lay-Lay?" Paulette asked smartly. Layla and Jonas exchanged a glance.
No one seemed to have the answer.
"Excuse me," Jonas said to Layla who hesitantly gave him room. Then something I didn't expect happened.
Jonas:
Now, there are a few things you never do to a werewolf. You never threaten one, you never threaten his pack (especially his mate,) and you never cross into his territory. This red haired, orange eyed, foul smelling creature had done all of this in one swift movement. He was not human. He was not werewolf.
My instincts told me he wasn't worthy of living.
Kill it.
I fell to the ground on all fours and let the Change fall upon me with all of its swiftness. Hair sprouted, my muscles spasmed under my skin shifted and twisted to mold with my thickening skeleton. It was surprised, whatever it was. Paulette screamed and backed behind it holding herself, ready to run. She knew my secret and I couldn't care less. She'd never approve of my marrying Layla, and I still couldn't care. A creature that wasn't supposed to be here was in my mate's dwelling.
For once I listened to the beast part of me.
Rip off its limbs.
I leapt forward. Suddenly it and Paulette were gone. A good thing, because Paulette might have gotten in the way and I might have hurt her. I looked at the other side of the room. The creature was on behind of my massive body. I looked over my massive shoulder covered in brown fur. It was there, panting and holding Layla's sister. I bared my teeth.
It bared back at me. Fierce fangs dropped over his bottom teeth, momentarily ruining its far too perfect look. I leapt backward into it. Paulette, again, was pushed out of the way. This time Layla was at her side pulling her out of the battle.
The red haired being was fast, but I'd caught it. I snatched it within my jaws and crunched down breaking bone. It yowled in pain, then turned around and bit in me. The sudden sharpness caught my off guard, I yelped, seeing Layla flinch out of the corner of her eye. I recovered by leaping and rolled over in the air to body slam it into the tile of the ground.
I heard more bones break.
Excellent.
Thinking it was maimed enough I broke away growling and circling the wounded creature. It was on the ground broken. But to my surprise it reached over to it arm and pressed the bones together in one loud snap without even a wince.
I perked. This was not an unbreakable thing like me, however, it did repair itself instantly. Before I could blink it was in front of me. I jerked backward, but not time to move from a pale fist that was thrown down at me. It it me in the neck, knocking me right off my paws to the hard ground.
It was obviously surprised that I withstood such a blow. While on the floor I had the opportunity to reach its ankle with my jaws. I drew blood and an odd taste hit my mouth. Bone snapped and shattered earning another painful scream. With an internal gratified smile I jerked my head one way, tripping him to the ground. It fell and I pinned it by the shoulders.
Almost human eyes peered into my own as I looked to my prey for one last horrified expression.
"Stop!"
Paulette:
The world slowed down all of the sudden. I felt vampiric speed as I stood in front of the... the... whatever the hell Jonas was. Ben never left eyes with Jonas.
"Get off of him," I told the big thing. It bared teeth at Ben. Ben opened his mouth and hissed showing his teeth in a deadly smile. "Both of you stop." I felt self coscious of the fact that Layla had an odd look on her face. I'd never defended anyone who wasn't my sister. I'd never felt the need to, to be honest. But Ben seemed worthy of my protection and if he wasn't on Jonas's side, then I was right there with her.
Jonas didn't stop. His jaws opened and went for Ben's throat. Before I could think about what I was doing I snatched the scruff of the giant wolf's brown coat. He growled and turned on me instead.
"That's enough!" Layla said leaping in front of Jonas. All of the sudden, the wolf was on the defensive, pushing Layla to the other side of the room. Layla ignored him and let him herd her over to the couch. Ben was on his feet, his ankle swiftly healing back into perfect condtion. He guarded me the same way. Layla was trapped behind Jonas, a massive brunette furred creature that paced in front of her, shoulders hunched over his drool covered jowls.
Layla and I met eyes. She pushed her glasses on the bridge of her nose as I blinked.
"Obviously we have some explaining to do," Layla said.
"We do," I agreed. I tried to move, Ben backed against me pressing me further away from them. "Let's not do this here." I knew where. Somewhere where there was a designated threshold, where we could still talk. Layla picked up on my thoughts.
"Right. Our rooms," Layla said.
"You keep your thing in your room, I'll keep mine in mine," I said touching Ben's shoulder. She gave me a nod and rested a hand on her large monster. I gave it a final horrified glance. I saw a wild look in his eyes. I think I was beginning to understand why he was prone to psychotic breaks.
Confrontation!