AN://I can't describe how much fun this chapter was to write, and it only gets better from here. I'm not even sure when this conflict will be resolved...two chapters? four? Remember, this story will still have chapters thrown in that have nothing do with another, you never know what'll happen in the next chapter.
Happy reading...
o.O.o
My blood boiled with excitement and uncertainty; I hadn't planned this far ahead. I knew if I had succumbed to thinking it through, I would decide against this…and I was having too much fun just anticipating what might happen.
We ran steadily, but yet slowly for us, away from our place in the woods. My brothers had never been so closely affiliated with their scent; the look on their faces filled me with resolve. We were minutes outside of First Beach and gaining quickly on the reservation.
"Made a decision yet?" Jasper said to me.
"Got any ideas?" I asked. I wanted them to enjoy this as much as I was.
"Well," Emmett began. "That Jacob kid hates you right? So go to his house and hide, Jasper and I can confront the other three."
Jasper scoffed. "Shall we bake cookies when we're through?" Mocking Emmett.
"If you don't like it, say so dammit." Emmett seethed.
" It's far too jevenile. Hide and go seek is for humans."
"I agree, but they're all in different places and they're planning how to get together now." I said.
"So?" Emmett said impatiently. I thought to myself for several seconds on how to rally us altogether.
"So instead of us coming to them, we send them on a wild goose chase. Jasper, you'll go East. Emmett, to the West, I'll back track up the middle. They'll have no choice but to split up and follow us. Then we'll all meet on the edge of Third Beach, 5 miles east of the trails. That should keep us hidden."
Emmett was still sore.
"Oh? Follw the leader is less juvenile than hide and go seek?" Jasper ignored him in alliance to my plan but I defended myself. Like me, his own ideas for revenge were a bit more sinister than hide and go seek.
"It's what happends when we meet that won't be so juvenile." I declared, and it was enough to pacify him. Silence follwed me; we were wasting too much time.
"Anyway", I intervened. "It's not often we get out like this, why be candid about it?"
"Then how long should we run?" asked Jasper.
I smirked.
"Well, I wouldn't rush through the experience. Go sight seeing if you will…get close enough so they can smell you and then break toward the beach."
"You're cruel Edward." Jasper laughed. "How far left till I run into them?"
"Their leader of some sorts is coming from an auto retailer just five miles from here, the other tried to follow us to First Beach, he should be on the edge of River Drive by now."
"…and I won't let him get off" Emmett growled.
We continued on for just a few yards before Emmett let out a low rumble of laughter and tore away to might right, not long after, Jasper broke off to my left, and I was alone. I ran straight up the main road that would lead me into the heart of the reservation, where I knew the Black house would be. I decided to humor Emmett and go there first. The closer I got, the voices in my head became clearer. As I listened to them discuss the odds, in a very southern corner of my mind I hoped that this didn't blow up in my face. It would only complicate things if the werewolves decided to be irrational about this. But how could I account for them?
My enhanced sight allowed me to see the quaint, yet shoddy little house without stepping within a mile of it. As it was, the scent was terrible; I didn't want to get close to them until I had to. I smirked in spite of the circumstances; I'd have two of them all to myself.
It took them a few agonizingly long seconds to realize how close I was to them. The smile on my lips was a product of my excitement. I stood my ground even as they tore off after me, I could hear the storming of their steps form where I was.
"You can't catch me Jacob Black…in more ways than one."
o.O.o
The usually vivacious Quil was one giant ruptured nerve as he considered the odds…
"Why are we just sitting here!?" Jacob said impatiently.
"We're supposed to be waiting for Sam's order…" Quil replied in utter exasperation.
"Oh right…" he considered briefly. "…We could take them on our own!" Jacob fumed.
"And how sure are you about that!?" Quil retorted, he's supposed to be the hot head, not Jacob. Even he knew that now was not the time for impulsiveness.
"How much harder can they be to handle than that last bloodsucker, Laurent, was it?"
The odds were in our favor…Jared spoke.
"This time's no different! We out number them, why is Sam taking so long to act?"
Relax, it's barely been ten minutes… Ten minutes was an eternity to Jacob.
Anyway…Jared continued …Laurent wasn't near as crafty as the Cullens, and he was alone to face the five of us. Again, the odds were in our favor.
Jacob scoffed. "The odds…we have what it takes to beat them if we have to, and all we're doing is 'considering the odds'. All I wanna do is wipe that damn smirk off his face."
"Dammit Jake, leave your personal life outta this! There's more at stake than your failed relationship with Bella."
Jacob's eyes were crossed with Malice.
"You take that back Quil…" he whispered.
"No, admit it! Forget about the reservation, our home! You're so high strung cause you wanna get even with Cullen don't you!?"
Calm down Quil, you have no right to question Jake's motives, we're all fighting for the same cause here…
"Really? I think Jake needs a reality check." Quil said bitingly to Jacob.
Jacob was about to rile off with a few choice words of his own when Sam quieted him.
"I agree…for now, it is the sake of our treaty and the reservation that we have to consider before we act. That is something we should have considered before we patrolled on Cullen territory. Jake, craftiness is not what sets us apart. We're human beings before animals. Edward Cullen was present when the treaty was settled almost 70 years ago. That gives him an advantage.
"Fine." Jacob seethed between a clenched jaw. "So we're just going to sit here then?"
No. It's clear that they're goading us…one of their brethren was heading straight for me, but as I ran to meet him, he pulled off in a new direction.
"Follow the leader?" Jacob inquired, somewhat confused. Somehow that didn't seem like a vicious bloodsucking vampire to him.
So it would seem…Sam agreed.
He's right…there's another on my heels and he turned west not even 5 seconds ago.
"But we're not just gonna follow them are we?" Quil asked, his voice guarded, as if the entire ordeal was impossible.
What choice do we have?... Sam answered. …Our number one priority should be to avoid casualties.
"What if it's a trap?" Quil considered.
Well…Sam began. …Unless you truly believe the Cullens could know your lands better than you do, then it very well could be a trap. As I said, we have no room for mistakes. Therefore, we don't have a choice.
"Going head first into a trap may be a mistake!" Jake contested.
Maybe, but will it be the kind that'll end in death? Carlisle Cullen made the treaty with your great grandfather remember? He won't go back on that…so his so called "sons" won't want any casualties either.
"In theory…" Jacob added. Sam may have more information than the rest of them, but he can't see the future, there was no way he could insure what the vampires actually planned to do on the reservation.
A theory is all any of us have…even the vampires. Anyway, this doesn't deserve further discussion. I'll get back to you with my order.
"Wait!" Jacob hesitated. The scent of vampire hung in the air that wafted inside Jacob's small window, but now it more distinct. It was a scent he knew more than his brothers did and it was clear…Edward Cullen was especially reserved for him.
"He's…here…" Jacob uttered, concentrating on Edward's every move.
Good, no doubt he has the same plan. So follow.
Both Jacob and Quil became focused and raced outside, glad to finally be doing something other than arguing and standing still.
The chase was on.
o.O.o
After an entire century, I'd thought I'd seen it all, experienced nearly everything. But this…this was certainly original. A vampire/werewolf standoff? I idly questioned Carlisle for not letting me get involved 70 years ago.
Emmett and Jasper had done precisely what was asked of them. They were already there with the rest of the wolves when I arrived with the last two. The look of calm malice on their faces as they reverted to their human forms didn't faze me; I was near shaking with laughter. I briefly tapped into their minds…they were far too confident. I subdued myself from mentioning that the only reason my brothers restrained themselves was out of mercy.
I broke the silence first. "If your elders could see this…" I said, shaking my head with the impossibility of it all.
"Lets cut to the chase Cullen-" Sam was the calmest of all of them.
"You want to know why we're here?" I asked. His jaw locked with surprise as the rumor behind my mind reading was revealed true. I couldn't help but laugh.
"That was a safe deduction even without my mind-reading don't you think?"
"Then I suppose you also want to know why we were on your land then?" Sam spoke again.
"Oh you are shrewd aren't you?" Jasper and Emmett stifled their laughter.
"Well then…" I began. "While I don't believe that two wrongs make a right, I also don't believe that ignorance exempts you from responsibility."
"We have a responsibility to the people of this state, I'm not sorry that that drove us onto your land."
We buckled with laughter again and Jacob Black growled pitifully.
"I don't think they get it, Edward…" Emmett proclaimed. I shook my head.
"No, they truly do not understand…I can hear it in their minds." I mocked, my voice laden in pity.
"Fools…it's that one piece of paper that stops us all from crossing the space between us. And you and I both know that waging war in light of the fact that we both broke the treaty is not worth the collateral damage. Know this: you are no threat to us. Fear is not what keeps us off the reservation."
"You can cut the act Edward!" Jacob stumbled to the forefront, warranting some concern from his peers.
"Me?" I was incredulous with disbelief.
"Yes, you, you're making this about something that hasn't anything to do with what's actually going on. You pretend to give a damn about the treaty but all you care about is her, leave Bella out of this. I know that this is the only thing giving you an excuse to confront us."
I was silent in embarrassment. I was embarrassed for Jacob Black, embarrased for committing to his own humiliation. Because he was wrong! As far as I was concerned, the treaty was a piece of paper consecrating a futile attempt at overcoming our nature. Vampires and werewolves will never coincide peacefully. Why flirt with disaster?
And Bella? Bloodshed would her make her angry (it's a pity that they're friends). I was as sure of that as I was sure that she wouldn't stay mad with me forever. I had my bases covered.
"Who are you trying to convince? This has absolutely nothing to do with her. I certainly was not the one who condoned her risking her life by having her ride a poor excuse of a vehicle that you built yourself, and then used the ordeal to get her grounded…all for a misunderstanding. You honestly believe that Bella's incarceration could stop me from seeing her? I haven't the slightest idea why she feels so indebted to you after all this cloak and dagger."
The others shot him a look of exasperation that brought his foolishness to bare.
"While we're on first name terms here, you should have listened to them Jacob, they told you not to go." I mimicked them, reading the rest of the wolves' minds as their thoughts betrayed a member of their own kind. Their eyes shot back at me with a look of contempt.
"Please…" he scoffed. "You're a bigger threat to her than a stupid motorcycle."
I calmly dismissed how he seemed to allow putting her in danger.
I smirked. "That goes for you too."
Jacob growled in fury, his body undergoing violent tremors. His mind was drawing a very colorful picture of his attack and I knew he wouldn't be able to control himself for long. Emmett and Jasper were crouched in defense. I held my arms out in front of them.
"Stop him." I commanded viciously. But none of them intended to restrain him, they firmly believed that the boy could handle himself.
"Afraid? Bloodsucker?" the one named Quil spoke in spite of his own fears. I almost chocked at his audacity.
"Keep dreaming dog" A fierce roar ripped from Jacob's human frame and distracted me.
"I swore that I would not attack you. If you let him transform, I'll have to break that promise." I warned. This news, for some reason, made them even more confident. As if we would stand there and allow the boy to attack us just because of the promise I'd made to Bella.
The last seal to Jacob's humanity seemed to be finally breaking.
"However," I began, dropping my arms slowly. "My brothers are under no such oath." Jasper and Emmett mounted forward, their lips stretching over their teeth, prepared to attack.
Their leader snarled in irresolution as he realized the risk at stake. With the slightest gesticulation of his hand, the wolf named Jared bounded forward to restrain Jacob Black, locking his forearms around Jacob's in a bear hold and wrestling his disinclined body away from the rest of us.
Jasper and Emmett unwillingly stood erect, quieting their own uproars.
It was quiet for few very long seconds...our minds were, quintessentially, contemplating the very same thin;. How would this end up if not in a fight?
"And so we've come full circle…" Sam proclaimed…but the statement didn't match his eyes.
He was hiding something.
"Whether or not this confrontation was necessary…well, neither of us can judge. But we bear the same warning; If you value the treaty then abide by it, leave us the hell alone, and we'll gladly spare your sad reservation." I promised.
But something was wrong, their leader was far too calm and nothing from his mind could tell me the reason behind it.
"I hear you vampire and it seems we're at an impasse. Change is merely a simple matter of adjustment" he said, his tone far too forgiving. My anger flared at the frsutration of it all.
I covered the small clearing in two strides, seizing him by the collar. Then everything seemed to happen in one minor instant. The remaining boy to his left transformed attempting to protect my prey. As soon as the air was off setting, Emmett, the most impetuous of us, surged forward, tackling the transformed Quil.
"What kind of fool do you take me for?" I kept my voice monotone but grave, ignoring the evident chaos around me.
"The satirical kind." He spoke smoothly and unnecessarily, thus fueling my anger. My teeth were bared now but for some reason I was reserved from doing anything further (I repeated my promise in my mind; don't kill them, don't kill them...). All this resignation was unquestionably infuriating! The nails of my fingers were perforating his skin, when they much more capable of blood.
"What about 'I can hear every single insignificant thought that runs through your head' don't you understand?! You can't deceive me!".
"And yet you hold back….tell me leech, how many voices can you contain at once?" he remained unruffled and serene in the face of a vicious vampire, what was he trying to guise?
"I'd always wondered if your power limited by quantity…or do you just tune us all out in boredom?" he managed to choke this out around the solid grip of my fingers.
Was he calling me foolish? But why? What would he have to gain even if my mind reading was limited by the number of people I'd have to hear? How would that help him?
With the smoothest extension of my arm, I'd lodged him against the tree, breaking my grip, and allowing his body to cleanly sever the limb as I started to realize his plan.
How could I have been so blind?
AN://I love hearing what you think, not matter how long or short, or how trivial, so review! pretty please?
