OMG...FINALLY!!!

okay, i hope that you guys haven't completely given up on this story! I am so sorry for the long update! i have so many stories I'm simultaneously working on...it's a bit of a bother, as some of you probably know.

but i love it, and am trying to update as frequently as I can.

please review, and enjoy!

This chapter's title is from the amazing song Ignorance, by Paramore.


Chapter 10: What's My Offense This Time?

I ran through the forest, relishing the wind that blew through my hair and cleared my head slightly. I blinked my eyes rapidly to ease the stinging, ignoring the animals that cowered in the brush as I passed.

I was a monster. Who was I kidding, trying to convince myself that I actually had a family among the Cullens?

It was all a lie, just like it was with Seth.

His name sent flashes of pain into my chest, and I slumped against the nearest tree trunk, my arms wrapping around my stomach, my torso bending over in misery.

I had hurt my Seth…I had made him cry.

I had just started to become comfortable with being a vampire, just started to feel almost normal again…and then I was pulled back to reality. I was a vampire, and there was no normal life for people like me.

My hands clenched into fists on the tough bark, and with effortless exertion the wood was crushed into splinters in my fists, leaving two large gouge marks in the trunk. I hated being so strong, so unpredictable.

So dangerous.

"Terra!"

I turned to see Renesmee lightly running towards me, and I could hear her thudding heart, smell the delicious pulse of her blood against her veins. Jacob wasn't with her, and I felt a grimace spread across my face. I wished that he – and his mercifully unpleasant wolf smell – had accompanied Renesmee; I wished that she wouldn't come any closer.

I remained perfectly still, not moving as Renesmee slowed to a walk, and she spoke softly, as if not wanting to scare me off.

"Terra…Seth loves you."

One of the many things I loved about Renesmee…she didn't beat around the bush like her mother and father did. She got straight to the point, and her straightforwardness was refreshing.

But I was not in the mood for an interrogation – I was never in the mood for an interrogation, as a matter of fact.

"Go away."

I didn't beat around the bush either.

She scowled angrily at my tone – still managing to look as flawless and beautiful as usual – and moved closer, her lips pursed.

"And you love him. Jeez, you two are so stupid!"

Okay, I–wait!

What did she just say to me?

My shock must've shown on my face, because Renesmee scowled even more deeply and leaned forward to get in my face.

"If you'd stop acting so clueless all the time, you'd realize how crazy he is for you! And not," Renesmee snapped as I made to interrupt her. "because he's a werewolf and you happen to be his imprint. It doesn't work like that! Do you think that when Jacob saw me as a baby, he was physically attracted to me? Of course not! He was attached to me in here." She touched the place where her heart was beating, deliciously and strongly. I swallowed loudly and she went on. "Where it matters! You just jump to the ridiculous conclusion that Seth only loves you for your body!"

"But it's true! It's how they find their mates…" I snarled, leaning forward to tower over her. She didn't back down, nor did she waver once in her resolve. I guess she had a lot of practice from hanging around with six foot seven inch Jacob Black.

"Terra, who gives a shit?" I flinched at her coarse language, which sounded so wrong in her sweet, bell-like voice that rang through the air like a song. "You're acting like it's a one time thing, like with rabbits or something! Werewolves mate for life in the Quileute tribe. They will love you for every day of your life, because you are the one person that is the exact fit for their love, the only one in the whole world who will ever know them – in an immeasurably deep and intimate way – for both the man inside them and for the wolf."

"Don't I get a say in this?" I yelled, leaning against the tree, biting my lip to keep from screaming.

Renesmee's burning heat soothed me as she gently reached out to touch my shoulder.

"Yes. But his soul will be shattered, as he watches you love someone else, watches you live your life without him."

"But, I didn't ask for this decision." I said, sinking to my knees. "I…I just wanted to finish college and go home for the summer. I wanted to watch, as I grew older, as I married a nice guy and had a few kids. I wanted so much…I wanted…I wanted…" I felt my throat closing up.

I wanted to have my humanity; I wanted to have a definite end to my journey, instead of an endless path in sight.

Renesmee sighed, her anger gone, as she wrapped her arms around me, and I buried my face into her hair as she murmured.

"I'm sorry, Terra. But I'm glad you came…"

"Why? I'm a pain in the ass…"

Renesmee laughed, and whispered.

"I used to be so sad about not having any siblings that I could relate to, no one that was just as confused about the world as I was. When you came…I gained a sister…and a friend."

I could tell that these words were difficult for her, she wasn't used to explaining her emotions like this.

A low, angel-like voice filled the silence.

"What a touching scene…mind if we join in?"

Everything pretty much went downhill from there.


Edward leaned against the house railing, staring out into the silent forest with worried golden eyes. His daughter and Terra had left a few minutes ago, if Seth was correct, and he heard his adoptive father speaking quietly to the said werewolf.

"Seth, what happened exactly?"

"I already told Edward."

"I want to hear it from you."

Edward frowned as he heard the sorrowful thoughts in Seth's mind, and quickly withdrew, feeling as though he were intruding. He was careful not to read the thoughts of his family unless necessary, and he considered Seth to be worthy of the same privacy.

"I told her about…her being my imprint, and she threw me into a wall…"

"That's all?"

"That's all, Carlisle."

Edward sighed, and turned his gaze back to the forest. His wife was suddenly beside him, slipping her slender arms around his waist from behind, cuddling into his back. Edward smiled, and put his hands over her forearms, leaning back to kiss her on the forehead. Bella leaned into his touch, and her golden eyes glowed with love as she moved so she was standing beside him.

"Nessie is with her?"

"Yes…she convinced Jacob that it would be best if she talked to Terra alone."

"Mmm…"

They stood in silence for a while, fingers loosely intertwined, listening to the surrounding wildlife and the family members inside the house behind them. Jasper and Alice were currently involved in a loud and laughter-filled game of chess, Jacob loudly trying to predict who would win or lose. Carlisle and Esme were comforting Seth on the living room couch, their hands patting his healing shoulder with the utmost softness.

DADDY!!!!

The scream was so loud in his mind that Edward staggered against the railing for a moment, and Bella steadied him with a worried frown.

"Edward, what–"

But Edward was already gone, a roar of anger filling the air as he leapt over the railing and ran as fast as he could toward the trees.

Renesmee's cry for help echoed in his mind, and he strained to hear anything else.

Bella was beside him, pulling on his arm. "Edward, what the hell is going on?"

Alice was there, and Jasper glued to her back. Emmett and Rosalie were out hunting, and Edward prayed that they would get back in time.

"Terra and Nessie are under attack."


I pushed Renesmee out of the way as a stone fist flashed in front of my face. I only just managed to get out of the way, so close that I could feel his knuckles brushing softly across my cheek, like a caress.

The dark haired vampire straddled me roughly, pinning my arms to my sides and baring his perfect teeth at me as I struggled to free myself. His crimson eyes flashed, his flawless face smoothing out into a mask of chilling calm. My strength was less than I had been when I was first changed into a vampire, but I still had enough to get him off of me without too much trouble.

I heard a shriek, and saw Renesmee being tackled by another vampire, a large tall vampire with honey-blonde hair not unlike Carlisle's. I arched my back furiously, and managed to get my leg up enough to kick the enemy vampire in the chest, sending him crashing into the trees. I rushed towards Renesmee, and wrenched her from his grip in one strong motion. The man disappeared to try to come around me, and I whipped around to slam my fist into his jaw.

They were fast, but I was much, much stronger.

There were still two against one – Renesmee wasn't a match for their strength, because of the half human inherited from Isabella Swan.

The dark haired one smiled smoothly at us, and I quickly crouched so Renesmee was behind me. I turned and murmured to her.

"Run, okay? Go get your parents, tell them what's happening."

Renesmee turned without a word and fled, her long bronze curls blowing behind her as she vanished. The blonde one made to run after her, but I quickly moved in his path, growling harshly between my teeth.

The dark haired one didn't move, still smiling in that annoyingly confident way that made me want to punch him in the face.

"So…the Cullens have done it again, have they? Jeez…they have no self restraint…"

I scowled. "What do you know about the Cullens?"

"Enough, my dear."

I snorted, snarling at the large blonde who made to go after Renesmee again, blocking his path, hands curled threateningly. I felt powerful, the power pooling in my muscles and just waiting to be released, ready to tear off some of those muscular arms so that they could never touch Renesmee again. The dark haired one seemed to sense my strength, and motioned for the blonde to stop.

"Stand down, Max…its quite clear that this young lady isn't going to let us pass. And besides, we were only sent to scout, not to capture."

The one named Max grinned widely in a way that reminded me of Emmett…a dark and cruel Emmett whose eyes glinted and glowed like live embers in a fire. His voice was low and gravely, like the rumbling of drums.

"Yet, anyway."

"Yes…yet." The dark haired one turned to me. "I must say, the Cullens outdid themselves this time…you really are quite stunning. Not all sweet and innocent like the others. Quite sexy…even when you're angry…even more so, in fact." His eyes glowed as they raked up and down my body, and I growled, a disgusted shiver running down my spine.

I straightened up, and glared at them. "Who are you?"

The dark haired one smiled widely, coming forward. "Oh goodie! This lovely newborn Cullen wants to know who we are, Max! How…convenient."

I backed up when he made to approach, but found that I was backed up against a tree, and he took advantage of that immediately. His face was close to mine, his breath sweet and cool against my lips, as his fingers slowly reached forward to touch my face.

Just before they made contact with my skin, he whispered. "My name is Isaac."

But then my skin was on fire, on fire in a way that made my mind go blank and my mouth open in pain and…what was it? His lips were on mine, and I found that I couldn't pull away, I couldn't get enough, and I couldn't get close enough.

It was like a deadly and addicting drug, pulling me in and leaving me to sigh in pleasure when his arms tangled in my hair.

But there was also a strange weakness that came with it, a sickly feeling that made me want to scream. I found my mind slowly fogging over, slowly pulling out my thoughts, and erasing them. The memory of Renesmee spraying me with hose water…drifting away. I tried to free myself, but found that for the first time since I had transformed into a vampire, blackness was filling my vision. A slow, cloying blackness that made me weak, I couldn't…I couldn't…

But then I heard a roar of anger, and Isaac was suddenly torn from me, leaving me to fall helplessly against the ground, my vision still foggy and unclear, and my limbs weak and unresponsive.

A blurry Edward was throwing Isaac against a tree, and I saw Jasper join him, Alice crouching protectively in front of me. Bella was holding the hand of Renesmee, and I felt hands touching my face, and Carlisle's face appeared in my vision, his eyes concerned as he spoke.

His words were far away, and I found that they faded into echoes of confusion.

"Terra…hear…?"

I blinked, and I found that it took all of my energy to do just that motion. I felt so tired…and yet not tired. I felt weak, and yet strong at the same time. What was…happening…?

My eyes closed.

"Terra! Don't…close…"

I heard his voice, but couldn't find the will to answer, couldn't find the power to open my eyes. I just wanted to sleep…but I couldn't sleep…I was a vampire, right? My mind was so befuddled that I found it hard to concentrate.

Seth. Where was he? Why wasn't he here…with…me?

Oh yes…I had hurt him. Why would I forget that? What was wrong with me?

I was left to ponder in the cool darkness of my weakness, hearing the fuzzy tones of people speaking, yet unable to distinguish whose voices they were.


Carlisle's golden eyes were beyond concerned, they were afraid. Terra wasn't responding, her body as limp as a human's would be if they were unconscious. And yet he knew that vampires such as themselves couldn't lose consciousness, so she was awake, just not responding.

Or unable to respond.

He looked up at Edward and Jasper, who had caught the vampire with dark hair, and Esme whispered to him.

"The other one escaped."

Jasper growled at the sight of Terra – strong, fearless, seemingly untouchable Terra – lying limp and unmoving on the ground. Carlisle stood quietly, and glanced at Alice as he passed. She nodded, and moved to take his place beside Terra, still in a protective crouch.

Edward looked at the man that he and Jasper had caught, and said quietly.

"He was ordered to seek out and spy on Renesmee, and it was only because of his other companion that they revealed themselves to the two."

Carlisle stood in front of the man, who was smiling casually, completely at ease even in the arms of his two furious sons. The stranger winked at Alice, who snarled in distaste, and made Jasper tense with restrained fury.

"Who are you?"

The man grinned. "You're actually asking me? I was assuming that you'd let pretty boy here," He motioned with his head towards a seething Edward. "do all the snooping in my head before interrogating me. You really are as strange as they say, Dr. Cullen."

Carlisle didn't smile, and the man sighed.

"My name is Isaac, and as Edward said, my brother and I were sent here to do a little bit of recon on the half-vampire girl. We didn't expect you to have created another member of the family though. She's quite…delicious, if I may be so bold." He licked his lips, and Jasper's eyes blazed madly. Carlisle glanced at the auburn haired girl who was as much a daughter to him as the rest of them, and turned back to Isaac.

"Edward, what is his ability? And how long do the effects last?"

"He's a…I don't know how to explain it. He's kind of like a succubus in the sense that he sucks the life force out of his victims, but it's much more complex. He can manipulate memories, and slowly devour their will to resist, their will to think for themselves." Edward's eyes darkened. "If we had gotten here a few minutes later, she would be completely under his control. She'll recover in a few hours or so."

Isaac laughed quietly, his crimson eyes glowing in delight. "Well done! I would give you a well deserved round of applause, but as you can see I'm unable to do so."

Jasper hissed in frustration, and Alice stepped forward. "Let him go, Jazz…Edward. He's not going to do anything at the moment, except run back to his master with his tail between his legs."

Isaac stepped back as Edward and Jasper reluctantly released him.

"Since you have been so kind as to spare my life, I'll give you some information of my own. Caius was the one who ordered us here, and he is working independently of the other two leaders of the Volturi. I hope that helps, and if not, my apologies." He bowed elegantly to the group of them, and then disappeared into the trees.

Alice sighed. "What a strange vampire."

Jasper moved close to her, and she held his hand comfortingly as Edward knelt beside Terra, who was as still as death, her eyes closed. The only sign that she was still alive was the sound of her shallow breathing.

"Edward, can you read her thoughts?" Alice asked quietly, and Edward nodded.

"Yes. She's very confused…and it's obvious that her memories have been tampered with, and that she's aware of it. She can hear us as well, but can't tell who is speaking."

Carlisle sighed with relief, and Bella and Renesmee moved forward.

"We should get back, Emmett and Rosalie will be wondering where we are." Bella whispered.

They all nodded, and Carlisle gently lifted Terra bridal-style, Esme close to his side, watching over Terra with heartbreakingly tender concern and love. Terra was a handful sometimes, but she was loved by all of the Cullens. Emmett would throw a fit when he found out what had happened, and would be even angrier with himself for not being around to help.

Carlisle gripped Terra tightly, and began running back towards the house.