Chapter 11

Blood

It seemed without fail, the entity had claimed another victim. The authorities were at a loss and now the FBI were being included because of the 'sophistication' of the crime. They believed that perhaps they had a serial killer on their hands and Charlie made sure that Bella was kept on a curfew which Edward wasn't in total disagreement with. Parents were put on alert and in a way, the McNielsons were thankful because it meant less of a mess when they were able to finally corner the thing.

The school was buzzing about the murders and of course rumors went around about what and who it could be. Sparrow seemed to ignore it and put her focus on her studies. At lunch she sat with Bella and the rest of the Cullens and just talked amongst themselves as usual. Jessica seemed to be more jealous these days of Bella's newfound popularity with even the newest girl and Edward did not like the thoughts that were in her head…it was annoying.

"Don't worry about what she thinks, Edward," Alice chirped. "She's always been a little jealous of Bella, but she's not anything to be worried about."

"Mm," Sparrow shrugged her shoulders. "She's just rude and insecure."

Bella came back from getting her food, "what are you guys talking about?"

Everyone seemed to answer at once, "nothing."

She looked at all of them as if she didn't believe them but left it, "Charlie is worried about this case, he really doesn't want it taken away from him by the FBI but they're still asking for his help at least."

"Too bad my family can't really say much," Sparrow said darkly.

"There's really nothing?" Bella looked at her.

"No. Every time they get close it just gives them the slip. They're assuming that it must be older than what we're used to and it must know who we are to be able to evade us like it has."

"Will the barriers on Bella's house hold?" Edward asked.

"Yes, most of the area near Bella's house hasn't even been approached and that's good…what we're really worried about is when we leave for the Yule celebration. If we leave and it knows we're gone, it could increase its feeding activity and that's one thing we don't need. So…my mother has decided to call on some of our more powerful witches to come and cast a long barrier around Forks while we are gone. Yet, even if it does go anywhere else, we'll still just have to hunt it down but for now it's our best plan."

Bella sighed, "well…as long as it's safe for Charlie, I won't be so worried about leaving."

The bell rang and they went to their classes and met once in a while at each other's lockers. Jessica came up to them, "SO, I heard your dad is on that case, Bella."

Sparrow didn't like her tone and neither did Edward. Bella looked at her with simple acknowledgement, "yeah, he's working really hard to help the FBI."

"You think he can catch him?"

"I think so, they have some leads."

"Well, he'd better…I mean, really…it's taking them long enough," Jessica flipped her hair.

Sparrow narrowed her eyes, "well…the people who are expecting instant results are people who don't know how to do his job, are they? This isn't instant oatmeal, it's murder cases and that requires research and evidence. If anyone here knows what they're doing, please…by all means, go to the lead investigator who has years of experience and show him out to do it."

Jessica huffed, "I'm just saying they could work a little faster, we're all scared."

"My dad knows," Bella sighed in frustration.

"Whatever, you're safe in your house," she marched off leaving Bella's jaw to drop.

Sparrow pursed her lips and then casually touched her nose. Suddenly Jessica fell flat on her face and her books and papers went everywhere. Edward almost convulsed in laughter as did Bella but they stifled it as much as possible. Bella turned to Sparrow and whispered, "you didn't do that, did you?"

She shrugged and waltzed off to class with a mischievous smile across her face. Edward looked down at Bella, "you know, aside from the demon hunting, I think that's the best thing she's done all semester." He laughed as Bella hit him lightly on the stomach.

…………………………………………………………………..

Jacob met them after school with a panicked look on his face, "it's Quil, he's been hurt."

"What, how?" Bella asked.

"We caught sight of that demon that they've been looking for and chased it…"

Sparrow's look changed to concern, "Jacob, you didn't!"

"We tried to fight it but we've never dealt with anything like this before, he's not healing like he should and even Carlisle isn't able to help… your sisters said that you…," he hugged Sparrow tightly. "Please, baby, he's part of my pack."

She nodded softly and then looked at Bella, "I have to help, will you come?" Sparrow didn't know why she needed Bella there, maybe for moral support.

"Yeah, yeah…I'll come. Edward, too?"

Jacob sighed, "sure, sure…we just need to go."

Edward showed Alice what they needed to do and they took off back to the house. Jacob reluctantly rode with Edward and Bella because his car was much faster although he had to have the window down and practically stuck his head out. "Jacob," Sparrow sighed.

"I can't help it, it stinks!"

Edward lowered his eyes in annoyance but kept driving. Once they got there they headed to Billy's house and found Quil very still and wheezing. Carlisle kept taking his temperature which was slowly rising but gave Quil something for the pain. He wasn't sure what a Medula healer could do but from what he understood it was more than what modern medicine could do for this kind of wound. It wasn't like anything he'd seen, the wounds simply weren't healing, nor was he responding to any traditional methods of treatment. If he wasn't a shape-shifter, he'd already be dead.

Sage was there helping Carlisle keep the temperature down, ice baths were almost useless considering his normal body temperature was already 108.9. She was relieved to see her baby sister come through the door. "Oh my Gods," Sparrow whispered in exasperation. Quil looked like sliced beef rather than a human male, he had cuts and gashes everywhere. "How…how long as he been like this?"

"An hour now," Carlisle said desperately. He felt rather weird saying all this to this sixteen year old girl, he suddenly felt like an intern at one of the hospitals…he'd forgotten what that was like and smiled at the irony.

Sparrow looked at him, removing the bandages and then looked at his eyes, they were dilated, fully blown…he was too far gone for her normal healing methods. There was one way and one way only that she could get him back to where she could use traditional healing magic on him, "Jacob…get me a knife."

"Huh? What do you need a knife for?"

"Just please, get me a knife."

Jacob got a sharp kitchen knife and saw her raise her wrist and told Carlisle and Edward to hold their breath, as they nodded he snatched her hand, "NO."

"Do you want him to die?"

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

"There are properties in my blood that can heal this kind of wound; he's too far gone for me to use my traditional healing methods now. I have to get him stabilized."

Billy looked at him, "son, let her do it."

Slowly he let Sparrow's wrist go and winced as she sliced her arm, carefully watching the vampires, the whole pack was. She poured the blood all along the wounds until she started to clot, her face was a little pale now but was still able to stand. Carlisle noticed after a few minutes Quil's temperature was going down to normal and his wounds were healing fairly well and closing up, his eyes went back to normal and seemed to feeling no pain.

"I don't understand," Bella finally said after she shook herself out of her amazement. "Why was it you needed a salve and yet you can heal him but not yourself? I mean, it's your blood…"

"Because the venom was in my own bloodstream, tainted. A demon's venom can even affect us, as long as we're clean, our blood can heal just about anyone and anything," Sparrow stopped when Quil started moving around. "Don't move around so much, I still have more work to do."

Carlisle watched as she laid her hands one Quil's body, she seemed to shimmer with light as she followed down from his head to his toes. Finally he was completely healed but exhausted and so was she. Sage quickly got her a chair and started to feed her so she could restore her blood. "Are you all right, little sister?" she smiled.

"I'm good," Sparrow smiled weakly.

"You did an amazing job," Carlisle shook his head, he'd never seen anything like this. "You're blood…it's….like a cure-all."

Sage looked at him, "yes, and one that we would appreciate you keeping secret. The benefits of a healer's blood not only have the obvious affects but also make creatures like yourselves stronger. I don't know if you've ever heard of the wars that happened 1,000 years ago amongst some of the vampires and the Medula's."

Billy looked at her, "what do you mean?"

"I remember Aro talking about it at one point but he we didn't stay on the topic for very long," Carlisle furrowed his brow.

Sage continued, "1,000 years ago there was a coven of vampires, similar to the count you have in your family, Carlisle. They wanted to be like the Volturi but of course, didn't have the age or as much power. Some of them happened to go against some of us and won, now, a Medula's blood is worth a lot to a vampire, but a Medula healer is worth even more. When they feed off a Medula healer, their powers and abilities grow to great proportions. Realizing that they couldn't go against all of the clans they tried to strike a deal, if we partnered with them, we could help them rule. But the Oracle saw great misfortune in this and bloodshed, they would throw the world out of balance and so we declined their offer. In response, they waged war, gathering other vampires to their cause…it lasted a few years but we eventually became the victor, partly because of the Volturi who did not want them to succeed. Many of our sisters and brothers were tortured, being bitten and made to suffer the venom before they died. Our healers had to be hidden half of the time making it hard to recover…and to this day, we still don't trust the Volturi on their knowledge of the war."

"The Volturi wouldn't be foolish enough to ask," Carlisle stated.

"You give Aro too much credit."

Billy looked down, "we promise, no one will hurt Sparrow."

Sage looked down, "they wouldn't be foolish enough to kill her, Billy. They'd simply take her and let her replenish like she was a blood bank." Bella's eyes seemed to become intense and her hands turned into fists as if she could imagine beating them all up for what they did.

Jacob's mouth twitched, "can we not talk about this! The idea of my sweetheart being used as a power core for some crazy ass bloodsucker is not something we need to be discussing."

Carlisle's face went from fascination to realization, "no, you're right, Jacob. We're being insensitive." Then he turned to Sage, "you can trust that this family will never say anything."

Sage smiled, "we know…but I know they look for cures in modern medicine as well…"

"We will not say anything," he assured again.

Everyone looked at Sparrow who wasn't even paying attention, she was more focused on eating than anything because she was so hungry. She noticed everyone looking at her strangely, "what?"

Sam leaned up against the doorframe, "I swear, Jacob, she gets more like you every day."

………………………………………………………………………

Jacob sat outside while Sparrow rested in his bed. He remembered watching her sleep just now, where he couldn't practically fit in it anymore, it engulfed her. Carlisle and the others left, Quil had been given a clean bill of health by the vampire doctor and now all was right with the world. But now, according to Sage, Quil would also be stronger than all of them which was fine by him but would it cause insecurity with the rest of the pack?

Sam sat beside him, "you have quite a girl there."

"I know," he sighed.

"We owe her, she saved one of our own."

"Yeah."

"So…what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing, just what Sage said earlier…you know, about those wars."

"No vamp would be stupid enough…first the Medula and she's marrying someone that is part of a pack of werewolves and the fact that, even if we don't like the idea, she's friends with the Cullens? They'd have a death wish…"

"Yeah…do you think Quil will be, you know, stronger?"

"I already sense it," Sam stated. "Can't be Alpha though," he laughed.

…………………………………………………………………….

That night both Sparrow and Quil awoke from their naps. The pack sat and observed how energetic Quil had become, literally running around like crazy, full of a vitality he'd never felt before. Even Sparrow was impressed and hadn't realized how much her blood affected him, "wow."

Jacob shook his head, "wow, doesn't cover it."

Sam's head went back and forth watching Quil run around like a fool, "did you give him uppers, too?"

Sparrow looked up at Sam, "not that I know of…although I had Starbuck's this morning."

Seth kept laughing at him, "this is cool…"

"Is he always going to be like this?" Sam shook his head.

"Well, he'll have the lasting affects of more strength, stamina…but he won't be as," she ducked as Quil leapt over them. "Hyper," she finished.

Quil then came up to her then which startled her, "thank you…." He picked her up and hugged her. "THANK YOU!"

"Quil…can't breathe," she stammered.

He put her down, "sorry…thank you." Now he was on his knees, "I just….can't believe how great I feel…I feel like…"

Quil hugged her again more intimately and it started to piss Jacob off, who pulled her from him, "yeah…you feel great, you're welcome."

"Sorry, Jake…," he took off again.

Jacob and her then sat by the fire and Sam and Seth tested Quil's newfound strength. Sparrow sat beside him and stared at the fire, "I'm glad Quil is doing so well."

"Me, too," he held Sparrow closer.

"And I was thinking…if, if the affects are good, better than what we think they'll be. I'd like to inject some of my blood into you."

He jerked his head, "what?"

"I know it sounds strange…but….this thing, the demon, it really hurt Quil, it almost killed him. What if that had been you? I can't let that happen, you aren't built to handle demons but we are, and so…"

"No, I'm not using you as a power source, a…a… kind of battery! You're not some thing that will be used to make me strong, you're not a protein drink."

"But…then…maybe the rest of the pack, too?"

"NO! We're not talking about this anymore!"

Sam ran over, "hey, what's going on?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Jacob snapped but then Sparrow told Sam her idea, which upset him even more.

"But don't you think, Sam, it's a good idea. Even if you don't go against the demon…other older vampires…"

Sam sighed and furrowed his brow, Jacob looked up at him, "don't tell me you're considering this?"

"Jake, I hate to say it, she does have a point."

He stood up, "did you just not hear what Sage got done telling us, what the vampires did to them?"

"I did…but we're not vampires and that thing, what it did to Quil…can we risk the rest of the pack? You have to think about the pack, if she is willing…we would never take it otherwise, never."

"What about what I say, as she belongs to me?"

"She does belong to you, but…," Sam wasn't sure what to do.

Sparrow turned to Jacob, "please, think about it." Her hand touched his face, "Jacob, I love you and I want to do whatever I can to make you safe. I can't fight this thing…but if you feel you have to, at least let me arm you and your pack."

He hated when she did this, just the way she touched him made him melt in her little hands. At first Sparrow seemed to be winning but then he grabbed a hold of her hand and held it firmly but not hurting her, "I…will think about it." Jacob took off with her then, afraid that his pack would come after her for some reason even though there really wasn't one. They would never harm her and he knew it, but the idea of them becoming more powerful off of her blood like some kind of parasite was a little more than he could take at the moment. He'd had a long day of watching one of his pack nearly get killed, his girlfriend sacrifice her blood to heal him and now this…

Jacob watched her sleep next to him in his bed. He was kind of glad they were in La Push, it was agreed he would stay tonight to hang out with is pack after Quil had been hurt, but it was good to come home now and then. Sparrow sighed as she snuggled closer to him and he gladly enveloped her in his arms as she unconsciously twirled his hair in her fingers. He had let it grow which had been a mistake, it got tangled in twigs earlier that day which was annoying.

He sighed at the thought of being able to crush her so easily. Sparrow couldn't detect when he was around and that shield of hers wasn't as strong as it should be. Yet, she would give him her blood to make him stronger. What were the affects and didn't she say that the demon did something to her? Is that why she said, 'if the affects are good, better than what we think they'll be..?' Maybe he would have some kind of 'demon repellent' in him…but at the cost of her. There was far too much to think about and he was tired, so he held Sparrow close and closed his eyes hoping to have the dream of his future children again.