A/N: Thanks to the usual wonderful people who help keep me on track. Mamdi, Sadtomato, Beckybrit, Miss Dare. I love you all.
I'm ridiculously tired on Monday morning again. Patrol last night was uneventful, but long and tiring. I fell into bed in the small hours of the morning and it felt like I'd barely got to sleep when my alarm woke me for school.
Riley smiles sympathetically at me as I meet him at the bus stop, my eyes heavy with exhaustion. He takes my hand when I fall into place beside him and I lace our fingers together. A couple of younger boys look at us with scorn and amusement on their faces. But when I pull myself up to my full height and glare at them, they look away quickly, talking amongst themselves. Little fuckers - let them look. I squeeze Riley's hand and he returns the gentle pressure.
I struggle to stay awake in my morning classes; my concentration is shot to pieces and I know that my grades are going to suffer. But the importance of graduation is eclipsed by my new responsibilities. If failing in school is what it takes to keep my loved ones safe then it's a small price to pay.
The Cullens are back today. It's overcast and drizzly, ideal for vampires masquerading as humans. Their scent puts me off my lunch even though they're on the other side of the cafeteria.
Although I genuinely believe that the Cullens pose a minimal threat, my instincts won't let me ignore them. My eyes keep flickering across to their table even though I try not to stare. Bella is back beside Edward. The happiness lighting up her face is bitter-sweet. I like Bella and I'm glad that she's not hurting anymore, but then I look at the tension in Jake's face when his eyes light on her and I feel his pain as though it's my own - even in our human form.
Leah is sitting by Jake again and her face is sad as she looks at him. Once they've finished eating she puts a hand on his arm.
"Do you wanna go to the library and study for that Bio test?" Her voice is kind, softer than I've heard it for days.
Jake smiles gratefully. "Yeah," he nods. "Let's go."
I watch them leave, half-formed thoughts in my head.
"Will all the wolves imprint eventually?" Riley asks quietly and I know that his thoughts were taking the same direction as mine.
"Nobody knows," I reply. There's so much that we don't know about any of this. All we can do is wait and see.
I catch the scent of vampire approaching and look up in surprise to see Edward Cullen coming toward our table. His eyes are fixed on me and his face is serious, but not threatening. He stops and his voice is clear as he speaks.
"Seth, I'd like to talk to you. In private."
The request takes me by surprise. I've barely exchanged more than a few words with Edward before, and given the current situation I'm all the more confused about what he could possibly have to say to me.
"Please," he adds, seeming to sense my uncertainty.
"Okay," I shrug. I know he's no threat to me. I turn to Riley, "I'll see you in History later, okay? Save me a seat." We exchange smiles, the ever-present connection between us giving me a warm feeling in my chest as I look at him.
"Okay," he nods, glancing curiously at Edward.
Edward leads me out of the cafeteria and through the school, out of a side door. The fresh air hits me, clearing my senses a little from his overpoweringly sweet smell.
"This way." I fall into step beside him as he heads for a line of trees and shrubs that border the football field. It's a popular location for kids who want to smoke or make out in relative privacy. On a day like today it's less likely to be occupied since the drizzle of the morning has turned into more persistent rain. I turn up the collar of my jacket a little too late, feeling the unpleasant trickle of rain down the back of my neck.
"So, what do you want?" I turn and challenge Edward when we finally reach a dry spot under a tree.
The light here is dim and Edward looks ethereally pale surrounded by the dark trees. It's suddenly very easy to believe that he's not human. His amber eyes are intent, almost hypnotic as he pauses for a moment, obviously choosing his words carefully.
"We want to help you," he says.
"I know," I reply. "The council discussed the possibility of an alliance, but it's not going to happen."
Edward huffs a sigh of frustration. "I'm aware of that, but if you're prepared to listen I can help you anyway. You need to know what you're dealing with."
I bristle at that. "We're more than a match for you blood-suckers, Cullen. Don't fucking patronize me."
His eyes flash but his voice remains calm and controlled. "I know very well what you're capable of, Seth. But the pack is young, inexperienced. You still haven't had any direct contact with a vampire intent on doing you harm. If you'll listen to me I can help you be better prepared for when that happens."
I meet his gaze and see nothing there but honesty. "Okay," I say.
"Now?" he checks his watch.
"I have study hall next, I can skip that - you?"
"Biology," he grins, his beautiful face illuminated by mischievous humor. "But with the amount of times I've been through high school I think I can get away with missing one class."
I chuckle, surprised by this new side of Edward. "Yeah, I guess so."
He explains a lot to me in a short time about how his kind attack, and where their weak points are. He talks about the things that will pose the most danger to the wolves and how to avoid getting into a position where a vampire can use their superior strength against us. I listen intently, making sure that I file away all the information to share with the rest of the pack. Edward even suggests that we could meet and spar for practice, but I'm not sure about that and I tell him so. I'm not convinced that either of us could suppress our instincts enough not to damage each other.
When he's told me everything he can, I thank him. "I appreciate this, Edward. The pack will too."
He nods his head. "We all want the same as you. We want this coven gone, or destroyed. They're a threat to our life here and to people we care about.
My mind flashes to Bella. I realize that of all the Cullens, Edward has the most motivation to ensure that the threat of the feral bloodsuckers is eliminated. He must be frightened for her. No wonder he keeps her by his side all the time. But I wonder how he ever managed to leave her if he loves her as much as she claims. I don't think I could walk away from Riley even if I believed it was somehow best for him.
"You could, and you would," Edward says, a sad smile twisting his lips.
"What?" I reply, confused.
"You would leave him if you really believed it would keep him safe. I can see the bond between you and Riley, Seth. I know that you would do anything that it took to protect him."
My mind is reeling. Was I talking out loud and not even realizing it?
"No, you weren't." He looks at me, almost apologetically. "I guess now's the time that I need to tell you that some vampires have special gifts, and I'm one of them."
"You can read my mind?" I recoil. Just like with the pack, as soon as I know that he can see into my head, all the things that I want to keep private are the ones that flood to the forefront of my mind.
"Not just yours," he shrugs. "Everyone's. Well - all apart from Bella's which I still don't understand but am incredibly glad about, as is she." He chuckles wryly.
"You really believed she'd be better off without you?" I shake my head, images of Bella and the state that she was in while he was away.
"I did," his face is stricken. "But I was wrong, and I know that now. I'm never going to let her go again."
I think of Riley and can't imagine how it would feel to have to be apart from him. I feel begrudging respect for Edward no matter how fucked up his decision might have been.
"You really do love her, don't you?" I say it, almost to myself.
"Bella is to me, what Riley is to you," he says simply. "We may not call it imprinting, but she's my mate, Seth. She's everything."
XOXOXOX
By the time we get off the bus at the end of the school day I'm dead on my feet. I don't have to patrol this evening so will be getting a much-needed early night. I go back with Riley to his place for a couple of hours, eager for a little time alone with him - it's so much harder to come by now.
His mom is out, but we're not sure exactly when she's due back so we make out in his room, keeping most of our clothes on just in case. We kiss until our lips are swollen, faces flushed. I lie back on his bed and he straddles me, hitching his hips in a rhythm that's driving me insane.
I clutch his ass and squeeze, pushing up to meet him. "God... I can't wait to fuck you again," I say, my voice deep with an edge of desperation.
"I want that too," he murmurs, his lips tickling my neck. "It felt amazing, having you inside me."
"Fuck, Ri," I groan, grinding harder, faster. "I want you so fucking much."
"We can't now," he moves, slipping down between my legs and reaching for the button on my jeans. "But we can do this."
"You too," I say, wriggling further down the bed and pulling on his arm. "Get up here, I want to suck you too."
"Fuck! Okay," he grins. "That sounds like fun."
It's rushed and urgent. We try to keep quiet as we're both listening for the sound of Kathy coming home. The dual sensations of Riley sucking on me and the press and slide of his cock in my mouth have me ready to come within minutes and I can tell that he's close too. I come first with a gasp of warning and he hums around me as I pulse and spill. He follows shortly afterward, his mouth still on my cock as he tenses and his legs quiver. I hold his hips steady as I swallow and we carry on sucking and licking gently at each other's cocks as they soften.
He finally crawls off me and we rearrange our clothing before settling back down on the bed. I feel drowsy now and Riley wraps himself around me, one hand idly stroking my hair as I slip into sleep.
I wake to the soft touch of gentle fingers on my jaw and warm lips kissing my cheek, the tip of my nose, my forehead and finally my lips.
"Hey, sleepy head," Riley grins down at me, propped up on one elbow. "Sorry to wake you but it's nearly six thirty and I need to go and eat dinner, and you need to get home."
"Wow, really?" I rub my eyes, confused. I've been asleep for nearly two hours.
"Yeah, Mom came in ten minutes ago to tell me that dinner was nearly ready and you didn't even stir," he kisses me again. "You really need that early night."
"I guess so," I chuckle. "Sorry, I fell asleep on you."
"That's okay," he smiles. "It was cute, and anyway - I already got what I wanted." He wiggles his eyebrows, teasing me.
He walks me to the front door and wraps his arms around me, kissing me thoroughly before he lets me go. "I love you," he says. "See you tomorrow."
"I love you too," I smile, my heart rebelling at the thought of leaving him. I wish I could be with him all the time.
XOXOXOX
I never get my early night. I'm in the shower a couple of hours after dinner when my mom bangs on the door, her voice urgent as she calls me. I rinse quickly and drip water all over the floor as a grab a towel, anxiety spiking as she knocks again.
"Seth," her voice is sharp, an edge of fear that sends a shiver down my spine.
I wrap the towel around my waist and unlock the door. The expression on her face does nothing to reassure me.
"What?" my voice is tight, constricted by fear.
"Riley's mom phoned, wanting to know if he was here. He went out for a run and never came home."
It feels as though someone has poured ice cold water over me. "How long has he been gone?" I whisper.
"Nearly two hours."
I start to tremble, terror and anger making me lose control. I push past my mom, needing to get outside before I phase. "Call Sam," I yell over my shoulder. "Tell him to follow me." I stumble for the front door, shedding the towel as I go. I barely make it outside before the power surges through me in a wave and I shift in mid air as I leap from the porch. I land on all fours, already running towards Riley's house.
It's twilight now, the sky deep blue, the shadows of the houses and trees bleeding into darkness. There's nobody around to see me as I run, faster than I've ever run before.
I catch Riley's scent by his house and follow it, cursing him for going out alone, cursing myself for letting him out of my sight. I follow the trail along the path behind the houses, near the tree line in the direction of the beach.
The trail forks and I note that Riley was keeping to my advice on avoiding the forest at least. He obviously took the route to the beach that's mostly in the open. I run, blood pounding in my ears, imagining Riley running this way earlier, along the trail to where the ground gets softer, sandier and the path opens out onto the beach.
I follow his scent down to the water's edge and find his footprints as he ran along the flat, hard sand that the receding tide left a couple of hours earlier. The trail loops around and turns back toward the tree line. And that's where my nose picks up the scent that I've been dreading, yet expecting all along. The unmistakable sickly scent of vampire - the blond leech that we so nearly caught two days ago.
The scent mingles with Riley's and I know. I know that something terrible has happened and I drop to my haunches, raise my head and howl in desperation. A sound of rage and pain that tears through me, making my throat ache and my heart hurt.
Seth, I hear Sam's voice in my mind, reaching through the pain. Sympathy heavy in his thoughts.
I lower my head to see them. My pack-brothers, my sister as they burst through the trees and surround me. Leah comes and licks my face, whining quietly as I whimper in anguish. I feel their sadness and anger like a warm wave, bolstering me, holding me up.
We'll find him. Leah says.
There's no scent of blood, Seth. Jake is nose down, tracking the area where the scents mingle carefully. Whatever they've done with him, he wasn't hurt here.
I try not to think that he might have been harmed elsewhere.
What do they want with him? I tear my mind back to the present before I spiral into panic.
They went this way, Jake says, moving already, and the rest of us follow.
I smell Riley and the blond vampire, and then the scents of the redhead and her dread-locked mate mingle with the trail as we enter the forest again. We run as one, single-minded, determined. The trail is strong, fresh. I try to have hope that they can't have got far yet, that we can reach Riley before any harm comes to him.
My hopes are dashed when the trail ends on the highway. We find dark skid marks on the tarmac and the lingering scent of burning rubber, along with two bodies. A man and a woman, drained of blood and cast aside like rag dolls. We circle the area several times to be sure, but there's no doubt. The vamps have driven away with Riley and there's no way of telling where they're headed. I hang my head, defeated; I don't even have the energy to howl.
XOXOXOX
We return to La Push in silence, my anguish weighing us all down. Back in our human forms Sam sends Quil and Jake to fetch the council members while Jared and Embry get the fire going. I sit, not even noticing that I'm still naked, watching the tentative flicker of the flames as the kindling catches. I remember sitting by the fire at the beach party with Riley by my side on the night that we kissed for the first time, and my vision blurs with tears. Leah drapes a blanket over my shoulders and sits beside me pulling me close, offering silent sympathy.
The rest of the council gathers quickly. Jake returns with Billy, Old Quil follows close behind. My mom arrives with Riley's mom, Kathy. She has her arm around her but Kathy holds her head high, her face defiant and strong.
She comes to me and kneels in front of me, pulling me into her arms without speaking. I catch my mom's eye over Kathy's shoulder and she kneels down too, her face grim. "I've told her everything," she explains.
I nod once in understanding and wrap my arms around Kathy. Her scent is comforting, I can smell Riley on her. We cling to each other for a moment before she pulls away and moves to sit down, wiping tears angrily from her cheeks.
Soon everyone is gathered. The Elders, the pack, their families and the imprints - Emily and Kim. When I look at them sitting beside their wolves my heart is lanced with pain so intense my breath catches. My need for Riley is overwhelming; it feels as though someone has ripped off one of my limbs without an anesthetic. I try to draw air into my lungs. In... out... in... out. I need to focus, I have to stay strong. I need to save him.
Sam speaks first, explaining the situation in a few bleak words. I feel the waves of shock and sympathy ripple around the circle and I shiver, cold despite my overheated body and the blanket wrapped around me. Leah's arm is across my shoulders again and she pulls me more tightly against her.
Kathy is the first to ask the question. "But what can you do? How can you find my boy?"
Sam's face is grim. "The vehicle they've stolen makes it hard. We can't follow their scent so we have to rely on detective work. They'll need to stop for fuel eventually, we can follow the routes they could have taken, ask at gas stations, someone must have seen them. They're all pretty distinctive. Any human who has seen one of the three vampires would remember them."
"But there are so many routes they could have taken," I interject, my voice hoarse. "We don't have time!"
"We don't have a choice, Seth." Sam replies, his voice gentle. "It's our best chance."
The sounds of a truck screeching to a halt on the road nearby makes us all turn to look. Running footsteps come towards us.
"Bella!" Jake recognizes her first as she emerges from the darkness, breathless and agitated.
"Please!" she gasps. "You have to listen to me. They can help you. The Cullens want to help you. They know about Riley and they can help you find him if you'll agree to meet with them."
Everyone talks at once, muttering in confusion, demanding explanations until Sam's voice cuts through them all.
"Quiet!" he roars. "Let her speak. Bella, how do they know? and how can they help us?"
Bella takes a deep breath and her high voice is clear as she explains the nature of Alice's ability to see the future.
"But if she knew this was going to happen, why didn't she warn us before?" I snarl, furious at the thought that this could have been prevented.
"It's not as simple as that, Seth." Bella speaks to me directly. "The future can always change, it hinges on the decisions that people make. It's fluid, not set in stone. The decision to take Riley was impulsive, not planned. Alice couldn't see it until it was too late for them to intervene. But the important thing is that she knows he's still alive, and she knows where they're heading."
Relief uncurls in my chest, hope flickering as I try and have faith that the Cullens might be the key to Riley's rescue.
"Please..." Bella turns to Sam now, her face determined. "You have to come with me to meet them. They know that they can't come here. But they only want to help."
"Why?" Jake's voice is hard, mistrustful. "Why do they care?"
"Because they're good," Bella says simply, meeting Jake's gaze and holding it. "They might be vampires, but they care about people and they don't want to see Riley killed."
There's a long silence.
"Please, Sam," my voice breaks on the words. He has to agree, I know that it's our only real chance and as my imprint, the pack have to do everything in their power to help him.
"Okay," he finally nods. "Bella, tell us where to meet them."
A/N: I'M SORRY! Hold tight to my promise of a happy ending. I will be trying to get the next few chapters out to you quickly so hopefully you won't need to wait too long to find out what happens with Riley.
Please review and let me know what you think, even if you're hating me right now *hides*
