Ash was waiting for me at the foot of the stairs. He waited for me to descend, his face unreadable.
"Carlisle told me about Fang. Alice is..." I waited for him to continue impatiently. "She's just having trouble seeing him."
"What do you mean, 'she's having trouble' what the heck does that mean."
"It means..." Ash stopped again, his face slightly wary. "It means he's probably with werewolves." I felt all my breath leave in a low hiss.
"Do you have any idea where they are."
"We have some ideas, Emmett and Jasper are out looking." I clenched my fists and resisted the urge to punch a wall. What the hell was Fang doing?
"I know you want to go find him, but we have things to do first."
"Is the flock taken care of?" I took a deep breath.
"I just have to visit some people."
"Okay, you do that and I'll meet you back at my house. We need to go over some things with the family." I nodded and took a bracing breath.
"Hey," Ash cupped my face in his hands. "We can do this." I nodded and he leaned forward, enveloping me in a stirring warm kiss. He slowly deepened it, pulling me in closer to him. I felt my heart race more than it normally did as all my worries were halted by his touch. Pulling away slightly I put my hands on his chest and let him hug me. After a few seconds I pulled away and sighed.
"Let's do this." Nodding, Ash turned to open the door, he let me pass and followed me out, shutting the door behind him. Giving him one more small kiss I spread my wings and leaped into the air as he vanished, leaving only a small breeze behind.
I rose to the level of the roof, seeing Mom's face gazing worriedly out her window. Sending her a smile, I wheeled around and shot off into the distance.
Dinardo had welcomed me happily and he had obligingly agreed to help me. I'd met Dinardo when I rescued him from drowning off the Alaskan coastline where he was sailing in his yacht. I didn't know when I saved him that he was a multimillionaire. I was lucky that he knew how to keep a secret and that he was an all around great guy. He had wanted to meet the flock, but we were on our way to go see Mom and I'd already delayed us enough so we had headed out with the promise to stop by sometime and call if we needed anything.
When I'd called Dinardo he'd been only too happy to meet with me, and he was even happier to supply the resources for the Flock's escape. As I flew away from his mansion on the northern coast of California I wistfully wished I could stay longer and enjoy the paradise he had built. As I angled my body towards home I saw him pick up his phone and give me a short wave before turning away to prepare for the Flock.
I rushed into supersonic speed, hurrying home as the sun slowly rose. Time seemed to be rushing at me faster than I could fly and I was starting to panic about what I would do when the Volturi came in..I realized we had less than forty-eight hours. Fighting back a feeling of despair I pushed myself even faster, aching to reach the flock so that they could be sent to safety, away from this horrible mess I'd dragged them into. My thought's flashed to Fang and I felt a horrible stab of worry. What was he doing with werewolves? I wondered if Jasper and Emmet had found him yet, I prayed that they had. I didn't want him hanging around any of this mess. I knew the werewolves would be with us when the Volturi came, Ash said they would stand with us through whatever. If Fang was with them, especially this close to the standoff, that put him into more danger than I was willing to allow.
I grimaced as I thought of the past few weeks, things hadn't been right with us. He just wasn't himself. It was like he was a different person. Then again, maybe I was the one who had changed, I was after all the one who was hanging out with a coven of vampires. I snorted indelicately as I thought about how crazy my life had become, now it wasn't a sci-fi novel, it was a fantasy, a fantasy that was quickly becoming a nightmare. Frowning I focused on flying, I'd worry about finding Fang later, right now I had to take care of the rest of the flock and get them to safety.
Mom's house came into view sooner than I thought was possible. There was one light on in the living room and I saw the dull flickering of the TV. Steeling myself, I landed and stepped in the front door I heard shuffling as a shadow moved into the living room doorway.
Angel gave a little cry and ran to me, her arms wrapping tightly around my neck as I swung her into the air. I clutched her tightly to me, not wanting to let go, not wanting to move. Sighing I shifted her weight to my hip stepping into the living room.
Mom and the rest of the flock were all gathered, their faces a mixture of determination and fear. I was proud to see most of the determination was on the Flock's faces. Biting my lip I smiled shakily at them,
"Okay guys, here's the deal. You guys are gonna go on a little vacation, you're going to an island actually. You can go swimming and fly all you want. My friend Dinardo, remember I told you about him? He's gonna take care of you guys. Just listen to Iggy and when everything here is all better you guys can come back and tell me all about it."
I was met with silence. "Bullshit."
"Gazzy! Watch your language!" Gazzy only looked slightly contrite as he glared at me.
"You really expect us to leave you here? And Fang?"
"As soon as we find Fang he'll follow you."
"Who's we?" Said Nudge.
"The Cullens."
"They have something to do with a ll of this don't they? Are they trying to hurt you? Cause if they are we can totally kick their-" I shot Iggy a grateful glance (not that he could see it) as he slapped a hand over Nudge's mouth.
"The Cullen's are helping to keep us safe Nudge," I felt it prudent not to mention that none of this would be happening if I'd never met the Cullens. "Look, I want to answer your questions, but I can't. You guys have to go now. Iggy knows what to do, just listen to him."
Mom and Ella followed the flock to the porch where they all shrugged on their backpacks and gathered around me, stacking their fists one by one, I hesitated for a moment, wishing Fang were here but also knowing that he wasn't the only one missing. Glancing at Mom and Ella who were watching us with tearful eyes I motioned them forward. Mom looked at me questioningly, I only nodded her towards us. She and Ella hesitantly stepped into our circle, and stacked their fists with the flock. I put my fist on top of theirs and tapped the back of my family's fists.
This might be goodbye, but it wasn't goodbye forever. As I watched the flock rise into the sky I took a deep breath. Whatever was coming wouldn't be good, but I knew that I would be ready, I had to be, my family depended on it. A family that not only included the flock, Mom, and Ella, but the Cullens too.
The air was full of the gray morning light that filtered through the clouds that covered the sky as I landed on the Cullen's roof. I partially closed my wings as I glided down the roof, landing lightly on the ground in front of their porch. The front door opened and Ash stepped out his face breaking into a smile when he saw me. I jumped onto the porch and wrapped my arms around him, the coolness of his body served to ground me. It cleared my head and made me feel safe. I looked up at his face and studied his eyes taking in their golden brilliance.
"I missed you." He said. I smiled and pulled his head down to meet mine, devouring his lips. I pulled him even closer to me wanting to feel every part of him and know that he was real.
Just as I was running out of air he pulled back and stepped away, running his hand through my hair he looked at me longingly.
"Max...you're so...fragile." I grinned at him.
"I think you're one of the few people to ever think of me as anything close to fragile. Most everybody else thinks I'm a bit of a rough-houser to tell the truth."
Ash groaned and pulled me into a one armed hug. Schooling my face into a semblance of seriousness I regarded him carefully. "Ash, seriously, don't worry, I'm not as delicate as I look. I can take a lot." Ash quirked an eyebrow at me suggestively.
"I'll keep that in mind." I felt myself blushing furiously as he guided me into the house. I cursed myself for suddenly drawing a blank on all my witty comebacks, instead I settled for silence.
"Max!" Bella was gliding down the stairs, Renesmee cradled in her arms. "Have you told her yet?" Ash shook his head.
"Told me what?"
"Eva's found an Ally in the Volturi." Bella shifted Renesmee and stared at me worriedly. "Alice got another flash of the Volturi, she saw some sort of vampire doctor with them, he seemed to know about you." I frowned, trying to think about what sort of vampire doctor would know about me, I mean a lot of the doctor people I've known have been creepy, but a vampire doctor that knew about me? That could not be good.
"Well, other than updating them about my powers and perhaps telling them about the flock if he knows about them, I don't think we can do much about him." Bella nodded.
"What about Fang, has Alice seen anything?" Bella shook her head.
"We definitely know he's with the werewolves, otherwise she'd be able to see him." Said Ash. I took a deep breath, knowing what I had to do. I couldn't have Fang out with the werewolves when the Volturi was on their way, I had to try to make sure the rest of the flock remained a secret.
"Would the werewolves go far from here?" Bella shook her head.
"Not with the Volturi so near."
"Then I'm going out to look for him."
"No. Absolutely not." I bristled at Ash's tone.
"Excuse me?"
"Emmet and Jasper are already looking for him and I'm not having you going near what could be a brand new were-" Ash broke off as his eyes flashed to Bella, his expression wary. "I mean it could be dangerous." Ash finished lamely.
I looked at Bella for a moment as she glared at Ash then I turned my eyes back to Ash.
"Do you think...I mean that's not-"
"Do we think Fang could have turned into a werewolf? Yes." Carlisle's voice was calm and collected as he rounded the corner of the foyer.
"Then I have to find him now! If he's planning to fight with the werewolves, if it even comes to fighting, then he'll be discovered for sure!"
"Max you can't just-" I rounded on Ash my voice low.
"Don't tell me I can't, because I will. Fang is part of my family, sure we've been having a little bit of a rough patch, but he's been my best friend for years. I'm not leaving him to the wolves, no way in hell." With that little pun, I turned and ran out the door, spreading my wings as I leaped off the porch. I quickly gained altitude, anger pumping adrenaline into my system.
I had to find Fang, and fast. Emmet and Jasper couldn't get the aerial view I could and besides, it was my fault Fang was involved in this whole mess.
But was it? A little voice in my head was telling me that if Fang was indeed a werewolf now then he probably would have turned into one anyway. My mind flashed to the erasers and I realized how much of a nightmare it would be for Fang to turn into a full blown wolf when wolves had symbolized everything dangerous we had ever faced for the majority of our lives. I poured on the speed as I jetted away from the Cullen house and I tried to forget Ash's face when I had stormed out of the house.
I felt a pang of anger at his commanding words and felt my face twist into a scowl. I couldn't believe he had-.
My thoughts caught off as I spotted something shining below me in a brief flash of sunlight that shone through a break in the clouds. Using my raptor vision I focused in on the shining figure of what could only be a vampire. Circling closer I looked down to see if it was Emmet or Jasper, I couldn't quite tell as he moved under a tree branch, he was moving fairly slowly for a vampire, following a track?
I soared down to land soundlessly (at least I thought I was soundless) in a branch where I quickly realized he was most definitely not a Cullen, a fact which was quickly reaffirmed when in a flash of speed he turned and leaped into the air and slammed into me. We flew through the air skidding to a rough landing. I was gasping for breath from the force and I felt a sharp pain in my left wing indicating that I had broken something.
As I took this in I realized that the vampire was still crouched on top of me. His eyes were a dark maroon, reminding me faintly of dried blood. His dark hair contrasted with his pale face and his obviously large frame moved with a predatory grace. I grimaced, knowing that even on par, I would have a hell of a time with him.
"Maximum Ride in the flesh, how good to meet you."
"Can't say the feeling's mutual." I gasped as a condescending chuckle vibrated from his chest. I tried to buck him off of me but he didn't budge and I wondered what the hell I had gotten myself into.
"Ah, you are feisty. I had heard rumors but it really is quite an experience to see you in person."
"Yeah I am pretty dang cool, but it would be even cooler if you could get the hell off me whoever you are."
"My apologies, I forgot to introduce myself." He smiled charmingly, or what would be charmingly if I didn't know he was a complete jerk (I think the whole tackling me thing gave me that idea). "My name is Christophe, Christophe Germain."
"How wonderful." Before he could do anything else I bucked and at the same time threw my leg up to slam into the back of his head. A blow that would have knocked out a human or eraser only served to distract him enough for me to get out from under him, wincing in pain at my hurt wing and the new bruise that I could practically feel forming on my foot.
"Very clever." His voice was a snarl as we began to circle each other, neither of us breaking eye contact.
"Clever's my middle name." Growling, I faked a stumble and he took the bait shooting towards me in a flash, I ducked just in time, grabbing his arm that was darting out to grab me. In one quick movement I twisted him around to a modified take down in which he slammed into a tree on his knees and I was able to bring his arm up behind him, slamming it into the tree as well, snapping his shoulder in the process. I tried to focus as I felt my wing throb with pain and kept a hold of his arm, trying to buy some time before I tried to break his neck.
Before I could do anything a low growl sounded throughout the clearing, at first I thought it was coming from Christophe, but when another snarl sounded from behind me I spared a glance at the four legged figures that had leaped into the clearing.
Before I could figure out if any of the werewolves were Fang Christophe twisted under me and I found myself in a choke hold, his good arm wrapped around my neck. I gasped in pain and tried to struggle as the wolves looked for an opening.
"Get, out of here," I gasped, "I can take care of this! Don't get involved!" A low growl that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle rose from a big black wolf at the back of the pack.
I heard Christophe sigh behind me as I tried to get a grip, let me tell you, having a broken wing squished behind you while you're being suffocated, is not fun. But then again, knowing that the guy I was trying keep away from the vampires was right in front of a vampire was a little more worrisome than my broken appendage.
"There's no need to tell your little friends to back off Maximum. We won't be here for long." I felt a brief pang of worry when I heard the word "we" before the Christophe shifted his grip on me, pulling me closer to him.
"Now doggies, why don't you run back to the Cullens and let them know that when the Volturi come calling, you all can let them know that they'd better watch out because I won and they lost." I thought that speech was a little childish but I didn't say anything because at that moment the big reddish wolf in the front of the group lunged and at the same time I suddenly felt strangely cold before Christophe scooped me up and took off at extreme vampire speed. It was only when I tried to punch him that I realized I couldn't see him, I couldn't see myself for that matter.
Great, so I'm being kidnapped by a vampire that can turn invisible, I have a broken wing, and-
"I have big plans for you Maximum Ride, just you wait, once I'm done with you, I won't ever have to hide again, they'll see, they'll all see." My thoughts were cut off by Cristophe's little diabolical speech.
As much as I hate to admit it, I think I just got myself into some deep doodoo.
***************
A/N: Sorry for the super long wait people but the chapter is up and that's all that matters. I'm kind of starting a new story, it's a Twilight fanfic called Heartsblood. I'm still working on it but keep an eye out for that. Anyway, I just thought I'd make a note that I know that Vampires are supposed to be the ultimate predator and I know some of you will be thinking, yeah right how's Max supposed to fight a vampire? Well let me just say, that aside from her awesomeness (jk) I'm kinda basing her ability to fight Cristophe off of the fact that she's superhuman so lets leave it at that. I hope you liked the chapter!
Au revoir!
