It's been a while... because I've been working on a Star Wars story. I needed a change in pace so I decided to interrupt this one temporarily, but don't worry, it's not cancelled or anything. Just be aware that there won't be any new chapters added here until after New Year's at the earliest. Enjoy the holidays!

Chapter 12: Phantoms

Jacob

The sun was just rising above the treetops when the visitors stepped out of the woods and into the residential compound area. I'd recognized this was their trajectory two miles back. What I didn't know – and didn't care to fight my imprinting haze to ponder – was what business they had arriving unannounced. If a party this size had been expected, Sam wouldn't have withheld that information from us. Which meant he'd be just as surprised to see them as I was. But in addition to surprise, there was likely to be a healthy amount of indignation as well.

Pacing along the tree line, I shook my head to clear my vision before doubling back to my house. Once inside, I tripped over every obstacle and piece of furniture we owned, stubbing my toes and elbows in my haste to throw on clothes. Objects no longer appeared quite as gelatinous as they had outside, but my head still buzzed with the aftereffects of imprinting. Good thing Billy was out of town this weekend, or my crashing around would have woken him up and raised suspicions that I was hung over.

Not only was I in no position to prove him wrong, but being upbraided would only delay my "reunion" with the visitors, and each second apart from her was like another second in freezing water beneath a shelf of ice. Too frantic to notice my shirt was on backwards, I flew out into the front yard, cedar shingles splintering as the door slammed behind me.

I should have known Sam would already be standing in their midst. Even if I'd only been inside five seconds, he'd still have reached them before I returned. It seemed his senses had only sharpened since becoming a parent. Stifling a surge of envy, I ran over to stand at his side and face the newcomers at close range. The magnetic pull emanating from her felt stronger than ever, and it took all my willpower to acknowledge the others and refrain from staring at her alone. Her beauty was even more breathtaking at this distance, tormenting me as I fought to maintain my composure.

"Good morning Jacob. It seems we have some visitors," Sam glanced at me with arms crossed. His body language was neither defensive nor welcoming, but a measured mix of both.

"I know," I exhaled. "I've been tracking them since La Push. They arrived on kayaks just before dawn."

"So it was you we sensed in the woods?" the eldest raised an eyebrow. "You could have said hello."

"I would've faced you if it hadn't been for… extenuating circumstances," I looked quickly at Sam.

What looked like a knowing glance passed among the six of them. "No harm done. Now that we're here, allow us to introduce ourselves. I'm Sydney West, and this is my son, Aaron," he motioned toward the thirty-something man next to him. "These are my nieces Allanah and Jade. And lastly, Warren and Luke, my neighbor's two boys."

My throat constricted at the sound of her name. Allanah. A name no less beautiful than its owner.

Sam nodded to each in turn. "Pleasure to meet you all. I'm Sam Uley, and this is Jacob Black."

Sydney smiled warmly. "I know."

Caught off guard by the blithe comment, Sam frowned slightly. "Excuse me?"

"Come now, has it been so long that you don't remember your own wife's uncle?" Sydney replied with a twinkle in his eye.

Studying Sydney's face to match it with any previous memories, Sam's mood had shifted from suspicion to self-consciousness. "I… I'm sorry, it's been a few years since the wedding, and Emily has so many aunts and uncles," he offered an apologetic smile. "Remembering faces has never been one of my strong points. Just ask Emily."

Sydney's face creased as his smile broadened. "No offense taken, Sam. We've all got busy lives, full schedules. And as I understand it, yours is even busier than when I last saw you. Zachary, is it?"

"Yes, he's two now," Sam confirmed.

"Can't wait to meet him. And it will be so good to see Emily again too," he said fondly. "Now, I hate to impose, but we spent the last few days rowing forty miles down the Pacific. We'd do just about anything for a hot breakfast right now." Five hungry faces behind him left no room for doubt.

It was Sam's turn to smile. "Not to worry, Emily's used to cooking for massive appetites, isn't she Jake?" he nudged me with his elbow. I scowled, prompting the male contingent to chuckle.

"Then lead the way," Sydney urged. "Once we're fed, we'll be in much better condition to share our reasons for visiting."

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Any day that began with Emily's cooking stood to be exceptional, and as the aromas of scrambled eggs, bacon and toast wafted onto the Uleys' porch, I let my mind float aimlessly with them. The rush that had flooded my system earlier that morning had been replaced by an immobilizing, full-body calm. My every cell felt bathed in liquid peace, if such a thing could be described. It was a level of absolute, pervasive joy I was certain I'd never experienced before. And its warm waves flooded me anew each time my eyes settled on Allanah's form.

Zachary's high-pitched squeal broke my hypnosis. Balanced on my knee, his pudgy arms waved a teething ring under my face as he beamed a semi-toothy grin. The others couldn't resist laughing at the display.

"Jacob's like a second dad to Zachary," Sam commented. "He's never had another babysitter. Sometimes he cries for an hour after Jake leaves."

Naturally, that elicited a compassionate response from the two women present. "That's so sweet. You must be really good with him," Jade remarked.

Glancing at her sister, Allanah then turned her breathtaking eyes to me. "Do you have any children of your own?"

My brain suddenly short-circuited, leaving me dumbstruck as I tried to reconnect its broken synapses. For all the silent adoration I'd been giving her the past hour, none of it had prepared me for the moment when she spoke directly to me – when those perfect lips formed words that sought a response from no other mouth but mine. The earth could have swallowed me whole at that moment and I'd have found it no more shocking.

An excessively awkward silence must have occurred outside my frozen mind, judging by the fact that Sam felt the need to answer for me.

"No, Jake is single," he said, regarding me with mild concern. In addition to my shock, I now enjoyed the paralyzing effects of humiliation.

Just when I began to pray that the earth really would consume me then and there, however, Emily's voice called through the window, announcing breakfast was at last ready. Her timing couldn't have spared me at a better moment.

Out of deference to our guests, Sam and I stood back to let them reenter the house before us. Yet instead of following closely on their heels, Sam halted our progress several feet from the door, drawing me back with a firm hand. Zachary nestled against my chest as his father examined my face.

"Jake, what's the matter?" he whispered.

I instinctively checked over my shoulder to ensure everyone was inside. Seeing them all seated at the table, elbows planted on its surface in their haste to eat, I turned back to Sam. "Now's not the best time," I murmured, feeling no less self-conscious than a minute ago.

Noticing my hesitation, he tried interpreting it. "Do you suspect something? Are they not who they say they are?"

I shook my head, trying to clear it despite this added distraction. "No, I have no reason to think so," my voice sounded miles away.

"Then why did you clam up when Allanah spoke to you?"

Standing on weather-worn floorboards with the sun's rays at our back, we stared at each other in mute communication, something that typically didn't happen in human form. I prayed our latent wolf connection would carry the message as clearly as if I'd said it out loud.

Just as I hoped it would, realization soon crept into Sam's eyes and softened them with true sympathy. "You've imprinted."

I could only nod.

He looked discreetly at the kitchen window and the oblivious guests behind it. "There's just something about Makah women, isn't there?" he smiled to himself, shaking his head. "You've got good taste, Jake. But you had to know I'd say that."

I shrugged. "I haven't been thinking too clearly the past hour, actually. I'm lucky if I can remind myself to breathe, much less follow a normal conversation."

Sam enjoyed a low, deep laugh. "How well I remember the feeling," he reminisced. "It'll pass. Give it a few more hours. It's all completely normal."

As encouraging as it was to hear this, it didn't address my other concerns. "Once it passes, what do I say to her? Do I just pull her aside and tell her in a 'Me Tarzan, you Jane' kind of way?" I grimaced at my own dry humor.

"Don't overthink it," he patted my shoulder. "The Makahs are familiar with our ways. They share family stories and legends as we do, so I'm sure Allanah knows about me imprinting on her cousin. Your news may surprise her, but it won't shock or confuse her."

Plenty of insecurity still remained. "What if… can it happen where the woman rejects the imprinting?" my voice was a shaky whisper. "Is that possible? Could she just turn on her heel and leave me in agony the rest of my life?"

"If it has happened, I've never heard of it," Sam said solemnly. "Imprinting is a complex, mysterious thing, but there's some reciprocity involved. She may not feel the acute physiological response you do, but on a deeply instinctual level, she'll feel the connection too." Glancing once more at the breakfast crew, he smiled again. "And judging by the way she's been looking at you this morning, I'd say you have nothing to worry about."

"What?" I blinked, all thoughts draining from my brain for the hundredth time that morning.

"You really weren't exaggerating when you said you were too foggy to breathe," he joked incredulously. "She's hardly looked at anyone else the entire time. And any fool can guess why she asked you about having your own children. She was probing, seeing whether you were available or not."

My system jolted at the thought of being so ignorant. As if I didn't yet have enough reasons to feel utterly foolish. "Are you serious?"

Sam appeared to be suppressing an even broader, thoroughly amused smile. "Would I lie to you? She likes what she sees, Jake. It's not so hard to believe… women melt over guys who are good with kids."

As if on cue, Zachary swatted his teething ring against my cheek and giggled, his dark eyes as mischievous as ever. Father and son seemed to be equally enjoying my naiveté.

"So like I said, you've got nothing to worry about," he reached for the boy. "Well, except for maybe one thing."

"Which is?"

Directing me toward the source of the delicious aromas of breakfast, he slapped my shoulder again. "Be prepared for a little sibling rivalry. Allanah wasn't the only one admiring your childcare skills," he winked.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

There wasn't so much as a crumb remaining on the table when everyone finished eating. Gracious as always, Emily accepted our repeated thanks and insisted none of us was obligated to help clean up. She was, as Sam reminded us, long accustomed to mass feedings and their aftermath. Our continued presence in the kitchen would only interrupt her system, so we resumed our respective positions on the porch.

The sun, higher in the sky now, illuminated Allanah's silky hair like a halo. My breathing halted once again, though it was marginally easier to resume this time. No wonder I'd missed her nonverbal cues earlier – she'd left my brain too oxygen-deprived to recognize them.

"I can't say it enough, that breakfast was fantastic," Sydney praised for the tenth time as he lowered himself into a wicker rocking chair. "Emily's cooking has certainly improved since moving here. Seems like it's been a good influence on her."

While he intended it as a genuine compliment, Sydney's comment made Sam briefly uncomfortable. I could almost hear his jaded thoughts: Sure, if you close your eyes and can't see the scars on her face.

"Thanks, Sydney," he said instead. "So what brings you here? Is there a family reunion I don't know about?"

Shaking his head, Sydney's expression grew more sober. "Unfortunately, no. If that were the case we'd travel more comfortably. Kayaking wouldn't have been our first choice."

"I was wondering about that," I found my voice. "The water's pretty rough this time of year. Why didn't you drive or hike down?"

Despite Sam alerting me to Allanah and Jade's overt attention, I was no less astonished to witness it myself now. Both sisters set their gaze squarely on me the instant I opened my mouth to speak. Had it not been madly inappropriate to do so, I'd have burst out laughing at the sight. Imagine me, Jacob Black, long-suffering victim of unrequited love, suddenly finding myself in a very different corner of a love triangle. It was either a cruel, ironic joke or a miraculous twist of fate. I'd have to suspend my official judgment until later in the day.

Aaron spoke next, pulling me back into coherent thinking. "As you know, water is the only way to avoid being tracked by bloodsuckers," he explained.

Sam frowned. "Who's been tracking you? We haven't felt a malicious presence in the area."

"That may true for the time being," Sydney advised, "but we've had visions. It's a family trait, which you can relate to," he looked meaningfully at both of us. "Both Aaron and Allanah have seen troubling things. We don't know when they'll come to pass, which is why we couldn't risk traveling by ground."

"What did they see?" Sam asked in alarm.

The two cousins exchanged glances before speaking. "Our visions aren't the same," Aaron began. "I see a group in black cloaks, clearly hunting for something or someone. Their intent is definitely hostile."

"And I see another group dressed as ordinary humans, with the same amber-colored eyes as the coven who lives nearby," Allanah continued, her voice caressing my eardrums. "But instead of predatory hunting, they seem to be fleeing. I get the feeling they're fugitives of some sort."

"How many in each group?" I asked.

"Four in mine," Aaron replied.

Allanah met my eyes. "Five," she announced. "But it looks like they're carrying someone. I can't get a clear view of who it is."

"That's disconcerting," Sam turned to me with eyebrows knotted. "What do you make of this? Any theories who they might be?"

Thankfully my brain had lurched into gear again. "Well, the first group sounds like the Volturi," I began. "Which doesn't really surprise me. By now they must know about…"

I almost had to bite my tongue in half to prevent the disastrous words from slipping out. I damn well should have bitten it through. Three months of protecting Bella and Edward's secret had nearly been erased by that stupid tongue.

"Know about what?" Sam's interest had increased tenfold.

Adrenaline pumped into my neurons. "Just that Bella hasn't been turned yet," I lied. "The Cullens have been putting it off for years, and the Volturi have to be tired of waiting."

Our guests were visibly uncomfortable discussing a human's contractual change, but neither they nor Sam questioned my explanation. "So they're coming for her," Sam repeated. "What about the others, the ones with the Cullens' same eye color? What threat could they pose if their lifestyles are similar?"

That I didn't have an answer for. The only vampires I knew of who fit that profile – the only other vegetarian coven in the world, to my knowledge – were the Delani group, whom I'd met at Bella and Edward's wedding. Not only did they seem trustworthy and non-threatening, they went out of their way to apologize for not joining forces against Victoria's army years ago – and for supporting Irina's mad quest for vengeance on the wolves.

Though I'd accepted their apology with reservation, nothing had caused me to doubt their sincerity since. Bella told me they'd mailed generous gifts for both Miles' and Ivy's births, and I could only assume they did the same for the newest baby. What would possess them to sabotage that momentum of good will, I hadn't a clue.

"Maybe you're sensing them fleeing the Volturi," I suggested, heart accelerating as I looked at Allanah. "You two said you can't predict when these visions will happen. So who knows, maybe they'll happen simultaneously."

"Maybe," she didn't sound entirely convinced. "One thing's for sure: whoever they're running from is desperate to catch them."

Sam raised an eyebrow at that. "Desperate? Desperation isn't something I'd expect from the Volturi. They strut into confrontations, not race anxiously toward them." He narrowed his eyes while considering it. "Desperation implies lack of control, which is one thing the Volturi never lack."

"You're right, it must be someone else pursuing them." I disliked the limited number of suspects that left us with. I could only remain optimistic for so long before deductive reasoning took over. Logic insisted that the next likely candidates were the Cullens themselves, which meant trouble was headed south from Alaska.

"You're thinking what I'm thinking, aren't you?" Sam inferred. "We should tell the Cullens."

"They've got their own visionary. She's probably seen it all herself."

"Perhaps. But if she hasn't yet, they'll appreciate the early warning."

"We can go if you're too busy," Sydney offered. "Although they may not trust the news coming from strangers."

Sam shook his head empathically. "No, you've done enough just coming from Neah Bay. We won't ask you to do our job for us," he crossed his arms, glancing sideways at me. "Jake and I will deliver the message."

The signature Alpha tone of his voice left no room for argument; it also spawned some serious dilemmas, the first of which was how to manage Sam's reaction to Bella and Edward's newborn. Convincing him I'd been just as ignorant of the matter would be enough of a challenge, followed by the far more massive hurdle of keeping his primal instincts in check.

Briefly, the prospect of bringing two or three pack other members appealed to me, but I discarded the idea almost as quickly as it came. Expecting them to react any differently than Sam in that situation, much less to be persuaded by someone other than the Alpha himself, was lunacy. I'd only stack the odds in Sam's favor by bringing more manpower to execute his orders.

Additional manpower wasn't the only deterrent, however. Additional witnesses weren't something I wanted either. The fewer who witnessed my reaction to seeing Bella in her current state, the better. The mission would be difficult enough without feeling scrutinized or patronized by those standing behind me. I couldn't allow anything to distract me from diffusing Sam's nerves and preventing the escalation into violence. And I was counting on him being too distracted himself to notice my discomfort.

Rough times were ahead no matter how I sliced it. Yet as I braced myself for a tense afternoon, something at the edge of my vision dulled the anxiety. Allanah and Jade were whispering to each other in tones even I couldn't hear, both of them stealing frequent glances in my direction. In that moment, Sam vanished from my side. The shadow of our impending visit to the Cullens ceased looming over me like the grim reaper himself. With each blink of those dark lashes, her bold yet bashful face turned all my fears to dust.

If Sam insisted on dragging me along on this two-man telegram, he could at least grant me one small concession first. He owed me that much.

"Fine, but wait a couple hours before we leave," I compromised. "There's someone I'd like to talk to first... in private." Swallowing against the knot in my stomach, I fixed my eyes on the woman across from me, eliminating any doubt whom I was referring to.

If anyone said a word as we both stood and walked silently down the porch steps, we couldn't hear it. The only sound beating our eardrums was each other's pulse, its rhythm synchronizing as our fingers laced together tentatively.