Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction intended for entertainment purposes only. The characters and world belong to Stephenie Meyer, I just like playing with them.
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Panthalassa: High Tide
Chapter 14 – Foreigners
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Ren was livid. She didn't stop sending me random swear words as the family told the other humans involved in this supernatural world what the plan had become.
"Keep our granddaughter safe." Esme said gently hugging the frail Charlie while Carlisle shook Sue's hand.
It had been settled while I slept. Ren, Jake and Seth would be staying here. I wasn't nearly as bothered by him staying behind as I could have been. Our talk the night before had eased my worries of what the right thing to do with Seth was. We would just have to wait and see if our attraction would survive after the battle with Zhan was fought, and hopefully won.
The fact Ren was staying upset me more. She was near tears, rage filled tears at that. Although I knew she understood why it was necessary it didn't make it any easier. She was likely to be eaten up with worry before we even left Forks. Which wasn't for another day, Nahuel had gotten stuck at an airport in Texas so he had to wait with Huilen till the sun set to get on a flight after the sun set.
We were to rent a private jet to get all of us back to the Denali's home. Nahuel was going to be staying on the Res with Ren; Huilen had barely given in to going with the rest of us to Denali. It made me feel slightly better that Nahuel was safer with the tribe than with his aunt.
"Shit," Edward swore, my eyes went wide and I followed his gaze. Alice zipped to my side.
"We can handle this Edward." Alice said confidently sparing him a glance.
"We are going to have a human visiting us, an old classmate from our high school years here. They've heard rumors of someone moving in to the old Cullen place and decided to come for a visit."
The rest of the family, Denali's included didn't look like they liked this.
"Can't they pretend to be the-" the words died in my mouth as I saw that it wasn't nearly as overcast outside as it had been when I first got here after breakfast.
So that was how I met Jessica Gardner, formerly Jessica Stanley. Jessica worked for a Salon in Port Angels and lived in Forks. The entire family was upstairs listening to our interaction. Emmett and Garrett had managed to fix all the windows in the front of the house. I had to be careful not to lead Mrs. Gardner to close to the back porch where there was empty space where the glass door used to be.
"Sorry to just drop in like this," Jessica said calmly, taking in the sparsely furnished living room as I opened the door for her to come in. Alice had told me to be hospitable but very careful of what I said.
"It's alright; I've just been getting settled. Don't actually know how long I'll stay here," I started to rub my sore neck as she set the muffin basket on the counter in the kitchen. I offered her bottled water; she refused claiming she couldn't stay long.
"So you say you knew the people who used to live here?" I asked. The weirdness factor on this entire conversation could not be put into words. I kept seeing the age lines on her face and grey hair on her head, and wondered if Bella had never met the Cullen's if she would look similar. Or would Bella have aged more gracefully?
"I came here for a graduation party. The family that used to live here was quiet secretive. I'd heard a rumor from my husband's friend that Charlie Swan, the old classmate I told you about's father, that she had recently come to visit him and that they were using their old house. Thought I might drop in and see them. It's been ages."
I'm sure. I thought sarcastically.
"Sorry… you see Dr. Cullen-Edward- he was helping me get settled and they only visited Charlie for the day or two till they knew I had everything."
"Are you going to be working in town then?"
What was with people being nosy at the most inconvenient times? I thought to the rooms full of vampires upstairs and decided I'd had enough of this old classmate of my siblings.
"No…actually I-I left my abusive husband. He's in the CIA… and Dr. Cullen was kind enough to offer me a place to stay." I said quite seriously, looking at my obviously scarred hands. The woman's eyes followed mine and I heard her gasp. Then I saw her look to the bruise Alice had made on my shoulder, it was a nice deep purple that the thin strap of my shirt didn't cover.
"He very nearly managed to kill me the last time. Dr. Cullen-Edward- took pity on me and decided to help."
"You poor, poor girl," Jessica cooed, looking aghast. She also, much to my pleasure looked uncomfortable. I knew Jasper was helping us along when I felt the emotion intensify.
"So you can see why your discretion is vital. I-I-think if-" I pretended to choke on a sob and closed my eyes tightly, "He'll kill me the next time he finds me."
"I would never tell a soul! Oh my poor girl, you said your name is Ann?" I nodded.
Jessica Gardner was a piece of work. She left her number for me in case I needed her, for any reason, and gave me an awkward hug as I saw her to her truck. If my story was true, and I had an abusive husband that worked for the CIA it was highly unlikely I would call her to leave a trace to my whereabouts.
As soon as the truck was out of sight the entire clutch of vampires came down.
"Clutch?" Edward asked a smile at his lips.
"A coven is supposed to be a small group. When thirteen of you come down the stairs together what else am I supposed to call it?"
"Are you calling us chickens?" Garrett asked definitely enjoying the lighter mood after the previous nights depressing atmosphere.
"You run away from a woman in her late thirties, what would you call that?" I shot back. Tanya and Kate stifled laughter behind their hands.
"Well you were startling Jessica down here with tales of spouse abuse, we've had another development." Carlisle stated.
Sighing I went to the fridge just to look for a snack, and enjoyed the hum of the motor working to cool the food inside. I decided on a deviled egg, Sue had given us a whole platter full of them when we'd left that morning.
Rose, Tanya, Eleazar, Emmett, Jasper, Carmen and Kate all wrinkled their noses at my choice of food. For the first time in a long time I felt a genuine smile pulling at the corners of my mouth watching their reaction to the food I was eating.
"Alright," I said placing my hand flat on the counter watching the clutch of vampires take up positions around the dining room and kitchen. "What's happened?" I kept myself focused on Edward and Carlisle fully aware any 'news' would have likely come from Alice.
"Don't worry, it's good news." Perky Alice was back, and it struck me that perhaps she was trying to keep things light to help cheer up Jasper. Just a look at my brother I could tell he was still thoroughly shaken up at his best friend's murder.
"We aren't sure it's good news," Eleazar was quick to correct.
"They are simply looking for us. And from the little guessing game up stairs I can see they only get what they want if Eva is with us when we meet them."
"What?" I asked flatly.
"Before you get too worked up," Edward quickly added, "Alice has seen two male vampires, none of which any of us has ever met, except one of them was at the camp just when the Volturi arrived. Philippe distinctly remembered him as arriving just as the battle was settling down, it seemed likely to Philippe that that vampire brought the camps attention to the Volturi to begin with… although nothing Aro thought indicated anyone had tipped them off so to speak-"
Get on with it Edward.
"Right sorry. Alice has seen that they are looking for us. Us-" he indicated the Cullen's, "in particular for some unknown reason. But whenever we send a few of us to meet them they still seem to need something more-"
"I think they need to meet you," Alice said doubtfully, her lips coming to a little pucker while her brows crinkled slightly in the middle.
"Two vampires, of unknown intentions, want to meet me?" I asked challengingly.
"They just decided last night, around the time everyone was being attacked. It was one of the many visions I had to put aside till all other important things were…figured out."
"Now it could just be me, but this sounds like a really bad idea." I guessed, taking a look around.
"There will be thirteen of us there to meet their two. I am sure whatever they want with you will be dealt with peacefully." Jasper spoke up.
My eyes narrowed.
"Do we even know what they want? What makes you think it's me they want to see?"
Alice handled this question as well, "No matter what we decide if you aren't with us, we keep ending up seeing you at one point. As if you are the reason they are seeking us out."
"Are you certain they aren't related-or have anything to do with Zhan?"
"If they did, I would personally be happy to set the trap and destroy both of them." Garrett growled darkly. I had almost forgotten that he'd lost friends too.
Am I wrong in assuming you are waiting for my opinion on this? I asked Edward.
"As far as we have been able to tell it does involve you. We could simply follow the original plan to go meet them without you, and I can see what they want." His answer was not helpful.
Whatever these two new vampires wanted it didn't look like it was to be dangerous, and with all of our allies being killed maybe these two new vampires were looking for protection. Although what that had to do with me was beyond my comprehension.
"They will be near Madison by tomorrow morning." Alice said.
"Why Madison?" I asked.
"Search me." She responded shrugging.
"It is likely the last place whoever told them of us knew we had been." Carlisle said.
"So… I guess I am okay with going." Hell if I didn't feel safe with 13 vampires around me while I met two new ones I had bigger problems than I thought.
.~.
After we got to the Reedsburg home, the Denali's went hunting and Esme busied herself tidying up Seth's old house for them. Huilen was yet again made aware of the change in plans and would be arriving later that evening.
Most of my siblings were off enjoying themselves at their cabins while I did my 'homework' as Alice had ordered me to. My family had made reasonable excuses to my label; Greg had been unwaveringly sympathetic when Jasper, acting as my real brother, told him over the phone of my diagnosis of Lymphoma. Actually it was some sort of highly aggressive cancer with some long scientific name that I didn't care to remember. But Josie, Branson, Greg and the members of the band Shells were the only ones to know as of yet why I abruptly disappeared from my own skyrocketing career. My homework was to write new songs, or try to. She had said to think of it as some sort of therapy. It didn't help that Carlisle thought it was a good idea as well and sent me to work back up in my old room.
I turned on the Media Mix consol that Rose had unpacked from a household box that had been in the basement. Turns out they kept a lot of things in their houses and only moved the things they had a special attachment to.
I had been doodling random triangles and circles when I heard the first few bars from a song I knew like I had birthed it.
There was something in your eyes last night
That made me was to cry and fight
The burden was yours but I carried it too
With lives lost along the way, there was only so much I could do
You couldn't stay where you belong so you forced me from shadow into the light.
So here I lay, left broken by the wake
And here I'll stay my life now for you to take
I was thirsty for a drink
And you fulfilled my need
But instead of cool clean water
You drown me in the sea
There was something in the air last night
That you told me you were wrong, and it wasn't alright
You said 'those that thirst may know the sea can wet their lips
But soon find they cannot stop after one sip'
I know now that the tide will pull you in to the oceans grip.
And the water that seems so sweet will crush you just like a ship.
I was thirsty for a drink
And you fulfilled my need
But instead of cool clean water
You drown me in the sea
Its cool pressing weight will kill you
But its beauty pulls you in
Its frigid crushing weight will surround you and leave nothing in its wake.
But instead of life saving water
You drown me in the sea
But instead of cool clean water
You drown me in the sea
Only after I had sung along with the whole song, I realized why it was so familiar. It had been one of my songs.
Panthalassa had been one of my favorite songs, as it had a special place in my heart due to the circumstances that caused it to be written. The family knew it had been about them however obscure the reference, and cherished it. I had no idea why, I had basically written it about their betrayal, as a sort of way to deal with it. It hadn't had a title till after I saw that special on the land mass Pangea and the giant ocean Panthalassa.
The next song on the player was some other new up and coming artist and I sat there with the pencil limply in my hand as I pondered the new emotion bubbling back to life inside of me. It was a feather light feeling in the back of my brain.
I felt better. After singing my own song, I felt better. There was no logical or quantifiable reason for it. But a tiny ghost of a smile passed over my lips.
And the thought of singing a song for myself lodged into my mind I instantly started writing out lyrics for a new song. Alice couldn't have possibly seen this outcome to her homework. She had probably wanted to distract me while the family went off to do "couple" things.
.~.
After a late dinner, Alice took me aside.
"I wanted to… officially apologize for trying to kill you." She said earnestly.
I shrugged, "I should have realized with the bleeding and all. I mean I am the best smelling human for miles it's no wonder you wanted a piece of me." I joked mildly tugging on a small bit of her black hair.
"You really have no idea," she lamented painfully.
The clutch and I did a little story telling. I hadn't done it intentionally, but I had asked Jasper to tell me something nice about Peter, since the only memory of him that left an impression on me had been when he'd showed up at Ren and Jakes cabin. It set them all off talking about those we've lost. And Garrett had been censoring his tales of his friends, for my benefit I was sure, because he mentioned hunting for pigs, as if I was a little girl and didn't know exactly what they really hunted. But even still I found his effort to not scar or scare me touching.
Carlisle told stories of the British vampires; one named Alistair and how once the radio had been invented he'd spend nearly all of his time listening to it. It was a quirky story for the rather depressing sounding vampire now turned to dust. There were stories of the first vampires Alice had come across after she'd woken up, and how they had to explain everything about being a vampire. I'd never heard her talk about Micah and Holly, but they obviously had been important to her from the stories she told.
As much as I knew my family was made up of people trapped in monsters bodies I was beginning to feel sorry for the loss of the human eating vampire friends my family had. It was mostly because I didn't like the fact they were all hurting now.
I went to bed after they started calling the other covens they knew that were still alive, each family member talking to any and all they could get a hold of and try to convince them to meet us in Denali after our meeting with the two strange vampires in the morning.
The moon was near full, and I felt its looming presence a woeful and harmful thing. To think, that once I looked at the moon and thought it beautiful. It's strange the changes that happen in your life, you go from being a happy kid living with your mum to being passed around the States system because nobody wanted you. Then end up being taken in by a loving family that was made up of actual vampires. I reflected before I fall asleep on the reaction I have to the moon now, and how that came to be. And come to the conclusion that we really are our experiences and memories.
.~.
Morning came.
But what woke me up wasn't Esme, or even the sun peaking through my window. It wasn't the smell of food. It wasn't an alarm clock.
If someone answered the question of what woke me I doubt they would have ever gotten it.
A sun bomb of lights behind my eyes and my instantaneous reaction to turn them off stopped yet another attack on me. But for a bewildering moment in the light of the morning I couldn't understand what had happened.
I could feel pressure on my head again, and a distinct five fingers gripping me, but also there was a hand firmly pushing on my middle as if to hold me there. Maybe I was still dreaming? Some sort of lingering anxiety dream dealing with Alice attacking roughly 48 hours previous.
My eyes were wide open and looking straight to the ceiling.
Was there a ghost pinning me down? I struggled to move, and again the sharp pain in my neck from Alice's attack let me know I was definitely in a very similar position.
My bedroom door slammed open and my eyes drifted over to Edward standing there looking completely beside himself with concern.
"Confusion." He corrected me.
"What is it?" Jasper and Esme came in the room after him and Esme screamed at whatever she saw.
"Is it a ghost attacking me?" I asked suddenly curious and awed by my cool ability to freeze even invisible things.
"We can't see it. But we can tell it's pushing you into the mattress," Jasper explained. And soon most of the clutch was coming into my bedroom. Carlisle and Emmett were conspicuously missing.
"Our guests have arrived it seems," Edward said now touching something about a foot in front of me. It looked like he was miming running his hands over a head.
"Not miming, Jasper feel here." Edward directed Jaspers hand and Garrett, apparently really interested as well stuck his hand down as well.
"It's a vampire." Garrett said suddenly.
Great. Now I am catching invisible vampires in my sleep.
IN MY SLEEP!
INVISIBLE VAMPRIES!
First thought I have is 'oh of course I do,' quickly followed by 'this is fucking insane' and 'hot damn I think I am learning to love these aggravating little lights.'
"I agree with all those thoughts," Edward said looking directly at me
A bunch of snakes must have been released because most of the vampires in my room started hissing and half fled to the living room.
Edward and Jasper were still feeling up the invisible vampire.
"Looks like they were hiding something," Jasper muttered darkly, his hands now going down, what I assumed was one of the arms pinning my middle down.
I hear some shouting then Edward growling lowly before leaving my room. Only Esme, Rose and Tanya remained as Jasper was feeling up the invisible vampire.
"Not to hurry you or anything but I am getting a head ache again, whoever this is, is grabbing me almost on the same spots on my head as Alice did." Merely thinking about Alice seemed to bring her out of nowhere as she appeared next to her mate with a small paint bucket from the garage and took a brush to liberally apply it to the vampire. It was one of the coolest and surreal things I have ever seen; Alice painting the invisible hair, head, and face a dull mint green that had been the living rooms color before Esme remolded.
Jasper found the thumb near my temple and I pushed the lights away as I waited for him to snap the thumb. Once he freed me from the hand gripping my head he effortlessly lifted the invisible thing off of me.
More angry voices came from down stairs, which increased my anxiety and worry.
"Evangeline you can stay up here if you are uncomfortable," Esme said taking in my appearance. My hair is a tangled mass behind me, and my pajama's were rumpled. But aside from the bruising I feel on my head and a sort of ache in my gut where I was pushed down I feel lucky to be alive.
"Are our guests downstairs?" I asked. Rosalie nodded and Tanya's eyes flickered between the half invisible half mint green statue as Alice effortlessly lifted up to bring it out of my room.
Having just woken up by the flashing of my lights and successfully turning off yet another vampire I was in a little bit of a daze as I made my way to the first level where I was sure the unknown vampires were.
Downstairs there was a sort of hostile feel to the room. I didn't notice the two Asian vampires right away. As nearly all the male members of my clutch were blocking them from my view.
"It is as I said. She is not in any danger. I do not know why Shizuka attacked but I assure you her being invisible is not an aggressive act-" The speaker a tall slim looking vampire with deep red eyes stopped speaking once he saw me. From what little I can see of the two males they look remarkably alike. Both are the same height and the one I could see the clearest had a slightly longer face and a more angular jaw line.
My mouth popped open once I got a clear look at him.
"You have facial hair." I said surprised. All of my family tensed slightly and I heard someone clear their throat in the awkward silence.
"Perhaps…" the male that had been speaking when I had first come in to the living room began, "We should start this conversation with introductions." His gaze was solidly on me and I couldn't look away from him.
A small itch of curiosity spread throughout me. I had seen all sorts of vampires, and I had even seen some of my brothers without their shirts. It was enough for me to know that other than eyebrows, eyelashes, and the hair on top of their head vampires were hairless. So to see a vampire changed in what I would guess was his late twenties with a thin yet very attractive little beard edging out his jaw line really fascinated me.
It had completely derailed my frustration with having been attacked in bed. Now that I realized why there was a hostile feel to the room was because of the invisible vampire likely belonging to his coven I felt a little humiliated that the first thing I said to the new coven had been a bit immature.
No one spoke for a moment and I assumed Edward and Alice were working to figure out what was the best course of action. So far the two vampires I could see weren't setting me on edge, like even the Irish coven had.
Was I gaining maturity and confidence as I grew? As I came to realize that my ability wasn't just a way to cause headaches, did that mean I was becoming more confident in my proximity to red eyes?
I barely caught the movement of the family moving to different positions. I suddenly felt grubby, wishing I'd at least brushed my hair before coming down. A path between where the two new vampires stood at just inside the entrance and me was made. Jasper put a hand on my pajama top and gently, but firmly, guided me to sit at the only piece of furniture in the living room that the family had left here after the move to Maine.
Emmett and Garrett stood near the arm of the couch that was between myself and the visitors. Alice gestured the two to sit, or stand, by the long window across from me. All the others; Tanya, Rose, Kate, Carmen, Esme, Bella, Eleazar stood behind me, and I only knew because I could feel the heat behind my eyes indicated that vampires were really close behind. Edward sat next to me, Carlisle on my other side, Jasper next to him, and Alice sat on the other arm of the couch.
It must have looked rather intimidating. Almost like I was a queen being surrounded by my knights.
"My name is Shirokawa Kenji, this is my son Ichiro the one you have covered in green paint is Shizuka and we are three of the leaders of the Japanese Empire. We came because of the advice of the fourth leader, we only seek information." His demeanor was relaxed, even among 13 vampires that were probably looking for reasons to kill him and his son-wait… his son?
I wasn't the only one with questions.
"Son?" Carlisle asked.
"I have raised him from his birth." Kenji explained.
"This is my family," Carlisle began taking Kenji's information in stride, "My wife Esme, sons Emmett, Jasper, and Edward. Daughters Rosalie, Alice, Bella, and Evangeline," he must have gestured at each of us as we were introduced, but my focus was so completely on Kenji and Ichiro I noticed he held my gaze as the introductions went on.
Tanya introduced her family and Kenji nodded once.
"First, I do want to convey my sincerest apologies to you, Evangeline. I do not know what caused Shizuka to attack in the manner she did. We were aware that we were coming to get information from a coven that did not feed the usual way so to ease our hosts we fed before journeying here to seek you out." He sounded mournful for the way our initial start had gone. I am sure, as a leader, he thought perhaps it would have gone smoother. Edward's hand that was between our touching legs gave me a small pinch through my pajamas.
"Are you injured?" Kenji asked.
A small lump in my throat swelled. I certainly was hurt, my head felt tender and the pain in my middle felt like I was cramping horribly, but maybe it would be better to pretend I had managed to stop the invisible attacker before she had done anything. I shook my head slightly and for the first time since sitting I looked away from him.
Even with all the stress of how I was woken up and the new vampires in the living room, I was still stuck on thinking about Kenji's facial hair. Why? I had no idea. It was so… enthralling. I hoped he'd answer as to why he had facial hair and no other males did.
This Shizuka was still frozen and half painted green standing just next to Tanya and Kate. It looked like they were jailers keeping her from the safety of her coven.
Ichiro said something in Japanese to Kenji, and Kenji's eyes cut to Edward as well as Carlisle.
Then Jasper said something back to them. And a sort of argument must have broken out as everyone started speaking Japanese.
My eyes widened as things seemed to be getting tenser.
"What's going on?" I asked the room.
"They want us to divulge what abilities we have among our coven." Carlisle said keeping his eyes on the two Japanese vampires. Kenji shifted in a very human movement by crossing his legs and running a hand through his jet black hair.
"Ichiro is unfair in asking that of you. It sets him on edge to be surrounded by such a powerful coven." Kenji explained his red eyes purposefully locking with Carlisle's.
"To set everyone at ease perhaps we can come to an agreement. You will be told of our abilities in exchange for the knowledge of three of the six of you that have special talents here."
"Six?"
"How did you know?" Two of my family spoke at the same time.
Before the family could silently decide who would divulge their ability Alice spoke up.
"I can see the future."
Jasper let a wave of despair and protectiveness sweep through our group.
Kenji nodded and Ichiro narrowed his eyes slightly at Alice and then relaxed.
"As you have seen Shizuka's ability is to become invisible. She cannot be seen, heard or smelled when invisible. It is her most comfortable state as well, so it is not surprising to me that she was invisible when she attacked your daughter." Kenji was obviously the leader in the group that came to visit. Ichiro was very clearly taking his lead from his father.
"I can sense abilities in others," Eleazar spoke up. I hadn't been able to tell if they had managed to silently decide who was divulging what ability.
"I can repel and nullify other abilities," Ichiro said plainly, his voice belying a little pride and his gaze turned towards someone behind my left shoulder. I turned to follow his gaze and saw Bella glance down at me before returning Ichiro's stare.
"It would be very nice to know what ability you have Bella, as it is setting my own on alert." Ichiro calmly said.
It was then that I realized Bella must have been covering each of the family, aside from myself that was. Edward looked behind us to communicate with Bella.
"I can shield others from the effects of some mental abilities."
"And illusion shield…" Kenji stated, sounding amused.
"Excuse me?" –"Illusion shield?", I heard murmurs again and was starting to realize how hard it was to focus on the topic at hand with so many people involved. I was glad they were all here to provide that comfort and support I was sure I'd need facing to new vampires. At the same time it felt like a bit too much.
"That can be explained later. As for my own ability I can change the shape and size of objects. And that may answer your questions regarding my facial hair, Evangeline. As we vampires lose most of our body hair during the change, the hair follicles are still there. I merely force the hair our through my skin, you could say I force it to grow."
That, well, was pretty cool I thought. They too seemed to have a very powerful coven, even if it was just that four of them.
"Thank you for sharing that with us," Esme spoke up for the first time. Kenji gave her a small smile.
"Now that that is out of the way we can move on to why you came here to get information." Carlisle stated his tone open and congenial. Others seemed to relax around me, and I wished I had a better view of the room. As it was I was only really able to see Emmett, Alice, Kenji, Ichiro, and Edwards reactions to anything.
"Ah," Ichiro said and relaxed a bit against the glass window. Kenji uncrossed his legs and leaned to rest his elbows on his knees, once again looking at me.
"The last of the four leaders of our empire can also see the future," Alice made a happy noise; "He is as close to fate divined that one can come to. He sees visions of the things that may cause trouble eventually or things that are beneficial. We never know how or when his visions will pay off. The longest distance vision he has ever had was thirty five years for a warning so my creator and I would not kill Shizuka's parents before she was born."
Everyone made some sort of noise at that. Alice clapped her hands happily, Jasper whistled, while I heard hushed "wows'" from those behind me. I bit my lip and sucked it in slightly. My headache was getting worse.
"As cryptic as Toji's visions can be, once Shizuka informed me of the attacks Zhan issued he had a vision of a blonde female vampire," His eyes flicked to Tanya, "That would be of great interest to our goals in destroying her."
"How would I be of any use beyond the normal?" Tanya asked with a half scoffing tone.
"Perhaps his vision is a little premature," and with a wave of some base emotion quivering through me I met Kenji's eyes again.
Putting a name to the emotion I guessed it was thrill. The idea they had come because of me was, at first, a little bit scary. As if they would hunt me down to kill me. But the Japanese coven seemed to want Zhan's end just as much as everyone else in the room. A new feeling of unity enclosed the room, Jasper was aiding it to give us all a better chance against her.
"Evangeline, would it be possible to speak with you alone?" And before Kenji could even finish his question Edward and Alice were growling.
Varying forms of negative answers rippled through my family, and I smiled slightly at even Rosalie's vehemence.
"Why?" I asked immediately, ignoring the room. I was hoping Edward was getting plenty of information off of the two.
"I feel the sharing of information that I need, and that Toji said you would need from me would be best relayed in a private conversation." Kenji said. He was still calmly holding my gaze and I wondered if he'd try to eat me out there and alone.
"There is absolutely no way we can allow Evangeline to be alone with anyone that feeds off of humans." Carlisle stated neutrally. He had phrased it so he wouldn't offend Kenji or Ichiro while still letting them know it wasn't going to happen.
Duel emotions were coursing through me. I was happy my family was very ready to protect me, and I knew I needed it. But then the other emotion of frustration came from nowhere throwing me, and Jasper, for a loop. It was probably due to the fact I had no problem instinctually using my ability on those that were obviously a threat to me.
Edward nodded next to me, but made it look like he was turning his head to look at my reaction. So he was agreeing with me, in so much that I could very likely take care of myself. Well I wasn't sure if I could overcome Ichiro's ability. But Kenji? Maybe if he tried anything while we were alone I could turn him into a statue, we'd have our own collection going.
The conversation was basically at a standstill and Kenji must have known not to push, the family wanted to know what he was going to ask me, and he smiled sadly and said he was not sure it was a good idea to tell the family before he told me himself. Curiouser and Curiouser.
"There is something we should discuss," Edward stated once it was clear that I would not be talking alone with the human eater. "Zhan. You wish her destruction as well?"
Ichiro nodded, "It is one thing that all of the covens in Japan are dedicated to."
"All of the covens?" Rosalie asked.
"The vampires of Japan are notorious xenophobes," Kate said.
"I once tried to go to Japan," Garrett added sounding a bit angry, "I was told if I tried to come back I would be killed."
"You are lucky you got one warning." Ichiro stated.
"We closed the feeding boarders over four hundred years ago. Our population is a prime hunting area for our kind. This I have always known. Toji and I have worked very hard to maintain a Japanese vampire only on Japanese soil policy. To allow others into our feeding ground would upset the system set in place and agreed upon by our allied covens." Kenji said with a protective air.
"It makes sense," Alice perkily stated.
"We will be setting up a strategy to dispose of Zhan and her mate Wei. But the attacks a day ago throughout the world threw Toji for a loop. He has advised us against attacking Zhan until I met with your coven."
I felt a bit like a pet at the moment, a bit like a burden or something of a novelty. I was stuck, literally in the middle of this war. Because even if I could walk away from the war, being changed and all the horrors I knew were heading down this path directly before me, I had my family to think about. I had my revenge to think about. And it filled me with biter anger to think that the Japanese covens, Kenji and Ichiro would get to destroy Zhan while I, who promised myself to make her suffer, would be standing on the side lines like a good little human.
That was to say if the Japanese coven could succeed without outside help. It was one of the reasons it confused me that Kenji was intent on talking to me, rather than allying with the vampires in front of him. He didn't even know Kate, Edward and Jaspers abilities. Surely even just having Bella fight with them would help, she could make Zhan's ability null and void and then they would only have to worry about Wei.
My stomach made some noise and the conversation stopped.
"Perhaps we shall come back later to continue our discussion. And your coven can think over allowing Evangeline and myself to converse."
Ichiro gave me a little smile at that, as if he knew how embarrassing it was to have an entire war council stop because of hunger.
"I'm fine," I stated quickly. But the vampires weren't listening. Kenji made to stand and Carlisle bowed to him. The two Japanese bowed back.
"Wait… what about…?" I hesitated, interrupting the bowing and glanced at the frozen vampire.
"Can you reverse it?" Ichiro asked tilting his head.
"I-maybe. I have done this before," I distinctly felt like I shouldn't have told them that as soon as the words were out of my mouth.
"It would be very generous of you if you would return her to her natural state Evangeline. But I am aware that given how she attacked you, you might not be so inclined to grant this request. Shizuka is vital in our plans to eliminate Zhan and Wei."
His words had a sort of poetic rhythm to them. And neither Kenji nor Ichiro had any discernable accents and seemed…kind. A plan began to bloom in my mind. They were already dedicated to ridding the world of Zhan. Why shouldn't my family try to become their allies? Maybe reactivating Shizuka could show them that we were willing to work together. Because as much as I thought we were powerful, in no way did I think that fighting Zhan was going to be easy. Especially not with her armies of were wolves and newborns. My heart clenched painfully thinking of any of my family being hurt or even killed. If we could work together it was far less likely I would lose someone I loved.
When I swallowed the little bubble of nerves I looked to Edward.
Should I?
"At noon we will try to reinstate Shizuka to her normal state," Edward nodded to the two Asian men. I gave them a reassuring smile before they gave our group a nod.
"We will be in the woods five miles north if you have need of us." Was Kenji's smooth response.
After a moment which seemed to be long enough for them to leave the hearing range of our conversation. Alice turned to me, hands on hips in a spritely happy manner.
"That went well."