06/04

According to Alice, it looks like there's going to be a battle. Carlisle's rounding up vampire allies, the werewolves are going to help is, and Jasper is organizing training sessions. Patton and I are invited. In the meantime, I've set myself to getting allies of my own. I sent this to Will today.

Brother Dearest,

I need a favor from you. My sister is being threatened by vampires, armies of Stregoni Benefici. The whole town of Forks is. You've got to help me. Come with some demigods. We'll be fighting alongside the Cullens and with werewolves. Just please, help me.

Lots of love,

Mara

I'm just praying that he responds.

06/05

They're on the way, and will be here tomorrow. Jasper started the first training session, though. While the Cullens and the werewolves practiced, Jasper wanted to work one-on-one with me.

"Mara, I have some special instructions for you," he said. I followed him into the woods, where he pulled out a cavalry sword. "You have my broadsword, so I'm going to teach you how to use it."

"Yours?" I asked in surprise as I unleashed my broadsword. "You were the one who left it in the woods?"

He smirked. "Who do you think did? I was a son of Mars in my day, daughter of Apollo. Fought with the Confederacy in the Texas cavalry. Youngest major ever, Jasper Whitlock. Chiron or Lupa could tell you all about me."

I noticed how his Southern accent was flowing loose, and he started to swing at me while he was talking. I quickly blocked, and we were at odds, parrying for a minor win.

"Very good, Sunrider," he said approvingly as he dug in a little more. "Nice to know that you aren't a dunce."

"Who, me?" I asked with innocence as I won the parry, and tried to slash at him some more, and he blocked my every move.

"You're going to have to try a little harder than that," he said with a smirk. In a moment of my slight distraction, he disarmed me, and his cavalry sword pointed at my chest. I wasn't finished yet. I ducked and drew my dagger. I had to fight this out cleverly since I had less reach.

I made quick, well-timed strikes, and his sword clattered to the ground. I stepped up, and unfortunately had to step on tip-toe in order to hold the dagger to his neck.

"I win," I decided with a smirk.

He smirked back, and I took away my blade, tucked it into my waistband, and picked up my broadsword as he retrieved his cavalry sword.

"Very good, Mara, this should be interesting," he said. "Let's go again."

I'm tired, but at least I'm doing something, unlike the person we're protecting.

06/06

They arrived. The recruits are Nico Di Angelo, Will, Michael Kahale, Frank Zhang, Hazel Levesque, Clarisse LaRue, Chris Rodriguez, and Malcolm Hammond. Patton and I greeted them when the van pulled up at the training site.

"Is he a demigod?" Nico asked.

"No, this is my boyfriend," I said slowly. "He's got the clear sight."

There were uneasy glances and whispers rippling through the ranks. Clarisse stepped forwards.

"So Pretty Boy here's going to be able to help us fight?" She asked.

"I'm just as competent as you," Patton replied, not looking the least bit terrified by Clarisse. I know I was at first.

"We'll see," she said. "We'll see."

Training went well today. Apparently Jacob, Edward, and Bella came up with some crazy plan. Oh well, I don't care. Jasper focused on us. He set us a partner with the werewolves or something like that, although he gave Frank and Patton targets to practice hitting.

I had Jasper again, Clarisse went up against Emmett, Nico battled Edward and won, Hazel fought with Rosalie, Chris went up against Paul, Malcolm took Jacob down, and Michael was paired with Leah.

When he heard he was supposed to fight her, the first thing he did was smile at her small gray wolf form, and bow.

"Ladies first."

She'd given a sort of friendly bark, and attacked with much less aggression than she had when she was up against Esme yesterday. When she was done, she came over to me, and I handed her her clothes, and she went behind the bushes. When she strode out, she walked to give Michael a handshake. His jaw dropped at her fabulousness.

She smiled with shyness, and a bit of both fear and excitement in her eyes.

"I'm Leah Clearwater," she told him. "The she-wolf."

"It's a shame I hadn't seen you in human form first," he said. "Gods, you're gorgeous. I could look at you all day."

For the first time I heard her giggle. That's right, Leah, giggling! I'm really happy for her.

"Maybe when this is over we could go to Bella Italia for dinner?" Michael asked.

Then it ended. The mask that she always wore slipped over her face, and she walked away. Michael stared after her, disappointed.

"It's gonna take some time," I told him. "Ever hear of imprinting?"

"Oh gods," he groaned, and he facepalmed. "Mother, what did you do?"

"I can't tell you her business, but she screwed up Leah's life," I admitted. "But I bet if you kept it up, Michael. . ."

"I doubt she's interested," he interrupted coldly.

"That's the first time I've ever heard her giggle," I informed him. "I think you definitely got her attention. She's just a little bit of work, that's all."

"A little bit of work is worth a goddess like that," he said breathlessly. He looked back at me. "Thanks, Sunrider. You might be a Greek, but sometimes you do have good advice."

I shrugged. "I'm here all week, Kahale."

I really hope that Leah lets him in. They would be so cute together. We're camping out, waiting for the battle to begin.

06/07

We were the ones that led the charge. The sea of red-eyed bloodsuckers advanced, and we went in on it. I came in, dual-wielding. They weren't much of a match against weapons they'd never experienced before. Victoria obviously hadn't expected demigods.

Clarisse, Michael, and Nico were practically dancing through their enemies. Frank and Patton fired at them atop from rocks and I was battling two at once. I dissolved two at once, and was finding myself getting surrounded. The Cullens lit matches, and they and the werewolves began to join the fray.

I sliced the arm off of one and threw it into the fire. The newborn boy howled in pain. For a moment, I felt bad about what I was about to do. He was human once. Then he tried to lunge for me, and I had no choice but to judo-flip him into flames. I stared at them, filled with remorse what I'd done.

I heard a scream, and I whipped around to see Malcolm with a vampire attached to his neck. I ran to him, and cut the vampire's head off, tossed it into the fire, and disposed of the rest of the body. He was still screaming his head off, so I grabbed his arm, slung it around my neck, and dragged him to the medical tent, where Will was.

"What happened?" Will asked.

"He got bitten," I said.

For the first time, I heard Will curse and I set Malcolm down.

"I can't do anything for him," Will apologized. "We've got no choice-Malcolm's going to become a vampire."

"I'm sorry, if I'd been faster-"

"There's nothing we could've done," he interrupted. "All you can do now is make sure that it isn't too late for someone else."

At that moment, I'd heard Edward growl, and I feared that Bella was in danger. I had to get to her in time. My heart thundered in my ears and slammed against my chest as I sprinted past Patton and Frank up the rocks, and I leapt to the campsite where Seth was fighting one vampire, and Edward was battling Victoria with Bella just standing there.

Bella stared at them, and she grabbed a rock and cut her arm. Everyone froze, and I acted. Light burst from me, making the vampires sparkle intensely as I ran and leapt for Victoria. My touch was like fire and sunlight, and the pure light that was an aura around me enveloped Victoria, making her scream in agony as she died. I then helped Seth finish off the other vampire.

I started to calm down, and got a glimpse of my hair. It was glowing a golden color, like in Tangled. I turned to see Edward waltzing towards Bella. I ran to defend her, and held my sword and dagger up.

"You're not going to hurt her, bloodsucker," I sneered.

"I don't want to," he said in that calm voice I hated so much. I turned to Bella, and took her arm on instinct, and touched the glowing strands to the wound. I focused on healing it despite the pain in my own arm from it, and it healed up quickly.

Instead of thanking me, she hugged Edward and assured him that she loved him. I ran down to the clearing, where they were rushing Jacob off to Will's tent, and I saw a girl with red eyes who Jasper had a firm hold on.

"I want her," she said. "I want her."

"You've got to learn to control it," Jasper said gently, and he sent a wave of calm through her.

"Carlisle," Alice said warningly.

Suddenly, people in black cloaks came, led by a devilish little girl.

"I see that there has been a skirmish," she said.

"Yes, we have ended the problem with Seattle," Carlisle said.

"Good. And who is this?" She asked, talking to the red-eyed girl.

"Bree Tanner. She willingly surrendered," Jasper explained.

"Interesting," the girl said. Her eyes stopped on Bella. "A human, I see."

"The date has been set," Edward informed her.

"What?" I burst out. She was going to become a vampire? When?

Her eyes froze upon me.

"Who is this?" She demanded in an icy voice. Then she stared at me, and an intense pain came over me. I fell to the ground screaming. I writhed on the snow-covered mountain, and screamed for it to just end, for it to end.

"Stop!" I heard Jasper say, and I could see again. I could see in the background that they were restraining Patton in the door of the tent. I got to my feet and my body ached.

"My name is Mara Sunrider," I said breathlessly as my shaky hands held up my broadsword. "I'm a daughter of Apollo."

"A demigod? Impossible! Tell me the truth!" She snapped, and it started all over again. I was screaming, and I didn't care about anything or anyone other than it ending. It didn't even help to scream, but it was still better than suffering in silence.

It abruptly stopped, and I saw Patton writhing in front of me. It was horrible, hearing him scream like that. I had had it, and the glow took over, and I stretched the light out to surround but not touch Jane. It scared her enough that she stopped. I let the glow retreat, and I took Patton, who was shivering violently into my arms.

"You're going to be okay," I murmured. "You're going to be okay."

He just took shuddering breaths, unable to open his eyes as he leaned into my touch.

I glared up at the sadistic girl. "You touch him again and I'll end you."

She nodded in fear, and she turned to the red-eyed girl. "This one will have to go. She has broken our laws."

"We could teach her!" Jasper protested. "Please, Jane, let us-"

She put him in enough pain that he let out a yelp and let Bree go. Her two Volturi guards took her, and they killed her. After that, they left.

"You saved me," I said to Patton afterwards.

"Least. . . I could do. . . For you, Sunshine," he managed to spill out. I tried to do a sort of morphine-type effect I'd seen Will do and I had a little experience doing.

"Think you can stand now?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said and he opened his eyes. I helped him up, and I looked to Bella. It was Jasper who had begged Jane to stop, not my own sister. Bella didn't even look phased. I just shook my head at her, realizing that I was crying already, and walked towards the tent.

"What happened to Jacob?" I managed to sniffle out.

"Leah was doing fine, but Jacob had to show off," Patton explained. I rolled my eyes.

"What an idiot. How's Malcolm doing?" I asked.

"Haven't checked on him," he admitted. "I've been a bit occupied with you, Sunshine."

"Thank you, by the way," I said.

"What else am I supposed to do?" He asked, trying to get back to teasing but still looking miserable.

We walked in to see the pack glaring at Leah. She just sighed, arms folded over her chest while Will worked on Jacob.

Michael Kahale walked over to her.

"You're a great fighter," he told her.

"I'm glad you think so," she said with an instantaneous smile that emerged when he came in her line of vision. "Unfortunately the boys-only club doesn't agree."

"They can get over themselves," he said and he reached over to playfully tug at her ebony hair. "Why don't we ditch these guys and I'll buy you whatever froofy latte you want?"

"Sounds a lot more fun than staying here," she said, smiling wider. "Later, Mars."

She and Michael walked off, and I grinned. The happiness was interrupted by the cries of Malcolm.

The son of Athena was crying and moaning.

"Please, take it all away," he moaned. "Just end it, please?"

I looked over to the others.

"What are we going to do when he becomes a vampire?" I asked in a low voice.

"We think we'll teach him the 'vegetarian diet'," Frank said.

"I've got a better idea," Nico said. "Why not monster blood?"

"Good idea!" Went around.

I confronted Bella after the fight.

"You're so worried about Jacob, but you never bothered to ask me if I was fine!" I hissed as soon as I slammed the bedroom door shut.

"I knew you'd be fine when Jane stopped," she said without an ounce of emotion on her face.

"Jasper was begging her to stop, not you!" I said, and tears started to go down my face. "Not my own sister!"

"You aren't going to see me anymore, so I figured I'd distance myself from you," she said.

I shook my head, crying harder. "You don't get it, do you? I'm tied to you Bella, I feel your pain physically. Not once have you ever thanked me for saving your life in Phoenix, or fighting for you! I thought you might've been hurt during the fight, and I ran to make sure that you were okay, and you don't even care when I get hurt, and won't bother to tell me when you're turning vampire! I'll have to feel your transformation, Bella!"

She just stared at me blankly.

"Thanks for nothing, sister," I spat. The walls were too small. I had escape, had to leave. I twisted open the door and ran, ran for everything I had. Now I'm in a dark hollow. I just can't be in the same room as her anymore.