Chapter 21 – CHEATER

"Arg!" I yelled, slamming my book closed. "What the hell was I thinking? I can't do this."

"Yes, you can Jake." Jackie put her hand on my shoulder to try and encourage me.

We were sitting next to each other on the floor in her room. "There is a reason you are not suppose to take Calculus and Algebra at the same time. I swear my brain is going to explode."

I usually did most of my studying with Bella, but she was horrible at math and therefore I usually walked away feeling more confused then when I started. I used to think of myself as being pretty good with numbers, but going back and forth between the two subjects was almost more than my brain could handle.

"Let's just take a break for minute. We can go to the kitchen and get something to eat, it always seems to make you feel better."

I knew that I couldn't argue with that, she knew me too well. I have been at Jackie's house for the past two hours trying to get ready for the two tests that I had tomorrow. We walked out of her room and went down stairs to the kitchen, there were several large solid wood cabinets, brown and black granite counter tops, and stainless steal appliances. It was crazy how large and spacious it was for a kitchen that was hardly used. Jackie found a couple bags of popcorn and put one, and then the other, in the microwave. We sat at the kitchen table, and I ate one bag and half the other before Jackie's mom came in.

"Hello, Jake and Jackie. How is the studying going?" She called, as she sat a large brown paper sack on the counter.

"Fine, we're just taking a break."

"Do you have anything else that needs to be carried in?" I asked.

"No thanks. I just got some fruit from the market and few other things." She stood at the sink and washed several apples placing them in a bowl on the counter. After she dried them, then she carried the bowl and placed it on the table. "Help yourself."

"Thank you." Jackie and I both said, as we reached to take an apple.

"Jackie, don't forget that you have the whole resort to clean up in two days, and I won't be here to help."

"Arg!" Jackie moaned. "Do you have to go?"

"You know I do sweetheart. Every year we go to the National Camping Association, it helps us with marketing and for us to be respected in the camping community. Normally we just close the resort for a week and go, it is during the off season so it is not a big deal. But this year a huge corporate office is renting out the whole resort for a planning retreat and it happens to be at the same time."

"Why doesn't Chad go instead of you."

"Because I handle the business side, I always have. We have this argument every time I leave and I'm sick of it."

The conversation was getting sort of heated and therefore awkward to be sitting here trying to pretend like I wasn't listening. It was really rare for Jackie and her mom to fight with one another, but I didn't really have a reference point for mother-daughter relationships to know what was normal or not. However I was relieved when Jackie grabbed my arm and angrily told her mom that we would be in her room. I kept my mouth shut and we studied for another hour before I went home.

Both tests turned out to be much easier than I had thought and my only real concern was making sure that I didn't kill myself coming back from Port Angles. One of the worst storms I have ever seen has started. It would have been crazy for any other normal person to be on a motorcycle in freezing rain that quickly turned to hail, it felt like I was being pelted with golf balls. My dad wanted me to come straight home and Bella made me promise to call her the moment I got there.

When I got home my pants and jacket were frozen to my body, which quickly started thawing, once I stepped inside the front door.

"My God, it is crazy out there." I told Dad as I kicked off my boots and shook the water from my hair as I started to head towards my room to change clothes.

"Well I am glad that you are home. I haven't worried about your safety in a long time, I was about to loose my mind." Dad said as he followed me down the hall.

"I don't blame you, it was intense." I pealed the wet clothes from my body and chose some sweat pants and a t-shirt.

"We are having Frito Pie for dinner tonight, it will be ready in a few." He said as he backed out of my room and headed towards the kitchen. I followed behind him, grabbed the cordless phone, and sat in the living room to call Bella.

On the second ring Bella answer. "Hello?"

"Hey, Bells."

"Oh Jake, I am so glad you called. My dad says that people are loosing power like crazy, he will probably be called out. If he does he wants to take me to your house so I am not here by myself if we loose power."

"Alright, sounds fine."

"Is it really as terrible as they are predicting?"

"I think so, based on my ride home it was pretty terrible. It didn't help that my wolf could tell as well, there was not an animal in sight. That scares the hell out of me."

I heard her tell Charlie that it was me she was talking to and he seemed relieved as well that I had gotten home safely. Dad rolled in with a large bowl with hot chili, Frito chips and cheese and sat it on the end table next to me, then he turned on the TV so that we could stay well informed. I ate my dinner and continued to chat with Bella, until Charlie wanted to talk to Dad so I passed him the phone. Charlie felt pretty certain that he was going to be called in, most likely from someone being stupid and trying to drive out in the storm, so he wanted everything worked out on our side for Bella to come here when it did. I thought he should just bring her now, but he didn't want to leave the house unless he had to. As they chatted, I found myself getting sleepy and I dozed off on the couch.

I woke up with the front door bursting open and then quickly slamming shut, which caused me to spring off the couch in the confusion. The room was completely dark, it seems that we had lost power, however I could still see pretty well even in the dark. Over by the door I saw a person curled in a ball on the floor, her long hair was covering her face, and she was breathing heavily.

"Jackie?" I wasn't exactly sure how I knew it was her, I just did.

"Don't . . ." she whispered softly.

"What's going on?" She shook her head and her whole body was trembling. I came closer so that I sat right next to her. I brought my hand out and brushed her hair out of her face, as my stomach hit the floor. She had bruises all over her face one eye looked like it was swollen shut, she had several deep scratches on her cheek, and her top lip and chin was equally as swollen. "Oh My God!"

"Don't look at me." She tried to hide her face behind her hair and when she moved her hand I saw bruises in the shape of fingers around her wrist. I reached out for her hand and she allowed me to hold it. I didn't know what to say, I didn't need to ask what had happened, I knew. Suddenly everything was falling into place, the way that her step dad would yell at her, how Jackie never wanted to be near him, and the way he would look at me like I was a threat to someone he thought of as his.

I looked at her body, she was wearing a large t-shirt, her feet were bare and her legs were up against her chest under her shirt, at the shoulder one of the sleeves was completely torn open and I could see additional bruises where his hands had covered her shoulder and most likely her breast.

"What can I do?" I finally asked.

"Nothing."

"Please, there has to be something." I begged.

"Hold me." Her voice was hoarse, and cracked.

I scooted closer to her on the floor and wrapped my arms around to her back and gently pulled her to my chest. She was still curled up and she rested her head against my shoulder. I don't really know how long we sat there on the floor, but neither of us moved other than my hands lightly rubbing her back. I was scared to really touch her, either from the bruises that covered her or the memory of someone much more violent touching her.

Jackie took a deep breath and sat up, straightening her legs that were also bare. We just looked at each other, it was clear that he had pretty much beaten the crap out of her, but I couldn't help wonder what other torture she had been through. I took a deep breathe and cleared my throat to ask her a question I really didn't want to ask.

"Jackie, did he . . . did he rape you?" I asked slowly.

She nodded her head as she looked down on the floor. "He has for years," she whispered softly.

"Oh, Jackie." I could barely speak, I felt so sick to my stomach. "Why haven't you said something, to your mom, or to me?"

She shrugged and then winced. "I didn't know what to say. He hasn't ever hit me before, but he was drunk and I didn't want to do it again . . . He figured that with mom gone and the storm there wouldn't be anywhere for me to go. . ." She looked up at me, so scared, " . . . but I fought back and he got so angry, I thought he was going to kill me."

That bastard. I wanted to beat him until an inch of his life, and then beat him some more. I clinched my hand into a fist and realized it was shaking. I couldn't think like this or I knew I was going to scare her. I took a deep breath to calm myself, then reached for her hand again and held it. "I don't know what to say, but I'm glad you're here."

"Me too. Sorry to crash in on you."

I laughed humorlessly. "You have nothing to apologize for. However, how did you get here?"

"I ran."

My jaw dropped and I looked at her bare legs and feet. "You must be freezing!" I tucked myself tightly around her and for the first time touched her legs, they were like ice. She melted into my heat and I ran my hands over her trying to get her as warm as possible. I had never felt anyone so cold and I wondered if my skin felt good or burned being so hot. Once again we sat there for a long time and I could feel her start to get really warm from from my body heat.

"Jake, you feel so good."

"Good, I'm glad. Come on, lets get you off the floor. I'm sure I have got some dry clothes that you can wear."

I stood up and helped her to her feet, it seemed that every step was painful and I couldn't imagine how she had been able to run here in the middle of an ice storm. We made it to my room and I helped her to sit on the bed, and I found some socks, sweat pants, and a sweatshirt for her.

I bent in front of her and put the socks on her feet. "Are you okay with me being in here?" I asked, as she put her legs in the pants and I helped her to stand so that she could pull them up. "I can leave while you change."

"Actually . . . uh . . . can you help me?"

"Yeah."

Her body was still stiff and sore, so I helped her out of her torn shirt and into my sweatshirt. She turned her back to me, as I gently lifted the shirt over her head and I could see her bare back before I put my shirt over her head. She put her arms through the sleeves and pulled the shirt down covering herself up. There wasn't anything sexual at all in seeing her, she really was my friend and nothing more.

I was about to try and figure out where to sleep tonight when I heard Sam's howl. Of course she would come back in the middle of the worst storm we have had in years.

"Why don't you lie down and get some sleep?" I said to Jackie.

"What about you? I can share if that isn't too weird."

"No, I think you need your space. Don't worry about me. I need to step out for a little bit so I won't be sleeping anyways."

"Thank you, Jake." She took my hand and kissed it.

"Anytime." I pulled my sheet over her. "Let me get you an actual blanket." I got one out of the hall closet and came back and draped it over her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, I ran my finger lightly down her bruised cheek, and I was furious that someone could hurt her like this. I was about to be phasing anyway so I didn't care if I shook. "You're safe, I promise." I whispered and kissed her hair.

I had four legs under me and I was running as fast as I could kicking snow behind me, the perfume of leech was laced throughout the air. It had taken me a little longer than I would have wanted to get Jackie settled and feeling safe and secure.

mnm

Where the hell have you been Jacob? Sam yelled.

I knew I was in some serious crap for being late, but the image of Jackie in my home came through my mind.

Oh My God! Embry screamed. I swear, I'm going to kill him! In the back of his mind, he also wondered why she came to me instead of him.

I know, it's horrible. I'm sorry Em. I think it was just too personal and maybe embarrassing for her to come to you. She needed her friend and not her boyfriend.

Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Embry acknowledged.

What is going on? I stated trying to redirect them away from myself.

The red head is back. Jared said.

And that smell that was in Bella's house. Quil added.

He was right, there was certainly a mixture of both scents throughout the air.

What about Bella? Is someone with her?

Alice and Jasper were already there and I called Carlisle he is gathering the rest of the family and will be outside her house until this is over. Seth and Leah are over there as well, so that we can stay in better communication. Sam answered.

Alright. I quickly caught up to everyone else and I was completely focused on the task before us.

Let's all stick together, I'm not really sure what it means for the red head and the new one to be together. So everyone pay attention. Sam ordered.

Our eyes searched through the trees, but we couldn't see much with the wind kicking up the snow and swirling it around, so we allowed our nose to lead our feet. Sam was in the lead with Jared on his flank. The rest of us followed their lead as we raced through the trees like one massive bullet flying through the air.

I hated that we were so near the resort, even though it was the middle of the night it made me feel vulnerable and exposed. We made sure to pass by each of the small cabins. The leech's smell was all throughout them, thankfully there weren't any people around. That reminded me of the group that was suppose to be at the resort, them canceling was probably what led Jackie's step dad to getting so drunk.

As we approached Jackie's house the stench of bloodsucker seemed to get more concentrated. We could tell that they have circled around the house many times. The road circled around their home giving them easy access to any area of the resort easily. We listened carefully and heard nothing at all.

We followed the scent just past the A-frame rental houses, and we were heading towards the RV Park when their scent went just past the road that led towards the beach.

Jared can you see them? Embry asked.

I smell blood, I added. A heavy rusty scent filled the air.

I can see them. Sam stated.

She was crotched on the ground in a protective position as another was bent over the body of a man, about three yards away.

Sam, what do we do with two of them? Paul asked.

We just have to watch our backs more carefully. We still easily out number them. Paul and Jacob stay together and Embry and Jared do the same. Quil and I'll help whoever needs it. Sam instructed.

We all stayed together for the moment as we slowly approached the pair in front of us. It didn't take long before the female caught our scent and knew we were near. The other was fully distracted with its kill. Paul and I were closer to that one and thought we would try and take advantage of the obsession that the blood lust naturally caused.

We both leaped closer, but the female yelled at the other and he immediately dropped his meal, the man's head slumped to the ground and I looked into the dead face of Jackie's step dad. I knew that I should feel bad at the loss of life, but truthfully I fully believed that he got what he deserved. I just hoped that he was sober enough to experience the fear of what had ended his life.

Kind of ironic that Jackie getting the crap beat out of her probably saved her life. Jared said.

I shuddered. Yeah, you're probably right. I acknowledged.

The leech looked up with blood pouring down his chin and his eyes were as bright as rubies compared to his young pale face. He was clearly terrified as his eyes took in all six of us and he began to scream.

"Shut up, you idiot." She hissed at him.

"I'm sorry." He cried as he cowered behind her.

"I told you I would always keep you safe." She reached out and brushed her fingers through his blonde hair, it seemed to be such a loving tender gesture. "You're too important to let a bunch of mutts get in the way." Her hand rested on his chin cupping his check with her fingers. He looked into her eyes with such devotion, like he trusted her with his life.

That is so disgusting, Paul said

No joke, I think I'm going to puke. I agreed.

Where do you think her little rug rat came from? Quil asked.

Maybe she made him. Embry suggested.

Probably. Sam agreed. Paul, Jared and Jacob keep your eyes on the pair of leeches and do not let them get any closer. They will probably run for the ocean.

Together the pack all growled fiercely and the sound echoed all around us.

"Run!" The red head screamed. The young blonde leech reached out and grabbed the body in front of him, and like Sam predicted they headed straight for the ocean. We chased after them, but knew our efforts would be worthless with the water so close.

mnm

Afterwards I went back home, really irritated that we weren't any closer to ending this. At least we knew that Victoria had sent the one that had been in Bella's room, but that didn't really help. As I stepped into my own back yard I could see the sky start to awaken to the new day. I was exhausted and just wanted to shower and sleep. Once inside I went straight to the shower and was able to relax under the hot water pressure and washed my tired body. I stepped out of the shower, dried myself off, and then realized that I forgot to bring new clothes with me.

I just wasn't used to having another person, besides Dad, in my house and most the time I would just leave the bathroom completely naked to my room for clothes. Instead I wrapped the towel around myself and walked to my room. With the morning light coming from the window, it broke my heart to see Jackie so swollen and bruised.

She whimpered and I could hear her moaning, so I walked over and knelt down beside her head. In her sleep I could really see her body trembling, representing the fear that she has been living with for the past several years. I hadn't even realized that I had put my hand on her shoulder until she interlaced her fingers with mine as she rolled over to her side, her hair falling over her face.

I heard the front door open and I assumed it was Embry, he was going to go to his house, clean up, and then head over here. It was Bella gasping that proved me wrong.

I looked up and Bella looked shocked and tortured, her mouth was open, and she was barely breathing. "You did it, didn't you."

"Did what?" I slipped my hand from Jackie's and laid hers gently back on the bed.

"You imprinted." She bit down on her bottom lip and her eyes filled with tears.

"What? No, this is Jackie."

I thought that was supposed to make it better, but instead Bella looked furious. "I can't believe you!" She screamed, and ran out of the room, slamming the front door behind her.

Jackie awoke disoriented and moaned when she tried to move. "Don't move." I told her. "I'll be back."

I stood up and then remembered that I was still in only my towel from showering. In my mind I thought about what it must have looked like to Bella, for me to be practically naked with Jackie in my bed. I ran out of the room and chased after her. I found her in the garage and she was pushing her motorcycle out.

"Bella, please let me explain."

"Jacob, there is nothing more to say. You cheated on me, with Jackie of all people. At least if it had been some random imprint you can fall behind that lame ass excuse, but this . . ." She kick started the engine and the sound drowned out my explanation as she road away.