A/N: This one is a little more Jacob and Nessie. Also, a little more of the mysterious villains will be revealed in this chapter as well as a new twist. Enjoy and of course please review!!! Feedback is necessary to my creative process and makes me desperate to write more so review...review...review. Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me and given me feedback thus far. You guys rock!!! and I totally love you KnightPrincess13 so come on and update your story. All Leah fans should read her story "you just don't know it" It's fabulous.
Chapter 21 – The Calm Before the Storm
The whole world seemed to be settled tonight. Renesmee couldn't have known how right she was as she lay in Jacob's strong arms. Contentment was too mild a word to describe how she was feeling. She had just had one of the most potent experiences of her life and wanted to relish each separate sensation. The heat radiating from his skin, the way his arms felt around her and the simple sound of his steady heartbeat. Jacob laid his lips lightly on her forehead and felt her lips curve against his throat. Out of the corner of her eye, Renesmee saw the flicker of firelight playing on the ring Jacob had given her. Generations of women had worn this particular ring and now that it was on her finger she could see quick little images of the women who had worn it. She lifted her hand to watch it sparkle in the blaze of firelight.
"Do you like it?" Jacob asked nuzzling his head into her neck. Now he understood what his pack brothers had been going on about. Making love to her had been the most perfect moment of his life and for the first time in a long time Jacob felt whole; as if the piece of him that had always been missing had fallen back into place.
"It's beautiful" she replied smiling up at him. Her eyes were radiant; glowing like amber in the flickering light. "How did you know it would fit?"
"I didn't" Jacob laced his fingers with hers bringing her hand to his lips. "It belongs there" he stated simply. Renesmee looked up into Jacob's heavy lidded eyes.
"What was she like? Your mother" she asked absently, her face drawn in concentration as she turned the ring to catch the light.
"I don't remember a whole lot" Jacob answered twirling a loose ringlet around his finger.
"She was beautiful" Renesmee stated her brows drawn, her lips set together. "She loved you and your sisters, your father. You were her whole world" Her voice was whispery, tearful.
"You can tell all of that from one little piece of metal?" Jacob chuckled in an attempt to lighten Renesmee's sudden melancholy.
"It isn't just a piece of metal" Renesmee replied heatedly and lifted herself up on her elbows "This ring has witnessed so much love, lives full with happiness and peace but it has also seen great loss and despair. I wonder what it will see for us"
"I can get you another ring, Ness. I should have known that it would do this to you. Kind of silly of me" Jacob wondered why he hadn't thought about it before. He should have known that she would be able to look into the pasts of those who had worn it before. "You don't have to wear it" he said and lifted his hand to slip it off her finger.
"No" Renesmee said quietly and looked straight into his piercing eyes. "It's a symbol, Jacob. That's what I'm trying to tell you. People live, they love, they experience immense joys and they suffer great tragedies but they never stop going forward. This is our time to move forward; to weather whatever storm fate decides to throw at us. It's a reminder that no matter what life will go on"
"I love you Renesmee Cullen" Jacob whispered and leaned in for a quick kiss.
"Renesmee Black" She corrected "I know we aren't technically married but when we do make it final I want to take your name" The way her name sounded with his attached to it was music to Jacob's ears. Only a few hours ago he'd thought he would never smile again but now, that his life was over but now he was simply beaming. The woman he loved was lying in his arms as stunningly beautiful as always and ready to face whatever would come.
"So why don't we make it final? Tomorrow or...well I guess it's today now" Renesmee's face lit up with a smile that matched his. She grinned up at him her eyes glimmering in the firelight. Suddenly her brows furrowed and her lips fell into a cute little pout.
"Alice would kill me and besides how are you going to pull off a wedding in just a few hours?" Renesmee looked slightly confused.
"I've got connections" he said teasingly. "Actually my dad can marry us. He's the chief of our clan so he can perform a traditional Quiluete ceremony if you're okay with that. We don't need anything fancy. We can do it right here on the beach"
"That sounds perfect. I don't want everyone here; just us and our nearest and dearest. I've already been through the wedding fiasco once and it's not for me let me tell you" Renesmee smiled and took his chin in her hand "I wouldn't care if I married you in a burlap sack in the middle of a garbage dump. I just want to be yours forever"
"You already are" Jacob whispered and leaned in to close the distance between them.
"Show me" Renesmee replied quietly and pressed her body against his in invitation. Jacob's hand moved up over her smooth, porcelain skin to rest behind her head. Gently he laid her back against the pillow and finally mated his lips with hers. Her moan echoed in Jacob's head like a song as he slipped inside her once more. They rose and fell together as the dawn began to break.
It had been a long night. With a wedding gone south, a runaway bride and Kalika on the missing list Samara wondered if things could possibly get worse. It seemed they were all caught in a downward spiral and it was only a matter of time before they smashed bottom. As she lay in her bed Samara conjured up the image of Renesmee's face the instant she'd made her choice. It had been obvious to Samara the first day she'd spent with Renesmee and Jacob that they were madly in love with one another. The way he stared at her when he knew she wasn't looking, the way her face always lit up in his presence made it very plain to see. Now even Kalika had seemingly found somebody to love and it was only a matter of time before her sister gave in to the pull that was drawing her and Talan together or maybe she already had. Samara hoped they had found each other last night. As much as Kalika resisted it was clear that she cared for him in a way she had cared for no other. Samara could only hope that kind of love would someday find her. Until then she had decided much to her sister's disapproval to wait for the right man before she gave her heart. She had never even been on a date before and Samara wondered if it might be time to change that. How could she find love if she was constantly hiding from it? Kalika had tried that and look where it had gotten her. Samara got up slowly; sitting up to let her long legs dangle over the side of the bed. She straightened the yellow tank top she wore over flowery shorts and pulled a hand through her short, dark hair. With a sigh she stood and walked to the huge window looking out over the lawn where Phoenix and her father were sparring. Seth was there too roaring as he dropped Edward to the ground while lovely, white furred Leah took Bella on. Training had started early this morning but where was Talan? Where was Jasper? They never missed a chance to hone their battle skills. The others had probably left Talan alone for today but it was completely unprecedented for Jasper to forego training unless...Samara's thoughts trailed off as she remembered the vampire chained to a wall in the basement. It had become Jasper's mission to get information out of him but the vampire never said a word. Not when they'd starved him, taunted him with food nor did he speak when Jasper had resorted to trying to beat the information out of him. Samara shuddered to think what his next move might be. A knock sounded and the door to her room opened quietly behind her. Samara turned, fully expecting to see Kalika standing behind her but was surprised when she saw it was just Alice.
"I thought you might be Kalika but she never knocks" Samara said smiling brightly. Alice shuffled her feet and nestled her hands into the pockets of her stylish grey dress. How she made a simple, cotton dress look like it belonged on a runway Samara would never know.
"Kalika is downstairs with Talan. They're going through the police reports you compiled; the missing girls" Alice explained finally putting Samara's mind at ease about her twin. From the look on Alice's face it was obvious that there was something on her mind.
"Have they found a link? Do they need my help?" Samara questioned already striding toward the door. Kalika could barely find her own shoes half the time and Talan wasn't exactly the most scientific of thinkers; her help was definitely needed. Alice lifted a hand and stopped Samara mid stride.
"It's not that Sammy" Alice murmured quietly. Samara felt the ground begin to cave in around her. Her worst fear was coming true. Jasper had wanted to use her abilities with the captured vampire since day one but ultimately the family had decided against it; unless it became necessary. From the look on Alice's face that time had come.
"Jasper sent you didn't he?" Samara asked in futility. Maybe, it was something else. Please let it be something else she thought.
"You know we wouldn't put you through this if we didn't have to honey but Jasper hasn't had any success. We've kept him here long enough. It's time we got the information we need and you're the only one who can get it for us" Alice's eyes were glistening; her expression full of sympathy.
"Why can't Edward just read his mind?" Samara questioned. If there was a way out of this task she was determined to find it.
"Edward tried but the captive is fighting it. We don't know how he knows but it seems as if he's been warned about our abilities. Apparently he starts singing show tunes in his head whenever Edward is around" Alice said fighting back a grin. Edward detested show tunes. Alice took Samara's hand trying to soothe the jitters she knew Samara must be feeling.
"I know how difficult it can be to get inside someone's mind. Edward does too. If it helps I know you will be the one to crack him. I've seen it" Alice opened her arms to give Samara a bolstering hug. She had envisioned that their soft hearted Samara would be the one to get the information they desperately needed, especially now. Renesmee leaving to be with Jacob had forced them to go back to the drawing board and the battle would undoubtedly still be upon them come December. When Samara had dressed and was walking through the door Alice watched her retreat thinking of the horror her niece would soon be facing. A part of her wanted to run after the girl and tell her exactly what would happen so that she could be prepared but Alice knew the pitfalls that might bring. Sometimes it was better for a person to go into a situation blind she just hoped that Samara would be able to live with herself once it was done.
Samara walked straight past a concerned looking Esme and Carlisle catching a glimpse of Esme's sympathetic face as she headed for the door. Jasper was quietly waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs his face more drawn than usual if that was possible.
"You know I would protect you from this if I could." he stated stonily. Samara shrugged her shoulders trying to appear nonchalant when all she really wanted to do was go hide. She felt the waves of tranquility Jasper was sending her trying to penetrate the rising panic and though it helped some Samara knew it would never be enough.
"I know" Samara replied quietly.
"Are you going to be able to do this? Edward wasn't capable of reading its thoughts" Jasper mused tilting his head questioningly.
"Edward reads the thoughts that pass through a being's mind. My power is more deeply rooted. A while back I discovered that I could not only control a person's actions but I could also delve into the depth of the mind to pull out the pieces they hide in their psyche; their deepest desires, the things they want to do. It's a little like astral projection" Samara explained thankful for Jasper's brand of Valium. She was beginning to feel steadier, stronger. "I can make him see anything I want. I just have to pick it out of his head first"
Jasper nodded and put his hand on the doorknob that would lead her into the fray. Her first official duty in support of the war they were facing. Samara was bolstered by reminding herself that there were much worse things coming. If she couldn't face this how would she handle the battles to come?
"I should warn you. It doesn't look pretty. I've been working on it for a while now and I never go easy" Jasper's eyes had gone dark but more than that Samara could see a tiny glimmer of glee behind them, could feel the desires in the depths of his mind. Apparently his militant past would never truly be behind him. He'd actually relished the job he'd been tasked and Samara braced herself for the worst. When Jasper opened the door she swallowed a gasp and discovered she had been right to worry. The captive was a half-vampire like she was probably the same age even. He sat upon a metal chair, his arms bound above his head by heavy shackles, his legs bound in the same manner. His jet black hair fell over his face while his body slumped over in sleep. Deep scars marked his bare chest from Jasper's idea of extracting information. Samara glanced around the room and to her horror she saw a table full of heavily sharpened instruments. She whirled and glared directly into Jasper's pale gold eyes.
"Why didn't you come to me first" she shouted furiously. "You could have saved this poor creature all of...this" Samara gestured empathically towards the broken young man. The fear had been replaced by an anger so strong it drowned out all of her worries.
"We didn't want to involve you. Carlisle and Esme, Bella and Edward, your parents, Alice and I; we decided to leave you all out of it" Jasper replied.
"What are you talking about? Phoenix has been down here enjoying your little games. Even Renesmee tried to extract his memories once" Samara's fury was taking over, consuming her.
"We were trying to keep you out of this. You're a soft hearted soul, Sammy and we didn't want to make you do something that went against your nature" Jasper's voice was full of emotion; a rare thing that only happened amongst those he loved.
"You can't shield me from this Jasper. Nobody can shield us from the things that are coming" It was a bleak statement but it was the situation that they were all knee deep in. Samara sighed deeply and moved closer to the captive. If she was going to overpower his mind she would first have to forge some kind of bond with him. With a heavy heart Samara placed a hand on either side of his head trying to disregard the fact that one of his ears had been bitten off; Phoenix's doing. The contact seemed to jolt him out of his shallow slumber. The man began to hiss shaking his head violently from side to side.
"Stop!" Samara commanded and pushed the suggestion directly into his mind. The vampire quieted instantly and peered up from under his black hair. His eyes were lovely; a quiet shade of violet rimmed in bloody red. The combination was so vibrant it staggered her, nearly broke the tenuous strand of concentration. There was so much pain embedded in them Samara couldn't help but feel sorry for him. She felt worse as she began to delve into his mind. Images that had been long buried in his consciousness surfaced and only made her feel worse for the creature quivering under her hands. He was fighting the intrusion trying desperately to break the hold she had on him. Having none of it Samara lifted his eyes back up to hers and forced the connection.
"Tell me your name?" she demanded. If she was going to do this she would need him to feel secure with her and quickly.
"Ca...Caleb" he stuttered through chapped and shivering lips. Jasper stood nearby still using his ability to try and calm her but now it was more irritating than helpful. Deftly she pushed his suggestions out leaving herself open.
"Caleb. I'm Samara..."
"Don't tell it your name" Jasper snarled behind her but Samara ignored him. Edward quietly entered the room to stand with Jasper. If this worked he should be able to read Samara's thoughts as it was happening.
"I'm Samara" she repeated through clenched teeth "You're safe here" she embedded the suggestion and waited for him to settle. His shivering soon died and he looked up into Samara's face with trusting eyes. She refused to regret the intrusion she was about to pose. Caleb was, after all the enemy. Samara let her own consciousness drift into his linking herself with him. Her body was simply a vessel and when she used this particular ability she was able to fly free from the bounds of flesh. She saw it all as if she were observing from above; all the past memories locked away by time. He was just a baby really when they'd begun to train him and the handful of others standing with him. They called themselves the Brethren and they were vicious, animalistic vampires. Samara instantly saw why Jasper's torture tactics had been ineffective. This poor creature had been subjected to torture almost daily. Caleb's whole miserable life flashed before her eyes. They had deemed him a soldier simply because he was unfortunate enough to be one of the few without special abilities. His existence was simply day after day of vigorous training lorded over by a tall vampire with skin the color of mahogany. The man was relentless and through the haze she discerned a name. Brock; his name was Brock and he was an old, powerful vampire. There was only one bright spot in Caleb's life. Images of a girl with straight reddish hair accented with hot pink curly highlights flickered. This was his solace, the only place he didn't have to fight. She was his mate and her name was Norah. The image Samara was thrust into next was of Caleb and Norah in a dark room. He was watching her with his arms crossed, clearly unhappy with the situation before him. One more vampire stood out from the rest and from her perch above Samara assumed he must be the leader. In Caleb's earlier memories this one's orders never went disobeyed. He was a striking man, beautiful. His blonde hair hung straight to his shoulders gently brushing a face full of angles. He looked almost angelic; like Satan before the fall from grace. Corbin was what they called him and in this scene Corbin was not happy. He was taunting the poor girl, shouting at her to "keep digging" but what was she digging for? Samara flew forward slightly to get a closer look at the memory playing out before her.
"Send the Cullen seer the vision now!" Corbin screamed as Caleb strained to hold himself in place. The woman he loved was being harmed and all he wanted to do was stop it. Samara could feel Caleb's consciousness pushing back. The memory was clearly shaking him out of the calm Samara had imposed upon him. Knowing she had very little time left Samara moved even closer to the scene. This was the information they needed. She just knew it. Norah wept quietly with her eyes closed and her face somehow set in concentration. Her hands clenched and unclenched in her lap and suddenly it dawned on Samara. This was why Alice was having those strange visions. They were using Norah to send false images. Corbin looked up suddenly, his terrifying red eyes locking directly on Samara. He can't see me. Can he? She thought. His eyes burned into hers holding her mesmerized, unable to retreat.
"I can see you Samara Cullen" The mocking sing songy voice broke into her conscious mind. "I know your whole family and all the fascinating things they can do. They'll all die screaming but you Sammy, you will be mine" Samara tried to speak to retaliate but she simply couldn't move. "I'm going to rape you Samara, body and soul" He taunted. Corbin opened his mouth wider than was humanly possible and the scream that erupted was terrible. Sonic waves shot her backward sending her flying out of control. Samara could no longer find the tether that had held her tied to her conscious self. She was floating through astral space and then there was a tearing sensation so acute she thought she might die from the pain. She came to screaming and when her eyes adjusted what she saw in front of her only made her screams louder. Jasper had cut off the head of the boy she'd invaded leaving it dripping in Samara's hands. Horrified, Samara dropped the head with its blank violet stare and heard the sickening, wet crunch it made as it smashed into the concrete floor. She wretched instantly and took off toward the exit. She had to get out of here, get far away from the horror in the basement.
"Sammy, I'm sorry. It was the only way to bring you back" Samara heard Jasper's words and Edward's murmuring voice behind her as she bolted through the door and into the house. Carlisle and Esme rushed forward but Samara ignored them and ran to the back door. She was flying through the misty forest in mere moments finally free from the terror behind her when suddenly something solid collided with her. The trees became swirling blurs in front of her face as she rolled with the object she'd collided with. When her forward momentum stopped and she swung back to her feet she saw that she hadn't hit a boulder or a tree but a huge grey wolf. Samara would know that spotted wolf anywhere; it was Embry. Through the mist of pain she could feel something warm spreading through her but it couldn't touch the despair. She had nowhere left to run now, nothing left in her or so she thought. The wolf peered at her with watchful eyes as she started to cry. The tears flowed slowly down her cheeks in a bloody river. The image of trust in Caleb's violet eyes plagued her; the ringing of Corbin's voice in her ears was a constant drumming. Would she ever get it out of her mind? Embry whined softly before her and ran into the cover of brush. Moments later he was dashing out shirtless, pulling his shorts on as he went. The look of concern etched on his face only made Samara feel worse. "Are you alright, Sam? I'm sorry. I was running and I didn't see you. Are you hurt?" Embry's voice was full of frantic questions. Samara shook her head and turned away to pace towards a group of young oaks.
Great she thought now he thinks it's his fault.