Chapter 25 – When it rains it pours
N – P.O.V.
I lay wide-awake, waiting for the sun to rise and thinking over the past seven days.
After only a week in the Olympic National Forest we are all frustrated with the constant rain, the stress of the situation with Renée, the close quarters, and being in what seems like a high traffic zone for vampires. The bickering has become our new family pass time. Isa has become increasingly withdrawn. She is staying out of our squabbles and not interacting with any of us unless she can't avoid it.
Each night we run a perimeter of the park because Dermott smelled vampire trails our first night here. I know it's useless, but can't say anything. Isa and I are the only ones we know that we are in the Cullen territory, or what was Cullen territory until they left for Alaska the day we arrived. We have counted nine different scents. I'm sure that one of the extras belongs to the male in Seattle. We only have one that is unaccounted for, but again only Isa and I know that.
I hate not telling the rest of the family what we know but I can't come up with a way to tell them without telling them about Isa' powers. She is still refusing to use any powers other than her own and her mother's for the time being. I'm pretty sure she was as scared as I was when she picked up her new powers. Alice's premonitions and Jasper's ability to sense and manipulate emotions overwhelmed her quickly while she had all of her other power 'on.'
When she was pulled into Alice's vision, I honestly thought she was going to pass out or that her mind could not handle everything at once. However, when the vision passed she was fine. She pulled all the powers into her inner shield and shut them down quickly.
She explained to me how the vision took over, and forced her to focus on the vision alone. She said it did not feel the way it looked in Alice's mind. We both think it was because she was concentrating so hard on the three unknown sparks that it forced the vision. She calmly told what she saw from Alice's power and heard from Edward's, but refused to use Zafrina's power to show me.
Alice and Jasper had followed an unknown male vampire from Forks into the city. They allowed him to slip away into his hideaway, pretending they could not find him. Then when they were sure he would overhear them Alice mentioned meeting everyone else in Denali. The unknown vampire was thrilled that he overheard them and was planning to set off that night to pass along what he had found.
I was surprised Isa seemed happy that the Cullen's were not staying in Washington. Before everything that happened at the Grand Canyon she wanted to find a way to meet them while we were here. When I asked her about it she just shrugged and told me we had too much going on without adding anything or anyone else to the mix.
Garrett informed Isa that all of the Cullen's had arrived safely in Alaska and everything seemed fine. The only reason I know about the latest email is because he CC'ed me knowing I was the only one other than her that had any knowledge about the problems the coven was having. I also think that he wanted me to read her heartfelt apology and him telling her that she did nothing wrong. It was clear from his email that he felt she had warned him that he could be in a dangerous situation. He also sent me a text,
"N - Remember she just a kid, a really smart kid but just a kid. She finally saw a way to do some about something that had been bothering her for months; she took it you really can't blame her. - Garrett "
He was right on both counts but I still hate that she hid it from me; it's not like her. I must have underestimated how much the situation with the Cullen's was bothering her.
We were all troubled by the "Renée situation". Of course it hit Isa harder than then rest of us, but refused to speak about "what if's." Renée called from a pay phone our first night here, and spoke briefly with Dermott while us hybrids were sleeping. Their plan was that each night Isa would turn off her phone for Renée to leave a voice mail and would only call Dermott in an emergency. She needed to be fast when giving us information and did not want to risk the distraction of actually speaking with us. Voice mail was Dermott's answer and now each morning we got new a new voicemail. She has not found out much yet but seems to be making progress.
"The newborns are being controlled by lies and death threats. They believe all the typical myths about vampires. The leaders keep us in basements during the day and threaten to toss them out into the sunlight if they get too noisy. He also tracks down anyone who runs and brings their head back to show the others before he burns it. They sent me hunting with Adam, one of the newborns; I was able to get some information from him. They're all from the Calgary area and they started south sixteen days ago. Adam and Warren have no powers but the other two newborns do. When Dean screams it stuns anyone in front of him, if you are behind him you hear him but nothing happens. Adam says it's only last twenty-seconds but is very painful. Sara stays with the leader's mate and can turn invisible. She can't control it, she flashes in and out of sight a lot when the others argue or she gets thirsty. Riley used to watch them when the leaders left but he was sent to spy the coven that kidnapped the leader's friend about six weeks ago. He used to come back to Calgary and check in with the leaders very few days. Adam has not seen him since before they started moving south. From Adams description he didn't sound like a newborn, but I'm not sure. I told the leaders I was abandoned by my maker because I can't drink human blood. They made me watch them feed to prove it. I focused on making a really bad choice and doubled over in discomfort while they fed. They will let me hunt if I take a newborn with me and have them hunt a few human as well. We're in Roswell, New Mexico, tonight. I miss and love you."
During yesterdays she spoke so fast we had to listen to it three times before we caught it all. I hope she more information for us this morning, each day they get a bit longer and more informative.
I hear Isa wake up and almost silently leave the tent. I follow after her. She gives Huilen and Dermott a wave before darting up a nearby tree. Huilen shakes her head sadly then kisses Dermott's cheek before following after Isa. We sit together soundlessly hearing parts of the whispered conversation from above.
"I wish she would open up to one of us," Dermott says softly.
I shrug, "She will when she's ready."
Zora steps out of the tent and rolls her eyes.
"We can't help her, if she won't let us," Zora sates.
Isa drops out of the tree, landing next to Dermott.
"Look, I'm trying alright. Nothing any of you can say will make me feel any better. Nothing, but a voicemail telling us she is on her way will bring me any comfort." She then pulls her phone out dialing her voice mail and putting it on speaker for all of us to hear.
"Last night we only made it about sixty miles before Sara tried to escape. She is now missing her left forearm – the male leader won't give it back to her till she needs it. He didn't kill her because of her power, I think. While the leaders ran after her it gave me a chance to talk with the others. We have no plan but have all agreed to work together to make it out of this somehow. I told them as much of the truth as I could while the others were gone. Love you."
We played it twice before anyone said anything.
"Well, at least she has some help now." Zora says carefully.
"Trust her power," Isa mutters a few times under her breath. "Yeah - as long as they don't turn on her it's a very good thing."
"I also think it's a positive sign that they didn't kill Sara. It could be for her power but it may be because they need the numbers." Dermott says.
"I can't believe the sick-O it keeping her arm. That's so gross," Zora says while shivering at the thought of it.
Isa inhales sharply and dashes into the tent. She comes back out with her music blaring through her headphones and disappears up a tree.
"Try not to highlight the danger that Renée is in. None of us want to think of her being around someone like that and comments like that won't help any of us," Huilen snapped.
A few hours pass before Isa returns. Zora starts to apologize but Isa rolls her eyes and says; "It's not like you didn't say what we were all thinking. I'm fine really."
When Isa says, "I'm fine" we all know she is anything but. Isa' phone rang loudly in the heavy silence that followed her nonchalant comment. She answered quickly with a small frown.
"Hey Manuel, thanks for getting back to me so fast."
"No problem, I read over all the information on the website you sent. I'm not sure what to tell you. I can't believe they put these stories online for the world to see if they are still changing. But they may not even know it's out there, it's not an official Quileute site. If they are real, they're not werewolves they are Nagual."
Everyone was paying close attention to the phone call.
"Yeah, I assumed that. The stories are way too close to reality when they are describing vampires and shifting." Isa said, then waved Zora over to her and pulling up the site for us on Zora's phone.
"I'm going to call the Council and ask some questions. I doubt they will admit anything over the phone but at least I'll give them a heads up that their story is online. At the very least they need to edit the stories to make them less reality based." Manuel huffed.
"Let me know what you find out. I doubt it will be much," Isa tells him.
"Yeah you all be careful, it sounds like they have forgotten they are protectors not just vampire hunters. I email you whatever I find. Stay safe Isa." Manuel says as he ends the call.
"I must say the site you found is rather informative. This is the kind if thing that would bring the Volturi to the area to investigate further." Dermott told us after scrolling through the pages.
"As long as we are long gone before that happens it's not our problem." Zora mumbles.
"They have too many unknown facts to have guessed. Whoever put this up has firsthand knowledge. The reservation is forty miles from here and I'm not sure how far out they come. I just want to know if we are going to come across them," Isa states.
Huilen looks to Dermott and says, "I don't like any of it, even if they have a treaty with some vampires that won't mean anything for us."
"Maybe we should find a new place to wait for Renée there is another land preserve east of Seattle. We would still be close to the airport if we needed it." I say. I hadn't really given any thought to the "Wolves" the Cullen's thought about but clearly Isa had. I wonder if she knows something and is using this as a way out or if this was just her way of giving everyone a heads up. We haven't smelled anything odd on our patrols but I'd rather not find out the hard way. I signal Isa to read me. I'm not sure if she does but she projects a message for me. I smile big when I see her in my mind,
She's standing with her arms crossed and rolling her eyes at me on a sunny beach.
"I don't know anything. I just came across the info and thought better safe than sorry. Edward thought about the increased number of them being a threat. If they can threaten seven vampires they have a treaty with, then they are a threat to us as well."
"I'm all for that; let's pack our stuff and 'hike' out of here. We can stay in a hotel in Port Angeles for the night. We can sleep in a real bed, take a nice hot shower and watch some TV, and then tomorrow we can drive elsewhere. Oh - we need to get our laundry done too." Zora tells us merrily. Isa and Huilen nod in agreement.
"Ok let's pack up our stuff and get moving then."
We make our way into Port Angeles and check into our Hotel. After our showers we head out because Zora wants Ice cream and to check out the shops. Derm and Huilen go off in a different direction from us to "sniff around," so I'm stuck with the girls. Zora drags Isa in shop after shop; I walk further down the block to a bookstore. I'm browsing the books, even though it's not my kind of store, when my phone chimes with a new email.
Nahuel –
I hope you are still in North America. He gave us longitude and latitude coordinates this time. He wants Serena there within the week, so she will be there well before the birth. I'm delaying her flight and giving her as many layovers as I can. If you can go you need to go soon. He dropped her off in the middle of nowhere in a cabin with food and water. She is in the Northwest Territories of Canada, 65.937514, -115.235596. Serena won't leave till tomorrow afternoon, and won't make it there till late the next day. She will be on foot coming in from the west.
Cover your tracks well and Good luck.
Jennifer
Shit, it sounds like a lost cause but I have to try. I can get to Seattle and fly out within two hours if I hurry.
Nate we could use your help!
Isa projects her mind into mine suddenly. She and Zora are standing in front of a shop with two Indian teens talking to Zora. It's what the older one is thinking that has Isa nervous.
They are both covered in Vampire scent. It's not the Cullen's or the other ones we smelled recently. Strange heart beats. They don't smell human. I need to Phase and get the pack up here.
I hurry towards them as fast as I dare. Isa is panicking now that he wants to get the rest of his Pack, and Zora is just enjoying the attention.
Shit here comes another one. I wonder how many they have. What are these things?
"Hey, if we are going to make the movie we better get moving," I say as calmly as I can. I'm trying to give Zora a look that says play along.
"Oh! There you are, come on, let's go everyone will be waiting," Isa chimes in excitedly while pulling on Zora's hand.
Confusion flashes on Zora's face, but she covers it quickly. Glancing at her watch she mumbles "Crap." Then she smiles brightly at the older one and says, "Right, we got go. It was nice meeting you Jake!"
We rush off at a fast human pace, "What was that about Nahuel? What I can't talk to cute guys now?" Zora huffs. I have no clue if she is playing dumb or not.
"Hurry up! We have to meet Manuel and I don't want to miss the start," Isa chats happily. At the mention of Manuel Zora's eyes widen.
"Send a text to them and see if they bought our tickets – they can wait inside." I tell Zora.
The rest of our walk is quiet and quick. The younger Nagual is following us but has fallen back now that we are close to our destination. We rush into the movie theater. I whisper to them that we need to sneak out the back while buying three tickets for a movie that just started. I pull out my phone and text Huilen to meet us back at the entrance to the Olympic Forest with the car and our stuff.
Thankfully it's an old theater with windows in the bathroom and we sneak out immediately. I pull Isa onto my back then we scale the wall to the roof. We silently jump from roof to roof before dropping into an alleyway. We take off at full speed, and are quickly out of the urban area.
"Nahuel, how did you know what they were?" Zora asks.
"I smelled the difference, didn't you? They're both shifters." I did smell them once I was close but I would not have noticed without Isa' telling me.
"No, I wasn't really thinking about it." She mused.
"They watched us in two stores before they approached." Isa told us.
A full minute passes before I hear something running after us. I cock my head to signal Isa to listen. She projects the mind of the younger one following us and he is in Wolf form. I hear the minds of many other wolves as well but they're nowhere near us for the time being. He is gaining on us quickly. In his mind I hear that he has no idea what to do if he catches us. He knows we're not vampires. The other wolves are running at full speed from the reservation and they want answers.
"He's gaining on us. If he confronts us, you two run to Huilen and Dermott." Isa pinches me hard and Zora gasps.
"We're not leaving you!" yells Zora. Isa reminds me that her shield is covering all three of us, but Huilen and Dermott are still out of range.
"I'll be right behind you I just don't want him on your heels. You two get up into the trees now. I'll slow him a bit and you guys keep moving." I feel Isa shift then spring off my back.
"Now Aurora, we don't have time for this! I'm right behind you, just get a head start, and then I'll jump up as well."
She looks torn but leaps into the trees after Isa. I slow down and drift further from our trail. I put about a half mile between my sisters and myself; the young wolf is still on my trail. I focus on the thoughts Isa' projecting, she has Edwards power picking up everyone now, humans and wolves alike. Hearing so many thoughts at once was a bit overwhelming; I don't notice the new thoughts until I hear Isa' mind scream at me.
"Peters tracking me and ready to attack. He thinks we are the reason the Cullen's are gone!"
E- P.O.V.
Garrett seems like a friendly enough guy, but he is hiding something. When we first reached Denali he was happy to talk with Carlisle for hours about anything and everything. The only time he hid his mind was when Carlisle asked why he changed his diet. I got a quick flash of the forest, the sound of a heart, it beats once, and then it was gone. He focused on the words he was saying and nothing more. He pushed the memory out of his mind purposefully.
Jasper assures me he is truly mated with Kate and that his emotions show nothing to be concerned about. Jasper agrees that he is a bit on edge, there is some underlining stress, but I can't see what it's about. Every day he runs out of my range his thoughts center on checking emails and listening to voice mails. Why he keeps his phone off, I'm not sure. He always leaves feeling hopeful and returns a bit sad but very determined. Kate told me he has done the same thing every day since they met when I asked her about it.
"He's just talking to friends Edward. You don't need to worry about him."
"Why can't he do it here?"
"You may not have noticed cause you can hear his mind but he never says anyone's name when he tells a story or is talking about something. It's like the opposite of gossip; you hear this great story but have no idea who it's about. He doesn't trust the Volturi and Eleazar by association." She sees the whole thing as just part of who he is and because he has always done it. I guess it has nothing to do with my family.
"I'm sure you're right. It's just that after what happened with Laurent last time has everyone worked up and not in the most trusting of moods." I tell her.
"I don't know why Irina puts up with him," she growls. "Or why he is still here. She must be bored with him by now."
I chuckled, "She's getting there."
My thoughts drift to the young brown-haired girl with beautiful eyes and a smile that could brighten the darkest night. Isa invades my mind daily. No matter how much I try to push thoughts of her, Zora, the unnamed boy and the golden-eyed vampire out of my head, Isa' always there. I spend hours wondering what she is, who she is, but mostly I hope she is safe and happy like in the boy's thoughts.
"Edward," Alice smirks at me, "come hunting with Garrett, Jasper and I." I raise an eyebrow in question; I thought that Peter and Charlotte were showing up soon.
"Yes, yes they are, but we need to meet them or things could get ugly. Besides you will never get a chance to see what you will see in their minds if I don't take you. Just don't lose your head it'll be fine."
Then she blocks me by listing her shoes in from most to least expensive, I'll never understand her obsessions. I nod curtly and follow them out the door.
As soon as we are out of hearing range Garrett asks. "So what's up? I'm thinking this is more than just a friendly hunting trip."
"Well, you know about my visions. I had one of you and our guest that will be arriving shortly causing a fair amount of damage to the house. Having you meet them out here had a better outcome." Alice states while she's still blocking me.
Garrett's mind explodes thinking of who it could be, the amount of vampires he knows is staggering.
"Who's coming? What did you see?" Jasper asks.
"Well, I wanted to surprise you. Charlotte called to asking where we were yesterday. I told her, she said he would see us soon and hung up before I could say anything else."
"Peter, Peter Perfect and Char are coming? Why would I have a problem with them? I saw them like a week ago. . ." He freezes mid sentence, mid thought and mid stride. He snarls viciously but it's not aimed at any of us. "Where did he call from?" He's really trying to block his thoughts now; he just keeps reciting phone numbers in his head.
Alice's eyes go wide; she did not see this coming. "I don't know. Like I said she hung up before I could get a word in edgewise."
"Give me your phone," he snapped at Alice. Jasper lets out a warning rumble and Alice tosses the phone at him. He flashes about ten yards away from us and starts to pace.
"Shit – she called from her phone. I'll kill his paranoid ass," He mumbles under his breath. He uses her phone to call someone. Whomever he called, did not answer. He is still trying hard to block me but I keep getting flashes of a cave. He tries again but from his phone and it goes to voicemail, the kind that just says the number you have called. . .
"Isabella Marie – if I don't hear from one of you in the next ten minutes I'm coming to find you. Call me back!" He yells into the phone. The waves of fear, love and stress that Jasper feels from Garrett are so strong he can barely contain them. Garrett calls several other numbers leaving messages to call him at once. He glares at me and saying,
"I don't know if I can trust you or not. If the wrong people find out about what you see in my head I will hunt you down!"
Then he stops blocking me, his mind becomes a whirlwind of memories. It starts slowly,
. . "You should watch who you growl at, little girl. I find you amusing but not many others of my kind would. Why are you hiding in a tree? Being up there can't save you from the likes of me." He snickers out. "I know what you are vampire and I am not hiding in this tree. Nor do I need any help begin saved from the likes of you." She hisses at furiously. She is too cute, with her long brown hair, big oddly colored eyes and angry glare. She reminds of a kitten my sister had growing up. . .
. . . "Hi guys this is Garrett. Garrett this is my family, Renée, Dermott, Huilen, Nahuel and Aurora." She said with a big smile and pointed each of them. . .
They come so fast I can hardly keep up. But he slows down to the last time he saw them.
. . . "Ok just remember no questions." She blushed, bright red. I had to hold back my laughter as I nodded. "Can you go to Alaska? See I heard some stuff that, I, never mind it's . . . Someone you know needs help. I can't help them but you can. If you go to Alaska I know you'll find out." What she said made no sense to me, she doesn't know anyone that I do except Peter and Char, but I told her I would do whatever she needed. "Alright, Alaska's kinda big any chance you could narrow it down a bit for me?" I ask somewhat hesitantly. Although the idea of a goose chase across Alaska is not so bad. "Yup, Denial National Park south-west corner! Ok, this is the really odd part, you can't think about any of us till you know who's there." I'm looking at her like she has lost her mind. "Remember no questions, but I swear you're going to like what you find." "Alright Kitten - when do I leave?" I ask, with a big smile. "Just like that you'll do it?" I nod. Her smile is biggest and brightest I have ever seen. "Thank you, thank you so much! I can even let the Kitten thing slide. Go whenever you want, sooner is better than later but I'm just so happy you'll go," She says while giggling and hugging me tight. Even with the others fighting in the background she looks so happy. . .
I gasp loudly, "She sent you here? You know them?" The questions tumble out of my mouth before I can stop them.
Garrett eyes me carefully he about to answer but Jasper interrupts, "Who sent him? And Why?" He drops into an offensive crouch ready to pounce at Garrett.
Garrett gives me a hard look thinking, "We'll talk later" and turns to face Jasper. "Yes, I was sent here but I didn't know why. I thought she sent me here to meet Kate but really it was to help you all." Jasper is still suspicious.
"You didn't say who she is." Jasper hisses.
"Isabella – she and the others were here at Christmas. She overheard that you guys could be in trouble. She knows I know Carlisle and sent me to help with whatever is going on," Garrett huffs.
"You think I'll believe that a vampire got close enough to over hear us but we did not know they were there," Jasper scoffs.
Don't say anything about the not a vampire part, it's not your story.
"Here read her email – that's all I know. Edward can tell you from my thoughts that she was upset and wanted to find a way to help you." I nod because Isa had basically begged him to come here.
He tosses his phone at Jasper. Alice and I crowd around Jasper to read the email.
Isa email is absolute proof that she knows about our problem with James and Victoria. She even mentioned not to trust Laurent.
"She knows Peter and Charlotte? Why would they check on us just because she would be in Washington?" Jasper asks confused wonder why they would check just because some vampires were in our territory.
"Look – Peter did not like them too much. They are a large family almost as big as yours. We all know that Peter can be paranoid. You'll have to ask him why he came. But after I find out why they called from her phone!"
"Isa can take me down; I think she could handle herself with Peter. But Zora's got a smart mouth and can't fight. As long as he did not approach them alone they'd be fine. I bet he was in rare form finding them rather than the Cullen's in the Olympic Forest. Of all the places for Renée to pick. . ."
"You're joking right?" I have to ask. He shakes his head no. "It's not my secret to tell. I don't even know what they are, only who they are. Don't go snooping around in my head and don't ask questions. It's not safe for you or them. Although I would like to know how you recognized them." He tells me and goes back to trying not to think of them.
"Garrett, I just want to let you know in my vision you attack Peter, but you're both back to friendly later that day. So I'm sure Isabella and her family is fine." Alice says kindly.
"Thanks Alice, but they have two minutes and fourteen seconds to call me back or I won't be here to attack Peter." Garrett mumbles while pacing back and froth.
"I hear them now, they aren't thinking about your friends, just finding Jasper." I tell Garrett.
Peter and Charlotte rush into the clearing stopping just a few yards away from us. I can hear Garrett is trying to keep calm but hen the wind shifts blowing their scent's towards. The only thought in Garrett mind is that Peter smells of Isabella. He lounges straight at Peter, catching him off guard and has him by the throat.
"Why do you smell like her? DID YOU PUT YOUR HANDS ON HER?" Garrett yells in shocked Peters face.
Charlotte answers while cracking up. "Please Garrett - you were right he could barely touch that little monster, but that didn't stop her from slapping him around a bit."
Jasper mind keeps replaying the "little monster" comment.
Garrett released Peter, shoving him back a few paces and hisses at Charlotte. "Watch your mouth Char, that's my family."
"What? It's not everyday I see something that looks a seven-year old kid kickin' Peter's ass. What else should I call her?" Charlotte is still laughing but stopped short when Jasper whimpers. "Immortal Child."
"NO!" everyone yells. At the same time as Jasper turns to run out of the clearing, following the path Peter and Charlotte just came from.
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2/6/13
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