Chapter 38 – Searching

They had been searching for four hours non-stop, and still there was no sign of her anywhere. They had been as far as Canada, but there was nothing. Everyone was starting to get restless and in the wolves and Nessie's case they were getting hungry, but no-one wanted to admit it so they could carry on searching for the one they all loved.

'Why do we have to do this?' Leah thought and all the wolves and Edward's heads shot round and glared at her.

'Sorry I'm just hungry,' she thought in response.

Edward slowed in his tracks and took his mind off searching for Issy's scent to hear the thoughts of those around him.

'How much longer till we eat?'

'I could easily eat a dinosaur.'

'Do you think Edward would notice if we quickly went to get something to eat?'

Then his eldest daughter looked him in the eye, and instead of using her mind she told him outright:

"Daddy, I know we all want to find Issy as quickly as possible; but don't you think we'd all be more effective if we had something in us: then we'd concentrate more on finding her than our own stomachs," she told him in a matter of fact voice, as the wolves growled in agreement.

"I suppose you're right as always sweetheart. I just feel that it was my fault that Isabelle got taken, it's like with your mother or you. If I ever lost her I couldn't forgive myself for not looking after her better and being there when she needed me most. Like now, and those first four precious years of her life. I missed her growing up. Despite the fact that I have the images you show me and the pictures that were taken by everyone there's still this gaping hole in my heart that tells me I failed her when I could have been there with her through everything," he justified taking her warm hand in his cold one.

He looked at Sam and the pack andnodded, before slowing to a halt bringing everyone else to a halt.

"What's happening my son?" Carlisle asked confused.

"The wolves and Nessie need to eat before we can continue," he said squeezing his daughter's hand.

The pack had disappeared to find something to eat, and a few minutes later they all returned with a deer to their name. Last came Jacob who approached Nessie and looking at her with adoration dropped one of his two at her feet perfectly intact. He had just broken its neck.

"Thank-you Jake," she said kissing his shaggy coat.

Edward nodded in recognition and realised however hard he tried he would one day loose his gorgeous girl to a wolf. At least he had the guarantee that she would be well looked after, he thought, trying to console himself.

Back at the Cullen's house Esme and the youngest two Cullens were desperately trying to get engaged in a game of 'Disney Trivial Pursuit.'

"It's impossible," Elsa said hitting her piece off the board so it hit the floor with an almighty thud.

"I know dear, but we have to stay sane for your cousin's sake," Esme said trying to regain her attention.

"Why do people call her my cousin Nana?" Elsa asked then.

"Well, your Mummy is her aunt and didn't give birth to her, whereas your Auntie Bella gave birth to her," Esme said trying to give a reasonable explanation without going into detail.

"I'm calling her my sister," Elsa said defiantly.

"She's my sister too!" Hugo interjected.

"She is in theory both of yours sister if we're thinking like Elsie," Esme said calming them down.

At that moment the wind blew through Issy's bedroom window which had been left open upstairs. A familiar scent wafted down the stairs into Esme's nostrils. She leapt up suddenly causing the little ones to pause in their argument over sisters and look at her intrigued. She ran to the phone and called a familiar number.

In the woods everyone had finished eating and they had set off again. As Edward inhaled deeply he caught the scent of something he recognised. He'd smelt it before that day but where?

Just then Carlisle's phone started vibrating loudly in his pocket. Reaching into his jacket he withdrew and saw the name of his beloved wife flash up. Opening it he put it to his ear ready to listen.

"Carlisle I've realised something you're missing," Esme said breathlessly down the phone.

"Calm down my love then tell me," he said to her in a warm affectionate tone.

"Carlisle I've just realised what we've been missing," Edward shouted, his mind solely focused on what he'd worked out.

"Edward wait a minute, I'm just talking to Esme," Carlisle said to him in a reprimanding tone.

"Carlisle, the scent in Issy's room it's..." Esme started.

"...the scent that was in Issy's room that we ignored this morning it was..." Edward continued oblivious.

"...Caius!" they both said together into opposite ears of the poor vampire stuck in the middle.

At that moment in a cave not too far away the kidnapper sat facing the kidnapped. He was preparing a speech that would give her two options to choose from. He didn't really care which one she choose: in the long run he won both ways.

"Excuse me, but if we're not doing anything I would like something to eat at some point today," Issy said politely.

"Quiet child," Caius answered opening his malicious red eyes again, "You are going to listen to what I'm going to say then I will contemplate giving you some nutrition."

She nodded, realising that this was her only choice: he was going to make her listen anyway and it was better to go along voluntarily. She shuddered as she saw the other methods he was deliberating over in his head.

"Well, as you know I am one of the three supreme leaders of the vampire world. I have my brothers who work alongside me as I work alongside them. But there are also the guards in the Volturi who we control. In fact, deep down they all have a favourite leader. Jane as you know is like Aro's daughter so of course, he's her favourite. Overall they mostly prefer Aro with a few liking Marcus. There aren't actually any who like me the best. I have many second places, but second is not good enough!" he shouted throwing a rock against the wall where it shattered.

"But you," he continued, "You have been taken by me: I don't care if you prefer Aro and Jane; I can soon change that. I mean to say, that what I'm proposing is that you have the choice to join the Volturi guard but as my little minion. But there's a catch. If you choose to join with me and remain alive you must renounce your family and have nothing to do with them ever again. You will never be able to see them or speak to them. They will just believe you've disappeared; that's until they see you with us. Then they'll realise that you're a double faced liar. But you'll have all the power and wealth you could ever want with me. You'll have more jewels than he Queen of Sheba, more dresses than Grace Kelly, more money than J K Rowling, and more power than everyone but myself, Aro and Marcus. Or, there's another option. I can kill you now, and protect myself and everyone else from your wrath."

She was stuck. There was no way out. Either way she'd never get to see her family again. Tell them how much she loved them. Their faces flashed through her mind: no more shopping with her Aunts, no more games with her Uncles, no more adoration from her grandparents, no more arguments and fun with her sister, brother and cousin. But worst of all, she would never see her parents again. The two people who had brought her into this world and had loved her enough to live for her and return for her. She had no choice, but she knew which one would be the less selfish one.

"I won't join you," she whispered.

"What?" he asked astounded.

"I refuse to join you," she said more clearly.

"Well then, it seems you've made your choice," Caius said licking his lips as his eyes flashed crimson.

And with that he grabbed her childish neck and prepared to sink his teeth into her soft skin...

Will he eat her? I hope you enjoyed this and sorry to leave it on a cliff-hanger. I hope you all had a nice Easter and got lots of chocolate. Please Review! Thank-you. XxX