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Chapter 35 - To Kill a Vampire
JACE
The pack had searched all over the nearby cities and woods and couldn't find a trace of Phoenix's scent or Celine's. We ended up going back to La Push, tired and dejected. It was useless, I was useless. And it was all Avery's fault because he was hiding something, I could just feel it. Or maybe I felt this way because I needed someone to take the blame. If the vamp really wasn't his maker then we'd really be starting at zero with this.
I went straight home and phased back in the yard. Quil had ordered us all to get at least five hours rest until we met up again tomorrow. It was pretty late, after midnight. But as I stopped by my bedroom window, something told me not to go in. I couldn't give up no matter how tired I was. So I phased again and just let my wolf run. I hadn't realized that I was heading to Forks until I saw the Cullen house further up across the river. I crouched in the bushes and kept my eyes focused for any movement. I would see a lot better if I could get closer but I didn't want to cross the boundary line.
After about a half hour I finally heard something move.
"I thought I smelled a dog." Avery suddenly appeared in front of me, his disgusting leech scent accosting my nostrils. "What are YOU doing out here?" he asked.
I quickly phased back, pulled on my shorts and stood behind the bush. "Waiting for something to happen."
"Waiting for me to sneak away and lead you to Nix?"
"Which you just happened to be doing right now?"
"Can't you just stay out of it?"
"No I can't! She's MY imprint in case you forgot!"
"Yeah, I know, how could I forget," Avery snapped disapprovingly.
"Wait, you actually know where she is?" I hissed and stomped over to him, administering a hard shove to his stone-like chest. Where the fuck was he off to?
"Don't forget yourself Jace, I can kill you in the blink of an eye," he threatened.
I rolled my eyes and sucked my teeth. "Where the fuck are you going Avery? And don't even try to fucking lie either."
He glared at me for a moment then shrugged. "Celine sent me an email okay? She wants me to meet her at this old farmhouse. I told the others I needed to hunt – which wasn't a lie." He whispered really softly so no other vampires could hear us no doubt.
"So you really didn't know where she was all this time?" I kept my voice super low too, but that didn't hide my distrust.
"No and she's said she doesn't have Nix. But I'm not sure whether or not she's lying - she didn't exactly give me a straight answer, she just wants me to come meet her to find out. It could be a trick just to get me to go."
"Or she really fucking has her!" I argued. It was obvious the bitch had her.
"Look, she's pissed because I left her okay? I need to go alone and see what's going on. I have to be really careful about how I do this - I can't risk the pack coming and pissing her off more."
"So you admit it then, you're the reason she took Phoenix, it was all to get you back! And you acted like you knew nothing but you did!" I wanted to kill him.
"I didn't know for sure! I still don't - I just said that! I have to go before I can know for sure, Jace."
"Don't be stupid alright? Not with Phoenix's life on the line. Celine HAS HER, and you're not going without ME."
In the finality of my decision I started walking and Avery tried to pull me back. His cold hands burned my skin and I yelped, pulling away from him. "Don't fucking touch me again!"
"Be quiet!" he hissed. We stood there staring mutinously at one another, both of us ready for a fight. "Look, just give me a number to call you or something when I have her, IF she's there, alright?"
"NO Avery. I don't trust you. I'm not letting you go without me, if she's there I have a right to help get her out, you can't handle her and Celine at the same time, she could be hostile."
"I can handle it."
"No I honestly don't think you can. Celine needs to be handled permanently. You think you could do that?" I asked.
"It won't be necessary."
I scoffed. "Are you insane? She's not going to let you and Nix go otherwise she would never have taken her! She came onto the Rez amongst a pack of wolves and stole an imprint away Avery, she can't be trusted and you can't keep Nix safe and deal with her at the same time. I can't see it and I'm not putting my imprint at risk. Celine will kill her."
"I SAID don't need your help, I can do this on my own," he seethed, his razor teeth grinding together as he scowled.
"I'm coming with you or I go and alert everyone to what's going on."
He hesitated and rolled his eyes. "You're a fucking asshole," he growled but I stood there, not budging. "Fine but we do this MY WAY."
"Whatever." I rolled my eyes and followed Avery into the night.
I wouldn't hesitate to kill the both of them if needed. I knew I had it in me. Phoenix was my only priority, I hoped he knew that. Avery ran to the garage and met me at the bottom of the driveway in a black Mercedes. He drove us out of La Push and past Port Angeles.
"So you and Nix huh?" he asked, breaking the silence.
"We're not having this conversation," I grumbled.
"I heard she'd been avoiding you." Of course they'd blabbed and told him the truth. "But she's given that up now right? You must be happy. I heard you two are 'just friends.'" He chuckled, believing that he had in fact "burned" me.
I snorted and kept my eyes out the wide open window. My poor nose was stuck out there like a real dog. He smelled like death and sugar.
"But you know, it's whatever she wants Jace, I hope you can understand that and step aside if she changes her mind again."
I turned and stared at him wide-eyed at the implication. "I hope YOU can understand that it's about what's BEST for her!"
"I'm still the same person though, being a vampire hasn't changed that or what she and I had."
"NOOOOO, it definitely has. You're a fucking leech, blood is what you love more than anything. Your very existence puts her life in danger. She's always at risk once she's in your presence Avery. And you know I'm not being unreasonable about that! She's with a fucking leech right now! Do you know how much I wanna kill you for that? This is all your fault."
"I hate myself enough already, don't worry. But I'd never want to hurt her. I wanted to come back and try to get my life back like how it used to be. I miss Phoenix more than real life. Celine is not my family even though we had fun together… I can't spend my life being her boy toy."
I snorted. "I bet you can't."
"Look, Celine has a lot of stupid ideas sometimes, and this time she took it too far, but IF she has Phoenix, she hasn't hurt her."
"Yet." I growled. "And if she hurts her, you're dead."
"No problem, I'll help you."
I rolled my eyes and mumbled. "Whatever."
I hated him. He had basically just implied to me that he wanted Phoenix back, that it was going to be HER choice. Was he out of his mind? How was that supposed to work? And what about our imprint?
I'd die if he won her back.
I'd die if that's what she'd choose.
All types of horrifying thoughts about them reunited plagued me as we continued to drive. I was getting antsy and ready to question him again when he pulled off at an exit that led us to this lonely area that had houses really far apart. Finally, we came to a stop a little ways off from an old white house with a huge front porch.
"She's here," I declared. "I knew it!" I could suddenly feel the pull to her in my chest. Finally the bond was doing its fucking job.
"Okay. But I'm going in and bringing Phoenix out, if you get out the car before then, she'll smell you. If she doesn't have to see you at all, the better, in fact. I don't want her to think I am double-crossing her. She'll come after La Push again." He whispered really low that a human wouldn't have heard it.
"I'll stay in the car for now, but in my opinion, you've got me here, let's just end this shit. The only way to protect Phoenix is to kill her. She's too good at getting past the pack. Embry said she's better than Victoria back in their day." I whispered back.
Avery rolled his eyes. "Celine is like a fucking cat, it doesn't surprise me."
I watched him get out and walk over to the door. He banged on it a couple times. I realized that he hadn't agreed to my plan. What was he so scared of? Did he have a thing for the vamp after all that talk he put down about leaving her? I should have suggested he run off with her and send a sorry note to the pack.
The door opened and Celine drooled all over Avery, pulling him into the house.
Disgusting.
It definitely was the same leech we'd been chasing relentlessly the last few days. That fucking bitch. I couldn't hear them talking properly, everything was muffled, but I recognized Phoenix's voice when she started to talk. I could feel her emotions clearly now. She was scared, and maybe in shock or something. I wasn't sure if she was happy that Avery was with her. Then after a while her feelings changed to fear and panic and I found myself stripping and getting out of the car and instinctively phasing. If she was feeling scared, then she was in danger, and I couldn't sit by and just feel it and do nothing.
Jace where are you? I could hear the wolves in my head.
I'm with Avery getting Phoenix, I don't have time to talk right now.
They started asking questions but I blocked them out. They would simply have to watch through my head.
I crept low over to the porch and tried to see inside but I realized the windows were blacked out. I heard someone jimmying the locks and Phoenix's scent grew stronger. I barked to let her know I was out here. I could hear her running around and then she attacked the window with a knife. My smart girl.
"Jace?" she asked as I pressed my face up to the glass and I barked again to let her know it was really me. I was so fucking happy, she was okay! I could hear patrolling wolves back in La Push getting excited in my head but I blocked them out again, keeping my focus only on the task at hand.
She told me she couldn't get out of there and I knew that I had to break down the door. She was my first priority, I just had to trust that Avery could keep Celine occupied long enough for me to blast in and secure Nix. From the sounds of it, they were actually getting it on right now.
Well, hey, he had to do what he had to fucking do! Literally.
After two hard pushes the wood finally broke and I went crashing into the room. Phoenix was in her pajamas and a hoodie, disheveled, but okay. She seemed so happy to see me as she said my name again. We clearly didn't care if the vampire girl heard us, which she must have by now. I didn't expect her to run across the room and hug me like that but my wolf instantly felt better as I tried to lick-kiss my imprint as much as I could. I was just so relieved that Phoenix was okay.
"I missed you too," she murmured and the empty space in my chest where she was supposed to be, closed up and I felt whole.
She was safe and she was with me where she belonged.
"Aww isn't that sweet? Surprised you found us, dog? Or did Avery fuck up and lead you to me?"
This BITCH! I wanted to rip her to shreds RIGHT NOW. The wolves in my head started chanting that I should do it, throwing advice. I growled at Celine and simultaneously nudged Phoenix with my nose until she was safely behind me. She grabbed on to my tail and it comforted me to know that she was right where I needed her to be – out of the way but close by.
"Celine, he's dangerous, don't get too close, love. Just let him take her and you'll be safe. We don't want a war with the wolves." Avery advised, standing behind Celine on the stairs. He looked at me briefly but gave no indication of what to do so I stayed on guard as I watched the two of them.
"Do you think I'm scared of that MUTT?" The bitch snorted with laughter. "Come on Avery! Give me a little credit!" she started to overdo it with the gloating and began slapping her knee as she laughed.
My eyes brightened, this was it, she was totally off guard. Quil was in my head, telling me to take her down but be careful. I looked over at Avery and wiggled my eyebrows. He seemed to get it and after a moment's hesitation, he pushed Celine forward and straight into my jaws. I caught her perfectly and wasted no time ripping her head off. Both Phoenix and the vampire screamed and I almost dropped Celine to run after Phoenix. She had let go of my tail and darted outside.
"Avery you asshole!" Celine's head screeched from the floor, freaking me out.
"Sorry, not sorry - you should have left me the fuck alone a year ago." I was actually impressed with Avery's sincerity as he basically gave Celine the boot.
I kept ripping her to shreds but Avery left, telling me he would find Phoenix. I didn't like that but Quil ordered me to take care of Celine first so I kept going. I phased back and created a pile outside, ignoring Celine's begging and pleading for me to spare her life. I found a box of matches in the kitchen drawer and came back just in time to stop Celine from trying to piece herself back together.
"You're getting what you deserve bitch. This is for taking my girl away." I struck the match and dropped it on to the dismantled vampire, cringing at both the smell and shrieking noise she made.
Satisfied that she was totally done for, I ran to the car for my pants. I couldn't let my imprint see me naked – not like this at least. The fire was almost gone already time I got back to the spot. I had no idea that the leeches burned so quickly. They really stunk on all levels too. It was totally nasty.
I couldn't believe that I had actually killed one – with Avery's assistance at that. I had done it though, and my imprint was now safe. Well no, she wasn't quite safe because she was still in close proximity to a vampire!
I could make her and Avery out in the distance and I fought the urge to rush over there and pull her away from him. They weren't touching or anything, just talking. If I trained my ears I could probably make out their exact words too but honestly I didn't want to. She seemed upset with him and that was good enough for me. I couldn't deal with the situation between the two of them right now – I was beyond tired and hungry, not in the right frame of mind to logically contemplate their status. Plus I'd rather not hear anything unless she said it to my face.
But I just wanted Phoenix to come back to me. I just needed to hold her in my human form now. I needed to see her face, to know if she really missed me. The way she held my wolf kinda got my hopes up. I knew she was relieved that I was there to get her out, but I couldn't help but hope that this whole situation had made her want me and not him.
"Jace!" the sound of my name coming from her lips made the wolf stir. I could hear the thumping of her feet as she pelted towards me through the darkness.
I practically flew off the porch and in a few short seconds I was lifting Phoenix Lahote into my arms and relishing in the electrical feeling that spread through my body upon contact.
She ran to me.
"Are you okay?" she breathed when I finally set her down.
"Yeah, you?"
She nodded. "I am now. I'm so happy she's gone."
"Did she hurt you?"
"No, she just said a lot of things I didn't need to hear."
"How did you get here?" I couldn't stop looking her body over to make sure she was really okay.
"She drugged me and took me in a car I think."
"We've been so worried, you have no idea." I pulled her in for a tight hug again and kissed her on the forehead.
"I've been worried too. I thought I'd never see you or my family again."
My heart skipped a beat at her admission. "I could never let that happen, I couldn't lose you Nix. I never gave up trying to find you."
She nodded and rested her head on my arm. "Thank you Jace."
"Anytime. But I hope you know this makes it two times that I've saved your life now."
"Annnnddd?" she rolled her eyes playfully.
"Annnnddd, don't make it a habit okay?" I chuckled.
She smiled and looked up at me with those beautiful eyes. "I promise not to try."
"Good. Come on, let's get you home okay? We've got at least two hour's drive to make." My wolf insisted that we get our imprint home where she'd be properly safe.
"Avery?" Phoenix called out and he suddenly appeared out of thin air. Phoenix jumped slightly and I steadied her with my hand on her lower back.
"Yes?" he said, giving her a smile that made me want to punch him in the lip. "Ready to go?"
She nodded and looked up at me and so I took her by the hand and led her to the car. We piled in the backseat. It was a small fit for me personally so we pushed the passenger seat forward much to Avery's annoyance. Avery asked Phoenix questions about Celine's behavior. Poor guy was struggling it seemed. I guess when you went from fucking someone to killing them, you would feel a little rattled.
Like the night before she'd been kidnapped, my imprint willingly gave into the wolf heat, snuggled into my chest and fell asleep. It made my heart soar.
"Thank you," I told Avery. We were just sitting there in silence while he drove us home.
"Don't thank me, I did it for her," he said quietly.
"Doesn't matter. You did good. It had to be done, I hope you can understand that. If you want to be like the Cullens and she wanted you to stay with her, it was necessary. She hunted you and made you into a monster."
"I know. But I'd rather be this than dead! She saved my life alright? I cracked my skull open and she saved me. So just lay off my fucking back! I get it, you got everything I ever wanted but you don't have to rub it in my fucking face. Accepting that I would never have been Nix's imprinter is enough to deal with on its own."
"I'm not trying to rub anything, relax." I hadn't meant to offend him although I was glad he knew that she was never his for the long haul. He was Phoenix's first love but I was determined to be the last. "But I know how you feel, it's not exactly fun watching your soulmate choose a dead guy over you."
"What do you mean?"
"Like you don't know? She couldn't move on. She felt like it was betraying you because she was the reason you jumped. She felt like she killed you."
"Josie kinda told me she felt guilty. I already told her she wasn't to blame for any of this though, so she'll be okay now."
"Yeah, well, she was getting better before Celine took her. I was finally getting her to be happy again, and then she was gone." I couldn't help but feel resentful about it.
"I didn't mean for any of that to happen. I want her to be happy too."
"Even if it's with me?" I doubted that very much. Hadn't he already said he missed her? He was still going to come back and try to win her heart regardless of Celine.
He shrugged and snorted. At least he was being honest.
Phoenix started to stir and whimper in her sleep, so we said nothing more as we drove to the Lahote compound. Upsetting her was not an option so I kept my mouth shut and luckily Avery understood it was best for us not to talk in front of her.
Of course Jacob, Sam, Embry, Quil and Paul were there as soon as the doors slammed. It was a tearful reunion for the Lahotes and I couldn't thank the Spirits enough for helping me live up to my promises to them.
"You're alright, Jace. You're worthy of my daughter," Paul said respectfully with a pat to my back. "Whatever you need, just ask."
I couldn't help but smile and nod. "Thanks, Paul. It means a lot. I hope you understand now just how much I care about her."
"I never said I didn't get it, I just don't like the idea of a wolf and my daughter. I was once your age so I know exactly what goes on. As Jared puts it, 'It's a whiney wolf that constantly needs to be stuck up its imprint's ass' – or something like that, I can't remember."
I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "We're just friends so relax."
"Anyone who can step in for me and get the job done is family. I had faith in you kid, I knew your wolf would get her back. I've been there."
"Really?" I asked, perplexed.
"When we were pregnant with Ari a vampire tried to take Corrie from me too, but I didn't let it win. Your father was there to help."
"Really?" I asked Embry, who just nodded with that proud look in his eyes.
"And next time, stop and pick up a fucking phone and let us know something! Your father almost had a heart-attack calling around the pack when he checked in on you and found you gone. We couldn't believe that you and Avery had gone off on your own." Paul knocked me around the head as only he could. "Ari picked up your scent by the Cullens'."
"Sorry but he said it had to be done quietly because of Celine – he didn't even want me to come but I threatened to tell everyone if he didn't. We were only protecting Nix and then we just wanted to get her straight back home."
Paul nodded and Embry gave me a half smile, as he and Quil had been listening to us talk.
"We're just glad everything worked out okay, but the pack stays together Jace, no more vigilante shit. From what I saw in your mind, I was very impressed though, good job. Ari and Sammy are green with envy," Quil said with a nod of respect. It was nice making them proud; back in Cali, Brendon wasn't one to feel proud of anyone but himself…
"And I won't even tell you how mature it was that you and Avery could work together, son." Embry said with a hint of sarcasm.
I grunted and rolled my eyes showing him that I wasn't amused by that observation. Avery and I definitely would never be friends at this rate.
Phoenix was taken upstairs by her mother to get a shower and some rest and I went with my father back to our place. She had given me a small smile before she went inside and it gave me another rush of hope that things were still progressing between us.
Avery had left with Jacob and Sam to go back to his side of the treaty line. None of the three said anything me before they went either and I wasn't sure how to feel about that.
But I hoped that for my sake, he'd leave us alone.
I deserved to be happy with my soulmate, and so did she.