Chapter Thirty-Eight: Charli

I opened one eye slowly wondering if everything that had happened the day before had been nothing more than a dream. I saw the sun filtering through the living room window and heard the soft snoring of someone lying beside me on the floor.

I rolled over and found myself cuddled up to the firm body of Jacob Black. I smiled softly as I studied his features. When he was awake he always looked so fierce and in control, but when he was sleeping he seemed almost peaceful. I smiled as I made a mental note never to tell him that or he would find a way to look intimidating in his sleep ruining all of my fun.

I quietly lifted the blanket that was only half covering his body and slid underneath it immediately feeling the warmth radiating off of his skin. I took an unsteady and nervous breath and rolled on top of him. I had little to no experience with this sort of thing so I was shaking nervously trying my best to learn as I went along. Even last night I was completely surprised at my own bravery and utter lack of modesty. All I knew was that I wanted his mouth on me and I could see in his eyes he wanted it as well. The only logical thing to do was remove the one barrier that was preventing that from happening.

Smiling at the memory, I leaned into him kissing his perfectly muscled shoulders softly. I heard him moan, and the deep and husky sound made my body tremble.

"Damnit Charli, you really want to kill me don't you?" he asked wrapping his arms around me tightly.

"Not kill you no." I whispered. I let my head lower enough so that my lips moved gently against his as I said the words.

He tried to kiss me but I lifted my head just enough so that he couldn't reach. I lowered my head again and let my lips graze his teasing him and enjoying every second of it.

"You are pure evil." He said breathlessly.

"I know. I'm sorry." I muttered into the warm skin of his neck.

I heard him growl and in one swift move he rolled over so he was on top of me, his arms bracing his weight so I wouldn't be crushed beneath him. I pressed my palms into his muscular chest in mock protest.

"Not fair." I pouted.

He bent down and bit my bottom lip playfully. "Oh it is fair."

He grabbed both of my hands in one of his and pinned them over my head so I couldn't move.

"Oh now that really isn't fair."

His eyes were gleaming as his lips found mine.

I gasped suddenly as a loud and frantic knock on the door startled me so badly that I felt my heart stop beating for a moment.

"Jake! It's Alice you have to open up." Her voice sounded panicked. I looked up at Jacob and his expression told me that this wasn't typical Alice behavior.

He stood up and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I'm coming." He shouted as he started heading into the kitchen to let her in.

As the door opened I heard several footsteps and rushed voices.

"Alice just slow down. Let's sit down and you can explain it to me ok?" Jacob said patiently.

I tossed the blanket off of me and stood up and tried to smooth my hair into a somewhat presentable rat's nest. I walked over to the archway separating the living room from the kitchen and leaned against the wall.

Alice was seated at the table, and if it were possible she looked more pale than usual.

Edward and Carlisle were both seated next to her. They all looked up when I came in the room.

"How are you feeling Charli?" Carlisle asked me tapping his own head where I had stitches on mine.

"I feel fine. Thank you." I answered politely and then returned my focus to the fidgety little vampire who looked like she would vomit if she could.

"Alice saw something this morning and we wanted to let you know about it so you and your packs would be aware. We will all need to be on high alert these next few weeks." Edward said mostly to Jacob, but he made brief eye contact with me as well.

"Are we getting visitors?" Jacob asked, his voice suddenly shifting into the authoritative one I had heard him use once before when he was talking to Leah.

Alice looked up at him, her eyes wide and nodded.

"Unwanted visitors I'm gathering." Jacob added.

"I'm not sure yet. They keep changing their mind." Alice said absently her eyes seeing something the rest of us couldn't.

Jacob turned to Edward his eyes searching for answers.

"It is Amun, from the Egyptian coven." Edward said to Jacob, then shifted his gaze to me. I immediately felt that he was nervous, but not so much so that I was alarmed.

"Was that the guy with Benjamin?" Jacob asked.

Edward broke his stare with me and nodded at Jacob.

"I thought so. I really didn't like that guy, or his female."

"He was recently in Italy." Alice said quietly. "The Volturi have asked him to join them. Aro likes that Amun has a talent for finding gifted humans and turning them into vampires. Now he is headed here and we are not entirely sure why."

Jacob hissed. "Is he going to try to recruit both of you?"

"Possibly." Edward said solemnly.

"When are they coming?"

"Soon." Edward answered for Alice. "Possibly less than two weeks from now. They are moving fast."

"Now all of you keep in mind that Amun and his coven witnessed for us when we needed them most. So until they do something to prove otherwise we must assume they are neutral."

Jacob nodded and all three vampires stood up.

Alice's eyes suddenly widened and they she started smiling. "Oh! Before we leave I wanted to let you know that I brought over those clothes I bought the other day. I want you to have them."

"You really didn't have to do that." I tried to protest but she just smiled and winked.

"Trust me, it really was no problem."

"We have to go to dinner at Sam's today I will let everyone know then." Jacob said to Edward and Carlisle.

Carlisle turned to me before all three of them disappeared out the front door.

"I don't want you to worry Charli. I'm sure this is nothing, but we never can be too careful." He said to me attempting to be reassuring.

I put one hand on his arm. "I'm ok, I promise."

He smiled at me. "Yes, I see that you are."

"Just give me a call and let me know what you guys decide to do." Edward said to Jacob the expression on his face more serious than I had ever seen it. Jacob nodded and opened the door for them. They all stepped outside and disappeared into the woods.

Jacob turned to me and shook his head. "I swear the drama never ends."

"This kind of thing happens often?" I asked slightly amused.

"With the Cullen's it seems to. For some reason this incredibly old vampire coven in Italy hates their guts. I think it has something to do with the fact that they all love each other like a real family and prefer to live off of animals. The other vampires look at them like they are rejecting their true identities."

"That seems pretty harsh. They are so peaceful you would think that most people would leave them alone."

"Yeah, you would think."

"What time are we supposed to be at dinner?" I asked grabbing the shopping bags Alice had left on the dining room chair.

"I'm not sure. Can I use your phone?" he asked.

I nodded and pointed to the cordless hanging on the wall near the fridge.

He picked it up and started dialing while I picked up our mess in the living room. I'm sure my father wouldn't be too thrilled to come home and find a messy makeshift bed on the living room floor and a half naked Jacob in his kitchen.

He wasn't long on the phone and when he came to find me I handed him his clothes from the night before folded and dry.

"Thanks. Emily said it would be great if we could be there around two o'clock. She said our little dinner was quickly becoming a free for all barbeque so she decided to make it an afternoon cook out."

"Does she want us to bring anything?" I asked imagining that feeding a bunch of hungry wolves had to get a bit expensive. The least we could do is bring a dish to pass.

He shrugged. "I have no idea."

I rolled my eyes and walked into the kitchen. I grabbed the phone off the hook and hit redial.

"What are you doing?" He asked nervously.

"Hi. Is this Emily?" I asked when a pleasant voice picked up the phone.

"Yes." The voice on the other end of the phone answered sounding suspicious.

"This is Charli Littlecrow."
"Hello Charli. Is everything ok?" she asked sounding worried.

"Oh, everything is fine. I heard that you have a few more people coming than you expected and I've seen the way these boys eat so if you need anything please let me know. Or if you need me to come early to help cook I would be more than happy."

She laughed. "They are like feeding a – well, a pack of wolves. If you and Jacob could pick up sodas and some chips I would be very grateful. And I would love it if you wanted to come a bit early. Leah isn't exactly the best help in the kitchen."

"Well I'm not making any promises either, but I am a whiz at making hamburger patties."

"Thank you Charli. I am so glad you called and I'm looking forward to meeting you today."

"Same here."

We said our goodbyes and I turned to Jacob who was watching me with an awed expression on his face.

"What?" I asked.

"That was impressive. What if Sam would have picked up the phone?"

"I would have asked the same question."

"You are fearless aren't you?" he took several steps towards me and lifted me into his arms.

"No, not fearless."

"You could've fooled me." He laughed as he kissed me.