*I don't own any of the characters from Twilight. They belong to Stephenie Meyer. I only own the original characters in this story.
Chapter 54
"That was the last piece," Paul said as he tossed a mangled arm into the fire. The sick sweetly scent of burning leeches made him step back from the flames. He needed to see Evie.
"There's more out there," Embry stated as he scanned the trees. He didn't have to see or smell them to know there were more. It didn't make sense to come all this way and fail with a handful of leeches.
Emmett looked around. "I agree. If this was a distraction," he took a few steps towards the tall trees. "They succeeded in dividing us." He thought of Rosalie, Esme and Carlisle.
"But they have no idea the power Bella and Evie have," Jacob added. Thinking of Bella made him feel anxious. He ran his hand through his hair. "They also don't know our numbers." He glanced around for any limbs they might have missed but his guys were thorough. "Let's head out."
It didn't take them long to rid themselves of their standard cutoff jeans and phase. They immediately were given updates from Sam and Quil. They each reported to their Alpha any and all news. It didn't take long as they could see through the Pack link.
As Emmett moved through the trees he immediately felt when he was under the shield. Evie's voice filled his head. Something was wrong. He needed to get to Carlisle and the others. He stopped running as a deep fear he long forgot crossed his mind, the loss of his human family. He felt the same pain for his vampire family.
Paul's wolf crashed into Emmett, sending both of them tumbling to the ground. He rose on all fours and shook his head. He sent a growl in Emmett's direction. Embry's wolf stopped next to Emmett and nudged him.
Jacob stopped when he heard Paul. His large russet wolf stood between Paul and Emmett. The look on Emmett's face told him something was wrong. He quickly phased and pulled on his cutoff shorts. "What did Evie say?" he asked standing in front of Emmett.
Paul and Embry immediately phased and stood behind their Alpha. They recognized the look in Emmett's eyes. It was something they were all too familiar seeing when it came to Evie and her abilities.
"She said something is wrong and I need to get to La Push now," Emmett answered. "There are bits and pieces of the vision she had." He looked at the Embry. "You were right; there are more of them out there. The pieces I was able to glimpse shows three men. They don't know Carlisle and Esme are with the parents and imprints." He ran his hand down his face.
"I'll go with you," Embry stated. "I wouldn't forgive myself if something happen to my family." He made a move to leave but Paul stopped him.
"If Evie wanted you to go she would have told you," Paul said. The air around them began to sizzle. He turned to face Emmett. "Follow Evie's instructions. She knows what she is doing." He bumped fist with the leech.
Embry took a deep breath. "Paul's right," he said. "My sister's smart. She'll do everything in her power to keep our families safe." He placed a hand on Emmett's shoulder.
"I'll keep everyone safe," Emmett stated. He placed his hand on Embry's shoulder. "Protect Rose for me. She can handle herself but…protect her." He didn't bother waiting for a response. He made his way as quickly as possible to La Push.
Evie glared at Aro. "Do not call me Evie," she shouted. The smug look on his face had her clinching her hands in fists. She wanted to strike out at him. The anger that was quick to consume her was a bit frightening as well as empowering.
"Your right," Aro replied with a slight nod. "We haven't been formally introduced." He snapped his fingers and the guards stopped. "It was very wrong of me to use such an informal greeting. We of course are not friends yet." He glanced at Rosalie and Leah.
"We will never be friends. There is no need to pretend with the pleasantries. Friendly nicknames don't apply to us," Evie angrily stated. She took a step forward. "You almost killed my brother. That alone makes us enemies." The image of Embry lying on the ground unconscious projected out in front of her.
Leah knew the image all too well. It haunted her every night when she slept alone. Being in Embry's arms was the only way to keep the nightmares away. She heard the Pack growl before the image disappeared.
"My dear, it was a slight miscommunication," Aro said as he lowered his head in guilt. He tried to hide his pleasure at the remarkable gift the little one held. The shield prevented him from detecting how many were hiding under their protection.
Evie glared at the ancient vampire before her. "Meeting at the wrong restaurant is a miscommunication," she stated angrily. "But telling a bunch of blood thirsty parasites to do whatever it took to kidnap me, which almost killed by brother, is not a fucking miscommunication." The shield shot out sparks of fire. She took a deep breath and pulled in her anger. The shield vibrated for a few seconds before snapping back and taking its original form.
"It was unfortunate those individuals decided to ignore my quest for a peaceful solution," Aro explained. He motioned to Chelsea. If there was a way to break any and all bonds, he needed it done. There bonds were a strong but of course not as strong as his guards.
"You sent your pathetic guards to attack my family," Evie stated with venom in her voice. "My brother almost died because of your warp view of the world. We are not trophies," she said gesturing between herself and Bella. "Threating our family with attacks or forcing us to choose will only lead to one thing." She felt Bella stand next to her.
"War," Aro questioned with a slight shake of his head. "Young one, violence is something I detest." He sensed his other guards approaching. Renata would be with them, keeping them undetected.
"I doubt that very much," Rosalie said. She had her eyes on Chelsea knowing the woman was trying to severe the ties within the group. No one outside of the Pack or Cullen's knew the shield would protect them from an attack.
Aro glanced at Rosalie as he clasped his hands in front of him. "I see Carlisle has finally picked a side," he sadly shook his head. "I'm very disappointed, after I spared his son's life." There were no loyalties among their kind. The guards were loyal only through Chelsea and a few other secrets he kept hidden.
"You didn't spare Edward's life out of the goodness of your heart," Bella pointed out.
"He doesn't have a heart," Leah angrily said.
Bella placed a hand on Leah's arm. "There was a condition to sparing his life as well as mine," she continued. The shield was turning darker as her anger began to reach the surface. The slight movement she felt in her stomach made her take a deep breath. She had to remain calm. The babies were her first priority and knowing they were completely protected within the shield helped ease her mind.
"Isabella, you knew the rule of keeping our existence a secret before you arrived in Volterra to save poor Edward," Aro stated as he gestured around him. "Others know of us." He glanced at Evie for a moment. "We can't allow this to continue." He slightly shook his head in disapproval as he looked at each one of them. "You gave your word along with the promise to change and be one of us my child." How he counted down the days to be in possession of that kind of power.
The shield crackled as it began to pulse. It was feeding off Bella and Evie's emotions. They both wanted to react but knew it wasn't the best move. There were still things going on in the background which needed to play out. Bella tapped Evie's arm making them both pull in their anger.
"Not all plans work out," Bella replied. "Life has a way of surprising us all." She moved her hand over her stomach. "My family is non-negotiable." The weak girl who stood before him all those months ago was gone. Once she opened her eyes to the she felt for Jacob, her new life changed for the better.
"As well as mine," Aro responded as he gestured to his guard. "Our very existence is being threatened by others knowing our secrets." He tried to convey the sincerity he truly felt but the look on Bella's face was anything but understanding.
"You don't know the meaning of family," Rosalie shouted. Her tall frame shook as her anger boiled over. The family she always envisioned was forever lost to her.
Evie watched as Aro looked at each one of them. It wasn't hard to see he was an awe of their relationship. It didn't make sense for a vampire to be close to humans and not drink their blood. He gave a small gasp as he licked his bottom lip at the thought of draining their blood played in his head.
"The law was broken," Aro said. He motioned for Alec and Jane to proceed forward. "I'm sorry Isabella but you did not keep your word." He gave her a sympathetic look.
"She kept it," Jacob stated as he walked across the meadow. "I told her the truth." He stood slightly in front of Bella but he gave her enough room to stand on her own. He felt pride watching her protect all of them. She was stronger than anyone he knew.
Jane and Alec stopped. They moved back to stand next to Aro. They didn't sense the men who approached the humans. They seemed to appear out of nowhere. There was something in the Alpha's eyes which made them cautious.
"But it wasn't your secret to tell my young Alpha," Aro replied as he took a small step back. The size of the young man in front of him along with the fierce look in his eyes reminded him of a wild animal. They were only forty feet apart but he could feel the hatred from the Alpha.
"Wrong," Paul stated as he placed his hands on Evie's hips. She placed her hand over his and held on tight. His initial reaction was to pull her behind him but he had to fight the wolf back. They both wanted the same thing…protect their imprint.
"We exist because of you," Embry commented. He reached for Leah and moved her slightly behind him. She may not like it but something inside him was telling him to do it. Her safety meant more than his.
"Shape shifters," Aro acknowledged them with a nod. He heard the stories of course but he never truly gave them much thought. He held out his hand. "May I see?" he asked innocently.
A loud growl filled the air in the shield. The thought of the vampire monster touching any of them angered the wolves. They were howling to attack but their Alpha ordered them to stay put. The request was expected but he still didn't like it.
Evie gave Paul's hand a squeeze before stepping forward. "I'll show you," she replied. They knew Aro would ask to see things for himself. The Pack and Bella were out of the question. She had enough control to allow him to see the truth but to shield herself if he tried anything. She looked over her shoulder and gave them all a small smile.
Paul held on to Evie's hand. He couldn't let her go. The wolf was clawing to get out and attack. He looked at Evie's pleading eyes. "I can't," he whispered as he began to tremble.
Evie turned and pulled him towards her. She kissed him with everything she had. Images of them passed between them. From their first kiss to last time they made love and promised to love each other for eternity. She slowly pulled away. "Trust me," she said. He closed his eyes and nodded. She didn't hesitate or look back as she walked away.
The shield crackled as she stood in front of Aro. His pale thin skin was translucent as his dark red eyes looked her over. He sniffed the air and gave a small laugh. He motioned for Jane and Alec to move closer.
Evie slightly shook her head when she sensed Paul and Embry step forward. She let her hand slip through the shield. He quickly enclosed her hand with his two ice cold ones. The fire inside her wanted to burn away the cold but she pushed it back.
Aro gasped as he saw the Quileute legends play out before him. He saw the first shape shifter, Taha Aki as his spirit shared the body of a wolf. The image of several wolves fighting a 'Cold One' who killed two young ladies from their tribe played like a movie for him. It wasn't long before he saw the young Alpha before him change into a spirit wolf. The nomads who traveled through this region triggered the gene inside the descendants of the first true Spirit Wolf. It seemed impossible at first but the proof was laid out before him.
He saw the linage of all the descendants but realized only a select few carried the genes. The possibilities of having the spirits wolves at his command made him smile until he felt pain shoot throughout his body. He stumbled backwards for a moment as his guards moved forward and crashed into the shield. He glared at the young girl before him.
The shield was surrounded by the Volturi Guards. There were more guards than the Pack had anticipated. The shield began to pulse as it took hits from all around. The ground trembled as numerous vampires began to attack the shield from underground. They were using all their powers to break through unbeknown to them the shield was absorbing their powers. The growls from the Pack were almost deafening.
Jacob held on to Bella as the ground began to crack. She reached out for Leah and Rosalie. Between him, Rosalie and Leah, Bella was safely protected.
Paul ran towards Evie with Embry behind him. He needed to get her away from the fucking leech. They surrounded Bella in a protective circle. The shield shook as vampires appeared around them ready to fight.
Evie placed her hands on the ground as the earth opened up. The trembling stopped as the shield began to shoot out every power it absorbed. Several guards were on the ground crying out in pain while others went up flames. The added power to the shield was too much to handle. She pulled back but it was like before when flames were shooting out of her hands when Embry was hurt. Different powers were shooting out of her hands and filtering through the shield. Paul pulled her against him as Embry held her face.
"Don't touch her hands," Paul shouted. He moved her hair back. "Concentrate on the shield baby." He kept his eyes on the fucking head leech. He noticed a woman standing next to the asshole.
"The shield absorbed too much power at once. It will hold up but some spots may be vulnerable. Surround Bella and protect her," Evie cried out. She concentrated on keeping her hands out in front of her. "Leah, stay by Bella." She didn't bother to look in their direction. She knew Leah would do it.
"We have to get you out of here," Embry replied. He searched for the quickest route to get her out.
"No, don't move her," Bella ordered as Leah helped her to the ground. Jacob stayed close to them. She dug her hands into the grass and dirt. The shield responded as she concentrated on closing the holes. "Rosalie, help Evie."
"What are you doing?" Jacob asked. He motioned for the Pack to move out from the trees and take a defensive stance around them.
"It's the only way to fix the shield without touching it," Bella replied. "There's too much power moving through it." This was all new territory for them. They were still learning to control the power the shield absorbed. The vulnerable points were closest to Evie.
Leah stayed close to Bella while keeping an eye on Embry. She could see the worried look on Embry's face but it seemed Evie was finally getting control with Rosalie's help.
Bella was concentrating on fixing a hole close to Evie that she missed the one a few feet to her left. "No," she screamed. A vampire slipped through the shield before it closed.
Quil was the first to react. The leech made a mad dash towards Evie but Quil flipped in the air and sank his jaw into the shoulder of the vampire. Seth grabbed one of the vamps legs while Elijah ripped off an arm. Jacob lite the arm as the wolves tore the leech apart.
Sam phased by the trees. "I can't hear Collin or the others," he shouted.
Jacob kissed Bella. He pulled away and phased mid-air. He didn't waste time ordering his Pack to prepare to fight. The shield was holding up but he knew they would fight in the end.
"The other shield is blocking us," Bella yelled as she stared at the woman next to Aro.
"Concentrate Evie," Rosalie instructed as she held the girls hands. "You know how to control this damn power. You did it before." She ignored the looks Paul and Embry were giving her.
Evie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Rosalie was right. She needed to control the power not the other way around. There was too much at stake to fail. She concentrated on the people she loved. They needed her as much as she needed them. The guys popped into her head. Jerry, Dave, Toby, Tank, Rex and Enzo, she needed to keep them safe from Aro.
"Emmett is here," Carlisle announced. He walked to the back door and opened it. It didn't take long for Emmett to walk through the brush and jog across the yard.
"What's wrong?" Derek asked. He moved aside to let Emmett in.
Valisa and Marshall were standing by the counter. The look on Emmett's face had them holding each other tightly. They were all under attack and there wasn't much they could do.
"How many are there?" Charlie asked as he wheeled Billy into the kitchen. He pulled Sue close to him as she fisted his shirt.
"Evie didn't know but from what she was able to show me, three," Emmett answered. "I've talked to Collin and Jacob is aware of the situation. Evie didn't want anyone from the Pack leaving the meadow. She felt it was best to let Aro think he had the upper hand." He ran his hand down his face.
"They probably guessed where we are since we aren't in the meadow with everyone else," Esme said looking around at all the worried faces.
"I can't track them on satellite," Beth growled in frustration. "It would expose the Pack." She touched the necklace Quil gave her. She felt helpless.
Esme gave Valisa's shoulder a slight squeeze. She knew the older woman was a bundle of nerves. They had each other to lean on. She walked to the living to look out the window. Her heart felt heavy as she worried about all their children. Before she had a chance to reach the window a howl broke the silence around them. A dark haired vampire broke through the window. A growl echoed through the house as the vampire headed straight for Derek. Valisa was hugging her son when the vampire ripped the shoulder of her blouse. She screamed before collapsing in Derek's arms.
"Shit," Emmett shouted. He pulled a screaming Beth back, swinging her towards the counter. He stood in front of her. He could feel her trembling.
Carlisle grabbed the vampire and threw him back through the broken window. He stood in front of Derek, Marshall and Valisa. Esme was crouched down ready to defend her husband and friends.
Charlie pushed Billy in the corner and moved Sue behind him. "Stay back," he exclaimed as he tried to shield them. There wasn't much he could do against a vampire but he would protect the people he loved with his last breath. He felt Sue grab onto the back of his shirt. She was trembling.
Billy put his arm around Sue to give her some comfort as he held onto Charlie's belt. If a leech tried to take his friend then they would have to take him too.
"Fuck," Emmett shouted. The sound of another vampire echoed in his ears. He pulled Beth towards Charlie. "Stay here," he warned. The look in Beth's eyes told him she was already forming a plan. She glared at him for a moment but then nodded. She held on to Sue.
The vampire tried to come back through the window but Esme ran and slammed into him. The sound of their bodies colliding caused a deafening sound to vibrate around them. She moved fast to avoid a fist to her head. She crouched low swinging her leg around and knocked the vampire on the ground. The anger going through her terrified her but it didn't stop her from defending the people she loved. The smaller of the wolves, Drew ripped a leg off the vampire. Carlisle only had a moment to stare in stunned silence at his beautiful, kind, sweet mannered wife before she twisted the head off the dark haired vampire.
The loud growl that filled the air had Emmett running through the back door and ripping it off its hinges. He slammed into a blond vampire causing a thunderous sound. He caught a quick glimpse of Collin, Gavin and Michael tearing apart a red head vamp. Emmett dusted off his shirt and smirked as the blond vamp tried to get around him. From the gargled scream it sounded like Esme and Drew took down the vamp.
"You picked the wrong family to mess with," Emmett stated as he cracked his knuckles.
"My Master is not afraid of your little coven," the blond vampire said. He tried to get around but ended up on the ground.
"I don't give a crap what your Master is afraid of," Emmett replied. He moved to the right and slammed the vampire into the ground. There was a roaring sound as the ground shook. "You might want to close your eyes for this next part." He flung the vamp in the air but held onto to his legs. A loud tearing sound filled the air along with the vampires screams.
Jasper pulled the vamps head clean off in one swift move. He flung the head in the direction of the wolves. They were burning the one they killed. "Seems I didn't miss much," he stated as Emmett dismantled the vampire.
"Did you think I'd wait for your ass to show up?" Emmett asked with a laugh. He gathered up body parts and walked to the fire.
Esme was dragging the torso of the man she killed when she spotted Jasper. She gasped and dropped the torso as she ran to her son. "Your here," she cried as she held him close. "I've missed you my son."
Emmett grabbed the discarded torso. He knew Esme worried about Jasper after everything happened with Alice. She felt a bit of shame for not seeing the trouble Edward and Alice were causing under her roof.
Jasper hugged her back. It felt good to be part of a family again. "I missed you too," he responded. He reluctantly pulled away. "But we don't have much time for a reunion right now. The others are coming." He nodded as Carlisle made his way over to them.
"Son," Carlisle whispered as he pulled Jasper into a tight hug. "You're safe." He sensed something was wrong and slowly moved back.
"The others are heading to the meadow," Jasper replied. "I needed to make sure you were all okay." He looked towards the house and lowered his voice when Derek and Charlie appeared. "The shield was hit hard and Evie absorbed too much power. The images Bella was projecting were too quick to see."
"But the shield was impenetrable," Carlisle retorted. "We were all unsuccessful in reaching Bella or Evie." He began to worry.
"Jasper, what's going on?" Charlie asked. He looked back at Billy and Sue.
"Are the girls okay?" Derek questioned as a lump became lodged in his throat.
Jasper looked at both men. He knew if the roles were reversed he would want to know the truth. "The shield absorbed too much power," he began. Emmett appeared next to him as well as the wolves.
"Is that why we can't hear our Brothers?" Collin asked. They noticed something was wrong but pushed it to the back of theirs heads in order to concentrate on the incoming leeches.
"I wasn't able to see everything clearly. The images were too fast to understand the situation," Jasper answered. "But it does make sense to have lost communication with the Alpha under the shield if Aro brought Renata." He looked at the young wolves. "She wasn't on the plane but then again neither were those ones." He gestured to the burning corpses.
"I'm going with you," Emmett stated angrily. He wasn't going to sit around when Rose was fighting alone.
Jasper placed a hand on Emmett and used his gift to calm him down. "You are staying here and protecting the parents," he ordered. He turned to wolves. "The four of you are going to phase to your human form and stand guard around the house. It's the only way to ward off any further attack." His military mind was thinking of strategic moves to counter any possible attack.
I hope you are still enjoying the story. Real life has kicked my butt and I've been unable to write like I want. Thanks for continuing to follow the story and marking it as one of your favorites.
Thanks,
india8
