CHAPTER FIFTY SEVEN
TANGLED
REBECCA CALL:
I scrubbed and scoured my flat clean again and again. It felt so soiled after Quinn Taylor had carried out his pathetic attack on my home. I had waited impatiently on Embry turning up last night. He was meant to meet me early evening. He was seriously late. It was now early morning, I expect my sister had something to do with it! I decided he probably wasn't coming at all now, wait until I saw those two later today! Lovesick fools! I needed to pay a little visit to Quinn. He wasn't going to get away with this. I planned to give him a few frights of the animal kind, then I had a nice little set up plan in mind for him. He worked as a security guard at a pharmaceutical company. My plan involved him getting the sack as well as leaving him scarred for life mentally. Hopefully it would be enough to get him off our back's. I had taken an instant dislike to the guy the minute I'd met him. Why Kat had to get tangled up with him I don't know! I was happy she was with Embry. He was good and kind and definitely husband material. He obviously wasn't a good timekeeper though. I took off my rubber gloves and decided it was time for a cup of coffee. Everything was looking just so again.
Just as I got the bottle of milk out of the fridge someone knocked loudly at the door. I sighed as I put the bottle back and made my way to the front door. My brother better have a good excuse for his lateness! I flung open the door ready to give Embry an earful. I was shocked to find Leah Clearwater and Etienne Lucier on my doorstep. Oh wait, Kat told me they were married now. Mr and Mrs Lucier, the vampires, here on my doorstep, their deep amber eyes glowing in their perfect pale faces. The dawn had barely broken, but they didn't sleep, a lot like me lately. "Rebecca, listen carefully, Katherine and Embry are in trouble. We need your help. Can we come in?" Leah asked in her musical sing song voice. I nodded, dumbstruck at their very presence.
KAT CONSTANTINE:
My hair was dishevelled and my eyes red from crying plus lack of sleep. My heartbreak had turned to worry. I was sure something wasn't right. It was now early morning and the more I puzzled over the situation, the more I became convinced that there was no way Embry would cheat on me. He wouldn't leave me, he loved me, there had to be another explanation. My phone suddenly beeped and I jumped up off the bed to retrieve it. It was a text. From Embry! "Not left. Taken by Quinn. All a set up. At a cabin in the woods. Not sure where. Don't worry I'm safe and I'm ready for him. Get Rebecca! I love you. xxx" I clamped my hand over my mouth as I gave a strangled cry of shock and dismay. Quinn had taken Embry captive? All because he couldn't have me? He was crazier than I thought! What did he plan to do? Hurt Embry? Keep him a prisoner indefinitely? I had to go to Rebecca's right away! I quickly called her, "Rebecca, it's me. Something has happened, something terrible!" Wait, wait, I'm all right, promise! It's Embry! Quinn abducted him! He made me believe Embry had left me. He made me believe Embry had cheated on me! What? Leah and Etienne are with you? Right! Okay I'm coming over now! Yes, I'll drive! Okay Rebecca, I'm hurrying. Yes! I'm leaving now!" I exclaimed as I pulled a brush quickly through my tangled mane and grabbed my denim jacket from the floor.
I searched through my jeans pocket , then my room frantically looking for my car keys. Where did I leave them last? I ran out to the garage where my yellow mini cooper sat.I tried the door and lo and behold it was open with the keys jangling in the ignition. I was such a careless fool! Dad would kill me if my car got stolen seeing as it had been an eighteenth birthday gift from him and Mom. I smiled at the keyring as always. It was a picture of me and Embry taken the night he asked me to marry him. It was lopsided and a bit fuzzy seeing as he'd held the camera above our faces himself! But I loved it, just as I loved him. "Don't turn around Kat, just drive your car to the end of the street. Then you and I will take a little trip in my van. Okay sweetheart?" Quinn said his voice soft and loving as if he and I were lovers going on a romantic date. "Quinn" I stated with a sigh.
QUINN TAYLOR:
As I drove back to Vancouver I tortured myself with images of Katherine and Embry together. I imagined their limbs tangled together in a passionate embrace. His lips on hers, whispering words of love and desire. I should be the one to hold her! I loved her beyond reason, not this johnny come lately with his "imprinting". I was going to find out what that was just as soon as I got home. I needed to pack any ways. A new plan was formulating in my head as I got closer to home. I had decided I couldn't live without Kat. I would take her with me far away from Vancouver. Away from her family, away from her supposed fiancé, away from everything she had known to begin a new life with me. Just us. Before that could happen I had to go back to the cabin. Embry needed dealt with. I would give him some more chloroform before the second lot could wear off. Then I would put him in the cellar. Well it is actually more like a bomb shelter. The guy who had owned it before me was obsessed with a nuclear war. He thought if it was going to happen then he was going to be prepared by building this awesome shelter beneath the cabin. It had reinforced steel walls , no one would find Embry there. Not until I decided he could be found. I would leave him enough supplies of food, water and clothes. I would even throw in some books for entertainment. If he went crazy down there then that was up to him!
I laughed out loud as my plan started to take city loomed in front of me in the grey morning light. New day, new start for me. "Yeah baby, come on, don't fear the reaper!" I sang at the top of my voice. I would make the Embry problem disappear. I would have Kat. I would be happy. Now, there was just the small matter of persuading Katherine to come with me. I decided I would have to take the tough love approach with her. She wouldn't expect anything less of me I'm sure. Soon she would be mine again and this time it was for keeps, no matter what.
LEAH LUCIER:
At last we were in Vancouver and on our way to Rebecca Call's house. Etienne had called Bella who had asked Jacob to get Rebecca's address. Jacob had been full of questions, as usual. Bella told him I needed to see her. That was enough for my old friend. He quickly got Rebecca's address from Tiffany with no problem. Thank heavens most of the people I knew, whether supernatural or human, were either unable to sleep or simply did not sleep. Jake had told Bella to say hi to me and Etienne. Bella said Nessie and he were so very happy. That made me glad. I would hopefully get to see everyone soon, although I knew Etienne preferred me to stay away from home, from my human family as he knew it would hurt me to see them. My Mom did not approve of my marriage or new life. I think she might have preferred me dead and gone forever after Sam's attack. Anything rather than a vampire.
Etienne hugged me close to him and kissed the top of my head as our taxi sped towards Rebecca's flat by the riverside. He knew I was coiled as tightly as a spring since leaving London. All the time during our long flight I had visions. They kept changing. I called Alice when we finally landed and she explained that if one person changed the course of destiny then everything could change at once. I had to be patient and wait to see the clearer picture. Patience was not one of my strong points. I had a responsibility to Embry and Katherine. They featured heavily in these visions of mine so I had to help them. There was no question about it. I knew Etienne was worried about me. He wanted us to continue our new life together, not be back here, close to home where it all started. He wanted me to be happy, to be free and not be tangled up with the humans and their lives with their human problems. The visions put paid to my new contented life with Etienne though. How could I ignore them? There was no way I could. I knocked impatiently on Rebecca's door, desperate to find out something, anything that could help. She looked surprised to see us standing there at this early human hour. Then she looked almost dazzled, but quickly recovered her composure. She was a shape shifter after all. The only female one now I had came to the other side. ( A joke I shared with my darling Etienne!)
"Rebecca, listen carefully, Katherine and Embry are in trouble. We need your help. Can we come in?" I asked politely. She ushered us in quickly. "What's wrong?" she asked worriedly. "You better sit down Rebecca, this may take awhile!" I stated with a wry smile.
I began to tell her about the visions. Her face changed as she went through a variety of emotions. She looked like she was dying to say something but she waited until I had finished. "I know where the place is that you described Leah! Just before exit thirteen on the highway there is a track. I think it's signposted "Private Road" It's worth a try surely? " Rebecca gushed excitedly. She called Kat who had received a text from Embry. He had confirmed my visions. Rebecca looked pleased with herself, "Kat is on her way! We'll sort this out in no time Leah!" she exclaimed with a wide grin. "Quinn is really going to pay now" she added with a low growl. I felt myself stiffen as another vision gripped me. Etienne held my hand as the mental pictures flew past my closed eyes. Rebecca was wrong, so wrong.
This was about to get worse, much worse.
