A/N I am not Stephenie Meyer, I do not own Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse or Breaking Dawn. No copyright infringement intended.
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Chapter 44: Binding and Breaking
"You kids sure you don't want some of this? I can cook another batch of noodles in about ten minutes, and there's plenty of sauce."
"No thank you, Billy. I'm saving my appetite for the bonfire tonight." Nessie's stomach threatened to expel the blood of the deer she drained just ten minutes ago. She tried to smile and breathe exclusively through her mouth. There was simply no way to block out the stench of Billy's spaghetti sauce.
"Dad. We're fine. Now please tell us what you know about this poem and the woman that wrote it." Jake was also breathing through his mouth; it didn't appear to be working for him either. "What the hell did you put in the sauce this time?"
"I already told you all I know about that poem… which is nothing. I've never heard of anyone even trying to break an imprint much less succeeding." Billy took another bite of the nastiness on his plate. "There was half a can of Spam in the back of the fridge so I used that and some leftover chicken from a couple of weeks ago as well as a little lettuce that was too far gone for a salad."
Nessie clenched her teeth to keep from gagging. "That's disgusting, Dad. I'll never understand how you manage to eat that and not die from food poisoning. I know you already know that meal is too high in carbs. When's the last time you checked your blood sugar?"
Nessie's eyes widened when Billy actually growled at Jake. He was every bit as loud and fierce sounding as any of the wolves. "Rachael is bad enough. I don't need you to start fussing over me like a mother hen. Why don't you show that poem to Old Quil? If anyone has any knowledge of forbidden rituals, it would be him."
"We'll go just as soon as you check your blood. I'm not leaving here until I'm sure you're stable." Jake's huge frame took up a large portion of the kitchen and he was intimidating as he leaned against the refrigerator."
"You can stay as long as you want, Son. I'm no hurry for you to leave." Billy scraped the last bit of spaghetti off his plate into his mouth then handed it to Nessie. Does he expect me to wash his dishes? Nessie carried it to the sink and balanced it on top of the huge pile already there.
"Come on Dad; let's go prick your finger." Jake pushed off the refrigerator and the old unit rocked, rattling its contents. Billy snorted but wheeled into his bedroom with Jake right behind him.
Nessie looked at the stack of disgusting dishes in the sink and sighed. She found a bottle of generic dish soap and a sour smelling sponge under the sink. She may not be as fast as a full vampire, but she was much faster than any human. She was rinsing the last pot when Jake and Billy returned to the kitchen.
"Why thank you Nessie. You didn't have to do my dishes, but I'm sure glad you did." Billy's smile of gratitude was genuine and it warmed her heart, but Jake's smile and whispered "thank you" practically made her glow.
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Jake opened the battered old screen door to knock on the loose-hinged front entrance of Quil Ateara's home. A few flecks of peeling red paint stuck to the knuckles of Jake's right hand. He absently brushed them off against his thigh as he called to the old man inside. "Mr. Ateara, are you home? It's Jacob Black and Renesmee Cullen; we'd like to talk to you about something."
"Stop hollering, Boy. I may be old, but I'm not deaf. Come on in, the door's not locked."
Jake held the door open for Nessie then followed her inside. The spring-loaded screen slammed shut with a bang making her flinch. Old Quil grimaced and complained, "I see you still haven't learned how to properly close a door." Jake started to apologize but the old man cut him off. "Never mind Jacob, my grandson hasn't either and he's had a lot more practice."
Nessie looked around at the cluttered interior of the tiny front room. Several multi-colored afghans similar to the ones in Billy's house covered the worn upholstery on the furniture. Old Quil had one on his lap and another loosely draped over his shoulders. She wondered why so many different kinds and colors of yarn were used in the construction of these blankets.
The braided rug covering most of the cheap linoleum floor was also a kaleidoscope of faded color and texture. Nessie couldn't help comparing Billy and Old Quil's carelessly eclectic decor to the meticulously designed interiors of each Cullen residence. Even the tree house in the jungle was a work of art.
Esme and Alice were masters of understated elegance, using ridiculously expensive fabrics and priceless artifacts collected from every corner of the world. The homes on the rez were run-down yet functional and filled with the "artifacts" of daily life. The contrast was as stark as black and white. Most of the people on the rez were as poor as the Cullen's were rich.
Jacob had promised her a "roof over her head and a floor under her feet". He warned her that he could not afford a big fancy house. Life with Jacob would be much different from life with her family. Nessie felt exhilarated and excited by this realization. Jacob would provide the house—she would make it a home.
Nessie continued her visual inventory of Old Quil's living room and started a mental list of the skills she needed to learn… tatting, knitting, crochet, weaving, and quilting were just the beginning.
Small framed photographs sat atop handmade lace doilies on each horizontal surface. Nessie's eyes were drawn to one in particular. Three small mud-covered boys stood arm in arm with mischievous grins plastered across their faces.
Quil, Jake, and Embry looked much different as children; but she easily recognized them. Old Quil chuckled softly. "Those little rascals weren't so happy when I turned the hose on them."
"That water was freezing!" Jake shivered melodramatically. "It's a miracle we didn't all catch pneumonia."
Nessie glimpsed the spirit of a much younger man in Old Quil's twinkling eyes. "It served you right. You should have heard the tongue lashing your mother gave me when she came to get you. She even accused me of 'not watching' you boys like I promised. I watched you alright—I just didn't stop you."
Nessie giggled and felt a familiar tug in her heart as she imagined Jake's sons playing in the mud. She suspected her increased yearning to bear children was a direct result of imprint magic. Her smile froze on her face and her blood ran cold when she realized the desire to consummate their relationship was due to the imprint's purpose of procreation.
Is my love for Jake nothing more than a mating instinct? Am I a bitch in heat? The thought sickened her until she felt Jake's arm wrap around her shoulder and his warm breath in her ear when he whispered, "Are you okay, Nessie?"
She couldn't deny the tenderness of his concern. There was no hint of the wolf in his husky voice. No primal lust in his gentle caress. She simply nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat.
"Jacob, please close the door. I'm not a hot-blooded young wolf like you. I can't seem to get warm no matter how many blankets I use." Old Quil was trembling and it wasn't just because he was frail. He was cold. Nessie wondered why he didn't just turn up the thermostat—until she realized he probably couldn't afford to pay his heating bill.
Nessie was consumed with guilt as she pondered the inequality of life. It was ridiculous. Her family kept their home at a constant seventy-two degrees Fahrenheit just incase some human wandered by and knocked on their door. There was no reason to heat the 5,000 square foot monstrosity above forty degrees. All they needed to do was keep the pipes from freezing.
Jake disentangled his arm from Nessie's shoulder to shut the door. He raised his eyebrows in question as he led her to a sagging armchair then glanced at the old man shivering on the couch. Nessie squeezed Jake's hand and smiled encouragingly at him.
Jake carefully lowered his massive frame next to Old Quil and draped his arm nonchalantly across the back of the couch. The old man relaxed and leaned into Jake's side with a sigh.
Nessie's heart swelled with love as she witnessed yet another example of the empathy and compassion that motivated Jacob Black in everything he did. "Nessie Sweetheart, why don't you read the poem to Mr. Ateara? She had to blink her eyes to clear away the tears blurring her vision before she began.
"Where did you get that?" Old Quil's arthritic and claw-like hands shook as he clutched Nessie's wrist. The fire in his eyes hinted at the power and passion trapped inside his frail aging body and Nessie was afraid. "Did Embry Call or Leah Clearwater give it to you?"
"N-n-no, I found it." Nessie stuttered. "It was in a box that belonged to my grandfather, Carlisle Cullen."
Old Quil seemed to shrink as he leaned even closer into Jake's side. He groaned and began to shiver again. Jake rubbed the old man's arm gently but his voice was tinged with power. "Quil, it's important. I need you to tell me what you know."
It was the first time Nessie had ever heard anyone call him "Quil". Everyone always referred to him affectionately as "Old Quil" when he wasn't around, or the more formal "Mr. Ateara" to his face. Nessie felt the balance of power shift in that moment.
Old Quil sighed with relief as he absently wiped a tear off his cheek. "The secret was supposed to die with me, Jacob. How did this happen? How did Embry and Leah find out?"
"I have no idea. That's why we're here. Now tell me what you know." Jake stared patiently and kindly at Old Quil until he acquiesced.
"I need my glasses." He pointed to the table beside Nessie. She picked them up carefully and handed them to him with the poem she had copied earlier.
"I was just a small boy when the tragedy occurred, but I will never forget it."
"What tragedy?" Nessie blurted unintentionally. Jake shot her a look that was clearly a rebuke. She bit her tongue to hold back the sarcastic retort that was almost instinctual for her. In their relationship, Nessie expected to be treated as an equal. As the leader of the Quileute Nation, Jacob expected to be obeyed. This isn't going to be easy.
Jake smiled lovingly at Nessie as he patted Old Quil with affection. "Please continue."
Old Quil sat up a little straighter and cleared his throat. "The rituals of Binding and Breaking were still taught as part of our history and legends even after they were forbidden by Taha Aki. He believed imprinting was a gift from our ancestors to bless the lives of the spirit warriors. It was a reward for their service and sacrifice on behalf of the people. To interfere with imprinting in anyway was an insult and angered the gods.
"The Binding Ritual, while not as dangerous, was the first step to the often-fatal Breaking Ritual. Embry Call and Leah Clearwater are guilty of performing the Binding Ritual."
"Quil, if they are guilty of anything it is of being desperately in love. What is the binding ritual?"
"May I continue?" Old Quil asked indignantly.
Jake smiled and nodded his head. "I'm sorry."
"Like I said, the rituals were forbidden but not secret. Everyone knew about them. One day while on patrol, one of our warriors discovered a cold one attacking a family of white trappers. Once the evil leech was destroyed, Kaliso discovered a young woman cowering under the roots of a tree. Even after he phased she would not willing leave her hiding place."
Nessie imagined what it must have been like for the poor girl. She witnessed the death of her family, watched a giant wolf tear a vampire apart, and then saw said wolf magically turn into a man—probably a completely naked man at that. No wonder she didn't want to leave her hiding place.
"Kaliso drug the girl, kicking and screaming, into the village. She presented a serious problem. If we took her to one of the white settlements, they would accuse our warriors of abusing her. She had no valuable skills to contribute and would be a burden to our people.
"Kaliso was a fierce warrior but a kind and gentle man. He took pity on the girl named Martha, and promised to provide for her." Old Quil chuckled at the expression on Jake's face. "No Jacob, he did not imprint on her, but he did fall in love with her. She fell in love with him as well.
"Martha learned quickly, but never did learn to pronounce more than a few of our words. She loved to listen to our stories and legends and wrote them in her book." Nessie's eyes lit up as she thought of the treasures of knowledge the woman's journal contained.
"During her first year with us, two of the spirit warriors imprinted and deserted their wives and children. Martha was afraid to marry Kaliso even though he had already won her heart. One day in the dead of winter Kaliso and Martha left the village. When they returned that evening, Kaliso was missing one of his fingers." Old Quil lifted his left hand and extended his ring finger.
"The elders were furious but what could they do? The deed was done. There was no undoing it. It was fortunate for Kaliso and Martha that no disasters befell the tribe that year, for it is certain they would have been blamed for it."
"They had a season of happiness before Kaliso imprinted on a daughter of the Makah chief. The Binding Ritual protected the bond between Kaliso and Martha, but his desire for his imprint broke her heart.
"It was the first wife's duty to decide the fate of the family. Martha could have accepted Kaliso's imprint as a sister-wife, many chose that path in the old days. She embraced many of our ways, but she could not accept another woman in Kaliso's bed. She preferred to risk his life and attempt to break the imprint rather than share him."
"Her choice cost the life of Kaliso's brother as well as that of her husband."
Nessie frowned and demanded, "How?" She whispered "sorry" and bit her lip.
This time Jake did not censure her, but interrupted Old Quil as well. "Yes, why did his brother die?"
Old Quil did not seem offended but he was subdued when he resumed speaking. "This is why these stories are no longer shared. The Breaking Ritual is extremely dangerous. There is only one thing toxic enough to break the bond of an imprint. Can you not guess what it is?"
"It's not vampire venom, is it?" Jake asked.
"Of course it is, Jacob. What else could it be?"
"But how did they manage to get vampire venom? Ask the Cullens? Surely they would have mentioned it."
"No Son, Kaliso and his brother tracked a cold one and collected its venom before killing it. Unfortunately, it bit Kaliso's brother before he tore its head off. Kaliso placed his brother's body high in the branches of a cedar tree to protect it from wild animals then met his wife and his imprint at a hut he built for the express purpose of performing the Breaking Ritual.
Old Quil was silent and seemed lost in thought. Jake placed a hand on the old man's knee and gently asked, "Are you going to tell me how to perform the Breaking Ritual?"
"Are you going to allow Embry Call to attempt it?" Old Quil countered.
"It's not my choice. It's Embry's." Jake answered solemnly.
"Traditionally, it would be Leah Clearwater's choice."
"In any case Quil, if there is a way, we owe it to Embry and Leah to tell them what it is and let them decide if the risk is worth it."
"We all promised never to speak of the forbidden rituals again. I am the last one, Jacob. The secret is supposed to die with me."
"Listen to me Quil. You don't have a choice. It is my responsibility and duty to take care of my pack. Embry and Leah are both members of my pack and you will tell me all I need to know to end their suffering if they so choose. If this does not end well, the sin is on my head not yours."
Old Quil dropped his head into his hands and sobbed. Jake slid to his knees on the floor in front of him and gently pried his hands away from his face. Jake placed his palms on Old Quil's cheeks and looked into his eyes. "As a son of Taha Aki I release you from your promise and lift the burden of this secret from your shoulders. Tell me."
Old Quil took a deep shaky breath. "To break an imprint the warrior paints the blade of his knife with a small amount of vampire venom and cuts his wrist. The first wife, the woman he has not imprinted on must stay away from him during the time the poison burns through his body. His imprint must be present during the time of his suffering. She has to help care for him and hers must be the first face he sees when he opens his eyes."
Jake froze then started to tremble. "Jacob, are you okay?" Nessie didn't like the look on his face.
Jake ignored her and stared at Old Quil. "Are you sure about this, Quil? That's all it takes to break an imprint?" He nodded his head.
"NO!" Jake shouted then sat back on his heels. "That can't be right." His trembling worsened.
Nessie immediately went to him and put her palms on his cheeks. "What is it Jake? What's wrong Love? Please calm down. You can't phase in here."
Jake's eyes were wild as he grabbed Nessie's wrists, but he didn't pull her hands away from his face. He only spoke two words, but they sent a chill down her spine and stopped her heart.
"The river."
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