Chapter 16
The Perfect Storm
"Hey! What the hell do you mean putting me in there? How in the freak am I supposed to breathe?"
The crimson eyes of the large, thickly built leech who stood near the freezer door, flashed black. He snarled and hissed at Seth, punching a wide hole through the freezer door with his fist.
"Wow, you're strong," Seth mocked, feigning idolization.
The polite tour guide vamp watched on in amusement. "Its a large freezer, you'll be fine. We'll bring you some comforts like blankets, water, and food."
Seth glared at him but entered the freezer. He phased, growling low, as they chained the door on the outside. Stupid leech! I wish I didn't have to breathe. It freakin' reeks in here. I've never smelled anything as rotten and disgusting in my whole freakin' life. Seth yelped. Some friendly treatment, huh? Son of a bitch!
Seth! Don't disappear on us again. Sam, he's back.
Can the freezer contain Seth? Sam asked.
Seth doesn't think so. The hinges are rusty. He saw the door's clear jiggle when the reeking bloodsucker punched a hole in it, for air. It wriggled, and he didn't even notice, because of Seth's mocking. These leeches are dumb asses.
I'm sure they are. That's why they're expendable. Just like the Romanians believe we are. Hold up here, Sam commanded the pack. Jacob, I suggest we charge as soon as Brady's ready and that won't be too long from now. As soon as we can talk to him, we go. They've had Brady and the girls long enough.
Jacob agreed. We'll need to split up and some of us must get around to the opposite side of the rest of us, scale the smaller buildings, and go in through the windows. The rest of us will try to get them to come to us. Seth said sixteen, and that includes the three bloodsuckers who stayed behind at the pick-up site.
Once Brady is clear, he might be able to confirm the numbers. It's possible he witnessed others during his moments awake, Sam barked.
Jake, we know they'll smell us once we get close. We can make that work to our advantage, Embry offered.
He's right. Quil elaborated, we use our own scents along with the wind as the diversion to make them come to us. Whatever way we go in, will depend on which way the wind is blowing. We want them to know we're coming.
That's true. Sam, if we create enough noise while they smell us, hopefully, they will come out to meet us. Maybe. But we still must have whoever is going in through those windows close enough to defend the girls if someone attempts to get at them once they know we're here.
Brady and Seth are already inside. If need be, they could attack from within when necessary, Sam thought, If Brady's cage is as weak as Seth thinks it is, Brady should be able to breakout before they can sedate him again. He'll be strong enough this time. Still, whoever goes in through those windows must get in there fast enough to help Brady and Seth.
Anything else we haven't considered yet? Jacob asked his pack.
Sam did the same.
Jacob, I'm the fastest. I'll go through the window, Leah volunteered. Nothing will stop me from getting into that room on time.
Okay, Leah's one. Who else, Sam? Jacob raked his eyes over Sam's pack.
Sam focused on Paul and Jared. Leah's going through a window. I know how bad you both want in that building, but I could really use one of you out front with us.
Paul, you go through the windows with Leah. I'll run with Sam and the others, Jared thought. We need to keep us older wolves out front where there will be the most danger.
Two more wolves. We'll stack it in there. Sam studied the rest of the wolves for the best picks.
Sam. Since you're sending two more, I say Samson, Jared recommended. I know he's young, but he's just as strong as me now, and he can soar. I trust all of you, but Kim knows Samson better than she knows anyone else. She'll feel safer with him.
Okay, and one of the younger wolves. Josiah, you go, Sam ordered.
Sam, we'll have Leah and the guys get as close to the building as possible without being detected. It shouldn't be too hard with the current strength of the wind. Brady and Seth will call us at the first sign the enemies know of us. Once Brady and Seth get that signal, Leah, Paul, and the others better be in that building along with Seth and Brady, standing between the girls and any danger.
It sounds good so far. We got the entrance. What about the exit? Sam thought.
We go right out the front door, Paul concluded. There'll be six of us inside, what's stopping us? Leah and Samson, Brady, Seth, Josiah. I don't care who takes Rachel and Kim home. I'll meet you guys where the action is once I know they're safe.
Sam passed Paul's comment on to Jacob.
If that's the plan, the key is to get as many of them out of the building, so there will be nothing standing in our rescuers' way, Jacob added.
If there really is only sixteen to worry about, we have the numbers in our favor. There are twenty-two of us and two more inside. Maybe if they know our numbers, they'll all come out leaving the girls free and clear, Sam thought.
Jacob responded. Well then, we'll just have to tell them our numbers. That way when they hear and smell us, they'll know what's coming for them.
Seth phased again, before Jacob could finish his thought. "Hey, bloodsucker, over here! Bloodsucker!" Seth hollered, peeking out of the jagged fist-sized hole in the door.
One of them walked over and eyed Seth, sneering. "Lift your leg and piss in there! I'm not taking you to the bathroom."
Seth laughed. "Seriously, though, I was just wondering how big that Volturi guard is? Just want to make sure my brothers won't be too outnumbered."
He ignored Seth, shuffling away.
"So, what do you have? About, twenty guys here?" He asked, overestimating their numbers. "Added with our thirty-five guys. We're fifty-five strong. Hopefully, the guard isn't too much bigger than that, eh?"
The vampire continued to ignore Seth. He phased back and showed Jacob the lopsided conversation.
Seth's back again, and he got our numbers out there. Even fudged 'em a bit. He couldn't get a reaction, though... Now they know they'll need every rotted leech they have.
Wait for the call from us, Seth, he instructed. Leah, get going, try to get around as quickly as possible and hold up before getting too close. Until Brady confirms he's ready.
Sam passed the orders to his pack. Paul, Samson, Josiah, and Leah sprinted through the black forest, out of sight.
Sam reminded everyone. Since they can control their vampire blood thirst for the girls, they're not newborns. They may or may not have some skill, but they won't be as strong as the others we've fought in the past.
Roughly two to three hours later Brady was back, feeling strong, and ready to get out of his prison and inflict a whole hell of a lot of revenge. He confirmed that there were only the sixteen vampires who were all back in the building. The vampires were visiting as if they didn't have a single worry in the world. There was only one of them in the room with Brady, the demon with the darts. Brady lay motionless in waiting, making the vampire believe he was still knocked out, as he carelessly strutted around without his tranquilizer gun.
Leah, Paul, and the others, positioned themselves right where they wanted to wait. The wind blew turbulently to the east, taking their scents away with it. The current direction of the wind also worked perfect for Jacob's group, because once they moved near enough to the building, the wind would take their scents right up the bloodsuckers' noses. As long as the wind doesn't shift, this will be just as easy as I thought, Jacob said to his pack.
Lighting crackled throughout the sky, pithily illuminating the night. They rain began to pour, pouncing the forest topography heavily, along with wild roaring thunder and violent wind. The storm had arrived.
Jacob stretched, pointing his neck and muzzle toward the heavens. He sucked in the cool wet air as the downpour drenched and kneaded his fur flat against his skin, flowing over his entire body. He waggled excess moisture from his tail up to his ears.
Everyone's in place, Sam. Let's get there yesterday!
Okay, I want Jacob, Embry, Quil, Jared, Collin, myself, and Ethan and Elijah up front, Sam and Elijah were Sam's twin cousins. We'll take most of the action. I want the rest of you younger wolves to stay close by one of us; I plan on making sure no one gets hurt tonight.
The packs picked up speed readying to charge the building, hoping to get close but—not too close—before the vampires came out to defend. The wolves sprinted at full speed with Jacob and Sam running side by side, up front, flanked by Jared and Embry next to each of their specific pack leader.
Jacob, Brady's showing us something, Sam informed. There's a male, Native American bloodsucker who had a thing for one of the girls. He made certain he stayed close to them. Brady heard him planning on changing her. He's not sure which girl the bloodsucker spoke about.
A wrath filled howl emerged from Jared, followed by several other wild, furious howls resonating throughout the woods, signaling their presence in the area thunderous and rowdy.
Paul, did you see that? Jacob heard Jared ask.
He better hope I don't get to him before you do! He heard Paul respond to Jared.
Jacob gasped. Sam, can you hear Quil?
Sam listened. I can hear them all, Leah, Embry, and Seth, too. What's going on?
Through Seth and Brady, Jacob saw several vampires scramble from the building, reacting to the howls. At the same moment, Jacob witnessed Brady and Seth break through their holding confines simultaneously, with Leah and Paul crashing through the windows at the exact time, followed by Samson and Josiah.
We've got to figure that one out later, Sam, because here they come. Jacob ducked, dodging one, barely missing a fist through his body. He pushed himself forward with all his power, rushing back, and viciously biting at full strength.
The vampire convulsively shook loose, slamming Jacob to the ground, yanking the wind from his lungs. Jacob sprung back to his paws and hurdled himself into his opponent, sending him flying toward Quil. Quil dove at it from behind, catching it by the back of the neck and dragging it down.
Jacob snarled, sharply circling around, searching for another target. He glanced to his side and saw Sam slashing through the neck of a blond-haired leech. Another wolf, Collin, had it by the leg.
Bodies, both vampire and wolf, bounced around the area. Curdling hisses, growls, and high-pitched whimpers sounded all around him.
Two more leeches sped at Jacob so fast he hardly saw them coming as they rammed him into a tree. Embry lunged in front of Jacob, snapping and ripping off an arm. Jacob grabbed a hold of the other one's skull, gnawing at it.
Images of every wolf's battle rolled through Jacob's mind, being stamped directly into his memory.
A bloodsucker wrestled Ethan, Elijah tackling it from behind, chewing at its body. He and some others dragged it away and pulled it apart. One swooped in behind Quil while he was facing off with another. Embry pounced from out of nowhere, smacking the pale, marble monster away from Quil. Two younger wolves pinned it down tearing and clawing at it.
Jacob witnessed so much simultaneously; he had to concentrate with a purpose on the vampires he himself encountered.
The girls are safe, and we're on our way. Paul howled as he, Josiah, and Seth dashed to the battle site.
Jacob swirled, scanning the area. They overcame nearly all the vampires. Jared had the last one grounded, ripping through its chest while Collin crunched at its neck.
The younger wolves did a fantastic job of being precisely where needed when someone needed them, finishing the downed vampires off, and making sure none of them reemerged. All was now quiet.
By the time Paul and Seth arrived, the battle was over. The only things left were several mangled lumps of slithering rocks. The attack played out perfectly coordinated, because of the reuniting of the packs and the fact they thought with one mind, knowing exactly what was happening with each other.
Sam and Jacob made sure everyone acknowledged how lucky they were that they outnumbered the vampires. They built a fire and began to burn the remains.
Liam, have they have contacted the Volturi? Sam asked. Liam was the newest young wolf that Sam had ordered to stay behind.
Yes, and Bella told Sue that Alice saw the Volturi guard, and they have already begun taking care of the Romanians.
Huh, that was fast! Jacob thought.
Brady and Josiah showed up, after having burned the remains of the three bloodsuckers who stayed in the building.
Thick, hazy smoke expanded over the mountainside. The storm passed through quickly, and the raindrops slowed to a drizzle, blowing wet cold along with the wind.
A few of the wolves phased to their human forms and fed the fire. The others in their wolf forms, tore at vampire pieces attempting to crawl to their other parts. Everyone relived their battles with each other as they worked. Leah told the wolves the girls were fine. She and Samson moved quickly to get them home.
Paul sifted through the remains, counting and recounting.
The noise in Jacob's head became too much for him to wade through, so he phased to human form, along with Embry, Ethan, and a few of the others.
Paul and Jared let out wild snarls, sprinting after the girls, which didn't at all seem unusual, but Collin and Elijah raced along with them.
Sam phased to human. "Jacob there's a problem. The Native American vampire isn't down. Paul glimpsed him leaving the building and just assumed Jared or one of us would meet up with him out here.
Jacob felt a sudden sense of déjà vu, remembering Leah being attacked by a hidden vampire. He spun around, combing the area. Everything turned fuzzy as he fixed his eyes on Embry who was leaning over and reaching for remains, at the edge of the clearing. An image shot out in a blur. Jacob heard himself screaming Embry's name and felt himself exploding into the wolf at the same time as Sam and the other human forms, all attempting to soar across the opening, before it was too late.