Chapter Seven

The Empty Hourglass

They practiced the next night and well into the morning. Bella fell asleep on Edward's shoulder, the poor human.

What was more on Alice's attention was that Jasper still made no move to talk with her. She didn't expect no less, and it was just as well. There was nothing to say. They weren't meant to be; they were meant to be family, to be as they were then. As silly as it sounded, Jacob and Alice were like Romeo and Juliet, except they had managed to bring their families together, and it was a beautiful sight.

The wolves were less suspicious, less cautious. They worked together. Emmett played with a little one named Seth, tumbling along the ground, Emmett teaching him new moves and new ill-suited jokes. They all practiced under the watchful eye of Sam. The Alpha wasn't completely trusting.

It was turning to be a good night. Alice watched the light-hearted practice of Emmett and Seth's and her and Jacob laughed. A few of the wolves had showed up as men and boys, and were cheering Seth on, despite that he had lost the last nine times.

No one found out who won though, for there was a noise in the distant, a baby of a roar. Everyone froze, listening as the noise became louder and louder.

"They're here," Jasper said.

Edward woke Bella and before she could voice a complaint or a form a question he flipped her onto his back. They ran into the woods with Seth on their heels, masking Bella's scent as they went.

Jacob nudged his muzzle into the palm of Alice's hand. He looked up at her with a crazed sort of fun. She was keen on killing, but if that was the only way to dispel the fear that was creeping along inside of her, then she would attempt to enjoy it. For her mate's sake.

A hoard of vampires ran through then and Jacob lowered his head, ready to fight.

"Let the game begin," Emmett said joyfully.

The opposing sides met, Jacob and her split, Alice twisted off heads and limbs, remembering everything Jasper taught her, their years of training. They spent many of years hidden from human eyes as Jasper taught her how to win (although much of it was unnecessary given her vision) all so he would feel safe. If he was one day, not at her side. Little did either of them know, she would have someone quite different to spend the rest of eternity with.

Attacks from the side, from behind. Screams, growls, and cries filled the forest, reverberated half of its intensity, but in its ghostly echo it sounded more terrible.

While she foresaw every individual attack her opponent made and she was untouchable, there came the complicated matter when three advanced on her. Alice jumped backwards, avoiding swipes, but they were near-misses. There were too many, the visions couldn't come fast enough. One, a tall brunette, kicked her side, and she flew sideways.

Jacob reared his head, loosening a tiny vampire from his scruff as Emmett moved in for the kill. He ran towards her, to help at the same time Jasper did.

They both took hold of her attacker, Jacob's jaw at one's throat, and Jasper's teeth on the other's. Alice flipped the small being over her shoulder, snapping its head off as she did so. When she spun to her next victim, she saw out of her peripheral sight that Jasper and Jacob were gone, fighting others at opposite ends.

The battle raged on and on. The sun traveled over the sky disappearing beyond the trees. Then, the sun disappeared altogether. In replacement was a purple fire reaching the sky, a wolf being crushed to the ground by five young vampires.

She gasped, and tore herself away. Jasper tackling a newborn before he pounced on him.

Alice searched the haze of the war, and locked on Jacob, a boy bearing his teeth inches from his hide. If Alice had a beating heart, it would've stopped.

"Alice!" Jasper yelled after her. "Alice, stop!"

She wasn't one of his soldiers. She wasn't a soldier. She didn't follow orders. She wasn't his anymore. All that mattered was Jacob. He was her world and the only reason to exist. She wondered how it could have ever been otherwise. She lived a life that wasn't a life and wasn't worth walking through, but it led her to him and that was worth it all.

Alice grabbed the boys waist and wrestled him to the ground. His jaw broke, and his arm was torn off. Emmett took hold of his head and it was gone in his hands.

Alice went to Jacob's human side, hissing through her teeth at the blood that was pouring from his shoulder, that slowed, and healed. She heaved a great sigh. He wasn't bitten. The wound wouldn't have healed otherwise.

"Jacob?"

"Son-of-a-bitch!"

She giggled as he leapt to his paws, seamlessly morphing. She kissed his nose, and he nudged her hip.

The broken bodies were piling up, and separate sections of fires were burning wildly. She became frustrated many times over Jacob and Jasper's protection over her. She was hardly allowed to do a thing as they took out anyone who came near her.

The enemies were thinning, and they were breathing easier – in a way of speaking. Rosalie lit the last pile of limbs on fire, and stood, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

A little girl with short brown hair and a dirty face surrendered and sat in the midst of the clearing. She was all bones with ragged clothing. She looked worse than a rogue vampire would, like she had been homeless.

Jasper was on one knee behind her, his hand covering her eyes. "Be still," he told her gratingly, but Alice saw the softness in his eyes when he looked upon her.

Carlisle questioned the newborn and she answered without hesitation. Her name was Bree Tanner, they were turned purposefully and were trained to attack a human girl with the sweetest scent they had ever smelled. They were all victims, and she was the only survivor.

"Release her, Jasper. We don't have anything to fear from her."

"She's a newborn, Carlisle."

Carlisle didn't budge, only turned on an urgency in his visage.

Jasper didn't like the idea, it was obvious by the clenching of his teeth and his hard golden eyes, but he did as Carlisle said.

She looked up to him. "Who are you?"

"Jasper."

"Are you the psychic?"

He laughed, charmed by the innocence of the question. Innocence that was always the way to melt the stone of Jasper's heart. It reawakened the need to protect, and while he felt everything that she felt, he knew that there was nothing to fear from her at the moment. It was a deadly combination from the cute young girl.

"I'm the empath," he answered softly. "Pleased to meet your acquaintance, Ms. Tanner." He bowed and the old-fashioned manner lit the girl's sad disposition.

Carlisle and Esme shared a delighted look. Alice brimmed with hope.

Bree's expression dropped then, and she told them about a time that she overheard a conversation between her maker and cloaked vampires that she was fearful of. They talked about another army being made to finish off what they called the "Cullens." It made their surname sound more like a disease than a last name.

"It's not over," Rosalie spat incredulously.

"Edward was right," Emmett said, "they won't stop until we're gone."

Carlisle addressed the wolves. "Is there any notice from Edward and Bella?"

They crouched their heads in the answer of no and Esme let out a small whimper of worry. Or of knowledge. Alice couldn't tell, but it sent a swift kick in her gut. Where were her siblings?

"Are you ready for another round," Emmett asked, steel edging his tone.

The wolves bobbed their heads up and down.

Carlisle turned to Alice and Jacob. "Check on Edward and Bella."

Alice hugged her father and mother, and each of her sisters and brothers. Jacob spoke without words to his family. She climbed on his back, and they set off for the woods.

There was a stillness before the sound of movement in the distance. Their hourglass was empty.