Hey guys! Mostly know as Sam.... Sorry for the wait... Our lives and siblings got in the way. Again. I know, lame, but what are you gonna do?
Here's the chapter for you. Don't forget to review!
Chapter 13
All of the house lights were on when we pulled into the driveway. I was sitting as silently as I could. So were Alice, Emmett and Edward. We were listening for anything that sounded unusual.
"He's not here." Edward announced.
"Yet." I muttered quietly, taking off my cap and getting out of the jeep.
"Alice, Emmett, Ruth." Edward commanded.
We silently disappeared into the dark. We stuck close to each other as we snuck around the house.
"Ruth, what did you mean when you said you've faced him before?" Emmett asked.
I rolled my eyes. Let it be Emmett the last to catch on. "He was the vampire that attacked me, Emmett. The one who made me into this." I gestured to myself. "The one Carlisle stopped from killing me. The one who ruined my life. Now focus on what we're supposed to be doing."
"Sorry, sis. I didn't know."
"Don't mention it. Really." I didn't want to remember what I lost. My son . . . what happened to him? I was desperate to know.
Bella was yelling inside, something about breaking up with Edward and she wanted to leave. I was too focused on guarding the house from James. I wouldn't let him kill anyone else.
I heard a branch snap. Then I smelled him. Emmett and Alice froze exactly at the same moment I did. I wanted to get him now and he wasn't far, only a few hundred feet or so. No sooner did I think it, Alice had her arms around me.
"Alice." I growled.
"No." She muttered. "Emmett, hold her."
He did as she asked. There was not point in fighting Emmett, so I tried to be quiet and hear where he was. He was slowly backing away from the house. Good, leave. You're not going to win this fight.
The door to the house slammed shut and that woke us from the revere we'd fallen in.
When I heard Bella's truck pull away and the scent of the tracker faded away, I wrenched myself out of Emmett's grip and headed to the jeep.
"You follow on foot, Emmett. Alice, drive." I said as I got into the passenger seat.
Emmett ran off after the truck and Alice got in behind the wheel.
"You think this is going to be OK?" I asked as we were on the highway to our home. I pulled my hair out of its pigtails, let it fall loosely around me and put the hair ties around my wrist.
"Yes. But the tracker's following us."
"I wish I could forget my human life . . . save me the trouble of remembering him and everything I had. Do you every wish you remembered?" I asked.
She thought about it for a moment. "Yes and no. Yes, I wish I knew who changed me, but no, I don't want to remember what I missed out on."
We drove by a bend and Bella's truck was in front of us going too fast for it to be Bella driving.
I saw Emmett come out of the woods and hop onto the truck's flatbed. We weren't far from home.
We drove into the driveway and pulled up to the house. As soon as I stepped outside, I smelled another person . . . someone who wasn't family.
I bolted it inside before everyone else and saw Laurent standing in our house. What is he doing here? He's the enemy. I repressed another growl and instead, looked at Carlisle. "Explain." I whispered between my teeth, still using all my willpower to not growl.
There was shock on Esme's face for me talking to him like that. I had only ever used that tone once in my existence before this.
"Calm down, he's going to help us." Carlisle said as the others entered from outside.
I relaxed my tense muscles, but frowned.
"He's tracking us." Edward announced as he walked in, glaring directly at Laurent.
"I was afraid of that." Laurent replied, face unhappy.
Alice darted to Jasper and whispered to him the plan we thought of. She looked at me with a look that said, "Wait here." I nodded and she and Jasper flew up the stairs.
Rosalie moved to Emmett's side and glared at Bella, who stood next to Edward, holding his arm tightly.
"What will he do?" Carlisle asked, his voice cold.
"I'm sorry. I was afraid when your boy defended her that would set him off."
"Can you stop him?"
Laurent shook his head. "Nothing stops James when he gets started."
I opened my mouth to speak, but closed it again and thought it instead. Carlisle stopped him. Once. But I don't think he can do it again. I don't think hewants to do it again. And he didn't kill him, he savedme.
Edward glanced at me quickly and tilted his head ever so slightly, asking me what I ment.
I mean, it gotta be one of us. You or me or Jasper or Emmett or Alice. Rosalie won't have any part of anything to do with saving Bella. Carlisle and Esme won't kill . . . I don't think even I could, but I'd do it. (Well yeah maybe I could… This is so not like me!!), I thought the last part more to myself.
"We'll stop him." Emmett promised, looking quite pleased. I knew it was the only solution - we all did.
"You can't bring him down. I've never seen anything like him in my 300 years. That's why I joined his coven."
Of course Laurent wasn't the leader; I was too focused on James to even consider.
Laurent looked at Bella, then back to Carlisle. "Are you sure it's worth it?"
Edward roared in rage. Everyone in the room jumped back a little. I gave Edward a glance, then turned to Laurent and said. "I'm afraid you're going to have to make a choice."
"I'm intrigued by the life you created here." He began slowly. "But I won't get in the middle of this. I bear none of you any enmity, but I won't go up against James. I think I will head north - to that clan in Denali."
I nodded and he continued. "Don't underestimate James. He's got a brilliant mind and unparalleled senses. He's every bit as comfortable in the human world as you seem to be, and he won't come head on . . . I'm sorry for what's been unleashed here. I'm truly sorry."
"We forgive you." I said.
"Go in peace." Carlisle added.
Laurent took a long look around him and then hurried out the door.
"How close?" Carlisle asked Edward.
Esme already was at the hidden keypad. She typed in the numbers and the steel shutters began to close over the glass wall. Bella stared at them in astonishment.
"About 3 miles out past the river; he's circling with the female."
"What's the plan?"
"We head them off . . .
"While Jasper, Alice and I run Bella south." I put in.
"Then?"
"As soon as Bella's clear, we hunt him." Edward concluded.
"I guess there is no other choice." Carlisle said, grimly. He didn't enjoy killing anything, I didn't either, but we had to do it to live.
"Get her upstairs and trade clothes." Edward said to Rosalie.
"Why should I? She's been nothing but a menace to us - a danger you've chosen to inflict on all of us."
"Rose . . ." Emmett murmured, putting one hand on her shoulder, but she shook it off.
I sighed. I wanted to go but . . . "I'll do it."
"Are you sure?" Edward asked.
I was already walking towards them. "We don't have a choice. If I stay, I get a better shot at James. Do you mind?" I asked Bella, holding my arms out to her.
She shook her head and I picked her up easily. I ran up the stairs to my room and I didn't bother to turn on the light; I could see just as good and I thought Bella would want her privacy.
"What are we doing?" She asked breathlessly.
"Trying to confuse the smell. It won't work long, but it should long enough to give him a fake trail." I answered, pulling off my shirt.
"I don't think I'll fit . . ." Bella began, but I grabbed the bottom of her shirt and started to pull it off. She fumbled with her jeans button.
"Don't be silly, we're exactly the same height and build." I said, handing her my shirt. I didn't want to get my scent all over her clothes, so I took one of the hair ties and wrapped it around my hair and pulled it up, off my neck. I put her shirt on.
She pulled off her jeans and began to put on my shirt. I took my pants off and put hers on. I handed her mine to put on when she was done with the shirt. When we were both changed, I pulled her to the stairs. Alice was there holding a small, leather bag on one hand. We grabbed Bella by her elbows and half carried her down the stairs.
"Sorry about that." I muttered to Bella as Carlisle handed me a tiny, silver cell phone. I shoved it into the pocket of Bella's jeans. He handed one to Alice too.
"Ruth and Rosalie will be taking your truck, Bella." Carlisle said.
She nodded and glanced warily at Rosalie.
"Alice, Jasper - take the Mercedes, you'll need the darker tint in the south."
I couldn't help but sigh in relief. My Camero had dark tinted windows as well, but Carlisle knew how well I took it last time her lent out my car with out permission.
Both smiled at me and nodded.
"We're taking the Jeep. Alice, will they take the bait?"
Alice closed her eyes and became incredibly still.
"Ruth, help."
I walked over to her and grabbed her hand and closed my eyes as well. I saw the Jeep drive followed by James and the truck followed by Victoria. We opened our eyes simultaneously.
"He'll track you . . ." Alice began.
"And Victoria will track Rosalie and I."
"We should be able to leave after that." Alice concluded.
"Let's go." Carlisle said.
Edward suddenly rushed over to Bella, kissed her quickly, then left with Carlisle, Esme and Emmett.
We stood for what seemed a long time before I felt the phone vibrate. I had it to my ear in a flash.
"Now." Carlisle said through the phone.
"Now, Rose." I repeated as I hung up.
She stalked out the door, but I touched Bella's shoulder as I passed.
"Be safe. And Bella, you're worth it, you really are." I muttered with a smile. She blushed as I left.
Rosalie was already in the truck and starting it up when I got in. She didn't talk to me the entire time we drove. I hit the speed dial for the phone in the Jeep.
"She following?" I asked, not bothering with a hello.
"For a while now, yes." Carlisle replied. "They've already left."
"Good." I said.
"Ruth?"
"Yes?"
"Don't risk yourself. I didn't save you from him to see you get hurt again by him." And with that, he hung up.
"Bye to you to." I murmured. I couldn't go against what Carlisle wanted, I just couldn't.
Bella was fine . . . she was going to be safe, but I couldn't help feeling like this fight was just beginning.
Now don't think I don't know there are people who added this story to their favorites but have not yet reviewed... Is that not kind of pointless. Oh well, I you Alicia and Megan, and/or Twilight Sun PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review. Love ya to peeps, and see ya (not literally unless you're Sam... Which you probably are...) next chapter.