Lost

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for following this story.

Chapter Fifteen

It was a battle for Bella's life and Jacob was determined to win. He didn't care that Taha Aki was his ancestor or that he was essentially fighting for the same thing, to rescue his great love, Cassiopeia. The old warrior was centuries old. He'd had his time. He should never have come back to the corporeal world. Jacob's mind was melded with Taha Aki's. He knew everything about him, he could see his past and he could see what he wanted for his future. It was all mingled together with Jacob's own wants and needs. Jacob was angry. This was his body, his mind, his soul. Taha Aki's leaving the spirit realm had essentially drawn his old enemy with him. Cassiopeia, forever hiding from the third wheel in this old love triangle, Utlapa, had been hiding on this plane, jumping from body to body. Jacob guessed that her soul had been residing in Esme Cullen for quite a while, and when Bella had come into the picture she had seen an opportunity to make her way back to La Push by using Bella as her tool. Just like Taha Aki had been searching for Cassiopeia, in turn she had been doing the same. But both had been looking in the wrong places.

While this internal battle was going on inside Jacob's body, Carlisle/Utlapa rose to his feet. Taha Aki had practically handed him the ability to destroy him and his young ancestor all at the same time. Utlapa was revelling in his victory. He allowed himself a moment to rejoice. He knew he someday he would get his vengeance. It was a triumphant moment and Utlapa wanted to savour every second of it. But he had forgotten one thing, Carlisle Cullen's family. Esme and Edward had seen and heard everything. While Utlapa was distracted they crept up on him together, determined to bring him down and wrench his soul out of their beloved. How they were going to achieve the last part they weren't sure, but they had to restrain Utlapa without damaging Carlisle's body. The good doctor's soul had to still be inside his hard body somewhere. They wouldn't let themselves believe that he had been vanquished forever.

It was a strain for Jacob. He was young; he didn't have Taha Aki's centuries of experience. He felt the ancient warrior's spirit wearing him down. "I won't let you." He screamed in his head. "I refuse. You will not control me."

"This is not about control." Taha Aki roared. "I am all powerful. I was the first and I will be the last. You have never accepted your destiny. You have never been prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice. You are weak, Jacob Black. Weak."

His ancestor's words only served to enrage Jacob further. He yelled his defiance at Taha Aki as he called upon his wolf. This was his body. This was his soul. This was his life and neither Taha Aki nor Utlapa were going to destroy the girl he loved because of their selfish wants. The large russet wolf appeared between Taha Aki and Jacob in their mind's eye. His fierce gaze was drawn first to one then the other. Taha Aki's will was strong. He commanded the wolf to submit to him. But the russet wolf wasn't so easily swayed. His dark eyes were drawn to Jacob. Man and wolf stared at each other as if in silent communication. No orders from Taha Aki could break through their bond. Jacob forced his body to phase. He joined with his wolf, inhabiting his strong, powerful body, and in doing so he flung Taha Aki's soul out and sent it spiralling to the four winds.

Utlapa never knew what hit him. In all the time he had been around Esme, pretending, acting as her husband, he had never seen such a fierce look on the woman's beautiful face. Gone was the compliant and devoted wife, instead he was confronted with an enraged she-devil. Esme grabbed his head and pushed his face into the stony gravel. He tried to grapple with her, but Edward had captured his arms in a vice like grip. He wrenched Utlapa/Carlisle's arms right up his back. If it had been a human, his bones would have snapped under the pressure. Utlapa cursed, writhing violently as he tried to escape, but his strength was no match for an enraged Esme.

"Get out of my husband's body." Esme screeched at him. "Get out. Carlisle I know you are in there. Fight him. You can do it. I know you can."

Jacob was in his wolf form. He towered over Esme and Edward as they kept Utlapa trapped on the ground. He watched Edward raise his head and their eyes met. Jacob growled, his dark eyes glowing with hatred. After sharing his mind and body with Taha Aki, he had been privy to what had happened between Edward and his Bella. Jacob was angry, enraged. He wanted to rip Edward apart for what he had put Bella through.

"I know that you want to kill me." Edward said to Jacob. His face was full of self hatred. "I deserve to die." He choked on his next words. "I love Bella with every fibre of my being. I was losing her….I lost control."

Jacob growled again. His jaw flexed and his claws dug deep into the earth as he braced himself. He had never hated anyone so much in his life. It was with difficulty that he restrained himself from attacking the bloodsucker. Right now his priority was Bella. "This is not over." He roared in his head to Edward.

But Edward didn't seem to be able to read his mind. He didn't react to this threat. Jacob pondered this for a moment. Esme was still cussing. She had raised Utalpa/Carlisle's head by his hair and was slapping him across the face. Jacob had never see Esme like this. It was like she had woken up from a spell or something. He noticed Edward's surprise at his adopted mother. Never mess with a woman scorned. Esme loved Carlisle and would do anything to get him back.

"Fight him, Carlisle." Esme punched her mate in the face. Then she grabbed the collar of his shirt and leaned forward so their noses were almost touching. Carlisle's eyes were almost bugging out of his head. Something was definitely going on in his hard body. Esme shook him violently. "If a wolf boy can get rid of an ancient spirit so can you. For once forget your principals and kick the intruder out on his ass." She screamed at her mate.

"Esme." Edward cautioned his adopted mother.

"SHUT UP, EDWARD." Esme yelled at him. She grabbed Carlisle's face between her hands and kissed him fiercely, hungrily. Both Jacob and Edward had to turn away at this fierce display of passion. "Come back to me." Esme moaned as she kissed Carlisle again and again. At first he tried to fight her off, but then it changed. His fingers tangled in her hair and he was kissing her back. Esme cried with relief. "Oh, Carlisle." She rained kisses all over his face as he tried to sit up.

"Hush now." Carlisle said soothingly.

Jacob turned his head to study the vamp leader. He was rising to his feet with Esme attached to his side like a limpet. Carlisle looked different. It wasn't just that the hardness in his eyes was gone, his expression had changed. He looked sad, sympathetic and deeply ashamed. He returned Jacob's intense stare without flinching. "I have expelled him. I can assure you." He said thickly.

Jacob remained silent as he continued to watch the vampires warily. Carlisle moved his penetrating gaze to Edward. His expression changed to one of bitter disappointment, mixed with disgust. Jacob saw Edward quail under his mentor's displeasure. "You sicken me." Carlisle snapped at him. "I have forgiven you for so much, but what you did to Bella on your wedding night. I will never forgive that."

"I lost control." Edward murmured helplessly. "She said she had changed her mind. I don't know what happened. It was just a split second. I…"

"There is nothing you can ever say to justify that." Carlisle roared at him.

"I love her." Edward mumbled as he hung his head. "I just wanted…."

"I don't care what you wanted." Carlisle spat. He tore his eyes away from Edward and looked at Jacob. "I cannot apologise enough for what trouble my family has wrought here." He sounded weary. "They are my weakness. Edward was my first son. I always hoped that somehow he would be able to fight his inner demons. When he met Bella he was so changed. I thought he had found his reason to make good on his past mistakes." He glanced at his mate. Esme was gazing at him sadly. "You were right, my darling. I allowed my principals to get in the way. They made me weak, unable to fight the wicked creature that inhabited my body…until you called upon me to fight." He dropped a kiss on top of her head.

"I have seen the extent of Utlapa's wicked plans. He knew that Cassiopeia had jumped from Esme's body into Bella's. He kept her drugged to stop her escaping. He did things to her that was wicked and evil." Carlisle shook his head, overcome by dismay.

Jacob let out a low rumbling growl. He was so angry. He wished he could expel the images of what had happened to Bella out of his head. His gaze was drawn to Edward who was hunched over, his body shaking with misery. Jacob just wanted to sink his teeth into the leech and make him pay.

Carlisle seemed to read his mind as he too looked at his adopted son. "I understand your anger, your pain. I share it. I am so deeply ashamed." The vampire leader met Jacob's fierce gaze again. "I brought him into this world. Please allow me to be the one who lets him leave it."

There was a sharp gasp from Edward. He raised his head, his stricken gaze finding Carlisle's. He knew exactly what his beloved mentor meant. "I love her so much. He got into my head. He made me believe that Bella would be able to carry my child, that we would be a family. He said he was curing Bella, that he was close to finding a way so that she could carry my child to full term without it harming her. He said he was doing it for Esme too, and for Rosalie."

"He was torturing Cassiopeia." Carlisle retorted. "Bella was just an irrelevance."

Jacob decided to phase back into his human form. He hated not being able to speak. He quickly snatched his shorts and pulled them on. He strode boldly over to Carlisle and glared at the coven leader. "You expect me to trust you." He snarled.

"You have no choice." Carlisle sighed sadly. "We are all facing a battle here, Jacob. A battle of the souls. Even now your ancestor and his arch enemy are fighting to return. You need to bring Bella here. She is a very sick young woman." His voice dropped lower when Edward let out a choked sob. He was finding it difficult to bear the burden of the atrocity that Edward had committed. "He won't be here when you return with her."

"You could all just take off." Jacob narrowed his eyes.

"Call upon your pack, Jacob. They will make sure that doesn't happen." Carlisle ran his fingers through his thick blonde hair. "You need to hurry. Time is running out for Bella." He put his arm around Esme and pulled her close.

Jacob could see the tortured look on Carlisle's face. Despite his misgivings he believed the vamp doctor. His despair was palpable. "I will kill him myself if I return and see that he still exists."

Carlisle's expression turned bleak. "He will be gone." He said so quietly that Jacob had to strain his ears to hear him.

Jacob took one last look at Edward Cullen. His rival was still hunched over in a ball of misery. He wasn't long for this world and Jacob was glad of it. He couldn't even summon up any pity for Carlisle for what he was being forced to do. It was a long time coming. "I will call my brothers now." Jacob said gravely as he got ready to leave. Already his mind was focused on Bella. "I will be back."

With those parting words, Jacob left.

A/N-thanks for reading!