~38
Then there was the sound of a conch shell. "Ok angels, it's time, I'll be along in a while." Leilei shooed everyone out of her tent. Time for her to be alone. Then it seemed way too soon, Reena came to get her. She's the wedding coordinator. It's her job to make sure that the kimono was folded right and all of the leis are in the right place. She opened the trunk and proceeded to get the kimono out of the trunk. It's black not the blue one I thought that I'd be wearing. "It belonged to my great great grandmother," she heard in her head from Harkoni. "Be beautiful baby."
So outside there was an arch covered with orchids leading into the quad of the school complex. The pack members built and painted panels to look like a jungle ringing the interior of the quad of boring school buildings. It looked so different now. There was a screen of leaves and tree branches built on a set of risers. So it looked like we were standing on a large hill in a large forest filled with filtered sunlight. Billy had been wheeled in by Sue. Jacob followed them stood next to Bishop Price at the end of the aisle up on the risers. Then Keri and Rebecca. Rachel and Paul, then all of Billy's grandkids came in together and took seats in the left front. Everyone had kimonos on as a present to the bride, me.
Then on the other side I knew that people would go in next. My parents first. Then Kolohe and Mari, Travis and Rehka, Yutan and Angela, Lori, Koni and Kimmy, then Sami and Riley. Bishop raised his hands, the signal for everyone to stand when I reached the end of the aisle. Then, I walked in alone. The center of attention, finally. I focused on the wooden slats that were laid down so we could roll Billy's wheelchair up to the stage. One foot after another on my walk. When I reached the end of the aisle I turned left and went to Billy.
"Thank you for letting me join your family," Leilei said in Quileute giving him a hug.
I'm so glad that you're joining us," Billy answered. She kissed him on both cheeks. She turned left past Jacob faced the community of her friends and headed toward her side of the dais. She didn't look at Jacob yet. That would come later. Then there were the 8 empty chairs, for Talia and Phil and the girls from the farm. They would haunt her for the rest of my life. The people that were killed because of her. She placed leis on the chairs. They would not be forgotten. Ever. "Thank you Jacob."
"You're so welcome."
Then she bowed to Koni's grandparents and the families of the girls that were killed. Flower leis were given to all of them too. Then she bowed to her guardians as they were her teachers during her training. A quick wink at Esme and Carlisle when she offered them leis, she gave leis to all of her guardians. Then it's time for her to thank her parents and family. She thought her father would keel over. He was almost in shock. Her mom was so proud she thought she would burst. Leilei smiled and lowered my eyes and gave my parents a formal bow. The wedding planner made sure that she would end up in a place where her forehead and hands could be on the floor as she faced my family and showed them the respect that she knew they were due. She had the best childhood, the best life ever. She'd been everywhere and done everything. And been given everything. And Jacob made everything even more perfect. "Thank you."
As she sat up, there was Bishop's hand. Left hand on his left hand and as gracefully as she could she stood up. Bishop led her to the spot opposite Jacob and she lifted my eyes to his. And she finally started breathing as Bishop took their hands and placed her left in Jacob's left she heard, "The hard part's over. The hard part is over. Just breathe kids."
"Please be seated," Bishop said everyone sat down. Then it happened . . . as Jacob and Leilei stood there waiting for him to begin someone began to clap. It was Emmett. Then Seth joined him and then everyone started to clap.
"Turn and bow. Thank them for their faith in your true love. So it's going to be one of those kinds of weddings," Bishop remarked. "Good!" Bishop paused for a moment to let it all sink in. "Stay with me kids. Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in the bonds of holy matrimony. What true love has brought together let no man put asunder. Who gives the groom?"
"I do," Billy said proudly. "I am Billy Black, hereditary war chief of the Quileute. I give my only son, Jacob Brandon, in marriage to this woman."
"Who gives the bride?"
"I do," Harkoni said then with a pinch he changed that to, "We do. Harkoni and Nona Honshiro are honored to give our daughter, Leilei Kamali'i to Chief Jacob Black in marriage."
"We are gathered here in this place, in this great company and with both families to witness this man and this woman becoming one in our eyes and in the eyes of all. Jacob Brandon Black do you take this woman Leilei Kamali'i Honshiro to be your lawful wedded wife?"
"Yes, I do."
"Leilei Kamali'i Honshiro do you take Jacob Brandon Black to be your lawful wedded husband?"
"Yes, I do."
"Jacob, place this ring on her finger and repeat after me, 'With this ring I the wed. And with all my worldly goods I thee endow. I vow to love you all of the long days of my life'." And Jacob repeated everything that Bishop asked him to say but in Hawaiian.
"Leilei, your ring for Jacob. Repeat after me, 'With this ring I the wed. And with all my worldly goods I thee endow. I vow to love you all the long days of my life'." So she repeated what was said in Quileute.
"In as much as Jacob and Leilei have exchanged rings and pledged to be faithful to each other. And in as much as their parents have consented and there is no objection from this company. By the power invested in me by the Quileute tribal council for this special occasion, I pronounce that Jacob and Leilei are husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."
We kissed. And it was better that our first one. Then the applause started. "It is my greatest pleasure to be the first to say this publically, ladies and gentlemen Chief Jacob Brandon and Mrs. Leilei Honshiro Black." We paused and drank in the applause and the whistles and then we headed outside to the where the first set of pictures will be taken. We sat and waited for everyone else to get there for the pictures. We sat for about 30 minutes and then we headed into our tent to change for the reception. 20 minutes later we walked into the Hawaiian decked out cafeteria while, 'We are Family', was blaring in the background. Nona was surprised and elated. Alice had redesigned her wedding gown for Leilei. It had been 'stolen' from her house in Hawaii. It had gone from being a lace bodice Victorian neckline with long sleeves to a sleeveless sweetheart neckline with an empire waist. The bridesmaids, matrons and the flower girls were wearing white flowered muumuus and little ballet slippers. The guys had changed into Versace white tuxedo shirts, black bow ties and black pants with black vests. No jackets for the werewolves, it was just the end of summer.
"Jacob! Here!" Leilei said and a chair was brought out for him. "Mom, Tutu, Mari, Lori, Kimmy, Sami, Riley, come on." Rehka, who was 5 months pregnant, was given a pass. They all stood in a line and I began the chant. Something that was used to honor new chiefs. The first verse was in Hawaiian and the Quileute stood politely and listened and watched. They got all excited when the second verse of the chant started and we sang the same message of welcome but in Quileute. Billy smiled and began to clap to the hula drumming.
"Sit," Jacob said to Leilei when they finished dancing.
"What?"
"Sit woman." He repeated and all of the members of his pack got up. And began to form up. The conch shell blew again and then it started. They did a haka, all dressed up. At the end she was handed a gift was a gold chain. Imagine that. "Now! Bishop." And a 20 minute break was called to arrange the tables for the eating part of the reception. So we went back outside for a few more pictures and to say goodbye to the Cullens.
"Leilei, thank you so much. You're so beautiful," Esme gushed tearlessly.
"Thank you so much for coming. Thank you Alice. My mom almost fainted. That's what I wanted. Thank you," Leilei gushed all girlie in a way that made Alice happy.
"Ballet slippers?"
"Yes. He's the man. Taller so. I get princess slippers once in my life. Riley come here. Say thank you to Ms. Alice for the pretty dress," Leilei asked.
"Thank you Ms. Alice," and she twirled around just like Nessie so many years ago.
"Enjoy your day," Bella said.
"Thank you Bella," Leilei giggled.
"This is for you. It's from all of us," Rosalie gave Leilei a small gift box.
"You didn't have to," Leilei giggled in return.
"We wanted to," Esme said. "A little diamond pendant on a silver chain."
"Rosalie, it's beautiful."
"How did you know it was me?" She said after shrugging off a hug from the bride.
"It's vampire made. The detail is way too fine for a human. It's lovely. Thank you."
"Stop smiling! You'll hurt your face," Rosalie said.
"Edward, thank you. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be here," Leilei continued. "Jacob!"
"Hey thanks for coming," the groom said coming to shake hands with the Cullen men.
"Honi! Honi!" A chant went up from the assembled friends for the newly married couple to kiss.
"No! Not that," Riley said and then screamed and ran back to her mother.
"Here . . . see it's a wedding present from the Cullens. It's gorgeous."
"Silver?"
"Yup."
"Babe, they want us for more pictures. I'm sorry," Jacob made an excuse to head back to the fun.
"That's ok. Go," Carlisle said ushering his family out of the line of sight. "The cottage is ready and waiting for you guys for tonight. Enjoy."
"Baby – it's time," Jacob sent.
"What?"
"It's time for us to leave our wedding reception," he repeated.
"I don't want to go," Leilei whined. And Jacob just gave her another kiss. "Ok fine. But I want pancakes for breakfast."
"Done." It had been 2 hours of eating interspersed with 2 hours of dancing. Old Quil asked Leilei if it would be ok for him to sub for Billy for the father in law dance. She of course accepted. And she danced with Seth, Quil, Embry, Cody, Jamie, Roan and all of Jacob's pack members that she could drag on the dance floor. When Jacob danced with Nona, Leilei and Harkoni did the father daughter dance. While everyone was having seconds or thirds of wedding cake, Jacob and Leilei left the cafeteria headed to their tent and changed clothes and headed to the Cullens old house, to the Puppy Palace for the night. They got there and immediately checked for sandwich material and wood for the furo.
"Thanks for putting up with the crazy," Leilei said hunting in the kitchen to see what was hidden there.
"That wasn't crazy," Jacob shot back starting the fire for the furo.
"Really?" Leilei asked. "Your definition of crazy is much different than mine."
"Oh Mrs. Black?" he called her officially for the first time.
"Why yes Mr. Black?"
"The furo is getting hot and I found a pork pie in the pie safe. I love you, you know that right?"
~39
"No! Don't kill him! Wait please . . ." Carlisle called as he and Edward ran into the cemetery. Seth was beside them on all 4's listening to the conversation as they headed to where the fight paused as they approached. "His name is Felix and please don't kill him."
"Why?" Leilei screeched back to him. "He's . . . they've been killing and torturing people. Why not?"
"He's been talking to me about a peace treaty," Edward said in his defense. He knew he was from the Volturi.
"What the fuck?" Leilei said. Her appetite had been wetted for battle. There were 3 dead Volturi lying on the ground and the one they had was outnumbered and Edward wanted this one alive.
"For now," Jacob sent in the link.
"I killed Alec to prove I want to make a real offer to you, wolves and you Cullens also. A chance for a real peace," Félix said not too comfortably surrounded by fearless pack members with their teeth bared.
"Please, we'll take him back to our house," Carlisle begged. "Trust me please, Leilei," he sent by touching her arm.
"You 2 go with Carlisle and the rest back to the Cullen house," Leilei barked orders to Jamie and Stan. "We'll clean up here and meet you there in about an hour. I'll have Jacob meet you there."
Carlisle nodded and took the lead as they headed back toward the Cullen house. Edward and Bella had taken up residence when Charlie and Sue had gotten back together many years ago.
"Who is she?" Félix asked as they started a slow vampire jog back to the Cullen house.
"Why?" Carlisle asked.
"Jane targeted her she laughed and talked back to her," Félix said like he didn't believe that happened.
"I have got to have a talk with her," Carlisle repeated aloud.
"How many of the Quileute did you kill? They are not a forgiving people," Carlisle asked when they got to the house. This was more than serious and he knew the Kai would not be forgiving.
"6 or 7 maybe in total," Félix confessed. He was part of a scouting team from the Volturi to check the defenses of the werewolves. Jane decided that they would kill single members of the tribe if they were alone. In the time they'd been there they managed to kill Old Quil out with his dog, Billy in the cemetery at his wives grave. Mrs. Taylor in her garden. They were surprised that they didn't go all fuzzy because they smelled like they were one of the wolves.
"That is very unfortunate," Carlisle continued.
"They were all old," Félix tossed off easily. That just compounded his error.
"That . . . that doesn't make it any less painful," Carlisle winced. "Humans and the pack members are people not unlike ourselves Félix. You'll find that the Quileute are touchy, so speak carefully. Say exactly what you mean no cute word games."
"Do not underestimate them. Felix, I believe you know our other family members," Carlisle said nodding to Emmett and Jasper as they entered the dining room.
"So, where are they? They're late," Félix said impatiently.
"No, they aren't late," Esme said as they arrived. "Leilei is everyone all right?" she asked reaching to hug her welcome.
"We're all fine thank you Esme," she answered. Leilei was there to see who else was at the house and to be sure that the Volturi made it there in one piece.
"Leilei, you remember our extended family right?" Esme said playing hostess. Kate and Garrett were there visiting.
"Yes, hello!" Leilei answered. The memory of Thanksgiving past coming back to her. "Nice to see you again. Are the guys here?"
"Hello Boo," Jacob said walking into the back door of the house.
"Hey Boy," Leilei said giving him a little kiss.
"Good lord! He's naked!" Kate and Félix said at the same time.
"You expected his clothes to shift with him?" Esme asked them.
"Kolohe," Esme addressed him as he entered her kitchen. Just as undressed as Jacob. "Here, I know you're hungry." She handed him a plate of sandwiches. Then she turned to the other naked man in her kitchen, "Tokar would you care for anything?"
"Water, thank you," he answered.
"See those tattoos? Anytime you see those on one of them be on your guard," Garrett whispered to Kate and he was overheard by Félix whose look asked, 'Why?' "I was with a friend out in the pacific. We landed on an island and we were chased down by men that had those markings. One of them grabbed my friend and smashed him and himself against a rock and killed them both, the idiot."
"That idiot was my son!" Tokar bellowed in response to the vampire whisper.
Jasper immediately defused he situation by asking, "Did he die with honor?"
"YES! . . . Yes he did," Tokar stood a bit taller when he realized that he was still proud of his son long gone. "His mother and I raised his children as our own until her death. She was the wife of mine that was beaten to death by a missionary."
"A missionary? You killed a missionary . . . Why?" Kate asked. It didn't seem right that a missionary would 'kill' anyone.
"She spat out the communion wine. He beat her. She lived long enough to see me rip the beating heart out of that priest," Tokar said with complete satisfaction.
"So you were there?" Garrett asked after a few moments looking to see if Tokar held a grudge.
"I was. You escaped?" Tokar asked realizing that this new Cullen family member was showing some respect. He didn't expect that from someone new to him.
"Yes, I did," Garrett said unsure of his next move.
"That was a long time ago," Tokar continued.
"Indeed," Garrett nodded at Carlisle. It seemed that this would be ok. "Do you still live there?"
"More or less," Tokar said after taking a drink to shift his gaze to Félix. The reason he was standing in the Cullen kitchen naked in the first place.
"But you are here?"
"Leilei is my niece and she's married to Jacob. Her father in law was killed in a cemetery by a vampire," he said turning fully to look at Garrett.
"That was him. He is the Volturi," Garrett pointed to Félix.
"I see," Tokar said taking the lead since he'd been talking the most. "And you are Félix. Say what you came here to say."
"Caius wants out," Félix began is story. "He wants Marcus and especially Aro dead. And then the Volturi will be free of them."
"And?" Tokar motioned for Felix to continue.
"Those of us who want them dead need help. I'm here to ask for your help," Félix implored.
"Bullshit. Have your civil war somewhere else," Kolohe spat.
"You all can kill each other for all we care. Do it there, not here," Leilei added.
"When Caius is free of the others, he will let you live," Félix spoke in defense of his proposal.
"We live here now. Without his permission," Jacob countered.
"Aro will kill you all," Félix countered.
"He will try," Tokar stated.
"It's your choice. All dead or most of you dead," Félix tried to sound conciliatory. "To assure our safety, Caius would want some of your children to protect, so . . . so he will be assured of your compliance of being discrete."
"Enough. You are fucking insane. Have your civil war somewhere else," Tokar added to what Kolohe said.
"Aro has decided that you need to be taught a lesson," Félix continued to plead his case. "Not to defy him. Us, the Volturi."
"No, you are wrong. Aro has decided to die," Tokar laughed. "We will accommodate him."
"She's your mate right?" Félix asked looking at Jacob. "Ask her what she thinks."
"She's my wife. Felix, my wife. Leilei?" Jacob asked aloud. He'd been getting an earful as he stood there.
"Let me see if I understand what you're proposing," Leilei began cutting to the bone. "The Quileute have been here for over 100 years living in peace with the Cullens and now you want the pack to side with you in your civil war against Aro. And after the battle, if we are victorious, you want me to hand my children over to you because you said so."
"Yes!" he exclaimed happily.
"You are fucking insane!" Leilei screamed at him. "I would kill my own children myself before I would let you touch them let alone take them from me."
"Then you will all die," Félix said exasperated. What was with these wolves anyway? Didn't they know too yield to their betters?
"Then you won't have us or our children either," Leilei spat at him with the same level of controlled hatred that Kolohe held.
"You don't see . . ." Félix tried to explain.
"No, it is you that is blind," Tokar stepped up. "You came here killed our elders, Old Quil, Mrs. Taylor, Billy to get our attention to propose that we commit suicide for you."
"They killed Billy?" Esme asked. "The man in the wheelchair," Esme said hoping that it wasn't true.
"That man in the wheelchair?" he asked. "He told Jane to fuck herself with a chainsaw."
"Thank you for that," Leilei said smiling. She always wanted to know if Billy had the heart of a warrior. "That proved it. Confirming to me that Billy would have been a kick ass pack leader. I should leave now. Before I say something that I might regret. I'm heading home."
~40
"Why do I have to go?" Ke'ena asked as she was putting clothes in an overnight bag.
"Because I'm your mother. And I said so," Leilei decided to use that line. It was something that felt like it needed to be said.
"You're never said that to me," snapped the teenager stopping to look at her mother in shock. That was the first time she said, 'Because I'm your mother'.
"Yeah, I know. Ke'ena please. For me, just this once. No more questions. Just pack for your brother and sister." The little kids were in school. It was easier to protect them there. The packs could guard them easier all together.
The quiet of packing was broken by another question, "Does this have anything to do with dad being a werewolf?"
"Damn! You have always been so fucking smart. H'uh! What?!"
"I saw him change," Ke'ena said. "Just once."
"We tried to keep you kids out of this," Leilei admitted. But oh hell. In for a penny in for a pound.
"You didn't deny dad was a werewolf," Ke'ena smiled.
"True. Shit, she is good," Leilei sent.
"Tell her everything. She should know," Jacob sent. "Especially since she knows part of it."
"Everything honey. Tell her everything," Nona sent. She was in Port Angeles helping. Setting up just in case they needed to get off the mainland.
"Sit down. Ok, how do I say this?" Leilei sat on the bed in her room, looked out the window for a moment and then told her the truth. "We're going to war against the vampires here in 2 days. And you, Ms. Bloodgood are the god mother of my children. And you're going to Seattle with the other kids to be safe while we're at war." Done.
"I want to fight," Ke'ena said.
"That's my girl. Your job is to raise my kids if I don't come back. Kala and Akoni need you. They will need you to tell them the truth of things if they go bad."
"Are they going to go bad?" her voice trembled just a bit.
"No."
"But why do we have to leave?" she whined.
"Because, it's traditional. If you were caught or captured, we would kill you to keep you from being enslaved or turned into a vampire. It's the way we are. It's the way we fight," Leilei explained.
"Seattle sounds nice," Ke'ena smiled nervously.
"You'll be with Grandma Nona and all of your aunties. Grandma Sue will be with you too," Leilei said to comfort her child.
"All women?"
"Usually it's the men who are werewolves. But there will be some men with you all," Leilei said giving her a hug. "You guys will need to be protected there too. So some pack members will be there to help protect you."
"Why are you staying?" the interrogation continued.
"I'm a healer. I can take away pain. So if someone gets hurt I can help," Leilei told her daughter for the first time. "Uncle Embry will be going with you kids. Now that you know most, you should know everything. You should know your own history. I'll start at the beginning. Hold my hand and I'll show you what I know about you." And Leilei showed Keena her history. How she became Ke'ena Carter Bloodgood Black.
"What are you doing?" She asked while her mother held her hand.
"Magic. Close your eyes. You will see my memories of you. 10 years ago, you were about 6 and in first grade. A little dirty, a little smelly and hungry. Grandma Sue went to your house to find out why you turned up in first grade like that. It didn't look right so she called me and we went out and this is what I saw at your house."
"It's a mess!" Ke'ena said. There was a regular double wide trailer with a slightly broken down front porch. Nothing unusual about that. There was wood on the porch and the grass was over grown. Nothing unusual. But the front door couldn't be opened. It was stuck. The back door could be opened and there was a window open in one of the bedrooms. The house reeked of old beer and whiskey, dirt and animal feces, rodents and bugs. It was hoarded to the door frames.
"It smelled worse. You dad came at me with a knife. I decided you weren't going to go back there. So I picked you up at school. And brought you home here, got you in the tub, washed your clothes. Then Jacob and I made you a deal. You'd stay here while we looked for your mom and we'd get your dad some help. You agreed."
"Where is she? . . . My mom? . . . She's dead isn't she?" Ke'ena had lived with Jacob and Leilei since that night.
"We are unsure if she got trapped in the house or if your dad hurt her," Leilei hugged her daughter again. "I'm sorry baby."
"Why can't I remember her?" Ke'ena asked with a sense of urgency and panic.
"I took the pain from you and left you only with happy memories of her, your mom Tania Carter Bloodgood. You see her mostly in your dreams," Leilei confirmed to her.
"Where is she buried?" Ke'ena asked with tears in her eyes. Leilei took away the blocks and Ke'ena began to remember.
"Next to Grandpa Billy and Grandma Sarah."
"Did the vampires kill Grandpa Billy?"
That was too good a guess and right on point. "Yes. Now, pack please." Leilei asked with her daughter having been given more knowledge about things than she wanted her to know at this time in her life. "There is a bank account with money in it for you, so take this with you too."
"What?" Ke'ena asked.
"Well . . . We cleared out your house. Rebuilt it and rented it out. $100.00 a month goes into an account for you. So you'd have money for college and you are going to college young lady! Uncle Embry promised me," Leilei said with a big smile. She turned her eyes away to finish, "Your father is in a facility that is helping with his . . . problems," she said.
"It's . . . he's my father but ada is my dad."
"Jacob did you hear that?"
"Ok so who's paying for that? The hospital I mean?"
"It's a tribal thing. The tribe is paying for it. Now pack for your brother and sister. Anything else?" Don't ask me anything else . . . please?
"Why Uncle Embry?" Ke'ena asked starting to put the little stuffed wolf in the bag for her sister.
"Here, take these pictures with you. These were from your house. Your mom and dad in better days. Some of them have you in them too," Leilei smiled looking at them. Pictures of bringing the baby home, her first steps, a wedding picture and a couple that looked happy on vacation.
"Why Uncle Embry?"
"Holy Fucking Shit! Werewolf boys find the one perfect woman for them. And after that they're in love kinda. I'm not ready to have this talk with my daughter. DAMN!"
"You're doing fine. Continue," Nona said to her daughter over the miles.
"Uncle Embry . . . in love . . . with me?" Ke'ena jumped to that conclusion on her own. Then she stopped and thought. He was always around when anything important in her life happened after moving in with the Blacks. From scaring that guy at the farmers market in Port Angeles to taking her trick or treating. "Is that why he moved in?"
"He didn't want to tell me but Jacob made him. That's why he lives in the bunk house. When we get back the 4 of us will have a sit down about that that means. Jacob and I lived together, slept together in the same bed when I was 16," Leilei said to scare her daughter.
"Grandma Nona let you!?" she screamed her eyes as big as saucers.
"Don't tell the kids anything," Leilei insisted. "This is just a school trip to Seattle."
"But you always come on trips," Ke'ena whined.
"I'll meet you at the zoo on Sunday I hope," Leilei said back to her not looking her in the eyes. Looking her in the eyes meant she knew the outcome.
"Mom . . . if it goes bad?" Ke'ena asked.
"Grandma will take you all to Hawaii. All of you," Leilei said with confidence. That was arranged.
"Ok," now Ke'ena understood the importance.
~41
"Hello. Come on in," Leilei said opening the door to her home.
"This is your house?" Kate gasped with her mouth open.
"Yes, and you were expecting . . ."
"But the other houses out here?" as she pointed outside.
"We're working on them. Come on in. This is Caveman chic by definition," Leilei said proudly. Rosalie coined the term, Caveman Chic and it fit. Carlisle insisted that maybe if Félix saw that the packs were 'people' he might change his mind about thinking that the werewolves were just animals.
"Wow! This is nice," Garrett said.
"How big is this house?" Kate finally asked as they took seats in the conversation area.
"3 bedrooms with a bath upstairs. 3 more bedrooms down stairs over there with another bath. Then Jacob and I have a bedroom with an en suite bath. Then there is the rest of this house. This is the living dining kitchen dining living room space with 2 fireplaces. Very Caveman-y," Leilei said house proud.
"Why is the floor electric?" was her next question. She did have a thing about electricity.
"It's not electric; it's heated like most homes in the east. Just in that area over there," Leilei pointed.
"Are you here alone?" Félix asked. The look on Carlisle's face wasn't forgiving.
"Never," Leilei answered.
"But I don't see . . . any . . ." he said looking around.
"Just because you don't see them doesn't mean they don't see you." And then, they weren't alone in the family area. There were 3 very large wolves all toothy and growling. One from behind the couch and 2 men fazed and dropped from the ceiling to the floor of the conversation pit. "It was later that I realized that they, the guys could do that," Leilei said rolling her eyes. If they pushed their hands against the rafters they could hold themselves up there. Looking directly at Félix she asked, "Was I in the cemetery alone?" Yes, think about that. I wasn't alone there, was I?
"Now if those windows could open this could be really nice . . ." Garrett said. Maybe the smell didn't appeal to him.
"It's not a wall. It's a pocket door. The entire wall opens up," Leilei said as she opened up the door. "It leads to the deck that runs the length of the back of the house. There's an awning that rolls out to the edge of the deck. So when it rains we can still enjoy the outside. Ladies, tea?" and Leilei moved into the kitchen to heat the water.
"How many children do you have?" Kate asked.
"3 total. 2 girls and 1 boy," Leilei said as she was making tea.
"So the house is always full of werewolf fur," Kate concluded.
"No, not at all," Leilei explained. "The kids don't know anything."
"But why not?" Garrett, this time.
"Well," Leilei reasoned she'd tell them what Carlisle probably told them. "The boys don't go furry until about 16. My son is 6. We're never sure who will and won't go furry so we don't tell them anything. They all just have a normal childhood like my son did until you killed his Grandpa Billy. My son should be fishing with his kuku learning the Quileute stories."
"How do you know that Billy wasn't telling him werewolf stories?" Félix asked.
"Billy wasn't a werewolf. He was just human," Leilei stated plainly.
"But he 'smelled' like one of you," Félix came to his own defense.
"We hug each other. Asshole. Jacob's scent probably rubbed off on him. Maybe he was wearing one of Jacobs' shirts. Oh, by the way did ya kill the dog? Her name was Pingha. My kids loved that dog. Did ya kill the dog that was with Old Quil?" Leilei asked feeding her own anger.
"That dog attacked us," Félix spat before he thought about what he said.
"She was like a service dog. And animal . . . a mini Australian shepherd. Not a werewolf. You fucking idiot. She would stay with Old Quil, protect him especially if he got sick," Leilei said lowering her head in reverence. "We had Old Quil and Billy here for Christmas with the rest of the family too."
"Was it fun?" Kate asked.
"Oh God yes! The best ever. Jacob's sisters and husband and kids came from Hawaii. Rehka and Travis and the kids from Sweden. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson all came here for the holidays. We put all of the boys, since they are all cousins upstairs. All of the girls were in 1 room down here," she said smiling remembering the chaos.
"How big was the tree?" Carlisle asked.
"15ft, that one was about there in the corner. There were 2 6ft trees in here next to the fireplace. We were all together for Christmas. It was wonderful and . . ." Leilei changed her tone. "We will never have that again because someone killed him, an old man with grandchildren who loved him. He would just sit right there watch TV and cuddle with his grandkids. Feet!" she screeched. "Feet!" She called to Yutan. He was on the deck heading into the house barefoot. He'd rinse them before he came in. "This is my brother Yutan," Leilei introduced him to them. He knew who they were.
"I though the other one was your brother?" Kate asked.
"I have more than one brother," Leilei answered.
"Have you thought about the Caius proposal?" There was Félix straight to his point apparently he missed the warm and fuzzy.
"No, not at all. Your proposal is beneath contempt," Yutan said as Leilei served tea for Esme.
"How can you say that!?" Félix spat back at Yutan.
"Lower your voice!" Emmett said. "This is not your house and I don't want to get killed because I'm sitting next to you." Emmett wanted it to sound like a warning. The wolves that were there were watching and making sounds that he didn't like.
"I repeat your plan sucks!" Yutan laughed. "And no, we do not have a deal, an understanding or a plan. You're insane and your plan is worse."
"The offer from Caius is genuine," Félix assured Yutan looking him up and down gaging him for ability.
"Says you. Prove it."
"I killed Alec. He would have killed you all," Félix assumed that he'd proved himself.
"Says you," Yutan continued.
"Caius is honorable and will live up to his word," Félix continued hoping that Carlisle would join him in his logic argument.
"And his word comes to us thru you, after you killed 6 members of our families. You lack credibility Félix," Yutan called him out.
"I was being watched by the others. I took advantage when I had it," the story continued.
"You do not understand. I'll try to explain. Can have that please?" Leilei asked Emmett. And he handed her the picture frame from next to the couch. Leilei removed the memory chip in the computer and put it in the computer so the pictures could be seen on the TV. "This is the Black picture, one of the pictures of my wedding. My dad is Japanese so we were married wearing kimonos. My mom and dad, Jacobs' family too. My brothers and their wives, the bridesmaids and ushers. The flower girls and the world's first geisha fairy ballerina flower girl," Leilei said pointing at the people in the picture. "Riley, she didn't like the kimono until I got her a geisha Barbie. This is the White picture." The same picture as before with the men in tuxedos and the women in muumuus that Leilei selected for them to wear. "Alice altered my mother's wedding dress for me and everyone else was all dressed up too. I love tall men in Versace tuxedos."
"She wore the wings at the wedding and the reception?" Kate asked looking at the picture with interest and amazement
"Plural receptions and yes. I couldn't tell her no. Screaming whining kids! Not me. Now . . . I don't think you've seen this one. Kolohe and Mari were married in May and Jacob and I were married in September of the same year so on the 4th of July this year we invited everyone to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversaries. So we took more pictures." And up on the screen went a picture of the entire extended family.
"Oh good lord! Look at the kids. Is that Kimmy?" Esme asked smiling.
"Yes and she's married to Cody and their baby boy Solon," Leilei pointed at TV screen with a big smile on her face.
"Which of those children are yours?" Félix broke the warm and fuzzy feelings again.
"These 3," Leilei pointed at her kids. "The girls have pierced ears. This is my son Akoni Liam Black," Leilei pointed to the boy that looked like Jacob with slightly almond shaped eyes. A shock of black hair, uncut and as long as his twin sisters' hair.
"They've grown so much," Esme said gauging their height by how tall they were against Jacob's leg.
"I know," Leilei said as the proud mother.
"You wouldn't give them to Caius to care for, to preserve your own life?" Félix asked again. Like he would get the answer he wanted if he just kept asking the same question.
"No! Never!" Leilei spat turning to speak directly to him. "I told you before I'd kill them myself. Believe that."
"But why?"
Apparently he didn't understand a mother and her children meme, "They are my children. They go where I say."
"But you all will die," Félix almost lamented.
"No we won't," Yutan spoke to contradict him. "Your logic is flawed. Your conclusions are spurious," Yutan said in his best lawyer tone.
"Prove it," Félix challenged him.
"Ok, your theory is that the Quileute will meet the Volturi in a field nearby. There will be a certain amount of snarling and fuck yous' shouted over the field then something will happen and the fight will be on. And after deaths on both sides then someone on your side gonna cry, 'Freedom for Caius' and then the red eyed vamps will start killing each other and not us. So when Aro's head goes rolling in the fighting will be over. Then you'll expect us to hand over 20 of our kids," Yutan started on his logic argument.
"Yes. Then you will be safe," Félix concluded.
"From what? This isn't the Hunger Games," Leilei snapped at him.
"Hunger Games?" he questioned. Apparently he didn't know anything.
"It's a book where the defeated people pay tribute to the victors by giving them 2 children every year and you're asking for 20. What's to stop Caius from coming back next year and demanding 20 more children?" Yutan asked.
"I . . . I promise you that will not happen," he stuttered. Apparently he hadn't thought of that.
"Fucking Lying Asshole," Yutan concluded.
"What did he say?" Félix understood Yutan's comment wasn't complimentary.
"He said you don't have any skin in the game. So you'll say anything," Leilei said smiling. Knowing that Yutan had him. It was checkmate.
"I . . . I don't have skin," Félix said scrunching up his face.
"We know that. What she meant is, you can say anything now and Caius can deny you were empowered by him to make any deals in his name," Yutan spat back.
"Caius will honor what I have said," Félix stated with all the gravitas he thought he had.
"Then put some skin in the game," Yutan snarked at him.
"What? . . . How?"
"Let Emmett break off your left leg and arm. And Leilei will keep them here, safe. And we'll see what Caius says . . . If he lives thru the fight and he agrees to what you have said, then you get your limbs back. That would be skin in the game," Yutan defined for him.
"No! That's not fair," he protested.
"Asking me for my children is fair? They are part of my body," Leilei asked.
"If you don't, then you all will die," he stated firmly.
"All of us, really? Did you look at that picture? How can you possible kill all of us?" Leilei snarked back at him. There were so many things he didn't know. "And If you do, how do you explain it and cover it up," she added with a big smile. "Jacob belongs to a tribal chief society. Some of those tribal chiefs are fuzzy also. If Jacob and I disappear, they will look for answers. My mother lives in Hawaii. Are you going to Hawaii to kill her to keep her from asking questions? My dad lives in Japan and he has face time with all of his grandkids on line. If they disappear, do you think he'll just decide that they didn't want to talk with him anymore? Are you going to kill him too? Some of the people in this picture aren't Quileute? Are you going to kill them also?" Carlisle gave a barely imperceptible nod. He understood the point that they were making.
"But if we kill all of you . . . Volturi. Who will miss you?" Yutan asked aloud smiling softly as the wolves snorted nearby. "We live integrated into life. If 1 or more of us disappear questions will be asked. If all of you Volturi are killed, who will swear revenge in your name? When they find out Jane, Alec and Demetri are dead, how are they going to handle that little bit of news?"
"Aro will be furious." Felix knew that to be true. His best beheaded and burned by these savages.
"Will anyone else care? I'm sure Jane was allowed to bully anyone she wanted to. Will her death piss off anyone? We don't think so. We will give them one chance to leave and then we will kill you all," Leilei said with the same smile that Yutan was wearing. Fuck with my babies will you? I'm the pack leaders' wife.
"Impossible," Félix managed to say but his confidence was gone.
"Then wait and see," Yutan said not bluffing.
"Do you understand what you're asking them to do now?" Carlisle asked driving away from Leilei's house. "You can't believe that they will ever trust you, let alone respect you for what you're trying to do. Freeing Caius isn't on their list of things to do. They are thinking of revenge and you want them to sacrifice themselves for you and your plan to free Caius from Aro. They will never agree."
"Carlisle, talk them into it. They can take their revenge against Marcus and Aro. Caius will let them live if he is free," the logic argument continued.
"Did you just say what I thought you did? Talk them into it? What happens if Caius can't get free of Marcus and Aro?"
"Marcus said something about wanting guard dogs. Aro said something about having them fight – like gladiators. The wolves will be brought back to Volterra tamed or they will be wiped out. Completely. All of them . . . Then their attention will turn to you. You see, you don't really have a choice. The wolves have to kill Marcus and Aro or all of you are finished," he said with a self-satisfied sound. Things were just fine.
~42
Jacob stood to speak, he'd been working on this speech and finally he found his voice. It came after the Thompson's descended and demanded to know what was going on.
"The kids are going on a trip. Museums and the zoological park," Leilei said aloud. "Jacob? Are you guys close by?" She asked silently.
"We don't have the money for that. What's up with you guys?" the Mrs. Continued.
"So you really want to know? I'm the wife of a Quileute tribal chief, the hereditary war chief's wife. And you're making demands of me?" Leilei said hoping that her position as the wife of a tribal chief would be enough.
"Yes . . ." she continued.
"Really? Do you know what that means?" Leilei asked looking at the husband.
"Yes, I do," he answered.
"Do you think Billy just let me marry Jacob without me understanding what that means? This is my ceremonial knife obsidian. Hawaiian volcanic glass," Leilei explained as she cut her finger and wiped it across a piece of paper. And she put the knife on the paper on the table. "Each person must do this or I won't say a thing," she said to the assembled parental units.
"So . . . You think you know our ways enough to tell me what to do?" Mrs. Thompson snapped moving to take the knife and do the same.
When the assembled parents had done as she requested Leilei called "Jacob!" As she opened the door to the deck.
"Holy Shit! – it can't be," Mr. Thompson said.
"Did you think your ancestors lied to you?" Leilei asked the parents as they thought about the stories of their youth.
"It can't be!" Mr. Thompson said looking at Jacob as he walked on all 4's to stand next to his wife in the house that he shared with her.
"Really?" And then Jacob fazed. "Before you say it – did you expect his clothes to change with him?" Leilei snapped. She was tired of that question.
"Look at them all," . . . as the other parents gazed into the back yard. The rest of his pack was behind him moving in the late afternoon sun in their back yard.
"Billy didn't die. Neither did Old Quil or Mrs. Taylor or Mrs. Turner in town either," Jacob started. "They were killed by the cold ones. Vampires. They are coming here to kill us, the packs. We managed to capture 1 of the 4 who came here to kill us and we 'convinced him' to talk before we ripped him to shreds. They will be here by 2 pm tomorrow. They were looking to steal the kids so they can start their own packs. Since they are sure we won't just be good doggies and go with them."
"When my people go to war, the first thing we do is make sure the children are safe with the aunties and some pack members. Just in case it goes bad, the kids are safe. Mine included," Leilei said watching all of the parents start to think about what Jacob said.
"What do we do?" Mr. James asked.
"Act normal. We have this," Jacob said.
"But . . ."
"Do your normal stuff. If it goes bad, you'll know. We have your phone numbers. Stay together, go to the farm. If you're worried, go to Port Angeles and go shopping."
"Do you have his gift Leilei?" Mr. Thompson asked.
"Yes," she answered. She knew he understood that they were linked for his lifetime.
~43
After the parental meeting the pep talk with the pack was easy. "We have trained for 15 years with the help of the Kai," Jacob started his part of the evening. "Our women are safe. Our children are safe. They will live on. We are their warriors. We must kill the Volturi. We must kill them all of them. Our allies will stand with us. Our friends will stand with us. We are the Quileute, remember that."
Tokar stood and spoke to the assembled pack members, "I am here. And I will fight with you. Remember your training. Wolves are pack hunters. Do nothing alone. Together you cannot be defeated. Together we will kill them. They do not deserve a name." he stood quiet for a moment and decided to change the mood. "I expect to hear my name sung in stories a hundred years from now. Take care of each other."
"Ali'i Leah," Jacob said surprised. He wasn't sure what she was going to say, "thank you for coming."
Leah knew she had to be there. She knew she had to say something, "I am Quileute, just like you. I didn't want to be what I am when it first happened. Now, I wouldn't want to be anything else. We protect our own people on our land. That is our job. Look to each other and stay safe."
~44
Leilei arrived at the Cullen house on Jacobs' bike dressed all in white. From mid drift top to leather boots. She knew Alice would love the outfit. It was an Emma Peel copy. Something new that Leilei decided she as the healer would wear to the war. The helmet was black but it was staying with the bike. She parked the bike in the garage. "Ok, so it's time to leave," she said to the Cullens and family gathered at the house. "Esme, everything will be fine. Trust me."
"You don't know that," she looked around the house like she knew it was the last time.
Leilei didn't think so. But she knew much more than they did. "Here, Put these on," They were white leather vests.
"So we can be seen?" Kate asked.
"Identified as friendly," Jasper explained. "So there won't be any confusion in the fight."
"Let's go. No one talk. Stay on the path. We will be shadowed, like for the inquest and they won't be as nice this time," Leilei explained.
"Inquest?" Félix asked.
"The inquest was a trial my people held here, like 15 years ago." With that Leilei paused. It was about 15 years ago she was running thru the woods to the inquest. "Emmett, at the end please. Veer off the path and die. Talk and die. Are we ready?" she asked again.
"Will Nessie be there? I'd like to say goodbye," Bella asked putting on her vest.
"She's there, so no problem, so is Seth. Ready? You'll be running at my pace. Sorry," Leilei explained getting ready for a run.
"Then why not ride the motorcycle?" Felix asked.
"No, that's a street bike. It's not for cross country. And I'm not that slow," Leilei tried not to snap too much.
"Humans . . ." and then Félix rolled his eyes.
"I'm sorry . . . I don't remember saying that I was human," Leilei teased. He didn't seem to know. Maybe no one told him.
"Then what are you? . . . Some kind of hybrid like Nessie?"
"I'm a Honshiro married to a Black. I haven't been human for what . . . DAMN! Half my life now. Well it all started when I was 16 years. Then 2 years of high school, 2 years of acupuncture school. 2 years to build the house and we've just had our 10th wedding anniversary. So that's 16 years. Yeah. I'm 32. Eeeek – with 6 yr. old twins," she laughed out loud.
"You haven't changed at all have you?" Kate asked looking at her hard.
"I . . ." Leilei said after she paused to think for a moment. "I have 2 new tattoos. Are we ready?"
"Are you?" Félix asked.
"Born ready asshole. Yup. I've got 2 pigs in the imu. An oven at the house," she snapped back. Then they headed out across country back to the field where the inquest was held, the baseball field. They entered the field from the due west position and then moved to the high ground at 12 o'clock. Jasper surveyed the choice for our stand. I could see him looking at our defenses and thinking. I caught his eye and he nodded his approval.
"God . . . it stinks here," Felix said. There was a heavy scent of sage and cedar in the air. They were ready. "There are lots of them here. How many do you think there are?"
"Well," Jasper said, "Wolves are pack hunters. So assume 4 wolves to each of the Volturi."
"4?" Félix paused to think. "There can't be 400 of them?"
"Or more. Why not?" Jasper continued. "We don't keep track of how many there are. And they've had years to get ready for your big showdown. And I'm sure that some of the men here are Leilei's relations."
"Those people from Hawaii Garrett spoke of?" Félix asked.
"Now that I think about it . . . there were lots of them when . . ." Garrett started to tell the tale again.
"That's because you walked into a hunting camp," Tokar said heading toward us standing in a circle of white rocks. "We would break ourselves up into normal humans and we Kai. We did most of the hunting for our villages," he boasted. "Carlisle," he said walking toward him.
"Tokar." They shook hands. "Honored."
"The honor was mine," Tokar said thinking that he'd met worse people in his lifetime.
"Why here?" Félix asked.
"Really? Where else? In town? Where every 12 year old kid has a cell phone with a camera? There would be YouTube videos on line before all of you Volturi could teased about wearing capes. Or ripped apart," Leilei filled him in. "Leah," Leilei said as she moved to meet her. "I didn't expect to see you here."
"I'm more Quileute than you," she said smiling wearing about the same outfit Leilei was wearing. Her honor guard didn't want her to be there on the battlefield. She was too important but she wasn't going to miss this. She was there to inspire her people.
"Where are your boys?" Leilei asked. Cheyenne told Leah she would be the mother of a new Quileute pack. That was her job, to have children and to carry on the Clearwater name. So in the time the Kai and the Quileute knew each other she'd met a few men and had 2 boys and a girl. Leilei knew the girl was with her Grandma Sue in Seattle with the rest of the kids.
"With their people," she answered watching Carlisle look at her funny for a split second. Maybe Seth didn't tell him anything. "Yours?"
"At the zoo with the rest," Leilei answered not paying too much attention to her inner conversation until the laughing began.
"Yup. What's up with that?" she asked.
Leilei paused and decided that Carlisle should hear, "The Volturi sent a team to the school and they ran into the construction team. 2 hurt, 1 is going to the hospital. They took 6 heads total. There was a chase going on but they got killed on their way to the Forks high school. Aloha nui loa."
"Strength and honor. You know the guys love that one," Leah smiled after she and Leilei hugged each other.
"Who is that?" Garrett asked.
"Another healer."
"You're a healer?" Félix asked.
"I take pain from people. That's why Jane couldn't hurt me when she targeted me," Leilei explained as she looked toward the open field.
Alice asked, "What are they waiting for?" She like everyone on our side could see them thru the woods. There were there just waiting. And the wolves knew they weren't going to get any good news.
"Who knows?" Leilei smiled.
"Why are you smiling?"
"Cell phones don't work out here," she informed Félix looking back at him. That's why the Quileute were wearing radio collars and other pack members had cell phones but in the places where they could get a signal. Then Leilei moved to stand near Esme. "Esme braid my hair." Leilei knew there were snipers with rifles behind them. The Quileute knew the element of surprise would work for a while after that it would go back to teeth and fangs for the fight. While they had the advantage they would kill as any as possible. Sam and Jacob said they were ready so they were ready.
"Where's Nessie?" Edward asked.
"I'll see," Leilei said looking to the tree line 200 yds. behind them. She picked up the radio collar and asked for Nessie to come down to where we were.
"Mom, dad," They hugged then Seth joined them.
"What's up big man?" Leilei asked.
"The sky . . . nothing but the sky," he said with a laugh.
"So all of you are ready?" Félix asked.
"We are always ready," Jacob said impatiently. He just wanted it to be all over with already. The news from the school was good but it was round 1. Round 2 would be harder. Much harder.
"Jacob," it was Carlisle. "Will I be permitted to talk with them, to negotiate a truce?"
"Of course Carlisle. Let them get here first and then you can talk. I've got things to attend to," he said moving away. Then there was one last smooch with Leilei. Then he and Kolohe headed back to the massed packs just inside the rear tree line.
"Esme, please braid my hair. I don't want it to get in my way," Leilei asked again moving to stand in front of her.
"How can you be so calm? This is a terrible situation," she muttered.
"Esme – it's ok. Really."
"Oh, you two should get a room!' Esme snapped. Rosalie and Emmett were kissing with intention.
"Well," Emmett said, "This is the end." And . . . he returned to trying to comfort Rosalie. "There hasn't been enough time for us."
"Here they come," Alice said. Part of the guard entered the clearing first flanking Aro, Marcus and Caius as the stood together in the center of the line of vampires. Their wives and courtesans behind them. There could be maybe 70 or so soldiers. Leilei knew there were more. She could hear the chatter amp up on the radio speaker she had at my throat. Others had been located trying to take the left flank.
"I'm going to talk with them," Carlisle said moving from our little line inside the circle of rocks we moved into when we broke the forest.
"No you're not," Leilei said.
"But Jacob said he'd allow Carlisle to negotiate," Félix retorted quickly.
"Jacob did say that yes but, we're not giving them any advantage. We're not handing them a hostage. If you want to talk with them Carlisle, do it from here. This is like the soccer field," Leilei hoped that Esme would understand what she meant.
"Leilei?" Carlisle asked.
"Carlisle . . ." he answered not quite sure what she meant.
Then Leilei heard 'DROP' in her head and she headed to the ground. Félix twitched in her general direction. She never saw it, him, coming. It was the first time all day she'd been within arm's reach of him. She'd spent the day trying not to be in any direct line for him. When she heard 'Drop' she did as she was told. Félix moved and overshot her swiping for her arm to make her the hostage. Jasper countered him as he skidded to a stop. Felix stared at Jasper for half a second then headed toward Leilei again as she was preparing to get back up. Felix took 2 steps and then he was done. A blur moved from left to the right knocking her back down. When her head snapped back up she saw it was Harkoni fazed on Félix as he lay on his back in the ground. Then the crowd parted so what was happening could be seen clearly. "Félix, meet my dad," Leilei managed to say as they heard her fathers' claws extend into Félix. Harkoni had him on the ground front paws in the creases of his shoulders, his back feet on the hip joints. Harkoni twitched and snap, Felix was in 5 pieces. 2 arms, 2 legs and his head and torso. His scream froze all of the vampires in place, Cullens included. Then for a moment Félix looked into Harkoni's eyes and Leilei heard, "You killed my daughters' father in law. You've killed other of the tribal members. You wanted to Enslave My Grandchildren! Know this – You die here, now, at my hand!" Then Harkoni bit his head off. Spit it out as he looked around.
Emmett removed a lighter from his pocket and extended his hand to Leilei. "Our strength is we are Cullens. We are a family," Emmett said as he helped her get up. And he flicked the lighter and set the Félix remains on fire after Leilei picked up his head.
"You got it."
"Jasper got it. He told me."
"This is what will proceed," Aro started shocked after seeing Félix dismembered. The pitch of his voice straining for control. "I want that . . . that cat skinned for killing Félix. And . . . and we'll take 10 NO! 20 of those wolves and some of their mates to leave with us or We Will . . . Kill . . . You . . . All!" Then it seemed he paused for dramatic effect. "When you are all assembled then, we will talk about Nessie, Edward, Bella and Alice."
Then the laughing started. "I have been empowered by the pack leaders to speak for them," Leilei heard in her head and was told to repeat what was said, "They say you have this one opportunity to turn and leave and never return here and then you can live. If not, then you will end up like these." And then the heads that Leilei collected were put up on a boulder near where the circles of white rocks were. Jane, Demetri and Alec. There were gasps of shock and horror.
"Caius, Marcus, Aro let the deaths that have already occurred be enough. You have this one opportunity to sign a . . ." Carlisle finally got to say his piece.
"Leilei take Carlisle back with you. Get back into the circle and have the Cullens stay there," Leilei heard in her head. She knew who it was. Then came a voice strong and clear spoke aloud, "Take your losses and go or die here and now."
"Who is speaking?" Aro said looking for the owner of the voice.
"I was at Tyre. I fought at Alexandria when the library burned. And at Stovocor in the snow. At Carthage, at Troy and at Antioch. I vowed I would see you dead and I will." The voice was deep, clear as water and as deadly one of the wolves' glances.
"It can't be . . ." Aro said. "No, it can't be . . . YOU!"
"Yes," Bishop said walking into the semi-circle made by the shibas that followed him. He stood there naked for just a moment and then he clapped his hands. The sound of doom then he slammed his hands into his chest and fazed.
~45
"Dra" the scream went up from Aro just as Bishop exhaled at him and his group of the vampires. Flame licked them and then their screams shook the forest. Aro and Marcus jumped into the air to escape the flames leaving the vampires behind them to embrace the flames. Caius stood still and let the flames take him. "Gon!"
To our right 4 of the Quileute pack members went back on 2 legs and began firing with automatic pistols. It was the same ammo that we used at the soccer field. The Volturi assumed that the bullets were just bullets until they caught fire after they were hit. Chaos ensued.
"What's that for?" Jasper asked as Leilei pulled a crossbow.
"Target practice," she snapped. He saw her notch and draw aiming past the fighting into the forest.
"Quiet!" she shouted back. "I am my fathers' daughter." Instead of trying to block out all of the noise – she decide to become one with it. That worked. The third bolt hits its' mark.
"What's that?" Jasper still.
"A release. There are booby traps in the woods. Nessie! It's your turn," she shouted into the radio at her neck.
"What's she gonna do?"
"Hit the next target when they tell her to."
"By arrow from there?" Jasper asked again.
"No, sniper rifle from the treetop," she pointed back behind her.
"You're blocking their retreat so they have to flee the way they came back thru the forest and its booby trapped all the way. Very smart," Jasper concluded.
"Thanks Jasper. Here," she gave him a microphone collar to wear. "Stay in the circle," she warned as she dropped her crossbow and headed to where some of the wounded were being taken. Bishop and his flames were hard to control. He'd hit some of his own people.
"Bring him back down to the ground!" Aro screamed. "Down! Bring it down! No Marcus! DON"T," was probably the last thing that Marcus heard as he rose into the air to meet Bishop. Bishop swooped and caught Marcus in midair and using his right foot, flicked the head off Marcus like a pez dispenser. Then Bishop flicked his body up into the air and set it on fire with his breath.
"Bring it down! Here to the ground," Aro insisted to the others that were still there trying to rally to fight. Jumping into the air to grab Bishop didn't seem to work too well. They were too busy trying to avoid the rifle shots that were setting them on fire. The Volturi tried to move back the way they came into the field. But they were blocked by pack members coming into the clearing behind them, Sam and his boys. They didn't expect the numbers of werewolves that they saw. Their only escape was to go into the trees. The same trees that were booby trapped. Bishop bellowed flame at them from above. He fanned his wings and laid down a restraining line of fire. We knew this would be ok. Alice said it would rain hard later so the ash and the footprints and dragon prints would wash away.
Then there was a shot that rang out from behind where we were. Nessie hit her spot knowing that it would release bags of human blood in the woods.
"Technology. You're using technology against them," Carlisle gasped horrified. He didn't think of it. Using their weakness against them. But the Kai did.
"It's our advantage. They were used to fighting and winning without learning anything new. We guessed that they wouldn't be ready for shiba's and the wolves and Bishop and ammo. Maximum Volturi deaths minimum Kai deaths," Leilei told him.
A couple of the shibas and 1 of the wolves were hurt and had been pulled over to the side. Carlisle came with Leilei and they went to the side to assist. Then everyone was looking up as Aro rose in the air to battle Bishop one on one. There was bellowing and snarling and they began to tumble in the air.
"NO!" Leilei screamed. "Bishop! NO!" She saw what he was going to do. She made herself watch as Aro and Bishop headed to the ground. For a moment there was silence.
No one moved. Silence.
Then everything and everyone was in motion. The fireball rolled along the ground incinerating everything including the gasoline the guys had hidden in that stand of trees where the Volturi were driven. Bella who was watching and saw Bishop head to the ground threw up a shield surrounding the Cullens and the wolves, everyone that wasn't in the trees. The fireball just rolled over them and then up in the air. Jacob's pack knew what was planned and as Bishop began to move forward they, his pack, moved to cover, shelter, the Cullens from the fire. But Bella's shield held.
"We're clear," Nessie said on her radio. It was her job to Cullen count after the explosion. She knew about the explosion she just didn't know who was going to set it off. "Leilei we're clear. Say it!" Nessie demanded. "I'm making the call. We're clear," she repeated. The call was made to the relay guy to use his cell phone to call the Sami. They were in Italy to rig the castle to be blown up.
Harkoni fazed to say, "It was his choice, his decision. A gift to us all. Live lives worthy of his sacrifice. Kill all of the Volturi. Light them UP!"
Over the hill the shibas hidden from the beginning of the battle with Tokar in the lead came over the hill. He'd been in the front and had gotten hit by shrapnel in the explosion. Emmett called him and broke the branch that was thru his forearm. Tokar dipped his head and took off after his pack as they were heading to curb the escaping Volturi. The Makah were out there too, to keep the Volturi from getting to Forks.
"I'm fine," Chaska said with a large branch that had been blown into his body when the explosion hit. "I'm fine there are others I'm sure."
"Oh shut up," Leilei snapped. "I've . . . We've all lost too much today." Leilei scanned him and saw that he was healing around the branch and she knew that Carlisle could help. "Carlisle . . . over here. It's Chaska and I need your help." Carlisle came over to help with a medical bag that was stashed for him. "Chaska I need to let Carlisle see what's up with you. To do that I'll have to let Carlisle see what I see and I can't take your pain and do that at the same time."
"I understand," Carlisle nodded.
"And we're going to need help with that. Emmett?" Leilei suggested.
"I agree," Chaska nodded.
"Emmett, don't breathe. Hold Chaska's hand," Leilei put her hand in Chaska's open mouth. "Don't break your teeth. In three . . . two . . . one." And for 5 long seconds Chaska squeezed Emmett's hand. Leilei showed Carlisle what she saw when she scanned his body.
"Done," Carlisle snapped and Leilei put her hands back on Chaska and took the pain and Carlisle began to help him. Resetting the bones so they could knit back together in the right place.
"Leilei did you know about . . ." Carlisle asked.
"No. I didn't. It was his decision. Dad said he determined that a lot of us, the guys, would have died and if the battle happened the way they planned, trained for. All of the guys make that decision about what they will and won't do. Bishop was having trouble changing. He loved us all and it was a gift to remember him by," she said with tears in her eyes.
"There was a battle when he was young . . . He was there . . . he ran away. He regained his honor," Harkoni sent to his daughter. "Phase 2," Harkoni said aloud as the reserve shibas and the others that came to fight to head into the woods that were on fire to make sure all of the Volturi that came to La Push were dead or heading back to their home in Italy. Then it began to rain.
Leilei and Carlisle moved from wounded man to wounded man until the rain was too heavy. Leah was with her team and Edward as they moved around too. Emmett and especially Jasper didn't like standing by and watching the battle happen around them. They decided to move forward and protect the wounded wolves and dispatch the Volturi that escaped. Bishop and Aro crashed into the ground leaving a 6ft deep pit and scorching the earth for 30 ft.
"We need to get the wounded out of here. Somewhere dry," Edward said.
"My house," Esme said with the same pride Leilei used when she spoke of her house. "I hope it's still there." The fight and tending the wounded took the better part of an hour.
"You house is fine. Your house sitters are old friends. Colton and Daniel," Nessie said standing there with a sniper rifle half her height.
"Get the ones with the red ribbons in the medical room now. I'll cook something," Esme barked orders in her own home.
"Sandwiches," Kolohe said knowing that was easiest.
"We'll check the town again," Sam said after the couple of his men had been x-rayed to be sure they were on the mend.
In the midst of getting the wounded in places and dry and fed Emmett asked Leilei if she was ok.
"I'm fine," she said and then she fainted.
"Leilei . . . Leilei," Emmett called as she headed to the floor. He caught her. His eyes grew large as Harkoni glared at him and as Harkoni took his daughter from his arms he calmed and smiled.
"She's just exhausted, mentally and physically," Harkoni said after a moment of holding her.
"What was the cost? Was that worth it?" Carlisle demanded of Harkoni as he laid Leilei on the couch with her feet elevated.
"3 dead of the Quileute. 17 hurt, the walking wounded. 2 dead of the Makah. 6 Kai dead plus Bishop," Harkoni said aloud pained by the loss.
"4 dead of the Quileute," Sam updated. "The town is clear."
"Was it worth it?" Carlisle demanded.
Harkoni answered, "Yes!" emphatically, "Yes!"
"No," Carlisle interrupted. "They will vow to come back here."
"They will vow to come back here but they won't. I doubt if any of them will make it back to Italy. Let alone return here. Yes Carlisle . . . They will be hunted and attacked all the way," Harkoni informed him. "We expect them to return in about a thousand years."
"All the way back to Volterra," he gasped.
"There's a team in Italy waiting," Harkoni informed them.
"What will happen in Volterra?" Garrett asked.
"Italy is volcanic. There are fissures everywhere. And when was the last time that castle was earthquake retrofitted?" Kolohe asked. "Accidents happen," he shrugged.
"Saturday at dawn at First Beach, we will remember our fallen, if you'd like to come," Leilei asked Carlisle as he was checking her over.
"Yes, to honor the sacrifice for us. We will be honored to attend," Esme answered for the family.
~46
Leah stood at the water line placing the leis on the water. She was wearing a white sarong with her silver pin. During the battle her guard didn't let her fight but they did let her work as she was trained as am EMT and she and Leilei helped as many of the hurt and injured as they could. She fought the pain and in the knowledge that 4 total of the Quileute had been killed. 3 of the Makah and there were about 25 of the walking wounded. They would recover. She knew everyone was waiting for her to begin, "Friday we were at war. We fought with all that we had to secure our land for our people. We stood shoulder to shoulder with our friends and with our kin to defeat the Volturi. We are victorious. They are gone. We are here to honor those who lost their lives so we might live. Remember their sacrifice. Honor their memories."
"Thank you for letting us attend your ceremony," Kate said quietly. Alice had them all dressed black with white accents in deference to the Kai traditions.
"We will celebrate their lives in time. But now, the pain . . . it's too soon," Leilei said walking the Cullens back to their cars. This was the first ceremony. There would be another one later. For the parents who knew to understand what happened to their sons. The Thompson's lost their son, Carlton, in the battle at the school. They would learn that he gave his life for them, helped to kill 2 of the cold ones and saved 4 lives. He was a hero.
"What will you tell your children? Wasn't . . ." Kate wanted to continue but Esme gave that Cullen head shake that meant 'No Don't.
"Yes, Bishop was acting as another of their grandfathers," Leilei said with a smile. He gave M&M's to her kids the same way he gave them to her. "We'll tell them in time. We've got other news first." Leilei smiled then she whispered. "I'm pregnant."
Epilogue
"Ama! Ama!" Leilei decided that was her favorite word. Mother. She listened, waiting, wanting to hear herself called for and then she heard it as she wandered thru the zoo. She knew she'd find them at the wolf den enclosure. She could smell them. Her kids smelled like Jacob.
"Akoni, Kala, Ke'ena. Embry! I'm so glad to see you all. Where's your Grandma Nona?" she said doling out hugs to everyone.
"She's over there,' Akoni pointed. Jacob and Leilei 'talked' about names for the baby. She didn't tell him she was carrying twins until he delivered his son first. "We knew you'd find us here with the wolves."
"Remember they will always protect you. Always," Leilei smiled at her son the first of many.
"Hi baby! Good job. Great job," Nona said aloud. "Have you seen the news? A meteor hit an ancient palace in Italy and blew it up. What a shame?"
"Terrible wasn't it?" Leilei giggled back hugging Embry. "Kids . . . Let's go and eat and then head back home."