The rest of it went in a blur. More and more vampires were falling back, some by force and some by choice. It was clear not many were very loyal. Breanna had disappeared much before- obviously not risking her own life in her own conflict.
And soon, none were left in the room.
It was a slaughterfield.
Jacob looked up. Bella's eyes were on him.
Her golden, alien eyes.
He whined.
Bella's wounded expression was apparent as she glanced away.
Jacob trotted away to change back.
His dark eyes were wary when he approached her.
"Bella," He whispered.
Her smell wasn't pleasant anymore- but it was so much better than the others. It was sweet, too sweet, but mangeable.
He hadn't seen Bella for two whole years. They'd relocated to Alaska soon after.
Her pale hand stretched for his.
"Jake," Her face was pleading, sad.
He reached back.
It hurt- seeing her like this. Seeing her as his enemy.
No. Bella could never be his enemy. She was still made for him, they still coexisted. Even though her very presence drove him into unease- he still felt connected to her.
It would have worked. It could have worked between them.
Even…even like this.
He'd missed her.
But when their palms touched, his back bristled. Waves of heat slowly overtook him in waves. He shook his head, stepping back.
He looked away. "I'm sorry," He murmured.
She smiled sadly. "it's OK. We knew it would be more, ur, difficult."
He grinned, "Difficult. Yeah."
She smiled back, sheepish.
"I missed you," She admitted, glancing back at Edward.
"You too, more than you know." He sighed.
She shrugged, and looked back towards HIM. Edward. It was so hard to say his name. Bloodsucker really seemed to fit in with his vocabulary. The love in her eyes was almost more obvious than before.
Almost.
He had been watching their exchange silently, but when she made her way back to his side in a graceful gate so unlike her own, there was no mistaking the relief in his eyes. His expression visibly softened, and the look between them made Jacob sick.
She was the same- in a weird, crystalized kind of way. It was almost painful, however, to know, that if things had been different, they still could have gotten past their, well, differences. They could have made it.
But when Jacob looked back for Sara, he had no regrets.
He made his way to her. She was pressed against the wall. Dazed and disoriented.
"Sara, honey, can you hear me?" He kneeled next her, his voice thick with anxiety. Her large blue eyes met his in a confused stare.
"Jacob," She murmured slowly.
"Yes," He smiled, loving the sound of his name in her mouth.
She cussed. "I don't WANT to be dead!" She wailed.
He stared at her. "Um, Sara?"
She looked at him balefully.
"You're not dead."
"But she was killing me…"
He shook his head, "I have a lot of explaining to do. For now, let's just go OK?"
"OK," She whispered.
"Are we ready?" Jacob demanded, looking up to find all his brothers back in human form and fully dressed.
Sam nodded, but the tall blonde leech held up a hand.
"Just one more thing," He said in a musical voice.
Oh yeah. Carlisle. It was funny to say their names like they had souls… but it was harder when Bella was one of them. He would no longer, could no longer, see them the same.
Both the pretty blonde one and the tall lean one who's mate was the short black one…
What were their names again? Jacob struggled.
Rosalie Hale. Jasper Hale.
It was coming, slowly, but surely.
Anyway, at that moment, they dragged in a screaming Breanna, who was flailing in rage.
"NO!" She shrieked in a bloodcurdling pitch.
Carlisle faced her, calm and expressionless.
"You've caused a lot of trouble," He sighed.
Jacob growled. She threw him a pleading look. He stared back at her in pure hatred. She flinched.
"The Volturri have been alerted. There has been rumors," Carlisle continued softly. "But we confirmed them."
"No no NO!" She screamed.
"I'm afraid that this won't end well for you," Carlisle said sadly, turning away. His eyes were filled with sympathy.
Yeah- like she deserved anyone's sympathy. Jacob growled again.
Sara leaned against him, exaughsted.
Bella was at her side in a second, helping support her.
He threw her a grateful grin.
"Where's Cate?" she wondered as they helped her to the big doors.
"Quil has her," Jacob sighed. Cate. He would have to deal with her traumatized agony soon enough. She would be wanting him…
They carried Sara to the cell Jacob had grown so accustomed to, laying her down gently.
Jacob turned towards Bella. "How did this happen? This clan…they aren't supposed to get this big right?"
"From what Edward said," She began. He flinched slightly at the name. "This wasn't a clan. Ashareth's gift was influence- to make others bend to his will. Especially vampires. He married Breanna- and together this made this big empire thing," She shook her head, "Apparently he was paying each vampire as much fear as he was money."
Jacob snorted. "You have no idea."
Bella stared at him, astonished. "Was it really that bad?"
He shrugged. "Yes."
They fell into a silence.
"Bella," He said after awhile. "Could I…ask you something?"
"Anything," She said automatically, smiling at him. Her strange, irregular golden eyes flashed.
He winced, flushing. "Ur…"
She waited.
"How did it happen?" He asked, shaking his head at last.
"What?"
He met her eyes darkly. "Cate."
"Oh…" Bella's eyes grew distant. "We have no idea. It was impossible- and strange. Carlisle had no explanation, no theory."
His teeth grinded together harshly.
She looked up at him apolegetically, she smiled weakly, "I guess it was kind of a miracle you know?"
He gazed back at her. He thought of Cate's smile, the way her green eyes lit up whenever he walked into the room. The black mop of hair he loved to ruffle.
"Definitely," He agreed quietly, "She has been one to me from the start."
Cate.
Jacob's personal light in the darkness.
His miracle.