Bloody Feathers

by staro9

A month after the battle during Cheshvan, Nora Grey tries to resume her life with normality. But things will never be normal again for her, since her boyfriend is a fallen angel. Now an impending trial threatens to separate her from him once again. Nora is also followed by a mysterious force that threatens to return an old enemy.

14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The following morning, a series of knocks brought me back to my consciousness. I hazily untangled myself from my sheets and stumbled towards the door. I opened it to find Alice smiling brightly on the other side. She held out a long piece of paper towards me.

"Good morning," she said cheerfully. Compared to my just-woken-up look, she was already annoyingly stunning. She was already fully dressed with dark jeans and a black laced long sleeve shirt. She pushed the paper towards me again and I realized they were plane tickets. I took it from her, glancing at her hesitantly.

"Because the snow hasn't melted all the way yet, we'll have to leave tomorrow morning. But we will start training today just to make sure we're not wasting time."

"Train?" I asked her. The last time I checked, the snow was still about three feet on the ground. I wasn't in the mood to be thrown around all day on the cold. "Where are we going to train?"

"Outside. Have breakfast first and then meet us in an hour." She flashed her bright smile again before disappearing.

I walked out of my room fifteen minutes later, fully dressed. I opted for my sweatpants and hoodie, knowing an intense workout is ahead. I settled down by myself on the table. A complete breakfast has already been prepared but it looked like I was the last to get up so I ate alone. An hour later, I was heading towards the front door. I carefully dodged the black ice that lingered at the bottom step of their porch. My coordination hasn't improved after all this time. It's better to just avoid any accidents even before I began training. I wondered if it was snowing in Maine too. I suddenly missed the brighter days of winter in Coldwater. I couldn't wait to get back home.

I continued down their driveway, wondering where they could possibly be training when I heard the crunch of the snow. I whipped around to see Seth shifting his weight awkwardly as if he was caught doing something illegal. I crossed my arms, waiting for him to say something.

"What is it?"

"The others are at the back. They told me to come get you," he muttered, nodding towards the back of the house. "Patch and Vee are already there with the others."

He turned around and started walking without another word. I followed him, maintaining the distance. I stepped over a feet of snow, careful not to stumble and fall. Instead of leading me directly to the back of the house, he turned a bit to the east, away from the Cullens' property.

"I don't know why you're averting me all of a sudden," he said after a while. I heard the hurt in his voice.

This had caught my attention. My eyes whipped towards him. He hadn't turned around but he had stopped walking. I inhaled sharply and answered his question. "It's because I don't trust you."

"I was just doing what Jacob had told me to do," he answered defensively.

"Which was?"

"Find out what I can about you and Patch. Find out if you are as powerful as the Volturi had made you out to be. Find out if you really have the power and if you have any weaknesses. Find out if there's any way we can get that power from you if we have it."

"So you admit to spying on me."

"And I told you it's just a job I did for my pack. I have my own responsibilities just like you do with your little Nephilim army." He turned around and I saw the intense hatred in his eyes. "You should know this. You were spying on me too, though of course we both know that was obvious. You have been spying on others long before I came into your life. What, you didn't like I was getting the better of you, that an unknown creature suddenly is in your life? What, you didn't like someone getting the better of you?"

I was breathing hard, the anger was pumping through my veins. "I knew what you were the moment I saw you. I knew you were someone I couldn't trust. I suspected you couldn't act all chivalrous without a hidden agenda and I was right. I let you get close because I wanted to investigate you. Your little gang over there may have beaten me that night but what you did is far more treacherous. Your little act of chivalry was obvious and I didn't fall for it. It disgusted me. You disgust me."

He met my eyes before sighing as if trying to be patient. "I wasn't acting chivalrous. I was really saving you from the others. They were going too far. They wanted to force the information out of you because we were being pressed for it. They didn't understand things like this require patience and careful planning. They were going to blow the whole thing if I didn't stop them. But if I did act like I was faking it, why should you even be bothered?"

I blinked for a few seconds, surprised at what he was saying. I opened my mouth to say something but closed it again because I couldn't find my voice.

"I-It didn't," I stammered. I wanted to kick myself for being completely obvious. He stared at me for a few seconds, his face blank. He didn't rub in the fact that the lies was way too obvious. He merely shrugged before turning back around again.

When he began to walk, my thoughts wandered to his question. Even though I know he couldn't be trusted right from the beginning, it still bothered me to learn he was there for the sake of getting information. I came to the conclusion, even though it was a bit hard to believe, that I wanted to trust Seth because he did save me from his pack. Yes, it was because he didn't think attacking me would actually help them but still, he placed himself in harm's way. It was that gratitude that is making me want to trust him.

I pushed the thoughts out of my head once we came to a clearing. The others were already gathered there in silence but the tense air was real. They were standing opposite sides of the clearing, looking squarely at each other. It was like there was a wall between the pack and the Cullens, and Patch and Vee. Seth joined his pack, going at the very back of their line. I joined Patch and Vee.

Carlisle stepped forward, looking as hesitant as he did when we first met them. "You have to keep in mind that vampires are very agile creatures. You can be the most powerful thing on earth but you have to think fast if you're going up against a vampire. Look at its weaknesses, never hesitate, and use every advantage you can because he or she will use every advantage he or she has against you. Don't let them get that chance because it will be fatal."

He turned around and summoned Edward from behind him. He stepped forward and crouched low before attacking his adopted father. Carlisle stepped to the side to avoid him but Edward, as fast as a blink of an eye, grabbed his fist and slammed him hard against the ground.

"Edward, being a mind reader, saw my next move therefore he had the ability to plan how to counter it even before I could it," Carlisle got up and dusted the snow off his expensive jeans. "You have to be careful of vampires with special abilities. Edward will read your thoughts and plans while Alice can see your future as long as you decided on a move. Jasper can put you in a false sense of mind because he has the ability to control emotions."

"And I expect the Volturi has their own special powers?" Patch asked, his forehead furrowed a bit. "I wouldn't think others of your kind would fear them for no particular reason."

Carlisle nodded. "The Volturi and their guards have their own abilities that set them off from others of our kind. They are dangerous. Their leader, Aro, has the ability to read every single thought ever made once he touches you. Marcus can sense how strong a coven's bond is. If he sense that a coven is not bonded enough, he will use doubt for the Volturi's bidding. Jane, one of their guards, has the ability to create illusions of pain while her twin brother Alec, can blind a person's senses, rendering him useless. Demitri can track anyone once he has the tenor of their mind and Felix is extremely agile and extremely strong. Chelsea can change emotional bonds and can work with Marcus in destroying a coven's loyalty to each other. Renata has the ability to distract people. You have to be very careful."

"Then I suppose I should tell you we could do everything you have just told me," Patch said. He glanced at me and nodded.

I stepped forward and quickly glanced at my opponents, deciding which of them would be the easiest of the target. "Emmett had already experienced what a Nephil and a fallen angel can do but for education's sake, I will demonstrate." I looked intently at Edward and threw my mental nets out. His mind was cold and smooth like marble but I saw the weaknesses. I planted my bombs quickly and watched as his defenses crumble down.

"Hi Edward," I whispered in mind speak, creating an illusion of Bella's voice. He looked at where the sound came from. I immediately fooled his mind into thinking I was Bella. I picked through his memories of her and changed my Bella illusion into every Bella in his memory, starting from the day he had met her until the day of their wedding. I heard him exhale sharply and the others turned to his direction.

"What is it?" Bella asked, worriedly looking at Edward's amazed expression.

I let the question carry inside his head and commanded him to answer without panicking about the fact that there are two Bellas right now. "I am showing you her."

"She's showing you to me. She's changing into every Bella in my memory."

Their eyes all whipped to me and I nodded. Okay, time for the final touch. I picked the memory of the deliciously suffocating aroma that he remembered Bella with when she was human. I turned myself into the Bella he had first seen and coupled it with the scent. His eyes widened and I watched his face hardened. Then slowly, I increased the scent until it was all he could smell. I let it surround his thoughts. He tried to resist, looking for a way out but my grip was too tight. His eyes constricted and he grabbed his throat with a white hand. I watched as his knees buckled and he fell to his fours. His other hand supported his weight as he coughed and sputtered. Bella fell beside him, tugging hard at his arm in an attempt to pull him out of the illusion.

Patch gently touched my arm. I released his mind from my control and let it shift back to him. He gasped for air before snarling up at me.

"Pretty convincing, huh?" Vee commented as Edward straightened up again.

"What did you show him?! What did you do to him?!" Bella was snarling at me.

"I reminded him of your scent and amplified it until it was all he could think about," I explained smoothly. "We have demonstrated our powers before but for informative purposes, I wanted to show you the magnitude of what a Nephil can do. While I agree that vampires are very powerful creatures, it doesn't mean we cannot protect ourselves either. It is only a matter of who uses their powers first. If we are smart and quick, we can get the Volturi before they get to us, of course that's if a battle occurs."

"Furthermore," Patch continued. "We can block our thoughts, disabling Edward's and Alice's powers. From what you told us about the Volturi, we can disable five members of their coven by placing up our shields. Aro cannot read our minds even if he comes into contact with us. Jane and Alec uses illusion like us but their illusions are only effective for those with an open mind. If we have our shields, their powers are useless. Dimitri will never be able to track us since he will never know the tenors of our minds while Renata will never be able to distract us because that would also involve an attempt of invading minds."

"But would it be enough to stop their army? I do not doubt the Volturi are doing exactly what we are doing at this moment, preparing. Our numbers will not be enough if they call on the whole vampire population," Rosalie said.

"Then we will be ready. We will deliver to you a well-trained army of Nephils who can do exactly what I showed Edward. Imagine tens of immortal Nephils that have the capability to invade and deceive vampires like yourselves."

"This works to your advantage," Vee piped up. "Five powerful coven members disabled because of the three of us. With the Nephilm army on our side, even if they have their own forces that has vampires with special abilities in it, we would be able to counter it easily. We aren't guaranteeing victory but it would make them doubt their decision to fight if it comes down to it."

"Besides, you have someone who can block their attacks as well," I nodded my head towards Bella.

"That is true but four shields with three that can damage through illusions is a great advantage for you." Patch had crossed his arms and was looking at the vampires with a relaxed expression. "But if you feel more secured with some of your kind and the wolf pack as your allies, then please do invite them. We do need most of the help we could get and maybe if you reiterated what we have told you here to the Volturi, then maybe they will yield to your words more."

"What proof do we have that you actually have an army?" Jacob spoke up for the first time that I forgot the pack was there.

"I will show you then," I turned my attention to Edward. "He can tell you if I'm lying or telling the truth."

"You have illusions," the only woman member of the pack spoke up. She was pretty, fully grown into womanhood. But her eyes were steely and her mouth had thinned into a harsh line. "What makes you think we'll believe anything you suddenly decide to show one of us?"

I sighed in frustration. "In our society, there's a way of getting someone to do something for you and if they don't do it, they have something bad happen to them, depending on what they promise. Normally, the consequence is death. It's called a Blood Oath." I glanced towards the Cullens. "I think it would be easier for you guys not to breathe for a few seconds."

I plunged my fingernail against the delicate skin of my wrist, where a major vein lied. I sliced it open long enough and the blood immediately began pooling out. I ignored the gasps coming from the others as I flicked out a couple of drops.

I looked directly at each member of their coven and pack. I chose my words carefully, knowing this might have lasting effects. "I vow to show only the truth to Edward Cullen to inform him about the first born Nephilim army I had established for the purpose of facing the Volturi. If I show an illusion, I will endure an eternity of pain. Once the information had been passed to him, may this Blood Oath be fulfilled."

I watched as the wound began to heal before straightening up. I inhaled sharply before throwing my nets out to Edward and breaking down his defenses again. I kept my face blank as I went through the memories I had of the Nephil army. I showed him the night when I trespassed one of Hank's safe houses and saw hundreds of Nephil sleeping inside. I showed him Chauncey and my encounter with him at the school. I showed him the car crash that night when I was using Vee's Neon, where everything began. I showed him the two Nephils that chased after us that night when Patch had caught me sneaking around Hank's safe houses. Finally, I showed him the months leading to the battle last Cheshvan. I gave him an inside look to my training with Dante, the Devilcraft, and finally the battle itself. Then I emphasized my meeting with the Black Hand's army and their oath of loyalty to me. When I finished, I drew out again but this time, I felt exhausted.

Patch placed a supporting hand on my shoulder. "You should have let me do it instead."

I shook my head. "This is my people and this is my army. There's no one better to show our allies what the Nephilim race can do besides me."

The others waited for a few seconds waiting for Edward to speak but he remained silent. His handsome face was blank and his eyes were unblinking. I gazed at Patch hesitantly, unsure of what's going on. Bella's eyes flicked towards me.

"What's did you show him? The only time I saw Edward like this was when I told him I was pregnant."

Well that must have been some news.

"He's trying to digest all of it," Patch told them calmly. "Nora's words are nothing but the truth, Edward. The Black Hand's heir is Nora and she controls his army now he's dead."

"Then I must ask myself if our efforts are completely necessary," he said a moment later, turning to face his family. He looked directly at Bella and gently touched her face. "I don't want to risk losing my family. You have an army. Aro will definitely hesitate if he sees the power you have brought on his porch step."

I shook my head. "But we want a vampire clan strong enough to add to our argument. Listen, though we will do everything it takes to stop them from harnessing the Devilcraft, including waging a war, it is not our intention."

"Yes, I know, I know," he answered impatiently. He turned around and faced me fully. "You'd want to resolve this in a diplomatic manner."

"As best as we could."

"Look, Edward, Carlisle, Jacob," Patch intervened, stepping to the front. He met the eyes of each man on the clearing. "You're not going to have to fight. If you want to go, then leave. Your allies do not have to fight. Yes, we would like it if you are there with us and we would appreciate it. But we are not forcing you, we're not even asking you, to fight beside us. But if you can talk some sense into the Volturi without any violence, then we are politely asking you to join us."

"What would be the use of that if there's no loyalty, no trust in each and every one of us?" Rosalie spoke out. "The wolves don't trust you, we're still not decided, and you don't trust any of us."

"Then we have to prove our loyalty to each other," Patch squarely faced her.

Carlisle looked around his family. "Emmett?"

"Hey, the Volturi is really threatening right now. This Devilcraft business definitely got some pretty powerful creatures shaken up. If they're trying to harness it, they won't stop until they govern not only our kind but other creatures as well. Besides, it is always nice to go head to head with the Volturi guards."

"Rosalie?"

"I just can't stand thinking they'll use their position to get the power they think they need to control every one of us. It's not their job and it's not their right. I'm in."

"Jasper?"

"This isn't going to end well either way. If we ally ourselves with the Nephilim race, the fallen angels, and the Archangels, we really are painting a target in our backs. If they fail this mission with our help, then the Volturi will surely come after us. If we don't do anything and they fail, we're the first clan they're going to use that power on as an example that anyone who crosses them will face punishment. If the Archangels get to them first before they use that power, the angels would annihilate our whole kind. It's bad any way you look at it. We might as well do the right thing."

"Alice?"

"I don't like where this is going any more than anyone else. But I know that once they get the Devilcraft, they will kill everyone here just to get those of us with special powers. I don't want that to happen. I love this family and if there's anything I could do to stop them from taking everyone here from me, I will do it."

"Edward?"

"Our kind deserves the justice and wisdom of a good leader. We cannot have royalties that are seeking only for power over the vampires. It will not end well if the Volturi get their hands on the Devilcraft. Besides they threaten my family, they threaten me. I will go to war just to protect what I treasure the most."

"Bella?"

"Renesmee's future is at stake. I'm not going to let anyone take her away from me. I am willing to protect her. Besides, I think this has been a long time coming. The battle between the Cullens and the Volturi has been set ever since I met them. They aren't going to let us go because we showed them up in front of other covens. They're not going to forgive us because of that. Everything else was just leading up to this."

Finally, Carlisle turned to the wolf pack. He met Jacob's eyes before saying, "I'm not going to force you into doing something your tribe wouldn't want you to do. Remember, if we are gone, you are the only creatures strong enough to protect the Olympic peninsula."

Jacob shook his head. "This is my family as much as it is yours now, Carlisle. I'll go wherever my family is." He turned and faced the rest of his tribe members. "My pack can do what they think will be the best for the humans."

The oldest one, the man who stood beside Jacob during that night at the Devil's Handbag stepped in front. I remembered the others calling him Sam. "We will protect our tribe and the humans. But we will help our Alpha when he needs it. Our loyalty will always remain with you, Jake."

Carlisle nodded again and faced us. "We know your army are more than capable with the task ahead. But we are vampires too and we cannot ignore this injustice committed by our royalty. We will help in any way we can."

The training we had finished that day did not involve hand-to-hand combat. Instead, the Cullens, the pack, and we had gone through rigorous calisthenics. By the end of the day, it was only Vee and I who looked completely worn out. The vampires didn't get tired and the pack had their animalistic strength. Patch was Patch, he just doesn't get tired. So Vee and I crashed on the snow before everyone else.

Patch shook me early next morning to get ready for the flight to the Denali coven. I tried to get up a couple of times only to feel every muscle in my body aching. I crashed in my covers for the third time before Patch tried to pull me up, chuckling gently. When I was able to sit up fully, his laughter was on full volume. He crashed on my sheets, his hands on his stomach.

I kicked him on the leg. "What is your deal?"

He tried to stifle his laughter but it just kept coming out. "You look beautiful."

I glared at him. He was making fun of me. "I'll get ready."

I stood up, pushing the covers towards him and headed for the bathroom. I opened the light and saw with horror what he was laughing at. My hair was a tangled mane on top of my head. I tried to smooth out several knots with my fingers but it was useless. I blew off one of the strands that fell to my face. This is going to be a long day.

By the time I got down, the vampires were already assembled at the bottom of their elegant stairs. I wasn't expecting a long journey so I only packed some toiletries and one outfit besides the one I am wearing. My things fit perfectly well in the backpack I bought at Mike's sports store. Patch had only his baseball hat besides the leather black jacket and the dark blue jeans he was wearing. The others were also traveling lightly with big beach bags and backpacks. Carlisle and Esme were the only ones who actually looked like they were going to travel. That makes sense since besides India, they were also heading to Ireland afterwards. I didn't know how long we will be gone from Forks but I did hope it wasn't long enough. We still need to train hand-to-hand combat. Though I don't think our trip will be some kind of vacation, I was hoping we could talk to the Denali coven as fast as we could.

"The pack will stay here with Rosalie and Emmett just in case the Volturi hears of our absence and takes advantage of it," I heard Edward explain to Patch.

I reached the bottom of the steps to hear Vee panting and hurrying behind me. I looked up and saw she was using the same backpack I bought for her. She was wearing one of her heeled boots. I heard Alice chuckle from behind me. I saw her give Vee a once over.

"I hope you didn't bring any coats."

Vee stopped, her eyes widening. "What do you mean?"

"Brazil, remember? It's not exactly cold there."

Vee groaned and collapsed beside her bag. "Oh yeah."

Despite the blizzard and the fact that it's still the Holiday season, our trip to Alaska was smooth. By the day's end, the Mercedes-Benz Edward had rented slowed down to a lovely home just outside the city border. Like the Cullens, the Denali coven enjoyed their privacy. They were located in the middle of a forest. With the snow on the ground, it would be difficult to navigate through to their home. Though the two-story house was lovely, it was a lot simpler than the Cullens' home. The walls were made of gray brick and the roof was a lovely dark color. There were two windows in every floor at the front with black panels. The door was hidden behind two white columns that supported a small patio with a large window at the top. The house itself was connected to a bricked two-door garage.

Standing by the door way was a beautiful young woman with strawberry blonde hair. Edward and Bella got out of the car to meet them. I placed my hand on the door handle but Patch placed a hand on my wrist to stop me.

"Don't get out of the car yet," I heard Edward's voice say inside my head. I froze, looking at Patch.

"He's talking to me," he explained, looking intently at the front where the young woman had already reached our companions. "I'm letting you hear his thoughts. He'll give us instructions."

"How are you, Tanya?" I heard Edward say both in mind speak and through my ears.

"I'm fine thank you," she replied smoothly. Her voice was warm and friendly, which encouraged me a bit. "Perhaps maybe a little confused as to why you are visiting our family so suddenly and why your companions refuse to come out of the car. Who are they?"

"Ah, damn. I was hoping she wouldn't sense you. You really need to keep your aura in check, Patch."

"Well what can I say? I'm not the type to be ignored."

"Tanya, it's better if we talk inside your home," Bella said quietly. "It's urgent."

I could feel Tanya's suspicion through her words. She didn't move an inch. "What's going on?"

"We will explain inside. But you have to promise me you will not lose your mind once you see our companions," Edward told her. He summoned us out of the car, cautioning us to come out slowly and carefully.

By the time we got out, the other members of the Denali coven were heading towards us. They watched us carefully before an audible gasp was heard. A millisecond later, they were already gathered around Tanya, backing carefully away. All of their beautiful faces were crumpled in horror. Great, nice to know we scare beautiful creatures like them.

"Edward," Tanya hissed. "What have you done? What are they?"

"Can we talk inside?" Edward asked firmly. "They're not going to harm you, I swear on my family's life."

The Denalis straightened up and blinked, seemingly mesmerized by the authority in his voice. Tanya inhaled sharply before stepping forward. Her jaw was set but her voice was even when she spoke. "I am sorry, I cannot let you come inside without any explanations."

"We need your help," Bella began, walking over Tanya. "I think we're in trouble."

One of the vampires scoffed. I turned and saw a tall vampire with brown hair that feel to his shoulders. His eyes held intensity despite its dull reddish-gold color. They landed on me as he scoffed again. "No kidding."

Edward ignored that comment and stepped beside Bella. "This is Nora Grey and this is Patch Cipriano. They are our allies for this mission. You have to trust us, Tanya."

I watch her eyes travel to Patch suspiciously. He exhaled gently. "You're not going to trust us anymore if you knew what we are," he told her as he spread out his arms innocently.

"Just try," she replied, still keeping her eyes locked on Patch. "And don't you dare lie."

"Fine," he shrugged. "You can't smell blood or hear a heart when I come near. That's because I don't have blood coursing through my veins or even a heart. I am not human. I am a fallen Archangel sent here to tell you about an evil power only found in the depths of hell, Devilcraft. I would appreciate it if you and your family would help us stop those who would want to harness it from hell in order to attain power they cannot handle."

He turned towards me before the Denalis could open their mouth to ask questions. "This is Nora Grey. Unlike me, you know she has blood and a heart but you can sense there's something unnatural about her. You are right. She's a Nephil, a cross between a fallen angel and a human. They can be used as vessels by fallen angels through an unholy period called Cheshvan."

I tried not to snicker as I registered their shocked expressions. Well there you go.

One of them, a woman with jet black hair and a gentle face stepped forward. When she spoke, her voice was laced with a heavy Spanish accent. "What is it we could help you with?"

"Carmen," another blonde vampire hissed. She stood beside the man with the intense glare. He had his arm over her protectively as if shielding her from us. Another vampire stepped towards us. He also had black hair and golden eyes between a prominent hooked nose. He cautiously held Carmen's hand but didn't try to stop her. Instead, he matched her slow pace as they approached us carefully.

"You are powerful," the man said, staring at Patch. Like the woman he was holding, he also had a thick Spanish accent. "However, I cannot tell what it is that makes you powerful. It is definite you are not and was never a human. Perhaps you are what you say you are."

The woman, Carmen, studied me with her golden eyes for a few seconds. I stood there tensely as she searched for something in my face. Whatever she read there would probably determine how her family reacts to us. She faced her family members. "I do not think they mean us harm. We should trust that our cousins, the Cullens, do not want us in harm's way."

The man beside her nodded. "Carmen and I are willing to help in any way we can." He glanced towards their family members. "Of course we would have to discuss this with the rest of our family."

Edward nodded, staring at each Denali's face. "Very well. I suppose we should let your family decide by yourselves. Good day." He and Bella turned towards the car again. We glanced at the Denalis before following the Cullens.

Tanya looked uncertain for a few seconds, shifting her weight from one foot to another. "Would you like to come inside, even if it's just for a while?"

We exchanged glances before Bella agreed. "We'd like that."

Like outside, the Denali home was lovely. The ceiling was high with a chandelier at the foyer. The smooth wooden floors reflected our images. The walls were lined with different paintings. I spied an archway opening to a kitchen in front of me. They led us to the right, to their extravagant living room. The walls were all white and even the floor was white. There were lights against the walls covered in black shades. In tall white vases on top of black furry rugs were a mixture of white lilies and roses. Their black sofa was velvet and propped on the corners were white square pillows and was a smaller red circular pillow. The loveseats were the same color and material as the sofa but without the pillows. In the middle of the room was a solid black marble coffee table with one single white rose in a clear glass. The television that was stuck on the wall in front of the sofa was turned on to CNN on the lowest volume but it didn't look like any of them were paying attention to it.

Tanya studied us for a moment. "I am afraid we are short of food supplies for now. We could prepare dinner for you later on, if you would like."

I shook my head shortly. "All we want from your family is a straight answer. The Cullens trust you and they believe you could help us, despite our uncertainty."

"Uncertainty?" The other blonde vampire repeated, the suspicion was still on her voice. I realized we didn't know their names, except for Carmen and Tanya.

"You must understand that this is very dangerous. We want to involve your kind as little as we could. This is our mission and it honestly should stay that way. But the Cullens believe you have the ability to help us."

"How did the Cullens get involved?"

I opened my mouth to answer but Patch spoke out before I did, "Edward will enlighten you on the subject."

Edward's face was still a clear marble mask, however, I saw the sharpness in his gaze when he stared at Patch. Patch only smirked as he watched Edward squirm a bit, shifting his weight from one foot to another. It was obvious Edward wanted to avoid mentioning the Volturi to the Denali coven.

From what they had told us during the car trip, the Denalis had a couple of brushes against the Volturi. First was a few centuries ago when their creator turned a child into a vampire. Bella explained that because children do not have the self-control as adults do, vampire children tend to slaughter dozens and dozens of people. This threatens the secrecy of their kind, therefore the Volturi had forbidden any vampire to create a vampire child. This was the reason why the Volturi had visited the Denali coven and destroyed their creator along with the vampire child. This was also the reason why the Volturi had visited the Cullens three years ago. One of the Denali coven members who had a falling out with the Cullens saw what she believed to be was a vampire child but was really Renesmee, Bella and Edward's half human, half vampire daughter. She reported it to the Volturi and they paid a visit to the Olympic peninsula. When it was all cleared up, the sister who had reported the incident to the Volturi was also killed. This would be a complicated matter.

"The Volturi had sent us to find more about them."

I saw all of their golden eyes widen. "Why would they do that?"

"Because it's the Volturi who wants to harness the Devilcraft from hell," I spoke out loud, knowing Edward and Bella would hesitate once again. Maybe it would be better if a stranger, someone who isn't close to them, tell them of the crimes the Volturi is planning to do.

Tanya frowned. "What makes you think we would believe you?"

I guessed as much so I was prepared to show them what I could do. I was about to throw my mental net again and, like what I have done to the Cullens and the pack, show them my memories. But instead, Edward stepped forward again.

"You know what I can do, Tanya. You know if they were lying, I would sense it and I wouldn't even bother to deal with it."

"Yes, but we also know that there had been talks going throughout our kind, Edward. Talks that you want to fight the Volturi to overthrow them," she replied harshly.

"You know that's not true," Bella said, standing up. "You know that all my family wants is to live peacefully. We do not have the right to do what the Volturi does but we do have the right to stand up against them once we know they're on the wrong. They want the power to make sure none of us ever question them."

"You are asking us to fight the Volturi again, Cullens," the man with the intense glare snarled. "Look at what happened the last time. You say you want to live in peace and in harmony yet you invite creatures like them and talk about a war that would happen."

"Who said anything about a war?" Patch smirked. Despite the rising tempers, he had remained cool. He grinned again and I saw something flash in Tanya's eyes. "We're here to talk to them diplomatically."

"But war would eventually happen," Tanya challenged him. "We all know it, we have sensed it ever since that day three years ago. If this Devilcraft even exists, maybe the Volturi is using it for the sake of our kind, protection from creatures like you with unspoken powers and your companion." She glared at me as she hissed the word "companion".

"You are right," he shrugged. His tone was relaxed enough as if the matter really didn't matter but when he stared at her, his eyes were steel onyx. "But remember, before they go after us, the Volturi will go after those who have challenged them before. How many times had that been for your family, Tanya?"

Her jaw clenched and I actually saw her swallow.

Patch smirked again. He leaned back on the sofa and crossed his legs, looking more relaxed than the vampires who owned the place. "The Devilcraft is a power no creature can hope to control. The last time it was here on earth, an entire race of immortals was eliminated. Like what I have said before, I am on a mission assigned by heavenly powers themselves. If I fail this mission and the Volturi gets their hands on the Devilcraft, the Archangels and the Avenging Angels will eliminate your kind. We need your help because you are vampires and you, as much as the Cullens, know how the Volturi works. They are not unreasonable vampires. They will listen to their kind if they must. If they don't and a war ensues, would you rather help the Volturi get the Devilcraft and see your family be destroyed or would you rather quicken the annihilation of your species?"

"But you are asking for us to fight the Volturi, to go against them."

"With creatures like fallen angels, Nephilims, Archangels, and Avenging Angels, you're worried about the Volturi?" His mocking grin was widening but he managed to balance it with a curious expression on his face.

"Look, you don't have to fight," I told her, stepping up. "We're not even asking the Cullens to fight. We're not asking you to face the Volturi. All we're asking is for you to stay with the other Nephilims just in case we need your help."

"Other Nephils?" the other blonde whipped her head toward the Cullens. "There are more of her?"

I nodded. I might as well elaborate. "I have an army waiting to stop any attempts at the Devilcraft." If they didn't feel any more secured now, I don't know what will.

"An army?"

"Just in case things got too much for us to handle."

Tanya's eyes flicked towards Patch again. "What about other fallen angels?"

"Like I said, an immortal race was annihilated a few months ago because they got involved with Devilcraft." His eyes turned steely again. "But there will always be new fallen angels throughout time. Before long, I will not be the only one."

Though it was just a statement, I was certain they felt the threat behind it because I felt it too. Breaking the tense silence, I added, "Even though we have an army, it would be best if the Volturi would hear from their own kind if they needed to. I promise you, the Nephilim race would not harm you and you wouldn't be forced to interact or fight with them."

"Why don't you want your own kind to get it?" the man with the intense gaze asked me. "If it's such a terrifyingly amazing power, why don't your own kind try to harness it for themselves?"

"Because no creature that roam this earth can hope to control it," I repeated Patch's words. "I have personal experience with it and I am telling you, I don't want anyone to experience its powers, especially my people."

"You are asking a lot from our faith, Edward," Tanya finally said after we settled into a tense silence once again. "We would have to talk amongst ourselves about this. In the meantime, you can stay here if you would like. Three rooms are available for your use." Her eyes traveled to Patch again before turning and exiting. The others stayed with us for a moment before they followed her.

That night, I tossed and turned on the bed, the sheets tangling around me. There was no way I could get comfortable in a home with the hostile risk. I didn't understand why Edward was confident the Denali coven would be able to help us. It was obvious they were still hurting from their sister and their creator's deaths and there was no way we could convince them into our plans. I was worried that Patch's arrogance wasn't helping at all either. I wondered if his display a while ago would actually harm us.

But Carmen and, I suppose, her husband, seemed supportive enough. Throughout the night, I would catch them following us around the house. I knew they must be curious of our powers. I knew Edward was doing everything he could not to freak out the Denali coven at all. Though from their expressions when they first met us, they knew we were threats. Still, if Tanya, the other blonde, and the man with the intense glare do not help us, maybe we can get Carmen and her husband.

Giving up on sleep, I detangled myself from the sheets and headed outside, wondering what Patch was doing now. It didn't escape me the glances that Tanya had thrown towards Patch but I didn't want to think of it. I was secured where I was with Patch but that didn't mean I wasn't threatened or intimidated by Tanya's beauty. It was kind of hard going up against a vampire in the beauty arena.

I reached his door, knocking gently. "Patch," I whispered. "Are you awake?" But there was no response. I turned the knob and opened the door. His bed was still made. He was nowhere in sight. I entered the room, leaving the door open.

"Patch?" I called out again in a hushed whisper. "Are you here?" I stopped as I heard voices floating towards me. It was coming from downstairs. Curiously, I exited the room and headed towards the first floor.

"You have a lovely home," I heard a familiar voice say somewhere in the kitchen.

"Patch?" I asked to no one in particular as I followed his voice but stopped as I heard another voice reply to him.

"Thanks."

It was Tanya. I approached the archway that led to the kitchen, hiding behind the wall beside it. I pressed myself against the wall and listened intently.

"So this Devilcraft business is serious," Tanya was saying but something has changed in her voice. Instead of the serious, almost curt tone she used when she spoke to us earlier, her voice now seemed so light and almost flirty. I opened my mouth in shock and disgust. She was flirting with him!

I heard Patch sigh tiredly. "Yes. I was hoping I would never have to face it ever again. I was hoping I could get to spend my eternity in peace."

"If my family helps your cause, what would happen?"

"We would have a fighting chance."

"But the girl you're with, she seems confident of her Nephilim army," she said her voice touching a challenging tone.

"At this point we would have to be confident of anything that would be willing to help us," he admitted. He was either ignoring her advances or was completely oblivious to it, though I know it couldn't be the latter. I wanted to step forward to say something but I stopped myself. I trusted Patch. He would make the line clear when he wanted to.

"And the girl? What is she to you?" she asked, her voice rising a bit. It was obvious she was meaning to ask this for a while now, maybe even the moment they had begun their conversation.

Patch was silent for a few seconds that it worried me. "She's very important," he said finally, remaining vaguer than I would like.

"Important to you personally or important to your cause?" she pried on.

"What exactly do you want to hear?" he asked her, turning the question. "You just met me and you have no idea what kind of person I am."

"From what I know, you're either saving your own ass from being sent to hell or you're saving two different species from their own personal hell."

I heard him chuckle so coldly that it sent the hairs on my arms standing. "I'm not that selfless. Maybe the first one."

"So she's only important to your own personal cause."

He didn't answer her assumptions. "I hope you decide before we leave tomorrow morning. If by then, you still need time, I trust you know where the Cullens' home is. You'll know where to find me."

Realizing he was about to head towards my direction, I hurriedly scrambled out of the way. I found a small dark hallway and hid myself there until I heard his footsteps up the stairs and into his room. When his room had shut, I glanced towards the kitchen again, knowing Tanya was still there. I waited until she too followed him up the stairs and into a room. Though I hoped she didn't enter his.