Chapter 6: Digging Out

Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight

QPOV:

Quil ran faster than ever before. Time was of the essence. His Alpha's child was in danger. The area he had entered was less blustery, and the snow had decreased to only a slight flurry. Ahead of him, he made out the form of that nasty parasite, carrying a bundle in her arms. Inexplicably, she lay the bundle down in the hollow of a tree, glanced his way, and jetted out of view.

Hurrying toward the tree, Quil heard the cries of the newborn. He quickly placed a few small branches of pine on the ground, and covered it with his cutoffs. He shifted for a few seconds to put the shivering child on the pallet, then re-shifted and wound his body around the baby to keep him warm.

He howled to his pack mates, and sent out the news. I've got your son, Jake. The vamp took off. I guess she didn't wanna deal with us. I'm over by the roadside, where the old trapper's shed used to be.

JPOV:

Embry and Jacob assembled a litter to carry Quill and the baby that was snuggled in his fur. No one complained about how heavy Quil was. His body temperature had saved little Liam, and Jacob would not forget that.

They all heard the sound of Bella weeping as the threesome neared the cabin. Her cries turned to tears of joy when they marched in, holding her new reason for living.

Jacob took Liam from Quil, removed the previous blanket and wrapping him in a warm dry one, handed him to Bella. She kissed his tiny face over and over, cooing to him. "Thank you, guys. I'm not really sure what happened, but thank you.

"C'mere, Em … you too, Quil. "She took Embry's arm, and bent him lower so she could kiss his cheek, repeating it all for Quil.

Embry turned bright red, and rubbed the spot where her lips touched. He sighed, and said, "Well, Quil and I got work to do. There's a lady-leech kidnapper on the loose, and we're gonna go get 'er if it takes all night." With that, he and Quil left.

Bella sat up straight. "A vampire? Here? Jake, is that how you got all scratched up? Is that what kept you so long?"

Rubbing the back of his head, Jacob confessed, "Well, I guess now's as good a time as any. I didn't wanna upset you, but looks like you're already pretty upset."

The bed creaked as he sat beside her. "I was on my way here when I smelled that awful stench those vamps put out. There were two of them, and they wanted a piece of me, that's for sure. One of them fled when she heard Quil howling. I'd already killed off the other, so I guess she didn't wanna end up a puff of purple smoke too. Anyhow, she was really tricky, and kept vanishing into thin air. It was weird, the first leech said she had the power to freeze me in my tracks, but it didn't work for some reason. I'm thinking that it was because she was trying to wield her power over me, whereas, the other one's power was over herself. I could see her, and then not; it was something physical.

"The leech probably came through the window. You couldn't see her, but Em and I both caught her scent." His voice cracked. "She took Liam, but thankfully gave him up. Quil assumes she was afraid to take on all three of us. He also reasoned that she didn't attack you when she realized we were in the other room. Our son was just a snack to her, but we were on her so fast, there was no time for her to enjoy it."

Bella searched his eyes. "Do you think she'll come back?"

"No way—she knows who rules this roost."

Jacob gave her a wry smile. Bella put the infant down next to her, and snaking her arms about his neck, kissed his ear, and hung onto him tightly. "I can't imagine why I ever entertained the notion to be one of them. They're disgusting creatures with no regard for life … human or otherwise."

She reared back, gazing deep into his eyes. "Oh, Jake. I don't know what I wouldn't done if they had killed you. And our little boy would be without his father."

"Hey, hey, hey … none of that. I'm here with you now. Liam's fine, and Quil and Embry are in their glory, tracking the tick."

Their lips met, and when they separated, Jacob smirked at her.

"What?"

"Does this mean I'm not banished from your bed anymore?"

"Did I really say that?"

"Trust me, you said it. Em heard it too."

"I was hurting. It was the pain talking."

"Good, 'cuz I don't think I could stay away from you any longer than necessary."

The conversation was interrupted by a tiny child, crying for his mother.

Jacob picked him up, and rubbing noses with him, said, "Okay, Liam, she's all yours … for now."

EPOV:

What was it like?

Embry slowed his pace a bit. What was what like?

You know … delivering a baby.

I didn't. Jake got there in the final stage. It took a few pushes, and the baby was there. You should've seen his face. He looked like he could fly under his own power. It was beautiful, man.

Quil nodded his big furry head. I'd like to have a kid someday. I'd show him how to hunt and fish.

Me too. Then all the kids could play together, and you and I'd be Uncle Quil and Uncle Embry. But you know you might not have any boys.

In that case, I'll teach them self defense against the likes of your brood of hooligans.

Embry bumped his buddy's shoulder playfully, but Quil's ears stood straight up, then his head jerked to one side. Did you see that?

What?

Over there … like an outline of a person. I think we got her.

The two split up, Quil going forward to head her off. He planned to chase her toward a ravine where Embry waited to capture the fugitive.

Kendra reappeared, startled to see Quil blocking her off, running toward her, trapping her in a narrow chasm. She pivoted, running the other direction, but Embry was there to stop her. She blinked-out as he lunged ahead anticipating her move, and felt his teeth clamp onto something solid. The vamp shrieked in frustration, not able to move as Embry refused to loosen his hold on her. If he tore her hardened flesh away, she'd be gone again in a flash.

Care to join me, Ateara?

My pleasure, Call.

It was a weird experience, as the wolf boys tangled with the leech. The snow flew in the air as she struggled, but they still couldn't see anything. Finally, with her invisibility abating, a body began to take shape. The boys didn't wait for it to be fully visualized.

Off with her head!

After you, Em.

It was over in a few seconds, and once more the air was awash with sweet-smelling plumes of smoke.

The two wolf boys swaggered into the cabin, appearing smug to say the least. Quil yelled, "Hey, Jake …"

"Shh!" Embry chided. "You'll wake up the baby."

Quil grimaced. "Oh … sorry, I forgot."

Jacob came out of the bedroom with a finger to his lips. "Jeez, could you guys be any louder? We just got Liam to sleep, and Bella needs her rest too."

"You tell him, Jake."

"Well, sorry, I got a little excited. Did you see the smoke? We got the she-devil. She's been disappeared for good."

"Man, she was a real trip and a half," Embry touted. "I hope we never not-see another one like her again.

"Hey, good one, Em. She was a not-see—I like that."

"That's a relief. Bella was afraid she might come back."

Jacob sprawled out on the chair. "You guys hungry? I already made Bella eat something, but there's still some chicken left. It's in the cooler. Help yourself."

Embry stuck his arm out to stop Quil. "Maybe we should wait. That's the last of the food, and we can't get down off the mountain with the road cut off."

"We can always butcher that elk," Quil offered.

"Hold it, guys. Leah called, and she's coming in this morning with groceries and a snow plow."

"Good thinking … for a girl."

Frowning at his friend, Jacob balked, "Don't be dissing the fairer sex, I'm married to one you know."

Embry pondered all the happenings for that day. Boy, do I ever.

LPOV:

She had called the highway department the following morning about the snow and debris sitting in the middle of the mountain road, making it urgent since, in fact, there was a new mother with no food and medical care stuck in the aftermath of this blizzard. It was amazing how fast everything came together. Leah needed to get up there, and she didn't own a snow plow. Miraculously, she'd now have one at her disposal.

The car was packed with all the newborn and mother necessities, along with a change of clothes for Bella, and a couple of bags of groceries.

Leah led the way to the cabin, and looking behind her, saw the snow plow, a reporter for KQUI, the rez's radio station, and a crew from KTAC, the news station at Tacoma. Never a dull moment in the life of the wolf pack.

It was slow going as the altitude increased. The snow was deep, and the air was freezing cold. At one point, she had to pull off the road and let the snowplow go on ahead to clear the way. She shook her head. Bella sure picked a great time to join Jacob's hunting party.

Half way up the mountain, they were met with the mound of snow and trees and boulders lying across the road. The people in her entourage got out of their vehicles; the reporters' cameras clicking away.

The driver of the snow plow stood there beside his machine. "Hate to tell you this, lady, but there is no way in hell, I can even begin to cut through all this stuff."

Leah was not one to quit. "There's got to be some way to get to that cabin. If we can't go through it, can we go around it?"

The man stopped mid-chew on his smelly cigar. "You've been up to this place before. Is there room on the right side here to skirt this mess? I don't fancy tipping over and rolling down the slope. They don't pay me enough."

Holding onto her scarf that was threatening to fly off, she told him, "There's plenty of room to go around. That's a great idea. I'll guide you."

"Okay, sister. Ya got guts, I'll say that for ya."

She grabbed a pair of tall snow boots out of her trunk, and put them on, then waved to the driver to follow her. As she walked along, she sometimes had to lift her legs up as high as they would go. The snow was reaching to her thighs in several spots. Gawd, why didn't she bring a pair of snow shoes with her? Good thing the cold didn't bother the wolf girl, or her teeth would be chattering by now.

The reporters continued taking notes and shooting pictures as Leah and her driver painstakingly carved out an alternate path for the caravan. The swath wound around the avalanche, and finally linked up with the original roadway. The driver gave Leah a thumbs up, and she ran back in the recently cleared highway, and climbed into her car, waving at the others to follow her.

A/N: Today's the day. The Lost Years Kindle edition is available for free starting today, until the 22nd. Get 'em while they last.