Clara

I woke with a mind splitting head ache. I rubbed my head and flinched at the pain in my leg when I tried to move it. I opened my eyes to look down and it took me a moment to realise that I was in an unfamiliar place. I was on a soft bed, wearing clean clothes and my leg bandaged.

Where was I?

I sat up, my eyes adjusting to the room. It was a plainly decorated room, filled with books. Books were on shelves, the floor, the chair, the desk in the corner. There were men's clothes around the room too and an open wardrobe.

Axton.

I was in his room. I recognised the clothes, and when I brought the pillow up to smell I smelt his cologne.

"Axton!" I called out trying to move. I flinched when I moved my leg. It was definitely broken. The door swung open and a panicked looking Axton came running in. he slammed the door shut and ran over to me.

"Oh thank god" he whispered and collided with me in a hug. I momentarily forgot how I got here and gladly hugged him back, when he pulled back to kiss my forehead I quickly pushed him away.

"Why?" I asked.

"I didn't mean to. Honestly Clara I didn't want to. I wasn't in control. She was controlling me. It wasn't my fault. I didn't want to do it. I tried to stop but she's just so strong" he was ranting. Tears were in his eyes as he begged me to understand.

"Where is Elijah?" I asked. his frown dropped and he couldn't look me in the eyes. "where is Elijah?" I repeated louder.

"He is in the next room. He might not make it" Axton said sadly.

"I need to see him" I said and tried to get off the bed.

"You're injured." he said.

"Heal me" I demanded. I knew he had the power to. he was an immortal warlock for Christ's sake. he could do anything.

"I'm not allowed to" he said painfully.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"Liana. She said I wasn't allowed to. If I healed you or Elijah, she would punish me by hurting Alena."

"Is she alive?" I asked.

"Yes" he said, pure relief washing over his face at the mention of her being alive.

"Is Elijah?" I asked.

"Just about" he said sadly. I moved from the bed, landing on my good foot. "Clara you can't" he said wrapping his arms around me. Tears were running down my face in pain as I stood on my broken leg. "Clara!" he yelled as he picked me up.

"No put me down. I have to see him" I sobbed, I needed to see Elijah. If these were his last moments I wanted to be there.

"I will take you" he said holding me to him as he walked us out the door. The corridor was dark and unhomely. We were definitely not in the house across the street from my own. I didn't know where we were. It didn't seem like a house, it was like an old building. He carried me to a door that he waved his hand over, clearly unlocking it with his magic. As we entered I scanned the room to see two people here. Elijah on one bed, a girl on the other. Axton took me over to Elijah and set me on the edge. I ran my hand over his face. His cropped hair was wet with sweat. His chest was rising and falling fast.

"Eli" I said softly. Running my finger over each of his facial features. "Elijah" I whispered. "Please wake up" I begged him. The emotions were overwhelming me and I couldn't help the tears falling from my cheeks as I saw my best friend on the verge of death. He was covered in blood. Something clearly penetrated his abdomen. He was bleeding out.

"Eli" I sobbed into his chest as I hugged him. "Please don't leave me."

"Clara we can't stay here long" Axton said behind me.

"Stop it!" I screamed at him. "Just stop!" I shouted. He flinched backwards. "the boy I love is dying how dare you tell me we have to leave. I will not go anywhere!"

The look of pain on his face was a dagger to my heart but I didn't care. He was standing there in perfect health. He would live forever, where as my childhood best friend was on his deathbed and Axton could save him with one touch. I looked up to see the girl on the other bed and realised it was Phoebe. My great-something grandmother. How did she get here? Was she kidnapped too?

"Why is Phoebe here?" I asked Axton with a glare, still holding onto Eli. Maybe if I didn't let go his heart would keep beating.

"She was out for a walk. She and Aurora saw it happen. I had to bring them so they didn't tell your family what happened. Aurora is in a cell, my magic didn't work as well on her because she's a vampire. I think I put too much on Phoebe. She won't wake up." Axton said sadly.

He was infuriating me even more.

"I want to fix things Clara. I do." he said sadly.

"Then fix Elijah!" I shouted.

"Shhhh," he hissed as he came over. "Ok but he will need to act injured afterwards, or she'll know. She'll hurt Alena," he said desperately.

I nodded in response. I didn't trust my words. I fully understood how he did everything for his sister but at the same time it got on my nerves that it was me and my family paying for it. His hands lay on Elijah's chest and stomach and his breathing evened out quite quickly.

"Eli" I whispered, bringing his hand to my lips.

"Clara" he whispered and a flood of relief washed over my body. His eyes opened and Axton stepped away, I hugged him to me tightly. "What's going on?" he asked. Before I could even answer his neck and head jerked sideways and he fell, his eyes closing, limp to the bed. I was so shocked I couldn't even scream out until I saw her walk into the room. Liana. I screamed. I turned to see my best friend dead on the bed and I screamed so much the tears couldn't come fast enough to accompany the pain in my chest.

"How dare you," liana called over my cries.

"Lilim," Axton said with bow of his head.

"I told you not to do anything. I told you to leave them to die."

"I couldn't." Axton said without looking up. I was still crying hard as I turned from Elijah on the bed to face the woman in front of me. I stood up from the bed, barely even registering the pain in my leg as I stood on it. It was nothing compared to the pain in my heart.

"What do you want?" I asked her. "Please just stop hurting those I love. I'll do anything" I begged her.

"I want the Cullen's power ripped from them. I want them to feel what it's like to lose someone they love." Lilim hissed at me.

"They have! They've lost people, not everyone is immortal Liana. People die and the Cullen's have experienced that, just like you have. Your son murdered a Cullen child! You expected them to let him live after that? You're doing the same now aren't you? Getting revenge? Your son was a nasty, vindictive, child murderous bastard and you're blind if you think he didn't deserve every single thing he got!" I screamed at her. After we found out that Liana's son was Lucien, Edward told me the entire story, from the manipulation of Matthew to the murder of his daughter Allesandra. I hated Lucien with every fibre of my being just as every Cullen did. I was sure that not one Cullen would take back what happened to him, not even if it stopped what was happening now.

"What about my other son Clara? Gareth? He was innocent."

"He organised a plot to kidnap and murder more Cullen children, again do you really expect them to let him live after that? The Cullen's have taken out threats for centuries, it wasn't personal. It was done to protect their children." I said with surprising confidence. I don't know if it was because I was expecting her to rip my heart out or snap my neck too any second but for just a few minutes I didn't care how powerful this woman was in front of me. She was just as evil as her two sons.

"Lock her in a cell." Liana said with a wave of her hand. I suddenly wasn't in the room anymore I was in a cold stone room with bars on one wall. Axton was on the other side, tears were streaming down his face as he locked the padlock.

"Clara" he sobbed.

"I know she's forcing you. It's okay Axton" I said softly. I reached through the bars to rest my hand on his wrist. He took my hand and kissed it. His tears were warm on my skin and it broke my heart to see him like this. He was all I had left now. He and my family. Elijah was gone.

When Axton left me I fell to the floor and I cried. I cried until I couldn't cry anymore and I started to lose consciousness.


Axton

I hated that I wasn't strong enough. I hated that she was controlling me. It was like a hand on my heart tugging and pushing me, forcing me this way and that way. When I heard Clara's shout from my room I felt free almost, I ran to her and as I held her I knew it was ok. She was alive, she was awake but i was well aware she was about to be very mad at me.

I cried as I explained, I couldn't even try to keep the emotion from her. This was the girl I was supposed to seduce and manipulate but it had been the complete opposite. She had changed me, moulded me to her and her needs. It broke my heart I was hurting her, I had never loved anyone who wasn't my sister this fiercely, this strongly.

I took her to see Elijah and it was the first time that I realised I didn't matter to her as much as him. I was aware I had done things, bad things she would probably never forgive me for but I always thought she loved me, at least enough to work through it but seeing her crying for Elijah I realised maybe I didn't stand a chance after all. He was the one that's always been there for her, he's the one she loves.

I saved him for her. I hated disappointing her, I hated seeing her like this and all I wanted was her to be happy so I saved him even though I knew how much it could backlash.

And it did.

I stood there frozen as Clara cried hysterically over the boy on the bed. I was still in shock as Liana and Clara spoke, Clara still crying and screaming responses to Liana's questions and then suddenly I was in the cells. I was being forced by the hand on my heart to lock the padlock with the girl I loved behind the bars.

I couldn't stand seeing her in there, I had to leave. So I did. Like the coward I was. I left her.

I went to my sisters room with a heavy heart. She was awake in her room and smiled as I entered but the smile quickly dropped.

"What is wrong my brother?" she asked in our own language we had made up as children. No one understood this language, not even Liana nor would Esther. It wasn't a known language. It was our language.

I told her everything, how torn I was, how I hated being in this situation and how much I wanted to save Clara.

"We will. I promise you" she smiled at me as she stroked my cheek. "Lets go find out her plan. We have a right to know. Let's ask"

"Is that a good idea?" I asked her.

"We have nothing to lose" she said.

"Except each other" I reminded her.

"If we don't get past this we won't have each other. Lets save your girl and let's get her family back on our side. Then we might stand a chance at getting out of here alive" she said grabbing her hoodie.

"You think they'll win? That it wont be Liana we need to beg for mercy?" I asked.

"I know they will" she winked.

"How?" I asked.

"They have a new weapon" she told me.

"Who?" I asked, hope filling my heart. She winked again and made it to the door. "I have been communicating with Aurora, who is directly linked to Esther Josephson. She is aware of their plans and so am I and we're going to do our best to make sure we help"

"Are you not going to fill me in before we talk to her?" I asked.

"Just agree with everything I say brother and it will all work out. I cannot risk telling you in case she gets it out of you. You are susceptible to her power you know this."

I couldn't argue with her as we walked down the hall, still feeling the hand on my heart threatening to tug on it. We reached Liana's 'office' room where she did her planning and scheming. She had two vampire advisor's in there, she dismissed them when she saw us.

"I am still very angry with you Axton, what do you want?" she asked eyeing me. I remained silent and waited for Alena to speak.

"We are frustrated Auntie Liana. We want to know what your plan is. We are unsure when and where you need us and its becoming tedious" Alena said softly. Growing up our 'Aunt Caroline' or as I now know was Liana, was always kinder to Alena, she was her favourite and Alena always managed to get her way. I now put this down to Liana knowing Alena was more powerful than me but back then I thought she was just liked her better because she was a girl. Alena was a far more pleasant and easier child to raise than I was. I was a typical teenage boy looking for a father figure.

"My plan is to lure them out now. I can't attack in their home, they're too strong in that fortress of theirs. They would have the advantage knowing their surroundings. I am hoping they come with their best fighters straight into my lair. I've lifted the tracking barriers. Any witch or tracker should be able to track the children to this building. I have wolves on watch for when they make a move and I will be prepared. I have slept, rested and eaten. I have Cain's power flooding through my once again and so I am ready."

"How?" I asked without stopping myself. Liana's eyes flew to me and she scowled.

"Excuse me?" she asked as if she was talking to the dirt on the bottom of her shoe.

"How do you have Cain's power?" I asked.

"I have him detained." she said before turning back to Alena.

"All I want you and your brother to do is stay out of the way. Keep the hostages where they are whilst I deal with the horde coming for me." she said with a sickly sweet smile.

"That's it?" Alena asked. "You expect to beat their best fighters? Their best abilities? Esther?"

"I don't expect to beat Esther no. I expect to subdue her enough to kill at least a few of the others, perhaps the half human leaders of their Volturi. The trash that took over my Lucien. If I show enough power perhaps Esther will surrender. Then I will possess her and change her mind to side with me."

"Isn't that doing exactly what you are against? Having more power than anyone else?" I asked. Liana scowled at me again.

"I will not be judged by a child. Go and watch the prisoners" she said waving her hand and suddenly we were both outside her office in the hall. Alena sighed and stared up at me. She pushed my chest in frustration.

"You're such an idiot" she said.

"We got her plan" I said back as we walked back down the hall.

"Yeah and Aurora and Esther heard every word but you're such an idiot. I was getting things out of her. More than I've got out for the past two days, you had to go and ruin it"

"She was angering me."

"I can tell that" she said entering her room again.

"Are you telepathically linked to Aurora?" I asked.

"Yes"

"How does Liana not know? She tracks our magic," I asked.

"Aurora can mask the magic and I am using it on a low frequency. Liana can't see if she's not looking for it."

"Clever" I mused.

"Can Aurora see Clara?" I asked. It was dark down there but Clara was in the cell opposite Aurora. I was sure she could see her with her vampire eyes. Alena nodded slowly.

"Is she okay?" I asked but I regretted it the second I said it. Alena shook her head.

"She cried herself to sleep. She's curled up in the corner, she's shaking and she keeps waking up but exhaustion is too much for her," Alena said softly. I reached and grabbed my sisters pink blanket and was gone from the room and in the basement within a second. I walked through the bars and was over by her in seconds. She was shaking as I lay the blanket over her. I lifted her onto the wooden bed off the cold stone floor and wrapped the blanket tighter around her. She woke momentarily before her eyes fluttered again.

"Stay... please..." she whispered. I didn't reply. I just lay next to her and let her curl into me. She was asleep again in seconds and I just held her tighter to me. She thrashed in her sleep as she dreamt over and over again of Elijah's death. I whispered how sorry I was, how much I loved her and how much I wanted to save her from this. How much I would try to protect her and to get her out of this alive. I knew she couldn't hear me in her sleep but I said it anyway, hoping my voice would at least calm her raging nightmares.

"You love her" I heard a voice from across the room. I looked to see Aurora was sitting against the wall of her cell, near the bars, watching us.

"Yes" I said softly careful not to wake the sleeping girl in my arms.

"It must be an awful situation you're in. I can only imagine. I have a brother too, whilst I'm not as close as you are to your sister I have seen your kind of bond before. My grandmother Renesmee and her brother are close like that. So is my mother and her twin brother. They can't live apart, even now decades later." she told me. I thought about what she said, it was tearing me apart. My love for the girl in my arms grew stronger everyday but I loved my sister more than anything too. I hated feeling like I was choosing. "Where is my mother?" she asked after a small break.

"She's alive" I told her.

"Thank you" she said gratefully just as I heard a crash from above. I flinched and looked at the ceiling. There was another one and a scream and this time it woke Clara. It was the scream of my sister.

"I'm so sorry" I whispered and kissed Clara's head before I teleported out of the cell and up the stairs to my sister. The crash had come from the room Phoebe was being kept in. The door was open and Phoebe was gone.

"Alena?" I asked. she was sitting against the wall panting.

"How did she wake up?" liana came running into the room.

"She... she... was... a... an animal" Alena frowned and my eyes widened. Wolf.

I didn't say it out loud but Clara had told me the legends of her family being part shape shifter. I never brought it up to Liana because I didn't want her to know yet another strength they possessed. Most of them were in Washington anyway, far out of the way. I had no idea Phoebe was one too.

"She's a werewolf?" Liana asked looking out the window to see the full moon had just risen. Perfect, a convenient cover story. I hoped they were similar enough in scent and look for Phoebe to be mistaken for one just a little bit longer so she could get away. Alena nodded furiously. I helped my sister onto her feet and we followed the wolf scent down the stairs, it led to the basement where the cell that had Aurora in was ripped apart.

"How?!" Liana shouted. "A werewolf wouldn't be able to break those bars! Not even a vampire could break those bars!" Liana shouted.

Perhaps a century old highly maternal shape shifter running on adrenaline protecting her daughter could though.

We span around to see Clara gone too. I was both relieved and concerned. She still had a broken leg, she was also in far more danger not being here with me where I could protect her.

Liana screamed a mind splitting shout and I clutched my ears trying to drown it out.

It didn't last long though because we heard the wolf guards coming running down the stairs. They just stood there as if Liana was knowing exactly what they were trying to say.

They were here.