-Chapter 20: Welcome to the Jungle-

The trip to Henry's house was quick, since we ran through the day and arrived at around noon. Angela's stomach had started growling, even as she slept in my arms, and I chastised myself yet again for not getting her breakfast this morning. Henry had given her some cereal and a glass of juice when we arrived, though from his thoughts I could tell he was still nervous around me.

He was terrified of Demetri, though. The Mexican man had taken one look at the tracker's red eyes and immediately went silent.

Things had escaladed quickly after our arrival, since I had to make my way to the Amazon as quickly as I could to stop Zafrina and her coven from being slaughtered. I injected Henry with the HLV2 serum, as I had promised, and had instructed Demetri to guard and take care of them as if his life depended on it.

I was no fool, though; I made sure Demetri knew what would happen if he disappointed me.

"Demetri," I called, nodding my head to the tree line out the window. He nodded and followed me outside as Angela looked after Henry, who was starting to feel the early effects of fatigue from the injection.

We walked a way into the woods; far enough that no human would be able to hear from Henry's house. I turned back at him and flung him against a tree with a glance, immobilizing him with a familiar pressure. His eyes looked on in fear, though he didn't struggle.

"You will watch out for them," I nodded in the direction we had come from. "You will protect them while I am gone."

"I will," Demetri got out between clenched teeth, his jaw held shut the same as the rest of his body. I nodded again.

"I'm just giving you a fair warning," I told him simply. "If you hurt them I will track you down and make you suffer. I'll make it hurt. Do you believe me?"

He nodded again.

"Good," I sighed, releasing him and flitting back to the house before his body even fell to the ground.

I could feel the humidity rising as I headed further south, though this time it didn't affect me. The trees that blew by beneath me as I darted across the sky began to change and cluster closer together, creating the rolling sea of green I had witnessed while I was here with my brother.

Without the burden of extra passengers, I was able to travel at supersonic speeds – making fantastic time, though I still wasn't sure if I was going to make it in time. The Amazon coven's future kept shifting as the attack drew nearer, muddling any potential outcome from being seen clearly.

In all of the visions, though, at least one of the three vampires was killed – sometimes two. Zafrina survived the encounter in most of the possible futures, but not by a wide margin. I clenched my jaw as another vision of Kachiri's death faded from my eyes, pressing my arms tighter against my torso and pushing my speed to the max.

I was distracted even from this, though, by a fog that kept clogging my visions. I couldn't tell what was causing it, be it hybrids or indecision, but it wasn't happening here in the rainforest. It was happening somewhere else, sometime else, and whatever it was…it was important.

My gut told me it was the Volturi – that they were involved in something else – but of course I couldn't see anything of their futures. Aro had planned well; I could only assume it was the hybrids that were keeping the guard hidden from me. But, to block out a group the size of the Volturi – their entire future – it would take a small army of hybrids.

This was something I didn't doubt they had.

"Kachiri!" the sudden burst of mental voices in my head knocked me out of my supersonic flight, tumbling and tossing me through the air until I righted myself and continued on at a slower pace.

"No! We must go now!"

"It's too late; they're here. Run! Run, and I will hold them off!"

"No. I will not leave you."

I honed in on the voices, aiming downward and making a b-line for the Amazons. More minds came into my range, and I quickly identified them as Volturi. There were seven guard members, though only one was significantly gifted. He was some sort of fire starter – able to manifest and actually control fire.

A growl broke through my chest as I realized they had already destroyed Kachiri – the smoke had only just begun to filter through the canopy of green I was flying over. Their orders were simple: destroy the two ungifted members – Senna and Kachiri – and bring back Zafrina in pieces, so they could reassemble her in Volterra.

I dive bombed into the thick of the fight, where Zafrina had blinded the Volturi. The unlucky vampire I crashed into practically exploded as I hit him, sending vampire shards out like missiles, embedding into trees and hitting the other Volturi like a shotgun blast. The guard nearest to me hissed as he darted away, searching madly for the cause of his fellow guard member's untimely detonation.

He could not see me, of course, thanks to Zafrina's gift. The two Amazons in question looked at me with awe and fear, not immediately understanding who I was. I gave them a quick glance to make sure they were in one piece before I started in on the rest of the Volturi, cloaking myself as I smashed through the face of what looked to be a newborn.

I dismembered another flailing vampire as I heard the crashing of concrete on concrete. The noise startled me and I looked up quickly to find both Senna and Zafrina fighting two of the quickly-diminishing hit squad. It was a beautiful thing watching the two of them fight.

Zafrina mostly stayed back, focusing her gift on her attackers and only striking in defense. Senna guarded her coven mate, cutting down the guards as they stumbled about without any vision to rely on. I watched them for a few moments, unconsciously dropping my cloak and letting my guard down.

I had never been so fortunate to be a different sort of vampire.

Without warning, a wave of heat collided with my side, igniting my clothes in an inferno that started to eat through them quickly. I snarled and spun around, choking the fire and smothering it out from the force. In front of me was an older vampire – physically, I meant. He looked to be nearly thirty five or forty, though vampirism had obviously smoothed most of the wrinkles that had began to develop on his face.

He bared his teeth at me and growled, his hand suddenly igniting like struck flint. With a flip of his wrist, another barrage of fire sped at me; but this time I was expecting it.

My shield rose instantly and blocked the wall of flames, though I could still feel the impressive heat as the fire bore down around me like a hand wrapping around a bowling ball. I charged him, ignoring the small embers that found their way through my shield and made my clothes smoke.

I grasped him in a choke hold after maneuvering so I was behind him, and squeezed. A grinding sound came from his flesh as he let out a shriek of rage, setting his entire body on fire. The flames were uncomfortable – nearly painful – but they could find no weakness in my metallic skin.

With a final tear, his head fell to the ground and his body followed, both sizzling on the floor as venom leaked onto the patches of hot ash that surrounded me. I bent down to take the head, intent on acquiring his ability, when two growls stopped me and made me look up.

I raised the head the rest of the way with my mind, watching the Amazons eying the floating head as it fell upward into my hands. Their crouches faltered slightly, feelings of confusion and fear running rampant in their bodies as they remained motionless. Rage, though, was also present; the man who I had killed was the one to destroy Kachiri.

"We know you," Zafrina said suddenly, looking into my eyes as her own widened. "You were with the Cullens – Emily." I nodded, and Zafrina stood erect as her shoulders slumped. Senna followed suit shortly after, leaning into Zafrina as though she needed the support.

"Why…" Senna said softly as she looked off to the right, her eyes unfocused.

"Do you have any idea what has been going on with the Volturi?" I asked, turning the dismembered head in my hands like a basketball.

"No," Zafrina answered, her eyes darting to the head. "We have been here since the confrontation with the Volturi. We have done nothing wrong – why would they want to kill us?"

"Oh, man," I sighed, running a hand through my tangled hair and pulling out a few leaves. "Would you mind if I just showed you? I still have Renesmee's ability."

A microscopic smile tugged at Zafrina's face at the mention on Bella's demon spawn, and she quickly nodded her assent. I showed Zafrina – and then Senna – everything of importance that had happened since we had last seen each other. My suspicions, Caius killing me, destroying vampires in Mexico, finding Angela, and finally Demetri, and his knowledge of what had been happening behind the scenes – all was delivered almost instantly to the two vampires.

"Thank you for helping us," Zafrina bowed her head in appreciation. "We would have met the same fate as Kachiri, had you not arrived." I nodded back.

"You're welcome," I said. "So, what do you say; do you want to help me stop these bastards?"

They only deliberated for a few moments before readily agreeing to come with me and help stop other covens from falling. Our priority, of course, was the Olympic coven, and their Denali 'cousins.' I informed them of the 'home base' of sorts I had set up in the form of Henry's property, and the two vampires agreed to follow me there so we could come up with a better plan.

"Would you excuse me for a moment?" I asked formally, holding the head I still had in my hands up slightly. "It would be extremely helpful for me to take the flame throwing power from this guy before we go."

"Go," Zafrina nodded, eyeing the head with well-disguised disgust. "We will remain here." I took a step and paused, looking back at the two of them, their dark-red eyes revealing their growing thirst.

"Why don't you take the time I'm gone to go hunt?" I suggested, unconsciously tossing the head back and forth between my hands. "Angela and Henry are human, and it would be best to be in control of your thirst." Zafrina and Senna glanced at each other and nodded, taking off into the forest without another word.

I kneeled down on the ground and pressed my fingertips against the rock-hard scalp, digging my fingernails in and scraping off flakes of flesh as I tore open the head like a coconut. It was actually a bit macabre, from an outside perspective, but then again, if I had my knife it would have been cleaner.

Nonetheless, eventually the venom-coated brain-rock squished out of the shattered shell that used to be a head. I picked it up and ripped apart the two hemispheres easily, running my fingertips over the pliant ridges as sparks of light flashed in front of my closed eyes. I shuddered and moaned slightly at the pleasurable feeling sifting through a brain gave me.

Too soon, the source of the fire-wielding ability was located and my ability carved it into my own brain, where it would remain for all eternity – if I should be so lucky to live that long. With a thought, my hands were suddenly covered in an orange flame. The fire ate through the brain hemispheres quickly, falling to the ground as ash once they had consumed every part. I lit up the headless body as well, laying a thick stream of fire that singed the surrounding wildlife.

Unfortunately, the heat and blazing color of the burning body quickly reminded me that it had been a while since I had last fed. I reached out with Edward's ability, but could find no sentient minds around. I growled and kicked at the ashes. If I wanted to hunt it would need to be fast, since Zafrina and Senna had left nearly an hour ago and would be back quickly.

I tilted my head as I measured my mental state. I felt good; great, even, from the recent few kills I had made. I knew it was all in my head, but my muscles felt less tense – freer. I knew this was because I had been indulging in my favorite sort of activity, and the sensation allowed me to think outside the box – or rather, in someone else's box.

I rolled my eyes as I decided to try out the Cullen diet of animal blood. Blood was blood, though, no matter if it provided release or not. I bolted into the thick of the forest before I lost my nerve, my nose sniffing for anything I would consider edible.

My search only lasted a few minutes before I found a panther lazing about on a tree branch, its shiny black fur was crusted with blood from a recent kill. I smirked and knocked the cat out of the tree with Ryan's ability, laughing as the animal screamed as it hit the ground with a thud. I took several steps forward and crouched, preparing for whatever fun I could squeeze out of the black cat.

The panther recovered quickly, lurching to its feet and snarling at me with bared fangs. I snarled back and darted over to it, punching it in the face with measured strength. A gurgle came from its throat as it staggered from the blow, trickles of bitter blood starting to trickle down from its gums.

I hissed and advanced, forcing the now-terrified animal to step backward as it continued to let out low growls. I lunged again, biting into the thick of its neck and pulling away abruptly, licking my lips. The panther hesitated for only a moment before it started to twitch and roll on the ground, letting out cries of agony from the burn of the venom.

Unfortunately, the small taste of blood had sapped my reserve of control, and I lunged for a third time, snapping the wailing creature's neck and digging into the unmarred side as I slurped away. The animal ran dry in under a minute and I dropped the dead weight to the forest floor with a meaty thud as I grimaced in partial disgust.

The closest comparison I could make to the taste was diet soda versus the regular formula. The diet tasted enough like the real thing to make you remember the taste of the good stuff, but after taking a drink the aftertaste settled on your tongue. I could see why it was an acceptable alternative for the Cullens, but I would never take to it. I enjoyed killing too much.

I arrived back at the spot the three of us had dispersed from to find the two Amazons already waiting for me, their ruby eyes bright from feeding. I motioned with my head in the direction I knew would take us to Mexico City and took off running. The Amazons followed behind me without a word as we dodged and weaved through the intricate shrubbery of the rainforest.

We ran throughout the night, arriving on the wrong side of the bustling city in the weak morning light. My torn, bloodied, and burned clothing hung off me, fluttering about in the gust of wind created by running. I steered my group around the heavy traffic flowing into the city, eager to get back and hopefully get a better set of clothes, when another vision hit me.

Most of what I could see was smudged and black, like ink in water. I could hear muted screams and growls coupled with the tearing of vampire flesh. I tried to look through the fog, but it was blocked nearly completely.

Around the edges of the vision, shapes that resembled people were running about – some at a preternatural speed. The fog shifted, skewing the edges of the visible parts like a hive of bees buzzing about.

This was the same vision I had gotten a partial glimpse of on the way to rescue the Amazons, but it was still obscured. Just as I thought I would gain nothing of substance, I heard an extremely specific sound – a wolf howling.

Zafrina's red eyes peered down at my face as I came back to reality. I glanced down at the hand on my shoulder as she removed it and stepped away.

"What did you see?" the Amazon asked seriously, remembering the look on Alice's face when she had a vision.

"The next attack," I replied, replaying that last bit and looking for anything that would tell me it wasn't what I thought it was. "It was obscured – completely dark – but at the end I heard a wolf howling. I think…I think the next targets are the Quileute shape shifters." Senna hissed in response, not wanting what happened to their coven leader to happen to the wolves.

"You are sure of this?" Zafrina asked, also seeming to want to find anything that would point to a different conclusion. I shook my head.

"I can't be certain of anything involving the Volturi, now," I sighed. "The only reason I was able to find you was because they weren't using hybrids this time. I don't know for sure the wolves are next, but I won't take that chance."

"Neither will we," Zafrina affirmed. "The shape shifters may have an…unpleasant aroma, but we do not wish the Volturi to destroy them." I nodded and blurred away from them, following the familiar trail to Henry's house.

We arrived at the property to quite an amusing scene. Angela, completely healthy now, was lifting the back end of one of – what I would assume to be – Henry's cars. Her muscles strained under the weight of the back end, and the smile on her face made me laugh as we crossed through the tree line. Angela caught sight of us and dropped the car in fright at our sudden appearance.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the ex-guard standing under the shade of the front porch as he looked on at Angela's inhuman strength. He glanced at us as we stepped out into the yard with an impressed look on his face, his lip curing up into a shadow of a smile as Angela cursed in frustration.

Angela's eyes widened as she watched us cross over to the driveway where she had been experimenting with her strength, and I noticed Zafrina and Senna pause in shock as well. I looked back at the two red-eyed vampires behind me, who sparkled under the harsh Mexican sunlight, and chuckled in understanding.

Angela had never seen a vampire in the sunlight, since she was kept in a cage for most of her interaction with them, and these vampires had never seen me in the sun. I brought my arms up and rotated them in front of me, watching the light gleam off my skin and hit the grass and surrounding shrubbery with strong beams of reflected sunlight.

"Wow," Angela said. I laughed.

"I see you've gotten stronger," I spoke as we closed the distance and stopped next to the HLV2-infected girl. Angela gaped, still transfixed by our skin, and blushed.

"Oh, yeah," she ducked her head. "So… you found more vampires who want to help?" I nodded.

"Yes, but we can talk about this on the way to Washington," I said quickly. "The Volturi may be hitting the Quileute shape shifters who live in La Push. We'll need to leave immediately." Angela's heartbeat stuttered and started to beat faster.

"Forks," she whispered. "It's so close…my family could be hurt." I cocked my head to the side.

"Maybe," I conceded. "I didn't see the exact location, but I don't see why they would target a town full of humans. Regardless, we need to get up there so we can be ready for their attack if it is their next target."

"Henry's still sick," Angela said, looking back at the house. "He's getting worse – he still needs someone to look after him." I sighed.

"He's going to have to come with us," I said. "I cannot let him stay here while he's still contagious – not to mention sick."

"He seems rather attached to this house," Demetri chimed in, moving into the sunlight as well. "I doubt he will go willingly." I smirked.

"Well, then; it's a good thing he's a sick old man who is growing more and more delirious," I chimed, making Demetri smirk as well. "Do you think you can wrangle up a private jet for us to use, Demetri? I don't think it would be wise to fly coach with our motley crew." The tracker bowed his head in assent.

"It will be more difficult without the Volturi's resources, but I should be able to manage. Shall I call once I've acquired transportation?"

I nodded and Demetri blurred away, leaving the rest of us standing in the yard.

"Well, then," I sighed. "Let's go see how Henry is doing – break the news to him – and then, if there's time, we can see just how strong you really are, Angela."

"Alright," Angela smiled, though her mind was on her long-lost home and the dangers that awaited it.

End notes: The next chapter will probably be from Ryan's POV again as we move the plot right along. Emily and company will soon find themselves in the company of the Quileute wolves.