A/N: Another boring filler, but hey, I made it before Christmas. Happy Holidays!
XVI.
I crawled out of the domain of the Blacks' turning green, purple, red and more disturbed than I have ever been in my entire existence. Billy--who was about to duely replace Quil Ateara as the devil on my hate list waved me out happily, pleased that he had successfully practiced his sex speech for Jacob on me.
I swear Iwasthisclose to wheeling that man down the middle of the freeway.
"Don't forget my advice," he reminded thoughtfully, smiling with a show of teeth, all of which looked exactly as happy as he was. I staggered towards the opposite direction and nodded with fright, scrambling to the safety of the woods before he could remind me of the advices he had been spewing out on me since an hour previous.
When I had escaped his ambush, I leaned against a tree trunk to clear my mind and regain the sanity that had deserted me. I whimpered slightly at the remaining memories, most of which painted vivid images permeating my thoughts, images that refused to be cleansed. I cursed the perpetrator.
Goddamn son of a fucking - okay, Quil's mum is kind of cool.
Billy may be his greatest contender, but Quil was still the greatest of all living satans. Now that I was reminded of all the misfortunes Quil's stupidity befell on me, I stripped naked and phased quickly, rearing to bite off his goddamn wolf head.
God, I wished I had phased near a body of water or a strong tree trunk, because the moment I readied my mind to be diluted with the rest of the pack's, I realised I could not have prepared myself at all even if I had tried. It was disorienting and overwhelming at once; Quil had an active mind, and though I knew beforehand he had finally phased, I would have known he did once his mind became mine. I felt my brain sizzle.
Urgh, Quil! Your thoughts!
Yaaay! Quil yelped. Is that you, Embry? Is that you? Sam, is that Embry? Oh my God, I can hear you, Em! I can hear you! You sound soo like yourself!
Sam! Paul begged. Please make him shut up!
Try to keep it down, Quil, all right? And guys, don't be too distracted. I'll go check on Emily and then we're heading off.
Can you check on Kim too, please? Jared, of course.
Sure.
Wow, you have girls! Did you guys score home run?
While Sam phased back, I could not prevent myself from observing the layers that Quil's mind thought on. There was his main thought, but there was also a subtle background that seemed to be permanently perverted. I should have known. What else would I expect Quil to think about, his grandfather?
Oh my God, no! Quil denied. But you know, I really do think we can have a pack party and have some DVDs ready. I have a lot. Which one do you guys prefer, college or bikini night themed?
What the?
That's Quil, Jacob laughed, as if that explained everything.
I nodded in unison. The rush of adrenaline that Quil was experiencing was sovereign over our subordinate emotions and so concrete it almost drowned the anger that was brewing within my chest. Once I recalled I had phased especially for Quil's demise, the rage consumned me. Our emotions were amplified in wolf form, and right now I was one very pissed off werewolf.
YOU! I roared.
I know, this is so cool-- Quil stopped, feeling my fury and wincing at the murderous images I had conjured of the many ways I was just about to end his life with. He froze when I reached the clearing where they stood in commune, and lolled his tongue out. Oh. Okay...sorry?
God, I will yank that tongue out and .off.
Quil snapped his mouth shut, and tried to distract me by pointing out that I was spotted grey. Not very effective, considering my well-outlined Quil Ateara murder plan.
Jared trotted to a distance and sat on his hunches. Quil Ateara Murder plan. Oh boy, he's pissed!
The hell he's pissed. Did you see that lecture Sarah dumped on him? Man, if my mum ever says half of those I'm gonna run for a kitchen knife and slit my throat.
But Paul, I thought we heal quick? Don't we heal quick, Jake? That defeats the purpose, then.
Jacob laughed. Yeah, go on, idiot. Piss Paul off and you get an extra angry werewolf rearing to get your ass kicked.
Paul won't have an ass to kick once I'm through with Quil, I growled.
They snickered away haughtily, but I was already crouched and set to spring, and was creeping slowly towards Quil. His muzzle threateningly revealed his teeth, reflecting the instincts that commanded him to face the battle I have called. The anxiety and uncertainty in his human consciousness however, weakened his fighting stance.
Come on, dude, I didn't mean it! Honest! I was just trying to help!
Trying to help?? You pervert got me into the most uncomfortable, most mortifying, most disturbing fucking sex-ed with my mother...and BILLY!
Jacob blinked, and remained speechless. The shame and mortification dripped in his thoughts, sending the immature king Paul howling with laughter. Oh my God, Billy actually used Embry as the dress rehearsal for the long-awaited grown-up-Jacob-Black talk!
Billy talked to you? he laughed. Quil laughed.
I was going to fight tooth and nail to make this miserable imbecile pay. I was going to rip him apart finger per finger, limb per limb, kick his hairy ass into his skull and gag him with his sorry nuts. I was going to mutilate him, burn him, turn him upside down, inside out and wrap him in pretty yellow ribbons as Old Quil's 90th birthday present.
Woah, Embry, sadistic much?
Best shut up if you don't wish that for yourself, Jared.
Technically, grandpa's just 89. Quil gulped. Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!
I roared, and then launched myself on him.
Sorry! I really didn't...oh shoot!
He was still attempting to salvage his ass when I bit down on a good chunk of his leg. Quil yelped, his paw instinctively swiping across my snout. My reflex was to swerve but not let go, biting into his flesh for a firmer leverage. He tried to jerk his knee on my throat but failed, sending us rolling away into the brown mud. Not much difference on Quil; he was chocolate. But on my grey fur, tragic.
I was a more experienced fighter than Quil, and much faster. Capitalising on this advantage, I dragged him with my mouth to catapult his shaggy chocolate furball body against the nearest tree.
Ouchhhh! God damn it, Embry, ow that hur - OUCH!
I'm on Embry, I heard Jared think.
You're on, Paul whooped, Jacob?
Quil. Embry won't hurt him much.
Five bucks here I come! Give me an E! An M! B! R! Y!
Dickhead. Jake jeered.
Meanwhile, I was busy seething. Take this! Take this! Take this!!!
Holy mother! OUCH! Damn it, my head! OUCH! Mother eff - that HURT!
I was beyond furious, so nothing of Quil's barks of agony was ever going to be enough. Which is why no one blamed me - a few did cheer, mainly Paul - for biting, kicking, and scratching my best friend's newly discovered wolf body.
I was just about to claw Quil's eyes out when Sam phased and ordered me to get a gip on myself, effectively ending my quest for vengeance. He not only commanded me to stop, he also threatened me with the pair of scraggly scissors he brought with him to trim Quil's furry backside.
At least I don't chase my tail, Quil guffawed, slipping the mockery through his breathless panting.
You ass. Find an imprint and see if the discovery that she was inside your room doesn't make you chase your tail.
He stopped short, read my thoughts, and winced, shaking his head. Geez, you too?
What? I'm imprinted, all right.
Oh my God, uhm Sam?
He threw a fit, naturally, Paul recollected. Y'know, he's is partly territorial.
And before Sam could defend himself, Jared was there to beam him to shame. You should have seen his face. Better than Mona Lisa's. Priceless.
Can it, guys! Sam ordered.
So that's why Embry's been following Leah around lately like an over-obsessive, slightly drugged, lovesick mutt! I thought you were possessed or something, Em! You know, I even thought weed caused that glowy beamy eyes you have for Leah all the time!
God damn it, I am not through with you yet!
I could not waste the opportunity of gnawing on Quil's tail. There was a disadvantage of sharing minds like we did; my victim had learnt how to process thoughts that put him in jeopardy and had immediately shifted to defensive. No matter, I was swifter.
He let out a satisfying cry of disbelief. Holy shit!
Jacob felt Quil's pain and tutted. Wow Embry, I didn't know you were so violent.
I said STOP, Sam reiterated. I felt my jaw slacken in coerced obedience whilst Quil safely pulled his tail away to nurse it. I scowled, dirgorging the fur in and around my mouth. Eew, Quil fur.
Chocolate, he reminded me.
Asshole.
Okay, okay, I get it! I'm sorry, satisfied? Honestly, Embry, I only gave you a condom because you and Leah seem to be so...
Intimate? Jared chuckled.
...Yeah, intimate. Thanks Jared. Dude, do you have any clue how you two act in public? Please bear in mind people still attach you to me and Jake. It's a bit shameful to see you sucking face--
Jacob cringed. Not the mental image!
--all over school. It seemed obvious to me you're getting some action, so I tried to help. That's why I slipped the condom in your desk, you moron. Who told you to flaunt it in front of your mother?
I didn't flaunt it. Leah caught me, mum caught her, then it went down hill from there.
I figured. Did ya use it?
No, I burnt it.
The pack laughed; it sounded like six wolves gleefully choking. When the jubilant laughter simmered down, I nudged Quil's snout affectionately and snuggled to his side. I missed you, Quil. Glad you're here now.
Get a room! Paul gagged.
Shut up, you temparamental dog, Quil hooted back.
Hey guys, I'll be on patrol at midnight, who's with me?
Seth, I think, said Jacob.
That's cool. 'Kay, I gotta run. I'm hungry.
Hungry for Leah, Quil giggled.
QUIL!
I scratched his back to annoy him before dashing away and phasing close to the Clearwaters'. Now Quil had phased, the heavy guilt that before dragged our supernaturality floated away. I felt lighter; more complete. With Quil, everything would be so much more interesting. Seth's booming voice brought me out of my thoughts. "Woah, Leah, will you calm down?"
I listened.
"Where's he gone to?" Leah's voice demanded.
"Out."
"I know he's out! What I don't know is where he's gone out to!"
"I'm not his guardian!"
I tiptoed closer to Seth's window and peered inside. I hopedSeth was distracted enough not to hear me, for even to my own ears my heart was beating too ecstatically. Was she looking for me? The prospect was delirious.
Seth was distracted enough, I have discovered, for the poor boy was looking disgusted and was averting his eyes away from his sister, who stood scowling at his doorway--wrapped in nothing but a bath towel. I gulped and took several deep breaths. Merely the way the remaining water from Leah's hair dripped to her neck--soft, smooth, and bare--almost compelled me to throw myself into Seth's room and kiss her senseless.
I reigned in my imagination and watched covertly as Seth consumned Leah's minimal patience. "Listen here, idiot. There's a note pinned on my desk that says Embry's about to attack Old Quil's favourite grandson. I thought werewolves were supposed to know everything about each other?"
"Yeah, so?"
"SO WHERE THE HELL IS HE? Rack your brains and tell me!"
Seth cringed. "Eww, Leah, if you're having some sort of sexual appointment with Embry, meet outside the fifty mile radius of my room, please!"
"Is that the sort of things Sam teach you during patrols?" she gasped.
"Not Sam. But Paul, Jared, Jacob. Embry at times..."
I stifled a whine. Geez, thanks Seth.
Leah herself found the idea humiliating. "This is so wrong."
There was something Seth did that made her turn around and leave. I failed to notice and could not care less, as Leah traversed the corridor and disappeared into her room. I crept to follow, but was distracted by the roaring of an engine. A powerful bike engine.
I looked up, most curious, and fell into the sight of Patrick Ricks, proud and pompous as he had always been. While I straightened my posture, he grudgingly took notice of my existence, and as I walked away to the Clearwater front porch, called me in a gruff, haughty voice.
"You."
He repeated when I failed to reply. "I said, you."
So I turned around and gave him a sneer. "I have a name and it is most certainly isn't you."
"Sorry," he then mocked. "It must not have been memorable. Or you must be insignificant. Eitherway, I don't recall your name."
"I didn't really expect that much from you. And for your future reference, it's Embry. Can you remember it yourself or do you want me to grab a pen and note it down?"
His nose flared, but he showed nothing of his anger except that which coated his words. Patrick leaped off his motorbike, from where he had been perched, and leaned back on its side. My masculinity demanded that I ask what model it was, but I bit my tongue and decided I would rather sneak in with Quil and Jake to examine it later tonight.
He lifted himself off his bike and nodded towards the house. "What're you doing here?"
"I'm visiting my girlfriend. What are you doing here?"
"I'm visiting Leah."
I gritted my teeth as the last account of him and Leah together flowed through my mind. It was like acid piercing through my control--I fiercely despised Patrick Ricks, and was vehemently reminded why. I saw no reason why I must keep him breathing for the rest of the night and would have acted in such accord but for a howl erupting from the woods.
I get it, I thought to myself. Someone--Jacob, by the sound of it--was clearly watching me from the shadows, and was now reminding me of my duty to protect instead of kill the person in front of me. Patrick froze and listened sharply, but I doubted his human ears detected Jacob's subtle paces.
I caught his attention back. "What do want with Leah?"
"Who are you again, the head of security?"
I stepped closer and met him in his path, my stance crouched and fists clenched, ready to spring and hit. He put on a brave facade despite the dread I could smell from him. By no means did he fear me, but Patrick Ricks dreaded me immensely. "If your memory is failing you again, you're talking to her boyfriend."
Another bark from Jacob. Christ Jake, I got this.
"You think?"
There was a smug smirk on his face that I was suddenly desperate to wipe off. To snatch it from his lips and to fling it too far away to be recoverable. I was aware only of my anger, of my utter loathing, and of my complete readiess to tear him apart, but a little less of Seth who had heard us bickering outside and decided to mightily intervene.
He appeared out of no where and stared. "What's going on here? Embry? Patrick?"
"Seth," we chorused, staring daggers when we unanimously discovered our blended voices sounded far from harmonic.
"Are you fighting?"
"No." Geez, why does he always have to open his mouth at the same fucking time as I do?
There was an empty silence where Seth stood merely to observe both of our reactions, Patrick tried and failed to relax himself under Seth's heavy scrutiny, and I stilled to tame my rage.
"I was just inviting Embry to a bike challenge we organised," Patrick spoke, breaking the tension. He motioned to his bike and grinned. "At sunset next Friday, down by the slope. I saw him on a bike earlier and thought he might be interested. My new baby here needs some action. Besides, we're fighting for your sister, aren't we, Embry?"
I growled.
"Oh come on, aren't you up for a friendly competition?"
Seth eyed me curiously, verifying. I felt a tinge of pain on my palm, and realised I had been gripping my fists too aggressively. I dictated my terms. "If I win, you will stay away from Leah. Indefinitely."
"A sure shot," he agreed gleefully. "But if I win, you will give me Leah."
"No!" I roared. "She's not a commodity. I can assure you you won't have her, so I suggest you forget about that."
"Isn't it a little unfair to me?"
"I will agree to anything you want. Absolutely anything, except Leah."
He pondered briefly, then displayed a crooked smile that was all but incapable of stilling fear. "Well there is only one thing I want most more than her."
"You name it."
He altered his smile to a smirk and then pointed at me. "Let's see. Maybe a broken bone on your leg, a couple of bruises on your face, a shattered wrist, and maybe a cut lip."
Seth winced, and began to revoke the offer as insane. I signalled to stop his prattle and, confident that I was to win, or to sustain the injuries if I lost, extended my hand to enforce the decided terms.
Jacob from the trees howled again. It was as clear as spoken words. Embry you idiot! Moron! Jackass! Lunatic!
"Great! Well then, I'll see you there. Better practice, I can't promise it's not difficult."
He jumped on his bike, waved fleetingly and rode off, laughing into the night.
Seth looked horrified. "What the hell were you thinking? Were you even thinking? You agreed to a bike challenge? Jacob was right. You don't even know--"
"Is Leah in?"
"Leah? You've just agreed to let Patrick break your bones and you're looking for Leah? She's going to--"
"Seth, please. Right now, that's the least of my concern. I'm desperate to see Leah."
I hurriedly brushed past him and scrambled along the corridor to knock on Leah's door. I waved at Sue, who was at the living room and attempted to ignore the way Seth constantly bugged me. He chimed in again before I even reached Leah's bedroom. Were you peering in my room earlier?"
"What?"
"Oh come on! Going out with my sister doesn't mean you suddenly earn the right to spy on me!"
I rolled my eyes. "Seth, I wasn't looking at you, I was looking at Leah."
"But she was half- naked...Oh! Oh my God, do I really need to know that?"
"It wasn't necessary," I shrugged. "But you brought it up."
He gave me a disgusted face and trotted away, running as Jacob's howls became more insistent. I watched him charge into the night, then raised a hand to knock on the door. By the sound of Leah's breath and her incessant footsteps, she was pacing inside.
Leah's voice, despite its usual harshness was like a lullaby to my ears. In fact, in the short while I was away to torment Quil, I missed it hugely. It was like a security blanket, I supposed. She did not open the door. Instead, I heard her stop her steps and shout. "Yeah?"
"It's me."
Her heartbeat tripled. She took several deep breaths before turning the door knob to glower at me. Sadly, she was already dressed. "Hi," I smiled, before realising she was frowning like thunder. "Did I do something wrong?"
"Well, let's see. First you left me without a word, then you come back without Quil's head--"
I swiftly locked the door behind me and poured the words into her mouth. "I'll make it up to you."
Her kisses were powerful, her lips so tantalizingly sweet I nearly passed out at the honeyed taste of it on my own. Before long she had me against the wall, my senses blurring delirious. I felt intoxicated. Satisfied, hell yes, but intoxicated. And when Leah's legs lifted themselves and locked behind my waist, all my sensible thoughts vanished. Blindly, I swayed to find her bed.
"We. won't. make..." she said breathlessly, "it. to. your. seventeeth. Shit, EMBRY!"
I mumbled against her mouth and reclaimed her tongue. "Don't care."
"Must care!" Leah insisted, wriggling to freedom. She was pinned between my body and her bed, so freedom meant she shifted on top of my sprawled body. She debated for the briefest second--enough only to bite her lips and tempt me, and crawled back to my lips to make me swoon.
Her lips were poised to open again, inviting my tongue when we sprung apart from the shrill ringing of the phone. I sighed and dropped my head into the pillows while Leah gave me a flurry of kisses before snatching the receiver and snapping, "Hello?"
"Kiss me," I whispered, opening my eyes and reaching for her lips again. Her mouth lowering down filled mine and I tried not to let out a moan for Emily Young was on the other line.
"Hey Lee, are you busy?"
"Say yes," I quickly said, before kissing her full on the mouth. Leah bit my lips and resurfaced when she had to speak. She eyed me impishly before speaking with casual indifference. "No, no, I'm not."
I stuck my tongue out. "Liar."
She giggled, attempting to leap away from where she was sprawled. I held her waist more firmly and willed her lips back to mine while Emily muttered obliviously into the phone. "I don't know if Sam told the pack yet, but the council is planning a bonfire night this Sunday and your presence is required."
I decided that every pause she took was a wasted opporunity, so to be productive I was going to kiss her at every interval their conversations took.
"Why would they uh, want me there?"
"Lee, are you okay? You seem breathless."
"No, yes...I'm--I'm fine. I'm just out of breath."
I grinned wildly while Leah smacked me repeatedly on the arm. Emily continued. "Well, the elders are re-telling the legend. It's a good chance to learn more about the wolves. Embry and Seth will be there, too."
I kissed her again, and she fought to keep the receiver against her ear.
"Lee?"
"Yes, yes. I'm here, Em. I'm lis--God--listening!"
"So, are you going?"
"Huh? Damn it, Embry--" she mouthed softly, her hands covering the speaker. She giggled and pressed her fingers against my lips before answering Emily. "Sshh, sshh...I'll be--there!"
"Leah, was that Embry?"
"Hi Emily," I whispered into the phone. "We're busy."
"Embry!" Leah gasped.
"Oh." Emily's surprised voice faded into a cognizant tone. "I'm sorry to uhm, disturb you two. I guess I should hang up now, then. Can I call you back tomorrow morning, Lee?"
"Sure, thanks Em. Bye."
"Good night, Lee, by--"
Leah slammed the received back in its hold, and pinned me down. "You are a nightmare."
"Yeah, except you were kissing me back too," I taunted.
"Now I have to go attend the bonfire night, listen to Old Quil try rasp the legends out and watch all the other wolfy couples love up and make out."
"We'll beat them all."
When I lifted my head, she pushed me back down again, her hands planted firmly against my heaving chest. "Embry," Leah cautioned. "Not until your seventeenth. You agreed to it!"
I whined. "But can't I kiss you?"
"Damn it," she said, before capturing my lips, biting, pushing, moaning against my mouth. I was surprised to find her top half-undone when the need for oxygen finally caught up with our priority list. Leah scolded me as she tried to button up. "See this? You have your hands everywhere!"
I showed her my discarded shirt. "And yours were not?"
"You dog!"
I smiled and leaned her against my chest, feeling her heart beat against my skin. It was still surreal, the way I could hold her so close to me. I felt at ease, blissful. There was everything that I wanted, everything that I needed, condensed in one person, body and soul. And she was with me, like an earthly paradise. As I said, surreal. "If you say wait, I will wait."
"Embry?"
"Hmm?"
"Did you like anyone before me? I mean, like first love?"
I shifted uncomfortably. "Yes, there was one. I don't know if I loved her, but I did like her."
"Who was it?"
"Marjorie Creok. D'you remember her? She left La Push 'round five years ago."
"I think I remember. Pretty, slender girl with those flattering brown eyes? Isn't she Quil's cousin or something?"
I nodded.
"Do you miss her?"
"Now that you've mentioned it, a little," I confessed. "Hang on, you're not jealous, are you?"
"Pfft," Leah snorted. "Why would I be?"
She was jealous. Her bemused indifference cracked in places I could distinctly specify. It amused me slightly to discover that she liked me enough to be jealous, and even more so that she displayed it with such weak passivity I only had to kiss her to remind her I was hers, irrevocably.
"Embry?" Leah said suddenly, pausing to contemplate. "When Sam told me about the legends..."
"What about the legends?"
"Sam said I mean more to you than your life. That what Emily is for him, is what I am to you." She looked up and traced my jaw. "He said you imprinted on me?"
I sighed, nuzzling my nose against her own. "Leah, I don't think any word could grasp who you are to me. When I say you're everything to me it's not a lie. Every breadth of life in me lives for you, Leah Clearwater. Do you understand?"
Leah's eyes met mine, and for the first time I saw them so deeply bewildered. She processed my words slowly, her eyes drifting into the space above my head. She placed her hand over my erratic heart and brushed her thumb against my lips, slowly. "You live for me. What does that mean?"
"It means exactly as you think it does. I exist for you, I was made for you. Everything I do or say, every breath I take, every ounce of happiness or sorrow I endure--all for you alone. You have my soul right on your palm and you can keep it, throw it aside or crush it and I will still come back to you. Because, Leah, I love you. I love you beyond words, beyond love--"
She silenced me at once, trapping my lips with hers in a slow, passionate kiss. When Leah breathed into my mouth, I knew I was irrevocably lost. She had towed me to a domain of perfection and I wondered briefly if I could ever descend back to my own world of imperfections. I knew too that I did not deserve this, or her for that matter.
But it was irrelevant--all my thoughts, my insercurities, all my fears--when Leah brought her lips to my ear and delicately whispered. "I love you."
And then my special moment was pierced by this annoying, too familiar voice yelling at me through Leah's window.
"Embry!" Jacob Black called. "Dude, will you stop making out? You're late for patrol!"
Don't I just have awesome fucking best friends?
A/N: I would shamelessly invite you to read Road to Perdition (Blackwater) and Her Reprisal (Callwater), my two new one-shots. They stem from writer's block :) Reviews please, it will help secure another update before New Year. Thank you! :)