(Bella)
I crashed into the stone body of Laurent and he held me to him like a shield, spinning in a circle. His grip on my shoulders was tight, but he was being careful enough with me to prevent causing damage. I could hear heavy footfalls as the rest of the pack converged on us.
"Bella! No!" Jacob's anguished cry rang out.
Laurent spun us again toward the voice of my friend, his unnecessary breathing fast in my ear, his mouth right next to my neck.
"Don't come any closer, beasts!" he threatened in a hiss, lowering his mouth to an inch from my neck. His cold breath sent shivers through me. Perhaps this wasn't my best idea, I thought, beginning to panic.
Laurent stroked my hair and whispered against my throat. "You can control them?" I could feel his teeth brush my delicate skin as he spoke. He sounded absolutely terrified. He must have known that even if he killed me, the wolves would surely finish him off before he could escape. The only thing keeping the stalemate was their reluctance to do anything to cause my death.
Sam phased back, throwing on a pair of shorts quickly now that the calvary had arrived.
"Vampire!" he yelled. "Harm the human and it will mean your death! Release Bella now!"
"Control?" I whimpered, overwhelmed. "They are my friends."
"Your friends are going to kill me child." Laurent answered, ignoring Sam's demand.
"Sam!" I called out. "Don't attack, okay?" I pulled back from Laurent, hoping he would allow it, knowing that I had no hope of breaking free from a vampire unless they wanted me to. At first, he didn't let me move an inch, but slowly his grip eased, his expression resigned.
Laurent spoke softly. I couldn't make out the words, but they sounded like a prayer.
"Sit on the ground, Laurent, and don't move no matter what happens." I told him.
His eyes locked with mine, but he stepped back from me and sat down. I stepped back from him a few paces, calling out to the wolves to stay where they were. When I was about five feet away, I sat down myself facing Laurent.
"Bells, what is wrong with you!" Jake yelled, coming a little closer, carefully watching the vampire incase he moved to attack.
"Just hang back guys, everything's fine." I said in a calm voice, trying to regain my composure. I was a bit shaken, even though this situation was one entirely of my own making it was still enough to send adrenaline and pure fear rushing through my veins like ice water.
Jacob ignored my assessment and inched forward, trembling as he approached until he was standing over me and towering over Laurent, trying to push me away with his legs.
"Jake! Cut it out!" I complained, tugging on his hand, trying to get him to sit down. When he realized I wasn't moving, he sat down nearly on top of me.
"Time for part two of your vampire meeting Bells?" he growled out. "This the same leech you were telling us about, the one that was going veggie up in Alaska?"
"Yeah, he didn't hunt me like James and Victoria." I said.
"Looks like he's fallen off the wagon." Jake said, looking at Laurent's eye color.
Laurent looked confused. "I wouldn't say that exactly. I never intended to convert to the strange diet the Cullen and Denali covens keep. However, I had been staying with the Denalis recently and while I was there, I did keep to their customs out of respect. I could never live that way long term." His statement caused the snarling from the wolves to increase. He looked around worriedly.
"I thought you were Irena's mate?" I said, remembering something Edward had told me.
"Mate? No. Didn't your Edward tell you about the Denali sisters?" he looked amused.
"Tanya, Kate, and Irena. Right? I don't know much about them." I admitted.
"Child, the Denali sisters are already mated. To each other." he laughed at my shocked expression. "I had heard that Edward was repressed, but I didn't believe it when I was told that he was in denial about it."
"I didn't know that was possible."
"It is a rarity. The three women are a special case, what legends refer to as succubi. They have been bound together for nearly a thousand years, but unlike traditional mates which are possessive and territorial of their partners, the sisters seek out men. Both human and vampires, to have relations with. Often they share them. Before they changed diets, they would feed from them afterwards. They joke about it now, saying they're strictly 'catch and release'. I had a nice time in Alaska, but that was all." his expression was amused.
I blushed furiously. Wow, I could see exactly why Edward didn't or couldn't explain that to me. His puritanical views didn't extend to open-ended lesbian relationships, I was sure of that. It was hard enough getting chaste kisses from him. I remembered that Tanya had been trying to entice Edward for decades and instead of inciting jealousy, I was filled with amusement for once.
I burst into laughter. "Oh! Edward... Tanya was always after him. No wonder he was so uncomfortable!" I snorted in a very unladylike fashion, causing me to laugh even harder. Jake was staring at me like I lost my mind.
When I calmed myself down, I waved Sam over, getting up and resettling in Jacob's lap instead, which was more comfortable than the cold ground. Sam took a seat next to us and I squeezed his knee. The pack stayed phased, but my insane laughter had silenced the growling.
"I guess I should do proper introductions." I said. "This is Sam Uley, Alpha of the Quileute wolf pack." I pointed to Sam. "I'm sitting on my best friend, Jacob Black." I grinned cheekily. I pointed out the others, naming them off to Laurent.
"Wolf pack. I have never seen anything like your kind, although I had once seen a werewolf long ago." he said. "Children of the moon have been all but extinguished, but I was under the impression that they were ruled by the phases of the moon and had no intelligence while in wolf form, the beast controlling them completely. Perhaps the infection has mutated?" he pondered aloud.
"We were not infected, and we are not controlled by the moon." Sam said.
"I think you've been watching too many bad horror movies." Jacob looked skeptical.
"You are not true werewolves then, but something altogether different. There are such things as werewolves, much like from horror films. Caius of the Volturi has had them hunted down and exterminated. Are you contagious?"
"No, we inherit our abilities from our ancestors." Sam said shaking his head. "Do you think the Volturi will come here?"
"I doubt it, unless they had another reason to be here." he looked me pointedly. "That brings me to why I was in the area."
"Me." I said.
"Yes, you." he nodded. "I hadn't heard anything from the Cullens besides a phone call many months before when James died, informing me of my former coven mate's death. Carlisle wanted to make sure there were no hard feelings."
"I'm sorry." I said.
"Don't be, I didn't like him. It can be dangerous to travel alone. It was safer to travel with the pair, but already I was looking for other options when I met you and your Cullens." he waved his hand, dismissing my concerns. "I was surprised when Alice came to visit the Denalis a few weeks ago alone. Her story was very interesting. She told the coven how her Jasper had caused the death of Edward's mate."
"What?" I shouted.
"You understand my surprise to find you here now?"
"Why would she think I was dead, and why did she blame Jasper?" I asked, confused.
"Alice said she hasn't had a vision of you since the night the family moved on. The last thing she saw was you lying on the forest floor, lost and alone." Laurent said. "She said you died of exposure, that Jasper's attack on you at a birthday party was the cause of you becoming lost in the first place."
"No, it was Edward's fault I was in the woods, and I didn't die, obviously. That's when Sam found me." I answered, thinking hard. "Maybe she can't see the wolves. I've been with at least one of them almost all the time. Jake's been staying at my house or I've been on the rez."
"The pack has also been patrolling to make sure the red head doesn't sneak through and get to Forks. We must have been blocking the seer's visions." Sam added.
"That makes sense." Laurent said, continuing his story. "Alice said she hasn't told the others of your death, fearing Edward would do something drastic. That was the reason for her vacation to Denali. She wanted a break from constantly guarding her thoughts.
"I excused myself soon after Alice's arrival, not wanting to intrude on family time. I had been growing more and more anxious to move on anyhow, so I set off on my own. I ran into Victoria's scent not far from the Washington border. She told me that you were alive and that you had killed James. I thought her mad with grief from losing her mate. It was unlikely a story. I promised to investigate for her, and here I am."
"So you're a spy?" Jake accused.
"I suppose, but I expected to find nothing but a dead girl. My intent after that was to grant Victoria the mercy of reuniting with her mate in the afterlife. It would be better that way, most vampires cannot survive the death of their mate and Vicki wasn't all that stable to begin with."
"But I'm not dead." I said.
"I don't see how that changes things." Laurent shrugged. "If your friends will allow it, I will meet with her, help her find her mate again. She trusts me, I doubt anyone else will be able to get close enough to her in her state to complete the task. It is a mercy. I will return in three days time. There is more to discuss, I think." He stayed seated, waiting for permission to move, aware of the encircling wolves.
Sam and Jacob exchanged a look over my head. Jake shrugged and Sam nodded.
"We haven't had a lot of luck pinning her down." Sam said hesitantly.
"It is her gift." Laurent said. "Evasion. She cannot be trapped under most circumstances."
"Handy." Jake muttered.
"Anyhow, we don't have much to lose. Don't hunt near here, we'll be expecting you in this spot in three days at noon." Sam sounded fierce as he delivered the statement. "This is your only chance, we spared you because Bella seems to befriend anything supernatural, even when it's highly dangerous and nearly suicidal." he glared at me playfully. "But if you come back uninvited, we won't be so forgiving."
"Noted, wolf." Laurent rose to his feet slowly, causing the rest of us to copy his movements. "Thank you for giving me this chance. I will return."
He walked slowly away until he was past the farthest of the wolves that had ringed around us, then used his natural speed causing him to blur and disappear.
"Bells, you have some strange friends." Jake said.
"I know, you're the weirdest." I joked, smiling.
We all headed home after that, everyone thinking over the events of the day. Jake came with me to Charlie's. I was actually relieved that Alice couldn't see me anymore. I didn't want her to control my life now that I was starting to live for myself for the first time.
I made plans to ride bikes with Jake tomorrow and said goodbye to him, having a quiet dinner with Charlie. Dad, Billy, and Harry Clearwater had spent the day fishing. He teased me a little about this morning, but it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. I went to bed early. I guess Jake was right about talking about things, I felt somewhat better after letting it all out.
I thought about what I had learned today as I was falling asleep that night. Alice thought I was dead, she blamed Jasper. My heart hurt for him. He must know how Alice felt about him with his gift. How could she blame him like that? Even if things had happened how she envisioned them, Jasper still wasn't to blame. It was an accident. I wished I could talk to him, to make sure he was alright. The fact that Alice visited Alaska alone was telling. I was still digesting things when sleep pulled me under.
The next few days were quiet. No new mysterious disappearances were reported and the pack hadn't seen any sign of Victoria. Before I knew it, it was Tuesday and Sam came by Billy's where I was spending the day. I was in the middle of scrubbing the kitchen floor when he walked in, not bothering to knock.
"Sam Uley, if you get mud on this floor I will skin you alive!" I screeched, waving the mop at him.
He stepped back onto the small porch, hands up in surrender. "Sorry!"
I laughed and finished up, dumping out the dirty water and putting away the cleaning supplies before bringing out a couple of sodas. We sat on the steps. "So, what's up?"
"I thought you'd like to come with, see if your friend shows up?" he asked.
"Oh, yes!" I jumped up excitedly. "Let's go."
It didn't take long riding wolf back to arrive at the meadow. Jared and Paul flanked Sam as he ran. The rest of the pack was in school. Laurent was waiting for us, sitting in the exact center of the field. He tensed when the wolves arrived, but didn't get up, trying to look non-threatening I assumed.
"Hello." he called out.
"Hey." I said, climbing down off Sam's back. Sam waited until the other two returned in human form before jogging behind a tree to shift himself. Laurent studied the two boys with me in confusion and I realized he hadn't seen them except in wolf form so I quickly reintroduced them.
"Victoria?" Sam said, striding back into the meadow.
"Dead." Laurent said, tossing a small leather bag to Sam. He opened it, pouring some of the contents into his hand. It contained ash, which he sniffed, grimacing slightly at the scent.
Sam nodded, retying the bag and pocketing it. "You have our thanks."
"No thanks are needed. It was a mercy. No one should have to live without their mate, even ones as twisted as James and Victoria."
It was silent for a moment, Laurent seemed to be debating whether to say something. Finally, he started speaking again.
"When I came here before, I overheard the end of your conversation. My apologies for eavesdropping, but you were discussing the Volturi?" he asked.
"It's okay." I said, confirming.
"You know of the most important law of our kind then, child? No human is allowed to live that knows of us. I am bound to take action by our laws."
"We won't allow you to kill her or turn her!" Sam yelled.
"That leaves me with only one other recourse, I am obligated to go to the Volturi and report the Cullens as lawbreakers. I fear what will happen to all involved, and as impressive as your pack is, you cannot defeat them if they come for the girl." Laurent said sadly.
"We could kill you." Paul said, looking like he wanted to do just that. He wasn't very happy about playing nice with the Cullens when they were here. Having to let the human drinking vampire go had irritated him greatly.
"You could, possibly." Laurent agreed, nodding slowly. "But I will not allow it easily. I have been alive for nearly 300 years, I am not so easy to kill. Even if you manage it, I am not the only one who could tell the Volturi of Bella's knowledge. The Cullens could implicate themselves. How long can Alice keep the mind reader from learning the truth? The drastic action the seer is so concerned about? She fears he will try to kill himself."
A memory flashed through my brain. I was sitting in a classroom with Edward, the day of my ill fated birthday party, watching Romeo and Juliet.
"He told me how he envied how easy it was for humans to die, how he had to consider it once, when he thought he was too late to save me from James. He said: 'I was thinking maybe I would go to Italy and do something to provoke the Volturi. You don't irritate the Volturi. Not unless you want to die.' If Alice ever slips, that is where he would go." My eyes were wide with horror.
"Indeed. And Edward isn't the only vampire that knows of you. All of the Cullens as well as the Denalis do. As well as myself and how many others by now? Vampires do tend to gossip I'm afraid. Do you know of Aro Volturi's power?"
"No." I frowned.
"Aro is a mind reader, but much more powerful than Edward. He must be touching someone for his power to work, but he gets every thought, every memory you have ever had with a single touch." he said, a look of awe on his face. "I wonder, Edward couldn't read you, perhaps you would be immune to Aro as well."
"I'm not sure I want to find out." I said, horrified at the idea of having someone looking through all my thoughts.
"Back to the point, the law must be upheld. As intriguing as you are, dear Bella, I'm not willing to be executed for your sake by the Volturi."
"You can't possibly be asking her to voluntarily die either." Jared said.
Laurent didn't answer that.
"Bella, would it be alright with you and your friends if Eleazer Denali and I were to stay at the Cullen home for a few days? He has an ability that is very useful, it might give us more options regarding the Volturi."
"More bloodsuckers!" snarled out Paul.
"Quiet!" Sam said. "What is his gift?"
"Eleazer can detect gifts in vampires, and if he concentrates, even in humans. If he can figure out if Bella will be able to block Aro's ability, then your people and all that knew of her as a human should be safe. She would just need to be turned and introduce herself to the royalty."
"If Aro can't read me, then he wouldn't know about the Quileutes and the law will be satisfied." I said.
"Correct." Laurent nodded.
"Bella, we can't ask this of you. I know you would do anything to keep us safe, but becoming a vampire is too much." Sam said. "Your life is worth more to us than you know. Think of Jacob."
"Worth more than Emily, Sam? Worth more than the entire pack? Than every member of the tribe? I won't be responsible for the Volturi coming here and wiping the Quileutes off the map." I said heatedly. "I always knew it would come to this Sam, since the day I fell in love with Edward Cullen, I knew my fate was sealed."
Paul stomped off into the forest, unable to listen to anymore.
"Jared, go after him." Sam said softly. "We're fine here."
He followed reluctantly, looking over his shoulder.
"I won't let you decide right now. We need to have a council meeting and you need to think about it more."
"I already know what I need to do Sam."
"Please Bella, just think about it some more. Think about what you'd be giving up. Charlie and Jacob, your life here." Sam pleaded.
"Okay, I will." I said, knowing nothing would change.
"I have your permission Sam to bring Eleazer to the Cullen home? He is an animal drinker if it helps." Laurent said.
"He may come, but stay on the Cullen lands and keep to the animal diet while you are here."
Laurent produced a cell phone and called the Alaskan vampire right away. It was a bit strange to see such an old nomadic vampire embracing technology, but I supposed he had to have some way to keep in touch. I was sure Sam could hear both sides of the conversation, but from the half I was getting, it didn't make a ton of sense.
I gathered enough that Eleazer agreed to come, but that he didn't know the true reasons, only that Laurent had met someone who needed help with their gift and had agreed to meet at the Cullen's Forks home. He would be arriving in a few days with his mate Carmen. Eleazer did seem a bit concerned that they were using Carlisle's home without permission, but Laurent smoothed it over by reminding the vampire that Carlisle would never turn away someone in need and this was a delicate situation.
When the call ended, I made a mental note to get Laurent's phone number in case I needed it in the future. I still had some money saved up from my college fund and first thing tomorrow I was going to buy a cell phone. I wondered if Laurent had the Cullen's numbers, but I would wait to ask him or maybe just try to sneak his phone away while he was hunting like a coward.
"He's not bringing Alice, is he?" I asked, suddenly worried that she or the other Cullens would come crashing back into my life. I wanted to see some of them again, but on my terms.
"No, Alice didn't stay long. Not enough shopping for her in Alaska it seems."
"As for permission to use the house, Carlisle and Esme once called me daughter, so I'm inviting you." I smirked. "Just because they left me without a goodbye doesn't mean they revoked my right to have houseguests, does it?" I snarked.
That got a chuckle from both Sam and Laurent.
"Think they'd mind if we had a bonfire in the backyard? Got a little drunk and messy werewolf style?" Sam joked, eyebrows wiggling.
"Tempting!" I pretended to consider it.
We said goodbye to Laurent who went to air out the Cullen place and make sure the water and electric were turned on. Instead of bringing me home, Sam ran me back to his house and left me with Emily while he let the elders know there was to be a meeting tonight.
"So vampire-girl, Sam looked pretty serious. Something going on?" Emily asked.
"You could say that wolf-girl." I sighed. "Meeting tonight, about me becoming a vampire to save the tribe from annihilation by the kings of the vampire world. Same old, same old."
"I should be surprised, but somehow, this seems almost normal coming from you." she laughed.
I filled Emily in on Laurent, the Volturi, and the laws. As much as I would miss Charlie, I was going to have to move on eventually anyhow and it wasn't safe for me to stay in his life. Someday he'd see too much and then it wouldn't just be my life balancing on the knife's edge, it would be his as well. I couldn't do that to him. Besides my dad, all I had left was the pack. I hoped that even if I was a cold one, I could keep my friends somehow.
Emily listened as I spilled my guts to her, letting her know exactly how I felt about the thought of being changed and how little there was for me in the human world. She hugged me tight and told me no matter what, she'd be my friend. I let myself hope just a little bit that for once, things would go my way.