A/N: I'm so glad people are still reading this – I was worried that you might have stopped checking for updates because I know I'm not the best uploader. I just want y'all to know that I haven't forgotten this little story and I truly appreciate the support. Thank you so much for reading!

Chapter Eighteen – The Hunt

The three of them appeared quite suddenly from within the edge of the forest, strutting towards us like they were paid to be displaying the new Abercrombie and Finch range, except their clothes were extremely outdated - and torn. The first male, much darker skinned than the second, came into the clearing first but fell back immediately and allowed a second male to take the front, in a manner that clearly displayed who led the pack. The third was also a man but he seemed much more boyish than the others.

As they came closer, I could see how different they were from Blaine and his family. Their walk was too wild; not nearly as runway professional as Quinn's for instance. They had absolutely no sense of fashion and all three men looked like they had never had their hair styled by a professional. I shuddered at the horror of such a fate.

Their sharp eyes carefully took in the more polished, urban stance of Will, who, guarded carefully by Puck and Sam, stepped forward to meet them.

The man in front, the leader, easily caught the eyes of everyone around him - but most especially Rachel's. He was cute though not in a way I found attractive and I was glad that his vampire charm had no effect on me. He had light brown untamed curly hair and an extremely boyish charm and despite his untamed nature, (there were leaves in his hair), he still looked like he belonged on Broadway. He was of a medium build, hard-muscled, of course, but nothing next to Puck. He smiled an easy smile, exposing a flash of gleaming white teeth. I heard Puck snort.

The second male, the much darker one, looked stern and serious but also like he had just graduated from prep school. He was wearing a faded tie and an even more faded blazer though his pants had rough edges and were frayed right to his ankles. The third male hovered unobtrusively behind them, slightly taller than the leader, his light brown hair and regular slightly freckled features both nondescript. He looked like a preppy private schoolboy. His eyes, though completely still, somehow seemed the most vigilant and even a little excited.

As a group their eyes were a lot different than Blaine's family. Not the gold or black I was used to, but a deep burgundy red color that was disturbing and sinister.

The darker one, still smiling, stepped toward Will.

"We thought we heard a game," he said in a relaxed voice with the slightest of accents. "I'm David, this is Jesse St. James," he gestured towards the leader as he said Jesse's name, "and Sebastian Smythe."

Blaine's dad cleared his throat. "Nice to meet you, David. I'm Will and this is my family, Puck and Sam, Quinn, Emma and Mercedes, Blaine, Kurt and Rachel." He pointed us out in groups, deliberately not calling attention to individuals. I felt a shock and a small sense of pride when he said both my name and Rachel's.

"Do you have room for a few more players?" Jesse asked sociably. He too had a slight accent.

Will matched Jesse's friendly tone. "Actually, we were just finishing up. But we'd certainly be interested another time. Are you planning to stay in the area for long?"

"We're headed north, in fact, but we were curious to see who was in the neighborhood. We haven't run into any company in a long time."

The tense atmosphere had slowly subsided into a casual conversation; I guessed that Sam was using his peculiar gift to control the situation.

"What's your hunting range?" Jesse casually inquired.

Will ignored the fact that Jesse had practically asked whereabouts did they suck humans dry. "The Olympic Range here, up and down the Coast Ranges on occasion. We keep a permanent residence nearby. There's another permanent settlement like ours up near Denali."

David rocked back on his heels slightly as Will answered."Permanent? How do you manage that?" There was honest curiosity in his voice.

"Why don't you come back to our home with us and we can talk comfortably? It's a rather long story."Jesse and Sebastian exchanged a surprised look at the mention of the word "home," but David controlled his expression better.

"That sounds very interesting." His smile was genial. "We've been on the hunt all the way down from Ontario, and we haven't had the chance to clean up in a while." His eyes moved appreciatively over Will's refined appearance.

"With all due respect David, we'd appreciate it if you and your party refrain from hunting in this immediate area. We have to stay inconspicuous, you understand."

"Of course." David nodded. "We certainly won't rain on your parade. We just ate outside of Seattle, anyway," he laughed but something about his choice of words sent a shiver up my spine.

"We'll show you the way if you'd like to run with us — Puck and Mercedes, you can go with Blaine, Kurt and Rachel to get the Jeep," Will casually added. The nomads agreed and we started to part. I immediately relaxed. More than anything, I was worried about Rachel's safety.

But everything was fine until it wasn't. Three things seemed to happen simultaneously that shook the balance of events.

Rachel's hair ruffled with the light breeze, Blaine stiffened, and the second male, Jesse, suddenly whipped his head around, scrutinizing her, his nostrils flaring.

Jesse stepped forward into a crouch. Blaine bared his teeth, crouching in defense, a feral snarl ripping from his throat.

It was nothing like the playful sounds I'd heard from him this morning; it was the single most menacing thing I had ever heard, and chills ran from the crown of my head to the back of my heels.

"What's this?" David exclaimed in open surprise. Neither Jesse nor Blaine relaxed their aggressive poses. Jesse feinted slightly to the side, and Blaine shifted in response.

"Rachel's with us." Will's firm rebuff was directed toward Jesse.

David seemed to catch Rachel's scent less powerfully than Jesse, but awareness now dawned on his face.

"You brought a snack?" he asked, his expression incredulous as he took an involuntary step forward.

And then he turned to me.

"And more than one…"

Blaine snarled even more ferociously, harshly, his lip curling high above his glistening, bared teeth.

Jesse smiled, "Relax, I have no interest in your boy toy. But this fine lady…"

I couldn't be too sure if I was imagining it but the one named Sebastian suddenly flashed a look of jealously at Jesse's sudden interest in Rachel.

"I said she's with us," Will corrected in a hard voice.

"But she's human!" Jesse protested. The words were not at all aggressive, merely astounded.

"Yes."

Puck was very much at Will's side, his eyes on Jesse. Jesse slowly straightened out of his crouch, but his eyes never left Rachel, his nostrils still wide. Blaine stayed tensed like a lion in front of me. Sebastian seemed even tenser. Looks like I wasn't imagining things then – he was most definitely jealous.

When David spoke, his tone was soothing — trying to defuse the sudden hostility. "It appears we have a lot to learn about each other."

Will's voice was still cool. "I guess we do."

David continued, "But we'd like to accept your invitation." His eyes flicked toward me and Rachel and back to Will. "And, of course, we will not harm the human girl or boy. We won't hunt in your range, as I said."

Jesse glanced in disbelief and aggravation at David and exchanged another brief look with Sebastian, whose eyes still flickered edgily from face to face.

Will measured David's open expression for a moment before he spoke.

"We'll show you the way. Sam, Quinn, Emma?" he called. They gathered together, blocking me and Rachel from view as they converged. Mercedes was instantly at Rachel's side, and Puck fell back slowly, his eyes locked on Jesse as he backed toward us.

"Let's go, Kurt." Blaine's voice was low and bleak. I wasn't scared but the conversation that had taken place had me frozen into immobility. Blaine had to grip my elbow and pull sharply to break my trance. Mercedes seemed to be having a similar situation with Rachel and had to shake her out of her stunned silence too. I wish Blaine could tell me what Rachel was thinking. She may be annoying but I was really worried about her.

Puck was close behind us, hiding us best he could. With his size it wasn't hard but I was too stunned to walk straight and I stumbled alongside Blaine. I couldn't hear if the main group had left yet. Blaine's impatience was almost tangible as we moved to the forest edge.

Once we were amongst the trees, Rachel and I were separated. I jumped up on Blaine's back securely and Rachel gracefully climbed onto Mercedes'.

After a short run through the forest, we had reached two cars; Blaine had settled me in the black Jeep and it appeared that Rachel was going with Mercedes.

"Strap Kurt in," he ordered Puck, who slid in beside me.

Mercedes was already in the front seat of her car and Blaine was starting the engine on the Jeep. It roared to life and we swerved backward, spinning around to face the winding road. I couldn't understand exactly what Blaine was saying because he was speaking so fast to Puck but it definitely sounded like he was swearing.

The journey back was much bumpier this time as Blaine drover faster than he had before. Beside Puck's Jeep, was Mercedes in her car with Sam. Rachel was sitting silently in the back of their car.

We hit the main road, and though our speed increased ever further, I could still see where we were going. And we were headed south - away from Forks.

"Where exactly are you taking us Blaine?" I asked.

But he didn't answer. He didn't even look at me.

"Dammit, Blaine! Where are you taking us?"

"We have to get you away — both of you far away from here — and it must be done now." He didn't look back, his eyes on the road. The speedometer read a hundred and five miles an hour.

"No! Turn around right this instant, Blaine Cullen! You have to take me home!" I was shouting. I struggled with the stupid harness that Puck had strapped me into, tearing at the straps.

"Puck," Blaine said grimly, almost worn.

And Puck secured my hands in his steely grasp.

"No! Blaine! No, you can't do this! I won't let you! Take me home now!"

"I have to, Kurt, now please be quiet."

"I won't! You have to take me back! Burt will call the FBI! They'll be all over your family! They'll have to leave, to hide forever!"

"Calm down, Kurt!" His voice was cold. "We've been in trouble with the police before, nothing we can't handle."

"Not over me, you haven't! You're not ruining everything over me!" I struggled violently, with total futility. "And I'm not leaving until I say bye to Burt, until I know he's safe!"

"You knew what you were getting into with me!" Blaine argued, "Don't do this!"

"And what about Rachel, huh? The poor thing is lying frightened as all hell in the back of your sister's car! I won't let you do this to her! And I refuse to go anywhere with you till you let me speak to my father!"

"Kurt, I can't!" he said stubbornly.

"No!" I protested back. "Turn around now!"

Just then, Mercedes caught up to Blaine, speeding just as fast as he was, her window rolled down. "Blaine, c'mon, pull over boo." He flashed her a hard look, and then sped up.

Bu it wasn't long before she caught up with him again, "Don't make me use your full name boy! I said pull over! Let's just talk this through!"

"You don't understand!" he roared in frustration. I'd never heard his voice so loud; it was deafening in the confines of the Jeep. The speedometer neared one hundred and fifteen. He continued to yell out the window. "He's a tracker, Mercedes! Did you hear me? He's a tracker! These two don't stand a chance!"

I felt Puck stiffen next to me, and I wondered at his reaction to the word, 'tracker'. It meant something more to the three of them than it did to me or Rachel. I wanted to understand, but there was no opening for me to ask.

"Boo, I believe I just asked you to pull over. Twice. Don't make me ask you again." Mercedes' tone was reasonable, but there was a ring of authority in it I'd never heard before.

The speedometer inched passed one-twenty.

"Blaine Devon Anderson Cullen!"

"Listen to me, Mercedes! I saw his mind. Tracking is his passion, his obsession — and he wants her, Rachel, specifically. He's going to begin his hunt tonight."

"He doesn't know where —"

"How long do you think it will take him to cross her scent in town?" Blaine interrupted, "He didn't give a damn what David had to say – he wants to claim Rachel!"

I gasped, "Are you for real?" I asked him waiting for his slight nod before speaking again, "But that's insane! Jesse St James totally Jesse St sucks!"

I knew in my heart of hearts there was only one place Rachel's scent would lead…

"My dads!" Rachel exclaimed in shock, "You can't leave them there without guards! You can't!" She began to go crazy in the back seat, but just like I had Puck holding me down, she had Sam holding her.

"She's right," Mercedes said. "Burt neither, since they're probably going to go after Kurt too."

"No, no, no, not my dad!" I protested. "Blaine, no, please, he's all I have left! And his heart will… You can't do this!"

The car slowed slightly.

"Let's look at our options Blainey," Mercedes coaxed, as well as she could from inside another car. "It'll only take a minute at most."

The Jeep slowed again this time, more noticeably actually, and then suddenly we screeched to a stop on the shoulder of the highway. I flew against the harness, and then slammed back into the seat. Mercedes stopped too, parked right alongside Blaine.

"There are no other options!" Blaine hissed.

"I'm not leaving Burt!" I said, yelling again.

"And I'm not leaving my parents - or Lima!" Rachel agreed. "I'm a star here! People will miss me!"

He ignored us both completely.

"We have to take them back bro," Puck finally spoke. "I can't take these kids away from their dads. I'm too soft for that kind of torture."

"No." Blaine was absolute.

"He's no match for us, Blaine. He won't be able to touch either of them."

"But he'll wait."

Puck smiled. "Let him. I can wait, too."

"No," Blaine repeated. "I won't put you in that kind of danger, Noah! You're my brother! Besides, you didn't see so you don't understand. Once a tracker commits to a hunt, he's unshakable. We'd have to kill Jesse St James."

Puck didn't seem too upset by this idea. "Now there's a plan I can live with. I've been itching for a fight. Let me at him."

"But we wouldn't just have to kill Jesse! We'd have to kill Sebastian too! They're together - if it weren't already obvious by the jealousy I saw dripping off Sebastian's face when Jesse looked at Rachel. You know what'll mean to a vampire if we kill its partner – seething revenge."

Puck shrugged, "Whatevs. More fun going after two vamps anyway! It gets my Buffy groove on. And besides, there are enough of us to hold them off easily." Puck stated. "And I could easily take 'em both on my own, c'mon!"

"Let it go, Puck!" Blaine snarled angrily, "I said no!"

"There's another option," Mercedes said quietly.

Blaine turned on her in fury, his voice an intense scowl. "There — is —no — other — option!" Puck and I both stared at him in shock, but Mercedes seemed unsurprised.

The silence lasted for a long minute as Blaine and Mercedes stared each other down. I broke it. "Does anyone want to hear my plan?"

"No," Blaine growled, the same time Rachel and Mercedes said "Yes." Mercedes glared at Blaine, finally provoked.

"Listen," I pleaded. "You take me back –"

"No," he interrupted.

I glared at him and continued. "You take me back. Mercedes takes Rachel back. We tell our parents we're leaving for whatever reason. We pack our bags. We wait till this tracker is watching, and then we run. He'll follow us and leave Burt and Rachel's dads alone. Burt won't call the FBI on your family. Then you can take us any damned place you want."

They stared at me, stunned.

"Actually – I think the kid might have a point." Puck's surprise was definitely an insult. "Nice one, Swan."

"It might work — and it's not like we can leave their fathers unprotected. You know that boo…" Mercedes said.

Everyone looked at Blaine who looked almost beside himself with anger. "It's too dangerous — I don't want Jesse within a hundred miles of either of them!"

Puck was supremely confident given Blaine's mood. "Bro, he's not getting through me… or us… but mainly me. Guns of steel, remember?"

Mercedes thought for a minute, her eyes closed, concentrating. "I don't see him attacking. He'll try to wait for us to leave Rachel alone. He wants her first."

I shuddered. Blaine was still shaking. "It won't take long for him to realize that we're not leaving Rachel and Kurt alone."

"I demand that you take us home!" I tried to sound firm.

Blaine pressed his fingers to his temples and squeezed his eyes shut.

"Please?" I said in a much smaller voice.

He didn't look up. When he spoke to me, his voice sounded tired.

"Okay… here's what's happening. You and Rachel are leaving tonight, whether Jesse sees you leave or not. You tell Burt that you're leaving with whatever story works. Pack the first things your hands touch, and then get in your truck, Kurt. I don't care what Burt says to you. You have fifteen minutes. Do you hear me? Fifteen minutes from the time you cross the doorstep."

The Jeep rumbled to life. Mercedes turned on her engine.

"Puck?" I asked, looking pointedly at my hands.

"Oh, sorry." He let me loose.

Blaine spoke again."Right so when we get to Kurt's house, if Jesse is not already there, I will walk Kurt to the door. Then he has fifteen minutes." He glared at me in the rearview mirror.

"Puck, you take the outside of the house. Mercedes, you and Sam take Rachel back to her place. I'll be inside as long as Kurt is. After we're out, you and I will meet and tell Will what's happening."

"Hang on a sec," Puck said. "I ain't just gonna guard the house, I'm staying with you, bro. I ain't going to be nowhere else."

Blaine sighed. "Think it through, Puck. I don't know how long I'll be gone."

"Bro, until we know how far this is going to go, I'm with you."

Blaine calculated things almost too calmly given his mood. "Okay, fine. Sam and Mercedes? If Jesse is at the Stanleys you keep driving. Do you think you'll be able to meet us with Rachel?"

She nodded. "We're going to make it to Rachel's before him," Mercedes said confidently.

Rachel ran over to my side of the car and threw her arms around me tightly. "I'll see you soon, Kurt," she whispered and then she was gone with Mercedes and Sam.

I watched her go, worried about her, but also worried about something else.

"…What am I going to say to my dad?"

Blaine didn't appear to hear me.

"You know what? I think you should let me go alone," I said even more quietly.

He heard that.

"Kurt, please just do this my way, just this once," he said between clenched teeth.

"Listen, Burt's not an idiot," I protested. "If you're not in town tomorrow, he's going to get suspicious."

"That doesn't matter. What matters is that we'll make sure he's safe."

"Then what about this Jesse tracker guy? He saw the way you acted tonight. He's going to know you're with me, wherever you are."

Puck looked at me, insultingly surprised again. "Blaine, I think you should listen to Kurt man," he urged. "I think he's actually right."

"Of course I am!" I agreed.

"I'm not leaving Kurt…" Blaine's voice was icy.

"Puck should stay, too," I continued ignoring Blaine's last comment. "He saw a lot of Puck and will figure Puck will be guarding me too."

"What?" Puck turned on me. "Now you're making no sense at all, Swan."

"All I'm saying is that you'll have a better chance at participating in the fight with Jesse you want so much if you stay…" I was trying to encourage Noah but it was hard while Blaine stared at me incredulously. "You're not going alone, Kurt."

I tried to be more persuasive. "Stay here in Forks for a week—" I saw his expression in the mirror and amended "— a few days. Let Burt see you haven't kidnapped me, and lead this Jesse on a wild-goose chase. Make sure he's completely off my trail. Then come and meet me."

I could see him beginning to consider it. Oh, the power of Hummel-Swan persuasion.

"Meet you where?" Blaine asked.

"Lima. I'll be with Sam and Mercedes and Rachel. I'll be okay."

"No," Blaine argued, just when I thought I'd finally got him to agree. "He'll hear that Lima's where you're going," he said impatiently.

"And you'll make it look like that's a ruse, obviously. He'll know that we'll know that he's listening. He'll never believe I'm actually going where I say I am going."

"Kurt's diabolical," Puck chuckled. "I like it."

"And what if that doesn't work?" Blaine asked resignedly.

"There are a lot of people in Lima," I informed him. "And we're quite old enough to get our own place."

"I kind of like it." Puck was thinking about cornering Jesse, no doubt.

"Shut up, Puck." Blaine said.

Puck snorted, a little angry. "Hey, watch it! Don't tell me to shut up, Blainey! Look man, if we try to take him down while Rachel and Kurt are still around, there's a much better chance that one of them will get hurt — or maybe even you will, trying to protect them. Now, if we get him alone…" He trailed off with a slow smile. "Then I can take him on singularly and… HULK. SMASH." He pounded his fists together menacingly but excitedly too. Blaine didn't say anything else.

The Jeep was crawling slowly along now as we drove into town. Despite my brave talk, I could feel the hairs on my arms standing up. I thought about Burt, alone in the house with Carole, and tried to be courageous.

Courage.

"Kurt…?" Blaine's voice was very soft. Puck looked up as well. "If you let anything happen to yourself— anything at all — I'm holding you personally responsible. Do you understand that?"

"That's a pretty lousy expectation," I told him, "But yes."

He turned to Puck.

"Do you think Sam can handle this?"

"Give him some credit, Blaine. He's been doing very, very well, all things considered."

"Can you handle this?" he asked.

Puck let out a roar of laughter. Blaine smiled. "Okay fine. But keep your opinions to yourself," he muttered suddenly.

A/N: In this chapter I got rid of the frightened weak Bella who yelled at her boyfriend once and then let it go when he got angry and replaced it with strong sassy Kurt who loves Blaine, yes, but also loves Rachel and Burt and that love influenced his behavior, actions and words in this chapter. I loved writing Puck in this because he's so laid back and Blaine is so strung with worry while Mercedes is halfway and Sam was silent trying to keep his composure human around the humans.

I would really appreciate it if you left me a review or some sort of message to let me know what you think because really guys they are all that keeps this story going!

Thank you so much for all the support, its' truly appreciated!

- paperstylehearts