I know how long you guys have been waiting to hear exactly why Damien is here and what's going through his mind, so here it is. For some of you this might be disappointing, but for others, you'll find this rather interesting.

Enjoy.

Chapter 44 – The Illusionist
DPOV

Thursday

I walked through the darkness of nightfall, my anger flaring. The clouds were gathering for their own destruction while the tree's shivered in the howling wind. The leaves fell from their claws in a desperate escape to get away, I knew it was only a matter of time before their lives came to an end, their pleas were unheard as were many of the cries for help in this world.

My mind switched back to Renesmee, thinking about how stupid I could've been by leaving all this behind for her. She thinks she can do whatever the hell she pleases? She thinks she can toy with me? She doesn't know what's coming to her. For a split second I thought maybe… just maybe I could forget about what they did to me, what they did to them, but no. Her rejection was what I needed. What the hell was I thinking? I was here for one reason and one reason only and no little Cullen girl was going to take that away from me.

Nathan was right, I should have never let my feelings get in the way of why we were here. I drove towards the old warehouse, abandoned on the lonely street with only dirt surrounding it. The outside was a mere reminder of the tragic fire that swept across the small village here, their only inhabitable building was the warehouse, but of course with nothing to stay for, the town vanished, leaving only silence and doom in it's past.

I told him to meet me there; it was somewhere quiet, somewhere where nobody, especially the Cullens, could find me. I masked my own scent with the roar of my engine, the gas left no trail for them to follow, it was all just petrol with thousands of paths to follow. When they gave me the car I made sure to check for anything that would help them trace me, I couldn't have that while I was here only to disappear with their most prized possession.

I made sure that as I drove I wasn't being followed; I let myself get lost in the darkness as I sped down the long gravel road. I thought about that Tuesday night and what had happened. I couldn't believe I'd made myself to vulnerable to a Cullen.

"Don't walk down that isle on Friday." I tried to plead with her. She stood absolutely still; this definitely wasn't the reaction I'd hoped for. I mentally prepared myself for this moment for the past two days, thinking about how I'd say it and when I'd tell her but instead of sticking to the plan I just blurted it out.

"Excuse me?" She was shocked, I could tell. What kind of fool was I asking her to leave Jacob? Fucking werewolf.

"I love you. Don't marry him." I asked and she merely stared at me, I assumed she was hoping for me to take back what I'd just said. I knew how much our friendship meant to her but I just couldn't go on pretending like that's all I wanted.

"You can't ask me to do that." She said unthinkably, it was like she switched to autopilot. Her voice was no higher than a whisper and she continued to pack her things into a small duffel bag.

"Please. You said yourself that you felt like you had to be in this relationship. You have the choice, choose me." I tried to convince her that I was the one for her but still she moved as though she were a robot.

"I can't, Damien." I'd prepared myself for her rejection but I never thought that at that moment I'd be anything but gentleman-like.

"Renesmee, please. He's a werewolf, have you not thought about that?" I had to say it. How could she have not thought about it, what could that do to her future? To their future? It could jeopardise everything.

"And you're a vampire. What difference does it make?" It seemed like I was finally getting a response out of her. She sat on the bed and stared at her beautifully cream hands, I knew I was making her think.

"You're better suited for someone like me. You're half vampire, we'd live together forever and I could protect you from anything. I know that I'll live forever." Yeah, I had to pull out the 'eternity' card. It was the only way to make her see. It was the only leverage I had.

I took a seat next to her and took her hand in mine, "Jacob and I are soul mates." She said quietly before slowly retracting her hand from mine.

"Just because he imprinted on you doesn't mean that you're his soul mate. It just means that you could carry on the line of wolves. Carlisle said himself that that was how imprinting worked. It has nothing to do with soul mates." She looked at me as though she didn't know that and I immediately felt guilty for telling her. She shouldn't have found out from me.

"Still. I love him and he loves me and we're getting married, Damien." I couldn't help but feel slightly irritated that I was losing her to a dog.

"Renesmee, I'm only telling you this because when you realise that you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible, I've had that realisation." I could see she was taken back by what I said and I knew she would be, I was playing dirty, using the lines that I'd used for her dream when she'd first got out of the hospital. I knew it would make her think and I desperately needed her to consider it, I moved closer, touching her hand again, she didn't flinch this time and for that I was grateful. I loved her.

"What did you just say?" She whispered. I could tell that she was remembering, by touching her hand I had all her thoughts in my head without her knowing it. I tried to project my own ideas into her head but she moved away again and the thoughts never went through.

"I love you." I moved closer again and she stood up, pulling the duffel bag over her shoulder and pondering what to say.

"I'm sorry, Damien. I can't." And with that, she ran out of the room without a goodbye and a parting gesture. All that ran through my mind was the rejection and humiliation I'd just faced. I knew what I was going to do in an instant.

As I thought about it the feelings came flooding back. I couldn't undo what had happened but I could make sure that nobody else would ever be that humiliated by a Cullen again.

I knew that Riley was right when he told me to leave before that fight started between them and the Cullens several years ago. He knew that the newborns would never survive in a fight against them but gave them hope. He spared me; he told me what he was planning and told me to run. I owe my life to him, he was my brother.

I remember that night clearly, it was the last time I saw him and my sister, Eliza.

"You fight well, Damien." He laughed and pulled me up from the ground. I could sense the tension in the air but chose not to ask. It wasn't wise to question someone who provided you with fresh blood whenever you needed it.

"Thank you, sir." I couldn't help but be polite. It was who I am; I was brought up to respect people in higher positions.

"You can call me Riley." He smiled. The glimmer of his red eyes caught the light on the moon and threw me back for a second before I finally realised where I was. I can't say the temptation of being a newborn wasn't easy, but I honestly didn't find it as hard to resist blood the way the others did. "Tell me, what's your secret? How do you fight so well?" He asked. I didn't know myself but felt obliged to answer him with any thoughts I had.

"It's like I can sense what you're about to do, when I make contact with you I can hear all your thoughts at that moment. It's like a million jolts of electricity running through me but it's not painful at all. I can sense everything." I realised that I was started to babble and chose to just be quiet. Riley seemed thoughtful.

"Your sister doesn't seem to share the same talents as you." He laughed and looked over at Eliza who was getting beaten by another newborn. I felt the urge to protect her but I knew she'd be able to handle it. She was always the fighter of our family and it felt wrong to outshine her in something like this.

"She's not as weak as she appears." I defended quietly but thoughtfully.

"Everyone! Clear out!" Riley called angrily, I started to move away swiftly, "No, you stay; I want to talk to you about something." I stood still while everyone moved out; they all scurried like a fresh batch of rats. When everyone was out of sight and there was nothing to be heard, Riley began, "Look kid, you have some serious talents and to be honest, you'd make one hell of a fighter out there, but this is not for you."

"I'm confused." I simply said.

"That fight out there is going to get ugly, fast. I'm going to tell you something and I need you to keep it to yourself, you understand?" He asked and I nodded, "We're using most of the newborns as bait, as distractions to keep them busy, I don't want you to get caught up in that, you would make a valuable asset." He said, it struck my curiosity when he said 'we' and he is the only leader I've seen around here. I chose not to take it any further though, I would be stepping out of my boundary if I asked questions where they weren't needed.

"I'm not sure I understand." I said quietly.

"I'm going after someone else during the fight, when they're taken care of most of the newborns will be… well you know. You'd make a very good fighter if we ever decided to take down their whole family." He smiled. There it was again, that 'we'. I didn't understand why he trained the newborns if they were only going to die. It seemed pointless.

"You want me to stay out of the fight?" I asked. He nodded before speaking quietly again.

"After everything is finished, I'll come get you. I promise." He looked out towards the night sky while a million things ran through my mind.

"Will you take care of Eliza?" I asked and he nodded.

"You have my word that she'll come back with me." That was all I could ask for. I simple bowed my head gracefully before leaving Riley and heading for the first exit I saw out of this place.

I never saw Eliza again. I could only hope that she hadn't died a painful death or that somehow, she managed to escape. Riley would never be back to tell me if she was really there that day or if by some twist of fate, she'd figured it out. She was always a smart girl.

Riley told me that the Cullens had talents of their own; I could've never guessed that they would be of such a high magnitude; however, they were nothing compared to mine; both a physical and mental shield with the power to use someone else's talent by merely touching them.

I shoved those thoughts aside when I pulled up to the warehouse, Nathan was already waiting, dressed in a dark trench coat and long black pants, his face seemed to pale in comparison, though that was only an understatement.

"Kept me waiting long enough, boss" He laughed and patted me on the back as I got out of the car.

"Look, I need the dagger." I said coarsely and walked into the warehouse. Nathan was my right-hand man. I'd recruited him the same way Riley had recruited me, I still felt guilty for taking his life but at that moment, I couldn't care less about life.

"I don't have it on me, boss." He looked down, bowing his head in front of me.

"You don't have it on you!" I grabbed the collar of his shirt with both my hands, "Where the fuck is it then?" I shouted and he quivered in fear.

"I have it in the car, boss." He shook and I shoved him aside, glaring at him while he scurried outside and into his small black car. He arrived back with the dagger, wrapped in a black cloth and handed it to me. I unwrapped it carefully, admiring the silver handle and blade that seemed to be endlessly sharp. It took me several years, talking to the right people on the wrong side of the vampire law to find it. It's a shame the Volturi are so intimidating otherwise they would've found it years ago.

Holding this much power in my hands was almost overwhelming before I realised who I was and what I was doing. "I need you to continue your havoc in Oregon and Idaho and wherever else you were before you came here. We need to make it seem like there is an army. It's the only way to lure her away from them and really hurt that family." I smiled, playing with the dagger in my hands being careful not to touch the blade. To a vampire, that blade was like a thousand degrees, it would burn my skin almost instantly, and I learnt that the hard way.

"Yes, boss." He nodded, "Anything else, boss?" He asked like the good little wing-man he was.

"Leave a trail for them to follow." He looked half scared to death as if I was telling him to die "You can find a car in Vancouver and disappear after that." He breathed a sigh of relief. I wasn't Riley; I couldn't create vampires for them to die. It wasn't right.

"Where will I meet you after that, boss?" He asked. I walked towards to door and looked back at him waiting for my answer.

"You won't. This is the last thing you need to do for me. After this, you're free to leave." I said and he smiled graciously.

"Thank you, I won't let you down, boss." He said and I walked towards my car with the dagger in my hand, with every intention of using it to my advantage against the Cullens. "Good luck, boss."

I waited patiently in her lounge, knowing exactly where Jacob was. Sometimes I wondered how idiotic he really was, I mean, leaving the night before his wedding to go hunting for the some vampires with his buddies, leaving his poor fiancée unprotected and coming home to nobody.

I thought about the different ways I'd go about saying this. I could come right out and say it and have her think I was joking, or I could lead up to it, put some real fear into her then say it. I wasn't the sadistic type of guy but in this special scenario, I felt it was appropriate to add a little bit of suspense to my big finale.

I heard the door close and the clink of her shoes on the wooden floor while I waited patiently on their hideous cream coloured couch. "Damien, is that you?" She asked, I could tell that she smelled me. She turned on the light and a bright smile appeared on her gorgeous face. I had to stop myself from thinking thoughts like that if I wanted this to work.

I smiled, not because I was happy to see her and stood up to hug her small frame. It seemed too easy. Almost like a mouse just walking onto a mouse trap unaware of the lurking danger. "I was just doing a bit of hunting." I smiled and she put her bag down on the couch.

"Oh yeah? I need to do some myself before..." She stopped and smiled timidly. I knew she didn't want to bring up the wedding, I could sense it. Her body just radiated awkwardness. "Anyway, what are you doing here?"

I felt like this house was making me claustrophobic and chose to make my visit short and simple. "You know how you're getting… married tomorrow?" I almost spat the word out. Did they not see how ridiculous it would be for a vampire and werewolf to get married? But that was besides to point.

"Yeah?" She smiled. Why wouldn't she? She was the happiest god-damned woman in the world.

"If you say 'I do'," I had to chuckled just a little bit at how easy she was making this for me, "I promise you," I laughed again and she looked on curious but still smiling, "Your family will die." Her body froze and I snickered again.

"That's not funny, Damien." She stood up and started to walk towards her bedroom. I knew she wouldn't take me seriously.

"Oh, but it's not a joke. I gave you a way out, you could've loved me back and we could've been happy but you chose the dog and now we have to do this the hard way." I smiled and she turned to face me. Her cheeks paling in comparison to the rest of her body. "What's the matter, you look like you've seen a ghost." I laughed and she just stared at me.

"You're sick." She said simply. There was something in her voice… What was it called… Oh, 'hope'. I felt the need to destroy it.

"I have an army waiting for your family. My very nice wingman was able to assemble them while I played happy family here with you. I have to tell you though, my feelings nearly got in the way of this," I gestured towards her goddess-like body, "and what a shame that would be." I moved closer and took her petite face in my hands. "Tell anyone about this and the first one to go will be your precious Jacob." She looked genuinely scared. I would be too if I were her. "I'll come back tomorrow when you've had time to process all this. Goodnight princess." I smiled and pressed a small, harsh kiss on those delicate lips of hers. They'd soon be mine for the taking.

WHATTT! Did you see that coming! I had no idea! JK. I know everything. :L
Review, tell me what you think, tell me what you would do.

Hope all you Damien lovers aren't too disappointed, he's still sexy. ;D