Chapter 8:

"Have you found her yet?" Sam asked Seth.

Seth shook his head and then sat down at the table in defeat. The entire pack except Jacob have been looking all over La Push for Leah and constantly came up empty handed. Sam looked down at the map on the table for what felt like the hundredth time. He knew he was missing something, but he couldn't figure out what. They called Jacob, and found that he was with Nessie. Sam grimaced, he knew he would choose the imprint, but he hoped that maybe he could have been proven wrong and Leah could really have her happy ending. Jacob had tried to talk to Sam to find out what's going on, but Sam wanted none of it. You turn your back on your pack then you're no longer privy to the packs business. Sam had snarled into the phone and hung up. Jacob had made no attempt at trying to get more info, which just goes to show that Jacob truly was gone from their lives.

Sam looked over at Seth and placed his hand on his shoulder, "We'll find her, I promise."

Seth nodded his head, to tired from searching to make any sound of acknowledgement. Paul and Jared soon stumbled in. Their bodies looking like Jell-o from the non-stop patrolling to find their pack sister. Sam walked over to them where they collapsed on the nearby couch.

"Anything?"

Both men shook their heads while still trying to catch their breaths. Quil and Embry were out searching now.

Everyone's head snapped up when the phone in the kitchen began ringing. Emily walked over and very carefully lifted the receiver to her ear.

"Hello?"

"We found something." Embry said on the other end.

The men didn't need to ask Emily who it was and what they said. Their wolf senses picked everything up really well. Sam looked at the worn out men before him, "you guys stay here, and I'll check it out."

Sam began walking out of the small cottage and stopped. Looking behind him stood Seth, Paul and Jared. Sam quirked an eyebrow at them in question.

Paul stepped forward and sighed, "I'm tired as hell but I want to kick whoever's ass took our girl."

Sam looked behind at Jared and Seth's faces that matched Paul's determination. "It may be nothing but disappointment guys."

Jared nodded and stretched, "Sam, you and Seth aren't the only ones who love Leah. Now stop the dramatics and lets go find her."

Sam watched in disbelief as Jared walked passed him followed by Paul with an eat-shitting grin on his face. Sam punched him in the arm and swung his other arm around Seth's shoulders for support. The same thoughts were running through everyone's mind, where was Leah? Is she hurt? Who hurt her? They all had a silent respect for the she wolf that was the only female of their kind. They loved her in some sort of way. Seth, Paul and Jared loved her like a sister. Sam on the other hand, they all knew why he was pushing so hard to find her because imprint or not, he was still in love with the girl. Jacob managed to do the one thing Sam was incapable of; he was able to resist the imprint, at least for a little while apparently. They all knew however, that come rain or shine, Leah always had their back no matter what her threats said otherwise, and therefore and they will have hers.

OoOoO

"Come on, I can't eat this if I'm not in wolf form, get me some real food! Please!" Leah screamed at the top of her lungs at the door. And like so many times before she was ignored. Sighing in defeat for the time being, Leah slid down the wall to resting her head on her knees again. Her stomach growled in hunger, it's been 3 days, and she's only lived off of water and hope that Jacob would find her soon. So far she's learned three things about her captors, one they were leeches, which was made apparent by the sickly sweet smell floating from around the door. Two, she wasn't alone, one of the vampires constantly tried to help her by bringing her water and blankets, however the vamp refused to speak to her. And three, She really wasn't sure anymore about Jacob coming to her rescue. The small opening in the door began to slide open with the upmost care of trying to be quiet. Slowly a hand reached in holding a bowl. Leah could smell the Spaghetti O's a mile away because of how hungry she was. Taking the bowl, the hand rushed to shut it but Leah stopped the action with the spoon she was given. The person struggled silently to close the door.

"Wait, please. Please tell me what you want with me. I'm...I'm just scared..." Leah whispered frantically trying to get the person to help.

The struggling stopped. Leah froze hoping that she finally may get some answers. She heard a shuffle behind the door and a loud bang causing her to jump back. Snarling persisted and she tried to scramble to her knees and look through the small opening in the door. The movement was so fast; she had trouble comprehending what was happening. It looked as if someone caught her savior and was having a smack down with them in the middle of the room. Leah tried to look around the room for any clues as to where she was. There were boxes stacked in a corner and a set of stairs that contained a bright light from the top of them. Cement walls matched the cement floor. To her the room looked like a basement without any windows, to her imagination, it was a dungeon. The fighting continued, until the person was smashed against the ceiling causing it to crack. She watched as the stranger picked him up and threw him over his shoulder. What surprised her next was the speed of which the stranger opened her door and threw the man in the room with her and slamming the door closed before she could do anything to help herself.

Leah looked over to where the large dark lump was laying. The good thing was hey, she has a buddy, and the bad thing was her buddy wasn't going to be able to get her any more food. Leah pouted and grabbed her bowl, she really didn't want to share, not like she would have to, the Vamp would probably find her more tasty than the Spaghetti O's. Leah stilled, oh crap, a hungry vampire is never good. Leah quickly ate her food and placed the bowl near the toilet and sink she discovered shortly after her incarceration, there was a mirror above the sink, but a lot of good that did her when it was so dark.

The lump began to stir and rolled to its back. She could tell it was a man by the size of his shoulders; they were wide and thick, as if he worked out. They narrowed down to a thin waist and long legs. She thought he was covered in black from head to toe, but Leah couldn't be too sure with just the small amount of light that floated in under the door. Finally the man lifted his head and looked around, his face turned towards her when she spoke.

"I didn't think vampires could be knocked out."

The man groaned and then fell back to the ground, his voice smooth and deep when he answered. "Half-bloods can." he replied.

Leah's eyebrows lifted, "Half blood? So your father was a leech and your mother human?"

Another sigh, "Well when you put as nice as that, yup."

Leah sat there in silence and chewed on her lip in thought. She wanted to bombard him with questions, but was afraid that if she asked too much he would hurt her. She was really weak from lack of food and phasing. The man on the floor however knew of her inner turmoil it seems.

"Your thinking to loud, just ask the questions already. Not like we have anything else to do." He said, while scooting to the edge of the room and placing his back against the wall with his legs stretched out in front of him.

"Fine, where am I?"

"Seattle."

"So close to La Push? Why bring me here? What do you want with me?"

The guy laughed, "I personally don't want anything or anyone, my step brother however, well he's a sucker for pretty girls."

Leah turned up her nose at the answer, "If he thinks I'm going to submit to him, then he's got another thing coming."

The man gave a humorless laugh, making the room seem eerie when you can hear the sound but not see the person making it. "It's not you he wants, trust me, he finds your smell alone repulsive."

"Yea well you don't smell like a bed of roses yourself."

They both drew quiet in the darkness, keeping to their thoughts. Leah finally whispered, "Why did you help me?"

She saw the shadow of him move slightly as if tensing at her question. Time passed and she didn't press for the answer. Finally another shift of movement and he began to speak softly, "Our job was to detain you, not kill you. I couldn't let you starve. Nobody deserves that."

"You talk as if you experienced it."

"As a child I craved blood but was denied to teach me a lesson as they put it. Hunger pains are the worst sort of torture, for anyone."

"I'm Sorry."

"The prisoner apologizing, that's a new one for me." he chuckled.

"What's going to happen now?"

"I don't know, Probably hope we kill each other so they don't have to deal with us anymore."

"Wouldn't they hope you live?"

"No"

The answer was said with such conviction; Leah had a hard time not feeling sorry for him.

"What's your name?"

"Alec"

Leah felt a small shiver run down her spine when he answered her. His voice was so rich and mellow, almost as if they were talking at a cafe in the middle of downtown without a care in the world, instead of a dark and locked basement. Leah got sudden curiosity to see what he looked like. Was he pale like the others? Were his eyes red from human blood or golden brown from animal? How old was he exactly? Nessie had aged fairly quickly, were all half bloods like that? The questions were escalating to more and more, before she knew it the urge to ask them faded as exhaustion took over. Trying to keep her eyes open became nearly as impossible as it was keeping her mouth shut earlier.

She pulled the small worn blanket tighter around her, she couldn't remember the last time she felt cold. Due to lack of nutrition and not phasing regularly, her body temperature was dropping to a normal human being. Making it very cold in a dark dank basement.

She felt rather than heard him move in their small quarters. When he put his hands on each side of her shoulders, she was too tired to even flinch. He maneuvered her to rest against his side, which was surprisingly warm. She looked up at him with curiosity in her eyes, yet still not bale to his face. However he must have understood the silent question and answered for her.

"I'm half vampire, so if I drink enough, I can be warm blooded for a little while until I need to feed again. I could here your teeth chattering on my side of the room."

Leah snuggled closer, and her voice barley above a whisper asked the one question she'd been craving to know, "Why are you really helping me?"

He rubbed her arms up and down trying to stimulate warmth then answered, "I don't know...I really don't know."

Leah sighed at the vague answer, "Nessie is the only one I would know that would actually wish me harm." Leah shivered again, "I don't know what your step brother could possibly see in her."

Alec stopped rubbing her arms and leaned back pulling her with him, "Who's Nessie?...You know what, don't answer that. Just try and wait till morning, the sun will heat up the house by then."

Little did her new friend know that she stilled at the question he just asked. If he didn't know Nessie then maybe she wasn't behind the kidnapping. Leah furrowed her brow, if Nessie didn't do this to her, than who did?

OoOoO

What! You all seriously thought it was Nessie? You think I'm that predictable…that hurts (sniff*tear). Anywho, I have a twist coming up and no, you won't be expecting it! Ha! Can't wait to see what everyone thinks! Review my people's review!

~Smo