My apologies for the last chapter being so short, but I ran out of ideas. These ones coming up will be longer, I promise. If anyone has any questions, feel free to send a message and ask! Thanks 3 – Nikki –
"Jacob…can you hear me?" That voice spoke again, seeming right next to me. I turned, staring into the blank white face once more. Air bubbles escaped my mouth as I struggled to swim toward the surface. It felt like my attempts were in vain, as if the water was pushing me down, or if someone was pulling. But that figure was just floating in front of me, never moving, as if they didn't know we were underwater. My eyes glanced down, down to the ever going cold abyss. "Why?" I thought in my head, hoping it would work since I couldn't speak anymore. The figure shook its head, "You'll never learn." What did that mean? I reached out for the figure, finally getting control of my arms, trying to grab them – trying to get some support. My hand went right through their chest and out the other side, I couldn't believe it. I started to get light headed, dizzy due to the lack of oxygen, and my eyesight started to wane. Was I gonna die? It wasn't fair. As I shut my eyes, hearing more air come out of my lungs into the water, I swore there was a hand from above me pulling my body back…
The sound of an owl woke me from my slumber, which I was grateful for, but it took me a minute to register where I was. Still at the Cullen house…exactly where I had fallen asleep. I put my head back onto the cushiony surface of the couch, sighing and looking around the darkened room. I must have slept all day, seeing as how it was pitch black outside. I finally stood and stretched, standing there and looking at the trees. Sometimes it came in handy to have enhanced senses. I shook my head and turned, walking out of the room, and before I knew it I was hanging upside down.
"What the hell?!" I yelled, looking up at the steel cable around my ankle then back down at the ground. There was a low chuckle coming from the stairwell, and I did my best to turn my body to see who it was. A guy with dark skin, dreadlocks, and blood red eyes was making his way toward me.
"James, it seems our little trap worked" he said to, what it looked from my position, no one. Out of nowhere a man appeared on the balcony railing, wearing a devilish smile.
"What do you want with me?" I asked, glaring into his eyes as best as I could. He jumped down to be face-to-face with me, hissing.
"You, dog boy." He backed away, looking me up and down. "You're perfect bait."
I struggled to get my foot free quickly but to no avail, that cable was digging into my skin too deep. "Get me down" I growled out, reaching and trying to grab him but he moved too quickly.
"Calm down fido, we'll let you down in time. As for now, rest comfortably." That irritating smirk was back on his lips, which just made me want to snatch them off his face. I continued to struggle until a female voice stopped me.
"You better stop that, or it'll permanently cut off your precious little foot." She walked into the moonlight from the shadows, orange-red hair seeming to glow like fire. I growled low in my throat, baring my teeth and swinging to try and get a bite on her until something hard smashed into the back of my skull. My eyes rolled to the back of my head as I hung there limply, at the mercy of the three mysterious vampires.
Leah's POV:
The cool water from the river calmed my raging throat as I drank greedily, tired from running so much in the last few hours. The loud buzz of the cicadas made me look up from my lapping; I couldn't figure out why they were so active this late at night. Deciding to shrug it off I turned my attention back toward the flowing liquid, getting more and more until my stomach started to ache. Suddenly a smell came to my nostrils, the horrible smell of…of…vampires. It was an overwhelming scent of coppery blood mixed with something unique that I couldn't describe, but it made my stomach turn. I turned my head up toward the sky, trying to find where it was coming from, sensing it was from past the boundary. Seth had said that Jacob went that way earlier and then…oh no, maybe they had Jacob. Completely forgetting the water and my duty to watch this area I took off toward Sam and the pack. 'Guys, Jake's in danger!' I yelled in my head, hoping that everyone would hear.
'What do you mean he's in danger?' Seth's voice asked loudly, and I could picture his distraught face.
Panting was heard before Sam's voice came in, loud and clear. 'Leah, are you sure?' I nodded even though I was alone at the moment.
'Yes! I was patrolling the land near the border, where Jake went earlier today, and smelled the strong scent of vampires.'
'Are you sure it wasn't the Cullens?' he asked calmly. I scoffed, reaching the guys who were waiting in a clearing.
'I'm positive it wasn't them, I know their scent. These smelled like fresh blood, as if they had just killed something.'
Seth growled, stomping the ground with one large paw. 'Damn. I knew it was a bad idea to let him go earlier.'
'You let Jacob go past the boundary?!' Sam snapped, anger crossing his features as he bared his fangs.
Nodding, Seth looked at the ground, glaring. 'He needed to, Sam.' Just as Sam opened his mouth once more, about to yell, I stepped between them.
'Stop acting like children you two. Who let Jacob go isn't important right now; the thing is we need to go see if he's safe. I know you're mad at him Sam, and you have every right to be, but it's our job to watch out for every member of our pack, isn't that right?' He looked away before meeting my eyes. I nodded, and turned back around toward the direction of the boundary once more.
'Let's go' Sam commanded, leaping ahead of us and into the forest. We kept a neat formation and headed toward the scent, which led us right to the front steps of the Cullen house.
Jacob's POV:
I opened my eyes slowly, taking in my surroundings. There was a bright fluorescent light on the ceiling which filled the small room with a bright white color. I rubbed the back of my head, feeling blood smear across my hair. That was perfect, and I had just showered the other day too. Sitting up I attempted to look through the bars, which served as a door, but nothing was out there. It was a long hallway which ended with a small metal door. I leaned back on the hard stone wall and sighed. Strange vampires had come into the house as I was sleeping and ganged up on me, so that means they probably want to kill me. The dull throb in my ankle approved of that theory. Those damn vampires had no right barging in and taking me hostage. If I could have shifted I would have tore their heads off, yet not only was I unable to move but I was hanging upside down. There was a loud clanking sound, as if a lock had been released, and the door at the end of the hall swung open. That cocky blonde vampire strode to the cell with irritating confidence and opened the bars. In a flash he had my arm and was dragging me out the door. I wanted to just cooperate for now, despite how much he was pissing me off, to see what they had planned. The tunnels he was dragging me through were dirty and smelled of sewer, but the room we stopped in was magnificent. The walls and ceiling were decorated with gold and silver, windows covered in bright red curtains, it seemed like a palace. He threw me onto the sparkling tile floor and that's where I stayed; I wanted to see just how many vampires were here because the place reeked of them.
There was the sound of distant footsteps coming closer before three figures in black cloaks came into view from a side door past a large desk in the middle of the room. The one in the middle removed his hood, giving me a good look at his face. He had bright eyes, a few age marks around his cheeks, and his brown hair was graying in spots.
"Aro, this is the werewolf pup I was telling you about. The one who befriended the Cullens" the ignorant vampire explained. The Cullens…? Why did that name keep coming up so often? I sighed and dropped my head to the floor, getting exasperated with this whole situation. A swift kick to my side caused me to flinch and look back up at the elder cloaked man. His eyes seemed to soften a little while looking into mine, and slowly he reached out to touch my hand. I shut my eyes, expecting to be flung around the room like a toy, but instead he stayed there just looking at the ground. It was about five awkward silent minutes before he moved again, standing straight up once more.
"James, you were correct, he does have an alliance with the Cullen family" Aro began, looking at the blonde one behind me. So his name was James, how lovely. "Yet I'm afraid…" he continued, earning everyone in the room's interest, "That this young man is not dangerous. He means to harm to any of us or our kind. Except for one Cullen member." At the last statement he let out a full laugh which caused me to snicker, because I knew which one he was talking about, until another kick to the side made me shut up.
"Let him go home, James. He is not needed here." I could here snarling coming from behind me and knew that little Jamey was angry with the outcome. I bet he wanted my head on a stake so he could put it in his front yard.
Standing and ignoring the pain in my side I turned to face him, smiling widely.
"You heard the man, I'm free to go" I stated, walking past him. Before I passed him completely I moved and whispered in his ear, "Better luck next time." I heard shouting as I slammed the giant door behind me, then taking off running down the sewer smelling halls once more until I saw another large, decorated door. A bright light was behind it, blinding me for a few seconds before I looked again and realized I was in the Cullens house again. Everything was quiet as it should be; no vampires, just me and the walls.
"Jacob!" Sam yelled from behind me, to which I turned around. All of my pack was standing there, staring at how I just magically appeared in front of them. Seth hugged me in an instant, the way you'd hug a brother.
"We thought you were dead!" he exclaimed, giving me a huge grin. "But I knew better than to believe it."
I laughed and put an arm on his shoulder, needing a little support since my side still hurt, and Sam smiled.
"We're glad you're okay."
That was the first time I'd ever heard him say that, and it was surprising to say the least. I did a mock thumb up sign, still wearing the playful smile, and turned with Seth to walk out of the house.
"Leah was the one to notice you might be in danger" Seth said happily as we walked down the road, seeming proud to be part of this little rescue mission. I looked back for a second, meeting Leah's stare before she looked away. In that little connection I told her what I didn't want to say out loud, and that was "Thanks, I owe you one."
As soon as he laid eyes on us my dad was over, wheeling himself as fast as possible. I leaned down and gave him and tight hug, knowing I probably worried him to death just leaving like I did.
"Dad look, I'm really sorry" I began but got cut off by his finger on my lips. He shook his head a couple times and gave me a cheery smile.
"No son, I understand. You're a growing boy and I knew you could take care of yourself. Just don't worry your old man like that again, got it?"
I nodded and nudged him in the ribs, "So you admit that you're old, do ya?"
That comment got me smack in the arm and we all followed him into the house, at peace for a short while. From what my ears could pick up, the buzzing cicadas had quieted for now. I looked through the small living room window to the tall trees; maybe I'd start listening to them for awhile.