Chapter 18 – The Blackness
It was around midnight when Kim walked over and joined Veronica on the window seat. "You're still not used to having to stay here when the guys are hunting are you?" Kim stated more than question.
Veronica nodded. "Yea, I hate that the guys are out there risking their lives for us and there's nothing we can do to help. I mean the vampires who killed my father are after me not anyone else. There should be some way I could help them catch them; use me as bait or something."
Kim snorted. "There is no way in hell Paul would ever let the pack use you as bate. Paul loves you and would be too scared to lose you. It would devastate him if he lost you to some blood sucking monster." Kim frowned. "Do you not understand what the imprint means to the guys?"
Roni shook her head negatively. "No one really explained it. I mean they told me we were soul mates, but I'm not really sure what it means exactly." Roni couldn't imagine it being much more than soul mates. That was pretty deep in itself.
Kim shook her head. "Well the imprint is like finding gravity on the Earth. You are his reason to survive every fight he has with a vampire; his reason for living. He could never and will never love anyone as much as he loves you. He would be whatever you need him to be; friend, brother, lover, but he will always be a protector. And believe me I've been with Jared long enough to know that the protection thing is pretty serious to them. I've been with Jared since I was sixteen. I have never felt safer than I do when I'm at Emily and Sam's."
Veronica nodded in understanding. "Have they ever had to fight a group of vampires? I mean I know when there's a couple around they double patrol shifts and work their asses off while trying to keep up with their shifts at the fire station; just working themselves to death practically. I just wish there was more I could do."
Kim frowned. "Yea actually when they were sixteen and had been wolves for a few months. There was a newborn threat. A vampire named Victoria wanted to kill Bella Cullen, well she wasn't a Cullen she was a human and not a vampire. Edward killed Victoria's mate James because he tried to kill Bella. Victoria made up her own arm of new born vampires; which are newly changed vampires and are so strong it's scary because their own blood is still in their bodies. There were at least thirty to fifty of them. So the pack teamed up with the Cullen's and took them out. Jacob was the only casualty, but it was the scariest thing I've had to go through. We were all just worrying about the guys; the possibility of them coming home hurt or even not coming home at all."
"That last part is what I worry about all the time. I don't honesty think I could ever live without Paul. I love him so much. I want him in my life forever. I don't even want to think what it would be like if I lost him." Roni frowned as she hugged her knees to her chest.
"You two don't get each other worked up." Emily walked into the kitchen as she went to the counter and started heating some water to make some hot chocolate. "You both need to remember that the boys are specifically made for what they have to face out there. The fast healing, the strength and speed, they are practically indestructible. Yes they can get hurt and clearly from what they've learned with Veronica's father's murder they can also die. But I'm sure your father put up one hell of a fight. And those guys put up one hell of a fight for us every day."
Kim smiled softly. "You would be the voice of reason Em."
Emily smiled as she winked at the girls. "I've been around all of them since they first started phasing. I've seen and heard it all. And it's not that I don't feel the same way with Sam, because I do. So don't think for a minute I'm not scared out of my mind for each and every one of them. They are like our children. I took care of them first and I will always take care of them. I feel like that was why the Quileute Gods had Sam imprint on me. That's why I'm with him, to help them with questions about the imprints or choices they have to make with their lives. They always come to me." She smiled at Kim. "Jared came to me the night before he asked you to marry him; he was scared to death you wouldn't say yes. But just like the other imprints I could see the love you had in your eyes and knew you couldn't turn him down."
Kim giggled. "Of course not; I wouldn't change anything in my life with him. I mean having a baby right now would be nice, but I don't want to get pregnant until after the vampires are gone for good, because I don't think I could handle the stress right now."
Emily giggled. "Oh you'd be surprised what kind of stress you can handle when you're pregnant."
Kim and Veronica looked over at Emily and she looked like the cat that ate the canary. Roni smirked as she jumped up. "Emily you're not; are you?"
Kim's eyebrows rose to almost her hair line. "Wait a minute what is going on?"
Emily smiled as she nodded an affirmative answer. Kim planted her hands on her hips. "You're pregnant?"
Veronica and Kim trapped Emily in a group hug as they both let out an audible 'Awww!' together. Kim pulled back. "Emily, when did you find out? How far along are you? Have you told Sam yet?" Kim was so hyper her questions were running together.
Veronica laughed as she patted Kim's shoulder. "Calm down Kim, let her answer one question at a time. You're bombing her."
Kim got a case of the giggles as they got their hot chocolate and walked into the living room. They each got comfortable as they watched Emily. "I told Sam a couple of days ago. I'm right around two months. He was extremely excited. He really didn't want to leave tonight but he's securing our child and future children's lives on the reservation."
Emily heard a couple of yelps outside the house. "Sounds like the boys are back."
Veronica jumped up with Kim as they tore out the front door and watched as the guys emerged from the trees. Veronica walked down the steps and stopped on the last one as Paul walked up in his cargo shorts and smiled softly down at her as he leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. "Why aren't you sleeping? It's well after mid-night."
Veronica shrugged. "I tried to sleep, but it wasn't happening without you. Kim and I have been talking and she explained a few things to me that I wasn't aware of." Veronica pinched Paul's arm. "And why didn't you tell me about Emily being pregnant."
Paul chuckled. "Sorry, Sam threatened secrecy until Emily could talk to you guys face to face. Emily threatened if you or any of the other imprints found out before she could tell you he'd tell Emily and none of us are trying to face Emily's wrath. We've faced it before when we were younger; we've gotten smarter to NOT get ourselves into trouble nowadays."
Veronica nodded in understanding. She knew Emily was not a woman to be messed with and her wrath would be insane to have to deal with and chances are her pregnancy hormones would allow her to throttle the guys even more if they messed up. Roni smirked as she jumped and laughed when Paul growled and caught her. "Good catch. How long do I have you before you have to go back out?"
Paul shook his head somehow she always knew when he was supposed to leave again. "Embry, Brady, Seth and Collin are patrolling right now. Sam, Jared, Leah and I are going to eat and sleep for three hours. They we will spell them. The leeches haven't left the area, but for the time being there's only just the two of them for now. So let's get inside and eat and try to get some sleep. You need rest as much as I do."
Emily had already pre-made sandwiches for the boys. They each had three a piece and then Leah claimed the couch as Jared and Kim grabbed the spare room downstairs, while Emily and Sam went upstairs to their room and Paul and Veronica headed to the upstairs spare room.
As they lay in bed facing each other; Paul slowly ran his fingers through Veronica's soft hair. He cupped her cheek as he leaned over and captured her lips. "I'm sorry you're night was ruined baby. You looked so beautiful and I was going to continue to spin you on the dance floor had we not been interrupted so rudely." His thumb brushed across her bottom lip. "I've been meaning to ask you something, but every time I start to we get disturbed. I guess I could ask you now, unless you're not up for answering any questions and just want to rest."
Veronica leaned over and it was her turn to kiss Paul's lips. "I always want to talk with you Paul. We always have plenty to talk about and when we don't have anything to talk about the silence is blissful. You know any questions you ask me you'll always receive an honest answer from me. I don't mind that our night got busted up. I know that you protecting this reservation whether it's from out of control fires or out of control vampires. It's what you do and I fully support what you do and what you stand for. I love you so much Paul." She wrapped her arms around Paul tightly. So tight she never wanted to let him go again as she kissed the middle of his chest and buried her face in the side of his neck.
Paul kissed the top of her head as he slightly pushed her from him so he could look into her beautifully muddy blue eyes. "Ok the question is easy I promise." His pink tongue came out and licked his suddenly dry lips. "Veronica, will you marry me?" He watched as her eyes widened when he pulled a tear drop shaped diamond on a silver ring out of his pocket.
Veronica couldn't stop the silent tears of joy as they slipped down her cheeks. She nodded emphatically. "Yes! Yes! Of course; nothing would make me happier than to be your wife Paul." Veronica watched as Paul slipped the ring onto her left ring finger as he captured her lips in a heated kiss. She couldn't believe it. She was engaged; something she thought she'd never experience. They couldn't stop themselves as they quietly made love. They weren't trying to be noisy with hearing enhanced wolves in the house.
The sleep they were supposed to get didn't last as long as it was originally supposed to, a long howl pulled all of them out of their slumber and back to patrol because suddenly the two vampires had multiplied and now there was fifteen and the number seemed to be growing by the minute. Most of the vampires that had shown up were not newborns so the pack took them down with ease. It had finally come down to just a handful of them.
The pack was feeling the tension but also the lack of sleep was starting to wear and tear on their bodies and their attitudes. They were getting snippy and snappy with each other, but still managed to continue taking down the vampires on the rez to early hours of the morning. They finally had it narrowed down to the two vampires who had started the whole mess and also the same two who had been responsible for Veronica an Embry's father's murder. Paul had the female cornered as he snarled and bared his teeth at the leech. As he started to close in, male came out of nowhere and started to charge at Paul no one noticed the spear in his hands.
Embry's eyes widened as he watched the male vampire charging Paul. He had to stop him. 'PAUL WATCH OUT!' Embry ran as fast as his fur covered feet would go and when he finally got close enough he jumped.
Paul, Jared and Brady had just ripped the female vampire apart as Paul spun around just in time to watch as the male vampire shoved the spear through Embry's middle. A loud ear piercing yelp came from Embry's muzzle as he hit the ground and slid four feet coming to a stop near a tree. Paul watched as Sam, Collin and Leah jumped on the male vampire and ripped him apart.
Every one ran over to Embry, the grass below him was already covered in a pool of blood.
'Embry what the hell were you thinking? I could've taken him!' Paul growled.
'Embry…' Leah whimpered. She got closer and nuzzled his face and neck. 'Please don't leave me. I'm sorry Embry I'm so sorry about everything. I love you so much Embry. You can't leave me. What am I supposed to do without you?' Leah moved closer as she was started to lick and lave at the wound the spear had caused and was still embedded in his side.
'Paul you have to take care of Veronica. You have to swear on your life that you'll protect her forever. I need you to take care of my mom and Roni; both of them. Please – Promise me…' Embry begged Paul.
Paul growled lowly. 'Damn it Embry don't talk like that you're going to be just fine. You have to be okay because when we get married Veronica is going to need someone to walk her down the aisle.'
Dr. Cullen appeared after getting permission from Sam who was back in human form and standing next to him. "Sam we have to get him back to your place so I can get this spear out of him and close up the wound. He's already lost an obscene amount of blood."
Sam nodded in understanding. "Everyone phase back we need to get Embry back to the house…Embry that includes you."
Leah phased back and once Embry phased back she carefully helped him pull his shorts on. They were close to Sam and Emily's and they could only hope that was in their favor. Leah couldn't stop the tears as she walked behind the guys as they carried Embry.
The last ace Embry saw was Leah crying quietly as the blackness slipped in.